Transcription
From here starts the speaking test. This is the speaking mock test of the International English Language Testing System, taking place at Rod Zelts Academy. The candidate is Akam Aif, candidate number 0141 3278. The Examiner is Alex, examiner number 443 533.
Good afternoon. My name is Alex. Would you please tell me your full name?
My name is Akam Aif. You can call me Akam.
Okay, let's start with Part One. I'm going to ask you some personal questions. First question, I will ask, let's talk about your free time. How do you usually spend your free time?
Well, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I like to relax with a book or movie, and the other times I go for a walk or catch up with friends. In fact, I try to keep a balance between rest and being active.
Okay. Do you prefer spending free time alone or with friends?
Actually, both. I enjoy hanging out with friends for fun activities, but I also need a long time to recharge, you know. It really depends on how I'm feeling.
Okay. Has your way of spending free time changed over the years?
Definitely. When I was younger, I spent a lot of time playing games or going out, but now I prefer more productive activities like reading or learning new skills or something like that.
Okay. Now let's talk about shopping. How often do you go shopping?
Not very often. I usually shop once or twice a month, unless I need something urgent, you know. I prefer to buy everything in one go.
Okay. Do you prefer shopping online or would you rather in-store?
Online, for sure, because it's more convenient and I can compare prices easily. But for something like clothes, I prefer in-store shopping to try them on.
Is shopping an enjoyable activity for you or just a necessity?
Uh, mostly a necessity. I like buying things I need, but I don't enjoy spending hours browsing, so I prefer to shop efficiently.
Now let's talk about traveling. Do you like traveling?
Absolutely. I love exploring new cultures, meeting people, and trying different foods. You know, traveling is always a refreshing experience for me.
What is the most interesting place that you have ever visited?
It was Tulum, one of the interesting cities of Mexico. The mixture of ancient temples and modern life was fascinating, and the food was amazing.
Do you prefer to travel alone or do you like traveling with others?
It depends. I enjoy group trips for fun, but I also like solo travel because it gives me more freedom to explore.
Okay, that concludes Part One of the exam. We're going to move to Part Two now. I'm going to give you a topic, and I'd like you to talk about it for about two minutes. Before you talk, you'll have one minute to prepare your what you're going to say. I'll give you a pen and paper so you can make some notes. Okay, here's a pen and paper, and so you can just make some notes. Do you understand?
Okay. So the question is: Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision. Go ahead. I'll start the timer for you.
Okay, that was a minute for preparation. You can now begin speaking.
All right, I'd like to talk about a really tough decision I had to make a few years ago. Uh, it happened when I was offered a job in Vancouver. At the time, I had a stable job in London, my hometown. I really liked my colleagues, and my family was nearby, which was a huge plus. Uh, but what about the new job? It was an amazing opportunity: better pay, career growth, and the chance to work on a project I was actually passionate about. So, yeah, it was really tempting for me. Uh, I basically had two options: stay where I was in my comfort zone, or take a risk and move somewhere completely new where I didn't know anyone. And, uh, honestly, it was a real dilemma for me. The offer sounded great, but I was scared of leaving everything behind. After a lot of thinking and talking to friends and family, I decided to go for it. It wasn't easy at first. I had to leave my family and friends behind, find a new place to live, and adjust to a new environment. That time, I felt lonely and overwhelmed. But honestly, looking back, I know I made the right choice. If anything, this experience taught me that stepping out of your, uh, comfort zone really pushes you to grow. So, it was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made, but, uh, I have zero regrets.
Okay, that concludes that part of the test. I'll take back that paper from you now. We move on to Part Three. You did a good job. We've been talking about a time when you had to make a difficult decision, and I'd now like to ask you some questions more onto that. So, first question I'd like to ask you is: Why is it sometimes hard for people to make decisions?
That's a great question. Honestly, I think it's because people are afraid of making the wrong choice. Like, if it's something small, no big deal. But when it comes to major life decisions, like selecting a job, moving to another country, or getting married, there's so much pressure. And let's be real, nowadays we have too many options. It's like, uh, the more choices we have, the harder it gets to actually pick one.
Okay. Do you think people today have more decisions to make than people in the past?
Oh, 100%. Life used to be much simpler, right? People had fewer career paths, fewer university options, and even fewer brands of cereal to choose from. But now we have this overload of choices in literally everything. Like, even picking a phone takes hours because there are a million different models. Plus, with technology, we're constantly making decisions: what to read, what to believe, or how to manage your time. So, it's exhausting.
Okay. How important is advice from others when making a big decision?
Well, I think it's super important, but only if you ask the right people. Like, getting advice from someone who's been through a similar experience, that's really helpful. But if you ask too many people, it just gets confusing because everyone has a different opinion. So, advice is great, but at the end of the day, you know, you have to trust yourself too.
Okay. Do you think young people and older people make decisions differently?
That's actually a pretty good question. Young people tend to be more impulsive, you know. They're more likely to take risks, like, uh, quitting a job on the spot or, uh, moving abroad without thinking too much. Older people, on the other hand, usually weigh their options more carefully because they have more life experience. But I guess, uh, it also depends on their personality, you know. Some older people are super adventurous, and some young people are really cautious.
Okay. How can people become better at decision-making?
Um, I would say just making more decisions helps. Like, the more you practice, the better you get at it. Also, knowing your priorities is a big one. If you know what really matters to you, it's easier to decide. And another thing, don't make decisions when you are super emotional. I mean, we've all made choices we regret just because we were stressed or upset. So, also taking a step back and thinking things through always helps.
Okay. Thank you very much. This is the end of the speaking test. Do you want to know what band score you'll get in the IELTS speaking test? Perhaps you want to improve your performance and prepare yourself for the real test? Then why not book an online mock test with us? That will last for 25 minutes: 12 minutes of the test itself and 13 minutes of comprehensive feedback. Plus, we'll give you useful tips on how to make your performance better, so we know how to help you. Join us.
Okay, that was a lot of talking. Do you have any questions?
No, thank you very much. I really appreciate that you give me this feedback because I know this will help me. This is exactly what I need. Although my job is hard, I enjoy doing it. Last the exam day, you should make sure... Okay, this is the last time I'm going to talk about...
[Music]
Generation. No, we're talking. Or I... I have to say congratulations. You did an awesome job. I didn't expect you to do as good as you did. You did a very good job. You were natural, fluent, coherent, and relevant. In terms of fluency and coherence, you were absolutely coherent by giving explanations, examples to support your ideas. You were to the point. You used so many amazing linking words and fillers. You had some hesitations, but those weren't content-related and not language-related. In terms of vocabulary, you did also a great job by using qualifications and idioms such as "catch up with friends," "convenient," "mostly a necessity," "a refreshing experience," "a solo travel," "stepping out of comfort zone." Those were great. So many other vocabulary. Great job, great job. Your grammar was flawless, not even one single mistake. You used simple and complex structures naturally without any difficulty. In terms of pronunciation, you had some minor mispronunciations, but your main issue is the intonation. Your speech was very flat, and this is why I gave you an eight in, uh, just this criteria. But overall, you got three nines, one eight, which makes you an overall of a band nine. I want to say congratulations. Great job.