44 P:lrt 1

HEALTH

Interv iew

Examiner: Do you have any specific diet?

Candidate: Yes, I think 1 do. I'm kind of vegetarian. My di et includes plenty of fruits and
vegetabl es. And ... um ... l never cat junk foods. Unhealthy foods cause many health
problems. To me, the healthiness of food is much more important than its taste.
Alternative answers:
o Urn ... sort of, since I am a bit overwei ght. I hav e to watch my weight and consume less red
meat. J cat a lot more fish and vegetabl es. It 's easy to make a plan for losing weight, but it's
always much harder to carry it out!
o More or less. Although I like greasy food a lot, I usually eat plain and organic ~ood. To slay
healthy, we sho uld take care of our eat in g habi ts.
o Yes, to a great extent. Let me explain, I su ffer rrom hi gh blood pressure that 's why 1 should
cut down on cholesterol, so I have stopped eating deep-fTied food s and cut sa lt out of my
di et. A good diet is beneficial to hea lth.
D Yes, prelty much. Since I'm try ing to put on wc ight , I have started eati ng more meat and
dairy products. Sticking to a diet isn't always very easy.
D Your ans\\'er: ......................................................................................... .

Examiner: How often do you go for med ical check-ups?

Candid ate: On a regular basis ... er. .. on ce every six mon ths.
Alternative answers:
D Every six month s. Health is God's gift.
D Twice a year.
D Your ans\ver: ...... . .... . ................... . .. .......... . .......... . .............. . .................. .

Exa min er: Do you like playing sport?

Ca ndid ate: UI11 ... it depends on the type of sport. But genera lly, I am interested in outdoor
sports.
Alternative answers:
D Oh, certai nl y. I like almost all sports except [... ] and [ ... ].
D Your ans\ver: .................................................................. . .. .

Exam iner: How often do you exercise or playa sport?

Cand idate: Three times a week. I usuall y eith er go walking or do aerob ics.
Alternative answers:
D Almost everyday. T usually go to the gym of my uni vers ity to work out. It's well-
equipped ... er. .. has a treadmill, rowing machin c and . .. er ... other things.
D Well , I've tried to make exercise a part of my daily routine. I go jogg ing everyday.
D Your ans\ver: ....... .............. . . .................................... . .... .............. ........... .
 Part 1 45

Examiner: What is your favourite sport? (Why?)

Candidate: My favourite sport is mountain climbing. In my opinion, mountain climbing is a
great way to increase overall concentration. Another reason is that it gives me an
amazing feeling of accomplishment.
Alternative answers:
o I like swimming very much. Swimming is very relaxing, besides, it keeps me in shape. I am
pretty good at it.
o Well, my favourite sport is karate. I have been doing it since I was ten.
o Well, I'm fond of football. First of all, it's so exciting. I mean the result of the match is
almost always unpredictable, and secondl y this sport demands speed, strength and
teamwork.
o Cycling. l go cycli ng everyday. It's a good way to bum up body fat and calories.
o I am good at volleyball, basketball, tennis ... er. .. running. f'm a bit of an all-rounder.
o Your answer: ........................................................................... .......... .

HEALTH

Questions

1. How healthy is your lifestyle? What do you do to stay healthy?

1. What kind of exercise do you do to keep fit?
3. How much do you weigh?
4. Do you think you need to put on weight/lose weight? What do you want to do gain weight!
lose weight?
5. Have you ever tried to losel ga in weight? 1r so, what motivated you to start a diet or physical
activity? In what ways is your diet different from when you were a young child?
6. How many portions of fruit and vegetab les do you eat everyday?
7. What is your favourite (summer! wi nter) sport? What arc the rules?
8. What sports are you good at?
9. Do you ever read articles which are about sport and hea lth?
10. Do you take an acti ve part in sports?
II. Talk about a sport you would like to learn.
12. What sports and games did you most enjoy playing when you were a child?
13. What sports do you enjoy watching?
14. What do you like about watching sports?
15. Are there any sports you don't like?

