IELTS Speaking January – April 2024 Cue Cards [PDF]

Cue-Card Answer:

I live in the countryside and most of the time, there is not much traffic on the roads. However, the only time we face traffic jams is when there is some kind of cultural festival or a political rally. And most of the time, these are announced beforehand so I rarely get stuck in traffic jams.

However, last week I went to Patiala to buy some outfits for my sister’s wedding. During our arrival, we met with no such traffic. But on the way back, the highway was shut down as there had been a union strike and PRTC employees blocked the road. This being a primary pathway gradually became a huge jam. Moreover, it was a narrow road which aggravated the traffic problem.

The traffic police tried to disperse the crowd but to no avail. We were stuck in the jam for at least 4 to 5 hours. At first, we thought things were under control and the blockade would be removed. Instead, our car barely moved a few hundred metres in 30 minutes, my elder brother got out of the car to gauge the situation.

We couldn’t back up as it was jam-packed. So, we spent the time listening to music. Honestly, I think it’s a sheer government failure because the unions had made the road blockade announcement a week before. The government was in deep slumber.

Anyway, the day when I was stuck in a traffic jam ended on a happy note as we reached home late. My mother prepared my favourite meals that made me relaxed.

Cue-Card Answer:

Science has been a part and parcel of our life. Nearly everything in life revolves around scientific inventions one way or the other. However, today I would like to talk about the invention, which has completely changed how people live today.

The invention I’m talking about is the Internet. It has revolutionized the way we communicate nowadays. We can talk to anyone, anytime and from anywhere. Nothing seems too far. Also, it is much easier to remain in contact with our dear ones because of the internet. Life has become fast-paced as communication has become instantaneous.

However, the Internet’s impact is not only limited to just communication. It has played a key role in the way we shop, the way we learn and the way we search for health treatments. We can access every luxury while sitting in the comforts of our home.

On the other hand, there have also been a few downsides to this invention. The Internet has in some ways produced hatred in society. People post fake news on the internet which may give rise to communal violence.

Overall, I think the Internet as an invention has changed the whole life around us.

Cue-Card Answer:

India is a land of rivers and lakes. There are hundreds of water bodies which are extremely important in my country. One important river that I would like to talk about today here is the river Ganges or the Ganga, as we popularly call it.

I still remember when I learnt about it. I was in 5^th standard. There was a lecture about major Indian rivers in the Geography class. But I’ve gained most of the knowledge about river Ganga in the later years.

Now I can confidently say that I know every little fact about this river. For instance, it emerges out of the Himalayas from the glaciers and falls into the Bay of Bengal. The Ganges is also called a perennial river as the water is available throughout the year.

It has two sources of water – the glaciers in the Himalayas and the rain that falls during the monsoon season. The river is impressive for many reasons, the first being its length. It is one of the longest rivers in the world.

Many people are dependent upon it for their livelihood. The farmers use it for irrigation and people also do fishing in this river. In addition, the river Ganga is considered sacred and many Hindu festivals are organized on the banks of the river Ganga.

In the end, I believe there’s no other river or lake in my country or hometown as important as the river Ganges.

Cue-Card Answer:

I have attended many events in my life such as weddings and festivals. In fact, I’ve crashed many weddings with my friends. But here I would like to talk about Diwali which is India’s foremost festival celebrated with full vigour.

I clearly remember how we used to clean up our homes a month prior to the special festival. We bought gifts to give to our near and dear ones. But last year was different. We didn’t burst any crackers to play our part in pollution reduction.

On the actual day of the Diwali event, we all went to the temple to pay obeisance to the almighty and seek his bles togethersings. Thereafter, we called some friends and relatives to come home and celebrate the eve together.

The House looked astonishing as we decorated it with candles and diyas. This time my younger sister brought some flashy electric lights as well. My mother cooked special meals for all of us and we enjoyed the best family get-together.

So this is an important/special event which all Indians celebrate with great pomp and show.

