Speaking Day 2
Part 1 — P1-03 Secondary school
P1-03-01
Do you remember the first day you went to secondary school?
Your answer:
Yes, I remember deeply. Because the first day to secondary school, all my classmates were with their parents. But I was on my own to go to school.
Revised version:
Yes, I remember it very clearly. On my first day of secondary school, most of my classmates came with their parents, but I went to school on my own. That’s why the experience really stuck in my mind.
P1-03-02
were there any subjects that you found difficult at secondary school?
Your answer:
I think physics was the most difficult subject in my secondary school. It has many abstract concept to understand. It’s really difficult for me.
Revised version:
Yes, I found physics the most difficult subject in secondary school because there were so many abstract concepts to understand. I sometimes struggled to understand them, so physics was quite challenging for me.
P1-03-03
what was your favorite subject at high school?
Your answer:
My favorite subject is Chinese. I learned many beautiful words and poetries. I can feel the great emotion from ancient famous Chinese writer.
Revised version:
My favorite subject was Chinese. I learned a lot of beautiful words and poems, and I especially enjoyed reading works by famous ancient Chinese writers. I could really feel the emotions they expressed in their writing.
P1-03-04
is there anything you miss about it?
Your answer:
I miss the happy times spent with my secondary friends and I miss the beautiful playground in my school. And also I miss most is that the vibe or atmosphere that people can concentrate or focus only on study without any other pressure.
Revised version:
Yes. I miss the happy times I spent with my friends and the beautiful playground at my school. What I miss most, though, is the atmosphere because we could just focus on studying without having to deal with the pressures of adult life.
Part 1 — P1-04 Paper
P1-04-01
Have you made any crafts with paper?
Your final answer:
When I was young, I like to make paper craft such as plane, frog.
Revised version:
Yes. When I was young, I liked making paper crafts, such as paper planes, paper frogs and paper tower. I used to make them quite often for fun.
P1-04-02
what did you like to do with paper as a child?
Your final answer:
When I was a child I liked to play with paper crafts and I would wrap gifts with colorful paper to my friends.
Revised version:
When I was a child, I liked making paper crafts. I also used colorful paper to wrap gifts for my friends, especially on special occasions.
P1-04-03
do you still write physical letters?
Your final answer:
I haven’t written handwriting letters for many years because nowadays people frequently use messages applications or emails.
Revised version:
No, I haven’t written physical letters for many years. Nowadays, I usually use messaging apps or email because they’re much more convenient.
P1-04-04
do people still keep handwritten letters today?
Your final answer:
I believe more and more people are using email or electronic devices to communicate with each other instead of handwriting letters, but I believe there’re still somebody would prefer to use handwriting letters such as gift card or New Year’s card.
Revised version:
I think most people use email or messaging apps instead of handwritten letters nowadays. However, some people still prefer handwritten cards for special occasions, such as birthdays or New Year.
回答跑题了，下面这个可能是更合适的回答
Yes, some people still do, especially older generations or anyone who sees letters as keepsakes rather than just messages. In my family, my mum still has a small box of handwritten letters from relatives and friends because they feel more personal than emails or texts. That said, among younger people it’s becoming quite rare, since most of us just keep photos or chat histories on our phones instead.
P1-04-05
Do you carry paper and pens with you when you go out?
Your answer:
No, I never carry pens or papers with me because I always note something down by my cell phone.
Revised version:
No, I don’t usually carry paper or pens with me because I just use my phone to take notes. It’s much more convenient for me.
Part 1 — P1-05 Fruits and vegetables
P1-05-01
how often do you eat Fruits and vegetables?
Your final answer:
I eat fruits and vegetables every day even I don’t very enjoy it.
Revised version:
I eat fruit and vegetables every day, even though I don’t always enjoy them. I know they’re good for my health, so I try to include them in my daily diet.
P1-05-02
where do you usually buy Fruits and vegetables?
Your final answer:
I always buy them in online apps because it’s convenient and saves my time.
Revised version:
I usually buy fruit and vegetables through online shopping apps because it’s convenient and saves me a lot of time. I can have everything delivered directly to my home/by my door.
P1-05-03
what kind of fruits and vegetables do you dislike?
Your final answer:
I don’t like sour fruits and fruits with many peels, and I also dislike juicy fruit. It can be messy.
Revised version:
I don’t really like sour fruits or fruits with thick peels. I also dislike extremely juicy fruits because they can be quite messy to eat.
P1-05-04
were there any kind of Fruits and vegetables You disliked as a child?
Your answer:
When I was a child, I didn’t like green vegetables. It’s difficult for me to swallow.
Revised version:
Yes. When I was a child, I didn’t like green vegetables at all. I couldn’t cut the fibers of the green vegetables with my teeth. So it was difficult for me to chew them, instead I just swallow them. And the common situation was that half was in my mouth and another half stuck at my throat.
Yes. When I was a child, I really disliked leafy green vegetables. They were so stringy and fibrous that I couldn’t chew them properly, so I just used to swallow them instead. Quite often half of it would still be in my mouth while the other half got stuck in my throat, which felt pretty awful.
P1-05-05
do people in your country like planting Fruits and vegetables?
Your final answer:
Most people don’t like it as a job because it is low income job. But someone would like to grow it for fun. Like my mom and grandma.
Revised version:
I think it depends. Most people probably wouldn’t want to grow fruit and vegetables as a job because it can be hard work with a relatively low income. However, some people enjoy growing things at home for fun. For example, my mom and grandma really enjoy doing that.
