IELTS Speaking Part 1 PDF

32 TOPICS SPEAKING
PART 1
5 - 8/2017
IELTS-SHARE.COM – CHIA SẺ TÀI LIỆU LUYỆN THI IELTS CHẤT LƯỢNG 1

Politeness
What is politeness in your opinion?
 Mmmm… for me politeness is treating other people the way you
would want to be treated, and remembering to say “please” and
“thank you”, that was something my grandmother always
reminded me about.
When you were child, who taught you to be polite?
 My parents, and especially my grandmother, she was always telling
me to say “please” when I asked for something and to remember
to say “thank you” when somebody gave me something or did
something for me.
Why is it important to be polite to people?
 It’s one of those things that just makes life nicer, isn’t it? When
people are polite, it’s just nicer than if they’re not. It makes
everyday activities better… if people weren’t polite then maybe we
wouldn’t speak to so many different people every day or help
people… or ask for help either.
Do you think people became more or less polite in your country
compared to when you were a child?
 I believe, people have become more open-minded, less formal and
more bold in making statements. So, they tend to just say as it is.
But, this does not necessarily mean that they don’t respect their
parents or elders. I think the problem is that people are not able to
express what they feel in a better way.
In your country’s culture, how do you show that you are being
polite?
 To start with, a simple but convincing indicator of good manners,
in my opinion, is saying “thank you” to those who help us, “sorry”
when we’ve done something wrong and “please” when we ask
someone for a favor. What’s more, as you probably know, Vietnam
is a hierarchical society, which means it’s crucial for the people
here to be respectful of their seniors. Of course, there are many

other examples of politeness, but I’m pretty sure the ones I've
mentioned above are two of the most fundamental expressions.
Are we less polite with members of our families than with people
we don’t know?
 I suppose it's normal to be a bit more relaxed about politeness
with family members. Most people tend to speak in a more
informal way at home; in the UK, we still say "please" and "thanks",
but it's fine to use colloquial language and things like nicknames
that you would never use with someone you didn't know.
Do you think we should be polite to those who are not being polite
to us?
 Well just because someone is misbehaving doesn’t necessarily
mean we should act as badly in return. This only makes other
people look down on us. Instead, we’d better try to stay calm and
courteous, even to those who don’t really deserve our politeness.

Celebrities
Do you like any foreign celebrities?
 Absolutely. The person I’m gonna talk about is my idol ever since I
was a teenage girl-Miley Cyrus. I guess most people at the same
age as me grew up with Disney Channel and among its successful
series, Hannah Montanah starring Miley Cyrus would always be on
top of my list.
Would you like to be a celebrity? Why?
 Well, I find myself not belong to that world, I mean, you never
know what’s going on when the curtains close, right? So yeah, I
don’t think I want to become a public figure, to be honest.
Do you think we should protect famous people’s privacy?
 Indeed. As you probably can tell, these days fans, anti-fans and
even non-fans are so curious about what celebrated people are
doing. Some even approach them in person on the street,
especially paparazzi. Thus I strongly agree that there should be
some regulations to protect the celebrities’ privacy.
How do celebrities influence their fans in your country?
 I think the influence of celebrities on fans is huge. It’s somehow
natural to follow our idol and try to be like them. It could be just
physical changes like clothing, hairstyle or makeup. However
thanks to social network, fans and idols are much closer now,
sometimes it’s just a status away. However this mental connection
is a two-edged sword, meaning the idols actually need to be more
careful about their lifestyle or their manners.

Daily Routine
What is the busiest part of the day for you?
 From about 10 o'clock to noon. That is when i have to take care of
my work and things are a bit hectic.
What part of your day do you like best?
 My favourite part of the day is late afternoon, because the day's
work is coming to an end, I can go home, and I have the evening
to look forward to, and the weather is generally pleasant and cool.
Do you usually have the same routine every day
 Almost. I start my day with coffee, then rush to the train station to
go to work and back home. Not too much room for flexibility when
you work 9 hours a day and you are 12 hours out of the house.
What is your daily routine?
 In a typical weekday, I have to wake up a bit early and revise my
university lessons and then I rush to the university campus to
attend the lecture. At around 2.00 pm, I have my lunch in the
cafeteria and spend the whole evening in the library. After I return
home at around 7.00 pm I spend my time in my study room and
have my dinner with my family members. I watch a news channel
for an hour and then get back to my room. I read a story book for
a while and at around 1.00 am I go to bed.
Do you ever change your routine?
 I always want some changes in my life, so my routines also are
constantly changing. I do not like to have mundane or routine set
of activities each day, that would be boring.
Do you think it is important to have a daily routine?
 Not really. I try to make each of my day a little different to the
previous one, to keep me motivated and to add to the fun.
What would you like to change in your day to day routine?
 I would like to get up earlier in the morning than I do now. Next, I
would like to take up regular exercises in a gym. Apart from that, I
would like to leave office/ university early to walk in the park for an
hour.
Are all your days the same?
 Not really. For me, a day-off is quite different than the busy
working day in every perspective. Apart from that different
circumstances and events make the days different from each other.
While Sunday is a day to spend time with my family members and
to meet friends and play with them in the evening, I have a tight
schedule at the university and work on Monday.
What time do you get up?
 Well, let's see. Some days I wake up early. Maybe about 6 o'clock.
Yeah, sometimes I wake up at 6 o'clock. When I get up early, I like
to get ready for the day, take a shower and have breakfast. But
other days, I don't like getting up early. Maybe I'll sleep in until
10:00 or 11:00.

Time Management
Are you good at organizing time?
 If yes: Yeah, I’d say I’m not too bad at it actually. I mean, I always
get my work done on time, and I also set aside a bit of time each
day to do exercise, like going for a jog or something. So um, yeah,
I’d say I’m pretty organized in terms of my time.
 If no: No, I’m pretty bad at it, to be honest with you! I don’t
normally write much down, and I don’t really spend that much
time organizing what I need to do. I kind of just live each day as it
comes, if you know what I mean! So yeah, I guess it’s something I
need to get better at!
Vocabulary:
live each day as it comes

If something isn’t urgent, I tend to put it off until later, which isn’t really a good way of doing things
I have the habit of leaving things to the last moment
How do you usually organize your time?

 I mainly organize it by using the uh ….what do you call it?! … the
uh… calendar APP on my phone, cos I can put all my appointments
and things onto it. And whenever I need to check something, I can
just look at my phone. So I find it extremely helpful, and ever since
I started using it, I’ve been a lot more organized.
what do you call it –or you could say “what’s it called”!
That’s pretty much all I do
Do you think planning is important for time management?

 Yeah, most certainly. You know, I think, for anything, planning is
important, and time management is no exception, because if you
don’t plan your time, how can you manage it?! So I think they kind
of go hand-in-hand.
most certainly = most definitely (it shows a stronger feeling than just “certainly”)
... is no exception
go hand-in-hand
Why do you think some people pay to learn time management?

 I guess for some people, it’s extremely important. You know, for
them, time is money, and if they don’t manage their time
efficiently, they won’t be earning as much as they could. So they
kind of figure that, if they pay an expert to help them manage their
time well, then in the long-run, they’re gonna earn more money.
So I guess you could say it’s a kind of investment.
Do you think children should learn to manage time?
 Yeah, I actually think it’s a really useful thing for them to learn, and
in fact, a lot more useful than many other things they’re taught at
school! You know, if they learn how to manage their time at an
early age, then it’s gonna help them throughout their life. So yeah,
I think it’s a very good idea to do this.
Why do some people find it hard to follow their plans?
 I guess there could be a number of reasons depending on the
person. I mean, off the top of my head, one possible reason could
be that some people make unrealistic plans, which are very hard to
follow through on. For example, someone might, let’s say, plan
to…I dunno, like, spend two hours a day at the gym, or practicing
their English, and in reality, it might be quite difficult to do,
especially for a long length of time.
 So this would be one reason, and I suppose another reason would
be that people might be very set in their ways and have bad habits
which are difficult to break out of. Like for me, I spend a lot of time
reading the sports news, which is not really a very productive thing
to do! And that time could be better spent doing other things,
which I’m very aware of, but I still do it. So I think these kinds of
ingrained habits prevent many people from carrying out their
plans.

