IELTS Cue Card – Place – Questions with Answers

1. Where it would be located?
   Thanks for the topic. My dream home would definitely be located in Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu which is my favorite city in the world.
2. Its appearance?
   Hmm, about its looks, it would be a penthouse perched on the 60th floor of a high-rise building! This house would have four bedrooms and floor-to-ceiling glass windows. I would have it painted in pastel colors, and choose minimal furniture. Kathmandu is actually a valley that’s fringed by hills, and snow-clad Himalayas in the distance so I’d be assured of some spectacular views all year round.
3. Why you’d choose to live there?
   Ever since I visited my aunt in New York City, I was entranced by the extensive views from the higher floors. In Nepal, I haven’t been higher than five floors so living on the 66th floor was a bit surreal for me. Since then, I dreamt of owning such an apartment in Nepal.
4. and how would you feel residing there?
   I think I would feel like a bird in the sky… or like God! Looking down at the microscopic winding streets, and cars. People marching about like ants on a table top. The wind would be incredibly strong at this height so I’d have to keep those windows shut! Kathmandu doesn’t have too many skyscrapers because it is prone to earthquakes but I hope that with advances in earthquake-resistant technology, more highrises could be constructed. It would be like owning a piece of heaven on earth.

Follow-up question: Do you think your wish to live in such a house will come true?

1. Where it is?
   The cafe I’m going to talk to you about is called Birdy Nom Nom, named after the dialogue in the cult film “The Party”, where Peter Sellers engages in dialogue with a parrot. It is located in Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu in the heart of the old city where foreigners abound.
2. What kind of food/drinks they serve?
   They serve mainly food that caters to the Western palate such as hearty American and British breakfasts, with eggs, sausages, bacon, hash brown potatoes, waffles, marmalade and toast, and so on. It’s not the best place for someone in search of local delicacies. The cafe is quite overpriced which is not too surprising considering its foreign clientele.
3. Who you went there with?
   I went there with my little brother Basanta on his birthday. He did not want to celebrate it as he is quite different from the other kids. But I couldn’t just let the day pass without doing something special for him so we visited Basantapur Durbar Square, and checked out the museum. Basanta is a history geek! We then went to Birdy Nom Nom for brunch.
4. and explain whether you liked or disliked the cafe, and why.?
   I liked this cafe because I noticed that the staff didn’t discriminate between foreigners and local diners. Some cafes prefer Westerners because they tend to splurge more. Besides the good service, I find the portions here are extremely generous and they never skimp on ingredients such as fresh cream, feta cheese, olives, or even butter. The food is consistently good so I’d recommend Birdy Nom Nom to anyone looking for a Western-style brunch.

Follow-up question: Do you often go out to eat?

Yes, I eat out at least three times a week. I am an unabashed foodie!

I am going to talk about when I visited London for the first time. About two years ago, I travelled to London with my brother for a long weekend. We had been planning the trip for a while and we were so excited. We stayed at a hostel as it was cheaper than a hotel. We were on a shoestring budget and London can be really expensive. It was November and surprisingly the weather was pretty good. It was cold, of course, but it didn’t rain. During the weekend, we did a lot of sightseeing. We visited some of the famous palaces which were very grand. We spent time wandering through the many parks that London has to offer. In the evening, we went to an outdoor street market where they served food from all over the world. The place was really buzzing and we had a great time. I was interested in the history of the city so we also visited the Tower of London to discover more about all the gruesome things that happened there. It was quite a spooky place to be in and I honestly felt quite overwhelmed. London was as I imagined with the tall buildings, black cabs and famous places you see in films. I felt really proud of my brother and I for organising everything and not getting lost in the city. We went there in order to experience the true London and to practice our English. In the end, I think it was everything we imagined and more.

