What we can talk about (C1)...

presenting your career, interests and plans so that a conversation develops; the opening conversation of the exams

telling your own path, giving reasons for decisions, interpreting breaks

who has influenced my life most, what I learned and what still has an effect today

examples of a career, the role of chance and role models, dealing with defeats

talking about your own failures, attitudes to mistakes compared across countries

what happiness is, reporting and evaluating research findings

describing moods in a nuanced way, showing anger, disappointment and enthusiasm appropriately

formulating goals, explaining strategies, why resolutions fail

stages of life, expectations of old age, mental fitness

"Jeder Mensch lügt etwa 200 Mal am Tag": interpreting the statement, taking a position, examples

"Am Mut hängt der Erfolg" (Fontane): interpreting the quote, reasons and examples, responding to counter-arguments

describing qualities, self-image and how others see you, whether you can "read" people

what sustains close friendships, how to keep them over a distance

personal ad, dating site, app: advantages and disadvantages, status in your own country

what young and old expect from each other, conflicts and understanding

current questions of upbringing, strictness and freedom, the role of grandparents

interpreting memories, childhood then and now

games and series on the phone, arguments in the family, justifying rules

weighing safety against privacy

people living alone, families, flat shares; do cities encourage loneliness?

presenting and explaining a country's traditions

expectations, change, your own experience

what makes a good location: infrastructure, peace and quiet, green spaces, neighbours; differences between young and old

debate "Stadtleben hat (k)eine Zukunft", gathering and defending arguments

visions of the future, transport, green spaces, community gardens

discussing problems and finding solutions together

complaining objectively and firmly, negotiating a solution

multi-generation house, care, independence

cliché and reality, your own experience

presenting its history, special features and sights in a structured way

comparing a cultural programme for guests and agreeing: concert, old town, museum, opera

voluntary involvement, clubs, your own experience; leisure stress from volunteering

why people get involved in clubs, convincing others to join a club

weighing up donations: administrative costs versus impact

discussing and evaluating measures against poverty

equal opportunities, taxes, free education, quotas: choosing two measures and giving reasons

experiences, opportunities, difficulties in everyday life and at work

where they come from, how to deal with them

presenting the changes of the last decades in a presentation

consumption, repairing, buying second-hand

the pace of modern life, deliberate breaks

rules in public spaces, how much control is necessary

youthful misdeeds, punishment or a second chance

talking and smiling about laws and rules in everyday life, without technical language

missing lessons for demonstrations? An example, pros and cons, reactions of parents and school, other ways

justifying your position, comparing countries, agreeing on arguments for a conversation with a friend

expectations of politicians, election promises

voter turnout, voting age, citizens' initiatives

presenting a historical event in your home country

division, life in the GDR, culture of remembrance (cultural studies)

what concerns me most at the moment and why

who moves the world most today and how

the importance of a sport for a country's society

presenting tasks, requirements and challenges to an audience

presenting its field of activity, market position and organisation in a structured way

purpose, history, strengths and weaknesses

explaining it from the enquiry to delivery

target groups, media, trade fairs, sponsoring

part-time, flexitime, working from home; comparison with your country of origin

should a company look after the health of its employees?

who pays, working time or free time, the role of the state; discussing three statements

what makes work attractive: salary, meaning, atmosphere, flexibility

presenting gaps and detours convincingly in a job interview

explaining key skills and backing them up with examples

myth or ability, consequences for work

giving a short talk

working together, difficult colleagues, defusing conflicts

comparing offers (bank, laboratory, bookshop, museum, department store, garden centre), disagreeing, deciding together

tasks, pay, cooperation, benefits, recommendation

reasons for failure, success factors based on a chart

giving advice and reasons

taking a position on age restrictions

misunderstandings at work, negotiating with partners from other cultures

leaving and coming back, what changes

describing and evaluating saving, debt and consumer behaviour

doing without consumption, swapping, living with little

presenting a project idea and winning supporters

explaining the term, advantages and disadvantages, examples from everyday life

fair products, origin, price versus morals

child labour, wages, quality, throwaway fashion; a presentation with a survey

what people buy second-hand, why and where

its effect, advertising bans, describing a product effectively

from an industrial to a service location, your own talk

giving advice, weighing costs and reputation

describing a country's higher education system

experiences and activities that led to the choice

asking for and defending opinions

how much practice a degree needs

which is more important for humanity, counter-arguments

art, music, dance, theatre: compulsory or optional?

