Personal Information: Free Time Questions Responses How you spend your free time? Do you have any hobbies? Do you play sport? Personal Information: Where I live Questions Responses Where you live? What part of the city/town is that? How long have you been living there? If you have moved here recently you like it better than where you lived before? Is there anything you particularly like/dislike about it? How you think it could be improved? Personal Information: My Family Questions Responses Do you have any brothers and sisters? How well you get on? Do you see much of your grandparents? What are the advantages of being an only child / a member of a large family? I don’t have much free time I have quite a lot time at the weekends In the summer I like going to the beach In my spare time I like playing basketball I play in a team I play for fun I go to training once / twice / three times a week I like going out with my friends I read books / magazines / newspapers Model Response I don’t have a great deal of free time during the week because of school and homework, but I have a bit at the weekends I can’t really say I have a hobby either, but I like music I listen to music quite a lot, all kinds really – rock, pop, rap, folk music, Greek and foreign groups On Saturday afternoons I usually meet my friends and we go to a cafeteria or the park and chat Occasionally, I go to the cinema if there’s something good on Of course I play some sport I’m quite keen on basketball and I support a team so that means I watch all their matches on TV I live … in / near the centre of… / in a residential area / in a suburb / on the outskirts of the town / …in a flat / house / block of flats on the ground floor / on the first floor In addition to living in Athens, I’ve also lived in Kalamata I’ve been living here for 10 years I’ve lived here all my life I’ve only been here for a few months / years I used to live in another part of town, but we’ve recently moved here It’s quiet / busy / crowded / pleasant / expensive / convenient / stimulating / impersonal / friendly I’d like it better if it was… I think it could be better if it had more parks/more facilities I think it could be better if it were less crowded / less polluted It seems to me that… Perhaps the mayor could… Model Response I live in a large block of flats on the fourth floor It’s quite pleasant as it overlooks the square We are quite near the centre which is convenient as I can go around on foot I’ve been living here for two years and before that we lived in a village outside the town I prefer living here because there’s more to do, but I miss my old friends In this town there’s a good school and there are basketball courts near my house where I often meet my friends My family has / consists of members I have a lot of relations, cousins, aunts and uncles I’m an only child I’m a member of a large family We get on well We are a very close knit family I am close to my brother We argue a lot We don’t see much of each other There’s a large age gap between my sister and me Model Response I’ve got one sister, but she’s quite a lot older than me She’s twenty-five now, and she doesn’t live at home so in some ways it’s a bit like being an only child Sometimes I feel a bit unhappy because I’m by myself at home I’d like to have company But I don’t feel like that often as I’ve got a lot of friends Two of my grandparents live in a village quite far away son I only see them in the summer But my other grandparents live in the flat below us so I see them every day My grandmother comes up and helps around the house and she used to look after me when I was younger Personal Information: Plans for the future Questions Responses Have you any thought to what you’d like to when you’ve finished school? Would you like to study? What about your career plans? Why you want to this? Personal Information: What you do? Questions Responses What you do? What class/year are you in? How long have you been at you school? Do you like it? What subjects you enjoy most? What you like least? Personal Information: Learning English Questions Responses How long have you been studying English? Where have you learnt your English? What factors have played a role in your studies? Have you had any experiences that have affected you positively or negatively? How you think English will be useful to you in the future? Personal How often you go away on holiday? Where you usually go? What is it like there? What When I finish school/college… I’d like to go to University / I’m planning to go to College / I hope to study… / I’d like to study Electronics / Engineering / Maths / Physics / Science / Journalism / Psychology / Law / Medicine / Architecture / Nursing / Teaching / Agriculture / Physical Education I’m hoping to go into the family business / join my parents business I’m planning to start work immediately and receive on the job training I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’m good at languages so I’d like to something with them I’m not sure yet There are a few things I could They are… I really don’t know What I know is that I don’t want to… Perhaps I’ll become a sports trainer / civil servant / farmer To that I’ll have to study I would like to follow in my mother’s/father’s footsteps and be a… I would like to work