IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card
Describe something that surprised you and made you happy.
You should say:
What it was?
Who did this?
How you found out about it and what you did?
And explain why it surprised you and made you happy?
Note: 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:
Introduction:
Well, giving and receiving surprises is common nowadays.
Who did this?
Here I would like to talk about which made me glad, and it was given by my elder brother.
How you found out about it and what you did?
Actually, last year I was in the 12th class. So I needed to clear the exams with good grades in order to get admission in the best university for my higher study.
At that time, my brother promised me to give a surprise gift if I would clear the exams with flying colours.
As I love surprises, I burnt the midnight oil to get the first division in senior secondary exams. With god’s grace, it happened, and I stood first in the class.
After declaring my result, my brother was very happy. He gifted me a box titled “open me, a surprise is waiting for you”.
When I opened it, I received the key to the bike. Initially, I couldn’t understand what that was. Then I immediately run towards the backyard of my home.
And explain why it surprised you and made you happy? and What it was?
Honestly speaking, I was a bolt from the blue after watching a brand-new bike in front of me. My happiness had no bound, and I felt on top of the world.
Besides this, I was on the verge of tears. I hugged my brother tightly because I was not expecting such a great surprise. By seeing my happiness, he felt inner complacency.
For the next few days, he taught me all ins and outs of driving and now I’m good at it.
Conclusion:
Overall, this was a great surprise that made me happy, and it was an electrifying experience for me ever.
Model Answer 2:
Introduction and What it was?
- I have been surprised many times, but one incident that I remember very vividly is my 16th birthday.
Who did this?
- My best friend Anchal planned a birthday party for me.
- I had no idea about it, and it was such a wonderful surprise.
- My 16th birthday was just a few weeks before the exams.
- I knew everyone would be busy preparing for the exams, so I decided not to have a party with my friends that year.
- We were in 10th standard, and it was very important to score good grades that year.
- Usually, every year I start planning for my birthday weeks in advance. I am always excited about my big day.
- I was so sad that I will not have a birthday party that year.
- I was jealous of my friends who either had their birthdays after the exams or much before.
- On my birthday, my best friend Anchal called me to her house in the evening to help her with some math problems.
- I didn’t find it odd as we do usually study together at each other’s house.
How you found out about it and what you did?
- When I reached there, I got the surprise of my life.
- As soon I entered her house, I heard Happy Birthday wishes from all corners of her drawing room.
- All my friends were there, my parents and my sister were there.
- There were decorations and balloons everywhere, and there was a big cake on the table.
- I couldn’t believe my eyes. How did she do it, when did she get the time, and why are all my friends here and not home studying?
- I had so many questions for her. She told me that she knew how much this day meant to me.
- So, she conspired with my friends to throw me a little surprise party that day.
- They decided to keep it at her house, so I won’t figure it out.
- They even studied a bit extra every day that week so they could attend my birthday.
- She even involved my parents. I was surprised that they knew, and they didn’t let me know what was going on.
And explain why it surprised you and made you happy? and Conclusion:
- I was so happy that I got a party and celebrated my 16th birthday with all my loved ones.
- I couldn’t thank Anchal enough for making my day so special.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 : Follow up Questions
Here some examples of follow up questions that you may asked during your speaking part 3 by examiner related to cue card “describe something that surprised you and made you happy”.
1. How do people express happiness in your culture?
People express happiness in different ways in my culture. I think in all cultures, a smile is the most common way to express happiness. In my culture, people express it by celebrating their happiness with their loved ones by having a party, cooking something special, buying gifts, etc.
2. Do you think happiness has any effect on people? How?
Happiness is contagious. It spreads and uplifts the moods of everyone around you. It gives meaning and purpose to life. It also has many health benefits like better sleep, lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, stronger immune system, etc.
3. How can people be happy?
People can be happy by focusing on good things and being satisfied with what they have in life. Also, people should remind themselves that life can be tough at times but if they stay positive, they can conquer the hurdles and get past the difficult situations.
Another way to be happy is to be with people who bring you joy and stay away from negative people who try to bring you down.
4. Is it good for people to be unhappy? Why?
No, it’s not good to be unhappy. Good mental health is very important for our wellbeing and being unhappy can lead to depression and anxiety. Sometimes it’s hard to force the mind to stay positive and in such cases, meditation and deep breathing can help us stabilize our mind and chase the blues away.
Credits
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash