Question Set - Describe an ambition that you haven't achieved - School - Public Transportation - Birthday

Part 1

Introduction Questions
May I know your full name?
How may I address you?
May I see your ID?
Where do you come from?

Lets start with School

Where do you go to school?
Sample Answer: I recently completed my senior secondary education, so I don’t go to school anymore.
Do you go to a good school?
Sample Answer: The school I went to was the best school in my town.
Do you like your teachers?
Sample Answer: Yes, I loved my teachers at my previous school.
Do you like your current learning atmosphere?
Sample Answer: At present, I am preparing for my higher education, so there is not much pressure of studies and exams.
What are the differences between your school and other schools?
Sample Answer: I have hardly met students from other schools, so I can't say much on how the other schools are different.
Is there anything you want to change about your school?
Sample Answer: Yes, I would like to add more sports facilities for students, especially for indoor sports.
Have you ever learnt about outer space and stars?
Sample Answer: Yes, there was a chapter on the solar system in my science book. So, I read about the different planets in our solar system.
Do you like science fiction movies? Why?
Sample Answer: Yes, I love science fiction movies because they are a great source of entertainment. My favorite science fiction movie is Avatar.
Do you want to know more about outer space?
Sample Answer: Yes, I want to know about black holes and how the universe was formed.
Do you want to go into outer space in the future?
Sample Answer: Yes, I want to see how our planet looks from space and also to experience zero gravity.

Lets start with Public Transportation

What kind of public transportation do you usually take?
Sample Answer: If I am travelling locally, I normally travel by bus, but if I am travelling farther away, I travel by railways or air.
When do you usually take public transportation, in your everyday life, or when you are travelling?
Sample Answer: When I was young, I used to travel by bus every day because of my studies. However, nowadays, I only use public transportation when I am especially visiting someplace. For example, after every one or two months, I visit Golden Temple in Amritsar and for that I travel by bus.
Do most people prefer public transportation in your country?
Sample Answer: I think public transportation is the main mode of travel for most people in India. However, as people are becoming richer, many people have started travelling by car.
Did you take public transportation when you were a kid?
Sample Answer: Yes, I used to take the bus to school every day when I was a kid.
Will there be more people taking public transportation in the future?
Sample Answer: On the contrary, I think the use of public transportation will decrease further as people are becoming richer and they care more about comfort than cost. However, if the government takes some steps in this regard, there can be a change.

Lets start with Birthday

What do you usually do on your birthday?
Sample Answer: I normally get up early and then I go to the Gurudwara. Then I go out and watch a movie or visit a mall with my friends. In the evenings, I have dinner at a restaurant with my family.
What did you do on your birthday when you were young?
Sample Answer: When I was young, my parents used to throw a big party at home and invite all my friends and relatives. I used to love opening gifts and cutting the cake. Now, I am not as excited.
Do you think it is important for you to celebrate your birthday?
Sample Answer: I think celebrating birthdays makes us feel special and important. It also gives an opportunity to meet with our loved ones and relatives.
Whose birthday do you think is the most important to celebrate in India?
Sample Answer: I think publicly one of the most important birthdays that we celebrate is Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday. It is a national holiday, which is celebrated on 2nd October. Personally, people like to celebrate their children’s birthdays.
How do people usually celebrate birthdays in your country?
Sample Answer: In my country, people usually celebrate birthdays by throwing a party, cutting a cake, and inviting friends and family members. Some people also give gifts to the birthday person.
Do you think birthdays are more important for children or for adults?
Sample Answer: I think birthdays are more important for children because they get very excited about them. However, birthdays are also important for adults because they give us an opportunity to reflect on our lives and celebrate our achievements.
What is the most memorable birthday you have ever had?
Sample Answer: The most memorable birthday I ever had was when I turned 18. My parents threw a surprise party for me and invited all my friends. It was a lot of fun and I felt very special.
Do you think people should celebrate their birthdays every year?
Sample Answer: Yes, I think people should celebrate their birthdays every year. It is a special day and it gives us an opportunity to celebrate our lives and the people we love.
What kind of birthday gifts do you like to receive?
Sample Answer: I like to receive thoughtful gifts that show that the person knows me well. I also like practical gifts that I can use in my daily life.
Do you think it is important to give birthday gifts?
Sample Answer: Yes, I think it is important to give birthday gifts. It shows that we care about the person and that we want to make them feel special on their special day.
Do you think it is necessary to spend a lot of money on birthday gifts?
Sample Answer: No, I don't think it is necessary to spend a lot of money on birthday gifts. It is the thought that counts, and a thoughtful gift can be just as meaningful as an expensive one.
How do you feel about getting older each year?
Sample Answer: I feel a mix of emotions about getting older each year. On one hand, I feel grateful for the experiences and opportunities that come with age. On the other hand, I sometimes feel sad about the passing of time and the things I haven't yet accomplished.

