•     What the decision was
•     When you took the decision
•     What the results of the decision was and whether it was a good choice.

and explain why it was an important decision or choice for you.
Follow-up Questions:

• How parents' decisions affect their children's life?
• What important things do you consider while taking a big decision?

Model Answer 1:
Decisions, decisions.  I’m not always good at making decisions.  I worry about making wrong choices, and often seek advice from friends to help me think through the consequences of picking one option over another.  Mind you, some people say that we choose who to ask for advice depending on what advice we want to hear.  That might be true.  Some decisions are easy to make – perhaps because all the possible options are good ones (like choosing a favourite pudding) others seem to have no good options only ‘least bad’ ones, those are hardest to make.  The important decision I can think of, and which I’m going to talk about today, worked out in the end, but it was terrifying to have to make at the time.
I’ll talk you through what the decision was, when I took it and what the results were.  Finally I’ll explain why it was so important that it still impacts on me today.
The decision was whether or not I should relocate to a different part of the country to take up a new job.  I had to make the decision about 6 years ago.  I had been self-employed for a while, but then there was a downturn in the economy and I stopped getting enough work to support myself.  I applied for a job in Sheffield, which was a city I didn’t know at all, and when I had first an interview, and then a job offer, I was faced with a big decision.  Should I leave my home and friends to start a new life in Sheffield for a promising job at a prestigious university; or should I stay where I was in my lovely house and familiar surroundings, and hope the work might pick up again in the future?
I thought a lot about the pros and cons; I cried a lot to be honest, as the thought of making a new start was really scary.  I’d be all on my own, and what if I didn’t make friends or couldn’t do the job well?  However, ultimately it came down to income.  I couldn’t live on fresh air, and this was well paid job.   I also thought if I turned the work down, and then didn’t manage to pick up new contracts I’d always wonder ‘what if?’ or how might things have been different if I’d just been brave enough to ‘give it a go!’   I accepted the job and started to pack.  In less than three weeks I was renting a flat in a new city and turning up to work in a new office with new colleagues.  One resolution I made early on, was to be really positive about the decision once I’d made it.  I’d join societies, say ‘yes’ to every social invitation, and really try to build a new life quickly.  I wouldn’t ever look back!
The result of the decision?  Well, I moved to a new city, and took a new job.  It was hard at first, there was a lot to learn and sometimes it was lonely too.  However, I’ve never regretted it.  Sheffield is a lovely city near to beautiful countryside.  I rent an attic flat which has great views over the city in one direction and woodland in the other.  I think this city must be one of the friendliest ones in the UK, people were incredibly welcoming to me as a newcomer, and there is always lots to do.  I don’t have that job anymore, but I don’t regret taking it at all.  I do sometimes miss my old house in Leamington where I used to live, but I don’t miss anything else.  I think the move revitalised me and took me on a great new adventure, sometimes you do just have to take a bit of a risk in life to progress, this bit of risk taking worked for me.
So in conclusion, I think it was a big decision, but I made a good choice.  Of course it was an important one as it changed everything for me, from where I lived and worked, to who my friends are.  Honestly though, I think perhaps with decisions it matters less what you decide, and more that once you have made a decision you make the best of it, wherever it may take you.  Sometimes the journey is speedy and smooth, sometimes it is rocky along the way, but whatever path we choose, it is what makes us the people we are – for better or worse!
[ Written by - Lucy Marris,  Careers Adviser (UK), TEFL teacher (Vietnam) ]
Possible Answer 2:
I've made lots of decisions in my life and frankly I have taken those decisions sometimes all alone and sometimes discussing with my parents and others. The particular decision that seems very important to me was the time when I decided to major in Literature rather than major in Engineering. My mother wanted me to get admitted in the Eng. University and do my graduation majoring Engineering while my fascination was studying in Literature. I made this decision when I was 18 years of old, just after finishing my 12th grade. My father did not force me to do anything; instead he told me to do what I thought was best for me. My relatives thought that I was a fool and too immature to make a big decision for myself.

But after considering several issues and perspective I decided to get myself admitted in a University that offers graduation in Literature. I'm happy that I made this decision. I'm yet to finish my graduation but throughout the last 3 years I have enjoyed studying literature and I am doing quite well academically.

Making the decision/ choice was not easy and I had to go through a hard time as I remember. I had to fight a lot with my inner self and then convince my mother. There were always risks of picking the option I prefer my parents would have complained if I hadn’t make a promising result. I still remember the dubious feelings I had that time. Sometimes it seemed to me that I should abandon my passion and yield to my parents' decision and then again I strongly felt for my own choice and passion. Since I made my own choice at that time, a strong urge and force worked on me that I have to do really good and I am happy that I took my decision and doing very good so far.

Tips for answering this cue card topic:

Remember a decision that you took which turned out to be an influential thing you decided. You should be able to talk about something you decided and later proved to be useful and beneficial. This varies from person to person yet following are some of the ideas you can adopt to talk about yours one:

• Your decision to get admitted into a college, university or studying in a particular major/ subject.
• Your decision of living in a foreign country.
• Your decision of taking a course or learning a thing.
• Your decision of taking a part-time/ full time job.
• Your decision of making a change in your family like: living in a town rather than in the village.
• Your decision of obeying your parents on certain issues.
• Your decision of not getting involved in a political party/ organization that eventually turned out to be harmful for others.
• Your decision of helping a person/ people of your locality.
• Your decision of informing a bad thing happening in your locality to the appropriate authority.
• Your decision of protesting a decision taken by your relatives.
• Your choice of imposing something to your family members or friends which later turned out positive for him/her.
• Your decision of buying something that letter become helpful for you and others.

Try to talk about something positive you decided. You are free to describe one of your decisions which become harmful for you later but it is advisable not to talk about such negative things.
If you can talk about this cue card you would also be able to describe:
1. Describe something you did and felt good for that.
2. Describe something you did for others.
3. Talk about a choice you made in your life.
4. Describe a decision you took that later affected your life.
5. Talk about an incidence when you got confused.
6. Describe an important choice you had to make in your life.