Luyện theo cấu trúc Cambridge IELTS 5 · Speaking Part 1–3: Photographs and Memories

1. Quite often, yes, probably several times a week. Mostly I photograph food and places when I'm travelling, and occasionally my friends when we go out together. I'm not very artistic, but I like having a record of what I've done.

2. I'd say my phone, simply because it's always in my pocket. Phone cameras are so good nowadays that I don't really see the point of carrying a separate camera, unless you're a serious photographer.

3. Not really, to be honest. I always feel a bit awkward in front of the camera and never know what to do with my hands. I'm much happier being the one taking the picture.

4. Almost everything stays on my phone, which is a bit of a shame. The only exception is that every year I print a few of my favourite family photos and put them in an album for my parents, because they enjoy looking through them.

5. Enormously. When I was small, my parents had a film camera and only took photos on special occasions, like birthdays or holidays. Now people take hundreds of pictures a day without thinking, so each individual photo feels much less special.

I'd like to describe a photo that hangs on the wall in my parents' living room. It shows my whole extended family, about twenty people, standing in front of my grandparents' house in the countryside, and everyone is laughing rather than posing.

It was taken about six years ago, during the Lunar New Year holiday, which is the only time of year when all of us manage to get together. My uncle, who is a keen amateur photographer, set up his camera on a tripod and used a timer so that he could be in the picture too.

The reason everyone is laughing is actually quite funny. On the first attempt, my uncle ran to get into position and tripped over a chicken that had wandered into the yard. By the time he got up, the camera had already taken the picture, so he had to do it again, and nobody could keep a straight face for the second shot. That's the one that ended up being printed.

I like it for several reasons. Firstly, it captures a moment that will never happen again, because my grandfather passed away the following year, and it's one of the last photos of him with all of us. Secondly, it isn't a stiff, formal family portrait; it shows what my family is really like, noisy and cheerful. Whenever I look at it, it reminds me how lucky I am to have such a close family, and I always end up smiling.

1. Mainly because it costs nothing and takes no effort. With a film camera, every picture cost money, so people were selective. Now there's no limit, and social media also gives people a strong motivation to record and share almost everything they do.

2. Not entirely. People naturally choose their best moments and often edit their pictures quite heavily, so what you see is a highlight reel rather than real life. I think that can be harmful, especially for teenagers, who may compare their ordinary lives with an image that isn't really accurate.

3. I believe they are, although their role is changing. Anyone can take a decent snapshot, but professionals have skills in lighting, composition and editing that make a big difference for important occasions like weddings or for advertising. What has probably disappeared is the market for simple, everyday photography.

4. In many ways. Photos show future historians how ordinary people lived, dressed and spent their time, which written records often miss. The problem is that so many of today's photos are stored on phones or online accounts, so there's a real risk that much of them will be lost if those services disappear.

5. To some extent, yes. I've been at concerts where half the audience was watching the stage through their phone screens, which seems a bit of a waste. That said, taking one or two pictures doesn't prevent you from enjoying something, and looking at them later can actually help you relive the experience.