Preparation for speaking English. Speaking Unified State Exam: task C6 (44)

control measurement materials of the unified state exam

in ENGLISH LANGUAGE 2017

Explanations to the demo version of the oral part

control measuring materialsUnified State Exam 2017 in English language

When familiarizing yourself with the demonstration version of the oral part of the 2017 Unified State Exam test materials in English, you should keep in mind that the tasks included in it do not reflect all the content issues that will be tested using the CMM options. A complete list of questions that can be tested on the Unified State Exam is given in the codifier of content elements and requirements for the level of training of graduates of educational organizations for the 2017 Unified State Exam in English.

The purpose of the demonstration version is to enable any USE participant and the general public to get an idea of ​​the structure of future CMMs, the number of tasks, their form and level of complexity. The given criteria for assessing the completion of tasks with a detailed answer, included in this option, give an idea of ​​the requirements for the completeness and correctness of a detailed answer in oral form. This information will allow graduates to develop a strategy for preparing for the Unified State Exam.

Instructions for completing tasks

The oral part of the KIM Unified State Examination in English includes 4 tasks.

Exercise 1– reading aloud a short text of a popular science nature.

IN task 2 You are asked to review the advertisement and ask five questions based on keywords.

Preparation time: 1.5 minutes.

IN task 3 You are asked to choose one of three photographs and describe it based on the plan.

Preparation time: 1.5 minutes.

IN task 4 The task is to compare two photographs based on the proposed plan.

Preparation time: 1.5 minutes.

Total response time one examinee (including preparation time) – 15 minutes.

Each subsequent task is issued after the completion of the previous task. The entire response time is audio and video recorded.

Try to fully complete the assigned tasks, try to speak clearly and clearly, stay on topic and follow the proposed answer plan. This way you can score the most points.

English language. Grade 11 Demo version 2017

© 2017 Federal Service for Supervision in Education and Science of the Russian Federation

Speaking Part

Task 1

Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read the text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

The first maps were drawn by explorers to help them find their way home and show people where they had been. The maps showed the shape of the land, distances between places and special features such as caves and old trees. Nowadays, maps show the towns and villages, and the roads, railways, rivers and mountains. Symbols are used to show all the different things on a map and there is a key to explain what the symbols stand for.

Over the centuries, people explored most of the Earth and put together the map of the world we use today. Maps of the world or large areas are often either “political” or “physical”. The political map shows territorial borders. The purpose of the physical map is to show features of geography such as mountains, soil type or land use including roads, railroads and buildings.

Listen to the audiofile

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Mind your pronunciation!

–k ey, tr ee,betw ee n,f ea ture

[ɜː] – f ir st, w er e,w or ld, p ur pose Ear th

[ θ ] – Ear th , th ings

[ð] – th ey, th em, ei th er, toge th er,

[f]–ph ysical, geogra ph y

Vocabulary

area /ˈeəriə/ – district, place, region

shape - form

cave - cave

feature /ˈfiːtʃə/ – trait, characteristic feature

century /ˈsentʃəri/ – century, century

territorial borders - territorial boundaries

to draw /drɔː/ (drew /druː/, drawn /drɔːn/) – draw

to stand for – decipher, designate

to explore /iks ˈplɔː/ – to explore, study

explorer /ɪkˈsplɔːrə/ – explorer, traveler

either … or /ˈaɪðə/(UK) /ˈiːðə/(US) – or … or

Dear colleagues and owners of educational websites (portals)!

All site materials are freely available to network users. Moreover, the use of site materials is encouraged.

WARNING!

When copying and posting full or partial information on third-party resources, in design works and presentations An active link to the website is required.

Task 2

Study the advertisement.

Make your life easier with our new kitchen unit!

