The Ultimate! Guide To Gy ty The ONLY book with IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Parthesh ThakkarNB Educational institute The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking The ONLY book with IELTS Speaking Band Descriptors Contents ‘© 750+ JELTS speaking interview questions with answers. « 750+ IELTS speaking interview questions for practice. «1500+ questions in total. © 65+ IELTS speaking Q cards (Part 2) with sample answers. © 70+ IELTS speaking Q cards for practice. «140+ Q cards in total. Parthesh ThakkarThe Ultimate Guide to IELTS Speaking Parthesh Thakkar ISBN - 978-81-7525-876-1 Copyright : Parthesh Thakkar - 2007 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrival system or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author First Edition 2007 Second Reprint : Jan 2008 Distributed by: M. K. Book Distributors 1, Tulsi Comptex, 2 Azad Society, Ambawadi, Ahmedabad-380015. Phone : 079 - 26743011 / 12 Email : mkbooks@vsni.net Design by Krishna Graphics M : 9979577185 Email : parinshah7us@yahoo.comAcknowledgements Jam highly thankful to my wife, Vaishali Thakkar for her invaluable contribution in creating this book. ! am also thankful to my little daughter, ‘Sakshi’ who has always shown how to be diligent and energetic by her innocent and playful nature | convey sincere thanks to my parents, Mr, Mohan Kriplani and my students, Dr. Pragnesh Vaghela, Mr. J. G, Patel, Mr. Dipesh Trivedi, Mr. Ravi Patel, Mr. Janisaar, Mr. Dipen Adesara, Mr. Piyush Patel, Mr. Bhupendra Patel, Mr, Keyur Shah, Mr. Vipul Chaudhary and all those who helped me at various preparation stages of this book lam thankful to Mrs. Sonal Shah & Mr. Raju Thakkar (Kanan International) for their invaluable support & constructive feedback for the first edition of this book Finally, | am thankful to you also as yoy are reading this book. | am sure this book will make creative and constructive contribution in your preparation of IELTS Speaking, Parthesh ThakkarAuthor’s Note This book is for students of all levels of English language. This book can be used as a self- study book and as a classroom study book also. Candidates can use the questions to get themselves familiar with the questions which are usually asked in the IELTS speaking exam. Most questions covered in this book are used in IELTS Speaking exam This book is also useful to TOEFL iBT candidates for the first two questions of their speaking test The first part covered in this book is about IELTS exam, IELTS Speaking, speaking assessment, problems and solutions and FAQs on IELTS Speaking. After this, the book is divided into three sections which are related to the three parts of IELTS Speaking Exam | suggest the readers to go through the introduction and assessment part before they start reading the questions and answers of the book. However, if the reader is well aware of the assessment criteria, he / she can start using the book for study straight away. | also suggest you to go through the band descriptors and study them thoroughly so that you can understand what the IELTS Speaking examiner is looking in you Finally, | suggest the readers to use the ideas and opinions expressed in this book as a reference only | take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for your IELTS exam. | wish this book would help you to clear your IELTS exam and to fulfill your dreams of studying or settling in a foreign country. Parthesh ThakkarIndex Introduction to IELTS {ELTS Speaking assessment Problems and Solutions for developing speaking skills, Frequently Asked Questions about IELTS Speaking Section | Questions and Answers for Part 1 of IELTS speaking test Practice questions for Part 1 of IELTS speaking test Section ll Q cards with sample answers followed by follow up questions A movie that you saw last Or Your favourite movie Favourite artist / musician or singer A positive change of your life Astory / tale that you heard in your childhood An expensive thing that you wanted to buy An interesting / important letter you received Describe @ 3-day holiday you enjoyed Describe a historical place or a historical monument you have seen Describe a memorable event of your life Describe the news about your family that gave you happiness Describe a public holiday celebrated in your country Describe a sports event you have seen Describe a piece or a sel of furniture you have seen or you use Describe a game / toy you played with in your childhood Describe a situation where you received an important advice from others Describe a trait of your personality that is special to you Describe an important city of your country Describe an open street market of your city Describe the happiest day of your life Describe your favourite bird Describe your favourite game / sports 13 35 40 a a 43 45 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 88 80 62 63 65 66 68 69 nmDescribe your favourite jewellery / ornament Describe your favourite restaurant An important occasion where you reached late Speak about your favourite flower Describe a shop near to your house or of your area Describe your favourite season Describe your favourite time of the day Last visit to a lake or a riverbank or a seashore Last visit to a 200 Last visit to a bank Visit to a garden Visit to a rallway station / bus station / air port If you receive a lot of money Speak about @ club you have visited or you are a member of Speak about a family member you resemble Speak about a famous personality } celebrity of your city or country Speak about a peaceful place you visit regularly Speak about a person who has influenced you An article you read regularly from newspaper / magazine The best gifl you have received so far The exercise people in your area do regularly The happiest or a funny person you know or you met Speak about a communication device you use regularly Room of your house that is special to you Your favourite advertisement Favounte animal or an animal that is found in your country or favourite wild / domestic animal Favorite book or something that you enjoy reading Your favourite colour Favourite festivat Favourite motorbike Favourite newspaper / magazine Favourite song Favourite subject from school or college 72 73 75 76 17 78 79 80 82 83 84 86 88 90 ot 92 93 95 96 98 99 100 102 103, 104 107 407 109 110 11 112 414 14Favourite theatre / cinema hall Alibrary you are a member of or you visit regularly Departmental store or supermarket you visit often Dress you wear / wore on special occasions You bought clothes for yourself Favourite satellite channel Favourite TV show / serial Favourite website Relaxation activity Q cards with suggestions and follow up questions for practice A book that inspired you in your life A\book you want to write Adifficult thing / task you did well A gift you received in childhood Ahistorical movie you have seen Apperson who laoked after for you when you were a child Aperson you know who speaks different languages Apiece of art (painting, sculpture) you have seen An activity you do in open air An event thal takes place regularly in your city An unusual activity that you did in free time A positive change in your teenage life or childhood Favourite hill station Describe a company where friends and family members like to work together Describe a happy event from your childhood or teenage A memorable visit you have made to your friend or a relative Describe a party you attended or a party you arranged Apicnic you enjoyed Describe a popular building of your city Describe a session / lesson / seminar in English language that you altended in the past Describe the school or college building where you have studied Describe a thing or an abject you bought and you were dissatisfied with it Describe a thing that you made that was appreciated by all 115 116 nz 118 119 120 421 123 124 127 127 129 130 130 130 131 131 132 133 133 134.7 135 135 136 136 ~ 138 139 140 ~ 140, 141 142 143Describe a thing or an object that you possess Describe a wedding you attended Describe an accident you have seen Describe the equipment you use broadly at home or at work Describe an important year / time of your life Speak about an old person you know well Describe an antique thing / object you have in your home or you have seen One thing that is established by your family or friends Different electronic gadgets you use in your house Last meal you took Most embarrassing moment of your life Your best friend Your ideal house or house of your dreams Ideal job Last visit to a museum Last visit to an exhibition Your siblings If you want to start your