IELTS Speaking Samples and Answers

IELTS Speaking Test: Sample 56

IELTS Speaking Mock Test # 56

Part 1 - Introduction

Examiner: Let's talk about Fashion.

Q. Do you care about fashion? [Why/Why not?]
A. Well, honestly speaking, I don’t really care that much about fashion because when it comes to clothes, I am more about comfort and convenience. Besides, it’s all in our minds. In other words, if I feel confident in a certain dress, then it is a “fashion” to me, no matter whether other people around me like it or not.

Q. Are there any traditional clothes in your country? [What are they?]
A. Colombia does have traditional clothes as diverse as the country’s beautiful nature and terrain. For example, in the Andes region (the world’s longest mountain range), women wear “Huila”, a ruffled white blouse that hangs from the shoulders, adorned with lace and sequin, and a wide skirt, made from colourful satin and lace. In the same way, people in the Carribean, Pacific and Amazon regions wear different kinds of traditional clothes.

Q. Have you ever bought clothes online? [Why/Why not?]
A. Yes, I have bought clothes online every once in a while mainly because it is convenient and costs less money, and it is less time-consuming, especially for a busy person. Besides, there is huge mental satisfaction in buying clothes online for me because I can compare the prices of different clothes before buying an item.

Q. Do people from your country think fashion is important?
A. Fashion is important in my country because it reflects the culture, tradition and lifestyles of the citizens in my country. In fact, it is so important that we have an annual event called “ColombiaModa” which takes place in every July, and is commonly called ‘Colombia’s Fashion Week’ and the biggest fashion expo in Latin America, with over 2,000 international and Colombian buyers and 60,000 visitors in attendance.

Q. What is your favourite item of clothing?
A. My favourite item of clothing is a pair of t-shirt and blue jeans in 100% cotton fabrics because it makes me look “classy”, and I feel very comfortable in them whether I am wearing them in the hot summer or cold winter. However, during the winter I also like to wear a long jacket to keep me warm.


 

Part 2 - Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card

[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]

Describe a place in another part of the world that you would love to visit in the future.

You should say:

  • what you know about the place
  • how you know about it
  • how you would go there

and explain why you would love to visit that place.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer:

Of all the places in the world, which I have learned about, I consider “France” to be the most fascinating and exotic, not because this “poster girl” of Europe has remained the most popular tourist destination of the world for the last 25 years or so, but because the country is truly “unique” by all definitions.

In fact, the home to “Eiffel Tower”, one of the tallest structures in the world, is so unique that the French government actually has a department which is dedicated to protecting the “Frenchness” (or “Francophonie” as the French people say) of the country by getting rid of many English words and celebrations as well as other types of pollutions of French culture. Now, how many countries in this world can do that! Besides, whenever I read anything about this great European country on any travel journals or watch any programme on television (especially on “History” and “Discovery” channels) about it, I feel like, I am taken back to the time of the great “Napolean Bonapart” who practically changed the history and geography of Europe. And then also, when I came to know from the history book that the “Statue of Liberty” in the city of New York in the USA was a gift from France, my respect for that great country increases even more. I am planning to visit this magnificent country some times in the next year. I wish, I could travel to France by train so that I could enjoy all the beautiful landscapes of different countries during my journey, but unfortunately, there is no such opportunity from Colombia. So, I guess, I will have to just fly.

Anyway, I would like to visit France because there are just so many things to do and see in there, especially the “the Palace of Versailles”, where the peace treaty was signed at the end of the first world war in 1918. Besides, I also want to see the “Alps” which is considered to be the largest mountain range in the world. Finally, I also want to visit this country because it is such a beautiful country with lush scenery and some of the most gorgeous sea beaches in the world.


 

Rounding off Questions:

Q. Who would you go to that place with?
A. I am planning to visit that place with some of my friends because travelling with others is more fun and safe than travelling solo, especially when we are visiting a new land far away from our own countries.

Q. Do you generally enjoy travelling to distant places?
A. Yes, I do enjoy travelling to distant places, but even more so when I already know about some unique and important information about those places.

 

Part 3 - Details Discussion:

Let’s go on to discuss TV programmes about other places.

Q. What kinds of TV programmes about different places are most popular in your country?
A. There are a number of TV programmes about different places that are very popular in Colombia. One such TV show is called “Anthony Bourdain: no reservation” on Travel channel.  “1,000 Places to See Before You Die”, aired on Travel Channel, is also a popular show (in fact, I enjoy it a lot).  Then, of course, travel shows on BBC television are enjoyed quite a lot by the people in my country. Finally, “Raw Travel” shows on Raw Travel TV also air programs and documentaries on the beautiful and exotic places of the world, especially beautiful places in Colombia, which is certainly a very popular show in Colombia.

Q. Can people learn more about geography from TV than they can from books? Why/Why not?
A. Yes, I do think that people are able to learn more about geography, or for that matter, any other things, from TV than reading books primarily because TV is more relaxing and entertaining. In fact, I would even dare to suggest that books are converted into “films” so that the facts and information become more appealing and interesting for the audience, and hence the information is absorbed by the audience more quickly. Besides, when we see something on TV, our brain cells are stimulated more which, in turn, helps us to remember things for a longer period of time.

Q. Do you think TV programmes about different places encourage people to travel themselves? Why/Why not?
A. Yes, I do think that TV programmes about different places encourage people to travel as these programmes help travellers to get all the necessary information in a rather systematic manner for a safe and fun journey.  Besides, people are usually “visual”, so when they see these TV programmes, it allows them to have a more “favourable” picture of those locations in their minds, necessary to feel motivated to visit those places.


 

Now let’s talk about visiting other countries.

Q. For what reasons do you think international travel has increased in recent years?
A. International travel has increased in recent years mainly because people today are learning more and more about other countries through satellite TV channels and the internet. Besides, many countries in the world today are trying to diversify their economies by investing in their tourism industries to attract more and more travellers. Finally, visa and immigration regulations have also been relaxed by many countries today in order to encourage more and more commerce among the countries, and the advantage of which is also been taken by the international travellers.

Q. Some people say it’s important for people to find out about another country before they visit it. Do you agree?
A. Yes, I do agree with the suggestion that it is important for people to find out about another country before they visit it for several reasons. First, the culture and traditions of the host countries can be different, and without having enough knowledge about them, the chances are that the visitors will offend the local people of the host country. Secondly, the food habits and weather of a host country can be different from the countries of the visitors, so it is very important that the visitors learn about the information in advance if they really want to avoid getting sick.

Q. How useful is it for people to understand the language of the countries they visit? Why?
A. In my opinion, it would very useful for people to understand the language of the countries they visit primarily because this would allow the visitors to communicate with the locals without any fear or hesitation, and who doesn’t know that how “liberating” the feeling really is to be able to communicate in a language in which we can speak and write! Not only that, but also, understanding the language of the host countries would allow the visitors to understand the customs and cultures of the host countries in a way that is easily appreciated by the locals.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 3.30 (10 Votes)