bac2006 oral lb. engleza

10
MINISTERUL EDUCAŢIEI ŞI CERCETĂRII SERVICIUL NAŢIONAL DE EVALUARE ŞI EXAMINARE BACALAUREAT 2006 LIMBA ENGLEZĂ PROBA ORALĂ

Upload: gocan12-1

Post on 25-Dec-2015

7 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

bac oral subiecte

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

MINISTERUL EDUCAŢIEI ŞI CERCETĂRII

SERVICIUL NAŢIONAL DE EVALUARE ŞI EXAMINARE

BACALAUREAT 2006

LIMBA ENGLEZĂ

PROBA ORALĂ

Page 2: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

INSTRUCŢIUNI

Bilingv, 3-4 ore, 1-2 ore şi Minorităţi /L3

OBIECTIVE DE EVALUARE Pentru a evalua competenţele de comunicare orală, candidaţii vor fi solicitaţi: ♦ să facă dovada că înţeleg un text necunoscut atât în detaliu (pentru o anumită informaţie / un anumit amănunt),

cât şi în ansamblu (conţinut, temă, mesaj), prin rezolvarea unor sarcini de lucru, conform cerinţelor date; ♦ să exprime un punct de vedere şi să emită judecăţi de valoare în legătură cu ideile din textul respectiv, să

facă trimiteri, asociaţii sau comparaţii cu alte texte cunoscute sau cu aspecte din viaţa de fiecare zi; ♦ să realizeze un monolog / o expunere orală (de tip narativ, descriptiv, argumentativ) pe baza unei teme date;

discursul trebuie să fie echilibrat, logic şi coerent, interesant şi convingător prin relevanţa argumentelor şi a exemplelor folosite;

♦ să facă dovada capacităţii de a comunica eficient prin utilizarea în mod adecvat (stilistic şi funcţional) a elementelor de construcţie a comunicării şi a funcţiilor specifice limbii engleze.

STRUCTURA PROBEI ORALE Proba orală va avea următoarea structură, în funcţie de numărul de ore de studiu săptămânal:

1-2 ore şi Minorităţi / L3

Subject 1 – Reading Comprehension and Text-based Tasks – va consta dintr-un text necunoscut, nestudiat anterior, pe care candidatul îl va citi în timpul acordat pentru pregătirea subiectelor, urmând să rezolve sarcinile de lucru menţionate în cerinţă, cum ar fi: formularea de răspunsuri la întrebări, formularea de întrebări, ordonarea logică / cronologică a unui text, comentarea unei fraze din text, evidenţierea temei / a ideii centrale şi a ideilor principale ale textului, exprimarea unor opinii personale şi justificarea răspunsurilor alese. Subject 2 – Speaking / Oral Discourse – va consta din realizarea unui discurs oral (narativ, descriptiv – minorităţi; narativ, descriptiv, argumentativ – 1-2 ore) pe o temă dată, conform domeniilor tematice din Programa şcolară în vigoare şi din Programa de bacalaureat 2006.

3-4 ore şi Bilingv

Subject 1 – Reading Comprehension and Text-based Tasks – va consta dintr-un text necunoscut, nestudiat anterior, pe care candidatul îl va citi în timpul acordat pentru pregătirea subiectelor, urmând să rezolve sarcinile de lucru menţionate în cerinţă, cum ar fi: rezumarea textului, identificarea punctului de vedere şi a atitudinii autorului, exprimarea opiniei personale, realizarea unor comparaţii între textul respectiv şi alte texte / experienţa personală / experienţa altor persoane. Subject 2 – Speaking / Oral Discourse – va consta din realizarea unui discurs oral – narativ, descriptiv, argumentativ – pe o temă dată, conform domeniilor tematice din Programa şcolară în vigoare şi din Programa de bacalaureat 2006 pentru limba engleză şi va evalua capacitatea de a exprima idei, un punct de vedere personal, susţinut de argumente şi exemple relevante. Ambele subiecte sunt obligatorii. Se acordă zece puncte din oficiu. Dificultatea subiectelor va fi în raport cu numărul de ore de studiu săptămânal. Subiectele şi baremele vor fi predate comisiilor de examen în plicuri sigilate în preziua examenului oral.

