Professional Documents
Culture Documents
IELTS | Part 1
What is your full name? My name is Asami Takashi Can I see your ID? Yes, here's my identification. Do you work or study? I am a student. What city are you from? I'm from Osaka Where is it located exactly? Osaka is in the Kansai region of Honshu, Japan's main island. It is located on the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, it's the third largest city in Japan. Do you like living there? Yes, I do, I think it's a lovely place. Tell me some interesting facts about it. Okay, well, Osaka is considered to be one of the economic centers of Japan and in the past it was famous as a trading center, especially for rice, and was where the first modern futures market developed. Are there many large cities in your country? Not all of them are large, I think there are ten cities which have more than 1 million people living in them. The three largest ones are Tokyo, then Yokohama, Osaka and Nagoya. These are the largest cities and have more than 2 million people living in them. The other cities are smaller.
IELTS | Part 2
Describe the thing that you cannot live without (except phone and internet). Please say:
- What is it? - Why cant you manage without it? - How long have you had it for? - How did you feel when you were without it? Sample answer: I would have to say my car. Public transport in Japan is not so conevenient and sometimes infrequent so havng a car is the preferred choice for getting around, especially if you have to travel to various places. I use my car mainly to go from my home to university and back. But at the moment I'm also workig as a part-time intern in a local business so I have to go there three afternoons a week as well. Trying to do all that by using public trasport would be almost impossible and would take a lot more time. I've had my car for about two years now, it's a Toyota Prius and I love it. It's very comfortable and well equipped and it's also easy to park and economical to run. I can't imagine having to do all the things I do normally without having my car.
But a few months ago there was a problem with it. I noticed a strange noise coming from the front of the car one day. At first I ignored it, but then it gradually became worse and worse. I told my brother about it and he arranged for the car to be inspected by the mechanic. I'm not a very technical person , but apparently there was a problem with the suspension and they had to replace a part. That is the only problem I've ever had with it. The bad news was that they had to order the part specially and I was without my car for about ten days in total. It made my daily activities very difficult, and I didn't really like using the public transport at all. It wasted so much time. I was surprised how quickly I had gotten used to having my car and just how convenient it is. I hope that in the future I don't have any more problems with it. It really is an essential part of my life and I don't want to be without it again.
IELTS | Part 3
Why do you think teenagers always want to have the latest devices such as the iPhone 5? I think it's quite natural. We live in a world that functions and centers around technology nowadays and having the latest device allows you to make the most of the advances and developments in the market. It's the same as older people like to have the latest model of car or a new apartment. People like to have the best or the latest version of things. It's not just teenagers. Why do they often buy a new one even though they already have one? One reason could be that each new verison normally has more functions or features than the older one and allows the user to do more or access more things. Some people also believe that the newest version of something is always better. What do they do with the old one after buying a new one? Many of my friends give their old devices to their younger brothers or sisters or to another family member. I have one friend who is a real technology freak and he always finds a way to use the old device for something else, another project or purpose. How hard is it for parents to convince their children not to buy an expensive phone? I think it's very hard. Many parents grew up without the internet and such digital devices being a normal part of life. They are still relatively new, so parents might not really appreciate just how important and interesting they are for young people.
Why do you think people choose such a subject in your country? In my country English is very popular, especially among young people because they think that it is a way to improve their opportunities for the future. If you can speak English well, there are better job prospects and you can maybe study at a university in a foreign country. Do you like reading books? Yes, I love reading. What type of books do you like reading? I like reading fiction, mainly thrillers. Are you reading a book presently? Yes, at the moment I'm reading a book by Daniel Silva, in English, it's called The English Assassin In the future, Would you like to write a book? Maybe, I really love reading, but I'm not sure if I would be any good at writing, but I like the idea of maybe writing a book when I'm older.
Would you agree that people living in rural areas have fewer problems than people living in cities? There is certainly less crime and living in a rural area is more peaceful and safe, but it depends on the types of problems you are talking about. People can get sick in a city or in the country, it's the same. People can become depressed or unhappy in both places. Life in the country is maybe simpler than city life and less stressful, but it doesn't mean you won't have problems if you live in a small village in the country - maybe just a different kind of problem. I know of some farmers, friends of one of my uncles, that have some serious problems with their farms. Do you think it's just as good to live in the suburbs of a city as it is to live in the middle of the city? I think both places have some advantages and disadvantages. Living in the city center is very convenient, everything is very close and you can find anything you want within walking distance. Living in the suburbs is maybe better for families because it's a little quieter and safer for children but still close to all the facilities of the city. How do you think a town changes and grows to eventually become a city? Historically most places grew because of trade and business. Maybe because the town was near the sea or had a railway or something important to make people want to go there. Many of the industrial towns offered jobs for many people so that's why their populations grew and they eventually developed into cities. Now, it's a little different, as more people are working through technology and are able to work from anywhere and still communicate with people for work and business. Maybe in the future there won't be such massive growth of towns like in the past.
