APTIS For Teachers: Speaking Tests And Model Answers

In this article, we will provide you with speaking sample questions, model answers, general tips and strategies to prepare for APTIS for Teachers.

What Is APTIS For Teaches?

The APTIS for Teachers is a language proficiency test designed by the British Council as a more tailored version of the APTIS General Test. In this way, it follows the same format as the original. It is comprised of five components that test Core Skills: Grammar and Vocabulary as well as Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. There are a variety of tasks within each module and each section has a specified time limit. In total, the test runs about 2 hours and 40 minutes. Despite this, Ministries of Educations or private language schools can opt for a modified version of the test to examine the skills that they find to be the most necessary. Depending on the purposes of the institution, the APTIS for Teachers can be computer- or paper-based or a combination of both.

If you would like to access simulated tests for APTIS for teachers, please follow the link here.

You can also find useful information by visiting the British Council website here.

APTIS For Teaches: Sample Speaking Question #1

(4 parts – 12 minutes)

Part 1: In this part of the test, you are going to answer three personal questions about yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

1.1. Please tell me about your education.

1.2. What is a country that you would like to visit? Why?

1.3. Tell me about your favourite film.

Part 2: In this part of the test, you are going to describe what is happening in a picture. Then, I will ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

2.1. Describe this picture.
2.2. Tell me about a meeting you had with a team.
2.3. Do you prefer one long meeting or several short meetings. Why?

Part 3: In this part of the test, you are going to look at two pictures and I will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Tell me about an activity that children enjoy.

3.3. What is better- playing a team sport or an individual sport?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

Tell me about a time you were late for something.

What made you late?

How did you feel about being late?

APTIS For Teaches: Sample Speaking Question #2

1.1. Please tell me about your plans for the weekend.

1.2. What kind of home do you live in?

1.3. Tell me about the place where you work.

Part 2: In this part of the test, you are going to describe what is happening in a picture. Then, I will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

2.1. Describe this picture.
2.2. Tell me about a lesson you taught.

2.3. Would you prefer to use a blackboard or technology to teach? Why?

Part 3: In this part of the test, you are going to look at two pictures and I will ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Tell me about how you travel to work.

3.3. What is better- taking public transport or driving a car?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

Tell me about a time when you took a photo with friends.

Why did you take the photo?

What did you do with the photo after you took it?

APTIS For Teaches: Sample Speaking Question #3

Part 1: In this part of the test, you are going to answer three personal questions about yourself and your interests. You will have 30 seconds to answer each question. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

1.1 What do you do at the weekends?

1.2 What kind of food do you like?

1.3 Tell me about your favourite place.

Part 2: In this part of the test, you are going to describe what is happening in a picture. Then, I will ask you two questions about them. You will have 45 seconds for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

2.1. Describe this picture.

2.2. Do you like going to parties?

2.3. Tell me about your favourite social activity.

Part 3: In this part of the test, you are going to look at two pictures and I will ask you two questions about it. You will have 45 seconds for each response. Begin speaking when you hear the beep.

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Which of the two activities would you prefer?

3.3. How do the spectators differ in the two activities?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 How did you learn to read?

4.2 Has the way people read changed?

4.3 What does reading give you that other forms of media don’t?

APTIS For Teaches: Sample Speaking Question #4

1.1 Do you have any pets at home?

1.2 Do you shop online or do you go out shopping?

1.3 What music do you like?

2.1. Describe this picture.

2.2. Would you like to live in a place like this?

2.3. Do you prefer the city or the country?

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Did you prefer art or science subjects at school?

3.3. Should more money be spent on arts or science?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 What makes people have pets

4.2 Should animals have rights

4.3 How has our relationship with animals changed over the years?

APTIS For Teaches: Sample Speaking Question #5

1.1 How do you prefer to travel

1.2 Do you have a favourite journey?

1.3 Tell me about a time you felt very tired.

2.1. Describe this picture.

2.2. Is driving to work better than taking public transport?

2.3 How can we reduce the traffic on our roads?

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Is it better to travel to distant places or stay nearer home?

3.3. Do you think travel ‘broadens the mind’?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 Do you know any older couples like the one in the photograph?

4.2 People are staying younger for longer. Why do you think this is?

4.3 What are the advantages of getting older?

APTIS For Teaches: Sample Speaking Question #6

1.1 What’s your favourite time of year?

1.2 Do you prefer driving or being a passenger?

1.3 How often do you watch TV?

2.1. Describe this picture.
2.2. What are the advantages of working from home?
2.3. Why do you think coffee shops have become so popular?

