Aptis Advanced Speaking Test 2: Sample C1 Answers

Aptis Advanced Speaking Test 2 with Sample C1 Answers: Script

Part One

What do you see in the two pictures?  

The theme of both photos is accommodation, but they’re worlds apart. The first shows some six-storey apartment blocks, with walkways connecting each flat. There’s loads of graffiti, some of it in English, so the photo was most likely taken in an English-speaking country. It’s obviously an inner-city housing estate, whereas the other photo shows a sleepy coastal village. There are a couple of rows of semi-detached houses with gardens by a small bay with a handful of fishing boats. It could’ve* been taken in Northern Europe, though that’s only a guess based on films I’ve seen.

*don’t use this contraction in formal written English

Where would you prefer to live? Why?

That’s a difficult one as there are pros and cons to each place, but if I were pushed to choose, it’d have to be the fishing village. I used to live in the city and found it far too noisy – the traffic, the crowds, the pollution and the general hubbub was just too much. Living somewhere more isolated – especially at the coast – you’d be closer to nature and life’d* be more peaceful. But having said that, the biggest downside would probably be work. Being so far off the beaten track, there wouldn’t be many job opportunities – though on the other hand, if you were a digital nomad, it’d be ideal.

*again, don’t use this contraction in formal written English

Which of these two places do you think children would like to live in?

Well, that would really depend on the child and how they’ve been brought up. Many kids enjoy nature and are happy to spend hours playing in rock pools, fishing for crabs and climbing trees … but I guess that the vast majority would prefer the benefits of living in the city, where they’ve got playgrounds, swimming pools, skate-parks and so on right on their doorstep. On the other hand, as many children seem to live their lives online these days, maybe it wouldn’t matter so much where they live physically – as long as there’s a good internet connection!

Part Two

Tell me about what you can remember about your first day at school or college.

What advice would you give someone thinking about going back into education?

How do you think that education will change in the future?

I remember my first day at infant school as if were yesterday. I was so excited the night before that I must’ve* driven my mum mad – I woke her up at 5am, already dressed and ready to set off! When we turned up loads of kids were crying their eyes out and clinging to their mums … not me – I was dying to start school. But when mum came to pick me up I bawled too, as I thought it was all over – I’d had such fun, and I hadn’t realised I could go back again the next day!

What I’d advise someone returning to education would be to study not only something they were truly interested in, but also something that would help with their career … although that would also depend on what they wanted to achieve. For younger people who are looking to improve their job prospects, career development would be an important aspect, whereas more mature students – such as those in universities of the third age – may only be looking to develop a hobby or make new friends.

With regard to the third question, I think the pandemic has already given us a glimpse of the future of education. I predict that it’ll be a mixture of in-person teaching alongside online classes via Zoom, or some similar virtual platform, and a certain amount of self-study too. My view is that it’ll basically be similar to what’s happening now, but with more interactive aspects, better quality videos and slicker graphics, all combined with some form of online assessment.

*again, don’t use this contraction in formal written English

Part Three

Topic: Smartphones – a blessing or a curse?

FOR

Necessary for social life and work

Lots of information at your fingertips

Useful in emergencies

AGAINST

A distraction

People don’t communicate in person

Over reliance on smartphones

It can’t be denied that smartphones have become an indispensable part of our lives these days, both for work and social life. We have at our fingertips the contact details of clients and friends, a plethora of instant information and the ability to make free high-quality video calls worldwide. We can deal with business matters while on the move, thus making good use of travel time. Moreover, we can catch up with friends via social networks, book the holiday of a lifetime, and even monitor our heart rate!

However, smartphones have also been a source of controversy since they first came onto the market. Despite all their positive applications, they are also regarded by some as little more than a distraction. Having a conversation with someone who’s not fully engaged because they’re also sending a WhatsApp or scrolling though photos on Instagram is a frustrating experience. But perhaps the main criticism of smartphone use is that it seems to be proving addictive. Many of us rely too heavily on our phones, and even feel a sense of panic if we inadvertently leave home without them.

Nevertheless, all things considered, I’d say that smartphones are more of a blessing than a curse.

Part Four

Question: How do you think communication will change in the future?

What is your response to this statement?

It may sound a bit like science fiction, but I feel that in the not-too-distant future we’ll no longer need to carry phones or tablets around, as we’ll have mobile devices implanted directly into our bodies. After all, communication devices have been getting smaller and smaller as technology advances. On a human level, I fear that in-person interactions may decrease as electronic communication takes over and more of us start working from home via computer. Unless, of course, there’s a backlash and we all return to living and working off the grid*!

*off the grid: not using or depending on public utilities, especially the supply of electricity. Adjective: eg. off-the-grid housing / Adverb: eg. living off the grid.