Duolingo English Test | Most Common Cue-Cards For Duolingo Speaking Test-(2023)

Duolingo Speaking Questions & Answers For 1-3 Minutes

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Describe a performance you recently watched. 

You should say: 

What it was? 

When you watched it? 

Who you were with? 

Why you watched it and how you felt about it? 

Note: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish. 

You can speak about different type’s performances that you watched  

∙ Music concerts: by a band or classical music recital 

∙ Play/drama 

∙ Dance 

∙ Circus 

∙ Comedy show 

∙ Magic show 

∙ Standup comedy 

∙ Fashion show 

Model answer : 

Introduction : 

Well, I have watched many stunning performances. Though, most of the time I  have enjoyed these performances on television but would like to take this  opportunity to about a performance that I enjoyed personally. Actually, to  welcome the year 2020, the city council decided to organize a celebration. 

Where and when you watched?

The celebration took place in the biggest park in my city, and thousands of city  dwellers attended this event. The park was beautifully decorated with thousands  of lights, and for the entertainment of the guest‟s popular Punjabi singer, Dalit was invited. He gave an outstanding performance. 

Who you were with? 

I attended the event with my friends, and it was for the very first time in my life  I attend a live concert. 

A huge stage that was set up for the singer to give his performance a very high quality sound system was installed. It was around 9 pm the concert started, and  Dalit got on to the stage along with his group. Each and every member was  wearing traditional Punjabi outfits, and they were looking elegant started  singing a few of his very popular songs that the audience really enjoyed. 

How you felt about it? 

I must say that his performance was extremely lively. He was interacting  with the crowd thorough out the performance and also singing songs as  per the demand of the audience. 

Cue Card # a recent performance you watched You should  

∙ When 

∙ Where 

Sample Answer : 

Two weeks ago I watched the play „Romeo & Juliet‟ by William Shakespeare at the city theatre  that I consider a worth watching theatrical performance. The play lasted for about 1 and a half  hour and I as well as the 200 audiences of the play thoroughly enjoyed and acclaimed the play.

The city theatre is famous for quality performance by the top-class performers. The time when we heard  that a team is coming from London to perform Romeo and Juliet, we planned to watch it. We knew very  little about the actors and actresses but heard that they are quite popular in the theatrical world in London.  After the play began I noticed a pin drop silence on the theatre except the performers‟ voices and  background music. The costumes of the performers were just the way it should be. Their dresses, stage,  music, their makeup, their accent, the passionate acting created an illusion of real Romeo-Juliet era. 

The play went on and the story continued as – “Two young people fall in love the moment they  met but their families are bitter enemies. The relationship between Romeo & Juliet fueled the  anger and bitterness of the two families. The two innocent lovers get caught in the middle of a  trap.” 

The tragic end of their lives and the eternal victory of love described in Shakespeare‟s gorgeous  language makes it a worth watching theatrical performance. 

The professional and astounding acting, captivating dialogues, intense romantic tale, wrenching  separation and the tragic twist of the tale make the play unforgettable and timeless. The  production and acting were superb and highly acclaimed. I still remember a news article later on  that acclaimed the actors, actresses of the London team and the superb professionalism and  artistic production of a great play. 

 

Cue Card # A challenge you recently faced You should say: 

∙ What was the challenge? 

∙ When and where did you complete/met it? 

∙ Why was it difficult? 

∙ How you felt about it? 

I think life would be very boring without challenges. Challenges not only make life more  exciting but also more meaningful. 

Today I am going to talk about an assignment in school that challenged me. The assignment was  quite daunting for me, as it involved a group presentation. And I am very afraid of public 

speaking. I am very comfortable when talking with my friends but when I have to talk in front of  strangers I choke. And for that assignment, I had to talk 10 minutes on the environment. 

I was really worried and so I went to my uncle who regularly gives speeches in public for advice. He told  me that the key to a good speech is mastery over the subject matter. So, I spent one whole week  memorizing the content. The next thing he told me to do was to divide the topic into different sections. I  divided my presentation into five halves of 2 minutes each. 

The first half was for introducing the topic and the last half for concluding the topic. The  remaining three halves were for the main content. After breaking the speech into sections, I felt a  lot more confident. My friends also knew about my fear of public speaking and so every evening  they used to come to my home and help me prepare. 

Slowly, I started feeling that it was doable. I was nervous but I wasn‟t worried anymore. When  finally, the day of the presentation arrived, I not only gave the whole presentation but also  received an A grade for it. My teacher told me that I did a really good job and she actually asked  me if I had prior experience of public speaking. That is the day I realized that rather than fearing  challenges we should welcome them. 

 

Describe a memorable event in your life. 

You should say: 

∙ when the event took place 

∙ where the event took place 

∙ what happened exactly 

And explain why this event is memorable for you. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to  think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you  wish.] 

Model Answer:

In our life, we have lived through all kinds of events and incidents. While we like  to remember some of these events for the rest of our lives, we like to forget about  many others because we don‟t consider them important. But, today‟s discussion, of  course, is talking about a memorable event in my life, and I will be more than  happy to do that here in brief. 

The event, I am talking about, took place about 10 years ago. Back then, I just  loved to do swimming. In fact, it was one of my most favorite hobbies up and until  I started my job. One day, when I was still living in my hometown, I went to do  swimming in a lake which was located in another town. Many people, just like me,  loved to swim in this lake with their family members and children because it was a  really nice lake with clean water. So, anyway, as I was swimming in the lake on  that day, I noticed that more children were swimming there than the adults. Of  course, all the children were using floating tires to protect them from drowning. 

Then suddenly, I noticed that one child, about 3 years old, didn‟t have any floating  tyre around her, and she was struggling to keep herself floated above the water  while her floating tire was just floating away by itself. Fortunately, I understood  the danger and immediately rushed to help the child without telling anything to  anybody. As soon as I reached the child, I just grabbed her with my two hands and  carried her to the shore while she kept crying. In the end, the child was saved and  her mother thanked me in a very emotional voice. 

Anyway, it was a memorable event for me, primarily and surely because I saved  the life of a little child who was left attended for a while by her mother. Besides,  the event was a memorable one for me also because up and until that point, I had  never really rescued anybody from such a danger.

 

A crowded place you visited 

You should say: 

∙ where the place is (or, was) 

∙ when you went there 

∙ with whom you went there 

∙ And explain how you felt about this crowded place. 

Sample Answer: 

Live in a country which is one of the biggest in the world and has a comparatively  fair distribution of population in major cities and towns. This is why I scarcely  experience overcrowd in most of the places I go to. However, a few months ago I  went to watch a football match at the largest stadium in our city and it was packed  with thousands of people, and at a time I felt like I had never seen so many people  at a single place in my life. 

It was a major football competition in our country which happened to take place  last November and I decided to watch the semifinal of the tournament with two of  my friends. As planned, we went to the stadium three hours before the match and  was surprised to see the wave of people and long lines in the ticket counter. We  had to move like ants in the line and I believe, it took us more than an hour just to  enter the stadium due to the crowd and long queue. 

I was even more surprised when I entered the stadium as I could see people all  around me of all ages. It was a friendly crowd but overwhelming for me. We had  to shout to talk to each other as the noise was all around us. I felt good to be there  and experienced a really thrilling semifinal which was quite entertaining and  suspenseful till the end.

Sample Answer 2 

I don‟t really like to visit a crowded place unless I have a very valid reason to do  so. But, I still needed to visit one such congested place, a livestock buying and  selling place that is, about a few years ago because I needed to buy a cow from  there in order to sacrifice it during one of our major Muslim religious festivals. 

The crowded place, I visited, was one of the biggest in my region, but I didn‟t  really feel like going there, mainly because it was too big of a place, with so many  people and domestic animals from different parts of my country, which had very  little or almost no order in place. 

By the way, it was a very popular street market because people from all over my  country would visit it once a year in order to buy cows and goats for the purpose of  sacrificing them during a major Muslim religious festival called “Eid-ul-Azha”. As  much as I loved the idea of visiting the market to buy an animal in order to  sacrifice it, I wasn‟t really very comfortable to go there alone because it would be  quite a challenge for me to bring the animal home all by myself. So, I requested  one of my cousins to visit the market with me, and he gladly obliged. Anyway,  after visiting the animal “hut”, I became very overwhelmed to see so many cows  and goats, ready to be sold to their new owners, while both the sellers and buyers,  including me, were busy to get the best bargaining deals for their animals. 

Anyway, I had a mixed feeling about visiting this crowded place because on one  hand, people there, especially the buyers, were very excited to choose and buy  their favorite animals, but, on the other hands, the sellers seemed to have very little  or no respect for individual taste and preferences of the buyers. Besides, the place  was so crowded that I actually had to wait about 15 minutes just to decide how I  would get out of the market without getting lost. 

Sample Answer 3 

India is a densely populated country, so we have lot of places which are often  crowded. Some of these places are religious shrines, historical sites and nowadays  one can even find a lot of people at bus terminals, public gardens etcetera.

Today, I would like to talk about a shopping mall in Chandigarh, which is always  brimming with people. It‟s called Elate Mall and it is located in the industrial area  of Chandigarh. The mall has total 5 floors which also include 2 levels for parking. 

It was built approximately 7 years back and one can find stores of all global brands  here. The mall is mostly crowded over the weekends when people have their  weekly offs. It is a place where no one gets bored as people can do a lot of  activities like playing games, watching movies, eating at their favorite restaurant  etcetera. 

The first time I went to this mall was with my cousins who live in Chandigarh. It  was during the winters and it had been only a month since the opening of the mall.  We had heard a lot about the mall from others and some even said it is one of the  best malls in Asia. So, we wanted to explore it ourselves and we were truly  amazed. It was a weekend and the mall was completely filled with people. 

Everyone looked happy and excited just liked us. Also, there were festive sales  going and there were huge discounts at most of the stores, so we bought ourselves  some new clothes at great prices. We spent almost 5 hours at the mall and didn‟t  even realize how the time went by. Now, I am a regular visitor at the mall and I do  most of my shopping at Elate mall only 

 

A magazine article or online article about healthy  living 

You should say: 

∙ What the article was 

∙ When and where you read it 

∙ What you learned from the article 

∙ Explain why you think it is a good or bad article 

Sample Answer 1 

I have read many articles in my life. Today I will talk about an article about  healthy lifestyle that I read last year. I read this article from the website  fitness.com. I was browsing through a website, when I saw the link to this article.

The name of the article was very eye-catching. It was “Look Younger, Live  Longer”. I clicked on the link and it opened this article. Nowadays, we all are  living a sedentary lifestyle and facing many health related problems. This article  opened my eyes that to become healthier, it was all about making small lifestyle  changes. 

I came to know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We should  have a healthy and wholesome breakfast and never skip it. This helps boost our  immunity and also helps us go through the day with full energy. I have never  skipped breakfast since I‟ve read this article and I can concentrate on my work and  studies better. I also read that we should have at least one seasonal fruit every day.  It also said that walking for an hour a day is as good as one hour of gym. Since  then, morning walk has become a part of my routine. 

I used to dislike broccoli before I read this article. However, after reading that  Broccoli is a very good source of proteins and is full of nutrients, I started having it  regularly. I feel very fit and healthy and have rarely fallen sick since I made these  small changes. I have bookmarked this article and read it often. I have also shared  it with many of my friends and relatives. 

Sample Answer 2 

Recently I came across an interesting article on the internet about the benefits of  drinking warm water with lemon in the morning. The website name is  bodyandsoul.com.au. 

You would normally think that lemon water is just one kind of drink that helps  keep your body hydrated, however, it brings you many other benefits that you can‟t imagine. – The article says that if you build up a habit of kicking off your day with  a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon, you will do your body and  mind a great favor. 

Firstly, lemon juice is a great source of Vitamin C, thus it helps boost your immune  system in fighting off colds and flu. Moreover, lemons are great for combating skin  ageing because they are rich in antioxidant properties. Lemon also helps clean our  urinary tract and detoxify our livers. The list of benefits doesn‟t end there. The 

high level of potassium in lemons can help brain and nerve functioning and control  blood pressure. Lemon water can also ward off stress and depression, which have  been linked to low levels of potassium. As a result, the article suggests if you  continue drinking warm water with lemon first thing in the morning for at least 21  consecutive days, you will notice the difference in your skin and general health  immediately. 

Sample Answer 3 

I don‟t usually read magazines, but I did recently read a blog post about healthy  lifestyles. It was written by a person who used to be obese and had changed her  lifestyle gradually and was now much happier with herself and her life in general. 

She talked about some of the problems overweight people face and how difficult it  can be to break bad habits and make new healthy life choices. For example, she  talked about her diet and the things she used to eat almost every day and how she  began to make small changes to her diet, like switching from unhealthy snacks like  cookies to healthier snacks such as fruit and even snacking on vegetables like  carrots and celery sometimes. 

She said that she discovered the power of tracking macronutrients instead of just  counting calories, and that this had a major impact on her losing weight without  having to starve herself, in fact, she said she probably eats more now than she did  in the past, but she eats healthy food now and she is more aware of her macros on a  daily basis which allows her to have the odd cheat meal or treat with her family. 

Another important aspect she discussed was exercise and how before she never did  any and now she exercises every day, sometimes she simply takes a walk for  around 30 minutes or so, and other days she goes with her friend to the gym where  they do some steady-state cardio workouts and around 30 minutes of weight  training. In her experience, she believes more women who want to lose weight and  live a healthy lifestyle should explore weight training as a means of achieving their  goals, not only using gym machines like a Stairmaster or treadmill, because weight  training can actually help burn more calories than walking or running. 

So overall, she talked about the three most important things she had learned  through her journey to a healthier lifestyle: motivation, nutrition and exercise. She  

confessed that it had not been an easy transformation, but she feels a lot happier,  and healthier, now than ever before in her life. 

 

Describe a time when you were not allowed to use your mobile  phone. 

You should say: 

∙ when and where it was 

∙ why you were not allowed to use your phone 

∙ what you wanted to use your phone for 

and explain how you felt about not being able to use your phone. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what  you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] 

In today‟s world, the idea of living without a mobile phone would certainly seem  to be an absurd one to most of the people, who are used to rely on these little  communication devices on a regular basis. But, today, I would like to talk about a  time when I was not allowed to use my mobile phone. 

It was about a couple of years ago, when one of my close friends was seriously  injured in an accident, and I needed to see him in a hospital. When I heard the  news about the accident, I was working in my office. So, it wasn‟t really possible  for me to know exactly how serious the accident was until and after I had arrived  in the hospital. Anyway, when I arrived at the hospital, I found out that the  accident was rather serious. In fact, I was told that the doctor was treating my  friend in an emergency room. So, I just decided to wait outside of the emergency  room with a few other family members of my injured friend, in case if they needed.

My friend had lost a significant amount of blood, and I was also informed that he  might have needed some blood later on. Anyway, while waiting for my friend, I  almost forgot to inform my family that I would be late to return home as I was  visiting my friend at a hospital. But, when I wanted to call them, I found out that  there was no mobile phone network. I was also informed that the hospital authority  wanted to stop the use of a mobile phone inside the hospital building in order to  reduce unwanted noise. 

Anyway, I was a bit disappointed initially after failing to call my family, but later  on, I actually became glad of the fact that hospital authority was actually trying to  ensure a better treatment environment for all its patients. Besides, I also realized  that making a phone call from hospital premises should never be a priority for the  visitors if they really wish well for their friends and families. 

Sample Answer 2: 

A few months ago, I went to attend a written test as part of a job interview in a  position in a multinational company. I was not allowed to use my mobile phone in  the exam room in this office. Though some of us initially thought that it was not  necessary to ban the use of mobile phones in the exam hall, the authority did not  take any risk about security and fairness of the exam, I guess. The test was held in  the regional branch of the company in Alice Springs in Australia. 

I heard that a few candidates tried to cheat on the exam by using the internet on  their mobile phones on a previous occasion and that is why the authority had  decided to prohibit the use of any mobile phone or handheld device in the exam  room. Consequently, I was unable to use my phone. I wanted to call my mom  before I handed over the mobile phone to the exam coordinator, but when I tried to  dial my mom, I was told to immediately turn-off the mobile phone.

I did not know that the authority decided to ban the use of any mobile phone  because some dishonest candidates tried to cheat on the exam in some unfair ways.  So I felt frustrated when I was ordered to switch my mobile phone off. But after I  knew the real reason behind it, I felt that the decision was fair. I called my mom  after I left the office after the test to let her know what I was doing fine. At that  time no bad feeling about not being able to use my mobile phone lingered with  me. 

 

A time the weather made you change your plans. Also can be: 

A time when the weather prevented you doing something. You should say: 

∙ When was it 

∙ What was the plan 

∙ Why you had to change it 

∙ How you felt 

Sample Answer 1 

Normally, I plan my activities very meticulously. But, sometimes things do not go  as planned and one has to change one‟s plans. Here I am going to talk about a time  when the weather forced me and my friends to change our plan. I vividly  remember a time when my friends and I had planned to go to a museum, Central  Science City, near my hometown, where we could not go because of heavy  rainfall. 

Last year, in our summer vacation, we planned to visit this museum. This museum  is at a distance of one hour from my hometown. As I live near the bus stand, my 

friends had to assemble at my house and then we had to go to the bus stand and  catch a bus for the museum. It was cloudy, and we could anticipate that it would  rain, but we never thought it could be that bad. Just has we were about to leave it  started raining heavily. We thought we would wait for some time for the rain to  slow down and then we would go. 

But it started raining cats and dogs, and the rain went on for five hours at a stretch.  We could not go anywhere. My friends were also stuck at my house. But we made  it a day to remember. My mother made a nice lunch and many snacks for us and  we played carom board. Although we could not go to the museum, we had a fun  time together. Even after the rain stopped, there was a lot of water logging on the  roads and my friends could not go home till late evening. So that was a day when  the weather changed our plans. 

 

Describe Something You Bought That Was Difficult to Use for the First Time? 

∙ What is it? 

∙ When you bought it? 

∙ What does it do? 

∙ Explain how difficult was it to be used? 

Sample Answer: 

Well, I would like to tell about that thing which was extremely difficult for me to use  at first, and later I became pretty comfortable. It was the set of contact lenses. I  suppose it is quite hard to fit lenses in first few attempts, especially for the children.  They were crystalline lenses, which were transparent, but the attractive lens.  However, I don‟t remember the name of the brand, but I vividly remember the pair of  lenses were in a small vessel, and the container was full of anti-bacterial liquid, which  was there for rinsing, and cleansing purposes. The quality of the product was quite  superior. 

I was a teenager when I got my first pair of contact lenses, and I was a bookworm  during my school days. I believe it was one of the reasons for my weak eyes. 

The pair of lenses helped me a lot by improving my ability of reading and writing. My  parents always encouraged me to wear them, but I was remarkably afraid of the pain.  Honestly, I did not have any idea about the lenses at first, and I used to wear specs,  but one of my classmates was using the contact lenses due to which I got inspired.  The job of wearing them very tough, maybe I had no experience of using them. Every  day I was trying to wear them, but ending up by making my eyes wet. With time and  practice, I became an expert in using contact lenses. 

 

Describe something useful you borrowed from someone else. You should say: 

∙ What it was 

∙ When you borrowed it 

∙ Who you borrowed it from 

And explain why you borrowed it. 

Part 3: 

∙ What kinds of things do people borrow from each other? 

∙ What kinds of things do people not like to lend to others?

∙ What do you think about copying an idea from someone else? 

∙ Is it always necessary to get permission to use something that belongs to  someone else? 

Part 2 — Sample Answer: 

A few years ago I received some news that I needed to fly back home. It was going  to be a fairly last-minute trip and I knew that the airfare was going to steadily go  up the longer I waited. 

