I like to know exactly what I’m going shopping for, though, I like to get in, buy it and go home again.. Candidate: I don’t really like big crowds of people and fighting my way through
Trang 1Sample Answer to IELTS Spoken Topics
1 special gift:
Describe the best present/gift you have received :
i Who send it? What is the gift? What is it for?
ii When did you receive it?
iii Detail information about the present.
Last year , my wife celebrated my birthday at home She bought a
electronic dictionary as birthday gift I like the electronic dictionary very
much It's blue and quite small It fits into my pocket I remember at that
time, my wife said to me :"she decided to immigrate to Canada with me In
future, we must study very hard And she hoped that the electronic
dictionary could help me to improve my English." On that day, I was very
happy because my wife agreed to immigrate to Canada finally Also, with
the help of the electronic dictionary , I made such rapid progress that before
long I began to write articles in English
1) In China, when will people send the present?
Oh, attend the party, such as Wedding Party, Birthday Party During Spring
Festival, people give presents each other, including clothes, books, flowers
and foods
2) Compare the gift which people have received 10 years ago to the
present that people now are receiving, what's the difference between
them? ( try to compare the gift you received in your teenage with the
gift children received now )
Oh, I think the gift was monotonic before For example, I often received a
notebook as gift But now, there are various gifts to choose from Such as
flowers, wine, food, clothes etc
3) Just image the gift in the future children will receive.
In the future, I think more and more children will receive intellectual
gifts, such as electronic dictionary, notebook computer and so on
4) Just image the gift in the future people will receive.
In the future, oh, in most case, people will give flowers each other I think
flowers will be the most popular present
2 building
What is the interesting building in your country?
What is it located?
What is it used for?
Explain why you think it is the most interesting?
I think the interesting building is the Great Wall It runs across northChina like a huge dragon It was used to enemies Soldiers used to keep watch on the Great Wall When the enemy came , fires were lit to warn other soldiers I think the Great Wall is the most interesting building Because it is one of the wonders of the world and it was one of the few man-made objects on earth that could be seen by the astronauts who landed on the moon Also, the Great Wall has become a symbol of both China's proud history and its present strength
1) Are there some old buildings in your hometown? Where and Describe it?
Wenfeng Tower, built in 1420, is located in the southern of Anyang City.During the Ming and Qing dynasties, people came to the tower to worship the God of Heaven and pray for a good harvest Nowadays, it serves as a museum of history Murals of Wenfeng Tower give visitors a feel for the great artistic achievements of ancient Chinese civilization In a word, I think the Wenfeng Tower is the most interesting building, and it is the oldest building in my hometown
2) Compare the differences between the constructions in your city
with them in 20 years ago? Describe the building styles in detail?
The traditional buildings are made of the red brick and always have curvedeaves Thousands of buildings look the same But now, various buildings with different colors and styles have been going up in my hometown In addition, room is equipped with kitchen and bathroom This is very convenient
3) What are people's attitudes to old building today and that of our later generation? Should we protect them? Why?
People, including our later generation, advocate that government should protect old buildings Because old buildings represent the great artisticachievements of ancient Chinese civilization
4) What role do you think the old and modern buildings play in the society?
Oh, modern buildings are for us to live and work, while old buildings are for
us to visit and research
Trang 25) Compare the differences between house and apartment?
In China, there is a big yard beside house, where we can plant some
flowers and trees etc But house is more expensive Apartment is
convenient and cheap but small
3 friend:
Who is your best friend?
How did you meet?
What do you do with your friend?
Tell me the way you make friends with others and youu think what
people should be your friends?
My best friend isxxx We were in the same class for 5 years At that time,
we often gather together to study and play Now, we work in the same
company Friendship is extremely important to me It’s like being brothers or
sisters, but even more than that I mean, I would do nearly anything for my
friend, and I would expect that he would do the same for me If he didn't
help me when I was in need, then I would not consider him a good friend I
have a lot of different kinds of friends Some are loud, others are shy I
prefer having a real variety of friends
1) Do you think it is easy to make friends in China?
Yes, of course Nowadays, transportation and communication are easy and
convenient We have more opportunities to meet all kinds of people and
make friends with them
2) what do you think the difference between adults and children
making friend?
The difference is attitude or mindset between adults and children making
friend In general, children like to make friend with good students because
5) What is the second important thing in friendship?
Helping each other
6) What makes friendship break up? MisunderstandingFor example, when I studied in Chongqing University, one day, my roommate
lost his watch He thought I had taken it At that moment, I was very angry but I
said nothing, and then I helped him to look for the watch Finally, we found it
in his pocket My roommate apologized to me I forgave him his rudeness
So, Ithink trust is the most important thing between friends
the only time when all families gather together and stores and business are closed
for several days During the Spring Festival, we eat delicious food, visitrelatives and friends, and watch TV to welcome the New Year I also like to try and contact some friends before and see how they’re doing and what they’ re up to
We give each other presents for the New Year
5.travel:
Describe your latest interesting travel in detail.
When and where you go?
Whom you go with?
What things you do?
Last year, I went to Shilin with my wife Shilin, is located about 80kilometers from Kunming Kunming is the capital city of Yunnan Province It took us 3 days to get Shilin Shilin is famous for its large areas of stone forests All stones in Shilin are vividly shaped, resembling various figures Some stones look like a monkey, and some stones look like a bird In a word, the stones are fantastic In addition, I met a classmate of Chongqing University in Shilin We talked about the things and persons which we remembered in school I think that is an interesting trip
Trang 31) Describe some interesting things happened during your travel Can
u describe it for me?
Ok I met a classmate of Chongqing University We talked about the things
and persons which we remembered in school I think that is an interesting
thing
2) What is your goal to travel and your reason to travel is
I enjoy traveling It is so interesting to see how other people live, and
it is really an amazing way to learn about different cultures
3) Describe the advantage and disadvantage of travel for the country
Tourism is a useful source of foreign currency for the country, but
sometimes so me visitors destroy cultural heritage
4) Why China can attract people to travel?
A 5,000 year cultural heritage attract more people to China
5) Do Chinese people like to travel now?
Yes, of course Since the opening-up, transportation is easy and
convenient Also, we have ample money for the journey
6) Which festival do people travel in and where do people travel to?
We often go to resorts around National Day, such as Forbidden City,
Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven in Beijing
7) Compare the difference about traveling among Chinese people
between 100 years ago and now?
100 years ago, transportation was very difficult; few people could travel in
China because most of people were very poor But now, transportation is
easy and convenient and we have ample money for the journey
6) natural scenery
What is the most beautiful natural scenery you have ever seen? What
is the specific point? Where did you see it? Who did you go with?
Last year, I went to Shilin with my wife Shilin, located about 80 kilometers
from Kunming Kunming is the capital city of Yunnan Province It took us 3
days to get there Shilin is famous for its large areas of stone forests All
stones in Shilin are vividly shaped, resembling various figures Some
stones look like a monkey, and some stones look like a bird In a word, the
stones are fantastic Also, there is a lake in Shilin Surrounded by green
mountains and forests, the lake is not destroyed by any pollution Travelers
can row a boat on the lake or stroll on the shores to enjoy its special quiet
(2) Do you think it is effective?
