Speaking test topics and questions AV3
Unit 7: Work
Topic: Describe your dream job.
Include the following information:
- Job title/position. What would you like to do? Why?
- Job description. In short, explain what the job entails. What are your responsibilities?
- What skills or qualifications are needed for this job?
- Working hours and salary. How many hours a week would you like to work?
How much money would you like to earn?
- What are the two things you find most important in a job? Why?
Speaking test questions:
What do you do now?
What do you like about your current job or studies?
Have you ever studied Japanese?
Do you think job satisfaction is more important than money?
Unit 8: Technology
Topic: Your own invention
Invent something which will help you, your family or your friends in their everyday life.
Include the following information:
- Describe the problem
- What is the invention for?
- Who will use it?
- Where can you use it?
- How does it work?
Speaking test questions;
How does technology help us in our everyday lives?
Do you think there are any bad inventions?
How can machines or robots help us in the future?
In your opinion, what is the most important invention?
Describe a gadget that you have with you
Unit 9: Holidays
Topic: Your dream holiday
Include the following information:
•- The type of holiday you want to go on.
- Destination. Where would you like to go and why?
- Type of accommodation and transport.
- Activities. What do you want to do during your holiday?
Speaking test questions;
Do you like travelling?
Tell me about your last holiday?
Talk about a place you’ve visited?
Name three things that you’ll always take with you when travelling? Why?
What type of accommodation do you prefer to stay in when you travel?
What should tourists do in your town/city?
Unit 10: Products
Topic: Should people have fewer possessions and spend less time online?
Include the following information:
- Present the problem.
What are the main problems with having too many possessions or being constantly online?
- Present the reasons.
Why do you think people tend to accumulate so many things or spend a lot of time online?
- Present the solutions
What are some simple steps people can take to reduce their possessions or time spent
online?
How can someone create a healthier balance between the online world and real life.
- Benefits:
How does having fewer things improve your daily life?
How does spending less time online improve your daily life?
Speaking test questions;
What was the last thing you bought?
What’s your favorite product?
What kind of clothing is fashionable nowadays?
Describe a useful product.
Unit 11: History
Topic: Your own time capsule
Include the following information:
- Why do you think it’s a good idea to create a time capsule?
- What items would you put inside your time capsule? Why did you choose these items?
- What would you want people in the future to know about our time, our culture, or yourself?
Speaking test questions;
Which video games are most popular nowadays? Why do you think they are popular?
Who is the historical character you like best?
What are some historical places you want to visit?
What is your local town or city famous for?
Unit 12: Nature
No speaking topic!
Speaking test questions;
Would you live in another country if you could? Where would you move to? Why?
If you won a lot of money. How would you spend it?
Are you going anywhere nice on holiday this year?
Did you do anything interesting last weekend?
Which types of extreme weather do you have in your country?
What’s the weather like today? Is it normal for this time of year?
Talk about an important date in your life.
Speaking Test Scoring Matrix
0-2 - Needs
Criteria 4-5 - Excellent 3-4 - Good 2-3 - Fair
Improvement
Speech is very
Speech is mostly Some hesitation Frequent pauses,
fluent and well-
fluent and easy to and pauses in hesitations, or
Fluency and organized. Ideas are
follow. There may be speech, but basic difficulty organizing
Coherence presented logically,
occasional pauses or ideas are still ideas; speech lacks
with smooth
slight hesitations. conveyed clearly. flow.
transitions.
Clear and accurate Pronunciation is Pronunciation issues
Clear pronunciation
pronunciation with sometimes unclear significantly affect
Pronunciation with occasional minor
natural intonation. or awkward, but understanding;
and Intonation errors, but still easy to
Very easy to meaning can still speech is often
understand.
understand. be understood. unclear.
Uses a good range of
Uses a wide range Limited Very limited
vocabulary and
of vocabulary and vocabulary and vocabulary and
grammar with few
Grammar and grammar structures grammar range. grammar range.
errors. Some minor
Vocabulary accurately. Errors Errors may Frequent errors that
mistakes, but they
are rare and do not occasionally affect hinder
don’t cause
affect meaning. clarity or meaning. communication.
confusion.
