Oppgave

Picture task (SF)

In the past, it was common for the oral exam to start with a presentation. The idea was that students would get to 'warm up' by having a part of the exam that they would have fully prepared beforehand.

Why not start with a presentation?

Over the years, more and more digital tools have become available. AI tools, in particular, make it challenging for teachers to accurately assess a student's language skills through a presentation. As a result, many teachers prefer to use alternative methods that allow students to demonstrate their knowledge. For instance, a student might be asked to read a short text and discuss its content, describe a picture, listen to a text and summarize what they heard, or perform a similar task.

Example of a picture task

King Charles III delivers a speech in the House of Lords. He is sitting in a gilded chair with the crown sitting on a table next to him. The walls behind him are decorated in gold and red. Photo. — King Charles III. Bilde: Annabel Moeller / CC BY-SA 4.0

In this picture you see King Charles III at his coronation. Even if you do not recognise the king, or remember his name, you are likely to be able to tell that this is an image of a royal person and be able to say something about that. Perhaps you have learned about the system of government in the UK?

Remember that the picture is just a starting point for a conversation. You can talk about anything that seems relevant to you. There are many topics that you might talk about.

You may begin by simply describing what you see in the picture.
You can talk about any royal gossip you may have heard.
You can talk about the United Kingdom in general.
You can talk about the class system in the UK.
You can talk about how the king of Britain is also the king of other countries, fourteen in all, including Australia and New Zealand – which can lead on to talking about the British Empire, or why English is a lingua franca.
You can discuss whether it is right to have inherited power in a modern democracy.
You can talk about social equality, the difference between rich and poor, and discuss whether it is right for a country to spend a great deal of money on keeping up royal properties and royal families.
You can talk about the media, especially about tabloids, and how celebrity is worshipped in our culture today.
You can compare the Norwegian system of government with the system of government in the UK.

As you can see, one picture can lead to a lot of conversation. You are not expected to talk about all of these topics, but to try to keep a conversation going in a relevant way, so that you can show your language skills and your knowledge about the topic.

If you can take charge of the conversation and decide what to talk about, that is very good. However, if you find it difficult, your teacher will no doubt help you by asking relevant questions that will prompt you to discuss topics that you have worked on during the school year.

Talk about a picture

Study the following picture and consider what you might say if you picked this picture to talk about during the exam. Try to think of five different things. Have a conversation about the picture with a partner.

When you have finished, you can open the expandable box to see if there are any topics you did not think of.

If you get some new ideas, continue the conversation with your partner.

Two groups of people are standing on top of the American flag as if it were a wall. The flag is tearing apart between them. Illustration. — Polarisation in the USA. Bilde: Eva Bee / CC BY-NC 4.0

Suggestions:

You can talk about

what you see in the picture
polarisation in the United States: Why do Americans disagree with each other so much, and what are the main issues on which they disagree?
the political parties in the United States
the presidential election
how government is organised in the US
democracy in the United States
USA as the land of the free, where human rights such as free speech are regarded as very important
the role the media plays in the polarisation of the US
distribution of wealth in the United States: Why are some people very poor while others are very rich?
poverty in the United States, and how the American dream is not as strong as it used to be
the importance of symbols to Americans, for example the flag and the pledge of allegiance

Practice tasks with tips

Study the pictures below and take notes on what you can talk about. Then, work with a partner and have a conversation about each picture. Time yourselves to see how long you can keep the conversation going. If you get stuck, click on the expandable boxes for tips.

Picture 1

Traditional Thanksgiving dinner (USA). We see turkey, pie, and side-dishes. Photo. — Traditional Thanksgiving dinner (USA). Bilde: Bon Appetit, NTB / CC BY-NC 4.0

Suggestions:

You can talk about:

what you see in the picture
traditions in the USA and other English-speaking countries
the first Thanksgiving (the first settlers survived in the New World because of Native Americans, who then had their land stolen by the settlers)
why traditions are important
Norwegian traditions and compare these with traditions in English-speaking countries
how American traditions are imported to Norway (turkey on New Year's Eve, Halloween, Valentine's Day...)
food and cooking
family gatherings and family traditions

Picture 2

Two players in football kit, one green and yellow, the other white and red, knock against each other while a ball bounces in front of them. Photo. — Football. Bilde: SeanByrne / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Suggestions:

You can talk about:

what you see in the picture
football culture in the UK or other English-speaking countries
football in Europe
the value of participating in team sports
the importance of exercise
salaries of professional football players: Is it fair?
why many children dream of becoming professional football players

Picture 3

Poster with the icons for each of the 17 sustainable development goals of the UN. Illustration. — UN sustainable development goals. Bilde: UN / Begrenset bruksrett

Suggestions:

Talk about what you see. The UN sustainable development goals provide you with the opportunity to talk about as many of the 17 goals as you choose.

No Poverty
Zero Hunger
Good Health and Well-Being
Quality Education
Gender Equality
Clean Water and Sanitation
Affordable and Clean Energy
Decent Work and Economic Growth
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Reduced Inequality
Sustainable Cities and Communities
Responsible Consumption and Production
Climate Action
Life Below Water
Life on Land
Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Partnerships for the Goals

Picture 4

An Aboriginal man, His face and arms are painted white. He wears a red scarf around his head. He takes part in an Aboriginal ceremony. He is holding a large wood cylinder to his mouth. Photo. — An Australian Aboriginal man participating in a smoke ceremony. Bilde: Rick Rycroft / CC BY-NC 4.0

Suggestions:

You can talk about:

what you see in the picture
indigenous peoples in different English-speaking countries (Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders in Australia, Maori in New Zealand, Native Americans in the USA and Canada, or the Sami people in Norway)
their culture, their history, and their position in the country they live in today
how indigenous peoples in Australia and New Zealand were affected by the British Empire
how the Americas were discovered and settled, and how this affected the Native Americans
the importance of heritage and identity
how we learn about different cultures when we travel

Practice tasks without tips

On the exam, you will probably not be given a list of hints, so you must practice coming up with your own ideas for the conversation. Study the picture and think about what you can talk about. Have a conversation with a partner.