NO.

TOPIC

Describe a person
1
A person you know who dress well/ a person who is
fashionable

SAMPLE

Describe a person you know who dresses well/a person who is fashionable.
You should say:
who this person is
what kinds of clothes this person likes to wear
how you know this person
and explain why you think this person dresses well.

Let me tell you about one of my friends who is a photographic model, and she is really fond
wearing trendy outfits due to her job. I met her when I took part in a portraits photography ac
several years ago and we got to know each other ever since then.

She is very tall and blender, so she is very attractive. Particularly she fancies the Chinese trad
Chi-pao which essentially is a one-piece dress. She has several different colour Chi-paos and
always wears one of them to go out for different social activities or photographic model.

She looks very graceful and stunning when she wears Chi-pao. I guess it looks unique becaus
the fabric, I mean, the silk and the embroidery. Also, the bell-like sleeves and the slits on the
all make it so different from regular dresses. It accentuates her figure because its pretty tight
fitting. Actually I guess thats exactly why she looks so fashionable and is so eye-catching in
street.

A person who likes to travel by plane

A person who can do well in work/ a good leader

Describe a friend who you think is a good leader.
You should say:
who this friend is
how you first met

how other people behave towards him or her

and explain why you think he or she is a good leader.

Let me tell you about one of my close friends who worked with me in the same company sev
years ago. Actually it was he who had an interview with me when I applied for a position in t
company after I graduated from university, we had a nice talk and he was obviously satisfied
my related experience.

He was really an optimistic and infectious man with his work, therefore when he started to be
responsible for the new business, some colleagues were very interesting in his plan and tasks
were always likely to offer their help. Besides, his superior was quite confident of his success
gave some necessary financial and human supports.

I had been working with him for over two years. I believe he was really good at encouraging
staff into doing something that seemed to be tough to realise and inspiring them to greatness.
our business was quite new in the market, he made us feeling like pioneers in this field, whic
definitely inspired my enthusiasm tremendously. It was really a cool thing, because to be hon
learned the most things in my work during that time.
4

A person whose job is important to the society

Describe a person whose job is important to the society.
You should say:
who this person is
what job he or she has
how you know this person
and explain why his/her job is important to the society.

Let me tell you about my friend whose job, in my opinion, is critically important and indispe
in every part of the society. He is an IT engineer. He has been working in this industry for ov
years to accumulate the necessary working ability and experience. We got to know each othe
because we are neighbours, so we can meet frequently.

I think his job is really important because nowadays, the whole country, including the variou
business and non-profit organisations, are running on the IT systems. So he should shoulder t
responsibility to develop and maintain the system operating smoothly and can, of course, wo
under great pressure.

Moreover, as far as I know, IT engineers need to design, develop the core systems of many o
industries such as banking, insurance, telecommunication, manufacturing and so on, which h
rely on their information systems to operate their own business. Therefore, I guess their syste
the driving force behind their business and so are essentially important to them.
5

A person who can use/ speak second language

Describe a person who can use/speak a second language.
You should say:
who this person is
what language this person can use
how often this person uses this language
and explain why this person can master this language.

One of my good friends can speak French fluently, he acquired that language when he learne
the university by himself. Thanks to his industriousness and versatility, he now works in a Fr
company in Beijing.

He now uses French on a daily basis in that company and gets far more opportunities than ot
average Chinese staffs. I believe that knowledge of the foreign language may increase his cha
of finding a new job, getting a promotion in the company or even going on foreign business t
really envy him sometimes.

Luckily, when he was in university, he got a French friend and started to be interested in Fren
soon. So he put lots of efforts in the new language in his spare time and learned the new lang
very fast in order to talk with his friend. Besides, he also read some classical French novels s
The Red and The Black, to improve his reading and writing skills, which made him more fam
with French culture.

A person in the news that you would like to meet

Describe a person in the news that you would like to meet.
You should say:
who he or she is
what this person shows up on TV
how you know this person
and explain why you want to meet them.

I would say that Id like to meet the incredibly famous Chinese pop singer, Jay Chou, whom
often seen in the entertainment channel on TV. He grew up in a single-parent family. When h
a little boy Jay didnt get good grades at school. His mother was really concerned about him,
just looked on the bright side. When he felt down or lonely, he always looked for nice music
cheer him up.

I firstly knew him in 2000 when he released his first album Jay, in which his soft voice wa
unique and this album turned out to be an instant hit. I was really impressed by his voice, tale
versatility in music.

His music is always original, and sometimes blends with different genres, like R&B, hip-hop
folk music. Thats why I simply adore him and just want to meet him in person. Recently it s
like he was really into giving his songs some traditional Chinese appeal, like he did in The
Porcelain.
7

A person you dont like but have to be friendly to

Describe a time you were friendly to someone you didnt like.
You should say:
when and where it happened
who he or she was
why you didnt like this person
and explain why you were friendly to him or her on that occasion.

Let me tell you about the challenging person I had to deal with when I was doing a project fo
of my clients last year in my clients office. He was the manager of that company. After we c

worked for a couple of days, I found that he had a caustic style and often spoke in a pejorativ
Even worse, the manager was standoffish and quick to criticise. He even withheld critical
information from our project team.

However, thought I was really frustrated by him and didnt personally like him, I tried hard to
it. I had to get along well with this guy because how I managed those relationships could be v
my careers and I needed his participation to be successful in this project. Therefore, in the
following days, I sometimes took him out to dinner and asked him to talk about some of the
projects he had heard about, and surprisingly, he was willing to share with me his teamwork.
end, the late evenings were always filled with collaboration, shared success and accomplishm

He was much more cooperative when some of colleagues in our team asked for his viewpoin
acknowledged his expertise. And I had a much easier time working with him.
Describe a place
8
A small and successful company
Describe a small and successful company you know.
You should say:
what is the company called
how did you know this company
what kind of business this company does
and explain why you think this company is successful.

Let me talk about a fitness club. Its called Nirvana Fitness. Its just next to my place. Last m
I felt really out of shape. So I went to this fitness club.

The club offered a variety of membership types with different rates to meet different needs. T
also had a three-day guest pass for first timers. It turned out that this club was pretty cool. It h
lots of good machines like the treadmills, exercise bikes and steppers. All the equipment was
brand-new. This club also offered Pilates and yoga classes so the members could tone up wit
building up too many muscles.

