The second section is a little different. Here you will be asked to talk on a topic for 1 - 2 minutes. Again, the interviewer is following a script although there are a number of topics from which he can choose. They are quite general and you won't need any specific knowledge so don't worry that you might not be able to answer the topic you are given. You will be given the topic verbally and a task card on which the topic is written together with some points you should talk about. You will also be given some paper and a pencil to make notes and given one minute to think about what you are going to say. The topics are designed so that anyone can answer them.
The examiner will tell you when your one minute thinking time is up. Some candidates don't need to think about their topic much at all but others find one minute isn't enough. If you don't need the time available, tell the examiner you are ready so you can continue with the test. The rest of you, the majority by far, will want to use the time to think about your topic. Read the topic and bullet points and make quick notes - a minute is not very long so use it effectively. Don't try to write sentences. Try to use the time to make notes that will allow you to talk about the topic and answer the points on the card and any other relevant points you can think of. You can write in any language, your notes will not be used to assess you and will be destroyed after the interview.
When your minute of thinking time is up, your interviewer will remind you that you have 1 - 2 minutes, and ask you to start talkng. On this occasion a monologue is what is required. This is not a discussion. You need to talk about the topic as fluently and coherently as possible. This will be easier if you managed to use your thinking time to write some useful notes.
Don't worry about the time too much. If you speak for more than two minutes the examiner will stop you. There will be no penalty for saying too much. If you say everything you want to say and the examiner hasn't stopped you it is probably better to say you have finished rather than flounder around trying to find something else to say. If you have been speaking for over a minute you won't be penalised as long as what you have said has been reasonably fluent and coherent.
When you have finished this section you will start the third and final section. The interviewer will ask you questions related to the topic in section two but he has some flexibility about what he asks. This means that he should be able, by asking appropriate questions, to ascertain more accurately your language level, particularly in the case of more advanced candidates. This is your opportunity to shine. Again, my advice is to be relaxed and natural. If you have the ability it will show. By this stage you should be getting over your initial nervousness so you won't be answering questions with a simple yes or no. In this section you will be asked questions which help you to expand. You will be asked to describe things, compare and contrast, provide an opinion. All these types of questions will help you to produce the language you are capable of.
