IELTS SPEAKING CUE CARD
[PART 2]
AN EXPENSIVE ACTIVITY
THAT YOU ENJOY DOING
OCCASIONALLY
Describe an expensive activity that you enjoy doing occasionally
You should say:
- What it is
- Who do you do it with
- Why it is expensive
And explain how you feel about it
A N S W E R
Well, scuba diving is my first love! I’m an aquatic wildlife lover so every now and then I visit spectacular diving spots here in my country or abroad as it’s my ultimate way to relieve all the work-related stress that I sometimes have, and it’s also my way of getting away from my frustration or disappointment. For some reason, scuba diving gives me an inexplicable feeling that helps me forget all my worries.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
First love [idiom as used in the answer] – the first thing or main thing one is passionate about
Spectacular [adj.] – eye-catching
Get away [phrasal verb] – escape
Inexplicable [adj.] – unable to explain
TIP
i.) The speaker developed his introduction by stating the expensive activity that he enjoyed doing with his main reason. This would serve as an overview of his entire monologue that surely helped the examiner get an idea of what his story would be.
Well honestly, this activity is indeed more expensive if you’re a beginner since you need to undergo training to get a license and you have to buy your own gear. As for me, I’m already an experienced scuba diver so what makes this activity costly, is the fact that I need to travel to prime spots for scuba diving. First I need to spend on airfare and accommodations. Then during the activity, I have to pay some amount to a diving instructor – although I already have a license, I still want to join some training just for safety purposes before diving.
And the expenses don’t stop there, as I still have to pay for the air of the scuba diving tank, the fuel of the boat, and the insurance. So, a rough estimate of the money that I usually spend is around $2,000.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Indeed [adv.] – truly; really
Gear [noun] – equipment
Prime [adj.] – key; important
Rough estimate [noun] – the amount that you guess
TIP
i.) In this part, the speaker provided the main details of his introduction, in which he explained the reasons why that activity he enjoyed doing was expensive for him. He mentioned the very specific ideas that would help him create a substantial monologue. Also by doing that, he’s able to use plenty of topic vocabulary words.
Yes, it’s a costly hobby but the feeling of excitement witnessing the beauty of underwater like the breathtaking corals, the vibrant colors of the different kinds of fish, the endearing and unique faces of different types of fish, and the way the schools of fish swim in synchrony is just priceless. Actually, it’s hard to put into words the happiness or the contentment that I feel or experience when doing this activity.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Breathtaking [adj.] – awe-inspiring; astonishing
Vibrant [adj.] – full of energy and life
Endearing [adj.] – lovable
Schools of fish [expression] – a group of the same fish swimming in synchrony
Synchrony [noun] – simultaneous action
Put something into words [phrase] – to explain the feeling that you’re having
TIP
i.) Here the speaker extended his story by sharing what he felt whenever he did that activity. How it made him feel happy and content. That serves as supplemental details to his story which really helps him extend his answer a little bit more.
Anyway, I often do this by myself, I mean I rarely do it with friends because oftentimes I love to travel on my own. Besides, this is a very good opportunity for me to enjoy my personal time and spend time doing some reflection on my life. By doing this activity now and then – you know, seeing the marvelous underwater world, has helped me realize how insignificant my problems or worries are, and how healing nature can be.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Marvelous [adj.] – extraordinary
Insignificant [adj.] – unimportant
Healing [adj.] – therapeutic
TIP
i.) That’s the last part of his story where he talked about how he enjoyed doing that activity on his own and he shared his conclusive statement as a way to end his story meaningfully.
PART 3
Why do some people prefer buying expensive things?
I believe that’s because some people associate price with the best quality, although it’s not always the case that if you buy one thing with a hefty price tag, you’ll always get excellent quality. That’s the mentality of some people, however, we can’t blame them anyway, since it’s been proven that most cheap things won’t last long. As for me, I’d rather buy one expensive thing that will be usable for a long period of time than spend on buying a low-priced item that is not durable. I think that way is more economical and that I believe has made people choose to buy expensive things over cheap ones.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Associate [verb as used in the answer] – link; connect
It is not always the case [expression] – it’s not true
Hefty price tag [noun] – a high price
Low-priced [adj.] – inexpensive
Durable [adj.] – long-lasting
Economical [adj.] – cheap
TIP
i.) The speaker talked about the mentality of the general public as to why some chose to buy things that are costly. He used the comparison technique to talk about the things that are expensive and cheap. Then he ended his discussion by sharing his own attitude towards the idea of buying an expensive thing.
What kind of expensive things do people like to buy?
I’m not sure about that but I suppose people tend to buy expensive electronic gadgets, clothes, and shoes, among others. Well, as you know a lot of people nowadays go for branded gadgets like those from giant companies like Apple and Samsung, simply because they’re durable, stylish, and sometimes serve as a status symbol.
Also, some people want to dress in designer-labeled clothes because those make them feel good and fashionable. I think it’s good to reward ourselves with some expensive things every now and then as long as we can afford to buy them, but having said that, we also need to be aware not to splurge on expensive things that won’t add value to our lives.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Status symbol [noun] – a possession that’s taken to indicate a person’s wealth or professional status
Designer label [noun] – a famous and prestigious brand
Having said that [expression] – despite what has just been said
Splurge [verb as used in the answer] – to spend money extravagantly
TIP
i.) The speaker expressed his uncertainty as he’s not sure of the expensive things that people enjoy buying, then he enumerated the expensive things which he thought people buy. Right after that, he provided an explanation for each of those examples. Notice how he used topic vocabulary and collocations in his answer. Those helped him develop a better answer.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of being rich?
Oh, I can only assume as I’m not wealthy, generally, as ordinary people perceive the rich, they have financial freedom which simply means they can afford to live way beyond their means. That is, they can enjoy the luxuries or buy things they need or want anytime at least without worrying, unlike the poor people who can’t even afford them. As for the different disadvantages, I’m sure they have more obligations in terms of tax, their business liabilities, and the like.
Considering those disadvantages, I realized that life is fair, rich people do have problems too like the poor ones, the only difference is, the degree of the problem. In other words, you may be poor or rich, there will always be challenges and there’ll always be reasons to be grateful. So everything is balanced then.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Perceive [verb] – interpret
Way beyond [expression] – to be far past something
Beyond one’s means [expression] – far greater than
Luxuries [noun] – desirable items that are expensive
TIP
i.) The speaker gave his assumption again to the question that he didn’t know the answer. Use that technique whenever you get a question in which you have no knowledge at all. It can definitely help you avoid dead air since you’re still communicating your thoughts.
Why are some sports expensive? Are they for everyone?
Basically, that’s because of the equipment or the facility that athletes or sportspersons need to use and the training they must undergo. For instance, the sport of sailing – owning a boat is already costly, plus the assortment of equipment and the training sailors have to undertake. Everything requires deep pockets. Another example is the sports of equestrian and polo, purchasing an elite horse alone costs an arm and a leg that only a privileged few can afford.
Not only that, the maintenance requirement of a horse which means making sure that the condition of the horse is excellent, the traveling expenses of horses, and stabling the animal appropriately for a tournament or event are astronomically costly. No offense meant for ordinary wage earners but realistically it’s impossible for them to play those kinds of sports, so these kinds of sports are seriously not for everyone.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Assortment [noun] – a miscellaneous collection of things
Undertake [verb] – take up; commit oneself to and begin
Deep pockets [idiom] – to have a lot of money
Cost an arm and a leg [idiom] – to be very expensive
Stabling [noun] – accommodation for horses
Astronomically [adv.] – exceedingly great; large
No offense meant [expression] – what one has said or about to say is not intended to insult the person, though it could be interpreted that way
TIP
i.) The speaker gave a straightforward answer to the question by focusing on the equipment and training. Then in order for him to discuss his answer at length, he provided two different kinds of examples that would support his point thoroughly. The way he provided details in his examples, he’s able to develop a substantial discussion.
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Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
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