Exercise 1. Read the extract of an email to Lisa from Dr Caroline Hansford of SARF and then answer the following questions.

 

1. How will Lisa be interviewed?

2. What does she have to do before the interview?

3. Why might this interview be particularly difficult?

 

...and we plan to hold interviews in the final week of July. Your interview has been scheduled for Thursday 28 July at 0900GMT. As you are currently based in the UK, we will be interviewing you by conference call. Please write back to us to confirm your availability for this date and time.

We will be asking all interviewees to deliver a short presentation of their research proposal at interview. In your case, we would like to ask you to upload a video of yourself giving such a presentation no later than Wednesday 20 July.

 

Exercise 2. Lisa has decided to write her presentation and then to memorise it. In pairs, make a note of the advantages and disadvantages of:

● reading your presentation from a script

● memorising the script of your presentation

● not using a script (using notes only)

 

Exercise 3. Lisa has asked Carlos to listen to her presentation. Read Lisa’s presentation and Carlo's feedback and complete the notes below.

Lisa: Hello. My name is Lisa Oshima and I’m currently a PhD candidate at Imperial College London. My research focuses on developing odour-sensing robots. This is useful because humans have a poor sense of smell, and so we have to rely on other methods to detect particular odours. For example, we use trained sniffer dogs to locate people trapped in buildings, chemical leaks or illegal drugs. However, there are a number of problems with using dogs. First they cannot communicate exactly what they have detected. But a robot could. Secondly, it is difficult to tell if an animal’s sense of smell is in some way impaired. But a malfunctioning robot would be easily spotted. Third, animals require extensive training with …

Carlos: Well, you remembered everything, and you spoke clearly, and not too fast, but...

 Well, one thing is you sound very bored. Your voice is always at the same level. Well, if you listen to English- speaking people, they stress the important words. They make them louder and stronger. And their voice goes up and down more.... So try to work out which your important words are and stress them. And another thing connected to this is that you don't pause enough.

 So I guess you should plan when to pause too. And there were some words you had problems with. I guess you just need to practise those problem words or groups again and again. Why don’t you ask an English speaker to record it for you? Then you can listen and try to copy them.

 

Exercise 4. Complete the notes below.

Good: Remembered everything 

Spoke more (1)___________

Speed OK

Practise more:

Make important words (2)_________ and (3)___________

Plan when to (4)____________

Practise (5)____________ words many times

Ask an (6)___________ (7) ___________ to record your presentation so you can copy them.

 

Exercise 5. Complete the phrases with information that is true for you. Then practise saying the sentences, paying attention to stress and intonation.

 

1. Hello. My name is … and I’m currently …

2. My research focuses on …

3. This is useful because …

4. For example, …

5. However, there are a number of problems with …

 

Exercise 6. Imagine you are giving a short presentation like Lisa. Choose a topic in your own research area and plan a short presentation (about 70 words). Plan where you will pause and which words you will stress. Then memorise the text. Give feedback on each other’s presentations.

 

Exercise 7. Phone and video conferencing are both common for interviews and meetings nowadays. Complete the advice for interviews by conference call using the words and phrases in the box below.

application form  comfortable position        facing         late phone number questions  see shuffle  thank tone of voice

CONFERENCE CALL INTERVIEWS

 

Before your interview ● Find out exactly who you will be talking to ● Check whether they will be able to (1) __________ you or just hear you ● Check the date, time, the (2) __________ to dial in on, and the right code to access the conference call ● Read your CV and (3) _______________again ● Practise answering questions you might be asked ● Prepare(4)______________ to ask the interviewer

During your interview ● Don’t be (5) ____________! ● Use your (6) ____________ to sound confident and enthusiastic ● Do not (7) ____________ papers (this will make a noise) ● Sit in a (8) ____________– do not move about too much ● Speak very clearly, (9) ____________ the microphone ● When the interview is over, (10) _________ the interviewer(s) and end positively

 

Exercise 8. Imagine you are being interviewed for a job or a fellowship. In pairs, make a list of questions which you might be asked. Then take turns to interview each other.