Yes, of course Establish protective zones can prevent pollution
(3) What role does tourism play in your country's economy?
Tourism is playing a more and more important role in our country's economy Since the opening up, the number of tourists has increased quickly, and this is a useful source of foreign currency for the country (159 Also, tourism can accelerate other industry to develop.)
(4) What should you pay attention to in travel?
Safety, weather, and I think it is necessary to bring some medicine
7 Transportation Give me some opinion on the transportation in your city?
In my opinion, one of the biggest problems of transportation is traffic jams inAnyang city It has become common to see passengers and drivers having
to wait in long lines of buses and cars moving at a snail's pace on the streets during the rush hours There are several reasons for this problem First, the number of vehicles is increasing much more rapidly than the building of roads Second, there seem to be too many private cars and not enough public buses Third, many people, including drivers, pedestrians and cyclists do not obey traffic rules properly, especially at busy
intersections
In my opinion, one of the biggest problems of transportation is traffic jams inAnyang city In view of the seriousness of this problem, effective measures must be taken before things get worse On the one hand, the government should invest more money in the building of new roads and the repairing and maintenance of old ones, particularly those in busy areas of the cities
On the other hand, the number of private cars in urban areas should be limited while the number of public buses should be increased At the same time, it is essential that stricter traffic rules and regulations be issued to strengthen traffic control
Trang 41) Compare the different transportation, such as between plane, train
and car.
Drive car to travel is convenient because we can set out at any time But it
is too slow and it may spend us much more time Plane ticket is more
expensive So, I think train is the best transportation for me
2) Can you just image the transportation in the future and describe it
for me?
In the future, the speed of car, train and plane will be faster And, the
transportation will be easier and convenient
3) Just compare the transportation in the past and now? What
transportation do you like and why?
Nowadays, we have more choice on the transportation than the past Such
as tube, plane etc, even though in the small city I like tube, because tube is
safety and tube ticket is cheap
8 meaningful things ( = handcraft )
9.music:
What role do you think music plays in our life?
Just as other kinds of art, music has become an indispensable part of
human culture It brings us with nutritious spiritual foods, enriches our
leisure life In addition, music can do good to us very much It can elicit the
imagination of us And, it teaches us how to distinguish beauty from nature
Listening to the music, I am sure you will soon be refreshed from a day's
hard work and relax
1) Can you tell me the western music's impact on the world music?
Oh, it is a difficult question, the western music is definitely great, and it
plays an important role on the world music Many musical talents and
eminent musicians have been trained in western country, such as
Beethoven, Mozart and so on
2) Do you think it's necessary to open a music course in high school?
Yes, of course There is usually 1 or 2 hours each week used for teaching
music I think there should be more, such as at least 3 or more
3) What effects will take place u think to let children (students) study
an instrument?
Music can do good to children (students) very much It can elicit the
imagination of children (students) Also, it teaches them how to distinguish beauty from nature
4) It’s often more easy for children to learn music than adults Can you tell me why?
Oh, that’s because it’s important to have soft fingers and palm to learn a music mechanism, such as guitar Children have more flexible fingers and they are more likely to find the correct feeling
5) Do u like music or not? Why?
I like music I like singing, especially in front of many people I often sing for
my friends When they praise me, I feel happy Also, listening to the music, I
am sure you will soon be refreshed from a day's hard work and relax
6) Describe the music you like most and tell me why?
I like classic music It usually has a slow rhythm and a pleasant melody Listening to the music; I can soon be refreshed from a day's hard work and relax
7) What are the differences in music between China and western countries?
Oh, it is a big question; in general, the symphony of western countries islong while most of Chinese music is small piece
10 Clothes:
u like what clothes?
Clothes aren't only used to keep us warm It has become a important part ofmodern civilization Different nations have different styles clothes Anddifferent styles clothes represent different cultures All people want their life
to be filled with variety, color and comfort by wearing clothes We will have
a good mood when we wear beautiful clothes I like leisure clothes very much Because it is not only cheap but also convenient to wear (In addition, the material of leisure clothes is more environmentally friendly.) But I must wear work clothes when we are working Otherwise, I will be fined
1)What's the prescript on clothes when you are working? and just theprescript on clothes in school
We must wear work clothes ( a school uniform ) when we are working (inschool) Otherwise, we will be fined
Trang 52)the different between the older and younger people on clothes
The older people think a lot of style and material But the youger people
would like to follow the fashion Personality is the first consideration when
younger people choose clothes
3)compare the differences between the clothes in ur city with them in 20
years ago In the past, the colors and styles of clothes were very
monotonic Thousands of people look the same But now, we can wear
clothes with different colors and styles
11 Think of a person in your family that is the most similar to you.
Who is this person?
How is he/she similar to you?
What kind of family is yours? Is it of a typical family structure in China?
My family is a typical family in China There are grandparents, parents, a
brother, my wife and I in my family.I look just like my father Medium build ,
pointed nose and dense black hair My father is very kind and easy going
schooling himself He believe that knowledge can change fate So, my
father offer more opportunity for me to study (no matter how poor my family
was) To sum up, my
family is harmony and our life is very happy
1) What do you think are the differences between families in and past and
today, and what have caused these changes?
In the past, there were several children in a family But now, government
has is sued "one child policy" to limit the size of the family So, there is only
one child in a family Couples will be punished financially if they have more
than one child This is "one child policy "
2)What is your opinion of "one child policy"?
I agree with one child policy Because it is difficult to provide enough
food and education for a large number of people So, government must
control the
population Also, it is the best way that we can find to control population
3)What has your government done to support families?
Such as Project Hope It means that government supports the students in
poor families to continue their schooling and improving their education
conditions.(6/1999 P10) In addition, our government establishs beadhouse
to provide services for old people who have more difficulties or no families
to take care of them (3/199 9 P34)
12 Describe a teacher who has greatly influenced you in your education You
should say:
where you met themwhat subject they taughtwhat was special about themand explain why this person influenced you so much
I think my first English teacher has greatly influenced me in my education
I had some trouble in studying English when I studied in middle school I feltEnglish was very difficult,so I did't like to study it One day, my Englishteacher spoke to me about the study of foreign languages He said :" You must do a lotof reading , listening and speaking Never mind, keep on trying, I believe you are a good student." In the years that followed , I studied hard and made greater progress My English teacher loved his job and he was knowledgeable in his
field I love and respect him
1) compare the differences between education in ur city with them in 20years ago? In the past, many children can't go to school, and educational conditions were very poor But now, government provide 9 years
compulsory education Each child who is 7 years old must go to school And government provide much better facilities
and staff Also, schoolyards are beautiful than before
2) compare the differences between university and middle school?
We study basic knowledge in the middle school But the course of university
is practical and special, such as computer and business courses
3)compare the differences between students now and past At present , it
is difficult for student to find job So, their pressure is he avier than before
13 Sports , Hobby
Describe an interest or hobby that you particularly enjoy:
1)What this interest or hobby is?
2)How long have you been doing it?
3)What effect has it brought to your life?
What do you think about the balance between the work and the leisure ?
