IELTS Speaking band 8 sample test 8: Environment and nature

Examiner: Let's start with the environment, beginning with something a bit more personal. Do you enjoy spending time outdoors?

Candidate: Absolutely, it's probably my favourite way to switch off. I grew up hiking with my dad almost every summer, so being outdoors feels familiar to me. Walking through trees clears my head far better than scrolling on my phone ever does. I suppose it also keeps me grounded, especially now that I'm buried in coursework.

Examiner: Is there a park or green space near where you live?

Candidate: Yes, and I'm really lucky on that front. I live in Portland, and Forest Park is only a short bus ride from my apartment. It's one of the largest urban forests in the country, with miles of trails that feel completely wild. On a good weekend I can be surrounded by ferns and moss within half an hour of leaving home.

Examiner: What do you do to help protect the environment?

Candidate: To be honest, I try to be consistent rather than perfect. I bring a reusable bottle everywhere and I've mostly stopped buying single-use plastics. I also volunteer with a local group that clears invasive plants from riverbanks, which is hands-on and quite satisfying. Small habits add up, though I'd be the first to admit I still fall short sometimes.

Examiner: Now, I'd like you to describe a natural place you have visited. You should say: where it is, what it looks like, and when you went there. And explain why you found this place special. You have one minute to prepare.

Examiner: All right, please start speaking now.

Candidate: The place I'd like to talk about is Crater Lake National Park, in southern Oregon, about five hours' drive from Portland. I went there two summers ago with three friends from university, after weeks of talking about it. We rented a small cabin just outside the park and set off early one morning, so we'd have the trails almost to ourselves.

Candidate: What struck me first was the colour of the lake. It's an incredibly deep, vivid blue, because it sits in the crater of an ancient volcano that collapsed roughly seven thousand years ago. The water is so clear that you can see for dozens of metres. Along the rim, snow was still piled up in places, even in July, which made the whole scene feel almost unreal. We hiked down to the water's edge, and the silence there was extraordinary, with no traffic and barely any birdsong. We stopped for a picnic on a rocky ledge, and the view kept pulling my eyes back to the water all afternoon.

Candidate: I think what made it so special was the sense of perspective. Back home I'm constantly juggling deadlines and worrying about small things, but standing on that rim made everything feel quite small. It reminded me how old and powerful the natural world is. I came back feeling calmer and more determined to look after the places we have left, which is probably why I'm so drawn to environmental work now.

Examiner: Thank you. Would you like to go back there one day?

Candidate: Definitely. I'd love to go back in autumn, when the crowds have thinned out and the forests are changing colour. I'd also like to take a longer hike around the rim, which we only partly managed the first time.

Examiner: Let's move on to some broader questions. What are the biggest environmental challenges facing your country?

Candidate: That's a big question, and I'd say the most pressing issue is the combination of wildfires and water shortages, particularly in the western states. Over the last few summers, smoke from the fires has blanketed cities like Portland for days, which is a stark reminder of how interconnected everything is. On the one hand, climate change is driving hotter, drier conditions, so the risk is only growing. On the other hand, there's a lot of pressure on land use, with forests cleared for housing and farming. My own view is that these problems feed into each other, so tackling one in isolation rarely works. So we need long-term planning rather than quick fixes.

Examiner: Should individuals or governments be more responsible for protecting the environment?

Candidate: I think the honest answer is that both have a role, although governments have far more leverage. Individuals can recycle, cut down on waste, and vote with their wallets, but those choices only go so far if big industries keep polluting. Take plastic packaging, for example. Households can't realistically redesign the supply chain, whereas a government can set standards that force manufacturers to change. That said, I'd argue individual habits still matter culturally, because they shape what people expect from their leaders. So I'd put more of the weight on governments, while accepting that ordinary people can push them in the right direction.

Examiner: How can young people be encouraged to care more about the environment?

Candidate: I suppose the key is making it feel relevant and practical rather than preachy. Young people are already very switched on, but they often feel overwhelmed by the scale of the problem. Schools could do more hands-on projects, like local clean-ups or tree planting, so students see tangible results. Social media could also be used more constructively, with creators showing realistic, achievable habits rather than guilt-tripping viewers. In my experience, people care most when they've actually spent time in nature, which is why I think outdoor education is so important and so underrated.