The following questions were asked on an IELTS speaking test recently held in Pakistan. The Speaking module has 3 parts. Part 1 includes some general questions about the candidate. Part 2 requires the candidate to speak on a given topic. Part 3 has some questions related to the topic of Part 2.
Part 1
Examiner: What is your name?
Candidate: My name is ………………………..
Examiner: Where do you live?
Candidate: I live in …………………… It is not far from here.
Examiner: How long have you been living here?
Candidate: I have been living here for 3 years.
Examiner: Why did you move into this city?
Candidate: Well, I moved in after I got a job in this city.
Examiner: Do you plan to move to a bigger home in the future? Why or why not?
Candidate: Right now I have no such plans. I am single. Currently I live in a one bedroom apartment. It has got a kitchen, a living room and an attached bathroom. It fulfills my requirements at the moment. I might move into a bigger home when I get married; however, I don’t see it happening anytime soon.
Examiner: What do you like about your current home?
Candidate: It is more spacious than most other one bedroom apartments in my neighbourhood. Also, it is not on the highway, so noise or dust is not a big problem for me. Better still, this apartment is only a 10 minute’s drive from my office.
Examiner: Why do people nowadays like to live in bigger homes?
Candidate: Perhaps they need more space or maybe they believe that a bigger home will elevate their social status.
Examiner: Are there any disadvantages to living in a bigger home?
Candidate: Bigger homes need more maintenance. It is not easy to keep them neat and clean at all times. This is not exactly an issue if you have people to help. For singles like me, a smaller home is a much better option.
Part 2
Describe a movie you watched recently. You should say:
- what the movie was
- when you watched it
- who recommended it to you
and explain how you felt after watching it
Candidate: Last week I watched a Malayalam movie about a young man who fell into a 900 feet cave. He and his friends were on a trip to Kodaikanal which is a famous hill station in South India. This cave has a history. No one who fell into it had survived. Not even their bodies were recovered. Hence, entry to the area surrounding the cave was restricted. Still, these men, reckless as they were, climbed over fences and all that and managed to reach the place. Before they even knew it one of them had fallen into the cave. His friends ran helter-skelter for help. They approached other tourists and the police, but nobody was too eager to help. They told his friends that he wouldn’t survive and that it would be foolish to launch a rescue operation. The men however didn’t lose hope. They kept calling his name and after several hours, they heard a cry from inside the cave. Soon firemen arrived; however, no one had the courage to enter the cave through the narrow opening. Then, one of the friends of the trapped guy volunteered to go into the cave. It was not an easy task, but he did manage to save his friend. The movie was not shot inside the cave, but they have managed to make it look as real as possible. This movie is based on a real life incident. As per police records, over 13 people have fallen into the cave and only one of them managed to come out of it alive. I watched this movie after my friend recommended it to me. I rarely watch movies. This was a blockbuster and that is why I decided to watch it. I loved it especially the climax.
Part 3
Examiner: What types of movies do young people in your country like to watch?
Candidate: Young people in my country tend to watch feel good movies with some action, humour and romance.
Examiner: What type of movies do older people prefer, and why do you think that is?
Candidate: Older people I think attach a lot of importance to the storyline. They love family oriented movies that deliver a message.
Examiner: What impact do movies have on society?
Candidate: I do not believe that movies have any major impact on the society. Many movies deal with themes like adultery and substance abuse. However, I do not believe that people who watch them also feel tempted to indulge in such practices. Of course, some people are influenced but that does not mean that movies can change society. There are, nonetheless, some propaganda movies. They do influence people and often in a negative way.
Examiner: How important is it for movies to reflect real-life issues?
Candidate: Movies have a large audience. Most of them are youngsters. If movies discuss real-life issues, they will help create awareness in the society.
Examiner: Do you think watching movies can influence people’s behaviour? How?
Candidate: I don’t think so. I am not influenced by movies. In many movies, the protagonist is shown smoking and drinking a lot. I never felt like doing it after watching those movies. However, I do not rule out the possibility of teenagers getting influenced. They often assume that it is cool to have some negative traits.
