As far as you know, IELTS candidates will have only 11-14 minutes for IELTS

Speaking and it comprises Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Therefore, it is

absolutely necessary that you invest time in practicing the real IELTS
Speaking questions.
Besides the Cambridge IELTS Practice Tests series published by Oxford
University Press, IELTS Speaking Recent Actual Tests with Suggested
Answers aims to develop speaking and test-taking skills along with
language proficiency to help you achieve a high IELTS Speaking score. It
contains IELTS Speaking questions that were asked and would be asked
in IELTS Speaking tests in 2022. The questions are divided into parts 1, 2,
and 3. Each question has answers provided by a certified IELTS expert
along with the vocabulary specifically used for that question/topic.
When using this e-book, you can be aware of the kinds of questions that
you would face in a real exam, and how the answers are framed
accordingly.
Moreover, these tests are extracted from an authentic IELTS bank source;
therefore, you are in all probability to encounter these questions in your
real examinations.
The authors are convinced that you will find IELTS Speaking Recent
Actual Tests with Suggested Answers beneficial on your path to success
with the International English Language Testing System.

Don’t just trust luck in your IELTS exam – the key is practice!
 How to Make Use of the IELTSMaterial.com
Speaking Book?
Preparing for the IELTS exam can seem overwhelming at times, but it
doesn’t have to be. As long as you have patience, a willingness to learn,
and determination, you will do well. One more thing you’ll need to
succeed—preparatory books! These books will help you better
understand the material covered on the exam, obtain a high score, and
stand out from the crowd. Our Ebook is a good source of self-study that
is perfect for IELTS Speaking. Here are some of the pointers on how to
make use of our Speaking ebook:

The Speaking book can be utilized to gain in-depth information

about each question type (short and long format) as well as
strategies for dealing with them.
We offer Speaking vocabulary so you can significantly speed up your
speaking as well as a large word bank to keep in mind while you
strive for high marks.
When used properly, our study guide can help you become much
more clear and build a new learning habit, both of which will
positively affect your Speaking performance and result in a higher
band score.
To sum up, Books are said to be a portable medium of magic.

Introduction to IELTS Speaking

The Speaking test comprises 3 parts and is conducted by an examiner for 11-14
minutes. This test is similar to an interview and thus the emotions attached to
the test are also similar – jitters, scary, and anxiety. This is where the IELTS
Speaking book comes in.

1
 What does the test consist of?
Part – 1
Most of the part one questions are personal questions that the examiner
will ask you to bring you into a comfort zone. These questions are sorted in
terms of different personal information.
Part – 2
The second part consists of a cue card for which you will be given 1 minute
to prepare and 2 minutes to talk. The questions in the cue card are
addressed and a sample answer is given for the cue card.
Part – 3
Following the cue card are part 3 questions. Part 3 of the speaking book
consists of questions related to the cue card you will receive. And so, these
questions are found with sample answers below the related cue cards.

How am I going to be marked?

There are four key assessment criteria for IELTS Speaking:
Fluency & Coherence
Lexical Resource
Grammatical range and accuracy
Pronunciation

Each contributes 25% of your total IELTS speaking score. You will be
awarded bands 0-9 in full and halves. E.g. 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5 - This is calculated
as an average of your scores in all four assessment criteria, to the nearest
score.

2
 Learning Pathway

Here’s a student learning pathway you will follow. The rest of the learning
pathway can be seen as a study guide so please Follow this pathway

Band Descriptors: The IELTS band score descriptors explain the

scoring to help you calculate and understand your score.

Understanding Different Question Types: The first step to

performing well on IELTS Speaking is understanding the question
type.

Study Method: Our study methods will guarantee sure-shot

success in the IELTS Speaking test and ace it with higher band
scores.

Tips & Tricks: Our tips and tricks will help you prepare well and
ensure good band scores in your first attempt.

Practice With Help: Candidates' chances of getting a high band

score can be boosted by practice, so attempting all question types
will help them become more efficient for the examination.

First CheckPoint: There’ll be performance checks for you to

evaluate your scores, and understand where you lack, and where
you can improve

3
 Band Descriptors
The primary role of the IELTS band score descriptor is to determine the
task focus of each of the sections of the IELTS syllabus. Based on the score
range, the IELTS band descriptors describe how each band score is
aligned with a specific performance level.

Grammatical
Fluency and Lexical
Band range and Pronunciation
coherence resource
accuracy

speaks fluently
uses a full range of
with only rare uses a full range
uses idiomatic pronunciation
repetition and of structures
language features with
9 develops topics naturally and in
naturally and precision and is
fully and in an an appropriate
accurately effortless to
appropriate manner
understand
manner

uses less produces a sustains flexible

speaks fluently common and majority of error- use of features,
with only idiomatic free sentences with only
8 occasional vocabulary with only very occasional lapses
repetition or self- skillfully, with occasional and is easy to
correction occasional non- basic/non- understand
accuracies systematic errors throughout

may demonstrate
language
hesitation at uses some less frequently shows all the
times, or some common and produces error- positive features
repetition and idiomatic free sentences, of Band 6 and
7
uses a range of vocabulary with though some some, but not all,
connectives and some incorrect grammatical of the positive
discourse markers choices mistakes persist features of Band 8
with some
flexibility

4
 Understanding Different Sections of
IELTS Speaking

Speaking: Part 1
In IELTS Speaking part 1, the test will begin with the examiner first introducing
himself/herself and then asking you about your identity. He/she will then ask
you general/ simple questions relating to your background, home, work, studies,
family, interests, hobbies, and so on.

Speaking: Part 2
This section of the Speaking test gives you the opportunity to speak for longer on
a topic. You will be given one minute to prepare to talk about the topic on the
task card. A pencil and paper will be provided for you to make notes.

Speaking: Part 3
In part 3 of the Speaking test the examiner will ask further questions which are
connected to the topics discussed in part 2. This part of the test is designed to
give you the opportunity to talk about more abstract issues and ideas. It is a
two-way discussion with the examiner and will last 4-5 minutes.

5
Study Method

Tips & Tricks to Ace IELTS Speaking Test

Speaking Part 1:
1. Typically, your answers should be between 2 to 3 sentences. One
word answers are not acceptable. As a basic rule, answer the
question directly and then add a little bit more information.
2. The examiner wants to test your ability to speak naturally.
Memorized answers do not come across as natural speaking and
this will be reflected in your score.
3. The key is to use vocabulary appropriate to the questions. In this
case, the questions are somewhat informal, so your vocabulary
should match.
4. If your answer to an examiners question is no, then feel free to say
so, and then as always, add a little bit more reasoning or some
examples.

Speaking Part 2:
1. Use the 1 minute preparation time.
2. Focus on the question words on the task card - where, how long,
what, why, How.
3. Write down only your key points briefly in the paper given. (1 min)
You can write few vocabulary and idioms along with your main
ideas.
4. Starting to speak with a backstory mostly helps.
5. Begin your speech with a Past tense (back story/flashback) to the
topic you will be talking about.

6
Speaking Part 3:
1. In speaking part 3, you’re Often asked to do more of these - Compare,
Comment on, Explain/Give reason, Agree/Disagree, etc.
2. Expand your answers.
3. Paraphrase the questions.
4. Cite examples and personal experiences.
5. Use transition words and adaptable phrases.
6. Employ a wide range of grammar and vocabulary.

7
 Practice With Help

Let’s Decode IELTS Speaking by implementing your learnings.

Speaking Exercise: Part 1

Marks: 3
Topic: Time
Q) Are you good at managing your time?
Q) How do you manage your time?
Q) When is it most important for you to manage your time?

Speaking Exercise: Part 2

Marks: 3
Describe an old person that you know.

You should say:

What is your relationship with this person?
How often do you see them?
What do people think about this person?
Explain why you like them.

Speaking Exercise: Part 3

Marks: 3
Topic: The Internet
Q) Do you think people take notice of advertisements on the internet?
Q) How do you think it will change people's buying habits in the future?
Q) Are there any disadvantages to shopping on the internet?

9
 Sample Answers
Speaking Exercise: Part 1
1) Are you good at managing your time?
Actually, I'd say I'm not too good! I don't really have a system in place to
organize things. But I always make sure I am on time for appointments
and things like that, and I meet deadlines and get things done.

2) How do you manage your time?

As I said, I don't have any specific system in place to manage my time.
For example, if I am at work and I have a lot of cases, I just go through
them each day and decide which I need to tackle first.

3) When is it most important for you to manage your time?

I think it is probably when you are at work. When out of work, it's not
really going to affect things too much, or at least only yourself, if you are
late to meet friends or for an appointment, or if you are getting things
done in your house. But at work, it will cause problems if you don't
manage your time effectively because you could miss deadlines or miss
appointments. You could lose your job. So at work when it is most
important to manage your time.

Speaking Exercise: Part 2

Ok, I’d like to tell you about an old person that I know. His name is John,
and he is the owner of a small convenience store at the end of my street.
I would say that my relationship with him is as a friend. I know him
because I regularly go to the shop in order to buy things when I don’t
have time to go to a supermarket. He’s quite friendly and I always have
a chat with him.

10
I’ve known him now for about five years - since I’ve lived in the area in
fact. That’s why I’d now call him a friend. I’d say that I see him fairly
regularly. As I said, I go to the big supermarket out of town sometimes to
stock up, but you always need odd things during the week such as milk,
or some snack or other. So when this happens I just have a walk down to
his shop. I think John is pretty popular as he’s been there for years as far
as I’m aware, so most of the locals around the area know him. There will
always be someone in the shop having a chat with him. They like him
because he’s not just the shopkeeper but he’s also very involved in
activities in the community. For instance, a while back I was having
problems with my work, and I was really feeling stressed. I didn’t really
have anyone to talk to at the time as my family is abroad and a couple
of my good friends were not around. I mentioned it to John and he was
great. He listened and also gave me some really good advice. He didn’t
need to do that so it was great that he made the time to anyway.
Generally, though, he’s really welcoming when you go to his shop. He’ll
always have a smile on his face.

Speaking: Part 3

1) Do you think people take notice of advertisements on the internet?

Despite the fact that there are many adverts on the internet these days, I
think actually many people tend to ignore them, or at least that is my
experience. People usually go onto the internet to find something
specific that they are looking for, which may be a product, or to read
about something, so they will ignore what is not relevant to that.
Advertising on the internet is a practice most companies partake in now,
and they have to pay quite substantial sums to advertise on highly
ranked sites.

11
2) How do you think it will change people's buying habits in the future?

Buying from the internet is becoming more and more popular. For
example, we’ve seen many bookshops close down because people can
buy online at cheaper prices from sites such as Amazon. It makes life
much easier if products can be delivered direct to our door, especially
with our busy modern lifestyles. I think this will only increase in the future
as more people feel safe buying online and online shops make it easier
to purchase this way. Also, I think our lives are only going to become
busier, so more people will choose to shop this way.

3) Are there any disadvantages to shopping on the internet?

There certainly are some. Firstly, buying clothes can be a problem. When
you go into a shop you can check if what you are buying fits you and
suits you, but it is obviously not possible to do this online. Shopping does
not become less hassle if you have to send something back in the post.
Another problem is security. We have to give out our bank details to
people we don’t know. There have been several recent reports in the
press about sites that have had their security breached and credit card
details have been stolen. So far this is fairly uncommon, but it is a risk
none the same. Another disadvantage is to society as it could destroy
local shops and businesses if people are not going out to shop in their
local town.

12
 First Check Point

Performance Check:

We assume that you have understood how to do the IELTS Speaking test,
so, let’s check your performance and calculate your overall score.

Part 1 ____/3
Part 2 ____/3
Part 3 ____/3
Total Score: _____/ 9

After every band completion, there’ll be performance checks for the

candidates to evaluate their scores for each question type and
understand where they lack, and where they can improve.
Hint: It could be according to question type, accurate grammar, style of
speaking, and pronunciation.

13
 Part 1

Headphones 15
Advertisement 18
Watch 22
Collecting Things 25
Street Market 29

Part 1 Part 1

Bicycle 33 SMS/Text Messaging 50

Dictionaries 36 Apps 54
Evenings 39 Jokes & Comedies 57
Going Overseas 43 Singing 60
Phases/Stages of life 46 Being Tidy 63
 Part 1 Part 2 & 3

Home/Accomodation 66 Foreign Culture 82

Window View 69 Well known Person 88
Being Happy 72 Skill 100
Trees 75 Song 103
Stages of Life 78 Concentration 106

Part 2 & 3 Part 2 & 3

Trip 113 Medicine 146

Book 121 Opinion 151
Boring Time 126 Conversation 160
Puzzle 132 Apology 166
Broke Computer 140 Revisiting Book 172

Part 2 & 3

Repairing 180
Free gifts 187 The Book Begins!
Childhood 193
Stranger 199
New Year 206
 Your Ideal English Language Learning Platform

1. Qualification / Education Assessment

2. Customized Document Checklist and Critical Document Templates

(Reference Letter Templates, Self Declaration templates)

3. Filing of an online application form to create a profile for an invitation and

Complete express entry profile management

4. CRS score improvement guidance

5. Work experience document management, so you don't face technical rejection

6. Medical Exam documents and Police Clearance certificates

7. Financial and Visa document management and processing for final PR visa

1. Revamping your resume to international standards

2. LinkedIn profile optimization

3. Marketing your profile to the directory Of employers and recruitment consultants

Helpline Number: +91 89290 53019

 #Most Trusted Platform

When for the Test of English (PTE) seems like a hurdle, seeking undivided guidance from

perfectionists and professionals in this stream can help you significantly. So, if you're

preparing for PTE, IELTSMaterial.com can come to your rescue.

Features That Make Us The Best:

➔ 1:1 Live Learning Classes

To help you achieve the Score from the comfort Of your home,

We provide 1:1 Live Learning Classes with Customized lessons.

➔ Certified Trainers

IELTSMaterial is backed by a team of certified, experienced, and ingenious trainers.

Our team has taken the PTE exams and cracked them with satisfactory results.

Thus, you can always rely upon them when it comes to professional guidance.

1.DIAGNOSTIC TEST- A mock IELTS test to identifythe learner's strengths and weaknesses.

2.FREE TRIAL CLASS- Feedback on the diagnostic testwith tips and strategies to tackle

3.CONCEPT BUILDING- A customized study plan thatdemonstrates IELTS techniques,

strategies and tricks.

4.MOCK & PRACTICE TESTS- Regular practice assignmentsand mock tests to monitor

the progress of learners.

5.ACHlEVE DESIRED SCORE- Our trainers ensure thatyou achieve 'our desired IELTS band score.
To Access the Speaking Part 1 Audios, Scan
the QR Code.

14
 Now that you have understood the basics of
IELTS Speaking, let's dive into the Practice Tests
(Actual Mock Papers).
SPEAKING: PART 1

Headphones Audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you use headphones?

Yes, I use headphones on a daily basis while I work or study and also when I

watch movies during my leisure time.

2. What type of headphones do you use?

As I have to multi-task and wired headphones tend to intertwine easily,

Bluetooth or wireless headphones are my favorites. Although they are pricey

compared to wired ones, they are cost-effective as well as hassle-free.

3. When would you use headphones?

Actually, I have two sets of Bluetooth headphones. One of them is an in-ear set

which I use during exercising at the gym. The other one is an on-ear set which I

use mainly for work, listening to music or movie-watching.

15
SPEAKING: PART 1

4. What do you use headphones for?

My headphones have a noise-cancellation feature which helps me focus on

whatever I am doing. Secondly, in public places I can use them nonchalantly

without disturbing others with whatever I am listening to. Moreover, as they are

wireless, I do not have to hold my phone in my hand and use my hands to the

fullest.

