a Fiftyish Collection

of IELTS Speaking Tests

Fauzan Habib

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION CENTER

Bandung 2019
 Introduction

How This Book Is Structured

This book consists of two chapters. The First chapter presents a collection
of “IELTS Part 1 Speaking Questions” in various topics. The following
chapter consists of “IELTS Part 2 Cue Cards” each with a different topic
followed by discussion parts(IELTS Part 3) in similar topic as the cue cards.

How to Use This Book

1. Try to answer the questions in each chapter as a daily speaking drill.

2. Specifically, for questions in “Chapter 2: IELTS Part 2: Cue Cards”

you have to use a timer/stopwatch and set your time to 50 seconds
which is ten seconds less than the actual test time before answering
the questions.

3. Speak in front of your room wall to impersonate the examiner.

4. After you answer the questions in this book, you might want to start
to ask your existence and all your life decision.

5. “Don’t forget to have fun” -Mrs. Dwi.

IELTS Speaking Test Instructions
You will talk to a certified examiner in the IELTS Speaking test. The test
is interactive and as close to a real-life situation as a test can get. A variety
of accents may be used, and the test will be recorded
The content of the IELTS Speaking test is the same for both the IELTS
Academic and IELTS General Training tests 1 .

Part 1
The examiner will introduce him or herself and ask you to introduce yourself
and confirm your identity. The examiner will ask you general questions on
familiar topics, e.g. home, family, work, studies and interests. This section
should help you relax and talk naturally.

Part 2
The examiner will give you a task card which asks you to talk about a
particular topic, including points to include in your talk. You will be given
one minute to prepare and make notes. You will then be asked to talk for
1-2 minutes on the topic. You will not be interrupted during this time, so
it is important to keep talking. The examiner will then ask you one or two
questions on the same topic.

Part 3
The examiner will ask you further questions which are connected to the
topic of Part 2. These questions are designed to give you an opportunity
to discuss more abstract issues and ideas.

1 https://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/take-ielts/prepare/test-format
 Table of Contents

1 First Part of IELTS Speaking Test 7

1.1 Snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2 Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.3 Dictionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.4 Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.5 On Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1.6 Weather & Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.7 Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.8 Also Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.9 Another Work(because why not?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.10 Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
1.11 Hometown . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.12 Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
1.13 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.14 Television . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
1.15 Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.16 Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.17 Birthdays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
1.18 Maths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.19 Childhood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
1.20 Clothes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.21 Another Clothes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.22 Computers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
1.23 Daily Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.24 Weekend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
1.25 Dictionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.26 Memorising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.27 Evenings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
1.28 Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.29 Flowers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.30 Friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
1.31 Food . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.32 Travelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.33 Going . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
1.34 Happiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1.35 Letters or Emails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1.36 Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
1.37 Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
1.38 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
1.39 Handwriting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
1.40 Colours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
1.41 Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1.42 Being Alone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
1.43 Countryside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.44 Hanging Out With Friends . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.45 Hobbies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
1.46 Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.47 Leisure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
1.48 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1.49 Neighbours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1.50 Newspapers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
1.51 Swimming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.52 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.53 Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
1.54 Shopping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
1.55 Sport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
1.56 TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Page 4
 1.57 Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.58 Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1.59 Accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

2 Second and Third Parts of IELTS Speaking Test 33

2.1 Eating habits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
2.2 TV and Drama Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
2.3 Study Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.4 Sport and Outdoor Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
2.5 Ownership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
2.6 Beauty and Fashion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.7 Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
2.8 Old people: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
2.9 Special Occasions and Celebrations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
2.10 Healthcare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.11 Customer Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
2.12 Helping Others & Teamwork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.13 Famous Personalities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
2.14 Story Telling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
2.15 Mobile Phone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.16 Life Achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
2.17 Journey and Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
2.18 Music and Songs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
2.19 Sharing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.20 Historical Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
2.21 An important conversation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
2.22 Historical Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
2.23 Advertisement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
2.24 A difficult Decision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
2.25 An instance when you received good news . . . . . . . . . . 50
2.26 A place where you stayed away from home . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.27 Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
2.28 Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
2.29 Impressive place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Page 5
2.30 Commercials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.31 Festivals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
2.32 Admired Friend . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
2.33 Shops and Stores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
2.34 Holiday Resort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
2.35 Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
2.36 Person to Study With . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
2.37 Interesting Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2.38 Favourite Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2.39 Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
2.40 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
2.41 Interesting Hobby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
2.42 Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
2.43 Extreme Weather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
2.44 Learning English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
2.45 News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
2.46 Skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
2.47 Beautiful Place to Visit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
2.48 Admired Family Member . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
2.49 Enjoyable Meal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
2.50 School You Went To . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
2.51 Newspaper or Magazine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
2.52 Exciting Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
2.53 Restaurant or café . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
2.54 A course you would like to study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
2.55 Favourite author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Page 6
 Chapter One

First Part of IELTS Speaking

Test

1.1 Snacks
1. Do you like snacks?

2. What kinds of snacks are popular in your country?

3. Do you think eating snacks is good for your health?

1.2 Holidays
1. What public holidays do you have in your country?

2. Do people in your country celebrate Christmas?

3. Do you like public holidays?

4. Which public holidays do you like the most?

5. What did you do during the last public holiday?

6. What do other people in your country usually do on public holidays?

7. What would you like to do during then next public holiday?

 8. Do you think public holidays are important?

9. Do you think there should be more public holidays in your country?

1.3 Dictionaries
1. How often do you use a dictionary?

2. Do you prefer using a paper or online one? Why?

3. Do you prefer working in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Why?

1.4 Travel
1. Do you like traveling? Why? Why not?

2. Have you flown before? Was it a short or long-haul flight?

3. Would you like to travel to space someday? Why? Why not?

1.5 On Time
Let’s talk about being on time. . .

1. Do you wear a watch normally?

2. Do people in your culture usually arrive on time?

3. Do you arrive on time?

4. How would you feel if someone made you wait?

Page 8
1.6 Weather & Seasons
1. How many seasons do you have in your country? What are they?

