IELTS Speaking Cue Card Archives - Page 3 of 10

IELTS Cue Card #Talk about an interview you faced in the past

June 21, 2022 IELTS BAND7

IELTS Cue Card #Talk about an interview you faced in the past

Talk about an interview you faced in the past.
You should say:

When were you interviewed last and for what purpose?

What was the nature of the interview?

What was its duration and how did you proceed?

And what were your learnings?

IELTS Cue Card #Talk about an interview you faced in the past

Sample Answer :

Well, I had an interview session after my high school, when I was intending to join a science college. It was two years back in 2020.Candidates were being shortlisted for college admissions through interview process. That was also my first interview as I never had the chance to face one during my school time.

About the nature I will say, it was one to one, formally structured interview where all the answers were open ended types. College Principal was the interviewer. After a brief personal introduction, I was asked about my hobbies and subjects of interest. Thereafter, he fired a few question from my high school curriculum, related to the concepts of physics. Most of the questions which he asked were already written on a paper. He used to, kind of classify a few and kept on asking me in a patient manner.

My interview stretched, if I could remember, for nearly 20 minutes. There was no break obviously, for such a short one, although the peon offered me a glass of water in the beginning. To start with, I must admit that I was a little nervous as this interview commenced. Not to the extent of profusely sweating but definitely my anxiety was visible enough, due to which Principal Sir asked me to relax. He helped me develop a steady state of mind over the time and then, I was answering quite confidently. I answered all the questions as per my knowledge and overall it went good.

Since it was my first formal interview therefore it provided me some key learnings. The foremost thing that I learnt was to stay calm and composed during an interview. Puzzlement and anxiety driven mind creates confusion which brings ambiguity in the answers, so it should be avoided. Also, being in the present is an art that I developed over time after facing that interview. Staying focused on the present enhances one’s performance in every work zone.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator

IELTS Cue Card #Describe something that was broken in your home and then repaired

June 21, 2022 IELTS BAND7

IELTS Cue Card #Describe something that was broken in your home and then repaired

Describe something that was broken in your home and then repaired.
You should say:

What was it and when did it break?

How did it break?

How did you repair it?

And how was your experience?

IELTS Cue Card #Describe something that was broken in your home and then repaired

Sample Answer :

I am very fond of period pieces. Our old crown tv belonging to early 80’s can be categorized under e-antiquity. I still feel that nostalgia whenever I happen to watch it occasionally. I must say that the picture quality is still incomparable to those of the LED’s found nowadays. Few days back on my birthday, I decided to sit in front of my tv and watch some old episodes.

Just when I switched on the main plug, a rapturous spark shimmered in the picture tube and smoke ensued from the back. It was enough of the scene for me to acknowledge some major dismantlement in picture tube. Now, was it the age factor or did the supplies fluctuated abruptly was a little difficult to discern. For a moment, I was in a state of desolation for this loss. My TV had never been submitted to repairs earlier.

Anyways, I decided to call the repairman. It was a little onerous for me to locate the exact person who can repair the old crown tv. I mean, the company doesn’t even exist now. Still, after some stretched search, I finally found the mechanic. He was an old person and asked me to bring the television to his shop. I put the TV in the old cardboard box, which I preserved along my TV and took it to the shop. After close scrutiny, that old man informed me that I need to replace my picture tube along with few other circuitries. He said that he will have to ship it from Bombay and will take a few days for replacement and so, the TV needs to be put in his shop, which I shall be getting back in the perfect condition after, nearly 10 days. With a heavy heart, I agreed. I returned after 10 days and found my crown screen shining with the same quality picture as earlier.

I was beaming with happiness and joy. I thanked the old man for everything. Needless to say, I was very dejected at the initial loss but having it back in a perfect working condition gave me more delight than before.

STRONG WORDS

Word	Meaning
Onerous	difficult: Cracking IELTS is not very onerous task.

Follow-up Questions

Q. 1 Do you think there has been a degradation in quality of products used at home?

Sample Answer: Yes, indeed. There are ample of evidences to show that, although extra features have been added to the home gadgets but their strength, efficiency and shelf life has decreased significantly over the years. Electronic equipments like refrigerator, TV, heater etc. are clearly not that superior as they used to be earlier.

Q. 2 What kind of things do people like to repair by themselves?

Sample Answer: Earlier, we had just few home gadgets like transistor, TV; but still many times they needed the mechanic supervision, in case something goes wrong. Nowadays, on the contrary, we have a fat list of gadgets at home and still, by reading the instructions on web, many of the minor repairs can be undertaken at home only.

Q. 3 Do you think that major repair of digital equipments nowadays is accessible and affordable?

Sample Answer: Yes, I think that digital revolution has been reasonable in its growth, in the sense, that necessary repair and accessories ecosystem has also been developed along with. Not just metros and big cities, rather tier2 and tier3 cities today, too have the affordable repair shops round the corners.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator

IELTS Cue Card #Describe your visit to a place related to art, culture or knowledge

June 20, 2022 IELTS BAND7

IELTS Cue Card #Describe your visit to a place related to art, culture or knowledge

Describe your visit to a place related to art, culture or knowledge.
You should say:

What was the place and when did you visit it?

Who was you along with?

What did you see, feel and experience?

And if given a chance, would you like to revisit.

IELTS Cue Card #Describe your visit to a place related to art, culture or knowledge

Sample Answer :

People definitely experience excursions to several places in their lifetime. Visiting places containing different essence brings amusement and joy to our daily ordinary lives. I also happened to visit a place embodying the ancient art and culture. Through my interactions and reading of inscriptions, I truly added to my knowledge. They were the majestic caves of Ajanta and Ellora, located near Aurangabad in Maharashtra. They are basically the mural paintings on walls and roofs dedicated to the teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism. They were built by Rashtrakuta rulers of 7^th century. I visited them in my school summer break, back in 2020.

I went there along with my family; my mother, father and my elder brother. My brother was having his college break at that time. My brother always used to talk about the caves as a masterpiece of art and culture. So, my father applied for leave at his office, made our travel bookings by train and we together left for Aurangabad.

Well, as for me, it was a fascinating experience visiting the caves which are a museum of ancient art and culture. I was mesmerized to see the craftsmanship of the workers involved in this architecture. I saw the wall paintings and engravings of several Hindu gods and goddesses. Natural kaleidoscopic play of colours in these paintings is still intact. Krishna temple is the most fabulous temple inside. I totally felt like carried away by the tides of time. I was amazed to see the art marvel built in times of no technology and heavy machines. Simultaneously, I was getting goose bumps after reading and discussing the details of various temples in the precinct.

That trip triggered my love for ancient Indian art and culture. I even recorded the details in my diary. If I get another chance to revisit, I would definitely be more than willing. Those memoirs of the beauty carved in the stone are the indelible imprints in my mind, which keep on calling me for another visit.

IELTS Band 7 Dehradun
Near Ballupur Chowk, Dehradun

9634777700

7249900007

IELTS Band 7 Saharanpur
Parsvnath Plaza, Saharanpur

email: info at ieltsband7.com

IELTS online simulator

IELTS Speaking cue card: A friend who cleverly solved a problem

June 20, 2022 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Speaking cue card: A friend who cleverly solved a problem

Talk about a friend who cleverly solved a problem
You should say:

Who he/she is?

What the problem was?

What solution he gave?

And explain why you think his solution was clever.

IELTS Cue Card solved a problem

Sample Answer

We come across many problems in our day-to-day life. Some people can find workable solutions while others may seek help for tackling their problems. Today, I’m going to talk about a close friend who gave an effective solution to my problem. His name is Rishabh Agarwal. He is from Haryana. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.

I’m the manager of a primary school in Mumbai. It rains heavily in Mumbai in the rainy season which lasts from mid-June to early October. School kids cannot play any outdoor games during these months because playgrounds become slippery and muddy. The long rainy season affects children’s health and moods as well. It’s also not possible for kids to be in sport halls all the time. I discussed this problem with Rishabh and asked for his advice to handle this situation.

He came up with a clever idea of having pedals installed in school desks so that kids can pedal in classrooms. I loved his creative idea and thought of implementing it in our school. Within a month pedals were installed in five classrooms. It was an experiment to check kids’ response. To our surprise, children started using pedals regularly and the overall outcome was very positive. All students became physically active and their fitness and health levels improved dramatically. In studies too, kids did considerably well.

