Das Streitgespräch — The Debate

Food Waste and the Oral Exam

Food waste is a common topic in German public debate and in language exams. In Germany, studies estimate that around eleven million tonnes of food are thrown away each year, and more than half of it in private households rather than in retail. Many supermarkets already give unsold food voluntarily to the Tafeln, a nationwide network of food banks run largely by volunteers, and there have been repeated political debates about whether donation should be made compulsory, as it has been for large supermarkets in France since 2016. The speaking part of the Goethe-Zertifikat C1 typically includes a short presentation and a discussion with a partner, in which candidates exchange arguments on a given topic and are expected to work toward a common position. Examiners look not only at grammar and vocabulary but at how candidates take turns, respond to each other's points, concede, contradict and summarize. Useful moves include gaining a moment to think, acknowledging the other person's point before answering, proposing a compromise and summarizing at the end. Interrupting politely, with a phrase such as Darf ich da kurz einhaken?, is acceptable and even expected when a partner talks for too long.