{"id":4363,"date":"2019-09-24T11:38:20","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T06:38:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/?page_id=4363"},"modified":"2019-10-08T20:47:09","modified_gmt":"2019-10-08T15:47:09","slug":"ielts-speaking-introduction-topics","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/","title":{"rendered":"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a id=\"topic-01\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>Education<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>You\u2019re likely to be asked questions about your studies during Part 1, you might have to talk about a class, a teacher or a school memory in Part 2 or give your opinions on education in Part 3. Therefore, being able to call on a wide range of vocabulary to talk about education is very important.<\/p>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Are you studying English at a school?<br \/>\nMichel: Yes \u2026 I\u2019m taking\u00a0<strong>an intensive course<\/strong>\u00a0at a local\u00a0<strong>private language school<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u00a0<strong>attend classes<\/strong>three times a week \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Would you say you are a good student?<br \/>\nSusan: I\u2019m OK I think \u2026 I\u2019m pretty good at\u00a0<strong>meeting deadlines<\/strong>\u00a0and I\u2019m\u00a0<strong>keeping up with my studies<\/strong>\u2026 plus I find it quite easy to\u00a0<strong>learn things by heart<\/strong>\u00a0which is useful when learning a language\u00a0\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: When you were younger did you enjoy your time at school?<\/p>\n<p>Theo: Yes \u2026 I liked school\u00a0\u2026 it was an ordinary\u00a0<strong>state school<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 nothing special \u2026\u00a0<strong>a single-sex school<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 which I\u2019m not sure I liked \u2026 but the teachers were great \u2026 I had lots of friends and I never\u00a0<strong>played truant<\/strong>\u00a0like some pupils there \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a time during your education that you really enjoyed. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when this period was<\/li>\n<li>where you were<\/li>\n<li>what you were studying at the time<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you were so happy.<\/p>\n<p>Caroline: \u00a0I\u2019d like to tell you about my time at university\u00a0\u2026 I was\u00a0<strong>a mature student<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I didn\u2019t go to university until I was 25 \u2026 and it was my first time away from my parents so it was very exciting \u2026 I was doing\u00a0<strong>a Bachelors Degree<\/strong>\u00a0and it was a bit of a challenge \u2026 some people\u00a0<strong>take a year out<\/strong>\u00a0but I\u2019d been away from education for 8 years \u2026 plus I had\u00a0<strong>to work my way through uni<\/strong>\u00a0so I was very busy \u2026 and\u00a0<strong>sitting exams<\/strong>\u00a0at the end of each year was a new experience for me as well but I really enjoyed\u00a0<strong>higher education<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0learning about a subject I loved \u2026 history \u2026 and the social life was great as well \u2026 I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever had so many friends \u2026 I had my\u00a0<strong>graduation ceremony<\/strong>\u00a0last year in the local cathedral and I know my parents were really proud \u2026 so yes \u2026 that was a really happy time \u2026 I\u2019m thinking of doing a\u00a0<strong>Masters Degree<\/strong>\u00a0soon \u2026 though that might be through\u00a0<strong>distance learning<\/strong>\u00a0as I have a full-time job now \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: What qualities do you think a good teacher has?<br \/>\nAnna: They should be patient\u00a0\u2026 they should be\u00a0<strong>subject specialists<\/strong>\u00a0and be able to explain the subject clearly \u2026 they should\u00a0<strong>give feedback<\/strong>\u00a0quickly \u2026 for example not hang on to essay for ages like some of my teachers \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What are the advantages of studying on a distance learning course?<br \/>\nFlorrie: It\u2019s a more flexible way of studying especially if you have a job\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>tuition fees<\/strong>\u00a0are usually cheaper\u00a0\u2026 but you have to be very motivated \u2026 and I would imagine more people\u00a0<strong>fall behind with their studies<\/strong>\u00a0compared to \u00a0<strong>face-to-face classes<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do all children get equal opportunities in education?<br \/>\nJulie: In my country I think it is quite equal but in the UK I\u2019ve heard that most people who go to the top universities have studied at\u00a0<strong>public schools<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 you have to be very rich to study in a school like that \u00a0\u2026 they\u2019re usually\u00a0<strong>boarding schools<\/strong>\u00a0as well\u00a0so the fees are enormous \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to attend classes<\/em><\/strong>: to go to classes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>bachelors degree<\/em><\/strong>: an undergraduate course which usually lasts 3-4 years<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>boarding school<\/strong><\/em>: a school where pupils live during term time<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>distance learning<\/strong><\/em>: a way of studying where tuition is carried out over the Internet or by post<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>face-to-face classes<\/strong><\/em>: as opposed to distance learning the traditional way of studying in a classroom with colleagues and a teacher<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to fall behind with your studies<\/strong><\/em>: to progress less quickly than others<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to give feedback<\/strong><\/em>: to offer guidance on a student\u2019s work<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a graduation ceremony<\/strong><\/em>: an event where a successful student receives his or her academic degree<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>higher education<\/strong><\/em>: education, usually in a college or university, that is followed after high school or secondary school<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>an intensive course<\/strong><\/em>: a course that offers lots of training in order to reach a goal in as short a time as possible<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to keep up with your studies<\/strong><\/em>: to not fall behind<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to learn something by heart<\/strong><\/em>: to memorize it<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a mature student<\/strong><\/em>: a student who is older than average and who has usually returned to education after a period at work<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>masters degree<\/strong><\/em>: a period of study which often follows the completion of a bachelors degree or is undertaken by someone regarded as capable of a higher-level academic course<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to meet a deadline<\/strong><\/em>: to finish a job or task in the time allowed or agreed<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to play truant<\/strong><\/em>: to stay away from classes without permission<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>private language school<\/strong><\/em>: an independent school run as a business concern<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>public schools<\/strong><\/em>: exclusive independent schools in the UK<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a single-sex school<\/strong><\/em>: a school where only boys or girls attend (as opposed to a mixed-sex school)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to sit an exam<\/strong><\/em>: to take an exam<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>state school<\/strong><\/em>: a school paid for by public funds and available to the general public<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>subject specialist<\/strong><\/em>: a teacher who has a great deal of knowledge about the subject they teach.<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to take a year out<\/strong><\/em>: to spend a year working or travelling before starting university<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>tuition fees<\/strong><\/em>: the money paid for a course of study<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to work your way through university<\/strong><\/em>: to have a paid job whilst studying to support yourself\u00a0financially<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<ul>\n<li><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-02\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>Holidays<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>You probably know the meaning of individual words like \u2018flight\u2019, \u2018tour\u2019 and \u2018view\u2019. However, the key to showcasing your advanced English is to show you are able to use these individual words in combination with other words to form set phrases and expressions.<\/p>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: What kind of holiday do you like?<br \/>\nMiguel: I try to avoid\u00a0<strong>tourist traps<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I like\u00a0<strong>to get away from it all<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0prefer going somewhere\u00a0<strong>off the beaten track<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 last year I had\u00a0<strong>the holiday of a lifetime<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a two week\u00a0<strong>wildlife\u00a0safari<\/strong>\u00a0in Kenya.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What do you like to do when you\u2019re on holiday?<br \/>\nAnna: I enjoy visiting the local\u00a0<strong>places of interest<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I like\u00a0<strong>to go sightseeing<\/strong>\u00a0and always sign up for\u00a0<strong>guided tours<\/strong>\u00a0as it\u2019s a chance to be shown around and take photographs \u2026 one of my hobbies.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you have many tourists in your country?<br \/>\nAmy: Yes \u2026 we have a lot of\u00a0<strong>holiday resorts<\/strong>\u00a0along the coast that are popular with tourists \u2026 most people come on\u00a0<strong>package holidays<\/strong>\u00a0and stay in one of the many hotels and\u00a0<strong>self-catering<\/strong>apartments.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a beautiful place you once visited. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when you went to this place<\/li>\n<li>where it was<\/li>\n<li>who you went with<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you liked it so much.<\/p>\n<p>Sally: A few years ago I went on a\u00a0<strong>long weekend<\/strong>\u00a0to the Lake District in the UK \u2026 it\u2019s a very popular\u00a0<strong>holiday destination<\/strong>\u00a0in the north of England \u2026 I went on my own and had a wonderful time \u2026 I stayed in a\u00a0<strong>youth hostel<\/strong>\u00a0and met some\u00a0really nice people \u2026 but the most memorable thing about the holiday were the\u00a0<strong>breathtaking views<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and lovely\u00a0<strong>picturesque villages<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it can get very busy with\u00a0<strong>hordes of tourists<\/strong>\u00a0so I decided\u00a0<strong>to go out of season<\/strong>\u00a0in the autumn \u00a0\u2026 the weather was fantastic and the shops were full of\u00a0<strong>local crafts<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a really great holiday \u2026 it\u2019s certainly not the kind of\u00a0<strong>short break<\/strong>\u00a0for someone looking for a busy nightlife but if you want to relax in the middle of\u00a0<strong>stunning landscape<\/strong>\u00a0I would certainly recommend a holiday to the Lake District.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: What do you think has led to the growth in the tourism industry?<br \/>\nMiguel: It\u2019s much easier and affordable to travel now \u2026 nowadays you can get cheap\u00a0<strong>charter-flights<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>all-in packages<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0to somewhere near or to\u00a0<strong>a far-off destination<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: How do people tend to choose a destination?<br \/>\nAnna: The Internet is a great source of information and high street\u00a0<strong>travel agents<\/strong>\u00a0are still very popular \u2026 that\u2019s where I like to go to get\u00a0<strong>holiday brochures<\/strong>\u00a0for the place I\u2019m interested in.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: People sometimes say flying is the most glamorous form of travel. Do you agree?<br \/>\nAmy: I\u2019m not so sure really \u2026 flying can be quite boring \u00a0\u2026 queuing up at the\u00a0<strong>check-in desk<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 going through\u00a0<strong>passport control<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 sitting for ages in the\u00a0<strong>departure lounge<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 then the flight itself can be quite uncomfortable \u2026 no \u2026 I\u2019m not sure I agree.<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>all-in package\/package holiday<\/em><\/strong>: a holiday where you purchase the travel and accommodation together<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>breathtaking view<\/em><\/strong>: an extremely beautiful view<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>charter-flight<\/em><\/strong>: a cheaper form of flying than a scheduled flight<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>check-in desk<\/strong><\/em>: the place at the airport where you register for your flight and deposit your luggage<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>departure lounge<\/strong><\/em>: where you wait for your flight to be called<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>far-off destination<\/em><\/strong>: somewhere a long way away<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get away from it all<\/em><\/strong>: to take a holiday to escape a busy or stressful lifestyle<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>guided tour<\/em><\/strong>: an organised group shown around a place of interest by an expert<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>holiday brochure<\/strong><\/em>: a glossy publication with details of holiday packages<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>holiday destination<\/em><\/strong>: where you go for a holiday<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>holiday of a lifetime<\/em><\/strong>: a special holiday that you are unlikely to repeat<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>holiday resort<\/strong>:<\/em>\u00a0a place where lots of people go for a holiday<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>hordes of tourists<\/strong><\/em>: crowds of tourists<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>local crafts<\/strong><\/em>: objects produced locally<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>long weekend<\/strong><\/em>: an extended weekend holiday including Friday or Monday<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>out of season<\/strong><\/em>: outside of the main holiday period<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>picturesque village<\/strong><\/em>: very pretty village<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>passport control<\/strong><\/em>: the place where your passport is checked<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>places of interest<\/strong><\/em>: sites of interest to tourists<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>wildlife safari<\/strong><\/em>: a holiday, often in Africa, to observe wild animals<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>self-catering<\/strong><\/em>: a holiday where you supply your own food<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>short break<\/strong><\/em>: a short holiday<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to go sightseeing<\/strong><\/em>: \u00a0to look around the tourist sites<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>stunning landscape<\/strong><\/em>: extremely beautiful countryside<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>travel agent<\/strong><\/em>: a shop that specialises in booking holidays<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>tourist trap<\/strong><\/em>: somewhere where too many tourists go<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>youth hostel<\/strong><\/em>: a cheap form of accommodation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-03\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-content\">\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>Relationships<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Do you see your friends very often?<br \/>\nLouisa: Yes \u2026 we meet up most weekends \u2026 we all\u00a0<strong>get on really well<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>have a lot in common<\/strong>\u00a0so we\u2019re always happy doing the same things and going to the same places.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What do you like about your close friends?<br \/>\nAnna: I think we<strong>\u00a0enjoy each other\u2019s company<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 we<strong>\u00a0see eye-to-eye on<\/strong>\u00a0most things so we rarely\u00a0<strong>fall out with<\/strong>\u00a0each other.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Have you known each other long?<br \/>\nAmy: Most of them yes \u2026 although my closest friend Carrie \u2026 we\u00a0<strong>struck up a relationship<\/strong>\u00a0at college and\u00a0<strong>got on like a house on fire<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but yes \u2026 my other friendships\u00a0<strong>go back years<\/strong>\u00a0to when we were at school.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a person you are very close to. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>who this person is<\/li>\n<li>when you met them<\/li>\n<li>where you met them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say what it is about them you like so much.<\/p>\n<p>Reiko: I\u2019d like to talk about my boyfriend \u2026 Jose \u2026 we\u00a0<strong>got to know<\/strong>\u00a0each other at University almost 4 years ago \u2026 we were in the same department \u2026 initially we were\u00a0<strong>just good friends<\/strong>\u00a0and used to go out in a group with our other friends \u2026 when Jose went back to Spain for the holidays we would\u00a0<strong>keep in touch with<\/strong>\u00a0each other \u2026 then one year he invited me to come to Spain with him \u2026 \u00a0and that\u2019s when we\u00a0<strong>fell for<\/strong>\u00a0each other I think \u2026 so you couldn\u2019t really say it was\u00a0<strong>love at first sight<\/strong>\u00a0as it had been over a year since we\u2019d met \u2026 but we really\u00a0<strong>hit it off<\/strong>\u00a0and by the time we got back to university in September we were able to tell all our friends that we were\u00a0<strong>in a relationship<\/strong>\u2026 what do I like about Jose \u2026 well he\u2019s very kind \u2026 very funny \u2026 and very supportive \u2026 and we\u2019re really\u00a0<strong>well matched<\/strong>\u00a0in our interests \u2026 he hasn\u2019t\u00a0<strong>popped the question<\/strong>\u00a0yet though \u2026 we\u2019ve talked about getting married and I think we\u2019re both ready\u00a0<strong>to settle down<\/strong>\u00a0and have children \u00a0\u2026 we\u2019ll just have to wait and see \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Do you think marriage is still as important as ever?<br \/>\nCristine: Yes \u2026 it certainly is in my country \u2026 I think the problem for some people is a lack of commitment \u2026 all relationships\u00a0<strong>have their ups and downs<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026. but some people prefer to\u00a0<strong>break up<\/strong>rather than\u00a0<strong>working at<\/strong>\u00a0the relationship.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What do you think is the ideal time to get married?<br \/>\nTerry: Personally \u2026 I think you should wait until you\u2019ve found yourself first \u2026 decided if you want a career \u2026 perhaps do some travelling \u2026 you should do this before\u00a0<strong>tying the knot<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 although if you\u00a0<strong>fall head over heels in love<\/strong>\u00a0plans like these can easily be forgotten.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Is it important to keep in contact with our friends when we\u2019re in a relationship?<br \/>\nMaria: Absolutely \u2026 it\u2019s so easy to\u00a0<strong>drift apart<\/strong>\u00a0from your friends when you\u00a0<strong>fall in love<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but I think both partners should try not\u00a0<strong>to lose touch with<\/strong>\u00a0their friends \u00a0\u2026 that\u2019s the best way to have a\u00a0<strong>healthy relationship<\/strong>\u00a0with your partner.