TEXTE şi TEME Textele şi temele pentru comunicarea orală vor fi alese din următoarele domenii: personal: - identity, ideals, feelings;

- home, family, friends, acquaintances, relationships; - clothing, personal health, diet; - books, pets, plants, hobbies; - meals, food and drinks, eating habits; - family occasions, holidays and trips; - entertainment and leisure activities: TV and radio programmes, reading, music; - incidents, accidents, happenings, events; - everyday life and living routine etc.

public: - railways, airports, means of transport, travels (by air/land/sea); - shops, supermarkets, shopping; - sports, games, sporting events, sportsmen; - theatre, cinema, museums, exhibitions;

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

2

Page 3: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

- hotels, pubs, restaurants, services: - the media: television, radio, newspapers and magazines; - advertising; the environment; - customs and traditions; social and political events etc.

educational: - school / college life, classes, subjects, teachers, mates, learning strategies, careers; - visits, trips; exchanges, matches, competitions; - libraries, computers, books versus computers; - festivals, shows, cultural events; - books: stories, short-stories, novels, plays etc.

general: - human achievements in science and technology; - human rights, democratic values, responsibilities, (in)justice;

- (in)tolerance, extremism, terrorism; - wars, conflicts, dangers; peace struggle; - positive thinking, prejudices, stereotypes; - elements of British and American culture and civilisation etc.

TIMPUL la dispoziţia candidatului: - pentru elaborarea răspunsurilor: 10 – 15 minute

- pentru prezentare: 10 – 15 min. COMISIA / EXAMINATORII În sarcina comisiei de examen va fi asamblarea biletelor pentru proba orală. Acestea vor consta dintr-un subiect de tip I (text la prima vedere) şi un subiect de tip II (tema pentru monolog). Se recomandă comisiei de examen: • să facă copii xerox după subiectele primite pentru proba orală înainte de a le decupa în vederea

asamblării lor în bilete de examen şi să păstreze originalul pentru a preîntâmpina orice confuzie între subiectele de acelaşi tip (ex. Subiectul I) ale diferitelor categorii (ex. 1-2 ore, 3-4 ore, etc.);

• să facă un set de bilete pentru candidaţi şi câte un set pentru fiecare profesor examinator. Fiecare profesor examinator trebuie: • să urmărească expunerea fiecărui candidat venind cu întrebări ajutătoare, numai dacă este cazul; • să evite întrebările “capcană”; • să facă o evaluare pozitivă prin cuantificarea elementelor corecte din răspunsurile fiecărui candidat; • să aplice baremul de evaluare a răspunsurilor orale, respectând precizările din Metodologia de

organizare şi desfăşurare a examenului de bacalaureat 2006, Art.39. • să consemneze punctajul de evaluare în borderourile individuale, iar nota finală în fişa individuală a

candidatului. BAREMUL DE EVALUARE are un punctaj pe scara de la 10 la 100. Nota finală, pe scara de la 1 la 10, conform sistemului de notare românesc, se obţine prin împărţirea la 10 a punctajului obţinut de către candidat. De exemplu: 83 puncte: 10 = 8,30. Această notă se rotunjeşte la cel mai apropiat întreg, adică 8, iar dacă nota astfel obţinută este 6,50, candidatul primeşte nota 7 – rotunjirea se face în favoarea elevului. Fiecare profesor examinator evaluează răspunsul candidatului cu note întregi de la 1 la 10, după care se stabileşte nota finală, făcându-se media aritmetică a celor două note. Nota finală astfel obţinută se trece în catalog şi în fişa individuală a candidatului. MODELE DE BILETE DE EXAMEN MODEL de bilet de examen pentru Minorităţi / L3: SUBJECT 1 – 45 points Read the following text: “In today’s fast-moving world, people have less and less time to spend eating and cooking. This is probably why junk food has become so popular. But junk food is not the best thing for your health because it is high in saturated fat which has been associated with a greater risk of cancer. The best advice then for those who cannot live without their hamburgers or chocolate bars is to limit the amount of junk food they eat. Another alarming thing about people’s lifestyles today is that, while the amount of junk food has increased, the amount of exercise we do has actually decreased. Even though nowadays people are more aware of the importance of exercise or of a healthy diet than they were a few years ago, the new unhealthy way of life is surprisingly popular.”

