Describe a Book that You have Read Many Times IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a Book that You have Read Many Times

You should say:

When you read it for the first time?
What kind of book it is?
What the book is about?
And explain why you like read it again.

NOTE – The examiner gives you one minute to plan your answer, and to help you prepare for the topic, the examiner provides you with a pencil and a notepad. You’ll have to answer the questions given on the subject for one-to-two minutes.

Sample 1

Introduction

Although I have read numerous books in my life, one of them I read regularly, and hence it is worth mentioning.

When did you read it for the first time?

I vividly remember reading it for the first time when I was at home due to the lockdown imposed during the coronavirus pandemic. I was free during those days, and someone advised me to read a book named “The compound effect.”I immediately ordered it, and from that day, I have read it umpteen times with determination, dedication, and discipline.

What kind of book is it?

It is a self-improvement book.

What the book is about?

It is about the concept of compounding in our lives. As the famous scientist Albert Einstein, the compounding of efforts is the 8th wonder of the world.

As per the book, success comes with regular efforts. If we start a job and business, we have to do our tasks with grit every day, and in the beginning, we experience little change in ourselves. However, our consistency pays off in the long run, and we lead our lives toward an impressive growth trajectory.

The famous cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is a prime example of how the compounding of efforts brings a paradigm shift in our life. He started going to the cricket stadium at the age of 10. Every day he would reach there at 4 am and practice for four hours. He followed this routine for twenty-four years, which helped him become the number one batsman in the world.

And explain why you like to reread it.

I like to read this book repeatedly because it motivates me to do my tasks sincerely.

Sample 2

Introduction

Being an ardent reader, I have read numerous books in my life. However, there are only a few books that fall into the category of books I read again and again, and one of them is worth mentioning.

When did you read it for the first time? And What kind of book is it?

I read this book for the first time in the year 2020; during that time, I used to be free because there was a lockdown in our nation due to the corona pandemic.

As I had plenty of time at my disposal, I utilized it by reading a book related to cooking. So, I ordered a cooking-related book from Amazon named “Trusted Recipes.”To my joy, the book came in two days, and I read it immediately. It contains easy recipes for all the North Indian dishes.

What the book is about?

The author has explained all the recipes enticingly, and it is easy to decipher for a newbie in cooking like me. It starts with explaining the benefits of cooking and further explains the basics. Further, it has some secret recipes through which cooking becomes easy.

And explain why you like to reread it.

I like to read it repeatedly because it helps me handle all cooking-related conflicts adroitly. Although I started cooking after reading this book, I still need to improve. Due to this reason, whenever I cook, I refer to it so that my hard work does not go to waste.

Moreover, rereading this book is a charm for me because I am getting on swimmingly with cooking after following it.

Sample 3

Introduction

Being a voracious reader, I have read many books. However, there is one which I read repeatedly.

When did you read it for the first time?

I read it for the first time on my 18th birthday, as it came as a gift. The name of this book is “Minimalism.”

What kind of book is it?

It is a self-improvement book.

What the book is about?

This book teaches you to adopt a minimalist approach towards life, which means that having too many possessions at our disposal is imprudent because it diversifies us from our goals. Moreover, we spend a boatload of time deciding what to choose when we have two or three assets to do a single task.

Mark Zuckerberg is a prime example of this, he has sufficient funds to buy the best clothes by hiring the best designers, but he prefers to wear the same set of clothes every day because, as a businessman, he needs to save the willpower he has. And there is no denying this conviction everyone gets a limited amount of will every day, and as the day progresses, it starts declining. Hence by removing the decisions we make every day, we can save the most critical resource we have to handle our conflicts adroitly, which is willpower.

Moreover, it teaches us that purchasing too many things does not satisfy us; it makes us a collector of various products and services. Having a few possessions can save our energy and divert complete focus on them.

And explain why you like to reread it.

I like to reread it because I often derail myself and indulge in impulsive purchasing; reading this book, again and again, taught me to be in love with people and experiences and not material things.

