IELTS Speaking Test Part 2
Talk about an instance when you received some good news
You should say:- what the news was about
- how you received the news
- what your reaction was
Sample Candidate Response
Okay, so recently I was informed by my supervisor and his boss that my contract at work would be extended for another two years. This was excellent news for me because I was beginning to wonder if my position might be eliminated as part of some cutbacks being implemented at the university.
So when my boss told me that not only was she going to renew my contract but extend it from 12 months to two years – I was delighted - over the moon!
Now, this happened just a couple of weeks ago. It was a Friday afternoon, and my supervisor called me into his office, where he was waiting with his boss, too.
I usually don’t have much interaction with her, as I normally deal with my immediate supervisor, so I wasn’t sure what to expect when I entered the office and saw her there.
Anyway, I needn’t have worried, because she told me that she and my supervisor were more than happy with the work I had been doing, and, based on my performance, they were going to recommend that my contract be extended for another two years.
She asked me if I was still enjoying my time there at the university, and she also asked me about any plans I might have. I told her that I was extremely happy living and working there and that in the short term, I would very much like to continue doing so – and maybe in the future investigate further research opportunities related to my specialization.
Then I thanked her and my supervisor for telling me the good news and left the office to return to my department.
By the time I left the office, I was incredibly excited – it was really great news, and since it was the weekend, I went out to celebrate with some friends that evening.
Rounding-off question: Who did you share your good news with first?
Well, One of my best friends works in the office with me - so I let him know as soon as I got back there, and he was really happy for me!
IELTS Speaking Test Part 3
Let’s talk about the newsDo you think people have the right to know the true news?
Absolutely, it’s one of the problems nowadays, there’s so much filtering of the news on the big news channels. By the time you see something you can never really be sure just how much of it has been filtered or manipulated. Sometimes if you watch the mainstream news reporting about a story and then watch some independent news sources – you get quite a different picture of an event.
Do you prefer to read or to listen to the news? Why?
Personally, I prefer to watch the news; I know that wasn’t an option, but I rarely listen to the news on the radio, for example, or read it. I usually watch news stories online or the TV news sometimes, because it’s quicker and easier to get an idea of what’s happening and the visual aspect provides another interesting dimension rather than just listening or reading the facts.
What qualifications should a person have to work in a top position in a news corporation?
Well, I suppose a background in journalism is essential, along with possibly some further experience and qualifications in an area of expertise, such as finance, foreign relations, or something like that depending on the type of reporting the person does exactly.
Some people might think that being a news anchor is the top position – which is basically just delivering the news, or maybe a senior correspondent who reports on a specific topic because they are usually highly experienced and qualified to report on the subject.
And then – there are people who might consider someone in a top position to be the CEO or Chairman of the organization, someone who doesn’t actually report the news but runs the company.
Either way, they need to have some integrity, knowledge, and experience in the media industry to be able to perform their job well.