UNIT 1: A LONG AND ● candle lit dinner – a romantic dinner

by candlelight
HEALTHY LIFE ● come back for more: return and ask
for the same again
Vocabulary list and definitions ● conscientious about my health:
watching and caring about your heath
● a bottle of bubbly – sparkling wine ● convenient takeaway: food which you
● a decadent chocolate pudding – can eat at home
luxurious or self-indulgent chocolate ● covered in a rich sauce – covered in a
pudding creamy gravy
● a doggy bag – the leftovers of a meal in ● cut down on – to reduce consumption
a restaurant taken home ● daily consumption – the amount that
● adopted a vegan diet: a vegan does you eat everyday
not eat meat, or dairy foods ● dying of hunger – very hungry
● a fussy eater: somebody who has their ● exotic meals – meals that originate in
own very high standards about what to other countries
eat ● fancy a bite to eat: have the desire to
● an english breakfast – a large cooked eat something
breakfast that includes egg and bacon ● feel like a home from home: a place
● a quick snack: to eat a small amount of where you feel welcome and
food between meals comfortable
● a ready meal: see ‘processed food’ ● find the time to pass the time of day
● a scrumptious meal – a delicious meal with someone: make time to talk
● a slap up meal: a large meal about everyday things
● a slap up meal – an expensive or very ● fine dining – food catering to
indulgent ‘treat’ meal expensive tastes in a formal setting
● a sweet tooth – an enjoyment of sweet ● flavorsome and appealing: good to
food eat and looking attractive
● a take away: a cooked meal prepared ● food preparation – preparing food
in a restaurant and eaten at home ● food production – producing food
● balanced diet: eating a sensible mix of ● function successfully: to work,
different foods perform in a great way
● be after something: want something ● fussy eater – someone dislikes many
● broadminded: open to other ideas foods
● calm the hunger pangs – to reduce the ● give them all a miss: to avoid or say
discomfort caused by hunger “no” to
● go for: to make a choice out of ● public service education message:
preference advice from the government
● happen to pass by: be there by chance ● pub lunch – lunch served in a bar
● healthier eating habits: eating less ● put so much into the place: work very
sugar or salt hard to make something successful
● home-cooked food: food cooked at ● quick snack – a small meal that’s easy
home from individual ingredients to eat ‘on the go’.
● home-cooked meals – meals cooked at ● rabbit food – salad vegetables
home ● ready meals – heat and eat meals
● home-made: not commercially bought ● refined carbohydrates – foods such as
● homemade food – food made at home white rice, white bread
● hurry you up: make you finish quickly ● run something: in charge of or
and leave responsible for
● junk food – food with little nutritional ● savouring the food – enjoying the food
value ● scrumptious meal – an exceptionally
● leafy vegetables – vegetables such as tasty meal
spinach and cabbage ● seasonal fruits – fruits that grow in
● mouth-watering meals – delicious season
meals ● skeptical: not believing something
● not look like much: the appearance is ● soak up the atmosphere: enjoy
not very attractive listening to people and looking at your
● nutritious food – food with many surroundings
nutrients ● starving hungry – extremely hungry
● overproduction of meat: factories or ● tempted by diets: interested in other
agricultural methods which are focused ways of eating
on this ● the first thing that hits you is: the first
● packed with vitamins – full of vitamins impression or sensation you have
● piping hot cup of coffee – very hot ● the main meal: the most important
coffee meal of the day, usually eaten in the
● positive reinforcement: rewarding evening
people for doing the right thing ● to be dying of hunger: an exaggerated
● processed food: commercially way of saying you are hungry
prepared food bought for convenience ● to be full up: to eat to the point that
● processed meat: meat in which there you can no longer eat any more
are additives or chemicals ● to be starving hungry: an exaggerated
● productive at work: achieving more, way of saying you are very hungry
better results
● to bolt something down: to eat
something very quickly
● to eat a balanced diet: to eat the
correct types and amounts of food
● to eat like a horse: to eat a lot
● to follow a recipe: to cook a meal
using instructions
● to foot the bill: to pay the bill
● to grab a bite to eat: to eat something
quickly (when you’re in a rush)
● to have a sweet tooth: to enjoy sugary
food
● to make your mouth water: to make
you feel very hungry for something
● to play with your food: to push food
around the plate to avoid eating it
● to spoil your appetite: to eat
something that will stop you feeling
hungry when it’s meal-time.
● to tuck into: to eat something with
pleasure
● to wine and dine: to entertain
someone by treating them to food and
drink
● to work up an appetite: to do physical
work that leads to you becoming
hungry
● wining and dining – entertainment
that includes good food

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IELTS speaking part 1

Examiner: In what ways do you try to stay healthy?

