STP-Speaking
Describe an English class/lesson that you enjoyed
You should say:
- What was taught in the class
- When did you take the class
- Where it was?
- What did the teacher do that made you enjoy it
• English is not my mother tongue.
• I had learnt English in my childhood
• However, because of lack of practice, I thought I needed to revise my basics before I took the IELTS exam.
• So, I recently attended an English class while I was starting my preparation.
• Actually, when I started the preparation, I got some of my writing tasks evaluated by teachers.
• My teachers told me that I was making grammatical mistakes and I was making errors in the
usage of tenses especially.
• At first, I picked up the grammar book by Wren & Martin but it was too big.
• I think I read the first two chapters and then gave up.
• I didn’t have the time or the patience to read the whole book.
• So, I searched for some English tenses lessons on YouTube.
• There I came across a group of lectures on various tenses on a channel called Learn English with Milly.
• The lectures had me hooked from the get go.
• The most interesting part of the lectures was that they made comparisons between the tenses.
• It was like the lectures had been custom made to address the problem I was facing because the main problem I was facing was in tenses.
• The teacher explained everything in detail and although the lectures were long, I didn’t get bored.
• I think it was because of the humour.
• After every few minutes, the teacher said something that grabbed my attention and made me alert.
• I never felt like I was attending a lecture but rather enjoying a fun conversation with time.
• I think my English has improved a lot because of those lessons and I am really glad I stumbled upon those videos.
- 1. What are the benefits of learning a foreign language?
There are many benefits of learning a foreign language. Firstly, it helps students academically, as the
skills they learn in one language like comprehension and finding out the main theme of a paragraph
can also be applied to their language. Secondly, it opens up more opportunities in the future. For
example, it can help students pursue higher education in a foreign country. Similarly, a foreign
language can help people secure a job in a company, which deals with foreign clients.
2. What are the benefits of being a foreign language teacher?
The main benefit of teaching another language is that the person can enhance their knowledge of
the language. I think people learn much more about the language when they teach than when they
study it.
Secondly, foreign languages also tend to get paid better and they might also get opportunities to
travel abroad. Finally, I feel the language classes have the most diversity in terms of age. I have seen
people as old as seventy learning French and German. So, it never gets boring teaching a foreign
language as people get to meet different people.
3. Will computers replace foreign language teachers in the future?
I think computers are certainly beneficial in helping students learn a foreign language. However, I do
not think computers can replace language teachers completely. Computers can help students
improve their grammar and pronunciation but they cannot help students develop or express ideas.
Moreover, there are cultural aspects to a language, which can be only taught by a teacher in my
opinion.
4. Is grammar the most difficult part about learning a foreign language?
No, I don’t think grammar is the most difficult part as there are certain rules of grammar. I think it is
logical and so it can be learnt with practice. However, pronunciation can be very tricky as I find there
are no fixed rules to it.
5. Do you think grammar is important in language learning?
Yes, I think grammar is really important in language learning. If the grammar is wrong, the sentence
can give out a completely different meaning and it can lead to misunderstandings and
embarrassment.
For example, I taught, and I was taught mean completely different things, just the presence of was in
the middle – changes the meaning completely.
6 What makes a good foreign language teacher?
I think a good foreign language teacher should have mastery in both the native and foreign language.
They should have in-depth knowledge about the vocab and rules of the language. Also the language
teacher should be patient with their students.
Describe a difficult thing you did and succeeded
You should say
- What it was?
- How did you complete it?
- Why it was difficult?
- And how you felt about doing it?
Well, I have done many things in my life which I found difficult in the beginning but then with practice they became easy.
• For example, I found cooking to be very difficult at first but now I can cook anything easily by just following the recipe.
• But one challenging thing I would like to talk about today is when I assembled my own Personal Computer two years back.
• It was after my exams were over and I had requested my parents for a new desktop.
• All my friends had bought branded Personal Computers from Dell and HP which came pre-
installed with all the software.
• However, being a gamer, I was more interested in getting a gaming computer with a more powerful configuration but buying a branded gaming PC was out of my budget.
• So, I discussed it with one of my techie friends and he advised me to buy the computer parts separately and assemble it on my own, as it would cost much less than a branded PC.
• Since I did not have much knowledge about computer hardware at that time, it seemed very difficult to me to do this task on my own.
• But I still decided to go ahead and started reading a book on computer hardware and also started to watch computer assembly videos on youtube, which gave me a lot of confidence.
• Through the videos I learnt a lot about the different computer parts and their functioning.
• Finally, after I gained enough confidence, I ordered all the components online as it was much cheaper than the retail shops.
• It took me a complete day to put all the parts together and basically the most difficult part was building the CPU.
• One has to be very careful while installing the processor on the motherboard and then installing cooling fans over it.
• If this process is not done carefully it could lead to a short circuit and the processor could get damaged.
• Luckily, I was able to put it all together perfectly in my first attempt and when I pressed the power button, I heaved a sigh of relief.
• I was very nervous during the entire assembly process, but I also felt that if I hadn’t read the hardware book and watched the videos on youtube, I would not have been able to do this thing on my own.
1. What kinds of jobs require people to be confident?
I think all jobs require a certain degree of confidence but the ones which involve dealing with customers require a lot more confidence. For example, if a salesperson is not confident enough then he will not be able to convince the customers about the product he/she is trying to sell.
2. On what occasions should children be encouraged? How?
I think children should be encouraged in those situations where they feel hesitant in doing something that is good for them. But also, the encouragement should be done to a certain limit, they should not feel like something is being forced upon them. For example, we can encourage children to learn something creative such as painting if they show interest in it. And to encourage them more, parents
can take them to a museum so they can develop their interest further
3. How do you help children stay focused?
There are many ways in which children can be helped. First of all, one can provide them an environment which is free of distractions, like when they are studying, they should not be allowed to use cellphones. Another way to help them focus would be to teach them about meditation in which they have to focus on their breath or a single sound.
4. What challenges do young people face today?
Well, I think there are two main challenges that young people face these days. The first one is related to the mind and mental health, nowadays everyone is aware of the rise in depression and suicide cases among the youth. Another challenge faced by them is the ever-increasing competition in education or their professional lives.
Describe a time you used your cellphone/ smartphone to do something important
You should say:
- What happened?
- When it happened
- How important the cellphone/smartphone was
- explain how you felt about the experience
• In today’s world, it is hard to question the importance of cellphones
• They are not just about communication, they are used for many different things.
• Recently, I used my mobile phone for something I never imagined I would use it.
• I used to it lodge a complaint with the government authorities and I also got immediate redressal for my complaint.
• I was travelling to Delhi by train.
• When I boarded, I noticed that the AC in my compartment was not working.
• I asked the coach’s caretaker if they could get it fixed.
• He said it had just stopped working and nothing could be done about it.
• It would only be fixed at the final destination.
• Normally, I am very adjusting, but it was extremely hot and humid that day.
• So, I decided to tweet a complaint to the railway minister with my phone.
• I had seen videos on the internet, where people had talked about how they had gotten immediate relief by doing the same.
• However, I had thought of them as publicity stunts by the government.
• So I wasn’t very hopeful, but within ten minutes, there was an electrician in my compartment.
• And in another ten minutes, he had fixed the AC.
• He also scolded the railway employee responsible for my coach and asked him, why he hadn’t contacted him straight away when I raised the issue.
• The employee apologised and told me he didn’t think the problem could be solved.
• I was so surprised with the quick response, but more than that I felt so proud of the government.
• I could never have imagined it happening four-five years ago.
• Cell phones have many purposes but I think one of the most important is that it is a tool for an ordinary citizen to directly connect with their elected representatives.
• It has made the government officials much more accountable and responsive.
1. Do you think there are more beautiful things now than the past?
In my personal opinion, traditional art and sculptures are much more beautiful. I think in the past, it was easier for artists to find patrons in the form of kings and nobles and they could focus on their art without any financial worries. However, today it is much harder to earn money as an artist. The art being made today also reflects that – it is done more as a hobby rather than as a profession and the
works produced are far behind those of the past.
2. Do you think there are many scenic spots in India or there are many more in other countries?
I think India is one of the most diverse countries. It has everything, mountains, rivers, deserts, and beaches. To add to it, it has one of the richest cultural histories. So, I think it is hard to beat India in this regard. However, India is also one of the most highly populated and polluted countries in the world and because of this, a lot of scenic spots cannot match the pristine and untouched beauty present in some of the rich European and American countries.
3 Where do you think people usually come into contact with beautiful things?
People like to keep beautiful objects in their homes and offices as showpieces. They generally get them from the décor shops in the malls.
4 Why do you think people create beautiful things?
People create beautiful things to express their creativity. Some people also say that art is a form which connects us with our spiritual being. With the help of art people can also connect with each other.
Describe an object you find particularly beautiful (For example, a painting, sculpture, piece of jewellery/furniture, etc.).
