Family General and Married Person,

Family (general)

31. Could you tell me something about your family?

Certainly. We are a normal Indian family. It consists of my father, my mother, and me. I am the only child, so I don’t have any brothers or sisters. My grandparents passed away when I was still very young, so I did not have the privilege of knowing them. My father was one of four children, and my mother has a brother, so I have a number of uncles and aunts, and many cousins.

32. What do you think of the One-Child Policy in China?

That’s a tough question. Allow me to explain my personal views by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, I think we have to have the policy in China. Our population had been growing to rapidly and something drastic had to be done. Secondly, I believe the policy will give China a chance to move ahead in the world. What I mean to say is that as soon as the population growth has stabilized, China will be able to make progress in the fight against unemployment.

33. Why do people in your country traditionally want to have a son?

That’s an interesting question. Allow me to explain my personal views by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, I believe that fathers all over the world want someone to carry their name into the future. For example, in many western countries it is customary for a boy to receive his grandfather’s name. A second reason that I could mention is that parents worry about what will happen to them after they had retired. They feel that when they have a son he would be able to provide for them in future.

34. Who does most of the shopping in your family?

As far as this topic is concerned, I could say that my mother does most of the shopping, but my father and I will do some shopping from time to time. My parents allow me to buy my own clothes. Lastly, I would like to mention that my mother does not like my father’s smoking habit and therefore refuses to buy cigarettes, so that my father has to do that kind of shopping himself.

35. Who does most of the cooking in your family?

My mother does most of the cooking, but my father and I will do some cooking from time to time. For example, sometimes my mother will be out the whole day doing voluntary work in our community, and then my father and I will do the cooking for her. The second aspect I could tell you about regarding this topic is that we often eat out. For example, often on a Friday night none of us feel like cooking, and then we visit one of the local restaurants, and have our favorite dish.

36. How does your family feel about you going abroad?

They are very happy about me going abroad. I believe my parents will be very proud if I were to achieve a degree at a university abroad. In addition, they themselves never had the opportunity to study. I am their only child, and they would do anything in their power to allow me to have the opportunity.

Family (Married Person)

 37. Are you married? And if so, when did you get married?

Yes, I am married. I got married about three years ago. I have a good husband /wife, and we are very happy together. To put it in another way you could say that we are best friends. For example, we do not keep any secrets from one another. We had known each other for many years before we got married, so we did not have to adjust too much. For example, I knew that he snores loudly when he turns onto his back when sleeping.

38. Do you have any children?

No, I don’t have any children yet. We are planning to start with a family as soon as we have our own apartment. Until then my husband / wife and I are workings hard as possible to improve our positions in the companies that we are employed by. We would both like to have a son and a daughter, but because of the one-child policy that will not be possible.

39. What is your child’s name? Does it have any meaning?

My child’s name is David Lee. His nickname is superman, as we believe that he is going to become a strong man one day.

40. What does your wife do?

My wife is a housewife at the moment. We are looking for a job for her, but it is not easy, as she does not have any qualifications or experience. They are opening up a new supermarket in our area soon, and we are hoping that she will be able to find a job there. She has placed her name on a waiting list, and we will be hearing from the employment officer soon.

41. What does your husband do?

My husband is a civil servant. He works for the Department of Health at a hospital near our home. He is responsible for keeping the patient records in the men’s wards. He loves his work, and is receiving a good salary, so we don’t have any serious worries. As a matter of fact we both agree that we have a lot to be thankful for.

42. Did you have a honeymoon? And if so, where did you go?

Yes, we did have a honeymoon. We went to Cuba for a week, and stayed in a small hotel next to the beach. I will never forget the time we spent there. For example, it was very romantic, as we could sit on the beach in the evenings and watch the moon rising over the sea.

43. Did you and your spouse have to ask permission from your parent before you could get married? 

No, not really. They knew we were going to get married. We only had to confirm the date with them to ensure that it would suit them and our families. In earlier times it was customary for the young man to get the permission from his girlfriend’s parents before they could get married.

 

44. Is living together without getting married acceptable in your country?

It depends to what extent the couple would adhere to earlier customs. What I mean to say is that these days it is becoming more and more acceptable. For example, young people feel that they first want to get know each other even better by living together. When they are absolutely sure that they are able to adapt to each other’s lifestyles, they would then most probably decide to get married.