Their trainers were also very helpful. When I first started working out there, my body hurt al
But then I got used to the exercise and now Im feeling pretty good. And sometimes I asked t
trainers for some advice, they were real experts and showed me a lot of new exercises. And o
of that they also advised me on my diet and my fitness plan.

My one-year membership cost me 1,500 yuan, kind of pricey, right? But Im sure Ill get my
money worth.
9

A house or apartment you want to live in

Describe a beautiful place where you want to have a home/Describe a home(e.g., flat or hous
you would like to live in.
You should say:
where this place is
how you know about this place
what type of home it would be
who you would like to live with
and explain why you would choose to live there.
Well, the beautiful place that I want to live in is the city of Shanghai, which is located in the
Yangtze River Delta in East China.

I have been to Shanghai for many times during these years, both for business trips and travel
There are many large-scale domestic and foreign corporations so it is easy to seek the busine
opportunities there. Besides it is also renowned for attractions like the bustling City God Tem
and peaceful Century Park, the gorgeous Yu Garden, and the breath-taking Pudong skyline.

Im really into living in a pretty spacious flat in a high-rise in rural areas of Shanghai with m
whole family because the air quality would be relatively good, and it would be easier to avoi
traffic congestion. Further more, thanks to the good transport facilities in Shanghai, it will be
for us to get access to the shopping malls, schools, medical clinics and entertainment. On top
that, what fascinates me most in Shanghai is the rich collection of buildings and structures of
various architectural styles. The Bund, for example, contains a wealth of well-preserved early

century architecture. And also a large number of eccentric buildings sprung up recently throu
Shanghai, such as the Shanghai Museum.
10

A place that can be good to relax (not your home)

Describe a place that can be good to relax(not home).
You should say:
where this place is
what it is like
how you spend time there
and explain why you think it is a good place for relaxation.

Well, your questions have reminded me of the Classical Chinese Garden which is just a 10-m
walk away from where I live. Its always a perfect place to visit. The covered walkways prov
shelter so the beautiful views can be appreciated in any weather.

The place is very peaceful, almost like a window on another world. Like other traditional Ch
park, there are a whole bunch of meadows, waterfalls, lakes, rockery there. The scenery seem
change every few feet. Therefore, many elementary school teachers take their students there
discover the secrets of the Chinese culture and the garden is often rented for filming.

I always go to the park to let off steam after work because of the stunning natural views there
garden is breathtaking in every season. When in spring, everything in the garden turns green
the flowers bloom almost at the same time. In summer, the trees are pretty shady so we can w
fish play in the glistening ponds. The trees change colours in autumn and the foliage looks
absolutely fascinating. The garden is brilliant even in winter because snow makes it pure and
11

A place where you can read and write

Describe a place where you can read and write.
You should say:
where this place is
how do you know this place
what do you do there

and explain why you think its a good place for reading and writing.
Well, obviously, the best place for reading and writing, in my opinion, is the Beijing Library
is located near the southern Ring Three in Beijing, and its also quite near my home.

The library is regular-shaped, but its also a famous landmark around there, so I can easily fin
when I drive along the road. Its wrapped in glass on all sides, so the exterior is very gorgeou

I always go to the library about twice a month, Im a regular there. Id like to go there in the
morning, and borrow some interesting books to read, or write some documents in my laptop.
library has all sorts of books, so I can always get the books I need, or I can ask the librarians
borrow the books I need from other libraries. Their service is really impeccable. Besides, the
atmosphere there is very refreshing. I can do my work quietly and efficiently, and feel like lif
my spirits.

12

A park/ garden that impressed you

Describe a park/garden you visited and liked/that impressed you.
You should say:
(the name of this garden)
where is was
what it looked like
what people did(or, were doing) there
and explain how you felt about this garden.

Let me tell you about the Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park which is located near th
of Zhangye in Chinas northwestern Gansu province. This place is well-known for its breatht
colours of the rocks, which are very smooth, sharp and very tall. I went there four years ago t
travel around to visit the numeric historical relics with my girlfriend in the bumpy and dusty
Hexi Corridor.

When I got there that day, I hiked along the board way in the mountainous area in the sunny
morning and stayed there for the whole day. What was really amazing was that the colours of
mountains changed continuously with the light of the day, showing yellow and red layers cov
by a light grey layer. Standing in the viewing platform, I could enjoy the pictures of painted c
of endless mountains, especially during the sunset, and saw many people taking big bags and
cameras around to take the stunning pictures.

The unusual colours of the rocks were formed by the erosion of red sandstone, which made t
rock layers appear in different colours, textures and size. I was really stunned by the power o
nature.
13

A street that you like to visit

Describe a street that you know
You should say:
Where is it located
What buildings are there on the street
How often do you go on that street
and explain why you like to visit this street

Model Answer:
I would like to describe a street from my hometown where I spent a lot of time in my childho
and adolescence time. This street is called grace street (...say a name of a street you know abo
and it is at the back side of the high school we used to study at.

This is not a very wide street and since it is in the back side, people often avoid this road and
the main street. There are some 2-3 storied buildings there and one 7th storied building is situ
beside this street. A large portion of the street-side is occupied by the high school and there is

pond, 2 lamp posts, one post office and 2 small tea stalls are situated beside this street.

I used to visit this street and spent time with my friends in my teenage time mostly. Since I n
live in a different city I rarely visit this street. However I go to this street sometime with my f
whenever I visit my hometown. This is the place where I spend my time with my friends in t
evening when I stay at my hometown. I go to my hometown 3-4 times in a year and visit this
each time I visit my hometown.

I like this street because I have so many memories related to this street. I still go there whene
visit my town. And this very street where I used to spend some of my golden periods remind
my old time there. Being there with my friends sometimes reminds me things I used to do the
how precious the time was. For these reasons I like this street very much.
14

A historical building in your country

Describe a historic building that you visited.
You should say:
where it was
what people do(or, were doing) there
why you went there
and explain how you felt about this building

Well, Id like to talk about the Siheyuan in Beijing, which is the product of 3000 years of
accumulated cultural wisdom and building practices. An average Siheyuan is situated in the n
and faces south, and usually has its main gate located near the southeast corner of the courtya
with a screen wall just inside, maintaining the privacy of the residence. The courtyard is squa
vast and of a suitable size. It contains flowers and is set up with rocks, providing an ideal spa
outdoor life.

