Speaking Part 1
1Do
you often visit the countryside?
Yes,
I usually head out on a day trip to lots of pleasant countryside regions on the
weekend to recharge my energy after a busy week.
2If so, who do you visit in the
countryside?
I
like to visit my grandmother in the countryside. I usually get there on a
train. Whenever I get the chance to see her & enjoy the great fruit,
spending some time getting back to nature, I find myself restored &
relaxed.
3Do
you have family or friends living in the countryside?
Yes,
my grandmother still lives in the countryside. She is a farmer & she really
enjoys the tranquillity & the beauty of the countryside, so she decided to
stay there for the rest of her life.
4Would
you like to live in the countryside in the future?
Absolutely!
I’m a huge fan of the forest. The environment there is just superb. Now and
then I would visit a forest just because there isn’t that much pollution and I
could smell the fresh air. The animals there are also quite cute – especially
some colourful birds.
5Have
areas of countryside in your country changed since you were a child?
There
is a massive change in the countryside, primarily because of industrialisation.
The lush green fields are converted to mills and industries. Young people no
longer stay there.
6Do
you think that visits to the countryside should be something that schools offer
to their children?
Yes.
It is an excellent idea for schools to arrange excursions to take their
children to the countryside. Nowadays, most children spend their time on video
games. So the excursions would be an excellent opportunity for them to
appreciate nature.
Speaking
Part 2
Describe
an enjoyable/unforgettable experience you had in the countryside
You should say :
what
the activity was
when
you did it
who
you did with it
why
it was enjoyable
Sample Answer
It was two years ago when I
had my very first motorbike trip with my friends to the first and most ancient
village which is located in the Southern [our country]. It is an unforgettable
trip that I’ve ever had.
Our group had three people,
Jack, Jenny and me. We chose to visit that village because we wanted to get
away from the hustle and bustle of the city and get
off the beaten track. Moreover, the village is also
the birthplace of my grandparent, and I
felt excited to visit the village and get a closer
insight into the lifestyle of local people as well as my
grandparent.
We set out for a day trip to
date back to the tradition of our country very early. I’m always a
night owl, not an early bird, so leaving the city at 5
a.m made me feel like I was deprived of sleep. However, I was deliriously
happy shortly
after embarking
on the
trip to the village. It was because on the way to get there we admired
the breathtaking landscapes which is different from the city we are
currently living in. After an hour’s drive, we got to the picturesque
village, which made me feel over
the moon. We rented some bikes to cycle around the village
with a lot of small alleyways
filled with green grass. After riding a bike to the paddy
field to get
the vibes of the village, we visited some 400-year-old
ancient house which made of mud and laterite and had
a look at communal houses where the local people gathered for
festival celebration or public meeting. After that, we had lunch with much scrumptious food which is locally and organically
grown. In
the afternoon, we joined a cooking class with the villagers who were extremely
friendly and talented
at making
traditional cakes. The highlight of the trip to the village
was going to the paddy fields to help the farmers harvest the crop. It was such
a once-in-a-lifetime
experience which I enjoyed.
That was our first motorbike
trip to the outskirt of the city, and the
first time in the countryside so we enjoyed every
single moment there. Jenny was like
a dog with two tails while Jack and I were also on
cloud nine. We relished everything in the
village from the fresh air, cosy ambience to beautiful
landscapes such as small houses or paddy fields. We were very
much hope that we can embark
on a
more extended trip to the countryside down
the road if we have more spare time.
Vocabulary For Cue Card
Hustle
and bustle: Noisy and confusing activity.
Eg: He
goes to the park regularly to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Off
the beaten track: far away from the places that people
usually visit.
Eg: Kim’s
family planned to go somewhere off the beaten track during the summer vacation
Get
insight into: gain an accurate and deep understanding of
the subject.
Eg: The
book gave a deep insight into the plight of workers in coffee plantations.
Night
owl: someone who enjoys going out at night or does not go
to bed until it is late.
Eg: He
was at the party till 4:00 AM in the morning. He’s such a night owl.
Early
bird: someone who gets up early in the morning.
Eg: Oliver
was always an early bird.
Deliriously
happy: very
very happy.
Eg: Jack
was deliriously happy when he heard the news.
Embark
on: to start a new project or activity, usually one that
will be difficult and will take time.
Eg: ABC
Company decided to embark on overseas expansion.
Breathtaking: extremely
impressive or beautiful.
Eg: The
landscape in Scotland was breathtaking.
Picturesque: a
picturesque place or scene is attractive, especially because it is old and
interesting.
Eg: It
was a picturesque lake.
Over
the moon: very happy.
Eg: Juilet
was over the moon when Romeo proposed to her.
