IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Family.

1. Is family important in your country?

2. How has the size of the family changed in the last few decades in your country?
3. How do you think the family will change in the future?
4. What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?
5. Who do you think should be responsible for the care of the elderly, the family or the
government?
6. Why is the number of joint families decreasing in modern time?

Q. 1: Is family important in your country?

Answer: Thank you for this question. Well, people in my country believe that family comes
first and they put their family ahead of anything else. They would do anything for the family
and I am proud that family bonding in my country is quite strong.

Q. 2: How has the size of the family changed in the last few decades in your country?
Answer: From my experience, I can say that my grandfather had an extended family and
people at that time used to live together with close relatives. As far as I have heard, their
forefathers also live in a joint family and the number of family members was sometimes
more than twenty. However, the trend of living in an extended family has changed
remarkably in cities where most of the families are nuclear in nature. The villages in my
country still have large families who live together but the number is shrinking day by day.

Q. 3: How do you think the family will change in the future?

Answer: I believe more people will have a nuclear family and the size of the family will be
small in the future. People do not like to have more than two children nowadays and who
knows they will consider having one baby policy in the distant future. The very norm that a
man gets married to a woman and have their own children to form a family is being
challenged by the concept of same-sex marriage and this trend will increase in the future.

Q. 4: What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?

Answer: Grandparents in a family are like the pillars of virtue and they play an important
role. They maintain a balance for the family by nurturing the old traditions and values and
teach how to adhere to the roots. With the increasing number of both working parents,
grandparents often look after the children. They often advise the rest of the family time to
time regarding family matters as they have more experience and thus their advice often
saves us from taking wrong decisions. From this sense, they act like reliable mentors.

Q. 5: Who do you think should be responsible for the care of the elderly, the family or the
government?
Answer: I believe the family has the major responsibility to look after their elder family
members and support them personally as they did in their youth age. These senior citizens
have sacrificed a lot throughout their lives to form a family and then to make them happy.
The young members should do everything in their power to accompany their elder members
and provide them with their necessities.

Having said that, the government has some responsibilities as well. These elder members
were once taxpayers and thus they deserve healthcare, entertainment and other facilities
from the state.

Q. 6: Why is the number of joint families decreasing in modern time?

Answer: I believe the city-centric life which is highly competitive and busy has diminished
the concept of joint family and created the nuclear family. Besides the urban influence, ever-
increasing inflation, our affection towards a materialistic life and less inclination towards the
traditions and values have ended up making our own nuclear family.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Choosing work & Work-Life balance.

Q. 1. What kinds of jobs do young people not want to do in your country?

Answer: Well, in my country, we have almost always had a big problem of unemployment
among young people, and therefore, there aren’t exactly too many jobs that they don’t want
to do. However, as far as I have found out, jobs like “outside sales”, “medical
representatives” and other “service-oriented” jobs, that require longer hours of work, are
not looked upon very favourably by the young adults in my country. They don’t also like
“elementary teaching” job because they require a lot of patience (after all, teaching little
kids can be really challenging).

Q. 2. Who is best at advising young people about choosing a job: teachers or parents?
Answer: In my humble opinion, teachers are best at advising young people about choosing a
job primarily because they are usually the ones who work tirelessly at schools and colleges
to unlock the potentials of young adults. Besides, through the continuous interaction with
their students in classes, it is the teachers who are better positioned to identify the skills and
expertise of the young people and thus being able to guide them to choose careers that are
suitable for them.

Q. 3. Is money always the most important thing when choosing a job?

Answer: No, I don’t really think that money is “always” ("always" is the keyword here) the
most important thing, when choosing a job, primarily because money doesn’t always buy
“happiness” or the “ job satisfaction” no matter how much of it, we really have. Besides, if I
am being paid a lot of “money”, but what I do as a “job” is not considered to be “important”,
then the chances are that I won’t be able to perform to my full potential despite my best
intention. Money is an important thing for us to do a job but I do not believe that it is the
most important aspect of a job.
Q. 4. Do you agree that many people nowadays are under pressure to work longer hours
and take less holiday?
Answer: Yes, many people are indeed under huge pressure nowadays to work longer hours
and enjoy fewer holidays mainly because most of them are struggling to keep up with the
soaring living expenses. Then, some people are under pressure to work extra hours also
because they are simply being “exploited” by their employers. Then, there is another group
of people who are under pressure to work longer hours because they want to meet their
additional demand for more comfort and luxuries of lives.

Q. 5. What is the impact on society of people having a poor work-life balance?

Answer: The impact of people, having a poor work-life balance, on society is multi-
dimensional. In a society, where people are either working too much or sitting idle for too
long, there won’t be enough people to take responsibility in order to carry forward the
nation to its full potentials. Working too much would without enough opportunity to relax
with families and friends, the people in a society would go through mental depression which,
in turn, would result in inefficiency and lesser productivity at works. On the other hands, if
people in a society are “sitting idle” for too long, the entire society would be negatively
affected by crimes and other anti-social activities.

Q. 6. Could you recommend some effective strategies for governments and employers to
ensure people have a good work-life balance?
Answer: Governments and employers can do several things to ensure a good work-life
balance for the employees. First, employers can offer “flexibility” with work schedules,
whenever possible, so that the employees can have little time to spend with their families
and friends in between the work hours. Employers can also allow some “unpaid time off”
(not getting paid for the off days) so that their staffs can attend some fun and family events.
As for the governments, they can create awareness among people by using different media
outlets in order to highlight the benefits of a good work-life balance. Governments can also
arrange for an “annual award” option for the companies/employers who actively work to
promote “work-life” balance among their employees.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Sports and competition.

1. Why are some sports fans so passionate?

2. Is there any violence at sporting events in your country?
3. Should athletes be better role models?
4. What benefits do international sporting events bring?
5. Is it important for a country to win lots of medals?
6. The money professional sportsmen earn is significantly higher than that the earning of
other professionals. Is it justified?
Q. 1: Why are some sports fans so passionate?
Answer: I believe some people love sports than other forms of entertainment and
competition and they always follow their favourite sports on TV. ‘Watching and playing
sports’ is their favourite leisure activity while many of those passionate fans once were
players themselves and played the game in their youth. Growing up, they see their family,
friends, and city go wild when a goal is scored or a game is won. So, it’s natural to follow
other’s enthusiasm and cheer for their local teams. Such attachment often increases their
love for sports. In my country, many youths are ardent fans of football and they have their
favourite teams. When their favourite team plays, they take every opportunity to support
them and sometimes go to the stadium to show their support. Sportsmen are often idolized
by youths and they love to follow their favourite sportsmen as enthusiastic followers.

Q. 2: Is there any violence at sporting events in your country?

Answer: Generally speaking, such violence is very rare in my country. However, a dispute
among fans are quite common and most of the time they are verbal than physical. They
often take social networking platforms and blogs to criticise their rivals. I can, however,
recall a very unfortunate event that took place probably three or four years ago when the
fans of two completing teams got agitated and three people died due to this incident while
several others were critically injured. The security of the stadium has been revamped to
address such unexpected events and hopefully, it wouldn't happen again.

Q. 3. Should athletes be better role models?

Answer: I believe most fans start adoring an athlete or a sportsman due to the spectacular
performance he or she shows. Thus football magicians like Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi
have several million fans and many of them started idolising them without knowing them
personally. However, when these youths start following their favourite sportsmen or
athletes, they sometimes follow them blindly. Thus considering the impact, famous sports
personality should always try to lead exemplary lives as thousands of others mimic them.
They are also famous and the media is always watching them. Any bad conduct can bring
controversy to their fame and they should try to become better role models for youths as it
is a social and moral responsibility for any celebrity.

Q. 4. What benefits do international sporting events bring?

Answer: International sporting events bring nations together and eliminate the tension and
hostility among them. Such an event is highly popular and can be a great reason for people
to enjoy the competition in the stadium. Thus such competitions foster tourism and help
local businesses to flourish. Such prestigious events sometimes encourage young children all
around the world to take some sort of sports. This is good for spreading the essence of
sports globally and I think sports have economic, political and cultural impacts on society.

Q. 5. Is it important for a country to win lots of medals?

Answer: I believe every country wants to win as many trophies as possible since it
represents how great a nation is in sports and athleticism. Being at the top of the medallist is
often considered a great achievement but I personally believe that it is not absolutely
necessary. Participating in international sporting events like the Olympic is often inspiring for
many small nations. A few medals could be often satisfying and inspiring for them. The most
important thing in an international sporting competition is being able to perform and enjoy
it, not the number of medals won. When athletes and sportsmen from all around the world
gather at a common platform, they not only represent their own country but also the whole
humanity and this is important for maintaining global peace and harmony.

Q. 6. The money professional sportsmen earn is significantly higher than that the earning
of other professionals. Is it justified?
Answer: I think a very few fortunate sports celebrities earn a hefty amount of money while
most others do not. Considering the training, dedication, challenge and sacrifice that are
part of their lives, the earning, in my opinion, is justified. We have to keep in mind that their
career is short spanned and they earn because they perform really well. The payment to
those celebrities is high because people buy tickets when they perform and different
companies that earn millions of dollars each day want them as brand ambassadors. Since
these payments are legit and transparent, I do not see any problem if they earn a lot.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Historic Place.

1. How do people in your country feel about protecting historic buildings?

2. Do you think an area can benefit from having an interesting historic place locally? In what
way?
3. What do you think will happen to historic places or buildings in the future? Why?
4. How were you taught history when you were at school?
5. Are there other ways people can learn about history, apart from at school? How?
6. Do you think history will still be a school subject in the future? Why?

Q. 1: How do people in your country feel about protecting historic buildings?

Answer: I believe people from my country would want to protect and preserve important
historic buildings except maybe a few who put business ahead of their morality and rational
thinking. We had our moments when people spontaneously protested the plan to demolish
such sites in the past. Due to a huge public backlash and outcry, the authority had been
forced to abandon their plan to build multi-storied commercial buildings by smashing the old
buildings that have historical significance. Thus citizens in my country are sensitive about
protecting anything that has historical importance.

Q. 2: Do you think an area can benefit from having an interesting historic place locally? In
what way?
Answer: Definitely an area with an interesting historic place can reap the benefits from
different perspectives. First, such a place would attract a huge number of tourists and help
grow different local businesses. Besides, such areas are strategically important for the local
government and it can bring more development projects to the area. The government takes
extra measures to protect such areas from natural disasters and thus get more attention. On
top of that, the flourishing tourism of the area spreads the local custom and tradition to
other parts of the country. Thus the development of such a region occurs faster than other
areas.

Q. 3. What do you think will happen to historic places or buildings in the future? Why?
Answer: That is hard to tell and all would depend on the future generation. If they feel that
such locations and buildings are worth preserving, the authority would take steps to protect
them. Otherwise, many of them, which are less internationally known, would disappear and
would be converted to ultramodern commercial buildings. Prominent sites, on the other
hand, would be preserved as they will attract many international tourists. Some of them will
be debilitated due to the lack of maintenance and a few new ones would emerge as historic
places and buildings in the distant future. The main reason some of the historic places and
building will disappear is that they are less popular and can't sell tickets to tourists. So the
authority or the owner would like to convert them for business purpose. The urbanisation,
pollution and the need for more buildings for the increasing population are threats to such
historic sites.

Q. 4: How were you taught history when you were at school?

Answer: Our teachers mainly taught us history from the textbooks and we were lucky to
have a few amazing teachers who explained how history is important to understand the
future. They often explained important events and characters from history and told us how
these events and powerful men have shaped future events. We were required to study
history books and watch documentaries made on real historical facts and those were not
included in our syllabus. Thus we were able to learn more about history. Our school
authority took us to different museums and historic sites, generally two to three times a
year, and those excursions were our chances to explore more and witness the artefacts from
the past. I can recall one particular occasion when we were taken to a war museum and we
learned how wars that we hate so much had such profound impacts on our human society.

Q. 5: Are there other ways people can learn about history, apart from at school? How?
Answer: I believe reading about history and researching them online is the best way to learn
more about it. What we learn about history in our school is just the beginning. To truly
explore the past, we need to read a lot of books and the book choices should be based on
the interests of the readers. The Intenet is an amazing tool that can help us learn about our
past and the interactive videos found on different websites are truly helpful. It offers us to
dive deeper into history. Finally, travelling is an excellent way to learn about the world we
live in and how this world was shaped by different civilisations. Someone who travels
extensively learns about history faster and witness history instead of assuming them.

Q. 6: Do you think history will still be a school subject in the future? Why?
Answer: I believe history is not merely a collection of past events, stories of civilisations and
powerful characters. It is rather a way to look at the future. Thus the importance of history
in the future will increase and more students would be interested to learn about it than
today. We are yet to comprehend the full potential of history and it is still frowned upon as a
subject for weaker students. But in the future, we will realise how important it is for people
to learn it for a prosperous future. So I do not see any reasons history will disappear from
the school syllabus.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Online Reviews & Customer service.

1. What kinds of things do people write online reviews about in your country?
2. Why do some people write online reviews?
3. Do you think that online reviews are good for both shoppers and companies?
4. What do you think it might be like to work in a customer service job?
5. Do you agree that customers are more likely to complain nowadays?
6. How important is it for companies to take all customer complaints seriously?

Q. 1: What kinds of things do people write online reviews about in your country?
Answer: Online review is a rather widespread thing in my country these days since buying
and selling all sorts of things online is becoming popular. But, generally speaking, people in
my country like to make online reviews, mostly on things like what they eat at a restaurant,
and what kinds of clothing or fashionable items they buy online. Many a time, these days,
we also see online reviews on the many grocery items that we buy on a regular basis. So, it is
pretty much all kinds of things – things that are sold both online and offline - on which
people leave their online reviews.

Q. 2: Why do some people write online reviews?

Answer: Well, some people like to write online reviews, or it could be offline reviews as well,
primarily because they want to communicate certain messages to the online community
about the products or services that they buy online. Besides, as humans, we all feel that we
should make our voices and opinions heard on any kinds of things which, we think, are
important to us. And, since the online review is such a hassle-free way of making our voices
and opinions heard among the others, we like to use these online review platforms
whenever it fits our needs.

Q. 3: Do you think that online reviews are good for both shoppers and companies?
Answer: Yes, I have no doubt in my mind that online reviews are good for both shoppers and
companies alike. Talking from the point of view of shoppers, online reviews allow them to
either encourage or warn their fellow shoppers about what to buy and what not to buy
online. Now, as for the companies, such online reviews allow the companies to adjust their
business strategies and policies according to the wishes and demands of their current and
prospective customers – a business practice which, in turn, can help these companies boost
their sales and revenue.
Q. 4: What do you think it might be like to work in a customer service job?
Answer: Well, from what I have seen or experienced so far, all I can say is that the customer
service job is a rather challenging profession since it involves continuous talking or
engagement with people – people who have all kinds of different views, ideas, tastes,
preferences, culture, backgrounds and lifestyles. And that’s exactly why one has to be really
upbeat and resourceful if he/she wants to deal with these different kinds of people
smoothly. Otherwise, these types of jobs can be very tiring, if not annoying and frustrating,
most of the time, instead of actually being rewarding.

Q. 5: Do you agree that customers are more likely to complain nowadays?

Answer: I don’t think that the scenario of customer complaint nowadays is much different
than what it actually used to be in the past except, of course, these days, it is easier to
complain than what it used to be before. Besides, it is only natural that the more types of
products and services we use (meaning more of our money, resources, time and efforts are
being used), the greater the possibility of more and more complaints. So, again, speaking
logically, I don’t think that people nowadays are likely to complain more, it is just that the
number of products and customers are higher these days and so it seems that more
customers are complaining today.

Q. 6: How important is it for companies to take all customer complaints seriously?

Answer: I have read somewhere that the principle, on which, a business should conduct its
business is that “the customers are always right” (even when it’s actually the customers’
fault). So, from that point of view, it is absolutely necessary that companies take the
customers’ complaints rather seriously if they really want to gain the trust and confidence of
their customers. Besides, customer complaints can also sometimes help the companies to
improve their products and services in order to have a competitive edge over their
competitors.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Films/ Cinema.

1. Do you think the cinema has increased or decreased in popularity in recent years?
2. In your opinion, will this trend continue in the future?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of making films of real-life events?
4. How important do you think it is for a filmmaker to remain true to the original story?
5. Should films and television be censored or should we be free to choose what we see?
6. How do you think censorship laws will change in the next 20 years?

Q. 1: Do you think the cinema has increased or decreased in popularity in recent years?
Answer: That's a bit complex issue as the answer might seem paradoxical. Well, I heartily
believe that more people enjoy movies today than ever before but most of them do not go
to a movie theatre to enjoy a movie. Thus the cinema halls have lost their glorious days,
especially in my country, but an increasing number of people make time to watch movies
either on TVs or on their computers. Gone are the days when my parents used to take me to
a movie theatre and that was once in a while. These days we enjoy more than 3-4 movies a
week but do not go to a cinema hall at all. I believe the popularity of international movies,
low-quality local movies and amenities to get great movie-viewing experience at home are
the reasons for this shifting trend.

Q. 2: In your opinion, will this trend continue in the future?

Answer: Unless radical changes are brought to the cinema halls and restrictions are imposed
on the way we stream and watch the latest movies at home, the trend will continue in the
future. Movie theatres would lose their attractions further and technology would assist us to
watch movies on demand at home. However, some people will still go to the cinema with
friends and family to enjoy a movie on a day out.

Q. 3: What are the advantages and disadvantages of making films of real-life events?
Answer: Among the advantages, I assume, those movies have a ready-made plot, the
storylines are already popular and the producer can think of characters easily. Such movies
often win awards considering their historical values and are positively taken by the audience
and critics.

However, there are some drawbacks in making such movies based on real-life events. First
and foremost, people and critics scrutinise such movies more thoroughly and they are often
subject to controversy. Secondly, the story is already known to people and the movie has to
promise something more than its storyline. Furthermore, making such movies require a huge
sum of money and they often end up poorly in the box office.

Q. 4: How important do you think it is for a filmmaker to remain true to the original story?
Answer: I believe true facts from history should be intact in a movie and every filmmaker
should adhere to the truth as much as possible while making a movie based on a real-life
event or a prominent historical figure. Otherwise, the film would end up receiving
resentments and negative criticism from ordinary viewers as well as from movie critics.
Sometimes, a filmmaker needs to add some surprises and twists to make such a movie more
appealing but they can always do so by not distorting the main facts. We should keep in
mind that children who watch such movies often take them as evidence of real events from
history. So such movies should not misrepresent history and invite controversy.

Q. 5: Should films and television be censored or should we be free to choose what we see?
Answer: I believe some sort of censorship is required in the TV and film industry so that we
can enjoy movies and watch TV programmes without embarrassments and getting offended.
For instance, if I start watching a movie with my parents and the film has too many sensual
and violent scenes, we would feel embarrassed. Since movies have a major impact on the
viewers' mind, we should not allow too much violence, hatred and offensive scenes to be
shown. However, I also believe that creative artists should be allowed to express their
feelings and thoughts through these media. Hence, too much tight censorship, that we see in
some countries, is not desirable as well. We, as adults, might often choose what we want to
watch but we should always monitor what our youngsters are watching for their own good.

