What does it take to make a difference in the world? And how can one person’s actions change the lives of others? Celebrated on 5 December, International Volunteer Day recognises the contribution of volunteers and the positive impact they have on communities around the world. This lesson is a great opportunity to connect the occasion with C1 Advanced review writing, focusing on a fascinating life of Audrey Hepburn.
When preparing lessons, I often look for inspiration in the materials I already use with my students. One of my favourite coursebooks is English File C1.1 by Oxford University Press. One of its units focuses on book and film reviews, introducing useful vocabulary for describing and evaluating them. I decided to adapt this topic for one of my C1 students, who is particularly interested in acting, art, literature and films. I wanted to create a lesson that would connect with her interests while helping her understand what Cambridge examiners expect from a successful review.
The connection with International Volunteer Day (5th December) came naturally. The occasion provides an excellent starting point for discussing people who have used their talents, influence or time to help others and make a lasting contribution to society. For the exam-related activities, I turned to the official Cambridge English website and its free C1 Advanced Handbook for Teachers. It provides sample exam tasks, candidate answers and examiner feedback, making it an excellent resource for authentic exam practice.
The lesson plan and presentation, including all the links needed to deliver the lesson, are available to download for free at the end of this post.
Three Films: Stories of People Who Changed Society
The lesson starts with a matching activity featuring three films: Hidden Figures, Joy and On the Basis of Sex. Students look at the film posters and match each title to its description. Once students have matched the descriptions, they compare their answers in pairs and discuss three questions related to the people who have had the greatest impact on society and the challenges they might have faced along the way.
Audrey Hepburn: From Hollywood Star to Humanitarian
The next part of the lesson focuses on Audrey Hepburn. Show students a picture of her and ask whether they recognise her. You could use the iconic image from Breakfast at Tiffany’s as a starting point. Before watching the video, ask students to predict what she might be famous for, being an international movie star, a fashion icon or a humanitarian. Play Audrey Hepburn – International Superstar, Fashion Icon & Humanitarian, produced by Biography. Students check their predictions and then answer the question – What made Audrey Hepburn stand out from other Hollywood stars?
For the next activity, students watch the video again and answer eight detailed questions using short answers. These cover her birthplace, first Broadway show, favourite fashion designer, famous films, final film appearance, major awards, humanitarian work and death. After checking their answers, move on to a group discussion. Decide if based on this video, students would be interested in reading a biography of Audrey Hepburn. It is a perfect way to smoothly move onto the next part of the lesson – writing a Cambridge review.
Model Review: Analysing Structure and Correcting Errors
Now it’s time to move towards the writing task. Ask students to read the sample book review about Audrey Hepburn. Then, discuss whether it convinced them to read Audrey Hepburn’s biography, and also focus on the structure and the way the review is written. The review is deliberately flawed, so students should be able to identify several areas that need improvement. Then, read the text again and complete two tasks:
- Divide the review into paragraphs.
- Identify and correct the errors included in the text.
This activity helps students recognise the features of a well-organised review. It also draws attention to common language problems that can affect their exam performance.
Cambridge Exam Task: Predicting the Questions
Explain that the model review is based on a real Cambridge exam task. Before revealing the two questions the candidate was asked to address, show students the original task announcement.
You see the following announcement on a website, Great Lives:
Reviews wanted
Send us a review of a book or film that focuses on somebody who has made an important contribution to society.
1. _____________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________________
Ask students to look at the review again and predict the two questions the writer was asked to address. They should write down their ideas and compare them with a partner. This is a useful way of getting students to think about the relationship between the exam instructions and the final piece of writing. They need to understand that a successful review does more than summarise a book or film: it also responds directly to the points specified in the task.
Writing Assessment Criteria: Understanding the Cambridge Marking Scale
Present the writing assessment scale and explain how it works. The maximum number of points students may get in each part is 20 points – 5 points for content, 5 points for communicative achievement, 5 points for organisation and 5 points for language. Students read the answer one more time and score it out of 20. Check and discuss their answers. Compare their scores to the one given by the Cambridge examiner. Disucss if any of the comments surprised them. Not only does this task explain any doubts about the scoring system, but it also shows how strict or lenient the examiners are. Remind them about the importance of having clear answers, as examiners read tens of identical pieces of writing, and clear organisation will be reflected in their final score.
Writing Task: Reviewing Someone Who Made a Difference
The lesson finishes with a writing task. Students are asked to write a review of a book or film about someone who has made an important contribution to society. Encourage them to use the exam task and the assessment criteria to guide their writing. They can draw inspiration from the films discussed at the beginning of the lesson, Audrey Hepburn’s story or another person whose achievements they find interesting. This brings the lesson full circle: students begin by discussing people who have changed society and finish by evaluating how a book or film presents someone’s contribution.
International Volunteer Day is a reminder of the difference people can make through their actions, dedication and commitment to others. This lesson uses that wider theme to bring together engaging discussions, video-based listening and practical Cambridge exam preparation. If you’re looking for ready-to-use C1 Advanced review writing materials, this lesson includes a film-matching warmer, an Audrey Hepburn video, a model review, error-correction activities and focused writing assessment practice.
Who is someone who has made a real difference in the world and deserves to have their story told?
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