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Part 2 cue card · Objects · New for September–December 2026

Describe an exciting book that you enjoyed reading.

Describe an exciting book that you enjoyed reading.

You should say:

  • ·what the book was
  • ·when you read it
  • ·how you came across it
  • ·what it was about

and explain why you found it exciting.

One minute to prepare, up to two minutes to talk. Then Part 3 asks the questions below.

Sample answers

Two answers to the same card

Same story, two levels. Both were written by Ashore, then checked against the public band descriptors in a separate pass. The bands are practice estimates, not official IELTS results.

A simpler answer

Checked at band 6.5 · 150 words

I’d like to talk about a mystery book called The Last Train. I read it last winter, when I had a few quiet evenings at home. I came across it in a small bookshop near my office. The cover looked interesting, and the shop assistant said it was an easy and exciting read, so I bought it.

The story is about a woman who gets on the last train home and finds that one passenger has disappeared. She tries to understand what happened, and there are several people who may know the truth. The story moves between the train and the police station. I enjoyed it because each chapter gave me a new clue, but I couldn’t guess the ending. I kept reading for longer than I planned because I wanted to know who was responsible. It was exciting, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes mystery stories.

  • Giving the source · “I came across it in a small bookshop”
  • Adding a specific detail · “each chapter gave me a new clue”

A stronger answer

Checked at band 7.5 · 232 words

Honestly, I’d say the most exciting book I’ve read recently was a mystery called The Last Train. I read it last winter, during a few quiet evenings at home. I’d spotted it in a small bookshop near my office. The cover caught my eye, and when the shop assistant said it was a fast-paced read, I decided to give it a try.

It’s about a woman who boards the last train home and realises that a passenger has vanished. She starts asking questions, but everyone seems to be hiding something. The investigation moves between the train and the police station, and the reader gets small clues along the way. One detail I remember is that a witness gives two slightly different accounts of the same moment, which made me wonder whether he was confused or lying.

What made it exciting was the way the tension built without giving too much away. I had a few guesses about who was responsible, but every time I thought I’d worked it out, another clue changed my mind. I also liked that the main character was an ordinary person rather than a professional detective, so her reactions felt believable. Even though some parts were a little slow, I kept reading because I wanted to know what had happened. I finished it later than I’d planned, and I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

  • Natural phrasing · “The cover caught my eye”
  • Detail prompts a question · “which made me wonder whether he was confused or lying”
  • Showing shifting suspense · “every time I thought I’d worked it out”
  • Concession · “Even though some parts were a little slow”
Angles

3 ways to answer it

  1. 1The Three-Body Problem: the night you stayed up to finish the second book
  2. 2A Keigo Higashino mystery: the twist that made you flip back to page one
  3. 3An adventure novel picked up after the gaokao: missing your metro stop while reading
Expressions

5 expressions that fit this card

a real page-turner
a book you can't put down
kept me on the edge of my seat
made me excited and tense
an unexpected twist
a surprising change in the story
read it in one sitting
read it all at once
the plot really picks up
the story gets more exciting
Part 3

The questions that follow

After the long turn, Part 3 asks bigger questions on the same theme. Each one comes with two points you can build an answer from.

  1. 1

    Why do some young people prefer reading online novels to printed books?

    • ·Phones are always at hand and it's cheaper
    • ·Web novels update daily and move faster
  2. 2

    Do you think children should be made to read books they don't enjoy?

    • ·Classics build a foundation and teach patience
    • ·Forcing it can put children off reading for life
  3. 3

    How have people's reading habits changed compared with the past?

    • ·Many switched from paper to e-books and audiobooks
    • ·People read in short bursts and rarely finish long books
  4. 4

    Should the government spend more money on public libraries?

    • ·Libraries give everyone free access to books
    • ·Money might be better spent on digital resources
Stories

One story, many cards

This card fits this story. Prepare the story once and you can bend it to every card listed with it on the season page.

  • A film, book or video with a strong reaction

    One you loved and one you hated, where you watched it and with whom, the moment that stayed with you.

Say it out loud and get a band score