Speaking part 1, cô ngân IELTS ZORBA

Now I definitely prefer lending money, as the feeling described is far better when the shoe is on the other foot!. Now I definitely prefer lending money, as the feeling described is far

Speaking part 1: 8.0+

Topic: Borrowing/lending & perfumes

Cô Lê Ngân

1 Have you borrowed books from others?

No, I don't tend to borrow books, I think many people either read a book once and then it becomes redundant Others like to keep hold of their books so that they can refer back to them over and over, or simply show off their collection and make themselves appear to be well read! I definitely fall into the first category, so I prefer to swap books, rather than borrow them

2 Have you ever borrowed money from others?

I used to regularly borrow money when I was younger, but now, not so much I loathed the feeling of losing money out of my pay check immediately after receiving

it Now I definitely prefer lending money, as the feeling described is far better when the shoe is on the other foot! it's also nice to be able to bail out friends that you trust when they find themselves in sticky situations

1 Loathe/ ləʊð/

I loathed the feeling of losing money out of my pay check immediately after receiving it

2 The shoe is on the other foot!

Now I definitely prefer lending money, as the feeling described is far better when the shoe is on the other foot!

3 bail out / beɪl/

4 sticky situations

it's also nice to be able to bail out friends that you trust when they find themselves in sticky situations

3 Would you like to lend your phone to others?

I think, like many modern people, I feel naked without my mobile phone It is essential for so many things these days However, I do often lend my phone to people in need if they only require use of it for a few minutes, to make a call or send a message

1 I feel naked / /ˈneɪkɪd//: unable to protect yourself from being harmed, criticized, etc.

I feel naked without my mobile phone.

2 People in need

However, I do often lend my phone to people in need

4 Would you like to lend things to others? What would you like to lend to others?

I can't really think of many things I would like to lend to others I'm quite a minimalist so everything that I have is something which I need to use on a regular basis And although I suggested earlier that I like the feeling of helping out friends

by lending them money, unfortunately I am not rich enough to say that I 'like' doing this, it always comes with a personal cost

1.Minimalist/’mɪnɪməlɪst/: using very simple ideas or a very small number of simple elements

2 on a regular basis

I'm quite a minimalist so everything that I have is something which I need to use on a regular basis

5 Is there anything that you will not lend to others?

I think the main things I refuse to lend to others are personal hygiene products such as razors and toothbrushes, I find the very notion of sharing such things nauseating They spread germs and you can catch skin diseases through sharing razors, so the sharing of such products is not something that

I like to dabble in!

1 Personal hygiene products

2 nauseating / ˈnɔːzieɪtɪŋ/:making you feel that you want

to vomit 

I find the very notion of sharing such things nauseating.

3 dabble in / ˈdæbl/to take part inan activity, etc but not very seriously

The sharing of such products is not something that I like to dabble in

Topic 11 Perfume

1 Do you use perfume?

I don't really use after shave on a regular basis I think it's

an unnecessary luxury product, which is too expensive to consume in high quantities However, having said that, I think that when in a relationship, or courting somebody,

it can be a nice and subtle way to show them that you are actively making an effort for them

4 make an effort for sbd

I think that when in a relationship, or courting somebody, it can be

a nice and subtle way to show them that you are actively making

an effort for them

2 What kind of perfume do you like?

I'm really not a big fan of men's aftershaves, as I suggested in my previous answer, I most often wear it for the benefit of someone else, so it is their taste which

I try to accommodate over my own

However, when it comes to women's perfumes, I definitely prefer the sweeter smelling ones

3 Do you give perfume as a gift to others?

Yes, I do My mother is quite fond of perfumes, and my brother is too, so the amount that I have spent on perfume and aftershave for other people

in my life, probably exceeds the amount that I have spent on myself!

And, actually, this question reminds me of a little anecdote of mine I once gifted perfume to a girlfriend, stating that it was my favourite, purely because I was not a fan of the one she wore all the time This tends to amuse people as the reason I did it was because I was not brave enough to actually tell her that I did not like the perfume which she clearly adored!

1 Exceed /ɪkˈsiːd/ : to be greater than a particular number or amount

- The amount that I have spent on perfume and aftershave for other people

in my life, probably exceeds the amount that I have spent on myself!

2 anecdote/ ˈænɪkdəʊt/: a short, interesting or amusing story about a real person or event

And, actually, this question reminds me of a little anecdote of mine

3 adore/ əˈdɔː(r)/

I was not brave enough to actually tell her that I did not like the perfume which she clearly adored!

4 How much money would you like to spend on perfumes?

I haven't actually bought any perfume or aftershave since living in Vietnam, so I will answer with reference to British pounds I definitely prefer to stay at the cheaper end of the spectrum when buying such things, but it's one of the rare times when I am happy to spend more

on an item as a gift for someone else than I would feel comfortable spending on myself This is because I know the recipient is likely to appreciate the fragrance far more than I would So, for myself I would maybe spend up to £40 But for someone else, perhaps up to £60, provided that the bottle is a reasonable size.

1 end of the spectrum/ ˈspektrəm/

I definitely prefer to stay at the cheaper end of the spectrum when buying such things,

5 What does perfume mean to you?

For me, although I have repeatedly said that I'm not a massive fan of it, certain perfumes can become quite pertinent to different stages of your life What I mean by this

is that you can begin to associate the scent of different perfumes and aftershaves with certain significant times and people in your life Although 'perfume' as a product means little to me, there are particular scents which will always evoke particular feelings or memories whenever I encounter them The olfactory sense has a fantastic ability to provoke emotion For example, 'Cool Water' will remind me of my dad, and 'White Musk' of my mum There are countless more which would remind me of other people

1 Although I have repeatedly said that I'm not a massive fan

of it,

2 Pertinent/pɜːtɪnənt/:appropriate to a particular situation

Certain perfumes can become quite pertinent to different stages of your life

3 evoke/ /ɪˈvəʊk/: to bring a feeling, a memory or an image into your mind

there are particular scents which will always evoke particular feelings or memories whenever I encounter them

4 olfactory/ɒlˈfæktəri/: connected with the sense of smell

The olfactory sense has a fantastic ability to provoke emotion