Ielts
Ielts
Ielts
IELTS test four performance areas: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. All candidates receive a
test score between 1 (lowest) and 9(highest) Academic Institution set their own IELTS entry scores
The current IELTS material for test applicants, which is available at all times centers worldwide gives further
information about the test. The official website: www.ielts.org also gives up-to-date information and test data.
Each unit contains IELTS practices test and a Fast Track section
Topics that are interesting, durable and even controversial have been favored for inclusion. The
aim has been to encourage critical thinking and discussion in IELTS preparation classrooms. All
six tests are at a level comparable to the actual IELTS but the later test pose a slightly higher
level of challenge than the earlier ones.
The Writing Test Task 1 material covers a wide range of test task type. The Writing Test Task 2
prompts are usually short and clear. The aim has been to enable users of this book to focus on
their own writing needs.
The two sample IELTS Speaking test on CD 1 and CD 2 involve nonnative speakers- one from
Taiwan and other from Hungary.
This new section offers detailed guidance for managing test performance professionally and
improving upon your IELTS score in each of the four subtests.
FASTTRACK SECTIONS
The FOUR Fast Track sections offer easy to follow strategies, activities and support.
WRITING
The first part of this section explores the requirement of the IELTS Academic Writing Test and targets
problem areas with hints for improvement. Each of the twelve Writing task has planning assistance plus
a Sample Answer, which generate language building activities. ‘Notes’ following the answers provides
additional discourse pointers. Our belief is that IELTS candidates will become better attuned to the type
of writing required for the test if they work analytically and interactively with whole sample answers.
This consistent with an inductive approach
SPEAKING
Two recorded speaking test on CDs are accompanied by listening activities so you can ‘track ’in an active
way the interview format and content. There are also teacher comments for the two candidates,
examiner’s suggestions, plus extra test practice topics and questions.
? Questions
Time
The listening test takes 30 minutes. You hear the recording ONCE only
Test Instructions
There are recorded instructions at the beginning of the test. As you listen, write your answers on the
question paper. At the end of the test you are given time to transfer the answers to an
answer sheet.
Time: 30 minutes
There are instructions for the test at the beginning of each CD.
Read the ‘Quick Guide’ on page 199-201 for more suggestions on improving your score in the Listening
Test.
Listening Test 1
Example
Andrea is feeling happy because…
[3] Where are Harry going to advertise his books for sale>
A. In the university bookshop.
[4] Andrea thinks it is unlikely students will buy the furniture because…
Questions 6-10
THE CANADIAN
FOOD MARKET
Understanding subtle [21]…………………………….. between the Canadian
and United States food sectors is important for successful food
marketing
Canada has many different ethnic groups: e.g. Toronto has large [22]
…………… and Asian population
Growth of ethnic specialties of Mediterranean, Caribbean, South East
Asian and [23]…………………………………. Foods
Therefore supermarkets now offering new [24]…………….. to prepare
these foods, e.g. condiments and sauces
80% of Canadian market controlled by 8 major national chains
Seminar to compare Canadian food trends with [25]………………. And UK
Questions 6-8
Circle the correct letter A-C.
[6] What time should Anrietta finish work in the hamburger shop?
A 7.00 pm
B 3.00 am
C 11.00 pm
[7] What is the problem with Annetta's pay at the hamburger shop?
A the pay is too much
B the pay is late
C the pay isn't correct
[8] How many children will Annetta have to look after?
A two boys and a girl
B two boys and two girls
C two girls and a boy
Questions 15-16
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR NUMBERS for each answer.
[15] If students do not like eating meat, can they get a cheap meal at the
restaurant in Ironbridge?
[16] What time must the students arrive to catch the bus?
Question 17
Circle the correct letter A-D.
[17] Which building is the bus garage?
Questions 18-21
Write NO MORS THAN FOUR WORDS OR NUMBERS for each answer.
[21] Which three of the following famous tourist sights are mentioned? Write the
correct letters A-H.
A Great Wall of China E Taj Mahal
B Angkor Wat F Mt. Kilimanjaro
C Grand Canyon G Leaning Tower of Pisa
D Pyramids H Great Barrier Reef
Look at this notice detailing the students' work experience placements. Write NO CHANGE if the
information has NOT changed or WRITE IN THE CHANGES.
e.g. [30]………………………….and……………………………………..
EXAMPLE
The speaker has come the Theosophical Society T F
B It broke down.
C It was stolen.
A by motorcycle
B on foot
C by bus
Questions 11-13as you listen, fill in the details to complete the information in the map below.
Survival suits are [18] __________ in colour for maximum visibility. They are designed to keep you
floating upright in the water even if you [19] ____________ and will protect you from cold.
Fill in the summary below with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A NUMBER for each space.
Complete the summary. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each space.
Questions 27 and 28
[21] what was Sarah Price’s worst experience during the trip?
[28] In which of the following areas does Ray expect to have most difficulty?
A loneliness
B time pressure
C organization skills
Question 29 and 30
[30] Name 2 things that are provided free of charge to the competitors.
___________ and____________
Questions 31-33
A Germany.
B Great Britain.
C United States.
Question: 34-39
Complete the Summary below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
home row. Using the Dvorak keyboard, over 3000 words or [35] _____ of all work can be done from the
home row. In contrast, only [36] _____ can be typed from the home row on the QWERTY keyboard.
Typist: using the QWERTY keyboard moved their fingers [39] _____ miles
Question 40
[40] Which of these was the main reason why the Dvorak keyboard was never adopted?
B bad timing
C resistance to change
LISTENING- TEST4
SECTION 1 Questions 1-10
Question 1
A London
C Hong Kong
Questions 2-4
Complete the form. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
Questions 5-7
A black colour
B wheels
C a metal handle
A 5.50 pm
B 6.10 pm
C 7.50 pm
Question 8
When Jenny picks up the bag she has to [8] _____ in person
Question: 9 and 10
[9] _____
[10] _____
Questions 11 and 12
Complete the notice below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR A NUMBER for each answer.
Questions 13-15
Indicate the number (1-4) to press for information on each of the following.
Questions 16-20
Ticket prices:
Questions 21-23
Match the 3 speakers (21-23) with the background information below (A-G).
AND EXPERIENCE
F works as a journalist
[24] The total number of films in the festival each year is...
A five
B three
C twelve
Question 25-28
C independent distributors
A journalism students
A none is in English.
[28] The festival did not make a profit last year because of
A poor weather.
C lack of publicity‘
Question 29 and 30
Planning Overview
[29] 1 March
Questions 35-38
Complete the notes below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
- less maintenance
Questions 39 and 40
[39] Name ONE group which has opposed the introduction of reed bed technology. _____
[40] Give ONE concern about reed bed systems raised by students in the question period. _____
spelling of unknown words (eg surnames ), note vowels and double letters
telephone numbers , addresses, dates, times, amounts of money
weights and measures (check a good grammar book for abbreviations-metric and
imperial)
Keep calm
‘Keep calm under pressure. I can hear more clearly and understand better when I’m relaxed.’
The readings are based on those from magazines, books, journals or newspapers.
Questions
Time
Test Instructions
The instructions in each test are clear and easy to follow, and you are given examples of
unfamiliar question types. You write your answers directly onto the reading answer sheet, not
Make a photocopy of the Sample Answer Sheet of this book. Use pencil.
READING TEST 1
Passage 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-14 which are based on this passage.
Somehow, miraculously, Juliane survived that fall from the sky. In the film, she speculates on a number
of factors which may have combined to save her. First, the storm had produced a strong updraft from
the thunder clouds. Secondly, being strapped into a row of seats, she was aware of falling in a spiralling
movement , like a maple seed pod. Then, hitting the canopy of trees, she tumbled through a maze of
vines which slowed her landing in deep mud.
But surviving the fall, though miraculous in itself, was just the beginning. When Juliane awoke hours
later, wet and covered with mud, she was still strapped to her seat. Staggering to her feet, she assessed
her injuries: a fractured bone in the neck, concussion and deep cuts in her leg and back. She was also in
shock, lost and totally alone in the Amazon jungle.
No doubt it washer familiarity with the wilderness that enabled her to cope. Her parents were biologist
and Juliane had grown up in the jungle. She realised her only hope was to follow a little stream of water
nearby, trusting that it would eventually lead to a larger river and rescue. With no provisions, dressed in
the miniskirt she had worn on the plane and wearing just one shoe, she set off through initially. I saw
planes circling above me, but a after a few days I realised the search had been called off,’ she said.