Sample 4

Introduction

Although I prefer to avoid reading, there is one book by the name of Essentialism that I like to read repeatedly.

When did you read it for the first time?

I read it for the first time last year in my college library.

What kind of book is it?

It is a self-improvement book that focuses on improving our life by considering some key points.

What the book is about?

Essentialism is a book that concentrates on the significance of prioritization, saying no tasks which add no value in our lives and streamlining our lives to accomplish more prominent satisfaction and win.

The first teaching of this book is about recognizing the critical few. Essentialism stresses the necessity to differentiate between what is genuinely crucial and what is just unimportant. By determining the few things that count, you can put all your energy towards them to lead your lives toward an impressive growth trajectory.

The second teaching is that saying no to the things we do not want to do is highly significant. We often say yes to specific thighs, which, in reality, we do not want to do in our lives. It is due to peer pressure or some other reasons. If we learn the art of saying no to the things which are not worthwhile to our success, we can have immense gains in our lives.

Firstly it teaches us to focus on progress rather than perfection. If we focus on little progress every day, we can make substantial gains in the long run. Often we waste a boatload of energy trying to produce the best results by seeking perfection in our tasks. It is an imprudent approach because it leads us toward the wrong path.

And explain why you like to reread it.

I like to read it repeatedly because t always keeps me on track, and I stay away from trivial pursuits.

Sample 5

Introduction

Although I have numerous books, there is one which I read repeatedly. The name of this book is “The E-Myth Revisited,” and its author is Michael E. Gerber.

When did you read it for the first time?

My nation had a lockdown, and I got bored while sitting idle. To do something worthwhile, I read a book my friend gifted me five years back, and I needed more time to read it. I read it for the first time during the corona pandemic.

What kind of book is it?

It is a book that teaches us how to run our business smoothly.

What the book is about?

This book is about a common mistake that most entrepreneurs make, and that is doing all things by themselves. According to the author, when business people try to be hands-on in their venture by doing most of the tasks independently, they fall too into the nitty and gritty and do not look at the big picture.

So an entrepreneur should do all tasks himself in the nascent stage of his business, and after some time, he should assign the menial tasks to his employees. This way, the business owner gets time to think beyond the conventional domain to handle the grave concerns in his business.

And explain why you like to reread it.

I like to read this book repeatedly because, for a budding business person like me, it is a blessing because its step-by-step approach helps me handle the conflicts I have at work adroitly.

Sample 6

Introduction

As a voracious reader, I read many books repeatedly, one of which is worth mentioning. The name of this book is “The checklist manifesto” by Dr Atul Gawande.

When did you read it for the first time?

I read it for the first time in my college library upon the recommendation of one of my friends.

What kind of book is it?

It is a self-improvement book that contains researched information.

What the book is about?

The book is about the importance of maintaining checklists in our lives. It is because most people can preserve a lot of information in their brains to handle these tasks adroitly. However, this approach is counterproductive because our brains have a limitation. It puts more focus on protecting us from dangers, and in doing so, it forgets vital pieces of information. Due to this reason, our chances of making mistakes are higher.

On the contrary, if we use checklists in our daily tasks, we are less prone to making mistakes, and our success rate is higher. We can also train our brains to focus on significant tasks and level the menial tasks to the checklist. In one of the examples, the author says the mortality rate during surgeries in a hospital declines after the imputation of filling out the list before and during the surgical process.

Moreover, the author stressed that checklists keep us focused on our work, and our discipline also grows exponentially. Hence people from all walks of life must use lists in their daily routines to enhance their productivity.

And explain why you like to reread it.

I like rereading it because it helps me focus on my tasks. Moreover, it improves my productivity. Apart from this, I learn something new whenever I read this book.

Sample 7

Introduction

In the last few years, I have read many books. Out of the big list I have, there is one book I like to read repeatedly; hence it is worth mentioning.

When did you read it for the first time?

I read it for the first time when I was pursuing graduation.

What kind of book is it?

It is a self-improvement book.

What the book is about?

This book contains out-of-the-box content to help us handle various conflicts adroitly.

And explain why you like read it again.

