Luyện theo cấu trúc Cambridge IELTS 8 · Speaking Part 1–3: Coffee and Cafés

1. Coffee, without a doubt. I drink tea occasionally, especially green tea after meals, but I rely on coffee to wake me up in the morning. I like it strong, with a bit of condensed milk.

2. Usually once a day, sometimes twice if I've got a lot of work. I try not to have any after about three in the afternoon, because otherwise I can't get to sleep.

3. Quite a lot, actually. When I was a child, coffee was mainly something older men drank at street stalls. Now there are modern coffee chains everywhere, and young people treat cafés almost like offices or meeting rooms. There's also much more variety, like cold brew or coconut coffee.

4. Sometimes, when friends come round. I'm not an expert, but I've got a traditional metal filter, and people seem to enjoy watching the coffee drip slowly into the cup. It makes the visit feel a bit more special.

5. Coffee itself, funnily enough. The first time I tried it, I thought it was far too bitter. I only started drinking it regularly at university, when I needed it to stay awake, and gradually I came to love the taste.

The café I'd like to talk about is a small place on the second floor of an old building near the river, about ten minutes from where I live. You'd probably walk past it without noticing, because the only sign is a little wooden board at the bottom of a narrow staircase.

Inside, it's quite simple. There are maybe eight tables, a few shelves of second-hand books and some plants hanging by the windows. The best feature is the balcony, which has just three tables and looks out over the street and the river. The walls are covered with black-and-white photographs of the city from decades ago, which the owner collected from flea markets.

I usually go there on Saturday mornings. Sometimes I meet a friend for a chat, but more often I go on my own, order a coffee and read or plan my week. Occasionally I take my laptop to do some work, although I try not to, because it feels a bit like a place for slowing down rather than being productive.

As for why I like it, I think it's mostly the atmosphere. It's quiet, there's no loud music, and the staff never make you feel that you should leave once your cup is empty. The owner also buys her beans directly from a small farm in the highlands, and she's happy to explain where they come from, which makes me appreciate the coffee more. In a city that's so noisy and fast-moving, it feels like a little escape.

1. I think it's partly because they're neutral spaces. Many young people live with their families or in small shared flats, so there isn't much room to invite friends home. A café offers somewhere comfortable, with Wi-Fi and air conditioning, for the price of a drink, and you can stay as long as you like.

2. In principle, yes. A lot of coffee farmers earn very little, even though the drink sells for a high price in cities. If a small increase in price really reached the farmers, I think most customers would accept it. The problem is making sure the extra money goes to the growers rather than to traders or retailers, which is why certification schemes matter.

3. Enormously. Products that used to be luxuries, like imported fruit or chocolate, are now available in ordinary supermarkets all year round. On the positive side, people have a much more varied diet. On the other hand, some traditional local foods are disappearing because they can't compete on price or convenience.

4. I think the good ones will. Chains have the advantage of price and consistency, but independent cafés can offer things a chain can't, like a distinctive atmosphere or a personal relationship with regular customers. The ones that simply copy what the chains do are probably the ones at risk.

5. Mostly, yes. For students in particular, a café can be easier to concentrate in than a crowded home. That said, it can be frustrating for café owners if customers occupy a table for five hours after buying one drink, so I think there needs to be some give and take on both sides.