That day I was at a friend‟s house watching a movie as I had a day off. It was in the  middle of the movie that I received the text message asking me when I could fly  back. I replied that I‟d have a look online and would make it back home as soon as  possible. 

We paused the movie and I started to check for flights on my phone. In fact it  wasn‟t just the flights, but the train ride from the airport all the way up to the small  fishing village where I come from. 

There was a lot to research and it was becoming incredibly tedious to do it on my  phone. Although I can do most things on it, switching between apps and tabs in my  browser was taking too long. In the back of my mind I knew that all the prices  were going to be steadily going up as the last remaining seats were booked up. 

I usually try to be self-reliant, and rarely borrow things from other people, but I  asked if I could borrow my friend‟s laptop so I could book the whole trip as quickly as possible. Of course he agreed, and handed me his MacBook. It made light  work of the problem and with my credit card out I was able to do my research and  book the tickets so much faster than otherwise would have been possible. 

I think the only other option would have been to cut the movie short and for me to  have taken a tram home, but his willingness to help saved the day. 

 

Describe a time when you were late for something  important. 

You should say: 

▪ When it was ? 

▪ why were you late? 

▪ who you managed the situation? 

Explain, how you felt about it? 

SAMPLE ANSWER 

Usually, I am quite punctual. But, one day I was really late for an important  appointment. Today I will talk about that incident.

Two months ago, I appeared in the IELTS test. My speaking exam was scheduled  on the 13th June, Monday, 9:00 am. I was supposed to report at the test venue,  hotel JSR continental, Dehradun, at 8:30 am. 

It rained heavily on Sunday evening and the weather forecast predicted incessant  rain for a few days. Considering the bad weather, I set the alarm for 6:00 am and  went to bed early. I was feeling very nervous and I couldn‟t sleep well. Despite  that I woke up on time. After getting ready, I left the home to catch the bus. When  I reached the bus station, to my surprise, there was no bus and many commuters  were stranded. 

It was quite chaotic as nobody knew the reason why buses were not plying as  usual. It was 7:50 am and I was still at the bus station. My anxiety was increasing  enormously because there was no other mean to reach Dehradun from my village.  Fortunately, a bus arrived and we boarded the bus. It took a lot of time to reach  Dehradun as there was a head-on collision of a truck and a car on the main road.  Looking at the site, I understood the reason why buses were running late. 

Finally, I reached the center at 8:55 am. I explained the situation to the center  manager and requested him to allow me to appear in the interview. He was very  understanding. Later, I was given the permission to give the interview. Even  though I was very late but I didn‟t lose hope. In the end everything worked out  well. I did my best. I thanked god for everything and went home happily. 

 

Describe a place full of color. You should say 

▪ What the place it was? 

▪ Why you went there? 

▪ What you did there? 

▪ Explain why you think it was full of color. 

Sample Answer

Travelling and exploring new places always add to our knowledge apart from  creating beautiful experiences. I like to travel a lot and ensure that I go on vacation  to a new destination every year during summers. On one such occasion, I went to  Singapore with my friend last year in April. Early morning, the cool breeze  brushing our cheeks was a surprise welcome as we disembarked at Change International Airport, Singapore. It was a much-needed relief from the hot weather  back in Delhi from where we had boarded our flight. 

We headed straight to our hotel from the airport and after a quick shower called in  at the Reception for a recommendation for the most popular tourist attraction  around. The staff at the reception informed us that Jarring Bird Park an aviary and  tourist place was a must-visit. A day trip to the Park always leaves an everlasting  experience. It is a world-famous bird zoo, where there are specimens of  magnificent bird life from around the world, including a large flock of flamingos. Since we had reached Singapore early morning and were ready by 10 am we  decided to visit the Bird Park. We took a taxi and reached there in about an hour.  The entrance to the Bird Park was absolutely mesmerizing. Colorful bird sculptors  left us awestruck. We immediately took out our camera and clicked a few pictures  of each other with those beautiful king-sized sculptors in the background. As we  moved inside the Park, we came across large, central walk-in aviaries and  peripheral aviaries housing innumerable delicate and territorial birds chirping  around. The aviaries had placards at the entrance explaining the history and  demography of the species inhabiting those aviaries. We were amazed to see and  learn about infinite birds of various colors and sizes. The territorial species were  kept in large cages, while species that can coexist with each other were left to roam  freely in the aviary. 

The highlight of the Bird Park was a thunderstorm which was simulated at noon,  followed by a cool, light drizzle. As the drizzle ended the birds put up a spectacular  show along with their trainers amidst the backdrop of an artificial rainbow. We  clicked pictures and made videos of the whole event. At the end of our trip, we  even got pictures clicked with a huge colorful bird sitting on our fist. It was one of my most memorable trips and someday I would like to visit the  Jarring Bird Park again to experience the myriad colors created by nature. 

 

Describe a time when someone apologized to you You should say: 

∙ When it happened 

∙ Why he/ she apologized to you 

∙ How you felt 

Sample 

Yesterday, I was driving to work. Admittedly, I was in a hurry because I was  almost late for the meeting. Unfortunately, there was heavy traffic congestion due  to an accident. There were a long stream of cars and bikes, which looked endless to  me. I was rather stressful but at that time, I had no choice but to join the queue of  vehicles and waiting. 

When I was indulging in my distracting thoughts, a motorcycle hit me from behind  in all of a sudden. I was so surprised and panicked that I immediately fell off my  bike. There were some bruises and a minor elbow injury that I had to suffer after  that. The rider seemed to be okay, but he quickly got off the bike to help me with  my bike. He apologized as he was in a hurry, too. He offered to check the bike for  me and pay for repair if necessary. However, there was not any damage to my bike  so I refused his offer. 

Honestly, at first, I was a bit angry with this accident. But the way he behaved  showed me that he didn‟t intend to cause me any trouble. Everyone makes  mistakes sometimes, but the way he faces it will define who he is and I really  appreciate his personality. 

 

Describe a house or apartment you want to live in. 

You should say: 

▪ What it would look like? 

▪ Where it would be located? 

▪ What facilities this would have? 

And explain why you want to live there. 

Sample Answer One 

Home is where the heart is. We all have dreams and things we want from our lives. It‟s ok to be materialistic in life and there is no harm in having some luxuries. I  was born and raised up in a valley surrounded by hills so I‟d like my dream house  to be ideally located somewhere in between the hills. The location of the house will  be a semi urban area as there are certain places in the hills that are secluded and  there are no facilities available for miles. I‟d like my dream home to be located in  Mossoro, a small hill station resting on the foothills of the Himalayas in northern  India. 

The house will be a medium sized bungalow with two floors, a front and a back  garden and have all the modern day amenities. The building will be designed as  such that all the windows of the bungalow will overlook the Don valley. The  architecture will be of Victorian era as it will give a very colonial look to the place.  The ground floor will have a big common room adjoining a modular kitchen and a  bar which will have spirits from different parts of the earth. The climate is cold so  all the windows of the bungalow will be double glazed to provide insulation and  protect us in the harsh cold weather. The upper floor will have a big master  bedroom along with two other guest bedrooms. 

As I live in the city so I‟ll use this house as a holiday home and to get away from  the hustle and bustle of the city. Located in nature‟s lap it will be a perfect  relaxation spot and a perfect holiday. Once in my latter years of life I‟d like to  retire there and live a calm and peaceful life in a serene environment. 

Sample Answer 2

We all as humans dream fancy about our houses. So, there are some who want all  the luxuries in their house while some prefer living close to nature. I want my  house to be a mimic of nature. So, I want a small waterfall in my house wherein I  can take bath and then I want my house to have lot of flowers and be surrounded  by trees. So, that in the evening when I wish to sit down, I should feel calm and  serene from inside. 

Then I want my house to have a library as well. Library of the books that I have  already read, so it will be more like a collection of books that I love and could  offer others to read and in the library there will be my study table and in one corner  will be the place where I could look out of window and see the entire nature at its  best and have something to drink or relax. There will be part of my house, where I  will allow anyone to come in and sleep over and have food just for free. Because, I  want people to travel and travel with entire safety. With nothing to worry I want  them to explore this beautiful world. 

Also, in my house I wish to have a beautiful field wherein I could go for jogging or  play some games. I don‟t wish for the most expensive house in the world but I  wish for the house that is the most special for me. 

Sample Answer Three 

Everyone has lot of dreams about their house. I too have. I wish my house to be a  duplex building with spacious rooms and corridors. It is very important for me to  be able to move freely and I wish to have ample space even after placing the  furniture. The house should be well ventilated and the view from outside the  window should be of something close to nature. I would love to have a balcony in  my house with my bedroom facing the south side from where I could smell the  fragrance from the garden. At the night times, I will place a chair on the balcony to  enjoy the night views, especially the moonlit nights. 

Although I like natural places, but for my house I would like it to be in the middle.  So, somewhere where it is not very far from the city neither too close to the town.  It should have the feel of a city life with no troubles that it brings along with it, like  lot of traffic and noise pollution. Even more, the house should have all the modern  amenities. It should have a telephone connection with which I can connect with the  entire world and then there should be Internet. 

Also, I need a garage wherein I can keep my car and the roof of the house should  also be large as I intend to plant some small plants on the rooftop garden. Even  more, it is very important to have good quality fittings, tiles and necessary  elements in the kitchen and bathrooms. 

Ultimately, I want to live in a big house wherein I can have a feeling of a house  and can roam about freely because that is very important. 

 

Describe a place where you read and write, apart from your home. 

You should say: 

What is it ? 

Where is it? 

Why do you go there to read and write? 

Note: You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish. 

Model Answer 1 : 

Introduction: 

For reading and writing, we certainly need harmony, concentration along with a  suitable environment. Well, just like other people, I have also studied at a  myriad of places like home, school, library, at a friend‟s place and many more. 

What is it ? And where is it? 

However, the second such place I am comfortable studying after my home is a  botanical garden, which is just around the corner of my house. 

