B2. Drafting a speech : (5 marks) (alternative to B1)Imagine that you are going to deliver a speech on ‘Books are our real friends’ in the elocution competition. Write a speech using the following points : Source of knowledge and information. • Treas…

Respected judges, teachers and my dear friends,

I stand before you to speak on a subject that is close to my heart — “Books are our real friends”. A friend is one who never leaves us, and a book is exactly such a friend. It needs no invitation and never complains; it waits patiently on the shelf for us.

A book is a source of knowledge and information. It tells us about the stars and the seas, about history and science, about the lives of great men and women. It is also a treasure of entertainment and fun : a good story can make us laugh, cry and travel to far-off lands without leaving our chair.

Reading improves our language skills. Our vocabulary grows, our sentences become correct and our writing becomes clear. Above all, books develop our personality and confidence, because a well-read person always has something valuable to say. Books teach us patience, concentration and the habit of thinking for ourselves.

Friends, a mobile phone may entertain us for an hour, but a book enriches us for a lifetime. Let us make reading a daily habit and give ourselves the best friends in the world.

Thank you.