Festivals and celebrations: IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions & answers

Opening question

Warm-up: close to home

1. Opinion

   What do people usually enjoy most about festivals?

   2
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8My viewWhyExampleBut

   1. My view→
   2. Why→
   3. Example→
   4. But

   For most people, I'd say it's the atmosphere more than any particular activity. There's something infectious about a whole town being in a good mood at once, with music in the streets and strangers greeting each other, and it lets people relax in a way they rarely do. During the spring festival in my city, even the most reserved office workers end up dancing in the square, which you'd never see on an ordinary Tuesday. Mind you, for many families the highlight is simply the food, and I know people who look forward to particular festival dishes all year.

   something infectious about

   a feeling that spreads easily to other people

   on an ordinary Tuesday

   on any normal, unremarkable day

   look forward to

   feel excited about something that is coming

   99 words · about 43 seconds spoken

Development: society

1. Compare

   How have the ways people celebrate changed over time?

   3
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8ThenNowWhy it changed

   1. Then→
   2. Now→
   3. Why it changed

   In the past, celebrations were mostly homemade, with families spending days preparing food, decorating the house and making gifts by hand. Nowadays a lot of that has been outsourced, so people order catering, buy decorations online and might even hold a birthday party at a restaurant or an activity centre. Part of the reason is that people are busier and have more disposable income, but social media has also raised expectations, because everyone wants an event that looks impressive in photos.

   has been outsourced

   is now done by paid businesses instead

   disposable income

   money left after paying for essentials

   raised expectations

   made people expect more than before

   81 words · about 35 seconds spoken

2. Opinion

   Do you think some festivals have lost their original meaning?

   4
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8My viewWhyExampleBut

   1. My view→
   2. Why→
   3. Example→
   4. But

   I'm afraid some of them have, at least for a large part of the population. Festivals that began as religious or seasonal observances have gradually become holidays first and foremost, so many people enjoy the time off without giving much thought to what's being celebrated. A harvest festival in my country used to be about thanking the land for a good crop, but for most city dwellers now it's just a long weekend and an excuse for a shopping trip. In fairness, meanings have always evolved, and a festival that now celebrates family rather than farming hasn't necessarily lost its value. It has simply taken on a different one.

   first and foremost

   mainly, more than anything else

   an excuse for

   a reason used to justify doing something

   taken on a different one

   acquired a new one instead

   109 words · about 47 seconds spoken

3. Pros and cons

   What are the benefits of bringing large numbers of people together to celebrate?

   5
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8UpsideDownsideOn balance

   1. Upside→
   2. Downside→
   3. On balance

   The biggest benefit is probably social cohesion, since sharing an experience with thousands of strangers reminds people that they're part of something larger than themselves. Admittedly, huge gatherings come with practical headaches, from overcrowded transport to litter and noise, and they can be a security concern for the authorities. But the advantages usually outweigh the costs, and the boost for local businesses, from street vendors to hotels, often keeps them going through an otherwise quiet season.

   social cohesion

   people in a society feeling connected and united

   something larger than themselves

   a bigger community or purpose

   outweigh the costs

   are greater than the disadvantages

   76 words · about 33 seconds spoken

Depth: the abstract and the future

1. Opinion

   Should governments spend public money on national celebrations?

   6
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8My viewWhyExampleBut

   1. My view→
   2. Why→
   3. Example→
   4. But

   Within reason, I think it's a justifiable use of public money. National celebrations can strengthen a shared identity, and they often pay for themselves to some degree by attracting visitors and boosting spending in shops and restaurants. When a city puts on a free fireworks display or a parade, families who could never afford expensive entertainment get to enjoy a day out together, which matters more than people realise. The line should be drawn at extravagance, however, since spending a fortune on a lavish spectacle while hospitals are short of staff would rightly anger a lot of taxpayers.

   Within reason

   to a sensible, limited degree

   pay for themselves

   earn back the money they cost

   The line should be drawn at

   this is the limit of what's acceptable

   98 words · about 43 seconds spoken

2. The future

   How might the way people celebrate be different in the future?

   7
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8PredictionBecauseBut

   1. Prediction→
   2. Because→
   3. But

   I'd predict that more celebrations will have a virtual element, so relatives on the other side of the world can join a birthday or a wedding through a screen. Families are increasingly spread across countries, and the technology for this is already good enough that it feels natural rather than awkward. On the other hand, there's a growing appetite for authentic, in-person experiences, so I wouldn't rule out the big public festivals becoming even more popular as an antidote to screen time.

   a growing appetite for

   an increasing desire for

   I wouldn't rule out

   I think it's quite possible

   an antidote to

   something that balances out a negative thing

   82 words · about 36 seconds spoken

3. What if

   If a country had no festivals at all, what effect would that have?

   8
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8If soResultWider effect

   1. If so→
   2. Result→
   3. Wider effect

   If a country had no festivals whatsoever, life would feel noticeably flatter, because there'd be nothing to break up the year or give people a sense of anticipation. People would probably feel more isolated, since festivals are one of the few occasions when neighbours, colleagues and distant relatives all make the effort to see each other. In the long run, I'd expect a weaker sense of national identity, and whole industries, from tailoring to confectionery, that depend on festive seasons would struggle to survive.

   break up the year

   divide the year with special moments

   make the effort to

   try hard to do something

   In the long run

   over a long period of time

   84 words · about 37 seconds spoken

4. Pros and cons

   Are modern celebrations becoming too commercial, in your view?

   9
   Answer it

   Get it scored
   Sample answerBand 8UpsideDownsideOn balance

   1. Upside→
   2. Downside→
   3. On balance

   Commercial involvement isn't entirely negative, as businesses fund events, create jobs and make it easier for people to celebrate in style. Still, I do feel the balance has tipped too far, with shops putting up festive decorations months in advance and people feeling pressured to spend money they don't have on gifts that are quickly forgotten. So in my view many celebrations have become too focused on consumption, and the ones that feel most meaningful are usually those where the emphasis is on time spent together rather than things bought.

   celebrate in style

   celebrate in an impressive, luxurious way

   the balance has tipped too far

   things have gone too much in one direction

   months in advance

   many months before the event

   90 words · about 39 seconds spoken