In the past, most Beijingers used to live in these courtyard buildings. Just from the size and s
you would be able to tell whether a courtyard house belonged to an average family or a powe
and rich one. But nowadays, living in a courtyard building is definitely a kind of a social stat
symbol in Beijing because the existing Siheyuan is really scarce and pricey.

The Siheyuan in Beijing attracts floods of tourists every day around the world, including me,
experience the unparalleled creation that was left behind by ancient Chinese craftsmen and it
unique cultural treasure. Every time I bumped into some Siheyuan, I particularly adored the r
the big wooden gate and the traditional Chinese ornaments. In addition, there are always larg
extended families living there together which normally made me feel warm.
15

A caf or restaurant you like to visit

Describe a restaurant you like(to go to)/ that impresses you.
You should say:
where this restaurant is
what type of food the restaurant has
why you go to this restaurant
and explain why you like this restaurant/why this restaurant impresses you.

Let me tell you about a cheap restaurant I often go to. Its located next to the training school
I have been studying English for the last two months. It only takes me five minutes to get the
fact, its a tiny restaurant with several tables inside. When the weather is good, clients love to
outside to enjoy the fresh air.

I frequently go to this restaurant with my classmates because the food is very tasty, and the p
are extremely reasonable. They offer typical Chinese food with a great choice of dishes: loca
specialties such as sweet and sour pork, as well as fish balls served in soup. But I can also ge
food, like spicy diced chicken with peanuts, or simple spicy green beans.

In addition, the boss is a friendly old man, and the waitresses remember their customers and
what they like to eat. They often give us a small discount when we ask for the bill: they know
to retain their clients. Whats the most important is that the food is clean, savoury and cheap.
what really counts.
16

A place full of color

Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.
You should say:
where it was

why you went there

what you did there
and explain why you think this place was made so colourful.

Let me tell you about the Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park which is located near th
of Zhangye in Chinas northwestern Gansu province. This place is well-known for its breatht
colours of the rocks, which are very smooth, sharp and very tall. I went there two years ago t
travel around to visit the numeric historical relics in the bumpy and dusty area of Hexi Corrid

When I got there that day, I hiked along the board way in the mountainous area in the sunny
morning and stayed there the whole day. What was really amazing was that the colours of the
mountains changed continuously with the light of the day, showing yellow and red layers cov
by a light grey layer. Standing in the viewing platform, I could enjoy the pictures of painted c
of endless mountains, especially during the sunset, and took loads of pictures there.

I was told by the guide that the unusual colours of the rocks were the result of red sandstone
mineral deposits being laid down over millions of years. The formation was formed by the er
of red sandstone, which made the rock layers appear in different colours, textures and size. I
really stunned by the power of nature.
17

A place near water

Describe a place near water (such as a river, a lake or the ocean) that you enjoyed visiting.
You should say:
where this place was
what you did at this place
who you went there with
and explain why you liked this place.

Let me tell you about my travels at the end of 2012 to the Great Barrier Reef, which is locate
the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. I was keen on going there because it is
paradise for travelling and photography.

I stayed there for about ten days with my family. I really enjoyed the laid-back beach, experie
the memorable diving trips to see the magnificent coral and the magical marine life; moreove
once picked one of the fantastic and uninhabited islands to camp for two days. Besides, I too
camera with me to capture the stunning natural scenery, the painted sunset for example. It is
a memorable trip.

I once watched a BBC documentary introducing the Great Barrier Reef, I was attracted by th
colourful undersea world and the superb scenery. Moreover, I would like to go there with my
want him to experience the natural wonders during his childhood as well as getting close to i
Describe yourself
18
A success in your life
Describe a prize you would like to win.
You should say:
what it is
what you need to do to get it
where you know it
and explain why you would like to win the prize.

In the end of every year, my company always throws a big party in a grand restaurant in Beij
and there are some prizes that will be rewarded to the prominent employees as the year-end b
The best prize is always the latest iPhone which I fancy most. I really want to get one becaus
a big fan of Apple.

In order to get the favourite prize, I need to work diligently to make my clients satisfied;
furthermore, I should make some innovative progress in some of our projects, which will hav
some positive influences on the project methodology in the future; besides, Im supposed to g
along well with my colleagues so that most of them will vote for me.

In every October, new generation of iPhone will be on the market by Apple, which will be in
demand. Every one likes it and I will be excited to get one for free. Besides, winning the

companys bonus will prove that I am making a contribution to the company and it is a great
honour both to me and my department, making my career path in the company more promisi
19

Something that you want to learn more/ An ambition you

have not achieved yet

Describe an ambition you have not achieved yet.

You should say:
what it is
when you first had this ambition
why you had this ambition
what you have done to achieve it
and explain why you havent achieve it yet.

As my belly has grown over the years, Id like to take some physical exercises to get toned, t
tighten stomach muscles to be exact. I want to seek sleek and ripped abdominal muscles, whi
would be the envy of everyone at the swimming pool or gym, therefore I got around to this
motivation since last winter.

In order to achieve my ambition, I downloaded an app in my iPad, allowing me follow the

professional trainers to take workouts on a daily basis. Every night, before I slept, I would do
series of physical exercises with my iPad, and the app would track all my progress and save m
results in the website.

But unfortunately, I didnt insist on it for two long. Because after two months or so, I didnt s
changes happened to my belly and you know, doing workouts everyday was really a boring j
Gradually, I decreased the chances of my workouts, to about twice a week, then even twice a
month, and finally, I hadnt picked up my iPad and practised for months. What a shame! I tho
could last long with my motivation, but at last it turned out that as my motivation and enthus
were absent, my ambition was absent too.
20

A paid job you ever did or someone you know ever did
Describe a paid job you ever did or someone you know ever did.
You should say:
what the job was

how did you/this person find this job

how long did you or this person keep this job
and how you feel about this job.

