IELTS topic card: Describe a country that you would like to visit

Topic card

Describe a country that you would like to visit. Your speech should answer the following questions

What do you know about this country?

How did you become interested in it?

What is the most interesting thing about this country?

Sample response

Well, I have always wanted to visit Japan. The first images that come to my mind when I think of Japan are those beautiful temples hidden in the hills. They have always fascinated me and I would like to visit them someday. I developed an interest in Japan during my school days. At that time, any product carrying the Made in Japan tag was quite popular in my country. I guess, that is how I started associating quality and reliability with Japan. Of course, you wouldn’t visit a country just because they make amazing gadgets. I was just trying to say that that is how I became interested in Japan. When I was at university, I had some Japanese friends. They were quite friendly and great fun to hang out. And they made me all the more interested in Japan.

The best thing about Japan is probably the fact that it is a combination of the ancient and the new. The Japanese are still very traditional, but that hasn’t prevented them from embracing modernity. They are also known for their hospitality. I am a religious person. Although I am not a practicing Buddhist I am curious about Zen Buddhism. If I get an opportunity to visit Japan, I would like to meet some Zen Buddhists, learn their traditional meditation techniques and lodge at a traditional inn where I can experience Japanese hospitality at its best.