2º BACHBIL- 20th March 2023 3RD Term Oral Test I.E.S. Castilla _ English Dept.

3RD Term Speaking practice directions on How Many Miles To Babylon? by J. Johnston

How to choose a Only one TOPIC can BE COVERED once, SO THE SOONER YOU REPORT THE ONE
topic YOU’D LIKE TO PRESENT, THE BETTER!

CONTENT All the presentations must include the following items:

 Setting of the novel (time and place)

 Very brief information on the authoress
(These two items should take 1’ maximum, so make sure you choose very
carefully the information to include. It MUST be relevant, interesting and
appealing enough to your audience.)
 Whether you would recommend it or not and why (this should be mentioned AT
THE END of your presentation and it should take 1’ maximum, so make sure you
choose very carefully the information to include. It must be relevant and
interesting.)

AND also, you must develop ONE of the following topics, which must be to which
you must devote most of your presenting time. As you will see, for each of them, you
always need to support your argumentation by references and/or quotes from
the novel.

1. What are the CHARACTERS’ full names? Qualify and categorize them by
attaching significant, meaningful adjectives and other devices to describe
their character and most relevant features as well as the importance of
their role in the development of the story. Support your argumentation
by references and quotes from the novel.
2. WHERE AND WHEN does the novel open? Briefly explain the historical
context as well as the setting of the plot. Support your argumentation by
references and quotes from the novel.
3. Where and when does Alec grow up? How does he evolve throughout the
story? Why does he go to war? In which way(s) are his reasons similar and/or
different from Gerry’s? Explain briefly but broadly. Support your
argumentation by references and quotes from the novel.
4. What do we know about Jerry’s background? How does he evolve throughout
the novel? Why does he go to war? In which way(s) are they similar and/or
different reasons from Alec’s? Explain briefly but broadly. Support your
answer by references and quotes from the novel.
5. Contrasting male characters (I): Frederic and Major Glendinning. Support
your argumentation by references and quotes from the novel.
6. Contrasting male characters (II): Jerry and Officer Bennet. Support your
argumentation by references and quotes from the novel.
7. Contrasting English and Irish characters. Support your argumentation by
2º BACHBIL- 20th March 2023 3RD Term Oral Test I.E.S. Castilla _ English Dept.

references and quotes from the novel.

8. What motifs are used in the novel? Why? Choose, at least, two opposing ones
and describe them by contrasting their features. Support your
argumentation by references and quotes from the novel.
9. Describe Alec’s first drinking experience. Can you compare it to your first
one, if ever happened? In case it has not happened yet, how would you
describe it?
10. What do we know about Alicia? Support your argumentation by references
and quotes from the novel.
11. What do we know about Frederick? Support your argumentation by
references and quotes from the novel.
12. What was education like at the time? Difference between higher class, upper-
medium class and low class chidren’s education, Irish vs English/British?
13. The ending: Explain briefly how the story ends and the reason why the
authoress let us know from the very beginning how it is going to end. What’s
your opinion about it? What would you have done if you had been in the two
main characters’ shoes? Which one would you identify yourself with? Justify
your views.

SOURCES
GENERAL ANALYSIS:
https://howmanymilestobabylonnotes.wordpress.com/irishenglish-relations/

This is the main general source for you to check. Nevertheless, I’ll be getting
to each of the groups individually, once I’ve been asked, with more specific
bibliography for you to research on your particular topic.

FORM - POWER POINT PRESENTATION: 6 slides MINIMUM; 10 slides MAXIMUM:

o Remember they should serve as a guideline to the listeners and to the

presenters, so they should not contain too much text and/or dates/data.

- One of the slides, shown preferably at the beginning, MUST contain some of the
KEY WORDS, which the listeners might not know, and which are vital to the
understanding of your presentation and which need to be presented at the
beginning, to ensure the listeners to be able to follow track.

o MINIMUM, 5 words; MAXIMUM, 10 words. Don’t forget about

PRONUNCIATION TIPS!!!

One of the slides must contain the index of your presentation.

STUDENT’S ACTIVITY SHEET on the general content to be presented for your
audience to maintain their attention while listening

CONTENT The Oral presentation must include:

 BRIEF BIOGRAPHY PROVIDING MEANINGFUL FACTS AND A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT EVENTS related to the book to present.
2º BACHBIL- 20th March 2023 3RD Term Oral Test I.E.S. Castilla _ English Dept.

 BRIEF BUT MEANINGFUL ANALYSIS OF THE BOOK according to the topic to present
 Reading out loud of your favourite PASSAGE FROM THE BOOK (5 to 8 lines long): justify the reason
why you chose it
 CONCLUSION and PERSONAL OPINION: would you change something from the book related to
your topic? Why? What if something had been different?