Cue-Card Answer:

I am a big fan of stargazing and twinkling stars. The clear sky invites me to roll my telescope out of the garage into the driveway. I have been doing that since my childhood. So today, I would like to talk about a time when I observed the stars with my cousin.

Last year, it was my cousin’s birthday in January. We hosted so many guests, that my cousins and I had to sleep on the terrace. It was quite pleasant outside and we were happy with the arrangements made by our family. After dinner, we carried our bedding upstairs and laid our beds.

It was a clear moonlit night and we could see the stars twinkling brightly. We started giving shapes to the star patterns. The luminosity of the heavenly sky at night casts its glow, shedding its light from distant space and time on every throbbing heart.

We gazed at the stars and enjoyed the twinkling and tried to figure out some constellations. My cousin also told me the names of a few constellations, but unfortunately, I don’t remember them now, as it is more than a year since he told me about them.

So, this is all about a time when I observed the stars.

Cue-Card Answer:

India is a diverse country with so many plants, vegetables and crops grown in the country. All the plants are useful in some way or the other. But the plant I am going to talk about today is the bamboo tree.

I recently received it as a gift from my younger brother. The small bamboo sticks were tied together using red ribbons in a mesmerizing glass jar. I first saw this plant in my neighbourhood when I was probably 15 years old.

Bonsai bamboo plants are linked with the feng shui practice of keeping auspicious bamboo plants, which bring good luck and fortune to a family. It is one of the most adaptable plants with multiple uses. For instance, it can easily grow in poorly degraded soil.

Owing to this, it can be used to improve the texture of the soil damaged by overgrazing and poor agricultural techniques. Furthermore, it has a complex root network. This is ideal for preventing soil erosion and flooding.

Another major highlight is that bamboo produces 35% more oxygen than other trees. Research has shown that bamboo can absorb as much as 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year. So, this plant can play a great role in strengthening my country’s ecosystem.

At last, I can say that amongst all the plants, vegetables or crops that I’m familiar with, Bonsai Bamboo is my favourite.

Cue-Card Answer:

Chocolates have always been my favourites, and I like to try new types of chocolates now and then. For instance, Milk chocolates, Dark chocolates and Coconut chocolates. But today I would love to tell you about an interesting anecdote when I felt dislike for a new kind of chocolate.

As I recall, it was almost 2 years back, during the winters. My vacation had just started in December and my aunt Marie came to visit us from London. He brought many gifts for us and some chocolates that were exclusively available in the UK then.

There was one flavoured dark chocolate which I hated. From the outside, it had bright colours and looked eye-grabbing. I had never heard of this chocolate brand before and was excited to try it.

So I thought why shouldn’t I try it? As soon as I had the first bite, I felt inherently bitter about the sweet. In contrast to my imagination, the chocolate was too spicy and completely bitter.

It did not taste sweet at all!

For a moment I thought that my aunt had played a prank on me, but then she told me that this chocolate had been made organically and tasted different from the rest of the chocolates. She told me to eat it at least a few times to develop a taste for it. But honestly, I still don’t like this chocolate.

At last, this was dark chocolate I didn’t like.

Cue-Card Answer:

Neighbours are the pillars of a good functioning society. I am fortunate to have so many great neighbours around me. But today I would like to talk about Mr Rahul Srivastava.

He lives next door. He can easily help us whenever we need his help. He is a kind-hearted and sympathetic fellow. Though older, he is the merriest and most suitable for the company.

Above all, he has so many interesting stories to tell. I have known him for the past 7 years since he moved into our neighbourhood a decade ago. I see him every day while jogging in the park. He is close to local traditions and generally likes to wear Kurta pyjamas.

I believe he is a good neighbour because he shows empathy for everyone. He also helped me a lot in my studies. Moreover, he considers me his grandchild. He is a retired Maths teacher. So he was very helpful in solving my doubts regarding the subject.