5. In what conditions will you not use headphones?

Using headphones continuously can be detrimental to our ears. So, I take

breaks after prolonged usage. Also, I don’t use headphones when I am in the

kitchen or outdoors to be mindful of my surroundings and thwart accidents.

Vocabulary

1. Intertwine

Meaning: connect or link (two or more things) closely.

E.g.: The electric wires are intertwined in such a way that it is difficult to

separate them.

2. Pricey

Meaning: having a high price; expensive

E.g.: “Don’t you think the food in this restaurant is pricey?”, said my

mother.

16
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Nonchalantly

Meaning: in a casual way that shows a relaxed lack of concern or interest

E.g.: The man walked out of the office nonchalantly even after the big

fight.

4. Detrimental

Meaning: causing harm or damage

E.g.: Pollution is detrimental to humans as well as the surroundings.

5. Thwart

Meaning: prevent (someone) from accomplishing something

E.g.: The police tried to thwart the attack, but were unsuccessful in

stopping them.

17
SPEAKING: PART 1

Advertisement audio

Sample Answers

1. Are you interested in watching TV advertisements or internet

advertisements?

Honestly, I am intrigued by neither of them because they ruin my concentration

while I listen to or work on something. But, as I mostly use the internet for

study/work or to respite from my hectic life, I am more conversant with

internet advertisements.

18
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. What kinds of advertisements do you dislike?

All kinds of advertisements annoy me as they create a disruption in the activity

I am engaged in. But, I am mostly irritated by junk mails and website pop-ups

as they block essential information and I miss them out.

3. Are there many advertisements in your country?

Certainly, there are multiple advertisements for myriads of products and

services throughout all cities and villages in India. They appear all over the

place, from the streets to social media, with a high density. For example, there

are a multitude of colorful billboards stuck on the street side wherever you go.

4. Why do you think there are so many advertisements now?

I guess it’s due to the benefits of the companies. To begin with, advertisements

are the easiest way to reach customers to entice their attention to a particular

brand or product. From that tantalizing information, customers will be able to

choose an appropriate one. Besides, it also plays a paramount role in the

marketing strategy that the company applies to lure customers.

5. Have you ever bought something because of its advertisement?

Earlier, I used to be enticed by the sale advertisements of various e-commerce

websites like Amazon and Myntra, which resulted in lots of unwanted shopping

and turned me into a shopaholic. Fortunately, now, I have been able to control

my craze after getting an earful from my mother.

19
SPEAKING: PART 1

6. Do you want to work in advertising in the future?

Although advertisements bug most of us, it requires a lot of creativity and

research to make them comprehensible and relevant to the contemporary

time and market needs. Unfortunately, I lack that level of ingenuity and

knowledge and currently, it would be a travesty to consider myself eligible for

that field. But we never know what life brings us, and in the future, I might take

up it as a challenge if given the opportunity.

Vocabulary

1. Respite

Meaning: a short period of rest or relief from something difficult or

unpleasant.

E.g.: The traveler wanted to have a respite from the heat of the desert.

2. Conversant

Meaning: having knowledge or experience

E.g.: Make sure you are conversant with the ways of the company before

the interview.

3. Tantalizing

Meaning: making you excited about having something wanted

E.g.: The surprise planned for my brother’s birthday had a tantalizing

effect on him.

20
SPEAKING: PART 1

4. An Earful

Meaning: to complain angrily to someone; scold

E.g.: Our principal gave an earful to the seniors after they misbehaved in

the annual function.

5. Ingenuity

Meaning: skill at working out how to achieve things or skill at inventing

new things.

E.g.: She is known for her ingenuity in work.

Student Space:

21
SPEAKING: PART 1

Watch audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you have a watch?

With the advent of mobile phones, using a watch has become superfluous.

Therefore, even though I own some watches, I do not wear them often.

2. Have you ever gotten a watch as a gift?

My father, being a hobbyist of watches, has a vast collection ranging from

analog to digital and chronograph to hybrid. But he knows my insouciance to

his passion. So, keeping my affinity with modern tech accessories in mind, he

gifted me a smartwatch on my last birthday.

22
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Why do some people wear expensive watches?

I guess, to most people, expensive watches are status symbols or fashion

accessories. They flaunt their class and power in the society or convey their

inclination toward sophistication. But, there are others who don luxury watches

as they are fervent about them, and one such example is my father.

4. Do you think it is important to wear a watch?

Wearing watches has lost its essence nowadays as everyone can afford

smartphones that serve the same purpose, along with lots more attributes.

Even if people wear watches, I feel it’s mostly for style or fixation rather than

necessity.

5. What kind of watches do you like to wear?

To be honest, I am not keen on watches, unlike my father. So, I guess even if I

have to choose a watch I would like to wear, it would definitely be a

smartwatch which has numerous advantages other than only time-keeping.

6. What was your first watch like?

As far as I can remember, I have owned only one watch, which is a smartwatch

gifted by my father. It is a Samsung Galaxy Watch and has some remarkable

features that come in handy, like call support, daily assistant, endurance and

good power backup. I really cherish and take good care of it.

23
SPEAKING: PART 1

Vocabulary

1. Superfluous

Meaning: being more than is needed, useful, or wanted; excessive

E.g.: One of my friends is very superfluous about his father’s business.

2. Hobbyist

Meaning: a person who pursues an activity in their spare time for

pleasure

E.g.: I have never seen a hobbyist so invested in their pastimes.

3. Insouciance

Meaning: lack of concern shown by someone about something which

they might be expected to take more seriously

E.g.: My sister’s insouciance on such grave matters was very irritating for

me.

4. Affinity

Meaning: a strong liking for or attraction to someone or something

E.g.: Boxer had an affinity to chase the neighborhood cats.

5. Fervent

Meaning: showing strong and sincere feelings or beliefs

E.g.: The superstar had many fervent fan following.

24
SPEAKING: PART 1

Collecting Things audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you collect things?

When I was a child, I used to accumulate a good deal of things. It ranged from

toys and pens to books and colorful notepads. Besides, I also maintained a

scrapbook that housed different kinds of newspaper cuttings. Presently, I don’t

have time to collect anything, but I add on to my book collection.

2. Are there any things you keep from childhood?

Although my mother has donated most of the toys and my sister has

destroyed my scrapbooks, I have guarded my books and pen collection

against obliteration and depreciation.

25
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Where do you usually keep things you need?

I have organized the books on a bookshelf and don’t allow anyone to use them

without my consent. As I am a bookworm, I am incredibly proud of my

collection and always see that they are well-maintained. Other than that, I

keep all my necessary items in a cupboard in my room.

4. What kinds of things do people often like collecting?

Diverse people amass various things according to their preferences and

passion. While some people collect small things like coins, stamps, toys, and

pens, others collect expensive articles like luxury cars, watches, houses, jewelry,

antiques and limited-edition collectibles.

5. Why do you think people collect certain objects?

People gather whatever they find interesting or ardent about. For example, a

philatelist collects stamps, or numismatists are interested in coins. Also, people

scavenge for antiques to sell them and earn profits. Moreover, caching

expensive things like luxury watches, houses, and cars can be to mark their

power and status.

26
SPEAKING: PART 1

Vocabulary

1. Obliteration

Meaning: to remove all signs of something, either by destroying it or by

covering it so that it cannot be seen

E.g.: Some people commit crimes for popularity which will save them

from obliteration.

2. Depreciation

Meaning: a loss of value, especially over time

E.g: The trader was afraid of depreciation due to the inflation.

3. Amass

Meaning: to get a large amount of something, especially money or

information, by collecting it over a long period

E.g.: The empire had amassed a massive amount of wealth under its new

ruler.

4. Scavenge

Meaning: search for and collect (anything usable) from discarded waste

E.g.: It is sad to see street animals scavenge for food in the dustbins.

5. Caching

Meaning: to put or store so as to be safe or hidden

E.g.: Caching certain things is not useless as their value reduces with

time.

27
SPEAKING: PART 1

Student Space:

28
SPEAKING: PART 1

Street Market audio

Sample Answers

1. What is the difference between a street market and a supermarket?

Well, in a street market, sellers trade discounted but vital goods like food,

clothes, decorative articles, etc. independently and in limited quantities. On the

other hand, in a supermarket, we find more variety and quantity in each article

we need, but they are expensive compared to street markets.

29
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. What does the street market sell?

There are profuse types of street markets that sell a variety of goods, ranging

from fruits and vegetables, various kinds of other eatables, clothes, bags,

inexpensive jewelry and other local merchandise according to the requirement

of the people.

3. What do people usually buy at the street market? / Why do you think people

go to the street market?

Before the advent of supermarkets or online shopping, people used to frequent

local street markets to buy their day-to-day essentials, like food and clothes,

as well as decorative pieces like toys, jewelry, etc. It was because they were the

only source of fresh and rudimentary supplies. But now, people visit these

markets to buy economical goods and rare collectibles.

4. Do you prefer to go shopping in the shopping mall or on the street market?

I enjoy both kinds of shopping according to my demands. When I want fresh

food and local antiques, I visit these street markets as they are more

reasonably priced. But, for my other necessities like clothes and luxury items, I

prefer shopping malls and online shopping as they provide good quality

commodities and offer a good variety.

30
SPEAKING: PART 1

5. Do you like to go to street markets when you are on a vacation?

To be honest, when I visit new cities or towns, I definitely explore the local

markets as they offer a glimpse into the culture and lifestyle of the local

people, besides offering a variety of exquisite local wares. For example, when I

visited Delhi, I had a tour of Janpath and Chandni Chowk market to soak in the

aura of the history of the city.

Vocabulary

1. Profuse

Meaning: a lot of something or even way too much

E.g.: The workload for the week after a long holiday is profuse.

2. Vend

Meaning: to sell something

E.g.: He was caught while he was vending illegal drugs to the school

children.

3. Rudimentary

Meaning: basic, or at a very early stage

E.g.: Our rudimentary needs are food, clothes and shelter.

4. Exquisite

Meaning: very beautiful and delicate

E.g.: Raman bought an exquisite necklace for his wife on their

anniversary.

31
SPEAKING: PART 1

5. Aura

Meaning: a feeling or character that a person or place seems to have.

E.g.: There was a negative aura coming from most people in the room

and it led to a heated argument.

Student Space:

32
SPEAKING: PART 1

Bicycles audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you have a bike?

At present, I do not own a bike, but I had one till the time I studied in school.

Now, it has been given to my cousin for his use.

2. How often do you use it?

Currently, I do not use the bike I once had as I mostly commute by my

motorbike, which I bought recently, or avail the office vehicle for work purposes.

But, with the increasing pollution, traffic and oil prices, I am planning to buy a

bike soon.

33
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. How old were you when you learned to ride a bike?

As far as I can remember, I was around four years old when my grandfather

taught me how to ride a bicycle. Initially, my father did not acquiesce. But,

when I learnt to ride very quickly, he was proud.

4. Do many people in your country using bicycles?

Yes, a large section of my country’s population uses bicycles for daily

commute. They live mostly in the countryside. But, in the cities, people are also

veering to bikes as it is a more viable option for their health as well as the

environment.

5. Do you think using bicycles should be encouraged?

In my opinion, bicycles are a healthier alternative than motorcycles or cars, at

least for short distances. Earlier, people used to complain about bikes not

being time efficient. But, with the development of engineering, companies have

come up with much faster bikes. So, I think using bicycles should definitely be

facilitated if we want to save the environment and keep ourselves fit.

Vocabulary

1. Shuttle

Meaning: travel regularly between two or more places.

E.g.: Due to the mismanagement, we had to shuttle from the office to the

factory thrice today.

34
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. Acquiesce

Meaning: to accept, agree, or give consent by keeping silent or by not

making objections

E.g.: John finally acquiesced to attend the seminar.

3. Commute

Meaning: to travel regularly a distance

E.g.: We get tired in the evening due to the daily commute of 2 hours.

4. Viable

Meaning: able to exist, perform as intended, or succeed

E.g.: Do you think it is a viable option to invite Mr. Valentine to this party

after his behaviour at the last one?

5. Facilitated

Meaning: helped bring about

E.g.: The sunny yet cool weather facilitated the successful conclusion of

the great event.

35
SPEAKING: PART 1

Dictionaries audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you often use a dictionary?

Earlier, as I read a lot of books and magazines, I used to carry a dictionary with

me and utilise it often. But now, due to my dynamic timetable, I get less time to

read, so the use of a dictionary has also become finite.

2. What do you use dictionaries for?

My grandmother had advised me to note any obscure words and find their

meaning in the dictionary as I read. I still heed her advice today, which has

helped keep my lingo updated.

3. What kind of dictionaries do you think are most useful?

Different types of dictionaries have diverse purposes, and it depends on the

intent. Earlier, I used to carry a pocket dictionary and now, I mostly use

bilingual dictionaries as it helps me understand the word and usage better.

Other than that, while researching, an encyclopaedic dictionary can also be

beneficial.

36
SPEAKING: PART 1

4. Do you think dictionaries are useful for learning a language?

I do agree with the view that dictionaries, especially bilingual dictionaries or

etymological dictionaries, are effectual for language learning. While the former

helps the beginners as they comprehend the new word in their mother tongue

or a language, they are efficient in, the latter helps in clarifying how the term

has come into being and facilitating mastery of spelling and retaining the

meaning.

5. What kind of information do you find in a dictionary?

The information in a dictionary mainly depends on its type. But, in the most

common type of dictionaries, we will get words organized based on the

spelling, their phonetic transcription and their meaning. Sometimes, we also

get some example sentences to show the usage. Other than these, in bilingual

dictionaries, we have words with similar meanings in the alternate language; in

etymological ones, we get the evolution of the specific word, etc.

Vocabulary

1. Finite

Meaning: having a limit or end

E.g.: The tornado victims are dependent on the finite resources they can

get.

37
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. Obscure

Meaning: not clear and difficult to understand or see

E.g.: Even after he gave an explanation, the reason was obscure to most

of us.

3. Lingo

Meaning: a way of speaking that's shared by a particular group of people

E.g.: The interns were not familiar with the office lingo yet.

4. Bilingual

Meaning: involving or written in two languages

E.g.: Nowadays, being bilingual is a common quality.

5. Etymological

Meaning: relating to the study of the origin and history of words, or of one

particular word

E.g.: The linguist was interested to know the etymological sources of

these sets of phrases.

38
SPEAKING: PART 1

Evenings audio

Sample Answers

1. What do you do in the evenings?

Mostly, after logging out of work/ study, I take a coffee/tea break and chitchat

with my mother about the day’s work. Then, I get to assist her with her work or

continue to read a book till dinner.

2. Do you prefer to spend your evenings with your family or friends?

Usually, I spend most of my evenings with my family. Occasionally, I go out with

my friends, or they visit me. Both have profound value in my life as I like to

communicate with them on eclectic matters.

39
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. What is a popular activity for young people in your country in the evenings?

With the changing lifestyle and accessibility to diverse activities, different

groups of young people participate in multifaceted tasks in the evening. Like

on weekdays, office-going people either de-stress or organize themselves for

the next day and students relish their hobby or go out for tuition in the evening.

But, on the weekends, all young people mostly enjoy themselves with family or

friends.

4. Do you ever work or study in the evening?

No, I try to take a hiatus from work or study in the evening as I go through a

hectic schedule throughout the day and need some time to unwind. Although,

on some occasions, I do research for my career and personal growth.

5. Do you do the same thing in the evenings as you did when you were a child?

It is not possible to continue with the exact activities I did in my childhood now,

as there has been a monumental shift in the way of living as well as my

responsibilities. As a child, I used to study with my cousin under the supervision

of my grandfather and then play with them. But now, I take a break from work

and spend quality time with my family or friends.

40
SPEAKING: PART 1

Student Space:

41
SPEAKING: PART 1

Vocabulary

1. Profound

Meaning: very great; felt or experienced very strongly

E.g.: The saint’s words have a profound effect on the villagers.

