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Model Answer for Speaking Exam
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Studies and Work
Describe a Science Class You Took in High School
Please say:
What the subject was
If you liked the science class
What the teacher was like
Stage 3
Science teaching
Model Answer
1. Are you a student or do you work?
I'm a student right now at the intensive English program at the University of Ottawa. I've been here for a year and I’m hoping to go into a business program soon. I live right on campus so it’s quite convenient.
2. Could you describe exactly what you do?
Well, the classes stretch throughout the day and we focus on English for academic purposes so we are constantly doing writing assignments and we are pushed to learn new vocabulary weekly. I have 5 classes this semester and I'm starting to learn how to do university style reports - it’s quite different in style compared to the style used in my country. There are a lot of activities that are designed for us to mingle as a group and we take part in some trips and things like that but of course there's a lot to do on campus if you feel like being really active
3. Do you enjoy this?
Well, I always knew it would be tough but I am quite proud of the effort I have punt in and I feel as though I am improving. I like the style of the teachers. Even though it's an academic program the teachers work hard to give us many interactive activities. .So overall I do enjoy what I do but I’m getting to the point where I’m getting restless and would really like to join a regular program
4.What are some challenges?
I would say the social challenge more than the academic challenge. I mean you have your group that you are with all the time, like your classmates and people you meet from them but it's quite hard to make friends with local people. Adapting to different food and a smaller city life isn’t always easy so you have to make sure you have some routine activities that you enjoy. I also have to stop thinking about my hometown and family all the time because that will just drive you crazy.
5. Tell me about the city or town you live in - is it big or small?
It's huge actually - one of the biggest cities in the world. Yes I come from Beijing and although I wasn’t born there I have lived there for most of my life
6. What are some things you like about it? Well Beijing is the kind of city that has everything and even though it can have a lot of bad quality aspects to it, it has some really wonderful places to eat, shop, and you are always surrounded by its history and culture. Beijing people are always interesting to talk to and I would say in general that they are more interested in learning about things than many of the people in other cities in China
7. What kind of people do you think would choose to live in your hometown? That’s difficult to say because being so big it has every different kind of person you can imagine. In general, you will find Beijing a great place for someone who lives in other regions of China and want new opportunities, not just for work but also to study and learn about their country. I would say its better for younger people right now because of you have a family you may always be worrying about traffic and pollution but it's a great place for a student
.
1. Do you listen to pop music quite regularly?
Not really. There are a lot of groups I listen to but I'm quite tired of having it go into my ears all day long and I’m more interested in new music by different groups in different countries now. I'm not the kind of person that idolizes pop stars or follow what they do on the internet. Sometimes the music really does give me a special feeling but then after a while it gets overplayed and you get tired of it.
1. Which groups do you think you like the most
I used to line a number of groups when I was in high school. One group was called Mayday. You probably wouldn’t have heard it here in Canada but overseas they are wildly popular and are considered on top. Another singer I liked was Raine Yang. She actually puts a lot of effort into her songs and mixes some traditional musical sounds as well.
1. Do you think you would like to be a pop star?
Well, I could do with the money they make but besides that, no I don't think so. I would not want that amount of attention and I'm sure that although it’s probably nice for a few years it probably drives them crazy. There are photographers at you for pictures constantly and you are sort of obligated to attend so many different events and talk shows with interviewers that ask the same questions again and again. So I'd rather be not so famous and have a private life
1. Do you think pop stars get paid too much?
I don't know. Part of me says yes because they are really just entertainers and when they are paid do much you know it means that getting a concert ticket is incredibly expensive and they appear all over the media sties doing promotion and you wonder why they can’t just be satisfied with one or two million dollars. Why not just relax and enjoy your wealth rather than trying to reach the next billion or so. I can see the argument they might make that they took all the risk to try and become one and that the money should go to them rather than promoters and advertising people but still when you compare their value to society compared to a teacher or a doctor, I dint think they should be that rich.