Part 1 — P1-06 Politeness
P1-06-01
How did you learn to be polite as a child?
Your final answer:
My parents told me to be polite. When I was in school teachers reinforce it.
Revised version:
My parents taught me to be polite when I was young, and my teachers reinforced it when I started school. So I learned basic manners from both my family and school.
P1-06-02
Do you think being polite is very important?
Your final answer:
I think being polite is very important, because no one wants to talk to rude guys and being polite will help us to build good relationship with strangers.
Revised version:
Yes, I think being polite is very important because no one wants to talk to someone who’s rude. Being polite also helps us build good relationships with other people, especially strangers.
P1-06-03
On what occasions should we be polite?
Your final answer:
Formal occasions need to be polite. But when we with our close families and friends we can be relaxed. But still respectful.
Revised version:
I think we should be especially polite on formal occasions. When we’re with close family members or friends, we can be more relaxed, but we should still be respectful.
P1-06-04
what did you do to show your politeness?
Your final answer:
I hold doors for people and let them go first.
Revised version:
I usually show politeness through small everyday things. For example, I hold doors open for other people and let them go first, especially when we’re getting into a lift. When I’m driving, I also look out for anyone who gets carsick — I accelerate and brake more gently so they don’t feel dizzy.
Part 2 — P2-004 Describe a popular person
You should say:
- Who this person is
- What kd of person he or she is
- When you see him/her normally
- And explain why you think this person is popular
Your main ideas:
You described Jing, your university roommate and close friend. You talked about his appearance, his outgoing and easygoing personality, his strong academic performance, his interest in tennis, badminton and table tennis, and why both teachers and students liked him.
Because you’ve already graduated, we changed most of the university experiences into the past tense.
Revised ~2-minute version:
I’d like to describe a popular person from my university. His name was Jun, and he was one of my close friends and my roommate.
He was of medium height, with sharp features. He was very easygoing and outgoing, so most people found it easy to get along with him. He also did really well at university and often got good marks.
He was really into sports as well, especially tennis, badminton and table tennis, so I often saw him on the playground. Since we were roommates, I used to see him almost every day in our dorm. We often played computer games, talked about our life as university students, and sometimes went out to exercise together.
I think he was popular mainly because of his personality. He was generous, sociable and always willing to make new friends. At the same time, he was good at both studying and sports, so a lot of people admired him. Both teachers and students enjoyed talking to him.
Although we’ve now graduated, we’re still friends. That’s why I remember him as one of the most popular people I knew at university.
Part 2 — P2-005 Person who really likes taking photos
You should say:
- Who the person is
- When and how you got to know him/her
- Where he/she takes photos
- And explain how you feel about him/her
Your main ideas:
You described Ying, whom you met about three years ago through your cousin. She’s attractive, outgoing and sociable, and enjoys photographing city streets, clubs and natural scenery. You then added your distinctive Ma Liang comparison.
Revised ~2-minute version:
I’d like to describe a friend of mine who really likes taking photos. Her name is Paris. She’s a very good-looking girl with a great personality. She has beautiful eyes and a cute face, and she’s quite tall. She’s also very outgoing and sociable, so she can easily make friends and build good relationships with people, even when she meets them for the first time.
I first met her about three years ago through my cousin. She was originally my cousin’s friend, and that’s how we got to know each other. After that, we gradually became friends.
She really enjoys taking beautiful photos, and she does it almost everywhere she goes. For example, she likes taking photos on modern city streets, in lively clubs and, of course, in places with beautiful natural scenery, such as mountains or places where she can watch the sunrise.
My cousin always calls her “Ma Liang,” who is a character from a traditional Chinese story. He had amazing painting skills, and whatever he drew would come to life. I think her photography skills are kind of like that because she can make ordinary places look vivid and beautiful in her photos.
In my eyes, she’s a very energetic, friendly and creative person. Through her photos, I can also feel her strong sense of beauty and her love for life. That’s one of the reasons why I really enjoy being friends with her.
Part 2 — P2-006 Famous person being interviewed
You should say:
- Who the famous person was
- What the interview was about
- When and where you watched the interview And explain how you felt about the interview
Your main ideas:
You described an interview with Lauren Tan, an AI developer. You watched the roughly 55-minute interview on YouTube about three weeks ago. She discussed AI agents and the future challenges developers might face. What impressed you most was how relaxed, fluent and professional she appeared.
Revised ~2-minute version:
Recently, I watched a famous person in the field of AI being interviewed. Her name is Lauren Tan, and she works as a developer at xAI. I think she may be a team leader or manager now. She is Asian and currently works in the US. In the interview, she had long hair and wore glasses, and she looked quite confident and professional.
The interview was mainly about AI and software development. She talked about how developers could use AI agents more efficiently and what kinds of challenges developers might face in the future. Since I’m interested in this field, I found the topic quite relevant and useful.
I watched the interview about three weeks ago on YouTube. It was around 55 minutes long, so it was quite a detailed interview. She shared a lot of useful information and explained her ideas in a way that was easy to understand.
What impressed me most was how relaxed she seemed throughout the interview. She was able to express her opinions fluently and clearly, even when talking about complicated technical topics. I was deeply impressed by both her communication skills and her professional insights.
Actually, while I was watching the interview, I started imagining myself in the same situation. It made me wonder whether one day I could be as relaxed and confident as she was when speaking in public. So for me, it wasn’t only an interesting interview about AI; it also gave me some motivation to improve my own communication skills.