2. Eclectic

Meaning: including many different styles or methods

E.g.: Due to the eclectic stock of food, the store became popular among

the inhabitants of the town.

3. Hiatus

Meaning: temporary gap, pause, break, or absence

E.g.: My manager took a hiatus from work to enjoy fatherhood.

4. Unwind

Meaning: to relax and allow your mind to be free from worry after a

period of work or some other activity that has made you worried

E.g.: Music helps me unwind when I am stressed after a day’s work.

5. Multifaceted

Meaning: having many different aspects or sides

E.g.: The audience was surprised at the multifaceted nature of the

performance of the troupe.

42
SPEAKING: PART 1

Going Overseas audio

Sample Answers

1. Why are you planning to spend a period of time abroad?

I envisage moving abroad for a short duration to complete the research I am

conducting for my PhD studies. It will assist me in my studies and aid me in

accumulating experience as well as satisfy my dromomania.

2. How have your family and friends supported you in this?

I feel blessed that both my family and friends have been extremely

corroborating towards this venture. My parents have been upfront about

providing me with financial aid if required. Likewise, my friends have suggested

several places to visit and encounter local cuisine and forewarned me about

certain hardships I might have to face.

43
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. How long do you plan to be abroad?

I intend to divide the first ten months between Coventry and Edinburgh and

eventually move to London for the remaining eight months for the concluding

part of the research. In case my supervisor feels it is necessary, I might need to

extend my stay.

4. How exactly will you benefit from this experience?

Firstly, I will partake in how people live in these places, their culture and the

past. Secondly, communicating with locals will help me attain acuity, which

will help me in my analysis. Additionally, I will be able to explore a new place

which will fulfil my wanderlust.

5. What problems do you think you may have abroad?

In accordance with the advice of one of my experienced friends, I might have

difficulty adjusting to the climate as India is a tropical country and the UK has a

temperate climate. She has also added that initially, I might feel homesick, but

the welcoming people will make me a part of their community. Other than that,

I don’t think I will have any hurdles unless something unusual happens.

44
SPEAKING: PART 1

Vocabulary

1. Envisage

Meaning: to imagine or expect something in the future, especially

something good

E.g: Mario has envisaged that one day he will take her mother to

Jerusalem.

2. Dromomania

Meaning: a drive to wander and a constant journey

E.g.: He left his family due to his dromomania.

3. Corroborating

Meaning: to support with evidence or authority

E.g.: The evidence the lawyer presented is corroborating what the victim

said.

4. Upfront

Meaning: speaking or behaving in a way that makes your intentions and

beliefs clear

E.g.: His mother was upfront about her support of LGBT rights.

5. Acuity

Meaning: the ability to hear, see, or think accurately and clearly

E.g.: When the Principal heard the whole incident, he gained acuity about

the crime.

45
SPEAKING: PART 1

Phases/Stages of Life audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you enjoy your current stage of life?

Although every stage of life has its own trials and tribulations, they are also

accompanied by certain benefits and uniqueness. So, even though my current

stage of life is full of commitments and future endeavors, I also enjoy the

camaraderie of my partner, the accolades of my colleagues and the eternal

love of my parents.

46
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. In what stage of your life were you the happiest?

I used to miss my nonchalant childhood days. But now that I have attained

maturity, I think I was happiest during adolescence as I had the best days of

my school life, opportunities to learn unknown things, face untried challenges

and also the freedom of being an adult without carrying the load of liabilities of

adulthood or the infantile errors of childhood.

3. Which stage of your life do you think is the most important?

In my view, adolescence is the most critical stage of a person’s life as it is the

turning point and can make or break the blossoming of life. In other words, this

is when we leave behind the insouciant days of childhood and are on the verge

of being accountable adults. So, everyone needs appropriate direction and

care, without which they can fall prey to peer and societal pressure and easily

be led astray.

4. What’s your plan for your next stage of life?

I intend to pursue better job opportunities and create a niche for myself. Apart

from my career, I want to keep my parents happy as much as possible, explore

new places and relish the comradery of my close friends and my partner.

47
SPEAKING: PART 1

5. What is the attitude of older people in your country?

In my country, elders hold a respectful position in society. However, due to

recent lifestyle changes, older people are left to fend for themselves while the

young ones build their own space or move to other countries for better

opportunities. Consequently, while a group of elderly have matched up to their

changing times, others die of depression and loneliness.

Vocabulary

1. Camaraderie

Meaning: a friendly feeling toward people with whom you share an

experience

E.g.: I miss the camaraderie we shared with our friends during the school

days.

2. Nonchalant

Meaning: relaxed and not worried about anything

E.g.: Mrs. Julio’s nonchalant attitude after her husband’s unnatural death

created suspicion among the neighbours.

3. Infantile

Meaning: immature or childish

E.g.: Nash’s infantile demands angered his parents.

4. Insouciant

Meaning: relaxed and happy, with no feelings of worry or guilt

E.g.: Whenever Anne looks at the old house, she is reminded of the

insouciant days she spent with her parents.

48
SPEAKING: PART 1

5. Fend for

Meaning: to take care of and provide for yourself without depending on

anyone else

E.g.: The little puppy was left to fend for itself as its mother died in the

accident.

Student Space:

49
SPEAKING: PART 1

SMS/Text Messaging audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you like texting?

Yes, I do. Although talking to someone over a call is more facile, I don’t despise

texting someone either.

2. Do you prefer sending or receiving messages?

Yes, I prefer receiving messages, especially when the case is urgent. In case I

missed an important call or a piece of information, texts can prove themselves

to be a saviour.

50
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Have you ever received a confusing text message?

Yes, I have received a message that flummoxed me to the core. My friend and I

planned to go out for a movie. However, the whole plan got trampled upon

because of his message on my WhatsApp. We booked two seats in a nearby

theatre. Yet, by mistake, he sent the location of another theatre in an absolute

opposite direction and is 37 km apart from the one where we booked the seats

at. Due to this obfuscation, we missed the movie and the amount we spent on

the booking went to waste.

4. In what circumstances is making a phone call better than sending an SMS?

I believe making a phone call is sounder than an SMS for almost every urgent

piece of information or call. Time and again, messages tend to get deciphered

in the wrong way, which often creates pandemonium, especially if the matter

is crucial. Therefore, the corporate communication or essential instructions

should be rendered on a phone call rather than an SMS.

5. Have you ever had difficulty replying?

Yes, there was a time when I was in a meeting and a friend of mine texted me

on WhatsApp about the party, he was throwing that night. However, since I was

in a meeting, I couldn't reply.

51
SPEAKING: PART 1

6. Do you text someone if they don’t answer the phone?

Yes, if someone doesn't pick up the phone call, I text them more often than not,

depending upon the urgency and necessity of the context for which the phone

call was made.

Vocabulary

1. Facile

Meaning: comfortable

Eg: The digital world has made life plain-sailing and facile for everyone

today.

2. Despise

Meaning: hatred

Eg: I despised that episode due to the overt racism it presented.

3. Saviour

Meaning: one who saves

Eg: He always proved himself to be their saviour.

4. Flummoxed

Meaning: confused

Eg: When we were informed about the accident, we all were flummoxed

at first.

52
SPEAKING: PART 1

5. Pandemonium

Meaning: a situation in which there is a lot of noise and confusion

because people are excited, angry, or frightened

Eg: There was great pandemonium in the market when the bull started

attacking people.

Student Space:

53
SPEAKING: PART 1

Apps audio

Sample Answers

1. What apps have you recently used?

I am quite a techno-freak and use lots of mobile applications every day. The

recent ones that I can remember are Spotify, Google Pay and WhatsApp.

2. Which apps are you usually interested in?

I am generally interested in social media apps and use them quite recurrently.

I believe the world has really become a small space with the advent of social

media.

3. What was the first app you used?

Although I don’t have a very vivid memory of the first app I got my hands on, I

believe it was Facebook after I earned my first cell phone in college.

54
SPEAKING: PART 1

4. What kinds of apps would you like to use in the future?

As technology is making strides and nearly everything that seemed

unpragmatic and impractical almost a decade ago has blown the ground with

a thud. Considering this, I would love to use an app that helps us know about

one’s emotions without them having to tell us. I believe this would be very

beneficial for psychiatric patients and people with mental stress who do not

prefer to express a lot.

5. Do old people in your country like to use apps?

Well, I don’t think it’s a matter of choice for the older people to use apps in my

country as most of them are not even cognizant of the existence of

technological advancements. However, there are very few people I know who

love to use apps as they are dynamic, unlike most people of old age.

Vocabulary

1. Recurrent

Meaning: frequent

Eg: The recurrent occurrences of hooliganism made this place notorious

for its negligence.

2. Advent

Meaning: emergence

Eg: The advent of Mr. Thomas had a significant impact on the city at that

time.

55
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Vivid

Meaning: clear

Eg: I vividly remember my first day at school.

4. Stride

Meaning: to walk with long steps.

Eg: He took long strides to reach home quickly.

5. Unpragmatic

Meaning: impractical

Eg: This idea was utterly unpragmatic for me to consent to.

Student Space:

56
SPEAKING: PART 1

Jokes & Comedies audio

Sample Answers

1. Are you good at telling jokes?

My friends say that I have a humorous personality and that my fun punches

and jokes are something they can laugh about the whole day. Hence, I guess I

am pretty good at telling jokes.

2. Do your friends like to tell jokes?

Yes, some of my friends are even better than me at telling jokes and could

have been great standup comedians if they wanted to make a career out of it.

57
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Do you like to watch comedies?

No, I don’t particularly appreciate watching comedy movies or shows, for that

matter. I am quite organic and random when it comes to laughing at jokes or

telling jokes based on the situations I am currently in.

4. Have you ever watched a live show?

Yes, I had quite a couple of times when I was in university. Our university used

to carry out various carnivals and fests. It used to organise a lot of live shows

by prominent personalities and I used to get very zesty about that.

5. What are some common subjects that people like to joke about?

People’s sense of humour could hugely differ in terms of context. However,

some common topics that people like to joke about are one’s dressing sense,

unwanted rules, or their peers, who they find quite esoteric.

6. How do you know what jokes are proper to say to your friends?

I am well aware of the personalities and intellect of most of my friends.

Therefore, I try not to cross the boundary when it comes to making or telling

jokes about them or someone else in front of them. I know the topics that are

off-limits for them.

58
SPEAKING: PART 1

Vocabulary

1. Humorous

Meaning: funny

Eg: Devilia is quite humorous too.

2. Random

Meaning: spontaneous

Eg: We all were made to choose the chits randomly.

3. Carnival

Meaning: a massive celebration/function

Eg: That carnival was worth attending.

4. Prominent

Meaning: famous

Eg: There were many prominent personalities associated with that

organization.

5. Zesty

Meaning: animated

Eg: We all were zesty and happy all through the trip.

59
SPEAKING: PART 1

Singing audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you often sing/ Do you often like to sing?

Yes, I am a passionate singer and have a great predilection for singing. I

thoroughly enjoy it.

2. When do you like to sing?

I can sing almost anytime and love to sing as much as I can. However, I

generally sing when I am not very engaged in something.

60
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. How much time do you spend singing every day?

Unfortunately, I do not get as much time as I would like to spend due to my

busy schedule. So, I believe I spend roughly 3-4 hours singing every day on an

average.

4. What kinds of music do you like to sing?

I enjoy a diverse range of music and am open to all genres as far as they

sound pleasing to my ears. However, I love the regional music of Uttarakhand

the most. It has a very effect and is very mellifluous. Especially for someone

sensitive, Uttarakhand music is perfect for them.

5. Do you want to be a singer?

Well, if given a chance and if the winds of fate were in the right direction, I

would love to become a professional singer at a more consequential level. In

order to make a name for yourself in such fields requires talent, passion and, to

a great extent, the luck factor.

Vocabulary

1. Predilection

Meaning: tendency

Eg: The predilection toward reading made him a learned person.

61
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. Diverse

Meaning: varied

Eg: There is a diverse range of insects found in this sand.

3. Pleasing

Meaning: giving a feeling of satisfaction or enjoyment

Eg: It did not seem pleasing to watch and so we left early.

4. Soothing

Meaning: calming

Eg: This music has a soothing and pacifying effect.

5. Mellifluous

Meaning: melodious

Eg: The soulful and mellifluous voice of Oscar used to enchant everyone

who listened to him.

Student Space:

62
SPEAKING: PART 1

Being Tidy audio

Sample Answers

1. Are you a tidy person?

Yes, I believe I am a hygienic and tidy person as I like to keep my surroundings

clean as much as I can. I believe hygiene is one of the most important aspects

of my personality.

2. How do you keep things tidy around you?

As I live away from my parents due to my job, I try to dust off the fitments and

the things around me. I try to keep things in order and make sure they are

arranged and organised well. I just can’t bear the haphazardness of my

chattels.

63
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Do you think people should be tidy all the time?

Well, as far as my personality and inclination towards personal cleanliness go, I

do believe that people should try being neat all the time. It is needless to say

that cleanliness and hygiene keep a lot of diseases at bay. Moreover, it also

hints at one’s personality.

4. Are you tidier at school/work or home?

I am tidy on all occasions, irrespective of where I go. The only difference that I

can think of while being at work and at home is the choice of clothes I wear.

Other than that, I don’t differentiate in the degrees of tidiness regarding the

places.

5. What are the benefits of being tidy?

Well, the first benefit of being tidy is from the health aspect. One who is tidy and

hygienic keeps a lot of diseases at arm’s length. Secondly, it casts a great

impression on the people around and doesn’t make them feel appalled and

disgusted with the lack of cleanliness.

6. Can you tell a person’s character based on how tidy he or she is?

Yes, one can be judged on the basis of one’s hygiene. A tidy and hygienic

person is generally more active and presentable and has higher self-esteem

as compared to one who is a bit lousy and messy.

64
SPEAKING: PART 1

Vocabulary

1. Hygiene

Meaning: cleanliness

Eg: Hygiene should not be a choice but a way to live.

2. Aspects

Meaning: areas/avenues

Eg: He excelled in all aspects of life.

3. Fitments

Meaning: furniture

Eg: I bought some expensive fitments for my apartment.

4. Hint at

Meaning: indicate

Eg: Surya hinted at the danger that was about to come.

5. Tidiness

Meaning: cleanliness

Eg: The tidiness of the room lured me to rent it immediately.

65
SPEAKING: PART 1

Home/Accommodation audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you live in a house or an apartment? Please describe it a bit.

I live in a small town, and my house is situated in the heart of the town. It is a

four-story pucca house. There are seven rooms, three kitchens, two living

rooms, and a drawing-room. There is a small home garden in the backside of

the house where the ladies of my house have planted vegetables and fruits.

2. What is your favorite room in your home?

Unequivocally, my favorite room is my own. I have decorated it in such a way

that it gives me immense peace and tranquility from time to time.

66
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. What have you done to your room to make it look nice?

First of all, the walls of my room have been painted white and blue. Behind the

bed is the focus wall that is painted in black. Since I am an art aficionado, I

have accumulated a variety of souvenirs from varying places I have been to.

They are showpieces and wall hangings that I have put into my room.

4. How do you expect your future house to be and why?

In a few coming years, we are planning to build our property according to

unexcelled design specifications. It will have almost three bedrooms and 2

extra bathrooms. Alongside, there will be a large, open dining area. There will

also be a garage and a patio.

5. Would you change anything about your home? Why/ why not?

I like my house quite too much to change it entirely. However, if I have to, I

would like to have a porch and a sitting area on the front side of the house, for

which I am preparing as well.

Vocabulary

1. Unequivocally

Meaning: in a way that doesn’t leave a doubt

Eg: My college unequivocally condemns violence in the premises.

67
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. Tranquility

Meaning: the state or quality of being peaceful

Eg: I love the tranquility near lakes.

