IELTS Speaking 2025 Part 2&3: Describe a historical period you would like to learn more about.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Cue Card

Describe a historical period you would like to learn more about

You should say:

• When it was

• What you are interested in

• What you already know about it
  And explain why you would like to learn more

Speaking Expressions

• To be honest… (Thật lòng mà nói…)

• It blows my mind that… (Điều đó làm tôi choáng váng vì…)

• What really hooks me is… (Điều thật sự cuốn hút tôi là…)

• I was like, “No way!” when… (Tôi đã kiểu “Không thể nào!” khi…)

• Long story short… (Nói ngắn gọn là…)

• At the end of the day… (Cuối cùng thì…)

Ideas & Collocations

• Colossal ice sheets (những tảng băng khổng lồ)

• Woolly mammoths and saber‑toothed cats (voi ma mút lông dài và mèo răng kiếm)

• Sea levels were much lower (mực nước biển thấp hơn rất nhiều)

• Human migration routes (các tuyến di cư của loài người)

• Dramatic climate swings (những biến động khí hậu dữ dội)

• Cave paintings and stone tools (tranh trong hang động và công cụ đá)

Sample Answer

To be honest, the historical period I’m dying to dig into is the Ice Age—you know, when colossal ice sheets covered huge chunks of the planet. It kicked off hundreds of thousands of years ago, but the bit I’m most curious about is the last glacial maximum, roughly 20,000 years ago. What really hooks me is how humans actually survived then—like, they were out there hunting woolly mammoths and saber‑toothed cats, building shelters out of bones, and somehow figuring out fire and clothing in the middle of insane cold. It blows my mind that sea levels were much lower, which meant people could literally walk across areas that are underwater now—hello, human migration routes across Beringia!

From documentaries and a couple of articles, I already know there were dramatic climate swings—one decade freezing, the next slightly warmer—and humans had to adapt fast. I’ve also seen photos of cave paintings and stone tools from that era, which makes me wonder what their day‑to‑day stories were. I was like, “No way!” when I learned some megafauna probably went extinct because of both climate change and us hunting them.

Long story short, I want to learn more because the Ice Age feels like the ultimate survival story—it’s raw, it’s epic, and it shaped where people ended up living today. At the end of the day, understanding that period might even give us clues about dealing with climate change now. Plus, it just sounds cool to say, “Yeah, I know a bit about Pleistocene ecology.” Nerdy, but cool.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Questions

1. Should everyone learn history?

2. In what ways can children learn about history?

3. Is it difficult to protect and preserve historic buildings?

4. Who should pay for the preservation of historic buildings?

5. Will museums be replaced by technology someday?

Question 1

Speaking Expressions:

• In my opinion… (Theo tôi…)

• Like it or not… (Dù thích hay không…)

• It gives you context… (Nó cho bạn bối cảnh…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Collective memory (ký ức tập thể)

• Critical thinking skills (kỹ năng tư duy phản biện)

• Avoid repeating mistakes (tránh lặp lại sai lầm)

Sample Answer:
In my opinion, everyone should study history because it gives you context for why things are the way they are today. Like it or not, we’re part of a collective memory, and ignoring it makes us easier to manipulate. Learning the past builds critical thinking skills—you question sources, not just swallow headlines. It also helps societies avoid repeating mistakes, which, let’s be honest, we’re pretty good at. So yeah, history isn’t just dates; it’s a manual for being smarter citizens.

Question 2

Speaking Expressions:

• One fun way is… (Một cách thú vị là…)

• Kids light up when… (Trẻ con sáng mắt lên khi…)

• You don’t have to stick to… (Bạn không nhất thiết phải bám vào…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Hands-on activities (hoạt động thực hành)

• Interactive museums (bảo tàng tương tác)

• Story-based cartoons (phim hoạt hình kể chuyện)

• Family storytelling nights (tối kể chuyện gia đình)

Sample Answer:
One fun way is through hands-on activities—let them build a mini pyramid or dress up as kings and queens. Kids light up when history turns into games or story-based cartoons, not just dry textbooks. Interactive museums with buttons and VR keep them engaged way longer. At home, family storytelling nights about grandparents’ lives make history personal. You don’t have to stick to lectures; mix it up and they’ll absorb way more.

Question 3

Speaking Expressions:

• Absolutely, because… (Chắc chắn rồi, vì…)

• The tricky part is… (Phần khó là…)

• Wear and tear is inevitable… (Hư hại là không tránh khỏi…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Maintenance costs (chi phí bảo trì)

• Urban development pressure (áp lực phát triển đô thị)

• Authentic restoration (trùng tu nguyên gốc)

Sample Answer:
Absolutely, because old buildings are fragile and wear and tear is inevitable. The tricky part is balancing urban development pressure with keeping heritage intact. Maintenance costs are huge, and skilled craftsmen aren’t easy to find. Plus, you need authentic restoration, not just repainting it pretty for tourists. So yeah, preserving history is hard work—worth it, but hard.

Question 4

Speaking Expressions:

• Ideally, it’s a shared bill… (Lý tưởng nhất là chia sẻ chi phí…)

• Public money only goes so far… (Ngân sách công chỉ đến mức nào đó…)

• Private sponsors can step in… (Nhà tài trợ tư nhân có thể tham gia…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Government grants (trợ cấp của chính phủ)

• Corporate social responsibility (trách nhiệm xã hội của doanh nghiệp)

• Community fundraising (gây quỹ cộng đồng)

Sample Answer:
Ideally, it’s a shared bill—government grants cover the basics because it’s public heritage. But public money only goes so far, so private sponsors can step in under corporate social responsibility. Locals can help with community fundraising to feel ownership. Tourists could pay a small heritage fee too. Mix all that and you spread the burden fairly.

Question 5

Speaking Expressions:

• I don’t think so, and here’s why… (Tôi không nghĩ vậy, và lý do là…)

• Tech is a tool, not a replacement… (Công nghệ là công cụ, không phải sự thay thế…)

• There’s something about the real thing… (Có điều gì đó về đồ thật…)

Ideas & Collocations:

• Virtual reality tours (tham quan thực tế ảo)

• Digital archives (lưu trữ số)

• Tangible artifacts (hiện vật hữu hình)

• Immersive experience (trải nghiệm đắm chìm)

Sample Answer:
I don’t think so, and here’s why: tech is a tool, not a replacement. Virtual reality tours and digital archives are amazing for access, but there’s something about the real thing—seeing tangible artifacts up close hits differently. Museums can use tech to create an immersive experience, not shut their doors. So the future is hybrid: pixels plus pillars.