PART 2 :
Describe a meal from your country that you like to eat what the meal is why it's popular in your country and why you like it
chicken roast In Peruvian cuisine, "pollo a la brasa" is a popular dish of spiced (and traditionally spit-roasted) chicken, paired with a deliciously creamy, spicy and tangy sauce. In this simple adaptation, we're slathering our chicken with a rub of smoky spices and vinegar, then roasting it in the oven for succulent results. The chicken finds a perfect counterpoint in our sauce, which gets an extra kick from pickled jalapeño. In lieu of fries (the classic side), we're serving roasted potatoes—and, for a seasonal touch, lime-dressed green beans Fill the cavity of the chicken with some of the onion and pepper slices, and tie legs together...
Describe a problem that affects the environment in the area where you live
Building new roads houses, factories destroy natural areas
Describe something that was recently reported in news what happened
Choose your strong topic: be healthy
Describe a website that you often use. You should say: what type of website it is how you found out about it what it allows you to do, and why you find it useful.
Facebook is a social networking website. It's a free website that allows you to keep in contact with friends or find people you've lost touch with. It's one of the most popular websites in the world, with millions of users in different countries. All of my friends use Facebook. One of my friends sent me an email inviting me to join. I signed up and I've been using it ever since. Facebook allows you to keep up to date with what friends are doing. You have a profile page with information and status updates so that you can tell everyone what you're doing. You can post messages to other people's pages. You can upload photos and videos. I find Facebook most useful for organising my life, keeping in touch with friends and storing photos. I think social networking websites have become part of everyday life.
Describe something you do to forget about work or study. You should say: - What the activity is - How often you do it - How it helps you forget And say whether you would recommend other people try the same thing.
I'd like to talk about horse-riding, which has been my hobby since I was around ten years old. I'm actually the joint owner of a horse with two of my friends and we take turns looking after him, cleaning out the stable and so on. I don't have a part-time job so I spend most of my weekends at the stable. Taking care of a horse is quite a dirty business so it's obviously very different from studying at college. That means I can forget about my classes during the week when I'm at the stable on the weekend. There's quite a large field next to the stable and I just get a wonderful sense of freedom when I'm riding around on my horse. College seems a million miles away! Do I think other people would enjoy horse-riding? Yes, absolutely. I think everyone should give it a try. Horses are absolutely wonderful animals, very gentle and intelligent. If you ever have the chance to ride a horse, you should definitely give it a try.
Part 2: describe your feelings
- I was filled with a sense of panic and fear - I felt so embarrassed - What I liked most about..... was... - I was amazed at how... - I enjoyed learning...
Part 2: describe a hobby
1. Think about question words: What, when, where, why, who with: What: One of my hobbies is photography. When and where: I take photos on my phone almost every day, and I have a proper camera that I use on special occasions. If I see something interesting or I want to record a particular memory, I take photos wherever I am. Why: I take photos so that I have a record of the things I've seen or done. Who with: Most of my photos are of friends and family, but I also take pictures of interesting things that I see. 2. Describe opinions and feelings: I like photography because it's a creative hobby and it makes you notice the world around you. I love capturing special moments or unusual or beautiful images, and it's a great feeling to be able to look back through my pictures and relive different experiences. These memories usually cheer me up. 3. Tell a story related to the topic: The last time I took photos on a special occasion was at my friend's wedding a few weeks ago. I got some great pictures of the bride and groom and their guests celebrating. After the wedding I made an album of all the best pictures and sent it to my friend as a present.
Describe a major decision you have taken in your life. You should say: - What the decision was - What other choices were available to you - Why you made the decision you did And explain if you think the decision was a good one.
A really important decision I've made recently is to study abroad, which is the reason I'm here talking to you now. No-one from my family has ever had the chance to study abroad before. My parents were actually hoping I'd start working for our family textile business as soon as I graduate. I think it's too soon to join the family business though. I really want to study marketing - especially fashion marketing - and English so I can sell our company products to buyers all over the world. If I study fashion marketing in the UK, I can learn how to do business in the fashion industry, which is of course very competitive and fast-moving. As for whether it was the right decision, I'm pretty confident it was and I can't change my mind now anyway because I borrowed money from my parents to pay for my tuition. I'm going to do my best to finish my course and I will go back to my country with new ideas that will help expand our business. All I need now is to get a good score in IELTS. So, anyway, that's an important decision in my life.
