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| IELTS Cue Card - Describe a book that had a major influence on you |
Describe someone in your family who you really like or admire
You should say:
- what the name of the book and its author
- how you first heard of the book
- what the main story of the book is
and explain why it had a major influence on you.
You will have one to two minutes to speak about the topic. You have one minute to consider what you will say. If you want, you can make some notes to help you.
Sample Answer 1
I, on the other hand, enjoy reading books. In fact, I enjoy reading a variety of books, including religious, comic thriller, and motivational books. If you ask me to name a book that has had the most influence on me, I believe that one book called "The Power of Subconscious Mind" has changed my life for the better.
Dr. Joseph Murphy has written this motivational book. My husband recommended this book to me, and I decided to read it. The book was then purchased from the Amazon store. When I started reading it, I realized what the conscious and subconscious mind are and how they work. As I previously stated, this is a motivational book about the various stages of our minds. There are many short true stories in this novel that demonstrate how, with the help of our subconscious mind, anyone can obtain whatever they desire.
One of the stories in this book that particularly appeals to me is about an elderly lady who has a physical disability and was told by doctors that she would never be able to walk again in her life, but she was aware of the power of the subconscious mind. As a result, she did not give up. When asked about her illness, she smiled and said she is fine and will be back on her feet very soon. After one month, she can stand and walk properly.
Furthermore, there are numerous other stories in this book that demonstrated to me that the will power of our internal mind works for us. This book has had a significant impact on me. Before reading this book, I always considered the negative and positive aspects of any situation. I was also less certain. However, after reading the stories in this book, I am now more self-confident and always look on the bright side of things.
I live my life the way I want and accomplish so much thanks to the power of the subconscious mind. This book, in my opinion, is a miracle, and everyone should read it at least once.
Sample Answer 2
I, for one, enjoy reading books. So, in my spare time, I enjoy reading books. Today, I asked to speak about a book that had a significant impact on me. So, in this section, I'd like to discuss the book 'The Secret,' written by Rhonda Byrne, a well-known author. This book has changed the way I think and motivates me greatly.
Furthermore, I first heard about this book about 7-8 years ago. I remember feeling very low at the time and being very disappointed in everything. However, my cousin brother had told me about this book and advised me to read it, as it would undoubtedly change my perspective. As previously stated, I enjoy reading books. So I borrowed it from him and went home. Then I started reading it. When I read the first few pages, I had no idea it would become my life-changing book.
Describe a book that had a significant impact on you.
It resolved all of my issues and, ultimately, answered all of my questions. The book 'The Secret' is based on the law of attraction, which states that thoughts can directly change a person's life. It doesn't have a specific story. Actually, it was based on truths of life and a motivational book. A number of things in our lives, such as how to get happiness, how to get more money, and how to stay healthy, are only possible through the law of attraction, which means our mind thoughts. This book discusses everything mentioned above.
I must say that after reading this book, I googled it and discovered that it was based on a film that came out before it. Then I decided to watch this movie, which confirmed everything I had read in the book. I also tried all of the tricks mentioned in the book and movie in my life.
Really, everything in my life has changed and I now have things that match my vision or dreams. For all of these changes, I will be eternally grateful to my brother, and I consider myself extremely fortunate to have a brother like him who encouraged me. And he told me a life-changing secret.
Sample Answer 3
People say that reading books will make us smarter, but reading too many of them will turn us into "bookworms." I'm not sure if I'm smart or a bookworm, but I enjoy reading books once in a while if they're good. Today, I'd like to discuss one such book, "The Alchemist," a novel written by a Brazilian named "Paulo Coelho." Many people believe that "The Alchemist" will forever change the lives of its readers. This book has become a modern classic, universally admired and loved by readers.
I first heard about the book during my university years, when one of my university friends was researching the Islamic heritage of Andalusia, which was ruled by Muslim rulers from the 8th to the 14th centuries, for an essay. The book piqued my interest because I couldn't imagine why a Brazilian author would want to write an allegory about someone who was "supposedly" living in an area of Spain called "Andalusia," which was/is about 8000 kilometers away from Brazil.
Anyway, the book is essentially a third-person narration about a young shepherd boy (Santiago) from Andalusia who dreams of traveling around the world. However, his most significant life event was meeting a Melchizedek, King of Salem, who directs him on his journey from the Andalusian plains to the exotic markets of Tangier and through the mighty deserts of the Sahara to the Al-Fayoum oasis, where he encounters the "Alchemist" and falls in love with her.
The book is full of lessons that will undoubtedly influence you in some way. I learned that life gives us choices and opportunities if we are willing to take them, and that there is no such thing as an impossible dream. Anyway, after reading this book, I realized that fear, rather than the "obstacle," appears to be the most significant impediment to achieving our goals. After reading this book, I was once again convinced that truth always triumphs, no matter how hard we try to conceal it. I also realized that if we truly want to be happy in life, we should always try to live in the present.
Sample Answer 4
Reading as a habit, according to popular belief, is rapidly becoming obsolete. Due to the availability of countless leisure activities on the internet and the prevalence of social media platforms, only a small number of people still read books. However, I have been a voracious reader since middle school. Over the years, I've been inspired by a number of novels and books. Authors whose work I enjoy and appreciate include Khaled Hosseini, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Paulo Coelho. However, of all the books I've read, '1984' has had the most influence on me. This book was written by George Orwell, the pen name of English novelist Eric Arthur Blair.
The first time I heard of 1984 was in high school, when our English teacher recommended some classic novels to read during our summer vacation. I immediately ordered the majority of the books on the list from an online bookstore, and even after reading this book for the first time, I re-read it several times.
The plot revolves around a person who lives in a dystopian world where the general public is oppressed by a totalitarian regime. The book is an account of events that occur to the protagonist as we gain insight into a subject's life in a totalitarian regime.
The book had a big impact on my life because after reading it, I became interested in writing. 1984 also introduced me to a number of new social and psychological ideas. I always read sections of the book whenever I have free time to relive the emotions I felt the first time I read them.
Sample Answer 5
I've recently had to deal with an overwhelming workload. If I have some free time, I'd like to curl up with a book and a cup of tea. Books always help me to stay calm and relaxed. I've read a lot of books up to this point, but The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho has had the most impact on me.
Alchemist was first published in 1988, but I did not read it until 2015. I had just finished reading "Little Prince" and had fallen head over heels in love with it. Then I came across a review of Alchemist that said, "It's like Little Prince for Asians," which piqued my interest and made me want to read it. I immediately decided to purchase this book. After spending an entire day reading it, The Alchemist surpassed "Little Prince" as my favorite book.
Although the book is not as long as other famous novels such as "Gone with the Wind," it has nonetheless inspired a worldwide devoted following. This is the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who travels from his home in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a buried treasure in the Pyramids. On his journey to his destination, he encounters a number of obstacles as well as people who teach him valuable life lessons.
Though this type of journey can be told in a variety of books, Alchemist, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, can provide me with a unique perspective on life. This story has successfully taught me the value of passion in every person's life. You should make every effort to pursue your passion.
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