How would you anser this IELTS cue card about a shop near where you live?
What types of music do you like to listen to?
It’s quite varied really, sometimes I like to listen to pop music and other times I like to listen to movie soundtracks or instrumental music.
I guess it depends on what I’m doing or how I’m feeling, for example, if I’m feeling energetic I’ll probably listen to some high-energy music or something with a good beat to get me going.
On the other hand, if I’m driving or maybe even reading I’ll listen to something more relaxing, maybe some nice instrumental music because I find it helps me concentrate.
At what times of day do you like to listen to music?
I usually listen to music throughout the day, on and off, but I suppose the longest period would be when I’m traveling to work because the journey is almost an hour there and another hour returning at night – and listening to music helps pass the time.
Other times of the day when I normally listen to music would include when I go to the gym to train and sometimes before I go to sleep because it helps me to relax.
Did you learn to play a musical instrument when you were a child?
No, I didn’t. It wasn’t something I was interested in. My parents wanted me to learn how to play the piano but I preferred to do sports and eventually they realized that my interests lay elsewhere.
My brother and sister both play instruments, so I guess I’m the odd one out in my family – but I don’t believe that I have any musical ability. Oddly though, they are terrible at sports but I’m really good at anything physical like that, so in a way I guess we balance each other out.
Do you think all children should learn to play a musical instrument?
It’s not something which should be compulsory, but I do believe that every child should have the opportunity to learn how to play a musical instrument and discover if they have a talent for it – or not.
It’s important that children discover the things they’re good at and develop those skills rather than being forced to do something they’re not really interested in doing. But it’s certainly not necessary for every child to learn how to read music and play it.
Describe a shop near where you live that you sometimes use.
You should say:- what sorts of products or services it sells
- what the shop looks like
- where it is located
And explain why you use this shop.
Sample Answer
Okay, so there’s a small, store, a convenience store about 5 minutes from where I live at the moment.
I use it almost every other day. It sells the usual sort of things such as food, toiletries, candy, alcohol, cigarettes, and lots of other things you might need.
It’s actually really well stocked; there’s not much they don’t have which you might need on a daily basis.
I guess it must be about 100 square meters or so, not very big, but it’s well organized and they have shelves full of the most popular products that people want to buy – mainly popular food products.
There are a couple of freezers and refrigerators with frozen and chilled products and then they also have fresh local bread and cakes on sale too.
The store is located in a busy street in a residential area, so there are plenty of people passing by it all day and night and it’s open 7 days a week, all year even ion holidays.
Personally, I use it because I like the owner, he’s a nice guy and we’re quite friendly. But apart from that, it’s just around the corner from where I stay and most of the time I can’t be bothered traveling further to go to a bigger supermarket.
I tend to pop in for a couple of things whenever I’m passing as it’s on my way home. So it’s a shop I use regularly because it’s so convenient.
Local Business
What types of local businesses are there in your neighborhood? Are there any restaurants, shops, or dentists for example?
Yes, there's at least one of each. Within a block from where I live there are several restaurants and cafes.
There's also a gym, a beauty salon, a veterinary clinic, a music school, an auto repair shop, and a hardware store.
Also, there's a school, a meat market, small hotel, and a couple of convenience stores.
There are more too, but I can't remember them all at the moment.
Do you think local businesses are important for a neighborhood? In what way?
Yes, they're very important. Some people can't drive to the large supermarkets or malls to buy stuff they need.
Small local stores and businesses are vital to serve local communities. They are more personal and help contribute to the local economy. Many of them have a long history serving generations of families who live nearby.
The trend might be changing in some places, as more and more big-box stores arrive. But small neighborhood stores and businesses offer a valuable service to the local community.
How do large shopping malls and commercial centers affect small local businesses? Why do you think that is?
They are a threat. They have a lot of financial backing behind them and usually follow a national marketing strategy.
The big advantage they offer is the convenience of shopping for many different things in one place. In the big malls, you find a movie theater, large supermarkets and many smaller stores and boutiques.
In many cases they offer similar products that are cheaper than many small businesses can sell.
There is also the safety and comfort factor. You don't need to walk around on the streets going to different stores. And if the weather is bad, all the stores are in the same place under one roof, so that's a big benefit.
People and BusinessWhy do some people want to start their own business?
I guess because they have an incredible idea for something that doesn't exist at the moment. Or maybe because they're passionate about something.
Of course, there are people who prefer to work for themselves rather than be an employee in a company. Either because they prefer being independent or because they have special skills or expertise and maybe they can earn more if they start their own business.
It's a dream for many people, but it's also a lot of hard work. I think you need to have strong motivation to start our own business, and grow it to be successful.
You know the old saying: if you love what you do, it will never seem like work. there are man people who start their business to express themselves. They might be an artist, creative, or baker. But they want to do their own thing, it's their passion.
Are there any disadvantages to running a business? Which is the most serious?
I think there are a few possible disadvantages. And I think the most serious is the risk involved. There is less security in starting a business compared to receiving a salary check each month.
There is no guarantee that your business will be successful. You might have trouble finding enough clients or customers. You might run out of money before the business really has a chance to grow and thrive.
You need to invest quite a lot of money to start many types of business and if it isn't successful, you can lose everything you invested.
So financial security is probably the biggest worry for most first-time entrepreneurs.
What are the most important qualities that a good business person needs? Why is that?
They need to be motivated, and resilient. It can be difficult starting a business and many people give up when things get tough.
To be successful you need to be able to bounce back from problems and continue moving forward to achieve your goals.
It also pays to be creative, insightful and curious. You need to constantly come up with creative ways to promote your business.
And if you are in a competitive industry or commercial sector you need to be analytical to gain insight into consumer behavior and how you can get a competitive advantage over other businesses.
Being curious about what people think about your product or service can help improve what you offer and make your brand even more popular.
There are many qualities you need, but maybe not all of them all the time. I mean that maybe at the beginning when you launch your business you need more enthusiasm and energy than anything else.
But before you get to that stage you need to be cautious, analytical and meticulous in forming your business plan, doing market research, and other preparatory tasks.
You need different qualities at different points in the life of your business.