business If you would like to travel, where you will Important hope of your future Important decision you took in the past One adventurous person you know One interesting thing you like to do in the future Speak about a dream you have seen Speak about the person with whom you like to talk often or spend time Speak about a place you visit often or your favourite place of your city Child you fike the most ‘Speak about the most difficult exam of your life A book that you read in childhood Your favourite childhood activity *Favourite food dish Favourite motorcar Favourite photograph Importance of explorers in today's society 143, 144 145" 146 146 147 148 148 149) 149 150 150 151 151 151 182 153 154 154 155 156 156 157 187 158 158 159 159 159 160 160 161 161 161Section Favourite political leader Favourite teacher First day at your college Something al which you are good at daing Talk about your English level Talk about your favourite month Talk about your school / college life An exciting / adventurous experience you have had in your life Type of clothes and fashion you normally wear What you do get success in life You helped someone in the past You received help from someone Your ambition in tife Favourite radio program Your leisure time activities Your role model WW 162 163 164 165 166 166 166 167 167 167 169 169 170 170 171 174 Questions and answers about various topics for Part 3 of IELTS speaking test followed by practice questions. Animals, zoo, wildlife Area Art and craft, artists, museum, art gallery Book, reading habits Building Childhood, children Climate, environment, seasons, pollution, natural calamities Colour Computers, Internet Culture, superstitions Education Exercise Family Fashion, cosmetics, clothes Festivals 173 175 176 179 181 182 184 186 187 189 191 194 195, 198, 201“ood, restaurant, organic food, veg and non-veg food 202 Friend, friendship 205 Games, sports, sports celebrities 207 Gifts, party 210 Health, alternative therapies 2 Home 212 Hometown, city - 213 Important decision 215 Job, retirement 217 Language, English 221 Laughter 223 Leisure time, TV, weekend 225 Media, newspaper, magazine, journalist, 226 Movies 228 Music 230 Name 232 Nature 233 Photography 234 Product, adverts 235 Role model 237 School / college 238 Shopping 240 Teacher, student 242 Technology 244 Time 245 Tourism, international tourism 246 Transportation, public and private transport system, bicycle 248 Women 249 List of books that can help you in improving your IELTS score 252 NOTE ; IELTS Speaking band descriptors* are on the last page of this book “Reproduced with the kind permission of Cambridge ESOLIntroduction to IELTS What is IELTS? IELTS stands for INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM. This exam is designed to judge the English proficiency of candidates. IELTS is jointly managed worldwide by Cambridge ESOL, British Council and IOP Education Australia Who can appear for IELTS? Candidates who want to study in countries like the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore and some European Union Countries. Individuals who want to migrate to Canada, Australia, UK and New Zealand are required to lake IELTS as a proof of their English language proficiency. Person who is more than 16 years and has a valid passport can appear for \ELTS, What is the format of IELTS? IELTS is available in two formats; Academic and General Training. Academic IELTS is for students who want to study abroad and professionals like Doctors, Pharmacists and Nurses who want to migrate to the U.K. , USA and Australia. General Training IELTS is for candidates who want to migrate to countries like Canada, Australia, UK and New Zealand What is-the format of the exam? There are four modules in this exam; Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking LISTENING Approximately 30 minutes + 10 minutes transfer time. The test is divided in four sections. It has 40 items in total Students get a question booklet on which the questions are printed. The tape is then played and students write enswers simultaneously when the tape is going on Students get time to look at the questions before the listening is started and check thew work at the end of each section. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 1No of speakers No of items (questions) Section 1 2 410 Section 2 1 10 Section 3 2-4 10 Section 4 1 10 Discourse Types Section 1; Usually a conversation between two people on general, everyday topic. In twa parts, first you are given some time to look at the questions for section 1. Then you will hear an example where you will listen to the correct answer. Then the listening is played (including the example). Approx 4 minutes Section 2: Usually @ monologue (only one speaker) of a social functional nature, informa- tional talk. Can be social or academic setting. In two parts, you get around 50 seconds (in two parts) 10 look at the questions. There will be no spoken example; you can see a written example, Approx 3-4 minutes. Section 3: Usually a conversation between two to four people. Academic setting. Education [raining based context. In two parts, there is no example on the tape in this section. Approx 4 minutes. Section 4: Usually a lecture or speech given as a monologue. Academic setting. Education {training baséd context. No breaks in between. There might be a written example. You may get note or summary completion or multiple choice or a mixture of question types. You get approx 45 seconds to look at all the questions in the beginning of section 4. Approx 4-5 minutes. NOTE: As the Listening test progresses, the recording becomes more difficult. It does not mean that it becomes faster as it progresses; it becomes complex progressively and tests all the Listening skills of the candidate. READING Two Formats ACADEMIC and GENERAL TRAINING. 60 minutes and no extra time 40 items ACADEMIC READING No of items Reading Passage 1 13-14 Reading Passage 2 13-14 Reading Passage 3 13-14 Total 40 2 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS SpeakingReading passages are based on research, case studies, and biography, and they are argumentative, They can be taken fram journals, textbooks and web sites. It becomes progressively difficult GENERAL TRAINING READING No of items Section 1 13-14 Section 2 1314 Section 3 1314 Total 40 Passages are taken from newspapers, magazines, and calalogs and from web sites. Al least one section contains detailed argumentative text WRITING Two Formats ACADEMIC and GENERAL TRAINING. 60 minutes and no extra time. Two tasks in writing Minimum 150 words are required for Task 1 and 250 words are required for Task 2. ACADEMIC WRITING Task 1- a Bar chart, Pie chart, line graph, table, flow chart or a process of a combination of more than one chart containing figures and details Task 2 ~ an essay topic is a specific topic about specific research areas i.¢. environment, pollution, study, science and research etc. TRAINING Task 1 - a short letter — formal, informal or semiformal style Task 2 - an essay topic about general day to day life i.e. society, children, family, education, lifestyle etc. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 3SPEAKING Organized on a day other than the main exam (i. é. Listening, Reading and Writing are arranged on one day). 49-14 minutes time Three parts. Part 1 4-5 minutes Introduction and interview. Examiner first introduces himself / herself and asks questions about familiar topics to the candidate. Part 2 3-4. minutes Individual long turn Candidate gets a Q- card with a topic on which he / she has to speak for 1-2 minutes and he /she gets one-minute time to prepare for the topic before he / she starts to speak Examiner also asks one or two follow-up questions when the candidate slops speaking Part 3 4-5 minutes Extended discourse Examiner asks questions that are thematically linked to the topic in part 2 and the questions are more of abstract nature. 