EOI B1&B2 Module 4: SPEAKING. Tips

📚 EOI ORAL EXAM: Mass Media and Fake News

1. EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

PART 1: MONOLOGUE (Long Turn)

• Time: 2-3 minutes.

• Topic: The Internet and "Echo Chambers".

• Task: Discuss how social media shows us only what we like and the problem of fake news.

  • Personal Experience: Do you always see the same types of photos or news on your Instagram/TikTok?

  • The Problem: Why is it bad to only read opinions that are the same as yours?

  • Fake News: Is it easy to believe a lie if it has a sensational headline?

  • Solutions: Do you check the source before you share a post?

    
    

PART 2: DIALOGUE (Interaction)

• Time: 4-5 minutes.

• Goal: Reach an agreement.

• Scenario: You are two friends worried about your younger siblings spending too much time on social media seeing "fake" content. You want to choose ONE way to help them.

  • Candidate A: You want to install a Parental Control App. Argument: It is fast, you can block bad websites, and it protects them immediately.

  • Candidate B: You want to give them a "Social Media Workshop" at home. Argument: It's better to explain why something is fake; if they learn, they won't need an app in the future.

    
    

2. TIPS FOR B1 SUCCESS

• Vocabulary: Social media, fake news, to share, to believe, screen time, follower, truth, lie, to check.

• Grammar: Use First Conditional ("If we don't teach them, they will believe everything") and Comparatives ("Online news is faster than newspapers").

  
  

3. MODEL RESPONSES

B1 EXTENDED MONOLOGUE: The Internet Bubble "Good afternoon. Today I am going to talk about how we use the internet and the problem of 'bubbles'. First, I think that social media is very fun, but it has a problem. The apps like TikTok always show us things that we like. For example, if I like football, I only see football videos. This is called a 'personalized feed'. It is good for entertainment, but it is bad for news because we never see different opinions. Secondly, I want to talk about fake news. Many people write lies with very exciting headlines to get more 'likes'. This is very dangerous. If we only read things that confirm our ideas, we will never learn the truth. In my opinion, we must be careful. Before I share a post, I always try to see if it is from a real newspaper. In conclusion, the internet is a great tool, but we need to use our brains. If we only look for validation and not for the truth, we will have problems in the future."

LEVEL B2 (Upper-Intermediate) 📰

El alumno debe demostrar mayor control de la argumentación, usando estructuras de opinión más variadas y un vocabulario más específico.

1. EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

PART 1: MONOLOGUE (Long Turn)

• Time: 3-4 minutes.

• Topic: Personalized News and Polarization.

• Task: Discuss if the internet is making society more divided. Structure your ideas logically.

  • The "Filter Bubble": How algorithms influence what we think about politics or social issues.

  • Clickbait Culture: Does sensationalism attract more viewers than real journalism?

  • Responsibility: Is it the user's fault for being lazy or the company's fault for making money with lies?

  • Education: Is media literacy the only real solution?

    
    

PART 2: DIALOGUE (Interaction)

• Time: 5-6 minutes.

• Goal: Negotiate and reach a consensus.

• Scenario: You are part of a school's Parents' Association. You have a small budget to improve the "Digital Health" of the students.

  • Candidate A: You want to hire a Professional Fact-Checker to give a talk. Argument: They are experts, they can show real examples of lies, and they make students more critical.

  • Candidate B: You want to buy Tablets for the Library with subscriptions to high-quality, objective newspapers. Argument: Students only use social media; if we give them free access to real journalism, they will read better information.

    
    

2. TIPS FOR B2 SUCCESS

• Vocabulary: Algorithm, filter bubble, clickbait, misinformation, biased, to verify, source, sensationalism, to hold someone accountable.

• Grammar: Use Second Conditional ("If platforms were more transparent, we wouldn't have this problem") and Modal verbs for speculation ("This might be because people are too busy to check facts").

  
  

3. MODEL RESPONSES

B2 EXTENDED MONOLOGUE: The Echo Chamber Effect "I’d like to start by saying that the way we consume information has changed radically in the last decade. We have moved from choosing our news to letting algorithms choose for us. On the one hand, personalization makes the internet easier to use. However, it creates what experts call a 'filter bubble'. This means we only see information that agrees with our own views. This is extremely dangerous for democracy because it leads to polarization. People stop talking to those who think differently, and they start to see the 'other side' as an enemy. Furthermore, we are living in a clickbait culture. Real, objective journalism is often boring, so websites use sensationalist headlines to get clicks and advertising money. Unfortunately, many people share these articles without even reading them. In my view, we cannot only blame the technology. Users have a responsibility too. We need to be more active and look for different points of view. But, at the same time, governments should hold big tech companies accountable for the misinformation they spread. To sum up, while the internet connects us, it also divides us. Unless we promote media literacy in schools and at home, we will continue living in these echo chambers."

B2 EXTENDED DIALOGUE: Expert Talk vs. Newspaper Subscriptions Candidate A: "I think that hiring a professional fact-checker is the best use of our budget. Students are constantly exposed to fake videos and manipulated photos. An expert can teach them the specific tools to identify these lies in real-time." Candidate B: "I see your point, but a talk only lasts one hour. Once the expert leaves, students go back to their phones. I believe that providing subscriptions to quality newspapers on library tablets is more effective. The problem is that they only read headlines on Instagram; we need to encourage them to read long, objective articles." Candidate A: "I understand, but let's be realistic: will a 15-year-old really go to the library to read a serious newspaper? I doubt it. A dynamic workshop with an expert is much more engaging and could change their mindset immediately." Candidate B: "That's a fair point. Perhaps the tablets are too traditional. However, I'm worried that one talk isn't enough to build a habit. What if we find a middle ground? We could hire the expert for a shorter session and use the rest of the money to create a 'Digital News Club' in the school, where students can discuss current events using the subscriptions I mentioned." Candidate A: "That sounds like a very sensible compromise. We get the impact of the expert and the long-term benefit of the news club. I think we have a deal."