Special Costumes,Primary,Happiness/Feel Happy,,NEW YEAR,DECORATION,FARMING School, (IELTS Speaking Part-1)

 

 Special Costumes (IELTS Speaking Part-1)

1. Do you like to wear special costumes?

Special costumes give us the much-needed break from the monotony of life. So I eagerly await occasions such as Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Fancy dress competitions to wear special costumes. Moreover, in my culture, people wear special dresses to represent their folklore.

or

Yes, I like to put on special costumes. I think they are full of fun and allow us to exhibit our creativity. Festivals such as Halloween has become super popular in India because of the increasing amalgamation of Western culture into Indian culture.

2. Did you try any special costumes when you were young?

When I was a teenager I wore special costumes especially. There were a lot of fancy dress competitions that I took part in. I still remember once I dressed like a Spiderman and my friends started to believe I can climb walls. Those days were fun.

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My school used to have fancy dress competitions when I was a kid. I recall entering a costume contest as a Scientist and coming in second place. My mother is a talented tailor, and she constructed the costume for me out of aluminium foil-covered cardboard boxes at home. It was a fantastic outfit that all of my pals adored.

3. When was the last time you wore special costumes?

We had a regional festival and for that, I wore traditional Kurta & Chudidar pyjama (puckered trousers). It was a few weeks back.

or

On my mother’s birthday last month, I dressed up in a special outfit. For her 47th birthday, my older brother arranged a family gathering at his home. We were all required to dress up as classic performers and actresses. I decided to dress up as Akshay Kumar, a Bollywood actor.

4. Did you ever buy special costumes?

Yes, I have purchased unique outfits on several occasions. I prefer to browse different costumes for myself and my family at a neighbouring clothing supermarket.

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I’ve never purchased any special costume. My mother used to make them at home out of garments and other items I already owned.

Primary School

1. What did you like to do the most when you were in primary school?

I was the Captain of our school Football team and that’s something I did enjoy the most. Every Friday we had training sessions under the able guidance of Mr Joseph(a national awardee, who brought laurels for the country). We played two state and three national tournaments under my captaincy. Those were indeed some of the wonderful days of my school life.

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I used to enjoy making art when I was in elementary school. I believe it was primarily due to my art teacher. She had a unique teaching approach that made learning enjoyable. She was also very creative and nice. The art techniques she taught me are still fresh in my mind.

2. How did you go to your primary school?

I mostly took the boarding school bus to my primary school. However, if I missed my bus, my mother would drop me off at school. The bus stop was right next to my house and all my neighbourhood friends would come there to take the bus.

3. How do you like your primary school?

I feel blessed to study in one of the most prestigious and esteemed schools of the city. One of the main reasons why I love my school as it does not measure everyone on the same scale. Our hardworking staff gives time to each child to grow at their own pace which instills confidence in them. Besides, my primary school has all the facilities of a library, computer room, playground, basketball court and a lot more.

or

My primary school was one of my favourites. There, I made several fantastic friends who are still my friends. Teachers were competent, kind, and encouraging, and they made learning fun. There were other extracurricular activities to choose from, including music, cricket, basketball, and other sports.

4. What did you do in your leisure time?

We had a large number of recreational activities to do in our leisure time such as performing role plays, mimicking TV stars, and playing basketball. We also had tree plantation drives once in a while.

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During leisure time we were encouraged to do some physical activities like playing cricket, football, or basketball with classmates.

NEW YEAR

1. How do you celebrate New Year?

New Year celebrations at my place are one of its kind. I start my day usually with prayers alongside my family. Then we go to my Aunt’s house and have a delicious family brunch there. We all play video games and chess together which is followed by an “open-air” event in the night. These street party – type events often include performances by live musicians or DJs, confetti, and a fireworks display.

 2. Do you still remember a New Year that you celebrated?

Yes I remember! For New Year’s eve 2010-11, we spent the day visiting the vineyards on Waiheke Island, which is just a short ferry trip away from Auckland, New Zealand. After the tour we had some romantic sunset drinks on the island and then headed back into the city later on. As we walked back to our hotel through the city the fireworks began. It was fantastic watching them from our vantage point on the ground. What made this New Years eve so unforgettable, aside from such a brilliant location and what we did that day, was that it kicked off the year of our sabbatical.

