Table of Contents
Describe A Person You Know Who Has Chosen A Career In The Medical Field (E.g. A Doctor, A Nurse)
Cue Card
You should say:
- Who he/she is
- What he/she does
- Why he/she chose this career
- And explain how you feel about him/her
Sample Answer 1
The person I’d like to talk about is my uncle, my father’s younger brother. He’s a Chinese medicine practitioner who has dedicated his life to healing others through traditional methods. My uncle runs a clinic in our city, where he offers a range of treatments including acupuncture, tui na and cupping therapy (You’ll know this if you live in China for a while, it’s Chinese traditional treatments, actually).
When he was still young, my uncle was fascinated by herbs and medicinal plants. This interest stemmed from his father, who was a renowned traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Often, my uncle would accompany his dad on trips to the mountains to gather various herbs, learning about their properties and uses. It doesn’t sound easy for most teenagers right now. But it really helped him. This early exposure fostered a deep appreciation and curiosity for Chinese medicine, which eventually guided his career path.
Driven by this passion, my uncle pursued a degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine at a prestigious university. His studies equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of the ancient healing arts, blending theory with practical skills. Today, his thriving clinic is a testament to his dedication and expertise, simply because he has helped countless patients regain their health and well-being. That’s really admirable, isn’t t?
Well, for me, I didn’t believe much in Chinese medicine. But I admire my uncle now, because he helped numerous people alleviate suffering and restore vitality. And his success stories and the genuine care he extends to each patient have made me a firm believer in the greatness of traditional healing practices. My uncle is not just a doctor to me; he’s an inspiration with knowledge, compassion, and commitment. So yeah, I’m really proud of him.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| dedicate one’s life to (something) | C1 | Verb phrase | To devote all your time and energy to a particular purpose. | He has dedicated his life to healing others. |
| be fascinated by (something) | C1 | Adjective phrase | To be extremely interested in and attracted to something. | As a boy, he was fascinated by herbs and plants. |
| stem from (something) | C2 | Phrasal verb | To originate from or be caused by something. | This interest stemmed from his own father. |
| renowned | C1 | Adjective | Famous and highly respected for something. | His father was a renowned traditional doctor. |
| foster (an appreciation / interest) | C2 | Verb | To encourage the development of a feeling or skill. | That early exposure fostered a deep appreciation for medicine. |
| guide one’s career path | C1 | Verb phrase | To shape the direction someone’s working life takes. | That curiosity eventually guided his career path. |
| driven by (passion) | C1 | Adjective phrase | Strongly motivated by a particular feeling or goal. | Driven by this passion, he pursued a degree in medicine. |
| prestigious | C1 | Adjective | Highly respected and admired, usually because of importance. | He studied at a prestigious university. |
| a comprehensive understanding | C1 | Noun phrase | A complete and thorough knowledge of a subject. | His studies gave him a comprehensive understanding of the field. |
| a thriving (clinic / business) | C1 | Adjective | Growing, successful, and doing very well. | Today he runs a thriving clinic in our city. |
| a testament to (something) | C2 | Noun phrase | Clear proof or evidence of something’s quality or value. | His clinic is a testament to his dedication. |
| alleviate suffering | C2 | Verb phrase | To make pain or hardship less severe. | He has helped countless people alleviate their suffering. |
| restore vitality | C2 | Verb phrase | To bring back someone’s energy, strength, and health. | His treatments help patients restore their vitality. |
| an inspiration | C1 | Noun | A person who makes you want to do or achieve something. | To me, he’s not just a doctor but a real inspiration. |
ieltsquangtri.com — CEFR-tagged vocabulary bank · Topic: A person you admire (uncle)
Sample Anser 2
The person I’d like to talk about is my friend Michael. He is a doctor. He trained as a doctor at university, so he studied medicine, which is a very long, and I think often quite expensive, major. It lasts at least five years, and then you have to do several more years of training when you initially qualify. But it’s something that he finds very satisfying, and of course, it pays quite well as well. So I think that’s one of the reasons why he chose it.
In terms of the reasons why he chose the career, as I mentioned, it’s well paid, but it’s also a career that has a lot of job satisfaction for people. It’s literally helping people to not die. So you can’t really imagine anything that’s more directly satisfying and a more direct way of seeing that you’re doing an important job.
