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

Describe a time when you saw something interesting on social media.

You should say:

• what you saw
• where you saw it
• how you felt about it

and explain why you think it was interesting.

[Instruction: 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:

Social media attracts all sorts of ideas, thoughts and behaviours from all kinds of people, from all over the world. And therefore, it is quite natural that we will get to see something interesting on these open platforms from time to time, if not always, and today I would like to talk about one such interesting thing.

Well, I should rather call it a “video” – a video of a seemingly irritated antler that was trying to pick up a fight with a photographer. I saw this interesting video on Facebook, the largest social media platform, about a few months ago when I was idly browsing for something interesting on my computer at my home. Having found nothing, worth reading or viewing, I decided to visit Facebook, and it was at that time that I saw this video on my Facebook news feed. 

In that video, I saw a photographer trying to video a very beautiful looking antler while passing by an unprotected “wildlife sanctuary” of the sort except, of course, the antler was definitely not in her mood to be filmed. The antler even made her intention clear about not being filmed, by trying to attack the photographer in a mild manner. But, on the other hand, the “unruly” photographer was in no mood to leave the irritated antler alone, infuriating the animal even further in the process.

This tussle between the antler and the stubborn photographer had continued for almost 20 minutes before the photographer finally decided to respect the privacy of that exotic looking antler. What a fine and unadulterated entertainment for a good 20 minutes it really was, and that’s the only thing I could think after finishing watching the nice video!

Anyway, I found this video to be very interesting because it had managed to capture some of the rarest moments of a very “stubborn and yet very proud” antler in action. Besides, the video was made with such masterstroke, by using all angles, that it would actually be impossible to leave the video without watching it till the very end!

Sample Answer 2:

Introduction: 
Social media has become an integral part of our lives, and we spend a significant amount of time scrolling through our feeds. I have come across various interesting posts on social media, but one post, in particular, caught my attention, and I would like to talk about it for this interesting topic.

What you saw: 
I was browsing my Instagram feed when I came across a video of a man feeding a group of tigers in a wildlife sanctuary. The man was sitting on the ground, and the tigers were lying next to him, and he was feeding them raw meat. The video was short but captivating, and I couldn't help but watch it repeatedly.

Where you saw it:
I saw this video on Instagram, a popular social media platform for sharing photos and videos. The user who shared the video was a wildlife photographer, and he had captured this incredible moment during his visit to the sanctuary.

How you felt about it:
As an animal lover, I was fascinated and intrigued by this video. The tigers looked calm and at ease, and their interaction with the man was heartwarming. The video captured a unique and rare moment that I had never seen before, and it left me in awe.

And explain why you think it was interesting:
The video was interesting because it captured a rare moment in nature where humans and wild animals coexisted peacefully. It showcased the connection and trust that can exist between animals and humans when treated with respect and care. Moreover, it raised awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and preserving their natural habitat. This video served as a reminder of the beauty and wonders of nature and how important it is to cherish and protect it. It left a lasting impression on me, and I hope to come across more such fascinating content in the future.

Model Answer 3:

Introduction: 
It is undeniable that social media websites and platforms have become an important part of our lives, and billions of people, all around the world, use different social media websites. We often come across interesting content while scrolling through our feeds on social media platforms, and some of them are so interesting that we tend to remember them and think about them. One such incident that I recall was when I saw an intriguing video on Facebook. Today I will talk about it here for this topic. 

What you saw:
The video was about an artist who created stunning sculptures out of scrap metal. The video showcased the artist's incredible talent and the intricate details in each sculpture.

Where I saw it:
I came across this video while browsing my Facebook feed during my leisure time about a few months ago.

How you felt about it:
I was fascinated by the artist's creativity and skill. Watching the video was an eye-opener for me as it made me realize that anything can be turned into art with enough creativity and imagination. I was also impressed by how the artist was able to transform everyday objects into masterpieces.

And explain why you think it was interesting:
The video was interesting to me because it made me appreciate the value of creativity and art. It inspired me to look at ordinary things from a different perspective and to explore the endless possibilities of art. Moreover, it helped me to realize that social media can be a great source of inspiration and learning if we use them correctly.

Tips:

Topic: Describe a time when you saw something interesting on social media.

