Describe a time when someone praised you for your actions.
When did it happen?
What did you do?
Who praised you?
How did you feel about it?
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Sample Answer
There are many occasions in everyone’s lives when they did something to help others. These acts of generosity are sometimes praised and sometimes go unnoticed. if someone appreciates me for such a thing, I take it as a positive sign and try to do more. I would like to talk about an incident happened with me when I was in the sixth standard.
My best friend at that time was my classmate and belonged to a poor family. He didn’t have his school books as his family couldn’t afford them. He found it very difficult to cope up with the course due to this issue. I thought about helping him somehow and came up with many ideas. With my father’s permission, I decided to ask my seniors for all their used books for the sixth class. I was overwhelmed with their response as many of them came forward with their books to help me and my friend out. I then went to the principal of the school and asked her for a small place in the library with a few empty cabinets. I proceeded to make posters announcing the children to bring their used books from the past years and donate them for the children who could not afford them.
This initiative of mine was praised a lot by my whole school and every teacher patted my back for this noble deed. It was an exhilarating moment when my class teacher came up to the stage the next day and appreciated me with motivating words that moved me and urged me to do more for the people around me.
(269 words)
Part 3 Follow Up Questions.
Q.1 How does appreciation help us perform better?
When someone appreciates us, it makes us feel good. It feels as if all our hard work has been acknowledged and that our efforts were not in vain. Although we should not be overly dependent on other people’s views of us, we tend to repeat the behavior for which people praise us.
Q.2 What happens when we are not appreciated for our work?
This is one of the main problems we face in our lives. Sometimes we work very hard towards achieving something, and when we are not appreciated for our work we despair. We lose hope and stop having the will to work hard next time. This is a wrong attitude towards life. We should welcome people’s suggestions and feedback. However, as I mentioned earlier, we should not be overly dependent on it. We should believe in ourselves and do what is right, irrespective of what people think about us.
Q.3 What are the different ways in which our work can be appreciated?
There are a lot of ways in which we can be appreciated. When we are younger, our parents appreciate our hard work at school by buying us toys. Our family and friends praise us and encourage us with their kind words for doing something good. Our colleagues encourage us by respecting us and looking up to us. We are often perceived as leaders. Our employers may not only reward us financially, and also compensate us through bonuses and promotions.
Describe a book that had a major influence on you.
You should say:
what the book was
how you first heard of the book
what is the main story of the book
and why it plays such an important role in your life.
Sample Answer:
Reading has been a very integral part of my life. I try to read books as and when I can find time and my interests vary vividly, from philosophy to fantasy, horror to religions, non-fiction to autobiography. The book that has changed my perspectives and helped me become a better person is Autobiography of a Yogi written by the celebrated philosopher guru Paramahansa Yogananda.
I found that most of the religious societies and philosophers highly recommend it due to the values it helps inculcate in the young minds. Fans have recommended this book all over the internet.‘ Some people even commented that this is the best book ever written in the century. I decided in my head that this should be on number 1 of my reading list. I ordered the book immediately from amazon and it was delivered to me in a week. I started reading it the same day.
The book was first published in 1946 in New York, USA and archived in the philosophers library. The book was an international success and reached No. 1 position on the New York Times best-selling book list. Autobiography of a Yogi talks about the life of Paramahansa Yogananda and his numerous encounters with spiritual figures of both the East and West. The book begins with his childhood, to finding his guru, to becoming a rebellious monk and establishing his teachings of Kriya Yoga meditation. The book further talks about 1920 when Yogananda accepts an invitation to speak in a religious congress in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He then travels across America lecturing and establishing his teachings in Los Angeles, California. In 1935 he revisits India for a year. When he returns to America, he continues to establish his teachings, including writing this book. The book is an enchanting source for understanding the methods of attaining God-realization .The author also announces that the writing of the book was prophesied long ago by the nineteenth-century master Lahiri Mahasaya.
The story telling of author is magical and brief. With Every passing page the urge to read more increased which further tempted me gather more knowledge about the same man. Not for a single moment, I could have stopped thinking about the events and characters of the books and that had a breath-taking influence on me. The characters have their own charismatic powers and followed their own paths and that was such a huge inspiration.
The story was told like a good story teller should and I thought it was a wonderful read. It surely left a powerful lasting impression on me. (427 words)
Part 3 Follow Up Questions.
Q1. Why do you think reading books is important?
I think reading books is the cheapest and simplest way of acquiring knowledge. It is one of the best forms of entertainment and books help build our personality. A lot of research has shown that people who are in the habit of reading books tend to be more successful in life. In my opinion, it is one of those habits which every person should try to inculcate in them.
Q.2 What kinds of books are popular in your country?
People read all kinds of books in my country. Since my country is very religious, spiritual books are most common here. It also depends on the age of the readers. Young people have significantly different tastes when it comes to books compared to older people. Many children of my generation used to read comic books when we were in school. However, I don’t see many children doing it these days. They are busy on their mobile phones chatting with friends. It is sad that students, nowadays, are under a lot of pressure to perform in exams, and never get the time to read for pleasure, thus losing the idea of reading for fun.
Q.3 How is rapidly growing technology affecting our reading habits?
This is another of my pet peeves. People are so immersed in their gadgets and devices that they have forgotten the art of reading. A book, a cup of coffee, a comfortable chair- this used to be the idea of happiness for many people. Good authors were celebrated and felicitated by the readers. But now with the internet and social media, people have lost the pleasure that reading brings, and are more into things which probably are not good for their mental and physical health over the long run. No wonder mental problems are going through the roof in today’s society.