Surprisingly she felt no hunger but as the days passed her health was deteriorating rapidly. The gash in
her shoulder, where flies laid their eggs was now crawling with maggots. ‘I knew I’d perish in the jungle
so I stayed in the water.’ Walking in the stream however presented one risk more serious than any
others. Before each step she had to poke ahead in the sand with a stick, to avoid treading on poisonous
sting rays, lying hidden on the bottom.
As the stream grew into a river, swimming was the only option. However, here in deeper water, there
were new threats. Crocodiles basking on the shores slipped silently into the water as she passed. Juliane
trusted that they feared humans and were entering the water to hide. She swam on. On the tenth day,
starving and barely conscious, she spotted a hut and a canoe. They belonged to three woodcutters
working nearby. Rescue was at hand.
For this 46 year old woman, re-living such a traumatic experience on film must have been a great
challenge. But she shows little emotion. Flying back into the jungle she sits in the same seat (19F) as on
the fateful day. She is dispassionate, unemotional in describing the flight. On the ground, when they
finally locate the crash site, in dense jungle, Juliane is scientific in her detachment, looking through the
debris, now buried under dense vegetation. She examines a girl’s purse, the skeleton of a suitcase.
Walking along the stream, she spots the engine which she remembers passing on the third day. Her
arms and legs are covered with mosquitoes, but she seems to ignore all discomfort. Then, back in the
town, standing in front of a monument erected in memory of the victims of the crash, entitled Alas de
Esperanza (Wings of Hope), Juliane comments simply, ‘I emerged, as the sole embodiment of hope from
the disadter.’
Questions 1-14
Questions 1-3 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage
1 How old was Juliane at the time of the crash?
2 What is her occupation now?
Questions 15—27
Questions 15—19 Classify the following as relating to:
A the silk of bombyx mori B dragline silk of nephila clavipes C capturr silk of nephila clavipes
[15] forms the framework of a web
[16] most elastic silk
[17] allows predator to drop quickly
[18] single strand can be up to 900 metres long
[19] strongest silk
Questions 20-24 Do the following statements reflect the claims of the wnter in the passage.
Write:
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer. NO if the statement contradicts the writer. NOT
GIVEN if there is no information about this in the passage
Questions 32-36
Use the information in the text to match the map projection [M A P] with the charasteristics listed
below.
M Mercator projection
A Aitoff projection
P Peters Projection
[32] makes Europe seem larger than it is
[33] maximum distortions at the poles
[34] maintains greatest accuracy at 45 degrees latitude
[35] most distorts the position of the equator
[36] more accurately represents country shapes and sizes
Questions 37-39
Choose one drawing (A-D) to match each of the three projection types (3 7-3 9). There are more
drawings than names so you will not use all of them.
[37] Mercator projection
[38] Aitoff projection
[39] Peters projection
Questions 1—13
Questions 1-2 Choose the correct letter A-D.
[1] The researchers concluded that
A subjects underestimated the time spent ’on hold’. B it is better for companies not to use any 'on-hold'
music. C light jazz was the most acceptable music overall. D both gender and type of music influence
callers’ reaction.
[2] The researchers recommended that
A their client continue to play alternative music.
B four types of music should be offered to people ‘on hold’.
C advertising is preferable to music.
D women can be kept waiting for longer than men.
Questions 3-7 Choose the type of music from the list A-D below which corresponds to the findings of the
study.
Types of musIc A light jazz B alternative C classical D rock
Question 19-22
Complete the table using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage
CENTURY SOCIAL CHANGE IN REASON EFFECT ON
BRITAIN POPULATION
Mid 17th century Main drinks were ………. Hops helped to make No significant change
beer last longer
th
Late 17 century Gin becomes more Beer becomes Mortality rate goes up
popular, especially with expensive because of
poor people [19] ………..
Early 18th century [20] ……….. drinking Britain starts trade with Mortality rate goes
starts to become chine down
widespread
Mid 18th century Decline in urban deaths [22] ………. Water used Infant mortality rate
caused by [21] ………… for tea and beer; goes down by half
antibacterial qualities
of tannin
Questions 26-40
Questions 26—32
North Americans are not a people of the siesta. There is a tendency to associate afternoon naps with
laziness and non-productivity. Latin Americans and some in Europe cultures take a different view. In
Mexico and Greece, for example, it is customary to close business between noon and about 4.00
pm siesta time. Recent studies are showing that if you can take a 15-30-minute nap while at work in
the afternoon, you’ll be more alert, more energetic, happier doing what you do, more productive
and therefore more likely to get ahead, Napping on the job is not yet a trend but there is serious talk in
academic circles about the merits of power napping’.
By some estimates, the average American collects an annual ‘sleep debt’ of 500 hours---subtracting
from assumed norm of eight hours a night. Two out of three American get less than eight hours of
sleep a night during the work week, according to a recent study by the National Sleep Foundation in
Washington. Forty percent say they’re so tired that it interferes with their daily activities. Sleep
researcher William Anthony, a professor of psychology at Boston University, says fatigue is a significant
problem in modern society. He says sleepiness is a leading cause of auto accidents, second only to
drunkenness. All that drowsiness costs an estimated $18 billion annually lost in productivity. ‘We have a
simple message to,’ says Professor Anthony. ‘People should be allowed to nap at their breaks. The
rationale is a productivity one – workers are sleepy, and when they’re sleepy on the job they’re not
productive.’
Some companies are encouraging sleep at work, primarily for safety. The Metropolitan Transit
Authority, which runs the New York subway system and two suburban railroads, is considering power
naps for its train operators and bus drivers. Another railway has started letting its rain operators take
nap breaks of up to 45 minutes but only when trains are stopped at designated spots off the main lines
dispatchers have been notified. Some overseas air carriers permit airline pilots, when not on duty, to
nap in the cockpit. Airlines in the United States have not accepted this practice yet.
According to the Encyclopedia of Sleep and Dreaming: ‘There is a biologically-based tendency to fall
asleep in mid-afternoon just as there is a tendency to fall asleep at night. Moreover, if sleep the night
before is reduced or disturbed for any reason, a nap the subsequent afternoon is not only more likely to
occur, nut it can also relieve sleepiness and increase alertness.’ The nap zone, documented in numerous
studies, is typically between noon and 3.00 pm. Some people power through this natural slowdown with
caffeine or sugar but if employers allowed naps, the benefits would be improvements in mood and
performance, especially in mid-afternoon. Workers would concentrate better and persevere in tasks
longer. Workers commonly sneak naps even without permission but some companies have begun
encouraging naps as part of their policies on boosting production. One US distributor, is opening a
2,000-square-foot nap facility that provides beds for up to 20 of its 225 workers at a time. A company on
Japan sets up tents in business offices, provides eyeshades and ear plugs and encourages employees to
snooze in the middle of the work day. According to Professor Anthony, ‘You’re not going to see napping
at traditional types of operations…. But in 21 st century-style operations, this isn’t going to be a perk. It’s
going to have more to do with productivity. Smart employers are understanding that their employees
need to rest to do their best.
Some suspect that corporate naptime, like other perks, is just a way to keep people at the office longer.
On the other hand, growing flexibility in hours for some workers is allowing nap times to become more
common. With eleven million Americans telecommuting and another forty million working out of their
homes full or part-time, office hours are basically as long as you can stay awake. One thing is sure:
longer commutes, more intense, stressful workdays and higher production demands are taking a toll. So,
with Americans sleeping less and working longer hours, some employers are warming up to the idea
that a little nap in the middle of the day can be good for business.
[1]According to the passage, which of the following statements is supported by recent research?
Questions 2 – 6
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Passage 1?
Write:
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer think about this
Questions 7-9
Choose one phrase from the list in the box (A-F) to complete each of the following sentences
Questions 10-11
Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE
Questions 12-13
Circle the correct answer A-D
A. less flexible
B. more exciting
C. less demanding
D. more stressful
[13] According to the writer, what is the main reason why employers support the idea of naps at work
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-26 which are based on this passage
Homeopathy
Homeopathy us an alternative system if medicine, founded in the early 19 TH century by
a German physician. Dr. Samuel Hahnemann. Since 1980 homeopathy has experienced a
A strong resurgence of interest in North and South America as well as in Europe. Surveys
indicate that more than a third of French physician have prescribed homeopathic
remedies and almost 50 per cent of British physicians have referred patients for
homeopathic treatment.
