Describe a time you had to learn the words of something (e.g. a poem or a song) and then say or sing it from memory. You should say:
- Where you were
- Who was listening to you
- What you had to say or sing,
- And explain how you felt about saying or singing something you had learnt.
Sample Answer of Describe a Time You Had to Learn the Words of Something
I was seven years old when I signed up for a poem recital competition at my school. There were not many kids who had an interest in poems. The lines I learned were from a poem from Rabindranath Tagore. He always writes them with Sanskrit context, which has a rich meaning, importance and value to it. It is generally considered difficult for those who are native to that language itself, and so I had a hard time learning those lines. At first, I was told that we could glance at the written paper if need be. On reaching the stage floor, I was asked to give up the paper I had written the poem on. I was panicked but took a calm mind on the actual tune and vibe of that poem. The famous singer Latha Mangeshwar was there as a chief guest. Imagine my surprise when I was received with a standing ovation from all the public who had gathered there on completion of the recital. It was a truly thrilling experience to have received such immense support.
Follow Ups of Describe a Time You Had to Learn the Words of Something
Question 1:- Why do you think it’s true that most young children enjoy learning songs and poems?
It makes it easier for children to remember the lines and just sing along. It’s fun to learn and sing as a group.
Question 2:- Do you think it’s easier to remember the words to something as a child and more difficult when we become adults?
Oh yes, it is definitely easier to remember the words if we studied them as a child. We kids are like a sponge and absorb any information given to us. When we become adults, it’s slightly more difficult, considering the constant distractions and stressed lifestyle we are at.
Question 3:- Do you think learning songs and poems is a waste of time?
No, it’s absolutely not. I think it gives more relief when we learn or sing songs. It has always been a stress buster for me.
Question 4:- How practical is it for younger students to learn facts about the world (e.g. dates in history)?
It’s very much practical for young children to learn facts about the world. Social science is a compulsory subject for all school going kids for a reason. It may be difficult for them to remember the exact dates in history, but it is really helpful to know our past and how we overcame obstacles in the past.
Question 5:- Are there any techniques that schoolchildren can use to remember new information more easily?
Yes, it’s perhaps called Pneumonics. We remember a sentence and use the first letter of each word, and we can remember the sequential order. I remember studying the order of the planets with such a sentence. Interestingly, that’s the only way I remember it to date as well.
Question 6:- How important do you think it is to teach young students to find and check information for themselves?
It is very important for them to find out and validate facts and information. We might know about data analytics and data mining at present times. It has been a constantly developing movement on the accurate use of data and has always been fruitful in predicting future information. It’s this fruitful to inculcate the habit from youth.
Question 7:- Let’s talk about the value of knowledge.
Knowledge is power. We can’t assume knowledge in an instant. It comes from over years of experience and trials. Even when we process data from our texts or materials, we are only processing information from it. It becomes knowledge only when we face it in our life and if we overcome the problems using the information we accumulated.
Question 8:- Do you think it’s a good idea to use public money for funding museums?
Museums have been an important place to cite the historical data, but the current youth is rarely interested in visiting these monumental structures. So I feel funding for such activities may not be fruitful. We can do amends to make it online as well. There is a movement to protect the heritage by not actually going there in person.
Question 9:- Do you think it is true that each generation must depend on the knowledge passed on from previous generations?
Yes, as I said before, it is going to make things easier if we know the outcome of the trials our forefathers had to face. Only then can we come up with alternative and effective solutions to our problems. We have had kings ruling over the countries with this secret information on army tactics. So it’s always been a boon in the past or future as we evolve with times.
Question 10:- Which would benefit society more, more people with a piece of broad general knowledge or more people with specialized knowledge?
I would rather suggest an equal balance of both. This is similar to considering if adults or children are more important. Children are the seeds of tomorrow’s future, and elders can only guide the future with the knowledge of the past. So it’s an inevitable mix as we are limited by time and knowledge. If it had been a case where all are of the same age, I would say more people with a piece of broad general knowledge. Specialized info can be gathered with this general knowledge. Indifferences of opinion may occur if most of them are specialized knowledge.
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