POINTERS FOR PICTURE DISCUSSION

ORAL EXAMINATION SKILLS

Pointers for Picture Discussion

Description and Interpretation

Provide a very brief overview of the picture. Reference the picture correctly:

Top left corner
Top central corner
Top right corner
Bottom left corner
Bottom central area
Bottom right corner

Be organized and systematic.

Make detailed observation of a specific aspect of the picture.
Then, offer the relevant interpretation or explanation.

Use a wide and suitable range of vocabulary.

Age: infant, toddler, pre-school boy/ girl., young boy/ girl, teenage boy/ girl, young man/ woman, yuppie-looking man/ lady, middle-aged man/ woman, elderly man/ woman.

Facial expressions

Sad: insipid, somber, glum, sullen, downcast
Lifeliness: animated, beaming,

Happy smiles: bel air, graceful, gleeful, smiling like a Cheshire cat
Shy smiles: coy, demure, pinched
Laughter: hearty, bubbly, hilarious, convulsing with glee.

Briefly describe the clothes and hairstyle of the characters.

Interpretation of People
What do the facial expression and body language of a character tell you about:
How he is feeling or thinking?
What he intends to do?

His relationship to the others in the picture?

Interpretation of Place and Objects.
What kind of place is this? Why are the people there?

QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU WITH GCE O LEVEL ENGLISH LANGUAGE: CONVERSATION

Questions to help you with GCE O Level English Language
Paper 3 ( Conversation)

Sports
Talk about some of your favourite sporting activities.
“It’s not the winning but the taking part that counts.” “ What are your views on this statement?
Talk about your sporting heroes. Do you like them because they’re successful or for other reasons as well?
Why do you think that sports are encouraged so much by schools, and by most parents?


Ambitions and Aspirations
· Talk about some of the hopes and ambitions you have when you are an adult (or when you leave school).
· How important is it to you to have plenty of money when you are an adult? Why?
· Some countries expect all school students to spend time in work experience during their last year in school. What are your views on this?


Personal Interests
Talk about some of your hobbies and interests.
“ You are only as old as you feel.” What are your views on this statement?



Animal Rights and Conservation
How do you feel about sports that involve hunting ad killing animals?
Some people say that animals do not feel pain in the way humans do. What is your opinion?
We often hear reports about rare and beautiful animals becoming extinct – the panda for instance. How important do you think it is to try and save these animals?
How could these animals be saved? Whose job is it?
Some people think that it is more important to look after people than worry about animals. What are your opinions about this?


Celebrations, Festivals and Family Life
Talk about a special celebration you have been to.
Talk about an exciting and happy event that took place in your family recently.
How do you and your family members celebrate birthdays?
How important do you think is the giving and receiving of presents on birthdays and other special occasions? How do you go about selecting presents for friends and family members?
What do you think are the biggest differences in outlook between your parents’ and your generations?
What are the most important things you’ve learnt from your parents?
How important is it for families to do things together? what are some things you have done with your family?
When you go out at weekends with your family, where do you go and what do you do?
Who in your family makes plans and takes the lead when you do something as a family?


Homework and Learning
Talk about the homework you have to do. How much do you get each day and when do you do it?
How important do you think that homework is a part of your studies?
Some people say that students are given too much work to do in their own time. How do you feel about this?


The Environment
Do you prefer visiting the town or the beach? Give your reasons.
Talk about your favourite place in the town or the country.
Do you think there is too much building going on which is destroying the open space?
What are the people in Singapore doing to conserve the environment? In what ways can you personally help?


Transport and traveling
How important is it to own a car in Singapore? Describe the advantages and disadvantages.
Some people think there is too much traffic on the roads. What is your opinion?
Most cities have transport or traffic problems. What are some of the problems we have in Singapore?
How might these problems be solved? How could people be encouraged not to use their car for short journeys?
Talk about some of the places in Singapore that are particularly enjoyable to visit at weekends.
Talk about a time when you encountered unusual weather conditions.
Talk about an interesting journey you have had.


Work and Fulfillment
Talk about some of the things that fascinated you when you were younger.
“I love work. I can watch people doing it for hours.” What are your views about this statement?
What tasks do you like doing most and what do you dislike most?



Food
Talk about some of your favourite food or meals. And those you dislike.
How important do you think it is that everyone 9 boys and girls) should be able to cook?
Do you prefer to eat at home or in restaurants? Why?
How can people be encouraged to eat healthy food?
What do you consider to be a balanced diet?