Describe a situation that made you angry. You should say - when it happened - what happened - how you felt
A recent situation that made me angry was getting stuck in a traffic jam on the way to meet some friends. It was last Sunday lunchtime, and I didn't expect there to be much traffic; people don't work on Sundays, so the roads aren't usually very busy. Everything was going well until suddenly I saw a queue of cars on the road in front of me. I had no choice but to join the queue and wait to get past whatever was causing the delay. It turned out that it was caused by some roadworks, and it took me an extra 30 minutes to get past them. Getting stuck in traffic congestion doesn't usually make me angry, but this time it did, mainly because I wasn't expecting it and I knew that my friends were waiting to meet me for lunch. I felt frustrated and powerless because there was nothing I could do to change the situation, and I had no idea how long I would be sitting there waiting. When I finally saw the reason for the congestion, I was relieved that I was close to getting past the roadworks, but I still felt a bit stressed knowing that I was half an hour late.
Describe a charity which is important to you. You should say: What the charity does Why you are interested in this charity How this charity raises money and explain whether you think it is important for people to get involved in charity work Introduction Past Description Opinion Future
I'd like to talk about the Willshire Wildlife trust. It's a local charity which I support. It protects the wildlife in my local area. It preserves natural areas like fields, lakes and rivers, where animals live, and it makes sure that the animals' habitats are safe from development. It also educates people about how to look after wildlife. I'm interested in this charity because it is in my local area. There are lots of charities overseas that I could support, but you never know how your donation is being spent. Because this is a local charity, I can visit the projects and even get involved myself, if I have time. They organise quite a few events where you can help maintain forests and paths. I must admit, I haven't been on one yet, but whenever they send me a leaflet, I always say I will! The charity raises money by asking people to donate money regularly, straight from their bank accounts. I first heard about the charity because they had a stall at the entrance to the supermarket. They probably get money from other ways too, but I'm not sure about that. I think it is important to get involved in charity work. It's important to remember people who are less fortunate than you, or who are sick, poor or disadvantaged in some other way. And you can help people or animals that cannot help themselves. But I think getting involved in charity work is fun too. You get to meet lots of people and go to different places. And you can feel good about yourself.
Describe a piece of clothing that you like wearing. You should say - what the item of clothing is - where and when you bought it - when you wear it - and explain why you like wearing it.
I'm going to describe a coat that I often wear at the moment. The coat is dark blue in colour, and it's made out of a lightweight, waterproof material, which makes it perfect for wearing at this time of year here in the UK. It also has a detachable hood, which I used yesterday when it was raining, and various pockets on the outside and on the inside. I bought the coat last year at the beginning of autumn when the weather started to get colder. It was easy to buy because I had had the exact same coat before; my old coat was starting to look a bit worn out, so I decided to buy a new version. As I knew which size I needed, I simply went online and found the best offer; I bought it through a shopping website, and it was delivered to my house a few days later. As I said, I'm wearing this coat a lot at the moment. It's my everyday coat for going to work or for when I go out shopping or for any other reason. The reason why I like this coat is that it's so practical and functional. It's waterproof and it keeps me warm, but it also comes in handy for carrying things like my phone, wallet, loose change, a pen, and even a notebook; I tend to fill my pockets with whatever I can. It even folds up small enough to fit in my bag when I don't need it.
Describe a modern building. You should say: where it is what it is used for and why you like/dislike it.
I'm going to describe a modern building in Manchester. It's called the Beetham Tower, and it's the tallest building in the city, with about 50 floors. Although it's called the Beetham Tower, most people know this building as the Hilton Hotel. In fact, the bottom half of the tower is the hotel and the top half is apartments. The apartments are expensive because the location and views make them very desirable.Beetham I'm not sure if I like the design of the building, it's just a huge glass tower, but it definitely stands out. It has become a famous landmark in the city. You can see it as you approach Manchester, and it's an easy place to meet people because it's so distinctive and easy to find. The most interesting thing about the Beetham Tower is that there is a bar/restaurant on the 23rd floor which has spectacular views of the city; it's definitely the best vantage point in Manchester because there are no walls, only huge windows, so you can look out over the city in any direction. I'd recommend anyone who visits Manchester to go there and experience the view.
Describe a long walk that you enjoyed. You should say - when you went on this walk - where it took place
I'm going to describe a walk that I enjoyed last summer while I was on holiday on the south coast of England. It was the first week of August, and we set off on the walk on the first morning of the holiday just after breakfast, at around 9 o'clock. The walk took us the whole morning and finished at lunchtime. Where As I mentioned, the walk took place on the south coast of England. I was on holiday with my family in a place called Dorset, and we were staying in a rented house. Our aim was to walk from the house to a place called Durdle Door beach. First we had to find the coast path, and then we followed this path for several miles until we reached Durdle Door and finally descended the steep steps that led to the beach.
describe an object
I'm going to describe my mobile phone. I bought it online / in a mobile phone shop / it was a present from... I use the phone to keep in touch with friends and family, for communication by voice, text and email. It has various features like video, MP3 player, wireless Internet, digital camera and games. It's easy to share photos and music. I use it for almost everything, it even has a calendar that reminds me about appointments. My phone is an essential part of my life. It holds my contacts, my photos, my music collection. I've got instant access to my favourite websites. It's like having my whole life in my pocket. I couldn't live without it.
Describe a wild animal from your country. You should say what the animal is and what it looks like where it lives and explain how people in your country (or you) feel about this animal.
I'm going to describe the 'robin' which is a wild bird that is common in the UK. The robin is a small bird with brown and white feathers and an area of bright red colour on it's face and on the front of its body. The area of red colour makes robins very easy to distinguish from other birds.Robin Robins are common garden birds. Many houses in the UK have a garden, and you can often see this bird sitting in a tree. They make their nests in trees and go looking for food. You might also see a robin if you go for a walk in the countryside or in a park. Robins have a special place in British culture. They are considered to be christmas birds, and are often used on christmas cards. Many people leave food in their gardens for robins and other small birds to eat.
You should say who they are and what they do how they became successful how you found out about them and why you admire them
I'm going to talk about a musician that I admire, called... He's a singer who also plays the guitar and writes his own songs. I think he recorded his first album about 10 years ago, and he's released several other CDs since then. He became successful after many years of writing songs and performing live in small venues all over the country. Gradually he built a following of people who liked his music. I think the key to his success was one of his songs that was used on a TV advertisement. This meant that more people became aware of his music. I found out about... because one of my friends got tickets to see him in concert. I hadn't heard any of his music before, but I went along to the gig and really enjoyed it. After that I bought the first CD, and now I've got all of them. The reason I admire... is that he has worked hard for his success: it takes years of practice to become a good singer and guitarist, and he spent several years playing to very small audiences before he became successful. I also like the fact that he writes his own music. I admire people who have worked hard to get where they are.
Describe a time when you had to do something in a hurry. You should say - what you were doing - when this was - why you had to hurry - and explain how you felt at that time
I'm going to talk about a time when I had to hurry to get ready for a trip with some colleagues while I was working in a previous job. It was a Monday morning about five years ago. A group of us had to catch an early flight, and a senior member of our department had volunteered to drive us to the airport. I was supposed to be ready and waiting to be picked up from my home at 5.30am, and my colleague had asked me to look out for his car so that he didn't have to ring my doorbell. The problem was that I overslept. I had set my alarm, but somehow I must have turned it off and carried on sleeping. Suddenly, at 5.30am, my doorbell rang and I looked over at my alarm clock. I immediately realised what had happened, and I sprang out of bed and got dressed in record time. I splashed some water on my face, quickly brushed my teeth, and put my shoes on without properly tying the laces. Then I picked up my suitcase and coat, and left the house. I can still remember the moment when the doorbell woke me up and I saw the time: I was filled with a sense of panic and fear as I realised that my colleagues were waiting outside. Then, when I left my house and walked towards the awaiting car, I felt so embarrassed because it was obvious that I hadn't been ready on time.
Describe an interesting advertisement that you have seen where you saw it what it was about why you think it was an interesting advertisement.
