UNIT 1

How to Prepare for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test

1. An Overview of Part 1 of the IEL TS Speaking Test
The IELTS Speaking test consists of three sections involving one candidate with
one examiner and an audio recorder to "capture" your performance. Part 1 is
known as Introduction and Interview. In this section, the examiner asks the
candidate for an introduction. This first section of the IELTS Speaking exam lasts
about 4 - 5 minutes and gives the examiner the chance to find
out a little about you through some simple 'getting-to-know-you' questions.

Firstly, the examiner will talk onto the audio recorder: "This is the Speaking
module for the International English Language Testing System conducted on X
(day/month/year) at X (name of the test centre). The candidate is X. Candidate
number is X and the interviewer is X." He/She then introduces himself/herself,
and next, asks you basic questions about yourself and asks to see your
identification, which will help the examiner find out a little about you and help put
you at ease:

- My name is John. Can you tell me your full name, please?

- Thank you. What can I call you?
- Where are you from?
- May I see your identification, please?
- Well, first of all, I'd like to ask you some questions about yourself.

Next, the examiner will pose a series of questions about your life such as your
home town, your studies, your likes and dislikes, your hobbies or family, etc. For
example:
- What subject do you study?
- What are you going to do after your studies?
- Have you travelled a lot in your life?
- What kind of places would you like to visit?
- How much time do you spend with friends?
- What kind of friends do you prefer?
- Is friendship very important in your life and why?

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2. Preparing for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test
When entering the test room, you should greet the examiner. Below is a list of
typical expressions of greeting:

Hi.
Hello.
Good morning.
Good afternoon.
Nice to meet you.
Pleased to meet you.

This is also your chance to get off to a good start! So, remember to display your
best ability. What is being tested is your ability to provide full and relevant
answers to all questions. Avoid giving short, uncommunicative replies to closed
questions. (These are questions beginning with 'Have you ... ', 'Do you ... ', 'Is it ...
', etc. which can be answered by a single word, a yes or no, or a couple-of-words
answer.) give longer responses to some open-ended questions (an open-ended
question beginning with a Wh-word asks the candidate to give an extended
answer); hence, you have the opportunity to show how good your English is, and
give information by describing and explaining.

3. A Sample of Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking Test

E: Examiner C: Candidate
(The examiner has been well prepared, and the candidate has just come in.)

E: Good morning.
C: Good morning.
E: I'm John. Can you tell me your full name, please?
C: My name is Li Juan.
E: Thank you. How shall I call you?
C: You can just call me Juan.
E: May I see your identification, please?
C: Here you are.
E: Thank you. Now, first of all, I'd like to ask you some questions about yourself.
C: OK.
E: What part of the country are you from?
C: I am from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. It is located in southwest
China, famous for many historical sites.
E: What do you like most about Chengdu?

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C: Well, there is so much I like about my home town. What I like the most,
probably, is the food, I think. As you might know, food there is cheap and
delicious.
E: Let's move on to talk about travelling. Do you travel a lot in your life?
C: Well, not a lot although I like travelling very much. Since I just graduated from
university a couple of years ago, I do not make enough money to visit as many
places as I wish. Normally I probably travel once every two years, usually in the
summer.
E: What kind of places would you like to visit?
C: I always prefer nature more to historical places. The most exciting thing for me
in travelling is to be close to nature. So, the places I like the most are usually
mountains, beaches, forests, etc.
E: OK. We will talk about friends now. How much time do you spend with friends?
C: I love friends. I don't have much spare time, but I normally meet once or twice
a week with friends for meals or sometimes at weekends for small trips. I feel so
relaxed with my friends.
E: What kind of friends do you prefer?
C: I like friends who share the same interests with me and who can listen and
discuss with me about the problems I have with my work. We can spend time
together having fun, and during difficult times, we can also turn to each other for
help.
E: Is friendship very important to you and why?
C: Yes, friends are quite important in my life. As the saying goes, "A friend in
need is a friend indeed.". True friends are really treasures. You will know how
important friends are, especially when you have difficult moments in life. The
comfort brought by friends is very essential. At the same time, you will also realise
how important friends are during times of joy and success.