4 The Ultimate Guide To !ELTS SpeakingIELTS Speaking assessment How is the IELTS Speaking assessed? Speaking is assessed on four criteria as mentioned below: Fluency and Ccherence: It can be explained as the ability to speak with normal speed and natural continuity. The speech should be logically linked with the help of linking words so that the listener's interest and continuity is maintained. Fluency is often misunderstood as speed but it has nothing to do with speedy speaking. It means you should speak continuously with your natural speed of speaking without taking pauses and without much hesitation Coherence means you should be able to form a logical speech where the flow of information should be coherent and connected appropriately. You should use proper linking words, pronouns and intonation to maintain coherence in your speech Lexical Resource: It can be explained as the ability to speak appropriate words for appropriate situations in speaking so that the meaning and the emotion or the viewpoint can be expressed properly. For example: If you speak, “the ship is swimming in the sea’, the meaning can be expressed that the ship is moving on water, but the proper verb for ship is ‘sailing’ and not ‘swimming’ This is just 2 simple example to make you understand how you can use appropriate words for appropriate contexts. However, al times it is possible that you may not get exact words for some situations. In such case you should be able to express the overall meaning by using other words or expressions so that the speech should remain continuous. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Grammatical Accuracy can be explained as the appropriate and correc! use of grammar while speaking, i.e, use of proper tenses, proper verb forms, proper prepositions and articles and other rules of grammar while speaking Grammatical Range can be explained as the variety in sentence structures that the candidate can show during the test. Candidate should show that he / she is comfortable with the use of different kinds of sentence structures with appropriate and correct usage. Pronunciation: It can be explained as the skill to speak comprehensively so that the listener doesn't have to make efforts to understand the speech. The listener's efforts are generally higher for the The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 5candidates who have strong influence of their first language on their second, i.e. English language. Assessment Candidates are given bands out of nine in all four criteria, and their average is considered as 2 final band score for the speaking test. For example, if an examiner gives bands for all four assessment criteria mentioned below: Fluency and Coherence 7 Lexical Resource 7 Grammatical Range and Accuracy 6 Pronungiation 8 We can assume that the final band score of this imagined candidate would be 7.0 IMPORTANT IELTS Speaking and Writing Bands were awarded as full band score only till June 2007 for example 5, 8, 7, 8, and 9. However, from first July 2007, bands in Speaking and Writing will be reported as both half and full band score ie. it is possible to get 6.5 ar 7.5 bands in IELTS Speaking and Writing. Log on to www.ielts.org for more details 6 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS SpeakingProblems and solutions for developing speaking skills Problem cannot speak at all. | didn’t study in English medium and | can’t understand what to speak because words come in my mind in my first language only Solution Itis seen at times that candidates cannot speak at all in the beginning of their preparation of IELTS. If you become tongue tied, you need some practice of spoken English. This can be done at home. You can take up any written or printed material in English and start reading it aloud (recite) for ten to fifteen minutes everyday. This will help you in developing some familiarity with the language Problem. | can't speak fluently in English. | hesitate a lot when | speak Solution Fluency in speaking is an important tool to score high in IELTS. You can improve your fluency in English by practising more in speaking. You can practise speaking questions from this book with your friend or classmate or you can do it alone also However, there is an important point | would like you to understand; fluency in English doesn't mean speed. Most candidates misunderstand that speaking fluent English means speaking fast English. No, fluency doesn’t mean speed. {t means that you can speak naturally, in a thythm, in a constant flow which can be slow or fast but it should be natural and without major pauses. Here, | would like to make oul one more important point about pauses in speaking. There are two types of pauses in spoken English, positive and negative. Positive pauses generally don't reduce your band score but negative pauses can affect your band score. For example, you are speaking about an article you read from newspaper, but you are unable to recall the name of the writer of the article. Here, if you take a pause of two or three seconds just to remember the name of the writer, this pause may not reduce your rating in fluency. However, if you take a pause to search for language, i.e. appropriate word for the situation, this is a negative pause and it will affect your fluency rating Problem My grammar is too weak. | think | should improve my grammar before | start prasticing for IELTS Speaking The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 7Solution Knowledge of grammar will certainly help you to score higher in speaking. Thus, it is a good idea to learn grammar either by joining some grammar classes or by learning from a practice book. There is a separate list of English preparation books given at the end of this book for Students who want to practisle independently. However, grammar is certainly not the only assessment tool for IELTS Speaking and hence, it is important for you to develop other areas as well. Remember, IELTS Speaking test checks your communicative ability, For this, you should start speaking practice even before you start to lear grammar. There are two benefits of this strategy. One of them is, you can develop good fluency in spoken English right from the beginning. Second, when you start speaking English, there are so many situations in which you get confused in the selection of right tense or right word. Here, if you analyze the situation with the help of grammar book or your tutor, you can grasp it faster because practical exposure to spoken English situations always helps in improving your language development. Problem | understand all questions in speaking but, at times, | can't speak on some topics because I don’t know anything about them Solution Read a lot on variaus issues or current affairs like pollution, politics, religion, festival, education, lifestyle, children, social issues, marriage, travelling, tourism and so on. Such practice will give you multiple benefits like improvement in your knowledge about various issues, enhancement in vocabulary and improvement in your reading comprehension skills. However, it is not always possible for you to give a perfect answer to all the questions in IELTS speaking. Here, | would like to tel) you that there are NO perfect answers in speaking. You are expected to state your opinion or belief about the topic, If you don’t know anything about the topic, you can speak about your personal experience in life or even you can speculate about the answer. Your examiner will not check whether you are speaking right or wrong in terms of information but he / she will certainly check the level of your spoken English on four assessment criteria mentioned above. Remember one golden rule in IELTS Speaking, “How you speak is more important than what you speak.” Problem | know what to speak but when I start speaking ! just can't speak properly. | am concerned about my mistakes in speaking. | fear what others will think about me. In this process | can't speak fluently. Consequently, | lose my confidence. 8 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS SpeakingSolution Try lo discuss everything in English only in your classes and at home because it is important for you to develop familiarity with the language which can be improved by speaking English in your routine life. {1 is also @ good idea to make a group of students at horne or at classes so that they develop an atmosphere wherein they can gain their grip in English. You can also request your tutor to assess your speaking and give suggestions on the mistakes or weaknesses so that you can improve them. Remember, your job is to speak English without thinking about others’ reactions to your speech because no one is perfect in this world Problem | can't speak for two minutes in part 2 (Q card) of IELTS speaking Solution The best way to improve your speaking in part 2 is to record your speech every time you speak for a Q card. For example, select 2 Q card from this book, take one minute to think over the topic, press the recording button of your music system or computer or mobile and start speaking on the topic. Stop recording when yeu finish speaking. Now, hear the recording and analyze it on different criteria given in the table below and give rating for each criterion on a band scale of 1-9 Criteria Rating (1 to 9) Did | speak for two minutes? How many pauses did | take during the speech? How many pauses were negative and positive? What grammetical mistakes did | commit in the speech? Was my pronunciation clear? Did | use connectives and complex structures in the speech? Once you finish the analysis of your speech, speak again on the same topic and see where you have improved over the previous attempt If you speak for less than two minutes, think on the possible ways of extending your speech. You can seek some help from the sample answers of this book also. You can also prepare a separate list of connectives of English language so that you can refer to that list on regular basis. This reference to the list will certainly help you to bring continuity and listener's interest in your speech. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 9Frequently Asked Questions about IELTS speaking Q. Does the IELTS Speaking test check general knowledge of the candidate? A. No, IELTS Speaking doesn't check the general knowledge of the candidate. It evaluates proficiency in English on four assessment criteria mentioned earlier. For example, your examiner will not ask you that who was the first president of your country? But, your examiner can ask you that what qualities are required to be a good president of a country? Or what would you do first if you were selected as the president of your country? Now, it is understandable from the above-mentioned example that the answer of the first question comes in the form of information whereas the answer of the second and the third questions will come from personal opinions. Q. Can | mug up (learn by heart) some answers of possible questions before my IELTS speaking Exam? A. Itis a good idea to practise possible speaking questions before your speaking exam. However, | suggest that you shouldn't try to memorize answers of any question because IELTS examiners are well trained to detect whether the candidate is speaking a natural answer or a memorized answer. If you speak a memorized answer, your examiner will immediately turn to different topics and this might affect your assessment. Q. Should | wear formal clothes (Shirt and tie) or traditional clothes (for e.g. sari for females) only when | go to appear for my speaking test? A. IELTS Speaking test is a formal situation. tt is not bad to wear better and formal clothes when you appear for the speaking test. However, remember an important point, your clothes will not make any positive or negative change in your speaking band score. For example, if you are a 6 band user, taking speaking test in a tie and formal shirt will not help you in getting 7 bands. On the other hand, if you are a 6 band user, taking speaking in a'jeans, T-shirt or other informal clothes will not reduce your band score to 5. In short, how you look is not going to be assessed, how you speak is going to be judged in IELTS speaking exam Q. In part 2 of the speaking test, will the examiner take the Q card back from me when | start speaking? A. No, the Q card stays in front of you till you complete your speaking in part 2. There is no need for you to return it back to the examiner before you start speaking because IELTS Speaking test judges how well you speak English and not how well you can prepare a speech and remember it. 10 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS SpeakingQ. In part 2, examiner also offers paper and pencil when we prepare for the Q card before we are told to start speaking. Is it compulsory that | should write some points on that paper? Will it be helpful to me in my assessment? A tis true that you get a paper and a pencil to make some points before you start speaking in the exam. However, it is not essential for you to write something on it. Your examiner doesn't see whether you have made points or not. This is not going to make any positive or negative impact on your assessment of speaking. Q. Is there any specific band score allocated to part 2 like 4.5 bands out of 9.0 or 3.0 bands out of 9.07 A. No, there is no separate band score allocated to part 2 of IELTS speaking test. The whole test is assessed on all four criteria mentioned earlier and their average band score is awarded to the candidate Q. Why is my speaking test recorded? A. The speaking test is usually recorded for two purposes. First, the examiners worldwide are monitored through this recording only i.e itis for the monitoring of examiners whether they follow the test format appropriately or net. Second, if a candidate is dissatisfied with his | her speaking band score, he / she can apply for reassessment of the test. The recorded speaking test is thus used to reevaluate the speaking of the candidate. Q. Should | ask any questions to the examiner about my speaking test at the end of the test? A. itis not advisable for you to ask any questions to your examiner before, during or after your test about your assessment or band score. There is no need for you to speak anything about your preparation also because examiners are not allowed to comment anything on your speaking test. Thus, they will not answer your question under any circumstances. You just have to answer the questions that your examiner asks you. However, if you don't understand any question, you can request your examiner to repeat that question. But, remember, they will not explain the question to you. @. Can | request my examiner to change the question if | don’t understand it? A. No, you can't ask your examiner to change the question if you don’t know how to answer it. You have to try your best to answer that question by adding your personal experience about the question. What is more, if you ask your examiner to change the question, your examiner may think that you are trying to ‘control’ the speaking test, which may affect negatively on your band score. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking ait. Can | offer a handshake to my examiner? No, you shouldn't offer a handshake to your examiner as it looks informal and inappro- priate for the situation. However, if your examiner offers you a handshake, you shouldn't hesitate at that time. |. Who is responsible for my speaking band score, the examiner who takes my speaking interview or someone else? OR is it true that a group of examiners will assess my speaking after my interview and give a band score? The examiner who takes your interview usually gives you a band score almost immedi- ately after you Jeave the examination room. Each IELTS examiner is given a number and the same number will be printed on your IELTS result report card also, This fact afso suggests that only ane examiner (the one who takes your interview) is responsible for your speaking band score. 12 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS SpeakingSection | Questions and answers for Part 1 of IELTS Speaking test Practice Questions for Part 1 of IELTS Speaking testWhen do you get time to pursue your hobbies? My hobbies are reading books and listening to music. | can pursue both at my workplace as well as at my home. | get some breaks of a few minutes at my office to satisfy my hobbies. However, | get more time for the same at my home during weekends and while on holidays How have your hobbies benefited you? My hobbies have given immense benefits to me. Reading books has helped me in understanding the life with a better insight. | have learned and implemented the knowledge of books in both my life and my profession, which has enhanced my success at all levels. Next, music has always kept me fresh and energized, which is very important for someone who is in teaching profession What type of hobbies do the people of your generation usually have? People of my generation prefer to read books, listen to music, travel, watch movies and so on. In addition, there are a few activities emerging as hobbies too, for example, surfing and chatting on the internet, playing games on mobiles and computers. Why do hobbies keep changing from generation to generation? I think changes in lifestyle and advancement in technology are instrumental behind the shift of hobbies over generations. They offer more options to people to choose from and to pursue. For example, we can use internet as a means to pursue our hobby, which was not available at all before a few decades. What type of hobbies will the future generations have? | think most hobbies of future generations will be based on technology. People will play virtual games, will travel in space, will explore underwater