Describe someone or something that made a lot of noise
Describe someone or something that made a lot of noise.
You should say:
- Who made the noise?
- What the noise was like?
- What do you do when you hear the noise?
- And how do you feel about it?
One minute to prepare, then speak for one to two minutes.
How to plan it in one minute
- Identify the source of noise quickly to leave time for your personal reaction.
- Use descriptive adjectives to paint a vivid picture of the sound's intensity.
- Ensure you link the noise to a specific setting to make the story authentic.
Band 8 model answer
I’d like to talk about my upstairs neighbour, Mr Henderson, who is an amateur percussionist. He is a retired gentleman in his seventies, and while he is generally a polite and quiet man, he has this surprising hobby that turns our building into a concert hall at the most inconvenient times. The noise is absolutely deafening; it is a rhythmic, high-intensity clatter of snare drums and cymbals that seems to vibrate right through the ceiling. It is not a melodic sound by any means, but rather a sharp, piercing cacophony that echoes throughout the entire flat, making it impossible to focus on anything remotely intellectual. Whenever the drumming starts, I usually try to put on my noise-cancelling headphones to drown out the racket, or sometimes I simply leave the house and head to a nearby library to find some peace. Honestly, my feelings about this are quite mixed. On one hand, I find it incredibly frustrating because it disrupts my work-from-home routine and makes me feel quite irritable by the end of the day. However, on the other hand, I have a begrudging respect for his passion. It is rare to see someone at his age so dedicated to mastering a musical instrument, even if his choice of hobby is objectively intrusive. I suppose I feel a sense of resignation towards it; I have learnt that complaining rarely achieves anything in this building, so I have chosen to tolerate it as a quirky, albeit ear-splitting, feature of living in a bustling city apartment.
253 words, about two minutes at a natural pace. Details are invented; use your own.
Vocabulary from the answer
- amateur
- someone who does an activity for pleasure
- deafening
- a sound so loud it hurts ears
- cacophony
- a loud, unpleasant mixture of confused sounds
- noise-cancelling
- technology designed to reduce unwanted ambient sounds
- intrusive
- causing disruption or annoyance in a space
- resignation
- the acceptance of something unpleasant but inevitable
- ear-splitting
- extremely loud and potentially painful to hear
- bustling
- full of energetic and noisy activity
Part 3 questions that follow this card
- What are the biggest causes of noise pollution?
- Why is noise pollution harmful to us?
- Do you think people pay more attention to water pollution than noise pollution?
- What should society do to reduce noise pollution?
- Do you believe that the world will be noisier in the future?
- Why do some people hang out in crowded and noisy places?
Answer each in three to five sentences: position, reason, example, limit. See the Part 3 guide.
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Frequently asked questions
How should I start the cue card "Describe someone or something that made a lot of noise."?
Identify the source of noise quickly to leave time for your personal reaction.
How long should my answer be?
Speak for the full two minutes, about 220 to 280 words at a natural pace. The examiner will stop you at two minutes, which is a good sign, not a problem.
Can I use this model answer in the exam?
Use its structure and vocabulary, not its sentences. Examiners recognise memorised answers and mark fluency down; a shorter answer from your own memory scores higher than a recited one.
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