About today's practice
We carry the Part 1 thread into the Reading week, and today’s topic doubles up nicely with the module — reading and books. Encourage real opinions; “I don’t read much” is a perfectly good answer if it’s extended with why.
Part 1 has no planning time in the real test. Read each question and answer on the spot in two to three full sentences — that on-your-feet fluency is exactly what this builds.
Questions — Reading & Books
- Do you enjoy reading? What kinds of things do you read?
- Do you prefer paper books or reading on a screen? Why?
- What was the last thing you read for pleasure?
- Did you read a lot as a child?
- Do you think reading is still important today? Why?
- Is there a book you’d recommend to a friend?
- Do people in your country read much these days?
More questions — build a bank
Your reading habits
- What kind of books or articles do you read most?
- When and where do you usually read?
- Do you read more or less than you used to?
- How do you choose what to read next?
Books & technology
- Do you think e-books will replace paper books?
- Do you ever listen to audiobooks? What do you think of them?
- Where do you usually get your books — buy, borrow or download?
Reading & society
- Should children be encouraged to read more? How?
- Are libraries still important today? Why?
- Has anything you read ever changed your mind about something?
- Do people in your country prefer fiction or non-fiction?
- What was your favourite book as a child?
- Would you like to write a book one day?
Example answers — short reply grown into a full one Do you enjoy reading? I do, though mostly non-fiction these days — history and science. I like the feeling of finishing a book and understanding something I didn’t before; it’s a small, satisfying kind of progress. Paper books or a screen? I read the news on my phone, but for a proper book I still prefer paper. There’s something about not having notifications popping up that helps me concentrate, and I just remember things better that way. Is reading still important today? Definitely — maybe more than ever. We’re surrounded by short, fast information, so being able to sit with a longer argument and follow it properly is a skill that’s quietly becoming rare.
Pair-work sequence (~30 min)
▸ Interview · 13 min — A asks every question, B answers (~6 min); swap so B asks and A answers (~6 min). The examiner-partner keeps the pace brisk, like the real test, and resists chatting back. No planning — straight in. ▸ Extend & re-run · 13 min — New partner. Run the set again — but now every answer must carry a reason (“because…”) and one example or detail. Faster, more natural delivery. ▸ Feedback · 4 min — Whole-class: read out two answers you overheard that grew from one word into a full, natural reply.
Listen for / feedback: Mark any answer that stops at one word — push that student for a reason and a detail. Praise natural extenders: “Well, actually…”, “I’d say…”, “It depends, but…”. Note tense slips (“I go yesterday”) for a quick thirty-second correction at the end.
Flexibility: Short on time today? Assign the whole set as paired home practice — a quick voice call or an in-person run — and have each student record one answer to bring back. If the room runs ahead of schedule, this slots straight in after the wrap-up.