IELTS Speaking Cue Card

I have seen many buildings with astounding architecture and unique styles in my life, but now, I would like to talk about an impressive building that I saw recently.

Last month, I visited a newly renovated building which is a shopping mall in my city with my friends. We planned a day out and roamed around the city for a few hours before visiting the mall. It is a prominent shopping mall in my area called ‘Esplanade’. It has a variety of shops that offer almost everything ranging from clothing to kitchen appliances. It is more like a one stop shop for customers. At first, I thought it would be just some regular shopping mall with nothing new.

However, I was amazed when I looked at the mall as the building looked absolutely stupendous. The modern architecture was clear both outside and inside of the shopping mall. One side of the building was made entirely of glass with the front of it having a dome like structure. The other side had a huge painting reflecting various stages of life. 

In addition, the building had floors for food courts and a games plaza as well. Furthermore, there is a movie screening in the mall so people can shop and watch a movie at the same place. There were 7 floors just for shopping out of the 12 floors the building had.  I absolutely loved the look of the building and the way it was constructed. It was very modern and comfortable at the same time. I was definitely dazzled with the architecture and had a fantastic time there with my friends.

 

Vocabulary:

1. Astounding - amazing
2. Prominent - famous
3. Stupendous - extremely impressive
4. Dazzled - stunned

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Part 3 Follow Up - Questions & Answers

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1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in tall buildings?

In my view, one of the main advantages of living in tall buildings is lighting and ventilation. Furthermore, it offers a picturesque view of the surroundings. Besides, they have privacy from the hustle and bustle of the roads around them as they are almost noise free. However, there is a risk of getting caught in the building in case of emergencies like fire or earthquakes.

2. Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?

Definitely, there is a high chance of having more tall buildings in cities in the future as land is scarce and big cities have become rather congested. Tall buildings provide space to have multiple floors and as many apartments or houses to provide for people. It also provides luxury for many and people have started liking living in tall buildings already.

3. Why aren’t there many tall buildings in the countryside?

Countryside has many agricultural lands and destroying them to have tall buildings constructed is not advised. Besides, there is a lot of empty land that can be used to construct small or individual houses for people making tall buildings redundant. In addition, people in the countryside like having open spaces around them.

4. Why do some people like to live in tall buildings nowadays?

I think one of the main reasons is the availability of house or commercial spaces in tall buildings. Also in most cities, the cost is rather less and they offer a great view of the surroundings. Living in a tall building is cheaper than buying an individual house or a plot to construct a house; so people tend to live in tall buildings.