1. Where you went?
   I am going to talk about my visit to London, which is the capital city of England. It’s a big city with lots to do.
2. When you went?
   I went there in March of 2017, and when I was there, I remember it was a beautiful sunny day. Luckily, I was dressed accordingly²¹, with my t-shirt and shorts!
3. What activities you did there?
   The first site I visited was the British Museum, which is a big museum building. I think I spent about four hours there because I enjoyed it so much. Then, I decided to walk down²² the streets in the vicinity²³ and I was particularly²⁴ interested in the unique²⁵ architecture²⁶ there, because it is very different from what I know. I tried some traditional food, like fish and chips, which is a dish made of breaded cod fish, served with fried potato chips. You can also eat some peas with it or add some gravy²⁷. I ate it at a local pub²⁸ and it was delicious²⁹. I had always wanted to try that! I also went to a market where people sold antiques³⁰ and jewellery³¹ I did not buy anything but it was interesting to see what they had out there. There were all kinds of items, like lamps, plates, silverware³², dolls and books. In terms of jewellery, most of the merchandise there was hand made. They had some lovely products there.
4. How you felt about your experience there?
   I think it was a fantastic³³ experience, because I was able to truly³⁴ immerse myself³⁵ in the local culture. I feel like I tried³⁶ everything I wanted, but there is still so much more to do!

When I was 12 we moved from another town to Cork because my mum changed her job and it was too far away for her to commute. It was a difficult time because I had to leave a lot of friends and I had just started secondary school. At first, I didn’t want to go but in the end I accepted it and we had to pack everything and go. The new house was much bigger than the old one; I not only had my own room but it had a games room where I could have friends over and a pool table. Starting a new school was really daunting, I was worried about getting bullied but it was easier than I expected. I am into sports so as soon as I joined the football team I made friends instantly. Now, a few years later, I have some great pals and a girlfriend. I play football for a local team and I feel lucky to live in such a great place. Moving house is a big change in your life and for a while I was shy, but now I am more confident because I had to get to know new people and go to new places on my own. If I had to go and work or study in a new place I wouldn´t be afraid, I would be more positive about change

I am going to talk about a market that I enjoyed visiting a few years ago. The market was in Alicante in Spain. It was a Saturday morning and I was walking through the town when I saw some stalls set up at the sides of the road. I was intrigued to see what the stallholders were settling so went over to browse. The first few stalls were full of fresh fruit and vegetables and the smell and look of them was much better than I had ever seen in the UK. There were some unusual varieties and the vendor let me taste quite a few things. I bought a melon from one man.

Further down the street, there were stalls selling everything from clothes and shoes to bric a brac. I wandered around having a look at everything and was amazed by the low prices. I tried on a couple of hats and some sunglasses. In the end, I bought some sunglasses and a floaty dress to wear at the beach. I stopped and had a snack at one place that had coffee and Spanish churros, a kind of long sweet donut that you can serve with chocolate. Finally, I came across a stall selling olives and I bought a small tub to have later that day.

I have good memories of that market, there was so much to see and to buy. When I travel, I often look for a local market now as the produce can be so much fresher than the supermarket.

1. Where did you go?
   I am going to talk about my recent historical visit to the Birthplace of playwright William Shakespeare, in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England. It was a very emotional trip for me, as I am an avid reader, and William Shakespeare has been a great literary inspiration for me, ever since I saw the play A Midsummer’s Night Dream in the theatre, when I was about ten years old.
2. When did you go?
   I went there in May of this year. I enjoy taking my time with museums, so I was hoping it would not be as crowded there as during the summer. I stayed in Straford-Upon-Avon for a weekend, and I visited the Birthplace on the Saturday.
3. Who went with you?
   I decided to go by myself on this occasion. I very much enjoy traveling with other people, but that trip was quite personal, and I felt the need to go on such adventure by myself. I needed to take in the experience fully, and I thought that it might be too distracting for me to be accompanied. If I was, I would be concerning myself with other people’s impressions, worrying that they may not appreciate the visit as much as I did, therefore taking away from my own immersive experience.
4. and how did you feel about that place?
   I was over the moon visiting the Birthplace. It was decorated to look like the kind of house William Shkespeare would have lived in as a child. It was so emotional to get an idea of how he would have lived and what houses looked like at the time. His Birthplace is located near the river Avon. I walked all the way to the bridge that goes across the river, and the view from there was absolutely breathtaking. It was an outstanding visit with memories which I will cherish for years to come

I am going to talk about a place that I visited that was very polluted. Last Christmas, I went to New York with my girlfriend to do some Christmas shopping and celebrate the season. I had never been to New York before and when we arrived it was just like in the films with the skyscrapers and yellow taxis. The thing that surprised me was how much traffic was permitted in the centre of the city, there were cars, taxis and buses everywhere which  made the streets very busy and noisy. Not only that, the fumes for the cars were choking and I felt that my throat was irritated by the pollution. The problem worsened when we rode the city bikes during rush hour and were caught being the traffic breathing in all the fumes. When we got back to the hotel we took a hot shower and changed our clothes as the dirty air clung to our clothes and shoes. It was much better when we visited Central Park where there are no cars, only horse and carriage. It was a breath of fresh air to walk without being so polluted.

