SET-口說講稿分享 Part 1, 2, and 3 by Martin

NOTE: these are the sample answers that I would probably say if I took the IELTS test here in the U.S.

PART 1

1. Where are you from?

I'm originally from Taiwan, but I've been living here in the US for over 10 years.

2. Do you like the place where you live?

Sure. I live in a suburban city called Tracy and things are pretty quiet over there; I like it a lot!

3. Do you work or are you a student?

I’m currently a full-time office worker.

4. What job do you do?

I’ve been working full-time in Sales at a trading company for almost 10 years and have also been tutoring English part-time for about 3 years.

5. Do you like walking?

Yes, I think walking is one of the easiest exercises. My wife and I really enjoy walking our dog to the park nearby our home every morning.

6. Do you think walking is important?

Definitely. Although walking doesn’t require much energy, I think it’s important to keep your body moving on a regular basis.

7. Do you think walking in the countryside is better than walking in the city?

Yes, I think so. When walking in the countryside, one can breathe fresh air, expect some nice views, and things tend to be much quieter than in the city.

8. What could be done to improve the experience of walking in cities?

Mmm… I would say that one can get the best walking experience when they do it during the weekend because that’s when things are not as chaotic as work days. On a Saturdayor Sunday, the city is less crowded, there is less traffic, and one can enjoy the architecture as well as the variety of stores.

PART 2

Describe an occasion when someone visited your home.

You should say

            who the person was

            what the occasion was

            what you did during the visit

And explain how you felt about this person’s visit.

  I would like to talk about the day when one of my childhood friends visited my home 2 months ago.  Her name is Cata and we both grew up in Argentina. Back then we were classmates in Chinese school and would meet at least once a week. She is now working in Germany and had decided to take a short vacation trip here in the US to visit my wife and I as well as many of her other friends.

  Anyway, since she knew that I had bought a new house, she made sure to allocate some of her time to stop by my place. We did a quick tour around the house and also introduced our little dog to her. We took several pictures together, had a cup of tea with some snacks and fruits, and spent most of the time talking and catching up with one another.

  Although very brief, Cata’s visit was quite important to me. She is a very busy woman and has plenty of friends, so it was really nice of her to spend some of her time with us. This also shows that she is a true friend despite the distance and her busy schedule.

  

  All in all, it was definitely a pleasure to have this friend in my home for a short time and I truly wish her the best in her career!

PART 3

1. In your country, how do people treat visitors?

I think Taiwanese people treat visitors very well. We understand the hassle of traveling long distances so we tend to do our best to help visitors have a relaxing time. If it’s someone close to us, we will offer our home as the place to stay and show him or her around the city or town where we live. For example, last time when I visited my in-laws in Taiwan, they allowed me to stay at their home and spent plenty of time with me to take me to some nearby tourist spots as well as eat traditional Taiwanese foods.

2. Do you think hospitality is less important than it was in the past?

No, I don’t think so. I think hospitality has always been part of human nature, especially when it comes to close friends or people who we really care. When there are relatives or friends visiting me from out of town, I’ve always been willing to take care of them. Since I also enjoy travelling, I would treat their visits as the perfect excuse to take time off and have a bit of vacation myself!

3. What are the benefits of staying with a friend when visiting a new place?

Well, I think there are plenty of benefits. Staying at a friend’s place is probably the most cost effective, not to mention that he or she can show you around and take you to those secrets places where tour buses never go. Also, since it’s a friend of yours, you can ask for the activities you want to do and have a more personalized trip. It’s also a good chance to catch up with one another!

4. What are the advantages of staying in a hotel instead?

Staying at a hotel gives you more privacy and you can enjoy the different facilities that it offers, such as the swimming pool, hot spa, gym, or its breakfast services. When staying at a hotel, you won’t feel afraid of disturbing your friend and you can do whatever you wish in your room. In other words, you basically have your own private space.