IELTS Speaking Task: Cue Card Question With Sample Answer on Talks and Discussion

PART 2

Describe an interesting discussion you had about how you spend your money.

You should say:

• who you had the discussion with
• why you discussed this topic
• what the result of the discussion was
• and explain why this discussion was interesting for you.

I generally don't like talking about private topics with people unless I have a very good reason to, of course. But I was casually doing just that the other day with one of my senior relatives, who made the conversation quite intriguing.

Naturally, I didn't particularly want to engage in this type of conversation, but when my cousin inquired about my plans for the future or how I was using and managing my money, I figured there was no harm in talking about it. Although I was making a respectable amount of money from my profession, I actually decided to have that conversation because I wasn't really doing all that well financially. And when I informed my cousin about it, he told me that unless we were spending the money to create physical assets, making enough money wasn't enough to have a solid financial future.

In reality, he told me about how, a few years before, he had successfully used his meager savings to turn around his failing company. Again, in his opinion, having enough money was not enough since one also needed to figure out how to invest it wisely over the long term while taking inflation into account. In any case, the conversation has become not only more and more entertaining, but also more and more complex. My cousin gave us some final advice, saying that we shouldn't have ever spent more than we would have made.

However, I found the conversation to be quite interesting because it gave me some practical tips for saving money as well as for making the correct investments at the right time. In addition, the talk taught me how to establish and keep a connection with wealthy individuals who could always instruct us on how to become successful entrepreneurs even if we had no money at all. Finally, the debate was fascinating since it showed me how to broaden my skill set and income potential.

PART 3 

Why do some parents give their children money to spend each week?

Some parents give their kids money every week because they want them to learn about money and its value from an early age so that they can handle their finances wisely as adults. Additionally, they give money to their kids so that they can cover some of their urgent expenses when they are not with their parents. Finally, some parents are simply extraordinarily wealthy and caring, and as a result, they give their kids pocket money so they can spend it on whatever they want, whenever they want.

Do you agree that schools should teach children how to manage money?

Pretty much everything in this world is driven by money. Therefore, I do think that schools should teach kids about money management, but only to a limited extent, where they just learn about what should be spent money on and what shouldn't. In the absence of this, kids will likely be more concerned with making money than with pursuing an education, which might be highly harmful to the health of our society.

Do you think it is a good idea for students to earn money while studying?

No, I do not believe that it is a good idea for kids to work while they are at school, unless it is really essential, as this may cause them to become distracted from their studies and other schoolwork. But if that's the case, there's a good likelihood that exceptional talent is being lost, and civilizations simply cannot afford that kind of loss. Additionally, if kids are able to get money at a young age, there is a potential that they will engage in antisocial and criminal activities like drug use and violence, which might utterly ruin their life. However, I don't see anything wrong with them doing a part-time job if it's primarily to learn new skills and get experience.

Do you think it is true that in today’s society money cannot buy happiness?

We don't lack wealth or money in our society today), but we do lack the desire to be content with what little we have. It follows that in our society, pleasure is not something that can be purchased with money. 

A sick person with a lot of money would also never feel depressed while lying in bed if money could truly buy happiness. However, this does not imply that we do not require money in order to live comfortably. Since happiness is merely a state of mind, we can choose to feel joyful whenever we please, whether or not we have money.

What disadvantages are there in a society where the gap between rich and poor is very large?

In a culture where the wealth difference between rich and poor is very wide, there are still many disadvantages. First of all, when the gap between the rich and the poor is too wide, a society experiences some form of economic pressure to close the gap, which could ultimately lead to a depression. Another major drawback is that, in order to support themselves and their families, poor people are frequently obliged to engage in criminal and antisocial behaviors like stealing and robbery. As a result of the tense interaction between the rich and the poor, society becomes restless and filled with anger, resentments, and violence.

Do you think richer countries have a responsibility to help poorer countries?

As long as the actions help the poorer countries stand on their own two feet, I do believe that richer countries have a responsibility to support poorer countries for the benefit of our globe as a whole. 

Of course, it's also true that, despite their best efforts, wealthier nations won't be able to continue aiding less developed nations because doing so would put tremendous economic strain on their own nations. Therefore, it is crucial for the richer countries to ensure that the developing nations are making appropriate use of the assistance they are providing.