PART 1
PUBLIC PARKS & GARDENS
ANSWERS
Would you like to play in a public garden or park?
(Answer 1)
I’m not sure if we can play in a public garden, but I do love playing at the park. I love playing on trapeze bars, slides, and climbing frames. Though I’m already an adult, I still enjoy playing and hanging out (phrase: to spend a lot of time in a place with someone) with my friends or my cousins at the park.
(Answer 2)
If I have to choose between the two, I go for (phrase: choose) a park because it’s fun. There are so many pieces of equipment that I can use to enjoy myself such as seesaws, slides, and swings, to name a few (phrase: to provide only a few examples). This question reminds me of my childhood; I just wish I could turn back the clock (expression: return to the past).
What do you like to do when visiting a park?
(Answer 1)
Normally, I exercise. I go cycling or spend time jogging around the park. I actually do that every weekend, and that’s my way of keeping myself fit (adj.: in good shape). Also, I sometimes play in the park, especially if I want to spend time with my cousins.
(Answer 2)
I love walking around the park with my dog. It’s the only place in this city where I can be close to nature. The freshness of the air is refreshing, which helps me relieve stress (expression: reduce stress) and gives me peace of mind (phrase: the feeling of being safe and protected).
How have parks changed today compared to the time when you were a kid?
(Answer 1)
Obviously, most parks these days are crowded. When I was little, there weren’t so many people in the parks where we visited. However, these days, almost all parks are packed (adj.: crowded) during weekends. Besides, in the past, we barely saw people on weekdays, but these days, it’s impossible not to see many people in the park even though it’s a weekday.
(Answer 2)
Undeniably, parks these days are way better in terms of (phrase: with regard to) the facilities. There are more entertainment tools that both children and adults can enjoy; there’s a comfortable restroom; what else… there’s a drinkable water fountain and many more convenient facilities. Looking back, parks in the past weren’t as convenient as these days.
Would you prefer to play in a personal garden or a public garden?
(Answer 1)
Neither, because honestly, I don’t really see gardens as a playground. I mean, gardens are places where people can enjoy the beauty of flowers, trees, and well-trimmed grass. They’re mostly well taken care of, and playing in the garden is like destroying its main purpose. But that’s just me (expression: said an aside to indicate that one can only speak on one’s own behalf about an opinion they just spoke of) anyway.
(Answer 2)
I feel more comfortable playing in a personal garden because it’s private. I don’t enjoy playing in a public garden as I feel like a lot of people are looking at me, although in reality, they’re not. I dunno, I just have that kind of vibe (noun: a person’s emotional state or the atmosphere of the place).
Are there many public parks in your country?
(If you are UNSURE)
To be honest with you, I’m not sure because I’ve not traveled to all the places in my country. I’ve just visited a handful of places, and each of those places has parks. Perhaps there are plenty of state-owned parks in my country since they’re a common project of the local government units in my country.
(If the answer is YES)
Yes definitely! There are plenty of public parks in our country because it’s a mandate of our national government for every local government to build parks, in order for the citizens to have a place to unwind and breathe cleaner air, especially for those people who are living in the city.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
(A) handful (of) [noun] – a small number of people or things
State-owned [adj.] – government-owned
Local government unit [noun] – an institutional unit whose fiscal, legislative, and executive authority extends over the smallest geographical areas distinguished for administrative and political purposes
Mandate [noun] – an official order to do something
Unwind [verb] – relax
Breathe [verb] [do not confuse with breath] – to take air into the lungs
TIPS
i.) FIRST ANSWER: The speaker was being honest. Don’t be afraid to be real. It’s alright if you don’t know the answer, still express yourself, utilize the language, and never say ‘I don’t know’. What matters to the examiner is your ability to express yourself in English. Meanwhile, observe how the speaker answered this question; he used several synonyms. Doing so increases his mark in Lexical Resource.
ii.) SECOND ANSWER: The speaker just provided a straightforward answer and then provided a clear explanation as to why he said yes. (You don’t need to always use synonyms of the words from the question; a direct answer is totally fine.)
Are public parks important in your country?
In my opinion, yes, since public parks are one of the common places where people can relax with their friends or loved ones. Also in this country, public parks are commonly used to host some local or national events such as commemorating the war, celebrating Christmas, holding New Year’s Countdown, and the like. These special events need spacious areas to accommodate a lot of people, and the parks are the best places to hold such events.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Host [verb] – to hold the event
Commemorate [verb] – to pay homage; to celebrate
And the like [phrase] – and similar things; etcetera
Spacious [adj.] – roomy; to have so much space
TIP
i.) The speaker explained clearly with examples why parks are essential in his country. To be able to support his argument, examples of such events were provided.
What are the benefits of having gardens in the city?
Well, for sure, there are too many to mention, but let me focus on the primary benefits: Gardens provide aesthetics to the city or town that will make the place look inviting, especially to tourists. Also, gardens minimize air pollution as plants absorb carbon dioxide that factories and cars emit. This also serves as a habitat for some birds and other living creatures.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Too many to mention [expression] – just so many
Primary [adj.] – basic
Aesthetic [noun] – beauty
Emit [verb] – discharge
Habitat [noun] – a natural home or environment of an animal or plant
TIPS
i.) The speaker acknowledged that there were many benefits, but since it’s impossible to mention all of them, he concentrated on talking about the most important ones.
ii.) The speaker did not just give the benefits, but each of them was explained thoroughly.
Why do people live in cities like public gardens?
There’s no doubt that people in the metropolis are big fans of public gardens since they’re trapped in a concrete jungle – with all those skyscrapers plus the overpopulation. These contribute stress to their daily lives, and so, a change of scene like those state-owned gardens in cities helps them get close to nature, breathe fresh air, and more importantly, helps them get away from all kinds of stress that city life has.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
No doubt [phrase] – used to emphasize that something seems certain or very likely
Metropolis [noun] – commercial city; major city
A big fan [expression] – someone who really likes something
Concrete jungle [noun] – a modern city or urban area
Skyscraper [noun] – a very tall building
Change of scene [phrase] – a move to different surroundings
(Get) close to nature [expression] – being able to see plants, animals, etc.
Get away [phrase] – escape
TIP
i.) The speaker explained what kind of life that the people in the city have, which made them want to see gardens. In order for the examiner to understand his point, he described the typical city life, which involves having too many buildings. Then he talked about how gardens make people improve the quality of life that they have.
Study how the speaker developed
his story for the IELTS recent cue
card about
A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE THAT YOU KNOW.
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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