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TK
Speaking Practice Questions and Answers

Introduction

1. Hello. ould !ou s"ow #e !our identi$ication card please%
Hello. Sure, here it is.
&. ould !ou tell #e !our $ull na#e please%
My full name is X. I am also called by my nick name Y.
'. W"at s"all I call !ou%
You could call me X.
(. How are !ou%
I am well thank you, and yourself?
). How old are !ou%
I am 22 years old. In other words, I was born in 1!".#n the ei$hth of March
1!", to be e%act.
*a. Does !our na#e "a+e an! special #eaning%
Yes, my name does ha&e some s'ecial meanin$. My family name means 'eace,
and my first name means stron$ one. My nick name was $i&en to me by one of
my hi$h school teachers, and it does not ha&e any s'ecial meanin$ really.
*,. Does !our na#e "a+e an! special #eaning%
I 'resume you are referrin$ to my Muslim name. Yes, the (n$lish e)ui&alent of
my family name would be somethin$ like 'eace, and in the case of my first name
it would be stron$ one. My nick name was randomly chosen by one of my hi$h
school teachers, and it really doesn*t ha&e any s'ecial meanin$.
-a. Is !our na#e i#portant to !ou%
+o. I don*t think it can do anythin$ for me. I belie&e a 'erson has to work out his
own life. I am 'lannin$ to do this as well as I can.
-,. Is !our na#e i#portant to !ou%
+ot really. I am 'art of the new $eneration who do not attach too much
si$nificance to our names. +ames were im'ortant to the older $eneration as they
of the o'inion that it will determine your destiny to some e%tent. Howe&er, I
'ersonally belie&e that I myself will determine my destiny irres'ecti&e of what my
name is. I will do this by ac)uirin$ $ood )ualifications and by workin$ hard.
Ho#etown

.. How long "a+e !ou li+ed in !our "o#etown%
I come from %%%. My 'arents ha&e been li&in$ here for the 'ast thirty years or so.
I $rew u' here and I attended a well,known school called School number 1-..
/e li&e in a res'ectable area with many sho's, restaurants, and a &ariety of
other businesses. 0he 'eo'le in our buildin$ are $enerally friendly and )uite,
which makes it a 'leasure to li&e there.
/a. W"ere do !ou li+e%
I li&e with my 'arents here in %%% at the moment. 0o be more e%act, we li&e in an
a'artment buildin$ in one of the northern suburbs of the city. I ha&e my own room
and en1oy the 'ri&acy that it brin$s, but I am lookin$ forward to the day that I can
ha&e my own a'artment. 2llow me to e%'lain3 they are $ood 'arents, and I lo&e
them &ery much, but I would like to be more inde'endent soon.
/,. W"ere do !ou li+e%
/ell, that is not so easy to answer. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 5urin$ the week I
li&e in a dormitory at the uni&ersity, but o&er weekends I li&e with my 'arents in a
&illa$e about one hour by car from %%%. So I really do not know which of the two
to call my home at the moment.
10. an !ou tell #e so#et"ing a,out !our "o#etown%
Yes, certainly. XXX is in the northeast 'art of my country. It has about three
million inhabitants. It has many hea&y industries such as automobile, and
machine tool manufacturers. In addition, it is rich in history. 6or e%am'le, the %%%
in&aded the city and committed many atrocities 7that is to say many crimes8
durin$ the occu'ation. 0his is still remembered by many of the elderly folks to
this day. 2nother e%am'le that I could mention is the Im'erial 4alace that
belon$ed to the last dynasty.
11. W"at are t"e #ain places o$ interest in !our "o#etown% W"!%
Sure. 6irstly, I could mention the 9reat :i&er, which you will find around the city.
0o the northeast of the city there is the famous Mountains and the ;oolo$ical
'ark and botanical $ardens. In summer it is a 'o'ular 'lace to &isit and see
ti$ers, bears, wol&es, other animals and e&en 'andas in their natural
en&ironment. In winter we often $o skiin$ there. Secondly, I would like to mention
the 4ark. It consists of a lar$e 'ark, with many $ardens and a lake. In addition it
also is the site of an em'erors tomb from the 5ynasty. <astly, there are many
other sites that are worthwhile &isitin$. 6or e%am'le, 9o&ernment 7=ity Hall8
S)uare with the 9reat 0heater alon$side it, >a&a S)uare, and the s'ectacular 0?
0ower, which is the hi$hest architectural attraction in my country.
1&. W"at places in !our "o#etown do !ou like ,est%
0here are many 'laces that I like. If I had to choose one 'lace, I would like to tell
you about 9o&ernment S)uare. 6irstly, it is the lar$est s)uare . /hat I mean is
that it is a lar$e o'en s'ace where one can see the sky clearly, and feel free.
Secondly, it houses an im'ortant $o&ernment buildin$. I $uess you could call it
the =ity Hall.
1'a. W"at are t"e #ain crops in !our region%
In our re$ion many cro's are $rown. 6or e%am'le one would find all kinds of
&e$etables in the fields of this re$ion. In addition, many farmers ha&e orchards.
Here they $row many kinds of fruit like a''les, 'ears, and 'eaches.
1',. W"at are t"e #ain crops in !our region%
In our re$ion many cro's are $rown. 6or e%am'le one would find all kinds of
&e$etables in the fields of this re$ion. In addition, many farmers ha&e orchards.
Here they $row many kinds of fruit like a''les, 'ears, and 'eaches. <astly, it is
im'ortant to note that it is not known for its a$riculture. It is better known as an
industrial city. 6or e%am'le, here are many hea&y industries manufacturin$
anythin$ from aircraft and automobiles to machine tools.
1(a. W"at is t"e di$$erence ,etween !our "o#etown and ot"er cities 1suc"
as Hong Kong2%
0he main difference between my hometown and Hon$ @on$ is the climate. 6or
e%am'le, there they ha&e a tro'ical climate. 0hat is to say that it is &ery hot and
humid. Here in my hometown we ha&e cold winters and hot summers. Secondly,
My hometown is an industrial city, whereas Hon$ @on$ is more a financial center.
