Changes – IELTS Speaking Practice Test 19

Speaking Part 1

1Are you open to change?

Changes are constantly happening. Yes, I am open to change. In our monotonous life,it is the only thing that keeps us going. Getting habituated is human nature. Thus every time with the emergence of new changes, they tend to get habituated with.

2Are there any changes in your city or hometown?

Yes, like I have grown, my city has also developed. What used to be a small stall selling fast food has turned into a restaurant today. The kaccha roads are reconstructed to pakka roads. All the grounds,where we used to play as a child, have turned into multiplexes.

3How have the changes benefited you?

Changes have always benefited us even if we think otherwise. With the advancement of the city, no matter how sad you become to witness your childhood memories change, I have always looked at the greater picture. A trip from my workplace to my hometown used to take 3 hours and now it hardly takes 1 hour. Thus it is an advantage.

4What do you plan to change next year?

I have nothing in mind specifically but I want to change and renovate my home this coming summer. On the contrary I want to make some changes in my CV, like learning a new coding language and a new foreign language.

Speaking Part 2

Sample Answer

I think the most positive change that I had in my life, believe it or not, was when I decided lo break up with my girlfriend. You see, going out with her started to take up most of my time and I started neglecting my studies and my other friends. She became almost like an obsession to me. I thought about her all the time, and when I wasn’t thinking about her, I was out with her. Now don’t get me wrong, she was a great girl. It’s just that things got way out of balance in my life. We had been going out for about three years. I knew her from my high school. We had gone out for a walk one evening, and I was really scared to say anything to her because I was afraid that I was going to hurt her feelings. Well, after walking for a while, I finally got up the nerve to say something to her, and once it was out in the open it really wasn’t so bad. She was thinking the same thing, and said that it would be good to just slow things down for a while and see what would happen. Boy was I relieved! We had a good laugh over things and parted as friends. Now although I love her and really do believe that some day we might be together on a more permanent basis, it feels good to just chill out with my friends for a while.

Vocabulary for Cue card

• Obsession: an idea or thought that continually preoccupies or intrudes on a person’s mind.Eg: Her obsession with art will take her far in future
• out of balance: Losing balance ; overEg: His phone ran out of balance
• slow things down: to slow downEg: He decided to slow things down
• Relieved: RelaxedEg: I am relieved that the exam is over

Speaking Part 3

1What kind of events may be life-changing events?

Like I said, breaking up or ending a relationship would be one. Having an accident or hurting yourself when playing sports sure is life changing. Winning the lottery is another life changing event. Getting married will change your life, too.

2Do Chinese people change jobs very often? Do you think that’s good?

Yes, I think that Chinese do change their jobs pretty often, and I think that it is a good thing. Until you really find a job that you feel comfortable with, then I think it is okay to change jobs. Some Chinese and people around the world have to change jobs because they get laid off or their company gets gobbled up by some big corporation, and they are forced to leave.

3How do you think employers could encourage employees not to change jobs?

Of course they could give a lot of money, but I know that this is not always practical. I think that one thing that would really help people stay in a job is that they are shown some appreciation for what they do. I read that a lack of appreciation is one reason that people go from job to job and just can’t seem to find a home. I think if employers would just listen to their employees about their need, that would be a big help, too.

4Why do so many people in China move to a different city or even go overseas to study or work?

Well, I think that people are just looking for their groove and where they belong. Now that the opportunity is there to travel, people want to take advantage of it, and see where their fortunes lie. There is a big world out there and some people want to find out if it is their “cup of tea” as they say. I hate to use so many idioms and I hope that I am using them right, but some people just have the proverbial “grass is greener on the other side of the fence” syndrome. They think that once they get there, all their problems will be over.

5What do you think are the major challenges of working or studying in another country?

Well, I guess that one of the biggest ones is that you are going to a different culture, and you are not sure how you are going to lit in. In most countries one of the hardest things to deal with is prejudice. People always seem to have a little suspicion of foreigners in their country. I think that loneliness would be another thing that would he hard for someone working or studying overseas. A person would be away from family and friends, and that would be difficult.

6Are young people in China today more mature than in the past?

I don’t think so. If anything, they are more immature than in the past. In the past, life was harder here in China, and young people had to grow up fast and had to take on responsibility. Now with the country getting richer and only one child per household, they are actually pretty spoiled, and their parents do a lot of things for them.

7What can young people learn from older people?

They can learn a lot if they want to. They can learn from the vast amount of experience that older people have. They can learn what old people did, under circumstances similar to what young people go through. They can learn how to raise a family and how to have a lasting relationship. Also, they can learn how to deal with difficult situations.

8Do you think young people can adapt to changes easier than old people?

Not necessarily. I have seen some young people that didn’t know how to deal with changes at all, and then I have seen some older people who take change in their stride without breaking a sweat. Of course I do know, like the old saying goes about teaching an old dog new tricks, that it is sometimes harder for an older person to change, but they can do it. I think that a lot of young people here in China have a hard time with changes because they have seen such few changes and like the way things are now.

9Do you think China has gone through a lot of changes in recent years?

I believe China has gone through some incredible changes in recent years. China is growing so quickly and at an alarming rate. Even the government is trying to slow it down so that it doesn’t overheat. Economically, socially, China is really changing. Since the implementation of the open door policy, one can hardly recognize China, as the joke goes that the ‘‘crane” is the national bird of China.

10What are the most positive changes?

Well, of course, the economy is one of the most positive changes. Because of this change China has a lot more money, so the Chinese people have a lot more money too. Joining the WTO has brought about some positive changes. People being able to go abroad more easily is also a very nice change. Also more foreigners here in China has been a good change for all.

11Do you think there will be more changes in the future?

Oh yes, I think that China is going to keep changing. As China takes more of a role on the world stage, this is going to have a big effect on the country. Foreign influence will continue to come into the country and cause changes like more mixed marriages and a mixture of cultures. But at the drop of a hat, we could also go back to a more closed society and that would be a big change, but one that is possible.

Vocabulary for Speaking Part 3

• Gobbled up: eat (something) hurriedly and noisily;use a large amount of (something) very quickly.
  Eg: She gobbled up all the money she had
• Corporation: relating to large companies
  Eg: She is working for a big corporation.
• Syndrome: a group of signs and symptoms that occur together and characterize a particular abnormality or condition
  Eg: She has sleep-talking syndrome
• Prejudice: to judge before you know the truth
  Eg: Her prejudice got her into trouble