Cambridge IELTS 20 Speaking Test-1 with Answer / Cambridge Book-20 Speaking Test -1/ IELTS Speaking- Cambridge Book-20 Test 1 Questions with Answers / IELTS Speaking - Cambridge Book's Answers

Cambridge IELTS 20 Speaking Test- 1

Speaking Part 1

Walking

• How much walking do you do in your daily life?

• Did you walk more when you were at school than now?

• What places are there to go for a walk near where you live?

• Would you ever like to go on a walking holiday?

Speaking Part 2

Describe a play or a film you have seen that you would like to see again with friends

You should say:

• What play or film you’d like to go to see again• Who you would go with• What other people have said about this play or filmand explain why you would like to see this play or film again with friends.

Speaking Part 3

Theatre Culture

• What are the most popular kinds of plays or shows at theatres in your country?

• How easy is it to get tickets to the theatre?

• Do you think theatres need to do more to attract younger audiences?

Being an Actor

• What do you think attracts people to working as an actor?

• What are some of the qualities that a person needs to have if they want to become an actor?

• Can you think of any disadvantages of working as an actor?

Questions and Answers

Part 1: Walking

How much walking do you do in your daily life?

As a Grade 12 student, I spend most of my day sitting in classrooms or hunched over my desk studying for my final board exams, so I really don't walk as much as I should. But I do make it a strict habit to go for a brisk 20-minute walk around my neighborhood every evening. It’s mostly just to get away from my textbooks, clear my head, and get some fresh air after staring at a laptop screen all day.

Did you walk more when you were at school than now?

Actually, yes, I definitely walked a lot more when I was in junior high. Back then, my friends and I used to walk back home together every single afternoon, and we’d always take the longest route possible just so we could hang out and talk. Nowadays, because the academic pressure is so intense, my parents usually just drive me to school to save time, so my daily step count has gone way down.

What places are there to go for a walk near where you live?

I live in a fairly quiet residential area, so we have some really nice landscaped walkways and small community parks nearby. When the weather isn't too hot, going for a stroll around the park near my house is incredibly relaxing. It has a great paved jogging track, plenty of trees, and it's usually very peaceful right around sunset.

Would you ever like to go on a walking holiday?

I think that would be an amazing experience, though maybe not right now with my exams coming up! But eventually, the idea of packing a light backpack and hiking through a scenic mountain trail or exploring old historical towns on foot sounds like a brilliant adventure. It would be such a cool way to see the world at a slow pace without being constantly distracted by a phone.

Part 2: Describe a play or a film you have seen that you would like to see again with friends

The movie that I watched a while ago and would absolutely love to watch again with my school friends is Interstellar. It’s a science-fiction film directed by Christopher Nolan, and I remember it completely blowing my mind the first time I saw it.

If I were organizing a movie night this weekend, I’d definitely invite three or four of my closest classmates who are just as obsessed with space and physics as I am. The story follows a group of astronauts who travel through a wormhole in search of a new habitable planet for humanity because Earth is slowly dying. It deals with some heavy scientific concepts like time dilation and gravity, but at its core, it's a really emotional story about a father trying to get back to his kids.

People have really mixed opinions about it, to be honest. A lot of my friends praise it for having incredible visual effects, a breathtaking musical score, and a plot that actually forces you to think. But on the flip side, I've had some friends tell me that the science gets way too confusing toward the end, and that a three-hour movie is just too long to sit through in one go.

The main reason I want to watch it again with my friends is because of how deeply it makes you think. After the movie finishes, you can't just switch off. You spend hours arguing about the ending, the physics of black holes, and how time works. Watching it together and then debating all our crazy theories would be such a fun way to spend a Friday evening and take a break from all our school stress.

Part 3: Theatre Culture & Being an Actor

What are the most popular kinds of plays or shows at theatres in your country?

To be honest, I think it really depends on the generation you're talking about, but overall, historical dramas and lighthearted family comedies are definitely the most popular here. People really enjoy stories that connect back to our local culture and traditions. But besides that, comedy plays are huge. I mean, daily life and work can get pretty stressful for adults, so a lot of families just want to go out on a weekend and have a good laugh together. I also notice that whenever there’s a big holiday, you see these massive musical productions popping up. Those always draw huge crowds because they’re just so entertaining and colorful for everyone, from little kids all the way up to grandparents.

How easy is it to get tickets to the theatre?

