PART 1 – INTERVIEW

1 - Home and family

- Is there anything you dislike about living in this area?

- Where do you think you will be this time next year?

- Tell me something about your family?

- What would you like to change about your home?

It’s a small attic flat and we live on the third floor. There’s the main bedroom, a small second
bedroom that we use as an office, an open-plan kitchen and lounge, a tiny bathroom, and a
terrace, where we usually have breakfast. The thing I like the most about it is that it’s very
quiet and peaceful.

I live in a residential area so there are lots of houses and blocks of flats near my home.
There’s also quite a good variety of shops, although if I need a large supermarket, I have to go
to town. There aren’t any cinemas or theatres nearby, but there are lots of bars and cafes.

2 – Daily life and special occasions

- Tell me something about your friends

- Do you have any plans for next weekend?

- Do you normally celebrate special occasions with friends of family?

- What did you don on your last birthday?

- What’s the next special occasion you’re going to celebrate?

On weekdays I get up around 7, have a shower, get dressed and grab a quick coffee. Then I
cycle to work, which only takes me about ten minutes. I work from 8 to 1, when I have lunch in
the canteen. My working day finishes at 4 … then I cycle home, go to the gym, watch a bit of
telly and go to bed at about 11pm.

I’m not quite sure … I don’t have any real plans. I might meet up with my classmates and go for
a quick drink to celebrate the end of the course. Or perhaps I’ll go straight to the shops … I’ve
got to pop into the supermarket to buy some essentials, as my sister’s coming round for dinner
and I haven’t got much food in.

Last weekend I finally visited my grandparents. I hadn’t been able to go since the pandemic
started, as they live in a different province. We had a great time together – my grandfather had
prepared a wonderful meal, and my grandmother kept telling me how happy she was. It was a
very emotional day. I’m really looking forward to going again soon.

3 – Work / education

If you work
- What do you do?

- What do you like most about your job?

- What do you think you’ll be doing five year’s time?

Well, the thing I’ve found most rewarding is working with teenagers and seeing how their
characters develop over the years. I enjoy the challenge too. But I’d have to say that the real
bonus is the holidays – having a long summer break is fantastic, and I’m sure all my
colleagues would agree that we need it!

I get up early, grab a coffee and drive to school. At 8.30 we have a short briefing with the head
of department. My classes start at 9.00, and the first thing I do is take the register. I have an
hour for lunch at 12.30, and at 3.30 it’s everyone’s favourite time of the day – home time!

If you study

- What subjects are you studying at the moment?

- What do you enjoy about?

- Are you looking forward to leaving university? Why?

- What kind of job are you hopping to do in the future?

My first school was called St Mary’s. My older brother was already going there, and I couldn’t
wait to start! I kept asking my parents “When can I go to school?” I was four when I finally
started, and I remember that everything seemed so big! We used to have storytelling and
reading in the morning, then have a break. After that we would do painting – I loved it!

My classroom’s on the first floor of the main building. I’m lucky, as it’s very light and airy and
we have plenty of space. I’ve put up a lot of students’ work on the walls, which makes the
room colourful too. The only downside is that it overlooks the playground, which can be a bit
distracting.

My colleagues are absolutely fabulous. I’ve been working at the school for 18 months, and I
can honestly say that I’ve never had a bad word to say about any of them. They’re supportive
and always ready to lend a hand. In my previous school that wasn’t the case, and I’m so glad I
left

The last thing I learned in class, Let me think … I explained what ‘false friends’ were, as we’ve
been studying a lot of vocabulary recently and a few examples had come up in class. So I told
them about one of my own mistakes. I once said I was ‘embarazada’, not realising it doesn’t
mean ‘embarrassed’ in Spanish – it actually means ‘pregnant’!

To tell the truth, I couldn’t stand any of the teachers at secondary school. I always had the
impression that they weren’t interested in educating us – they were just intent
on getting through the day. There was one teacher I especially despised, as he used to hit the
kids with a belt. Just as well that’s not allowed any more!

The last course I took was an Aptis preparation course in a language school in Tashkent city
centre. I hadn’t done a language course since university, and I felt my English was getting a
little rusty. The lessons were fun and the teacher was funny – she really made an effort to
involve everybody.

Lifestyle

- What do you like to do in your free time?

- Do you have enough time to do all the things you enjoy?

- How do you often go to the cinema?- How have your interests changed in the last few years?

- If you could choose to do something new, what It would be?

As soon as I get home from work I kick off my shoes, make myself a large cup of lemon and
ginger tea and get down to any marking I’ve got to do. Then I go for a quick run, have a shower,
make and eat dinner, and spend the rest of the evening chilling out with my family.

Well, I go to the gym and play tennis – I belong to a club, and I’ve won several tournaments –
I’m playing in one this weekend. I’ve just taken up a new hobby – life drawing. I used to love
drawing when I was a child, so I decided to try it again – I’ve started going to evening classes.
Apart from that, I love reading when I get the chance – I wish I had more time for hobbies!

Well, it’s hard to say, but if I had to choose just one, it would have to be Leonardo di Caprio. I
think he’s a really versatile actor – he’s starred in comedies, action films, romantic films, even
science-fiction … and always plays very different roles, unlike some actors, who just seem to
play themselves! I’m not sure if he’s ever won an Oscar, but I bet he will, sooner or later!

I love going to the gym – I train around five times a week. I also enjoy going out with my
friends. We normally meet every weekend in the city centre, then have a bite to eat. After
that, we go for a wander around town and often go window-shopping, as we don’t have much
money to spend

Holidays

- Where did you go for your last holiday? Did you enjoy it?

- What kind of things do you like doing on holiday?

- How important is it to have good weather while you’re in holiday?

- Are you planning to go anywhere special soon?

Well, I’d usually have booked my holiday by now, but this year’s different because of the
pandemic … If it’s possible to travel abroad in summer, I might go to the UK. If not, I think I’ll
go to the coast. But I’m definitely going to spend the holiday with my family.

The weather forecast said it was going to rain today, but it’s actually sunny and warm. It’s not
typical weather for February at all – it’s usually much colder at this time of year. But the
nights have been chilly, only about 10 degrees – a lot different to the temperature today – it’s
about 23 degrees!
Last summer I went to a place I’d never been before – Thailand! I had a fantastic time – the
beaches were amazing and the water was crystal-clear. We went snorkelling and saw loads
of tropical fish. Thai food’s really tasty, though it’s quite spicy too! The people were friendly
and welcoming, even though they must deal with so many tourists … I’d love to go again!

Do you like cooking?

Yes, I enjoy making dinner for my family and friends. The best part of cooking is trying out new
recipes and sharing a meal with others.

No, I don’t often have time to cook. I am a very busy person with many hobbies and
obligations. If I had more time, I would spend more time learning to cook