EOI New Exercise

MEDIACIÓN ORAL TEXTUAL INTERLINGÜÍSTICA

Este nuevo ejercicio añadido este año a la prueba de certificación de las Escuelas Oficiales de Idiomas de España trata de textos en lengua castellana que han de ser traducidos al idioma final, en este caso inglés, de forma oral para unir la comprensión lectora con producción oral en el mismo ejercicio. Así nos introducen en una supuesta situación donde debemos explicar un tema coloquial a otra persona de distinto idioma.

Para preparar esta prueba, tendremos 4 minutos para leer el texto y tomar notas. Nos dejarán tener un pequeño folio con algunas anotaciones durante la intervención que será de 2 minutos y medio aproximadamente. Tendremos que tener en cuenta la información que nos piden pues no todo el texto será relevante en la parte oral. Tendremos que estar atentos a qué información cribar y cuál añadir al speech.

Veamos un ejemplo extraído de la propia EOI de Avilés (Asturias) para practicar. Se trata de un texto adaptado de https://www.infobae.com . Los textos pueden ser sacados de revistas, periódicos o elaborados por la propia Escuela.

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Imagina que tienes que dar una pequeña charla en un Congreso Internacional sobre publicidad en Aberdeen (Escocia). Explica a tu audiencia las claves más importantes para detectar publicidad engañosa basado en la información de abajo y omitiendo toda la información realizada con compras por Internet, ya que tu colega alemán va a hablar sobre ello.

1.   Leer toda la letra pequeña: en especial, hay que prestar atención a la información complementaria o apartado legal - que se conoce como "letra chica" - y a los datos relevantes del producto al margen del texto principal, ya sea al pie de  página o sobre el margen.

2.   Atención con las publicidades sobre productos o servicios que se venden por internet: el apartado legal debe informar que en este tipo de compras el consumidor tiene 15 días para arrepentirse de la operación y devolver el producto - sin haberlo usado - y sin tener que pagar gastos de envío u otros.

3.   Revisar datos clave de la oferta: Significa verificar puntillosamente la vigencia (fecha de inicio y finalización), la cantidad de productos (stock) con la cual se va a cubrir la promoción y el lugar donde se pueden comprar. Durante la vigencia de la oferta, el anunciante está obligado a vender ese producto; si se terminó, debe ofrecer uno igual o mejor.

4.   Conocer el precio final: Las publicacidades no tienen la obligación de informar precios, pero si lo hacen deben cumplir las normas legales: no puede haber diferencias entre el precio informado en el anuncio y el precio final en el caso de adquirir el bien o servicio publicitado. Es simple: el precio publicitado debe ser efectivamente el precio final.

5.   Guardar todo: Si luego de observar atentamente las características del aviso, se decide comprar, hay que saber que como la empresa está obligada a cumplir con las condiciones publicitadas, "es muy importante guardar todos los folletos y avisos relacionados con el producto o servicio, hasta que la operación se cumpla acabadamente".

