IELTS Speaking Test - Questions and Model Answers about Work, Libraries and Technology

Welcome to IELTS Blog.com Podcast! Join us to learn what questions the examiner may ask you in the Speaking test, and how to answer them. We are covering all the latest topics and questions from real exams. If you want to get a high score in the test, don't miss an episode! Hello! My name is Alison, and in the first part of the test I will be asking questions about yourself. What kind of work do you do? Well, I am a Software Engineer. In this role, I develop and maintain software applications th

at enable our customers to access our products and services. And why do you like working for your company? Honestly, working at my company is an incredibly rewarding experience because of the people-oriented environment we foster at the office. My colleagues and I, hold each other accountable to deliver great results. Our leadership team is always available for questions or feedback, allowing everyone to feel supported - even when things get tough. Is your company good to its employees? Absolute

ly! My employer continuously goes above and beyond, to ensure all the employees are taken care of, professionally and personally.Our compensation is fair, and we work reasonable hours. We also have good healthcare benefits and a generous amount of vacation days! Let's talk about libraries. Do you use libraries often? Yes, I do, I use libraries quite often. They are a great source of knowledge, especially when I'm researching for an assignment or a project. Libraries are also great places to rela

x and explore different topics without any pressure or expectations from others. On top of that, it's a great way to get away from the distractions of home, such as TV, the Internet, and video games. Are people in your country used to libraries? Yes, in my country, libraries have been around for as long as I can remember, they are definitely part of our cultural heritage. People refer to them fondly as 'public palaces' because they provide free access to knowledge, no matter one's background or

financial situation. What about children? Are children in your country using libraries a lot? Actually, no, I don’t think so. This is mostly because of the ever-increasing digital technology always at their fingertips. Many children now use their phones or tablets to access to a whole world of information and entertainment, from movies on Netflix to music streaming services and virtual games. These devices offer ease of access and a wide variety of content that libraries can sometimes struggle t

o keep up with. Do you think being a librarian is a tough job? I guess it is, because it requires so much dedication. Librarians must always stay up-to-date on the current trends in information technology. At the same time they need to make sure all patrons feel comfortable using their facilities, no matter their age group or intellectual level. It must take a lot of patience to help someone learn how to use the library’s resources, especially the digital ones, and they also have to provide quic

k service when asked to find something specific in the stacks! Now, in the second part of the test, I am going to give you a topic, and I will ask you to talk about it for one to two minutes. Here is your topic: Describe a piece of technology that you find difficult to use. You should say, when you got it, and what you got it for, how often you use it, and explain why you find it difficult to use. You can start talking now. Alright, so, I got a new fitness tracker about three months ago to monit

or my progress in becoming more physically active and staying on top of my health. I'd heard great things about this particular device, so I was excited to give it a try when I purchased it. This is why I was really disappointed when I found it surprisingly difficult to use. To begin with, setting up the device was more complex than I expected. There were multiple steps involved, and it took me longer than I expected to get everything configured correctly. The device was packed with features tha

t are intended to make tracking your progress easier and more effective, but ironically, navigating between them was too overwhelming and confusing at times. What's more, the app that comes with the device is incredibly user-unfriendly. Simple things like finding my way around the various menus were too complicated and time-consuming. I still try to use this fitness tracker every day, usually, first thing in the morning when I wake up, to help me get fit. But every time I make a mistake or forge

t how to switch a certain feature on or off, it becomes a hassle to figure out how to undo whatever I just did. On top of that, it sometimes refuses to connect to my device, and I usually only realise it at the end of the day. By that point, I've already lost all the data for the day! We've been talking about technology, and now, in the third part of the test, I would like to ask you a few more questions related to this. What technology products or technologies do people use now? Well, I think p

eople these days use a wide range of products in their daily lives, from smartphones, tablets, laptops, and smart TVs to wearable devices such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, and augmented reality glasses. Other popular technologies are voice-activated virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Home, and they can control everything, from our thermostats, to the locks on our front doors. Why do you think large companies often release new products? The main reason is in order to stay ahead of the

competition and capitalise on emerging trends in consumer behavior. Launching new products that appeal to the latest consumer taste or preferences can capture a larger market share than their competitors. Do you think people spend too much on technology these days? Yes, I think that people now rely heavily on their smartphones, laptops, tablets and other devices as essential tools for communication, entertainment, education and even work. Because of that, there is now this increased temptation

to upgrade existing products in order to remain productive and have access to the newest features that can help make tasks easier or faster. People also want to stay ahead of everyone in their social circles; nothing illustrates this better than having the latest smart gadget in the market. Do you feel that we rely on technology and devices too heavily? I think we do. We rely on technology and devices too heavily, because of the convenience and efficiency they provide. The problem this creates i

s our decreased attention spans and more distraction during work or study. So, on the one hand, technology saves us time and labour, but on the other hand we make more mistakes and take longer to complete tasks. Some people also find themselves at the risk of addiction to screens and watching meaningless content which wastes their time. How did technology change the society we live in now? Technology has transformed many aspects of modern life, from how we work and communicate, to how we shop. I

t is helping us access information instantly via search engines, and hold virtual meetings via video conferencing tools. We buy things online from retailers offering same-day delivery services, without even realising their websites are powered by algorithms which predict our wants and needs! That's all for today, but more episodes are coming! Subscribe to IELTS Blog.com Podcast and stay on top of the latest trends in the IELTS test!