Hahneman’s discovery of the principle of homeopathy was accidental. After taking some
quinine he noticed that he developed malaria-like symptoms. Since malaria patients
were treated with quinine, he speculated that possibly malaria is cured by quinine
because it causes malaria-like symptoms in healthy people. He decided to explore his
B theory by testing other substances use as medicine at the time, such as arsenic and
belladonna. His tests were conducted by either taking the substances internally himself
or by administering them to healthy volunteers and then recording all of the symptoms
the volunteers experienced. He continued his experiments on a wide range of natural
substances, often toxic. These recorded results created ‘drug pictures’ which formed the
basis for the new system of medicine. The next step was to give the tested substances to
patients suffering from the same group of symptoms represented by the drug picture
recorded. The results were incredible. People were being cured from diseases that had
never been cured before. He condensed his theory into a single Latin phrase: similia
similibus curentur (let likes be cured by likes). This means that a disease can be cured by
a medicine which produces in a healthy person, symptoms similar to those experienced
by the patient.
D However, the clinical experience of homeopathy shows that this tiny dose can be effective:
it works on unconscious people and infants, and it even works on animals. Controlled
clinical studies performed by medical researchers are demonstrating can be an effective
method of treatment for many diseases.
E The most important part of homeopathic treatment lies in the lengthy interview which the
homeopath conducts with the patient. The idea behind this one to two hour consultation
is to build up a psychological, emotional, and physical history of the patient, to discover
the underlying patterns of disease. The homeopath then decides which medicine to
prescribe based on the closet match between the patient’s symptoms and the known
symptoms elicited by the medicine in a healthy body. A single dose is given for the shortest
period of time necessary to stimulate the body’s healing power.
F How does the concept of homeopathy differ from that of conventional medicine? Very
simply, homeopathy attempts to stimulate the body to recover itself, Instead of looking
upon the symptoms as something wrong which must be set right, the homeopath sees
them as signs of the way the body is attempting to help itself. Another basic difference
between conventional medical therapy and homeopathy is in the role of medication. In
much of conventional therapy the illness is controlled through regular use of medical
substances. If the medication is withdrawn, the person returns to illness. For example, a
person who takes pill for high blood pressure every day is not undergoing restoration of
Homeopathy has made significant progress in treating diseases which orthodox medicine
finds difficult. Best at dealing with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, skin
conditions, migraines and respiratory problems linked to allergies, it has also proved highly
successful at treating asthma. But homeopathy is not an appropriate treatment for
degenerative diseases such as emphysema. It cannot treat diseases which destroy tissue,
although it can still be beneficial is used combination with other treatments. Two of the
main advantages of homeotherapy are the low cost of the medications and the rarity of
adverse reactions. The medicines are inexpensive, safe, and easy to use, so people can
learn to handle many of the common illnesses for which they currently seek medical help.
The resulting savings in costs and the increase in personal independence represent a
significant contribution to health care
Questions 14-19
The reading passage has 7 section A-G
Choose the mist suitable headings for sections B-G from the list of headings (i-x). There are more
headings than sections so you will not use all of them.
List of Headings
(i) The future of homeopathy
(ii) Concerns about homeopathy
(iii) Comparison with traditional western medicine
(iv) Dr. S. Hahnemann
(v) Theoretical and experimental basis
(vi) Revival of homeopathy
(vii) Preparation of medicines
(viii) Debate over effectiveness
(ix) Advantages and limitation of homeopathy
(x) Aspects of treatment
EXAMPLE
Answer
Section A vi
[14] Section B
[15] Section C
[16] Section D
[17] Section E
[18] Section F
[19] Section G
Questions 20 -22
Complete the description below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE for each
Answer
Questions 23-26
Complete the summary. Choose your answer from box below
List of words/phrases
cheaper cure heal itself
illness treatments getting better
control symptoms more expensive side effects
stronger shealthy patients
You should spend about 20 minutes in Question 27-40 which are about on this passage
Hemp has been grown for paper, textiles, food and medicine throughout human history. The earliest
known woven fabric made of hemp, dates back to the eighth millennium (8,000-7,000 BC). The majority
of all sails, clothes, tents, rugs, towels, paper, rope, twine, art canvas, paints, varnishes, and lighting oil
were made from hemp. Hemp seeds were regularly used as a source of food and protein for centuries.
Hemp’s drastic decline in use and importance within a matter of fifty years is widely considered to have
been brought about by the timber and petrochemical industries in America. By themed-1930s, changes
in technology were beginning to impact on the hemp industry. Mechanical stripping equipment and
machines to conserve hamp’s high-cellulose pulp became available and affordable. Timber and paper
holding companies stood to lose bllions of dollars if hemp were to be grown on large scale. A resurgence
of the hemp industry also threatened the emerging petro-chemical companies which had patented the
chemicals for pulp processing. Newspaper articles began to appear, linking hemp with violent crime. The
term used however, was ‘marijuana’ to distance it from hemp used for industrial purposes. Because few
people realized that ‘marijuana’ and hemp came from same plant species, virtually nobody suspected
that the Marijuana Prohibition of 1938 would destroy the hemp industry.
Supporting the theory that marijuana was banned to destroy the hemp industry, were two articles
written just before the Marijuana Prohibition, claiming that hemp was on the verge of becoming a super
crop. These articles, which appeared in well-respected magazines, praised the usefulness and potential
of hemp. Hemp can be used to produce more than 25, 000 products’ and ‘hemp will prove, for both
farmer and public, the most profitable and desirable crop than can be grown. This was the first time that
billion dollar was used to describe the value of a crop. Less than one year after these articles were
written the Marijuana Prohibition took effect. To what extent a conspiracy was involved is still being
debated, but the important thing is that for thousands of years, hemp was used extensively. Then over a
short period, it became illegal in many parts of the world.
Now, however, the focus is on the development of hemp as an industrial resource. Initially, a distinction
needs to be made between the two types of hemp. ‘Cannabis has evolved into two basic species. Plants
grown for fibre and seed are universally called hemp. Cannabis grown for its drug content is commonly
called marijuana or drug cannabis. Drug-type cannabis varies widely in THC content from approximately
1-2% in unselected strains to 10% in the best modern vaireties. (as citied from Watson 1994). Hemp
contains virtually none of active ingredients of drug-type cannabis (THC). It is not feasible to get high in
hemp, and most marijuana produces very low-quality fiber. Hemp should never be confused with
marijuana, as their roles cannot be reversed.
It is evident that hemp is as extraordinary fibre. Both stems and seeds can be utilized. Most significantly,
hemp can be grown without pesticides and herbicides. The plant also has the ability to suppress weeds
and soil borne diseases. Based on the hemp industries which have been established overseas, there is a
large demand for hemp products and hemp is proving to be a highly profitable industry. On an annual
basis, one acre of hemp will produce as much fibre as
2 to 3 acres of cotton. The fiberis stronger and softer than cotton lasts twice as long and will not
mildew. Cotton grows only in warm climates and requires more water and more fertilizer than hemp as
well as large quantities of pesticide and herbicide.
Hemp can also be used to produce fibreboard that is stronger and lighter than wood, and its fire
retardant. Unlike paper from wood pulp, hemp paper contains in dioxin, or other toxic residue and a
single acre of hemp can produce the same amount of paper as four acres of trees. The trees take 20
years to harvest and hemp take single season. In warm climates hemp can be harvested two or even
three times a year. On an annual basis, one acre of hemp will produce as much paper as 2 to 4 acres of
Today, industrialized nations around the world are waking up to the enormous potential of hemp. While
some countries, like China and India, have never had laws against hemp cultivation, others are legalizing
industrial hemp after many years of lumping it together with marijuana. The products and fabrics that
are emerging from the international hemp industry are finding strong demand in an eco-aware global
community. Hemp is indeed and agricultural crop for the twenty-first century.
Questions 27-40
Questions 27-31
[27] ………………
[28] ………………
[28] ………………
[29] ………………
[30] ………………
[31] ………………
Example
D. Prohibition of marijuana
Questions 32-33
Complete the following using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE.
Hemp Marijuana
Fibre Strong and durable [32] ……………….
Questions 34-39
From the information given in the passage, classify the following (34-39) as characteristic of:
A. Hemp
B. Wood
C. Cotton
[34] mildew-resistant
Question 40
READING TEST 4
Frogwatch
Frogwatch, a remarkable success story started in Western Australia, is the brainchild of Dr. Ken Aplin.
His work as the curator of reptiles and frogs in the Western Australian Museum, involved long field trips
and he wondered if a community based frog-monitoring network could help him keep track of frogs.
