PART 2 & 3

Topic 40- Describe a time when you started using a new technological device

Topic 40: Describe a time when you started using a new technological device (e.g., a new computer or phone).

BAND 8.0+

PART 2

Alice (English US)

George (English US)

You should say:

what device you started using

Why did you start using this device?

how easy or difficult it was to use

ANSWER

Technology plays an essential part in our lives. I also like to own them and use them if I can, except, of course, that these technological devices are not always easy for me to obtain because most of them are not cheap. Fortunately, an electronic gadget, which I started using about 13 years ago, wasn’t really that expensive.

The new electronic device, which I am talking about, is popularly known as the “smartphone”. Now, before starting to use a smartphone, I was already using a regular mobile phone (some people call it a feature phone), which, I thought, was a good technological device since it served my purposes perfectly.

After all, I could communicate with my family and friends through this strongly built device whenever I wished to do so. Therefore, I didn’t really need another device called a “smartphone”,  or so, at least, I had thought.

But on my high school graduation day, my mother gave me a gift, and it was a smartphone. I was taken aback and over the moon at that time. It was so convenient because I used it to have a voice chat with my parents while also having a live video transmission at the same time.

Of course. I wanted to have it for another reason, and the reason was that most of the people around me, including my friends, relatives, co-workers, and neighbors, were already using some kind of smartphone that offered them some advanced features like connectivity to the internet, video/movie downloading, a high-resolution camera, the freedom to install and use some really handy applications, checking and sending emails, and so forth.

By the way, this smartphone was a bit difficult to use for me initially, as it had a rather sensitive kind of screen and buttons, but I got used to it later on, slowly but surely.

Anyway, I was delighted that I got this new device because it proved to be very useful.

First, I could have live video chats with my beloved parents and others as if they were never far away from me.

Besides, it also allowed me to watch some of my favorite videos online and have some fun while I was on the run.

Finally, some of the applications that I use now, for instance, a personal budget management application and an exercise application, have proven to be very useful.

Now that it’s quite obsolete, I don’t use it anymore. But I keep it in a box in a drawer. I really treasure it because it is my mother’s gift. It is priceless to me. I really treasure it.

PART 3

Alice (English US)

George (English US)

  1. Which latest technology items would many young people in your country like to buy?

I think it depends on their gender.

Most young boys in my country would like to purchase the latest smartphones, tabloid PCs, gaming devices, motorbikes, cars, and smartwatches. sports gear.

Girls, on the other hand, would like some of the electronic gadgets that boys do and would also like to buy fashion or beauty items like notebooks and hair dryers.

  1. Could you tell me about some electronic devices for the elderly or seniors?

Of course, although it has often been said that elderly people are not tech-savvy, devices that can make their day-to-day activities easier and safer without affecting their independence

Such as mobile phones, to communicate more efficiently and rapidly. Activity trackers to offer information about our fitness and help prevent accidents.

Moreover, tracking devices are very thin devices equipped with Bluetooth technology that can be attached or adhered to other objects in order to locate them in case they are lost.

Finally, security cameras in homes provide extra peace of mind for seniors, who may be more vulnerable to theft and even scams.

  1. How do the expensive items that younger people want to buy differ from those that older people want to buy?

In my opinion, when younger generations buy costly things, the first thing that comes to their minds is how beautiful, appealing, or stylish they look, or they just want to show off to their friends so they can get more respected or admired by others.

On the other hand, when older people are doing the same thing, the first thing is that it must be practical and determine how long it will last.

Last but not least, younger people in most cases don’t really consider the price factor that important, but older people do.

  1. Which expensive items would many young people in your country like to buy?

Based on my observation, some affluent young people mostly buy expensive items such as mobile phones, perfumes, wristwatches, electronic gadgets, motorbikes, and even cars.

So, it could actually be anything, depending on how rich they really are and what their moods are.

  1. Do you think that people are more likely to buy expensive items for their friends or for themselves?

I believe that most people who have a “selfish” nature would prefer to buy expensive items for themselves rather than their friends, unless, of course, they value their friends more than their own lives.

Of course, some would probably buy some expensive items once in a while for their friends, either to share some special moments with them or to buy their loyalty, but that doesn’t happen very often.

  1. How difficult is it to become very rich in today’s world?

I think it’s quite tough. Very few people love working hard.

It takes hard work and plenty of sacrifices to get rich. Unfortunately, most people aren’t willing to put in the work. To be wealthy, we must be willing to work around the clock and make a lot of sacrifices along the way.

  1. Do you agree that money does not necessarily bring happiness?

It depends. Because people have different definitions of happiness,

Nowadays, people are mainly materialistic; they think that money expands people’s choices of their future, and money changes their lives’ qualities to be more modern to bring them happiness. Therefore, people should build their lives to make more and more money to find more choices and a more joyful life.

But for others, true happiness comes from within, not from possessions that can be bought. If we have something bad going on in our lives, such as losing a loved one or having cancer, money and material possessions would most likely not help.

