Speaking Part 2: General Conversation

I'd say I'm closest to my older brother, Ahmed, even though we're very different. He's calm and organised, while I'm a bit chaotic! The main reason is that he always listens without judging me. For example, when I failed a chemistry test last year, I was too scared to tell my parents, so he helped me explain it and then studied with me every evening. Next year he's going to university in Alexandria, and I'm honestly going to miss him a lot.

It's very different. My grandfather grew up in a village with eight brothers and sisters, and they all slept in two rooms. He started working on the farm when he was only twelve, so he left school early. These days, families are smaller and children spend much longer in education. On the other hand, I think my grandparents' generation spent more time together, because there were no phones. If I could change one thing, I'd bring back those long family evenings.

For me, the most important quality is loyalty. A good friend is someone who defends you when you're not there, not someone who only appears when they need something. A sense of humour helps too, because life is more fun with people who make you laugh. My best friend, Omar, is a good example: when I was ill for two weeks in Year 9, he came every day with the homework and the latest football news. I hope we'll stay friends for life.

Personally, I prefer a few close friends. When I was younger, I tried to be friends with everyone, but I realised that most of those friendships weren't very deep. Now I have three really close friends, and I know I can trust them with anything. Having said that, it's useful to know lots of people, especially when you start university or look for a job. So ideally, I'd like a small circle of close friends and a wide circle of acquaintances.

There are definitely advantages. It helps us keep in touch with relatives abroad, and you can learn a lot — I've learnt basic photography from tutorials, for example. However, the disadvantages are serious. Many teenagers compare themselves with influencers whose lives look perfect, and that can damage their confidence. There's also the problem of time: last month I checked my screen time and I'd spent four hours a day scrolling! Since then, I've been trying to limit myself to one hour.

Honestly, I think the first week would be really difficult, because I'd keep reaching for my phone without thinking. But after that, I imagine I'd sleep better and have more time for things I enjoy, like reading or playing football. I might feel a bit out of the loop, since my class organises everything in group chats. Actually, I'd like to try it during the summer holidays, when there's less pressure to stay connected.

I think phones should be allowed, but only with clear rules. At my school, we have to leave them in our lockers during lessons, and I think that works well, because there are fewer distractions. However, phones can be really useful for learning — last term our biology teacher asked us to photograph plants in the school garden and identify them with an app. So, in my opinion, teachers should decide when phones are used, rather than banning them completely.

It's changed everything. When my parents were young, they had to queue at the station to buy train tickets, and they used paper maps. Nowadays, my father books everything on his phone in a few minutes. Shopping is completely different too: my mother orders groceries on an app and they arrive within an hour. The only downside is that small local shops are struggling. In the future, I expect we'll pay for everything just by looking at a screen.

I listen to all sorts, but mostly Arabic pop and some English rock bands that my older cousin introduced me to. I usually listen on the way to school, because it helps me wake up and get in a good mood. My taste has changed a lot, actually. When I was about ten, I only listened to cartoon songs, which is quite embarrassing now! Recently I've started learning the oud, so I'm discovering classical Arabic music as well.

Music is really important to me, probably more than I realise. I have different playlists for different moods: calm music for studying and energetic songs when I go running. Last year, during my exams, I found that quiet instrumental music helped me concentrate much better than silence. I don't think I could ever live without it. In the future I'd love to go to a big music festival abroad, maybe in Jordan or Morocco.

Last Thursday I went to the cinema with my friends to see a science-fiction film about a group of astronauts trying to reach a distant planet. To be honest, the story was a bit confusing at first, but the special effects were incredible, especially in the scene where the spaceship gets caught in a storm. We argued about the ending all the way home, because it was so open. I'd definitely recommend it, but only on a big screen.

It depends on the film. For action or science-fiction films, I prefer the cinema, because the sound and the huge screen make you feel part of the story. But for comedies or series, home is better, since you can pause, eat what you like and it's much cheaper. Last year my family bought a projector, and now we have a film night every Friday. I think that tradition will continue even when I'm at university.

