Khoa học xã hội: IELTS Example Speaking Task 2 - Describe an important event

I’m going to tell you about a very special event in American culture, the sixteenth birthday which we refer to as the “Sweet Sixteen”. This tends to be an extravagant birthday party, as it is a rite of passage (a big life event) into adulthood. Now, let me tell you about mine.

Well, since my mother passed away just three years before my sixteenth birthday, my two aunts, cousins, and my sister wanted to make sure that this was an unforgettable day for me. To my surprise, my aunts booked a limousine for us girls to go have an upscale (fancy) dinner at the downtown harbor in Baltimore, Maryland.  I put on my finest dress, which was a deep navy blue color which accentuated (highlighted; draws attention to) my eyes, with a pair of shiny silver heel which matched with my jewelry. I felt on top of the world (extremely happy)!

This was an important day for me, as I had all the closest female family members there with me. I feel that sixteen is a turning point in life, as I started to feel more like a woman rather than a girl. Since I lived in the countryside and didn’t often have the chance to go into the city, this was a luxury for me. All in all, it was a day that made me feel very special, which was good luck as I entered into my womanhood.

In American culture, people tend to put a lot of emphasis on their sixteenth birthdays. There are even TV shows with girls, usually very spoiled (people who have a lot, usually rich), planning their parties. As sixteen is the age where you are able to get your driver’s license, there is a lot of pressure on parents to buy their children a car. Simply put, it’s a day of high expectations and life changes.