I know a lot of cities are affected by pollution, especially in some Asian cities and I hope more will be done to restrict pollution in the city centres and use cleaner energies. My city also has the problem but you cannot drive a car directly into the city now which limits the noise and the fumes. That gives me hope that the future will be better in the cities

I am going to talk about a place where I read and write. I often go to the library on the university campus. I can walk there in about 10 minutes from my home. I go there about once or twice a week as it is a really quiet place to study, to write and read books. I am a bit of a bookworm so I often read books very quickly so it is handy to be able to borrow them. I also go there to the study area which is a quiet space with a lot of desks where you can look at reference books, write essays, study textbooks and use the computers. It is a great space if you really need to focus and the librarians are quite strict, they will tell you to zip it if people are talking in the study zone.

The library I go to has a great atmosphere as it is quite old and has interesting architecture. When I first saw it, I thought it looked like the libraries you see in American films. It has a huge open area and then different zones for things like group work and organisations who meet there. There is a computer area and even a chill out zone where you can sit on a bean bag and read a book. I often do this and don’t realise how much time has passed as I am in a world of my own.

I am going to talk about visiting the park. When I feel stressed, usually about uni work that I need to complete, I take some time out to visit the park near to my flat. Sometimes, studying inside can limit your creativity and I find that going out in nature can inspire me. I head off to the park and set up on a blanket with a good book and while away a few hours reading and relaxing. Sometimes I will take some paper and pencils and sketch the skyline or the views across Paris. I find this really destresses me and I am able to put things into perspective. The best time to go is during the early hours of the evening when it is nice and cool in the summer. I usually go once a week on a weekday so that it is not as busy as the weekends. I have found that being out in an open space takes the weight off my mind and I am able to prioritise my studies and go back to them with renewed energy. At other times, I enjoy exploring the city on foot and going to discover new places off the beaten track that many other tourists may not have visited. This could be a back street with arty boutiques and outdoor cafes, or a small art gallery on the outskirts of the city. These are part times that really help me to manage my stress levels.

I am going to talk about living in the countryside. Although I live in the city, I know people who live in the countryside and like it. I think the daily routine is different to the city as generally the people have more time and don´t need to rush about. A lot of people work locally, so they can walk or cycle to their jobs. Schools and shops are close by so people don’t need to use public transport or get up early to arrive on time. You can work at the local shop to pick up milk or fresh bread. On the other hand, some people have to commute into the city for work which would involve long days and time in the car getting to the city. Also, people who work in farming or agriculture have to get up very early to work with animals or plant crops.

At the weekend, families will spend time walking in the countryside, visiting a local pub or playing in the garden. I think people spend more time outside as they have access to more green spaces. Sometimes villages have local fairs and markets that the locals can visit.

In terms of skills, you need lots of different people to make the community work well. You need to have farmers to grow and harvest food that can be sold to other parts of the country. On a small scale, you need doctors, bus drivers and post office workers – the same as you would in any place. The countryside also needs young people to help to modernise the area and help the countryside to thrive. Nowadays, they need skills in renewable energy such as wind power and people who have interesting ideas about how to modernise agriculture.

1. Where is this place?
   I am going to talk about my favourite quiet place to spend time in. That place is outside Washington D.C.. It is situated in a forest near the city. A lot of people take trails in that forest, but there is a peaceful spot with a bench under a tree that does not seem to be frequented as much by other people.
2. How did you come to know about it?
   I found that place one day when I went for a walk in that forest by myself. I remember I was feeling very pensive that day and needed to clear my mind a little. That’s when I saw the bench under the tree. The way the sun had hit its leaves made it seem so whimsical. It’s almost as though it was calling me to sit there. I looked around me, and the area was clear of people. I decided to sit there, and I stayed there, absorbing its incredible energy for about an hour.
3. How frequently do you go to that place?
   I don’t have a specific schedule for going there. I enjoy sitting in that spot when the time feels right, once every couple of weeks, on average.
4. What do you do when you go there?
   I like to meditate when I go there. I like to take the time to breathe and ground myself. I observe the beautiful nature that surrounds me. Sometimes I even bring a sandwich and eat my lunch there.
5. Why do you like that place?
   That spot really provides me with a sense of serenity, which is why I like it so much. Sometimes, life in the city gets really busy and overwhelming, and it helps to feel disconnected for a while, and take the time to heal.

