IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 and 3 - Traffic and Accident

IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 and 3 - Traffic and Accident






IELTS Speaking Part 1 - Talking about Familiar Topics
Traffic

How bad is the traffic in your country?
The traffic is pretty bad here, especially in major cities. During rush hours, we can see cars and motorcycles flooding the street. In my country, motorcycle is the most common mode of transport because it is cheaper. Riding motorcycle also enables us to travel much faster because we can take alternative routes to avoid congestion. However, this strategy doesn't really work in metropolitan cities, where alternative roads can no longer accommodate the sheer number of vehicles. Congestion can be much worse during an inclement weather or long holiday season.


What are the main causes of congestion?
Congestion occurs for various reasons. The most obvious reason is the growing number of private vehicles and the lack of transportation facilities like roads or public transport. In some cases, congestion can also be caused by inclement weather, accident, or road construction.


Are there a lot of private vehicles in the street?
Yes, and the number keeps increasing due to the better economic condition. People who used to live in poverty have turned into a middle class that can afford private vehicle. There have been some efforts to reduce congestion, like improving public transport, building more roads, raising the price of petrol or even raising tax on private vehicles. But, car ownership keeps rising because transportation has become an important part of people's life these days. People from the upper-middle class have higher mobility and they tend to choose private modes of transport because it is more convenient than taking public transport like bus or train.


How do most people commute to work in your country? 
Most of them are riding motorcycle because motorbikes are much more affordable and consume less gas compared to cars. If you ride a motorcycle, it will be much easier to find a parking place. The parking fee for motorbikes is also much cheaper. Besides, motorcycles have better maneuverability which helps riders avoid congestion.


How do traffic problems affect you?
It affects me in so many different ways. Because of the traffic, I need much more time to go to and from work. Sometimes, people stuck in a traffic and come late to work, which often puts them in a serious trouble. During peak hours, riding a motorcycle can be extremely exhausting. By the time we arrive at home, we will be extremely tired. Traffic also affects people's mood so very often, and they may get a little hostile due to stress and exhaustion. Bad weather makes driving experience even worse, especially for a motorcyclist like me. There will be puddles of water everywhere, I'll be soaking wet, there are a lot of road bumps or potholes that make it dangerous to drive at high speed, and there will always be reckless car drivers who splash water all over me. It only takes me thirty minutes to commute to work, but traffic can ruin my entire day by prolonging the journey to one hour and a half.


What do you do to deal with the traffic problems?
Most of the time, I will just avoid the main roads. I know my way around the city and I ride a motorcycle, so finding alternative routes would be much easier for me. I also have a habit of going to my destination half an hour earlier, just in case I get stuck in traffic and can't make it there on time.



IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Self-Presentation
Traffic Accident


Describe a minor accident that you had in the past
You should say:

Where and when did it happen?

What was the cause of the accident?

How did it happen?

What do you feel about the accident?



Where and when did it happen?
I had a little mishap when driving home from work one time. It happened a year ago, as I was driving in one of the alternative roads in my city. I was trying to avoid congestion in the main road, so I took the risk of taking alternative routes that usually have potholes.

What was the cause of the accident?
The accident was mainly caused by bad weather and potholes in the street. However, I have to admit that I also made a mistake by taking alternative routes and neglecting the weather condition. It was quite risky to take that route because I was riding a motorcycle in the middle of the rain, having a low visibility. As an experienced rider, I should have known better.

How did it happen?
Well, I was not speeding or anything, since it was raining and the road was slippery. But, there were some potholes in the street, and they were covered by puddles of water. My front tire hit a large potholes and lost its grip. I fell off the bike and busted my elbow because I wasn't wearing full protective gear, just helmet, vest and gloves. Luckily, there wasn't any cars coming from behind me, because they might run me over if they were driving at high speed. I lay down for a while to make sure that there's no broken bones or anything. When I was sure there was no serious injury, I got up and quickly killed the engine and pushed my bike to the side of the road. 

What do you feel about the accident?
I was shocked, of course. As my body was slammed on the paved road, I frantically looked around, fearing that a car might run me over from behind or anything. I crawled to the sidewalk because my legs were trembling uncontrollably. When I already recovered from the shock, I got up, I pushed my bike to the side of the road and tried to calm myself down. I later found out that my elbow was bleeding. My trousers, jacket and shirt were ripped off and I got some bruises all over my legs. Apparently, I was thrown off the bike so hard, I actually hurt myself pretty badly. The bike was sliding for several meters before stopping, and this was indicated by scratches all over the fairing. My front brake lever was tangled but I could fix it later. The accident not only resulted in physical injury but also cost me a lot of money to fix the bike. I was traumatized a little bit but thankfully the accident did not stop me from riding a motorcycle. It was just a bad luck and I definitely learned my lesson.  



IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Discussion
Driving Safety

What are the main causes of road accidents?
In many cases, road accidents are caused by reckless and distracted drivers, those who don't bother looking at the side mirror before changing lanes, nor using blinker before turning. Accident can also be caused by people who are going through the red light, or driving while texting. These are the most stupid reasons to have an accident because they are actually quite preventable. There are other factors that can cause an accident, such as vehicle malfunction, weather,  and other factors. However, these factors are less likely to become the reason why an accident happens and drivers normally do not have control over such factors. For example, a deer that suddenly crosses the street as someone drives at high speed can make them panic, swerve to right or left before crashing the vehicle into a tree or separator. Nobody knows a deer will suddenly appear in highway or anything, so we cannot blame the driver entirely because they only have control over the wheel, not the deer. Accident can also be caused by malfunction in vehicle, but this can be prevented by regular check and maintenance.

Do you think it's safe to ride a motorcycle?
It depends on who's on the bike. I have been riding motorbike all my life and everything is just fine for me and others because I'm always vigilant when riding a motorcycle. The only time I had an accident was when there was an external factor causing me to lose control over my bike, that is the potholes in the street. I don't ride a motorcycle carelessly just to look cool, and this is what bikers should do, especially when they ride a sports bike. Having a 1000cc bike without the right skill, mentality and self-control will only result in somebody getting hurt or killed.

Who should be responsible for road accidents?
It depends on who is being reckless. People will easily blame motorcyclist or car drivers for an accident, but we should realize that anyone who does not adhere to traffic regulation can also cause an accident, including pedestrians. For example, if I ride a motorcycle at 90km/h and suddenly there is some random person jaywalking, then I will have to make a quick decision. I can just hit the brake abruptly with a risk of having a fatal accident and possibly hurting myself or I can just try to slow the bike as much as I can with a risk of hitting the pedestrian. Either way, there's always a risk being involved, and it is more likely that I will have to take the blame despite the fact that I don't brake any rules.

What do you think of drink driving?
Well, I live in a country where drinking alcoholic beverage is often frowned upon and as far as I know, there are not so many accident involving intoxicated drivers here. If drinking itself is a big no no in this country, then leave alone driving while you are drunk. It can get you into a real trouble because it's illegal and somebody may get hurt or killed, so I'm definitely against it.

What loses do you think can occur when an accident happens?
The worst thing that can happen is the loss of life. People can be badly injured or even disfigured. If you get hurt, then you have to pay for the medical bills, and not all people have health insurance here in my country. We also have to pay a lot of money fixing our car or motorcycle if it is broken, so there's a financial damage too. In some cases, we will have to pay compensation for someone else's car damage. So, we better think of all the risks and loses resulted from an accident before doing anything stupid as a driver.

What can we do to reduce road accidents?
To prevent road accident, we have to be a responsible driver and stay vigilant. We also have to lower our ego when driving, because ego can make us do things without thinking, which is a perfect recipe for disaster. People who are proven guilty in road accident will face legal consequences, so we have to put this in mind and make sure that we always abide by the law and traffic regulations.

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IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 and 3 - Newspaper


IELTS Speaking Part 1, 2 and 3 - Newspaper


IELTS Speaking Part 1 - Talking about Familiar Topics

Reading Newspaper

How often do you read newspaper?

I read newspaper almost everyday. The newspaper is provided by a coffee shop that I frequently visit, and customers can read it for free. However, since the pandemic hit the country, I can no longer go to the coffee shop and cannot read the printed newspaper anymore. So now, I read online news instead.


Do you prefer reading online news or printed newspaper?

I used to read printed newspaper a lot because it sort of became a habit, and I am the kind of person who always sticks to a routine, especially in the morning. But now, online news has become a new normal for me. Luckily, the paid subscription of some online news platforms has been waived during pandemic. There are also some online news platforms that we can access for free. Other than reading online news, I also watch documentaries on youtube and watch news on TV.


What kind of news do you usually read?

I read various news on newspaper, from economy to politics, from local news to international news, from a car accident that happened in my city to a political turmoil that's happening in a foreign country. I skip sport and entertainment news on occasion, but I still read news about the recent sporting events or recent movie release when I feel like doing it. I rarely read news about celebrities, if not at all.


How do people in your country get their news?

Pretty much the same way I get my news, I suppose. One thing that may be quite different is that there are more and more people getting news on social media these days. Mainstream media have social media channel and they often broadcast news there. There has been a growing number of citizen journalism too, meaning that some of the news that appears on social media is written by ordinary people like me. The news does not always appear in textual form though, because we can also find video footage, or photos explaining an event that took place somewhere and was documented by someone who happened to be nearby. I don't use social media very often, so I rarely get my news from there.


Do the people get their news the same way as they did in the past?

No, they don't. In the past, people get their news mainly from television. It was the most convenient way to get the latest news because there wasn't much effort required to understand what the anchor said whereas reading a newspaper would require a lot more energy and focus. People liked to just sit down and relaxed while listening to the news. Now, there is a wide range of information sources, from printed newspaper to online news, from television broadcast to online podcast. People also put much more effort to get the latest news these days. As the household income is rising due to better economic condition, people are willing to spend some money on paid subscription or buy a data plan to access online news. In the past, people would rather spend their money on food, housing or other primary needs.


How does news affect the society in general?

People now become more critical and outspoken because they have access to information and become more well-informed. In the past, not so many people in my country understood how government's policy could affect them, so they just went along and wasn't really aware of what's going on. Even if they had something to say, people wouldn't dare saying it because we were ruled by an authoritarian government. People who were brave enough to express criticism would either be dead or missing. There was no free press nor free speech until the authoritarian government was overthrown by the people in 1998, which marked the end of the New Order regime. Nowadays, government's policy is watched closely by the people and the media. Media has become an effective means of communication for the government, but it can also be people's way of questioning their decision and criticizing them openly. Free press also benefits the nation economically, I guess. Investors wouldn't take a risk investing their money in a country with no good governance, ease of doing business and transparency. They wouldn't be willing to deal with the inept and corrupt government either, which was the reason why the country was impoverished in the first place. With media transparency, the country can gain more trust and thrive.


IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Self-Presentation

Latest News

Describe the latest news that you read

You should say:

What is it about?

Where do you read the news?

Why is the news important to you?

Explain why you find it interesting


What is it about?

Recently, I read a lot of news about natural disaster that happens in my country, ranging from torrential flood to landslide. The government has warned the people about the extreme weather that currently hits the country and that it may cause disasters. 


Where do you read the news?

I read this news mostly on digital platform. Besides online articles, there are also video footage of people losing their home because of the disaster. There is a video footage of people asking for help because they were trapped in the middle of a flood.  


Why is the news important to you?