2. Which is your favorite season? Why?

3. Have the seasons been affected by climate change?

1.7 Work
1. What is your job?

2. Where do you work?

3. Why did you choose that job?

4. Is it a popular job in your country?

5. Do you like your job?

6. Do you get on well with your colleagues?

7. What was your first day like?

8. What responsibilities do you have at work?

9. If you had the chance, would you change your job?

10. Do you plan to continue with your job in the future?

1.8 Also Work

1. Do you work or study?

2. What do you like most about your job?

Page 9
 3. How many hours do you normally work in a week?

4. How do you normally travel to work?

5. Is there any other transportation system other than this?

6. What could you do to improve or be better at your work?

1.9 Another Work(because why not?)

1. Are you working or studying?

2. Can you describe your job?

3. Do you prefer working in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Why?

1.10 Study
1. What do you study?

2. Where do you study that?

3. Why did you choose that subject?

4. Is it a popular subject in your country?

5. Do you like that subject?

6. Do you get on with your colleagues?

7. What was your first day like?

8. What are the main aspects of your subject?

9. If you had the chance, would you change subject?

10. Do you plan to get a job in the same field as your subject?

Page 10
1.11 Hometown
1. Where is your hometown?

2. Do you like your hometown?

3. Do you often visit your hometown?

4. What is your hometown like?

5. What is the oldest place in your hometown?

6. What is there for a foreigner to do or see in your hometown?

7. How could your hometown be improved?

8. Has your hometown changed much since you were a child?

9. Is there good public transportation in your hometown?

10. Do you think your hometown is a good place to bring up children?

1.12 Home
1. Where is your home?

2. Do you live in a house or a flat?

3. Who do you live with?

4. Are there many rooms in your home?

5. What is your favourite room?

6. How are the walls decorated?

7. What would you change about your home?

Page 11
 8. Do you plan to live there in the future?

9. What facilities are there near your home?

10. What is your neighbourhood like?

11. Do most people live in houses in your country?

1.13 Art
1. Are you good at art?

2. Did you learn art at school when you were a child?

3. What kind of art do you like?

4. Is art popular in your country?

5. Have you ever been to an art gallery?

6. Do you think children can benefit from going to art galleries?

1.14 Television
• How much TV do you (usually) watch?

• What’s your favourite TV programme?

• Did you watch much TV when you were a child? (How much?)

• What (types of) programmes did you watch when you were a child?

• Do you think television has changed in the past few decades?

• (Possibly) Do you think television has changed since you were a child?

• Has television changed your life in any way?

Page 12
1.15 Museum
1. Are there many (or, any) museums in your hometown?

2. Do you think museums are useful for visitors to your

hometown/country?

3. Do you often visit a museum?

4. Did you go to any museums when you were a child?

5. When was the last time you visited a museum?

6. Do you think museums are important?

7. Do you think it’s suitable for museums to sell things to visitors?

1.16 Film
1. Do you like to watch films?

2. Do you prefer foreign films or Chinese films?

3. How often do you go to a cinema or watch a movie?

4. Do Chinese people like to go to a cinema to watch a film?

5. What kinds of movies do you like best?

6. What was the first film that you watched?

1.17 Birthdays
1. Do you enjoy your birthdays?

2. Do you usually celebrate your birthday?

3. What did you do on your last birthday?

Page 13
 4. Can you remember a birthday you enjoyed as a child?

5. Do most people celebrate their birthdays with a party in your

6. country?

7. Which birthdays are considered important in your country?

1.18 Maths
1. When did you start learning maths?

2. Do you like maths?

3. Who taught you maths?

4. Who’s your favourite teacher so far?

5. Is maths difficult for you to learn?

6. Do you like to use a calculator?

1.19 Childhood
1. Did you enjoy your childhood?

2. What is your first memory of your childhood?

3. Did you have a lot of friends when you were a child?

4. What did you enjoy doing as a child?

5. Do you think it is better for children to grow up in the city or in

6. the countryside?

Page 14
1.20 Clothes
1. What clothes do you usually like to wear?

2. Do/did you wear the same clothes at school and at home?

3. Will you change your clothes when you go home today?

4. Did you have any special clothes to wear when you where a child?

5. Did you like them?

1.21 Another Clothes

1. Are clothes important to you?

2. What kind of clothes do you usually wear?

3. Do you ever wear the traditional clothes of your country?

4. Where do you usually buy your clothes?

5. Have you ever worn a uniform?

6. Do most people in your country follow fashion?

1.22 Computers
1. Do you often use a computer?

2. How do you usually get online?

3. Do you prefer desktops or laptops?

4. What do you use your computer for?

5. Do you think it is important to learn how to use a computer?

Page 15
1.23 Daily Activities
1. When do you usually get up in the morning?

2. Do you usually have the same routine every day?

3. What is your daily routine?

4. Do you ever change your routine?

5. Is your routine the same today as it was when you were a child?

6. Do you think it is important to have a daily routine?

1.24 Weekend
1. How do you usually spend your weekends?

2. In your country, do men and women usually do the same kind of

things on weekends?

3. When do you spend time with your family?

4. What do you usually do on weekends?

5. What did you do last weekend?

6. What do other people in your hometown usually do on weekends?

7. What are you going to do next weekend?

8. Is there anything new that you’d like to do on weekends?

9. Do you like working on weekends?

10. Do you think employees should have to work on weekends?

11. Do you feel that weekends now are more important to you than when
you were a child?

Page 16
1.25 Dictionaries
1. Do you often use a dictionary?