Trang 6I am a big table tennis fan, even though I am not very good at playing table
tennis myself I love to watch the game on TV I have played table tennis
whenever I
get a chance since I studied in the middle school Playing table tennis not
only
refreshes my body and makes me mentally alert ,and ready and eager to
engage in the work of the day In addition, a reasonable amount of exercise
prepares the
body for a good night's sleep However, over-indulgence in physical
exercise can do more harm than good Because it will make you too tired to
stay awake during the work
1/Is it dangerous for people to spend too much time on hobby?
Yes, over-indulgence in physical exercise can do more harm than good I
have
noticed that some of my friends spend too much time on sports make
themselves
too tired to stay awake during the work
2)Do you think hobby is beneficial to social life?
Yes, of course.I make many friends during playing table tennis So, I think
that hobby is beneficial the social life
3)Why do people like to watch games?
Oh, it is a interesting question Watching games can enrich our leisure
life Also, it is very exciting to watch a close game
4)What is advantages and disadvantages for watching games?
Watching games can enrich our leisure life Also, it is very exciting to
watch a close game But over-indulgence in watching games can affect our
rest
5) What is the advantages and disadvantages between watching games
and
playing games/sports /
Watching games can enrich our leisure life Also, it is very exciting to
watch a close game Take part in sports can build our bodies and keep us
healthy
But, over-indulgence in watching games or in physical exercise can affect
our rest
6) Do you think which sports demand enough courage ?
Oh, I think it is boxing It is very dangerous and it can do harm to health
of athlete
7) What are the sporting facilities like in your hometown?
Anyang City has a lot of modern indoor facilities offering bowling, tabletennis, swimming etc But , it's too expensive for most Chinese, and you have to
belong to the club in order to use the facilities.( P144 )
Today and China Daily Both of these magazines are in English , and it is a good
way for me to improve my English
1) Do you like to discuss with others when you read books ? Yes, I do Because it is easy to understand the difficulty of books
2) How long do you read ? Usually, I read books or newspapers for 1 hour before I go to bed
3) where do you like to read ?
In the library, because there are all kinds of books which I can read
15.Handcraft
Decribe a handcraft which is made by yourself Kite flying is popular in China Kites are often played with around the Qingming Festival in April I like kites very much and I can make kites myself Once, I made a kite It was a beautiful swallow Firstly , I collected 3 sticks and paper The paper was adorned with paintings Secondly , I used 3 sticks to control the paper ,one linked to its neck , the other two linked with its wing And then ,
the work was completed The kite flew lightly in the sky as if the swallowwas
greeting the coming of the spring season (2000/6 )What handcraft are there in China? ?
Folk papercuts , lanterns and kites , shadow play etc
Trang 716 Restaurant
on the test card
1) talk about your favorite restaurant
2) why do you like it?
Sichuan dish features pungent , spicy and salty flavors and tend to go well
vinegar, rice wine and ginger etc When finished cooking , the beef is red
and the vegetables are green The dish is very delicious
extension of the card topic
1) What is the general ideas about fast food among Chinese people?
Although fast food has little nutritional value , but it is a blessing for
busy people Few people eat fast food all the time usually for breakfast
and/or
lunch so they can help to balance their diet by eating a sensible evening
meal
And I like to eat fast food
2) what do you think about science in food processing(production)?
Scientific processing(production) is important Because it can keep us
healthy
3) what is your opinion on food production and the world's population
At present, it's difficult to provide enough food for world's population
So, on the one hand, we should limit population of world On the other
hand, we
should manage to provide enough food
17 Environment protect
Is there any pollution in your city?
( In Anyang City , pollution is serious )With the development of modernagriculture and industry, more and more waste is produced Most of this waste is
harmful It goes into the water , the soil and the air Especially the air is often made very dirty by factories In places around big factories , trees andvegetables are often killed by the bad air Also, when we breathe the air , harm will be done to our health Fortunately, people are beginning to realizejust how
serious the whole situation is Government is taking measures to prevent pollution
1)What has your government done to prevent pollutionThe measures are:
(1)First, all new projects are to have lower discharge levels ;(2) Second, all sources of pollution must be identified and monitored (3)Third, all enterprises should assure a clean and safe work place
18 Learn
What do you plan to learn in the future?
Why do you want to learn it?
Where and how will you learn it?
I plan to learn computer science in the future I am very interested in it.There are too many things that I don't know about computers Also, computers
play an important role in our life and are of great use in every field I think the whole society will be computerized soon I need more knowledge in this field to
meet the great demands of the application of computers If things go well , I 'd
like to further my study in computer science and I want to work on my Master's
degree in Canada
1)What's the most important skill nowadays?
I think it is computer Because computers play an important role in our lifeand are of great use in every field
2)Are there any traditional skill in your country? what are they?
Yes, such as sewing and weave cloth I remembered that my grandmother used
to sew clothes herself But now, few people can do it
Trang 83)Do you think it necessary to learn these skills?
No, I just don't like to spend much time on sewing Because we can buy allkinds of clothes in shop
4)Is there any difference between your parents' study and nowadays children?
In the past, when our parents studied in school, educational conditions werevery poor But now, children are lucky enough because government
provides much
better facilities and staff
5)Do schools teach non-academic courses?
Yes, of course ,such as music, physical education, and painting etc
6)Should school responsible for teaching these non-academic courses?Yes, of course Because school should stress student's moral , intellectualand physical development in a comprehensive way
Trang 9Real interviews
IELTS Speaking test model, part 1: Recording script
After you have introduced yourself and the Examiner has checked your ID,
he or she will ask you questions on three topic areas The first topic area
will be about your studies, your work or where you live
Examiner: Let’s talk about your home town Where were you born?
Candidate: I was born in a place called Rochester in the Medway towns in Kent
Examiner: Do you still live in Rochester?
Candidate: No, I haven’t lived in Rochester for a long time now, since I
went to college I live in London
Examiner: Do most people like living in Rochester?
Candidate: I guess they do I always wanted to live in London, so… my
family still live there, but I guess it’s a nice place
Examiner: Why?
Candidate: Well, it’s got beautiful architecture and it’s the home of Dickens
and so there’s quite a lot of historical interest there and you’ve got
countryside nearby and it’s easily accessible for London
Examiner: Do you think you’ll stay in London?
Candidate: Oh, I don’t know I’ve been here for quite a while now and
although I love it, I can’t imagine spending my whole life here
The next two topics will be more general
Examiner: I’d like to move on to talk about sport What’s your favourite sport?
Candidate: My favourite sport to watch is football, but to participate in, it’s
swimming
Examiner: When did you first become interested in swimming?
Candidate: Gosh, when I was a child, my dad used to take me swimming
every week and I swam for my school
Examiner: How often do you participate in swimming now?
Candidate: I try to swim at least two times a week.
Examiner: What equipment do you need for swimming?
Candidate: The great thing is that you don’t really need any equipment
apart from goggles and trunks
Examiner: Where do you go swimming?
Candidate: Anywhere I am I love swimming in the sea but mainly I swim at
my local pool
Examiner: Now, let’s move on to talk about shopping How do you feel
about going shopping?
Candidate: I don’t mind going shopping I like to know exactly what I’m
going shopping for, though, I like to get in, buy it and go home again
Examiner: Do you like buying clothes or goods on the Internet?