Childhood and Old Age
Talk about some of the very young children or babies that you come into contact with.
What are some of the difficulties faced by parents and others when they are caring for the very young?
Some people say that early childhood is the happiest times of your life. How do you feel about this?
Talk about one incident in your childhood which stands out your memory.
What do you think are some problems that old people face? What do you think can be done to help them in these areas?


Community Involvement
Talk about one or two fund-raising events that you were involved in.
What can be done to encourage more people to involve themselves in volunteer work?



General Issues
· Talk about a time when something you planned went wrong.
· Are you someone who gets excited easily or do you tend to try to keep calm on all occasions? Do you admire calm people, or do you like to see people expressing their feelings openly?Talk about an exciting experience you have had

SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR PICTURE DESCRIPTION

SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR PICTURE DESCRIPTION

SAMPLE

Refer to Picture A: AT A STADIUM

This picture was probably taken at a stadium where there are numerous people present and orderly seated in rows. The people in this picture both in the background and foreground are probably there to attend an organized event such as the National Day parade or perhaps a soccer match.

The focus of this picture is the four young men at the centre of this picture, who are posing for the camera. All of them are looking directly at the camera. They seem very happy at having their picture taken as they are looking at the camera as they have smiles on their faces. The boy second from the left seem to be stretching his neck to make sure his face can be clearly captured. This shows enthusiasm at having his picture taken.

I think that these four young men are probably friends who have decided to attend this event together. In my opinion these four young men are doing what most youths like to do, presumably watch soccer match. Looking at the people in general, I think that the crowd in the picture is largely made up of youngsters. I think this is common as usually youths are more interested in this kind of event and very often interest in sports / matches or an organized out door event declines as people age.

In the centre of the picture, I can see that the young man wearing a beaded necklace, has his face painted. Half in dak colour and half in light colour. His hair also seemed to have been sprayed with some hair colour. I’m guessing that the colours represent the colours of his country or the team he is supporting.

The young men on his right and left and a few other people in the background also have their face painted. I think that this is one way these individuals are trying to show their support to their favourite team or showing a sense of patriotism to their country. Looking at the same two colours ( the light and dark shades) they have painted on, I think that this group of young men, assuming they are there to watch a match, is possibly supporting the same team.

I think that it is good that they are attending this event rather than getting into unwanted social ills. I think this sort of event helps the young men to forge closer bonds with each other and also get to know other individuals who share the same interests as them.




















Set 1

Picture of a clown entertaining children and the challenges he faces
Theme: Humour

The reading passage is about the reflection of a clown whose job is to entertain children and the challenges he faces.

This picture shows a clown in a nursery class, trying to entertain a group of pre-schoolers. It must have been quite an amusing sight for the children as they appear to be engrossed by what the clown is doing. It is rare to see a clown in a classroom so I suppose it could have been a special occasion such as Children’s Day and the school has decided to engage the service of the clown to bring some cheer to the children. Perhaps, it could be a case of the teacher trying to do something different to capture the children’s attention and carry out his / her lesson in a less conventional way. Whatever it is, I think the clown has succeeded in capturing the children’s imagination. Judging from his facial expression, the clown is probably enjoying himself as well. It seems to me that he is very intent on making the children laugh and he is stopping at nothing to achieve his goal He is definitely very passionate about his work. In his mind, the clown is probably telling himself, “ Hm… I am glad these kids are so interested in what I am doing. I must do something to get them more excited.” As for the children, I must say that they are really very amused and it seems to me that they are asking the clown to do something else more exciting to entertain them. From the look of it, there is probably a lot of noise but what is more important is that everyone is enjoying himself. Among the children is a little boy who seems a little distracted. He is seen trying to talk to his friend who ignores him. I think he is one of those naughty children with a short attention and who gets easily distracted. The clown will probably have to think of some ways to capture his attention and I think that is what he is going to do next. He will most likely get the little boy to come to the front to play a game or something to that effect. On the whole, the clown has done a very good job in bringing humour to the class of young children. As the saying goes, “Laughter is the best medicine’ and I think the whole experience has been most unforgettable and beneficial for the children.


Set 2

Picture of school children pitching a tent

Theme: Teamwork

The reading passage is about teamwork and how important it is to be able to lead a team well without coming across as being authoritative.