Last spring my school basketball team reached the final of an inter-school tournament. We were losing by six points at half-time, and our coach was furious with us. In the second half, though, we started defending as a team, and with ten seconds left I scored the winning basket. I've never felt so proud in my life! We celebrated with pizza afterwards. Next season we're aiming to win the national schools' championship.

I think sport is essential, not only for physical health but for mental health too. Teenagers spend hours sitting at desks and in front of screens, so sport is often the only real exercise they get. It also teaches you teamwork and how to deal with losing, which is an important life skill. Personally, when I'm stressed about exams, a game of football always clears my head. If I were the head teacher, I'd add an extra PE lesson every week.

For the last Eid al-Adha, we all went to my grandparents' farm near Mansoura. In the morning, the men went to the prayer together, and then we helped prepare meat to share with poorer neighbours. In the afternoon, my cousins and I organised a football match in the field, and my grandfather was the referee. The best part was the evening, when everyone sat outside and my aunt told funny stories about my father as a child.

I hope so, but I think traditions will change rather than disappear. For example, my generation probably won't make biscuits at home for Eid like our grandmothers did; we'll buy them. However, the most important part, getting together as a family, will survive, because people need it. Social media might even help, since people share photos of their celebrations with the world. When I have children, I'll definitely teach them our traditions.

My area has changed enormously. When we moved to our new city near Cairo about eight years ago, there were empty plots of land everywhere and only a couple of shops. Since then, they've built a big shopping centre, new schools and a sports club, so it's much more convenient now. Unfortunately, the traffic has become much worse, especially in the mornings. I think in a few years there'll be even more people, so we really need better public transport.

If I were the mayor, the first thing I'd do is create more green spaces, because there are very few places where people can walk or relax outside. I'd also build a public library with a study area, since many students don't have a quiet place to revise at home. Finally, I'd improve the buses, so that teenagers could travel safely without their parents driving them everywhere. I think these changes would make the town much friendlier.

Yes, last summer I volunteered for three weeks at a children's reading club in our local library. Every morning, I read stories to a group of six- and seven-year-olds and helped them with simple English words. At first I was nervous, because I'd never taught anyone before, but the children were so enthusiastic that I soon relaxed. On my last day they made me a card, which I've still got on my desk. I'm definitely going to do it again next summer.

That's a difficult question. On the one hand, compulsory volunteering would give everyone the chance to discover how rewarding it is, and some students would never try it otherwise. On the other hand, if people are forced to help, they might do it badly or resent it. Personally, I think schools should make it part of the curriculum, but let students choose the kind of volunteering they do. That way, they're more likely to enjoy it and continue.

Yes, I have. Until last year I used to drink two or three fizzy drinks a day, and I often had energy drinks before exams. Then my dentist warned me about my teeth, and I also noticed I was sleeping really badly. So I gave them up completely and started drinking water and fresh juice instead. It was hard for the first couple of weeks, but now I don't even miss them, and I've got much more energy in the mornings.

I think there are several reasons. Firstly, fast food is cheap and easy to order on delivery apps, so it's tempting when you're busy studying. Secondly, a lot of teenagers stay up late on their phones, which affects their sleep and energy. And thirdly, there's exam pressure: students often feel they don't have time for sport. In my opinion, schools could help by teaching cooking and making exercise part of every school day.

We try to do small things every day. We separate plastic bottles and give them to a recycling project in our area, and we always take cloth bags to the supermarket. My father switched to a smaller, more efficient car last year, and we've started turning off the air conditioning when nobody is in the room. I know these are small changes, but I believe that if every family did the same, the difference would be huge.

I believe it's both, but governments have the greater responsibility. Individuals can recycle or use less water, but only governments can make big changes, like investing in solar energy or improving public transport. Egypt, for example, has built one of the largest solar parks in the world near Aswan, which shows what's possible. Having said that, laws only work if people respect them, so education is just as important.

