Solution

Speaking

PARTI

When and how much leisure time do you generally have in a week?

I have a normal work schedule, nine to five, Monday through Friday, so my leisure time is in the evenings and on the weekends.

Who do you generally spend your leisure time with?

I spend my evenings at home with my family. I rarely see other people during the week. On weekends we might get together as a family with other families that have children the same age as ours. Sometimes on weekends I have the chance to spend time with my own friends, without my family.

What are some activities you enjoy in your leisure time?

Sometimes I just like to sit and relax because I’m so tired after work. I also enjoy talking with my family and playing games with my children. On weekends we often enjoy going to the movies together. We also spend time at the park if the weather is nice.

What do you like about these activities?

For me, leisure time is important because it’s my time to relax and be with my family. I like playing games with my children because it gives me the chance to know them better and also to teach or guide them. Also, it’s fun. I enjoy my children. After we’ve seen a movie together, we always talk about it. It’s nice to share things like this with my family. It’s interesting to hear what my children think about and how they understand things.

What kinds of music do you like listening to?

I listen to music to relax, so I generally like slow, quiet music. I often listen to classical music, and I like romantic music, too.

Have you learned to play a musical instrument? Why or why not?

When I was a child, I took piano lessons for about a year. I wasn’t very good at it, though, so I wasn’t motivated to continue or to try another instrument. I just don’t think I have musical talent. ‘But I like listening to other people play music.

Tell me about any traditional music in your country.

We mostly hear traditional music on holidays or at special festivals. It’s played with guitar and some other string instruments. Some of the songs are very pretty. I like it, but I don’t get the chance to hear it much since it’s just for special occasions. There are some traditional dances that go with the music, but hardly anyone knows them anymore.

Do you think that traditional music will be popular in the future? Why or why not?

These days our traditional music is played only by certain musicians who specialize in it. Not many people know how to play it or know the songs. Children learn a few of the songs in school, but that’s all. It’s very nice music, but it isn’t commonly played or listened to now, so I think in the future it will be even less common. Unfortunately, it may soon die out. I think in the near future there won’t be anyone left who knows how to play our traditional music.

PART2

I recently saw a movie called The Secret Garden. It takes place more than 100 years ago. It’s about a lonely little girl who is an orphan. She goes to live with an elderly relative in a big house in the country. There she discovers a garden that no one is allowed to enter. The movie is about how she discovers the secret history of the garden, and how she makes some friends in the process and isn’t lonely anymore. I saw the movie with my husband and children a few weeks ago. We saw it at the movie theatre that’s near our house, where we often go to see movies. I really enjoyed this movie. It’s a nice story for children. It shows them some sad things in life-loneliness and loss, and some good things as well-friendship and gardens. It’s a little bit scary but not too scary, and the ending is very happy. The characters seem very real, and the actors are very good. The movie didn’t rely on special effects or fast action or loud music to hold children’s attention. Rather, it was a well-done movie with a good story. My children enjoyed it too and it gave us a lot to talk about afterward.

PART3

What types of movies are popular in your culture? Why do you think people like these types of movies?

Action movies are very popular in my culture. People like to see movies with lots of excitement, car chases, people in danger, things like that. These movies are very exciting. I guess people like the feeling of excitement. Romance movies are very popular too. They make you feel good in a different way from action movies, but in all they make you feel good. Usually you feel very happy after watching a romance movie. I think that’s why people like them.

Why do people often prefer to go to movie theatres rather than watch movies on their TV or computer?

I think when people go to see a movie in a theatre it’s because they want to get out of the house and be with their friends. It’s a social thing. Usually when you make a plan to see a movie with a friend, you invite a group of friends, and you go to a cafe together before the movie, or you might go to a restaurant for dinner after the movie. When you watch a movie at home, it’s because you want to see the movie. When you watch a movie at a theatre, it’s because you want a social event.

How are movies different now than they were in the past?

I think movies now have a lot more depth to them than they did in the past. There are more movies that show the development of the characters and there are more movies that focus on feelings. Of course there are many movies that are just superficial entertainment, too. But I think now we have more artistic movies than we had in the past. We also have more variety in movies. There are so many more different kinds of movies now than there were in the past.

What impact has technology had on the film industry?

Technology has had a big impact on movies. Action movies have so many more interesting special effects than they used to, so they are more exciting and more interesting. There are a lot of animated movies now because of computer animation. Movie makers can be a lot more creative now than they used to be because of technology.