Task 1: Personal Choice

 Personal preference
 Personal opinion or reason
Question format:
a. Paired Choice – two opposing options to choose
“There are many different approaches to academic studies and all of them
have specific benefits. Do you prefer to study for tests in a group or to
study alone? Include details and examples to support your explanation.”

b. Multiple Choice – options as answers

"Nowadays, people are more concerned than ever before about staying
healthy. As a result, they participate in a wide range of activities. Of the
following methods of staying fit, which do you prefer:
 joining a fitness class with people you know
 riding a bicycle to work or school instead of driving
 participating in a team sport like baseball or soccer
Include details and examples to support your answer."

c. Agree/Disagree – a statement and you either agree or disagree

"State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement. Then
explain your reasons using specific details in your argument. Teachers
should assign daily homework to students."

d. Advantage/Disadvantage – a statement and specify the good and bad

features
“Some people like to take classes online instead of attending them in
person. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this choice?
What do you prefer? Use details and examples in your response.”
 15 seconds to prepare your answer, and 45 seconds to speak.

Task 2: Campus Announcement

The Reading (45 seconds)

The reading part is about 100 words long, and you are given 45 or 50 seconds
to read it and take notes. 
Content:
 A change in a university policy or the introduction of a new policy
  Changes to the requirements of a class or major, or the introduction of a
new requirement for students in a specific department
 Changes related to a university facility or the introduction of a new facility.
The Listening 
The conversation is about a minute long. The structure of the conversation is
usually something like:
 Introduction of the topic (something like “Hey, did you see this…”)
 First reason for the opinion
 Reaction from the other speaker
 Second reason for the opinion
 Reaction from the other speaker
The question:
“The woman expresses her opinion of the university’s plan. State her opinion
and the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.”

 30 seconds to prepare answer, and 60 seconds to speak.

Task 3: General to Specific

The Reading
The reading is about 100 words. The passage is usually relate to biology,
psychology or business. (45 or 50 seconds to read). The structure of the reading
is usually:
 A clear and specific title
 An introduction (1-3 sentences that clearly state the topic of the reading)
 Details (3-5 sentences that elaborate on the topic)
The Listening Part (Lecture)
The lecture will be about one minute or 90 seconds. It will mostly focus on the
example or examples.

The question:
1. “Describe what _____ is, and how the professor’s example illustrates this
phenomenon.”
2. “Describe how the example of the ____ illustrates the concept of ____.”
3. “Explain the concept of _____ using the examples of ____ and ____ given in
the lecture.”
4. “Using the examples from the lecture, explain the concept of ______.”
 Task 4: Academic Lecture
 Lecture that is about 1.5 to 2 minutes long. It will be about an academic term or
concept.
 Two examples, or one example with two clear parts (before/after, cause/effect,
etc.). The lectures are about biology, sociology, business, or history.
 The lecture:
o short introduction that states
o defines the subject (3-5 sentences). 
o example(s)

 20 seconds to prepare, and 60 seconds to speak.

The Question:
1. “Using the example of ______ from the lecture, explain two ways that (LECTURE
SUBJECT) is beneficial for animals” 
2. “Using the points and examples from the lecture explain (LECTURE SUBJECT)” 
3. “Using the example of _____, explain the possible effects of (LECTURE
SUBJECT).” 
4. “Using the examples of ______ and _____, explain two ways that animals use
(LECTURE SUBJECT).” 
2. The student will be given a template on how to answer the questions.
Task 1: Personal Choice
Answer Template for Choices
Main Point
 "I agree/disagree with the idea that..."
 "In my opinion, it is better to..."
 "I believe that..."
 “While some may disagree, I believe that…”
Transition
 “I think/feel this way for several reasons."
First Reason
 “First…” + “For example…” (personal example)
Second Reason
 “Second…” + “To be more specific…” (few more details)
Conclusion
 “And so…”
 “To sum it up…”
 “Therefore…”
 “Overall…”
 “In conclusion…”
 “Thus…”
 “As a Result…”
 “For this reason…”
 “In general…”
 “Finally/Lastly…”

Sample Question and Answer

“Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should help
their parents with household chores as soon as they are old enough.  Use details
and examples to support your answer.”

Main Point
I agree with the idea that kids should help with housework right away.
Transition
I feel this way for several reasons.
First Reason
First, doing household tasks will teach them really valuable skills. For example, I was
required to prepare breakfast for my little brother before school, so when I grew up and
moved away to attend college, I had no problem preparing healthy meals for myself.  As
a result, I stayed really strong and fit when I was a student.
Second Reason
Second, shared responsibilities can create bonds between family members. To be
specific, young people are sometimes shy, but if they spend a lot of time with their
parents doing chores, they might open up a bit. Accordingly, they will be more likely to
discuss their feelings.

“Which study method do you prefer, online courses or traditional classroom?”

Sample Answer   
For me, I am willing to take online courses instead of being in a traditional classroom. First of all,
if we study online, then we won't have to go to school, this is convenient, especially when it is
raining or snowing outside. What is more, if we study online, the pressure of public traffic given
by students will be lower, other citizens will spend less time on the road. Thus the city will be
more efficient. Third, online courses won't be limit by teachers, which means teacher in other
cities can teach us, and we can enjoy a high quality of education.