<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to break up<\/em><\/strong>: to end a romantic relationship<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to drift apart<\/em><\/strong>: to become less close to someone<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to enjoy someone\u2019s company<\/em><\/strong>: to like spending time with someone<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to fall for<\/strong><\/em>: to fall in love<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to fall head over heels in love<\/strong><\/em>: to start to love someone a lot<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to fall out with<\/em><\/strong>: to have a disagreement and stop being friends<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get on like a house on fire<\/em><\/strong>: to like someone\u2019s company very much indeed<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get on well with<\/em><\/strong>: to understand someone and enjoy similar interests<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to get to know<\/strong><\/em>: to begin to know someone<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go back years<\/em><\/strong>: to have known someone for a long time<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to have a lot in common<\/em><\/strong>: to share similar interests<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to have ups and downs<\/strong>:<\/em>\u00a0to have good and bad times<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a healthy relationship<\/strong><\/em>: a good, positive relationship<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to hit it off<\/strong><\/em>: to quickly become good friends with<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be in a relationship<\/strong><\/em>: to be romantically involved with someone<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be just good friends<\/strong><\/em>: to not be romantically involved<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to keep in touch with<\/strong><\/em>: to keep in contact with<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to lose touch with<\/strong><\/em>: to not see or hear from someone any longer<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>love at first sight<\/strong><\/em>: to fall in love immediately you meet someone<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to pop the question<\/strong><\/em>: to ask someone to marry you<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to see eye to eye<\/strong><\/em>: to agree on a subject<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to settle down<\/strong><\/em>: to give up the single life and start a family<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to strike up a relationship<\/strong><\/em>: \u00a0to begin a friendship<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to tie the knot<\/strong><\/em>: to get married<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be well matched<\/strong><\/em>: to be similar to<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to work at a relationship<\/em><\/strong>: to try to maintain a positive relationship with someone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-04\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>Sport<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>We all have a relationship with sport: we might watch it, play it or try our best to avoid it. Because it\u2019s such an important subject you may find yourself being asked questions about sport in the IELTS Speaking exam.<\/p>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Do you do any sports?<br \/>\nLoiuse: Not really \u2026 no \u2026 I always say I\u2019m going\u00a0<strong>to take up exercise<\/strong>\u00a0and try\u00a0<strong>to get into shape<\/strong>\u00a0but I never seem to get started \u2026 I sometimes wonder whether \u00a0I should get\u00a0<strong>a personal trainer<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 someone who will sort out\u00a0<strong>a fitness programme<\/strong>\u00a0for me and make me\u00a0<strong>train hard<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: How do you spend a typical weekend?<br \/>\nStella: I\u2019m a big\u00a0<strong>football fan<\/strong>\u00a0and weekends always centre around\u00a0<strong>a football match<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I support FC Utrecht and have\u00a0<strong>a season ticket<\/strong>\u00a0so I go to most of the\u00a0<strong>home games<\/strong>\u00a0and quite a few of the\u00a0<strong>away games<\/strong>\u00a0too\u00a0\u00a0\u2026 I\u2019m really looking forward to the new\u00a0<strong>football season<\/strong>\u00a0starting soon \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Have you got any hobbies or interests?<\/p>\n<p>Theo: Yes \u2026 I\u2019m really keen on sports \u2026 I\u00a0<strong>do judo<\/strong>\u00a0once a week and\u00a0<strong>play tennis<\/strong>\u00a0in the summer \u2026 I think it\u2019s really important\u00a0<strong>to keep fit<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it makes you feel good and energised for work and your studies \u2026.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a place you like going to in your leisure time. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what this place is<\/li>\n<li>when you go there<\/li>\n<li>what you do there<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you enjoy it there so much.<\/p>\n<p>Maurice: \u00a0I\u2019d like to talk about my local\u00a0<strong>sports centre<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s a place I spend a lot of time in \u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s a new building with all the latest\u00a0<strong>sports facilities<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I probably go there at least twice a week \u2026 sometimes more often \u2026 it\u2019s a huge place \u2026 there\u2019s an outdoor\u00a0<strong>athletics track<\/strong>\u00a0and some\u00a0<strong>football pitches<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u00a0<strong>play football<\/strong>\u00a0so I\u2019m often out there \u2026 there are several indoor\u00a0<strong>squash and tennis courts<\/strong>\u00a0that I use occasionally \u2026 a big\u00a0<strong>swimming pool<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 although I don\u2019t use that very often \u2026 I\u2019m not a very\u00a0<strong>strong swimmer<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 there\u2019s a gym \u2026 lots of things really \u2026 why do I enjoy going there \u2026 it\u2019s just a really fun place to be \u2026 there\u2019s a good social side to it all \u2026 you can enter competitions \u2026 meet up with other people who want to do the same sports \u2026 and because there are so many activities on offer it gets you interested in different things \u2026 for example I was listening to some people talking about training\u00a0<strong>to run the marathon<\/strong>\u00a0and I\u2019ve decided I might even think about that \u2026 I\u00a0<strong>go jogging<\/strong>\u00a0a couple of times a week so it would give me something to aim for \u2026 so yes \u2026 the sports centre \u2026 that\u2019s the place I really like to visit \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Should people be encouraged more to take up sport?<br \/>\nAlejandro: I think young people should be given the chance to discover which sport they might like \u2026 watching sport is sometimes a good way to get people started \u2026 not on TV but actually getting out \u2026 take athletics for example \u2026 they could go to\u00a0<strong>an athletics meeting<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 there are so many different sports on show one might interest them \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Why do some people enjoy participating in sport more than others?<br \/>\nFlorrie: That\u2019s a good question \u2026 I suppose some people are more concerned about their health \u2026 they can\u2019t stand the thought of\u00a0<strong>being out of condition<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 other people might be driven to excel \u2026 they want\u00a0<strong>to set records<\/strong>\u00a0or get\u00a0<strong>personal bests<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Which sports do you think are best for people who aren\u2019t used to physical activity?<br \/>\nJulie: Well \u2026 I think people like this should avoid\u00a0<strong>strenuous exercise<\/strong>\u00a0so things like\u00a0<strong>circuit training<\/strong>\u00a0are definitely out of the question \u2026 maybe just doing\u00a0<strong>a brisk walk<\/strong>\u00a0every day \u2026 or swimming is always a good way to get started \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>an athletics meeting<\/em><\/strong>: an event where various athletics sports are held<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>an athletics track<\/strong><\/em>: a running track<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>an away game<\/strong><\/em>: a football match played in the opposing teams stadium<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a brisk walk<\/strong><\/em>: a fast walk<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to do judo<\/strong><\/em>: (not go or play)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a football fan<\/strong><\/em>: someone who likes football<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a fitness programme<\/strong><\/em>: a schedule of activities to keep fit<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a football match<\/strong><\/em>: a game of football<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a football pitch<\/strong><\/em>: the surface on which you play football (as opposed to a stadium, which is the building)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a football season<\/strong><\/em>: a period in the year when football is played<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to get into shape<\/strong><\/em>: to become fit<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to go jogging<\/strong><\/em>: to run around the streets<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a home game<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0 a football match played in the teams own stadium<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to keep fit<\/strong><\/em>: to stay in good physically condition<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be out of condition<\/strong><\/em>: to not be physically fit<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a personal best<\/strong><\/em>: to achieve the best personal result so far in a sport<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a personal trainer<\/strong><\/em>: a sports coach that helps you on a one-to-one basis<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to play tennis\/football<\/strong><\/em>: (not do or go)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to run the marathon<\/strong><\/em>: to run a distance of 42.195 Kilometres<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a season ticket<\/strong><\/em>: a ticket that gives you entry to most of a team\u2019s home games during the sporting year.<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to set a record<\/strong><\/em>: to achieve the best result in a sport<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a sports centre<\/strong><\/em>: a public building where people can do various sports<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>sports facilities<\/strong><\/em>: the equipment and services needed to do a sport<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a squash\/tennis\/badminton court<\/strong><\/em>: the surface where you play these sports<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>strenuous exercise<\/strong><\/em>: exercise that needs a lot of physical effort<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a strong swimmer<\/strong><\/em>: a good swimmer<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a swimming pool<\/strong><\/em>: the place where you swim<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to take up exercise<\/strong><\/em>: to start doing exercise<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to train hard<\/strong><\/em>: to train with a lot of effort<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-05\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>Food<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The topic of food often comes up in the IELTS Speaking exam. You might be asked questions about what you like to eat, your favourite restaurants or about a popular dish in your country.<\/p>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Do you like to cook?<br \/>\nMandy: Not really no \u00a0\u2026 most of the time I eat\u00a0<strong>ready meals<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>take-aways<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 that\u2019s one of the reasons I love visiting my mum \u2026 you can always guarantee lovely\u00a0<strong>home-cooked food<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What time do you usually eat dinner?<br \/>\nMichelle: We have our\u00a0<strong>main meal<\/strong>\u00a0at around 7.00 \u2026 I\u2019m usually\u00a0<strong>starving hungry<\/strong>\u00a0by then \u2026 in fact I often\u00a0<strong>grab a bite to eat\u00a0<\/strong>as soon as I get home from college \u2026 a sandwich perhaps \u2026 but not too much\u00a0<strong>to spoil my\u00a0appetite<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Are there any types of food you don\u2019t like?<br \/>\nLionel: No not really \u2026 I\u2019m not\u00a0<strong>a fussy eater<\/strong>\u00a0at all \u2026 actually I\u00a0<strong>eat like a horse<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I do a lot of sport and\u00a0<strong>work up quite an appetite<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a\u00a0restaurant\u00a0that you like to use. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>where this restaurant is<\/li>\n<li>what kind of food it serves<\/li>\n<li>how often you go there<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you like eating there so much.<\/p>\n<p>Howard: \u00a0OK \u2026 this is a nice topic to talk about\u00a0\u2026 there\u2019s a\u00a0restaurant\u00a0just around the corner from where I live \u2026 it\u2019s an Italian restaurant so as you\u2019d expect you can eat various pasta dishes and pizzas and I usually go there with my family for\u00a0<strong>a slap-up meal<\/strong>\u00a0if we have anything to celebrate \u2026 it\u2019s quite a posh restaurant \u2026 the kind of place you would take someone if you wanted\u00a0<strong>to wine and dine<\/strong>\u00a0them \u2026 we usually order\u00a0<strong>a 3-course meal<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a light starter then a main dish \u2026 and I have quite\u00a0<strong>a sweet tooth<\/strong>\u00a0so I always look forward to the dessert \u2026 I usually order Tiramisu \u2026 it\u00a0<strong>makes my mouth water<\/strong>\u00a0just to think about it \u2026 I\u2019m always totally\u00a0<strong>full up<\/strong>\u00a0by the end \u2026 why do I enjoy it there \u2026 well \u2026 it\u2019s not cheap \u2026 my parents always\u00a0<strong>foot the bill<\/strong>\u00a0and we couldn\u2019t afford to go there\u00a0regularly\u00a0so it\u2019s always a nice treat \u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: How can we encourage people to eat more healthily?<br \/>\nAnna: I think the best approach is to have\u00a0everything in moderation \u2026\u00a0<strong>processed food<\/strong>\u00a0won\u2019t kill you if you only eat it occasionally \u2026 but people should also be encouraged\u00a0<strong>to eat a balanced diet<\/strong>\u2026 try to cook fresh ingredients at home a few times a week \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you think people enjoy their food as much as they should?<br \/>\nFlorrie: I don\u2019t know really\u00a0\u2026 I suppose it\u2019s true that people will often eat\u00a0<strong>a quick snack<\/strong>\u00a0because they\u2019re bored not because they\u2019re\u00a0<strong>dying of hunger<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and often they just\u00a0<strong>bolt it down<\/strong>\u00a0and don\u2019t savour it \u2026 so yes \u2026 perhaps we could take more time over our food \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you think cooking is a pleasure or a chore for people who have busy lives?<br \/>\nJulie: Well \u2026 whether you\u00a0<strong>follow a recipe<\/strong>\u00a0or make something up as you go along \u2026 I think cooking is a very creative process \u2026 and cooking for other people is a particular pleasure\u00a0\u2026 there\u2019s nothing more satisfying than seeing people you love\u00a0<strong>tucking into<\/strong>\u00a0something you\u2019ve cooked yourself \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to be full up<\/em><\/strong>: to eat to the point that you can no longer eat any more<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be starving hungry<\/strong><\/em>: an exaggerated way of saying you are very hungry<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to bolt something down<\/strong><\/em>: to eat something very quickly<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be dying of hunger<\/strong><\/em>: an\u00a0exaggerated\u00a0way of saying you are hungry<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to eat a balanced diet<\/strong><\/em>: to eat the correct types and amounts of food<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to eat like a horse<\/strong><\/em>: to eat a lot<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to follow a recipe<\/strong><\/em>: to cook a meal using instructions<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to foot the bill<\/strong><\/em>: to pay the bill<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a fussy eater<\/strong><\/em>: somebody who has their own very high standards about what to eat<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to grab a bite to eat<\/strong><\/em>: to eat something quickly (when you\u2019re in a rush)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to have a sweet tooth<\/strong><\/em>: to enjoy sugary food<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>home-cooked food<\/strong><\/em>: food cooked at home from individual ingredients<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>the main meal<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0 the most important meal of the day, usually eaten in the evening<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to make your mouth water<\/strong><\/em>: to make you feel very hungry for something<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to play with your food<\/strong><\/em>: to push food around the plate to avoid eating it<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>processed food<\/strong><\/em>: commercially prepared food bought for convenience<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a quick snack<\/strong><\/em>: to eat a small amount of food between meals<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a ready meal<\/strong><\/em>: see \u2018processed food\u2019<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a slap up meal<\/strong><\/em>: a large meal<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to spoil your appetite<\/strong><\/em>: to eat something that will stop you feeling hungry when it\u2019s meal-time.<\/li>\n<li><b><i>a take away<\/i><\/b>: a cooked meal prepared in a restaurant and eaten at home<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to tuck into<\/strong><\/em>: to eat something with pleasure<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to wine and dine<\/strong><\/em>: to entertain someone by treating them to food and drink<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to work up an appetite<\/strong><\/em>: to do physical work that leads to you becoming hungry<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-06\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Work<\/b><\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re employed, getting the necessary qualifications for a job, or still trying to decide what kind of career you\u2019re interested in, you\u2019ll need to be able to tell the examiner about this if you\u2019re asked questions about work.<\/p>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: What do you do?<br \/>\nSasha: I\u00a0<strong>do a job-share<\/strong>\u00a0with a friend in a boutique \u2026 I enjoy it \u2026 I like working with customers \u2026 unfortunately it\u2019s only\u00a0<strong>temporary work<\/strong>\u00a0but\u00a0<strong>one of the perks of the job<\/strong>\u00a0is I get a discount on the clothes \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you have any career plans yet?<br \/>\nCarly: Yes \u2026 I\u2019d like to\u00a0<strong>be my own boss<\/strong>\u00a0one day \u2026 I\u2019m interested in programming and I\u2019d like to create apps for myself or for other companies \u2026 I know being\u00a0<strong>self employed<\/strong>\u00a0would be a challenge but the idea of doing a\u00a0<strong>nine-to-five job<\/strong>\u00a0doesn\u2019t appeal to me at all \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What do you see yourself doing in 10 years time?<br \/>\nMarie: I\u2019d hope to be working\u00a0\u2026 not\u00a0<strong>a high-powered job<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but I\u2019m quite a creative person so\u00a0something where I can\u00a0<strong>work with my hands<\/strong>\u00a0would be nice \u2026 as long as I\u2019m not\u00a0<strong>stuck behind a desk\u00a0<\/strong>doing something boring<strong>\u00a0\u00a0in a dead-end job<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019ll be happy \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe your ideal job. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what this job is<\/li>\n<li>whether you would need any qualifications<\/li>\n<li>whether it would be easy to find work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you would enjoy this job in particular.<\/p>\n<p>Max: \u00a0I\u2019ve always loved watching wildlife programmes on TV and often thought how much I\u2019d enjoy working with animals\u00a0\u2026 perhaps in a safari park \u2026 something like that \u2026 you\u2019d probably need a degree to have any chance of being\u00a0<strong>called for an interview<\/strong>\u00a0and whether there are many\u00a0<strong>full-time jobs<\/strong>\u00a0I don\u2019t know \u2026 I\u2019m sure a lot of parks rely on\u00a0<strong>voluntary work<\/strong>\u00a0so it might not be easy \u2026 and it probably wouldn\u2019t be\u00a0<strong>well-paid<\/strong>\u00a0either but money isn\u2019t everything \u2026 I\u2019d get so much<strong>\u00a0job satisfaction<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I can\u2019t imagine it being the kind of job where you get\u00a0<strong>stuck in a rut<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and I think I\u2019d be good at it as well \u2026 I\u2019d love to work with animals I enjoy\u00a0<strong>manual work<\/strong>\u00a0and I\u2019m\u00a0<strong>a good team player<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 so even though the\u00a0<strong>working conditions<\/strong>\u00a0might not be the best I think that would be my ideal job \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: If there are a limited number of jobs available who should be given priority, young people or older people with more experience?