Talk about an interesting old person you met recently IELTS Cue Card

IELTS CUE CARD TOPIC

Talk about an interesting old person you met recently

You should say:

Who is this person?
How you met him? How do you know him?
What you do with this person?
Why you found him interesting?

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

Being a social butterfly, I love to meet people from all walks of life. Recently I met an attractive older adult who is worth mentioning.

Who is this person?

He is my next-door neighbour Mr Andrew, who migrated to our township three months back.

How you met him? How do you know him?

I met him during a social function where he delivered a lecture on “How to save money.”

What do you do with this person?

I visit him every weekend to gain substantial knowledge in various fields like Insurance, mutual funds, loans, etc. He has a boatload of expertise coupled with heaps of experience.

Every Sunday, he organises a free workshop where he provides free advice to people on how to grow the money they have at their disposal.

In the last workshop, he told us that putting our money in the bank as fixed deposits is imprudent. As per him, the banks give us an interest of four per cent per annum; on the other hand, inflation in this era grows at 7 per cent per annum.

Hence by putting our funds in the bank, we are reducing our money.

Thus attending his workshops is a prudent approach for me because I am learning the psychology of money from him.

Sample 2

Introduction

Although I have met numerous engaging older adults in my life, one of them is exceptional and hence worth mentioning.

Who is this person?

He is Mr Philip. His age is 60 years, but he looks like he is just 40 years old.

How you met him? How do you know him?

We met at the retirement party of one of my uncles. He was his bosom friend and came especially from Canada for the celebration.

He has a charming personality, and in our first meeting, we became good friends despite our age differences.

What do you do with this person?

He is my role model because of this fitness despite being a senior citizen. He lives close to my residence, and I meet him twice or thrice a week to ask questions regarding exercise and nutrition.

Why you found him interesting?

I found him interesting for many reasons. Firstly, the amount of youth he has in him despite his age. He runs like a bullet, and sometimes I tire while running with him. He exhibits a boatload of energy while doing exercise. I have never seen a fit person like him at such an age.

Moreover, he has immense knowledge regarding nutrition. He has a lot to say about what food we should eat in the rainy season and what we should avoid. Apart from this, he changes his exercise and diet with the change in season. This dedication to health and fitness makes him an interesting person.

I am a youngster and would like to follow in his footsteps to live a healthy and worthwhile life like him.

Sample 3

Introduction

Although I have met and interacted with numerous senior citizens in my life, one is unique and worth mentioning.

Who is this person?

He is Mr Philip, and he is my next-door neighbour.

How you met him? How do you know him?

I met him last year during the Republic Day celebration, and we became good friends from that day.

What do you do with this person?

I usually go for a morning walk with him.

Why you found him interesting?

There are many reasons which make him an interesting person. Firstly, he lives a minimalist lifestyle, meaning he has just a few things at his disposal. He has two pairs of clothes which he wears alternatively. He doesn’t own a car and commutes by bicycle, giving him a clean health bill.

Moreover, he knows the meat and potatoes of self-improvement. Although he doesn’t give much advice when you ask him for support, he gives you valuable input. Last month, I found it challenging to focus on my studies, and I approached him for a solution. He advised me to study for short intervals and take a break after every 30 minutes. His advice worked like a charm, and I did well in my exams to pass with flying colours.

Lastly, he is extremely close to nature. He never uses plastic products and tries to eat the vegetables brown in a small farm in his backyard. He staunchly;y believes that simple living and high thinking are the main pillars of success. According to him, there is no paint living a life in which you leave no stone unturned to impress others. He firmly opines that the best way to live a worthwhile life is to improve ourselves by one per cent daily.

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 “Talk about an interesting old person you met recently”.

1. Do you think older adults and young people can share the same interest?

It is a gospel truth that, in most cases, it is challenging for older adults and youngsters to share similar interests. Young adults usually wish to exhibit the surplus energy at their disposal by playing outdoor sports. However, older adults show interest in those games which require less physical endurance.

On the other hand, they exhibit the same interest while watching tv or having discussions on the pressing problems of society.

2. What skills can the old teach the young?

Older adults have heaps of experience they can use to teach youngsters. Firstly they can teach the power of patience to them so that they can lead their careers toward an impressive growth trajectory because it is hard to succeed while being impatient.

They can also teach us how to do the work with determination, dedication, and discipline while keeping aside distractions.

Lastly, they can teach them how to handle conflicts adroitly in case of an unforeseen contingency.

3. What skills can the young teach the old?

There are umpteen skills that youngsters can teach older adults. But the most prominent is the use of modern technology. There is no denying this conviction that senior citizens have heaps of experience; however, using technology is a daunting task for them. The youngsters can provide unabated support to the older people by teaching them the skill to use modern gadgets like smartphones, laptops, printers, scanners, etc.

4. Do you think older adults should live with their families?

Older adults should live with the family because, in their heyday, they work with determination, dedication, and discipline to provide unabated support to their children and grandchildren. Hence, when they grow old, it is the bounden duty of the children to take utmost care of the elderly by staying with them.

5. For what tasks can the elderly and youngsters work in tandem?

The collaboration of the elderly and youngsters should be for solving the pressing problems of our society. There is no denying the fact that senior citizens have heaps of experience. On the other hand, youngsters have a boatload of energy.

Hence when bother elderly and youngsters work in unison, they form a lethal combination which can help tackle the grave concerns of the modern era, such as overpopulation and traffic congestion.

Vocab

1. Worth mentioning

Meaning: Important enough to require a comment.

Sentence: The role of willpower in our success is worth mentioning. Without an indomitable will, we cannot think of climbing the ladder to success.