This picture shows a few school children trying to pitch a tent. I think they are attending a school camp which is held by the school as part of their programme to promote teamwork and survival skills. It seems to me that the tent pitching contest is part of the assessment for teamwork. The group in the picture does not seem to be able to work very cohesively. There is an apparent lack of teamwork and leadership and nobody seems to know how to go about their work. The girl on the left whom I believe is the leader is holding up a corner of the tent and instead of guiding the rest on what to do , she seems very lost. In her mind, she is probably telling herself, “ Oh my God! It’s so difficult to get these people to listen to me. What am I goingto do?” As for the rest of the team, it is obvious they are waiting for instructions and guidance which is not at all forthcoming from the leader. They must be thinking that they have a poor leader who cannot lead and some of them might be blaming the leader for their inability to pitch the tent. The poor leader must be feeling quite frustrated but instead of getting help , she is cracking her brain on what to do but it is obvious her efforts are in vain. Two of her teammates seem to be discussing between themselves on what is the best course of action but then again, I do not think they have a solution. After trying without success, I think the team is likely to give up. They will of course have to pay a price for their failure to work as a tem which is precisely one of the objectives of the camp. Next, they will move on to another activity and from what I can see, they would probably have known their mistakes and try harder to work more cohesively as a team. This picture depicts the importance of teamwork, for without it, a lot of things cannot be done. The purpose of the camp is to foster team work and develop leadership qualities. I can safely say that the children have all benefited from the experience although they did not manage to pitch the tent successfully. What is crucial is that they have learnt from the experience and become more aware of their flaws.

Set 3

Picture of woman shouting angrily at someone who throws clothes out of the window.

Theme: Civic- consciousness

The passage is about a teenager Michael who throws something out of the window in a fit of anger.

This picture shows a middle-aged woman getting very worked up and screaming at the top of her lungs. It appears that she has just walked past a block of flats and is almost hit by some clothes which have been thrown out of the window by an inconsiderate resident living in on one of the units. It is understandable that she gets very angry because not only is it an inconsiderate act, throwing things out of the windows from high rise buildings can cause injury or even death if the objects are heavy. Judging from the woman’s reaction, it is obvious that she is fuming mad and is stopping at nothing to give the culprit a tongue lashing for his inconsiderate behaviour. She is probably chiding him and calling him names because it seems that the culprit is nowhere to be seen. It is apparent that the woman is not about to spare him and is raving and ranting furiously, challenging him to come down and explain his action. She probably calls him a coward and dares him to show his face. On the other hand, the culprit is probably scared out of his wits and dares not defend his action for it is obvious he is at fault. He might be regretting his action but then again, he lacks the courage to own up. The woman’s action has attracted much attention although she is not in the least perturbed. The people around seem to be enjoying the drama unfolding before their eyes. Some rather amused and some look very nonchalant. The Indian lady on the left and the teenager leaning against the pillar seem to be thinking that the woman is over-reacting. The Indian woman is seen throwing a cursory glance at the pile of clothes on the floor. In her mind, she might be thinking, “What’s the big deal ? It’s just a pile of clothes. It’s not as if she is hit by a chair.” The bespectacled boy in striped shirt appears amused. He is seen grinning sheepishly as if laughing at the woman’s ranting. The same goes for the boy on the bicycle. He even stops to take in the sight and I am not sure if he thinks there is anything wrong. On the whole, the onlookers are very indifferent. This I feel, is very sad. I feel that they should speak up for the woman instead of behaving so passively. Much as the woman reacts very angrily, I must say that the person who throws the things out of his window deserves to be punished by the law. Many Singaporeans lice in high rise HDB flats and such acts will endanger their lives. Such a lack of civic mindedness surely doesn’t speak well of our society where the government is trying so hard to promote gracious living. More can definitely be done to instill the value of civic-mindedness in our society or community.





Set 4

Picture of a family gathering in front of a television

Theme: Family Bonding

Setting:

This picture is taken in the living room of a well-furnished apartment, as we can see a sofa se, television and Hi-fi set in the background. It shows a Malay family sitting together on the floor and watching television together. We can see that it’s a Malay family from their dressing, because the man in the middle is wearing a sarong and the woman in the background is wearing a baju kurung. They could be watching soccer, since we just had the World Cup. So this is a good opportunity for the family to come together and spend time together. This will develop family bonding.

Focus on the main action:

This is a family of seven and from their facial expression, they are enjoying watching the soccer match. They have even prepared some drinks and snacks and they seem to be having fun eating and watching at the same time. From their facial expression, we can see that they are excited about the match, especially the girl on the right with long silky hair. She looks engrossed and the boy and woman who are pointing at the Television set, seem to know what is happening in the match, maybe their favourite soccer player is scoring a goal.

What is going through their mind?

