In Other Words…
What adjective describes someone who speaks two languages?
Bilingual.
Your friend texts “Add oil!” before your exam. Give a natural English equivalent.
Good luck! / You can do it! / Keep going!
SUBTLE — pronounce it.
SUT-uhl. The b is silent. Related to subtle differences in meaning.
The Eiffel Tower is in which city?
Paris.
Is English useful? Give one reason.
An opinion + one relevant reason.
Complete the term: a language at risk of disappearing is an ________ language.
Endangered.
Translate this complaint into natural English: “You released my pigeon! I waited outside the cinema for an hour.”
You stood me up! Accept “You didn’t turn up” if the meaning is clear.
INDIGENOUS — pronounce it.
in-DIJ-uh-nuhs. Stress the second syllable.
Which country has the cities Geneva, Zurich and Bern?
Switzerland.
Is it better to study alone or with friends? Explain your choice.
A choice + a reason + a specific example.
What adjective describes someone who speaks only one language?
Monolingual.
Before a performance, someone says “Break a leg!” Afterwards, they say “You killed it!” Explain both expressions.
Good luck! and You performed extremely well! Both required.
HIERARCHY — pronounce it.
HY-uh-raa-kee. Stress the first syllable; ch sounds like k.
Which country has the cities Sydney, Melbourne and Perth?
Australia.
Should students use translation apps in English class? Give one advantage and one disadvantage.
Two relevant points, joined with but / however / on the other hand.
Complete both sentences with different forms of the same word: “Language is part of our cultural ________.” “People often ________ with others who share their language.”
Identity; identify. Both required.
You suggest an impossible deadline. Your colleague says, “That might be a little difficult.” Give two possible interpretations and one question that would clarify their meaning.
A genuine difficulty or an indirect refusal. Clarification: “Is the deadline possible, or do we need to change it?” Context determines the interpretation.
PHENOMENON / PHENOMENA — pronounce both and identify which is singular.
fuh-NOM-uh-nuhn / fuh-NOM-uh-nuh. Phenomenon is singular; phenomena is plural.
Name the countries where you would find the Taj Mahal, the Colosseum and Mount Fuji.
India, Italy and Japan, respectively. All three required.
Your friend says: “Adults are too old to learn new languages.” Disagree politely and explain why.
Polite disagreement + a reason + an example.
What is paraphrasing? Explain it, then paraphrase: “Learning a foreign language can improve employment opportunities.”
Expressing the same meaning using different words. Example: “Studying another language can help people find work.” Both definition and accurate paraphrase required.
Someone translates 画蛇添足 as “draw a snake and add feet.” Explain its figurative meaning, give a real-life example, and offer a natural English equivalent.
Adding something unnecessary that spoils the result. Example: adding distracting animations to an already clear presentation. “Overdo it” / “spoil it with unnecessary additions.” “Gild the lily” is acceptable with an explanation.
PSYCHOLOGY → PSYCHOLOGIST → PSYCHOLOGICAL — pronounce all three, showing the change in main stress.
sy-KOL-uh-jee → sy-KOL-uh-jist → sy-kuh-LOJ-i-kuhl. Silent initial p; main stress shifts in the adjective.
Name all six official languages of the United Nations.
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. All six required.
Is living abroad the best way to learn a language? Give an argument for it, an argument against it, and your final opinion.
Both sides explained + a clear final judgement.