IELTS Speaking Band 9 like Native English Answers with Subtitles

 Reference : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUtjQIybuQU&ab_channel=AcademicEnglishHelp

What is your full name?

My first name is Rayana and my surname is Alieva, please call me by my first name Rayana.

Where do you live?

I live in a two-bedroom apartment on the north side of the capital city of kazakhstan, Nut-sultan. 

What is your favorite food?

I love manti, it's a type of dumpling stuffed with lamb or beef, and it is just so good to eat when I'm feeling hungry. In fact, I just had a few yesterday for lunch. 

Let's talk about sleep. How many hours do you sleep in a day?

I get about 7 to 8 hours of sleep a day. usually from 11 pm until 7 am. I find this amount is the right amount to give me a full charge for the next day 

Where do you like to sleep?

Definitely in my own bed, it is so comfortable and spacious. whenever I sleep on my sofa or elsewhere, I just don't feel as rested. 

When do you go to bed and why?

Oh, as I had said a moment ago, I usually get to bed around 11 at night. However, on the weekends if I'm hanging out with friends, I go later midnight or 1 am. I was watching a late movie with a friend a couple weeks ago and I remember I was up quite late.

What helps you to sleep better?

When I get fresh air and exercise, and eat some good food, I sleep like a baby. I went for a big hike in the forest last Tuesday. and when I hit the hay, I was out like a light. 

How do you feel when you do not get enough sleep?

Like most people, I feel quite grumpy when I'm low on sleep. I get cranky and I'm irritable. My attention span is low and I tend to snap at people. So, it's definitely better for me to get a full night's rest. 

Have you ever had difficulties sleeping and if yes, why?

Yes, I have especially had difficulty getting shut-eye when I have some important & stressful event the next day, such as this IELTS exam. My mind tends to race thinking about the upcoming events of next day.  Fortunately, If i go for a hike and exercise, that helps. 

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Talk about an exercise you have thought of doing to help you think better.

- What is the activity or exercise?

- Where did this idea come from?

- How can this practice help improve your thinking?

- What do or did you need to make this idea a reality?

You will have one to two minutes to talk about this topic.

You will have one minute to prepare what you are going to say.

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Recently, I have been considering learning to play chess in order to improve my thinking and mind. Of course, chess is one of the oldest board games which requires a lot of calculation and strategic planning. Basically, chess is where there are two players on a checkered board with sixteen game places each, Every piece is moved according to precise rules & the goal is to place the opponent's king under attack with no escape. I have been inspired by a new series on Netflix called Queen's Gambit which is about a woman who is a brilliant chess player. chess has been played by millions of people for over centuries, and it is commonly known as a game that develops critical thinking and foresight. An important element of the game is to predict the opponents moves and always be step ahead of them I think this game canl improve my pattern recognition and memory skills, not to mention that it also seems like a lot of fun, and it's very competitive and I like competition. In order to make this a reality, I simply need to go out & buy a nice chessboard, and download a chess app on my phone. Of course, I will need to find some opponents to play with either in person or online. Lat but not lease, I will need to read up some basic strategy so that I have an idea of what I'm doing

Part 3

When do you plan to start playing chess?

Well, I have already been shopping around for a chessboard & I started reading an e-book on chess strategy. so right away. 

Does anyone in among your family or friends play chess?

My mom plays chess, but I think she's too busy these days to teach me. Also, some of my cousins & friends play as well, 

Let's talk more about exercising the mind. What are different ways that people keep their minds in good health?

Hmm, as I said, like chess, strategy games are a good way to keep the mind fit. also learning languages has been shown to be very good for long mental health, and I think that physical exercise is also very important; after all, the brain is a biological machine. 

Which of these is the most effective?

That's a tough question because all of these are very important. But I suppose if I could choose only one, it would be physical exercise, since an unhealthy body would definitely deteriorate the mind. 

Some people believe that a healthy body leads to a healthy mind. Do you agree with this, why or why not?

Yes, as I have just mentioned, this is very true. The brain requires a lot of blood and nutrients to function well. I've read that in certain situations. like exams, the brain can use up about 60% of the metabolic energy produced by the body which is incredible considering that it only makes up about 2% of our body weight. 

Is this always true?

Yes, I think this will always hold true. Like people who drink alcohol and use drugs all eventually feel the negative effects on their mind's function.

What improvements in the education system could improve the thinking of students?

I think that a greater emphasis on critical thinking instead of rote memory would be a big positive for school curricula. 

Can you elaborate on that?

Certainly. I think that many school lessons still focus too much on memorizing historical and scientific facts. like the name of the 3rd prime minister, rather than focusing on rational thinking such as understanding the best way to evaluate the future of a stock price. 

Let's discuss effective learning. What are the most important steps needed to make sure students learn effectively?

I think that systematic assessment and feedback are very important to optimize the learning of students. 

Why are these so important?

These are important to keep track of student's abilities & development as well as to identify areas that need improvement. 

Can you give an example of this?

Yes, while studying for IELTS, I did one full practice exam each week, and I always spent a few hours identifying and learning from my mistakes. This way I learned that I have to pay attention to verb tense in my writing. 

How has technology helped increase the efficiency of learning?

There are a plethora of ways that modern tech has improved learning. The internet has given a wealth of resources to both teachers & students which simply wasn't nearly as accessible in the past. 

Which kinds of technology will make a big difference in education and learning in the future?

I think that virtual reality and AI will make a great impact on future learning. I think that this will allow students to be even more engaged with their subjects & therefore gain more knowledge faster.