areas of oceans, make friends online and share their lives with them. If you had an opportunity to pick up a hobby then what would it be and why? if | had an opportunity to pick up a hobby, it had to be a musical instrument - might be a guitar or a piano. | have great affinity towards these musical instruments and even today | see the artists who play such instruments with great respect. | may learn them in future if | get a chance How are hobbies useful to us? Hobbies are useful to us in many ways. We can pass our time in a creative manner, which helps us on gaining expertise on other areas of life. At times, hobbies can also 14 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking—_ UU 10. tt. 12. help us in earning name and fame. For example, a friend of mine had a hobby of painting. He is now able to sell his paintings and earns a handsome amount from them. Don’t you think hobbies are wastage of time? | don't think hobbies are wastage of time. On the contrary, it is a creative utilization of our time. By pursuing hobbies we can actually pull out our hidden abilities, which is very important for our. all-round development. What Difficulties did you face in your first job interview? | was a little nervous as it was my first interview. | knew nothing about the company and the field as a whole. Moreover, as it was a walk-in interview, many candidates appeared in it, which made me even more skeptical about my selection. However, | performed well and | was short listed by the interviewing panel for a personal interview and finally | got an appointment letter after a few days of my interview. How should a candidate prepare himself / herself in order to get success in a job interview? The first factor to assure success is presentation. The candidate must appear for an interview in a polite yet confident manner and in formal clothes. The second important factor is to collect information about the organization, the demands of the job and the expectations of the employers. | think such preparation helps the candidate to get a favourable selection. Do you think employees should be paid more for weekends? | believe that employees should be paid more for weekends because employees spend weekends for themselves and their family. This time is sacrificed when employees work on weekends, which should be compensated by paying higher wages to them. Do you plan your work schedule? Or what are the benefits of planning the work schedule? | always plan my work schedule as it helps in managing my workload and increasing my efficiency. | use a planner in which | write the tasks that | have to take on everyday. This helps me in prioritizing my work and keeps me focused on the useful tasks over trivial matters. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 15 —13. 14, 15. 16. 17. 18. What are the benefits of doing business over a job? Business gives freedom to experiment and explore new ideas. It also gives us the independence of managing our time as we are not bound like an employee. Moreover, it also offers tremendous growth opportunities to the owner, On the other hand, jobs offer security and less stressful life because job gives fixed salary, In addition, we can completely get detached from it after leaving the office, which is not possible in business. Still, looking at the growth possibilities and freedom, one should always opt for business. How do people in your area pass their leisure (free) time? It depends on the age group. Children prefer playing games and watching cartoon serials. Housewives prefer watching TV and going for window-shopping. Youngsters prefer roaming around with friends or to go to places like cafeterias, discotheques etc. Old people like to visit gardens and temples to pass their free time. Where and when do you prefer meeting people? | prefer meeting others at my home, at a restaurant, shopping mall or movie theatre where we can spend more time with each other and simultaneously, we can enjoy other activities offered by the place we are at. How do you greet foreigners? | greet foreigners by saying hello to them or shaking hands with them. Because | think we should greet people in the way they are comfortable. Is there any government or non-government organization that helps visitors or international tourists? | know one government organization called ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ that helps international visitors in my country. They help tourists in various ways like hotel booking, sight seeing, local guides, money exchange and so on. | really appreciate this idea because by offering support to international visitors we can make their trip easier and enjoyable, which inspires them to visit our country again. Why do you think people prefer to be social workers? | think the feeling of compassion towards others is the prime motive behind those who opt to become social workers. Those who have a loving heart to help people who are in difficulties generally select working for the betterment of the society. 16 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. What qualities are needed in a good social worker? The first and the most important quality is compassion. In addition, qualities like hard work, honesty, politeness, courage, communication skills and motivation are also required in a good social worker. How can society and government support social workers? The government can support social workers by giving grants, land and other previlages to them. Moreover, government can also give awards to honor them. On the other hand, as a society, we can donate to social workers and offer our assistance in their work, which makes them feel that they are not alone in their work What is the importance of religion in our life? Religion is a guideline of our life. It is a manual that should be followed to get eternal peace, satisfaction and’ happiness in life. Which society is better to live, single religion or multi religion society? Why? | think multi religion society is much better than single religion society because people can have better acceptance and tolerance for other religions and their customs. It is often observed in single religion society that people do not get a chance to explore other religions and their specialties. Whereas, in multi religion society, people can learn, accept and adopt many customs of each other. Ultimately, every religion \eads to one common goal, ‘salvation’ Why do you think someone prefers to live as a religious saint? | think only a few people can really go to the depths of religion and mysteries of the soul, This is the reason they think they should go to the world and give the same message. To do this, they become messengers of God and the religion and this are the people whom we call saints. . What can we learn from religious / spiritual people? We can learn many things from them. We can understand various aspects of our religion and our life, which we can implement in our everyday living. If we have any problem in our life, we can go to them and seek the solution from religious perspective. They are an important part of our life. Which language do you prefer to write in? | prefer writing in English because these days, majority of written communication is carried out in English only. in addition, in my occupation and most other professions, The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 726. 27. 28. 29. 30. 