Cambridge 17 Test 1

Part 1

The examiner asks you about yourself, your home, work or studies and other familiar topics.

History

  • What did you study in history lessons when you were at school?
  • Did you enjoy studying history at school? [Why?/Why not?]
  • How often do you watch TV programmes about history now? [Why/Why not?]
  • What period in history would you like to learn more about? [Why?]

Part 2

You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Describe the neighbourhood you lived in when you were a child.

You should say:
where in your town/city the neighbourhood was
what kind of people lived there
what it was like to live in this neighbourhood
and explain whether you would like to live in this neighbourhood in the future.

Part 3

Discussion topics:

Neighbours

Example questions:

What sort of things can neighbour do to help each other?

How well do people generally know their neighbours in your country?

How important do you think it is to have good neighbours?

Facilities in cities

Example questions:

Which facilities are most important to people living in cities?

How does shopping in small local shops differ from shopping in large city centre shops?

Do you think that children should always go to the school nearest to where they live?

Cambridge 17 Test 2

Part 1

The examiner asks you about yourself, your home, work or studies and other familiar topics.

Reading

  • Did you have a favourite book when you were a child? [Why?/Why not?]
  • How much reading do you do for your work/studies? [Why?/Why not?]
  • What kinds of books do you read for pleasure? [Why/Why not?]
  • Do you prefer to read a newspaper or a magazine online, or to buy a copy? [Why/Why not?]

Part 2

You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Describe a big city you would like to visit.

You should say:
which big city you would like to visit
how you would travel there
what you would do there
and explain why you would like to visit this big city.

Part 3

Discussion topics:

Visiting cities on holiday

Example questions:

What are the most interesting things to do while visiting cities on holiday?

Why can it be expensive to visit cities on holiday?

Do you think it’s better to visit cities alone or in a group with friends?

The growth of cities

Example questions:

Why have cities increased in size in recent years?

What are the challenges created by ever-growing cities?

In what ways do you think cities of the future will be different to cities today?

Cambridge 17 Test 3

Part 1

The examiner asks you about yourself, your home, work or studies and other familiar topics.

Drinks

  • What do you like to drink with your dinner? [Why?]
  • Do you drink a lot of water every day? [Why/Why not?]
  • Do you prefer drinking tea or coffee? [Why?]
  • If people visit you in your home, what do you usually offer them to drink? [Why/Why not?]

Part 2

You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Describe a monument (e.g., a statue or sculpture) that you like.

You should say:
what this monument is
where this monument is
what it looks like
and explain why you like this monument.

Part 3

Discussion topics:

Public monuments

Example questions:

What kinds of monuments do tourists in your country enjoy visiting?

Why do you think there are often statues of famous people in public places?

Do you agree that old monuments and buildings should always be preserved?

Architecture

Example questions:

Why is architecture such a popular university subject?

In what ways has the design of homes changed in recent years?

To what extent does the design of buildings effect people’s moods?

Cambridge 17 Test 4

Part 1

The examiner asks you about yourself, your home, work or studies and other familiar topics.

Maps

  • Do you think it’s better to use a paper map or a map on your phone? [Why?]
  • When was the last time you needed to use a map? [Why/Why not?]
  • If you visit a new city, do you always use a map to find your way around? [Why/Why not?]
  • In general, do you find it easy to read maps? [Why/Why not?]

Part 2

You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.

Describe an occasion when you had to do something in a hurry.

You should say:
what you had to do
why you had to do this in a hurry
how well you did this
and explain how you felt about having to do this in a hurry.

Part 3

Discussion topics:

Arriving late

Example questions:

Do you think it’s OK to arrive late when meeting a friend?

What should happen to people who arrive late for work?

Can you suggest how people can make sure they don’t arrive late?

Managing study time

Example questions:

Is it better to study for long periods or in shorter blocks of time?

What are the likely effects of students not managing their study time well?

How important is it for students to have enough leisure time?