You should say:
- Where the artwork/object is
- How it was made/Where you saw it
- What it looks like
- And explain why you find it particularly beautiful?
• Art is very difficult to evaluate because it is very subjective.
• To add to it, I have a very unique taste.
• Most times, the things that I find things appealing, my friends and family members find ordinary.
• However, recently I bought a Lord Buddha statue for my room and most of my friends also said that it looked amazing.
• In fact, some of them even asked me where I got it, so they could order one for themselves.
• I have always been fascinated with Buddhist culture since my youth and so I always wanted to decorate my room with a Buddha statue.
• A smiling Buddha statue is also supposed to bring luck if given as a present.
• In the statue I got, he is also smiling, but at the same time, he is skiing
• He is wearing a snow cap, goggles, and a sort of kimono like dress.
• His hands are clasped together as if he is in a warrior stance.
• But his clothes and the smile on his face give him a very funny look.
• If I had to define the statue, I would say its a smiling warrior monk in the modern world.
• I just found it so exquisite and unique.
• As soon as I saw it, I wanted it for my room.
• In fact, it’s the first piece of art I bought for myself.
• I don’t exactly know how it was made, because I purchased it from a store and I really didn’t enquire about the making process.
• But I think it was hand sculpted from stone and then polished because the shop had hand-made Buddhist statues written somewhere.
• I really think it is the most beautiful thing in my room.
• I have kept it on the top of my bookshelf as it is directly in front of my room’s main door.
• So, no one can miss it when they visit my room.
1 What do you usually do with a cellphone?
I use my cellphone for many purposes besides calling and chatting with my friends. I use it for playing games like chess and Ludo, listening to music, watching videos, and for navigation. Above all, I use it for photography.
2 What are the differences between young people and old people when using a cellphone?
Old people mainly use mobile phones for calling and to some extent for chatting. However, young people treat mobile phones like a mini computer. For most youngsters, their whole life nowadays revolves around the mobile phone. They use it for entertainment, for studies, for clicking photos, for shopping, for banking and so much more. The list is really endless.
3 Which one is more important, using a cellphone to make phone calls or to read messages?
I think it really depends upon the person. Some people like chatting, for them it’s about sending and receiving messages, while for others it is about calling.
4 Do you think there should be a law to stop people from making phone calls in public?
I think there might be emergency situations, where it might be necessary to make calls. So I don’t support a ban on calling in public places but I do think that we should encourage people to avoid calling as it can be really disturbing. I consider audio calls as a sort of noise pollution and it has a serious impact on our focus and concentration.
Describe an important thing you learned, not at
school or college.
– When did you learn it?
– How did you learn it
– Why did you think it was important to learn it
– How you felt when you learnt it
• I think life is full of learning.
• We start learning the day we are born and we don’t stop till the day we die.
• I have learnt many things in my life and one of the most important things I learnt recently was
cooking.
• Normally, my mother cooks in my house, and when she is sick or she doesn’t feel like cooking
we order out.
• However, now I am planning to go abroad for my higher education.
• So, I felt that it is necessary for me to learn cooking to survive abroad.
• I did not need to be an expert but I needed to be good enough to satisfy my taste.
• My mother is an amazing cook, so of course, I thought of learning it from her.
• Unfortunately, my mother is not as good a teacher.
• She used to get really mad when I made even small mistakes.
• So, I decided to employ the use of technology to learn it or in other words, cooking channels
on YouTube.
• I found a really good channel, which showed how to cook simple vegetarian dishes like dal
and mixed vegetables.
• Then, I learnt how to make rotis.
• Now I can make perfectly circular rotis like my mother.
• After learning the basic Indian recipes, I moved on to baking, because I love eating cakes.
• Again, I found a really amazing channel called – cooking with sugar.
• Baking was tough at first, I think even small mistakes can be costly in baking.
• The damage is irreversible too.
• I remember once I forgot to add flour to my cake batter and kept on wondering how I ended
up making a chocolate bar instead of a cake.
• However, now, I have started making really tasty cakes.
• My dark chocolate cake is a special request for family events.
• All my life, I dreaded cooking. Now that I have learnt it, I rather enjoy it.
• It is not a chore anymore, but rather something I look forward to.
• Of course, I don’t have to cook every day.
1. What do children learn from their parents?
Parents are children’s first teachers. They learn so many things from their parents. They learn even the basic things like how to talk, how to eat, how to dress, and how to behave from their parents. In fact, everything parents do in front of their children teaches them something.
2. Are some children well-behaved because of their parents?
Yes, I think parents are responsible for their children’s behaviour to a large extent. However, they are not the only ones responsible for their children’s behaviour, it also depends upon other factors like media and their friends and teachers.
3. Is it necessary for adults to learn new things?
Yes, I think life would be boring if people stopped learning. Moreover, today life is changing so fast, that it is paramount to learn new things to survive. My mother is a teacher. During covid times, when classroom education was not possible, she had to learn and teach through Zoom. If she didn’t, she would have lost her job.
4. What are the options for learning new things?
Well, there are traditional methods of learning new things like joining evening classes or asking a friend or relative to guide us or reading do it yourself books. Then, there are the modern methods like watching YouTube channels or searching on google. There has never been a better time to learn something new than today.
Describe something that surprised you and made you happy
You should say:
– What it was
– Who did this
– How you found out about it and what you did
– And explain why it surprised you and made you happy
• I have been surprised many times but one incident that I remember very vividly is my 16th birthday.
• My best friend Anchal planned a birthday party for me.
• I had no idea about it, and it was such a wonderful surprise.
• My 16th birthday was just a few weeks before the exams.
• I knew everyone would be busy preparing for the exams, so I decided not to have a party with my friends that year.
• We were in 10th standard, and it was very important to score good grades that year.
• Usually, every year I start planning for my birthday weeks in advance. I am always excited about my big day.
• I was so sad that I will not have a birthday party that year.
• I was jealous of my friends who either had their birthdays after the exams or much before.
• On my birthday, my best friend Anchal called me to her house in the evening to help her with some math problems.
• I didn’t find it odd as we do usually study together at each other’s house.
• When I reached there, I got the surprise of my life.
• As soon I entered her house, I heard Happy Birthday wishes from all corners of her drawing room.
• All my friends were there, my parents and my sister were there.
• There were decorations and balloons everywhere, and there was a big cake on the table.
• I couldn’t believe my eyes. How did she do it, when did she get the time and why are all my friends here and not home studying?
• I had so many questions for her. She told me that knew how much this day meant to me.
• So, she conspired with my friends to throw me a little surprise party that day.
• They decided to keep it at her house, so I won’t figure it out.
• They even studied a bit extra every day that week so they could attend my birthday.
• She even involved my parents. I was surprised that they knew, and they didn’t let me know what was going on.
• I was so happy that I got a party and celebrated my 16th birthday with all my loved ones.
• I couldn’t thank Anchal enough for making my day so special.
1. How do people express happiness in your culture?
People express happiness in different ways in my culture. I think in all cultures, a smile is the most common way to express happiness. In my culture, people express it by celebrating their happiness with their loved ones by having a party, cooking something special, buying gifts, etc.
2. Do you think happiness has any effect on people? How?
Happiness is contagious. It spreads and uplifts the moods of everyone around you. It gives meaning and purpose to life. It also has many health benefits like better sleep, lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, stronger immune system, etc.
3. How can people be happy?
People can be happy by focusing on good things and being satisfied with what they have in life. Also, people should remind themselves that life can be tough at times but if they stay positive, they can conquer the hurdles and get past the difficult situations. Another way to be happy is to be with people who bring you joy and stay away from negative people who try to bring you down.
4. Is it good for people to be unhappy? Why?
No, it’s not good to be unhappy. Good mental health is very important for our wellbeing and being unhappy can lead to depression and anxiety. Sometimes it’s hard to force the mind to stay positive and in such cases, meditation and deep breathing can help us stabilize our mind and chase
the blues away.
Describe a photo that you took and are proud of
– When did you take this photo?
– Where you took it?
– What is the photo about?
– Why you feel proud of the photo?
• I am not very interested in photography.
• In fact, the photos I take normally don’t come out that well.
• However, recently, I visited Sikkim with my family and there I took a photograph of my mother and father sitting on a bench with the beautiful, picturesque mountains in the background.
• The picture came out really well.
• It was a not pre-planned photo, and I didn’t use any special camera.
• It was just my phone camera.
• We had gone to a monastery in Sikkim, which is around 2 hours drive from Gangtok.
• The view of the monastery with mountains in the background was just breathtaking.
• I felt I had to capture it.
• But I feel, a picture without any people is boring and my parents hadn’t had a picture taken with just them in recent times.
• I mean there are pictures of them, but it is with us or other family members.
• The only pictures of my parents alone are their wedding photos, and they are very old.
• So, I wanted to click a photograph that would capture their beautiful relationship.
• I didn’t know, how a photograph could do that, but the picture shows it.