Pet peeve: something that a particular person finds especially annoying.
I travel often and have had wonderful experience mostly. But there was one particular journey recently which I can recall was delayed and turned into an adventure. I always try to be punctual but on this particular journey when although I was on time, my journey was delayed. It was due to my own error and carelessness. I was supposed to travel from Delhi to Jaipur on a Sunday evening so that I could attend my cousin’s wedding.
Since I wanted to be on time to attend the ceremony I booked a flight for Sunday 4:30 pm and reached the airport accordingly. But, to my horror I was stopped by the security personnel at the entrance and on scrutinizing my ticket was denied permission to enter the airport.
I was informed that I’d missed my flight. For a minute I couldn’t understand how I could miss my flight as I h’d reached the airport 2 hours before the scheduled departure. When I pleaded with the security personnel explaining the urgency of my visit he allowed me to go to the airline counter situated adjacent to the entry gates.
The executive at the desk inspected my ticket. He told me that I h’d booked the morning 4:30 am flight instead of the evening one. I was completely shocked to realise my mistake and at the same time got worried how I would reach Jaipur.
I requested the airline staff to help me out. All of them were very cooperative and they informed me that only one seat was available in the last flight to Jaipur at 7 pm. I could either buy that ticket which was exorbitantly priced or wait for an hour before boarding.
In case no traveler bought that ticket then the airline had a policy that as a goodwill gesture to its customers it would adjust the price of the ticket for the missed flight and on payment of additional nominal fee I would be allowed to board this last flight.
I was kept waiting for about 45 minutes which were like a nightmare for me. I kept praying to God to help me tide over this crisis. Eventually, the airline staff beckoned me and after completing the formalities I was handed over the boarding pass. I quickly made way back towards the security area and reached the boarding gate on time.
As I sat in the aircraft I sighed with relief, looking forward to attending and enjoying the wedding celebrations.
STRONG WORDS
WORDS
MEANING
Exorbitantly
unreasonably high
Gesture
something said or done to indicate intention
Beckoned (past tense)
to summon
Sighed (past tense)
a long deep audible exhalation expressing sadness or relief
Part 3 Follow Up Questions.
Q1. Which mode of travel in the most convenient in your country.
In my country people usually choose the mode of journey according to distance and importance. If they want their travel time to be less they would prefer an airplane but if they want it to be pocket friendly the would go by train or a bus.
Q2. What do people prefer more in your country A bus or A train?
I think People in my country prefer Buses more in case the distance is short. If the journey is long people would go by a train. The number of buses available for a short distance journey are more and also with availability of more luxury buses people now take long journeys by bus also.
Q3. How do people enjoy their journey?
Well, people enjoy their journey by taking a more comfortable ride. A private vehicle with just family and friends in it always makes the journey more delightful. Some people prefer to read a novel of their choice to relish their time. These days, People like to watch a movie on their mobile screens as a source of entertainment.
Q4. Do you believe in the saying ‘Journey matters more than the destination’?
Yes, i do believe that the journey is more important than the destination as the journey provides us with the opportunity to explore our potential, expand our horizons, and pursue new opportunities. By focusing on the journey, we can find joy in the process and savor every moment along the way. We remember our achievements by appreciating the hurdles we faced along the way.
A successful person with whom you once studied or worked
Who this person is?
When you studied or worked with this person?
What this person did to become successful?
And explain how you felt about studying or working with this person?
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Sample Answer
To become successful has become a struggle for all, and everyone is in the race to strive and succeed. However, regular efforts and consistent hard work can ease the process. Today I will be describing a person who faced several hardships and turned out to be an ultimate achiever. Kritika, my best friend since childhood, and I have completed our studies together at the same colleges. She didn’t have a very affluent family background; instead, her family was dealing with multiple problems, and this would distress her a lot. Kritika was determined to change her family’s poor state. She started working just after clearing her 12th and completed her further studies through distance learning. Initially, she started by giving home tuition; later, she joined a firm as a sales executive. Seeing her dedication and performance, she got promoted to sales manager. I guess that was the turning point in her life. Now that she has become Section Head of the company, she has a good salary package. Earlier, she was living in a rented house; recently, she bought a home for her family. She invited me to the inauguration ceremony. Kritika has proved that firm determination and perseverance have the ultimate power to change destiny. I feel extremely proud and happy for Kritika, as she has become a driving source of inspiration for many people around her.
(227 words)
Word
Meaning
Sentence
Affluent
wealthy
He is an affluent man.
Perseverance
The quality of being determined to do or achieve something
I would like to thank the police for their support and perseverance with the investigation.
Part 3 Follow-Up Questions
Q1. Is money the only measure of success in your country?
Absolutely not, there are multiple ways to measure success and everyone has different parameters to examine it. For some it could be earning money whereas for others it could be serving others or getting married.
Q2. How do you define whether a person is successful or not?
Well, I believe when a person’s achieve or fulfil his goals he can call himself successful. However, goals could be different some may define success by gaining status and accomplishments while for others it can be leading a simple and happy life
Q3. Is there a contradiction between success and happiness?
Many believe that success and happiness mean the same thing; some even consider happiness to revolve around success. But according to my opinion, I believe success is tangled with certain tasks and goals, whereas happiness, on the other side, is free and doesn’t specifically need to be achieved; it is felt. One may feel happy by listening to his favourite songs, but success can’t be achieved in the same manner. Success requires regular hard- work and effort.