I was an accountant, so my job consisted of preparing profit statements at the end of each mo
order to do this, I must compile and analyse a lot of information from different departments.
Actually I got to work with the sales manager and the production manager quite a lot since th
must let me know about their expenditures and budgets for the following months. I had been
working in this position for just one year, and I got the job right after graduating from univer

Since I entered the company, I got to learn a lot in the position. I met some interesting people
my colleagues and supervisors were all very nice and helpful. However, I thought it was it w
to experience something new and exciting. In the last few months, I realised I wasnt learning
anymore and my job was getting a bit repetitive, I thought it was time for me to move on.
21

An important conservation that influenced you

Describe an important conversation that influenced you.
You should say:
when this happened
who you were talking with
what you talked about
and how this conversation influenced you.

Well, I guess the important conversion would be the one that I talked with my mother about m
immigration plan to Australia in the beginning of 2013.

Actually it was a tough decision for me because I lead a stable life in Beijing, with a desirabl
and decent pay. Besides I have tons of friends here in China. Im sure I would lose much if I
abroad. I was in a dilemma so I appealed to my mother for advise. I told her my reasons of m
abroad and my plan to achieve that. She listened carefully and was obviously concerned abou
She felt my explanations were reasonable and told me that though it would definitely be a bit
to start a new life in an unfamiliar country, its worth making a change to pursue a better livin

condition cos I was still young to realise my dream. What really made me feel interesting wa
after I told her that I was preparing the IELTS test, my mother encouraged me in the way tha
reminded me that my father was also trying to pass the exam of the certified public accountan
the similar age of mine to improve our standards of living, which inspired me so much.

This conversion was really important because after talking with my mom, I finally made up m
mind to do the immigration in order to make my life better.
Describe a device
22
A electronic machine you want to buy/ a vehicle you want
to buy

Describe an electronic machine you want to buy.

You should say:
what it is
when you know this machine
what specific features you want
and explain why you want this machine.

Let me tell you about the electronic machine that Id like to buy lately. Its just a Mac Mini,
produced by Apple. I first saw it in the Apple online store when I was buying the latest iPhon
this April.

Its very small, nearly as portable as notebook, and can be taken away in my bag. Besides, it
energy-efficient which means that it can be running in my room all day long very quietly. So
wont be bothered by the noise compared with other computers. Moreover, the cover of the
machine can be removed so that its very convenient to upgrade the memory myself.

While the small computer is so light-weighted, its still very powerful to deal with various ha
tasks. With the latest Intel processor and the large amount of memory, its performance is imp
much greatly. I want to buy it and put it in the corner of my room, letting it be running day an
night to provide home sharing services of movies, music and pictures for my whole family.

=====================================================
Describe a vehicle you would like to buy (or, own).
You should say:
what (kind of) vehicle it is
what it would look like
why you would like to have it
and explain why you would prefer this means of transport.

The vehicle I will probably buy is a Subaru Legacy. The main reason is that I already own a S
Forester for over four years, and I want to buy anther sedan for business purpose and Im rea
impressed with the Subarus high performance and quality, so I will go for another Subaru in
future.

Subaru Legacy has a sleek exterior and the build quality feels good. The interior is roomy, bu
luxurious. The leg room and head room are just perfect for me and theres plenty of cargo roo
well.

As for the performance, the handling is good and the acceleration is really enough around tow
Besides, I really enjoy the thrilling sound of the engine. As well as that, during the summer in
Beijing, it can rain really hard so I guess the AWD feature of Legacy would mean more safet
the road.

When I go on a business trip, Im really keen on a decent sedan instead of my SUV because I
afraid that SUV sometimes in some way suggests that Im on a vocation. Besides it would be
comfortable in a sedan when going on a long distance trip as the cabin is exceptionally quiet
the wide front seats are accommodating. On top of that, sedan is much more fuel efficiency, s
can save a lot of money.
23

A gift for others that took you long time to choose

Describe a gift for others that took you long time to choose.

What it was

Who you gave it to

How you chose it
And explain why you spent along time on choosing it.

Sample Answer 1
I gave many gifts in my life, to family members, to friends and even to my girlfriend. But am
which I do have one special gift that took me a long time to choose. Its painting with a beaut
frame which I gave to my best friend in the U.S.A.
We met each other 3 years ago in a school event and it was an exchange program. After a cou
days ice-breaking, we befriended with each other since we have a lot in common and enjoye
good time together. When he/she left he/she gave me a bear toy with a bowknot on its neck w
is really special and refine. With a letter saying a lot of friendly and touching words written b
different color pens. You know, that was the first gift that I received from a foreign friend, plu
was really lovely and adorable, I was really exhilarated and gracious. So I decided to give him
a gift in return and sent it to his/her address in the states.
I have to say, choosing a proper gift for an American friend was really a headache task. I wou
to choose something that is combined with a lot of Chinese elements and traditions. But I don
really feel like to buy that sort of stuff cuz I think those could be found everywhere. Back the
knew a friend who is a painter and did a lot of cute board paintings which was stylish and co
like those painting a lot cuz they are all small paintings but represent for a profound idea and
concept of life and love. But it was really hard to choose one particular painting among all so
truly took me some time. Finally I choose a smiling face of a young girl. It is kinda like carto
a bit abstract. The reason why I wanna give this to my friend is because I want him/her alway
remember my smile and hope he/she will always wear a smile on face too. After Ive chosen
painting, it also took me some time to pick up a suitable frame for it. I picked up a green one
cuz I thought green means nascence and vigor.
He/she sent me a letter to thank me after he/she had received it. He said he really loves it and
special. More importantly, he said it always reminds him of our great friendship and to look a
brighter side of life.
24

A picture or photography in your family

Describe a picture or photograph in your family.

You should say:

what is in the picture
where this picture is in your home
how this picture was taken
and explain why you think this picture is meaningful.

I am really into the photography, and I have taken thousands of pictures of both the landscap
my son. But in my album there is one picture that is very meaningful to me. Actually it is pic
me, and I put it on the desk in my bedroom.

This photo was taken by my son to be honest, when we went out hiking in a forest park in the
area of Beijing in the autumn. It was a really wonderful day with the blue sky and white clou
its neither too cold nor too hot in the park, and more importantly, the foliage of the trees had
yellow or red, making the mountains really gorgeous. I asked him to pose for me with the col
scenery along the path, and I took lots of pictures of him. Finally he asked me to give him the
camera to take a photo of me, and I agreed because I thought he would probably be a little fa
photography due to my influence.

