IELTS Speaking Topic Traveling
IELTS Speaking Test Part 3 questions
Do you think people like to travel far away from home? Why?
Yes, some people do, but not everyone does. Some people don’t like travelling outside their own country, or even their city. A lot of young people like travelling to places far away because they see these places as being more exotic or exciting because everything is different there.
What is different about travelling nowadays compared to in the past?
I suppose now it’s easier than ever to arrange travel. You can book flights and hotels online and research about anywhere in the world before you even set off. It means that you know a lot more about a destination before you even arrive there.
You have more flexibility and choice now when travelling and there are many more guides and reviews of places which you can read and so learn more about the things you’d like to see and do in whichever destination you choose to go to.
It’s the organizing of travel which has been revolutionized by technology more than how we travel, yes, airplanes and trains may be faster than in the past, but the whole process of finding out about a place and organizing somewhere to stay and buying your train or flight online makes everything so much easier.
The other big difference is that because more people are travelling – it’s now cheaper than ever to travel, which is great.
What means of transportation do people prefer to use when travelling? Why?
That would depend on who is travelling and where they are going. Each type of transport has some advantages and some disadvantages I suppose, so the important factor which influences more than anything else is maybe the destination, the distance you’re going to travel.
Are you travelling within your own country or internationally? Can you travel to another country by train or plane? What are the options available to you? The longer the distance the more sense flying makes if you don’t have a lot of time. Taking the train is slower than flying but also costs a lot less normally.
Or if you have a young family, maybe driving is the best option because it can be easier than navigating airports and train stations with young children. Obviously, the kind of transport people prefer when travelling depends on many different things related to the trip.
Do you think trains now are more environmentally friendly compared to older models? Why?
Generally, yes … they use cleaner fuel; they’re more efficient, quieter, quicker and less obtrusive. They’re probably a little more comfortable for longer journeys too. Of course, it depends on the type of train you’re travelling on, there’s a big difference between a train which goes between two different countries, long distance, and a subway train used by commuters.
What amenities do the new trains have?
Well, the long distance trains normally have somewhere you can eat, maybe even a bar or restaurant, internet access through Wi-Fi, sometimes a refreshment service where a person comes round with snacks and drinks and of course many trains have sleeper compartments for really long journeys so that people can sleep overnight while travelling. They also have some improved safety features compared to older trains.
Some people like to stay in the same place all their life. Why?
Maybe they don’t like to travel, or maybe they have never had a need to travel. Some people have very deep roots in a certain place, either because of family or possibly some other reason – they have a very deep sense of belonging.
They might like the familiarity of where they live and don’t feel the need to visit other places, or maybe they have lived in another place at one time and decided that they didn’t really enjoy the experience.
And of course, it could be because they already live in a really beautiful place which other people want to travel to. For example, if your idea of the perfect place to live was near the beach in a quiet place – and that’s where you actually lived, you wouldn’t really have much motivation to move somewhere else, would you? Unless, you moved to a different beach, maybe?
How would you answer these IELTS questions about traveling and transport?