2. What do you use dictionaries for?

3. What kinds of dictionaries do you think are most useful?

4. Do you think dictionaries are useful for learning a language?

5. What kind of information can you find in a dictionary? Dictionary

1.26 Memorising
1. What do you remember to do every day?

2. What helps people to remember things?

3. Why do old people forget about things easily?

4. Have you ever forgotten something important?

1.27 Evenings
1. What do you often do in the evenings?

2. Do you do the same thing every evening?

3. Do you prefer to spend your evenings with family or friends?

4. Do you ever work or study in the evenings?

5. What is a popular activity for young people in your country in the

6. evenings?

7. Do you do the same thing in the evenings as you did when you were
a child?

Page 17
1.28 Family
1. Do you spend much time with your family?

2. Who are you closest to in your family?

3. Do you prefer spending time with your family or friends?

4. Who is your best friend?

5. Are you still friends with people from your childhood?

6. Is family important in your country?

1.29 Flowers
1. Do you like flowers?

2. What’s your favourite flower?

3. When was the last time you gave someone flowers?

4. Do any flowers have a special meaning in your country?

5. Why do you think women like flowers more than men?

1.30 Friend
1. How often do you like to hang out with friends?

2. Who do you usually like to hang out with?

3. Where do you like to go when you hang out with your friends?

4. Do you like to go out with a big group or just few friends?

Page 18
1.31 Food
1. What’s your favourite food?

2. Have you always liked the same food?

3. Is there any food you dislike?

4. What is a common meal in your country?

5. Do you have a healthy diet?

6. What do you think of fast food?

1.32 Travelling
1. Do you like travelling?

2. In which seasons do you prefer to travel?

3. Would you say your country welcomes travellers? (or tourists)?

4. Would you say your country is a good place for travellers to visit?

1.33 Going
1. Do you often go out in the evenings?

2. What do you like to do when you go out?

3. Do you prefer going out on your own or with friends?

4. How often do you go out in a week?

5. Where do most young people like to go out in your country?

Page 19
1.34 Happiness
1. Are you a happy person?
2. What usually makes you happy?
3. Does the weather ever affect how you feel?
4. What makes you feel unhappy?
5. Do you think people in your country are generally happy people?

1.35 Letters or Emails

1. Do you write many letters or emails?
2. Who do you usually write to?
3. Do you prefer to write letters by hand or to use a computer?
4. How often do you write an email or a letter?
5. What are the differences between emails and letters?
6. Is it hard to think of what to write?
7. What kinds of letter/email do you think is the hardest to write?
8. How do you feel when you receive a letter or email?
9. What sorts of letters or emails are the most difficult to reply to?
10. What kinds of emails (or letters) do you receive that make you feel
excited?
11. Which do you prefer to make a phone call or write an email?
12. Do you think people will still write letters in the future?
13. How do you communicate with others at work - by emails or is it
more convenient to communicate face-to-face?

Page 20
1.36 Photography
1. Do you like to take photographs? (Why?)

2. Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people take

3. (Why?)

4. How long have you liked taking photographs?

5. How (Why) did you become interested in photography?

6. How often do you take photographs?

7. In what situations do you take photographs?

8. What kind of photos do you like to take?

9. Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery?

10. Who do you take photos of?

11. How do you keep your photos?

12. Do you keep your photographs on your computer?

13. Are there any photos on the walls of your home?

14. Do you frame (of have you framed) any of your photos? (If yes, which?
& why?)

15. Do you prefer to send postcards to people or to send photos that you
took yourself?

Page 21
1.37 Help
1. Do you like to help others?

2. When was your last time you helped others?

3. Did your parents teach you the importance of helping others?

4. Have you ever refused to help others?

5. Would you like to keep helping others in future?

1.38 History
1. Do you like (to learn about) history?

2. What historical event do you find most interesting?

3. Do you think history is important?

4. Do you like to watch programmes on TV about history?

5. Do you think you can really learn history from films and TV pro-
grammes?

6. Do you think the Internet is a good place to learn about history?

7. Can you name a person from history who you would like to learn
more about?

8. Why would you like to learn more about him/her?

1.39 Handwriting
1. Do you often write things?

2. Do you write everyday?

Page 22
 3. What do you usually write?

4. Do you like writing to people?

5. How often do you send e-mails?

6. What are your main reasons for using e-mails?

7. Do you like to send e-mails?

8. Do you usually write by hand or write using a computer?

9. Nowadays, how do most people write things? 10. Do you think

computers might one day replace handwriting? 1

10. When do children begin to write in your country? 1

11. How did you learn to write? 1

12. Do you think handwriting is very important (nowadays)? 1

13. How can children today improve (or, practice) their handwriting? 1

14. What impression does a person’s handwriting have on other people?

1.40 Colours
1. What’s your favourite colour?

2. Are there any colours you dislike (Why?)

3. Are colours important to you?

4. Were colours important to you when you were a child?

5. When you are buying something, is the colour important to you?

6. Do you usually wear clothes in your favourite colour?

Page 23
 7. Is colour very important to you when you are buying clothes?

8. Do you prefer light or dark (or, bright) colours?

9. Are there any colours that have a special meaning in your country?
10. What colour would you choose to paint the walls of your room?
1

10. Is there any colour you would not want your walls to be? (Why?) 1

11. Do you think different types of people like different colours?

1.41 Teachers
1. Do you have a favourite teacher?

2. Why do you like the teacher?

3. How does (did) this teacher help you?

4. Do you think you could be a teacher?

5. Would you like to be a teacher?

1.42 Being Alone

1. Do you like to be alone?

2. What do you like to do when you are alone?

3. Do you like to spend time with your friends or just stay at home on
your own?

4. When was the last time you were being alone?

Page 24
1.43 Countryside
1. Would you like to live in the countryside in the future?

2. What do people living in the countryside like to do?

3. What are the benefits of living in rural areas?

4. What are the differences between living in the city and the country-
side?

1.44 Hanging Out With Friends

1. How often do you like to hang out with friends?

2. Who do you usually like to hang out with?

3. Where do you like to go when you hang out with your friends?

4. Do you like to go out with a big group or just few friends?

1.45 Hobbies
1. Do you have a hobby?

2. What equipment do you need for it?

3. Do you think hobbies should be shared with other people?

4. Did you have a hobby as a child?

5. What hobbies are popular in your country?

6. Why do you think people have hobbies?

Page 25
1.46 Internet
1. How often do you go online?

