PNJA Speaking Exam

Year 3 June 2019

1. Safety and Danger

(a) Gun ownership in Poland and abroad.
(b) Aspects of violence and brutality in public life.
(c) Perpetrators of violent crimes need to be educated rather than punished.
(d) Prisons do not work.
(e) Immigrants pose a threat to the European way of life.
(f) People from different cultures will never live in peace and harmony as long they believe in
different gods.

2. In Sickness and in Health

(a) Genetic profiling and genetic engineering.
(b) Physical exercise - a way of life.
(c) Competitive sports build up one’s character.
(d) Eugenics.
(e) Euthanasia.

3. Stranger than Fiction

(a) Ghosts – figments of imagination / optical illusions.
(b) Mediums with psychic powers communicating with the dead.
(c) Palmists / other fortune tellers.
(d) Escapists and conjurers.
(e) UFOs / crop circles / aliens.
(f) Witch hunters / exorcists / demonic possession / inspired visions.

4. Art for Art’s Sake

(a) Art is all about imitation of nature, or is it?
(b) Art / Music at schools / in education.
(c) Everyone should try to learn to play a musical instrument.
(d) Artwork as commodity.
(e) Your artistic talents.
(f) Omnipresence of art.
(g) The Night of Museums is a wonderful idea.

5. Rich and Poor

(a) Economic migrants of today.
(b) Your Promised Land.
(c) Success in life has many faces.
(d) You do not have to study at Oxford to become a successful person.
(e) The underprivileged should be helped.

6. Adrenaline junkies
(a) Extreme sports (cave diving, ice climbing, skydiving, snowboarding, free diving etc) are fun
because fear can be pleasure.
(b) People with a little bit of imagination stay home.
(c) The most dangerous / risky thing I have ever done.
(d) Everyday life is risky as it is, there is no need for additional thrills.
(e) I think I am a very good driver.
(f) Road rage. How should driving be taught?
 PNJA Speaking Exam
Year 3 June 2019

7. The Call of the Wild

(a) How can I help preserve the wildlife?
(b) Nature preservation should be an obligatory subject at school.
(c) Climate change is not just ‘weather’. It will impact the entire planet within a relatively short
period of time.
(d) The effects of climate change in my backyard.
(e) Gardening can be very educating.

8. Technology
(a) The Tesla car launched into space was a silly idea and a waste of money.
(b) Self-driving cars are the future of the automotive industry.
(c) The idea that humankind will ever leave the Earth is preposterous.

9. Progress and Tradition

(a) What does it mean “to make a progress”? Discuss whether we can talk about progress or only
about change.
(b) What is better: to make a progress or to save tradition?
(c) Most of the impressive and interesting buildings from the early part of the 20 th century are not
Modernist but Classical, so people today might think that certain buildings in London, Chicago
and Copenhagen (or others) were rather old-fashioned when they were built. Discuss.
(d) Progress has certain limitations.

10. Travelling

(a) What do you think about travelling by tube? Is it a nice experience or a grim necessity?
(b) What is better: to visit the Indian state of Kerala or the busy London? Which would make a
greater impression on you and which is more worth of your attention?
(c) Do you like travelling? Describe one of the places that have made the strongest impression on
you.
(d) Some people describe themselves as someone who has become less adventurous since arriving
in London, New York or other big city. Discuss.
(e) Some tourists who spend time in famous cities end up reading about places they do not
actually visit.

11. Sport and health

(a) Do you think that sports are silly? Discuss.

(b) What is your best football team and why? Are you a fan? Do you think that spending time
shouting on a tribune is a good idea?
(c) What is the difference between an amateur and professional player? Is it good to play sports?
(d) Laughing is good for your health. Extend.
(e) Is it good to live in a society of overabundance of food, entertainment and goods in contrast to
poverty of developing countries? How does it influence your physical and mental health?
 PNJA Speaking Exam
Year 3 June 2019

12. Animals

(a) Domestication of animals. Is it a success or violation of their freedom?

(b) Nowadays we treat animals as a decoration, we dress them, we take them to hairdressers and
trim them, we let them sleep in our beds, they have special restaurants and bars. Isn’t it a gross
exaggeration?
(c) Is vegetarianism and veganism the only moral choice as far as the animals’ rights are
concerned? Should we eat sensitive creatures?
(d) Do we need to eat meat? Vegetable diet is much more healthy than one based on meat, still,
vegetarians and vegans are only a small part of consumers on food market. What steps, if any,
should be undertaken to convince others?