Speaking Lab
Image-based speaking practice with useful phrases, pronunciation focus and model response.
Lesson objectives
- Describe, compare and speculate more naturally under speaking-task pressure.
- Use useful phrases with better rhythm, stress and connected speech.
- Respond to image prompts connected to biotechnology & genetic engineering with C1-level range.
Listen to the model audio before you answer the lesson tasks.
Speaking — describe & compare
Compara estas dos imágenes. En tu respuesta, debes describir las diferencias entre los dos entornos y contrastar las distintas aproximaciones a la naturaleza. Debes hablar durante aproximadamente dos minutos.
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Useful phrases
- At first glance, it appears that... — A primera vista, parece que... 🔊
- While the left image depicts..., the right one portrays... — Mientras que la imagen de la izquierda representa..., la de la derecha retrata... 🔊
- There is a striking contrast between... — Hay un contraste llamativo entre... 🔊
- One could argue that... — Se podría argumentar que... 🔊
- The scene suggests a sense of... — La escena sugiere una sensación de... 🔊
- In stark contrast to the natural setting... — En marcado contraste con el entorno natural... 🔊
- It is highly likely that... — Es muy probable que... 🔊
- The juxtaposition of these two scenes highlights... — La yuxtaposición de estas dos escenas resalta... 🔊
- One might infer that... — Uno podría inferir que... 🔊
- Whereas the first image focuses on..., the second deals with... — Mientras que la primera imagen se centra en..., la segunda trata sobre... 🔊
- The atmosphere seems to be... — El ambiente parece ser... 🔊
- This could be interpreted as... — Esto podría interpretarse como... 🔊
Pronunciación
Para sonar más natural en el examen C1, presta atención al sonido 'schwa' /ə/. Este es el sonido vocálico más común en inglés y se produce en sílabas no acentuadas. Por ejemplo, en la palabra 'about' /əˈbaʊt/ o 'laboratory' /ˈlæbrətɔːri/. Evita pronunciar cada vocal con su sonido completo; en su lugar, relaja la lengua y usa este sonido neutro para que tu ritmo sea fluido y no robótico.
Model answer
🔊
Both images present fundamentally different perspectives on the natural world. At first glance, the left-hand side depicts a pristine, untouched forest, characterised by its organic chaos and the warm, natural sunlight filtering through the canopy. It evokes a sense of biodiversity and ecological balance. In stark contrast, the right-hand image portrays a highly controlled, clinical laboratory environment. Here, the focus shifts from vast ecosystems to the microscopic manipulation of life through biotechnology. While the first scene represents nature in its rawest form, the second suggests a future where human intervention and genetic engineering dictate the survival of species. One could argue that the juxtaposition of these two scenes highlights the tension between preservation and innovation. The scientist in the lab appears to be working to enhance or perhaps save a specific specimen, which could be interpreted as an attempt to replicate the very biodiversity seen in the forest through technological means. Ultimately, while the left image celebrates the beauty of the wild, the right one explores the potential—and perhaps the ethical complexities—of human mastery over biology. It is a fascinating comparison between the organic and the engineered.