IELTS Speaking Test – Sample 79

IELTS Speaking Test # 79

Part 1 Topic: “Leisure”.
Part 2 Topic: “Describe a river, lake or sea which you like”.
Part 3 Topic: “Water-based leisure activities” & “The economic importance of rivers, lakes and the sea”.

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Part 1 – Introduction & Interview

[The examiner asks the candidate about him/herself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics.]

Leisure:

Q. Do you have any hobbies or interests? [What are they?]
Answer: Yes, I have various hobbies, like riding bicycles, fishing in the lake and playing badminton with my friends. I also like to watch movies at the theatres with my friends whenever I get a chance.

Q. How did you become interested in (whatever hobby/interest the candidate mentions)?
Answer: I became interested in riding bicycles since my early childhood when my parents bought me a nice bicycle. I became crazy about fishing about a few years ago after watching how one of my uncles managed to catch some fish at a nearby lake. Finally, I became interested in playing badminton when I was in college, as it used to organise badminton tournaments every year.

Q. What is there to do in your free time in (candidate’s hometown/village)?
Answer: There is plenty to do where I live during my free time. From going to some really nice restaurants in order to enjoy some of the mouth-watering dishes to watching movies at some nice and cosy theatres, you name anything and my hometown just has it! My hometown also has a large and nice shopping mall where you can buy pretty much anything you need. Finally, if you are interested in fishing, you have many options for doing so.

Q. How do you usually spend your holidays?
Answer: I spend my holidays by usually hanging out with my friends or family, watching some movies with them or enjoying some great food at some of our favourite restaurants. But, if there is nobody to hang out with, I simply take my little car and ride to visit some old countryside which I have never visited before.

Q. Is there anywhere you would particularly like to visit? [Why?]
Answer: I live in a place which is neither too big nor too small, but it is a very nice country with so many places to visit that I have never visited before. One such place, which I would really like to visit, is a city that sits high in the mountainous part of my country in the west. I would like to visit that place because I want to see some of the greenest tea gardens, in my opinion, in the world, which are located there.

 

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 river, lake or sea which you like.

You should say:

• what the river, lake or sea is called
• where it is
• what the land near it is like

and explain why you like this river, lake or sea.

[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.]

Click here for the answer to this Cue Card Topic:

 

Part 3 – Two-way Discussion:

Discussion topics: Water-based leisure activities:

Q. What do people enjoy doing when they visit rivers, lakes or the sea? Why do you think these activities are popular?
Answer: It all depends on what time of the year they visit a river, a lake or a sea. If they are visiting those places during the summertime, they most probably want to enjoy swimming and playing some water sports while also cooling themselves down in hot summer days at the same time. It is also possible that they want to enjoy camping during the summer nights. If they are going to rivers and lakes during the wintertime, they probably either want to enjoy some fishing or they just want to get close to “Mother Nature”. These activities are popular among people because they want to take some time off from the stress and tiredness of their daily working life.

Q. What benefits do you think people get from the activities they enjoy in the water?
Answer: There are several benefits of the activities which are enjoyed in the water. These benefits may include enjoying a good time with friends and families away from the regular hectic and stressful daily life schedules. Besides, these activities allow people to connect with nature, which is always good for our overall health and well-being. Finally, of course, activities like swimming and playing water sports help people keep physically fit and healthy.

Q. What are the different advantages of going to the sea or to a swimming pool to enjoy yourself? What do you think the disadvantages are?
Answer: It is always good and refreshing to go to a sea or to a pool (mostly in city areas where large rivers and seabeaches are not present). It is also true that there are differences between the advantages of swimming in a pool and swimming in the sea. Swimming in an ocean brings one closer to the natural environment. Besides, salt water is better for physical health and the immune system. On the other hand, one of the main advantages of swimming in a pool is that it is perfectly secured with almost no dangers to life because of its clear water and shallow depth. When it comes to disadvantages, swimming in the ocean may be dangerous because of sharks and snakes, while swimming in a pool can give you a rash and make your skin itchy because of the presence of harmful chlorine in its water.

Discussion topics: The economic importance of rivers, lakes and the sea:

Q. How does water transport, like boats and ships, compare with other kinds? Are there any advantages/disadvantages of water transport?
Answer: There are a number of advantages of water transport, like boats and ships, such as they are way cheaper than other modes of transportation, and they have the capacity of carrying large and heavy cargoes by saving a great deal on the fuel cost. Besides, water transports create very little or no traffic congestion, and it creates very little air pollution in comparison to road transportation and aircraft carriers. However, one of the main disadvantages of using water transport is that it can be considered sometimes painfully slow, especially when travelling long distances, as well as when carrying perishable goods.

Q. How important is it for a town or city to be located near a river or the sea? Why?
Answer: It is very crucial for a town or city to be located near a river or the sea primarily because it makes the availability of water resources very easy for the consumption of its citizens. Besides, having a river or sea close to a city helps improve the socio-economic condition of that particular city by having a sea/river port in it in order to facilitate more and more business transactions. Finally, having a river or ocean close to a city ensures pleasant weather conditions most of the time, and when you have a river close by to a place, the land there is usually more fertile.

Q. Have there been any changes in the number of jobs available in fishing and water transport industries, do you think? Why do you think this is?
Answer: As some recent reports and pieces of evidence suggest, the number of jobs in the fishing industry is decreasing as fewer and fewer fish are being found in the rivers and oceans due to a really alarming level of water pollution. However, as far as the number of jobs in water transport industries is concerned, I would say that it is increasing as more and more countries have started to capitalise on their water resources by building more seaports and river ports in order to increase the number of freight shipments, not only domestically but also internationally.