Part 1: Introduction and Interview
Topic 1: Hometown
E: Let’s start by talking about your hometown.What kind of place is your hometown?
C: My hometown, Shanghai, is a vast, modern metropolis. It’s famous for its skyscrapers, busy financial district, and its rich blend of Eastern and Western culture. It is an incredibly fast-paced and dynamic city.
E: What do you like most about your hometown?
C: What I like most is the convenience and efficiency. Because it’s such a large, well-developed city, you can find almost anything you need at any time, and the public transportation system is exceptional, which makes getting around very easy.
E: Is there anything you dislike about it?
C: The main thing I don’t like is the traffic and the crowds. During rush hour, the city gets so congested that sometimes I just feel like getting away from all the noise and pollution for the weekend
Topic 2: Accommodation
E: Now, let’s talk about where you live.
E: Do you live in a house or an apartment?
C: I currently live in an apartment. It’s on the 10th floor of a fairly new high-rise building, which is quite common in a city like Shanghai.
E: Which is your favorite room in your home?
C: That would definitely be the living room. It has a large window that lets in a lot of natural light, and it’s where I spend most of my free time reading or just relaxing on the sofa.
E: If you could change one thing about your home, what would it be?
C: If I could change one thing, I would add a small balcony. My current apartment doesn’t have one, and I would love to have a little outdoor space to keep some potted plants.
Topic 3: Weekends
E: Let’s move on to weekends.What do you usually do on the weekends?
C: My weekends are usually a mix of relaxation and social activities. On Saturday mornings, I often go to the gym, and in the evenings, I usually meet up with friends for dinner. Sundays are reserved for quiet time, like reading or studying.
E2: Do you think it is important to have a lot of free time on the weekends?
C: Yes, I do. I believe it’s essential for mental well-being. The working week can be quite demanding, so having that dedicated time to recharge and pursue personal interests is crucial for maintaining a good work-life balance.
E: What are you going to do next weekend?
C: Next weekend, I’m planning to visit a new art exhibition that just opened downtown. My friend is a painter, and she highly recommended it. I’m really looking forward to seeing some contemporary art pieces.
Topic 4: Learning English
E: Finally, let’s discuss learning English.Why are you learning English?
C: I’m learning English because it allows me to explore ideas and knowledge globally. Many books, research, and online resources are in English, so understanding the language opens up a lot of opportunities for learning and personal development
E: What do you find most difficult about learning the language?
C: I think the most difficult aspect for me is mastering the idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs. They often don’t translate literally, so you just have to memorize them and learn their context, which can be challenging.
E: What is the best way to practice speaking English?
C: In my opinion, the best way to practice speaking is to immerse yourself as much as possible. This means speaking with native speakers, watching English-language films without subtitles, and trying to think in English rather than translating.
E: Thank you, That is the end of Part 1.
Part 2: Individual Long Turn
E: Now we move on to Part 2. I’m going to give you a topic, and I’d like you to talk about it for one to two minutes. Before you speak, you’ll have one minute to think about what you’re going to say, and you can make some notes if you wish.
E: Here is a card for you.
(The examiner hands the candidate the cue card and a piece of paper and pencil.)
Cue Card:
Describe a successful person you know.
You should say:
- who this person is
- what this person has achieved
- how you know this person
- and explain why you think this person is successful.
E: Your minute for preparation starts now.
(Candidate prepares for 1 minute.)
E: All right. You can start speaking now.
C: I’d like to talk about one of my professors at university, Professor Lin, who I consider an exceptionally successful person. She was my academic advisor during the last two years of my degree, so I got to know her quite well through regular one-on-one meetings to discuss my thesis and future career plans.
Professor Lin is an expert in Artificial Intelligence and has achieved a lot in her field. She led a research team that developed a cutting-edge image-recognition algorithm, which was later adopted by several major tech companies. In addition, she has written textbooks that are now widely used by students across the country.
But I don’t think her success is only about her academic achievements. What really impresses me is how she mentors and inspires her students. She always takes the time to listen carefully and offer advice tailored to each individual, helping many students — myself included — find direction and build confidence. Despite her busy schedule, she never makes us feel like a burden, which I find truly admirable.
I think she is successful because she combines professional excellence with a positive influence on others. For her, success isn’t just about awards or breakthroughs; it’s about the difference she makes in the lives of her students and colleagues. She also manages to maintain a balanced personal life, which I believe is the ultimate mark of a truly successful person.
Part 3: Two-way Discussion
E: We have been talking about a successful person you know, and now I’d like to ask you a few more questions about this topic
Discussion Topic: Success and Achievement
E: What qualities do you think a person needs to become successful in modern society?
C: I think success in modern society requires a blend of both hard skills and soft skills. On the hard skills side, people definitely need adaptability and a continuous desire to learn, as technology and industries are changing so fast. But perhaps more importantly, they need soft skills like resilience—the ability to recover from failure—and strong communication skills to collaborate effectively in diverse teams. A strong work ethic is still necessary, but now it has to be paired with emotional intelligence.
E: Do you think people who achieve success are happier than those who don’t?
C: That’s a complex question, but I would argue that not necessarily. External success, like wealth or status, can certainly provide comfort and opportunities, but it doesn’t guarantee genuine happiness. I think happiness is more closely tied to internal factors, such as having meaningful relationships, a sense of purpose, and overall mental health. There are many successful people who are under immense stress, and conversely, many people in simpler jobs who feel very content and happy with their lives.
E: Is it more important to enjoy the process of work or to just focus on the final goal?
C: While having a clear goal is necessary for direction, I personally believe enjoying the process is more important. If you only focus on the final goal, the daily grind can become tedious, and you might easily burn out. When you find satisfaction in the steps you take—the learning, the small wins, and the challenges—the work itself becomes rewarding. Furthermore, sometimes the final goal changes, so if you haven’t enjoyed the journey, you might feel like you’ve wasted your time. It’s the small, daily moments of satisfaction that sustain motivation.
E: In what ways do you think technology has changed the definition of success in work?
C: Technology has fundamentally changed the definition of success. In the past, success was often tied to seniority, fixed positions, or specialized knowledge that changed slowly. Now, technology has created a premium on agility and digital literacy. Success can be achieved much faster, sometimes by very young people, by creating a single, disruptive app or a popular social media platform. It’s less about years of service and more about the speed and scale of your impact through digital means. Also, success is now often defined by one’s personal brand and online visibility.
E: Do you think the definition of success is the same across different cultures?
C: Not really. I think cultural values shape how success is perceived. For instance, in some Western countries, success is often associated with individual achievement, financial independence, and personal recognition. In many Eastern cultures, however, success may be more closely tied to family, social harmony, or contributing to the community. Even within the same society, different generations might prioritize different aspects of success. So it’s very much context-dependent, and what one person sees as success might not matter at all to someone from a different culture or background.
E: How important is luck in achieving success?
C: I’d say luck does play a role, but it’s often overemphasized. Being in the right place at the right time or having opportunities you didn’t create yourself can give someone a head start. However, I believe that preparation, persistence, and the ability to capitalize on opportunities matter much more in the long run. Many people are “lucky” at some point, but without the skills, mindset, and determination to act on that luck, it doesn’t usually translate into sustained success. In other words, luck might open the door, but hard work and strategy determine whether you actually walk through it.
E: Thank you. That is the end of the speaking test.
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