45. Do you think couples should live with their parent or on their own?

There are several reasons as for why I think couples should life on their own. Allow me to explain by mentioning some of them briefly. Firstly, I believe couples should become independent as soon as possible. For example, they should learn how to cope with the money at their disposal. Secondly, I believe they should be alone as soon as possible. For example, should they have an argument; they have to solve the problem by themselves.

46. What responsibilities should a couple take?

There are several responsibilities that couples should take. Allow me to explain by mentioning some of them briefly. In the first place, I believe they should be responsible for their own finances. For example, young couples usually do not have a lot of money, and find it difficult to make ends meet. Secondly, I believe that later they have to look after their children. For example, they have to feed and clothe them, and ensure that they get a good education.

 Family (children)

 47. Are there any traditions around the birth of a baby in your region?

Yes, there are quite a few. Firstly, after the baby is born, the father will give his wife some flowers, and take photographs of the baby and her. When the baby arrives at home, the parents will make prints of its hands and feet. This, together with a paintbrush made by using some of the babies’ hair, will be kept as memorabilia.

48. What kind of parent do you intend to be?

That’s an interesting question. Allow me to explain my personal views by shortly mentioning the following points: First of all, I would love my child unconditionally. What I mean is that I realize my child is not perfect, but I will still love him/her even if s/he has made a mistake. Secondly, I would like to be known as a strict but fair parent. For example, I will not allow my child too many freedoms, but I will also try to understand his/her needs.

49. What hopes or fears do you have concerning your children?

That’s an interesting question. Allow me to explain myself/my personal views by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, I fear that my children will have a very hard life. For example, I wonder if they will have work to do. Secondly, I hope that they will be happy. For example, that they will find a good spouse, have children, and live together in peace and love.

50. What type of culture do you want your child to grow up in?

That’s a broad question. Allow me to explain myself/my personal views by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, I would like my child to grow up in a culture of love. What I mean to say is that I hope the circumstances in our home will full of love and understanding. Secondly, I hope my child will grow up in a culture where the finer things in life are important. For example, things like music, art, and studying should be part of his life from the beginning.

51. Are you going to bring your children up differently from the way you were brought up? Why?

No, not really. I believe my parents raised me well, and gave me a good education. If I could do the same for my child I would be happy. Maybe I would be a bit more modern. For example, I believe my parents were unreasonably strict at times. I would try and keep a balance between discipline and freedom.

Family (woman)

 52. Is there any sex discrimination in your country?

One of the aspects I could tell you about regarding this topic is that there is some discrimination against woman in my country. For example, woman who are doing exactly the same job as men, are getting smaller salaries. Secondly, women are not considered for certain high level positions, like for example, in government. In addition, in many communities women are still regarded as inferior to men. This is particularly the case in the rural communities. Lastly, parents prefer to have a boy as opposed to a girl. This is an unhealthy situation, as it will disturb the balance between the number of men and women in my country in the years to come.

53a. What are the causes of sex discrimination?

One of the main reasons regarding this topic that I would like to highlight is the fact that men often determine the wages in the companies. Secondly, women are not seen as able to do certain jobs as well as men. For instance, construction work has always been seen as a man’s job. Lastly, many men still believe that a woman should stay at home, raise the kids, and be of service to her husband.

53b. what are the causes of sex discrimination?

That’s an interesting question. Allow me to explain myself by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, I believe that discrimination against woman have deep roots in societies all over the world. In other words, it is not a present day phenomenon. Throughout history women have not enjoyed the same status as men. It is only recently that woman have been filling the same positions in the work place. Lastly, I believe that it will take much more time to eradicate this practice. For example, as more and more women become the sole breadwinners in families, they will have to be compensated as such irrespective of their sex. 

54. Should housewives be paid a salary by the government? Why?

Yes, I believe housewives should be paid a salary by the government. Firstly, to be a housewife is a job just as any other and one should be paid for what she is doing. Secondly, more housewives are better. For example, housewives can spend more time with their babies, and so lay the foundation of healthy relationships.