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

3

Page 4: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

Answer the questions: 1. Why has junk food become so popular? 2. Why is it important to limit the amount of junk food we eat? 3. Why do most people ignore exercise if they know it is important for their health? SUBJECT 2 – 45 points Talk about a nice day you once spent with your family. Say where you went, what you did there, and what made it special. MODEL de bilet de examen pentru 1 – 2 ore săptămânal: SUBJECT 1 – 45 points Read the text below and do the following tasks:

a. Build the questions to which the underlined words in the text are the answers. b. State the central idea of the fragment. c. Explain why, in your opinion, these people would not move to a big city.

“In a small village in North Yorkshire, there’s a big old farmhouse (1) where three families live together:

Alice and George and their three children, Joe and Pam and their two children, and Sue and her baby daughter. The adults divide up the work between them. George does the cooking, Joe and Sue do most of the

housework, Pam (2) looks after the shopping and does the repairs, and Alice takes care of the garden (3). Alice, George and Sue go out to work; Joe works at home designing computer systems, and Pam, who is a painter, looks after the baby during the day. Two of the children go to school in the village, but the three oldest ones go by bus to the secondary school in the nearest town, ten miles away.

The three families get on well (4), and enjoy their way of life. There are a few difficulties, of course. The biggest worry at the moment is money – one of the cars needs replacing (5), and the roof needs some expensive repairs. But this isn’t too serious – the bank has agreed to a loan, which they expect to be able to pay back in three years. And they all say they would much rather go on living in their old farmhouse than move to a luxury flat in a big city.” SUBJECT 2 – 45 points Speak about a film you particularly liked and give three reasons for your choice. MODEL de bilet de examen pentru 3 – 4 ore săptămânal: SUBJECT 1 – 45 points Read the text below, identify its theme, summarize it, and dwell on the ideas it contains. Support your opinions with relevant arguments and examples. Make associations by referring either to a text you have read, to your own life experience, or other people’s experience. “He woke up on a fine fall day – football weather. The depression of yesterday was gone and he liked the people on the streets. At noon he sat opposite Honoria at Le Grand Vatel, the only restaurant he could think of not reminiscent of champagne dinners and long luncheons that began at two and ended in a blurred and vague twilight. Honoria looked at her father expectantly. ‘What are we going to do?‘ ‘First, we’re going to that toy store in the Rue Saint-Honoré and buy you anything you like. And then we’re going to the vaudeville at the Empire.’ She hesitated. ‘I like it about the vaudeville, but not the toy store.’ ‘Why not?’ ‘Well, you brought me this doll. And I’ve got lots of things. And we’re not rich any more, are we?’ ‘We never were. But today you are to have anything you want.’ ‘All right,’ she agreed resignedly. When there had been her mother and a French nurse he had been inclined to be strict; now he extended himself, reached out for a new tolerance; he must be both parents to her and not shut any of her out of communication.”

(Adapted after F. Scott Fitzgerald, Babylon Revisited) Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

4

Page 5: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

SUBJECT 2 – 45 points Talk about your personal experience with the city transport in your area. Bring relevant arguments and examples to support your ideas. MODEL de bilet de examen pentru Bilingv: SUBJECT 1 – 45 points Read the text below, identify its theme, summarize it, and dwell on the ideas it contains. Support your opinions with relevant arguments and examples. Make associations by referring either to a text you have read, to your own life experience, or other people’s experience.

“Simon and Nicky, aged 34 and 30, have been married for four years and have a two-year old son, Tom. ‘Without Nicky’s salary, we would never have been able to afford our lovely house,’ says Simon. ‘She earns almost twice as much as me but has never made an issue of that and we share everything we have 50:50 so I have never felt undermined. We also have a pretty good system of teamwork for childcare. Nicky has never given the impression that her work is more important than mine just because she is paid more’, he adds.

