Study Guide

German 102.01 Oral Exam

The best preparation for the speaking tests is to attend class daily, participate regularly, especially in communicative activities. You will be tested by an instructor from another section of 102, so it is a good idea to listen to the tapes daily in order to get used to understanding a variety of speakers. Because we are interested in how well you can speak and understand German "on demand", you will not be permitted to use notes during the exam.

SIGNING UP FOR A TESTING TIME
Sign up for a 20-minute testing appointment on the purple sign-up sheets posted on the glass doors of the German TA offices (4th floor, 486 Hagerty Hall). Be sure to sign up for a testing appointment designated for your section of German 102. If you are unable to make the appointment, please call 292-1119 or 292-6037 at least one day in advance and inform one of the TAs. Note: Do not sign up for an interview at the time of your regularly scheduled German class! This is unacceptable! Missed, unexcused appointments will count as ZERO.

Part I. Introduction or warm-up (which is not evaluated) - consists of some general and easy questions to help put you at ease and get you started. Try to relax as much as possible.

Part II. Oral reading You will be asked to read a paragraph (see below) out loud. We will assess your pronunciation (sound and symbol mapping), intonation and your oral reading fluency.
Tip: You can sharpen your listening (sound and symbol correspondence) by listening to the sound file on our Web page as you read along silently. Your fluency and intonation will improve measurably if you know the meaning of what you are reading. Of course, your performance in reading aloud will improve if you practice reading aloud alone, with a partner or with your instructor in office hours.

Essen, Kleidung, Urlaub: was eine Familie alles braucht
Für heute Abend habe ich mir französischen Käse und Rotwein gekauft. Das konnte ich mir früher nicht leisten -- heute bin ich bei kleinen Sachen etwas großzügiger. Wenn ich auf dem Heimweg von der Arbeit einen schönen Pullover für meinen Sohn sehe, dann bringe ich den für Ben mit. Er mag schöne Pullis und ich mag gutes Essen.

Click here to listen (.wav file)

Part III. Interview. You will be interviewed by the instructor, who will pose approximately four questions, based on the topics listed below. You will pick three topics from an envelope. You will then choose two of these three topics. You will be graded according to the global speaking scale that was handed out with the course syllabus.
Topics are:

• Kleidung/Einkaufen
• Eine Grillparty mit Freunden
• Essgewohnheiten
• Ihre Freizeit
• Letztes Wochenende
• Fit und gesund bleiben

Part IV. Situation/role play. A role-play in which you will have to engage the instructor in conversation based on a given situation; the instructor plays the other role and responds to your lead. After the role-play is over, you will be asked to summarize in English what both you and the instructor said.
You will pick two situations from an envelope, from which you will choose the situation you prefer. The situations are listed below. You should already be familiar with these themes from your experience with classroom role-plays. STUDY TIP: It is a good idea to anticipate the kinds of sentences, grammar and vocabulary you will need for the situations. It is NOT a good idea, however, to plan the situation as a rigid dialogue, since you will not be able to predict exactly how your instructor will respond. The best strategy is to be flexible and have a variety of responses and questions ready.

Be prepared to role-play the following situations. Be prepared to take the lead in the roleplay and to respond flexibly.

You are shopping for your friend's birthday and have decided to get him/her some clothes. You go to a boutique and you

• explain your situation
• ask the salesperson to show you some things
• inquire about size, colors, availability in a larger/smaller size, another fabric
• ask the salesclerk's opinion about whether certain items go together

Finally, you complete the transaction.

You are interviewing your pen pal, whom you have just met for the first time. Ask him/her

• about life before s/he became well-known (bekannt)
• whether s/he had a favorite actor
• whether s/he had any hobbies
• whether s/he played any sports
• whether s/he went to the movies
• what else s/he did in his/her free time?

Finally, you thank him/her and say good bye.

A new German restaurant has opened in Columbus and you have decided to go check it out . You ask the server

• about restaurant specialties
• about side dishes
• about the beverage selection
• and about tasty desserts.

A friend of yours is a vegetarian so find out if there are any dishes without meat and if the vegetables/salads are fresh. Based on what s/he has told you, you order a drink, dinner, and dessert.

You want to arrange a date with your friend to do something for the weekend, but you both have very tight schedules and s/he might not be interested in the same thing as you. Be prepared to:

• suggest several alternate activities
• negotiate an activity
• negotiate a time when you can both meet
• suggest a place where you can meet

Suddenly you realize that you are late for a date. Come to an agreement and say good-bye.

You and your best friend are talking about your summer vacations. You talk about:

• with whom you went
• where you were
• what you did
• how the weather was
• where and what did you eat and drink

You realize it is time for you to meet another friend, so you close the conversation and say goodbye.