Part 2

Now, I'm going to give you a topic and I'd like you to talk about it for 1-2 minutes. Before you talk you'll have one minute to think about what you are going to say and you can make notes if you wish. Do you understand?

Describe an ambition that you haven't achieved

You should say:
  • What it is
  • Why you haven't achieved it
  • What you did
  • And how you felt about it
Sample Answer:
  • • I have many ambitions in my life.
  • • But the one ambition that I am working on right now is to go for higher education in Canada.
  • • Earlier I didn’t have any plans to go abroad but a conversation with a friend who went to Canada changed my opinion.
  • • He told me about the difference in the quality of education and the work opportunities available there.
  • • So after completing my senior secondary education I decided that it would be the best opportunity for me.
  • • There are two main requisites to get admission in a good Canadian college.
  • • The first is good grades in senior secondary education.
  • • My grades are pretty satisfactory. So I didn’t have to worry about that.
  • • The second is a good score in English language tests like IELTS or TOEFL.
  • • I learned that Canadian colleges give preference to IELTS and hence I am taking the IELTS exam.
  • • For the past two-three months I have been practicing for the exam.
  • • I ordered the Cambridge books and started my preparation from them.
  • • There is a lot of free material available on the internet.
  • • So I used that to prepare myself.
  • • I used to practice for about 8 hours every day.
  • • I used to try to cover every IELTS module twice.
  • • For listening and reading I didn’t need much help.
  • • I just practised the test papers and looked at my mistakes after that so I don’t repeat them.
  • • For speaking and writing I joined a coaching institute and their teachers helped me a lot.
  • • I hope to get good bands so I can move ahead to the next step which is to apply for an offer letter from a Canadian College.
  • • I don’t think it has been an easy journey.
  • • English is not my first language and I have had to practise really hard.
  • • But I hope the fruits of the efforts will definitely be worth the struggle.

Part 3

We've been talking about Describe an ambition that you haven't achieved, and I'd now like to ask you some questions related to this

  • What ambitions do children usually have?
    Sample Answer: Children have many ambitions. The first ambition is mainly about the profession - in childhood everyone has an ambition to do something noble like becoming a doctor or do something exciting like becoming a pilot or an astronaut. Then children also have an ambition of earning huge amounts of money.
  • Why are some people very ambitious in their work?
    Sample Answer: I think it’s just a part of their nature. They are ambitious because they want to grow and achieve something in their life. They want to be known for their work.
  • Why don't some people have dreams?
    Sample Answer: I think everyone has certain dreams. It’s just that some people are too lazy to work for their dreams. On the other hand, there are others who can do anything for their dreams and it shows.
  • How do people balance work and life?
    Sample Answer: I think everyone does it in their own way. My mother switches off her work mobile phone after 5 PM. Some people do it by taking regular breaks when they only focus on their family. I think it is something almost every person tries to do and fails. In recent years even governments are taking steps like limiting work hours so people are able to do so.

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