2. What do you use the internet for?

3. How do you get online?

4. Do you have your own computer?

5. What’s your favourite website?

6. Do you think children should be allowed unsupervised access to the

7. internet?

1.47 Leisure
1. What is your favourite leisure activity?

2. What did you enjoy doing in your free time as a child?

3. Do you prefer to spend your free time with other people or alone?

4. What is a common leisure activity in your country?

5. Do most people in your country get two days off a week?

6. Do you think leisure time is important?

Page 26
1.48 Music
1. Do you like music?

2. What’s your favourite type of music?

3. Can you sing?

4. Did you learn music at school?

5. If you could learn a musical instrument, what would it be?

6. Do you think music is important?

1.49 Neighbours
1. Do you like your neighbours?

2. Are neighbours usually close to each other in your country?

3. What is your neighbourhood like?

4. Do you think your neighbourhood is a good place for children?

5. How could your neighbourhood be improved?

6. Do you think it is important to have a good relationship with your

7. neighbours?

1.50 Newspapers
1. How do you usually get your news?

2. Do you often read the newspapers?

Page 27
 3. What kind of news do you usually follow?

4. How do most people get the news in your country?

5. Do you think international news is important?

1.51 Swimming
1. Can you swim?

2. Are there many places to swim near you?

3. Do you think everyone should learn to swim?

1.52 Pets
1. Do you have a pet?

2. Do you like animals?

3. What’s your favourite animal?

4. What is a popular pet to have in your country?

5. Did you have a pet as a child?

6. Why do people have pets?

1.53 Reading
1. Do you often read?

2. What is your favourite kind of book to read?

3. Do you often read newspapers?

Page 28
 4. Do you have any e-books?
5. What books did you read as a child?
6. Do you think it is important to encourage children to read?

1.54 Shopping
1. Do you like shopping?
2. What’s your favourite shop?
3. Do you prefer shopping alone or with others?
4. What kinds of shops are there where you live?
5. Have you ever bought anything online?
6. Do you think men and women have different opinions about shopping?

1.55 Sport
1. Do you like sport?
2. What’s your favourite sport?
3. Do you often watch sport on TV?
4. Did you play sport as a child?
5. What is the most popular sport in your country?
6. How do most people in your country keep fit?

Page 29
1.56 TV
1. Do you often watch TV?

2. What sorts of things do you watch on TV?

3. What is your favourite TV program?

4. Do you ever watch foreign programs or films?

5. What did you watch on TV when you were a child?

6. Do you think children should watch TV?

1.57 Transport
1. How did you get here today?

2. What is your favourite mode of transport?

3. Do you ever use public transport?

4. Do you like the transport system in your country?

5. What is the difference between taking a bus and taking a train?

1.58 Weather
1. What’s the weather like today?

2. What’s your favourite weather?

3. Do you like the weather in your country?

Page 30
 4. Is the weather the same in all parts of your country?

5. Does the weather ever affect the way you feel?

6. Does the weather in your country ever affect transportation?

1.59 Accommodation
• What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in?

• Do you live in a house or a flat?

• Who do you live with?

• How long have you lived there?

• Do you plan to live there for a long time?

• (If you answer you haven’t lived there long) What’s the difference

• you are living now and where you have lived in the past?

• Can you describe the place where you live?

• Which room does your family spend most of the time in?

• What do you usually do in your house/flat/room?

• Are the transport facilities to your home very good?

• Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?

• Please describe the room you live in?

• What part of your home do you like the most?

Page 31
 Chapter Two

Second and Third Parts of

IELTS Speaking Test

2.1 Eating habits

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a dish that you frequently have.
You should say:

• what the dish is

• how it is prepared

• why you particularly like it

and explain if you have prepared this dish yourself.

Part 3: Discussion
• Have eating habits changed over time in your country?

• What are the disadvantages of today’s diet?

• Should children be taught in schools how to eat properly?

2.2 TV and Drama Series
Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a TV drama series that you enjoy watching.
You should say:

• what the main theme is

• who the main characters are

• why you like it

and explain how you discovered this TV series.

Part 3: Discussion
• Would you recommend this TV show to your friends?

• What type of drama series do people like watching in your country?

• Do you think that drama series have changed in your country com-
pared to those in the past? How have they changed?

• What makes certain TV drama programs more popular than others?

• If you think about Game of Thrones, which is popular worldwide,

why is it so popular?

• How closely do popular TV dramas reflect what is happening in so-

ciety in your country?

Page 34
2.3 Study Place
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a place where you have studied (indoors/outdoors).
You should say:

• Where it is

• what it is like

• if other people study there

and explain why you like to study there

Part 3: Discussion
• Why do some people fail to study properly?

• Do you think it is good to have a timetable for studying? Why?

• Why do you think girls are better able to concentrate than boys while
studying?

• Why do you think some people fail to follow their study plan?

2.4 Sport and Outdoor Activities

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe an outdoor sport or activity that you do or did?
You should say:

• what you did

• where and when you did it

• how you felt about it later

Page 35
Part 3: Discussion
• Which outdoor sports or activities are popular in your country?

• Are there any benefits of participating in outdoor sports or activities?

What are they?

• What can people learn from doing outdoor sports or activities?

• Do both men and women play outdoor sports in your country, are
there any differences between what or how they play?

2.5 Ownership
Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a person who helped you by giving you something that you
really needed.
You should say:

• what the item was

• who gave the item to you

• why the item was important

and explain how you felt after receiving it.

Part 3: Discussion
• Who did you tell about the item you received? (item received in Part
2: Cue Card)

• In your opinion, why is the idea of ownership important for many

people?

