BEC中级口语考试：基础篇.docx

BEC中级口语考试：基础篇1.1 第一部分考试形式 (Test format of Part 1)在第一部分考试中，考官就考生的个人情况或工作、学习情况向其提问，考生作答。然后考官再提问，考生再作答。考官一般会对每个考生进行两轮提问，每一轮三至四个问题，随后转向另一名考生，在两名考生间交替进行，直到规定时满为止，一般大约3 分钟。这部分考试的特点是：话题涵盖的范围一般比较简单、浅显，不会超出日常会话的范畴，而且大部分话题都比较类似，是由主考官从剑桥大学考试委员会印发的Question List上随机挑选的。考前的充分准备足以保证考生应付大多数问题。而且在第一部分考核过程中，考官提问的问句大部分都是简单句，一般不超过15个单词，清晰易懂。1.2 应试建议 (Tips on how to cope with Part 1)(1) Greet upon entering the exam room.进入考场后，考生应当充满自信，自然大方地向考官问候致意。话不需多，但自然、新切的问候语，可以给考官留下良好的第一印象。常用的问候语包括：Good morning, sir / miss / madam.Good afternoon, sir / miss / madam. Nice to meet you.（注：有两位男老师在场，可以称呼gentlemen. 有两位女老师在场，可以称呼misses. 有一位男老师和一位女老师在场，可以干脆免去后面的敬呼语，或直接采纳上面第三种问候方式，以免去敬呼语太长、太繁琐的尴尬。Madam 一般用于明显很年长的女教师，否则改用miss，因为女性对年龄认可度比较敏感。）(2) Relax yourself, yet do avoid over relaxing yourself.大部分考生都有过这样的经历：平时跟同伴一起练口语的时候说得挺流畅的，但一到课堂上回答老师问题时，或是一进入口语考试房间时，所有头脑中的思路都不翼而飞，头脑一片空白。因此，在很多情况下，口语考试表现不好并不是口语水平问题，而是过分紧张导致的发挥失常。因此，平时试着让自己多练练紧张时放松的能力，对于克服进入考场后突然情绪紧张导致的发挥失常很有帮助。(3) Familiarize yourself with the pronunciation and intonation of the interlocutor and the other candidate.由于考生来自不同的地域，很多方音重的考生在说英语的时候也同样如此，这在很大程度上会影响其他同一考场的考生的理解和反应。考官尽管发音准确，但因为不熟悉他（她）的语音语调，也有可能造成误解。因此，进入考场后，要尽快熟悉他们的语音语调及语速，以免由于误听导致反应错误。(4) Be precise in understanding the questions.考官的提问也好，同伴的问题也好，没听清的情况下切不可盲目作答，一定要问清楚问题是什么。考生要清楚的一点是，BEC口语考试是“口语”考试，而非听力考试，也许没听清对方的问题会影响你的分数，而在没听清问题的情况下盲目作答而导致答非所问，更会真正丢分。在以往的考试中，有些考生由于事先针对第一部分做了充分的准备，因此在考官提问的时候没有全神贯注，而是凭着准备过的问题想当然，背诵事先准备好的答案。这种错误是极不应该的，不仅会给考官留下作弊（cheating ）的不良印象，还会由于听力水平不佳而被扣分。要求对方重述问题的常用句型包括：Pardon, please?I beg your pardon?Sorry, could you please say that again?Im sorry, but I didnt quite catch you. Would you please repeat what youve just said?(5) Avoid reciting your prepared answers.由于第一部分的考试题目不外乎就那些常见的问题，考生通常会在考前准备一些问题的答案。由于有了充分的准备，当考生被问及那些准备好答案的问题的时候，他们往往会朗朗作答，仿佛是在表演朗诵诗般流利而富有感情色彩。这就犯了口语考试的大忌。口语考试的过程中，考生无论是回答问题还是参与讨论，都要采用自然的说话的语调和节奏，要有适当的犹豫和口语表达特有的语言衔接，比如“Um”、“Well”、“in fact”、“actually”、" Let me see”，等等，既表示自己在进行紧张的思考，又是一种合理、老练的衔接。(6) Speak to the examiner, and do not interrupt your partner when he /she is speaking.第一部分没有考生同伴间的问题回答和两者之间进行的讨论。因此，在这一部分考试过程中，考生是要面对考官回答其问题的，当一名考生作答时，另一名考生不要插言打断。(7) Use complete sentences rather than elliptical sentences.第一部分考试中的问题的回答一定要使用句法结构完整的句子回答，最好跟上一句简短的情感描述性语言或原因，而不要用很突兀的省略句、无主句甚或简单的“yes”或“no”来回答问题。试看下面这两个例子：Example 1Interlocutor: Do you come from a large family or a small family?Candidate: A large family. (or “A small family”) （不建议采用的回答）Candidate: I come from a large family, with my grandparents and parents living together. We are a happy family.Example 2Interlocutor: Are you happy with your job?Candidate: Yes. (or “Yes, Im happy with my job”) （不建议采用的回答）Candidate: Yes, Im very happy with my job, because I can learn a lot of new things from my work.(8) Avoid talking about unfamiliar topics.有时候，考官可能会对考生的回答即兴追问一个问题，这个问题往往不在事前可准备的Question List 中，这就需要考生现场发挥灵活应变的能力。一般来说，考官追加的问题也都比较粗线条，不会故意出一些刁钻古怪的话题。但是，仍要提醒考生注意，在回答考官提问时尽量避免谈及自己不熟悉的话题。例如，某考生不是很熟悉滑冰，在回答考官提问“What do you like to do in your free time?”时，却随口提起“I like skating very much.”考官接着追问：“Can you give us some detailed information on skating ? ”时他便表现出了无所适从。总之，第一部分虽然形式简单，但考生在这部分考试中的语音、语调、语言表达能力，甚至表情、手势和状态，都会给考官留下深刻的第一印象，因此必须引起充分的重视。1.3 真题及答题思路 (Authentic testing items & answer cues)(1) Can you tell me something about yourself?（这是第一部分考试经常出现的一个问题。