IELTS SPEAKING : TOPIC READING

I/ VOCABULARY
 an avid reader: người say mê đọc sách
 to pigeonhole /ˈpɪdʒɪnhəʊl/: phân loại
 to relieve stress: giải tỏa căng thẳng
 sophisticated /səˈfɪstɪkeɪtɪd/: thạo đời
 a big fan: người hâm mộ cuồng nhiệt
 self-educated: tự học
 science fiction: khoa học viễn tưởng
 learning tool: công cụ học tập
 current affairs: những vấn đề thời sự
 to conjure sth up: tưởng tượng cái gì
 to tend to: có chiều hướng (= have a tendency to, be prone to..)
 to open up: mở ra
 to be/get into: thích
 to foster: nuôi dưỡng
 historical fiction: sử giả tưởng
 imagination /ɪˌmadʒɪˈneɪʃ(ə)n/: trí tưởng tượng
 adventure: truyện phiêu lưu mạo hiểm
 writing skill: kỹ năng viết
 mushy: ủy mị
 communicate skill: kỹ năng giao tiếp
 autobiography: tự truyện
  a lot of fun: rất vui
 convivial atmosphere: bầu không khí thoải mái

II/ IDIOMS ABOUT READING AND BOOKS

Idiom Example
A closed book:
1. something that you accept has 1. As far as she is concerned, her
completely ended marriage is a closed book.
2. something or someone that is very 2. I’m afraid accountancy is a closed
difficult to understand book to me.

An open book: something or someone

that is easy to know about because
nothing is kept secret Her life is an open book.

Read someone like a book:to be able to I know what you’re thinking – I can read
understand easily what someone is you like a book.
thinking or feeling

Don’t judge a book by its cover: used for

saying that you should not form an
opinion about someone or something only
from their appearance

In someone’s good books: used for saying

that someone is pleased with you I’m trying to get back in her good books
Bring someone to book: to punish
someone, or to make them explain their We will ensure that people who commit
behavior publicly when they have done fraud are brought to book through the
something wrong courts.

The oldest trick in the book: a dishonest

method of doing something that you know
about because it has been used many Flattery is the oldest trick in the book, so
times before don’t fall for it!

By the book: correctly, following all the

rules or systems for doing something in a He always tried to do everything by the
strict way book.

Take a leaf out of someone’s book: to

copy what someone else does because They should take a leaf out of industry’s
they are successful at doing it book and pay both management and staff
on results.

Cook the books: to change accounts and

figures dishonestly, usually in order to get His accountant had been cooking the
money books for years.

III/ COMMON SPEAKING QUESTIONS

Part 1: Frequent questions and answers

1. Do you like reading?

 I don’t just like reading, I adore it. I’ve been an avid reader since I was old
enough to hold a book in my hands.
 Well besides listening to music, I think reading is also popular with
everybody. To be quite honest, I would say that I always glue my eyes into a
book.

2. What kinds of books do you usually read?

 I used to be a big fan of science fiction books, especially ones that involved
space or futuristic technology. These days I’m more into non-fiction books
about current affairs or history.
 I like to read things according to the mood I am in, sometimes it’s
all mushystuff, other time history and autobiography.

3. Do you usually read for leisure or for work purposes?

 Well, I have to do a certain amount of reading as part of my job, but I
probably read more for enjoyment. I pick up a newspaper most days, and I
usually have a book on the go.

4. Where do you usually read?

 The best place to read is at home in a comfortable chair, with a cup of tea
or some other snack. It’s best to read when you can feel peaceful and at
home. Cafes are also nice places to read because they have a convivial
atmosphere.

5. Do you think children like reading nowadays?

 I think that children do like reading and always have, but nowadays there
are many other attractions competing for children’s attention, like TV and
video games. The success of book series like Harry Potter proves that
reading is alive and well amongst young people.

6. What sorts of books do children like to read?

 You can’t pigeonhole preferences based on age. Some children read books
aimed at mature andsophisticated adults whilst a lot of adults like to read
trashyromance novels of dubious literary merit.
whilst = while: trong khi mà
trashy (adj): vô giá trị
merit (n): giá trị

7. Why do you love reading books?

 Books are learning tools. They not only teach you things, they take you to
places you could never otherwise go. They open your imagination and you
are free to view the characters in them any way you can conjure them up.
On television or in a play, you pretty much view the characters as the writer
scripted them.
 Reading opens up a whole new world for anybody and is the basis for a
good education. If one can’t read, one can’t learn. Reading also fosters
imagination, writing skills, vocabulary growth, deeper understanding of life
around you and better communicative skills. It is a quiet activity that can
be a lot of fun, and you learn a lot from it.
 I’m really into reading because I believe that reading can be both
entertaining and educational. Reading broadens my knowledge by opening
up the whole world to me. While I’m reading, I can be visiting another
country or a different time period, or traveling through space. I can find out
how people solve problems or think up new ideas.

8. For children, what do you think are the benefits of reading?

 I believe if you want your children to be smart, they have to acquire a love
for reading, which has numerous benefits. Reading opens the door to
child’s early academic success, imparts a love of learning and leads to
higher grades in every subject. Besides, reading can help children improve
linguistic skills in the form of a richer vocabulary, correct grammar, and
more articulate oral communication. On top of that, books teach child
about relationships, situations, personalities, and what is good and what is
bad in the world he lives in.
 9. What is the importance of books in your life?
 Books are like oxygen to me. I love reading books on different topic, they
help me grow intellectually. Even more often there are problems in life,
which I believe could be easily solved by reading good books.