I'm going to talk about an advertisement for Coca-Cola, which is one of the biggest brands in the world. I've seen Coke advertised everywhere, on posters and TV commercials. The advert shows a picture of Santa Claus smiling and holding a bottle of Coke. I think the aim is to target children and associate (link/connect) the brand with Christmas time. The advert is interesting because the company is deliberately trying to influence and attract children. The marketers are trying to capture young customers. They are presenting the drink as something special, a gift for Christmas. However, Coca-Cola is not necessarily a healthy drink for children; it contains a lot of sugar. Maybe this kind of advertising manipulates children and encourages them to pester their parents.
Describe an interesting lesson that you attended where you attended this lesson what it was about and why you found it interesting
I'm going to talk about an interesting science lesson that I attended at secondary school when I was 14 or 15 years old. It was quite a long time ago, so I can't remember every detail, but the lesson was about respiration. We learnt about how the lungs work, how we breathe, and how oxygen passes into the blood. The science teacher also talked to us about the effects of smoking on the lungs. I found this lesson interesting because my science teacher, Dr. Smith, always introduced new topics by showing us a video. We watched a short film about how respiration works, and I found this much easier to understand than a science textbook. The film showed diagrams of the lungs to explain the breathing process. Later in the lesson we saw real photos of healthy lungs and lungs that had been damaged as a result of smoking; they had turned black. I think the image of a smoker's lungs is the reason why I remember this lesson. I could also give more information about the teacher, his personality and why I liked him. The key is to tell a story and add details until the time runs out.
Describe a practical skill that you have learnt (e.g. cooking, driving). You should say what the skill is how you learnt it why you learnt it and how this skill has helped you.
I'm going to talk about driving, which is a practical skill that I use almost every day. I learnt to drive a car by taking lessons when I was 17. My parents paid for me to have lessons with a professional driving instructor. I learnt by practising: first I had to get used to steering, changing gears and using the mirrors, then we practised things like reversing and parking. I also had to learn the highway code. As a 17-year-old, I wanted to have the experience of driving a car, and I was fed up with having to walk or take the bus or train whenever I wanted to go somewhere. I also knew that driving would be an extremely useful skill. Being able to drive has helped me in so many ways. The public transport where I live isn't very good, so I travel to work by car most days. Having a car makes my life much easier when it comes to things like shopping or visiting family and friends. (Last week, for example,...)
Describe a person you admire. Why you admire him What he is like
I'm going to talk about my father because he has been a major influence in my life. My father was always a good role model for me as I was growing up. He's hard-working, patient and understanding; he's also got a good sense of humour and seems to get on well with everybody. Hopefully I've inherited some of these traits. I admire my father because I think he brought me and my brothers/sisters up well; he was quite strict but always fair, and he has always been someone I can turn to for advice. I think my father set a good example by working hard and having a positive outlook on life. I remember that he used to leave for work early and come home quite late, but he always made time for me and my brothers/sisters.
describe a piece of furniture
I'm going to talk about my favourite chair. It's a big, leather armchair that sits in my living room at home, just under my living room window. I didn't actually buy the armchair. One of my friends was moving house and was going to buy some new furniture. I had always liked his leather armchair, so he said I could have it if I managed to move it. The chair wouldn't fit in my car, and it was tricky to get it out of my friend's apartment. I had to hire a small van to take the armchair home. Obviously I use the armchair for sitting! It's my favourite place in the house to relax, read a book, watch TV or even do some work; the chair's arms are quite wide and flat, so my laptop fits nicely on either of them. Last night I fell asleep in my armchair while I was watching a film. The main reasons why I like this piece of furniture are that it's comfortable and it's in the perfect position in my living room. The only drawback might be that I enjoy sitting in the armchair too much, and sometimes I think it makes me lazy!
Describe an educational television programme that you liked. You should say - what the programme was about - when and where you saw it - how you found out about this programme - and why you liked it.