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 46 Part 1

FOOD

Interview

Examiner: What is your favourite food? Te ll me about its main ingred ients.
Candidate: My favourite food is called 'Ghormehsabzi'; an Irania n stew which is served with
ri ce. In Persian language, the word 'G hormeh ' is used to refer to diced meat and
'Saahzi' means vegetable. The main in gred ient s are a mixture of diced meat, beans,
certain types ofvegetables ... er. .. dri cd lime, spice and sa lt.
Alternative answers: 4.
o My favou rite food is 'Baghali polo' ; rice mix ed w ith broad beans and vegetables served
5.
with meat.
o We ll, my favour ite food is called 'Fesenj oon'. You know, a stew of chicken or beef with 6.
ground walnut and pomegranate paste.
7.
D Your ans,ver: ................................... ....... ............................................... .
8.
Exa min er : Are you good at cooking?
9.
Cand idate: I thi nk I a m. Actuall y, I took a cooking class j ust three weeks ago. 1 do the cooking II
almost every day.
Alternative answers:
o Pretty good. I enjoy trying out new recipes, and no one has complained yet!
o Not good. I've tried hard but it 's no usc. I have a pile of cookery books. I follow the
instructions, but the result is almost always terrible!
o Not rea ll y, I don't have the time or the tal ent for cooking.
o Yo ur answer: ................................ ........ . ............... ........ . ............... . ....... . 1:
1(
Exam in e r: W hen/ how often do you eat out? 1~
Ca ndidate: Well, mostly, at weekends when I don 't feel like cooking.
Alternative answers: 1!
o Once in a whil e. I much prefer home-made food. but not conven ience food. 1~
Your ans\\'er: ................... .......... . .. . ..... ...... ........................ ........ .... . ... .. ... .
2(
21
Exa miner: Where do you usually eat out? (Why?)
Cand idate: To dine, we usuall y go to [ ... ]; it 's a sma ll restaurant wi th a homely atmosphere. It
serves a wide variety of ethni c cui si ne. I' d much prefer si t-down restaurants to fast- 2:
food restaurants.
Alternative answers: 2'
o I usually go to [ ... ]; a restaurant in downtown. It's a cheap and cheerful restau rant with great 2:
food. I don't lik e grand restaurants. It 's not the ex pense, it 's just that I don't feel at ease in
them. The menu s are so complicated that you don ' t know what to choose! 2(
o I usua lly go to a specialty restaurant called [ ... ]; an e legant resta urant in the city centre. The 2i
reason why I go to thi s place is that it offers quality foods at reasonabl e prices. It has an
exce ll ent atmosp here too.
o Your answer: ................... ............................. .... ............. .... . .... ...... ..... .... .

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 Pari I 47

FOOD

Questions

!. What kind of food do you like to eat'!

2. What are some foods that you know are hea lth y for your body?
3. Are there any types o f food which you should not eat too much of!
4. What is your favourite drink?
5. What lype of snacks do YO LI usually cat between meals?
6. What is your favourite starte r?
7. What is your favourite desse rt?
8. Do you like trying new foods?
9. What food today brings back your childhood memories?
10. Do you like ethnic foods? What country's food do you like most?
11. Do you like trying exotic foods?
12. What is the strangest fo od you have ever eaten/see n?
13. What are some kinds of food you never eat?
14. Do you ever eal un hea lthy food? How do you feel abo ut it?
15. [s there any food that you rea lly di slike to eat?
16. I-lave you ever eaten something you didn't like? What was it?
17. Ta lk about a food or drink you used to dis lik e, but now you like.
18. Who do you usua ll y ha ve lunc h Idinner with?
19. Is cooking a pleasure for you?
20. Do you usually cook your own meals?
21. How often do you eat takeaway food?

t 22. Do you prefer home-made fo od or food from restaurants? Why?

~- 23. What kind of food s do you like to eat in restaurants?
24. What is the best resta urant you have ever bee n to?
It 25. How do you choose which restaurant to go?
26. What is your favourite fast food restaurant?
l 27. Do you worry about calories and fat content when yo u. eat out?
28. !fyou li ved abroad , what food woul d you mi ss from your home?

- 29. Do you think people's diets in your country arc getting bette r or worse?
 48 Part I

SHOP PING

Interview

Examiner: Where do you usua lly go to do your household shopping?

