FCE SPEAKING PART 2: COMPARING PICTURES

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In B2 (en), english-post

Barcelona zoo (2009)

Giant in an unexpected sleeping position (2012)

After comparing the two photographs, answer this question: In what ways are all animal species valuable to humans and how should they be treated?

Leave your answer by clicking on the word ‘comments’ right below this post.

Note: The photos belong to my personal albums and are to be used only for educational purposes.

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  1. Both pictures show animals. The animals in the pictures belong to the same species.
    In the first picture, there are two lions, but in the second one, there is one cat. Another difference between the two pictures is that in the first picture, the animals shown are wild, whereas in the second picture, the cat is tamed. In addition, the first picture is taken outdoors, at a zoo, although the second picture is taken inside a house. In one picture, the animals are far away from their natural habitat and captured in a zoo, but in the other one, the cat is not captured. It is in a place where it is used to living.

    In what ways are all animal species valuable to humans and how should they be treated?

    I believe that all animal species are valuable to humans. If some species of animals stopped existing, then the whole balance of nature would be destroyed. All animals are important. Wild animals are vital for conserving the balance of food chains. Tamed animals are also really helpful. The offer humans milk, meat, wool and,of course, their company.
    Humans should respect and protect all animals. After all, humans are responsible for the extinction of some species and they are the reason why so many species are endangered. People hunt animals to make money from them or they just do it as a hobby. However, hunting, over-fishing and other things people do shows how disrespectful they are to animals and what they offer them.

  2. Fantastic answer, Nassoula, full of new vocabulary and grammar! You deserve a huge bravo for writing the comment and for including wonderful ideas in it!

    (Giant says hi!) 🙂

  3. One thing both pictures have in common is that they present animals. The first photo is a picture of two lions, a male and a female one. They seem to be in the wild as we can see greenery and sand, but they are actually caged since in the background we can see bars. So they might be captured in a zoo and not in their natural habitat. They may be kept under protection. However, in the second picture we can see a cat which is sleeping on the floor in a house. From its body posture, it looks as if it held a weapon. Perhaps it is dreaming that it is a detective and it is taking part in a crime mystery. Moreover, in the first photo the lions are protected, whereas in the second picture the cat enjoys its freedom. In addition, another difference between the two photos is the size of each animal. The lions are much bigger that the small cat. Also, while cats are very playful and friendly animals, lions can be aggressive and sometimes dangerous for humans.

    In what ways are all animal species valuable to humans and how should they be treated?

    We have all realized and comprehended that animals were and continue to be really valuable to us. We have many benefits from animals to various aspects. First of all, they are very useful for our clothing and footwear. We get almost all types of fabric from animals, such as wool from sheep and silk from a specific species of insect. Furthermore, in the past, people couldn’t transport anything from one place to another. Animals played an important role since they could carry many heavy things for a long distance. As a result animals managed to solve the transportation problem. Last but not least, animals are the main source of food. Daily we eat different kinds of meat like beef, pork, chicken, lamb or turkey and fish, as well. What is more, some animals like dogs and cats are an alternative way for companionship as they are always beside us and keep company to us, when we are alone. To sum up, I believe that all animal species are part of human life and that’s why we have to treat them with love and care. However, people hunt animals to make money and destroy the natural balance, so many animals become extinct. Some, who are wildlife campaigners, protest against this problem that we have to face and try to protect the endangered species as we should do.

  4. Impressive vocabulary, Christinoula! Indeed, Giant IS dreaming wildly while sleeping; I guess his main priority is food, so this must be what he is dreaming of, hehe!

    I also need to point out how much I like the way you explain the role animals play in humans' lives. Great ideas! Keep blogging and studying, girls!

  5. Hi, do you think you can say all these things in one minute about the pictures and answer their question? And moreover, you have to think about what you see..

  6. Hi Christina,
    I've been lucky to find someone on the net who's keen on English as well as me. I'm from Peru and I teach English here. The only thing is I find it difficult sometimes to deal with students' speaking specially for the FCE Cambridge exam and would like to know hot to improve my skills to help students understand this is not a difficult part. Please give me some advice.

  7. Hello Alexander and thank you for your comment. In my humble opinion, it is not difficult to help students speak. What we only have to do is actually have them speak! At the beginning of every lesson ask them about their news, urge them to ask questions to each other and so on; these little things may prove useful in reducing the students' common fear of the oral production of the language. Gradually, they can practise every part of the FCE oral exam in their own pace and finally clock their performance when they feel confident. Does this sound helpful enough to you, Alexander? 🙂

  8. Your tips are of great help to me! You can really make people feel confident. Thanks a lot for your time and dedication.

  9. Thank god I found your site. My speaking exam is next Friday and I am terryfied! Not that I am not prepared but I am too nervous. I hope that I will manage to stay calm and do my best.

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