Describe an environmental problem that has been in the news.

  You should say

 when this was

 where the event happened
 what actually took place

and say how you felt about this problem.

Definitions

 air quality: the cleanliness of the air we breathe

 to become extinct: to no longer exist
 to be under threat: to be in danger of becoming extinct
 climate change: the change in worldwide weather patterns
 to die out: see ‘to become extinct’
 endangered species: categories of animals or plants that are in danger of becoming extinct
 energy conservation: the careful management of energy resources to ensure they last as long
as possible
 environmentally friendly: behaviour and products that do not harm the environment
 exhaust fumes: the toxic gases given off by vehicles powered by petrol
 flash floods: floods that happen quickly
 fossil fuels: energy resources like gas and oil that are produced deep below the ground over
millions of years
 future generations: the people who live after us
 to get back to nature: to live a life that is closer to nature
 global warming: the increasing temperature of the world brought about by gases such as
carbon dioxide
 heavy industry: the manufacture of heavy articles and materials in large numbers
 humanitarian aid: the act of showing support to people struggling to survive
 impact on: the effect on
 loss of habitat: the decline in areas of land where animals and plants would normally exist
 man-made disaster: widespread damage or loss of life brought about by the action of humans
 natural disaster: an event such as an earthquake,  flood or hurricane which causes
widespread damage or loss of life
 natural environment: the place where animals and plants would normally be found in nature
 the natural world: the world of nature
 oil spill: waste usually deposited in the seas and oceans after an accident at sea
 poaching: to hunt and kill wild animals illegally
 pollution levels: the amount of toxic waste
 pressure group: a group of people who try to raise awareness of issues and try to affect the
views and actions of people and organisations
 toxic waste: poisonous, unwanted rubbish often produced by industrial processes
 wildlife conservation: to protect animals and plants and their habitats
Describe a time when you bought something for someone. You should say

 when this was

 what is was you bought
 who you bought it for

and say how you felt about buying it for them.

Definitions

 advertising campaign: a series of advertisements to persuade people to buy something

 big brand names: large well-known companies or product names
 to be careful with money: to not over-spend
 carrier bag: bags (usually plastic) supplied by shops
 customer service: the degree to which customers are treated well
 to get into debt: to owe money
 to give someone the hard sell: to put pressure on someone to buy something
 high street names: well-known shops
 independent stores: small shops independent of large companies
 local shops: community shops
 loyalty card: a card issued by a shop to allow customers to save money on the basis of what
they spend
 must-have product: a product that is very popular that a lot of people want to have
 to be on a tight budget: to have a limited amount of money to spend
 to be on commission: to pay someone in relation to the amount they sell
 a pay in cash: to pay for something using coins or paper money
 to pay the full price: to pay the full amount for something
 to pick up a bargain: to buy something much cheaper than the normal price
 to run up a credit card bill: to owe money on a credit card
 to shop around: to try different shops to find the best deal
 shop assistant: the person who serves customers
 to shop until you drop: to do a lot of shopping
 to slash prices: to reduce prices a great deal
 to snap up a bargain: to buy something quickly that is being sold cheaply
 summer sales: a period in the year when things are sold cheaply
 to try something on: to see if an item of clothing fits or is suitable
 to be value for money: to be worth the cost
 window shopping: to visit a store to look at items without the intention of buying anything
Describe a song you like to listen to. You should say

 what the piece of music is called

 how long you have liked it
 when you like to listen to it

and say why you like it so much.

Definitions

 adoring fans: people who love a particular band or singer

 background music: music that is played while something else is happening
 a catchy tune: a song that is easy to remember and makes you want to sing it
 classical music: music that is regarded as part of a long, formal tradition
 to download tracks: to obtain music from the Internet
 to have a great voice: to sing well
 to go on tour: to go on a planned series of performances around a region or country
 a huge following: a large number of fans
 live music: music that is listened to while it is performed (not recorded)
 live performance: (see live music)
 a massive hit: a record that sells lots of copies
 a music festival: music performances at a venue often over several days
 musical talent: skilled at music
 to be/sing out of tune: to not be in harmony/to sing the wrong notes
 a piece of music: an item of music
 to play by ear: to play without reading the musical notes
 a pop group: a small group of people who play or sing pop music together
 to read music: to understand and follow written musical notes
 a rock band: a group of musicians that play rock music
 to sing along to: to join in singing
 a sing-song: to sing informally, often with other people
 a slow number: a song with a slow tempo
 to take up a musical instrument: to begin learning a musical instrument
 taste in music: the music someone likes
 to be tone deaf: to be unable to distinguish the different notes in music
Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy.
You should say

 what the place is called

 where the place is
 what the facilities are like

and say why visitors might enjoy going there.

