IELTS Speaking: if you don't know the answer
How has technology affected the kinds of music that young people listen to?
My answer, using both tips above:
(1) To be honest I don't really know the answer to that because I'm completely
out of touch with what young people are listening to, and I'm not a fan of pop
music.
(2) However, I suppose that technology must have affected music. Maybe young
people are listening to music that has been made using computer software instead
of real musical instruments like the piano or guitar.

PLACES
1. Describe an interesting historic place
I would like to tell you about an historic place, which is a Buddhist temple situated
in Bac Ninh province in the northern part of Vietnam. I'm not sure when this
temple was built, but it was known as the oldest temple of our country. So I guess
it should have at least 600 years old.
This temple is quite small with the specific antique architecture. Inside the temple
we can see the statue of Buddha and the different gods. It is a very popular place
for residents and foreign tourists because it is believed that miracles will happen
when you devote yourself in this religion. For this specific reason, many believers
go there to pray for good health and prosperity. While thoroughly enjoy the
temple, visitors can also have great time exploring the temple’s gardens and
taking snaps of beautiful flowers along the way.
During the last Lunar New Year celebration, I had the chance to visit this temple
and this place was surely crowded! I remember that the entire building was very
colorful and we could also see lots of figurines aligned on the interior walls.
I find the temple interesting itself because its appearance is very traditional and
well preserved. But most importantly, it is rich in historical value. I'd recommend
anyone who visits Vietnam to go there and experience the spiritual beauty of this
place.

I would like to tell you about an historic place, which is a museum situated in
Russia. Last year, when I was still a student studying in Russia, I had a chance to
visit The State Hermitage, one of the largest and oldest museums in the world. It
was founded in 1764 by Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since
1852.
To get inside the museum, I had to queue up for a long time in the Winter Palace
because on that day, there were many people came to visit it. As I were a student,
I didn’t have to pay for the ticket, which is quite expensive for foreign tourists.
When I get in to the museum, the magnificent beauty of this place shocked me. I
have never seen such a luxurious and splendid museum like Hermitage before, so
I really enjoyed every moment watching the museum. It consists of over three
million items collected by Catherine the Great, including the largest collection of
paintings of famous artists in the world such as Pablo Picasso, Vincent ven Gogh,
Leonardo de Vinci… There were so many rooms in Hermitage that I almost got
lost and within a day, I couldn’t have enough time to see all the museum.
It was an interesting experience ever! I saw many things and I learned much more
about the history and the culture of our whole world. I think that if I had not
visited the museum I would have regretted this decision for the rest of my life.


2. A visit to the museum
Last year, when I was a student studying in Russia, I had a chance to visit The
State Hermitage, a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg. It is known as
one of the largest and oldest museums in the world.It was founded in 1764 by
Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852.
To get inside the museum, I had to queue up for a long time in the Winter Palace
because on that day, there were many people came to visit it. As I were a student,
I didn’t have to pay for the ticket, which is quite expensive for foreign tourists.
When I get in to the museum, the magnificent beauty of this place shocked me. I

have never seen such a luxurious and splendid museum like Hermitage before, so
I really enjoyed every moment watching the museum. It consists of over three
million items collected by Catherine the Great, including the largest collection of
paintings of famous artists in the world such as Pablo Picasso, Vincent ven Gogh,
Leonardo de Vinci… There were so many rooms in Hermitage that I almost got
lost and within a day, I couldn’t have enough time to see all the museum. It was
an interesting experience ever!
I saw many things and I learned much more about the history and the culture of
our whole world. I think that if I had not visited the museum I would have
regretted this decision for the rest of my life.


3. Describe a modern building
I'm going to describe a modern building in Yekaterinburg, one of the biggest
cities in Russia. It's called the Vysotsky skyscraper, which in English means “tall
skyscraper”. As the name, it's the tallest building in the city, with about 54 floors
and 188 meters in height.
This building has built since 2006 and completed in 2011. It has become a famous
landmark in the city. It is an easy place to meet people because it is so distinctive
and easy to find. In fact, the bottom half of the skyscraper is the hotel and the top
half is apartments. The apartments are expensive because the location and views
make them very desirable.
I'm not sure if I like the design of the building, it's just a huge glass tower, but it
definitely stands out. Last summer, I went to visit my Russian friend in
Yekaterinburg. She took me to this building and we have been in the 54th floor,
which had spectacular views of the city. There are no walls, only huge windows,
so you can look out over the city in any direction. So I'd recommend anyone who
visits Russia to go there and experience the view.



