If you’re preparing for the IB Chinese B SL oral exam, you’re likely aware that it consists of three main sections. In the Oral Expression section, you’ll be asked to describe a picture and connect it to one of the five core themes of the course. This task goes beyond simply recalling vocabulary; it requires students to think critically, speak fluently, and establish meaningful connections between the image and broader themes.
1. Understand the Requirements
In the Oral Expression section, you’ll be given a picture related to one of the five themes: Identity and Culture, Experiences, Human Ingenuity, Social Organization, or Sharing the Planet. Your job is to describe the image in detail and link it to one of these themes.
The examiner is looking for:
- Your ability to describe the image clearly and accurately.
- How well you can connect the image to the broader theme.
- Your overall fluency and accuracy in speaking Chinese.
2. Master the Art of Description
Being able to describe an image in a structured way is crucial. Here’s how to do it effectively:
- Look for details: First, look at the overall picture. What’s happening? Are there people? What are they doing? Where is it happening? Describe what you see in a logical order. For example, start with the background (time and location), then move to the people (actions and feelings), and finally the objects.
- Use rich vocabulary: Instead of just saying “the man looks sad,”（这个男人看起来很伤心） try something like “the man appears downcast, with his shoulders slumped and his eyes staring at the ground.” (这个男人看起来垂头丧气，耷拉着肩膀，盯着地面）This adds depth to your description and shows off your language skills.
- Avoid unnecessary repetition: Make sure your description is detailed, but avoid saying the same thing in different ways.
3. Focus on Fluency and Accuracy
Now that you know how to describe the picture and connect it to a theme, it’s time to think about language. Speaking fluently and accurately are essential to succeeding in this part of the exam.
- Use linking words: These are words like “首先” (first), “其次” (secondly), “因此” (therefore), “比如” (for example). These help your speech flow and make it sound more natural.
- Vary your sentence structures: Don’t just rely on basic sentence patterns. Use complex structures, like conditionals or comparative sentences. For example, “如果每个人都参与环保活动，我们的地球会变得更好。” (If everyone participated in environmental activities, our planet would improve.)
- Practice common grammar points: Get comfortable with the grammar points you know are likely to appear in the exam, such as the use of adjectives, adverbs, or structures for comparing things.
To better illustrate how to apply these techniques in the Oral Expression section, let’s take a look at a real IB Chinese B SL exam question.
First Step: Identify Key Details:
- Color symbolism: Mention how the green color conveys the theme of environmental protection.
- Language: Highlight the fact that the text is in Chinese, indicating the target audience.
- Purpose of the poster: Describe the overall message of the poster, which is promoting low-carbon living.
Second Step: Describe The Picture
For example:这张图片应该是一张宣传低碳生活的公益海报。这张海报的整个背景都是浅绿色的,绿色代表了绿色环保生活。我猜想这份海报应该是张贴在说华语的社区里，因为海报的宣传语是用中文写的。(This picture should be a public service poster to promote low-carbon life. The whole background of the poster is light green, which means green life. I’m guessing this poster was put up in a Chinese-speaking community because the slogan is written in Chinese.)
Third Step: Link the Image to a Theme
In this case, the best theme is Sharing the Planet,which focuses on environmental issues, sustainability, and collective responsibility.
The answer could be:所谓低碳生活，就是指在生活中要尽量减少能源消耗，从而降低碳的排放量，减少对空气的污染。(The so-called low-carbon life means minimizing energy consumption, thus reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.)
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