What kinds of music are (most) popular in your country?

Besides pop music, the young generation nowadays expose to a number of different types of music. It is indeed difficult to tell which is the most popular, since from my point of view each type has roughly the same popularity. But I guess our pop music is the most popular. At least with the people I’ve met so far, all of them have listened or have known by heart a traditional song.

==> Band 9 Model Answers

 

 

PART 1 TOPICS (JAN – APRIL)

House/Accommodation

1. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
I live in a terraced house that has a living room, a kitchen, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a lovely back garden. It’s not really a spacious house, but it’s just right for me and my family.

2. Do you usually spend time with your family?
We often spend quality time together on eating well-prepared meals by my mother, talking with each other while enjoying our favorite delicious foods. It’s a precious time when we can momentarily get away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
4.What do your family usually do together?
My family often gathers around the table enjoying a cozy meal together, communicating and sometimes busting into laughter because of my father’s humorous stories. We’re also particularly into family game nights, when we huddle together to play cards or other family favorites.
5.Do you like it?

3. Does your family like it?

4. How would you change your apartment or house?

5. How long have you lived there?

6. Do you live with your family?

7. Do you want to live by yourself in the future?

8. Do you enjoy living with your family?

9. Is the transport around your home convenient?

==> Sample Answer

 

 

Handwriting & keyboards

1. Do you usually handwrite?
Yes for sure. Since I need to improve my writing skill for this IELTS exam, I use my pen for essay a lot like 2 hours everyday. I also have to work with my assignments.

2. Where are keyboard usually used?
Normally, we can easily catch a sight of keyboard on laptops, phones and smart devices. It’s one of the most indispensable part of these things.

3. Is there any difference between mobile phone & computer keyboards?
In my opinion, they are similar to each other. The main function of keyboard is to allow the users to give commands to the computer in a simple way by pressing keys. The keys on a keyboard are typically labeled with their input function, ranging from letters of the alphabet to numbers and symbols.

Book

1. How often do you read?
As a student, I often spend 1 to 2 hours per day reading books. The ideal time and place for reading is in the afternoon at the library, where it is quiet so that I can concentrate on reading without any disturbance from outside.

2. Do you like reading books? Why?
Yes, I’m really into reading because I believe that reading can be both entertaining and educational. Reading broadens my knowledge by opening up the whole world to me. While I’m reading, I can be visiting another country or a different time period, or traveling through space. I can find out how people solve problems or think up new ideas.

3. Do you have many books at home?/ What kinds of books do you like to read?
Not so many. I own a collection of fantasy marketing books written by Philip Cotler. Besides academic books, I’m also keen on cook books and travel books. “Journey of MasterChef” is the favourite one on my shelf.

4. Do people in your country like to read?
In my opinion, most people like reading very much as we were told to do so since they were at school. Pupils are taught to love reading and how to keep their books clean, and this is also one way to evaluate the pupils’ behavior and attitude to their studies.

5. What kind of people like reading and what kind of people don’t like reading very much?
Well, I think people who are involved in outdoor activities generally do not like reading very much, and people who do research or work at schools or universities tend to like reading. However, this depends on other factors, so it’s hard to generalize.

6. Do children read books?
It’s kind of hard to say but young children that I know around me tend to read fairy tales to enhance their mental development, but maybe for others, they just want to watch TV and play toys.

7. What are the benefits of reading?
I believe if you want your children to be smart, they have to acquire a love for reading, which has numerous benefits. Reading opens the door to child’s early academic success and leads to higher grades in every subject. Besides, reading can help children improve linguistic/communicational skills in the form of a richer vocabulary, correct grammar. On top of that, books teach children about relationships, situations, personalities, and what is good and what is bad in the world he lives in.

 

 

Season
What’s the best season of the whole year?
What do people normally in that season?
What’s the weather usually like in your country (or, your hometown)?
How is the weather here different to the weather in your home country?
Would you say the weather in your hometown is suitable for working (or studying)?
Would you like to move to a place with different weather?
What sort of weather do you like the most?
What season (or weather) do you think is most suitable for work and/or study?
Has the weather in your country changed much in the past few years?
Do you prefer hot or cold weather?
Do you (usually) pay attention to the weather forecasts?

 

Children
Do you often come into contact with children? (Where? When?)
What do you do when you are with these children?
How often do you play with children?
What activities do children do when they get together?
Is it difficult to raise children?

 

Volunteer work
Have you taken any volunteer works?
Why did you do the volunteer works?
Do you know any volunteers?
How do you define volunteer work?

 

Computer

Do people often use computers these days?