4. Frequently-Asked Questions for Part 1 of the IELTS Speaking

Cities and Countries
Which part of your country do most people live in?
Can you tell me about the main industries in your country?
Is it easy to travel around your country?
Do you think your country has changed a lot since you were a child?
Do you know something about the history of your home town?
Are there any interesting places I can visit?
What do you like the most about living in your home town?
Can you compare your home town with big modern cities like Ho Chi Minh?
What are the advantages and disadvantages ofliving in your home town?
Can you describe the city where you live now?
Are there any things you dislike about the city?
How would you improve the city where you live?
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Jobs
What do you do?
Why did you choose this job?
What is your routine work?
Tell me about a typical working day.
What do you like or dislike about your job?
Do you like your job? If you don't, what kind of job would you prefer?
Do you have any plans to change your job in the future?

Studies
What subject do you study?
Why did you choose this subject?
What do you like most about your studies?
Are there any things you dislike about your studies?
What do you find most difficult in your studies?
What kind of qualifications or certificates do you hope to get?
What do you hope to do after graduation?

Childhood
Where did you grow up?
What is a good place for children to grow up?
Where did you usually play?
Who is the most important person in your childhood?
Is childhood now different from the time when you were a child?

Films
Do you enjoy watching films?
How often do you watch films?
What kind of films do you like to watch?
Do people generally prefer watching films at home or in the cinema?
Would you like to be in a film?

Public Transport
What kind of public transport is available where you live?
What kind of public transport do you use most often?
What problems are there with public transport where you live?
How would you improve public transport where you live?
Do you prefer to use public or private transport?

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Animals
Tell me about some of the animals in your country.
Which animals do you like?
Tell me some of the ways animals are used in your country (e.g. agriculture).
How do people in your country wmally feel about animals?

Shopping
Who does the main food and household shopping in your family?
What kind of shopping do you usuaUy do?
What kinds of shops do you prefer?
What time of day do you prefer to go shopping?
What is the worst thing about shopping?

Housework
Who usually does the housework, e.g. cooking and cleaning, where you live?
How is the housework shared in your family?
What do you think is the most important household task?
Do you have any ideas about how housework has changed in recent years in
your country?
Do you enjoy housework and what kind of housework do you like?

Food and restaurants

What kinds of food do you like?
Is there any food you don't like?
Do you usually cook at home?
Are there any special occasions when people in your country go to a
restaurant?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating in restaurants?

Free time
When do you have free time?
What do you like doing in your free time?
What activities are most popular in the place where you live?
Do you think that free time is important in people's lives?
Would you like to spend your free time with friends or with family?

Schools
Which middle school did you study in?
Is it close to your home? How did you get to school every day?
What did you like the best about that school?
Is there anything you didn't like about your school?

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If you were the president of the school, what changes would you like to make?
What did you think of the teachers there?

Hobbies/ Entertainment
Do you have any hobbies?
How did you become interested in that?
How much time do you spend on that?
Do you prefer relaxing at home or going out in the evening?
When you go out for the evening, what would you like to do?
Is there any kind of entertainment you dislike?
Why do you think that people have hobbies?

Travel
Do you like travelling?
How often do you travel and why?
What kinds of places are you most interested in and why?
What places have you enjoyed visiting and why?
What do you normally do when you are in a new place?
Which do you prefer travelling by yourself or with friends, and why?
What does travelling mean to you?

Festivals
What are the special days celebrated in your country?
What do you think is the most important festival in your country?
In what way do people celebrate the festival?
Do people prepare any special food for the occasion?
Which do people prefer, to spend it with family or with friends?
How did people celebrate the festival in the past?
How has the way been changed and why?
Do you think that it is important to have festivals?

Friends
What kind of people can be your friends?
How do you make friends?
How much time do you spend with friends?
What do you normally do with your friends?
Do you prefer to spend more time with friends or with family?
Would you rather have one dose friend or many common friends?
How important is friendship to you?
When you have trouble, do you turn to friends or family?