interpreting and discussing "Die beste Bildung findet ein kluger Mensch auf Reisen" (Goethe)

more learning, less play? Weighing advantages and disadvantages

giving reasons for a statistic, expecting effects

useful or pressure on children?

should tests decide on studies and careers?

pros and cons in the German-speaking world

what universities offer, obstacles, advice

university or vocational training, holding an advice conversation

how I learn best, what helps me

making guesses, discussing support

are we intelligent in a different way from earlier generations?

examples from another language, for and against neutral forms, the situation in your home country, outlook

do languages lose their character through abbreviations, advertising, English words?

advantages and disadvantages, importance in your own country, personal view

understanding dialects, when you speak which form, Austria, Switzerland, Germany

commenting on a specialist text, formulating tips

experiences with teachers and textbooks from different countries

strategies, firing back without hurting

what to talk about and what not, the weather as a conversation opener; a short talk on small talk

gestures, facial expressions, closeness and distance compared across cultures

wrapping up requests, criticism and refusals politely

jokes, cartoons, what is funny in which culture

advantages and disadvantages of modern media, reporting other people's opinions

deliberately doing without phones and tablets, does the trend have a future?

your own habits, "last seen online", dependence

self-presentation online, the transparent user

what for, how long, what has changed

effects on self-image and ideals of beauty

digital participation in old age; choosing a photo for an article and giving reasons

how to get information, checking sources

help, risk, limits; without technical jargon

nutrition, exercise, sleep; differences between men and women

the effect of belief, summarising and discussing a radio programme

commentary, the line between care and pressure

giving reasons for a development, presenting its effects

causes, strategies, your own experiences

too many appointments even after work, what you can cut

how important sport is, trend sports

taking a position

emergency service or waiting: giving a friend well-founded advice

quality, price, origin, organic; summarising a survey, comparing countries, your own behaviour

price, mistrust of labels, regional products, biodiversity

discussing the thesis "conventional products are just as good"

vegetarian, vegan, habits and reasons

pollutants, inspections, comparing the situation in your own country

children as a target group, advertising bans

distribution, waste, solutions

which ones there are and how they are dealt with

asking for and defending opinions

heat, heavy rain, consequences, citizens' initiatives

making suggestions and giving reasons

discussing suggestions and finding a joint solution

consumption, scarcity, the value of a resource

what it means, who benefits; smart homes and new devices

only advantages or disadvantages too?

commenting on views, without technical language

weighing costs and benefits, giving reasons for agreeing or disagreeing

formulating predictions, making guesses, assessing risks

preferred means of transport and why

time versus price, giving a friend well-founded advice

introducing yourself on the phone, stating your request, asking for details

burden and benefit, regional tourism

what people bring back and why

role play, negotiating wishes

hospitality compared across cultures

evaluating a survey, discussing the concept of art, interpreting a picture

opportunities and risks, giving advice

methods, whether it can be learned

music in everyday life, learning an instrument; giving reasons for choosing a concert

describing and summarising charts

a short presentation of a novel

required reading at school, reading as happiness

describing and recommending films, film consumption based on a chart

why crime stories are so popular, favourite series

conducting an interview about photography

exhibitions, art collections in the German-speaking world

explaining the tradition and change of a festival

why time passes at different speeds

remembering and forgetting, false memories

asking and answering questions about an article

smells in everyday life, justifying priorities

gut feeling versus reason when making decisions

a measure of success?

summarising and evaluating surprising results

are women and men different from the start? Taking notes on a talk, taking a position

talking about memory and meaning

saying the same thing in a casual, neutral and formal way

the language of talks versus everyday language, rephrasing

reporting other people's opinions neutrally (laut, zufolge, Konjunktiv I)

introduction with an example or experience, main part, conclusion, transitions

using a cue card, not reading out

structure, key message, reasons, consequences

summarising another person's presentation orally

asking targeted, further questions about a talk

evaluating a presentation fairly and concretely

interjections, gaining time, interrupting without offending

disagreeing politely, offering a compromise, reaching agreement

opening, giving people the floor, summarising, recording the result

clarifying interests, making offers, justifying concessions

an exam or audition missed, getting a new date

asking about a course, an offer, conditions

asking about experiences and opinions, following up

comparing two photos, arguing, convincing

bridging gaps in vocabulary, defining terms

formulating criticism and praise in a nuanced way

signals, questions, mirroring in conversation

one topic out of two, four points (example, arguments, country comparison, outlook), about 5 minutes, then questions

a short prompt text, justifying your position, country comparison, agreeing together

phone call with an apology, photo discussion, short presentation with a chart and press texts, about 5/5/10 minutes each

interview with five topic cards, discussion of three statements, short presentation with feedback and follow-up questions

presentation (3 min.), summary and follow-up questions (2 min.), discussion of a thesis or quote (6 min.)

seven situations: getting information on the phone, explaining, describing a chart, taking a position, giving advice, hypotheses about a chart, justifying a decision

a short talk based on a text or chart (max. 5 min.), followed by a conversation (up to 15 min.)

going through a complete oral exam once, with feedback according to the criteria task completion, fluency, range, accuracy and pronunciation

presenting inventions and brands from the German-speaking world

sign language, communication without words

a presentation on the changes of the last decades

what helps and what only seems to

everyday working life and manners in tourism

planning, justifying, presenting

commenting on headlines about research findings

discussing a psychological test on knowing people

living differently in the country, an ecological model settlement

talking about major exhibitions, giving an art presentation

negotiating styles compared

how to recognise serious research

presenting a weather report, making small talk

jokes, fake news, humour

suggestions for dealing with mistakes

interpreting Böll's "Anekdote zur Senkung der Arbeitsmoral": work, leisure, happiness

presenting a city and its history

telling about a life, musical tradition

a short talk on population change

presenting job profiles

place of residence, neighbourhood, what makes a place worth living in

what makes a good conversation, conversation culture compared

expectations of each age

effort, training, ambition

well-being, small pleasures

heritage, monuments, what is preserved

advertising and sales pressure

travelling, passing through, commuting

body language, intuition, manipulation

fitting together in a relationship and in a team

appearance, judgements, prejudices

inventiveness, what makes a good idea

adventure, meaning, life plans

fame, privacy, role models

whom to trust, how to advise

what makes a job a dream

clothes, identity, belonging to a group

how people decide, head or gut

effect, symbolism, cultural comparison

reading reviews, having them written, trusting them

landscapes in the German-speaking world, protection and tourism

how the media shape opinion

beautiful surroundings, appearance, art, design, nature: which two shape well-being most

ideals of beauty, filters on social media, public spaces

fair rules, good leadership, resolving conflicts

a fundamental discussion without technical language

time, pace, phones and free time in teenage life

paths after school: university, vocational training, a year abroad

presenting a region of your own country

presenting and recommending favourite films

telling about shared experiences, memory and reality

apologising to the orchestra as a musician, getting a new date

choosing a photo for the youth newspaper and giving reasons

music, style, rebellion, dreams; a short talk on key words

conflicts, rights, responsibility

what has changed, what remains

customs, home, regional characteristics

books, games, films, why we escape into other worlds

exchanges, travel, first impressions

freedom and conformity

what a good life is

justice at school and in everyday life

how we want to live in 30 years

presenting a topic of your choice and defending it against objections