Describe a piece of good news you heard from others IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Describe a piece of good news you heard from others

You should say:

What it was?
When you received this news?
How you received this news?
Why did you feel it was a piece of good news?

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 topic for one-to-two minutes.

Sample 1

Introduction

It is unequivocal to say that good news puts us in a euphoria.

Although I have received numerous good news from others in my life, one is exceptional and worth mentioning.

What was it?

My father told me my elder brother would visit us next month to celebrate Diwali. It was the news I had been waiting for ages, and I couldn’t believe it for a few hours after listening to it. I was happy as a clam..

When you received this news?

I received it last year just one month before Diwali.

How you received this news?

My father surprisingly told me. In the morning, he told me that my brother would not come to India for the next two years due to his new job, and after knowing that, I was in depression.

However, my grandparents made me cheerful by telling me that my brother had booked the tickets and he would reach the next month to celebrate the festival of Diwali with pomp and show.

Why do you feel it was good news?

It was o good news because I had been waiting for my brother for three years. My brother went to Canada four years back to pursue a one-year course.

When he was about to come to India after finishing his studies, there was a lockdown worldwide due to the corona pandemic.

So his homecoming after three years was good news for my family and me. That news filled my home with joy and excitement, and we started planning for the grand celebration immediately.

The excitement I had after receiving that day’s news will be etched in my memories.

Sample 2

Introduction

In this modern era, due to fierce competition and spiralling inflation, people’s stress level has increased appreciably. In such a scenario, hearing good news is a joy for us.

What was it?

The news was about the introduction of a smart bike network in my city.

When you received this news?

I received that news last year.

How you received this news?

I received this news through social media.

Why did you feel it was a piece of good news?

It was good news because the burgeoning air pollution is a pressing problem for my city and the introduction of smart bikes helped in nosediving it. The contribution of vehicles to pollution in my is alarming. With smart bikes in place all over the city for usage, many people switched to bikes for commuting, which declined the use of motor vehicles. Hence the burning of petrol and diesel reduced considerably.

Moreover, the introduction of smart bikes helped reduce traffic congestion. There is no denying this conviction that passenger cars are the most significant contributor to city-inclining traffic. The introduction of smart bikes switched many car users to it, which led to a drastic decline in the number of vehicles on the roads, and the travel time was reduced substantially. Moreover, it saved the time of city residents.

Apart from this, it raised the fitness of the city’s inhabitants. It is a gospel truth that riding a bicycle is a complete exercise that helps us maintain good health. With the introduction of smart bikes, the overall health index of my city inclined considerably.

Sample 3

Introduction

In recent years I have received much good news. One of them is special and hence worth mentioning.

What it was?

It was the news of the study visa of my brother for Canada.

When you received this news?, and How you received this news?

My brother called me last month to inform me that after clearing all the obstacles he finally got the visa to study in Canada.

Why did you feel it was a piece of good news?

It was good news for my family and me for many reasons. Firstly a dream of my brother got fulfilled. Since childhood, he dreamt of pursuing higher studies in Canada and did everything from soups to nuts for its achievement.

Secondly, in the last few years, my father’s business had not been doing well, and he had worries regarding my brother’s further education. But the news of the Canada study visa filled my father with joy. As per the norms, my brother could work for 20 hours per week while pursuing studies in Canada. It would help him in financing his education.

Moreover, another reason for being happy was that even I have plans to go to Canada. As per the current norms, my brother will get Canada Permanent Residency in the next three years. Once he becomes a permanent resident of Canada, it will be very easy for me to study in Canada because I wIll get extra points for my sibling. That is why I was full of beans after hearing this news.

Sample 4

Introduction

In pursuit of happiness, I try to gather good news from everywhere because it helps make my near and dear ones happy. Although there are numerous news which is worth mentioning, one of them is exceptional.

What was it?

In 2020, the world was at a standstill due to the coronavirus. Millions of people died, and due to the strict lockdowns, there was an economic downturn. Throughout the world, there was chaos because a large section of society could not make ends meet.

In such a scenario, the news of the coronavirus vaccine launch in 2021 came as a pause.

When you received this news?

In May 2021, I got the news that corona vaccine would make inroads into our lives soon, and the Indian government would administer it for free to all the residents.

How you received this news?

