only when I need to

only when I’m forced to

it works
if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it
there’s no need to
brilliance / talent
in awe of / be astonished by their brilliant skills
be amazed at…
can’t help feeling
whenever
undue pressure
expression of personal tastes and feelings / admire/appreciate / cultivate one’s mind
not easy to comprehend
amateur
used to take classes / maybe I’ll pick it up
because of its extensive collections / diverse range
show off / wealth / social status
sort of an investment / accessory
family heirloom
what matters the most is how we live our lives. / is the experience rather than the result.
cheerful = joyful = happy
as for the reason why
in urgent need of
diet / veal / lamb
their lifestyle is not that different from that in inland cities.
last time I was there, I was in a total rush. I didn’t get a chance to explore.
the city has a lot to offer.
not necessarily
adopt a greener lifestyle
Describe a city you would like to stay in for a short time. You should say:
Where it is
Who you will go there with
What you will do in the city
And explain why you stay there for a short time

I would like to spend time in Paris. Paris is the capital city of France and I’ve heard that it is quite
romantic and has quite a curious and interesting history. Paris is famous for a few key things, like the
Notre Dame cathedral, which sadly burnt down in a fire a few years ago – well, the spire and a big
section of the roof caught fire and burnt down. There are also a lot of amazing old streets and districts
in Paris that are apparently full of cafes, artists and musicians. There is a great sense of culture in
Paris, as far as I’ve heard, and a lot of art galleries and museums. I am studying art, so I am
especially interested in going around the famous art galleries and seeing the works of Picasso and
other greats. Paris is also famous for Jazz music, although not so many people know this. I’ve been
playing the piano for years now, so I am especially interested in exploring the musical side of the city,
visiting some jazz clubs and seeing live performances. I would arrange to stay in Paris about a week,
I think, so I could really get into the place and soak up the atmosphere, visit the most famous
museums and galleries, and explore the less well-known aspects of the city and the musical venues
hidden away in San Michel and other districts. I’m not sure if a week sounds like a short time, but I’m
used to long holidays, so... I’m a student, I have long holidays in the summer, so for me, a week is a
short time, but certainly enough to time to really get to know a city.
Describe a place you visited where the air was polluted. You should say:
Where the place is
When you visited there
Why the air was polluted
And explain how you felt about the place

Sadly, I’ve visited many places where the air was polluted. But the one that really sticks in my mind is
a city in the north east when I went to visit an uncle of mine. It’s an industrial city and is famous for
car factories and a steel plant. This means that the main source of industry in the city is quite a
polluting industry really. Also, because of the climatic conditions – it’s a cold place and surrounded by
hills that trap the air inside the city basin – the air doesn’t move out of the city much and there are no
real winds to blow it. So, when the pollution gets bad, and the cloud cover is extensive, then the bad
air just sits there over the city and doesn’t really move. It’s horrible, actually. So, it’s a combination of
the industry in the city and the geography and climate of the area. I feel depressed when I’m in a
place with bad air, to be honest. It’s not only unhealthy to breathe, but it’s just depressing to see and
experience. It’s so unnatural, and it can even smell bad too. I last visited this place, as I was saying
earlier, to visit my uncle, and it was perhaps at the start of winter, which made it even worse because
that is when the coal-fired power stations are all turned on to provide heat to the houses and buildings
for the cold winter months. In terms of air conditions, this is the worst time of year to visit because you
get the power plant fumes and the factory fumes and traffic fumes all accumulating at the same time.
I really hope they can improve this situation in the future.