I think the people in the picture are wondering who will win the World Cup, since it’s such a close fight. The little boy in the middle seems a little tense and worried. He could be worried that his favourite team may not win the match, especially the girl on the right, which could be worried that his favourite team may not win the match. Whereas the woman on his right, which could be his mother, must be thinking that her favourite football player is going to score a goal and she’s excited about it. We can see from their facial expression, that not all of them support the same soccer team, as some of them look worried and some look excited and thrilled.

What would happen after the picture is taken?

After the match, maybe some of the family members will jump for joy and go out to celebrate. They may go for a meal or supper. This is a good opportunity for families to spend time together and for family bonding. Watching television or a soccer match is a good way to spend quality time together. The television is a good tool to bring families together.

Set 5

Picture of a flooded basement carpark

Theme: Flooding

“ Water, water everywhere nor any drop to drink!” [This quite sounds very familiar and it is actually a line from The Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge when the Ancient Mariner is struck in the middle of the sea.].

The scene takes place in a flooded basement or ground floor car park. Three cars are submerged in water and the water level has reached almost the windows. The engines of the cars will definitely be damaged as water has seeped into it. It will take some time before the cars can be towed away for repairs.

Two men, one of whom I suspect ( guess / presume / assume) is the owner of the motorcycle, are wading in the waist-high water to manoeuvre ( bring) the motorcycle out of the car park. They do not look terribly saddened as both of them wore grins on their faces. Perhaps they are more amused by this freak ( sudden) flood and are too surprised to even recognize the severity of the situation. They are perhaps enjoying this short reprieve as flash floods like this, do not happen very often in urban Singapore. The rising water may remind them of some adventure they may have had when they were young and living in kampongs.

The flooding can be a result of the high tide coupled with the heavy rain. It may also be a consequence of a burst pipe.

I hope not to see such a flood in the neighbourhood I live as I can imagine the inconvenience it can cause.

Note: vocabulary revolves around the flood – submerged; waist high level; freak or flash flood; uncertainty – presume / assume / guess.

ORAL SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR CONVERSATION

SAMPLE ANSWERS FOR CONVERSATION


OWNING A CAR VS TAKING PUBLIC TRANSPORT
PROS
CONS
Convenient. It is easier and faster to travel from one place to another with a car.
High costs. For e.g. parking, petrol, road tax, insurance and ERP charges.
Especially so when there are young children and/ or elderly in the family.
Heavy traffic jams on expressways especially during peak hours.
Especially for some handicapped people. It is impossible for these people to take the public transport because of the many kerbs, stairs, etc)
Environmentally unfriendly. Carbon monoxide emitted contributes to air pollution. This in turn will lead to the green house effect and result in many health and respiratory problems in the population. The loud roaring engines contribute to sound pollution. No peace at all in the city.
Especially for people in certain occupations for e.g. sales personnel, doctors?
With an increasing number of cars, more roads, expressways and car parks have to be built. This will add on to the problem of land scarcity in Singapore.
Especially if the public transport system in the country is inefficient.

Especially during bad weather


HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLETO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT?
Ensure that the public transport system is as efficient, convenient and seamless as possible.
Ensure that taking public transport is cheaper than owning a car.
Ensure that when designing the public transport system, the needs of young children, elderly and the disabled are taken into consideration.
Public education.
Note: All the above 4 points require further elaboration.

IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISE
Exercise is important to keep both your body and mind “in shape”. Some benefits of exercise include:

Lean and Trim
Exercise keeps us in shape. Physical activity, especially weight training allows you to change the shape of your body.

Better Health
Exercising in the right amount helps to strengthen the immune system, which means that you are less likely to get sick.

Increased Energy
By working out on a regular basis, you have more energy throughout the day and you feel less lethargic.
Stress Reduction
It helps to relieve stress. When you exercise, your body releases endorphin, a kind of hormone which makes you feel good. Exercise also allows the individual to take their mind off the daily grind and use pent up energies for productive purposes.

Improved Self-esteem
When following an exercise regimen for a regular basis, you bring about greater self esteem through the results and accomplishment achieved.

WHY DO YOU THINK SPORTS ARE ENCOURAGED SO MUCH BY SCHOOLS AND BY MOST PARENTS?

· To promote a holistic education.
· To teach good sportsmanship. Students learn that winning is not everything. They learn that if they win, they must be gracious and if they lose, they must take the loss in the right spirit.
· Enable pupils to learn values that cannot be learnt in the classroom.
· Foster team spirit and cooperation.
· When pupils pick up a sport in school, they may develop a life-long passon for it. This results in a healthier lifestyle.
· Many sport talents are discovered in schools.