The photo of me he took was very good, its very clear, not blurred at all. Im really proud of
It is a really precious record. Every time I see the photo, it reminds me the moment we got to
to enjoy ourselves in the park.
25

A useful thing that you once borrowed

Describe an occasion that you borrowed something from others.
You should say:
what the thing was
when you borrowed it
whom you borrowed it from
and explain why you borrowed the thing.

Id like to talk about the interphone I borrowed from one of my friends in April. I was planni
self-driving trip to Sichuan Province then. There were seven people of us, so we planned to g

there in two cars. I had one interphone in my car, so I thought that it would be much conveni
get hold of people in another car on the way if there was another interphone. So I went to my
to ask him to lend me his interphone before I set off.

He was one of my good friends. We once travelled to Inner Magnolia to see the grassland tog
by car. It was also a self-driving trip. We used the interphones to talk to each other on the roa
was the first time I used the gear which impressed me a lot.

It turned out that the interphone was really a useful device in our self-driving trip on our way
Sichuan Province. Every time I needed to take a rest in the service areas of the express way, o
remind another driver to drive carefully when the road was filled with puddles from the rain,
picked it up, pressed the button and talked. It was more convenient than making a telephone
and thus it was far more security when driving.
26

A painting or work of art in your school

Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen.
You should say:
when you saw this work of art
where you saw it
what it looked like
and explain your impression of it.

Ever since I was a little girl I have always been a huge fan of western style paintings. The mo
memorable piece of artwork that I have come across would probably be the Mona Lisa which
painted by the famous artist and inventor, Leonardo DaVinci.

I first saw this painting when I was in primary school, my art teacher taught us about DaVinc
paintings and of course the Mona Lisa was one of them. At first I thought it was just a boring
portrait for an old woman but the more I looked at it the more I began to be attracted by her s
smile. It was also a little funny to me because she had no eye brows and her hair style is diffe
what Im used to.

In my opinion DaVinci painted her almost like St Mary She has a kind and gentle look and
always smiling at you, even her sitting posture is very elegant with one hand over the other. I
its because Davinci was a Christian and also painted religious paintings such as the Last Sup

I personally think the Mona Lisa is truly an impressive painting, after all it was painted by th
Leonardo DaVinci without it the world just wouldn't be the same.
27

A art or craft activity you did at school

Describe an event (a period of time)

28
A suitation you waited for something
Describe an occasion that you waited for someone.
You should say:
who the person you waited for
when you waited for the person
where you waited for the person
and explain why you waited for the person.

Let me talk about an occasion I waited for my colleague in the airport, which happened in Ap
was planning to take a business trip with a colleague. In that morning, I woke up early to get
airport where we agreed to meet. I took a seat in the cafe bar in the airport and waited for him
hour soon passed, but he didnt show up. I was beginning to worry a bit then, hoping he wou
forget the business trip or wake up late. I made a telephone call to him, but could not put thro
which made me more depressed. I had no ideas but made another telephone call to my superi
told him about my current situation, he told me to fly alone if my colleague didnt get to the a
in time in the end.

To my surprise, after I hung up the telephone, I saw him entering the gate of the airport slowl
asked him why he came to airport so late. He just said he never hurried to catch the airplane,
told me that I should take easy. Oh, I doubted whether he lived near here. I really didnt want
on a trip with him next time.

29

A time that you and your friend had a disagreement

Describe a time that you and your friend had a disagreement.
You should say:
when this happened
who you disagreed with
what you and your friend argued about
and if you two solved the disagreement in the end.

Well, recently I had a disagreement with one of my close friends. We were planning a long tr
the Tibet several days later, but we were not sure how many people went there together. I sug
that we just went on the trip with two or there people together because it would be very diffic
organise the trip to meet different peoples needs. But my friend insisted that we should go w
group of people because it would be more fun and secure. I admitted his opinion was reasona
but didnt want to compromise as I didnt want to take risk to plan everything for so many pe
in such unfamiliar place, and I thought he didnt care.

Ultimately after endless disagreement and even quarrels, I found myself couldnt express my
well and became more and more frustrated and less effective at explaining my feelings. So I
him that day without any results. The next day, after I calmed down again, I sent him a text
message to tell him what I was concerning, attempting to communicate without angry or ove
emotional exchanges. Finally, he replied to me that he understood my consideration now, and
agreed with my plan.
30

A recent happy event that you had

Describe a recent happy event that you had.
You should say:
when this happened
what the event was
who was with you
and explain why you felt happy about it.

Let me tell you about my recent trip to the forest park in the the rural area of Beijing this end
summer. I went out hiking in the fresh air there with my child.

It was a really wonderful day with the blue sky and white cloud, and its neither too cold nor
hot in the park, and more importantly, the foliage of the trees had turned yellow or red, makin
mountains really gorgeous. I asked him to pose for me with the colourful scenery along the p
and I took lots of pictures of him. Finally he asked me to give him the camera to take a photo
me, and I agreed because I thought he would probably be a little fan of photography due to m
influence.

The photo of me he took was very good, its very clear, not blurred at all. Im really happy an
proud of him. I believe he also has the gift of photograph. It is a really precious record. Every
I see the photo, it reminds me the moment we got together to enjoy ourselves in the park.
31

A time that a child made you laugh

Describe a time that a child did something that made you laugh.
You should say:
when this happened
who the child was
what the child did
and explain why it was funny.

Ok right then, well the time Im going to talk to you about was when my son, who was only,
three years old, did something that really made me laugh. My boy has done a lot of other am
things as well, but this one, for me, was definitely the most funny. And not just me, but every
around me at the time, cos it was absolutely hilarious, as Ill explain in a moment.

In the evening that day, I was sitting at the computer listening to music in my study room wh
son walked up and started to sing alone to Beyonces Single ladies and dance around the ro
He was so cute that everyone else in my home just burst out laughing because none of us exp
him to do that. You know, it was completely out of the blue.

I guess he must have just watched the music video on TV at some stage and picked it up. And
also made it so funny was the fact that he danced exactly the same way an adult would, you k
with the feeling and rhythm and everything! So it was incredibly funny, and even he laughed

seeing our reaction!