Candidate: I’ve never bought clothes on the Internet because I like to try
them on before buying them but I’ve certainly bought electrical goods and
other things on the Internet
Examiner: What don’t you like about shopping?
Candidate: I don’t really like big crowds of people and fighting my way
through them to get what I want I guess I don’t like paying for it all
The Examiner will introduce part 2 by saying:
Examiner: Now, I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to talk about it
for one to two minutes Before you talk, you’ll have one minute to think about what you’re going to say You can make some notes if you wish Do you understand?
Candidate: Yes, I do
Then the Examiner will give you some paper and a pencil for making notes, and read the topic to you
Examiner: I’d like you to describe a minor accident that you had in the past.
After your one minute preparation time, you will give your talk
Candidate: When I was about seven, I was very ill after school and I was
sent home from school and I was lying on the sofa feeling sorry for myself, watching TV, and I got bored and decided to go and ask my mum if she could go and find a game for me or a book or something else to do, and when I went into the kitchen, my mother was cooking And so, as I sort of went behind her, I had no shoes on and she didn’t hear me coming, and she was making boiled potatoes, and as I got behind her she turned aroundwith the boiled potatoes in the saucepan to take them to the sink and I was right behind her, so she hit me round the head with the saucepan of boiling water and it all spilled down onto my shoulder and splattered my face and went all over my shoulder and burnt me But because she didn’t let go of the saucepan, she still had it in her hand, she didn’t realise that I was cryingbecause I was burnt, she thought I was crying because she’d hit me and bumped my head, so she didn’t respond quickly enough, which made the whole thing worse At the time, my dad was a plumber and of course that was before mobile phones were invented, so dad was out at work and mumdidn’t drive, so I had to wait about seven hours on the sofa with a dressing
on my shoulder for my dad to come home from work so that he could take
me to hospital My poor mum, bless her heart, must have been very worriedand not known what to do, with not being able to drive, but I guess there wasn’t anything else she could do, she did as much as she could, bathed it
in cold water, put a dry dressing on…
Examiner: Thank you Now, we’ve been talking about…
In part 3, the Examiner will ask you some questions related to the part 2 topic This candidate has just given a talk about a book that he enjoyed reading
Examiner: We’ve been talking about a book you enjoyed and I’d like to
discuss with you one or two more general questions related to this Let’s consider first of all why people decide to write a book What sort of reasons
do you think people have for writing novels?
Trang 10Candidate: Well, some people say that every one of us has a good book
inside us, but I think there are many various reasons why people write
Perhaps they have a political message, but I think that the main thing is that
you just feel that you have a story to tell, perhaps you can’t not write it
Examiner: And some people have an ambition to write, don’t they?
Candidate: Exactly.
Examiner: What personal qualities do you think a writer needs to have?
Candidate: Well, I think the ability to be self-disciplined and to work alone, to be
able to understand people, to get into the minds and hearts of other people
Examiner: Do you think it’s something that many people could do?
Candidate: No, I don’t think so, otherwise we would all write that book.
Examiner: Could you ever write a novel?
Candidate: I’ve had a go, but it was a teenage experiment and it’s been
long gathering dust
Examiner: Yes What about newspapers? Do you think newspapers are a
good source of information?
Candidate: Providing you remain aware of the political inclinations of any
particular newspaper, yes, I think it’s a good way of learning about the
news, etc
Examiner: Yes What other information do we get from newspapers?
Candidate: Well, sport, facts and things like that, weather, and its good sort
of editorial content, you know, gossip
Examiner: Which type of newspaper do you think is best?
Candidate: I think certainly in England the broadsheet newspapers are
better than the tabloid I think you have to be aware again, that they may
have their own agenda but I think a paper that’s not committed to any
particular political cause
Examiner: Right You need a lot of time to read the newspaper, don’t you?
How often do you read a newspaper?
Candidate: I try to read the paper every day I don’t always read the paper
during the week but the paper I love to buy is on a Sunday, because so much
comes with it, a great culture section, you can read about the arts and catch up
on all the things that have been going on during the week, the news review
section, the sport section, money section I really enjoy the editorial on a
Sunday
Examiner: Do you think newspapers should contain illustrations? A lot of
papers have cartoons in them and photographs, is that helpful?
Candidate: Yes, I think so I think certainly they can be a sort of a powerful
way to convey a story, to draw your attention to something, photographs
possibly more than illustrations, although I do really enjoy cartoons
Examiner: Right Thank you very much, that’s the end of the Speaking test.
IELTS Practice Speaking Test 1
Good afternoon, my name is Andy Could you tell me your name please?
Michael Galovic is my name
Thank you Michael I’d like you to tell me about your home- town or city please.
It is Belgrade, ah capital of former Yugoslavia, now Serbia Uh One and a half million inhabitants placed at uhhh the congregation of two big rivers –[unknown]
Can you tell me about the most interesting things in Belgrade?
Um probably its past – uh a colourful past I would say And then physically, the configuration and dynamics of the place
And could you describe places of special interest I could visit near where you live?
Oh yes, there are ah many ah wonderful, ah natural interest places so to say, and places of historical interest But mostly the famous monasteries – medieval monasteries from say 13th century on
Hmm and what would be the best way for me to get to those places?
I guess the best would be to simply umm look up the travel agency that deals with err inter-Serbia tours, especially the monastery tours And they are well guided, and you will be well taken care of
Hmm should I go there at any special time of year?
Uhh certainly, as in whole Europe, I think the best time is sometime in Spring or Autumn
Hmm … Springtime or Autumn?
Yes, say April, May uh; and then perhaps September, early October
Oh I see, Ok, thank you for that I’d like to ask you a few questions about food and diet now What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Umm well I’m not much of a breakfast eater…but so I tend to have a light breakfast But say, people tend to eat a lot for breakfast, and uh it’s also things I guess that are meat-based and milk - hot milk, and hot tea is accompanying all that
Mmhmm and what is the most important meal of the day, in your opinion Michael?
Uhh well in my opinion, as I am told it should be the breakfast But for me personally I love early dinners – that’s my preference I am not saying it is the most important; it’s the one that I like the most
Mmhmm mmhmm and what should we eat to stay healthy?
Um I would say certainly not err heavy food that takes a lot to digest, so I would recommend a lot of vegetables and fruit, and err fish and chicken rather than red meat although I wouldn’t discard red meat just like that at all
Mmhmm will peoples diet change in the future?
Trang 11I have impression, because we are witnessing the obesity daily in many
countries So it’s all around us and it’s uh becoming a very serious problem
And I have impression that everybody starts focusing on that, so I have
impression that we’ll get err more attention to diets that will make us feel
light and agile and err being able to perform So I guess the clever
combination of our food intake is more important than only what we eat Err
it is not just about what we shouldn’t eat I think, it’s more about how we eat
it and when So we should maybe start our meals with easily digestible
things such as fruit and finish with heavier stuff, rather the other way round
Thank you thank you Speak one-to two minutes on topic, with one
minute to plan answer Topic: Describe a celebration you recently
participated in.
