IELTS Speaking Test - Sample 1

✔ (Rated ★★★)

Part 1 - Introduction

Q. Good afternoon. My name is Vinnie Pham. Could I have your name, please?
A. Good afternoon Sir. My name is Thuan Tran and my nickname is Tina.

Q. And your candidate number?
A. My candidate number is.....

Q. Thank you. Now could you tell me a little about yourself and where do you live?
A. Well,... I ^live at... 27 Hai Ba Trung, Thu Duc District, in Sai Gon City.... I'm 26 ... and I ^graduated from Banking University in HCMC.... um.. My ^major... was Fi^nancial ac^counting.... I've got one ^brother and five sisters.... We live like a ... very ^happy ^family... and my parents... take great care of us...um. I'm ^doing a part-time job at a local herb shop... I'm ^planning to com^plete my M.Sc.... at any uni^versity in Vietnam... My ^future plan is to teach in a ^college... I spend my ^leisure time ^surfing the internet ...and (d..)reading books. ^Sometimes ... I hang a^round with my friends on ^mountain sites. The place ... I live now is ^really small ... but I love to live there... It's not a fancy place ... and the rent is af^fordable for me... The area is not ^busy like other places in this city... I am maintaining a ... personal blog ...and there I try to add ... a post every week... This is ^basically a blog for ^English for ^Vietnamese ^Speakers.

Q. What are some of the nicest things about where you live?
A. The place where I live in is a calm area and is very neat and clean. The area is free of pollution as it's not an industrial area and the fresh air would give a soothing feeling. Our area is indeed a beautiful place to live in. The people are very nice and friendly. The traffic on the road is good most of the time and you won't have to worry about the public transportation as they are available around the clock. This area is famous for many historical sites and monuments, and many tourists come to visit here every day. The tour guides are very nice and are maintained by Government. You will find it naturally beautiful, the river, gardens and the songs of birds will take your heart away. Whenever my friends from other cities come to visit my area, they become awe-stricken! There are many restaurants and you can pick one of their delicious menus and I am sure you will never forget the taste!

Q. Are there any places of special interest I could visit in your home area?
A. Sai Gon city Ben Thanh Market and Mong - Saigon’s famous ancient bridge are two most beautiful places in our area. Thousands of tourists each month come to visit our area and these two places are main attractions for the tourists.
Apart from that, some monuments of famous politicians, poets and renowned persons in the Tao Dan Park is one of the main attractions and it is worth visiting. You will never get bored there and if you even slightly do, simply get yourself enrolled in the locally managed tour plans for a couple of days. This would give you a whole new chance to explore hills, rivers, and you would find challenges and enthralling experiences from there. Lastly, do not forget to taste our local foods and fruits.

Q. What would be the best way for me to get there?
A. If you enroll with the tour service provider, they will manage the plan, route and based on your preference, you can either share a carpool or can take a private car for rent. The later one is comparatively expensive. Alternatively, you can take a public bus or hire a small car and reach there. The price of the public transportation is fixed and you don't have to pay any extra charge.

If you have a private car with you, from the city center you can drive along the roads to get there, both of the directions would take around one and a half hour.


Q. What sort of places could I stay at?
A. You can stay at a tourist motel near the park or can rent a hotel room in the city center. If you are visiting your family members, then villa near the hill road would be better alternatives for you. Almost every tourist motel provides meals facility.

Q. Should I go at any special time of year?
A. Most of the tourists come to our area during the Tet holidays season and I would recommend you to visit during summer as well. There are lots of activities you can do during this period and you will find the beauty of our city at that time.

[ I see, this has all been very interesting.]

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Part 2 - Cue Card

Topic:
Describe a problem that affects the environment in the area where you live.

You should say:

• what the problem is
  
• what causes it
  
• what people feel about the problem and explain what you think could be done to solve it.
  

Sample Answer:

what the problem is
There are so many problems that negatively affects the environment in our area and among them, the highly density of population, in my opinion, is the most severe one. While in many countries, less than 100 people live in one square kilometer, we have got around thousands of people living in one square kilometer. Because of this high population in a small city, lots of problems are arising.

uh ...There are so ^many problems .... that ne^gatively af^fects the en^vironment ....in our area uh... and ^among them, .... the ^highly density of popula^tion→, in my opi^nion, err... is the ^most se^vere one. ahh ...While in many countries, ... less than ^100 people live in ^one square kilometer, um ...we have got around ^thousand↑ of people living in !one square kilometer. ah ... Be^cause of this ^high population in a ^small city, ... ^lots of ^problems are arising.


The expenditure to support living is quite high compared to the average earning of the people, a heavy traffic has become a common scenario in the roads and as a consequence, lots of time is killed every day. The lower economic people are not getting the proper education and the hospital facility, crime has increased than ever, lots of unplanned and risky constructions have been established, the environment is getting polluted and seems like no one cares.

ah ... The ^expenditure to sup^port ^living .... is ^quite high com^pared to the ...^average ^earning of the ^people, ... a ^heavy ^traffic has be^come a ...^common sce^nario in the roads ... and as a ^consequence, ^lots of time is ^killed ^every day... The ^lower ^economic ^people are ... ^not ^getting ... the ^proper edu^cation ... and the ^hospital fa^cility,... ^crime has in^creased than ^ever, ... ^lots of un^planned and ^risky con^structions ...^have been es^tablished, ... the en^vironment is ^getting pol^luted ... and ^seems like ↑no one ^cares.

what causes it
There are many reasons that caused this outburst of this mass population in our city, and among them, the most influential reason is the centralization of industry in this city. Most of the factory, offices and organizations are located in this city and people from all area of the country are coming here to find a living. The unemployment in the rural area is the another reason why people are trying to stay here. The political reason not to take strict decisions on making equal opportunity in the country is the another reason. The businesses and job opportunity attract people to come and live here in this city.

↑There are ^many ^reasons that ^caused this out^burst of this ^mass popu^lation in our ^city .... and a^mong them,... the ^most influ^ential ^reason ... is the ^centrali^zation of in^dustry in this ^city.... ^Most of the ^factory,... ^offices... and ^organi^zations are lo^cated in this ^city.... and ^people from ^all ^area of the ^country are ^coming here ... to ^find a ^living.... The unem^ployment in the ^rural ^area ... ^is the a^nother ^reason why ^people are ^trying to stay here.... The po^litical ^reason not to ^take strict de^cisions... on ^making ^equal oppor^tunity ...in the ↑country is the ↑another ^reason ... The ^businesses and job oppor^tunity at^tract ^people .... to come and live here ... in this ^city.

what people feel about the problem and explain what you think could be done to solve it.
People can feel the heat of this uncontrolled population and the problems are creating for that but they have little control over it. We all suffer from the problems and talk about it but I have not seen any big movement to solve this problem. On the other hand, the political leaders who can take initiatives to lessen the problem are sometimes corrupted to take appropriate and honest steps.


People can feel the heat of this uncon^trolled popu^lation .... and the ^problems are cre^ating for that ... but they have ^little con^trol over it ... We all ^suffer from the ^problems ... and talk about it.... but I have not seen any big ^movement to solve this ^problem... ↓On the ^ other hand,... the po^litical ^leaders ... who can take i^nitiatives to ^lessen the ^problem are sometimes cor^rupted ...to take ap^propriate ... and ^honest steps.

There are lots of theories to solve this problem and seems like we all know about it. First of all, decentralization should be done and in↑dustries and factories that can be moved to other areas should be moved. Proper education and job sectors should be ensured so that people can earn their living at their cities rather than coming here. Local government can be formed to support and improve each area of the country. Each local government should be able to invest and decide about the development projects in their area.

People naturally want to live in a better place where they can find the necessary infrastructure, daily needs and can earn a living. If that can be ensured throughout the country, this problem can be reduced.

There are lots of ^theories ... to solve this ^problem ... and seems like... we all know about it.... First of all..., decentrali^zation should be done ... and in^dustries ... and ^factories ...that can be moved to ^other ^areas should be moved... ^Proper edu^cation... and job ^sectors should be en^sured ... so that ^people can earn... their ^living at their ^cities ... ^rather than ^coming here... ^Local ^government can be formed ... to sup^port ... and im^prove each ^area of the ^country.... Each ^local ^government... should be ^able to in^vest... and de^cide... a^bout the de^velopment ^projects in their ^area...

er ...^People ^naturally... want to ^live in a ^better place... where they can find the ^necessary infra^structure, ^daily needs... and can earn... a ^living... If that can be en^sured through^out the ^country ..., this ^problem can be re^duced...

