Describe something you bought that was difficult to use at first (IELTS CUE CARD Jan to April 2020)
You should say:
- What is it?
- When you bought it?
- What does it do?
- Explain how difficult was it to be used?
Model answer 1:
- Last September it was my grandmother’s birthday.
- So, I decided to gift her a mobile phone.
- I searched on various shops and also searched through the net to make a purchase.
- Finally, I decided to buy a senior citizen cell phone.
- It was described that it had big buttons, big icons and not too many functions.
- I placed an order with Amazon and this phone was delivered within 3 days.
- When I showed it to my grandmother, she was very happy, and I was also very excited that she will start using it immediately.
- My grandmother had never used a cell phone and she was very hesitant to handle it initially.
- Many times, she would press the wrong buttons and then feel frustrated with the gadget.
- I also tried to teach her, but this phone was very different from the one that I was using.
- Even I had a lot of difficulty getting to know its features.
- The senior citizen version just meant bold buttons and slightly big size.
- Nothing else was easy.
- So, I had to go through the user manual to explain the functions to her.
- I realised It came with preloaded with some books and some devotional music
- She immediately liked this function and started using it.
- Another difficulty I overcame was that I adjusted the light and the font the size to her liking.
- Gradually she got accustomed to use it.
- Now she has started using it and now it has become her favourite pastime.
- Now I am fully content with the it, because I’ve learnt how to use it and my grandmother also has got the hang of it.
Model answer 2:
- I am an Avid reader and like to read books on various subjects, like philosophy fiction and science fiction.
- Whenever I travel, I like to carry a book with me and many times it becomes difficult as some books are heavy and thick.
- Last September when I was shopping, I came across Kindle Paperwhite, a gadget by Amazon.
- It comes preloaded with some books and some others one can buy as e-books at a comparatively cheaper cost.
- I bought it immediately without second thoughts as it suited my requirement perfectly.
- When I reached home I realised that I had purchased one without a backlight.
- It needed artificial light to be read easily.
- Also, when I tried to flip the leaves it was difficult.
- Initially, so very often, I would jump a few pages.
- Another difficulty I faced at the initial stages was that it needed some practice to adjust the font the size and other aspects of book reading.
- But there is no denying the fact that it is the most convenient gadget to be carried when you are on the go.
- Gradually I got accustomed to it.
- Now I can read my favourite magazines and newspapers also on Kindle.
- Although I am not fully content with the performance of Kindle reading, specially the particular version that I have purchased, yet I would rate it to be a value-for-money purchase.
Follow ups
- What type of products are difficult to use at first?
Goods and products are manufactured for different kinds of people and customers. Some may find it difficult to handle a hi-tech machines while some may find everyday use gadgets in the kitchen difficult to be handled. Generally products with too many functions and buttons are difficult. - Do you think it is necessary to follow the fashion and use the latest products?
I would answer yes and no both to this question. Yes! it is good to be up-to-date with the current trends and use the new products. One has to change with the changing times and fashion. No, because the times today are changing very fast and it is very difficult to keep pace with every changing gadget So we should be abreast with the current trends, if not the latest. - Do you believe that some products are over publicized?
Yes, it is the an era of advertisement and publicity. Anything that is not advertised, slowly fades away from memory, like they say… out of sight out of mind. When we watch some television programs these days, the intermittent advertisements are repeated again and again and again. So, in terms of competition with each other nothing is too much. Sometimes we get fed up of over publicity but that is the trick a company plays on human mind. - Why do you think advertisements are useful in selling products?
There is a whole lot of research and creativity that is behind making an advertisement. If a product is for the children then the advertisements are made in such a manner that a child pesters his parents on buying that particular brand. Hence the target is achieved. in case of women’s beauty products the most impeccably beautiful women are projected and women fall in for that particular product, and again the goal is met. So an advertisement is the most useful method of boosting the sale of any product. - Which do you think is better buying things online on buying things in real shops?
Both the methods offer their own advantages and disadvantages. When we buy something online it saves time. It also saves fuel moreover it is also economically beneficial as well as it is an eco-friendly method. There are also so many discount offers when we purchase online because the online stores don’t have too many employees and they don’t need a shop or a showroom. On the other hand certain things like shoes, need to be bought after trying them properly. - How do people pay for things they buy online?
There as many payment methods for online shopping. In many cases there is an option of cash on delivery, when you pay to the person who Delivers the parcel at home. Mobile applications like Google pay and payTM are popular in India. One can also make a payment directly from the bank’s debit or a credit card . So anyone who purchases something online opts for the method that is convenient to him or her. - Why are imported products more expensive than locally made products?
Well now the times have changed. It is not necessary that the indigenous products are cheaper than the imported ones. The Chinese goods are cheaper in India then many of the Indian counterparts. Many a times the price of a product depends on its quality and quantity. Imported products are transported overseas through air or containers by the sea route so the cost increases and on many products there is an import duty when they reach the destination country. - what do you think of those people who only buy expensive things and look down on other people?
We are living in a consumeristic society. The modern generation is very brand conscious. At times the price of a product is not justified because it is too expensive but the price tag comes with the brand name. Many people do not like Street shopping and they demean people who do not purchase branded products. I think these people live in an artificial world.
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