Speaking
Practice

A book I enjoyed because it made me think a lot was The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I first read it because a friend said it was simple enough to read quickly but had deeper ideas behind the story.

At first, I expected an ordinary children's book. The language and plot are quite simple, but the characters the prince meets represent different attitudes to life, such as pride, loneliness, work and friendship. That made the book feel more meaningful than I had expected.

While reading, I started thinking about how adults sometimes become too focused on numbers, status and being busy. The story also made me reflect on friendship and responsibility, especially the idea that relationships become valuable because we invest time in them. I liked that the book did not explain every lesson directly. Instead, it used short conversations and strange situations to make the reader question an assumption or look at an ordinary idea from a different perspective.

I enjoyed the book because it gave me plenty of food for thought without being difficult to read. Several ideas have stayed with me, and I think that balance between simple language and deeper meaning is what makes the book memorable.

An interesting story I read in the news was about a group of local volunteers who restored a small community library after it had been badly damaged by flooding. I came across the story online a few months ago.

The library served a neighbourhood where many children used it for reading and homework. After heavy rain, water damaged shelves, furniture and a large number of books. The local authority had limited money available, so residents decided to help rather than wait for a complete official solution.

According to the report, volunteers cleaned the building, dried usable books and repaired simple furniture. Local businesses donated paint and materials, while other residents raised funds to replace books that could not be saved. A group of teenagers also helped organise a book-collection campaign. Within several weeks, the library reopened with brighter walls and more reading space than before. The story appeared in the news because it showed how quickly a community project could grow when many people contributed small amounts of time or money.

I found it interesting because it was positive without being unrealistic. No single person solved everything. Instead, the community made a difference by working together. Stories like that remind me that local news can be just as meaningful as major national events.

A television programme I enjoy watching is a travel documentary series. Each episode focuses on a different place and combines scenery, local food, history and everyday life.

The presenter normally arrives in a city or region, meets local people and tries activities that are typical of that area. Instead of only visiting famous attractions, the programme often goes behind the scenes at markets, workshops, farms or family businesses. That makes each episode feel more personal.

I like the programme because it presents a story rather than giving a list of tourist facts. One episode I remember followed a coastal community where families had worked in fishing for generations. The presenter joined an early-morning boat trip, visited a small seafood market and later learned how a traditional dish was prepared. I enjoyed seeing how work, food and local culture were connected. The programme also uses maps and short explanations, so it is easy to follow even if I know nothing about the place beforehand.

I would recommend it because it is relaxing but still informative. It broadens my horizons without feeling like a lesson, and the episodes are visually attractive. For anyone interested in travel or culture, I think it is worth watching.

A film I really enjoyed was Inside Out, an animated film made in the United States. I first watched it at home after several friends recommended it to me.

It is a family animation and coming-of-age story. Most of the film takes place inside the mind of a young girl called Riley, where emotions such as Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust are shown as characters. They influence how she reacts to changes in her life.

The main story begins when Riley's family moves to a new city. She misses her old home, friends and familiar routine, but she tries to stay positive. Inside her mind, Joy attempts to control everything and keep Sadness away from important memories. As the story develops, Joy realises that sadness is not simply a negative emotion; it can help people ask for support and connect with others. That idea hit home for me because it was explained through a simple story rather than a serious lecture.

I enjoyed the film because it combines humour, visual detail and an emotional journey that both children and adults can understand. It left an impression on me by showing that difficult feelings can still have a useful role.

A song I will probably always remember is Count on Me by Bruno Mars. I first heard it when I was at secondary school, and it later became connected with one of our class performances.

Our teacher played the song during an English activity because the melody was easy to follow and the theme was friendship. A few weeks later, our class chose it for a small school event, so we practised it together after lessons.

I liked the song because the melody was warm and simple enough for everyone to sing along. The lyrics were also easy to understand, even for students whose English was not strong. During practice, we divided a few lines between different students and sang the chorus together. The final performance was far from perfect, but everyone was smiling, and our classmates in the audience joined in at the end. For a long time afterwards, hearing the opening music immediately reminded me of that period at school.

The song holds a special place for me because it brings back memories of friends rather than only the music itself. I may not listen to it regularly now, but whenever it appears unexpectedly, I remember those rehearsals and the relaxed feeling of being part of a class group.