CPE Speaking and Oral Communication 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: How many parts does the CPE Speaking test have?
- 2
- 3
- 4 (Correct answer)
- 5
Correct answer: 4
The CPE Speaking test has 3 parts: an interview, a collaborative task, and a discussion — each testing different speaking skills.
Question 2: What is the format of CPE Speaking Part 1 (interview)?
- Candidates give a long prepared speech
- The examiner asks each candidate questions about themselves and personal topics (Correct answer)
- Candidates debate a controversial topic with each other
- Candidates describe a photograph in detail
Correct answer: The examiner asks each candidate questions about themselves and personal topics
CPE Speaking Part 1 is a brief interview where the examiner asks each candidate questions about their life, interests, and opinions.
Question 3: In CPE Speaking Part 2, what are candidates asked to do?
- Read aloud a written text provided by the examiner
- Discuss a topic with a visual prompt and answer a follow-up question (Correct answer)
- Translate a passage into their first language
- Listen to audio and answer comprehension questions
Correct answer: Discuss a topic with a visual prompt and answer a follow-up question
CPE Speaking Part 2 involves discussing a topic using a visual prompt (such as a diagram or written input) followed by a focused question.
Question 4: What conversational skill is primarily tested in CPE Speaking Part 3?
- Memorizing and reciting prepared answers
- Collaborating, negotiating, and reaching decisions with another candidate (Correct answer)
- Translating the examiner's questions
- Correcting the other candidate's grammar
Correct answer: Collaborating, negotiating, and reaching decisions with another candidate
CPE Speaking Part 3 is a collaborative task where candidates work together, exchange opinions, negotiate, and reach a shared decision.
Question 5: What does 'turn-taking' mean in the context of CPE Speaking Part 3?
- Taking turns to answer separate unrelated questions
- Managing the flow of conversation by inviting others to speak and knowing when to contribute (Correct answer)
- Taking turns to read aloud from a text
- Alternating between formal and informal language
Correct answer: Managing the flow of conversation by inviting others to speak and knowing when to contribute
Turn-taking involves using conversational conventions — such as inviting opinions, yielding the floor, and interrupting appropriately — to manage dialogue effectively.
Question 6: What is assessed under 'interactive communication' in CPE Speaking?
- Only grammatical accuracy of long monologues
- The ability to initiate, maintain, and develop interaction with the other candidate (Correct answer)
- The ability to speak without any pauses
- The ability to speak in a British accent
Correct answer: The ability to initiate, maintain, and develop interaction with the other candidate
Interactive communication assesses how effectively candidates initiate, respond to, and develop conversation, including asking and answering questions naturally.
CPE Speaking and Oral Communication 1
How many parts does the CPE Speaking test have?