• What is the impact of ownership on society?

Page 36
2.6 Beauty and Fashion
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a person that you know who you think is beautiful/handsome.
You should say:

• who he/she is

• how you know him/her

• what you know about him/her

and explain why you think he/she is beautiful/handsome.

Part 3: Discussion
• What do you think the connection is between beauty and fashion?

• People seem to be more focused on beauty these days, is this good?

• Why is there a need for clothes to be paraded by models?

• How do the beauty and fashion industries impact society?

2.7 Communication
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a person who you think is talkative.
You should say:

• who the person is

• how you know him/her

• what they talk about

Page 37
 and say why you think they are so talkative.

Part 3: Discussion
• What are some of the difference between formal and informal discus-
sions?

• How important is it to learn good communication skills at school?

• Why do people need to have good communication and presentation

skills?

• What other things do you need to become a good communicator?

2.8 Old people:

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about how you like to spend time with an older person in your
family.
You should say:

• who he/she is

• what you like to do together

• how often you spend time with him/her

and explain why you like spending time with him/her.

Part 3: Discussion
• Should older people be treated better than they are currently? How?

• Does the younger generation lack respect for older people? Why do
you think that?

Page 38
 • In what ways do older people depend on young people?

• Why do you think old people seek young people’s company? Why?
Why not?

2.9 Special Occasions and Celebrations

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a special day which was not that expensive or for which
you did not have to spend a lot of money.
You should say:

• what was the occasion

• where you went

• what you did to

and explain how you felt about the day.

Part 3: Discussion
• Why do many people typically associate celebrating special occasions
with spending a lot of money?

• What sorts of things are essential in order to have a special celebration

with family or friends?

• How do people spend their money differently nowadays compared to

in the past?

• Modern consumerism makes it easier than ever to spend money, what

are the consequences of this for society?

Page 39
2.10 Healthcare
Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about an article or a book that you have read about healthy living
You should say:

• Where you read it

• Why you read it

• How it helped/affected you

and say if you would recommend this book to your friends and family.

Part 3: Discussion
• How is healthcare promoted in your country?

• What is the role of the government in promoting healthcare?

• What more do you think could be done to promote healthy living in

your country?

• How can individuals take more responsibility for their own health?

2.11 Customer Service

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a good experience you had with a company/in a store. //You
should say:

• the type of the company/store

• what they did for you

• why it was a good experience

Page 40
Part 3: Discussion
• Do you think it’s true that shops or stores which sell luxury products
offer a better shopping experience to their customers?

• How can companies benefit from giving their customers good cus-
tomer service?

• What changes do you think will occur in customer service in the

future?

2.12 Helping Others & Teamwork

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a situation where you helped someone at work or with their
studies.
You should say:

• what the situation was

• how you helped

• what the outcome was

and say how the other person reacted to your help.

Part 3: Discussion
• Has there been any other situation in which you have helped a friend?

• How important is teamwork at work?

• Which other factors affect teamwork?

2.13 Famous Personalities

Page 41
 Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a comic actor who is famous in your country.
You should say:

• who he/she is

• what kind of person he/she is

• how you know about him/her

and explain why you think he/she is popular.

Part 3: Discussion
• Why do you think film stars are so famous?

• Do you think young people often copy what film stars do?

• Are there any advantages or disadvantages to this?

• Do people often get the chance to meet famous personalities in your

country?

2.14 Story Telling

Part 2: Cue Card
Tell me a story you have been told recently.
You should say:

• who told you the story

• why he/she told the story

• how it affected you

and say what your reaction to the story was.

Page 42
Part 3: Discussion
• How has the internet changed storytelling?
• How has storytelling changed since you were a child?
• What is the importance of storytelling for children?

2.15 Mobile Phone

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe your first mobile phone.
You should say:

• How you where when you got it

• When you bought it

• why you bought it

and explain how you felt when you first got it.

Part 3: Discussion
• Is it a good or a bad thing to have a mobile phone? Why?
• What can you do with a mobile phone?
• Do old and young people use mobile phones in the same way?
• What can be done to avoid children becoming inattentive in class?

2.16 Life Achievement

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about your greatest achievement in life so far?

Page 43
 You should say:

• what it is

• how you did it

• if you are proud of it

and explain how your family feels about your achievement.

Part 3: Discussion
• What do you think are the achievements that people are usually most
proud of? Why do you think that is?

• What are some of the most important decisions that people make in
life?

• Do you think that the journey is more rewarding than the achieving
the goal itself? Why do you think that?

• How important is it to have clear goals?

• What are some of the reasons why people fail to achieve their goals?

2.17 Journey and Transportation

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a car journey you remember well.
You should say:

• why you made the journey

• who was with you

• how long the journey took

Page 44
 and explain why you remember this journey so well.

Part 3: Discussion
• How effective is public transport in your country?

• How could public transport be improved?

• Why should governments encourage car drivers to use their cars less
often?

2.18 Music and Songs

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a song that reminds you of a particular time in the past.
what song it is

• who the singer is

• what it reminds you of

and explain how you feel when you listen to the song.

Part 3: Discussion
• Why do you think that some local singers or musicians aren’t as
successful as some from other countries?

• Do you think that the language of the song matters? Why do you
think that?

• Do you think the Internet has affected the music industry? In what
ways?

• Do you think there will be further changes in the music industry in

the future?

Page 45
 • Do you think the music young people listen to in your country is
becoming more globalized? Why/Why not?

2.19 Sharing
Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about something you shared with someone else.
what you shared

• why you shared it

• who you shared it with

and explain why you decided to share it with this person.

Part 3: Discussion
• What are some situations where sharing ideas can be a good thing?
• Is it better to share ideas working in a team or work on an idea
individually? What are some of the benefits of this?

2.20 Historical Building

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a historical building in your country or city that you know
You should say:

• What and where is it?

• When was it built? Why?

• What is it known for?

and say what you like about this particular building.