• It’s very hard to describe it in words but whoever sees the photograph talks about the beautiful relationship between my father and mother afterwards.
• So, the picture depicts it somehow.
• I am so proud that I clicked the picture.
• Recently, my parents got it photo framed and we have hung the photo on a wall in our living room.
1. Why do some people like to use photographs to document important things?
I think photographs are one of the best ways to keep past memories alive. Whenever we look at photographs, we cannot help but remember the events and people that happened during that time. Also, photographs are one of the best ways to share our experiences with others. It is rightly said, a picture is worth a thousand words.
2. What can one learn from photographs taken throughout history?
The main thing people can learn from photos is the successes and failures of our ancestors. On the one hand, photographs are a living proof of human ingenuity and progress and on the other hand, they also show how and where we failed. For example, photos of rich forests in the past at places occupied by modern high-rise buildings show our architectural achievement but at the same time show how we sacrificed our environment to achieve the same.
3. Are photographs the best way to remember something?
I used to believe that too. However, I recently read an article on how smells are much more effective in making us remember. In fact, that is why storytellers of the past use incense sticks and spice bowls when telling stories.
4. Which is better, taking photos or keeping a diary?
Both have their own importance but people hardly keep a diary these days. Clicking photos is more convenient as it is instant and one can easily scroll through them, whereas maintain a diary requires much more effort.
Describe a problem you had while shopping online or in a store
You should say:
– When it happened
– What you bought
– What problem you had
– And explain how you felt about the experience
• I normally don’t buy clothes or shoes online because of size issues.
• Different companies have different sizes and sometimes the large size of one company is a small size for another company.
• However, recently my friend ordered Nike shoes from Amazon, and they were nearly half the price of the Nike retail store.
• So, I also decided to buy shoes online.
• 2 months ago, I placed an order for Adidas shoes from Flipkart, another famous retail store.
• Actually, the same shoes were available on Amazon as well but were about Rs 200 costlier, so I decided to go for Flipkart.
• I was so excited about the shoes.
• In fact, I was boasting about the great deal I found on the Internet to my friends.
• However, when I opened the box, I was quite disappointed.
• My shoes were duplicates.
• The brand name written on the shoes was not Adidas but Adidaas, with a double a.
• I know a big brand could never make such a big mistake.
• So, I called the customer care number of Flipkart and told them about the problem.
• They told me to take a photograph and send it.
• Immediately, they offered me two choices.
• Either they could refund the money or I could buy something else for the same price.
• At the same time, they removed the seller from their platform.
• They told me to courier the shoes back to the seller.
• When I emailed them the courier slip, they refunded me the whole amount along with the courier charges I entailed.
• I was quite happy with their handling of my complaint.
• However, I also felt it was a waste of time.
• The whole process took about two weeks.
• I could have directly gone to a store and picked up the shoes and the whole thing wouldn’t have taken me more than an hour.
1. What kind of customer service do you think is good?
I think that creating a good customer experience depends on multiple factors. The companies should ensure that the staff providing the service should be prompt, attentive, and most importantly be very patient and polite with the client.
2 What are the differences between shopping online and in-store?
There are numerous differences between online shopping versus shopping from brick and mortar stores. First of all, online shopping is more convenient as it saves a lot of time and energy. Also, it can be done 24X7, whereas, the stores are generally open for 10-12 hours only. The only benefit of retail stores is that an individual can make a better judgement of the look and feel of the product which is not possible online.
3 What problems do customers often have while shopping?
Generally, the customers are not able to easily find products/goods that match their needs or taste. For example, sometimes if a person likes a particular piece of clothing, he/she might not be able to find the right size for it. Other than that sometimes they might have to deal with rude and impolite staff.
4 What do you think customers should do when there are problems with products bought online?
The customers should immediately lodge a complaint with the website from which they have bought
the product. Also, they should go through the refund and return policy for the product and then take
the necessary action.
Describe a time when you saw a lot of plastic waste
(e.g. in a park, on the beach, etc.)
You should say:
– Where and when you saw the plastic waste
– Why there was a lot of plastic waste
– What you did do after you saw it
– And explain what your thoughts were about this
• Recently, I visited Leh, a hill station in Ladakh.
• It became a really popular tourist destination after the movie 3 idiots was released because
some of the movie scenes were shot there.
• During these summer vacations, my parents and I went there.
• There, while travelling in Leh we saw huge mountains of plastic waste near a popular lake.
• At first, I thought the problem is the lack of dustbins.
• However, it was just the tip of the problem.
• Someone told us that each day more than 30,000 plastic bottles are dumped in Leh.
• And there has been a sudden rise due to the increase in tourism.
• There are no plastic recycling plants nearby and so there is no place to dump all the plastic.
• The only solution is for the government to transport it back to big cities, with recycling
facilities, or the government to build a recycling plant there.
• However, both options are quite costly.
• The government has started asking tourists to take the plastic bottles back with them instead
of throwing them there.
• I think the visit to Leh opened my eyes to the dark side of tourism.
• Sometimes, these small places do not have the capacity to accommodate so many tourists.
• I never thought about it from this perspective before.
• Although I know, personally I don’t think I can make a big difference, I have stopped drinking
from mineral water bottles if cleaner alternatives are available.
1 Do you think we should use plastic products?
No, I don’t think that usage of plastic products should be encouraged. Every day in the newspaper we read about how plastics are destroying our planet, and there is not much we can do about it except prohibit their usage. Most of the plastic waste cannot be recycled and ends up in landfills or is dumped in the sea
2 How can we reduce our use of plastic?
There are many simple everyday things that we can do to reduce our plastic consumption. For example, people can always carry a steel water bottle with them so that they don’t have to buy a plastic one. Another thing that people can do is to use jute or any other cloth bags for carrying goods
from grocery stores.
3 What kinds of plastic waste are often seen in your country?
The most common plastic waste in my country would definitely be the plastic bags that people use for grocery shopping. The plastic water or soft drink bottles take the second spot.
4 Why do people like to use plastic products?
I think there are two main reasons behind it. One is that plastic is more convenient as it doesn’t get damaged easily and keeps the goods safe and dry. Secondly, plastic is cheaper as compared to metal or other alternatives.
Describe a time when you needed to search for information
You should say:
– What information you needed to search for
– When you searched for it
– Where you searched for it
– And explain why you needed to search for it
• Internet has made our lives really easy especially when it comes to searching for information.
• We can find out about anything with a click of a button.
• In 10th standard, my history teacher gave me a project to write about the life of a freedom fighter.
• One of the instructions for the project was that I was forbidden to use the internet.
• I had no clue what I could do to search for it.
• It made me realise how dependent I had become on the internet.
• It was like I couldn’t survive without it.
• Then, I asked my parents for advice.
• They told me that I could visit the local library.
• There I might find some past newspapers and articles, which could help me.
• The library told me that they were also going digital and most of the articles and the past newspapers had been uploaded on their website.
• Finally, I thought about the museum dedicated to Bhagat Singh, which is about half an hour’s drive from my hometown.
• In the museum, I came to know a lot about his life.
• For example ‘he had a slogan Inquilab Zindabad’ which means long live revolution.
• I had always thought the revolution meant freedom of India.
• However, it actually meant freedom from the tyranny of the rich and powerful.
• Bhagat Singh’s ideas were too advanced for his age.
• I also learnt that although he was hanged for violence, he had stopped believing in violence long before he was even caught. Besides learning about Bhagat Singh’s life, I gained an appreciation for the internet and at the same time, I learned how we are becoming overdependent upon it.
1 How can people search for information now?
I believe that smartphones are the best option for looking up information anywhere and at any time. They just have to type a few words in google search engine and within milliseconds they can get hundreds of documents and videos about the information they are looking for.
2 What information can people get from television?
Although television is mainly considered an entertainment unit or sometimes also called an idiot box, I believe that if people watch the right channels they can learn a lot about the world and increase their general knowledge by watching television.
3 Do you think libraries are still important in the digital age?
Yes, I feel that libraries still have an important role to play in our society. Apart from access to thousands of great books at the same time, libraries also provide a studious and focused environment for reading which is hard to replicate elsewhere.
4 Does the development of the Internet have any impact on some disadvantaged people?
Yes, technologies such as Internet have definitely helped the disadvantaged, especially those from weaker economic backgrounds. It has allowed them to learn new things for free and also created opportunities for them to earn more money by being able to reach more customers.
For example, a small time taxi driver who could get only a few customers from a particular location/ stand only can now ferry more customers in a day, and that too from any location because of mobility apps like uber.
Describe a person you know who is from a different culture
You should say:
– Who he/she is
– Where he/she is from
– How you knew him/her
– And explain how you feel about him/her
• I don’t know many people from other cultures because I have not travelled to other countries much.
• However, today I am going to talk about a Japanese person, whom I met this past summer.
• My cousin did his higher education in Japan.
• There he fell in love with a girl Himiko from Japan.
