Describe a difficult thing you did (Part 2/3)

IELTS Speaking – Part 2

Describe a difficult thing you did

You should say:

• What was it?

• How did you complete it?

• Why was it difficult?

• And how did you feel about doing it?

Sample Answer

Since my childhood, I have never liked any complexities in life. At almost every step of my life, I tried keeping things short and simple. However, in a few situations, the circumstances prompt me to go with arduous tasks just to get a different taste of life. Lately, I had one such experience when I finished a daunting task after a lot of effort and hard work.

With India being hit by the second wave of Covid-19, the country was experiencing a tough time. Keeping the havoc in mind, the higher authorities imposed stringent restrictions, and the nation was under lockdown. Since all educational institutions were shut down, I was forced to give exams online. However, unfortunately, just a few days before my final exam, my phone stopped working. On top of that, to my dismay, all of the shops were closed at that time. I did not have any other option than to repair the phone on my own.

Definitely, it was taxing for me as I didn’t have any know-how about the repair. While I was pretty good at operating the phone, I was a rookie at repair.

Here, my wits and quick learning skills came to the rescue. To begin with, I resorted to the internet to get help. I watched plenty of videos and read an array of articles. It took me almost 7 hours to figure out a minor issue that could have been corrected in 10 minutes, given I was a professional. With the unabated support of the internet and my zeal to get my phone running, I managed to repair it after hours altogether. However, it didn’t end there as the challenging part was to reassemble the phone post repairing it.

Once done, I sighed in relief and felt proud of myself. After all, I had learned how to repair a phone – all by myself.

All in all, I believe that tackling challenging tasks is a must-have attribute that everybody should follow to gain success in life.

Vocabulary

• Prompt
  Meaning: act without delay
  Eg: I am always prompt in paying my bills.
• Arduous
  Meaning: difficult
  Eg: Completing minor tasks when you are ill is arduous.
• Stringent
  Meaning: strict
  Eg: I was happy to move out of my family and escape the stringent rules.
• Dismay
  Meaning: a feeling of disappointment or sadness
  Eg: To my dismay, I realized I had missed the flight.
• Zeal
  Meaning: great enthusiasm or energy
  Eg: My zeal helped me stand out from other candidates in the interview.

IELTS Speaking – Part 3

1. What kinds of jobs require people to be confident?
   Nearly all kinds of job roles require the incumbent to have some degree of confidence. If individuals do not believe in themselves, no matter how competent they are, they will fail. Sometimes, even if a person does not possess the required skill set to perform a task, they can get the job done if they have confidence. In my opinion, jobs that fall in the category of sales and public relations require the job holders to be extremely confident. Since people who work in such job roles mainly perform the task of handling customers and the general public, having a confident personality is a must for such positions.
2. On what occasions should children be encouraged? How?
   Children should always be supported in their endeavours. One of the finest ways of facilitating the growth of a child is to encourage them to pursue their interests. Children should be encouraged when they are unsure of their abilities. There are numerous occasions when children doubt themselves and often give up due to the fear of failure. Youngsters, especially young children, should be encouraged by their parents. Encouragement can be given by providing assistance and reassurance to children regardless of their capabilities.
3. How do you help children stay focused?
   First of all, it is important to understand that the needs of every child are different. There are several ways to help children remain focused. Some children can easily concentrate on a task if the activity they are doing is engaging. Some children tend to be more focused if their ambience is calm and free from distractions. It is important to recognise the individual needs of a child before attempting to help them concentrate on their daily activities.
4. What challenges do young people face today?
   There are several problems that young people have to deal with regularly. Adolescence, late teenage and early adulthood are some of the most difficult times in a person’s life. Youth is a period of time when an individual is confused, frustrated and in some cases unhappy with the state of their life. One of the biggest challenges faced by young people is in determining their goals and aspirations. Young people are often perplexed when it comes to choosing a definite path that provides them with opportunities and certainty.
5. What are the most difficult things for youngsters to do?
   There are several aspects of a youngster’s life that are difficult to deal with. Young people often face problems that may seem insurmountable and even discouraging. Since youth is a time when a person is about to begin their journey as a self-sufficient individual, there are various tough decisions that need to be taken. One of the most difficult things for youngsters to do is make prudent decisions. Since young people lack sufficient life experience, they are often faced with the consequences of uninformed decisions and hasty choices.

Vocabulary

• Incumbent
  Meaning: the holder of an office or post.
  Eg: The incumbent of the current Junior Lecturer of Media Studies position was quite competent.
• Endeavours
  Meaning: an attempt to achieve a goal.
  Eg: They wished him good luck for all his future endeavours.
• Ambience
  Meaning: the character and atmosphere of a place.
  Eg: The ambience of this restaurant is quite welcoming.
• Adolescence
  Meaning: the period following the onset of puberty during which a young person develops from a child into an adult.
  Eg: Adolescence is a difficult time for everyone.
• Insurmountable
  Meaning: too great to be overcome.
  Eg: The pain he suffered from was insurmountable.