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 CONVERSATION PRACTICE FOR PART 1
OF THE IELTS SPEAKING TEST

1. Talking about Home Towns

Dialogue Study
W: Wang Xiao; L: Li Chen
(Wang Xiao and Li Chen meet each other at a university library.)
W: Hi! I think you're a friend of my friend, Zhang Juan.
L: Yes, I know Zhang Juan. How do you know her?
W: I work with her. How about you?
L: I met her at the swimming pool. We both love swimming.
W: VVhere do you come from? I mean, where is your home town?
L: I'm from the northeastern part of China, Changchun, the capital of Jilin
Province. And you?
W: Well, I was born in a small village outside of Hangzhou, but I also grew up in
Hangzhou.
It's a couple of hours away from Shanghai.
L: Yes, I've heard of it before. It's quite famous. Definitely a place on my "to visit"
list! Vvhat is the weather like there?
W: It's probably not as cold in the winter as Changchun is, and hotter in the
summer time. We don't get a lot of snow, but there is a rainy season. How's the
weather in Changchun?
L: Well, cold, of course, in the winter. Many people think it's cold in Changchun all
year round, but it's really not. The summers are really beautiful. Not too hot, about
32 or 33 degrees.
W: Wow! I didn't think it would get that warm there! Maybe I should go and see
Changchun next summer! Are there any interesting places I can visit in
Changchun?
L: Yes, there are a couple of places I would highly suggest that you visit, but the
best time to come is in the winter time! There's skiing on the Changbai Mountains,
skating along the Songhua River and a special ice lantern sculpture festival too!
Did you also know that Jilin is known for its deer antlers - you know, for medicinal
purposes. Anyway, I could go on and on about my home town! What about
Hangzhou? What are the interesting places to visit? I
bet there are a lot of tourists each year.
W: Yes, Hangzhou is usually full of tourists. Everybody knows that the area
around the West Lake is really beautiful, and there are a lot of famous sites there,
too. You should see the West Lake during the moonlight! It's so beautiful!
Especially during the Autumn Moon Festival! I really miss my home town.
L: Me, too. There's really no place like home! What do you miss the most about
your home town?

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W: You mean besides my mother's cooking? Well, I suppose it would be walking
along the West Lake during a misty morning or a beautiful sunset. What do you
miss about Changchun?
L: My family! I have a lot of aunts and uncles and cousins living in Changchun. I'm
the only one who lives outside of Changchun.
W: Wow! I can't even imagine being on my own like that! That must have been
really hard at first.
L: Yes, it really was. When I first moved to Beijing, my cousins were really
envious. They thought that Beijing was obviously better than Changchun,
because it is the capital of China. In fact, I thought so too at first, but now I don't
think that as much.
W: What do you mean?
L: I mean that there are definitely some similarities, like both are modern capital
cities. But as the centre of education, culture and politics, Beijing is definitely
more exciting. There are many opportunities to grow and learn. Living in Beijing,
you can easily watch a variety of international standard performances and you will
be better informed.
W: But it sounds like you think Beijing is better than Changchun.
L: Let me finish. There are definitely more opportunities in Beijing, but I still think
that Changchun is a much friendlier place. People are not so busy and their lives
are not so hectic. Anyway, that's just my opinion. Do you think Beijing is a better
place to live in than Hangzhou?
W: No, not really. I think that Hangzhou is much more beautiful than Beijing. In my
opinion, Beijing is developing too rapidly, so pollution has become a big problem.
You know how everyone complains about all the cars on the road, too. Traffic
jams are so common that if you don't meet one when you're travelling, you feel
that something must be wrong!
Another thing about Beijing is that there are many modern buildings, but the city
has lost some beauty. Much of the history of Beijing is hidden now, after lots of
the old houses were demolished, except for some of the tourist sites.
L: That's a shame. What about Hangzhou? What kind of history does Hangzhou
have?
W: Hangzhou was founded about 2,200 years ago in the Qin Dynasty. It was also
the capital city for the Song Dynasty, and it has always been famous for its
natural beauty. Now Hangzhou is known as a place for silk and for longjing tea.
L: You've convinced me to go! I'll have to visit Hangzhou someday soon! Say, I've
got to go.
I'm sorry, we didn't even introduce ourselves to each other. I'm Li Chen.
W: I'm Wang Xiao. I've enjoyed chatting with you.
L: Thanks, me too. We'll have to get together another time.
W: Yes, definitely! Take care!
L: Bye!
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Useful sentence structure
My home town, (name of a city/province), is located in/on (location, e.g central
Vietnam/ the north/ south of Viet nam, etc.)
My home town, Nha Trang, is located on the east coast of Viet nam.
(name of a city/province) is a beautiful place with (speacial features, e.g a long
shore/ a lot of paddy fields/ a high mountain to the north/ a flowing river to the
south, etc).
Nha Trang is a beautiful place with a long shore and a lot of scenic spots.
The weather in (name of a city/ province) is usually (cold/hot/warm/windy/rainy,
etc. In spring/summer/autumn/ winter/ all the year round)
The weather in Da Lat is usually cool all the year round.
(name of a city/province) is famous for ....
Nha Trang is famous for seafoods.
Da Lat is famous for scenic spots.
(Name of a city/ province) is (adj)-er/ more (adj) than (Name of a city/ province)
Da lat is colder than Nha Trang.
Ho Chi Minh City is more crowded than Da Lat.