0hat is to say, here we ha&e many factory workers, or to be more e%act, family,
orientated workers who are not &ery wealthy, and in Hon$ @on$ there are many
tycoons, millionaires, and wealthy 'eo'le.
1(,. W"at is t"e di$$erence ,etween !our "o#etown and Hong Kong%
0he main difference between my hometown and Hon$ @on$ is the climate. 6or
e%am'le, there they ha&e a tro'ical climate. 0hat is to say that it is &ery hot and
humid. Here in my hometown we ha&e cold winters and hot summers. 2lthou$h
cities like 0oronto,+ew York, are lar$er than my hometown , they all are bustlin$
with industrial and cultural acti&ities. Maybe Hon$ @on$ is an e%ce'tion, as it is
better known as one of the most im'ortant financial ca'itals of the world.
1). an !ou tell #e so#et"ing a,out t"e c"aracter o$ t"e people in !our
"o#etown%
/ell, they arenAt any different from the inhabitants in any other lar$e city. 6or
e%am'le, here we also ha&e many wholesome families as well as our share of
criminal elements in the society. In addition, I belie&e that my hometown has not
been westerni;ed to the same e%tent as a city like Hon$@on$. 6or e%am'le, the
'eo'le ha&e not become materialistic to the same e%tent as the inhabitants of
Hon$ @on$. In other words, in my hometown you would still find many $ood old,
fashioned 7traditional8 'eo'le who ha&e stron$ 'rinci'les and &alues about many
as'ects of life.
Present Situation 1student2
1*a. Are !ou a student or do !ou "a+e a 3o,%
I am a student at the moment. I am studyin$ (n$lish on a full,time basis at a
<an$ua$e School here . /e ha&e classes in the mornin$s, afternoons, and
e&enin$s. /ednesday afternoons we are off, and are allowed to $o swimmin$ at
a nearby hotel. /e ha&e a number of forei$n teachers who assist us in the
correct 'ronunciation and $rammar of the lan$ua$e.
1*,. Are !ou a student or do !ou "a+e a 3o,%
I ha&e a 1ob. I am workin$ in a worksho' of a lar$e manufacturin$ 'lant at the
moment. I $raduated from hi$h school two years a$o, and went to work
immediately. I am an assistant to one of the automoti&e electricians in the
worksho'. I ha&e to assist my artisan in $ettin$ his 1obs done. 6or instance, I
ha&e the res'onsibility to see that are the tools are in $ood order, and that the
worksho' is always ke't clean and tidy.
1-. W"at do !ou like #ost a,out !our studies%
/ell, I $uess the s'eakin$ 'art. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. <an$ua$e is all
about communication. So when I am able to communicate with someone in
(n$lish, I feel that I ha&e achie&ed somethin$. I 'articularly like our free talk
sessions with the forei$n teachers. It $i&es me the o''ortunity to )uestion them
about their countries and cultures.
1.. W"at is !our #a3or%
2s I ha&e been studyin$ on a full,time basis at an (n$lish <an$ua$e School, we
ha&e only one sub1ect, namely (n$lish for 2cademic 4ur'oses called (24. /e
do readin$ and writin$, 'ractical s'eakin$, and listenin$ by means of cassettes.
(n$lish is the lan$ua$e of the future, es'ecially in the business world. /hat I
mean to say is that when I am able to communicate well in (n$lish I will not only
be able to $o and study abroad and im'ro&e my )ualifications, but also ha&e
mastered a &ery necessary tool for my future career.
1/. W"ic" is t"e ,est uni+ersit! in !our countr!%
0hats an interestin$ )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain my 'ersonal &iew by shortly
mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 I belie&e that the %%% Bni&ersity is the best
Bni&ersity in the country. 6or e%am'le, it has the hi$hest 'ercenta$e of students
'assin$ their courses of all the uni&ersities in my country.
&0. Descri,e !our stud! "a,its%
I ha&e well established study habits. 6or e%am'le, I always start 'rom'tly at ei$ht
in the e&enin$s. I study for two hours, ha&e a ten,minute break, and the study for
another two hours. I follow this habit from Mondays to 6ridays, but o&er the
weekends I 'ut in more hours. 6or e%am'le, I study in the mornin$s and
afternoons, and then take the e&enin$s off to rela% with my family or friends.
&1. Do !ou t"ink !our present su,3ects are rele+ant%
Yes. 2llow me to e%'lain myself by shortly mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3
6irstly, we often use case studies in class. /hat I mean is that the 'rofessor
$i&es us e%am'les from real life to e%amine and re'ort on. Secondly, our
lecturers and some ad&isors from the rele&ant industries ha&e set u' our study
material. /hat I mean to say is that the 'eo'le who we are $oin$ to work for one
day ha&e had the o''ortunity to tell the uni&ersity what they think we should be
tau$ht.
&&. W"at kind o$ 3o, would !ou pre$er a$ter graduation%
I would like to become a medical doctor. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, I
would like to render a ser&ice in the community to which I will e&entually belon$.
6or e%am'le, I would like to assist the elderly that do not ha&e the financial
means to afford 'ri&ate hos'itals.
&'. W"at are !our 3o, prospects%
I am 'lannin$ to become a Hotel Mana$er. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, I
belie&e that the hotel industry will be $rowin$ $reatly in future. 6or e%am'le,
'eo'le are becomin$ more affluent, and s'end more and more of their money on
holidays. In addition, I belie&e that after $raduatin$ I will be able to find a $ood
1ob anywhere in the world. /hat I mean to say is that all hotels and resorts ha&e
the same ob1ecti&es irres'ecti&e of where they are situated. 0heir aim is to
ensure that their $uests ha&e a $ood time and return a$ain.
Present Situation 1e#plo!ee2
&(a. Do !ou "a+e a degree% I$ so4 w"en and w"ere did !ou graduate%
Yes. I ha&e a Cachelors 5e$ree in (lectrical (n$ineerin$. I $raduated in 2""1
from %%% Bni&ersity . It is the lar$est uni&ersity in my country and has about
twenty thousand students.
