B2 First Speaking Parts 3 & 4 Sample Answers

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These are high-scoring sample answers for the following Cambridge B2 First Speaking Parts 3 and 4. Read them and the analysis to understand what you need to talk about and the kind of answers you need to give for a good B2 First speaking score. For strategies, tips and advice on how to answer B2 First speaking questions, go here.

B2 First Part 3

Question

Sample Answer – Discussion

There is two minutes to discuss how each part influences the central question.

A/ From my point of view, it’s absolutely essential to learn about other cultures, but another culture if you’re learning that language. So if you’re learning Italian, for example, you don’t really want to learn about Russian culture or Australian culture, for example. You need to learn about Italian culture. Why? Because what people do, their traditions and their food and their weather and everything dictates what they say and why they say it, so it becomes a part of their language. Would you agree with that?

B/ Totally agree with you. I think it’s also essential to and very polite to learn, try and learn some of the culture if you travel to other countries and then you can really appreciate what you see and do there much more. I think many people just go to another country and tick the list of the things to see and then go back home again, which I think is really quite rude. I don’t know how you feel about that.

A/ Well, maybe we should agree to disagree on that as far as work opportunities are concerned. I believe that unless you’re going abroad to work, then there’s not really much need to understand the culture unless you’re dealing with international clients. What do you think about that?

B/ I completely agree with you. But as for making new friends, unless you’re making an effort to make new friends from abroad, I don’t think there’s really much need in that respect. I would say it’s overwhelmingly obvious well, it’s overwhelmingly obvious to me, that it’s most important to learn about other cultures when you’re learning to speak other languages. Would you agree with that?

A/ I completely agree, actually. I completely agree.

Sample Answer – Reaching a Decision

There is one minute for the candidates to reach a decision about which activity needs the most concentration.

B/ I think there are other cases, as you said, with work, with international clients, with working abroad, although that’s not as important. What also isn’t as important as travelling to other countries, I don’t know. Do you have anything more to say about that?

A/ Yes, I do. I think educating ourselves, that could include learning about other countries and making new friends too, could. But nothing on the scale of speaking other languages, to be quite honest with.

Sample Answer Video

B2 First Part 4

One candidate is asked a Part 4 question, then the other one is asked to give a shorter opinion on it too.

Questions

Are you interested in the cultures of other countries, for example their music or food? (Why? / Why not?)
Can we learn a lot about the culture of a country when we’re on holiday there? (Why? / Why not?)
Should students spend more time learning about other cultures when they are at school? (Why? / Why not?)
Some students have the opportunity to study in another country. Is this a good thing to do? (Why? / Why not?)
Do you think it’s true that the internet has helped us understand people in other countries? (Why? / Why not?)
Some people say that these days that there aren’t many big cultural differences between countries. Do you agree? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample Answers

Question – Are you interested in the cultures of other countries, for example their music or food? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample answer – I would say not really. Not as in deliberately going to find out about different cultures and so on I read a lot of books. I read constantly and one of the things I quite enjoy is to read stories like, for example, detective stories or other kinds of stories set in other countries. I find that quite enjoyable and as a result some cultural things come into it. I also quite enjoy historical fiction, which is another story but there’s quite a lot of culture in that too but actually pursuing Italian music……

Question – Can we learn a lot about the culture of a country when we’re on holiday there? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample answer – To be honest, I think it depends on what you are. Some people, my mum, for example, love to go and immerse themselves in the history, the folklore and music of the country they go on holiday to. And most places cater for tourists like that, but they also need to cater for those that go for the weather, the beaches or the nightlife and so on. Personally, I’d rather soak up the culture by osmosis rather than seeking it out, no matter how available it is.

Question – Should students spend more time learning about other cultures when they are at school? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample answer – I’m not sure they should spend more time, because in subjects, such as geography, there is quite a lot of culture included. I’d rather think of it as being taught more widely, so the vast majority of students realise that there can be huge differences in the way people live. In my opinion, this would be a big step towards ending racism, if many more people appreciated the other races’ circumstances.

Question – Some students have the opportunity to study in another country. Is this a good thing to do? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample answer – If they have the chance and there is no issue with money, then I think they must go. There is a bland saying that travel broadens your horizons, but it really does. Opening students’ eyes to different ways of doing things from cooking to dancing, from going to church to fishing and so on will give them a clearer perspective on their own lives and what they want in life. For some, it may be the only chance to go abroad for years to come, so they should jump at the chance, if you ask me.

Question – Do you think it’s true that the internet has helped us understand people in other countries? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample answer – On the one hand it is true, because you can meet and chat with people from all over the world on the internet. You can also search for information about different places and read about other people’s experiences. On the other hand, though, there is no real substitute for actually going to a place yourself and meeting normal everyday people who live there. For example, pictures on the net can look wonderful, but you really have no idea what the place would actually be like if the temperature is 40 degrees or something.

Question – Some people say that these days that there aren’t many big cultural differences between countries. Do you agree? (Why? / Why not?)

Sample answer – To me it sounds like these people have only been to bigger cities in other countries, where there are all the global brands and many people can speak international languages like English. If you go off the beaten track a little, even to a suburb of one of these cities, then it becomes much more like a completely different country, where you don’t understand anything or anyone. There are also the differences in things like sense of humour, which can be really disorienting.

Less Common Vocabulary

constantly – continuously over a period of time; always
detective – a police officer, whose occupation is to investigate and solve crimes
immerse – involve oneself deeply in a particular activity
folklore – the traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community
cater for – provide someone with what is needed or required
osmosis – gradually learning about something without knowing you are doing it
racism – being opposed or against a group or person because they come from a different country
issue – problem
bland – uninteresting, lacking strong features
perspective – a point of view
substitute – a person or thing that takes the place of another
global brands – Companies that are recognised in most countries, such as Adidas or KFC
off the beaten track – where people do not usually go
suburb – an outlying district of a city, especially a residential one
sense of humor – a person’s ability to appreciate a joke
disorienting – causing a feeling of confusion