Cue Card Sample
Describe a memorable event in your life - Cue Card # 669
- Details
- Written by IELTS Mentor
IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
Describe a memorable event in your life.
You should say:
- when the event took place
- where the event took place
- what happened exactly
and explain why this event was memorable for you.
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Life is full of many, many events. While we tend to forget most of these events, some of them do stick to our memories because of their profound meanings and values to us. Anyway, I would like to talk about one such event which, well, has helped me become the person I am today.
It was about 10 years ago, and I had just finished high school while still living with my parents in my home town. So, naturally, it was time for me to go to university. But, I didn’t want to attend just “any” university as I had prepared myself, at least I thought so during that period of time, for attending the best business college in my country except, of course, I needed to pass a very hard and comprehensive university admission test before I could actually fulfil my dream.
Anyway, as if passing a hard test wasn’t enough of a problem, when I took the test, I was actually suffering from some really bad cough and fever. So, naturally, I thought that I wasn’t going to pass the test. But, luckily, to the best surprise of my life, I did pass the admission test, and I did manage to attend the University of my dream, far away from my home town.
This event was memorable to me mainly because it was after this event I started to feel more confident, which I really lacked up until that point, about my life and its overall goals. Besides, it made me feel really happy and emotional because my years of hard work and effort had finally paid off, even though none of my family members or friends believed that I could actually pass the test because of my illness. Finally, and probably very importantly also it allowed me to explore my life and the world around me on my own, away from the comfort of staying at home with my parents while studying at one of the best universities in my country.
Model Answer 2:
Living would be a rather boring affair if we didn’t have any important and memorable events in our life once in a while. Thankfully, I have also had a number of such memorable events in my life, and I will go ahead and share the story of one such event.
Well, it all happened about 5 years from now when I had just started junior college. Naturally, I was quite excited, upbeat and enthusiastic about starting a new college because it allowed me to meet new people, make new friends, and learn about new environments.
Now, while everything else was going so smoothly in my new life, one thing was making me a bit uncomfortable, and that thing was the length of time that I was actually spending in order to commute back and forth to my new college from home. In fact, I was wasting a good one and a half hours of my valuable time every day travelling back and forth to my college because I was using a local bus.
As soon as I discussed this problem casually with my maternal grandfather, he told me that he was going to buy a “scooter” (a type of small and lightweight motorbike) to help me commute to my college quickly and easily. Initially, I thought that he was just joking with me or comforting me. But, a week later, when he actually asked me to go with him to a motorbike store, apparently because he was serious about buying a motorbike for me, I felt ecstatic. Then, when he actually handed me the key of that newly-bought motorbike, I felt like I was dreaming!
Needless, it is one of the most memorable events of my life, still to this date, because I had never really thought that I could ever own a motorbike at such a young age, even though I held this dream secretly in my heart since my childhood. It is so memorable for me also because the event allowed me to think and behave like a real adult for the first time!
Model Answer 3:
I'd like to talk about a memorable event in my life that left a lasting impression on me. It was an unforgettable experience that took place during my college years and holds a special place in my heart.
The event occurred during my second year of college, back in the spring of 2019. It was held at a prestigious auditorium in our city, which was known for hosting various cultural events and performances.
The event I am referring to was a college talent show organized by our student council. It aimed to provide a platform for students to showcase their unique talents and skills. Participants could sing, dance, act, or perform any other artistic acts they excelled in. The event attracted a large number of students from different departments of our college.
I remember being a part of the organizing committee for this talent show. My role involved managing backstage activities, coordinating with participants, and ensuring a smooth flow of the event. On the day of the event, the auditorium was filled with excitement and anticipation. Performers gave their best, captivating the audience with their incredible talents. We had singers belting out melodious tunes, dancers showcasing their graceful moves, and even magicians who left us in awe with their tricks. The entire event was a celebration of creativity and talent, and it created a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
This event holds a special place in my heart because it was not just about the performances; it was also a reflection of the unity and spirit of our college community. Witnessing the incredible talent and passion of my fellow students left me inspired and filled with a sense of pride for being a part of such a vibrant community. It was an evening filled with joy, laughter, and awe-inspiring moments that brought us all together.
This memorable event in my life served as a reminder of the immense talent and potential within our college community. It instilled in me a sense of appreciation for the arts and the power they hold in bringing people together. Even years later, I fondly reminisce about that event and the positive impact it had on me.
Sample Answer 4:
There are several joyful and memorable events in my life that I can summon up and out of those, I would like to talk about the day that my aunt was blessed with an adorable baby boy. This was an event that I still recall vibrantly.
