Expert Answers for IELTS Speaking Part 2 Activities Questions

1. what type of book it was
   I’m going to talk to you about a book I read called “The Little Prince” by a French author called Antoine de Saint Exupery. Although it is a children’s book, it carries a poignant message to adults as well. It was written originally in French and is one of the world’s most translated books after the Bible.
2. who recommended it to you
   My mother, who was a French teacher, gifted me this book on my sixth birthday. I remember falling in love with those innocent and child-like illustrations that I would copy onto my art book.
3. why you decided to read it
   As a child, I would read anything my mother gave me. I’ve read this gem well over 100 times up until now. As a child, I used to feel this sort of vicarious pleasure while reading it, and imagined myself as “The Little Prince” traveling from one planet to another, taking care of a beautiful but selfish and vain rose flower. I lent the book to my best friends and aunts and uncles too.
4. and explain why you enjoyed reading this book.
   Well, I was a bit of a dreamer as a child, and I loved the part where the Prince travels to different worlds, and makes friends with sheep, foxes, and a rose flower that all speak. The book is full of memorable quotes such as “What is essential is invisible to the eye”, and “You become forever responsible for what you have tamed.” My mother used to tell me that if I decided to keep a pet turtle or a dog, I would be forever responsible for it, and could never tire of it and stop caring for it. I strongly recommend “The Little Prince” to all adults who have grown disillusioned with life.

I am going to talk about an arts and craft activity that I did at school when I was about 11. We were tasked with making a robot out of household rubbish we had collected at home. So for a few weeks, my family collected tins, cereal boxes and plastic containers for the project. We had to wash them well first and leave them to dry. I was working with a couple of pupils in a team. We collated all the materials together and were given things like glue, string and paints to help the construction.

First, we drew a diagram of how we wanted the robot to look. We could use a large cardboard box for the body, tins for the arms and legs and a plastic bottle for the head.

We put everything into positions and used glue, string and sellotape to stick it together. We needed all three as it wasn’t as easy as it looked getting on the parts to stay in place. Once it was glued and dried we painted it and made eyes and facial features. To be honest, it looked a total mess but we didn’t know that at the time. We were proud of our robot but it didn’t come first out of the class, another team won the contest. I enjoyed the task, I still enjoy making things now. I´m not sure what happened to it after, it certainly didn’t end up in my house, maybe my parents didn’t want it.

I am going to talk about my childhood talent of singing. When I was about 8, I joined a theatre group; a club for amateur actors. The group practiced and performed plays at the local theatre and I had to sing and dance and wear different costumes. At the audition, I sang a song and at the end the judges clapped so it must have been quite good. As I got older, I practiced singing more and would sing at family parties and weddings. Every day I would practice singing at home. When I was a little bit older my parents paid for me to attend a singing lesson every week. This is when I learned how to sing better notes and in tune. I went every week for about two years and then for some reason lost interest and didn’t pursue the ambition to sing professionally. I left the theatre group after several years as I started to feel self conscious about performing in front of people.

Nowadays, I sing occasionally at karaoke or in my own home. As an adult, it is far more daunting to stand up in front of a crowd. I have a passion for music and enjoy listening to live music and groups. My family was never musical so I am not sure why I am, most of my family are tone deaf. I am sure in the future I will gain more confidence to sing in public.

I am going to talk about an activity that wastes a lot of my time. I spend far too much time looking at my phone, scrolling through Facebook and posting pictures on Instagram. I waste hours sometimes when I could have been studying or spending time with friends. I spend the most time on my phone in the evenings and before I go to sleep. I know this can’t be good for my brain as I often find it difficult to settle. As soon as I wake up in the morning, I check my phone immediately. I think it is addictive and I have got used to checking it all the time and now I´m hooked. Sometimes I don’t even know I am picking up my phone but I have an app that tells me that I spend in excess of 3 hours a day looking at my phone. I use social media to keep in touch with friends and family so that is the advantage. However, the downsides are that you waste time looking at other people’s lives and comparing your own. I am going to try and cut down in the next few weeks and slowly wean myself away from the screen. I would be better off studying or going out to do some exercise in those hours. I think social media use can increase unhappiness also so I really want to take it more seriously and get off my phone.