You are considering buying the appliance and now you’d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

2) if one can buy it online

3) number of functions

4) guarantee period

5) recipe book to go with the unit

You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

Sample answers

• How much is this kitchen unit? / How much does this kitchen unit cost? / What is the price of this kitchen unit?
• Can I buy this kitchen blender online? / Is there any possibility to buy this unit online? / Is online purchase of this unit available? / Is this kitchen unit available for online purchase?
• How many functions does this kitchen tool have?
• How long is the guarantee period of this appliance? / How long is the warranty of this kitchen blender? / How many months is the guarantee period of this kitchen unit? / How many months is the blender guarantee period?
• Does a recipe book go with the unit? / Is there any recipe book to go with the blender?

Enjoy watching!

Please note the updated version of the wording of Task 3, which appeared in 2017!

Task 3

These are photos from your photo album. Choose one photo to describe to your friend.

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

You will have to start speaking in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes (12–15 sentences). In your talk remember to speak about:

• where and when the photo was taken
• what/who is in the photo
• what is happening
• why you keep the photo in your album
• why you decided to show the picture to your friend

You have to talk continuously, starting with: “I’ve chosen photo number …”

Enjoy watching!

Sample answer

I’ve chosen photo number 1.(Be sure to start your answer with this phrase after selecting the photo number.)

Well, recently I have decided to start a blog about a healthy lifestyle. I write short stories about healthy food. Also, I often take pictures of my friends and relatives to show to my followers (readers) which exercises they do to keep fit. (intro) 3

So, this picture was taken a week ago when my sister and I went jogging in our park near the river. 1

In the foreground of the photo you can see my elder sister Stacy. She is running in the park at the moment. The morning is sunny and quite warm, so Stacy is wearing a nice T-shirt. (I should say that coral is her favorite color.) She looks pretty slim because she does her regular exercises and keeps on a healthy diet (maintains a balanced diet). She says it always helps her to be in a good mood and shape. (6)

In the background of the picture there are lots of green trees. The air is usually fresh in the morning. And I think it’s the best time for doing sports. (3)

I keep this photo in my album because I am going to use it on my blog. (1)

I know that you are trying to lose some weight. So, I show you the photo of my sister to encourage you to take up jogging. Also, to gain the best results, you can follow her eating habits advice. (3)

That's all I wanted to say. (phrase For examiner)

Task 4

Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which of the ways of reading a book presented in the pictures you’d prefer
• explain why

You will speak for not more than 2 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.

Sample answer

Now I will compare and contrast these two photos.

I’d like to stress out right from the beginning that such hobby as reading gives you an excellent opportunity to learn new things wherever you are: at home, on the bus, at the sunny beach and even in the queue (in the line). And these two photos prove that. (introductory phrase) (2)

So, the theme which relates these photos are a reading activity. (1)

Let me start with the first picture which shows a young girl who is sitting on the sofa. She might be in her flat at the moment. She is absorbed in reading. I cannot say for sure but it seems to me she is holding an e-book in her hands. (4)

As for the second picture you can see a young girl who is traveling by underground (metro). She is standing near the window and is reading a book, too. I really like her clothes. This checkered short-sleeved shirt makes her look pretty stylish. (4)

Preview:

Preview:

https://accounts.google.com

Preview:

Task 3. Sample Answer

Task 3. Imagine that these are photos from your photo album. Choose one photo to present to your friend. You will have to start speaking in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes (12–15 sentences). In your talk remember to speak about:

∙ where and when the photo was taken

∙ what/who is in the photo

∙ what is happening

∙ why you keep the photo in your album

∙ why you decided to show the picture to your friend

You have to talk continuously, starting with: “I’ve chosen photo number … “

This is how the task is formulated. Your photo description should include:

• Introduction.
• The main part.
• Conclusion.

The phrase “I’ve chosen photo number…” is not an introduction. It is necessary so that the expert can evaluate your answer. Don’t forget to pronounce it; the expert has no right to speculate. You are describing a photograph for a friend, and you are addressing him.

Introduction. Decide on the theme of the photo.

For example:

You know that I keep photos of my school life in my album. I have lots of them. This one shows how we celebrated the Day of our Motherland Defender.

