Speaking cards with a small paragraph on different topics concerning life in the UK. This is followed by a set of 3-4 questions. Topics: Card 1 – volunteering Card 2 – the marginalised in society Card 3 – engaging in the arts Card 4 – political participation Skills: Speaking – (partially) prepared and spontaneous Cultural knowledge Reading and interpreting facts and figures Students should be given 5 minutes to read the card and prepare answers to the questions. They should then discuss the topic for 5-10 minutes with a partner or teacher, with follow-up questions being asked based on their responses. Skills to practice: Opinions – the cards allow students to express their own thoughts and opinions. This may be an opportunity to cover more complex ways of expressing an opinion e.g. ‘as far as I am concerned’, ‘I am wholly convinced that’, ‘the way I see it’. Contrasts – these cards also allow students to practice a variety of vocabulary indicating a contrast. It may be an opportunity to introduce words such as ‘nevertheless’, ‘whereas’, ‘conversely’. Presenting facts and figures – the first question of each card asks the student to summarise the facts presented in the paragraph. This is an opportunity to practice phrases such as ‘according to’, and express figures and percentages.