Through such network, ordinary untrained members of the community could learn about frog habitats,
observe the numbers and kinds of frogs in their local area, and report this information to the museum.
Launched in 1995, Frogwatch recently gained its 3221 st member, and many people say that this is the
best thing the museum has ever done. Each participant receives a ‘Frogwatch kit’ – a regular newsletter,
an audio tape of frog calls and identification sheets. Recently, Frogwatch membership increased
dramatically when a mysterious parasitic fungus disease began attacking frogs nationwide. Although
research is yet incomplete, scientists suspect the fungus originated overseas, perhaps in South America,
where frogs have died in catastrophic numbers from a fungus disease genetically similar to the
Australian organism.
Researchers in Western Australia needed to know how widespread the infection was in the state’s frog
populations. So Aplin sent an ‘F-file’ (frog fungus facts) alert to Frogwatch members, requesting their
help. He asked them to deliver him dead or dying frogs. More than 2000 frogs have now been examined,
half from the museum’s existing collection. Aplin once thought the fungus had arrived in Western
Australia in only the past year or two, but tests now suggest it has been there since the late 1980s.
Frogwatch has proved to be the perfect link to the public and Aplin has become a total convert to
community participation. He’s now aiming for a network of 15,000 Frogwatch members as the museum
can’t afford to use professional resources to monitor frog populations. Much of the frog habitat is on
private land, and without community support, monitoring the frogs would be impossible.
Not everyone is convinced by the ‘feelgood’ popularity of Frogwatch. While Aplin believes even tiny
backyard ponds can help to significantly improve frog numbers, Dr. Dale Roberts isn’t so sure. A senior
zoology lecturer at the University of WA, Roberts agrees the program has tapped into the public’s
enthusiasm for frogs, but he warns that strong public awareness does not amount to sound science.
He argues that getting the public to send in pages of observations is a good thing, but giving these
reports credibility may not be valid scientifically. In addition he’s not convinced that Frogwatch’s
alarmist message about the danger of fungal infection is valid either. In Western Australia, for example,
there was a long summer and very late drenching rains that year, following two equally dry years. So, he
argues, there are other things that might have precipitated the deaths. He questions what could be
done about it anyway. If it’s already widespread, it may not be worth the cost and effort of doing
anything about it. Even if it’s causing high death rates, he says he can still find every frog species found
ever the past ten years in the south-west of Australia.
Roberts argues that Western Australia is different. Unlike most other states, species are still being
discovered there; the disappearances of frog types in Queensland and New South Wales, are not
occurring in Western Australia, although three south-west species are on the endangered list. Roberts
believes that no amount of garden ponds in Perth will help those species, which live in isolated habitats
targeted for development.
Aplin’s response is that increasing the number of frog-friendly habitats is important for the very reason
that many West Australian frog species are found in small, highly restricted locations. He argues that
pesticide-free gardens and ponds can offer a greater chance of survival to animals battling habitat
disturbance, environmental pollutants, climatic variation, and now fungal disease. Aplin’s opinion is that
they should use the precautionary principle in cases where they don’t yet know enough about the
situation. Usually diseases sort themselves out naturally and some frog fauna will co-evolve with the
fungus. Given time some balance may be restored, but in the shorter term, they are seeing negative
impacts.
The nationwide spread of the chytrid fungus is being mapped by Dr. Rick Speare, a specialist in
amphibian disease at James cook University. Speare also tests the accuracy of Aplin’s fungus diagnoses
Aplin argues that they should never underestimate the importance of having a community base,
especially when governments want to cut research funds. ‘People can protest in ways that a handful of
scientists hiding in a laboratory can’t do. For just about every environmental problem, community involvement is
fundamental’. Furthermore Frogwatch is proving to be a social phenomenon as much as anything else. It seems ordinary people know that
frogs are a measure of the environment’s health.
Questions 1 – 13
Questions 1-6
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer of the passage?
Write:
[3] Frogwatch has proven that frogs are disappearing because of a fungus.
[4] Scientists in WA have examined about two thousand frogs collected by Frogwatch
[5] The Frog fungus disease has been in Western Australia for more than ten years.
[6] New species of frogs have been found in Western Australia recently.
Questions 7 – 12
The reading passage describers the opinions of Dr. Ken Aplin, Dr. Dale Roberts and Dr. Rick Speare in relation to
strategies for frog conservation.
Write:
A for Dr. Aplin
B for Dr. Roberts
C for Dr. Speare
EXAMPLE Answer
Frogwatch is the best Australian program for A
Encouraging public interest in frogs.
[8] The development of frog friendly backyards will help to conserve frog species.
[9] Although it is possible that frogs will adapt to fungal and other problems in the long
Term, we should take precautions in case this does not occur.
[10] As there may be many other explanations for recent frog deaths, it is not worth spending a great deal of
time and money studying this fungus.
[11] Because of the unique geography of Western Australia most frog species in the Stateare not in danger of
extinction.
[12] Frogwatch has greater potential for frog observation than is possible by the scientificcommunity.
Question 13
Write the appropriate letter A-D.
Passage 2
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-28 which are based on this passage .
Just relax…..
IELTS ON TRACK ACADEMIC
Hypnosis is an intriguing and fascinating process. A trance-like mental state is induced in one person by another,
A
who appears to have the power to command that person to obey instructions without question. Hypnotic
experiences were described by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, whilst references to deep sleep and anesthesia
have been found in the Bible and in the Jewish Talmud. In the mid-1700s, Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician,
developed his theory of ‘animal magnetism’, which was the belief that the cause of disease was the ‘improper
distribution of invisible magnetic fluids’. Mesmer used water tubs and magnetic wands to direct these supposed
fluids to his patients. In 1784, a French commission studied Mesmer’s claims, and concluded that these ‘cures’ were
only imagined by the patients. However, people continued to believe in this process of ‘mesmerism’ and it was soon
realized that successful results could be achieved, but without the need for magnets and water.
The term hypnotism was first used by James Braid, a British physician who studied suggestion and hypnosis in the
B
mid-1800s. He demonstrated that hypnosis differed from sleep, that it was a physiological response and not the
result of secret powers. During this same period, James Esdaile, a Scottish doctor working in India, used hypnotism
instead of anesthetic in over 200 major surgical operation, including leg amputations. Later that century, a French
neurologist, Jean Charcot, successfully experimented with hypnosis in his clinic for nervous disorders.
C
Since then, scientists have shown that the state of hypnosis is a natural human behavior, which can affect
psychological, social and/or physical experiences. The effects of hypnotism depend on the ability, willingness and
motivation of the person being hypnotized. Although hypnosis has been compared to dreaming and sleepwalking, it
is not actually related to sleep. It involves a more active and intense mental concentration of the person being
hypnotized. Hypnotized people can talk, write, and walk about and they are usually fully aware of what is being said
and done.
There are various techniques used to induce hypnosis. The best-known is a series of simple suggestions repeated
D
continuously in the same tone of voice. The subject is instructed to focus their attention on an object or fixed point,
while being told to relax, breathe deeply, and allow the eyelids to grow heavy and close. As the person responds,
their state of attention changes, and this altered state often leads to other changes. For example, the person may
experience different levels of awareness, consciousness, imagination, memory and reasoning or become more
responsive to suggestions. Additional phenomena may be produced or eliminated such as blushing, sweating,
paralysis, muscle tension or anaesthesia. Although these changes can occur with hypnosis, none of these
experiences is unique to it. People who are very responsive to hypnosis are also more responsive to suggestions
when they are not hypnotized. This responsiveness increases during hypnotism. This explains why hypnosis takes
only a few seconds for some, whilst other people cannot be easily hypnotized.
It is a common misunderstanding that hypnotists are able to force people to perform criminal or any other acts
E
against their will. In fact, subjects can resist suggestions, and they retain their ability to distinguish right from wrong.
This misunderstanding is often the result of public performances where subjects perform ridiculous or highly
embarrassing actions at the command of the hypnotist. These people are usually instructed not to recall their
behavior after re-emerging from the hypnotic state, so it appears that they were powerless wile hypnotized. The
point to remember however, is that these individuals chose to participate, and the success of hypnotism depends on
the willingness of a person to be hypnotized.