- What was it? - Why was it funny? - Who was there with you? and what you remember most about it. Okay, so a couple of months ago I was attending a job interview in a building downtown. The office was on the sixth floor so I took the elevator up there, I had never been there before so it was all strange to me. I was looking
around for the name of the company where I had to go but couldn't see where I should go. I was still standing near the elevators when suddenly the doors of one of them opened ... and then that's when suddently something very funny happened, a woman was coming out of the elevator and caught the heel of her shoe in one of the spaces between the elevator and the floor, I think her heel broke and she awkwardly fell forward towards me ... it was like it was happening in slow motion ... and without thinking I put out my arms to catch her so she wouldn't fall on the floor. But when I caught her, I lost my balance too and we both fell onto the floor. We weren't hurt and after a few moments we looked at each other and started laughing about it. Some other people helped us up onto our feet again, and the woman thanked me and shook my hand and asked me if I was sure I was alright and not hurt, and then she turned around and walked away. Anyway, I finally arrived at the office, went to the reception desk and told the receptionist that I had arrived. She asked me to sit and wait for the person who would be doing the interview. I sat in reception for about ten minutes and read a magazine. I was very nervous because it was my first real interview for a job in my career after university, so I wanted to make a good impression on everyone. I had spent a lot of time choosing what I thought were the perfect clothes for the interview and I thought I was very well prepared, but I was still very nervous and I felt a little messy after the incident with the woman. Then a door opened, and a woman came out of the room and came towards me, she looked very elegant and important. She looked at the receptionist, who nodded, and then came towards me. She was smiling but I was still feeling nervous ... it was the same woman who I had caught as she fell out of the elevator just 20 minutes ago. She smiled at me and thanked me again for catching her and we began chatting. Then, I didn't feel so nervous because at least she understood why I looked a little messy. The best thing about the whole incident was ... I got the job. I think I must have made a good impression on her! Part 3 IELTS speaking test Brazil Is laughter important in our life? Yes, I think it is. Life can be very serious sometimes and having a good laugh makes you feel better about everything, for a while anyway. Even experts and doctors say that laughing is good for you because it can reduce stress levels. I think life would be very boring if we didn't laugh at anything. What difference is there between mens and womens humor? The difference? Well, I think that women laugh at things which are funny for them and men do the same ... I mean laugh at things which are funny for men. The problem is that many women don't understand why men find something funny and likewise men don't understand why something is funny for women, but that's ok, we're completely different after all. We're not meant to be the same. I think humor for men is more childish than women's humor, but that's just my impression, I could be wrong. Does laughter help one to learn a language? I'm not sure, I've never thought about it. Maybe, I know I used to watch some American TV comedy shows when I was learning English, but there was a lot of things they said that were supposed to be funny that I didn't understand at first. There's a lot of cultural references and things like that involved in humor, so unless you understand how the people think, their history and normal behaviors and everything, it can be hard to decide what is really funny. Now, I understand more, because I have more experience, so yes, I suppose laughter could help you learn a language, if it doesn't confuse you.
It was great fun, although I was a little scared at first, apprehensive really more than scared, as the instructor was very good and I started practising on the ground and very low on the wall to gain my confidence so there was very little risk. After training with the instructor for a few hours and learning all about the safety aspects and the basic techniques used in climbing I thought that that was the end of the activity. But my friend had arranged for us to visit a place just outside of town where we could actually climb on real rocks for practice. It was a beautiful day and after practising on the indoor wall I really wanted to try and do it on some real rocks, so off we went. When we arrived, there were quite a few people climbing already. My friend helped me to get started and accompanied me all the time, he was really very patient, and when I thought I was stuck at one point he showed me how I could overcome the problem and continue. I have to admit that it was a great day, something new and exciting that I'd never done before. I really liked it and I think I want to try it again soon. I'll probably have to try and improve my level of fitness because it seems to be quite demanding physically, but hey, that's a good reason to get toned and fit which is a good thing. I have another friend who loves doing physical exer cise so I'll probably recommend it to her also.
the northwest of the campus. There is another teaching building on the southeast side called Ningyuan (). In the middle of the campus there is also an structure we call Chengxin (). The newest part of the campus is the library which opened in 2008. There is also an area for sports and a lot of the grounds are landscaped. Some people here call it the "Switzerland of Universities in China" because it is quite small but very high quality. I wanted to study there because it has a very good reputation and there are a lot of foreign students who come to study there also. It has a very good academic reputation and many of the students who graduate from the university obtain positions in the ministry of commerce and work for the government. I had never been to university before, so when I arrived on the first day everythig was strange and new for me. I didn't know anyone there as most of my friends from school chose to study at different places. I can remember feeling confused and a little apprehensive on the first day, but that soon passed when I met another girl who lives quite close to me and we have become good friends. I can remember that when I arrived home after the first day at university I had a headache and felt very tired, but it was still a good day.