Oral Exercises
1. Using the suggested phrases below, make statements about home towns.
1. my home town/Hue/located/central Vietnam

2. beautiful place/ many famous historical sights

3. the weather/ Ha Noi/ usually/ quite cold/winter

4. Da Nang/famous for/handmade kites and the kite festival

5. Ho Chi Minh City/hotter/Nha Trang

6. my home town / Dong Nai/located in the south of Vietnam

7. Da Lat/beautiful place/lots of hills

8. the weather/Da Lat/ usually/ most beautiful/ spring

9. Ha Dong/ famous for / silk

10. Ho Chi Minh City / more modern/Tien Giang province

2. Complete the following dialogue with appropriate sentences or phrases.

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A: Hi there! I don't think I know you! What's your name? Where are you from?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: Oh, I've heard of that place! But I think I might be confusing it with another
place. Well, if you don't mind, could you tell me a bit about your home town?
B: Well, first of all, my home town is located in ___________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.
A: What are the people like? Is it true that they are generally quite tall?
B: No, that's not true. In fact, most people in my home town are ___________
________________________________________________________________.
A: Oh, that's not what I heard. I wonder where I got that idea! Tell me something
about the weather in your home town. If I want to visit, when is the best time to
come?
B: The best season for visiting is
_______________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
A: But, why isn't it that good to visit during the other seasons?
B: People do visit it during the other seasons, but ________________________
________________________________________________________________.
A: Are there very many places in your home town? What kind of role did your
home town play in ancient Vietnam?
B: In ancient times, my home town was famous for ______________________
________________________________________________________________.
A: That's really interesting. I didn't know that before. Are there any other
interesting facts about your home town?
B: Of course! Most people don't know that my home town is ______________
________________________________________________________________.
A: What are the special products from your home town? Any special foods or
clothes, or arts and crafts?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: What do you think is the biggest difference between your home town and Ho
Chi Minh City?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: Hey! Thanks for all the information! I think I'll go visit your home town on my
next vacation! Would you mind giving me your e-mail address so that I can keep
in touch with you?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: Thanks so much! I hope to see you again soon!
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3. Look at the following table and think of words to compare your home town to
Ho Chi Minh City. Use as many different words as you can.
Home town Ho Chi Minh City
Size
Population
Location
Weather
Transportation system
People
Places to visit
Nightlife

4. Use the following chart to interview a friend.

Interviewee
Home town
Where are you from?
What is your home town?
Number of years in home town
How long have you lived in your home
town?
Weather
What is the weather like?
Population
How many people live in your home
town?
Famous for ...
What is your home town famous for?
One interesting place
Describe one interesting place in your
home town.
Comparison to Ho Chi Minh City
How would you compare your home
town to Ho Chi
Minh City?

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5. Think about your answers to the following questions and then discuss your
thoughts and opinions with your partner.
1. Why do people love their home town so much?
2. Why do people leave their home town?
3. Why is it easier to get along with someone from your own home town?
4. How does your home town mould your personality? What characteristics do
you feel people in your home town generally share?

Answers
1.
1. My home town, Hue, is located in central Vietnam.
2. It is a beautiful place with many famous historical sights.
3. The weather in Ha Noi is usually quite cold in winter.
4. Da Nang is famous for handmade kites and the kite festival.
5. Ho Chi Minh City is hotter than Nha Trang.
6. My home town, Dong Nai, is located in the south of Vietnam.
7. Da Lat is a beautiful place with lots of hills.
8. The weather in Da Lat is usually most beautiful in spring.
9. Ha Dong is famous for its silk.
10. Ho Chi Minh City is more modern than Tien Giang province.

