1.Whereabouts did you grow up?
I grew up here in Fuzhou (if you take the IELTS in Fuzhou, use your hand to point at the ground). I was born and raised here. Actually I have lived here my entire life (= my whole life).
I was bom in a small town in Fiyian Province, about 300 kilometers north of Fuzhou. It’s pretty much a four-hour ride from here. I was born and raised there. I only moved out when I went to university. For the last 2 years I have been attending school in Shanghai.
2.How long have you lived there (or: here)? (= How long did you live there?)
I have lived here my whole life. I have never left my hometown.
Just be careful with the tenses:
I have lived = You still live there. I lived = You don*t live there anymore.
3.Does your family still live there?
Yes, they do. Most of my relatives still live in my hometown. This is why I go back there as often as possible. They all have jobs there, and my parents built a house just outside my hometown. They don’t intend to move away.
4.Tell me about the town or city you come from.
Use the same words for your city:
- pleasant
- expanding
- mild weather
- architecture
- renovated
- worth a visit
Well, Fuzhou is a middle-sized city as Chinese cities go, in spite of its 6 or 7 million inhabitants. Fuzhou is located only 30 kilometers from the ocean, and it is surrounded by mountains. As a result, it is a very pleasant place to live. Because we live in Southern China, the weather here is pretty nice (= quite nice) all year round. Even in the winter the temperatures are quite mild. Fuzhou has been developing a lot, and recently the city has been expanding every year. Although Fuzhou is an ancient city, it looks quite modem nowadays. There are many skyscrapers, and new shopping malls, as well as large streets in the city center. There is an old quarter with old buildings and architecture, but it is being renovated at the moment. In addition, the food here is excellent. There are quite a few parks and temples for tourists to visit. I think the city is definitely worth a visit. It’s typically Chinese: It’s a mix of ancient and contemporary (= modem).
5.What kind of place is your hometown?
You must define the place:
exciting = lively
quiet = peaceful
nice = pleasant
boring, noisy…
shrimps, amazing fish, and jelly-fish too. The local cuisine is really delicious, and It’s a mix of flavors: sweet and sour, sometimes a bit spicy, with many kinds of salty snacks too.
8.Is your hometown a good place for young people?
I think it’s a great place to study because we have some good high schools and pretty good universities. In addition, there are not so many temptations (= distractions) in Fuzhou. You know, the night life is pretty boring, and there aren’t that many great places to go shopping either. I think that the young people who were bom here get tired of the city, but those who come from smaller towns in Fujian Province find Fuzhou fun and lively. It’s a question of perspective (= point of view).
9.Has your hometown changed in recent years?
Yes, a lot. You wouldn’t believe the changes that my city has undergone in the last 10 years. First of all, the city has modernized a lot. So now there are plenty of new buildings and new residential areas everywhere. As a result, the city has been expanding every year. Ten years ago, Fuzhou was an old-fashioned looking place, with narrow streets and alleys everywhere. Everyone used to ride a bicycle; we even had rickshaws everywhere. But nowadays, roads count three or four lanes on each side; everyone owns a car, and the government even ordered a subway to be built. Restaurants and shopping centers have mushroomed all over the city. I think that business is booming, and it’s only the beginning.
10.What changes would you like to make in your hometown?
I would definitely try to improve the traffic situation in my hometown. Every day traffic gets congested around rush hour. It drives people crazy! I guess that the roads are not wide enough at some junctions, and there are simply too many people and too many cars nowadays. You can get stuck in traffic on your way to work and easily lose 30 or 40 minutes. In addition, traffic jams cause severe pollution problems. Cars and buses emit exhaust fumes (= exhaust gas). It’s really gross (= disgusting). The government should really encourage people to use public transport.
11.Which places in your province would you suggest a tourist visit?
Now it is your turn to answer!