Trying something new & Taking risks

C1 Advanced · Speaking Long Turn · Cambridge Ready original exercise

Choose two of your three photographs, compare them and answer both printed questions in about a minute. After that, you get around 30 seconds to respond to one quick question on your partner's photographs.

Choose two of the photographs and compare them. Say why the people might have decided to try something new, and how they might feel once the experience is over.

I'll begin with you. Your photographs show people trying something for the first time.

Trying something new

A middle-aged man laughing as he gets the steps wrong at his first dance class

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/9b465fef800e5ff40d62ef27465226f4fd274f5dd3b91a918bdcd257bb1f79f9.avif

candid documentary photograph, a middle-aged man laughing as he stumbles over the steps at his first salsa class, his dance partner smiling, a bright studio with mirrors, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no text, no watermark

A young woman tasting an unfamiliar dish at a street food market abroad

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/8c4b69648f5a7d4033280800240af367c1883594ffa27af7fcc9480fd5ad5f52.avif

candid documentary photograph, a young white woman cautiously tasting an unfamiliar dish from a paper bowl at a busy street food market in Southeast Asia, the vendor watching with amusement, natural light, shot on 35mm film, the vendor wears a plain apron with no text or logo, no signs with readable text, no text, no watermark

An older woman being shown how to use a tablet by a young volunteer

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/a5b546978213567197e0539fea2e9ade141391711f8844f64af2d590d946586e.avif

candid documentary photograph, an older South Asian woman being shown how to use a tablet by a friendly young volunteer at a table in a public library, both leaning in, natural light, shot on 35mm film, the young man wears a completely plain white t-shirt with no print, no logo, no lanyard, no badge, no text anywhere, no watermark

Is there anything in these photographs that you would be reluctant to try? (Why?)

Why might the people have decided to try something new?

How might they feel once the experience is over?

Choose two of the photographs and compare them. Say what risks the people are taking, and what they might gain by taking them.

Now it's your turn. Your photographs show people taking different kinds of risks.

Taking risks

A climber on a steep sea cliff with a partner holding the rope below

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/5950a8039af8347cac94002b3145c3c8c121cef7a2f3cd81ddf3b16ebb31efc0.avif

candid documentary photograph, a rock climber reaching for a hold on a steep sea cliff above crashing waves, a partner holding the safety rope on a ledge below, helmets on, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no text, no watermark

A woman opening the doors of her small new café for the first time

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/0f20796f03d74c9b19d6e62674292b4791ba14842598e5d28983d358f700953f.avif

candid documentary photograph, a woman in her thirties unlocking and opening the glass doors of her small newly opened café in the morning, nervous smile, empty tables inside, no signs, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no text, no watermark

A young man about to jump from a high diving board at an outdoor pool

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/48d93d2e0384eda3ac8e7987fd083fa8b86ae70e639580747005d6ded6b852dd.avif

candid documentary photograph, a young man standing at the edge of a high diving board at an outdoor public swimming pool, looking down at the water, people watching from below, natural light, shot on 35mm film, the young man wears knee-length swim shorts, no text, no watermark

Which of these risks would you be most willing to take? (Why?)

What risks are the people taking?

What might they gain by taking them?

Let's move on. You'll each get a set of three photographs. Pick two, talk about them by yourself for roughly a minute, and then answer a quick question about your partner's photographs.

Answer this Speaking task out loud and an AI examiner marks it on the official Cambridge Speaking criteria, with what you did well and what to fix next.

Practise this Speaking task free online: solo with exam timers and a self-recorder, as a live mock Speaking test with a partner over a video call, or as a full three-person mock exam — a real examiner reads the official examiner script to Candidates A and B. Rooms are invite-by-link; partners can join without an account.

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