Candidate: 1 usually buy my househo ld goods from a co nveni ence store which IS ncar my
home. You could buy almost anything at reasonable prices. I don ' t have lots of
money to burn !
Alternative answers:
o There is a small shop called [ . .. ]just ncar my home. In fact, it's a corner shop. You can find
lots of loca ll y-produced goods there.
o I usually do my shoppin g from a department store ca ll ed [ ... J, It is so time-saving and
convenient for shopping. Besides, the prices are usually lower in compared with other
places; a lot cheaper. 'A penn y saved is a penny ea rned.'
o Your a nswer: ......................... ............................................................... ..

Examiner: Do you enjoy shoppin g for clothes?

Candidate: O h, sure. To be perfectly honest, I' m a compu lsive shopper! I love hanging out al
the mall s and seein g what they have to offer . .. urn ... I usually pick up good
bargains.
Alternative answers:
o
Actually, shopping is one of my favourite pastimes. I think I'm a smart shopper. I know
where to do my shopping to save money an d time.
D Um ... not reall y, because it usuall y takes me a 10\ of time to shop around, compare prices and
make choices.
o
No, I don 't... um ... I'm not much ora shopper! I find shopping a rea l cho re. When I think of
shopping, I think of all the crowds, all the difficu lt choices, and all the money that I have 10
spend.
o
Yes, very much. I li ke buying expensive things. Sometimes, it 's a good id ea to let your heart
rule your head.
o
Your ans\ver: ............. .. .......... .... .. .... ... .. ... .... ... .. ... .. ........... . ... . .... . ........... ..

Examiner: When you go shopp ing for clothes what influen ces your deci sion?
Candidate: Well , I would say style. I us ually follow the latest trends. YOLI know , in my job,
being smart ly-dressed is vcry important ... um .. .1 am not a price-conscious
shopper.
Alternative answers:
o
Good questi on ! I'd certainl y say quality. It 's always worthwhile to buy quality products.
o
I would think brand. To me, ' money is no object' . Although famous brands tend to be more
expens ive, they are usually of higher quality; more durable and stylis h ... er. .. they are
usually worth every penny!
o
Price. I'm not a big spe nder! To me, we all need to save money for a rainy day.
o
Your ans\ver: . ........................................................................................ .

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 Pari I 49

SHOP PING

Questions

I. Are you a brand conscious shopper?

2. What are some the househo ld things that you buy everyday?
3. Where do you usuall y go to do your household shopp ing?
4. What kind of sma ll shops are th ere nea r where you are li ving?
5. Do you like shopping in the sa les?
6. What kinds of shoppi ng do you like most? Thi nk of shopping at discount stores, shopping at
department stores, tel ev ision shoppin g, catalogue shoppin g, on lin e shopping and shopping
at a mall. Do you enjoy wi ndow-shopp ing a nd brows ing around shops?
7. Do you know anyone who is a shopaholic?
8. Have you ever bought anything from a catalogue or shopping website?
9. Have you ever bought somet hing on impulse a nd then regretted it ? If so, what was it? What
made you buy it?
10. What is the best ba rgain that you have ever got?

COLOUR & SEASONS

Interview

Examiner: What is you fa vourite colour? (Why?)

Candidate: Well, my all-time favour ite colour is yellow. You know, it symbo lises the sun ,
what 1 mean to say is that it reminds me of energy and warmth.
Alternati\'c answers:
o Well, green is my favo urite colour. It is the symbol of nature, renewal of vegetation
and ... um ... promise of new life.
o The colour that I like very much is light blue. The reason is that it makes me feel livelier. 1
think it suits me 100.
o My favourite colou r is red . It 's a vibrant co lour wh ich symboli ses affection. I often choose
red clothes because weari ng red lightens and bri ghtens my mood.
o Well, my much-loved colour is whi te. Let me exp lain, 'w' for wi ll , ' h' fo r hope, ' i' for
initiative ,'t' for thought and 'c' for enth usias m.
o Red is a great colour. To me, the co lour red stands for res istance, efficiency and diligence.
o Your answer: ... ... ........ .. ...... .. ................ . ......................................... ...... .