freelance / outdoors / abroad My father is a… so I’m familiar with the profession / job The most important reason why I want to this is that I like / I’m good at Maths / English I’d like to something personally fulfilling I would like to something for others Model Response When I finish school I’d like to go to University and study Medicine The most important reason why I want to this is that I would like to something for others My father is a doctor so I’m familiar with the profession I go to High School / Lyceum / University / College I’m in the fist/second year It’s a state school / private school / technical college-university / vocational college-course Model Response I go to school and I’m in the rd year of High School It’s a state school quite close to my house and I’ve got lots of friends there The teachers are mostly friendly and nice, but of course there are exceptions! As for the building – it’s a quite new school so it’s in good conditions but we need some more facilities For example, we don’t have labs or an art room I really like Maths because I find the subject stimulating I can’t think of a subject that I dislike Each one has something to give to the students I’ve been studying English for years I go to a language school I learn English at school I have private lessons I’ve never been to England I’ve been on a summer course I’ve got a friend / a pen friend / relatives living in America There are lots of tourists in Crete where I go every summer I listen to English music I watch English-speaking films/series Model Response I have been studying English for years I go to a language school and we also English lessons at school Due to the fact that English is an international language, I have realised through the years that it’s really important to speak English It will be really useful not only in communicating but also in my future career I have never been to England but I listen to English music and watch English films and series Information: Holidays Questions Responses you when you are on holiday? What are the best holidays you’ve ever had? Personal Information: Fitness and Sport Questions Responses Do you take any form of exercise or a sport? Where you go to it? What exactly you when you go to the gym / go jogging / go swimming etc? Can you tell us some of the rules of football / basketball? Personal Information: Books and Magazines Questions Responses Do you read newspapers or magazines? Which ones? Can you tell us something about them? What about books? Do you ever read English books or magazines? What kind? Can you tell us about a book or magazine you’re read recently? Once/twice/three times a year / in the summer / At Easter/Christmas / When my parents get leave / To the sea / mountains / an island / my grandparents village / to the north/south/east/west of Greece / very pleasant / near the sea / it’s mountainous / flat / fertile / green / dry / quiet / noisy / busy / touristy / unspoilt / There lots to / nothing much to there Go swimming / walking / visiting friends and relations You can play sport, go on interesting day trips to local sights I stay with relations / at a hotel / at a guest house / at a campsite / in rented rooms The best holidays I’ve ever had was a sightseeing tour / a camping holiday / a trip abroad / a school trip / a cruise / a family holiday Model Response I go on holiday when my parents get leave, usually in the summer We go to a different island every year Last year we went to Santorini It was really busy and touristy but the scenery was awesome There were lots to there Generally when we go on holiday we stay at a campsite We go swimming, walking and sightseeing aerobics, gym, jogging, cycling, hang gliding, ice skating, skiing, volleyball, football, cricket, tennis, golf, ping-pong, deep-sea diving, water-polo Course, track, court, gym, football ground, ring, rink, pitch Bat, racket, boots, skis, bicycle, spear-gun, hang glider, golf club, oxygen tank, mask, flippers Uniform, swim-suit, cap, trainers, track suit Play in teams of six / team members pass/kick the ball to each other / the aim is to score as many goals as you can / you score goals by kicking the ball between the goal posts / by throwing the ball through the hoop Model Response I’m in a basketball team We train three times a week in a basketball court During practice we a lot of running and exercising in order to warm up and then we practice various basketball techniques We all wear uniforms and trainers To play basketball you need a hoop and a ball You play in teams of five and the aim is to score as many goals as possible by throwing the ball through the hoop You have to dribble and pass the ball to the other players I buy newspapers / magazines occasionally / regularly I subscribe to a (computer/music/English) magazine It comes outs weekly/monthly Daily/local/school newspaper – Teenage/Sport/Music/Science magazine Articles/reports/reviews/features on fashion-music-sport Swap books with friends / borrow books from a library Novels / classics / Greek / English / historical novels / poetry / drama / adventure stories / love stories / science fiction Model Response I buy magazines regularly My favourite one is “Difono” which is a music magazine and has biographies of famous musicians and reviews on old and new