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
· Everyone should make it a priority to give back to the community in one way or another because:
· “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
· Learn to count our blessings and appreciate what we have.
· Learn the value of empathy.
· By spending a little love and warmth, this world can be a better place for all, especially for the needy and less fortunate.
· For e.g. fund-raising events such as flag days, Homecoming Day, visits to children’s and old folk’s homes, being an active volunteer.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO ENCOURAGE NORE PEOPLE TO INVOLVE THEMSELVES IN VOLUNTEER WORK?
· Increase public awareness of worthy causes.
· Educate the public on the importance of community involvement.
· National campaign.
· Organisations such as schools and companies can take the lead.

ANIMAL CONSERVATION

Introduction
Animal conservation is mainly the saving of animals from becoming extinct. By saving the animals of our lovely but yet fragile planet, we are actually saving the whole world’s complex “ eco-system”. Therefore we should play our part and have a better understanding of our surroundings and animals living with us.



Reasons for animal conservation

1. Large scale killing and hunting of wild animals for their skin, horns or body parts for sale and usage for Chinese medicine.

2. Strong and foolish beliefs that animal products or body parts can cure illnesses, especially in the elderly generation.

3. Hunters who go on “ fun trips” to kill wild animals like wolves or deer for the pleasure of doing so, which is a cruel murder for fun.

4. Humans being selfish, leading to animals being killed or chased away, this leads to extinction.

5. When large scale developments took place, large areas of forests and lands were cleared for the construction of residential, industrial or recreational purposes. This destroys the animals’ habitat leaving them with no food and they will soon die as they cannot adapt fast enough.

Importance of animal conservation
· If the animals be come forever extinct, we will never get them back.
· We are the only ones who can save all the animals, we must act now!

Animal conservation in Singapore
· The zoo has an important role to play in animal conservation. It helps protect, preserve and restore wildlife and their habitats. The zoo bears the responsibility of educating the public and creating awareness for the dwindling numbers in the animal kingdom. The zoo carries out conservation mainly through breeding programme and education ( for e.g. exciting animal exhibits, animal shows and animal feeding programmes.)
· Recently, the government wanted to take back a natural area for other usage but Singaporeans voiced out and stated that the areas contained a variety of wild animals that are rare in Singapore. If they had cleared that area, we would have lost a lot of species of animals. But that area is now a natural reserve, where people can visit and look at the natural animal life over there.
· Personally, we can boycott animal products such as shark fins, rhinocerous horns and animal furs. If there is no demand, there is no supply.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR FAMILIES TO DO THINGS TOGETHER?
· To build a strong bond with the family. A family that does things together
stays together.
· Creates opportunities for members of the family to communicate with
one another.This leads to better understanding and in turn, greater trust
among family members. In times of trouble and needs, we know we can
always depend on our family to be there for us.
OLD AGE

PROBLEMS
SOLUTIONS
Old and sickly
A failing memory due to Alzheimer, Dementia, Parkinson disease.
Loneliness
May be considered a burden by family.
Neglected.
Abandoned.



Exercise both body and mind regularly.
Some exercises suitable for the aged include taiji , yoga and walking.
Postpone retirement and continue working
Learn a new skill for e.g. how to surf the internet.
Pick up a new hobby.
Volunteer service to charities.

Part 1

Maria’s biggest interest, outside of school work, was in music and dancing. She often went to dances at her local youth club – and whenever there was a concert she could get to, with any of her favourite groups, she would be sure to earn extra pocket- money for a ticket.

Her father was not impressed by what he called “modern music”. “That,” he said, “is not music. It is noise produced by a bunch of hairy clowns who are paid too much. How can you dance to that?” In his opinion, there were two kinds of ‘real” dancing – traditional dance and ballroom dancing. “The rest,” he declared, “ is just uneducated jumping about.”

Maria became so used to his opinions that she only grinned at him. “I’ve done my homework,” she would say – “so I’m going out to do some silly jumping about.’ He would smile back at her. He never stopped her.

In fact, Maria took her dancing very seriously. She kept herself very fit. On quiet evenings she sometimes practiced alone – listening to the music in her headphones, or even with no music except what she could hear in her imagination. She was becoming a very good dancer indeed.

By the time she became a professional dancer, her father’s ideas had had to change. They agreed that Maria would still need to go to college, to train for the kind of career she would need later in her life. But when her father heard how much she was going to be paid as a member of a group of dancers, he decided that he had better not be rude about her dancing again. “Imagine,” he said. ‘ I go to work for a week – and you earn almost the same amount of money for a few hours of jumping about.”