3. Aficionado

Meaning: a person who likes a specific thing or knows about it a lot

Eg: According to the aficionados, pizza is one of the best inventions.

4. Souvenirs

Meaning: something that constantly reminds you of a place you have

been to

Eg: I bought back a wall hanging as a souvenir of my vacation in Rome.

5. Unexcelled

Meaning: matchless, better than other examples of the similar type

Eg: I like automotives with an unexcelled design.

68
SPEAKING: PART 1

Window view audio

Sample Answers

1. What scenery can you see from the window of your home?

It’s unfortunate to state that the windows of my home don’t overlook a

mesmerising view. I live in the city center; thus, all I see is bustling streets,

high-sky buildings, and countless vehicles contributing to noise pollution. In

my opinion, living in a concrete jungle is nothing less than stressful as there is

no peace.

2. Do you want to live in a house with beautiful window views?

Of course, I want to. In fact, one of my fantasies is to reside in such a place that

is surrounded by a tranquil neighbourhood and has a scenic beauty to it. I

believe being close to nature helps us emotionally and spiritually.

69
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Do you like looking at the scenery from your window?

Not really! As I have already mentioned, my windows don’t overlook any

pleasing scenery. The view is nothing but an eyesore.

4. How do you feel when you can’t see any beautiful view from your window?

As I constantly dream of a spectacular view, it disheartens me to wake up to

something that doesn’t excite me. However, I don’t fret as I am very much

present in reality and know what will greet me when I uncurtain my windows.

Vocabulary

1. Mesmerising

Meaning: something that holds the complete attention

Eg: The audience is mesmerised with the new web series.

2. Bustling

Meaning: to be full of noise, people or activity

Eg: The streets are always bustling during the festive season.

3. Concrete

Meaning: something that is definite or real

Eg: My thoughts on empowerment are concrete.

4. Tranquil

Meaning: peaceful and quiet

Eg: I love visiting tranquil places.

70
SPEAKING: PART 1

5. Eyesore

Meaning: something that is unpleasant or ugly

Eg: All the litter in the park is an eyesore

Student Space:

71
SPEAKING: PART 1

Being Happy audio

Sample Answers

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

Yes, chasing my dreams is making me jovial lately. I believe we all have a

driving force that compels us to wake up each morning and work hard. For

now, the thing that is filling me up with sheer happiness is acquiring an

admission to one of the putative universities to pursue a course of my choice.

2. What do you do to stay happy?

For me, feeling happy is nothing less than a roller-coaster ride. There are days I

feel down in the dumps, and there are others when I feel overjoyed. However,

regardless of the situation, I don’t suppress any of my feelings and don’t force

myself to be happy. I merely go with the flow.

72
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Can you stay happy all the time?

No. In fact, that is a vague myth. Humans have been blessed with a myriad of

emotions. There are times when we feel anxious, worn out, despondent. Also,

there are times when we feel neutral, neither happy nor sad. So, it’s obvious

that nobody can stay happy all the time.

4. Is it important to be happy?

Definitely, it is. Life is too short to dwell on anything that doesn’t give us utmost

joy. In a way, happiness is directly related to our physical health. If we are

optimistic and exuberant, we stay a tad healthier than others. Issues like heart

diseases, anxiety, and depression, decrease to a great extent by being happy.

Vocabulary

1. Putative

Meaning: reputed

Eg: AIIMS is one of the putative hospitals in India.

2. Vague

Meaning: not definite or clear

Eg: He is vague about how much money his next trip will cost.

3. Worn out

Meaning: extremely tired

Eg: I am worn out after today’s workout.

73
SPEAKING: PART 1

4. Despondent

Meaning: with no hope

Eg: I am becoming despondent about traveling next month.

5. Exuberant

Meaning: full of excitement or energy

Eg: She tries to stay exuberant despite going through so much in life.

Student Space:

74
SPEAKING: PART 1

Trees audio

Sample Answers

1. What kind of trees do people usually plant in your country? How about your

hometown?

Well, considering the land and population diversity in India, there are sundry

plants here. Majorly, the plantation depends upon the type of land and weather

conditions. However, some sought-after plants are Neem, Banyan, and Peepal

trees.

2. Have you ever planted trees?

Yes, I have. I come from a small village in the state of Haryana. In my village,

generally, houses are colossal, so we get a lot of space for plantations. Also,

since my mother is an avid gardener, I have helped her in planting an array of

trees in our backyard.

75
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. What kind of trees do you plant?

Out of all, I have a soft spot for flowering plants. Thus, I have planted roses,

hibiscus, marigolds, and jasmine. Other than that, I have also planted lemon,

banana, and mango trees in my backyard.

4. Do you like planting trees and why?

Yes, I am really fond of planting trees. Not only are they quintessential for the

environment, but also make the place look alluring. Trees purify the air, offer us

shade and food and allow us to calm down as well.

5. Did you ever climb a tree when you were a child?

Yes, I have climbed plenty of trees in my childhood. Out of all, I have climbed

mango trees the most as they were planted in our own backyard. Other than

that, I used to visit a nearby jungle with my friends and climb trees there.

Vocabulary

1. Sundry

Meaning: of various types and kinds

Eg: My mother has a sundry collection of jewellery.

76
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. Sought-after

Meaning: in great demand, popular

Eg: The complete set of Harry Potter series is a sought-after collection.

3. Colossal

Meaning: extremely large

Eg: My great grandfather had a colossal mansion in Pakistan before

partition.

4. Avid

Meaning: enthusiastic about something

Eg: I am an avid reader.

5. Quintessential

Meaning: being the perfect example of something

Eg: He is a quintessential example of chivalry

Student Space:

77
SPEAKING: PART 1

Stages of Life audio

Sample Answers

1. Do you enjoy your current stage of life?

Absolutely! Currently, I am having a whale of a time being a student. Right now,

I am preparing for my higher studies and spend hours altogether researching

some of the elite colleges and universities.

2. In what stage of your life were you the happiest?

In my opinion, childhood and early teens are the only two phases that almost

every person cherishes. I was vivacious and got a lot of love from my parents

and everybody else at home. My days were filled with carefree enjoyment. I

miss that time a lot.

78
SPEAKING: PART 1

3. Which stage of your life do you think is the most important?

I believe all of the stages of life are important, but childhood is the paramount

one. It is crucial for our physical, emotional, and mental development. A child’s

brain can be moulded, and whatever one learns during their childhood will

determine the kind of a person they will become as adults.

4. What’s your plan for your next stage of life?

I want to graduate from a good college and find a well-paying, satisfactory job.

I would like to help my parents financially and also pay off some of their debts.

At one point in time, I want to help my parents fulfill their dreams.

5. What is the attitude of older people in your country?

In India, the elderly have always been treated with great respect and occupied

a prominent position in the family. In rural India, the joint family system is still

prevalent. However, in this competitive world, youngsters migrate to other

cities to find well-paying jobs; thus, they have to leave their elders behind.

Vocabulary

1. Elite

Meaning: the most successful or powerful

Eg: My family is one of the elite families in the town.

79
SPEAKING: PART 1

2. Vivacious

Meaning: lively, fully of energy

Eg: My dog is a vivacious pet.

3. Paramount

Meaning: most important

Eg: Safety is paramount when travelling out of the city.

4. Prominent

Meaning: noticeable

Eg: He is a prominent figure in the town.

5. Prevalent

Meaning: most common in a specific place at a specific time

Eg: The prevalent weather conditions are worrisome.

Student Space:

80
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

To Access the Speaking Part 2 & Part 3

Audios, Scan the QR Code

81
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Foreign Culture audio

Sample Answer

In every culture, certain concepts or rituals are fascinating and worthwhile.

For example, in India, one can learn how to live a colourful and joyous life,

to be united even when different, the concept of ‘jugaad’, and many such

things. In the same way, I learned a few riveting things about Americans,

one of them being their concept of individuality.

Although I have read about it in contemporary books or heard about it in

interviews, I didn’t pay much attention to it. Later, I met an American

student who had transferred to our university and discussed this. Then, I

realized that it is very pragmatic. For instance, when one of our friends

was celebrating his birthday, we demanded a treat.

82
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

After a wholesome dinner, our American friend decided to split the bill

among us. In the beginning, most of us protested, but gradually we

acceded as he explained that paying for the food of ten people can be

taxing for our friend, especially when he is not earning.

Honestly, many people in my country would find this idea very

narcissistic. But, in my opinion, when an individual becomes

self-sufficient, he/she can plan their future better without being

dependent on anyone as well as help in the all-round development of the

society. For example, it is like an unsaid rule among Americans that when

a child, irrespective of their gender, becomes a teenager, they have to

start earning for themselves. It not only makes them self-sustaining but

also helps them realize the importance of money.

Being self-reliant does not mean jilting your friends and family or being

egocentric. It just means being accountable for one’s own actions and not

being an obligation to someone. In fact, when a country has a huge

population of competent people, it will definitely be a developed country.

Vocabulary

1. Riveting

Meaning: extremely interesting

E.g.: The article he wrote on the current financial trends is very

riveting.

83
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

2. Pragmatic

Meaning: practical, especially when making decisions

E.g.: She taught her children to be pragmatic as she had been

heartbroken many times.

3. Taxing

Meaning: difficult or needing a lot of thought or effort

E.g.: After a taxing day at work, he slept soundlessly.

4. Narcissistic

Meaning: having too much interest in and admiration for yourself

E.g.: No one in the office likes Karen as she is narcissistic.

5. Jilting

Meaning: to cast off or reject

E.g.: Mario has been jilting Roe’s love proposals since school.

Student Space:

84
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Foreign Culture

1. How do you learn about celebrations that are related to your culture?

In our country, we have eclectic kinds of celebrations in different parts of

our country throughout the year. So, I learnt about our culture from my

parents and elders as the customs have been passed down from

generation to generation. Moreover, I got to learn about the other

festivities either from my friends, who come from various parts of the

country or from social media.

2. What do you think are common celebrations all over the world?

Celebrating special religious days like Christmas and New Year has

become predominant with the advent of globalization. Other than that,

people all over the world also commemorate meaningful days like

Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Friendship Day, etc., to communicate their

fondness and appreciation towards their cherished people.

85
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Do you think we should follow our culture and traditions, and why?

Every culture has its own traditions and rituals that root them in its own

people and place. Therefore, in my opinion, it is necessary to follow or at

least be aware of those conventions. Our culture is a product of life values,

sacrifices and practices followed by ages of people. Therefore, they not

only help us to congeal our individualism but also nudge us to know our

past and march towards our developing future proudly.

4. How do you react to spending a lot of money on celebrations?

In some cases, I think spending money is a part of commercial

development as many people earn their livelihoods from them. For

example, in India, during any puja celebration, pandals are embellished,

and food stalls are set up. This helps the decorators and caterers acquire

funds through their respective vocations. But, the amount of money spent

and wasted on sumptuous intimate extravaganzas like weddings,

birthdays, etc., is sometimes not justified. Instead of ordering extra food

and wearing pricey clothes for only one day, we could offer food and

clothes to those who really need them.

86
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Eclectic

Meaning: selecting or choosing from various sources

E.g.: The child was excited to see the eclectic collection of toffees on

the table.

2. Commemorate

Meaning: to remember something and by doing so to honor it

E.g.: Our society commemorates the sacrifices of all those martyrs

who gave up their lives for independence.

3. Congeal

Meaning: to solidify

E.g.: The two boys congealed their friendship by taking a blood oath.

4. Embellished

Meaning: to make something more beautiful by adding something

to it

E.g.: The family embellished their house for Christmas.

5. Sumptuous

Meaning: of high quality, and often expensive

E.g.: They had a sumptuous stay in the five-star hotel.

87
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Well Known Person audio

Sample Answer

Sports have a long history in India and cricket is undoubtedly the most

favored sport in the country. This trend has recently changed as

sportspersons from different fields are partaking in various world

competitions and making a mark. Currently, one of many highly regarded

sports celebrities in India is Neeraj Chopra. He is an Indian track and field

athlete, the reigning Olympic Champion in the javelin throw.

At the young age of 12, Neeraj Chopra weighed a hefty 90 kg. Even though

he was never interested in athletics, he began training to stay healthy. It is

only because of his commitment and perseverance in attaining his goals.

He also has distinct attributes and robust, commendable qualities that

aided his triumph in the sport.

88
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Chopra was the first Indian track and field athlete to win the IAAF global

U20 championships in 2016, when he recorded a world record throw of

86.48 meters, making him the first Indian athlete to do so. He has also won

several medals in other events.

For example, he vied in both the 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2018

Asian Games, acting as the flag bearer in the latter and winning gold

medals in both. But, he became a household name after representing

India at the 2020 Olympics and coming home with a gold medal. Recently,

he participated in the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, UK, but

had to pull out of the finals due to an injury.

He is one of just two Indians to have won an individual Olympic gold

medal as of 2021, as well as the youngest Indian Olympic gold medallist in

an individual event and the only one to win gold on his Olympic debut. He

championed personal battles and background impediments to ace this

momentous feat with quintessence. When I go through life stories of

people like Neeraj Chopra, they inspire me to give my best no matter how

life oppugns me. He not only makes me proud as an Indian but also gives

me the boldness to fight against all odds.

Vocabulary

1. Partaking

Meaning - to take part in or experience something along with others

Example - We are partaking in the carnival in our town.

89
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

2. Robust

Meaning - strong and healthy

Example - The players in the opponent team were robust.

3. Vied

Meaning - to compete with other people to achieve or get

something

Example - The two suitors vied for the attention of the woman.

4. Quintessence

Meaning - the most typical example or representative of a type

Example - Her son has been the quintessence of the perfect child.

5. Oppugns

Meaning - to fight against

Example - Mr. Jana oppugns against any injustice to a student.

Student Space:

90
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Well Known Person

1. What are the qualities of being popular?

First of all, a person should be amiable and easy to communicate with so

that others can approach them. They should be understanding and

candid as well. Being responsible and trustworthy is attractive to

everyone, irrespective of age and culture.

2. Do you know any popular star who likes helping other people?

Although charities are a major publicity feat for most celebrities, there are

some favored stars who genuinely care about the causes they endorse.

Some I love are Keanu Reeves, Lionel Messi, Priyanka Chopra, Gul Panag,

Ram Charan, Taylor Swift and Bill Gates.

3. Do you think children should imitate their idols?

To me, imitating means renouncing your individualism and might also

lead to abhorrence when the role model does something unseemly. So, I

think children should not be made to emulate anyone, be it their parents

or any public figure. But, they should definitely follow their role model to

learn from their hard work and commitment.

91
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

They should learn to accept that even their role models are humans who

can err so that they don’t get affected by fallacies about beauty, physical

appearance and being famous.

4. What influence do popular stars have on teenagers?

With the increase in social media usage, youngsters are exposed to

various occurrences and sensations from an early age. As a result,

teenagers tend to admire and mimic the celebrities they like. They begin

to replicate their dressing styles and the way they talk and maintain a

lifestyle, which sometimes results in low self-esteem and demoralization

when they cannot achieve it.

5. Do you think popular stars have more freedom or less freedom?

Being a popular celebrity comes with lots of cons, the leading one being a

lack of privacy and freedom. They are followed everywhere and every

minute detail of their lives is posted on social media, which in turn

becomes hearsay and news to the public.

Vocabulary

1. Amiable

Meaning - pleasant and friendly

Example - Our professor is very amiable and everyone likes him.

92
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

2. Abhorrence

Meaning - a feeling of hating something or someone

Example - My sister and I have an abhorrence for sweets.

3. Emulate

Meaning - to copy someone's behaviour or try to be like someone

else because you admire or respect that person

Example - Do not emulate anyone, try to create something of your

own.

