Describe a subject you used to dislike but now have interest in.
You should say
- What it is
- Why you disliked it
- Why you have interest in it
And how you feel about this subject.
Sample Answer Band 8+
I’d like to talk about Literature – the subject I once found tedious, but then developed a much keener interest in. Well to be honest, Literature had never been my weakness at schools as I had pretty high scores compared to my classmates. I even took this subject as a pastime once. My grandpa and I used to spend an entire Saturday afternoon discussing a literary work, and even composing our own adaptations. So in retrospect, I’d say I had nothing against Literature itself. My resentment towards this subject had little to do with its nature, but rather with the way it’s delivered to students.
So to make it clear, pretty much every Literature lesson in my school years would play out in the same pattern. The teacher would analyze a poem or an excerpt from a famous novel in a “standard” way, and expect us to memorize everything. And although some teachers did try to inject their individuality into each lesson to make it more fascinating, it’s just not enough to spark any actual creativity or excitement among students since the syllabus didn’t focus on encouraging us to interpret an artwork in our own way. To make things worse, we hardly had any chances to expand our general knowledge, gain a wider perspective or practice essential skills such as reasoning or critical thinking. If it weren’t for some scientific books or novels that I read as a hobby, I couldn’t have written a complete thesis, let alone scoring high for one. For me, Literature was a fun thing to do, but a boring subject to study.
Having said that, it didn’t take long for me to realize how crucial Literature is in almost every aspect of our life. I mean it’s everywhere! No matter what you do, being able to communicate effectively and get your ideas across is a huge advantage, and these skills are directly influenced by your literature as well as language proficiency. Without them, everything you do will be a real struggle: writing an email to your boss, negotiating with a potential client, confessing your feelings to someone you love, …. and the list goes on. Meanwhile, those who possess the ability to express themselves clearly can turn this skill into a deadly weapon, one which might bring them countless opportunities along with a massive increase in their wealth and influence. That’s why I’ve long stopped considering Literature as a mere subject, and started seeing it as a must-have and must-train skill for everyone.
To be honest, sometimes I do question the actual role of Literature, especially in a world that seems to be driven and increasingly dominated by science & technology. However, the more I experience in life, the more I appreciate Literature’s universal importance. This subject, for me, isn’t just something that brings us knowledge. It’s a trait that makes us human.