Page 46
Part 3: Discussion
• Is it important to conserve old buildings? Why?

• Is the history useful for the coming generations? Why?

• What is the difference between houses built in the past and now?

• What are the differences in sizes of houses? Why?

• Do you prefer a big or a small house? Why?

2.21 An important conversation

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about an important conversation you had with someone recently
You should say:

• What it was about

• Who it was with

• Where and when it took place

and explain how the conversation helped you (if it did).

Part 3: Discussion
• What is the role of conversations in our life?

• What are people talking about on a daily basis?

• What are the basic differences in conversations between men, and

between women?

• Why do you think this is so?

Page 47
2.22 Historical Events
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a historical event in your country.
You should say:

• what it was

• why it is important

• when and where it happened

and explain how you feel about what happened.

Part 3: Discussion
• Many people think that young people don’t pay much attention to
history, what is your opinion? Why do you think that?

• Why do you think some people enjoy watching historical films or

documentaries rather than traveling to historical places? Is this a
good thing?

• Is it important for people to learn about history? How does history

impact on the present?

• What things might motivate people to travel long distances to visit

certain historical places?

Page 48
2.23 Advertisement
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe an advertisement which you have watched recently.
You should say:

• what it was for

• where you saw it

• how you felt about it

and explain why you thought it was a good or bad advertisement.

Part 3: Discussion
• Nowadays, many advertisements target children and young people.
What do you think the impact of this is on them?

• Do you think that advertisements should be allowed in schools? Why?

Why not?

• How can the exploitation of children in advertising be avoided?

• Why do you think companies spend so much money on advertising

their products and services?

• What is the most popular advertising medium in your country? Why

do you think this is?

2.24 A difficult Decision

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a difficult decision you have taken in your life.
You should say:

Page 49
 • what the decision was

• why it was a difficult decision

• how you decided

and say whether you think the decision was correct or not now.

Part 3: Discussion
• What are some of the difference between decisions made by children
and those made by adults?

• Are some people naturally good at making decisions, or is decision

making a skill that you can learn?

2.25 An instance when you received good news

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about an instance when you received some good news.
You should say:

• what the news was about

• how you received the news

• what your reaction was

and explain what you did after that.

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you think people have the right to know the true news?

• Do you prefer to read or to listen to the news? Why?

Page 50
 • What qualifications should a person have to work in a top position of
a news corporation?

2.26 A place where you stayed away from home

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a place where you stayed away from home.
You should say:

• where this place was

• why you went there

• how long you stayed there

and explain how you felt staying away from home?

Part 3: Discussion
• Have you stayed at a hotel before?

• Do you think people like to stay at hotels? Why?

• What are the most important things that a good hotel should have?

• Do you think hospitality jobs are desirable?

• Do you think the hotel industry should be regulated? Why?

2.27 Law
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe any law which you like,
You should say:

Page 51
 • explain what law that is,

• how you will follow it,

• what you like the most about it

Part 3: Discussion
• What international law should be applied all over the world?

• Are policemen popular in your country?

• Who are more popular, the layers or the police?

2.28 Courses
Part 2: Cue Card
If you could take another course when you finish your current one,
what would you
choose?

• You should say:

• What kind of course it would be

• What do you want to learn from it

Why would you choose it

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you think university should only offer courses related to the em-
ployment/job or courses on other topics as well?

• Which do you think employer should pay more attention to, the qual-
ifications or the experience.

Page 52
2.29 Impressive place
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a city you have visited which has impressed you.
You should say:

• where it is located

• why you visited it

• what is there to see

and what you liked about it.

Part 3: Discussion
• What are the main facilities in a large modern city?

• How do you compare a modern city with a small town?

• Do you prefer to live in a large modern city? Why?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in large cities?

• Why, in your opinion, do people migrate from small towns to large

cities?

• How stressful is life in large cities nowadays? Has this always been
this way?

• How do you think cities will change in the future?

Page 53
2.30 Commercials
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a TV commercial you like very much.
You should talk about:

• which business or organisation sponsors it

• what it is about

• whether it has been successful

and why you like it very much.

Part 3: Discussion
• To what extent do you think people’s decisions are affected by adver-
tisement through the mass media?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertising?
• What should people do in order not to be deceived by misleading
advertisements?
• What kind of advertisement is the most popular where you live?
• In your opinion, is enough attention paid to marketing in your coun-
try?
• What are the most important marketing strategies in your country?

2.31 Festivals
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a festival that is important in your country.
You should say:

Page 54
 • when the festival occurs

• what you did during it

• what you like or dislike about it

and explain why this festival is important.

Part 3: Discussion
• Why do you think festivals are important events in the working year?

• Would you agree that the original significance of festivals is often lost
today? Is it good or bad, do you

• think?

• Do you think that new festivals will be introduced in the future?

What kind?

• What role do the media play in festivals, do you think?

• Do you think it’s good or bad to watch festivals on TV? Why?

• How may glottalization affect different festivals around the world?

2.32 Admired Friend

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a friend whom you admire very much.
Talk about:

• how long you have known him or her

• whether your parents like him or her too

• what you do together

Page 55
 and explain what is very admirable about him or her.

Part 3: Discussion
• What do you think are the most important qualities for friends to
have?

• Which are more important to people, their family or their friends?

Why?

• What do you think causes friendship to break up?

• What other types of relationship, apart from friends or family, are

important in people’s lives today?

• Have relationships with neighbours where you live changed in recent

years? How?

• How important do you think it is for a person to spend some time

alone? Why/Why not?

2.33 Shops and Stores

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about a favourite shop or store.
You should say:

• where it is and what it looks like

• what it sells

• what you like to buy there

and say why you like the shop so much.

Page 56
Part 3: Discussion
• How do people decide on where to shop from in your country?
• How popular are department stores and malls in your country?
• Why do people tend to shop from malls and supermarkets in large
cities?
• Are large supermarkets a threat to smaller shops? How?
• In what ways can shops improve their service quality?

