Describe a tourist attraction you once visited

Speaking Part 1

1Do you like travelling?

Yes. Travelling just changes your mind and refreshes you and makes you forget the busy work schedule. When you start enjoying yourself for some time, you get charged up.

2Whom do you often spend the holiday with?

I often spend my holidays with my cousins at my grandma’s place in Hyderabad which is the capital of Telangana state. We enjoy each other’s company.

3Have you done much travelling?

Yes. I have. Places which I visited have a very rich heritage and are colourful like Jaipur which is also known as the pink city, Hyderabad which is also a great metropolitan city, Nagpur famous for its oranges, Delhi famous for its shopping centres and food, Punjab famous for its lively atmosphere and etc.

4What kind of places have you visited in your life?

I have visited almost every type of place where people enjoy their life, places where people have a lot of opportunities to express their creativity, places which are well known for their educational facilities etc.

5When you visit new places, what do you like to do?

Whenever I visit a place the first thing I do is search about the history or past of that place ,then record the experiences I get there. I write about what I did , what I liked etc. I just jot down in my travel diary so that whenever I open and read it I can relive those memories.

6Do you prefer travelling alone or in a group?

I prefer travelling in a group as it’s always safe and most affordable. Also when we go on a trip as a group we are bonded with different type of people and make a lot beautiful ,sour and sweet memories.

7Do you often travel abroad?

I haven’t travelled abroad yet. First I want to tour all places within my country.

8In which seasons do you prefer to travel?

I prefer travelling in winter because the weather and atmosphere remains cool and soothing and it feels good to travel when it’s cool and soul-satisfying.

9What is the best season to travel in your country?

The best time to travel in India is in the span of November to February when it is mixed weather. In this period it’s cold and dry simultaneously.

10Would you say your country is a good place for travellers to visit?

Yes , definitely. India is considered to be one of the best countries to travel to because of its rich and diverse culture. The way the people in India welcome others with such a warm heart is tremendous to be felt.

11What would you recommend a foreigner to visit in your country?

Each and every place in my country is significant for a particular thing. I would rather suggest a foreigner to tour all over India because there is not even a corner here that isn’t unique.

12What places would you like to visit in the future?

I would like to visit New York and also Switzerland. These are my most favourite and desired destinations because of their scenic beauty and also the people who are very generous and sweet.

13How much time do you spend travelling on a normal day?

On normal days I don’t spend much time as you know I’m pursuing my studies and working simultaneously. So it is really difficult to travel on normal days.

14What do you do while you are travelling?

When travelling in a car I just sit back and enjoy the scenery. When on the train I really prefer sleeping and if I’m travelling by flight I would prefer reading a novel with my music on.

15Do you think your hometown is a good place for a holiday?

Speaking Part 2

Sample Answer

I love to visit places, but due to my busy schedule, I am unable to go out on a lot of trips on holidays. Before the global pandemic started, I visited Sikkim with my family. I don’t clearly remember the exact date ,but it was in the month of May, 2019. It was summer, but the weather was very soothing there. Sikkim is  one of the smallest states of India situated in the North eastern part. Since my childhood I was drawn towards mountains more than I was towards the sea. Mountains always used to be peaceful and calm and I think that is the most attractive part of it. We started our journey from Pelling which is a small town in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim, at the foothills of Mount Khangchendzonga. The town is filled with monasteries and waterfalls. Pemayangtse Monastery is another equally important Buddhist shrine in Pelling. I visited the place the same day I visited Khecheopalri Lake,Rimbi fall, Kanchenjunga falls  and Singshore bridge. It is the second largest suspension bridge in Asia. The next day we visited Rabdentse Ruins and in the evening we were off to Ravangla. Unfortunately it started to rain so we were unable to visit anything but Temi tea garden on our way to ravangla. The next day we were off to Gangtok. We stayed there and went out on alternative days for sightseeing. We visited Tsomgo lake, Seven Sisters waterfall, Banjhakri falls, Rumtek monastery. The days we were not sightseeing, we used to spend quality time in the Gangtok “mail” which they used to call their shopping markets. We were unable to visit Nathula Pass as it started to snow heavily. We visited Yumthang-the valley of flowers and the flower shows of Gangtok. The beautiful snow capped mountains, the waterfalls, the monasteries, the lakes, the people and everything was so serene and beautiful. Sikkim increased my love for mountains ever since. I had a memorable trip which I will relive forever.

Vocabulary for Cue card

•  Suspension: hanging
  Eg: The suspension bridge is beautiful
• Sightseeing: visit places of that area
  Eg: She was going sightseeing before she left.
• Relive: to live again
  Eg: She was reliving her old memories.
• Monasteries: Buddhist Pilgrimage 
  Eg: The north east is full of monasteries.

Sample Answer

I happened to have a trip to Darjeeling a few years back. I don’t exactly remember the perfect date, but it was soon after my class 10 board examination. It was a trip conducted by my school authorities which can be classified as an excursion. Darjeeling is one of the prettiest hill stations in India located in the northern part of West Bengal. It’s all about magnificent views of snow capped Kanchenjunga, streams flowing down the mountain slopes, lovely tea gardens, landscapes with firs, pines & ferns, and all that combined with friendly people and modern yet colonial charm. We took a train from kolkata to NJP station. From there we took a bus that was pre-booked by our tour guide manager. There were fifty students and 8 teachers,along with our tour guides. We were served our lunch packets on the bus. We visited the beautiful himalayan railways aka toy trains. It was so beautiful to get a city ride on a toy train by the side of the mountains, stopping at every beautiful spot. The majestic view of the mountain on one side and the busy lives of people in the city was something worthy of watching. We also visited Batasia loop, Tiger Hill,ropeway,Himalayan Mountaineering Institute , the zoo,Rock Garden and several other places. We stayed there for about a week. On the evening of the fifth day, we were given permission to buy things from the shopping area of Darjeeling. As it was an excursion, it’s needless to say about the amount of fun I had there with my friends. On the sixth day we were off to the NJP station recalling the very new memories and sadness of the ending of our much-awaited trip. We bid our goodbyes to the most beautiful place of our dream, but the art of heaven, named as Darjeeling, will remain cherishable in our heart and brain forever. 

Vocabulary for Cue card

• Majestic: having or showing impressive beauty or scale.
  Eg: The sight was majestic in its own way
• Excursion: a long trip held by the institution
  Eg: our school held an excursion to hyderabad.
• Sightseeing: visit places of that area
  Eg: She was going sightseeing before she left.
• Relive: to live again
  Eg: She was reliving her moments with her grandmother.
• Art of heaven: very beautiful
  Eg: The sketches she makes are like art of heaven

Sample Answer

Since I study in Bhubaneswar and stay in Kolkata, the trip from home to college is often the trip I dislike to make. The journey from Kolkata to Kalinga is the most disliked journey I have to take every now and then. 

I return to Kolkata whenever I get a long holiday in my college and whenever I want to spend some quality time with my family. 

Being born and brought up in  a bengali family, you are bound to be home-sick. And I’m no exception. Just everytime I get a chance, I pack up and return home. So, I have to make the trip back to Bhubaneswar when the holidays are over.

Whenever I return home, my mother pampers me so much that I always feel reluctant to return to the college hostel and live on my own. Though good food is available in the hostel, it is no match to the home-cooked food. So, whenever It’s time to return to the hostel, the thought of doing everything on my own is the very reason why I dislike travelling. But there’s one more reason too. I have to travel alone most of the time and since this is long, I often get bored by the monotonous journey. I usually travel in 3 tier AC, and the people travelling are on a trip to Puri with their family, which makes me want to return. They are all to themselves, and being a grown up it seems awkward to reach out and start a conversation. Thus the dislike becomes stronger each time.

Vocabulary for Cue card

• home-sick: loving to stay at home.
  Eg: She was home-sick.
• homeland: a place where u grew up
  Eg: Nadia is my homeland.
• Pamper: give special care
  Eg: She often pampers her sisters.

Sample Answer

A few years ago, we were on a  road trip to Digha. It was my elder sister’s Bachelorette party.  There were ten of us, out of which five were her friends, and 5 were cousins. We booked a ten-seater van to travel. It was air-conditioned. If I can recall, it was in 2018. 

The first few days flew swiftly. Then, the west winds started. Bengalis call it Kalboishakhi. Storm, rain, and sea never go well together. Beaches were a prohibited place, and we were instructed not to leave the hotel. Thus, we were stuck inside the hotel room and were all to ourselves. The return trip was canceled, and our journey got delayed. But it was the best time of the year. We had parties and were gossiping, recollecting memories, and even were on movie marathons. 

