EDUCATION

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of school education and family
education?
Well, school is a formal institution while the family is a non-formal education.
The school usually teaches some of the selected elements to live in the society.
This is a formal way to get educated and pass different courses with or without
distinctions. Generally, in schools, some preset subjects or courses are taught to
the students of different levels. Accordingly, they appear on examinations, pass
the courses and get their formal recognition like certificates. But the matter is a
bit different in the case of a family. The issues taught in families are priceless. It
is the first institution for an individual. A family teaches a man to deal with the
world. When kids are born, they usually get familiar with the family members
gradually and start following their activities. They try to imitate the actions and
behaviours of the other family members. Consequently, they start learning about
the world and life. They become socialised and start living in a decent society.
Education in schools makes them literate and sensible while the education in
family forms the base of the individual. Both of them have some detrimental
impacts as well. Sometimes people may get derailed for their families or in some
cases people may not pass the desired levels. But we have to acknowledge the
facts that two of the systems are helpful to us in many aspects comparing the
negative impacts. Thereby, I think both the institutional and family education is
necessary for humans to live on the planet.

 What kind of school would you send your children to? Why?
It’s an important question for me. I want my kids to be educated, I mean it. They
should be educated. I should admit them to a school where they would be able to
learn real-life skills so that they could use the skills in their practical life. Most of
the schools and educational institutions nowadays inspire the students to
memorise instead of teaching them the right things. They emphasise on learning
than realising. I think learning does not stay for a long while if you realise
something from your heart, it would last for the lifetime. I have several examples
 to show favouring my statement. For instance, now if I ask you to tell me what
you have memorised in your seventh grade, of course, you won’t be able to tell
me instantly. Or you may have also forgotten. It’s natural. But if I ask you to tell
something that you can remember from your childhood, certainly you can tell me
a good number of things because those events are ever reminding as you
observed those not memorised.
So, I would prefer schools where the teaching method will be different from the
ordinary schools. I want my kids to gain the right real-life knowledge and skills
and they should also be able to implement those in the right manner. But the
numbers of such schools are limited and in some cases, those schools exist on
black and white only. But I am hopeful that someday I certainly will get such a
school and if I could achieve the ability, I would launch such a school where the
kids will get the real-life training instead of bookish knowledge. In fact, I have
started dreaming of establishing such a school and I hope someday the dream
will come true. If I cannot admit my kids to such a school, I will try so that the
others could get the facility of the standard education in the right way.

 What do you think of the role of family for children to learn skills?
Uhh! The family is the first institution and been serving various aspects of
human life since time immemorial. Family teaches the kids about different about
different roles and mostly socialising them. Socializing is a great thing to
consider in human lives. If you do not know the rules and are unaware of your
responsibilities while living in a society, undoubtedly you are to experience some
negative consequence. When you are unaware of your responsibilities in the
community you are living with, it would be difficult for you to continue the living.
Interestingly, the skills are taught in families. For instance, you are walking on a
road and someone was badly injured there. You need to take the injured person
to the hospital and inform the family members of the injured. This is a
socialising skill. Have you learnt it in schools? The answer is negative. Such
issues like helping the people usually taught in families. The family also teaches
to be with the people in their need and behave well. I think you are familiar with
the saying that my family is my strength and my weakness. If you learn
 something good, your family would be attributed to that quality and if you learn
something negative, similarly your family would be pointed or blamed to teach
you the negative quality. Thus, a family plays important role in the life of the
people. In fact, people learn the first lessons from the families and those help
them decide to be good or bad humans.

 What is the most popular skill that people want to learn?

Umm! There are a great number of skills that people want to learn and master.
Each of the skills is important and popular and is unnecessary for everyone. But
at times it is impossible to master all the skills at a time and thus we need to hire
experts on the specific matters to solve the problems arisen for our lack of skills.
Usually, people want to master skills like writing ability, well-groomed
conversation, critically thinking, maintaining professional and private life,
dealing and saving money, adjustment with technology, abiding government
rules and carrying out the civic responsibilities, repairing the damaged things
like home appliances or vehicles, cooking etc. Each of the skills is popular among
the people around the world.
To me, it appears that one cannot master all the skills together and hence the
need for different professionals emerged. Humans, in fact, cannot master all the
necessary skills together for some specific reasons and the first one is physical
limitations. Each of the people has some sort of physical limitations and as a
result, they cannot perform all the tasks or cannot master them. I think you also
have some sort of deficiencies in your life and for that, you need to take others
help who are experts on the issue. For instance, both you and I are unaware of
the medicine as we are not doctors. We might have some usual ideas overtaking
medicines and we may also prescribe the same medications to others if they are
suffering as we did. But the suggestions for medications will not make us
doctors, right? Further, the doctor might need a painting for his spacious living
room and he needs to buy that from a professional painter because he cannot
paint pictures. This is the fact. Skills count. I think the issue is clear why one
cannot gain all the skills though they want to have them all together.
 What skills can you learn in school?
Well, a school is a place to learn some basic skills of life that will be useful in the
coming phases. A school is considered as the key institution to form the
foundation of an individual. It teaches us the basic skills like time management,
forming the reading habit, problem-solving, critical thinking, adaptability, goals
oriented, concentration, note taking, reviewing studies etc. With the growth of
time management, the student learns to maintain time effectively. S/ he will
never be late to attend the class and later the habit will allow them to attend any
appointments in due time. Reading habit is one of the most adorable habits and
it develops from the early childhood when the kids go to school. When they are
prescribed different books, they read them carefully. Gradually they start reading
extracurricular books and thus form the habit that lasts lifelong. In schools, the
teachers set goals for them and the students are to reach the goals or complete
them in due time. Consequently, they become goal oriented. Most of the time the
students are to take short notes in class from the lectures. Short note taking is a
good habit for them and could be applied in the later stages of their life. The
school hours are sometimes different. You know, the school hours change
considering the seasons and the students are to adapt to the odd schooling
hours. When they are assigned to different assignments and home works, they
need to think critically. They are to bring the solutions and they also need to
present the thoughts before their class and teachers. Their critical thoughts get
sharpened. Besides, before the exams, they are to review the studies they have
done so far and the habit continues till their adulthood. It helps them greatly to
review all of their activities.

