Describe a historic place that you know about.
You should say:
- what the place is
- where it is located
- what is the significance of the place
and describe your experience of the place.
Follow-up Questions:
• What do you think of the future trend of historic places?
• Will the government strengthen its protection toward historic places?
• What are the changes brought about by the historic place in the local economy and people?
• What is the effect of tourists to such a place?
Model Answer 1:
I love to visit popular places whenever I get free time and historic places have a special appeal to me. I have visited a few historic places including Machu Picchu in Peru, The Pyramids at Giza, Taj Mahal in India, and the Parthenon in Greece. The historic significance and the grandeur of these places mesmerise me. The place that I would like to talk about today is Colosseum (also known as Coliseum, or as the Flavian Amphitheatre) which is situated in Rome, Italy. I would like to thank you for the time you have allowed me to talk about it.
It is basically an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, which is the largest amphitheatre in the world and is made of concrete and stone. The construction of Colosseum began under emperor Vespasian in 70 AD and was completed under Titus in 80 AD.
The Colosseum could hold approximately 50,000 to 80,000 spectators at the time when it was used as an amphitheatre. Perhaps it is well-known for its use for the gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of many famous battles. The Colosseum was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980 and was also included among the New Seven Wonders of the World. It is 189 meters long, and 156 meters wide, with a base area of 6 acres. The height of the outer wall is 48 meters. The Colosseum nowadays is one of the major tourist attractions in Rome with thousands of tourists each year paying to view the interior arena.
I have heard and seen of this famous place a lot and when I witnessed it for the first time, I became speechless. The huge architect, the overwhelming interior and exterior decoration were beyond appreciation. The place kept reminding me of the classical mythological and historical facts I have read and heard about. Visiting this site was like travelling to the past. I would always like to get back to this place due to its prominence in history and incredible appeal.
IELTS Cue Card Topic: Describe a historic place that you know about.
Sample Answer 2:
I am going to talk about an amazing historic place that I know about, even though I’ve never visited it. I’ll tell you what it is, where it is, about the historical meaning of the place as much as I can and finally my own experience and reactions regarding it.
I want to tell you about Stonehenge. This is an ancient set of standing stones, arranged in a circle. It is located in Wiltshire, in England, but I think it would be fair to say the image of it would be recognised worldwide, as it is possibly one of the most famous historic sites in the world.
In terms of the meaning of the place, it’s really impossible to say. It is so very old, even archaeologists aren’t sure exactly when it was built, estimates go back to as long ago as 3000 BC, which is mind-boggling to me! It is certainly accurate to describe it as a prehistoric monument. Some people think it might have started as a burial mound and be even more ancient than 5,000 years. The colossal slabs are arranged like huge door frames, no-one really knows how they were erected without the technology of modern times, but everyone agrees it was an incredible feat of engineering and showed foresight and tenacity in spaces! However, it is certain that they were somehow aligned so that at key stages of the lunar (moon) and solar (sun) cycles, the way the light strikes the stones is of some significance. Apparently, it was deliberately constructed so that the rising sun only reached the middle of the stones for just one day of the year.
Lots of people like to try and imagine what sort of ceremonies and importance the stones might have had for the people who built it, but the truth is we can’t say. Even today, modern-day druids have for many years gathered at the stones for the summer solstice (longest day of the year) and winter solstice (shortest day of the year) to watch the sunrise and mark the event with their own celebrations.
For me, I think this is the ultimate historical place, even though I have yet to visit it. It is just so remarkable to think it was constructed all those thousands of years ago just by physical labour. Even the stones themselves – the largest of which are up to 30 feet and weigh about 25 tons, had to be brought to the site from about 20 miles away, how on earth was that possible? For me, the stones prove that with determination, tenacity and working together it is sometimes possible to achieve what seems impossible. At the same time, the way they have endured over time gives perspective on our place in the world. Time passes, people and generations pass too, but they can leave a legacy behind even if it only one of many unanswered questions for future people to ponder over!