Jewelry
What kinds of jewelries do you like?
 Well, I think I like all kinds jewelries, like the necklace, the ring, the
earring and so on. Since the women are natural jewelry-lovers, I
think the jewelry has already become a part of my life.
Have you given other people jewelries?
 Yes, I have. I remembered that I sent a beautiful necklace to my
best friend when it came to her birthday. The necklace was made
of the white gold and crystal, and its design was very unique. My
friend fell in love with it at the first sight.
Why do people like it?
 Well, on the one hand, people like wearing jewelry according to
the style of their clothes. In this case, they will look more elegant
under the decoration of the jewelry. On the other hand, the jewelry
also symbolizes the social status and the social background.
What is your attitude toward jewelry?
 Well, I think the jewelry is very important since it can show a
person's taste and quality. However, I do not think that people
should buy too much jewelry since it may make people look like an
upstart.
Why so many people choose to buy expensive jewelry to maintain
value?
 Well, I think buying expensive jewelry is also a kind of investment.
With the development of the society, the currency may be
devalued due to the inflation. Since the material and the design of
jewelry has their own value, people may chose to invest on the
expensive jewelry in order to make money.
How often do you wear jewelry?
 Well, I do not often wear jewelry. In most of the cases, I will only
wear the jewelry in some special occasions, like my friend's
birthday party, some annual events.

Sunny days
Do you like sunshine?Why?
 I love sunshine! When the sun shines, flowers are extremely
beautiful,the colour of the sky is wonderful, even the air smells
different.
What do you like to do in sunshine/ on sunny day?
 Well, when the weather is lovely, I'd like to go to the beach with
my friends. We can play the sands, swim in the sea, or just enjoy
the sunbath. Sometimes I'd like to go hiking or cycling with my
family, we chat at the same time, which makes me feel closer to
them.
What things do you think is hard to do in sunshine? / what do you
dislike to do when it's sunny outside?
 Well, basically, I love sunshine and I'm willing to do everything in
sunshine. But the summer in this city is very hot and dry, I guess if
someone moves in the summer when it's sunny outside, it'll be
very difficult. Coz you know, moving makes one exhausted,
especially when it's burning outside.
Do you like going outside on weekends on sunny days?
 Definitely. As long as it's sunny outside on weekends, I'll go out
with my friends or family. We would go to the beach, go hiking or
cycling. Sometimes just a walk in sunshine would make me feel
comfortable.
Have you ever been to a place without sunshine?
 Yes, I travelled to London with my dad two months ago. The
weather there made me depressed. It was raining all day. Plus, it's
windy and freezing as well. I didn't know what weather was like in
London before I went there. It is said the summer there is beautiful
and sunny. I swear I won't go there in winter again.

Forget / bring things
What do you remember to do every day?
 Well, there are many things I have to remember to do every day.
For example, after getting up in the morning, I need to take some
simple physical exercises like doing some crunches and push-ups.
Besides, another important thing that I should keep in mind is to
teach my son to read the traditional Chinese poems in the evening.
What helps people to remember things?
 Well, it’s kind of hard to say but people I know around me use the
to-do-list apps in their mobile phones to help them remember
what to do next; but maybe for others, they may probably write the
urgent things down in the notebooks.
Why do old people forget about things easily?
 Well, I guess it’s quite normal that people are more and more
forgetful when they are becoming ageing. Apart from some
negative emotional factors like stress and depression, elderly
people are easier to forget things because of their normal ageing.
Have you ever forgotten something important?
 Oh yes, I nearly forgot the birthday of a woman I liked last time. I
once asked her what her birthday was, and told her I would send
her a gift, but I just unbelievably forgot it until the evening that
day. Fortunately I asked her out to dinner to celebrate with her.
Why do people often forget small things?
 Well, I suppose it could be because they have a lot of things to
think about or remember and sometimes it’s easy to remember big
important things - but little things are more easily forgotten.
What kind of things do you have to bring when you go out?
 Cell phone, of course. I take it with me wherever I go. And my keys,
wallet, lipstick are also must-have items. I always put them
together in a small handbag.
Did you ever forget to bring something?

 I rarely forget to bring something as I have a good memory. But
there was a time when I forgot to take my house key before I left
home. What was worse, my parents were on their trip. So I had to
stay with my friend for onenight.
How do you remind yourself?
 I always write a note about what I should bring, and stick it to the
refrigerator door. Everyday before I leave my home, I check it to
find out what is missing. And it really works.
Do you carry different things in the morning and in the evening?
 For me, there is no difference between the things carried in the
morning and in the evening, almost the same.

School
How old were you when you started school?
 My school is in the vicinity of my house.I went there when I was 6
years old, because it is not allowed to start school before than 6.
How did you get to school each day?
 My school was just located near my home, so every day I walked to
school with myself, or sometimes with my neighbours.
Tell me something about the school
 My school is called the Haiyang Elementary School, which was
established 50 years ago in my hometown. The school was quite
spacious as it was large but there were no many students. Besides,
the teachers there were always kind-hearted and responsible for
their teaching.
What subjects did you study in secondary school (=high school)?
 There were many subjects we had to learn at secondary school,
such as maths, English, physics, chemistry, history, geography, and
so on. So you can see we had a heavy burden at that time.
Have you ever returned to see your old school again?
 Yes, every time I go back to my hometown, I’d like to visit my old
school and I’ll be very delighted to see how my school developed. I
was really proud of it.
Can you describe yourself as a good student?
 Well, overall I think I am a good student. ... I am not an eager
beaver, nor the teacher's pet... but I'm good at scientific subjects
and, most importantly, I like studying.
Do you study English now?
 Yes, of course. I've taken an intensive course this year, where I've
attend classes three times a week... And I plan on pursuing my
studies in the future, too...
Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?

 I've never really liked school... I'm not a bookworm and a lot of
humanities subjects seemed too boring to me. However, the
workload was not too big... The other good thing about school is
being able to see your friends. And fortunately, I had wonderful
classmates.
What kind of school did you go to as a child?
 I have always gone to co-ed schools, right from primary to
intermediate and it has helped me to be more comfortable while
interacting with opposite sex.

Your home
Where do you live?
 I live on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in a district called Tan
Phu, about 15 km from the city centre.
Do you live in a house or a flat?
 I live in a 3 bedroom flat on the 11th floor of a big apartment
building.
Who do you live with?
 I live there with my wife and little baby son.
Is it a big place?
 It’s pretty big for a flat. It has 3 large bedrooms, one for my wife
and I and one for my son when he gets older. It also has a smaller
bedroom that I use as a study and to store things in. The kitchen is
small but it is part of a big open plan living room, so there is lots
of space for the family.
What is your favourite room?
 That would have to be my study because it’s the only room that I
can get peace and quiet in. When I’m in there my wife knows I’m
working, so she leaves me alone and I can concentrate on my
work.
How is your apartment decorated?
 I don’t like lots of over the top decoration, so I guess you would
describe it as minimalist. The walls are all white and the furniture is
also either white or black. There are very few ornaments or pictures
because again, I like to keep things quite minimal and I hate
clutter.
Is there anything you would like to change about your flat?
 I would like to have a big balcony. We have a sort of balcony at the
moment, but we mainly use it for washing and drying clothes. It
would be really nice to have some tables and chairs on a proper

balcony, with maybe a few plants, so we could sit there in the
evenings and relax.
Do you plan to live there for a long time?
 I really like where I live but it is really far from where I work in the
centre of town. It takes around 45 minutes to drive there by
motorbike and in the hot season and wet season it can be really
uncomfortable, so we will consider moving closer to the centre in a
year or so.
Do you have a garden?
 That’s the best part of where we live, we have a huge garden. It
takes around 40 minutes to walk around it. It has a few play parks
for the kids, a number of gyms and four small lakes. We are really
lucky to have it and I try to go for a walk around it every day, if I
have time.
Are there many amenities?
 Not really, because it is on the edge of town. If you want to go for
a nice meal, use a swimming pool, go shopping or head out for a
drink, you really have to drive for about 30 minutes. That’s the
major drawback, but if you are organised and buy everything when
you are in the centre of town, it’s not so bad.

Hometown
Where is your hometown?
 My hometown is on the south-east coast of Northern Ireland. It’s
called Dundrum and it’s about 1 hour south of the capital city.
What do you like about it?
 It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and for me, one of the
most beautiful places of earth. It has everything; fantastic beaches,
rolling mountains, dense forests and picturesque countryside.
What do you not like about it?
 It can be a little bit boring because it’s really tiny. There are only a
few small shops and a couple of pubs and that’s it! In the summer,
it’s OK because you can enjoy the outdoors but it would be nice to
have a few more indoor facilities for the winter.
How often do you visit your hometown?
 Not as much as I should. I only get to visit about once a year now
to see my family because I’m really busy with work and it’s quite
far away, but I hope to visit more in the future.
What’s the oldest part of your hometown?
 There is an old Norman castle that sits on top of the highest hill of
the town. It’s a ruin now, but there are some breathtaking views
from it and it’s easy to see why they chose that site for a castle,
because you can see for miles around.
Do many people visit your town?
 Thousands of tourists visit every summer. They come from the
capital city mostly to get away from the hustle and bustle and
enjoy the peace and quiet. There are more and more international
tourists visiting because lots of scenes from the TV show ‘Game of
Thrones’ were shot just outside the village.
Is there any way your hometown could be made better?
 As I said before, the best thing about the town is its rural beauty
and you can’t really improve that. If I had to say something, it
would be to improve the roads, they are in a terrible state and
cause a few car accidents every year.
How has your hometown changed over the years?
 Since I was a child the town has almost doubled in size and
population. It used to consist of just one main street, but now
there are many new housing developments and apartments next to
the water. With all these new people moving in, it has changed the
character of the town a little bit, people are not as friendly as
before.
Are there good transportation links to your town?
 The public transport system consists of just buses that pass
through the town on an hourly basis. One bus goes north to the
capital city which is really convenient if you need to do any
shopping and the other bus goes south where you can switch
buses and go across the border to the Republic of Ireland, so you
could say we have international transport links which is not bad for
a little town like ours.
Would you recommend the town to people with children?
 Yes and no. It is obviously a great place to bring up kids because
there are so many things for them to do like swim in the sea, play
in the forest and run on the beach. However, the good schools are
pretty far away and I remember having to get up really early every
morning to catch a bus to school that was 20 miles away.
Is there much to do in your hometown?
 Oh yes, there's certainly lots to do there as it's a fairly big city. If
you like going out in the evening there are a lot of good
restaurants and bars. If you prefer cultural activities there are
museums and art galleries. But if you like nature there are lots of
other things outside of the city which are easy to reach.
What are the people like in your hometown?
 They are mostly quite friendly, but as with most big cities everyone
is often busy so it may seem as if they are not interested in
speaking or having a chat. But if you live there you know that most

people are quite happy to have a chat if they have time and will
help you if needed.

Study
What are you studying at the moment?
 I'm studying history at university. It's a four year course, and I
started it three years ago, so I have just one year left. I'm enjoying
it a lot so it will be sad to finish.
Why did you choose that major?
 I was fascinated by being an auditor when I was in high school. At
that time I was inspired by my cousin, who is an excellent auditor.
To be a good auditor, I have to be good at accounting so I made a
decision to study it in Hanoi University.
Is it a popular subject at your university?
 Very popular, in fact it’s one of the most sought after courses. I
think there are about 350 people reading law at Queen’s. I think
lots of student’s parents want them to study law so they can get a
good job after they graduate.
If you could change to another subject, what would it be?
 I planned to study medicine, but then when I went on work
experience I fainted at the first sight of blood, so definitely not
that. I’m a real history buff and read books about World War 2 all
the time, so I suppose it would have to be Modern History.
What do you like most about your studies?
 We learn about many things from the past such as politics and
wars, but I like learning about how people lived in the past the
most. It's amazing to see how our lives have changed so much
from the past up until now. In some ways our lives have got much
easier now, but in other ways the simplicity of life in the past made
people much happier. Learning about all that is fascinating.
What do you hope to do in the future when you have finished?
 I'm not sure at the moment, but I may go into teaching. This is why
I'm doing the IELTS, as I intend to carry on and do a Masters in a
specific area of history. I'll probably decide for sure what to do
when I have completed that.
Work
What is your job?
 I currently work as an office manager at a large marketing
company. I've been in the job for about five years now. I'm usually
assigned to work with a specific business in order to improve their
sales through various marketing strategies.
How did you get this job?
 Well, I am done my Bachelors in technology in Information
Technology. So, during the last year, lot of companies came in for
campus recruitment and I got selected at Infosys.
Do you have to work with other people?
 Oh yes, all the time. It's a big office and we all have to work as a
team if we want to achieve results. I have colleagues I need to
liaise with such as the graphic designers and I also have
administration staff who work under me. And of course I also have
to work alongside the companies that we provide marketing for.
So yes, I definitely have to work with other people.
What do you dislike about your work?
 The only think that I really don’t like about being a software
engineer is that apart from being a great job, it is not something
very close to my heart. At hear, I am a writer, traveler and a reader.
And I would definitely would want to do something near to it.
Do you think you will change jobs in the future?
 Well, that's not something I'm thinking about at the moment as I
really enjoy what I do and it's a really good company to work for.
The pay is good and they have other good benefits such as flexi-
time and end of year bonuses. But that said, change is always a
good thing, so I can't see me being there forever. I'm sure I will
change one day.

Name
How did your parents choose your name?
 To be truthful, I’m not sure how they chose it; I’ve never asked
them. I suppose it was just a name that they both liked, and maybe
they thought it suited me.
Does your name have any special meaning?
 I think it might do, but I don’t know what that meaning is; I’ve
never looked it up. Maybe I’ll google it later today; you’ve made
me curious to find out!
Is your name common or unusual in your country?
 Yes, it’s quite a common name. I remember that there were two
other people with the same name as me in my class at school.
If you could change your name, would you?
 Not at all, I definitely wouldn’t. My name is part of my identity now,
and it would feel strange to suddenly change it. I don’t think my
friends and family would like that either.

Fruit/vegetables
Do you usually eat fruit and vegetables every day?
 Yes, I do. I usually have bananas with my cereal at breakfast time,
an apple for lunch, and sometimes I have melon or some other
types of fruit after the main meal. I eat lots of vegetables each day
as well because they’re good for me.
What kind of fruit do you enjoy the most?
 I really love bananas because I enjoy the flavour and the fact that
they are convenient to take to school, and they fill us up easily.
They’re also healthy.
Did you enjoy the same type of fruit when you were a child?
 No, I don’t think so. I used to hate peeling the skin of bananas, so I
never really enjoyed eating them. Then, when I got a bit older, I
changed my mind.
Do you prefer to eat fruit or vegetables?
 Sometimes, I think I prefer vegetables because they are always part
of the meal, not separate, so it’s easier to get enough vegetables
to stay healthy. But then, fruit is so sweet and delicious. I guess I
enjoy both fruit and vegetables equally.
Are there any fruits or vegetables you don’t like? Why?
 Yes, there are… I’m not a fussy eater, but I really hate onions and
seafood… I try to avoid meals that might contain these products…
Do most people eat vegetables in your country?
 Yes, they do. Almost every meal has either rice or potatoes and
also another vegetable as well, such as cabbage, carrots, green
beans or something like that. Quite a lot of people have a small
proportion of vegetables to meat but at least they always have
some kind of vegetable with their meal.
Are there many vegetarians in your country?
 Yes, quite a lot. Many people choose to avoid eating meat and
their diet consists of both vegetables and grains. There are quite a
few restaurants in my city which cater to vegetarians and offer the
most wonderful dishes such as fried aubergine, spinach and
potato, onion cakes and things like that. They’re actually very
delicious.

Transportation
How did you get here today?
 I came by bike because the roads are pretty congested at this time
and a bike is quicker. It only took me about 15 minutes to get here.
Do you often use public transport?
 Yes, I do. I use the bus almost everyday. It’s the cheapest way to
get around even though it’s really overcrowded and not
particularly punctual.
How could the transportation system be improved in your country?
 Well, I think the first step to improvement would be to widen the
roads and build to overpasses and underpasses to help traffic flow
more freely which would reduce the congestion in the city center.
Also, it would help if the bus service was improved to make it run
more frequently which would help with the overcrowding in rush
hour. I think those are the two main changes that need to happen.
What form of transport do you prefer to use? Why?
 I prefer to travel by car because it means that I have my own space.
Also, the buses and trains in my city are usually overcrowded; my
car is much more comfortable.
How much time do you spend travelling on a normal day?
 I probably spend about an hour and a half travelling to and from
work. I travel during the rush hours, so there is quite a lot of traffic.
What do you do while you are travelling?
 I usually listen to the radio or a CD. In the morning I like to listen
to the news to find out what is happening in the world.
Do you ever have problems with transport?
 Yes, as I said, I get stuck in traffic on my way to and from work. I
used to get annoyed by traffic jams, but now I'm used to them.

Teacher
Do you have a favorite teacher? / Who was your favorite teacher
when you were young?
 Certainly. I was lucky enough to study with a few amazing teachers,
but the most impressive one is probably a lecturer in my university.
 Another possible answer: Of course, Yes. I studied with many
teachers during my academic career, but the person who inspired
me the most was my Maths teacher in high school.
What you have learnt from this teacher?
 Besides knowledge, he also teaches us how to adapt to the society.
I have learnt comprehensive skills from him, such as how to get
along with other people, how to overcome difficulties and so on,
which are essential to be an useful citizen in the society.
Do you still keep in touch with your teacher?
 yes, I often send them text messages on teachers' day. Sometimes i
go back to school to visit them. When we have a class reunion, we
also invite them as well.
Why do people become teachers?
 I personally love this profession. I think that people become
teachers because they want to help other people. Teachers play a
very important role in the character development of a student. In
my opinion they are serving the society in a very good way.
Do you think you could be a teacher?
 I don’t think I am suitable to be a teacher, I am not a patient man
and cannot bear to repeat the same things frequently. Teachers’
job is really boring to me, you have to make your explanations as
easy as possible for students to fully understand. It is a challenging
job, I am afraid I cannot do it.

Television
Do you watch television a lot?
 Well, I used to watch but now I have altogether stopped watching
it.Oh! I love watching television. It is something that helps me
break off stress after a tiring day.
What’s your favorite type of TV program?
 Being an architect, I used to not only read books but also watch TV
documentaries in order to pick up information related to my field;
but recently, because I found that the Internet is full of better
material, I’ve been streaming videos, which is a much more
efficient way to enhance my knowledge.
Do you like watching TV?
 I don’t get time really to watch TV and I don’t like the fact that you
have no choice about what to watch, so no I would say I don’t
really like watching normal TV, I much prefer streaming something
on my iPad and watching it when I like.
How often do you watch TV?
 I’d say maybe only a few times a month when there is a good
football match on. I prefer watching football on TV with other
people around because it’s a great atmosphere, but if it’s a normal
TV show I will just watch it alone at home on my tablet.
What kind of TV programmes do you like to watch?
 I like dramas and thrillers. I don’t really like anything that is not set
in the real world, so I’m not a big fan of sci-fi or fantasy, although I
have been getting in to the latest season of Game of Thrones. I
also really like to watch documentaries about military history,
especially anything to do with the Second World War.
What are the most popular TV shows in your country?
 In my country these days reality shows and comedy shows are
among the most popular TV programs. I guess it’s because its
content is suitable for audience of any age from children to the
elderly. The fans of reality shows feel interactive and familiar with
the competitors while that of comedy shows generally want to be
entertained with jokes and laughters.
Do you like watching TV shows from other countries?
 Yes, most of the programmes I watch are from the United States.
Networks like HBO and Netflix have the biggest budgets and as a
result can make some really high quality shows. I don’t think Game
of Thrones could be made without a huge budget and America is
probably the only country that can make a TV show on that scale.
Has the internet affected your viewing habits?
 Absolutely, I watch most TV shows on the internet now, rather than
a normal TV. There are so many streaming services like Netflix
offering on-demand TV and it suits me to be able to watch what I
want, when I want. I also like to binge watch a series of TV shows,
just watch a whole series in a day or two rather than waiting for
the next episode.
What is your favourite TV show?
 There was an American show called Fargo that I really loved. It was
an adaptation of a film made about 15 years ago. The plot lines
and characters were really interesting and the dialogue was well
written. Unfortunately, there has only been one season of it so far,
so I have to wait another year to see the next season.
What was your favourite show when you were a child?
 I was a bit of a strange child because I didn’t really like cartoons
like most of the other kids. But there were a few shows I loved like
The A-Team, Knight Rider and Air Wolf. They were so cool and
always had great action scenes. I was a bit obsessed with violent
action films when I was kid. When I think about them though they
weren’t really all that violent compared to shows these days, I
don’t think one person was ever killed in any of those
programmes.

Shoes
Do you like shopping for shoes?
 It's ok I suppose, but it's not something I especially enjoy doing.
You know, for me it's just a matter of finding the right shoes and
buying them, and the faster I can get it done, the better!
How often do you buy shoes?
 Let me have a little think…um, I guess probably something like
once every few months, cos I mean, the shoes I buy tend to last
quite a long time, sometimes even a year or so, before I need to
get another pair. So yeah, on average I'd say I buy a couple of pairs
a year. Something like that!
What kinds of shoes do you usually buy?
 Well, thinking about it, the shoes I normally buy are just plain,
simple walking shoes, cos that's all I really need. Oh and I also
occasionally buy trainers for running, but that's pretty much it!
Do you prefer comfortable shoes or good-looking shoes?
 Ah, that's an easy one! I much prefer comfortable shoes, cos for
me, comfort is definitely the number one priority. But that's not to
say I don't care at all about how they look. I mean, I don't wanna
go around wearing shoes that look hideous! You know, that would
be pretty embarrassing. But as long as they're ok looking, then
that's good enough for me.
What kind of shoes do you usually wear?
 I mostly wear flat shoes rather than high heeled shoes because I
find them more comfortable. I also go for shoes that aren’t lace-
ups so that I can slip them on and off whenever I need to.
Do you think the type of shoes someone wears reflects their
character?
 Yes, I do. People say that first impressions are important and I
think that goes for shoes too. If you see a person wearing a worn
out pair of shoes, it gives you the impression that they that are
sloppy. On the other hand, if you see someone wearing brand
name shoes that cost a fortune, you know that the person has
plenty of money to splash around and doesn’t care about costs.
So, shoes can tell you a lot about someone’s character.

Robots
Are you interested in robots? Why?
 Yes, i have to say that i am fanatical about robots. I uesed to watch
a very touching movie named Cyborg girl, which tells about the
love story of a robot and her owner. we often think that robots can
not think and love, but the movie has shown the opposite, by
which i was deeply impressed.
Why are robots part of many TV shows and movies?
 That's a very interesting question ! Scientists and science
researchers improve techniques by testing advanced technologies
with robots to better understand our world as well as the universe
in the film-making field. The audience feel like they have
superpowers while the television or film is speaking to them .
Would you like a robot to help out around the home?
 I hope so ! I'm in charge of making sure that everyone and
everything is in the right place at home . Almost every day I am in
need of urgent help . A robot , my most anticipated assistance ,
may reduce the frequency of my daily stress . It can become a part
of my family .
Would you ride in a car driven by a robot?
 I would love to have a car with a robot in it, but only if there is an
option of manually driving the car as well. Having a robot every
time in the car, will just take away the fun of driving the car. The
fun that you get, the rush of reaching to a place, the fact that you
can control something is amazing. Although, having a robot will
help in having those long trips but a permanent driver is
something I’ll avoid.
Will robots replace human beings in the workplace completely?
 Well, i don't think so. Even though robots are massively replaceing
human labour and this helps us avoid potential dangers as well as
saving labour, the role of human beings is rereplaceable. We still
need to control robots as well as find solutions for arising

problems or process data as robots are still unable to do these
tasks.

Newspaper and Magazines
Which do you prefer, reading newspapers or magazines?
 I would say I prefer newspapers. Newspapers in just ten or eight
pages give you a glimpse of the entire world, including all the
sections. From fashion to the general news to comics to sports to
almost everything. In just one newspaper, you have access to the
entire world.
What type of stories do you like to read about?
 I love reading autobiographies and non-fiction. Autobiographies
because they give a glimpse of lifestyle of a very successful person.
You get to know them when they were the mango people and
what they did to become what they became. Their struggle, the
inner story, their point of view and for some reasons I find it quite
exciting. Other than this, I like reading non-fiction.
Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign
language? [When/Why?]
 Yes, all the time. I lived in another country for several years, so
reading in a foreign language was a normal activity for me, not just
newspapers and magazines, but all kinds of documents and
literature. I still do it to maintain my reading skills.
Do you think reading a newspaper and magazine can help you learn
a language?
 Yes, but it depends on your language level. If you are just
beginning to learn a language then it can be very difficult and
frustrating – certainly not the best way to try and learn a foreign
language – but as you progress and develop your vocabulary it is a
good way to learn expressions and phrases related to common
topics in the news and current affairs, or related to a specific topic
in the case of magazines.
Why do you think some people prefer magazines to newspapers?
 I think the reason might be that magazines are more specific. So,
for example if I am interested in reading about like sports, then a
magazine will offer me better articles and more specific, to be
concise. It also de clutters all the things that one does not wants to
read.
Which magazines and newspapers do you read (why)?
 Answer A) I prefer reading magazines on travel. Being a travel host,
it is very important for me to know about more places and
understand them theoretically, before taking on my camera and
team along side. Travel magazine also help me to understand the
perspective of the other person for a same place that I have also
visited. Apart from it, I like fashion magazines as well. Not for the
reasons of fashion, I find them good entertainer when one wants
to just spend time idly.
 Answer B) I only read magazines and newspapers if I’m waiting
someplace and they are there, and there is no other alternative.
Most of the time, I prefer doing something on my phone. But,
either ways, I like to read sports magazine. Cars and their engines
excite me for the most part. I mean, there are fantastic cars out
there and in magazines, a perfect description is given. Newspapers,
I rarely read. I prefer getting the news on either phone or
television.

Musical Instrument
Which musical instrument do you like listening to most? (Why?)
 My favourite musical instrument to listen to is the guitar. I like the
fact that there are different types of guitar, like classical, acoustic
and electric. I love the variety of sounds a guitar can make.
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
 I took some guitar lessons when I was younger and still have a
guitar at home. I don't play it much nowadays. I wish I had more
time to practise.
Do you think children should learn to play an instrument at school?
 Yes, I think it's a great skill and it's really enjoyable to be able to
play a musical instrument. All children should be given this
opportunity.
How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a
teacher?
 It would probably be more difficult without a teacher. You need
someone to show you what to do and correct your mistakes. You
need a lot of discipline to teach yourself.
Vocabulary
Musical Genres
classical; jazz; rock and roll; folk; opera; pop; contemporary music
rap; hop-hop; blues; RnB; pop; Kpop; Jpop; heavy metal; punk
Playing Musical Instruments
a soulful singer; a virtuoso musician; a talented pianist; a skilled violinist; learn a musical instrument;
practice makes perfect
Listening to Recorded Music
I enjoy listening to some great sounds; I like to chill out listening to music; a classic recording;
recorded music; live music; a live album; I listened to an old CD through my headphones
Concerts and Live Music
go to a concert; go to a gig; catch a performance in a concert hall; see a show in a theatre; I prefer live
music to recorded music; the venue was just a bar; I once saw the London Symphony Orchestra
perform Vivaldi
Songs

a song; a pleasant melody; a catchy tune; a groove; a fast beat; a nice piece of music; an uptempo
song; Lennon and McCartney composed this song; Mozart is my favourite composer; I like Beethoven’s
symphonies

Mirror
How often do you look at yourself in the mirror every day?
 Well, actually I use it at any moment. I mean, I am an image-
conscious person so that I spend lots of time on makeup,
grooming and other efforts to look good. I can say that mirror has
been an indispensable tool in my daily life. Even when I see
anything that reflects light, I will go over and check up my
appearance subconsciously.
 As for me, en, not quite often. I have no habit of looking into the
mirror. Actually, I am not an image-conscious person, I only do it
when I am washing or trying on clothes.
Do you often buy mirrors?
 well, I am surely a mirror-lover, but I don't like buy it quite often. I
should say that I always buy three once, one at school, one at
home and one in my bag. I won’t buy new ones unless they are
missing.
 To be frank，I never buy one. I mean, there is no need for me to
check myself at any moment. I just glance in the mirror on my way
out the door and my mom is the one who bought it years ago.
Where do you put mirrors?
 En, I have no mirror at all, but there are two in my home. As for the
cosmetic mirror, my family put it above on the wash basin. If I
remember correctly, there is a full-length mirror in the living room
for dressing.
Do you think mirrors are a necessary decoration?
 Of course，besides the distinct merit of viewing one‘s reflection,

mirrors serve some very important purposes. It is a good way to
improve a dim room. Plus, a large mirror on wall can create the
illusion that the room is much larger than its actual square
footage.