Q. 1. What makes a good student?

Answer: A student is a good student when she/he learns new things at
every opportunity not only what is taught in the classroom, but also what is
taught by nature and his/her surroundings. We would call a student a
“good student” also when he/she asks many pertinent questions and tries
to find out their answers that ultimately lead him/her to find the “truth”. And
finally, obviously, ordinary people would judge a good student by the
grades she/he gets in important exams and tests.

Q. 2. What role should the teacher have in the classroom?

Answer: The primary role of a teacher should be to teach his/her students
the curricular lessons of the school. But, at the same time, a teacher
should also act as a “mentor” or “role model” in the classroom so that
his/her students can learn many other important “lessons of life”, such as
the value of discipline, punctuality, hard works, honesty and respect for
others, from him or her. In fact, the role of a teacher in the classroom
should also include teaching a student how to become a decent and
responsible member of society. A good teacher doesn’t just teach what is
written in the books but also what is not “written” on the books sometimes.

Q. 3. Do you think computers will one day replace teachers in the

classroom?
Answer: I wouldn’t really like to think that computers will and should
replace teachers one day in the classroom because students require
“human touch” to behave and act like a “human” in the real world unless,
of course, we want our children to become like “human robot”. A
computer can certainly teach students how to become “smart” in the
classroom, but it won’t probably be able to tell when to behave like one. A
computer won’t certainly be able to teach many other “real-world” human
behaviours, emotions and moral disciplines to students in the classroom
like a human teacher.

Q. 4. How has teaching changed in your country in the last few decades?
Answer: In the past few decades, teachers used to rely mostly on chalk
pencils, marker pens and writing boards to teach students in the
classrooms, but those teaching materials have been replaced by
computers, keyboards, projectors and wall screens. In these days, teachers
and students are much more connected to each other which were almost
impossible even a decade ago. In fact, with the tremendous advancement
in the information and mobile technology, learning through digital games
and learning apps have become more and more popular these days.
Finally, both students and teachers are learning more and more new things
and sharing their information among each other since collecting data and
information have become much easier these days than it was about a few
decades ago.

Q. 5. What is the difference between the way children learn and the way
adults learn?
Answer: Children and adults learn in fundamentally different ways. Adults
are self-learners and decide what is important to be learned next while
young students are dependent on adults (teachers) for their next lessons,
assignments and subjects. The children usually tend to accept the
information, presented to them, based on their face values, since they have
no or very little experience upon which to draw ( any conclusion) while the
adults usually try to challenge information and accept them only after
validating them in the light of their beliefs and experience. Finally, children
are usually motivated to learn because of rewards or punishment, but
adults tend to learn because of their “interest”.

Q. 6. How can a teacher make lessons for children more interesting?

Answer: In my opinion, the best way to make the lessons interesting is to
make them more and more interactive by allowing the children to ask more
and more questions no matter how “weird” they sound. And, the more they
are allowed to ask questions, the more “empowered” they feel in the
classroom to learn.

The lessons can be interesting also if the children are allowed to make their
own “choices” on what contents to learn and how to learn them. Teachers
can make lessons interesting for their children by creating contents are
which are more “real-life” oriented such as allowing their students to do
their math based on how much money they would like to spend in buying
their favourite ice creams and so on.
FOOD & COOKING

Food & Cooking:

 What kind of food do you like to eat? 
I mostly like homemade foods. They are hygienic, made from organic sources
and have no chemicals or adhesive. However, my preference in homemade foods
does not discourage me to dine outside. I prefer having dinner in a Chinese or
Italian restaurant as I love their menu. I am also fond of Pizza and Sandwich.
 What kind of new food would you like to try? Why?
I have never tried Thai foods and I would love to taste it. One of my cousins is
very fond of Thai foods and he had convinced me that I should give it a try. I
think I would like it. I have a plan to take my family to a renowned restaurant in
our city to taste the Thai foods together. Apart from that, I would love to try
Japanese Sushi. I have heard so much about it but have never tasted it.
 Do you like cooking? Why/ Why not?
I love cooking. This is sometimes very relaxing and gives a good feeling. I do not
need to cook very often but when I do, I feel like I kind of enjoy it. Maybe if I had
to cook every day, my opinion could have been different!
My mom mostly cooks in our house and whenever I declare that I would cook
either for lunch or dinner, my brothers and sisters become excited and worried
at the same time. They love the way I try to cook different menu each time and
they often find my cooking tasty but they also remember some of the incidents
when my foods tasted horrible. But if you ask me whether I enjoy cooking, I
would say ‘yes’, and I like doing experiments no matter what others think about
it.
 What was the last meal you cooked?
That must be more than 3 months since I cooked last time. It was fried rice with
eggs, prawn and vegetables. I also cooked mutton with curry and as a desert, I
made apple pie. Fortunately, this time, my siblings were pleased with my
cooking!!!
 Do you prefer home-cooked food or food from restaurants? Why?
As I said my preference is home-cooked foods over outside foods. My father does
not like the idea of having outside meals that often. Apart from that, my mother
is an excellent cook and we enjoy her menu a lot. Outside foods are quite
expensive and not fully hygienic. This is why all of my family members prefer
home-made foods.

 What are some reasons that people eat at a restaurant?