CDs I also buy a local newspaper which has political articles and reports on things happening in our town I really love books I like reading poetry and historical novels I’ve read a couple of books in English One book I’ve read recently is “The God of Little Things” by Aroudati Roi, an author from India, who describes the discrimination than occurs in India Personal How old are you? When is your birthday? What sign of the Zodiac are you? Do you know what Information: Birthdays and Other Celebrations Questions Responses people born under your sign are supposed to be like? Are you like that? Apart from your birthday, what else you celebrate during the year? My birthday is in December I was born on the 30 th of December My Zodiac sign is Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces People born under Libra/Virgo are supposed/said to be fair, intelligent, quiet, gentle, calm, passionate, energetic, generous, bold, courageous, creative, adventurous, strong, bossy, shy, aggressive, stingy, impatient, bad tempered etc I think I’m like this sign is some ways My friends say I am… Name-day / Christmas / Easter / New Year Have a party for my friends Celebrate quietly at home with my family and relations People drop in We offer them cakes and food Have a large meal Model Response th I was born on the 30 of December My Zodiac sign Capricorn People born under Capricorn are supposed to be fair, quiet, calm, creative, and shy I think I’m like this sign is some ways Apart from my birthday I also celebrate my name-day which is on the th of December People drop in and we offer them cakes and food Of course, we also celebrate all the other national celebrations during the year, like Christmas, Easter etc P The best solution would to be… ersonal Preferences I prefer doing… than doing I can’t really say which I prefer It depends on… I mostly do… As for which I prefer, well it depends on… I would choose the… because… Personally speaking and being actually a teenager, I would definitely choose / prefer… I’d rather do… Decision Making Judging from the information you have given me, I suggest you (open the lines of communication with your son) Well, let’s see what the options are Let’s talk about… In my opinion, I think that… Why don’t we… I suggest we… It would be a good idea to… We could try… If I were him, I would… A sking your partner’ s opinion What you think the second picture is? What you think the second book is about? What about doing…? How about doing…? What you think about doing…? I wonder what… is about Which one would you choose? I prefer…, what about you? What you think? Wouldn’t you like to…? W hen you don’t understand the question Please, forgive my nervousness I didn’t quite follow that Could you please repeat the question? Sorry Could you repeat that please? Do you mean we should…? I didn’t catch what you said Could you repeat it please? I didn’t grasp what you meant Could you say that again? I didn’t quite catch that Agreeing I agree with Maria I also think that… I am in complete agreement with… I’m in favour of… I think Maria is right, but I’d like to add that… I would also like to add… Similarly, I believe that… That’s a good point I hadn’t thought about that I suppose you’re right I suppose you have a point there I think that Maria’ got a good point, but I believe we have to remember that… Yes, but we mustn’t forget that… Another equally common problem is… That sounds right to me Generally speaking there are both advantages and disadvantages to either way On the one hand… On the other hand… Undoubtedly it is true to say that… By and large, the most popular way of… is… Actually, I could only give some “poor” personal view on this since I haven’t got the slightest idea  Are you saying that…? I beg your pardon? I’m not sure I understand “…” I’m not clear about something Could I ask a question? concerning the… nor have I ever given it much thought I gather that… / I assume that… It is my conviction that… An illuminating example is the fact that… On the whole, I would say that… To be more specific… I strongly feel that… We should point out the fact that… At any rate, it can be undeniable that… Disagreeing I don’t agree with Maria because I think that… I disagree with Maria because I think that… We should take into account the fact that… Unlike Maria, I believe that… On the other hand… I see what you’re saying but I think… Perhaps But don’t you think that…? Another way of looking at it is… On the contrary… SPEAKING TOPICS  (Countries) No doubt … is considered to be one of the most attractive countries I haven’t had any personal experience concerning this country Nevertheless, I have seen films and documentaries revealing magnificent aspects of… A striking feature characterising its culture is… At any rate, it is common knowledge that their civilisation (architecture, poetry, philosophy, painting etc.) has contributed immensely to the world’s as far as the human spirit is concerned  (Sports) A fact that cannot be denied is that sports can be exciting, rewarding and spectacular, a really useful outlet in our daily routine “Health mind in a healthy body” as the saying goes They can be done at our leisure time and can prevent us from being “rusty”  (Cosmetics) People have not always been satisfied with their lot By and