#24 - IELTS Speaking test in India – May 2016

Test # 24

- What is your full name?

My full name is Ashvi Dalal.

- Can I see your ID?

Sure!

- Where are you from?

I’m from (city name), that’s in (state name), in the (western/central/southern, etc.) part of India.

- Do you work or study?

I’m currently pursuing my Masters in Science, specializing in Ophthalmology.

- Describe your hometown, please.

My home town (eg. Surat) is one of the most beautiful cities of my state. It is the most clean and green. Surat is known as the hub of the textile and diamond market in India. The people here are generally very well-off and prefer to live a lavish lifestyle.

- What facilities and services are available in your hometown?

The education and health services in my home town are quite developed. Public transportation is also very well organized. My town has really good restaurants and movie theatres, and some other entertainment options like parks, a beach, and arcades.

- Do you want to stay in this country for a long time?

Yes I do! I’m actually planning to come back immediately after I complete my studies abroad. My parents, friends and relatives all are here and I am too attached to them all to leave them.

- Do you like giving presents to people? Why?

Yes I do! I love it when people’s faces light up when they like your present! And a memorable present makes that person miss you always when they use that gift!

- What type of presents do you like to give?

I like to give people things that they can use. For example clothes and bags, kitchen appliances for women, and if I cannot think of anything that they’d like then I take them out shopping and let them choose whatever they want.

- Do you give presents that you made yourself to anyone?

Yes in fact I have gifted many handmade cards to my friends and cousins when I was a teenager. I have also gifted pen-stands and showpieces made out of clay or ice cream sticks or cardboard. I haven’t done it though after I turned 21.

Cue Card

Talk about an interesting tradition that you have in your country. Please say

- What is it?

- Where did it come from?

- Why do you think it is interesting?

An interesting tradition in my country is “Raavan dahan”…that’s in Hindi, which in English means burning effigy of Raavan. Raavan was a ten-headed rakshasa who lived hundreds of years ago, according to Hindu mythological epic Ramayan. He was a great scholar but was an arrogant ruler of Lanka, now known as Sri Lanka, and he abducted Lord Ram’s wife Sita, in hopes of marrying her himself. Ram, his brother Lakshman, their disciple Hanuman and an army fought a battle to rescue Sita. Finally, Lord Ram defeated and killed Raavan and they all came back to their home Ayodhya. To mark this triumph of good over evil, big huge effigies of Raavan are prepared many days before Dussehra, and are stuffed with fire-crackers. These crackers are then lit and the effigy burns symbolizing the vanquishment of evil. I think this tradition is interesting because even children are quite eager to watch this burning in the form of a fire-work display, at the same time being taught about the legend of Ram and Raavan. Most of all, I find the folk-lore behind this very intriguing. Almost everyone in my country, from children to aged, are aware about this tradition and celebrate it with zeal and enthusiasm.

Discussion

- Do you know any other interesting customs or traditions?

Yes many! I’d talk about Hindu customs as I’m more aware about it being a Hindu myself. Before travelling for a long journey, we hang a totem of green chillies and lemon to the vehicle to ward off any mishaps that might occur. Another is that before the start of any good work, we worship Lord Ganesh’s idol and make offerings. In Hinduism, we are also not allowed to wear footwear inside temples or monasteries.

- Are there any changes in modern and traditional lifestyles?

There are a lot of changes. Traditional lifestyles mainly revolved around joint families whereas now nuclear families are more. So the traditions have become modified according to the convenience of the people nowadays. For example, traditionally everyone used to have meals together at the same time and they would only start after the eldest of the family eat their first morsel. Since both parents work nowadays, this is not possible except for the time of dinner, and that too without the presence of elders in the house.

- What are the advantages or disadvantages of traditional lifestyle? Why?

The advantages are that it keeps us rooted with our culture and the values of our belief system. We don’t feel these traditions to be tiresome tasks to be followed; rather we feel happy and satisfied doing them. However, traditions need to become a little flexible according to the changing times, otherwise they may start seeming to be a burden and people do them grudgingly which unintentionally makes them resent their own culture.

- Why did the attitude towards traditional lifestyle change?

As I said, as the modern lifestyles evolved, the place for traditional lifestyles kept on becoming smaller in people’s lives. People become more educated, migrated to different cities, met new people and started having a broader outlook. People started prioritizing their work and themselves and also became more practical rather than emotional. This changed their views on traditional lifestyles.