I know it might sound unusual and strange, but believe me, I find this area full  of positivity, which helps me in focusing on my reading and writing. I strongly 

reckon that a considerable amount of people favors libraries to study at, as it is  one of the quietest places to concentrate on readings. Yet, I prefer this place due  to its spectacular natural view and peaceful atmosphere, which helps me to  dedicate some quality time to my studies. There is an exciting story behind me  exploring this place at the corner of my city. Well, a couple of years, I visited  this place along with my family for a day outing. And I found a miniature  Buddha statue, in a meditation position along with some handcrafted granite  table and chairs around it. 

Why do you go there to read and write? 

It motivated me to sat along with my novel; perhaps, I was least interested in  roaming around. I was so engrossed in my book that I couldn‟t realize when it  got dawn to dusk. I understand that the library offers extensive study materials  and journals, along with a calm and quiet atmosphere, which encourages  students to read peacefully. However, studying at the library was never my cup  of tea. My grasping abilities are a little different from the crowd, and I can‟t be  too formal by sitting at one place in the library with a pin drop silence, as it  haunts me. 

Conclusion: 

Therefore, I have chosen this garden to either go in the morning or in the  evening to read and write. This place boosts my imagination and allows me to  think creatively on any topic to write. I have written some poems and articles  just sitting right there. I like the positive vibes of this lively and cheerful place,  where birds chirp and sound of nature along with water fountain soothes my  mind and soul. Moreover, spending a day here studying my books makes my  day complete.

 

Describe your favorite movie. 

You should say: 

▪ What is it 

▪ What is the story of it 

▪ When you watched it 

And explain why this is your favorite movie. 

SAMPLE ANSWER 

There are some movies that we watch and forget while some others have an  everlasting effect on our lives. I would like to talk about my favorite movie, 3  idiots. It is a Bollywood movie directed and produced by a well-known Indian  director, Raj Kumar Hiram. Since it was based on a renowned novel „5 Points  Someone‟ and one of my favorite artist, Amir Khan is casted in it, I was extremely  eager to watch this film.  

The film is focused on three college friends from a prestigious institution of India.  The plot revolves around the protagonists belonging to different cultural  backgrounds who have different goals in life but they end up in an engineering  institution. Thus, talking about how Asian parents force the dreams on their  children. One of them has a unique approach towards life and is blessed with a  super technical mind. On the other hand, his friends were not that brilliant and  were not interested in a particular field. 

This movie was released in 2009 so it‟s been quite a long time but it still remains  on the top of my all-time favorite movies. I remember watching it with my friends  during my school days. The film is beautifully crafted and has some exciting  twists. It gained pretty good recognition among audience worldwide.  

This is my favorite movie as it has many messages to deliver on friendship, success  and the education system of our nation. The movie highlights a friendship bonding  among three college friends. It also teaches about following our passion instead of  worrying about grades in order to be accomplished in life. The film also questions  the Indian education system where one gets job placement based on grades rather  than creative ideas and invention. 

Describe your favorite food item.? 

Not sure who first prepared chicken biryani, but I certainly am glad that he/she  decided to come up with such a brilliant food idea by blending the tastes of chicken  and rice in perfect measure and harmony. Otherwise, the world probably would  have missed out on such a premium dish that has ruled our appetite for more than  500 years in a large part of Asia (especially in the Indian subcontinent) and the  middle-east. Long live chicken biryani, for you surely bring water in my mouth  with your savory taste! 

Depending on our preference, taste buds, geographic locations and the availability  of ingredients, chicken biryani(s) may be cooked in some simple ways with  common spices & ingredients in the mix as well as in more sophisticated ways. Of  course, where I live, chicken biryanis can be prepared with some minimal efforts  because of the availability of common ingredients. All we need is some basmati  rice (or any other long grain rice for that matter), nicely-cut chicken breasts,  clarified butter, onion paste, garlic paste, ginger paste, cumin powder, coriander  paste, chili powder, bay leaves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, some raisins,  turmeric powder, green chilies, sour curds and some thinly-sliced onions. 

First, marinate chicken pieces in sour curds by mixing spices (except sliced onions,  butter and green chilies) with them in proper proportions for a few hours. Fry the  rice in butter along with green chilies and sliced onions until they are properly  roasted. Once properly roasted, pour some hot water in it and boil the rice for about  15/20 minutes in low heat. When the rice is properly cooked, sprinkle some raisins  on it. Next, start to fry the marinated chickens in oil/butter until they have a nice  brown color. Once done with frying, mix the fried chicken pieces with the cooked  rice, and stir them up gently from upside down a few times. Viola! Your chicken  biryani is ready to be served with a glass of nicely-made (a liquid drink made with  

sour curds with the help of some secret recipes, some say) if you prefer! Bon  appétit! 

This is a favorite food item for millions of people all around the world and it tastes  delicious. The celestial smell and incredible taste of chicken biryani put it on the  top of a food lover‟s list and I love it because it perfectly fits my taste buds and  fills my appetite. Moreover, it is always a food item that my mother cooks on  special occasions thus making it a part of my happy memory. How can I not love  it! 

 

 A goal you achieved Describe a goal you achieved which was set by yourself. You should say 

▪ What the goal was 

▪ When you set it 

▪ Why you set it 

▪ And explain what you did to achieve the goal. 

SAMPLE ANSWER 

Goals play an indispensable role in our life. Here, I‟d like to talk about a time  when I set the goal of reducing my social media usage. 

In general, I‟m not very active on Facebook, Instragram and other social platforms.  But, last year during winter vacations I started spending a considerable amount of  time on Facebook. Long discussions with friends about the latest Hollywood  movies, reality shows and celebrities became a daily routine. 

Initially, it was full of fun and I didn‟t think that it could affect my studies. Within  4 weeks, however, the whole situation changed. My performance in the  preliminary exams conducted after the holidays was very poor. I failed in 2  subjects: physics and mathematics. 

The reason was obvious to me. The holidays that were meant for final exam  preparation were wasted in social networking and chats. Certainly, if I‟d studied  hard, this wouldn‟t have happened. On the way to home, a big dilemma prevailed  over me: Should I show the report card to my parents or not? Despite knowing that  it was wrong, I chose to hide the result. Had they seen it, they would‟ve been very  disappointed. That day I set the goal of decreasing my social media time and study  well. 

To achieve my goal, the first thing I did was to deactivate my Facebook account  temporarily. Setting up a timetable was the next phase of the plan. For months  together, I chased the lost time. In the end, the outcome was positive – I passed the  final exams with excellent grades. Even though it may seem small, it was a big  goal for a 14-year-old high school student. At last, I decided to show the hidden  report card to my parents along with the final report card. They seemed to be proud  that I‟d noticed my own faults and worked upon them, but they also stressed that  they were my parents for a reason and I ought to come to them when such a  mistake occurs. 

 

DESCRIBE A TIME WHEN YOU HELP SOME ONE.? 

You should say: 

∙ whom you helped and why 

∙ how you helped this person 

∙ what the result was 

and explain how you felt about helping this person. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You  have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can  make some notes to help you if you wish.] 

Model Answer 1: 

First of all, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for this great topic.  Well, I believe helping others is a quality that makes us human and it gives us an  inner satisfaction that we can not feel in any other way, at least this is what I  believe. So, I often lend a helping hand to others, even if it is in a small way, and  for this cue card topic, I would like to share my experience of helping an old lady  who was a complete stranger to me. 

I still remember the event vividly. A few months ago I was returning home from  the city train station. Unfortunately, the elevator repair work was in progress and  when I was about to walk down the stairs, an old lady with her trolleys and bags  was trying to do the same. She was hesitant to take the stairs as her bags and  

trolleys were quite heavy and she was trying to lift it up without any success. I felt  the voice inside me told to help her and I cordially asked her if I could assist her in  taking the stairs. Then I carried her trolleys and bags down the steep station stairs  as she gradually descended behind me, holding the stair railings. 

At the bottom of the stairs, I handed the belongings back to the lady and she  instinctively said „thank you very much‟. I think she was very happy to have  someone to help her descend the stairs as she thanked me profoundly a few more  times. 

Honestly speaking, I think to be able to help her made me happier than it did to  her. I really felt exhilarated and a surge of joy possessed me. I only feel this great  sensation when I truly achieve something extraordinary – being able to assist  someone is in a way a great achievement, I believe. 

Describe an incident where someone apologized to you. You  should say:? 

and explain how you felt when this person apologized to you. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one  minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to  help you if you wish.] 

Model Answer 1: 

When I was at my school, a classmate of mine made some quarrels with me over a  petty issue. Later he apologized to me for the incident and promised me that such  events will never take place between us. 

I was a student of Govt. High School Koala Quetta in Baluchistan under Pakistan.  In my school, there were no chances for coeducation. It was only for boys. So, all  the students were boys and thus the numbers of misdeeds were more than the other  school of the locality. The majority of the boys were wicked and did not follow  any rules and regulations. Kashrut Amber was one of them and loved to quarrel  with some other boys. Unfortunately, he also got involved in a quarrel with me  though I was not to be blamed. The quarrel started with the seating arrangements. I  always used to sit on the first row in the class. Sitting in the first row was set on the  first come first served basis. So, the students who used to go early in the class  could occupy their seats on the first bench. But Amber started the quarrel over  occupying a seat on the row though he was too late for the class. 

 

A time you wore a uniform for work or  school

You should say:-

∙ When you wear it?

∙ Who bought it for you?

∙ What does it look like?

∙ How did you feel about it?

Sample Answer 1 

Uniform is very important to maintain discipline in schools or even at the  workplace. It also helps in distinguishing between customers and employees or  students of different schools. This is why every place has a different uniform. 

I do not wear any uniform now, but I used to wear one in my school. In fact, in my  school, we had different uniforms for weekdays and different for Saturday which  was the games day. For the weekdays, the students had to wear a white shirt with  steel grey bottoms along with a tie, belt, and black shoes. 

But for the games day, it was colored T-shirts and white bottoms with the school  belt and canvas shoes. During the winters, we also had to wear a blue-colored  blazer with the school motto woven in its pocket. This was my favorite part of the  uniform as I looked really handsome after wearing it. 

Also, our school uniform was comparatively better looking as compared to other  schools in town, so I felt a little bit proud of it as well. But I really hated wearing  the games day uniform because the white color gets dirty very easily. 

My parents used to buy uniforms for me. They bought it every alternate year  because of my physical growth the old uniforms would get shorter. I also  remember that I used to take great care of my uniform and kept it neat and tidy. 

This also got me compliments from my teachers. In the end, I would like to say  that not many students understand the importance of wearing a uniform, but it must  be taught to them. 

 

Work or sport you have done in a team 

You should say: 

∙ What was it 

∙ When you participated 

∙ How many people watched it 

∙ and explain if you enjoyed it or not. 

Sample Answer 1:

During the 1990s, I was a student at Notre Dame International College in [your  city name]. At that time, I was a member of the school football team. I am really  happy that you gave me the chance to recall my olden days of school. 

We had a school football team. There were 15 players altogether though it takes 11  players to continue the game. Four extra players were there to support us in any  needs. I was the midfielder in the team. The sport was not that popular in the days  when we practiced it on the school ground but now it is on the top of popularity.  Besides, in our time, there were fewer football teams in the surrounding schools.  We won some of the local awards after playing with the interschool competitions. I  enjoyed the matches and still miss those days.  

Among the 15 players, not everyone could perform very well during the matches.  Often a few of them could not participate for some unwanted reasons. As a result,  we had to rely on extra players. The team coach, Mr. Abelard Victor was a great  mentor for us. He taught almost all the available techniques to play perfect  football. Besides, the goalkeeper, Anatole was another wonder for us. He was  skilled in protecting the goal bar from the opposition. But he failed to prevent  almost half of the attacks from the opposition team. The striker, Florentine was  really a unique player. Many of the opposition strikers could not stand before him.  He was speedy and by the same time moved ahead with the ball by dodging the  others. in fact, it only him for whom we achieved most of our victory.  

As a team, we played a huge number of matches. Since the sport did not get much  popularity at that time, the matches were held with the schools of the same locality.  Besides, the prizes were some cups and medals. But that was the greatest  achievement for us on those days. I also achieved seven medals for my  performance. But unfortunately, I could not be the best player in any of the  matches. Often I moved with the ball near the goal post of the opposition team and  passed it to the striker to make the goal. If we were lucky, we could have scored  the goal. But in most cases, the opposition players defended us and we could not  make the score.  

The rate of success for me individually was not outstanding. But I had to be a team  player for some reason. Each of the members of the team plays some specific roles.  So, as per the roles, I executed my duties. In fact, without the participation of any  team members, it was not possible for the team to bring the victories though they  are less in number. Besides, with the participation of all the team members, a team moves ahead to success. Playing in a team is also enjoyable in many aspects.  Therefore, I became a part of my school football team.  

Most of us in our lives do many interesting things to make sure that our lives go on  in smooth patterns. Sometimes we play badminton, other times cricket or even  dance or sing or any other extracurricular activity. This time we are looking at a  cue card that talks about an interesting thing that a friend of yours has done. 

 

Describe something interesting that your friend has done. You should say – 

▪ what is it? 

▪ who did it? 

▪ why did you find it interesting? 

also, explain, how would have you reacted if you were in the same situation. 

SAMPLE ANSWER 

Although, I have many friends in my life, but there is one friend of mine who is the  most interesting person I have ever met in my life. She is a techie and a writer  with a knack of making jokes. I remember once we all were sitting around doing  nothing much exciting and looking forward for our classes. She was reading as  well and then all of a sudden stood up and started dancing to no songs. 

When I looked around I noticed almost everyone noticing her. Later on, a boy  came to ask her if she had gone mad and she forced him dancing him along with  her. It was only minutes later on, that everyone started following them and started  dancing together. After about an year, I realized why she was doing it. It was our  placement time and everyone was very depressed, wondering what will be their  future. 

She noticed the tension in all of us and tried to loosen all of us, which she was able  to do. The reason I found it interesting was because she did it not for herself but for  all of us and the guts she put on to carry it, was incredible. Had I been her  situation, I think I would have just cracked upon a joke or may be talked it out, but  not done something as gutsy as she did. 

Describe a person who has influenced you to do better in your life.? 

As we go through life, we are influenced by multitude of people. For example, the  biggest influence we have on us are our parents – whether we admit it or not.  However, we humans need to learn from more then just our parents, if we want to get  somewhere in life. In my life, my teachers at high school and college influenced my  world view to a certain degree. And the sports team of which I was part of, also  played an important role in my development. However, one person who influenced  me the most was Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc. 

I never met Steve jobs in person but read his biography by Walter Isaacson which  came out right after his death in 2011. From the book, I learned that Steve Jobs was  abandoned by his biological parents and was adopted by a christian family. He knew  it early on in his childhood that he had been put up for adoption and it haunted him.  Jobs was brilliant as a kid but did not like authority figures such as parents, teachers,  professors and priests, etc. He was utterly rebellious as a kid and would always get his  way. This of course irritated his parents at times but they adjusted to this odd kid and  let him have his way on most things. 

When Jobs had to go for college, he chose the one he wanted to go to against the  wishes of his parents. In college, he dropped out and decided to go to India in quest of  spirituality. And when he came back to U.S.A, he started working instead of  continuing his education. Up to this point in his life, he followed his heart and did  what he felt was right. Finally, he decided to start a company – today known as Apple  with his friend in his parents garage. 

Lessons from Steve Jobs and his influence 

When he started the company, Jobs did not have much money but he had vision. A  sound understanding of what he wanted to deliver. In the end, he ended up making  Apple the company it is today because of his expansive vision. He believed in the  importance of focus on a few things and he himself practiced Zen meditation to get  good at this. If I have to say what influenced Steve Jobs had on me, I would say that it  was the importance of focus which I learned from his biography. 

Overtime, I have reminded myself to follow that lesson in life. Whether it is work,  personal life or business, I try to focus intensely on one thing at a time. This technique  was difficult to get used to but it has generated excellent results. Following this advice  from the great man has led me to improve my focus and quality of my work. 

In conclusion, a person who influenced me to do better in life was Steve Jobs. His  story of starting with very little in life was motivating to me. Another thing which has  significantly improved my life is his lesson of focusing intensely on one thing at a  time. 

Describe a book that had a major influence on you.? 

and explain why it had a major influence on you. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wi 

Well, I have quite fond of reading books. In fact, I love to read all types of books  such as religious, comic thriller and motivational books. As you ask me to talk  about a book that influences me most so I strongly believe that one book named  “The Power of Subconscious Mind” has changed my whole life in a positive way. 

This is a motivational book which is written by Dr. Joseph Murphy. My husband  told me about this book and I decided to read it. Then, I purchased this book from  the Amazon store. When I started to read it, then I realize that the real meaning of  

conscious and subconscious mind and how it works? As I have told you before that  this is a motivational book and it is all about different stages of our mind. In this  novel, so many short real stories which show that with the help of our  subconscious mind anyone can get anything which they want. 

 

Describe a teenager you know. 

You should say: 

Who is she/he? 

When you met her/him? 

Do you like her/him? 

and explain Why you like her/him? 

A Modal answer with band 7+ 

Ok, there are ample youngsters I know, here I’d like to talk about the one who is  not only a teenager but also a good friend of mine. He is known as Wilson and he  is 17 studying in high school. He is a tall and handsome fellow. He usually wears  informal attire; however, if a situation requires him to be formal then he never  forgets to be in formal dress. He is a sharp cookie, you know, in his recent exam,  he was the topper of his class. 

I know him since he born as he is my sister’s son, I mean to say he is nephew. He  often pops up whenever he wanted to clear his doubts in his study especially in  Mathematics and Science subject. We both together spend a great time on  weekends, we play Chess, Table Tennis, and Badminton. He is very good at  playing all games, you won’t believe me, he at least beat me 3 games out of 5. 

We both enjoy each other’s company. Even though a teenager is a stressful period of life because of physical and biological changes, he always seems to be very  active and enthusiastic in his activities. I am really impressed with this. What’s  more, yeah, he is a reliable person, I share my all secrets with him, he never  reveals my secrets to anyone. This is one of a reason that I like him. 

Overall, I can say that he is my favorite younger that I know in life. I will always  remain his friend. 

 

Describe a foreign city you would like to visit 

You should say: 

▪ its name 

▪ how and when you would go there 

▪ who you would go with 

▪ and explain why you would like to visit this city 

Sample Answer 

I love traveling and exploring new places. Today, I‟m going to talk about a foreign  city I wish to visit. It‟s London, the capital of United Kingdom. Since London is  about 7000 km from my hometown, the only viable modes of transport to reach  there are water and air. If I were to choose between these two modes, I‟d prefer a  flight because it‟ll take less time as compared to a cruise. From safety and  economic points of view as well, I think going by air is definitely the better option. 

Talking about the time when I‟ll go to London, I haven‟t yet decided, maybe in  summer this year. I don‟t know who I‟d take with me but it would probably be  some people that are close to me, I feel that visiting a new place is more fun if  you‟re with your family or friends. I‟ll have a word with my parents and friends,  whoever wants to come with me is welcome. 

Coming to the many reasons why I want to visit London, I guess the main reason  would be my fascination with history and art. You see, London is one of the oldest  multicultural cities in the world. I‟ve read about the changes which transformed  this city into a center of history, art, business, and education through many of its  conquests of the world. And thus, London is home to world-class museums and art  galleries, all having a different and unique story behind them. 

Other than that London also happens to have the oldest underground railway  system in the world. To visit the most popular tourist attractions of London has  been on my bucket list for a long time. These include the London Bridge, National  Art Gallery, and the British Museum. I‟ve heard that the bakeries in London are  some of the best out there. I‟d love to see what they have to offer. 

 

Talk about your favorite Website. 

▪ Why is it your favorite website? 

▪ How often do you use it? 

▪ What would life be without it? 