Max: I try to eat a balanced diet as often as I can which means including plenty of fresh fruit and
vegetables and I also try exercise regularly at home or at fitness centers– either running or
going for a bike ride as a daily routine, but I admit that with all my studies at the moment, I am
not always as conscientious about my health as I should be. I know that physical activity,
regular exercise and the health benefits of playing sports can deter bad habits, increase good
health, and aid in a speedy recovery of an illness.

Examiner: Do you and your friends each much junk food?

Mario: I'd like to say no, as I am aware of the health benefits of eating healthily and obviously
junk foods contain large amounts of salt and sugar to make it flavorsome and appealing to
taste. However, as a student, I am often tempted by a quick and convenient take away, and in
recent times, it's been really useful to have ready meals delivered without having to leave home
even though I know it is a bad habit. Keeping healthy and observing proper dietary habits
makes it easier to lose weight and maintain good health but I am a busy student and it's not
always easy to choose healthier lifestyle options.

Examiner: What part of your lifestyle would you most like to make healthier?

Rose: That's a hard question! Every year I make a resolution to do more physical exercise, eat
healthy foods, adopt healthy eating habits and to go to bed earlier in order to be more effective
and productive at work and when I study but this is much easier said than done. Unhealthy
habits such as poor diet are something I struggle with even though I know of the health risks
such as reduced mental health and heart disease, and I don't want to develop a medical
condition which would impair my health. I spoke to a medical practitioner who advised me to
stop eating junk food, avoid unhealthy habits, and instead to try eating healthily. He offered
great advice to promote healthier lifestyle options.

Weeks ago I took up ballroom dancing as a form of physical fitness with some colleagues from
work in an effort to improve my healthy habits, and this has given us the opportunity to keep fit,
practice healthy living, learn new skilful dance techniques, and have lots of fun simultaneously!
I'd love to be as good as the dancers on Strictly Come Dancing which is a very popular TV show.

Examiner: What food do you like to eat?

Answer: I am not a fussy eater. As long as you don’t feed me rabbit food I’m easy to please. I
love Chinese cuisine and traditional Italian food and I can eat like a horse! My flatmate and I
share the cooking chores. Once a week we make a slap-up meal of steak and chips covered in
a rich sauce and to satisfy the sweet tooth we finish off with a decadent chocolate pudding.

Examiner: So, do you enjoy cooking?

Answer: I prefer eating to cooking. I make good use of ready meals and I am not averse to junk
food or the occasional pub lunch. I realize though that it is necessary to include nutritious
food as part of a balanced diet, especially organic food when it’s available rather than
processed food, which is why I cook several times a week and always try to eat dinner at a
reasonable time.

Examiner: What’s your favourite meal of the day?

Answer: I’m a breakfast fan. It’s the most important meal of the day, after all! I wake up
starving hungry after a good night’s sleep. I like nothing better than a good English breakfast
of bacon, eggs, and buttery toast, along with a piping hot cup of coffee.

Examiner: Do you like to cook?

Answer: Not really no … most of the time I eat ready meals and take-aways … that’s one of
the reasons I love visiting my mum … you can always guarantee lovely home-cooked food …

Examiner: What time do you usually eat dinner?

Answer: We have our main meal at around 7.00 … I’m usually starving hungry by then … in
fact I often grab a bite to eat as soon as I get home from college … a sandwich perhaps … but
not too much to spoil my appetite …

Examiner: Are there any types of food you don’t like?

Lionel: No not really … I’m not a fussy eater at all … actually I eat like a horse … I do a lot of
sport and work up quite an appetite.

IELTS speaking part 2

Describe a change you have made to benefit your own healthy lifestyle

You should say:

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 ● What it is
● Why you decided to do it
● How you have benefitted from it
● and explain why you would recommend it to others

Diana: I have always been interested in Health, Diet and Nutrition as I am aware that keeping
healthy is extremely important to function successfully, sleep well and to prevent illness. I have
been tempted by diets over the years, but my determination for achieving healthy eating habits
usually fluctuates quite a lot and they can be pretty boring, as well as rigorous. A healthy diet
and health conscious attitude can help me maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid bad health
habits. However, recently one of my flatmates adopted a vegan diet and, because we share a
kitchen, I decided to be as broad-minded as possible and learn from her!