Ok well, science is not my favourite subject so every time I entered a science class, I sort of wondered how bad I would do but a class I took about 3 years ago in high school really surprised me. It was Physics and at the time I took it I was only thinking about how much I hated Physics but I was quite surprised
The teacher was an older teacher so when he first came in, I thought he would be one of these very traditional teachers that focused on a lot of formulas and math. He was not a teacher who smiled much and he looked so stern I thought about how doomed my chances of getting not only passed his class but also whether \I could pass my college entrance test. \it turned out that he would try to make Physics answer more practical everyday life questions and he would start the class with a basic question, get some of our assumptions and theories and then give us the tools to find the answer. He did not make us do a whole lot of useless lab experiments where ewe already knew what was going to happen in the experiments. Instead he would pose the question and then ask us what we thought we needed to arrive at an answer. It turned out that a lot of the experiments we would ultimately do were about the same as their classes but the big difference is that we had control over the discovery process and that made all the difference. I did quite well on all his tests. They were not easy but we knew what we had to do to get a good grade so he was not such a tricky teacher like some of the other science teachers that made the exams a complete mystery. From that point on I did well in Physics and went back to talk with that teacher quite a bit. He is now retired and still living in Beijing I think.
Science teaching
1. Was science popular in high school
I wouldn’t say it was popular in that many people liked it. Sconce I a tough subject for most people so some of us really suffer through it. On the other hand, if you want to get some of the better paying job positions in China, you really need to do well in science and that means you have to have a study method that can make you understand almost a hundred percent of what is taught in class because we all knew that the entrance examinations cover more than what is taught by the teachers
1. Do you feel any changes are needed in the way science is taught?
A lot. Sconce should be about discovering new things and answering questions. Right now the way it is taught in high school it is just like another mental exercise like math or course on memorizing formulas and ways to confirm what we already know. I think there should be more teachers like the one I just told you about because a lot of people feel really intimidated by science
2. Have there been any changes that you know of?
That's hard for me to say. I know what they are trying to do is make science more interactive for kids. The problem is that once you get to high school no teacher wants to use fun and games anymore because all they are focused n are exams and the ranking of the school. I know that my younger brother enjoys his astronomy class very much because he is allowed to look through giant telescopes and learn about the world outside of us but he's still young and \I wonder if when he enters high school he will find himself hating science again
Differences between boys and girls
3. Who do you think can understand science better boys or girls?
I think they both understand science equally; the problem is that most of the girls I know hate physics. They see it as one of the harder colder sciences. For a lot if girls they can’t see how they would make a career path form.it so they quickly lose motivation. My cousin is a young woman who went into physics and it was amazing how many time people told her she wasn’t suited for Physics. Some say that boys have better minds for physics but I think that is probably not really relevant because
4. What do you think some of the causes for this are?
It’s hard to see why this is. I think that physics is not taught to girls in a way that makes them interested. They always hold this idea that girls are not as good at physics as boys, even though in my high school class the highest grades in physics were the girls. So I don’t think that girls or boys understand physics better but I think the very way it is taught sort of demotivates girls. The curriculum is taught too much in the old way and this is more suited towards
5. Do you think currently in your hometown boys or girls are getting better grades in science? What are the causes of this?
Boys get the higher grades in my high school but this is not because they are better but because they sort of have to if they want to have a prayer's chance at a job it is expected in China that a girl does not go in to very technical jobs. They have just been more motivated to do well in the past but this is changing. Of course this is changing. Someone recently told me that because a lot of jobs require technical knowledge and that a science background is important that more and more girls are appearing in science programs. Now when I talk about science I am really referring to the hard sciences like physics, geology and chemistry. Many of the other sciences such as biology, and psychology are not so dominated by boys. In high school, you are seeing more and more science fields with equal or more numbers of women. One thing that might help is if there were more women science teachers because I have noticed that when women teach science they tend to make the girls in the class more comfortable and the class doesn’t seem so intimidating.
- Are you a student or do you work?
- Could you describe exactly what you do?
- Do you enjoy this? What are some challenges?
- Tell me about the city or town you live in - is it big or small?
- What are some things you like about it?
- What kind of people do you think would choose to live in your hometown?
- Do you listen to pop music quite regularly?