&(,. Do !ou "a+e a degree% I$ so4 w"en and w"ere did !ou graduate%
+o. I ha&e a 5i'loma in +ursin$. I $raduated in 2""1 from the Medical 0rainin$
=olle$e . It is a well,known =olle$e $i&in$ e%cellent trainin$ to future nurses and
other medical staff. 6or e%am'le, ambulance dri&ers, hos'ital staff, and so on are
all trained there.
&). W"at i#pressed !ou #ost w"en !ou were at uni+ersit! 5 college%
I was most im'ressed by the knowled$e and skills of my lecturers. 6or e%am'le,
they had e%'erience in the workin$ en&ironment, and could tell us e%actly what
we would come across there. Secondly, I was im'ressed by the facilities. 6or
e%am'le, we had a lar$e library, well,e)ui''ed laboratories, and s'ortin$
facilities at our dis'osal.
&*. Do !ou still re#e#,er !our sc"ool da!s%
#f courseD 0hose were some of the best times in my life. 2llow me to e%'lain
myself by shortly mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irstly they were carefree days.
/hat I mean to say is that I had no or &ery few worries. My 'arents 'ro&ided in
my day,to,day needs, and all I had to do was $et $ood $rades. Secondly, I had
many friends in school. 6or instance, some o my best friends today were 'eo'le
that I met in school.
&-. Descri,e !our 3o, in detail.
I am an (n$ineer. 2llow me to e%'lain myself by shortly mentionin$ the followin$
'oints3 6irstly, I work for a lar$e construction com'any. 0o be more 'recise, we
s'eciali;e in the buildin$ of railway brid$es. Secondly, I would like to mention that
I am in the desi$nin$ de'artment. /e ha&e to look at the site for a new brid$e,
and then decide what ty'e of brid$e will be suitable. <astly, we ha&e to make
recommendations to the railway com'any of all the alternati&es, and $i&e them
some idea of the costs.
&.. Is !our 3o, i#portant to !ou%
0hat*s a broad )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain by shortly mentionin$ the followin$
'oints3 6irstly, my 1ob is im'ortant to me because by doin$ it I can ser&e my
community and my country. 6or e%am'le, when my com'any builds a new road,
many 'eo'le benefit from our work. Secondly, I 'ersonally $et a lot of 1ob
satisfaction. /hat I mean to say is that after we ha&e com'leted a road, I am
'roud to dri&e on the road with my family and e%'lain to them what was in&ol&ed
durin$ the buildin$ of the road.

&/. I$ !ou could4 would !ou c"ange 3o,s%
2lthou$h I am &ery ha''y in my 'resent 1ob, I belie&e one should always be
ambitious. 0hat is to say one should ne&er be com'lacent, but should be on the
lookout for o''ortunities to ad&ance in your career. 6urthermore, I would not
hesitate for one moment if I could obtain a 'romotion by chan$in$ 1obs. I reali;e
that one should show some loyalty to your 'resent em'loyer, but there has to be
a balance between lookin$ after ones own interests and those of your 'resent
em'loyer.
'0. Are t"eir possi,le c"anges t"at could a$$ect !our 3o, in an! wa!%
I don*t think so. 0he com'any that I am workin$ for is lar$e and stron$. In
addition, I ha&e a $ood relationshi' with my collea$ues and my boss. <astly, the
only 'ossible chan$e that would affect me is if I should recei&e a 'romotion. 0hat
would be a 'ositi&e de&elo'ment, so I am worried at all.

6a#il! 1general2
'1. ould !ou tell #e so#et"ing a,out !our $a#il!%
=ertainly. /e are a normal Indian family. It consists of my father, my mother, and
me. I am the only child, so I don*t ha&e any brothers or sisters. My $rand'arents
'assed away when I was still &ery youn$, so I did not ha&e the 'ri&ile$e of
knowin$ them. My father was one of four children, and my mother has a brother,
so I ha&e a number of uncles and aunts, and many cousins.
'&. W"at do !ou t"ink o$ t"e 7ne8"ild Polic! in "ina%
0hat*s a tou$h )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain my 'ersonal &iews by shortly
mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irstly, I think we ha&e to ha&e the 'olicy in
=hina. #ur 'o'ulation had been $rowin$ to ra'idly and somethin$ drastic had to
be done. Secondly, I belie&e the 'olicy will $i&e =hina a chance to mo&e ahead
in the world. /hat I mean to say is that as soon as the 'o'ulation $rowth has
stabili;ed, =hina will be able to make 'ro$ress in the fi$ht a$ainst
unem'loyment.
''. W"! do people in !our countr! traditionall! want to "a+e a son%
0hat*s an interestin$ )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain my 'ersonal &iews by shortly
mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irstly, I belie&e that fathers all o&er the world
want someone to carry their name into the future. 6or e%am'le, in many western
countries it is customary for a boy to recei&e his $randfather*s name. 2 second
reason that I could mention is that 'arents worry about what will ha''en to them
after they had retired. 0hey feel that when they ha&e a son he would be able to
'ro&ide for them in future.
'(. W"o does #ost o$ t"e s"opping in !our $a#il!%
2s far as this to'ic is concerned, I could say that my mother does most of the
sho''in$, but my father and I will do some sho''in$ from time to time. My
'arents allow me to buy my own clothes. <astly, I would like to mention that my
mother does not like my fathers smokin$ habit and therefore refuses to buy
ci$arettes, so that my father has to do that kind of sho''in$ himself.
'). W"o does #ost o$ t"e cooking in !our $a#il!%
My mother does most of the cookin$, but my father and I will do some cookin$
from time to time. 6or e%am'le, sometimes my mother will be out the whole day
doin$ &oluntary work in our community, and then my father and I will do the
cookin$ for her. 0he second as'ect I could tell you about re$ardin$ this to'ic is
that we often eat out. 6or e%am'le, often on a 6riday ni$ht none of us feel like
cookin$, and then we &isit one of the local restaurants, and ha&e our fa&orite
dish.