We were supposed to return after a week. But we returned after 15 days. Even though the situation was challenging, we were having a good time. The weather was scary near the sea. No tourists were out.  But I loved the journey even though it got longer than expected. 

So when we returned, we had a lot to plan and organise for my sister’s wedding. But keeping in mind the storm and the sea, we were buckled up for whatever work stress that was about to hit. 

Vocabulary for Cue card

• Bachelorette: a celebration one gets before they get married
  Eg: She went to a Bachelorette party with her brother. 
• Kalboishakhi: the Western storm from Bay of Bengal that hits West Bengal during Summer
  Eg: There’s a possibility of kalboishakhi in the next week
• Buckled up: gather up what you dropped; gather courage
  Eg: She buckled her up for the upcoming competition 
• Delay: got late
  Eg: The train got delayed because of the rain.
• Movie marathon: watching a series of movie in a single sitting
  Eg: The friends were having a movie marathon. 

Sample Answer

Last year we were on a trip to Puri.

It was a trip with my family members. We hadn’t been anywhere for a long time, so we decided on taking a short trip to freshen our moods. My father always has this habit to pre-plan all the places according to the days.

One day, we went sightseeing in Chilka and several other places nearby. It was a long day planned till evening. It was all according to plan until my father decided to take the advice of our driver. He was a localite and knew every road and turn. He was well accustomed to the history of the temples and the places. He suggested we visit a few temples that were really beautiful. He also added that the history of those places was very intriguing. 

We returned 3 hours later than we had planned but the journey there was worth the time, we lost. We visited 3 temples, and the driver took us to a small village near Kalinga. We saw handloom works and several other things that will forever stay in our memories.

It was an unnoticed, not so famous village. The people were so humble. We wouldn’t have visited the place if he hadn’t suggested it to us. I had fun, and so did my parents. If I visit Puri next time, I will revisit the place.

Vocabulary for Cue card

• Sightseeing : places inside an area to visit
  Eg: She went sightseeing.
• Humble: good and polite
  Eg: She was a humble girl 
• Localite : local area person
  Eg: He was a localite.
• Intriguing:  arouse the interest, desire, or curiosity 
  Eg: The friends were having an intriguing conversation. 

Sample Answer

The thing that troubles me more often than not when living in the city is that majority of people are riding motorbikes rather than cars. As a result, most people don’t know how to drive a car, including me, which also annoys me, since I have always wanted to take a road trip across the country. A road trip by car from the south to the north of my country would be tough and adventurous because hundreds of marvelous destinations are waiting to be explored. However, it is worth taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone to truly experience what life has to offer when your legs can still carry you rather than to regret later in your life.

“If you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together.” It might be fun if you were a lone traveller and didn’t enjoy getting lagged behind your schedule. But, the adventure could be more colourful and unexpected, when you’ve got company, especially during a long journey like the one I prefer. Hence, my choice would be to pick up a close friend or two who share the same vision, the same eagerness to capture the beauty of nature. We would start from the south where we are living and move north. On the go, we could stop by our favorite beaches a little longer than other places because there isn’t anybody who doesn’t have time for juicy coconuts and white sand paradise. Traditional cuisine would also be our utmost priority whenever we reach a new place as the best way to live like a local is to eat like a local. A car is our best choice because it would give us room to comfortably converse with each other and shelter from inclement weather during our journey if any. It is not only about the destinations but also about the time I would love to spend with my dear friends as we would share the same space in a four-wheel vehicle along the road; and at the end of the day, it’s the people that matter.

Vocabulary for Cue card

• more often than not: usually
  Eg: More often than not, people get confused with this map.
• take risks: to do something that might be dangerous
  Eg: You have to take risks to win.
• have to offer: have something available to be used or appreciated
  Eg: She has to offer prayers to God.
• get lagged behind: get fallen behind
  Eg: The yellow car got lagged behind.
• cuisine: style of cooking
  Eg: She likes Chinese cuisine.
• utmost: greatest; most extreme
  Eg: Knowledge is of utmost importance.
• inclement: not pleasant; cold, wet, etc.
  Eg: The inclement  weather is not safe for flights.
• at the end of the day: in the end, finally
  Eg: At the end of the day your hard work pays off.
• shelter: protect or shield from something harmful, especially bad weather
  Eg: The birds are in search of a shelter.