10.Do you think there is a way out of making children read more?
 I believe children these days are more creative and have a different
approach towards learning. If we want our children to read more, we need
to add graphics and animations in the text books. Rather than putting
simple text, we need to add text such that it is combined with certain
experiments.

11.How do book preference have changed as compared to the past?

 I believe that a book is always an individual choice. However, on a general
level, earlier people loved reading religious book or the books related to
philosophy. However, at present people often read either fiction books or
autobiographies.

12.In your opinion, will paper books disappear completely in future?

 I believe that the revolution has already started. Most of the schools these
days have smart classes and the black board pedagogy has been replaced
by online education. It is quite possible that paper books will be replaced at
a large extent in future. However, I believe that people will still be
interested in reading books because the experience that reading a paper
books gives is nowhere to be found.

Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

1. Describe a kind of book you like.
 You should say:
 What kind of books you like
 What these book are about
 What effect have books brought on you
and explain why you like this kind of book the most.

Sample Answer:

The history books that express the past world in front of us are kinds of books I
really like. I have not read a great number of history books but I enjoyed all of the
History books that I have read so far.

The history books are fact based books that describe the events, history and
significant characters from the past of human timeline. This can be simply a book
that depicts the earlier civilisation of the world, can give details of the life a
legendary character like Alexander or can simply explain the reasons for a great
catastrophic event like the war in the past. Those events and characters come
from our past history and are of great importance. Somewhere I heard that to
build a good future, someone needs to learn the past. I totally agree with this
statement as we have plenty of opportunities to learn from the past history of the
world, our civilisations and ancestors.

The History books that I read had helped me understanding a distant past and
people of that time. History books always play an important role to educate the
people about the past and I greatly enjoyed reading about our history, how the
world was in the past, how different events of history had shaped the world and
its geographical and political conditions. A simple event in the past had a great
influence in the future and those history books bear the evidence of the past
world that we have never seen.

I like those kinds of books mostly because of the enthrallment I feel while learning
about the history. I purely enjoy learning about our world and significant events
of the world. Those books are great sources of knowledge as well.
Similar Cue Card Topics
1. Describe a book you enjoyed reading.
2. Describe your favourite book.
3. Describe a book or movie set in the future.
4. Describe a famous book in your country.
5. Describe a book you would like to read in the future.

2. Describe a newspaper or a magazine.

You should say:
 What it is and why you read it
 What are the benefits of reading a newspaper or a magazine
 How often you read it and what are the contents of it
and explain why do you like reading this newspaper or magazine.
Sample Answer:
Today I’m going to talk about one of my favourite magazines. It’s quite fun to
think about it, first I’ll tell you what it is and why I read it. Then I’ll try and
persuade you of the benefits of doing so, and a bit about how often I read it and
what the contents are. Finally, I’ll explain why I like to read it so much.
The magazine is called ‘Women’s Running’. It’s a monthly publication, dedicated
to helping female runners, at every level to improve their running and learn more
about the sport.
For me the benefits of reading this periodical are huge. It has great information
about running techniques and nutrition; advertising features on new running
related products; helpful articles on topics like ‘how to choose new trainers’ and
advice on running events and how to prepare for them. That is great in itself, but
even more importantly for me, it contains lots of human interest stories. Real
women talking about their experiences of running, why they do it and how they
stay motivated, keep positive and enjoy the sport.
Even though I do like the magazine, it is really expensive, it’s £4 a time, so I’m
embarrassed to admit I don’t buy my own copy. Instead, I have a friend who
subscribes to it regularly. Every few months she has a big clear out, and she drops
off a great big bag of magazines for me to read. I then have a binge of reading
about running – which is a bit ironic really, I should be out doing it rather than
reading about it! So I don’t read it each month, but every few months I’ll have a
whole weekend curled up on the sofa avidly soaking up every article. I read each
copy from cover to cover. I like the personal accounts best. Women talking about
perhaps overcoming injuries and illness to keep on running; forming friendships
and achieving goals they never thought possible. It can be really inspirational! It
makes me believe that I too can do more than I think. Once I’ve read all the
magazines I keep them for a while to refer back to, but eventually I too need to
de-clutter, so I’ll pass them on to another running friend, and so the cycle
continues!
Through reading the magazine I’ve started to think of myself more as part of the
‘running community’ whatever that means! I’ve started to realise that not
everyone who takes part in running is choosing to do ultra-marathons, we can all
run at our own level and still get the fitness and social benefits at whatever level
you are at. The main competition is not with other people but with yourself, other
runners can support and help you whether that’s with advice on how to up your
speed or distances to get a new Personal Best or agreeing to go out with you on a
wet and windy night when really the sofa looks a great deal more appealing than
a rain soaked pavement in winter!
[ Written by - Lucy Marris | Careers Adviser (UK), TEFL teacher ]

Similar Cue Card Topics

1. Describe a magazine that you read often.
2. Describe the newspaper that you read daily.
3. Describe yourfavourite magazine.