• They got married in India and I met her for the first time at the wedding ceremony.
• She was wearing the traditional Indian wedding saree and she looked really pretty in it.
• She seemed very keen to learn and follow Indian rituals and traditions.
• She wore all the traditional dresses, she followed all the customs, and she wasn’t just following them, she also asked why they were done. Even I learnt the reasons for some of the traditions because of her.
• I was really impressed with her, and I wanted to know more about Japanese culture.
• However, as the marriage ceremony was very hectic, we couldn’t communicate much.
• However, after the marriage, they came and stayed with us for 1 day.
• They were visiting Golden Temple and our house lies on the way.
• The first thing I learnt was that the Japanese are very punctual.
• This was evident every place we went.
• For example, we decided to go for dinner at night and we kept a time of 7 PM so that at least people would be ready by 7:30, to my surprise, she was ready 5 minutes before 7.
• The second thing I learnt was about cleanliness.
• She carried two three pairs of shoes and chappals even though she was visiting us for just one day.
• She took off her shoes outside the house, inside the house she wore different shoes, and then she had another pair of chappals for the bathroom.
• She told me it is the norm in Japan for hygiene reasons.
• It was a wonderful experience meeting her and learning about Japanese culture.
• I wish I get to visit Japan one day and experience its rich culture.
1 Where and how can we get to know people of different cultures better?
I think social platforms such as Facebook, Reddit, and Instagram are great ways to interact/connect with people from different cultures. Here people from different cultures can discuss like-minded ideas and interests. However, the traditional way to learn about a different culture would be to read books related to it, watch movies, or may be travel to that place.
2 What are the advantages and disadvantages of cultural diversity?
If I talk about advantages, cultural diversity makes our world more interesting. If there was only one culture in the world, it would have been a really boring place. Cultural diversity acts as a change that makes people curious about each other. Also, people get to learn a lot from each other’s cultures. However, from a disadvantage point of view, cultural diversity can sometimes create a divide amongst people. People of one culture might believe themselves to be superior as compared to others and it can lead to hate and difference among them.
3 How can traditional culture and other cultures coexist?
For different cultures to co-exist together, especially traditional and modern, it requires a lot of effort from the members of the society. Followers of both cultures should show respect and understanding for each other and should not indulge in any activities that could hurt each other’s sentiments. Also, I feel that the generation gap plays a huge role in traditional and modern culture, and narrowing it down can help both cultures to co-exist peacefully.
4 Which Indian traditions are disappearing?
I am not a person who is much into following traditions and cultures. However, I also don’t think that Indian traditions are disappearing, in fact, I feel that with the help of Internet and social media, youngsters in India are becoming more aware of their customs and traditions. My family members, relatives, and neighbours still follow the same old traditions which they used to 10-20 years ago.
Describe a time you made a decision to wait for something
You should say:
– When it happened
– What you waited for
– Why you made the decision
– And explain how you felt while waiting
• I am a very impatient person, and it is very difficult for me to wait for things.
• But recently I waited to buy a mobile phone and it was one the longest times I had to wait for something.
• My phone broke down 3 months ago and I had to buy a new phone.
• This time I was going to buy an iPhone.
• However, when I was searching online, I came to know that a newer version of the iPhone was coming out in one month.
• I asked my parents, and my parents told me if I could live for one month without a phone, they would buy me the latest version.
• I thought it would be easy, but I was so wrong.
• The one month seemed like a year.
• I couldn’t talk to my friends or chat with them.
• They used to call my parents if they needed to tell me something important but as my parents needed their phones, I couldn’t talk for long.
• For the first two weeks I was very irritated and one or two times, I nearly broke down and told my parents to just buy me the previous model.
• However, then I adapted.
• Because there was no phone, I had a lot of free time.
• I spent this time playing outdoor games with the neighbour’s children.
• I actually started enjoying it and I started missing my phone less and less day by day.
• If I had to talk to my friends, I just visited them.
• I also came to the realisation that I had become addicted to my phone.
• This wait was one of the best things to happen to me in my life.
• My parents also told me that I had started spending more time with them.
• I thought they might go back on their word but as soon as the new model was released, they bought me the phone.
• Now I still use my phone but not as much.
• I am not on social media all the time.
• I do check it but occasionally.
1 What do people in your country often do while waiting?
Nowadays most people spend time scrolling through social media applications on their phones while they are waiting for something. People like to be aware of the new trends and they also find such applications to be entertaining.
2 Why do some people like a slow-paced life?
I think some people just like to take things slow because they have a more relaxed and focused approach towards life. Unlike others they don’t want to be in a rat race of earning more and more money, instead, they prefer to live in the moment and discover life as it is.
3 Is being patient good for people? Why?
Yes, patience is a virtue that every person should have these days. Lot many times we see people losing patience on simple matters and becoming angry which does not bring good for anyone. Being patient helps people stay calm in difficult situations and stay in control of their emotions, whereas impatient ones can easily lose emotional control and get into arguments
4 Are people less patient now than people in the past? Why?
Today’s generation is definitely less patient as compared to people in the old times. With technological advancements, they have become accustomed to getting things instantly. For example, people can now book flight tickets, order food, or transfer money with just the click of a button. So, when they have to wait for something that would take more time than usual, it makes them really impatient.
Describe a time when you received money as a gift.
– When did you receive it?
– What did you do with it?
– How did you feel about it?
• It always feels nice to give and receive gifts.
• However, I normally, don’t like to receive money as a gift because my mother takes it from me and I never get to see that money again.
• Today, I am going to talk about a time, when I actually got to spend the money I got as a gift.
• In Indian culture, when we visit an elder relatives house for the first time, they give us money as a present.
• It’s a tradition.
• Recently, I visited my father’s cousin for the first time.
• He used to live in the US, but he shifted back to India after his retirement last month.
• He was very excited to see me and we had a wonderful time at this house.
• When we were leaving, he handed me a small envelope with money.
• I expected it to be a small amount but it was actually 100 dollars.
• So, I was completely shocked.
• At the same time, I was sad too because I knew I would never get to spend it
• My mother told me to return it, but my uncle refused to take it back.
• I knew my mother was going to take it from me so before she could, I handed it to my grandma for safekeeping.
• This is how I outwitted my mother, if I had given it to my mother, she would have told me that she spent it buying food for me and paying my electricity bills.
• Then after a few days, my phone broke and I had to buy a new one.
• So, I used the money to buy myself a new Samsung phone.
• The first thing I did was to take a photograph of the phone and send it to my uncle along with a thank you note.
OR
● Money as a gift is extremely popular in my country.
● In fact, it can be called a tradition as well.
● People usually gift money to each other during weddings, birthdays etc
● Today, I would like to talk about one such occasion (out of so many others), when I received money from someone instead of an actual gift item.
● The occasion was my 18th birthday.
● And as per Indian laws I became an adult on this day
● My parents gifted me a motorbike on my birthday as I was now eligible to drive a motor vehicle
● When my friends came to know about this, all of them wanted a party from me.
● Unfortunately I did not have much savings at that time, to give a party to my friends.
● But luckily my grandparents were visiting us during that time.
● They had come to spend their winters with us.
● I love my grandparents a lot, they are really humble and polite.
● They always teach me a lot of good moral values and they love me a lot as well.
● Since my grandparents are tool old, they could not go to the market to buy a gift for me.
● Moreover they were not sure about what gift they should buy for me, which will make me happy.
● So they decided it was best to give me money as a gift, so that I can use it for buying anything I like.
● Initially I refused to accept the money but then my parents said I should not say no to the elders as it would be a disrespect to them.
● I then thanked my grandparents and they gave me their blessings as well.
● I also told them that I had everything that I need but my friends were asking for a party so I will use that money for the purpose of celebrating my birthday.
● My grandparents were happy that I was using the money to spend a good time and share happiness with my friends and not spending it alone on myself.
● They wished me good luck for the party.
● I had a great outdoor party with my friends.
● So, this was one of the occasions when I received money as a gift and I used it for celebrating with my friends.
1. In your country, do parents give children money for doing housework?
In my country, India, it is not very common for parents to give money to their children for housework. There maybe very few parents who do this and it is mostly considered as the children’s responsibility to help with the housework. In terms of money, children get pocket money for their daily/weekly/monthly expenses.
2. Is it important for children to have a right attitude towards money?
Yes, it is very important for children to have the right attitude towards money. Children should learn the importance of money and saving it/not wasting it starting at an early age, so that this habit continues in the future when they start working and earning.
3. What do you think of the saying; love of money is the root of all evil?
I think this saying has a lot of truth in it. Love or obsession for money is not only the root cause of unhappiness, but also brings many other problems in a person’s life, like insecurity, not being able to trust others, unhappy family life, selfishness, etc.
4. Is it important to teach children how to manage their pocket money? Or Is it good and necessary to teach children to save money?
Yes, it is very important to teach children to manage their pocket money so that in their adult life they understand the value/importance of money, not waste it and are better at managing their finances in the future.
