Part 1: Introduction and Interview

Number of Questions: 9

1. How many people are there in your immediate family?

Tap to Record.

Recording...

⚠️ Your recording will not be saved. Please listen carefully before submitting.

Previous Question.

Next Question.

Submit for feedback.

Get Feedbacks Here.
Part 1 - Introduction and Interview

Question 1: How many people are there in your immediate family?

Sample Answer: Well, it's just me, my mum, my dad, and my little sister. So, four of us in total. We're quite a close-knit family, even though my sister and I are always arguing about... well, everything really!

Question 2: Who do you get on best within your family?

Sample Answer: I get along best with my mother. She’s always understanding and supportive, and we can talk about almost anything. We have a close bond, and I really value her advice and company.

Question 3: Do you have a large extended family?

Sample Answer: Yes, my extended family is quite big. I have many aunts, uncles, and cousins, and we usually gather during Tet or weddings. It’s always fun and lively when we’re all together. I enjoy spending time with them and learning family stories.

Question 4: What do you do together with your family?

Sample Answer: Well, it really depends on what kind of time we have, you know? If it's a weekend, we often try to go out somewhere – maybe a hike in the local park, or if we're feeling a bit more adventurous, a day trip to the coast. We love having picnics, especially in the summer. During the week, it's usually more low-key. We might have family dinner together, which is always a nice time to catch up and talk about our day. My mum's a fantastic cook, so that's always a highlight! Sometimes we'll watch a movie together in the evening, or play board games – we're quite competitive, actually! And we always try to celebrate birthdays and holidays together, with big family gatherings. It's really important to us to spend quality time together as a family.

Question 5: Why is family important to you?

Sample Answer: Well, family's just…everything, really. I mean, they're my foundation, you know? They're the people who've always been there for me, through thick and thin. Growing up, my family was always really close-knit, lots of dinners together, holidays spent together, even just everyday chats and helping each other out. That created such a strong bond, and it's something I really value. Beyond that practical support, they're my biggest cheerleaders. They celebrate my successes and are always there to offer comfort and advice when things get tough. Honestly, I couldn't imagine my life without them – they're my safe space, my support system, and just…my people.

Question 6: Do you do housework at home?

Sample Answer: Yeah, I do a fair bit, although I wouldn't say I'm a domestic goddess or anything! Mostly it's stuff like washing my own clothes and keeping my room tidy – my mum's pretty strict about that! I'll also help out with things like loading and unloading the dishwasher, or maybe vacuuming the living room if I'm feeling particularly motivated. I don't really do much cooking, though; that's mostly my mum's domain. We try to share chores, but it's definitely not a perfectly even split!

Question 7: What kind of housework do you often do?

Sample Answer: I usually help with cleaning the floors and washing dishes. Sometimes I do laundry and organize my room. I try to do my part, especially on weekends. It keeps the house clean and helps my family.

Question 8: Did you do housework when you were a child?

Sample Answer: Oh yeah, definitely! I didn't have a huge amount of chores, nothing like some of my friends who had to work on the farm or something, but I always had to tidy my room, which, let's be honest, was a constant battle! My mum was pretty strict about that. And I helped with things like loading and unloading the dishwasher, setting the table for dinner – that kind of thing. During the summer holidays, I'd sometimes help with mowing the lawn or weeding the garden, which I actually quite enjoyed, weirdly enough. It was a good way to get some fresh air and earn a bit of pocket money sometimes, too. Looking back, it taught me a lot about responsibility and the value of a clean space.

Question 9: Do you think that children should do housework?

Sample Answer: Yes, I think it’s good for children to do housework. It teaches them responsibility and helps them understand how to take care of themselves. Simple tasks like cleaning or setting the table are easy and useful. It also helps them appreciate what their parents do at home.

Part 2 - Individual Long Turn

Question 1: Talk about a job someone in your family does.

Sample Answer: Okay, so my dad, he's a software engineer. He's worked for the same company for, gosh, almost twenty years now. It's a pretty big multinational, you know, one of those tech giants everyone's heard of. He mostly works from home these days, which is pretty cool, though he says he misses the office banter sometimes. His job involves a lot of problem-solving – he's constantly debugging code, collaborating with other engineers, and figuring out how to improve existing software or develop new features. He's always learning new programming languages and technologies, which I find really impressive. It's definitely not a nine-to-five job; he often puts in extra hours, especially when they're nearing a deadline for a big project. He seems pretty happy with it though, and it's definitely provided well for our family. He gets a good salary and benefits, and he genuinely enjoys the challenge of the work, which I think is really important. He even sometimes talks about his projects at dinner – which, admittedly, can get a bit technical for me!

