Grade  10
Format
The candidate holds a conversation with the examiner. Total time: 25minutes
The four major phases of the conversation are:
·presentation of a topic prepared by the candidate followed by discussion of that topic with the examiner(5minutes).
     ·presentation of a text prepared by the candidate followed by discussion of that text with the examiner(7minutes)
      ·Reading aloud of a short text by the examiner，followed by questions to check the
candidateˊs understanding of the text(6 minutes)
     ·General conversation with the examiner(6 minutes)
     candidate performance
    The candidate is expected to
   ·make a short presentation of a prepared topic(2-3minutes)and a slightly longer presentation
of one prepared text(3-4 minutes)
     ·answer questions and enter into discussion following the presentations of the topic and text
and be prepared to account for statements made and to explain his/her attitudes to the topic and text
     ·understand the gist and main points of a spoken text
     ·summarise information，ideas and arguments
     ·develop an argument and defend a point of view
     ·express beliefs，assumptions and apparent truths
     ·sustain discussion at all points in the conversation
     ·maintain the flow of the conversation without breakdown
     New grammatical items
     ·Past perfect continuous tense
     ·Must have plus participle
     ·Could have plus participle
     ―in addition to items listed for Grades 1-9
    New subject areas for conversation phase
    ·International events
      ·Social issues
      ·The economy
      ·Ambitions
·Equal opportunities
·Science/technology
―in addition to items listed for Grades 1-9
Candidates should be able to make use of a range of vocabulary items relating to the above subject areas
Assessment criteria
Readiness        ·understanding of all the main points and arguments made by the examiner
                 ·responding appropriately and without hesitation
                 ·taking the initiative where appropriate
                 ·maintaining the flow of the conversation with a minimum of self-correction
     Pronunciation      production of individual sounds so as to be intelligible to the listener
with only minimal transfer of sounds from the mother tongue
·use of stress and intonation patterns that are recognisably specific to English，but with occasional lapses of intelligibility
·use of appropriate stress and intonation patterns to emphasise meaning
·range of vocabulary and grammar appropriate to the subjects under discussion
·grammatical accuracy that denotes full control over all items specified for Grades 7 and below and only occasional lapses in control of items listed for Grades 8 and above
Focus            ·entirely appropriate content of all contributions to the conversation
·achievement of communicative purpose of all contributions to the conversation
·adequate organization of content of contributions to the conversation
·evidence of strategies to initiate and control the conversation from time to time
Examiner and candidate language
The sample exchanges below show some ways in which examiners and candidates might express themselves during the conversation. It is stressed that these are only examples.
Examiner                             Candidate
                                      The first problem we had was how to choose
a cast for the play…
So how was this situation resolved?         So what happened was that they were allowed to have children and wives in jail if the husband was arrested…
Now moving to the text.                  This text is about Rio，which has been elected the most exciting city.
Is that true? How realistic is the text?        Itˊs quite realistic，but there are a number of misconceptions held by the public…
Do you not think this title is misleading?     Yes，I think so，because…
                                        I believe I saw the film when I was a child. I mean when I really was a child.
What do you understand about equal         No prejudice at all，no prejudice because of
opportunities?                           sex，because of …
                                      Until a few years ago，a woman could be doing
exactly the same work as a man and earning less money.
Do you think this person influenced you?     I think she could have influenced me，although
I didnˊt realize it at the time. I must have
been quite naïve then…
If you hadnˊt gone into the theatre，what   Iˊd have probably been a lawyer…
do you think you would have done?
To what extent do you think the media        It rather depends on what you mean by media，Influences everyday life?                 but I have little doubt that…