In my view, Rishabh’s solution was very clever for two main reasons. First of all, it was very practical. Secondly, it was not expensive. If the school had to spend a lot of money on this solution, I think it wouldn’t have been approved by the management committee. Sometimes a complex problem has a simple solution, we have to just strike the right note. I think those who use their knowledge in a practical way are better problem-solvers.

Some more ideas for this cue card

You were getting sleepless nights. Your friend recommended making your own tongue twisters and automatically falling asleep in the process.
Water glasses in your kitchen were full of hard water stains. You asked your friend for advice, who recommended mixing vinegar in your cleaning liquid. Amazing results.
Your child/nephew/cousin dropped their curry on a newly painted wall in a temper tantrum. It was looking ugly. Your friend helped you out by creating a swirly crème and brown design on the wall. It looked professional.

Another Similar Cue Card

Describe when a person solved a problem in a smart way.
You should say:

What was the problem?

Who solved it and how?

And w

hy do you think it a smart way?

SAMPLE ANSWER TWO:

We encounter so many problems in our everyday activities, which need only a spark of an idea to tackle with them. But, often, due to the lack of right reasoning along with the panic in our heads, the problem appears to be a herculean task and we fail to find the right solution. Similarly, I can recount an incident, when the sheer smartness and instantaneous wits of my friend helped tackle the situation in an unnoticed, humorous manner. During my school days, I used to take part in dramatics and had also won a few accolades in it. So, once, during an act in a very lengthy play in an Inter Public School Drama Competition, I met this forgetfulness of my dialogues. As it was a very crucial act, my forgetfulness could have brought embarrassment and eventually the poor scores to our school team.

It was then, when my friend and co actor Aditya came to my recue on the stage. In that act, there were a number of dialogues coupled together, which I had to speak in one go. My friend was acting as a villain in that play. I recited the initial lines glibly but then, suddenly, I lost the memory of my successive dialogue and began fumbling. Generally, it takes a few seconds lapse for the immersed audience to acknowledge the forgetting error in actors in a play; but once it happens, it results into a sarcastic laughter from their side and a total collapse of the successive act. So, before that could happen to us, my friend Aditya, who was there with me in that particular act, sprung up with a boisterous laugh, characteristic of a typical villain. He instantaneously gazed into my eyes, as if giving me the time to recollect the dialogues. Within a flash of time, I was able to remember my part. Once he got the affirmative gesture from me, he discontinued laughing and I resumed with my dialogues.

Well, the spontaneity, with which my friend came up with this additional laughter act, was equivalent to the drop of a hat. He not only disallowed the audience to take cognizance of that error, but, additionally, he also won brownie points for his sudden laughter. I think that was the only best thing to do at that time, which he did. I was highly impressed with his outstanding wits and presence of mind.

STRONG WORDS

Word	Meaning
Glib	smooth, in a flow: Student gave glib excuses to the teacher for his late arrival in the class.
Boisterous	loud and cheerful: Children often exhibit boisterous laughs rather gentle smiles.
Fumble	act/speak clumsily: Writing essays in a fumbled manner doesn’t give clarity in the text.
Prodigious	very big extent: Internet network worldwide is very prodigious.

Follow-up Questions

Q. 1 Why can’t most people act smartly amidst problems?

Sample Answer: I think, when a person is stuck in a problem, they usually ponder over the problem only, which makes it appear prodigious. This leads to the panic in their minds and an overall confusion which results in a further distance from the solution. Their hearts start sinking and minds go blank of knowledge which results in the total surrender to a problem.

Q. 2 How should one handle a problem?

Sample Answer: I think, one should not perceive the problem as a true problem. It should be considered as a little glitch only, in the path of accomplishment. One should treat it lightly and focus on the ideas to find a way out. Earnest efforts put together with a smart approach can make any problem go disappear.

Q. 3 Are problems good or bad to a person?

Sample Answer: By the first look, any problem appears to be the worst adversary to the person. But, actually, they serve as a mean to learn new skills and better coping mechanisms. It was the problem only, that gave birth to new inventions and innovations. For instance, problem of not having light in the night gave birth to Edison’s invention of light bulb. Every wrong path actually leads to a reduction of the total no. of paths and finally we are left with the right solution only.