4. Describe your hometown
My hometown is Hai Phong, one of the biggest cities located in the North of
Vietnam. It is a coastal city with the largest seaport in the region. Being the third
populous city in Vietnam, Hai Phong is considered as a vibrant city. The center
of town is always bustling no matter day or night. Conversely, the outskirts is
quite peaceful with a large number of small towns and villages.
My city is also famous for interesting tourist destinations such as Do Son beach,
Cat Ba island, Cat Co island with beautiful caves and outstanding rock formation.
Another thing that is very special about Hai Phong is its food industry; there are
many different restaurants, which are offering different kinds of food in the city
center.
Although Hai Phong has some problems with traffic jam on rush hour like almost
modern cities, but I think, it is an ideal place for everybody, especially young
people because the cost of living is quite reasonable, life is always vibrant with
endless thing to do and see. I guess what I like the most is the good sense of
communication there. People are very friendly, hospitable and always willing to
help.
I have been to many cities in the world, but for me Hai Phong is still the only
pleasant place I want to live. Living in another city, despite the fact that this place
is much more beautiful and attractive but I knew that where I truly belong, it is
my beloved city.


5. Describe your neighborhood
I want to talk about my neighborhood situated in Hai Phong city. My
neighborhood is quiet because most of the people who live here are middle-aged
to elderly. It has apartments and houses built separately in a peaceful area far
from the city center. There are no commercial buildings near my house and I am
very happy because of this.
Next door to my house lives a family with three kids and on nice sunny days in

the spring and summer, the kids go out play in their yard and talk aloud. I do not
see many kids here so it's always nice when I do see a few on their bikes or the
kids next door playing outside. In addition, the neighbors around me are very
friendly and always willing to help.
Our neighborhood is right next to the main road that is busy and there is another
main road that passes through but it's not as busy. We also have a couple fast food
places and a few restaurants, a small cafe and a bookstore, a pharmacy and a
market nearby that is a great walking distance. The place that I like most is a small
park right across the street so whenever feel like walking or jogging I simply got
to the park and get some fresh air.
I love my house because it is located in a good position with a peaceful
neighborhood. I am an introvert so my neighborhood is actually helping me has
some private places to go out whenever I feel like getting lost in a daydream.


6. Favourite room in the house
Everyone in this world has a favorite place. Some people tend to stay at their
workplaces and some people like to spend time at restaurants, but I am an
introvert so I mostly like to stay at home. My favorite room in the house is my
bedroom.
Well if you want me to talk about the room, I would say that it is a small room on
the first floor and it has all the things, which a person need. There is a computer,
an air-conditioner, a bed and a bookshelf. But there are some changes that I would
like to make in it. First, I am not satisfied with the size of the room. I want my
room to be bigger because I would like to put more stuff in it. The other change
is that I want to make a new window, because the current one is old and quite
small.
I spend most of time in my room because it is the place, where I can enjoy
relaxation. I like watching movies, listening to the music and reading books in
my room because it is only where I can get the privacy. There is no noise, no

disturbance. My friends also like my room and whenever they come to my house,
they prefer to sit in my room.
For me this room is like a small world, where I could spend hours to do thousands
of favorite things. I believe there is nowhere in the world I rather be than in my
room whenever feel like getting lost in a daydream.


7. Describe the ideal home that you would like to live in/ describe your house
Today I would like to talk about my dream house.
I would like to live in a single-family house because I think I can have more
privacy and don't need to share a wall with neighbors. I do not need my house too
big and multi-stories but cozy and comfortable. Ideally, the house should have
two stories, with a big kitchen and living room on the first floor and two bedrooms
on the second floor. I would also like to have an entertainment room where I can
watch movies or sing karaoke whenever I have free time.
You know, nowadays quality of foods is not good anymore because most of the
sellers only care about their benefits. So I want to have a spacious garden in my
ideal home where I can grow different kinds of fruits, vegetables and plant some
flowers.
The location of my ideal home is also important. I want it far from the hustle and
bustle of the city because I need a quiet place to relax and have a peaceful
lifestyle. Somewhere in the suburb or next to a lake with a beautiful scenery
would be perfect, this way I can wake up every morning and enjoy the views
outside.
After all, the main reason why I want to live in such home is that I like being
surrounded by nature and there I can enjoy peaceful moments after long working
days.


