雅思口语话题加答案

Visiting People

1. What is the value (or importance) of visiting others?

Well I think most importantly, it shows the person you’re visiting that they mean something to you. And in today’s day and age, you know, it’s all too easy to just send someone a message or call them up, so if you go to the trouble of actually visiting someone, then I think it means a lot to them.

Today’s day and age = 今天的时代

Call someone up = call someone – for spoken English, we often add “up”

go to the trouble of doing sth = 不辞劳苦地做某事

it means a lot to them = 对他很有意义

2. Do you ever feel that it's inconvenient when someone visits you?

Yeah, I’d say occasionally I do. You know, I think we’ve all experienced times when having a guest over to our home hasn’t been the most convenient thing, especially if they overstay their welcome! But more often than not, I find it very enjoyable having people over, and don’t see it as being inconvenient at all.

Overstay their welcome = 逗留过久而惹人生厌

More often than not = 多半

Having people over = inviting people to my home

3. Are there any differences between the way children visit their friends and the way adults visit

their friends?

Yeah, I suppose there are. I mean, when children visit their friends, they tend to play games together rather than talk about stuff, which is what adults normally do. For example, when I think back to when I was a child, I would always be playing a game of some sort whenever I visited a friend, but now when I’m visiting friends, we normally just have a few drinks together and chat about stuff. So yeah, I’d say this is probably the main difference.

when I think back to…… = 当我回想起

So yeah = 所以嗯 （often used in spoken English at the beginning of the end sentence）

I’d say = I think = I would say

4. In China, when people visit each other, what questions do they ask each other? Well I guess the

usual questions are things like, “how’s it going”, “what are you up to these days?” um, “How’s everything going with your work?” So you know, I’d say it’s actually pretty much the same as in other countries.

how’s it going = how are you doing = how are you

what are you up to = what are you doing? (e.g. what are you up to this weekend = what are you doing this weekend?

Pretty much = more or less (差不多)

5. Should the guest offer help to the host?

Well, I wouldn’t say it’s necessary, and the host certainly wouldn’t expect it, but I think if a guest did offer help, then it would be a nice gesture. And I mean, even if the host didn’t take them up on the offer, it would still leave a good impression on them.

A nice gesture = 友好的表示

6. Is the way people visit other people in China today different to the way people used to visit each

other in the past?

That’s an interesting question, and I’m not actually that sure, because I didn’t really pay that much attention to it when I was younger. But I suppose in the past, people didn’t really use to bother with taking gifts and things when they went to see their friends, whereas if you went empty-handed to visit someone’s house now, it wouldn’t leave a good impression, and your host would probably label you as being stingy!

Bother = 费心 (often we use it in the negative, for example: “most people don’t bother to exercise every day”) it can also mean “懒得做某件事 – can’t be bothered to do something”, for example, “I usually can’t be bothered to cook in the evenings”)

Empty-handed = 空手

Stingy = 小气

Label you as being…… = 被起了个……的绰号

7. How do you think the way people visit each other will change in the future?

Let me have a little think…um…actually I can’t really see it being that much different to how it is now. But I think what could happen in the future is that people will visit friends in places like cafes and restaurants instead of actually going to their homes, the reason being that it’s less effort for the host that way!

I can’t really see it being that much different to how it is now = 我觉得跟现在不会有太大差别