Answer Template for Advantages and Disadvantages Questions

Introduction
 “There are certainly both pros and cons of _____.” (state the issue)
Advantage
  “First of all, one advantage is _____.” (+1-3 sentences of elaboration)
Disadvantage
 “However, a major disadvantage is _____.” (+1-3 sentences of elaboration)
Opinion
 “Overall, though, I guess it’s better to _____.” (quickly state your choice)

Sample Answer for Advantages and Disadvantages Questions

“Some people like to take classes online instead of attending them in person.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend? Use details and
examples in your response.”
Introduction
There are certainly both pros and cons of choosing to study online instead of taking
classes on campus.  
Advantage
First of all, one advantage is that we can get an education even if we have a job. 
Usually, classes on campus occur during the daytime, which makes it almost
impossible to balance employment and a busy academic schedule.  In contrast, if
we use the internet we can learn when we get home from work in the evening. 
Disadvantage
However, a major disadvantage is that we won't interact very much with classmates. 
Sharing our ideas with like-minded peers is a big part of an education, but this won't
happen if we don't go to a university in person.  
Opinion
Overall, though, I guess it is better to take online classes.

3. There will be a discussion of Transitional Phrases.

Cause and Comparison and
Sequence Example
Effect contrast
consequently furthermore similarly For example
therefore in addition In the same way For instance
accordingly moreover At the same time Specifically
as a result First/second/third But Like
because Finally However
for this reason also On the contrary
again Nevertheless
besides

4. The student will be given more examples.

Do you prefer to choose a profession that requires you to work in a group?
Sample Answer
 I prefer choosing a profession that requires me to work as a group. First of all, I
believe work as a group can give birth to excellent ideas and solutions because
more people are thinking on a project, more people are doing on the project, this
can make a project work out better and advance. Second, I believe working as a
group can make us more efficient, and we can solve the problem faster and
easier. Moreover, we can solve more problems. So based on these factors, I
conclude that a profession which needs working as a group is better.
Is there any invention that changed your life most recently?
Sample Answer
I believe that the invention changed my life most is the Internet. First of all, I can
read a lot of information on the Internet, which helps me to know more about our
world and things happened, which makes us always keep in touch with the
outside world. Second, I can use the Internet to search for what I want, and this
would help me solve the problems and find solutions quickly. Third, the Internet
provides enjoyment. Through the Internet, I'm able to chat with relatives or even
strangers, and I could play internet games. So I believe the Internet is making the
biggest changed the way I live.
5. The student will answer the questions.
a. Do you prefer to work at an office or home?
b. Do you agree or disagree: Students should wear uniform in school?
c. State the advantages and disadvantages of internet.
6. There will be a discussion of Task 2.
Task 2: Campus Announcement
Reading Main Point
 “According to the announcement/article/letter…”
Reasons from Reading
 “This is because ___ and ___."
Transition
 "There are two reasons why the man supports/opposes this change."
 "The woman/man has a mixed opinion of this change." (mixed opinion
only)
First Reason
 “First of all, he argues that…”
Second Reason
 “Moreover, he mentions that…”
 "On the other hand, he mentions that..." (mixed opinion)
Sample Answer
Reading Main Point
According to the article, the school’s sculpture program will be eliminated.
 Reason from the reading
This is because there isn’t much interest in it, and the university’s budget is
limited.
Transition
There are two reasons why the man opposes this.
First Reason
First of all, he argues that enrollment is low because students are busy taking
required classes, not because they are disinterested.  These mandatory
classes are mostly about painting and drawing, however if they are changed
more students will take sculpture classes.
Second Reason
Moreover, he mentions that the budget problem can be solved by hiring a part
time professor. Additionally, many current instructors have a secondary field,
so one of them could probably teach the class. In fact, some of the current
painting teachers are also great sculptors

Reading passage:

New Scholarship Offers Opportunity to Study in Rome

The university is pleased to offer an exciting new opportunity for students in

the
Romance Languages department. The prestigious Buonocore Scholarship
allows students to study tuition-free for two semesters in Rome. Students must
submit an essay exploring a specific aspect of Italian culture to the selection
committee. They must also submit a detailed plan explaining how a year in
Italy would provide the opportunity to further research and improve the essay.
Please note that students in departments other than Romance Languages are
ineligible for this opportunity.

Directions: Prepare a response to the following.

The female student expresses her opinion about why she disagrees with the
university’s new policy. State her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for
holding that opinion.

Sample Response
The female student thinks that it’s unfair that the scholarship to study in Rome is
only being offered to students in the Romance Languages department.
Instead of that, she thinks that the application should be open to all students. She
mentions students in the History, Classics, and Renaissance Studies
departments,
especially the male points out that the lesser… the fewer people apply for the
scholarship, the easier it will be to get it. But the female says that the scholarship
will lose meaning to her unless she competes against the very best that the
school has to offer. She also believes it is wrong for a very small department to
monopolize the money. It should benefit everybody.