Nuestra fecha y hora ______________
ORAL PROFICIENCY INTERVIEW: 102 Study Guide
During the interview, one of you will select from four different cards, each of which
contains a different scenario. The card will indicate (in English) what information you
need to elicit from your partner (in Spanish). You will read the introductory scenario
aloud to your partner and then begin to ask one question at a time, with your partner
responding. You do not have to ask a question in exactly the way that it is given; there
are multiple ways to ask any question. There will be an exchange of 5-7 questions.
During the exchange add at least one related comment about yourself or reaction to
what you learn, just as you would in a real conversation. Your partner will then select a
new card and trade roles, with your partner asking the questions. Use NO English and
ask me no questions during the interview; I am a silent observer. The topics and kinds
of possible questions include:
Talk about vacations (gustar, pretérito, imperfecto)
What do you like to do (on vacation)
Where did you (used to) go (on vacation) as a child
What was it like
What did you used to do there
Where did you go on your last vacation (or spring break)
What did you do? With whom did you go?
College life: Talking to a potential transfer student (gustar, pretérito, indirect object)
Why did you decide to come to this university?
Why do you like it?
Where did you live (on campus) your first year?
What groups or activities would you recommend to me? *
What do students like to do on weekends? Where do they eat and spend time?
Asking about habits (gustar, reflexive, pretérito)
What time do you like to eat breakfast? What do you eat?
Do you prefer to take a shower or a bath? ** When, in (por) the morning
or at night?
What is your daily routine?
Comparing lodging (el imperfect y el presente)
As a child, what was your house like?
If s/he doesn't mention the following, ask about them:
material that it is made of
Number of floors
Number of bedrooms and bathrooms
Color of her/his bedroom
Where was the house? (street, city)
What is your dorm and dorm room like?
Does it have air-conditioning?
What is in the room?
High school
Where did you attend high school?
How many students were there?
What was the school made of?
How many floors?
Did it have air-conditioning?
Did you participate in sports?
How did students dress?**
Suggestions
1) Study together for at least an hour on several occasions. Exchange phone numbers.
2) For most sentences, there is more than one way to say it. Don’t get stuck on a
forgotten word. Find a way to avoid using it.
3) Arrive a bit early so that you don’t go into the interview stressed about being late.
4) *indicates an indirect object is required; ** indicates use of the reflexive
5) Be sure to pronounce cognates (cognados) like Spanish, not English.
6) Know you interrogative words well!
Scenarios: These are the introductions of the scenario cards that you will read to your
partner. The "I" in this case is the person asking the questions, and the "you" is the
partner who will answer those questions. On the actual card, following the introduction
will be a list of questions written in English.
Talk about vacations- I just got back from spring break and am talking with you, a classmate in
Span102, about childhood and recent vacations. (Note from the instructor:Although you are
asking your partner about experiences, feel free to interject your own experiences to make the
conversation more interesting.)
College life- I am a potential transfer student. A friend of yours works in the Admissions Office
and asked you to talk to me in Spanish about life at ISU. To determine if ISU is my kind of place,
I will find out...
Asking about habits-I have volunteered to be a host/hostess for a Hispanic exchange student
(your partner) who is in the US for two weeks. He/she will be attending classes to see what the
life of an American student is like. Bedtime is approaching and you want to find out the person's
daily routine, likes and dislikes to help to make the stay a pleasant one.
Comparing lodging-I am your study partner who grew up in Costa Rica and I am quizzing you
over house vocabulary. I am curious to know more about U.S. culture and pause to ask you
questions about lodging.
High school-It is next semester and you are my new roommate, who is getting a Spanish minor.
We have both vowed to speak only Spanish so that we can improve our conversational skills. I
start asking you about high school. Find out: