BO DE SPEAKING THANG 9 DEN 12 NGOC BACH

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 ma

YOUR HOME

1.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 2.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

3.Who do you live with?

I live there with my wife and little baby son

4.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

5.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

6.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

7.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

8.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

9.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

10.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

STUDY

1 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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5 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

6 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

NAME

1) 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

2) 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!

3) 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

4) 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

JEWELRY

1 What kind 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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5 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

6 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

necklace, the ring, the earring and so on

natural jewelry-lovers

became part of my life

when it came to one’s birthday

be made of white gold and crystal

unique design

fall in love with sth

at the first sight

on the one hand

according to the style of clothes

in this case

look more elegant under the decoration of the jewelry

symbolize the social status and social background

show a person’s taste and quality

make people look like an upstart

a kind of investment

currency may be devalued

due to the inflation

has own value

the material and the design of jewelry

in order to

make money

choose to invest

in most of the cases

in some special occasions

annual events

FRUIT

1 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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5.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…

6.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

7.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

LETTER

1.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

2.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

3.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

4.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

5.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

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

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

HISTORY

1 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

2 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

3 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

4 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 5.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

6.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

TRANSPORTATION

1 How did you get here today?

A 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

2 Do you often use public transport?

A 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

3 How could the transportation system be improved in your country?

A 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

4.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

5.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

6.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

7.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

FRIENDS

1 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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5 Do you like to make friends?

Answer 1: I like to do that on a regular basis I’m a social person, so if I can’t have more friends, I’ll

be bored

Answer 2: Kind of I don’t need too many friends, but it’s good to have some new ones It’s necessary for me

6 What are the differences between best friends and other friends?

A best friend is someone you may not talk to very often, but you never feel distant General friends are easy to lose so you need to talk to them often

MAGAZINE

1.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

2.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

3.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

4.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 5.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

6.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

HOLIDAY

1.What kind of holiday do you like?

I try to avoid tourist traps I like to get away from it all and prefer going somewhere off the beaten track last year I had the holiday of a lifetime a two week wildlife safari in Kenya

2 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

3 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

4 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

5 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

6 What do most people do during their holidays in your country? Why?

During the summer especially, I think most British people go somewhere hot and sunny, to escape from the British weather!

7 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

all-in package/package holiday: a holiday where you purchase the travel and accommodation

together

breathtaking view: an extremely beautiful view

to get away from it all: to take a holiday to escape a busy or stressful lifestyle

guided tour: an organised group shown around a place of interest by an expert

holiday destination: where you go for a holiday

holiday of a lifetime: a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat

holiday resort: a place where lots of people go for a holiday

hordes of tourists: crowds of tourists

long weekend: an extended weekend holiday including Friday or Monday

out of season: outside of the main holiday period

picturesque village: very pretty village

places of interest: sites of interest to tourists

wildlife safari: a holiday, often in Africa, to observe wild animals

self-catering: a holiday where you supply your own food

short break: a short holiday

to go sightseeing: to look around the tourist sites

stunning landscape: extremely beautiful countryside

tourist trap: somewhere where too many tourists go

youth hostel: a cheap form of accommodation

SHOE

1.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!

2 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!

3 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!

Pretty much = more or less

4 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

5 What kind of shoes do you usually wear?

A) 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

6 Do you think the type of shoes someone wears reflects their character?

A) 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

flip-flops (also knows as thongs)

trainers (also known as sneakers)

cowboy boot

walking boots (also known as hiking boots)

lace-ups = shoes with laces

to slip something on and off = to put them on and take them off easily

worn out = tatty, shabby, the worse for wear, tired

sloppy = not tidy, lazy, slovenly

cost a fortune = cost an arm and a leg, expensive

have money to splash around = have money to waste, to throw around

TEACHER

1.Do you have a favorite teacher? / Who was your favorite teacher when you were young?

A: Certainly I was lucky enough to study with a few amazing teachers, but the most impressive one

is probably a lecturer in my university

The most impressive one is

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

Academic career

Inspire-：

(1)Incredibly knowledgeable

(2)A sense of humor and friendliness

(3)Strict discipline that drove me to study diligently to reach my potential-

2.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

3.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

4.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

5.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

6 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

as I mentioned just now

in all likelihood

FORGETTING THINGS

1.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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5.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

6 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 have items I always put them together in a small handbag

7.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

8.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

9.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

lose the track of time

My daily to-do list is written on a notepad at my desk and includes things like, “edit blog post” and

“clean out fridge.” Eventually it all gets done

A hanging calendar that I lay flat on my desk with large enough spaces to write in reminders

SCHOOL

1.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

2.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

3.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

4.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

5.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

6.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

7.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

8.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

9.What kind of school did you go 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

Teacher’s pet

Definition: A teacher’s pet is a student who the teacher likes the best, usually because that student is very well behaved, does all the homework and gets good grades

IELTS example answer: I was a teacher’s pet in almost all my classes, and this made some other students make fun of me sometimes However, that didn’t bother me because I always got better grades than them!

A kiss-up, or to kiss up

Definition: A kiss-up is someone who always flatters, or gives compliments, to another person In school, sometimes students kiss up to teachers to try and get better grades or, perhaps, get out of

trouble

IELTS example answer: Science was never my strongest subject in school, so I always tried to kiss

up to the teacher at the beginning of the year I would tell my teachers how young they looked, and sometimes I would bring them little presents

Side note: This could be used to describe a person in any situation, perhaps a brother or sister who kissed up to your parents, for example Get more idioms to describe family here, as this is another very common IELTS Speaking topic!

Draw a blank

Definition: When you cannot think of a word or idea, your mind is blank and empty

IELTS example answer: The teacher asked me about the chapter we had read for homework, but I drew a blank I suddenly could not remember anything about what I had read the night before

Side note: This is also a great phrase for buying time on the IELTS Speaking exam!

Cover a lot of ground

Definition: This phrase means to go over a lot of material or information

IELTS example answer: Although my test preparation class is only one hour, we learn a lot in that time I’m amazed at how we cover so much ground in every class

Side note: This could also be used when talking about work, such as when you describe a meeting in which you went over a lot of information Get more idioms for describing work, another very common IELTS topic

Learn by heart

Definition: This is lovely idiom which is synonymous with “memorize”

IELTS example answer: In sixth grade, we had to learn all the states and their capitals by heart I still remember all of them!

ROBOTS

1.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

2.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

3 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

4 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

5.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

6.What kinds of robots would like to have?

Just as I mentioned, I really want to have a robot like Baymax Since I am so busy with my study every day, I don’t have any time to do any housework So it would be great to have a robot that could do laundry, cooking and cleaning for me, which could save me lots of time

7.Will robots change our society significantly?

Technology has already made great changes to our lives, and have made a lot of jobs much easier Therefore, I am sure there will continue to be changes However, it is hard to say how significant they will

be

INDOOR GAMES

1 Do you play any indoor games?

Absolutely yes! Playing indoor games is a must-do activity for me and my friends The best part of it

is that you don't have to prepare much or spend money, by simply following the instruction you can get tons of fun together with friends

2 Do you prefer to play indoor games or outdoor games?

Well, I'll definitely choose indoor games Lazy bones as I am, playing outdoor games is a basically a waste of energy Even thinking about the burning sun and clothes soaked with sweat makes me sick On the contrary, indoor games can energize me without spending too much energy So indoor games is no doubt my type

3 What indoor games did you play when you were a child?

Well, there are lots of indoor games to play for me when I was a child Card game, puzzles and indoor hopscotch 室内跳房子 were all very much interesting More than that, I think it's also my parents' company that comforted me No matter how busy they were, they always took some time from their tight schedule and played with me

4 Is there any particular indoor games that you liked when you were a child?

Looking back to my childhood, playing hide and seek was the utmost important activity to me I always enjoyed the excitement when I was hiding My heart flooded with adrenaline as the seeker

approached As they left, the heart felt relief again excited me Moreover, playing hide and seek can also build a close relationship with my friends This indoor game now become my most cherished childhood memory

5 What sort of indoor games do children play now?

I think children nowadays are more than willing to play video games Take my nephew for example, whenever I propose to play hide and seek, he shows obviously no interest in it Nevertheless, the moment

I start my PS4, he will rush to my side and stare at me keenly I guess virtual games now has taken over reality games

6 Do you think the young people should spend a lot of time on playing games?

Well, I think so I think the children can make many friends when playing games together and I think

it is a good opportunity for them to broaden the social circle Moreover, the children may play games with other friends, so I think the children can be more active and cooperative during this process

a must-do activity

The best part of it is that …

have to prepare much or spend money

by simply following the instruction

get tons of fun

Lazy bones as I am

a basically a waste of energy

Even thinking about …

the burning sun

clothes soaked with sweat

energize me without spending too much energy

no doubt my type

Looking back to my childhood

playing hide and seek

the utmost important activity

enjoyed the excitement

heart flooded with adrenaline

as the seeker approached

heart felt relief again

build a close relationship with my friends

my most cherished childhood memory

are more than willing to play video games

Take my nephew for example

show obviously no interest in it

rush to my side and stare at me keenly

virtual games now has taken over reality games

a good opportunity

broaden the social circle

be more active and cooperative

during this process

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

1 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

2 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

3 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

4 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

5.If you could learn to play any musical instrument, what would you choose?

I think I'd probably go for the violin It's such a beautiful instrument and I think the music that can be played on it can be really haunting and moving Yes,I'd definitely choose that one

WEATHER

1.How is the weather today?

It’s really lovely today There were a few showers this morning and it was a bit chilly, but it has brightened up this afternoon and I think it will stay that way for the rest of the day

2.What’s your favourite kind of weather?

It depends what I’m doing really If I’m doing something outside, I like the weather to be sunny but not too hot because it gets a bit uncomfortable after a while If I’m inside, I love listening to the rain

beating against the window and the wind howling outside

3.What is the climate like in your country?

I’m from Ireland, so the thing people always complain about is the rain It is right on the edge of Europe so we get lots of rain rolling in off the Atlantic However, because we are an island it means that

we don’t get very harsh winters and it hardly ever snows I think temperate is the word to describe our climate- not too hot, not too cold

4.Does the weather effect people’s lives in your country?

Yes, very much so In the winter it is really grey all the time and it gets dark very early in the

afternoon The lack of sunlight leads to some people getting a bit depressed and I imagine that’s why people drink much more wine and whiskey in the winter to cope with how dull everything is

5.Do people change in the summer?

Absolutely, as soon as the sun starts to shine and it gets warmer, people start to have barbecues, do more outdoor activities and are generally happier Unfortunately, it doesn’t last very long but people definitely make the most of it while the weather is good

6.Is there any type of weather you really don’t like?

I don’t mind when it’s raining or windy and I don’t mind when it’s cold, but when it’s cold, windy and raining all that the same time, well that’s horrible, especially if you have to work or do something outside I remember when we were at school we would have to go outside in horrible weather to do P.E and I detested every minute of it

7.Does bad weather ever effect transport in your country?

As I said before, it rarely snows, but when it does the transportation system collapses People are just not used to driving in the snow and the whole country pretty much grinds to a halt Buses and trains normally stop running completely until the snow thaws

8 Is it worse to feel too hot or too cold?

Well, I suppose if it’s too cold you can just wear more layers, but nevertheless I prefer to be too hot

At least it means the weather is good, and you can always go for a swim to cool down What I really can’t stand is being cold and wet That’s the worst combination and it makes me worry that I’m going to catch a cold

9.Does the weather affect your mood?

Yes Cold, gloomy days put me in a bad mood I love summertime, when it's warm and sunny

10.What is your favourite season?

Well, I think it's spring The weather is very pleasant and it's nice to see everything come back to life and blossom

11.Do you always pay attention to the weather forecast?

Yes, as Beijing is facing more and more oppressive haze, I always keep a watchful eye on the weather forecast I installed an app in my mobile phone, and see the indicator of PM 2.5 It has been a routine for me

COLOUR

1.What was your favorite color when you were a child?

As a child, I remember not being very much fussy about the color, I loved all of them and there was nothing like favoritism for any color There were times when I loved violet, the other times red, sometimes yellow and on and on

2 Is that still your favourite colour now?

Not really I love black colour now I think black is very mysterious and sophisticated at the same time

3.Do you think colors are important?

Well, I think yes Colors tend to suggest the mood of a person and bring more of spark in a particular day Like, on a wedding , people tend to wear bright clothes and it uplifts the entire mood I think every color has its own significance, and they bring that significance alive

4.Is color very important for you when buying clothes?

For me, the only thing that matters while buying clothes is that it should look good on me So, I really don’t bother much about the color as long as the dress is looking nice on me

5.If you were to paint the walls of your room, what color would you choose?

I would prefer white or beige color for the walls, with some drawing or styling done on the room White or beige make the room look more spacious and I like room to be spacious and the styling brings more of personal touch to the room

6.Do you think different types of people like different colors?

Sure, some people like pale colors and other like darker colors Take me and my sister for example –

I love black and she almost hates it, she much prefers lighter, pastel colors, especially for her clothes Some people prefer dark colors because they’re somber and serious and others prefer certain colors like yellow and white because they invoke a sense of serenity and peace So, yes, different types of people like different colors

HATS

1.Do you wear hats/caps? Do you like them?

I wear caps…I just had one big brown cowboy hat when I was in college but I didn’t wear it

much….never found a liking for it

2.Why do you wear them?

I wear them every day as I ride to work on my bike and I don’t want my hair to be wrecked…and since I need a cap every day, I have bought quite a few different kind of caps so that I don’t repeat just the one or two

3.Why do people generally wear a hat?

To shade their heads from the sun…or maybe to hide their baldness…I think in my country these are the main reasons…and another reason can be for people who are fashionable and want to try hats with their look…some people also wear hats as it is a part of the uniform they’re wearing…for example,

policemen

4.Does it represent any fashion?

Yes they do…nowadays young boys and girls were these very quirky beret caps…I think they are in trend right now…

5.On what occasion people generally prefer wearing a hat?

Muslims generally wear a small round cap when they go to the mosques to pray, and in Hindu

households, men wear a white cap called ‘Gandhi cap’ at the time they are a part of any religious or traditional ceremony

6.Is wearing hats popular in your country?

It’s not much sought after in my country where motorbike is the most common means of

transportation, and it is a must to wear a helmet whenever you ride a motorbike for safety I think you can imagine how much uncomfortable it is to wear a hat under the helmet Thus in most of the case, hats are for pedestrians and fashionista

GIFTS

1 Do you like to receive gifts?

2 What kind of gifts do you like to receive?

3 Do you like giving gifts to people?

4.When do people give gifts or presents in your country?

5.Do you ever take a gift when you visit someone in their home?

6.When did you last receive a gift? [What was it?]

7.Do you enjoy looking for gifts for people?

1.Yeah, I really enjoy receiving gifts from friends because I’m always moved when someone gives

me a gift on some special occasion like my birthday I sometimes receive some books, fruit, tea from my close friends

2.Actually, I really enjoy receiving books as gifts because I’m a bookworm, reading is my favourite habit When I was a little boy, I had received a wide variety of gifts that I really liked, such as books, stationery, balls and so on

3.Yes, I do I’m pretty into giving gifts to friends because gifts can enhance the friendship between friends, although they will cost much, I still like sending gifts because I believe giving is much more pleasure than taking

4.I think like in most countries we give gifts on special occasions; the main ones would be birthdays, weddings, graduation from college or university, maybe when people buy their first apartment or home; really anything that people think is an event to celebrate

5.Yes, sometimes, but it's a little different, maybe I would take something like some flowers for my grandmother or if it's a friend's house then maybe a bottle of wine or something like that I think it's nice to show your appreciation for the invitation or in the case of my grandmother, I know that she loves flowers

so they always make her happy - which is great The type of gift would depend a lot on why I was visiting; maybe a dinner invitation or just to call round and see a friend I suppose it's considered normal when it's

a social invitation but I certainly don't always show up with a gift on every occasion

6.Ok, this is funny; just a couple of days ago I received a bag of potatoes from the owner of the store

at the corner of my street Not exactly your usual 'gift' and I still don't know why he did it, but he just gave them to me and said not to worry about paying for them It was a complete surprise, but a really nice gesture by him

7.Sometimes I enjoy looking for gifts, but not always Again, it depends on what type of gift I'm looking for and who it's for Things like birthday presents can be hard to choose sometimes, because they're so personal, unless you know the person really well Wedding gifts on the other hand are much easier - they even give you a list sometimes! The gifts I like buying best are when I see something and I just think of a particular person, so I'm not really looking for a gift but I find something that I think one of

my friends or family would love, and I buy it for them There doesn't always need to be a special occasion

to give a gift

GOING OUT

1 Do you prefer going out or staying at home? Why?

A I am the person who is interested in spending my spare time with my family What matters is not about whether going out or staying at home, but being with my family,so both is ok to me.We can stay at home watching a whole day of old movies and ordering take-aways or we can make a wild field trip to the rarely beaten part of the city

2 What will do if you go out?

A In weekends, I am used to hanging out with my family members and spend on outdoor,

sometimes we go to cinema or parks In weekdays, I have to go to work and study This is the usual thing

I would be doing if I go out Apart from that, sometimes I would like to hang out with my friends and visit naturally beautiful places in my hometown

3.When you go out for an evening, what do you like to do?

I call my close friends to check out what they are doing and whether they are busy or not If they are free, I either choose to visit a park and spend time there with my friends or arrange an outdoor game like cricket or badminton.Sometimes I go out for shopping in the evening if this is necessary or enjoy a movie

in a movie theatre

4.Do you prefer going out on your own or with friends?

You bet!being alone is boring while being someone's company is joyful.So my motto is the more the better.it really feels wonderful even when we just slob around the streets and do some idle joking and poking at each other

TOYS

1 Do you play with toys when you were a child?

Yes, of course I enjoyed playing with toys when I was small I think all children do

2 What kinds of toys did you like?

I was attracted by dolls, cars and stuffed animal toys My bed was full of stuffed chicken, bear, panda toys and I always thought that they would protect me when I was sleeping

3 In your country, do boys and girls play with the same types of toys?

Not really I think boys prefer playing with boy toys like cars, robots and girls would choose Barbie dolls, stuffed animals However, some boys and girls like to play the same things and enjoy playing together

4 Do you think that toys help children to learn?

Well, it depends on types of toys they play with Violence toys such as plastic swords or sticks would make them familiar with violent actions If we provide them suitable toys, toys will be a good way to encourage children to use their imagination and creativity

5 How? (related to question number 4)

Well, it is a fact that sometimes with even simple toys, children can use their imagination to create situations or invent games and rules For example, they use colorful wooden bars to form a lot of things, even a castle

LEISURE TIME

1.What do you do in your spare time?

I love reading and writing when I have some free time available Apart from these, I also like playing badminton So, whenever I do get time, I usually read, write or play badminton

2.What do you do to relax yourself?

For relaxation, I prefer taking a short nap It could be either for 20 minutes or may be an hour But, nothing helps me relax better than some sleep

3.What do you usually spend your weekends?

During the weekdays, most part of the evenings usually gets lost doing the office work But, during weekends, I work on my blog for the entire day and so during evenings I usually spend some time with

my friends, going on long walks together or have dinner at their place

4.What do you usually do after work or classes?

There is nothing much that can be done after work because it really becomes quite tiring So, most of the times I am either working on my blog or writing something or some drafts, here and there

5.Do you prefer staying at home or going out during evenings?

I love taking long walks So, if I am not busy at something during evenings, I usually take long walks with my friends or for that matter even alone at times

6.Do you think modern lifestyles give enough time to people for leisure?

I think it depends on the kind of modern lifestyle an individual is leading So, a person doing a

corporate job might have less time to spare for leisure activity but probably a person who does

freelancing will find more time to leisure Not because a work is less time consuming but because the way things get done in each Even more, I think it all depends on how the person sets priorities for

themselves

7.Do you think people today have more time to relax as compared to that in past?

I certainly believe that people are more busy when compared with their past counterparts Earlier people lived a content life but with changing times people are less satisfied with what they have and are always on the look out of doing more This has made lives much more hectic than ever

8.What do you think is the importance of leisure time in life?

Leisure is the one thing that makes the life worth living I surely believe that apart from the daily mundane activities a person should always try to do things that makes him or her happy It could be either something that he or she likes doing or could even be some person one likes spending time with It is only through this that a person is able to enjoy life

9.Do you think old and young people spend their leisure time in the same way?

I believe it is not about young and old, it is more about individuals I have seen old people party harder than some of the young chaps out there and then some young people reading better than the wiser older people In my opinion, it is all about the individual choices that people make

Well, I love travelling not only because everyone else does but because for me travelling teaches so much more to me than anything else can ever do Also, travelling allows me to explore myself and the world in ways that opens up my horizons, giving me a broader aspect of life

11.If you had a child, what leisure places would you go with your child?

I think I would like to take my child to library and a field ( could be of any game) as part of leisure activity Also, I would love to travel with my child because in my opinion, a child learns so much more from travelling, history and art than he or she can ever learn from any of the text books or any motivational videos

12.What do you like to do in your free time?

I do quite a lot of sport actually I play football mostly - on Wednesday nights and Sunday afternoon with a local team I also play tennis and squash when I can but I don't really get the time to do them as well every week I work quite hard at the moment, so I don't get a lot of free time unfortunately

13.Have your leisure activities changed since you were a child?

Not a great deal actually I used to love playing football when I was young as well - I played a lot at school Though of course I did all the other things kids loved to do such as going out on bike rides after school and things

14.Do you prefer to spend your free time alone or with other people?

It depends on my mood really I think most people need some time on their own Sometimes my work

is quite stressful and I spend a lot of time there with others, so it's good to just get home and relax and read a book or something But I get bored if I am alone too much so I like to go out and meet friends in the evening or play football

WEEKENDS

1.How do you usually spend your weekends?

Well, it depends on if I have any special plans or not For example, last weekend I went to visit a friend for the weekend and while that’s not a usual weekend, nearly every other weekend I try to go out and do something different, either with friends, family or even by myself But a normal weekend when I have nothing particular planned would revolve around my family and just being at home relaxing

2.Which is your favourite part of the weekend?

Really, I don’t have a favourite part as in Saturday or Sunday or morning or night time I guess I like having big meals with my family at weekends which we don’t always manage to do during the week, so that’s nice, but overall I enjoy all of the weekend and just being around my family

3.Do you think weekends are long enough?

In general, yes, I mean it’s not something that is probably going to change so I’ve never really

considered if two days are long enough or not It’s always been two days I feel that it’s time enough to have a break in your routine from during the week, and it’s also enough time to do things like traveling and visiting other places

4.How important do you think it is to have free time at the weekends?

Having enough free time is very important for overall wellbeing and balance in life, but it doesn’t necessarily all have to be at the weekends, it’s just that for most people it’s the case that the weekends are the time when they have most of their free time because they’re so busy during the week

5.What is a typical weekends or weekdays for you?

Speaking Answer A) Well, with me, there are no particular weekends/weekdays, it is more of the period when I am working and when I am on holidays The job that I do, is of a travel host, so in busy schedules, which we are in for most of the time, we are only focused on work and not the day However,

in casual days, I tend to go for either a spa or meet my family members or hang with my friends,

especially because they are free on week ends Weekdays, when I am free, I tend to just stay in home and read some book and cook food and spend some time alone

6.Do you wear a particular outfit on weekends and weekdays? Why /why not?

I work at a software company, so there is a certain attire that I need to maintain while at work, i.e on weekdays I prefer wearing Indian formals during weekdays, because I am more comfortable in them and they look more classy as well On weekends, I put on t-shirts and jeans for most of the time Because there is lot of ground work that I need to do and tshirts for some reason are easier when you feel like jumping and fighting

7.Do you spend all your weekends the same way?

Well, too an extent you can say yes My job is such that I have very less time for travelling during weekdays, but travelling and blogging being very important for me, it is in weekends that I do the travel blogging part So, every weekend I travel to a new place and get to know about the local culture and what

is important about the place, the history and the changes it has seen since the time it was built

Sometimes, however, I travel with my friends as well and make some memories

HOMETOWN

1.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

2.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

3.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

4.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

5.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

6.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 7.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

8.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

9.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

10.Would you recommend the town to people with children?