Alleyway: a
narrow street or passage.
Eg: There
are two big cars parked in this tiny alleyway.
Feel
the vibe: a general feeling that you get from a person or
place.
Eg: I
could feel positive vibes in the house.
Laterite: a
kind of brick.
Eg: The
soil is composed of laterite and hence is not very suitable for cultivation.
Have/take
a look at: look at with attention.
Eg: The
Engineer sent three assistants to take a look at the bridge.
Communal: relating
to a particular community.
Eg: It
was a communal riot.
Scrumptious: very
delicious.
Eg: Scrumptious
food was served at the party.
Once-in-a-lifetime experience: very
special experience because you will probably only have it once.
Eg: Travelling
to the Himalayas is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Speaking
Part 3
1What
are the advantages of living in the countryside?
Living in
the countryside can benefit people in a wide range of ways.
Living in the countryside is better for one’s health condition, thanks to
significantly lower levels of air pollution. It is undeniable that air quality
in big cities is so bad that long-term exposure to it
may cause respiratory
diseases and other health problems.
Besides, the cost of living in rural areas is likely to be lower than that in
cities. Although people in the city tend to make more money than people in the
countryside do, they have to spend more on food, accommodation and
transportation. Therefore, one can save more money by living in the countryside
without working as hard.
2What
are the disadvantages of living in the countryside?
Although
living in the countryside can do wonders for your
wellbeing, it is undeniable that there are still some drawbacks of living in
the countryside. To be more specific, not having good transport on
your doorstep, will make it inconvenient to travel to a far-away
place,
which also means you will squander more time on commuting.
Another disadvantage is that country-dwellers also
have fewer job opportunities compared to those in the cities,
thereby resulting in a lower standard of living.
3What
kinds of people live in the countryside?
To the
best of my knowledge, many people decide to live in
the countryside because they want to downshift to a less stressful
life. Although people who live in the countryside can still lead
hectic lives, the peace of their surroundings helps to bring them to a gentle
halt and remind them not to rush life away.
4What
do people living in the countryside like to do?
I
reckon that when living in the countryside, people can enjoy a
myriad of activities that they hardly have in cities such
as going out at night without fear of street criminals, doing exercise in the
early morning to enjoy the fresh air.
5How
has life changed over time in the countryside?
The
countryside has experienced specific changes for the last few decades. Firstly,
people, especially farmers, have applied modern technologies in their work.
Therefore, productivity has significantly improved while people don’t have
sweat as much as they used to. Moreover, young people in the countryside tend
to move to town to seek job opportunities. As a result, the population in the
countryside is reducing and ageing.
6Do
you think it is better to live in the countryside or in the city?
As often
as this question is raised, I believe it remains a tough decision to make when
it comes to choosing between living in the countryside and living in
the city. Many people have been attracted to live and work in big cities
because of better employment opportunities and higher living
standards. This massive rural-to-urban
migration has, however, led to an increase in environmental
pollution, traffic and social issues in urban areas. It would be a better idea
for people to live in the suburb and travel into the city to work every day so
that they can enjoy the best of both worlds.
7How
is the countryside different from town?
There
are many things which differ in the countryside from town. It is much less
crowded in the country than in cities. Besides, the pace of life in the
countryside is slow while people living in big cities always seem to be in a
hurry. Also, it is much more healthy to live out of big cities because the air
in the country is fresher and there is not as much noise.
8Do
youngsters prefer living in rural areas? Why or why not?
Youngsters
prefer to live in the cities. It is mainly because of the innumerous job
opportunities that a city offers. Apart from this, a city offers good
healthcare and educational facilities.
Vocabulary For Speaking Part 3
Exposure: the state of having no protection
from something harmful.
Eg: Prolonged exposure to heat can be harmful.
Respiratory
Diseases: Respiratory
diseases, or lung diseases, are pathological conditions affecting the organs
and tissues that make gas exchange difficult in air-breathing animals.
Eg: Chain smokers are often detected with
respiratory diseases.
Do
wonders: to cause
improvements or have a very good affect.
Eg: Aloe vera gel did wonders to my skin.
Squander: to spent extravagantly or to
waste money.
Eg: The rich brat squanders his father’s
money on his friends.
Country-dwellers: a person who lives in the country
Eg: Country-dwellers spend their money
wisely.
To
the best of my knowledge: used
to say that a person thinks something is true.
Eg: The thesis submitted by me is to the
best of my knowledge.
A
myriad of: a
very large number
Eg: There are a myriad of spiders in the
old house.
Living
standards: the quality
of housing, material comfort, and wealth experienced by an individual or group.
Eg: Over
the decades, living standards among the people have been improved
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