Interestingly, there are different levels of hypnosis achievable. Thus deep hypnosis can be induced to allow
F
anesthesia for surgery, childbirth or dentistry. This contrasts to a lighter state of hypnosis, which deeply relaxes the
patient who will then follow simple directions. This latter state may be used to treat mental health problems, as it
allows patients to feel calm while simultaneously thinking about distressing feelings or painful memories. This can
help recovery from psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression or phobias. Sometimes, after traumatic
incidents, memory of the events may be blocked. For example, some soldiers develop amnesia [loss of memory] as a
result of their experiences during wartime. Through hypnosis these repressed memories can be retrieved and
treated. A variation of this treatment involves age regression, when the hypnotist takes the patient back to a specific
age. In this way patients may remember events and feelings from that time, which may be affecting their current
wellbeing.
G
Physicians also have made use of the ability of a hypnotized person to remain in a given position for long periods of
time. In one case, doctors had to graft skin onto a patient’s badly damaged foot. First, skin from the person’s
abdomen was grafted onto his arm; then the graft was transferred to his foot. With hypnosis, the patient held his
arm tightly in position over his abdomen for three weeks, then over his foot for four weeks. Even though these
positions were unusual, the patient at no time felt uncomfortable!
H
Hypnosis occasionally has been used with witnesses and victims of crime to enable people to remember important
clues, such as a criminal’s physical appearance or other significant details that might help to solve a crime. However,
as people can both lie and make mistakes while hypnotized, the use of hypnotism in legal situations can cause
serious problems. Also hypnosis cannot make a person divulge secret information if they don’t want to. This was
confirmed by that memories refreshed through hypnosis may include inaccurate information, false memories, and
confabulation (fact and fantasy combined).
Questions 14-28
There are more headings than sections, so you will not use all of them.
EXAMPLE Answer
Section A (x)
List of Headings
[14] Section B (i) Use of hypnotism in criminal cases
(ii) The normality of hypnotized subjects’ behavior
[15] Section C (iii) Early medical experiments with hypnotism
(iv) Early association of hypnosis with psychology
[16] Section D
(v) Dangers of hypnotism
[17] Section E (vi) How to hypnotise
(vii) Hypnosis and free will
[18] Section F (viii) Difference between mesmerism and hypnotism
(ix) Therapeutic uses of hypnosis
(x) Origins of hypnosis
Questions 19-23
Complete the notes on the history of hypnosis using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE.
References to hypnotism can be found in both the Talmud and the [19] ………………….Even when Mesmer’s [20]
……………… were not used, successful results occurred without them. Braid identified hypnosis as a natural [21]
………………. response, rather than magical or mystical. Early psychological studies showed the difference
between sleep and hypnosis.
Successful hypnosis requires the subject’s active [22] ………………. Consequently subjects can speak or move
around and are [23] ………………… of their surroundings.
Questions 24-28
Choose the correct letter A-D.
Passage 3
You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 29-40 which are based on this passage.
Kids and
IELTS ON TRACK
Sport ACADEMIC
Two Italian psychologists, Vincenzo Marte and Giovanni Notarnicola, describe the traditional
spontaneous practice of sport by children – climbing trees, riding a bicycle along quiet roads, racing their
friends across the fields – as an activity of freedom, a special activity of discovery and learning. In the
case of free sporting activity, the child’s time is given up entirely to the activity, as can be seen in endless
games of football young children play, which may then be followed by bicycle races and/or a swim in the
river, for example.
Today, however, children’s discovery of sport has become very different. It is often parents who take
their children, when they are very young, to the swimming pool or to the sports grounds or sports halls.
Children’s first experience of sport thus takes place as an organized activity, which they see as
organization of their free time. By organizing sport for children, and often deciding for them, we
unfortunately create an imbalance preventing them from managing their own play/sports time, thus
denying them an opportunity of autonomy and independence as was possible in the past.
A first possible reason for the imbalance in the practice of sport by children is therefore linked to the
urban society we live in today. We need not regret the past; it is rather a question of knowing how to
recreate this freedom in our towns and in the country, where sport is increasingly based on organized
leisure activities. Doing one sport is now the rule in clubs. Sports grounds are often on the outskirts of
cities, and are overcrowded and invariably enclosed, while recreational areas such as parks or hard-
packed surfaces, are very few and far between. How can we find the balance of a varied and
spontaneous relationship to sport under such conditions?
Some interesting answers have already been suggested which take into account the need to recreate
this freedom. Marte and Notarnicola have shown that children who have experienced such freedom
were considered by sports trainers to be more capable when they joined organized sport aged 12-13.
Their study concluded that no formal training, no matter how early in life it took place, could replace
these first experiences.
Measures which would reverse this imbalance include: increasing the number of sports facilities which
encourage self-organisation by the children, and also setting up unstructured playing areas with little in
the way of equipment. Areas where street sport can be practiced need to be established and sports
clubs which offer multidisciplinary sports training should be supported. Children should be offered pre-
school activity where they can discover different sports.
For children, sport remains a special kind of discovery and learning, no matter how much adults limit
and control the practice of early intensive training. Here is the second example of imbalance in
children’s sport. Today, sport ispracticed with early intensive training from the youngest possible age.
Sometimes this is even before the age of six and is usually one specific sport within an organized
framework. When adult-style competitions are introduced at an early age, the condition which
encourage a balanced development of children through sport are no longer respected.
Today, early intensive training is much more widely on offer. Many sports organisations claim that they
are forced to do this type of training because of what is called ‘the golden age’ to acquire the physical
skills. It is considered unthinkable for a young skater or gymnast to miss this period, because if they did
so, they would fall so far behind the best, that they could never hope to catch up. Faced with this
demand for early ability, it is important that a safety net is put in place to maximize the benefits and
minimize the disadvantages of such intensive training.
Why do very young children give up sport? The most common reason for leaving a sport is to change to
another sport, which in itself is no bad thing. However, children may leave a sport because they believe
that they have received too much criticism and too many negative assessments. We know that young
children, up to the age of eleven or twelve, cannot assess their own level of competence. They believe
that if they are making an effort, then this in itself is a sign of their competence.
A third source of imbalance which threatens children and sport is parental attitudes. The American
psychologist, Rainer Martens, emphasizes that, ‘too often children’s joy of sports is destroyed by adults
who want glory through victory.’ Several studies have shown that parental pressure is high on the list of
reasons why children leave sport. The presence of mothers and fathers can prevent children from
considering sport as their own, where they can learn to master technical difficulties, manage
interpersonal relations, and experience success and failure. As Martens highlights, ‘adults are solely to
blame if joy and sadness become synonymous, to a child, with victory or defeat’.
If the children make the decisions, this ensures that they enjoy being a child in sport, and are relaxed
with their development as human beings. We need only observe the activity in a school playground,
where games are organized on an improvised playing field, to understand that children show genetic
traces of the hunter instinct, which naturally leads them to physical activity. Sport is included as
something they want, and which they identify both as a means of release and as a form of self-
expression. By acting as a route to self-discovery, sport gives children both the opportunity to know
their limits, and to acquire tools which will allow them to surpass them. Playing sport is a source of
learning, progress and pleasure; and additional way of enriching life.
Questions 29-40
Questions 29-36
Complete the summary below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE.
…………………. Because today sport is often decided and [30] ……………… by parents, children lose
their autonomy. A first imbalance occurs because [31]……………….. are out of the city and often
crowded, whilst there are a limited number of open recreational areas where children can play
spontaneously.
Children should discover and learn about sports themselves. The second imbalance occurs because they
start early [32] …………… training very young and participate in only [33]………… specific activity.
Children often give up a sport because of negative [34]…………….. It is important that trainers avoid
excessive criticism of young children may give up sport is the attitudes of their parents. This third
imbalance occurs as parents exer [36] ………………… on children to win rather than to enjoy sport.
Questions 37-40
Choose the correct letter A-D.
[39] To encourage young children to continue with sport we should give them…
The Australian veterinarian David Paxton suggests that in that period of first contact, people did not so
much domesticate wolves as wolves domesticated people. Wolves may have started living at the edge of
human settlements as scavengers, eating scraps of food waste. Some learned to live with human beings
in a mutually helpful way gradually evolved into dogs. At the very least, they would have protected
human settlements, and given warnings by barking at anything approaching. The wolves that evolved
into dogs have been enormously successful in evolutionary terms. They found everywhere in the
inhabited world, hundreds of millions of them. The descendants of the wolves that remained wolves are
now sparsely distributed, often in endangered population. In return for companionship and food, the
early ancestor of the dog assisted humans in tracking, hunting, guarding and a variety of other activities.
Eventually humans began to selectively breed these animals for specific traits. Physical characteristics
changed and individual breeds began to take shape. As humans wandered across Asia and Europe, they
took their dogs along, using them for additional task and further breeding them for selected qualities
that would better enable them to perform specific duties.
According to Dr. Colin Groves of the department of Archeology and Anthropology at Australian National
University, early humans came to rely on dogs’ keen ability to hear, smell and see – allowing certain
areas of the human brain to shrink in size relative to other areas. ‘Dogs acted as Humans’ alarm system,
trackers and hunting aids, garbage disposal facilities, hot water bottles and children guardians and
playmates. Human provided dogs with food and security. This symbiotic relationship was stable for over
100,000 years and intensified into mutual domestication; said Dr. Groves. In his opinion, humans
domesticated dogs and dogs domesticated humans.
Dr. Groves repeated an assertion made as early as 1914 – that humans have some of the same physical
characteristics as domesticated animals, the most notable being decreased brain size. The horse
experienced as 16 per cent reduction in brain size after domestication while pig’s brains shrank by as
much as 34 per cent. The estimated brain-size reduction in domesticated dogs varies from 30 per cent to
10 per cent. Only in the last decade have archeologists uncovered enough fossil evidence to establish
that brain capacity of humans declined in Europe and Africa by at least 10 per cent beginning about
10,000 years ago. Dr. Groves believes this reduction may have taken place as the relationship between
humans and dogs intensified. The close interaction between the two species allowed for the diminishing
of certain human brain functions like smell and hearing.
Question 6-8
Choose the correct letter A-D.
6. How do we know that dogs have been more successful in evolutionary terms than
wolves?
A Dogs can be trained more easily than wolves.
B Wolves are stronger than dogs.
C Humans prefer dogs to wolves.
D There are more dogs than wolves today.
A increased.
B decreased.
C stayed the same.
D becomes more complex.
8. What can we infer from the studies of brain size and domestication?
A Domestic life is less demanding than surviving in the wild.
B Animals like living with humans.
C Domestic has made animals physically weaker.
D Pigs are less intelligent than dogs.
Question 10-14
Match one of researchers (A-C) to each of the findings (10-14) below.
A Dr. Wayne
B Dr. Paxton
C Dr. Groves
10. Studied the brain size of domesticated animals
11. Claims that wolves chose to interact with humans
12. Established a new time frame for domestication of wolves
13. Believes that dogs and humans domesticated of wolves
14. Studied the DNA of wolves and dogs
QUESTION 15-27
17. The largest number of crop circle reporting’s in a single year occurred in 1990.
18. The patterns of crop circles have become increasingly complex over the years.
Question 20-23
Complete the summary below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE
for each answer.
Since the early 1970’s, over ten thousand crop circles have been around the world, the greatest
number in [20]_________, where in a single year, over one hundred circles appeared.
Phenomenon such as appearance of strange light and unusual [22] _____________ sometimes
occur around the sites of crop circles. [22] __________ are not affected but it has been observe
that birds [23] _____________ flying over a formation.
Question 24-27
Use the information in the text to match one scientist (A-C) with each area of study (24-27)
listed below.
A Dr. Mearden
B Dr. Levengood
C Michael Chorost
24. Changes in the structure of soil within crop circles
25. Accelerated growth of seeds from crop circles
QUESTION 28-40
Question 34-36
Choose ONE phrase from the list below (A-G) to complete each of the following sentences,
there are more phrases than questions so you will not use all of them.
34. The growth of world trade…
35. The relationship between population and standard of living…
36. Natural resources and the economy…
LIST OF PHRASES
A have not benefited developing countries
B has led to a drop in the standard of living generally
C cannot continue to expand indefinitely
D have decreased third world debt
E shows a correlation, not cause and effect
F pose a threat to human progress
G has been accompanied by a fall in tariffs
Question 37-40
Choose the correct letter A-D
LAKE VOSTOK
IELTS ON TRACK ACADEMIC
Beneath the white blanket of Antarctica lies half a continent of virtually uncharted territory-an area so
completely hidden that scientists have little clue what riches await discovery. Recently, Russian and
British glaciologists identified an immense lake- one of Earth’s largest and deepest-buried beneath 4,000
meter of ice immediately below Russia’s Vostok Station.
As details have emerged. A growing number of scientists is showing interest, with dozens of
investigators keen to explore the feature, known as Lake Vostok. A thick layer of sediment at the bottom
of the lake could hold novel clues to the planet’s climate going back tens of millions of year. By looking
at the ratio of different oxygen isotopes, scientists should be able to trace how Earth’s temperature
changed over the millennia. NASA has expressed interest in Lake Vostok because of its similarity to
Europa. This moon of Jupiter appears to have a water ocean covered by a thick ice sheet, measuring
perhaps tens of kilometers in depth. If hydrothermal vents exist beneath the ice, chemical reactions on
Europa or places even more distant, say many scientists. Though cheap compared with a European
mission, any expedition to Vostok would represent a significant investment.
Vostok Station holds the uncomfortable distinction of having recorded the coldest temperature on
Earth. Thermometers there measure -89.6°C in July 1983, and the average temperature hovers around
-55°C. It’s the thick ice, strangely, that enables a lake to survive in such a frozen environment. The 4
kilometers of ice acts effectively as an insulating blanket protecting the bedrock underneath the ice from
the cold temperature above. Geothermal heat coming from the planets interior keeps the lake from
freezing and warms the lowest layers of ice. The tremendous weight of the ice sheet also plays a role in
maintaining the lake. Beneath 4 km of glacier, the pressure is intense enough to melt ice at a
temperature of -4°C. These factors have helped lakes develop across much of the thickly blanketed East
Antarctica. To date more than 70 hidden lakes have been detected in the small portion of the continent.
Lake Vostok is the largest of these. Stretching 280 km from south to north and some 60 km from east to
west. At Vostok station, which sits at the southern end of the lake, the water depth appears to be 500 m
according to seismic experiments carried out by Russian researchers.
The first clues to Lake Vostok’s existence came in the 1970s, when British, U.S., and Danish researchers
collected radar observations by flying over this region. The radar penetrates the ice and bounces off
whatever sits below. When researchers found a surface as flat as a mirror, they surmised that a lake
must exist underneath the ice. An airborne survey of the lake is being undertaken, the first step toward
eventually drilling into the water. Along with the potential rewards come a host of challenges.
Researchers must find a way to penetrate the icy coveting without introducing any microorganisms or
pollutants into the sealed-off water.
What about life in the depths? If tiny microbes do populate the lake, they may be some of the hungriest
organisms ever discovered. Lake Vostok has the potential to be one of the most energy-limited, or
oligotrophic, environments on the planet. For the lake’s residents, the only nutrients would come from
below; Russian investigators have speculated that the lake floor may have hot springs spewing out
hydrothermal fluids stocked with reduced metals and other sorts of chemical nutrients. Scant geological
evidence available for this region, however, indicates that the crust is old and dead. Without a stream
nutrients seeping up from the deep Earth, the only potential source of energy lies above the lake. The
ice sheet above the water is creeping from west to east at a rate of roughly four meters per year. The
lowermost layers of ice melt when they come in contact with the lake, liberating trapped gases and bits
of crushed-up rock. If the glacier recently passed over rock before reaching the lake, it could be
supplying organic compounds useful to microorganisms. It also could be seeing the lake with a
continuous source of new residents. Bacteria, yeasts, fungi, algae, and even pollen grains have been
found in the Vostok ice core samples taken down to depths of 2,750 m –three quarters of the way to the
bottom. At least some of these organisms are alive and capable of growing, according to recent reports.
The results of this analysis may indirectly indicate whether anything survives in the lightless body of
water.
Questions 1-13
Question 1-4
The passage has 5 sections (A-E) choose the most suitable heading for sections B-E from
the list of headings below. Write the appropriate numbers (i-vii). There are more headings than
the section so you will not use all of them.
1. Section B
2. Section C
3. Section D
4. Section E
Question 5-6
Question 18-21
Fill in the blanks with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS FROM THE PASSAGE.
Conditions which favor the growth of toxic algae include high levels of [18] _________, and [19]
_____________ fish feeding together. Research scientist at the international conference
learned about [20] __________ toxic algae and how they are spreading around the world in
water [21] _____________
Question 22-26
Classify the following as:
A caused by pfiesteria
B caused by chattonella
C caused by an unidentified micro-organism
Mysteries of the
Mummies
In 1992, a German scientist made a discovery which was to upset whole areas of scientific study
from history and archeology to chemistry and botany. Dr. Svetlana Balabanova, a forensic
specialist, was performing tissue tests on an Egyptian mummy, part of a German museum
Questions 27-40
Question 27-29
Choose the correct letter A-D
27. What most surprised Dr. Balabanova about her discovery?
A The presence of drugs in the mummies
B The fact that the plants originated in the western hemisphere
C The positive results of tests on the other mummies
D the hostile reaction of the scientific community
28. Which of the following was ruled out by Dr. Lescot’s investigation?
A Tobacco had been dropped onto the mummy.
