Part 1
In this part, the examiner asks you about yourself, your home, work or studies and other familiar topics.
What work do you do?
I’m currently working full time as a programmer at Baidu; I’ve been working there for 5 years.
OR:
I am a teacher at a high school. I started there in Jan 2015 after graduating from college. I would say it is a pretty challenging job.
Why did you choose to do that type of work/job?
I was previously a lawyer and found it to be really stressful and never had any free time, so after quitting that job I thought teaching might be the complete opposite of being a lawyer, you know not as stressful and more time off.
OR:
Teaching is my passion. I don’t view my career as a "job" per say. I see it more as my calling in life. It is my life purpose.
Do you like your job?
Yes, I am really happy with what I do. Most of the time, it’s very rewarding to be able to help people every day. Besides, it’s a really good company to work for. The pay is good and they even hand out bonuses twice a year!
OR:
Definitely! I enjoy the variety and special projects where I can take ownership of the final product. My job provides me with both so yes, it is a good job and I find it very rewarding.
Is it very interesting?
I work at a coffee shop, so I think the most interesting part of my job is the people. I get to meet so many people during my shift. Some of them have fascinating personalities. Sometimes I even strike up a chat with them and learn something random. One time a customer showed me photos of his cat.
OR:
Most of the time, yes! The daily challenges from new projects provide constant opportunities to learn new things and to some extent re-invent myself. Every day is unique. My colleagues provide me with support but also healthy competition. I find my job most interesting when I am challenged to reach outside of my comfort zone.
What technologies do you often use at work?
I don’t use anything super complex at work. There’s an online application that we use to chat with each other. But it’s not difficult to use. I’m not a tech wizard by any means. I just use standard word-processors and other typical office software. Most of my job involves phone calls and emails. It’s nothing fancy.
OR:
I use mainly a laptop computer and my phone at work. Sometimes I also use a photocopier scanner, and a video camera if I’m making short promotional videos with my company. But mainly, I just use a computer.
Part 2 In this part, you will have to talk about the 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.
Describe an exciting book that you enjoy reading
You should say:
When you read it
What type of book it is
What is it about
And explain why you found it excitings
Well, the first book I can think of is definitely Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which is the seventh book, also the final novel, of the Harry Potter series. I became a fan of this fantasy story when I was still a child. So, by the final release, I’d been obsessed with the series for almost ten years. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I could finally read the ending of this story.
Anyway, I read it as soon as it was published. Even though this was about twelve years ago, I remember the release like it was yesterday. I waited for hours in front of a bookstore in a hundred -meter line full of excited Hany Potter fans like me, mostly teens of course, just to get the book on the day of its release. And once I started reading it, I literally couldn’t put it down.
The final Harry Potter book really blew my mind. I mean, it has a happy ending as I expected. Like Hany has to die once and comes back to life so he can defeat the villain, Voldemort. I finished the book with an overwhelmed feeling that was a mix of excitement, happiness and some loss.
Honestly, I’ve reread this novel tons of times. I’ve even written some glowing reviews of the book on social media, which I’ve never done for other books. It’s a really exciting book that left a mark on me.
Part 3 In this part, the examiner asks you a few more detailed questions about the same topic.
What kinds of books do Chinese people like reading?
I think that Chinese people like to read a great variety of different books; it really depends on the individual person, since everyone has different tastes when it comes to books and movies. Chinese literature has a long history of folklore and legends, so many Chinese people may like to read these traditional stories as a starting point. Plus, children may prefer fiction books, while adults may prefer nonfiction books such as biographies and history books.
Do boys and girls like the same kinds of books?
I suppose that this depends on the person’s preferences; some girls love the romantic comedy genre, while others love honor novels. The same is true for boys. Honestly, boys are discouraged at a young age from liking romantic or dramatic books, and are instead encouraged to read nonfiction or action books. This really limits the kind of things that they read, and I suppose that both boys and girls should explore a wide variety of literary genres.
Do you think it is very important to read the book before watching the movie version of it?
No, I don’t think so. Even though I love reading, and personally I like reading the book before seeing the movie, it’s fine to just watch the movie by itself. I suppose that when it comes to movies, it’s sometimes better to watch it without knowing anything about the story. Sometimes, you can be disappointed if you watch the movie version because it might not live up to the book.
Do you prefer books or movies?
I prefer books. Even though movies are really entertaining to watch, books are just more interesting to me. I like reading characters thoughts instead of hearing them get narrated on the screen. When I’m reading a book, I can also picture everything for myself. It takes a lot of imagination, which is what I find fun about the reading process. I think books are also a more relaxing way to spend time than a movie, which can be loud and intense.
Did you read more magazines or books when you were a child?
I definitely read way more magazines than books in my childhood. Honestly, I wasn’t fond of books until I grew up. Books, especially text books, were just too complicated and tedious for me. But reading magazines was a lot of fun when I was a student. I was a huge fan of sci-fi magazines back then. I even subscribed to a magazine called The Sci-Fi World. I was really fascinated by it.
Do you think e-books will eventually replace paper books?
Although e-books are becoming very popular, I don’t think that they will ever completely replace paper books. The reason for this is that people who love reading generally prefer paper books. Reading on paper is easier on your eyes, and it’s also great for students because they can highlight, underline, or write notes in the margins if they are using a paper copy. Paper books are also great to wrap up and give as gifts!
1 comment
Saif KhanNov 13, 2024
Is these are cambridge books speaking questions right?