Main part. It was taken on the eve of the 23 rd of February last year. The students gathered in the assembly hall. You can see that the walls are decorated with posters. We are waiting for the concert to start. You can hardly see any faces because the students are looking at the posters trying to decide which of them is the best one. My friends and I made the poster which is on the left. We are all wearing our school uniforms. The general atmosphere in the picture is positive. The reason I keep this photo is because I like comparing decorations that we make for celebrating different holidays at school.

I decided to show you this photo because you have never been in my school.Why don’t we go to the concert together next time?

Conclusion. Looking through photo albums is a pleasant thing.

This is not to say that such a picture is easy to describe. Most likely, the exam will present photos, to describe which you will need the following prepositions and phrases with them:

• at the top
• at the bottom
• in the background
• in the foreground
• in the middle
• on the left
• on the right

• I’d like you to see the photo that was taken last_____ / _________ years ago.
• I remember that day very well.
• He (she, they) is (are) in his (her, their) twenties.
• He (she, it, they) is (are) in (at) (a, the) … (café, city, mountains, garden, park, forest, wood, meadow, bus, lesson, classroom, home, seaside, … ).
• As you see, he (she) looks ... .
• She (he, it, they) is (are) wearing …
• As the people are wearing warm coats and caps, it is probably late autumn (summer winter, spring).
• The weather is…
• In this photo you can see a man / some people __________ ing _______________.
• The man is / The people are ________________. They are wearing _____________.
• In the foreground there is a __________. He is ________ ing ____________.
• The people in the background are __________ ing ___________.
• The weather in the picture is ____________________________________________
• The general atmosphere in the picture is positive/depressing/tense/crazy_________ .
• The reason I keep this photo is because I was surprised/amazed/shocked/amused by

________________________ __ .

• It’s nice to record the impression _____________________________________
• I keep this photo because I had never seen anything like that before.
• I decided to show it to you to share my emotions/impressions/experiences.
• I decided to show you this photo because it was the brightest moment of that trip /event/concert/holiday/day...
• I decided to show you this photo because the child/children remind(s) me of myself when I was his/her/their age.
• The picture makes me think about the time when we were___________________________
• Why don’t we go there together some day?
• I think we could do something like that here in Moscow.
• I can't wait to go there again. Would you like to keep my company?
• I wish you were there with me.

Here are some more tips:

• Don't describe the photo in too much detail, but be sure to touch on its theme.
• Build the statement in accordance with the proposed plan in order to ensure the logic of the statement. Remember to use logical communications(and, but, too, then, so, that’s why, nevertheless etc).
• Consistently reveal the content of each item of the plan.
• Offer extensive argumentation when necessary.

• Do not give excessive information, commenting in detail on each point of the plan, as you may not have enough time.
• Show a variety of vocabulary. Use more adjectives.
• Don't forget to express your opinion about the photo and its subject at the end of your statement.

Preview:

To use the preview, create a Google account and log in to it: https://accounts.google.com

Preview:

• say which school decorations you like better
• explain why

Preview:

To use the preview, create a Google account and log in to it: https://accounts.google.com

Preview:

Task 4.Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which place presented in the picture is better for animals
• explain why

Preview:

Task 4.Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which animal presented in the picture you would like to have
• explain why

Preview:

Task 4.Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which food presented in the picture you like better
• explain why

Preview:

Task 4.Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say in which café presented in the picture you would like to eat
• explain why

Preview:

Task 4.Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say in which shop presented in the picture you would like to buy something
• explain why

Preview:

To use the preview, create a Google account and log in to it: https://accounts.google.com

Preview:

Task 4.Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which kind of decoration presented in the picture you like better
• explain why

One of those tasks for which you need to prepare long and carefully. Of course, you may think that everything is as simple as possible here, but in reality, an unprepared student can fall into the typical pitfalls of this part of the test.

Therefore, today I want to discuss with you in detail the plan for this task, why it was invented, and also give you a couple of illustrative examples on which you can rely.

