Details

Written by IELTS Mentor

Part 1: Introduction and interview

[This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidate’s identification. It then continues as an interview.]

Good morning. My name is Andrew Miller. Could you tell me your name, please?
   Good morning. I am Anton Valery. You can, however, call me 'Anton', if it's okay with you. This is what most people call me.

Please show me your identification or passport?
   Sure. Here are my passport and ID card.

That's fine. Thank you.Now, in this first part, I'd like to ask you some more questions about yourself, OK?
   Yes, sure. I would be happy to answer those questions.

Do you work or study?
   I am a business professional. I have finished my studies almost three years ago and then started my own business.

What business do you own?
   I own a business that deals with importing clothing items from some Asian countries. My staffs then sell those items to a few local stores and shopping malls in my country. I employ almost ten to twelve people and I am happy to see that my business is growing.

Now let's move on and talk about "the sea"...

Do you like to go on holiday by the sea?
   Yes, I do like to go on holiday by the sea, especially during the summertime when I feel the need to avoid extreme heat as well as when I feel the need to get closer to the mother nature after spending a monotonous life in the city environment.

Are there many hotels by the sea in your country?
   Yes, there indeed are many hotels by the sea in my country from which people can easily choose their perfect adobe, based on their budget, taste and preference, in order to enjoy a perfect holiday with their families and friends.

What kind of activities can people do by the sea?
   People can do several activities by the sea which may include enjoying sunbathing, going for hiking, doing fishing, having a barbeque party or picnic, reading a book, playing beach volleyball, collecting seashells and going for a walk among a number of other activities.

What do you like to do when you visit a location by the sea?
   When I visit a place by the sea, I mostly like to check interesting and unique merchandises at the local shops and walk beside the seashore. I also like to sit down and relax at local restaurants or café while having chat with the local residents about their culture, lifestyles and tradition.

Alright? Remember you have one to two minutes for this, so don't worry if I stop you. I'll tell you when the time is up. Can you start speaking now, please?

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Part 3: Details Discussion

Do you think music has an effect on people’s lives? How?
A. Thank you for this question. Listening to music is beneficial for us as it positively affects our lives. Firstly, music makes people happy, reminds them of a good time, remove their stress, motivates them and eradicates loneliness and depression. It also helps boost our performance and achieve our goals. Music helps to elevate moods in different situations. Some people believe that music heals pain or other physical disorders. So, the influence of music is huge in people’s lives.

Which is more important to the young generation in your country- music or TV programmes? why?
A. Well, most youngsters in my country love music over TV programmes. They love to spend time outdoors and that's why they can't or won't watch TV most of the time. But the scenario is different in the case of music. They can use earphones and listen to their favourite music even when they travel, play or commute. I can also listen to music when I am walking on the streets or riding on my bicycle. But I am unable to carry a television with me! Moreover, young people in my country have different options to select their preferred music and listen to them without any schedule. But while watching television, they are forced to watch commercials they do not like. Finally and most importantly, music is inspirational and thought to be the food for our soul. TV programmes are not that inspiring and fail to attract youngsters.

Does music has a relation with the dancing? How?
A. Ahh… I think music and dancing have some close correlations. The music alone can play a great role to entertain people but dance without music, in most of the cases, is incomplete. The music is composed of lyrics while dancing is the natural outcome of our body movements with the music. Dancing steps are synchronized with music and lyrics, and this creates a beautiful harmony. In fact, both dance and music are art forms and create composition together. So, the absence of music in dancing will make no sense at all to many audiences.

Has the type of music people used to like 20 years ago changed? Why?
A. People's choice of music changes over time and their lifestyles, upbringing, and education have something to do with it. Obviously, people nowadays do not have the same lifestyle and socio-economic condition they used to have 20 years ago, and they tend to like different types of music than the past as an outcome. Globalisation, technological advancement, experiment with new types of musical instruments, and the rise of satellite TV channels and FM radio stations have redefined the type of music that become popular these days. Since the young generation often follows the latest trends in music, their music choice has also shifted. Thus popular songs in the '80s or '90s no longer attract youngsters in this modern era. However, some music choices like classical music and jazz music are still widely liked. Finally, a cosmopolitan society that comprises the population of different nationalities and ethnicities have influenced each other and came with a totally new music genre. As a result, rap music or rock music have emerged that were less known in the past. Thus the music choice of people change over time and people embrace new types of music than their previous generations.

What changes in terms of young people's choice of music will occur in the next 20 years?
A. Well, young people play an important role in changing the course of music and the fate of the music industry. Actually, based on their demands, the music industry takes attempts and popularize a few existing genres or invent new genres. So, it's hard to predict what will happen next. But after 20 years a couple of things may take place in young people's music choice: there might be the rise of newer genres for young people or they will return to the older genres. Actually, inventing a fresh music genre is a daunting task which nobody may dare to initiate. However, I believe metal music will become more popular in the future among youngsters and they would take up music as their pastime activity more widely than they do these days.

Do you think anyone can be a musician? Why/why not? 
A. A good musician is talented and devoted. He or she also has an inherent music scene and a good vocal. The combination of all these quality along with rigid and regular practice ensure someone's success as a musician and that is why it is not possible for anyone to become a musician. Someone without natural music sense and good voice may practise a lot and yet fail to become a musician. On the contrary, someone with a pleasant voice can't succeed as a musician if he or she does not practice a lot.

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