Food and community

C2 Proficiency · Speaking Collaborative · Cambridge Ready original exercise

Work with your partner. First talk about two of the pictures for about a minute, then use all five pictures to discuss a situation and reach a decision together in about three minutes.

Now I'd like the two of you to work together. Here are some pictures of people eating in different situations.

Food and community

A large family of several generations sharing dishes at a long garden table.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/b4bb5fbc21e7b4386c52882118314c391dd646ba9ad92869ad02794688044bf7.avif

candid documentary photograph, a large multi-generational family sharing dishes around a long table in a garden, passing plates to each other, lively mood, jugs of water and juice on the table, no alcohol, everyone in plain solid-colour clothes with nothing printed on them, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

Neighbours chopping vegetables together in a community centre kitchen.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/4815335035c8a1f3bba6c8521762c94e8118f22ac720ed405521c3b776a05ff8.avif

candid documentary photograph, neighbours of different ages and ethnicities cooking together in a community centre kitchen, chopping vegetables side by side, friendly mood, everyone in plain solid-colour clothes with nothing printed on them, plain aprons, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

Office workers eating lunch alone at their desks while looking at screens.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/c5961aa0a59f346d92836614a6a6bd139ecd7f1ab89a8184a557d473305d6286.avif

candid documentary photograph, a middle-aged woman and a young man, each eating a sandwich alone at their own desk in an open-plan office, eyes on their computer screens, grey daylight from the office windows, subdued mood, seen from in front of the desks so only the plain black backs of the monitors face the camera, everyone in plain solid-colour clothes with nothing printed on them, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

Strangers sitting side by side at shared tables in a busy food market.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/9a24e34b4b32f88f9203563cce8a685a3fa3e279154455766d7a02e5d3a4e387.avif

candid documentary photograph, a close view along one long shared wooden table in a busy covered food market at dusk, an older woman in a knitted cardigan, a young man in a plain beige linen shirt and a middle-aged woman in a plain olive blouse, strangers sitting side by side eating street food from paper plates, one of them smiling and passing a napkin to her neighbour, warm chatter, no alcohol, behind them only strings of warm bulbs and a dark soft blur, nothing else in view, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

A young couple eating a takeaway meal on the sofa in front of the television.

https://cdn.cambridgeready.com/images/29bdbeda45419f73db58de7f46302ef1d0528de2d7e6675ff0c5302810dbb79a.avif

candid documentary photograph, a young couple eating a takeaway meal of noodles from plain white unprinted boxes on the sofa while watching television, relaxed evening at home, natural light, shot on 35mm film, no print, logos or writing on anyone's clothes, no signs or labels with readable text, no text, no watermark

Let's start with pictures {a} and {b}. Between you, consider what part food seems to be playing in each situation, beyond simply feeding people. You have about a minute for this.

Now look at all the pictures together. Imagine a magazine is preparing an article on how the way we eat reflects the way we live. Talk together about what each picture suggests about people's relationships and priorities. Then decide which picture best represents the direction eating habits are taking. You have about three minutes for this.

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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