Another thing that I liked about him is that he is a self-made man. He told me how he started from scratch after the partition and worked very hard to earn two square meals a day. He has a daughter who lives in Canada.

Mr Srivastava has a magnanimous personality and I love listening to his stories. He also has a great sense of humour. He can lighten up any tense situation by cracking jokes.

In the end, I would just say that he is such an interesting neighbour of mine I admire the most.

Cue-Card Answer:

When I was in school, I took part in various competitions. But today I would like to tell you about a competition that I have always seen as an audience and would like to take part in.

The competition I am talking about is a painting competition. Every year there is an Art & Craft fair held in my home town. The local Club organized this in February. There were other competitions like mono-acting competitions, poetry recitation, flower arrangement, salad decoration, and painting also organized among others.

Individuals were allowed to participate through schools that could send their students. My classmate participated in the competition and grabbed the 1^st prize. The prize was a small trophy and a book titled ‘The Discovery of India’ by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.

I am very fond of drawing and painting. So, I would love to compete in a painting competition to showcase my skills. Since the organizers will provide everything, I only need to focus on showing my creativity to the world.

So, in the end, I would just like to tell you that this is a competition I would definitely like to take part in.

Cue-Card Answer:

Life is a roller-coaster ride. Some days are gloomy and bad while some are super special. Those special moments named after Birthdays, Weddings, and Anniversaries give meaning to our existence on this planet. So today, I would like to talk about a special day in my life which was inexpensive.

The day I’m talking about is when I organized a birthday party for my cousin at a newly opened restaurant in our hometown. It was his 30^th birthday and all of his friends were asking him for a treat. My cousin is very close to my heart so his birthday holds special importance to me.

Since we had tried all the major restaurants in our town, I thought of taking them to a new place. I saw a promo on the TV about a new jungle theme-based restaurant that had recently opened in our city. The name of the restaurant was Big Jumanji Café.

Therefore, I quickly called the café and made a reservation for 12 people and got the early-bird deal at just 600 Rs/person. Which is a way lot cheaper!!

We reached there around 8 PM. As soon as we entered the café, we were astonished/amazed by the interiors of the café. The walls were decorated with tree leaves. The tan furniture made us feel like we were having a picnic in some jungle. In the background, sweet animal sounds were playing.

After that, we ordered some food and the waiters also brought a surprise birthday cake which was custom-booked by me. In the end, when the bill arrived, everyone was wondering how such great service could be this inexpensive.

That day was fun and definitely a special day which was not that expensive.

Cue-Card Answer:

With the advancements in science and technology, life has become chronically busy and it looks as if there is too much to do and too little time. So, concentrating on something and doing it with perfection has become a daunting task.

And I am no exception. I have tried many things to help me concentrate. Sometimes, I take a 5-minute power nap and sometimes I meditate. So, here I would like to talk about a method which I tried to improve my concentration, and it has made a magical improvement in my concentration levels.

So I go out and do some brisk walking every day in the park next to my house. Brisk walking is a form of aerobic exercise, which releases endorphins in your body, which make you feel good and you can concentrate better with a relaxed state of mind. My sister is a medical student, and she told me about its benefits.

In the end, I just say that brisk walking is something that helps me concentrate.

Cue-Card Answer:

Keeping health and fitness in check is the secret mantra of a happy life. I do a lot of things to stay healthy and hearty such as morning walks, yoga, cycling and so on. But here I would like to talk about the 15-minute morning walk that I do every day.

So I get up early in the wee hours and go for a jog with my grandfather. He has never missed his morning walk in his life. That’s why he’s so fit and fine. His secret to good health is the morning walk.

I joined him about six months ago and ever since I also have been very regular. There is a jogging track in the park next to our home which is full of activity in those early morning hours. During our walk, my grandpa keeps on entertaining me with his witty stories.

