Do you consider yourself an adventurous person?

Am I adventurous? Well, it really depends on how you define 'adventurous', doesn't it? If
we're talking about risk-taking in terms of extreme sports, then no, that's not really my cup of
tea. You won't catch me skydiving or abseiling, that's for sure. Heights and I just don't mix
well!

But if you look at it from another angle, like embracing life changes and new experiences,
then yeah, I'd say I'm pretty adventurous. For instance, I've lived in three different countries,
all by myself. And right now, I’m doing it again, this time in Spain. It's not always been easy,
on the contrary, but it's definitely been exciting.

Also, I'm a solopreneur, trying to carve out a living independently. That in itself is quite an
adventure, brimming with risks and opportunities. For instance, if I fall ill, my entire business
could come to a standstill. Naturally, I try to mitigate these risks with strategies like
automation, but it's a continuous process that demands relentless commitment and a strong
sense of self-confidence.

So, all things considered, I guess I am adventurous in my own way. For me, it's more about
starting fresh in new places, and navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, rather than
getting an adrenaline rush from extreme sports.

Practice and Build

Phrase
“Brimming with risks and opportunities”

Pronunciation

/ˈbrɪmɪŋ wɪð rɪsks ænd ˌɒpərˈtjuːnɪtiz/

👉 Meaning

The phrase "brimming with risks and opportunities" describes a situation or condition that is
full of both potential dangers and favourable chances. "Brimming" suggests that these
elements are present in abundance, almost to the point of overflowing.
 Usage

▪ The stock market is an environment brimming with risks and opportunities; investors
must navigate carefully.
▪ Starting your own business is an endeavour brimming with risks and opportunities,
requiring both caution and daring.

Phrase
“Navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship”

Pronunciation

/nævɪgeɪtɪŋ ðə ˈtʃælɪndʒɪz əv ˌɒntrəprəˈnɜːrʃɪp/

👉 Meaning

The phrase "navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship [something]" refers to the process
of dealing with and overcoming difficulties or obstacles associated with a particular situation,
activity, or endeavour. It implies a careful and skillful approach to handling complex or
problematic issues.

Usage

▪ Navigating the challenges of remote work requires discipline and effective

communication.
▪ Navigating the challenges of parenting in the digital age is a new experience for many,
involving constant learning and adaptation.

__________________________________________________________

What Ambitions Do You Have?

Topic of AMBITION.

Basic Vocabulary
 goal (My long-term goal is to get better and better at English)
 aim (My aim is to help Cambridge exam candidates on YouTube)
 desire (I have a burning desire to live in Spain)
 aspiration (It is my personal aspiration to become a teacher)
You can use also some other basic structures to talk about your ambitions:
 I dream of being a great teacher / I dream about living in Spain
 I long to travel around Europe (really want it)
 I always had a yearning to set up my own company
 I strive to be fluent in English (try very hard)
 Advanced Collocations
When you’re talking about ambition in your exam, you could talk about personal
ambition, for example, getting up early, and exercising daily. Or, you could talk about
professional ambition (become a great teacher).

 Lifelong ambition: It’s a lifelong ambition of mine to become a successful investor

 Burning ambition: I have a burning ambition to become a teacher
 Modest ambition: I have a modest ambition to become famous
 You lack ambition: When it comes to starting a family, I lack ambition
 Achieve, fulfil or realise ambition.
 Abandon or give up ambition

5 Idioms to Talk About Ambition

 First of all, to go to great lengths: I’ll have to go to great lengths to achieve my goal =
I’ll do everything possible.
 Dig in your heels = to be persistent: I am going to create an online course and even
though some people say it’s just a dream, I am going to dig in my heels.
 A similar expression is I will stick at it = to continue, persevere
 Not only will I carry on at all costs, but I’m also willing to go the extra mile to reach
my goal = to do some extra work.
 I’m going to throw in the towel = give up, stop

Model Answer
What ambitions do you have?
Hmm, that’s an interesting question. Well, between you and me, I dream about being a
great teacher on YouTube. I have a burning desire to help people all over the world
speak better English. Of course, I know it’s not going to be a walk in the park, there are
going to be moments that I feel like giving up, but I’m willing to go the extra mile to
succeed.
How Important Is It To Be Ambitious?

Ambition – The Good and the Bad of Being Ambitious

Having ambitions in your life is meaningful. Yet, toxic ambition will only cause harm.
Therefore, it is important to find the correct balance and maintain it. If you happen to
have taken ambition too far, it is essential to get back on the right track.

Ambitions are what keeps us going. As an ambitious person, it’s important to work smart
and consciously. However, don’t beat yourself up if you make mistakes. Listen to your
body and give the care and nutrition it needs. Talk to someone if your ambitious drive gets
in the way of your mental health.
How to Expand On a Topic?
Remember, you want to be clear and concise because you only have a short time to
answer the question. To make sure that your answer is intelligible to the examiner, you
can use the KISS system: Keep It Simple and Structured.

First, you give your opinion. Then you explain why. You give reasons for your opinion.
After that, you give a short example to illustrate your point, or you speculate about a
possible consequence.

Model Answer
How important is it to be ambitious?
My model answer:
That’s a great question! Personally, I believe that having ambition is immensely
beneficial to your life. You tend to work harder and you’re also more productive. And
when you achieve your goal, you get this sense of accomplishment. It gives you joy and
fulfilment. For instance, being able to speak English after years of studying makes me
feel proud of myself. (example)

Mind you, ambition can also be toxic. This is the case when someone becomes obsessed.
They might take their ambition too far and their drive gets in the way of their health.
(speculate)
All in all, I guess being ambitious is a double-edged sword. It can have favourable and
unfavourable consequences. At the end of the day, you need to find the right balance and
maintain it.
 EP3. Is It Better to Have a Few Close Friends or a Wide Circle of Acquaintances?

First, I’m going to tell you a thing or two about the phrasal verb GET ON. Then I’m
going to answer a question that you might get in part 1 of the Cambridge C1 exam. Next,
I will analyse my answer, and finally, we’ll end this episode with some useful expressions
you can use to talk about relationships.

Get on
Chapter 5 of the excellent textbook Ready for C1 Advanced – which is all about
relationships – starts with a picture of a granddaughter hugging her grandmother. The title
of the chapter is: GETTING ON.

Now, what do you think that phrasal verb means? If you get on with someone, you like
them and have a friendly relationship with them.
 Her new boyfriend gets on with her children.
 I get on very well with all of my nephews.
But wait, there’s more. As you probably know, many phrasal verbs have different
meanings, and this one is no exception.

For starters, get on with also means continue doing it or start doing it.
 After a two-month hiatus I finally got on with my podcast.
This is another example that is true – it’s a real-life example and I encourage you to do the
same as I do when learning new vocabulary. When you can, make the phrases true for you,
all right?

Ok then, here’s another meaning. If you say how someone is getting on, you are saying
how much success they are having with what they are trying to do.
 Nina, who is one of my students, is getting on very well in English. She learns very
quickly.

Cambridge C1 Exam Part 1 question

 Is it better to have a few close friends or a wide circle of acquaintances?
Before I give you my answer, let’s make sure everyone understands what acquaintance
means: An acquaintance is someone who you have met and know slightly, but not well.
If you have an acquaintance with someone, you have met them and you know them.

You can also make someone’s acquaintance. When you make someone’s
acquaintance, you meet them for the first time and get to know them a little.
 I’ve known his sister for 7 years. I first made her acquaintance in 2015 at a business
conference in London.

All right now, let’s get back to the question:

Is it better to have a few close friends or a wide circle of acquaintances?
Here’s my answer…
Hmm, frankly speaking, I’d like to have both! However, if I had to choose, I would go
for a few close friends. To tell you the truth, when I’m down in the dumps, I really need a
close friend to talk to. You see, I don’t like to discuss my problems with people I know
only slightly.

Mind you, I do realise it might be different for other people, but personally, I prefer to talk
/talking to someone who’s always there for me, in good times and bad.

Language analysis
Hmm, frankly speaking, I’d like to have both! However, if I had to choose, I would go
for a few close friends. To tell you the truth, when I’m down in the dumps, I really
need a close friend to talk to. You see, I don’t like to discuss my problems with people I
know only slightly.

Mind you, I do realise it might be different for other people, but personally, I prefer to talk
/talking to someone who’s always there for me, in good times and bad.

Vocabulary
Okay, let’s end this podcast with some expressions you can use to talk about
 relationships. I’ll give you three sentences, and you have to complete the gap. Are you

ready?

1) The noise from the neighbours is beginning to on my nerves. I’m going to complain if it
doesn’t stop soon.
2) His negative attitude has a great strain on our relationship. I’m seriously thinking of
leaving him.
3) They set up a partnership in 2020, but the relationship sour when Laura’s risky
investments seriously jeopardised the business. (Actions may destroy the business, or
cause it to fail)
4) His mother had always approved of his girlfriends before, but she never really to
Ana.

Now, over to you. Choose one of the expressions and use them to talk about your
own relationships, past or present. Here’s my example:
 Emma used to really get on my nerves, she was always texting me, even using different
messenger apps. She never gave me a moment’s peace. That said, things are fine now –
She got a boyfriend, so I guess she has moved on.
 EP4. How to Talk About Pollution?

We’re going to look at 4 things.

1. Key terminology
2. Frequently used verbs
3. Advanced collocations
4. Idiomatic expressions

Sounds great, right? Let’s get cracking!

Key Terminology
Right, let’s get this started with some essential terminology.
Pollution: damage caused to water, air, soil etc. by harmful substances or waste.
 New research found that industrial pollution goes high in the atmosphere and travels far.

Ecosystem: all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the
environment.
 Pollution can have disastrous effects on the local ecosystem.
Ecological (adj.): relating to ecology or the environment.
 The destruction of the rainforests is an ecological disaster.
Eco-friendly (adj.): describes things that protect and look after the environment, rather than
damaging it.
 The building has many features that make it more eco-friendly as well as reducing
heating costs.

Waste: synonyms are rubbish (UK) garbage (US) trash (US) litter (UK).
 A landfill: 1. The disposal of garbage, rubbish, etc. by burying it under soil or earth. 2. A
place where rubbish is buried.
 The environmental costs of landfill keep increasing.
 The vast majority of waste is dumped on landfill sites.
Biodegradable waste: waste that naturally decomposes. It is able to decay naturally and in
a way that is not harmful:
 Biodegradable packaging helps to limit the amount of harmful chemicals released into
the atmosphere.

Non-biodegradable waste: something that cannot be decomposed or dissolved naturally. It

may remain on this planet for many years. A notorious example is plastic that is used in
everything- from cola bottles to pencil boxes.

If you want to learn more about this stuff, you can read the article What is Non-
Biodegradable Waste? [Explained].

5 Frequently Used Verbs

Next, let’s talk about 5 frequently used verbs.
1. To dump rubbish:
 People dump rubbish in the sea, on the streets, in (illegal) landfills.

2. To segregate waste:
 We should segregate waste (to separate) to facilitate

recycling. The 3 Rs:

3. Recycle rubbish
4. Reduce waste
5. Reuse plastics

10 Advanced Collocations
Now, let’s look at collocations with the following exam question in mind:
What can we do to tackle pollution?
The transport industry can reduce their reliance on fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas).

Farmers can bring down the use of pesticides (medicine for crops) to avoid the destruction
of bees.
 The government should crack down on illegal dumping (take strong action to stop
people putting waste into a landfill / the sea / river without permission).

We should be careful to recycle rubbish and waste at home.

I strive not to use disposable plastic, such as coffee cups in Starbucks.

People should steer clear of illegal waste dumping = people should avoid illegal waste
dumping.

The city council should invest in electric buses to reduce exhaust fumes from vehicles.
From time to time I play my part and pick up litter from the streets / clean up the
beaches in my city.

IMPORTANT NOTE: When I talk about being flexible when speaking in your exam, I
talk about the ability to say the same thing in different ways. This is to avoid using the
same words over and over again. (Famous examples are like, think, maybe, and very)

 To do my bit = To play my part = To contribute

 From time to time = Once in a while = Every now and then = At times

3 Idioms

Finally, let’s look at three idioms you can use to talk about pollution.

 The level of air pollution in our city is getting out of hand = to be out of control.
 If we don’t take action, all of us will be in dire straits = to be in trouble.
 Some people believe we’re running out of time when it comes to tackling climate
change = to no longer have any time to finish some task or activity.

Closing notes

That’s it! Lots of expressions, verbs, collocations and idioms to help you speak with more
confidence on the topic of pollution.

I hope you enjoyed this episode. If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you have any questions about the podcast, any feedback, or anything you would like
me to add or clarify, then do get in touch with me. You can email me at:

kristian@[Link] – I’d love to hear from you.

EP5. How to Talk About Feelings in C1 Speaking Part 2

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing? I hope
you’re in good spirits. It’s a pleasure to share another lesson with you today.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, where you can find the audio,
the lesson notes, and even the video of this episode.

I create and share all these materials because I want to help you speak better English and
get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

In today’s lesson, you will learn vocabulary and phrases to help you speak confidently
about feelings in part 2 of the Speaking Exam.

C1 Speaking Part 2: An Introduction

Now, for the listeners who are not familiar with part 2 of the exam, let me give a quick
overview:

In Part 2 you talk for about 1 minute. The interlocutor will not interrupt while you are
speaking.

You are given three photographs, which are all related to the same thing. The interlocutor
will tell you what the theme is and you then choose any two of the photographs to talk
about.
The interlocutor will ask you to talk about two questions related to the photographs and the
theme. These questions are also written above the photographs for you to refer to while
you are talking.

Here’s an example:

In this part of the test, I’m going to give each of you three pictures. I’d like you to talk
about two of them on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question briefly
about your partner’s picture.

Candidate A, it’s your turn first. Here are your pictures. They show people doing things
together. I’d like you to compare two of the pictures and say why the people might be
doing these things together, and how the people might be feeling.

Vocabulary: Expressing Feelings

Now, if you are following this lesson on my blog, you can see that I’ve put three pictures at
the bottom of the lesson notes. You can use these to practise part 2. But before you start
doing this, let’s have a look at some common adjectives you could use.

Adjectives to express feelings:

 Happy
 Sad
 Angry
 Terrible
 Excited

Now, these words are maybe a bit too common. I mean to say, you should mix up your
answer in the exam to show off your speaking flexibility.

And to help you do that, I’m going to share some synonyms you could use in the exam:

He feels happy, because

 Cheerful
 Pleased
 Content = very happy
 Elated = very happy

She is happy about / that

 Glad
 Pleased
 Delighted = very happy
 Thrilled (to bits) = very happy

They feel angry because / about

 Cross (She seems to be very cross about something.)

 Irate (The owner was so irate he almost threw me out of the place.)
 Vexed (vexed at the slow salesclerks / I’m very vexed with you.)

