Model Answers By Topic
15. Good Manners
SPEAKING
PART 1
1. Are you a polite person?
Yes, I like to think so. I was brought up to have good manners and I think it’s important to show respect and be considerate to others.
2. What are some examples of good manners in your country?
Much like in many other countries, good manners includes greeting people politely, using respectful language, saying please and thank you, holding doors for others, and avoiding making a scene in public.
3. Who taught you about manners?
I learned about manners from my parents, teachers, and others but my parents were my biggest role models. They set a good example for me to follow, so I mostly picked up my good manners from them.
4. Do you think it’s important to be polite?
Yes, polite behaviour is really important. If people are respectful and courteous to each other, avoid inappropriate and rude behaviour and have empathy for others, the society will be much more pleasant to live in for everyone.
5. What impolite behaviours annoy you the most?
Some impolite behaviours that get on my nerves include interrupting others, speaking loudly on the phone in public, not saying please and thank you, being obnoxious to service staff, and not respecting personal space.
6. Are car drivers polite in your country?
It varies a little by region, but most places car drivers are fairly considerate. In the capital drivers tend to be more aggressive and you occasionally see really antisocial behaviour on the roads, such as swearing and shouting at other motorists.
7. What behaviours are impolite when eating?
Some impolite behaviours when eating include talking with your mouth full, slurping or making loud noises, burping, and playing with your food. The main thing is to keep your mouth closed when you’re chewing food.
8. Are you ever late? Does it annoy you when other people are late?
Yes, for me being punctual is a sign of respect and consideration for others' time. It gets on my nerves when others are late, so I always try to be on time.
Listen to Speaking Part 1 Model Answers:
PART 2
Describe a polite person you know.
You should say:
who this person is
how you know this person
and why you think this person is polite
Model Answer:
I’d like to tell you about a good friend of mine, Mark, who I’ve known for several years now. He lives in my neighbourhood and we got to know each other because we’re both sports fans and take part in similar activities. He comes to mind because he is such a considerate person, and always tries really hard to put people at ease and make sure everyone around him is comfortable.
Mark is a really polite person. He’s patient and rarely gets angry with people, although if he’s provoked he will stand up for himself. Anyway, the main reason I think he is so polite is that he makes an effort to be nice and friendly. He asks a lot of questions, and is talkative, but not overbearing.
Sometimes I joke that he should be called Mr Charming, because when you meet him he always has good things to say and looks for ways to compliment you. In fact, the last time I saw him he noticed that I'd lost some weight and noted how fit and healthy I was looking. That may sound a little creepy, but from Mark, you know that it's a sincere compliment, and that's all.
He’s also really thoughtful, and he’s very good at avoiding hurting people’s feelings. I think he has a lot of empathy for other people, and makes sure that he doesn’t upset or embarrass people by putting his foot in it and saying something inappropriate or upsetting.
Listen to Speaking Part 2 Model Answers:
PART 3
1. Do you think people are more or less polite than in the past?
I would say that people are less polite these days than in the past. It seems to me that there’s more antisocial behaviour, and people are much more likely to make a scene in public than in the past. So for example, people will listen to loud music on public transport, and disturb all the other passengers. Sometimes I wish that people were a bit more thoughtful and had a bit more empathy.
2. Should parents or schools teach children good manners?
In my opinion parents have the biggest influence on kids and should take most responsibility for providing a good role model for their children to follow. While teachers need to set a good example too, it’s difficult for them to really influence the children’s behaviour if they don’t have the support of parents. Really it’s up to the parents to set limits for their kids and punish them if they behave in a rude or unacceptable way.
3. How can parents encourage their kids to have better manners?
I think the most important thing that parents can do is to be role models for their kids. Children absorb everything around them and pay particular attention to how their parents behave. If they see their parents and other relatives act in a polite, courteous way, they are very likely to adopt the same behaviours. Likewise, if the parents are generally bad-mannered, their kids will probably copy them and act in the same way.
4. Can good manners help you to be more successful?
Yes, absolutely, I think it’s very important in the business world to have good manners. Colleagues and customers expect you to be polite and friendly, and not to lose your temper easily. To be successful you should know how to talk to people in the right way, and how to avoid offending or upsetting people. Often people who are successful make a good impression on people they meet and this requires being polite and friendly.
5. Do you think mobile phones should be banned in public places?
I think this question is a bit old-fashioned because it would be impossible to totally ban mobile phones in public places these days. However, I think there are some special situations where people should be strongly encouraged not to use their phones, for example, in libraries or cinemas. In these places noise will disturb the people who are trying to concentrate on reading or watching the movie, so to be considerate to others, phones shouldn’t be used. In these kinds of places, people should be asked to leave if they talk on their phones or make other noise.
6. How important are role models in teaching good manners?
I believe that role models are absolutely essential to teaching good manners. As I mentioned before, children are really influenced by how adults around them behave. If their role models behave in an impolite way, then kids are certain to pick up these bad habits. I think kids can be influenced not just by parents but by other adults too. So sports stars and celebrities are also role models to kids and can show them how to behave well, or unfortunately in some cases, to be rude and obnoxious.
Listen to Speaking Part 3 Model Answers:
WRITING
GENERAL TEST WRITING TASK 1
Your neighbours have written to complain about the noise from your house/ flat. Write a letter to your neighbours.