Answers the question
Fully answers the Partially answers Does not address the
well with some
Task question, providing the question, but question properly or
examples or
Achievement detailed examples misses key details provides irrelevant
explanations, but may
and explanations. or is too general. information.
lack depth.
Engages well with the
Speaks confidently, topic, but may not
Shows limited
engaging with the show as much Little to no
engagement with
Engagement task and showing a enthusiasm or engagement with the
the topic.
and Interaction clear interest in the confidence. topic. Responses are
Responses may be
topic. Responds Responses are clear minimal or off-topic.
brief or lack detail.
fully to prompts. but not always fully
developed.
Total Score:
To calculate the total score, you can add up the points across all criteria, and then divide by
the number of criteria (5 in this case). This will give a score out of 5.
16-20 points = Excellent (4-5)
12-16 points = Good (3-4)
8-12 points = Fair (2-3)
0-8 points = Needs Improvement (0-2)
This scoring matrix gives a comprehensive assessment of a candidate’s speaking abilities,
covering fluency, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, task completion, and interaction skills.
It provides both the test taker and examiner with a clear, structured way to assess and
understand the performance.
Example topic answers
Unit 7: dream job
My dream job would be one where I can combine my passion for creativity and
problem-solving. I would love to work as a graphic designer for a large company,
creating designs for advertisements, websites, and social media.
What excites me about this job is the opportunity to express my artistic ideas while
working on different projects that have a real impact on how people see a brand. I
also enjoy the challenge of finding innovative ways to communicate messages
visually, whether it's through logos, color schemes, or layouts.
In my dream job, I would be able to collaborate with a creative team, where we could
share ideas and learn from each other. It would also be important for me to have a
good work-life balance, so I could stay motivated and productive without feeling
stressed. I would hope that the working hours would be flexible, allowing me to work
in a way that suits my personal routine, but also ensuring that deadlines are met.
Regarding salary, I would expect to earn a competitive wage, considering the
experience and skills required for the job. I believe a salary between $40,000 and
$60,000 per year would be fair, depending on the company and location. However,
it's not just about money for me; job satisfaction and the opportunity to grow and
learn are equally important.
Overall, I think this job would allow me to grow both professionally and personally,
and it would be exciting to see my work being used by many people.
Example topic answers
Unit 8: your own invention
One problem I often face, and I know my family members do as well, is keeping track
of our daily tasks and appointments. We all have busy schedules, and sometimes it's
difficult to remember everything. Whether it's school assignments, work meetings, or
family events, we end up missing or forgetting important things.
To solve this, I would invent a Smart Reminder Bracelet. It would be a small,
comfortable device that you wear on your wrist, kind of like a smartwatch, but with a
special focus on reminders and notifications. The bracelet would sync with your
phone, calendar, and task manager apps, and send gentle vibrations or visual
reminders whenever you need to complete a task, attend an event, or take medicine,
for example.
The Smart Reminder Bracelet would be useful for anyone in my family or my
friends who have busy lives and struggle to keep track of their responsibilities. It
would especially help older family members who sometimes forget important tasks or
appointments.
You can use it anywhere—at home, at work, when you're out running errands, or
even while exercising. Since it's worn on the wrist, it's easy to have with you all the
time.
How it works is simple: You would set up the reminders on your phone, and the
bracelet would receive these notifications through Bluetooth. You can customize the
vibration intensity or visual alerts depending on the importance of the task. For
example, an important meeting might give you a stronger vibration or a flashing light
to make sure you don’t miss it.
I believe this invention would make daily life much easier, help reduce stress, and
make sure everyone stays on top of their tasks without feeling overwhelmed.
Example topic answers
Unit 9: your dream holiday
My dream holiday would be a relaxing beach vacation in a tropical destination. I’ve
always wanted to go to Bora Bora in French Polynesia because it's famous for its
beautiful crystal-clear water, white sandy beaches, and stunning views of the
mountains. I love the idea of being surrounded by nature in such a peaceful place,
away from the busy city life.
