BEC Speaking Test: Part 1 (Interview)

Part 1 of the BEC Speaking test lasts approximately 3 minutes (5 minutes for a group of three). After some intro u!tory "uestions# !an i ates are aske a personali$e %ork&relate "uestion an a more general# %ork relate "uestion. Tests ability to: use language for so!ial purposes# e.g. make intro u!tions# asks an ans%er "uestions# express an gi'es reasons for personal opinions. Example Q estions (he inter'ie% %ill )egin %ith the examiner saying something like* +* Hello. My name is ........ and this is my colleague ........ +* And your names are? +* Can I have your mark sheets please? ........ Thank you. (he examiner %ill then ask ea!h !an i ate some "uestions. ,or example* +* Where are you from? +* Could you explain hy you!re taking the "#C exam? +* Have you got a $o% at the moment? +* Are employment opportunities for graduates good in your country? Tips! -t.s important to gi'e rele'ant ans%ers to these "uestions. 1) A'oi short# un!ommuni!ati'e ans%ers. +* Where are you from? A* I come from &pain ... from Madrid' %ut I!ve %een living in (aris for the past year. (/eep going0) I had the chance to come to )rance to study at university and decided to stay here for a fe years more to get ork experience. 1) A'oi short# .yes.# .no. ans%ers. +* Could you explain hy you!re taking the "#C exam? A* *es certainly+ I!m hoping to ork for a large financial company in ,ondon ... as you can pro%a%ly imagine it!s very competitive to get a good $o% in this profession so. I decided to take "#C to help me ith my career. +* Have you got a $o% at the moment? A* -o' not a full.time $o%. I ork part.time in a local restaurant. It!s a nice $o% and the people are lovely %ut it!s not something I ant to spend the rest of my life doing. 3) (hink of examples to help you explain something that you.'e sai .

+* Are employment opportunities for graduates good in your country? A* There are lots of opportunities for people ho have experience %ut it can %e difficult to get a good position hen you come straight out of university. (2i'e an example0) I!ve got a lot of friends ho are like me ... having to ork in part.time $o%s hile they look for a %etter position. /%viously some degrees are more marketa%le than others so it depends on the person!s 0ualification.

BEC Speaking Test: Part " (#ini$Presentation)

Part 1 of the BEC inter'ie% lasts a)out 3 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three). Ea!h !an i ate is gi'en a !ar listing three ifferent topi!s. Ea!h !an i ate !hooses one of the topi!s on their !ar to talk a)out for 1 minute. (he !an i ates are gi'en one minute to prepare an may make notes. 3hen prompte # Can i ate 1 gi'es their talk %hile Can i ate 1 listens )ut oes not speak. At the en of the minute# Can i ate 1 asks Can i ate 1 a )rief "uestion a)out the talk an Can i ate 1 makes a )rief reply. (he task is then repeate %ith Can i ate 1 presenting an Can i ate 1 listening an asking a "uestion at the en . Tests ability to: sustain a long turn# speak !oherently# listen an appropriate "uestions. Example Task (he examiner %ill say something on the lines of* +* In this part of the exam I!m going to give each of you a choice of three different topics. I!d like you to select one of the topics and talk a%out it for a%out 1 minute. *ou!ll have a%out one minute to prepare this and you!re allo ed to make notes if you ant to. -o ' here are your topics ... and you can make notes on the spare paper hile you are preparing to talk %ut please don!t rite on your topic sheets. All right? +* -o ' 2Candidate 13' ould you %egin %y telling us hich topic you!ve chosen? %: C stomer relations: the importan!e of politeness %hen ealing %ith !ustomers B: Training: ho% to ensure training opportunities are taken up )y as many staff as possi)le C: %&vertising: the issues to !onsi er %hen ra%ing up an a 'ertising )u get for a ne% pro u!t Choi!e of three "uestions ranges from a 'ery general )usiness&relate topi! for !an i ates %ith little or no %ork experien!e to the one that !an )e ans%ere )y someone %ith %ork experien!e. -t.s therefore a task that all !an i ates shoul )e a)le to eal %ith. respon to a talk %ith

Tips! 1. 4se your 1 minute preparation time %isely an make notes of the points you. like to make in your o%n mother tongue. 1. Stru!ture your talk %ith a !lear )eginning# mi le an en . 5elp the examiner an your partner to follo% your talk )y signposting your presentation !learly. 3hen gi'ing examples make this !lear through expressions su!h as* 4)or instance ...4 4Take 5 for example ...4 4To give you an example ...4 4A case in point is ...4 4To illustrate this ...4 4To sho you hat I mean ...4 3. Start your talk %ith a po%erful# attention&gra))ing intro u!tion. -nstea of )eginning rather unimaginati'ely %ith* !It is really important to %e polite to customers ... !. try something like* !In the highly.competitive orld e live in the last thing e ant to do is lose %usiness through poor customer relations.! 6. -f you.re !on!erne a)out not ha'ing enough to talk a)out for 1 minute or running out of time )efore you.'e finishe # the ans%er is to pra!tise as often as possi)le. (ime yourself an ask a frien for fee )a!k. 5. 7ake sure you listen !arefully %hile your partner is presenting as you %ill nee to think of a rele'ant "uestion to ask at the en .

BEC Speaking Test: Part ': (Collaborative Task ( )ollow$*p Q estions)

-n Part 3 of the BEC Speaking test# %hi!h lasts a)out 3 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)# the examiner %ill gi'e you an your partner a !ar that !ontains a )usiness&relate situation %ith t%o "uestions for is!ussion. 8ou %ill ha'e less than a minute to rea the !ar . (he examiner %ill not parti!ipate in the is!ussion until the en %hen he or she %ill ask ea!h !an i ate "uestions relate to the topi!. Tests ability to: initiate is!ussion# ask for an gi'e opinions# agree an !omments ma e )y others an generate ne% i eas# )e sensiti'e to turn&taking. Example Task (he examiner %ill say something on the lines of* isagree# e'elop

+* !-o this part of the test is a discussion activity. *ou have a%out thirty seconds to read this task carefully and then a%out three minutes to discuss and decide a%out it together. *ou!re expected to give reasons for your decisions and opinions. /6? -o anything. Is that clear? +* I!ll $ust listen and then ask you to stop after a%out three minutes %ut please speak so that e can hear you. All right? you don!t need to rite

Staff (raining
-n or er to sho% its !ommitment to the en'ironment an sustaina)ility your !ompany has e!i e to e i!ate a training ay to the importan!e of responsi)le en'ironmental a!tions the !ompany an staff !an take. 8ou ha'e )een aske to !ome up %ith some general i eas to promote on the training ay. 9is!uss an e!i e together*

& %hat kin s of a!tions the staff an !ompany !oul take to )e more en'ironmentally frien ly & ho% you %oul promote the training e'ent to en!ourage staff to approa!h the e'ent %ith a positi'e frame of min . :oti!e that the task is in the form of a role play or simulation an you shoul treat this as a real& life task. 3ork %ith your partner as if you are )oth in this situation# sharing opinions an trying to rea!h a e!ision. Tips! -t %ill help )oth yourself an your partner if you %ork together !olla)orati'ely on this task. 1. Be prepare to ask your partner for his or her opinion rather than simply stating your o%n. 1. ;isten .a!ti'ely. to %hat your partner says# respon ing to !omments he or she makes. 3. -f you nee time to think# use expressions su!h as* 4That!s a good 0uestion.4 4It!s funny you should ask.4 4Well' to cut a long story short ...4 4Well' to %e honest ...4 4It!s difficult to say.4 4,et me think ...4