Q. 6: How do you think censorship laws will change in the next 20 years?
Answer: Well, that's a tough question to answer, but I will nevertheless try! In my opinion,
after two decades or so, some first world countries, where censorship laws are too much
flexible, would find themselves amending laws to make it more a bit rigid. While an opposite
approach would be taken in developing countries to give more freedom to creative artists.
All countries, in my opinion, will try to make a balance in censorship laws to make it more
friendly and helpful to the viewers.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Travel and transport.

1. How easy is it to travel around your country?

2. Which method of travel do you consider the safest? Why?
3. Has travel become safer in recent years than that was in the past?
4. What are the pros and cons of low-cost air travel?
5. How do you think people will travel in the future?
6. Should the government in a country focus more on rail transports or road transports?
Why?

Q. 1: How easy is it to travel around your country?

Answer: We have a good number of public transportations including bullet trains, modern
buses and aeroplanes and I would say someone can travel in my country very easily. Major
cities in my country have airports and it makes commuters' life hassle-free. Since we have
eight-lane highways and they are maintained periodically, someone can drive his/her own
car to commute from one area to another smoothly. Besides, metro rails are convenient for
city-dwellers to commute to and from their offices and citizens can take long-route trains to
visit other districts and they are comparatively cheaper.

Q. 2: Which method of travel do you consider the safest? Why?

Answer: Despite some common misconceptions, I believe airways are the safest means of
transportation. We have frequent national and international flights and the service is really
excellent. Aviation accidents are deadly and claim the lives of many, and such accidents
often make headlines which gives an impression that air travel is nocuous. However, if we
compare air causalities with that of road accidents, we can easily learn that air travel is the
safest. Flying is the most secure way to get around in my country as flights are well-
organised and the air traffic is controlled more efficiently by trained professionals.

Q. 3: Has travel become safer in recent years than that was in the past?
Answer: Some people would say that accidents and casualties are higher in modern time
than in the past. But I believe that travelling in recent years has significantly improved and
offers more convenience to commuters. We see more accidents these days because they all
are being reported in the news unlike the past when we could hear about only major
accidents. In recent days, we have more strict traffic rules, acute safety measures including
biometric checking, and modern transportations which are built considering safety in mind.
Rigid airport rules make terrorist attacks almost impossible.

A typical train station in my country has more than 15 train schedules and they carry
thousands of passengers each day. Such a station used to have only three to four trains a
day. If we consider the number of vehicles and commuters with that of the past, we would
get a real picture of road safety, which I believe has advanced in recent days.

Q. 4: What are the pros and cons of low-cost air travel?

Answer: The major benefit of cheap air travel is that many people can afford to visit more
places around the world and thus foster the tourism industry. More frequent travels by
ordinary people make them tolerable to other cultures and it maintains global peace.

Among the demerits, increasing flights are responsible for air pollution. Cheap air travel
attracts more passengers and thus they indirectly contribute to air pollution. Moreover, low-
cost air tickets do not ensure desirable comfort and amenities which people often regret.
Food and drinks in such a journey are unreasonably expensive and it often includes hidden
fees and charges.

Q. 5: How do you think people will travel in the future?

Answer: That's an interesting question and I will be both realistic and imaginative to answer
this. I believe people will prefer to take aeroplanes and speedy trains in the near future to
travel to long-distance and flights will be cheaper to attract more passengers. Cars would be
our constant companion and we would rely on our automobiles more than ever to travel
within the city.

After 30 or 40 years, our cars would be able to fly short-distance and even run on the river,
much like a science-fiction vehicle. After 50 years or so, we will have flying cars that will take
us to our offices and the software instead of human will drive those cars. After a century
later, we will have personal pods of SkyTran carrier that would use the airways rather than
moving on a road. After a few centuries later, who knows, we might even teleport straight to
our destination from our home!

Q. 6: Should the government in a country focus more on rail transports or road transports?
Why?
Answer: I believe the decision should be made based on the geological condition, existing
infrastructure, population and economic condition of the country. For instance, if a country
has mostly hilly tracks and rivers, developing rail tracks is both challenging and expensive.
For such countries, connecting highways and road transports are more practical and cost-
effective. Moreover, if the country does not have enough rail tracks already, it should focus
on developing and enhancing roads rather than rails. Finally, countries with higher
population should consider developing their railroads as it can carry a great number of
people at a time. Whether to invest in road or rail transportation, thus, should be made
based on a number of factors rather than a single one.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Universities.

1. Is higher education too expensive in your country?

2. Should all students pay for their university education? Why?
3. What advantages do universities bring to society? Is it the same in your country?
4. Which is more important, research or teaching? Why?
5. How should students spend their summer vacations? How do/did you spend it?
6. What are the advantages of private universities than public universities?

Q. 1: Is higher education too expensive in your country?

Answer: Universities in my country, that are run by the government, offer higher education
for free. The cost to pursue higher education in such a university is much cheaper than that
of private universities. However, the number of students seeking to enrol in post-graduation
courses is much higher than the actual number of seats offered by the state-run universities
and colleges. As a result, many students mostly from affluent families, get admitted to
private universities and pay a hefty tuition fee.

Q. 2: Should all students pay for their university education? Why?

Answer: I do not think that the university cost should be paid solely by the students and
their guardians. Since the government allocate budget for the education sector and a major
portion of it goes for higher education and research facilities, state-run universities must
offer free education. On top of that, the government has a responsibility to spend the
taxpayers' money in social welfare and free or cheap education should be a top priority.

Q. 3: What advantages do universities bring to society? Is it the same in your country?

Answer: Universities are the lighthouse of society and they produce enlighted citizens who
lead the country. Universities not only educate the youth and prepare them for their future
but also carry on important research works that benefit the society as well as the country.
For instance, many inventions and medicines that we are familiar with were actually the
results of university projects and research. Thus universities serve both the society and the
country in numerous ways that have a direct correlation with the overall development of a
nation. I am proud to say that universities in my country also play the same role.

Q. 4: Which is more important, research or teaching? Why?

Answer: I think that's a tough question to answer. However, my personal opinion is that
both are required. While proper teaching ensures that young students are getting the
education they need to prepare themselves for future, research works, on the other hand,
help solve practical problems and contribute to the advancement of the country. I also feel
that more students, along with the teachers, should be involved in research works in our
universities.

Q. 5: How should students spend their summer vacations? How do/did you spend it?
Answer: I personally feel that long vacations should be spent wisely. Since students have
more than two months during their summer vacations, they should plan prior to the
vacation to make the best out of it. They can travel for one to two weeks, get involved in
some sort of paid job to gain some practical experience, enrol in skill development courses,
study the subjects they find challenging and can do some voluntary works for the community
they live in.

I usually plan well-ahead of the vacation and so far I have travelled extensively, done some
part-time jobs, read many books, visited my grandparents and taken three skill development
courses including a language course during my summer vacations in my college. Next year I
am planning to visit Italy for a couple of weeks and take a graphic designing course.

Q. 6: What are the advantages of private universities than public universities?

Answer: From my personal experience I can say private universities are more disciplined and
update their curriculum frequently to make the course more useful to the students. The
study environment in a private university is often better as the authority does not allow
politics or such activities there. Many private universities have better labs and research
facilities which is an added advantage. Since they finish the course within the speculated
timeframe, they help students avoid session jam and start their career early. Harvard, Yale,
Stanford, MIT are a few of the world-renowned private universities which have maintained
an excellent academic environment and research works and show how some private
universities could indeed be better than many public universities.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Reading Books.

1. Do you generally read a lot of books or do you prefer watching TV? Why?
2. What kind of books are considered good reads in your opinion?
3. Do you think that people read nowadays as they did in the past?
4. Do you regard famous writers as good role models?
5. If a movie is based on a book, would you prefer to read the book or to watch the film?
Why?
6. How our reading habit changes as we grow up? Why does it happen?

Q. 1: Do you generally read a lot of books or do you prefer watching TV? Why?
Answer: I prefer reading books over enjoying random programmes on television. However,
that does not mean that I hate watching TV. I just feel that reading is a far better habit than
watching TV. Every book gives us the opportunity to learn something new and the time
spent on reading a book is more constructive. I can't say the same for the TV. We often
watch TV to kill our time and end up surfing through channels rather than watching
something meaningful.

Q. 2: What kind of books are considered good reads in your opinion?

Answer: I believe books that are suitable for a reader's age and do not contain any hate
speech or offensive materials are a good choice. Generally speaking, if a book can grab
readers' interest, makes them think, or helps them learn something new then it is a good
read. For me, a captivating story and character development in it are always key indicators
for a good read. However, I often enjoy books simply because they are educative and are
based on real events.

Q. 3: Do you think that people read nowadays as they did in the past?
Answer: I believe we always had readers in our society and we still have who enjoys reading
books more than any other activity. However, the way people read in the past has changed.
We now have digital devices to read books and the Internet to download and read any book
we like. These days the young generation seems more interested in technology than books
but as I have said, we still have a good number of readers who use the technology to read
books of their favourite writers. Online platforms also enable us to express ourselves about a
writer and his/her books more openly.

Q. 4: Do you regard famous writers as good role models?

Answer: If we consider famous writers in general, they are better role models for us than
many politicians, celebrities and athletes. However, we should follow them through their
writings, their contribution to society and their good deeds, not the few who set bad
examples in their personal life. Writers have always inspired us and they still do in numerous
ways. So if we consider famous writers as our role models, we will have more to gain than to
lose.

Q. 5: If a movie is based on a book, would you prefer to read the book or to watch the
film? Why?
Answer: I would not mind both reading the book and watching the movie. However, my
personal experience has taught me that books are better than movies in most of the cases.
To many, watching a movie is more exciting, and interesting visual effects of the film make it
more appealing. However, books can touch a reader more profoundly than the movie. While
movies can bring whole worlds to life before our eyes, make characters into living, books
ignite our imagination and take us to a world unknown to us and the journey allows us to
feel every experience of the characters, thus leaving a lasting impression in our memory. So,
I might skip watching a few good films based on books but would not want to miss those
books.

Q. 6: How our reading habit changes as we grow up? Why does it happen?
Answer: As we grow up, we tend to read more and the reading habit is solely based on our
interests than academic requirements. In our childhood, we are so innocent and thus a fairy
tale can take us to a wonderful mythical world. We want to be like the hero or heroine who
has magical powers to destroy the evil. This is however not the case when we grow up as our
mind gets maturity and it requires more practical ingredients to be challenged and
entertained. Thus in our adulthood, we want to be like a real-life hero who has no
mysterious power but has sheer willpower and determination to face the challenges and
change the world or at least change people around him. Our perspective to view the world
around us changes as we grow up and so does our book choice.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Media & News.

1. How do most people get their news in your country?

2. How do you think people will get their news in the future?
3. Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers?
4. How has TV changed people's lives?
5. What do you think of children watching TV?
6. How has social media changed the way we get and share the news?

Q. 1: How do most people get their news in your country?

Answer: Thank you very much for this question. Most adults in my country rely on
newspapers and television channels for news. However, a good number of office-goers also
visit online news portals to find out the news updates and recent events. Young people
heavily rely on online newspapers and their preferred social networking platform to get such
news.

Q. 2: How do you think people will get their news in the future?
Answer: I think technology will change the way we will get and share news in the future.
Most people will rely on their handheld devices, that are connected to the Internet, as the
primary source of news and information. Traditional newspapers and news channels, on the
other hand, will become less popular in the future because of the time lag between when
something happens and when readers get the chance to read or view them. Since mobile
devices can offer instant updates, they will be a powerful way of getting news updates.
Listening to the preferred type of news by using small devices attached to our ears would
become more popular and the type of news we would like to listen to shall be determined
by our activities and interests.

Q. 3: Do you believe everything you read in the newspapers?

Answer: No, I do not believe everything newspapers publish for the public. That's why I read
newspapers that are mainstream and have strong authority and authenticity. Thus I avoid
reading most of the fabricated and fake news which are usually published in less
authoritative and unreliable newspapers. I am also wary of politically biased and sourceless
news articles that my friends or their friends share on Facebook and Twitter.
Sometimes the process of gathering news is done hastily and irresponsibly, which results in
unreliable information even in the mainstream newspapers. In such cases, I try to verify the
news from other reliable sources. In fact, the forged and made-up news is all around us and
without being watchful and experienced, we can't recognise lies hidden in plain sight.

Q. 4: How has TV changed people's lives?

Answer: If I am asked what is the single most influential invention that has changed people's
lifestyle, my answer would be 'the television'. Television is a mandatory home appliance in
all households in my country. It is a source of education, information, and entertainment for
many. People watch TV to get news, weather updates, learn about foreign cultures, relax
and even plan their next day based on information gained from the TV. They watch TV in the
morning, evening and even before going to bed. TV programmes entertain them, keep them
together in the drawing-room and eliminate many elder's loneliness. TV stars have shaped
fashion, TV advertisements have changed people's purchasing habits and quiz shows have
made many young become more inquisitive. Personally, I believe that television helps to
bring families and communities together.

However, this device has its dark side as well. State TV channels are often the tool for
political propaganda, and people who watch TV too much often suffer from dangerous
diseases like diabetes and obesity.

Q. 5: What do you think of children watching TV?

Answer: I think if children watch educative, entertaining and creative TV programmes then
they can learn from it. However, their parents should monitor what their children watch on
TV and for how long. Watching TV is beneficial for children in some ways as it helps them
relax and become inquisitive. On top of that, some TV programs provide useful academic
knowledge to children. But, if children watch TV all day long, it can harm them both
physically and psychologically. Such children lose their interests in outdoor activities and
become addicted to TV and video games.

Q. 6: How has social media changed the way we get and share the news?
Answer: Social media is an excellent tool that connects people and let us share updates,
news and information with the people we care. It has made it possible not only to read the
news but also to raise our voice and concern. Thus it has made a common platform for
ordinary citizens to express themselves and their opinions about the world. Getting and
sharing interesting news is easier than ever before.

However, people's tendency to share news without verifying authenticity has also made it
chaotic. For instance, half of the news found on such social media is either fake or
fabricated.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Internet.

1. Do most people have a computer at home in your country? What do most people use it
for?
2. Do you think all the information on the internet is true?
3. How can people find reliable information on the internet?
4. How has the internet changed the way we live?
5. How has the internet changed the way we work?
6. Do you think the internet is safe for children to use unsupervised?

Q. 1: Do most people have a computer at home in your country? What do most people use
it for?
Answer: Well, to answer this question, I should first mention that the ownership of
computers is almost ten times higher in cities than that of villages in my country. Thus most
of the families living in a city own at least a computer except for poor people while almost
one in twelve families in rural areas have a computer or a laptop.

The activities on a computer vary based on the users' age group. For instance, children like
to watch cartoons, draw pictures and play games on a computer while teenagers mostly use
the Internet on a computer or laptop to use their favourite social networking websites, find
information to complete their school assignments and for entertainment purposes. Adults
often use a computer to connect to the internet, check emails, learn new software, create
presentations, do online shopping and listen to their favourite music.

Q. 2: Do you think all the information on the internet is true?

Answer: I believe without an authentic source and credible publisher, we should be wary of
information we see or find online. The Internet is an astonishing source of information but
the fake news and fabricated information are all around there. Thus, I would not believe
everything I see online except they are from an authoritative source. For instance, if I find a
piece of information on a website like www.bbc.com, from the official government website
or from a prominent and mainstream online newspaper, I would believe it. However, any
news found on a social networking website like Facebook, or from a dubious website should
always be verified before believing it to be true.

Q. 3: How can people find reliable information on the internet?

Answer: People have to rely on credible websites with many years of reputation,
mainstream online newspapers that are famous, government websites and fact-finding
sources to get authentic information. Anything found on social networking platforms should
always be verified before sharing as these are often targeted by spammers and fake news
producers.
Google Scholar is an excellent place to find academic papers which are real and to be sure if
an image is fake or real someone can take advantages of Google image search feature. The
popular encyclopedia offers real information and they could be trusted. Another excellent
way to filter away the bogus news is to look for the author and publisher's credentials.
Lastly, people should use their common sense. If an offer is too good to be true or if a story
has so many unbelievable facts, people should check further to find out more about it.

Q. 4: How has the internet changed the way we live?

Answer: Honestly speaking, the Internet has revolutionalised the way we live. Many of us
can't believe how the people in the pre-internet era managed to do all their works at home
or at the office! The Intenet allows us to work more proficiently at home, work more
productively at the office and let us communicate with anyone from the far distance of the
world. We make video calls to be in touch with our loved ones, do online shopping,
participate in meeting in another city and even drive our cars with the help of the Internet.
With this technology, we have amazing access to information and they are just a few mouse
clicks away. These days we even do banking online and the need to travel to long distance
for ordinary tasks are no longer required. Thus the present era with the spectacular power
and blessings of the Internet is truly remarkable.

However, there is a downside to this fabulous technology. Our overreliance on the internet
has made us home-centric and we prefer to stay at home rather than going outside and
socialising. This is detrimental for our social and personal life that we often fail to realise.

Q. 5: How has the internet changed the way we work?

Answer: The Internet has dramatically changed the way we work as well. A large number of
people work from home nowadays and the Internet has created thousands of jobs for the
new generation and this has been possible due to the widespread acceptance of this
technology. The Internet allows us to save a huge amount of data and they are easily
accessible at a later date. We use emails, video conferencing, project management software
and blogs and these are essentials for an office these days. Without the Internet, we would
still have to keep track of every calculation with the help of papers and pens and the
mistakes would have been more frequent. Employees in most modern offices have
computers to help them finish a task and learn new things.

Q. 6: Do you think the internet is safe for children to use unsupervised?

Answer: I believe, children should not be allowed to use the Internet without some sort of
supervision from parents. The Intenet is a great source of information and entertainment
but it also contains harmful contents that could psychologically damage children and the
predators often search for children to harm them. Thus parents should either enforce a rigid
parental control on the browser and network-level which would monitor online activities of
children and filter out bad contents or should be present physically when their children use
the Internet. It is not to take away children's freedom but for their safety.

ELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Technology in housework & Technology in the workplace.

1. What kinds of machines are used for housework in modern homes in your country?
2. How have these machines benefited people? Are there any negative effects of using
them?
3. Do you think all new homes will be equipped with household machines in the future?
Why?
4. What kinds of equipment do most workers need to use in offices today?
5. How have developments in technology affected employment in your country?
6. Some people think that technology has brought more stress than benefits to employed
people nowadays. Would you agree or disagree? Why?

[Topic: Technology in housework]

Q. 1. What kinds of machines are used for housework in modern homes in your country?
Answer: Different kinds of home appliances and machines are some of the main features of
all modern homes today, and the modern homes in my country are no exception either.
These machines may include refrigerators, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, dishwashers,
washing machines, and ironing machines. Electric appliances like electric kettles, induction
stoves, blenders and coffee makers are also very common in many, many modern homes in
my country. To deal with extreme heat and extreme cold, many modern homes in my
country also use Air conditioners, room heaters, and geysers (water heaters).

Q. 2. How have these machines benefited people? Are there any negative effects of using
them?
Answer: Machines have benefited people in so many ways that living without them in
today’s world is next to impossible. One of these benefits is that it has increased productivity
and efficiency drastically. Besides, it helps put much less strain on humans by minimizing
human errors. Another benefit is that products become cheaper for consumers since
machines help to produce on a very large scale.

