Do you think memory is important?
Yes, I do. If we couldn’t remember certain things, life would be very awkward and difficult. Our memories hold a lot of important information we use all the time, every day, just to live, so memory is vital.
Do you think it's important to have a good memory?
It can certainly help make things easier. If you can remember things easily and not forget them it can be very beneficial. Activities such as studying and learning seem much easier, for example, learning English is much easier if you can remember all the vocabulary and grammar you learn and how to use it correctly, and if you can recall things easily it can save you a lot of time instead of having to look up information or ask someone else if they know.
It can also make life generally easier if you have a good memory for faces and names and can remember them when you meet people, or recall a telephone number or some useful information without the need to access your phone or write everything down to avoid forgetting it.
What are some of the benefits of having a good memory?
I guess some people think you are maybe more intelligent, or certainly smarter than most people, especially if you have an excellent memory and can remember everything. It can help you avoid embarrassing social situations if you never forget someone’s birthday, or if you don’t forget people’s names when you haven’t seen them for a long time.
It can also be useful in activities like quizzes or competitions which rely on general knowledge if you can remember the relevant information and answer the questions. And I suppose it’s probably a good thing concerning your career or work if you can recall relevant information without having to ask someone else to help or refer to a reference book or something like that. Not having to look up stuff can save you loads of time.
What sort of things do people need to remember every day?
Every day, people need to remember things like what time they need to leave for work, when their next meeting is happening, or where they left their car after parking it.
These are all situations that require the ability to keep track of information over a short time. For example, if someone needs to be at work by 8 o'clock every morning, but has no idea what time it is and therefore doesn't know how long they have until they need to leave for work, this person will likely miss an important event and may even wind up being late for work on more than one occasion.
People also must often use working memory in situations where we come across new information during our day. Sometimes you might learn something new and need to remember it.
For example, let's say that someone had the following conversation with a friend:
Friend: "I'm planning to take my car in next Friday to get the brakes replaced."
You: "That sounds like a good idea. I had my brakes replaced last month, and they feel great."
This new information is stored in your working memory until you determine whether or not it would be beneficial for you to store it in your long-term memory. If not, then the new information is pushed out.
Are there any things that are especially important for people to memorize?
I suppose it depends on the situation. Everything is important to some people. I mean… most people get upset if their friends or someone close forgets their birthday or a special occasion like an anniversary.
A lot of things we do that seem to be automatic such as getting dressed or driving a car rely on memory. If we forgot, or couldn’t remember part of the process we would be in big trouble! If you were a musician, it might be important to remember a piece of music or combination of notes for a particular piece of music.
It all depends on the situation, even remembering your name is important when someone asks you what it is. Or where you live; imagine if you couldn’t remember that kind of information one day… it would be awkward, wouldn’t it?
Really, all information we need to operate normally is critical… maybe we can consider other information to be useful but optional, or non-critical.
Do you think having a good memory is important for students?
Well, it certainly helps, doesn’t it? I mean it’s so much easier to remember all those facts, or formulas or information or whatever it is you’re studying. It can save a lot of time if you can just recall most things you need in an instant and not have to review your books or look them up again each time you some information.
Do you believe that technology helps people recall past events? How?
Yes, I think that technology does help people recall past events. For example, I have a digital camera that records all of my memories in pictures and videos, which I can then go back and look at whenever I want to. Also, Instagram has allowed me to easily share memories with friends by taking a photo/video and posting it online right away. This is also how most people interact with their social circles and share memories. You don't need a physical photo if you save a picture on your phone or computer. It is accessible from anywhere at any time.
Do you think there are important things left out when we rely on cell phones for memory?
Maybe, I mean, if you lose your phone or it gets destroyed, you completely lose out on the pictures and videos stored in there. If you don't have a backup of these memories or they are not uploaded somewhere else, then you could say that the memory is lost as well.
I think this showcases how we need more than just an electronic device like a cell phone for our memories because if we rely only on them, we may end up losing those precious memories.
And a simple picture doesn't recall the smells or feelings of a place or person. Maybe a video captures the sound, but it's not the same as being there.
I think that, because we have been recording our memories from way back then with things like paintings or pottery from an archaeological dig site, it's just become a natural thing to us.
We've always valued pictures and videos as a way of keeping our memories because they're tangible and can be held in your hand while you reminisce.
I know when I'm going to visit somewhere new, the first thing I do is look up images on Google Maps before arriving. I can get a general idea of what the place looks like. And this helps me feel more 'comfortable' when I go there because it feels familiar somehow.
How to Extend Your Answers in the IELTS Speaking Test
Here's the problem with Part 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test. You have a discussion with the IELTS Examiner on a topic related to Part 2, but many IELTS candidates find it hard to know what to say next.
When you're talking with the examiner, you always want to keep things engaging.
It can be stressful sometimes because some topics just don't come up very often in real-life conversations. How do you deal with this?
The most important thing is not to panic when you run out of things to say! There are ways for you to extend your answers so that they're more natural-sounding and continue the flow of conversation.
Here are four tips for doing this successfully:
1. Give an Example of How an Opinion Has Affected You Personally
Here is an example of a response to the question, "What are your plans for after graduation?"
I'm not sure yet. I haven't started thinking about what my life will be like after university, so it's hard to know if I'll stay in Melbourne or go somewhere else. But one of my friends is moving abroad soon, and she says that there are some excellent opportunities in other countries.
2. Mention Something That You've Noticed In Society
This technique is a good way of extending your response because it doesn't require any special knowledge like knowing about the latest news events around the world.
You could explain a trend that you've noticed in society and then say what you think about it. If you want to take it further, you can use it as a jumping-off point for talking more about your opinion on the topic.
3. Describe What Others Think About Your Opinion
For example, if you are talking about your favorite food and the examiner asks, "what do other people think about it?" Your response might be something like:
"I don't know what others think of my favorite food because I have never asked them what they think. But they probably think that it's pretty tasty because they often eat it with me. And we have the same opinion on a lot of other things."
4. Talk About What You Might Do if You Acted On This Belief
For example: "I believe that we should all try to be more tolerant about people's differing views on many urgent issues." So, what would you do to act on this belief?
Give an example of how you have lived by this belief. It can be from your own life or someone else's story.
For example: "I have been to a lot of climate protests in my lifetime, and I always notice how even among the protesters there are different groups with varying beliefs who may not agree with each other.
Some might think it is okay for others to have differing opinions, and some might not. I have tried to be tolerant of these different groups when listening to what they have to say, especially when we don't see eye to eye on the same things.
How would you answer these questions about memory?
Are you good at memorizing things?
IELTS speaking answer
Yes! I love learning new information and committing it to memory. It's one of my favorite intellectual exercises.
I use a few different techniques that can help make learning and memorizing information easier and more effective.
One is to break down the material into smaller pieces and focus on one piece at a time. Another is to come up with associations or images to help remember the information.
Finally, it's vital to practice recalling the information regularly so that it stays fresh in your mind. When you recall something from your short-term memory multiple times, it helps embed it in your long-term memory.