Topics for an oral exam: DAILY LIFE

TOPIC: DAILY LIFE

1. What are some things you do every day?

2. What are some good habits you have?

3. Do you have any bad habits?

4. Can your group give you any advice for your bad habits?

5. What is something you should do every day but you don't?

6. What are some activities you like to do?

7. How much do you exercise every week?

8. What is a successful life? What habits should you have to have a successful life?

9. What three habits will improve your life?

10. What are some habits that can improve your English ability?

11. What is something you do about once a week, month or year?

12. How life-style has changed in the recent days?

13. If you could live anyone's life, which person would you choose?

14. What things would you change in your life to make it better?

15. Can you think of any differences between daily life in your country and another one?

Topics for an oral exam: THE MEDIA

TOPIC: THE MEDIA

1. Where do you get your news from?

2. How important is it for people to follow the news?

3. Do you think that news agencies sometimes tell lies to make a story more popular?

4. How much do you trust newspapers, tv or news from the internet?

5. Which is the most reliable source of information?

6. What kind of news interest you the most?

7. Do you think the news is too depressing?

8. How has techonology changed the way we consume news?

9. What is the purpose of news companies in society?

10. Should news be more entertaining or informative?

11. Would you ever consider getting a job in the news industry?

12. What do you think about how the news is reported in your country?

13. Are people nowadays more interested in gossip or global news?

14. Do you think it is important to be updated?

15. How the media has changed in the recent years?

Topics for an oral exam: SPORTS

TOPIC: SPORTS

1. What are some sports you like watching?

2. What are some sports you dislike? Why?

3. Would you like to learn how to play a particular sport or activity? Which one?

4. Do you play any sports?

5. Why are sports so popular?

6. Do you know of any interesting or strange sport or activity?

7. What two sports would you like to mix?

8. Do you prefer to watch sports or play them?

9. What do you think is the most dangerous sport?

10. What do you think of athletes making so much money?

11. Do you think there are differences between women and men in sports?

12. Why football is the most famous sport in the world?

13. Do you like winter sports?

14. Would you like to try extreme sports?

15. Do you prefer being part of a team or playing alone?

Topics for an oral exam: SCIENCE & TECH

TOPIC: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Talk about how technology has changed in your lifetime.
2. What do you think has been the most important invention in the last 100 years?
3. Are there any new gadgets that you really want to get?
4. What do you think will be the next biggest techonological advance?
5. How can countries help to create more inventors?
6. What is your favourite piece of technology you own?
7. How will computers change in the future?
8. Do you think that there will be more or less new innovation in the future?
9. Is there a piece of technology that you really want that doesn't exist?
10. Give some examples of technology that have made the world worse.
11. What do you think is the most important thing that humans have created?
12. Do you think that people will travel outside of our solar system? How will they get there?
13. What are the possibilities of technology in clothing?
14. Is science always a good thing?
15. Do you trust science?
16. What has science done for humankind?
17. What is the future of transportation?
18. Do you like new gadgets or do you prefer to use technology you are confortable with?
19. Do really techonology help people in their lives?
20. Do you think people are addicted to techonology?

Topics for an oral exam: HOUSE

TOPIC: HOUSE

1. Are you a "house and home" person?

2. What is your favourite thing about your home?

3. What is your dream house?

4. What home improvements would you like to make to your home?

5. Do you like being at home alone?

6. Do you like the houses in other countries?

7. What comes to mind when you hear the word "home"?

8. Are you a stay-at-home person or a going-out person?

9. Do/would you like to own your own house?

10. Do you like the location of your home?

11. Do you get jealous of other people's homes?

12. Is there anything you hate about your home?

13. Would you like to work at home?

14. Do you agree that "home is where the heart is"?

15. Would you rather live in a house or an apartment?

16. Would you participate in a tv show to redecorate your house?

17. What makes a house feel like home?

18. Would you like to live in the countryside?

19. What about those "new-age" houses?

20. Describe your house.

Topics for an oral exam: EDUCATION

TOPIC: EDUCATION

1. How important do you think education is?

2. Do you think you had a good education?

3. What would the world be like if everyone had access to good education?

4. Does your government really care about education?

5. In which country do you think you can receive the best education? Why?

6. Is the level of education in your country good?

7. What do you think about single-sex education?

8. What would you do to improve the educational system in your country?

9. When does education begin?

10. Would you like to work in education?

11. Is education only an academic issue?

12. What kind of qualifications do you think a government's education minister needs?

13. Is your educational system different from your parents'?

14. What students need to be more efficient?

15. What are the pros and cons of studying in public schools?

Topics for an oral exam: TRAVELLING

TOPIC: TRAVELLING

1. Do you like travelling?

2. What is "travel" for you?

3. What different kinds of travelling are there?

4. What's the best place you've ever been to?

5. What's the best kind of travelling for you?

6. Would you like to go travelling for a few years non-stop?

7. What are the good and bad things of travelling?

8. Where do you want to travel before you die?

9. What are the pros and cons of travelling in first class and backpacking?
10. Where did you spend your last vacation?
11. What are the benefits of travelling alone?
12. What is the longest journey you have ever made?
13. Would you like to travel to the moon?
14. What would make you wiser - Travel around the world for 10 years or reading 10.000 books?
15. What are the things you always take with you to a trip?