Definitions

 boarded up shops: shops that are no longer doing business

 chain stores: well-known brands with shops in multiple cities
 to close down: to stop doing business
 fashionable boutiques: fashionable clothes shops
 to get around: to travel around
 high-rise flats: multi-story apartments
 inner-city: the central part of a city where people live and where conditions are often poor
 in the suburbs: the outer area of large towns and cities where people live
 lively bars/restaurants: bars or restaurants with a good atmosphere
 local facilities: local buildings or services serving the public
 multi-story car parks: car parks on several floors
 office block: a large building that contains offices
 out of town shopping centre/retail park: large shopping centres outside of the town or city
 pavement cafe: cafes with tables outside on the pavement
 places of interest: buildings that have a particular interest for visitors
 poor housing: housing that is not in good condition
 public spaces: areas in a town or city that are open to the public
 public transport system:  public vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at regular times on
fixed routes
 residential area: an area where people live
 run down: old and of a poor standard
 shopping centre: an area consisting of multiple shops
 shopping malls: large indoor shopping centres
 sprawling city: a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area
 tourist attraction: a place of interest to tourists
 traffic congestion: heavy traffic making it difficult to move around a town or city
 upmarket shops: expensive fashionable shops
Describe a person whose appearance you like. You should say

 who this person is

 what their relationship is to you
 what they look like

and say what it is about their appearance you like.

Definitions

 to bear a striking resemblance: to look very similar to

 cropped hair: very short hair
 disheveled hair: untidy hair
 to dress up to the nines: to dress very smartly or glamorously
 fair hair: light-coloured hair
 to be fair-skinned: light skinned
 to get done up: to dress smartly
 to be getting on a bit: to be getting old
 to go grey: to have hair that is turning grey
 to be good looking: to be attractive
 to grow old gracefully: to act in a way that embraces the fact you are getting older
 to be hard of hearing: to find it difficult to hear
 in his/her 30s/40s: to be 20/30 something
 scruffy: dressed untidily
 to look young for your age: to look younger than you are
 to lose one’s figure: to have a figure that has lost its toned shape
 complexion: natural skin colour and texture
 make up: cosmetics
 medium height: average height
 middle-aged: approximately between 45-65
 to never have a hair out of place: perfectly styled hair
 to be overweight: to weigh more than is regarded as healthy
 pointed face: the opposite of a round face
 shoulder-length hair: hair that comes down to the shoulders and no further
 slender figure: a figue that is tall and slim
 slim figure: attractively thin
 thick hair: a lot of hair
 to wear glasses: to use spectacles
  to be well-built: to be muscular
 to be well-turned out: to look smart
 youthful appearance: to look young

Describe a teacher you once had who you enjoyed being taught by. You should
say

 who this person was

 when they were your teacher
 which subject they taught you

and describe what it was about their character that you liked.

Definitions

 to be the life and soul of the party: a fun person, someone who is the centre of activity
 to bend over backwards: to try very hard to help someone
 broad-minded: prepared to accept other views or behaviours
 easy-going: relaxed and not easily worried about anything
 extrovert: an energetic person who likes the company of others
 fair-minded: to treat people equally
 fun-loving: to enjoy having fun
 to hide one’s light under a bushel: to hide one’s talents and skills
 good company: enjoyable to socialise with
 good sense of humour: the ability to understand what is funny
 introvert: someone who is shy
 laid-back: see ‘easy-going’
 to lose one’s temper: to suddenly become angry
 narrow minded: opposite of ‘broad-minded’ (see above)
 painfully shy: very shy
 to put others first: to think of others before yourself
 quick-tempered: to become angry quickly
 reserved: shy
 self-assured: confident
 self-centred: thinks only of oneself
 self-confident: believes in one’s own ability or knowledge
 self-effacing: to not try to get the attention of others (especially in terms of hiding one’s skills or
abilities)
 to take after: to be like (often another member of the family)
 thick-skinned:  not easily affected by criticism
 trustworthy: can be trusted
 two-faced: not honest or sincere. Will say one thing to someone to their face and another when
they are not present.
Describe someone you know who dresses well. You should say

 who they are

 how you know them
 what kind of clothes they wear

and say why you like the way they dress.

Definitions

 to be on trend: to be very fashionable

 casual clothes: not formal
 classic style: a simple, traditional style that is always fashionable
 designer label: a well-known company that makes (often expensive) clothing
 dressed to kill: wearing clothes that attract admirers
 to dress for the occasion: to wear clothes suitable for a particular event
 fashionable: in fashion
 fashion house: a company that sells (usually expensive) new styles in clothes
 fashion icon: a person who is famous for their sense of fashion
 fashion show: an event where modals show off the latest in fashion designs
 to get dressed up: to put on nice clothes, often to go out somewhere special
 to go out of fashion: to not be in fashion any more
 hand-me-downs: clothes that are passed down from older brothers or sisters to their younger
siblings
 to have an eye for (fashion): to be a good judge of
 to have a sense of style: the ability to wear clothes that look stylish
 the height of fashion: very fashionable
 to keep up with the latest fashion: to wear the latest fashions
 to look good in: to wear something that suits you
 to mix and match: to wear different styles or items of clothing that aren’t part of a set outfit
 must-have: something that is highly fashionable and therefore in demand
 off the peg: clothing that is ready made
 old fashioned: not in fashion any more
 on the catwalk: the stage that modals walk along to show off the latest fashions
 a slave to fashion: someone who always feel the need to wear the latest fashions
 smart clothes: the kind of clothes worn for a formal event
 to suit someone: to look good on someone
 to take pride in one’s appearance: to pay attention to how one looks
 timeless: something that doesn’t go out of fashion
 vintage clothes: clothes from an earlier period
 well-dressed: to be dressed attractively