8. Describe a beautiful garden that you like

Today I would like to describe my home garden, a part of my home's backyard,
which is a beautiful one and I like it very much.
There is a big tree right in the middle of my garden, which is surrounded by
different kinds of flowers, a small water fountain and several bushes. You know,
nowadays quality of foods is not good anymore because most of the sellers only
care about their benefits. Therefore, my parents decided to make a spacious area
in the garden where we can grow different kinds of fruits and vegetables. My
parents have been retired for a few years, so they spend much time to look after
the garden.
Due to it, my garden is always beautiful and full of vitality with green trees and
the whistle of birds every day. Whenever relatives and friends come to us, we
take them to look around our garden and enjoy the view while the kids are
playing, running and laughing aloud.
All in all, this garden is one of the best features of my house. For me it is like a
small world where I can enjoy peaceful moments after long working days or
during the weekends.


9. Favourite city in the world
When I was a student studying in Russia, I had a chance to visit America for 2
months. During this time, I have been in some beautiful cities such as Washington
DC, Boston, and Cambridge. There is a city that I would love to go but I have not
had any chance when I was in US, it is New York city.
New York City is the most populous city in the United States. It is known as the
cultural and financial center of the world. The city attracts considerably more
foreign visitors than any other US city. People go to New York to see this
magnificent city with many famous sights. If I were here, I would love to take a
trip to the Statue of Liberty, which is one of the best landmarks of NY. In addition,
NY is famous for its skyscrapers, which look most spectacular at night. I've been
reading books about NYC and I'm still watching TV series about it. I couldn’t

forget this fabulous scenes on TV.
I think the best season to visit the city is wintertime. When the Central park is,
covered in a blanket of snow, Christmas atmosphere is all around the city...
Before Christmas, there is annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, with its giant
balloons, singers, bands and movie stars...
However, the only way to feel the glory of this remarkable city is to visit it. If I
had an opportunity to comeback to US again, I would definitely go to New York.


10. A visit to the mall
When I were studying in Russia, I often went shopping because in the city I live,
there were not many different places to go like in Vietnam. I often went to the
Fair Mall to do some shopping, buy some foods or watch movies. Sometimes I
went alone and sometimes with my friends.
The mall is extraordinary with a system of shops, supermarkets, restaurants and
cinemas. Every year on special holidays such as Christmas, New Year,
Independence Day… the mall has an extra discount in variety of goods. Every
time I came there, I often said to myself that I would spend limited money on the
clothes, but things were so good that I always had to borrow more money from
my friends to buy other stuffs.
In addition, almost the sellers in the mall was very friendly. You know, they were
Russian girls, young, beautiful and sexy. I have visited a few malls in some
countries in the world, but I have never seen such good customer service like that.
The shopping mall was so wide that it made us exhausted, that we could not even
walk a step. We often ended our shopping by taking a fresh meal in a favorite
restaurant.
I like this Fair Mall so much that I went there frequently whenever I had free time.
It reminds me of the best moments I had during the student life in Russia that I
would never forget.



11. Describe an open-air or street market which you enjoyed visiting
I am going to talk about a street market that I have visited many times in Russia.
This great market has a massive stalls and permanent stores for regular shoppers.
It opens on Saturday and Sunday only from 9 am to 1 pm and it is not very far
from my hostel, so I could get there every week.
Everything is available there; you can find different kinds of local foods from
vegetables, fruits, meats to other dairy products. All are fresh and brand new
because these products have just been brought from the farms in the early
morning. There are also some stalls selling handmade accessories, jewelry and
souvenirs.
The market is not organized so I remember that I have spent hours wandering
around, looking for something I had seen on a previous visit. But the prices are
quite cheap and you can negotiate prices in a nice way. All of sellers are very
friendly and they always invite us to taste their foods before deciding to buy.
The main reason why I really like this market is cheerful atmosphere. Whenever
you walk around the shops, you could hear the traditional Russian music that is
quite nice. Food also is another reason, as you can taste a variety of Russian wellcooked dishes. A final reason is that you can get wonderful gifts and souvenirs in
reasonable
and
sometimes
very
cheap
prices.


12. Describe a library that you visited
Today I would like to talk about the library I used to go when I was in university
several years ago.
The library was quite small but I think it had all needed to have a successful life

as a student. In the library, you can find everything about information sources of
many subjects. The facilities included a computer lab, a small area for self-study,
and an area with large tables for group discussions. If you needed more privacy,
they even had small rooms where students could get absolute silence.
There were several reasons why I often went to that library. First, it was right next
to my hostel, so it only took me a few seconds to get there. Second, at the end of
semester, I went to the library to prepare for examinations, because it was the
only place, where I could pay attention in study. Third, I went there to do some
research and find sources of information for my research papers. I think this
library was quite useful for me because I could find all the necessary materials I
needed throughout my student life.
Overall, this library played an important role in my life and I wish I could visit it
again in the future!


13. Describe a school you attended
I attended Ngo Quyen High School in 2003 when I were 16 and I studied there
for 3 years. It was one of the best high schools in our city, so most of the pupils
were very good at study.
There were many teachers teaching in the school. Most of my teachers had their
own way to teach us with enthusiasm and conscientiousness. There I had
opportunities to practice a lot and do many others experiments. Another good
thing about my school was that the school had a very good examination system.
We were supposed to have exams every day and these exams constituted of 30%
of the final grade. At the end of semester, we had important exams of many
subjects that required us hard study. Besides, there were also many out of school
activities for us such as singing contests, English club, sport competitions and so
on.
Have to say that the knowledge that I acquired from this school has played an
indispensable role in my life. I have not yet become successful but the education

that I got from school has helped me find right direction in life. The skills, which
this school gave me, were extraordinary. It has helped me become more confident
and live in active and useful way.
When I were studying the first year in Vietnam Maritime University, because
of the good result, I received a scholarship from government to study in Russia. I
attend Astrakhan State Technical University and studied there for 6 years. It was
one of the best universities in Russia, so most of the students were very good at
study.
There were many teachers teaching in this university. Most of my teachers had
their own way to teach us with enthusiasm and conscientiousness. There I had
opportunities to practice a lot and do many others experiments. Another good
thing about my university was that it had a very good examination system.
Students were supposed to have exams every day and these exams constituted of
30% of the final grade. At the end of semester, we had important exams of many
subjects that required us hard study. Besides, there were also many out of school
activities for us such as singing contests, English club, sport competitions and so
on.
Have to say that the knowledge that I acquired from this university has played an
indispensable role in my life. I have not yet become successful but the education
that I got from university has helped me find right direction in life. The skills,
which this university gave me, were extraordinary. It has helped me become more
confident and live in active and useful way.


14. Airport
Today I would like to talk about the airport I used to go when I was still a student
in Russia. It named Domodedovo International Airport, the largest airport in
Russia in terms of passenger and cargo traffic.
During the student life in Russia, every time I came back home, I had to take the
train from the city I studied to Moscow, and then to this airport. It would be

difficult for me to compare it with other airports, but I suppose it is quite luxurious
and gorgeous with good services and security system.
As I entered the airport, I had to pass through a strict security check. I had to go
through many barriers in order to get on the airplane. I was told to show my
passport and ticket several times. At the first time, it made me going crazy, but
then I realized that all these stuffs was just to ensure that the passengers get safety
to their destination. After checking all documents and baggage, I was allowed to
go inside the waiting room, where I could go shopping in many duty free shops.
For me this airport is an unforgettable place, because it connected me with my
country. It reminds me of the happy feeling that I could get home and see my
family in the other side of the world.


15. My Favourite Restaurant
Today I would like to tell you about a restaurant, which is called Seafood Buffet
Restaurant. I live in a coastal city and I love seafood so much that I often come
to this restaurant whenever I have free time. Sometimes I go with my boyfriend,
sometimes with my friends.
It is not very large but quite luxurious and comfortable place. Seafood Buffet
offers a grand feast of crab legs, fresh shrimps, grilled oysters and so much more
as the menu changes weekly. I suppose the food is authentic and high quality so
that many people come to eat there.
We often book a slot before coming to ensure that we have a table, because this
restaurant is always full of people, especially at weekend. We have to pay only
about 12$ for a meal, which seemed reasonable compared to others overpriced
restaurants elsewhere in Vietnam. A meal consists of several dishes from which
guests serve themselves, so we can eat everything we want with unlimited
quantity. It is the reason why I like to go there so much.
Overall, if you are looking for a good place to dine out, I highly recommend
Seafood Buffet Restaurant. I can say that once you come there, you will never be

disappointed because of good services and high quality seafood.