Cue Card Sample
IELTS Cue Card # 216 - Describe a historical event that you find interesting
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IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card.
Describe a historical event that you find interesting.
You should say:
- when the event took place
- what historic connection it has
- how the event has impacted history
and explain why you find this historical event interesting.
Follow-up Questions:
- What things do people learn during history lessons?
- Do you prefer to read about international or local history? [Why?/Why not?]
- Why do you think some people find history a boring and difficult subject?
Model Answer 1:
The world has witnessed many historical events from the beginning of its existence. While all of these events have impacted our world in one way or another, there are very few events as important as “The French Revolution” that swept the world with all sorts of dramatic changes.
Now, to understand the French revolution, that took place between 1789 and 1799, one has to have some ideas about the situation that was prevailing in France between 1789 and 1799, as well as preceding that era. In fact, the common French people were outraged with the fact their king Louis XVI and his predecessor left the country completely bankrupt by getting involved in the American revolutions during the mid 18th century, as well as by extravagant and unnecessary spending by their administration. On top of that, two decades of poor harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread prices prior to that had kindled unrest among peasants and the urban poor among the French people.
Many expressed their desperation and resentment toward a regime that imposed heavy taxes – yet failed to provide any relief – by rioting, looting and striking. And, it was in this context that the French revolution had taken place.
Anyway, the event has tremendously impacted world history because it was after this revolution the growing exodus of nobles from the country took place, ultimately leading to the abolition of feudalism on August 4, 1789.
I believe, this event is a very important and interesting one because it is after this revolution that the charter of the declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen was adopted by all the progressive forces around the world in light of democratic principles, grounded in the philosophical and political ideas of Enlightenment thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Besides, this event essentially and practically plucked out the oppressive monarchy system in whole Europe. Furthermore, it had also helped people enjoy a better life in terms of getting better jobs and better education. The French revolution helped the entire world to move forward by leaving all kinds of old ideas behind.
Sample Answer 2:
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914, in my opinion, is a historical event that is quite momentous and substantial due to its sheer influence on the following years and decades. This single event resulted in one of the most devastating wars known to human history - the First World War, which changes the world to a great extent.
This significant historical event took place on 28th June 1914 when six assassins shot Franz Ferdinand and his wife dead on that day, and that created a great collision in the world, and more so in Europe.
There was a political objective of this assassination and that was to break down the Austria- Hungary’s provinces to form a greater Serbia. Because of this event, the world and political condition in Europe faced turbulence and thus the event caused the First World War.
I specifically find this event interesting because of the political motivation, planning and aftermath this event had. Though this seems like an ordinary assassination, yet it caused one of the most deadly wars in the world, and as a result, millions of people died, the global economy was hit and political history was rewritten.
Similar Cue Card Topics
Your ability to talk about this Cue Card would enable you to talk about the following Cue Cards as well:
- Describe a historical event.
- Describe a major event in your country.
- Describe an event that you think is interesting.
- Describe an internationally important day.
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