31. English is the most preferred medium of communication. Hence my most writing work is done in English. However, when required, | do write in my first and my national language also. What do you like and dislike about writing in English? \like many things about writing in English. First, English offers a great variety of words that can be used in different contexts. Second, it is internationally understood and accepted. This spread of English makes my communication fast yet effective. There is nothing that | dislike about English language. However, | have found that some people have difficulty in spellings and grammatical accuracy in written English Are birthdays important in our life? Yes, birthday reminds us of the day when we came in this world, | think birth dates are milestones in terms of time in any individual's life. At what age according to you one should celebrate his / her birthday and why? When a child starts going to school, i.e. at 4-5 years, at that time his birthday should be celebrated because this is the time children start making friends in their neighbourhood and at school. Thus they can enjoy the celebration to the fullest. What is more, people must celebrate their birthdays at their old age because this is the time they dften feel lonely, and they can have a company of others How should people celebrate their birthdays? It varies from person to person. Generally, we should celebrate our birthdays with our family members, friends and relatives. On top of it, according to me, we must help at least one needy person on our birthday so that we get blessings fram that person for a long time. What activities do children like to do on their birthdays? The first thing that every child likes to do on his/her birthday is to cut a cake. In addition, they like to play different games with their friends. They also like to dance, sing and take photographs on their birthdays. Lastly, they like giving return gifts to their friends who have come for the celebration. What changes have you observed in the ways of celebrating birthdays in your city? In the past, people used to visit temples where they sought blessings from their God and religious mentors. They preferred to eat traditional dishes at home with their family members. These days, people go out to restaurants or hotels with their friends 18 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking33, 35. 36. 37. to enjoy food. Youngsters often arrange dance parties where they dance to the tunes ofa DJ. Do you like to visit sea beaches / seashores? Yes, | like visiting seashores because the climate at a Seashore is fantastic. What is. more, | live in a city that is far away from sea. Thus, | have to take a break of 2-3, days from my work to visit seashore. Hence, this can be an additional reason for me to go out and enjoy, with my family. At what time of the year do you prefer visiting beaches? | prefer visiting beaches in winter because the climate at seashores is warmer and humid compared to other inland areas where the atmosphere is cool and dry. If given a chance, wouid you like to live at the seashore? Why? | would certainly like to live at seashores, because, | like the climate at seashores and | also like to enjoy various activities like jogging, sunbath, boating, swimming and beach volley ball which can be enjoyed better at seashores. What type of TV programs are more popular in your city | country? Peopie of my city / country like to watch social, cultural and comedy based programs. However, reality game shows like KBC and talent hunt shows like Indian Idol, Saregama etc. are also becoming immensely popular in my city / country. What are the advantages and disadvantages of watching TV? Television offers many benefits. We get local, national and international news on television as and when it happens. We can also see live sports and other important events on it. What is more, alang with watching movies, we can enjoy numerous programs based on society, lifestyle, knowledge, religion, history, science and technology and so on On the negative side, watching television is a passive activity. It doesn't refresh our minds, On top of it, we feel fatigued and lazy if we watch television for a long period of time. Moreover, it is also harmful to our eyes. Lastly, owing to the availability of international satellite channels, selection of a proper program has become a difficult task as some of the programs may have offensive or disturbing content that can have adverse effects on the minds of the viewers. What is the difference between Hindi and English movies? There is a vast difference between Hindi and English movies. They differ in length, theme, content and use of technology. Hindi films are of 140 — 170 minutes compared The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 1938. 39. 40. 41. 42, 43. to English movies that are of 100 - 120 minutes. Hindi movies are based more on culture, society, retigion and love whereas English movies are based more on science, space, fiction, fantasy and romance. Lastly, Hindi movies are often musical; we can see 4-5 songs in a single movie on screen whereas most English movies do not have songs on screen When did you start to learn English? | startad learning English when | was in school. After leaving school, | took my tertiary education in English and till date, | keep updating myself about the latest developments in written and spoken English by reading books and by visiting English teaching websites Did you want any change in your school uniform? My schoo! uniform was white half sleeve shirt, navy blue trouser and white canvas shoes. It was comfortable for all students and | was also satisfied with it. So, { didn't want any change in my schoo! uniform Should uniform be made compulsory in schools? Uniform must be made compulsory in schools. It makes students feel united and equal. This is a very important factor in learning according to me as it gives a sense of similarity in students’ minds, It also helps them in interacting with each other in a better and efficient manner. According to you what is better, school life or college life? Why? Well, both have their own peculiarities. But to me, college life is much better because at college we come out of the innocent world of school and enter the practical world. College is the place where we learn the basics of our social, professional and practical life. What are the meeting places of teenagers in your city? Teenagers in my city meet at restaurants, fast food counters, shopping malls, multiplexes, game parlours, discotheques and so on. Teenagers are attracted to the lively, youthful and vibrant ambience of such places. How is library useful to teenagers? Library can be extremely useful to teenagers. They can read books on various subjects of their interest and satisfy their thirst for knowledge which helps them in improving their academic performance. Moreover, they can also develop their personality by reading books on self-help. 20 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking45. 47. How will you collect fund for the library? There are numerous ways of collecting funds for the library. We can go to big business houses or industrialists and pursue them to donate for the library. We can also run a campaign in newspaper, radio and television to inspire people to donate generously. Lastly, we can also request governments and members of the library to support the funding program as best as they can What qualities or skills are required to become a good librarian? The job of a librarian is interesting and demanding. A librarian must have very good knowledge of all titles of books and authors which are available in his library. What is more, he should be able to use the index system efficiently so that book utilization can reach up to optimum. Also, he should look for new titles which are released in the market so that he can add those titles to his library. Lastly, he should be a good communicator so that his communication skills can also inspire most people to use library for the mutual benefit of them as well as for the library itself. If given a chance would you like to work as a librarian? Itis an interesting job. | think if given a chance | would certainly work for a library as a librarian. This will give me some benefits. First, | can be in touch with the latest trends in the field of writing and publication. Second, | can also be in touch with the readers of various interests and age groups. Lastly, | would get an excellent exposure to a vast number of books so that | can satisfy my thirst of reading How should the student - teacher relationship be? I think student-teacher relationship must be friendly and interactive. It is very important for both of them to understand each other to ensure smoothness in learning process. If there is a distance in teacher-student relationship, learning becomes heavy and disturbed, which cannot give desired results to the students. | strongly believe that teachers who avoid, insult or humiliate their students are doing injustice to their candidates as well as their occupation because by staying inaccessible to students, no teacher in this world can teach efficiently, Why do people visit gardens? People visit a garden for a variety of purposes. In the morning people go to a garden for moming walk and laughing club. Children visit gardens for playing games and elders go to a garden to pass their time with other people of their age group. We can also see sales and marketing executives arrange their on the field meetings in public gardens. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 2449. 50. 51. 52. 53. 