Describe a risk you took that you thought would lead to a terrible result but ended up with a positive result : IELTS Cue Card

Bhargavee Sisodia

09 Jul 2024

Among the four different tests in an IELTS exam, the  IELTS speaking test is the most critical one as it gauges the fluency, pronunciation, grammar and opinions of a non-native English speaker. Hence the most trivial part of the IELTS speaking test is to understand the IELTS questions  and IELTS speaking topics properly. To do so, you need to go through a lot of IELTS sample questions and practice answering the commonly asked IELTS speaking topics. This would not only boost your confidence, but also tighten your grasp on the language, which in turn will earn you a top IELTS score. 

The first section of the IELTS speaking test is the general interview where the examiner would question your educational background, professional interests and ask about some personal information. This section is designed to make the candidate comfortable for the upcoming sections of the IELTS test. It is advisable to keep a general introduction handy during your IELTS preparation so that you don’t become nervous during this section.

The second part of the IELTS speaking test is the Cue Card section. In this section, you will receive a Cue Card with a topic on which you have to speak for about 2 minutes. You will be given 1 minute to think and plan out your answer. It is absolutely necessary for you to time yourself when you practice your monologues on the most commonly asked IELTS speaking questions during your IELTS exam preparation because you will not be allowed to exceed the time limit. Your IELTS learning must include IELTS speaking practice on the common IELTS speaking topics which will help you understand the format of each section of the IELTS exam.

The next part of the IELTS speaking test is the follow-up questions section where the examiner would ask a few follow-up questions on the answer you gave in the Cue Card part of the IELTS test. Follow-up questions on the IELTS speaking topics is for the candidate to justify their answers, show their confidence and speak about their opinions. Your IELTS exam preparation must include a proper strategy to approach each section of the IELTS speaking test in order to ace it. You should attempt one IELTS sample test regularly, to understand the structure of each section. Browsing through answers on IELTS sample questions on commonly asked IELTS speaking topics and thorough IELTS  speaking practice are also integral parts of your IELTS learning. 

IELTS speaking questions : Describe a risk you took that you thought would lead to a terrible result but ended up with a positive result

Introduction : 

A dilemma of whether to take a risk that involves your entire future is very difficult. One such risk I took was 3 years ago when I decided to reject a high paying job offer and go for higher education. It took a lot of guts and mental strength to convince myself to not be enticed by the offer in hand and go for a few more years of education before aiming for a well paid job. 

How difficult was the risk? 

When I received the offer letter for the job, I discussed it with my parents. My father supported my decision to aim for a higher education and asked me not to be swayed by the job offer. My mother on the other hand asked me to give it some more thought as she feared I might regret the decision in future. The decision was tough. On one hand I had financial stability and professional evolution, while on the other I had some more years of education, the struggle to aim for a university of my choice and the anxiety to land a better professional prospect at the end of the path.  

How did you take the risk? 

I have always made decisions after properly brainstorming and that is what I did. I didn't just consider the next 3 years of my life, I considered the whole future of my career. After a lot of pondering over pros and cons, I decided to take the high road. I rejected the hefty salary and started preparing for the entrance examination for higher study. It was a very difficult phase of my life where I questioned my decision every single day, but never did I regret it.

Conclusion : 

Today I am glad I took that risk as it was one of the best decisions of my life. I went ahead to get into my dream university for a master’s degree and during my degree I found my true passion. I understood which professional path I should aim for so that my job is as enjoyable as my degree, hence I am extremely happy that I took the risk. Risks are difficult, but if the end goal is clear to you, then it is worthwhile to attempt it. 

SAMPLE 2:  IELTS speaking questions : Describe a risk you took that you thought would lead to a terrible result but ended up with a positive result

What was the risk? 

Risks are hard to evaluate and it is harder when the risk involves your personal life and loved ones. Today I would like to talk about a financial risk I took  a few years ago and how it affected my life and my perspective of it. A few years ago, my sister and I invested in a small apartment in the country. Both of us had to take a huge risk financially, without proper certainty whether we would be able to survive through the struggles that came along with it.

How did it impact your life? 

When we signed the loan papers with the bank and got the keys for “our” apartment, it was a bitter-sweet moment. We were both very happy to have acquired an apartment of our own, but we were very skeptical about the burden of a huge financial debt. Our decision to buy an apartment was to give our parents a place of their own, since they have been living in the joint ancestral property partly owned by our father. After pondering about the practical implications of the uncertain ownership of the house, we decided to give our parents their own home. 

Concluding thoughts : 

After buying the apartment, we had to save each penny for a long time to pay off a certain part of the debt, but we were extremely happy when we saw the glee on our parents' faces every time they visited the apartment. My sister and I furnished the apartment gradually and now we have paid off most of our debts and furnished teh apartment completely. Our parents often visit the apartment for a couple of months and have a comfortable stay there, which is the ultimate reward for both of us. Today I am glad we took the risk without giving up on our dream as it was worth it. 

IELTS test next step: Follow up questions

The follow-up questions are the next section of the IELTS speaking topics where  the examiner will assess your conversational skills by asking you a few follow-up questions based on your answers in the IELTS speaking subjects part. For the IELTS speaking follow-up questions section, you must frequently review the IELTS speaking questions to comprehend the variations of the frequently asked speaking questions and their follow-up questions. 

IELTS speaking - Follow up question

What according to you is a “ risk” ?  

Answer : A risk is an action, the outcome of which is extremely uncertain and volatile, It is a decision which can either be life altering or bring grave disappointment along with it. Every individual has encountered some risks in their life where they had to make tough choices. Different people have different approaches to dealing with a risk. So people take the easier path and avoid the risk because of its uncertainty, whereas some people approach it head on. The way a person deals with a certain risk depends on the individual’s personality, thinking, situation and strengths.

Do you think gender is a factor when you take a risk? 

Answer : Personally speaking, I don’t think gender is a huge factor nowadays when you decide on taking a risk. Yes, there are challenges that one has to encounter while taking a risk and yes the struggles are mostly different for different genders, but the goal is always the same. We all want to achieve something because of which we go for a risk, and that thirst of achievement is common in all genders. 

Do you believe in the concept of “small risk” and “big risk”? 

Answer : Yes. I think it is an extremely logical concept. A small risk comes with smaller damages in the advent of failure, while bigger risks have bigger stakes. For example, missing a day in school before exam to play for a football match is a small risk whereas missing your IELTS exam to play on a football match is a big risk. The magnitude of the risk is determined by the severity of its outcomes and the decision to attempt it depends on the perception of the person who takes it. 

Conclusion

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