Cue Card Sample
A situation when you had to keep silent - Cue Card # 699
- Details
- Written by IELTS Mentor
IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
Describe a situation when you had to keep silent.
You should say:
- when it was
- where it was
- why you needed to remain silent
and explain how you felt about it.
[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:
I have read the “please keep silent” sign at many places before, but I never really took it too seriously, perhaps because keeping silent isn’t exactly my nature. But, I still needed to maintain my silence once because the situation had just demanded it. Today, I would like to break that story and tell you what the situation really was.
It was about a couple of years ago when I took my little niece to take an admission test for grade 1 at an elementary school, which was a bit far away from where my niece's family lived. My niece, a 4-year-old girl, was a bit nervous about being left alone in a completely strange place. So, I decided to stay close to my niece in a separate room, next to the place where my niece was taking the test.
Since the admission test would continue for one good hour, I thought that it would be better for me if I had just used my phone to inform my elder brother about how her little daughter was doing. But, as soon as I started to talk over my phone in a rather low voice, I was asked to keep silent. Understanding the situation, I then decided to pick up some newspapers from the desk and read them to pass my time. But, even that privilege was taken away from me, simply because I was making just a bit too much noise when I was turning the newspaper pages!
Apparently, the school authority didn’t want to distract the little children while they were taking the admission test. So, I just kept my silence at the test venue like a “good boy” until the test was over.
How did I feel about it? Well, initially, I felt a bit annoyed with such a strong rule about maintaining silence, but I eventually realized that so was done only to help the children to keep their maximum focus on the test. Besides, the practice also gave me an early impression that my little niece would learn the much-needed lessons on maintaining discipline in life from an early age if admitted to that school.
Model Answer 2:
A situation where I found myself compelled to maintain silence occurred a few months ago while I was studying in the university library. For this excellent topic, I will tell you about this event. But before I go further telling you about my experience of this event, I would like to thank you for this interesting topic.
This incident unfolded during one of my routine study sessions in the university library, a tranquil place brimming with books and knowledge, where students go to delve into their studies and broaden their intellectual horizons.
The need for silence arose from the library's established etiquette, which mandates quietude to facilitate an optimal environment for concentration and scholarly endeavours. As I immersed myself in my studies, surrounded by fellow students engaged in their academic pursuits, adhering to this unspoken code of silence became imperative to respect the collective quest for knowledge and learning.
While initially challenging, maintaining silence in the library soon became second nature, as I embraced the serene atmosphere and harnessed its tranquillity to enhance my focus and academic productivity. Despite the occasional temptation to engage in conversation or express excitement over newfound discoveries, I recognized the importance of upholding silence as a gesture of respect for my fellow students and as a means of fostering a conducive environment for academic excellence.
In hindsight, the experience of adhering to silence in the university library emphasised the significance of mindfulness and consideration for others in shared spaces. By embracing the tranquillity of the library and honouring its established norms of silence, I not only cultivated a deeper appreciation for the value of focused concentration but also contributed to the collective ambience of academic dedication and intellectual exploration.
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