2.34 Holiday Resort

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about your favourite holiday resort.
You should say:

• where it is

• when you last visited there

• what you can do there

and explain why you like this place very much.

Part 3: Discussion
• What sorts of holidaymakers tend to visit your country?
• What are some of the major tourist attractions in your country?
• What is the attitude of people in your country towards tourism and
visitors from other countries?
• How has the attitude of people in your country changed towards
tourism in the past 20 years?

Page 57
 • What are some of the advantages of tourism for local people? Are
there any disadvantages?

• How do you think international tourism can affect globalisation?

• What are some of the consequences of travelling for foreign visitors

to other countries?

• What financial consequences do foreign visitors have on local

economies?

2.35 Equipment
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a piece of equipment you often use at home or at work.
You should say:

• What it is

• What you do with it/ How to use it

• How long you have had it

How important it is to you

Part 3: Discussion
• What are the impacts of electrical equipment on human’s life in the
past ten years?

• What are the differences of the life in the past and at the present?

• What role does technological development play in people’s life?

• How will technology develop in the future?

• Do you have a mobile phone? What are its advantages?

Page 58
 • Why do many foreign countries develop faster than China?

• Why does the China’s West develop faster than China’s East?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of computer and inter-

net?

2.36 Person to Study With

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a person whom you like to work or study with.
You should say:

• Who is he/she?

• When did you work/study together?

• What do you often do together?

• Why is he/she particular?

• Why do you like to work with him/her?/ What can you learn
from him/her?

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you like to work alone or with a partner?

• What do you think of teamwork and team spirit?

• What kind of people are good to work with?

• Do you like group work or group learning?

• What is your opinion on efficiency?

• What are the advantages of studying by yourself?

Page 59
 • What do you think of efficiency?

2.37 Interesting Building

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe an interesting building.
You should say:

• Where it is located

• What it looks like

• What services are provided

• How you like it

Part 3: Discussion
• What role do old buildings and new buildings play in modern society?

• What changes have taken place in architecture in the past

two decades?

• Do you think it necessary to protect old buildings?

2.38 Favourite Book

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a kind of book you like.
You should say:

• What kind of books you like most

• What they are about

Page 60
 • Why you like them most

• What effect have books brought on you?

Part 3: Discussion
• What is the difference between men and women when choosing what
to read?

• What kind books do children like? Why do they like reading?

• What is the difference between reading and watching TV?

• What is the relationship between reading and computer?

• What are the advantages of reading books?

• Why do children like pictorials?

• What books are popular in Indonesia?

2.39 Letter
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a letter.
You should say:

• When you received it

• Who sent it to you

• What it is about

• Whether it is important to you

Page 61
Part 3: Discussion
• What is the difference between letter and e-mail?

• Do you often keep diaries?

• What is the difference between diary and letter?

• What is the difference in the past and at the present as regards com-
munications?

• What is the role of letter 50 years ago and at the present?

• What do you think of the role 50 years later?

• What do you think of creative writing?

• Would post office disappear 50 years later?

• What role does computer play in our society?

• What changes have been brought by the computer? What is profes-

sors’ attitude?

2.40 Music
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a kind of music.
You should say:

• Whether you like music

• What kind of music you like best

• What role music plays in people’s life

Page 62
Part 3: Discussion
• How long do you listen to music everyday?

• Why is it easier for children to learn playing a musical instrument?

• What are the benefits of learning to play musical instruments?

• Discuss the impact of western music on the world music?

2.41 Interesting Hobby

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe an interesting hobby.
You should say:

• What it is

• How long you spend on it

• How often you do it

• Why you like it

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you think that surfing the Internet, watching TV, listening to
music or keeping a pet are interesting hobbies?

• Do you think it will cost too much time to do them?

• Do you like hobbies requiring teamwork?

• Why do people usually do in their spare time?

Page 63
2.42 Environment
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe an environmental problem.
You should say:

• What it is

• How long it has existed

• What effect it has brought to people’s life

• What we can do to solve it

Part 3: Discussion
• What causes environmental problems?

• What should the government do to protect the environment?

• What should we do to protect the environment?

• What other measures can you think of to protect the environment?

• How should we educate children to protect environment?

• What’s the difference between the old and the young as regards en-
vironmental protection?

2.43 Extreme Weather

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a kind of extreme weather.
You should say:

• What it is

Page 64
 • When did it happen?

• Where you were

• How you felt at that time

Part 3: Discussion
• What should you do in a bad weather?

• Will bad weather mould or change people’s personality?

• What is the relationship between weather and culture?

• The climate has changed these 50 years.

Have you noticed the changes?

• What changes do you predict in the following years?

• Are the people interested in gathering the weather information in

your place?

• How does weather influence people’s personalities in your country?

2.44 Learning English

Part 2: Cue Card
Talking about learning English.
You should say:

• When and where you began studying English

• What is the most interesting thing in an English class?

• What is the most effective way of learning English?

• What difficulties you have when learning English

Page 65
Part 3: Discussion
• What problems do you have when studying English?
• Do you think that English is the most important language in the
world?
• Can English take the place of Indonesian in China?
• What other languages are taught in China?
• Do you think that age is the most important factor of learning En-
glish? Why?
• What difficulties would a foreigner have when he learns your native
language?
• What problems would Indonesian people have when communicating
with foreigners?
• When would be most suitable for children to learn English?
• How will translation and interpretation develop in the future?
• What are the advantages of learning English?

2.45 News
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe different ways of getting news.
You should say:

• Whether you get news every day

• Whether the news is national or international

• How you get news (via newspaper, TV, Internet, radio or other
people?)

Page 66
 • How do most Indonesian people think about the importance of
getting update news everyday?

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you think the information on the Internet believable or not?

• What is the most effective way of getting news?

• How do reporters gather information?