But not all men have such positive experiences. John, a chef, works longer hours than his girlfriend Hannah but earns a fraction of her salary. ‘I can’t deny it is galling that after regularly spending a 17-hour day in a baking hot kitchen, I crawl into bed in the early hours knowing that Hannah has worked a shorter day in an air-conditioned office and made more money than I will over the whole week. I know she tries to be sensitive and she works hard too but she likes to spend money on expensive holidays which I cannot contribute as much to and I think she sometimes forgets that I might feel embarrassed. I have to face facts that some professions such as mine and nursing or teaching, will always pay less. But’, adds John, ‘I know she is incredibly proud of me and always asks about my work.’ ” SUBJECT 2 – 45 points When speaking about cultural stereotypes, reserve, restraint, and distance refer to important characteristics attributed to the British. Which, in your opinion, would be three stereotypical features attributed to the Romanians? Explain and give examples.

MARKING SCHEME

(FOR ALL SECTIONS) SUBJECT 1 – READING COMPREHENSION AND TEXT- BASED TASKS 45 POINTS 1. TASK ACHIEVEMENT …………………………………………………………..…………20 points • relevance of ideas to topic …………..…………………………………………. 10 p

- 10 – 7 points: total – partial relevance to topic - 6 – 4 points: some – little relevance to topic - 3 – 0 points: very little – no relevance to topic

• coverage of task points …………….………………………….……………….. 10 p - 10 – 7 points: coverage of all task points – partial coverage of the task points - 6 – 4 points: coverage of some task points – coverage of a few task points - 3 – 0 points: coverage of few task points – coverage of no task points

2. LANGUAGE ACCURACY ……………………………………………………………….…10 points • correct grammar structures ………………….……………………………….... 5 p

- 5 points: no / very few grammar errors - 3 points: many grammar errors - 0 points: grammar errors hinder communication

• range of grammar structures …………………………………………………… 5 p - 5 points: wide range of grammar structures - 3 points: limited range of grammar structures - 0 points: very limited range of grammar structures

3. ORGANISATION ……………………………………………………………………………..5 points - 5 points: very clear organisation, many linking devices - 3 points: unclear organisation, few linking devices - 0 points: total lack of organisation, total lack of linking devices

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

5

Page 6: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

4. REGISTER AND VOCABULARY …………………………………………………………...5 points - 5 points: appropriate register, very varied and appropriate vocabulary - 3 points: mostly appropriate register, somewhat varied and appropriate vocabulary - 0 points: mostly inappropriate register, basic or inappropriate vocabulary

5. DELIVERY: pronunciation, fluency, stress and intonation ………………………….5 points - 5 points: fluent presentation, good pronunciation, stress and intonation - 3 points: somewhat fluent presentation, some pronunciation and intonation errors - 0 points: no fluency; pronunciation and intonation errors hinder communication

SUBJECT 2 – SPEAKING / ORAL DISCOURSE 45 points (narrate, describe, argue, etc.) 1. TASK ACHIEVEMENT …………………………………………………………..…………20 points • relevance of ideas to topic …………..…………………………………………. 10 p

- 10 – 7 points: total – partial relevance to topic - 6 – 4 points: some – little relevance to topic - 3 – 0 points: very little – no relevance to topic

• coverage of task points …………….………………………….……………….. 10 p - 10 – 7 points: coverage of all task points – partial coverage of the task points - 6 – 4 points: coverage of some task points – coverage of a few task points - 3 – 0 points: coverage of few task points – coverage of no task points

2. LANGUAGE ACCURACY ………………………………………………………………..... 10 points • correct grammar structures …………………………………………………….. 5 p

- 5 points: no / very few grammar errors - 3 points: many grammar errors - 0 points: grammar errors hinder communication

• range of grammar structures …………………………………………………… 5 p - 5 points: wide range of grammar structures - 3 points: limited range of grammar structures - 0 points: very limited range of grammar structures

3. ORGANISATION …………………………………………………………………………….. 5 points - 5 points: very clear organisation, many linking devices - 3 points: unclear organisation, few linking devices - 0 points: total lack of organisation, total lack of linking devices