Well, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. If you’re just trying to catch a local school play or something put on by a community drama club, it’s super easy. You can literally just show up at the door on a Friday night, buy a ticket, and walk right in. But it is a completely different story if a famous touring company comes to town or if the play features well-known actors. For those big shows, tickets disappear almost instantly. I remember last year, my friends and I tried to get tickets for a popular stage show, and the ticketing website actually crashed because so many people were trying to book at the exact same time! So for the big events, you really have to be online the second they go on sale.

Do you think theatres need to do more to attract younger audiences?

Oh, absolutely. 100 percent. I think a lot of teenagers, including a lot of my classmates, just assume that the theatre is boring or that it's something only older people do. We are so used to fast-paced movies, Netflix, and TikTok that sitting still through a three-hour play just doesn’t sound appealing to most kids my age. If theatres want to change that, they really need to meet young people where they are. They could start posting cool behind-the-scenes videos, set designs, or actor interviews on Instagram or TikTok to build hype. And honestly, they need to look at the ticket prices. Theatre tickets can be incredibly expensive, and as high school students, we just don't have that kind of pocket money. Offering heavy student discounts would definitely encourage a lot more of us to give it a try.

What do you think attracts people to working as an actor?

I guess the most obvious answer is the fame and the glamour, right? A lot of people dream about walking the red carpet, going to award shows, and having fans. But if we're talking about the actual art of acting, I think it’s the thrill of getting to escape your own life for a while. You get to step into the shoes of a completely different person, maybe live in a different historical time period, and experience things you would never get to do in your normal, everyday life. Plus, I was in a school play once, and I have to say, the feeling you get when you’re standing on a stage and the audience is clapping or laughing at your jokes... it’s an incredible rush of adrenaline. I can definitely see why people get addicted to that feeling.

What are some of the qualities that a person needs to have if they want to become an actor?

Well, I’d say the number one thing you need is incredibly thick skin. From what I’ve read and seen in interviews, acting involves constant rejection. You might go to fifty auditions and get told "no" forty-nine times, so you really can't let it destroy your self-esteem. You have to just brush it off and keep going. Besides that, you definitely need a lot of empathy. To play a character convincingly, you have to really understand human emotions and figure out why people behave the way they do. And honestly, you just need sheer confidence. Standing up in front of hundreds of strangers and crying or screaming on command without feeling completely embarrassed takes a lot of guts.

Can you think of any disadvantages of working as an actor?

Yeah, there are definitely quite a few downsides, and I don't think it's as glamorous as it looks on TV. The biggest one has to be the complete lack of financial security. Unlike my parents, who have regular jobs with a steady salary every month, actors never really know when their next paycheck is going to come. You could land a great role and make good money, but then you might not get hired again for another eight months. That sounds incredibly stressful to me. And on the flip side, if you actually do make it big and become famous, you basically say goodbye to your privacy. Having paparazzi follow you around when you’re just trying to buy groceries or hang out with your friends seems like a nightmare, and I think that would take a huge toll on someone's mental health.

Vocabulary

Words/expressions from the text, with meanings in English and Bangla, and examples.