'*. How does !our $a#il! $eel a,out !ou going a,road%
0hey are &ery ha''y about me $oin$ abroad. I belie&e my 'arents will be &ery
'roud if I were to achie&e a de$ree at a uni&ersity abroad. In addition, they
themsel&es ne&er had the o''ortunity to study. I am their only child, and they
would do anythin$ in their 'ower to allow me to ha&e the o''ortunity.
6a#il! 1#arried person2
'-. Are !ou #arried% And i$ so4 w"en did !ou get #arried%
Yes, I am married. I $ot married about three years a$o. I ha&e a $ood husband E
wife, and we are &ery ha''y to$ether. 0o 'ut it in another way you could say that
we are best friends. 6or e%am'le, we do not kee' any secrets from one another.
/e had known each other for many years before we $ot married, so we did not
ha&e to ad1ust too much. 6or e%am'le, I knew that he snores loudly when he
turns onto his back when slee'in$.
'.. Do !ou "a+e an! c"ildren%
+o, I don*t ha&e any children yet. /e are 'lannin$ to start with a family as soon
as we ha&e our own a'artment. Bntil then my husband E wife and I are workin$
as hard as 'ossible to im'ro&e our 'ositions in the com'anies that we are
em'loyed by. /e would both like to ha&e a son and a dau$hter, but because of
the one,child 'olicy that will not be 'ossible.
'/. W"at is !our c"ild9s na#e% Does it "a+e an! #eaning%
My child*s name is 5a&id <ee. His nickname is su'erman, as we belie&e that he
is $oin$ to become a stron$ man one day.
(0. W"at does !our wi$e do%
My wife is a housewife at the moment. /e are lookin$ for a 1ob for her, but it is
not easy, as she does not ha&e any )ualifications or e%'erience. 0hey are
o'enin$ u' a new su'ermarket in our area soon, and we are ho'in$ that she will
be able to find a 1ob there. She has 'laced her name on a waitin$ list, and we will
be hearin$ from the em'loyment officer soon.
(1. W"at does !our "us,and do%
My husband is a ci&il ser&ant. He works for the 5e'artment of Health at a
hos'ital near our home. He is res'onsible for kee'in$ the 'atient records in the
men*s wards. He lo&es his work, and is recei&in$ a $ood salary, so we don*t ha&e
any serious worries. 2s a matter of fact we both a$ree that we ha&e a lot to be
thankful for.
(&. Did !ou "a+e a "one!#oon% And i$ so4 w"ere did !ou go%
Yes, we did ha&e a honeymoon. /e went to =uba for a week, and stayed in a
small hotel ne%t to the beach. I will ne&er for$et the time we s'ent there. 6or
e%am'le, it was &ery romantic, as we could sit on the beach in the e&enin$s and
watch the moon risin$ o&er the sea.
('. Did !ou and !our spouse "a+e to ask per#ission $ro# !our parents
,e$ore !ou could get #arried%
+o, not really. 0hey knew we were $oin$ to $et married. /e only had to confirm
the date with them to ensure that it would suit them and our families. In earlier
times it was customary for the youn$ man to $et the 'ermission from his
$irlfriend*s 'arents before they could $et married.
((. Is li+ing toget"er wit"out getting #arried accepta,le in !our countr!%
It de'ends to what e%tent the cou'le would adhere to earlier customs. /hat I
mean to say is that these days it is becomin$ more and more acce'table. 6or
e%am'le, youn$ 'eo'le feel that they first want to $et know each other e&en
better by li&in$ to$ether. /hen they are absolutely sure that they are able to
ada't to each others lifestyles, they would then most 'robably decide to $et
married.
(). Do !ou t"ink couples s"ould li+e wit" t"eir parent or on t"eir own%
0here are se&eral reasons as for why I think cou'les should life on their own.
2llow me to e%'lain by mentionin$ some of them briefly. 6irstly, I belie&e cou'les
should become inde'endent as soon as 'ossible. 6or e%am'le, they should learn
how to co'e with the money at their dis'osal. Secondly, I belie&e they should be
alone as soon as 'ossible. 6or e%am'le, should they ha&e an ar$ument, they
ha&e to sol&e the 'roblem by themsel&es.
(*. W"at responsi,ilities s"ould a couple take%
0here are se&eral res'onsibilities that cou'les should take. 2llow me to e%'lain
by mentionin$ some of them briefly. In the first 'lace, I belie&e they should be
res'onsible for their own finances. 6or e%am'le, youn$ cou'les usually do not
ha&e a lot of money, and find it difficult to make ends meet. Secondly, I belie&e
that later they ha&e to look after their children. 6or e%am'le, they ha&e to feed
and clothe them, and ensure that they $et a $ood education.

6a#il! 1c"ildren2

(-. Are t"ere an! traditions around t"e ,irt" o$ a ,a,! in !our region%
Yes, there are )uite a few. 6irstly, after the baby is born, the father will $i&e his
wife some flowers, and take 'hoto$ra'hs of the baby and her. /hen the baby
arri&es at home, the 'arents will make 'rints of its hands and feet. 0his, to$ether
with a 'aintbrush made by usin$ some of the babies* hair, will be ke't as
memorabilia.
(.. W"at kind o$ parent do !ou intend to ,e%
0hat*s an interestin$ )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain my 'ersonal &iews by shortly
mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irst of all, I would lo&e my child unconditionally.
/hat I mean is that I reali;e my child is not 'erfect, but I will still lo&e himEher
e&en if sEhe has made a mistake. Secondly, I would like to be known as a strict
but fair 'arent. 6or e%am'le, I will not allow my child too many freedoms, but I will
also try to understand hisEher needs.
(/. W"at "opes or $ears do !ou "a+e concerning !our c"ildren%
0hat*s an interestin$ )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain myselfEmy 'ersonal &iews by
shortly mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irstly, I fear that my children will ha&e a
&ery hard life. 6or e%am'le, I wonder if they will ha&e work to do. Secondly, I
ho'e that they will be ha''y. 6or e%am'le, that they will find a $ood s'ouse,
ha&e children, and li&e to$ether in 'eace and lo&e.
