IELTS Cue Card: Describe a place you remember well that is colorful
IELTS Cue Card: Describe a place you remember well that is colorful
Describe a place you remember well that is colorful.
You should say:
- Where it is
- What it is like
- What it is used for
And explain why you remember it well.
Part 3:
- Is color important when it comes to clothing?
- Should textbooks be colorful?
- What kinds of colors do people choose when decorating their house?
- Do you think the color of a company’s uniform influences the image of the company?
Part 2 — Sample Answer:
About a decade or so ago I lived in New York City. I’d just moved there from Boston, and it was in the autumn of that year.
I’d visited the city a few times in early spring when the trees were bare, and I had been captivated by the vibe of the city, especially Central Park. There seemed to be something magical about that park, and it felt like it was waiting to come alive.
By the time I’d arrived, the park had indeed come alive. I remember driving the moving truck through Manhattan and catching a glimpse of park that had turned golden brown. I couldn’t wait to explore this space within the city. The park seemed to be filled with countless trees that turned various hues of amber and gold.
After I’d unpacked, I took a moment to go explore this park I’d been so excited to visit. It felt just as cool as when I had first seen the park in spring, and I had to wear multiple layers of clothing to stay warm. Gloves were essential!
I rode the subway across town to the stop nearest the park. As I stepped into the park I felt like a little kid again as the leaves crunched under my feet. It took me back to when my dad and I would go the park after the leaves had fallen to play a game of fetch with my dog.
Although I don’t live in the US any longer, I do try to visit every now and again, and when it’s autumn I’m immediately taken back to that moment when I first saw the park come alive with its vibrant autumnal colors.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Or so (phrase)
It’s a phrase that’s used after an amount of money, time, or some other number to show that the amount isn’t exact, or is approximate.
Example: They raised $200 or so for charity.
Vibe (noun)
The general feeling you get from a person, place, or situation.
Example: I didn’t get a good feeling at the interview. The lady interviewing me gave off bad vibes.
Catch a glimpse (phrase)
It means to see something for a very short period of time.
Example: I caught a glimpse of the cat that ran through my garden.
Hue (noun)
A particular shade of a color.
Example: I saw fish of every hue at the pet store.
Every now and again (idiom)
If something happens every now and again, it happens sometimes but not very often.
Example: Every now and again we’ll have dinner together.
Part 3 — Sample Answers:
Is color important when it comes to clothing?
Absolutely, yes.
I think color can convey an important message about one’s personality and sense of fashion. Not every color goes well with a person’s skin tone, and picking the right shades to match can make or break an outfit.
I think it’s also important when it comes to uniforms. Certain colors seem to influence the behavior. Shades of blue have been shown to command authority, and this is important for workers that need to tell people what to do, such as flight attendants and nurses.
The color of someone’s clothes can also be a mark of respect. For example, it would likely be wildly inappropriate to show up at a funeral wearing orange when a black suit is more traditional.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Make or break (phrase)
It’s a phrase that’s used to describe a decision, event, or period of time that is really important because it can cause success or failure.
Example: Christmas is often a make-or-break time financially for small businesses.
Mark of respect (noun)
It’s something that’s done to show respect for someone a group of people.
Example: Every year there’s a two minute silence held as a mark of respect for all those that died in World War II.
Should textbooks be colorful?
Unless cost is a concern, I don’t see why not. In many cases, color can convey information faster than words. A colorful graph can be understood a lot more quickly than a wordy description.
I think color should be used judiciously, except in a textbook aimed at a very young student. Such textbooks should be bright and colorful in order to capture the student’s attention.
I remember when I was in school and there was a budgetary crisis. The school wasn’t able to afford all the necessary textbooks, so they resorted to photocopying the only copy they had. They didn’t use the color copier, but instead used the black and white one. The monochrome textbooks were dull and drab, and it was sometimes hard to decipher a graph or chart that would have been easy to read if it were in full color.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Wordy (adjective)
Something that’s wordy contains too many words.
Example: As usual, she gave a reply that was wordy and didn’t answer the question.
Judiciously (adverb)
Something that’s judicious shows intelligence and good judgment.
Example: The report shows that we spent the money judiciously.
Monochrome (adjective)
Something that’s monochrome uses one color, or only uses black, white, and gray.
Example: The textbook used to be really colorful, but now it’s monochrome.
Dull (adjective)
Something that’s not interesting or exciting in any way.
Example: She wrote a really dull email to me.
Drab (adjective)
Something that’s boring, especially in appearance. It might be because it isn’t very colorful or exciting.
Example: She thought the buildings were very drab.
Decipher (verb)
If you decipher something, it means you understand something mysterious or confusing. It’s often used with handwriting, and in this case it means to succeed in reading messy or careless handwriting.
Example: I always wonder how people manage to decipher my doctor’s handwriting.
What kinds of colors do people choose when decorating their house?
It depends on the person’s goals and sense of style.
A lot of homeowners aspire to be a landlord and want to rent their property as quickly as possible. In these cases they’ll try to keep the decor as neutral as possible in order to appeal to a large number of people. I think this is a good choice because anything else could turn off a lot of possible tenants.
In other cases, people may look to social media to see what’s fashionable and trendy nowadays. They may want to express their personality through color, or may want to impress their friends with their sense of taste.
Personally I’m a big fan of a soft, neutral palette. I find anything else to be distracting and unsettling.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Decor (noun)
The decor is the style of a room, including the color of the walls, the type of furniture, and other parts of the decoration.
Example: The hotel had really stylish decor.
Turn off (phrasal verb)
It can literally mean to stop a piece of equipment from working temporarily by pressing a button or flipping a switch. It can also mean to make someone feel bored or no longer interested in something.
Example A: He turned off the TV before leaving the house.
Example B: Rudeness is the ultimate turn off. Bad breath is also a turn off for me.
Do you think the color of a company’s uniform influences the image of the company?
Without a doubt.
Although uniforms seem to be less common nowadays, those industries that still embrace a uniform will want to choose a color scheme that best represents their brand. For example, a company might choose a bright blue polo shirt if their logo is a bright blue.
Vibrant oranges might signal a more playful nature and set a less serious tone. Perhaps this would be appropriate for someone working with little kids in a preschool. Not only would this set the staff apart from the kids, but it would also help the children feel like they’re having more fun.
Many companies that have customer facing employees that need to command respect may opt for a black suit. For example, it’s common to see a car salesperson wear a suit in order to come across as more professional.
Vocabulary and idioms for this answer:
Without a doubt (phrase)
It’s a phrase that’s used for emphasis. It means that something is absolutely true or with absolute certainty; there’s no doubt whatsoever.
Example: The photo proves, without a doubt, that my client is innocent.
Come across (phrasal verb)
Something that you come across is something you find by chance. It can also also mean that you behave in a particular way that makes people believe you have a certain characteristic.
Example A: I came across a word I’d never seen before.
Example B: He comes across really well on TV.
How long will these questions be valid?
At least until the end of April 2020.
Three times a year the British Council changes many of the topics and questions they ask. Sometimes they decide to keep a topic for another four months, but oftentimes they decide to replace it. This one is very likely to be replaced with a new topic at the beginning of May 2020, but it won't be known for sure until then.
Just to let you know, there are 49 possible part 2/3 topics on the current exam. Sometimes there are more, sometimes there are less, and this number changes when the British Council updates the questions.
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24 febbraio 2020