Eating at a restaurant offers people to enjoy the foods as well as the views and
surrounding. They do not need to cook and foods are usually delicious. People
are treated well in a restaurant and people love that a lot. We can invite as many
people as we want in a restaurant and we do not need to clean anything unlike
 eating at home. There are a variety of menus to choose from and people can
enjoy exotic foods at a restaurant that are not usually cooked at home. We can
meet friends and other relatives at a restaurant and enjoy our conversation
without interruption. I think those are the main reasons we like to eat out in a
restaurant even though we have to pay a large amount of money for the foods we
eat.
 Describe a popular food in your country? Why do people like this food? 
Pizza is most probably one of the most popular food items in my county. This
was not on the list of popular food items probably 10 years back, but the
popularity of pizza, especially, among young people is unbelievable nowadays.
The popularity is probably because of its taste and easy availability. Every corner
of a street has a fast food shop in my town and they sell pizza. Craze among
young generation about the fast food items, especially pizza, is another reason it
is so popular in my country.

 What are some kinds of food you never eat? Why?

Stuffed peppers, pan-fried Scottish scallops served with tomato relish, salmon
mollee, Japanese Sushi, popadums, Sour cream and Chive fries and Shrimp
cocktails are some of the food items I have never eaten. Most of these items are
not common in our city and I have heard about those menus from my friends.
Since they are not available in our city and I do not have an extensive travelling
experience, I did not get the chance to take them.

10. Who taught you to cook?

My grandmother was my cooking teacher, as I spent most of my childhood in her
kitchen. She was skilled at making the dishes not only taste good but also look good.
For example, she taught me the art of vegetable carving and table setting, which I
still remember clearly.

11. When you were a child, did you ever help your parents to prepare a meal?
Yes, I did, but rather than cooking, I helped my parents with simple chores, like
washing the vegetables and setting the table. I enjoyed such times, since it was a
great bonding opportunity for my family.

9. What cooking experience have you had?

Like I mentioned before, I don’t cook very often. The only memorable cooking
experience I had was when my mom sent me to a short cookery course. I got a minor
burn right on the first day, so my mom pulled me out immediately.

7. Foreign Food
a. Have you ever tried foreign food?
Yes, I have a tried a lot of different cuisines like Italian, Mexican, Japanese Chines,
etc.

b. Do you like to try new food?

Yes, I call myself a foodie, I absolutely love to try new food, especially the local food
of any new place that I visit.

c. What kind of new food you have tried recently?

Recently, I went on a holiday to Thailand and I tried the street food over there. I
dont remember the name of the dish, but it had noodles, prawn and vegetables.

d. What kind of foreign foods are popular in your country?

In my country most popular cuisines are Italian and Chinese. Most of the people like
to eat Pizzas and Noodles when they eat outside

Q.  What sorts of food do you like eating most? [Why?]

Answer:  I prefer homemade food and a fan of my mother's recipe. She is an
amazing cook and I always enjoy her cooking. Whenever we go to a restaurant,
we like to order Chinese menus. Apart from that, I like buttered popcorn, pizza,
Indian Masala dosa, Mexican Tacos, doughnuts and sandwich - a mixture of
many foreign food items actually.

Q.  Do you watch cookery programmes on TV? [Why/Why not?]

Answer:  Not much, I would say. I am not a big fan of TV programmes and mostly
watch movies on my laptop. Once in a while, I watch programmes related to
travel and cooking and 'Hell's Kitchen', 'Iron Chef' and 30 'Minute Meals' are my
favourite.
Q.  In general, do you prefer eating out or eating at home? [Why?]
Answer:  I like to eat at home. Homemade food has better food value and offers
a wide range of choices. It is more hygienic and less expensive. However, we
like to eat at a restaurant whenever we have special occasions to celebrate. As
dining out in a restaurant offers my mom plenty of time to socialise rather than
getting stuck in the kitchen, my father and I often insist her to go to an eatery on
occasions like wedding anniversaries and birthdays.
 

 Do you think there will be a greater choice of food available in shops in the
future, or will there be less choice?
I think the choices would be greater in the future. If I compare my childhood
experience, I can feel that we have more choices these days than it was before.
The satellite TV channels, globalisation, better transportation and migration
facility will surely widen the number of menus offered in a good restaurant in the
future. The choices have increased than the past and will definitely increase in
the future.
 What effects has modern technology had on the way food is produced?
The modern technology has redefined the way people produce foods. From
irrigation till kitchen, modern technology has made food production easier and
more convenient. We can taste foods from other countries, can preserve them for
a long, or cook a whole new menu only because of the technological advancement
in recent years.

 How important is it for a country to be able to grow all the food it needs, without
importing any from other countries?
This would make a country self-dependent. They would be able to export many
food items and thus they would become economically stronger. However, it is
not practical that a country will produce all the food items their countrymen
need and this is because foods and crops productions are greatly dependent on
weather, temperature and soil condition of a country. Some really large countries
might become successful in producing all their necessary foods, but most of the
countries would have to rely on importing foods that they do not produce.
 Which are more popular in your country: fast food restaurants or traditional
restaurants?
Well, that varies based on the age group of people. Fast food shops are more
popular among the students, teenagers and low-income class people while
traditional restaurants are well-liked by working class people and high-income
group people. When people need to take a quick meal they often go to a fast food
restaurant but when they plan to have dinner with his family, traditional
restaurant is their choice.
 Why do you think that is?
Well, having fast food is cheaper and does not offer a great dining experience.
That is why people with less money mostly go to a fast food shop. On the
contrary, a traditional restaurant offers a better dining experience but costs a lot
of money.

 Why do you think people go to restaurants when they want to celebrate

something?
People mostly go to restaurants to celebrate a special day or a special event
because that gives them a different experience than staying at home. They enjoy
the view and the environment. Also, they can enjoy different types of foods that
they usually do not cook at home. They can invite others and many people can
gather at that place and that is more convenient than inviting all of them to
gather in a house. The foods and dining experience could be bought with money
and the host does not need to take any extra hassle to take care of every invited
guest.

