Prepare For { }: Ielts

Prepare for {IELTS} Part 1 – Festivals Describe the main festivals celebrated in your country. Student: There are quite a few festivals which (1) are celebrated (1) in my country and the major ones (1) are Christmas, New Year and Easter. The main one out of these (2) is Christmas and it is renowned for being (2) a day filled with food, fun and presents. New Year is popular with the younger generation (3) and is a time when parties are held (3) to celebrate the new year. Finally (2), Easter, which is a festival commemorating (4) the resurrection (5) of Christ, is a four day weekend in which gargantuan (6) amounts of chocolate are consumed (4).

What do you like about these festivals? Student: There are numerous things I love about (3) such occasions (7), however (4), the major (8) thing would have to be the food. I know I should (5) probably say it is a time when families come together, but I am a food lover (9) and a chocoholic (10), therefore (4), for me the main attraction (11) is definitely the food. It is a wonderful opportunity to pig out (12) and eat loads of not necessarily (13) nutritious (14), but tasty (15) food.

Have these festivals changed much over recent years? Student: I guess (16) the key (17) change is that they have become less about religion and more about families regrouping (18) and spending time together. Our lives are so busy nowadays and we're all rushing around like headless chickens (19) for most of the year so it does provide (6) a great opportunity for people to get together and spend time with their loved ones (20).

Do you think they will change much in the future? Student: I suppose (21) in the near future (22) they will continue to become less about religion, but who knows (23), in the distant future (24), because as a society we are becoming (7) so workobsessed (25), they might even disappear. Personally, I believe (26) that would be a shame (27) because I look forward to all our festivals and feel that we need them to stay sane (28).