IELTS Cue Card # A SONG YOU LIKE

May 7, 2022 IELTS Research

IELTS Cue Card, A SONG YOU LIKE

Music is a form of art which has been a key component of celebrations in both ancient and modern times. Other than being a source of entertainment, it has profound impact on our brain too. Music is like a food for the brain, soothing and relaxing us even on a bad day. This time we are looking at a cue card that asks questions about a song you like.

Describe a song that you like. You should say:

What the song is?

Where you first heard it?

What kind of song it is?

And explain why you like it.

Sample Answer

Music is something that we all can associate with, although our choices can be different at different times. There are times when I like to listen to soft music, while at others I enjoy rock or peppy music. Today, I’d like to talk about a song that remains one of my favorites since I heard it around 20 years back. The name of that song is “Heal the World” by Michael Jackson. The song is from his album “dangerous”, which was released way back in 1982. In one of his interviews, Jackson said that this was the song that he was most proud to have created. He also formed a charitable organization by the same name, designed to improve the lives of children all over the world.
This song is has meaningful and soulful lyrics, talking about unity, peace and equality. It says that we should treat each other equally and put an end to discrimination based on color and religion. Let us make this world a better place to live by spreading love and not hate. It guides us to be considerate towards those who are less fortunate and feed those who are hungry. I still remember the music video of this song which features children living in different countries suffering from unrest, poverty and hunger. It is also one of only a handful of Michael Jackson’s videos not to feature Jackson himself. I’ll wrap up by saying that it is a beautiful song carrying a message to make this world worth living.

FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS
Q1. What would be life without music?
Ans. I just can’t imagine life without music- no singing, tapes or music, no dancing, no hymns and concerts. Without music our world would certainly be a bleak place. Life would be extremely dull, boring and will lose its vibrancy.

Q2. Which is more important to you- music or TV?
Ans. Although, I do watch television regularly, I could probably do without it if asked to choose between TV and music. Music is definitely indispensable in my life. Music is something I can hear exclusively or read, do households etc. while playing it in the background.

Q3. What is the best time and place to listen to music?
Ans. I feel that the beauty of music is that it can be always heard. However, work meeting would be an inappropriate place to listen to music. Also, I feel that you can really enjoy music if you are in the company of your friends. You can dance and groove while chit chatting with them.

Another Similar Cue Card

Describe an interesting song.

What is the song?

Who sung it and what is it all about?

Is the song popular and when do you like listening to it?

And why do think it an interesting song?

SAMPLE ANSWER TWO-

Music forms a crucial element of our wellbeing. It is a part of the nature and universe as a whole. Wind, Rains, Thunder, birds and so many other things have their unique music characteristics. We, humans also have discovered art and music to add beauty to our lives. Different songs are composed on different genre of music and this variety is played in different contexts of moods and occasions. I admire one of these Hindi songs which says “yeh daulat bhi le lo “. It is composed in form of ghazal.

This was sung by legendary Jagjit Singh, who is considered as maestro of ghazals. This song has most beautiful lyrics, encompassing the reminiscences of the childhood. It has an enchanting soft music composition. Various childhood acts, considered to be trivial, have been depicted in this song and the singer is willing to sacrifice his wealth and fame just to return to his childhood days. The song wraps up a huge nostalgia for the old, for the childhood.

This song did the rounds on every music chart and album, when it was released back in early 90’s. It was a mega hit song and it has grown in its popularity since then. This song has earned fame even in abroad. The sense of melancholy, it awakens with its lyrics and music is simply spellbinding. I personally like this song because of the nostalgic rush which I feel after listening to it. Vivid mental images about my childhood start hovering inside me, once I happen to listen this song. That innocence and free will of children, in turn, start permeating my whole being, which gives me a feeling of immense pleasure.

The eternal connect with the past, evoked by this particular song is the linchpin of its greatness. Every age group person, every gender and every ethnicity would like to hear the soft, subtle message of this song. Voice of Jagjit infuses life in the song.

STRONG WORDS

Word	Meaning
Melancholy	sad and pensive: Visiting my alma mater was a melancholic experience.
Linchpin	main point: Acting is the linchpin of Amitabh’s personality.

Follow-up Questions

Q. 1 Do you like music and songs and which type?

Sample answer: Yes, I like to hear music and songs. Sometimes, I sing myself too, although I am not a very good singer. To put it plainly, I like songs of different genres but most of the time, I prefer listening to old classics.

Q. 2 Why do you prefer old songs?

Sample answer: It is the beauty of lyrics apart from the serene music of the old songs, that captivates my interest to them. The peculiar story and situation thread, that old songs used to draw is simply interest gathering.

Q. 3 What changes do you feel in the songs composed nowadays?

Sample answer: Apart from the loud fast music nowadays, the songs are totally devoid of the beautiful meaningful lyrics. Songs in the present times are suitable only for hip hop dance and act as anxiety inducers. It is only the glitz and the rocky music which are the soul centres of today’s songs.