Q. 1. What are some reasons that people eat at a restaurant?

Answer: Different people have different reasons for eating at a restaurant. For
example, some don’t feel like preparing a meal for themselves either because
they don’t like to do grocery shopping, or they are just not good at cooking. It is
also possible that some people just don’t have enough time to cook because of
their busy life schedule. Some people like to eat at a restaurant also because
they are just tired of eating the same kinds of food, and they want to try some
new cuisines from different countries or cultures. Finally, some people like to eat
at a restaurant because it allows them to have fun and relax in the company of
some special people, friends and family members.
Q. 2. How can the government encourage people to eat healthier food?
Answer: The government can do many things to encourage people to eat
healthier foods. First, it can actually identify many of the unhealthy foods in the
market and impose some stiff sales taxes on them in order to discourage people
from buying them. Secondly, it can also take the help of different newspaper
media, electronic media and social networking media to propagate the benefits of
eating healthier foods, along with the harms of eating unhealthy foods, on a
regular basis. Finally, governments can also heavily subsidize different initiatives
and schemes which produce and manufacture healthy foods so that people can
buy them at an affordable price.
Q. 3. Do people in your country generally like to cook their food at home?
Why?/Why not?
Answer: Yes, people in my country generally like to cook their food at home
mainly because it allows them to save a significant amount of money and time.
After all, we all know how expensive the foods at restaurants can be. Besides,
cooking at home allows us to have more control over how our food is made and
portioned so that they may be particularly helpful for anyone who is trying to lose
weight, and who have food allergies and are following a special diet due to some
medical conditions. Finally, they like to cook their food at home also because it
brings the entire family together by fostering love and harmony among its
members.

Q. 6. How important it is for us to be able to cook when we live in a different

city/country away from home?
Answer: It depends on if we live in a different city or a different country. If we live
in a different city within our own country, it is not important for us to be able to
cook because we could easily get and eat the foods, which we are used to eating
on a regular basis, at a restaurant or food store. But, on the other hand, if we live
in a different country away from home, it is important for us to be able to cook
because the restaurants or food stores most likely wouldn’t serve the types of
food which we are comfortable with to consume. Besides, if we learn to cook
before migrating or staying in a different country, we would be able to save a
significant amount of money each week.

Q. 4. Do you believe people in your country have a healthy diet? Why/Why

not?
Answer: Yes, I do believe that people in my country have a healthy diet which
actually manifests in their health. For example, we don’t have many people with
an obesity problem, and they don’t even have to hit the gym to become less
“obese”, comparing to the obesity rate of many other countries. People in my
country choose to live on a healthy diet of rice, vegetables and fish most of the
times and they prepare healthy meals at home. Besides, most of the adult
population in my country are able to work and are productive citizens, goes to
prove the fact they generally have a healthy diet.

FAMILY

Family:
•    Do you have a large family or small family?
I have a small family and there are only five members including my dad, mom,
younger sister, younger brother and I am (the eldest son of the family).
•    Tell me something about your family.
Well, as I said we have got five family members in our family including me. My
father is a Doctor and my hero. My mother is a school teacher and a loving and
caring person. We love our parents very much. My younger sister is in grade 7 and
she has got all the crazy and creative ideas and she shares most of her secrets with
me. My younger brother is studying mathematics at a university and he has got a
passion for playing football. He dreams to become a professional football player
someday though I have my doubts about it. I have recently completed my Bachelor
degree in Computer Science and have a plan to finish my Master degree from a
reputed foreign university. We are a happy family and share a strong bonding that
makes us care for each other a lot.
•    How much time do you manage to spend with members of your
family?
I usually try to spend most of the time with my family. But I cannot manage time
when I am out for my university. But after my return from the university, I do not
make any late to share the day-long events with the family members, especially with
my mom.
•    In what way is your family important to you?
Well, my family is the centre of my universe. My parents did everything humanly
possible to raise me up and ensure my education and well-being. Their sacrifices and
contributions for my life are unparalleled. I will always be grateful to be a member of
such a happy and caring family. My family members know me better than any other
person and they will always be with me no matter what. They are the people who had
always been with me and supported me every way possible. I believe that family
comes first and that’s why my family is the most important aspect of my life.
•    What sorts of things do you like to do together?
Frequently we watch movies in theatres and also go for some day outs during the
holidays. Actually, my dad likes a lot to go out with the family members when he is
free from his professional engagements. But my mum prefers going to the cinema
and thus we, the kids, are to settle the issues.
•    Did/Do you get well with your family? Why?
Yes, I get very well with my family members. They are supportive, positive,
intelligent and caring. I would not say that we never had any disagreement but that’s
usually momentary. Love is stronger among us and that conquers any
misunderstanding that might arrive among us. In fact, I am happy to be a part of
such a wonderful family. They love me as much I love them.
•    Who are you close to in your family?
I am close to every single family member in my own way. However, in terms of
sharing personal secrets and spending time, I am more close to my mother than my
father. My younger sister considers me her best friend and thus we have a unique
relationship.
•    Should we rely heavily on our families or is it better to try to be
independent?
I believe that being independent does not contradict our reliance on our family.
Every single person should be economically and personally independent at a certain
age and should be close to his/ her family at the same time. If being independent
means living separately and not having a strong relationship with the family, I do not
want such independence and freedom. We all possess unique personality and a
desire to be independent, but that should not harm our family relationship.
•    Do you get along well with your family?
Yes, I do get along well with my family members. We have a strong bond among us
and that makes us a happy family.
•    What is your special moment with your family?
Celebrations are remarkable, particularly the celebration of any special occasions
like a birthday, the anniversary of my parents or any special achievement by my
siblings etc. These events have so many special memories and we consider those
occasions as our special moments.
•    Are people in your country generally close to their families?
Most the people prefer to be with their families and do everything for the members.
But exceptions are everywhere. The people living just opposite of our apartment do
not have a strong bond among the family members and always engaged in
quarrelling with each other which is unwanted and indecent.

