Cue Card # 110: Public holiday you remember

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card # 110

Describe a public holiday you remember spending in a different city or country.

You should say:

• what public holiday it was
• when you spent this holiday
• what the significance of this public holiday is

and explain how you spent the day.

[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.]

Model Answer:

Living in a country as huge as Canada, I don’t really think that we have any shortage of beautiful places or tourist spots if we wanted to spend our holidays. But, when my elder sister told me that she was going to spend her next Christmas holiday in San Diego, USA, and she would want me to visit with her, I just couldn’t refuse. After all, my rich sister was paying for everything!

It was in the year 2010 when I travelled to San Diego with my elder sister in order to spend our Christmas holidays. Back in 2010, of course, I was a full-time university student, studying at an expensive university in my country, so I had to be really careful about spending my money. But, then, I also thought that it wouldn’t really be too bad to spend a long public holiday, like Christmas, in another country, especially, if the weather of that country or place was as beautiful as the weather of San Diego, where the average December temperature is 10-12 degree Celsius as opposed to -9 to -2 degree Celsius.

Anyway, we all Christians around the world hold Christmas very dear to our heart as it allows us to get together with all of our family members to enjoy some quality times. Besides, it is during this public holiday when the devoted Christians all around the world renew their faith and undying love for Jesus Christ who, according to the sacred religious belief, gave his life for the salvation of all humans.

Anyway, spending Christmas holidays in San Diego truly is a unique experience. In fact, walking in short sleeves and shorts in the San Diego streets in such beautiful weather in December is not something I could ever imagine doing in Montreal. Then, getting the opportunity to enjoy all kinds of delicious food, from all cultures and continents, at nights was something I would never forget. Finally, the happy memories of taking pictures with my dear sister, who looked so happy, under some of the most beautifully decorated Christmas trees, was not something, I thought, money could ever buy.