IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 685 with Model Answer

Describe a seminar or workshop you have attended

: You should say

what was it about
who participated in it
how long the seminar/ workshop was
and explain why you attended this seminar/workshop

: Model Answer

I am a student of development studies in Allahabad University in India. Recently, my department had sent me to participate in a day-long seminar on tobacco control issues in New Delhi to get some real life ideas. It was an exciting experience for me

I went to New Delhi to attend the seminar on different issues on tobacco control in India. The seminar was organised in association with some international tobacco control organisations and local NGOs working on the same issue. The seminar was to inform the participants about the detrimental impacts of tobacco use on human body and how it is detrimental to the economy, health and country. I came to know about different negative impacts of tobacco use and how it affects the nervous system. In fact, smoking is a kind of tobacco use and this is an addiction that the smokers can hardly give up. I also came to know about the chemicals containing in cigarettes and other tobacco products. Nicotine is largely responsible for the addiction. Moreover, I came to know how people start smoking and get entrapped with it

It was a large seminar aiming to spread knowledge about the detrimental impacts of tobacco use among the commoners. So, the relevant stakeholders were more in number as participants who joined form different national and international NGOs, government bodies, and even some parliament members were also at the seminar. Besides, the event was attended by notable economists of the country, university teachers, and students from different reputed universities, newspaper editors, and civil society members. Moreover, the event was covered by different media houses as well. Participants at the seminar were allowed to place their speeches and almost all of the speeches were about the detrimental impacts of tobacco use. The participants also emphasised on curbing the use of the tobacco for a healthy living. The economists explained how tobacco is damaging the entire economy and country

The seminar went on round the day. It started at 10am in the morning and we took a break by 11.30. Then the seminar started again and continued till 1.30. The authority placed lunch break for an hour and we all went for the lunch. The lunch was made of traditional Indian dishes and all of us took those delicious food items heartily. I liked the chicken tandoori most while many of the participants took vegetables, bread or rice. Besides, the spicy drink was another notable element on the menu. I enjoyed the fruit salad as well. But unfortunately, one of the issues during the lunch hour embarrassed me. Some of the participants were wasting foods. They took foods by filling up their plates and could not finish up. Consequently, they had to waste the foods and the leftovers were thrown on the wasted bins. Lack of consciousness is liable here to make people act in such way. The seminar resumed again after the lunch. We also got another break about one and half hour later for evening snacks. Finally the seminar came to an end by 5.00 pm

As a student of development studies, it is a must to learn about the development initiatives of the country. The course is tailored in such a way that the students would be aware of the overall development issues of the country. Tobacco control is one of the biggest challenges for India and different government and non government bodies are working after it. Some of the states in India have banned smoking in public places. But despite all the efforts, the rate of smoking is getting up gradually. Many of the Indian women suffer from cancer and the consumption of tobacco is the key cause behind the cancer. Unfortunately, majority of the populations are unaware of the negative impacts of tobacco use and thus they are smoking cigarettes or consuming the other forms of tobacco. The seminar was organized to make some plans after a discussion to make people aware of the harmful impacts of tobacco use. Some other steps like tax hike on all types of tobacco products, imposing health surcharge on tobacco products, implementation of graphical health warning on tobacco products packets, introducing plain packaging etc. were discussed. After a brief discussion with my course coordinator, I attended the seminar to gain some real life knowledge about the specific issue of tobacco which is also considered as an obstacle towards development