I'm going to talk about one of my favourite educational TV programmes, which is a nature documentary called 'Planet Earth'. There were eleven episodes of this programme, and each one featured a different habitat on Earth, such as mountains, caves, deserts and jungles. The aim of the 'Planet Earth' series was to take the viewer into those habitats, using spectacular footage of interesting animals, plants and landscapes. I first saw 'Planet Earth' on television when it was broadcast by the BBC several years ago. I think it was shown every Sunday evening, which was the perfect time to watch a fascinating nature programme. Then, a few years a ago, somebody bought me the DVD box set of the whole series as a Christmas present, and I watched the episodes again. I found out about this TV programme because it was advertised repeatedly in the weeks before it was first aired. The TV trailers were really eye-catching because they showed incredibly beautiful images of nature. I also recognised the voice of the narrator of the programme, the well-known naturalist David Attenborough. It was these trailers that persuaded me to watch the first episode. What I liked most about the 'Planet Earth' series was its stunning photography and its global scope. For example, in the "Fresh Water" episode, they showed us the giant salamander in Japan, crocodiles in the river Nile, and river dolphins in the Amazon. I was amazed at how they had managed to film such interesting creatures in so many locations. I enjoyed learning about strange animal species, and the programme opened my eyes to the hidden wonders of our planet.
Describe a language you would like to learn. You should say: - What the language is - Where it is spoken - Why you are interested in this language And say if you think you will ever actually have the chance to learn it.
Let me tell you about a language I've always wanted to learn, which is Russian. It's spoken in Russia, obviously, but also in many other countries which have been influenced by Russia including places like Mongolia and Kazakhstan. It's quite a difficult language to learn because the alphabet is not the Roman one, which means that you have to learn to read and write from scratch, a but like studying Chinese or Japanese. Well, the reason I would like to learn Russian is that the energy industry is huge and there are lots of jobs. A lot of my country's oil and gas comes from Russia so it's really useful to be able to speak that language if you want to work in the energy field. I have actually been to Russia before so I know from experience that a lot of Russians can't speak English very well, so that's another good reason to learn their language. The only problem is I'm already thirty years old and I've spent more than fifteen years learning English. I don't know if I would ever be able to learn Russian successfully because it's a difficult language for anyone to learn, especially someone older like me. But it would be really great to try.
Describe a change that you would like to see in your local area. You should say - what the change would be - who would be involved in making the change - how it would be done - and why you would like to see the change happen.
The change that I'd like to see in my local neighbourhood is the pedestrianisation of the main shopping street in the town centre. I'd like to see traffic diverted around this area in order to make it safer and more attractive for visitors and shoppers. Most of the traffic that clogs up the main street is just passing through the town, but it's the local people who have to put up with the congestion, noise and pollution. It's the job of the local council to make changes like the one I'm suggesting. But before the council does anything, there usually needs to be some pressure from local people to bring a problem to light. So, perhaps we need a campaign by local residents who want to see this change. Then the council might contract a town planner or an architect to come up with some possible designs for a new road system. I'm not sure how exactly the process of creating a pedestrian street would work, but I imagine that it would require detailed planning. Perhaps a bypass would need to be built around the town centre first. This would give drivers a faster alternative to driving through the town, and it would allow the main shopping street to be blocked off and pedestrianised. I'd like to see this change because it would really improve the quality of life of residents in the town where I live. I can imagine the new pedestrian street having cafes and restaurants with outdoor seating. It would be a safer and more pleasant place for families to go shopping, and I'm sure this would have a positive knock-on effect on local shops and businesses.
Describe an important event in history
Thomas Edison and His Great Inventions Do you love your cell phone? How about movies or your digital camera? Thomas Edison invented early versions of these modern marvels. He also invented the electric light bulb. Imagine how different life was before his inventions. The only way families could communicate with each other was through letters, which could take weeks or even months to arrive. For light, people used candles or oil lamps, which were smoky and messy. Edison's inventions and improvements on already invented equipment let people live more comfortably. His inventions provided entertainment. The telegraph let people send messages quickly. In war time or emergencies, telegraphs saved lives. When the Titanic sunk in the Atlantic Ocean, a telegraph alerted rescuers to the disaster. But Edison wasn't always a brilliant inventor. He was a busy, curious boy who got into trouble at school. His teacher called him "addled," which means slow or dim. Edison's mother was frustrated with the school. She knew her son could learn. She decided to teach him at home instead. Her ideas worked. Before long, she had taught Edison everything she knew. He started reading books from the library and teaching himself.
Describe a business that you like to own
University English Language Center