Part 3: Details Discussion

1. How does the literature help you understand the culture of a particular
place?
2. Why is it important for parents and adults to read books to their children?
 3. With the popularity of Internet, do you think newspapers and magazines
will disappear?
4. What's the main difference between a newspaper and a magazine?

2.Home Town: Sample questions and answers for IELTS speaking exam

Part 1

1. Describe your hometown.

-My hometown is a small city. It is both traditional and modern because of having
several festivals celebrated by the locals, and at the same time it is starting to be
developed with increasing number of infrastructures and establishments.

2. Where is your hometown located?

-My hometown, Sorsogon City is located in the southernmost tip of the Bicol
Peninsula and the Luzon Island. Bicol is one of the regions in thePhilippines and
Luzon is the biggest island in the country.

3. Is it easy to travel around your hometown?

– Yes, it is. It is a small city but there are different kinds
of transportation available.

4. What is it known for?

-It is known for “Pili nuts”. They are said to grow in volcanic soil.
5. What do people in your town do?
–Agriculture and fishing are common in my hometown. Also, with the latest
modernization, numerous office jobs have appeared in my town.

Part 2

Describe your home town. You should say:

 Describe the place

 What is special about it?

 Compare it to other cities in the world?

My hometown is called Sorsogon. I was born and raised there and I can say it is
definitely my favorite place. It is located in the southernmost tip of the largest
island in my country. I cannot tell that it is a very big province. The town is both
traditional and modern. I call it traditional because there still are many festivals
celebrated by the locals, yet modern, as it is starting to be developed just like other
province having much more sophisticated infrastructure.
Sorsogon is a province that is about 12-hour bus ride from the capital city of the
Philippines. Main roads are part of the national highway, so they are wide and
huge. The highway happens to be an important place, because it is a key passage
for buses and cars that cross it on their way from the North to the South.
Sorsogon is also special as it offers many tourist attractions. For example, in a
close vicinity, there are an active volcano and a lake with very beautiful scenery.
Among all the places I have been to, I think Sorsogon is one of the best. There are
wonderful places to visit – not crowded and not polluted. I frequently go to
beautiful and clean beaches.Sogroson is located on many islands that are not
yet developed and are very peaceful and relaxing to stay in. On top of that, natural
cold and hot springs are popular here as well. Many people visit this place
to experience them.
Part 3

1. In what ways can you improve your hometown?

One problem in my hometown is a low accessibility of some placesdue to problems

of public transportation systems. Although there are different means of
transportation, it can still take you hours to get to certain venues. For example, the
earliest bus leaves at 5:00 am and the latest – around 5:30 pm. Therefore, for those
who go back from work after 5:30 pm, it gets increasingly difficult to commute.

2. What is the main reason for liking a hometown other than the fact you
were born there?

I reckon, we all love our hometowns, because we were raised there. I am

personally used to this place and I have become very comfortable with it. I have
created some very pleasant memories here – met friends, family, my first love, first
academic achievements. In my hometown I was formed physiologically as an
individual.

3. Most people in this world do not live in their hometowns. Why?

Well, I guess the majority of people feel that there could be more opportunities
outside of their hometowns and consequently – comfort zones. Therefore, many
believe that living in such acomfortable place, with relatives and friends can be
distracting and too relaxing on the way of pursuing goals. Also, people (not only
youth) strive to explore other places and experience different cultures across the
globe.

3.IELTS Food Vocabulary

Topic Vocabulary >> Lesson 5: Food

The topic of food often comes up in the IELTS Speaking exam. You might be asked
questions about what you like to eat, your favourite restaurants or about a
popular dish in your country.

Read the following IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to
the phrases in bold. Use the ‘Definitions’ section at the bottom of the page to
check the meaning of any phrases you don’t understand.

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Do you like to cook?

Mandy: Not really no … most of the time I eat ready meals and take-aways …
that’s one of the reasons I love visiting my mum … you can always guarantee
lovely home-cooked food …

Examiner: What time do you usually eat dinner?

Michelle: We have our main meal at around 7.00 … I’m usually starving hungry by
then … in fact I often grab a bite to eat as soon as I get home from college … a
sandwich perhaps … but not too much to spoil my appetite …

Examiner: Are there any types of food you don’t like?

Lionel: No not really … I’m not a fussy eater at all … actually I eat like a horse … I
do a lot of sport and work up quite an appetite …

Part 2-style task

Describe a restaurant that you like to use. You should say

 where this restaurant is

 what kind of food it serves
 how often you go there

and say why you like eating there so much.

Howard: OK … this is a nice topic to talk about … there’s a restaurant just around
the corner from where I live … it’s an Italian restaurant so as you’d expect you can
eat various pasta dishes and pizzas and I usually go there with my family for a
slap-up meal if we have anything to celebrate … it’s quite a posh restaurant … the
kind of place you would take someone if you wanted to wine and dine them … we
usually order a 3-course meal … a light starter then a main dish … and I have
quite a sweet tooth so I always look forward to the dessert … I usually order
Tiramisu … it makes my mouth water just to think about it … I’m always
totally full up by the end … why do I enjoy it there … well … it’s not cheap … my
parents always foot the bill and we couldn’t afford to go there regularly so it’s
always a nice treat …

Part 3-style questions

Examiner: How can we encourage people to eat more healthily?

