IELTS Speaking Practice 12 Test 04
Practise Part 1 questions, a Part 2 cue card and Part 3 discussion questions with sample answers.
Use the microphone beside any question to practise speaking aloud. Your microphone audio is visualised in your browser only and is not recorded or uploaded.
For the full experience, create an account or sign in, then open Speaking Simulator from your Dashboard.
Introduction and Interview
Answer familiar questions naturally and directly.
What are you studying?
I’m studying architecture at university. My course combines design projects with technical subjects like structures, materials and building history, so there’s a mix of creative and practical work.
Why did you choose this subject?
I chose it because I’ve always liked drawing and thinking about how spaces affect people. Architecture seemed like a way to combine creativity with something practical and visible.
What do you find most challenging about your studies?
Managing large projects is the hardest part. A design can change many times before the deadline, so I have to balance creative ideas with technical requirements and limited time.
How many hours do you sleep?
I usually sleep for about seven hours on weekdays and a little longer at weekends. If I get much less than that, I notice my concentration drops quite quickly.
Do you usually sleep well?
Most of the time, yes, unless I have a major project deadline. I sleep better when I stop working at least half an hour before bed and keep my room cool.
What do you do if you can’t fall asleep?
If I can’t sleep, I usually get out of bed for a few minutes and read something simple. Staying in bed while checking the time just makes me more frustrated.
What makes you feel comfortable at home?
Soft lighting, a clean room and having my own things around me make me comfortable. I also like keeping one corner of my room free for reading rather than studying.
Do you like a quiet home or a lively home?
I prefer a quiet home most of the time. I don’t mind friends visiting, but after a busy day at university I usually want somewhere calm where I can switch off.
How do you relax at home after a busy day?
I normally change into comfortable clothes, make tea and listen to music for a while. If I’ve been working on a screen all day, I sometimes read instead of watching anything.
Long Turn
Speak continuously and develop the cue card as one natural response.
Describe a time you watched a cute animal video
- Where you watched it
- What animal was in it
- Why it was cute or funny
- How it affected your mood
A cute animal video I remember watching appeared on my phone one evening when I was taking a break from a university project. I had been working for several hours and was getting frustrated with a design that wasn’t going well. I opened a messaging app, and a friend had sent me a short video of a golden retriever meeting a tiny kitten for the first time. The dog was clearly excited but seemed almost afraid to move because the kitten was so small. It kept lowering its head very slowly and then backing away whenever the kitten reached out with its paw. What made the video funny was the contrast between the huge, energetic dog and the completely confident little kitten. At one point, the kitten climbed into the dog’s bed, and the dog simply sat beside it looking confused, as if it had lost ownership of its own space. The video was probably less than a minute long, but it immediately improved my mood. I laughed, watched it again and then sent it to my sister. After that short break, I went back to my project feeling less tense. I don’t think one animal video can solve real stress, but in that moment it interrupted a negative mood and gave my mind a quick reset.
Is this experience still important to you now?
Yes, in a small way. I still remember it when I’m overwhelmed with work because it reminds me that a short, harmless break can sometimes reset my mood.
Want the full speaking experience?
Create an account or sign in, then open Speaking Simulator from your Dashboard. No Next button. It moves on automatically.
Discussion
Develop your ideas with reasons, examples, comparisons or qualifications where they fit.
Do you think such content can really improve people’s mood?
Yes, at least temporarily. Cute or funny animal content can interrupt a stressful train of thought and give people a brief emotional break. It may also trigger positive feelings because animals often appear playful, innocent or unpredictable. Of course, watching videos is not a treatment for serious stress or mental health problems. Its value is more like taking a short pause or hearing a good joke. Used in moderation, that small improvement in mood can still be genuinely helpful during an ordinary difficult day.
Why are short entertaining videos so popular nowadays?
Short videos fit easily into small gaps in the day. People can watch one while waiting for a bus or taking a break, and they get entertainment almost immediately without following a long story. Platforms also learn what users enjoy and keep offering similar clips, which makes it easy to continue scrolling. Another reason is mental effort: after work or study, many people want something simple and enjoyable rather than content that demands concentration. That combination of convenience and instant reward makes short videos extremely attractive.
Why do people choose light entertainment when they are tired or stressed?
When people are tired or stressed, their attention is limited, so they often prefer entertainment that requires very little effort. A short comedy clip, simple game or light television show gives them a change of mood without asking them to process complicated ideas. It can also provide a sense of escape from responsibilities for a while. The problem is that effortless entertainment can continue much longer than intended, so something chosen for a ten-minute break may end up taking an entire evening.
How might entertainment habits change in the future?
I think entertainment will become even more personalized and interactive. Recommendation systems will probably predict people’s interests more accurately, while virtual and augmented reality may make some forms of entertainment feel more immersive. At the same time, people may become more aware of screen fatigue and deliberately set limits or choose offline activities. So the future may move in two directions at once: technology will make entertainment easier to access, while some users will actively look for ways to disconnect from it.
Move from questions to a full speaking simulation.
Create an account or sign in, open Speaking Simulator from your Dashboard, choose your setup, and start an automatically paced Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 session.