IELTS Speaking Test Part 3 Questions
What effects, if any, do you think the use of emails might have on traditional culture?
Well, there’ll be some for sure, for example, less people buy writing paper and envelopes and stamps to send letter than they used to. That must have affected the post office and the services it offers, as well as the number of staff employed in delivering letters, but then they still deliver a lot of other types of material.
I suppose small shops that used to sell a lot of letter paper might have experienced a change; I mean it’s one less reason for people to go to the shop, if it’s a small one, if you don’t have to buy things for writing letters.
Really, emails have become so common, they’re no longer a new thing – so I think they’ve already been integrated into daily life for many years and there doesn’t seem to have been any dramatic effect on traditional culture.
If anything, it’s more likely to have brought people more together – a positive impact. I know in my own case, I send emails to my elderly relatives more frequently now than I ever used to send them letters, because it’s so much easier – and so we actually keep in touch more often – which is a big bonus.
How important is it to adapt to the culture of another country when living there?
If you want to fully enjoy the experience and feel like you belong it’s important.
You can try to just do your own thing, but that can mean you spend a lot of time on your own and so might get lonely or feel homesick.
Personally, I just immersed myself in the culture and tried to live like the locals lived. My friends liked the fact that I was willing to try all their local food and other stuff.
They seemed to appreciate the interest I took in their customs and habits.
Is there a need to completely adapt to the culture of the other country or should we draw a boundary? What would be unacceptable?
No, it’s not essential to completely adapt. In fact, it’s almost impossible because you have a certain way of thinking about things based on where you grew up, how you were educated, where you lived, and the values that your parents taught you.
Those things are difficult to just let go of because you go and live in a new place.
It’s important to try and integrate into the new culture, it makes life much easier, otherwise, you’re going to feel really strange if you keep wanting everything to be like it is back home.
But, for sure, there are some things that you can’t just adapt to fully, maybe the values or religion, for example, they might be just too different for you.
You might need to come to some sort of compromise. Respecting the culture of others but not completely adopting it yourself.
It all depends on where you go and how different it is. In reality, if it’s so strange, you probably won’t end up living there for too long because it will just be uncomfortable.
Related
- Describe a place where you enjoyed learning about the culture
- Culture questions for English learners