Describe a person from your country who has won a prize, award or medal.
You should say:
I'd like to talk about a young scientist from my country who won a major international award
for her work on sustainable agriculture.
She's a researcher I first heard about on the news, and her name was on everyone's lips a few
years ago when she was awarded a prestigious prize for young scientists. She won it for
developing a low-cost method that helps farmers grow crops with far less water, which is
absolutely vital in a country that regularly faces drought. To win the prize, she spent years
working in a laboratory, running repeated experiments, and then — the bit I find most
impressive — she left the lab to test her idea with real farmers in the field. She didn't just
publish a paper and move on; she went out and proved that her method actually worked in
practical conditions.
I genuinely think she deserved it. What set her apart wasn't just the cleverness of the idea,
but the fact that she took it all the way to the people who needed it. Her approach saved
water, cut costs for farmers, and inspired a whole generation of students to think about
applied science. Some people argue that awards should go to more established figures, but I
believe it's exactly these kinds of young, practical innovators who deserve recognition, because
they show that science can make a real difference on the ground.
The answer flows as a natural story: who the person is, the award, how she won it, and a clear
judgment. The cue card points are covered in order but woven into a coherent narrative.
Takeaway: Use the cue card as a story arc — introduce the person, give the award, describe the
achievement, then give your verdict.
Varied and precise: "on everyone's lips", "low-cost method", "run repeated experiments", "set her
apart", "on the ground". The register is natural and slightly formal, which suits a descriptive
monologue.
Takeaway: Use a small set of collocations for describing achievement (*awarded a prize, achieve
a breakthrough, set someone apart, deserve recognition*).
Good variety: past simple for the story, present perfect for background ("I first heard about"),
and a present-tense judgment ("I genuinely think she deserved it"). Complex relative clauses are
accurate.
Takeaway: Move cleanly between past (events) and present (your opinion) to show good control.
Clear, measured pace with emphasis on the person's achievement and your final judgment. Natural
pauses before the key turning points of the story.
Takeaway: Slow down slightly when you deliver the point of the story — it keeps the examiner
engaged.