Speaking exams can be stressful! What if you don't understand the examiner (考官)? What if you don't get the exact word you need? Don't panic (惊慌)! Remember that everyone gets nervous in exams, especially oral exams. So, don't worry and our tips will help you feel more confident in a speaking exam.

★ Listening to as much English as possible will help to improve your speaking. Listening to songs, and watching films, TV series or video clips will help you feel more confident about speaking.

★{#blank#}1{#/blank#} If you speak English regularly in class, you will find it easier to speak in an exam.

★{#blank#}2{#/blank#} It's not a race. Before you speak, think carefully about what to say and speak a little slower than normal.

★{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Use words and expressions you have used before. If you don't know a word, think of another way to say it.

★{#blank#}4{#/blank#} If you find this difficult, practice with a friend at home. Stand at opposite ends of a room and speak to each other in English. Or speak to each other in English on your computers.

★{#blank#}5{#/blank#} So, take some deep breaths before the exam and try to relax.

{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Tim, from America, is travelling around the world. His last stop is to visit a tower where he can stay over the night.

{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Michael, a student of history, is ready to write a paper on old towers. He is going to visit one in Europe.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Gina, a teacher from Australia, likes shopping very much. She is thinking of buying different things for his students.

{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Sarah is a college student. She is on holiday in July and would like to visit the tallest tower of the five below.

{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Peter is interested in plants and animals. He is now looking for a tower where he can see fish and other water animals.

    Do you like visiting parks? The following three may be the ones you are interested in.

    Hyde Park，the biggest royal park of the UK，lies in the center of London，next to Green Park.It was built to be a royal park in 1536. About one hundred years later, the park was open to the public. Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park is famous all over the world. Anyone can make a speech there on Sunday afternoons.

    Central Park is a man­made park in the center of Manhattan, New York. It was built in 1858 and in 1873 it was open to the public. With 21 playgrounds and 2 zoos, Central Park is a wonderful place for children to have fun．

    Banff National Park，the largest park in Alberta, Canada, was open in 1885.The park is as large as 6, 641 km2. Whether by car, boat, bus, bike or on foot, you can enjoy the mountains, lakes, as well as the plants and wild animals. The most famous is its ski areas in the park，which attracts millions of people to come every winter.

                                 Information Card

Jellyfish and Crocrodiles（水母和鳄鱼）

    Hi, my name's Ben. My family, that's Mum, Dad and me, live in Broome in Western Australia. Western Australia is about 80 times larger than Italy, but only 1.5 million people live there. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} It has a population of about 12,000. It's right on the coast and is known for its famous Cable Beach, which is 20km long.

    We live in the town in a house with a large garden.  {#blank#}2{#/blank#} We drive to Cable Beach and look for a quiet place to swim or to fish. We don't go swimming from October to March because there may be box jellyfish in the water. The box jellyfish is one of the most dangerous jellyfish. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} If you are attacked by one, the best thing to do is to pour vinegar（醋）over the area of your body where you are hurt. That's why we always take a bottle of vinegar with us.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#} A year ago I went camping in the bush with my friend Bill and his dad. We wanted to do some fishing and set up camp about 20 metres from a river. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Bill's father told us to get up and we quickly got out of the tent and ran to the car, which was only 10 metres away.

    Bill's dad started the car and turned on the headlights. In the light, we could see a big crocodile pulling the tent into the river!

    Mr White works in a factory. There are not many people in the factory. They make shoes there. The workers go to work very early in the morning. On Saturday and Sunday they don't go to work. They stay at home. Mrs White cooks for the workers in the factory. She likes cooking and she cooks well. In the middle of the day the workers have lunch in the factory. They are very friendly. They like the food Mrs White cooks.