1. How often do you meet with your family?

I stay with my family. I meet my family members every day.

2. How do you spend the time with your family?

I spend time with family in many ways. We eat together, cook together, watch TV
together and do many things together.

5. How has your family influenced you?

My family has influenced me in many ways. We depend on each other for many
things. We guide each other from time to time and we do many things together.

4. Are you close to all of your family members?

Yes, we are a very closeknit family.
 In what ways have families in your country changed in recent years?
Well, you know change is the word of the day. Everything is changing around us
and families are not an exception to the trend. Nuclear families have been
flourished across European countries and the number of such families in Greece
is notable. The changes have taken place in the recent years, immediately after
the year 2000. Most of the large families have broken down into smaller units
and a few members live in such families. Such families consist a father, a mother
and their kids. If they do not have any kids, the family turns smaller. It has
happened for several reasons and to me, it appears that the rising of the daily
expenses is a primary cause of the separation. Sometimes the other family
members do not want to bear the skyrocketing expenses of the members and
thus they split from the family and make their own family. Besides, with the
modernisation, people want to live in modern and smaller houses filled with the
modern amenities. But they do not get so in the large houses where the extended
families usually live in. Moreover, mental complexity among the extended family
members is also a potential cause for the separation.

 Which is more important to you – your family or your friends?

Ahh! This is a sensitive question for me as I prefer both in my life. But if you
want me to be strict, then I should favour my family. The family is the place
where a man begins his life. It is the first institution to teach and socialise. It is
more than an institution. The members of a family play the roles of teacher and
guide the other members till they get matured. But the scenarios are not similar
with friends. You may need friends but you may not get them when you need
them most in your ‘situations’. But if you ask for help to your family members,
they will be there always to help you. So, they are playing the role of protector as
well in life. Besides, the family is taking care of yourself after your birth and been
provided with all the necessary services and supports without any conditions or
benefits. But sometimes, in my personal experiences, I have seen that many of
my friends were with me for their benefits and when I could not serve them well,
they left me. So, in a deep sense, I prefer my family than my friends but I want to
be all of my friends as well.
 What responsibilities do parents have towards their children?
Well, parents are the best teachers in the world for their kids. So, they should
play their roles properly and the roles are not limited only rearing the children.
The parents’ first and foremost role is to socialise their kids. Socialising helps the
kids to be familiar with the social environment and behave accordingly in
different changed situations. Secondly, the children should be taught to be
patients over any of the issues and exercise the other human qualities in their
real life. By this process, the parents will build a sense of perseverance among the
kids and children that will help them to go ahead in their future without having
any trouble or compromising with the situations. Besides, the parents should
also take necessary measures to educate their children, the other important
factor for the kids. Education is the most important thing that a human can gain
in life and if the kids remain uneducated, they surely cannot survive in the
absence of the parents. Moreover, the issue of morality should also be considered
and the parents should inject the moral issues among their sons and daughters
from the early childhood. When they will be older, it will be impossible to bring
them on track if they get morally derailed from the early stage of their lives.
 What responsibilities do children have towards their parents?
Hmm, the children also have some sort of responsibilities to their parents. The
most important issue is that they should abide by all the orders and suggestions
without questioning. They have to keep in mind that the parents never want their
kids to be harmed in any way. Their love and affection towards the kids are
priceless and unique. So, they should also respect parents properly. In the
current days, the kids are tending to disobey their parents which are entirely
unwanted and the events should be changed. If the kids follow the orders of their
parents, they should be able to shine in future. The blessings they will receive
from the parents will help them moving ahead easily in the coming days.

Friends
1. Do you have many friends?
Yes, I have many friends, but only a few close friends.

2. How often do you talk to your friends?

I talk to my friends every day. By best friend is also my neighbour. We are together
most of the time.

3. How do you communicate with your friends?

I communicate facetoface and also through cell phone and apps like Whatsapp.

4. What do you think makes people have a long friendship?

Mutual understanding makes people have a long friendship. If people can tolerate
each other’s shortcomings and be simple and straight forward, then friendships can
be for a long time.

5. Does it make things easier in a friendship if you have similar interests?

Yes, definitely. With similar interests friends can spend time together and not get
bored. They will also have similar topics for discussion. In a lasting friendship it is
very essential that your likes and dislikes are similar.

6. How do people make friends now?

Now a days, people make friends through internet by joining social networking sites
like face book, twitter and whatsapp.

7. Do you think we meet new people differently now than in the past?
Yes, definitely. Nowadays, we meet new people through internet by joining social
networking sites like face book, twitter and whatsapp. Earlier, people had lots of free
time and they made friends by meeting personally.

8. Is friendship (= are friends) important to you? (Why?/Why not?)

Yes, friends are very important for me. I can share all my feelings with them, and
they understand me very well because they are mostly my age.

9. Do you prefer to spend time with friends or spend time alone? (Why?)
I prefer to spend time with my friends. I love their company and I enjoy with them.

10. What kind of people do you like to have as friends?

I like my friends to be honest, trustworthy, helpful and intelligent. I also like friends
with a good sense of humor.

11. Do you like to spend time with friends? (Why?)

Yes, I like to spend time with friends because I enjoy their company. I like to go out
with them for movies, for shopping and for walks.

12. What do you and your friends do together?

We study together, go for walks together, watch movies together and sometimes eat
out together.