面对这样的问题，考生的回答应该包括如下信息：your name, your age, your occupation (or your school and major) and your personality.）Sample answer for your reference:Well, my name is Zhang Peng. Im twenty-one years old. Im now studying in Dalian Maritime University towards a bachelor degree (of engineering / of science / of arts), majoring in navigation / marine engineering /physics / English. I think Im an out-going person; I love making friends.(2) What kind of person would you say you are?（问及个人性格特点的问题也是一个常问见问题。该问题的各种不同措辞及若干关于个人性格特点描述的常用形容词，详见2.3.1的讲解）Sample answer for your reference:Im always trying to be optimistic, no matter what kind of difficulty I have met with. And I suppose Im confident and positive, always working hard and sparing no effort to achieve my goals. Also Im a person with a strong will and an independent mind. But that sometimes leads me to being impulsive, not calm enough, which is one of my major drawbacks.(3) Can you tell me something about your friends?（这个问题要求考生描述一下自己的朋友，考生可以考虑从朋友的数量、如何相识、朋友的性格、共同爱好等方面作答。）Sample answer for your reference:I have a large circle of friends. Most of them are my former school-mates /work-mates. They are all open, diligent and smart. We have a lot of common interests. We share both happiness and bitterness, and support each other in times of adversity /difficulties(4) What has been your most valuable experience?（这类问题要考生叙述自己最宝贵的经历，考生应当有所展开，略加描述。）Sample answers for your reference:1. Up till now, I believe my most valuable experience is studying here, in Peking University, which is regarded as the Harvard of China. I've got the chance to know many talented young people, and have learned a lot from them. Also, I have gained large amounts of knowledge, both in and after class. In addition, the first rate educational facilities enable me to gain access to both the outside world and the research fields.2. As regards my most valuable experience, I suppose it should be traced back to the year before last, when I managed to have a large order placed on our products through all sorts of hardships. There were so many government restrictions and so much red tape in international trading at that time that it was really an unforgettable moment when the contract was finally signed.(5) How important is it to you to have opportunities for promotion in your career?（这类问题考察的是考生的职业规划。回答这种“个人观点”（personal views）类问题，很重要的一个方面是切入点。不同的看问题的角度，会有不同的见解。考生平时应注意培养自己多角度看问题的能力。）Sample answers for your reference:1. Well, in fact, the opportunities for career promotion are important to everyone. No one would prefer to stay in one position for the whole of his or her life. Certainly Im no exception. But what is equally important to me is the kind of job satisfaction I can derive from my work. One might say that career promotion does contribute a lot to ones job satisfaction, but as I see it, there are many other things that also contribute a lot to ones job satisfaction, for example, harmonious inter-personal relationship, recognition from co-workers or line managers, and so on.2. Well, you know Im a person who is quite reconciled with my status quo, so the opportunities for career promotion are not so important to me. I prefer to do my proper work well and enjoy my life. As you know, higher position in a company means more responsibilities and much more pressure, and I would choose to lead an easy life rather than strain myself for something as vain as higher position in a company.