Um By the end of um January, precisely on 27th of January last, I was at a
friend’s place on Central Coast As err err a guest to his family feast, and he
was celebrated- celebrating sorry- his family was celebrating, their family
patron Saint day, which is a very important feast for the Serbs in the
orthodox tradition So it was interesting to see how that particular feast is
being celebrated Umm originated centuries ago, it is still very strong, going
strong
And very few things have changed I was amazed to witness But the main
thing was that err um over there in Europe err, given the time of the year,
these feasts are usually celebrated in November, December, January – it is
cold, so the food, accompanying food is corresponding, it’s heavy, and all
that you need to eat during that time Whereas here we were sweating in
the hot January and yet we had the same type of food that we would be
eating in January in Europe So that was interesting But the most important
thing
about that type of feast and celebration is that the host, both my friend and
his wife, were standing on their feet all the time-the whole day, absolutely
um err being impeccable hosts to every whim or need that we ah guests
would have, some 20 of us So um it was really a special day and all of us,
20 people there, felt very, very special
Thank you Michael Michael, are there many similar celebrations
where you come from?
Yes, but this is the most important one I think
Thank you Now let’s talk more about traditions and celebrations
What role do traditional ceremonies play in the social life of people in
your country?
Umm they have always played an important role But I have impression that
it is err more so the case these days, when even the youth is embracing
them – simply feeling need to go back to their roots
And what traditions were important for your grandparents, say 50
How would you describe young people’s attitudes towards tradition?
Um I would say that at the beginning many of young people would maybe not embrace fully the idea of going through every painstaking detail of preparations and err behaviour codes for all these celebrations and feasts But then uh, gradually it will become a part of their lives, and um that would
be their connection with their families and extended families, so they would kind of grow more and more into it, and trying to adhere to every rule that tradition was brought to them by their parents and grandparents So at the beginning maybe the youth would take it lightly on the surface only, but thenlater um I think the traditions will be embraced fully
And do you think customs and traditions are changing these days?
Um, I would say so inevitably because of the adjustment to urban- to the urban living if you wish, and to the fast times that we live in So definitely there are concessions to what err used to be done before But the core, which is much more important, is always preserved At least has been the case so far
Do you think traditions and customs are affected by advertising?
I never actually gave it a thought Uh there might be, but again in my personal experience I haven’t seen any kind of uh direct influence that would uh change or alter, take people from their original directions whateverthe advertisement is about
Do some countries celebrate traditions more than others?
Um I wouldn’t say so, I have impression that all countries celebrate traditions, or rather the people who live in these countries Even in some new countries, a conglomerate of different people, and all these people would stick to their
old traditions That’s how I see it So, people who wouldn’t follow the traditions would do it in all sorts of countries, or in any country
Thank you Michael, that’s the end of the speaking test.
Trang 12IELTS Practice Speaking Test 2
Good afternoon, my name is Anna Could you tell me your full name
please? Roberto Rossi.
What should I call you? Robert.
Thank you Do you work, or are you a student? I’m a student.
Can you tell me about your studies?
Um well, uh my studies are in relation to cultures in the world Uh When I
was-when I was young, my father used to travel a lot and used to come
back home, giving me a picture of a very vast world where people used to
live and think and behave in different ways So in comparison to what I
used to study in geography, the world seemed to be a lot more interesting
to go and- and explore So as soon as I got rid of all that and I finished
school I decided to uh go and experience uh first-hand what it really means
to live in direct contact with a different culture So I ended up looking for the
most traditional and isolated cultures in the world at that time a few years
ago, and uh I decided to go and live as one of the local people; which I did
for a period of time So that experience really changed my life and made me
understand also, a lot better, what I wanted to study umm at University
What is your favourite subject?
Anthropology, and social anthropology in particular So in reality what I do,
is I go back to one of these places where I’ve been in the past and I- and I
see in what way the society changes as the rest of the world changes, and
uh in what way it is affected by the outside world So I ended up learning
the language and I and I ended up understanding probably a lot more what
really goes on in uh- in uh the inside of a person who lives in a little dot in
the middle of the ocean, and all he or she knows is that and that is the
universe- in comparison to us, um being sort of constantly bombarded by-
by a lot more information
What is your study plan?
I’m starting to and- I’m thinking of furthering my studies by doing a Masters
and perhaps a PhD I’m very interested in following umm what I started
already And err, and err, again, not only from my professional point of view,
but also for a personal point of view I think it is very important to do things
combined together, and what we learn and understand in life can really be
of help to other people if we- umm if we develop it to a certain extent
Thank you Do you have any hobbies or interests?
Oh yes, a number of them I like to umm read a lot, and I also like to play
soccer Um But err, I can say that lately, unfortunately, I don’t much time to
do either of them
What hobbies are popular with young boys and girls in your country?
Well, young boys and girls mm like to interact and meet and have a good time
together So, we start generally since we very young by meeting at the end of
the day when we get out of school at the local bar or corn- corner in the area
where we live in the square and in the same area with lots of other people, older and younger than us And uh hobbies generally for the young boys umm are sport and socialising and dancing And same for the girls, except that the girls are certainly a lot more into fashion and umm dancing
Do people usually continue their hobbies when they get older?
When they can, they do Generally that depends on what kind ofcommitments they are involved to and uh with, and if they can afford, only also in terms of time uh in what they like to do
Thank you Now I’d like to ask you to speak one-to two minutes on a topic You have one minute to plan your answer Topic: Describe a movie, which made a strong impression on you.
Well um, the name of the film is [inaudible] It is actually a very famous movie It won the Oscar in 1989 And um…it’s a movie about the story of a kid who grows up in a small village in Sicily And we can see very clearly through the film uh in what way the community influence him, and uh also his first love story with a local girl and how much they affect his life So it’s actually a movie in retrospective because it goes back, and uh he tries to get in touch with the same girl And by doing that, you basically revisit the most important part or his life Parts And uh, it is really showing us in what ways all these things really affect all us How much we keep on dreaming, and how much we keep on hoping in our lives; especially when we can’t leave- err what we really wish and desire to leave, especially when it comes
to emotional things And uh it’s a film that ah is also based on a true story, and um I think um the public can really feel that So it’s also shot in a very, very good way and we can see Sicily through 50 years of life And from the end of the Second World War to today, which is also more or less perhaps, you know, the period of time of my life, of my father’s life Anyway, the mainactors in the film are [unknown] and the famous actor who I don’t
remember
Thank you Do you go to the movies often?
Yes, yes, most often as I can I really like films, especially the European movies - French, Italian, and English I really like the way they represent the- the European culture
Thank you Now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about films and movies Are films popular where you come from?
Yes, they are very popular Actually, cinema and movies is a big industry in Italy And uh it has been the second major industry in the world in terms of films uh in the 50’s, so you have probably seen yourself a number of Italian movies But uh, actually, it is a particular kind of way of making films and uhthey still remain very popular Yes
Do you think people are going to the cinema more these days compared with 25 years ago?
Trang 13Umm…No, I don’t think so I think that today TV and videos and DVDs actually
have replaced often what people used to go only going to the theatre A few
years ago when I was younger, I remember, there were a lot of people going to
the cinemas and it was packed, and the same movie was left there for weeks
and weeks and weeks where now normally, a show in the same cinema for a lot
less
What films are popular with young people these days?
