IELTS Speaking Task: Cue Card Question With Sample Answer on Objects

Question

Describe something you cannot live without 

You should say:

• what it is
• what you do with it
• how it helps you in your life
• and explain why you can’t live without it.

Answer

Being a design student, I decided to get an iPad recently because I didn't enjoy carrying around so much paper to the studio. I don't regret getting it. It's made life as a student a bit easier and so it has made my work desk its permanent home space. It is incredibly light and compact for how much data it holds.

It seems impossible to have a clean desk when you are an art and design student. Most of the space is used up for craft stuff, various pens and pencils, paper, notebook, etc. Having the iPad at my work desk makes it so easy to look through documents on the spot whereas my laptop takes an eternity to turn on and an additional ten minutes to open a browser.

On top of it, you can explain your design and draw out alternatives on paper together. With my iPad at my work desk, I refer to apps that allow me to share stuff like that instantly. It takes so little effort to edit and refine sketches because it is already digital. Working digitally is cleaner, really and less stressful. Moreover, when I'm on a zoom call on my laptop and it's close to dying, I can immediately switch onto my iPad. I can leave it be for a day or two and it would still have some battery life to it. 

Plus, it is a personalised stress-reliever. I have no regrets buying and sticking the dumbest stickers on my iPad cover. A lot of them go back to my first year of college, when they were initially placed on my laptop so it holds a lot of precious memories.

Personally, I have more respect for people who invest in high-quality materials because it makes things smoother. It shows a serious career-invested character and I like having that symbol chilling on my work desk. It motivates me to do more. I was blessed to receive scholarship money and can confidently say that I've put it to good use. Although I bought it without my parents’ consent, it’s hard to imagine what my university work would've looked like if I had stuck with my laptop and draft paper. A day without my device at my workspace would be a nightmare.

Part 3 Questions

Why do you think teenagers always want to have the latest devices such as the iPhone?

It seems fairly natural to me. We currently live in a technologically driven world, and owning the most recent device enables you to take full advantage of market advancements and improvements.

The desire for the newest car model or apartment is shared by elderly folks. People prefer to use the most recent or greatest version of a product. Not just teens are affected.

Why do they often buy a new one even though they already have one?

Two factors are the key causes. Due to the intense rivalry, businesses go above and beyond to develop new items with improved features. As a result, electronics eventually become outdated.

The marketing firms' gimmicks are another important factor. To win over clients, they venture outside the realm of the usual. Therefore, bright goods commercials inspire young people. They also make every effort to grab them.

What do they do with the old one after buying a new one?

Teenagers sell their electronics on websites like Quikr and Olx in significant numbers. Few teens also possess this strange talent for tinkering with outdated technology. They use screwdrivers to open the devices and investigate the workings.

Additionally, some youngsters give their parents and siblings their outdated technology.

What kinds of possessions give status to people in your country?

I'd say it depends on your surroundings and the people you're with. Things like the car you are driving come into play if you are out in public. In my nation, owning the most recent Mercedes Benz model is considered a sign of status because the majority of people cannot even buy a basic automobile, regardless of the brand.

A marker of status is also property, such as your home and the things you own for it. It is a sign of wealth and status to live in a decent house in a nice neighbourhood.

Has it always been the same or were different possessions thought of as valuable in the past?

Yes, I believe things were different even if I'm too young to recall exactly what they were like in the distant past. For instance, as I already indicated, cars have only really become commonplace in our nation in the past ten or so years. 

This couldn't have been utilised as a representation of something important because that kind of consumerism is a relatively new phenomenon. I believe that items like gold and jewels were regarded as valued. These are still valued today, of course, but before many of the modern belongings were made available, people valued these items more than anything else.

Do you think advertising influences what people buy?

Definitely, yes. If there was no advertising and you visited a store, you might just buy what you desired based on what others had told you, how the goods seemed, or, depending on the item, what was written on the label. People begin to trust a given product after seeing it advertised on television or elsewhere, building a brand. 

Additionally, there is so much advertising everywhere that it must affect us. It is continuously being fed to us in our daily lives, not only in magazines, radio, and television, but also on billboards, TVs mounted in trains and platforms, even in schools and universities. As a result, it is impossible to avoid it. Advertising does affect what we buy, then.