DESCRIBING ACTIVITIES

89

Describe A Physical Activity You Do

You should say:

 How often you do it

 Where (and when) you do it

 What equipment is needed for this activity

and explain how you feel when or after you do this physical activity.

Model Answer:

I love to play badminton especially in the summer time. It is a game I really enjoy, so I play it
whenever I can get a willing partner. It is a lot like tennis, but I can play badminton anywhere. I
do not have to go to a tennis court to play and I can play in between classes without getting
sweaty.

Badminton is played with rackets that look a lot like tennis rackets, but they are much more
delicate. You should have a net, which sits high above the ground, and a ball that is called a
birdie. The birdie has a small rubber half a ball on one end, and it fans out with feathers on the
other to help it to fly. A badminton court has a net in the center that stretches from side to side.
Each side of the net has a square that the team mates play in. It is ideal to play badminton with
four people, but you can play one on one as well. You can also play without points or a net, but I
do not think it is as much fun. It is a game that takes a lot of energy so you get plenty of exercise
playing badminton. The main reason I like the game is that everyone, man or woman, has an
equal chance to compete. There are so many sports that require height or strength to be good;
it is refreshing to play one that I have an equal opportunity to win. Maybe that is why I get very
competitive and energetic when I play. I love the game; it is fun and rewarding, and I feel alive
when playing.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Question and Sample Answer:

What Chinese people think about sport and other physical activity?

As living conditions are getting better in China, sports and other physical activity is becoming
entertainment more than just a form of exercise or livelihood. In the past, most physical activity
consisted of doing work in order to cat or as a means of therapy. Now young people are playing
sports, such as basketball or badminton, in their free time as a way to have fun and make
friends. Now that life is less demanding, everywhere you go that has a park or playground is
usually filled with people playing sport.
What sports or forms of physical exercise are most popular in China?

The most popular sport in China is ping pong. You can find people of all ages playing ping pong
in parks and gymnasiums. Also more and more Chinese are enjoying western sports like
basketball. The NBA has put a lot of promotions in China. Especially since more Chinese athletes
are going abroad to play, there has been a major increase of NBA television broadcasts.

Compared to a few decades ago, do you think modem people in China do more or less
exercise?

Nowadays, Chinese people have put more interest in physical exercise. In the past, living
conditions ‘were not as good as they are now. People spent most of their time working so that
they can support themselves. Recently more and more young people go to gyms in order to get
a better body shape and to meet people. Also on any early morning in China, millions of people,
mostly the old, gather in parks to exercise. There are several types of traditional exercise that
are regarded not only as ways to take care of one‘s body, but also as therapy.

Why do you think modern people do less exercise than before?

People have become a lot busier nowadays. Many people work long hours sitting at desks. Many of our
modem methods do seem to make us more sedentary, so many of us find that we have to go out of our
way in order to incorporate regular physical activity into our lives. Even in entertainment, people tend
not to be as physically active. Entertainment has gone from playing sports in the park to playing video
games and watching television. And urban citizens have made driving rather than walking or bicycling,
the standard method for getting around.