SPEAKING TEST WORKSHEET Exam Essentials

Watch the video of a model interview, based on Test 1 of the Cambridge English: Advanced Speaking
test. Do the activities, which relate to each part. You can check your answers and look at the full script
on separate PDFs on this DVD-ROM.

Part 1  (00:05)
Watch Part 1 of the Speaking test and answer the questions below.
1 In this part of the Speaking test, the examiner will ask short, personal questions. Watch
Part 1 of the Speaking test and complete the questions that the examiner asks.
1 And your are?
2 Can I have your , please?
3 Firstly, we would like to know something about you. do you
, Ahmed?
4 And do you both ?

2 Look at Magda’s reply to a personal question. Why does the examiner interrupt her?

Madga: I’m from Kazimierz Dolny. It’s a small town in Eastern Poland
which is very popular with tourists now ...
Examiner: Thank you.

3 In Part 1, the examiner will also ask questions to find out your opinion about something. Put
these questions in order.
1 What / area / you / like / in / do / and / about / dislike / living / this / ?

2 If / area, Magda, / moved / to / another / live / you / would / you / to / where / like / ?

4 Watch Part 1 again and check your answers. Do Magda and Ahmed give short answers to
these questions?
5 Prepare your own answers for the questions below. Be prepared to talk about the past, the
present and the future. Try to give reasons for your opinion. If possible, record yourself, or
practise talking to a friend.
1 What would your ideal holiday be?
2 What kind of music do you like?
3 What sort of work would you like do to in the future?
4 Which sports are popular in your country?
5 What would your ideal neighbour be like?
6 What was the best journey you have made?
7 How important is your job or career?
8 What was the last film or theatre performance you enjoyed?

TIP: Don’t worry if the examiner stops you. The examiner’s job is to make sure you
speak for the same amount of time as the other candidate. Don’t worry about the time
either – just keep talking. The examiner will be watching the time and will say ‘thank
you’ when you have said enough.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Worksheet 1
Part 2  (02:41)
Watch Part 2 of the Speaking test and answer the questions below.
1 In this part of the Speaking test, each candidate talks for a minute about two pictures. Who
does the following things?
1 describes the pictures
2 contrasts the two pictures
3 speculates about what the people are doing

2 Magda and Ahmed use the phrases below. Are they describing (D), comparing and
contrasting (C) or speculating (S)? Sometimes, more than one answer is possible
1   I’m going to describe …
2   Both of these pictures show …
3   The people look like some kind of …
4   They are wearing …
5   In contrast to the first picture, …
6   The people might be feeling uncomfortable.
7   He is probably going to …
8   In the background, in the third picture, there are some …
9   The second one shows …
10   I’d say that one of the advantages of … is …
11   It could be lonely, working on your own.
12   Another disadvantage could be …

3 Watch Magda’s long turn again. How could she improve her speaking? Tick the best answer.
1  She could spend more time comparing and speculating about the pictures.
2   She could use more adjectives.
3   She could ask the examiner for any words she doesn’t know.

4 Read this improved version of Magda’s turn. Underline phrases which show that Magda is
comparing, contrasting or speculating.

OK, let me see. I’m going to describe the first and the third picture. Both of these
pictures show people who are about to put on a performance but in very different
places. The first picture shows a clown smiling and wearing lots of make up. I’d say he’s
probably about to do a show in a circus. Similarly, the people in the third picture look as
if they are about to parade in their beautiful costumes made of brightly coloured, shiny
fabric. Presumably, the performers are Italian because they have this kind of annual
tradition in Venice, whereas the clown might be Spanish, judging by what he is wearing.
In contrast to the first picture, the atmosphere in the third picture is very serious and the
people might not always be comfortable in their costumes, unlike the clown in the first
picture who is apparently cheerful and looking forward to making the audience laugh.

TIP: In Part 2 of the Speaking test, cover all the points in the question. For example,
Why might the people have chosen to do these activities and how difficult might it be
to do these activities. Remember, the questions are written above the photos so you
can check them easily.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Worksheet 2
Part 3  (07:50)
Watch Part 3 of the Speaking test and answer the questions below.
1 In Part 3 of the Speaking test, the candidates discuss a topic together. Which of the actions
below do they not do?
1   ask for each other’s opinion
2   express an opinion and give reasons
3   agree or disagree
4   propose a solution

2 Match the phrases below with one of the actions in Exercise 1.

a   I think that … because …
b   Do you agree with me, Ahmed?
c   I agree that this is a problem, but …
d   So, what are you saying?
e   This is unfortunate, because …
f   Actually, in my opinion …
g   I think you are absolutely right about that.
h   Definitely yes. I couldn’t agree more.
i   What about this?

