Speaking Practice: Impromptu Speaking

This lesson is designed to prepare you for tests to assess your speaking abilities. You will be asked a series of questions. The amount of time you have to answer each question is 1 minute. Be sure to speak clearly and answer each question as completely as possible.

1. One of your favorite movies is playing in a local theater. Tell me about the movie and why you like it.

2. Both newspapers and television news programs can be good sources of information about current events. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these sources?

3. Many people enjoy visiting zoos and seeing the animals. Other people believe that animals should not be taken from their natural surroundings and put into zoos. I’d like to know what you think about this issue.

4. Some students attend large universities. Others prefer smaller schools. What do you think are the advantages of each type of education?

5. Which is more important for students: memorizing large amounts of information or learning critical thinking skills? Why?

6. Imagine that you are a Teaching Assistant for a University class. One of your students received a low grade on an important test. He tells you that he is planning to drop out of your class because he thinks he will fail the entire class. How would you respond to him?

7. Besides environmental benefits, what other benefits do you think using public transportation provides to society?