IELTS Speaking Mock Test # 39
Part 1 Topic: “Hobbies”.
Part 2 Topic: “Describe your favourite shopping mall or shopping centre”.
Part 3 Topic: “Shopping malls and shopping habits”.
Part 1: Introduction & Interview
Q. Do you have a hobby?
A. Yes, I do have a hobby. I love “gardening”, and this is the hobby I feel very passionate about.
Q. Why have you chosen this hobby?
A. Well, I love to be in touch with nature and feel inspired when I see that a plant I have planted grows and produces flowers or fruits. I was inspired to take up this pastime activity from my grandfather, who had been a devoted gardener. Over time, I have realised that gardening is a relaxing activity and gives me immense joy.
Q. What are good hobbies, and what are bad hobbies?
A. I guess hobbies which are beneficial, either physically or psychologically, or both, for the person who has them and for others are usually good ones. Good hobbies help people relax, enjoy their time, have positive outcomes in the long run and have no negative impacts on the surrounding environment. Besides, it enhances the skills of the person who has it.
On the contrary, hobbies that waste valuable time (such as playing video games for extended periods) or harm the environment or people in any way (like killing butterflies and collecting their wings) are bad in my opinion.
Q. Did you have any hobbies as a child?
A. Yes, I had a few hobbies in my childhood that I no longer continue. I used to collect “postal stamps” in my childhood and read many comic books. I still have those stamps and comic books, but when I took up gardening as a hobby at a later stage in my life, I started feeling more passionate about it and devoted more time to gardening.
Part 2: Cue Card/Candidate Task Card
Topic:
Describe your favourite shopping mall or shopping centre.
You should say:
- where it is
- why you like it
- how often you go there
and describe the facilities this shopping centre offers.
[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.]
Sample Answer:
“Red Sea Mall”, located in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is my favourite shopping mall. It is one of the largest shopping centres in Jeddah and is located in the northern suburbs on Malik Road. It has an area of 242,200 square meters, and it attracts a large number of customers every day.
I like this shopping mall primarily because it is located near my residence and offers an array of products, facilities and a convenient shopping experience. I can purchase everything I need from this mall, and the overall security in this mall is commendable. Moreover, the interior decoration of this shopping mall is gorgeous and gives me a pleasant and soothing feeling every time I visit. I can meet my friends and order our favourite dishes, and I must mention that they offer a great dining experience at a reasonable price. The entire mall is glass-covered, and it’s not packed with people. This shopping mall has become a symbol of entertainment and convenient shopping in Jeddah City. It is a non-stop fun and joy station for all the family members.
I frequently visit this shopping mall as it is not far away from my house. I have made it a commonplace for me and my buddies to meet and spend some quality time together. Almost every weekend I visit this shopping centre.
Apart from a large number of shops, it has excellent food service and cafes, entertainment facilities for kids and adults, several ATM booths, a five-star hotel, a seven-story office building, and both external and undercover parking areas, all of which are linked to the 18 entrances of the mall, thus facilitating easy access to the mall. It also comes with a remarkable number of brand shops and specialised designers. The products are of the finest quality, and of course, they are stunning. Moreover, “Red Sea Mall” is a blend of international and local brands, has various options of restaurants, cafes, and diners, and provides entertainment to adults and children.
Part 3: Detail Discussion
Q. How have people’s shopping habits in your country changed over time?
A. I believe people’s shopping habits in my country have changed to a great extent over time. In the past, people used to go shopping marking different festivals and occasions only. But nowadays, they shop throughout the year. Furthermore, a shopping mall is not merely a place to buy products these days. It also offers entertainment, sports and fine dining facilities. Moreover, online shopping has revolutionised the way people compare products and order them while staying at home. With the widespread use of credit cards, “shopping” has become almost a weekly activity for many people, unlike in the past.
Q. What type of shopping centres are popular these days?
A. Multi-storied shopping centres that offer all the local and international brands and designers’ clothing with entertainment, dining and parking facilities are more popular among rich people these days. Nowadays, shoppers want everything in a single place, and modern shopping centres have brought all the necessary products and services under the same roof. The definition of “shopping” in the modern era has changed to a great extent for wealthy shoppers. They want a delightful shopping experience in a posh environment, enjoy a movie, let their children play at a play zone and eat their favourite food while meeting their friends and relatives in such a modern shopping mall. For people who can’t or don’t want to spend a huge sum of money, small local shopping centres are still their preferred place.
Q. Why do some people purchase things that they do not need at all? Is this a bad trend?
A. Some people are simply shopaholics and want every new pair of shoes, dresses or fashion items they like, and own every latest gadget they know about. They feel immense pleasure in purchasing new things even though they do not need them. I consider them very “materialistic” people who think new dresses and devices are their status symbols.
Definitely, this is a very negative trend, and a waste of money and time. The majority of such purchases take place either to fill up the unsatisfied mind or to show off. I think such people lack money management skills and have a spending habit that will likely bring financial hardship for them sooner or later.
Q. Some people say that women spend more time shopping than men. What do you think about it?
A. I think this is true to some extent, at least this is what I have observed among people I know. Women generally spend more time shopping than men because women want to get the very best of everything they purchase, get a good bargain, and are usually choosy. To illustrate an example, whenever I go shopping with my father, he asks me if I like a dress and if I say ‘yes’, he will purchase it for me. If it were my mom, she would consider whether the colour of the dress would suit me, how good the quality of the fabrics is and many such aspects. She also likes to visit different shops to compare the prices before making the final purchase. As a result, she ends up spending more time shopping than my dad. does
Unless someone spends an unnecessary amount of time and money on shopping, I think this is not a bad habit. As women have a great “colour” and “matching” sense, which men often ignore for themselves, women want to match a new dress with her shoes, purse and so on. Men, on the contrary, often visit a shop, like a dress and then purchase it without thinking if this will match with their shoes or not. This simple perspective makes the difference between the time men and women spend shopping.
Q. Some large shopping malls are replacing traditional markets. Is this a good trend?
A. No, I do not think that it is a good trend, especially because if we do not have any traditional market, large super malls will exercise monopoly in their business, and we will lose some traditional aspects of our shopping activities in general. Moreover, traditional markets still serve many middle-class and lower-middle-class consumers who would find it hard to purchase the products they need on a daily basis. Finally, a great number of small businessmen who run shops in a traditional market would find themselves unemployed.
Alternative Answer: Yes, this is a good trend because this will enrich the overall shopping experience of consumers and let small businessmen run even better and bigger businesses. The shopkeepers who sell products or offer services on the streets will be relocated to the large malls, and low-quality products will no longer be available.
Q. What type of shopping establishment do young people in your country prefer – large markets or small traditional markets?
A. The young generation in my country mostly loves to shop at large shopping malls. These shopping malls come with modern features and facilities, and young people often enjoy the entertainment facilities these richly decorated shopping malls offer. They often meet their friends there, enjoy sports zones and movie theatre, which enriches their overall shopping experience. They often avoid traditional markets as they do not want to get involved in price bargaining and walk on a market that does not have a great environment.
Thank you.