But, machines have some negative effects too. Too much dependency on machines is making
people too lazy. Besides, machines are also causing environmental degradation by releasing
toxic and harmful products into the air and water.

Q. 3. Do you think all new homes will be equipped with household machines in the future?
Why?
Answer: It would actually be hard to predict the preferences and needs of future
homeowners, but given the income and economic disparity around the world today, it would
be fair to assume that not all new homes will be equipped with household machines in the
future. Besides, many people around the world are now slowly but surely beginning to
understand the adverse effects of too much dependency on machines and technology. So,
the chances are that even if many people will have the means and ability to equip their
homes with household machines in future, they will probably hold themselves back from
using them for health and environmental reasons.

[Topic: Technology in the workplace]

Q. 4. What kinds of equipment do most workers need to use in offices today?

Answer: Office workers, like most of us, also want to make their life easy today by using all
kinds of office equipment to get their job done quickly and accurately. Such office equipment
can be divided into two different kinds: one is electronic and the other type is non-
electronic. Some of the electronic office equipment (or “machine” as some might also call
them) today may include computers, laptops, computer monitors, printers, copiers,
scanners, and pen drive/flash memory drives. Non-electronic equipment may include
telephones/PBX systems, filing cabinets, pens, staplers, and calculators.

Q. 5. How have developments in technology affected employment in your country?

Answer: The developments in technology have affected all kinds of employment in my
country in a mostly positive manner. For example, people can search for their preferred jobs
from online job portals, apply online and can even work from home once hired. Moreover,
workers in my country can communicate with their fellow workers in seconds, thanks to the
advancement in communication technologies. Another example is that workers can prepare
any kind of office document today in minutes, which would have taken them hours probably,
if not days, before using the technology. Technology hasn’t only helped in productivity and
efficiency at the workplace, but it also has sustained that increase.

However, technology has affected employment a bit negatively too as it has forced some of
the low-skilled labour forces out of their jobs.

Q. 6. Some people think that technology has brought more stress than benefits to
employed people nowadays. Would you agree or disagree? Why?
Answer: If we were to count the numerous benefits of the technology, we would probably
have to disagree with what the question is trying to insinuate. In fact, it wouldn’t be an
exaggeration to suggest that technology today has actually helped the workers to survive,
and survive long and well, with the others. For example, with the help of technology, they
can finish their work rather quickly so that they can relax a bit more and use that extra time
to spend with their family and loved ones. But that’s just one example. How about the
example of a pilot finding his/her way, with the help of advanced technology, in very adverse
weather conditions to land his/her aeroplane safely? The negative aspects of technology
pertain to our overreliance on technology which we can easily adjust. But the blessings that
technology has brought for us simply could not be replaced with anything else.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Art.

1. Describe the general purpose of art. And say why do people enjoy art?
2. Do you think that art is as important as academic subjects when it comes to educating
children?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of art education?
4. Why do you think some people enjoy looking at paintings and sculptures and others do
not?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an artist?
6. Do you think that some people are naturally better artists than others?

Q. 1. Describe the general purpose of art. And say why do people enjoy art?
Answer: We, humans, are “unique” in our existence and experience. Therefore, it is only
natural that we have our needs and expectation that are unique as well. But among those
unique needs and expectation, that separates us from animals, enjoying art seems to be
something that makes us “truly” unique as humans.

So, what is the general purpose of art? Well, the answer is, art helps us to look at ourselves
little “closer” in a different light by explaining our desire and expectation in more details
which otherwise wouldn’t be possible. With the help of art, we are able to communicate our
social, political, cultural and spiritual ideas in a much more organized manner so that we feel
“challenged” to rethink over the issues and the subjects that are affecting us and our
surroundings on a daily basis.

We enjoy art because it stimulates our hearts and minds to appreciate our lives in a more
positive light. We enjoy art also because it makes us feel “different” by combining our
“unusual motifs” that weave their way into our “subconscious” (or the “hidden” us) and alter
our mood so that we feel free to travel into a different realm.

Q. 2. Do you think that art is as important as academic subjects when it comes

to educating children?
Answer: Pablo Picasso once said that “every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain
an artist once he grows up”. Therefore, offering children the much-needed space to create,
to explore and to express themselves through art is absolutely important so that a holistic
approach to education can be ensured. However, the purpose of art as academic subjects is
not, and should not be, taught just to produce some “world-class artists”, but to provide a
means of exploring feelings and experiences and expressing them beautifully which “words”,
that we use on a regular basis, can’t do alone. This is something that every child can
experience and benefit from. In other words, the children should be able to find the true
value of “art” in the process itself as well, not only in the “end product”.

Q. 3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of art education?

Answer: There are a number of advantages of art education. In fact, many studies suggest
that art education has many social and academic benefits to students as it promotes self-
directed learning and sharpens creative problem-solving skills and critical thinking. The arts
provide challenges for learners at all levels by connecting students with their own culture as
well as with the rest of the world. Studies also suggest that Integrating art education with
other disciplines helps reach the students who otherwise wouldn’t feel “engaged” and
interested in class works.

However, there are some disadvantages to art education as well. Learning art can be time-
consuming and sometimes can take “decade” to succeed in the “business” of art. Another
major disadvantage of art is, people, in general, don’t exactly understand the idea of “art”,
and therefore, don’t exactly learn to “appreciate” art, whether it is drama, painting, or
music, which can be really depressing and de-motivating for the aspiring artists.

Q. 4. Why do you think some people enjoy looking at paintings and sculptures and others
do not?
Answer: The fact, that some people enjoy looking at paintings and sculptures while others
don’t, can be attributed primarily, in my opinion, to how much “art education” one has
received. Besides, this is also an issue of “sensibility” and how emotionally we get triggered
by certain artworks. In fact, there is a theory which explains that because colours, shapes,
sounds and thoughts are all waves form, and the more we are sensitive to these kinds of
waves, the better we can understand an emotional message, considering that a piece of
painting or sculpture essentially is an expression of an emotion, or transmit it. Besides,
another “theory” suggests that most “visually intelligent” people love art while people who
cannot concentrate upon a single detail for more than 10 seconds cannot enjoy art.

Q. 5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being an artist?

Answer: On a metaphysical level, an advantage of being an artist is that he/she has a
heightened sensitivity to the surroundings and being able to nurture it with a childlike
playfulness towards experiences throughout the entire life by having the satisfaction by
creating something “beautiful and special”. But on a practical level, being an artist allows
one to become his or her own “boss” without having to worry about ‘satisfying’ others.

However, one of the major disadvantages of being an artist is that he/she is not financially
solvent most of the times, and he/she has to rely on some other sources of income to
survive. And, as a result, an artist has no or a very limited social life. Another disadvantage of
being an artist is most people don’t take “art” as an actual “profession” which can be equally
demoralizing and frustrating for a person with a sense of “self-respect”.

Q. 6. Do you think that some people are naturally better artists than others?
Answer: Yes, I do think that some people are naturally better artists than others, just like
somebody is better in science and mathematics academically, primarily because of their
genetic structure and disposition towards “creativity”. In fact, it is my opinion that it is the
“genetic disposition” of some children who spent much of their time in their childhood by
engaging in creative activity, whether it was drawing or singing, or whatever that they
enjoyed, in order to develop their skills from the early years of their lives in the process of
play.

Of course, some people would choose to argue that it is their “passion” that drives them to
become “better” artists. But, even if I agree with them to some extent just for the “sake of
debate”, I would still argue that if it is not for their “natural inclination or disposition”, they
wouldn’t be able to turn themselves into some “better” artists.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Eating habits.

1. Tell me about the types of food that people eat in your country.
2. How are the eating habits now in your country different from eating habits in the past?
3. How healthy is your country’s food?
4. Why do you think different cultures have different table manners?
5. How may eating habits change in the coming decades?
6. What one aspect of a foreign tradition you like about their eating habits? Why?

Q. 1. Tell me about the types of food that people eat in your country.
Answer: I guess that it is fair to say we all love to eat, but what we eat largely depends on
where we live, and what kinds of foods are available there to consume. For example, where I
live, our main foods are steam rice and curries- curries that are made with vegetables, meats
and fishes by mixing them with varieties of spices in proper measures. We also eat a lot of
“bread” in combination with curries or some sweets that we like.

Of course, the food, which I just mentioned above, are regular day foods for regular
occasions. When there is a special occasion, we cook foods like “chicken biriyani” or “mutton
biriyani” by mixing a certain kind of long-grain rice, such as basmati with a great aromatic
flavour, with meats of our choice while adding a mixture of freshly-ground spices in it in
order to make the dish even more delicious. Then, there are of course fast foods which we
also enjoy eating on a limited scale.

Q. 2. How are the eating habits now in your country different from eating habits in the
past?
Answer: Traditionally, in the past, people in my country relied heavily on home-cooked food,
such as steam rice, curry and bread along with local fruits and vegetables. But, in the last
couple of decades, we have seen that some “not-so” traditional food items (of course, in the
context of my country’s food habits) such as pasta, pizza, French fries, burgers and
sandwiches, mostly cooked and served at restaurants and fast food places, have also made
their ways into the menu of our regular foods. As a result, we are becoming more and more
“reliant”, especially in the big cities, on fast food instead of home-cooked food which has
ruled our appetite for hundreds of years. We are even ordering for “home delivery” which
was almost impossible to imagine even a decade ago!

Q. 3. How healthy is your country’s food?

Answer: There are some people in the world who eat food “purely” because of their
nutritional values while there are the others who choose to eat their food primarily because
of their “awesome taste” and then for their nutritional values secondarily. For better or
worse, we fall into the category of “food lovers” we eat foods primarily because of their
“awesome taste”, but luckily the type of foods, which we choose to consume in our country,
are not any lesser healthy.

In fact, the only reason, for which I would say that our food is not always as “healthy” as we
would prefer them to be, is that people in my country, in general, like to eat a bit too many
spices in their foods purely because of “additional taste and flavour”. But, other than that, I
am pretty confident that food in my country is pretty healthy because we boil them and cook
them properly.

Q. 4. Why do you think different cultures have different table manners?

Answer: People from different parts of the world with different cultures choose to eat
different kinds of food, and therefore, it is only natural that their table manners would be
different. For Example, the people in China, Japan and much of East Asia relies heavily on
wooden or bamboo-made chopsticks to eat their food, especially rice. And they chose
chopsticks because of Confucius who believed that sharp utensils like knives would remind
eaters of the gruesome way the meat finally made their way into the bowl.

Chopsticks, on the other hand, had dull ends, thus sparing their users from images of the
slaughterhouse. But, the very knives, which got rejected by the people in East Asia on the
ground it would remind the “gruesome” image of the slaughterhouse, became the symbol of
“aristocracy” at the dinner table in medieval Europe probably because they were and still are
used to eating meats and fishes that are usually cut into rather “large pieces” instead of
small ones.

In the same way, people in the Arab world, including Iran, and some parts of Africa like to
eat by making themselves comfortable on the floors, while eating at homes, in order to
uphold one of the many traditions of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon Him). This “sitting
habit” is practised also because people would feel that their stomach is getting full by eating
much less than they would normally like to eat, which is actually in a way healthier than
eating on a table.

Q. 5. How may eating habits change in the coming decades?

Answer: I firmly believe that with “globalization” at such a rapid pace, people will actually
forget about the “idea” eating traditional food as we all will start preparing and enjoying all
kinds of food from different parts of the world. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see that
each and every country in this world is organizing some kinds of international food festivals
or international cooking competition in the coming decades in order to encourage their
citizens to change their food habits so that they don’t have to rely on only one certain kind
of food to “survive” when there is a “famine” or “drought”.

Besides, I also wouldn’t be surprised if most of the people in different parts of the world stop
cooking at home completely because of making fast food available at a very affordable price.
However, at the same time, I wouldn’t also be surprised if we see “obesity” becoming an
epidemic problem or disease all over the world.

Q. 6. What one aspect of a foreign tradition you like about their eating habits? Why?
Answer: I like pretty much all the traditions with regards to eating habits of all countries and
cultures as they all help me to understand and appreciate the “diversities” in our world in a
better way. But one particular tradition, which I really like, is the habit of eating fishes by the
Japanese people. In fact, fish is featured so much prominently on the Japanese food menu
that the average Japanese person consumes more than 154 pounds annually - or about a
half pound a day!

The Japanese are so “mad” about eating fish that they collectively consume 12% of the
world’s fish while accounting for only 2% of the global population. I like this particular habit
because the health benefits of eating fish are just too many to count, and I also happen to
enjoy eating fish too much! Besides, who doesn’t know that fresh, cured, smoked, or salted,
fish, loaded with vitamin A and omega-3 fatty acids, help to protect against various types of
cancer!

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Work.

1. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary when choosing a job?
2. What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
3. Do you think women should be able to do all the same jobs that men do?
4. How has technology changed the way we work?
5. What is the difference between white-collar and blue-collar jobs?
6. What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?

Q. 1. Do you think job satisfaction is more important than salary when choosing a job?
Answer: When it comes to seeking satisfaction from work, the basic philosophy is pretty
simple - get a job that you love and work your way up to earning a lot. But, unfortunately,
life isn’t really that simple, especially, when options are rather limited and the choices vary
greatly from person to person.
I would say that salary is more important to many than their job “satisfaction” from where
they see the life as the more money they have, the better they will be able to take care of
their “needs”. But to me, job satisfaction is far more important than the money I will earn
from my job.

Q. 2. What skills do you think are needed to get a good job these days?
Answer: In the past, we could get good jobs if we have a good degree or certification and a
good result. But, these days, things are a bit tricky when it comes to landing on a good job as
just a good degree and good result are not enough. We need to have some “soft skills” also,
such as great people and communication skills, planning and organizing skills, good team
works, problem-solving skills and great time management skills. On top of that, we also need
to be “connected” to a network of professionals in the same fields in which we are looking
for jobs. Finally, knowledge and skills in technology, especially in computer and internet, are
also important these days to get a good job.

Q. 3. Do you think women should be able to do all the same jobs that men do?
Answer 1: This is a difficult issue to deal with. However, I will be completely honest in my
opinion. I don’t necessarily think that women should be able to do the same jobs that men
do primarily because of their different job expectation, physical built and safety issues from
a job.

Women shouldn’t be really doing works like operating drilling machine to make holes in the
streets nor they should be working in military engineering core to build a bridge overnight.
Women should also not be doing jobs that require them to do some “heavy lifting” or
climbing up to an electric power plant. In fact, I would dare to say that women were not
created to do everything that men can dot but rather, women were created to do everything
that men are not able to do.

Answer 2: There is no doubt that women are just as much capable as men in doing many
jobs, and perhaps sometimes better in some jobs, which are not really that physically
demanding and does not pose threat to women. So I would say a female can do any job that
a man can do. But I also believe that just because women are equally adept to do some jobs
that men can do, they should not take up any jobs especially if the job environment is not
safe for them.

Q. 4. How has technology changed the way we work?

Answer: Technology has changed the way we work by improving things at our workplaces so
much so that it will be literally impossible to work without the help of technology these days.
If we go to talk about communication at our workplaces, we will see how communication
among the employees or management to subordinates or management to management has
become fast, instantaneous, collaborative, and more unified because of technology.

Because of using computer system like project management software, our businesses and
workplaces are way more organized than before as it helps in building, delegating,
reviewing, and assessing a task much more efficiently and thus helping in keeping everything
on track. Businesses, big and small alike, are now able to use science and math more than
ever before, because of using technology, to determine what their customers want, when in
the past, they did this mostly on a “hunch”. There are so many other examples like these.

Q. 5. What is the difference between white-collar and blue-collar jobs?

Answer: In an organization, there are hundreds of people who are distinguished by the
colour of the dress they worn, and the colours of the uniform specify the “type” of jobs
performed by the workers in that organization. Blue-collar jobs in an organization are the
jobs which are taken care of by manual labourers who get an hourly or daily wage, based on
the performance of their works. Blue-collar jobs do not require higher education. However,
a worker should be skilled enough in a specialized field to perform the tasks in an efficient
manner. The jobs may include manufacturing, mining, construction, repairs and
maintenance, installation of machinery and so on.

On the other hands, the white-collar jobs, wherein the employee does clerical works in an
office, without getting their clothes “dirty”, and draws a monthly salary at a fixed rate.
White-collar workers usually have a higher degree or certification.

The difference between blue-collar and white-collar jobs is fading away with the passage of
time due to the low pay scale of the white-collar jobs and high demand for skilled labourers.

Q. 6. What jobs do you think are most valuable to society?

Answer: In my opinion, this is a very “subjective” question because the answer pretty much
depends on the individual needs and preference of a person. In a society, where an engineer
or medical doctor is highly valued, it won’t exactly be able to understand and appreciate the
value of a “trash collector”. Similarly, in a society, where agricultural works are highly valued,
it won’t exactly very much for the profession of a “teacher”. However, if I must name jobs
that are most valuable to society, then I would go for “farming” and “medical doctor”
because both jobs save lives. Farmers save our lives by producing food so that we can eat
while a medical doctor saves our lives by diagnosing the disease and prescribing medicines
for us when our lives are in danger.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Transport.

1. How do most people travel long distances in your country?

2. Have the types of transport people use changed much over the last few decades?
3. What kind of improvement have there been in transport in your country in recent years?
4. Do you think transport is likely to continue to improve in the future?
5. Do you think most people should use public transports? Why/ why not?
6. Why some countries impose higher taxes on car ownership? How is the scenario in your
country?

Q. 1. How do most people travel long distances in your country?

Answer: In Bangladesh, where I live, most people use either buses or trains when travelling a
long distance. Bangladesh has about more than 21,000 kilometres of road, crisscrossed all
over the country while about 3000 kilometres of railway. In the year 2017, almost 75 million
passengers travelled by rail. However, there is a very tiny percentage of wealthy people who
have started to travel by domestic aeroplanes as well. In the past, water transports were
highly used throughout the country but in recent days, the use is restricted to villages only.

Q. 2. Have the types of transport people use changed much over the last few decades?
Answer: As a developing nation, Bangladesh still is heavily reliant on affordable public
transports, but over the last few decades, the country has gradually started to prefer a bit
expensive private transports, such private cars, private minivans and private commercial
buses, over the public transports because of their “easy” availability. This change has taken
place, of course, because of the steady economic growth in the country over the last few
decades. Another significant change, which my country has witnessed in the last few
decades, is that the number of motorbikes has skyrocketed (because of their availability and
affordability) as more and more people are relying on these two-wheeled vehicles in order
to travel short distance rather easily and conveniently.

Q. 3. What kind of improvement have there been in transport in your country in recent
years?
Answer: In recent years, the road and transportation system in Bangladesh has significantly
improved as more wide highways and roads have been built to facilitate the transportation a
greater number of vehicles from one part of the country to another. Major bridges over the
large rivers, connecting one part of the country to another, and elevated expressways have
also been built in order to significantly reduce the travel time and length.

As for the improvements in vehicles, more and more luxurious buses and trains with air
conditioning systems have been added, both in private and public sectors, in order to ensure
the comfort and luxury for the passengers recently. The number of domestic flights of
aeroplanes has also increased significantly over the last few years as more and more
passengers are becoming interested in using aerial routes.

