IELTS Speaking Practice
Try using the Part 2 prompt below for your own IELTS speaking practice. How would you answer?
Talk about a recent event that made you happy
You should say:- What was the event?
- Who else was involved in the event?
- Why did it make you happy?
Sample Answer
We recently had an office party at work and it was an event that made a lot of people happy because there was a lot of laughing involved. It was a costume party, so everyone disguised themselves for the event, and some of the costumes were really funny.
From time immemorial human beings have wanted to surround themselves with people who make them laugh. From the old "court jesters" in the middle ages to street performers, and clowns.
But we tend to approach people who make us laugh, have grace or make things funny for us.
So, what things make us laugh?
Undoubtedly, one of the things that have made us laugh is the misfortune of others. If it's like a fall, an uncontrolled error, an oversight or a shameful public activity, it's much better.
Laughing at others is something inherent to our human species. In some animated films we have transmitted to the animals a uniquely human quality, and it is laughing at their peers.
The zebras do not laugh if another zebra does something funny, or a goat does not laugh at another if it is thrown by another. This, which is essential and unique to human beings, accompanies us historically, making us laugh at the misfortunes of others and make us feel better about ourselves and our own misfortunes and adversities.
But another thing that makes us laugh is the ingenuity that people demonstrate. Both poets and others have brought smiles and laughter with their witty puns.
There is no doubt that people surrender to the capacity of a speaker who brings out the best in us with wit, sarcasm, irony or surrealism. Many humorists use the ridiculous and meaningless play of words to get the best out of our humor.
Fear and surprise are other elements that make us laugh. The first reaction of fear and fright that produces a great shock might easily continue with great laughter if we know how to fit the moment and that any "danger" is not real.
Many television programs that offer "scares" in the middle of the street or in everyday circumstances that start to seem strange have become popular. Our reactions and those of people around us have given us great moments of laughter.
Another thing that makes people laugh and feel happy a lot is dressing up or dressing strangely. Especially because it breaks our impression about the person who does it, and if their image is different from how we normally see them, it will surely make us laugh.
This was the case at the office party I mentioned; seeing our boss disguised, managers, or people who are usually seen as serious in funny costumes, produces such a contrast that our brain will react in the best way possible, causing laughter.
The secret for these people is that doing this humanizes them and brings them closer to the normal people.
When situations or irregular acts occur, histrionics, or things out of the ordinary, our brain analyzes the situation, going through a moment of "this should not be happening" to then smile or laugh according to that moment.
If someone starts singing in the street, at the beginning we will show surprise, then laugh or smile. It is something unusual, that should not happen and that takes us out of our routine and our thoughts.
Another of the classics, because is related to sex. Nudity, a play on words with reference to sex, or a libidinous act publicly, will produce a smile and stupor. Many jokes are related to sex and it is something that we have embedded in our DNA for many years, that sex produces blushing, shame and ... laughter.
And finally, the importance of shared laughter, through something that does not usually fail, laughing at ourselves. We do not take ourselves seriously, laugh at our shortcomings, our adversities, our failures, the mistakes we make.
If you laugh at yourself, you already have someone with whom you can always laugh. And here is one of the pillars to overcome pessimism, depression, anger and discomfort, and know how to accept us as we are, with our shortcomings and the failures we have so we can laugh at ourselves and share that with the rest.
When you laugh at yourself, you are not only getting rid of the weight of not supporting the failure, but you are also making those around you happy and feel closer to you.
The fantastic and sublime thing is to be able to use all of them at different times or even mix them. That will make us feel better, and most importantly, that we make those around us feel happy in our day to day lives.