3 Watch Part 3 again. What two aspects do Magda and Ahmed decide on?
1   computers and mobile phones
2   ready meals
3  cars
4  medicine
5  electricity

4 In Part 3 of the Speaking test, you have to reach an agreement with your partner. Sometimes,
this involves negotiating. Complete Magda and Ahmed’s discussion with phrases from
the box.

I completely agree, because    because it represents    Don’t you agree that

What about this    Oh wait, what about

1 Ahmed: – electricity and ready meals?

2 Magda: this problem of how we eat is very important in modern life.
3 Magda: computers and mobile phones? We didn’t really talk about them.
4 Magda: you can now find out anything through the internet?
5 Magda: OK, electricity, our need for energy, which is a good thing – and our
consumption of fossil fuels, which is a disadvantage for our planet.

TIP: In Part 3 of the Speaking test, invite your partner to give an opinion. Then, agree or
disagree with your partner, expanding the point. The examiners are looking to see if you can
develop the interaction, which means taking your partner’s point and adding more to it.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Worksheet 3
Part 4  (12:50)
Watch Part 4 of the Speaking test and answer the questions below.
1 What do the candidates have to do in part 4 of the Speaking test?
1   reach an agreement
2   express and justify their opinions
3   listen carefully and comment on what their partner says
4   describe something
5   talk alone for a long time

2 Watch again and complete the questions the examiner asks.

1 What of life in the , which no longer exist, do you think were
and could they be ?
2 Should in be in any way?
3 What sort of do face today, that previous did not
have to , at least not to the same extent?
4 Why do you think some become about the ?

3 Add these phrases to the correct part of the table. Then watch again and check.
1 I’m not sure I agree with that.
2 I don’t think we can …
3 I understand what you’re saying, but …
4 Maybe we could …
5 I’d go along with that.
6 Sorry, could you explain what you mean by that?
7 Well, that’s a difficult question.
8 Perhaps …
9 It could be that …

introducing an idea commenting on giving yourself asking for

an opinion time to think clarification

4 Prepare your own answers for the questions below. Try to give reasons, and examples from
your own experience. If you can, record yourself, or practise talking to a friend.
1 Do you think that a job needs to be challenging if it is to be truly satisfying?
2 If you want to succeed, do you think you need to rely on yourself, rather than other
people?
3 Do you agree that countries should be doing more to solve environmental problems?
4 Do you think money is important for a happy life?