Letters or emails
At work or in your studies, do you often write things?
 Yes, I write a lot of emails as part of my job. I work for a company
that has offices in several countries, so we use email to
communicate.
How often do you send e-mails?
 I probably write between 5 and 10 work emails every day, and I
send emails to friends or family a few times a week.
Do you prefer to write by hand or on a computer?
 It depends what I’m doing. I prefer the computer for most things
because it’s faster and you can save or copy things, but I still like
making notes or writing ideas down by hand.
Do you prefer to send letters or emails?
 I prefer to send emails they’re so much quicker and easier. But
then again I suppose letters are more personal and a bit more
special. I certainly prefer to receive letters and I guess my real
answer is that I get more pleasure out of sending letters too.
Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting?
 No, I think we will always write by hand as well. I think it’s an
important skill, and schools will continue to teach children to write
by hand before they learn to type.
Vocabulary
Apologizing
I'm sorry about...
I am sorry that...
I'm very sorry about...
I'm very sorry for...
Please forgive me for...
I'd like to apologize for...
Please accept my apologies.
Please accept my sincere apologies. (very formal)

Asking for Help
I'd be grateful if you could...
I would be grateful if you could...
I would appreciate it if you could...
Could you please...
I was wondering of you could help me.(informal)
I would like to know...
Asking for Information
I am writing to enquire about...
I am writing to find out about...
What I am looking for is...
I would like to know about/if...
Closing
I look forward to seeing you.
I look forward to hearing from you.
I look forward to meeting you.
Complaining / expressing dissatisfaction
I'm writing to express my dissatisfaction with...
I'm writing to express my annoyance with...
I am not happy about...
...was very disappointing.
Conveying regards
Please give my best regards to your family.
Please pass on my best wishes to your wife and children.
Please give my regards to your parents.
Expressing satisfaction
I was delighted to hear that...
I was very happy to learn that...
I was thrilled to find out that...
I was glad to hear that...
...was very enjoyable.
Expressing concern / sympathy
I was sorry to hear about... (your accident/ illness)

I am writing to express my concern about...
Giving bad news
I regret to inform you that...(semi-formal)
I am sorry to tell you that...(informal)
I regret to advise you that...(formal)
I am afraid I have some bad news.(informal)
Giving good news
I am pleased to inform you that...(semi-formal)
I am delighted to tell you that...(informal)
I am happy to advise you that...(formal)
I thought you might like to know that...
Giving reasons
This is because...
This is because of...
This is due to... (formal)
This is as a result of...(formal)
This is owing to...(formal)
Making suggestions
Would it be a good idea to...
Perhaps it would be a good idea to...
Thanking
Thanks.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you kindly.
I can't thank you enough.
No words can express my gratitude.
I am extremely grateful for...
I very much appreciate your ______ing

Housework
Do you like doing housework?
 No I can’t stand doing housework to be honest with you. I mean, I
just find it a lot of effort. And I also don’t like getting my hands
dirty, so I avoid it whenever I can!
 Another possible answer: No, I wouldn’t say I do, cos I find it kind
of tedious. But saying that, I do get quite a nice feeling when I’ve
finished it and everything looks clean and tidy!
Tedious - If you describe something such as a job, task, or situation as tedious, you mean it is boring
and rather frustrating.
How do you think housework could be made more interesting?

 That’s a good question. I guess um... it could be made into a game,
I suppose, for example have a competition with your friend to see
who can, like, clean a room the fastest. That could possibly make it
a bit more interesting and exciting. Um…What else? Uh let me
see... that’s all I can really think of, I’m afraid – just make some
game out of it!
Other ideas:
Put on the radio on while you’re doing the housework.
Listen to an audio book or something while you’re doing it.
Did your parents ask you to do housework when you were a child?
 Yeah they did. Mainly it was, like, tidying my room, cos it was
always quite messy. Yeah, that was the main thing. And uh, what
else? Oh yeah, sometimes they would ask me to help with the
washing up, but that was pretty much it. So I guess I’m kind of
lucky, in that my mum did most of the housework.
 If no: No, on the whole, they didn’t because they wanted me to
focus on my homework. Occasionally, I did do a little bit to help,
like sweeping or mopping the floor, if there was a lot to be done,
but by and large, I escaped doing most of the household chores,
so I was pretty lucky I suppose!
Do you think children should do some housework?

 Yeah I think it’s a good thing for children to do. You know, I’d say
it kind of prevents them from taking things for granted, and um, it
also helps develop a good work ethic.
Which do you think is better for doing housework, a machine or a
person?
 I think, on the whole, a person is better, because a machine might
miss out a few bits. Just to give you an example, I’ve seen in some
electrical appliance stores these robots that move in a random
motion sucking up the dust off the floor. And to me it looks pretty
inefficient, because they might go over the same spots repeatedly
whilst missing out other areas. And this is not something a person
would do. Having said that, I think a combination of both – i.e.
humans operating certain machines, like vacuum cleaners, is
probably the most ideal way to do housework.
i.e. -.is used to introduce a word or sentence which makes what you have just said clearer or gives
details. (Pronounced “I” “E”)
In the future, do you think machines will replace humans for doing
housework?
 Not completely, no, because, as I mentioned just now, machines
often need humans to operate them, so I think, in all likelihood, it
will continue to be a combination of both machines and humans.

Indoor games
Do you play any indoor games?
 Does Dungeons & Dragons count? If so, I am in a D&D group
every Monday night. We play indoors.
Do you prefer to play indoor games or outdoor games?
 I think i like both, shouldn't i? I mean i like playing soccer or
basketball outside or going to the beach or things like that but i
also love play some video games and chess as well.
What indoor games did you play when you were a child?
 As a child I enjoyed playing chess. I think chess is probably the
best known board game in the world. I was probably seven or
eight years old when I started playing, and it seemed like a very
mysterious and intellectual game at that time.
Is there any particular indoor game that you liked (when you were a
child)?
 As a child I enjoyed playing chess.I remember that it was a
classmate of mine at primary school who first taught me to play
chess.I liked playing chess because I enjoyed the challenge of
thinking ahead and trying to outwit my opponent.
What sorts of indoor games do children play now?
 Nowadays, children do not play as much sport as in the past, and
many like to sit at home and play computer games instead.

History
Do you like ( to learn about) history?
 Yes, I like to learn about history. When I was a student, I enjoyed
studying history. I like learning about things that had happened in
the past and discovering why certain events happened. I also like
visiting museums and historical places. I think they are quite
interesting and informative. So I like history.
Do you think history is important?
 Yes, I strongly believe history is important. History is a record of
events that had happened in our past. By studying history, we can
learn the lesson of our past and prevent ourselves from making the
same mistakes. So I think history is quite important.
Do you think you can really learn history from films or TV
programs?
 No, I don’t think so. It is true that by watching some history films
or TV documentaries we can learn some things about history that
we might not have known before. However, most information
presented by films or TV shows are, at best, simplistic in content
and, at worst, full of errors and misrepresentation. So even thought
it might be visually entertaining to learn history through visual
media, I don’t think it is the best way to learn history.
Do you think the internet is a good place to learn about history?
 Well... Not all sources and websites are of the same quality. Even
though there are a lot of historical information online, it is
important to remember that just as there are educational websites
run by professionals and experts, there are also websites full of
false and misleading data. So, as long as one is cautious and verify
the validity of the source, the internet can be a good place to learn
about history.
Do young people feel that history is very important?
 Probably not, no, because I think a lot of young people nowadays
don’t really feel that history has a direct impact on their own lives,
which I guess is reflected in the fact that not many students choose
History as their major at university, at least compared to other
subjects like Accounting or Finance for example. So I think this is a
good indicator that many young people don’t see history as being
that important to them.
What is the value of learning about history?
 Well I’d say there’s a lot of value in learning it, and one of the main
reasons would be that history quite often repeats itself, so if we’ve
learnt history well, we should be able to avoid making the same
mistakes as we did in the past. And as well as this, I guess another
important aspect is that history plays a big part in helping us
understand how things came to being. So for example, through
learning history, we get to understand things like why we speak
the language we do, and how our country developed the way it
did. And in a way, I think this kind of makes us better appreciate
everything we have around us, instead of just taking it for granted.

Dreams
Do you often have dreams at night?
 Yeah! Basically every night, but sometimes when I’m fully/wide
awake, I would forget all of them, which is kind of weird.
 I heard there are people who have never had dreams, or at least
they don’t remember they had one, so sleeping for them is just
like, you close your eyes at night, and then open your eyes in the
morning, and it feels like just a second has passed. I’m so curious
about what that feels like.
She was still half asleep (= not fully awake) when she arrived at work.
Do you remember your dreams when you wake up?

