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Written by IELTS Mentor

IELTS Speaking Test # 81

Part 1 Topic: "Colour".
Part 2 Topic: "Describe a song or a piece of music you like".
Part 3 Topic: "Music and young people" & "Music and society".

Part 1 - Introduction & Interview

[The examiner asks the candidate about him/herself, his/her home, work or studies and other familiar topics.]

Colour:

Q. What’s your favourite colour? [Why?]
Answer: My favourite colour is "green" as I find it easy and soothing on my eyes. I also like this colour because it is the colour of the refreshing “nature” around us, and I just love “nature”. Finally, I like "green" because of “religious and spiritual” reasons.

Q. Do you like the same colours now as you did when you were younger? [Why/Why not?]
Answer: No, I don’t necessarily like the same colours as I did when I was younger mainly because I have grown older and my taste and preferences in many things, including “colours”, have changed significantly over the years. By the way, I used to love dark maroon when I was much younger.

Q. What can you learn about a person from the colours they like?
Answer: Well, I am not really a “personality reading expert” by the colour a person likes, but people say that colours tell a great deal about the personality and mood of a person. For example, people, who like black, tend to be usually sensitive and artistic while those, who prefer “red”, just enjoy their lives to the fullest.

Q. Do any colours have a special meaning in your culture?
Answer: I don’t really think that colours have any special meaning in my culture except that women in my country prefer to wear “red” dresses during their wedding days. However, if the colour we use in our national flag, then it would be a different story.

Part 2 - Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card

[The topic for your talk will be written on a card which the examiner will hand you. Read it carefully and then make some brief notes.]

Describe a song or a piece of music you like.

You should say:

• what the song or music is
• what kind of song or music it is
• where you first heard it

and explain why you like it.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Answer to this Cue Card Topic:

 

Part 3 - Two-way Discussion:

Discussion topics:

Music and young people:

Q. What kinds of music are popular with young people in your culture?
Answer: Young people in my culture these days usually like to listen to any kind of music which has a strong beat and “not-so” traditional lyrics. This types of music may include hard rock, pop, raps and other types whichever may appeal to their young and “restless” minds.  Lately, they are listening to folk music also since they sound uniquely sweet and mellow by blending the tunes of western musical instruments with the local and traditional instruments perfectly.

Q. What do you think influences a young person’s taste in music?
Answer: A young person’s taste in music is influenced largely by what kind of lifestyles he/she chooses to live, and what kind of families and friends he/she has. For example, if a young person is very seriously career-oriented with introvert personality and spends much of his/her time at works, the chances are he/she would like to listen to some sweet and relaxing soft rock. In the same way, if a young person has a very upbeat personality and likes to hang out with his/her friends always, he or she will probably prefer to listen to hard rock type of music more than sweet and mellow folk music.

Q. How has technology affected the kinds of music popular with young people?
Answer: Modern technologies like the internet and satellite TV channels have tremendously affected the kinds of music that are gaining popularities among the young. In fact, with the help of these technologies, young people, along with everybody else, can listen to any kinds of music of their choices from any country at any time. The internet helps them to download any music and then share them with their friends on different social media networks. Smartphones also allow them to listen to their favourite music, be it on “YouTube” channels or FM radio stations, on the go.

Music and society:

Q. Tell me about any traditional music in your culture.
Answer: Folk music and country music usually fall into the category of traditional music in my culture. Both folk music and country songs use local musical instruments that are easy to play. Besides, the lyrics of both these type of music very beautifully reflect the natural beauty of my country as well as the joys and sorrows of its sons and daughters. In fact, some of our folk music is so unique and melodious in their sounds that they have been “copied” by the music industries of several other countries in the world.

Q. How important is it for a culture to have musical traditions?
Answer: Musical traditions of a country reflect the lifestyles, culture, religious & spiritual traditions and history of a country in a very authentic and appealing manner. Therefore, it is absolutely important for a country and its culture to preserve its musical traditions as best as possible. But, should we ever fail to have our own musical traditions, the chances are that some other kinds of “alien traditions” will make their “merry” ways into our culture and threaten to weaken, if not destroy, our “national identity”.

Q. Why do you think countries have national anthems or songs?
Answer: Countries have national anthems in order to be able to display their loves, gratitude and respect in a more formal and official way. The national anthem of a country is also used to bring solidarity and patriotism among its citizens which are absolutely necessary to strengthen a country economically, culturally and militarily. Finally, the national anthems also remind us about the histories of our countries as well as the “sacrifices” that were made in order to free/establish them in the past.

• IELTS Speaking

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