Introductions and Part 1

Please come in. I’m your examiner today for the speaking section of the IELTS exam.

Hello, it’s great to meet you.

Could you please tell me your full name?

Yes of course. My full name is Matias Acken

Can you show me your identification card please?

Yes, here it is.

Thank you very much Matias. I’ll ask you some questions about you. Are you ready?

Yes I am.

What is your hometown like?

I live in the suburbs of a large city in Portugal. It’s quite a good place to live as there are plenty of shops and places to eat. We also have a nice park nearby where I sometimes like to run.

Are you currently studying anything?

Well, of course! I’m studying for my IELTS so that I can enroll into a university in the UK. I do hope that I do well!

Is studying IELTS popular in your country?

Ah, I suppose it is quite popular studying IELTS. A few of my friends have completed the test so they could study or work abroad, too. To be honest, I’m not sure they found it too enjoyable though!

What about work? Are you working as well as studying?

I just finished my last job two weeks ago. Personally, I feel that the IELTS test is quite difficult. Therefore, I wanted to spend two weeks studying for the test as much I could.

Did you enjoy your job?

That’s difficult to say really! Sometimes I enjoyed it. It was an office job and my colleagues were great although the work was sometimes a bit boring. It was great to support me for a short time, but now I want to find a new life in the UK.

What kinds of jobs do you think are the best?

Well, off the top of my head… I would probably say a musician is one of the best jobs. You can travel the world whilst following your passion. If only I was good at playing an instrument! Other than that, I think a politician is a great job as you can help people in your local community.

Do you think technology has changed the way people work?

I very much believe that technology has transformed our lives, especially at work. In my last job, we communicated, planned and created whole projects through our computers. It’s amazing really but sometimes it can be a bit scary.

In what ways do you use the internet?

Hmm, let me think about that question. I suppose I use the internet for many different reasons. Nowadays, I book all my hotels and holidays on the internet. It’s also useful for keeping in touch with family and friends.

Do you prefer laptops or computers?

In my opinion, laptops are much better than big computers because they are smaller and easier to transport. Furthermore, laptops these days have excellent batteries, so you can use them anywhere you like.

Part 2

Without a doubt, the most important letter that I received was my acceptance letter to university. I remember it just like it was yesterday. It still makes me smile thinking about it now. The letter was from my top choice for university and honestly, I wasn’t sure I was going to be accepted onto the course. My grades at college were okay, and even though I studied hard, I didn’t quite the grades I wanted. To tell you the truth, I was a bit depressed at that time. I had finished college and was on my summer break. I knew the letter would be coming any day and was very nervous. I came downstairs one morning and my mother said I had a letter addressed to me from a University. My heart stopped. I didn’t really want to open it! Me and my parents sat down and I remember my father saying, “If you aren’t accepted there are other universities to apply for.” That made me feel a bit better so I opened it up. The first words I read were, “Congratulations” and after that I started punching the air. What a great morning that was! Afterwards, I called all my family and friends and told them I was accepted to university. They were so happy for me. My family and friends went to a lovely Italian restaurant later that evening and celebrated with food and wine – Even though I was too young to drink! I hope to get more great letters like that in the future.

Part 3

Now I’m going to ask you some more questions related to the topic you discussed in last section of the test.

Do you still think letters are important in today’s society?

Well, I suppose we use less letters now that we have emails and the internet. But there is something magical about receiving an important letter. It seems more real and important than getting an email. Maybe because it feels more personal? So, yes I still think letters are important.

Do you think it’s better to apply for a job by email or in writing?

That’s a difficult question because it depends on the situation. In my opinion, if you know the person who might give you a job, then giving them a handwritten letter is better. However, it’s not always possible. For example, if you are applying to a job in a different country, it’s much more convenient to send an email. That is, unless you can pay for the flight!

What kind of letters do people normally receive now?

More often that not, letters are unwanted mail from people you might not want to speak to! I know many people get a lot of letters from the bank asking them to pay bills. That’s definitely not a letter most people want to get! I think more and more, people communicate personally on the internet.

Do you think people will still send and receive letters in the future?

I honestly don’t think they will. There are a few reasons for this. Most importantly, we must be more environmentally friendly, and as I understand, letters are made by cutting down trees which is definitely not good for the Earth. I do believe that over the next twenty years, we will see letters used less and less.

How has technology changed the way we communicate?

Social media, such as Facebook and myspace, have hugely influenced the way that people speak to each other. Even sending text messages on your phone is not something people do now. It’s much easier to send a message to your friends on Facebook. Furthermore, it’s also free! I do feel that technology has made people less talkative, which is quite sad in a way.