2.
A: Hi there! I don't think I know you! What's your name? Where are you from?
B: My name is Lan. I'm from Phan Thiet.
A: Oh, I've heard of that place! But I think I might be confusing it with another
place. Well, if you don't mind, could you tell me a bit about your home town?
B: Well, first of all, my home town is located in the southeast, along the coast.
Phan Thiet used to be a very quiet fishing village, but it has become more popular
as a tourist destination recently.
A: What are the people like? Is it true that they are generally quite tall?
B: No, that's not true. In fact, most people in my home town are of average height.
Actually, there are both some tall people, and some rather short people.
A: Oh, that's not what I heard. I wonder where I got that idea! Tell me something
about the weather in your home town. If I want to visit, when is the best time to
come?
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B: The best season for visiting is summer time. During summer , you can go to
visit beaches, and swim in the ocean. We have some beautiful scenery too.
A: But, why isn't it that good to visit during the other seasons?
B: People do visit it during the other seasons, but it's really a shame if you don't
see Phan Thiet during the summer time.
A: Are there very many places in your home town? What kind of role did your
home town play in ancient Vietnam?
B: In ancient times, my home town was famous for being one of the fishing
villages. Later, it was open to for trade around the late 1990s. It was also a
summer resort for many of the foreigners who lived and worked in other areas of
Vietnam.
A: That's really interesting. I didn't know that before. Are there any other
interesting facts about your home town?
B: Of course! Most people don't know that my home town is one of the most
famous cities producing "nuoc mam", a kind of sauce made from fish, which is
typical of Vietnam.
A: What are the special products from your home town? Any special foods or
clothes, or arts and crafts?
B: Phan Thiet is famous for seafood, green dragon fruit, and "nuoc mam".
A: What do you think is the biggest difference between your home town and Ho
Chi Minh City?
B: Personally, I think that Phan Thiet is far more beautiful than Ho Chi Minh City.
Of course, it is also much less important in culture, education and politics than Ho
Chi Minh City.
A: Hey! Thanks for all the information! I think I'll go visit your home town on my
next vacation! Would you mind giving me your e-mail address so that I can keep
in touch with you?
B: No problem at all. Let me write it down for you.
A: Thanks so much! I hope to see you again soon!

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2. Talking about jobs
Frequently-Asked Questions
What do you do?
Why did you choose this job?
What is your routine work?
Tell me about a typical working day.
What do you like or dislike about your job?
Do you like your job? If you don’t, what kind of job would you prefer?
What job would you like to be doing in 10 year’s time?

Dialogue Study
W: Wang Xiao; L: Li Chen
(Wang Xiao meets Li Chen, who is waiting to meet with their mutual friend, Zhang
Juan. They start chatting while they are waiting.)
W: Hi, Li Chen! How nice to see you here!
L: Hi, Wang Xiao! I'm supposed to meet Zhang Juan at 12 o'clock. Actually, if you
have a few minutes, I'd like to ask you about your job.
W: Sure. What do you want to know?
L: Well, I'm thinking of looking for another job, but I want to find out as much
information about other jobs before I make a decision.
W: Sure, no problem. But let me ask you first. What do you do?
L: I work in a small computer company, mostly doing bookkeeping. It's alright for
now, but I don't really see myself working there long term.
W: But, why did you choose this job?
L: I guess I chose it because it was in my field, and the salary and benefits were
quite good for a new university graduate. I've been working there for almost two
years now. But the work is really not very interesting.
W: What do you mean? What do you do every day?
L: Well, every day I sit in front of a computer and enter data. Then, I check to
make sure everything is accurate. Occasionally, I'll get a chance to work on a
special project. It's not exactly what I expected.
W: It sounds to me like you're unhappy in your job. What job would you like to be
doing?
L: I don't know. Something more interesting, though. I'd prefer to work with other
people instead of being all alone in a room in front of a computer. Now let me ask
you about your job. What kind ef work do you do?
W: I work in an import-export company. I'm responsible for making sure the
orders are filled properly, and contacting our customers in other countries to make
sure they received their orders and are satisfied with them.
L: That sounds interesting. Tell me about a typical day.
W: Each day is different from the next. Some days are really great, and everyone
will be satisfied. Other days, it seems that everyone is complaining to me. Some
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days I'll be making phone calls all day, taking orders, explaining our products, and
talking with our overseas customers. Other days, I'll be in the warehouse, making
sure the orders are being filled.
L: It sounds very exciting to me. But, how do you like your job?
W: On the whole, I like it. But, there are some days when it is really tough.
L: How did you get your job?
W: I went to a job fair and had an interview with the import-export company. They
were interested in hiring me, but I wasn't so sure. I also had an interview with a
joint-venture company that seemed more promising.
L: Why did you choose this job?
W: It was really hard to choose between the two offers. I think that basically, the
job in the import-export company looked more interesting, even though the
starting salary was lower. The joint-venture company offered a higher salary, but
the chances to move up in the company did not seem very good.
L: It looks like you made the right choice! Do you think you'll be working in the
same job in 10 years' time?
W: Quite possibly. I enjoy the challenges and feel that I am contributing to the
company. I'm satisfied with my job for now, and would not be surprised if I stayed
for a long time.
L: That's the kind of job I want to find. Wish me luck!
W: Good luck to you!

