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Variant 20

Describe Photos

Two teenagers in a school cafeteria discussing their food choices project — one eating a bowl of homemade soup, one holding a burger
Task 4 · Food Choices
Describe · Compare · Give Your Opinion
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Task 4 — School Project

Imagine that you and your friend are doing a school project "Food Choices". You have found some photos to illustrate it but for technical reasons you cannot send them now. Leave a voice message to your friend explaining your choice of the photos and sharing some ideas about the project. In 2.5 minutes be ready to:

  • Explain the choice of the illustrations for the project by briefly describing them and noting the differences
  • Mention the advantages (1–2) of the two types of food
  • Mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two types of food
  • Express your opinion on the subject of the project — say which type of food you prefer and why

You will speak for not more than 3 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.

Photos for the task
A bowl of hot homemade vegetable soup with a spoon on a rustic wooden table, steam rising from the surface
Photo 1
A large juicy fast food burger with sesame bun and toothpick on a paper wrapper, chips in the background
Photo 2
Build Your Speech
1
Describe the photos & note the differences
Briefly describe what you see in each photo, then point out the key difference between the two types of food shown.
In the first photo I can see 
The second photo shows 
The main difference is that 
Both photos are connected by 
2
Advantages of both types of food
Mention 1–2 benefits for each type of food.
One advantage of home-cooked food is that it 
As for fast food, a clear benefit is that it 
3
Disadvantages of both types of food
Mention 1–2 drawbacks for each type of food.
A drawback of home-cooked food is that it 
On the other hand, fast food 
4
Your opinion & preference
Say which type of food you personally prefer and explain why.
Personally, I would choose 
…because 
To sum up, I think that 
Phrase Bank
Useful Phrases
Describing
In the foreground / background… It looks like… / It seems to be… The photo was taken indoors / outdoors I can also notice…
Comparing
Unlike the first photo, the second one… While Photo 1 shows…, Photo 2 depicts… Another difference is that…
Pros & Cons
It is worth mentioning that… … tends to be much more… What is more, … However, it should be noted that…
Opinion
As for me, I would choose… In my opinion, … is a better choice since… I strongly believe that…
Vocabulary
Key Words for This Topic
home-cooked meal
домашняя еда, блюдо домашнего приготовления
A home-cooked meal is usually much healthier than takeaway.
fast food
фастфуд, быстрое питание
Many teenagers eat fast food several times a week.
nutritious
питательный, полезный
Soup can be very nutritious if made with fresh vegetables.
calories
калории
A single burger can contain over 700 calories.
balanced diet
сбалансированное питание
Doctors recommend following a balanced diet every day.
processed food
переработанные продукты, готовая еда
Processed food often contains too much sugar and salt.
to prepare a dish
готовить блюдо
It takes time to prepare a dish from scratch at home.
unhealthy eating habits
вредные пищевые привычки
Unhealthy eating habits can lead to obesity and heart disease.
convenient
удобный, практичный
Fast food is convenient when you have very little time.
time-consuming
требующий много времени
Cooking from scratch can be time-consuming after a long day.
to affect one's health
влиять на здоровье
What you eat can greatly affect your health in the long run.
ingredients
ингредиенты, составляющие блюда
Fresh ingredients make a dish taste much better.
Exam Conditions

School project "Food Choices". Leave a voice message: describe both photos, note differences, mention advantages and disadvantages of each type of food, give your opinion.

2:30 preparation → 3:00 speaking. 12–15 sentences, no stops.

A bowl of hot homemade vegetable soup with a spoon on a rustic wooden table, steam rising from the surface
Photo 1
A large juicy fast food burger with sesame bun and toothpick on a paper wrapper, chips in the background
Photo 2
Preparation
2:30
Press Start — exam conditions
Exam Phases
1
Preparation
Study the photos and plan your monologue
2:30
2
Speaking
Talk continuously — no pauses, no stopping
3:00
Examiner's Checklist
Described both photos — briefly and clearly
Noted the differences between the two types of food
Mentioned 1–2 advantages for each type of food
Mentioned 1–2 disadvantages for each type of food
Expressed and justified a personal preference
Spoke within 3 minutes without long pauses

Exam Complete!

Check the boxes above — did you hit every criterion? If not, go back to Practice and refine.