We have in Italy a very strong American influence and as well, so a lot of
American movies, and a lot of high-tech movies with special effects And uh but
at the same time we also keep maintaining a kind of our own genre and some
Italian movies they never get to the overseas market, they also remain-
become very popular in Italy
Do peoples taste in films change as they get older?
I think so; I think so- I think movies also a little mirror of how we change in life,
what interests us and what we see in them And um ah, as you know, in our
20s we are perhaps a little more romantic and we like certain kinds of movies,
and then perhaps we like to think a bit more about our life… and we see
different kinds of films
Has technology made a difference in the quality of modern films?
I think so, yes, a big difference Um the effects now seem to really suck you
in when you see a movie And the way the film edited, they also keep your
attention a lot better than in the past You can see the way that they are put
together, and also the sound quality is a lot better, and umm I think there’s
been certainly, technologically speaking, a big improvement there
How will technology be used to improve films in the future?
Well, ah I am not an expert but I think that if we will ever get 3-D movies, ah
or movies in 3-D, ah we will uh find ourselves even more immersed in what
uh for only at the moment only our eyes and our ears can see in two
dimensions
Why have the forms of popular entertainment changed over the
years?
Because the society has changed a lot And now uh we seem to be rushing
all the time, and we want to consume everything a lot faster So I think
every form- form of entertainment is also reflecting that kind of very fast,
quick way of ah wanting something different, and wanting something very
quickly and ah…yes
Will people still go to the cinema in the future?
I hope so I don’t know, but I think there will be people that, like today, like
to see not only the new movie but also the old movie because it represents
what they have seen what they were younger and what they and also what
they were dreaming at that time and I think that remains within us all our
life
Thank you, that is the end of the speaking test.
IELTS Practice Speaking Test 3
Good afternoon, my name is Renee Could you tell me your full nameplease? My full name is ah Jahan Verki.
Can I check your identification? Sure.
Thank you Do you work, or are you a student?
At the moment I’m working
Could you describe what kind of work you do?
Uh…At the moment I’m a manager of the um Persian T.V This is essentially a 24-hour station that’s going to operate in Sydney This station
is going to be for the Persian people And at the moment we are trying to televise some program from America but we are trying to build our studio in Sydney as well The plan is I’m going to operate and organise for this studio
to be able to produce some program from Sydney as well So at the moment I’m doing
everything, like to do- to organise for everything like subscription, studio, anything – equipment, but a little bit later I’m going just to focus and stay just in the studio for producing and directing the program, which is going to happen later
What do you like about your job?
I have to confess, this job is my passion from long time ago Umm just, I start from drama I study drama in my country and then when I move to Australia I continued in different course which was T.V and film production
and because all the time when I act, I really- finally I wanted just to make
my film I made some children program in my country for T.V Here I start toexpand my
experience and then I got lots of new experience: I made some film- short film, documentary and I find, okay, I’m in the right pathway so I wanted to continue So now I think I- I catch it, now I need a little bit more time just to
do this job
What kind of job do you hope to do in 10 years time?
That’s a good question My dream is finally- without having any problem, like life and the other problem that comes to the anybody- my dream is just
to direct my film That’s the thing that I’m going to do I have, in my past, I’ve had lots of experience- life experience, lots of things that I want to talk
to the people So, for me, film is a tool to talk to the people
Do you play any sports? Yes.
What are the most popular sports in your country?
Good question In my country is just the people are mainly- I come from Iran- in my country people mainly play soccer Anywhere – in the street, at home, anywhere you can see- people play soccer
Is it better to play sport or to watch it?
Okay, um you know it’s it’s very um, it depends To me, sometimes when you are in the right mood or the right time you are better just to play But sometimes, particularly when it is- when it is a professional sport, you wouldlike to watch it That depends to the situation, to you, and many, many things
Can sport be dangerous?
Ah I think it could be dangerous, or it’s not going to be dangerous Its depend I think even if you’re walking in the street it could be dangerous for you, so I cannot say But I can say – if you’re not playing a sport it’s going
Trang 14to be dangerous, because it’s just affecting your health But- But playing-
Accident could be anywhere – this is my opinion
Do men and women play different sports in Iran?
Of course I mean, as you know during the last 24 years Because of the
Government and the things that happen in my country, so women couldn’t do
the same sport that men do Even, they couldn’t go to the stadium like watch
the soccer However, recently, there has been a movement for the women,
they have a chance There is not enough facility for them just to do lots of sport
Thank you very much Now I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to
speak on it for one or two minutes Topic: Describe a vacation you have really
enjoyed.
Alright, um we went to the [unknown] actually, we went to the [unknown]
with my wife and kids, just mainly to visit my wife’s family I liked [unknown]
because when I went to the [unknown], which is about five hours far from
Sydney, the road, the nature – uh it was very similar to the scene that I had
in my country and it remembered me the nature and the road that we had
over
there I liked [unknown], I liked everything over there, I can tell you The
smoke, the fog, I liked the environment, I liked the friendship that was there
I loved the food, I loved everything over there- the stars at night I love the
moon, I loved morning, and when it was morning it remembered the
morning that I had in my country- it was very similar because nature are
similar anywhere So, I spent lots of time over there and it helped me to
remember
the things that I had before It gives security, it’s very mysterious feeling to
me So I loved them because it helped me more and more back to the
memory that I had from my country Animals, horse, you know farm –
everything, it really attract me- see the people who work in the farm That
was a nice thing- I like these things and I think this is my nature and I love
to be in this nature and that nature was very similar to the things that I had
before, and
I liked just to be there That was something that I had over there
So I spent time with my wife and I explained the things that had happened
to my country and I told her ‘look, Calla, I will show this to you in my country
again.’
Would you go there again?
Sure, I love it If I get any chance, I’m sure I will go over there
Now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about vacations and
holidays away Are people taking more holidays and travelling more
these days?
I have to say I don’t think so, because the lifestyle is not letting the people
to do the things that they want They have to work more and more, and
even you know when they got some family they have to work more To me,
in my point of view, I think they haven’t enough time to pay attention to
holidays
Where did people go on holidays in your randparent’s time, say, 50
years ago?
I think in that time, you know, to go to another- another city, which was very
far – like 5 to 10 hours, they go to visit their relative somewhere else in their
country
Where do people usually like to go for a holiday away these days?
Uh it’s easy things that people like just to go to a very- very close and easy things If they can get to anywhere around themselves you know, even if in Sydney they will go to Harbour or Opera House or anywhere around as because it’s very cheap and it helps them just to stay sometimes out of the- youknow the routine of their life
Why do people want to travel, to go away for a holiday?
Life is very hard All of us need just to go- to go out of this stress during the week You know- the technology, the Government, the people, the boss and so on and so on and so you know, just pushing you shoulders, so that’s
a time that you can say that okay, I am human so you can just do something that you like
Is tourism having an effect on the environment, do you think?
Sure, I think tourism just definitely effecting the environment because they bring the wave of the culture and you know, many, many things by
themselves and they bring it and show to- to the new culture So I’m sure, it’s very effective Like if you think- like when I’m coming from my country, the food that I’m having, the think I interests, the way that I treat you know
my family and the way that I love, the way that I dance- all of these things when
they come together, it’s giving things like [unknown] It’s giving some information about outside to anybody, to the other people
How important is the tourist dollar for the economy?