I like to read it again for beaucoup reasons. Firstly this book is easy to read and understand. There is no denying this conviction that there are a plethora of self-help books in the market; however, understanding most of them is daunting because the language written is challenging to decipher for a normal reader.

On the contrary, the writer of Ikigai has left no stone unturned to write the book so that people from all walks of life can easily decipher it. The words are accessible for a reader like me to comprehend.

Apart from this, another reason for reading this book, again and again, is that it teaches us to focus on the works which we love to do and eliminate those which we do not enjoy. The writer has made it clear umpteen times in the book that when we do the work we love, our performance improves automatically. On the other hand, a job we dislike is a pain for us if we continue working on it.

This book helps me make prudent decisions whenever I get into a tricky situation, so I reread it.

Sample 8

Since I am a voracious reader, I love reading books as they enhance my knowledge today; I would like to describe a book that enhances my information. The book is a self-help book. Rhonda Byrne has written it, and the book’s name is “The Secret.”

It is a motivational book whenever I feel down in the dumps. I read this book. I felt depressed last year; one of my acquaintances prescribed this book.

She told me that just by reading this book, you would start gaining success, so I was in a dilemma about how it was possible that just by reading a book, I could feel ecstatic, so I gave it a try. This book prescribes that we can achieve anything by obeying the law of attraction, which works on three things: ask, believe, and receive. The principle of this book is manifesting things is more complex. If you want to succeed in life, then start manifesting that thing. It has brought a paradigm shift in my life.

I have confidence as my thinking changed from pessimistic to optimistic, leading to an impressive growth trajectory.

I felt over the moon by reading this book because it leads to holistic development. It is a book that I also prescribed to my friends who do not feel happy in their times. So this book will be helpful to them. So this is the book which is worthwhile reading.

Follow-ups

Here are some examples of follow-up questions that the examiner might ask during your speaking part 3 related to the cue card “Describe a Book that You Have Read Many Times”.

1. Do you prefer books or movies?

There is no denying this conviction that movies provide instant gratification. Still, we do not gain substantial information because, for a director, it is challenging to teach the concept in three hours. Due to this reason, I prefer to read books instead of watching movies.

2. Do you think it is essential to read the book before watching the movie version of it?

I think reading the book before watching the movie version is an imprudent approach because it kills the thrill and excitement you can have while watching the movies. For example, I read a book on Mahendra Sing Dhoni before watching a movie about him because it was predictable for me, and I did not enjoy it much.

3. Do boys and girls like the same kinds of book

Boys and girls like different kinds of books though they share the same interest in some fields like history. Boys prefer content related to sports, cars, and games. On the other hand, girls prefer to read about fashion and lifestyle.

4. What kind of books do Indian people like to read?

I think reading choice doesn’t pivot around nationality. It thrives primarily upon personal selection and the book itself. For example, Harry Potter is well-known worldwide because it is a fantastic book. Although its target audience was children, I have seen people from all walks of life calling themselves Potterheads.

5. What are the benefits of reading books for mental well-being?

Reading books presents several blessings for mental well-being. Firstly, it delivers a getaway from the strains of daily life by engaging readers in compelling stories or enlightening content. This escapism assists in reducing tension and encourages ease. Additionally, reading stimulates the brain, enhancing mental function, memory, and critical thinking mastery. It also improves focus and engagement.

Moreover, books can stimulate motivation, and expressive catharsis, letting readers analyze and comprehend complicated emotions. Eventually, reading can promote a sense of compassion and emotional intellect as readers link with characters and their backgrounds. Overall, reading books empowers the readers to a healthier and balanced cognitive state.

6. Why does the current generation prefer electronic books?

The current generation prefers electronic books for many reasons. Firstly such books are convenient, and users can access them instantly and download them from any nook and corner using sophisticated modern technology.

Secondly, E-books are portable, which is comfortable for people because they can carry multiple books in a single device.

Thirdly unlike conventional books, E-books do not require such physical storage space.

Lastly, E-books have adjustable text, allowing users to customize font size and style for relaxing reading.