Подготовка к устной части ОГЭ
материал для подготовки к егэ (гиа) по английскому языку (9 класс) на тему

How to describe a tree in autumn (by Jane Lawson at DailyStep.com)
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Just look at the autumn leaves on this beautiful tree! The colours are amazing aren’t they? I took this photo in a town called Athlone, in central Ireland. If you ever do an English examination, you will need to learn how to describe a picture for your speaking exam, so here is an example of how to do it. Below that, there is a study of some useful phrases for describing pictures.

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“These pictures show two different views of a tree in autumn. In the left hand picture we can see the leaves of the tree with the sun shining on them. The colours in this photo are amazing – the leaves are gold, orange, yellow and brown. They remind me of a fire burning, because the colours and shapes of the leaves look just like the flames of a fire. This is obviously a very tall tree because the view in the photo looks up into the branches of the tree, and we can see more and more branches up high in the distance. It’s obviously a bright, clear day, and it is also likely to be rather chilly because clear, sunny days in autumn often mean cold weather!

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In the picture on the right hand side we can see a carpet of gold-coloured leaves that have fallen from the tree. The sunlight is making the leaves look as if they are glowing. On the left hand side of the picture we can see part of the tree trunk, and at the top we can see a couple of large branches, covered in autumn leaves. The sun must be to the left of the tree because the trunk is casting a shadow on the wall and also on the ground between the tree and the wall.

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Both these pictures make me think of a wood where I used to play when I was a child. In the autumn, we used to gather up the leaves and throw them at each other. There is something rather sad about the beautiful season of autumn, because although the woods look stunning as their leaves die and fall to the ground, we know that winter is coming, and the tree will soon be bare, with no leaves until the new ones grow in spring.”

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In my description above of the tree in autumn, I have highlighted some important phrases for describing pictures. Below, you can hear all those phrases again, and also learn some other ways of saying the same thing, so you can vary your speaking style. Make sure you remember these as you might need to use them in an English examination!

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1. These pictures show two different views of a tree in autumn. = These pictures are of a tree in autumn shown from two different angles.

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2. In the left hand picture we can see the leaves of the tree = The left hand picture is of the leaves of the tree

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3. The colours in this photo are amazing – the leaves are gold, orange, yellow and brown. = This picture has amazing colours in it

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4. They remind me of a fire burning = They make me think of a fire burning / They bring to mind a fire burning

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5. because the colours and shapes of leaves look just like the flames of a fire. = because the colours and shapes of the leaves resemble the flames of a fire

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6. This is obviously a very tall tree because the view in the photo looks up into the branches of the tree, = it is clear that this is a very tall tree because the photo has been taken when looking up into the branches of the tree

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7. it is also likely to be rather chilly because clear, sunny days in autumn often mean cold weather! = It is probably also quite chilly because the weather is often cold on clear, sunny days in autumn!

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8. In the picture on the right hand side we can see a carpet of gold-coloured leaves that have fallen from the tree. = In the right hand picture we can see a carpet of gold-coloured leaves that have fallen from the tree.

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9. On the left hand side of the picture we can see part of the tree trunk = On the left side of the picture we can see part of the tree trunk

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10. at the top we can see a couple of large branches = towards the top there are a couple of large branches

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11. The sun must be to the left of the tree because the trunk is casting a shadow on the wall = I assume that the sun is to the left of the tree because the trunk is casting a shadow on the wall

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12. Both these pictures make me think of a wood where I used to play when I was a child. = These two pictures remind me of a wood where I used to play when I was a child / Both these pictures bring to mind a wood where I used to play when I was a child

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My Favourite Movie

Question:

Describe your favourite movie

You should say:

- What the film is about

- Why you like it so much

- What message the movie gives.

Answer:

It’s quite hard to say what my favourite movie is because there are quite a few to choose from! But I would say that the one that made the strongest impression on me is a German film called ‘The Lives of Others’.

.This film is set in communist East Germany, shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. At that time, the Stasi, the East German secret police, used to spy on all kinds of people. The two main characters in the film are a playwright called Dreyman and a Stasi spy called Weisler, whose job it is to keep Dreyman under 24 hour surveillance. Weisler is supposed to be reporting back to his superiors at the Stasi in order to discredit the playwright. However, he develops a strong sympathy for the playwright and his girlfriend, and determines to protect them by not reporting anything significant. The scenes in the film where it cuts from the colourful and interesting lives of Dreyman and his friends to the lonely attic where Weisler is sitting really show the contrast between the two men. The film is shot in such a way that it makes you believe you are also spying on Dreyman, it even made me feel a bit guilty!

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I like this film because it has fascinating, 3 dimensional characters, and also the plot has plenty of twists. Right up until the end of the film, we are left guessing how it could possibly end. It is also very thought-provoking because it makes you wonder how many people working for the Stasi actually did protect the people they were spying on.

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As for the message it gives, I would say the main message is that we can find kindness and humanity in the most unexpected of places. The film makes us realise that nothing is ever black and white! The film also serves as a warning about the dangers of an oppressive, paranoid regime and is perhaps quite pertinent in this current age of mass surveillance.

This sample answer took around 2 minutes, which is the maximum time you need to speak for without stopping in Part 2 of the IELTS speaking exam.

 Learn some other ways of saying the same thing, so that you can vary your speaking style. Make sure you remember this language for describing films as you may need to use it in an English examination.

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1. It’s quite hard to say what my favourite movie is because there are quite a few to choose from! = I love movies so it is quite hard for me to choose my favourite!