What are the main responsibilities of your job? I work in the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory which is used to teach about how the planetary system was formed and evolved. I have to organize various research tasks and also academic material for participating students as well as assist one of the profesors in her research for the university. Do you have any hobbies? Yes, I like to keep fit. I like running and going to the gym or doing Pilates. Do you like dancing? No, not really. Maybe sometimes if I go to a club with some friends or at a party I'll dance a little, but not very often. Is dancing a good hobby? [Why? / Why not?] I think it could be if you like doing it. There are many types of dance and it's supposed to make you feel good and relaxed afterwards, so it could be a good therapy for stress. It's certainly popular with a lot of people. Do you prefer watching movies at home or at the cinema? [Why?] Can I say both ...because sometimes it depends on the movie. Sometimes I like to go to the cinema with a friend to see the latest movie releases or if the movie is in 3D it's normally better to watch it at the movies. But there are times when I like to watch a movie when I'm at home just to relax for a while, so I guess I like both of the options. Do you like watching movies alone or do you prefer to watch them with someone else? [Why?] As I said ... I like both, although I probably prefer to go out with my friends to see a movie at the weekend at the cinema maybe, but during the week I'll maybe watch a movie online by myself.
of recycling programs which are often more popular for social reasons. It may not be easy to introduce such a law and any additional costs for companies may result in slightly higher prices to the end consumer but it would probably be more effective. The government could impose financial penalties or reward depending on how successful each company is in their recycling efforts. I think it would be popular if people understood why it was being done ... and that would mean some promotion of the idea and concept and a clear explanation of the benefits for the future of the economy and planet as a whole. Simply recycling more aluminum would reduce the amount of electricity required to produce new aluminum and that would be an immediate saving, even with the costs of recycling it.
Do you still live in your hometown? Yes, I do, I still live with my family there. What do you like about living there? It's a large international city, it's busy and exciting and yet you can find quiet places to spend time too. I grew up there so that's one reason I like it. There are many people from other countries who live and work in the city and there is a lot of international influence which makes it more interesting than some other places in Vietnam. Are you working or studying at the moment? I'm working and studying. I'm studying theater and working as a model and actress sometimes. Do you enjoy your job? Yes, very much. It's interesting and I get to meet lots of different people and sometimes go to different places. I'm a very creative person so the theater and working in drama are two things that I love. Is it difficult to get a such a job in your country? It can be. I spent a lot of time doing part-time work and learning about acting before I got some good jobs. One of the resons I'm studying theater, which covers many more aspects than just acting, is that it will give me more opportunities in the future for different projects.
How important do you think these skills are? Very important. Especially reading and writing. If a child can read then it is possibly the most important skill they can learn because then they can learn about anything else by reading about it. The otherskills are important too but I think reading is by far the most important one - it can make a person into an independent learner and then self-education is possible. Do children learn certain skills faster or easier than most adults? In some cases yes. Most people agree that children learn foreign languages easier and faster than most adults. Maybe adults might learn some skills faster that depend on previous experience, an advantage they would have over children. But in general I think children have more open minds and can accept information more easily rather than questioning everything or comparing it to what they already know. Do you think that team building is important in the work place? [Why? / Why not?] Generally, yes, because in most work environments you need to collaborate with other people to get anything done. It is easier if everybody works together instead of against each other, so knowing how to work in a team or how to manage a team is a good skill to have. Do you like learning new skills or learning about new things related to work? Yes I do, I'm constantly learning new things on the course I'm studying at the moment and I think it's good. The more you know the more you can do or the easier things become - and you can also help other people more if that is something you like doing. Is it important employers provide opportunities and pay for skill development courses for their employees? [Why? / Why not?] In an ideal world that would happen, yes. However, not all employers have the resources to provide such opportunities for all their employees. I think it is something that large multi-national comapnies do for their employees, or some of their employees, because they can see the benefits in the long term future, but many smaller companies simply can't afford to pay for constant training or provide the resources for employees to always be developing their skills. It is important, but not always practical, depending on the circumstances.
