Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood

Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood.

You should say:

• who this person was
• how you and your family knew this person
• how often this person visited your house

and explain why you remember this person.

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you’re going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer 1:
It is indeed an interesting cue card topic as it gives me a wonderful opportunity to revisit my precious childhood memories again, involving my loving family and the people close to its members. Today, I would like to talk about one such people who was really a good friend of my family, especially, my father.

The person, I am talking about, was an old taxi driver. Of course, when I say that he was an old taxi driver, I don’t necessarily mean that he was as old as a senior citizen or something. Rather, what I meant is that he was older than my father. Now, I am not sure when or how my father exactly met this taxi driver, but I remember meeting him or talking to him for the first when he had come to pick me and my father up in order to take us to a doctor.

But, after meeting him on that day, I actually kind of started to like him since he somehow made me forget about my stomach pain with his pleasant personalities. Not to mention, since that day, this ever-smiling taxi driver, with his nicely groomed beard, has visited my home on numerous occasions, not only as a taxi driver to transport us to places but also as a family friend.

In fact, he used to visit my family at least once a week, either just to say hello to them or to offer them some fresh fruits or vegetables from his farms. By the way, this hard-working taxi driver didn’t just use to drive taxi to earn his living but also by growing fresh fruits and vegetables on his farmlands.

I remember this person, mainly because he used to offer me all kinds of goodies and fresh fruits, just like a loving grandfather would give to his grandchildren. I remember him also because he had taken me to many interesting places, which a child would like to go to out of childish curiosity, in his taxi.

Sample Answer 2:
Hmm, an interesting question. When I was growing up various friends of the family came and went, local shop-keepers were friendly but perhaps not truly ‘friends’ in the real sense of the word; neighbours were good fun but then moved away. The person I can think was around throughout my childhood, albeit intermittently. I’m going to try and explain to you who this person was as well as how it was we came to know them. The question about how often they visited our house is a bit tricky but doesn’t make them less of a friend, and finally, I’ll explain why it is this person made such a strong impression on me I remember them still.

When I was growing up, I lived in a fairly suburban area. Once a year, for two weeks of the summer holidays, we’d all pile into the family car and drive for what seemed to me like an eternity to the English countryside of the far north – Northumberland. We always stayed in the same holiday cottage which was self-catering. It was on a mixed sheep/ cattle and arable farm, and our cottage was attached to the shepherd’s permanent home. He lived there with his wife and kept chickens at the end of his garden. The person who I want to tell you about is the shepherd. His name was Ronnie Shipley and to me, as a child, he was a magical figure.  

Because we holidayed there every year throughout my childhood, he got to know me and my whole family really well. His own children had long ago grown up and left home, and I think he liked having enthusiastic youngsters around who idolised him and were interested in his work. He would take us with him to feed the hens, show us where we could find the secretive diamond-backed adders in his garden. These are beautiful snakes, and the only venomous ones in the UK, but they are incredibly timid and difficult to spot. He would let us ‘help’ with the sheep, (I don’t think we were very helpful at all) but we swung on gates and cheerfully ran around herding them. He had a sheepdog that actually did all the work, but when I was very little I was none the wiser. When we were older he plonked us on to the back of the old farm pony and let us ride around the farm. On one memorable occasion, he even sat me on the back of a wonderfully tame but enormous Hereford bull. They are actually incredibly docile cattle, but I was still very impressed that I was able to do this.

Because he lived in Northumberland, and we lived down in the south of England just outside London hundreds of miles away, in fact, he never did visit our house. That seems a shame now I look back, but he loved his home in the north, and couldn’t see the point in visiting anywhere else. Also, I now realise that he was actually pretty old even then, way past usual retirement years, but carrying on doing the job he loved for as long as he could. I think a long journey by train would have been quite difficult for him.

As to why I remember this person, well he was such a wonderful magical figure from my childhood. It was as if he inhabited a parallel universe. He taught me to appreciate the countryside and the great outdoors. He was patient and kind with his time.  I remember him pointing out stars in the night sky – things that I could never see at home because of the light pollution from the urban area I lived in. He also looked very distinctive. He had a weather-beaten wrinkled face from working outdoors year-round for decades. He wore a flat cap and an old weathered tweed jacket, and always carried a shepherd’s stick with him (which he’d made himself) and was accompanied by a collie dog to help him in his work. He must have taken a bit of a shine to our family, as he always welcomed us with warmth and genuine affection. We’d pop round for endless tea and coffee and shriek delightedly at the discoveries he revealed. In return, sometimes he’d come with us when we went off on a family outing to the seaside or some special place, trips out both he and his wife Annie much enjoyed.

Now I’m long grown up and those holidays are a distant memory. Ronnie himself died years ago. However, I still have two sticks which he made just for me. One is a thumbstick – a very distinctive walking stick that you cut to the right length according to your own height and then walk with your thumb resting in the crook of a V formed where the stick has naturally divided. Mine was specially picked out by him for me. The other is a more traditional British shepherd’s crook. It is a hazel stick, with a sheep’s horn on the end. On the horn, he has carved my initials ‘L.M.’ together with the date 1978, so I know that I was 13 years old when he gave it to me. What a special treasure that is.

