Discussion IELTS Speaking Part 3 Cue Card Questions with Answers

I’m not an expert on the subject but I do believe that emissions from vehicles, airplanes, and ships are the biggest contributors of carbon dioxide to the environment. I also know that the USA and countries in the European Union are the biggest producers of CO2, along with China.

I feel pessimistic about the future because climate change is real, and even our grandparents speak about how winters are getting warmer. In Rajasthan too, the deserts used to be biting cold during winter but not any more. Governments of countries need to get their act together before things get out of hand.

The government needs to fully support renewable sources of energy. Housing societies should be encouraged to install solar panels on terraces so that people don’t use piped gas and electric geysers to heat water. The government needs to free itself from pressure from the oil and gas lobbies otherwise things will get really bleak for the next generation. They will not have clean water or air, and every natural resource will be privatized and chargeable.

People can start by buying only what is necessary and supporting local farmers and entrepreneurs. This would reduce dependency on imported products thereby reducing the need for fuel for transportation purposes. Also, we can start to carry our own shopping bags instead of asking shopkeepers for plastic bags. Private vehicle owners should stop clogging up the roads with their cars and try car-pooling with others.

Not really. The sidewalks are not well-maintained and it’s impossible for pedestrians to walk freely. They are uneven and many streets do not even have sidewalks. Street hawkers have occupied sidewalks and pedestrians have barely any space to walk through. It seems like city planners only take into consideration those with vehicles. This discourages people from walking because it is such an unpleasant experience.

In my opinion, important decisions ought to be made by a number of people in most cases. If you are making a decision, it is good to seek advice from friends or family. In more important matters, that affect a population for example, it can be dangerous to have one person with the power to make decisions for everybody.

It depends on the situation. Most people will consider the feelings of people close to them when they make life-changing decisions. You should think about the detrimental effect on others but in other situations that are important to you, you need to put yourself first. If you don´t you may resent not taking decisions that you really wanted to.

Yes, I think the problem is becoming more serious as we see extreme weather conditions happening all the time. For example, there have been severe floods and wildfires in many countries in the last few years. The heartbreaking thing is how much of the animal habitat is being destroyed.

I am certain that one of the more severe effects is the impact of human life on the planet such as pollution caused by cars and businesses, consumption of plastics and production of rubbish. Other contributing factors are probably the dumping of pollutants and chemicals into the oceans and the deforestation of the rainforests.

In my opinion, the governments of the world need to come together and make bigger commitments to reducing the impact. It is great that individuals are recycling and thinking about living a cleaner life, but whilst the big industries are polluting the air and seas, recycling is really a drop in the ocean compared to what needs to be done.

Absolutely! As I said, some large corporations are polluting more than the rest of the world put together. They should be given strict guidance to follow and when they break the rules the penalties need to be much harsher, it’s about setting an example and taking it seriously.

History provides insight into the way things used to be done, so that we can comprehend how we got to where we are now. Historic buildings must be preserved so that those lessons from the past are never forgotten, and so that we learn to appreciate what we have.

I am a proponent of preservation. New buildings should be built to adapt to more modern needs, however much depends on the definition of the word ‘historic’. If it is historic due to its importance in a moment or an era in history, then it should definitely not be replaced.

I believe that people are naturally curious, and have an innate desire to discover new knowledge. By visiting historical places, people are able to gain a visual explanation to how different generations and cultures lived before them. It subsequently increases people’s understanding of the world around them.

I believe that governments should pay for their maintenance, as they have a responsibility to nurture and care for their people, and that includes giving people access to knowledge. Historic buildings that are integral parts of the history of a culture, should be freely accessible to everyone.

I certainly will. Although, I will say, I think it will be a while before I try it again! I will need to ask Fred to train me so he can share all his wisdom with me. That way I can sharpen my skills and increase my chances for success!

In many cases, yes, but now always. Compare it to travelling. If you don’t know where you want to go, you can’t tell which road to take to get there. However, sometimes not knowing the destination can make us follow roads that lead exactly to where we needed to be.

While it is important to keep trying even when challenges arise, there are certainly some situations where the appropriateness of giving up is incontrovertible. If a person’s manager is so overbearing that the employee’s mental and physical health start deteriorating, I believe it is perfectly acceptable for them to quit.

Hard work is a quintessential component of success, but it may not be a wise use of a person’s energy and resources. If the goals aren’t clearly defined, or if the undertaken tasks are beyond the person’s capabilities, hard work will not suffice to produce the desired results.