For accommodation, I would stay in an overwater bungalow. These types of
bungalows are built right on the water, and they offer incredible views of the ocean. I
think it would be amazing to wake up in the morning, step out onto a private deck,
and see the clear blue water below. As for transport, I would fly to Bora Bora from my
home country, and then use boats to travel around the island, since it's a popular way
to get around.
During the holiday, I would spend most of my time relaxing on the beach, swimming,
and enjoying the warm weather. I would also love to try snorkeling and scuba diving
to explore the underwater world and see the colorful coral reefs and tropical fish. In
the evenings, I’d enjoy some delicious local food, especially seafood, and maybe
take a sunset cruise to enjoy the beautiful views of the island.
Overall, this holiday would be all about relaxation, adventure, and experiencing the
natural beauty of a tropical paradise.
Example topic answers
Unit 10: Should people have fewer possessions and spend less time online?
Today, many people face the problem of having too many possessions and spending
too much time online. This often leads to stress, clutter in our homes, and a lack of
real-life connections. The constant use of the internet can also affect our mental
health, with people becoming more isolated or distracted from important tasks.
The main problem with having too many possessions is that it can create physical
and mental clutter. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when there are too many things
around, and it becomes harder to focus on what really matters. When it comes to
being online all the time, it can lead to addiction, poor sleep, and a lack of meaningful
face-to-face interactions. Spending hours on social media, for example, can make us
compare ourselves to others, leading to feelings of inadequacy or anxiety.
People tend to accumulate things because of the desire to have more, influenced by
advertisements, social trends, or even emotional reasons, like holding onto items for
sentimental value. As for spending time online, many people find it easy to lose track
of time when browsing the internet or checking social media. There’s also the
pressure to be constantly connected and up-to-date, which makes it difficult to
disconnect.
To solve these problems, people can take small steps to reduce their possessions
and time spent online. For example, they could start by decluttering one room or area
in their home each month, donating or recycling items that aren’t needed. In terms of
online habits, setting time limits on social media apps or choosing specific times
during the day to check emails or messages can help. A good idea is also to set
aside certain hours for offline activities, like reading, exercising, or spending time with
family and friends, to create a better balance.
Having fewer things can improve daily life by reducing stress and making it easier to
maintain a clean and organized living space. It also helps people focus on what’s
truly important, rather than being distracted by material possessions. Spending less
time online can lead to better mental health, improved relationships, and more time to
engage in real-world experiences. It allows us to be more present in the moment and
enjoy life without constantly being pulled into the virtual world.
In conclusion, by reducing possessions and limiting time spent online, people can
lead more balanced and fulfilling lives, free from the distractions and stress that often
come with overconsumption and constant connectivity.
Example topic answers
Unit 11: your own time capsule
I think creating a time capsule is a great idea because it’s a way to preserve
memories and experiences for future generations. It allows people from the future to
get a glimpse of what life was like in our time, and it’s a fun way to reflect on the
present. A time capsule can also be a personal reminder of where we were in life at a
certain point, making it something special to open many years later.
If I were to create my own time capsule, I would include a few items that represent
who I am and the world around me. First, I would put in a smartphone or a USB drive
with photos, videos, and messages. This would show how technology and
communication have evolved, and it would be interesting for future generations to
see how we used these devices.
Next, I would include a newspaper or magazine from the current year, so people in
the future can read about the important events happening in the world right now. I’d
also add a ticket or brochure from a recent concert or travel experience, because it’s
nice to remember places or moments that made an impact on me.
Lastly, I would include a letter to the future, explaining what my life is like at this
moment and the things that are important to me. I think it would be interesting to read
that letter many years later and see how much has changed, both personally and in
the world.
Overall, I believe a time capsule is a unique way to preserve the past and give future
generations a window into our lives, helping them understand the values, culture, and
everyday life of people in our time.