5. What kind of occasions require people to send money as gifts?
Occasions like birthdays, weddings, congratulating someone on the birth of a baby, and some other such occasions require people to send money as gifts, especially in the Indian culture.
6 Why do people rarely use cash now?
7 When do children begin to comprehend the value of money?
8 Should parents reward children with money?
Talk about a TV show you like to watch
– What is the program about
– When do you watch it
– Who do you watch it with
– Why do you like to watch it
• In my childhood, I used to watch a lot of TV shows.
• However, nowadays because I am busy with studies, I rarely find time to watch TV.
• Despite the lack of time, there is one show, I ardently follow.
• The name of the show is ‘Floor is Lava’.
• It is an American game show.
• It is also available on Netflix and that’s where I watch it.
• I normally watch it with my family when we have dinner.
• My parents also watch it, but I don’t think they are as crazy about it as I am.
• Different teams of 3 members compete with each other to cross obstacles without falling on the floor as the floor is imaginary lava.
• If people fall, they get out.
• The team that gets through all the obstacles with the most members and the shortest amount of time wins.
• The game seems so fun.
• It is a test of both physical stamina and mental fortitude.
• The obstacles are physically challenging but there are mental tricks to solving them as well.
• The obstacles are different every week so that teams have to think on the spot.
• There are multi paths of getting across.
• I really wish I could participate in the completion as well.
• However, only American citizens can apply to be contestants for now.
• It is still fun to imagine what I would have done if I was a participant.
• There have been two seasons till now and the third one is coming out soon.
• I have been eagerly waiting for it and I hope soon there is an international version where people from all over the world could participate.
OR
● I have seen a lot of comedies and sitcoms in my life.
● Here I would like to talk about an interesting TV program which is Comedy Circus
● It comes on Sony Channel every Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm
● I watch it with my family.
● We all enjoy this program over dinner.
● Last Sunday also I watched this program.
● The performance by Kapil and Bharti was awesome.
● We all laughed a lot that time.
● Kapil is very good as a stand-up comedian but Bharti can also do slapstick comedy very well.
● Last time she became a cat and really looked like a cute little fat cat.
● Bharti has really cashed her obesity.
● She is an excellent dancer too.
● Archna Puran Singh and Sohail Khan are the judges in this program.
● Sudesh Lehri and Krushna got the highest points last Sunday
● Krushna is Govinda’s nephew.
● But because of this program, he has made a name for himself.
● On Saturdays and Sundays, my family and I finish all our household tasks and sit together at the dining table and watch this program
● The best thing is that the comedy is clean and has no vulgarity in it.
● Laughter is needed by all of us these days.
● It helps to remain tension free.
● It is a good stressbuster.
● Nowadays even doctors recommend this as a therapy for depression.
● There is a laughter club in my hometown in which many elderly people are members, and they assemble in a park and laugh out loud.
● This program fulfills my quota of laughter.
● All channels have sitcoms, but I just love this program.
1. What do Indian people like to watch?
India is a diverse country, and it is very hard to generalise what people like to watch. People like to watch news, soaps, dramas, comedy shows, reality shows, and sports. It really depends upon the person. I personally like to watch news, sport shows, and competitions.
2. Do you like watching foreign countries’ TV shows?
Yes, I watch a lot of foreign countries’ TV shows especially Hollywood as I find they are much more entertaining. I feel their budgets are better and so the visuals and special effects are really good. Moreover, I think there is a lot of diversity available in Hollywood TV shows.
3. Do you think watching TV shows can be educational for children?
It really depends upon the type of TV show. Some TV channels like Discovery and National Geography have shows that can be really educational for children. Others shows like dramas and soaps are mainly a sort of entertainment but they can also educate children in some ways.
For example, watching them can improve children’s linguistic skills and they can learn about other countries’ cultures and traditions.
4 What’s the benefit of letting kids watch animal videos than visiting zoo?
The only benefit I can think of is that the animal videos would contain audio description about the animals, their habitat, eating habitats and other related information whereas in the zoo the children can only see the animals but not learn much about them.
5 Do teachers play videos in class in your country?
Describe a person who you believe dresses well
• Who this person is
• What kind of dresses he/she wears
• How do you know him/her
OR
Describe a person who likes to dress fashionably/well
You should say:
– Who he/she is
– What job he/she does
– What kind of clothes he/she wears
– And explain why he/she likes fashion
• I grew up in a small town and most of my friends have a dressing sense similar to mine.
• When I was in high school, we had a new neighbor Avinash.
• The first thing I noticed about him the day that he moved was his clothes.
• He was wearing a graphic T-shirt and red shorts.
• Personally, I have always stuck with browns, blues, or greys and that’s why his clothes stood out to me.
• He made a great first impression on me because of how well dressed he was.
• He was my age, and we became very good friends.
• I found out that his whole family relocated to my town from Delhi as his dad got transferred here.
• Delhi is a big metropolitan city, and I figured he had a lot of options to buy trendy clothes there.
• He was always put together and his clothes were very stylish and fashionable.
• He was also very appropriately dressed, and he took the time to pick up his outfit.
• When we were playing outside, he would wear athletic clothes with cool sneakers.
• At parties, he would wear semi-formal clothes like dark-colored jeans with polo shirts.
• The best thing was that not all of his clothes were branded. Some were just simple clothes that he mixed and matched to create the perfect outfit.
• He would make new outfits from some of his parents’ old clothes.
• I was in awe of his creativity.
• Not only that, he had a nice physique and carried himself well.
• That was one of the reasons he always looked so sharp and dapper.
• Somedays he would just wear jeans and a plain white t-shirt, but he made them look nice.
• His clothes were always nicely ironed.
• I asked him where he was shopping after moving to my town because the options were limited.
• He told me that he shopped online and showed me where to find clothes online.
• He guided me and helped me pick up some nice outfits.
• Unfortunately, his family moved to another city after a few years.
• I miss having him around, and I have stayed in touch with him through email and social media.
• He is my inspiration, and it would not be wrong to say he has a big role in how I dress now.
1 Do you think online shopping will replace in-store shopping in the future? Why?
No I don’t think that online shopping can completely replace the brick and mortar stores. It is impossible to achieve the in-store real shopping experience with virtual shopping.
2 Why is fashion very important to some people?
Fashion is important to many people because it helps them to create an identity for themselves. The way they dress or look signals an impressions to other about their personality and outlooks towards life. Other than that for some people it is important because of their professions.
For example, actors and actresses always wear fashionable clothes.
3 Are older people as fashionable as young people? Why?
I don’t think older people focus much on fashion and they believe in wearing simple clothes with sober colors. At their stage of life other things such as health, family relationships etc become more
important.
4 Are women more fashionable than men? Why?
Definietly yes, that is why most of the shopping malls have women’s clothes, cosmetics and accessories available on the ground floor whereas men and kids shops are mostly located on the
first floor. While men don’t have much clothing options except formal and casual, women tend to have a particular dress or cloth style for each and every occasion.
Describe a person who likes to grow plants
-Who the person is
-How do you know the person
-What types of plants does he/she grow
-Why does he/she enjoy growing plants
• Gardening is a very popular hobby in India.
• I know many people who like to do gardening.
• However, today I am going to talk about my grandfather because I learnt about growing plants from him
• My grandfather started this hobby after retirement.
• He retired from the agricultural department of Punjab university as a lecturer, so he had pretty good knowledge about plants.
• However, he never got much time, before retirement.
• His house has a big backyard, so there is a lot of open space to grow plants.
• He started with flowers like roses and jasmine.
• Then he planted some fruit trees like mango, papaya, and bananas.
• Now, he has a kitchen garden, and he grows all his vegetables by himself.
• There are a lot of pesticides and chemicals being used in farming nowadays.
• So, he doesn’t like to buy vegetables from the market.
• Although organically grown vegetables are also available in the market nowadays, their prices are too high currently.
• I also feel that the vegetables grown by him have a different taste.
• Maybe it is because instead of using chemicals, he uses kitchen waste as compost.
• During corona time, I had a lot of free time and so I learnt a bit of gardening from my grandpa.
• That’s when I came to know about his love for gardening and how much knowledge he had.
• I think he could write books about it.
1. What kind of plants do people like to grow in their homes?
In India, people like to grow many different types of plants like medicinal herbs, flowers, fruits, and so on. We also have many plants in our home, but I don’t know most of their names. The few that I know are Neem, Tulsi, Rose, Hibiscus, etc.
2. Do people in India like to gift plants?
Gifting plants wasn’t very common a few years ago, but it is becoming popular. Earlier, people used to mainly gift sweets, but now as many people are facing problems like obesity and diabetes, people have started looking for different gifts and plants are one of them. Recently, we attended my uncle’s housewarming party, and many people gifted them plants.
3 Are there many people growing their own vegetables now?
India is an agricultural economy, so , yes many people in India grow their own vegetables. Also the trend of eating organic food has encouraged people to grow their own vegetables.
