Describe a person you know from a different culture – IELTS speaking part 2
Describe a person you know who is from a different culture
You should say:
- Who the person is
- Where they are from
- How you know this person
And explain how you feel about him/her
“As I live in a pretty small town, I haven’t had the opportunity to meet many people from different countries or cultures, but I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know James, an English teacher from the UK.
James hails from London, and moved here about 2 years ago to work as an English tutor in one of the local high schools. I guess he’s in his mid-twenties, and being one of the few foreigners here, has become a kind of local celebrity.
The first time I met James was at an English corner, which was held at one of the local coffee shops in town. I saw it advertised, and decided to go along, as I really needed to brush up on my English speaking skills. I remember, I was the first to arrive, and introduced myself to James, and was immediately taken aback when he started to introduce himself in the local dialect!
We got chatting, and hit it off from the start, getting along like a house on fire. Not only did it turn out that we were both football fanatics, but also shared the same taste in music.
We have since become the best of mates, and hang out at least once or twice a week. I really love chatting to him, and getting to learn all about English culture, as well as sharing different aspects of my own culture with him. I have great respect for James, as he has really made an effort to immerse himself into the local culture here. On top of that, getting to know him has been a real eye opener, and helped to dispel any negative cultural stereotypes.”
Notes:
- To brush up on
To improve your knowledge on something already learned, but partly forgotten.
“I need to brush up on my French before visiting Paris next summer.”
- To hit it off
If two people hit it off, it means that they like each other and become friendly immediately.
“I was very nervous about meeting my girlfriend’s father for the first time, but we hit it off immediately.”
- To get along like a house on fire
When two people like each other very much and become good friends very quickly, we can say they get along like a house on fire.
“I was very anxious about meeting my girlfriend’s father for the first time, but we got along like a house on fire.”
- An eye opener
Something that shows or teaches you something in a surprising way.
“The documentary was a real eye opener, and I was both shocked and surprised by some of the things I learned.”
Describe a person you know who is from a different culture – Part 3
What are some advantages of cultural diversity?
“Well, I think nowadays that the world has become a lot smaller and we must learn to embrace and live with cultural diversity. I think one of the main advantages is that a multicultural city is much more interesting and vibrant or even fascinating. People coming from different cultures will bring a fresh and often exotic experience to a local area.
What’s more, different cultures co-existing together helps to create a better understanding, and respect for different cultures, as well as eliminating any racist prejudice.
On top of that, cultural diversity can also inspire creativity, and different cultures might be blended together to inspire new kinds of food, architecture or music.”
Can you think of any disadvantages of cultural diversity?
“Personally, I believe that cultural diversity is on the whole a very positive thing. However, I guess there could be some disadvantages, such as social conflicts, due to reasons of culture or perhaps religious beliefs.
On top of that, it is possible that some local cultures could actually lose their cultural identity, especially when being influenced by a more dominant culture.
As well as that, it can be very difficult for some individuals to adapt to and fit into a new culture that might not seem so friendly, or speak a different language.”
Do you think it’s a good thing to know people from different cultures?
“Yes, I think it’s extremely important to try and get to know, as well as making friends with people from a different cultural background. I really believe that we should all learn to be more understanding and open minded towards other cultures, and the best way to do this is to actually get to know people who come from different cultures.
Meeting people from different cultures can also inspire us to try new things, making our lives more interesting. For example, we might feel inspired to learn a new language, or be more adventurous with what we eat.
What’s more, the digital age we now live in has made the world a much smaller place, especially when it comes to business, and I think that to succeed we must have a better understanding of multicultural communication.”
Do you think it’s important to protect local/minority cultures?
“Well, personally, I think that it’s very important to protect local culture, as it is part of our heritage, and where we all came from. Culture creates a sense of identity, and I believe that everybody should be able to feel proud of their heritage or culture.
On top of that, culture also includes many tangible elements, such as architecture, clothing, artworks and more. To preserve and protect these things for future generations is of course very important.
As well as that, there are also many intangible things that make up a culture, such as traditions, folklore, language, beliefs and others, that are again extremely vital to protect, and pass down to future generations.”
more links to part 2 and part 3 example answers
Part 2 topics-all the updated part 2 topics
Describe a place where you go to do an outdoor activity
Describe a time you decided to wait for something
Describe a time you saw a lot of plastic waste
Describe an object you find beautiful
Describe a bad shopping experience