13. What do your friends think of you?

(Do your friends think that you are a good friend?
Why?) I think my friends like me. We spend a lot of time together and they never
seem bored. I am honest and straightforward with them. So I think they like me.

14. Are friends more important than family? (Why?)

Friends and family both are important. But, I think Family is definitely more
important than friends. Friends can turn out to be fairweather friends but family is
always with you in your good times and bad times. It has been rightly said that in
prosperity your friends know you, but in adversity you know your friends.

15. How do make friends? (= where, in what situations, e.g. at school & at work.)
We make friends in schools, colleges, while travelling, during family gettogethers,
during outings and in many other ways. Now a days making online friends has also
become very popular.

16. Do adults and children make friends in the same way?

Adults and children do not make friends and the same way. Children are very
innocent and make friends from the heart. They don’t judge a person before making
friends. Adults, on the other hand, are very calculative. They make friends after
judging whether that person could be helpful to them or not

Friends:
•    Are your friends mostly your age or different age? Why?
Most of my friends are my age and I have a few friends who are senior to me. The
reason I have friends of my age is that they were mostly my classmates initially and
then became my good friends. Most of my friends are from my high school and
college and that naturally make them to be my age.

•    Do you prefer one or two close friends or many friends?

When I was in my early teens, I preferred many friends but nowadays I have few
friends but they are very close to me. So I would say, I prefer having few close friends
than having too many ordinary friends.
•    Do you usually see your friends during weekdays or on weekends?
Why?
I usually see my friends during weekends. Weekdays are busy days and after I get
back home in the evening, I prefer to stay at home with my family members.
•    Do you prefer to stay alone or with your friends? 
I usually prefer to be with my friends. However there are times when I need my
personal time and in this case, I prefer solitude rather than companies.
•    The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together? 
Well, we played badminton together and had our dinner at a nearby restaurant.
That’s the last thing I can recall doing with my friends and that would about a week
ago.
•    In what ways are your friends important to you?
I share many common interests with my friends and that makes us having pleasant
activities and conversations together. They are quite helpful and supportive to me in
times of desperate time. I can share almost anything with them and that makes them
special to me. Having good friends is like being blessed and that’s why they are very
important to me.
•    What do you prefer: going out with your friends or spending your
spare time staying at home?
That depends. Sometimes I prefer being with my friends and sometimes I prefer
staying at home with my family members. I try to maintain a balance in terms of
spending time with my friends and with my family. For example, while playing any
outdoor sports, I prefer going out with friends. However, I enjoy watching movies
and dining out with my family members.
•    Do you have many friends? Why? Why not?
As I’ve already said, I had many friends when I was in my high school. But these days
I have comparatively fewer close friends.
•    What do you usually do with your friends?
I enjoy playing outdoor games, watching movies in a theatre, having conversations
related to recent political and international issues, sharing my updates and concerns,
going long drive with my friends. The best part is the open conversation we can have
related to almost any topic.
•    Are friends as important to you as your family?
To me, my family is more important. However, this does not make my friends less
important to me. Naturally, family comes first for almost everybody and then the
friendship. I am no exception.
•    Do you think friendships change as we get older? How?
Yes, I believe so. In early ages, we are prone to make many friends and only a few of
them remain for a long. At this stage in life, the friendship is not that deep except in
some cases. On the contrary, when we get older we prefer to have few friends but
most of them remain as loyal and close friends. In young ages, our expectations from
friends are to enjoy their companionship and doing all the crazy things with them.
However, in older ages, we expect far more from our friends and they become more
like family members than being simply friends.
•    What do you expect from a good friend? 
Well, that’s a tough question! Not that I have not thought about it, but I have never
drawn a solid conclusion about it! Umm, my expectation from a good friend is that
he would be a good companion, good listener, would criticise me whenever needed,
would be supportive and positive. He must be honest and would have a sense of
humour. Finally, I expect him to be more like a family member than an outsider.

 What are the differences between adults and children in terms of making
friends? 
Well, this is a great question for me. Friendship is a divine thing and it should be
understood and appreciated. Mere giving and receiving benefits is not
friendship. The meaning is entirely different from the usual conceptions we pose
over it. Friends are not always made and in fact, it begins in the childhood and
lasts long and even till death in some cases. But if we consider the aspect in
terms of making friends, we will find there are some basic difference between the
adults and the children who want to make new friends. When children are in the
situations to make new friends, they usually think of certain issues. Firstly they
think of benefits (it should not be considered as negative aspect rather it’s
 natural). Being immature, they cannot think of the realities of life and the value
of relationships and thus prefer getting the current benefits. But on the other
side, when an adult makes a friend, s/ he thinks about different issues and
aspects and also cares less about the benefits. When the children make friends,
they try to build the relationship with the other children like their classmates or
the kids whom they play with. As a result, their circle of friends becomes limited.
But the adults do not make such limited friendships and the range of friends
includes people of all classes in the society. The relations are formed with mutual
respects and understandings among them and tend to be continued for longer.
Interestingly, the kids’ friendships do not last for such long periods. When they
do not find any interest and cannot agree on any issues, they quarrel and split
up, and if the quarrels happen between girl children, they stop even showing the
least respect to each other. However, such issues are not found in the case of
adult friendship.

  What will the friendship become like when getting old?