Q. 4. Do you think transport is likely to continue to improve in the future?

Answer: Yes, I have every reason to believe that the improvement in our transportation
sector will continue to improve in the future as the county is well on course to become a
middle-income developed country in the next decade or so. Besides, with the ever-
increasing economic and development activities in the country, Bangladesh has no choice
but to develop its road infrastructures and overall transportation system sooner rather than
later. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if I see that a significant number of people are taking
the aerial routes to travel from one part of the country into another in the near future in
order to save time.

Q. 5. Do you think most people should use public transports? Why/ why not?
Answer: Yes, I think that most people should use public transports, depending on their
availability, as they seem to be more affordable and more reliable in most cases. Besides, in
a developing nation like Bangladesh, allowing private citizens to dominate a particular
service sector almost inevitably will pave the way for “abuse” and “exploitation” of the
existing system in order to “reap off” the citizens financially. On top of that, with more and
more people using public transportation systems, the country will be able to put a “cap” on
the “indiscriminate use” of private transports, even when not needed, in order to prevent
the roads and streets from getting over-crowded. And, as a result of this, we will be able to
keep a “cap” on air pollution as well in our country.

Q. 6. Why some countries impose higher taxes on car ownership? How is the scenario in
your country?
Answer: The primary reason to impose hefty taxes on car ownership is to discourage citizens
from buying and using more and more private cars and to curb air pollution.

The scenario in my country is not much different when it comes to imposing higher taxes on
car ownership. In fact, over the last decade, the number of private cars has increased to such
extent that the government has been forced to put a tax on the ownership of a new car as
high as 300% of the purchasing price in some cases!

This kind of high taxes is only natural in countries where there are a huge number of
travellers with significantly limited road infrastructures as this is how the government of a
country tries to limit the number of private cars on the streets. This should be also a familiar
scenario in countries where there are risks of higher air pollution than its normal danger
level.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Famous Person.

1. Do you think that famous people are generally happier than ordinary people?
2. What qualities does a person need to have in order to be famous?
3. Is it easier or more difficult to achieve fame today than in your grandparents’ time?
4. Describe the ways that famous people influence the public.
5. Do you think more is expected from famous people than ordinary citizens?
6. What types of people become famous in your country? Do you want to be famous?

Q. 1. Do you think that famous people are generally happier than ordinary people?
Answer: The problem with the definition of “happiness” is that it just has no common
definition and meaning that is accepted by all. In fact, every individual chooses to define
happiness in his/ her own unique way the way he/she deems it.

So, are the famous people are generally happier than ordinary people? Well, I would venture
to say that being “famous” has nothing to do with being “happier” simply because
“happiness” is nothing but just a state of mind. Of course, famous people are usually more
satisfied than the average people because their “needs and wants” are easily met at their
wills. But, unfortunately, we tend to confuse ‘satisfaction’ with ‘happiness’. However, does
that necessarily mean that famous people can’t be happier than ordinary people? Well, the
answer is, of course, they can be, but it will be so not because they are “famous”, but
because they just “choose” to remain happy with or without having the “satisfaction” in life
just like the “ordinary” people.

Q. 2. What qualities does a person need to have in order to be famous?

Answer: Becoming a famous and “successful” person is not really easy. But, a person can
become famous in his/her own right by winning against all the challenges and battles,
thrown at him or her, because of carrying certain qualities in his or her life. And, some of
these qualities are 'passion, persistence (or patience), hard works, positive attitude, self-
reliance, self-confidence, integrity and rock-strong willpower'. Of course, a person also
needs to have his or her fair share of “luck” as well in order to become famous. But, of all
these qualities, I would say that “patience” may prove out to be the most important and
decisive factor in attaining the “fame” as one may need to wait a long time to achieve it.
However, it is worth mentioning here that if a person’s sole intention is to become “famous”
by hook or by crook, without necessarily understanding the “value” of it, the “success” will
probably be a very “short-lived” matter for him or her at the end of the day.

Q. 3. Is it easier or more difficult to achieve fame today than in your grandparents’ time?
Answer: Yes, for better or worse, it is easier, generally speaking, to “achieve” fame today
than in our grandparents’ time primarily because today people have more scopes and
opportunities at their disposal to advertise themselves on different kinds of media channels
due to the technological advancements. Besides, we also seem to have “compromised” a lot
with the traditional social and cultural values in becoming famous. In fact, it looks like the
more one can behave “out of the box”, the easier it gets for him or her to be famous. I have
a friend who has more than 80 thousand YouTube followers and he is kind of famous in his
community. It was unheard of during my grandparents' era, thanks to the technological
advancement we have in our modern days.

Q. 4. Describe the ways that famous people influence the public.

Answer: Famous people, be them in sports, politics, cinema, business or whatever, can
influence and inspire people with their talent, hard work, sincerity and styles. Sometimes,
the way famous people lead personal lives, handle problems and relationships, they can
actually set examples for the general public. But, the problem is, sometimes, people tend to
forget about their own responsibilities as they may not be able to accept the mistakes of
their favourite famous person(s). Sometimes, they even try to justify not only the mistakes
of their favourite famous persons but also their own, which can actually be misleading for
the rest of the general public.

Q. 5. Do you think more is expected from famous people than ordinary citizens?
Answer: Yes, I do think that more is expected from famous people than ordinary citizens as
being famous usually mean that they have more “power” and “influence” to accomplish
good things economically, socially and culturally in order to help the average people with no
or very limited “power”. Famous people also have the power to communicate or to reach a
large segment of ordinary citizens as they are the leaders to their followers more often than
not. Therefore, it is only natural for the ordinary citizen to expect that famous people
must have a good sense of responsibility to guide their followers towards a better life.

Q. 6. What types of people become famous in your country? Do you want to be famous?
Answer: People, who work in the film industry and play sports, usually become famous in
my country rather quickly. And politicians don’t really lag very far behind them either.
However, the difference is, in my opinion, the famous people in the film industry and sports
are “famous” because most of the average citizens genuinely like them because of their
creativities and performance while people “like” the famous politicians out of “fear”.

Yes, I would like to be famous one day, but I am certainly not looking to be famous
“overnight” as many of the “so-called” famous people these days who have pretty much
changed the “rules of the game” for worse.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Holiday.

1. Why do you think people go on holiday?

2. How important is it for families to go on holiday together?
3. Why do some people go on holiday alone?
4. What kind of holidays will be popular in the future?
5. Is it better to take a holiday in your own country or in a foreign country? Why?
6. What problems can people have on holiday in a foreign country?

Q. 1. Why do you think people go on holiday?

Answer: Life is too short to spend in doing the same things over and over again for all of our
lives and become “bored” to death. The only way we can get rid of this “boredom” is to do
something different from time to time, and there just seems to be no better way of doing
this than going on holidays. So, people go on holidays to enjoy their lives a little and have
some fun as it helps them to reduce their stress and increase the level of immunity. In fact,
some reports suggest that people, who do not take vacations, have a 21% higher risk of
death from all causes. When you go on holidays, you become more positive about your life
and surroundings around you as you get exposed to new environments, different human
behaviours, cultures and diverse ways of doing things. In other words, going on holidays
serve for you as an unstructured education for you where you absorb “treasures of lessons”
which is not possible to gain otherwise.

Q. 2. How important is it for families to go on holiday together?

Answer: It is absolutely important for families to go on holidays together because when
working or doing something, we tend to compromise on our relationships, especially within
our families. In fact, as “work deadlines” take priority in our lives, we usually miss out on
family gatherings and regular bonding opportunities. Now, if we wait for our retirements to
compensate for our lost time and opportunities, we will have to wait for a long, long time.

But, luckily we can make up for those lost time and opportunities by going on holidays with
our families together by carefully planning them whenever we get an opportunity. In other
words, we should never underestimate the power of holidays as a very good way to create
an even stronger bond with our families even if it means to spend an hour enjoying a family
meal together.

Q. 3. Why do some people go on holiday alone?

Answer: Some people go on holiday mainly because travelling alone can be an incredibly
liberating experience with the freedom to do exactly what you want to do, when you want
to do, and how exactly you want to do. If you go on holiday alone, there will be no
arguments, no compromises and no worrying about which place to visit and what foods to
eat. Some people also prefer to go solo because they just don’t like to put up with some
“annoying” habits of their fellow travellers.

Q. 4. What kind of holidays will be popular in the future?

Answer: We can debate all we want on what kind of holidays will be popular in the future,
but one thing is for sure that some are going to be real “hi-tech” and much more “luxurious”
than what it is in the present days. Interestingly, the popular UK newspaper, The Guardian,
published a news article in 2014 on what kind of holidays would be popular in the future (in
2024, to be precise) in which it predicted that travellers will “have no need to encounter a
single human being” from the moment they check into the hotel to the moment when they
check out! In other words, robots will do the job. In fact, hotel rooms will be transformed
into digital, hyper-interactive spaces in which even the pillows will be “embedded” with an
electronic device(s) to massage your neck and wake you up in the morning! Now, if that
wasn’t enough surprising for you, please wait till you read what else the newspaper had to
say! Anyway, it went on saying that “the walls will display high definition images of your
friends and family, hologram personal trainers will hang out with you and the shower will
use sound technology to “agitate” dirt from your body, using a traffic light system to indicate
when you’re clean enough to get out.” Sounds pretty cool! Doesn’t it!

Q. 5. Is it better to take a holiday in your own country or in a foreign country? Why?

Answer: I would say that I would prefer to take a holiday in my own country since my
country has pretty much everything from blue and beautiful oceans to mountains and from
snow to plenty of green spaces and plenty of unique architectures. In fact, my country is
among the top 10 visited countries in the world with more than 30 million travellers visiting
it every year. So, I would rather be interested to see my own beautiful country than some
distant foreign lands. Besides, I would certainly feel more comfortable and secured when
having holidays in my own country. On top of that, I haven’t also travelled to most areas and
locations in my own country since it has a rather large area. So, if I visit some of those
locations, the chances are I will get to see something very unique right here in my own
country without ever needing to see them in another country. Of course, I have nothing
against visiting another country, but, given what I already have in my country, I would always
prefer my own country as a popular holiday destination over others.

Q. 6. What problems can people have on holiday in a foreign country?

Answer: People can have a number of problems, especially if they don’t know the language
of the locals, when enjoying a holiday in a foreign country. For example, you may lose your
important stuff, or you yourself might get lost in the process of travelling from one place to
another, and you would be in real trouble if you couldn’t communicate your problems
properly to the locals. You would also have trouble getting used to the food of a foreign land
no matter how “exotic” and delicious they may sound. However, the biggest problem of
having holidays in a foreign country would be getting really sick. With no family or close
friends (considering that you are travelling alone) and no proper health insurance policy,
your life could be in real danger in a foreign country if you were ever to fall sick.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Technology.

1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of modern technology.

2. In what ways has technology changed your society?
3. How has technology changed the way we communicate?
4. How has technology changed the nature of long-distance relationships?
5. What are the limitations of technology when it comes to interpersonal relationships?
6. How could technology be considered a hindrance for us? Can we overcome it?

Q. 1. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of modern technology.

Answer: Modern technology today is an integral part of our lives, and therefore, we will
have to live with it whether we like it or not.

Among the advantages of modern technology, I can say that it has made our lives much
easier than it used to be ever before a few decades ago. It has revolutionized our production
systems in all kinds of businesses and industries by increasing the output, quality and
efficiency at all levels. The advancement in the communication technology, with the advent
of the internet, has made communication among us so easy and fast that we can actually
talk to each other on video even if we are a world apart from each other. Besides, modern
technologies also made it pretty easy for us to get access to virtually any kind of information
at any time and anywhere through smart gadgets like the iPad, iPhone, Galaxy tablets and
etc. Finally, the use of modern technology has also made it very easy for us to travel long
distances really fast. In fact, nowadays, we can travel a 10 miles distance within just a few
minutes, if not any lesser, by using electric trains, aeroplanes and fast cars which were
almost impossible even a few decades ago.

On the other hand, one of the greatest disadvantages of using modern technology is it
makes us “idle” to a point that we don’t even make an effort to do a calculation as simple as
adding or subtracting and use a calculator to do it. But the problem with such “inaction” is
that we are actually killing some of our memory cells in our brain. Modern technology is also
being used to bring deaths and destruction upon this earth as it helps in building such
advanced new war weapons that it was even impossible to imagine them even a few
decades back. Finally, as most technological discoveries aim to reduce human efforts, it
would only mean that more work is done by machines instead of humans. And as a result,
more and more people are losing their jobs to machines as processes are becoming
automated, and humans just can’t compete with such processes.

Q. 2. In what ways has technology changed your society?

Answer: For better or worse, technology has changed our society in the way we are earning
our livings and the way we interact with each other. It also has changed our “mobility”.
Nowadays, because of technology, we don’t rely on just one source of income, and as a
result, society has become more “affluent” than in the past. Another remarkable change,
that has taken place in our society for good, is that we can travel to any place at any time
without wasting our time. Besides, with the advancement of information technology such as
the internet and smartphones, my small society feels like it has suddenly become a part of a
“much bigger global community”.

Q. 3. How has technology changed the way we communicate?

Answer: Technology pretty much has changed each and every aspect of our lives, but
perhaps it is safe to say that it has changed the way we communicate with each other the
most with the advent of the internet, mobile phones and smart gadgets.

Technology has indeed proved the age-old saying “talk is cheap”- so cheap that we talk to
each other by using our phones pretty much always, whether we are staying close to each
other or far apart, even when we don’t need it. We have also become lazy to walk even 100
feet or a few minutes these days if we are in need to communicate something to our friends
or families since we can do the same in seconds just by pushing a button on our phones. But,
if we are not in a mood or feel really lazy to “talk” sometimes, we simply leave or send a
message on social media networks and “messenger” to inform others about our “status”.
Finally, technology has made communication really “personal” as we can see each other on
live video while communicating, no matter where we live with the use of the internet.
Q. 4. How has technology changed the nature of long-distance relationships?
Answer: Technology has changed the nature of long-distance relationships mostly for the
better. In the past, we would have to rely on “postal mails”, or expensive “long-distance”
calls from our land phones, to communicate with each other. But even that was not always
possible due to the limited “infrastructure” necessary to ensure these services efficiently.
But, with the improvement in the communication infrastructure and communication
technologies, such as internet and smartphones, we can not only communicate with each
other in seconds, but we can actually see each other live on video, even if we live in another
corner of the world. So, by the way, we wouldn’t be really very surprised if we see one day
that the ‘postal mails” are being preserved in a museum as a “thing of the past”.

Q. 5. What are the limitations of technology when it comes to interpersonal relationships?

Answer: Continuing a healthy “interpersonal relationship” is very important for our overall
wellbeing. But, unfortunately, modern technology has affected our lives rather negatively by
taking the all-important “emotion” away from us to a large extent. In fact, with the
advancement of technology, we have become so busy and “robotic” that we don’t even care
to say “hello” to the closest members of our families, let alone spending some quality
“family time” with them. As a result, the “personal ties and bonds” are becoming very loose
with our family members, especially when it comes to the elderly ones, and friends which
certainly doesn’t augur well for the wellbeing of our society.

Q. 6. How could technology be considered a hindrance for us? Can we overcome it?
Answer: Modern technology can be considered as an impediment for us when we are
relying too much on it. In fact, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to suggest that technology is
limiting our potentials and growth, as humans, both physically and mentally. For example,
before the advancement of modern technology, we used to walk to a local grocery shop, in
order to buy our groceries, which was certainly good for our health and minds (since we
could feel more closed to our natural surroundings). But, now, we simply ride in our vehicles
to do the same task because we just feel too lazy to get out of our comfort zone. The end
result of such “laziness”? The answer is “Obesity” with a big “O”!

However, the greatest, and also the most dangerous at the same time, in my opinion,
hindrance is that we have actually started to believe that without technology, we just won’t
be able to survive. In other words, we are leaving ourselves to the “mercy” of technology,
and if, God forbids, it ever stops working, our very existence, as a human race, will be at
stake. So, can we overcome this hindrance? Yes, we sure can if we just reduce our reliance
on technology a little and make ourselves a bit more “active” both physically and mentally.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Decision Making.

1. Why do some people find it hard to make decisions?
2. How important is it to get advice from other people when making decisions?
3. Why is it sometimes difficult to accept advice?
4. What are some of the most important decisions young people have to make?
5. Do you agree that parents should make important decisions for their children?
6. Is it better to make a decision thinking about what you want or thinking about what other
people want?

Q. 1. Why do some people find it hard to make decisions?

Answer: Why do some find it really troublesome to make decisions? Well, they are probably
of “libra’ zodiac sign! Well, putting that little joke aside, I really wish that the answer to this
question was a simple one, but unfortunately, it isn’t. However, I would like to attribute such
“indecision” mostly to the “fear” of what kind of outcomes we would come up with after the
decision was made and implemented, simply because we humans, in general, are fearful of
the “unknown” even at a time when the “odds’ are very much in favour of some positive
results. Making decisions for some people becomes hard also probably because they are just
not good enough in gathering all the necessary data and information to make an “informed”
decision.

Q. 2. How important is it to get advice from other people when making decisions?
Answer: It is very important, in my opinion, to receive advice from other people always,
when making decisions, primarily because it would help one become familiar with an array
of ideas and possibilities with regards to the kinds of outcomes he/she would need to
expect. Besides, when we are opened to receiving advice from others, the chances are that
we would be able to learn about the outcomes when somebody took the same kind of
decisions in the past. Finally, we should be opened to receive advice from others, when
making decisions, even if they don’t serve our purposes in the present since there is always a
chance that they would benefit us in the future.

Q. 3. Why is it sometimes difficult to accept advice?

Answer: It is difficult to accept advice sometimes for some people mainly because of an
inherent human characteristic called “ego”. It is because of this “ego”, we sometimes fail to
see the “truth” just as we fail to accept advice. In other words, we feel that we know
“better” than others and that accepting advice from other people will “belittle” us in front of
them. Of course, it also has something to do with the “reliability and trustworthiness” of the
persons who are offering advice.

Whether a piece of advice will be accepted or not depend largely also on the “location”
where the advice is being offered. For example, if we want to advise a person on not do
something while he is terribly busy with his works at his office, the chances are that he won’t
pay any attention to that advice.
Q. 4. What are some of the most important decisions young people have to make?
Answer: Young people are not “exempted” from making important decisions just because
they are called “young”. In fact, they also have to make some important decisions in their
lives such what kind of career path to choose; what kinds of subjects to study at universities,
or when to get married and start a family. Finally, what kind of “financial” habit and “health”
habit to practice is also a very important decision, along with the decisions above I just
mentioned, for young people to make if they want to live happy and healthy for the rest of
their lives.

Q. 5. Do you agree that parents should make important decisions for their children?
Answer: Parents should make important decisions, in consent with the inputs and opinion of
the children, for their children until they reach their “adulthood”. But once they are grown
up and ready to leave the “nest”, parents should leave their children alone to make
important decisions on their own. If the parents don’t allow their children to make
important decisions, they will probably never learn how to take “risks’ in life and live on their
own. In fact, parents should always encourage their children to make decisions even if their
children are reluctant to do so. After all, parents will never be around them forever to help
their children out during crucial times.

Q. 6. Is it better to make a decision thinking about what you want or thinking about what
other people want?
Answer: Yes, it is always better to make a decision thinking what I really want instead of
worrying about what others really want primarily because it will be me who will have to live
with whatever decision I make for the rest of my life one way or another. Of course, it never
harms to consult with the people, we love or care for, and ask them what they also want,
from time to time in order to bring them on board with my decision, but the decision will
always be mine based on what I really want.