Useful Sentence Structures

I work in a(n) (organisation/institution). I’m responsible for (section/department/
office/ unit).
I work in a university. I’m responsible for the student admissions.
A typical day for me includes (duties/responsibilities)
A typical day for me includes meetings, interviews with prospective students, and
administrative work.
I really (like/enjoy/love) my job. I plan to work there for (time/duration)
I really enjoy my job. I plan to work there for at least five more years .
I most satisfied in my job if I am well paid, and my colleagues are cooperative.
I think that I can make a(n) (job/position) because (clause of reason).
I think that I can make a very good doctor because I am highly reliable and
reponsible.
My work is usually very (adjective). Every night, i come home really (adjective)
My work is usually very challenging. Every night, i come home really tired.
Oral Exercises
1. Using the suggested phrases below, make statements about jobs.
1. I work/ multinational company / I'm responsible / marketing

15
2. a typical day / includes / meeting with clients, designing advertisements, and
talking with consumers

3. I really / dislike my job / I plan to work / only as long as it takes until I find
another job

4. my work is usually/very stressful/ every night/ really exhausted

5. I feel most satisfied/I can find new ways to help our company become more
efficient

6. I think that I make a good secretary / I am helpful and organised

7. I work/ my uncle's company/I'm responsible/ selling computers

8. a typical day / includes / ordering supplies and helping customers with

problems

9. I really I love my job / I plan to work there for a long time

10. I think that I make a good kindergarten teacher /I really love children

2. Complete the following dialogue with appropriate sentences or phrases.

A: If you don't mind, I have a few questions to ask you about your job.
B: No problem. Go ahead.
A: Well, first of all, what kind of job do you do?
B: I'm a
_____________________________________________________________.
A: Where do you work?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: How long have you worked there?
B: I've been working at __________________ for
__________________________.
A: Could you tell me what your main responsibilities are?
B: Sure. I'm primarily responsible for
____________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
A: Wow! That's interesting. I didn't know that was what your job was all about.
Can you tell me what a typical day is like?

16
B: A typical day usually begins with
_________________________________________________________________
____________________________.
A: Would you say that your job is rewarding?
B: Actually,
_________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
A: If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?
B: That's a tough question. I suppose I would change _____________________
________________________________________________________________.
A: How long do you think you'll continue to work in this job?
B: Probably for another
_______________________________________________.
A: What are your work hours like? How long is your work day? How many days
do you work each week?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: It sounds like a demanding job. How did you find it? I mean, did you get your
job through a newspaper advertisement, or what?
B:
________________________________________________________________.
A: Oh, I see. Say, if you were to give advice to someone who is just starting out in
this field, what would you say?
B: Well, I would definitely tell them to ___________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
A: Thanks so much for answering all my questions! I really appreciate it!
B: You' re very welcome.

3. Complete the table below by comparing your present job with your ideal job.

Present job Ideal job

Main responsibilities
What is your job like?
What are you responsible for in your
job?
Work hours
What hours do you work?
How many hours do you work each
day/week?
Positive aspects
Describe one positive aspect about your
job.
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What is one thing you enjoy about your
job?
Negative aspects
Tell me one negative part of your job.
What is something you dislike about
your job?
How to find the job
How did you find your job?
How did you get your job?
Reason for choosing the job
Why did/will you choose this job?
Typical day
Describe a typical day.
What is a typical day like in your job?

4. Role-play: A job interview

A: Prospective employee/job candidate/applicant
You have been referred to a very good nationally-recognised company by your
friend. You have heard many good things about the company, but you don't know
any details about the actual job itself. Make sure you ask questions to find out
more about the following areas:
• main responsibilities
• work hours
• salary and benefits
• holidays
B: Employer
Choose one of the jobs below without telling your partner.
secretary
manager
journalist
photographer
factory worker
tour guide
accountant
computer programmer
teacher
Prepare a list of questions to find out detailed information about the candidate in
the following
areas:
• present job
• reason for leaving current job
• previous work experience
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• education background
• salary expectations
• interests and hobbies
• health
5. Discussion: Look at the following items and choose the three most important
and the three least important characteristics for you. After ranking them on your
own, discuss your choices with your partner.
a good boss
a well-known company
being responsible
comfortable working conditions
cooperative colleagues
flexible hours
fringe benefits
good pay
interesting work
job security
making decisions
opportunities to advance
opportunities to travel
regular routine
solving problems

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Answers
1.
1. I work in a multinational company. I'm responsible for marketing.
2. A typical day for me includes meeting with clients, designing advertisements,
and talking with consumers.
3. I really dislike my job. I plan to work there only as long as it takes until I find
another job.
4. My work is usually very stressful. Every night, I come home really exhausted.
5. I feel most satisfied in my job if I can find new ways to help our company
become more efficient.
6. I think that I make a good secretary because I am helpful and organised.
7. I work in my uncle's company. I'm responsible for selling computers.
8. A typical day for me includes ordering supplies and helping customers with
problems.
9. I really love my job. I plan to work there for a long time.
10. I think that I make a good kindergarten teacher because I really love children.
2.
A: If you don't mind, I have a few questions to ask you about your job.
B: No problem. Go ahead.
A: Well, first of all, what kind of job do you do?
B: I'm a computer programmer.
A: Where do you work?
B: I work in a small computer software company, located in the downtown area.
A: How long have you worked there?
B: I've been working at the same company for three years now.
A: Could you tell me what your main responsibilities are?
B: Sure. I'm primarily responsible for meeting with customers and designing
software that they can use in their companies.
A: Wow! That's interesting. I didn't know that was what your job was all about.
Can you tell me what a typical day is like?
B: A typical day usually begins with meetings with customers - sometimes I go to
their company, and other times I meet them in my office. After I understand what
kind of computer program they want, I usually spend my afternoons designing
and writing the program.
A: Would you say that your job is rewarding?
B: Actually, for the most part, it is a very rewarding job. I like to see my computer
programs working smoothly and helping the company to meet its goals. However,
my job is very much in the background. No one ever knows who actually wrote
the computer software.
A: If you could change one thing about your job, what would it be?

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B: That's a tough question. I suppose I would change my work hours. I hate
having to get up so early in the morning. I'd rather start work at about 10 a.m. and
work until around dinner time.
A: How long do you think you'll continue to work in this job?
B: Probably for another three or four years at least.
A: What are your work hours like? How long is your work day? How many days
do you work each week?
B: I work Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Five days a week.
A: It sounds like a demanding job. How did you find it? I mean, did you get your
job through a newspaper advertisement, or what?
B: Actually, I was pretty lucky to get such a good job. My father's friend was just
starting computer software company and agreed to let me work for him for a few
months. He liked my work, and I liked working for him, so we signed formal
contract, and l've been working for him now for almost 2 years.
A: Oh, I see. Say, if you were to give advice to someone who is just starting out in
this field, what would you say?
B: Well, I would definitely tell them to study hard and learn as much as they are
still studying. Then, to just try to learn as much as they can from their first job, as
this will help them in other jobs, too.
A: Thanks so much for answering all my questions! I really appreciate it!
B: You're very welcome.

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