Here are our tips on answering this Cue Card Topic:

For this candidate task card topic, you need to speak about something "interesting" that you have watched/read/noticed or seen on a social media platform. You need to give details about the type of content you have seen that you thought was interesting, talk about the social media platform or website where you saw it, a little background about when and how you saw it, how you felt seeing/reading/watching it and finally why, in your opinion, it was interesting.  

So we will first explain what types of content could be considered "interesting". Please note that "interesting" is a subjective term here, and something utterly fascinating to one person could be annoying or boring to another person. Nonetheless, a few common interesting things that people often enjoy on social media platforms or websites are - 

- an interesting post or video about a scientific breakthrough
- a viral video
- news about a celebrity or political leader
- a compilation of cute dogs/cats (or any pet) videos.
- a video on space/ time travel
- a trending video
- an intriguing political news
- a video on underwater lives
- an investigative small documentary
- an animated short film
- a post that explains why a popular belief is just a myth
- a knowledgeable post on an interesting topic
- a sneak peek of a new gadget
- a recipe that shows how to cook food that you really like
- a tutorial that shows how to start a hobby
- easy tutorial about something that you are interested in learning
- an article and facts about the history
- an article about the prediction of the future of the world
- an interesting 10-minute craft
- a how-to tutorial that you really liked
- tips on health that are intriguing
- tips on how to better exercise daily
- list and pictures of foods that are beneficial for our health
- a concept of a technological item or gadget (for example - a concept phone or a concept car) that you found very interesting
- a DIY project that was really practical and simple
- a video or tutorial that debunks a common misconception
- a tutorial/article or video that advises on investing, savings, and prudently using money
- a video about a difficult science topic that explains it to ordinary audiences
- a post about an interesting tourist destination

... and so on

Now we will list down the most common and popular social media platforms. Please mention the name of the social media platform when you talk about this topic. Also, mention how long you usually use this social media network and for what purposes. 

Global: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Reddit, LinkedIn, Quora, YouTube. 

Some Regional: Sina Weibo (China), Zhihu (China), VKontakte (Russia).

Finally, we will give you some ideas that you can say while describing why the content you watched on that social media was so gripping: 

- it helped me learn something new.
- I never had thought about it in that way, so it was an eye-opener for me
- the content/video explains something that I have always felt passionate about
- it debunked a misconception and helped me learn the truth
- it exposed a crime and helped us learn the truth
- it was so entertaining, and I really had a great time watching/reading it
- the idea was novel, and it made me think a lot about it
- the presentation itself was very intriguing and the narrator had an uncanny skill of explaining the whole thing

Some synonyms of interesting that you can use to describe the content:

Fascinating, gripping, compelling, amusing, intriguing, exciting, thought-provoking, enthralling, spellbinding, captivating, beguiling, entertaining. 

Some examples of how to use those words and synonyms:

Fascinating: It was so fascinating. Just after watching it, I could not help but share it with my friends. 

Gripping: The gripping content glued me to my desk till the end, and I am sure it is something utterly fascinating that I have watched in a while.

Compelling: The video I am talking about was so compelling and interesting that it had been shared more than 2 million times. 

Amusing: This DIY project was amusing from the perspective that it was practical and very much doable, unlike many other projects that seem easy at first glance but are, in fact, utterly difficult. 

Intriguing: This intriguing post shares with us how a puzzling crime like that had been solved by a team of just three detectives. 

Exciting: This barely two-minute video content was so exciting that I had watched it at least thrice and could not help but laugh out loud!

Thought-provoking: It was written by one of the most renowned journalists in our country, and it gives us a thought-provoking insight into corruption and crimes. 

Enthralling: This enthralling viral video was surely something that amused me and my colleagues when we first noticed it in our office. 

Spellbinding: The spellbinding life of this sea creature, which is barely an inch long, is surely proof that we are yet to fully understand evolution and its process.

Captivating: It was just captivating. I could not think of anything else when I first laid my eyes on this.  

Beguiling: It was creative, beguiling and thoroughly delightful. 

Entertaining: I think the post got so much attention from all types of visitors primarily because it was utterly entertaining.

• IELTS Cue Card
• IELTS Speaking
• Candidate Task Card
• Speaking Part 2

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