SPEAKING TEST (1st Partial Exam)

File 7A: Ex. 4e: Communication Argument! (pp. 107 and 110)

TASK 

Act out an argument with your partner. This can be one of the situations described on pp. 107 and 110, an adaptation of either of them, or one created by yourselves. If you decide to create it, plan and think carefully about your roles, the situation and the circumstances around the scene you're going to stage. You can also go back and check the two arguments presented at the beginning of File 7A to get more ideas.

IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER

• The length of your scene should be between 3 and 4 min.
• Both of you must use at least one past modal (must have, might have, etc.) during your performance. (Thus, the pronunciation of the weak form of 'have' will be relevant in your assessment).
• Try to have a good balance in the interventions of you both.
• Your assessment will be individual, taking into account:
• Pronunciation (English sounds, word stress and sentence stress)
• Use of English (grammar and vocabulary)
• Discourse management (fluency)
• Interpersonal communication (your interventions should be coherent)
• Task achievement (playing a role satisfactorily)

Agree (with your partner) on the following aspects during your planning:

WOULD YOU RATHER...

• record your scene on video or act it out live in the classroom?
• write a script or improvise and rehearse?
• get into a violent argument or stick to the psychologist's tips (See p.66) for a good resolution?
• role-play as a male student a female role and vice versa, or role-play a character of your same sex?
• argue with a partner, a friend, a close friend, a family member, a neighbour, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a colleague, a flatmate, an ex boyfriend/girlfriend, a classmate, a fiancé/fiancée, a boss, an employee, a teacher...?
• back up your argument, change the subject, or bring up other problems?
• lose the argument or win it?
• start the argument or provoke it?
• argue over relationships, misunderstandings, studies, job, school, house, money, time...?   
• say sorry, refuse to talk, blame the other person, lose your temper or reach an agreement?