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. What do these people have in common?

3.3. Which of these achievements is more special? Why?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 What are some of the advantages of living in the country?

4.2 Why do many people feel they need nature around them?

4.3 Is moving away everything that people think?

Hope you had an opportunity to practice on above speaking sample questions. Now we will provide model answers for above sample questions.

APTIS For Teaches: Model Answer to Sample Speaking Question #1

(4 parts – 12 minutes)

Please tell me about your education.

I graduated high school in Vietnam. After that, I started university in my country. My major was in English and Education. After two years, I had the opportunity to study for one year in Australia to improve my English skills. I studied at an international language school there, and then came back to Vietnam to finish my degree.

What is the country that you would like to visit? Why?

I really would like to visit Canada. I have some family that live in Toronto, and they really love it there. It is a very multicultural place so I would really like to eat different foods and meet people from around the world. There is also a lot of breath-taking nature, like Niagara Falls, or mountains that I can hike.

Tell me about your favourite film?

1.3. That’s an interesting question. My favourite film is the Beauty and the Beast. As a child, I loved Disney films, and I felt like I could relate to Belle. She really liked to read and so do I. I also really like the songs in the film, and of course the cute teacup named Chip.

2.1. Describe this picture.

In this picture, I can see six people. I think they are coworkers or colleagues and they are having a meeting. There are two people shaking hands, so maybe the girl standing is a new employee. In the background, there is a bulletin board that has many post-it notes. It is pretty organized. I think it must be morning time because there are several cups of coffee on the table. Some of the staff have a pen and papers to take notes, but one man has a laptop.

2.2. Tell me about a meeting you had with a team.

At my work, we have meetings every Thursday. It is important to meet with everyone so that we can be on the same page. Last week, our meeting was very long- over 2 hours! It’s because we had a lot to discuss. Our school is using a new curriculum so we needed to be trained on how to use it. However, it was good because they ordered pizza for dinner.
2.3. Do you prefer one long meeting or several short meetings. Why?

I think one long meeting is better than many short ones because you only have to change your schedule once. Having more short meetings affects other areas in your life- like your lunch break or after school activities. It also gives us more to talk about because there is a longer time between meetings.

3.1. Compare the pictures.

In both pictures, we see children doing activities. On the left, we have toddlers playing football. It looks like it is a bit cold outside, but maybe this is part of their PE class. I think they are learning how to kick a ball into the net. On the right, we see some girls in an art class maybe. I believe this because of the decals on the wall. They are drawing or colouring a picture.
3.2. Tell me about an activity that children enjoy.

In my class, children really enjoy writing on the board. I know this is not a typical activity. Children are used to having the teacher write on the board. However, when we are checking homework, I let them have a go. I think it gives them some responsibility. It also helps the little ones learn to write straightly because there are no lines on the board.

3.3. What is better- playing a team sport or an individual sport?

In my opinion, children should play team sports. They are beneficial for many reasons. Firstly, they learn how to cooperate with others and they learn discipline. They cannot be selfish if everyone has a responsibility to the team. Secondly, it helps them stay active. Nowadays, children like to stay home on their devices. Playing in a team makes them run around and be more active.

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

Tell me about a time you were late for something.

What made you late?

How did you feel about being late?

I always try my best to be on time. I think being late is really disrespectful and rude to the person or group that you are meeting. However, last week, I was about 20 minutes late for work. I leave my house one hour before I begin, because my journey is about 40 minutes long. This way, I can be early even if there is a small delay. Despite this, there was a problem on the metro. I was stuck underground without service for almost half an hour! I couldn’t even call my boss. When I got out of the underground, I called my office to tell them. I felt so embarrassed and anxious. In the end, it was fine. My boss was stuck on the same train as me, so we got to work at the same time.

APTIS For Teaches: Model Answer to Sample Speaking Question #2

1.1. Please tell me about your plans for the weekend.

On the weekend, I always need to unwind after such a busy week of teaching. I normally don’t do many activities, but this weekend, I have some interesting plans. It is my best friend’s birthday, so we are having a surprise party for her. She has plans to have dinner with her sister, but when she comes back to her flat, a few other friends and I will be there to shout “Surprise!” at her.

1.2. What kind of home do you live in?

When I was a child, I used to live in a big two-story house with my family. It was nice to have a big backyard, but my parents had to mow the lawn in the summer and shovel the snow in the winter. Nowadays, I live in an apartment and I quite like it. Living in a city is more important than a home’s size, so I’d prefer to stay in a flat in the future.

