Speaking · C1
The Case for a Quiet Hour
Your local community centre is considering a daily quiet hour with no music, announcements, or loud group activities. Practise making a nuanced recommendation by weighing competing needs and acknowledging possible objections.
Key words
- trade-off — a situation in which gaining one benefit means giving up another
- accommodate — to adjust something to meet different people's needs
- proportionate — appropriate in size or degree for the situation
Tip: Acknowledge the strongest argument against your position, then explain why your recommendation is still reasonable. Use cautious language rather than making absolute claims.
Your task
Speak for 30–90 seconds as a member of the community centre's advisory group. Recommend whether the centre should introduce a daily quiet hour. Consider people who prefer a calm environment and those who attend lively activities. Acknowledge one objection, propose a practical compromise, and explain how you would judge whether the policy was successful.
Useful phrases
- While there is a strong case for…, we also need to consider…
- A proportionate compromise might be to…
- On balance, I would recommend…, provided that…
Extra questions to talk about
- Whose needs should take priority if a compromise cannot accommodate everyone, and why?
- How might you distinguish between a genuine problem with the policy and initial resistance to change?
- What evidence would persuade you to revise your recommendation?