<br \/>\nAnna: Things are so different these days\u00a0\u2026 a few years ago older employees would often\u00a0<strong>take early retirement<\/strong>\u00a0or go onto\u00a0<strong>part-time\u00a0<\/strong>contracts\u00a0and there were always opportunities for younger people but now jobs are so scarce \u2026 I think younger people need to be given the chance whenever possible \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What are some of the important things a candidate should find out before accepting a job?<br \/>\nAli: Well \u00a0\u2026 you\u2019d need to know about your area of responsibility \u2026 and your salary of course and then there are things like\u00a0<strong>holiday entitlement<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>maternity or paternity leave<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 if you\u2019re thinking of having children \u2026 and what the situation is regarding\u00a0<strong>sick leave<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 that kind of thing \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What are the advantages of having your own business rather than working for someone else?<br \/>\nJulie: Well \u2026 unfortunately being an employee at the moment is very stressful\u00a0\u2026 people have very\u00a0<strong>heavy workloads<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 they\u2019re always under pressure to\u00a0<strong>meet deadlines<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>running your own business<\/strong>\u00a0isn\u2019t easy \u2026 but I do think it would be far more satisfying \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to be called for an interview<\/em><\/strong>: to be invited to attend an interview<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be your own boss<\/em><\/strong>: to have your own business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a dead-end job<\/em><\/strong>: a job with no promotional opportunities<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to do a job-share<\/em><\/strong>: to share the weekly hours of work with another person<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a good team player<\/em><\/strong>: somebody who can work well with other people<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>full-time<\/em><\/strong>: the number of hours that people usually work in a complete week<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a heavy workload<\/em><\/strong>: to have a lot of work to do<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a high-powered job<\/em><\/strong>: an important or powerful job<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>holiday entitlement<\/em><\/strong>: the number of days holiday allowed<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>job satisfaction<\/em><\/strong>: the feeling of enjoying a job<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>manual work<\/em><\/strong>: work that requires physical activity<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>maternity leave<\/em><\/strong>: time off work given to a woman about to have a baby<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to meet a deadline<\/em><\/strong>: to finish a job by an agreed time<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a nine-to-five job<\/em><\/strong>: a normal job that consists of an 8 hour day (approximately)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>one of the perks of the job<\/em><\/strong>: an extra benefit you get from a job<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>part-time<\/em><\/strong>: working less than full-time<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to run your own business<\/em><\/strong>: see \u2018to be your own boss\u2019<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be self-employed<\/em><\/strong>: see\u00a0\u2018to be your own boss\u2019<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>sick leave<\/em><\/strong>: time allowed off work when sick<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be stuck behind a desk<\/em><\/strong>: to be unhappy in an office job<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be\/get stuck in a rut<\/em><\/strong>: to be in a boring job that is hard to leave<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to take early retirement<\/em><\/strong>: to retire early (retire: to reach an age when you are allowed to stop working for a living)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>temporary work<\/em><\/strong>: work done for a limited time only<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>voluntary work<\/em><\/strong>: to work without pay<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be well paid<\/em><\/strong>: to earn a good salary<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>working conditions<\/em><\/strong>: the hours, salary and other entitlements that comes with the job<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to work with your hands<\/em><\/strong>: to do manual work<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-07\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>Technology<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p>The subject of \u2018Technology\u2019 frequently comes up in the IELTS Speaking exam. You may be asked to talk about something you own, your favourite websites, how technology has impacted on education etc.\u00a0\u00a0You\u2019ll need to show the examiner your ability to express yourself using as wide a range of vocabulary as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Do you enjoy using technology?<br \/>\nStephan: Well \u2026 I wouldn\u2019t call myself\u00a0<strong>a techie<\/strong>\u00a0or a\u00a0<strong>computer buff<\/strong>\u00a0but I enjoy using computers \u2026 I\u2019d like to find out more about \u00a0how they work \u2026 when my\u00a0<strong>computer crashes<\/strong>\u00a0I never know what to do.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you use the Internet for your studies?<br \/>\nSophie: Yes \u2026 I\u2019d be lost without it \u2026 I do lots of\u00a0<strong>video conferencing<\/strong>\u00a0to practise speaking and\u00a0<strong>social media<\/strong>\u00a0like Facebook is a good way to meet up with other students \u2026 and I\u00a0<strong>download podcasts<\/strong>\u00a0that teach English vocabulary and grammar.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you have your own computer?<br \/>\nTania: Yes \u2026 I have a Macbook Pro \u2026 I use it all the time \u2026 for\u00a0<strong>word processing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>browsing websites<\/strong>\u00a0and catching up with TV programmes I\u2019ve missed.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe an item of technology you have that is very important. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what the technology is<\/li>\n<li>when you got it<\/li>\n<li>how often you use it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say how different your daily life would be without it.<\/p>\n<p>Mattie: I don\u2019t have many\u00a0<strong>gadgets<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 just a computer \u2026 a laptop and my mobile phone \u2026 but I\u2019ll talk about my computer as it\u2019s so useful \u2026 it\u2019s\u00a0funny really \u2026 2 years ago I was still learning to use computers \u2026 how to use email \u2026\u00a0<strong>send attachments<\/strong>\u00a0how to\u00a0<strong>access websites<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 then I decided to do a\u00a0<strong>digital editing<\/strong>\u00a0course for video and photography \u2026 and so I bought the laptop when I started the course \u00a0\u2026 \u00a0my husband had a\u00a0<strong>desktop PC<\/strong>\u00a0but it was very slow so I decided\u00a0<strong>to upgrade<\/strong>\u00a0to a powerful one because we do a lot of video editing on the course \u2026 it\u2019s a\u00a0<strong>high-spec<\/strong>\u00a0laptop \u2026 very fast \u2026 the latest\u00a0<strong>operating system<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u00a0<strong>boots up<\/strong>\u00a0really quickly and it\u2019s \u00a0fun to use so it makes working a pleasure \u2026 I\u2019ve become a competent computer user now \u2026 if I didn\u2019t have it I daresay I\u2019d have to spend more time at college using their computers \u2026 but on the positive side I suppose I\u2019d read a lot more if I didn\u2019t have it \u00a0\u2026 \u00a0I probably waste a lot of time\u00a0<strong>surfing the web<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but hopefully I won\u2019t have to be without it \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: What do you think are the important things people need to learn when they start using computers?<br \/>\nAlejandro: Well \u2026 there are things like how to use the Internet \u00a0\u2026 how<strong>\u00a0to enter a web address<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 how\u00a0<strong>to navigate websites<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 that kind of thing but it\u2019s also important to know how\u00a0<strong>to back up<\/strong>your files in case your computer crashes \u2026 and all about\u00a0<strong>Internet security<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What kind of technological developments have made the biggest impact on our lives?<br \/>\nFaydene: In my lifetime it has to be the Internet of course but I also think wifi has made a huge difference to how we interact with the Internet \u2026\u00a0<strong>wireless networks<\/strong>\u00a0at home and public\u00a0<strong>wifi hotspots<\/strong>\u00a0mean we can\u00a0<strong>go online<\/strong>\u00a0easily \u2026\u00a0<strong>access our mail<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 log into our work intranet and basically be connected wherever we are.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do computers make it much easier to study?<br \/>\nJane: Definitely yes \u2026 researching information is much easier with the Internet .. you can\u00a0<strong>bookmark webpages<\/strong>\u00a0for future reference and writing essays is much easier \u2026 being able\u00a0<strong>to cut and paste<\/strong>\u00a0sections of text means you can experiment with organisation \u2026 so yes \u2026 compared to years ago when you had a pile of books on your desk and a pen and paper \u2026 it\u2019s now much easier.<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to access websites\/email<\/em><\/strong>: to locate<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to\u00a0back up files<\/em><\/strong><em>: to make a copy of files in case of a computer problem<\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to boot up<\/em><\/strong>: to start a computer<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to bookmark a webpage<\/em><\/strong>: to mark a webpage for future reference<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to browse websites<\/strong><\/em>: to look at websites<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a computer buff<\/strong><\/em>: an expert computer user<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to crash<\/em><\/strong>: to suddenly stop working<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to cut and paste<\/em><\/strong>: to move text or images from one place in a document to another place<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a desktop PC<\/em><\/strong>: a computer that isn\u2019t portable and remains in situ on a desk<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>digital editing<\/strong><\/em>: to edit digital materials like audio or video files<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>download (podcasts)<\/em><\/strong>: to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to enter a web address<\/em><\/strong>: to type the address of a website into the address bar of your browser<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a gadget<\/strong>:<\/em>\u00a0a technological tool like a mobile phone or camera<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to go online<\/strong><\/em>: to start using the Internet<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>high-spec (laptop)<\/strong><\/em>: powerful computer with top quality components<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>Internet security<\/strong><\/em>: Internet safety<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>intranet<\/strong><\/em>: a network of connected computers within an organisation that is not accessible by unauthorised visitors<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to navigate a website<\/strong><\/em>: to find your way around a website<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>operating system<\/strong><\/em>: the software that tells the computer how to work<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>send an attachment<\/strong><\/em>: send an email with an accompanying file<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>social media<\/strong><\/em>: media used to interact with other people such as Facebook or Twitter<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to surf the web<\/strong><\/em>: to look at a series of websites one after the other<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a techie<\/strong><\/em>: somebody who has an interest in technology<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to upgrade<\/strong><\/em>: to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer or piece of software<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>video conferencing<\/strong><\/em>: to see and hear people from different locations using the Internet<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>wireless hotspot<\/strong><\/em>: a public place where you can access the Internet<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>wireless network<\/strong><\/em>: a network where users can access the Internet without the use of fixed cables<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>word processing<\/em><\/strong><em>;\u00a0<\/em>producing written texts on a computer<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-08\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Health<\/b><\/p>\n<p>During the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked questions to do with health and fitness. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Have you got a relation you\u2019re particularly fond of?<br \/>\nSinita: Yes \u2026 my granddad \u2026 he\u2019s 94 years old but generally he\u2019s\u00a0<strong>as fit as a fiddle<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 we\u2019re very close and see each other a lot \u2026 whenever he\u00a0<strong>goes down with a cold<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>is under the weather<\/strong>\u00a0I make a point of visiting him\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you do any sport?<br \/>\nJon:\u00a0Yes \u2026 I\u2019m keen on skateboarding \u2026 but I haven\u2019t done it for a while \u2026 I had a bad fall recently and\u00a0<strong>pulled a muscle<\/strong>\u00a0and had a few\u00a0<strong>cuts and bruises<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but I\u2019m\u00a0<strong>on the mend<\/strong>\u00a0and hope to be doing it again soon \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Is there anything you\u2019re particularly afraid of?<br \/>\nDavide:\u00a0The dentist \u2026 I hate going to the dentist \u2026 I only ever go if I\u00a0<strong>have a toothache<\/strong>\u00a0so it usually means I have to\u00a0<strong>have a filling<\/strong>\u00a0or even\u00a0<strong>have a tooth out<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I really don\u2019t like it \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a time when you were ill. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when this was<\/li>\n<li>what your symptoms were<\/li>\n<li>how long the illness lasted<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say how it affected your life at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Pierre: \u00a0This is a tricky one really as I\u2019m usually quite healthy \u2026 I\u2019ve never been seriously ill \u2026 like everyone else I sometimes get a few\u00a0<strong>aches and pains<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>catch a cold<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I can remember a few months ago I had to have time off work with\u00a0<strong>a heavy cold<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I had the usual symptoms \u2026\u00a0<strong>a blocked nose<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>sore throat<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it lasted quite a while \u2026 about 2 weeks I think though I didn\u2019t have that much time off work \u2026 for a few days I remember\u00a0<strong>feeling poorly<\/strong>\u00a0but I was\u00a0<strong>over the worst of it<\/strong>\u00a0after a few days and went back to work \u2026 I always find it\u2019s better to be active when you feel ill as it keeps your mind off your symptoms \u2026 I think my family get a little fed up with me when I\u2019m ill though \u2026 I tend to feel sorry for myself and lie on the sofa all day as if I\u2019<strong>m at death\u2019s door<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but as I said earlier \u2026 on this occasion it was nothing serious and didn\u2019t really cause me any problems \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What costs are involved when you are ill in your country?<br \/>\nAnya:\u00a0Well \u2026 people have to pay\u00a0<strong>prescription charges<\/strong>\u00a0which can be quite expensive \u2026 but fortunately general healthcare is free \u2026 unless you want to\u00a0<strong>go private<\/strong>\u00a0of course and then \u00a0you can pay a fortune for your treatment \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0In your experience are people too quick to take time off work when they\u2019re ill?<br \/>\nAlicia:\u00a0Yes .. I\u2019ve got friends who have a day off work if they wake up with a\u00a0<strong>runny nose<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and in most cases they seem\u00a0<strong>to make a speedy recovery\u00a0<\/strong>after they\u2019ve\u00a0<strong>phoned in sick<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do women pay more attention to their health than men?<br \/>\nJulie: I think so yes \u2026 women are more likely to see their\u00a0<strong>GP<\/strong>\u00a0for a\u00a0<strong>check-up<\/strong>\u00a0if they\u2019re concerned about something \u2026 men tend to avoid facing up to any health problems they have \u2026 my dad always seems to have a very\u00a0<strong>chesty cough<\/strong>\u00a0but refuses to go to\u00a0<strong>make an appointment\u00a0<\/strong>to see the doctor \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>aches and pains<\/em><\/strong>: minor pains that continue over a period of time<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be a bit off colour<\/strong><\/em>: to feel a little ill<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be at death\u2019s door<\/strong><\/em>: (informal) to be very ill indeed<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be on the mend<\/em><\/strong>: to be recovering after an illness<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be over the worst<\/em><\/strong>: to have got through the most serious or uncomfortable stage of an illness<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be under the weather<\/em><\/strong>: (informal) to not feel well<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a blocked nose<\/em><\/strong>: when the nose has excess fluid due to a cold<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to catch a cold<\/em><\/strong>: to get a cold<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a check-up<\/em><\/strong>: a physical examination by a doctor<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a chesty cough<\/em><\/strong>: a cough caused by congestion around the lungs<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>cuts and bruises<\/em><\/strong>: minor injuries<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to feel poorly<\/em><\/strong>: to feel ill<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>as fit as a fiddle<\/em><\/strong>: to be very healthy<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go down with a cold<\/em><\/strong>: to become ill<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go private<\/em><\/strong>: to choose to be treated by commercial healthcare rather than by services offered by the state<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>GP<\/strong><\/em>: General Practitioner (family doctor)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to have a filling<\/em><\/strong>: to have a tooth repaired<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to have a tooth out<\/em><\/strong>: to have a tooth removed<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a heavy cold<\/em><\/strong>: a bad cold<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to make an appointment<\/em><\/strong>: to arrange a time to see the doctor<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to make a speedy recovery<\/em><\/strong>: to recover quickly from an illness<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to phone in sick<\/em><\/strong>: to call work to explain you won\u2019t be attending work due to illness<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>prescription charges<\/em><\/strong>: money the patient pays for medicine\u00a0authorised by a doctor<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to pull a muscle<\/em><\/strong>: to strain a muscle<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a runny nose:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0a nose that has liquid coming out of it<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a sore throat<\/strong><\/em>: inflammation that causes pain when swallowing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-09\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Books and Films<\/b><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s quite possible that the examiner will ask you questions about your reading habits or ask you to say something about a book you\u2019ve read or a film you\u2019ve seen. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you like to read books?<br \/>\nMarie: Yes \u2026 I love reading\u00a0\u2026 I like nothing more than<strong>\u00a0to be engrossed in<\/strong>\u00a0a good book \u2026 I regularly\u00a0<strong>take out\u00a0<\/strong>books from the library and usually read them\u00a0<strong>from cover to cover<\/strong>\u00a0in no time \u2026 and I can\u2019t go to sleep at night without some good\u00a0<strong>bedtime reading<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0How often do you go to the cinema?<br \/>\nJemma: Unfortunately we don\u2019t have a cinema near us so we have to go into the nearest town\u00a0<strong>to catch the latest movie<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I usually avoid seeing popular\u00a0<strong>box-office hits<\/strong>\u00a0which I\u2019m not always keen on seeing \u2026 I prefer\u00a0<strong>low-budget films<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>sci-fi<\/strong>\u00a0especially \u2026 and there\u2019s a great cinema I go to that has frequent\u00a0<strong>showings<\/strong>\u00a0of films like these \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you prefer reading books or watching films?<br \/>\nLouisa: I\u2019m not really\u00a0<strong>a big reader<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I find books quite\u00a0<strong>heavy-going<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 so I much prefer to see a film \u2026 perhaps it\u2019s the\u00a0<strong>special effects<\/strong>\u00a0or the\u00a0<strong>soundtrack<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I don\u2019t know \u2026 I just prefer a film \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a book you have read or a film you have seen. You should say:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what this book or film was<\/li>\n<li>when you read or saw it<\/li>\n<li>why you decided to see the film or read the book<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say if you enjoyed it and why.<\/p>\n<p>Pauline \u00a0I like reading \u2026 especially English novels\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s a great way to improve your vocabulary and there are so many fantastic authors to choose from \u2026 one book that\u00a0<strong>came highly recommended<\/strong>\u00a0by my teacher was The Mayor of Casterbridge \u2026 I was studying at a school in The UK at the time and she said it would give me a picture of what life was like years ago in the area I was living \u2026 well I have to say I absolutely loved it \u00a0\u2026 it was\u00a0<strong>a real page-turner<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s a\u00a0<strong>historical novel<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>the setting<\/strong>\u00a0was a fictional town called Casterbridge \u2026 but actually it was\u00a0<strong>based on<\/strong>\u00a0a town near where I was studying called Dorchester \u2026 it had such a great\u00a0<strong>plot<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 to cut a long story short\u00a0<strong>it tells the story of<\/strong>\u00a0the downfall of a man called Henchard\u00a0<strong>the central character<\/strong>\u00a0who lives during a period of great social change around the time of the industrial revolution \u2026 the reason I enjoyed it so much \u2026 apart from the great story \u2026 it gave me a picture of what life had been like in the place I was studying at the time \u2026 I really\u00a0<strong>couldn\u2019t put it down<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a fantastic story \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Is reading as pleasurable in digital format?<br \/>\nAlise: Personally I prefer reading a\u00a0<strong>paperback<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0<strong>hardback<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 especially if I\u2019m reading\u00a0<strong>a classic<\/strong>\u00a0which I don\u2019t think feels right as an\u00a0<strong>e-book<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but I can see it can be good for others \u2026 my grandmother has an\u00a0<strong>e-reader<\/strong>\u00a0and she loves the way you can enlarge the text \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you think bookshops will survive the digital revolution?<br \/>\nThomas: I think so\u00a0\u2026 at least I hope so \u2026 I love\u00a0<strong>flicking through<\/strong>\u00a0books in a bookshop \u2026 online shopping is useful \u2026 finding out on Amazon if a book you want has\u00a0<strong>got a good review<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 maybe getting one that is difficult to find \u2026 but I still love the experience of being in a bookshop \u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Statistics show that visits to the cinema are up despite the availability of DVDs and online downloads. Why do you think this might be?<br \/>\nJamie: I think it\u2019s the whole experience that the cinema offers\u00a0\u2026 going out\u00a0<strong>to see a film<\/strong>\u00a0when it\u00a0<strong>goes on general release<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and seeing it\u00a0<strong>on the big screen<\/strong>\u00a0is more exciting than\u00a0<strong>watching the film<\/strong>\u00a0at home on TV \u2026 especially if it\u2019s\u00a0<strong>an action movie<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and watching it with others makes it even more special \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><em><strong>an action movie<\/strong><\/em>: a film with fast moving scenes, often containing violence<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be engrossed in<\/strong><\/em>: to be completely focused on one thing<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>bedtime reading<\/strong><\/em>: something to read in bed before you go to sleep<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be a big reader<\/strong><\/em>: someone who reads a lot<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be based on<\/strong><\/em>: to use as a modal<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a box office hit<\/strong><\/em>: a financially successful film<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be heavy-going<\/strong><\/em>: difficult to read<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a blockbuster<\/strong><\/em>: a film that is a big commercial success<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to catch the latest movie<\/strong><\/em>: to see a film that has just come out<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>the central character<\/em>:<\/strong>\u00a0the main person in a film or book<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a classic<\/strong><\/em>: of the highest quality<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to come highly recommended<\/strong><\/em>: to be praised by another person<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>couldn\u2019t put it down<\/strong><\/em>: wasn\u2019t able to stop reading a book<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>an e-book<\/strong><\/em>: a digital book<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>an e-reader<\/strong><\/em>: a device for reading e-books<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to flick through<\/strong><\/em>: to look quickly through a book<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to get a good\/bad review<\/strong><\/em>: to receive positive or negative feedback<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to go on general release<\/strong><\/em>: when a film can be seen by the general public<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>hardback<\/strong><\/em>: a book with a rigid cover (see \u2018paperback\u2019 below)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a historical novel<\/strong><\/em>: a story set in the past<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a low budget film<\/strong><\/em>: a film made with a small amount of money<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>on the big screen<\/strong><\/em>: at the cinema<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>a page turner<\/strong><\/em>: a book that you want to keep reading<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>paperback<\/strong><\/em>: a book with a flexible cover (see \u2018hardback\u2019 above)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>plot<\/strong><\/em>: the main events in a film or book<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to read something from cover to cover<\/strong><\/em>: to read a book from the first page to the last<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>sci-fi<\/strong><\/em>: science fiction<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to see a film<\/strong><\/em>: to see a film at the cinema (see \u2018watch a film\u2019 below)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>the setting<\/strong><\/em>: where the action takes place<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>showings<\/strong><\/em>: performances of a film<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>soundtrack<\/strong><\/em>: the music that accompanies a film<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>special effects<\/strong><\/em>: the visuals or sounds that are added to a film which are difficult to produce naturally<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to take out (a book from the library)<\/strong><\/em>: to borrow a book from the library<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to tell the story of<\/strong><\/em>: to outline the details of someone\u2019s life or an event<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to watch a film<\/strong><\/em>: to watch a film on TV (see \u2018to see a film\u2019 above)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-10\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Accommodation<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The examiner may ask you to talk about the place you live or would like to live in the exam. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you live in a house or an apartment?<br \/>\nCallum: Actually I live\u00a0<strong>on campus<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 in a\u00a0<strong>single room<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0<strong>halls of residence<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 all first year students are encouraged to do that as they\u2019re close to the university \u2026 next year I plan to move into\u00a0<strong>student digs<\/strong>\u00a0in town \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Tell me about where you live.<br \/>\nJulia:\u00a0I live with my parents\u00a0<strong>in the suburbs<\/strong>\u00a0of Madrid\u00a0\u2026 we only\u00a0<strong>moved in<\/strong>\u00a0recently \u2026 in fact we had a\u00a0<strong>house-warming party<\/strong>\u00a0just a few weeks ago \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What kind of accommodation do most people live in in your city?<br \/>\nMaria:\u00a0In the city itself the majority of people live in\u00a0<strong>apartment blocks<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 that\u2019s what surprised me about England \u2026 most people seem to live in\u00a0<strong>terraced houses<\/strong>\u00a0with lovely\u00a0<strong>back gardens\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a house or an apartment you would like to live in. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what kind of accommodation it would be<\/li>\n<li>where it would be<\/li>\n<li>who would live there with you<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you would enjoy living in this place.<\/p>\n<p>Paolo: \u00a0I think most people when answering this question would say they\u2019d like to live in a big\u00a0<strong>detached house<\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0<strong>spacious rooms<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 views of the countryside and so on \u2026 but actually my\u00a0<strong>ideal home<\/strong>\u00a0would be a lot different \u2026 I\u2019ve always loved the idea of having a\u00a0<strong>mobile home<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a really expensive one with\u00a0<strong>all the mod cons<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 so I could live wherever I wanted or at least have lots of holidays and be able to take all my\u00a0<strong>home comforts<\/strong>\u00a0with me whenever I travelled \u2026 I realise this would have to be a second home as I\u2019d need a base \u2026 a\u00a0<strong>permanent address<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but the mobile home would be the accommodation I\u2019d find it exciting to live in \u2026 I suppose once I settle down and have children I\u2019ll want\u00a0<strong>to get on the property ladder<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u2019ll be like everyone else \u2026 saving up\u00a0<strong>to put down a deposit<\/strong>\u00a0on a house or an apartment \u2026 I don\u2019t think my family would want to live in a mobile home \u2026 but I like to think I\u2019ll still keep that\u00a0<strong>dream home<\/strong>\u00a0in mind \u2026.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Is it better to own your own home or to rent?<br \/>\nAna:\u00a0I think both have their advantages \u2026 living in\u00a0<strong>rented accommodation<\/strong>\u00a0isn\u2019t necessarily a bad thing \u2026 you don\u2019t have a huge debt like you do when you\u00a0<strong>take out a mortgage<\/strong>\u00a0but I suppose the\u00a0<strong>property market<\/strong>\u00a0offers you an investment for the future \u2026 I\u2019m sure that\u2019s why most people prefer\u00a0<strong>to own their own home\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What options are available to young couples looking for accommodation in your country?<br \/>\nToni:\u00a0If they want to buy their own home it isn\u2019t easy for\u00a0<strong>first-time buyers<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 mortgages are hard to get so most people live with their parents or in\u00a0<strong>rented accommodation<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but that can also be very expensive \u2026 you often have to\u00a0<strong>pay rent in advance<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and if the accommodation isn\u2019t\u00a0<strong>fully furnished\u00a0<\/strong>you have the expense of buying furniture \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What are some of the pleasures involved in making a home for ourselves?<br \/>\nSuki:\u00a0I suppose it starts with\u00a0<strong>house-hunting<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 finding your ideal home \u2026 some people enjoy\u00a0<strong>doing up an old property<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 giving a property that\u2019s old and tired a new lease of life \u2026 others like making wherever they live feel like home with some\u00a0<strong>home comforts<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>(all the) mod cons<\/em><\/strong>: technology at home that makes jobs easier such as a washing machine, dishwasher etc.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>apartment block<\/em><\/strong>: a large building made up of smaller units of apartments<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>back garden<\/em><\/strong>: a garden at the rear of the house<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>detached house<\/em><\/strong>: a house that is not physically connected to another property<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to do up a property<\/em><\/strong>: to repair an old building<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>dream home<\/em><\/strong>: a home you regard as perfect<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>first-time buyer<\/em><\/strong>: someone buying a property for the first time, especially when taking out a loan (mortgage)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fully-furnished<\/em><\/strong>: a rented property with all furniture included<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get on the property ladder<\/em><\/strong>: to buy a property with the aim of buying another bigger or more expensive one later in life<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>hall of residence<\/em><\/strong>: a college or university building where students live<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>home comforts<\/em><\/strong>: things that make a home feel comfortable to live in<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>house-hunting<\/em><\/strong>: looking for a property to live in<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>house-warming party<\/em><\/strong>: a party to celebrate moving into a new home<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>ideal home<\/em><\/strong>: a perfect home<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to live on campus<\/em><\/strong>: to live on the university or college grounds<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>mobile home<\/em><\/strong>: a home that can be moved by a vehicle or one that has its own engine<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to move into<\/em><\/strong>: to begin to live in a property<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to own your own home<\/em><\/strong>: to have bought the property you live in<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to pay rent in advance<\/em><\/strong>: weekly or monthly rent paid at the beginning of the week or month<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>permanent address<\/em><\/strong>: a fixed address<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>property market<\/em><\/strong>: the buying and selling of land or buildings<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to put down a deposit<\/em><\/strong>: to pay an amount of money as the first in a series of future payments<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>rented accommodation<\/em><\/strong>: property owned by someone else and for which a person pays a fixed amount to live in<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>single room<\/em><\/strong>: a room for one person<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>spacious room<\/em><\/strong>: a large room<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>student digs<\/em><\/strong>: student accommodation<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>the suburbs<\/em><\/strong>: a residential area on the edge of towns or cities<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to take out a mortgage<\/em><\/strong>: to borrow a large amount of money, paid back over several years, in order to buy a house<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>terraced house<\/em><\/strong>: a house connected on both sides by other properties<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-11\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Clothes and Fashion<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The examiner may ask you to talk about the clothes you like to wear or your attitude towards fashion. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you enjoy buying clothes?<br \/>\nPedro:\u00a0I used to \u2026 yes \u2026 like most young people I was a bit of\u00a0<strong>a slave to fashion<\/strong>\u00a0and I\u2019d always have to buy that\u00a0<strong>must-have<\/strong>\u00a0shirt or pair of shoes \u2026 I\u2019m not so bothered now though \u2026 I wouldn\u2019t feel comfortable wearing something\u00a0<strong>old fashioned\u00a0<\/strong>but I\u2019m not as bothered as I used to be about what I wear \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What kind of clothes do you like to wear?<br \/>\nMarco:\u00a0I prefer\u00a0<strong>casual clothes<\/strong>\u00a0actually \u2026 I hate\u00a0<strong>getting dressed up<\/strong>\u00a0for special occasions \u2026 personally I think it\u2019s possible\u00a0<strong>to look good in<\/strong>\u00a0a pair of jeans \u2026 but that\u2019s my opinion \u2026 I don\u2019t think my wife would call me a\u00a0<strong>fashion icon<\/strong>\u00a0that\u2019s for sure \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Are there many clothes shops where you live?<br \/>\nSylvia:\u00a0Yes \u2026 there are lots in my town \u2026 apart from the big chain stores we\u2019ve got a couple of really nice shops that sell\u00a0<strong>vintage clothes<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 old clothes but in a\u00a0<strong>classic style<\/strong>\u00a0that never really\u00a0<strong>go out of fashion<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I love going there<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe someone you know who dresses well. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>who they are<\/li>\n<li>how you know them<\/li>\n<li>what kind of clothes they wear<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you like the way they dress.<\/p>\n<p>Tomoko: \u00a0I\u2019d like to talk about one of my teachers \u2026 Miss Evans \u2026 she teaches us English in the school I go to \u2026 we always look forward to seeing what she\u2019s going to wear when our lessons start \u2026 she\u2019s always very\u00a0<strong>well dressed<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>takes a lot of pride in her appearance<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s not that she dresses in very\u00a0<strong>smart clothes<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she doesn\u2019t come to school\u00a0<strong>dressed to kill<\/strong>\u00a0or anything like that \u2026 but what she wears really\u00a0<strong>suits her<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and she has a great\u00a0<strong>sense of style<\/strong>\u00a0as well \u2026 we often ask her where she gets some of her clothes and most of the time they\u2019re just\u00a0<strong>off the peg<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and she says she\u2019s not interested in\u00a0<strong>designer labels<\/strong>\u00a0or anything like that \u2026 she doesn\u2019t seem too concerned about\u00a0<strong>keeping up with the latest fashion<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she just wears clothes that are\u00a0<strong>timeless<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 yes \u2026 Miss Evans is the person I think looks great in the clothes she wears \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What factors do you think affect the clothes we choose to wear?