I feel sad if

 Despondent (If you are despondent, you are very unhappy because you have been
experiencing difficulties that you think you will not be able to overcome. He felt
despondent after he was made redundant.)
 Dejected (If you are dejected, you feel miserable or unhappy, especially because you
have just been disappointed by something.)
 Miserable
 I feel terrible when

 Awful
 Dreadful (I feel absolutely dreadful about what has happened.)

Now, another common adjective you could use to describe feelings is the word excited.
 However, be careful: Excited can mean very happy or very worried.

If you are excited, you are so happy that you cannot relax, especially because you are
thinking about something pleasant that is going to happen to you.

 I’m very excited about living in Madrid.

 If you are excited, you are very worried or angry about something, and so you are very
alert and cannot relax.

 In my view there’s every reason to get excited about inflation.

Okay, now you know plenty of alternatives to show off your English when you need to
talk about how people might be feeling.

Speculative language

Finally, last but not least, let me just point out one more thing. In part 2 you need to

speculate. This means you need to be able to use words like:

 Perhaps
 Reckon
 Seem
 Make out
 Suppose
 Maybe
 Looks like
 Impression
 Appears

So don’t forget to use these expressions when you practice this part of the exam!

 It seems to be / They seem + adjective

 I think I can make out
 I reckon / suppose /guess
 It appears to be / looks like
 My initial impression is that
Closing notes

That’s it! Lots of expressions, verbs, collocations and idioms to help you express your
feelings in English and with confidence.
I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.
EP6. How to Talk About Transport Problems

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing? It’s a
pleasure to share another lesson with you.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, where you can find the audio,
the lesson notes, and even the video of this episode.

I create and share all these materials because I want to help you speak better English and
get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

In this lesson about transport problems, you will learn vocabulary and phrases to help you
speak confidently on this topic.

First, we will look at different types of transportation, both public and private. Next, I’ll
give an overview of current transport problems with help from an interesting question.
Finally, I will share 4 idioms you can use to talk about transport problems + 1 bonus idiom
that nobody should take literally.

Public and Private Transportation

Every city has its own transportation system, including both private and public vehicles.
Examples of public transportation are:

Bus, coach, train, plane, ferry, cruise ship, taxi, cab, bicycles for rent, rickshaw, tuk-tuk,
tram, subway, (metro, tube)
If you talk about private transportation, you could mention:

Cars, motorbikes, bicycles, jets, yachts, boats, vans, scooters

Okay, now let’s look at words and phrases you can use to talk about transport problems.

What Are The Main Problems With Transportation Systems In Your Country?

I’m going to talk about 3 problems that are typical for transportation systems.
1. Overcrowding
2. Traffic jams
3. Delays / reliability

Overcrowding

First, let’s address the problem of overcrowding. This happens usually in peak hours
(rush hour). Overcrowding is when people are squeezed into confined spaces; trains,
metros, and buses are chock full. You can talk about packed trains or overcrowded
buses. You could also
 say that commuters are crammed, people are packed like sardines. (In the final part of
this episode I’ll get back to this idiom).

Traffic jams

Problem number 2: traffic jams. Here we can think of cars and buses that are driving on
the road. Roads can be congested and then unfortunately, you get stuck in traffic.

Sometimes accidents can result in bottlenecks on the road, but more often than not it’s
just a result of bad city planning. In that case, the city has an outdated road network.
It means that the city’s infrastructure cannot cope with the rising numbers of private car
ownership.

Engineering work is another reason for traffic jams. Commuters then face difficulties
such as road closures and detours which in turn cause lengthy tailbacks and bring
traffic to a standstill.

Delays / reliability

The third problem you could address is delays / reliability. Trains are delayed (or: running
late) or even cancelled. This problem is exacerbated by the lack of investment in new
trains and infrastructure by train operators. Of course, you could also mention buses, trams
or metro systems when you talk about this problem. It really depends on the situation in
your country.

Idioms to talk about transport

Now, let’s look at some idiomatic expressions.

 First of all, I got to the train station in the nick of time = just in time

 It’s already 6 o’clock and time we hit the road, otherwise we might miss our flight = to
leave / start a journey

 She’s always complaining that the trains are running late, but we’re all in the same boat
= to be in the same unpleasant situation as other people
 We were squashed like sardines in the rush-hour train = If people are packed or squashed
like sardines, they are positioned very close together so that they cannot move.

 I’m not going to throw my colleague under the bus for something he did in his private
life = to do something harmful to someone else in order to gain an advantage for yourself
Closing notes
That’s it! Loads of vocabulary and idioms to help you talk about transport problems in
English and with confidence.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you have any questions about this lesson, any feedback, or anything you would like me
to add or clarify, then do get in touch with me. You can email me at:
kristian@[Link] – I’d love to hear from you.

In the meantime, go and check out my website, Get Ready For Success. If you’re preparing
for Cambridge C1, it’s a great place, full of interesting stuff.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon my friends!

 EP7. How to Talk About the Future of Cities

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing? I hope
you’re ready to learn some useful English with me today.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, where you can find the audio
files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

In this lesson about cities, you will learn vocabulary and phrases to help you speak
confidently on this topic.

First, we will look at the positive and negative points of cities. Next, I will answer an
interesting question. Finally, I’ll explain what you should and shouldn’t do with this model
answer.

Okay, let’s start with the first part of this episode: positive and negative points about cities.

Positive Points

 Picturesque / historic / elegant / magnificent / imposing buildings

 A wide array of stores and restaurants
 Lively bars and fashionable clubs
 Cultural centres with museums, theatres and art galleries
 High-rise buildings surrounded by green parks and public gardens
 A well-developed public transport network
 Residential areas with tree-lined avenues and leafy streets

Example sentences:

 Urban regeneration schemes will create residential areas with tree-lined avenues and
leafy streets.

The restoration of derelict buildings and tree-planting schemes will have a positive
impact on urban living.
 Negative Points

 Deserted areas (no one on the street at night)

 Filthy streets (very dirty)
 Run-down or derelict buildings (in very bad condition)
 Urban wasteland (in bad condition and often empty)
 No-go areas (with high crime)
 Deprived areas (without necessary things, e.g. enough money, good living
conditions)

Example sentences:

 Bumper-to-bumper traffic and lots of exhaust fumes make cities an unpleasant place
to live in.

 The ever-increasing volume of traffic has resulted in an incessant roar of cars, trucks
and buses.

 Overpriced real estate / housing is a massive problem that city councils need to address
immediately.

Model Answer

How do you think cities will change this decade?

Hmm, that’s an intriguing question. Well, I’m inclined to think that cities will change for
the better. One example that springs to mind right now is the improvement of transport
systems.

For starters, I believe there will be a jump in electric vehicle sales in the upcoming
years. This means there will be a dramatic decrease of exhaust fumes, and as a result,
the city will be a more desirable place to live in.

What’s more, I am convinced that reliable and affordable public transport – together
with the increase in the number of residential homes in inner cities – will reduce car
ownership. This will ease the problem of congested roads.

So, by and large, I think that urban living will improve this decade.

A Warning
 Don’t learn this model answer by heart. Don’t memorise sentences. Never recite. Here’s
why:

 This is my opinion; my sentence stress; my intonation. You will sound weird and
unnatural if you’re going to copy this answer.
 There is absolutely no guarantee this question will come up in your exam. On the
contrary.

Here’s what you should do instead:

1. Notice the language I use: connectors, collocations, phrasal verbs, and grammatical
structures. (= chunks of language)
2. Notice the structure of the answer: opinion, reason, example, consequence conclusion. (=
KISS System)
3. Memorise the chunk: the connector, the collocation or the clause.
4. Build your own answer with the language you’ve learnt.

You know what? It might be a good idea to make a separate episode on how to use the
model answers that I share in my podcast. Yes, I’ll do that in the near future. I’ll give
you one or two clear examples of how I think you should use my model answers. Good
idea? Let me know in the comments on my website or YouTube.

Closing Notes

That’s it! Loads of vocabulary and idioms to help you talk about the future of cities in
English and with confidence.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you have any questions about this lesson, any feedback, or anything you would like me
to add or clarify, then do get in touch with me. You can email me at:
kristian@[Link] – I’d love to hear from you.

In the meantime, go and check out my website, Get Ready For Success. If you’re preparing
for Cambridge C1, it’s a great place, full of interesting stuff.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

 EP8. How to Talk About Your Job in English With Confidence

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking. I’m in good spirits today and
ready to record this episode for you.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, where you can find the audio
files, videoclips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

Today I’m going to take you on a rather quick tour of the key language you need to speak
about your job. You can apply this language in part one of the exam as well as in your
everyday life.
We’re going to look at 5 questions:

1. What do you do for a living?

2. Why do you do that job?
3. What responsibilities do you have?
4. What if you don’t have a job?
5. What do you say when you’re busy? 6.
Are you up for it? Let’s kick-off!

Introduction

In part 1 of the speaking exam, the interlocutor speaks to you individually. They will ask
questions about your work or studies.

If you have a job, tell the examiner you work and talk about your job.

If you are a student or doing part-time study (like preparing for Cambridge C1), you can say
so and talk a little about the subject you study.

In this lesson, we will look at what to say if you work (outside or inside the home).

What Do You Do (For a Living)?

I work in a / an [place]
I work in a bank / a post office / a hospital / a school, etc.

I work in [field/industry/area]
I work in marketing / education / mining

I work as a / an [job/profession]
I work as a consultant / a teacher / engineer
 I’m a / an [job/profession] I’m a
consultant / a teacher / engineer

I work as a
I’ve been doing this job for years / months and I it.

I work as a consultant
I’ve been doing this job for 5 years and I love it.

I work as a teacher
I’ve been doing this job for around 5 years and it’s not bad.

Other ways of saying you like it just a little:

I kind of like it
It pays the bills/rent I don’t
mind it

Okay, all that stuff is sufficient, but I reckon I’ve got something better for you. My personal
favourite is this one:

I work as a and I help people

I work as a teacher and I help people learn English and build their confidence in

speaking. This sounds a great deal more interesting, right?

You might be, say, a copywriter. Or you might be someone who helps companies tell
compelling stories about their brands. Doesn’t that sound infinitely more interesting? It
instantaneously removes stereotypes about your job title and explains the value you bring
to the table. So, I highly recommend starting your response with “I help people…”.

Why Do You Do That Job?

 It’s rewarding / challenging

 I get to (do something)
 What I really like about my job is
I get to meet lots of interesting people and help them become confident English speakers.

What I really like about my job is meeting lots of interesting people, and helping them
become confident English speakers.

Now, you could also say something like I have to earn a living, or you can use an idiom,
such as I have to bring home the bacon or I’m trying to make ends meet.
 You can use bring home the bacon in different situations, but in this case, it means to earn
a living.

To make ends meet means that you earn just enough money to live on.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide the way how you want to answer these questions, as
long as you use natural, spoken English.

What Responsibilities Do You Have?

Let’s imagine you’re a sales manager. You can use phrases like:

 I’m responsible for growing our sales.

 It’s up to me to make sure our sales targets are met.
 My main duties are hiring and training my sales team; setting weekly, monthly, or
quarterly goals; I also generate reports tracking our performance.

You can use collocations like:

 I set targets
 I keep records
 I make / give presentations
 I make / negotiate deals
 I achieve goals.
Now, this is just one example of a sales manager, but I hope you get the idea. If none of
these phrases are applicable to your situation, you might want to use a search engine and
type the phrase responsibilities of a (your job).

Expressions to Say ‘I am Very Busy’

 I have a lot on my plate

 I am snowed under with work
 I am up to my neck / ears in work / deadlines
 What if You Don’t Have a Job?

Perhaps you are unemployed or even retired. Here are

some useful phrases you can use:

 I am unemployed (this is a bit negative)

 I’m between jobs (this is more positive)
 I’m looking for a job / I’m job hunting/ I am a job seeker
 I am taking time off work
 I’m taking a gap year (this is where recently graduated students take time off the travel
before finding a job)
 I’m taking a sabbatical (a rest or break from work, usually one year) I’m on sabbatical at
the moment.
 Actually, I no longer work, I’m retired. I used to…

Work at Home Looking After the Home and Family

Last but definitely not least, what if you don’t have a job but work at home? You could use
the following sentences:

 I’m a homemaker (a person who manages a home and often raises children instead of
earning money from a job.)
 I’m a stay-at-home dad / mum
 I’m a househusband / housewife
 I take care of the housework, look after the kids and what not (= and so on)
 It’s up to me to do the weekly shopping and prepare the meals.
 I handle family finances / the cooking / the washing

Closing Notes

That’s it! Loads of vocabulary and idioms to help you talk about your job in English and
with confidence.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you have any questions about this lesson, any feedback, or anything you would like me
to add or clarify, then do get in touch with me. You can email me at:
kristian@[Link] – I’d love to hear from you.

In the meantime, go and check out my website, Get Ready For Success. If you’re preparing
for Cambridge C1, it’s a great place, full of interesting stuff.
All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

 EP9. How to Compare and Contrast in Cambridge C1 Speaking

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing? It’s a
pleasure to share another lesson with you.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, where you can find the audio
files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

Today I want to start with a comment from one of my listeners, Erika from Hungary. She
writes the following:

Your podcasts are a tremendous help in preparation for my upcoming exam, Kristian.
Please go on producing similarly useful content. I also have a request if I may: what about
an episode including some handy phrases and expressions of contrasting and comparing
(like 2 pics during the speaking part of an exam)? Thanks for considering it and for
everything you are doing here.
Well, what can I say? Thanks a lot, Erika, for your lovely comment! And yes, an episode
about how to compare and contrast is a tremendous idea, so that’s what you get right here,
right now. We’re going to look at 4 things:

1. How to compare
2. How to contrast
3. Idiomatic expressions
4. Connectors to compare and contrast

Are you up for it? Let’s get started!

Introduction

In this lesson, I will give you the language you need to compare and contrast things,
people, places, activities and general ideas in Cambridge C1 speaking.
 Comparing and contrasting

What do we mean by comparing and contrasting? Collins

Dictionary says the following:

 When you compare things, you consider them and discover the differences or
similarities between them.
 If you contrast one thing with another, you point out or consider the differences
between those things.
With that out of the way, let’s look at some examples. The
simplest way to describe similarities is as follows:

 A is similar to B
 A is similar to B because…
 A is similar to B in that…
 A is similar to B since…
 A is similar to B for the reason that…
Let’s have a look at some examples with help from an exam template:

 In part 2 of the exam, I’m going to give each of you three pictures. I’d like you to talk
about two of them on your own for about a minute, and also to answer a question
briefly about your partner’s picture.

 Candidate A, it’s your turn first. Here are your pictures. They show people doing things
together. I’d like you to compare two of the pictures and say why the people might be
doing these things together, and how the people might be feeling.