Topics for an oral exam: CINEMA

TOPIC: CINEMA

1. What do you think of when you hear the word "film"?

2. Would you like to work in the film industry?

3. Which film would you like to live in?

4. What's the best film you've ever seen? Why?

5. Do you prefer watching movies at the cinema or on TV?

6. Who is the biggest movie hero ever?

7. Which country makes the best films?

8. Who are your favourite film star? Why?

9. Are movies good for us?

10. Do you think films make people more violent?

11. What film genre do you like the most?

12. What things make a film great?

13. If you could make a movie, what would it be about?

14. Do you prefer to watch a good film, documentary or match?

15. Who do you prefer to watch films? Why?

16. What people do during films that really annoys you?

17. Which is more important, acting or special effects?

18. Do you cry during movies?

19. Is it usual in your country to go to the cinema?

20. What is the worst film you've ever seen? Why?

Topics for an oral exam: ILLNESSES

TOPIC: ILLNESSES

1. What is the best thing to do to stay healthy?

2. What do you think the worst disease to have would be?

3. Do you consider yourself a healthy person? Why or why not?

4. How often do you exercise?

5. What is your diet like? Do you eat mostly fruits and vegetables?

6. What do you think about the health care system in your country? How could it be improved?

7. People are living longer thanks to medicine. How long would you like to live? How about forever?

8. Are there any diseases like smallpox that you think humans could totally get rid off if we tried?

9. Where do you think the future of medicine will be? Genetics? Cybernetics? Chemistry?

10. What is your opinion about pharmaceutical industry?

11. Would you like to get your genome sequenced?

12. If you could find out that you were at risk to get a certain disease, would you want to know?

13. How would you help african people?

14. Would you like to be a doctor?

15. Have you ever had to be operated on?

Topics for an oral exam: PEOPLE

TOPIC: PEOPLE

1. What is the first thing you notice about a person?

2. What do the clothes someone wears say about a person?

3. Is there a part of your appearance that you are very proud of?

4. What is the most interesting haircut you have seen?

5. Have you ever gone through the entire day without noticing something was wrong with your appearance?

6. What kind of things do you do to improve/maintain your appearance?

7. Are there any fashion tends in the past you followed but think are silly looking now?

8. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?

9. Have you ever been intimidated by someone's appearance?

10. Do people in your country talk a lot about other people's appearance?

11. Is it rude to tell a person that they need to improve their appearance?

12. What is the most attractive quality in a person?

13. Do you think physique ir more important than personality?

14. What is your best quality?

15. In your opinion, what physical and personal qualities make a person attractive?

Topics for an oral exam: HOLIDAYS

TOPIC: HOLIDAYS

1. What is your favourite holiday? Has it changed since you were a kid?

2. On what holiday do people in your country eat a lot of food?

3. Do you give presents on any holidays?

4. What foreign holidays do you know about?

5. What is the strangest holiday or festival you have heard of?

6. Do you think that all countries have similar holidays?

7. Talk about your best memory from a holiday.

8. What would be your dreamy holidays?

9. Are there any holidays that you really don't like?

10. Do you think your country should have more or less holidays? Why?

11. Does your country have parades during holidays? Have you ever been to a parade?

12. What is the most important holiday?

13. Do you prefer going on holidays alone or with your family?

14. What is the best way for you to go on holidays?

15. What kind of living space do you prefer on holidays?

Topics for an oral exam: WEATHER

TOPIC: WEATHER

1. How many types of natural disaster can you name? Which one is the worst for you?

2. What natural disasters are common in your country?

3. Have you ever been through a natural disaster? Tell us about your experience.

4. What is the best/worst natural disaster film you have seen?

5. Think of 3 natural disasters. What can you do to stay safe during and after those natural disasters?

6. Do you know the difference between a hurricane, a typhoon and a cyclone?

7. Which country has the most natural disasters?

8. Would you ever volunteer to help after a natural disaster hit? If yes, what would you like to volunteer to do? If not, why not?

9. How can technology lessen the damage caused by natural disasters?

10. Can natural disasters be a good thing?

11. What do you think about people who follow tornadoes around to get data, video and photos?

12. Can you think of any country that doesn't have natural disasters?

13. Do you like cold or do you prefer hot climates?

14. Is your city a place where rains a lot?. Have you ever experienced a flood?

15. What is your opinion about global warming? How can we avoid it?

Topics for an oral exam: CRIME

TOPIC: CRIME

1. What do you think the most common crime in your country is?

2. Should police in your country be stricter or less strict?

3. Is your country a safe country?

4. Have you ever seen a crime?

5. Do you think criminals can change?

6. Is shoplifting common in your country?

7. What kind of people shoplift and what kinds of things do they steal?

8. Does your country have a big organized crime group like "the mafia"?

9. Have you ever met someone from "a mafia"?

10. What is the best way for police to keep neighbourhoods safe?

11. Can you tell if a kid will grow up to be a criminal?

12. Do you think your country has a good penal system? Why or why not?
13. How would you change it for better?
14. Is justice in your country egalitarian?
15. You heard about the case of a man who defended his daughter from a rapist. The rapist has died. What is your opinion about the case? What would you do as an inspector?

