EOI B1&B2 Module 9: SPEAKING. Tips

🕰️ Speaking EOI Exam: Vintage & Modernity

LEVEL B1

1. EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

PART 1: MONOLOGUE (Long Turn)

• Time: 2-3 minutes speaking time.

• Topic: The Charm of the Past.

• Task: Discuss why old things (clothes, furniture, music) are popular again. Structure your ideas (Intro, Body, Conclusion).

  • Personal Taste: Do you like vintage fashion or modern styles? Why?

  • Quality: Are old things better made than modern ones?

  • Environment: Is buying second-hand clothes a good way to help the planet?

  • Technology: Do you prefer old things (like vinyl records or paper books) or digital versions?

    
    

PART 2: DIALOGUE (Interaction)

• Time: 4-5 minutes.

• Goal: Reach an agreement.

• Scenario: Your town has an old, empty cinema from the 1950s. The town hall wants to use it for something new.

  • Candidate A: You want to reopen it as a Vintage Cinema showing classic movies. Argument: It preserves the history of the town and it is a romantic, special place for families.

  • Candidate B: You want to turn it into a Modern Shopping Center. Argument: It will create many jobs for young people and it is more useful for the neighbors.

    
    

2. TIPS FOR B1 SUCCESS

• Vocabulary: Vintage, second-hand, quality, modern, fashion, to last, to throw away, environment.

• Grammar: Use First Conditional ("If we buy second-hand, we will save money") and Used to ("In the past, things used to last longer").

  
  

3. MODEL RESPONSES

B1 EXTENDED MONOLOGUE: The Charm of the Past "Good afternoon. Today I want to talk about why many people love vintage things. It seems that old fashion and old objects are very popular now. First, I think people buy vintage clothes because they are unique. Today, everyone buys the same clothes in big shops like Zara. If you buy a vintage jacket, you have a special style. Also, in my opinion, old things have better quality. My grandmother has a fridge from 30 years ago and it still works! Today, things break very easily. Secondly, buying second-hand is very good for the environment. We produce too much rubbish and fast fashion is a big problem. If we reuse clothes, we protect the planet. Finally, about technology, I love my smartphone, but I also love paper books. I think it is important to keep some old traditions. In conclusion, the past is not only about nostalgia; it is about quality and being original. If we mix old and new things, our life is more interesting."

B1 EXTENDED DIALOGUE: Vintage Cinema vs. Shopping Center Candidate A: "Hi! I think we should reopen the old cinema. It’s a beautiful building with a lot of history. If we show classic movies, many people will visit our town and it will be a very special place for the community." Candidate B: "I see your point, but a cinema for old movies is only for a few people. I think a modern shopping center is better. It's more useful because people can buy food and clothes, and it will create many new jobs for the young people here." Candidate A: "That’s true, but we already have many shops. If we destroy the cinema, we lose our history forever. A shopping center is just a big box of glass. The cinema has 'soul'." Candidate B: "I understand, but we need money for the town. However, maybe we can find a middle ground? What if we keep the cinema on the top floor and put some small, local shops on the ground floor?" Candidate A: "That's a great idea! We keep the vintage style of the cinema but we also have some modern shops. I agree."

LEVEL B2 🕰️

1. EXAM INSTRUCTIONS

PART 1: MONOLOGUE (Long Turn)

• Time: 3-4 minutes speaking time.

• Topic: Modernity and the Throwaway Culture.

• Task: Analyze the contrast between high-quality vintage goods and modern mass production.

  • Planned Obsolescence: Why do modern electronics and appliances break so quickly?

  • Fast Fashion vs. Durability: The social and environmental cost of cheap, disposable clothing.

  • The "Retro" Trend: Is it a real change in values or just another way for companies to sell things?

  • Modern Comforts: Can we really live without the convenience of modern technology?

    
    

PART 2: DIALOGUE (Interaction)

• Time: 5-6 minutes.

• Goal: Negotiate and reach a consensus.

• Scenario: You are architects in charge of an old train station. You have a budget to transform it.

  • Candidate A: You want to do a Faithful Restoration. Argument: We must keep every original detail to respect the architecture; it’s a cultural duty to the city.

  • Candidate B: You want an Industrial-Modern Fusion. Argument: We should keep the exterior but put a modern library and a digital cafe inside. If it's not modern, nobody will use it.

    
    

2. TIPS FOR B2 SUCCESS

• Vocabulary: Planned obsolescence, throwaway culture, durability, craftsmanship, to be out of fashion, mass-produced, sustainable, restoration.

• Grammar: Use Second Conditional ("If products lasted longer, we wouldn't have so much waste") and Passive Voice ("Historical buildings should be protected by the law").

  
  

3. MODEL RESPONSES

B2 EXTENDED MONOLOGUE: The Throwaway Culture "I’d like to begin by saying that we live in a 'throwaway culture'. Nowadays, when something breaks, we don't fix it; we just buy a new one. This is very different from our grandparents' generation. One of the main reasons for this is planned obsolescence. Companies design products, especially smartphones and laptops, to stop working after a few years. This forces us to keep spending money and creates a huge amount of electronic waste. In contrast, vintage items were made with craftsmanship. People look for old furniture or watches because they know they were built to last a lifetime. Furthermore, we have the problem of fast fashion. We buy cheap clothes that we only wear a few times before they are out of fashion. This has a terrible cost for the environment. Buying vintage has become a trend, and although it's good for sustainability, sometimes I think it's just another 'aesthetic' that brands use to sell us more things. To conclude, I believe we should return to the values of durability. We don't need to live in the past, but we should learn from it. If we chose quality over quantity, our planet would be much healthier."

B2 EXTENDED DIALOGUE: Strict Restoration vs. Modern Fusion Candidate A: "I'm convinced that a faithful restoration is the only way to treat this train station. It’s a masterpiece of the 19th century. We must use original materials to preserve its structural integrity. If we change the interior, we are destroying the city's heritage." Candidate B: "I see what you mean, but a 'museum' station is not practical. We need to think about the neighbors. I propose an industrial-modern fusion. We keep the beautiful facade, but we create a modern library and a digital space inside. A building needs a function to stay alive; otherwise, it will be empty and abandoned again." Candidate A: "I disagree. If you put modern glass and computers inside, you lose the atmosphere. It becomes just another generic building. People visit this city to see history, not a modern library they can see anywhere else." Candidate B: "That’s a valid point, but a library brings young people and life to the area. However, maybe we can find a middle ground. What if we restore the main hall exactly as it was, but we use the old office rooms for the modern library? That way, the 'soul' of the station is safe but the building is useful." Candidate A: "That’s a very sensible compromise. We preserve the most important parts and modernize the rest. I can get on board with that plan." Candidate B: "Agreed. It's the best of both worlds: history and functionality."