Well, with the advancement of time, people will turn old. At the same time, the
friendships will become stronger and better than ever. Trust is the key thing that
helps make the relations stronger and it comes with the advancement of time.
When people will turn old, they will prefer to be nostalgic and this is quite
natural. When people become old and particularly in their post-retirement age,
they will have nothing important to do like attending office in time or to do
anything urgently. They will have plenty of time to spend without doing anything
at all. When people will grow older and mature than the current days, they will
try to recollect the past days in different forums. Often they will discuss the past
happenings and that will turn them nostalgic. To me, it appears that when people
will grow old, they will try to remember the past days for several reasons and also
will regret as for why they did or did not the thing. This will be the only way for
them to pass their leisure hours. Besides, when people will be getting older, they
will have no new friends. They will pass their moments with the old people and
old schools. But one thing will be prevalent – the understanding among them. It
is the base of the bonding among them.
 What do you think makes someone a good friend to a whole family?
A good person with better interpersonal skill, benevolent nature, amiable
behaviours and humorous character can become a really good friend to a whole
family. From my experience, I can say that such person has really good
communication and interpersonal skills and that’s why they can become close to
all family members regardless of their ages.

 Do you think we meet different kinds of friends at different stages of our lives?
In what ways are these types of friend different?
Yes, it is quite true. The type of friends we have in different stages of life greatly
varies. In childhood, we make friends who live near us or study with us. The
number of friends is quite high in childhood and they are mostly our playmates.
We make comparatively fewer friends in schools and the preference is mostly
based on common interests. In university level, we make many friends but the
number starts reducing with the age. In old age, we have comparatively fewer
friends but most of them are very close.
 How easy is it to make friends with people from a different age group?
It is not that easy to make friends from different age groups in most of the cases.
The age barrier sometimes brings issues that might ruin the friendship. The
friendship among people of different age groups in adult age is common
especially when people start their own career but this is comparatively fewer
among students who mostly prefer to make friends of their age.
 Do you think it is possible to be friends with someone if you never meet them in
person?
Yes, it is quite possible and in fact, I have 3-4 friends from different countries
whom I have never met. The pen friend is an old trend and making online friends
is a comparatively recent trend. Though in most cases the friendship is not that
strong, there are exceptions.
 • Is this real friendship?
Definitely. This type of friendship has every sort of bonding and characteristics
that a real-life friendship has except the fact that they do not meet in person. The
online and pen friends can share almost anything with each other, communicate
 frequently, exchange gifts, wish good luck each other, have common interests
and topics to talk about, care for each other and share happiness and sadness. I
would say true online or distance friendship is possible even though they do not
see each other in person.
 What kind of influence can friends have on our lives?
That’s a nice question indeed. I do believe that we can learn about a person from
the company he keeps. In other words, we can define someone from the
characteristics his/ her friends have. From this regards, it is true that friends
have enormous influences on our life. They can make our life worth living, they
can influence us to become a better or worse person and they can make
differences in a person’s life.
 How important would you say it is to have friends from different cultures?
It is quite important in my opinion. Having friends from different cultures gives
us an excellent opportunity to learn about the cultural diversity. It broadens our
perspective and let us experience things and activities which would have
otherwise impossible.

Discussion Topic - Health.

Part 1:
Q. 1. Is it important to you to eat healthy food? [Why/why not?]
Answer: Yes, I think it is absolutely important to eat healthy because it is said
that “health is wealth” and “you are what you eat”. Eating healthy keeps us
physically fit in order to care of everything in our daily life. Besides, eating healthy
helps us remain free from different kind of illnesses.
Q. 2. If you catch a cold, what do you do to feel better? [Why?]
Answer: If I catch a cold, I try to take lemon juice in hot tea, mixed with honey, as
often as possible because lemon juice helps keep our immune system strong.
Besides, I also take enough rest when I catch a cold because resting helps
recover and regain our bodily strength.
Q. 3. Do you pay attention to the public information about health? [Why/why not?]
Answer: Yes, I do pay attention to the public health information because they do
contain some important health tips from time to time which helps us keep free
from diseases. Besides, I pay attention to them because I don’t really like to visit
doctors and pay a hefty amount of fee for some simple reasons.
Q. 4. What could you do to have a healthier lifestyle?
Answer: Remaining healthy is the best gift one can have. Anyway, I certainly
could take enough sleep, walk about an hour every day and cut the consumption
of fatty food every day in order to maintain a healthier lifestyle. I could also try to
remain stress-free because stress can really harm our health.

Tourism:
 Tell me about the kind of foreign visitors or tourists go to your country?
A good number of foreign visitors come into my country, India. Though there are
no age groups among the visitors, I have noticed that the middle-aged people are
more in number than other age groups. They come from almost every part of the
world including Australia, Russia and US.

 In what ways has tourism changed your country? 

Tourism, in India, has expanded greatly. Earlier, people used to pay visits to
some specific tourists spots but now they go almost everywhere to enjoy the
beauties. The numbers of facilities and activities around the popular tourist
sports have been enhanced. Apart from that the transportation facility, the
security is now far better than they used to be in the past.

 What part of your country do most people live in?

Well, the entire country is moderately populous. But I think the density is more
in the urban areas like Delhi and Mumbai.

 Tell me about the main industries there. 

A good number of industries have been formed in India, and among those, the
most notable are automobile industry, agriculture industry, banking industry,
copper industry, cosmetics industry, fashion industry, jewellery industry etc.
 How easy it is to travel around your country?
Yes, it is easier to travel inside the country. The communication system is
developed in every region. Besides, the transportation modes are also different
and comfortable. Anyone can take a flight or a modern train to visit different
parts of the country and that has made travelling easier in India.

  Has your country changed much since you were a child?

Yes, there are lots of changes. The use of technology has increased. The country
has also marched ahead in several fields like medical science, agriculture etc. We
now have better education, healthcare, and job facilities. The export and foreign
 remittance have increased and most importantly people are more conscious
these days than they used to be in the past.

 Could you tell me something about your hometown?

I live in Mumbai, previously known as Bombay. This is actually the city that
accommodates a good number of Indians. The city is also famous for some other
issues and living place of many of the Bollywood legends. It is a beautiful place to
live in and offers all the modern facilities someone can expect from India.