One thing, which is worth mentioning here, is that one doesn’t worry what others want, not
because he/she has total disregards for others, but because it would be easier for the
decision-maker to achieve his/her goal rather easily since he/she is so intimately involved
with the decision made.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Natural environment.

1. Why is it important to protect the natural environment?

2. What environmental problems are common in your country?
3. What can the government in your country do to deal with those problems?
4. What technological innovations should the world develop to protect the environment?
5. Do you think the youth these days care about the environment? Why do you think so?
6. Environmental problems are too big to be dealt at the individual level? Do you agree?
Why/ Why not?
Q. 1. Why is it important to protect the natural environment?
Answer: The natural environment is probably the most important resource around us as it
pretty much protects and governs our lives by providing us with whatever we need to
survive. It provides us with food, water, oxygen, power, energy and many, many other
things. It also helps us to live a healthy life by clearing the pollution of our atmosphere.
Finally, it is important to protect the natural environment around us in order to maintain the
biodiversity (having varieties of plants and animal species) for the overall well-being of our
planet. Our very existence in this world is dependant on the natural environment we live in.
So we should take every step possible to protect it for our own survival.

Q. 2. What environmental problems are common in your country?

Answer: There are a number of common environmental problems in my country. To start
with, a certain part of my country is turning into a “semi-desert”, due to the lack of water,
where temperatures are rising. Besides, the number of forests, as well as the number of
some rare species of animals in them, is also getting reduced alarmingly, threatening to
destroy the biodiversity of my country. Finally, our lands and waters also are becoming
increasingly polluted with plastic products and other harmful substances because of the
unavailability of proper waste disposal systems.

Q. 3. What can the government in your country do to deal with those problems?
Answer: The government can do plenty in my country to deal with these problems. First,
they can completely ban the use of plastic products and replace them with some
environmental-friendly products. It can also offer some incentives for not using these
harmful products. The government can also take the necessary steps to plant more and
more trees to make up the loss of forests while improving the waste disposal systems in
order to reduce the land and water pollution. However, it is also important to understand
that the government alone is not able to deal with these environmental problems
successfully unless it takes concrete steps to raise public awareness about the dangers of
environmental pollutions.

Q. 4. What technological innovations should the world develop to protect the

environment?
Answer: Technology has fundamentally changed the way we live and work, and so, it is
about time that we develop and use technological innovations to protect our environment
also. For example, “advanced remote sensing technologies” can help us plan, monitor and
evaluate the impacts of building “extractive” industries, involving “extraction” of raw
materials from the earth, in the ecologically-sensitive areas. In the same manner, “drone”
technology can help us monitor the health of our forests and wildlife in some remote and
otherwise inaccessible areas. Finally, we can also use AI (artificial intelligence) driven
technologies to carry out our environmental conservation efforts by having much more
precise information on the extreme climate changes, affecting our earth’s environment
negatively.
Q. 5. Do you think the youth these days care about the environment? Why do you think
so?
Answer: No, I don’t really think that the youth these days like to care about the
environment primarily because they are just too pre-occupied with either enjoying the
comforts and luxuries of their lives or running to “acquire” them as if there is no tomorrow.
In fact, German “Federal office for the Environment” conducted a survey in 2016 and found
out that just 21 per cent of 14- to-25-year-olds believed that an intact natural environment
and the chance to enjoy it were important parts of having a "good life". Besides, it is also
possible that the electronic media, along with the authorities, today are not exactly doing a
good job in raising the awareness of taking care of the environment among the youth.

Q. 6. Environmental problems are too big to be dealt at the individual level? Do you agree?
Why/Why not?
Answer: Yes, I have no doubt in my mind that environmental problems are too big to deal
with at the individual level simply because they don’t have the required resources,
knowledge and the technologies to solve the problems of such big magnitude. Besides, there
is no boundary between our rivers, forests, earth’s atmosphere, as well as the air, we
breathe. Therefore, no matter how hard, some individuals, in some parts of a country or the
world, are trying to clean up their “environment”, if it is not “coincided” and “coordinated”
with the others somewhere else, then the chances are that it is doing no good. And,
unfortunately, “coordination” is something which can’t be “enforced” without the
governments’ active involvement in such cases.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Leadership and politics.

1. Do you think people are born to be leaders? Why/ Why not?

2. Can leadership skills be taught? Why/ Why not?
3. Why are elected politicians often so unpopular?
4. What should a leader do to remain popular?
5. Do you think unelected heads of state are a good idea? Why/ Why not?
6. In your opinion what qualities a political leader should have?

Q. 1. Do you think people are born to be leaders? Why/ Why not?

Answer: No, I don’t really like to think that people are born to be leaders. Rather, leaders
are made by the circumstances one lives in as well as the people one likes to identify with.
Of course, it takes some special skills and “abilities”, which may or may not be inherited, to
become leaders, but one has to work really hard to master those ‘skills and abilities’.
However, just mastering those skills and abilities are not enough either as one would also
need to put those skills and abilities to proper use in order to overcome the right challenges
at the right times to be considered as “leaders”.
Q. 2. Can leadership skills be taught?Why/ Why not?
Answer: Yes, I do think that “leadership” skills, just like any other skills, can be taught and
learned because “leaders” are not a different bred of people, nor they are “born” as leaders.
However, the difference between the “prospective” leaders and the others is that the
prospective leaders make a huge stride and are motivated to climb the ladder of success in
order to help others and lead in an organization where everybody else fails. Of course, some
people have some natural leadership skills and qualities, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that
others can’t achieve them with hard work and dedication.

Q. 3. Why are elected politicians often so unpopular?

Answer: Well, I can provide at least “trillions” of reasons for which many elected politicians
are often so unpopular. But, I will mention here only a few of them to save the so-called
politicians some “embarrassments” except, of course, they just have no “shame”. Oops! It
looks like I've just mentioned one of the reasons! Anyway, to continue, politicians are often
so unpopular because they have some “unparallel” abilities to “lie” to their teeth as long as
they are “awake”. Finally, they are often so despised because they are “financially
corrupted”, and they can go to any length in order to oppress the poor and silence their
“critiques”. They often fail to fulfil the promises they themselves make to ordinary citizens
and amass wealth in unfair ways. Once elected, these politicians forget their responsibilities
and exercise power for their own benefits while ignoring the wellbeing of the mass people.

Q. 4. What should a leader do to remain popular?

Answer: Remaining popular for a leader is a very tricky business because the very reasons,
for which they are popular at a certain point of time, can make them unpopular at other
times also. But, generally speaking, a leader has to understand the ‘pulse’ of his or her
supporters most of the time. He also has to be honest about how he chooses to fight for the
causes of his support base. Besides, a leader has to make sure that he doesn’t earn his livings
by corruption or by “flexing” his muscle in order to remain popular. Finally, a politician has to
work really hard to deliver on his promises in order to remain popular.

Q. 5. Do you think unelected heads of state are a good idea? Why/ Why not?
Answer: Honestly speaking, I really think that it is a great idea to put unelected officials as
the heads of the states as long as there is solid transparency in accountability. The election
in these days can be rigged easily, and, as a result, it is very possible that the real “winners”
or elected officials are not exactly getting the chances to hold the office. However, it
wouldn’t really be so bad itself if not so much money and time were invested in holding
these elections. Besides, in some “developing” countries, we also witness a lot of violence
during the election times which can actually divide an entire nation.

Q. 6. In your opinion what qualities a political leader should have?

Answer: In order to be a good political leader, a person has to have some common qualities
which may include patience, fairness, commitment, and good educational qualification to
understand the different situation dynamics, and the ability to arouse the public passion in a
positive way. Besides, a political leader should also have the quality to connect with his
supporters on a grass root level so that he is able to know about what makes his supporters
happy and what makes them unhappy. Finally, he also has to be honest and dedicated to the
causes of bringing solutions to the problems, not only for his supporters but also for those
people who don’t support him.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Life experience.

1. Do you agree that we learn best from our mistakes?

2. What’s the best way to gain experience in life? Why is so?
3. Can we gain life experience from books and movies? Why/ Why not?
4. Which is more important, experience or potential? Why?
5. What experience do you wish you had gained? Wh do you think so?
6. Why do some people fail to learn from their experience?

Q. 1. Do you agree that we learn best from our mistakes?

Answer: People say that the mistakes we make are our best teachers because they can
teach us many things. In fact, some of the most important life lessons, we would ever learn,
will be from our mistakes or bad decisions. So, I do agree with the suggestion that we learn
best from our mistakes, only if we choose to learn from them, by not committing the same
mistakes in the future. However, whether we learn best from our mistakes or not depends a
lot on how much damage is inflicted upon us. If we are made to “pay” very little or nothing
for our mistakes, the chances are that we will never learn from our mistakes.

Q. 2. What’s the best way to gain experience in life?

Answer: Well, in my opinion, the best way to gain experience is to do some
experimentations, and take some calculated risks and random decisions even when we know
that we would probably “fail” in some real-life situations. And, as we make those little
experimentations or make random decisions, we can reflect on the outcomes or
experiences, whether we fail or succeed, so that when we face the same kinds of situation in
the future, we exactly know from our previous experiences as to what kinds of adjustment
are needed, if any at all, in order to get the best possible results. If we never try, we will
never know what we are good at and without trying we can never gain any experience.

Q. 3. Can we gain life experience from books and movies? Why/ Why not?
Answer: No, we can’t really gain life experiences from books and movies mainly because
one actually has to live through real-life situations in order to gain experience. No doubt that
books and movies can present some real stories and experiences of individuals in a very
rational and realistic manner except, of course, the problem is each and every person in this
world is different with different mindsets, skills, abilities and talents. Therefore, just because
one individual experiences something in a certain situation, it doesn’t necessarily mean that
another person will experience the same thing in the same manner.
Q. 4. Which is more important, experience or potential? Why?
Answer: I would say that "experience" is more important than "potential" at any time of the
day. Having experience usually means that a person has the proven track records of getting
things done. Having experience, more often than not, makes somebody confident about
doing something very challenging in adverse condition. Besides, having experiences helps
somebody to make wise decisions, especially when facing difficult choices. Finally,
experience makes someone mature and respected, and as a result, others around him feel
confident enough to follow his lead. On the contrary, "potential" of a person is often
unexplored and untested unless a really good mentor or our confidence bring it to work.

Q. 5. What experience do you wish you had gained? Wh do you think so?
Answer: Well, I am lucky that I really have some great experiences in my life, but more is
always better. Isn’t it? So, sometimes, I really wish that I had the experience of travelling at
least two to three countries from each continent in order to experience what this beautiful
world has in store for us. Besides, I also want to be able to write on my own travel
experiences as well in my own website, which I am planning to launch in near future, in
addition to the experiences of other travellers in my country. Besides, I wish I were able to
write the way some good writers can tell their stories.

Q. 6. Why do some people fail to learn from their experience?

Answer: Some people fail to learn from their experience probably because they are too
arrogant to understand they can also learn something, well, from “anything” or “anybody”.
Then, there are some other people who fail to learn from their experiences because the
experiences are probably too “embarrassing” for them sometimes, and as a result, they just
don’t like to remember any part of it. Finally, some people don’t learn from their
experiences because they like to “justify” them, no matter how “undesirable” the
experiences really are, by essentially blaming the others for their own experiences and fate.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Influence of television.

1. How popular is watching television in your country?

2. Tell me about the types of programmes that are generally on television in your country.
3. Why do people like watching television?
4. Which one do you think is better - state or private television? Why?
5. What effects can watching television have on children?
6. How TV programmes differ now than that of 10 years ago?

Q. 1. How popular is watching television in your country?

Answer: Watching television is very popular in my country because it is one of the two
major traditional media (the other one is “movie theatres”) which offers entertainment to
our people. In fact, it is very hard to find a household in my country which doesn’t have at
least one TV, if not more, in it. Even stores, businesses, and offices in my country have
televisions so that people and workers get to enjoy some news and entertainment in order
to relax a little during their break times.

Q. 2. Tell me about the types of programmes that are generally on television in your
country.
Answer: There are all kinds of programs on television in my country which are watched
fairly on a regular basis. These programs include hourly news programs, political talk shows,
musical programs, education quiz shows, movie shows, documentary programs, magazine
shows, dance shows, cooking shows, drama serials, travel adventure programs, sports
shows, and agricultural shows.

Q. 3. Why do people like watching television? Why?

Answer: People like to watch television because it helps them to unwind from a stressful
day. It also allows them to spend some quality times with their loved ones and families while
watching some entertaining and funny shows, sports and comedy movies, with them. People
like to watch television also because they want to remain informed about what’s happening
in their parts of the world as well as the rest. Finally, they also want to educate themselves
by watching some educational programs in order to connect with the world on an
intellectual level.

Q. 4. Which one do you think is better - state or private television? Why?

Answer: I would say that state television is better primarily because they have a more
diverse program set in order to engage their audiences. Besides, state TV channels usually
exercise better caution and jurisprudence in airing the “controversial” programs so that they
don’t spark any further controversy. Finally, state TV is funded by the general public, and as
a result, the programs, it usually broadcasts, are lesser biased and more objective (unless, of
course, it is controlled by the government for “propaganda” purposes) than private TV since
it has to rely heavily on private funding.

Q. 5. What effects can watching television have on children?

Answer: Television watching can affect children both negatively and positively. Talking
about positive effects, it entertains them and educates them by giving them a chance to
learn about the world they live in. Television watching can also expose the children to new
cultures and new ideas so that they learn to respect and love others, no matter how
different they really are. It is also beneficial for them to learn a second language. However,
television watching can also prevent children from enjoying healthy activities like playing
sports with their friends. As a result, they may end up becoming “unsocial”. Besides, it also
affects children’s studies, grades, behaviour patterns, sleep and weights in a negative
manner.

Q. 6. How TV programmes differ now than that of 10 years ago?

Answer: In my opinion, we certainly have more TV programs today than that of 10 years
ago, but the overall quality of the programs has gone down. TV programs today focus more
on “glamour” and commercialization than the actual messages or substances than what it
used to be 10 years ago. Finally, they also contain more “nudity”, “violence” and “vulgarity”
than what we saw before 10 years ago.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Retirement and old age.

1. At what age should people retire from work? Why do you think so?
2. What problems can people face after their retirement?
3. How important are retirees to your country’s economy? Why/ Why not?
4. When should you start saving for retirement?
5. Why do some companies encourage early retirement?
6. Do you think the state should take responsibility for retirees who worked in private
companies rather than government organisation?

Q. 1. At what age should people retire from work? Why do you think so?
Answer: If it were me, I would choose to “retire” at an early age, with the required financial
security of course, primarily because it would allow me to do and enjoy the things when I
would still remain “healthy and active” both mentally and physically. Besides, the issue of
the “retirement age” becomes a bit irrelevant as long as someone is enjoying his or her
works/activities unless, of course, a company or organization has the policy of enforcing a
strict “deadline” for retirement. Anyway, ideally, if a person enters his career at the age of
25 and spends his time wisely and efficiently, then he should be good to “retire” at 50, which
would allow him a good 10 year to enjoy his life before starting to consider him as a “senior”
citizen at an age of 60.

Q. 2. What problems can people face after their retirement?

Answer: It all depends on how people choose to face “retirement”. However, people usually
face two major problems after their retirement: one is related to “finance”, and the other
one is “health”, both physical and mental. We all know that once people retire, they usually
struggle to meet their financial needs since the source of a “steady” income dries up.
Besides, they also suffer from health-related issues because they become physically “old”
and “inactive”. Now, of course, we can debate whether one feels “old” because of becoming
“physically inactive” or become “physically inactive” because of getting “old’, but one thing is
for sure that their “mental health” deteriorate rapidly because they feel that they are not
“useful” for their families and society anymore.

Q. 3. How important are retirees to your country’s economy? Why/ Why not?
Answer: The retirees are considered to be an important component of my country’s
economy primarily because they help keep our economy running by saving their money little
by little which then, in turn, get used by our government for different kind of development
works. Besides, many retirees in my country just don’t sit “idle”, and, instead, choose to use
their wealth of past work experiences to generate some incomes for themselves and their
families which certainly contribute to the growth of our economy. However, some will argue
that the retirees are some kind of “drag down” for our economy because they collect money
from the government, but they forget that it’s their money, and the government is just
supposed to “manage” them.

Q. 4. When should you start saving for retirement?

Answer: Well, the act of saving for retirement should start as soon as people start to earn,
ideally speaking of course. But, unfortunately, we are not exactly living in an ideal world
where our all financial needs are met just the way, we like. Therefore, saving, sometimes,
can be the last thing in our minds which we really worry about. Besides, when we are young,
we tend to be “carefree”, and we also want to enjoy our lives to the “fullest” by spending
whatever money we have. As a result, we can’t, more often than not, really save any money
despite our best efforts and intention when we are young and “restless”. Nevertheless,
saving should always be a priority for us, and as such, we should get on it as soon as it is
convenient for us.

Q. 5. Why do some companies encourage early retirement?

Answer: Some companies “encourage” early retirement for a number of reasons. For
example, they may want to make rooms for younger candidates with fresh and more
dynamic ideas. Some companies also would encourage early retirement because they want
to cut cost by getting rid of highly paid employees. Finally, some companies promote early
retirement also because they have hit their “financial goals” and that they are not expecting
any more growth for their companies. However, these kinds of early retirement are not
necessarily so bad because they usually involve good “financial incentives”.

Q. 6. Do you think the state should take responsibility for retirees who worked in private
companies rather than government organisation?
Answer: Yes, the state should have a responsibility in taking care of retirees of the private
companies in some capacity primarily because they also contribute to the economy of a
country. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the private retirees are also “paid” by the
government just like the government retirees, but rather the government should extend its
helping hands to private company retirees also in order to ensure a “minimally secured
financial future” for them should the private companies fail to do so. After all, it is also the
responsibility of the government to encourage, if not “force”, the private companies to take
care of their ‘retirees’ in whichever capacity they can afford.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Photography.

1. Is it easy to take good photographs? Why/ Why not?

2. What are the pros and cons of digital photography?
3. Should people share their photographs online? Why/ Why not?
4. When can an image be worth a thousand words?
5. Is a photograph a reliable form of identification? Why/ Why not?
6. Is it necessary to take a course to become a good photographer? Why/ Why not?

Q. 1. Is it easy to take good photographs? Why/ Why not?

Answer: Well, from my own experience, I can say that it is never really easy to take good
photographs mainly because there are just so many things which come into play when trying
to take excellent photographs. In fact, one has to have perfect ideas about things like proper
exposure, building rapport with the subjects in order to find the perfect angle, lens focal
length selection, the right aperture white balance and composition, among other things, to
take good photographs. However, as if it is not already difficult enough, one also has to
understand, what really works in what situation, in order to take an excellent photo.

Q. 2. What are the pros and cons of digital photography?

Answer: Digital photography has become the norm today than the exception when
capturing any images, primarily because they offer better quality pictures. Besides, cost and
times are also significantly reduced when taking digital photographs as there is no film costs,
no processing and proof costs, and no unnecessary printing costs if not needed. So, the end
result is an ‘instant’ opportunity to view pictures right after taking them. Finally, another
great advantage of digital photography is that one can have complete and instant control
over the pictures, especially, if he/she wants to edit them on a computer with some imaging
software. However, digital photography is not as good as film camera in capturing motion.
Besides, capturing photos with a digital camera is generally easier, but doing anything with
the photographs afterwards almost always requires some computer or technological skills.

