IELTS scotts speaking

Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood Pronunciation is clear and the candidate's vocabulary is appropriate in relation to the questions asked There are no grammatical inaccuracies Presentation: The candidate sounds very relaxed and friendly! At the very beginning, the candidate's personality comes through – good use of humour ('The most beautiful place on earth') Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked The answers are well structured: the question is answered and additional, related details are given The rhetorical question, 'Do you know anyone who doesn't?' involves the examiner and demonstrates the candidate's confidence Content: The responses answer the questions the examiner asks in detail (no one or two word answers!) He demonstrates a good, 'conversational' style The candidate's personality shines through right from the very beginning making the experience an enjoyable one for both candidate and examiner This is a good, confident start! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can communicate on the topic effectively There are no grammatical inaccuracies Presentation: The candidate sounds quite relaxed and confident The personality of the candidate comes through by good use of vocal variety which made the topic more interesting Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked on the Candidate Card The first three questions are answered quite quickly leaving most of the time to expand upon question (explain why it was such a good holiday) A point is made and then additional, related details are given Content: Remember the question required the candidate to discuss: where you went when you went there what you did there and; explain why it was such a great holiday All of these aspects of the question were answered One of the interesting things about the presentation is that the candidate ran out of things to say - he had talked about the past and present and then he introduced ideas related to the future as a way of ending his presentation – which gave it a good ending He used 'P-P-F' (See Speaking Lesson 3) This is a good, confident continuation of the test! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's use of words/vocabulary shows he can communicate on each topic raised by the examiner effectively There are no grammatical inaccuracies Presentation: The candidate continues to sound relaxed and confident The personality of the candidate continues to come through and builds upon the rapport established through Parts & Structure: The candidate responds appropriately to the questions asked Firstly, he answers the question then conversationally, he expands upon the topic In other words, a point is made and then additional, related details are given Content: The information presented in the conversation clearly answers the questions Through use of idiomatic and colloquial expressions (‘a change is as good as a holiday’, 'let their hair down', ‘party mode’), the speaker demonstrates a very advanced knowledge of the language Some good, academic words are used (eg negative impact, consequences, the offenders) This is a good, confident conclusion! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Transcript Q1Can we talk about an aspect of your home town? How easy is it to travel around where you're from? A1 Ah, yes I'm from Mitchford The most beautiful place on earth! It's quite a small coastal city There's about 230,000 people who live there and we have quite a good transportation system there I'd say most people travel by car – our roads are pretty modern and well sealed but people who don't have a car usually catch a bus The bus travels to most parts of the city and it's quite cheap For example, to travel by bus from one end of the city to the other it costs about £2 and that's pretty cheap compared to what I pay here in England Q2 Ok Which kinds of public transport you use most and why? A2 Actually, that's a difficult question to answer because back home, I have my own car I sure miss that When I was younger I used to catch the bus to school In my city all students under 16 who lived more than four maybe it was anyway about or kilometres from the nearest public high school were given a bus pass which allowed them to catch the bus to school for free The problem was there was never enough seats to allow for all the students so usually most students had to stand up in the bus all the way until they arrived at school but it was much better than having to walk I can assure you of that! Occasionally, I caught the taxi but it was a very rare thing taxis are about or times more expensive than regular bus fares so taxis were only used if there was no other option Q3 But what about here? Do you use public transport here in England? A3 Oh yes, here I mostly use the underground It's totally different from back home At Mitchford we don’t have enough people to warrant an underground rail system at least I think that’s the reason we don’t have one That’s been a really interesting part about living here, getting used to the rail system Q4 How you compare public transport here in England with public transport back home? A4 Well, actually, back home public transport is always late It’s not unusual for the bus to be like 15-20 minutes late We have a saying, “If you want to arrive on time and you’re catching the bus, prepare for one hour of travel” Well, here the underground is always on time It's been interesting in that it's always on time and extremely reliable Q5 Ok, let’s move on to the topic of movies Do you enjoy watching movies? A5 Yes, I enjoy movies you know anyone who doesn’t like movies? I don't! I must say that I’m a bit of an action person I love action movies I like it when the Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab tough bad guy gets beaten I love happy endings the hero’s always got to win! Q6 How often you watch movies? A6 Well, it's actually been quite a while since I've been to the cinema to watch a movie I think the last movie I saw was Action Force - a real action movie which I enjoyed immensely It's actually too expensive to go to the movies these days and besides, if I wait for a while I can watch it at home besides I'm too busy studying at the moment there's really not enough time to watch movies! Q7 Ok Let's talk about what you like to in your free time What sorts of activities you like to in your free time? A7 Free time we’ll I don’t have too much of that nowadays but when I I enjoy reading I mostly enjoy reading business books and magazines my father has a business back home and once I finish my studies, I'm going to return home and help him with the running of it I enjoy studying about business and learning about new ideas and ways of making a business more successful and effective Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Transcript Q1 Ok, good I'm now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 1-2 minutes You can take notes if you want You have minute to prepare what you want to say I want you to