If you want to point out similarities, you can say:

 Picture A is similar to picture B because they both show people working together on a
project.
If you want to use something else than because you can use in that:

 Picture A is similar to picture B in that they both show people working together on a
project.

Now, I’m a big fan of using adverbs to make your language clearer and more colourful.
Both in the exam and in your daily life you can show the level of similarity and make
your answers richer by using adverbs, such as:

 really
 pretty
 rather
 quite

For example:

 Picture A is pretty similar to picture B in that they both show people working together.
 You can also use the following expressions:

 Picture A and B are pretty much alike. Both show people working together on a project.
 Picture A and B have a lot in common. Both show people working together on a
project.
 Picture A and B are fundamentally similar. Both show people working together on a
project.

Part 3 question

Okay, now let’s look at a part 3 exam question to find out how to talk about similarities:

 Here are some jobs which some people would like to have and a question for you to
discuss. First, you have some time to look at the task. (15 seconds)

 Now, talk to each other about how challenging it might be to become successful in
these different jobs: film actor // business executive // politician // professional athlete
// novelist (two minutes)

Here, we could show likeness with the following structure:

 A is as as B For

example:

 Becoming a successful politician is (almost/nearly) as hard as becoming a successful

novelist.

How to contrast

This part of the exam, just like part 2, is also a good opportunity to show how you might
contrast in the exam.

To show contrast, you could say that:

 A is different from B
 A is different from B because
 A is different from B in that it For

example:
 Becoming a successful politician is different from becoming a successful novelist in
that you have to do a lot of public speaking.
 Becoming a successful athlete is different from becoming a business
executive because you have to do a lot more physical activity.

Remember, we can also express the size of the difference with adverbs and collocations,
such as:

 It is is totally different
 I think it’s strikingly different
 It’s distinctly different
 It’s entirely different
 These is a clear distinction between
 They differ widely
If the difference is slight, you might say:

 It’s slightly different

 It’s rather different
 There is a subtle distinction

Idiomatic Expressions for Contrasting

Okay, let’s move onto the next part.

Here are some idiomatic expressions we can use to express contrasts, especially big
differences:

 They are world’s apart

Madrid and Rotterdam are world’s apart. Madrid is a much bigger city.
 They are poles apart / polar opposites
Juan and Gabriela are poles apart / polar opposites; I mean they really have almost
nothing in common.
 A is a far cry from B
The concert is a far cry from what I imagined. I thought it would be entertaining, but it’s
 actually like watching paint dry (=boring).
 A is far/way than B
London is far bigger than Amsterdam. Madrid is way
hotter than Saint Petersburg.
 A world of difference
There is a world of difference between the service in the two shops.
 Connectors to Compare and Contrast Ideas

Okay, in the final part of this episode we’re going to look at some connectors you can use to
compare and contrast ideas, as well as things. I will use a couple of Part 1 questions to
show you some examples:

1. Do you like using the internet to keep in touch with people?

Similarly / Likewise

 Yes, I love Telegram, similarly, I am a big fan of WhatsApp too.

 Yes, I’m a big fan of FaceTime, likewise, I’m really into Zoom as well.

2. Do you think you have enough free time during the week?

Conversely / On the other hand

 I am really busy during the week, but on the weekend, conversely, I have lots of free
time.
Notice in speaking, the word order is a little different from writing:
noun 1, noun 2 + adverb,

 I’m really busy on Mondays and Tuesdays, Fridays, on the other hand, are much easier.
 I’m busy this week, next week, conversely, I have much less work to do.

One final note regarding the difference between on the other hand and on the contrary:

On the other hand means ‘that is true and this is also true if we look at it from a
different viewpoint’, e.g. Life in the country is nice and quiet. On the other hand, you
have to go a long way to get to the shops.

On the contrary is a rather formal expression which means ‘that is not true; the opposite
is true’, e.g. A: You must be pleased with your exam results. B: On the contrary, I
thought they would be much better.

Closing Notes
That’s it.

Lot’s of interesting and lovely ways to compare and contrast places, things, people,
activities and ideas.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.
If you would like to suggest topics for future episodes, just like Erika, leave me a
comment on my blog or on YouTube.

If you have any questions about this lesson or any feedback, then do get in touch with me.
You can email me at: kristian@[Link] – I’d love to hear from you.

In the meantime, go and check out my website, Get Ready For Success. If you’re preparing
for Cambridge C1, it’s a great place, full of interesting stuff.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

 EP10. How to Boost Your English Speaking Skills With My Model Answers

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing? I hope
you’re ready to acquire some vital knowledge today, in order to become a better English
Speaker.

Even if you’re not preparing for the C1 exam, this episode is essential if you want to
achieve the best results when using my podcast, YouTube channel or website.

And speaking about my website, it’s is called Get Ready For Success, and there you can
find the audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

Today I’m going to talk about model answers. Here’s an example of a model answer I used
in episode 1:

Example Model Answer

Question: What ambitions do you have?

Answer: Hmm, that’s an interesting question! Well, between you and me, I dream
about being a great teacher. I have a burning desire to help people all over the world
speak better
English. Of course, I know it’s not going to be a walk in the park, there are going to be
moments that I feel like giving up, but I’m willing to go the extra mile to succeed.

Model answers, like the one I just shared, pose (= create) three interesting questions for
listeners of my podcast:

1. How do you know the model answers are good?

2. Do they have enough C1 words and phrases?
3. How do you use the model answers?

In this episode, I’m going to answer all these questions for you. Are you
 ready? Let’s get cracking!

How Do You Know If The Model Answers Are Good?

First of all, let’s talk about the quality of the model answers on this podcast. How do you
know that the answers are actually of high quality?

Well, I will answer 3 critical questions and then let you decide:

1. What’s your experience with Cambridge exams?

2. What resources do you use?
3. Is your English correct?

Here are my answers:

1. I passed the Cambridge English C2 exam at grade A, according to the official statement
of results. What’s more, I’ve been helping people prepare for the C1 and C2 exams for
over 2 years now, so I know what it takes to get a high mark.

2. To make sure I teach you relevant language – i.e. natural spoken English that the
examiners like to hear – I use loads of resources from renowned publishing companies,
such as Cambridge, Oxford and Macmillan. I’m talking about English learning textbooks,
dictionaries and lots of exam practice materials.

3. I always check and double-check when I’m in doubt. Sometimes I ask a native speaker
for feedback, other times I use dictionaries and other helpful websites, such as
[Link] or Grammarly. When it comes to checking my pronunciation, I use the
Cambridge and Collins dictionaries (UK audio). That’s why I say contrast (/kənˈtrɑːst/)
and not contrast (/kənˈtræst/). Of course, I’m only human, so like anyone else, I do make
mistakes, but I always go the extra mile to avoid them.

Okay, now that you know how I create the model answers in my podcast episodes, I’ll let
you decide for yourself if they are good enough…

Do the Answers Contain Enough C1 Vocabulary?

Now, let’s talk about the thing that everybody seems to want: C1 vocabulary.

So, here’s the problem: everybody wants to learn C1 or even C2 vocabulary, but examiners
never think “Wow, this person is using a C1 word”.

Instead, they evaluate your whole performance and hopefully, at the end of your
speaking exam, they give you a high mark.

Let me put it differently: To sound natural and intelligible, a C1 speaker will use simple
words, such as: “and, but, because, maybe, very, happy”.

Now, it’s true, to score a high mark in your exam, you need to use less common and
idiomatic language. So yes, you need to use less frequent, or unusual vocabulary.

However, you have to be able to use them correctly. And that means: learn how words go
together and how to use them correctly within a grammatical structure.

Let me quote from the C1 Handbook for teachers:

 Vocabulary and grammar range: the variety of words and grammatical forms a candidate
uses. At higher levels, candidates will make increasing use of a greater variety of words,
fixed phrases, collocations and grammatical forms.
This is where my model answers are helpful because I make sure that they contain a
great variety of words, collocations, fixed expressions and grammatical forms.

For example, I can use ‘happy’ in my model answers, but I also use different ways of
saying happy, such as cheerful, delighted, thrilled (to bits), and pleased as punch.

The same goes for connectors: I sometimes use but, but I also use however, on the other
hand, that said.

How to Use the Model Answers?

Okay, now, let’s look at the third and final question of today: how to use my model
answers? Well, for starters, use both the transcript and the audio. You can also use the
slides on YouTube. It really makes all the difference.

Secondly, don’t memorise the answers. It’s not going to help you, because the examiner
will notice it and you will sound unnatural.

What you can memorise, is the chunk, or the phrase, or the collocation, just two or three

words. Not the whole sentence. All right?

Let me tell you what I think is a good way of using my model answers:

Learn to pick out the things that help you build better sentences and then practice
with them.

How do you do that? In five easy-to-follow steps:

1. First of all, you should notice the connectors. Start with the beginning of the
sentence. Things like for starters (opening), that said (contrasting), all in all
(concluding).
2. Secondly, notice the collocations (the words that go together).

3. Thirdly, notice the phrasal verbs. They are frequently used in natural spoken English.
For example: “Well, if I had to choose, I’d go for (= choose).

4. Fourth, notice the grammatical structures, such as conditionals, or “used to” to

describe habits/routines in the past.
5. Finally, practice by substituting. Take the model answer and substitute parts of it. You
could change part of the sentence with the same meaning, change the tense, make a
positive sentence negative, and last but not least, make the model answer true for you!

By making it true for you, you’re getting lots of language hardwired in your brain and this
way you become a flexible English speaker.

Let me give you an example of practice by substituting with help from the model answer
that I shared at the start of this episode.

Example Substituting

Question: What ambitions do you have?

Answer: Hmm, that’s an interesting question! Well, between you and me (to be honest),
I dream about being (my aim is to be) a great teacher. I have a burning desire (lifelong
ambition) to help people all over the world speak better English. Of course, I know it’s not
going to be a walk in the park (as easy as pie), and there are going to be moments that I
feel like giving up, but I’m willing to go the extra mile (bend over backwards) to succeed.

Closing Notes

That’s it. There you are. Now you know why and how you should use my model answers.

They give you loads of ideas and vocabulary to practice with, and all this practice will
make you a flexible English speaker.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you would like to suggest topics for future episodes, leave me a comment on my blog or
on YouTube.

If you have any questions about this lesson or any feedback, then do get in touch with me.
You can email me at: kristian@[Link] – I’d love to hear from you.
In the meantime, go and check out my website, Get Ready For Success. If you’re preparing
for Cambridge C1, it’s a great place, full of interesting stuff.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

EP11. What to Do When Your Mind Goes Blank In The Speaking Exam?

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I
hope all is well and that you’re ready to learn some English with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

Today I’m going to give you 3 tips to give better answers in your speaking exam. But
before I do that, I’d like to ask you for a little bit of help.

Here’s the thing:

Currently, I’m working on my first Cambridge C1 Speaking Exam Online Course. This
digital course will help you to become a better English speaker, give better answers, and get
a high mark in the exam.

Now, to achieve all that, I’m going to help you build your vocabulary. And a great way to
do that is to focus on interesting topics as well as subtopics.

Both are important because your topic will give you some language, but the subtopics
will give you a much richer variety of language.

That’s why I’ve created a list of 28 topics with subtopics for my speaking course.

Unfortunately, I cannot cover all these topics in my course. That’s why I need your
help. To help me create the best course possible for you, could you please answer the
following question:

If you could only pick 5 topics from my list of 28, which topics would you choose?
You can find the list with topics in the lesson notes of this episode (scroll to the

bottom). Now, listen up. If you help me choose the topics for my course, I’ll give you
a reward.

If you email me your 5 favourite topics, I’ll send you a video for one of these topics for
free, as soon as I’ve finished it.

So, if you send your Top 5 to kristian@[Link], you get one of your
requested topics for free (in video format).

Sounds good? Then send me your Top-5 topics. I’m looking forward to seeing your Top-
5 in my email box!
 All right, let’s get started with this episode.

TIP 1. What to do if you have no clue?

Student: What to do if my mind goes completely blank?

Imagine the following situation:

You’re taking the speaking exam; you are ready to give it your best shot; you get an
interesting question; and all of a sudden you have no idea what to talk about. Your mind
has gone blank. You are in shock. Now, what should you do?

Now, a quick word before I give you the answer. Tips are useful, but they cannot replace
long- term study. They are not a substitute for practice. It takes time and persistence to
improve.
There’s no quick fix, really. In actual fact, the tips are nothing more than a starting point
for you to practice. I hope you get that.

Okay, so your mind has gone blank. You’re frozen like a bunny in the headlights. You have
forgotten everything.

What can you do?

1. Ask the examiner to repeat the question.

This will give you some time to think a bit more.

Could you say that again, please / Could you repeat the question, please

Or, even better is:

Can you explain what you mean?

Now you’re saying that the question is not really clear, and hopefully, the examiner will
paraphrase or maybe even clarify the question.

2. Use pauses and fillers / signposting to gain thinking time

Using pauses is not the same as hesitation. When you’re hesitating, you are not in
control. When you use pauses and fillers, you are in control. You do the same thing in
your native language, right? I mean to say, sometimes you also need time to think
when you answer a question in your native language, right?

It’s completely fine to take time to think of ideas. To

clarify what I mean, let’s look at an example.

 Examiner:

How has globalisation affected the fashion industry?

You:

Hmm – let me think… well… I guess it has affected the clothing industry in a number of
ways. For starters (first of all, to begin with…), it has created many more jobs in
different parts of the world. (And so on…)
Or:

Well now, let me see. That’s a good question and to be honest, I haven’t really
thought about that before. I suppose it has created an abundance of cheap clothing.
(And so on…)
The whole idea is that you try to get control over the situation when you’re frozen. The
best way to do that is to win time in a natural way. To do that, you can either ask to repeat
the question or use pauses and fillers.

All right, let’s continue with the second tip.

TIP 2. How to generate ideas quickly? Student: I

can’t come up with ideas quickly There are two

options here:

1. You haven’t got any ideas at all

2. You have ideas, but you can’t get them out of your brain into the world

1. If you haven’t got any ideas at all, then go and use reliable sources to discover them. Of
course, you all know the usual recommendations: BBC, TED Talks, YouTube,
podcasts, and so on.

But what I really want you to understand is this:

Do something you really like doing. Make it fun.

 Or, think of it in this way:

You don’t have to learn English; you get the opportunity to learn

English. Do you see the difference in mindset? I think you did.

2. Now, if you have ideas but you can’t get them out of your brain, you just need to do one
thing: Practice thinking on your feet.
How do you do that? Find exam questions, record yourself while you’re answering, listen
back, and then make your answer better. Use different language to say the same thing. Just
like I do in my podcast episodes. Become a flexible English speaker.

That’s it.

TIP 3. What if you lack vocabulary on a topic?