What is it and why was it invented?

Describing pictures is the third task in the oral part of the test. This tests your ability to quickly formulate a 2-minute monologue according to an existing plan. In addition, your grammatical and vocabulary level, as well as your ability to conduct unprepared speech, are tested. This task is considered one of the easiest in the oral part, especially if placed next to it.

Action plan

The initial formulation of the task in 2017 will be as follows.

Imagine that these photos are taken from your photo album. Choose one photo to tell your friend about it. You will start in 1.5 minutes and should speak for no more than 2 minutes.

Now pay attention that you have as much as 1.5 minutes to carefully look at the pictures, make a plan for your answer, and even remember all the words that you may forget while answering. Believe me, these 1.5 minutes give you an incredible head start.

After this formulation, you have a small plan according to which you describe the pictures. It doesn’t change, so you can start preparing and memorizing it now.

• Where and when was this photo taken.

1-2 sentences for this part will be enough.

• Who or what is shown in this photo.

Here, too, you don’t have to focus your attention too much. 2-3 sentences will be enough.

• What's happening on it.

The most voluminous part of the answer is where you can express yourself. Tell us everything you can in this part, but remember the time!

• Why do you keep this photo in your album.

Here the answers may vary from person to person, but they can be based on the phrase « to recall good memories» .

• Why are you showing this photo to your friend.

Unlike other parts of the plan, here you can simply come up with a couple of ready-made proposals in advance, and in those same 1.5 minutes just check whether they are suitable.

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Useful phrases to help

Well … - OK.- If you don't know where to start, say this word. It will give you a 1-2 second head start.

In the photo … - In the Foto…

I took this picture… when/because - I did this snapshot… When/ That's why What…

In the foreground/background of the picture… - On front/ rear plan Pictures…

At the very particular moment -IN this most moment…

Samples and examples

Today I want to give you a sample, by remembering which you will be able to cope with this task without any difficulties. I will also show you examples of how best to answer this task.

The first thing I do is evaluate which of the photos I can talk to the most, where I can use my vocabulary knowledge most effectively.

1. I have chosen the first photo. (It’s best to start with this phrase. You have an extra three seconds, and the examiner immediately understands what you will describe.)
2. I took this photo when we were having a family dinner at my grandparent’s house last winter. That is how we usually spend weekends during the winter time so I have at least a dozen other similar photos.
3. In this photo you can see all my brothers and sisters, and my grandparents as well. They look happy as the dinner has already started and it is absolutely delicious. There is lots of food, the room is dimly lit and the atmosphere is very cozy.
4. As I have already mentioned, we are having dinner in this picture. What is more, we are talking, discussing some school issues and having fun. Well, it is not shown in the picture, but I had taken it a few seconds before mother brought in a delicious turkey.
5. The reason why I keep this photo is because I really love my family and I adore such evenings. We gather together, share some school stories and enjoy ourselves. Another reason for keeping the photo is the opportunity of recollecting those memories any time I need it.
6. I wanted to share this picture with you because as far as I know you are going to have some family weekend soon, so I would like to remind you how important and pleasant it is to keep such sweet memories.
7. That is all I wanted to say . (Don’t forget about this phrase, because with it you show the examiner that your monologue is over).

Remember that clichés in your answer, which you practice, can greatly help you. So let's practice with one more example.

1. So I want to choose photo number 2.
2. This photo was takenlast summer when I and my father went to our favorite lake to do some fishing during the weekend.
3. In the foreground of the picturewe can see me and my dad smiling as we have caught the biggest fish I have ever seen. Here I am wearing light clothes as that summer was extremely hot. In the background of the picture we can see an almost deserted beach as only local people know about this place.
4. In this picturemy father is sitting on his knee while I am standing. We are holding the fish we caught several minutes before. The sun is shining so brightly that my father is wearing sunglasses.
5. I decided to keep this photoso that I could remember that amazing weekend and that great experience. I can open it and remember every detail of it any time I want.
6. So as you are choosing what to do on the upcoming weekend, I decided to show you this picture. Maybe you will be inspired to do something like that.
7. That is all I wanted to say.