54, Do you like flowers? Yes, | like almost all flowers like rose, sunflower and other exotic flowers because of their fragrance, vibrant colours and refreshing appearance Do you give flowers to other people? If yes, then when do you give flowers to others? | give flowers to others on various occasions like marriage ceremony, inauguration, visiting a patient in hospital. Moreover, | also give flowers to my friends and family members when they have an exam or an important interview or a meeting. At times | do give flowers without any reason or occasion just to express my feelings to others. What is the difference between urban and rural area? There are many differences in urban and rural areas. They differ in size, infrastructure, facilities available and climate. Cities are bigger compared to villages in terms of area. Next, they have wider roads, flyovers, multistorey complexes and shopping malls whereas Old houses, narrow roads and natural landscapes are usually found more in rural areas, Last, climate of urban areas is more polluted and noisier compared to cleaner, healthier, natural and more peaceful climate of villages. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in urban / rural area? Urban areas offer better facilities like water, electricity, drainage, transport and health services. Moreover, cities also have higher employment opportunities and better quality of educational institutions. However, urban life is faster, more stressful and more polluted, Rural areas have fewer facilities in terms of health, transport, employment, education etc. But, people in these areas live with unity and warmth, What is more, the climate is also pleasant, pollution free and the life is less stressful What are the perceptions of urban people for countryside people? | think people of urban area perceive rural people as incompetent and rustic. They think people in rural area do not live a privileged life and hence more and more people are shifting from villages to cities. However, these perceptions are not from all people. Many city dwellers respect rural people and often help them when they come to cities What are the consequences of more people migrating to cities from villages? There will be an imbalance in the region. As more people live at selected areas, they need more food, water and shelter. This will put extra load on urban system and oblige 22 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking55. 56. 57. the cities to expand in unorganized pattern. On the other hand, villages start regressing as their dwellers are leaving for cities. This development can bring huge disparity between urban and rural areas. What should be done to prevent the migration of people from villages to cities? The government must take active interest in this issue. They should provide all the facilities to rural areas like water, drainage, electricity, transport, road system, health facilities and so on. When people start getting all the facilities in their villages, they will not migrate to cities. Only after this, the fruits of economic development can reach every part of our country. Why do people want to study / settle in other countries? There are many reasons behind the thinking of people who want to study or settle overseas. For study, | can say that some specialization courses in management, science and technology are taught better in some foreign universities. Moreover, foreign education also gives international exposure to the students which helps them when they start their professional life. Lastly, some countries like Australia do offer settlement options to overseas students. In case of immigrants, | can say that they may want to take the advantage of stronger economy of foreign countries to enhance their income and standard of living. Moreover, some countries offer open immigration to skilled people and they do offer free education, medical and unemployment allowance, which may not be available to those individuals in their home country. What are the effects on host countries of many people coming to study / settle there? The receiving countries certainly get a boost in education and related segments because most universities charge higher fees from international students compared fo domestic students. What is more, the study environment of the country becomes heterogenic and competitive which enhances education level of all students. In case of immigrants, it is understandable that those countries will receive skilled workers so that their economy can also grow. In addition host countries can also benefit from the culture of new people, which ultimately helps in building a cosmopolitan environment However, there are some chances of inflation of workers in terms of immigrants and students which may affect the local job market. Consequently, some residents of the host country may have to remain jobless. The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 2358. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. What are the effects on the country from which people go to study / settle in other countries? There are many negative effects of this. First, people go to such countries to study by paying high fees in pounds and dollars. This is the net revenue loss for the home country because it is non recoverable as it is a one way expense. What is more, skilled workers are needed everywhere. In such situation, if skilled workers of one country migrate to the other, economic growth of the home country may be hindered Will this trend continue in the future as well? | think the trend will certainly continue because everyone wants to live a better life that offers status, luxury and security. In many countries of the world, such life is not available and hence those who are skilled and capable of migrating will surely do the same in future. In addition, economic growth will also oblige many developed countries to woo skilled people from developing or underdeveloped countries. Thus, looking at this situation, | can say that this trend will continue in the future also When does rainy season start in your country? Rainy season starts in the last week of May or the first week of June month in south India and then it spreads to other parts of my country. Do you enjoy rains or not? I like rains a lot. | like to go out when it is raining, The climate becomes pleasant and soothing. | like to get wet in rain and feel the raindrops on my face, which gives me a sensational feeling. Alll trees, plants, buildings and roads iook new and fresh when it is raining. | also go out with my family members to eat roasted corn and other traditional items made up of lentil. What do you feel at the end of rainy season? | really miss the rains at the end of the season. Hence, | often try not to miss any opportunity to enjoy rain. The climate also becomes uncomfortable for most animals because epidemics spread faster at the end of rainy season. However, | do prepare myself for the next season that is winter and wait for the monsoon of the next year. What is the difference between rain in the past and now? The intensity and consistency of rain has changed a lot compared to the past. These days we can have ten or fifteen inches rainfall in two to three days compared to the past when there was consistent rainfall over the whole rainy season. Moreover, the places where there was less rainfall get high or average rain these years and those 24 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking67. places where the rainfall was heavy get average to less rain these years. What factors affect rainy season? There are some factors that affect the rainy season. One of them is pollution, The cloud building and cooling process is affected by both pollution in the atmosphere and global warming due to higher carbon emission in the air as a result of burning of fossil fuels and industries. All such factors disturb the weather cycle of many regions. Consequently, we have less rain in the rainy season and unexpected rain in winter or even summer. What is the importance of rainy season in your country? Rains have great importance in my nation. My country is traditionally known as an agricultural country. And the irrigation system is not so developed in my country. However, | do admit that other industries are also contributing to the economic growth of my country. But, major proportion of population of my country survives on farming and associated industries even today. Apart from this, the population of my country is also very high, which requires higher amount of drinking water. Looking at this, | can say that rains have a prime importance in my country. What developments in agriculture have you observed in your country? | have observed immense changes in the field of agriculture in my nation. First, irrigation facility is now covering most of the farmland of my country. Second, government is counseling the farmers about type of crops suitable to the land, better auality of seeds, fertilizers and pesticides. Because of this, now we can have improved product yield that helps in meeting the increasing food demands of our country. How can fertilizers be harmful to us? Fertiizers can be harmful to us in many ways, If used excessively, they may contaminate the composition of crops. Such crops, when eaten, can lead to some diseases or disorders in humans and animals. Another harmful effect can happen to the soil. The soil may lose its natural fertility and may not give better product yield because of exorbitant use of fertilizers How can we prevent negative effects of fertilizers? Farmers should avoid excessive use of chemical fertilizers. They can use natural fertlizers like cow dung, manure and so on. Moreover, governments can also ban harmful fertilizers and can guide farmers to use other safe substances to increase their crop yield and to maintain the fertility of the soil The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking 2569. 