IELTS SPEAKING CUE CARD
[PART 2]
AN INTERESTING ANIMAL
Describe a time you saw an interesting animal
You should say:
- What it was
- Where you saw it
- What it did
And explain why you think it was interesting
A N S W E R
Well, I grew up watching the movie The Lion King countless times and I memorized every single scene of it. One heart-wrenching scene that’s really memorable to me was when Mufasa the Lion, the father of the cub Simba, passed on because of the wildebeest stampede. It’s still vivid in my memory that when I was a child, I abhorred the hyenas for running after the wildebeest, if not because of them the father of Simba, would not have died.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Countless [adj.] – very many
Heart-wrenching [adj.] – extremely sad
Cub [noun] – baby lion
Vivid [adj.] – very clear
Hyena [noun] – a doglike African mammal with forelimbs longer than their hind-limbs
Wildebeest [noun] – a large antelope with a long head, a beard and a mane, and sloping back
Pass on [phrasal verb] – die
Stampede [noun] – a sudden panicked rush
Abhor [verb] – regard with disgust and hatred
Run after [phrasal verb] – chase
TIP
i.) In this part, the speaker did not immediately give the subject of his story, instead, he talked about one particular movie which he saw in his childhood that involved many kinds of animals as the characters of that movie. Then, he talked about one scene from that movie that affected him much and he used it to indirectly introduce which animal he considered as interesting. It’s a creative way to develop an introductory part of the story and is well-organized with a smooth transition.
So today, I’d like to talk about hyenas, especially the female hyenas, as they have fascinating characteristics that I believe are very peculiar. Actually, not a lot of people know that female hyenas rule their clan as they are more muscular and aggressive compared to male hyenas. This is because they have more testosterone in their body than the male ones. That is the complete opposite of other animals, especially the lions. In addition, they have pseudo-male genital organs but it’s actually their own elongated genital organ. That is a unique physical feature of them!
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Fascinating [adj.] – extremely interesting
Peculiar [adj.] – unique; different from what is normal
Clan [noun] – a close-knit group; group
Testosterone [noun] – a male hormone
Pseudo [adj.] – not real
TIP
i.) Here the speaker talked about the interesting characteristics of the animal which he found interesting. He explained as to why those characteristics were interesting by comparing them to other animals. Take note, you are asked to talk about an interesting animal so make sure you are giving information that is surprising not the usual ones. Observe how the speaker presented some really interesting facts about hyenas.
Anyway, I’ve never seen hyenas in person, I just saw them in the movie The Lion King and some videos on YouTube, especially the BBC Earth Channel. Watching videos about hyenas makes me want to know more about them and I would really love to see them in the flesh. Well, if you happen to watch videos of hyenas, you will find that their laughs are creepy which most people dislike. However, scientists discovered that their giggle or laugh indicates social status which allows them to establish feeding rights and organize their food-gathering activities. These facts are more than interesting, and honestly after knowing these facts, I’ll never perceive or see the three main hyena characters in the movie, The Lion King, the same.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
In person [phrase] – personally; physically; with the personal presence
In the flesh [phrase] – another term for “in person”
Creepy [adj.] – frightening
Perceive [adj.] – view; see; interpret
I’ll never see/perceive something the same [expression] – to now have a different perspective of something after learning some facts, ideas, or opinions
TIPS
i.) THIRD PARAGRAPH: In this part, the speaker transitioned to talking about where he saw hyenas and this answered to the prompt ‘where you saw it’. Notice the expressions he used when doing this part.
ii.) FOURTH PARAGRAPH: Here, the speaker added one interesting characteristic of a hyena to extend his monologue a little bit more. It’s a great technique to maximize his two-minute time. And finally, he ended his answer, by stating that he now had a different perspective of hyenas after learning those facts. The good thing here is that he’s able to connect his ending to the intro of his story when he talked about the movie, The Lion King. It’s a great way to wrap up his monologue.
PART 3
What can you say about animals kept in the zoo?
