B1 Preliminary (PET) Practice Paper 25

alice: Hi, I'm interested in joining your public speaking club. What can I expect at the first meeting? george: Welcome! At your first meeting, you're welcome to just observe, or you can give a short two-minute speech if you feel ready. alice: I think I'd like to just watch the first time. How often does the club meet? george: We meet every Thursday evening at seven o'clock at the community centre on Park Road. alice: That's good for me. Is there a membership fee? george: Yes, it's thirty pounds for six months, which covers materials and refreshments at each meeting. alice: That sounds fair. Are there members of all experience levels? george: Definitely, some members have been with us for years, while others joined just last month, like you would be. alice: That's reassuring. Do I need to prepare anything before my first visit? george: No preparation needed at all, just come along and see how you feel.

For most of his life, Daniel considered himself someone who avoided public speaking at all costs, often feeling physically sick before even a short presentation. When his manager unexpectedly asked him to lead a training session for new employees, Daniel's first instinct was to refuse, but he worried that declining might damage his chances of promotion. Instead of refusing, Daniel decided to confront his fear directly by joining a local public speaking club that met weekly in a community centre. During his first meeting, he could barely finish a two-minute speech about his weekend without his voice shaking noticeably. However, the club's supportive atmosphere, where members offered constructive rather than harsh feedback, encouraged him to keep attending. After six months of regular practice, Daniel delivered the training session at work with far more confidence than he ever imagined possible. Colleagues later commented that he seemed remarkably calm and engaging. Daniel now credits the public speaking club not only with helping his career but also with genuinely changing how he sees himself, from someone defined by fear to someone capable of real growth.

Public speaking anxiety ___1___ one of the most common fears reported by adults, even more common than fear of heights for some people. When I ___2___ asked to give a speech at a colleague's leaving party, I nearly panicked at the thought of standing in front of so many people. A friend ___3___ me to join a local speaking group to build my confidence gradually. At first, I ___4___ extremely nervous even reading from notes in front of just ten people. Over time, however, the encouraging feedback from other members ___5___ me improve gradually, week by week. By the time the leaving party ___6___, I felt surprisingly calm, and my speech received genuine laughter and applause. Since then, I ___7___ several more speaking opportunities without the same overwhelming dread I once felt. I now believe that almost anyone ___8___ overcome this fear with enough consistent practice.