Why do you want to learn cooking? I think cooking can be a creative activity, when it's not just for feeding the family every day. I find it relaxing when I do it for fun and like to experiment with diferent ingredients. Do you think cooking programs on TV are useful? I think they are interesting and can give you some insiration or motivation to try different things. My problem is I can never remember all the details of what I see, only the idea, and so when I try to make something it never turns out the same as it did when the chef on TV did it. What is the advantage of a TV cooking program? I think they can give you lots of ideas about different cuisine to try and you can also learn some good cooking tips - but I also like to have a cook book with ecipes or download recipes from the internet - it is easier to follow them like that.
told the secret of the magic crossbow to her husband - he was the rebel leader's son - the legend says that when her father realized he had been betrayed by his own daughter, he killed her and then killed himself. What is the relevance of international festivals or celebrations to the worlds community? When it's international I think it's very important because it allows us to learn more and understand more about different countries and their cultures. It's always interesting to read about these things but to actually see examples at festivals or international events is much better - and sometimes you can meet and talk to the participants. It is a good thing for international relations and that is imortant as many people are becoming more mobile and ned to be aware of different aspects of life in various parts of the world.
It was a nice room - vith a view out over the garden at the rear of the house and there was a lot of natural light which came in through a a pair of glass doors. It used to be really nice to spend time in there becasue it was almost like sitting outside but much more comfortable. As I said, I used to spend a lot of time there reading and preparing assignments for my course. It was away from the main area of the house so it was always nice and quiet and easy to concentrate when I was in there. We used to have a sofa in there too so when I felt a little tired I used to have a little siesta on the sofa for maybe an hour and then continue studying. It really was a very comfortable room to be in and I miss it sometimes.
In your opinion, is it important that parents and children eat together? Personally, yes, I think it's very important. As I was growing up as a young girl I can still remember my father telling us about things while we ate together, I also remember when maybe some other family members, like one of my uncles, would visit, eating together was always very interesting and an opportunity to share and learn more. I still like having meals with my family.
I can tell you about a trip I made a few months ago. I went to London in the UK with one of my professors from university. We were part of a research team that went from Bangladesh to meet with some other teams from around the world in London and discuss an international project that we have been working on for the last few years. I had never been to london before, so it was amazing for me. I had often seen pictures from my father, who used to spend a lot of time there on business, years ago, but I never dreamed that I would be visiting it myself this year. My professor and I spent about a week in London, three of the days were basically for work and then we had one free day and the weekend to see some of the local sights and experience a little of the culture of London. It wasn't a lot of time but it was still nice to be able to see some of the famous places and see all the people from around the world. It's such a cosmopolitan place. We spent hours looking at famous buildings and every now and then we would stop and sit in a cafe and drink something, to rest a little before continuing. On the second last day we actually got lost on 'the tube', that's what they call the London underground train system, it's massive and we got our directions completely wrong. Luckily for us some local people helped us get to where we wanted to visit. I think they must be used to seeing lost 'tourists' all the time. It was a really wonderful and interesting experience for me, as I had always dreamed of visiting England, I just didn't thik it would be this year - the trip was a surprise.
What do children do in their free time in your country? I think the normal things that children do - play soccer - play cricket - computer games and things like that. Homework for school and chores at home if they have to. Do you think children should be doing these kind of things in their free time? [why?/Why not?] I think that children need to have a balance between things they have to do and things they enjoy doing. It's important that they study and learn even when they're not in school - but it's also important that they spend time with their frineds and particiapte in sports or some kind of physical activity to keep them healthy. Should there be the same amount of free time for women and men? [Why?/Why not?] I think maybe women are still occupied more than men sometimes, although when I see my mother preparing a meal and sometimes it takes her hours, she's talking to her sister or the children at the same time. So sometimes I think she's occupied, but it's different from being at work and being occupied becuase at work you can't chat with your family and do things like that. I think men are generally more occupied with work and so have less real free time. In your opinion are computers important? In the world we live in today - essential! We could not live without them now. I don't think there is one area of our daily lives that has not been affected by the increasing use of computers. Business, banking, shopping, study, computers are everywhere nowadays and even in some aspects of life that we maybe don't even think about. Do you use a computer often? Yes, every day. For work and pleasure. I use it as part of my studies and work at the university and I also use it for fun, socializing and surfing on the internet, and now I'm using it to chat with some of the other delgates we met in London on my recent trip. They come from different universities in countries all over the world, so it's great that we can chat online and share ideas.. What kind of things do you use your computer for? As I said, work, study, social. I've bought things on the internet, I reserved tickets for the theater once a couple of months ago. I use it to find information, send emails, watch videos and many other things. Oh, and of course, banking, although that is just more recently, but I think it's good.
How often do you normally buy things on the internet? Not very often, but maybe in the future I'll use the interent more for making purchases.