Will people continue to use computers in the future?

Do you use computer?

What do you use it for?

Did you use computer when you were little?

 

Staying at home

Do you spend more time at home or outside?

How long do you usually stay at home?

Do you like staying at home?

What do you usually do when you stay at home?

Did you always stay at home when you were little?

 

Meal

When do you usually eat meal?

Do you prefer eating at home or outside?

Do you like ordering food delivery?

Who do you eat it with?

Do you eat meals differently now compared with when you were little?

 

Training

Is it important to have trainings during work?

What kind of training have you had during your work?

Have you had any training that makes you familiar with the company?

What have you learnt from those trainings?

How do you use what you have learnt in your work?

 

High school

Who’s your favorite teacher in high school?

What’s your favorite subject in high school?

Do you still remember what happened on your first day of high school?

Do you still keep in touch with your friends from high school?

Do you miss your life in high school?

 

Birds

How do you feel about birds?
Are there any birds near your home?
Have you seen many different kinds of birds?

==> Sample Answer

 

 

Old topics in 2017

 

Patience
What do you think is patience?
Do you think patience is important?
Do you think you are an patient person?
Have you ever lost your patience?

==> Sample Answer

 

Politeness
Are you a polite person?
Who taught you to be polite?
Is it important to be polite?
What would you do if others are not polite to you?

==> Sample Answer

Mirror

1. Do you often look at yourself in the mirror?
Yes very often, at least three times a day. Every morning after finishing personal hygiene, I always look at the mirror to check my hair and clothes for the last time before I go out.

2. Do you often buy mirror?
Well I’m a boy so as you can guess I barely buy mirrors. However I can always go with my mom or sister to give them advices on choosing kinds of mirror.

3. Do you think mirrors are necessary ornaments?
Absolutely yes. Mirror is one of the most indispensable/important things in houses. Besides personal purpose, mirrors are also used for decorations. For example, in some architectural designs like churches, they use mirror to make church mysterious and ancient.

4. Do you often buy clothes without looking in mirror?
Never. I always go to fitting room to put the clothes on and check carefully if it fits me and looks good on me. I just wanna make sure I pay for the right things.

 

Musical instruments

1. Do you play any kind of instruments?
Unfortunately, I had not learned to play any type of musical instrument when I was a little boy. I remembered that in schools, teachers always told us to put all energy into studying and preparing exams. The music lessons, along with physical exercises and paintings, were not so important as the schools claimed to be. I really felt pity when I grew up.

2. What can children benefit by learning a musical instrument at school?
I think playing musical instrument would be beneficial for children’s mental health. Moreover, it could stimulate the capability of creativity and concentration. A research showed that children listened to music before the exam got higher scores than others.

Television

1. Did you often watch television when you were a child?
oh yes, I was really a couch potato when i was a little boy. On weekends, when my parents went out to do other things, I was left alone at home with TV all day long. So i was deeply obsessed with various TV programs. It’s still fresh in my mind that Tom and Jerry is my favourite cartoon which went along through my childhood.

2. Do you often watch TV recently?
Very often. I turn on the TV to watch Hollywood movies. I’m a big fan of Star Movies and HBO channels. So I check them like once few hours to catch the good films to watch. It’s awesome to see Hollywood stars with spectacular scenes.

3. What kind of TV programmes do you like most?
I really enjoy watching reality shows like The Voice or America’s Next Top Model. In those fierce competitions, I can see my idols who have acquired an established reputation as supermodels. Moreover, I can witness the maturity of each contestant through each episode.

Robots

1. Are you interested in robots? Why?
Yes, sure. I’m a big fan of Transformers. That movie is about robots from another planet. I like robots because personally, they represent the technological advancements.

2. Do you like robots to work at home?/ What kind of robots do you like to have?
Yes, why not. Robots would help the elderly and retired people with their daily life activities like cooking and cleaning. Moreover, robots could do normal jobs quickly unlike human beings with 24 hours a day.

3. Do you want to take a car which robot is the driver?
Well, it’s a bit scary but i would trust them completely. I think human would program them well and exactly with many tests before releasing them.

4. Will robots replace human being in the workplace completely?
I’m afraid that we will see the replacement of human teachers by artificial intelligence. However, there are some specific jobs that they can never replace human. For example, as a decision maker, we are capable to analyze the risks and predict the consequences while robots don’t have ability to do this.

==> Sample Answer

 

Shoes

1. Do you like shoes?
Yes for sure. I’m owning a lot of pairs of sneakers. I’m a fan of Nike and Adidas because they are the most prestigious and top brands all over the world. So, I wear them everyday to anywhere.

