Describing Time:
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Describing Position:
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Comparing Things:
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Giving an Example or Emphasizing Something:
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Practice Questions:1. You will have a conversation with Chen Ming, a friend from China, about your school life in the United States. Now listen to the six questions and answer them one by one. You will have 20 seconds for each answer; on the actual test, your spoken answers will be recorded.
2. You will have a conversation with Tang Wei, a friend who has been to China many times, about traveling in China. Now listen to the six questions and answer them one by one. You will have 20 seconds for each answer; on the actual test, your spoken answers will be recorded.
For a good answer:
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General Strategies:1. Listen carefully. Understanding the question is as important as answering it. Listen to the prompt very carefully. In a lot of cases, there are two questions in one prompt and you need to answer both of them. Repeat them in your mind.
2. Complete the task. Answer the questions directly first and then provide elaboration. Speak as much as possible for the 20 seconds you are given. If you didn’t get the question or missed some information you think is important, don’t give up. Try to repeat the words you know, then share your opinions and explain your reasoning. Most prompts involve questions about opinions and the reasons behind them. 3. Pay attention to language usage and delivery. Do not worry too much about your grammar. If your mind goes blank, start out with a phrase you know such as “As far as I know…” or “What I would like to say….” Speak as fast and fluently as possible for the familiar parts. Give examples, rephrase your answers, and use language that is culturally appropriate to the situation to demonstrate your ability for good language usage and delivery. Don’t blurt out English when frustrated! |
Practice Questions:Time Limit: four minutes for the preparation period and two minutes for the presentation. On the actual test your two-minute oral presentation will be recorded.
1. Choose one famous Chinese person (e.g., movie stars, sports stars, leaders, authors, musicians, artists, etc.). In your presentation, describe the person in detail and explain his/her significance. 2. Choose one Chinese traditional festival activity (dinner on Chinese New Year’s Eve, the dragon boat competition during the Duan Wu Festival, etc.), describe this festival activity, and explain its significance. Useful Expressions:
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General Strategies:1. Use your four minutes for careful preparation. You can do a lot of constructive preparation in the four minutes. First, carefully read the task you are assigned (the prompt). Make sure that you understand what culture practice or product you need to discuss. Sometimes there is a specific condition (usually adjectives such as famous, traditional, regional, etc.) added to the topic. Your preparation should be based on the condition and include some complete sentences.
2. Complete the task. Start with your main idea as the first sentence. If you are going to talk about a cultural topic and its significance, then state it. Second, describe the features and share the significance. Speak as fast and fluently as possible for the familiar parts. If you have time, plan a beautiful closing sentence that wows. 3. Start with a structure (template) prepared in advance. Similar to the e-mail response, you can prepare a structured outline before the exam because the topics involve a cultural practice and its significance. Thus, you can do fill-in-the-blank writing instead of starting from zero in the actual exam. Preparing a well-organized structure with perfect grammar and the use of rich language before the exam can really help you to succeed in this task. |
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