Describe a Successful Person you Know- IELTS Cue Card

In the IELTS Speaking section, one of the most common question types is the Cue Card Speaking prompt. The IELTS Cue Card topics will prompt you to formulate a response and speak on the given topic. To attempt this question, you must narrow down the essential questions on the given topic to answer within the given time. Consider the sample Cue Card below. Study the types of questions that have been formulated based on the cue card and how to go about with your response:

And explain why he/ she is successful.

Sample Answer 1

The most successful person I know is my cousin, an MBBS doctor working in a government hospital in my town. Having studied at a government school for high school, he was weak in his studies during the earlier classes. But one day, my grandmother advised him that if he went on like this, he would have no future. Her words have made him take a serious path toward his tomorrow. He went on to pass high school and higher secondary with flying colours and was able to achieve an MBBS degree because of his hard work and determination.

He has made outstanding services to differently-abled people in society. As a Social Worker, his work has gained him several accolades from various sections of the community. With his simple way of living, he could make this happen within a few years. Since then, he has served his part in helping various groups of people by organizing several programmes for encouraging them for their upliftment and making better living standards for them.

Presently, he is married with four kids and lives happily with his parents. He used to advise my brother and me about our career choices and has always encouraged us to follow our passion. He has been and is always an inspiration for each member of our family through his achievements and demeanour. I hope to fulfil my wishes by working diligently like him.

Sample Answer 2

Everyone desires for a successful life. However, success only knocks on the doors of those who are determined and focused on their goals. Some iconic personalities have faced serious failures. Yet, they persisted in their pursuit of accomplishment, eventually achieving great success in their fields of expertise.

One of my favorite actors and the most successful people I’ve ever known is Thalaiva Rajinikanth, a legendary South Indian superstar, and a cultural icon. He’s one of the highest-paid celebrities in India, but his childhood wasn’t as luxurious as it is now. Born into an impoverished family with 4 siblings, he had to undergo a lot of hardships. Before becoming a prominent personality, Rajinikanth worked in various blue-collar jobs, including being a coolie, carpenter, and bus conductor.

During this time, he was approached by a director in the Tamil film industry, and the rest is history. He has acted in several blockbuster films. In a nutshell, he rose to fame after facing a fair share of troubles. His journey from being a bus conductor to ruling the film industry in South India is phenomenal. Despite being a huge superstar, he earned his name for his compassion and humility. I was moved when I learnt of his obstacles and struggles through his biography. His life story has inspired many. It’s only because of his unwavering perseverance and commitment he could become what he’s today. Rajnikanth is the epitome of a star who rose from obscurity to stardom. Thus, it’s rightly said that if one wants to accomplish great things, one should never quit. It takes a lot of hard work, persistence, and courage to succeed.

Vocabulary

• Persistence

Meaning: the fact of continuing in an opinion or course of action despite difficulty or opposition
Eg: It took a lot of practice, persistence, and assistance from tutors to crack the CAT exam.

• Unwavering

Meaning: not wavering; steady or resolute
Eg: Zayn’s unwavering commitment towards helping the poor was praised by everyone.

• Iconic

Meaning: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an icon
Eg: Steve Jobs is an iconic personality.

• Phenomenal

Meaning: remarkable or exceptional, especially exceptionally good.
Eg: The portal achieved phenomenal success.

• Legendary

Meaning: remarkable enough to be famous; very well known.
Eg: Everyone mourned the loss of their legendary Actor.

Part 3 Follow-Up Question

1. Do you want to be successful?

Of course, I want to be successful in my life, for which I need to work diligently, with uttermost dedication and commitment, because success does not happen by coincidence. Therefore, one must be purposeful and proactive to achieve their goal, which provides enormous satisfaction and joy once achieved.

2. Why do people want success?

People want to achieve success because it’s one of their life objectives; for example, they wish to graduate with high scores, get the desired job, start their own business, become an entrepreneur, etc. Achieving these milestones is a success for any individual, and once these successes are achieved, people get a sense of self-confidence and hope to move to the next level in life. In addition, these successes let them understand that they’ve made an impact in a competitive world.

3.What is the standard of success?

It depends on people’s perspectives towards achieving success. Because some individuals define success as being well-known in the crowd, while others define success as making a lot of money. As a result, each person’s definition of success is unique to their choices.