2. Which do you prefer, comfortable ones or fashionable ones?
Well, it really depends on the situation. For going gym or doing exercise, i would like to wear comfortable pairs which can help me more flexible. But for going out or to special events like birthday and wedding parties, i would choose the fashionable ones which make me look cool and attractive. However, most of the times, i wear the comfortable ones.

3. Are people willing to buy expensive shoes?
Yes. I could afford it, i’d love to have one. Expensive shoes are definitely nice and durable. So i think i can wear them for a long time.

Bring things

1. What will you bring when you go out?
It is definitely my iPhone which is the inseparable thing whenever I go. Another the thing is my wallet. You know we can’t just go out without money and ID card.

2. Did you ever forget to bring things?
Well I’m a forgetful one. So, as you can guess, I did forget to bring my stuffs sometimes and I used to get some troubles with that. For example, one time when I went to supermarket and I realized that I forgot bringing my wallet. So, I couldn’t pay the bill and had to leave everything there.

3. Will you bring different things in the daytime or at night?
I’m a boy so I don’t really have much belongings to bring with. Whenever I go out, my mask and jacket are very important to me. No matter day or night time, mask protects my lungs the polluted air, and jacket keeps my arms away from the sunshine and makes me warm at night.

Housework

1. Do you do housework at home?
Yes but not really often. I sometimes help my mom and sister to clean the house before big holidays like Christmas and Lunar new year.

2. What kind of housework do you often do?
Normally, I give my mom a hand in washing dished, swiping the floor and taking out the trash. I find it easy as pie and doesn’t take much energy.

3. Did you do housework when you were a child?
Yes absolutely. I was a good kid. I used to help mom to put away the toys of my brother. He was so active and mischievous.

4. Do you think that children should do housework?
Yes definitely. I think they should have some responsibilities for housework. It also expresses that they are helpful and a good kid. Besides that, Housework can be lessons for them like how to organize things and what should be done. For example, they will know how clean the dishes should be washed and what to put on the cupboard first to save the room for the next ones.

Indoor activities

1. Do you like indoor activities?
Sure! I think indoor activities do wonders for our mental and physical health.
So I usually spend my leisure time playing sports or taking a walk around the stadium.

2. The activities in your home (most) want to do?
Well, I enjoy many activities such as bowling, playing cards and tennis but I’m particularly keen on swimming. It is relaxing and easy to do, you know. Moreover, swimming helps me to get energized and ward off feelings of stress.

3. What indoor sports do you like? (Why?)
I’m really into playing badminton. It’s quite popular in my country so I can play it with my friends, my family members or my next-door neighbor and strengthen the bond with them. Moreover, badminton develops my quick reflexes as well, so I do think it’s a fantastic sport.

 

Dream

1. What’s your dream?
Recently, I dreamt about something happened in the past. It was my last birthday and graduation ceremony. But the latest one is my dream job which is working in Apple Company as a marketing manager.

2. Why are dreams so important?
Scientists showed that dreams are taken shape from memories. So I think it’s the good way to remember things. Furthermore, some dreams let us see the future.

3. Do you remember you dream when get up?
Well, you know, actually I cant remember exactly what happened in my dreams although I try to think about it. However there are some which are still fresh in my mind. For example, last night I dreamt about a devil trying to catch me and tie me up. But I was waken up by the bark.

4. Do you like to hear other’s dreams?
Yes it’s fun to listen to those who just had a dream. I find it thrilling, scary and sometimes ridiculous because some of them are very weird.

5. Do you think dreams affect our lives?
Yes I believe so. Someone firmly believe in their dreams and think it is a prediction or a sign about their future. Then they could be nervous and worried about what would happen going forward/ in the future

Photography

1. Do you like photography?
Yes, I’m a big fan of photography. I often travel around to stunning natural scenery with my camera. I have been in the habit of doing this for 3 years.

2. Were you taken some photos when you were a child?
Well, my mom used to show me pics of me when i was a little kid. Although the quality of the pics are not good, I still see me with my family at many different places. They are good moments which I will never forget.

3. Do you like taking photos or videos?
I prefer to have a video. Because it allows us to add sounds and to have more time to act. For photos, we have one one second to capture the moment and we have to pose before taking photos.

4. Do you take photos when travelling?
Yes, sure. I always take lots of pics to save my moments everywhere I have been to. Additionally, I like to tell my friends about my trips by photos. It’s easy for them to imagine about what it’s like and what’s going on there.