Student: I lack the vocabulary to talk about this topic

Sounds familiar? Having knowledge, ideas and vocabulary to explain a topic is a common
difficulty. I talked about research earlier, now let’s take a different approach.

Imagine the examiner asks you the following question:

Do you think space travel will be popular in the future?

To be honest, I don’t know much about space travel. I’m not really clued up on that
topic. I know that some of the richest people in the world are trying to make it happen
and that they fork out significant amounts of money to make progress, but I have no
idea about the
details, such as the costs of space travel, or how safe it is. So, between you and me, I’m
afraid I can’t give you a more elaborate answer.
Remember, the examiners are not evaluating your knowledge or ideas, they are evaluating
your English. Often just talking about what you don’t know is good.

By the way, you can also a conditional here: If this, then that?
For example:

To be honest, I don’t know much about space travel. I suppose that if space travel becomes
affordable for the masses, it will probably gain in popularity.
Or… you can make your answer more personal:

To be honest, I don’t know much about space travel. I guess it should be safe and
affordable. I mean, most people are not willing to spend a fortune on something that puts
their life at risk. I know I wouldn’t do that. That said, if space travel is free from danger
and economical, like flying, I’d be up for it!
If you don’t know much about a topic, then say something, but keep it fairly short. You
don’t want to go all around the houses and get confused, but you should say something,
okay? Just keep it short and to the point.
Closing notes

That’s it. There you are. Now you know what to do when you’re frozen or not clued up ( =
well informed) on a C1 speaking exam topic.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you would like to suggest topics for future episodes, leave me a comment on my blog or
on YouTube.

Last but not least: if you can email me your Top 5 topics, I’ll be truly grateful to

you. All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends. Bye!

EP12. 5 Phrasal Verbs to Talk About Money and Shopping

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I
hope all is well and that you’re completely focused, without any distractions.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

In today’s episode I’m going to share 5 phrasal verbs you can use to talk about money and
shopping. But before I start, I’d like to thank all of you who shared your Top-5 topics with
me. It really helps me to create the best C1 speaking course possible for you.

If you haven’t shared your Top-5 yet, then there’s still time to send me an email or leave a
comment on the blog. You can find the list of possible topics in the lesson notes of the
previous episode (11). Thanks a lot, it really helps!

All right, now let’s get this episode started.

Listener’s Question

Okay, so originally, I’d planned a different episode altogether. I mean to say, I wanted to
publish an episode about the topic of health. But yesterday I read a question from a listener
on my YouTube channel, and now I feel the urge to answer this particular question right
here, right now.

So, let’s do that.

Firstly, I want to thank listener NC (name on YouTube) for your question. It’s a great
question and one that deserves an answer. So thanks a lot, NC.

All right, so here’s the comment:

Dear Christian, thank you very much for sharing such valuable content. I have a question,
in your examples in this video and in others I can understand almost everything, the
examples sound smart, but you don’t use really advanced vocabulary, like “extol virtues”,
“vehemently disagree” or “fork out”, as some other CAE teachers used in their videos.
Are these advanced vocabulary words necessary to pass the exam, in your opinion?
Now, here’s my answer:

I think you should use a mix of simple and more complex language in your exam. More
importantly, you should be clear and concise. At the end of the day, you want to be
understood.
Or to use an advanced word, you want to sound intelligible, which means being able to be
understood.

But, hold on, wait a moment, is intelligible an advanced word? What is “really advanced
vocabulary”?

Between you and me, to tell you the truth, I’m not sure… I don’t think there’s an official
list of advanced C1 vocabulary or anything of the kind. There are books with upper-
intermediate and advanced vocabulary, but there’s no clear distinction between B2
language, C1 language and C2 language.

That said, it’s quite interesting to have a look at the specific “really advanced vocabulary”
in the comment on YouTube.

First, let’s look at extol virtues.

Extol = praise highly or enthusiastically. For example:

He often extols the virtues of his students.

Personally, I’ve never, ever used this verb and I’m not going to use it anytime soon.
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it is formal, and the example sentences don’t
sound like natural spoken English to me.

I suppose I’d use highly praise, which is a simple yet effective collocation you can use in
everyday conversation. Or maybe the idiom sings the praises of something or someone…

This may sound like we’re singing our own praises here, but I honestly think most people
find our music irresistible.
Wow, some lovely language there. Okay,

let’s look at the next example.

That is the collocation vehemently disagree = you disagree in a forceful, passionate, or

intense manner; with great feeling.

I vehemently disagree with you

Frankly speaking, I wouldn’t use I vehemently disagree with you in the C1 exam.

I would use something more indirect, something less intense, like Well, I see your point,
but I beg to differ or I’m afraid I can’t agree with you, or I’m sorry, but I think I
have to disagree.

This is the kind of polite, indirect language I hear all the time. In schools, at the workplace,
on podcasts, in talk shows and so on.
Of course, you could say that you vehemently disagree in your exam, but then don’t forget
to smile at the other exam candidate when you’re getting intense, okay? There’s no need to
create unnecessary tension in an already tense situation.
All right, the last example of “really advanced vocabulary” is the phrasal verb fork out,
which means “to pay a large amount of money, especially unwillingly”.

I had to fork out a large amount of money for my car when I had it serviced.
And yes, I’d definitely use fork out in the exam, if the opportunity arises. In fact, I believe
I’ve already used it in one of the previous podcast episodes.

BTW, is fork out “really advanced vocabulary”? I don’t know… As previously

mentioned, I have no idea what “really advanced vocabulary” is. For my part, I believe it’s
more important to show clarity and conciseness in your speaking exam.

Clarity means to speak clearly with precise words so the examiner knows exactly what
you mean. Conciseness means using the least amount of words to get your message
across. A phrasal verb like fork out can help you achieve just that.

Speaking of phrasal verbs, they are an essential building block of natural spoken English.
They are what I call key vocabulary.

And therefore, I’m going to share in the rest of this episode 5 phrasal verbs with you. Five
expressions that you can use to talk about money and shopping.

And to be clear, I found these phrasal verbs in the book Phrasal Verbs in Use Advanced,
so I guess I’m now going to share advanced language with you.

5 Phrasal Verbs

Let’s imagine that you have to talk about the disadvantages of online shopping in the
exam. What are the disadvantages of online shopping?

In this case, you could use the following 5 phrasal verbs:

Well, I guess online shopping makes it more difficult for people to cope with money. I
mean, they run through their money when shopping online, because nowadays, you
 know, the buying process, to buy stuff on the internet, on most websites is frictionless. I
mean, it’s really dead easy to make an online payment with online banking, credit cards
and software like PayPal, right?
Consequently, more and more people get into debt. Suddenly, they realise that all the
money is gone, and sometimes even the money they put aside, and then, then they have to
work off their debt. So, in my view, this is the most serious drawback of online shopping:
people getting into debt.
1) Cope with: deal effectively with something difficult.
2) Run though: spend a lot very quickly
3) Get into debt: you owe money
4) Put aside money: to save money
5) Work off debt: reduce the size of debt by earning money to pay for it.

Closing Notes

That’s it. There you are. Five phrasal verbs you can use to talk about the disadvantages of
online shopping. All-natural spoken English.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you would like to suggest topics for future episodes, leave me a comment on my blog or
on YouTube.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

Bye!
 EP13. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Personality

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I
hope all is well and that you’re ready to learn some natural spoken English with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

Today we’re going to talk about the topic of personality. We’ll start with a warm-up
question to get you focused and into the topic. Then we’ll talk about a list of adjectives you
can use to describe personality. Finally, we’ll look at a part 1 question and I’ll give you
my model answer.

Are you up for it? Are you keen to try it? I’m sure you are!

Let’s do this!

Warm-up Question

How do you think the following 5 things reflect our personality?

1. the job we choose

2. the subjects we choose to learn more about
3. our free-time interests
4. the clothes we wear
5. the friends we choose

Now, this is the moment in the podcast where I need to tell you about the lesson notes
because I’m convinced you get much more out of this learning experience if you use the
notes on my website.

You can use the link in the description of this episode to get the transcript. If you’ve never
tried it, then why not click on the link now, so you can read the question again. Perhaps
you could pause the podcast and come up with some answers before you continue
listening? I truly believe it will help you transform from a passive to an active learner of
English.

Okay, let me now give you a personal answer, so you have an example to work
with: How does the job we choose reflect our personality?

Well, I’d argue that it reflects our personality to a great extent. For example, in my case,
I’d say that I’m quite unconventional when it comes to choosing jobs.
Unconventional means not based on or conforming to what is generally done or believed.
And that certainly describes me when I compare myself to most others around me. I’m
self- employed, while the vast majority of my friends work for a company.
And a lot more can be said about my personality when looking at my choice to work as an
independent English teacher. For instance, I’d argue I’m a slightly idealistic person.

If you describe someone as idealistic, you mean that they have ideals, and base their
behaviour on these ideals, even though this may be impractical.

I suppose it’s true in my case because I want people from all different backgrounds to
have access to my learning resources. This is one of the reasons why I’ve been putting out
podcast episodes for free.

Now, there is of course another reason for sharing free learning materials. I mean to say, I
hope that some listeners who have access to my free materials will buy my digital C1
Speaking course next month (April 2023). That’s why I used the collocation slightly
idealistic.

All right, that’s enough warming up for you.

I hope that you see how this question can help you start thinking deeply about the topic of
personality. A topic that is not only really interesting to talk about with others, but which
could very well be in your exam, too!

Personality Adjectives

Let’s talk about adjectives to describe personality. In the warming-up, I’ve already given
you two adjectives, and now I’m going to give you much more. Again, I highly encourage
you to repeat and review all these adjectives with the lesson notes on my website, because
it’s a lot to take in. The following adjectives are usually used in a positive way:

competent, conscientious, considerate, genuine, hilarious, imaginative, open-minded,

outgoing, supportive, thoughtful, and well-organised.

The following adjectives are usually used in a negative way: chaotic, insecure,
insensitive, naive, self-centred
The following adjectives could be either: idealistic, protective, unconventional

I’m not going to explain the meaning of all these words. Instead, I’ll tell you what to do if
you don’t know the meaning of one of these adjectives.

As an example, let’s look at the adjective conscientious. Someone who is conscientious

is very careful to do their work properly. So, if you use the lesson notes to repeat and
review this episode, you are a conscientious person.
 Now, it’s great if you know the meaning of all these adjectives to describe personality,
but it’s even better if you can use them when you speak English. To help you do that,
here are 5 statements for you that you can try to answer:

Say if the following statements are true or false for you, and explain why:

1. My close friends tend to be people who are very similar to me.

2. People tell me I take after a particular person in my family.
3. I’d describe myself as a fairly outgoing person.
4. People would probably say I’m conscientious.
5. I find it hard to organise my study activities.

Model Answer

Here’s my answer to the 3rd question:

Yes, I’d say I’m a fairly outgoing person. I guess I’m friendly and, on the whole, I like
meeting and talking to people. That said, I’m less fond of meeting new people than I
used to be. As an English teacher, I already communicate a lot during the day, so I tend
to value me-time more and more these days. I’m really keen on reading books, for
example.
Some nice language there: fairly outgoing; on the whole; less fond of meeting people;
tend to value me-time; really keen on doing something.

Closing Notes

Okay then, there you are. A 12-minute lesson about the topic of personality. All-natural
spoken English.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you are interested in getting more content to review and repeat this lesson, I’d suggest
subscribing to my mailing list.
I’ve decided to use my mailing list as a complement to the podcast episodes. This means
I’ll send you once per week a short email which helps you to repeat and review the topics
that I talk about on the podcast. I start sending out the weekly emails this Saturday (4
March 2023).

So, if you want to repeat and review the language in this episode to become a better English
speaker, you can subscribe to my email lessons at the bottom of my homepage.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends. Bye!

EP14. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Friendship

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I
hope you’re feeling better than me because right now I’m a bit under the weather – my
voice might sound a bit different – but no worries, I’ll be fine.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

Today, before we start talking about the topic of this episode, we have a word from our
sponsor. That’s me, myself and I.

Here’s the thing: I will be launching a new course soon, in which I teach the system I’ve
created for myself and my students to 1) come up with ideas quickly and 2) find the right
words when speaking English in the C1 exam.

Specifically, I will be sending out a few videos with my favourite speaking tips and an
invitation as soon as the pre-launch special for my course opens.

If you’d like to learn more about this course and get a chance to join the pre-launch, simply
send me an email. This way you won’t miss the opportunity to get an extra 50% off when
the course launches.

If you aren’t interested, simply do nothing and you won’t receive emails regarding my
new course.

That is all. Thanks for listening. Let’s start the episode.

Topic

Today we’re going to be talking about the topic of friendship. We’ll start with a warm-
up question to get you in the groove. Then we’ll go through a list of 10 phrasal verbs that
you can use to talk about friendship. Finally, we’ll look at a part 1 question and I’ll give
you my model answer.
Are you up for it? Are you keen to give it a go? All

right then, let’s kick-off!

Warm-up Question

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements about friendship? Why?
1. True friends will always be supportive.
2. Friends are bound to fall out at times.
3. Friendships are more easily damaged than family relationships.
4. Shared experiences are extremely important in a friendship.
5. Complete honesty isn’t always advisable.

These are the type of statements you could get in Part 3 or Part 4 of the Speaking Exam.
In the final part of this episode, I’ll answer one question, but first I want to teach you 10
phrasal verbs that you can use to talk about friendship.

Let’s do this.

10 Phrasal Verbs

All right, just a minute ago I read aloud the following statement:

Friends are bound to fall out at times.

1. bound to fall out = If you say that something is bound to happen, you feel
confident and certain of it, although you have no definite knowledge or evidence.

And if you fall out with someone, you have an argument and stop being friendly with
them. You can also say that two people fall out.

Great, we got the first bit done! Let’s continue with the second verb phrase:

2. have/experience ups and downs = If a friendship experience ups and downs, a

mixture of good and bad things happens to it.

3. take offence = If someone takes offence at something you say or do, they feel
upset, often unnecessarily, because they think you are being rude to them.

4. take to someone = like

5. bump into = meet by chance

 6 let down = disappoint

7. put up with = tolerate

8. dwell on = keep thinking or talking about

9. hit it off = become friends quickly

10. fall apart = breaks up, doesn’t function anymore.

BTW, if you say that someone is falling apart, you mean that they are becoming
emotionally disturbed and are unable to think calmly or to deal with the difficult or
unpleasant situation that they are in.

All right, now you know 10 advanced phrasal verbs you can use to talk about

friendship. Let's move onto the final part: an exam question + model answer.

Model Answer

Question:

Some people say that shared experiences are extremely important in a friendship. Do
you agree?

I totally agree with this statement. I’ve come to realise that the strength of a friendship
lies in the things you’ve done together. I mean to say, having shared memories is a vital
part of connecting with someone. Sure, you can experience ups and downs over the
years, and maybe even fall out. But I truly believe that the disagreements aren’t as nearly
as significant as the good times you share.

