Cue Card Sample

IELTS Cue Card Sample 99 - Describe one of your favourite electronic media

Details
Written by IELTS Mentor

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

Describe one of your favourite electronic media (like TV/ radio etc.)

You should say:

  • what is it and why it's your favourite
  • what you do with it
  • why it is useful to you

and describe the advantages and disadvantages of this media.

[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:

The first television, as we see it today, was first invented by a young guy called Philo Taylor Farnsworth in 1927. But, little did the young American inventor, still, in his very early 20's, know that his first "electronic television" would change the trajectory of the world of showbiz and news in such dramatic fashion. Today, with more than 1.4 billions of households (out of 1.9 billions of them) in the world, including me, own at least one TV set, it is fair to conclude that TV still today arguably is the most popular electronic media for the mainstream viewers including me.
 
Anyway, I don't know about others, but I like my television more than a radio or internet simply because I have been watching it since the day I began to understand the world around me, and also because I am just a bit too much traditional to let go of it just yet.  But, to be more precise, I like my TV because it provides me with an escape from the hustle and bustle of a busy life when I need it the most. Whether I want to watch or listen to some news or just need to unwind myself by watching a good game, I know that my TV won't disappoint me. 
 
Then, of course, when I am in a "serious" mood to learn something important, I just know that I can rely upon my "audio and video" box in order to watch some of my favourite documentary shows on the "discovery" or "history" channel. Finally, I seldom have to worry about hitting a movie theatre in order to watch a good movie simply because I know that I will be able to watch it on my cable TV one day, sooner or later. 
 
Television can be many things to many people, but the biggest advantage of having a TV is that this particular electronic media has the ability to unite millions of us around a common cause and interest by offering us a verified and trusted source/platform for news, cultures, sports and entertainment. A good TV program can also improve our world views, encourages proper education and understanding, elevates our curiosity and triggers our imagination. 
 
But, that doesn't mean that television is without its fair share of criticism as watching too much television by remaining indoors can detach us from the realities of the outside world. Besides, the study suggests that excessive TV watching (more than 3 hours a day) can cause sleep difficulties, lower grades (in children) and behavioural problems. People, who watch too much TV, are socially inept, due to the lack of enough social interaction, as well as obese due to the inability to burn the excess calorie intake in their bodies. Finally, there are just too much vulgarity and illicit content on some channels which can have some dire consequences on young children.
 

Having said that, if we use it for good, it can be a marvellous electronic media for the whole family.  

 

Model Answer 2:

My favourite electronic media is television, and I guess this is the most popular electronic media in the world. With the popularity of the satellite channels and diversity of the programmes offered by different channels, people have started accepting TV as a mean to enjoy their time. 

With the satellite network connection watching even more than 500 channels cost a very little per month in my country. A large number of TV channels offer information, news, entertainment, an insight into an event, weather reports, live shows and so on. People can spend hours after hours watching TV programmes which are thoroughly entertaining and educative. People heavily rely on their television for latest and international news. The audio-visual representation of news and information on TV are easier to grasp than that of other media. 

What do I do with this electronic media? Well, I watch the news, documentaries, movies and music shows on TV. Many TV channels offer specialised programmes for people and among them, I find National Geographic, Discovery and the BBC very reliable and authentic source of information. As we have a smart TV at our house, I often connect to the Internet and watch my favourite videos on YouTube or use an application like Skype to talk to a friend. With a smart TV, the possibility is virtually limitless.   

The television is the primary source of news, information and entertainment for many around the world and TV channels are constantly working to educate people and let them know the local and international events. One can easily watch a TV programme while doing other tasks. This is quite impossible for other media like the print media. The variation of programmes is helpful for people to easily pick one’s favourite channels. We can watch live events and news on TV and with the advancement of technology, it has become easier for everyone to own a TV at home.

The main drawback of this media is that people become addicted to TV programmes and thus often stay indoors rather than going out and socialise. On top of that, politically biased news sometimes misleads people and causes unavoidable conflicts. Overwatching television has health-related issues and specifically harms children who watch TV programmes for long hours. Apart from that, international TV channels are often thought to be the reason for the cultural degradation of youths.

 

Similar Cue Card topics:

Your ability to talk about this Cue Card Topic would enable you to talk about the following Cue Card Topics as well:

  1. Describe your favourite source of news.
  2. Describe a TV channel you like.
  3. Describe a newspaper or a magazine you often read.

 

Rating 4.64 (7 Votes)
RSS