Oral Test Paper for Advanced English Majors

Oral Test Paper for Advanced English Majors

(for examiner's reference)

I. Please read the following passage:

The Famous Monastery

The Great St. Bernard Pass connects Switzerland to Italy. At 2470 meters, it is the highest mountain pass in Europe. The famous monastery of St. Bernard, which was founded in the eleventh century, lies about a mile away. For hundreds of years, St Bernard dogs have saved lives of travelers crossing the dangerous Pass. These friendly dogs, which were first brought from Asia, were used as watch-dogs even in Roman times. Now that a tunnel has been built through the mountains, the Pass is less dangerous, but each year, the dogs are still sent out into the snow wherever a traveler is in difficulty. Despite the new tunnel, there are still a few people who rashly attempt to cross the Pass on foot.

During the summer months, the monastery is very busy, for it is visited by thousands of people who cross the Pass in cars. As there are so many people about, the dogs have to be kept in a special enclosure. In winter, however, life at the monastery is quite different. The temperature drops to -30 and very few people attempt to cross the Pass. The monks prefer winter to summer for they have more privacy. The dogs have greater freedom, too, for they are allowed to wander outside their enclosure. The only regular visitors to the monastery in winter are parties of skiers who go there at Christmas and Easter. These young people, who love the peace of the mountains, always receive a warm welcome at St Bernard's monastery.

II. Listen to the passage and than answer the questions:

(Tapescripts)

An Unusual Dog

Blackie was an unusual dog. He could perform many clever tricks and could even do small errands for his master Ramon. One day Ramon took him to see his friend Frank, who was sick with a bad cold. When Frank complained that there was not a single drop of medicine in his house, Ramon offered to send Blackie out to get some medicine. Frank thought the idea ridiculous but Ramon insisted. So Blakie was given a five-dollar bill and told to buy some cough syrup at a nearby drugstore. He was also told that he could keep the change.

Half an hour later Blackie was not yet back. Frank was amused and Ramon was embarrassed for Blackie's delay and anxious about what might have happened to him.

Then they saw the dog at a distance with a bottle of medicine in his mouth!

To his master's question about why it took him so long Blackie ran to the window, barking and wagging his tail, which brought Ramon's attention to a bone outside. It seemed that Blackie had spent some time buying himself the bone with the change.

1. Who was Blackie?
2. What was unusual in Blackie?
3. How much money was Blackie given? What for?
4. What did he get with the money?
5. Why did he delay for half an hour?

1. Please talk about the picture

1. Free talk (The teacher may ask you to talk about any of the two topics among the following)

1. Tell us some thing about your hobbies.
2. What kind of people do you like?
3. Why do you want to learn English?
4. If you were a laid-off worker, what were you going to do?
5. What is your ideal career?
6. What kind of TV program do you like? And why?