Speaking Part 1
1. How often do you go to the cinema?
Hmm, hardly ever. For some reason, I’ve never been a fan of (don’t like) going to the cinema. I see it as a waste of money, as it’s quite pricey in my country. It’s even more of a waste if you don’t like the movie. At home, I could just turn off the movie, but I would feel guilty leaving the cinema after paying for the ticket and snacks! All in all, the cinema has never been my cup of tea (something you like or prefer).
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2. Did you go to the cinema in your childhood?
From time to time! Although we usually waited for the movie to come out on tape (be released after theaters), there were a few instances where my parents treated (invite) my sister and I to the cinema. I remember going to see Star Wars in theaters which was exciting! As a child, it was thrilling to see the movie so up close and personal.
3. When you go shopping, do you prefer to pay for things in cash or by card?
Well, it depends… when I buy things from shops or stores, I prefer using cash as I can better manage my personal finance. However, I definitely have to use credit card for online shopping such as clothes or airplane tickets.
4. Do you ever save money to buy special things?
Yeah.. I would say I am rather a saver than a spender so saving is definitely my habit. I used to save up 300$ to buy myself a cellphone. It was not a fabulous phone at that time but it meant the world to me.
5. Would you ever take a job which has low pay?
Actually, my very first job was not exactly well-paid, you can even say under-paid. After college, I started working as an intern in an event company with 500$ per month. Even though it was a very small number, I learned so many new things there so it was worth it.
6. Would winning a lot of money make a big difference to your life?
I suppose …Yes… I would have more money to buy my favorite clothes and bags. Moreover, I can be financially independent and even can support my parents. It sounds pretty cool to strike it rich, doesn’t it?
Speaking Part 2
Cue Card
Describe an interesting discussion you had as part of your work or studies
You should say :
- what the subject of the discussion was
- who you discussed the subject with
- what opinions were expressed and explain why you found the discussion interesting.
Today I would like to talk about a discussion that I found very stimulating.
It happened when I was in college. My friends and I had to prepare for a very important exam which would come in a week. The bad news was none of us had been a typically good student so we needed a shortcut to absorb all knowledge. One of us came up with the idea of dividing the lesson and each of us was responsible for one. We would study it all, then shared to others. To be honest, I did not think it was a good idea, at first, but it was like the light at the end of the tunnel so I just followed it.
The meeting turned out to be very useful as we seemed to understand more about the lesson through teaching it to friends. Moreover, we were allowed to express opinions and ask questions relating to the topic which generated even more excitement and deeper thoughts. After the discussion, we were too interested so we even searched more information on the Internet for the questions left unanswered.
The discussion was extremely useful and we all passed the exam with high scores. In fact, my friend had a brilliant idea which we applied ever since.
That’s all I want to share.
Speaking Part 3
Discussing problems with others
1. Why is it good to discuss problems with others?
It is good in the sense that you can see the issues from multiple viewpoints from which your solution would probably be better-rounded. Besides that, it is always better to have someone to listen and share your burden with.
2. Do you think that it’s better to talk to friends and not family about problems?
Oh it definitely depends on what the problem is and who you find the most comfortable to talk with. For example, I may find it easier to discuss relationship issues with my close friend since she always understands and empathizes with my feelings. Meanwhile, I would share my future directions with my father as he is more experienced and can give me wise advice.
3. Is it always a good idea to tell lots of people about a problem?
Surely not, no one wants to always look like a troublemaker in front of others. Moreover, if one person just goes around all day complaining about how miserable his life is, nobody would want to hang out with him eventually. People always want to be with someone positive and smiling.
Communication skills at work
4. Which communication skills are most important when taking part in meetings with colleagues?
I would say that’s teamwork. It is said that if you want to go fast, you go alone but if you want to go far, you go with friends. Being a team player has become one of the most essential skill in a working environment, especially in meetings. The collaboration between each members will make it easier for them to listen to each other, put aside their egos and reach a consensus.
5. What are the possible effects of poor written communication skills at work?
Well, in a low level, people might just misunderstand the message so you might not get the work done. In a more serious situation, people may even assume that the writer is not professional which hinders collaboration between team members or departments. Therefore, it is very important to be good at both written and spoken communication.
6. What do you think will be the future impact of technology on communication in the workplace?
I imagine a world where technology will help to replace all physical stuff like working place even products. Everything can be conducted virtually. Does it sound exciting? People do not have to go to work every day, instead, they can work wherever they want. International meetings can be made online which will dramatically reduce the travel fees. More importantly, products can also be produced and delivered by technology.
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