talk about the best holiday you have ever had Ok You have a maximum of minutes to speak so if you go over minutes, I will ask you to stop Can you please begin speaking now? A1 The best holiday I have ever been on is a very difficult question to answer because I’ve been on so many excellent holidays I guess I’ve been very lucky In the summer time back home, when I was young, my family used to go to the beach and we’d camp under the stars that has always been an excellent memory for me But, I'd have to say that the most wonderful holiday I've ever had was when I was 19, when I went to Minnesota in the United States for a summer camp experience It was just so much fun! I met over 200 teenagers and we participated in some excellent camp activities! Let me see we had swimming in the lake, where the camp was situated We also had water skiing, which was excellent fun it was really difficult to hold on to the rope while the boat pulled us around the lake! Another fun activity was camping We our dorm went on a 3day canoe trip I think there were about 10 of us in our group which took us to the Canadian boundary waters There I saw some of the most beautiful alpine scenery I've ever seen in my life! The lakes were so clear and we could drink the water from them by dipping our cups as we canoed along it was just amazing I wish everyone could witness the incredible beauty we saw on that trip Let’s see, what else? Ahh yes, there was basketball and volleyball which we played in the big indoor gymnasium Some of the Americans were really good basketball players they even had cheerleaders at some of the games! I got to know so many people, in fact I still write to some of the people I met there you know, isn’t email a great way to keep in touch? There were other things but I can’t think of them at the moment I will say this: I would love to go back there again in the future Now, of course I’m too old to be a camper but it would be excellent to be a staff member, they are always looking for volunteers If you volunteer at the camp they pay for your food and accommodation for the whole summer - and that’s around months in America Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Transcript Q1 We've been talking about the best holiday you've ever had and I'd like to discuss one or two more questions that are related to this Firstly, let's consider the effect of holidays What effect holidays have on people? A1 I believe holidays have a big, positive effect on people For many, I know that holidays are the highlight of the year People wait all year - especially those who don’t like their job - they wait for the holiday periods they plan and prepare for what they will and they get excited by what they're going to on their holidays Typically people are in a good mood when they are on holiday They're smiling and alert, they show interest in their new environment I believe that for most people, holiday time is the best time of their year Q2 Many people refer to their holidays as 'highlights' of the year Why you think holidays are highlights for people? A2 Yes um well, I think holidays are highlights for people because if a person doesn't like his or her work, a holiday represents a break in what they would otherwise normally You know, it gives people a chance to go in a different direction, to something they want to instead of being a slave to their job Holidays allow people to re-create, to refresh their mind and body I read somewhere recently that it's actually a very healthy thing for a person to take a complete break from what he or she normally does and then to something different I guess what I'm saying is, a holiday is a change It's a change in location and activity That reminds me of the expression, 'A change is as good as a holiday' - it's a good one, and I think it's true Q3 Good Let's talk about a related issue, the issue of tourism Do you see any negative aspects with regard to tourism? A3 Yes, absolutely I come from a coastal town and there is a constant, steady stream of people who pour through it These people often cause problems in the accommodation industry which is obviously related to tourism They come in and kind of 'let their hair down' they show no respect for the facilities Often there is damage to the places where they stay I've heard of broken lamps and chairs, dirty marks on walls and carpets you know, those kinds of things They drink heavily and make a lot of noise, constantly in a 'party mode' This has had a very negative impact upon our town and gives tourists a bad name in the minds of some of the local people Q4 What could be done to stop the negative aspects of tourism from happening? A4 I guess stricter laws could be introduced If people don't obey the laws, then the consequences might be a financial penalty You know, an expensive fine, or perhaps throw the offenders into prison for a day or two That would certainly I imagine have a big effect upon the bad behavior of people visiting a city while on holiday Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 10 Speaking Lab 10 Part 1: Q1 Let’s talk about your study plans for the future Please tell me about your current studies A1 Well, at the moment I’m enrolled in a language school I’ve been doing an English for Academic Purposes class trying to get ready for my university studies and, of course, before that, my IELTS exam! Q2 What is it you like most about your studies? A2 The teachers are very friendly at the language school They make all the students feel real welcome In fact, I’ve enjoyed getting to know many of the students at the language school We’ve got students studying from all over the world – Thailand, China, one man is from Russia…um, a couple of students from France and…yes, and one from Brazil It’s a really international class! Q3 What you like least about your studies? A3 Like least? Let me see…you know, that’s a difficult question because the teacher is great, the lessons are interesting and the facilities are also wonderful…not to mention the students! Like least…um, well I guess I’d have to say the English grammar is not something I particularly like Our teacher described grammar as the engine of a car…you don’t need to be an expert mechanic to drive a car but it’s useful to know what is under the hood! I rather liked his definition but it doesn’t mean I like grammar any better! Q4 Once you have finished your studies, what you plan to do? A4 Well, once I’ve finished at the language school, I want to study marketing You see, my mother owns a marketing company and she’s been doing this for almost 10 years She tells me that one day, “I’m going to be the CEO, the big boss.” But before that can happen I must get my qualifications…so, I’ll be studying marketing at university Actually, I’m very excited about marketing, it’s a very interesting subject with almost limitless opportunities You could say it ‘runs in my family’! Q5 Ok Let’s change topics and talk about animals Can you tell me about some of the different kinds of animals you have in your country? A5 Yes, I’m from the Philippines and the local animals there are quite unique I was reading the other day that we have almost 200 different kinds of reptiles! I was amazed by that figure myself but I’ve seen a few Philippine crocodiles and of course there are hundreds of different kinds of lizards that inhabit the tropical rainforests! Did you know the Philippines is home to the smallest monkey in the world? We are very proud of this! The Tarsier is an amazing animal…he lives mostly on insects! He grows…well most people could fit him in the palm of their hand…I think an adult can reach around 150mm But they are very fast little creatures! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 10 Q6 What’s your favourite animal and why you like it so much? A6 I’d have to say that dogs are my favourite animal My family has a poodle and I love him! His name is Peppi and he is such a smart dog He even acts as a kind of guard dog…if anyone comes near our house, he barks loudly – day or night! Of course his noise is loud but he couldn’t really hurt anyone! Q7 What’s your least favourite animal? Why? A7 I have to say that my least-favourite animal is the snake We have quite a few snakes in the Philippines and I must confess that I have a phobia of them! They don’t um…they seem so unfriendly, they don’t have any personality Are they smiling or are they angry, you can’t tell by looking at their face I don’t like that, it scares me Q8 Tell me about the variety of uses for animals in your country For example, their use in farming, sports or other types of activities A8 Well, I know that in the country areas, the poorer areas, oxen are used for some farming Mostly however, my experience with animals is in the city and it’s here that they are used primarily as pets People love to keep dogs and cats and birds We have some very beautiful parrots in the Philippines which make beautiful pets – my family used to have a Cockatiel which we called ‘Charlie’ Some animals are used in sports…um, for example horse racing, which is one popular type of sport…um…I can’t think of any more at the moment Q9 Ok, now, let’s change topics again This time, I’d like to talk about games Tell me about some of the popular games people play in your country A9 In my country, the popular games people play are….well, the most popular game is basketball Although Filipinos are slightly at a disadvantage in terms of height, they are, I believe, among the best basketball players in the world! Every town plaza has a basketball court alongside the town hall and church Even from an early age, boys start playing this game using a makeshift basket…it’s very popular among the males in our country Um…as far a card games go, for example, Mahjong is very popular in the Philippines…but most people like outdoor games Q10What is your favourite game to play? Why? A10 For me? Well, I must confess I like volleyball I played it a lot in high school and I’m planning to continue playing it in University I really enjoy the game, it helps me to keep fit You know, it’s a very team-oriented kind of game You can’t really be an individual and well in volleyball I like this aspect of the game, the teamwork element Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Q1 Can we talk about your country? Tell me about the kinds of sports that are popular in your country A1 Yes, I come from New Zealand In terms of sports there are two distinct seasons – summer and winter In the winter, Rugby Union is the most popular sport People are especially interested in their beloved ‘All Blacks’ – our country’s champion rugby team In the summer, there’s cricket Not as many people are as interested in the cricket…because our national team – the ‘black caps’ – are not as successful on the world cricketing stage Q2 Are there any sports that are only played by either men or women in your country? A2 Do you mean exclusively men or women? [Examiner: Yes] Well…of course, rugby is played only by men I’m not sure if we have any women’s rugby teams…I don’t think we Rugby’s definitely dominated by men…the same is true for cricket – although we have a national ladies team There is one sport that we are internationally famous for and it’s Netball Have you ever played netball? It’s a bit like basketball except you can’t bounce the ball and the ball is a little bit smaller than a basketball To score a point in netball, a player has to throw the ball through a hoop – as in basketball except the goal has no backboard, it’s just a hoop at the end of a pole Netball is played only by women…our national team is called ‘The Ferns’ and I believe we are the best in the world, the world champions Everyone is really proud of our women’s netball team! It seems no one can beat us well, for the moment, anyway! Q3 Are there any sports in your country that are becoming more popular than they were in the past? A3 I’d definitely say that Ruby League - one of our winter sports - is becoming more popular in New Zealand I don’t think it’ll ever become more popular than Rugby Union…but since we started participation in the national Australian Rugby League competition, New Zealanders have become more interested in this version of rugby I’d say that our New Zealand team, the Auckland Warriors, has brought more popularity to the rugby league code in New Zealand Q4 OK Let’s talk about housework Do you much housework where you are currently living? A4 Ha! Housework what’s that? At the moment, I’m sharing an apartment with other guys…messy fellows they are! Our apartment looks like a disaster zone most of the time! Dishes in the sink, rubbish on the floor, beds unmade the place looks terrible! I need to more housework…you know, be responsible for my own living area One thing I’ve learned from living away from home…I really appreciate all the work my mother did to keep our house clean in the past Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Q5 Good What you think is the most important household job? Why? A5 Most important? Umm, well, that would involve keeping things hygienic, particularly with food Keeping food well looked after – things like chicken and other meats…but chicken in particular…can become very dangerous if it’s not kept refrigerated A friend of mine had food poisoning and it was a terrible thing to witness – it made me realise that good hygiene in relation to food is absolutely essential! Q6 How did you share household tasks when you were growing up? A6 That’s easy! My sister and I were responsible for doing the dishes – she washed and I dried I was always responsible for drying the dishes I got sick of this job…but now I still it! There’s no escaping the dishes! Umm, let’s see…household tasks…well, Mum expected us to make our beds every day – especially as we got older In fact as we got older, we were given more and more jobs to – that’s how it seemed anyway I ended up being responsible for folding all the clean washing in my house As the years passed, I gradually ‘branched out’ – no pun intended - into the garden! I was the household’s