DISCUSSION: Answering partners’ and teacher’s questions at the end as

accurately as possible.

 - Glossary with, at least, 5 important words/phrases (KEY WORDS)

GROUPING FOUR-PEOPLE GROUPS, 7 GROUPS IN TOTAL

FORM - DISCUSSION, which implies exercising TALKING and SPEAKING abilities

o Students need to interact with each other whether to agree or disagree on

their partners’ opinions or else to introduce their new ideas.

o ALL THE MEMBERS MUST HAVE AN EQUALLY DEEP KNOWLEDGE ON

EVERY ITEM RELATED TO THE TOPIC!!!

- NOTE: Exams will be recorded

DO:

• Use the planning time to prepare what you’re going to say.

• (If you are allowed to have a note card, write short notes in point form.)

“DOES” • USE YOUR OWN WORDS: even though you need to do some research through
different sources, you must express yourself using your own words.
(what you are
expected to do) Plagiarism will mean the NON-PASSING OF THE TEST!!!

& • Use more formal language.

• Use short, not too complicated sentences to express your ideas clearly.

• Pause from time to time and don’t speak too quickly. This allows the listener to
understand your ideas. Include a short pause after each idea.

• Speak clearly and at the right volume.

• PRACTISE YOUR PRESENTATION, alone AND with the whole group. If possible,
record yourself/yourselves and listen to your presentation. If you can’t record
yourself/yourselves, ask a friend to listen to you. Does your friend understand you?

• Make your opinions very clear. Use expressions to give your opinion.

• Look at the people who are listening to you.

• Distribute the content to present with your mate(s), in the sense that ALL THE
2º BACHBIL- 20th March 2023 3RD Term Oral Test I.E.S. Castilla _ English Dept.

MEMBERS MUST HAVE AN EQUALLY DEEP KNOWLEDGE ON EVERY ITEM

RELATED TO THE TOPIC!!

DON’T:
“DON’TS”
• Write/print out the whole presentation and learn every word by heart.
(what you are
NOT to do) • Write out the whole presentation and read it aloud.

• Use too informal language.

 Make pronunciation mistakes.

 Avoid including too many meaningless data, such as too many dates, for
example.

Plagiarism will mean the NON-PASSING OF THE TEST!!!

TIMING MINIMUM: 7 minutes; MAXIMUM: 10 minutes

Dicussion: 2 minutes

TENSES CONTRASTING and USING PRESENT, PAST and FUTURE TENSES (focusing on
future perfect and future continuous), as well as their appropriate time expressions,
as practised in the units, focusing on special structures, as well as MODAL VERBS,
SIMPLE AND PERFECT, as studied and implemented during school terms.

STRUCTURES As expected for a 1º BACH BIL-student level and studied and implemented during
school year:

VARIED QUESTION WORDS

LINKING WORDS

RELATIVE CLAUSES

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES: HYPHOTETICAL/GUESSING LANGUAGE; 3rd type

conditionals are compulsory.

MODAL VERBS and GUESSING LANGUAGE

RELATIVE CLAUSES

PASSIVE VOICE

VOCABULARY  KEY WORDS AND TARGET vocabulary from BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL B1+
as well as the school term readers, Lies of Silence, by B. Moore and especially the
ones corresponding to “How Many Miles To Babylon?” . Remember that the more
varied, the better, covering accurate NOUNS, ADJECTIVES, VERBS, PHRASAL
VERBS, COLLOCATIONS etc…
2º BACHBIL- 20th March 2023 3RD Term Oral Test I.E.S. Castilla _ English Dept.

PRONUNCIATIO AVOID INDIAN TALKING AND SPANGLISH!!!

N
 ENGLISH VOWELS SOUNDS (all of them)
 ENGLISH CONSONANT SOUNDS (all of them)
 Especial emphasis on:
o –ED endings
o Voiced and voiceless plural and 3rd p. Sg, S. Present, aff. forms
o /v//ð/ and consonant endings
 INTONATION and FLUENCY
BODY Matching the situation.
LANGUAGE
communicative-sounding opposing by-hearted-sounding

PLEASE, NOTE:

- Frequent written or face-to-face interaction with the teacher while developing the topic prior to
class presentation will be very much considered.

The power point as well as your student’s sheet need to be sent to the teacher, at least, THREE DAYS
before being presented in class!!! DEADLINE TIME: 8 pm.

- Pease, note:

o The non-observance of this rule might mean the non-passing of the test!!!

o The deadline TIME will be 8pm of the mentioned day.

OTHER o IT IS NOT A MEMORISTICAL EXERCISE!!!

COMMENTS o Try to be CREATIVE and make sure you include RELEVANT, INTERESTING
INFORMATION.
o Avoid including too many meaningless data, such as too many dates, for
example.