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 benchmarking 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.
[PARA 1]
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.
[PARA 2]
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.
[PARA 3]
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)
Speaking (Part 3)
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 utilize 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.
Q4. Why do people compete?
A4. There are different people with different levels of needs. People who wants to be recognized and praised, do favor competition. Some people believe in competition because they think that it leads to favorable 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
IELTS Dehradun Uttarakhand Tel: 8439000086 , 8439000087
