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Written by IELTS Mentor

IELTS Speaking Mock Test # 30

Part 1 - Introduction & Interview

[The examiner asks the candidates about him/her home, work and studies and other familiar topics in this part of the test.]

Q.  Where do you live now?
A.  Well, I live in "Manaus", which is a city in the North Region of Brazil. Manaus is located in the centre of the world's largest rainforest, and home to the National Institute of Amazonian Research. This city is around 4,400 square miles and has a population of over 2 million.

Q.  Who do you live with?
A.  I live with my family including my parents and siblings. I have two sisters and a younger brother who is three years junior to me. Besides, our grandmother also lives with us.

Q.  What kind of place do you live in - a house or an apartment?
A.  We live in a house which is owned by my dad. Before us, my grandfather, great grandfather and their family used to live there. My father inherited this house from my grandfather who died a couple of years ago. Our house is moderately large and has many rooms, a lawn, a playground and a large cottage.

Q.  Do you think it’s better to live in a house or an apartment? [Why?]
A.  I think living in a house is far better and more convenient than living in an apartment. Usually, a house comprises open space, a lawn, many rooms and a garden while an apartment has only a few rooms and no open space at all. Besides, houses give certain freedom of decorating it the way the owner wants but an owner of an apartment often does not have such freedom and choice. I personally prefer living in a house because it offers plenty of fresh air and sunlight while many apartment dwellers do not have this amenity.

Q.  Can you briefly describe your neighbourhood for me?
A.  Our house is located near 'Mindu Park' and thus the entire area is greener than the other parts of the city. Moreover, most of the houses in our neighbourhood are spacious and have a garden in front of them. We have a community centre, a library and a large school in our neighbourhood. Most importantly, people are cordial and friendly and they have a great social relationship. I love my neighbourhood and this is one of the best places to live in, in my opinion.

Q.  Do you like it? Why?/ Why not?]
A.  Of course, I love it. This is a nice and peaceful place to live in. The neighbours are peace-loving and we all have a great community here. I have always lived in this place and this is the area where I want to live in for the rest of my life.

Q.  How do people choose their place to live?
A.  Ummm…. Actually, it depends on their personal preference, needs and economic condition. Sometimes they just live in the house they inherit and sometimes they relocate. In most of the cases, if people have enough money, they buy or rent a spacious house in a beautiful place. Then relatively low-income group does not have many choices and they just need a space to live in. Wealthy people usually choose posh areas of the city while middle-class and poor people live in areas where rent and prices are cheaper. Finally, some people live in the house they inherit and do not have a choice to move to a different location while others move nearby their workplace or children's school.

Part 2 - Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card

Topic:

Describe a gift you have received that was important to you. 

You should say:

• who gave it to you and on what occasion
• what it looked like
• how you used it

and explain why it was important to you.

[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.]

Click here for the answer to this Cue Card topic

Part 3 - Two-way Discussion:

Q.  Why do people give gifts to others in our society?
A.  People tend to give gifts to others in our society for several reasons. The first reason is that they want to show to their loved ones that there is someone who really loves them and cares for them. Secondly, gift-giving is the best way to renew or build a stronger relationship among families and friends, especially, when people are not able to meet their loved ones or talk to them on a regular basis. Finally, people tend to give gifts to others because they want to make a certain occasion, such as birthdays and wedding anniversaries, very special for them.

Q.  Why do some people like to give hand-made gifts instead of purchasing them from a gift shop?
A.  There can be various reasons for which some people like to give hand-made gifts instead of purchasing them from a store. The first reason, of course, is, they are usually more “personalized” with the colours, fragrance or flavours, which people know that their loved ones would appreciate and enjoy. The second reason is that hand-made gifts are usually “one of a kind” with no similarity with other gifts as well as crafted with “special meaning and love”. Finally, hand-made gifts are preferred over purchasing them from a store because some people have great fun and unadulterated pleasure in making those “hand-made” gifts.

Q.  How important is gift-giving in a relationship?
A.  Gifts have always played an important part in developing a healthy and loving relationship primarily because it is not only a simple gesture of appreciation towards our loved ones and partners, but also giving the right gifts can show just how much we care for, and understand them. Needless to say, all relationships are unique, but no one can deny the fact that the time and efforts, one takes to get to know his/her partner’s preferences and personalities in choosing a special and perfect gift, can have a tremendous impact on creating a stronger bond and deeper connection with each other.

Q.  What is more important when it comes to giving a gift, cost or effort?
A.  In my humble opinion, when it comes to giving a gift, “effort” is more important than “cost”, primarily because the appeal of one particular “object” or gift, be it costly or inexpensive, doesn’t remain the same to a particular person. But, on the other hand, when we know that there are some sincere efforts or sacrifices, monetary or otherwise, are made in choosing a perfect gift, we naturally become a bit more “emotionally attached” to that particular gift more often than not.

Q.  Do people today still give the same kinds of gifts that people used to give many years ago? Why?/Why not?
A.  No, I don’t really think that people today still give the same kinds of gifts that people used to give many years ago mainly because people today have more options and ideas in choosing different kinds of gift items than in the past. In fact, gift-giving today has become an industry itself from where people can easily choose their perfect gifts for all kinds of occasions, age categories and traditions. Besides, the time has changed, and so has the “technology” and people’s expectations. So, what people might have preferred in the past, doesn’t necessarily mean that they would prefer the same things today.

Q.  What kind of educational gifts, in your opinion, can be given to children?
A.  Children love educational gifts which are fun and interactive and which “turn” them “on” to learning. Such educational gifts may include “ABC toys” in order to teach them alphabets. These gifts may also include “picture books” and “nonfiction books”. Then there is also the “block building set for kids” which allows the children to create an infinite number of shapes, patterns, and structures, ensuring hours of pure fun and entertainment. Finally, we can give them “reading board games” which are a fantastic way of integrating reading and spelling skills.

• IELTS Speaking

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