Vocabulary & Expressions List

Word / Expression	Meaning	Meaning in Bangla	Example
Strict habit	A routine that you follow very seriously and consistently.	কঠোর অভ্যাস / নিয়মিত রুটিন	I have made it a strict habit to read for thirty minutes before going to sleep.
Hunched over	Sitting or standing with your back and shoulders bent forward and downward.	সামনের দিকে ঝুঁকে থাকা	I get terrible back pain from being hunched over my laptop all day.
Brisk walk	A fast, energetic, and active way of walking.	দ্রুত ও সতেজ হাঁটা	A brisk walk in the morning helps me wake up and feel energetic.
Clear my head	To stop worrying, relax your mind, and think clearly again.	দুশ্চিন্তা দূর করা / মাথা পরিষ্কার করা	After the difficult exam, I listened to some music to clear my head.
Intense	Very strong, extreme, or serious.	তীব্র / প্রচণ্ড	The academic pressure in Grade 12 is incredibly intense.
Landscaped	(Of an area of land) improved by adding plants, trees, and attractive paths.	সুসজ্জিত (পার্ক বা বাগান)	Our neighborhood has beautifully landscaped gardens where people relax.
Stroll	To walk in a leisurely, relaxed, and slow way.	পায়চারি করা / ধীরে হাঁটা	We took a quiet stroll through the park at sunset.
Blew my mind	To be extremely surprised, amazed, or impressed by something.	অবাক করে দেওয়া / অভিভূত করা	The special effects in that science-fiction movie completely blew my mind.
Obsessed with	Thinking about something or someone constantly; heavily interested in something.	আসক্ত / মোহগ্রস্ত	My younger brother is completely obsessed with space and rockets.
Habitable	Good enough or suitable for living in.	বাসযোগ্য	Scientists are searching the universe for another habitable planet.
At its core	Fundamentally; when you look at the most basic or important aspect of something.	মূলগতভাবে / মূলত	The movie has a lot of action, but at its core, it is a story about friendship.
Breathtaking	So beautiful, astonishing, or incredible that it takes your breath away.	শ্বাসরুদ্ধকর / চমৎকার	The view from the top of the mountain was absolutely breathtaking.
On the flip side	Looking at the opposite or contrasting side of a situation or argument.	অপর দিকে / অন্য দৃষ্টিকোণ থেকে	I love living in a big city; on the flip side, it can be very noisy and polluted.
Switch off	To stop paying attention to something or to stop worrying and relax.	মনোযোগ সরিয়ে নেওয়া / বিশ্রাম নেওয়া	It's hard to switch off and relax after a very stressful day at school.
Lighthearted	Amusing, entertaining, and not overly serious or heavy.	হালকা মেজাজের / আনন্দদায়ক	After a long day of studying, I prefer watching lighthearted comedies.
Draw huge crowds	To attract a very large number of people to an event or place.	বিশাল জনসমাগম আকর্ষণ করা	The weekend music festival always draws huge crowds from all over the city.
A mixed bag	A situation, group, or experience that contains both good and bad elements.	ভালো-মন্দের মিশ্রণ / মিশ্র পরিস্থিতি	My experience at the new school has been a bit of a mixed bag so far.
Build hype	To create excitement, anticipation, or buzz around an upcoming event or product.	উত্তেজনা বা আগ্রহ তৈরি করা	The studio released three different trailers to build hype for the new movie.
Pocket money	A small amount of money given to a child or teenager by their parents for personal use.	হাতখরচ	As high school students, we don't have enough pocket money to buy expensive tickets.
Thrill	A sudden feeling of excitement, pleasure, or joy.	রোমাঞ্চ	The thrill of performing live on stage is an amazing feeling.
Rush of adrenaline	A sudden surge of energy and excitement in the body, often caused by fear or thrill.	উত্তেজনার স্রোত (অ্যাড্রেনালিন বৃদ্ধি)	I felt a massive rush of adrenaline right before I stepped onto the stage.
Thick skin	An ability to keep from getting upset or offended by criticism or rejection.	সমালোচনা গায়ে না মাখার মানসিকতা	You really need a thick skin to survive in the entertainment industry.
Brush it off	To ignore a negative situation, comment, or failure and not let it affect your mood.	গায়ে না মাখা / এড়িয়ে যাওয়া	When people criticize her clothes, she just brushes it off and smiles.
Empathy	The ability to understand and share the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of another person.	সহমর্মিতা	A good actor needs a lot of empathy to truly understand the character they are playing.
Sheer confidence	Pure, absolute, and unmixed self-assurance or belief in oneself.	চরম আত্মবিশ্বাস / নিছক আত্মবিশ্বাস	It takes sheer confidence to give a speech in front of a thousand strangers.
Downsides	The negative aspects or disadvantages of a situation or thing.	অসুবিধা / নেতিবাচক দিক	One of the biggest downsides of living in the city center is the terrible traffic.
Financial security	Having enough money saved and a stable income to live without worrying about bills.	আর্থিক নিরাপত্তা	Many people choose traditional office jobs because they offer better financial security.
Make it big	To become very successful, famous, or wealthy, especially in a specific career.	বিশাল সাফল্য অর্জন করা / বিখ্যাত হওয়া	He finally made it big in Hollywood after ten years of struggling as an extra.
Paparazzi	Photographers who aggressively follow famous people everywhere to take pictures of them.	খ্যাতিমান ব্যক্তিদের ছবি শিকারী সাংবাদিক	The famous singer couldn't even go to the supermarket without being chased by paparazzi.
Take a huge toll on	To cause severe damage, suffering, or weariness to something or someone over a period of time.	ব্যাপক ক্ষতিসাধন করা / ক্ষতিকর প্রভাব ফেলা	Working 80 hours a week will eventually take a huge toll on your mental health.