Part 1 Questions and Answers

Q: What is it like where you live?

A: I live in a residential area of a busy town in the south of my country.
We have all needed facilities, such as good public transport and quite
big shopping centre. At the same time it is starting to be developed
with increasing number of infrastructures and establishments.

Q: Do you like living in the city?

A: Yes I do … I like going out with my friends and there are lots
of lovely bars and restaurants within walking distance of my apartment
… I’m a bit of a culture vulture as well so it’s great to have access to
art exhibitions and that kind of thing …

Q: What do people in your town do?

A: Agriculture and fishing are common in my hometown. Also, with the
presence of modernization, there are now many office jobs in my town

Q: Do you get many tourists visiting your area?

A: Not really no … I live in the inner-city and the area is a little run
down … it’s basically a lot of high-rise flats and many of the shops
are boarded up … so nothing to interest tourists really …

Q: Is it easy to travel around your hometown?

A: Yes, it is. It is a small city but there different kinds
of transportation are available

Q: Would you prefer to live somewhere else? (Why?)

A: For the moment I’m happy living here, but at some point I’d like to
live in a country with a warmer climate, and I’d like to live near a
beach!

Part 2 Questions and Answers

Describe your home town. You should say:

 Describe the place
 What is special about it?
 Compare it to other cities in the world

A: My hometown is called … . I was born and raised in there and I can

say it is my favorite place. It is located in the southernmost tip of the
largest island in my country. It is not a very big province. It is both
traditional and modern. It is traditional because it still has many
festivals that are celebrated by the locals, yet modern, as it is starting
to be developed just like other provinces having more and
more infrastructures and establishments.

… is a province that is about 12-hour bus ride from the capital city of
the country, but the main roads are part of the national highway so
they are wide and huge. It is an important place because it is a
passage for buses and cars that would cross from other provinces
and regions in the north of the country to the south of it.

… is also special as it has many tourist attractions. For example, it has

woods and a lake with very beautiful scenery.

Among all the places I have been to, I think … is one of the best, so it’s
out of comparison. It has beautiful places to visit. It is not crowded,
not polluted. It has many places that are not yet developed and are
very peaceful and relaxing to stay in. Many people visit this place to
experience virgin nature.

Describe an interesting town or city in your country that visitors might enjoy. You
should say
 what the place is called
 where the place is

 what the facilities are like

and say why visitors might enjoy going there.

A: Anyone who comes to my country really should spend some time in

Barcelona, it’s a beautiful place, it’s not what you would call
a sprawling city. It’s quite compact really and you could walk across
the city in a couple of hours, but there’s no need to do that as we have
a fantastic public transport system so it’s easy to get around. There
are various districts all with their own character, there are
the upmarket shops in the centre. So, you’ll find lots of chain
stores you’ll recognise from your own country but also local brands as
well. We have the narrow streets in the Gothic district with lots
of fashionable boutiques and tourist attractions. There’s the Olympic
area and the beaches along the coast … and dotted around the city are
some lovely public spaces, parks and squares in the city centre and on
the outskirts of Barcelona where people relax with their friends and
family and of course pavement cafes everywhere. All that and some
great historical places of interest … so a great destination for
tourists …

Part 3 Questions and Answers

Q: What are the advantages of living in a city?

A: I think it’s having access to local facilities, local shops as well as
access to larger shopping malls in the city centre … and if you’re well-
off you can afford to live in the suburbs away from the busy traffic …

Q: In your experience are city centres usually attractive places?

A: Some can be yes … especially those with a historical interest, but
sometimes they’re full of ugly office blocks, multi-story car parks, and
residents living in poor housing. I believe, it depends on the city.

Q: What are some of the challenges facing towns and cities?

A: I suppose traffic congestion is a major problem … and the growth
in out-of-town supermarkets and retail parks mean lots of town centre
shops are closing down … plus a shortage of good quality housing … I
think these are the major challenges …