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Part 3 - Details Discussion

[Now let's go to real life and you.....]
Q. And what has been done so far to solve these problems?
A. The government has taken many initiatives for the economic progress of our country. According to the statistics, we are indeed progressing. But I am not convinced with the reported statistics. I want to see the result, I want to feel it. The political instability seems like consuming most of our good will and energy. While major political parties should have worked together to help improve our economic conditions, sometimes their actions give me real doubt whether they are the type of leaders we need for our country!

On the ^positive sides,... ^government has ^emphasized on ICT ^sector,... has made the ^export ^process ^easier for ^business ^people, es^tablished many ^training in^stitutes to en^hance the skill of the ^rural ^people and those are all ^hopeful signs. ^Someday ^definitely we will see the ^progress... Edu^cation, skill, ^foreign in^vestment, job se^curity etc. are ^also im^portant ^areas where the ^government has in^vested a lot of ^money. The aim of this in^vestment is to cre^ate a skilled and edu^cated gene^ration who would lead the e^conomy and the ^country.

Q. Tell me ..., what do you think are the ^greatest ^problems ^facing your ^country at ^present?
A. ^Economic de^velopment ^issue, ... po^litical in↓sta^bility,... unem^ployment,... and ^healthcare are the ^major ^issues most of the ^people in my ^country face... In my o^pinion, .... these are the most ^burning ^issues ... and the ^greatest ^problems we have in our ^country.

Q. And what has been ↑done so far to ↑solve these ↑problems....?
A. The ^government has ^taken many i^nitiatives ... for the ^economic ^progress of our ^country. Ac^cording to the ↓sta^tistics,... we are in^deed pro^gressing... But I am not con^vinced with the re^ported ↓sta^tistics... I want to see the re^sult, I want to feel it. The po^litical ↓insta^bility seems like con^suming most of our good will ... and ^energy.... er ... While ^major po^litical ^parties should have worked to^gether ... to help im^prove our ^economic con^ditions, ... ^sometimes their ^↑actions give me real doubt ... ^whether they are the type of ^leaders ... we need for our ^country!

On the ^positive sides,... ^government has ^emphasized on ICT ^sector,... has made the ^export ^process ^easier for bu^siness ^people, ... es^tablished many ^training ^institutes to en^hance the skill of the ^rural ^people ... and those are all ↑hopeful signs... Someday ^definitely,... we will see the ^progress. Edu↑cation,... skill,... foreign in^vestment, job se^curity etc... are also im^portant ↑areas where the ^government has in↑vested a lot of ↑money. The aim of this in↑vestment is to cre^ate a skilled and edu↑cated gene↑ration who would ↑lead the ↑economy... and the country.


Q. How suc^cessful would you ↑say... these ↑measures have been?
A. These ^measures are suc^cessful... to some ex↑tent... but if I pre^sent it in ^figures,... it would ^only a few per^centages than the ^actual ^progress we ex^pect... For ^instance: more than three ^thousand ^hospitals... are re^quired through^out the ^country wher^eas...only 45 hos^pitals have been est^ablished... in the ^last one year...


Q. Do you think things are likely to get ^better or worse in the ^future?
A. We hope that the problem we have in our country would be resolved in next five years. The government and other organizations are working hard to address these issues and we are noticing some progress. So we can definitely be positive and wait for the glorious days when we won’t have those issues. This was an optimistic idea and I possess this positive idea about my country. But the greatest obstacle is the hunger for power and our political parties often create the haphazard situation for the power. This is the single reason that can degrade the situation in the future.


Q. Do you think things are ^likely to get ^better or ^worse in the future?
A. We ^hope that the ^problem we ^have in our ^country ... would be re^solved in ^next five years. The ^government and ^other organi^zations are working ^hard to ad^dress these ^issues... and we are ^noticing some ^progress... So we can ^definitely be ^positive.... and ^wait for the glorious days ....when we won’t ^have those^issues.... This was an opti^mistic idea... and I pos^sess this ^positive idea... about my ^country... ^But the ^greatest ^obstacle ... is the ^hunger for the ^power... and our po^litical ^parties often cre^ate the ha^phazard situ^ation for the ^power.... This is the single ^reason that can de^grade the situ^ation in the ^future...


[Thank you very much. It's been pleasant talking to you. I wish you success in your study program. Goodbye.]

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