(6) Is it better for your career to stay in one company or to work for a number of companies? (Why/Why not?)（事实上这是一个关于“跳槽（job-hopping）”的老话题。跳槽到底优劣各占多少，仁者见仁，智者见智，只要让你的回答具有说服力就可以了。而谚语的引述可能在这种问题的回答上就起到了画龙点睛的作用。）Sample answer for your reference:In fact, different people will adopt different attitude towards “job-hopping”. As I see it, the proverb “A rolling stone gathers no moss” really holds water. And, though job-hopping sometimes does bring about immediate financial benefits, what most contributes to ones job satisfaction is not solely confined to material gains. In most cases, his or her loyalty to the company and the recognition he or she gets from colleagues and executives do count a lot. (7) What creates a good or bad impression at an interview?（在面试过程中，给面试官尽可能多地留下好的印象和尽可能少地留下坏的印象是每个面试者的目的。 这个问题就要求考生在回答中列明什么动作或语言会分别留下好的或不好的印象。当然回答要简洁，不能长篇大论地啰嗦。）Sample answer for your reference:In fact every interviewee wants to leave a good impression on the interviewer. Good impression will certainly result from ones decent dressing, proper answers and being responsive. On the contrary, sloppy answers plus untidy dressing will certainly leave a bad impression on the interviewer. Whats more important is that, when the question is related to your specialty knowledge, you are supposed to talk in professional terminology rather than in laymans terms.(8) Do you think interviews are the best method of judging an applicants suitability for a job? （“the best”题目本身就走了一个极端：俗语说“没有最好，只有更好”。所以遇到此类话题完全可以从一个折中的角度切入，看到事物的两面性。）Sample answer for your reference:As I see it, interviews do reveal a lot about an applicants capabilities. Yet we can not say that they are the best method of judging an applicants suitability for a job. As the saying goes, “First impressions are always misleading”. So in order to find out whether an applicant is suitable for a job, we may need more time to find out about the applicant, so usually an internship is required for a newly recruited staff member.(9) How important is English in business life in your country?（这个问题本质上是要问“商务英语”的重要性体现，而不是问英语的重要性，因此该问题的回答不要超出“商务英语”这个范畴。）Sample answer for your reference:In fact English is playing an important role in Chinas business life; it is an essential skill for those who are engaged in foreign trade. What is noticeable is that, since China adopted the open door policy in the latter half of the 20th century, foreign trade has been developing at a dazzling（耀眼的，眼花缭乱的） speed. In addition, now many large multinational corporations are operating on a global basis, and English is an important lingua franca（族际通用语）for the employees of those multinational companies.(10) How important are imports or exports to your country? （在全球化程度日益加深的国际大背景下，任何谋求发展的国家都不能忽视进出口贸易的重要性，因为它从经济上担保了一个国家的政治安全。）Sample answer for your reference:We can not say that China is a country that wholly relies on imports and exports for its national income, but foreign trade does play an important role in Chinas national economy. For many years China has been maintaining a favorable balance of trade（贸易顺差）, so that its foreign-exchange reserves（外汇储备）are massive（大量的，巨大的）. This certainly guarantees the smooth operation of the national economy（国民经济）.