CELPIP Speaking Task 8 — Describing an Unusual Situation

1 You are at a garage sale and you find the piece of furniture in the picture. Phone your roommate, describe it in detail, and ask whether you should buy it for the living room.

Speaking to: your roommate, on the phone · Second job: Ask your roommate whether you should buy it for the living room.

2 The tenant before you left the object in the picture in a kitchen cupboard. Phone your aunt, describe it in detail, and ask her whether she knows what it is used for.

Speaking to: your aunt, on the phone · Second job: Ask your aunt whether she knows what the object is used for.

3 A new sculpture like the one in the picture has appeared in the park near your building. Phone your friend, describe it in detail, and ask whether she wants to come and see it on Saturday.

Speaking to: your friend, on the phone · Second job: Ask your friend whether she wants to come and see it on Saturday.

4 You found the tool in the picture in the shed of the house you just rented. Phone your neighbour, describe it in detail, and ask whether it is safe for you to use in the garden.

Speaking to: your neighbour, on the phone · Second job: Ask your neighbour whether the tool is safe for you to use in the garden.

5 A machine like the one in the picture has been installed in your building’s laundry room and nobody knows what it does. Phone the building manager, describe it in detail, and ask whether it is supposed to be there.

Speaking to: the building manager, on the phone · Second job: Ask the building manager whether the machine is supposed to be there.

6 Someone is selling the vehicle in the picture at the end of your street. Phone your brother, describe it in detail, and ask whether he thinks it is worth the price they are asking.

Speaking to: your brother, on the phone · Second job: Ask your brother whether he thinks it is worth the asking price.

7 You found the object in the picture in the basement of the house you have just rented. Phone your brother, describe it in detail, and ask whether he thinks it is safe to stand on.

Speaking to: your brother, on the phone · Second job: Ask your brother whether he thinks the object is safe to stand on.

8 A stand like the one in the picture appeared on the sidewalk outside your building this week. Phone your friend, describe it in detail, and ask whether she knows what it is for.

Speaking to: your friend, on the phone · Second job: Ask your friend whether she knows what the stand is for.

9 The cabinet in the picture was installed in the lobby of your apartment building while you were away. Phone the building manager, describe it in detail, and ask how you are supposed to collect a parcel from it.

Speaking to: the building manager, on the phone · Second job: Ask the building manager how you are supposed to collect a parcel from it.

10 You are in a thrift shop and you find the machine in the picture on a shelf. Phone your sister, describe it in detail, and ask whether she thinks it is worth buying.

Speaking to: your sister, on the phone · Second job: Ask your sister whether she thinks the machine is worth buying.

11 The community centre near you has put the machine in the picture in the corner of its exercise room. Phone your cousin, describe it in detail, and ask whether he can tell what it is meant to exercise.

Speaking to: your cousin, on the phone · Second job: Ask your cousin whether he can tell what the machine is meant to exercise.

12 The tenant before you left the container in the picture standing on the balcony. Phone your neighbour, describe it in detail, and ask whether you should keep it or get rid of it.

Speaking to: your neighbour, on the phone · Second job: Ask your neighbour whether you should keep the container or get rid of it.

13 The ticket machine at your station has been sealed behind a hood like the one in the picture all week. Phone the transit customer service officer, describe the machine in detail, and ask when it will be working again.

Speaking to: a transit customer service officer, on the phone · Second job: Ask the officer when the machine will be working again.

14 A terminal like the one in the picture has been put in the entrance hall of your local library. Phone your friend, describe it in detail, and ask whether she has seen one before.

Speaking to: your friend, on the phone · Second job: Ask your friend whether she has seen one of these before.

15 Your bicycle was damaged while it was up in the wall lift in the picture in your parking garage. Phone the claims line of your insurance company, describe the lift in detail, and ask what they need from you to open a claim.

Speaking to: an insurance claims agent, on the phone · Second job: Ask the claims agent what they need from you to open a claim.

16 A grate like the one in the picture has appeared in the sidewalk outside your building this winter. Phone your neighbour, describe it in detail, and ask whether it is safe to walk over with a stroller.

Speaking to: your neighbour, on the phone · Second job: Ask your neighbour whether it is safe to walk over with a stroller.

17 The machine in the picture was installed in the staff kitchen at work while you were away and nobody has explained it. Phone your supervisor, describe it in detail, and ask whether staff are supposed to be using it.

Speaking to: your supervisor, on the phone · Second job: Ask your supervisor whether staff are supposed to be using it.

18 The language school you attend has wheeled the booth in the picture into your classroom. Phone your sister, describe it in detail, and ask whether she thinks it is worth booking an hour in it before your test.

Speaking to: your sister, on the phone · Second job: Ask your sister whether she thinks it is worth booking an hour in it before your test.

19 The city has taken away the ordinary bin outside your building and left the one in the picture in its place. Phone the city’s customer service line, describe it in detail, and ask whether it still takes household rubbish.

Speaking to: a city customer service agent, on the phone · Second job: Ask the customer service agent whether the bin still takes household rubbish.

20 The object in the picture was already in the entrance hall of the house you have just moved into. Phone your landlord, describe it in detail, and ask whether you are allowed to leave it switched on overnight.

Speaking to: your landlord, on the phone · Second job: Ask your landlord whether you are allowed to leave it switched on overnight.

21 The pet store near you has put the machine in the picture at the back of the shop. Phone your husband, describe it in detail, and ask whether he thinks it is worth trying with your dog.

Speaking to: your husband, on the phone · Second job: Ask your husband whether he thinks it is worth trying with your dog.

22 You have stopped at a gas station and found the machine in the picture at the edge of the forecourt. Phone your uncle, describe it in detail, and ask whether it is safe to use on a car as old as yours.

Speaking to: your uncle, on the phone · Second job: Ask your uncle whether it is safe to use on a car as old as yours.

23 The unit in the picture is fixed to the wall in the corridor at your new workplace and nobody ever touches it. Phone your team leader, describe it in detail, and ask whether it still works or was left there from before.

Speaking to: your team leader, on the phone · Second job: Ask your team leader whether the unit still works or was left there from before.

24 You have found the trolley in the picture in your building’s storage room and you want to use it to bring a freezer up the front steps. Phone your mother, describe it in detail, and ask whether she thinks it will manage the steps.

Speaking to: your mother, on the phone · Second job: Ask your mother whether she thinks the trolley will manage the steps.