Month: November 2018

Speaking part 3: Discussion questions related to competition

Speaking (Part 3)
COMPETITION AT WORKPLACE

Q1. Should there be competition at workplace?
A1. Competition is pervasive i.e., found in all types of organisations. Competition at workplace can be healthy or unhealthy, depending on the attitude and intentions of a person who is competing. Healthy competition is considered to be constructive, whereas unhealthy competition could be quite destructive. Competition is a feeling which encourages people to contribute best of their efforts to achieve desired goals. Thus, in my opinion, as long as the competition is healthy, it is perfectly acceptable in the organisation.

Q2. What type of jobs have a high level of competition?
A2. Employees work on different levels in an organisation. Jobs which are highly paid generally have a high level of competition as these involve an increased level of responsibility and accountability. Jobs which involve more power and authority tend to have high competition level.

Q3. Who is more successful:  a person born with competitive skills or, the one who has learnt these skills?
A3. In my opinion, successful people may or may not be born with competitive skills but they know how to best apply these skills in a productive way. They also keep enhancing their skills required to win the competition. Competitive people can utilise their aggression in a right and productive way. Competition is necessary to achieve something bigger but not at the cost of feelings and emotions of others.

REASONS FOR COMPETITION

Q4. Why do people compete?
A4. There are different people with different levels of needs. People who wants to be recognised and praised, do favour competition. Some people believe in competition because they think that it leads to favourable outcomes. It gives them an edge over others. Competition is important for the people who want to perform better by breaking the existing records so as to create new benchmarks to follow. People with positive discontent also compete, where they remain dissatisfied with their current status, yet keep aspiring for better with a positive attitude.

Q5. What are the factors responsible for preventing a person from being competitive?
A5. In my opinion, there are three major factors responsible for discouraging people to compete.  The first in the list is fear of failure. People are afraid of being competitive as it can bring their self-esteem down if they lose anyways. The other factor is sense of gratification. Some people reach at a level where all their needs get satisfied, so nothing is left to compete for. The next one is past experiences: If someone have had a bad experience due to being a part of completion, they refrain themselves from it.

 

Written by Heena Rana

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IELTS Dehradun Uttarakhand Tel: 8439000086 , 8439000087

IELTS Speaking: Cue Card – A competition you would like to participate in

Competitions are the part and parcel of life and there is no denying that competitions make us better at what we do! Not only they push us beyond our limits, they challenge us to try new things. In our lives, no matter how big or small they were, competitions have always been present. Be it fighting with your sibling for a remote or for that matter with your colleague for better job! Competitions do make us better individuals by pushing us beyond what we imagine for ourselves. In the post below we are looking at a sample answer on recently asked IELTS speaking cue card about a competition the individual would like to participate in. So, delve in to find it out and learn how to answer the question better !

IELTS Speaking Cue Card – A competition you like to participate in

Talk about a competition (cooking, sports…etc.) you would like to participate in

    • What type of competition would it be?
    • Where will it be held?
    • What all qualities a person should have to be a part of such competition?
    • Why do you want to participate in it?
Sample Answer

Competition is a natural instinct which makes a person beat the benchmark and create a new record. I want to participate in a storytelling competition. Storytelling is something in which the storyteller tries to convey a message, knowledge or information about an incident using a sequence of activities leading to a particular outcome.

Coming to the qualities one needs to become an outstanding story-teller, a person should have an ability to imagine and be able to connect well with the audience. He should also have excellent communication and inter-personal skills. Sense of humour will certainly be an added value. We can make storytelling more effective by using props, background music and special effects. With the help of voice modulations and mimicry, one can make story-telling more appealing.

I have developed an interest in storytelling over a period of time. I believe, I am fully equipped with the qualities a storyteller needs to have. A storyteller makes sure that audience not merely listen to the story but should also relate with the content of the story. This leaves an everlasting effect on the audience and they remember the story and storyteller for the lifetime. Therefore, it is significant for a storyteller to make this activity entertaining rather than monotonous.