Well, my dears, we have discussed such an important part of the exam for any of you. What I would also like to add is to remind you of the importance of constant practice and time management. In this part, your “sense of time” should work as well as ever.

To develop this feeling, purchase preparation books and complete the assignments regularly. Success will be guaranteed to you!

And I want to remind you that there is still a lot of materials, tips and useful things ahead of us to help you without any problems. Subscribe to my blog newsletter and you will not miss a single useful article.

See you again, my dears!

This article provides sample examples of completing tasks. oral part (Speaking Part) of the Unified State Exam 2016 in English. The article was written taking into account the changes that occurred in the wording of task 3 (point 1 and point 4). I hope this material will help you in preparing for the exam.

Task 1

Imagine that you are preparing a project with your friend. You have found some interesting material for the presentation and you want to read this text to your friend. You have 1.5 minutes to read this text silently, then be ready to read it out aloud. You will not have more than 1.5 minutes to read it.

Burney Crouss went to school to study the sounds of nature. For 20 years he has recorded the sounds animals make. He has recordings of animal sounds from all over the world.
Burney has made a record of animal songs. It all began when he took some of the sounds and put them together. Last year, he put together a song he called “Jungle Shoes.” It turned out great.

Burney makes the music by taking part of his animal noises and saving them on a computer. He makes each sound play when a key is pressed. Then he asks other musicians to play the keys into songs. Burney believes in working to save nature. He thinks that more people need to take care of our world. The sounds of nature are quickly disappearing.

When he recorded whales in Alaska, he could hear the sound of oil well drilling from fifteen to twenty miles away. It was very loud. He says his goal is to save nature sounds so his children will be able to hear them.

Listen to this audiofile

Audio: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or higher) is required to play this audio. Download latest version. In addition, JavaScript must be enabled in your browser.

Mind your pronunciation!

Cr ou ss, s ou nd,l ou d –

B ur ney, t ur n, w or ld – [ɜ:]

to th ink – [θ]

toge th er – [ð]

Vocabulary

nature [´neitʃə] – nature

musician – musician, composer

key – key (of a piano, organ, computer keyboard)

to record – record, register

record [´rekɔ:d] – record

to disappear [ˏdisə´piə] – to disappear

goal [ɡəul] – goal, task

whale - whale

— Listen to the audio file attached to the text several times, paying attention to the intonation and phonetic design of the text by a native speaker.

- Read the text, copying the intonation and pronunciation of words in English. Pay special attention lower intonation at the end of a sentence. From teaching experience, I know that many students do not indicate the end of a phrase with a descending tone, but, on the contrary, raise it, which greatly complicates the perception of the content.

— Don’t forget that prepositions and articles must be read together with verbs and nouns.

- Do not deafen voiced consonants at the end of a word, as this may change the lexical meaning of the word.

— In the process of preparing for the Unified State Exam, learn new words (spelling + lexical meaning).

Task 2

Study the advertisement.

You are considering booking a river trip and now you are calling to find out more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

• Booking of the trip (order a walk along the river)
• Boarding time (time of boarding the ship)
• Kinds of amenities (types of amenities on the ship)
• Reductions for senior citizens (discounts for pensioners)
• If food and drinks available on board the yacht (possibility of ordering food and drinks on board the yacht)

You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

Sample answer

• How can I book the trip? / Can I book the trip on the phone? / I can book the trip on the phone, can't I? /Should I book the trip in advance? / Is there any possibility to book the trip online?
• What is the boarding time? / When does the boarding start (begin)?
• What amenities are there on board the yacht (the boat, the ship)?
• Are there any reductions (discounts) for senior citizens?
• Can we order (buy) any food and drinks on board the yacht?

amenities [ə´minətiz] – amenities

оn board the ship (on board the plane) – on board the ship (plane)

Since you need to ask 5 direct questions, you should know that interrogative structures in English use reverse word order. Not Maybe pose a question only by changing the intonation of the sentence, as we do in Russian.