Q. 3. Should people share their photographs online? Why/ Why not?

Answer: No, I am not really very comfortable in sharing photographs online unless it is
absolutely necessary for official works mainly because they can be stolen and used by
complete strangers for nefarious purposes. Besides, pictures, taken by smartphones or other
devices with GPS technology in it, may contain tags which can reveal the exact location
where the pictures were taken. In other words, if a picture, shared online, with such tags, it
is possible that others will know about his or her location which is a violation of privacy.
Having said that, a photo taken on a holiday could be shared online with selected people but
people should never share personal photos publicly which is accessible by anyone from
anywhere.

Q. 4. When can an image be worth a thousand words?

Answer: As humans, we are largely responsive to visual cues as they have the ability to
make us feel happy, sad, disgusted, excited and curious. So when we see a picture, which
arouses these human emotions, in order to convey some complex or unique messages and
ideas, we say that an image is worth a thousand words. Besides, there are some “truths” or
“realities” which are just impossible to describe no matter how many words we use, and
hence the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words”.
Q. 5. Is a photograph a reliable form of identification? Why/ Why not?
Answer: No, a photograph by itself is not a reliable form of identification unless it is
attached with some forms of government-issued documents. Even then, it may not be
reliable enough to properly identify a person simply because the facial features of a person,
showing on the photograph, might just look different from the features on the real person,
as those facial features can change over time because of the age or because of living under
different conditions.

Q. 6. Is it necessary to take a course to become a good photographer? Why/ Why not?

Answer: In my opinion, it is not exactly necessary to take a course to become a good
photographer, but it would certainly help if one chooses to take one in order to learn just
the basics like camera bodies, lenses, lighting and processing. However, if one really wants to
be a good photographer, he just needs to go out and take as many pictures as he likes. Then
he also needs to look closely at his own works and compare them with the styles of works,
which he likes, in order to adapt to his own methods accordingly.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Gift.

1. What is the purpose of gift giving?

2. How has gift giving changed since your grandparents’ time? How?
3. How important is gift giving in a relationship?
4. What is more important when it comes to giving a gift, cost or effort? Why?
5. Do you think that people have become more materialistic when it comes to giving gifts, as
compared to your grandparents’ time?
6. How has modern technology changed the nature of gift giving? How?

Q. 1. What is the purpose of gift giving?

Answer: People love giving gifts primarily because it is just “customary” to give gifts in order
to celebrate on some occasions with her friends and families. However, on a deeper level,
we give gifts because it helps to create a stronger bond between the gift recipients and the
persons, offering the gifts, by showing their love and appreciation for each other’s valuable
role and presence in their lives. Besides, a person exchanges gifts with somebody also
because it provides a tremendous psychological boost to the recipient which, in turn, helps
strengthen his/her resilience to cope with the adverse moments of life.

Q. 2. How has gift giving changed since your grandparents’ time? How?
Answer: Yes, I would say that gift giving has changed since my grandparents’ time. Back in
those days, people used to give gifts mostly on some special occasions, such as birthdays and
wedding anniversaries, but today, one doesn’t really have to have an occasion for it. Besides,
unlike in the past, people today expect “personalised” gifts with some kinds of thoughts
behind them. Finally, today we can choose a lot more things as gift items which we didn’t
have in the days of our grandparents.

Q. 3. How important is gift giving in a relationship?

Answer: I think that it is absolutely important to exchange gifts in a relationship between
partners because it would help cement and carry forward a healthy and loving relationship.
Besides, exchanging gifts is not just a simple gesture of appreciation, but giving the right gifts
at the right time also shows how much a person really cares for his/her partner or
understands his or her partner. Finally, when a relationship goes through some troubling
times, a well-thought gift can go a long way to repair the “damage” by bringing the partners
closer to each other.

Q. 4. What is more important when it comes to giving a gift, cost or effort? Why?
Answer: In my opinion, the effort is more important than the cost when it comes to giving a
gift. For example, if a person chooses an expensive gift for his or her partner, but the partner
doesn’t like it because it just doesn’t go with him/her styles or colour preferences, then the
costly gift actually becomes “useless”. On the other hands, if a person gives a lot of thoughts
and times in choosing a gift in order to make sure that he/she really understands what
his/her partner likes or prefers, then the gift, no matter how “cheap” it is, would surely go a
long way to impress the partner.

Q. 5. Do you think that people have become more materialistic when it comes to giving
gifts, as compared to your grandparents’ time?
Answer: Yes, I would certainly like to think that people have become more materialistic,
when it comes to giving gifts, primarily because we are living in a very “materialistic” society.
Besides, our culture has grown more commercial, where “gift giving” – expensive gifts that
is, has turned into a booming industry. Finally, media these days also play a crucial role in
fostering an “unrealistic” expectation among people to buy “perfect gifts” without
necessarily understanding the idea of a “perfect gift”.

Q. 6. How has modern technology changed the nature of gift giving? How?
Answer: Modern technology, like the internet, e-commerce and online shopping, has
revolutionized the nature of gift giving by making it fast, affordable and convenient. In fact,
we can choose the perfect gifts for our loved ones for any occasion, even if they live in
another corner of the world, from the comfort of our homes on the internet and have them
delivered to their doorsteps in hours, if not any quicker! The best thing about this modern
technology is that we can actually get the opinions on the “gift ideas”, before actually buying
them, from our friends and families almost instantly because we can send the ‘pictures’ to
them through emails or messenger services. We can even send someone a gift card so that
the recipient can choose his/her own gift from a collection of items.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: The internet and its impact on our social life.
1. What types of websites are popular among your generation?
2. Is using the internet a social or solitary activity? Why?
3. How has the internet changed social behaviour?
4. Should companies check job applicants’ online profiles? Why/ Why not?
5. What will be the next big development online?
6. How has the internet changed the way we communicate with others?

Q. 1. What types of websites are popular among your generation?

Answer: Being a person of the young generation, who have either finished their studies or
have just started their careers, I would say that websites on news, job postings, social
networking, entertainment industry, sports and e-commerce are probably the most popular
among our generation. However, job sites probably would top them all because there is a
huge number of unemployed youth in my country, and they just like to surf through those
websites in order to improve their opportunities to land on a new job or better job. E-
commerce websites don’t fall very far behind the job sites because they also attract a lot of
young visitors for obvious reasons. Finally, social networking websites like Facebook and
Twitter are hugely popular among those youths.

Q. 2. Is using the internet a social or solitary activity? Why?

Answer: In my humble opinion, I would say that it is a solitary activity for many because
people don’t really need or are “required” to interact with other people in their society in
order to use the internet. Besides, when somebody is using the internet, he or she is usually
busy finding some information or looking at something on their screens. Therefore, even if
there are other people around him/her, he or she doesn’t exactly pay much attention to
them in order to make it a “social” thing. However, if we consider the purpose or function of
social networking websites, they are often meant to help us connect more people and
become more social by bringing friends and relatives together and letting people find like-
minded people over the internet so that they can meet and work for a common cause.

Q. 3. How has the internet changed social behaviour?

Answer: The use of the internet has significantly changed our social behaviours and attitude.
Today, we spend more time on surfing on the internet, talking with some people with
probably some “false” names on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, while completely
forgetting to have even a casual conversation with friends and families around us. As a
result, we are “isolating” ourselves more and more from the “realities” around us. Besides,
since some people are glued to the internet for long hours, they don’t really feel like going
out to enjoy the normal thing in life which is actually causing “depression” in many of the
internet users.

However, there is a completely different side of the use of the internet which connects
friends and relatives and give people a common platform to raise their voice or share
information for good. A year ago, our local administrator decided to build a factory near our
neighbourhood and many people learned about it via the internet. They shared their
thoughts and finally met to protest it personally. I see this event as a great example of how
the internet can strengthen our social relationship and bring good things to society.

Q. 4. Should companies check job applicants’ online profiles? Why/ Why not?
Answer: Yes, I think that companies should check job applicants’ online profiles in order to
get a better understanding of the prospective applicants’ lifestyles and behaviour pattern.
But, it is also important for companies not to make any decisions, based solely on what they
see or find on their online profiles, simply because they may be just some of the “glimpse” of
moments on some special occasions. Besides, just because somebody does something on
the internet (unless it is absolutely stupid and offensive), it doesn’t necessarily mean that he
or she will do the same thing at works.

Q. 5. What will be the next big development online?

Answer: I am not an internet or technology expert, but I think that the next big
development online will be the ability to connect computers, smartphones, TV, fridges, and
other electronic devices and gadgets through the cloud networks. Besides, I also think that
all televisions, computers and smartphones in the future will have an internet connection in
them. In other words, as soon as we power on these devices, the internet connection will be
running automatically in them without the need of doing anything extra to connect with
internet. So who will pay for the internet? Well, the companies, manufacturing these
devices, will. Besides, AI (Artificial Intelligence) will do most of the things for us like ordering
items online for us or sending an email we need to send.

Q. 6. How has the internet changed the way we communicate with others?
Answer: The internet has very significantly changed the way we communicate with others.
In fact, it has made communication easier and faster, especially, when sending or receiving a
huge amount of data and information. Besides, the internet has made communication very
affordable too as we can write messages or letter as large as we can and then send them to
our friends and families by using emails without spending virtually anything. Finally, it has
made communication very “personalized” also. In fact, we can view anybody live on camera,
while also talking to them at the same time, no matter if we live a world apart from each
other.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Sports.

1. What types of sports are popular in your country? Why?

2. What are the benefits of playing a sport?
3. Do you often play a sport? Why/ why not?
4. Do you think the types of sport that are popular will change in the future?
5. How can sports bring people from different countries closer together?
6. Why are some international sports more popular than others?

1. What types of sports are popular in your country? Why?

Answer: People in my country love all kinds of sports. However, sports like Football/soccer,
English cricket, field hockey, volleyball, badminton and swimming are more popular in my
country primarily because there is no age bar or any other kinds of restriction on anybody
for taking part in these sports. Besides, playing these sports involves a very little cost, if any
at all, and as a result, people can play these sports easily. Finally, successful sportspersons,
taking part in these games, generally enjoy a very “glamorous” life in my country which acts
as a motivating factor for their fans to watch and play these games even more.

2. What are the benefits of playing a sport?

Answer: Depending on what type of sports one plays, there are several benefits of playing
sports. For example, if one plays sports like soccer and cricket, which require a high degree
of physical activities, they will help one to remain physically fit and healthy by reducing the
possibility having obesity, heart diseases, cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
Besides, these sports also help people to get rid of depression and other mental illnesses.
Finally, game, like “chess”, stimulates the brains which are really good to develop our
memories.

3. Do you often play a sport? Why/ why not?

Answer: Yes, I do like to play soccer whenever I get a chance, especially during the weekend,
because it helps me stay fit and healthy, especially, when I gain a bit extra weight for my age.
Besides, it helps me rewind from the monotonous and hectic schedule of my daily life. On
top of that, playing soccer also allows me to socialize with my friends outside of my work life
and have some fun with them. And, all these, when put together, help me remain confident
and competitive in this modern, tough and complicated world.

4. Do you think the types of sport that are popular will change in the future?
Answer: Yes, it is very possible that the types of sports, that are popular today, would
change in the future mainly because we will become even busier with our works, and our
priorities most likely would change with it as well in the process. So, the chances are that we
will probably play only those sports which require very little time. Besides, the chances are
that those sports (ie. video games and computer games), which we are able to play at home
with our families, will also become popular in the future. Finally, more and more sponsors
and businesses would try to make other forms of sports popular because of more financial
gains.

5. How can sports bring people from different countries closer together?
Answer: Sports play an important role in bringing people from different countries together
by organizing different forms of international sports tournaments so that teams from those
countries can learn about each other and become each other’s friends in the process of
playing against each other, but that’s only a part of it. Sports also bring the supporters of one
particular country closer to another country because they happen to love the team or
certain players of that country due to their great performance in the field.

6. Why are some international sports more popular than others?

Answer: Some international sports are more popular than others because of their long
history in our countries as well as because they are more intricately ingrained into our
cultures than other international sports. Besides, some sports are not just given the chance
to truly shine and show what they are capable of simply because they are perceived to be
“not as exciting as others”. Finally, it is so also because the businesses and sponsors keep
promoting and “patronizing” certain sports over the others purely because of additional
financial gains.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Advertising.

1. What makes an advertisement effective?

2. What is the purpose of advertising?
3. How have advertisements changed since you were a child?
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertising?
5. Do you think that advertisements should be strictly regulated?
6. How important is it for advertisers to tell the whole truth in advertisements?

1. What makes an advertisement effective?

Answer: There are a number of facts that makes an advertisement effective. To begin with,
the advertisement on a particular product has to be absolutely relevant and specific on its
message while also describing at the same time what exactly set the product apart from
others in terms of its benefits. Besides, for an advertisement to be effective, the language or
the wording has to be unique to the target audience, based on their age, gender, race,
culture, religion and geographic location. Finally, the advertisement should include a clear
“call for action” such as asking to buy the product or contact.

2. What is the purpose of advertising?

Answer: For a given market segment, there are six main purposes of an advertisement,
which include informing the consumers about a certain product and convince customers,
changing the belief about a certain brand, enhance the image of the company, point out and
create a need for products or services, generating new direct sales and announce new
products and programs. Some advertisements may also want to demonstrate new uses for
established products and send a reminder to use an existing product.

3. How have advertisements changed since you were a child?

Answer: Advertisements have changed significantly over the years since I was a child. For a
starter, when I was a child, if I remember correctly, there were only radio, TV and print
media to show us the advertisements, but today there are computers, smartphones,
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram also on which advertisements are being displayed
continuously. We can also see billboards, neon signs, and other vibrant and visually
captivating printed designs, that are placed at strategic locations with high volumes of
human traffic, which were not seen when I was a child.
4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of advertising?
Answer: The main advantage of advertising is that they allow us to learn about new products
and services that we may need badly. Advertising also helps us compare among different
kinds of products, in terms of their costs and qualities, so that we can make an informed
decision when making a purchase.

The main disadvantage of advertising that I think of is that they increase the cost of the
products because it costs to advertise and the companies pass those advertising cost to be
picked up by the customers. They sometimes mislead the customers because not all the
products, that are advertised, are good for them.

5. Do you think that advertisements should be strictly regulated?

Answer: Yes, I do think that advertisement should be strictly regulated because, without it,
misleading information on the products will keep deceiving the customers into buying wrong
and defected products. Besides, without strict regulation, bigger companies will always have
undue advantages, because of their higher budget for advertisements, over the smaller and
local manufacturers/companies even though the products of “bigger” companies are of
inferior quality to those of smaller companies. In other words, advertisement kills
competition and gives larger companies an unfair advantage over smaller companies.

6. How important is it for advertisers to tell the whole truth in advertisements?

Answer: It is absolutely important for advertisers to tell the whole truth in advertisements
for trust issues. Advertisers should tell customers exactly what they are buying or getting
because if there is a discrepancy between the expectation of the customers and what the
advertisers advertise, then the trust would be lost, and the customers most likely would
never come back to buy the same products again in the future. Besides, some customers
may also go as far as “suing” the company, if they think that they are lied to, which certainly
is not good for the lasting image of a company.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Childhood Memory.

1. Is it important to have pleasant childhood memories? Why?

2. Do you think that people are permanently affected by negative childhood memories? Why
do you think so?
3. What do you think it means to ‘live in the past’?
4. Nowadays many parents try to make their children happy by buying them many toys. How
do you feel about this?
5. Is it important for a child to have a lot of toys in order to be happy?
6. What is more important for a child’s happiness, many toys or many friends?

1. Is it important to have pleasant childhood memories? Why?

Answer: It is absolutely important to have pleasant childhood memories because, without
them, negativity will creep up into our lives when we grow up to become adults. In fact,
without pleasant childhood memories, we would develop mistrust, sense of unnecessary
shame, doubt and guilt, sense of inferiority, confusion with playing a proper social role in the
community in our lives while most likely remaining isolated also from the fun and productive
activities. Childhood memories often make or break our future life and that is why it is
imperative to have a pleasant childhood and positive memories associated with it.

2. Do you think that people are permanently affected by negative childhood memories?
Why do you think so?
Answer: Negative childhood memories have some impacts on our future like but I don’t
think that people are permanently affected by negative childhood memories just as they
aren’t by the positive memories because if they did affect, it would be very difficult for us to
make decisions quickly, and we would always carry a huge load of the complex emotional
bag on our back to be “functional”. Besides, the fact, that we are able to treat some of our
mental illnesses (which are essentially nothing but a collection of negative memories from
our past childhood sometimes) with “psychiatric” treatments, proves to us that people
aren’t affected by childhood memories permanently. If we were enduringly affected by our
negative experiences in childhood, it would have been quite impossible for us to carry on as
adults.

3. What do you think it means to ‘live in the past’?

Answer: “Memories” are lifetime things that remain with us for the rest of our lives, and
when we think and talk about these memories by forgetting about the normal activities of
our lives, we call it “living in the past”. Of course, “living in the past” is not that bad when
cling on to the “pleasant” memories because they sometimes motivate us to have positive
views about life, but if we cling on to the “unpleasant or negative” memories most of the
time, we become depressed and find it really hard to enjoy the “normal” things in our lives.

4. Nowadays many parents try to make their children happy by buying them many toys.
How do you feel about this?
Answer: Generally speaking, it makes me feel good when I see that parents are buying their
children many toys in order to make them happy because it helps create “good memories”
in the minds of the children. Besides, the practice also helps create a stronger bond between
the parents and their children. However, while the practice of buying many toys may seem
to be an “innocent” act in isolation, parents would do good on their parts if they also care to
teach their children sometimes not to get “mad or unhappy”, when they (the children) don’t
receive something they really like, in order to help children understand the “realities” of life.

5. Is it important for a child to have a lot of toys in order to be happy?

Answer: No, it is not important for a child to have a “lot” (because this is the “keyword”
here) of toys in order to become happy as long as they are taught what it really means to be
“happy”. If the children are taught that the “real happiness” lies in celebrating life and many
of its occasions without receiving any “material” things in return, then the chances are that
they wouldn’t exactly dig too much into the idea of receiving a “lot” of gifts to become
happy. Besides, children are “innocent” minded, so if they are treated with genuine love and
care, they wouldn’t really mind too much about the “number” of toys they are getting.

6. What is more important for a child’s happiness, many toys or many friends?
Answer: A child needs both the toys and friends to become happy in his or her life, but they
certainly don’t need “many” of either of them. Contrary to popular belief, I really like to
think that children are “rational”, and they don’t exactly care to understand the complicated
issue of “being happy”. Rather, all the children care is to “enjoy and have fun” in their lives
whether they get them from playing with their friends or by playing with their toys.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Photography.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking photographs?

2. How has modern technology changed the way we take photographs?
3. How has sharing photographs changed since your grandparents’ time?
4. How well do photographs capture special moments?
5. Do you think that people nowadays spend too much time taking photographs?
6. Why do you think people photograph themselves?

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking photographs?

