IELTS Speaking Practice: Air Travel, Prestigious Awards & The Value of Rewards

IELTS Speaking Practice Test: Air Travel, Prestigious Awards & The Value of Rewards (Band 9 Answers)

Achieving a Band 9 in the IELTS Speaking test requires a combination of effortless fluency, grammatical precision, and an expansive lexical resource. To help you prepare for the examiner’s most challenging questions, we have put together this comprehensive mock test.

In this post, we cover Part 1 questions about air travel, a Part 2 cue card asking you to describe a national award winner, and complex Part 3 questions debating the psychology of rewarding children and the massive salaries of elite athletes. Read through these Band 9 model answers to elevate your own speaking skills!

Part 1: Travelling by Plane

1. Have you travelled a lot by plane? [To where?/Why not?]

Yes, I would actually consider myself a bit of a frequent flyer. I travel domestically quite often to visit my extended family during the holidays. Additionally, I usually try to take at least one long-haul international flight a year for vacation; most recently, I flew to Southeast Asia to explore the historical temples and try the local cuisine.

2. Why do you think some people enjoy travelling by plane?

I believe the primary appeal is the sheer speed and convenience. Air travel shrinks the world, allowing you to cross entire continents in a matter of hours. Beyond the practicality, many people genuinely enjoy the thrill of takeoff, the luxury of in-flight entertainment, and the breathtaking, bird’s-eye view of the clouds and landscapes below.

3. Would you like to live near an airport? [Why/Why not?]

Absolutely not, under any circumstances. While the proximity would certainly be convenient for catching early morning flights, the drawbacks far outweigh that minor benefit. The constant, deafening roar of jet engines taking off and landing at all hours of the night would be incredibly disruptive and would severely impact my quality of sleep.

4. In the future, do you think that you will travel by plane more often? [Why/Why not?]

I anticipate that I will, especially as my career progresses. I hope to attend more international conferences and perhaps even take on a role that requires overseas networking. Having said that, I am becoming increasingly mindful of my carbon footprint, so I might try to balance my flights with more eco-friendly rail travel for shorter, regional distances.

Part 2: Cue Card (A Prize Winner from Your Country)

The Cue Card:

Describe a person from your country who has won a prize, award or medal.

You should say:

• who this person is
• which prize, award or medal they received
• what they did to win this
• and explain whether you think it was right that this person received this prize, award or medal.

Band 9 Model Answer:

I would like to talk about Professor Aziz Sancar, a remarkably distinguished molecular biologist from Türkiye. He is a phenomenal academic who was jointly awarded the highly prestigious Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2015.

To give you a bit of context, Professor Sancar dedicated decades of his life to grueling laboratory research. He won this specific award for his groundbreaking, mechanistic studies on DNA repair. Essentially, he mapped out, at a molecular level, how cells repair damaged DNA and safeguard our genetic information. This is incredibly complex science, but to put it simply, his work fundamentally shifted our understanding of how living cells function, which has profound implications for the development of new, targeted cancer treatments.

I strongly believe it was absolutely right and thoroughly well-deserved that he received this honor. Firstly, from a scientific standpoint, his discoveries are monumental; they have saved, and will continue to save, countless lives by paving the way for revolutionary medical therapies.

Secondly, on a more personal and cultural level, his win was a massive source of national pride. He grew up in a very modest, rural town and achieved the pinnacle of scientific recognition through sheer intellect, unwavering perseverance, and an incredible work ethic. He serves as an immensely inspiring role model for millions of young students in my country, proving that with dedication, you can literally change the world.

Part 3: Rewards and Recognition

Topic 1: Rewards for children at school

1. What types of school prizes do children in your country receive?

It varies depending on the age group, but typically, primary school children receive tangible, immediate rewards like colorful stickers, stationery, or ‘star of the week’ certificates. As students progress to secondary school, the prizes become more formal and academically focused, such as engraved medals, book vouchers, or public recognition on the honor roll during end-of-year assemblies.

2. What do you think are the advantages of rewarding schoolchildren for good work?

Implementing a reward system offers tremendous psychological benefits through positive reinforcement. It significantly boosts a child’s self-esteem and provides a tangible acknowledgment of their hard work. Furthermore, it can foster a healthy sense of competition within the classroom, motivating not just the high achievers, but also encouraging struggling students to put in that extra bit of effort.

3. Do you agree that it’s more important for children to receive rewards from their parents than from teachers?

I think both are indispensable, but they serve entirely different functions. Teachers provide objective validation; a reward from an educator confirms that a child is meeting societal and academic benchmarks. However, parental rewards are fundamentally tied to a child’s core emotional security. Unconditional praise and small rewards from parents validate a child’s character and effort behind closed doors, which is arguably more critical for their long-term psychological development.

Topic 2: Rewards for sportspeople

4. Do you think that some sportspeople (e.g., top footballers) are paid too much money?

This is a highly contentious issue. On one hand, it seems morally disproportionate that an elite footballer earns an astronomical weekly salary while essential workers, like nurses and firefighters, struggle to make ends meet. However, from a purely economic perspective, their wages are dictated by market forces. These athletes generate billions in broadcasting rights, merchandise sales, and sponsorships. Since their careers are exceptionally short and prone to sudden, career-ending injuries, they capitalize on their peak earning years.

5. Should everyone on a team get the same prize money when they win?

I believe a hybrid approach is the most equitable. Providing a substantial, equal baseline bonus to every squad member is crucial for fostering team cohesion and recognizing that victory is a collective effort—even the substitutes play a vital role in training and morale. That being said, I think it is entirely fair to offer additional, performance-based financial incentives to the standout players who directly secured the win through exceptional individual skill.

6. Do you agree with the view that, in sport, taking part is more important than winning?

I think this heavily depends on the context. At the amateur or school level, the Olympic ideal that ‘taking part is what counts’ is absolutely correct; the primary focus should be on physical health, sportsmanship, and teamwork. However, at the elite, professional echelon of sport, that sentiment is somewhat naive. Professional athletes dedicate their entire lives to their discipline, and their livelihoods depend on results. At that level, winning isn’t just a bonus; it is the fundamental objective.

📚 Essential Band 9 Vocabulary (Part 2 & 3)

To help you achieve a high lexical resource score, below are the key advanced vocabulary words and phrases used in the model answers above: