IELTS Cue Card Question 16 With Model Answer:
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
Describe a situation (or a time) when you helped someone.
You should say:- what the situation was
- who you helped
- how you helped
[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]
Model Answer 1:
As human beings, we are living in a society from an ancient age and need others help to move on in both our personal and social life. It would have been too difficult if there were no friends or helping hands to support in moments of stress, disasters and unfavourable situations.
I am 19 years old and live with my parents on the 8th floor of a rented apartment in Mumbai, a renowned town in India. My parents are service holders and rarely find enough time to stay at home. But I have to be at my home after finishing my college. The classes begin at 8: 00 am and ends at 2:00 pm. In an afternoon, I woke up from sleep hearing hue and cry outside of our flat. I opened the windows and found that many of the apartment block tenants are gathering in the open space and shouting loudly. It was an earthquake, a natural disaster that has suddenly hit the locality.
All the apartment buildings were moving and everything inside our flat started moving from here and there. I just took my cell phone and rushed to get down too lest I get trapped inside the building as it is seen in the news. But when I rushed towards the downstairs, I saw that a sexagenarian old woman was also trying to get down. She used to live with her older son’s family in the opposite apartment of us and had a very good relationship with my parents. She frequently visited our home. I addressed her as grandma like her other grandsons and daughters addressed her.
She was also trying to get down fearing the destructive consequences of the earthquake but could not walk faster on the staircase like the other people as she was weak and old. I was at her back and I also could not move for her slow movement. Suddenly I thought what if I help her to get down with me? Although the entire apartment building was trembling, there were chances to get trapped inside if I do not get off the building quickly.
Then I grabbed the old grandma’s hand and told her that I will take her down. So, she agreed to my plan and allowed me to carry her to the downstairs. My heart was beating faster when the waves of earthquakes were hitting the buildings. It was like a perfect nightmare to me. I do not know how I got down grabbing one hand of the grandma.
When we came out of the building, everyone came to help us and took to a safer distance of the buildings. Fortunately, nothing much happened that day but it panicked the tenants of the multistoried apartments. But I felt a deep sense of comfort inside me as I have brought the grandma out of the building. I could have avoided her and get out by myself but that would make me guilty, at least to myself. Although I risked my life for the non-relative grandma, it was truly a pleasure and the pleasant feelings are inexpressible in words.
Alternative Answer 2:
Thank you for the topic as it would allow me to tell you a story that I feel very proud of. I was in my 10th grade when the event took place.
I was returning home from my school and on my way back to home I noticed that a 10 to 12 years old child was on top of a large tree. At first, it looked very usual and there were many people in a nearby park. It was almost evening and I became curious about the boy and his adventure. I went nearer and then noticed that the boy was trapped between the knot of two branches of that tree and he was literally hanging there. I saw a cat then which was also in a dangerous position on the edge of another branch. Anytime the branch could have broken and both the boy and cat would be in jeopardy. The boy got trapped while trying to help the cat and he must have been a very brave kid.
The boy was so scared and surprised that he forgot to shout for help. I went very close and put down my school bag. I asked him his name and assured him that I will help him and he has nothing to worry about. In reality, I was worried. I should have called someone adult and ask for his help but considering the boy’s condition, I could not leave him. I shouted very loudly for help and to men came nearer. I explained them the situation very quickly and told them to stay there so that I could climb the tree and help the boy and the cat. At that time the boy started crying and I consoled him saying that he is very brave and everything is going to be fine. When I attempted to climb the tree, one of the two men forbade me and instead, he climbed the tree and asked me to stay there. Time was passing very slowly and I quickly decided to go to a nearby house to bring further help. They came with us with two large mattresses and they kept them just below the position where the boy was hanging. The man who climbed the tree successfully rescued the boy and within few minutes the cat jumped off from the tree as it saw the mattress and we were relieved from a great anxiety.
The boy thanked us all and other people also congratulated me for the courage I showed. My feeling about the whole event was very complex. It started with anxiety and then I was worried, horrified and finally relieved and happy. I congratulated the boy about his heroism and effort to save the cat. Though the cat was nowhere to be seen at that time, I am sure it was also silently appreciating our effort. In my opinion, it was a wise decision for me to call for help though I was determined to climb the tree to rescue them in case no one was nearby.
I am 19 years old and live with my parents on the 8th floor of a rented apartment in Mumbai, a renowned town in India. My parents are service holders and rarely find enough time to stay at home. But I have to be at my home after finishing my college. The classes begin at 8: 00 am and ends at 2:00 pm. In an afternoon, I woke up from sleep hearing hue and cry outside of our flat. I opened the windows and found that many of the apartment block tenants are gathering in the open space and shouting loudly. It was an earthquake, a natural disaster that has suddenly hit the locality.
All the apartment buildings were moving and everything inside our flat started moving from here and there. I just took my cell phone and rushed to get down too lest I get trapped inside the building as it is seen in the news. But when I rushed towards the downstairs, I saw that a sexagenarian old woman was also trying to get down. She used to live with her older son’s family in the opposite apartment of us and had a very good relationship with my parents. She frequently visited our home. I addressed her as grandma like her other grandsons and daughters addressed her.
She was also trying to get down fearing the destructive consequences of the earthquake but could not walk faster on the staircase like the other people as she was weak and old. I was at her back and I also could not move for her slow movement. Suddenly I thought what if I help her to get down with me? Although the entire apartment building was trembling, there were chances to get trapped inside if I do not get off the building quickly.
Then I grabbed the old grandma’s hand and told her that I will take her down. So, she agreed to my plan and allowed me to carry her to the downstairs. My heart was beating faster when the waves of earthquakes were hitting the buildings. It was like a perfect nightmare to me. I do not know how I got down grabbing one hand of the grandma.
When we came out of the building, everyone came to help us and took to a safer distance of the buildings. Fortunately, nothing much happened that day but it panicked the tenants of the multistoried apartments. But I felt a deep sense of comfort inside me as I have brought the grandma out of the building. I could have avoided her and get out by myself but that would make me guilty, at least to myself. Although I risked my life for the non-relative grandma, it was truly a pleasure and the pleasant feelings are inexpressible in words.
Alternative Answer 2:
Thank you for the topic as it would allow me to tell you a story that I feel very proud of. I was in my 10th grade when the event took place.
I was returning home from my school and on my way back to home I noticed that a 10 to 12 years old child was on top of a large tree. At first, it looked very usual and there were many people in a nearby park. It was almost evening and I became curious about the boy and his adventure. I went nearer and then noticed that the boy was trapped between the knot of two branches of that tree and he was literally hanging there. I saw a cat then which was also in a dangerous position on the edge of another branch. Anytime the branch could have broken and both the boy and cat would be in jeopardy. The boy got trapped while trying to help the cat and he must have been a very brave kid.
The boy was so scared and surprised that he forgot to shout for help. I went very close and put down my school bag. I asked him his name and assured him that I will help him and he has nothing to worry about. In reality, I was worried. I should have called someone adult and ask for his help but considering the boy’s condition, I could not leave him. I shouted very loudly for help and to men came nearer. I explained them the situation very quickly and told them to stay there so that I could climb the tree and help the boy and the cat. At that time the boy started crying and I consoled him saying that he is very brave and everything is going to be fine. When I attempted to climb the tree, one of the two men forbade me and instead, he climbed the tree and asked me to stay there. Time was passing very slowly and I quickly decided to go to a nearby house to bring further help. They came with us with two large mattresses and they kept them just below the position where the boy was hanging. The man who climbed the tree successfully rescued the boy and within few minutes the cat jumped off from the tree as it saw the mattress and we were relieved from a great anxiety.
The boy thanked us all and other people also congratulated me for the courage I showed. My feeling about the whole event was very complex. It started with anxiety and then I was worried, horrified and finally relieved and happy. I congratulated the boy about his heroism and effort to save the cat. Though the cat was nowhere to be seen at that time, I am sure it was also silently appreciating our effort. In my opinion, it was a wise decision for me to call for help though I was determined to climb the tree to rescue them in case no one was nearby.