Do you work or study? I just started working, I graduated last summer. Do you live in an apartment or a house? I live with my parents in our family home - it's a large house in the suburbs of Manila. Do you like your home? Of course, I love it, I've lived there all my life and it is a very special place for me. What kind of house would you like to have in the future? I would really like to have a house like my parents I think. Maybe when I get married, but if I move to another country maybe I will change my mind and decide on something different.
well ... and also some eggplant, onions, garlic ... and I'm sure there are many more as well ... oh and of course we also grow rubber and cotton too. So yes, farming has always been very important here in my country. What measures should we take to protect our nature? One of the problems in this country is that there has not been enough funding and investment in irrigated land and protecting the soil which has been damaged over many years by using various pesticides and fertilizers which have now resulted in land which produces less than it did in the past. There is also a trend happening at the moment where many rural farmers are actually selling their land to developers and they are constructing residences or golf courses on the land. The farmers need the money and this is happening rapidly at the moment, so the government really should have some kind of plan to make sure that the countryside is protected and will not be overdeveloped. I'm not sure what measures exactly could be put in place, but there needs to be some kind of environmental policy which protects or limits the rate of development of such land or we could be making more problems for ourselves in the future. Do you think future generations will be interested in farming? Probably not, it has been difficult for many people to maintain their farms , paying for seeds and the workers to plant and harvest the crops, as I said, many small rural farmers sell their land if they are given the opportunity. I think the younger generation are more interested in commerce and other areas rather than farming as a way of earning a living. They've seen older people struggling in recent years and technology has also changed things a lot here - so it's likely that young people will not be interested in farming and want to do something else for work.
Do you think people should use public transport more? Here, lots of poeple use public transport. Many people don't have much choice. I remember when I spent a year studying abroad in South America, the buses and taxis were very similar to here. They were cheap and frequent and most people used them. I think it's in western countries where people use private cars more maybe - and use buses less in the city. What would you do to improve Hanoi's public transport? I really don't know. There are a lot of people here in Hanoi, more than six and a half million people, so of course there is going to be a lot of traffic also. Maybe, more bus lanes and restrictions would help reduce the volume of traffic. Or more control of the mototaxis; there are more of them than any other form of transport, but it's really a case of planning and only the local authorities know what the plans are for the future. Do you think public transportation is expensive in your city? No, it's really cheap - well buses are - it's only about 14 cents. Taxis can be expensive if you use them a lot, or go long distances. But in general, transport is cheap. What time of the day do you like the most? Why? I like the evening the best, when I'm at home with my family and relaxing. The air is fresh and everything is quiet and peaceful. I love to sit in out garden and look at the sky at night and see the stars sometimes - it's almost hypnotic I think. How is the structure of your day now different compared to the past? I suppose a few years ago when I first started studying I was more relaxed and more social than now. Now becasue I'm doing my Masters Degree there is a lot of reading I need to do and I seem to have much less time for other activities. So I don't go out as often as I used to. But really, my life hasn't changed much in the last few years, it just feels a little more busy at the moment than usual. I still live in the same place - see the same poeple do the same things. Maybe if I do go to Australia, I will be able to tell you about many changes in the future!
items when I first opened them. they were so beautiful and I had never bought anything gold before in my life so it was like a special moment. Now, I have a plan to try and buy some more gold every month, little by little. there are some coins that are really interesting but I also want to buy gold because I think it's a good idea for the future.
But one of the 'things' I like most is that you can always find a quiet place to be by yourself if you go - or you can go to different parts where there are a lot of people all around - there's a lot of variety and you can see, and sometimes even meet, people from all over the world. I suppose if you were really interested in flowers and trees and things like that it would be a great place to spend some time too. I'm not really, but it's easy to see that there are a a lot of different plants and shrubs throughout the gardens. I just like going there because there is always something to do and different people to see, and to see how different the gardens look as the seasons change.
IELTS Turkey
Part 1 IELTS Turkey speaking test
Where are you from? I'm from here, Ankara Do you work or study? I work, I'm a technical support manager. Why is patience important? I think it's important because it can help in many situations. Being impatient doesn't really help resolve any problems and in fact it can sometimes cause more problems. Are you a patient person? Generally, yes I am, although I sometimes feel imatient in certain situations, I try not to show it, as I said, it doesn't really help in most situations so there's no pit in making other people feel uncomfortable. What do you do when you get impatient? I count to 10. My grandfather taught me this - it's very simple, whenever I feel impatient and maybe angry about something - I just count to 10 and it seems to make me more calm. Is it important to have good relationship with colleagues at your workplace? [Why?] Yes, it's important. It can be difficult to achieve it sometimes depending on the personalities involved but it's certainly a better situation than having to deal with a lot of conflict every day. If everyone is getting along well then normally everything else goes well also. What type of clothes do you prefer to wear? [Why?] Well, when I'm at work I wear a shirt and tie and formal pants or trousers, but when I'm away from work I like to wear casual clothes, and when I have time off from work I usuallu just wear a T-shirt and jeans most of the time. What factors do you consider before buying any clothes? If it's casual clothes then whatever I like, as long as it isn;t too expensive. When I buy clothes for work I'm not very fussy either, I usually just buy plain colored shirts and some simple ties and dark colored pants or trousers. I'm not very fashion conscious and I don't like spending a lot of time shopping for clothes.