- Which groups do you think you like the most
- Do you think you would like to be a pop star?
- Do you think pop stars get paid too much?
Describe a Science Class You Took in High School
Please say:
What the subject was
If you liked the science class
What the teacher was like
Stage 3
Science teaching
- Was science popular in high school
- Do you feel any changes are needed in the way science is taught?
- Have there been any changes that you know of?
- Who do you think can understand science better boys or girls?
- What do you think some of the causes for this are?
- Do you think currently in your hometown boys or girls are getting better grades in science? What are the causes of this?
Model Answer
1. Are you a student or do you work?
I'm a student right now at the intensive English program at the University of Ottawa. I've been here for a year and I’m hoping to go into a business program soon. I live right on campus so it’s quite convenient.
2. Could you describe exactly what you do?
Well, the classes stretch throughout the day and we focus on English for academic purposes so we are constantly doing writing assignments and we are pushed to learn new vocabulary weekly. I have 5 classes this semester and I'm starting to learn how to do university style reports - it’s quite different in style compared to the style used in my country. There are a lot of activities that are designed for us to mingle as a group and we take part in some trips and things like that but of course there's a lot to do on campus if you feel like being really active
3. Do you enjoy this?
Well, I always knew it would be tough but I am quite proud of the effort I have punt in and I feel as though I am improving. I like the style of the teachers. Even though it's an academic program the teachers work hard to give us many interactive activities. .So overall I do enjoy what I do but I’m getting to the point where I’m getting restless and would really like to join a regular program
4.What are some challenges?
I would say the social challenge more than the academic challenge. I mean you have your group that you are with all the time, like your classmates and people you meet from them but it's quite hard to make friends with local people. Adapting to different food and a smaller city life isn’t always easy so you have to make sure you have some routine activities that you enjoy. I also have to stop thinking about my hometown and family all the time because that will just drive you crazy.
5. Tell me about the city or town you live in - is it big or small?
It's huge actually - one of the biggest cities in the world. Yes I come from Beijing and although I wasn’t born there I have lived there for most of my life
6. What are some things you like about it? Well Beijing is the kind of city that has everything and even though it can have a lot of bad quality aspects to it, it has some really wonderful places to eat, shop, and you are always surrounded by its history and culture. Beijing people are always interesting to talk to and I would say in general that they are more interested in learning about things than many of the people in other cities in China
7. What kind of people do you think would choose to live in your hometown? That’s difficult to say because being so big it has every different kind of person you can imagine. In general, you will find Beijing a great place for someone who lives in other regions of China and want new opportunities, not just for work but also to study and learn about their country. I would say its better for younger people right now because of you have a family you may always be worrying about traffic and pollution but it's a great place for a student
.
1. Do you listen to pop music quite regularly?
Not really. There are a lot of groups I listen to but I'm quite tired of having it go into my ears all day long and I’m more interested in new music by different groups in different countries now. I'm not the kind of person that idolizes pop stars or follow what they do on the internet. Sometimes the music really does give me a special feeling but then after a while it gets overplayed and you get tired of it.
1. Which groups do you think you like the most
I used to line a number of groups when I was in high school. One group was called Mayday. You probably wouldn’t have heard it here in Canada but overseas they are wildly popular and are considered on top. Another singer I liked was Raine Yang. She actually puts a lot of effort into her songs and mixes some traditional musical sounds as well.
1. Do you think you would like to be a pop star?
Well, I could do with the money they make but besides that, no I don't think so. I would not want that amount of attention and I'm sure that although it’s probably nice for a few years it probably drives them crazy. There are photographers at you for pictures constantly and you are sort of obligated to attend so many different events and talk shows with interviewers that ask the same questions again and again. So I'd rather be not so famous and have a private life
1. Do you think pop stars get paid too much?
I don't know. Part of me says yes because they are really just entertainers and when they are paid do much you know it means that getting a concert ticket is incredibly expensive and they appear all over the media sties doing promotion and you wonder why they can’t just be satisfied with one or two million dollars. Why not just relax and enjoy your wealth rather than trying to reach the next billion or so. I can see the argument they might make that they took all the risk to try and become one and that the money should go to them rather than promoters and advertising people but still when you compare their value to society compared to a teacher or a doctor, I dint think they should be that rich.