Topics for an oral exam: FASHION

TOPIC: FASHION

1. Would you like to be a fashion model? What are their lives like?

2. Could you date someone if they had a terrible sense of fashion?

3. Which country or city is the most fashionable in the world?

4. Is fashion important or not? Why or why not?

5. Do you prefer functional or fashionable clothing?

6. What do you think of the fashion industry?

7. How does fashion affect people's lives?

8. What is some of the silliest fashions you have seen?

9. What is your favourite fashion period?

10. Do you think fashion changed as quickly in the past as today? 

11. If you were a fashion designer, what kind of clothes would you design?

12. Do you think is important to follow the new trend?

13. Why people look for being so trendy? Is fashion important in social life?

14. What does "fashion" means to you?

15. Talking about models. Does the fashion industry impose an exagerate body model or is it a question of society?

Topics for an oral exam: MUSIC & BOOKS

TOPIC: MUSIC & BOOKS

1. Who are your favourite bands or artist?

2. Do you read many books?

3. How often do you listen to music/ read books?

4. Do you usually buy albums online or CD's from the store?

5. Did your parents read to you when you were a child?

6. Have you ever illegally downloaded music/books? Do you think it is OK or not to download?

7. What are the advantages and disadvantages of books VS films?

8. What kind of music do you listen when you want to dance?

9. What was the last book you read about?

10. What kind of music do you listen when you are sad?

11. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction books?

12. Do you think music is getting better or worse? Why?

13. If you could only read one more book for your entire life, what would it be?

14. How do you feel about your country's traditional music?

15. Who is an author that you like? Why do you like their books?

16. Should people try to modernize traditional music? Why? How?

17. What are some examples of traditional literature in your country? Did you have to read it at school?

18. What are your favourite type of music? What is your favourite literary genre?

19. What is your opinion about the e-book? Do you prefer paper or new technologies in reading?

20. Should young people read more? Is it disco and literature on fight?

Topics for an oral exam: MONEY

TOPIC: MONEY

1. Would you prefer to pay in cash or by credit card?

2. Do you usually pay back soon or do you get in debts?

3. In a dinner, do you offer yourself to pay the bill or wait until someone else take their wallet?

4. What is the highest you spend in a shop?

5. Do you mind lending money to family or friends?

6. Do you think is a good idea to mix family and business?

7. Do you use to buy expensive items? Or do you prefer looking for discounts?

8. Would you like to invest your money? What type of investment would you like?

9. What is your opinion about salaries in your country?

10. What about fees in museums? Do you have to pay in your country? Should them be free?
11. What do you think about an only currency?
12. What would you do to improve the economy in your country?
13. What would you do if you win the lottery?
14. Do you think money can change people's behavior?
15. Are you a person who safe money or do you waste it as soon as you can?

Topics for an oral exam: FOOD

TOPIC: FOOD

1. How often do you cook?

2. How good are you at cooking?

3. What are some things that you can cook?

4. What dish or food are you best at cooking?

5. Do you think you can cook better than your mom?

6. What is the hardest thing to cook? Why?

7. Who is a better cook, your mother or your grandmother?

8. Does your father cook?

9. Are cooking show popular in your country?

10. Do you watch any cooking show?

11. What are some of the advantages of cooking your meals at home? How about the disadvantages?

12. Would you like to be a chef? Why or why not?

13. Is it importnat for husbands to know how to cook?

14. Who is the ebst cook you know?

15. If you had your own personal chef, what meal would you ask for most?

16. How hard is it to become a chef? What do you have to do to become a chef?

17. What about fast food? Is is popular in your country? Is it good?

18. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the carry-out food? Is it better than the home-made meals?

19. What do you think a healthy diet is?

20. Do people nowadays eat healthy?

Topics for an oral exam: FAMILY

TOPIC: FAMILY

1. How do members of a family support each other?
2. Who do you think has the most power in the family? Why?
3. Do you agree with the saying "Children should be seen and not heard"? Why do you agree or disagree?
4. What is more important, good family members or good friends? Why?
5. What problems do parents have to solve as their children grow up?
6. How close are you to your extented family? (cousins, aunts, greatparents..)
7. What is the perfect number of children a family should have?
8. What do you think of people who marry and decide not to have children?
9. How do you think western families and eastern families differ?
10. What do you think is the most important thing to make a family happy?
11. Is it better for mothers to stay at home with kids or to go to work to earn more money for the family?
12. Many families send their children to private institutes or daycares for most of the day. Is this good or bad for you?
13. How do you define the word "home"?
14. When married people talk about having children they talk about "starting a family". Can two married people be a family if the don't have kids?
15. How do you think family life is changing in your country? Is this change good or bad?
16. What do you think of gay marriage?
17. Is hitting a good way to discipline children? Why or why not?
18. What age is too young to get married?
19. Why do people get married?
20. If you were offered an excellent job abroad could you leave your family and country for 5 years?