Anna: I think the best approach is to have everything in moderation … processed
food won’t kill you if you only eat it occasionally … but people should also be
encouraged to eat a balanced diet… try to cook fresh ingredients at home a few
times a week …

Examiner: Do you think people enjoy their food as much as they should?
Florrie: I don’t know really … I suppose it’s true that people will often eat a quick
snack because they’re bored not because they’re dying of hunger … and often
they just bolt it down and don’t savour it … so yes … perhaps we could take more
time over our food …

Examiner: Do you think cooking is a pleasure or a chore for people who have busy
lives?
Julie: Well … whether you follow a recipe or make something up as you go along
… I think cooking is a very creative process … and cooking for other people is a
particular pleasure … there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing people you
love tucking into something you’ve cooked yourself …

Definitions

 to be full up: to eat to the point that you can no longer eat any more
 to be starving hungry: an exaggerated way of saying you are very hungry
 to bolt something down: to eat something very quickly
 to be dying of hunger: an exaggerated way of saying you are hungry
 to eat a balanced diet: to eat the correct types and amounts of food
 to eat like a horse: to eat a lot
 to follow a recipe: to cook a meal using instructions
 to foot the bill: to pay the bill
  a fussy eater: somebody who has their own very high standards about
what to eat
 to grab a bite to eat: to eat something quickly (when you’re in a rush)
 to have a sweet tooth: to enjoy sugary food
 home-cooked food: food cooked at home from individual ingredients
 the main meal: the most important meal of the day, usually eaten in the
evening
 to make your mouth water: to make you feel very hungry for something
 to play with your food: to push food around the plate to avoid eating it
 processed food: commercially prepared food bought for convenience
 a quick snack: to eat a small amount of food between meals
 a ready meal: see ‘processed food’
 a slap up meal: a large meal
 to spoil your appetite: to eat something that will stop you feeling hungry
when it’s meal-time.
 a take away: a cooked meal prepared in a restaurant and eaten at home
 to tuck into: to eat something with pleasure
 to wine and dine: to entertain someone by treating them to food and drink
 to work up an appetite: to do physical work that leads to you becoming
hungry

4.TV PROGRAMME
PART 1

1. Do you often watch TV?

I actually prefer watching TV to surfing the Internet due to its selectivity and
accessibility. Because the audience can be children, teenagers and families, the
content of TV programs is examine carefully and suitable time frame is arranged
in order to avoid having negative impacts on them.

2. What’s your favourite TV programme?

Definitely music channels such as MTV or V-channel. These channels offer a wide
variety of music every day. In addition, they also interact with their audience by
allowing them to vote for the Top 20 songs of each week or to play the songs they
requested.

3. What types of TV programme are popular in your country?

In my country these days reality shows and comedy shows are among the most
popular TV programs. I guess it’s because its content is suitable for audience of
any age from children to the elderly. The fans of reality shows feel interactive and
familiar with the competitors while that of comedy shows generally want to be
entertained with jokes and laughters.

4. Do you ever watch foreign programs or films?

I definitely did enjoy quite a lot of shows and programs, from music, movies,
fashion, news and scientific documentaries since the foreign are so good at visual
editings and content management. Most of them are in in English because I’m
more familiar with this language compare to French or Japanese.

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

Like other children, I watched a number of cartoons and music programs for
children when I was a child. Tom and Jerry, Barbie, Disney series are my favorite
which still get me excited whenever I see them on TV now. My mom said I also
was kinda attracted to music programs for children that I focused on them
completely while eating.

6. Do you think television has changed in the past few decades?/ (Possibly)
Do you think television has changed since you were a child?

Televisions indeed have been changing remarkably for the past few years. The
technology has become so innovative and competitive to meet the customers’
high demand on entertainment. The variety of TV programs is no longer limited
to national level but has reached to a number of foreign countries; and is
significantly diversifying in content for audience preference.

7. Has television changed your life in any way?

I think watching TV has become a habit that I would hardly change. My family
always watch news while having dinner together. Personally, I’d love watching TV
for relaxing after studying as well as keeping myself updated on showbiz, music,
movies, landscape discoveries and fields of science. Thus as long as I do not
become a couch potato, TV has always played an important role in my life,
making my life more colorful and opening in front of my eyes the places I’ve never
been to.

PART 2
Describe a TV programme or channel that you enjoy watching regularly.


 What it is called and what is it about?

 When do you usually watch it
 ?
 Why do you prefer it to other programmes or channels?

I rarely watch traditional television channels nowadays; I much prefer searching

for interesting programmes or videos online. So, although it’s not a normal TV
channel or programme, I’d like to talk about a website which I think is kind of
a modern version of a TV channel. It’s called TED, which stands for ‘Technology,
Entertainment, Design’, and it’s a great place to watch short talks and
presentations about all sorts of interesting topics.
The good thing about the videos on TED is that I can watch them whenever I
want. I have ted.com saved as one of my favourites on my laptop, and I tend to
visit the website every few days to check whether there is anything new. I often
watch TED videos on my phone while I’m travelling to work on the train.
The reason I love watching online videos on TED is that I learn something new
every time I watch one. The tagline for the TED website is ‘ideas worth
spreading’, and this really sums up the appeal of the site for me. Instead of
watching meaningless soap operas and talk shows on TV, I’d much rather spend
10 minutes watching someone talk about a breakthrough in technology, science
or healthcare.

PART 3

1. Do you think most people watch TV for education or for entertainment?

I think people watch TV primarily for entertainment. There are far more
entertainment programmes than educational ones, and in my experience most
people treat television as a form of relaxation in the evening. If I think about the
most popular TV programmes in the UK, such as talent shows like 'X Factor' or
soap operas like 'Eastenders', the focus is definitely on entertainment rather than
education.

2. Should TV play a role in educating children? How?

Yes, it definitely should play a role in my opinion. Good children's TV programmes

should tell stories that contain some kind of lesson about how to behave or what
is morally right and wrong. Many of the traditional fairy tales, such as 'Cinderella',
have been made into TV programmes, and there is always a postive message in
those stories.

3. How do you think TV viewing habits change as people get older?

TV viewing habits obviously change a lot as we get older. While toddlers might
watch programmes about talking animals, teenagers prefer action and adventure
or sports, and as adults we start taking an interest in news and politics. My own
preferences, for example, have changed over the years - I would never have
watched news programmes when I was younger. I think it would be very strange
if our viewing habits didn't mature!

o VOCABULARY/COLLOCATION

1. To be innovative (adj): phát triển về công nghệ

2. To meet one’s demand on Sth (v): đáp ứ ng nhu cầu
3. To diversify (v): đa dạng
4. A couch potato (n): chi ̉ sự lườ i biếng, ì ạch ( thườ ng dù ng để tả ngườ i
ngồi trướ c TV quá nhiều)
5. Audience (n): khán giả
6. Cast (n./ v):(sân khấu) phân đóng vai (một vở kịch)
 7. A series (n): chuỗi ( thườ ng diễn tả mộ t chuỗi phim dà i tập vớ i cù ng
mộ t dà n diễn viên)
8. Ratings (n): tỷ suât́
9. A season (n): phần
10. Prime time (n): giờ và ng
11. A public service announcement (n): an announcement during the
commercial break about important public issues like drinking and driving.

12. A soap opera (n): chương trình về cuộ c sống và các mối quan hệ trong
đờ i sống thườ ng ngà y
13. A news anchor (n): ngườ i đọ c tin tứ c trên TV
14. A host/ a presenter (n): dẫn chương trình
15. Subtitles (n): phụ đề
16. Turn on/off: bật/tắt
17. Produce: sản xuất
18. Telly = television
19. Televise: truyền hình
20. Broadcast: phát sóng
21. Witty: dí dỏm
22. Televised: được truyền hình
23. Pre-recorded: đã được ghi hình trước
24. Live-broadcast: phát sóng trực tiếp
25. Mind-numbing = boring ( chán)
́ dẫn)
26. Attention-grabbing = interesting ( thú vi ̣, hâp
IDIOM

1. Tune in: to adjust a radio or television set to receive a broadcast of

someone or something.
E.g: Let's tune in on the late news. I don't want to tune in tonight.

2. Watch the box = watch TV

3. Channel surf = change TV channels frequently

E.g: I hate channel surfing. I can't understand why people don't just pick a
program and watch it!

5.PART 1: INTERVIEW
1. Do you enjoy shopping?

 Yes. Shopping is an enjoyable pastime to me. I’m fascinated by window-

shopping. I enjoy strolling in shopping malls with friends after work or on the
weekends.
 Definitely not. I think shopping is a waste of time. Except for purchasing some
necessities, I seldom go shopping, I hate aimless window-shopping.

2. What you usually buy when you go shopping?

 Besides some daily necessities, clothing is what I’m interested in. I enjoy
trying on different styles of clothes in fashion houses and then pick out my
favorite one.
 I am keen on digital stuff when I go shopping. Although some of them are
unaffordable for me, I just like looking at the latest gadgets and learning
about their functions.

3. Where do you usually shop?

I usually go the shopping malls. The shopping environment there is pleasant, and
they offer more choices. I trust the quality of the goods sold in big shopping malls.
Besides, there are end-of-season and therefore I can get a good deal.
4. What kind of clothes do you like best?

 Casual clothes are my favorite. They are loose and comfortable. The styles of
casual clothes are usually trendy. I feel confident in them. Besides, they are
easy to wash.
  Formal clothes make me look mature and professional. We are required to
wear formal clothes at work. I think wearing formal clothes shows our respect
to the clients.

5. Are there any other kinds of clothes that you like?

Yes, I like wearing casual clothes after class. Casual clothes are more free-styled. I
think they make me look lively and energetic. Besides, compared with formal
clothes, casual clothes are easier to wash and maintain. They don’t need dry-
cleaning or ironing. When I go to the cinema or pubs with my friends, I usually wear
casual clothes, like jeans and a sweater.
6. What kind of clothes are popular nowadays in your city?
Well, it’s hard to say what kind is popular because there are various styles.
Generally, I think clothes made of natural fabrics are more popular. And the clothes
with simple designs and bright colours are also welcomed.
7. What do you think of school uniforms?