I received this news through television.

Why did you feel it was a piece of good news?

It was good news for people from all walks of life. Firstly the children welcomed it the most because, due to the coronavirus, they had to remain indoors. And by not going to school and playing on the ground, their childhood was going through a lean patch.

Moreover, it was welcoming news for working people because many lost their jobs due to the lockdown, and all of them eagerly awaited the vaccine to restart their work.

Apart from this, the elderly sighed in relief because going out was extremely risky due to poor immunity. The vaccine news put senior citizens in a state of euphoria because it gave them hope that happy days would soon come.

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 piece of good news you heard from others”.

1. How do people share the good news?

People share the good news in many ways. Firstly, they organize a party and invite their near and dear ones. Secondly, these days social media has made inroads in our lives, and people share good news by flashing messages on various social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.

2. How does modern technology affect the delivery of information?

Modern technology empowers users to send messages within seconds to a sizeable proportion of the population. Arab uprising is a prime example where one message on social media assembled millions to dethrone the government.

3. When do people share the good news?

There are many instances where people share the good news. The first and foremost news is the arrival of a new family member, a baby boy or girl. Secondly, when people get engaged or tie the nuptial knot, they share the news. Thirdly, they share the news when they succeed, like getting a new job or passing an exam with flying colours.

4. What kinds of good news have you received before?

I have received much good news in my life, like the job promotion of my father, the university gold medallist award of my brother, the arrival of my nephew in our lives, and the success of my sister’s startup.

5. What kind of good news do people like to hear?

People like to hear good news regarding the success of their near and dear ones. They get joy and excitement from hearing such information and get a chance to organize parties and events after hearing good news.

6. Why do people share news on social media?

In this modern era, many people have their profiles on social media. And this helps to bridge the gap between them. Hence billions of people worldwide use social media to share the good news with their near and dear ones.

7. Can a piece of good news turn sour in the future?

It is renowned that the future is always uncertain. An adage says that the success we get is never final, and the failure at our disposal is never fatal. We must continue to try because any time, the table could turn.

As far as the good news is concerned, it could turn with the change in circumstances. You get the good news of promotion and are on cloud nine, but the next day you know that you need to transfer to another location. In such cases, the good news can turn nasty for you.

8. How to handle bad news?

There is no denying this conviction that evil and good news are integral to our lives. Most people do everything from soups to nuts to do their tasks perfectly, but despite this, we sometimes do not get favourable results.

In such a scenario, there is no point in remaining upset. Instead, we should focus on handling the conflicts adroitly so that we can come out of the unfortunate situation with tremendous ease.

Vocab

1. Be etched on/in someone’s memory.

Meaning: Memory that will not fade away with time

Sentence: Last week, I packed my bags and went to a hill station. The beautiful moments I

had, there will remain etched in my memories.

2. Gospel Truth

Meaning: an entirely true statement

Sentence: It is a gospel truth that animals live miserable lives under the aegis of human beings. They are either killed or used as food items to pamper humans’ appetites.

3. Unequivocal

Meaning: Leaving no doubt.

Sentence: It is unequivocal to say that the development in Japan happened due to a change in mindset. Post World War 2, it was in dire straits, and the informed decision to focus on solutions than fight led to a paradigm shift in its economy.

4. Uncanny Knack

Meaning: Strange Habit

Sentence: We should refrain from having this uncanny knack for wasting a sizeable proportion of our valuable time on social media.

5. Happy as a clam

Meaning: Happy One

Sentence: I always seek flashes of inspiration from my bosom friend Andrew. In his company, I remain happy as a clam.

6. Nosedive

Meaning: Decline

Sentence: The growth of the British Empire nosedived after World War 2 as it suffered a considerable loss.

7. Worth mentioning

Meaning: Important enough to require a comment.

Sentence: The significance of reading in our lives is worth mentioning. There is no denying this conviction that it leads to the holistic development of individuals.

8. Everything from soups to nuts

Meaning: A variety of things.

Sentence: Mahendra Singh Dhoni did everything from soups to nuts to get into the Indian Cricket Team. Once he got the entry, he left no stone unturned to become a happy camper.

9. Full of beans

Meaning: Happy One

Sentence: Post lockdown, I was full of beans because I got the much-needed break from work.