large, women have always paid particular attention to their looks and outfit, at least to a greater extent than males If you ask me, I would quote “Moderation in all things” No matter how expensive a product might be, nothing can prevent time from moving on and leaving its traces behind “Time and tide wait for no man”, in this case “woman” mostly 6  (Inventions) “Invention is perceiving need” was once said by Sinclair, the inventor of the pocket calculator Personally speaking, I reckon that human beings are inclined to invention Throughout human history, men have been busy all the time designing the future of everything! We should also bear in mind the fact that a successful invention could be someone’s passport to fame and fortune Whatever the motive may be, the truth is that due to the innumerable great inventions, our lives have indeed become a lot easier and much more comfortable Furthermore I gather that the vast majority of inventions and innovations have contributed a lot more than we can imagine to human history and evolution After all, the purpose of invention is the complete mastery of mind over the material world  (Journalism) Much as being a journalist is supposed to be an interesting and well-paid job, I strongly believe that things are not as they seem On the one hand, a reporter has to be an active, energetic and intelligent person in order to achieve distinction in his field, It is doubtful that it is not an easy job/career to go in for Being always on the alert, being on the lookout for “hot news” and many times risking his life and limp (as for instance at war zones) can definitely be unbearable for the average man Last but not least a journalist should always be well-informed and “up-dated” we dare say sacrificing a great deal of his private life, in this fashion On the other hand, I would suggest that there are some negative aspects considering the job of a journalist Unfortunately we have spotted some examples of corruption among journalists You need to be – first and foremost – unbiased in this profession, looking at both sides of a story Nevertheless, lots of so-called professionals prefer to follow the easy “route” to success that is bribery I hate being the devil’s advocate but it is – unluckily enough – rare to find reporters of great caliber and integrity Therefore we would be well-advised to be cautious when reading articles in newspapers or magazines so as to distinguish mere facts from purposely written fiction  (Current affairs-Censorship) Censorship is an issue, which frequently generates a great deal of heated debate Supporters suggest that it is vital in order to protect society Opponents claim that it is an unjustifiable restriction of public access to information To my mind all countries have secrets, which must be safeguarded for reasons of national security For instance, if an enemy country were to acquire such highly sensitive information, the effects would be catastrophic Secondly, I assume that censorship is necessary to prevent the publication of offensive or harmful to public morals material Consequently, the government has a duty to impose certain restrictions on newspapers by censoring texts, which contain explicit scenes of violence, sex or foul / vulgar language All things considered, the best course of action would be to attempt to achieve a balance between the requirements of the country and the public on the one hand, and individuals’ right on the other  (Environment) For the last fifteen years Greeks have been more environmentally ware then they used to be Government and citizens alike have been trying to combine their strength in an attempt to help save the environment Firstly, Greeks were finally accustomed to the idea of recycling goods We are all familiar with the “Greenhouse effect”, therefore we know the horrible consequences of the warming of the atmosphere on the surface of our planet Moreover, we avoid using products, which are not environment-friendly such as spray-cans We have been trying to follow a nationwide campaign as to avoid polluting the environment by keeping our beaches clean as well as our “world-famous” seas Furthermore, several steps were taken as far as pollution in Athens is concerned Consequently, a measure that was introduced some years ago is the ban on cars entering on odd or even number plates Sadly enough though, there is a major problem which hasn’t been solved yet, posing all of us serious threat concerning our future This problem is none other than deforestation  (Pollution) It is generally admitted that most cities are so polluted nowadays that it is almost impossible for people to live in them any longer Life has become unbearable because of the smog, the crowded streets with the heavy traffic, the food contamination, the ugly surrounding in general Vast amounts of rubbish “decorate” our everyday activities The damage to the ozone layer is getting worse Factories continue polluting the air we breathe by causing acid rain The list is endless Possible solutions to the above may be the use of unleaded petrol, recycling, using public  transport, special factory legislation, boycotting pollutants and last but not least responsible attitude (Nature) Nature can provide people with relaxation, a stress-free life, a quiet rhythm, fresh