 Well, just like I said, I would remember some of them, especially
vivid and unrealistic ones and of course nightmares. For example,
the other night I had a horrible dream about snakes. They were
everywhere and even on my body, I just freaked out and woke up
in a sweat.
Do you like hearing others' dreams?
 Yeah! I like it when my friends are sharing their sweet dreams or
nightmares with me. They are full of entertaining and hilarious
stories, you can even tell one’s imagination from the dreams they
had. And to be honest, some of the nightmares my friends told me
are even more thrilling and gripping than the actual ghost stories
or horror movies. Yeah, so I just love to hear about them. His
books are always so gripping. It turns hours into seconds.
Do you think dream will affect life?
 Well, I have to admit, although dreams are not real, sometimes
they do have an impact on our lives. For me, when I’m exhausted
or stressed out, I tend to have a hard time telling dreams and
reality apart, especially when I have dreams that are closely related
to my daily life. And also, some people are superstitious, I mean,
they believe that certain dreams have particular meanings, for
example, when you dream that you are buying jewelry, that means
your marriage is on the rocks. So that kind dreams might actually
change people’s behavior in reality.
Do you want to learn more about dreams?
 Yeah, but not in a superstitious way. I mean, I believe dreams have
something do to with our physical and psychological condition. I
heard about a research online that the analysis of dreams can
reveal details of a person’s mental state. So I guess, if I could learn
more about dreams, I would be able to get a better understanding
of myself.

Birthdays
Do you enjoy birthdays?
 Yes, I do love them. There is so much fun associated with
birthdays. You meet people, friends, play, put cakes and then sing
birthday songs. We dance and sing and so much more. It is like we
become kids once again.
 I do enjoy birthdays. Birthdays bring along with them so much
positivity and a feeling of freshness. It seems as if it is another
chance to be someone else, someone better. You meet friends,
enjoy with them, laugh at the silly things done and plan for the
great future ahead.
Do you usually celebrate your birthdays?
 Yes, I do. Although it is not very huge party but I make sure that
there is a party and that I have all my near and dear ones
surrounding me during my birthday.
 I usually am not a very big birthday fan. I think there should not be
any reason to celebrate life and oneself. I am one of those who
would give myself or any one else gifts out of the box with no
reasons and at any time of the year.
What did you do on your last birthday?
 I'm not really big on celebrating my birthday, and I'm not very
sociable person either. Although, I did celebrate my last birthday
with an awesome lunch with my friends at this brewery and played
several rounds of laser tag. I'm probably not gonna make a big
deal out of my name day until I'm thirty, which is in a couple
years....
Can you remember a birthday that you enjoyed as a child?
 I still remember my 13th birthday. It started out with no plan and
we decided to just have fun within my family members but as it
turned out to be, people started coming just like that, some saw
my father getting cake and others simply wanted to wish me. It
was a surprise of its own kind and we had almost 50 people in the
house. It was real fun, meeting people and then opening the gifts.

Do most people celebrate their birthdays with a party in your
country?
 Yes. No matter a person is rich or poor, there surely is some kind
of party going on during a birthday. There are people who are very
extravagant and don’t think twice before spending on their
birthdays while some make budgets to make sure there is a good
party on birthday. Birthdays in my country are often taken as
something that brings lot of people together.
Do you prefer birthday parties with your friends or with your
family?
 My birthday is the anniversary of the day my mother gave birth to
me, so obviously it’s a day I should spend with family.
 Definitely my friends, with my friends I could let loose and really
have a good time.
 My family is more important to me so I think it’s more meaningful
to spend my birthday with my family members.

Advertising
Are there many advertisements in your country?
 Definitely, there are. They appear all over the place from the streets
to social media with a high density. For example, there is a
multitude of colorful flyers sticked on the street walls in Sydney.
Why do you think there are so many advertisements now?
 I guess it’s due to the benefits of the companies. First,
advertisements are the easiest way to reach the customers to
attract their attentions to a particular brand or product. From that
attractive information, customers will be able to choose an
appropriate one. Second, it alsoplays a crucial role in marketing
strategy that the company apply to attract customers.
What are the various places where we see advertisements?
 Advertising is here, there, and every where. It gets to people
through different types of communication such as flyers and
banners on the streets or printed ones on newspaper, magazines
or electronic ones on social media. It could be written, verbal or a
short movie.
What kind of advertisements do you like the most?
 I am fond of the adverts that are well-designed and deliver the
high quality contents, but that doesn’t mean I will go and buy that
products.
How do you feel about advertisements?
 Sometimes, I find it a little bit annoyed and disappointing because
the quality products are usually overrated. However, there are
other beneficial advertisements in supermarkets which has
informative contents for customers such as on which days there
will be promotions or which new products will be launched.
Do you think advertising plays an important role in today’s world?
 yes. Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in
the dark. You know what you are doing but nobody else
does.Advertising plays a very important role in today’s age of
competition. Advertising is one thing which has become a
necessity for everybody in today’s day to day life, be it the
producer, the traders, or the customer. Advertising is an important
part.
What do you think about the developments in advertising in China
today?
 In general, it’s a prosperous industry. The number of enterprises
that pay attention to adverts is growing, and there are more
students who apply to study advertisement in university.

Watch
Do you still wear a watch?
 i actually don't wear a watch these days, um, and that's usually
because i have my phone and my phone tells me what time.
How often do you wear a watch?
 Literally，it has become my daily routine, I wear it every morning.

Well, I know the smart phone can completely replace it, but I have
got quite used to it to watch time. In most cases, I put my phone
aside，so watch is more convenient for me.
 To be honest, I never wear a watch since I can remember. You
know, we can check time on cellphone, so there is no need to wear
a watch. What’s more, I can see time anyplace in my life, like
school, dinning hall, restaurant, supermarket and my home.
What was your first watch like?
 Wow, speaking of my first watch of my life, I want to say that it was
a digital watch send by my mom as a birthday gift. I think it was
elegant with a white and round face, which was perfectly suitable
for my clothes.
 Although I am not a watch-lover and I rarely wear a watch, I got a
watch of dreams, an iwatch, sent by my parents as an adult gift.
You know, it has already been a hit since publication. It has lots of
functions, not mentioning watching time.
What kinds of watches do you like to wear?
 En, the tactile and mechanical watches are always my top priority. I
mean, compared with the digital ones, I never consider much
about the problem of power. Plus, to my knowledge, mechanical
watches are more durable than the digital ones.
 Well, like most of girls of my age, elegant watches will attract us
more. In my eyes, watch is not only a tool, also an accessory to my
outfits. So If I see a fair watch, I will have more impulse to buy it.
Do people still wear watches in your country?

 Actually，very few of us wear a watch. With the popularization of
smart phones，most of Chinese prefer phones rather than watch.
However, a small percentage of people still wear it, such as
business man or office workers, they think it is more formal which
can show their social status and manner.

Friends
Are your friends mostly your age or different ages?
 Most of my friends are about the same age as me because we met
at school or university. I've got one or two friends who are older or
younger that I met through work.
Do you usually see your friends during the week or at weekends?
 I tend to meet up with my friends at weekends because everyone's
too busy during the week.
The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
 It was one of my friends' birthday last weekend. Six of us went out
for a meal to celebrate.
In what ways are your friends important to you?
 I think it's important to have friends that you can talk to and share
experiences with. My friends make me laugh, but I know I can also
rely on them whenever I need help or support.

