It is said that most people have no more than 30 friends at any given time, and 400 over the whole of their lives. However, on social networking sites, most users have about 150 friends. If these numbers are correct, then friendship means different things in different situations.

One of the reasons people have more online friends than real friends at any particular point in time is that online friendships do not require much time and energy: it is easy to make Internet friends and keep them forever.

Another possibility is that it is difficult to say ‘no’ when somebody asks us to be their friend online, even if we feel we don’t really know them. The fact that they ask us suggests that they do consider us a friend, which is a nice feeling. Alternatively, they may be ‘collectors’ of online friends and simply want to use us to get a higher number of friends and appear to be popular.

(Get ready for IELTS)

Interviewer: Hello everybody! It’s Teenagers Round the World Channel. Our guest today is a teenager from Russia and we are going to discuss the value of education. We’d like to know our guest’s point of view on this issue. Please answer five questions. So, let’s get started.

Interviewer: Do you think getting good grades is the most important part of education? Why or why not?

Student: Well, good grades are nice to have, but I don’t think they’re the most important part of education because they don’t always show real knowledge or deep understanding. Education is more than good grades – it’s about growing as a person and preparing for life.

Interviewer: Do you think schools should put more emphasis on life skills or academic subjects? Why?

Student: I think schools should try to balance both, but life skills should get a bit more focus. While school subjects help us think better and prepare for jobs, they often don’t teach us useful things we need in real life after we finish school.

Interviewer: Do you plan to continue your education after finishing school? If so, what career are you considering?

Student: Yes, I plan to go on to higher education, probably in computer science, because I’m passionate about technology and coding.

Interviewer: Why do you think education is important in life?

Student: I think education is important because it helps us learn new things and understand the world around us. It also gives us the skills we need to get a job, solve problems, and make good decisions. 

Interviewer: What advice would you give to younger teenagers about the importance of education?

Student: I’d advise younger teenagers to stay focused on their studies and use their time at school wisely. I’d tell them to take education seriously because it opens up doors to better opportunities and helps you understand the world.

Interviewer: Thank you very much for your interview.

• explain the choice of the illustrations for the project by briefly describing them and noting the differences;
• mention the advantages (1–2) of the two types of gifts;
• mention the disadvantages (1–2) of the two types of gifts;
• express your opinion on the subject of the project – say which type of gifts presented in the pictures you’d prefer and why.

Hi Alex! I’ve found two photos that I think will be perfect for our project on gift ideas.

One of the photos shows a young girl with a cute little dog in her arms. They are walking outside. The girl looks happy, and the dog seems to be enjoying the walk too. The second photo is of a young girl holding a new smartphone in one hand and its phone box in the other, with a look of happiness on her face. The photos give us examples of two different types of gifts: a pet dog as a companion and a smartphone as a technological device.

Both gifts have their pros and cons, and I suggest discussing them in our project. For example, a smartphone is good for fast access to information and fun, but it can also be distracting and addictive. A dog, on the other hand, is nice for company and emotional support, but it needs proper training and can be costly to care for.

Personally, I’d prefer to get a pet as a gift. I’ve always dreamed of having a furry companion, and the experience of spending time with a beloved pet is priceless!

(Personally, I’d prefer to receive a desirable smartphone as a gift since it might have more advanced features, better performance, or a longer battery life than my current phone.)

Well, that’s it for now. Let me know what you think about the photos for our project. Bye!