32

An age/ stage you enjoyed mostly in you life

Describe an age/stage you enjoyed mostly in your life.
You should say:
what the age/stage was
what did you like to do back then
who you enjoyed mostly back then
and explain why you really like that age/stage.

Well, speaking of an age I enjoyed mostly in my life, Id like to describe the year when I was
18 years old. That was my last year of high school, before entering the university. I was the f
team leader that time in my class and we played lots of football matches after class. At that ti
almost all of my good friends were big football fans, so it was very easy for us to get enough
together and then went to the playground. I really wanted to go back then because you know,
growing up, it seems to be hard to find the suitable guys and teams to play football again. Ev
seems to be busy all the time.

Although we were facing the coming examination to the universities, and everyone was so
stressful, I thought it was worth spending lots of time and energy in the playground. We got a
to let off steam after endless lessons and exams; besides, after years of physical exercises, we
kept fitness and built our body shape greatly, which benefits me all the way through my life l
on.

33

A time that you forgot something important

34

An occasion you get up extremely early

IELTS Speaking topic: An occasion you got up extremely early
PIRLO
01/8/2015
IELTS
0 COMMENTS
Describe an occasion you got up extremely early.
You should say:
when this happened
what you needed to do that day
who you were with
and how you felt about getting up that early on that day.

Let me talk about an occasion I got up extremely early, which happened in April this year. I w
planning to take a business trip with a colleague. In that morning, I woke up early, at about 3
oclock to get to the airport where we agreed to meet. I took a seat in the cafe bar in the airpo
waited for him. One hour soon passed, but he didnt show up. I was beginning to worry a bit
hoping he would not forget the business trip or wake up late. I made a telephone call to him,
could not put through, which made me more depressed. I had no ideas but made another telep
call to my superior and told him about my current situation, he told me to fly alone if my coll
didnt get to the airport in time in the end.

To my surprise, after I hung up the telephone, I saw him entering the gate of the airport slowl
asked him why he came to airport so late. He just said he never hurried to catch the airplane,
told me that I should take easy. Oh, I doubted whether he lived near here. Getting up early is
hard for me, but waiting for someone who doesnt keep time is even harder. I really didnt wa
go on a trip with him next time.
35

A time when you feel surprised to meet someone

Describe a time when you feel surprised to meet someone.
You should say:
when this happened
who this person was
what did you do together on that day
and explain why you thought it was a surprise to meet this person.

Let me tell you about a time when I met with my friend in the airport in Beijing. That was in
end of last year, when the Spring Festival was coming, and I was going back to my hometow
was reading a magazine while waiting for my flight, then I heard a voice calling my name. I
around and found that my old friend was standing in front of me and smiling at me. It was so
surprise because you know, it was nearly impossible to meet a person you know in such a big
and we even would take the same flight to the same destination. He was taking a business trip
my hometown.
It was so exciting to meet old friend and we hadnt seen each other for two years, so we had

things to talk about. We shared a drink in the cafe and talked about the past things happened
the two years. The waiting hours passed very quickly and before we started to board, we left
others telephone and promised to keep in touch in the future regularly.
Describe an improvement in future
36
A change that will improve your local area
Describe a change that will improve your local area.
You should say:
what the change is
how the change works
what kinds of problems the change will solve
and how you feel about the change.

Well, you know, the city of Beijing has become infamous for its heavy smog, which is thoug
lead to widespread illness and discomfort. But In recent months, air pollution has dropped
significantly, and jokes about Beijings pollution have given way to surprised expressions ab
lovely weather. So nowadays, I could enjoy more white cloud and blue skies this year.

Beijing had been badly polluted by the toxic industrial exhaust and chemicals, making the wh
city unliveable. But nowadays, thanks to the strict pollution control policy, more coal-fired p
plants and factories have been closed in the neighbouring province, and petrol quality has be
improved as well. Therefore, though pollution might still persist for a long time in Beijing, w
could enjoy more fresh air in the city.

Since the weather surprisingly turns excellent, my friends and I are in the habit of taking pict
blue sky with mobile phones, and sharing them in the social media. And Im more keen on do
outdoor activities with my child to enjoy the warm sunshine and clean air.
37

A law about environment you would like to see in the future

Describe a good law in your country.
You should say:
what the law is

how you first learned about this law

who benefits from this law (or, who is affected by this law)
and explain why you think this is a good law.

Well, Id like to talk about the law to cut the use of the plastic bags. Several years ago, our C
government approved a law to reduce the excessive consumption of the plastic bags which pr
to be a main source of pollution because the bags arent degradable.

In the past, people could get the plastic bags from various supermarkets for free. As a result,
has witnessed high consumption of the white pollution for years which will take centuries to
degrade. Therefore, wed like to see a law banning the use of plastic bags in supermarkets an
shopping malls while encouraging people to use paper or cotton bags, or repeatedly use the h
plastic bags instead.

Consequently, things are improving. Large supermarket chains, such as Wal-Mart and Carref
China, have started to introduce reusable bags and give some rewards to customers who refu
use plastic bags. As well as that, the law also raises the publics green awareness to protect ou
environment, with various efforts to reduce the carbon footprint. For example people tend to
the fuel efficiency vehicles instead of the gas-guzzlers in order to emit less carbon dioxide in
same mileage.
Describe a programme
38
Unforgettable advertisement that you saw/ heard/ liked
Describe an interesting advertisement that you have seen. You should say:
where you saw it
what it was about
why you think it was an interesting advertisement.

I'm going to talk about an advertisement for Coca-Cola, which is one of the biggest brands in
world. I've seen Coke advertised everywhere, on posters and TV commercials.

The advert shows a picture of Santa Claus smiling and holding a bottle of Coke. I think the a
to target children and associate (link/connect) the brand with Christmas time.

The advert is interesting because the company is deliberately trying to influence and
attract children. The marketers are trying to capture young customers. They are presenting th
as something special, a gift for Christmas. However, Coca-Cola is not necessarily a healthy d
for children; it contains a lot of sugar. Maybe this kind of advertising manipulates
children and encourages them to pester their parents.

39

An educational TV program that you have seen

Describe an educational TV programme that you have seen.
You should say:
What the programme is about/ what the programme is
How often you watch or listen to this programme
What type of people enjoy this programme
And explain why this programme is educational.

