The examiner asks about you and everyday topics. Answer naturally — a direct answer plus one extra detail. Record yourself, then compare with the model after you submit.
"I'd say the train, definitely. I find buses a bit cramped and I don't like driving in heavy traffic, whereas on a train I can just relax, look out of the window or get some reading done. It feels like the least stressful way to travel, at least for longer distances."
"Not as often as I'd like, to be honest — maybe three or four times a year. It's usually to visit relatives in another city during the holidays, and once in a while I'll take a short trip somewhere new with friends if we can all get the time off."
"I loved it, actually. Every summer my family would go to my grandparents' village, and the journey itself was half the fun — the long train ride, the snacks my mother packed. Looking back, some of my happiest childhood memories are tied to those trips."
"The essentials for me are my phone, a charger and a pair of headphones — I can't sit still without music or a podcast. I also always bring a bottle of water and something to snack on, because I get restless and a bit grumpy if I'm hungry on the road."
"Japan is top of my list. I'm fascinated by how it blends the very traditional with the ultra-modern, and I'd love to see the cherry blossom in spring. I've been saving towards a trip there, so hopefully it won't just stay a dream."
Read the card, then use the 1-minute preparation timer to make quick notes. When it ends, start the 2-minute timer and speak until it stops, covering all four points.
"The journey I'd like to describe is a trip I took to the hill town of Bandarban, in the south-east of Bangladesh, a couple of years ago. I went with three of my closest university friends — it was the first proper holiday we'd organised entirely by ourselves.
We travelled overnight by bus and then hired a small jeep to take us up into the hills, and that winding mountain road is really what made the journey unforgettable. The views were breathtaking — mist hanging over the valleys, tiny villages perched on the slopes — but the road was terrifyingly narrow, with sheer drops on one side, so we were half thrilled and half holding our breath the whole way up.
Halfway there the jeep actually broke down, and we ended up waiting by the roadside for nearly an hour while the driver fixed it. At the time we were annoyed, but oddly it became the best part of the story — we sat on a ridge, shared the food we'd brought, and just talked and laughed.
What made it so memorable, in the end, wasn't really the destination but that sense of doing something adventurous together for the first time. It's the trip we still bring up whenever we meet, and it's the reason I've loved travelling ever since."
The examiner asks broader questions linked to Part 2. Give an opinion and a reason, and try to extend each answer.
"I think the main appeal is a break from routine — everyday life can become quite monotonous, and travelling shakes that up. Beyond that, there's real value in experiencing different cultures and ways of living; it makes you more open-minded and, I'd argue, more understanding of people who are different from you."
"It's changed dramatically. Flights are far cheaper than they used to be, so ordinary people can now visit places that were once out of reach. Technology has transformed it too — you can book everything on your phone and navigate a foreign city with a map app, which has made independent travel much easier than it was for my parents' generation."
"Yes, definitely, if it isn't managed well. Very popular spots can become overcrowded and their character can be spoilt, and there's often an environmental cost — more waste, more pollution. Having said that, tourism also brings in a lot of money and creates jobs, so the challenge is really about finding a sustainable balance rather than avoiding it altogether."
"It really depends on what you want from the trip. Travelling with others means shared memories and someone to help when things go wrong, which is reassuring. Travelling alone, on the other hand, gives you complete freedom and, I think, pushes you to be more confident and to meet new people. Personally I enjoy both, but for a first big trip I'd probably go with friends."