chief gardener…and I must say I enjoyed it Q7 What about changes in housework in the future? Can you talk about why or why not housework will change in the future? A7 Changes in housework…well…I can’t see it getting much more different than it is today I mean the electric dishwasher and the washing machine they’re pretty modern machines I guess if someone invented self-cleaning plates and utensils that would be pretty amazing…maybe a dishwasher built into the table where you eat…now that would be amazing But someone would still have to put them away once they are cleaned and dried! I’m not too sure about how household jobs will change in the future, but I guess they will Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Transcript Q1 Ok that’s good I’m now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 1-2 minutes You can take notes if you want You have minute to prepare what you want to say I want you to describe a company or organisation where a relative or friend works Ok You have a maximum of minutes to speak so if you go over minutes, I will ask you to stop Can you please begin speaking now? A1 Well, what I’m going to talk about is the organisation my Dad works for He’s a school teacher and the name of the school he works for is Wellington High School Of course, as its name suggests, it’s located in Wellington, in the southern part of New Zealand Ever since I was a boy, Dad worked at Wellington…he started back…um well I think it was in the early 1980s…yes, in 1981…because they recently him a special watch celebrating 25 years of service at the school Anyway, Dad really enjoys his job he teaches Mathematics and Science and I’ve often wondered how a person can stay in a job for so many years but Dad says he’ll never leave – he loves being a high school teacher One of the things that I often hear him talk about is that ‘teachers can make a difference in the lives of others’ When he says this it’s usually after a student has called or written to thank him for helping them to get into university or to achieve some other goal This really makes him happy I guess there are a lot of advantages to being a teacher Teachers in New Zealand, get quite a lot of holidays and the hours aren’t too long…and the pay is quite good too I guess a disadvantage in teaching is when the students don’t really want to learn the subject and they can tend to be badly behaved Anyway, Dad really likes his job and that’s great Perhaps one day I’ll follow in his footsteps… Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Transcript Q1 We’ve been talking about a company in which a relative or friend works and I’d like to discuss one or two more questions that are related to this Firstly, let’s consider what makes a job attractive or unattractive to people Can you suggest some of the most important things people look for in their jobs? A1 Yes, well I’d have to say pay is one of the main things people look for in their jobs People want to be well paid for the work they I think ‘working conditions’ is another area that people carefully consider when they begin working If the place has no basic facilities, people get upset In my country, workers must get access to a refrigerator; they must have a lunch room or a place to eat in peace and quiet They must have a safe working environment and our government has laws to ensure this is the case I think holidays are also a big thing people look for when it comes to work Everyone needs to take a break from work so holidays are a big consideration for many people Umm, some people look for after-hours employee activities You know, staff parties, sports days, that kind of thing I guess the most important thing is job satisfaction If a person is satisfied with his or her job, then usually, the other things naturally follow on Q2 Ok Let’s talk some more about working conditions Tell me about any changes in staff working conditions that have occurred in recent years in your country A2 Well…I’m not too sure about this one Working conditions…well, the government is responsible for making sure that the working conditions are fair for workers Um…come to think of it, there was a change that happened recently I’m not sure about all the details but it gave employers…you know, bosses, more power to terminate employees if they weren’t doing their jobs satisfactorily Of course, many people were angry that more power was being put in the hands of the bosses but, in my opinion, I think it’s fair I mean, if a person is not doing their job well enough and is given enough warning about how they should change, and they don’t…well, then they should be asked to leave…the job should be given to one who will it well Q3 OK Good Could you please comment on any jobs which are no longer done in your country A3 Jobs no longer done Umm, (I’ve) never really thought about that before…jobs no longer done You mean, jobs that were done in the past but are no longer done today? [Examiner: YES] Well, I guess farming has changed You know, the old-style farming with the ox and the plough Now we use machinery to the job When I was a boy, we used to use horses and carts to deliver milk to homes in the morning Now, of course we use trucks I guess new technologies have changed industries The record manufacturers needed to change to CDs so that job has changed too! Q4 To what extent is the Internet and the computer a part of people’s jobs these days? Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab A4 Um, well the Internet and computer is very much a part of most jobs today I guess some occupations like a chef or a builder might not rely too much on the Internet however, I bet they use a computer when it comes to placing an order for new supplies Actually, I can’t think of a single job right now that wouldn’t make use of a computer I guess Internet usage would be less than computer use It probably depends on the job you as to whether or not you’d use the Internet I mean, if you were a teacher, you’d probably use the internet to read up on the latest teaching methods or things like that If you were a banker, you’d use the internet for information about your job too I think both the Internet and the computer play a really big part in most people’s jobs these days Q5 Ok Globally, which industries you think will employ the most people in the future? A5 Well I’m interested in communications and I think that the communications industry will employ the most people in the future I mean look at the number of people who use a mobile phone these days Everyone, it seems throughout Asia, Europe, Australia the USA…they’re everywhere! The Internet also comes under this category The Internet will continue to be used more and more all over the world It’s a cheap way to communicate and it’s great! It’s fast and it’s effective Regular telephones in people’s homes are also part of the communications industry It’s so huge I heard a few months ago that a big telephone company invested, I think it was or billion dollars in the UK It made me think that communications are