4. Does money mean success?

Yes, in my opinion, success is highly defined by money to a large extent. Money is a critical aspect of life since it enables people to obtain fundamental necessities such as food, medicine, and education. Although money cannot ensure success, it can help to improve one’s chances in life. As a result, money is the secret of happiness and success in life. Apart from that, social status, network, skills, and positive attitude are other factors that accelerate success.

5. Do you have any other ideas about success?

Every person has a different concept of success. It is easy to dream and imagine being successful in life, but achieving success is a challenging one. It is not something that can be accomplished without exerting effort. As a result, if someone wants to be successful, they must be determined and devoted to their goals.

6. Can you be successful without money?

Of course, one can be successful without money because success is all about attaining personal satisfaction and fulfillment. Even if a person makes a few cents, they should be doing it with love. Because something accomplished without personal fulfillment is unlikely to be successful. To put it another way, the true meaning of success is earning happiness and fulfillment in life as a result of being able to accomplish something you love.

7. What is the importance of money?

We currently live in a materialistic world where life, happiness, education, business, and many other daily life activities depend on money. As a result, money is the basic necessity for everything in life. Money can facilitate any obstacles, whether in trade, personal relationships, or health emergencies. With the help of money, one can achieve their life goals such as studying abroad, traveling abroad, and leading a luxurious life. In short, Money raises the standard of living in everyday life.

8. What is the difference between being successful and rich?

Well, being rich and successful are two different things. They’re the two sides of the same coin. To become rich, one must make a large sum of money, whereas one must achieve one’s objectives to become successful. For instance, A rich person may have a huge bank balance and own many worldly things. But just being rich doesn’t imply they are successful. In contrast, A person does not need to be rich to be successful. For example, a less fortunate person may be successful if he achieves his target of becoming a doctor or getting a desired job in an MNC.

9. Is there a controversy between success and happiness?

Of course, there’s a huge controversy between success and happiness. Some people debate that success is more important than happiness because happiness is a temporary emotion, and success is something that will sustain and support through life. Therefore, they assume that they will eventually find happiness if they achieve success.

However, others argue that happiness is a priceless emotion that is more important than success. They believe that happy people achieve more success than those who are always chasing after money. As a result, Success and happiness are directly related but running only after worldly things is not a proper way to live because life is meant to be lived fully.

10 How can you strike a balance between them?

In order to strike a balance between happiness and success, people should compile a list of activities they love and the goals they want to achieve and start pursuing them to attain self-satisfaction. In addition, they should try to do more things that will make them happy, increasing their chances of success.

11. Is it worthwhile to give up a happy life for success?

No, it’s not worth giving up a happy lifestyle just to achieve success. Most people have a strong desire to succeed because they feel that achieving success will inevitably make them happier. However, this isn’t always the case. They do not obtain contentment once they achieve, and accomplishing that level of success is a waste if there is no inner fulfillment. So, sacrificing happiness for success is inappropriate.

12. Can everyone achieve success?

Of course, anyone can achieve success if they are determined to work hard, persistent to go the extra mile, devoted, and committed to achieving the specific goal. But in addition, success sometimes necessitates a combination of luck, opportunity, and talent. As a result, in my opinion, if a person wants to succeed, they should act and work on it, i.e., if they want to live the life they want, they must work on it, take action, and make it happen.

13. How do successful people live?

I believe that successful people strike a good balance between earning money, spending time with family and friends, and reaching personal goals. Successful people believe in living in the present instead of concentrating on the past or worrying about the future. They concentrate on productivity and stick to a set routine.

14. Can their private life be known by others?

Yes, the life of successful people is always under media scrutiny. This is because the media invades their personal life by either spying or following them and exposing information about their personal lives in newspapers, social media, and publications.

Vocabulary

• Obstacles

Meaning: a thing that blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress
Eg: Jack had to undergo a lot of obstacles during his young age.

• Spy

Meaning: a person employed by a government or other organization to secretly obtain information on an enemy or competitor
Eg: Mr. West works as a spy for an international agency.

• Chase

Meaning: pursue in order to catch or catch up with.
Eg: Kay was chased by a breed dog.

• Accelerate

Meaning: increase in rate, amount, or extent.
Eg: The company accelerated huge success after the launch of their new product.

• Proactive

Meaning: (of a person or action) creating or controlling a situation rather than just responding to it after it has happened
Eg: The company should take proactive steps to stay ahead in the competition.

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