TIP: It’s very easy to agree with everything but it is often more difficult to disagree. This
Speaking test requires you to discuss which often includes disagreement. When you
disagree, try to do it politely and explain why you feel that way.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Worksheet 4
SPEAKING TEST VIDEO SCRIPTS Exam Essentials
Part 1 (00:05)
Examiner: Good morning. My name is Russell and this is my colleague, Susan.
Candidates: Hello.
Examiner: Please sit down. And your names are?
Candidate A: My name’s Ahmed.
Candidate B: I’m Magda.
Examiner: Can I have your mark sheets, please? Thank you. Firstly, we would
like to know something about you. Erm, where do you come from
Ahmed?
Candidate A: Erm, I’m from Lahore in Pakistan.
Examiner: And how about you, Madga?
Candidate B: I’m from Kazimierz Dolny. It’s a small town in Eastern Poland which is
very popular with tourists now ...
Examiner: Thank you. And what do you do, Magda?
Candidate B: I’m at university. I’m studying a degree in Accountancy.
Examiner: And you, Ahmed, what do you do?
Candidate A: I work in textiles.
Examiner: And where do you both live?
Candidate A: I’m living in London, for now.
Candidate B: I’m also living in London.
Examiner: And what do you like and dislike about living in this area?
Candidate A: Er, I love about London ... it’s the, er, it’s the people and it’s, er, very
multicultural here. I think half of the population of London is white
British, which makes it a very interesting place to work and study.
I don’t like ... erm ... actually ... it’s the weather. It’s so changing ...
changeable. But you know, that’s the UK!
Examiner: And what about you, Magda?
Candidate B: I agree with Ahmed about the weather. In Poland, we have seasons
so we know that in winter, it’s going to be very cold and in summer
it’s very hot. But comparing to London, what I really don’t like, erm,
I mean, I don’t like the high prices. Everything is so expensive here:
rent, food, fuel bills, transport … but actually, lots of museums are
free.
Examiner: And if you moved to another area, Magda, where would you like to
live?
Candidate B: Erm, I would like to live in the Scottish Highlands. I have a Polish
friend living there and she says it’s so quiet and the scenery is
beautiful. The people are very friendly, but she couldn’t understand
what they were saying at first.
Examiner: And what about you Ahmed?
Candidate A: I can’t agree with Magda on that, I definitely don’t, I mean, I wouldn’t
like to live in a countryside area. There wouldn’t be ... there would
be nothing to do, just look at fields and sheep! Boring. I like the city,
I like the activity and the excitement so I would only like to live in a
city ... any other big city in the UK.
Examiner: Thank you.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 1
Part 2 (02:41)
Examiner: In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you three pictures. I would
like you to talk about two of them on your own for about a minute, and
then answer a question briefly about your partner’s pictures. Madga, your
turn first. Here are your pictures. They show people dressed in different
ways.
I would like you to compare two of the pictures, and say why the
people are dressed in that way and how they might be feeling.
Alright?
Candidate B: OK, erm, let me see. I’m going to describe the first and, erm, the
third picture. Both of these pictures show people who are about to
do a performance, but in all very different places. The first picture is
a clown; he’s smiling, wearing lots of make-up. He’s performing in a
circus because you can see people in an audience. Also, the people
in the third picture look like some kind of, erm, some kind of carnival.
They are wearing beautiful masks, well-designed. They are made
with … I’m not sure what the word is, but I think the performers are
Italian because they have this kind of, how do you say … tradition?
In Venice there is a … it is a big thing where people dress up and
perform on the streets. Erm, but in contrast to the first picture, the
atmosphere in the third picture is more formal and people might be
feeling uncomfortable in their costumes, unlike the clown in the first
picture, erm, he is probably going to make the audience laugh. In the
background in the third picture, there are some old buildings …
Examiner: Thank you. Ahmed, which of these costumes would you feel most
comfortable in, and why?
Candidate B: Erm, I think this one because it must be funny to be a clown. I enjoyed
watching clowns when I was a child, and it must be fun to work in a
circus. And you get to wear what you want, and it makes other people
laugh, so I’d enjoy doing something like that.
Examiner: Thank you. Can I have the booklet, please?
Now, Ahmed, here are your pictures. They show people working in
different environments.
I would like you to compare two of the pictures and say what
the advantages and disadvantages are of working in these
environments. Alright?
Candidate A: OK. I’m going to choose this picture here and this one. Both the
pictures show people at work, in different locations. First one
showing some people who are, erm, colleagues, sat at their desks
in an office. They are bored and possibly stressed because they’re
sitting in front of a computer all day.
The second one shows a woman who doesn’t look happy but I think
she’s concentrating. She’s ... she works with cups, plates, making
cups and plates? But I don’t know the word for this kind of job. She‘s
in a workshop, and she makes all these things. In this picture, in
contrast to the previous picture, I’d say that, er, one advantage of
live ... I mean, working in this environment is that you can choose
when and how you work. In addition, I think it is ... it would be very
satisfying to make, er, to create something with your hands, whereas
the people in the office probably have a lot of boring paperwork and
spend time on the phone all day. But, it could be lonely, working on
your own and nobody to talk to. Another disadvantage could be she
might not always sell her cups and plates, but the people in the first
picture who, they look highly paid business people, executives, you
know, who must be happy because their salaries go into their bank
accounts ...

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 2
Examiner: Thank you. Magda, which of these environments would you prefer to
work in, and why?
Candidate B: Sorry, could you repeat that please?
Examiner: Yes. Which of these environments would you prefer to work in
and why?
Candidate B: I think this one, the potter. Because it’s a nice workshop and it’s
not outdoors. I wouldn’t like to work outdoors in all weather.
Examiner: Thank you. Can I have the booklet, please?