 Personally, I don’t like school uniforms. Although they save the students’ time
on choosing clothes, they restrict children’s personalities as well. Children
should have the right to choose their favorite types of clothes.
 It’s necessary for schoolchildren to wear uniforms. Firstly, school uniforms
offer children a kind of identity and a sense of belonging. And more
importantly, with school uniforms, children needn’t spend too much time on
choosing clothes

ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY:
Blouse: áo blouse Casual clothes: trang phục thường ngày
Dress: váy dài Evening suit/ drees: đồ dự tiệc
Formal clothes: trang phục trang trọng Jumper: áo chui đầu
Jacket: áo khoác Pants: quần dài
Skirt: váy Sportswear: đồ thể thao
Suit: bộ vest Socks: đôi tất
Shirt: áo sơ mi Swimsuit: đồ bơi
Sweater: áo len Traditional clothes: trang phục truyền thống
Trousers: quần Tights: cà vạt
Tailcoat: áo đuôi dài Waistcoat: áo gi-lê
6.Sample Answer 1:
I would like to learn the Italian language for some reasons. Currently, I am living in
Sri Lanka and have got a scholarship at an Italian university and I have to travel to
Italy soon. So, I am planning to learn Italian from any recognized language
teaching centre. In fact, I am searching for such an institute from where I can
learn the language. This is a great cue card topic and thanks for the opportunity to
let me talk about it.

The Italian language is also known as lingua Italiana. Italian is a Romance language
which is widely used in some parts of the world including Italy, San Mario,
Switzerland, Malta, and Albania. Besides, it is also spoken in the USA by the Italian
migrates. Since I am going to Italy, I need to have a good command over the
language.

Learning Italian would give me a competitive advantages once I am there. So, I

think if I could know the Italian language, it would be beneficial for me in the long
run.

I want to learn the language for several reasons. First of all, it will help me
communicate with the people and particularly with the students and teachers.
Moreover, there are some courses with Italian language and if I do not know it, I
would not be able to cross the examination barriers. Hence, knowing the
language will be a huge advantage for me.

Model Answer 2:
For some unknown reasons, I have always felt a passion for learning the Chinese
language. The idea of learning this language is rooted back in my teenage days
when one of my aunts learned this language and often explained how the
grammar and punctuation of this language work. I would like to thank you for the
opportunity to let me talk about this topic.

Though I have always wanted to learn this language, I have never given a serious
thought about actually doing it, until a year ago. The aunt I talked about is
working as a mechanical engineer in Beijing, China and came to visit us a year ago.
I had a few conversations about her life in China and at a time we discussed the
language she uses to communicate. She explained how learning a new language
can help us widen our perceptions and how it helps us understand a new culture.
After she left the country, I saw an advertisement from one of our local university
about offering a six month's course to learn a second language for the university
students.

As soon as I learned that they offer a course on the Chinese language, I became
interested. Though I have not started the course yet, I am determined to intake it
next summer. The Chinese language has many varieties and I would specifically
learn the standard Chinese language which is mainly spoken in China, Taiwan,
Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau. Standard Chinese is also called Mandarin and
have some variations based on where it is spoken.

I will not learn this language for any particular reason or for professional benefits.
Rather, I would learn it from the sheer interests I feel about the language and
Chinese cultures. But, I believe that learning a foreign language always offers
some hidden benefits. Though I am not sure, who knows, someday it might be
proved to be a necessary skill!

As I have already stated, I would take the 6 month's language course at a local
university and hopefully, that would give a good grip on the basic of the language.
After that, I will surely take advantage of the online resources to further enhance
my skill. Besides, I will have some friends, hopefully, from the language course
who would be a good fit for me to practise the language even after the course is
over. Furthermore, I will have video conferences with my aunt who now lives in
China and practise Chinese whenever possible. These are my plans to master the
language but I am sure with the course of time, I would be able to devise some
more intuitive ways of becoming proficient in Chinese.
More Ideas to talk about this Cue Card topic:

Cue Card Topic: Describe a language you would like to learn.

1. Recently I have visited India and have grown an interest to learn the Hindi
language. Majority of the people in India use this language and it sounds nice to
me. Learning the language would also help understanding Bollywood movies.

2. The Arabic language is really delightful and I would like to learn it. I would like
to learn Arabic for some reasons. It would help me communicate with my Arab
clients (I have an export-import business there) and expand my business.

3. The Malay language is a special one and there are around 10 dialects of this
language in Malaysia. I have a plan to learn the language as I am set to be settled
there with my family next year. It would be helpful for me.

4. I think the Spanish language has some special charms. This language is quite
different from many other types of languages and Spanish speakers are found all
over the world. Therefore, I have a plan to learn the language from a local
language club here in Mumbai.

5. My recent trip to Sri Lanka has amazed me and I am mostly in love with the
language of the state. They speak in a very special way and their tone is unique.
Sinhala and Tamil is the most prominent language there and I have decided to
learn Tamil.

6. My husband lives in Iran for his professional needs and he wants to take me
there soon. So, I need to learn the Persian language. In fact, Persian is one of the
smartest and oldest language and I need to have a good command over it.

7. I don’t know why the Japanese language attracts me so much, maybe because
my ancestors are from Japan. So, I have set my mind to learn the language.
Though it would be difficult for me to learn it, I will give it a try.

8. I have got a scholarship at a German university but they have asked me to learn
the German language properly. It is hard to find a suitable German language club
for me here in Indonesia. But definitely, I will learn the language.

9. The number of French-speaking people is on the rise and as I have a plan to

study in France. So I think it would be better for me to know the language. I would
like to learn the French language properly.

IELTS SPEAKING : TOPIC READING

I/ VOCABULARY
 an avid reader: người say mê đọc sách
 to pigeonhole: phân loại
 to relieve stress: giải tỏa căng thẳng
 sophisticated: thạo đời
 a big fan: người hâm mộ cuồng nhiệt
 self-educated: tự học
 science fiction: khoa học viễn tưởng
 learning tool: công cụ học tập
 current affairs: những vấn đề thời sự
 to conjure sth up: tưởng tượng cái gì
 to tend to: có chiều hướng (= have a tendency to, be prone to..)
 to open up: mở ra
 to be/get into: thích
 to foster: nuôi dưỡng
 historical fiction: sử giả tưởng
 imagination: trí tưởng tượng
 adventure: truyện phiêu lưu mạo hiểm
 writing skill: kỹ năng viết
 mushy: ủy mị
 communicate skill: kỹ năng giao tiếp
 autobiography: tự truyện
 a lot of fun: rất vui
 convivial atmosphere: bầu không khí thoải mái
II/ IDIOMS ABOUT READING AND BOOKS

Idiom Example
A closed book:
1. something that you accept has 1. As far as she is concerned, her
completely ended marriage is a closed book.
2. something or someone that is very 2. I’m afraid accountancy is a closed
difficult to understand book to me.

An open book: something or someone

that is easy to know about because
nothing is kept secret Her life is an open book.

Read someone like a book:to be able to I know what you’re thinking – I can read
understand easily what someone is you like a book.
thinking or feeling

Don’t judge a book by its cover: used for

saying that you should not form an
opinion about someone or something only
from their appearance

In someone’s good books: used for saying

that someone is pleased with you I’m trying to get back in her good books
Bring someone to book: to punish
someone, or to make them explain their We will ensure that people who commit
behavior publicly when they have done fraud are brought to book through the
something wrong courts.

The oldest trick in the book: a dishonest

method of doing something that you know
about because it has been used many Flattery is the oldest trick in the book, so
times before don’t fall for it!

By the book: correctly, following all the

rules or systems for doing something in a He always tried to do everything by the
strict way book.

Take a leaf out of someone’s book: to

copy what someone else does because They should take a leaf out of industry’s
they are successful at doing it book and pay both management and staff
on results.

Cook the books: to change accounts and

figures dishonestly, usually in order to get His accountant had been cooking the
money books for years.

III/ COMMON SPEAKING QUESTIONS

Part 1: Frequent questions and answers

2. Do you like reading?

 I don’t just like reading, I adore it. I’ve been an avid reader since I was old
enough to hold a book in my hands.
 Well besides listening to music, I think reading is also popular with
everybody. To be quite honest, I would say that I always glue my eyes into a
book.

3. What kinds of books do you usually read?

 I used to be a big fan of science fiction books, especially ones that involved
space or futuristic technology. These days I’m more into non-fiction books
about current affairs or history.
 I like to read things according to the mood I am in, sometimes it’s
all mushystuff, other time history and autobiography.

4. Do you usually read for leisure or for work purposes?

 Well, I have to do a certain amount of reading as part of my job, but I
probably read more for enjoyment. I pick up a newspaper most days, and I
usually have a book on the go.

5. Where do you usually read?

 The best place to read is at home in a comfortable chair, with a cup of tea
or some other snack. It’s best to read when you can feel peaceful and at
home. Cafes are also nice places to read because they have a convivial
atmosphere.

6. Do you think children like reading nowadays?

 I think that children do like reading and always have, but nowadays there
are many other attractions competing for children’s attention, like TV and
video games. The success of book series like Harry Potter proves that
reading is alive and well amongst young people.
7. What sorts of books do children like to read?
 You can’t pigeonhole preferences based on age. Some children read books
aimed at mature andsophisticated adults whilst a lot of adults like to read
trashyromance novels of dubious literary merit.
whilst = while: trong khi mà
trashy (adj): vô giá trị
merit (n): giá trị

8. Why do you love reading books?

 Books are learning tools. They not only teach you things, they take you to
places you could never otherwise go. They open your imagination and you
are free to view the characters in them any way you can conjure them up.
On television or in a play, you pretty much view the characters as the writer
scripted them.
 Reading opens up a whole new world for anybody and is the basis for a
good education. If one can’t read, one can’t learn. Reading also fosters
imagination, writing skills, vocabulary growth, deeper understanding of life
around you and better communicative skills. It is a quiet activity that can
be a lot of fun, and you learn a lot from it.
 I’m really into reading because I believe that reading can be both
entertaining and educational. Reading broadens my knowledge by opening
up the whole world to me. While I’m reading, I can be visiting another
country or a different time period, or traveling through space. I can find out
how people solve problems or think up new ideas.

9. For children, what do you think are the benefits of reading?

 I believe if you want your children to be smart, they have to acquire a love
for reading, which has numerous benefits. Reading opens the door to
 child’s early academic success, imparts a love of learning and leads to
higher grades in every subject. Besides, reading can help children improve
linguistic skills in the form of a richer vocabulary, correct grammar, and
more articulate oral communication. On top of that, books teach child
about relationships, situations, personalities, and what is good and what is
bad in the world he lives in.

10.What is the importance of books in your life?

 Books are like oxygen to me. I love reading books on different topic, they
help me grow intellectually. Even more often there are problems in life,
which I believe could be easily solved by reading good books.