<br \/>\nMaki:\u00a0It depends \u2026 where we are or where we\u2019re going is a big factor \u2026 if you are going out to a club or party you\u2019re going\u00a0<strong>to dress for the occasion<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and then there are those who think it\u2019s important to look like they\u2019re\u00a0<strong>on trend<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 they\u2019ll want to wear the latest fashions \u2026 there are lots of factors really \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What kind of things determine what is in fashion and what we should be wearing?<br \/>\nMartin:\u00a0I suppose the big\u00a0<strong>fashion houses<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>fashion shows<\/strong>\u00a0must have an effect but the clothes you see\u00a0<strong>on the catwalk<\/strong>\u00a0don\u2019t always reflect what normal people wear \u2026 so I suppose it will be things like what singers are wearing in videos or models are wearing in magazines \u2026 that kind of thing \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Is it possible to look good without spending lots of money on clothes?<br \/>\nCorinna:\u00a0I\u2019m sure it is \u2026 yes \u2026 I suppose it\u2019s about\u00a0<strong>having an eye for<\/strong>\u00a0what looks good \u2026 knowing how\u00a0<strong>to mix and match<\/strong>\u00a0different items of clothing that go well together \u2026 I think you can pick up great bargains in charity shops \u2026 sometimes for youngsters even\u00a0<strong>hand-me-downs<\/strong>\u00a0can look good \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to be on trend<\/em><\/strong>: to be very fashionable<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>casual clothes<\/em><\/strong>: not formal<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>classic style<\/em><\/strong>: a simple, traditional style that is always fashionable<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>designer label<\/em><\/strong>: a well-known company that makes (often expensive) clothing<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>dressed to kill<\/em><\/strong>: wearing clothes that attract admirers<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to dress for the occasion<\/em><\/strong>: to wear clothes suitable for a particular event<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>fashionable<\/strong><\/em>: in fashion<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fashion house<\/em><\/strong>: a company that sells (usually expensive) new styles in clothes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fashion icon<\/em><\/strong>: a person who is famous for their sense of fashion<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fashion show<\/em><\/strong>: an event where modals show off the latest in fashion designs<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get dressed up<\/em><\/strong>: to put on nice clothes, often to go out somewhere special<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go out of fashion<\/em><\/strong>: to not be in fashion any more<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>hand-me-downs<\/em><\/strong>: clothes that are passed down from older brothers or sisters to their younger siblings<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to have an eye for (fashion)<\/em><\/strong>: to be a good judge of<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to have a sense of style<\/strong><\/em>: the ability to wear clothes that look stylish<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>the height of fashion<\/em><\/strong>: very fashionable<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to keep up with the latest fashion<\/em><\/strong>: to wear the latest fashions<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to look good in<\/em><\/strong>: to wear something that suits you<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to mix and match<\/em><\/strong>: to wear different styles or items of clothing that aren\u2019t part of a set outfit<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>must-have<\/em><\/strong>: something that is highly fashionable and therefore in demand<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>off the peg<\/em><\/strong>: clothing that is ready made<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>old fashioned<\/em><\/strong>: not in fashion any more<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>on the catwalk<\/em><\/strong>: the stage that modals walk along to show off the latest fashions<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a slave to fashion<\/em><\/strong>: someone who always feel the need to wear the latest fashions<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>smart clothes<\/em><\/strong>: the kind of clothes worn for a formal event<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to suit someone<\/em><\/strong>: to look good on someone<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to take pride in one\u2019s appearance<\/em><\/strong>: to pay attention to how one looks<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>timeless<\/em><\/strong>: something that doesn\u2019t go out of fashion<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>vintage clothes<\/em><\/strong>: clothes from an earlier period<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>well-dressed<\/em><\/strong>: to be dressed attractively<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-12\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Personality<\/b><\/p>\n<p>During the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked to talk about someone\u2019s personality or character. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0How would you describe yourself?<br \/>\nPaula:\u00a0Everyone tells me I\u00a0<strong>take after<\/strong>\u00a0my mum as I\u2019m quite\u00a0<strong>laid-back<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I think I\u2019m\u00a0<strong>good company<\/strong>\u00a0but you should ask my friends if they agree \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: In which ways are you similar to your friends?<br \/>\nManuel:\u00a0I seem to be attracted to\u00a0<strong>introverts<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 not people who are\u00a0<strong>painfully shy\u00a0<\/strong>but most of my friends are a little\u00a0<strong>reserved<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and I think that\u2019s what I\u2019m like \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Are you similar or different to your brother(s)\/sister(s)?<br \/>\nMira:\u00a0I think my brother and I are very similar \u2026 I\u2019d say we\u2019re\u00a0<strong>fun-loving\u00a0<\/strong>and tend to be a bit\u00a0<strong>extroverted<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 my brother is certainly\u00a0<strong>the life and soul of the party<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u2019m not sure that applies to me \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe\u00a0a teacher you once had who you enjoyed being taught by. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>who this person was<\/li>\n<li>when they were your teacher<\/li>\n<li>which subject they taught you<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and describe what it was about their character that you liked.<\/p>\n<p>Carolina: \u00a0I\u2019d like to describe my English teacher from school \u2026 Miss Thomas \u2026 this was a few years ago now and she was my teacher at a time when I was getting a little bored with being at school \u2026 unlike some of the other teachers Miss Thomas never\u00a0<strong>lost her temper<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she was very calm and<strong>\u00a0easy-going<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she was also very\u00a0<strong>broad-minded<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 we were able to ask her questions about lots of subjects that some other teachers would refuse to discuss which made us respect her even more \u2026 she had a great\u00a0<strong>sense of humour<\/strong>\u00a0too \u2026 she\u2019d laugh at our jokes as well as making us laugh \u2026 and she would also\u00a0<strong>bend over backwards<\/strong>\u00a0to help us with our work \u2026 she always\u00a0<strong>put us first\u00a0<\/strong>and often stayed around at the end of class to talk with anyone who needed help \u2026 apparently she was highly respected within her field but you would never know as she was the type that\u00a0<strong>hid her light under a bushel<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she was very modest and\u00a0<strong>self-effacing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 so yes \u2026 Miss Thomas was a teacher I have fond memories of \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0Which personal qualities do you think we most want to pass on to our children?<br \/>\nMartin:\u00a0I certainly would want my children to be\u00a0<strong>self-confident<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>self-assured<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I really believe that people who feel good about themselves are in a good position to face what life has to offer them \u2026 and I\u2019d hope they wouldn\u2019t be\u00a0<strong>self-centred<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but remembered to think about others \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Which characteristics do you think are the least appealing in a person?<br \/>\nMarianne:\u00a0Well \u2026 people who are very\u00a0<strong>narrow-minded<\/strong>\u00a0are difficult to get on with \u2026 it\u2019s nice when someone is open to other people\u2019s opinion and willing to think about their own views \u2026 and people who are\u00a0<strong>two-faced<\/strong>\u00a0can be a little irritating \u2026 relationships are built on trust and without honesty there\u2019s not much left \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Which personality types do you think are less likely to suffer from stress or anxiety?<br \/>\nSol:\u00a0Probably people who are\u00a0<strong>thick-skinned<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 who don\u2019t let people or problems affect them too much \u2026 and if you are\u00a0<strong>fair-minded<\/strong>\u00a0you\u2019 ll be less likely to overreact to situations or be\u00a0<strong>quick-tempered<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to be the life and soul of the party<\/em><\/strong>: a fun person, someone who is the centre of activity<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to bend over backwards<\/em><\/strong>: to try very hard to help someone<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>broad-minded<\/em><\/strong>: prepared to accept other views or behaviours<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>easy-going<\/em><\/strong>: relaxed and not easily worried about anything<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>extrovert<\/em><\/strong>: an energetic person who likes the company of others<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fair-minded<\/em><\/strong>: to treat people equally<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fun-loving<\/em><\/strong>: to enjoy having fun<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to hide one\u2019s light under a bushel<\/em><\/strong>: to hide one\u2019s talents and skills<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>good company<\/em><\/strong>: enjoyable to socialise with<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>good sense of humour<\/em><\/strong>: the ability to understand what is funny<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>introvert<\/em><\/strong>: someone who is shy<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>laid-back<\/em><\/strong>: see \u2018easy-going\u2019<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to lose one\u2019s temper<\/em><\/strong>: to suddenly become angry<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>narrow minded<\/em><\/strong>: opposite of \u2018broad-minded\u2019 (see above)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>painfully shy<\/em><\/strong>: very shy<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to put others first<\/em><\/strong>: to think of others before yourself<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>quick-tempered<\/em><\/strong>: to become angry quickly<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>reserved<\/em><\/strong>: shy<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>self-assured<\/em><\/strong>: confident<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>self-centred<\/em><\/strong>: thinks only of oneself<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>self-confident<\/em><\/strong>: believes in one\u2019s own ability or knowledge<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>self-effacing<\/em><\/strong>: to not try to get the attention of others (especially in terms of hiding one\u2019s skills or abilities)<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to take after<\/strong><\/em>: to be like (often another member of the family)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>thick-skinned<\/em><\/strong>: \u00a0not easily affected by criticism<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>trustworthy<\/em><\/strong>: can be trusted<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>two-faced<\/em><\/strong>: not honest or sincere. Will say one thing to someone to their face and another when they are not present.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-13\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Business<\/b><\/p>\n<p>During the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked to talk about the subject of business. This might involve describing a business you know well or talking about your own ambitions. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you work or are you a student?<br \/>\nHati:\u00a0I\u00a0<strong>run my own business<\/strong>\u00a0actually \u2026 I have an online business selling cosmetics \u2026 I\u00a0<strong>set up the business<\/strong>\u00a05 years ago and I\u2019m really enjoying\u00a0<strong>working for myself\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What is your ideal job?<br \/>\nKaori:\u00a0I don\u2019t think I\u2019d enjoy working for a big company \u2026 I think I\u2019d like\u00a0<strong>to go it alone<\/strong>\u00a0and be\u00a0<strong>self-employed<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u2019m not sure what area of business it would be but I think I\u2019d enjoy the process of\u00a0<strong>drawing up a business plan<\/strong>\u00a0and seeing if I could be successful \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Is your town a nice place to live?<br \/>\nMonique:\u00a0It\u2019s OK \u2026 the main problem we have is our local high street \u2026 it used to be a busy centre but lots of shops have\u00a0<strong>gone bust<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it must be very difficult\u00a0<strong>to make a profit<\/strong>\u00a0when you have huge supermarkets in the area and a lot haven\u2019t been able to survive with such\u00a0<strong>cut-throat competition<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a business you know that you admire. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what this business is<\/li>\n<li>what the business sells<\/li>\n<li>how long you have known about the business<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you like it so much.<\/p>\n<p>Magda: \u00a0Actually I discovered a business very recently that I like so much I\u2019d like to do something similar in the future \u2026 it\u2019s a small\u00a0<strong>niche business<\/strong>\u00a0that runs courses in how to cook \u2026 especially bread \u2026 the owner uses his kitchen for the courses and\u00a0<strong>went into business with<\/strong>\u00a0a local community shop and sells a lot of the bread and cakes they make in the shop \u2026 I first got to hear about the business last year \u2026 my wife paid for me to do one of the baking courses and I got to know the owner during the training \u2026 it\u2019s a\u00a0<strong>lifestyle business<\/strong>\u00a0really \u2026 he doesn\u2019t have plans\u00a0<strong>to take on employees<\/strong>\u00a0or expand into new areas \u2026 he\u2019s happy\u00a0<strong>earning a living<\/strong>\u00a0doing the thing he loves \u2026 I really admire what he does and I\u2019m sure a lot of people would love to do something similar \u2026 he\u00a0<strong>has a web presence\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026 in fact that\u2019s how we got to find out about his company \u2026 and he uses social media\u00a0<strong>to raise the company profile<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but he\u2019s the only person involved in\u00a0<strong>running the business<\/strong>\u00a0so he\u2019s in complete control of where the business goes \u2026 that\u2019s something that must make it really satisfying \u2026 as long as he\u2019s managing\u00a0<strong>to balance the books<\/strong>\u00a0and the\u00a0<strong>cash flow<\/strong>\u00a0is healthy I\u2019m sure he must be very pleased with what he has achieved \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0Why do some people decide to set up their own business?<br \/>\nMarion:\u00a0I suppose it\u2019s the idea of being in control of your own destiny \u2026 or of believing in a product or service idea you may have \u2026 plus it must be very exciting \u2026<strong>\u00a0launching products<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>winning contracts<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and seeing your\u00a0<strong>sales figures<\/strong>\u00a0improving must be wonderful \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What are some of the dangers involved in starting a business?<br \/>\nHiro:\u00a0Well \u2026 obviously you need to have a good idea \u2026 some people say you need to\u00a0<strong>do<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0<strong>market research<\/strong>\u00a0beforehand so you know what the market wants \u2026 if you don\u2019t do this you could\u00a0<strong>go under<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and if it is a good idea the chances are someone else is doing the same thing so you could end up facing\u00a0<strong>stiff competition<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What are some of things you have to do when running your own business that might not appeal to everyone?<br \/>\nKaty:\u00a0Personally i don\u2019t like being in debt so\u00a0<strong>taking out a business loan<\/strong>\u00a0wouldn\u2019t \u00a0suit me at all \u2026 and I know a lot of companies do\u00a0<strong>cold calling<\/strong>\u00a0to try and\u00a0<strong>drum up business<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 that\u2019s something I\u2019d hate to do \u2026 and\u00a0<strong>laying people off\u00a0<\/strong>if the business gets into trouble \u2026 that would be horrible \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to balance the books<\/em><\/strong>: to not spend more money than you are earning<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be self-employed<\/em><\/strong>: to work for yourself\/to not work for an employer<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to cold call<\/em><\/strong>: to make a sales call to someone without asking them for permission first<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>cut throat competition<\/em><\/strong>: when one company lowers its prices, forcing other companies to do the same, sometimes to a point where business becomes unprofitable<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to do market research<\/em><\/strong>: to do research into what potential customers would or wouldn\u2019t buy<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to draw up a business plan<\/em><\/strong>: to write a plan for a new business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to drum up business<\/em><\/strong>: to try to get customers<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to earn a living<\/em><\/strong>: to earn money<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go bust<\/em><\/strong>: when a business is forced to close because it is unsuccessful<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>cash flow<\/em><\/strong>: the money coming in and going out of a business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go into business with<\/em><\/strong>: to join another person to start or expand a business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go it alone<\/em><\/strong>: to start your own business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go under<\/em><\/strong>: (see \u2018to go bust\u2019)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to have a web presence<\/em><\/strong>: to have a website or social \u00a0media profile that showcases your business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to launch a product<\/em><\/strong>: to start selling and promoting a new product<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to lay someone off<\/em><\/strong>: when a company ends an employee\u2019s contract of employment<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>lifestyle business<\/em><\/strong>: a business that is set up to bring in a sufficient income and no more<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to make a profit<\/em><\/strong>: to earn more money than it costs to run the business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>niche business<\/em><\/strong>: a business that serves a small, particular market<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to raise a company profile<\/em><\/strong>: to make more people aware of a business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to run your own business<\/em><\/strong>: to have a business of your own<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>sales figures<\/em><\/strong>: a report of the income a company generates through sales of products or services<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to set up a business<\/em><\/strong>: to start a business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>stiff competition<\/em><\/strong>: strong competition from other companies in the same area of work<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to take on employees<\/em><\/strong>: to employ people<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to take out a loan<\/em><\/strong>: to borrow money<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to win a contract<\/em><\/strong>: when a business gets legally-binding work with an individual or company<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to work for yourself<\/em><\/strong>: (see \u2018to be self-employed\u2019)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-14\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Physical Appearance<\/b><\/p>\n<p>During the IELTS Speaking exam you may want to talk about what people look like. This might involve describing their physical appearance or the type of clothes they like to wear. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you look like any other people in your family?<br \/>\nCarlo:\u00a0No \u2026 not at all \u2026 take my brother for example \u2026 he has short\u00a0<strong>cropped hair<\/strong>\u00a0and has quite a\u00a0<strong>pointed face<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 he\u2019s also quite\u00a0<strong>fair-skinned<\/strong>\u00a0compared to me \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Tell me about your family.<br \/>\nAndrea:\u00a0My father\u2019<strong>s getting on a bit<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 he\u2019s\u00a0<strong>in his 60s<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but he\u00a0<strong>looks very young for his age<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 he still does lots of exercise and is quite\u00a0<strong>well-built<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What does your best friend look like?<br \/>\nMandy:\u00a0She\u2019s the same age as me \u2026 she has\u00a0<strong>shoulder-length hair<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>fair hair\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026 she has a\u00a0<strong>slim figure<\/strong>\u00a0and is\u00a0<strong>medium height<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a person whose appearance you like. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>who this person is<\/li>\n<li>what their relationship is to you<\/li>\n<li>what they look like<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say what it is about their appearance you like.<\/p>\n<p>Monique: \u00a0OK \u2026 I\u2019d like to talk about my aunt \u2026 her name\u2019s Marta and she\u2019s quite a character \u2026 she\u2019<strong>s\u00a0middle-aged<\/strong>\u00a0but has a very\u00a0<strong>youthful appearance<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she\u2019s a little\u00a0<strong>overweight<\/strong>\u00a0I suppose but not too much \u2026 she has a friendly\u00a0<strong>round face<\/strong>\u00a0framed by\u00a0<strong>thick blonde hair<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she has a lovely\u00a0<strong>complexion<\/strong>\u00a0and she\u2019s always\u00a0<strong>well-turned out<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 she actually always looks like she\u2019s going out for the evening to somewhere special \u2026 there\u2019<strong>s never a hair out of place<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u2019ve always thought she\u00a0<strong>bears a striking resemblance to<\/strong>\u00a0someone on TV \u2026 I can\u2019t remember the name now \u2026 she\u00a0<strong>wears glasses<\/strong>\u00a0and always seems to have a different pair on every time I see her \u2026 I like the way she looks because she wears clothes that are right for her age and manages to look glamorous without it looking like she\u2019s too done up \u2026 yes \u2026 I\u2019ll be happy if I look like her when I\u2019m her age \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0Is it important to dress well whenever we go out?<br \/>\nMark:\u00a0It depends where you\u2019re going \u2026 I know some people\u00a0<strong>get done up<\/strong>\u00a0just to go to the shops \u2026 but I don\u2019t see the point \u2026 you shouldn\u2019t go out looking\u00a0<strong>scruffy<\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0<strong>disheveled hair<\/strong>\u00a0but I really don\u2019t see the point in\u00a0<strong>getting dressed up to the nines<\/strong>\u00a0unless you\u2019re going somewhere special \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do people worry too much about their appearance as they get older?<br \/>\nMira:\u00a0I\u2019m sure they do \u2026 yes \u2026 but it happens to all of us doesn\u2019t it \u2026 we all\u00a0<strong>go grey<\/strong>\u00a0eventually and get\u00a0<strong>hard of hearing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 we start\u00a0<strong>to lose our figure<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 that\u2019s why plastic surgery is so popular \u2026 personally I think we just need\u00a0<strong>to grow old gracefully<\/strong>\u00a0and not worry too much about how we look \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Is attractiveness a quality worthwhile aiming for?<br \/>\nPhoebe: I\u2019d like to say no \u2026 it shouldn\u2019t matter what we look like in terms of our physical appearance\u00a0\u2026 but unfortunately it seems women especially are taken more seriously if they are\u00a0<strong>good looking<\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0<strong>a slender figure<\/strong>\u00a0with perfect\u00a0<strong>make up<\/strong>\u00a0and so on \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to bear a striking resemblance<\/em><\/strong>: to look very similar to<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>cropped hair<\/em><\/strong>: very short hair<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>disheveled hair<\/em><\/strong>: untidy hair<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to dress up to the nines<\/em><\/strong>: to dress very smartly or glamorously<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fair hair<\/em><\/strong>: light-coloured hair<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be fair-skinned<\/em><\/strong>: light skinned<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get done up<\/em><\/strong>: to dress smartly<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be getting on a bit<\/em><\/strong>: to be getting old<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go grey<\/em><\/strong>: to have hair that is turning grey<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be good looking<\/em><\/strong>: to be attractive<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to grow old gracefully<\/em><\/strong>: to act in a way that embraces the fact you are getting older<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be hard of hearing<\/em><\/strong>: to find it difficult to hear<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>in his\/her 30s\/40s<\/em><\/strong>: to be 20\/30 something<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>scruffy<\/em><\/strong>: dressed untidily<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to look young for your age<\/em><\/strong>: to look younger than you are<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to lose one\u2019s figure<\/strong><\/em>: to have a figure that has lost its toned shape<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>complexion<\/em><\/strong>: natural skin colour and texture<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>make up<\/em><\/strong>: cosmetics<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>medium height<\/em><\/strong>: average height<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>middle-aged<\/em><\/strong>: approximately between 45-65<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to never have a hair out of place<\/em><\/strong>: perfectly styled hair<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be overweight<\/em><\/strong>: to weigh more than is regarded as healthy<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>pointed face<\/em><\/strong>: the opposite of a round face<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>shoulder-length hair<\/em><\/strong>: hair that comes down to the shoulders and no further<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>slender figure<\/em><\/strong>: a figue that is tall and slim<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>slim figure<\/em><\/strong>: attractively thin<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>thick hair<\/em><\/strong>: a lot of hair<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to wear glasses<\/em><\/strong>: to use spectacles<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be well-built<\/em><\/strong>: to be muscular<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be well-turned out<\/em><\/strong>: to look smart<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>youthful appearance<\/em><\/strong>: to look young<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-15\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Town and City<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In the IELTS Speaking exam you may be called upon to showcase your vocabulary to describe towns and cities. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What is it like where you live?<br \/>\nChristiane:\u00a0I live in a\u00a0<strong>residential area<\/strong>\u00a0of a busy town in the south of Spain \u2026 we have all the facilities you need \u2026 good\u00a0<strong>public transport<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a good\u00a0<strong>shopping centre<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s nice\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you like living in the city?<br \/>\nAndrea:\u00a0Yes I do \u2026 I like going out with my friends and there are lots of\u00a0<strong>lively bars and restaurants<\/strong>\u00a0within walking distance of my apartment \u2026 I\u2019m a bit of a culture vulture as well so it\u2019s great to have access to art exhibitions and that kind of thing\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you get many tourists visiting your area?<br \/>\nMandy:\u00a0Not really no \u2026 I live in the\u00a0<strong>inner-city<\/strong>\u00a0and the area is a little\u00a0<strong>run down<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s basically a lot of\u00a0<strong>high-rise flats<\/strong>\u00a0and many of the shops are\u00a0<strong>boarded up<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 so nothing to interest tourists really\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what the place is called<\/li>\n<li>where the place is<\/li>\n<li>what the facilities are like<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why visitors might enjoy going there.<\/p>\n<p>Monique: \u00a0Anyone who comes to my country really should spend some time in Barcelona \u2026 it\u2019s a beautiful place \u2026 it\u2019s not what you would call a\u00a0<strong>sprawling city<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s quite compact really and you could walk across the city in a couple of hours \u2026 but there\u2019s no need to do that as we have a fantastic\u00a0<strong>public transport system<\/strong>\u00a0so it\u2019s easy\u00a0<strong>to get around<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 there are various districts all with their own character \u2026 you have the\u00a0<strong>upmarket shops<\/strong>\u00a0in the centre \u2026 you\u2019ll find lots of\u00a0<strong>chain stores<\/strong>\u00a0you\u2019ll recognise from your own country but also local brands as well \u2026 we have the narrow streets in the Gothic district with lots of\u00a0<strong>fashionable boutiques<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>tourist attractions<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 there\u2019s the Olympic area and the beaches along the coast \u2026 and dotted around the city are some lovely\u00a0<strong>public spaces<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 parks and squares in the\u00a0<strong>city centre<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>on the outskirts<\/strong>\u00a0of Barcelona where people relax with their friends and family \u2026 and of course\u00a0<strong>pavement cafes<\/strong>\u00a0everywhere \u2026 all that and some great historical\u00a0<strong>places of interest\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026 so a great destination for tourists\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0What are the advantages of living in a city or big town?<br \/>\nCarrie:\u00a0I think it\u2019s having access to\u00a0<strong>local facilities<\/strong>\u00a0really \u2026 local shops as well as access to larger\u00a0<strong>shopping malls<\/strong>\u00a0in the city centre \u2026 and if you\u2019re well-off you can afford to live\u00a0<strong>in the suburbs<\/strong>\u00a0away from the busy traffic\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: In your experience are city centres usually attractive places?<br \/>\nMary:\u00a0Some can be yes \u2026 especially those with a historical interest \u2026 but sometimes they\u2019re full of ugly\u00a0<strong>office blocks<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>multi-story car parks<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and residents living in\u00a0<strong>poor housing<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it depends on the city doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities?<br \/>\nPenny: I suppose<strong>\u00a0traffic congestion<\/strong>\u00a0is a major problem \u2026 and the growth in\u00a0<strong>out-of-town supermarkets and retail parks<\/strong>\u00a0mean lots of town centre shops are\u00a0<strong>closing down<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 plus a shortage of good quality housing \u2026 I think these are the major challenges\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>boarded up shops<\/em><\/strong>: shops that are no longer doing business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>chain stores<\/em><\/strong>: well-known brands with shops in multiple cities<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to close down<\/em><\/strong>: to stop doing business<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fashionable boutiques<\/em><\/strong>: fashionable clothes shops<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get around<\/em><\/strong>: to travel around<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>high-rise flats<\/em><\/strong>: multi-story apartments<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>inner-city<\/em><\/strong>: the central part of a city where people live and where conditions are often poor<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>in the suburbs<\/em><\/strong>: the outer area of large towns and cities where people live<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>lively bars\/restaurants<\/em><\/strong>: bars or restaurants with a good atmosphere<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>local facilities<\/em><\/strong>: local buildings or services serving the public<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>multi-story car parks<\/em><\/strong>: car parks on several floors<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>office block<\/em><\/strong>: a large building that contains offices<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>out of town shopping centre\/retail park<\/em><\/strong>: large shopping centres outside of the town or city<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>pavement cafe<\/em><\/strong>: cafes with tables outside on the pavement<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>places of interest<\/em><\/strong>: buildings that have a particular interest for visitors<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>poor housing<\/em><\/strong>: housing that is not in good condition<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>public spaces<\/strong><\/em>: areas in a town or city that are open to the public<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>public transport system<\/em><\/strong>: \u00a0public\u00a0vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at regular times on fixed routes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>residential area<\/em><\/strong>: an area where people live<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>run down<\/em><\/strong>: old and of a poor standard<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>shopping centre<\/em><\/strong>: an area consisting of multiple shops<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>shopping malls<\/em><\/strong>: large indoor shopping centres<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>sprawling city<\/em><\/strong>: a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>tourist attraction<\/em><\/strong>: a place of interest to tourists<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>traffic congestion<\/em><\/strong>: heavy traffic making it difficult to move around a town or city<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>upmarket shops<\/em><\/strong>: expensive fashionable shops<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-16\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Music<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked questions about the music you listen to or instruments you play. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What kind of music do you listen to?<br \/>\nKatherine: I\u2019m a big fan of\u00a0<strong>classical music<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it doesn\u2019t make me very popular with my children \u2026 their\u00a0<strong>taste in music<\/strong>\u00a0is completely different \u2026 they always want to listen to their favourite\u00a0<strong>rock bands<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you play any instruments?<br \/>\nJamie: No I don\u2019t \u2026 I\u2019ve always wished I\u2019d\u00a0<strong>taken up a musical instrument\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026 I\u2019d love to be able to play the guitar \u2026 but I think I\u2019m a bit\u00a0<strong>tone deaf<\/strong>\u00a0so perhaps I\u2019d find it hard \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Have you got any hobbies or interests?<br \/>\nMarco: I\u2019m really into<strong>\u00a0live music<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I go to a lot of\u00a0<strong>music festivals<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I think a\u00a0<strong>live performance<\/strong>\u00a0always sounds more exciting than a recorded version \u2026 as long as the performers can sing and play well of course \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a song you like to listen to. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>what the piece of music is called<\/li>\n<li>how long you have liked it<\/li>\n<li>when you like to listen to it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you like it so much.<\/p>\n<p>Millie: \u00a0Well \u2026 I\u2019m a little older than most students and when I was young Abba the Swedish\u00a0<strong>pop group<\/strong>\u00a0were very famous \u2026 I don\u2019t think it was cool to like them even though they had a<strong>\u00a0huge following<\/strong>\u00a0but I think now people have realised what wonderful songs they wrote \u2026 one\u00a0<strong>piece of music<\/strong>\u00a0in particular \u00a0is called \u2018Slipping through my fingers\u2019 \u2026 it wasn\u2019t a\u00a0<strong>massive hit\u00a0<\/strong>but I love it \u2026 it\u2019s a song for parents and it\u2019s all about how quickly our children grow up \u2026 it\u2019s a\u00a0<strong>slow number\u00a0<\/strong>and like a lot of their songs it\u2019s a very\u00a0<strong>catchy tune<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 the two women in Abba had great voices and it\u2019s the kind of music you can also\u00a0<strong>sing along to<\/strong>\u00a0easily \u2026 even if you don\u2019t have a great voice \u2026 I listen to Abba when I feel like a\u00a0<strong>sing-song<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and I especially like to listen when I\u2019m doing the housework \u2026 it stops me thinking about the hard work \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0Is the Internet a good or bad thing for the music industry?<br \/>\nThomas: On the one hand it\u2019s good for marketing new\u00a0<strong>musical talent<\/strong>\u00a0or particular bands but it\u2019s so easy to share and\u00a0<strong>download tracks<\/strong>\u00a0for free I think it is costing the industry a lot of money\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Should music be treated as seriously as subjects like maths or sciences at school?<br \/>\nCarla: I think it should \u2026 I don\u2019t think it should be taught in a boring way \u2026 I mean making children\u00a0<strong>read music\u00a0<\/strong>\u2026 but I do think they should be encouraged to play instruments and to\u00a0<strong>play things by ear<\/strong>\u00a0perhaps \u2026 to keep the lessons fun \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Where do people usually enjoy listening to music?