1. Where was it situated?
   I am going to talk about a place that helped me study effectively when I was completing my university course. Hands down, the best place for me was a local coffee shop. It closed down a couple of years ago, unfortunately. It was located in a less visited street in the city, which meant that it was an ideal, quiet place to study.
2. When did you go study there?
   The coffee shop was actually open from early in the morning until around seven in the evening. It worked like a charm for me, as I could pop into the coffee shop to study either before or after my classes. Most of my classes actually happened early in the morning, so I would occasionally grab some lunch at the coffee shop, set up my laptop and notebooks, and study.
3. Who did you study with?
   I find that I am more productive when I study on my own. That coffee shop was like my secret hiding place when I need some peace and quiet, which, to me, was necessary for studying. I had tried studying with other people, but I would get distracted very easily. Therefore, while I enjoyed whiling away the time with my friends on occasion, the course I was studying was very demanding and I needed to set some boundaries for myself, and set myself up for success.
4. And why that place in particular?
   That place appealed to me instantly when I saw it the first time. Its outside walls were painted in pastel pink and the indoor area was decorated very simply, giving it a warm and welcoming kind of feeling. It seemed very unique and I felt very comfortable there.

1. Where is this place?
   I am ging to talk about a place where I enjoy reading and writing. As much as I love to read in my nook, I do require a change of scenery every so often. When I need to change things up, I like to go to the local library. It is a medium-sized library, which makes it feel roomy, yet cosy.
2. How did you find this place?
   I came across this library when I first moved to the area. I was doing some house-hunting, and I decided to explore the area, to ensure I was happy with what was going to be my long-term home. That’s where I saw it. The outside of the library looked freshly renovated, but when I went inside, it seemed quite quaint.
3. Why do you choose to read and write there?
   I decided to take a closer look at the library and found lovely wooden desks spread out throughout the library. Some tables were joined together for larger groups, and they also had table and chair placed by bay windows. It was really the cherry on top of the cake for me. I have been going there fat least three times a week, ever since I moved into my house. There is something about the aesthetics of the library and the general energy it emits that I find inspiring. When I am at that library, I am able to disconnect from everything and let my creativity soar. I write poetry and short stories, and gather ideas from observing the library setting, but also the outside world I see from the windows.
4. And do you like to go there with other people?
   I also enjoy going there because it is an opportunity for me to be alone with my thoughts. I very much enjoy socialising, but that activity I prefer to do on my own. I am a bit of a lone wolf when it comes to unleashing my creative side.

1. What type of facility is it?
   I am going to talk about a facility that recently opened in my neighbourhood and has helped quite a few people. It is a public swimming pool. It opened two months ago and has been quite the talk of the town. My partner and I went there a few times, and have been quite impressed with its modern looking interior design and with its unusually humongous size, as far as public swimming pools go. There is a section of the pool that is reserved for adults, and one for younger people. It fit so many swimmers, yet it never feels crowded.
2. Where is it located?
   It is situated within a twenty-minute walk from our apartment. It is a very accessible to a lot of families, which is fantastic.
3. How does it affect local residents?
   It has been noticed that since the swimming pool opened, the area where it is located has been a lot more vivid, and as a results, better looked after. It used to be a little dirtier and deserted, but not anymore. It’s also offered new jobs opportunities, where local applicants were prioritised.
4. And how do you feel about this facility?
   I was truly blown away by the impact this swimming pool has had on people of all ages. It has helped local economy, supporting local job seekers, and it provides a brand new, safe and entertaining spot for families to spend quality time together. Not to mention the health benefits! First and foremost, the area is cleaner and safer to walk around. Additionally, the more people use the pool, the better their physical and mental health is going to get. Younger people, as well, are benefiting from a safe location where they can play or just hang out. All in all, it is a wonderful contribution to the neighbourhood