Answer: The primary advantage of taking photographs is that it helps us preserve the
memories of both of our good times and “not-so” good times. By taking photographs, we
can also establish a truth, especially, in situations where people are “maligned” unfairly.
Besides, when choosing it as a “hobby”, we can always enjoy having a good time with our
cameras by taking pictures of different “good” things randomly that we really like.

Among the disadvantages, sometimes, you might get so obsessed with photography that you
forget to live and enjoy your life in the present moment. Besides, depending on the
photographs in order to get the whole picture about a person or a situation can be
misleading at times.

2. How has modern technology changed the way we take photographs?

Answer: Technology, especially in the form of digital photography, has made taking
photographs way more easy today than at any other time in the history of photography.
With the digital camera, today we have more opportunities to take the photo from any
location, distance and angle, take as many photos as we want, view them instantly, process
it and then share it more quickly and efficiently than ever before. Besides, because of
technology, messy and unnecessary paper prints are becoming more and more obsolete as
there are many other ways to view photographs today.
3. How has sharing photographs changed since your grandparents’ time?
Answer: Photographs sharing have changed very significantly since our grandparents’ time
for better, of course. Back in our grandparents’ time, we used to rely either on postal mails
and other forms of “human courier” which would take days and weeks to share the
photographs, sometimes damaged because of bad weather, with our families and loves
ones. But, today, we can share our pictures “intact” with anybody in the world in the blink of
an eye, courtesy to the internet and computer technology. Besides, unlike during our
grandparents’ time, we save our photographs on computers and “cloud servers”, for sharing
purposes instead of a paper-based, and physical photo albums.

4. How well do photographs capture special moments?

Answer: How well photographs capture special moments entirely depends on the skill level
of the photographers as well as the “environment” in which the photographs are being
taken. However, with the digital technologies, we have today, as well as with the many
advanced university photography courses, it is fair to assume that photographs manage to
capture special moments rather nicely. And, its proofs can be found in many “extra-
ordinary” photographs that we see today in our daily life on different print media and
picture galleries. People who are on the photo or had been present in an event where the
photographs were taken can get back to the memory lane and cherish the moment once
more.

5. Do you think that people nowadays spend too much time taking photographs? Why?
Answer: If you are asking about the ‘social media’ generation, who are using Facebook,
Twitter and Instagrams pretty much 24/7, then the answer is that they do spend a lot of time
in taking photographs of virtually anything and everything in order to share them with their
friends and families on the internet. But, outside of this social media generation who are
glued to the internet 24/7, I don’t really see that many people are spending much time in
taking photographs unless, of course, there is a very valid reason to do so.

6. Why do you think people photograph themselves?

Answer: Well, people choose to photograph themselves for several reasons. First, they
probably can’t really rely on the “skills” of other people as they believe in their own skills.
Secondly, taking photographs of one’s own has become really, really easy with smartphones
and other advanced digital cameras and "selfie" is a modern craze popular among the young
generation. Finally, some people photograph themselves because they don’t have any other
people or expert photographers around them to take their pictures at some special
moments.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Inventions and copyright.

1. Which invention has transformed your country most? How?

2. What inspires some people to be inventors?
3. How long should someone be able to profit from an idea? Why?
4. Do you think intellectual property laws are too strict? Why do you think that is?
5. What is your opinion about the copyright of an intellectual property and idea?
6. Can you cite one example when you noticed a copyright violation? What was it?

1. Which invention has transformed your country most? How?

Answer: In my opinion, the invention of computer technologies has transformed my country
the most, first, by changing the mindsets of millions of young people where they think that
they are able to do anything to improve their life. In fact, today we can see that a huge
number of educated youth and professionals are working with computers one way or
another who otherwise would have remained “unemployed”. Secondly, computer
technologies have automated many offices and workplaces in my country which, in turn,
certainly has helped in increased productivity and efficiency of our workers.

2. What inspires some people to be inventors?

Answer: I think that primarily three factors drive people to be inventors. One of those
factors is that some people want to become inventors because they genuinely want to help
people and improve their lives one way or another. Then the second factor is that some
people see an opportunity to inventing something because that would allow them to make
some huge profit financially. Finally, there is another group of people who like to be
inventors because that’s just their hobbies, or they just like to experiment with their certain
skills and talents.

3. How long should someone be able to profit from an idea? Why?

Answer: In my opinion, one should be able to profit from an idea as long as the common
people receive the benefits from it. But, in reality, it doesn’t happen because different
countries around the world have different patent rules (legal protection for the “inventor” or
“the idea”). For example, the USA grants a 20-year “patent” while the UK has about 4 years.
But, that’s just one side of the story because a patent does not automatically grant the
patent owners any right to make their own inventions. Rather, the patent just gives the
“owner of the idea” the right to exclude others from making, using, selling, or importing the
invention. In other words, the “inventor” or the “owner of the idea” actually may not get any
profit at all from his or her idea if it doesn’t gain any “traction”, and if nobody is willing to
use his/her ideas.

4. Do you think intellectual property laws are too strict? Why do you think that is?
Answer: Yes, I do think that sometimes intellectual property laws are too strict because most
of the copyright laws aren’t exactly aimed at protecting profits of the person, owning the
work, but rather, the laws have become obsessed with the "rights" to show the copyrighted
work in situations where it has very little or no effect on the sales and profit of the owner of
the copyrighted work.
I think, most of the copyright laws for intellectual properties need an amendment to make it
more practical and modern.

5. What is your opinion about the copyright of an intellectual property and idea?
Answer: In my opinion, there should be the copyright laws of intellectual property and idea
in order to protect the interests of the companies and organizations. However, it should also
be said at the same time that most of the copyright and intellectual property laws are
generally written by lobbyists of major companies and organizations without thinking about
the interests of the common public in most cases. Besides, in my opinion, copyrights should
be valid for a much shorter period of time for the purpose of encouraging “fair competition”.

6. Can you cite one example when you noticed a copyright violation? What was it?
Answer: Yes, I have noticed a number of examples where copyright violations had occurred.
For example, incidents like downloading music online which harms the music recording
companies financially. Similarly, I have also found that people are using the copyright images
of other individuals and companies without their permission. Finally, I have also found some
fake companies in my country producing some products without the knowledge of the
original companies or any legal authority.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Leisure Activities.

1. What type of leisure activities are popular in your country?

2. Why it is important for people to have leisure activities?
3. Why are some leisure activities more popular than others?
4. Do you think that parents should choose leisure activities for their children? Why/Why
not?
5. Has free time activities among people in your country changed much than that of 2
decades ago?
6. What changes do you think technologies has brought in the way people enjoy their leisure
activities?

1. What type of leisure activities are popular in your country?

Answer: Well, the leisure and recreational activities in my country greatly vary based on the
age group, economic and employment status, gender and location of people. However,
watching TV, surfing the internet, walking in the park, reading daily newspapers and
participating in sports like cricket and football are some very common past time activities of
the people in my country.

To be more specific, teenagers and young people mostly like to watch TV programmes, use
the internet and social networking sites like Facebook, play online games, sometimes collect
stamps, and play outdoor games and sports while adults most of the time Watch TV, walk in
the park and read newspapers. The choice of hobbies and leisure activities are quite
different between city-dwellers and villagers. For instance, a teenage boy in a city would
mostly play a video game or chat with friends online in his free time, a teenager in a rural
area, on the contrary, would be busy fishing or playing outdoor games.

How these activities vary are quite prominent in our country. Even I can feel that by just
looking at the different members of my family. While my younger brother loves to travel,
my elder brother plays cricket. Two of my cousins collect stamps and coins while I mostly
read books and magazines. My parents walk in the park and other family members mostly
enjoy movies and other TV programmes.

2. Why it is important for people to have leisure activities?

Answer: I believe that leisure activities are quite important for us as these activities often
define who we are, what we like and how we chose to spend our time. Furthermore, these
activities refresh our mind, motivate us and help us reinvent ourselves. For instance, one of
my cousins started taking painting classes as his hobby a few years back. Initially, it was a
simple past time activity has was passionate about. Later on, he found that he had great
potential in painting and now he is a full-time artist. This is a real-life example of how a
simple leisure activity can help us re-explore our hidden talent and passion.

Human, physically and psychologically, is not prepared to work stay idle all day long. They
need a perfect schedule for working, relaxing, and enjoying their free time. Thus leisure
activities help us enjoy our time, get refreshed, relax, and get recharged for working more.
Interestingly, people who work very hard need more enjoyable free-time activities.
Otherwise, they will suffer from fatigue and get distracted soon.

3. Why are some leisure activities more popular than others?

Answer: It is quite natural that people would prefer some sort of leisure activities than
others. The preference and choice depend on the way someone has spent his childhood and
how he was influenced by the other family members. Besides, it varies from country to
country and sometimes even cities to cities. The history and socio-cultural background of a
nation also influence the type of leisure activities people have. To cite an example, teenagers
in some Asian countries often make kites and fly them while this is not the case in many
western countries.

Personally, I believe that the leisure activities of people are often determined by the society
they live in and their socio-economic status. Finally, some leisure activities are more
common and popular due to their attractions and engagements.

4. Do you think that parents should choose leisure activities for their children? Why/Why
not?
Answer: Yes, I do think that parents should choose leisure activities for their children
primarily because the practice will allow the parents to a have enough oversight over the
activities of their children as in whether they are picking up any bad habits or hanging out
with wrong the crowds. Besides, children are not always intelligent or smart enough to
understand what are good for their proper physical and mental growth, and as such, would
require advice from their parents so that the children are able to extract maximum benefits
from the leisurely activities.

5. Has free time activities among people in your country changed much than that of 2
decades ago?
Answer: I am not sure if I will be able to give a full account of free time activities before two
decades because of my rather young age, but I think that the free time activities in my
country before two decades were pretty much limited to going to a movie theatre, visiting
friends and families, just going to enjoy some snacks or refreshments at a local coffee shop
or watching some games. However, now free time activities have changed a lot because
people today go for frequent shopping at big shopping malls/centres, visit restaurants to try
some international cuisines, and travel to some distant tourist spots in addition to watching
movies at home (not theatre) and surfing on the internet.

6. What changes do you think technologies has brought in the way people enjoy their
leisure activities?
Answer: I think that technologies today have brought significant changes in the way people
enjoy their leisure activities. For example, internet technologies have made it possible to
listen to our favourite music or watch our favourite movies anytime whether we are at home
or on the go. Internet, together with mobile technologies, also has made communication
with our friends and families possible (my favourite leisure activities) even if we live the
world apart. Technologies have also given us “speed” with which we can travel to some
interesting lands, far away from home, in minutes which would probably take hours before,
if not days.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Studies.

1. What are some popular subjects that university students study in your country? Why?
2. Do you think that university education should be free for students? [Why/Why not]
3. Do you think students from all majors should study subjects like math and history? Why/
Why not?
4. What are the differences between a private university and a public university? Which one
do you prefer?
5. How technology has brought benefits to the way students prepare for their exams?
6. How the use of technology in the classrooms will bring more benefits to teachers and
students? Why?

1. What are some popular subjects that university students study in your country? Why?
Answer: For years, we have seen that subjects like computer science, computer engineering,
electrical engineering, pharmacy, business administration, medical science, public
administration, international relationship, marine science and engineering, and other
engineering subjects (like architectural and mechanical engineering) have remained popular.
These subjects have remained popular primarily because they offer better employment and
earning opportunities. They are popular also because they usually bring a greater social
status and prestige for people that are not exactly associated with other subjects.

2. Do you think that university education should be free for students? Why/Why not?
Answer: No, I don’t really like to subscribe to the idea that university education should be
free for students because that would tempt students to take education for granted, meaning
that they wouldn’t possibly be enough serious about their studies. Besides, free education
would also mean that universities wouldn’t probably have enough funds to put forth for
high-level research works and structural improvements (ie. building new university
residences and faculty halls) which would certainly harm the interests of students in the long
run.

3. Do you think students from all majors should study subjects like math and history?
Why/ Why not?
Answer: In principle, I am in favour of studying all subjects, including math and history,
because the more we learn, the better will it prepare us to face the challenges of the real
world. Studying math equip us more analytical and reasoning capabilities which may prove
out to be crucial in looking for a solution for complicated problems while studying history
would allow us to take a more informed decision in the light of previous success and failures
for identical problems or challenges.

4. What are the differences between a private university and a public university? Which
one do you prefer?
Answer: Well, as the name suggests, private universities are privately owned universities
contrary to the government or state-owned public universities. Private universities are quite
expensive and in many cases, offer a few selected courses. On the other hand, public
universities are funded by the state and do not require high tuition fees for the students.
From my personal experience I can say that, public universities large campuses and a great
number of students while the opposite is the case for private universities.

Which one do I prefer? Well, as a public university student I personally prefer a public
university over a private university. However, I am quite broad-minded in terms of accepting
some advantages of studying at a private university. For example, a student from a private
university can complete his course in due time while this is not possible at many public
universities.

5. How technology has brought benefits to the way students prepare for their exams?
Answer: Technology has brought a number of great benefits to the way students prepare for
their exams today. For example, today students can easily do research works on their
computers by using the internet from the comfort of their homes without really going to a
library. Students can also share and transmit important data and information, which are
necessary to prepare for exams, in seconds by using their emails anytime and anywhere.
Finally, technology has also helped students prepare for exams by allowing them to solve
very complicated problems on their computers with the help of many math and engineering
software and applications which wouldn’t be possible otherwise.

6. How the use of technology in the classrooms will bring more benefits to teachers and
students? Why?
Answer: The use of technology can bring more benefits to teachers and students by allowing
them to collaborate with each other because, in that way, both students and teachers can
engage themselves in a more fun but challenging manner. For example, today, there are
many teaching/learning apps, to be used on our computers, for individualized instruction.
And with these apps, while students can learn at their own pace according to their abilities,
the teachers can also, at the same time, work with the individual students who might
struggle to learn.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Ceremony.

1. How important are ceremonies in our lives?

2. Do you see the role of private and public ceremonies changing in the future?
3. Have attitudes towards marriage changed in recent years?
4. In what ways do men and women feel differently about marriage, in your opinion?
5. What sort of national events makes headlines in your country?
6. Does the media in your country pay more attention to global or national events?

1. How important are ceremonies in our lives?

Answer: Ceremonies are a part of our very existence and they represent our cultural
Identity, religious norms, traditions, patriotic feelings and often our inner joys and
expectations as humans. From this regard, they are quite significant. Without ceremonies,
life would have been monotonous and we would have very few occasions to enjoy, celebrate
and have reasons to be surrounded by friends and relatives. Personally, I feel more alive and
more socially connected during the major celebrations we observe.

2. Do you see the role of private and public ceremonies changing in the future?
Answer: No, I don’t really see the roles of private and public ceremonies are changing in the
future because, both the private and public ceremonies, as they are now today, are being
observed for an array of reasons which have existed and remained the same for thousands
of years. For example, the roles (which is to share fun and happiness among friends and
family members) of birthdays or wedding ceremonies are the same today as they were
before centuries ago. The same can be said pretty much for all other ceremonies.
3. Have attitudes towards marriage changed in recent years?
Answer: Marriage is still an influential aspect of our social bonds, but thanks to the changes
in our mentality about marriage and that help prevent early marriage which was so common
even only 30 years ago. In the past, late marriage for females was unacceptable and often
considered an unfortunate event. However, this is no longer the case, and both males and
females, these days, want to have a career before getting married which, in my opinion, is a
positive trend. However, an increasing number of single parents and the unmarried
population is often indicated by many to be a concerning issue and I accord with them in this
regard.

Overall, our perceptions and attitudes towards marriage have changed to a great extent and
I believe the changes are mostly positive.

4. In what ways do men and women feel differently about marriage, in your opinion?
Answer: I think that depends on the type of marriage we are considering and the country
where the marriage is taking place. For instance, both girls and boys in our country cordially
accept love marriage while they feel differently about settled marriage.

Moreover, a boy has to be an earning member before he can get married while this is not
the case for girls. Since a bride starts living with her husband's family in our country, this is a
major shift for a girl. Grooms, on the other hand, focus more on starting his own family and
thus their thoughts and prepare for the marriage are different.

5. What sort of national events makes headlines in your country?

Answer: Any major political decision, crisis or agenda get attention from mass media and
become headlines in our country. Besides, whenever our national cricket team wins a game,
that is also a piece of major news. I can recall a few occasions when the achievement of an
individual, who brought glory for our country, also became headlines in newspapers and
television news. Any catastrophic event that causes loss of life and property are often the
headlines of the news. Finally, our Independence day is highly focused on different media
throughout the month.

6. Does the media in your country pay more attention to global or national events?
Answer: This depends on the type of media we are talking about. If it's a national TV
channel, for instance, it primarily focuses on national events. An English newspaper or a
satellite TV channel that has a global audience, on the contrary, has more global than
national news.

However, as a whole, national news and events get more attention from the media white
prominent and important global events are also highlighted in the media we are talking
about.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Role models.

1. Which types of people become role models in your society?
2. Do you agree that famous people have more responsibilities than ordinary people?
3. What happens when young people lack good role models?
4. What standards of behaviour should teachers set?
5. Do you agree that you should never meet your heroes?
6. What benefits a famous person get that ordinary people cannot?

Q. 1. Which types of people become role models in your society?

Answer: Unfortunately, gone are those days when young people used to consider their
fathers, teachers and medical doctors as their role models. Nowadays, it is mostly movie
stars and famous sportspersons who become role models in my society. Some of us would
even argue that anybody, with plenty of money, has a shot to becoming a role model in our
society which is really unfortunate.

Q. 2. Do you agree that famous people have more responsibilities than ordinary people?
Answer: Yes, I do agree that famous people have more responsibilities than ordinary people
because ordinary people look up to them for some kind of leadership roles in fixing some of
their problems. And, that’s exactly why sometimes we see world-famous persons like
Angelina Jolie (Hollywood actress) and David Beckham (British soccer superstar) acting as
some special UN (United Nations) envoy and goodwill ambassador in order to raise
awareness on different urgent issues that are affecting our world community negatively.

Q. 3. What happens when young people lack good role models?

Answer: If young people lack good role models, it is very possible that they are becoming
very confused over time with what kinds of roles they should take in their families and
societies. Besides, without strong and good role models, young people very easily become
‘prey’ to the “bad” elements of our society. As a result, our society will have to struggle with
generations of young people devoid of any good morals and values who would bring no
good except chaos, crimes and social unrest.

Q. 4. What standards of behaviour should teachers set?

Answer: We, more often than not, look upon the teachers for guidance since they are still
some of the most valued and respected members of our society because of their
tremendous contribution to building the nation. Therefore, it should be incumbent upon our
teachers to set some good behaviour standards for others, as well as for themselves, by
teaching discipline, good moral values, honesty, the value of hard works, and respect. With
these behaviour standards, we can expect to build an ideal and functioning society where we
will be able to live and co-exist happily with each other.

