Childhood Present : IELTS Speaking Practice Test 16

Speaking Part 1

1Do you give expensive gifts?

No. I am not really a fan of expensive gifts. I love more creative, thoughtful gifts. A thoughtful gift depicts how much effort you put into something. So, yes, I always prefer creativity over extravagance.

2What kind of gifts are popular in your country?

Our people enjoy giving something useful. They will always prefer an induction oven over a flower bouquet. They have special gifts for every occasion. Clothes for traditional occasions, toys for birthdays and so on.

3Why do people give gifts?

People give gifts because that’s how they show or depict their love and respect for one another. Sometimes gifts pave way for a long lasting bond or sometimes it’s just for formality. Either way it means to people.So they continue this tradition.

4What’s the best present you have ever received?

When I was in class 8, all my friends decided to surprise me for my birthday. They made a huge card with pictures of every small memory and small stories. I still preserve it. Now, I have lost touch with most of them, but this card reminds me of the wonderful memories. Thus this was the best gift I ever received.

Speaking Part 2

Here is an audio of the sample answers given below. Please listen to it for more clarity on the Speaking Test.

Sample Answer 1

When I was a child, I was given a block set on Diwali in the form of a present. One of my paternal aunts gave that block set to me because I liked to play with the blocks more in my childhood. I was astonished when my paternal aunt came to our home to give me the wonderful gift. In the beginning, I did not realize that she was at our house to present me with the beautiful block set.

A medium plastic container wrapped in paper was given to me on Diwali, and when I opened the container, I found the blocks. I was stunned and happy for the excellent gift from my aunt. The blocks were made of top-class plastic, and there were no sharp edges. They were of different sizes, and some of the block pieces were attached with wheels. The block shapes were not the same. I vaguely remember that I used to make different structures with the block set. I preferred robots, aeroplanes, cars, houses, and other blocks using this block set.

The block set was essential to me for several reasons. Firstly the blocks looked nice and were handy to use. Secondly, I learned many facts about my real life using the blocks. They had taught me patience and perseverance – when I used to fail in making any desired or imagined structure, I waited, paused everything for a while, used to think deeply over the structure and finally finish it.

Sample Answer 2

The most memorable gift I received was when I was seven years old, on my birthday. My parents bought me a bike. They painted it pink for me to match the pink tassels that were hanging off the handlebars. I learned to ride my bike in the park near our house, and after I learned how to ride I would often ride around in the park while my brother and sister were playing. When my younger brother got his own bike we would ride along the street together.

When I first saw the bicycle I was very excited, and I thought it was very pretty. I was so happy to get it that my father took me out to learn to ride it the same day. After I learned to ride it, I enjoyed it so much that I would ride it whenever I could. I didn’t mind having to play by myself if I could ride my bike. I loved the feeling of the wind on my face and through my hair, and seeing the ground speed under my wheels. It was so refreshing when I was hot and sweaty to have the cool breeze blowing all the time.

Vocabulary for Cue card

• Memorable: one incident you can never forget
  Eg: It was a memorable event
• Tassels: a finishing feature in fabric and clothing decoration.
  Eg: Tassels look very pretty on Dupattas
• Handlebars: handles of a vehicles
  Eg: I hung my helmet in the handlebar
• Refreshing: fresh
  Eg: Mint is very refreshing

Speaking Part 3

1Do Chinese people often give gifts?

Yes, we do. Not as much as western cultures, but we receive gifts on our birthday and at Chinese New Year. Sometimes if we visit someone that we don’t see very often, they might get a small gift. Of course, when someone gets married, people will give them gifts.

2What kinds of presents do Chinese people give?

I think the most popular gift is the Chinese ‘hong bao‘ or ‘red envelope’. Money is put in these red envelopes and given at birthdays, weddings, and Chinese New Year. People will sometimes buy other gifts for these occasions. If it is for a child, they might give a toy or stuffed animal. Sometimes food is given as a gift, either having been cooked by the giver, or store-bought.

3On what occasions do Chinese people send gifts?

People send gifts mostly on birthdays or at Chinese New Year. These are the traditional times for gift-giving, but as many Western holidays and traditions are slowly becoming more popular in China, it is quite acceptable to give your friends a gift at Christmas, or your sweetheart a gift on Valentine’s Day. Even though some people may not know why different festivals are celebrated, they still enjoy the chance to show the people they care about how they feel.

4If you were going to give a present to a child, what would you give them?

Well, if it were a boy, I would get him a Lego set. The reason why I would choose a Lego set is that it is very fun and at the same time, it encourages creativity. If it were a girl, I would give her a glass doll. I would give this to her because most little girls like dolls, and if it were glass she would take better care of it and treasure it more because it could break easily.

5Do people give the same kinds of gifts to both boys and girls?

I think some people give both boys and girls the same kinds of gifts because they don’t know what to give, so they just get them the same thing. Other people may do this if two children are friends or siblings and the person doesn’t want them to fight over different toys, and if they have the same thing, they will be happy. Or people may not know that girls and boys like different things, so they don’t think about whether the gift they are getting is suitable for that child.

6Are expensive gifts always better than cheap gifts?

No, definitely not. A gift doesn’t have to be expensive in order to show care for the person receiving it. Often a very expensive gift can show that they were just buying something but not really thinking about what would mean the most to the receiver. This isn’t always the case, but I think that a cheap gift can mean just as much or even more than an expensive gift can.

19Do you think it is necessary for friends to give presents to each other?

No, it’s not necessary. It’s nice when friends give each other gifts, but there are other things you can do to show your friend your care. If someone is your friend, you shouldn’t expect that they will always get you gifts. True friendship is caring about the other, not looking for how much he can give you.

Vocabulary for Speaking Part 3

• Traditional: long-established
  Eg: She is fascinated by traditional outfits
• Treasure: keep carefully (a valuable or valued item)
  Eg: I treasure those memories
• Encourages: motivate
  Eg: My mother encouraged me to dance
• Siblings: sisters and brothers
  Eg: I love my siblings very much.

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