Without a doubt, the main pollutant is the traffic. I believe that the fumes that come from cars are very contaminating and damaging to our health. Of course, human life and industry also contribute to the pollution levels and electric cars are changing the landscape of driving. We all need to do much more and call on the government to act.

In my opinion, it is a balance between government, industry and personal responsibility. We can all recycle our rubbish every day, but it is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed. We need to make big changes and hold the big industries accountable for pollution.

Of course they can always do more but I think the government has provided the systems for individuals to take personal responsibility for example recycling, waste reduction, electric cars. They could have more financial incentives to be green and they need to put a lot more pressure on the businesses to behave well, like using less plastic for example. Waste reduction is the tip of the iceberg and we need to deal with the fundamental problems.

It is true that a lot of production or factory jobs can be done by robots. Using robots in agriculture or production is quicker, cheaper and safer. I do not believe that robots can replace people, people have common sense and empathy and this cannot be simulated well.

For example, in car production the parts are made by machines and fitted by robots because it is a repetitive process that can be designed for robots. On the other hand, teachers cannot be robots as they need to care for children, show empathy and engage the children with personality and fun. I think we can have the best of both worlds by working with robots and humans.

The advantages are that robots can be more efficient because they can work faster and with absolute accuracy. They can do jobs that many people don’t want to do. On the other hand, the innovation in robotics and artificial intelligence is scary as we don´t want them to take over the world and become smarter than us.

I certainly agree with their principles, however, there are some subjects, such as veganism, by which I am not entirely convinced. I am more in agreement with vegetarianism, and I believe in the ethical treatment of animals. However, there are certain products, like cow milk, which are healthy for humans.

I am a big proponent of recycling, as I feel it is something that is certainly within my reach. I have bins for different materials I recycle. I try to avoid buying items sold in plastic packaging, as plastic causes so much harm to the environment and to sea creatures.

I absolutely do. It helps repurpose resources that are already in existence, rather than creating new materials that take decades to degrade, and which production causes pollution. The recycling of paper-based materials is so important to help prevent deforestation, an issue I am personally passionate about.

They can try to engage them through stimulating games and storytelling. I believe that most children have an inclination to show kindness towards others, and so explaining to them how to be kind to nature at a young age could help maintain such respectful attitudes later in life.

Yes it has. We do not buy in small shops, we prefer shopping malls or buying online. Of course, e-commerce is very popular these days, the offers are endless and our free time to go window shopping has been drastically reduced, so specially youngsters prefer buying things online rather than visiting physical shops.

Nowadays, electronic gadgets and clothes are bought more often. We book holidays, buy books and even do our everyday shopping using our mobile phones. Food and clothes, however, are very popular too in physical shops. Going shopping is unquestionably a social activity, we are humans and we do need socialising, so shopping will never be out of fashion.

Of course, packaging of retail items is becoming a serious environmental issue these days. Plastic involved in packaging is a non-biodegradable waste after it is discarded, thereby clogging our seweres and polluting seas and other water bodies.

In my view, pretty much everything can be recycled! We can give new life to old clothes by customising them into new items; we can turn old packaging paper back to life and re-use electronic items in new gadgets.

Certainly, it is getting more important as time goes by and society develops, for we do produce and use more and more items which should be recycled to prevent pollution. Environmental awareness at all levels is basic for the world we live in.

I really can’t say for sure, but I feel the consequences would be disastrous for the environment. The green house effect, for instance, is a main issue in this day and age, much more than it was years ago.

Recycling prevents materials from going into landfill. Also, as previously discussed, a lot of waste is simply dumped into sea and water bodies – recycling reduces these activities and saves marine life.

To be honest, that was a rare case for me. Some people in certain business seem be colder or less welcoming, but I wouldn’t consider their service ‘bad’. Some of my friends have had countless experiences of bad service, which makes me feel very fortunate!

I think that some people may have issues in their personal life, and they have a hard time separating that from their professional life. Other people may simply don’t care a rap for their job or the customers, which shows when they interact with them.

I believe it is circumstantial. In some cases, it is best to just leave, while in other cases, speaking to management or filing a formal complaint may be mor appropriate. It depends on the level of severity of the unsatisfactory service, and on the plaintiff’s personality.

Some people may not like confrontation, and deem it best to just avoid any arguments. They may not feel like they have the necessary confidence to stand up for themselves, nor a fair chance to win. Everyone reacts in different ways that match their personalities