When I was a child, my grandmother used to tell beautiful stories. Her way of narrating was so impressive and convincing that I used to believe in the existence of all fictional characters of such stories. By far, I have realized that storytelling is an art to make the audience become overwhelmed with the experience of listening to a story. (268 words)

Written by Heena Rana

IELTS Dehradun Uttarakhand Tel: 8439000086 , 8439000087

IELTS Writing Sample Answer # Famous at Young

Most people dream of fame and fortune. For some fame comes instantly while others have to go through a rigorous struggle to achieve it. Although some people become successful at a very young age, for others it may take some time.

Some people become famous at a very young age. Is it a good or a bad thing?

SAMPLE ANSWER

In modern times, with the advent of social media, it is quite easy for people to become famous at a very young age. Being famous is not only associated with talent but with hard work too. Some people believe that becoming a known personality at a young age can have several repercussions while others are of the view that age does not matter and it is all about how an individual handles fame.

Being famous brings a lot of social issues along with it which can have a major impact on an individual. People may cheer you up for anything done right and then turn their back on for small mistakes done. For instance, when Justin Bieber started his music career he was instantly admired, but with time, when he started making changes in his lifestyle, there were a lot of accusations that he had to face, jeopardizing his career.

However, being famous at a young age allows you to make all the mistakes that one either ways make, learn from them and move on. A person who is able to handle being famous from a young age tends to grow as a mature adult and venture out in different directions towards the later stages. For instance, the Indian cricketers who got to be in the hall of fame from the beginning could relate to the battles and towards the end of their career, smoothly transit to other viable options.

In my personal opinion, as long as it does hamper personal growth, there is nothing wrong. However, if it impacts the talent of the individual, it is better to grow the talent perfectly, before he or she is shoved off in front of the public.

WORD
MEANING
SENTENCE
advent
the fact of an event happening, an invention is made, or a person arriving
 Life was transformed for millions with the advent of the Internet.
dilemma a situation in which a difficult choice had to be made between two different things you could do. The president is clearly in dilemma on how to tackle the crisis.
accusations
a charge or claim that someone has done something illegal or wrong
 There is not a shred of evidence to support his claims.
jeopardizing to put something such as a plan or system in danger of being harmed or damaged She knew that failing in her exams, she could jeopardize her entire career.
viable able to work as intended or able to succeed. Her plans are often viable.
hampers to prevent doing someone from doing something easily Her indecisiveness hampered her career.

IELTS BAND 7 

 

People often believe that musicians, sports stars and artists are born not made.

IELTS Writing task 2. You should spend 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words. Write about the following topic:

People often believe that great musicians, sports stars and artists are born not made. Do you agree that we are born with much of our ability, or are there other factors that can make us good sports people or musicians?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from your own knowledge or experience.

Sample Answer

What makes great artists, musicians, writers, or athletes: Nature or Nurture? This question has intrigued philosophers and scientists for centuries. I personally think that factors like family and environment play a decisive role in one’s life and successful career. Nevertheless, some natural talent is required to excel in areas such as sport, art or music.

Let us first look at how an innate ability in art or music or sport can make a difference. Certainly, it differentiates a person who has learned to play a sport or an instrument from someone who has mastered that skill. In other words, natural talent wins over a learned technique. It allows gifted people to reach a level which their hard-working counterparts can never manage. Also, learning that extra element is almost impossible, no matter how hard someone practices or how good the teachers are.

However, natural talent is an internal factor that can contribute to someone’s success. There are numerous external factors such as family, environment, experiences and training etc. which have their own significance. Good musicians, exceptional sports starts or other successful people are not made in one day. Years of hard work, family support, training and devotion make them what they are. Composer Beethoven and tennis legend Roger Federer are the telling examples.

To sum up, nature and nurture are inseparable. Inherited talents can affect our ability to reach the top level in certain professions. However, people can acquire skills and achieve their goals if they live in a conducive environment.

 

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IELTS Dehradun Uttarakhand Tel: 8439000086 , 8439000087

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