Question
You are advised to write between 350 and 500 words on the following topic:
You come across an advertisement in the local paper – ‘Unwanted gift. Extremely large hot air balloon for sale, reasonable price. Call 87145 after 9pm on Monday’. Write a story based on these details.
Model Essay
It was a rainy Sunday afternoon when I first came across the advertisement in the local paper. I was flipping through the classifieds, more out of boredom than actual interest, when the words “Unwanted gift. Extremely large hot air balloon for sale, reasonable price. Call 87145 after 9pm on Monday” caught my eye. The absurdity of it made me laugh out loud. Who receives a hot air balloon as a gift? And more importantly, who would want to sell such a grand gift?
By Monday evening, my curiosity had gotten the best of me. I found myself glancing at the clock, waiting for the minutes to crawl past. At exactly 9 pm, I dialed the number. The phone rang twice before a gruff voice answered.
“Hello?” the voice said.
“Hi, I’m calling about the hot air balloon,” I replied, feeling a bit foolish.
There was a brief pause, and then the voice softened. “Ah, yes, the balloon. Are you interested in buying it?”
“I might be,” I said. “But I have to ask, why are you selling it?”
The man on the other end chuckled. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say it was an unexpected gift from a very eccentric relative. I have no use for it, and it’s taking up a lot of space.”
I arranged to meet him the next day to see the balloon. I spent the night tossing and turning, imagining what the balloon would look like and wondering if I was making a big mistake.
The next day, I drove to the address the man had given me. It was a small farmhouse on the outskirts of town. As I pulled up, I saw the hot air balloon spread out in the large backyard, its vibrant colors gleaming in the sunlight.
ADVERTISEMENT
The man, who introduced himself as Mr. Thompson, greeted me with a firm handshake. “Well, there she is,” he said, gesturing to the balloon. “In perfect condition, I assure you.”
The balloon was indeed magnificent. It was enormous, with a patchwork of bright colors that made it look like a giant, floating quilt. The basket was sturdy and spacious, capable of holding several people comfortably.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, running my hand over the fabric.
Mr. Thompson smiled. “It is. It just doesn’t fit my lifestyle, you know? But it seems like it might fit yours.”
I hadn’t planned on buying a hot air balloon, but something about the idea felt right. I could already picture myself soaring above the town, feeling the wind in my hair and the thrill of adventure in my heart. After a bit of haggling, we settled on a price, and just like that, I became the owner of an extremely large hot air balloon.
The following weekend, with the help of some friends, I took the balloon out for its maiden voyage. As we floated up into the sky, I felt a sense of freedom and exhilaration that I had never experienced before. The world looked different from up there, more peaceful and beautiful.
Owning a hot air balloon turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made. It brought a new sense of adventure into my life, and I spent many weekends exploring the skies, making memories that would last a lifetime. What started as a curious phone call turned into an incredible journey, all thanks to a peculiar advertisement in the local paper.
Word Count: 572