4. Fallacies

Meaning - a false or mistaken idea

Example - The fallacies of their ideas on the project were clear to

everyone.

5. Hearsay

Meaning - information you have heard that might or might not be

true

Example - You should not pay attention to hearsay.

93
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Skill audio

Sample Answer

It is universally known that with age, people acquire more experience and

knowledge about life than their younger counterparts. As a result, there is

a lot to learn about valuable skills and life lessons from older people. Apart

from many other skills that I ingrained from my elders, one crucial skill I

retained was the concept of 'recycle, reuse and repurpose'.

Growing up, I was very close to my grandmother. Every year, I used to

spend my summer vacation with her and that's when I learnt various skills

from my exceptionally adept grandmother.

94
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

She had multiple ways to use this utilitarian principle to reuse and recycle

everything in her home. As she cooked her food, she never threw away the

scrapes of fruit and vegetables; rather composted them and used them

as fertilizers for her garden plants.

Also, she never disposed of glass jars and used them to hold items like

spices, tea, lentils, etc. Moreover, she would never discard outmoded

clothes and would sew these pieces together to make exquisite curtains,

quilts, tablecloths, etc.

She kept busy with these activities, made old card boxes into fun toys, and

turned broken furniture into tubs for the plants. My main learning

experience was observing her and assisting her with her refurbishing

undertakings. Consequently, when I grew up, I began executing her ways

in our house.

Honestly, being indebted to my grandmother is an understatement for

whatever invaluable aptitudes she familiarized me with. What she taught

me so many years ago has become the imminent need of the hour. So, I

am elated that she made me capable enough to take the initiative in

saving our planet.

95
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Adept

Meaning: very skilled; proficient; expert

E.g.: My brother is an adept scuba diver.

2. Utilitarian

Meaning: designed to be useful rather than decorative

E.g.: I bought this vessel because of its utilitarian qualities.

3. Outmoded

Meaning: no longer modern, useful, or necessary

E.g.: The rule strictly mentioned that we have to throw away

outmoded things.

4. Refurbishing

Meaning: to make a building look new again by doing work such as

painting, repairing, and cleaning

E.g.: The company took responsibility for the refurbishing of the old

mill.

5. Understatement

Meaning: a statement that represents something as smaller or less

intense, or less important than it really is

E.g.: It is understatement to say that Sheldon is talented.

96
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Skill

1. What can children learn from their parents?

Parents are the first role models of most kids as they are the first people

whom they meet. Therefore, they can impart lessons on manners,

discipline and individuality.

2. What knowledge can children learn from their grandparents?

Grandparents are usually the most adept people in any family. So,

children can learn a myriad thing from them, like respecting elders, caring

for loved ones and managing. While our grandmothers can teach us more

about family values and traditions, our grandfathers have a lot to share

about their experiences in the outside world which are very beneficial in

this epoch.

3. What kind of help do you think older people need?

With age, every individual is riddled with diverse kinds of illness. So, older

people need someone to take care of them and reciprocate their love as

nowadays young people tend to move out of their homes and

97
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

vamoose their parents and elders. They also need support from their near

and dear ones, whom they have nurtured to lead a better life.

4. What skills can young people learn from older people?

There are numerous skills that young people can learn from their elders.

For example, our grandmothers can teach us delectable recipes and ways

to build a beautiful home with a minimum of what we have. Grandfathers

can teach us discipline and how to face difficulties and not give up. Other

than that, they can impart lessons related to their profession or field of

interest, which can be very nifty.

5. How difficult or easy is it to learn from older people?

In my opinion, it is quite easy to learn from older people as they know how

to simplify things and ideas. With age, their experience and their

incapacities made them unostentatious.

Vocabulary

1. Myriad

Meaning: very large in number, or having great variety

E.g.: We found a myriad of caves near the deserted place outside the

village.

98
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

2. Epoch

Meaning: a particular period of time marked by distinctive features,

events, etc.

E.g.: The defeat of Hitler brought forward a new epoch in Germany.

3. Vamoose

Meaning: to go away or disappear

E.g.: No one noticed when he decided to vamoose from the party.

4. Nifty

Meaning: good, pleasing, or effective

E.g.: The students found his unusual lessons to be nifty.

5. Unostentatious

Meaning: (of a person) in a manner that is not trying to impress

people with one's wealth

E.g.: The unostentatious king later accepted sainthood and left his

palace

99
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Song audio

Sample Answer

I've always been a huge music enthusiast. I enjoy listening to music

because it lifts my spirits after a hard day filled with work and studies and

gives me the energy to keep going. Depending on where I am, who I am

with, and how I am feeling at the moment, I listen to a wide variety of

music, from Jazz to Rock. I'm going to tell you about "Hello," one of my

favourite songs.

In life, at various stages, we lose connection with people and even our own

selves. So, this song is about experiencing that heartbreak and

reconnecting with those who have passed away or abandoned us.

100
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

When compared to the music, the words' profound meaning evokes an

eerie sense. The song, a single that recently achieved platinum status this

week, belongs to the pop genre.

It is performed by UK native Adele, a well-known performer on the global

music scene. Despite the fact that her albums have been quite successful,

she has managed to keep a relatively low profile. I am quite proud of my

extensive collection of her recordings.

The song has been viral from the moment it came and has become the

talk of the town. It has topped the charts for weeks and has got millions of

streams on music sites. I first listened to the song last week. It was when I

was in the middle of finals. I was up to the ears in revision and it was an

incredibly nerve-racking time, so I needed something to let my hair down.

That's when I went to YouTube to watch some music videos. The minute I

heard Adele's voice, I was hooked and totally blown away. I've put the

song on repeat ever since.

I am keen on the song for a number of reasons. First, it was her voice that

struck me, which is incredibly soothing and has a nice warm quality to it.

The lyrics are also very relatable, considering the fast-paced life due to

which we lose ourselves. It talks about emotions after two people part

ways in a relationship and I can definitely relate to that.

101
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Platinum status/ go platinum

Meaning: to sell 1 million copies of an album

E.g.: I am super-excited to see Enrique’s new album song went

platinum.

2. Talk of the town

Meaning: if something is the talk of a place, people there talk a lot

about it

E.g.: When he married the seventh time, he became the talk of the

town.

3. Low profile

Meaning: deliberately not attracting public attention

E.g.: Some celebrities successfully keep a low profile.

4. Nerve-racking

Meaning: making you very nervous or worried

E.g.: After the magician performed a nerve-racking stunt, the

audience was completely silent.

5. Let (one’s) hair down

Meaning: to relax and enjoy yourself because you are in a

comfortable environment

E.g.: Only during weekends, I let my hair down and enjoy it with my

friends.

102
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Song

1. Do teenagers and older people enjoy the same kind of songs?

No, I don’t think teenagers and older people appreciate the same kind of

songs because they belong to different generations and have dissimilar

tastes in music. So, while elderly people enjoy reposeful and

consequential songs, young people are swayed by loud beats and catchy

lyrics.

2. What are the factors which make people like a song?

Preferences of each individual vary and so do the factors for enjoying a

song or particular type of music. But, the most common factors that

ensnare a person with a song are the meaning of the lyrics, the tune and

beats and the voice of the singer.

3. On which occasions do people in your country sing together?

The most momentous occasion when the whole country sings together is

on Independence Day or any sports event when the national anthem of

our country is sung. Some other occasions are on festivals which the

whole country celebrates or while monumentalizing a propitious

occasion.

103
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Which kinds of songs are suitable for children? Why?

Normally, children like songs with captivating tunes that they can recall

easily and feel merry about. It is because they are very young to

understand deep, complex lyrics and heavy beats.

5. What do old people like to listen to?

Older people like to listen to classical music or ecclesiastical songs that

have special meaning or help them reflect back on their past experiences.

Vocabulary

1. Consequential

Meaning: of significance or importance

E.g.: When the athlete won the gold medal, it was a consequential

moment for the whole country.

2. Ensnare

Meaning: to catch or get control of something or someone

E.g.: The snakes ensnare the little mouse and attack it.

3. Momentous

Meaning: very important because of effects on future events

E.g.: It was a momentous achievement for the whole team.

104
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Propitious

Meaning: likely to result in success, or showing signs of success

E.g.: Her parents were happy at her propitious efforts.

5. Ecclesiastical

Meaning: forming part of someone's faith in a divine being

E.g.: After his father passed away, the little girl hated ecclesiastical

things.

Student Space:

105
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Concentration audio

Sample Answer

In this fast-paced world, we have a lot of distractions around to disrupt

our concentration and deviate us from our main goal. So, everyone has a

way to maintain their attention. Earlier, I used to do yoga for this purpose.

But due to lack of time, I listen to palliative, instrumental music.

It is my all-time activity as I find it very relaxing. When I am at home, I use

my music system to play the music or songs in the background. But, in

shared places, like in the gym, office or on public transport, I tend to use

my headphones so that no one else is bugged.

106
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Listening to soothing melodies amplifies cognitive focus and enhances

willpower to maintain the appropriate pace on the task.

Moreover, it is scientifically proven that pacifying tunes stimulate the

brain and have a profound effect on our blood pressure and heartbeat. It

also releases the 'happy hormone' dopamine and reduces depression and

anxiety.

Since childhood, I have been very fond of music as my mother used to

sing to me. But, I came to know all the positive effects of music when I

consulted a therapist for my concentration deficit. After that, I have

constantly been using this mode of therapy and found it worthwhile.

107
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

108
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Palliative

Meaning: reducing pain without curing the cause of the pain

E.g.: The medicine he gave was palliative and so after someday I

had the same problems.

2. Bugged

Meaning: to bother; annoy; pester

E.g.: The noises he made every day bugged me.

3. Amplifies

Meaning: to increase the strength of a sound; make louder

E.g.: The new microphone amplifies the sound better than the old

one.

4. Cognitive

Meaning: relating to or involving the processes of thinking and

reasoning

E.g.: The baby was born with a cognitive impairment.

5. Pacifying

Meaning: to cause someone who is angry or upset to be calm and

satisfied

E.g.: The music had a pacifying effect on the baby.

109
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Concentration

1. What kinds of distractions bother you in life?

Multiple diversions have an impact on me. The biggest distraction for me

is my smartphone, which buzzes incessantly and takes my attention

away from my studies. Besides that, my addiction to social media and

games greatly diverts my mind.

2. Is it important for children to learn how to concentrate?

Yes, paying attention is a vital skill that is required in many facets of life,

including exams and professions. Children should thus practise being

alert to their assignments completely as it's formidable for someone who

isn't listening carefully to hear what is being said and can lead to diverse

tribulations.

3. What can employers do to help employees concentrate?

Keeping workers engaged during the workday may be unsettling. Some

ways are: first, setting a specific end objective will help staff focus and

stem distractions. Secondly, providing employees with high-quality tools

and equipment can enable them to do their tasks quickly and thoroughly.

110
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Lastly, workers frequently lose concentration and become preoccupied

because they need a furlough. Employers have to provide pliant breaks

so that workers may unwind and regroup.

4. What kinds of jobs require higher concentration at work?

In my opinion, all jobs require a certain level of concentration. But jobs that

require the most thinking are those that have to do with research,

computing and technology, for instance, Accountants, engineers, network

analysts, programmers, etc.

5. Have you ever felt difficult to concentrate?

Yes, as I have mentioned earlier, I have an attention deficiency which is

why, sometimes, I find it very difficult to concentrate on my work.

Vocabulary

1. Incessantly

Meaning: in a way that never stops, especially when this is annoying

or unpleasant

E.g.: The rain is falling incessantly and everyone is afraid of flooding.

2. Formidable

Meaning: extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage

E.g.: The Rock is a formidable opponent.

111
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Tribulations

Meaning: problems or difficulties

E.g.: After many trials and tribulations, he won the case.

4. Furlough

Meaning: a temporary leave of employees

E.g.: Our company does not offer us the option for a furlough.

5. Pliant

Meaning: easily influenced; yielding

E.g.: Don’t be so pliant that people might misuse your trust.

Student Space:

112
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Trip audio

Sample Answer

Traversing across places is one of my favourite leisure activities. I

generally prefer visiting places by car and the idea of going to exciting

places imbues me with an exhilarating vibe. Moreover, being an orophile,

I will never miss a chance to visit hill stations with ample trekking trails

and good camping facilities.

The joy and thrill of visiting a place quadruple when you team up with

people who match your vibe. As a result, I would like to go there with five of

my closest friends as they are delightful travel buddies.

113
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Also, we share a plan to visit the hill station just before winter, when the

place will have snow-clad mountains and chilly weather and the number

of tourists will be scanty.

A car's safety is vital, especially in the post-pandemic situation when the

situation can worsen at any time. Moreover, the advantage of travelling by

own car is huge as we don’t have to depend on others and relish the

beauty of nature and each other’s company at our own pace.

Student Space:

114
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Traversing

Meaning: travelling

E.g.: Karen likes traversing across new cities in search of inspiration

for her novels.

2. Imbue

Meaning: to fill with

E.g.: The children were imbued with joy the moment they heard of

hiking.

3. Exhilarating

Meaning: exciting and happy

E.g.: There was an exhilarating and deafening hoot in the crowd

when the artist came.

4. Orophile

Meaning: one who loves mountains

E.g.: My friend is an orophile while I don’t like mountains.

5. Scanty

Meaning: less/meager

E.g.: The scanty rainfall caused massive losses to farmers.

115
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Trip

1. Which form of vehicle is most common in your country, bikes, car or

motorcycle?

India, being an enormous country, has access to diverse modes of

conveyance. So, most people in the country own a two-wheeler. Moreover,

with the availability of easy loans and an increase in income, buying a car

has become a lot easier, which has resulted in an increase in ownership of

vehicles.

2. Do you think air pollution comes mostly from mobile vehicles?

I think mobile vehicles like cars, motorbikes and buses are one of the

principal factors contributing to air pollution. However, the unbridled

augmentation of industries and their inefficient administration is the

primary contributor to the degradation in air quality.

116
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Do you think people need to change the way of transportation

drastically to protect the environment?

We can make numerous changes in transportation that will definitely

affect the environment positively, for example, turning off the engine

during traffic halts, practising carpooling, accepting electric automobiles,

etc.

4. How are transportation systems in rural and urban systems different?

In rural areas, transportation is confined to buses, motorcycles and bikes

as the roads are not well-constructed and accessible. But, in urban areas,

due to better infrastructure, modes of transport are well-developed, well

connected and have variety.

117
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

118
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Conveyance

Meaning: the process of carrying or transporting it from one place to

another.

E.g.: The man who is in charge of the conveyance is absent today.

2. Unbridled

Meaning: not controlled or limited

E.g.: Due to his unbridled ambition, he has met his end in such a

terrible way.

3. Augmentation

Meaning: the process of increasing the size, value, or quality of

something by adding to it

E.g.: Better opportunities and living standard led to the

augmentation of the population of the country.

4. Carpooling

Meaning: to travel together to work or school in a car, usually taking

turns to drive

E.g.: The practice of carpooling is helping in reducing pollution.

5. Accessible

Meaning: able to be reached or easily got

E.g.: Our professors are easily accessible and so they are popular

among students.

119
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

120
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Book audio

Sample Answer

Books are an eminent source of information, feelings, and inspiration.

Being a voracious reader, I enjoy reading books. Even though I have read

many exciting books in my life, one book has caught my attention. Last

month, I was feeling low, and I talked to my elder brother about it, and he

suggested the book “Atomic Habits”. This book is so exciting and addictive

that I remained involved in reading the masterpiece when I started

reading it. This book is a self-help book. The main focus is on the small

habits of people that can bring change.

121
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

It says that we can get a paradigm shift in our lives by the compound

effect of hundreds of small decisions whether we have to improve our

habits by working on this, by making minuscule changes so that it can

grow into such life-altering outcomes.

