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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.

Describe an important day you celebrate in your country.

You should say:

• what day it is
• how you celebrate this day
• how this is different from other celebrations

and explain why this is an important day to celebrate.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer 1:
In Malaysia, we have several important days and events that we celebrate in our country. While all of these important days spread the love and harmony, none of them really brings all Malaysians as close as the “Heri Merdeka” which is the independence day of Malaysia.

This important day is on August 31st. On this very day, a regally-attired bespectacled man, popularly known as the father of the Malaysian Independence Mr Tunku Abdul Rahman, stood up in the field at Merdeka Stadium of Kuala Lumpur and declared ‘Merdeka!’ seven times to thunderous applause from the thousands of people gathered there.

Merdeka in the Malay language means “independence”. And with that resounding chanting and applause from thousands of Malaysians, our great country Malaysia finally gained its independence from the British rule in the year of 1957. This Independence Day celebration is different from other celebrations because every year since 1957, there has been a new them for its celebration. For example, last year (in the year of 2019) was ‘Sayangi Malaysiaku: Malaysia Bersih’, which translates to ‘Love My Malaysia: A Clean Malaysia’.

We Malaysians celebrate this independence day with a truly festive mood as people from all walks of life show their love for the country by displaying flags on their cars, outside their homes and on the facade of shop-houses. Then they also attend the independence day parade, both large and small, in different parts of Malaysia in addition to our capital city. Besides, many cultural performances are also held in different parts of our country on this important national day.

Anyway, this national day is an important day for us to celebrate because it unites the citizens from all walks of life in our country in a common cause, and that is to understand and appreciate the many blessings and gifts our great country has received. Besides, the celebration also allows us to get together with our families and friends from all over the country and enjoy some good time which is not always possible in this large scale at any other time of the year.

Sample Answer 2:
I live in New York City in the USA and Christmas is a very important day that all the Americans celebrate. 25th December is the Christmas day and this is a major celebration around the world. The day celebrates Jesus Christ's birthday and it is an annual celebration which is a significant event in my country.

As 25th December is the commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, this is a religious as well as cultural celebration in the USA. This is a public holiday in our country. In the United States of America, there are different traditions and ways of celebrating this day. Gift-giving is a part of this celebration and people exchange gifts to observe this day. Symbolic decoration, family gathering and feasting are also part of this day. People often buy gifts for their dear and beloved ones and sharing a traditional meal with the family is an integral part of this celebration. Gift giving and other shopping-related activities of the Christmas make it a key sales period for the business. Christmas celebration in our country also includes Christmas card exchanging, completing an Advent calendar, carolling and Christmas music, lighting a Christingle, Church services, different decoration including Christmas trees, candles, candy, canes, wreaths, lights, garlands and many more activities- both religious and traditional. Santa clause is also associated with the tale that he brings gifts to children.

In the days preceding Christmas, many Catholics hold religious processions. In my opinion, family reunions and exchanging gifts are the two most significant parts of this festival. Many churches and homes display illuminated, Nativity scenes commemorating the humble birth of Jesus. People in my country love to decorate their houses - both inside and outside. Rockefeller Centre in New York has a huge Christmas tree with a public ice skating rink. I often visit this place with my friends.

The Christmas is quite a different celebration in terms of its significance, traditional prospects, religious value, variations in celebrations among different nations, its effects on businesses, and moreover the wide-spread acceptance and participation of non-Christians of this festival. People prepare for this day for the whole December and gather with family members which make it a unique festival in the USA.

This is without any doubt the most significant celebration among the Christian people all around the world. As the USA has a majority of the Christian population, Christmas is an important religious and cultural event for them. This is the remembrance of Jesus Christ and a very important day for the whole Christian community and this is especially true for the USA.

Sample Answer 3:
Celebrations in Russia are a bit different from other countries. Some of the celebrations here take place with majestic preparations and last longer. White Nights Festival is one of the most popular festivals for my city St. Petersburg and for this cue card topic I would love to talk about this celebration.

The festival lasts for around or over a month. Usually, it begins from May each year and lasts till the early part of July. At this time, the nights turn brighter in St. Petersburg. It happens as this is the most northern city in the world. Due to its geographical location, the sun does not set like it is seen in the other parts of the world. Even, the difference between day and night is not distinguished at all for the bright sun. In fact, the nights turn white and marking the event, the citizens celebrate the days. Interestingly, since there are no dark, even at the night time, the municipal authorities do not need to switch on the street lights for many days during this time.