I am going to talk about surfing. I have only tried surfing once as I live in a city very far from the coast but I was lucky enough to have a few surfing lessons last year in Cornwall, a town in the south west which is very popular with surfers. I saw lots of people doing it on the beach last summer and joined a group where we picked up the basics together. First we had to practice the moves on the sand and once we had achieved that we were able to go into the sea. I really underestimated the skills and balance it takes to stay on the board for even a few seconds. I was constantly falling off and having to get back on. My sister did the classes too and she was much better than me, she is a more naturally sporty person and can turn her hand to most things. Anyway, after a while I got the hang of it and managed to stay on for a minute or so at a time. I enjoyed it because it is quite a cool-looking sport and to be able to say ‘I can surf’ is a really good thing. It was also really good exercise as you have to use all your muscles to balance. I would like to have another go when we are next at the seaside but living so far away, it won’t be something I take up as a hobby.

1. What was the name of the game?
   I am going to talk about a game I used to play as a child. It was called ‘one, two, three, freeze!’ The rules of the game were very simple. One player turns their back to a row of participants standing at one end of the room, counts to three, then says ‘freeze!’. During counting the other participants make their way to the counting player. When they hear the word ‘freeze’, they must stop moving. The counting player turns around, and anyone who fails to stand still, loses! It was one of my favourite indoor games, as I never really got tired of playing it!
2. Who did you play it with?
   Whenever someone suggested playing that game, I was very prompt to volunteer myself to play. My parents would often take the initiative and start the game, but my siblings did that, too, sometimes. I have fond memories playing that game with my family. The volumes of our shouts and laughter would escalate quite quickly. That’s how you knew people were enjoying themselves!
3. Was it a popular game in your country?
   I am not sure just how popular the game was, but I know that my close friends were familiar with it, because they would play it with me when they came over to my house. It is a game that requires no preparation whatsoever, so it could be that more people were aware of it at the time.
4. Why did you like that game so much?
   I remember the game being quite thrilling as a child. The challenge of winning the game sparked a sense of competitiveness in me. I kept asking to play more and more rounds to hone my skills. I think it was a wonderful bonding opportunity with my family. It was an opportunity for us all to share a moment of pure joy, and it felt like it was really bringing us closer together.

1. What activity was it?
   I am going to talk about an activity I had organised, and which unfortunately did not go according to plan. The activity involved going to the west coast of Australia with some friends. The whole trip required a lot of driving, and we wanted to cut corners where possible. We therefore decided to use one car for all of us instead of using individual cars, take turns driving every few hours, and pitch in equally when paying for gas.
2. Why did you plan this activity?
   We are a very close-knit group of friends, and none of us had had a holiday in a while. As a result, I thought it would be a good idea to travel together. I was the one with the least amount of holiday available, and so my friends decided to delegate the responsibility of planning to me, so that I could make the most of my time off of work.
3. Why did it not go according to plan?
   The plan was to stop at a hotel overnight half way through the trip, so that we didn’t drive too many hours at once. The plan looked good on paper, however, I did not think to take the car to the garage prior to the trip. Unfortunately, my tires went flat after only a few hours of driving! Luckily, there was a garage nearby, where the mechanic also noticed that my oil level was very low. We all agreed it was best to fill two needs with one deed, and we got both of those issues fixed. This delayed our trip plans a little, but we decided not to cry over spilt milk and made it to our destination, where we had a ball!
4. What would you do differently if you were to plan it again?
   If we ever do something similar again, I would make sure to have the car checked and to include spare time for potential hiccups along the road!

1. What or who was the story about?
   I am going to about a story I was told when I was young about showing kindness to others. Once upon a time, there was a young lady who was very poor. She could barely get by and feed herself. She only had one goat, which gave her milk, and she was only able to make bread once a week. One day, she walked in the market and could hear her stomach growling. Suddenly, she saw an apple on the ground. She grabbed the apple, and that’s when she heard crying coming from a little hungry girl. The lady smiled at the girl and gave her the apple. A few days later, the lady’s goat passed away. The young lady decided to go towards the market, to see if anyone could help her. There, the little girl was walking with her parents. When she saw the lady, they all walked towards the lady hastily, and thanked her. The young lady was forcing a smile and the family could see hunger in her eyes. To thank the young lady for helping the child, the parents not only purchased her food, but also offered her a job on their farm.
2. Who was the storyteller?
   This story was told to me by my nanny. She was a very kind and wise lady. I have very fond memories of her. She would tell me a story every single night.
3. Why do you remember this story?
   Although, she told me many stories, but this one stood out because it helped me realise how much a simple act of selflessness could change people’s lives for the better.
4. How do you feel about the story?
   I find this story truly heart-warming. It is so simple yet so relatable and hopeful. It is a story I am more than happy to share with others in hope to inspire them as it did me.

