240 Speaking Topics with Sample Answers

attempt to gain something new.
A. Sample Answer
My first attempt to learn how to mow the yard was an absolute disaster, much to the chagrin of
my lawn-savvy father. The first thing that went wrong when I was mowing the yard was that I didn’t
mow it in the right pattern. My dad had mentioned something about mowing the yard in a certain
pattern, but I wasn’t really listening. So, when he went to mow the backyard and left me up front, I
mowed the grass as I saw fit. Unfortunately, my dad was quite upset when he came up to inspect my
work. I was mowing the grass in the wrong direction. Apparently, this hurts the grass. To continue, I
destroyed my mom’s rosebush. While mowing, I saw my cute neighbor running by. I lost focus on
mowing and accidentally mowed over my mother’s beloved rosebush. When my mom saw her
mutilated rosebush, she looked as if she wanted to cry. I felt terrible. To sum up, although mowing the
lawn turned out terribly, there was a bright side—my dad never asked me to help out with yard work
again.
B. Create new sentences using the expressions below.
(1) fail in one’s attempt
(2) go wrong (badly)
(3) be upset
(4) fall a pray to
C. Find an error in each sentence.
(1) I lost focus at mowing the grass.
(2) My dad has never asked me to mow the grass from then.
(3) The yard work turned out terribly.
(4) While he was living, the poet was not appreciated very much.

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Q224. Describe your ideal holiday resort.
A. Sample Answer
There are two things that would make any holiday resort perfect. First of all, the holiday resort
should have an unlimited amount of food available at all hours. The food should include a wide
variety of meats, cheeses, chocolates, ice cream, and baked goods. When you’re on a holiday, you
should be able to eat whatever you want whenever you want it with minimal work involved. We
should only worry about eating healthy in our normal day-to-day lives. Holidays are a chance to
indulge. Moreover, every resort needs a king-size waterbed in every room. My neighbor used to have
a waterbed, and it was the most comfortable bed I have ever laid on. At home, I have a very
uncomfortable mattress. When I go on a holiday, I want to drift off to sleep on a cloud, which is
basically what a waterbed feels like. Plus, they are fun to jump around on. To conclude, in order for
a holiday resort to be considered ideal, it should have an unlimited 24-hour buffet as well as a
waterbed in every room.