There's been a lot of stuff in the media about how people worry about how unhealthy it is to eat
too much meat, especially red meat and how people continue bad habits. I was already fairly
healthy and ate a balanced diet without too many bad habits, but when I started to read about
veganism and the potential benefits of not eating meat, I was hooked and determined to make
some healthy lifestyle changes myself.

In fact, I recently watched a documentary on Netflix about a professional, health conscious

sportsman who was even more successful after becoming vegan, and this was revealing and
surprising, as I had imagined that he would have needed vast quantities of meat to be strong.
(note – grammar third conditional which is quite unusual!)

At first, the cooking was both time consuming and challenging, involving a vast range of new
ingredients, techniques and recipe books, but it was fun at the same time, and our kitchen soon
became a hub of not just friends but delicious odors!

After a few months, I decided to make this change and, whilst I do occasionally miss not
enjoying a large steak, I feel healthier, have lost weight, feel energized and am much more alert
at work. I know too that I have cut down my risk of serious disease such as a stroke or heart
attack and this is reassuring.

I would definitely recommend cutting down on red meat and processed food to all my friends
who want to stay healthy, even those who are rather skeptical about vegans and argue that this
diet is too complicated and limited. We all know that the over production of meat is damaging
to the environment and as an added bonus, being partly vegan has definitely saved me money
as the price of meat has risen steadily in price over the past few years.
Describe your favourite restaurant
You should say:

● the restaurant that you like best,

● why you like it,
● and the occasions when you go there.

Answer: I enjoy fine dining and exotic food. Both are available at my favorite restaurant in the
center of town. On special occasions I take my partner wining and dining. We love the
ambience of the candle-lit dinners, and the extensive menu of mouth-watering meals.

The menu includes starters, mains and deserts. Usually by the time we get there I am dying of
hunger so we order a starter to calm the hunger pangs. We usually also share a bottle of
bubbly. It is after all a celebration. Having finished our starter we take our time, savoring the
food.

This is not the type of restaurant where you would ask for a doggy bag, so we waste nothing.
We end the evening with a delicious dessert. I do have a sweet tooth, and all the food cooked
there is incredible. After finishing the flan and settling the bill, we head off home, satisfied that
we have enjoyed a scrumptious meal.

Describe a café you like to visit

You should say

● where it is
● what kind of food and drink it serves
● what you do there
● explain why you like to go there
I’m going to describe this small café I know. It’s in the old part of town and from the outside it
doesn’t look like much. But then, once you walk in, the first thing that hits you is the aroma,
the smell of real coffee. There’s this long counter with an espresso coffee machine at one end
and bar stools for you to sit. The coffee is the best I’ve ever tasted. And, if it’s a snack you’re
after, there are the pastries, savoury and sweet, the first with cheese, creamy delicious cheese
or ham and the latter with all kinds of fruits. And let’s not forget the cakes. And everything is
home-made I should add. The old couple that run the place came originally from Spain and,
luckily for us, brought their culinary skills with them.

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They do lunches as well as breakfast and snacks though I’ve only eaten lunch there once or
twice over the years because I don’t work nearby and on Saturdays I’m always out and they
never open on a Sunday. But if you happen to pass by one lunchtime and you fancy a bite to
eat, try their Spanish “tortilla”, the famous Spanish omelette. It’s delicious. Apart from coffee,
they serve tea and the usual range of commercial soft drinks. But I’d give them all a miss and
go for one of their natural fruit juices. The orange juice is great but my own particular favourite
is the lemon juice that they prepare with brown sugar. I’ll tell you, once you’ve tasted it, you’ll
come back for more.

I mostly go there for breakfast. It’s not far from where I live and it’s on my way to the train
station. It’s nice to just sit there for a while, drinking my coffee and soaking up the atmosphere.
You see, it tends to get pretty busy that time of day and the tables are full of their regular
customers chatting away, some in English, some in Spanish and other languages too. It’s lively
but at the same time, it feels like a home from home, if you know what I mean, the kind of
place where no one is trying to hurry you up to finish and leave.

