Speaking

Part 1

第一部分： 考官会介绍自己并确认考生身份，然后打开录音机/笔，报出考试名称、时间、地点等考试信息。考官接下来会围绕考生的学习、工作、住宿或其他相关话题展开提问。

话题举例

★ History

1 What did you study in history lessons when you were at school?

Well, I think we learnt tons of basic facts about past events just like other people did, especially those so-called turning points , as well as influential historic figures and battles that reshaped the course of human civilization . But fundamentally , it was exam-oriented and that made history lessons less engaging . And honestly speaking , I only have very vague memory about what I learned from school.

2 Did you enjoy studying history at school? [Why/Why not?]

Well, if you had the misfortune to do too much of it at school as I did, you’ll probably know how dull it can be. By that I mean, we had to learn everything on the coursebook by rote , like dates and facts. So it wouldn’t be surprising that most of us tend to steer well clear of the whole topic after we graduated from high school.

3 How often do you watch TV programmes about history now? [Why/Why not?]

Actually, programmes in this genre are not my kind of thing . But I do check the video clips about history from time to time according to my own interest. Maybe I just want to gain insight into why a country is in its current state or simply get fascinated by some inspirational leaders from the past. Compared to the history taught in school, those videos normally present more information from various perspectives , and they’ve sort of opened the lens for me.

4 What period in history would you like to learn more about? [Why?]

Well, this is a tough one for me, as there are a couple of historical periods that I find compelling , like European Renaissance , Scientific Revolution as well as the Second World War , because they have drastically shaped our modern world. Time permitting , I’ll also read books on Big History , like Guns, Germs and Steel, for it possibly can provide me a more holistic view on human civilization.