This book has a transformative effect because, after reading it, you can

handle all the discords in your life adroitly. There is no doubt in denying

this conviction that most people work so hard to gain accomplishments in

their lives. This book has elucidated the process of attaining success in a

consummate manner. This book can add fun to your life by leading you

towards an impressive growth trajectory by breaking bad routines and

making good ones.

Vocabulary

1. Voracious

Meaning - engaging in an activity with great eagerness or

enthusiasm.

E.g.- My friend Ritu is such a voracious reader that she doesn’t keep

her novel down even in the classroom.

2. Paradigm

Meaning - a typical example or pattern of something, a pattern or

model.

E.g.- - Charlie's programming paradigm has taken the computer

world by storm.

122
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Adroitly

Meaning - in a clever or skillful way.

E.g.- - Alan adroitly slipped the diamond necklace into his pocket

from the shop.

4. Minuscule

Meaning - extremely small or tiny

E.g.- Some people love to collect minuscule things.

5. Consummate

Meaning - showing great skill and flair.

E.g.- Anna dealt with her financial problem with consummate skill.

Student Space:

123
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Book

1. Do you prefer books or movies?

I think movies may never be able to match the details of emotions and

feelings that mere words can have, and I love the smell of old books. But I

never usually get time to read the book, so sometimes, I watch movies.

2. Do you think it is essential to read the book before watching the

movie version of it?

No, not really, as it depends on the person’s preference and availability of

time. And a lot of movie adaptations have been very captivating.

3. Do boys and girls like the same kinds of books?

I have seen some differences in the magazines boys and girls read. For

instance, I have seen most girls reading fashion magazines and very

seldom in the case of boys. But it is not true in all cases as I have seen

most of my friends read and share similar kinds of books.

124
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Do you think reading is important?

In my opinion, the habit of reading is an essential quality that every

individual should have. It not only enriches our knowledge and vocabulary

but also opens our mind to a different world to widen our horizons.

5. What kind of books do Indian people like to read?

I don’t think reading books depends on nationality. For example, the Harry

Potter series is famed worldwide because it is an exciting book to read.

Even though it was meant for children, every age group enjoys it.

Vocabulary

1. Mere

Meaning - used to emphasize how small or insignificant someone or

something is.

E.g. - My sister gets hungry even at the mere thought of food.

2. Preference

Meaning - a greater liking for one alternative over another or others.

E.g. - Anna has a preference for fiction books over non-fiction ones.

3. Captivating

Meaning - charming

E.g. - When my family saw sharks for the first time, the view was very

captivating.

125
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Famed

Meaning - known about by many people

E.g. - New Delhi is famed for its markets and street food.

5. Seldom

Meaning - rarely

E.g. - My dog seldom bites on meeting strangers.

Student Space:

126
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Boring Time audio

Sample Answer

Life is not always interesting and at times, quite monotonous. There was a

time when I felt extremely bored and to stay in that situation became

quite arduous for me. It was back then when I went to a family gathering

and all the members of my family including the extended family members

got together. Contrary to what I thought it would feel like, it turned out to

be a vapid and irrelevant meeting for me.

So, I along with my parents and brother went to the gathering together. I

was quite a gaiety to meet my cousins whom I hadn't seen for a long time.

However, my mirth and excitement went down the drain when my parents

and brother went to a different room, and I went to another one. Actually,

while walking up to the room, I got a call from my colleague and hence I

asked my parents to move forth and I shall follow.

127
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

After the call ended, I could find a trace of them and lead myself to a room

full of strangers. Since the gathering was supposed to include my

extended family as well, I sat there among them with an unnatural grin.

The conversation that followed afterward had no relevance to me. I

couldn’t find a single strand to hold that could make me interested in that

conversation. Moreover, none was bothered to include me in that

conversation, and I sat like a twerp there. Later, I came to know that they

were not even my family members and I had got into the wrong room.

Student Space:

128
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Monotonous

Meaning: Boring

E.g.: I had a monotonous schedule. Hence, I changed it.

2. Arduous

Meaning: Difficult

E.g.: The task at hand was quite arduous.

3. Contrary

Meaning: Opposite

E.g.: Contrary to your belief, he is a good boy.

4. Vapid

Meaning: Boring

E.g.: It was such a vapid task that I had to leave it.

5. Gaiety

Meaning: Happy

E.g.: We all were gaiety and excited to meet the new puppy.

129
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Boring Time

1. Why do people feel bored?

People feel bored when they are in a hackneyed situation, or in case they

follow a recurrent schedule that is quite prosaic to follow.

2. What can people do when they feel bored?

People should find relevance in the situation if they have nothing to do.

Apart from that, they can do something they are passionate about. For

example, one can groove to the beats in case one loves to dance or can

write if one is fond of writing.

3. Do people get bored with daily routines?

Yes, people get significantly bored with daily routines. Daily routines don’t

have much to offer to people and this becomes quite banal.

4. Is it easier for younger people to feel bored than for the old?

Well, yes. Younger people are quite buoyant and dynamic and hence,

they look around for activities that include fun, frolic, and enthusiasm.

When they don’t find such activities to do, they get bored easily.

130
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Hackneyed

Meaning: Uninteresting

E.g.: The ways with which people were entertained have now

become hackneyed.

2. Recurrent

Meaning: Frequent

E.g.: I heard a recurrent announcement at the station.

3. Prosaic

Meaning: Something that lacks enthusiasm and interest

E.g.: The film was too prosaic to watch.

4. Passionate

Meaning: Having a passion for something.

E.g.: She is a passionate writer.

5. Buoyant

Meaning: Active and energetic

E.g.: The kids were so buoyant that I started feeling their energy.

131
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Puzzle audio

Sample Answer

Puzzles are a part of almost everyone’s childhood. These brainteasers are

a riveting and refreshing way of diverting our minds. A similar experience

of solving a puzzle that I would like to talk about is the Rubik’s Cube. The

Rubik’s Cube is probably the most recognized puzzle around the world. It is

difficult to find an individual who hasn’t tried their hand at solving a

Rubik’s Cube. This particular puzzle comes in the form of a plastic cube

that is overlaid with multicolored squares on every side. The objective is to

twist and turn the cube and cumulate all the same-coloured squares on

each side or face. The most intriguing characteristic of this puzzle is that it

can be solved in a matter of seconds if the player can figure out all the

moves accurately.

132
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

On the other hand, this exact feature has a tantalizing effect on players,

because, in a rush to solve the puzzle as quickly as possible, players often

twist and turn the cube in the wrong direction, making it even more

perplexing.

I remember distinctly when my mother brought me a Rubik’s Cube as a

birthday present. Initially, I had no clue how to go about solving this puzzle

on my own. I would spend hours twisting and turning the cube, making the

colors even more jumbled than they were before. Eventually, I managed to

solve the puzzle after several days and was ecstatic at the fact and

showed my parents the solved Rubik’s Cube.

The Rubik’s Cube has always been a puzzling and entertaining experience

for me ever since I was a child. Even to this day, I still have not figured out

a definite pattern to solve this particular puzzle.

Vocabulary

1. Riveting

Meaning: completely engrossing; compelling.

E.g.: The new magic show had a riveting effect on everyone present

in the auditorium.

2. Cumulate

Meaning: gather together and combine.

E.g.: The detective wanted to cumulate all the evidence before the

trial.

133
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Tantalizing

Meaning: tormenting or teasing with the sight or promise of

something unattainable.

E.g.: Fame has a tantalizing effect on the minds of many people.

4. Perplexing

Meaning: completely baffling; very puzzling.

E.g.: The Bermuda Triangle is one of the most perplexing mysteries of

the world.

5. Ecstatic

Meaning: feeling or expressing overwhelming happiness or joyful

excitement. E.g.: The college volleyball team was ecstatic about their

tournament victory.

Student Space:

134
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Puzzle

1. What do people do online in their free time?

The current era is known for its technological advancements. Presently,

the most common form of leisure is surfing the Internet. People nowadays

tend to spend a majority of their free time on social media platforms.

Online video-sharing platforms like Youtube are also extremely popular as

a form of entertainment during spare time.

2. What impact does the internet have on schools?

Just like any other phenomenon, the Internet has both positive and

negative effects on schools and schoolchildren. Today, a stupendous

amount of study resources are available to both students and teachers

through online platforms. Such a development can remarkably improve

the quality of education dispensed at the school level. On the other hand,

the convenience of the Internet can have a detrimental effect on both

teachers and students. The easy availability of information can lead to a

certain degree of complacency in the process of learning.

135
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Do you think many people waste their time online?

Yes, I believe that spending too much time online has become a

distressing issue over the last few years. Today, people tend to spend

hours on the Internet browsing and scrolling through social media

platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Such practices deteriorate the

mental and physical health of the general masses. The average person

has significantly less time on their hands because of the amount of time

they waste online.

4. What can people do with the Internet in the future? And how?

The Internet can be a dynamic and powerful tool if used correctly. There

are dedicated online platforms available for nearly every aspect of human

life. One of the most striking characteristics of the Internet is the ability to

make a livelihood online. I believe that people will be able to earn a living

online. Such an endeavor can be undertaken when people showcase their

skills and talents through online platforms like Youtube and Twitch.

5. In what ways can people get information nowadays?

The most prevalent approach to acquiring information in the present-day

scenario is browsing the Internet. Since the Internet is accessible through

personal computers and smartphones, any kind of information is

available at a person’s fingertips.

136
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Google, which is the most powerful web browser available, is commonly

used for research and queries of all sorts. This particular browser can give

an individual more than millions of results for the type of information they

are looking for.

Student Space:

137
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Surfing

Meaning: move from page to page or site to site on (the World Wide

Web).

E.g.: A better internet connection makes surfing much easier.

2. Stupendous

Meaning: extremely impressive.

E.g.: The company rewarded the employees with bonuses due to

their stupendous performance.

3. Detrimental

Meaning: tending to cause harm.

E.g.: The Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in Ukraine had a detrimental

effect on all the neighboring countries.

4. Complacency

Meaning: a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or

one's achievements.

E.g.: Kevin was fired from the team due to his complacency during

work.

138
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

5. Dynamic

Meaning: characterized by constant change, activity, or progress

E.g.: The economy is a dynamic aspect of a nation that requires time

and effort to understand.

Student Space:

139
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Broke Computer audio

Sample Answer

I am a tech-freak and work on my laptop for almost 8-9 hours a day.

Therefore, not having a laptop to work on hampers my mindset as well as

impedes my professional life. There was a time when my laptop went

kaput because of a kid who came to my home and tried to mess around

with the laptop and ended up getting it defunct.

So, I was working on my organisation's data and was about to start

analysing the collected information to present it on the evening of that

day when I got a call from my aunt that she would be visiting me along

with her 5 year old. I was quite happy upon hearing that and went to

receive her at the station.

140
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Upon reaching our home, we conversed for about an hour and then she

said that she was feeling quite knackered after the journey and would like

to doze off for a while.

Meanwhile, I went out to the nearby market to shop for groceries and

forgot about the laptop and that mischievous five-year-old kid. He

splashed a jug of water over the screen and threw it on the floor as he

thought it was a toy to play with.

After I learned about all that had happened, I took the laptop to the

service centre in the vicinity. However, the agent said that the condition of

that laptop was beyond any service or any recuperative measure. I felt

dejected as all my data and hard work went down the drain.

Student Space:

141
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Hamper

Meaning: obstruct

E.g.: If your studies are hampered because of the trip, you will not be

allowed to go.

2. Impede

Meaning: prevent; discourage

E.g.: Not taking medicine at the proper time will deter your health.

3. Kaput

Meaning: destroyed

E.g.: Their bond went kaput after this hellish incident.

4. Knackered

Meaning: exhausted

E.g.: He was knackered after the tour and took a few days off from

work.

5. Dejected

Meaning: hopeless

E.g.: I felt dejected when my favourite team lost.

142
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Broke Computer

1. What do people use computers for?

Computers have become an indispensable part of our lives today, and

people use them for innumerable reasons, including data collection,

marketing, researching, computing, chatting, etc.

2. Should students be allowed to use computers at school?

Well, of course, they should be allowed to use computers. But it should be

permitted only if they are monitored vigilantly with proper proxy servers

that don’t allow them to access the sites they shouldn’t be accessing. For

study purposes, it is imperative that they use computers.

3. What do you think of people who are addicted to computers?

Being obsessed with anything can be detrimental to one’s life. So, people

who are addicted to using computers out of proportion and balance are

prone to many diseases. So, they should be watchful of their usage.

143
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Do you think computers make our life simpler or more complex?

I believe computers have made our lives easier and very relaxing

compared to how it was almost 5-6 years ago. Technology has dislodged

the significant conventional aspects of our lives and has made our

multi-tasking lives relatively more manageable.

Student Space:

144
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Indispensable

Meaning: essential

E.g.: Water is an indispensable source of life.

2. Innumerable

Meaning: many

E.g.: There are innumerable cases against them, but due to lack of

proof, they roam freely.

3. Vigilantly

Meaning: carefully.

E.g.: You need to carry out this process vigilantly.

4. Imperative

Meaning: important

E.g.: It is imperative to do your homework before coming to the class.

5. Detrimental

Meaning: harmful

E.g.: Not taking precautionary measures is detrimental to his health.

145
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Medicine audio

Sample Answer

I abhor taking medicines generally and taking them for paltry issues and

mild health inconveniences is not what I usually practice. However, there

was a time when I became quite lackadaisical with a fever that I got after

taking my vaccination for Covid -19. The post-vaccine symptoms took a

toll on my health not because of the vaccine but because of intestinal

inflammation that I came to know later.

146
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

After bearing the pain for some days, I finally decided to get myself

examined and the doctor confirmed that it was not due to the vaccine

symptom. Instead, I had Colitis due to which there is an inflammation in

my intestine wall, and hence the pain. So, I was recommended medicines

and routine checkups every third day.

Actually, after getting my vaccination for Covid-19, I was told that I could

expect mild symptoms post the vaccine as the immune system gets

activated and charged up as a reaction to the constituents of the vaccine.

However, little did I know that under the pretext of the symptoms, I would

be brushing my intestinal inflammation aside. On the stipulated day, I got

my dose and at night, I had a mild headache and a slight fever.

The next day, I felt a severe headache and pain in my intestine, which I

thought would be a cascade of symptoms I was going through, so I didn’t

take any medicine. However, my situation deteriorated with no fever or

headache but an excruciating pain in my intestine due to Colitis. Thus,

when the doctor prescribed the medicines for this, I had no option but to

take them.

I felt quite relieved after two doses of the medicine and got treated well

due to the prescription. Consequently, I realized that health is not

something one can topple up with.

147
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Abhor

Meaning: hate

Eg: I abhor the fact that I am lactose intolerant and could not have

ice cream.

2. Paltry

Meaning: trivial

Eg: Such paltry issues are a matter of complete indifference to me.

3. Lackadaisical

Meaning: lazy

Eg: You are an extremely lackadaisical and careless person.

4. Inflammation

Meaning: swelling

Eg: There was inflammation in his muscles due to a sprain.

5. Recommended

Meaning: suggested

Eg: The dentist recommended she properly brush her teeth.

Student Space:

148
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Medicine

1. What do you think of buying medicine online?

Buying medicine online is very convenient, especially when one is

not able to find the drug that is recommended for a disease.

However, a proper prescription and consultation with a doctor are

indispensable.

2. In your opinion, why do some people dislike taking medicine?

Generally, there is a mindset of people that medicines make one’s

immunity enervated and hence one gets more prone to diseases.

Due to this reason, they avoid taking medicine.

3. Some people say medicine is harmful. Do you think so?

Everything taken in excess and without proper consultation or

guidance is harmful, and so is the case herewith. Medicines can be

harmful if one gets the hold of a pill and a capsule for every mild

health hassle, as that enfeebles one’s natural tendency to fight off

the diseases. Apart from that, people generally consider a single

medicine to be a panpharmacon for every disease without

consulting a doctor and that, at times, can get severe.

