The document contains sample tasks from the Cambridge English: First exam preparation book. It provides conversation prompts and questions for test takers to discuss in pairs or groups. The prompts include topics like planning a camping trip, choosing a film for class, outdoor activities for teenagers, important inventions, images for an environmental poster, facilities for holiday resorts, and evening/weekend class ideas for a local college. For each prompt, test takers are given 1-2 minutes to discuss the topic and 1 additional minute to decide on an answer or activity.

1. Practice
8 tests
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

2. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
A camping trip
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about
two minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine you are going on a camping trip to the mountains.
Here are some ideas for items you could take with you,
and a question for you to discuss. First you have some time to
look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about how each item could be
useful during the trip.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two of these
items you would take on your camping trip.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

3. a mobile phone a first aid kit
How could each item
be useful on a
camping trip?
a torch
a camping gas
stove
a rope
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

4. Part 4
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
• Would you enjoy a camping holiday? (Why? / Why not?)
• What other type of holiday would you enjoy? (Why?)
• Would you prefer to go on holiday with your family or with a
group of friends? (Why?)
• What is the best time of the year to go on holiday? Why?
• Is it usual for people in your country to visit other countries on
holiday?
• What’s a typical kind of holiday for someone in your country?
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

5. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
Film day
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine your English class is going to watch a film. Here are some
ideas for different types of film, and a question for you to discuss.
First you have some time to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about what type of film would appeal to
students in your class.
Now you have about a minute to decide which type of film your
class should watch.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

6. a love story an action film
What type of film
would appeal to
students in your class?
a science-fiction
film
a thriller
a western
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

7. Part 4
• What type of film do you enjoy watching? (Why?)
• Do you prefer watching films at home or in the cinema? (Why? / Why
not?)
• Do you think watching a film in a cinema creates a special atmosphere?
(Why? / Why not?)
• Why do you think some films are still popular a long time after they were
made?
• Can you think of any recent films that will still be popular 20 or 30 years
from now? (Why?)
• Do you think people of different ages enjoy the same types of film? (Why?
/ Why not?)
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

8. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
Outdoor activities
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine you are helping to organise an outdoor activity holiday
for a group of teenagers. Here are some ideas for activities and
a question for you to discuss. First you have some time to look at the
task.
Now, talk to each other about the advantages and disadvantages
of these outdoor activities.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two activities should
be chosen
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

9. cycling hiking
What are the
advantages and
disadvantages of these
outdoor activities?
sailing
rock-climbing
horse-riding
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

10. Part 4
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
• What are the most popular sports to watch and play in your
country?
• Do you prefer team sports or individual sports? (Why?)
• What skills do team sports require? (Why?)
• Why do you think some people are good at sports and
others aren’t?
• Do you think some sports are too expensive to play?
(Why?/ Why not?)
• Do you think professional sportspeople earn too much
money? (Why? / Why not?)
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

11. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
Inventions
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine that you are taking part in a television programme about
inventions that have changed the course of history. Here are the
names of different inventions, and a question for you to discuss. First
you have some time to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about how these different inventions have
changed people’s lives.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two have been the
most important.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

12. aeroplane electric light
How have these
inventions changed
people’s lives?
bulb
telephone
television
computer
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

13. Part 4
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of using
computers?
• Do you think technological advances help to improve everyday
life? (Why?/ Why not?)
• What are the disadvantages of modern technology?
• Do you think we rely too much on modern technology? (Why?/
Why not?)
• What inventions could improve people’s lives in the future?
• How do you think technology will be different in the future?
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

14. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
Environmental problems
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine you are helping to prepare a poster to raise
environmental awareness in your area. Here are some ideas for
images that could be included, and a question for you to discuss.
First you have some time to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about which images on a poster would be
useful to raise environmental awareness.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two images should
be included.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

15. recycling bins a polluted river
Which images on a
poster would be useful
to raise environmental
awareness?
waste metal
a factory with
smoking chimneys
a large pile
of rubbish
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

16. Part 4
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
• Are school clubs and societies, such as a photographic club and a
computer club, useful for students? (Why?/ Why not?)
• What kind of after-school activity did you or would you enjoy at
school? (Why?)
• What do you think people learn from activities which are not
connected with schoolwork?
• Should schools try to become active parts of the local community?
(Why?/ Why not?)
• How can schools raise people’s environmental awareness?
• What other useful things can schools teach young people?
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

17. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
Holiday resorts
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine that a travel company is deciding on the best holiday
resorts to include on its website. Here are some different
facilities, and a question for you to discuss. First you have some time
to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about how important each facility is for
visitors to a holiday resort.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two are the most
important.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

18. How important is each
facility for visitors to a
holiday resort?
a tourist
information centre a local hospital
a water-sports
centre
an airport
nearby
a car rental
agency
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

19. Part 4
• Would you prefer to spend a holiday in a small village or in a city?
(Why?)
• Would you prefer to go on holiday to somewhere cold or somewhere
hot? (Why?)
• Do you think school holidays are long enough in your country? (Why?/
Why not?)
• Do you think it’s a good idea for teenagers to go away on holiday
without their parents? (Why?/ Why not?)
• Where do people in your country prefer to go on holiday? (Why?)
• What do most people in your country like to do when they are on
holiday? (Why?)
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

20. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
Evening and weekend classes
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine your local college intends to run some evening and
weekend classes. Here are some classes that could be offered,
and a question for you to discuss. First you have some time to look at
the task.
Now, talk to each other about how each class might attract
different people.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two of the classes
you think should be offered by the college.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

21. How might each class
attract different
people?
a sport and
fitness class
a drawing and
painting class
a cookery class
a photography
class
an acting class
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

22. Part 4
• What other classes do you think people might enjoy taking? (Why?)
• Why do you think people attend classes outside of school or work?
• Why do you think some people don’t like to learn new things?
• Do you think schools and colleges should offer classes in the evenings
or weekends? (Why?/ Why not?)
• What sort of subjects would you like to learn about? (Why?)
• What benefits are there of doing activities which are different from
work or schoolwork?
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

23. Part 3
4 minutes (5 minutes for groups of three)
The shopping centre
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two
minutes (3 minutes for groups of three).
Imagine your town is going to have a new shopping centre.
Here are some ideas for how a new shopping centre could
attract customers, and a question for you to discuss. First you have
some time to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about how useful these ideas would be for
attracting customers.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two ideas the
shopping centre should have.
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

24. How useful would
these ideas be for
attracting customers?
a large car park
an internet cafe
reduced prices
different kinds
of restaurants
a children’s
play area
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

25. Part 4
4 minutes (6 minutes for groups of three)
• Do you prefer to shop alone or with friends?
• Where do you like to go shopping? (Why?)
• Do people in your country like shopping in small local shops? (Why?/
Why not?)
• What are the disadvantages of shopping in large shopping centres?
• Are there any products that you can only find in large shopping
centres?
• Are there any special products sold in your town / city that would be
impossible to buy in another country?
Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning

26. Source: Cambridge English: First (FCE) Book 1 CENGAGE Learning