FCE Speaking Preparation
- education -
Here some questions which could come for part 1 of the speaking paper
- Do you remember your first day at school? What was it like? How did you feel?
- What was the best/worst thing that happened to you at school?
- Do/Did you get nervous before an exam? Why/Why not?
- Have you ever attended a language course abroad? If yes, what did you think of it? If not, would you like to
Think of a school that you know.
- What does it look like?
- What facilities are available for teachers and students?
- In your opinion, is the school well-organised?
Think of schools and their role in society.
- How important is it for schools to have libraries and gyms?
- What other facilities should be available to students?
- Do you think that ali subjects taught at school are of equal importance?
- Why should everybody have to go to school?
- What would your ideal school be like?
Now some vocabulary on the topic of education
VERBS
Look at the sentences below and fill in the gaps using the appropriate word or expression from A, B or C.
1. He got a good grade in his maths, but ___ his English exam.
A. passed B. lost C. failed
2. She had to ___ her First Certificate Exam three times.
A. study B. take C. make
3. She ___ her driving test first time!
A. passed B. succeeded C. won
4. He is ___ medicine because he wants to become a doctor.
A. studying B. learning c. acquiring
5. He's ___ to speak French at college.
A. studying B. learning C. teaching
6. She's ___ herself to speak Japanese.
A. learning B. studying C. teaching
7. She ___ from Edinburgh University last year.
A. left B. graduated C. passed
8. We need to ___ young people about the dangers of alcohol.
A. educate B. bring up C. raise
9. I'm ___ for my history test tomorrow.
A. learning B. revising C. remembering
10. School ___ next week; I can't wait for the holidays to begin!
A. breaks into B. breaks up C. breaks down
11. In my country, it is ___ to go to school between the ages of 5 and 16.
A. legal B. required C. compulsory
12. My favourite ___ at school was always History.
A. topic B. subject C. object
NOUNS
Here's a crossword for you. Look at the definitions below, and write the words they define in the grid on the next page. The first letter of each word has been given to you. If you do it correctly, you will find the name we give to a student at university in the shaded vertical strip. Use your dictionary to help you. Click on the crossword picture to make it larger. Print it!
1. A child at school. (The piano teacher thinks she is her best p____)
2. A person who is studying ata college or university. (She's a brilliant s______ )
3. A diploma from a university. (She has a d _____ in mathematics from Oxford University)
4. A meeting of a small group of university students to discuss a subject with a teacher. (The French s ______ is being held in the conference room)
5. A talk given to a class of students, usually ata university or college. (e.g., We are going to a
______ on pollution)
6. A sum of money to help. (e.g., Not many students get a full g____)
7. A teaching session between a tutor and one or more students. (e.g., We had a t_______ on
Russian history)
8. All the people who work in a company, school, college or other organization. (e.g ., Three
members of s____ are away sick)
9. A person with a degree from a university. (He's a g_______ of London University)
10. An a rea of knowledge that you are studying. (Maths is his weakest s______)
11. The points given to a student for a test o ra piece of work. (She got top m____ in English)
12. A school that is funded by the state. (He went to a s____)
13. A school for little children. (We send our youngest son to the local k___________)
IDIOMS, COLLOQUIALISMS AND OTHER EXPRESSIONS
Look at these sentences and decide which of the idioms and colloquialisms in bold is correct.
In each sentence, there are two expressions which we do not use in English.
1. He gets up early to go to college, and comes home late. I keep telling him he shouldn't
buy a dog with two tails / burn the candle at both ends / try to wear two pairs of trousers.
2. Sally always does her homework on time and buys the teacher little presents. The other children
hate her. She's such a teacher's toy / teacher's jewel / teacher's pet.
3. He'll have to pull his socks up / polish his head / empty his washing basket and work harder or he'II fail his exams.
4. She didn't work hard enough and flunked / splodged / squidged her exams.
5. They didn't go to school, but chased the tiger / emptied their heads / played truant and went
fishing instead.
6. He never comes to his English lessons. He's always smirking / skiving / shrinking.