149
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. What do you think of fake medicine?

Fake medicines are quite dangerous to one’s health and are very

deleterious to one’s health in case the composition and the ratio of

the ingredients are not checked for quality. Hence, it can have a

pernicious effect on one’s immune system and the associated

hormonal and enzymatic actions.

Student Space:

150
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Convenient

Meaning: easy

Eg: It is very convenient to let go of things.

2. Consultation

Meaning: a conversational session with a medical professional

Eg: You should book a consultation with the ophthalmologist.

3. Enervate

Meaning: weaken

Eg: He kept on getting enervated after the disease.

4. Enfeeble

Meaning: to become feeble (weak)

Eg: Lack of proper and regular diet can enfeeble the boy.

5. Deleterious

Meaning: harmful

Eg: Pollution in the city is deleterious for everyone.

151
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Opinion audio

Sample Answer

Opinions tend to get modified often and that keeps on altering every time

a new perspective comes into the picture. One such incident where my

preconceived notion was changed upside down was on my 16th birthday.

Until my 16th birth anniversary celebration, I believed that true ebullience

and vitality come only when we celebrate an occasion in the grandest

way possible and that throwing lavish parties was synonymous with real

joy. I used to celebrate each of my birthdays in the best possible way as

per what a typical teenager would think and want to celebrate as.

152
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Then on my 16th birthday, due to certain circumstantial prevalence, I

couldn’t actualize my plans to celebrate the year of ‘sweet 16’ in the way I

imagined it to be. I still remember how crumpled my emotions were and

how disconcerted I was until my parents took me to an orphanage.

That was when my definition of contentment was changed and a film of

pseudo-happiness was denounced.

My parents bought lots of gifts and until we reached the orphanage, I

didn’t even have a shade of the idea for whom those gifts were being

bought for. The next moment I vividly remember was the wide grin and the

sounds of chuckling coming from the beautiful faces of those

underprivileged children. I was so contented and overwhelmed with

emotions that I couldn’t hold myself to stay and play with those kids for

the rest of the day and that indeed was a moment of epiphany for me.

This incident not only made my 16th birthday the best one to date, but it

also changed my opinion and brought me to the actual horizon of

humanity and true happiness.

153
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

154
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Perspective

Meaning: an idea about something/someone.

Eg: My perspective of that movie is still floundering as it keeps on

changing every time I see it.

2. Notion

Meaning: idea

Eg: His notion about the weather was severely falsified after it rained

heavily.

3. Ebullience

Meaning: happiness

Eg: The occasion came with immense ebullience.

4. Lavish

Meaning: splendid

Eg: We had a false idea that being a billionaire, he would have a

lavish mansion.

5. Circumstantial

Meaning: due to circumstances

Eg: Circumstantial evidence suggested that he was guilty.

155
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

156
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Opinion

1. Do children like to change opinions?

Yes, children like to change their opinions and they are the most prone

group of people who tend to adjust their views more frequently than the

adults. Childhood is the phase that is the most susceptible to learning new

things, and in this process, children make, change and remake different

opinions.

2. Why do people change opinions?

People change opinions due to sundry reasons. Some might change it

due to the inefficiency of the beliefs they held prior, while some might

change it when they come face to face with the reality of their perception.

3. Who do young people turn to for advice?

Young people often turn to the elder ones for advice as we all have been

conditioned in such a way that we run after the experience, which is

understandable as knowledge triumphs over everything. I believe children

approach their parents, elder siblings and teachers more often than not

whenever they find themselves in a fix.

157
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Do people like giving an opinion about politics?

Yes, they do. Politics, by its very name, implies something relevant to

people, and hence, people do take an interest in such affairs. It is a very

recurrent scenario when people are spotted gathering around and

exchanging their school of thoughts with each other. People love to

discuss the authority and functioning of the association/parties that are

ruling them, which helps them understand and rectify their flaws.

Student Space:

158
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Prone

Meaning: vulnerable

Eg: The weakest group in the competition is prone to get attacked

sooner.

2. Sundry

Meaning: various

Eg: There are sundry options available for you, so choose wisely.

3. Triumph

Meaning: victory

Eg: He threw a party on his triumph in the election

4. Imply

Meaning: suggest

Eg: This is a very vague statement, so could you please elaborate on

what it implies?

5. Recurrent

Meaning: repeated

Eg: Burglary and theft are recurrent in this area.

159
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Conversation audio

Sample Answer

I am the kind of a person who loves to chat and converse and I can talk

over any given topic for a long duration of time. However, some

conversations can become awkward and the topic may not keep you

engrossed for a long time. There was a time when I had such an exchange

with an eleven-year-old and it was the most coerced and banal

conversation I ever had so far.

My friends and I planned a trip to a hill station 200 kilometres away from

the city I lived in. However, that trip became very searing to my ears

because of the younger brother of one of my friends. Five people went on

that trip, and I took the car's back seat. The little boy urged me to sit with

him, to which I happily agreed. However, little did I know that the boy

would become a matter of irk for me.

160
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

The boy started talking about all the animated series and animes that he

had seen so far and wanted me to talk about them with the same zeal.

Unfortunately, I didn't even have an idea about the ABC of those series. He

pointed out my indifference and lack of exhilaration for the toon series he

was such a zealot of and started chivvying me to talk about the series that

I might have watched in the past.

I have never been interested in animated series, even when I was a kid, let

alone watching or talking about them. Hence, that discussion

disconcerted me a lot as I wasn't supposed to miff that kid with my

avoidance and turn my back on him.

Vocabulary

1. Converse

Meaning: to talk

Eg: Sheika and Shileka were conversing for over three hours.

2. Engrossed

Meaning: absorbed

Eg: I was enchanted and engrossed in the play we saw last week.

3. Coerced

Meaning: forced

Eg: He was coerced to get out of the room.

161
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Banal

Meaning: uninteresting

Eg: It was such a banal and uninteresting story.

5. Irk

Meaning: irritation

Eg: Will you please stop irking me with your baseless questions?

Student Space:

162
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Conversation

1. What topics do young people in India talk about?

Well, Indian people love to talk and converse over a range of topics

and they can communicate about anything under the sun. However,

some of the most frequent topics that one may listen to the Indians

talking about are politics, any latest movie released at a given time,

sports, family issues and so on.

2. What is the difference between topics that are popular now and

topics that were popular in the past?

Topics in the past were more or less inclined towards mythology,

religions and real-time discussions, even when the discussion was

among the children of that time. Nonetheless, today the discussion

is majorly about gadgets, technology, web series, politics, etc.

3. How do you know if others are not interested in the conversation?

People tend to elude the conversation by hopping over a different

topic if they don’t find themselves absorbed in the topic at hand.

Apart from that, the lack of interest can be pointed out by the way

one is emoting their responses or their facial expressions.

163
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. What’s the influence of modern technology, such as the internet,

emails, on our communication?

The modern world has changed every aspect of our life and the

means of communication is one of those. Earlier, written

communication used to take place through letters and applications.

While, today, emails and the internet have dislodged the

conventional way of communication and the pen-paper era seems

to be submerging down the sea.

Vocabulary

1. Frequent

Meaning: regular

Eg: Such frequent occurrences of violence are a matter of concern

for society.

2. Gadget

Meaning: device

Eg: He had all the gadgets one can think of.

3. Elude

Meaning: evade

Eg: I wanted to elude the situation; hence I ran away from the place.

164
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Hop over

Meaning: to switch

Eg: I kept on hopping over different counters in the mall yesterday to

spend my time.

5. Submerge

Meaning: immerse

Eg: The plants were submerged in the river.

Student Space:

165
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Apology audio

Sample Answer

An apology can work wonders and it is one of the best ways to rectify

one’s mistakes or misdemeanors with someone. I remember I had a minor

fallout with one of our school prefects back in the days, and we were at

loggerheads for over a week. However, his apology was enough to call it a

truce and to placate the hard feelings we shared.

In our school, there was a provision for making prefects for every house we

had, i.e., red, yellow house, etc. I was the prefect of the Red House and the

guy named Thomas was a prefect of the Blue House. Thomas and I shared

a good bond and were very amenable to each other.

166
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

One day he planned to go absent from the annual function of our school

and wanted me to miss it as well so that both of us would be at the harsh

receiving end of the slander and chide.

However, I denied his plans, so he had to come to school as well. After that,

we were at tiffs for almost a week until he realized how silly it was on his

part to miss the function on such an important day and, above all, wanted

me to strike a chord with him. He apologized for his conduct and I happily

accepted that.

He came to me, smiled, and said sorry for all he did. As he accepted his

mistake, I showed no sign of rigidity and accepted the apology. I felt good

about the situation, which made our bond stronger than ever. We never

turned back again to any resentment and enmity toward each other and

our friendship emboldened so much that we still are friends.

Vocabulary

1. Rectify

Meaning: to make something better, especially mistakes.

Eg: Rectification of your mistakes is expected from good boys like

you.

2. Fallout

Meaning: argument

Eg: I had a minor fallout with Christa yesterday.

167
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Amenable

Meaning: cordial

Eg: You should be amenable to guests.

4. Chide

Meaning: scold

Eg: They chided her for her behaviour.

5. Emboldened

Meaning: to make bold (strong)

Eg: His concepts were emboldened by the revision classes.

Student Space:

168
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Apology

1. Is it important to say sorry?

Yes, it is imperative to say sorry and accept the misstep if you have

committed a peccadillo or any mistake.

2. In what situations do people say sorry?

People say sorry for many reasons. Some might have made derisive

remarks about others, while others might have told a lie at a time,

etc. Hence, there could be many such reasons to ask for an apology.

3. Why do some people hate to say sorry?

Some people think too highly of themselves. For them, saying sorry

could be taken as something subpar to the standards that they

might have decided for themselves.

169
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. In what situations should we apologise immediately?

At times, we might accidentally bump into someone or disrupt an

action by yawning or making noise. In this case, it is always good to

say sorry immediately as not only does this show one’s courtesy, but

it also circumvents a major brawl that might take place if not

pacified immediately.

5. When was the last time you found it hard to accept an apology?

Well, I have never found it hard to accept an apology. In any case, I

feel I am quite fortunate to have not been wronged by someone to

an extent where it would have been difficult to accept someone’s

apology.

Vocabulary

1. Imperative

Meaning: important

Eg: It is imperative that you do your homework.

2. Peccadillo

Meaning: minor mistake

Eg: It is sufficient that you accepted your peccadillo and understood

your flaw.

170
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Derisive

Meaning: scornful; mocking

Eg: Don’t bother yourself with the derisive and sarcastic remarks of

the opponents.

4. Subpar

Meaning: below standards

Eg: Your performance is subpar compared to how you performed in

the last quarter.

5. Pacified

Meaning: calmed

Eg: I pacified the entire fracas

Student Space:

171
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Revisiting Book audio

Sample Answer

I am an ardent reader and have read a significant number of books so far.

I believe one gets to know and learn about a lot of things as meaningful

and priceless insights are imparted through a well-written book. Talking

about the book, which, apart from being an enriched source of knowledge,

became my go-to partner is the book named ‘Laws of the Spirit World’. I

never thought of reading this book. However, while surfing the internet for

some spiritual content, I came across this prodigious book as I have a

propensity for spirituality.

172
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

I have always been spiritually inclined and philosophy and the way of

living have been one of my favorite subjects. This book took that zeal and

exuberance towards the art of living to an altogether higher level. It talks

about the essence of living and that all of our actions are watched over.

Humans are their own guides and they do not have to look for somebody

else to guide or direct them if they pay attention to what their conscience

and subconscious mind say. I read this book as I found the reviews and

ratings on a positive note. It is a critically-acclaimed book and I believe all

those rave reviews and amazing ratings its readers gave were all worth it.

At any time, whether good or bad, this book comes to the fore and boosts

you up and revitalizes your esteem.

At times, one might feel dejected or might go astray from a good path in

life. In such a scenario, this book works as a leash to bring one to the

optimistic trajectory again by blowing wisdom and enlightenment in one’s

soul. Hence, as many times I read the book, I never feel as though I have

already read it quite a lot of times.

173
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

Vocabulary

1. Ardent

Meaning: passionate

Eg: He is an ardent traveller and has covered half of the nation

already.

2. Impart

Meaning: to give or share

Eg: You should always be an example who imparts goodness and

inspiration.

174
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Propensity

Meaning: inclination

Eg: The propensity to get carried away is higher at a young age.

4. Prodigious

Meaning: genius

Eg: He was a prodigious student and was loved by all.

5. Dejected

Meaning: hopeless

Eg: I felt dejected at the thought of losing the game.

Student Space:

175
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Revisiting Book

1. Do people read more nowadays?

No, I believe people don’t read much nowadays as the internet era

has dominated almost every other thing. Owing to the plethora of

multimedia available, including podcasts and videos, people are

more invested in them.

2. Do you read before going to bed?

I generally try to read a good book before retiring to bed as it is

believed that whatever we go through before sleeping gets

percolated in our subconscious mind and hence has a profound

impact on our sleep.

3. How will eBooks affect paper books?

Ebooks have already affected the offline medium of reading. As a

result, paper books are facing a diminution in their usage as people

prefer to stick to the internet and ebooks for reading a book or a

discourse.

176
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. What’s the difference between films and books?

The basic difference between books and films is that films are video

sources of information where everything is presented before our

eyes. In contrast, books are written accounts of information, so we

need to use our imagination to get a clear idea of the details.

Student Space:

177
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Plethora

Meaning: high in number

Eg: There are a plethora of options available in the fair.

2. Percolated

Meaning: to get inside

Eg: The water percolated through the soil and the plant survived.

3. Profound

Meaning: deep

Eg: He had a profound and sound sleep.

4. Retiring to bed

Meaning: going to bed and falling asleep

Eg: I retired to bed at 9 PM yesterday as I had to wake up early today

178
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3
.

5. Diminution

Meaning: plummet

Eg: There is a diminution in the price of this item and it needs

upgradation.

Student Space:

179
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Repairing audio

Sample Answer

These days, there is a conventional idea to buy newer models instead of

getting the obsolete, broken ones repaired.

However, just a few weeks back, our refrigerator broke down. Fortunately, it

was still under warranty; thus, we didn’t have to replace it. All of a sudden,

it ceased to work. We tried plugging and unplugging it but to no avail.

Initially, we considered getting the socket checked as there could have

been an issue with it.

180
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

But when I plugged my phone charger into the socket, it worked. That’s

when we knew the refrigerator was broken. Not sure, but it could have

been because of the voltage fluctuation as it rained cats and dogs last

week.

We had bought this machine only a couple of months back. Thus, we

dialed the company and scheduled a technician’s visit. Upon arriving, he

evaluated the situation and declared that the main circuit was burnt,

which caused the fridge to break down. The good thing was he came

equipped with all of the necessary parts. So, without any further ado, he

replaced it.

The feeling was definitely unpleasant. Whenever something breaks down

in the house, it creates an unwanted ruckus. And, that’s what happened

that day. Most of the food got spoilt because of this breakdown. However,

once it got repaired, we received an official apology email from the

company, which was indeed a good gesture from their end.

We appreciated the quick and prompt services provided by the company.

181
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Conventional

Meaning: behaving in a normal way

Eg: My family has broken the conventional attitude to adopt a

modern approach of living.

2. Obsolete

Meaning: not useful any longer as something more useful has been

invented

Eg: Smartphones have made landlines obsolete.

3. Ceased

Meaning: to end or stop

Eg: Rain has finally ceased today.

4. Avail

Meaning: benefit or help

Eg: His good intentions were of no avail to his family.

5. Fluctuations

Meaning: a back-and-forth shift

Eg: There were several fluctuations in the weather today.