going to be very important in the future Q6 One final question Work takes up a lot of people’s time Can you suggest ways people can find a balance between work and leisure activities? A6 A balance between work and leisure is very important Some people spend too much time at work When they’re old and about to die, most people regret all the time they spent at work and wish they’d spent more time on other things…particularly their family One suggestion that comes to mind is for people to take the time to actually schedule and plan their time Too many people let life happen to them, they tend to be reactive instead of being considered and well-planned To achieve a balance between work and leisure, we’ve got to plan to be balanced or we won’t be…and time will pass by and we’ll end up spending more time on one or the other Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Q1 Can we talk about your hometown? What kinds of activities most people in their free time in your hometown? A1 Well, my hometown is a small town located in a place called Palmer which in Alaska, in the USA In the summer time, people often go to the tennis courts and play tennis Baseball is also very popular in my hometown - a lot of students play it Younger grade or primary school children join little league baseball and the bigger kids play for the junior baseball team - sometimes, we’d go and cheer them on A lot of people like to go for a bike ride to the corner shop for an ice cream or go fishing, but the most popular summer activity is going swimming at Lake Wasilla In winter, well that’s another story There’s much more to in the winter! Skiing - cross country or downhill; sledding – in your back yard or down a mountain; ice-skating; riding on a snow machine – as younger kids, we would take adventures in the woods just riding around for hours Um, ice hockey, ice-fishing that’s about it for the winter! Q2 What you like doing best in your free time and why? A2 I love to go swimming at the lake because it’s just my favourite activity Um, my friends are there, it’s good exercise, you get suntanned…um, and I like to look at all the interesting creatures in the water – crayfish, leeches and minnows um, I like going fishing because I love catching fish and seeing the different kinds of fish I can catch, it’s a real challenge! I really enjoy eating the fish after I’ve caught it I have to gut it and then I can cook it for dinner Sometimes we’d find gold specks in Montanna River which was my favourite fishing spot We go there with Dad in the summer and I’m really looking forward to our next fishing trip! Q3 How important is free time to people in your country? A3 Well, in the summer, it’s very important because we only have months of summer, to spend outdoors If people are busy working, then they don’t get much time to enjoy the great outdoors You see, for seven months out of the year, we have extreme cold and darkness so a lot of people work hard during the winter People only have the weekends to activities In the summer the sun doesn’t set until around 11pm so people make the most of the extra daylight hours and enjoy their free time Q4 Ok Can we talk a little about your childhood? Tell me about the place where you grew up A4 The place where I grew up was a small town with a population of about um…5,000 people I lived in a small valley with lots of mountains and snow It is situated in the Matanuska-Susitna valley The name of the town is Palmer The valley has its own glacier…it is about a 1-hour drive from Palmer Ok, what else…um, the first colony arrived in 1930 so it’s a very historical town – they have the original train depot from the 1940s, in fact, my uncle was a child of one of the first colonists Um, my house My house was at the foot of a mountain called Lazy Mountain and my Dad built our Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab house – it was made of timber, because timber keeps the house warmer than brick or concrete Q5 When you were a child, where did you usually play? A5 I played on the gravel road just outside my house…’cause our roads weren’t paved…we played in the puddles, across from our house There was a big mountain of dirt that my sister and I always played on with the neighbourhood kids We’d play ‘king of the mountain’ Sometimes we’d try and climb Lazy Mountain… actually it was a stream at the base of the mountain that we used to play in There was a huge field across from my house and in the winter we used to go cross-country skiing across it, it was great fun My skis were red and about half a metre long! Q6 Was your hometown a good place for children? A6 Oh yes, definitely There was lots of space, lots of wooded areas…the forest My house was in the forest and we always used to go exploring there We’d look for wild berries We’d walk to the Matanuska River and sink our toes into the glacial silt There was lots of glacial silt which is very, very fine dirt, almost like mud It was like quicksand, you’d sink in it Actually it could be quite dangerous Some people actually died visiting the Matanuska River They’d get stuck in the mud when the tide was out and then the tide would come in and they couldn’t get free from the mud, they’d end up drowning This happens almost every year to this day It’s very sad when you hear of it on the news So it was good but also dangerous for children in my hometown Q7 Is childhood today different from when you were a child? A7 Yes When I was a child we didn’t have computers or mobile phones, the Internet, Playstation, Nintendo…far less TV We did more outdoor activities We’d be gone for a couple of hours away from home playing in the woods and Mom didn’t even care! The environment I grew up in was much safer than it is in the world today I think it was much healthier the way I grew up…safer and healthier I want the same for my own children Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Transcript Q1 I’m now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 1-2 minutes You can take notes if you want You have minute to prepare what you want to say I want you to describe the best present you ever received Ok You have a maximum of minutes to speak so if you go over minutes, I will ask you to stop Can you please begin speaking now? A1 The best present I received - which is one I remember distinctly - was when I was girl of Of course, I’ve received more expensive presents over the years but I remember this one most clearly! In fact, I’ll never forget it It was a BIG surprise…our family was celebrating a festival and it was the custom to give gifts to each other I remember we were feasting in a 6-bed R.V…um that’s Recreational Vehicle…at the famous Alaska State Fairgrounds We had just come home from a session during the festival and I remember the gift was sitting on the kitchen table in the R.V all wrapped up with a bow on top My present was larger than my sister’s and I wondered what it could be! I was so excited! My sister opened her small gift and it was a Mickey Mouse watch with a red watch band I began to open mine and to my surprise, it was a brand new, shiny, little red cash register I was so happy! You see, I loved cash registers I’m not really sure why Maybe it was because I loved money! Anyway, it was made of red metal, with all the neat little buttons on it It actually opened when you pushed a particular button and all the fake money was sitting in the little compartments inside the register I used to play ‘cash register’ all the time I’ve done a lot of jobs with cash registers over the years - which is probably as a result of my love for cash registers as a little child As a child, that little red cash register was certainly the best present I ever got! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Transcript Q1 We’ve been talking about the best present you have ever received and I’d like to discuss one or two more questions that are related to this Firstly, let’s consider giving presents and gift-giving When people typically give gifts in your country? A1 Well, the most popular time to give gifts is when a person has a birthday There are other times such as weddings, anniversaries…a lot of people in my country give presents at Christmas time too Other less popular times are for bridal showers, baby showers and bar-mitzvahs Of course, the gifts vary depending upon the budget…me, I usually give less-expensive gifts For example CDs or chocolates…those kinds of things Q2 OK Can you comment on popular gifts children receive these days? A2 Children’s gifts…um…well…these days, children often receive more expensive gifts such as video games - either Playstation or Ninetendo or Xbox Also, they tend to receive a bike or computer games or expensive toys Smaller children often receive popular action figures (superman, batman, those kinds of things) or stuffed animals that are popular TV characters — Thomas the Tank Engine, Winnie The Pooh, Mickey Mouse Actually, my little niece recently had a birthday and she got all kinds of gifts…I bought her a small doll and some clothes for her to dress the doll…it wasn’t expensive but she was so happy to get this gift! Q3 How have gifts given to children changed since you were a child? A3 When I was a child, I didn’t have video games or computers I remember receiving gifts that were more practical and that made me physically active or think and use my imagination Gifts such as a kite, baseball glove, or ice skates, and then crafty things like a children’s sewing machine, crocheting, artist sketch book with markers…a kind of gift where you learned to draw and paint I suppose you’d find these gifts given nowadays but back when I was a girl, there were definitely not computer or video games given Q4 Let’s talk about charitable gift-giving organisations Describe some of the charitable organisations that give gifts in your country? A4 I can really only think of a few gift-giving organisations…the ‘Make-a-Wish’ foundation, for one This organisation, I believe, grants seriously ill children their greatest wish…for instance, the Foundation will send children to Disneyland if they have never been, and are desperately wanting to go…you know, if that’s their greatest wish The other one I can think of is the Ronald McDonald House…which is a place where parents can stay to be near the hospital when their children are hospitalised for a serious illness I’m not sure if this is totally correct or not but I’ve heard that the Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab McDonald’s hospital or Ronald McDonald house…it subsidises the cost of medical expenses, it saves people money so that they don’t have to spend a fortune on accommodation if a child is hospitalised for a few weeks or more…I might be wrong on some of the details but I know it’s a good service for people who don’t have much money Q5 Can you comment on how effective charitable organisations are? A5 Oh that’s a difficult question…I don’t have much of an idea really…umm… well, I’m not so sure I guess it depends on those that are receiving the charity and I would ask their opinion if they were effective or not I have concerns that giving money to a specific organisation would actually reach the needy person at the end I often wonder just how much of that money goes to the organisation or the people they are supporting This worries me Yes, to be honest, I worry about - when I give my money to charities - I worry about whether or not they actually end up receiving the money I donate to them There are some crooks around and they like to take money that doesn’t belong to them…it is concerning Q6 Ok Lastly, can you suggest some new ways that money might be able to be raised for charities in the future? A6 Sorry mean new ways to raise money for charity…in the future? [Examiner: yes] Um, well…I think if I came up with a new and better way to raise money for charities, I would be a millionaire by now! I think the ways to raise money for charities have been exhausted and there really isn’t anything new under the sun I’m afraid I’m not really full of ideas, here Perhaps donating money from online auctions…but that’s probably already been done…um…sorry I’m really out of ideas Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 1: Q1 Let’s talk about where you live at the moment Please describe the town or city where you currently live A1 Yes, I’m living in Sydney at the moment It’s a lovely city with so much to You can enjoy going to the beach or theme parks – like Luna Park - or visiting the famous Opera House…I’ve been there a couple of times There’s shopping and an excellent transportation network throughout the city I’m really enjoying Sydney at the moment Q2 What are you enjoying most about where you live at the moment? A2 I, I, think I’d have to say the beach Yes, the beach You see it’s always been a dream of mine to live near the ocean and I can’t believe that now I actually do! It’s great in the morning when I wake up - I head down to the beach for a walk or a swim…I’ve even recently taken up surfing! That’s a difficult sport to do! There are so many variables – the size of the waves, the current – the natural conditions And then there’s the actual fitness required to paddle out to the sea and then the balance to actually stand up on the board…I’m amazed that anyone can surf, actually! Anyway, I’m loving being near the beach! Q3 What suggestions would you make to improve the house or apartment where you are currently living? A3 Improvements to the house I’m living in now? [Examiner: Yes] Well, I share a unit with other guys and to be honest, we could all be a bit neater! In fact, the unit is always too messy The kitchen looks like a ‘disaster zone’ – dishes piled up in the sink, all the usual mess As far as the actual apartment, I’m not sure that I would change anything…we’ve got bathrooms er, a big living area, plenty of room for parties – it’s a great house! Q4 Ok, I’d like to talk about holidays for a moment What is the most popular holiday destination for people from your country? A4 Where I come from, the beach is definitely the popular choice for holiday destination, especially in the summer Most of my family and friends back home are typically farmers so the beach is a really big contrast for them Lots of people flock to the coastal regions in search of relaxation and enjoyment by the beautiful blue waters of the ocean! Of course, not all people are drawn to the ocean – some prefer the mountains There’s a lot to there as well There are some people - like my mother for example - who prefer a cooler climate and so they enjoy a mountain-style holiday But I’d say that the beach is the most popular holiday destination for people from my country Q5 When you take a holiday, what you most like to do? Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab A5 Well, I like to relax I particularly enjoy reading in the sun…you know a good book and the warm summer sun…wow! There’s nothing quite like it! Very relaxing, very enjoyable Of course I prefer a beach-side holiday so surfing and swimming are high on my ‘to do’ list! Let’s see…I like to watch some TV, go walking, some shopping Yea, those are the main activities that I on holiday Basically a real change in my normal activities Q6 Tell me about where you think is the best place in the world to take a holiday? A6 Ha, that’s a difficult question! There are so many beautiful places to go I’ve never been to the Mediterranean but I hear it’s beautiful I think I’d have to say Australia I’ve been reading about Tropical Far North Queensland I’ve been reading about all the Islands located in the Whitsunday Passage I’ve seen some photographs Wow! How beautiful the scenery! I’ve never seen such beauty I definitely want to visit this part of the world There’s an island called Dunk Island Apparently even the local people say it’s a beautiful island Although I haven’t been there I think if a person likes to be in a natural, tropical environment with warm temperatures and aqua-marine coloured waters, from what I’ve seen in pictures and read, I don’t think you could get much better than tropical far north Queensland! Q7 How you feel about taking holidays? A7 I think they’re important! They’re a great way to ‘take a break’ To pause, to stop…you know, take time out I think it’s important for us to take a break from our normal work activities and really change our environment Holidays enable us to this Personally, I don’t like a holiday that’s too long – I think one week is long enough I think it can become boring and counter-productive if a person takes a holiday that is too long Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 2: Transcript Q1 Good I’m now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 12 minutes You can take notes if you want You have minute to prepare what you want to say I want you to describe an elderly person you know Ok? You have a maximum of minutes to speak so if you go over minutes, I will ask you to stop Can you please begin speaking now? A1 Ok, an old person that I would like to talk about is my Father, my Dad Although I really don’t think of him as being old, he’s older than me! I’ve known my Dad all my life…I guess I met him when I was born! At the moment, he lives in Capetown, South Africa because he is doing some lecturing at university over there He wasn’t always a teacher, he’s an architect by trade Well, he’s my Dad He’s a great father He’s always been a wonderful provider for the family I have brother and sisters and he has always worked hard to provide for our needs I believe his love of teaching is why I’m preparing to go to university to commence my studies pursuant to a Bachelor’s degree in Education As a family we never went without much I grew up in a nice home and a safe, family environment My Dad taught me good values You know, the ‘golden rule’ Dad has a great zest for life His laugh makes me laugh! He’s a happy person and I hope that in the future, I will carry that humour into the lives of my friends and my family Actually, talking about Dad now has reminded me that I need to give him a call…I think I’ll that tonight! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab Speaking Lab Part 3: Transcript Q1We’ve been talking about an older person you know and I’d like to discuss one or two more questions that are related to this Firstly, let’s consider the role of elderly people in society Comment on the attitudes of young people towards older, senior citizens A1 I think that generally there is a gap between the older and the younger generation today I’m not sure why this is - perhaps it’s because the younger generation aren’t taught to respect older people enough On the other hand, maybe they think older people don’t want to waste their time talking with younger people or vice-versa Of course, I’m just one younger person so my perceptions may not be correct, but I think a lot of older people tend not to relate well to younger people With technology changing so quickly you know, the older people just don’t understand all this ‘new stuff’…so, the perception is that when I’m with an older person, I can’t be myself, I have to ‘slow down’ and use different language…you know, behave differently Q2 What about the older person’s perspective Comment on how older people view younger people in society A2 I think…and again I’m only generalising, it’s only my opinion [Examiner: sure, that’s ok] that the attitude of the older generation toward the younger generation is that we are basically foolish I mean, some of them think that we make foolish decisions, that we waste our money and time…in a way I think they’re correct, I mean, I see a lot of people who waste their time and money on foolish things But yeah, I think older people must think that our youth is wasted on trivial things Q3 Ok, can you please suggest some of the benefits older people bring to society A3 Um, wisdom In many cases, older people are smart! Of course, they’ve been around for a long time and they’ve experienced life They’ve got ‘life experience’ This is very important for the future because it can help us to avoid making mistakes From them, we can learn what works and what doesn’t work You know, our governments would a better job if they called more seriously on older people for advice The advice of the elderly might save us from making foolish decisions I guess older people also add variety, a special and unique dimension to a population, I mean…they remind us to ‘slow down’, to relax and enjoy life Umm, older volunteers are extremely helpful The other day I was at an airport and I was lost, an older volunteer at the information counter saved me from missing my plane flight! Q4 Let’s now talk about some of the challenges which are unique to older people Please comment on the difficulties older people experience in society A4 Well, one of the difficulties that comes to mind is that our world is so fast-paced These days, technology, the speed of change is so fast that it even amazes me! I wonder how difficult it must be for an older person to keep up with this pace of change…I believe it must be difficult for them