1.3. Tell me about the place where you work.

Currently, I am working in a large, private language school. During the day, we have a few classes for adults who are preparing for international language exams. However, most of my hours are spent in the afternoon with kids. The building itself is quite old, but the inside is completely modern. We have projectors and interactive whiteboards in every room. Moreover, it’s in the city centre, so it’s easy to get to by public transport.

2.1. Describe this picture.

In this picture, I can see a classroom with a teacher and some students. From the ages of the children, I can guess that they are in middle school. The teacher is tall and bald. He is dressed in a business casual way as he is wearing a grey blazer with a yellow shirt and khaki trousers. However, the kids are dressed casually. I can infer that they are participating in a geometry lesson because there are shapes and formulas on the board. The classroom looks tidy, and there is a globe and a plant behind the teacher.
2.2. Tell me about a lesson you taught.

Right now, I am teaching English as a Second Language to kids and adults. I try to make my lessons as fun as possible so that my students enjoy them. Last week, I was teaching a lesson about modals of necessity. You know, can, can’t, must, have to, etc. So, after I explained the rules to my teenage students, they invented their own country in small groups. The objective was to make laws and present them to the class. Then, we voted on where we would like to live. I was so impressed with their creativity and hard work during this activity.

2.3. Would you prefer to use a blackboard or technology to teach? Why?

If you had asked me this when I began teaching, I would have absolutely said that I preferred to use a blackboard. Not only is it simple and traditional, but it is what students expect from a lesson. However, recently, I have started to attend training meetings about how to use interactive whiteboards in class, and I have changed my opinion. For starters, I can use it in the same way as a normal blackboard. What’s more is that I can project engaging videos or songs on YouTube to engage students in a different way. The students really enjoy the experience.

3.1. Compare the pictures.

Both pictures show methods of transportation. Judging by the pictures, I think they show people commuting to or from work during rush hour. In the first picture, we see a man in the centre standing holding onto a handle-type of thing on a subway or a bus. The vehicle is crowded and he is surrounded by many people. In the second picture, I can’t see any people, but I see hundreds of cars stuck in a traffic jam on a motorway. It looks like it is sunset or sunrise depending on the direction that the picture was taken.

3.2. Tell me about how you travel to work.

I don’t live very far from my job. It’s about 4 kilometres away from my home. With that being said, I usually ride my bike to work. It is a relatively flat and easy ride, so it is a nice way to be active before and after work. However, in the winter, it is a different story. I hate cycling in the rain, and I definitely cannot in the snow, so I take the bus. The bus stop is a few steps away from my door and the ride is only about 10 minutes long, so it’s pretty convenient.

3.3. What is better- taking public transport or driving a car?

I think the answer to this question really depends on where you live. While taking public transport, like the bus or subway, is always better for the environment, it is not always practical. I used to live in the suburbs of my city, and I was almost always late for school when I had to rely on the bus. Under these circumstances, a car is much more convenient. Despite this, public transport is more eco-friendly than a car. If everyone drove their personal vehicle to work, there would be more pollution. I am in favour of taking public transport whenever it is possible.

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

Tell me about a time when you took a photo with friends.

Why did you take the photo?

What did you do with the photo after you took it?

I always take photos with my friends when we hang out because I want to capture the moment. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion for us to take a selfie. The last photo we took together was a selfie while we were out for dinner. It was a Friday, and we had just finished our work for the week. We decided to have a girls’ night out and go out for sushi. We ordered a lot of food, and we took pictures of it too because it was nicely-plated. Before we began eating, we asked the waiter to take a photo of us and the food. It didn’t turn out the way we liked. My eyes were closed and one of my friends had red eyes, but we didn’t want to bother him to retake the photo. So, we ended up taking a selfie instead. Since we don’t go out often, we hadn’t really had the opportunity to look our best. However, as we hadn’t seen each other in a while, we all dressed up nicely and had our make-up done. We really liked how the photo came out, so we decided to post it to our social media pages. First, my friend edited the picture on an app to alter the background of the image. We don’t usually touch up our faces in those apps, but we played with the contrast features a bit to make the background blurry. In this way, there was more emphasis on our faces. We all posted the photo on our pages, but I received the most likes and comments.

