SPEAKING PRACTICE TEST PART Introduction and interview This part of the test begins with the examiner introducing himself or herself and checking the candidate’s identification It then continues as an interview Let’s talk about your home town or village • What kind of place is it? • What’s the most interesting part of your town/village? • What kind of jobs the people in your town/village do? • Would you say it’s a good place to live? (Why?) PART Describe an unusual/ an unforgettable meal You should say: When was it Where you had the meal What happened during the meal And explain why it was unforgettable Sample answer Well, the meal I’ve decided to talk to you about was a farewell dinner of a good friend of mine, because he was about to go off to Canada for a few years to start university there, so he invited a few of his close friends for dinner before heading off And one of the reasons I’ve chosen to talk about this meal instead of some of the others I’ve been to is simply that it’s still quite fresh in my memory You know, it was only about a couple of weeks ago when it happened And it was a really nice restaurant that we went to, definitely one of the best in the city So I was kind of relieved that it wouldn’t be me footing the bill Anyway regarding what we ate, well I couldn’t tell you every single dish that we had, because there was just so much, you know, the whole table was covered with food I mean, there was crab, chicken, duck, what else, um,……oh yeah, shrimps, and, uh… oh and a whole load of different vegetables So by the end of it, I was absolutely stuffed But anyway, finally, in terms of how I felt about the meal, well to put it simply, I really enjoyed it, because as well as the food, which was fantastic, I really enjoyed everyone’s company You know, it was great being together with so many good friends, many of which I hadn’t seen in quite a while So yeah, all in all, it was a really special evening, and I’m extremely grateful to my friend for his generosity, as the bill must have come to quite a lot PART Describe what you think is a healthy diet? A good diet includes a variety of foods from the basic food groups It should provide enough calories to ensure desirable weight and also it should contain all the necessary daily nutrients Are there many vegetarians in your country? Why you think some people choose to be vegetarians? Although I’m not a vegetarian, I still believe it’s good to eat more vegetables and fruit Some vegetarians eat veggies because they believe animals shouldn’t be killed and some just for the sake of health I think either reason is worth doing If we think about how many animals are killed because of our need for meat, we might feel sad for our deeds When we learn all the benefits that veggies can bring us, we’ll also feel happier to eat them more Is the food that people eat today different to the food that people used to eat in the past? If yes, in what ways has it changed? In the past, the choices of foods were limited but the foods were fresh and people could rest assured of its quality So it’s not surprising our ancestors enjoyed greater longevity than us In the present time, we have chances to taste various foods of different cultures and nationalities, being unique and delicious in their own ways Even so, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be as there have been many reported cases of food poisoning, especially in developing countries, where food safety is a pressing concern Is ‘fast food’ popular in your country? Nowadays, workers have to work extra hours while students have to burn the midnight oil revising and reviewing for their exams As a consequence of this, they can’t manage time to have a decent meal rich in vitamins and minerals Instead, they have no choice but go to buy some take-away at some fast food restaurant and then get back to their work and study So fast foods are gaining in immense popularity because after all, the more developed a country becomes, the less nutritious the citizens’ diet is More and more people are becoming overweight nowadays What you think might be the causes of this? Well to be honest, I would have to admit that the youths nowadays are leading a healthdamaging lifestyle because of the fast-paced lifestyle and pressure To be more precise, workers have to work extra hours while students have to burn the midnight oil revising and reviewing for their exams As a consequence of this, they can’t manage time to have a decent meal rich in vitamins and minerals Instead, they have no choice but go to buy some take-away at some fast food restaurant and then get back to their work and study Do you or, people in your country generally prefer to eat at home or eat out? If you ask me, I’d say that by and large, the folks in my nation would show a greater preference for home-cooked meals The reason behind this is the fact that food safety is quite a pressing issue and people are becoming increasingly aware of their health conditions As a result, the chances are that they would directly go to the market or supermarket, choose the raw materials and cook the dishes on their own Having said that, some people are quite up to their ears in work and would rather order a meal at a restaurant instead How important you think it is for members of a family to eat together? I have to admit that it’s extremely vital that family members spend their time together at the dinner table The most obvious explanation for this is that this can strengthen family bonds and help the whole family get on well with one another To be more specific, during a meal, they can share their stories and trouble in life, receive valuable advice to sort out their problems At the end of the day, people can build a close-knit family and forget about all the difficulties in their life Why some people not always eat with their family? I personally feel that a number of factors are responsible for why some people in modern society refuse to have a meal with other family members One of the reasons is the lack of time caused by increasing pressure from work or study A case in point is that my high-school friend often spends more than hours a day studying that he can hardly manage any hour for eating with his parents