IELTS Speaking Part 2
Describe a person who is often in the news, and who you would like to meet.
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you know him/her
- why he/she is often in the news
and explain why you would like to meet him/her.
IELTS Speaking Part 3
- What is the difference between new media and old media?
- Do you think the contents in the newspapers are reliable?
- Do you think it’s necessary for people to watch foreign news?
- How has social media changed how we consume news?
- What kinds of (famous) people are usually in the news in your country?
*Topic courtesy : IELTS Material.com
Sample Answer ( Part 2)
I am a very keen observer of world affairs, and people who defy the conventions and speak out against injustice always attract me.
These days I have been reading about the environmental crisis and that led me to one interesting movement that is taking place all across the world.
That movement is called “Fridays for Future”. Basically it’s a protest against world leaders who do nothing to save our environment. On every Friday, students , especially teenagers, go on a school strike in countries like Sweden, France, Germany , and India.
These young environmentalists want their governments to act immediately before it is too late.
These protests that have taken a global stage were actually the brainchild of a young Swedish girl named Greta Thunberg. She was just 14 when she first went on a school strike and sat outside the Swedish parliament with a placard saying “School strike for Climate”.
And then this movement became so popular in just a few months that Greta became the youth icon who inspired thousands of youngsters to do the same in their home countries.
And when I read about Greta, I was very much impressed by her courage. I would love to meet this young girl who is not even afraid of sparring with Donald Trump on twitter.
She is leading this movement that threatens the existence of many traditional fossil fuel based industries. And therefore she is the target of many right wing extremists who consider her as a wicked communist plotting against them. It’s not easy for someone her age who has to live constantly under the threat of physical violence or verbal abuse from some fanatic people.
Despite having all these difficulties, she works tirelessly to save our environment. Her fiery speech at the UN made her so popular that the TIME magazine named her “Person of the Year” in 2019.
As Global Warming is a burning issue in current world affairs, she is the leading figure whose every move is closely watched by every media house. And this is the reason she is often in the news , for reasons both good and bad.
Sample Answer ( Part 3)
What is the difference between new media and old media?
Old media such as TV, Radio , and Print media were just one-way communication. Digital media enables the consumer to share their opinion. But it is equally true that fake news is on the rise just because digital media makes it possible for anyone to generate fake content. In one word, I would describe old media as “trustworthy” while I can’t say the same for digital media.
Do you think the contents in the newspapers are reliable?
I would say that the content published in any reputed newspaper is more reliable than the one that is published in any online magazine or news website.
This is just because of the professional team of editors and journalists that look after the authenticity of the news they publish in a newspaper , and once it is published, it can’t be modified so they have to take extra care not to publish anything about which they aren’t sure.
Do you think it’s necessary for people to watch foreign news?
I would prefer not watching foreign news. This sounds like a parochial view where I am not concerned about what is happening in the world outside my home country. But it doesn’t help to know about the internal politics of some distant country that has nothing to do with the matters that are truly important for my country. If tomorrow a democratic government is established in an African country, say, Burkina Faso, then I don’t think it would be a useful piece of information for some poor villagers in my country who have more pressing issues of their own to deal with.
How has social media changed how we consume news?
Previously, one would read an article on foreign policy of India and then move on to the entertainment section in the same newspaper without being frustrated over the non-alignment policy of the Indian government. Today, the same reader would read something about Indo-Chinese relations on Facebook, and then start discussing aggressively about India’s foreign policy as if he were some high official in the external affairs ministry. That same person would also argue with some other Facebook user if that other user is having a different point of view. Social media has made us too serious about our role as the saviors of democracy and the ideologies we follow.
What kinds of (famous) people are usually in the news in your country?
Indians are obsessed with film stars and cricketers. These celebrities have millions of followers on their social media accounts. And if they post anything about their personal lives, that instantly becomes the news. This sounds very strange, but this is the reality. Suppose a movie star posts that she is engaged to a cricketer , then the next day the news channels will start running special shows on the love story of that movie star and how she got her ideal match. We Indians forget about our daily struggles when we learn something interesting about the glamorous lifestyles of our cricketers or movie stars. For this very reason, news channels never miss an opportunity to attract more viewers by leaking the news about celebrities to the public.