IELTS Speaking Part 2
You should say:
- how old you were
- what the animal was
- how it reacted to you
and say how you felt about meeting the animal.
Model answer
When I was in primary school, one day our teacher announced that we were going on a field trip. I got pretty excited about the prospects of spending the whole day in the woods. I was six or seven then, and we lived in the city, so I wouldn’t see much of the trees and nature, let alone animals in their natural habitat.
When the day came, we set off. The summer sun makes everything better, and our trip was no exception. It took us about two hours to drive to our camping spot. As we were unpacking, I noticed a hare sitting in tall grass, watching us. I took a piece of fruit and slowly approached it. I guess it really wanted to dash away, but the smell of the treat was too much to resist. It approached me cautiously, but wouldn’t get closer than five feet. I ended up just leaving the fruit for it to nibble on.
Seeing the hare made me really think about the relationship between humans and animals. I guess it was used to seeing people around, which is why it showed curiosity and was brave enough to approach us. I wonder if I would be lucky enough to see any wild animals there nowadays.
IELTS Speaking Part 3
Pets
What can you tell about a person by the pet they have?
I believe you can infer quite a lot about the owners judging by their pet. To start with, pets usually act like their owners, and vice versa. Let’s say somebody has a German Shepherd. This would probably mean that they are outgoing, focused and disciplined. They take their canine pet for a walk, meet other dog-owners, strike up conversations. Similarly, owners of cats are more likely to be homebodies who find comfort in staying in rather than going out. I guess simply the fact that a person has a pet also speaks volumes about them. Animals throughout human history have been known to be great companions to lonely people. So, if one has a dog or a cat – even a bird – could mean that they are single.
Should people be allowed to keep larger pets, such as dogs, in flats?
This is a point of contention. The main issue here is that dogs and other large animals can be quite noisy, and this noise can be very disturbing, especially during the night. Needless to say, the carefree owners of such pets have very little control over their behaviour. You simply can’t stop an unruly dog from barking at night or running around the flat in a sporadic fit of joy. Another point to consider is the detrimental effects that can be a result of living in confined spaces. Without proper exercise, pets like dogs can get ill. Not all owners are aware of this, so through negligence, they can harm their pets, even if they love them.
Animals in captivity
Is it morally right to keep animals in places such as zoos and circuses?
Of course it is not. Humanity is in no position to hold animals unwillingly, either for entertainment or education. Unfortunately, the area of animal rights is largely undeveloped and even ignored by modern legislators. Commodifying animals is a very common practice – as it has been since the dawn of times. However, in the old days animals could be used to facilitate hauling goods or helping with farming. Therefore, it could be at least partially justified. Nowadays though it is completely inexcusable.
Do we need a law that punishes the owner for not treating their pets right?
I’m pretty such laws exist in the more developed countries. And if it’s not then it’s high time they have come up with one. Then we wouldn’t need animal shelters that get daily new arrivals of abandoned cats and dogs. There could be a preventive law that would not allow people to have pets to begin with unless they go through a certain procedure that confirms their good intentions and financial well-being. Just like in most cases with bans and penalties, a hefty fine would be the most effective deterrent for negligence towards pets and animals in general. All we need now is a good precedential base.
Pets and animals vocabulary
Natural habitat – a place where particular animal or plant lives naturally
Treat (n) – something tasty
Nibble (v) – to eat something in small bites
Canine (adj) – relating to dogs
Unruly (adj) – difficult to control, refusing to follow rules or commands
Confined spaces – small, closed, tight spaces such as small rooms
General vocabulary
Infer (v) – to guess by using the information given or available
Homebody (n) – a person who prefers to stay home rather than spend time outside
Detrimental (adj) – negative, harmful or damaging
Fit (n) – (here) an unusual period of experiencing a certain emotion or state, i.e. a fit of joy is a short period when one feels especially joyful
Negligence (n) – state of not paying enough attention to something or someone
Commodify (v) – to turn something into a commodity (a ware, a product), not used literally
Haul (v) – to transport something, usually something heavy
Hefty fine – a large payment one has to pay because they have broken the law or a regulation
Deterrent (n) – (here) something that prevents a certain undesirable action or behaviour
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