How do I feel about him? I admire him, really. I think he’s doing a very good job, and it’s a hard job. There’s a lot of pressure, but he doesn’t let it affect his normal life. He handles the pressure very well. It’s quite impressive to keep all of that knowledge and help all of those different people and for that not to affect the rest of your life. It’s almost like a super strength. So that’s the person I know who has a career in the medical field.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| train as (a doctor) | B2 | Verb phrase | To study and practise in order to do a particular job. | He trained as a doctor at a well-known university. |
| study medicine | B2 | Verb phrase | To take a university course to become a doctor. | Studying medicine is a very long, demanding course. |
| a major | B2 | Noun | The main subject a student specializes in at university. | Medicine is an expensive major that lasts at least five years. |
| qualify (as something) | C1 | Verb | To gain the official skills or certificate needed for a job. | Even after you qualify, there are years of extra training. |
| satisfying | B2 | Adjective | Giving a feeling of pleasure and fulfilment. | He finds the work incredibly satisfying. |
| well paid | B2 | Adjective phrase | Earning a good salary. | It’s a well-paid career as well as a meaningful one. |
| job satisfaction | C1 | Noun phrase | The sense of fulfilment you get from your work. | The job offers a huge amount of job satisfaction. |
| be under (a lot of) pressure | C1 | Verb phrase | To have to cope with a lot of stress or demands. | Doctors are constantly under a lot of pressure. |
| handle the pressure | C1 | Verb phrase | To cope well with stress and difficult demands. | What impresses me is how well he handles the pressure. |
| not let (something) affect you | C1 | Verb phrase | To stop something from having a negative influence on you. | He doesn’t let the stress affect his normal life. |
| impressive | B2 | Adjective | Deserving admiration because of skill or quality. | It’s genuinely impressive to watch him work. |
| the medical field | C1 | Noun phrase | The area of work related to health and medicine. | He’s the person I know with a career in the medical field. |
ieltsquangtri.com — CEFR-tagged vocabulary bank · Topic: A person with an interesting career (doctor)
Part 3
1. Do you think doctors and nurses are very important?
Yes, of course they are important. They are not just important, they are indispensable in our society. They play a crucial role in maintaining public health and providing medical care to those in need. From diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatments to offering emotional support and administering medications, their contributions are vital for the well-being and recovery of patients. They serve as the frontline defenders against diseases and injuries, ensuring that we receive the necessary care when we fall ill.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indispensable | C2 | Adjective | So important or necessary that you cannot manage without it. | They aren’t just important — they’re indispensable to society. |
| play a crucial role | C1 | Verb phrase | To be an extremely important part of something. | They play a crucial role in keeping people healthy. |
| maintain public health | C1 | Verb phrase | To keep the health of the population at a good level. | Their work helps maintain public health. |
| provide medical care | B2 | Verb phrase | To give treatment and attention to sick or injured people. | They provide medical care to those in need. |
| those in need | C1 | Noun phrase | People who require help or support. | They dedicate themselves to helping those in need. |
| diagnose illnesses | C1 | Verb phrase | To identify what disease or condition someone has. | Doctors diagnose illnesses and decide on treatment. |
| prescribe treatments | C1 | Verb phrase | To officially recommend medicine or a course of treatment. | They prescribe treatments tailored to each patient. |
| offer emotional support | B2 | Verb phrase | To give comfort and reassurance to someone. | Nurses also offer emotional support to worried families. |
| well-being | C1 | Noun | The state of being healthy, comfortable, and happy. | Their work is vital for the well-being of patients. |
| recovery | B2 | Noun | The process of getting better after an illness or injury. | Good care speeds up a patient’s recovery. |
| frontline defenders | C2 | Noun phrase | Those who deal with a problem first and most directly. | They act as the frontline defenders against disease. |
| fall ill | B2 | Verb phrase | To become sick. | They make sure we get care whenever we fall ill. |
ieltsquangtri.com — CEFR-tagged vocabulary bank · Topic: Are doctors and nurses important?
2. Who plays a more important role, doctors or nurses?
Oh, that’s a hard question. It’s hard to pinpoint who play a more important role, as both doctors and nurses have distinct yet complementary functions.
Doctors are typically responsible for diagnosing conditions, devising treatment plans, and overseeing the overall medical care of patients.
Nurses, on the other hand, are often the ones who implement those plans, monitor patients’ progress, and provide daily care. They also offer continuous support and communication, which is invaluable for both patients and their families.