10 tips to improve the way you speak English

10 tips to improve the way you speak English

Part I: Want to 'neutralise' your accent?
Many deserving candidates lose out on job opportunities because of their vernacular accent.
Can I 'neutralise' my accent?
Yes, you can. All you need to do is train yourself to speak English as comfortably and perfectly as you speak your mother tongue.
How do you train yourself? By inculcating certain practices in your daily lifestyle. These will get you closer to sounding like a native English speaker and equip you with a global accent -- and you will speak not American or British English, but correct English.
This is the first step to learn any other accent, be it American or British or Australian.
Lisa Mojsin, head trainer, director and founder of the Accurate English Training Company in Los Angeles, offers these tips to help 'neutralise' your accent or rather do away with the local twang, as you speak.
i. Observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well and try to imitate them.
When you are watching television, observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, while imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech.
ii. Until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech down.
If you speak too quickly, and with the wrong intonation and rhythm, native speakers will have a hard time understanding you.
Don't worry about your listener getting impatient with your slow speech -- it is more important that everything you say be understood.

iii. Listen to the 'music' of English.

Do not use the 'music' of your native language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'.
iv. Use the dictionary.
Try and familiarise yourself with the phonetic symbols of your dictionary. Look up the correct pronunciation of words that are hard for you to say.
v. Make a list of frequently used words that you find difficult to pronounce and ask someone who speaks the language well to pronounce them for you.
Record these words, listen to them and practice saying them. Listen and read at the same time.  
vi. Buy books on tape.
Record yourself reading some sections of the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the person reading the book on the tape.
vii. Pronounce the ending of each word.
Pay special attention to 'S' and 'ED' endings. This will help you strengthen the mouth muscles that you use when you speak English.

viii. Read aloud in English for 15-20 minutes every day.

Research has shown it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language.
ix. Record your own voice and listen for pronunciation mistakes.
Many people hate to hear the sound of their voice and avoid listening to themselves speak. However, this is a very important exercise because doing it will help you become conscious of the mistakes you are making.
x. Be patient.
You can change the way you speak but it won't happen overnight. People often expect instant results and give up too soon. You can change the way you sound if you are willing to put some effort into it.
Quick tips
Various versions of the English language exist. Begin by identifying the category you fall into and start by improving the clarity of your speech.
~ Focus on removing the mother tongue influence and the 'Indianisms' that creep into your English conversations.
~ Watch the English news on television channels like Star World, CNN, BBC and English movies on Star Movies and HBO.
~ Listen to and sing English songs. We'd recommend Westlife, Robbie Williams, Abba, Skeeter Davis and Connie Francis among others.
Books to help you improve your English
· Essential English Grammar by Murphy (Cambridge)
· Spoken English by R K Bansal and J B Harrison
· Pronounce It Perfectly In English (book and three audio cassettes) by Jean Yates, Barrons Educational Series 

Present Situation (employee)

Present Situation (employee)

24a. Do you have a degree? If so, when and where did you graduate?

Yes. I have a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering. I graduated in 2001from xxx

 University . It is the largest university in my country and has about twenty thousand students.

24b. Do you have a degree? If so, when and where did you graduate?

No. I have a Diploma in Nursing. I graduated in 2001 from the Medical

Training College. It is a well-known College giving excellent training to future nurses and other medical staff. For example, ambulance drivers, hospital staff, and so on are all trained there.

25. What impressed you most when you were at university / college?

I was most impressed by the knowledge and skills of my lecturers. For example, they had experience in the working environment, and could tell us exactly what we would come across there. Secondly, I was impressed by the facilities. For example, we had a large library, well-equipped laboratories, and sporting

facilities at our disposal.

26. Do you still remember your school days?

Of course! Those were some of the best times in my life. Allow me to explain myself by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly they were carefree days. What I mean to say is that I had no or very few worries. My parents provided inmy day-to-day needs, and all I had to do was get good grades. Secondly, I had many friends in school. For instance, some o my best friends today were people that I met in school.

27. Describe your job in detail.

I am an Engineer. Allow me to explain myself by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, I work for a large construction company. To be more precise, we specialize in the building of railway bridges. Secondly, I would like to mention that I am in the designing department. We have to look at the site for a new bridge, and then decide what type of bridge will be suitable. Lastly, we have to make recommendations to the railway company of all the alternatives, and give them some idea of the costs.