Part 3 - Discussion

Question 1: Is family important in your country?

Sample Answer: Oh, absolutely! Family is incredibly important in my country. It's really the cornerstone of society, you know? We have a very strong emphasis on family values – respecting elders, supporting each other financially and emotionally, and maintaining close-knit relationships throughout life. Extended family often lives nearby or even together, so there’s a huge sense of community and support network. Big family gatherings for holidays and special occasions are a huge part of our culture, and it's something I really value. While individual independence is also important, it’s always within the context of strong family ties. For example, it’s common for young adults to live at home longer while they study or get established in their careers, and that's seen as perfectly normal. So yeah, family is definitely central to life in my country.

Question 2: Who should be responsible to care for the elderly? Should it be the family or the government?

Sample Answer: That's a really complex question, isn't it? Ideally, I think a combination of both family and government support is best. Family, obviously, has a strong emotional connection and can provide personalized care, but realistically, not every family has the resources, time, or even the ability to provide the level of care an elderly person might need, especially if they have serious health issues. So, the government needs to step in with things like affordable healthcare, social security, and maybe even subsidized assisted living facilities. I think it's about finding a balance – families providing the emotional support and companionship where they can, and the government offering a safety net and the necessary resources to ensure everyone receives proper care, regardless of their family situation. It's not really about one being solely responsible, but a shared responsibility, I'd say.

Question 3: How has the size of the average family changed in your country in the last few decades?

Sample Answer: Well, in my country, the average family size has definitely shrunk quite a bit in the last few decades. I think it used to be much more common to have large families, maybe four or five children, even more in some rural areas. But now, it's much more typical to see families with one or two children, maybe three at most. I think this is due to a number of factors, like the rising cost of living – raising children is incredibly expensive these days, between education and healthcare. Plus, more women are pursuing higher education and careers, and having a large family can make that much more difficult. There's also more access to family planning and birth control, which gives people more control over their family size. So yeah, it's a pretty significant shift, a much smaller average family size than there used to be.

Question 4: How do you think families will change in the future?

Sample Answer: Well, I think families will become much more diverse. We're already seeing more single-parent families, same-sex couples raising children, and more people choosing not to have kids at all. I think that trend will continue and become even more accepted. Also, I imagine families will be more geographically spread out – with technology making it easier to stay connected, even if you live across the country or even the world. And, maybe a little sadly, I think the traditional idea of the extended family living close together will probably become less common, just due to economic pressures and people's career choices. But, on the positive side, I think families will be more flexible and adaptable to changing circumstances, and hopefully more supportive of individual choices within the family unit. It'll be interesting to see how it all plays out, really.

Question 5: Let’s move on to the roles of different family members. Should husbands and wives have different roles within the family?

Sample Answer: That's a really interesting question. I don't think there should be *set* roles based on gender, you know? Ideally, it should be more about individual strengths and preferences. Like, in my family, my mum's always been amazing at managing finances and organising things, so she naturally takes the lead on that. My dad, on the other hand, is brilliant with fixing things around the house and he's much better at handling the more technical stuff. So they divide tasks based on their abilities, not because of some traditional idea of what a husband or wife *should* do. I think that's a much healthier and more effective approach. Of course, there's always overlap and they help each other out, but it works really well for them. It’s all about teamwork and finding what suits your family best, I think.

Question 6: What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?

Sample Answer: Well, in my country, grandparents generally play a really significant role. It's quite common for them to live with their children and grandchildren, often helping with childcare – things like picking kids up from school, helping with homework, or even cooking and cleaning. They're a huge source of support for the parents, giving them a bit more flexibility, especially if both parents work. Beyond the practical help, they also play a vital role in passing down cultural traditions and values to the younger generation. They might teach them traditional songs, tell them stories from their own childhood, or share family history. It's a really strong intergenerational connection, and I think that's really valuable. Of course, it's not always the case, some grandparents live independently, but even then they still maintain close relationships and often play a mentoring role in their grandchildren's lives, offering advice and support.