Part 1
Work/Study
Are your working or studying?
Currently, I am a sophomore at the university of Social Sciences and Humanities, majoring in Japanese Studies. My university is located in the city center, so it is very convenient for me to go to school every day.
Do you like your major?
Definitely. In fact, learning languages has always been my interest as there are certain advantages related to my employability after graduation. Moreover, I also have opportunities to enrich my knowledge of the Japanese culture.
Where did you study when you were a child?
My hometown is a rural area, and it is also where I spent twelve years completing primary and secondary education. To be honest, I still want to be there for higher education, but as universities are not available, I had to move to the city for more educational opportunities.
Books
Do you have many books at home?
As I am an avid reader, I have spent all my savings for books. That is why you can easily find a large book collection arranged neatly in book case in the living room of my house.
How often do you read books?
Reading has become my habit, and I read books on a daily basis. A book of any kind is a must-have item in my bag when I go somewhere as it can be a good activity to make good use of waiting time. Also, it is hard to imagine a day without something to read before bedtime.
What was your favourite type of books as a child?
Just like other kids, comic books were my favorite when I was a little girl. I still remember how excited I was when I flipped through colored pages and got into the world of my favorite comic characters.
Colors
What colors do you like?
I am into pastels, a group of delicate colors that are pleasant to look at. I have been loyal to these colors when it comes to clothes or house decoration as I think they reflect my characters.
Is there any famous color in your country?
I don’t think there is, but red can be considered because of its one special meaning. This color represents sacrifice and determination, and that is why it is used for our national flag.
What colors do people usually dislike?
It is of personal taste and I am not very sure about it. But I find that most people can’t bear vivid colors such as neon pink or green. They are usually too bright and can cause a headache sometimes.
Part 2
Describe a time you had to change your plan
• When it was
• Why you had to change your plan
• What you did
And say you felt about that change.
I would like to talk about a time I changed my plan regarding the type of accommodation I wanted to live in.
It was a year ago when I saved enough money and started to think of buying an apartment which was what I had always been dreaming of. However, after the news had reported a case of apartment in flames in the city center, and many victims was stuck unreachable, I was so frightened that I immediately changed my plan and decided to buy a piece of land to build a house.
An apartment had first been my choice because, compared to a house, its price is much more affordable; and with the availability of security guards and cameras, my property can be protected from the touch of burglars. Having said that, the mentioned incident happened was like an alert for me to be more aware of the possible danger living in an apartment and other types of high buildings where the evacuation in case of emergency is a big issue.
Making changes has never been easy for me as I prefer to stick to the plan that has been made in advance, but in that case, there seemed not to be a better choice. Buying a house instead of an apartment was a big challenge to my budget. I had to work flat out, cut down on living expenses and take a loan from the bank. It was such a hard time, but my effort finally paid off. And it is now my pleasure going to the construction site every evening and watching my house being gradually completed.
Part 3
What kinds of changes do people in your country usually make?
There are many of them and I think that people make changes very often. However, the most common kind is the change of career. People change their jobs for different reasons. While some want to experience new working environment, others may seek opportunities for job promotion and higher income. There are also some others who have conflicts with their boss or colleagues and they want to take a new job to avoid further trouble.
What are the common reasons when people need to change plans?
If a situation is problematic, or unsuitable, making certain changes to improve it can be a good solution. Take running a business as an example, when a marketing strategy is not effective to approach potential customers, it is necessary for that company to make an alteration if they don’t want to risk losing a big budget for no good result.
Who are more adaptable to changes? Young or old people?
Without doubt, I would say it’s young people. They are more creative and always seize opportunities to experience new things. By contrast, the older ones tend to seek for stability, and they like to do things in a conventional way. For example, while young people are keen on reading online news on smart devices, the elderly still prefer getting information from printed newspapers.
Band 8.0