Closing Notes

Okay then, there you are! A 13-minute lesson about the topic of friendship. All-natural
spoken English.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you are interested in getting more content to review and repeat this lesson, I’d suggest
subscribing to my mailing list.
If you do, you get once per week a short email in which I’ll help you to repeat and review
the topics in the podcast episodes.

So, if you want to practice, repeat and review the language in this episode to become a
better English speaker, you can subscribe to my email lessons on the homepage.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends. Bye!

 EP15. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Books

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how is it going? I hope
you’re feeling positive vibrations, and that you’re ready to learn some English with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you speak better
English and get a high mark in your C1 Speaking Exam.

And speaking about getting a high mark, last week I asked a group of 20 people the
following question:

What is the outcome you want from the online course I’m creating?

1. I want to get a higher mark for the speaking part.

2. I want to feel more confident on exam day.
3. I want to speak more fluently in my everyday life.

(Pick only one option)

And guess what: 75% of the respondents want to feel more confident on exam day. That
high number really surprised me. One student explained:

I don’t care about a higher mark. I just want to be relaxed and confident on exam day and
then everything will be all right.
It’s funny. It just goes to show that asking the right questions is really important. As Bono
sings in one of my favourite U2 songs:

We thought that we had the answers. It was the questions we had wrong.

Anyway, that’s enough rambling. Let’s start the episode.

Topic
 Last week I became a member of the library here in Madrid and I’m so glad I did! You
know, I really love being in libraries, surrounded by lots of books. And that, my friends, is
what we’re going to be talking about today: the topic of books.

The first part of this episode is all about vocabulary. We’ll be looking at

 types of books you can talk about

 essential vocabulary to describe the story
 phrases to describe how we read books
 expressions to give your opinion about books
 In the second part of this episode, we’re going to be looking at a part 1 question and
model answer.

Are you up for it? Are you keen to give it a go? All

right then, let’s get started!

Vocabulary

First, let’s look at the word literature. Literature means written works, especially those
with a high and lasting artistic value. We can talk about classical or modern literature. For
example, Wuthering Heights is a classic of English literature.

By the way, yours truly is really into English literature. One of my favourite writers is P.G.
Wodehouse. I highly recommend the Jeeves and Wooster series. Go check it out!

Next, let’s look at types of books. Firstly, we can talk about fictional or non-fictional
books.

Fictional novels – different genres:

 Crime novels
 Romance
 Thriller – suspense
 Comedy
 Action
 Sci-fi

My friend is a big fan of crime novels. I’m not a big fan. I

take pleasure in reading historical novels. He doesn’t.

Non-Fictional books:

 Biographies
 Autobiographies
 Personal development = self help
 Recipe book
 Travel guide

I enjoy reading a gripping autobiography. My friend is not into this genre.

Okay, let’s look at some words you need to describe the story:

 Plot = storyline
 Setting = background (where – when)
 Characters (central/main) = people in the story
 Protagonist (main character / hero)

This book has a gripping plot / It had an intriguing plot. It

is set in the sixties in Hamburg, Germany.

The protagonists are five musicians called John, Paul, George, Stuart and Pete.

Phrases to describe how we read books

 To skim through books in the bookstore

 To flick through a book
 To leaf through a book

All of these above mean to glance at quickly, not to read in depth.

If you read a lot, you can say that you’re a voracious reader or an avid reader.

Describing a book in the exam

 It’s a good read.

 It is beautifully written.
 This book is compulsive reading (so interesting you can’t stop reading)
 I couldn’t put it down.
 The book is a page-turner.
 This book makes easy reading / it is an easy read.
 It was a gripping and enigmatic (mysterious) novel, I read it from cover to cover.
 It’s a captivating/great read.
 It is a compelling tale.
 It’s not difficult. it’s light weight. It’s bedtime reading.
 It was heavy going. I couldn’t get into it.
 A heavy read (n) = that book is difficult to read.

Okay, let's move onto the final part: an exam question & model answer
Model Answer

Question:

Tell me about a book that you’ve read recently.

A few weeks ago, I read Bono’s autobiography. It’s a long but fascinating memoir. In the
book, the frontman of U2 is exploring the roots of his faith and activism. It’s a gripping
story, but not every page is easy to get through. Don’t get me wrong: some parts are
compulsive reading, especially the story of his early years when he wasn’t famous. Other
parts, however, I found myself skimming through the book, because it was a bit tedious.
I mean, Bono sometimes has this tendency to go on and on and on about something.
Anyway, I guess that just proves what he wrote in the book: “Our best work is never too far
from our worst.”

Closing Notes

Okay then, there you are! A 13-minute lesson about the topic of books. All-natural
spoken English.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you are interested in getting more content to review and repeat this lesson, I’d suggest
subscribing to my mailing list.

If you do, you get once per week a short email in which I’ll help you to repeat and review
the topics in the podcast episodes.

So, if you want to practice, repeat and review the language in this episode to become a
better English speaker, you can subscribe to my email lessons on the homepage.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

Bye!
EP16. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Intelligence

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I’m
really happy that you’re listening and I hope you’re ready to learn some English with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you become a confident
communicator on your exam day, and beyond.

Yes, beyond your exam day, because I don’t want you to make the same mistake as I
made. I don’t know if you know this story, but after I passed the C2 Proficiency exam
at grade A, I made a colossal mistake. I stopped practising English and guess what, my
speaking skills deteriorated quickly.

I don’t want you to make that same mistake, okay? All

right, let’s dive into the topic of today.

Topic

Last week I saw a few exam questions about intelligence, and I realised I had to brush up
on this topic myself. That’s why we’re talking about this subject in today’s episode.

First, we’ll be looking at synonyms. Then we’ll talk about some speaking ideas for the
exam. Finally, I’ll give a model answer to a possible exam question.

Are you up for it? Are you keen to give it a go? All

right then, let’s get kick-off!

Synonyms

First, let’s look at the word intelligent. A person or animal that is intelligent has the ability
to think, understand, and learn things quickly and well.
He is a highly intelligent person who can think outside the box.

She would like a partner with whom she can have an intelligent conversation.

He ventured the opinion that whales are as intelligent as human beings.

 Now, let’s look at some vocabulary you can use to talk about intelligence, including useful
synonyms.

First, let’s look at some collocations:

We can say that someone is highly, incredibly, remarkably intelligent.

 Einstein was a highly intelligent man.

By the way, did you know that the man had a uniquely shaped brain? According to
anthropologist Dean Falk, Einstein’s brain possessed some remarkable features. Notably,
the left and right hemispheres of his brain were well connected compared to the control
group. If you want to know more about this, search for “Dean Falk + Einstein”.

Ingenious – Something that is ingenious is very clever and involves new ideas, methods, or
equipment.

 The iPhone is a truly ingenious invention.

Clever – about people and things Ninka is

very clever at physics.

His girlfriend is so clever, she passed all her exams!

 I like how you solved this problem, that was very clever of you.
Next, we have more synonyms and all of these can mean ‘intelligent’ describing people,
but these words also have a second unrelated meaning.

Smart can also mean ‘well-dressed’

Sharp can also mean ‘pointed’ (His nose was thin and sharp)

Bright can also mean ‘shiny’ (bright sunshine)

Quick can also mean ‘fast’

Quick on the uptake = quick to answer and solve problems

 Laura is an incredibly smart student; she is so quick on the uptake.
Now, the following three words are used to describe a slightly different kind of intelligence.
It’s about being good at solving problems in real life.

Resourceful

I would never have thought of doing that, that’s a great idea, you are so resourceful.
 Street-wise

Someone who is streetwise knows how to deal with difficult or dangerous situations in big
towns or cities.

Astute = able to understand a situation quickly and see how to take advantage of it.
Someone can be financially astute, or politically astute.

 An astute investor/businesswoman
 Her astute handling of the situation

Finally, we have two words that mean intelligent, but they are slightly.

 negative: crafty and cunning. It could be a clever way of doing things, but also a
dishonest way or a way that is harmful to others.

That is a crafty way of avoiding tax payments, but is it really legal?

Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of Theranos, came up with a cunning plan and misled many
people. She was cunning and can’t be trusted.

Speaking ideas

When talking about intelligence, we tend to refer to academic intelligence. We talk about
people who are good at studying, passing exams and so on.

However, there are different kinds of intelligence.

Let me share some different kinds of intelligence that you can talk about for this topic in C1
Speaking.

Pay special attention to the collocations and meanings.

Innate intelligence
Intelligence you are born with (inherit), from your parents’ genetics.
Academic intelligence
Good at studying

Emotional intelligence
Good at recognising and handling your emotions
 If you want to go deep into this topic, you could learn more about nine different
intelligences that, it is argued, measure our strengths and abilities.

1. Logical/mathematical
2. Linguistic
3. Interpersonal
4. Intrapersonal
5. Musical
6. Naturalistic
7. Pedagogical
8. Spatial
9. Kinaesthetic

If you want to know more about these types of intelligence, you can check out the image I
shared in the notes.

Model Answer

A question you may hear in C1 Speaking on this topic of intelligent people is the following:

Is intelligence innate or is it something we can develop?

Now, I’ve asked ChatGTP to answer this question for us, and here is the result:
The nature vs. nurture debate has been a topic of discussion for many years, and the
question of whether intelligence is innate or something that can be developed is no
exception.

While some aspects of intelligence may be influenced by genetics, research suggests that
intelligence is largely influenced by environmental factors, such as education, nutrition,
and social experiences.
Studies have shown that certain experiences, such as access to quality education, engaging
in stimulating activities, and exposure to diverse perspectives, can have a positive impact on
cognitive development and intellectual abilities. Additionally, practising problem-solving
and critical thinking skills can also enhance cognitive functioning and intelligence.

Overall, while some factors of intelligence may be innate, evidence suggests that it is
largely influenced by environmental factors and can be developed and enhanced through
various experiences and practices.
Does this sound like natural spoken English to you? No, it doesn’t.

So let me give you a model answer with some phrases and ideas you could use to develop
your own answer in natural spoken English.

Well, I guess this is the old nature versus nurture debate, right? Between you and me, I
don’t have a strong opinion on this topic, but I suppose intelligence is influenced by both
genetic and environmental factors.

On the one hand, there’s no doubt that intelligence is something we inherit from our
parents. I’ve read somewhere that studies with identical twins show that intelligence is
largely genetic. On the other hand, I also believe that intelligence is something we can
develop. For example, some people who live in rough neighbourhoods become
streetwise. It means they learn how to deal with dangerous situations in big towns or
cities.

To be honest, I’d say that this topic is an ongoing debate and frankly speaking, I don’t
know enough about the ins and outs to give you a definite answer.

Closing Notes

Okay then, there you are! A clear and concise lesson about the topic of intelligence. All-
natural spoken English.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.
If you are interested in getting more content to practise, review and repeat this lesson, I’d
suggest subscribing to my mailing list.
In the email about this episode, I’ll share 8 idioms you can use to talk about intelligence.

So, if you want to learn more about this topic, I highly encourage you to subscribe to my
email lessons on the homepage of my website. You’ll also get a brand-new ebook that I
wrote for you.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends. Bye!

 EP17. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Artificial Intelligence – Part 1

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I’m
happy as Larry that you’re listening and I hope you’re ready to learn some English with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

I create and share these learning materials, because I want to help you become a confident
communicator on your exam day, and beyond.

In addition, I’m also the founder of the C1 Speaking Club. The what??

The C1 Speaking Club.

In this private community, we help each other go from struggling speaker to confident
communicator. How do we do that? Well, we talk about different kinds of interesting
topics in natural spoken English, and we do that in several ways:

1. Weekly challenges;
2. Weekly live lessons on Zoom;
3. Weekly speaking rooms on Zoom with help from an app called Twine;
4. A monthly book club.

All these things happen in a safe, private environment. No Facebook group, no LinkedIn
group, no Telegram or WhatsApp group. It’s our own speaking community built with the
amazing software of [Link].

Officially we launch on April 10th with a 5-day Idiom Challenge, but next week we start
with our first live lessons.

If all of this sounds interesting to you, and you would like to take part in all the action to
improve your speaking skills, then check out the C1 Speaking Club page at
[Link].

All right, let’s dive into the topic of today: artificial intelligence (AI).
Topic

Let’s start this episode with a BBC News article that was published earlier this week. The
headline is “Elon Musk among experts urging a halt to AI training”.

Key figures in artificial intelligence want training of powerful AI systems to be suspended

amid fears of a threat to humanity. They have signed an open letter warning of potential
risks, and say the race to develop AI systems is out of control. Twitter chief Elon Musk is
among those who
want training of AIs above a certain capacity to be halted for at least six months. Apple
co- founder Steve Wozniak and some researchers at DeepMind also signed.

The article then mentions OpenAI, the company behind ChatGTP. This startup recently
released GPT-4 – a state-of-the-art technology, which has impressed observers with its
ability to do tasks such as answering questions about objects in images.

Now, this news item was not only on the BBC. It was everywhere. AI, and in particular
ChatGTP, are a hot topic these days. And between you and me, I think this is just the very
beginning. Therefore, it’s important to develop some ideas to talk about this topic,
whether it’s in your C1 exam or in everyday life.

A definition of AI

All right, let’s start with a definition of AI. For this definition, I used Google Search and
ChatGTP. I asked the question:

What is AI in layman’s terms (simple language that anyone can understand. The process
was explained to us in layman’s terms.)

ChatGTP:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer systems that can perform
tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language,
recognising images, making decisions, and solving problems.

AI is achieved through a combination of machine learning, which allows computer systems

to learn from data, and algorithms, which provide instructions for the system to follow.
The goal of AI is to create intelligent machines that can think, reason, and learn like
humans, and perform tasks that are too difficult, time-consuming, or dangerous for
humans to perform.

Some examples of AI in everyday life include virtual personal assistants like Siri and
Alexa, facial recognition technology, and self-driving cars.

Google search:

Artificial intelligence (AI) involves using computers to do things that traditionally require
human intelligence. AI can process large amounts of data in ways that humans cannot. The
goal for AI is to be able to do things like recognise patterns, make decisions, and judge
like humans.

Cambridge Dictionary:

The use of computer programs that have some of the qualities of the human mind, such as
the ability to understand language, recognise pictures, and learn from experience.

A simplified definition:
 Machines that are programmed to think like humans and mimic their actions.
The key thing to remember is the phrase “to think and act like humans do”.

Examples of AI

Now that we know how to define Artificial Intelligence, let’s look at some examples. You
know that I’m a big fan of using examples in your exam answers to clarify your opinion.

So, to help you get some ideas, I asked Chat GTP the following question: Could you give
some examples of AI? Here is the answer:

1. Virtual Personal Assistants: Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and other virtual assistants
use natural language processing to understand and respond to users’ requests.