My aunt gave birth to a healthy baby boy in a hospital a couple of years ago. When I saw a little prince crying on my aunt's lap, I was ecstatic and utterly surprised. A few months before that day, I was very pleased when I heard that my dearest aunt was going to give birth to a baby. I got very spirited and was counting the days with the anticipation of the baby. I speculated and anticipated lots of things I would do with the baby. So, the day when the baby came into the world was one of the happiest days of my life.
For the first time in my life, I felt a strong desire to kiss and hug a newborn. He was so adorable. I thanked God for this precious gift because my uncle and aunt had no children for many years even after their desperate tries to become parents. They gave birth to the baby after 15 years of their marriage and it was one of the best events for our entire family.
My aunt asked me to hold him and kiss him. But I was so afraid to touch him as I thought that might hurt him. I felt I was in another world that time with the baby. I stayed in the hospital that night. It gives me lots of happiness and that’s why I cherish this memory very much.
Part 3: Details Discussion/ Two-way Discussion.
Discussion Topic: The role of ceremony in our lives:
Q. How important are ceremonies in our lives?
Q. Do you see the role of private and public ceremonies changing in the future?
Discussion Topic: Attitudes to marriage in your country:
Q. Have attitudes to marriage changed in recent years?
Q. In what ways do men and women feel differently about marriage, in your opinion?
Discussion Topic: Events of national/global significance:
Q. What sort of national events make headlines in your country?
Q. Does the media in your country pay more attention to global or national events?
Please visit IELTS Speaking Sample # 6: Part 3 for the answers to these questions.
A few more Part 3 Questions that you can also prepare that are related to this topic:
Q. 1) What is the importance of different events and festivals in our life?
Answer: Well, we may not all celebrate different events and festivals in our life on a regular, but we just can’t deny the fact that these events and festivals have some huge implications for our social, cultural and economic life. After all, these things bring all of us together in a bond of love which may not always otherwise be possible. Besides, they also portray our culture, traditions, customs and lifestyles in a more meaningful and expressive manner while also teaching us to appreciate the value of our families, friends and relatives at the same time.
Q. 2) Why are some events more memorable and important than others?
Answer: Since this is an interesting question, I just don’t think that it can be or should be answered in just a few sentences. But, generally speaking, events become memorable and important based on how emotionally charged up we get, or how intimately, as in having a certain sentiment or bond, we get involved with these events. Besides, it also depends on how these events tend to affect our personal lives. Finally, it also depends on how frequently these events take place or are celebrated.
Q. 3) Does the type of events we celebrate change over time? [Why / Why not?]
Answer: All I would like to say here is - if this question is implying an illusion that these “changes” take place exclusively because someone might have just said somewhere that “this is a different time or different age”, then I will have to say “no” to answer this question. But, if someone maintains that these celebrations have changed due to some shifts in our social and cultural norms and values, as well as due to some changes in our personal and economic circumstances, then I guess that I will have to go with a “yes” to answer this question.
Q. 4) What type of changes do you think will take place in the way we celebrate different events in the future?
Answer: Well, it is hard to tell what the future exactly holds for us, but there are chances that fewer and fewer people will attend these events, probably because either they would be just too busy with their own work and family matters, or they just won’t see any “value” in attending these events any longer because we would probably become more “globalized” by forgetting about our own social and cultural roots. Besides, it is also possible that we are inventing new types of events and celebrations which would fit more with our busy and more sophisticated lifestyles.
Q. 5) Is it true that our childhood memories become the most important memories in our life when we grow up? [Why/ Why not?]
Answer: I will have to answer “yes” if someone asks me a question like this one. In fact, I also have found it to be true in the example of my own life when I had to recall one of my childhood memories in the recent past in order to stave off my fear of a certain type of dog. Now, as for the reason why childhood memories become so important in the latter part of our life, I would say that it is because, basically, whatever we learn or go through in our childhood pretty much defines what kind of person we would become when we grow up.
Q. 6) What, in your opinion, makes an event more memorable?
Answer: Well, it all depends on what kinds of events we are actually talking about. But, by and large, an event would be considered memorable only when a particular event serves its purpose(s). For example, in an event like a "wedding anniversary", the anniversary couple usually should be the centre of attention. But, if the decoration of the wedding anniversary podium actually becomes the centre of attention instead, the chances are that the event won’t be as memorable as one would have really expected. Finally, events in which we enjoy and meet the people we like, tend to become more memorable than others.
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