So, it’s hard to say who are more important, because it’s more like a team effort.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pinpoint | C1 | Verb | To identify something exactly. | It’s hard to pinpoint who matters more. |
| distinct yet complementary | C2 | Adjective phrase | Clearly different but working well together. | They have distinct yet complementary roles. |
| be responsible for (something) | B2 | Verb phrase | To have the duty of dealing with something. | Doctors are responsible for diagnosing conditions. |
| devise (a plan) | C1 | Verb | To carefully invent or plan something. | They devise treatment plans for each patient. |
| oversee | C1 | Verb | To supervise and be in charge of something. | Doctors oversee the overall medical care of patients. |
| implement (a plan) | C1 | Verb | To put a plan or decision into action. | Nurses are the ones who implement those plans. |
| monitor (someone’s) progress | C1 | Verb phrase | To watch how something develops over a period of time. | They monitor patients’ progress around the clock. |
| provide daily care | B2 | Verb phrase | To give everyday attention and treatment to someone. | Nurses provide daily care at the bedside. |
| invaluable | C1 | Adjective | Extremely useful; too valuable to measure. | Their support is invaluable to patients and families. |
| a team effort | B2 | Noun phrase | Work that depends on everyone cooperating together. | In the end, good healthcare is really a team effort. |
ieltsquangtri.com — CEFR-tagged vocabulary bank · Topic: Doctors vs nurses — who matters more?
3. Do you think that doctors and nurses are not paid enough?
Yes, I think they are underpaid. Even though some people might argue that they are adequately compensated considering the job security, social status and other benefits they receive.
I personally think that the salaries of doctors and nurses do not fully reflect their level of education, expertise, and the demanding nature of their work. Just try to look at those celebrities and online live streamers who earn exorbitant amount of money for relatively less demanding and less socially beneficial work.
Doctors and nurses should be paid more, because they dedicate years to their education and training, long working hours and stressful conditions.
So, yeah, they are not paid enough.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| underpaid | C1 | Adjective | Paid less than the work deserves. | Honestly, I think they’re seriously underpaid. |
| adequately compensated | C2 | Verb phrase | Paid a fair and sufficient amount for your work. | Some argue they’re already adequately compensated. |
| job security | C1 | Noun phrase | The likelihood that you will keep your job for a long time. | They do enjoy strong job security and benefits. |
| social status | C1 | Noun phrase | A person’s rank or position in society. | The profession also carries a high social status. |
| reflect (their level of expertise) | C1 | Verb | To show or correspond to something accurately. | Their pay doesn’t reflect their level of expertise. |
| expertise | C1 | Noun | A high level of skill or knowledge in a particular area. | Their salaries don’t match their expertise and training. |
| the demanding nature of the work | C2 | Noun phrase | How hard and taxing a particular type of work is. | The pay ignores the demanding nature of the work. |
| exorbitant | C2 | Adjective | (Of an amount) far too large or unreasonably high. | Some streamers earn exorbitant sums for far easier work. |
| socially beneficial | C1 | Adjective phrase | Good and useful for society as a whole. | Their work is far more socially beneficial than that. |
| dedicate years to (something) | C1 | Verb phrase | To spend a long time devoted to a goal or task. | They dedicate years to their education and training. |
| long working hours | B2 | Noun phrase | A large number of hours spent working, often too many. | They cope with long working hours every week. |
| stressful conditions | B2 | Noun phrase | A difficult, high-pressure working environment. | On top of that, they work under stressful conditions. |
ieltsquangtri.com — CEFR-tagged vocabulary bank · Topic: Are doctors and nurses underpaid?
4. Do you think it is necessary to learn first aid and skills?
Yes, I strongly believe that everyone should learn basic first aid skills, even a little. Because these skills can help save lives in some urgent situations, for example, performing CPR, controlling bleeding, or managing a choking kid. All of these first aid skills can make a significant difference and potentially save lives.
| Word / Phrase | CEFR | Type | Definition | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| first aid | B2 | Noun phrase | Basic medical help given to someone before professionals arrive. | I think everyone should learn basic first aid. |
| save lives | B2 | Verb phrase | To prevent people from dying. | These skills can genuinely save lives. |
| urgent situations | C1 | Noun phrase | Emergencies that need immediate action. | They’re invaluable in urgent situations. |
| perform CPR | C1 | Verb phrase | To carry out emergency chest compressions to restart breathing or the heart. | Knowing how to perform CPR is a real advantage. |
| control bleeding | C1 | Verb phrase | To stop or reduce the flow of blood from a wound. | You might need to control bleeding after an accident. |
| a choking (child) | B2 | Adjective | Unable to breathe because something is blocking the throat. | You could help a choking child before help arrives. |
| make a significant difference | C1 | Verb phrase | To have a noticeable and important effect. | Even simple skills can make a significant difference. |
| potentially | C1 | Adverb | Possibly, in a way that could happen in the future. | Acting fast could potentially save someone’s life. |
ieltsquangtri.com — CEFR-tagged vocabulary bank · Topic: Is it necessary to learn first aid?
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Credits
Image : Photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash
