Describe a time when you had a problem with a piece of equipment (for example, a TV or a washing machine)
You should say:
- What equipment it was
- What problem you had
- When you had this problem
- And explain what you did about this problem. (How you fixed or resolved the problem)
Sample Answer
When it comes to a piece of broken equipment, um…the first thing that comes to mind is my rice cooker. If memory serves correctly, I bought it online last July. I basically use it every day, so it really bothered me when it stopped working properly.
Actually, it’s what my friend recommended that I buy. It’s a digital pressure cooker that can be controlled remotely by smartphones. You know, at the time, I had just moved to a new apartment from my campus dorm and needed a cooker to make meals at home, so I bought one from Taobao without a second thought.
It worked perfectly at the beginning, but it’s a bummer because several months ago, I found that it often overcooked the food. I mean, I set it up correctly by following the instructions, but it either cooked the rice too dry or too mushy.
I bet it must be a defective product as it didn’t last for six months before it broke. Since I didn’t know anything about repairing appliances, I had to contact the customer service of this online shop for repair. Fortunately, it was still under warranty so the customer service staff apologized to me for this issue. And more importantly, they shipped me a new unit instead. So far, the second cooker still works fine. I hope that history won’t repeat itself; it’d definitely rain on my parade.
Vocab Highlights
to come/spring to mind: If something comes to mind or springs to mind, you think of it without making any effort.
if (my) memory serves me (well/right/correctly): used for saying that you think you have remembered something correctly
basically /ˈbeɪsɪkli/ (adv): used for saying that you are talking about the most important aspects of something and not mentioning the specific details
without a second thought: acting immediately, without stopping to think
bummer /ˈbʌmər/ (n): a disappointing or unpleasant situation
mushy /ˈmʌʃi/ (adj): soft and having no firm shape
I bet/I’ll bet: used to say that you are fairly sure that something is true, something is happening, etc, although you cannot prove this
under warranty: to be protected by the warranty
history repeats itself: sed to say that things often happen in the same way as they did before
rain on someone’s parade: to hinder someone’s enjoyment; upset someone’s plans