3. Do you have any rituals or ceremonies to celebrate the New Year in your country?

There are few customs and traditions which are rigorously followed with a belief that they bring good luck, peace, and prosperity to everyone. One such belief calls for going for a polar bear swim on New Year. There is also a tradition of clapping and roaring at the time of midnight when New Year arrives in Canada. It is done with a belief that it sways away all the evils of the past and negative energies.

4. Why do people think New Year is a new beginning?

A new year is definitely a new beginning. People think it’s like a new birth. As the new year begins, everyone feels that they need to make amendments in their lives – start on a new path, do new things, and bid adieu to old habits, problems and difficulties. Often, things get rolling by making new plans and resolutions.

Happiness/Feel Happy

1. Is there anything that makes you feel happy lately?

Happiness is a subjective experience, so it varies from person to person. But, if there’s anything that makes me feel happy recently, then it would be a hot bowl of Asian noodles cooked by my mother. The reason being, COVID lockdowns separated our family. So I was entirely missing her magic in my home-cooked meals. When the restrictions were eased lately, I was overjoyed to met her and taste her food.

2. What do you do to stay happy?

You’d be amazed to know, but the foremost thing that I do to stay happy is – I distract myself from any stressful event and stop ruminating through meditation. In addition, I am a firm believer of ‘Fake it till you feel it‘ ideology. So I usually greets everyone happily no matter how cluttered my life is. This builds a false sense of joy in me that helps combat anxiety.

3. Can you stay happy all the time?

Honestly speaking! Every human is susceptible to varied sense of emotions. It’s impossible to stay happy all the time. We all have our bad days when something isn’t going our way. That’s the time we need to fine-tune the energy in your body by making adjustments. For instance, when We are feeling stuck or heavy, take a walk, do something different than your normal routine, meet up with a friend. If feeling anxious or stressed, tune-up with extra sleep, meditation/yoga or a hot bath.

4. Is it important to be happy?

Yes, it’s extremely important to be happy. Not because you have a right to be happy, and neither because happiness is the goal of life; but simply because it’s a tool of survival. Chasing happiness keeps you going, keeps you in the loop and keeps you alive.

DECORATION

1. What is the decoration like in your home?

A home is what you make it. So I’ve turned the four walls of my house into a home with aesthetic Decor, making it a place for memories to be born.  My living room is styled up with plush decors such as recamiers, lounge chairs and a vintage painting that we bought from an auction. My mini garden… is decorated with garden figurines, pots and planters, artificial flowers, artificial grass and small birdhouses. It’s my favourite place! Also, My kitchen has a lavish collection of homeware plus I’ve added subtle lighting to give it a chic look.

2. What kind of decoration do you prefer?

I largely follow the trends, so a modern or contemporary decor theme is the ideal pick for me. Pop Art Prints, Modern Pastels, Edison Bulbs, Gallery Walls are some of the things I prefer to ornament my home.

3. Do Indian people like decorating their homes?

Yes, Indian people love to decorate their homes especially during festivals or family functions. Bright and varied colours are the hallmark of Indian interior design. Flowers and colourful lighting are central to Indian home decoration. In fact, In India, home Decor exists since the royal era. Palaces or mud houses, everyone loved decorating their homes back then. 

4. What’s your favourite colour when decorating your home?

My best-loved colour would definitely be Green while decorating my home. A natural pop of green with a wall gallery of house plants render closeness to nature. Sage green walls make the space feel relaxing and tranquil. Moreover, Green shade imbue a home with growth, harmony, and freshness.

FARMING

What kind of farm do you like?

I mostly like vegetable and fruit farms. The green field, fruit loaded trees, dancing winds and forests are some of their beauties. For a nature lover like me, each and every object existing in nature is as much living as any human being. Someone rightly said, “There is heavenly abode in the farms.”

Do you think farming is important?

Yes, pretty much! Farming is vital for the survival of humanity. Agricultural biodiversity provides humans with food and raw materials for goods – such as cotton for clothing, wood for shelter and fuel, plants and roots for medicines, and materials for biofuels – and with incomes and livelihoods, including those derived from subsistence farming.

Did you do any work at the farm when you were young?

A trip to the rural areas and seeing a real live farm is rare these days. However, when I was a teenager I used to go to the vegetable farm with my Uncle. I pulled out watermelons from the patch and stored them in huge baskets. Indeed, spending time on a farm changed the way I see food now.