Speaking Part 1: The Photocard

In this photo I can see a big family having dinner together on a rooftop in the evening. In the middle there's an older man, probably the grandfather, who's pouring tea and smiling. Above them there are colourful lanterns, so I think they're celebrating Ramadan or another festival. The two boys at the front are holding small lanterns and laughing. The atmosphere looks warm and really cheerful.

For Eid, we always travel to my grandparents' house in Tanta. We wake up very early, go to the prayer, and then the whole family has a huge lunch together. Last Eid was especially memorable, because my uncle came back from Saudi Arabia after two years, and my grandmother cried when she saw him. Next year I'm hoping we'll celebrate at our new flat, since it's bigger.

In my opinion, festivals are really important for young people for two reasons. First, they remind us of our identity and our traditions, which is easy to forget when we spend so much time online. Second, they bring families together. For example, I only see some of my cousins at festivals. Having said that, some teenagers find the visits tiring, which I can understand.

Yes, I think some things will definitely change. Already, many families send greetings on WhatsApp instead of visiting each other, and I imagine that will increase. However, I don't think the important parts, like eating together or giving presents to children, will disappear, because people need those moments. If they did disappear, I would feel that we had lost something special.

Absolutely. I'd love to see the Lantern Festival in China, because I've seen photos of thousands of lanterns floating into the sky, and it looks magical. I'm also curious about how other people celebrate, as I've only ever experienced Egyptian festivals. If I had the chance, I'd go with my older brother, since he loves photography and he'd take amazing pictures.

This photo shows a group of teenagers volunteering in what looks like a community hall. They're all wearing the same green T-shirts, so they're probably part of a charity team. Two of them are packing rice and oil into boxes, while a tall boy on the right is carrying a heavy box to the door. I think the boxes are for poor families. Although they're working hard, they look cheerful.

Last Ramadan, my friends and I helped a local charity prepare food boxes for families in our area. We spent three evenings packing sugar, lentils and oil, and on the last day we delivered the boxes with the charity's van. I was exhausted, but when an old man thanked us with tears in his eyes, I realised how much a small effort can mean.

I think every teenager should try it, but I'm not sure it should be compulsory. On the one hand, volunteering teaches responsibility and helps you understand other people's lives. On the other hand, if students are forced to do it, they might not take it seriously. That's why I'd prefer schools to offer lots of choices, so that everyone can find something they really care about.

In the future, I'd like to support a charity that builds schools in villages. My father grew up in a village near Minya, and he had to walk five kilometres to school every day. If more children had a school nearby, fewer of them would leave education early. When I start working, I'm planning to give a small part of my salary every month.

I think schools could do much more. For example, they could organise a charity week every term, where each class chooses a cause and raises money for it. Teachers could also give certificates for volunteering, which would look good on university applications. At my school, we collected clothes for refugees last winter, and nearly everyone took part because it was well organised.

In this photo there's a teenage boy in blue overalls in a car garage. He's standing next to a car with the bonnet open, and an older mechanic is pointing at the engine and explaining something to him. The boy is holding a spanner and listening really carefully. I imagine he's doing work experience, because he looks young and a bit nervous, but also interested.

I'd really like to become a civil engineer, because I've always been fascinated by bridges and big buildings. When I was twelve, my uncle took me to see the construction of a new bridge in Cairo, and I couldn't believe how many people worked together on it. To achieve this, I'm going to choose maths and physics next year and apply to Cairo University.

For me, enjoying your job is more important, because you spend most of your life at work, and being unhappy every day would be terrible. However, I understand that money matters, especially if you have a family to support. Ideally, I'd choose a job I love that also pays reasonably well. My cousin left a well-paid bank job to become a chef, and he's never been happier.

My mother is a pharmacist, and she works in a hospital in Heliopolis. She checks prescriptions, gives advice to patients and makes sure that medicines don't cause problems together. It's a demanding job, because the shifts are long and she sometimes works at night. Last year she was promoted to head of her department, and we were all very proud of her.

I think there are several advantages. First of all, you discover what a job is really like, which helps you choose the right career. You also learn skills that school doesn't teach, such as dealing with customers. Last summer, I spent two weeks in my uncle's pharmacy, and I realised I'd rather work with machines than with people, which was useful to know.