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剑桥雅思9 Speaking Test2 参考答案

Part 1  

Giving gifts

When do people give gifts or presents in your country?

In the UK, there are many occasions to give gifts. Most gifts are exchanged on Christmas Day, on December 25th, which is a Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus. But we also give gifts on birthdays, weddings, house warmings, graduation days, wedding anniversaries, and Valentine's Day. Another Christian tradition is to exchange chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday.

 

Do you ever take a gift when you visit someone in their home/[why/why not?]

If they are having a house warming party, then it is common to buy a gift, usually a decoration for their new home. Or if they invite you for dinner, it is usual for the guest to bring a bottle of wine to drink with the meal.

 

When did you last receive a gift?[what was it]

My parents came to visit me during the Chinese Spring Festival, and they brought me some of my favourite foods and drinks over from the UK which I cannot buy in China. Although these gifts were not expensive, they were very special!

 

Do you enjoy looking for gifts for people?[why/ why not?]

Yes, I really enjoy looking for gifts for people, especially my close friends and family. There is a saying in my country; 'there is far more joy in giving a gift than receiving one'.

 

 

 

PART 2

Describe something you did that was new or exciting

You should say:

What you did

Where and when you did this

Who you shared the activity with

And explain why this activity was new and exciting for you.

You will have to talk about this 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.

I have always been afraid of heights, ever since I was young. I don't even like standing too close to the railings of a high balcony! Many of my friends would find this amusing, and laugh and joke about it. I wanted to try and overcome this fear, so I agreed to go skydiving with my university friends!

Skydiving involves jumping out of a plane, free-falling 10,000 feet, and then parachuting 3,000 feet to the ground, all in about 5 minutes! In short, this was my idea of hell! But I had to do it.

So my friends and I joined the university skydiving team and took the bus to Camberwell Bay in the Lake District.

We spent all day training on the Saturday. We learnt all about how to jump out of the plane, the position we should adopt while we are free-falling, how to use the radio, and most importantly how to release the emergency parachute if things went wrong!

Obviously, I would need to train a lot longer than one day to obtain a skydiving license and jump solo. But I was allowed to jump by myself from 4,000 feet on a static line, which means I didn't need to pull the parachute out by myself.

I enjoyed it so much that I immediately signed up to do it again, but this time to do a tandem dive from 14,000 feet, where I would be attached to a professional diver! It was incredible; the feeling of falling through the sky, eyes watering from the wind, the tiny cars and buildings below which were so small they looked like ants on the ground. It was the most exhilarating and exciting thing I've ever done!

 

Part 3

Doing new things

Example questions:

Why do you think some people like doing new things?

Trying new things is a great way to break away from daily routine. Many people get bored by doing the same things everyday. Trying new activities is exciting, and can also help people meet new friends!

What problems can people have when they try new activities for the first time?

There are a few problems which arise from trying things for the first time. Firstly, if the activity is dangerous, then extra care must be taken to ensure an accident doesn't happen. For example, skiing can be dangerous, so you must take care and go slowly until you are more competent on the slopes!

Sometimes, new activities can be challenging and difficult, especially if the activity is technical. Subsequently many people may be turned off the idea of trying it again because it is "too hard". Take playing the violin for example. I used to play the violin, and it took about six months for my sister to stop complaining that it sounded more like a screeching cat than a musical instrument! But with persistence and hard work, I eventually learnt to play it very well. Many people might just give up if something is too difficult, but they should be reminded that such things take time, and the rewards later will be worth it.

 

Do you think it’s best to do new things on you own or with other people?why?

In general, I think its better to do new things in groups, so that you can all learn and have fun together! However, if some people are naturally very good at the activity, it can make others feel inadequate, so in these situations it might be useful to try it on your own, or in small groups of similar ability. Either way, you should not compare yourself to others, but just have fun!

 

Learning new things

Sample questions:

What kinds of things do children learn to do when they are very young? How important are these things?

Children are like sponges when they are young; they are constantly learning, and it is probably the most important part of their development. They are learning essential skills, such as how to communicate and interact with others. However, it is also a very delicate period of their life, as they are also learning about morals standards; what is right and what is wrong. Subsequently, care must be taken to ensure they are developing and learning properly.

 

Do you think children and adults learn to do new things in the same way? How is their learning style different?

Definitely not. I think children and adults learn in very different ways. Children learn much more through experiences. Their brains are more flexible and fluid. As such, they can learn new languages much more quickly. Adult brains are more rigid, and as such find it harder to just pick up new languages. However, adult brains are more developed to analyse and make judgements. If they are told something new, they are far more likely to question what they are learning, whereas children are more likely to just accept it.

 

Some people say that it is more important to be able to learn new things now than it was in the past. Do you agree or disagree with that? Why?

I largely agree with this statement, because the world is changing much more rapidly now than ever before. Technology is constantly improving and becoming more advanced. The way we go about our daily lives is ever changing, so we must be willing to change

with it. For example, only 20 years ago, many companies didn't have computers or the internet. Nowadays, almost every company will use a computer and the internet in some way. It is very important to learn these new skills to keep up with society.

 

 

 

剑桥雅思9 Speaking Test3 参考答案

 

Part 1

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

EXAMPLE

Telephoning

How often do you make telephone calls?[ why/ why not?]

Although I generally send emails and text messages, I still make telephone calls on a daily basis. I regularly need to call my colleagues, especially if its urgent or complicated, so its more convenient than sending text messages. However, I also make social phone calls to my friends and family, just to chat and see how their day has been!