Do you like shopping? No, not really, I like buying gadgets and tech stuff but shopping for clothes and stuff like that - not really. I try to avoid it until I really need something. It can be a problem sometimes because my girlfriend loves shopping - she's the complete opposite from me. How often do you go shopping? On my own, not very often, but my girlfriend takes me with her quite often to go shopping and maybe eat and drink something together.
Do you think people are more health-conscious now than in the past? Yes, I would agree with that, there's a lot more information about health and fitness available now and more people are trying to lead healthy lives. My best frined and I joined a gym last year and we are very interested in health and fitness now. Why do people try to eat healthier foods? I think many people have differnt reasons. I know that I feel better than I used to and have more energy and I think there's a big emphasis on being young now - and being healthy and fit keeps you young - maybe that's one of the reasons why it's so popular. It's a generation thing I think because a lot of older people don't really pay much attention to it. Why do many countries have food/cuisine exhibitions at international events? It could be to help promote their culture or even help encourage tourism to their country. Events like that are good ways to showcase the best of your country and maybe make people more interested in visiting some day to experience it for themsleves. I think that kind of event has become popular because international cuisine has become more easily available in many other countries now - it's easier to eat food from other countries than it was many years ago - that has made people more interested in knowing more about other contries and not just their own local food. Do you think that food can represent a country? Yes, just like music, food is very particular to certain countries and regions of the world. It's part of the culture of a country just like music and dance and language. Some are more famous than others, for example, Mexican food is known all across the world and Italian pasta too - so yes, food can represent a country as part of the overall culture.
IELTS Speaking Test Hong Kong | Part 3 Have eating habits changed over time in your country? What are the disadvantages of todays diet? Should children be taught in schools how to eat properly?
exported from one country to another. I also remember learning about rock formations and how rivers can form valleys and erode rock, and the earth, over a long period of time and change the landscape. I thought it was fascinating at the time how you could learn so much about something which seemed to be so simple. My Geography classes made me look at everything differently. What I had previously seen as just a river or rock became something much more interesting when I realized how much information it could tell us and how many different aspects there were to them. Even now, I think I still look at things and think about what's beneath the surface, what's behind the visible parts, the parts we can't see or never think about. There's always so much more involved than what we can simply see everyday. Really, I think it was my favorite subject at school because it dealt with real things. I mean, we learned about mountains, rivers, countries, populations, social migration and many other things like that. You can see these things in life, it all seemed relevant. I can remember I didn't like Math much as a school subject because I couldn't relate it to everyday life. Solving all those mathematical problems didn't seem connected to real life. Another reason I liked Geography as a subject was because, as I said, my teacher was great. She made everything seem interesting and had an excellent way of explaining things to her students. The time always seemed to fly past in those classes because they were so interesting.
What do they use boats for? Lots of businesses use boats, or ships, to transport their goods to other countries and I have several friends whose families have small boats for using in their leisure time, mainly at weekends, they go fishing or diving or sometimes just to sail around the coast and visit one of the many fishing villages that you can find. Would you like to own a boat? Yes, one day in the future maybe. It's a great way to relax and see something different and it's nice and healthy being out on the sea for an afternoon. What would you do with a boat? I think I'd do the same as most people here, go fishing and diving, take my friends along with me, maybe take some food and drink with us and have a picnic or sail round the coast and explore a bit. Would you shop online or in a store for a boat? I'd probably do some research online first, you know, about different models and specifications, and then go to a dealer and actually look at any boat thyat I was interested in. Obviously I'd want to take it for a test drive and make sure that I like it before buying it. If I found a boat I liked and wanted to buy then I would try to find it at the best price so maybe I'd buy it online or maybe from a local boat dealer depending on the best price I could get. Have you ever been dissatisfied with an online purchase? No, I've never had a bad experience with anything I've bought online. But I don't buy many things normally. I've had more disappointing experiences with online banking than buying products or other services.
A couple of months ago I found an interesting site while I was looking for help to prepare for the IELTS tests, the site is by the british Council and is called TakeIELTS. I think it is a good site and I found it when I was searching for resources to practice for the exam. It has lots of helpful information, IELTS practice tests and videos of IELTS candidates giving advice and tips about how to do different things in the test. It's very comprehensive and threre are even full IELTS preparation courses online if you pay a subscription charge. the site helped me learn all about the format of the exam, the different sections and skills that are tested and I got to see lots of examples of the types of questions that are used in the IELTS test. before I started to prepare for the exam I didn't really know anything about it. None of my friends had done it before and there weren't any preparation course that I could attend because I work a lot and couldn't make the schedule of the classes. I think I learned most about the IELTS test from that website, even though I found some other sources for material and information on the internet also. After spending quite a lot of time on the site I had a very good idea of what was involved in the IELTS test and what skills I needed to develop. It was very informative, but I wish they had some more videos of the actual IELTS speaking test showing real people doing the interview. I found some videos like that on YouTube and I thought they were very informative and helped me learn more about what to do during the IELTS speaking test. Overall though I think it's one of the best sites that I came across while looking for IELTS resources.