I’ve shed around 10 kgs in the past six months. All thanks to this new fitness regime I followed. It has also improved blood circulation and keeps me energetic throughout the day.

So a morning walk is an activity I do to keep fit.

Cue-Card Answer:

I consider myself to be an extrovert. I love spending time with people who talk. However, one of my best buddies is an introvert. His name is Jitesh. He barely talks to anybody except me. Even with me, it is only when I insist.

We have to push him to come out. But he is not boring when he does come out, we really enjoy his company. He is an optimistic human being and loves to enjoy the moment rather than whining or complaining. I have never seen him stressed or talking about his worries.

His hobbies include reading books and newspapers, playing online games like Chess and watching TV shows. Although most of his preferred activities are indoor activities, he keeps fit as he goes for a run in the morning.

He doesn’t like talking to strangers. He is confined within himself. I have seen his answers being as abrupt as just yes and no. However, I believe Introverts can be great friends as long as people push themselves to reach out and connect in the beginning.

In conclusion, I’d say that he is an immensely intelligent introvert person whom I know.

Cue-Card Answer:

Time is the most precious thing in life. Time helps us make a good habit of structuring and organizing our daily activities. If you understand the value of time better, you can gain experience and develop skills over time.

So I have learned about the importance of time slowly and gradually as I have grown older. I have realized that without having time in check, I would not be able to fulfil my personal and professional commitments. Therefore, I do a lot of things to save time but one activity that saves me a lot of time is taking a power nap whenever I feel restless.

I started doing this, two years back after I read an article about the health benefits of a power nap on a fitness blog. It saves me time as it refreshes me. After a nap, my mind feels relaxed and my body feels lighter.

Earlier it was very hard for me to manage my time. But now I just get 5-10 mins out of the schedule to take a nap so that I don’t struggle with time deficiency later on. This technique has resulted in me being able to finish my work sooner.

Without any distractions, I can concentrate on things better. A power nap is something that saves a lot of my time.

Cue-Card Answer:

Learning a new culture helps you appreciate a new country and their way of living. An interesting thing I learned from a foreign culture is the celebration of Mother’s Day. Growing up in my country, we never had an official day to honour the contributions made by mothers into this world.

When I was in college one of my friends who was studying in London came back home during summer break. We were meeting after so long and she shared so much about her college and how the culture there was so distinct.

One of the things she told me was the Mother’s Day celebration there. It is celebrated on the second Sunday in May every year to honour the mothers. It is an opportunity for children to showcase their love and thank their mothers for all they have done.

She lives with her aunt in England, and she told me that on Mother’s Day, her cousins created cards for their mother, cooked her breakfast in bed, and helped her with chores all day. Mother’s Day was also celebrated at her cousin’s school. They all went out to dinner that day, and her uncle purchased her aunt a gorgeous ring.

I also wanted to do something unique for my mother, so I informed my sister about this well-known Western tradition. I am close to my mother and have witnessed her do so much for me and my sister daily. She worked full-time, helped us with our homework, cooked our favourite recipes, planned our birthday parties, and looked after us when we were sick.

So, dedicating one day to celebrate her felt good to me and I started celebrating Mother’s Day every year. In the end, I would just say that Mother’s Day is an interesting thing I have learned from a foreign culture.

Cue-Card Answer:

In today’s fast-paced world, finding calm areas is quite challenging. However, I’d like to discuss an area where I frequently visit and find amazing tranquillity.

The location I am talking about is Gurdwara Dukhniwaran Sahib, a Sikh temple in Patiala.

I go there every month with my family and friends. We sometimes walk to the gurdwara and other times drive by car. It’s around 4 kilometres from my house. Because it is located far away from the main road, it is very calm. I always pay respect to the almighty whenever I go there.

Moreover, there is a well-kept fishpond in the gurdwara. I just sit on the pond’s steps and listen to the holy chants that are always going on there. It provides me with tremendous peace and comfort. This activity refreshes my mind and makes me spiritually connected to positivity. I feel very humbled after that.

