Interview - Work and ambition

C2 Proficiency · Speaking Interview · Cambridge Ready original exercise

Answer the examiner's questions about yourself, giving thoughtful, developed answers rather than short replies. This part lasts about two minutes.

Hello. I'm Alice, and I'll be your examiner today. To start with, I'd like to ask each of you a few questions about yourselves and your views.

What kind of work do you find genuinely absorbing, and why do you think that is?

Has your idea of a satisfying career changed over the years? (Why? / Why not?)

How much does it matter to you to enjoy your work, as opposed to being well rewarded for it?

Would you rather work independently or as part of a large organisation? (Why?)

Who has shaped the way you approach your work or studies most?

Do you tend to set yourself clear goals, or prefer to see where opportunities lead you?

If you could spend a year learning a completely different trade, what would you choose? (Why?)

Is ambition a quality you admire in other people? (Why? / Why not?)

What does a really successful day look like for you?

Where are you from?

And what keeps you busy there?

When did you first start learning English?

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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