<br \/>\nSally: In lots of ways or places \u2026 as\u00a0<strong>background music<\/strong>\u00a0when they are doing something else \u2026 at concerts when a band\u00a0<strong>goes on tour<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 or in clubs or discos \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>adoring fans<\/em><\/strong>: people who love a particular band or singer<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>background music<\/em><\/strong>: music that is played while something else is happening<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a catchy tune<\/em><\/strong>: a song that is easy to remember and makes you want to sing it<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>classical music<\/em><\/strong>: music that is regarded as part of a long, formal tradition<a title=\"music\" href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.cambridge.org\/search\/british\/direct\/?q=music\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to download tracks<\/em><\/strong>: to obtain music from the Internet<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to have a great voice<\/em><\/strong>: to sing well<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go on tour<\/em><\/strong>: to go on a planned series of performances around a region or country<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a huge following<\/em><\/strong>: a large number of fans<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>live music<\/em><\/strong>: music that is listened to while it is performed (not recorded)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>live performance<\/em><\/strong>: (see live music)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a massive hit<\/em><\/strong>: a record that sells lots of copies<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a music festival<\/em><\/strong>: music performances at a venue often over several days<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>musical talent<\/strong><\/em>: skilled at music<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be\/sing out of tune<\/em><\/strong>: to not be in harmony\/to sing the wrong notes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a piece of music<\/em><\/strong>: an item of music<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to play by ear<\/em><\/strong>: to play without reading the musical notes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a pop group<\/em><\/strong>: a small group of people who play or sing pop music together<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to read music<\/em><\/strong>: to understand and follow written musical notes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a rock band<\/em><\/strong>: a group of musicians that play rock music<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to sing along to<\/em><\/strong>: to join in singing<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a sing-song<\/em><\/strong>: to sing informally, often with other people<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a slow number<\/em><\/strong>: a song with a slow tempo<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to take up a musical instrument<\/em><\/strong>: to begin learning a musical instrument<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>taste in music<\/em><\/strong>: the music someone likes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be tone deaf<\/em><\/strong>: to be unable to distinguish the different notes in music<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-17\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Weather<\/b><\/p>\n<p>In the IELTS Speaking exam you may be asked questions about the topic of \u2018the weather\u2019, perhaps the weather in your country or when you\u2019ve travelled to other countries. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0What\u2019s the weather like in your country?<br \/>\nKatie: It\u2019s quite\u00a0<strong>changeable<\/strong>\u00a0really \u2026 we have periods of time with\u00a0<strong>clear blue skies<\/strong>\u00a0then all of a sudden we\u2019ll have\u00a0<strong>torrential rain.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Which months have the best weather in your country?<br \/>\nErnst: Well \u2026 I suppose it\u2019s a matter of personal taste really \u2026 I like it around the end of October and November \u2026 I\u2019m not fond of the\u00a0<strong>heatwaves\u00a0<\/strong>we often get during the summer \u2026 it\u2019s not\u00a0<strong>freezing cold<\/strong>\u00a0during these months and we still get lots of\u00a0<strong>sunny spells.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Does it bother you much when it rains?<br \/>\nJunko: It depends \u2026 if I\u00a0<strong>get caught in the rain<\/strong>\u00a0and I\u00a0<strong>get drenched<\/strong>\u00a0I don\u2019t like it \u2026 but I\u2019m a gardener so\u00a0<strong>a drop of rain<\/strong>\u00a0is good for my plants.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a time when you experienced extreme weather conditions. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when this was<\/li>\n<li>where you were<\/li>\n<li>what the weather was like<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say how you felt about the experience.<\/p>\n<p>I was studying English in a language school a few years ago \u2026 we were in Cornwall in the UK \u2026 we\u2019d been enjoying lovely sunny days \u2026\u00a0<strong>not a cloud in the sky<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 when all of a sudden there was\u00a0<strong>a change in the weather<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 we were in town walking around the shops when it started\u00a0<strong>to pour down<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I\u2019d never seen such\u00a0<strong>heavy rain<\/strong>\u00a0before \u2026 within about 10 minutes the roads were full of water \u2026 I think they call it a\u00a0<strong>flash flood<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it was like being in the middle of a\u00a0<strong>tropical storm<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 the water was almost up to my knees \u2026 the\u00a0<strong>weather forecast<\/strong>\u00a0hadn\u2019t predicted it so everyone was taken by surprise \u2026 I\u2019m not sure you could call it \u2018extreme\u2019 weather as a few hours later it started\u00a0<strong>to clear up<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0<strong>the sun came out<\/strong>\u00a0and slowly the water level went down \u2026 but a lot of people\u2019s houses were flooded so it would have been extreme for them \u2026 I found it all quite exciting \u2026 in my country we generally have a very\u00a0<strong>mild climate<\/strong>\u00a0and don\u2019t often get floods like this so it was quite an experience for me.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0Do you think the weather affects how people feel?<br \/>\nTierre: Absolutely \u2026 yes \u2026 I don\u2019t mind the occasional\u00a0<strong>cold spell<\/strong>\u00a0but I think the winter months can make you feel down. I hate having to leave the house in the winter \u2026 there\u2019s often a\u00a0<strong>thick fog<\/strong>\u00a0every morning and we sometimes get\u00a0<strong>bitterly cold<\/strong>\u00a0winds \u2026 the winter certainly makes me feel a little depressed \u2026 though having said that \u2026 it\u2019s always nice to see the town covered in a\u00a0<strong>blanket of snow.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0Do you think the weather is changing due to global warming?<br \/>\nCeri: I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s due to global warming or not but the weather in my country is certainly changing \u2026 we\u2019ve been getting quite\u00a0<strong>mild winters\u00a0<\/strong>lately \u2026 the temperatures are sometimes\u00a0<strong>below freezing\u00a0<\/strong>but only occasionally \u2026 and then during the summer it can get\u00a0<strong>boiling hot<\/strong>\u00a0with a lot of older people even suffering from\u00a0<strong>heatstroke<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner:\u00a0In which ways are weather forecasts useful?<br \/>\nSinita: Well \u2026 if you\u2019re planning a trip or going on holiday it\u2019s important to know whether you\u2019ll need to\u00a0<strong>dress up warm<\/strong>\u00a0or take an umbrella \u2026 farmers need to know what the\u00a0<strong>long-range forecast<\/strong>\u00a0is so they can plan their work \u2026 I suppose people who organise outside events need to know as well in case things get\u00a0<strong>rained off<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>to be below freezing<\/em><\/strong>: below zero degrees Celsius<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>bitterly cold<\/em><\/strong>: very cold and unpleasant<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a blanket of snow<\/em><\/strong>: a complete covering of snow<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>boiling hot<\/em><\/strong>: very hot (informal)<a title=\"music\" href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.cambridge.org\/search\/british\/direct\/?q=music\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>changeable<\/em><\/strong>: weather that often changes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a change in the weather<\/em><\/strong>: when weather conditions change<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>clear blue skies<\/em><\/strong>: a sky without clouds<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to clear up<\/em><\/strong>: when clouds or rain disappear<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to come out (the sun)<\/em><\/strong>: when the sun appears out of a cloudy sky<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a cold spell<\/em><\/strong>: a short period of cold weather<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to dress up warm<\/em><\/strong>: to wear warm clothes to protect yourself against wintry conditions<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a drop of rain<\/em><\/strong>: a little bit of rain<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a flash flood<\/em><\/strong>: a sudden and severe flood<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>freezing cold<\/em><\/strong>: very cold (informal)<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get caught in the rain<\/em><\/strong>: to be outside when it rains unexpectedly<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get drenched<\/em><\/strong>: to get very wet<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>heatstroke<\/em><\/strong>: a serious condition caused by being too long in hot weather<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a heatwave<\/em><\/strong>: a period of very hot weather<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>heavy rain<\/em><\/strong>: intense rainfall<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>long-range forecast<\/strong><\/em>: the weather forecast for several days or weeks ahead<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>mild climate<\/em><\/strong>: a climate without extreme weather conditions<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>mild winter<\/em><\/strong>: a winter that isn\u2019t particularly cold<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>not a cloud in the sky<\/em><\/strong>: see \u2018clear blue skies\u2019 above<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to pour down<\/em><\/strong>: to rain heavily<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be rained off<\/em><\/strong>: to be cancelled or postponed due to poor weather<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>sunny spells<\/em><\/strong>: short periods of sunny weather<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>thick fog<\/em><\/strong>: a dense fog that makes visibility very poor<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>torrential rain<\/em><\/strong>: see \u2018heavy rain\u2019 above<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>tropical storm<\/em><\/strong>: a storm typical of ones that you find in tropical climates<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>weather forecast<\/em><\/strong>: a TV\/radio programme or section in a newspaper\/magazine which predicts weather conditions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-18\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Shopping<\/b><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s possible the examiner may ask you questions\u00a0about your shopping habits\u00a0in the IELTS Speaking exam. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Do you often\u00a0go shopping for personal items?<br \/>\nMaxine: When I can afford it yes\u00a0\u2026 my college\u00a0is\u00a0in the city centre and I do a lot of\u00a0<strong>window shopping<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but being a student I\u2019m\u00a0<strong>on a tight budget<\/strong>\u00a0so I have\u00a0<strong>to be<\/strong>\u00a0<strong>careful with money<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Are there many shops where you live?<br \/>\nJenny: We\u2019ve got a few\u00a0<strong>local shops\u00a0<\/strong>nearby and a few\u00a0<strong>independent stores<\/strong>\u00a0but none of the big\u00a0<strong>high street names<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I have to go into town for them\u00a0\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you enjoy shopping?<br \/>\nMarco: It depends \u2026 I hate it when the sales are on \u2026 crowds of people all trying to<strong>\u00a0snap up a bargain<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I find it all a bit stressful \u2026\u00a0I also get annoyed when\u00a0<strong>shop assistants<\/strong>\u00a0try to\u00a0<strong>give me the hard sell<\/strong>\u00a0when all I want to do is look around\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe a time when you bought\u00a0something for someone. You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when this was<\/li>\n<li>what is was you bought<\/li>\n<li>who you bought it for<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say how you felt about buying it for them.<\/p>\n<p>Coleen: \u00a0I\u2019d like\u00a0to\u00a0tell you about the time \u2026 about four years ago \u2026 my husband and I bought a computer for our daughter\u00a0\u00a0\u2026 she was about to go to university and we\u2019d promised her we would treat her to one \u2026 at the time there had been a big\u00a0<strong>advertising campaign<\/strong>\u00a0for the latest Apple Macbook and our daughter was very\u00a0keen to have one \u2026 she kept telling us they were\u00a0<strong>value for money<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 even though they seemed very expensive to us \u2026 anyway we tried\u00a0<strong>to shop around<\/strong>\u00a0to see if we could\u00a0<strong>pick up a bargain<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 this was in the middle of the\u00a0<strong>summer sales<\/strong>\u00a0and wherever you went\u00a0<strong>prices were being slashed<\/strong>\u00a0on\u00a0<strong>big brand\u00a0names<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 but unfortunately not Apple products \u2026 we ended up having\u00a0<strong>to pay the full price<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I remember my daughter justifying the cost by pointing out how nice the Apple\u00a0<strong>carrier bag<\/strong>\u00a0was \u2026\u00a0but it was lovely to see her so excited and the\u00a0<strong>customer service<\/strong>\u00a0she\u2019s received during the\u00a0four years she\u2019s had it has been excellent \u2026\u00a0so it was value for money after all \u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0Do you think we will stop using paper\u00a0money\u00a0in the future?<br \/>\nLouisa: I think it\u2019s almost certain \u2026 at the moment it\u2019s still possible\u00a0<strong>to pay in cash<\/strong>\u00a0but I\u2019m sure this will change \u2026 the problem is people are more likely\u00a0<strong>to get into debt<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>run up a credit card bill<\/strong>\u00a0when this happens.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: How do companies encourage the consumer to spend their money?<br \/>\nPeter: Well \u2026 a recent development in my country is something called \u2018Black Friday\u2019 where people are encouraged\u00a0<strong>to shop until they drop<\/strong>\u00a0and buy the latest\u00a0<strong>must-have products<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 then there are things like\u00a0<strong>loyalty cards<\/strong>\u00a0to get the customer back in the store \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What do you think shops need to do to create a positive shopping experience?<br \/>\nTania: The main thing for me is not being pressurised to buy\u00a0\u2026 I appreciate that shop assistants are probably\u00a0<strong>on commission<\/strong>\u00a0but if I\u2019m looking for clothes for example I like to take my time \u2026\u00a0<strong>to try something on<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and to ask for help if I need it \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>advertising campaign<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a series of advertisements to persuade people to buy something<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>big brand names<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0large well-known companies or product names<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be careful with money<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to not over-spend<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>carrier bag<\/em><\/strong>: bags (usually plastic) supplied by shops<a title=\"music\" href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.cambridge.org\/search\/british\/direct\/?q=music\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong><em>customer service<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the degree to which customers are treated well<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to get into debt<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to owe money<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to give someone the hard sell<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to put pressure on someone to buy something<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>high street names<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0well-known shops<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>independent stores<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0small shops independent of\u00a0large companies<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>local shops<\/em><\/strong>: community\u00a0shops<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>loyalty card<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money on the basis of what they spend<\/li>\n<li><b><i>must-have product<\/i><\/b>:\u00a0a product that is very popular that\u00a0a lot of people want to have<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be on a tight budget<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0to have a limited amount of money to spend<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be\u00a0on commission<\/em><\/strong>: to pay someone in relation to the amount they sell<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>a pay in cash<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to pay for something using coins or paper money<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to pay the full price<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to pay the full amount for something<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to pick up a bargain<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to buy something much cheaper than the normal price<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to run up a credit card bill<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to owe money on a credit card<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to shop around<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to try\u00a0different shops to find the best deal<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>shop assistant<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the person who\u00a0serves customers<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to shop until you drop<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to do a lot of\u00a0shopping<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to slash prices<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to reduce prices a great deal<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to snap up a bargain<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to buy something quickly that is being sold cheaply<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>summer sales<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a period in the year when things are sold cheaply<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to try something on<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to see if an item of clothing fits or is suitable<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to be value for money<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to be worth the cost<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>window shopping<\/strong><\/em>: to visit a store to look at items without the intention of buying anything<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-19\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Environment<\/b><\/p>\n<p>You\u00a0may be asked questions\u00a0about the environment or environmental problems in your country. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Are there any environmental problems in your country?<br \/>\nKelly: Yes \u2026 we have a serious issue with\u00a0<strong>pollution levels<\/strong>\u00a0in some of our big cities \u2026 \u00a0<strong>exhaust fumes<\/strong>\u00a0from cars and lorries<strong>\u00a0<\/strong>are definitely one reason for the problem but\u00a0we also have\u00a0a lot of\u00a0<strong>heavy industry<\/strong>\u00a0in some areas and this also\u00a0results in poor\u00a0<strong>air quality<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you take an interest in nature?<br \/>\nJenny: Well \u2026 I\u2019m a city person through and through and don\u2019t\u00a0<strong>get back to nature<\/strong>\u00a0very often\u00a0I\u2019m afraid\u00a0\u2026 but like everyone else I\u2019m fascinated by\u00a0<strong>the natural world<\/strong>\u00a0and I like watching documentaries showing wild animals in their\u00a0<strong>natural habitat<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you or your family\u00a0take steps to help the environment?<br \/>\nMira: My\u00a0parents have always tried to make us aware of our\u00a0<strong>impact on the environment<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026\u00a0\u00a0they\u2019re really into<strong>\u00a0energy conservation<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and always try to buy\u00a0<strong>environmentally friendly<\/strong>\u00a0products if they have the chance\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe an environmental problem that has been in the news.\u00a0 You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>when this was<\/li>\n<li>where the event happened<\/li>\n<li>what actually took place<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say how you felt about this problem.<\/p>\n<p>Martin: \u00a0Well\u00a0\u2026 this is an interesting question \u2026\u00a0there are so many issues I could think of \u2026\u00a0<strong>natural disasters<\/strong>\u00a0like earthquakes and floods seem to be in the news almost every year \u2026 but there was one story recently about some animals that were\u00a0<strong>under threat<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it wasn\u2019t focused on one place in particular \u2026 it was looking\u00a0at various animals that could actually\u00a0<strong>become extinct<\/strong>\u00a0in different\u00a0African countries \u2026\u00a0if we don\u2019t take steps to protect them \u2026 these were really iconic animals like gorillas \u2026 leopards \u2026 rhinos \u2026 and apparently they\u2019re now\u00a0listed\u00a0as\u00a0<strong>endangered species<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 \u00a0what made it really\u00a0depressing was they were in danger thanks to us \u2026 in some cases it was due to a\u00a0<strong>loss of habitat<\/strong>\u00a0either because people\u00a0need more agricultural production \u2026 or even worse I think \u2026\u00a0because of\u00a0hunting and\u00a0<strong>poaching<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I hate to think of\u00a0<strong>future generations<\/strong>\u00a0being robbed of the chance\u00a0to see creatures like these in their\u00a0<strong>natural environment<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 it\u2019s lucky we have\u00a0lots of organisations\u00a0that focus on\u00a0<strong>wildlife conservation<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 hopefully with their help we can put pressure on those in power to do something to stop creatures like these\u00a0<strong>dying out<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: \u00a0What do you think is the main danger the world faces in terms of the environment?<br \/>\nSpencer:\u00a0Well \u2026\u00a0<strong>climate change<\/strong>\u00a0is a real issue \u2026 in my country we have\u00a0<strong>flash floods<\/strong>\u00a0and heatwaves on a yearly basis \u2026 so yes \u2026 I think\u00a0<strong>global warming<\/strong>\u00a0is the biggest issue.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What examples are there of how we damage the natural world?<br \/>\nStella: There are so many examples \u2026 there are\u00a0factories that empty\u00a0<strong>toxic waste<\/strong>\u00a0into rivers and oceans \u2026\u00a0<strong>oil spills<\/strong>\u00a0that damage the coastline \u2026 \u00a0the way we destroy vast areas of land\u00a0and rain forests in search of\u00a0<strong>fossil fuels<\/strong>\u00a0or to increase agricultural production \u2026<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: In which ways do we respond well to environmental problems?<br \/>\nMathius: Well \u2026 on the one hand\u00a0there are various worldwide agencies that are always the first on the scene with\u00a0<strong>humanitarian aid<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0after \u00a0natural\u00a0\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>man-made disasters<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 and on the other hand we have environmental\u00a0<strong>pressure groups<\/strong>\u00a0that are constantly raising awareness of issues and trying to stop disasters happening \u2026<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>air quality<\/em><\/strong>: the\u00a0cleanliness of the air we breathe<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to become extinct<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to no longer exist<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to be under threat<\/strong><\/em>: to be in danger of becoming extinct<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>climate change<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the change in worldwide weather patterns<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to die out<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0see \u2018to become extinct\u2019<a title=\"music\" href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.cambridge.org\/search\/british\/direct\/?q=music\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>endangered species<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0categories of animals or plants that are in danger of becoming extinct<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>energy conservation<\/strong><\/em>: the careful management of energy resources to ensure they last as long as possible<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>environmentally friendly<\/strong><\/em>: behaviour and products that do not harm the environment<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>exhaust fumes<\/strong><\/em>: the toxic gases\u00a0given off by vehicles powered by petrol<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>flash floods<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0floods that happen quickly<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>fossil fuels<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0energy resources like gas and oil that are produced deep below the ground over millions of years<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>future generations<\/em><\/strong>: the people who live after us<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to get back to nature<\/strong><\/em>: to live a life that is closer to nature<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>global warming<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the increasing temperature of the world brought about by gases such as carbon dioxide<\/li>\n<li><strong>heavy industry<\/strong>:\u00a0the manufacture of heavy articles and materials in large numbers<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>humanitarian aid<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the act of showing support to people struggling to survive<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>impact on<\/strong><\/em>: the effect on<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>loss of habitat<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the decline in areas of land where animals and plants would normally exist<\/li>\n<li><b><i>man-made disaster<\/i><\/b>: widespread\u00a0damage or loss of life\u00a0brought about by the action of humans<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>natural disaster<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0an event such as an earthquake, \u00a0flood or hurricane which causes widespread damage or loss of life<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>natural environment<\/strong><\/em>: the place where animals and plants would normally\u00a0be found in nature<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>the natural world<\/strong><\/em>: the world of nature<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>oil spill<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0waste usually deposited in the seas and oceans after an accident at sea<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>poaching<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to hunt and kill wild animals illegally<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>pollution levels<\/strong><\/em>: the amount of toxic waste<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>pressure group<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a group of people who try to raise awareness of issues and try to affect the views and actions of people and organisations<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>toxic waste<\/strong><\/em>: poisonous, unwanted rubbish often produced by industrial processes<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>wildlife conservation<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to protect animals and plants and their habitats<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a id=\"topic-20\"><\/a><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Advertising<\/b><\/p>\n<p>You\u00a0may be asked questions\u00a0about advertising\u00a0in your country. Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in\u00a0<strong>bold<\/strong>. Use the \u2018Definitions\u2019 section at the bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don\u2019t understand.<\/p>\n<h4>Part 1-style questions<\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: Are there any TV channels in your country that don\u2019t have\u00a0adverts?<br \/>\nLoraine: No \u2026 they\u2019re all\u00a0<strong>commercial channels<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<strong>show adverts<\/strong>\u00a0all day long \u2026 too many really \u2026 and there\u2019s also a lot of\u00a0<strong>product placement<\/strong>\u00a0going on \u2026 especially in soap operas where they place an item just behind the actors.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: Do you enjoy watching adverts on TV?<br \/>\nKarin:\u00a0No \u2026 not\u00a0really \u2026 I hate\u00a0<strong>commercial breaks<\/strong>\u00a0during a film \u2026 it really spoils the flow \u2026 and during\u00a0<strong>prime time<\/strong>\u00a0viewing they seem to squeeze even more ads in than usual \u2026\u00a0<strong>celebrity endorsements<\/strong>\u00a0also get on my nerves \u2026 everyone knows they\u2019re only doing it because they\u2019re getting paid.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What are the best ways for ordinary people to advertise something they want to sell in your country?<br \/>\nMarianne: The simplest way is to\u00a0<strong>place an advert<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0something like\u00a0the\u00a0<strong>classified ads<\/strong>\u00a0section of a local paper \u2026\u00a0or there\u2019s the Internet of course \u2026 there are lots of sites like eBay where you can\u00a0<strong>buy and sell<\/strong>\u00a0things online.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 2-style task<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Describe an advert you once saw that was very effective.\u00a0 You should say<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>where this advert appeared<\/li>\n<li>when you saw it<\/li>\n<li>what\u00a0it was advertising<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>and say why you thought it was so effective.<\/p>\n<p>Max:\u00a0OK \u2026 well this was about 4 years ago \u2026 I was looking for some software to create videos \u2026 one day I got an email from a\u00a0<strong>mailing list<\/strong>\u00a0I\u2019d signed up to \u2026 there was a link in it to a\u00a0<strong>press release<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 a company had written something about a new product that was similar to what I was looking for \u2026 at the end of the press release there was a link to the\u00a0<strong>sales page<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I hadn\u2019t heard of the company but I was interested and clicked the link to the ad \u2026. what caught my attention immediately were the number of testimonials from people who had bought the software \u2026 I think testimonials are like the online equivalent of\u00a0<strong>word of mouth<\/strong>\u00a0advertising and are really persuasive \u2026 anyway \u2026 when I got to the bottom of the page there was a great big\u00a0<strong>call to action<\/strong>\u00a0button inviting me to buy \u2026 I was totally persuaded and ended up making a purchase \u2026 what made it so effective I think was the power of those testimonials \u2026 they\u2019d been written by people very much like me \u2026 they\u2019d had a need and the software had obviously turned out to be just what they were looking for \u2026 when you think that this was a newish company they wouldn\u2019t have had any\u00a0<strong>brand awareness<\/strong>\u00a0at all \u00a0\u2026 they probably\u00a0wouldn\u2019t have had much of a budget for advertising \u2026 obviously you wouldn\u2019t advertise a product like this through the\u00a0<strong>mass media<\/strong>\u00a0on TV\u00a0\u2026 they probably didn\u2019t even have an\u00a0<strong>advertising agency<\/strong>\u00a0to support them \u2026and yet they\u2019d managed to create a great deal of\u00a0<strong>brand loyalty<\/strong>\u00a0from previous customers \u2026 I think that was really effective.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Part 3-style questions<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Examiner: What is it that makes an advert effective?<br \/>\nSpencer:\u00a0Well \u2026\u00a0when a company\u00a0<strong>launches a product<\/strong>\u00a0they have\u00a0to\u00a0consider the Internet \u2026 especially how it can be used to spread the word\u00a0on\u00a0<strong>social media<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 so in this context a video that\u00a0<strong>goes viral<\/strong>\u00a0is probably the most effective type of advert you could make.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What are the advantages to companies of advertising on the Internet rather than TV?<br \/>\nStelios:\u00a0I\u2019d imagine the main advantage is you can reach your\u00a0<strong>target audience<\/strong>\u00a0much more effectively \u2026 if you bring out a\u00a0<strong>niche product<\/strong>\u00a0for example \u2026 or you have a tight\u00a0<strong>advertising budget<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 you can advertise\u00a0on particular sites that the people you want to reach visit\u00a0\u2026 that\u2019s not something you can do on TV.<\/p>\n<p>Examiner: What things do advertising companies do that might give it a bad name?<br \/>\nRaol:\u00a0For me the most irritating is\u00a0<strong>cold calling<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 we must get two or three of these every day at work \u2026 then there\u2019s\u00a0<strong>junk mail<\/strong>\u00a0that gets posted through the\u00a0letterbox \u2026 and of course the online equivalent of this \u2026\u00a0<strong>spam emails<\/strong>\u00a0\u2026 I think it\u2019s this kind of advertising that tends to annoy people.<\/p>\n<h4>Definitions<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><em>advertising agency<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a company that creates adverts for other companies<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>advertising budget<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the amount of money a company decides to spend on advertising<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>brand awareness<\/strong><\/em>: how well people know a particular brand<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>brand loyalty<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0the degree to which people continue to buy from the same brand or\u00a0company<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>buy and sell<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0often used to refer to the buying and selling of items between individuals<a title=\"music\" href=\"http:\/\/dictionary.cambridge.org\/search\/british\/direct\/?q=music\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/li>\n<li><em><strong>call to action<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0something that encourages someone to take a particular action, such as making a purchase or clicking a link on a website<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>celebrity endorsement<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0to have\u00a0a well-known person promote a product<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>classified ads<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0small advertisements often put in a newspaper or magazine by individuals<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to cold call<\/em><\/strong>: to call someone with the aim of selling something\u00a0without them asking you to do so<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>commercial break<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0the short period during TV programmes when advertisements are shown<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>commercial channel<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0TV channels that make money from showing advertisements<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>to go viral<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0to quickly become extremely popular on the Internet through social media<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>junk mail<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0unwanted promotional\u00a0leaflets and letters<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to launch a product<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0to introduce a new product<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>mailing list<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a list of names and contact details used by a company to send information and advertisements<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>mass media<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0large media outlets like TV, newspapers and magazines<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>niche product<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0a product that is aimed at a distinct group of people<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to place an advert<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0to put an advert somewhere<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>press release<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0something written by a company for newspapers and magazines and websites to share and publish<\/li>\n<li><b><i>prime time<\/i><\/b>:\u00a0the time during the viewing schedule when most people watch TV or listen to a broadcast<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>product placement<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0to advertise a product by using it as a prop in a TV show or film<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>sales page<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0a page specifically used to promote a product or service<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>to show adverts<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0to display adverts on TV<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>social media<\/em><\/strong>: websites that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking.<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>spam email<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0unwanted, promotional email<\/li>\n<li><em><strong>target audience<\/strong><\/em>:\u00a0the people a company want to sell their product or service to<\/li>\n<li><strong><em>word of mouth<\/em><\/strong>:\u00a0recommendations made by individuals to other individuals\u00a0about a product of service<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>. Education You\u2019re likely to be asked questions about your studies during Part 1, you might have to talk about a class, a teacher or a school memory in Part 2 or give your opinions on education in Part 3. Therefore, being able to call on a wide range of vocabulary to talk about education &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics&#8221;<\/span><\/a><!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4363","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.2.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics - Sky Track Visa Pro<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics - Sky Track Visa Pro\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\". Education You\u2019re likely to be asked questions about your studies during Part 1, you might have to talk about a class, a teacher or a school memory in Part 2 or give your opinions on education in Part 3. Therefore, being able to call on a wide range of vocabulary to talk about education &hellip; Continue reading &quot;IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics&quot;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sky Track Visa Pro\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/skytrack.visapro.7\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-10-08T15:47:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"94 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/\",\"name\":\"Sky Track Visa Pro\",\"description\":\"Sky Track Visa Pro Private Limited\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/\",\"name\":\"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics - Sky Track Visa Pro\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2019-09-24T06:38:20+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-10-08T15:47:09+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics\"}]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics - Sky Track Visa Pro","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics - Sky Track Visa Pro","og_description":". Education You\u2019re likely to be asked questions about your studies during Part 1, you might have to talk about a class, a teacher or a school memory in Part 2 or give your opinions on education in Part 3. Therefore, being able to call on a wide range of vocabulary to talk about education &hellip; Continue reading \"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics\"","og_url":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/","og_site_name":"Sky Track Visa Pro","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/skytrack.visapro.7","article_modified_time":"2019-10-08T15:47:09+00:00","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"94 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/#website","url":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/","name":"Sky Track Visa Pro","description":"Sky Track Visa Pro Private Limited","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/#webpage","url":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/","name":"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics - Sky Track Visa Pro","isPartOf":{"@id":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2019-09-24T06:38:20+00:00","dateModified":"2019-10-08T15:47:09+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"http:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/ielts-speaking-introduction-topics\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"IELTS Speaking Introduction Topics"}]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4363","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4363"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4363\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5140,"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4363\/revisions\/5140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stvisapro.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4363"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}