Cue-Card Answer:

People enjoy going to parties or spending time with family and friends to ring in the new year. Also, the start of a new year causes people to reflect on the future and how they may make it better than the previous year.

Making New Year’s resolutions is a popular approach for people to do this. It’s frequently a vow to accomplish a new goal or make a life shift.

I’ve made numerous New Year’s resolutions in the past, only to abandon them within a short period. But this year, I’ve made a resolve that I believe is more realistic and that I should be able to keep. My New Year resolves to improve my health and fitness.

I’ve decided to perform a 10 km walk a week or jog at least thrice a week for my health and fitness. Moreover, I’ve opted to cut back on junk food and fully eliminate unhealthy stuff from my diet, which I believe is the most challenging element of my resolution.

Plus, I’ve downloaded a health tracker on my phone to help me keep track of my resolution. It’s known as Stay Fit. This app serves as a reminder for the run activities I need to accomplish as well as a performance tracker. With its help, I can keep track of my heart rate and jogging speed.

It also introduces me to people in my neighbourhood who are looking for fitness companions. So far, I’ve made connections with a few people in my society, and we go for morning strolls every day.

I made this resolution because I believe that one of the most essential aspects of our lives is our health, which is often overlooked in today’s chronically busy society. They later develop a variety of ailments and are unable to enjoy life to its fullest.

It feels so good after accomplishing my fitness goals; it provides me with a sense of success and relieves anxiety in my life.

Cue-Card Answer:

The 15th of July is my birthday. Summer breaks are generally in effect in Indian schools during this time, and most of my friends go out to see their close relatives. As a result, I spent this special day with my parents and a younger sister.

Last year, though, I wasn’t expecting anything special… but God has different plans. My sister surprised me with an astonishing birthday present. It was the special cake that she made exclusively for me.

She certainly had a lot of thought put into it. The cake was in the shape of a racing car; a red and white Ferrari with wheels made of dark chocolate. Chocolate is one of my favourite foods. Moreover, the cake demonstrated that she cared for me much more than I did.

The cake was simply stunning in every aspect. In my family, I never imagined someone could cook such a beautiful cake. So I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first saw the cake. Everyone was engrossed in photographing the cake for about 15 minutes.

Even my other relatives were surprised to see such a cake made by my younger sibling.

Cue-Card Answer:

I have read a lot of stuff about bike journeys to Leh & Ladakh made by people. Leh is a high-altitude city in J&K, India’s northernmost state. It is largely famous as a tourist destination and for its monasteries.

My friends and I had planned to ride our motorcycles there in 2021, but we were unable to do so owing to the COVID-19 restrictions. It’s around 450 kilometres from our hometown. That’s why, we chose to ride a motorcycle to the hills.

The major reason for riding a motorcycle is because it is the finest way to absorb the scenery along the way and feel the fresh air. Secondly, some of the highland routes are extremely narrow, leading to traffic congestion at times.

My friends who have visited the place tell me several fascinating stories about the city. As a result, I’ve decided to go there next month.

Cue-Card Answer:

India has successful businessmen like Anil Ambani, Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata, Vijay Mallya, and many others. But today I want to talk about the head of the Reliance group of companies Mr Mukesh Ambani.

He is in his late fifties and has a really attractive appearance. At an early age, he joined his family business at Reliance Industries and made a fortune out of his Chemical Engineering degree. Mr Ambani is a visionary businessman. He established India’s first-ever private oil refinery in Gujarat giving jobs to thousands of unemployed people.

Above all, he paved the way for India to compete on a global scale. Mr Mukesh Ambani also owns the IPL’s domestic cricket club, the Mumbai Indians. He is also among one of the richest men in the world. I admire him because believes that the primary goal of businesses is to generate money and jobs.

And, through his different business ventures, he has been successful in doing so. His accomplishments have made him well-known not only in his home country but also throughout the world.