1. When did you go on a walk?
   I am going to talk about the longest walk I have ever been on. I went on that walk just over two years ago, in the summertime, where the weather was delectable and ideally suited for such physical activity.
2. Where did you go?
   The walk was in the Smoky Mountains. I decided to follow numerous trails which amounted to 15 miles altogether. The trails took me though bountiful forests but also lovely streams. I love to see bodies of water in nature and those were certainly delightful additions to the experience. It was my first time visiting the Smoky Mountains but I had been meaning to do so for years.
3. Who did you go with?
   I actually went on this walk with my closest friend who is nuts about walks and nature, like me. When I asked him how he felt about hiking on the Smoky Mountains, he jumped at the opportunity to join me. He was as ecstatic to see all the sights as I was. We have been on many walks together, but never on such a long one!
4. How did you feel about this walk?
   I am so glad that I decided to go on that walk. It was certainly real challenge, but the benefits outweighed the costs, for sure. Both my friend and I were over the moon experiencing that walk. We took our time to enjoy every bit of it, and I am so very happy about my decision to be accompanied on this adventure while I enjoy going on walks on my own, there are times where the experience is made so much more special when it is shared.

1. What sport is it?
   I am going to talk about a water sport I would love try out someday. My water sport of choice is scuba diving. It requires going to the depths of seas and oceans and allows people to explore the living world beneath the surface. Such activity can offer marvellous sights.
2. Where will you do this activity?
   I hear that Belize is a top-notch location for scuba diving. I have friends who tried it out and they highly recommended that location to me. Some of the told me they even swam with sharks! This might be a little bit too outside of my comfort zone, but I am happy to experience swimming around other marine creatures.
3. Is it an easy or difficult sport?
   It is quite a challenging sport, as it requires working with muscles that do not normally get used on land. Under water, you have to fight against gravity, and you need to train your muscles to prepare for such activity to help when practicing this sport. Nonetheless, I hear that the benefits largely outweigh the costs, as scuba diving is an incredibly enriching exercise.
4. Why would you choose this particular sport?
   I am very curious about this sport, because it is an unusual sport that does not always come to mind. I love to spend time near water, and I can only imagine being able to explore the world inside it! I have also always had a fascination for fish and other beings that live underwater, and so seeing them first hand must be an unforgettable adventure. I am a little nervous about trying it, but I have a feeling it is something I would really enjoy.

1. What kind of activity is it?
   I am going to talk about an activity I enjoy doing alone, which is jogging. I enjoy jogging very much, come rain or shine.
2. How frequently do you do this activity?
   I go jogging every morning before work. I am an early bird, and I set my alarm for a quarter past five in the morning, so that I can get ready for the jog. There is a nice trail about a ten-minute run from where I live, and it is the one I take most of the time. I am ready to begin jogging by five forty-five. It may sound nuts or way too early for some people, but, at that time, the roads are clear of almost any traffic, and all you can hear is the chirping of the birds. In the winter, a beautiful mist hangs about on the streets, which is a sight I very much appreciate.
3. Why do you enjoy this activity?
   I enjoy jogging, because I feel very accomplished when I get back. I feel ready to face the day and all the challenges it may have to offer. I find that, after a jog, I am more alert and optimistic about the day ahead. My job as a manager can sometimes be stressful, however, through jogging, I am able to release any negative energies prior to the beginning of my work day. It often has a huge impact on the way I tackle issues at work. I often find myself better prepared to face the problems head on, which helps solve them more quickly and efficiently. It goes without saying that there are fantastic physical health benefits to it as well. I am aware this may not be the ideal type of physical exercise for everyone, but it works like a charm for me.