IELTS Speaking Part 3: Cities, Housing and Transport

Right, let's move on to Part Three.

好，我們進入第三部分。

We've been talking about your hometown, so let's consider cities more broadly.

我們剛才聊了您的家鄉，接下來讓我們更廣泛地討論城市。

Why do you think so many people are still drawn to big cities?

您覺得為什麼還是有這麼多人被大城市吸引？

Well, I suppose the obvious answer is opportunity.

嗯，我想最明顯的答案就是機會。

Cities concentrate jobs, universities and culture in a way that small towns simply can't.

城市把工作機會、大學和文化集中在一起，這是小鎮根本做不到的。

And do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, in your view?

那麼依您看，好處大於壞處嗎？

Hmm, that's a tricky one... it largely depends on your income.

嗯，這個問題有點難……很大程度上要看收入。

For high earners, city life is undeniably convenient.

對高收入的人來說，都市生活無疑是很方便的。

For everyone else, though, soaring rents can swallow half a salary.

但對其他人來說，飆漲的房租可能會吃掉一半的薪水。

So who should be responsible for keeping housing affordable?

那麼，誰應該負責讓住房維持在負擔得起的價格？

Ultimately, I'd argue the government has to step in.

歸根究柢，我認為政府必須介入。

Left to itself, the market tends to build luxury flats, not family homes.

如果放任市場自行運作，它往往會蓋豪華公寓，而不是適合家庭居住的住宅。

Some would say that's simply supply and demand at work.

有人會說，這不過是供需法則在發揮作用。

Fair point! But housing isn't an ordinary product, is it?

說得有道理！不過，住房可不是一般商品，不是嗎？

People can postpone buying a car. They can't postpone having a roof over their heads.

人們可以延後買車。但頭上有片屋頂這件事，是無法延後的。

Let's turn to transport. How might cities reduce their dependence on cars?

我們來談談交通。城市可以怎麼減少對汽車的依賴？

Oh, this is something I feel strongly about!

喔，這件事我很有感觸！

The most effective approach is to make the alternatives genuinely attractive,

最有效的做法是讓替代方案真正具有吸引力，

rather than merely punishing drivers.

而不只是處罰駕駛人。

If trains are frequent, clean and cheap, people will choose them willingly.

如果火車班次頻繁、乾淨又便宜，人們會心甘情願地選擇搭乘。

Do you think people would really give up the comfort of their own car?

您覺得人們真的會放棄私家車的舒適嗎？

Not overnight, admittedly... habits like that are deeply ingrained.

的確不可能一夜之間就改變……這樣的習慣根深蒂固。

In my city, a new tram line stood half empty for years.

在我的城市，一條新的有軌電車路線有好幾年都半空著。

Yet once the fares dropped, it was packed within months.

然而票價一調降，幾個月內就擠滿了人。

Looking ahead, how do you imagine cities changing over the next fifty years?

展望未來，您想像城市在未來五十年會有什麼樣的轉變？

I'd love to think they'll become far greener!

我真希望它們會變得更加綠意盎然！

We may see rooftop farms, car-free centres, and buildings that generate their own power.

我們也許會看到屋頂農場、無車的市中心，以及能自行發電的建築。

Having said that, I worry that only wealthy cities will be able to afford it.

話雖如此，我擔心只有富裕的城市才負擔得起。

Is there a risk, then, that the gap between cities will widen?

那麼，城市之間的差距有可能擴大嗎？

Absolutely, and that's precisely why international cooperation matters.

當然，這正是國際合作很重要的原因。

Good ideas ought to be shared, not kept behind closed doors.

好的想法應該分享，而不是關起門來藏著。

Thank you. That's the end of the speaking test.

謝謝。口說測驗到此結束。

Already? That went by so quickly!

已經結束了嗎？時間過得真快！

It usually does, when the candidate has plenty to say.

當考生有很多話想說的時候，通常都是如此。