)0. W"at t!pe o$ culture do !ou want !our c"ild to grow up in%
0hat*s a broad )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain myselfEmy 'ersonal &iews by shortly
mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irstly, I would like my child to $row u' in a
culture of lo&e. /hat I mean to say is that I ho'e the circumstances in our home
will full of lo&e and understandin$. Secondly, I ho'e my child will $row u' in a
culture where the finer thin$s in life are im'ortant. 6or e%am'le, thin$s like music,
art, and studyin$ should be 'art of his life from the be$innin$.
)1. Are !ou going to ,ring !our c"ildren up di$$erentl! $ro# t"e wa! !ou
were ,roug"t up% W"!% +o, not really. I belie&e my 'arents raised me well,
and $a&e me a $ood education. If I could do the same for my child I would be
ha''y. Maybe I would be a bit more modern. 6or e%am'le, I belie&e my 'arents
were unreasonably strict at times. I would try and kee' a balance between
disci'line and freedom.

6a#il! 1wo#an8
)&. Is t"ere an! se: discri#ination in !our countr!%
#ne of the as'ects I could tell you about re$ardin$ this to'ic is that there is some
discrimination a$ainst woman in my country. 6or e%am'le, woman who are doin$
e%actly the same 1ob as men, are $ettin$ smaller salaries. Secondly, women are
not considered for certain hi$h le&el 'ositions, like for e%am'le, in $o&ernment. In
addition, in many communities women are still re$arded as inferior to men. 0his
is 'articularly the case in the rural communities. <astly, 'arents 'refer to ha&e a
boy as o''osed to a $irl. 0his is an unhealthy situation, as it will disturb the
balance between the number of men and women in my country in the years to
come.
)'a. W"at are t"e causes o$ se: discri#ination%
#ne of the main reasons re$ardin$ this to'ic that I would like to hi$hli$ht is the
fact that men often determine the wa$es in the com'anies. Secondly, women are
not seen as able to do certain 1obs as well as men. 6or instance, construction
work has always been seen as a man*s 1ob. <astly, many men still belie&e that a
woman should stay at home, raise the kids, and be of ser&ice to her husband.
)',. W"at are t"e causes o$ se: discri#ination%
0hat*s an interestin$ )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain myself by shortly mentionin$
the followin$ 'oints3 6irstly, I belie&e that discrimination a$ainst woman ha&e
dee' roots in societies all o&er the world. In other words, it is not a 'resent day
'henomenon. 0hrou$hout history women ha&e not en1oyed the same status as
men. It is only recently that woman ha&e been fillin$ the same 'ositions in the
work 'lace. <astly, I belie&e that it will take much more time to eradicate this
'ractice. 6or e%am'le, as more and more women become the sole breadwinners
in families, they will ha&e to be com'ensated as such irres'ecti&e of their se%.

)(. S"ould "ousewi+es ,e paid a salar! ,! t"e go+ern#ent% W"!%
Yes, I belie&e housewi&es should be 'aid a salary by the $o&ernment. 6irstly, to
be a housewife is a 1ob 1ust as any other, and one should be 'aid for what she is
doin$. Secondly, more housewi&es are better. 6or e%am'le, housewi&es can
s'end more time with their babies, and so lay the foundation of healthy
relationshi's.
Pre$erences 1spare ti#e2
))a. W"at do !ou usuall! do in !our spare ti#e%
2s a matter of fact, I ha&e &ery little s'are time these days. My studies are so
im'ortant to me that I ha&e $i&en u' all my other acti&ities. 6or e%am'le, I used
to lo&e 'layin$ tennis, but these days I sim'ly do not ha&e the time. In addition, I
used to swim often, as I belie&e it ke't me fit without the dan$er of bein$ in1ured.
)),. W"at are !our spare ti#e interests%
/ell, these days, I surf on the Internet in my s'are time. I ha&e 1ust bou$ht my
first com'uter, and lo&e to look for e%citin$ web sites that I ha&e not known
before. It is of course &ery time consumin$, so I dont rally ha&e time for anythin$
else. I ha&e to mention that it is an educational acti&ity. 6or e%am'le, by means
of web cams 7&ideo ima$es from cameras set u' at certain 'laces8 I am able to
watch what wild animals are doin$ in many 'arts of the world. I 'articularly like to
watch the 'olar bears 'layin$ with their cubs.
)*. Do !ou o$ten watc" T;% W"at is !our $a+orite progra#%
Yes, I often watch 0?. My fa&orite 'ro$ram is called 5isco&ery. 2s to why it is my
fa&orite, I would like to mention the followin$. 6irstly, it is not science fiction but a
documentary on real life e&ents and ha''enin$s. 6or e%am'le, it had a 'ro$ram
on the latest ecli'se of the sun that occurred at the end of the year. Secondly, it
often has items about nature. 6or e%am'le, last week it e%'lained how some
birds ha&e ada'ted to sur&i&e in a desert.
)-. Do !ou t"ink watc"ing T; is a waste o$ ti#e%
+o, I do not think watchin$ 0? is a waste of time. 6irstly, one can learn a lot from
watchin$ 0?, and secondly, it is a $ood way to rela%. 6or e%am'le, the soa'
o'eras hel' me to rela%, while the documentaries are informati&e. <astly, I
belie&e that 0? has become the best source of information these days. 6or
e%am'le, it is a fast and con&enient way to find out about the latest news from all
o&er the world.
Pre$erences 1$riends2
).. W"at does $riends"ip #ean to !ou%
#ne of the as'ects I could tell you about re$ardin$ this to'ic is that friendshi' is
&ery im'ortant to me. 6or e%am'le, I belie&e that friendshi' should be the basis
for many of our relationshi's. Husbands and wi&es, for e%am'le, should be
friends. In addition, I need friends to hel' me when I am in trouble. I know this
sound selfish, but I feel that it is one of the reasons why I ha&e friends, and they
would not mind me sayin$ so. #n the other hand, my friends know that I will
always be a&ailable should any one of them $et into some trouble.
)/. Do !ou "a+e a lot o$ $riends%
Yes, I ha&e a lot of friends. Some of them are only casual friends like my friends
at work, but I also ha&e some best friends. 6or e%am'le, I ha&e some friends who
I ha&e known for many years. I will do anythin$ to hel' them when they need me,
and I know they would do the same for me.
*0. Do !ou pre$er to ,e alone or to ,e wit" $riends%
I 'refer to be alone. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. I like readin$, which takes a lot
of my time. :eadin$ to me is a way of studyin$, so I ha&e to do it alone. I often
ha&e to check the meanin$ of unfamiliar words in my dictionary, which is a slow
'rocess takin$ a lot of time.

*0a. Do !ou pre$er to ,e alone or to ,e wit" $riends%
I 'refer to be with my friends. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 2t work I s'end most
of my time alone in my office. So after work I like the com'any of other 'eo'le. I
often in&ite some of my friends o&er, and we listen to our fa&orite music, or 1ust
chat the whole e&enin$.
*0,. Do !ou pre$er to ,e alone or to ,e wit" $riends%
Sometimes I 'refer to be alone. 6or e%am'le, after a hard day at work I 1ust want
to rela% without anybody disturbin$ me. 0hose are the times that I mi$ht meditate
on the meanin$ of life for e%am'le, or 1ust sa&our some fond memories. #n the
other hand, sometimes I want to be with my friends. 6or e%am'le, o&er
weekends, I like to $o out with them and en1oy their stimulatin$ com'any.
*1a. W"at do !ou usuall! do wit" !our $riends%
6irstly, we often &isit the nearest net bar for a number of reasons. 6or e%am'le,
to 'lay com'uter $ames or to surf on the net. Sometimes we chat to youn$
'eo'le abroad. /e often s'end hours there at a time. Secondly, we like to 'lay
basketball. 6or e%am'le, we would challen$e another $rou' to 'lay a$ainst us.
*1,. W"at do !ou usuall! do wit" !our $riends%
/e usually $o to the mo&ies. My friends and I like cartoons &ery much, so we will
look in the news'a'er where a new cartoon is bein$ showed and $o and watch it.
In addition, we like to watch a $ood action mo&ie from time to time. /e find the
s'ectacular crashes and e%'losions &ery e%itin$. 0hese mo&ies are from Hon$
@on$ or Hollywood, and ha&e famous actors like 2rnold Schwar;ene$$er and
0om =ruise 'layin$ in them.
Pre$erences 1weekends and outings2
*&a. W"at do !ou usuall! do on weekda!s and on weekends%
#n weekdays I $o to school. #n weekends I like to $o out with my friends. 6or
e%am'le, we will $o and &isit new sho''in$ malls in the city. 0hen we would
browse around all the sho's. Sometimes we will sit in a restaurant and ha&e
somethin$ to drink while we watch the crowds of 'eo'le $o by.
*&,. W"at do !ou usuall! do on weekda!s and on weekends%
#n weekdays I $o to school. #n weekends I like to stay at home. I can easily
s'end a weekend watchin$ 0? and 1ust rela%in$. 6or e%am'le, I like the soa'
o'eras like Meteor 9arden and so on. I know the different characters well by
now, some whom I lo&e, and some whom I hate. I reali;e that some of the 'lots
are silly and o&erdramatic, but it is $ood rela%in$ entertainment, as one does not
ha&e to think &ery hard to follow the stories.
7<TI=>S
*'a. W"at do !ou usuall! do w"en !ou go out%
I usually $o to the nearest net bar with some of my friends. /e s'end many
hours 'layin$ $ames or surfin$ the net. In addition, net bars are a $reat 'lace for
social $atherin$s. 0here we meet other youn$sters and 1ust han$ around talkin$,
and $enerally ha&in$ a $ood time.
*',. W"at do !ou usuall! do w"en !ou go out%
I usually $o sho''in$ with my mother. 0he reason for this is sim'le. BS ladies
usually need a lot of clothes to make us look beautiful, so we lo&e to $o
sho''in$. #ften we don*t actually buy anythin$, but 1ust browse around lookin$ at
all the clothes and com'arin$ 'rices and )uality.
*'c. W"at do !ou usuall! do w"en !ou go out%
#ne of the as'ects I could tell you about re$ardin$ this to'ic is that I usually $o to
watch a football $ame with some of my friends. /e $o to one of the local
stadiums where our fa&orite team will be 'layin$. I lo&e the e%citement and
sus'ense. It seems that I often loose my identity in such a lar$e crowd, and $o
cra;y about the smallest of thin$s.
Pre$erences 1reading2
*(a. Do !ou like reading%
+o I dont like readin$. I do not ha&e the 'atience. 6or e%am'le, I ha&e ne&er
been able to read a book from start to finish. Maybe the books I ha&e tried were
not interestin$ enou$h.
*(,. Do !ou like reading%
Yes. I like readin$ &ery much. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, I belie&e that all
of us should read a lot. 6or e%am'le, when you read you ac)uire new knowled$e,
which in turn will broaden your &iews on im'ortant matters. In addition I also like
readin$ =ra;y (n$lish. 0he to'ics are interestin$ and short, and the translations
ensure that I don*t waste time lookin$ u' unfamiliar words.
*)a. W"at kinds o$ ,ooks do !ou like ,est%
I like cartoons. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, I belie&e cartoons are a
s'ecial form of art. 6or e%am'le, the >a'anese cartoons that are common in
=hina, ha&e e%cellent illustrations.
*),. W"at kinds o$ ,ooks do !ou like ,est%
I like no&els. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, I like to read a storyline that is
full of intri$ue and sus'ense. 6or e%am'le, many lo&e stories ha&e characters
who are in&ol&ed in all sorts of conflicts amon$st them. 0he most common one
known all o&er the world since ancient times is the so,called lo&e trian$le.
