IELTS Speaking Section Part 1, 2 and 3 - Talking about Weather

Rain -artwork by freeschool.id-

Part 1 - Talking about Familiar Topics

Weather

What kind of weather do you like the most?
I really like the rainy season, because rain always soothes me. The smell of wet soil and the sound of thunder rumbling from distance make me feel comfortable. I know some people may not like the rain that much, since they have to carry umbrella wherever they go and may find it difficult to do their activities like they always do. Everything is soaking wet and they have to wash their clothes and shoes every day. But I'm the kind of person who stays indoor most of the time, and I really like it when it rains.

Does the weather affect the way you feel?
Yes, it does. While the rainy season provides comfort and peace, the dry season in my country is extremely hot. I live in a tropical country where it is hardly possible to walk outside in the daylight without getting your skin burnt. I sweat a lot and usually becomes more easily irritated. Well, I'm actually a very calm person, except when the weather becomes extremely hot, then I may become a little bit more hostile. Things become even worse when I have to go outside riding a motorcycle, because it means that I have to wear jacket, shoes, gloves, and mask to protect myself from the sunlight.

Do people like the weather in your country?

Most people always find a way to enjoy the weather, no matter how annoying the heavy rain or extreme heat could be. During the dry season, people can do outdoor activities. The rainy season is the perfect time for staying at home, reading books or watching movies.

Do the kinds of outside activities people do in your country change when the weather changes?

Yes. People tend to avoid outdoor activities during the rainy season. For example, people who like doing exercise would rather go to the gym or practice yoga, things that can be done indoor. In the dry season, people go jogging, or playing tennis. Well, basically, they can do whatever they want during the dry season. The only problem is the extreme heat that may burn their skin and severe dehydration that may come along with it.

What jobs can be affected by different weather conditions?

Construction industry is definitely  the kind of job most affected by weather condition, especially if the construction workers have to work on the roof, which means that they have to work in open space. When it rains heavily, it may be too dangerous to work in construction site, so the project may have to be postponed indefinitely. Construction industry is a very risky job, and it becomes even riskier when there is an inclement weather.

The same goes for dry season, I suppose. It's tough to work in construction site during the dry season. People get exhausted pretty quickly when the weather is extremely hot. I mean, roofing in the daylight when the temperature hits 47 degree Celsius is definitely not the kind of job that people want to do.

How important do you think it is for everyone to check what the next day’s weather will be?

It's quite important to see the weather forecast if you have an important meeting next day, like when you have to attend a job interview or when you want to go on a date. In the rainy season, it is more likely that someone will come to an appointment late, and here is why it happens.

So, in my country, the most common transportation is motorcycle. It is more preferable to ride a motorcycle because you can take alternative routes and avoid congestion. However, riding a motorcycle is definitely not the first option during the rainy season, because there's a possibility that it will rain and your clothes will be soaking wet. Even if you wear a raincoat, your shoes will still get wet. If you happen to wear suite, or any formal clothes, the rain will definitely be a nightmare.

Most people would rather drive a car during the rainy season. Because there are too many people driving their private cars, the road becomes more congested and it will take much more time for you to get to your destination. So, you either have to check the weather forecast and to go as early as possible, or risk coming late to a meeting. This happened to me several times, so I'm quite familiar with this situation.


Part 2 - Self-Presentation (Cue Card)

Inclement Weather

Describe an occasion when the weather prevented you from doing something

You should say:

When it was

Why did the weather prevent your activity

What you did

Explain how you felt about it.

When it was

This happened a long time ago, but I'm still pretty upset about what happened. So, one day, a friend of mine wanted to go to a concert of a local band, and she wanted me to accompany her. I am not a big fan of that local band. The reason why I wanted to go to that concert was because I was going to attend the concert with this friend, and I sort of liked her. She is smart and funny and we have been talking on social media for months, so, I thought it would be more fun if I met her in person and got to know her better.

Why did the weather prevent your activity

The concert was held during the rainy season, and right before I picked her up, it started raining heavily. At that time, I didn't think it would be a good idea to attend a concert when it rained. We had to stand among the crowd and since it was an outdoor concert, it would be extremely uncomfortable because everything would get wet, and cold. There would be dirty mud and puddles in the venue. The last time I attended a concert in the rain, I was busy protecting my phone and camera from the rain instead of enjoying the concert, so, I was rather hesitant to go to the concert at that time.

What you did

Not wanting to make my friend disappointed, I decided to text her, telling her that I would pick her up. I would let her decide whether or not we should go to the concert. She then told me that there was a thunderstorm and heavy rain where she lived. She lived in different part of the town and the weather there was pretty alarming. Her parents did not allow her to go to the concert, so she cancelled it.

Explain how you felt about it.

I was pretty upset and relieved at the same time. If the concert were held indoor, it wouldn't have been much of a problem. I really wanted to go with her at that time, and I was all excited when she asked me to accompany her to the concert. So, it was pretty upsetting. On the other hand, I also felt relieved knowing that I wouldn't have to attend a concert during the inclement weather, because I had had bad a experience from the previous concert.


