IELTS CUE CARD
[PART 2]
A FILM / MOVIE THAT MADE
YOU THINK A LOT
Describe a film that made you think a lot
You should say:
-what it was
-when you saw it
-what it was about
And explain why it made you think a lot
A N S W E R
To be honest, I only watch movies once in a blue moon since I don’t have a lot of free time. However, there’s one movie that really moved me and which I consider my greatest inspiration every time I feel like giving up and that’s the 2006 movie, The Pursuit of Happyness.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Once in a blue moon [idiom] – very rarely
Give up [phrasal verb] – admit defeat; quit
That movie was released more than a decade ago but I got the chance to watch it sometime last year when a friend of mine insisted on me watching it. The movie was starred by a high-caliber actor Will Smith, together with his real-life son, Jaden Smith who acted as his young son in the movie and who was only eight years old then.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Insist [verb] – persist in doing something
Star [verb] – to play the most important role in a film
Caliber [noun] – when it’s used to describe a person, it refers to the quality or standard of their ability, and intelligence, especially when it is high
Well, it’s still vivid in my memory how the movie left me teary-eyed witnessing the struggle of Chris Gardner, played by Will Smith. To give you a synopsis of that movie, Chris became a single father after his wife left him because of financial instability. He was evicted from his apartment with his son for failing to pay the rent, and because of that, they ended up sleeping in a restroom at a station and in homeless shelters. Life’s a struggle for Chris but he refused to give in to despair and did his very best to create a better life for himself and his son. Because of his persistence, he’s able to get a job as a stockbroker and eventually became the owner of a multi-million dollar brokerage firm.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Vivid [adj.] – clear
Synopsis [noun] – a brief summary
Homeless shelters [noun] – a homeless service agency that provides temporary shelter to the homeless
The story was really inspirational, I remember after watching that movie, I thought about my life – I thought about the personal struggles that I’d gone through and told myself that everything would be alright. Since then, that movie became my reminder to not lose hope whenever I face some difficulties that test my strength or when the time comes that I doubt myself. Like recently, I’ve just got laid off from work because of the pandemic and here I am taking this IELTS exam several times now for the sole purpose of chasing my dream.
Honestly, I can’t help myself but sometimes feel like giving up, thinking that perhaps, my dream to work abroad isn’t meant for me. However, the moment when I feel I’m on the brink of quitting, that movie reminds me to keep going.
If my friend hadn’t recommended that film and if I hadn’t spared time watching it and learned the valuable life lessons, I would have given up long before.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Turn out [phrasal verb] – to have a particular result, especially an unexpected one
Lay off [phrasal verb] – dismiss; discharge a worker
Can’t help oneself [idiom] – unable to control one’s action
On the brink [idiom] – a situation when you’re almost in a new situation usually a bad one
Long before [expression] – a long time before/ago
PART 3
What do you think makes a good film?
That’s hard, but in my opinion, the story and the great acting performances by the actors make the film great. If the story is well-written and it’s perfectly executed by the actors, then we can say that the film is worth watching. Just like Will Smith’s film which I have talked about earlier, the story teaches people several life lessons such as hope, love, persistence, hard work, being ambitious, success, and happiness. That story touches people’s lives and the main actor’s exceptional performance leaves a good impression on every person who watches the film.
Well I know, cinematography is one important factor that can make a film great, however, those two important factors I’ve explained are what I always consider first when judging a film on whether it’s a great one or a complete flop.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Execute [verb] – to do or perform something
Stir up [phrasal verb] – to arouse or excite feelings
Touch [verb] – to influence someone emotionally
Leave a (good) impression [idiom] – to create a strong impact on someone positively
Cinematography [noun] – the art and the techniques of using cameras in making a film
Flop [noun] – a failure
Is the film industry important in a country?
Yes, definitely and it’s necessary in several ways. Aside from the fact that it provides entertainment to people, the industry of filmmaking promotes cultural awareness or educates people about social issues that are not commonly tackled by government leaders or the common people.
Through movies, people become aware of their own unique cultures and traditions that need to be preserved and that they can be proud of, and the problems that their own country is facing which need attention. Besides, the film industry helps the economy of a country prosper in a way of job creation and hefty tax contributions. So I can say, the film industry plays an important role in entertaining and educating people and at the same time in flourishing the country’s economy.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Aside from [phrase] – apart from; in addition to
Tackle [verb] – deal with
Hefty [adj.] – large in amount
Flourish [verb] – prosper; develop; grow
What kinds of films are popular in your country?
Well, based on the box office hits, it’s mostly drama and romance. I suppose that’s because of our culture, people in my country innately enjoy rags-to-riches stories as they give so much inspiration. So major film companies take advantage of that and produce dramas with that kind of theme. Also, romance is indisputably famous and that I believe is due to a huge number of young audiences in my country. That genre is what those types of audiences love watching and because of that, film companies never fail to create such films for the sole purpose of attaining commercial success.
The downside is the quality is jeopardized sometimes since the story becomes predictable and there’s nothing wow factor anymore. Honestly, I’m not into watching local films because of that reason, I understand that it’s important to support local films but I get tired of the same plot of the local films produced in this country, they’re not fascinating to me at all.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Box office hit/success [noun] – a successful film that earns a lot of money
Innately [adv.] – naturally; inborn
Rags-to-riches [adj.] – to describe a person who was once poor but becomes rich
Take advantage of [phrase] – to use an opportunity to achieve results; exploit
Indisputably [adv.] – in a way that it can’t be denied
Downside [noun] – drawback
Jeopardize [verb] – put something into a situation in which there’s failure
Wow factor [noun] – a quality or feature that makes people feel excitement or admiration
Why do some movies use some special effects?
Basically, the main purpose of adding some special effects to a film is to make the film more interesting. What I mean by that is the use of special effects helps tell a better and more engaging story that adds more value to the entire film. As a result, moviegoers are entertained well and at the same time feel more satisfied.
Another reason for using those visual and special effects is that they make scenes that are impossible to be executed by the actors possible, most especially in sci-fi or fantasy films, for instance, the showcasing of superpowers. That cannot be done in real life so resorting to using those effects makes things possible. Well, motion pictures these days would have been dull and less credible if special effects had not been invented.
LEXICAL RESOURCE
Basically [adv.] – fundamentally; in the most essential respects
Showcase [verb] – to show someone in a way that attracts attention
Resort [verb] – adopt
Study the recent topic questions
about LISTING OR MAKING A
LIST so you can provide better
answers in the IELTS Speaking
Part 1 exam.
GET THE LATEST
REVIEWERS FOR PART 2 &
PART 3 Here!
Meaning of Words and Phrases Sources: Collins, Macmillan, Cambridge, Oxford
If you want to support my work, you can buy me A CUP OF COFFEE here:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ieltsdragon
Thank you so much!