Chocolate

1. Do you like sweets or chocolate?
Well, you know, I don’t really have a sweet tooth, so neither of them is really my cup of tea. But if I were to choose, I’d go with chocolate. I think candies are too sweet for my taste.

2. What’s your favorite flavor?
I don’t know a whole lot of flavors, but I prefer dark chocolate. The bitterness balances well against the sweetness, in my opinion. I think milk chocolate is too rich, but I know it is a favorite for many, especially young kids.

3. How often do you eat chocolate?
Not too often, as you can guess. It is sort of a treat on special occasions. For example, on Valentine’s Day, a box of truffles or toffees can make anyone’s day.

4. Is chocolate popular in your country?
Well, I would say that it is. Chocolate-flavored drinks are kind of the in-thing right now. Moreover, the number of chocolate consumers has risen dramatically, especially in young consumers.

5. Is chocolate good for our health?
It depends largely on the variety. Milk chocolate is definitely unhealthy, as it’s got a ton of fats and sugar. I would keep off that if I were on a diet. But dark chocolate is a different matter entirely. It is beneficial for the heart and blood pressure in small quantities.

 

Used Topics in 2016

Visitors
Do you often invite friends to visit your home?
Do you like visitors coming to your home?
Do people often visit you at your home?
How often do visitors come to your home?
When do visitors come to your home?
Do you prefer to have friends visit you or relatives?
What do you usually do together with your visitors?
When someone visits you. how do you usual, show hospitality (or. entertain them)?

Celebrity
Who is your favorite celebrity?
Do you like any foreign celebrities?
Would you want to be a celebrity in the future?
Do you think we should protect famous people’s privacy?
How do celebrities influence their fans in your country?

==> Sample Answer

 

Computer
I low often do you use computer?
What kinds of computers are popular in your country?
What do you usually use your computer for’?
Who taught you how to use a computer’?
Do you think computers have changed your life a lot?

Bags
Do you like bags?
What types of bags do you like?
Do you usually carry a bag (when you go out)?
What types of bags do you use (in your everyday life)?
Do you have different bags for different occasions (or, different purposes)?
What do you put in these bags?
What sorts of bags do women like to buy?

Art
Do you like art?
Do you think art classes are necessary? (Why?)
How do you think art classes affect children’s development?
What kind of paintings do people in your country like?
What can you learn from western paintings?
What benefits can you get from painting as a hobby’?

Chocolate
How often do you eat chocolate?
What’s your favorite flavor’.’
Is chocolate expensive in your country?
When was the first time you ate chocolate? Is chocolate popular in your country?

Flowers
Do you like flowers? (Why?)
What flowers do you like? (Why?)
Which/What is your favorite flower?
Do you think flowers are important?
(Similar to above) Are flowers important in your culture? (Give examples)
On what occasions are flowers important?
Do people in your country ever use flowers for special occasions?
In your country, do people (ever) give flowers as a gift?
What are the occasions when people give or receive flowers?

Hats
Do you like to wear hats?
What kinds of hats do you have?
Where do you like to buy hats?
Is wearing hats popular in your country?

Gifts
How often do you buy others gifts?
Do you like to send expensive gifts?
What kinds of gifts are popular in your country?
Why do people send gifts?

Noise
Do you mind noises?
What types of noise do you come across in your daily life?
Are there any sounds that you like?
Where can you hear loud noise?
Do you think there’s too much noise in modem society*?
Are cities becoming noisier?

Bus or Taxi
How often do you take the bus?
When was the first time you took a taxi?
What are the advantages of taking a taxi compared with buses?
Is it convenient to take the bus/taxi in your city?

Hometown
What’s (the name of) your hometown?
Is that a big city or a small place?
Please describe your hometown a little. How long have you been living there?
Do you like your hometown?
Do you like living there?
What do you like (most) about your hometown?
Is there anything you dislike about it?
Do you think you will continue living there for a long time?

==> Sample Answer

Work & study
What work do you do?
Why did you choose to do that type of work (or that job)?
Do you like your jobs?
Is it very interesting?
(Possibly)Do you miss being a student?

==> Sample Answer

 

Your Study
What subject(s) are you studying?
Why did you choose to study that subject?
Why did you choose to study those subjects?
Do you like your subject? (Why?/Why not?) Is it very interesting?
(Possibly) Are you looking forward to working?
Do you prefer to study in the mornings or in the afternoons?

Teacher
What kinds of teachers do you like best?
Who was your favorite teacher when you were young?
Would you want to be a teacher in the future?
Have you ever had bad teachers before?

Family
How often do you meet with your family?
How do you spend the time with your family?
Do you want to live with your family in the future?
Are you close to of your family members?
How has your family influenced you?