2. Image and Speech Recognition: Image recognition technology is used in applications

such as self-driving cars, facial recognition, and security systems. Speech recognition
technology powers virtual assistants and interactive voice response systems.

3. Recommendation Systems: Recommendation systems like those used by Amazon,

Netflix, and Spotify use machine learning algorithms to analyse user behaviour and
recommend products, movies, or music that users may like.

4. Chatbots: Chatbots are computer programs designed to simulate human conversation.

They are used by businesses to provide customer service, answer questions, and offer
support.

5. Self-Driving Cars: Self-driving cars use a combination of sensors, machine learning,

and decision-making algorithms to navigate roads and traffic safely.

These are just a few examples of AI, but there are many more applications and use cases.
Great! Thanks, ChatGTP! Now we have at least 5 examples we could talk about in our C1
exam, or in our everyday life conversations.

Questions about AI

Now that we have 5 examples, let’s look at 5 questions you could get in your C1 exam.
 And by the way, I think it’s also a good idea to think about these questions in your
everyday life. I mean to say, this is an extremely important topic for all of us, right?

All right, here are 5 questions:

1. How has artificial intelligence changed the way we work?

2. How will artificial intelligence change the way we work in the future?
3. How will artificial intelligence change the way we communicate in the future?
4. Is artificial intelligence a good or a bad thing?
5. What are the positives and negatives of artificial intelligence?

Now, I want you to pay special attention to the types of questions. You could easily change
artificial intelligence to ‘the internet’, ‘technology’, ‘self-driving cars’, ‘globalisation’, or
‘remote work’.

Closing Notes

Okay then, in this episode we have been talking about definitions, examples and
questions. In the next episode, I’m going to teach you how to structure your answers, and
I will give you a couple of model answers. So, keep your eyes peeled for the next one.

I hope you enjoyed this episode! If you did, please share it with someone who could
benefit from it.

If you are interested in getting more content to practise, review and repeat this lesson, I’d
suggest subscribing to my mailing list.

In the email about this episode, I’ll share language you can use to talk about artificial
intelligence. Collocations and idioms.

So, if you want to learn more about this topic, I highly encourage you to subscribe to my
email lessons. You’ll also get a brand-new ebook that I wrote for you.

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

Bye!
 EP18. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Artificial Intelligence – Part 2

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how is it going? I’m
absolutely delighted that you’re listening to this episode, and I hope you’re ready to learn
some English with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

In addition, I’m also the founder of the C1 Speaking Club.

In this private community, we help each other go from struggling speaker to confident
communicator.

How do we do that? Well, we talk about all kinds of interesting topics in natural spoken
English, and we do that in 3 ways:

1. 5-Day challenges in our community forum. These challenges are incredibly small, you can
do them in 5 minutes per day. This is a great way to start and build a long-lasting speaking
habit.

2. 45-minute live lessons on Zoom, with me as your Cambridge C1 exam teacher.

3. 30-minute break-out speaking rooms on Twine. This is a chance for you to practice
speaking English with other C1 Speaking Club members in small groups of 2 people. This
is the one thing I’m incredibly excited about, and I’ll tell you how it works, step-by-step,
at the end of this episode.

All right, that’s all about the C1 Speaking Club for now. Let’s continue with
today’s topic: artificial intelligence (AI), part 2.

Topic

In the last episode, we talked about artificial intelligence (AI). This topic, and in particular
an application called ChatGTP, is all over the news, and it won’t go away anytime soon.
Therefore, it’s important to develop some ideas to talk about this topic, whether it’s in your
C1 exam or in everyday life.
We started last week’s episode with a definition of AI.

ChatGTP told us that:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer systems that can perform
tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language,
recognising images, making decisions, and solving problems.
 The goal of AI is to create intelligent machines that can think, reason, and learn like
humans, and perform tasks that are too difficult, time-consuming, or dangerous for
humans to perform.

I also gave you a simplified definition:

Computers and machines that are programmed to think and act like humans do.

We also looked at some examples of AI in everyday life. You can think of virtual personal
assistants like Siri and Alexa, facial recognition technology, recommendation systems like
those used by Amazon, Netflix and Spotify, and self-driving cars.

And finally, we came up with 5 interesting questions that you might get in your C1 exam,
or you could just talk about them with other people in your everyday life.

Today, in this episode, I’m going to share two model answers with you.

1. How has artificial intelligence changed the way we work?

2. Is artificial intelligence a good or a bad thing?

Questions and Model Answers

First, let’s have a closer look at the question 1: How has AI changed the way we work?
When you get this question type, I recommend using the following answer structure:

1. Say how it has changed with an adverb adjective collocation

2. How was it in the past
3. Say how it has changed with one or two examples
4. Conclude your answer Here’s

my model answer:

Well, I truly believe that AI has had a significant impact on the way we work in many
industries, including music, television, finance and education.

Let’s take the music industry as an example. It used to be the case that DJs and radio
stations decided which songs we could hear on the radio. But now AI has made it possible
to personalise music services to individual customers. One famous example that springs
to mind is Spotify.

Their algorithm comes up with suggestions for customers based on personal interests and
behaviour. A similar thing has happened in the TV and film industry with the arrival of
Netflix and other streaming services.

These are just two examples that show how AI has dramatically changed the workplace
in various industries. Whether that’s a good or bad thing is a different question
altogether…
 All right, now let’s look at one more question: Is artificial intelligence a good or a bad
thing?

Hmm, that’s an intriguing question and I’m not sure I have a definite answer. I mean,
like any technology, AI can be used for positive or negative purposes depending on how
it is used.

On the positive side, AI has the potential to improve many aspects of our lives, such as
transportation and education. For example, self-driving cars could reduce traffic accidents
and save lives. AI can also help us make better decisions by processing vast amounts of
data and identifying patterns and trends that would be impossible for humans to detect.

On the negative side, AI also poses significant risks and challenges, such as the potential
loss of jobs due to automation, discrimination in decision-making, and of course it
could be used for malicious purposes, such as cyber-attacks.

Overall, I do believe that AI has the potential to bring many benefits, but it clearly also
poses significant risks and challenges. I guess it is up to us as a society to ensure we use it
in the right way, and personally, I believe it’s more important to minimise the negative
consequences than to maximise the potential benefits.

Closing Notes

Okay then, in this episode we have been talking about how to structure your answers, and
I’ve given you a couple of model answers.

Now, at the end of this episode, I want to share my excitement about the break-out
speaking rooms I’m starting this month in the C1 Speaking Club. These are private
rooms, set up exclusively for C1 Speaking Club members and can only be accessed by
you.

It works as follows:

1. When you enter, the website will automatically put you in a room with one other
person. You will find questions on an exam topic and some tips to use.
2. The sessions are 2 x 15-minute sessions. I recommend staying for both sessions so you
can speak with different people.

3. After 15 minutes, you will automatically change to a different room, with a different
person, where you can practice the same topic, but with new people and new questions.

Sounds amazing, right? So, if you’re looking for a speaking partner right now to talk about
interesting C1 exam topics, the C1 Speaking Club is the perfect solution.

The regular membership fee is €97 per year, but now you can get a yearly membership for
only
€48.50.
Why wait any longer? Join the C1 Speaking Club today and become part of an engaging
community, where people just like you are helping and motivating each other to become
confident English speakers.

The place to join and become a member is [Link], there you click on the
big yellow C1 Speaking Club button. I hope to see you on the inside!

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

Bye!
EP19. English C1 Speaking: Talking About Sports

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing today? I’m
grateful that you’re listening to this episode, and I hope you’re ready to learn some English
with me.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

In addition, I’m also the founder of the C1 Speaking Club.

In this private community, we help each other go from struggling speaker to confident
communicator.

How do we achieve that transformation? Well, we practise a lot. We have online live
lessons; we do vocabulary challenges and we participate in speaking practice rooms.

And these speaking practice rooms, that’s the one thing I’m particularly excited about
because the response from our community members has been extremely positive.

If you want to know why our members love the speaking practice rooms, then there’s no
better way than to try this experience yourself. You can already become a member for
€9.99 and get full access to all the rooms for one month.

The speaking rooms are particularly useful for students preparing for C1 Speaking, and
anyone else who wants to learn to talk about interesting topics in natural spoken English.

All right, that’s all about the C1 Speaking Club for now. Let’s move onto today’s topic.

Vocabulary

We have an exciting episode today all about the topic of sports. We are going to be looking
at vocabulary, collocations and a model answer. Let’s begin!

First of all, listen carefully to the next two sentences.

Which sport do you like?

 I like to do / play / watch / practice .

Which sport do you like?

 I like doing winter sports, like skiing and skating.

 Sport (n. – uncountable)

 I did a lot of sport when I was younger, but I don’t do much sport these days.

To sport (v.) = to wear

 She is sporting trendy sunglasses.

Sporty (adj.) = someone who enjoys doing sport

 He is not really the sporty type.

Verb + Sport

There are different verbs we can use with the word ‘sport’, and also different sports will
take different verbs.

 Do sports
 Play sports
 Practice sports (more serious)
 Play soccer / football / tennis

We usually use ‘play’ for competitive team sports.

We usually use ‘do’ for individual sports without a ball.

 Do yoga / pilates / judo

Below we have some different ways of saying ‘I like’ a sport:

 I’m into
 I’m keen on
 I’m a big fan of
 I’m one for
 I really dig

Which sport did you practice as a child?

 I used to
 I played
 I was into
 I would

Which sports do you do now?

 I’m into
 I currently play / do
 At the moment, I am doing
 I’m fond of

Idioms

To try your hand at = to try a new activity

 I’d like to try my hand at snowboarding, it looks so much fun!

To take up = to start a hobby / sport

 I’d take up water skiing if I had the time and lived near a lake

To root for = to support (a team, a player)

 I’m rooting for Feyenoord Rotterdam, that’s my favourite football club.

Question and Model Answer

Participation is more important than winning. Do you agree?

Absolutely! I couldn’t agree more! First of all, when you’re active, you become fitter.
Secondly, when you participate you learn other invaluable life skills, such as how to
build a strong habit, and how to respect others.

Of course, I understand that winning can be a motivating factor that drives people to
achieve their goals. What’s more, winning can also provide a sense of pride. But here’s
the thing: only a minority can win, while the vast majority can still benefit from
participating, even if they’re not winning.

So, by and large, participation is significantly more important than winning.

Closing Notes

Okay then, in this episode we have been talking about the topic of sports. Of course, this
is just the start. You should practise, repeat and review. If you want to do that with
friendly people, why not join the C1 Speaking Club? Next week we’re doing a
vocabulary challenge all about sports. In addition, we also have live lessons and plenty of
speaking practice rooms.

Sounds amazing, right? So, if want more speaking practice to improve yourself, the C1
Speaking Club is the perfect solution.

The regular membership fee is €97 per year, but now you can get a yearly membership for
only
€48.50. And if you don’t want to commit for one year, you can also become a member
for just €9.99 per month.
Why wait any longer? Join the C1 Speaking Club today and become part of an engaging
community, where friendly people are helping and motivating each other to become
confident English speakers.

The place to join and become a member is [Link], there you click on the
big yellow C1 Speaking Club button. I hope to see you on the inside!

All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends.

Bye!
EP20. English C1 Speaking: Ten Idioms For Expressing Opinions, Likes and Dislikes

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how is it going? I’ve been a
bit under the weather this week, but today I’m full of beans, and I hope you’re feeling the
same.

If you didn’t know, I run the website Get Ready For Success, and there you can find the
audio files, video clips and lesson notes for all the podcast episodes.

In addition, I’m also the founder of the C1 Speaking Club.

In this private community, we help each other build a powerful English-speaking habit,
in order to go from struggling speaker to confident communicator.

Now, I get loads of questions about the timetable for the live lessons and speaking
practice breakout rooms in our Speaking Club, so I want to take this opportunity to
answer 3 questions for you, right here, right now.

Question 1: When are the live lessons in the Speaking Club?

Answer: They are every week on Wednesday at 7:30 pm and on Sunday at 11 am CET. We
use Zoom, and there’s lots of speaking happening.

Question 2: When are the speaking practice breakout rooms?

Answer: They are each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 19:30 – 20:00. You
get 2 rounds of 15 minutes and 6 different questions to talk about a specific topic, for
example, health, food or the environment. You also get a PDF with vocabulary to help you
prepare. Members tell me they find them extremely helpful.

Question 3: What if you can’t attend the speaking practice breakout rooms?

Answer: There’s also the opportunity to request a room if you are not able to participate
in the evening sessions. All you need to do is send me a direct message in the Speaking
Club, and I’ll set up the speaking room for you and your partner.

In other words: you can practice whenever you want. For example, if you want to practice
speaking about the topic of work on Tuesday morning with another member, you can send
me a DM and I’ll set it up for you. No problem at all! You ask, and I take care of it.

So, there you have it: Speaking opportunities abound!

It’s my goal to help you build a powerful English-speaking habit, and everything we do in
the community serves that purpose.

If that’s exactly what you need, then there’s no better way than to join our community
today. You can already become a member for €9.99 and get an all-access pass for one
month to see if membership is something for you.
 All right, that’s all about the C1 Speaking Club. Let’s move onto today’s topic.

Idioms

In this PDF, I will show you lots of useful idioms for C1 Speaking and your daily life that
you can use for any topic.

Idioms are important because they help you understand natural English in your daily life,
and also because you need to use ‘some less common and idiomatic vocabulary’ to get a
high mark in your exam.

Many students find idioms a challenge – Which do I learn? How do I use them?

Well, there are thousands of them, and I suggest you should learn 1 or 2 idioms a day as a
regular part of your daily English diet.

That said, I urge you to learn them in context. Rather than going to lists, I would note
them as you hear them in context, such as a podcast or TV series.

All right, let’s get cracking.

Idioms for expressing opinions

In C1 Speaking you are often asked to give your opinion on a topic, and there are different
idiomatic expressions you can use to express your opinion.

Let’s take the following question:

Many governments are investing in space travel. What do you think about this?

You could reply with either of the following:

 My take on this is, it’s a good idea because our planet is in danger.

 To my way of thinking, it’s a bad idea, because we don’t have the money.
 If you are unsure about your opinion, you could say one of the following;

 I’m not sure, really. I’m in two minds about this. (It is true that there are existential
threats… That said, we just don’t have the money…)

 Well, to be honest, I think I’m on the fence. (On the one hand… on the other hand…)
 Idioms for expressing likes and dislikes

Very often, you are asked whether you like something or not. For example:

Do you like reading / your job / ChatGTP?

Here are 6 useful idioms for that you can use in this case. The first couple is to say you
really like it, the second pair is if you don’t care or you are indifferent, and the third set is
to say you don’t like it.