Audio Player 

SAMPLE ANSWER 

Internet has just changed the way the world operates. Gone are the days when you  were tied down to your circumstances. These days, because of internet, you can be  anything that you want to be and everyone have in some way become connected to  it. We all have our favorite websites, that we visit more often. My favorite is  youtube.com. The reason for me liking it is that it is a fantastic way of sharing  things. People can upload their work, they can see what people are doing without  even knowing them personally. I myself have used it for watching motivational  videos, learning new stuff and sharing many a times. 

I started using YouTube 2 years ago and it has been a great experience. Being a  blogger, YouTube is another source of information for me, a rather descriptive and  more reliable one! So, I use it for my work and also for leisure some times. I can  stay on YouTube to watch trailers for movies and songs and speeches. Even more,  for my exam preparation, there is plethora of channels that I look forward to. 

Necessity is the mother of invention. I have been using it since the time I started  blogging. Without it, life will be difficult and more importantly, I guess it will be  quite limited. But I hope something similar or may be even better than it pops up. 

 

Describe an old building that you like.? 

∙ where it is 

∙ how old it is 

∙ what it is used for 

And explain why you like/dislike it. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute  to think about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if  you wish.] 

Model Answer 1: 

India is a historical country and proudly owns different relics of the past. A large  number of buildings have been constructed across the country in different periods.  Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata is one of them. This is one of the old buildings  in the country. 

Victoria Memorial Hall has been located in Kolkata under West Bengal in India.  Kolkata was formerly known as Calcutta and has served as one of the most  important posts during the British colonial period. The large white marble made  building has been dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria and presently the  house is made as a museum for the people. The museum is now under the care of  the Ministry of Culture in West Bengal. The building is also located by the side of  the Hooghly River. Immediately after the death of Queen Victoria, initiatives were  

taken to construct the building in her memory that will serve as a memorial for the  great queen of the British Empire. The proposals of the building contained a large  garden and a museum and accordingly, everything has been constructed. 

 

Describe a street that you like to visit.? 

You should say: 

∙ where it is 

∙ how it looks like 

∙ what you do there 

and explain why you like to visit this street. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one  minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to  help you if you wish.] 

Model Answer 1: 

Being a Malaysian, I am proud to inform you that I have travelled in most parts of  the globe but have never found a place like the Ampang road in Malaysia. 

This is not an ordinary road or street in Malaysia. This is a major road of Klang  Valley in Kuala Lumpur. The road has numerous histories and is considered as one  of the oldest roads in the country. This is the main road of Ampang Jaya and  consequently, it is accessible from every part of the city and there is a place which  is more like a junction. Everyone is busy here to reach their destinations. But most  of the times I just stand on a corner of the road to see life going by. To me, it  appears that life is here. Moving away is life. So, I spent my lazy evening hours  here and enjoy the street views. I have been here for numerous times but the views  are not old to me. Each of the days the views change themselves automatically and  appear like I am watching the views for the first time. 

 

A time when you helped someone with their work or studies.? 

▪ When was it? 

▪ Who did you help? 

▪ How did you help them? 

▪ 

Audio Player 

Sample Answer 

Helping others and caring for them is a noble gesture and reflects one‟s humanity. I  have helped many people in my life with various things. I think it to be the best  thing that I can do to give back to the world and make it a better place to live. 

One such time was when I helped a small child with his studies, specifically his  exam preparations. When I was in the tenth standard, our maid brought her son  along with her so that she could keep an eye on him while he studied. He was in  the fifth standard and was a weak student causing his mother to be worried about  him. I called him up to my study table and looked at his books. With her  permission, I sat down to guide him through his course material, one subject after  the other. After two hours, we both were tired and I asked him to come to me daily  from the next day. His mid-term examinations were due in a month and I decided  to tutor him for two hours each day till then. I followed a set timetable dedicating 

42 | P a g e 

time to each subject. I taught him all the important chapters, cleared his doubts,  and gave him homework and a lot of questions for his practice. 

He slowly and steadily gained confidence and performed well in his exams. All I  did was to help him become focused and practice to become adept at learning and  answering questions. He thanked me a lot and I was glad that I could help him with  his studies. 

And explain why it was an important decision or choice for you.? 

At a tender age of 17, deciding on a course of life in order to pursue a successful  career path is not an easy task. The task gets even more challenging when  thousand(s) of candidates are competing for the same job or spot. So, when my  parents asked me, after passing my higher secondary school almost a decade ago,  whether I wanted to attend a medical college or an engineering college, I found  myself between a rock and hard place. 

After all, securing a spot at either type of the colleges and getting a degree was no  less challenging than landing on the moon unless one is really passionate about  his/her studies. Besides, I didn‟t like to see myself behaving like a robotic person  with no or very little human emotion in my personal and professional life (no pun  intended). But, I had to make a judgment call – a choice that didn‟t quite sit well  with the expectation of my parents. I decided to study business administration  instead of becoming a medical doctor or an engineer. So, anyway, was it a good  decision made by a 17 years old person? 

Now that I look back almost 10 years after making that choice, I feel that it was a  life-changing decision for me as it helped me to become the person I am today. I  have nothing against medical or engineering education, but I was never really into  crunching numbers or dissecting a human corpse at a lab in the middle of the night  while the rest of the world was busy sleeping. I guess, one could say that I was a  bit lazy to get out of my comfort zone in order to serve humanity by becoming a  doctor or scientist, but that didn‟t exactly prevent me from securing a position at  the top of my class as a business administration and management student. 

I believe it was one of the most significant decisions I have ever made in my life.  As a result, I passed my 4-year honors degree course with distinction, allowing me  the opportunities to work for some of the most prestigious corporations and  companies in my country during and after my studies. Would I be able to gain such  prestigious and life-changing experience had I studied at a medical or engineering  college, given my reluctance to study science and technology? I doubt it. 

Describe a new sport or hobby you would like to take up. 

Table tennis is one of the most important sports that is not suitable for all ages of  people. You need to be physically sound to play table tennis. 

I am interested in table tennis simply for a great many reasons. The first and  foremost thing about table tennis is that it keeps me physically fit to do any jobs.  Table tennis players are always fit and perfect as they have to take physical  stresses during the game. The players are to coordinate among the limbs of  their bodies and thus they become smart, active and grow a sense of  instant reflex which proves effective in their real-life applications. Besides,  this is an indoor game and requires less space to play. The other important  thing is that it provides a deep sense of enjoyment for the players and there  are fewer chances of injury which I am afraid of much in outdoor games  and sports. So, my interest in an indoor game has been met with the table  tennis and since I need to participate in indoor games, I will play table  tennis. 

Describe something that you would like to replace.? You should say: 

∙ what it is

∙ why you want to replace it 

∙ when you plan to replace it 

and explain how you decided that it needs to be replaced. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to  think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] 

My home is full of old and obsolete stuff. In fact, even the home, I live in, is pretty old,  but I don‟t really see anything wrong with that. But, as far as the question of some of the  obsolete stuff is concerned, I wish I could replace most of them if not all because they are  really out of fashion these days. However, today, I would like to talk about at least one  thing which I would like to replace. 

I am talking about replacing our family TV – the big, heavy and old TV – which my  parents bought about 10 years ago when I just had started high school. Back then, of  course, it was one of the best TVs one could possibly find and buy in any market. To be  fair with the old TV, it was manufactured by one of the best and most prestigious  Japanese companies, and it has served our purposes really well for the last 10 years or so. 

But, recently, it has started to give us trouble – troubles like displaying a blurry picture  and smaller screen size than the full-screen picture. To get an idea as to what really went  wrong with the TV, we took it to a local TV technician. After checking it up, the  technician told us that the picture tube of the TV needed to be changed. But, he also told  us at the same time that with the price of a new picture tube, we could actually buy a  nice, new TV. So, after a little family discussion, we finally decided that we would  replace the old TV with a new one sometime next month. 

Anyway, it was about time that we should get a new TV because it surely has gone out of  fashion. Besides, it is really a bit too big and heavy, unlike the lightweight TVs these  days, to carry. On top of that, it also started to give us troubles. Finally, we needed to replace it because it lacks many features and options that modern TVs offer today. 

Describe a friend you had as a child/ teenager. 

When I was at the elementary level at St Mary‟s Primary School in Sydney, I had a  friend named Sophia Laurence. She was the most intelligent girl in the class. 

We had a deep friendship and that had continued for many consecutive years  before she and her family moved to Queensland leaving New South Wales. Sophia  had to leave the school as her father, a policeman, got transferred from North Sydney to Queensland. In fact, it was painful for me when I got split with Sophia.  She was my best friend in the class and even sometimes I visited her home while  she came to mine on the weekends. Besides, both the families turned familiar and a  cordial relation grew among the family members. So, the departure was sad for  both the families. 

The pleasures are mine to answer the question as the answer will take me back in  my primary schooling days the past when I was a kid of five or six years. In the  first day after admission at St Mary‟s Primary School, I was introduced to Sophia.  I could remember the day clearly. I was early for the class and entered at the school  premise with my parents. I entered the empty class and took a seat in the first row.  I was in the thought that I have to wait for long until the class begins. After few  moments, a little girl of my age entered and I invited her to take the seat by me.  We got introduced. You won‟t believe that she lived a block near from me! After  attending the class, Sophia and I went to our house without our parents on that day. 

 

Describe what type of dress you like to wear on special occasions? 

You should say: 

∙ what type of dress it as 

∙ on what occasions you wear this type of dress 

∙ whether other people wear a similar dress on special occasions Well, special occasion comes in everyone „s life and we are always getting excited  about any special occasion. Here I would like to talk about a dress that I like wear  on special occasion. Mostly the dress depends on the occasion. Here I am going to talk about the traditional Punjabi suit that I want to wear on my friend‟s marriage.  It is in a pure red colored Punjabi suit with golden embroidery on it.I will buy one  golden heavy dupatta.I bought this suit from “Harriet Clothing House”. The  different type of people likes to wear various types of clothes according to the  occasion. Sometimes, If one person arranges the theme party then all the people  have to follow this idea. I would like to share a sweet memory with you. My  friend, Man deep has arranged a theme party on her birthday. She invited me as  well as all her friends for a party in her house. The theme of her party was Punjabi  dresses. I also wore a black suit with green data and all other people also wore the  dresses following the party theme. We danced and really enjoyed the party. Last  but not the least, the different people like to wear various types of dresses but  according to me Punjabi dress is the best to dress to wear for any occasion. I feel  good and comfortable in a Punjabi suit. So, I would like to say that we should not  to forget our tradition and I also like to wear only that dress in which I feel  comfortable. 