For example:

In russian language

I can order food and drinks on board the yacht. (statement, falling intonation)

I can order food and drinks on board the yacht? (question, rising intonation)

In English

I can order some food and drinks on board the yacht. (statement, descending intonation, direct word order: subject + predicate)

General issues

Can I order any food and drinks on board the yacht? (question, rising intonation, reverse word order: auxiliary or modal verb + subject)

Special questions

How can I book the trip? (question, descending intonation, word order: question word + auxiliary verb + subject)

In this task you cannot ask indirect questions like Do you thinkI can book the trip on the phone or I wonder if I can book the trip on the phone.

Task 3

Imagine that these are photos from your photo album.

Choose one photo to present to your friend.

Photo 1 Photo 2 Photo 3

• where and when the photo was taken
• what/who is in the photo
• what is happening
• why you keep the photo in your album
• why did you decide to show the picture to your friend

You have to talk continuously, starting with:

“I"ve chosen photo number...”

Sample answer

I"ve chosen photo number 2. (Be sure to start your answer with this phrase, after selecting the photo number).

You know, every summer we go to the seaside to have a good rest. So, I took this photo two years ago when our family went to Egypt on summer holidays. It was our first trip abroad.

In the foreground of the photo you can see my little brother Dmitry. He is riding a camel on a sandy beach. He looks very happy because he has never done it before. The camel is covered with bright colorful blanket made of wool. It also has some funny pompons (decorations) on its head . The day is quite hot and sunny and there are no clouds in the sky. So, not to get sunburnt Dima is wearing a T-shirt.

The sea is very calm. You can notice several snow-white yachts (ships) against the skyline. Every day they take people for offshore excursions where one can watch dolphins and exotic species of fish.

As a rule, I always take a lot of pictures while traveling. I often show them to my friends and relatives to share the best and the most thrilling moments of our journeys. That's why I keep them in my album.

I was really astonished (impressed, struck) by a funny look of the camel. It seems to me that the animal has got a smiling face. I decided to show this picture to you because I think it might improve your mood. I hope you find it amazing, too.

That is all I wanted to say. (a mandatory phrase for the examiner indicating the completion of communication)

Task 4

Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which of the activities presented in the pictures you'd prefer
• explain why

Now I am going to compare and contrast these two photos.

To start with I should admit that holidays are an integral part of our life no matter where we live. And these two photos are the evidence of what I have said.

Both pictures show people celebrating Christmas.

The first photo depicts a company of six young people who are enjoying a holiday season on a sandy beach. They are wearing swimming suits, sunglasses and Santa’s hats . I’m not sure but it seems to me that it is a team of life-guards. In the background of the picture you can see a decorated Christmas tree, a large inflatable snowman and Santa Claus.

As for the second picture it shows a young man and a young woman singing carols in the street which is beautifully decorated with lights. The weather is snowy and I suppose it’s pretty cold outside because they are wearing warm clothes, gloves and scarves. Even their dog has got a warm jacket and a scarf and that makes me think(I’ve got a feeling) that these people are very caring and love their pet very much.

As I have mentioned before the main similarity(the most obvious similarity) between these pictures is a festive atmosphere of Christmas. Also I get the impression that people in picture 1 and picture 2 are of the same age and look very joyful. Moreover, both pictures were taken outdoors (out-of-doors / in the open air).

Comparing these two pictures, I’d like to stress out that the most apparent (striking) difference between them is the season of the year. In the first photo the event might be taking place somewhere in Australia because Christmas Day usually falls in the middle of the summer in this country. In contrast, in the second picture you can see people in winter. I can only guess that they are probably British. Besides, picture No. 1 was taken during the daytime, while picture No. 2 was taken at night.

Hello colleagues!