4. REGISTER AND VOCABULARY …………………………………………………………..5 points

- 5 points: appropriate register, very varied and appropriate vocabulary - 3 points: mostly appropriate register, somewhat varied and appropriate vocabulary - 0 points: mostly inappropriate register, basic or inappropriate vocabulary

5. DELIVERY: pronunciation, fluency, stress and intonation ……………………..……5 points - 5 points: fluent presentation, good pronunciation, stress and intonation - 3 points: somewhat fluent presentation, some pronunciation and intonation errors - 0 points: no fluency, pronunciation and intonation errors hinder communication

10 points granted + 90 points = 100 points

Îndrumări pentru Subiectul I Guidelines for Subject 1 – Reading Comprehension and Text-based Tasks • In order to understand what you read, you need to know that a writer puts sentences about the same idea together in one paragraph. The author uses details to explain the idea or gives examples to make the idea clearer. Events that happen in a story or an article take place in a sequence. You will find it easier to understand material that you read if you remember the correct sequence of events. • The topic of a paragraph is the one thing that all or most of the sentences in the paragraph tell about. • The main idea of a paragraph is a sentence that sums up what the other sentences in the paragraph are telling about the topic. • Sometimes the main idea is given in the paragraph. Look for a sentence that best sums up what all the sentences say about the topic. This sentence can be anywhere in the paragraph.

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

6

Page 7: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

• If the main idea is not directly stated in the paragraph, make up one of your own. Decide what the topic is. Think about what each of the sentences tells about the topic. Then make up a sentence that sums up what all the sentences are telling about the topic. • Supporting details help to figure out the main idea. • A summary is a short retelling of a longer material. Making a summary, or summarizing, can help you understand and remember what you read. It also helps you give other people information clearly. Îndrumări pentru Subiectul II Guidelines for Subject 2 – Speaking / Oral Discourse Planning your discourse / essay / monologue: Step 1: list the specific topics mentioned in the instructions/ rubric. Step 2: write down any ideas, words, phrases, etc. that you can think of which are related to the specific topics of your essay. Step 3: choose which of these you will use, group them into main topics, cross out any irrelevant ones, and put them into a logical order. Step 4: check that your ideas are relevant to the topic(s) in the rubric. Step 5: use correct grammar, appropriate vocabulary; your monologue will be evaluated for the correct use of grammar, correct expression of syntactical relationships, and use of appropriate rhetorical forms of English; your monologue will also be evaluated for the use of appropriate vocabulary. Step 6: a good essay follows a basic organisation that allows listeners to easily follow its development: Paragraph One Introduction / Restatement of the issue/ thesis statement/ claim / topic Paragraph Two Main Point 1

Supporting statements Paragraph Three Main Point 2 Supporting statements Paragraph Four Main Point 3 Supporting statements Paragraph Five Conclusion / Your position statement Supporting statemens Concluding statement

• each main point is contained in a separate paragraph; • each paragraph contains a topic sentence which states the main point; • each paragraph contains supporting statements which add details and facts about the main point; • an essay contains a conclusion which may state your position on the issue/ draw a logical conclusion from the discussion. The essay should end with a concluding statement. Step 7: use vocabulary signals / linking devices / discourse markers to show organisation and to ensure that your essay is coherent and cohesive. The main points of your essay should be logically connected to show the organisation of the essay. A good essay contains certain words and phrases that: (1) introduce and / or connect the main points of the essay and (2) signal supporting and concluding statements. Listeners rely on these signals that make the essay easy to understand. Use words and phrases that clearly express your purpose and your organisation. Some examples of discourse markers are:

There are (three) main reasons for ……… In addition, also, Another point is, A second point is ……… On the other hand, In contrast ……… Therefore, In conclusion, Thus, As a result ……… Personally I think that, My opinion is ………

Careful use of these words and phrases will result in a better essay and a higher score. Step 8: Composition techniques – to make the composition more interesting address the listener(s) directly, use direct speech/ a quotation/ a proverb/ a saying/ a variety of adjectives, adverbs and verbs. Tipuri de eseuri Types of Essays

