Describe a toy you like in your childhood
CUE CARD
You should say
What the toy was
Who gave it to you
How you used this
And explain how you felt when you got this toy
ANSWER
(What the toy was)
Although I have received numerous toys, the one I treasure the most was a Lego car. I can’t remember exactly how old I was, but I was probably about eight or nine. Back in those days, before the latest advances in technology, Lego was one of the most desirable toy brand names for children of my age, to the extent that every kid would cast envious glances at their peers who possessed a Lego toy. I guess that Lego has become obsolete and has been superseded by computerised playthings today.
(Who gave it to you)
It was a birthday gift from my parents. Even though I lived in a dual-income family, a Lego car was still considered an extravagant thing at that time. To hold a birthday party for me and afford the gift, my parents sacrificed a portion of their savings, because they knew I really wanted to have that car for my toy collection.
(How you used this)
The special thing about this car was that I had to build it myself out of hundreds of pieces of Lego. The pieces came in a box with a picture of the finished car on the front, and I had to put all the pieces together in the correct way. This was not an easy task ,because the car even had an engine, movable seats and gears. It took me a day or two to make, which required a lot of concentration. When the car was finished it looked great, and I felt a sense of accomplishment.
(And explain how you felt when you got this toy)
As a kid that time, I was on cloud nine to receive such a gift. Honestly, that Lego car was beyond my wildest expectations, as I thought that only rich kids were supposed to get toys like that. Most importantly, I was extremely grateful to my parents, who always gave me unconditional and immeasurable love.
VOCABULARY
Technology
1. advances in technology
Meaning: improvements or developments in technology
Example: Recent advances in medical technology are making a great contribution to the search for a cure for Aids.
2. (to) become obsolete
Meaning: to be no longer used because something new has been invented
Example: Technological innovation is now so rapid, that even the latest electronic devices soon
become obsolete.
3. (to) be superseded by
Meaning: to be replaced by something which is better or newer
Example: The latest technological innovations are usually superseded by new and more advanced devices.
Family and Children
4. a dual-income family
Meaning: a family where both the father and mother work
Example: Changes in society have resulted in the dual-income family becoming the most common family type.
5. (to) treasure [verb]:
Meaning: to highly value sb/sth :
Example: Liz treasured all her happy memories of her years at high school.
6. desirable [adjective]:
Meaning: that you would like to have or do; worth having or doing:
Example: The house has many desirable features, and lots of people would love to buy it.
7. envious [adjective]:
Meaning: wanting to be in the same situation as somebody else; wanting something that somebody else has:
Example: Minh saw the envious look in the other boy’s eyes when he won the prize.
8. (to) possess [verb]:
Meaning: to have or own something:
Example: Belgium was the first European country to possess a fully-fledged rail network.
9. extravagant [adjective]:
Meaning: costing a lot more money than you can afford or is necessary :
Example: That diamond ring was such an extravagant present that she could not receive it.
10. a sense of accomplishment [expression]:
Meaning: a feeling of success in sth or when you complete sth:
Example: Graduating from high school gave Matty a sense of accomplishment.
11. on cloud nine [expression]:
Meaning: extremely happy :
Example: Minh was on cloud nine when he heard that he had passed the exam.
12. beyond one’s wildest expectations [expression]:
Meaning: unexpected, unbelievable:
Example: Receiving such a prestigious scholarship was beyond her wildest expectations.
13. (to be) grateful to [adjective]:
Meaning: feeling or showing thanks because somebody has done something kind for you or has done as you asked:
Example: I am extremely grateful to all the teachers for their help.
14. immeasurable [adjective]:
Meaning: too large, great, etc. to be measured:
Example: Her contribution to the success of the project was of immeasurable importance.