Today’s post is for you and for those who are preparing their students for the Unified State Exam in the oral part, namely for task C5 (picture description) or No. 3 (I just can’t get used to the new designation). In principle, now the OGE has also introduced innovations in the oral part, and this material will also be useful in preparing for it.

In this article I want to tell you how I prepare my students for this task, what phrases we use.

I understand that every teacher (tutor) cooks in his own way, so I’m just sharing how I do it.

The demo version of the Unified State Examination Speaking 2016 showed that there are slight changes in the wording of the task, and today we will look at task No. 3 (picture description)

Task 3.Imagine that these are photos from your photo album. Choose one photo to present to your friend.
You will have to start speaking in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes (12–15 sentences). In your talk remember to speak about:

Where and when the photo was taken
what/who is in the photo
what is happening
why you keep the photo in your album
why you decided to show the picture to your friend

As you can see, an additional question has appeared: where? in the first paragraph and the 4th paragraph the wording has changed. Of course, this does not change the weather, but students still need to be familiarized with this, especially if you have already prepared using old models.

So, I give the students the following template, which they can use as is or add something of their own, but still adhere to this plan.

Start
I’ve chosen photo number… (be sure to start with this phrase!)

Introduction

As you know I like taking photos. It is my hobby and I can"t miss an opportunity to make photo of an interesting event. Now I want to show you one of my best photos.
We answer the question where and when the photo was taken
I took this photo during my holidays (travelling, two years ago) when I was in …. (any city or country)
We answer the question what/who is in the photo and what is happening (4-5 sentences)
In the foreground of the picture you can see... (who we see and what they do)
You can’t see me because I’m taking the photo.
They are very happy because at last their dream came true (if we see happy faces in the photo)
In the background of the picture you can see... (You can also use the construction there is/are...)
We answer the question why you keep the photo in your album
I keep this photo in my album because looking at this photo makes me go back in that time. Moreover, I used this photo for my school project (the name of the project depending on the topic, for example My family, My travelling, My hobby and so on)
We answer the question why you decided to show the picture to your friend
I decided to show this photo to you because it carries pleasant memories.
That's all I wanted to say. (End your answer with this phrase)

For very weak students, I suggest they learn this pattern and choose a picture that shows several people, for example, a happy family or a man with a woman or something similar. It is very likely that there will be such a picture out of three.

This option is suitable for those children who do not get along very well with the oral part or you see that you do not have time to prepare the student more thoroughly.

Below I give you an example of one of the picture descriptions, taking into account my template. The basis of the text is taken

I"ve chosen photo number 1.

As you know I like taking photos. It is my hobby and I can"t miss an opportunity to take photo of an interesting event. Now I want to show you one of my best photos.
I took this photo two months ago when my parents and I went to Moscow to visit my elder brother’s family. Recently they have moved into a new flat and invited us to a house-warming party. This was one of the most exciting moments in my life.
In the foreground of the picture you can see my brother Maxim, his wife Julia and their daughter Anna. You can’t see me because I’m taking the photo. They are sitting on a comfortable white sofa in the living room. They are very happy because at last their dream came true.
In the background of the picture there is a white bookcase with open shelves. I like their decision to furnish the room in white color because it makes the room look wider. As my brother works as a journalist for a local newspaper you can see a lot of books and magazines on the shelves.
I keep this photo in my album because looking at this photo makes me go back in that time. Moreover, I used this photo for my school project called “My Family Tree”.
I decided to show this photo to you because it carries pleasant memories.
That's all I wanted to say.

The book by M.A. helps me prepare my students for the oral part. Bodogni “Preparation for the Unified State Exam: oral part. Tasks for the new demo version for 2015.”

It seems to me that every teacher should familiarize themselves with it; it contains very interesting tips, rules and the author’s methodology for developing and activating oral speech skills.

In general, there is no need to worry about the description of the pictures. The main thing here is training! Having described a dozen pictures, I think our children will behave much more confidently!