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 3
Part 3 (07:50)
Examiner: Now I would like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes. Here are some aspects of modern life and a question for you
to discuss. First you have some time to look at the task. Now, talk to
each other about the advantages and disadvantages of each aspect
of modern life.
Candidate B: Do you mind if I start? I think that ready meals really show the
good and bad aspects of modern life, because they are quick and
convenient but at the same time they are expensive and can taste a
bit … bad. They can be very high in fat and salt and, erm, not as good
for our health as meals made from scratch. Do you agree with me
Ahmed?
Candidate A: Yes, women haven’t got as much time to spend in the kitchen as
before and so we are eating more convenience food. I agree that
this is a problem but I can’t see what to do about it except to try
and make ready meals healthier. I’m not sure there are any health
damages associated with heating food in a microwave, are there?
Candidate B: I don’t think there are any risks about using a microwave.
Candidate A: Risk, no. Mmm, it’s easy to see the benefits of modern Western
medicine and the advances of science which mean that more people
can be cured of disease and this means that, er, people can live
longer.
Candidate B: But the world is overpopulated and too many people haven’t got
enough to eat.
Candidate A: So, what are you saying? We should let them die?
Candidate B: No, of course not, but many people do die around the world and…
because of lack of hospitals and operations.
Candidate A: Yes, there’s people who don’t have access to medicine. This is
unfortunate because we have the technology to cure people and to
operate on people but some countries don’t have the, er, money to
pay for hospitals and medicine and so on. Actually, in my opinion,
this is related to the other thing, electricity. In some countries they
don’t have reliable electricity supply so they can’t run hospitals.
Candidate B: Yes, I think you are absolutely right about that – there are power
cuts and we cannot have the electricity cut off in the middle of an
operation! And electricity, also, you know, we are spending so much
coal in making electricity and coal – and oil also – is running out,
so we need to find new things, other sources of, erm, energy, like
nuclear energy, wind energy ...
Candidate A: Definitely, yes, I couldn’t agree more.
Examiner: Thank you. Now you have about a minute to decide which two
aspects best illustrate that modern life has both advantages and
disadvantages.
Candidate B: What about this – electricity and ready meals?
Candidate A: I completely agree, because this problem of how we eat is very
important in modern life. Even in my country, ready meals are
becoming more popular as women go out to work, but it means that
meals are less healthy, not as nice.
Candidate B: Yes, because women are not at home doing the cooking!
Candidate A: Oh wait, what about computers and mobile phones? We didn’t
really talk about them, but I do think this shows the advantages and
disadvantages of modern life. Don’t you agree that you can now find
out anything, er, on information through the internet?
Candidate B: That’s true, but we can become addicted to our computers – having
friends only on Facebook and not really talk to them in real life.
Candidate A: My brother is addicted – I can’t get him off his mobile phone.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 4
Candidate B: Yes, I’m an au pair and my children, I mean, the children of the family
I work for, as soon as they come in from school they are on a laptop.
You can find information from books, why not? So I really cannot
see any advantages to them. I think for the second one we should
definitely choose electricity.
Candidate A: OK, electricity, because it represents our need for energy which
is a good thing, and our consumption of fossil fuels which is a
disadvantage for our planet.
Candidate B: Yes, it causes pollution but also it helps us live our lives.
Examiner: Thank you. May I have the booklet back, please?