Ok well, science is not my favourite subject so every time I entered a science class, I sort of wondered how bad I would do but a class I took about 3 years ago in high school really surprised me. It was Physics and at the time I took it I was only thinking about how much I hated Physics but I was quite surprised
The teacher was an older teacher so when he first came in, I thought he would be one of these very traditional teachers that focused on a lot of formulas and math. He was not a teacher who smiled much and he looked so stern I thought about how doomed my chances of getting not only passed his class but also whether \I could pass my college entrance test. \it turned out that he would try to make Physics answer more practical everyday life questions and he would start the class with a basic question, get some of our assumptions and theories and then give us the tools to find the answer. He did not make us do a whole lot of useless lab experiments where ewe already knew what was going to happen in the experiments. Instead he would pose the question and then ask us what we thought we needed to arrive at an answer. It turned out that a lot of the experiments we would ultimately do were about the same as their classes but the big difference is that we had control over the discovery process and that made all the difference. I did quite well on all his tests. They were not easy but we knew what we had to do to get a good grade so he was not such a tricky teacher like some of the other science teachers that made the exams a complete mystery. From that point on I did well in Physics and went back to talk with that teacher quite a bit. He is now retired and still living in Beijing I think.
Science teaching
1. Was science popular in high school
I wouldn’t say it was popular in that many people liked it. Sconce I a tough subject for most people so some of us really suffer through it. On the other hand, if you want to get some of the better paying job positions in China, you really need to do well in science and that means you have to have a study method that can make you understand almost a hundred percent of what is taught in class because we all knew that the entrance examinations cover more than what is taught by the teachers
1. Do you feel any changes are needed in the way science is taught?
A lot. Sconce should be about discovering new things and answering questions. Right now the way it is taught in high school it is just like another mental exercise like math or course on memorizing formulas and ways to confirm what we already know. I think there should be more teachers like the one I just told you about because a lot of people feel really intimidated by science
2. Have there been any changes that you know of?
That's hard for me to say. I know what they are trying to do is make science more interactive for kids. The problem is that once you get to high school no teacher wants to use fun and games anymore because all they are focused n are exams and the ranking of the school. I know that my younger brother enjoys his astronomy class very much because he is allowed to look through giant telescopes and learn about the world outside of us but he's still young and \I wonder if when he enters high school he will find himself hating science again
Differences between boys and girls
3. Who do you think can understand science better boys or girls?
I think they both understand science equally; the problem is that most of the girls I know hate physics. They see it as one of the harder colder sciences. For a lot if girls they can’t see how they would make a career path form.it so they quickly lose motivation. My cousin is a young woman who went into physics and it was amazing how many time people told her she wasn’t suited for Physics. Some say that boys have better minds for physics but I think that is probably not really relevant because
4. What do you think some of the causes for this are?
It’s hard to see why this is. I think that physics is not taught to girls in a way that makes them interested. They always hold this idea that girls are not as good at physics as boys, even though in my high school class the highest grades in physics were the girls. So I don’t think that girls or boys understand physics better but I think the very way it is taught sort of demotivates girls. The curriculum is taught too much in the old way and this is more suited towards
5. Do you think currently in your hometown boys or girls are getting better grades in science? What are the causes of this?
Boys get the higher grades in my high school but this is not because they are better but because they sort of have to if they want to have a prayer's chance at a job it is expected in China that a girl does not go in to very technical jobs. They have just been more motivated to do well in the past but this is changing. Of course this is changing. Someone recently told me that because a lot of jobs require technical knowledge and that a science background is important that more and more girls are appearing in science programs. Now when I talk about science I am really referring to the hard sciences like physics, geology and chemistry. Many of the other sciences such as biology, and psychology are not so dominated by boys. In high school, you are seeing more and more science fields with equal or more numbers of women. One thing that might help is if there were more women science teachers because I have noticed that when women teach science they tend to make the girls in the class more comfortable and the class doesn’t seem so intimidating.