1. It’s the bee’s knees / It’s the best thing since sliced bread = I love it
2. I can take it or leave it / I don’t give a hoot = I don’t care / mind
3. It’s not my cup of tea / it doesn’t float my boat = I don’t like it

Here are some examples:

1. I love ChatGTP. It’s the best thing since sliced bread!

2. I used to like my job, but these days I don’t care much about it. I can take it or leave it.
3. I don’t like reading. It’s not my cup of tea.

Closing Notes

Okay then, in this episode we have been talking about 10 different idioms.

Remember, always learn idioms in context, and just learn 1 or 2 a day. Idioms are fun
because they help you add colour, metaphor and humour to your speech. This is why they
are used quite a lot.

But be careful! Don’t overuse them in your speech, it won’t sound natural – It’s like
cooking: too much salt and pepper will ruin the flavour of your food!

Now of course, this podcast episode is just the start. You should practise, repeat and
review these idioms. If you’d like to do that with a group of motivated learners of English,
why not join the C1 Speaking Club? It’s the perfect place to build a powerful English-
speaking habit.
The regular membership fee is €97 per year, but now you can get a yearly membership for
only
€48.50. And if you don’t want to commit for one year, you can also become a member
for just €9.99 per month.

So why not give it a try? Join today and become part of an engaging community, where
people like you are helping and motivating each other to become better English speakers.

The place to go to and become a member is [Link], and there you click
on the big yellow C1 Speaking Club button. I hope to see you on the inside!
All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and each other.
Speak soon, my friends. Bye!
 EP21. English C1 Speaking: 10 Phrasal Verbs to Talk About Habits

Hello, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking, how are you doing? It’s
getting hot in Spain, I’m getting tanned, swimming pools are opening sooner than ever
before, and the air conditioning in my place seems to be working fine.

In other words: I’m still happy as Larry in the beautiful city of

Madrid! Today no intro, we’re going to dive right in.

10 Phrasal Verbs to Talk About Habits

Today you get to learn 10 phrasal verbs to talk about habits. Are you up for it? Here we go!

1. Take up: To start a new habit or activity.

Example: I’ve decided to take up yoga to improve my flexibility.

2. Give up: To stop doing a habit or activity.

Example: I’m trying to give up smoking for my health.

3. Build up: To develop a habit over time.

Example: I’ve built up a habit of reading for 20 minutes before bed each night.

4. Break out of: To stop a bad habit and start doing things differently.

Example: I need to break out of my habit of eating chocolate and start eating healthier.

5. Fall into: To start doing something regularly without planning or thinking about it.

Example: I’ve fallen into a habit of biting my nails.

6. Phase out: To gradually stop doing a habit or activity.

Example: I’m trying to phase out my habit of using my phone before bed.
7. Stick to: To continue doing a habit or activity regularly.

Example: I’m going to stick to my habit of going for a walk every morning.

8. Cut back on: To reduce the frequency or amount of a habit or activity.

Example: I need to cut back on my habit of drinking too much coffee.

9. Get into: To develop a habit or interest in something.

Example: I’ve gotten into the habit of meditating every day.

10. Get out of: To stop a bad habit and start doing things differently.

Example: I’m trying to get out of the habit of biting my nails.

Closing Notes

Okay then, in this episode you got to learn 10 different phrasal verbs to talk about habits.
Now, of course, this episode is just the start. You should continue using these phrasal
verbs. If you don’t use it, you lose it!

Next week all the activities in the C1 Speaking Club will be centred around the topic of
habits. The 5-Day Challenge, the online Live Lessons and the Speaking Practice Rooms
will focus on this particular topic.

What’s more, on Sunday I’ll share a PDF in the club with loads of vocabulary that you can
use to talk about habits. So, if you want to speak fluently and with confidence about this
topic in just one week, this is the perfect moment to join the C1 Speaking Club.

The regular membership fee is €97 per year, but now you can get a yearly membership for
only
€48.50. And if you don’t want to commit for one year, no problem! You can also become a
member for just €9.99 per month.

So why not give it a try? The place to go to and become a member is

[Link], and there you click on the big yellow C1 Speaking Club button.
I hope to see you on the inside! All right, that’s all from me. Take care of yourself, and
each other.

Speak soon, my friends. Bye!

 EP22. English C1 Speaking: 5 Idioms and 1 Model Answer About Family and Friends

Hello listeners, how are you doing? I hope you’re ready to learn some English with me.

Here in Spain, it’s still hot, we’re all waiting for the swimming pools to be opened. That
said, the air conditioning is working top-notch, so I’m sitting comfortably in my studio,
ready to record this episode! Are you ready? Here we go!

Welcome to “Cambridge Advanced Speaking,” a podcast for learners of English, where we

talk about C1 exam questions while exploring some useful vocabulary along the way.

My name is Kristian, and today, we’ll be diving into the role of extended family in
raising children and examining the advantages and disadvantages of this approach.
We’ll also be exploring five idioms related to family and friends. So, let’s get
started!

5 Idioms
1. Our first idiom today is “two peas in a pod.”

This phrase is used to describe two people who are very similar or share many common
interests, often referring to siblings or close friends.

For example, “Julia and Jack are like two peas in a pod; they both love music and playing
football.”

2. Our second idiom is “chip off the old block.”

This phrase is used to describe someone who closely resembles their parent, particularly in
terms of behaviour, attitude, or abilities.

For example, “Kristian is eager to get better at English, just like his mother; he’s a real
chip off the old block.” (This is a true example).

3. Our third idiom is “blood is thicker than water.”

This saying suggests that family bonds are stronger and more important than friendships.
Do you agree listener? Why or why not?

Hey, that could be an exam question! Personally, I’m

inclined to disagree.

I think it’s essential to recognise that both family and friends play significant roles in an
individual’s life, offering unique perspectives, experiences, and support systems.
4. The fourth idiom is “to bury the hatchet.”

This phrase means to end a conflict or argument and make peace with someone, typically
within the context of family or friendships.

For example, after a disagreement, Peter and John decided to bury the hatchet and move
forward as a family.

5. Our final idiom for today is “to go the extra mile.”

This expression means to make an additional effort or put in extra work, often for the sake
of one’s family or friends.

For example, Laura went the extra mile by organising a dinner party for her mother.

C1 Questions
Now, let’s tackle our main discussion question:

What are the advantages and disadvantages of children being raised by extended
family members? (Such as grandparents or aunts and uncles?)

That’s an interesting question because it looks to me as if this happens more and more
these days. Well, I’d say that a key advantage is a stronger support system. For example,
grandparents might take care of their grandchildren after school, allowing the parents to
work full-time without worrying about childcare. And while doing that, they offer love and
guidance to their grandchildren, providing a different perspective on all kinds of things and
challenges, such as eating different food or solving a puzzle.

However, there are also disadvantages, such as potential conflicts between parenting styles
or family members. One example of this is when grandparents, with more traditional views
on discipline, disagree with the parents’ more progressive approach. This difference in
parenting styles can lead to confusion for the child and tension between the family members
involved. Although, now that I think of it, it could also be the other way around. It also
happens that grandparents are less strict, for example with eating lots and lots of cookies!

Okay then, that’s your model answer!

Closing Notes
So, as we’ve explored today, raising children with the involvement of extended family
members can be both beneficial and challenging. It’s crucial to consider both sides of the
questions in the exam. As always, listen carefully when the examiner asks you a question!

Now there’s one more thing: this episode is just the start.

This week all the activities in the C1 Speaking Club will be centred around the topic of
family and friends. The 5-Day Challenge, the online Live Lessons and the Speaking
Practice Rooms will all focus on this particular topic.

So if you want to speak fluently and with confidence about this topic in just one week, this
is the perfect moment to join the C1 Speaking Club.

The regular membership fee is €97 per year, but now you can get a yearly membership for
only
€48.50. And if you don’t want to commit for one year, no problem! You can also become a
member for just €9.99 per month.

So why not give it a try? The place to go to and become a member is

[Link], and there you click on the big yellow C1 Speaking Club button.
I hope to see you on the inside!

Thank you for joining me on “Cambridge Advanced Speaking.”

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s discussion and learned some new idioms to use in your
conversations about family and friends. Be sure to tune in next time for more insights
and language-learning tips. Until then, take care of yourself, and each other.

Speak soon, my friends. Bye!

EP23. C1 Speaking Success: Mastering Part 4 With 2 Model Answers

Hello, dear listeners! It’s Kristian here, your guide on your journey to a C1 level of
natural spoken English, and I welcome you to another episode of Cambridge Advanced
Speaking.

Today, we’re delving deep into Part 4 of the C1 Advanced Speaking exam, focusing
particularly on the fascinating topic of learning languages. Whether you’re gearing up for
the exam or looking to enhance your English proficiency, you’re in the right place!

So, get cosy, and let’s jump right in!

In this episode, our spotlight is on Part 4 of the speaking exam. This section is your stage
to voice your thoughts on the topic that was previously discussed in Part 3. For our
questions and answers, we’ll use learning languages as our reference point.

Mastering Part 4 With 2 Model Answers

Cracking Part 4 involves careful listening to the question, grasping its meaning, and
constructing a thoughtful response.

You should strengthen your viewpoint with examples or personal experiences, as this
adds depth and originality to your response. Let’s dive into this idea using some
potential question prompts on language learning.

Here’s a sample question: What role does motivation play in language learning, and how
can it be sustained over a prolonged period?

This question asks you to express your opinion, evaluate, and speculate. You might initiate
your response with, Motivation is truly the engine that powers language learning. It
sparks curiosity and fuels persistence.

Then, share an example: For example, let’s picture a student learning Spanish with the
dream of living in Madrid. They fuel their motivation by cherishing small wins, like
understanding a restaurant menu or having a brief conversation with a local about
Spanish cuisine.
Now, let’s address another question: How do you envision the future of language
learning? This question invites you to imagine and articulate the future of language
learning.

You could begin by acknowledging the journey so far: It’s a fascinating topic indeed. When
looking at the evolution of language learning, from traditional classrooms to digital
platforms, it’s evident that we’ve made significant progress.

Then, for the next part, you should cast your vision into the future. You could say
something like: I foresee a more tailored and immersive learning experience,
powered by cutting-edge technology. For instance, let’s imagine virtual reality for
language immersion.
This technology could teleport learners to different corners of the world, providing them
with a first-hand experience of languages in their native settings. Or envisage AI-
powered language tutors: they could deliver personalised lessons, adapting to each
learner’s unique style.
This answer goes beyond just responding to the question; it paints a vivid picture for the
examiner, making your response really interesting and memorable.

There you go, listeners! Remember, the keys to acing this part are clarity and confidence.
You should demonstrate a diverse range of vocabulary and grammatical structures, maintain
a comfortable speaking pace, and most importantly, enjoy the conversation.

Yes, it’s an exam, but it’s also a chance to have an interesting discussion. Approach it as
a friendly chat and let your enthusiasm for the English language shine!

Closing Notes
Before we wrap up, here’s a quick heads-up. If you’re looking to accelerate your
preparation, our C1 Speaking Club might be just what you need.

It’s a lively community where you can practise speaking with fellow learners and build
your English confidence. Intrigued? Then visit [Link]/c1-
speaking-club/ to join us.

As we wrap up this episode, let’s recap our main insights. Part 4 of the C1 Advanced
Speaking exam is about expressing comprehensive opinions, evaluating different situations,
and making informed speculations. It’s your platform to demonstrate your command of
English and impress the examiner. Today, I shared two model responses to illustrate some
useful vocabulary and to help you boost your speaking confidence.

That’s all for today’s episode of Cambridge Advanced Speaking. Remember to practise
consistently and keep in mind that every challenge is an opportunity to become the best
version of yourself.

Stay safe, and take care of yourself, and each other. Goodbye!
 EP24. Master Your C1 Speaking: 5 Fun Idioms to Discuss Hobbies and Leisure Time

Hello, and welcome back to another episode of Cambridge Advanced Speaking! I’m your
host, Kristian, here to guide you on your English learning journey. Today, we’re diving
deep into the fun and engaging topic of hobbies and free time.

Let’s begin with some idioms that will help you spice up your English conversations.

1. Our first idiom is ‘paint the town red’, which means to go out and enjoy oneself
flamboyantly (tending to attract attention because of their exuberance, confidence, and
stylishness).

Picture this – you’ve just finished your Cambridge exam, and you and your friends decide
to celebrate by going to a music concert. You could say, after finishing our exam, we are
going to paint the town red.

2. Now, let’s look at another idiom: ‘a hard nut to crack’. This refers to a problem that’s
difficult to solve or a person who is hard to understand. If you were struggling with the
final level of a video game, you might say, the final level of the video game was a hard
nut to crack. Or do you remember the topic of the previous episode? It was about the
topic of learning languages.

Well, you might say, I love learning languages, but Czech grammar is really a hard nut to
crack.

3. Moving on, we have ‘not cut out for’. This idiom means not being suitable or fit for a
particular purpose. Let’s say you tried mountain biking but found it too extreme.

You might say, I tried mountain biking, but I quickly realised I was not cut out for such an
extreme sport.

4. Next is ‘have too many irons in the fire’, meaning being involved in too many activities
or tasks at the same time. If you were learning Spanish, going to the gym, and reading
books all at once, you might say, I fear I may have too many irons in the fire. That’s an
example about my life, so I’m currently not learning Spanish. Shame on me!

5. Our last idiom is ‘in a league of one’s own’, meaning to be significantly better than
anyone else. If your grandmother’s cooking is incomparable, you could say, when it
comes to cooking, my grandmother is in a league of her own.

Exam Question

Now, let’s delve into a sample question from the Cambridge C1 Advanced Speaking
exam. The question is: In your opinion, do hobbies predominantly serve as a stress-
reliever, or can they sometimes add to our stress levels?
Here’s a possible model answer:

That’s an interesting point to ponder. I reckon hobbies mostly serve as a kind of

breather (a short rest), a way to unplug from the daily grind. Like, when I’m reading a
book, I’m in my own world, far from worries.

Yet, I can’t ignore that hobbies can turn stressful too. Imagine a hobby that evolves into
a demanding pursuit (hobby) – let’s say, a friendly game of football that turns into a
fierce match. That could surely add to the stress.

Now, why is this a good answer? It provides a balanced perspective, uses personal
examples to strengthen the argument, and communicates ideas in a clear and engaging way.

These are key elements to aim for in your speaking exam.

Closing Notes
Speaking of engaging conversations, I’d like to invite you to join the C1 Speaking Club.
It’s a supportive community where you can practise your English-speaking skills in a fun
and interactive environment. You can check it out at [Link]/c1-
speaking- club/.

The club is designed to help you boost your English confidence with powerful speaking
practice opportunities. We have interactive lessons, lively group discussions, and even fun
challenges. So why not join us and take the first step today?

Oh, and before I forget, up until June 13th, that’s my birthday, you can still claim an
extra 50% off on your first year’s subscription. After my birthday, this special offer is
gone.