 

Talk about a time when you complained about something. 

▪ What was the issue? 

▪ Who did you complain about it? 

▪ What was the result? 

▪ How did you feel about it? 

Audio Player 

Sample answer: 

Complaining about a product or service that we buy is also a common  phenomenon. We always contact customer services to know any details, to give  feedback, or to discuss any issues. I have also complained about a lot of problems  relating to the products that I purchase. I fancy myself as an electronic gadget  collector and keep purchasing the latest gadgets and electronics that are releasing  in the market every now and then. 

I once purchased a new phone from a brand outlet in my city. Basically, it was a  smartphone and I liked it very much. Two days passed by and the phone‟s screen  stopped working as soon as I put it on charge. This sudden issue in the device both  surprised and saddened me. Anyway, I tried to power the device on and off and  went through with all the steps listed in the user manual, but to no avail.  Eventually, I called up the service centre, to complain about it and listed out the  issue to them with details. They made me reboot the phone and reconnect the  battery. These steps did not work and hence they told me to bring over the phone to  the centre. 

I eagerly took the phone to them and they told me after checking the device that it  was a software issue. The staff were very polite and fixed the issue very quickly,  without any extra cost. I was very happy about the prompt service and proper  ownership of the staff. It was a satisfying experience visiting the service center and  receiving a prompt reply regarding my complaint. 

A gift always brings a smile on our face, whenever we receive it. Moreover, it  shows our importance in other‟s life. Different types of gifts are given on different  occasions, as a token of blessings and love. I have also received many gifts so far  on various occasions. On my last birthday, I received money as a gift from my  elder brother. 

Since he was confused about my preference for a gift, he decided to give me some  money as a gift so that I could buy anything as per my choice. He made my  birthday special when he had given me an envelope containing some cash. There  was an exact amount of cash inside which I required to purchase an Apple Watch. I  felt so overwhelmed that tears started rolling down my eyes. Next day, I and my  brother went to the market and bought a white Apple Watch for me. Out of the  excitement, I clicked a picture of that watch and posted on my social site to share  my happiness with my friends and relatives. 

I was really grateful to my brother for the gesture of love and care he had shown  me. I really love him for his unconditional love and support. He understands my  needs even if I do not tell him. That gift was indeed special for me but the person  who gave me that gift is the most special one.

 

Describe an interesting person you have met.? 

You should say: 

▪ who he/she was 

▪ where you met him/her 

▪ what was special about him/her 

And explain why this person was interesting. 

Sample answer 

I love to meet new people. Today, I would like to talk about a charismatic person I  met a year ago. 

Last year I was going to Mumbai by train for an official meeting. On the way, a  young lady boarded the train from a small railway station. She occupied the seat in  front of me. Very soon we started talking about our hobbies, studies and work etc.  Her name was Sukriti Singh. She was a second-year student of the Indian Institute  of Technology, Mumbai. 

One particular thing which made her quite special was her high confidence level.  Normally, girls don‟t travel alone in my country. In most cases, they are  accompanied by their parents or some other family member. But, since she was on  her own, that clearly reflected her boldness. 

I found this girl very interesting. Her in-depth knowledge of latest technology and  space science made me re-think about my opinion about females. I used to think  that Indian women are only interested in fashion. Science is not their cup of tea.  But, this meeting was a real mind-changer. She helped open my eyes towards the  common attitude of ignorance males have towards females regarding their  intelligence. Now, I fully understand that women have the potential to succeed in  any field.

 

Describe an activity that you do to concentrate on your  study/work.? 

Describe something that can help you concentrate on work/study You should say: 

∙ What it is 

∙ How does it help you 

∙ What do you think about it 

∙ And explain why you think it is helpful 

Band 9 Sample 

By nature. I‟m a type of guy who is easily distracted by the surroundings, and I  especially detest noises, so today I‟m going to tell you about a method I use that  help to maximize my concentration to its fullest. This method is placing a pair of  earplugs into my ears every time I read something. 

We‟re now living in a time where there are noises from everywhere: car honking,  deafening noises from construction sites like someone hammering on a piece of  metal. Such noises can reduce your concentration and attention span, reducing  work productivity to a great extent. To counter that problem, I bought a pair of  earplugs, which did wonders to me is it has helped me to stay in complete silence  without being disturbed by any sounds. 

This method is particularly of use as earplugs are small and easily portable, so you  can take them along with you to coffee shops where there‟re noises from  conversations, or even on the plane where you can escape from the engine noises  or short hearing impairment due to low atmospheric condition. It seems like being  alone and you can wholeheartedly focus on the task at hand. It have worked  wonderfully for me and I would recommend having a try at it. rather than listening  to background music which can even make you lose focus as some may be more  engrossed into the music played.

 

Describe a Language You Would Like to Learn ? 

Describe a language you  would like to learn. Describe the following: 

o Which language it is? 

o Why you want to learn it? 

o Where is it spoken? 

o And how do you intend to learn? 

Sample Answer 

Ever since I was a child I loved learning about different cultures. Partially, I think that  is what attracted me to learn the English language as a child. It just came naturally to  me. However, if was to describe a language I would like to learn next, it would be  French. There are many reasons for it. Primarily, it is because French is the language  of love and lot of poetry and literature has been written in French language. Although,  I have read the English translations of the French literature, I am sure that it loses  some of its soul during translation. 

Another reason I want to learn French language is because I want to settle in Canada.  In Canada, French is the second official language and it really helps people get well  paying job if one is proficient in French and English. In fact, the province of Quebec  gives sponsorship for permanent residency mostly on the basis of French language  proficiency. Being fluent in French language also helps one to get well paying  Government of Canada jobs because often they look for bilingual candidates. 

French language is spoken primarily in France, former French colonies in Africa and  province of Quebec in Canada. I also love history and I think it will be a delight to  read first hand source accounts of French revolution, the Napoleonic wars and other  interesting historic periods in France. I intend to learn this language through the  language app Duolingo. On the app they have structured courses to learn different  

languages and practice exercises. My aim is to use these practice exercises to improve  my French. To apply what I learn from the app, I intend to read some French literature  or make some acquaintances with French people online. 

Conclusion 

If I was to describe a language I would like to learn, it would be French. There are  many reasons for it, primary being that I am interested in French poetry, literature and  history and want to read the first hand primary accounts. Other reason I am interested  in learning French is because I want to settle in Canada. French is official second  language there and can also help one to become permanent resident in Canada. 

 

Describe a comic actor who is popular in your country? 

▪ -who is he or she 

▪ -what type of person he/she is 

▪ -how you came to know about him/her 

▪ -why he/she is popular 

India is known for star studded film industry called Bollywood . Although, there  are various talented actors excelling in action, romantic or drama movies, Akshay  Kumar has a special place in comedy roles. He has been in the industry for almost  three decades doing all kinds of roles, but since last 10 years he has made a name  for himself in the comedy circle. I became his diehard fan after watching the movie  “Singh is king.” It is one of those movies which can be seen again and again  without getting bored. Apart from having an excellent sense of humor, he is a  complete disciplinarian as far as his lifestyle and physical fitness is concerned.  Millions of young men and women have gained inspiration from his strict exercise  regime and teetotaler habits. He has a huge fan following because of his  contributions to charity of soldiers of my country. Being a black belt in martial  arts, he does all his action stunts on his own which has made him a youth icon. It  won‟t be wrong to say that he‟s a multitalented personality and his movies are a  complete entertainment package. (198 Words) 

 

Describe a happy event of your life.? 

o What the happy event was? 

o When and where did it take place? 

o How happy you were? 

o And why do you still this happy event? 

Sample Answer – Describe a happy event in your life 

It can be safely asserted that one‟s life is marked by the events which make one happy or  sad. And, hopefully, during the course of people‟s lives, there are more events that make  them happy instead of sad. Thankfully, so far, I have been blessed with a lot of happy  events to draw upon. And for the purpose of this cue card, I am going to talk about my  graduation from the Bachelor of science. 

I am the oldest child in my family and for that reason alone, my parents had very high  expectations from me. I also had a younger brother and a few other siblings who looked  up to me for motivation and guidance. So, in a way, I was their role model. But the  problem was that I had no role models to look up to as there was no one in my family  who went to college or had a career that boasted prestige or any significant achievement. 

But I was lucky enough. During childhood, my family sent me to a convent school which  helped me learn English and explore subjects such as science and history. Also, I loved  the subject of science as it taught me how phenomena worked and it helped me  make sense of the world around me. 

 

Describe a job you would like to have. 

You should say: 

∙ what it is 

∙ why you would like to have this job 

∙ what skills you will need to do this job 

and explain why you want to have this job. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about  what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] 

Model Answer 1: 

For a living on the planet, we need a job, but that should be standard and  motivating enough to maintain me and my passion and expenditures. I want to be a  journalist in my professional life. 

Journalism is the way to explore information and it is also considered as a  prestigious job across the world. I have a fascination for journalism since my  childhood and now I am a few years away to grab the job. After completing my  graduation in Journalism and Media Studies, I would like to take it as my  profession. Moreover, it has a good number of benefits too. If you become a  journalist, you will be able to learn about many issues which were unfamiliar to  you. You have to be aware of the happenings of your surroundings and you will  also have the chances to travel in different countries and places in order for  collecting news and thus you will be wiser than before. This job also has a natural  obligation for informing people about the events and insight of everything you  write about. 

 

Describe an interesting story you heard when you were a  child.? 

