Tell me about a toast or a speech at a celebration that really stuck with you.

A natural way to answer

I remember a retirement dinner where a colleague gave a really simple toast. He didn't lay it on thick or read from notes — he just told one short story about kindness, and somehow it summed the man up perfectly.

Key phrases to use

• choke up — to become so emotional that you can't speak properly“She choked up while reading the letter aloud.”
• lay it on thick — to exaggerate praise or emotion in an over-the-top way“He laid it on thick about how wonderful everyone was.”
• bring the house down — to get a huge, enthusiastic reaction from a whole audience“His final line brought the house down.”
• strike a chord — to say something that people strongly relate to or feel moved by“Her words struck a chord with everyone there.”