Match ONE of the researchers (A-D) to each of the statements (30-34) below. There may be
more than one correct answer.
A Dr. Svetlana Balabanova
B Dr. Michele Lescot
C Professor John Baines
D Professor Martin Bernal
30. First to first a substance from the Americas in a mummy.
31. Argues against transoceanic trade because of lack of evidence.
32. Had to defend against attacks on research methodology.
33. Gives evidence of extensive Egyptian trade in ancient times.
34. Publication of research results was controversial.
Question 35 – 39
Do the following statements reflect the opinions of the writer in the passage?
Write:
YES if the statement reflects the opinion of the writer.
NO if the statement contradicts the writer.
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this.
[35] There is proof that tobacco was grown in Ancient Egypt.
[36] Trade routes across the Atlantic Ocean may have existed thousands of years ago.
[37] Ancient Egyptians were great ship builders.
[38] The scientific community generally rejects the idea of contract between ancient Egypt and
the Americas.
[39] The unusual test results could have come from ‘qat’, a plant native to North Africa.
Question 40
Choose the correct letter A-D
[40] What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Experimental research often gives false result.
1. Safely
Did you lose many marks in Practice Test
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6. D Only one answer required, so two
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Have problems understanding is correct
the words in the
8. Harvest question?
9. ……………………. Have problems understanding a word or phrase in
10. Animals, Birds the passage?
If you still don’t understand why an answer is incorrect, ask a teacher, a native speaker or
another student to explain the answer to you.
Be sure you understand before starting the next test.
Try this… to build your vocabulary
Write down all new words and expressions.
Check the meaning in your dictionary and with a teacher or native speaker.
Find out any other meanings when the word(s) is used in a different context.
Make sure that you will understand the meaning if you read it in another test.
Collect synonyms.
Note down words or phrases from the reading, with the same meaning as different
words used in the question.
Eg: on Saturday and Sunday = at the weekend
It was cold, wet and windy day = the weather was pretty miserable.
Practice spending no more than 20 minutes per section, aim for less.
Don’t waste marks (remember?) so be sure you get all the easier answers correct.
Don’t spend too long on one question, mark it and come back later.
Skim for the part of the passage that seems related to the questions by looking at
headings, sub-headings and topic sentences (usually the first sentence of a paragraph).
First look quickly at the reading text: its title, sub headings, tables, diagrams.
What is it about?
Then look quickly at the first few questions. How many are there? What kind?
There’s no time formation.to memorize them, but your brain will be more focused.
Now read the text quickly and then go back to the questions.
First skim to find which part of the text seems to be about that information.
When you locate that part of the text, scan carefully for the specific detail you need.
NB there will always be an answer that is wrong, but put into try and tempt you, (the red
herring answer) so double check that you’ve chosen the right one!
If the questions ask for the name of a place, city, country, street, person or organization,
they’re quite easy to find because they always start with a capital letter.
Remember the different ways to write numbers: nine or 9 or (iX) or IX, 1400 or one
thousand four hundred or fourteen hundred or 1400 (the year).
Be sure you’re familiar with how decimals and fractions or written in English.
Don’t panic! Try to guess from the nouns and verbs around it.
Look for words likely similarly or in contrast to or unlikely which may help you.
By taking the time to repeat the test, you are developing you’re reading skills, building
vocabulary and increasing your understanding of test strategies. This is time well spent.
Never stops practising my reading in English. When im on the bus, train or walking, I always try
to understand the signs, posters and advertisements. If I don’t understand, I write it in a
notebook so that I can ask a friend or my teacher.
I was very slow at reading and thought i could never finish the test in one hour. But
I made myself do a practice test every weekend. After a couple of months I began
to recognize the kind of questions and how to find the answers more quickly. I was
always careful with t easier questions at the beginning of the test. When I did the
IELTS exam I got a 6!
Examiners Suggestions
Writing test 1 – 6
Activities and sample answer for each writing task
Each writing test consist of two tasks to be completed in 1 hour.
Task 1
Write a report describing a diagram or table.
Time: 20 minutes
Length: 15o words minimum
Task 2
Here’s what IELTS examiners have to say about some of the most common problems they see in
writing test along with suggestions for improvement.
Problems
Timing
Task 2 answers unfinished if too much time is spent on task 1.
Too short
If you write less than the minimum numbers of words for either task you will lose marks
Off topic
An essay that doesn’t address the topic will lose marks, even if it is well written.
Repetition
Saying the same thing in slightly different ways shows you don’t have enough ideas.
Irrelevant information
Filling out an essay with information unrelated to the question wont get marks.
Mixed up
Some essays have too many ideas and too little organization. They are difficult to follow.
Unreadable
It is impossible to give a good mark, if the writing is illegible.
Suggestions
Stop working on task 1 after 20 minutes. Task 2 is worth more marks, so give yourself the full 40
minutes to complete your task 2 answer.
Practice regularly. Once you learn the essay patterns you will be able to write the required
number of words without wasting time counting.
Keep going back to the task statement while planning and writing to make sure you relate your
argument to the task as it is written.
Write legibly!
More about task 1 and how to do it
Task 1 is about describing information given in the form of a pie chart table graph or process
diagram flow chart. The differences are outlined below. In the report you may add an opinion
or comment in the conclusion but the main task is to summarize and describe. Often a task 1
will combine two types of diagrams. Write about both and show the relationship between
them.
Think first
Pie charts/graphs, tables
Analyze the task
Highlight the key words. Note all headings,
Rates and measurements.
Select the most important trends.
Choose the best examples and summarize.
Ask Questions
What is the purpose of this graph?
What changes have occurred overtime?
What are the significant trends?
What is the most interesting feature?
Process Diagrams/Flow charts
Highlight key words from task description.
Note all labels and the order of steps.
Describe the process step by step
From beginning to end.
What is the purpose of this process?
How does it work?
How to include alternative steps?
Then Write
Know the main essay types and what you have to do for each one.
Read and highlight / underline key words related to (1) the topic and (2) the task.
Make choices and justify From options A, B, C, D, E etc. Each of your choices
becomes the topic of one
Choose 3 most important.
paragraph.
Justify your choice.
Give reasons for choosing in
this order.
KEY WORDS
Idea
Idea
Example
Or
Using Questions
Key Word
Introduction (1 short paragraph) General statement(s) about the topic followed by thesis
Statement (what you are going to write about or what
Position you intend to take on the question.)
Body (3-4 paragraphs) Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence (main idea)
Followed b examples/evidence for support.
Conclusion (1 short paragraph) Summarise, but don’t repeat, main ideas. Include
Recommendation if necessary or (re)-state your position,
To bring essay a close.
A good answer is more important than a fast one, so don’t worry about time at first.
The more you practice, the fast and more proficient you will become.
Remember!
First plan WHAT you want to say:
How many paragraphs
What supporting evidence/ideas to include
What order to put them in
Then focus on HOW to say it. As you write,
Think about:
Grammar
Vocabulary
Spelling
Punctuation
DON’T TRY TO DO BOTH AT ONCE
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEST PRACTICE
There are
SIX writing
Practice Tests
Introduction
What kind of diagram is it? These…………show changes in world population.
What do the charts show? ………..1900 and 2000. The major regions
Over what time period? ………..represented as percentages of the total
How are the regions shown? ………..population.
Description
Where did the most significant From 19000……….2000 Africa’s percentage of world
Change occur between 1900 population………from 4.5% to 10% while Latin
And 2000? ………..grew from 3% to 8% of world…………
Conclusion
What was the actual change in Overall, this represents a huge ………….in the
Population? Number of humans on the …………, from 1600
Over what period? Million to 6 billion …………just one hundred years.
What does this show? Most of this …………..growth has occurred in
developing…………
Increase(d) ______________________
Decrease(d) ______________________
…remaining …………5%....