Singing
Do you often like sing?
When do you like to sing?
How much time do you spend in singing every day?
What kinds of music do you like to sing?
Is it difficult to sing well?
Do you want to be a singer?

==> Sample Answer

Walking
Do you like walk?
Do you like to walk on your own or with others?
Would you say that your city is a good place for walking?

Books
How often do you read?
Do you have many books at home?
Do people in your country like to read?
What kind of people like reading and what kind of people don’t like reading very much?

Newspaper and magazine
Do you often read newspapers?
When do you like to sing?
Do you prefer to read local news or international news?
Which is more popular where you live, newspapers or magazines?
Do many people today read newspapers?
In the future, do you think more people than today will read magazines, or fewer people?
Do you think newspapers will be very important to you in the future?

Activity near water
What activities would you do if you were spending some leisure time at a beach or near the ocean?
Why do some people like water sports?
Do you think the government should invest money in developing facilities for water sports?
Do you think that human activity is posing a threat to the oceans of the world? What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of travelling on the ocean?
Do you think it’s important for children to learn how to swim?
Do you think it’s best for a child to be taught to swim by a parent or by someone else?

Photography
Do you like to take photographs? (Why ?)
Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people take photos? (Why?)
How long have you liked taking photographs?
How (why) did you become interested in photograph/?
How often do you take photographs?
In what situations do you take photographs?
What kind of photos do you like to take? (Why?)
Do you prefer to take pictures of people or of scenery?
Who do you take photos of?
How do you keep your photos?
Do you keep your photographs on your computer?
Are there any photos on the walls of your home?
Do you frame (or have you framed) any of your photos? yes, which?& why?)
Do you prefer to send postcards to people or to send photos that you took yourself? (Why?)

Colors
What colors do you like?
What’s the most popular color in your country?
Do you like to wear dark or bright colors?
What’s the different between men and women’s preference on colors?
Do colors affect your mood?

Music
Do you often (like to) listen to music?
When do you listen to music?
How much time do you spend listening to music every day?
What kinds of music do you like to listen to?
What’s your favorite kind of music?
Have you ever been to a concert before?
Do you like to listen to live music?
When did you start listening to this type of music?
Where do you listen to it?
How do you feel when you listen to this music?
Do you like listening to songs?
Have you ever been to a musical performance?
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
Is music an important subject at school in your country?
Did you often listen to music when you were a child? (If yes give details.)
What kinds of music arc (most) popular in your country?

Handcrafts
Do you like collect things made by hand?
Did you ever take handcrafts lessons at school?
Are handcrafts popular in your country?
Do you think children should learn more about handcrafts?
Do you think handcrafts are meaningful activities?

Birthday
How do children celebrate birthdays in your country?
How did you celebrate your last birthday?
What kinds of birthday gifts do you like to receive?
Is there a difference between the way you celebrate your birthday in the past and in the present?

==> Sample Answer

 

Transportation
What’s the most popular means of transportation in your hometown?
How often do you take buses?
Can you compare the advantages of planes and trains?
Is driving to work popular in your country”?
Do you think people will drive more in the future?
Would you ride bikes to work in the future?
What will become the most popular means of transportation in your country?
Do you prefer public transportation or private transportation?

Weekends
What do you do in your spare time?
When do you spend time with your family?
What do you usually do on weekends? What did you do last weekend?
What do other people in your hometown (or in your country) usually do on weekend?
What are you going to do next weekend?
Do you think is important to make the most of your weekend?
Do you feel that weekends now are more important to you than when you were a child?

Sunny days
Do you like sunny days?
What do you like to do when it’s a sunny day?
Would you like to stay at home or go outside when the weather is great?
Are there many sunny days in your hometown?

Outdoor Activities
What do you do in your spare time?
Do you like outdoor activities?
What outdoor activities do you (most) like to do?
How often do you do that?
What outdoor sports do you like? (Why?)
How much time do you spend outdoors every week?
How often do you do outdoor activities?
What (types of) outdoor activities are popular in your country?

Painting
Do you like painting or drawing?
How often do you visit art galleries?
What kinds of things do you like to draw?
Is it easy to learn how to draw?

Home/ Accommodation
What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in?
Do you live in a house or a flat?
Who do you live with?
How long have you lived there?
Do you plan to live there for a long time? (If you answer you haven’t lived there long)
What’s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past?
Can you describe the place where you live?
Which room does your family spend most of the time in?
What do you usually do in your house/flat/room?
Are the transport facilities to your home very good?
Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?
Please describe the room you live in.
What parts of your home do you like the most?