Describe a book that had a major influence on you. | IELTS Speaking Part 2: IELTS Cue Answer

Describe a book that had a major influence on you.
IELTS Speaking Part 2
IELTS Cue Card

Describe a book that had a major influence on you.
You should say:
what is the name of the book and its author
how you first heard of the book
what the main story of the book is
and explain why it had a major influence on you.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Sample Response 1:

One book that greatly affected me is “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. I first heard about it during a literature class in high school when my teacher recommended it as a must-read.

The story is set in a fictional town in America during the 1930s and explores the themes of racial injustice and moral growth through the eyes of a young girl, Scout. It centers around a case where Scout’s father, a lawyer, defends an innocent black man wrongly accused of a crime.

What resonated with me was the book’s powerful message about the importance of empathy and understanding. It taught me that we should strive to understand others’ perspectives before making judgments. This book cultivated my sense of social justice and nurtured my love for literature.

Sample Response 2:

The book that significantly influenced me is “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor E. Frankl. I stumbled upon this book during my university years while researching existential philosophy.

The book is a memoir written by a psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust. It depicts his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and his psychological quest for a reason to live.

The profound influence of this book lies in its exploration of life’s purpose and human resilience. It reminded me that even in the face of tremendous adversity, one can find meaning and a reason to carry on. This book has since shaped my perspective on life’s challenges, making me more resilient and optimistic.

Sample Response 3:

A book that had a significant impact on me is “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. I discovered this book a couple of years ago when a friend recommended it to me.

The book delves into the concept of living in the present moment and detaching ourselves from past regrets and future anxieties. Tolle suggests that enlightenment comes from fully embracing the “now.”

The reason this book had a profound influence on me was that it provided practical insights into achieving a peaceful and focused mind. It has significantly improved my mental well-being and productivity by teaching me to live in the present. This book has become a beacon of mindfulness in my life.

Recommended Vocabulary:

Resonate – Produce or be filled with a deep, full, reverberating sound.
- Example: “What resonated with me was the book’s powerful message about the importance of empathy and understanding.”
Cultivate – Prepare and use (land) for crops or gardening.
- Example: “This book cultivated my sense of social justice and nurtured my love for literature.”
Stumble upon – Find or encounter by chance.
- Example: “I stumbled upon this book during my university years while researching existential philosophy.”
Resilience – The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
- Example: “This book has since shaped my perspective on life’s challenges, making me more resilient and optimistic.”
Delve – Reach inside a receptacle and search for something.
- Example: “The book delves into the concept of living in the present moment and detaching ourselves from past regrets and future anxieties.”
Beacon – A fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration.
- Example: “This book has become a beacon of mindfulness in my life.”

Different Cue Card Topics

Recommended Vocabulary:

Different Cue Card Topics

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