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 5
Part 4 (12:50)
Examiner: Ahmed, what aspects of life in the past, which no longer exist, do you
think were positive and could they be revived?
Candidate A: Well, the previous forms of transport, er, horses were a good way
to travel. People could enjoy the scenery while travelling, and they
didn’t cause pollution, and now we are so worried about pollution –
maybe we should go back to horse?
Candidate B: I’m not sure I agree with that. I mean, yes, we are concerned about
pollution but no one wants to return to travelling by horse rather than
by plane, for example. There are reasons for this. How would we
travel to other countries? It would take too long. I don’t think we can
go back to the old ways of doing things.
Candidate A: I understand what you’re saying but we can’t continue to travel by
plane as much as we want because we are causing climate change
and damaging the planet. Cars also, they are causing big pollution.
Maybe we could use horses for local trips, or bikes. Yeah, I’ve noticed
lots more people using bikes to get to work these days.
Candidate B: I’d go along with that, er, for local trips. Well, maybe not horses, but
I think bikes are a good idea and lots of cities have now free bikes
you can use them, and then leave them when you arrive at your
destination.
Examiner: Magda, should developments in technology be restricted in any way?
Candidate B: Sorry, could you explain what you mean by that?
Examiner: Do you think that new technology should develop freely or should
there be laws, for example, to control it?
Candidate B: Yes, I think definitely, yes.
Examiner: Why?
Candidate B: Well, in my opinion, we have to be very careful with new technology.
I don’t think it’s right that we can decide what gender our child is
going to be and, in addition, the idea of ... of cloning is very strange.
Every person is an individual, and unique, and if we start making new
people this way then we are creating two people who are exactly
the same and that, in my opinion, is against the nature, um, against
nature.  And if we go too far away from nature we can be in trouble,
I think.  However, we have moved away in many aspects of our lives
from what natural things and we can’t stop scientific progress.  I think
we just have to control it properly.
Examiner: What do you think, Ahmed?
Candidate A: Yes, I totally agree. But I think, actually, there are already , um, a lot of
laws and regulations which prevent people, for example, choosing if
their baby is a boy or a girl And I’m not 100% sure, but I think cloning
is illegal.
Candidate B: Yes, I think so. There are definitely some people in this world I would
not like to see the two of!
Examiner: What sort of difficulties do young people face today, that previous
generations did not have to confront, at least not to the same extent?
Candidate A: Well, that’s a difficult question. I think if we are talking about jobs
nowadays, young people have to be very adaptable and learn new
technology quickly, because it is changing and developing all the
time. It is also hard for women to take a break in their careers to
have children, because when they go back to work, everything has
changed and moved on. In the past, women stayed at home and
didn’t really consider having careers.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 6
Examiner: Do you agree, Magda?
Candidate B: Yes, while I accept it’s more difficult for women to stay at home with
their children these days, men are also expected to play a bigger part
in bringing up their children. It’s different now – there is paternity
leave now, more house husbands, men are there in hospital when
their child is born. It’s very different from my grandparents’ time.
Another point I would like to make is that my parents didn’t have to
change jobs much. They expected to stay in the same job for many,
many years, whereas nowadays young people may change career. I
think it’s easier now to change jobs, but it may be harder to get one
in the first place.
Examiner: Magda, why do think some older people become nostalgic about the
past?
Candidate B: They think the past was better, I don’t know why. Perhaps things are
changing really fast and they can’t keep up with the changes, so they
just wish things could stay the same.
Candidate A: But we all become nostalgic about the past, no? We forget about the
bad things that happened and we remember the good things. I think
it’s human nature. But maybe, it could be that life was simpler in
the past, maybe it was easier and people knew what to expect. Now
things change very fast and we are asking questions that we always
accepted before. I’m not really sure what to think about that ...
Examiner: Thank you. That is the end of the test.
Candidate B: Thank you.
Candidate A: Thank you.
Examiner: Goodbye.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Video script 7
SPEAKING TEST Tips VIDEO SCRIPT Exam Essentials
Hello, my name’s Russell and I was one of the examiners in this speaking test.
Candidates sometimes feel nervous before this part of the exam, so here I’m going to
give you some tips to help you do well.
First, some general advice.
Sometimes, you need a little time to think about your response to a question. There are
expressions you can use to fill the silences and gain more thinking time. You can say
things like: Let me see …; Now, let me think for a moment; That’s not an easy question
to answer but …; I have mixed views on that.
In general, speak until the examiner stops you. Don’t worry about the time, particularly
in Parts 2 and 3. Just keep talking. The examiner will be watching the time and will say
thank you when you have said enough. Obviously, this doesn’t mean that you should
dominate the discussion or ignore your partner!
Now let’s talk about more specific parts of the exam.
In Part 1, the examiner will ask each of the candidates to speak briefly in turn and to
provide personal information about themselves.
The questions will be about free-time activities, family, work, travel, future plans, your
local area, and so on. Make sure you know the vocabulary for describing your hobbies
and how to pronounce these words.
Think of possible questions you may be asked about general topics such as favourite
TV programmes, shopping, books, jobs and so on.
Record yourself if possible, or practise with an English-speaking friend. Remember to
practise using a wide range of vocabulary and structures.
In Part 2, you are given three photographs and you are expected to talk about two of
them for about a minute. You need to compare the pictures, saying what is the same
and what is different. Don’t simply describe them.
It is useful to use words such as while, however and whereas when comparing. For
example: In this picture, there is only one person, while in this one, there is a group
of people. Don’t forget, you also have to comment on a specific aspect of the two
pictures. The question is also written above the pictures to help you.
If you run out of things to say, don’t be silent. Say which situation you would prefer to
be in and why.
In Part 3, you have to talk with the other candidate to complete a task. The examiner
will give you a written question surrounded by some prompts. The task question is
here and the activity ideas are here. You need to discuss the question and the ideas
together. This is a good opportunity to ask the other candidate for his/her opinion,
agree or disagree with them, then expand the point. The examiners are looking to see
if you can develop the interaction which means taking your partner’s point and adding
more to it.
The examiner will then ask you both, in one minute, to reach a conclusion or decision
about the prompts based on your earlier discussion.
Remember you have been asked to negotiate a conclusion. The examiners want to see
that you can make decisions and justify your choices with your partner.
You may not agree but you should be able to say why you think your choice is good.
You may agree to differ. This is fine, you can say We agree to differ because …
In Part 4, the examiner will encourage you to develop the topic of your discussion in
Part 3 by asking other questions. Choose how you want to answer the question and
justify it.
Rather than giving a long list of difficulties, you could choose one or two difficulties and
expand your ideas fully. For example: Well, if we are talking about Jobs; … nowadays;
young people have to be very adaptable ... . Remember that the examiners are
interested in knowing how good your English is; they are not marking your opinions.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Tips Video script 8
However, they want to see that you can develop your own ideas, or say more about
your partner’s views.
If you are not sure what the examiner or your partner means, you can ask them to
explain.
For example, in this part of the test, the examiner asked if developments in technology
should be restricted in any way. The candidate (Magda) asked Sorry, could you explain
what you mean by that? and the examiner rephrased the question. You could also
check what your partner means if you are not sure, for example Are you saying …? I’m
not quite sure what you mean by that, actually.
Finally, remember the examiners are there to support you and will repeat an instruction
or explain the task in a different way if you aren’t sure what you have been asked to do.
We wish you luck and hope you are successful in the Cambridge Advanced Speaking
Test. Goodbye for now.