• What do you think of the importance of privacy?

• How do journalists entertain their customers?

• What role do media play in people’s life?

• How do Chinese people gather information?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of different media?

• Do you think it necessary to control the news coverage?

• What kind of news do you think should be controlled?

2.46 Skills
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a skill you want to learn.
You should say:

• What it is

• Why you think it is important

• How you are going to learn it

Page 67
 • What role it will play in you future life

Part 3: Discussion
• What do you think of the traditional skills?

• What skill do you think the university has provided for your job?

• What skills can you learn in school?

• What kind of skills have your parents learned?

• What do you think of the role of family for children to learn skills?

• What is the most popular skill that people want to learn?

• What kind of school would you send your children to? Why?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of school education and

family education?

2.47 Beautiful Place to Visit

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a beautiful place to visit in your country.
You should say:

• Where it is

• how to get there

• what there is to do when you are there

and explain why you recommend this place.

Page 68
Part 3: Discussion
• Why do you think people like to travel to different places in their free
time?

• How do you see tourism changing in your country in the future?

• Why is it important to protect the countryside?

• In what ways is the countryside in danger in your country?

• Why are historic buildings and monuments important to a city?

• Is it better to keep old buildings, or build new modern ones?

2.48 Admired Family Member

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe the person in your family who you most admire.
You should say:

• what their relationship is to you

• what they have done in their life

• what they do now

and explain why you admire them so much.

Part 3: Discussion
• In what ways have families in your country changed in recent years?

• Should husbands and wives have different roles within the family?
Why (not)?

• Which are more important to you: your family or your friends?

Page 69
 • What conflicts can arise between a person’s family and a person’s
friends?

• What responsibilities do parents have towards their children?

• What responsibilities do children have towards their parents?

2.49 Enjoyable Meal

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a special occasion when you had a really enjoyable meal.
You should say:

• what the occasion was

• who was at the meal

• what you ate

and explain why the meal was so enjoyable.

Part 3: Discussion
• What do you think a healthy diet consists of?

• Which do people in your country prefer: traditional food or fast food

such as hamburgers or pizzas?

• Do you think children should be taught about healthy diets and cook-
ing at school? Why (not)?

• At what age do you think children should be taught to cook?

• What can be done to prevent poor people in the world going hungry?

• Should rich countries help poor countries with more than just food?

Page 70
2.50 School You Went To
Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a school which you went to.
You should say:

• when you went there

• how many people studied there

• how long you spent there

and explain what you liked and disliked about it.

Part 3: Discussion
• How has education changed in your country in the last ten years?
• Is a good education more important to a boy or a girl? Why?
• How well do you think schools prepare young people for working life?
• Do you think schools should teach subjects like art, music and danc-
ing? Why (not)?
• How important is it for schools to have computers for their students?
• Is the Internet a valuable educational tool?

2.51 Newspaper or Magazine

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a newspaper or magazine you enjoy reading.
You should say:

• what kind of newspaper or magazine it is, e.g. fashion

Page 71
 • how often you buy it

• what articles and information it contains

and explain why you enjoy reading it.

Part 3: Discussion
• In what ways are newspapers better for learning about the news than
listening to the radio or watching television?

• Do you think newspapers should be completely free to say whatever

they want?

• What do people enjoy reading in your country?

• Do you think it is important for people to read a lot? Why (not)?

• What sort of stories do newspapers and magazines publish about

well-known or famous people in your country?

• Do you think the media should be allowed to publish stories about

the private lives of public figures?

2.52 Exciting Competition

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe an exciting competition or sporting event you have witnessed.
You should say:

• what the competition or sporting event was

• when and where it took place

• who won

and explain why it was exciting.

Page 72
Part 3: Discussion
• Sport & Health
• What do you do to keep fit?
• Are you good at sport?
• What sports do you play?
• What is the most popular sport in your country?
• What are the best ways to keep fit?
• Do you think most people consider exercise a chore or do they find it
fun?
• What is the most popular form of exercise in your country?
• Do you think people in your country are less healthy than they used
to be?
• How can we encourage young people to stay healthy?
• Should governments intervene to force people to be healthier?

2.53 Restaurant or café

Part 2: Cue Card
Describe a restaurant or a café.
You should say:

• Where it is

• What it looks like

• What kind of services are provided

• Why you like it

Page 73
 • What kind of food you like there/ What kind of food is famous?

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you like cooking?
• Will you cook for your friends when they visit you?
• Who cooks in a Indonesian family?
• What do you think of the advantages and disadvantages of fast food?
• Why is fast food so popular?
• Where would Indonesian go when they eat out?
• What changes would take place in terms of Indonesian eating habits?
• What food is popular?
• What is the difference between fresh food and canned food?
• What can we do to solve the problem of food shortage?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of family food?

2.54 A course you would like to study

Part 2: Cue Card
If you have time in the future to enroll in a course, what would you
like to study?
You should say:

• which course it is

• what you would learn from it

• why you want to take this course

Page 74
 and say how difficult/easy you think the course would be.

Part 3: Discussion
• Do you think schools should only provide education related to future
careers? Why do you think that?

• Do you think a routine job where you do the same thing all the time
is good or bad? Why?

• Can you give me some examples of how different jobs have different
salaries?

• What are the most popular jobs in your country? Why do you think
these jobs are so popular?

• What are some jobs that you think might be popular in the future?

• Which type of jobs do you think will be the most highly paid in the
future?

2.55 Favourite author

Part 2: Cue Card
Talk about your favourite writer (author).
Talk about:

• who he/she is

• what he/she usually writes about

• what his or her best work is

and why you like this author.

Page 75
Part 3: Discussion
• How interested are people in reading where you live?

• How have the reading habits of people in your society changed in the
past 20 years?

• Do you think writers should be allowed to express their ideas in any

way they desire?

• Are people nowadays reading more books than they did before?

• What kind of books do people mostly read in their free time in your
country

Page 76