Task 3: Describing a Scene
Format
- 30 seconds to prepare, 60 seconds to speak.
- An image is displayed on screen for you to describe.
- Describe people, actions, settings, and atmosphere in detail.
Strategies
Example
Describe some things that are happening in the picture below as well as you can. The person with whom you are speaking cannot see the picture.
This image depicts a bustling city park on what appears to be a beautiful sunny afternoon, with numerous people engaging in various activities.
On the left side, a young man in athletic clothing is stretching near a large tree, presumably warming up for a jog. Just below him, a small dog is standing on the grass, and nearby, an elderly woman is comfortably seated on a wooden park bench, deeply absorbed in reading a book.
In the center of the image, two young boys are excitedly chasing a group of pigeons across the grassy area, while another boy is skateboarding just behind them. A girl with pink hair appears to be jogging past, looking quite energetic.
Moving to the right side, a young boy wearing a helmet is riding a bicycle along the path. Further back, a woman is sitting on the grass and playing a guitar, which suggests she is enjoying some music in the open air.
The overall atmosphere is lively yet relaxed, with people of all ages enjoying the sunny weather in their own ways.
- Strategy #1 (Big picture, then zoom in): Opens with the overall scene before zooming into specific individuals and activities across the image.
- Strategy #2 (People, actions, setting): Covers a wide range of people and activities: stretching, reading, chasing pigeons, skateboarding, jogging, cycling, and playing guitar, all within the park setting.
- Strategy #3 (Spatial language): Uses "on the left side," "in the center of the image," "just behind them," "moving to the right side," and "further back" to orient the listener.
- Strategy #4 (Speculate): Uses speculative language like "presumably warming up for a jog" and "which suggests she is enjoying some music" to add depth.
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