How would you upgrade the transportation in your country? I think it would be good if the rail network were upgraded. The infrastructure is very old in many places and needs to be repaired or replaced to improve the service. Some of the older trolley buses should be renovated or replaced also to improve the overall reliability of the system
About a week ago, I was late for an important meeting with one of my teachers at the university. We were supposed to meet at around 3pm to discuss a project I'm working on for one of the courses I'm attending this year. Anyway, at lunchtime I had to go into the city and take care of some errands. One of the things I had to do was collect an item from my uncle's shop for my mother, but when I arrived my uncle wasn't there and his assistant didn't know anything about it. So I had to wait. Eventually my uncle arrived at the shop, but I had been waiting for nearly an hour. When I left I thought I might be able to make it to the university on time, but then there was a problome with one of the buses that I too and we got stuck in a traffic jam, and I lost more time. By the time I finally arrived at the university and went to my teacher's office he had already left. I was almost an hour late for your appointment so I can;t blame gim for not waiting any longer. I saw him the next day and had to apologize to him. He understood the situation and we arranged to meet early this week. Of course, I made sure that I arrived early this time, so there was no problem. I felt bad about arriving late because I like my teacher and he had offered to help me, he didn't have to do that, but you can't control everything and sometimes delays happen and you just have to accept the situation. I don't think he was angry, it happens a lot here.
They were made from a special 'breathable' material and had a synthetic sole grafted onto the body so that they fitted like a glove on your foot, but the bottom was quite similar to a normal running shoe so that it gripped well and provided protection for your feet. Unlike a normal running shoe each toe was separate. It was really strange to see something like that because I had just been wondering a few weeks earlier why someone hadn't invented a running shoe like this before - and then a couple of weeks later by pure coincidence I came across them on the internet. I wasn't even looking for them or anything. Anyway, the ad was basically a 360 degrees color photo of the shoes, showing them from all angles and some technical and product information about them. There was also a video that was maybe 3 or 4 minutes long and showed a runner going up a rocky hill and the video explained how these running shoes allowed the runner to 'feel' more of the ground underneath his feet and grip better because of the flexing motion of the bottom of the shoes. It was more an informative ad than anything arty or creative, but it made me want to buy the shoes because I hadn't seen them before and I wanted to try them, so I ordered a pair in my size and they arrived a couple of days later. I've tried them out a couple of times so far and they seem really good. They cost me just a little bit more than some of the normal running shoes, but I think they're worth the extra money. The running experience is quite different from normal and personally I prefer it. IELTS Speaking Test Part 3 What kinds of media are available for advertising in your country? All the usual channels such as TV, radio, internet, magazines, newspapers, hoardings and billboards and such like, really anything you can think of people will put to use to advertise products or a brand. Promotional gimmicks such as T-shirts and even cars are often used to promote an event or brand. Are there any other traditional kinds of media for advertising other than TV and newspapers? Yes, as I said, the large billboards are still very popular although they are mainly used by large well established brands because they are very expensive to pay for. Radio advertising is still very popular because it's quite inexpensive compared to national TV or newspapers. And then there are those sponsors who promote themselves at sports events using the traditional media of large displays or having their company name or brand on the sports equipment. There are lots of traditional ways that companies still advertise even though many companies are now spending a lot of money on internet advertising. What products are usually advertised using these different media types? In the case of radio I think they are mainly products that have a local appeal as there are many different local radio stations available. The large billboards seem to be mainly occupied by mass market products like fashion orientated goods or maybe food and drink type products, they are typically used by large companies that sell a product or service which appeals to the masses.
HOME
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Describe your family? Do you have a large or small family? How much time do you spend with your family? What do you like to do together as a family? Do you get along well with your family? Are people in your country generally close to their families? WORK
Describe your home. What kind of building do you live in? How long have you lived there? HOMETOWN
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What do you do? What are your responsibilities? How many hours do you work each day? Do you enjoy your work? Is there some other kind of work you would rather do? If you could change your job or profession, what would you do? Describe the process of getting a job in your country. Describe the company or organization you work for. What is your position? What do you like about your job? What do you dislike about your job? EDUCATION
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Describe your hometown. Whats special about it? Where is your hometown located? Is it easy to travel around your hometown? What is it known for? What do people in your town do? What are the main industries in your hometown? What problems face your hometown? What languages are spoken in your hometown? What are the advantages of living in your hometown? What are some problems faced by your hometown? Compare your hometown with another city. What are some environmental problems faced by your hometown? WEATHER
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Describe your education. What kind of school did you go to as a child? Did you go to a co-educational school? What was your favourite subject as a child? Who was your favourite teacher? What is the education system like in your country? Do you think your country has an effective education system? STUDIES
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Whats the weather like in your country? Does the weather affect your mood? How do rainy days make you feel? Whats your favourite season of the year? What do you like to do when its hot? What do you usually do in the winter? How many seasons does your country have? TRAVEL
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Do you like to travel? What kind of places have you visited in your life? Which place would you really like to visit? Why? Whats the best place youve ever visited?