Photograph
Do you like to take photographs? Why?
 If it were 3 to 4 years ago the answer would be a big no. But now it
has become one of my hobbies and I’m actually thinking of
learning more about it. I had no idea what I can do with my iPhone
until I learned to make use of its wonderful camera as well as some
miracle apps. Unlike some people, I indeed want my photos to
look unique, lively and a little bit professional.
Vocabulary
To make use of (v) to use someone or something for a particular purpose, especially one that brings a
benefit to you
Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people take

your photos? Why?
 It would be way more comfortable taking photos myself, as I can
see crystal-clear how ridiculous my face expression looks like or if
there’s something on my hair or stuck between my teeth. And in
case it’s a scenery photo, I can apply the techniques I’ve learned to
produce stunning photos.
Vocabulary
Crystal-clear (adj) absolutely clear
How long have you liked taking photographs?

 Just recently. As a final year student, I no longer can spend hours
on drawing, reading or singing. Only photography which is way
more instant suits me now to document my life. And as I enjoy my
life on this campus, for example the road I walk to school everyday,
the sunset, the rainbow, the trees, photography is the best way to
store my memories.
Vocabulary
Document one’s life (expression) record the detail of one’s life
In what situations do you take photographs?

 As I’ve mentioned, I snap a photo of anything that catches my eyes
when I’m in a good mood. So I take photos when my friends and I
hang out or when I participate in social activities of the university

and meet amazing people. However, when it comes to practicing
for professional photography, I prefer taking photos of scenery
and foods.
Vocabulary
In a good mood (idiom) a cheerful, well-disposed state of mind
When it comes to Sth/V-ing (adv) as for something; speaking about something
What kind of photos do you like to take? Why?

 Food and scenery are definitely my inspiration. I just can’t sit still
when beautiful breakfasts and stunning landscape keep appearing
on my Instagram everyday. What is more, it is my natural instinct
that helps me to go find the simple uniqueness of my university,
namely the sunset, the lake, the trees and flowers and show people
how beautiful my university is. However, I’m not good at taking
photos of people so activities or street-life is not my style.
Vocabulary
Sit still (idiom) to remain seated
Natural instinct (collocation) the way people or animals naturally react or behave, without having to
think or learn
How (why) did you become interested in photography?

 The situation was quite all of a sudden. I posted some scenery
photos I took on the spur of the moment on Instagram and
received lots of compliments, even from those whom I’m not
following. Then I realized I should develop this skill, you know,
should take it seriously and keep up the good work. And the more
I learn about it, the more passionate I become.
Vocabulary
On the spur of the moment (idiom) do without planning, suddenly
All of a sudden (idiom) suddenly
To keep up the good work (phrase) used to encourage SO for continuing what they are doing well
How often do you take photographs?

 Not too often I must say. Since I really don’t like posting boring
photos with the same object all the time, so timing is everything. I
believe my guts will know exactly when and how I should flick to
produce high-quality photos.
Vocabulary
Guts (n) to be used in reference to a feeling or reaction based on an instinctive emotional response
rather than considered thought.
Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery?

 I think I’m gonna go for taking scenery photos. As a beginner, the
knowledge of human facial expression, the part that needs focus,
the harmonization between them and their surroundings are a bit
too advanced for me. I can’t really make the person in my photo
become lively as I do with the scenery. Besides, looking at the
beauty of nature and capturing it is kind of mind-purifying to me
and is a good way to escape from the artificial world. So yeah,
scenery is safer and more enjoyable.
Vocabulary
Mind-purifying (adj) make your mind naturally pure, free from negative thoughts
Who do you take photos of?

 Although I’m not good at taking photos of people, I do take selfies
with new friends whom I meet when I participate in social
activities. To me it’s more like a reminder or something to look
back, reminding me that yeah, this time last year I went out, I met
amazing people and had lots of fun.
Vocabulary
To look back (v) to think about a time or event in the past
How do you keep your photos?

 Printing the photos out, making an album or sticking them on the
wall for decoration sound so common and also interesting. But I
don’t think photos are worth that much time and budget, unless
what I captured is apparently important to me, otherwise I only
keep them in my iPhone.
Do you keep your photographs on your computer?
 I don’t think I need to do so. Firstly, because my memory is
somewhat similar to goldfish memory, storing in different devices
would drive me crazy. Plus, my iPhone has large memory storage
so I think I won’t need computer for storage.
Vocabulary
Goldfish memory (n) SO who quickly forgets things
Are there any photos on the walls of your house?

 Since my parents love decorating our house, putting photos nicely
on the walls of my house is an essential part of their decoration
style. Some photos go with frame or plastic cover, some are stuck
directly onto the wall in heart-shaped. However, it’s quite
ridiculous for me to see myself grinning everywhere in the house
so I told them to let me decorate my room on my own.
Vocabulary
To see one’s-self doing Sth (n) to have an eye on SO doing Sth
On my own (adv) do Sth alone
Do you frame (or have you framed) any of your photos?

 Although I don’t usually print my photos out, I think I would store
some photos of me with my high school friends or me with my
family. And framing helps preventing scratching and is good for
long-term storage, so this is probably a good alternative beside
albums.
Do you prefer to send postcards to people or to send photos that
you took yourself? (Why?)
 Firstly, the postcards are made of thicker paper, which makes it
way more convenient for long-term storage as well as decoration.
Secondly, the process of sending and receiving postcards
appeared to be simpler and faster compared to photos. For those
reasons I think I probably go with sending postcards.

Holiday
What kind of holiday do you like?
 I try to avoid tourist traps ... I like to get away from it alland prefer
going somewhereoff the beaten track ... last year I had the holiday
of a lifetime ... a twoweek wildlife safariin Kenya.
What do you like to do when you’re on holiday?
 I enjoy visiting the local places of interest ... I like to go sightseeing
and always sign up for guided tours as it’s a chance to be shown
around and take photographs ... one of my hobbies.
Do you have many tourists in your country?
 Yes ... we have a lot of holiday resorts along the coast that are
popular with tourists... most people come on package holidays and
stay in one of the many hotels and self- catering apartments.
Do you like holidays? Why / why not?
 Yes, I love holidays because I get the chance to take a break from
work, to relax and unwind, and to spend time with my family.
Do you prefer to travel or stay at home during holiday periods?
Why?
 If I can I prefer to travel. It's nice to get away from everything and
to have a change of scenery. Also, I like visiting new places and
doing some sightseeing.
What do most people do during their holidays in your country?
Why?
 During the summer especially, I think most British people go
When do you prefer to take your holidays? Why?
 I like taking my holidays just outside the main summer season,
which is July and August. If you go on holiday in May, June or
September, everything is cheaper and places aren't so crowded
with tourists.

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32 TOPICS SPEAKING

IELTS-SHARE.COM – CHIA SẺ TÀI LIỆU LUYỆN THI IELTS CHẤT LƯỢNG 1

IELTS-SHARE.COM – CHIA SẺ TÀI LIỆU LUYỆN THI IELTS CHẤT LƯỢNG 2

IELTS-SHARE.COM – CHIA SẺ TÀI LIỆU LUYỆN THI IELTS CHẤT LƯỢNG 3

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IELTS-SHARE.COM – CHIA SẺ TÀI LIỆU LUYỆN THI IELTS CHẤT LƯỢNG 6

live each day as it comes

How do you usually organize your time?

Do you think planning is important for time management?

Why do you think some people pay to learn time management?

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 Of course，besides the distinct merit of viewing one‘s reflection,

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How do you think housework could be made more interesting?

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Do you remember your dreams when you wake up?

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 Literally，it has become my daily routine, I wear it every morning.

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Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people take

How long have you liked taking photographs?

In what situations do you take photographs?

IELTS-SHARE.COM – CHIA SẺ TÀI LIỆU LUYỆN THI IELTS CHẤT LƯỢNG 55

What kind of photos do you like to take? Why?

How (why) did you become interested in photography?

How often do you take photographs?

Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery?

Who do you take photos of?

How do you keep your photos?