First-person Narratives

First-person narratives are spoken in the first-person (I / we) about a series of events, real or imaginary, which happened to us. A first-person narrative should consist of: • an introduction in which you set the scene (who was involved, time, place, etc) in an interesting way to

make the listener(s) want to continue listening;

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

7

Page 8: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

• a main body, consisting of two or more paragraphs, where you develop your story, presenting the events in the order they happened;

• a conclusion which includes what happened at the end of the story, as well as people’s feelings, final comments or reactions. A surprising ending makes a long-lasting impression on the listener(s). You should normally use past tenses in such compositions, as well as a variety of adjectives or adverbs

to make your story more attractive. Descriptive Essays Describing People

A descriptive essay about a person should consist of: • an introduction in which you give general information about the person, saying when, where and how you first

met them; • a main body in which you describe their physical appearance, personal qualities and hobbies / interests. You

start a new paragraph for each topic; • a conclusion in which you write your comments and / or feelings about the person.

When describing someone you know well or see often (i.e. a friend, a neighbour, etc), you should use present tenses. When describing someone who is no longer alive, or someone you knew a long time ago and you do not see any more, you should use past tenses.

When you describe someone’s physical appearance, you start with the general features (i.e. height, built, age) and move on to the more specific ones, such as hair, eyes, nose, etc. You can also add a description of the clothes the person likes to wear.

When you describe someone’s personal qualities, you should support your description with examples and/or justifications.

You can also describe someone’s personality through their mannerisms by referring to the way they speak, describing the gestures they use, mentioning a particular habit they have.

When you mention someone’s negative qualities you should use mild language (seems to, can be rather, etc). Describing Places

A descriptive essay about a place should consist of: • an introduction in which you give the name and location of the place and/or the reason for choosing it; • a main body in which you describe the main aspects of the place in detail – for example, what you can see and

do there; • a conclusion which includes your comments/feelings and/or a recommendation.

To describe the location of a place, you can use the following phrases: - is situated/is located… - in the south/east/west/south-east/ north-west/etc of… - in the centre/heart/middle of… To give the reader a more vivid picture of the place you are describing, you can refer to the senses (i.e. sight,

smell, hearing, taste and touch).

Describing Buildings

When you write about a building, the main body of the essay should include: - a paragraph on historical facts about the building (when/why it was built, etc) using past tenses; - a separate paragraph on the exterior (what it is made of, appearance, ground/gardens, etc) using present tenses; - a paragraph on the interior (rooms, furniture, picture, etc) using present tenses;

To give factual and/or historical information about the exterior and interior of a building you can also use passive or prepositional phrases. Describing Objects

When you describe an object, you should give an accurate picture of it. Your description should include

information about size, weight (e.g. big, heavy, long, etc), shape (e.g. rectangular, circular, oval, etc), pattern or decoration (e.g. plain, checked, etc), colour (e.g. white, multicoloured, etc), origin (e.g. Romanian, Japanese, etc), material (e.g. leather, plastic, etc), purpose (garden chair), as well as any information concerning special features.

To describe objects you should use a variety of adjectives. Always list opinion adjectives (e.g. delightful, pleasant, unpleasant, awful, beautiful, inexpensive, unusual, etc) first, followed by fact adjectives. These are normally listed in the following order: size/weight, shape, age, pattern, colour, origin, material, purpose. Avoid using all of them one after the other, as this will make your description sound unnatural.

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

8

Page 9: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

Describing Situations / Events / Festivals / Celebrations

A descriptive composition about a festival, an event or a celebration should consist of: • an introduction in which you give the name, time, place and reason(s) for celebrating; • a main body in which you describe the preparations and the actual event in separate paragraphs, using

present tenses to describe annual festivals, or past tenses to describe a festival you attended some time in the past;

• a conclusion which includes people’s feelings, comments or final thoughts about the event. You can use a variety of adjectives and adverbs to make your description more vivid.