It’s funny, I was incredibly fond of Mr Shipley as I was growing up, but I took his attention and generosity a bit for granted, I think that’s easy to do when you are small. Now I’m older and wiser (hopefully) I think he is even more remarkable. We were just one of many families he must have met over the years and yet he always made us feel special.  He was a remarkable man and a great friend to all our family. I feel really blessed to have met him, and his legacy endures in very real ways. There is even a gooseberry bush in the garden of my parent’s house that is from a cutting he gave to them decades ago. I wonder if he had any idea how special he was, and how much his friendship meant to us all. I think above all else he gave us his time, and shared his stories, for me that was the best gift ever, as, with it, he stimulated my imagination and gave me happy memories, those can endure almost forever!

[ Written by – Lucy Marris (2016):  Careers Adviser (UK), TEFL teacher (Vietnam) ]

Sample Answer 3:
I was so lucky to have my aunt Sally with me during my childhood, and she still continues her bond with my family. In fact, she is my mom’s best friend, our neighbour – lives at the opposite door of our apartment in Canada.

Aunt Sally is a professional accountant and works as the Chief Accountant with an international organisation. She is my mom’s friend since their school days and they have been continuing the relationship even in their middle age. They are like twin sisters and love to share everything together. They share a very strong and enviable bond among them. Often they used to go for the outing together and also had their necessary things done together. I like aunt Sally much because she loves me like her own daughter. Even in these days, she helps me solve the accounting problems of my college.  

My mother met aunt Sally in her school. Both of them were at their elementary level. In fact, my grandpa admitted my mom to the local school for kids where all the kids had their elementary education. Gradually, the relationship between them started and they shared their home works, assignments etc. When they matured, the friendship between mom and aunt Sally deepened. The residence of aunt Sally was far from my grandpa’s house, and then both the families decided to make it closer to each other. It created the relationship between the two families and still, it is going on today. Both the families now have turned like a single-family. Accordingly, I got familiar with aunt Sally after being matured.  

Aunt Sally frequently visited our house. Since she is our neighbour, there are no specific schedules for her visit. It has happened that she comes to visit my mom even in the late hours of the night which made us surprised and shocked as well lest we are to listen to any bad news at that late night. On the other side, my mom was also similar to her. She also used to visit aunt Sally’s home frequently. As a result, the friendship has turned matured which is rare at this present age. Presently, visiting has become limited. She is now unable to manage time much to visit my mom for her occupational engagement. So, now she comes at least twice a week to visit my mom and us.

I remember aunt Sally for some specific reasons. The first and the most important thing about her is that she is exceptionally smart and brilliant. She is able to solve even the toughest mathematical problems within a short time. She looks pretty with her bluish eyes and curly hair even in her 40s. She is also an amicable person who loves to chat with people. She loves kids and spends time with them. When I was a kid, she took much care for me with my mom. Both of them have endured lots of troubles for me in my early days as I was a naughty girl. Now I actually have less time to socialize with other people for my academic studies. But still, I seek help from aunt Sally if I am in troubles and she also manages time to spare with me.
 

More Ideas to talk about this Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card topic:

Topic: Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood.

1. Jim is the person who is my family friend and I have known him since my childhood. He used to be our neighbour in Manhattan. Jim used to visit us every evening when he returned from his work. He brought snacks for the entire family. In fact, he lost his family members in a road accident and started thinking of us as his family. I remember him event today for his generosity and kindness he showed to us, especially to me. He used to solve my maths and often took to visit different places. Still, I have a good link with Jim.

2. I will always remember the contribution of Aunt Elisa. She was our family friend. In fact, she was my mom’s best friend in college and the friendship is still on. She used to visit us twice or thrice in a week with her family members. We used to live in a small home at the northwest corner of San Jose. The city was not that much developed as it is today. However, she had a great contribution to my family, especially she arranged for a job when dad lost his job all on a sudden. She appeared on the role of saviour for my family.

3. The role of Jackson as a family friend is still memorable to me. He was my dad’s colleague and lived in the next door here in Spain. He used to visit us every morning and drank a cup of coffee before leaving for office together with dad. The memories of Jackson have not faded because of his youthful nature. He used to celebrate different occasions with us. I can remember that he celebrated my 13th birthday and it was enjoyable to me. So, I remember him even in my 30s.

4. Ms Alena often came to my home to meet mom. Later, I came to know that she was my mom’s friend and gradually had become my family friend. I know her from my early childhood. She used to visit us twice or thrice in a month. In fact, she was busy with her teaching and had less time to spend in socializing. But whenever she managed time, she came to our home. I can remember her because she taught me physics in my eighth grade. In fact, without her help, it would not have been possible for me to cross-exam barriers.

5. If you want the name of my family friend, I will tell you about Due Duong. He is my father’s childhood friend and been connected with my family for over 20 years. I know him from my childhood and he is a loveable person indeed. When we used to live in Vietnam, he frequently visited our house. I have never seen such a fun-loving man before in my life. I remember him for his smartness and outstanding knowledge. He was also skilled in a perfect calculation and I took supports from him whenever I failed in any of my academic studies.
 

Part 3 – Two-way discussion:

Q. What do you think makes someone a good friend to a whole family?

Q. Do you think we meet different kinds of friends at different stages of our lives? In what ways are these types of friend different?

Q. Do you think it is possible to be friends with someone if you never meet them in person?

Q. How easy is it to make friends with people from a different age group?

Q. What kind of influence can friends have on our lives?

Q. How important would you say it is to have friends from different cultures?