That’s it for today’s episode. I hope you’ve found it enlightening and that it’s given you
some new ideas for your English learning journey. Remember, practice makes progress,
so don’t shy away from using these idioms and giving your own answer to our sample
question.

Once again, this is Kristian from Cambridge Advanced Speaking. Tune in next time for
more tips, insights, and helpful English language content.
Until then, keep practising, keep improving, and I’ll catch you in the next episode!

Bye bye
 EP25. Burning Out or Branching Out? Work Life with 10 Advanced Phrasal Verbs

Hello, everyone! This is Kristian, your host of the Cambridge Advanced Speaking podcast.
I’m thrilled to have you with us today as we dive into an exciting part of the English
language – phrasal verbs.

Yes, those little combinations of words that can completely transform your speaking
skills, because they are essential building blocks for natural spoken English.

Are you ready?

Today, we’re focusing on 10 phrasal verbs that will come in handy when talking about
work and careers. As we go through each one, why not think about how you could use it in
your own life? It’s a magnificent way to make these phrases stick.

1. Our first phrasal verb is branch out.

Picture a tree growing new branches. It’s expanding, right? Well, that’s exactly what
you’re doing when you branch out.

Let me give you an example: I started as an ESL teacher, and then I branched out into
building an online community of learners with the C1 Speaking Club. Pretty cool, wouldn’t
you say?

2. Now let’s talk about climbing the (career) ladder. Imagine you’re on the lowest rung of
a ladder and you want to get to the top. That’s your career journey.

From my own experience, I started as an English tutor working for language schools before
climbing the ladder to have my own private students!

3. Next, to pitch in. It’s all about teamwork.

Imagine you’re on a football team – everyone has to pitch in to win the game, right? It’s
the same at work. We all need to contribute to reach our goals.

4. Moving on to burn out. You know that feeling when you’ve been running for a while
and you just can’t go any further? That’s burnout. This might happen when you try to
juggle two things at once, for example, having a job and running a family.
 Remember, it’s important to take care of yourself. Say no to things that are not in the
top-3 of your priority list.

5. To set up is our next phase. Think of it as creating something new.

Like when I set up the C1 Speaking Club. It was a bit daunting but incredibly rewarding.
Have you ever set up something new?
6. To carry out is simply to complete a task.
Each week, I carry out research for this podcast, ensuring I’m delivering the best content for
you. Can you think of a task you’ve carried out recently?

7. We have to pull ahead next. Ever been in a race where you suddenly surge forward and
leave your competitors behind? That’s pulling ahead.

Have you ever seen someone pulling ahead?

8. To fall behind, is the opposite. Imagine being in a race and lagging behind the pack. It’s a
phrase we use when we’re not keeping up with our tasks or responsibilities.

We all fall behind sometimes, or let me speak for myself, I mean to say, I know I fall
behind sometimes.

9. Next is to take on. When you accept a new task or responsibility, you’re taking it on.

Like when I took on the challenge of learning how to create a website during lockdown.
What’s something new you’ve taken on recently?

10. Finally, to come across. This is when you find something by chance.

Like when I came across a fantastic opportunity this year. I was creating an online course,
and then I came across a blog post on how to start your own online community.

And that was the inception if inception is the word I want, of the C1 Speaking Club.
That’s serendipity at its best!

And there you have it! Ten phrasal verbs to help you talk about work and careers. Try to
use them in your conversations this week. I promise it’ll make your English sound more
natural.

Closing Notes
Now, remember the key to mastering these phrasal verbs, or any aspect of the English
language, is practice. And where better to practice than our C1 Speaking Club?
It’s a welcoming community where you can practice speaking English in a safe, supportive
environment.

To join, all you have to do is visit [Link]

Once again, that’s [Link]

Can’t wait to see you there!

Before we wrap up, let’s do a quick recap of the phrasal verbs we’ve learned today: Branch
out, climb the ladder, pitch in, burn out, set up, carry out, pull ahead, fall behind, take on,
and come
across. Try to weave them into your conversations and see how it enhances your English
proficiency.

That’s all for today’s episode. I hope you found it enlightening and fun. Remember,
mastering a language is a journey, and every step you take brings you closer to your goal.
So, keep practising, stay curious, and enjoy the process.

Thanks for tuning in to the Cambridge Advanced Speaking podcast. Take care of yourself,
and each other, and I’ll catch you in the next episode!
EP26. Powerful Habits: A Deep Dive Into 2 Model Answers

Hello, listeners, and welcome to another episode of the Cambridge Advanced Speaking
podcast. I’m your host, Kristian.

Today, we’ll be dissecting my personal responses to some intriguing questions about habits.
So, strap in and let’s get started.

Our first question for today is:

Can you think of a habit that you have that plays a significant role in your daily

routine? Now, let’s explore how I tackled this.

Oh, absolutely. So, you know, one of my habits is hitting the gym really early, like at 5 am,
four times a week. Sounds a bit crazy, right? But honestly, it’s a game changer…it gives
me this sense of…what’s the word I’m looking for…achievement, I guess? So yeah, even
though it’s tough to get out of bed sometimes, I wouldn’t trade this habit for anything.

Notice how I start with a filler, ‘Oh, absolutely,’ which sets a friendly, conversational
tone. I then delve into my personal habit of early morning gym sessions, which I describe
as a ‘game changer.’ This is a great use of an idiom, which can add flavour to your
responses. I also use an effective example from my own life, making the response
relatable and vivid.

Our second question delves into the process of developing or breaking a habit: Have you
ever tried or considered trying to develop or break a habit? If so, what motivated this
consideration or action?

Listen carefully to my response.

Yeah, totally, there was actually a time when I tried to break my habit of checking my
phone first thing in the morning… So, I decided to replace it with something more
positive – like listening to music. It was quite a struggle initially, I won’t lie, but it made
a huge difference to my day. I did it because I didn’t want to start my days with negative
thoughts about the news. So, now I wake up to the tune of Where the Streets Have No
Name, one of the most empowering songs ever, and the effect on my mental peace has
been tremendous.

I begin with another filler, Yeah, totally, maintaining that conversational tone. I then
share a personal experience of breaking a negative habit and replacing it with a positive
one, using descriptive language to effectively convey the struggle and eventual benefits. I
also share my motivation behind this change, namely, to avoid starting my day with
negative thoughts about the news, emphasising the importance of mental peace. The
phrase made a huge difference to my day! is a great example of a collocation that adds
depth to my response.

In summary, I’ve demonstrated the effective use of fillers, personal examples, and idioms in
my responses. I also effectively share my motivations and feelings, enhancing the
authenticity and
relatability of my answers. Remember, these elements can greatly enrich your responses in
your C1 Advanced Speaking exam.

Closing Notes
Now, before we wrap up, let me remind you that this is exactly the kind of activity we do in
our speaking club lessons. Each lesson is focused on a specific topic, like today’s theme of
habits.
After a 30-minute interactive breakdown of one or two model answers, we split into
smaller groups for one-on-one dialogues in breakout rooms. This provides a great
opportunity for you to practise and apply what you’ve learned in a supportive and
interactive environment.

That’s all for this episode. Thank you for tuning in today, and remember, life is better when
learning together. That’s why I started the C1 Speaking Club.

I’m Kristian, and until next time, keep practising and keep improving.

P.S. This is how the song starts:

I want to run; I want to hide

I wanna tear down the walls that hold me inside I
wanna reach out and touch the flame
Where the streets have no name I wanna
feel sunlight on my face
I see that dust cloud disappear without a trace I
wanna take shelter from the poison rain Where the
streets have no name
I mean to say, if those lyrics are not empowering, I don’t know what is.
EP27. The Battle Against Waste Generation: A Model Answer

Hello, dear listeners, and welcome back to another episode of the C1 Speaking podcast.
This is your host, Kristian, and today, we’ll be having an interesting chat about the
challenges that we face when trying to reduce waste.

So, let’s not delay any further and get to it. Today’s

question is:

What do you think are some challenges that people face when trying to reduce their
waste?

Now, let me share what I believe.

Well, you know, if you ask me, the primary hurdle in the path to reducing waste, it’s
really about convenience, isn’t it? Single-use items are everywhere, they are so easy to use
that we often opt for them rather than the sustainable alternatives. Like, isn’t it just simpler
to use a cup from the coffee machine in the office instead of remembering to carry your
own reusable one?

And then there’s this thing about not really knowing or understanding the repercussions
of our waste generation. I mean, it’s simple to throw something away and not think about
it, but if more people knew where their trash actually ends up, and the environmental
damage it can cause, perhaps they would think twice.

But, let me tell you, I’m pretty certain these challenges, as big as they may seem, aren’t
too much to overcome. It’s all about education and a little change in our habits. Yes, it’s
true that ‘old habits die hard’, but I believe that with some effort, we can definitely
promote a more sustainable way of living.

Let’s take a moment to unpack my answer. And as always, you can follow along with the
transcript available on my website, [Link].

All right, I began with a casual opener, if you ask me, to set a conversational tone. And I
used
primary hurdle and repercussions to add some depth to my response.
You can also spot phrases like single-use items and environmental damage. These are
some examples of collocations related to the topic of that question. They help bring the
issue to life, so to speak.

Then, I mentioned that the task is not too much to overcome, implying that while the
challenge is difficult, it’s not impossible. And I wrapped up with the idiom old habits die
hard, to indicate that changes can be made, but they require some effort. Using idioms like
this can make your English seem more natural.

So, in a nutshell, my response shows how to use conversational fillers, the depth that
collocations can bring, and how idioms can add a touch of natural English to your
response. It also brings in real-life examples to make the points easier to relate to.
Closing Notes
Last but not least, I want to mention one more thing. If you listen closely to the first
paragraph, you clearly notice that I share my opinion first, then I give the reason and I end
with a specific example. This format helps you to create a logical structure when you build
up your response.

I always recommend using this structure when preparing for your C1 Advanced Speaking
exam, because it gives you the strong foundation you need when you need to answer on the
spot, you know, in the heat of the moment.

All right, that’s all for today. Before I say goodbye, I’d like to remind you that the
strategies we discussed today are exactly what we cover in our speaking club lessons. We
break down responses to different questions like we did today, and then we split into
smaller groups for some one-on-one practice. This allows you to apply what you’ve
learned in a friendly, interactive setting.

That’s all for today’s episode. Thank you for tuning in. Speak soon my friends, bye-bye!

Remember, life is better when learning together. That’s why I started the C1 Speaking
Club. For more information, you can visit [Link]. I hope you’ll join us!
EP29. C1 Speaking Skills: Mastering the Art of Talking About Your Neighbours

Hello, dear listeners, and welcome back to another episode of the C1 Speaking podcast.
This is your host, Kristian, and today, we’ll be tackling a topic within the broader theme
of Home and Accommodation: our relationship with our neighbours.

Without any further ado, let’s delve right into it.

Today’s question is: How well do you know your neighbours?

Now, let’s unpack my own personal thoughts on this.

Actually, it’s quite interesting you ask. Truth be told, I don’t really know my
neighbours well. We do share the same building, but our interactions tend to be limited
to polite nods or brief greetings in the lift or the hallway.

You see, in today’s world, everyone seems to lead busy lives, leaving little room to build
close relationships. It’s a bit of a shame, I reckon. As the proverb goes, ‘Better is a
neighbour nearby than a brother far away’.

However, I respect everyone’s need for privacy, including my own. So, yeah, my
knowledge of my neighbours is rather superficial, but we do maintain a pleasant and
respectful atmosphere, which is good enough for me.

Now, let’s take a moment to reflect on my response. As always, you can follow along with
the transcript available on my website, [Link].

I started off with phrases like actually, it’s quite interesting you ask and truth be told,
which are often used to set the tone and initiate a response. They’re part of what we call
starters in spoken language.

Can you substitute these starters?

Funny you should ask, or I’m glad you brought that up.

To tell you the truth, to be frank, frankly speaking, or between you and me.

Then, you’d notice phrases like you see / so, yeah / which are examples of fillers that
provide a natural flow and give me time to gather my thoughts.

I’ve also used some common word pairings, or collocations, like polite nods, brief
greetings, busy lives (hectic schedules), close relationships (strong ties), and my
knowledge of my neighbours is rather superficial (I barely know my neighbours).

These give the speech a natural fluency.

Closing Notes
Well, there you have it, my friends. We’ve covered starters, fillers, linkers,
collocations, and examples of natural spoken language in this conversation. I hope it
helps you appreciate the nuances of spoken English and helps you in your learning
journey.

That’s all for today’s episode. As always, thanks for joining us. If you like what we did in
this episode, I’ve got some exciting news: I’m going to release a 3-hour audio course to
help you excel in your C1 speaking exam. The release date will be on September 1st, but if
you want early access to this brand-new course, you should pay close attention to the next
episode of the podcast.

All right, that’s all for today. Speak soon, my friends. Bye for now!
 EP30. C1 Speaking Question: Is Your Career Choice a Reflection of Your
Personality?

Let’s dive right into it.

So, the question is:

Kristian, tell me, how do you think the job we choose reflects our personality?

Ah, now there’s an interesting point to ponder. You see, I firmly believe that the job we
choose does often mirror aspects of our personality. Let me explain my thoughts on this.

When we’re deciding on a career path, it’s typically driven by our interests, values, and
strengths. All these elements are intertwined with our personality. For example, someone
who is compassionate and nurturing might be drawn to the healthcare or social work
sectors, whereas a person who enjoys problem-solving and analytical thinking might opt
for engineering or programming roles. Although it’s not a strict correlation, I believe
there’s a substantial link between our career choices and our individual characteristics.

Now, let’s take a moment to analyse my response. As you may have noticed, I started off
with phrases like ah, now there’s an interesting point to ponder and you see, which are
often used to initiate a response. They’re part of what we call starters in spoken language.

You’ll also see phrases like let me explain, and for example, which are linkers, helping
connect ideas coherently.

Then there’s the use of common word pairings, or collocations, such as career path,
drawn to, and opt for. These lend a natural fluency to the speech and are crucial for
sounding like a native speaker.

Let’s have a closer look at 5 of these collocations:

1. To ponder: to think about (something) carefully, especially before making a decision or

reaching a conclusion.

She sat back for a minute to ponder her next move in the game.

2. To mirror: match or to be similar to (another thing).

 Her on-screen romances seem to mirror her experiences in her private life.

3. Intertwined with: twisted together or closely connected so as to be difficult to separate.

Modern technology is increasingly intertwined with our education system, changing the
way students learn and teachers instruct.
4. To be drawn to: to be attracted to or to have your attention move towards something.
When I think about where I would like to buy an apartment in Madrid, I’m drawn to the
north side of the metropolis.

5. Strict correlation: a mutual relationship or connection between two (or more) things.

Research showed a clear correlation between recession and levels of property crime.

Closing Notes
And that’s a wrap, my friends.
Kristian de Groot