4 Do you think it’s good to let kids learn how to plant?
Yes it is important to teach kids about plantation because through it they will be able to better understand and realise the importance of plants and trees on our planet. They will also learn how important the plants are for our future.
3 What do you think of the job of a farmer?
I believe that farmers have the most important job in our world. If farmers will not grow any crops then we will not have any food on our table and there would be hunger and starvation everywhere.
4 What are the differences between traditional and modern agriculture?
Traditional agriculture used a lot of chemicals for increasing the yield and preventing the crops from diseases but modern agriculture is shifting towards organic and more environment friendly approach.
Describe a time you had a disagreement with someone
– Who was the person
– Why did you have the disagreement
– Was the issue resolved? If yes, how?
– How you felt about it?
• Life would be boring if everyone had the same views.
• I think there is nothing wrong with having disagreements, but we should try to resolve them peacefully.
• Recently, I had a disagreement with one of my friends about our future.
• Actually, my friend is very patriotic and he wants India to grow.
• He believes that our country is not able to progress because of brain drain.
• He is against people moving abroad for greener pastures.
• I, on the other hand, believe that there is lack of opportunities in India and thus, there is nothing wrong with youth moving to foreign countries.
• Moreover, the quality of life in India cannot be compared with the developed countries like the US, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.
• The disagreement happened when we were both discussing our future plans after completing our 12th standard.
• He told me that he is planning to join the armed forces as he wants to serve the country.
• Then, I told him about my plans of settling abroad after completing my higher education.
• That’s how the disagreement started.
• He gave me all the reasons why I shouldn’t settle abroad, while I gave him all the reasons why I decided to do so in the first place.
• What surprised me is that normally my friend is really calm, but on this issue, he got really emotional.
• I could see that he really cares about the country.
• I think we had this whole argument for about 2 hours.
• At last, we both just agreed that we both had different viewpoints and there was nothing wrong with having different views.
• However, this disagreement did make me realise one thing, I had more responsibility towards my country.
1. If there is a disagreement, what do you do?
It really depends upon the issue. If it is a minor issue, I don’t let it escalate and just tell the person, I disagree with and move on. However, if it’s something important, I ask my parents and friends for advice.
2. How can we stop disagreements from escalating into a fight?
I think we just need to be calm and rational. I think the best way to de-escalate situations is to give them time. We always make wrong decisions when we don’t give issues time. I also try to involve a neutral person and ask them for advice.
3. Who do you think should teach children to respect- teachers or parents?
I think both parents and teachers have the responsibility of teaching children. However, I think such things are not taught but rather learnt by observing others. Children pick up a lot of things by watching their parents and so it is absolutely important that parents behave appropriately in front of them.
4. What do you do when you have a disagreement with your parents?
Well, in this case, I am normally forced to accept their viewpoint. I know my parents have my best interests at heart, so I don’t mind it. However, sometimes when I feel strongly about something I do try to resist. Sometimes, they do let me prevail.
5. What disagreements do parents and children usually have?
Generally the disagreements between parents and children are related to discipline or about things that children like to buy. For example, I always argued with my parent about sleeping till late in the morning on Sundays but they never allowed it.
Describe a house/apartment that someone you know lives in.
You should say:
– whose house/apartment this is
– where the house/apartment is
– what it looks like inside
– and explain what you like or dislike about this person’s house/apartment
OR
Describe the home of someone you know well and that you often visit
– You should say:
– Whose home it is
– How often you go there
– What it is like
– And explain how you feel about the home
• I think that building a dream house is an ambition of almost every person in the world, and today I would like to talk about the house of one of my uncle’s friend.
• The house is located in one of the posh localities of Chandigarh.
• In fact, it is just one km away from the famous Sukhna lake which is a big tourist attraction in our city and most of the city residents love to go there for a morning walk.
• My uncle’s friend who has recently returned from Canada, bought this house last year.
• He had worked in Canada for almost 30 years before deciding to settle back in India.
• It took him almost one year to get the house renovated according to his liking.
• Also, I believe that he has spent a fortune on purchasing and rebuilding this property.
• It is a two-storey corner house with 3 bedrooms and a living room on each floor, and from the outside, it looks like a 20th century luxury English Villa.
• There is ample parking space for 4 cars and a huge lawn in the front.
• Apart from it, the house is equipped with all the modern amenities that one could dream of.
• There is an indoor gym, a mini home theater, and a jacuzzi on the rooftop.
• All the rooms have huge glass windows which allow a lot of natural light to come into the house and there is good ventilation as well.
• My uncle’s friend is a technocrat, so, he has installed a lot of smart electronic devices in his home and he is able to control most of them through his mobile phone.
• For example, he can turn on the lights, open the curtains and control the conditioning, all with the click of a button.
• Moreover, my uncle’s friend is also fond of gardening so he has planted many flowers and exotic plants in his garden. He has also kept a lot of indoor plants in the house.
• I absolutely love each and every corner of the house, there is nothing to dislike about it because so much attention to detail has been given to all the aspects such as interior design, décor, and space utilization.
• My uncle’s friend is really proud of his house and loves to give a house tour to all the guests who come to meet him.
1 What are the differences between buildings in the city and in the countryside?
The primary difference is that buildings in cities have limited outdoor spaces and congested rooms whereas the countryside buildings have more spacious rooms and large outdoor areas. Moreover the high rise apartments are found in cities only, while the rural areas have maximum 2-3 story buildings
2 Do you prefer to live in the city or in the countryside?
I prefer to live in the city because it offers better amenities and also more opportunities and experiences. City life is more fast, entertaining and with so many possibilities and things to experience. Comparatively, the life in rural areas is dull and boring where individuals are restricted to
doing certain actives only.
3 What safety risks are there in residential buildings in cities?
The main risk is of fire, especially in high rise buildings. Fire incident on one floor could spell disaster for people living on the higher floors and could lead to a great loss of life.
4 Is it expensive to decorate a house or an apartment in the place where you live?
Yes it has become very expensive to decorate one’s house or apartment these days. The cost of furniture and decorative items has skyrocketed. Also, the indoor plants which play an important role in decoration have beome expensive these days.
Describe a place where you go to do outdoor activities or play a sport
– Where is it located?
– What activities you can do at this place?
– How often do you go there?
– Why do you like this place?
OR
Describe a popular place of sports that you’ve been to
You should say:
– Where it is
– When you went there
– What you did there
– And explain how you felt about this place
• I belong to Chandigarh and there are many places in my city where one can go to play sports or do some outdoor physical activity.
• Some of them include international cricket stadiums, hockey stadiums and government run sports complexes, where one can play a variety of sports like lawn tennis, badminton, squash, swimming, etc.
• Today I would like to talk about the Lake Sports Complex which is located near Sukhna lake, and I go to play Lawn tennis over there.
• This Complex was earlier known as Lake Club and was set up in 1961 making it one of the oldest sporting clubs in the city.
• It is said to be spread over 10 acres of land and is one of the most popular Sports Centre of our city
• It is the single largest centre that houses the facilities of gym, squash, tennis, table tennis, billiards, archery, swimming, squash and a hi-tech gym having imported machines and access for using other club facilities
• I got to know about the sports club from one of my school friends whose house was just a stone’s throw distance from it.
• It was because of his reference that I was able to gain membership at the club.
• People can take monthly, quarterly or annual membership and the charges are very nominal.
• I have been practicing there for the last two years and I really love playing there.
• I have made it a habit to go there at least 4-5 times a week. Every member gets an hourly slot to play at the club and my slot is at 7 in the evening.
• I believe that playing sport is a great way to relieve everyday mental stress plus it helps one to stay physically fit as well.
• Recently an open fitness centre has been opened at the Lake Sports Complex for local sportspersons and members of the club
• The fitness centre has the facility of a running track, rope climbing and balancing apparatuses, and other equipment for the usage of players and members.
1. Are outdoor activities better than indoor activities?
I believe that both types of activities have their own advantages and disadvantages and there are a lot of factors involved behind. For example, in countries with extreme cold or hot climate, it is not possible for people to do many outdoor activities, so they have to rely on indoor sports for staying busy and fit. However, in countries with moderate weather people like to enjoy nature and play outdoors.
2. What outdoor activities do young people like to do? Or Do young people like to do sports?
To be honest young people hardly step out these days as they have a hectic life schedule. But for those who find it suffocating to stay indoors all the time, love to go for walks or morning runs in the nearby parks. Off late lot of youngsters have become cycling enthusiasts and I can see a lot of them
cycling especially during the late evenings.
3. Do you think that people who like to do adventurous activities are more likely to succeed?
I don’t think there is any direct link between adventurous sports and success. There are so many successful people in the world such as scientists, politicians, and businessmen who would have never done any adventure sports activity. In fact, I hardly know any adventurous sports enthusiast who became a successful leader.
