SPEAKING: PRACTICE QUESTIONS
Useful Expressions for Smooth Speaking
Describing Time:
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Describing Position:
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PRACTICE: please come up with two stories based on the picture. Use at least 5 expressions from above for each story.
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: please come up with two stories based on the picture. Use at least 5 expressions from above for each story.
Comparing Things.
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Giving an Example or Emphasizing Something.
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Summarizing:
- in conclusion 总的来说，一句话，总而言之
- it is well known that 大家都知道，众所周知
- it is clear that 很显然
- as has been mentioned 正如所提到的
- generally speaking 一般说来
- taking everything 从总体来看
- into consideration
- I think 我认为，我觉得，我的看法是
- as far as I know 据我所知
- in my opinion 依我看来
- by the way 顺便说
- I am afraid 我恐怕
- to tell the truth 说实话
- to be honest 老实说
- in fact 事实上
PRACTICE: summarize the population distribution of China using at least 5 expressions from above.
Part I: Conversation
In this part of the exam—the first task of Section II, Part B (Speaking)—you will participate in a simulated conversation, responding to six prompts (a question or set of questions) in approximately four minutes. The questions are part of a conversation on a particular topic with a particular person. You will listen to a recording that includes the questions you need to answer. You will have 20 seconds to respond to each prompt. On the actual test, your responses will be recorded so they can be scored later. Attention! Conversation is probably the most difficult part of the AP Chinese exam. It tests not only your speaking skills but also your abilities in listening comprehension. Twenty seconds is actually not a very short time; you need to speak at least five sentences.
The College Board provides scoring guidelines for the simulated conversation. Like the scoring for the story narration and e-mail response, each student’s response is graded on a scale of 1 to 6. Conversations at level 6 are considered “excellent,” while those graded at level 5 are “very good.” Level 4 scores are “good,” and level 3 is “adequate.”
Your performance on the conversation portion of the exam—like the scoring on all the free-response questions—is evaluated on the basis of three criteria using this rubric:
The College Board provides scoring guidelines for the simulated conversation. Like the scoring for the story narration and e-mail response, each student’s response is graded on a scale of 1 to 6. Conversations at level 6 are considered “excellent,” while those graded at level 5 are “very good.” Level 4 scores are “good,” and level 3 is “adequate.”
Your performance on the conversation portion of the exam—like the scoring on all the free-response questions—is evaluated on the basis of three criteria using this rubric:
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! |
Part II: Cultural Presentation
In this part of the exam—the second task of Section II, Part B (Speaking)—you will make a presentation on a specific cultural topic you are given. You will have four minutes to prepare for your two-minute presentation. Your two-minute presentation will be recorded so it can be scored later. Don’t panic! It is just like any presentation your teacher asked you to do in the class, and you can take notes in the four minutes before your presentation. Although it may sound difficult, the cultural presentation can actually be the easiest part of the whole exam because you can prepare the structure and content before the exam. You are given some latitude in choosing the topic you want to talk about. Choose a topic for which you know the Chinese name and can talk about its significance.
The College Board provides scoring guidelines for the culture presentation. Like the scoring for the story narration and e-mail response, each student’s response is graded on a scale of 1 to 6. Conversations at level 6 are considered “excellent,” while those graded at level 5 are “very good.” Level 4 scores are “good,” and level 3 is “adequate.”
Your performance on the presentation portion of the exam—like the scoring on all the free-response questions—is evaluated on the basis of three criteria using this rubric:
The College Board provides scoring guidelines for the culture presentation. Like the scoring for the story narration and e-mail response, each student’s response is graded on a scale of 1 to 6. Conversations at level 6 are considered “excellent,” while those graded at level 5 are “very good.” Level 4 scores are “good,” and level 3 is “adequate.”
Your performance on the presentation portion of the exam—like the scoring on all the free-response questions—is evaluated on the basis of three criteria using this rubric:
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. |
MORE TOPICS:
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Lino Practice Questions:
Follow the link to try out REAL speaking prompts on past AP Chinese Exams. The format follows the AP Exam exactly:
Lingt: AP Chinese Speaking Practice
Lingt: AP Chinese Speaking Practice
