Speaking Test Part 3:

1. Is it important to have a good appearance?

I think it helps in a lot of situations, especially at work. First impressions are important and a good appearance helps you make a good impression when you meet people. This is especially important if you are meeting customers, your boss or even work colleagues. A good appearance suggests that you are professional and hardworking. However, when you’re at home and relaxing with family or close friends, you don’t need to be well-groomed and you can have a more scruffy and unkempt appearance.

2. Is it possible to look good without spending a lot of money?

Yes, I think it is, if you have good taste and you’re willing to spend time on it. You can find good quality and stylish clothes if you look hard enough.The truth is,  if you want to turn heads without spending a fortune then you need to spend a lot more time looking for bargains in discount stores, markets and online. On the other hand, another aspect of looking good is staying in shape, and you don’t need a lot of money to exercise or go for a run. You can have a well-built physique if you’re a man, or an attractive athletic figure if you’re a woman, simply by working out regularly.

3. Do people worry too much about their appearance as they get older?

Well, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with making an effort to look good when you are older. I like to see old people wearing nice clothes and taking care of their appearance. For me, it shows that they are still interested in trying new things and taking part in the modern world. On the other hand, I don’t think there’s any point in spending a lot of money on expensive cosmetic treatments. They don’t make you look much more youthful and they’re very costly. In my opinion, you’re better off spending the money on enjoying life.

4. Do different cultures think differently about beauty?

Yes, sure, the ideal of beauty changes over time and it’s different in different parts of the world. For example, in Europe people think it’s beautiful to have tanned skin, whereas in some places in Asia, it’s more beautiful to have a very pale complexion. Also, at times in the past it was considered attractive to be plump, and at other times to be skinny. One thing I would say though is that these days, due to globalisation, ideas about beauty are probably becoming more similar around the world.

5. How has people’s idea of beauty changed over the years?

Ideas about beauty definitely change. Just in my lifetime I’ve seen fashions change significantly. For example, the type of physique that is considered most attractive has changed. In the 90’s the ideal of beauty for women was a more androgynous look, and models tended to be really skinny. These days, I think more voluptuous but also toned physiques are most popular in the media. For men things have changed too. In the past, it was fashionable to have a more rugged, scruffy, and unkempt look, whereas right now more and more men seem to have a more clean-cut and well-groomed.

6. Do you think that the media influences our ideas about what is attractive?

Yes, of course. The media has a very big influence on our ideas about beauty. If all of the models in adverts and pictures have a certain style or physique, then people believe that this is the style or physique they should copy. Right now it’s interesting to see that the media is presenting a more diverse range of figures and appearances as attractive or beautiful. We’re also seeing older, less youthful images of beauty. Perhaps this reflects a more open-minded approach in fashion and society.