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2. I would say that the one that made the strongest impression on me is… = I think the one that impressed me the most is…

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3. This film is set in communist East Germany, shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. = The story in the film takes place in East Germany during the communist era, not long before the Berlin Wall came down.

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4. The two main characters in the film are… = The two most important people in the film are…

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5. The scenes in the film where it cuts from the colourful and interesting lives of Dreymen and his friends to the lonely attic where Weisler is sitting… = the parts of the film that show the colourful and interesting lives of Dreymen and his friends and then move to the lonely attic where Weisler is sitting…

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6. ….really show the contrast between the two men = … make it very clear how different the two men are.

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7. The film is shot in such a way that it makes you believe you are also spying on Dreyman… = The way that the movie is filmed makes you believe that you are also spying on Dreyman…

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8. …it even made me feel a bit guilty! = … it even gave me a feeling of being a bit guilty!

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9. I like this film because … = The reason I like this film is that…

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10. … it has fascinating, 3 dimensional characters = … the characters are really interesting and have many sides to them

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11. also the plot has plenty of twists. = also the story in the film takes a lot of unexpected turns.

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12. Right up until the end of the film, we are left guessing how it could possibly end. = All the way to the end of the film, the audience does not know how it could possibly end.

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13. It is also very thought-provoking because … = The film also really makes you think, because…

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14. …it makes you wonder … = … it makes you ask yourself …

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15. As for the message it gives, I would say the main message is… = the main message of the film is…

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16. The film makes us realise that nothing is ever black and white! = the film also tells us that nothing is ever black and white!

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17. The film also serves as a warning about the dangers of an oppressive, paranoid regime = The film also warns us against the dangers of an oppressive, paranoid regime

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18. and is perhaps quite pertinent in this current age of mass surveillance. = and is relevant today as governments still spy on many people.

The Festival of Christmas 
Question:

Describe a festival that is important in your country.

You should say:

• When the festival occurs

• What you did during it

• What you like or dislike about it

• And explain why this festival is important

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Answer:

I think the main festival in my country is Christmas, which is in late December. The main day that is celebrated in the UK is Christmas Day, on 25th December, though we also have the day off the following day, on Boxing Day, when many people visit friends and extended family.

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I spent last Christmas with my family, and will also spend this one there too. We all get together at my parents’ house, because it is large enough to host everyone. On Christmas morning, we start preparing the meal, as it takes a long time to cook! We put the turkey or goose in the oven, and then some of us go to church for a Christmas mass. The rest of us stay behind to carry on cooking. At around midday, we gather round the Christmas tree, which is decorated with baubles, tinsel, and fairy lights and we open our presents, which are all placed under the tree the night before. After that we have our Christmas dinner, which is always the same meal as it is a traditional feast.

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I love nearly everything about Christmas. There is a sense of anticipation and excitement in the period leading up to Christmas, and then during the festival itself families and friends spend time together and most people have time off work. One thing I don’t like about Christmas is that it is very commercialised and it can be stressful getting ready for it!

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This festival is important for many people, even for non-Christians. Many non-Christian people in the UK enjoy the festive season without attaching any religious significance to it. It is our only national holiday involving resting, feasting and the giving of gifts, and I think such times nurture our souls.

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Christmas and New Year are national holidays in many countries, and also important festivals when friends and family come together to celebrate. Of course, Christmas has religious significance but you can also refer to this period as ‘the festive season’, which does not have religious connotations. Let’s take a look at some useful phrases and conversation techniques related to Christmas and New Year.

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To refer to a period of more than one day, we use the preposition OVER.
Over Christmas means during the Christmas period.

Over New Year means during the New Year period.

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To refer to an exact day or date, we use the preposition ON.
On Christmas Eve = 24th December (the twenty-fourth of December)
On Christmas Day = 25th December (the twenty-fifth of December) 

On Boxing Day = 26th December (the twenty-sixth of December)

On New Year’s Eve = 31st December (the thirty-first of December)
On New Year’s Day = 1st January (the first of January)

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The preposition AT can mean either a single day, or a period of days.

At Christmas means over Christmas or on Christmas Day.

At New Year means over New Year, on New Year’s Eve or on New Year’s Day
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Now, here are some good ways of starting a conversation with a colleague, friend or neighbour around the festive season.

Before Christmas, you can say:

1. What are you up to over Christmas? = How are you planning to spend Christmas = What are your plans at Christmas?

2. Are you going away over Christmas or are you staying at home? = Will you be home at Christmas or are you going away?

3. Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? = Have you bought all your Christmas presents yet? 

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After Christmas, you can say:

4. What did you get up to over Christmas? = How did you spend Christmas? = What did you do over Christmas?

5. Did you go away at Christmas or did you stay at home? = Did you spend Christmas away or at home? = Where did you spend Christmas?

6. How was your Christmas? = Did you have a good Christmas?

7. Did you get any nice presents for Christmas? = What did you get for Christmas?

Before New Year, you can say:
8. What are you up to over New Year? = How are you planning to spend New Year? = What are your plans over New Year?

9. Are you going to a New Year’s Eve party? = Are you going out to a party on New Year’s Eve or are you staying in?

10. Are you going to make any New Year resolutions? = Are you planning any New Year resolutions?

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After New Year, you can say:
11. What did you get up to over New Year? = How did you spend New Year? = What did you do at New Year?

12. Did you go out or stay in on New Year’s Eve? = Were you at a party or at home on New Year’s Eve?

13. Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? = What are your New Year resolutions?