Q. 5. Do you agree that you should never meet your heroes?

Answer: I have never found a reason which would suggest that I should never meet my
heroes. On the contrary, I have always believed in meeting my heroes since it would inspire
me, even more, to become like the heroes I have always admired.
Q. 6. What benefits a famous person get that ordinary people cannot?
Answer: A famous person gets plenty of benefits that ordinary people like us don’t. First,
they get preferential treatments wherever they go. For example, if I and John Travolta (the
famous Hollywood star) visit the same restaurant or a football stadium, one doesn’t have to
be a rocket scientist to figure out that the Hollywood movie star will get the best seats, best
amenities and best treatment. Besides, when you become famous, you will become richer
much quicker than ordinary people like us. So, your dreams of owning luxurious homes, cars,
fancy gifts and expensive clothes become a reality. Finally, when you are famous, everybody
recognizes you, and you usually have a huge number of fans and followers who would do
pretty much anything just to get an autograph from you.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Mobile Phones.

1. Which one do you use more often – a mobile phone or telephone? Why?
Answer: I mostly used a mobile phone because I can carry it with me all the time. I
sometimes use a landline at home or at my office, but this is not that frequent. The main
reason for my preference is that a mobile phone is absolutely mine, unlike a telephone
which is shared by the whole family or the office staffs. Most of my friends and relatives own
their personal cell phones and they prefer to call on a mobile phone as well. I can be reached
at my cell phone 24/7 which is not possible through the landlines. The cell phone, moreover,
offers the SMS facility that makes it more useful than the landline. Finally, the cell phone I
own is an Android-powered smartphone which I can use to browse the internet, play games,
chat with friends, install useful applications and the list goes on and on. For all these
reasons, I use my mobile phone more often than the telephone.

2. Are international phone calls expensive in your country?

Answer: Compared to the local phone calls, international calls are expensive. However, with
the widespread use of the internet, people most of the time use online calling instead of
international phone calls in my country. If I compare the cost of international phone calls
between now and that with a decade ago, it was far more expensive in the past.

3. What is the best way to keep in touch with friends abroad?

Answer: Well, social networking websites, online chatting and online video calls are
convenient options to keep in touch with friends who lives in a different country. Mobile
phones are also a handy tool for that. These means of communication are cheap and widely
available. With the advancement of technology, our way of communicating with friends and
relatives who are far away has changed drastically.

4. What is the impact of the online-based chatting systems and social networking websites
on the way we make friends and contact our friends?
Answer: The impacts of technology on the way we communicate and make friends have
both advantages and drawbacks. To start, Online chatting and social networking websites
have enabled us to keep in touch with friends and relatives more often than ever before. We
can now make friends beyond boundaries and keep in touch with them whenever we want
from wherever we are. For instance, Facebook has helped me find a few friends from my
school after a decade later. Who knows, without the use of Facebook I could have never
found them. Letting people know what I am up to, or getting updates of dear ones is only a
mouse click away these days.

However, all these conveniences do not come without a cost. Technology-based

communication systems like online chatting and social networking platforms are often
attributed as the primary reason for our apathy to go outside, spend quality time with
family, and meet our friends outdoor. It has created a generation that feels more
comfortable staying in front of a computer screen than having fun outside or talking to their
friends in person. Even worse, on a social networking platform, anybody can pretend to be
someone he or she really isn't.

5. Which one do you prefer - SMS or voice call? Why?

Answer: Well, that's an interesting question. I have always preferred sending and receiving
SMS over the voice calls. However, people, these days tend to call more often than sending
SMS. I believe cheap call rates could be a reason for that. So in a way, despite my preference
for the SMS, I am forced to make calls.

However, when I need to send a piece of important information to someone, I always send
an SMS. For instance, if I need to send someone my home address, I'll never call and tell him,
instead, I will send an SMS that contains the address.

6. How dangerous it is for someone to use his cellphone while driving a car?
Answer: Using a cell phone while driving is a felony in our country. I am always against this
heinous and senseless act. Personally, I never use a cell phone when I drive. I believe when
someone uses a phone while driving takes a great risk. It is a well-known fact that human
brains cannot concentrate on multiple tasks at a time. So, somebody should never use a
mobile phone while driving as it puts his life as well as the pedestrians' life at risk.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Education.

1. What makes a good student?

2. What role should the teacher have in the classroom?
3. Do you think computers will one day replace teachers in the classroom?
4. How has teaching changed in your country in the last few decades?
5. What is the difference between the way children learn and the way adults learn?
6. How can a teacher make lessons for children more interesting?

Q. 1. What makes a good student?

Answer: A student is a good student when she/he learns new things at every opportunity
not only what is taught in the classroom, but also what is taught by nature and his/her
surroundings. We would call a student a “good student” also when he/she asks many
pertinent questions and tries to find out their answers that ultimately lead him/her to find
the “truth”. And finally, obviously, ordinary people would judge a good student by the
grades she/he gets in important exams and tests.

Q. 2. What role should the teacher have in the classroom?

Answer: The primary role of a teacher should be to teach his/her students the curricular
lessons of the school. But, at the same time, a teacher should also act as a “mentor” or “role
model” in the classroom so that his/her students can learn many other important “lessons of
life”, such as the value of discipline, punctuality, hard works, honesty and respect for others,
from him or her. In fact, the role of a teacher in the classroom should also include teaching a
student how to become a decent and responsible member of society. A good teacher
doesn’t just teach what is written in the books but also what is not “written” on the books
sometimes.

Q. 3. Do you think computers will one day replace teachers in the classroom?
Answer: I wouldn’t really like to think that computers will and should replace teachers one
day in the classroom because students require “human touch” to behave and act like a
“human” in the real world unless, of course, we want our children to become like “human-
robot”. A computer can certainly teach students how to become “smart” in the classroom,
but it won’t probably be able to tell when to behave like one. A computer won’t certainly be
able to teach many other “real-world” human behaviours, emotions and moral disciplines to
students in the classroom like a human teacher.

Q. 4. How has teaching changed in your country in the last few decades?
Answer: In the past few decades, teachers used to rely mostly on chalk pencils, marker pens
and writing boards to teach students in the classrooms, but those teaching materials have
been replaced by computers, keyboards, projectors and wall screens. In these days, teachers
and students are much more connected to each other which were almost impossible even a
decade ago. In fact, with the tremendous advancement in the information and mobile
technology, learning through digital games and learning apps have become more and more
popular these days. Finally, both students and teachers are learning more and more new
things and sharing their information among each other since collecting data and information
have become much easier these days than it was about a few decades ago.

Q. 5. What is the difference between the way children learn and the way adults learn?
Answer: Children and adults learn in fundamentally different ways. Adults are self-learners
and decide what is important to be learned next while young students are dependent on
adults (teachers) for their next lessons, assignments and subjects. The children usually tend
to accept the information, presented to them, based on their face values, since they have no
or very little experience upon which to draw ( any conclusion) while the adults usually try to
challenge information and accept them only after validating them in the light of their beliefs
and experience. Finally, children are usually motivated to learn because of rewards or
punishment, but adults tend to learn because of their “interest”.

Q. 6. How can a teacher make lessons for children more interesting?

Answer: In my opinion, the best way to make the lessons interesting is to make them more
and more interactive by allowing the children to ask more and more questions no matter
how “weird” they sound. And, the more they are allowed to ask questions, the more
“empowered” they feel in the classroom to learn.

The lessons can be interesting also if the children are allowed to make their own “choices”
on what contents to learn and how to learn them. Teachers can make lessons interesting for
their children by creating contents are which are more “real-life” oriented such as allowing
their students to do their math based on how much money they would like to spend in
buying their favourite ice creams and so on.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Topic: Influences on the young.

1. What type of people influence the young in your country?

2. Why is it important to have role models?
3. Do you think the education system in your country influences young people’s behaviour?
4. What type of person (parents, teachers, friends etc) are best to influence young people’s
behaviour?
5. What do you think young people will be most influenced by in the future?
6. Who do you believe have more influence on young children - parents or teachers? Why?

Q. What type of people influence the young in your country?

Answer: People like movie stars, singers, top-class business executives, academics, famous
world political leaders, famous scientists and successful sportspersons usually influence the
young in our country. Besides, any other successful persons with money and other kinds of
power also influence the young in my country. However, it all depends largely on how young
people like to see themselves in future.

Q. Why is it important to have role models?

Answer: We all like to fully explore and utilize our potentials in order to become successful
people in our lives, both personally and professionally, except, of course, we don’t know
how to go about it most of the times. For this reason, it is important for us to have role
models in our lives so that we can receive guidance from their values, wisdom, behaviour
and actions to overcome the challenges and weaknesses.
Q. Do you think the education system in your country influences young people’s
behaviour?
Answer: Yes, I do think that the education system in my country influences young people’s
behaviour. Fortunately, we have a great education system in my country that teaches young
people to be responsible, honest, compassionate and respectable citizens. But, does it
influence all young people in the same way? The answer is “no” because we all live under
different conditions, and we all have different backgrounds and upbringings. So, at the end
of the day, it all depends on how we choose to “behave” in a certain situation because we all
have a “choice”.

Q. What type of person (parents, teachers, friends etc) are best to influence young
people’s behaviour?
Answer: Ideally speaking, parents and teachers are the best people to influence young
people’s behaviour because they are the ones with whom young people spend most of their
time when growing up as “children”. And, we all know very well that whatever we learn as
“children” at our houses and schools, they are likely to remain with us for the rest of our
lives. But, again, it all depends on how much time young people spend with these persons,
and what these young people learn from them.

Q. What do you think young people will be most influenced by in the future?
Answer: I think that in the future, young people would be most influenced by what they see
on the internet because they will spend most of their time on it. Besides, it is also possible
that the young people will also be influenced by other forms of technology, such as robots,
because the chances are robots will teach the students and young people in the future.

Q. Who do you believe have more influence on young children - parents or teachers?
Why?
Answer: In my humble opinion, parents are supposed to influence young children more
than the teachers because of biological and emotional attachment. Besides, from the day, a
child is born, he or she remains with the parents. So whatever, the parents say or do, the
children pick that up unconsciously. Besides, there is a “parents’ fear factor” among the
children which make the children learn whatever their parents tell them to do. Finally,
parents usually are the “designated legal guardians” of the children, and as such, they have
the “right’ to teach their children whatever they find “fit”.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Nature.

1. What are the main environmental problems in your country?

2. Why should people be concerned about the environment?
3. How can people protect the environment?
4. Do you think money should be spent on protecting animals?
5. Do you think more should be done to protect natural beauty spots in your country?
6. What can a government do to encourage people not to harm the environment?

Q. What are the main environmental problems in your country?

Answer: The main environmental problem, which my country is facing, is that my country is
“overpopulated”, and as such, it is straining our rather limited resources. We also have
terrible air pollution in our cities because of the excessive level of smokes from the
industries and vehicles. Then, my country is also facing the “global warming” problem,
because of which, one part of my country becomes extremely hot during the summertime.
Finally, we also have bad water contamination in our lakes, rivers and oceans because of
industrial and plastic wastes.

Q. Why should people be concerned about the environment?

Answer: People should be very concerned about their natural environment because it is the
environment which keeps them alive and healthy. Without protecting their natural
environment, people won’t be able to breathe fresh air and drink fresh water. Besides, once
the environment is damaged, plants and wildlife become negatively affected which will
ultimately degrade our living on earth. And when that happens, the all-important bio-
diversity on this earth is lost. Finally, if people fail to take care of their natural environment,
the sea level will rise, because of global warming, and which mean that many low-lying
countries would submerge under the sea.

Q. How can people protect the environment?

Answer: People can protect their environment from their respective positions by becoming
conscious about their natural environment and then by doing small things. For example, we
can develop proper waste (any kind of waste) management systems so that they don’t
contaminate our earth and waters indiscriminately. Besides, we can also try to live
“economically” so that we don’t put too much pressure on our natural environment in order
to use its “resources” for our luxury and comfort.

Q. Do you think money should be spent on protecting animals?

Answer: In my opinion, everything, including spending money, should be done to protect
animals. If we don’t do that, the chances are that we will lose many more other rare species
of animals in addition to others, which we have already lost. The end result will be a very
limited and weak bio-diversity to bring proper ecological balance on our planet.

Q. Do you think more should be done to protect naturally beautiful spots in your country?
Answer: Yes, I think more should be done to protect the naturally beautiful spots, like sea
beaches, lakes, mountains and forests, in my country. We will have to make sure that our
natural sea beaches and lakes don’t become dirty and contaminated, not only because of
tourists but also for protecting seafood. Special efforts should also be made to protect the
mountains from becoming “residence” and “industrial sites”. Finally, our natural heritage
forest sites should also be protected from unauthorized “deforestation” in order to protect
our wildlife.
Q. What can a government do to encourage people not to harm the environment?
Answer: To start, a government can take all the necessary steps to increase awareness,
either by using different kinds of print and digital media or by introducing details school
curricula on environmental protection, among its citizens so that they are encouraged to
take care of their natural environment. Then, a government can also introduce stringent
laws in order to punish its citizens who harm their environment willingly. Finally, a
government can also introduce “award system” for those people who successfully keep the
environment clean and safe in their own towns or places.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Environmental Problem.

1. Tell me, what do you think are the greatest environmental problems facing your country
at present?
2. And what has been done so far to solve these problems?
3. How successful would you say these measures have been?
4. Do you think things are likely to get better or worse in the future?
5. Is what you are going to study likely to be of any use to solve these problems?
6. Should countries try to solve climate change problems together or individually? Why?

Q. Tell me, what do you think are the greatest environmental problems facing your
country at present?
Answer: There is hardly any country in the world which is not facing serious environmental
problems today. However, some of the greatest environmental problems, my country is
facing today, include extreme high temperatures in some parts of my country (due to the
greenhouse effects) and surface water contamination because of many industrial toxic and
plastic waste. In fact, the high-temperature problem is so serious in my country that some
parts of it are becoming like deserts slowly but surely. Then, there is the issue of serious air
pollution as well, especially, in the big cities of my country.

Q. And what has been done so far to solve these problems?

Answer: To deal with these serious environmental problems, my country has taken slow but
effective steps such as, planting more and more trees in the affected areas and dredging the
rivers and lakes in order to keep a larger reserve of water so that they can help keep
temperatures low during the hot season. Besides, my country has also taken steps like
closing down coal-based industries slowly in order to limit the carbon emission and
greenhouse effects. Finally, my government is also trying its best to increase awareness
about the dangers of environmental problems among its citizens.

Q. How successful would you say these measures have been?

Answer: I would say that these measures are bringing some success slowly but surely
because the high-temperature problem in the affected areas of my country has not got any
worse during the last couple of years. Besides, many people these days are also seen to
becoming serious about keeping their neighbourhoods clean and garbage free. However, we
have some serious environmental problems, which have compounded over the decades if
not centuries, and therefore, we will have to work even harder and be patient before we can
achieve any measurable success.

Q. Do you think things are likely to get better or worse in the future?
Answer: Well, it is going to get worse in the future before getting better because
unfortunately, we are way too late in addressing these serious environmental problems on a
“macro” level. Besides, countries around the world can’t seem to agree upon the best
courses of actions in order to deal with these environmental problems on a larger scale.
Finally, it is going to get worse in the short run also because we don’t see any sign of slowing
down in (mis)using the “resources of the earth” in order to feed our “greed” to ensure the
comfort and luxury of our modern life.

Q. Is what you are going to study likely to be of any use to solve these problems?
Answer: No, my study has nothing to do whatsoever with addressing these environmental
problems. But, then again, just because I am not studying to solve these problems, it doesn’t
necessarily mean that I won’t be able to do anything about them. In fact, I can also try to
raise awareness on the dangers of environmental problems from my own position on
“micro” level, in addition to doing little things like planting trees at my front yard or not
throwing any plastic waste in the lakes, wherever I go, and whatever I do.

Q. Should countries try to solve climate change problems together or individually? Why?
Answer: In my humble opinion, countries should try to solve the climate change problems
collectively, as opposed to doing it individually, because while countries may have “land
boundaries” between them, they don’t have any boundaries between the oceans, they
share, or any “wall” to separate the “air” between them. In other words, the action of a few
countries is enough to spoil the good environmental works of all other countries because,
again, we share the same ‘air’ and ‘water’ one way or another. Besides, global warming and
environmental problems are global concerns and are not manageable by countries
individually. Therefore, we need collaborative planning and initiatives to address them.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 topic: Clothes.

1. Can clothing tell you much about a person?

2. Why do some companies ask their staff to wear uniforms?
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having uniforms at work?
4. When do people wear traditional clothing in your country?
5. How have clothes fashions changed in your country over the last few decades?
6. What is the difference between clothes that young people and old people like to wear?
Q. Can clothing tell you much about a person?
Answer: No, I don’t think the clothing of a person tells “much” about a person except only
how much “fashion-conscious” he or she really is. Besides, I never really feel “comfortable”
with “judging” a person based on his or her “clothing”. However, sometimes, the clothing of
a person provides a special “clue” to what a person does for his or her job. For example, a
person with “workboots” and “dirty trousers” would most likely tell us that he or she works
in the “farms” or he works in “construction”.

Q. Why do some companies ask their staff to wear uniforms?

Answer: Companies generally ask their staffs to wear uniforms mainly because they want to
ensure “uniformity” across all levels of their “staffs”. This is done either to help employees
identify with their companies or to boost morale at all levels of their staffs. For example, if a
“lower” level employee at a company finds that he and CEO are wearing the same kinds of
“dress”, the “lower” level staffs feel that he is no “less” than his CEO and that both
contribute equally for the profit of the company. Besides, some companies want their
employees to be easily recognisable by customers, for example, employees in a restaurant,
and therefore ask the staffs to wear uniforms during office hours.

Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of having uniforms at work?

Answer: The main advantage is that it helps reduce the “psychological and ego” gap
between the high-level employees and those of the lower levels because they all wear the
same kind of “dress”. Secondly, it helps promote the company “brand”, especially, when
wearing the uniforms outside of the work. Thirdly, the uniform helps identify and separate
the employees from the customers, when working in an environment that involves serving
customers by remaining physically present with them.

The disadvantage, of course, of wearing uniforms at work is that it limits “self-expression” of

the employees as they can’t seem to “wear” what they like. Besides, some uniforms may
also be considered as “objectionable” to some employees on religious and cultural grounds.

Q. When do people wear traditional clothing in your country?

Answer: It all depends on the moods of the people involved as well as the weather.
However, generally speaking, people in my country like to wear traditional clothing during
religious festivals and ceremonies and wedding ceremonies. Many people also choose to
wear traditional clothing during “New Year” celebration (different from the English “New
Year” calendar).

Q. How have clothes fashions changed in your country over the last few decades?
Answer: Clothing styles and fashions have significantly changed in our country over the last
few decades. As a result, traditional clothing today is “frowned upon” unless they are worn
during some “traditional festivals and celebration”. In fact, today we can see that even a 60-
year-old person is wearing “blue jeans” and “t-shirt” which was almost impossible to imagine
before a few decades. Besides, there are many more choices of clothing fabrics today than
what it used to before a few decades. Anyway, these changes are not unexpected because
the clothing companies are coming up with newer and newer fashions in order to “break”
into the new market segments.

Q. What is the difference between clothes that young people and old people like to wear?
Answer: As far as I can see, today there is a very small difference, if any at all, between what
young people and old people like to wear. However, it is not unusual to see some old people
still are choosing to wear traditional clothing most of the times while young people have no
interest in wearing them whatsoever. Besides, both the “young” and “old” people today
want more from their lives, and therefore, it is only natural that both generations would
want to bring some “styles” and “colours” in their lives by wearing dresses that are trendy
and fashionable.