182
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Repairing

1. Are IT-related jobs valued more by society?

I don’t think that they are valued more or less in comparison to other

jobs. However, the magnitude that IT jobs hold has increased lately

with our increased dependence on technology.

2. Is the quality of products worse than before?

I agree with the fact that the quality of products has degraded in

recent years. I can claim it from my personal experience. The

equipment and machines that my parents bought, be it an air

conditioner, refrigerator, or anything of the sort, lasted for years

altogether. However, when I purchased the same equipment and

machines, they didn’t work for more than four years at a stretch. I

think the technology is becoming intricate, but that has taken a toll

on product durability.

183
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. What kinds of things do people like to repair by themselves?

I think DIY videos and articles available on YouTube and Google

have made it possible to repair anything and everything ourselves.

Recently, my mom fixed her sewing machine by watching a

YouTube video. I have fixed my mobile phone and laptop many

times by just searching about the issue and finding a quick fix.

4. Why do people like to get their mobile phones repaired in

specialised stores?

I think the main reason is that they don’t want to void the phone’s

warranty. Most of the companies clearly mention that if the phone is

opened by a non-registered technician or store, the warranty would

not be applicable. In my opinion, this is just another stratagem by

companies to ensure that they can charge people heavily for parts,

which could be repaired cheaply otherwise.

184
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Magnitude

Meaning: the greater size or impact of something

Eg: The magnitude of the earthquake is low.

2. Degraded

Meaning: decrease the standards

Eg: Unwanted thoughts have degraded the true meaning of

equality.

3. Intricate

Meaning: complex

Eg: The concept of physics is intricate.

4. Stratagem

Meaning: a plan or trick used to gain advantage

Eg: We won the match because of our captain’s stratagem.

5. Heavily

Meaning: extremely

Eg: I am heavily inclined towards healthy diet.

185
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

186
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Free Gifts/Things audio

Sample Answer

In my lifespan, I have received a myriad of free things. However, one of

them that I would like to share here is when I received a free cup of coffee

in Starbucks. The occasion was my birthday.

Since I am a frequent visitor to Starbucks, one of the salespersons

suggested that I get a card. With forbearance, she explained all of the

perks and benefits I was to get with this free card. At first, I was a bit

sceptical about taking it up. However, after much persuasion by the

salesgirl, I signed up for it. Out of all the advantages, one of them was a

free coffee in my birthday month.

187
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Completely clueless, I randomly visited Starbucks in September - my

birthday month. When I reached the counter to pay for the coffee, the

salesperson told me that I had a free coffee due as it was my birthday

month. Thus, the order was completely free.

I was stumped but equally excited. Upon inquiring about the type of coffee

and the customizations, they said I could order whatever I wanted. So,

taking a different track than usual, I ordered a mocha with whipped

cream.

I always wanted to try this one but was refraining as it was a bit

expensive. Since it was the perfect opportunity, I went for it without any

ado. I simply relished every sip of my coffee and felt satisfied.

Vocabulary

1. Forbearance

Meaning: a quality of patience

Eg: My manager thanked our team for forbearance during the times

of covid-19.

2. Skeptical

Meaning: doubtful

Eg: I am sceptical about the benefits the government has promised

to the poor class.

188
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Persuasion

Meaning: the act of causing people to believe or do something

Eg: Her persuasion skills landed us the biggest possible project.

4. Stumped

Meaning: not being able to answer the questions instantly

Eg: The entire question paper left me stumped.

5. Refraining

Meaning: to stop yourself from doing something

Eg: I have been refraining myself from talking to my mother after our

fight.

Student Space:

189
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Free Gifts/Things

1. Do you think people should pay for higher education? Why?

If people are interested in pursuing higher studies, I definitely think

that they should pay for it. This will help us avert lamentable money

wastage, and we will only pay for it if we want it desperately. At the

same time, those who cannot afford it should be backed up by the

government through loans and scholarships to accomplish this

goal.

2. Is it good or bad for people to have a free education in the future?

In my opinion, primary education should be free. The reason is that it

is highly indispensable for everybody. As far as higher education is

concerned, it could cost a bit but should also be affordable.

3. What free gifts do companies usually give to their customers?

As far as I know, in India, companies distribute budgeted gifts, such

as cups, pens, calendars, etc., to customers. Although given without

charging any dime, in a way, they are meant to advertise the

company. Usually, these products have brand elements printed on

them, such as the company’s name, logo, address, etc.

190
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Why do customers like to receive free gifts from companies?

I think there is no better feeling than getting something for free. I

believe this is just another human trait to get excited when receiving

gifts. Unlike paying for something, a product that comes free of cost

never fills us up with doubts or regrets.

Vocabulary

1. Pursuing

Meaning: to follow something or someone

Eg: When policemen started pursuing the robber, he ran off.

2. Avert

Meaning: to avoid or prevent something

Eg: You could avert the accident by driving slowly.

3. Lamentable

Meaning: bad or disappointing

Eg: His casual behavior towards personal hygiene is lamentable.

4. Indispensable

Meaning: very important

Eg: In today’s world, a personal vehicle is indispensable.

191
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

5. Dime

Meaning: a small amount of money

Eg: I will not pay a dime for the useless piece of furniture.

Student Space:

192
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Childhood audio

Sample Answer

Well, talking about anything pertaining to childhood makes me nostalgic.

Just like others, it was the golden phase of my life, and memories related

to it would always hold a special place in my heart. When talking about

childhood, nothing could be more precious than a bewildering collection

of toys I had.

Since I was the first child in my clan, both maternal and paternal, I was

fortunate enough to have a gamut of toys, including dolls, stuffed animals,

building blocks, puzzles, handmade toys, board games, small vehicles,

and many more.

193
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

However, out of all, the one that was extremely close to my heart was a

handmade stuffed caricature of Noddy, which my grandfather gifted me

on my 10th birthday.

Back in the day, I was a cartoon fanatic. I used to watch varying animated

shows for hours altogether. During the weekends, it was nothing but

arduous to take away the remote control from me. Amongst others, I used

to watch Noddy In Toyland for a long period of time. I was fascinated by

all of the characters, especially Noddy, Tessie Bear, and Big Ears. I was

awestruck by how Noddy managed to do everything on his own.

So, this one time, when my grandfather asked what I wanted to be, I said

that I wanted to be Noddy in a jiffy. Just a few days later, on my birthday

morning, I saw a large gift-wrapped box in my room. I wanted to open it

that instant, but out of the blue, all my family members started to sing a

birthday song.

Gauging my inquisitiveness, my grandpa asked me to unwrap it. I was

over the moon to see my favourite toy. I was extremely ecstatic about this

toy and used to play with it all the time.

194
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Bewildering

Meaning: deeply confused to say something

Eg: My last trip was a bewildering experience.

2. Arduous

Meaning: difficult

Eg: The question paper was extremely arduous.

3. Fascinated

Meaning: to interest or attract somebody

Eg: American culture has always fascinated me.

4. Awestruck

Meaning: filled with awe

Eg: I was awestruck by the surprises I got on my birthday.

5. Inquisitiveness

Meaning: curiousness

Eg: I could sense my sister’s inquisitiveness when she entered my

room.

195
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Childhood

1. What is the difference between girls’ and boys’ toys?

Traditionally, girls enjoy softer and mushy toys like dolls, kitchen

sets, stuffed toys, etc. On the contrary, boys prefer mechanical toys,

such as guns, automobiles, etc. Boys usually pick dark colours while

girls go with the lighter ones.

2. Do you believe toys really assist in children’s growth?

Yes, toys play a gigantic part in children’s development. It helps

develop their motor, sensory, and cognitive abilities. At the same

time, toys also lead to improved social growth, particularly when

they play with other kids.

3. Does modern technology have an impact on children’s toys?

Definitely, modern technologies leave a massive impact on toys.

Along with the types of toys available, the preferences of children

have altered over time. Today mechanical and STEM-oriented toys

are more prevalent, such as robots, app-controlled cars, etc.

196
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. What toys are popular with children in India now?

A myriad of toys is popular in India currently. Children love playing

with electronic and mechanical toys more these days. Also, parents

are inclined toward buying such toys that not just keep them

entertained but also improve their cognitive abilities.

5. In general, do kids today have many toys?

Yes, they do. Children today have far more toys than my friends, and

I had collectively back then. I believe working parents are

substituting time that they have to spend with kids by giving them

more and more toys.

Vocabulary

1. Mushy

Meaning: thick and soft

Eg: I love sleeping on a mushy pillow.

2. Gigantic

Meaning: something that is really big

Eg: The buildings in New York are gigantic.

197
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Cognitive

Meaning: connected with the process of understanding

Eg: Reading books improve our cognitive abilities

4. A myriad of

Meaning: a great variety

Eg: A myriad of emotions flooded over as my father danced with my

sister at her wedding.

5. Collectively

Meaning: together

Eg: In our family, we take major decisions collectively.

Student Space

198
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - Stranger audio

Sample Answer

Well, talking from experience, I can claim that I have always been coming

across new people at different places. Some were easy to forget, while

others left a profound impression on me.

Here, I would like to talk about a person who touched my life enormously.

His name is Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam. He was the 11th

president of India and the first Indian aerospace scientist.

Back in 2013, he was invited to our school on the juncture of space day. The

intent behind inviting him was to offer an unbiased career and life

guidance to teenagers. The gathering was not exhaustive; hence, we got

some time to talk to him individually.

199
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

If you are cognizant of his life, you would be enthralled enough to find out

more and more about him. His backstory is extremely enrapturing to me.

Being a son of a boat owner and imam of a local mosque, Dr. Kalam was

an average student but turned out to be an astounding citizen of India. I

want to know the zeal and the driving force behind his intentions that

helped him carve a path to the presidency. Sadly, I will have to resort

merely to internet resources to learn more about him.

I have nothing but extreme respect and high regard for him. Even if I put

him on a pedestal in my life, I would not be exaggerating. I admire his

audacity to take life as it comes and make the most out of it while staying

humble and grounded throughout. That’s how I wish to become one day.

Vocabulary

1. Profound

Meaning: something that you feel strongly

Eg: His motivating words left a profound influence on me.

2. Exhaustive

Meaning: including everything possible

Eg: This shopping list is exhaustive.

3. Enthralled

Meaning: to hold somebody’s attention

Eg: I was enthralled by his story.

200
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Astounding

Meaning: feeling extremely surprised

Eg: This video game has astounding graphics.

5. Zeal

Meaning: great enthusiasm or energy

Eg: His zeal to follow traditions is inspiring.

Student Space:

201
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - Stranger

1. How do people make friends in India?

Making friends in India is not strenuous at all, owing to their affable

nature. Commencing a conversation on a topic of mutual interest is

sometimes enough to spark a friendship. Also, making friends

through social media is another prevalent technique that people are

using these days.

2. On what occasions do people like to make friends?

There are plenty of occasions that allow people to make friends. One

of the foremost is profuse events, such as birthday parties,

weddings, hangout parties, and more. People also make friends

during illustrious travelling experiences. And then, joining online

groups or offline classes is another way to make friends with

like-minded people.

202
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

3. Is it important to have the same hobbies and interests when

making friends?

Not really! Common hobbies definitely act as a driving force to start

a conversation and begin a friendship. However, those who are

poles apart can become friends as well. In fact, it’s extremely

invigorating to be friends with somebody who has different interests

as it helps us get exposed to more things.

4. What qualities make true friends?

A true friend is someone who backs us up through our thick and thin.

They are non-judgmental, benevolent, and accept all of our flaws.

They stay forthright and help us learn the difference between right

and wrong. And then, they give an abundance of love and care.

Student Space:

203
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Strenuous

Meaning: difficult

Eg: I have a strenuous workout regime.

2. Affable

Meaning: friendly to talk to

Eg: My group of friends is affable to strangers as well.

3. Likeminded

Meaning: having similar opinions or tastes

Eg: I like spending time with likeminded people.

4. Invigorating

Meaning: refreshing

Eg: Taking vitamin D every morning is extremely invigorating.

5. Benevolent

Meaning: helpful to others

Eg: Her sister is extremely benevolent to others.

204
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

205
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 2 - New Year audio

Sample Answer

Well, setting up new year resolutions with great vivacity and eagerness is

quite customary. However, not all of them stick to it and generally host a

flop show. This year, even I made a resolution. And, so far, it’s going good.

My new year resolution is to moderate the use of mobile.

I am trying miscellaneous ways to complete this resolution. Now, instead

of wasting hours on my phone, I have started stepping out of the house

more. To stay vigorous, I have started playing physical sports with friends.

Also, I switch off my phone at sharp 10 pm and hit the bed.

To be honest, I am feeling much more undisturbed now than before.

206
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Earlier, I used to be on my phone until the wee hours of the night. But now, I

meditate for half an hour to relax my mind before sleeping. Also, I take a

deep slumber for 8 hours daily, which is helping my focus and

performance.

The truth is that, just like many other people, I had a phone fixation. This

addiction, at one point, reached such an extent that I began squandering

my golden hours playing games, surfing social media, and watching

movies. So finally, I decided to put a full stop to it and take control of my

life.

Vocabulary

1. Vivacity

Meaning: the quality of being lively

Eg: Her vivacity attracts everybody.

2. Vigorous

Meaning: filled with enthusiasm

Eg: She is vigorous enough to win this competition.

3. Slumber

Meaning: to be deeply asleep

Eg: Meditation has helped me with slumber.

207
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. Fixation

Meaning: addiction

Eg: I have a shopping fixation.

5. Squandering

Meaning: to waste money, time, etc

Eg: Everybody should pay attention to their career rather than

squandering around.

Student Space:

208
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Part 3 - New Year

1. What are the most common resolutions in your country?

The most common resolutions in my country are about

self-improvement. At the start of a new year, people pledge to get

up early, go for a walk, or start a new hobby. Most of them also join

the gym to lead a healthier routine.

2. How difficult would it be for you to save money this year?

Saving money this year would be a daunting task, keeping in mind

that inflation is rising rapidly. Moreover, I have to buy a few gadgets

this year, such as an iPad, a car, and a new laptop. As there would

be too many expenses, I would not save much.

3. How difficult would it be for you to get fit this year?

As I have started practicing intermittent fasting, getting fit will not be

a challenging task for me. However, it also depends upon my zeal to

continue with it. If I stop being consistent, the tables might turn.

209
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

4. What do you think this year will be like for you?

I firmly believe that this year will bring a paradigm shift to my life. I

will complete my studies this year. Moreover, I am also

contemplating beginning a new business this year, something

completely different from my family business. In totality, it will be a

happening year.

5. What things would you like to stop doing this year?

This year I would like to stop procrastinating. And then, I would like

to inculcate a habit of curating plans and work according to them

so that I could be more productive and don’t waste time.

Student Space:

210
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Vocabulary

1. Daunting

Meaning: difficult

E.g.: Getting up early in the morning is a daunting task for me.

2. Zeal

Meaning: great energy

E.g.: I take up adventurous activities with zeal.

3. Contemplating

Meaning: to think carefully about something

E.g.: I am still contemplating on the college where I wish to take

admission.

4. Procrastinating

Meaning: to put off something till another time and day

E.g.: Stop procrastinating, you have to complete a lot of tasks today.

5. Inculcate

Meaning: to learn or remember something by repeating it often

E.g.: I would like to inculcate a sense of responsibility in my younger

brother now.

211
SPEAKING: PART 2 & 3

Student Space:

212
 Fulfilling Dreams Beyond Boundaries!

Now meet IELTS experts at one place

Scan the QR code to book a Free

consultation with our experts

Since you have purchased this Book, you can avail an

Extra Discount when you opt for our services

Helpline Number: +91 8929053019

Pride Hulkul 6th floor no 116

Lalbagh Road, Bangalore,
Karnataka 560027