Personally, I’m against keeping animals in the zoo because I believe they should be freed. I want them to enjoy their freedom to live and interact with other animals naturally, as it should be. I do not like the fact that some zoos are making money from those pathetic and caged animals. For me, they are taking the rights of those animals away to live on their own, and worse some zoos are maltreating them for not feeding them right. Honestly, I do not pay a visit to any zoo because it just makes me feel upset.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
As it should be [expression] – indeed; the right thing to do
Pathetic [adj.] – pitiful
Caged [adj.] – confined in a cage
Take something away [phrasal verb] – to remove something
Maltreat [verb] – abuse; ill-treat; treat violently
Pay a visit to [idiom] – to go somewhere
Upset [adj.] – disappointed; distressed
TIP
i.) The speaker gave his opinion right away on why he didn’t like animals kept in the zoo. He stressed his opinion that animals had the right to live on their own and that should be respected by people. He explained his argument further by stating the fact that some zoos did not treat those animals well and he emphasized the fact that he didn’t like the idea that some made money from those animals in the zoo. It’s a well-explained opinion that shows his love of animals. Don’t be afraid to have a strong opinion on something during your IELTS Speaking exam, your exam is your opportunity to showcase your ability to express yourself with the use of the English language.
Do you think it is safe for animals to live in the cities?
Absolutely not, cities are not their natural habitat. As we know major cities are filled with different types of pollution such as noise, air, and water, among others. Forcing animals to live in the concrete jungle is just putting their lives in danger. It is an indirect way of making them die gradually. Well anyway, I am talking about those animals that are kept in the zoo, I have nothing against those people who own pets like dogs or cats because those kinds of animals can naturally live with humans.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Natural habitat [noun] – the natural home or environment of plants, animals, and organisms
Concrete jungle [noun] – a city or urban area that has a high density of buildings and is perceived to be an unpleasant environment
In danger [idiom] – in a situation in which loss of life or serious harm is possible
Gradually [adv.] – slowly
Have nothing against [idiom] – no reason to dislike
TIP
i.) The speaker gave a negative response to the question and talked about cities as not the right place for animals to live or exist. He then talked about the poor conditions of cities including the many different kinds of pollution. Then, he transitioned by saying that he was only talking about those wild animals, not those animals that can be domesticated like dogs and cats as they can naturally adapt to living with humans in cities. This kind of answer is very realistic and straightforward!
What kinds of challenges do pet owners have?
Well, I see several challenges that pet owners face such as when they go out of the country, they cannot take their pets with them unless they apply for a permit, however, doing such is daunting and costly. In addition, if pet owners are living in an apartment, more often than not, their next-door neighbor would complain about the noise of their pets. Besides, if the pet owner is extremely busy with his work, and if his pet is a dog, he might not be able to walk the dog, and without a doubt, that affects his dog’s physical and emotional health since dogs need to spend time outside every now and again.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Daunting [adj.] – intimidating; seeming difficult to deal with
Next-door [adj.] – living or situated next door
Walk the dog [phrase] – to walk with a pet so that it gets exercise
Without a doubt [phrase] – indisputably
Every now and again [phrase] – from time to time
TIP
i.) The speaker enumerated the challenges one by one and provided a relevant explanation for each challenge. Notice how he presented each challenge using connectors like “in addition” and “besides”. Using these can help you organize your answer better and use this kind of technique whenever you need to enumerate some ideas.
How are pets now different from those in the past?
Well, I am not sure about the difference as I find them the same – I mean some pets are adorable, fluffy, cuddly, affectionate, exotic, and hair-raising. They are all the same – they are wonderful creatures. However, I suppose the only major difference that I see, especially in this digital age, is the fact that some pets become an instant celebrity these days.
Pet owners cannot help themselves but share their pets online, making their pets do some endearing tricks, dance, and the like and that has been so loved by many people who have watched their videos online. Being an overnight success or being in the limelight is a thing that pets in the past could not experience. So I think that is one valid difference between pets in the past and now.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Adorable [adj.] – lovable
Fluffy [adj.] – shaggy; woolly
Cuddly [adj.] – huggable
Exotic [adj.] – unusual
Hair-raising [adj.] – terrifying; frightening
Cannot help oneself [phrase] – unable to control one’s action
Endearing [adj.] – endearing; lovable
Limelight [noun] – the focus of public attention
TIP
i.) The speaker expressed his uncertainty of the difference as he found it the same explaining the commonalities of pets. However, in order for him to give a discussion on the given topic, he talked about the social media trend in this generation in which pet owners made their pets famous. He focused his answer on that phenomenon which was the biggest difference between pets in the past and now. That is a smart technique as he is able to give a realistic and relatable answer. Sometimes the questions are hard to answer because we simply do not know, however, when you relate the question or the topic to your everyday life or to what you have observed, then you’ll surely be able to answer.
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IELTS Speaking PART 1 Topic
about FRIENDS.
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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