Part 1
In this part, the examiner asks you about yourself, your home, work or studies and other familiar topics.
Do you often read books? When?
um not really. Reading is very time consuming and I need a comparatively quiet place to read. So, you know it’s not easy to have such a condition for me like have a long period of time as well as a quiet environment. Um yeah hopefully I could read more in the future.
Are you reading habits now different than before?
Sure, I enjoyed comic books a lot when I was young because they’re very romantic and funny to read. But now I’m more into historic books and classic literature because they talk deeply into the reality.
Have you ever read a novel that has been adapted into a film?
Well, I would say the opposite. I read the novel after I watched a movie, like the one called call me by your name. I really liked the movie a lot I liked it so much that I bought the novel afterwards, but I still think the movie is more tasteful.
Which do you prefer, reading books or watching movies?
Well, it depends. If it’s something like comedy or documentary, I would definitely go for the movies because they’re more vivid and it’s just funnier to see the real thing. However, if it’s something about history, I would read the books because there are more details in the book, and you know the movie can never go back to shoot the real thing.
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 a tall building in your city you like or you dislike
You should say:
Where it is
What it is used for
What it looks like
And explain why you like or dislike it
Well, there are tons of tall buildings in the city where I live. Speaking of a building I hate, I do have an answer; it’s a where my home is.
It’s an all-glass commercial building about 30 to 40 stories tall. It was just built two years ago. At the very beginning, I was actually happy and enjoyed seeing it because the shiny exterior is really pleasing to the eye. But after a short while, I found a serious problem caused by it. It turns out that on every sunny day, when the sun sets west in the afternoon, some of the glass from the building reflects the sunlight right into my apartment. Imagine having a shooting a glare onto your home. I have to draw the curtains when that happens in the afternoon because the glaring light nearly blinds me and heats up the room, but I shouldn’t have to deal with this at all.
I tried to contact the property management of this building, but they refuse to admit the problem. Instead, they shift the blame by saying that they weren’t in charge of the construction spotlight or the design. I’m so pissed off but there’s nothing I can do, which is why I started to hate the building. I bet if someone else was in my situation, they would have been driven crazy by it the same as me.
Part 3 In this part, the examiner asks you a few more detailed questions about the same topic.
What are the disadvantages of living in tall buildings?
The first one that comes to mind is having to take the elevator or the stairs all the time. When you live at ground-level, you can just walk into your house. But in tall buildings, there’s always an extra step you have to take. That also makes it really hard to move big objects, like couches or chairs, into your apartment. When you live in a tall building, you also don’t have a nice backyard or much private space.
Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?
Yes, I think there are going to be a lot of tall buildings in the future. Cities are already getting pretty crowded, so the most practical option is construct tall buildings. They fit way more people and take up less space than houses do. However, that might mean that housing gets increasingly pricey. I really hope we can find alternatives, but right now, apartments make the most sense to address housing needs in major cities.
Why aren’t there many tall buildings in the countryside?
I think it’s because tall buildings are really more designed for urban spaces. In the countryside, you have room to spread out and build more individual houses rather than apartment complexes. Plus, people go to the countryside to enjoy the views. Those views wouldn’t be so great if there were a ton of tall buildings in the way. You don’t get a nice, natural skyline when you have a bunch of tall buildings.
Why do some people like to live in tall buildings nowadays?
I suppose that it’s partly because of the convenience. It’s true that living in a tall building means you don’t get a backyard or a ton of space. But some people prefer that, because it means they don’t have to worry about upkeep or maintenance. For example, they don’t have to shovel the yard in the winter, which is nice. Buying an apartment can also be cheaper and more accessible than paying for a house. Plus, tall buildings always give you a great view.