Category: Cue Card

Often growing up we do get nostalgic about school, miss our school days. The fights, teachers and our friends. We do get reminded of our lively days. This time we are looking at a sample IELTS answer that takes us back to our school and reminds us of the rules that we used to have in our schools. The different reactions to the rule in school and your take on the one that you disagreed with.
You have 1 minute to prepare notes.

Describe a rule formed in your school that you agree/disagree with. You should say :

• What was the rule?
• For whom was the rule applicable?
• Why did you not like the rule?

Also, explain how do you think the same thing could have been achieved without the rule.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Schools have always been the institution of teaching discipline and hard work and mine was the epitome of it. I studied in a convent school and there were many rules which we had to adhere to. But, after a change in our principal, a new rule was established which stated that any student who is late for school would not be allowed to attend the first three classes. On looking back at the rule, I can understand the reason for its severity. Students would have surely and they did avoided being late.

However, during that time, when the rule was beginning to apply, there was a lot of hustle and bustle in the school. Many students of the primary classes on getting late had to stand outside and wait for the first three lectures to complete. There were even cases when the children who got late were bullied and I can clearly remember one case. A child of fourth grade was late and when he reached the class, he was teased by his peers for a week. It led to his health deteriorating and his parents had to complain.

On the other side, many formed friendships with their late comers and so they came purposely late.

The intentions of the rule, in my opinion, were good but could have been implemented other wise. Students getting late could have been recorded and actions taken on them for being late for three consecutive days. In this way, we could have avoided the bullying and the extreme laziness which the rule brought along.

Vocabulary

epitome – a person or thing that is a perfect example of a particular quality or type.

adhere – believe in and follow the practices of.

hustle and bustle –  A large amount of activity and work, usually in a noisy surrounding.

bullied – use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force them to do something.

deteriorating – become progressively worse.

intentions – a thing intended; an aim or plan.

Another Similar Cue Card

Speak about a rule that you don’t like.

• What is/was that rule?
• When and Where do/did you follow it?
• Why don’t/didn’t you like this rule?

And do/did other people like the rule? Why?

SAMPLE ANSWER Two-

Rules are the formal manners of the Norms and Mores, which are prevalent in every culture and society, all over the globe. They are considered to be essential in maintaining order and stability in a society, for bringing the suitable organization within behaviour of the people. Rules generally attract punishments in case of their violation, therefore they have this inherent nature of compliance for the people. I used to study in a boarding school and boarding school is usually stuffed with the rules to impose right discipline in students. Although we had a strict schedule for everyday, which we had to adhere to, but there was this, one fundamental rule for our sports, which I used to detest a lot. It was to follow and play only a one particular game throughout your schooling.

Well, every new entrant in our school had to choose one particular game out of the many. Thereafter, he needed to build his skills and proficiencies in that game only, playing every day for 3 hours at least. I chose hockey when I joined and I started enjoying it too. But sometimes, after hearing about the popular shots or kicks in cricket or football, or sometimes, due to the feel of jumping in the swimming pool in scorching heat of summers; I thought of changing my game. But, it was a rule to stick to just one game. And, even if you spot out your reasonable reasons in front of the coaches, it used to be such a tedious process of applications, and finally, after that only a few used to have that privilege of changing the game and those too, with another stricter unmodifiable rule of never being allowed to change the game twice. So, many students used to drop the idea of changing the game, even for the first time.

Yes, there were a few chaps who used to stick to one game with interest. Actually, like every rule, this rule had the benefits of properly honing your skills at one proficiency; and it was reasonable too, that by playing one game for your schooling years, one becomes a player who can bring laurels for the school in sports championships. And later too, that sports talent can reap great benefits in one’s career. Therefore, many students used to like the imposingness posed by that specific rule.

(233 words)

STRONG WORDS

Word	Meaning
Scorching	harsh: Military personnel undergo a scorching physical training session.
Tedious	tiresome: For older people, solving puzzles is a tedious process, which is fun for kids.

Follow-up Questions

Q. 1 Do you like rules, in general? State the reason too.

Sample answer: Well, I may not like all the rules out there but I know that they are there for the good only. For instance, I like riding a bike without helmet with winds soaring through my head, but the rule instructs us to always wear a helmet while driving. Now, this rule, even if I don’t like it, is for my good only.

Q. 2 Do you consider that some existing rules are irrational? Why?

Sample answer: Yes, I do consider that some rules are totally illogical and irrational. For instance, on the same example we discussed in the last answer, about helmets. Sikhs in our country are allowed to drive without helmet. That is understandable, considering the massive size of their turbans. But imagine, just out of charity, this privilege was extended to their women too, as it looks odd that husband is driving without helmet while wife is sitting along with a helmet over her head. For the sake of this odd look, we gave this relaxation to Sikh women, compromising on our safety and security. Similarly, there are other such instances too, which can be easily observed in our day to day lives.

Q. 3 Do you think the necessity of rules for children too?

Sample answer: See, we need to look at it from a different perspective in case of children. I think they need to be taught about rules by their parents and teachers as well. Children are full of innocence, imposition of rules on them will come with a heavy burden. Rather, they should be taught about the fundamentals of civic life and the requirements of discipline and rules in it. One should walk on the left of the road, is one such thing ,which we can teach to a child and which later on becomes a traffic rule for him, when he grows adult.

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