**a. Descri,e a ,ook t"at !ou "a+e read recentl!.
I ha&e read a book about the life of Michael >ordan. I am sorry, but I ha&e
for$otten the name of the book. I also like to read >a'anese cartoons.
**,. Descri,e a ,ook t"at !ou "a+e read recentl!.
I ha&e recently read a book about the history of South 2frica. It is called 0he
=o&enant, and was written by a famous 2merican author called >ames
Mitchener. It describes the history from the &ery first days, u' to the 'resent. It
co&ers all as'ects of the country, but focuses on the 'eo'le of the country. 6or
e%am'le, he looks at the 'olitical situation o&er the 'ast fifty years, which was
based on racial discrimination and had become known to the world as a'artheid.
*-a. Do !ou o$ten read t"e newspapers%
+o, I ne&er read a news'a'er. I watch 0? if I want to know what is ha''enin$ in
=hina and the world. +ews'a'ers take to much time to read. 6or e%am'le, the
news on 0? is short and to the 'oint, and thats all I want to know.
*-,. Do !ou o$ten read t"e newspapers%
+o. 2llow me to e%'lain the reasons by shortly mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3
6irstly, I use the Internet these days if I want to know whats ha''enin$ in re$ion
and the world. 6or e%am'le, websites like =++ contain all the latest news on
world e&ents. Secondly, I like to read about stories in de'th, and this I cannot find
in news'a'ers. 6or e%am'le, I often would like to know the history behind a
story. #n the Internet I can do some research ri$ht away, and so $ain a broader
'ers'ecti&e on the sub1ect at hand.
Pre$erences 1"o,,ies2
*.. Do !ou "a+e a "o,,!%
Yes. My hobby is stam' collectin$. I ha&e been collectin$ stam's for the 'ast two
years now. 0hat is to say, for two years I ha&e chosen stam' collectin$ to be my
only hobby. I re$ularly s'end time workin$ on my collection. I $uess I s'end
about two hours e&ery week on my hobby. 0his is mainly o&er weekends, as I do
not ha&e time durin$ the week.
*/a. W"! "a+e !ou c"osen t"is "o,,!%
0hat*s an interestin$ )uestion. 2llow me to e%'lain myselfEmy 'ersonal &iews by
shortly mentionin$ the followin$ 'oints3 6irst of all, it*s a &ery interestin$ hobby.
6or e%am'le, the stam's from other countries often say somethin$ about that
country and its 'eo'le.
*/,. W"! "a+e !ou c"osen t"is "o,,!%
6irst of all, when you collect stam's, you are able to learn more about the world,
and you will not be bored easily. /hat I mean to say is that you can $et stam's
from e&ery country in the world, and the stam's often say somethin$ about that
country and its 'eo'le. Secondly, you are able to meet new friends throu$h your
hobby. 6or instance, you ha&e a common interest with someone else, and you
can discuss your collections to$ether for many hours. <astly, the hobby will teach
you some self,disci'line and how to be &ery systematic. 0hat is to say, you ha&e
to tend to your collection re$ularly, and you ha&e to sort the stam's accordin$ to
internationally reco$ni;ed systems.
-0. W"at are good "o,,ies% And w"at are ,ad "o,,ies%
In my o'inion, $ood hobbies are those ones that $i&e you the o''ortunity to
de&elo' a new skill. 6or e%am'le, collectin$ stam's teaches you to be
systematic. Cad hobbies on the other hand may result in you ac)uirin$ bad
habits. 6or e%am'le, 0? and com'uter $ames will result in you ne$lectin$ your
studies.
Pre$erences 1colors2
-1a. W"at color do !ou like% W"!%
I like red. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. In my country, red is associated with life
and $ood luck. 6or e%am'le, a bride will wear somethin$ red on her weddin$ day,
in the ho'e that it will brin$ her and her bride$room some luck in future.
-1,. W"at color do !ou like% W"!%
If I had to describe my fa&orite color, I would choose yellow. Many artists are
known to use yellow in their 'aintin$s. 6or e%am'le, ?incent &an 9o$h is famous
for the yellow sunflowers in some of his 'aintin$s. Many countries ha&e yellow in
their national fla$s. 6or e%am'le, South 2frica has a broad yellow band in their
newly desi$ned fla$. 0his symboli;es the ener$y and warmth to be found in the
nation.
-1c. W"at color do !ou like #ost% W"!%
Yellow is my fa&orite color. 6irst of all, to me, yellow symboli;es the sun. /hat I
mean to say is that it reminds me of ener$y and warmth. Secondly, yellow is a
bri$ht color as a''osed to dull colors like brown and $ray. 6or instance, brown
and $ray usually make me feel de'ressed. <astly, I would like to mention that
yellow is a 'ractical color. 0hat is to say, you can wear yellow with almost any
color, and it does not $et dirty too easily.
-&. Do colors "a+e so#e s!#,olic #eaning in !our countr!%
Yes, colors certainly ha&e a lot of meanin$ in my country. 4lease allow me to
e%'lain. 6irstly, it is si$nificant that the national fla$ of my country has a red
back$round. :ed is symbolic, for e%am'le, of a &ibrant life, which we belie&e are
one of the dominant characteristics of the country and its 'eo'le. It also si$nifies
$ood luck, so a bride would wear some red on her weddin$ day. In addition, I
think that yellow has a s'ecific meanin$ to our 'eo'le. 6or e%am'le, we belie&e
that it symboli;es the ener$y radiated by the sun, which in turn is the 'rimary
source of life. In addition, howe&er, it also si$nifies the obscene, as a''osed to
blue in the most of the western cultures. 6or e%am'le, here a blue mo&ie would
be called a yellow mo&ie. <astly, I think that white has a s'ecial meanin$ to us.
0o be more s'ecific, in times of sadness and mournin$, we use white to e%'ress
our feelin$s, as a''osed to black in most of the western cultures.
Pre$erences 1s"opping and #o+ies2
-'a. Do !ou like 5 en3o! s"opping%
Yes, I lo&e sho''in$. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, I usually buy clothes for
myself. I like to $o to the sho's and see what they ha&e to offer. I browse around
and com'are the 'rices before a buy somethin$. Secondly, I do the sho''in$ of
all our household needs. I lo&e to find out about any new 'roducts on the market
and how they can 'ossibly make my life easier.
-',. Do !ou like 5 en3o! s"opping%
+o, I hate sho''in$. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, sho''in$ is the most
basic acti&ity in a ca'italistic society. /hat I mean to say is that somebody has a
'roduct which they would like you to buy from them whether you really need it or
not. 0hey lure you into their sho's and malls by ad&ertisin$ their $oods on 0?
and in the news'a'ers. 0hey only tell you about the 'ositi&e as'ects of their
'roduct, but would ne&er mention the disad&anta$es. 0his you ha&e to find out
for yourself, usually after you ha&e bou$ht the 'roduct.
-(a. Do !ou o$ten go to t"e cine#a%
Yes, I $o to the cinema as often as 'ossible. I usually $o with some friends to
watch the latest action mo&ies or comedies. /e ha&e a $reat time, like for
e%am'le when our fa&orite star is 'layin$ a lead role in the mo&ie.
-(,. Do !ou o$ten go to t"e cine#a%
Yes, I $o to the cinema as often as 'ossible. I belie&e that films are a wonderful
form of art. 4lease allow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, in films there are a wide ran$e of
$enres ran$in$ from comedy and drama, to horror and science fiction. 6or
e%am'le, recently I ha&e seen the drama 0itanic, which has been described as
the most e%'ensi&e film e&er made. 0he e%tent to which the 'roducers attended
to the details of the ori$inal shi' was astoundin$. 2nother e%am'le would be the
thriller with my fa&orite actor 2nthony Ho'kins in the lead role called Silence of
the lambs. It had me on the ed$e of my seat for most of the time.
-). Do !ou o$ten go to t"e t"eater%
+o. I ha&e ne&er been to the theater. 6irstly, it is too e%'ensi&e for me. I 'refer to
$o to the cinema. Secondly, I belie&e that the theater is borin$. /hat I mean to
say is that the actors are on the same sta$e the whole time. I cannot see how
that can be as e%citin$ as a $ood mo&ie.
-*. W"at kinds o$ #o+ies do !ou like ,est%
I like comedies. 6irst of all, comedies are $reat fun. /hat I mean to say is that I
ha&e a $ood lau$h while watchin$. Secondly, comedies seldom contain &iolent
scenes. 6or instance, you would not easily find murders, shootin$, fi$htin$, and
so on in a comedy. <astly, comedies often contain e%cellent actin$ by famous
stars. 6or e%am'le, :obbie /illiams in Mrs. 5oubtfire is considered one of the
most e%traordinary 'erformances e&er by an actor.
--. W"o is !our $a+orite #o+ie star% Descri,e "i# 5 "er.
My fa&orite mo&ie star is >ackie =hen$. He is handsome, and &ery funny. He
always has a smile on his face, and ne&er seems to be worried about the
situations that he finds himself in. 0he B.S. 4resident =linton went to watch one
of his mo&ies with him.

?<SI

-.. Do !ou t"ink #usic is i#portant%
Yes, I like music &ery much. 0hat is to say, I cannot ima$ine what my life would
be like without music. 6irstly, I belie&e music 'lays an im'ortant 'art in 'eo'le*s
li&es. 6or e%am'le, we can use it to sooth our minds after a hard day at work, or
it can 'ro&ide us with the rhythm to dance to.
-/. W"at kind o$ #usic do !ou en3o! #ost%
I like 'o' music &ery much. 2llow me to e%'lain. 6irst of all, 'o' music is li&ely,
and suits me at my a$e. /hat I mean to say is that us youn$sters like to listen to
music that fits in with the way we feel Secondly, usually has a $ood rhythm. 6or
instance, it is suitable for us to dance on. <astly, 'o' music is sim'le to
understand. 0hat is to say, I like it because it is not difficult to understand, and it
hel's me to rela% after I ha&e been studyin$ hard for some time.
.0. How long do !ou listen to #usic e+er!da!%
#h, let me think a bit. I $uess I listen to music for about half an hour e&ery day. I
would, for e%am'le, listen when I $et home from school, or in the e&enin$s before
I $o to bed. #n weekends, howe&er, I listen to music much more. 6or e%am'le, I
would in&ite my best friend o&er to my 'lace, and we would listen to our fa&orite
=5s for a few hours at a time.
TRA;@AI=>

.1. Do !ou like tra+eling%
Yes, I like tra&elin$. 6irstly, I belie&e that tra&elin$ is always educational. /hat I
mean to say is that the 'eo'le that you meet alon$ the way are usually
interestin$. Secondly, I wish I were able to tra&el more. 6or e%am'le, I ha&e not
tra&eled to a forei$n country yet.
.&. How do !ou usuall! tra+el%
I like to tra&el by train. 2llow me to e%'lain. 6irstly, when I tra&el by train I am
able to see more of my country. In addition, the trains in my country are
con&enient and comfortable. 6or e%am'le, I can tra&el to any city, and I am able
to slee' on the train. <astly, tra&elin$ on a train is a social e&ent as well. 6or
e%am'le, one can chat to the other 'assen$ers about where they are $oin$, and
why they are tra&elin$.
.'. W"ere "a+e !ou tra+eled latel!%
I tra&eled to %%% last month. My 'arents and I tra&eled there by train. /e went to
see my $randmother who has been ill lately. I en1oyed the tri' as I ha&e not been
to %%% before. /e did not ha&e the o''ortunity to slee' on the train, as it takes
only si% hours to $et there.
.(. W"at kind o$ places do !ou like to +isit%
I like to &isit 'laces where there is a lot of entertainment. 6or e%am'le, I don*t like
it when we $o and &isit my $rand'arents in the country. 0hey li&e on a farm and
don*t e&en ha&e a com'uter for me to 'lay on. I like to &isit the cities where there
are mo&ies to watch and ni$htclubs to &isit.