Overall, I believe that money can’t buy happiness, but it can make us awfully comfortable while we’re miserable.

  1. In what ways might rich people use their money to help society?

In my humble opinion, a wealthy person pays taxes to the government. Those taxes benefit us as they subsidize public infrastructure. We become indirect beneficiaries of the wealth of the wealthy. If the rich do not pay taxes or do not repay their loans to the state, the state becomes unstable.

For example, they can start donating more and more to charity funds. They can also start investing in the non-profitable businesses so that they—the non-profit businesses—can offer their products and services at no profit, at least to help the poor segment of our society if they are not able to provide them for free. So, the rich people really have a lot of options if they want to help.

  1. Can you think the rich should pay more taxes to help the poor?

Yes, definitely. When the rich pay more taxes, it increases opportunities for the poor to sustain themselves. Taxes increase government revenue, which means government services like healthcare are available in greater quantity to everyone.

  1. Why should the rich give money to the poor?

In many respects, the world would benefit from an obligation on the rich to give to the poor. The mortality rate of those living in poverty would decrease, and their quality of life would increase. Many see selflessness as a quality that brings happiness, so the rich themselves may benefit from helping others.

VOCAB

  1. Plays an essential part in
  • Nghĩa: đóng vai trò quan trọng trong
  • Phiên âm: /pleɪz ən ɪˈsɛnʃəl pɑːt ɪn/
  • Education plays an essential part in shaping a person’s future.
  1. An electronic gadget
  • Nghĩa: một thiết bị điện tử
  • Phiên âm: /əˌlɛkˈtrɒnɪk ˈɡæʤɪt/
  • The smartphone is an example of an electronic gadget that has become indispensable in our daily lives.
  1. Be taken aback—idiom
  • Nghĩa: bị ngạc nhiên, bị sốc
  • Phiên âm: /biː ˈteɪkən əˈbæk/
  • I was taken aback by the sudden news of her resignation.
  1. Be over the moon—idiom
  • Nghĩa: rất hạnh phúc, vô cùng vui mừng
  • Phiên âm: /biː ˈəʊvə ðə muːn/
  • She was over the moon when she received the job offer.
  1. Obsolete -adj
  • Nghĩa: lỗi thời, không còn phổ biến hoặc sử dụng nữa
  • Phiên âm: /ˌɒbsəˈliːt/
  • Floppy disks are now considered obsolete in the age of USB drives and cloud storage.
  1. Treasure (n/v)
  • Nghĩa: bảo vật, vật quý giá
  • Phiên âm: /ˈtrɛʒə/
  • The old pocket watch was a family treasure passed down through generations.
  1. Tech-savvy-adj
  • Nghĩa: thông thạo công nghệ, hiểu biết về công nghệ cao
  • Phiên âm: /ˌtɛk ˈsævi/
  • He is a tech-savvy individual who always stays updated with the latest gadgets and innovations.
  1. Peace of mind
  • Nghĩa: sự yên tâm, an lòng
  • Phiên âm: /piːs ɒv maɪnd/
  • Having insurance provides peace of mind in case of unexpected emergencies.
  1. Vulnerable to
  • Nghĩa: dễ tổn thương, dễ bị tác động xấu
  • Phiên âm: /ˈvʌlnərəbl tuː/
  • Elderly people are more vulnerable to certain diseases due to weakened immune systems.
  1. Last but not least, an idiom
  • Nghĩa: cuối cùng nhưng không kém phần quan trọng
  • Phiên âm: /lɑːst bʌt nɒt liːst/
  • We would like to thank all the participants for their hard work. And last but not least, we express our gratitude to the organizing committee.
  1. Affluent -adj
  • Nghĩa: giàu có, thịnh vượng
  • Phiên âm: /ˈæfluənt/
  • She comes from an affluent family and has access to many luxuries.
  1. A selfish nature
  • Nghĩa: tính cách ích kỷ
  • Phiên âm: /ə ˈsɛl.fɪʃ ˈneɪʧə/
  • His selfish nature often leads to conflicts with others.
  1. Materialistic -adj
  • Nghĩa: chú trọng vào vật chất, tiền bạc
  • Phiên âm: /məˌtɪərɪəˈlɪstɪk/
  • She is very materialistic and believes that possessions bring happiness.
  1. Miserable -adj
  • Nghĩa: cảm thấy rất khó khăn, không hạnh phúc
  • Phiên âm: /ˈmɪzərəbəl/
  • After losing his job and going through a breakup, he felt miserable and struggled to find joy in his life.
  1. Subsidize -v
  • Nghĩa: tài trợ, hỗ trợ tài chính
  • Phiên âm: /ˈsʌbsɪdaɪz/
  • The government subsidizes the cost of healthcare for low-income families.
  1. The mortality rate
  • Nghĩa: tỷ lệ tử vong
  • Phiên âm: /ðə mɔːˈtæləti reɪt/
  • The mortality rate for that particular disease has decreased significantly over the past decade.

 

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Composed by Ms.Ngọc IELTS