Im really into the TV show called the Expert of Cate, which is a popular TV programme tea
audience how to cook simple but tasty food. The time it broadcasts is so convenient that after
watching it, I have enough time to imitate the delicacies I have just learned from the program
believe it appeals to anyone who love life and food particularly.

The hostess is the teacher as well. Her sound is really kindly. She looks like a patient and kin
hearted housewife, as same as my lovely mom. She is good at cooking all kinds of food, and
teaching you how to cook it yourself step by step as well.
This programme is broadcast on Friday evening. So every weekend, if I have enough leisure

to enjoy it, I can lie down on my cosy sofa and watch it, taking some notes from time to time

Thanks to this educational programme, I can cook something for my family now. Although I
cook very well, I will acquire a sense of achievement when someone enjoys my dishes. Besid
this programme helped a lot and changed me from a layman to a person who enjoys cooking.
top of that, it may be an easy way to let off steam during the weekend after a one-week tiring
40

An educational trip you went to

Describe an educational trip you went on.
You should say:
where this place was
what you did at this place
who you went there with
and explain why you thought this trip was educational.

Let me tell you about the Zhangye Danxia National Geological Park which is located near th
of Zhangye in Chinas northwestern Gansu province. This place is well-known for its breatht
colours of the rocks, which are very smooth, sharp and very tall. I went there two years ago w
my friends to travel around to visit the numeric historical relics in the bumpy and dusty area
Hexi Corridor.

When I got there that day, I hiked along the board way in the mountainous area in the sunny
morning and stayed there the whole day. What was really amazing was that the colours of the
mountains changed continuously with the light of the day, showing yellow and red layers cov
by a light grey layer. Standing in the viewing platform, I could enjoy the pictures of painted c
of endless mountains, especially during the sunset, and took loads of pictures there.

I was told by the guide that the unusual colours of the rocks were the result of red sandstone
mineral deposits being laid down over millions of years. The formation was formed by the er
of red sandstone, which made the rock layers appear in different colours, textures and size. I
really educated geographically and stunned by the power of nature.

41

An subject you disliked but interested in now

Describe a subject you didnt like before but have interest in now.
You should say:
what it was
when you studied the subject
why you didnt like it before
and explain why you have interest in it now.

Well, Im afraid that the subject that I didnt like in my high school was physics. But I had to
it because of the exams, you know, it was one of the compulsory courses during the entire mi
school for six years.

My physics teacher always tended to be demanding with us, he seemed like making the abstr
theory more obscure, and sometimes I didnt understand what my teacher had said, and he al
endless homework to us, which really made me frustrated. I felt that physics was the most
challenging subject in the world.

Another reason was that there were too many abstract formulas I had to remember. You know
was not good at memorising things, so I often used the incorrect formula in the exams, and m
lots of mistakes and got low marks as a result. But after I grew up, I found that physics was a
indispensable curriculum in the school education because it could help me develop the logica
rigorous thinking pattern so that I sometimes found myself a critical thinker. Besides, with th
knowledge of physics, Im aware of many physical phenomenon round me, such as optics,
mechanism, which helps me understand the intrinsic principle of many devices.
42

A song that means something special to you/ a song or a

melody in your childhood

Describe a childhood song you remember well.

You should say:
where you first heard this song
how old you were when you first heard it
what is was about
and explain how you feel now when you hear this song.

Well, when talking about a song I remember well in my childhood, the first one that comes to
mind is Swallow. I remembered it was my seven years old when I first heard it. My mothe
sang me this lullaby in my bed time and I have heard it so many times in my childhood that I
still remember it very vividly.

This was a song usually famous in the rural area of our country that mothers often use to soo
baby and to send them in sleep. It was an 8-10 lines song with great harmony and the way m
mother sang it was extraordinary. It still echoes in my head and I miss those days.

Because this is a typical example of traditional Chinese folk song, so during the time when I
far away from hometown in Beijing, every time I hear this song, it always reminds me of my
hometown. Thats the main reason I still remember it well. May be someday when I will beco
father, I will sing this song to my children as well.
43

An article that you read from a magazine or from the

internet about healthy life/ something interesting you
learned from the internet

Describe something interesting you learnt from the internet.

You should say:
what you learnt
what website you learnt it from
how you learnt it
and explain why you think it was interesting.

Im really into learning cooking in the Internet. There is a website called the Expert of Cate,
is very popular teaching visitors how to cook simple but tasty food. Each lesson is produced
video with up-to-date culinary tips and advice, along with the tasty recipes. I believe it appea
anyone who love life and food particularly.

There is a woman hostess in the video whose sound is really kindly. She looks like a patient a
kind-hearted housewife, as same as my lovely mom. She is good at cooking all kinds of food
teaching you how to cook it yourself step by step as well.

I always get access to the website to learn some new food during the weekends, especially be

starting preparing the dinner at night. I only spend no more than five minutes to learn a new r
sitting in front of my computer and taking some notes from time to time.

Thanks to this website, I can cook something for my family now. Although I cant cook very
will acquire a sense of achievement when someone enjoys my dishes. Besides, this website h
a lot and changed me from a layman to a person who enjoys cooking. On top of that, it may b
easy way to let off steam during the weekend after a one-week tiring work.
44

A moive you want watch again

Describe a movie you would like to watch again.
You should say:
what it was about
when and where you watched it
who you watched it with
and explain why you would like to watch it again.

Well, the movie that Id like to watch again is Finding Neverland. You probably watched it to

It tells a story of Barrie, a Scottish play writer develops a strong friendship with the widowed
Sylvia and her four young sons whose imaginative behaviour gives him ideas. He incorporate
them into a play about boys who do not want to grow up. The play, Peter Pan, proves to be a
success after Sylvia becomes increasingly weak from an unidentified illness, so Barrie arrang
have an play performed in her home. She dies shortly afterwards, and Barrie finds that her w
have him and her mother look after the boys.

I downloaded this film from the Internet last year, and watched it at home on the couch on TV

I guess that Finding Neverland is a warm, heartfelt drama with an engaging story. Finding
Neverland is a simple story, but in the tragic and painful ending, it digs under the skin of eve
life to ask a big question that as we grow up, we left behind too much innocence in the childh
which touches on the deepest emotions of normal people, so I really want to relive these touc

moments in the future.

