Objective Proficiency p.12. Changes. Speaking

1. MONOLOGUE. Prepare a talk of AT LEAST 5 minutes on the subject. You may use the pictures above and the contents below if you wish:

If you want to make enemies, try to change something. 
-Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921- 
There seems to be widespread resistance to change. How do you cope with change? Do you embrace changes? In what occasions do you welcome a change of pace for example? Do you sometimes have a change of heart on something?  On what occasions have you hung back from switching over to a new way of doing things maybe because you were unsure what the consequences would be? Do any of your colleagues resist change, even a change for the better?  How do you feel if someone tells you to ring the changes with anything? How do people respond to someone who changes his tune? What about to someone who changes sides?

Comment on the pictures and tell us in what fields we have witnessed major changes? 

You may make some notes for your talk to take into the exam. These should not exceed five lines.

2. INTERACTION

In this part of the test, the examiner will ask you some questions about topics related to the TOPIC. This part of the examination will last AT LEAST 5 minutes. You will not see the questions below.

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TEACHER'S QUESTIONS

1.            What do you think has brought about sweeping changes in our society?

2.            How is the Millennial generation fundamentally changing our society and culture?

3.            Can you think of a drastic and far-reaching change that altered radically your lifestyle? 

4.            What situations call for a dramatic change in our world? Do we need a wind of change to blow through our world?

5.            Have you ever told anyone not to change horses in midstream? What happened?

6.            What would you do if somebody tried to shift the blame for his mistakes onto you? Has it ever happened?

7.            By the end of this academic year you will have been developing your language skills. What do you find helpful to achieve your objectives and rise to the challenges you encounter?

8.            To what extent is the saying " a leopard cannot change its spots" true according to what you have experienced in your lifetime?

9.            What should be done to help people who are prone to commit acts of violence change their ways and prevent them from going astray?

10.          What do you think of the constant chopping and changing of the education legislation? Do you sometimes wish it changed back to way it was when you were at school?

11.          What's your dream job? Would you swap places with anybody in a heartbeat?

Vocabulary

A change of heart: 



 if you have a change of heart, your attitude towards something changes, usually making you feel more friendly, helpful, etc. E.g. Dan did not want to get married but recently he's had a change of heart.

 

 

 

Hang back: 

 

 

to remain in a place after all the other people have left. Sp. Quedarse rezagado. Hang back (from something): to hesitate because you are nervous about doing or saying something. E.g. I was sure she knew the answer but for some reason she hung back. E.g. Several of us hung back from entering the cave, as we were unsure what we would find in there.

A change for the better/worse: 

 

 

 

a person, thing, situation, etc. that is better/worse than the previous or present one. E.g. Voters see the new leader as a change for the better.

 

Ring the changes (with something): 

 

 

 

(British English) to make changes to something in order to have greater variety. E.g. Ring the changes with a new colour.

 

Change your tune: 

 

 

 

(informal) to express a different opinion or behave in a different way when your situation changes. E.g. Wait until it happens to him—he'll soon change his tune.

 

change sides: 

 

 

 

to stop supporting one person or group in an argument and start supporting the other. E.g.  My aunt is determined to bring me over to her political party, ignoring the fact that I am not remotely interested in changing sides! You can't get me to change sides! I'm a fan of the Yankees through and through!

Call for something  



to need something. E.g. The situation calls for a change; a change where people have more opportunities to decide their future and realize their potentials. 


A wind/the winds of change:  



(used especially by journalists) an event or a series of events that has started to happen and will cause important changes or results. E.g. A wind of change was blowing through the banking world.


Change horses in midstream 



(the middle part of a river): to change to a different or new activity while you are in the middle of something else; to change from supporting one person or thing to another. E.g. You shouldn't change horses in midstream.


A leopard /ˈlepəd/ cannot change its spots: 



(saying) people cannot change their character, especially if they have a bad character. E.g. You didn't really expect her to be on time, did you? A leopard can't change its spots.





Change your ways: 
to start to live or behave in a different way from before. E.g. He was in trouble with the police as a teenager but now he's completely changed his ways.


go astray: 



 to go in the wrong direction or to have the wrong result. E.g. Fortunately the gunman's shots went astray. Jack's parents thought the other boys might lead him astray (= make him do things that are wrong). To offer this group some protection and prevent them from going astray, the Government decided to take measures.


Chop and change: 



 to keep changing your mind or what you are doing. E.g. After six months of chopping and changing, we've decided to go back to our old system. Too much chopping and changing of the assessment system is not helping students.


Change back (to/into somebody/something): 



to return to a previous situation, form, etc. E.g. Only time will tell whether things can ever change back to the way they were. The music changed back to a funky disco beat.


Change/swap places (with somebody): 



(usually used in negative sentences) to be in somebody else's situation. E.g. I'm perfectly happy—I wouldn't change places with anyone.


in a heartbeat: 



 very quickly, without thinking about it. E.g. If I was offered another job, I'd leave in a heartbeat.

Sample sentences

Food prices changed drastically/ significantly/ overnight in May.

We need a dramatic social, political and economic change.

Working on the new project was a refreshing/pleasant change.

This was an unexpected change, but I'm looking forward to the move

They experienced a change in their fortune.

The documentary was about the changing fortunes of the film industry.

Protesters are demanding a change of government. 

We hope for a change of luck. 

I had a change of mind in the end. 

They had a change of mood. They joked around all night.

You look like you need a change of scene.