IELTS Speaking Cue Card

Sleep is very important for a brain to function normally. Sleeping for just 4 hours a night before your exam is not at all good. I would like to speak of one such incident when I barely slept for three hours. I was desperately trying to avoid sleeping and stay awake. 

It was on the eve of my final Engineering exam. I was very well aware that if I don’t get sufficient amount of sleep; I would tend to forget what I have studied, and feel more anxious and stressed. But, I had no option because I had not finished reviewing the important parts of my math curriculum and as such I had no choice but to burn the midnight oil. 

I didn’t drink coffee to stay awake. Instead I drank a lot of water and ate a few snacks during my night of study to remain alert. A few pinches, and a bit of fidgeting helped me stay alert as well. I was also motivating myself, that the small relief of falling asleep is not worth the bad grades I’ll get if I do so. 

I went outside after two hours of continuous study and walked briskly in the fresh air, renewed myself with a fresh point of view. Allowed my mind to review the material as I walked and finally I managed to achieve my goal. I completed my review and the exam too successfully.

 

Vocabulary:

1. Anxious- feeling or showing worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome 
2. Fidgeting- make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience 
3. Eve- the day or period of time immediately before an event or occasion. 
4. Renew- resume (an activity) after an interruption. 
5. burn the midnight oil - stay up late and finish the work.

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Part 3 Follow Up - Questions & Answers

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1. On what occasions do people need to stay awake even when they are tired?

When the body is screaming sleep, it’s a bad thing to force yourself to stay alert. However, sometimes we have plenty of important tasks to accomplish and we need to stay awake no matter what. Sometimes it might be an exam, or attending a party of a best friend. In the case of professionals like doctors ,nurses or firefighters it might be the call of duty that keeps them awake.

2. How do they keep awake when they are tired?

There are different strategies which people follow to keep themselves awake when they are tired. In my perspective, taking a cold shower, drinking a steaming mug of coffee, taking a long walk or breathing deeply helps. Sometimes taking breaks after a long stretch of work, going outdoors and breathing fresh air helps.

3. Why do people feel tired a lot nowadays?

Fatigue is a common symptom among people nowadays, In most cases it is caused by simple lifestyle factors. Some common causes, I think, maybe excess consumption of refined carbs, sedentary lifestyle, irregular sleeping patterns and eating habits.

4. What kind of people lack sleep?

In my opinion, people who work indoors online most of the time lack sleep. People who have a irregular sleeping pattern due to their work schedule, also might suffer from lack of sleep. It might be computer professionals, doctors, security personnel, fire fighters, nurses and so on.