Task Description:

You will be asked to speak about a familiar topic. You will have 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds to speak.

Question: Some people prefer to live in small towns, while others prefer to live in big cities. Which do you prefer and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Preparation Time: 15 seconds

Speaking Time: 45 seconds

Reading (45 seconds):

New Shuttle Service

The university will implement a new shuttle service starting next semester to help students travel between the main campus and the satellite parking lots. The service will run every 15 minutes during peak hours (8 AM - 6 PM) and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours. Students will need to show their student ID to board the shuttle. The university hopes this service will reduce parking congestion on campus and provide a more convenient transportation option for students.

Conversation Summary:

Sarah: I think this new shuttle service is a great idea! I've been struggling to find parking on campus, especially during my morning classes.

Mike: Really? I'm not so sure about it. Won't it just create more traffic around campus?

Sarah: Actually, I think it'll reduce traffic because fewer students will drive to campus. They can park in the satellite lots and take the shuttle. Plus, it runs frequently during busy times.

Mike: I guess that makes sense. But what about the cost?

Sarah: It's free for students! You just need to show your ID. And think about how much time we'll save not circling around looking for parking spots.

Question: The woman expresses her opinion about the new shuttle service. State her opinion and explain the reasons she gives for holding that opinion.

Reading (50 seconds):

Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when a person holds contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time. This mental discomfort motivates people to reduce the dissonance by changing their attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors. The theory suggests that people have an inner drive to hold all their attitudes and beliefs in harmony and avoid disharmony or dissonance.

Lecture Summary:

Professor: Let me give you an example of cognitive dissonance. Imagine someone who believes that smoking is harmful to health - they know all the medical evidence. But this same person continues to smoke cigarettes daily. This creates psychological discomfort because their behavior contradicts their knowledge.

So how do people resolve this dissonance? They might use several strategies. First, they could change their behavior - quit smoking. Second, they might change their beliefs - convince themselves that smoking isn't really that dangerous. Or third, they might add new beliefs - like "I only smoke a few cigarettes" or "I exercise regularly, so it balances out."

Question: Using the example from the lecture, explain what cognitive dissonance is and how people typically resolve it.

Lecture Topic: Animal Camouflage

Lecture Summary:

Professor: Today I want to talk about animal camouflage - how animals hide from predators or prey by blending into their environment. There are several types of camouflage, but I'll focus on two main ones.

The first type is called background matching. This is when an animal's coloration closely matches its surroundings. For example, the Arctic fox changes its fur color seasonally. In winter, its fur is white to match the snow, making it nearly invisible to both predators and prey. In summer, the same fox develops brown and gray fur to blend with rocks and vegetation.

The second type is disruptive coloration. Instead of matching the background, this breaks up the animal's outline, making it hard to see where the animal begins and ends. Zebras are a perfect example. Their black and white stripes don't match any natural background, but when zebras move in a group, the stripes create optical illusions that confuse predators about individual animals' shapes and movements.

Question: Using points and examples from the lecture, explain the two types of animal camouflage the professor describes.

Task Description:

You will be asked to speak about a personal preference topic. You will have 15 seconds to prepare your response and 45 seconds to speak.

Question: Some students prefer to study alone, while others prefer to study in groups. Which do you prefer and why? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Preparation Time: 15 seconds

Speaking Time: 45 seconds