You should say: 

∙ what the story was 

∙ who told you the story 

∙ why you liked/disliked it 

and explain why you still remember this story. 

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to  think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.] 

Model Answer: 

Probably, all of us have those funny grandma stories that we love to share with  others. While some of those of stories (told by grandmas) are kind, heartwarming,  and full of sage wisdom. However, some other stories from them can be totally  hilarious and impressive. One such “grandma” hilarious story, that I would like to  share with you today, is a story of a newly-married wife who had cooked her meat  dish with sugar instead of salt. 

The story goes like this: my grandma needed to attend a post-marriage  party/ceremony at her sister‟s house. It was a big house with a lot of guests who  were busy enjoying their greetings and conversation with the newly-married  couple. Of course, among many things at the post-marriage ceremony, “the talk of  the town” was the newly-married wife was a very good cook, and that the “popular  demand” was she would cook one of her favourite dishes with meat with her own  hands for the guests. 

So, the cooking session began as per the schedule by the designated chefs with the  newly-married wife, of course, at the “helm of affairs”. Everything was going fine  at the party while many appetizing dishes were being cooked in the kitchen in  order to be served for honorable guests. Then, finally, there arrived the much awaited and much-anticipated “hour of delicatessen” (some would say “hour of  inconvenient truth”), and the guests were ready to eat. 

First, they were served with appetizer, followed by other complementary dishes.  Then, of course, came the “the day‟s special” which was “allegedly” cooked by the  newly-married wife. But, unfortunately, it turned out to be the “nightmare” for the  newly-married wife since her “special dish” was cooked with sugar by mistake  instead of salt. Some guests at the dinner table were laughing while the others  started to whisper among themselves. Then, there was also another group of people  who simply looked confused and chose to keep quiet. But, as for the newly married wife, the lesser we talk about her, the better she would be served! 

 

▪Describe a Talkative Person 

▪ Who is he/ she 

▪ How do you know him / her 

▪ Do you like him / her 

Sample Answer : 

I‟ve come across different people in my life. Some of them are expressive and  loquacious while others like to keep their thoughts within themselves. Today I, d  like to talk about the most talkative person I know who happens to be my cute five year-old niece. Her name is Meher and she is such a chatterbox that in her  company, no other form of entertainment is needed. She speaks to me on the phone  each day for almost an hour. Her stories revolve just around everything -what she  has worn, what she did in her school, a new animation movie that she has seen and  what she would like to receive as her birthday present etc. Speaking to her not only  makes me forget all my worries but also takes me back into my carefree childhood  days. Sometimes I just wonder why we lose our innocence and spark when we  grow up. Having said that, I just want to enjoy the time I get to spend with her. I  wait eagerly for her vacations when she can come and spend few days with me.  She lightens up not just my home but also my neighborhood with her smile,  giggles and a captivating personality. (205 Words) 

You should say- 

▪ what kind of animal it is? 

▪ describe it briefly. 

▪ why do you like the animal? 

Sample Answer One 

I like all animals in general, but I think my favorite would be a dog. A dog is a  domestic animal and can be seen in almost all houses and streets of my country.  The best part about dogs is that apart from being a great keeper, they also shower  love on their owners. A person owning a dog gets love and care from the dog and  the dog makes sure that no one harms his or her owner. 

Although, most people like dogs, everyone has different choices as there are  various breeds of dogs such as pugs, a golden retriever, bulldog, and German  shepherd etc. Interestingly, the characteristics of dogs depend on their breed. For  instance, a bulldog is more aggressive than a pug and is more likely to bite you.  Even more, the food requirements vary with breed. As a matter of fact, a smaller  breed would require more energy and food than a larger or a medium-sized breed.  One needs to know the breed of the dog and provide the food accordingly. 

A dog surely becomes a part of the family and often it has been seen that they get  weak in the absence of their owners. The connection between dogs and humans is  almost electric and I believe one must surely have one. 

Sample Answer Two 

Earth is full of different creatures and various organisms. Humans are the top of  the food chain on this planet and share the planet with other living organisms.  Animals form a big part of our ecosystem and help us preserve nature and restore  balance in the ecosystem. There are various majestic creatures that inhabit our  lands but the one that fascinates me the most are snow leopards. Snow leopards are solitary creatures and they are found in the entire Himalayan  range and central Asia. These beasts are a thing of beauty and their distinctive fur  and color easily differentiate them from an African or Asian leopard. Their coat is  white and grey in color and it helps them camouflage with local surroundings.  Their thick coat helps them stay warm in chilling Himalayan weather. They are  very shy creatures and perhaps that is the reason why very less is known about  their behavior and habitat. Their diet mostly consists of antelopes and Himalayan  goats that are found in abundance in the mountainous terrain. 

Sadly the human-animal conflict has caught up with these beautiful animals too  and today they are considered as critically endangered by the World Wild Life  Federation. There are less than 5000 snow leopards out in the wild and drastic  measures are being taken to conserve their numbers. There is a famous  documentary recently made by the BBC and its titled Blue planet. The crew filmed  for almost 4 extensive years and captured some great footage of the majestic  creatures. For the first time in history, they were able to capture footage of a snow  leopard making a kill. I feel sad that we as humans are not doing enough to protect  these animals and are adamant upon destroying their habitat. (299 words) 

Describe a small & successful business? 

It is possible that, in the IELTS speaking test, you may be asked to describe a business. There are many different possible ways that you could be asked to do  that, so it is important to read the cue card carefully or else you might say the  wrong thing. 

In this article, I‟m going to explain some of the important things that you will need  to know in order to do this task. I will talk about: 

∙ the cue card 

∙ making notes 

∙ picking the right language 

Then, I will give you my own sample band 9 answer to this question. If you only  want to read that, you can skip to the bottom of the page. 

Describing a Business? 

As I said above, there are different possible ways that this question could appear in  the test. First, it‟s important that you read the cue card properly. It might say that  you need to “Describe a successful small business” or “Describe a company you  have visited or worked in.” 

Note the difference in language. Both “company” and “business” mean the same  thing, but the questions are asking you to do different things. In the first one, it is  very clear that you are to describe a business that is small and successful.  However, for the second question it could be a much bigger business or even an  unsuccessful one. 

There are many other possibilities, such as “Describe a business that you would  like to own or set up” or “Describe a small business you want to start.” These are  basically the same but totally different from the previous two. Also, be careful that  it doesn‟t say “Describe a businessperson…” That would require a totally different  answer! 

It may also say something like “Describe a family business.” In that case, you  should make sure that your business is owned by a family or else you would not  have given a proper and full answer to the question. 

You need to read the question very carefully to find out what you have to do. The  bullet points are usually pretty easy to understand but the first line might need  some thought. Also watch out for words like “organization,” which are not exact  synonyms with “business” but have some crossover in meaning. 

 

Describe a goal you achieved which was set by yourself. You  should say? 

▪ What the goal was 

▪ When you set it 

▪ Why you set it 

▪ And explain what you did to achieve the goal. 

SAMPLE ANSWER 

Goals play an indispensable role in our life. Here, I‟d like to talk about a time  when I set the goal of reducing my social media usage. 

In general, I‟m not very active on Facebook, Instragram and other social platforms.  But, last year during winter vacations I started spending a considerable amount of  time on Facebook. Long discussions with friends about the latest Hollywood  movies, reality shows and celebrities became a daily routine. 

Initially, it was full of fun and I didn‟t think that it could affect my studies. Within  4 weeks, however, the whole situation changed. My performance in the  preliminary exams conducted after the holidays was very poor. I failed in 2  subjects: physics and mathematics. 

The reason was obvious to me. The holidays that were meant for final exam  preparation were wasted in social networking and chats. Certainly, if I‟d studied  hard, this wouldn‟t have happened. On the way to home, a big dilemma prevailed  over me: Should I show the report card to my parents or not? Despite knowing that  it was wrong, I chose to hide the result. Had they seen it, they would‟ve been very  disappointed. That day I set the goal of decreasing my social media time and study  well. 

To achieve my goal, the first thing I did was to deactivate my Facebook account  temporarily. Setting up a timetable was the next phase of the plan. For months  together, I chased the lost time. In the end, the outcome was positive – I passed the  final exams with excellent grades. Even though it may seem small, it was a big  goal for a 14-year-old high school student. At last, I decided to show the hidden  report card to my parents along with the final report card. They seemed to be proud  that I‟d noticed my own faults and worked upon them, but they also stressed that  they were my parents for a reason and I ought to come to them when such a  mistake occurs.

 

Describe a performance you have watched. Please say

– Where was it?

– What kind of performance was it?

– What did you like the most about it?

Sample Answer 

Two weeks ago I watched the play „Romeo & Juliet‟ by William Shakespeare at the city theatre  that I consider a worth watching theatrical performance. The play lasted for about 1 and a half  hour and I as well as the 200 audiences of the play thoroughly enjoyed and acclaimed the play.

The city theatre is famous for quality performance by the top-class performers. The time when we heard  that a team is coming from London to perform Romeo and Juliet, we planned to watch it. We knew very  little about the actors and actresses but heard that they are quite popular in the theatrical world in London.  After the play began I noticed a pin drop silence on the theatre except the performers‟ voices and  background music. The costumes of the performers were just the way it should be. Their dresses, stage,  music, their makeup, their accent, the passionate acting created an illusion of real Romeo-Juliet era. 

The play went on and the story continued as – “Two young people fall in love the moment they  met but their families are bitter enemies. The relationship between Romeo & Juliet fueled the  anger and bitterness of the two families. The two innocent lovers get caught in the middle of a  trap.” 

The tragic end of their lives and the eternal victory of love described in Shakespeare‟s gorgeous  language makes it a worth watching theatrical performance. 

The professional and astounding acting, captivating dialogues, intense romantic tale, wrenching  separation and the tragic twist of the tale make the play unforgettable and timeless. The  production and acting were superb and highly acclaimed. I still remember a news article later on  that acclaimed the actors, actresses of the London team and the superb professionalism and  artistic production of a great play. 

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