70. 71. 72. 73, Why do people use so much plastic? People use plastic because it offers many advantages. It is light, cheap, stable and non-water permissible. All these qualities of plastic make it a preferred choice for packaging and for making everyday objects from pen to furniture. Are there any disadvantages of using plastics? There are some long-term disadvantages of using plastics. They are non-biodegradable and they do not permit the exchange of air and water molecules through their surface. Now, as plastic doesn't decay naturally, it doesn't allow the life to sustain on the land where it is dumped as a waste. This can affect the natural eco cycle (food chain) of that area, which can lead to a natura! disturbance in extreme Cases. What are the causes of overpopulation? There are three prime reasons behind overpopulation, The first is lack of education. Uneducated people don't follow family planning because they cannot understand the fong-term effects on economy and environment. The second is poverty. Contrary to the general understanding, poor people feel that there should be more members in their family so that everybody can earn and contribute to the family. The third is cultural conditioning. In many countries, it is a tradition to have more children in the families. As this tradition is given a religious association, it is hard for them to understand the benefits of family planning. What are the consequences of overpopulation? Qverpopulation has frightening consequences on both the earth and the society. It can inhibit the economic growth because governments of such nations have to spend a big chunk of revenue behind satisfying the basic needs like healthcare, food, water, education etc of their people. Next, many peaple remain unemployed in overpopulated regions. This may lead to a rise in crime in the region. | think overpopulation is a curse on our world What are the consequences of riots on individuals and society? {tis clear now that only common and poor people suffer from riots. They lose their wealth, homes or even their lives. What is more, victims of riots live a disturbed life, which can influence their future generations. This phenomenon increases rivalry between different groups of society that may explode even at minor incidents. On top of it, riot sensitive areas can never witness economic growth because big companies, investors and even governments stay away from investing their money for the development of such areas. 26 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS SpeakingWhat factors are responsible for occurrence of riots? | think the main reason for the outburst of riots is the spread of rumours. There are gaps in communication between people in sensitive situations. These gaps take the form of rumours and infuriate people's anger, which causes violence. Moreover, | think media is also accountable up to some extent because they keep showing the images and recordings of the sufferers. These footages constantly hurt the people who belong to the suffering community, which forces them to take revenge on others. Do you think noise disturbs a person? It is certainly true that noise can disturb people. Noise actually distracts our minds and doesn't allow us to concentrate on our work, which leads to irritation. As a result the disturbance magnifies Do you think the noise pollution is increasing in the world? Yes, noise levels are mounting in many parts of the world. Noise occurs in various forms at public places like the sound of people talking loudly to each other, sound of traffic and horns on roads, ad campaigns in form of road shows. In addition, increasing number of air planes also add to the noise levels. Why are birds important in life? Birds are an important creation of nature. Their importance can only be understood by those who know the importance of nature. They are an important part of our eco system. They eat small insects and reptiles. By doing so, they help in maintaining healthy and disease free environment What should people do to save birds? First and foremost, we should stop killing birds for their meat, feathers or nails. In addition, we should also stop others who are engaged in the same activity by informing about them to the government authorities. What are the harmful effects of smoking? Smoking is harmful to our health in various ways. The smoke weakens the muscles of our respiratory system, which affects our breathing process, On prolonged use, smoking can cause cancer to the smokers. Moreover, it can lead to impotence in males and for pregnant women; it can inhibit the growth of the baby in their womb Should government ban tobacco products? Why? | strongly favour this action. Government must ban all type of tobacco products. This will bring long-term benefits to the country. We can fead a healthy and efficient life The Ultimate: Guide To IELTS Speaking 2781. 82. 83. 84, 85. 86. without tobacco. Some people argue that government earns revenue in the form of direct and indirect taxes on tobacco products. However, government also has to spend huge sum of money on the treatment of cancer patients Should celebrities endorse tobacco and alcohol products? Yes or no and why? | don't agree with celebrities endorsing tobacco and liquor products because they are role models for teenagers and youngsters. The youth is likely to follow the endorsement made by celebrities, as youngsters are unable to differentiate good and bad. | also assert that celebrities have some moral responsibility towards the society. They should not misuse their popularity for money by promoting harmful products How do people get into habits of taking drugs and smoking? Teenagers and youngsters take up smoking as a thrilling experience. They often try smoking or narcotics to satisfy their sense of curiosity: However, many of them then get addicted to it. Professionals take up smoking as a change or a break from their work in the beginning. Later, there are high chances that they get addicted to it How should a neighbour be? A neighbour should be friendly, cooperative, compassionate and honest. His attitude towards others should be live and let live. On top of it, neighbour should not interfere in others’ family life or personal life. We cannot enjoy neighbourhood if our neighbour doesn't have such qualities How can you know the attitude of your neighbours towards you? As | said their attitude should be live and let live. We can judge their approach by observing their behaviour with us. If the neighbour is interested in borrowing things from our house or is interested in our personal life or turns away when we need help, we should assume that he / she is not a good neighbour. We should maintain some distance from such people. When can neighbours be helpful? It is said in my culture that neighbour is our first relative. Neighbour can be helpful to us in all steps of life. However, neighbour can be the best help in case of emergency like accident, theft, illness etc because only neighbour can come to our house within seconds. What type of problems can you face from your neighbours? There-are many problems we can face from neighbours. One of them is interference in our family matters. They often try to judge what is happening in the lives of our 28 The Ultimate Guide To IELTS Speaking