Describe an activity
45
An activity you do to keep fit/ An exciting sport you know
Describe an exciting sport you know.
You should say:
What the sport is
how you know about it
is it difficult
and explain why you think it is exciting.

About a sports match, Id like to tell you about one of the most exciting games Ive watched,
finals in 2012.

Frankly, Im not the type of an athletic guy, but I do have great passion for it. You kn
Ive spent much time watching those sports matches despite my hard schedule. Amon
them, what really impressed me is the NBA finals in 2012.

Miami Heats, one of the expected champions in NBA league had a fierce war against
Thunders, a team with three highly talented players, Hades, Westbrook and Durant. In
respect, Thunders was more believed to beat Heats. But NBA is a place where amazin
happens.

Miami Heats led by James and Wade had beaten Thunders though they did not outwe
them in comprehensive strength. Good defence is one of the basic reasons of success
guess that the spirit of never giving up contributed mostly to it. James, camped in the
fourth game, still finished the game with a three-point shot a triple at the crucial time
was really exciting and engaging to see these super stars pushing themselves to the li

win the game, and the audience gave thunderous applause every time when the playe
took a shot.
46

A team you have been part of/ something you did in group
Describe a team you have been part of.
You should say:
when this team was formed
who was on the team
what you did together
and explain why you became part of the team.

Let me talk about the project I did in a team in the second year of my graduate school. Our tu
gave us an assignment to review the server log of an international trade website and give a br
analytics using the data warehouse and data mining technology. We had three people in the te
and I was the team leader. I allocated different tasks to different classmates, one was respons
extract the data from the database to the data warehouse, and the other one was to set up the d
model for analyzing. I was to analyze the final data set with a data mining software and prepa
presentation.

I was part of the team because I was good at inspiring others to achieve our goals and getting
necessary resources to help us. You know, the job was quite tough as this was our first time to
such assignment and we needed to overcome various technique problems. For example, we h
put great efforts to learn the Microsoft database software and the data mining software which
also new to us. I consistently encourage my teammates to overcome these problems.
==================================================
Describe something you did with a group of people.
You should say:
what the thing was
when and where you did it
whom you did it with

and explain why you did it with a group of people or what you learned from doing things wit
group of people.

Well, I guess my job really involves much group work because we always do projects for our
clients in a team. Every time we form a team for a particular project, we play different roles,
example, someone works as a financial consultant, others manufacturing consultants, some
technique specialists, and of course, the project manager. As for me, I am a logistic consultan
responsible for purchasing items and the warehouses.

We work in the clients office, which will be easy for us to communicate with the key users. A
our projects sometimes last very long, half a year or even longer. We always get along well w
each other in a team because we need to cooperate well to brace for the tough clients.

I believe my colleagues are very nice and helpful. They are always ready to help me when I
encounter problems in my work. Besides, I suppose that sharing knowledge and experience w
others can definitely boost the team spirit, as well as levelling up everyones work ability. In
addition, when we need to make a decision on a key problem, we hold a stormy discussion o
and sometimes we can gain insights into the problem, which will be beneficial for everyone.
47

An indoor game you like to play when you were a child

Describe an indoor game that you liked to play when you were a child.
You should say:
what the game was
when, where and with whom you usually played it
how you played it
and explain why you still remember this game or you liked this game.

I played hide-and-seek lots of times when I was a kid. Normally we played this game with fr
or classmates after class or during the weekends in the house.
Firstly, we chose one of us to be the seeker to search around for the rest of us, the hiders.

The game started with the seeker covering his eyes and counting to 10 while everyone else ra
and found a place to hide. When the counting was finished, the seeker began a painstaking se
for the hiding kids. And that was my favourite part of the game, because the suspense was ju
intense. The hiders could really hold their breath, being afraid of getting caught. But then, the
was always someone who got caught and this person would become the next seeker unfortun

Hide-and-seek was fun because it was simple. These days we play computer games to get fun
sometimes I really missed those simple pleasures of old days. They were so carefree that they
impressive to me even today.
48

A special trip you would like to go on in the future/ a trip

you had and want to do it again

Describe a long journey/short trips you would like to make again.

You should say:
where you went
who you went there
what you did during the trip
and explain why you would like to make the trip again.
Well, Id like to talk about the trip to the city of Shanghai in April last year that I really want
again. I went there with another family who had been friends with us for a long time.

I had stayed at Shanghai for about ten days. What fascinated me most was the rich collection
buildings with various architectural styles. The Bund, for example, contains a wealth of wellpreserved early 20th-century architecture. And also a large number of eccentric buildings spr
recently throughout Shanghai, such as the Shanghai Museum. What didnt appeal to me abou
Shanghai was that the streets in the city were so cramped and tough to identify compared wit
ones in Beijing which are mostly wide and straight.

I feel that every time I go to Shanghai, I can spot something new. Its so dynamic. The bar an
scene in Shanghai are incredible. There are endless things to see and do in this amazing city.
way, Shanghai dialect sounds so pretty cute that I always mimic it when I was there. Therefo
really into making another trip there if possible.

49
50

Something you would like to do if yor were given a day off

A foreign country you want to visit but havent been to
You should say:
1) Where is the country?
2) When will you go there?
3) Why would you like to go there?
and explain why this is a good country to visit

The country that I have always wanted to go but have not visited yet is Italy. I've been dream
visit Italy for more than 2-3 years. I'll definitely visit the country as soon as my graduation is
complete. Italy is in Southern Europe. Rome, the largest city and the Capital of Italy has been
leading political and religious centre of the western civilization, serving as the capital of the b
Roman Empire and the Christianity. I'd like to go there to see the museums, arts, streets, cultu
and other attractions. Another reason I want to go there is to visit the Vatican City. I have rea
heard about numerous stories and history about this country and witnessing them would be a
joy for me. There are plenty of things to see: arts, museums, Colosseum, Leaning Tower of P
Roman Forum, Florence Cathedral, St. Peter's Basilica, Milan Cathedral, Sistine Chapel, Piaz
SanMarco, Circus Maximux and lots of other places I'd love to visit.

Italy was one of the most advanced territories once and had lots of historically significant pla
visit. I've read about those places so many times and heard stories from many of my friends t
visiting this country has become a major wish for me. And I'm pretty positive about visiting t
country in next year.