EOI B1&B2 Module 8: SPEAKING. Tips

LEVEL B1 🎬

1. EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

PART 1: MONOLOGUE (Long Turn)

• Time: 2-3 minutes speaking time.

• Topic: Movies and Books: New vs. Old.

• Task: Discuss if you prefer original stories or sequels and remakes. Structure your ideas (Intro, Body, Conclusion).

  • Personal Taste: Do you like watching sequels (like Marvel or Fast & Furious)? Why?

  • Originality: Is it hard to find a completely new movie or book today?

  • Streaming: Do you prefer going to the cinema or watching Netflix at home?

  • Your Opinion: Should studios take more risks with new actors and writers?

    
    

PART 2: DIALOGUE (Interaction)

• Time: 4-5 minutes.

• Goal: Reach an agreement.

• Scenario: You and a friend want to start a "Book & Film Club" for teenagers. You have a small budget to buy the first materials.

  • Candidate A: You want to buy Best-selling Franchises (like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games). Argument: They are famous, everyone likes them, and they are easy to talk about.

  • Candidate B: You want to buy Independent Books and Movies from unknown authors. Argument: It’s a chance to discover something new and original; it's more interesting for a club.

    
    

2. TIPS FOR B1 SUCCESS

• Vocabulary: Sequel, remake, bestseller, fans, plot, characters, based on a book, worth watching.

• Grammar: Use First Conditional ("If they make more remakes, people will get bored") and Adverbs of Frequency ("I usually watch movies on my laptop").

  
  

3. MODEL RESPONSES

B1 EXTENDED MONOLOGUE: Movies Today "Good afternoon. Today I want to talk about movies and books. Nowadays, it seems that all movies in the cinema are sequels or remakes. On the one hand, I like sequels because I already know the characters and the story. For example, if I like a superhero, I want to see his next adventure. It is fun and relaxing. Also, these movies usually have great special effects. On the other hand, sometimes it is a bit boring. I think that Hollywood is afraid of new ideas. Many times, the remake is worse than the original movie. I would like to see more original stories with new actors. Regarding streaming, I love platforms like Netflix because you can watch many different things for a small price. However, I think the cinema is better for big 'blockbusters'. In conclusion, sequels are okay, but we need more variety. If studios only make the same stories, the magic of cinema will disappear."

B1 EXTENDED DIALOGUE: Famous Franchises vs. New Authors Candidate A: "Hi! I'm excited about the club. I think we should buy famous franchises like Star Wars or Harry Potter. Almost every teenager loves them, so it will be easy to get people to join our club." Candidate B: "I see your point, but everyone has already seen those movies. I think it’s better to buy independent books. It’s more exciting to discover a story that nobody knows. We can help new writers too." Candidate A: "That’s true, but if the books are too strange, maybe nobody will come to the meetings. Famous books are a 'safe bet'. We want the club to be popular, right?" Candidate B: "I understand, but a club should be about learning new things. However, maybe we can do both? What if we choose one famous blockbuster and one independent book every month?" Candidate A: "That’s a great compromise! We use the famous one to attract people and the new one to be original. I agree."

LEVEL B2 🎬

1. EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

PART 1: MONOLOGUE (Long Turn)

• Time: 3-4 minutes speaking time.

• Topic: The Era of the Remake.

• Task: Analyze why the entertainment industry is obsessed with familiar stories.

  • The Money Factor: Why do studios prefer "safe" projects over original ideas?

  • Audience Nostalgia: Do we really want new stories, or do we just want to feel like children again?

  • The Impact of TikTok/Social Media: How "viral" trends decide which books become bestsellers.

  • Quality vs. Quantity: Is the high number of series on streaming services lowering the quality of scripts?

    
    

PART 2: DIALOGUE (Interaction)

• Time: 5-6 minutes.

• Goal: Negotiate and reach a consensus.

• Scenario: You work for a local Cultural Center. You have a grant to organize a "Film Festival."

  • Candidate A: You propose a "Blockbuster Weekend" showing the most successful sequels of the year. Argument: It will attract a massive audience and sell many tickets, which helps the center's economy.

  • Candidate B: You propose an "Original Voices Festival" showing only debut films from local directors. Argument: It supports the community and offers "artistic value" that people can't find on Netflix.

    
    

2. TIPS FOR B2 SUCCESS

• Vocabulary: Blockbuster, plot twist, scriptwriter, to be released, box office hit, masterpiece, binge-watching, to take a risk.

• Grammar: Use Second Conditional ("If studios took more risks, we would have more masterpieces") and Relative Clauses ("The movie, which was directed by a newcomer, was a total success").

  
  

3. MODEL RESPONSES

B2 EXTENDED MONOLOGUE: The Era of the Remake "I’d like to begin by saying that walking into a cinema today feels like a trip to the past. Everywhere you look, there are posters for Spider-Man 10 or a live-action version of a Disney classic. One of the main reasons for this is commercialism. Producing a movie today costs hundreds of millions of dollars, so studios are risk-averse. They prefer to invest in an existing 'Intellectual Property' because they know the fans will pay for a ticket. It's a business decision, not an artistic one. Furthermore, we have to consider audience nostalgia. In an uncertain world, people find comfort in familiar stories. However, I believe this is killing creativity. If we only watch what we already know, we are not growing as a culture. Also, platforms like TikTok have changed the bestseller market. Sometimes a book becomes famous just because of a viral trend, not because the writing is good. This 'quantity over quality' approach is making it harder for serious writers to find a place. To conclude, I think we are at a tipping point. Streaming has given us more content than ever, but less 'soul'. We should support original creators, or we will end up watching the same three stories forever."

B2 EXTENDED DIALOGUE: Blockbusters vs. Local Cinema Candidate A: "I’m convinced that the Blockbuster Weekend is the best way to use the grant. Our center needs money, and a festival with famous movies will guarantee a full house. It’s a pragmatic choice to ensure we can keep the center open next year." Candidate B: "I see where you're coming from, but I think our mission is different. People can watch blockbusters anywhere. We should organize an Original Voices Festival. We need to give a platform to local directors who are struggling to show their work. It’s about culture, not just profit." Candidate A: "I agree that culture is important, but if only twenty people attend the festival, it's a waste of the grant. We need to be realistic about what the public wants. Maybe we can find a middle ground?" Candidate B: "What do you have in mind? I'm open to suggestions as long as we don't ignore the local artists." Candidate A: "How about we show a major blockbuster every evening to attract the crowd, but we use the morning and afternoon slots for the local films? We could even have a 'Best Local Short Film' award before the main movie starts." Candidate B: "That’s a very clever compromise! We use the fame of the big movies to give the local directors a bigger audience. I can get on board with that."