Part 3 - Discussion

How Weather Is Changing

Do people from your country talk about weather when they meet for the first time?

No, people don't really talk about weather here. If they want to strike up a conversation with a stranger, it is more likely that they will ask about their job, like what do you do for living? Where do you work? How long have you been working there? Weather is simply not a good conversation starter here.

What are some of the worst things that may happen during a bad weather?

Damaged property, power outage, and accident are some of the bad things that happen during an inclement weather. The worst thing would be the loss of life, like when there is a road accident or people who get struck by a lightning. Heavy rain can trigger landslide, so natural disaster is another thing to worry about. Drought and lightning can spark a bushfire.

Do different parts of your country experience different types of bad weather?

Based on my experience living in different parts of the country, I can say that different regions have their own weather problem. When I was a child, I live in a mountainous area, with the typical forest and harsh terrain. During an inclement weather, people were really concerned about the possibility of landslide or torrential flood.

I also had an experience living in a very dry area. The long drought is a serious problem there, especially for farm community. It is difficult to get clean water and you have to buy several jars of water for drinking and washing.

Do you think bad weather can ever be dangerous?

Of course, it can be very dangerous at times. Recently, my town saw a very strange phenomenon. It rained heavily, but it was an icy rain. What I mean by icy rain here is like solid ice cubes falling from the sky. The icy rain continued to wreck havoc for several days and had caused significant damage to several properties. My roof was damaged, and so were other houses in the neighborhood. People were scared and stayed at home most of the time because of the icy rain. I mean, it would be really hurt if your face was hit by ice cubes the size of a tennis ball falling from the sky. Well, because of the global warming, the mother nature has been acting weird lately.

Do you think there is anything that we can do to prevent bad weather?

I'm not really sure if anything can be done to prevent bad weather. But I think geo-engineering has been used to create artificial rain. This is done by the government when the long drought is threatening the farm community. The authority will create artificial rain to prevent damaged food crops and the possible food scarcity. I don't know how it's done though. I only saw it in the news, and the news only depicted the aircraft used to create artificial rain, but did not explain how the geo-engineering thing is carried out.

Do you think the world's weather or climate is changing?

Yes it is. The weather becomes less and less predictable these days. We often have heavy rain during dry season. Temperature can sometimes hit a record-high during a rainy season, which is weird. The distinction between rainy season and dry season used to be very clear, but now the weather patterns become extremely strange and more chaotic.

IELTS Speaking Section Part 1, 2 and 3 - Environment

- Where is home - artwork by freeschool id

IELTS Speaking Section Part 1 - Talking about Familiar Topics

Trees

Do you like trees? 

Yes I do like trees. There are so many advantages that we get from trees. I live in a tropical country, and trees provide a shade for pedestrians, protecting them from the sunburn. Almost every part of a tree is beneficial for human. The wood can be used to make furniture, paper, and lumber. The leaves of certain trees can be used for making dyes. Trees produced sap used for making rubber. Even the green waste of a tree is useful, as it can break down into humus that makes soil more fertile.


Are there many trees in your hometown? 

Yes, there are so many trees in my hometown, especially in the wooded areas. Some of this wooded area has become teak plantations protected by the government. My hometown is well-known for its high-quality teak. For a reason of sustainability, teak is strictly regulated. We even have a certification for teak, which ensures the sustainable process of harvesting, transporting and selling teak. 


Do you think there are enough trees in urban area?

No, there are not enough trees in cities, and this is one of many reason why we have environmental problems like pollution, flooding, and land subsidence. More and more trees are being cut down for the sake of establishment. We now have more malls, apartments, and skyscrapers than trees.

The local government has put a lot of effort to plant more trees and build city parks. Trees in urban area are usually marked with white and blue paint, which means that they are protected by the law. Cutting them down is illegal. There will even be a serious legal consequence if someone is damaging these trees. Even cutting their branches will require certain permission from the local authority. So, I can say that some local governments have taken serious measures to protect the environment.


What are the benefits of planting more trees? 

There are a lot of benefits of planting trees, and I'll try to explain some of them. First of all, trees can improve the air quality, since it absorbs carbon dioxide and produces oxygen. Trees also prevent erosion and help stabilize the soil. The leaves and the branches help reduce the impact of strong wind and provide a shade during the dry season. Some trees also produce fruit that can be consumed or even sold. My parents plant tropical fruit like mango, snake fruit, jicama and papaya in their backyard. They also use every available space for planting spices and herbs. Sometimes, the kitchen garden produces abundant crops so some of them is sold to small vendors.



IELTS Speaking Section Part 2 - Self-Presentation (Cue Card)

Pollution

Describe the environmental pollution in your city. 

You should say: 

What type of pollution it is

Why it happened

What are the effects of this pollution

Explain how can this pollution be controlled

What type of pollution it is

In my city, the water is extremely polluted. Well, the air is a little bit polluted as well, but the government has taken some serious measures to reduce air pollution. The farm also has problem with oil degradation, but it is not that severe compared to the pollution level of water, especially the surface water.


Why it happened

This happens because there are a lot of industries located in the upstream, such as lumber mills, that dispose their industrial waste in the river. Besides industrial waste from lumber mills, the water is also polluted by agricultural waste, since there are many rice fields and tobacco plantations located near the river bank. The chemicals used in agriculture, such as fertilizer and pesticide have become a serious problem, especially in the downstream. The city is yet to have a good water treatment, so there is a lot of household chemicals like detergent being disposed to the river. Sometimes, people who live near the river simply throw their garbage to the river, so we can see plastic bottles and plastic bags floating here and there.

What are the effects of this pollution

I think there will be short-term effects and long-term effects of such pollution. Well, since the water is highly polluted now, it will be unsafe for the people to swim in the river, leave alone drinking the water. Garbage floating in the river definitely becomes an eyesore. There are also some long-term effects of water pollution. First of all, the polluted water flowing through the river will end up in the sea, and it could potentially threaten the life of many marine species. Water pollution, air pollution, and soil pollution can also affect the health people, considering the amount of hazardous chemicals from both industrial and domestic waste. 


Explain how can this pollution be controlled

There have been some efforts taken to reduce pollution in my city. However, most of them are not so effective and are often ignored by the people, mainly because of the lack of awareness. Many people still live in poverty, so telling them to stop littering won't be an ultimate solution. People are more concerned about their livelihood, rather than environment. In my opinion, there has to be a stricter regulation for those who dispose waste in the river, and there have to be serious consequences for those who violate the rules. Industry will have their permit revoked by the authority if they cannot comply with the regulation. Individuals who throw garbage in the river will have to pay a fine. This will not only raise people's awareness, but also force everyone to have a sense of responsibility and to do real actions to save the environment. Seriously though, empty jargon like save the mother earth, life is better with trees, or be a part of the solution, not part of the pollution won't do any good unless we have a clear regulation. Raising people's awareness may be effective in developed countries, but not in my city.



IELTS Speaking Section Part 3 - Discussion

Environmental Problems

What is the most serious environmental problem in your country?

Recently, the country is having a serious problem with forest fire. The fire is usually caused by illegal logging and palm oil plantation. People clear the vegetation by burning the forest. The slash-and-burn method sometimes goes wrong and the fire becomes out of control. It could be worse during the dry season because the fire could erratically spread to other areas, including protected forest areas.


Are people concerned about environmental issues in your country?

In the case of forest fire, yes, people are very concerned. The destruction of such natural habitat also threatens some exotic animals like orang utans and tigers, some of which are already on the brink of extinction. There are some cases of elephants attacking villages or destroys farms. The villagers are clearly not the ones responsible for this, but they have to deal with the problem because some wild animals run away from their habitat and consider these people as a threat. We can't blame the animals either, they don't attack humans for no reason.

The locals are not the only ones being concerned about this. The forest fire also becomes the concern of international community, since the haze could sometimes reach neighboring countries. The haze disrupts daily activities and compromises the health of the citizens. The constant exposure to the haze can cause serious respiratory illness.

Have the people put enough effort in solving environmental problems in your country?

No, they haven't. This is why forest fire still becomes a serious problem. In most cases, the perpetrators are being punished, but the companies that hired them to clear the land may just get away with it. These companies should get their permit revoked and pay the damage caused by their illegal practices. The people in general can't do much to prevent forest fire, because they don't have the power and resources to do such thing. However, they can urge the government to take these matters more seriously.


As an individual, what can they do to help solve environmental concerns?

As I said, the people can't do much when it comes to dealing with environmental issues like forest fire. Some conservationists may try to save endangered animals, relocating them to different parts of the forest. Some others may express their concern by protesting. Authorities will try to stop the fire from spreading. 

Some people may try some preventive actions too. There are more and more people who recycle their waste, reduce the use of plastic, and replace plastic bottles with re-usable water bottle. Well, people also reduce the use of paper because they know that paper is made of trees. The more paper they waste, the more trees are being cut down.

Do you think young generations are more aware of environmental issues?

Yes, young people are more aware of the environmental issues because they are now witnessing the devastating impacts of illegal logging, pollution, chemical waste, and many other issues related to the environment. Older people do not have the same level of awareness because in the past, the impact of environmental issues might not be as concerning as what we feel these days. For example, the town where my father used to live as a child was forested areas surrounding a farm community. But now everything has changed, and all he can see now are paper mills, lumber mills, factories, and all the waste that come out of them. Knowing this, now he has a lot of reasons to be worried.

Extreme weather, resource depletion, the extinction of animals and plants, flood, landslide and other natural disasters, disease that seem to appear out of nowhere, all these things make the young people aware of what have been done wrong by their previous generations and of course, they become more concerned about the environment.