Day 2 : Speaking - 1 Hour
The speaking section is the only section that requires developing some comfort, since it is new and involves on-the-spot thinking and preparation – that too in a limited time.
Description of the Speaking Section :
There are six tasks in the Speaking section, which is approximately 20 minutes long.
• The first two tasks are independent speaking tasks that focus on topics familiar to the test taker.
• The remaining four tasks are integrated tasks, and test takers must combine more than one skill when responding. Test takers read and listen to some brief material and then speak in response. They can take notes and use those notes when responding to the speaking tasks. Then a question is asked that requires test takers to relate the information from the reading and listening material.
Independent Tasks :
Difficulty level: Easy - just have to stick to a pre-prepared format and you are safely through !
1. Personal Preference : to express and defend a personal choice from a given category—for example, important people or places, or events or activities that the test taker enjoys.
Preparation time: 15 seconds
Response time: 45 seconds
2. Choice : to make and defend a personal choice between two contrasting behaviors or courses of action.
Preparation time: 15 seconds
Response time: 45 seconds
Integrated Tasks
Read/Listen/Speak
3. Campus :
• A reading passage (75–100 words) presents a campus-related issue.
• A listening passage (60–80 seconds, 150–180 words) comments on the issue in the reading.
• The question asks the test taker to summarize the speaker’s opinion within the context of the reading passage.
Preparation time: 30 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
4. Academic :
• A reading passage (75–100 words) broadly defines a term, process, or idea from an academic subject.
• An excerpt from a lecture (60–90 seconds; 150– 220 words) provides examples and specific information to illustrate the term, process, or idea from the reading passage.
• The question asks the test taker to combine and convey important information from the reading passage and the lecture.
Preparation time: 30 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
Listen/Speak
5. Campus :
• The listening passage (60–90 seconds; 180–220 words) is a conversation about a student-related problem and two possible solutions.
• The question asks the test taker to demonstrate understanding of the problem and to express an opinion about solving the problem.
Preparation time: 20 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
6. Academic
• The listening passage is an excerpt from a lecture (90–120 seconds; 230–280 words) that explains a term or concept and gives concrete examples to illustrate it.
• The question asks the test taker to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of how the examples relate to the overall topic.
Preparation time: 20 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
TOTAL 20 minutes
Description of the Speaking Section :
There are six tasks in the Speaking section, which is approximately 20 minutes long.
• The first two tasks are independent speaking tasks that focus on topics familiar to the test taker.
• The remaining four tasks are integrated tasks, and test takers must combine more than one skill when responding. Test takers read and listen to some brief material and then speak in response. They can take notes and use those notes when responding to the speaking tasks. Then a question is asked that requires test takers to relate the information from the reading and listening material.
Independent Tasks :
Difficulty level: Easy - just have to stick to a pre-prepared format and you are safely through !
1. Personal Preference : to express and defend a personal choice from a given category—for example, important people or places, or events or activities that the test taker enjoys.
Preparation time: 15 seconds
Response time: 45 seconds
2. Choice : to make and defend a personal choice between two contrasting behaviors or courses of action.
Preparation time: 15 seconds
Response time: 45 seconds
Integrated Tasks
Read/Listen/Speak
3. Campus :
• A reading passage (75–100 words) presents a campus-related issue.
• A listening passage (60–80 seconds, 150–180 words) comments on the issue in the reading.
• The question asks the test taker to summarize the speaker’s opinion within the context of the reading passage.
Preparation time: 30 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
4. Academic :
• A reading passage (75–100 words) broadly defines a term, process, or idea from an academic subject.
• An excerpt from a lecture (60–90 seconds; 150– 220 words) provides examples and specific information to illustrate the term, process, or idea from the reading passage.
• The question asks the test taker to combine and convey important information from the reading passage and the lecture.
Preparation time: 30 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
Listen/Speak
5. Campus :
• The listening passage (60–90 seconds; 180–220 words) is a conversation about a student-related problem and two possible solutions.
• The question asks the test taker to demonstrate understanding of the problem and to express an opinion about solving the problem.
Preparation time: 20 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
6. Academic
• The listening passage is an excerpt from a lecture (90–120 seconds; 230–280 words) that explains a term or concept and gives concrete examples to illustrate it.
• The question asks the test taker to summarize the lecture and demonstrate an understanding of how the examples relate to the overall topic.
Preparation time: 20 seconds
Response time: 60 seconds
TOTAL 20 minutes