I love their dollar Hahaha You know, it’s very good I mean you have to think –you have to think about this issue and just have some study You have to prepare yourself for the tourist interest You have to put these things in their hand Not in the country, in their country You have to advertise you have to show what things is available here Because they bring more Money It’s very easy Lots of countries just depend on the-just the tourism when they put their money And you have to think about all the issues To make the situation ready for them to let them to be happy to spend their money and when they back- back again For as it as it as it as itrevisit again to advertise for the other people to come over here
Will the tourist industry grow in the next 10- 20 years?
I’m sure you know Because many people are still um the attraction of seeing- And the tech I think is helping the people just to be more close together and find If it was in the hands of a few countries just had the attraction for the tourism Now, many people from far, they can just advertise themselves on the Internet They say look- I’m very far here, I have a nice beach, you don’t
need to pay this money you know - to that company… half the price for you come over here - and we’re right
What do you think of tourism designed not to damage the environment?
I think the government and the council - all of them and all and all the policyhas to help - has to really have a close watch to this issue If they think it is going to affect anywhere they have to put this policy to not things - you know, to not do anything wrong
Thank you, that is the end of the speaking test.
Trang 15IELTS Practice Speaking Test 4.
Good afternoon My name is Deborah Could you tell me your full
name please?My full name is Pilar Montesdeoca.
May I check your identification please?
Will you like to see my passport?
Thank You Do you work or are you a student?
I’m a student
And what are you studying at the moment?
At the moment I’m studying theatre studies
And why did you choose to study theatre studies?
Because I arrived here five years ago and my background is in theatre In
my home country in Ecuador I was studying theatre and I was also working
as an actor and as a director And then I had the opportunity to go overseas
to England and study theatre there But once I moved to Australia, I thought
it was going to be a good idea to get into the profession again and to start
all over again from the basics so I thought it would be good to do some
drama studies And that’s why I joined it and I’m learning so much at the
moment, I’m very excited about all these amazing teachers I have and I can
understand now how the business works And the main things about my
theatre studies is that after that it’s going to lead me to the- a real theatre I
have to see how it works in real life in Australia And I thought that was
going to be important for me
Ok And ah what do you hope to do when you’ve finished your current
studies?
I really would like to finish in the area Because I’m also a teacher so I
would like to combine my teaching skills with my theatre skills I know it’s
hard to get a job as a theatre director or as an actor anywhere in the world
and in Australia as well
So I’m hoping that of course once I’ve finished to be able to direct plays,
and to work on projects to work for the community and with the community
But I’m also hoping perhaps to get some work as a –as a teacher where I
can combine also my skills in theatre
Mm And how do you spend your spare time?
Ooh I love swimming and I love dancing so those are the two activities I
mainly do when I have the opportunity But then, sometimes when I’m at
home I love reading, I love to read novels or poetry or theatre as well
And when you go out, do you usually go out alone or with others?
Mm It depends Australian life is very busy, so ah sometimes I have to go
on my own Usually if I go swimming I go on my own, if I go to the beach
sometimes I go with friends, so it depends But I don’t mind being on my
own
And is there a particular time in the week where you prefer to go out?
Mm not really, mainly in the afternoon Depends on the season Sometimes in
the morning, early morning, I love walking as well So sometimes I tend to do
that at around 6 o’clock in the afternoon
Do you think it is important to do regular exercise?
I think it is vital for everyone I think it is part of life and the good thing aboutAustralia- I wish there were less cars- but also because I love walking it’s
ok, I can do a lot of exercise We should do that really We all should go outand enjoy ourselves and do a bit of exercise because this society is getting bigger as well You know the size, people are getting bigger and bigger so I think it is important to do it- you know jogging or walking or swimming, it’s important
Why?
Because if you are not happy with your body it’s very hard to be happy with everything else I think your body is the base of your life Mind and body arealways connected and if you do not exercise your body you won’t exercise your mind And I think once you walk or once you swim, it’s a good chance
to really think who you are and what you want in life and what things can you do
Thank you You’re welcome.
Topic: I’d like you to describe someone you admire very much.
I have a person who I really admire and she’s an ex-teacher from university.Her name is [inaudible] She’s a wonderful, talented lady She’s around 60.She’s married and has four kids What I admire about her is that she hastime to look after her family and at the same time to teach kids at school, and to teach kids at primary school as well and then she went on and was teaching at university And I had the privilege to meet her when I was fifteenand when I was twenty I went to uni and she really encouraged me to write She opened a lot of windows for me through the literature and she taught
me how to analyse texts and she made me love literature- that’s something really hard Because when you are at the school, you don’t really want to learn a lot about literature, you just want to play around with your friends But she was a teacher that really really kept us captivated by all these stories and all these composers and songwriters, and writers in general And she played us some music and she read poems for us, and we watched films and we discussed And I think it was so important to have her
as a teacher because she really made us see the world in a different way
We were studying mainly in a catholic school and we couldn’t analyse things but once we had our literature teacher, we were able to expand our whole world And I think what she really brought us it’s these differences in life Literature and life, in a way they are very similar but in a way are very different So we interpreted life in a different way from that point
Thank You Is this person admired by others do you think?
Yes definitely I think she made a huge mark in this group that had the opportunity to have her as a teacher We were like fifty of us and she did it for many many years
What makes a person famous?
Mm I think there are different ways to see what makes a person famous One is the machinery behind the publicity and the marketing around the person, but I don’t think that’s a real honest way to be famous I think if I have to choose I’d rather be famous for being honest, for being kind, and for trying to help and solve conflicts or problems in the world instead of
Trang 16being in a magazine, in the cover of a magazine…so my characteristics for
a famous person I would go for honesty and kindness
What kinds of people were famous in your grandparent’s time?
In my home country we had different, mainly two political parties and the
heads of those political parties were very famous Especially one guy called
[inaudible] and he made a lot of changes in Ecuador during my
grandparent’s time because he gave the vote to women and he also made
it compulsory, the vote for all the citizens in my home country And he
worked for the Liberal education, not ties with the religious or anything like
that but very open to everyone
In your opinion, is being well known easy to live with?
No I don’t think so I think well known… It’s…It can be hard I think to be
famous sometimes you pay a price for it So I’d rather be anonymous I
think
What kinds of people will be famous in the future?
Mm Ah it’s hard to say, but I guess the famous people are the ones that
people create And you know the media has so much impact on that, and it has
so much influence on who is famous or who is not famous, who is good or who
is bad The media made us see- makes us see the world and the people in
different ways So I guess, yeh, if you have machinery behind, you will be
famous
What responsibility to society do famous people have?
They have a huge responsibility because people really look up on them
You know they look upon and they want to copy models I think we are a
very sensitive society and we would like just to copy And if someone is
famous they should have- they should use this power to give things back to
the community Like you know, like for example, the Tsunami Disaster or
things like that… you to use this power to call for people to stop children
detention, things like that you know, they should use that in order to make
people aware
of what’s going on Not just to be part of entertainment, but I think they
should have a political voice in the community
Do you think that the children of famous people have an easy time?