What are the benefits of foreigners visiting tourist attractions in your country?
Yes, there is a wide range of benefits as the foreigners visit the tourist attractions of
INDIA. The most important matter is that my country’s economy grows bigger when
the foreigners come to my country. When they pay for their accommodation, food
and shopping, they are contributing to my nation’s economy. Besides, many of the
temporary sellers set their stall beside the tourist spots and make a good deal of
business with the tourists, especially the foreigners. It helps to raise their living
standard, in economic perspective. Besides, the culture and customs of my country
gets spread around the world through the visitors and being attracted to the
customs, they come again which finally improves the economy of INDIA. Further, a
large tourist industry has been built in the country which has created employment
for many unemployed youths – another positive impact of the tourists visiting the
attractive places.

Do foreigners visit these attractions?

Yes, the foreigners frequently visit the places and sometimes it becomes difficult to
collect the entrance tickets too for excessive crowds. The crowds become dense,
especially on the weekends and occasions. Foreigners from across the world gather
at the places and pass their leisure hours in various ways after their tastes. Since the
places are costlier, usually the rich people bear the abilities to visit. Sometimes I
think that the number of rich on the planet is not few as I myself had to stand in a
queue for long hours to enter into an amusement park.

•  What are the disadvantages of it?

Hmm, I agree with you. There are some disadvantages too of the tourists. Sometimes
there are misunderstandings among the tourists and the sellers over the pricing
issues of any specific product. When they cannot reach any agreement, they lock into
minor altercations. Sometimes the tourists are unaware of the cleanliness of the
tourist spots and throw away water bottles or snack packets here and there. As a
result, the environment is spoilt to some extent.
FESTIVALS
Festivals are the most important part of the society. It is during this time that people forget
almost everything and come together to celebrate life. Each country has its own different
festivals, and we celebrate so many of the festivals all around the world. This time let us have a
look at some of the questions related festivals that can be asked in the section III of the IELTS
speaking section.

What is the most important festival in our country?

India is a very diverse country. We have got more festivals than any part of the world. So, in
North, there are festivals like Diwali,Holi,Dusshera that are very important. And then, we have
east, where Durga Puja and Bihu are very important. Down the south we have Onam and
Pongal that are celebrated with lot of zest. In the west, we have kite festival. It is so amazing,
that going across from one part of the other in our country, we can experience all the diversity.
How do people celebrate festivals in your country?
Festivals are truly the time when people do come back home and celebrate with their family and
friends. People dress up according to the occasion and cook delicacies, invite friends and have
a family time. Almost all festival in our country start with a puja, i.e. prayers to God after which
the gatherings take place.

What special food are associated with festivals in your country?

Each festival has its own food. In Pongal, on the first day rice is eaten with fried chickpea
patties, known as vada and the next day people eat Venpongal. In Holi, people drink bhang
which is an alcoholic drink made with rosewater and dried fruits. Sweet dumplings filled with
khoya and dried fruits called gujjias are served as a dessert. In durga puja, bhog is given on
every day of the puja and then during diwali people celebrate it with sweets. There are so many
more festivals and so much more that people actually do.

Which festival do you enjoy the most?

I love Holi the most. This is the festival where people color each other and forget about any
clashes and enjoy with each other. Friends come together and dance and throw colored water
at each other and it is fun!! Later eating the gujiya is amazing.

Do you think festivals are important for the society?

I think definitely yes, festivals are surely  the binding force for the society. In lives of people who
are truly dissatisfied, festivals bring in the hope of something good and something new. Most
people forget their issues and come together to celebrate a festival. Even more, with prayers
being associated with each of the festivals, they bring about so much positivity in life.

Q. Do you think festivals are important for a country? [Why?]

Answer: I don’t just think, but I actually believe the festivals are absolutely important for any country
as it helps bring all kinds of different people together so that they could learn about each other and
appreciate them, in a world which has seen too much hatred and animosities already towards each
other. They spread brotherhood, faith, love, sense of respect and duty among the people without
destroying others emotions and beliefs.

 Do you think festivals are important for a country? Why?

Yes, certainly festivals are important for a country. It helps to strengthen the
internal bond among the countrymen.

 Do you like to have flowers in your home? Why? Why not? 

I like to have flowers at home and in fact, there is a flower garden before my
 house. I believe that flowers help to beautify a place naturally, and thus I like
flowers.

  Where would you go to buy flowers? Why?

There are some floral shops near our house who sell different kinds of flowers
and, when necessary, I buy flowers from them.

 On what occasions would you give someone flowers? 

Usually, flowers are offered on different occasions like birthday, marriage
anniversary, to show respect or propose etc. I would give flowers to someone on
any special day to wish him/her luck or to congratulate.
 Are flowers important in your culture? Why? Why not?
Of course, the flowers are important in my culture. Flowers are generally offered
to someone to show our love and respect. Sometimes the flowers work like
decorative materials at home as well. In our country, flowers are the symbol of
beauty and purity.

 What do you most enjoy about it? 

Well, I enjoy the gathering of people during the festivals. Almost all the people
come to the street and meet each other and sometimes invite the near and dear
ones at their respective homes.

Internet
1. Do you use internet (very much)?
Yes, I use the internet a lot, especially for research for my studies. I also use the
internet for chatting with my friends, watching movies and playing games.

2. When was the first time you used the internet?

The first time I used the internet was when I was in around 1011 years old. We got a
computer and an internet connection set up at our home.

3. Is the internet very important (or useful) to you?

Yes, the internet is very important/useful for me. I mostly use it for research
purposes for my studies. It also helps me stay connected with my friends.

4. Do you think you can (or could) live without the internet?
It is very hard to imagine a life without the internet. The communication and
connectivity we have now because of the internet will suffer greatly. I would feel
alienated/cut off from the world without the internet.