APTIS For Teaches: Model Answer to Sample Speaking Question #3

1.1 What do you do at the weekends?

1.2 What kind of food do you like?

1.3 Tell me about your favourite place.

2.1. Describe this picture.

I can see a group of people who are quite probably at a party and they are toasting their glasses in some kind of celebration. You can see this in the top left-hand corner of the picture as they all hold their glasses up. I think it’s a festival because there are light and what seems like decorations in the foreground and so I think it’s a New Year’s party or maybe a Christmas party. It looks like it could be a group of people from an office and you can tell that there are male and female people at the party.

2.2. Do you like going to parties?

I quite like going to parties although I’m not so keen now as I once was. I don’t like New Year’s parties much because they always seem to be a disappointment. I think that’s because people have overblown expectations of these parties and they are never as good as you had expected them to be. I’ve always preferred dinner parties where you can sit around and have a chat. Also, they don’t have to be quiet. I’ve been to lots of dinner parties where they’ve become lively and people dance and sing. Well, I do anyway.

2.3. Tell me about your favourite social activity.

I think that the best social activity is when people meet up after work on a Friday evening. I prefer going straight out from work because if I go home, then I can’t be bothered to go back out again. Friday is good because it has a special energy to it. I particularly like it when some of the local bars have live music around 5.00 pm to attract people to them or to get people to stay longer than they planned. I also like going out to dinner with my family or my friends, especially if it is around someone’s house and you can just relax and have fun.

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Which of the two activities would you prefer?

3.3. How do the spectators differ in the two activities?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 How did you learn to read?

4.2 Has the way people read changed?

4.3 What does reading give you that other forms of media don’t?

I learned to read before I started school. At that time schools didn’t want children to learn beforehand because the reasoning used to be that everyone had to learn the same way, the school’s way and that if you didn’t, you might somehow get into bad habits. At the time I saw a lot of my aunt and uncle and my aunt was very particular about speaking English correctly, good pronunciation and grammar etcetera. So, my aunt thought that she would teach me to read and because I liked my aunt and wanted to impress her, I tried extremely hard and soon learned to read. I think that this is one of the first things that has changed. I don’t think as many people spend their time on their children’s education, particularly on reading, and leave more of it to the school. Maybe this is why nowadays people seem to read differently. Before people all had mobile devices, people on buses and trains all used to read books or newspapers but now they are all looking at mobile phones. Maybe some people are reading a novel or looking at the news, but most people will be looking at what their friends are doing. This seems strange because the more access to the world digital technology gives us, the smaller our circle of interest becomes. What reading fiction and non-fiction gives you are insights into other worlds and other cultures, real and made up, and you have to use your imagination. When your friend sends you a picture of their lunch, it isn’t very thought-provoking.

APTIS For Teaches: Model Answer to Sample Speaking Question #4

1.1 Do you have any pets at home?

I have two cats. They are Burmese cats and because I live in a flat on the fourth floor they don’t go out. This is probably a good thing because they are very domesticated and can’t look after themselves very well. They don’t seem to miss going out though and they seem to like their routine. Actually, they are more like little dogs and they follow us from room to room.

1.2 Do you shop online or do you go out shopping?

I get most of the things I need online and since March I have done my shopping online too. I never liked shopping much and now I just buy the things I need and so that makes life cheaper. With big companies like Amazon, online shopping is extremely easy although it isn’t good news for many shops and not good for town and city centres.

1.3 What music do you like?

I enjoy most styles of music except maybe modern jazz and heavy metal. I like to think my musical tastes are quite eclectic and I can listen to anything from 1930s music to rap and hip hop to classical music. I think that as you get older music become less important to you which is a pity because it is a beautiful way to express yourself.

2.1. Describe this picture.

In the foreground of the picture is a wide river or lake and reflected in it are the houses that make up a small village on the banks of the lake. The countryside is very green and it looks like it might be spring or early summer from the trees, although I think that it’s in northern Europe or America. The buildings appear to be made of wood and in the background, there’s a forest. The landscape is very quiet and it feels lonely and isolated there. I think that it would be a hard place to live during the winter and that I would get very cold and snowy.

2.2. Would you like to live in a place like this?

I’d like to live there during the summer because it looks so clean and healthy but I imagine it gets extremely cold and lonely there for the rest of the year. Ideally, I would stay there for June and July, and go south after that. My ideal place to live is somewhere that has four seasons but doesn’t get too cold or too hot. I’m not sure how I would cope with the isolation either. It seems a good idea to get away from crowds but after a while, I think I’d need something more to keep me from getting bored.