4 What are the benefits of sports for children?
Sports bring multiple benefits to young children. Not only it improves their physical fitness, it makes them mentally stronger as well. Young children also learn collaboration, competition and team work by playing team sports.
5 Is it necessary to build public sports spaces?
6 What do you think of companies donating sports venues for poor children?
I believe it’s a great intitiave to provide sports factilites to the underpriviledged. It can help in identifying young talent from such areas who might not otherwise get an opportunity to play sports at a competitive level in their lifetime. It also helps the companies to develop a positive brand image
Describe a city you would recommend as a nice place to live (not your hometown)
You should say:
– What it is
– Where it is
– What you know about this place
– And explain why you recommend it as a nice place
OR
Describe a place in your country or part of your country that you would like to recommend to visitors/travelers
You should say:
– What it is
– Where it is
– What people can do there
– And explain why you would like to recommend it to visitors/travelers
• India is a diverse country.
• There are many beautiful cities in India.
• Some are beautiful because of their historical buildings, whereas others are beautiful because of their modern architecture. Some cities are beautiful because they are in the mountain valleys, whereas some are beautiful, because of the beautiful and warm smiles of people.
• Here, I would like to talk about Chandigarh, which is also known as ‘The City Beautiful’
• It was designed by the French architect Le Corbusier.
• There are lot of tourists who travel to Chandigarh especially to study/experience its architecture.
• It is the first planned city of India after independence.
• Chandigarh is the cleanest and the happiest city of India according to two different surveys held in 2010 and 2015.
• It is also the first smoke-free city in the country.
• It is a union territory and is also the capital of two states – Punjab and Haryana.
• The Rock Garden in Chandigarh is a masterpiece made out of waste material.
• Sukhna lake is the biggest man-made lake. It is a beautiful place for people to enjoy with their families.
• The sector 17 market is a shopper’s paradise.
• The Rose Garden is Asia’s largest garden
• The city has 50 sectors.
• Each sector has residential and commercial zones
• The roads are designed and oriented in such a way that for most of the time of the day, they are under shade.
• There are huge parking areas in the commercial zones so that the parking problems don’t create havoc on the main roads.
• The Parking lanes are as broad as the main roads.
• Recently a dedicated cycle track has been laid down across all the main roads by the local authorities to encourage cycling amongst city residents and make the roads safer for them.
• Chandigarh is also famous as the only city in the country where people definitely obey the traffic rules.
• So, you see, while the city was planned in 1952, it is still the most well-planned and beautiful city of India.
• I feel Chandigarh is the best city to live in India because the quality of life is very good here.
• Unlike other cities, people do not have to deal with problems such as pollution, traffic jams, and unhygienic living conditions. Moreover, people in this city also have access to some of the best healthcare and educational facilities in the country.
• Finally, I believe that the greatness of a city depends on its people, and Chandigarh is among the cities with the highest literacy levels. The people in Chandigarh are warm, friendly, and ready to help each other in difficult times
• The city has a lot to offer to people from all walks of life.
1 Where do people like to live in your country?
Majority of India’s population still continues to live in rural areas and small towns. However, this trend is changing and a lot of young people are now migrating to the big cities for better employment opportunities and to gain access to advanced infrastructure facilities like hospitals, universities, shopping malls, etc
2 Why do many people move to the city?
As I mentioned earlier people are moving to cities because they feel that they can get a better quality of life in the cities as they offer a better living standard. The luxurious lifestyle, modern amenities, and entertainment options in cities is what woos the youngsters towards them.
3 What are the advantages of living close to the workplace?
The biggest advantage of living close to the workplace is the reduced time and expenditure on commute. People get to spend more quality time with their family members and avoid the stress of being struck in long traffic jams. It is also good for the environment as people can walk or cycle to their workplace instead of commuting by cars.
4 What kinds of places do older people prefer to live in
Most of the old folks prefer to live in societies that are serene and peaceful. They don’t prefer living in noisy areas as it disturbs their sleep a lot. Also, they prefer to buy a house near a park or garden so that they can easily go for morning or evening walks.
5 Is it important to take photos while traveling?
6 Can you trust other people’s travel journals on the Internet?
7 What factors affect how people feel about traveling?
8 Will you go to a foreign country to travel because of the distinct landscape?
Describe a time when someone asked for your opinion
You should say:
– Who asked for your opinion
– Why he/she wanted to know your opinion
– What opinion you gave
– And explain how you felt when he/she asked for your opinion
• Well in my country people keep asking for each other’s opinion all the time
• Sometimes people like to give their opinions on matters that even do not relate to them.
• They do it to show care and help others.
• Today, I would like to talk about a time when one of my cousins asked me about my opinion on apple and android phones.
• My cousin had recently completed his 10th standard and because he had performed well in his examination, his parents had promised to buy him a new phone.
• Since his parents are extremely wealthy, he had a budget of 70,000 Rs to buy the new phone.
• My cousin reached out to me because I am considered a gadget freak in my family as I love to try new phones and devices that come in the market.
• I have also created a lot of review videos of different technology products like smartwatches, speakers, laptops, and mobiles, etc.
• So, when my cousin started the apple vs android debate, he really wanted to know which product is a better choice and offers the most value for money.
• I explained to him the hardware and software offerings of both devices in detail and discussed with him the different use case scenarios where each device can perform better than the other.
• I told him that Apple devices offered better hardware, camera quality, privacy, and an ecosystem that allows the users to connect seamlessly with other apple products, however,
the android devices offered more value for money as they provide all the same features at a much lesser cost.
• Also, android users can do a lot of customizations on their phones as compared to apple devices where the user experience is more controlled.
• Prior to our discussion, my cousin had a very negative opinion about android phones but when I showed him some of the advanced features and tricks that an android device could do, he was really impressed.
• Our discussion went on for almost 4-5 hours and at the end of it, my cousin had a different opinion about the android devices.
• I felt really happy when he came asking for my opinion because I like to engage in such discussions.
• I believe that having a healthy conversation like this helps to increase one’s intellect and general awareness about things.
• Although sometimes people can also get into heated arguments, I think that people should learn to respect each other’s opinions.
1 Why do some people dislike giving their opinions?
There are many reasons why some people do not like to share their perspectives/ideas about things. Sometimes they lack the confidence or the ability to explain their opinion in detail. They feel that they will be embarrassed if someone would counter their opinion and might not be able to defend their opinion. Another reason could be that some people are just shy in nature and like to keep things close to themselves.
2 Are there any apps designed for collecting opinions about products or services?
I am not aware of any app that only collects opinions about products but almost all the shopping apps have an option for the users to comment about the products they have purchased from their website. For example, many people write reviews on Amazon shopping app and give ratings for the products available there.
3 Why do people like to express their opinions on the Internet nowadays?
The primary reason is that people want their voice to be heard and Internet provides them a platform where they can express their views about anything and everything while being anonymous. Internet also provides them a sense of freedom to express their mind without having to worry about what others will think. Also, one can easily choose to engage or disengage in a conversation as per their convenience.
4 What are the disadvantages of sharing opinions on the Internet?
I think there are many disadvantages of this trend. Firstly, a lot many times people hurt each other’s sentiments by writing abusive content online. It is often seen in many chat forums that people are hurling abuses at each other over minor disagreements. Secondly, I think that online discussions are mostly not productive and waste people’s useful time.
Describe a time when you missed an appointment
You should say:
– When and where it happened;
– What the appointment was for;
– What happened when you missed it;
– And explain how you felt about missing the appointment.
• Life is very hectic nowadays.
• We are all very busy in our day-to-day activities.
• I remember a time when I was very busy.
• It so happened that two months ago my cousin’s wedding was fixed.
• The groom was an NRI from Canada and the wedding was to take place within a week.
• My uncle and aunt were very tense about all the arrangements.
• I took over the responsibility and offered to help.
• I took a pen and paper and started noting down all the things to do.
• Then I distributed duties to other members of my family and close relatives.
• Everyone was very helpful.
• We took it on as a challenge and I remember how less we slept that whole week.
• We booked the marriage palace and the caterers.
• Then we booked the decorators.
• Shopping for trousseau was on my mother’s shoulders.
• She was very happy because she is a shopaholic and shopping for the wedding was a very enjoyable
activity for her.
• My father was busy getting the invitation cards printed and distributed.
• He made a list of all friends and relatives who were to be invited.
• Many relatives who live away were invited on phone only.
• We arranged the DJ also for the ring ceremony and the Sangeet.
• On the actual day of the wedding, I was very nervous, but everything went well.
• I got a lot of compliments for the perfect arrangements.
• Now whenever there is any event in the family, I happily take over all the planning.
• I have also thought about this event organising as a career option.
• This career option also came to my mind after watching the movie Band Baja Baraat.
1. Do you like the fast pace of modern life?
I do not like the fast pace of modern life much, but I think that there is no escape from it. It has become a part of our lives.