My father called me the other Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab day…he’s trying to set up a new fax/photocopier/scanner/printer… he’s been having a really hard time trying to work out how to operate it Another difficulty, er, as the body gets older, well, it’s not as agile as it used to be…you know it’s difficult for older people to get around – in shopping centres, in and out of their cars, into restaurants, sometimes these basic activities - things that young people take for granted - are major activities that they have to I guess there are mostly younger people running society…you know, in supermarkets, retail shops…those kinds of places, so if these younger people are not patient and understanding - you know, when older people come into their shops - this could also be a difficultly for older people Q5 Ok Suggest ways that societies can help older people with their unique challenges A5 Well, I think the first place to start would be for younger people to slow down a bit, not be in such a hurry to things and look at life from the perspective of an older person This would help them to be more sympathetic, that’s for sure! Um, help older people…well…I can’t think of any other ways societies could help at the moment Um…just be kinder, I guess, more understanding that they are not as fast as they used to be I think it’s important for younger people to remember that old people used to be young people in the past…their thinking can be young, but their bodies are old! Oh yes, my grandmother had a problem with her legs, she couldn’t walk up stairs Societies could make areas like shopping centres, restaurants, movie theatres…those kinds of places more accessible for older people who have problems walking Q6 Ok To conclude, I’d like you to compare the quality of life older people have now with the quality of life they experienced in the past A6 Well, now that’s a difficult question…considering that I’m not an old person! You sure know how to ask tricky questions! Well I guess since technology is improving and new things are being made all the time, life today should be a little easier for older people than it was, say 100 years ago I mean, today, we have cars which are comfortable…more comfortable I guess than the first types of transportation a long time ago Medicine today is prolonging life, so people in western countries are living longer…this can be a good thing, I guess as long as they have a comfortable standard of life.Today, doctors can help older people live more comfortably…I guess For example, if an older person has a disease or some other problem with their body, I guess it’s possible for them to have this problem cured I don’t think medicine was so advanced in the past My grandmother, for example, had an arthritic condition in her hip She experienced incredible pain I remember seeing her crying it was so painful But the doctors gave her a new one! She lived her latter years free of hip pain, which gave her a better quality of life In the past, this kind of thing would not have been possible Texas Academy [...]... Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 4 Speaking Lab 4 Part 1: Q1 I'd like to talk with you about what you do Are you a student or do you have a job? A1 Well, I'm a student I have been studying full-time, preparing for the IELTS but I've also been preparing in my own time for the university courses I plan to take Q2 I see Can you tell me about your studies? A2 Yes I've been preparing online for IELTS with... children The use of Advantages/Disadvantages was a good way to further elaborate on 'how this person has influenced you' She used 'A-D' (See speaking lesson 3) This is a good, confident continuation of the test! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 2 Speaking Lab 2 Part 3: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood... that are difficult – especially reading and writing There are also many practical tips that you can apply It was a very great help with my IELTS preparation I’ve already recommended a couple of my friends to enrol! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 10 Speaking Lab 10 Part 3: Transcript Q1 We’ve been talking about a website that you enjoy visiting and I’d like to discuss one or two more... it’d be great to be able to click a button and ask questions to a live person online Yes, I think Internet shopping will continue to become more popular in the future Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 2 Speaking Lab 2 Part 1: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood Pronunciation is clear and easy to understand... both candidate and examiner The candidate answers the questions with good examples and involves the examiner with a rhetorical question This is a good, confident start! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 2 Speaking Lab 2 Part 2: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be easily understood Pronunciation is excellent and the candidate's... ask you to stop Can you please begin speaking now? A1 When it came time to prepare for the IELTS test, I looked around the internet, trying to find useful information I tried a lot of places – forums, chats, blogs, free videos….I’d have to say that the best site I found was Scott’s English Success! I was having a very difficult time getting motivated to study for the IELTS exam so…as I said…I had a look... how to ask difficult questions') which reduced the tension and allowed her a little more time to think about what she would say This is a good, confident conclusion! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 2 Speaking Lab 2 Part 1: Q1 Can we talk about your home town? Tell me about the biggest industries in your town A1 Yes um, I’m from Mitchford which is a coastal town We've got a lot of white,... takes so long to clean all the mess up Most times, I couldn't be bothered with all the hassle of cooking I pick up some kind of fast food it's much more convenient! Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 2 Speaking Lab 2 Part 2: Transcript Q1 Ok that was very good I'm now going to give you a topic that you will need to speak about for 1-2 minutes You can take notes if you want You have 1 minute... when you see her cute little face and her cute little smile, all that sacrifice seems to be worth it I've never seen my sister so happy since Kate came into her life Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 2 Speaking Lab 2 Part 3: Transcript Q1Ok, that's great We've been talking about a young person and I'd like to discuss one or two more questions that are related to this Firstly, let's consider... on’ – less theory and more practical I think 'head knowledge' is fine, but it must be backed up with practical application I'd like to see this change in the future Texas Academy Sample Speaking Test Speaking Lab 3 Speaking Lab 3 Part 1: Analysis Why this answer would score well The Basics: The candidate's voice is loud and clear enough to be understood Pronunciation is clear and easy to understand