I think the main cause is a lack of education. If people can't read or don't have skills, it's very hard for them to find well-paid jobs, so their children often end up in the same situation. Another cause is unemployment, especially in rural areas where there are few factories or companies. Prices have also risen a lot recently, which makes life harder for families with low incomes. That's why I believe free, good-quality education is the best solution.

I'm fairly optimistic. Technology is already helping: for instance, farmers in villages can now check prices on their phones and sell their products directly. More children are going to school than in my parents' generation, too. However, I think it'll take a long time, because problems like climate change might make farming more difficult. If governments and charities work together, I believe we'll see real progress in my lifetime.

The best holiday I've ever had was a trip to Luxor and Aswan with my family two years ago. We took the overnight train from Cairo, which was an adventure in itself. In Luxor we visited the Valley of the Kings, and I couldn't believe how bright the colours in the tombs still were after thousands of years. In Aswan we sailed on a felucca at sunset. I'd love to go back one day with my own children.

Tourism brings a lot of benefits. It creates jobs for hotel staff, guides and drivers, and it brings foreign currency into the country. It also helps people from different cultures understand each other. On the other hand, too many tourists can damage historical sites, and some popular beaches become very polluted. In my view, the solution is sustainable tourism, for example limiting the number of visitors to certain tombs and teaching tourists to respect local customs.

Physics is definitely the hardest for me, especially when there are lots of formulas to remember. When I started Year 10, I got quite low marks in the first test, and I felt really discouraged. Since then, I've changed the way I study: I make flashcards for every formula and I practise past-paper questions every weekend. My marks have improved a lot. I'm planning to ask my teacher for extra help before the final exams as well.

I'd add a subject about practical life skills, like managing money, cooking and basic first aid. At the moment, we learn a lot of theory, but nobody teaches us how to open a bank account or what to do if someone faints. My older sister told me that when she went to university, she had no idea how to budget, and she ran out of money in the first month! A subject like that would prepare us for real life.

In Year 8 we went on a school trip to the Grand Egyptian Museum, and it was one of the best days I've had at school. We travelled by coach, and a guide showed us the huge statue of Ramses II in the entrance hall. What impressed me most was the Tutankhamun collection, because I'd only seen it in books before. We also had to complete a worksheet in groups, which made it more fun. I'd love to go back with my family.

Most of the rules at my school are fair, for example the rules about respecting teachers and arriving on time, because without them the school would be chaotic. However, I'd change the rule about uniforms in summer. We have to wear long trousers and a jacket even when it's thirty-five degrees outside, which makes it very hard to concentrate. If students could wear polo shirts in hot weather, I think everyone would feel more comfortable and learn better.

After my International GCSEs, I'm going to stay at my school to do A levels in maths, physics and chemistry, because I want to study engineering at university. I chose these subjects after a long conversation with my careers adviser last term, who explained exactly what universities require. To be honest, I'm a bit worried about the workload, as my cousin told me A levels are much harder. But if I organise my time well, I think I'll cope.

I'd love to study abroad, maybe in Germany, because it has excellent engineering universities. The biggest advantage is independence: you learn to cook, manage money and solve problems on your own. You also meet people from all over the world and improve your languages. The disadvantages are the cost and being far from family. My older brother studied in Canada, and he says he missed home terribly during the first winter. Still, I think the experience would be worth it.

Yes, last summer I did two weeks of work experience at my uncle's printing company. I mostly helped in the office, answering emails and checking orders, but one day they let me operate a small printing machine, which was exciting. I learnt that working life is much more tiring than school, because you're on your feet all day. It also showed me how important it is to be organised. I'd like to do more work experience next year, maybe at a hospital.

I think technology will change almost every job. Many routine tasks, like checking documents or working in warehouses, will probably be done by computers and robots. That worries me a little, because some people will lose their jobs. On the other hand, new jobs will appear — twenty years ago, nobody had heard of app developers or drone pilots. So I think the most important thing for my generation is to keep learning new skills throughout our careers.