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To effectively tackle the topic “Describe a prize you received” or “Describe your feelings after winning a prize” in the Speaking exam, avoid overly elaborate descriptions of the competition such as prize structure or organization methods. A concise and high-scoring speech requires a focused response to the key points of the cue card provided by the examiner. So how can you deliver a good, quality speech in the real exam room? Let's refer to the article below for more details!
I. Model for IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a prize you received
1. Topic: Describe a prize you received
Narrate an instance when you received a prize. You should mention:
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- What was it?
- When you received it?
- What did you do for it?
And elaborate on your emotional response?
2. Arrangement of Part 2
2.1. Model Essay Ideas (Vietnamese)
- Đề bài Describe a prize that you received yêu cầu miêu tả một giải thưởng, nên có thể cùng lúc miêu tả về cuộc thi liên quan đến giải thưởng đó. Tuy nhiên, thí sinh dễ sa đà vào miêu tả cuộc thi quá nhiều (Cơ cấu giải thưởng rồi được tổ chức ra sao, thí sinh cần trải qua mấy vòng), như vậy có thể bài nói sẽ rất dài và lan man.
- Vậy nên, để nội dung bài nói Describe a prize that you received được cô đọng và trả lời đúng trọng tâm câu hỏi, thí sinh sẽ nên bám sát câu hỏi gợi ý. Ngoài ra bạn có thể sử dụng câu trả lời đã chuẩn bị để miêu tả về 1 đồ vật, hoặc miêu tả chuyến đi đến 1 nơi nào đó và từ đó thay đổi 1 tẹo về nội dung để có thể trả lời được câu hỏi này.
- Nếu lựa chọn miêu tả 1 món đồ nào đó, ví dụ có thể là một cuốn sách cũ dùng cho mục đích sưu tầm. Câu trả lời hoàn toàn chỉ cần tập trung miêu tả về các đặc điểm bên ngoài của cuốn sách thay vì miêu tả về nội dung của cuốn sách. Như vậy thí sinh có thể phô diễn khả năng sử dụng từ vựng miêu tả 1 cuốn sách như nói về bìa sách, đặc điểm của các trang giấy cũ và cảm giác hoặc cảm xúc khi sở hữu cuốn sách.
2.2. Quick Notes in 1 Minute (English)
| What prize? | Antiquarian copy of “Gone with the wind” |
| When you received it? | Last year |
| What you did? | Participated in a book review Prize = antique book |
| How you felt about it? | Good condition for its age Cloth-bound cover Board+spine = gold foil stamped Some edge wear + spine chip Limited number → sheer bliss as a owner |
3. Sample Speaking: Describe a prize you received
Listen to Podcast example IELTS Speaking Part 2 - Detail an award you've received:
Mytour FOR IELTS · Mytour | Detail an award you've received | IELTS Speaking Part 2
I’m not much of a competitor, so I haven’t won many awards in my life. However, for those I have won, I always dedicate myself wholeheartedly and cherish each award I receive. One such award is an antique version of the book “Gone with the Wind” that I won in an online book review contest last year.
The reason I participated in the event was due to my passion for old books. As someone who is somewhat traditional and sentimental, I have always wanted to build a collection of rare editions of used books. However, collecting antique books can be quite an expensive hobby, so I occasionally look for opportunities to acquire them, such as through competitions.
The book I received is something I’ve always desired. When I opened the package and took the book out, it was still in remarkably good condition considering its age. It has a dark navy cloth cover, wrapped in a dust jacket in a Victorian-inspired style. The cover and spine titles are gold foil stamped, and despite some wear on the edges and spine, the binding remains intact.
According to the competition organizers, this edition was printed in a limited run of only 100 copies, making it quite valuable. I felt extremely fortunate to be one of the hundred owners of this edition.
Key Vocabulary used in Detail an award you've received:
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- put all my heart and soul into (idiom) dành hết tâm huyết làm một điều gì đó
- antiquarian copy (noun phrase) sách cũ dùng với mục đích sưu tầm
- Old-school (adj) lỗi thời
- Nostalgic (adj) hoài cổ
- rare (adj) hiếm
- now and then (adv) thi thoảng
- Give-away (noun) miễn phí
- cloth-bound (adj) được bọc bằng vải
- dust jacket (n) bìa giấy bọc bên ngoài một cuốn sách
- Victorian inspired style (n) phong cách được truyền cảm hứng bởi phong cách thời Victoria
- Board (n) bìa cứng của sách
- spine (n) gáy sách
- foil stamped (n) được dập bằng mạ
- Binding (n) sự đóng sách
- Stay intact (verb phrase) vẫn còn nguyên vẹn
- edge wear (noun phrase) sờn mép
- spine chip (noun phrase) sơn gáy
- sheer bliss (noun phrase) vô cùng hạnh phúc
Note: You can use the example above to respond to other prompts such as: Detail an award you would like to win, Describe a time when you felt appreciated or received an award, Describe your emotions after winning an award, Describe a rewarding experience you had,...
II. Sample Answer for IELTS Speaking Part 3: Prize
Listen to Podcast example IELTS Speaking Part 3 - Prize:
Mytour FOR IELTS · Mytour | Topic Prize | IELTS Speaking Part 3
1. What benefits can students receive from school?
Awards serve as a means of encouragement and motivation for children, in my opinion. Therefore, there are various methods schools can adopt for this purpose. Rewards generally fall into two main categories: material and immaterial. The former typically consists of physical items such as stationery, books, and even monetary sums. The latter category of incentives could involve a day trip to a child's favorite locations, such as a theme park, or simply an acknowledgment, such as presenting them with a personalized certificate for their achievements.
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- Tangible (adj) hữu hình
- Intangible (adj) vô hình
- Incentives (n) sự khích lệ
- act of recognition (n) hành động
- Customized (adj) tự thiết kế
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2. Should parents encourage their children to aim for rewards?
To begin with, we need to clarify the meaning of ‘encourage’. If it signifies motivation or support, urging a child to step outside their comfort zone and utilize their full potential to achieve their deserved goals, then it is indeed a parental responsibility. However, if excessive and often against the child’s wishes, incentives could turn into pressure, causing more harm than good. This could lead a child to feel apprehensive about not measuring up and become stressed.
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- for a start (linking phrase) đầu tiên là
- under apprehension (noun phrase) e sợ rằng
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3. What types of recognition can companies provide to outstanding employees?
Corporate awards for adults resemble those bestowed upon children by schools, categorized into two main types. However, adults may favor material rewards, such as a salary increase or promotion, or a combination of both. Some companies also host appreciation events at year-end to honor and motivate their staff members.
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- Corporation-based (adj) thuộc doanh nghiệp
- Granted (adj) được trao tặng
- pay raise (noun phrase) sự tăng lương
- Promotion (noun) sự thăng chức
- appreciation (n) sự trân trọng
- tribute (v) tri ân
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Here is an IELTS Speaking Part 2 + 3 sample topic: Describe a prize you have received in detail. Refer to this for effective self-study and achieve a high band score in your actual speaking test!