air and above all it can help people find their true selves as humans  (Success/Happiness) This question can be looked at from several points of view To start with, several illuminating examples from successful and distinguished people from all walks of life reveal that success is definitely only one of the factors leading to happiness Bliss is a hard thing to conquer Successful and talented though one may be, they rarely are entirely satisfied that they’re doing their best Success takes plenty of time and precious energy and as a consequence one feels that life is just / merely slipping away ‘It’s the loneliest part of the world up there!” An illuminating example is the Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis Despite his wealth and success he wasn’t happily married  (Twins) Identical twin brothers or sisters who are physically indistinguishable – like “two pens in a pod” as the saying goes – quite frequently, despite their apparent similarity prove to be completely different personalities On better acquaintance, they turn to be on the one hand telepathic at an astonishing degree, while on the other hand quite different in their way of thinking or reacting  (Smoking in public places) As far as smoking in general is concerned, it is - beyond the shadow of any doubt – extremely damaging to our health Smoking should be banned in public places, especially where lots of people happen to be Smokers shouldn’t impose their own weakness on unwilling non-smokers and innocent children However, on the grounds of personal and individual freedom of choice, there should be specific smoking and non-smoking areas in public places  (Dreams and Ambitions) On the one hand dreams are scenes and images, which appear in our sleep They actually symbolise something according to psychologists in the sense that they represent our hidden fears, hopes or worries There is a certain period after two and a half hours during our sleep, which is called REM REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement This is the period during which our dreams take place On the other hand ambitions are our own actual hopes and plans concerning our future career and personal life  (Freedom – Human rights) Over the years, mankind has recognised the need for personal and social freedom and this is perhaps one of the most important social advancements ever made Undoubtedly, people should have the freedom to raise their standard of living and increase personal happiness Freedom of speech, freedom of choice, vote etc are some of the basic human rights not ever to be fought against Nevertheless, certain limits should be set to the “borders” of so-called freedom An illuminating example to support what was previously mentioned is the well-known saying “The freedom of the individual is not to proceed any further that where somebody else’s is to commence”  (The Elderly) For many elderly people the latter part of their life is not a time to relax and enjoy retirement, but rather a difficult and unhappy period owing to financial worries, failing health and loneliness There are several measures to be taken to improve the lives of old people It might sound odd, but an excellent way to improve their lives could be to encourage them into exercising, taking up a sport – to their liking – given that they are not restricted to bed due to some kind of illness At any rate, athletics have always been the best way to help give vent to any negative feelings and depression “Age” does not necessarily determine whether one can play tennis – for instance – or stay at home and watch sterile films on TV I strongly believe that elderly people have still lots of energy to work upon and what’s more they can sometimes achieve better results than younger ages If the government and individuals alike were to help, it would make retirement and old age a time to look forward to rather than dread  (Beggars - Poverty) Judging from the photograph those people are living in poverty It’s amazing that two thirds of the world’s population live in extreme unimaginable poverty In Greece beggars are quite frequent a sight They have to depend on charity to get something to eat, having obviously to struggle to make ends meet Thought the sheer scale of the problem may be frightening, governments don’t actually take certain measures to deal with it and help in an effective ways to make a difference to these people’s lives  (War and Peace) The 20th century has already seen two world wars and many other between individual countries Undoubtedly, war has disastrous effects on either sides In addition to destroying generations of young people, war also makes civilization take a step backwards People suffer poverty, hardship and even starvation Psychologically, war develops feelings of hatred for the enemy, which can take many years to disappear The list is endless Countries struggle to create friendly relations but unfortunately even in this situation, peace is sometimes an absence of war, purposefully maintained in an atmosphere of threats and counter threats One thing is for certain This is not a world “angelically imaged” for our children to live in “All we are saying is give peace a chance!”  (The Arts) It is generally and widely admitted that Art can definitely enrich our experience and broaden our horizons and minds One can only benefit from any artistic activity whether it is sculpture, music, painting, acting, composing, poetry or literature Poetry is actually my favourite To be more specific I enjoy reading Greek poets like Yiannis Ritsos and Nikos Kavadias and poets of the international scene like Pablo Nerouda and Vladimir Mayakovski At any rate, taking this opportunity I dare say that humans would not be called so – in a wider sense – if it weren’t for poetry Underlined feelings, secret assumptions well hidden in verses, silent screams in words, the everlasting struggle for justice, life itself made their way through poetry Personally speaking, I could spend hours reading poetry, contemplating and filtering myself and the whole world, through a single verse  Over-consumption – Extravagance: It is true to say that we live in a period of time when everyone is pressed for money as unemployment rises and the value of earning evaporates in inflation Nevertheless, there has been observed a certain rise in overconsuming goods and products probably due to TV commercials and advertising campaigns, which immensely influence us into buying most of the times “useless” things Roughly speaking, I gather that a small number of giant enterprises have assumed control of the market, gradually turning us into “buying-machines” Leading companies have embarked on aggressive selling methods in order to increase their profits and eliminate their rivals At any rate, each individual as a free person who thinks and chooses, makes decisions and evaluates, should actually have the common sense to distinguish his/her real needs form what TV commercials or advertisements “promise” to offer  (Music) When it comes to music, most people would agree that it virtually represents the “core’ of human existence You may choose a particular kind to suit your mood; perhaps if you feel gloomy you might prefer classical music and jazz would be more appropriate if you wanted something lively and exciting Pop music, on the other hand, may have simple lyrics but it makes you want to “tap your foot” in time with the music and you feel like dancing Rock music is definitely the most favourable at least to adolescents or even adults round their thirties, owing to the fact that represents freedom and radical ideas Whichever sort of music you pick up to listen to, you can get carried away; it makes you forget yourself giving you the distinct impression that it’s transporting you Folk music in Greece can appeal to traditional rhymes in the Greek way of life, though people from other cultures may have difficulty appreciating this For the last ten years or so, there has been an easily distinguishable movement as far as modern Greek music is concerned An abundance of new-coming music groups for a brand new and really noteworthy “chapter” in Green music Thankfully enough, the average listener knows how to appreciate quality music and performers Consequently, all these “off springs” will probably make a difference to our mistreated, sensitive ears as well as to our “musically depressed” hearts  (Can it be justifiable for civilians to carry weapons?) Every year there must be many victims of crime all over the world who half-wish they lived in the Wild West and could take the law into their own hands The criminal justice system has been trying to neutralise the conflict between offenders and victims, so as to avoid the private revenge and lynch law Unfortunately, he criminal justice system quite often ignores the needs of the victims, leaving them unprotected and helpless This leads to the victims’ carrying weapons as a means of protection Nevertheless, “it takes more than a licence for a gun” as we read in a poem Under no circumstances should a gun be allowed in the hands of an ignorant thus dangerous person If civilians were to carry weapons freely, with no restrictions whatsoever, I strongly believe that the world would finally turn into a battle- field with a dead-end since ‘violence can only be rewarded with violence”  (Graffiti) We are probably all acquainted with this amusing – we could say – form of art To my mind, graffiti is virtually the form of arm mostly appealing to seventy per cent of young people It only takes vivid imagination and plenty of spray-cans so as to get the desirable result As a matter of fact, one definitely needs to be a master of colours, skilful and imaginative as well The fact that graffiti largely concerns caricatures in addition to the fact that it is highly humoristic, we could claim that the vast majority of people love it It undoubtedly represents freedom in expression and flexibility – allow me to say – in Art in general On the one hand there are those “pointless” little efforts of immortality, which lead people to paint and sketch on walls of schools or public buildings On the other hand, graffiti seems to me to be the best way to protest or criticize, making the walls alive with political commentary It seems to be justified as long as those messages could not otherwise reach the people and as long as the artists of these “comments” have no regular access to other media such as TV or newspapers I only wish though they would confine their aerosol activities to walls and stop defacing public announcements and statues