In your letter:
explain the reasons for the noise
apologise
describe what action you will take
Model Answer:
Dear Mr and Mrs Jones,
I’m writing to apologise for disturbing you recently. I understand that we were making an inappropriate amount of noise, which made it difficult for you to relax. In addition to apologising, I’d like to explain why we were so noisy, and reassure you that we will do our best to reduce any disturbance in the future.
Currently my sister is staying in hospital after having an operation, and while she recovers we are looking after her two young boys. Her kids are lovely and are usually very polite and courteous, however like most youngsters, they are very energetic and love to run, jump and play noisy games. We have been trying to keep them calm and quiet but it’s not always easy.
They will be with us for one more week, but we will work hard on limiting the noise as much as possible during this time. We have decided to take the kids to the local playground every afternoon in the hope that this will tire them out, so that they are calmer in the evening.
Apologies again for the inconvenience, and thank-you for your understanding.
Kind regards,
Chris
WRITING TASK 2
Model Answer:
It is widely recognised that people are not as polite as they were previously. I believe this is because large numbers of people are migrating to crowded cities or towns where they do not have such close relationships with the people in their communities anymore. This problem can be fixed by encouraging more interaction and building stronger relationships within communities in urban areas.
As a result of urbanisation, a large proportion of people now live in densely populated cities and this has created a situation where people are less likely to have empathy and show respect towards others. In the past, people tended to live in smaller towns and villages where they knew most of the people around them and had relationships with these people. In order to foster good relationships it was necessary to be polite and considerate. These days we are constantly surrounded by strangers and there isn’t any real need to be courteous. Consequently, people are more likely to be self-centred and rude.
The solution to this problem lies in encouraging people living in cities to build stronger relationships with the people around them. One way to do this would be through programmes that promote group activities in communities. As people get to know more of the people around them because of these activities, neighbours will cease to be anonymous strangers and this will naturally increase empathy and the desire to be more polite and respectful. Being better acquainted also means that any bad behaviour will have more serious consequences in terms of reputation and social standing. Behaving in an unacceptable or antisocial way will have social repercussions as the community collectively judges and condemns such behaviour.
To summarise, people may be less polite nowadays because most of the people around them are strangers. By encouraging people to build closer connections with others in their communities, we can promote better manners and a more polite society.
People are often less polite these days than they were in the past.
What are the reasons for this?
How can this problem be fixed?
VOCABULARY
Topic Vocabulary:
aggressive (adjective):
Definition: Having or showing a readiness to attack or confront.
Example: The aggressive behaviour of the dog scared the children.
antisocial (adjective):
Definition: Relating to actions that harm or lack consideration for the well-being of others or society
Example: The neighbourhood watch program was implemented to deter antisocial behaviour.
compliment (verb):
Definition: A nice thing you say to make someone feel good about themselves.
Example: She complimented her friend on her earrings.
considerate (adjective):
Definition: Thinking about how your actions will affect others and trying not to upset them or cause problems.
Example: The inconsiderate party guests left their empty glasses and plates scattered all over the house.
courteous (adjective):
Definition: Polite and respectful in behaviour or speech.
Example: The courteous driver allowed the other car to pass first.
disturb (verb):
Definition: Bother or annoy someone by interrupting their peace or concentration.
Example: I couldn't work because the loud music next door kept on disturbing me.
empathy (noun [u]):
Definition: Understanding and sharing the feelings of others.
Example: Schools can promote a culture of empathy by encouraging kindness and compassion.
hurt someone's feelings (idiom):
Definition: Make someone sad or upset by what you say or do.
Example: I didn't mean to hurt her feelings when I said that I didn't like the dress.
inappropriate (adjective):
Definition: Not suitable or proper for a particular situation or context.
Example: It's inappropriate to wear shorts to a job interview.
lose your temper (idiom):
Definition: To get really angry and be rude or act aggressively because you can't control yourself.
Example: I lost my temper and shouted at the stupid man.
make a scene (idiom):
Definition: to make a lot of noise in public, usually because you are angry.
Example: He was obviously angry and started making a scene on the train.
obnoxious (adjective):
Definition: extremely unpleasant, offensive or annoying.
Example: He was being obnoxious to the staff so he was told to leave the shop.
offend (verb):
Definition: Upset or annoy someone because of something you say or do that they don't like.
Example: He really offended her when he criticised her cooking.
overbearing (adjective):
Definition: Excessively controlling in a relationship or situation.
Example: My boss can be overbearing at times and it's hard to speak up.
provoke (verb):
Definition: To cause someone to feel angry or irritated.
Example: The rude comment provoked him into yelling.
punctual (adjective):
Definition: Arriving or happening at the scheduled or expected time.
Example: It's important to be punctual for meetings and appointments.
put someone at ease (verb phrase):
Definition: To make someone feel comfortable and relaxed in a situation.
Example: Her friendly smile put everyone at ease in the room.
put your foot in it (idiom):
Definition: To make a mistake, often by saying or doing something inappropriate.
Example: He really put his foot in it when he made that joke about her divorce.
thoughtful (adjective):
Definition: Considerate and kind towards others, often showing empathy and understanding.
Example: He gave her a thoughtful gift for her birthday that showed how much he cared.
unacceptable (adjective):
Definition: Not meeting expected standards or norms of behaviour.
Example: The teacher made it clear that cheating on exams was unacceptable in her class.