 

Who do you spend most time talking to on the telephone?[why]

It changes, day to day. I probably make most phone calls to my colleague, Maria, especially as we are also friends outside of work. Sometimes I will call her to ask her a question about work, but I will also call her if I am going shopping to see if she wants anythings from the shops, to see if she wants to come over dinner, or would like to go for a bike ride! I always call my parents twice a week, on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. If I don't call then they will get worried!

 

When do you think you’ll next make a phone call?[why?]

I will call my American friend, Jesse, as soon as I finish work to ask him if I can borrow his big cooking pot. I have invited some friends to dinner at my apartment tomorrow evening, and I am planning to cook a big stew, so I will need to borrow his pot.

 

Do you sometimes prefer to send a text message instead of telephoning? [why/ why not?]

Yes certainly. I think sending text messages is often more convenient. For example, if I am on a bus or train where its too noisy, or if I am eating in a restaurant where I do not want to annoy other diners, then I will always send a text message. People often send me a text message, because they know I am teaching during the daytime and I cannot answer my phone. So instead, they send me a text message and I will reply as soon as I am free.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part 2

Describe a journey [e.g. By car, plane, boat] that you remember well.

You should say:

Where you went

How you traveled

Why you went on the journey

and explain why you remember this journey well

You will have to talk about this 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.

In the summer of 2010, I cycled coast-to-coast across the United States of America with two of my best friends from University.

The three of us met at university in Liverpool, and we shared an interest in cycling. We regularly went on biking and camping trips into the Lake District at weekends if we had free time. During our final year, we decided it would be a great idea to train up and attempt to cycle across the North American continent to raise money for charity.

So in July 2010, after months of training and preparation, we flew across the Atlantic Ocean to begin the 7,000 km journey across the USA. The journey was far more challenging than we thought it would be. Both our mental and physical limits were put to the test as we cycled across mountains, deserts and rivers, sometimes going days without seeing any other people. We had to carry a lot of heavy equipment on our bikes, and we camped almost every night. If we were passing through a large town then we would stay in a hotel, to get a good night sleep and to have a shower! But more often than not, we would camp in the wild and wash in rivers and waterfalls.

Our journey began in Maryland and took us west, through the country's capital city, Washington DC, over the Appalachian mountains and the Mississippi River onto the Kansas plains. From there we continued west over the Rocky Mountains and the deserts of Utah and Nevada. Finally, we crossed the Sierra Nevada mountain range and descended through California to San Francisco.

Overall, we cycled 7,000 kilometers in 49 days, and raised over £4,000 for a children's cancer charity, which I think is an incredible achievement.

PART 3

Discussion topics :

Reasons for daily travel

Example questions :

Why do people need to travel every day ?

People need to travel for lots of different reasons. Almost everybody has to travel to work, so they can earn money and provide for their family. If a person is lucky, then they will live very close to where they work, so they can travel on foot or by bicycle. Sometimes, however, people live very far away, so they must travel by bus, train, car, or even sometimes by plane or boat!

Lots of people also travel to see friends and family, who might live in a different city, or even a different country.

But often people just like to travel for fun, to go to somewhere new, or to see a famous tourist site or place of natural beauty.

What problems can people have when they are on their daily journey ,for example to work or school ? Why is this ?

Naturally, the means and frequency by which people choose to travel is a topic that can be controversial. Pollution is becoming an increasing problem all over the world. Whenever possible, we should choose to travel in a way that does the least amount of damage to the environment. This includes walking, cycling, and using public transport such as buses and trains. Besides, if everyone travels in cars, not only will pollution problems persist, but traffic will become more congested. This will cause people to be late to school and work, and also cost businesses money.

 

Some people say that daily journeys like these will not be so common in the future .Do you agree or disagree ?Why ?

I agree that in the future, new methods of travel will exist, such as hovercrafts and small flying machines that will solve traffic problems. Or maybe new methods of energy and fuel will be developed which will not be as damaging to the environment, such as hydrogen power. But until such things are a reality, we must all concentrate on minimising our carbon footprint.

 

Benefits of international travel

Example questions :

What do you think people can learn from travelling to other countries ? Why ?

I have travelled to many countries all over the world, in Europe, Africa, North America and Asia. I think travelling has helped me to become a more interesting, knowledgeable and well-rounded individual with a greater understanding and acceptance for world cultures. Many of my friends from my hometown have never left England, and this shows in their ways of thinking, which is often limited and not as progressive. For example, they dislike responsibility, they can't take the innitiative, they dislike being out of their comfort zone, and they are uncomfortable taking the lead. Moreover, they do not know as much about other cultures' languages, beliefs, history, food, and drink. Subsequently, they can be ignorant and skeptical of foreigners in their country, which can lead to dislike and racism.

 

Can travel make a positive difference to the economy of a country ?How ?

I have been to over 25 countries worldwide. Often, this has been a quick trip or tour of a country, where I would see and do as much as I can in the time frame that I have. But I have also lived in two foreign countries; Uganda, where I lived for 4 months, and China, where I have been for over a year now. In both situations, I feel I have contributed to the economy of the respective countries; when I was travelling I contributed by spending money on gifts, food and accommodation, and when I have been living abroad I have paid taxes and offered my skills to the country in the form of work.

 

Do you think a society can benifit its members have experience of travelling to other countries ?In what ways?

Yes, I think travelling to other countires will help the individual become more interesting, knowledgeable, creative and well-rounded with a greater understanding and acceptance for world cultures. If more citizens had these progressive qualities, then naturally this will benefit the society.