WEDDING
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PLACE
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Have you ever been to a wedding? Whose wedding was it? Where was it held? What clothes do people wear? Describe the wedding ceremony. What sort if gifts do people buy for the bridal couple? What kind of clothes did the bride and groom wear? COMPUTERS
Describe a place you like to go. Why is this place special to you? When did you first visit this place? Where is this place located? What language is spoken here? Do you speak this language? MARRIAGE
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Do you think computers help society? Do you think computers are bad for health? How do you think computers have changed the world?
SMOKING
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What is the attitude toward marriage in your country? Do most young people plan on getting married in your country? What are some of the advantages of marriage? What are some of the disadvantages? Is the divorce rate high in your country? Do you think people should be allowed to get divorced? HOBBIES
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What do you feel about smoking in public places? Do you think smoking should be banned in peoples homes? INTERNET
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Do you use the Internet much during the day? What do you usually do on the Internet? What are some advantages of the Internet? What are some disadvantages? Do people in your country use the Internet a lot? Do you do any shopping on the Internet? EMAIL
Do you have any hobbies? What are some of your hobbies? When did you first develop tis hobby? What are some of the advantages of having a hobby? How much time do you spend on your hobby? FILMS
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Do you enjoy watching movies? Whats your favourite film? Who are your favourite actors? How often do you watch films? SHOPPING
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Do you send and receive email regularly? Who do you usually communicate with? How often do you check your email? Do you think writing email has strengthened or weakened peoples writing skills? What are some disadvantages of email? FRIEND
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Do you enjoy shopping? How do you feel about shopping? Do you like shopping on the Internet? Do you have any favourite stores? What dont you like about shopping? Which is the most popular place to shop in your hometown? DAILY ROUTINE
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Describe a friend. How long have you known each other? What do usually do together? What do you like the most about him / her? How often do you see each other?
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Describe your daily routine. What do you do on the weekend? What is you typical weekday like? Does your life change much from week to week? Do you have any free time during the week?
SPORTS
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FOOD
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Do you like sports? Do you enjoy watching sports? Do you enjoy participating in any sports? Which sports are most popular in your country? Whats your favourite sport/ When did you first become interested in sports? How often do you participate in sports? What equipment do you need for your favourite sport? GOING OUT
What are some of your favourite foods? What foods are popular in your country? What are some of the famous dishes of your country? Do you enjoy cooking? TOURISM
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Do you like going out or staying at home? What do you like to do when you go out? How often do you go out? Do people in your country go our a lot? How and where do people in your country usually socialize? What kind of entertainment is popular in your country? FESTIVAL
Which places would you recommend to a visitor to your country? Do a lot of tourists visit your country? What do they usually do there? How has tourism changed your country? Is your country expensive for most tourists? What are some famous landmarks in your country? YOUR COUNTRY
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Whats the most important festival in your country? How do people celebrate this festival? What special food is associated with this festival? What special activities are associated with this festival? What do you enjoy most about this festival? Do you think festivals are important for a society? TELEVISION
Which country are you from? Where is this country located? Which part of the country do most people live in? What are the main industries in your country? Is it easy to travel around your country? CLOTHES
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Do you watch television a lot? What do you usually watch on television? How many hours of television do you usually watch? What are the most popular shows in your country? What kind of shows do you like to watch? What are some advantages of television? What are someof the disadvantages of television? What did you last watch on television? Why do you think certain TV shows are so popular?
What type of clothes do you like to wear? What kind of clothes do people in your country usually wear? How important is fashion to you? What kind of clothes do you dislike? Do you think people behave differently in different kinds of clothes? What kind of clothes do people wear to work in your country? Are clothes expensive in your country? GAMES
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Do you enjoy playing any games? What kind of games do you play? Do you think adults should play games? What do children learn from games? What kind of games did you play when you were a child? What games are popular in your country today? What kind of games were popular when you were young? Do you think mental games like chess are good for you?
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COLOURS Do you have a favourite colour? What are your countrys colours? Do you think colours affect our moods? Can you learn anything about a person from the colours he / she likes? Do you like the same colours now as you did when you were a child?
MUSIC
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Do you like music? What kind of music do you like? When do you usually listen to music? What kind of music did you like when you were younger? What kind of music is popular in your country? Do you play any musical instruments? Do you wish you could play any musical instruments? Which is your favourite instrument?