IELTS Speaking Test Part 2 Cue Card
Describe an area of science that interests you / Talk about an area of science you are interested in
You should say:- what it is
- how you learned about it
- what you know about it
And explain why it interests you.
Sample Answer - Describe an area of science that interests you
So, the area of science or scientific research that really grabs my attention is astronomy. You know, all things stars and galaxies, outer space and the like. I came across it during a school trip to a planetarium when I was about 10. I remember looking up at the massive screen showing the vast universe, and it was like a switch just flipped inside me, I was utterly hooked.
Well, since then, I've spent a lot of time reading books, watching documentaries, and even took a few courses in college to understand more about it and its connection to physical and mental health. I mean, I'm no expert, but I know a fair bit. Like, how stars are born, live, and die, the general structure of the universe, and some theories about its origin and future. Oh, and did you know that there are billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars? It's mind-boggling!
I think the most amazing thing I learned was about black holes. These are regions in space where the gravitational pull is so strong that even light can't escape. Wrap your head around that! And scientists are still discovering new things and theories about them, which just blows my mind.
Now, as for why it interests me, I guess it's the sheer scale of it all. It makes our daily issues seem so small, you know? Plus, the mystery and the unknown – there's always something new to learn, something undiscovered to ponder. And then there's the beauty, the images from telescopes, they're just out of this world (pun intended!). But most of all, it makes me appreciate how lucky we are, as human life to exist at all, in this vast cosmos.
So yeah, that's my science interest - astronomy.
IELTS Examiner Comments
- Fluency & Coherence: The speaker demonstrates substantial fluency and coherence in their monologue. They articulate their thoughts on astronomy logically and seamlessly, maintaining a cohesive flow throughout. For instance, the transition from their first encounter with astronomy to their continued education and current understanding shows clear progression. Their use of discourse markers, like "Alright then," and "Well," also enhances the coherence.
- Grammatical Range & Accuracy: The speaker exhibits a broad range of grammatical structures and uses them accurately. Complex sentences, such as "I remember looking up at the massive screen showing the vast universe, and it was like a switch just flipped inside me," demonstrate good command over compound and complex sentence structures.
- Lexical Resource: The speaker's vocabulary is varied and topic-specific. They've used specialized terms related to astronomy like "black holes," "gravitational pull," "galaxies," and idiomatic phrases like "utterly hooked" and "out of this world." These demonstrate a rich and precise understanding of the language.
- Pronunciation: Although this aspect can't be assessed in this written format, the speaker's usage of punctuation and rhetorical questions ("Wrap your head around that!") suggest they would be able to use intonation and stress effectively to enhance meaning in spoken language.