How to Answer IELTS Cue Cards: A Person You Saw On Television

This recent IELTS speaking test asks you to talk about a person you saw on television. Other speaking topics in the test include:


A Person You Saw On Television

IELTS Speaking Part 1

What do you like about your job?

What I like most about my job is the freedom with which I can move in my city. At the moment, I'm working as a courier or deliveryman. Driving a truck is more fun than I could have imagined. You could say my world is inside the truck. I eat in it, listen to music that I like while driving, and spend most of my day delivering various packages.

Do you like to eat fish?

Yes, but only if it's fresh fish. They say that fish is one of the foods that provide the most protein for the body. And that seems interesting to me. But the city where I live is far from the coast. So most of the fish that people sell here is refrigerated or frozen. But I don't like the flavor that it has. The taste isn't as good as when it's fresh.

Is it easy to buy fish in the area where you live?

Yes, in the city where I live, there is a supermarket on every main avenue. And they sell frozen fish and seafood in all of them. The cost depends on the type of fish. For example, salmon and tuna loin are among the most expensive. But in general everyone in the area where I live can buy fish easily if they want it.

Is fishing popular in your country?

My country has a huge stretch of coastline that faces the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Also, we have many dams, lagoons, and rivers. So fishing is one of the main commercial activities for many people.

You can also do sport fishing, but to a lesser extent, it's not so popular.

Do you know a good place to fish?

Yes, near my city there are two lagoons. In both of them, people fish for tilapia, crappie, and bass. I have seen many people in boats there, with fishing rods. People who can't afford a boat need to fish from the banks of the lagoon. Whatever they catch can be cooked in many food stalls installed in the surroundings. Or they can take it home and cook it themselves.

Would you keep fish as pets?

Maybe, a well-equipped fish tank can be pretty and relaxing when you look at the fish swimming around. I once had a fish tank with freshwater fish in it. The maintenance of the fish is inexpensive, and it's not that complicated either. So I guess I wouldn't mind keeping pet fish again.

IELTS Speaking Part 2

Talk about a person you saw on television recently
You should say:
  • When it was
  • Who it was
  • Why was he/she on TV

A Person You Saw On TV: Model Answer

There is a press conference by the government that I watch. It focuses on the current health crisis. I normally watch it on YouTube. The Undersecretary of Health for the country presents the program.

These conferences began when the SARS COV 2 virus that causes the COVID-19 disease, known as Coronavirus, first appeared. That was when the world entered a crisis, the current pandemic, something not experienced in a hundred years.

Dr Hugo López Gatell, the Undersecretary of Health, is a scientist. He has specializations in virology and epidemiology. In short, he is a specialist in his field. Every day he informs the public of the progress the government is makingin combating the pandemic. He also explains how the government is responding to the needs of infected people.

The importance of these conferences derives from the need of the public to be informed of everything that is being done. They also need to be vigilant that it is being done correctly, and this type of program helps.

Everyone needs to remain informed, be aware of what is happening in their city, region, country, and the world. It is important to know what is going on locally and in the world.

One of the negative things about this crisis is the proliferation of false information that floods social networks and confuses people. I think it's important to check where you get your information, the source must be trustworthy.

This phenomenon has taken the issue of the pandemic as its central axis and reproduces millions of videos and false narratives throughout the world. Unfortunately, there is no way to regulate them, the problem continues to grow.

That is why official press conferences are of great importance for the public.

Follow-up question: Do you watch the news often?

As I said, at the moment, I watch some every night. It depends on what's happening. If there is some breaking news, I might watch the updates during the day.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

How is today's news different from the news in the past?

The changes in the way that the media operates have been very dramatic, especially in the last ten years.

Before, one of the main ways of transmitting news was print media, in newspapers. But people who wanted to find out about things had to wait until the early hours of the morning to buy a newspaper.

Today, everything you need to know is at your fingertips in real-time, thanks to internet connectivity and social media.

This puts a lot of pressure on the media to fill a 24-hour news cycle. That is why there seems to be a lot of unimportant items people talk about.

Today, there is a tendency to report on anything and everything, rather than focusing on what is important. There is less effort involved in spreading information. It's much easier to live stream news events on the internet or publish on social media than write a newspaper column with the facts.

Does social media influence the news?

Social media has become one of the main ways people access information, and find out what's happening around the world. It's good but it's also a problem.

It is unfortunate that there is no way to regulate the immense amount of data people upload to the internet. Because much of it is untrue or misleading, and that's a problem. People can resend or retweet a lot of false information and this leads to confusion and misinformation.

Who does a better job reporting the news, social media, or TV channels?

In my country, television stations still have a large audience. This is because of a lack of (internet) connectivity in many remote communities where millions of people live.

As for social media, I guess it comes after radio. In my opinion, social media has opened up more information sources for people. In my country, many television stations have been regulated by the government and the interests they protect, and that's a problem.

Social media might give instant access to unfiltered reports about events. But a news program on radio or television will probably have a larger audience.

Is television news more informative?

It depends on the program. The problem is that many large television stations in my country are owned by rich businessmen. They have controlled the information broadcast for decades, creating a network of specific and censored information. Sometimes, a TV program can be very biased about what it reports.

The information released is shaped to create public opinion according to the interests of these groups. They decide the narrative they want to establish.

In my opinion, television stations are the worst communication medium in my country. They are too biased to be informative.

Does television news have more influence than news online or in a newspaper?

If we look at history, the different means of communication have often been replaced one by one as the years have passed. Newspapers and print media have experienced a significant drop in popularity in the last decade. Also, the large established television stations are rapidly losing ratings compared to the offers of online channels.

Even though a popular TV news program currently retains the top ratings, this will change rapidly. As more and more people start watching online news programs and alternative sources, they will become more popular.

It's just a matter of time before people prefer to get their news online rather than from a traditional TV program. Every traditional news program will become less important and influential.

How would you answer this IELTS cue card question about a person you saw on television?