28. Is your job important to you?

That’s a broad question. Allow me to explain by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, my job is important to me because by doing it I can serve my community and my country. For example, when my company builds a new road, many people benefit from our work. Secondly, I personally get a lot of job satisfaction. What I mean to say is that after we have completed a road, I am proud to drive on the road with my family and explain to them what was involved during the building of the road. 

29. If you could, would you change jobs?

Although I am very happy in my present job, I believe one should always be ambitious. That is to say one should never be complacent, but should be on the lookout for opportunities to advance in your career. Furthermore, I would not hesitate for one moment if I could obtain a promotion by changing jobs. I realize that one should show some loyalty to your present employer, but there has to be a balance between looking after one’s own interests and those of your present employer.

30. Are their possible changes that could affect your job in any way?

I don’t think so. The company that I am working for is large and strong. In addition, I have a good relationship with my colleagues and my boss. Lastly, the only possible change that would affect me is if I should receive a promotion. That would be a positive development, so I am worried at all.

Speaking Practice Questions and Answers (student)

Present Situation (student)

   
1. Are you a student or do you have a job?

I am a student at the moment. I am studying English on a full-time basis at a Language

School here. We have classes in the mornings, afternoons, and evenings. Wednesday afternoons we are off, and are allowed to go swimming at a nearby hotel. We have a number of foreign teachers who assist us in the correct pronunciation and grammar of the language.

2. Are you a student or do you have a job?

I have a job. I am working in a workshop of a large manufacturing plant at the moment. I graduated from high school two years ago, and went to work immediately. I am an assistant to one of the automotive electricians in the workshop. I have to assist my artisan in getting his jobs done. For instance, I have the responsibility to see that are the tools are in good order, and that the workshop is always kept clean and tidy.

3. What do you like most about your studies?

Well, I guess the speaking part. Please allow me to explain. Language is all about communication. So when I am able to communicate with someone in English, I feel that I have achieved something. I particularly like our free talk sessions with the foreign teachers. It gives me the opportunity to question them about their countries and cultures.

4. What is your major?

As I have been studying on a full-time basis at an English Language School, we have only one subject, namely English for Academic Purposes called EAP. We do reading and writing, practical speaking, and listening by means of cassettes. English is the language of the future, especially in the business world. What I mean to say is that when I am able to communicate well in English I will not only be able to go and study abroad and improve my qualifications, but also have mastered a very necessary tool for my future career.

5. Which is the best university in your country?

That an interesting question. Allow me to explain my personal view by shortly mentioning the following points: I believe that the xxx University is the best University in the country. For example, it has the highest percentage of students passing their courses of all the universities in my country.

6. Describe your study habits?

I have well established study habits. For example, I always start promptly at eight in the evenings. I study for two hours, have a ten-minute break, and the study for another two hours. I follow this habit from Mondays to Fridays, but over the weekends I put in more hours. For example, I study in the mornings and afternoons, and then take the evenings off to relax with my family or friends.

7. Do you think your present subjects are relevant?

Yes. Allow me to explain myself by shortly mentioning the following points: Firstly, we often use case studies in class. What I mean is that the professor gives us examples from real life to examine and report on. Secondly, our lecturers and some advisors from the relevant industries have set up our study material. What I mean to say is that the people who we are going to work for one day have had the opportunity to tell the university what they think we should be taught.

8. What kind of job would you prefer after graduation?

I would like to become a medical doctor. Please allow me to explain. Firstly, I would like to render a service in the community to which I will eventually belong. For example, I would like to assist the elderly that do not have the financial means to afford private hospitals.

9. What are your job prospects?

I am planning to become a Hotel Manager. Please allow me to explain. Firstly, I believe that the hotel industry will be growing greatly in future. For example, people are becoming more affluent, and spend more and more of their money on holidays. In addition, I believe that after graduating I will be able to find a good job anywhere in the world. What I mean to say is that all hotels and resorts have the same objectives irrespective of where they are situated. Their aim is to ensure that their guests have a good time and return again.