2.3. Do you prefer the city or the country?

Generally speaking, I prefer the countryside. I don’t mean just for holidays but as a way of life. Okay, you have all the amenities you need in the city like cinemas, bars, restaurants and galleries but the downsides are full buses or nowhere to park or crowded shops. In the country, you can relax in your garden and grow your own vegetables and watch the world go by, particularly if you work from home. You do have to put up with less entertainment but these days there is so much stuff online you can do or watch.

3.1. Compare the pictures.
3.2. Did you prefer art or science subjects at school?

3.3. Should more money be spent on arts or science?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 What makes people have pets

4.2 Should animals have rights

4.3 How has our relationship with animals changed over the years?

In my opinion, people have pets for many different reasons but the main one is for companionship. Even if they live in a big family, people often have pets and so I don’t necessarily mean to stop them from being lonely but because you can build a unique relationship with an animal. Everyone knows about the special bond there can be between a person and their dog, but people seem to love any pet the have no matter how strange. With regards to animals having rights, then I think they should. It is ridiculous to think of these rights being the same as the one’s humans have. But all animals kept by humans, either as pets or to produce food, should have the right to lead a decent life. By that I mean to have shelter from the weather, sufficient food, and drink, in other words, be able to live without suffering. For instance, a hundred years ago many people thought of animals as a resource for us to use and there weren’t as many regulations that protected animals. More people went hunting and shot animals just for sport. People bred animals for their skin, often because they liked in cold climates, but frequently because fur was thought of as a luxury item and people wanted it as a status symbol to show that they were wealthy. People these days are much more caring in how they treat animals and in many countries wearing fur is not acceptable. There are fewer sports using animals, no circuses with animals and many more vegans.

APTIS For Teaches: Model Answer to Sample Speaking Question #5

1.1 How do you prefer to travel

I definitely think that the best way to go from A to B is by train. Firstly, it is more relaxing, you can just sit in your seat and watch the world go by and if it’s not peak-time, you have to space to spread yourself out. Riding on a bus can be like that but it's not so easy to move around.

1.2 Do you have a favourite journey?

I used to really like the journey in June from the place I was at university in London to my home. I wasn’t that I disliked living in London but more because the exams were behind me and, although I worked during the summer, that I had nearly four carefree months in front of me. I also lived on the coast and that made it even more special.

1.3 Tell me about a time you felt very tired.

I remember having a holiday that was in two parts. The first was in New York and the second was a beach holiday in Greece. The plan was that we flew back from the USA in the morning and then flew out to Greece in the evening. The only problem was that it was from two different airports. I didn’t sleep on the plane flying back or flying to Greece and I ended up being awake for about two days.

2.1. Describe this picture.

In this photograph, we can see a pretty bad traffic jam. There are four lanes of traffic and it looks either like they are moving very slowly or not moving at all. The setting for the picture is a large city, I don’t think it’s a city in the Middle East or Asia because the signs are written using Roman lettering. Anyway, the traffic is trying to move under a bridge in the background of the photo and have become jammed. There are a few pedestrians in the picture but this doesn’t look a very healthy environment for people.

2.2. Is driving to work better than taking public transport?

The environment answer to this question is to take public transport as it produces less pollution per person than driving to work. Unless you can find other people to share your journey with, it’s always going to be the case that public transport is greener. The other problem with driving to work is that parking is difficult and expensive. In my opinion, cycling is the best way to commute if you can and with more towns and cities making their centres pedestrianised and creating more cycle lanes, riding a bike is a good option.

2.3 How can we reduce the traffic on our roads?

I think the first thing to do is to make public transport easier and cheaper, that would encourage fewer people to drive.

3.1. Compare the pictures.

3.2. Is it better to travel to distant places or stay nearer home?

3.3. Do you think travel ‘broadens the mind’?

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 Do you know any older couples like the one in the photograph?

4.2 People are staying younger for longer. Why do you think this is?

4.3 What are the advantages of getting older?

Yes, I know a couple who are older than ones in the picture, they’re in their eights, and they are still full of life. They are both quite active and they enjoy going on holidays, they have a place in Spain, and they go and stay in it three times a year particularly in the winter when the weather is better there. They like going out for meals and socialising with their family and friends. As well as this, he plays golf at least three times a week and this helps. I think the reason people stay younger for longer now is undoubted because of improved medicine. Even if you have a long-term medical condition, it can usually be managed with medicine. For instance, until the last fifty years, if your knee joint went, you would have difficulty walking and eventually may not be able to walk at all. You’d probably be unable to leave your house and wouldn’t be able to exercise. That would soon make someone old. I also think that people now have a completely different attitude toward ageing and expect to be able to do things in later life that they have always done. Most sports clubs now have an ‘over-fifties’ team and so you can play football or rugby for as long as you are fit enough. In the past, most men and women stopped playing their favourite sport or doing their favourite activity when they got married. These are some of the advantages of getting older, plus by the time you are in your fifties, you should have less stress at work because you are not forced to be so competitive and your children will probably have left home so things are quieter there too.

