FRESHMEN WST SPEAKING QUESTIONS
1AA Intro to Science (I. Trupová)
1AA ITS 1: Name natural sciences and some famous scientists from the history. Which
inventions or discoveries where important in biology? Explain the steps of scientific method.
1AA ITS 2: How can we say about some organism that it is living? Which properties must be
fullfiled? Name some factors that influence organisms in their environment.
1AA ITS 3: What is a biome? Name the largest biomes in the world, pick two of them and
brielfy describe their climate conditions and location.
1AA ITS 4: Describe the atmosphere and explain greenhouse effect. Why is ozone layer
important in the atmosphere and how can it be destroyed?
1AA ITS 5: Which nutrients are necessary for human body and why? How are bad eating
habits connected with civilization diseases?
1AA British Studies (Z. Krchová)
1AA BS 1: Explain the difference between Britain and the United Kingdom and name the
countries they comprise of. Explain the difference between UK, Britain and British Isles. Then
mention the capitals, national floral emblems, patron saints and flags of the countries.
Explain the difference between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Explain the religious divide and
the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland. Explain what the two groups fighting against each other
want.
1AA BS 2: In the class, you had a presentation on geography of a chosen country from the
United Kingdom. Tell us about the country you presented: describe its geography, people,
traditional things and places of interest.
1AA BS 3: Talk about three typically British things and explain them. If you could travel to
Britain, where would you like to go and why? What would you like to see? What do you know
about Stonehenge, Loch Ness, Giant´s Causeway?
1AA BS 4: Choose one of the eras in British history. When did it occur? Who were the major
historical figures in that era? Enlist the major historical events that happened during that era
and explain them in detail (explain when they occurred, who was involved, and what their
results were).
1AA BS 5: If you had an opportunity to go to London, which places would you like to visit
there and why? Tell us more about its history, population and important sights. Compare
London to Bratislava – their similarities and differences.
1AA LITERATURE AND WRITING (Ľ. Kuzmová)
1AA LW 1: Literary genres
Explain the four main literary genres and their subgenres, and give a few examples from your
own reading. What is poetry and how is it different from fiction? What is the difference
between fiction and non-fiction? What is drama?
1AA LW 2: Poetic language. The metaphor
Explain the difference between literal and figurative language. What is a metaphor and how
does it work? What is imagery? In the following poems, explain the metaphors, comment on
the effect they create on the reader, and interpret the poems.
Eve Merriam: ‘Metaphor’
Sylvia Plath: ‘Metaphors’
Langston Hughes: ‘Mother to Son’
1AA LW 3: Analysis and interpretation of Nick Cave’s ‘I Let Love In’
Analyze and interpret this song. The following questions should help you.
What is the song about?
What does the song say about love?
Who is the speaker?
Whom is the speaker addressing?
What is the speaker’s relationship to his lover?
What is the language of this song? Which figures of speech and images create the meaning
or contribute to the meaning? Explain them.
What is the mood of this song?
Do you like the song? Why/why not? Do you agree with its message?
1AA LW 4: Shirley Jackson: ‘Charles’
Talk about this short story, analyze and interpret it. Start with a brief summary of the plot,
but do not spend too much time on just telling the plot. Analyze the theme, the characters,
the conflict, the setting, and the narrative technique.
1AA LW 5: Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol
Talk about this novella, analyze and interpret it. Start with a brief summary of the plot, but
do not spend too much time on just telling the plot. Analyze the theme: what is the greater
meaning of the story and how is it connected with Christmas? Analyze the main characters:
Scrooge, Bob Cratchit and his family, and nephew Fred. What do they represent/symbolize?
Eve Merriam: Metaphor
Morning is
a new sheet of paper
for you to write on.
Whatever you want to say,
all day,
until night
folds it up
and files it away.
The bright words and the dark words
are gone
until dawn
and a new day
to write on.
Sylvia Plath: Metaphors
I'm a riddle in nine syllables.
An elephant, a ponderous house,
A melon strolling on two tendrils.
O red fruit, ivory, fine timbers!
This loaf's big with its yeasty rising.
Money's new-minted in this fat purse.
I'm a means, a stage, a cow in calf.
I've eaten a bag of green apples,
Boarded the train there's no getting off.
Nick Cave: I Let Love In
Despair and Deception, Love's ugly little twins
Came a-knocking on my door, I let them in
Darling, you're the punishment for all of my former sins
I let love in
The door it opened just a crack, but Love was shrewd and bold
My life flashed before my eyes, it was a horror to behold
A life-sentence sweeping confetti from the floor of a concrete hole
I let love in
Well I've been bound and gagged and I've been terrorized
And I've been castrated and I've been lobotomized
But never has my tormentor come in such a cunning disguise
I let love in
O Lord, tell me what I done
Please don't leave me here alone
Where are my friends?
My friends are gone
O Lord, tell me what I done
Please don't leave me here alone
Where are my friends?
My friends are gone
I let love in
So if you're sitting all alone and hear a-knocking at your door
and the air is full of promises, well buddy, you've been warned
Far worse to be Love's lover than the lover that Love has scorned
I let love in
Langston Hughes: Mother to Son
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.