2. How do you feel when you are really busy?
When I’m busy, I don’t have time to think of anything, and that keeps me stress-free.
3. What is the best way to deal with stress?
The best way to deal with stress is to remain busy. One can have hobbies to keep one busy. If the person is busy, he doesn’t have time to think of depressing things.
4. What kind of lifestyle is suitable for people in modern society?
People in modern society are busy. I think the fast-paced lifestyle suits them the most. Those who are not living the fast life seem to be living in some other era.
5. What relaxation techniques do you usually use?
I do some yoga and listen to soft music to relax.
Describe a time you were very busy
You should say:
– When it happened
– Where you were
– What you did
-And explain why you were that busy
• Well, I usually do remember things as I have got a good memory but sometimes, I tend to forget even important things if my life is already disturbed.
• I remember an incident when I forgot my appointment with the dentist.
• It was during the time of placements in college, and we all were very nervous and preparing for it.
• There were placement classes going on and many things were on my high priority list.
• It was during this time, I forgot to visit my dentist.
• I had braces on my teeth and the dentist used to change the bands on them every month.
• But during that time, I was really stressed because of the placements and the dentist’s appointment totally skipped through my mind.
• Later, I got a call from my dentist reminding me that I had missed my appointment.
• I felt very bad about missing that appointment.
• I apologized to him for not being able to reach on that day and asked him for another appointment for the next day.
• Thankfully his schedule for the next day was free and he rescheduled the appointment.
• I also put a reminder on my phone so that I do not forget the appointment again.
• The next day the dentist told me that if I had delayed the appointment further, it would have affected my treatment.
• I realized that this is what pressure handling is all about
• You need to do things and yet make sure that you are still balanced and not missing out on other important things.
1. Which events in your country do most people forget?
I don’t think we can generalize this, however, I think it is mostly birthdays and anniversaries of relatives and friends that people tend to forget.
2. Do you think it is a good idea to use electronic devices for putting reminders?
Yes, I think it’s a very good idea to use electronic devices like cellphones, computers, tablets, etc. to set reminders for important tasks and events.
3. Do you use them?
Yes, I have set reminders for birthdays; anniversaries, and I set alarms for important tasks. It helps me stay organized.
4. How can memory help you to learn a new skill?
Memory is essential in learning a new skill. It is only through a good memory that we can remember the rules or the techniques that have to be followed when learning a particular skill.
5. How can modern technology help you keep good memories?
Modern technology is very helpful in keeping good memories. We can set up reminders for important events. We can use phones to capture special moments in the form of pictures.
6. Is human memory important nowadays?
Yes, human memory is as important as in the past. It is needed for learning anything new. It’s what is needed to excel in any field. However, our dependence on technology makes us use our memory much lesser than in earlier times.
7. Can electronic devices such as smartphones replace human memory?
No, electronic devices cannot ever replace human memory. We have to draw a line and limit our dependence on gadgets for remembering and computing things for us to avoid the early onset of memory related problems.
8. How often do you make appointments?
I don’t make appointments very often. Only when I have to go to my dentist or doctor that I get an appointment.
9. Is it important to be punctual in your country?
I think it is important to be punctual everywhere, and not just in my country. If you are punctual, you save your time as well the time of the other person.
10. Is it easy to make an appointment in India?
Yes, it is easy to make an appointment. However, it is very important that if you make an appointment, you are punctual also.
Describe a childhood friend
– Who this person is
– How you became friends with this person
– What kinds of things you like to do with this person
– Explain why you like him/her?
• I had many friends in my childhood, but here I would like to talk about my best friend,Shyam
because he is still my best friend.
• He is 20 years old and very handsome.
• He has dark brown eyes and a dimple oh his chin.
• We have been friends since school days.
• I met him when I was in the 4th class in the Govt. Primary School where I studied.
• At that time he used to be very chubby and had curly hair.
• Now he is very lean and thin and has short straight hair.
• I remember, I used to be very shy and never used to go to the teachers with my problems.
• But, he never had any hesitation to speak to the teachers or the principal.
• In fact, he used to represent the whole class, if we had any problem and needed to talk to our school principal.
• He has no glossophobia and every year he used to represent the school for debates and declamation contests and he won many trophies for the school.
• He always used to be selected as the monitor of the class. In college, now he heads the students union.
• Whenever he talks on any subject, he speaks so well that people listen to him. He can bind his audience very well.
• He is himself very disciplined and he always used to encourage other students to be punctual.
• He used to be very good in studies also.
• He was always in the top five students of the class.
• He used to be in the good books of all teachers.
• I really like to spend my time with him.
• I like him because he is an honest and straightforward person.
• He has a very good sense of humour.
• Whenever I was in trouble he used to come and help me.
• He tried to be very understanding and never fought with me.
• In class I was weak at maths and he used to help me.
• I had a very bad handwriting and he helped me to improve my handwriting also.
• He is a very loving, caring and affectionate person.
• So, he became a very intimate friend.
• Now also he lives near my house and we spend our evenings together.
• We go for movies together, do shopping together and even play together.
1. How do people make new friends?
People make friends in many ways. It depends on age and gender. Children make friends in schools and colleges. They also make friends in the neighbourhood by playing together. Women make friends by joining kitty parties and men make friends at work or by joining social clubs.
2. What do you think makes people have a long friendship?
Mutual understanding makes people have a long friendship. If people can tolerate each other’s shortcomings and be simple and straightforward, then friendships can be for a long time.
3. Does it make things easier in a friendship if you have similar interests?
Yes, definitely. With similar interests friends can spend time together and not get bored. They will also have similar topics for discussion. In a lasting friendship it is very essential that your likes and
dislikes are similar.
4. How do people make friends now?
Now a days, people make friends through the Internet by joining social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, etc.
5. Do you think we meet new people differently now than in the past?
Yes, definitely. Nowadays, we meet new people through the Internet by joining social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.Earlier, people had lots of free time and they made friends by meeting new people personally.
6. What do you think, what type of personality do people of the young generation admire?
Young generation admires people who are rich and famous. They admire young politicians like Rahul Gandhi and Sachin Pilot. They also admire famous sports personalities. They admire reality show winners.
7. Why is friendship nowadays so volatile?
Friendship is very volatile today because of many reasons. The main reason is that nobody has time to maintain friendships. People have become workaholics and are in the rat race of earning money. So, friendship has taken a back seat.
8. Secondly, today friends are not made from the heart.
They are made by assessing the benefit the other person can give you. Such friends are fair-weather friends and disappear into thin air when you need them the most. Finally, today friends are also made through the net. Sometimes you have never met the person in real life. There can be fake identities on the net and so such friendships do not last long.
9. How do people in your country make friends these days?
People in my country make friends at schools, colleges, work places, at parties, when they travel etc. These days making friends online has be come very popular because of the social networking websites.
Describe something that you have shared with others (or another person).
– What you shared
– When you shared it
– Who you shared it with
– And explain why you shared it or how you felt when you shared it.
• We all need to share many things in our day to day life.
• I also share many things with my siblings and friends.
• Here I would like to talk about something I shared with my friend, Rohan.
• I shared my books and notes with him.
• It so happened that just 15 days before our +2 final exam, Rohan lost his whole school bag.
• All his books and notes were in that bag.
• He kept it in the school ground as he wanted to play cricket for some time.
• After the game, he could not find his bag anywhere.
• He looked everywhere and asked everyone who was there, but no one knew anything about it.
• Someone had obviously stolen it.
• Actually, he used to always stand first and his notes were very precious.
• He was literally on the verge of tears.
• I told him not to panic and offered to share all my notes and books with him till the exams.
• Fortunately, he lives in my neighbourhood.
• So, sharing all these books and notes with him was easy.
• Most of my notes were copied from his notebooks only.
• I realised that sharing things with others gives happiness.
• Sharing my notes with Rohan, strengthened our bonds of friendship.
• It helped me also.
• Because I had to share my books, I studied them within my time.
• Normally, I have a habit of procrastination.
• I always study for my exams at the 11th hour.
• But this time, I studied in time and was well prepared.
• We both passed with flying colours.
1. Do people in your country (or, you) prefer to share public transport or do they (you) prefer to use private
transport?
Well, it depends on the financial status of the people. Those who can afford, like to use their own private transport.Others, prefer public transport. It also depends on the availability and comfort of public transport. Ever since, the AC buses have improved their frequency to Chandigarh, I prefer to travel on those
than going by my car.
2. Do many people in your country share their home with other or do they mostly live alone?
Most people live in their own home or live in a rented house. But they don’t share their home with anybody. Students share apartments, if they study away from their home town.
3. Do you think there are any advantages to sharing your home with other (non-family) people?
If you can get along well with other people, then there are advantages. But if there are conflicts, it can be a bad experience. Advantages are that the expenses can be shared. So, it becomes cheaper.
4. Would you ever share your food with someone else?
Many times, I have shared my tiffin with my friends. Yes, I would readily share my food with others.