Generally, this is the time for festivals. A wide number of cultural festivals take place in this period and most of them happen at night times. The White Nights have become the symbol of the city and many of the festival-loving people wait for the month eagerly. Almost all the festivals are enriched with cultural elements of the locality. Marking the festival, different performances take place in the city theatres, open spaces and in concert halls. Most of the time the White Nights Festival is organized by the city administration of St. Petersburg. The festival begins in May and inaugurated with the Starts of the White Nights event which is a series of ballet and opera performance. Classical ballet is the key attraction of this event and a pre-booking of tickets is a must to enjoy the show.

This White Nights Festival is completely different from the other festivals. The majority of the festivals take place either in the first or last part of the year but this one takes place almost in the middle of the year. Besides, the festival is not linked up with any special occasions or to pay tribute to any specific issues. Rather, this is a festival to pass some leisure hours in complete relaxation. There are hardly any differences between day and night times. So, the people enjoy their moments in the period of White Nights. In addition, the entire city becomes the stage for local and international stars. A notable number of international stars perform here. The carnivals that take place during this time are also adorable and completely different from the other carnivals and shows that take place at other times of the year.   

This is an important festival in the country and particularly for the locals of St. Petersburg. A good number of crowd gathers every year in this place to enjoy the shows. The festival is one of the largest ones in the country and people and artists often wear costumes that represent the past days. Fun is the synonym of the festival. Since it lasts longer, people have more time to make fun and enjoy themselves. Besides, public events like the Scarlet Sails is an event of high importance. The fireworks, concerts and water shows fill the night with enchantment. For all such reasons, the White Night Festival is very important.

More Ideas to talk about this Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card topic:

Topic: Describe an important day you celebrate in your country.

1. Celebrating New Year’s Day is filled with fun in Vietnam. The day is celebrated on the first date of January each year amid great festivity. This celebration is entirely different from other celebrations because people from all walks of life participate here, and I join them. It is the beginning of a new year and people aspire for a fresh beginning. So, they celebrate the day in special manners. And thus the day bears a great significance to us.

2. The celebration of the All Saints Day is an important day for the people of Great Britain. The day is celebrated on the first day of November annually. It is the time to pay tribute to saints across the country and the world. This is a type of religious festival. So, it usually does not have a universal appeal. And I ensure my participation in the events of the day. Despite the fact, the day is important because the people pray for the saints and their souls. In return, they expect the same from the saints to have a happy and prosperous life.

3. National Freedom Day is an important day for the USA people. This is a special day but not a public holiday. It is celebrated on February 1 each year. The other days are observed amid festivities but there are some exceptions in observing this day. People mostly take part in academic and discussions. The knowledge about the freedom of the nation and the country is shared among the readers and listeners of different meetings. So, this is an important day to celebrate in the country.

4. Observance of "May Day" in China is a wonderful activity. The day is celebrated across the country with different types of events and shows. The celebration is different because people of all spheres get on the streets to enjoy the shows and parades. All the cities are filled with people – either participating in the parades or enjoying them. The day is celebrated with great importance because it was the protest to change the working hours. People had to work longer hours in past and the day has changed the system. So, it is important to celebrate it.

5. The Valentine’s Day is celebrated across the globe on February 14th and Thailand is not an exception to embrace the celebration. I celebrate the day by wishing to my family members. Since I do not have any boyfriend, I do not need to wait for their wish or to wait to wish them. The celebration of the day is interesting. The day is more popular with young people than elders. They celebrate the day and share their feelings and emotions. Often they propose each other and thus the day is important for them and other people.
 

Some other important days that you can describe for this cue card topic:

1. New Year.
2. Christmas day.
3. Eid-ul-Fitr.
4. Eid-ul-Azha.
5. Independence day.
6. New year's eve.  
7. Chinese New Year, China.
8. Saint Patrick's day, Ireland.
9. The Carnival of Venice, Italy.
10. Halloween.
11. Holi, India.
12. Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, China.
13. White Nights Festival, Russia.
14. Day of the dead, Mexico.
15. Pingxi Lantern Festival, Taiwan.
16. La Tomatina, Spain.
17. Oktoberfest - Germany.
18. Songkran water festival, Thailand.
19. Full moon party, Thailand. 

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