No, I don’t think so It must be very very hard Ah…you know, to live in, in
my home country I know a lot of famous people, and they always have to
have bodyguards, or they have to live behind bars, you know or behind big
walls And children are always protected and they don’t have the freedom,
it’s a big price to pay, I don’t know why
W-Would you like to be famous? No, not really no.
Would- would being famous change you?
Yeah I’m sure it will But I like to be popular, but I don’t like to be famous
And I think that’s good You know, I can be popular with my students, with
my actors, you know, that’s what I’m like, and I’m happy with that
And should the media be able to invade the privacy of famous people?
No, I think there should be a very strong and tough code that they shouldn’t
allowed to interfere in other people’s lives, even if they are famous
Thank you That is the end of the speaking test.
IELTS Practice Speaking Test 5
Good Afternoon My name is Darrell Could you tell me your full name please?
My name is Shi-in Lee
And what should I call you?
You can call me Shi-in please
Thank you Do you work or are you a student?
I work I do interpreting and translation
Oh Can you tell me about your job?
Well, there are different types of um interpreting There is medical interpreting, and there’s legal interpreting, business interpreting, and conference interpreting etc And they are all very different and you get to meet different types of people Um, it’s very rewarding because you are helping people who doesn’t have much English and you get paid for you job
as well So you get to learn a lot about current issues, and at the same time, you get a lot of headaches too, because you get to hear a lot of problems from your clients.So it’s a very interesting job, and I’m enjoying it still, after seventeen years
And err, when is the busiest time in your job?
I can’t say that um…my busiest you know at a certain time of the year, it’s very hard to predict so I really can’t say - say around, well Summer is the busiest time of the year, or winter is the busiest or, I really can’t say that a certain time of the year is the busiest
And if you could change your job, what would you prefer to do?
Sometimes umm, although I’m working and I’m helping people and without
an interpreter I guess nothing much can happen, because there won’t be any communication, proper communication between you know, two parties But then again, interpreters are not supposed to give an opinion So you areleft with the feeling that you are not contributing at all towards the result of the session So if I changed my job I think I would pick something which is completely different from interpreting and where I can actually contribute towards the result of the discussion So that’s what I might do in the future, you never know
What kind of music do you enjoy listening to?
Well actually, I like all sorts of music My husband says I have Catholic tastes in music So I like classical music, of course, because I played piano when I was a little girl Actually, not just as a little girl, I still play So I like classical music, and I like jazz, blues, you know, even heavy metal
Whatever is good I can appreciate it
Do you play a musical instrument?
Yes I play piano and I play a little bit of violin as well
And what musical instruments do most people play in your home country?
Um in Korea, I think most girls from a proper family would play at least one musical instrument and which is normally piano So, a lot of girls would you know, start playing piano when they are five or say seven And I started playing piano when I was six I think
Trang 17If you can play a musical instrument, does this help you to enjoy
music more?
Yes and no In some ways it makes you, I guess take more interest in
music and when you listen to the music you know how to appreciate it
properly But then again if you get to hear certain pieces of music on the
radio which you’ve played before, straight away you find yourself sort of
analysing the performer So you really can’t relax, so it’s sort of- it’s not
maybe enjoyable as much It suddenly, it becomes a chore; your mind is at
work, analysing and assessing the performance So I guess yes and no
Thank you Now I’d like you to speak for one or two minutes on a
topic You have one minute to plan your answer Here is a pencil and
paper to make notes Here is your topic: I’d like you to describe your
favourite teacher Thank you Can you start speaking now please?
You have one to two minutes I will tell you when the time is up.
My favourite teacher, um, his name is Kwan Sing Pak He was my English
teacher when I was in High school in Korea You know in Korea, all the
English teachers are basically Korean Umm he was my teacher um, for
two years, um Year eleven and Year twelve You know the girls of that age
um they normally like teachers, you know good looking, with the looks, with
good sense of humour and- and all But this specific teacher was not
physically attractive at all He was rather, not terribly good looking (I’m
sorry to be saying this) But I really adored this teacher because um, I
guess to start with I loved studying languages and he was teaching English
and I really loved learning English from him And he was very passionate
about his job, teaching, and he was actually enjoying it, and I could tell he
was enjoying it He had good teaching skills He encouraged and nearly
coerced, you know, contribution from the students And you could actually
be quite sure sitting in his class that when you give answers, how silly they
might sound, you would never be laughed at or anything So you were
feeling quite free to have a conversational discussion with the teacher or
other students in the class And what was also quite special about him was
that he had good sense of humour, much so much so that you only
remember his jokes when actually you have the test paper in front of you
and you look at all the questions and you couldn’t remember the
answers but his jokes only!
Thank you And did other students also like this teacher?
Oh yes Yep Most of the students just loved this teacher He was very
popular
So we’ve been talking about teaching I’d like to ask you some
questions about teaching and education What are the qualities of a
good teacher?
I should say a good teacher is one who always is well prepared for the
class And I guess if the person has a good sense of humour that would
help because, you know, boring, ah, session, nobody would sit in the class,
you know, hours after hours
And what differences in teaching styles have you experienced with
different teachers?
Some teachers can be very knowledgeable I could tell that the person had
a lot of knowledge and experience and everything But the person just didn’thave the skills to convey all that to the students And so the rendering was really boring and everybody was just falling asleep, whereas some teachersthey knew how to pass that down to the teachers somehow and the sessionwas completely enjoyable
Should teachers use discipline in the classroom?
Coming from where I, um, am, I think yes, teachers should discipline students In Korea, students would respect the teachers My mum’s generation was more so, and my mum had to say one day, she thought teachers don’t eat, don’t go to the toilet, they are demi-Gods and wouldn’t even step on the shadow of the teacher, because you respect the teacher
so much But I don’t think same kind of respect is here and students sometimes misbehave during
class hours and I just find it hard to understand There is not enough respect for the teachers and also for the learning itself
And can students learn from computers?
I guess yes and no I see my children, they’re sitting in front of the computersometimes writing their essays and getting information through the net In that case, I guess comps can be educational and helpful But sometimes I see my son sitting in front of the computer hours after hours doing you know, video games I don’t think in that case computers are educational or healthy
Can you describe the education system in your home country?
In some ways it is quite similar to the Australian education system The onlydifference I can tell straightaway is that Kindergarten is not part of the primary school education in Korea whereas here, we start from kindergarten And three years we call it junior high And then three years high school, and then four years, normally four years, we call it university education, tertiary education So I don’t think there is big difference between two systems
When should children start formal schooling?
Formal schooling, I guess it starts in Australia from the age of five whereas
in Korea, from six? I don’t know, sometimes when I see little K students looking a little bit tired, makes me wonder whether they’re a bit too young to
be starting schooling at that age But, I really have no idea
Has education changed since your parents’ day? You know, in the last twenty-five years?
I think it’s changed a lot, although I can’t say that I understand what education was like when my mum and dad, when they were in school But definitely, well I’m talking about the Korean situation, in Korea, you have to study many many more subjects than your father or your mother would have, you know, in the
past And you use like different equipment, like computer and things, all these audio-visual teaching material I guess in that way education has changed a lot
Ok thank you That is the end of the speaking test.