IELTS SPEAKING TEST
Part 2
Describe a time when you gave advice to others
You should say:
- When it was
- To whom you gave the advice
- What the advice was
- And explain why you gave the advice
Sample Answer
As I am a banker, it is part of my duty to offer financial advice to my clients whenever they need one.
But, this is a completely professional matter, and there is no personal concern is involved in this thing.
Whereas, my close friends and my family members are the people to whom I would give a word of advice even if they don’t seek one.
There are many instances that I can recollect, but there is one particular incident that I would like to talk about today.
My son Rajesh is a 17-year-old guy who is right now preparing for his university entrance test.
He is a brilliant boy who can excel in studies only if he stays focused on it.
But, a few months ago, I observed that he was not concentrating on his studies. Soon I found out the reason.
It was the overuse of social media websites like Facebook and Instagram that was ruining his career.
Rajesh was quite addicted to these sites, and one day his teacher Mr. Paresh Patel complained to me that Rajesh was not doing well in subjects like Math, Science, and Chemistry.
I was quite upset after hearing this news. I talked to my wife first, before saying anything to Rajesh.
My wife agreed that Rajesh was quite absorbed in the world of social media, and he even started skipping his breakfast every other day.
She suggested that as a parent, I should talk to Rajesh in a gentle manner and help him to overcome his addiction.
The next day, I went to Rajesh’s room. And as usual he was absorbed in his smartphone.
I asked him to put that phone aside for a while. And then, in a very friendly manner, I asked him about his goals in life.
Once he finished talking about his goals, I asked him this question, “Dear son, do you think you could achieve your goals by spending time chit-chatting with your online friends?”
Rajesh was stunned for a moment.
And then the truth dawned upon him that I was talking about his addiction to smartphone.
Then I told him that it is for his better future he must focus on his studies, as the teenage years are very crucial in deciding his career path.
I also cautioned him that once he strayed from the right path, nobody – not even himself – would be able to get him on the right track.
And my son heeded my advice , and that was the last day he used his smartphone. He gave his phone to his mother and started using his old Nokia phone that had only some basic functions.
Today, when I look back upon that day, I thank my wife for helping me in getting my son back on the right track. My son is doing well in his studies. And just last month he won the first prize in the interstate science quiz.
IELTS SPEAKING TEST
Part 3
What are the problems if you ask too many people for advice?
There is an old proverb that goes like this,
“Too many cooks spoil the broth“
People have different opinions based on their own experiences. When we see their advice, often we would get contradictory advice.
This will result in unnecessary confusion.
What are the personalities of the people whose job is to give advice to others?
There are two types of people:
Our teachers and elders are the genuine advice givers. They are our well wishers and they would never tell us to do something that is harmful to us.
On the other hand, there are people who themselves have never achieved anything in their lives. They have never taken any bold decisions or never felt the necessity to follow their dreams.
Such people offer unsolicited advice out of jealousy they feel for us. They often give us impractical or discouraging suggestions.
Is it good to ask for advice from strangers online?
No, it is no use seeking advice from strangers online, unless they are professionals and we are paying money to get their help.
Strangers don’t know our circumstances. Even if they have no wrong intentions, their advice would be based on some wrong assumptions about our situation.
Should people prepare before giving advice?
Of course, they must know the background story of the advice seeker. And then only the advice should be given.
But, some cases are exceptions.
When some guy is addicted to alcohol, there is no need to prepare before telling him to stop consuming alcohol. As it is a well-established fact that alcohol is not good for health , and the person consuming it should be stopped using it.