11.Do you think there is a way out of making children read more?
 I believe children these days are more creative and have a different
approach towards learning. If we want our children to read more, we need
to add graphics and animations in the text books. Rather than putting
simple text, we need to add text such that it is combined with certain
experiments.

12.How do book preference have changed as compared to the past?

 I believe that a book is always an individual choice. However, on a general
level, earlier people loved reading religious book or the books related to
philosophy. However, at present people often read either fiction books or
autobiographies.

13.In your opinion, will paper books disappear completely in future?

 I believe that the revolution has already started. Most of the schools these
days have smart classes and the black board pedagogy has been replaced
by online education. It is quite possible that paper books will be replaced at
a large extent in future. However, I believe that people will still be
 interested in reading books because the experience that reading a paper
books gives is nowhere to be found.

Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

1. Describe a kind of book you like.
You should say:
 What kind of books you like
 What these book are about
 What effect have books brought on you
and explain why you like this kind of book the most.

Sample Answer:

The history books that express the past world in front of us are kinds of books I
really like. I have not read a great number of history books but I enjoyed all of the
History books that I have read so far.

The history books are fact based books that describe the events, history and
significant characters from the past of human timeline. This can be simply a book
that depicts the earlier civilisation of the world, can give details of the life a
legendary character like Alexander or can simply explain the reasons for a great
catastrophic event like the war in the past. Those events and characters come
from our past history and are of great importance. Somewhere I heard that to
build a good future, someone needs to learn the past. I totally agree with this
statement as we have plenty of opportunities to learn from the past history of the
world, our civilisations and ancestors.

The History books that I read had helped me understanding a distant past and
people of that time. History books always play an important role to educate the
people about the past and I greatly enjoyed reading about our history, how the
world was in the past, how different events of history had shaped the world and
its geographical and political conditions. A simple event in the past had a great
influence in the future and those history books bear the evidence of the past
world that we have never seen.

I like those kinds of books mostly because of the enthrallment I feel while learning
about the history. I purely enjoy learning about our world and significant events
of the world. Those books are great sources of knowledge as well.

Similar Cue Card Topics

6. Describe a book you enjoyed reading.
7. Describe your favourite book.
8. Describe a book or movie set in the future.
9. Describe a famous book in your country.
10.Describe a book you would like to read in the future.

2. Describe a newspaper or a magazine.

You should say:
 What it is and why you read it
 What are the benefits of reading a newspaper or a magazine
 How often you read it and what are the contents of it
and explain why do you like reading this newspaper or magazine.
Sample Answer:
Today I’m going to talk about one of my favourite magazines. It’s quite fun to
think about it, first I’ll tell you what it is and why I read it. Then I’ll try and
persuade you of the benefits of doing so, and a bit about how often I read it and
what the contents are. Finally, I’ll explain why I like to read it so much.
The magazine is called ‘Women’s Running’. It’s a monthly publication, dedicated
to helping female runners, at every level to improve their running and learn more
about the sport.
For me the benefits of reading this periodical are huge. It has great information
about running techniques and nutrition; advertising features on new running
related products; helpful articles on topics like ‘how to choose new trainers’ and
advice on running events and how to prepare for them. That is great in itself, but
even more importantly for me, it contains lots of human interest stories. Real
women talking about their experiences of running, why they do it and how they
stay motivated, keep positive and enjoy the sport.
Even though I do like the magazine, it is really expensive, it’s £4 a time, so I’m
embarrassed to admit I don’t buy my own copy. Instead, I have a friend who
subscribes to it regularly. Every few months she has a big clear out, and she drops
off a great big bag of magazines for me to read. I then have a binge of reading
about running – which is a bit ironic really, I should be out doing it rather than
reading about it! So I don’t read it each month, but every few months I’ll have a
whole weekend curled up on the sofa avidly soaking up every article. I read each
copy from cover to cover. I like the personal accounts best. Women talking about
perhaps overcoming injuries and illness to keep on running; forming friendships
and achieving goals they never thought possible. It can be really inspirational! It
makes me believe that I too can do more than I think. Once I’ve read all the
magazines I keep them for a while to refer back to, but eventually I too need to
de-clutter, so I’ll pass them on to another running friend, and so the cycle
continues!
Through reading the magazine I’ve started to think of myself more as part of the
‘running community’ whatever that means! I’ve started to realise that not
everyone who takes part in running is choosing to do ultra-marathons, we can all
run at our own level and still get the fitness and social benefits at whatever level
you are at. The main competition is not with other people but with yourself, other
runners can support and help you whether that’s with advice on how to up your
speed or distances to get a new Personal Best or agreeing to go out with you on a
wet and windy night when really the sofa looks a great deal more appealing than
a rain soaked pavement in winter!
[ Written by - Lucy Marris | Careers Adviser (UK), TEFL teacher ]

Similar Cue Card Topics

2. Describe a magazine that you read often.
2. Describe the newspaper that you read daily.
3. Describe yourfavourite magazine.

Part 3: Details Discussion

5. How does the literature help you understand the culture of a particular
place?
6. Why is it important for parents and adults to read books to their children?
7. With the popularity of Internet, do you think newspapers and magazines
will disappear?
8. What's the main difference between a newspaper and a magazine?