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Tips Video script 9
SPEAKING TEST ANSWER KEY Exam Essentials
Part 1 3
1Y  es. Magda spends a lot of time simply saying what is in
1
the pictures. She could spend more time saying what is
1 names similar and different about the two situations. She could
2 mark sheets also spend speculating about why the people might be
dressed like this, and how they might be feeling in the
3 What; do two different situations.
4 where; live 2N
 o. Magda uses an appropriate range of adjectives.
Generally, her ability to describe the pictures is good
and clear.
2
In Part 1, it is enough to give a short answer to personal 3N
 o. The examiner is not allowed to help in this way. If
questions. Do not prepare a speech! you do not know a word, you should try to explain it in a
different way.

3
1 What do you like and dislike about living in this area? 4
OK, let me see. I’m going to describe the first and the
2 If you moved to another area, Magda, where would you third picture. Both of these pictures show people who are
like to live? about to put on a performance but in very different places.
The first picture shows a clown smiling and wearing lots
4 of make up. I’d say he’s probably about to do a show in
a circus. Similarly, the people in the third picture look
No. They give longer answers, and explain their opinion. If
as if they are about to parade in their beautiful costumes
you give short reponses to questions like this in the exam,
made of brightly coloured, shiny fabric. Presumably, the
the examiner will say Why? or Why not? to encourage you
performers are Italian because they have this kind of
to give a fuller answer.
annual tradition in Venice, whereas the clown might be
Spanish, judging by what he is wearing. In contrast to the
Part 2 first picture, the atmosphere in the third picture is very
serious and the people might not always be comfortable
1
in their costumes, unlike the clown in the first picture who
1 Magda and Ahmed is apparently cheerful and looking forward to making the
2 Magda audience laugh.

3 Magda and Ahmed

Part 3
2 1
1D 4 (propose a solution)

2 C/S
2
3S a2
4D b1
5C c3
6S d1
7S e2
8D f2
9D g3
10 S h3
11 S i1
12 S
3
1 and 5

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Answer key 1
4
1 What about this
2 I completely agree, because
3 Oh wait, what about
4 Don’t you agree that
5 because it represents

Part 4
1
2 and 3

2
1 What aspects of life in the past, which no longer exist, do
you think were positive and could they be revived?
2 Should developments in technology be restricted in
any way?
3 What sort of difficulties do young people face today, that
previous generations did not have to confront, at least
not to the same extent?
4 Why do you think some older people become nostalgic
about the past?

introducing commenting giving asking for

an idea on an opinion yourself clarification
time to
think

2, 4, 6, 8, 9 1, 3, 5 7 6

© National Geographic Learning 2015 PHOTOCOPIABLE  Cambridge English Advanced: Speaking Test Answer key 2