The news becomes very important to me because I realize that the disaster can bring destruction and misery. There may be some casualties, which is the worst case scenario that we can think of. Victims are suffering from hunger and illness. We haven't been able to deal with covid19 and the economic downfall resulted from the recent virus outbreak, and the disaster will make it even more difficult for the people to recover from the devastating impact of the global pandemic. The disaster will also make it hard for the authority to curb the spread of the virus because people may lose their homes to the disaster and will have to live in a shelter. If there is no enough shelter, then people will live in cramped tents, which is not a good idea during the pandemic. This is just my concern, but I'm really hoping that it's not going to be that bad


Explain why you find it interesting

I follow the news regarding the bad weather and disaster because it is extremely alarming with pandemic still ravaging the country. There was a huge earthquake in the eastern part of the country in 2018, and people tried to help by donating money, food, or clothes. I didn't have much money to help, but I could still be a blood donor back then. Now that we have a pandemic, donation and blood donor become extremely difficult because there will be a strict health protocols that have to be followed. Some people also have financial difficulties so they may not be able to give much to help. I don't know if this is actually the case, but I'm really worried about the current situation, which is why I always follow the updates on the recent natural disaster.


IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Discussion

News

Do people in your country always follow the latest news?

Yes they do, especially when the news concerns an event that will directly affect them or their livelihood. For example, many people always try to get the most recent updates on covid19 pandemic, paying attention to the fatality and infection rate in their region, and following the latest update on the  policies taken by the government because they will have to adhere to it. Social media makes it possible for the people to find the most trending news through hashtags, like the ones that we can find on twitter. Youtube has recommended videos, which works pretty much like headlines in newspaper.


What do you think of showbiz and entertainment news?

Sometimes they can be informative and entertaining. I often follow updates on a new movie release or the launching of a new album by talented musicians. However, entertainment news can also be extremely annoying at times. Sometimes it covers a domestic conflict of a celebrity, which has nothing to do with the interest of the public. The media coverage is often used by celebrities to gain fame and is full of sensational made-up stories which no one actually cares about. I personally think that there should be a clear difference between personal domain and public domain.


Do you think news can be misleading sometimes?

Yes, it can. There are a lot of fake news on social media, and this is extremely dangerous because it can lead to confusion, distrust or even actual conflict. News that appears on mainstream media can also cause paranoia during a stressful moment like global pandemic, even though the news is actually legit. For example, there was a lot of bad news concerning covid19 pandemic, which made people become extremely paranoid. People started stockpiling stuff from the store, which led to shortages. Luckily, the government was able to assure the people that panic buying was unnecessary at this point, and that some products would spoil if kept for too long.


Which do you think is more important? Local news or international news?

Both of them are important, but I myself always prioritize the local news. We have to be aware of what's happening around us, so that we can take precautions, make the right decision, and take actions. International news is also important because things that happen in other countries can have a snowball effect. For example, the covid19 outbreak started from one country and managed to spread to other countries, disrupting global supply chain and in turn, also affect my country in some ways. For instance, factories find it extremely difficult to manufacture their product because certain parts have to be imported from other countries.


Do you think government has the right to censor the press?

No, they don't, at least in a democratic country. Free press is one of the most important components of democracy, and becomes a tool for the people to express their thought freely. In some cases, people can even express dissent or distrust toward the authority, and this is actually an important feedback that enables government to evaluate their works. However, some people manage to control media for their personal interest or political agenda. I'm not saying that all media is full of vested-interest, because there are still some media that are independent and trustworthy. I have to point out the fact that certain media corporation actually has an affiliation to a political party, making it hard for them to become neutral, leave alone being reliable.


What do you think of the fact that in some countries, news is highly controlled by the government?

In a democratic country, government should not have absolute control over the media, although it becomes a common practice in certain countries with authoritarian regime. As for my country, I can say that people have better access to information these days. In the past, there was no technology that enabled them to get the latest news, so people relied heavily on media run by the government. There was only one national television channel, and only few people actually had television set. 

The fact that news was handled by the government was not entirely bad considering the political instability of that era. The world was in the middle of the cold war, and the country was forced to take sides, whether it wanted to align to communism or western liberalism. Even the slightest misunderstanding among different factions in the volatile society could ignite a nationwide conflict. The national TV somehow made it possible for the authority to give a linear information and minimalize conflicting interests, which is not entirely bad. The problem emerged when media became a tool for government's propaganda. Instead of serving the public's interest, the media ended up being a way to maintain the power of the authoritarian regime.



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