APTIS For Teaches: Model Answer to Sample Speaking Question #6

1.1 What’s your favourite time of year?

I would say that without doubt, the best time of year is the summer. I like the sunshine and the long days and everyone seems to be in a much better mood as well. The autumn is nice too because in my country some days are warm but it is getting darker. There are big festivals in October, November and at Christmas and New Year which makes it good too.

1.2 Do you prefer driving or being a passenger?

Well, the depends on who is driving but mostly I like to be the one at the wheel especially on a long journey when it makes the time go quicker. With satnav, driving is so much easier now and that helps. I remember trying to drive and read a map at the same time and that was a nightmare. Either that or driving along not certain that you were going the right way.

1.3 How often do you watch TV?

I generally watch it for about three hours a day, usually longer at the weekend especially Sunday. The good thing about TV now is that you have more choice and you can watch what you want at a time that’s convenient for you. I probably watch a TV longer than most people though as I notice people sharing videos and stuff on their phones through social media.

2.1. Describe this picture.

In this picture, I see a young girl sitting outside of a coffee shop and looking at her laptop. It seems weather is every nice and people are passing by. I also see that she is enjoying her cocktail.

2.2. What are the advantages of working from home?

I myself have been working from home for last 6 month due to Covid-19 pandemic. I really enjoyed working from home and it has advantages such as saving on travel time, petrol costs, boost work and life balance of employees, enhance personnel relationships. It can also improve moral and efficient of employees.

2.3. Why do you think coffee shops have become so popular?

In my country coffee shops become integral part of social life. They are not only great place to have an amazing coffee but also a place of socializing and meeting new people. For this reasons, coffee shops become integral part of modern life.

3.1. Compare the pictures.

In the first picture, I can see a young girl. It looks like she is at her graduation. Maybe for high school or university. She seems like she is proud. In the other picture, we see a man who just climbed a mountain. He is looking at the view from the top. I think he might be tired.

3.2. What do these people have in common?

Well, both of these people have completed an important achievement. The girl on the left has graduated high school, or maybe university whereas the man on the right has climbed a mountain. Although he has reached a physical accomplishment, there is a mental part to it as well.

3.3. Which of these achievements is more special? Why?

I think the graduation is probably a more common achievement. A lot of people graduate from high school or university every year, and it is kind of expected. For that reason, I think the adventurer has a more special accomplishment because it is not every day you can climb a mountain.

Part 4: In this part of the test, you will look at a picture and answer the questions below. You will have 60 seconds to prepare before you start speaking. Then, you will speak for 2 minutes.

4.1 What are some of the advantages of living in the country?

4.2 Why do many people feel they need nature around them?

4.3 Is moving away everything that people think?

I believe that living in the country doesn’t suit everybody. Some people like to be surrounded by amenities like shops, restaurants, and cinemas and as a consequence, living in the country isn’t for them. On the other hand, Modern life is becoming increasingly difficult with crowds, traffic jams and all the stresses get from being packed together. It’s no wonder people want to get away. The idea that most people have of the countryside is that it’s quiet, slower, the people are friendlier and happier, and there’s no stress and no crime. While these may seem true, it’s probably an idealised picture because for a lot of people, living in the countryside has its own problems. You don’t earn much, housing is expensive, there’s nothing for young people to do. All over the world people go to the cities from the country looking for work. It’s only if you have money that you can you afford to live in the country. For people who live in cities, there has always been a big pull to get back to a more natural life and, as I said earlier, many people have an idealised picture. However, as environmental problems have become more and more apparent, people have started to think about and value nature more than they once did. In my experience, if you want to move away because it makes you a different person, then that’s not going to happen. I think if you plan it right, moving away allows you to do things you want to do but it won’t automatically make you do these things. A man I know moved to Australia and said that he was going to go swimming every morning. He didn’t do this in his own country and when he got to Australia, he didn’t do it there either.