Task 2
Monologue
Task instructions:
Read the text. Then in your own words:
1) define briefly what the main issue/problem is;
2) say what you think about the issue raised in the text;
3) provide arguments and examples to support your opinion;
4) come to a conclusion;
5) answer one additional question which the examiner will ask you at the end of your monologue.
You have 2 minutes to prepare.
1) define briefly what the main issue/problem is;
2) say what you think about the issue raised in the text;
3) provide arguments and examples to support your opinion;
4) come to a conclusion;
5) answer one additional question which the examiner will ask you at the end of your monologue.
You have 2 minutes to prepare.
Speaking time: 5 minutes.
TEXT 1: SLEEP
Adolescents need about 9 hours of sleep a night to function optimally – to be physically, mentally and cognitively healthy. Tell this to nine out of ten teenagers and they will laugh. In fact, only about 8 percent of American teenagers get the sleep they need, according to a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The rest live with chronic sleep deprivation – some mild to moderate, but more than half (59%) with severe sleep deprivation, meaning they sleep on average six hours or less most school nights.
www.childmind.org
Additional questions:
• Is having a daily routine important for physical and mental wellbeing?
• Why do teenagers sometimes sacrifice sleep for other activities?
• Why do teenagers sometimes sacrifice sleep for other activities?
TEXT 2: PROCRASTINATION
According to traditional thinking, procrastinators (people who delay or put things off) have a time management problem. Increasingly, however, psychologists are realising this is wrong. Experts at Carleton University have proposed that procrastination is an issue with managing our emotions, not our time. The task we are putting off is making us feel bad – perhaps it is boring, too difficult or we are worried about failing – and to make ourselves feel better in the moment, we start doing something else, like watching videos.
According to traditional thinking, procrastinators (people who delay or put things off) have a time management problem. Increasingly, however, psychologists are realising this is wrong. Experts at Carleton University have proposed that procrastination is an issue with managing our emotions, not our time. The task we are putting off is making us feel bad – perhaps it is boring, too difficult or we are worried about failing – and to make ourselves feel better in the moment, we start doing something else, like watching videos.
www.bbc.com
Additional questions:
• What advice would you give to someone who tends to procrastinate?
• What do you do to make sure you use your time effectively?
• What do you do to make sure you use your time effectively?
TEXT 3: CONSUMERISM
Excessive consumerism has been a part of YouTube culture for close to a decade. Some videos feature YouTubers showing off their purchases, while “unboxing” videos feature people constantly buying and opening new things on camera. On top of all of this, vloggers create direct adverts for brands and sell their own personal merchandise. It seems logical that this incredible display of materialism is affecting at least some of the young audience that make up YouTubers’ most loyal fans.
Excessive consumerism has been a part of YouTube culture for close to a decade. Some videos feature YouTubers showing off their purchases, while “unboxing” videos feature people constantly buying and opening new things on camera. On top of all of this, vloggers create direct adverts for brands and sell their own personal merchandise. It seems logical that this incredible display of materialism is affecting at least some of the young audience that make up YouTubers’ most loyal fans.
www.newstatesman.com
Additional questions:
• How does advertising affect our lives?
• Who suffers and who benefits from consumerism?
• Who suffers and who benefits from consumerism?
TEXT 4: JOBS
A global study has found that teenagers are ignoring digital jobs and aspiring to work in the most popular, traditional occupations, like teachers, doctors or vets, despite major changes to the world of work. Young people’s career expectations have become more concentrated in fewer occupations over the past two decades despite the rise of social media and technologies like Artificial Intelligence. Traditional occupations from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as lawyers and police officers, continue to capture the imaginations of young people around the world as they did nearly 20 years ago.
A global study has found that teenagers are ignoring digital jobs and aspiring to work in the most popular, traditional occupations, like teachers, doctors or vets, despite major changes to the world of work. Young people’s career expectations have become more concentrated in fewer occupations over the past two decades despite the rise of social media and technologies like Artificial Intelligence. Traditional occupations from the 19th and 20th centuries, such as lawyers and police officers, continue to capture the imaginations of young people around the world as they did nearly 20 years ago.
www.independent.co.uk
Additional questions:
• What occupations will always be there? Why?
• Is it better to be self-employed or work as an employee?
• Is it better to be self-employed or work as an employee?
TEXT 5: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s ability to recognize, understand, manage, and reason with emotions. It is a critical ability when it comes to interpersonal communication – and a hot topic not only in psychology but also in the business world. Emotional intelligence is widely recognized as a valuable asset that helps improve communication, management, problem solving, and relationships within the workplace. It is also an ability that researchers believe can be improved with training and practice.
Emotional intelligence refers to a person’s ability to recognize, understand, manage, and reason with emotions. It is a critical ability when it comes to interpersonal communication – and a hot topic not only in psychology but also in the business world. Emotional intelligence is widely recognized as a valuable asset that helps improve communication, management, problem solving, and relationships within the workplace. It is also an ability that researchers believe can be improved with training and practice.
www.verywellmind.com
Additional questions:
• What factors can contribute to happiness in the workplace?
• Why is it important to help and support others at work?
• Why is it important to help and support others at work?
TEXT 6: PHYSICAL EXERCISE
More than 80% of global teens do not get at least one hour of daily exercise, according to a UN health agency study. The findings have implications for physical and mental health as well as youth education. “We have had this electronic revolution that seems to have changed adolescents’ movement patterns and encourages them to sit more, to be less active, to drive more, walk less and be less active in general,” World Health Organization lifestyle disease expert Leanne Riley told a news briefing.
More than 80% of global teens do not get at least one hour of daily exercise, according to a UN health agency study. The findings have implications for physical and mental health as well as youth education. “We have had this electronic revolution that seems to have changed adolescents’ movement patterns and encourages them to sit more, to be less active, to drive more, walk less and be less active in general,” World Health Organization lifestyle disease expert Leanne Riley told a news briefing.
www.dw.com
Additional questions:
• What advice would you give to someone who would like to make their lifestyle more active?
• Do you think there should be a law that requires everyone to exercise?
• Do you think there should be a law that requires everyone to exercise?