And that’s mainly thanks to the owners. They really seem to care and have put so much into
the place. No matter how busy they might be, they’ll always find the time to pass the time of
day with me, asking me how I am or whether I enjoyed my breakfast. I consider myself so lucky
to have found this place.

IELTS speaking part 3

Examiner: Do you think more could be done to encourage health in your country?

Answer: I think, in my country that the policy makers should have more initiatives and
implement stricter policies when it comes to activities that affect people's health. For example,
the banning of smoking in public places would not just benefit the smokers, but the
non-smokers as well as there is much evidence about the dangers of passive smoking such as
developing asthma and a sore throat which is often a symptom of bad air pollution. Also, there
is a well-established link between better education and health care so education in school is
important.

Examiner: How can individuals take more responsibility for their own health?

Answer: For me, this links back to education which should really start at school and then
continue throughout one's life. The more we look after ourselves and make the correct decisions
surrounding food, health, exercise and so on, the less we might need from our overstretched
health services and hospitals. The health benefits of playing sports and games has been
well-documented.

For example, campaigns to eat less sugar, cut down on fizzy drinks and sugary snacks, and eat
more fruit have been very successful recently and by educating the young, they, in turn, will
influence their own families to increase their vegetable and fruit intake.

Examiner: What could be done to halt the rise of obesity globally?

Answer: In my opinion the government has a huge responsibility to try to persuade people to
live more healthily and the rise of obesity or overweight children as well as adults is very
worrying. People worry about young children in pushchairs being given cans of fizzy drinks and
sweets as a reward to good behavior.

As well as education to promote a healthier lifestyle options in school where children learn
about overall health, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and the health benefits of a healthy diet,
governments could educate adults through as series of TV programmes, magazine adverts or
public service education messages to raise awareness of the risk and dangers of obesity and a
poor diet. We could even implement a program where at risk men and women pay less for a
community based fitness class. A positive reinforcement message would be more effective than
more negative messaging. For example, free gym membership, recipe cards and access to more
playing fields, parks and green spaces would contribute to making exercise accessible and
promote healthier lifestyle options.

Examiner: Do you believe that the 21st-century diet is a healthy one?

Answer: Far too many people are overweight and need to eat a balanced diet with proper
meals instead of a quick snack multiple times a day. I believe that people should cut down on
the sugars and refined carbohydrates in processed food and replace them with leafy
vegetables and seasonal fruits. A balanced diet with more food cooked at home would help
them to regulate their weight. If we avoid eating processed food and eat organic food wherever
possible, everyone’s health can improve.

Examiner: Starvation is a problem in many parts of the world. What do you think should
be done about it?

Answer: From what I’ve read current global food production can cover the daily consumption
needs of the world. We need to find a way to economically transport it to where it is most
needed or find alternate food sources. Nobody should starve when there is no shortage of

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food. It must be possible for everyone to eat a balanced diet – nobody should be dying of
hunger in the 21st Century.

Examiner: In homes where both parents work do you think cooking has become just
another job at the end of the day?

Answer: I know that food preparation can be time-consuming and more challenging if a child
is a fussy eater, but if everyone helps with ideas and recipes and everyone takes a turn and lends
a hand, cooking can be fun for the family. Even little children can help prepare a quick snack of
fruit or healthy veggies with a dip. Home cooked meals rather than commercially prepared
food bought from supermarkets are also often healthier and packed with vitamins. Hopefully,
the children will grow up able to prepare a light and quick meal for themselves most evenings
rather than just heading for the nearest fast food restaurant.

Examiner: How can we encourage people to eat more healthily?

Answer: I think the best approach is to have everything in moderation … processed food
won’t kill you if you only eat it occasionally … but people should also be encouraged to eat a
balanced diet … try to cook fresh ingredients at home a few times a week …

Examiner: Do you think people enjoy their food as much as they should?

Answer: I don’t know really … I suppose it’s true that people will often eat a quick snack
because they’re bored not because they’re dying of hunger … and often they just bolt it down
and don’t savor it … so yes … perhaps we could take more time over our food …

Examiner: Do you think cooking is a pleasure or a chore for people who have busy lives?

Answer: Well … whether you follow a recipe or make something up as you go along … I think
cooking is a very creative process … and cooking for other people is a particular pleasure …
there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing people you love tucking into something you’ve
cooked yourself …