IELTS Speaking Part 1: Holidays and festivals (праздники), вопросы и примеры ответов

What is the most important festival in your country?

How do you usually celebrate it?

Do you prefer celebrating with family or friends?

Did you enjoy holidays more as a child?

Are there any holidays you don't enjoy?

Have festivals changed in your country?

What is the most important festival in your country?

I'd say Navruz, the spring new year on the twenty-first of March. It's been celebrated for thousands of years, and because it marks the start of spring, the mood everywhere is really optimistic.

How do you usually celebrate it?

We visit relatives, and the women in our mahalla, our neighbourhood community, cook sumalak, a sweet dish made from sprouted wheat. It has to be stirred all night, so people take turns and sing to stay awake. It's more about being together than about the food itself.

Did you enjoy holidays more as a child?

Probably, yes. As a child I just enjoyed the sweets and the presents, whereas now I'm usually the one helping to organise things. I appreciate them in a different way, though.

Have festivals changed in your country?

In some ways. Celebrations have become bigger and more commercial, with concerts and decorations everywhere, but the core traditions, like visiting older relatives, are still the same.