B2 First Speaking Parts 3 & 4 Sample Answers

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These are high-scoring sample answers for the following Cambridge C1 Advanced Speaking Parts 3 and 4. Read them to understand what you need to talk about and the kind of answers you need to give for a good C1 Advanced speaking score.

C1 Advanced Speaking Part 3

Question

Sample Answer – Discussion + Decision

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

A/ I would say technology has a variable impact on most of these places, most of these aspects, and it’s similar in the workplace. I think technology has helped people help people, helped companies do things quick, faster, do things more efficiently and so on. But technology has also, to some extent, put some people out of a job. So that’s not really a positive impact, is it?

B/ No, I quite agree with you. And I think in some ways it’s the same with education. Technology has made it easier for teachers to present things, to present their classes in a fun and interesting way, so that the students will take in the information quickly. But the students also have huge distractions from computer games and their mobile phones, et cetera, when they’re supposed to be doing their homework. So I guess it’s a bit of a double-edged sword, wouldn’t you say?

A/ I would say so. And I would say as far as science and medicine is concerned, I would say it’s overwhelmingly positive. I think the advances that have been made in both science and medicine have been extraordinary in the last few decades, and I think that this is one of the reasons why life expectancy has increased substantially.

Sample Answer – Reaching a Decision

B/ As you just said. There’s no doubt in my mind whatsoever that science and medicine has had the most positive effect on lives today. I think in the aspect of science, science is at the root, the fundamental root of technology, and so undoubtedly has had a positive impact on both the economy of the whole world well, the global economy, and nearly every aspect of everyone’s lives. What would you say to that?

A/ I couldn’t agree more, to be quite honest with you. I think you mentioned science. It’s the same with medicine. The machines they can use, the technology that they can use, not only in hospitals, but also to develop new medicines and so on. If you look at how quickly the vaccine for the pandemic was developed, it’s really quite outstanding. So, yes, I totally agree.

Sample Answer Video

C1 Advanced Speaking 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

What do you think is the most positive aspect of technology? Why?
Some people dislike using technology. Why do you think this is?
Do you think that life is generally easier now than it was in the past? Why/Why not?
Some people say that computers are the biggest time-saving device in modem life. What do you think?
The popularity of mobile phones means that people are always contactable. Is this a good thing?
What effect do you think social networking sites have had on relationships?

Sample Answers

Question – What do you think is the most positive aspect of technology? Why?

Sample answer – I believe that it’s being able to use technology to give ourselves a better life on this planet. I think we are past the industrial revolution. We’ve moved through the hugely transitional stage from steam powered engines to renewable power. And so, I think this should keep going and we should use technology to make the world a cleaner, greener place that’s safer for everyone’s, children and a safe place for people, animals and eat every kind of plant to live.

Question – Some people dislike using technology. Why do you think this is?

Sample answer – There could be various reasons for that. Some may think that tech is developing so quickly, their lives never seem to say the same. For some this is a delight, but for others it can be very unsettling or maybe even disturbing. Another group of people who may not be enamored with tech are those who favour going back to nature. Although tech could help these people with their dreams of rustic self-sufficiency by using data, many of them would prefer to live almost as ‘survivors’ and live off the land.

Question – Do you think that life is generally easier now than it was in the past? Why/Why not?

Sample answer – From my perspective, and I believe many from my generation would agree with me, life much more complex these days. In the not-too-distant past, there were no mobile phones and no personal computers. OK, that may have made some things harder, but it was really easy to get away from it all. People weren’t always ‘on-call’ and if they went out for a walk, for example, nobody could get in touch with them. Nowadays, however, people are even contacted by their bosses when they are supposed to have finished work. So no, I don’t think it’s easier at all.

Question – Some people say that computers are the biggest time-saving device in modem life. What do you think?

Sample answer – I would say that the use of computers is so widespread these days that only older people will think they save time. For many, they cause more problems than they solve and because technology is improving so quickly, users need to constantly learn how to use the latest updates and new software. The biggest time-saver in my opinion would be the burgeoning AI. It will save more creators time, and rewrite many of the rulebooks for work. Things are going to change.

Question – The popularity of mobile phones means that people are always contactable. Is this a good thing?

Sample answer – For those who have grown up with them, I think being out of touch is horrific. For those of older generations, though, they find not being able to ‘go dark’ to be a pain. So as time goes on, I reckon that always being contactable will just be a fact of life. My problem with this in some ways, is for many, that means lying about your circumstances or environment because of the constant pressure to be seen as happy, stable and interesting which can be exhausting.

Question – What effect do you think social networking sites have had on relationships?

Sample answer – As far as I see it, there are both positive and negative effects. A far as the positive ones are concerned, I would say that it’s easy to stay in touch with people you maybe haven’t seen in a long time. That could mean school friends, who have moved on or family who live abroad. Negative ones, however, would include cyber-bullying and friends or relatives embellishing their lives to make others jealous. I think if you keep things in perspective then these sites are really useful. If only there weren’t so many of them.