Argumentative Essays

Argumentative essays test the candidates’ ability to prove the verity, validity, and efficacy of a point of view, a

belief, an interpretation, a principle. They express different viewpoints on the topic, each supported by reasons; the opposing viewpoint with reasons / example is also presented in a separate paragraph. Types of argumentative essays: 1. Essays outlining advantages and disadvantages of the question under discussion 2. Essays expressing opinions / providing solutions to problems 3. Essays expressing arguments for and against a topic 1. Essays Outlining Advantages and Disadvantages of the Question under Discussion

These essays consider the advantages and disadvantages of a specific topic; both sides are discussed in a fair way with justifications and reasons in separate paragraphs. A balanced consideration of the topic is given in a separate paragraph. Introduction - state the topic Body - advantages sustained by arguments and examples - disadvantages sustained by arguments and examples Conclusion - balanced consideration 2. Essays Expressing Opinions The opinion essay requires the candidate’s opinion on the topic under discussion. Introduction The introductory paragraph states the topic of discussion and it also introduces the listener(s) to the candidate’s opinion / the problem under discussion. Body The main body consists of several paragraphs, in which the candidate presents his/her viewpoints supported by reasons, and examples. There should be a paragraph that presents the opposing point of view supported by arguments that demonstrate that that is an unconvincing standpoint. - personal point 1 - personal point 2 - opposing point Conclusion The conclusion restates the candidate’s opinion using different words / gives the best option / solution and reason(s). 3. Essays Expressing Arguments For and Against a Topic / “For and Against” Essays Introduction The introductory paragraph clearly states the topic of discussion; it introduces the two main sides with the respective views without giving your opinion. Body The candidates present the points for and the points against, in separate paragraphs, supporting their arguments with justifications/ examples; both sides should be presented without the candidate’s commitment. Conclusion The closing paragraph gives a balanced consideration of the topic; it may also include the candidate’s opinion that can be given directly (e.g. In my opinion / view, I believe / think, etc) or indirectly.

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

9

Page 10: Bac2006 Oral Lb. Engleza

Recommendations These types of essays should normally use a formal style; therefore candidates should avoid using strong

language (I know, I am sure, etc), short sentences, colloquial expressions or idioms. A “for and against” essay should be in the 3rd person, except for the paragraph stating the personal view. The opinion essay gains credibility if the arguments rely on personal knowledge and experience. Consequently,

the 1st person should be more frequently used, except for the paragraph that states the opposing view. Useful Tips • Have a clear structure or sequence of points. • Speak from notes. Don’t read aloud. • Have a clear voice. • Vary the melody in your voice. More Discourse Markers / Linking Words and Phrases To state personal opinion: In my opinion, / In my view, / To my mind, / (Personally) I believe that / I feel (very) strongly that / It seems to me that / I think that. To list advantages and disadvantages: One advantage of / Another advantage of / One other advantage of / The main advantage of / The greatest advantage of / The first advantage of. One disadvantage of / Another disadvantage of / One other disadvantage of / The main disadvantage of / The greatest disadvantage of / The first disadvantage. To list points: First(ly), / First of all, / In the first place, / To start with, / To begin with, / Secondly, / Thirdly, / Finally. To add more points on the same topic What is more, / Furthermore, / Moreover, / Apart from this/that, / In addition (to this), / Beside (this), also, too. Not only..., but also. To show cause: because / due to the fact that / since / as To emphasize that something is definite: beyond doubt / question, there can be no question that, undoubtedly / unquestionably To say that something is likely or possible but not definite: Probably, presumably, perhaps, maybe, possibly, it seems clear that, etc. To say that something is true in most cases: As a rule, by and large, generally speaking, in general, in most cases, on the whole To show effect / result / consequences: Therefore, / So / Consequently, / As a consequence, / As a result, / For this reason. To show purpose: so that, so as to / in order to To give examples: For instance, / For example, / such as To show contrast: Yet / However, / Nevertheless, / but / Nonetheless, / Although / Even though / In spite of the fact that / Despite the fact that. To show time: When / Whenever / Before / As soon as / While. To introduce a conclusion: Finally, / Lastly, / All in all, / Taking everything into account, / On the whole, / All things considered, / In conclusion, / To sum up, / To conclude.

Bacalaureat 2006, Limba engleză, Instrucţiuni oral © SNEE

10