Do you know your neighbours well?
Some of them, yes. Our building has eight flats, and we've lived there for over ten years, so we're quite close to the two families on our floor. We exchange food during Eid and keep spare keys for each other. The newer tenants on the upper floors, though, I barely know beyond a nod on the stairs.
How often do you talk to your neighbours?
Not every day, but probably a few times a week. Usually it's a quick chat in the lift or at the gate, about the electricity going off or a problem with the water supply. My mother talks to them far more than I do; she seems to know every bit of news in the building before anyone else.
Have your neighbours ever helped you?
Yes, many times. The most memorable was when my father had a sudden health scare late one night. The uncle next door drove us to hospital himself, because we couldn't find a CNG auto-rickshaw at that hour. I'll never forget it, and it's a big reason why our two families are so close now.
Is the area where you live noisy or quiet?
It's fairly noisy, like most of Dhaka. Our flat faces a main road, so from early morning there's a constant stream of buses, rickshaw bells and car horns. In the evenings it's a bit calmer, but there's often construction work nearby. I've become so used to it that complete silence actually feels slightly strange to me now.
What kinds of noise annoy you most?
Car horns, without question. Drivers here seem to honk out of habit rather than necessity, even when the traffic is completely gridlocked and nobody can move. Drilling from building sites early in the morning comes a close second. Strangely, I don't mind people talking or children playing; it's the mechanical sounds that really get on my nerves.
Do you prefer to work in silence or with some background noise?
I need a bit of background noise. Complete silence makes me restless, and I find my mind wandering. So when I'm studying, I usually put on soft instrumental music or work in a cafe where there's a gentle murmur of conversation. The only exception is when I'm memorising something difficult; then I put in earplugs.
Sample answers written by Abroadway as models of natural, high-band speaking (not official IELTS samples).
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