From 1900 to 2000 Africa’s percentage of world population increased from 4.5% to 10% while
Latin America grew from 3% to 8% of world population. On the other hand, the percentage of
population in Europe and Asia decreased during the same period. Europe dropped from 25% to
14% while Asia’s percentage declined from 60% to 54%. North America, however, showed no
change, remaining at 5% of world population both in 1900 and 2000. The Middle East and
North Africa, a new category in 2000, represented 6% of world population. The percentage of
population in the remaining areas of the world (‘Others”) rose slightly from 2.5% to 3%.
Overall, this represents a huge increase in the number of humans on the planet from 1,600
million to 6 billion in just one hundred years. Most of this population growth has occurred in
developing countries.
(162 words)
Comments
The pie chart and body of the report deal with percentages of population, not the actual
number of people. Be sure you understand the difference.
It would be incorrect to say ‘Africa increased from 4.5% to 10%’ without adding ‘of
world population’. You could also say, ‘Africa’s percentage of world population
increased from…’
The actual change in the number of people in the world between 1900 and 2000 (1,600
million to 6 billion) is only mentioned in the conclusion.
2 Before or After?
Do these little words in the sample answer refer to things stated before (B) or after (A) them?
These might present B/A many of these problems B/A
such anxious moments B/A it is possible to… B/A
it might be helpful B/A
3 Synonyms
Introduction starts with a general statement, then suggests some more specific details
(why people are mobile). Finally a ‘thesis statement’ previews the body of the essay (the
practical and social challenges). The writer avoid copying sentences from task prompt.
First paragraph details practical challenges and strategies. Second paragraph deals with
social challenges and strategies. An alternative essay plan could be one paragraph on
challenges and one paragraph on strategies.
Summarize the information by choosing and reporting the key features, and make any relevant
comparisons.
Description
Which countries show the The …….dramatic changes are …….in Italy,
Greatest change? Japan, France and Canada.
For 1970, which country has In 1970 Italy …….the highest savings the highest
rate of saving? 29.5% …….by France …….18.7% and then
(From highest to lowest) Japan with 17.6%. Canada had the……-5.6%
Complete these activities based on the sample answer to build writing skills for Task 1
questions.
1 Sequencing statistics
Use these 5 expressions to complete a mini-text about five countries, A to E: in last place,
followed by, leading, next, close behind
Mini-text
A is the ………… country, …………B. C is ……….., with D………… . ……… is E
2 Synonyms
Which expressions in the sample answer have the same meaning?
Expression Sample answer expression
Most significant ………………………………
Variations ………………………………
Can be seen ………………………………
Stabilized ………………………………
Fell considerably ………………………………
3 ‘most ….. ‘OR ‘–est’ ……………………………..
Write the superlative form of these adjectives from the sample answer.
Adjective Superlative form
Dramatic ……………………………..
Low ………………………….....
High …………………………….
Evident …………………………….
Close ……………......................
Comments
This essay shows a simple plan of organization-the savings rate from highest to lowest in
each of the 3 time periods.
The challenge is to vary language use (say similar things in different ways) and to link the
information smoothly.
Respectively: a useful term for Task 1 essays. It means ‘in that order’ e.g. UK, US, 8.2%
and 5.5% respectively.
Useful expressions for table description: most dramatic changes are evident, almost
doubled, levelled out considerably, dropped significantly, the overall trend shows.
Step 3 Think it through Put your ideas in order before you start to write.
Introduction agree almost 100% (opinion based on evidence define
climate
change
Paragraph topics 1. Pollution e.g.…
2. Consumerism e.g.…
3. Political action e.g.… and problems e.g.…
Conclusion plea for action to save planet; strong view, strongly
expressed
1. Compressing Information
Academic writing tries to express information economically.
Find the expressions in the sample answer which use fewer words but mean the same
as:
The interest of those companies that have factories and offices in many
countries
………………… (5)
……………………
……………………
3. Use of “This”
What does ‘this’ refer to?
(para 2) “This is probably related to…’ This refers to:
……………………………………………..
(para 2) “This keeps factories operating…’ This refers to:
……………………………………….
I agree entirely with the opinion in the title. There is increasing evidence that
changes are not just random but are being accelerated by industrial activity,
particularly in developed countries. Many nations are recording, or the hottest
summer on record. Sea levels are rising and sea temperatures are increasing more
rapidly than before.
The Kyoto Agreement in the 1990s tried to create international consensus to limit
industrial emissions of gases but unfortunately some nations are unwilling to
commit to real change. This is probably related to economic pressures from within
the country and the interests of multinational corporations. I industrialized nations a
good lifestyle means a high level of consumerism. This keeps factories operating and
people employed but it also creates enormous pollution and waste.
To solve these serious problems requires political action in a number of directions.
At the individual level, education programs in schools should be set up to reduce
wasteful behavior and to encourage respect for the planet. At the corporate level,
businesses need to develop responsible environmental policies together with
governments. They must be held legally accountable for their actions.
One major difficulty is that environmental parties like the Greens have little political
power. Their policies are appropriate but they need support from the general public
in order to increase pressure on the main parties and large corporations.
The time for action is definitely now. Each year of delays and ineffective policy will
make it harder to restore the health of planet Earth. (266 words)
Comments
SUGAR
COCOA
CHOCOLATE BAR
GRINDING
INDUSTRIAL CHOCOLATE
COCOA LIQOUR
COCOA BUTTER
PRESSING
FOOD INDUSTRY
The diagrams illustrate the chocolate-making process and the percentage allocation of the price of a
chocolate bar.
The process of making chocolate begins with the grinding of the cocoa beans, to produce cocoa liquor
and some waste products. The liquor is used in two ways. When pressed into powder it can be sold on
to the food industry. Alternatively when pressed into cocoa butter it is used, along with the liquor to
make industrial chocolate. This is combined with sugar and other ingredients and refined to produce
chocolate bars.
How is the money from the retail price of a chocolate bar divided up? The pie chart indicates that the
farmer, who produces the cocoa bean, receives only 4% of the retail price. The supermarket, on the
other hand receives 34%. A rather small 10% goes to the chocolate company, while 15% is taken by the
government in the form of taxes. The cost of ingredients and production, make up the largest
proportion, 37% of the price of a chocolate bar.
Comments
A brief overview introduces the answer without copying the task wording.
Useful language for describing a process: …begins with/ …either….or/….which is then/ …
in order to make/…after that/… further/…finally
In this task there are two diagrams to describe. The obvious way to organize the essay is
to write one short paragraph on each diagram. With 5 minutes planning time that leaves
7 minutes (approximately 75 words) per paragraph. Keep it simple.
Impersonal language is generally used in academic writing and Task 1s. The following is
an exception: ‘From the pie chart we can see…’
A useful and concise introduction is the question in Paragraph 3: ‘How is the money….
Divided up?’
For emphasis, the highest percentage of cost is put last as a separate sentence.
A summarizing comment can be effective, if you are under the minimum word length.
Not necessary in this answer.
1. Use of Passives
Put the passive form of these verbs to complete these phrases using the sample answer:
Feed care for love give restrict keep impose require abandon
…pets are f…………..and c……………. and I ………………
It is easy to see how much attention is ………………..
The freedoms are increasingly.
These restrictions have been …a…………
…pet owners are ….. to clean up …
… dogs and cats that have been ………….. by owners
2. Connecting expression
Find the missing connecting expressions indicated for each paragraph. (NOT ’and’)
(para 1) / …………..
(para 2) / in return / not only, but/ ……………/
(para 3) /……………../ no longer, but/ …………../…………
(para 4) ………………./ ………………
3. Compressing Language
Find the expression in the sample answer for:
Dogs and cats can be wonderful companions but there are also a number of problems
associated with pet ownership, both for the animals and for the community.
In the best situations pets are fed, cared for and loved as part of a family. It is easy to see how
much attention is given to pets, by the range of products available in the pet section of
supermarkets. In return, cats and dogs contribute to the well being of the community in many
ways. Dogs are useful for protection and serve as guides for the disabled. People with pets are
not only happier and healthier, but may even live longer. This the animals benefit individuals
and the community as well.
There are, however, also negative aspects for the pets and for the community. The freedoms of
both dogs and cats inside at night to protect native birds and animals. Dogs can no longer run
Comments
Task words: ‘Many people keep dogs and cats…’ Paraphrase: ‘Dogs and cats can
be wonderful companions.’
This essay is organized into 2 paragraphs: advantages/disadvantages. Each
paragraph includes 2 aspects – for the pet, for the community. Each point has an
example to support it.
The argument balances positives and negatives and the conclusion reflects both
sides.
Description (Graph 2)
How to signal the change Turning……..alcohol consumption, the story
of topic and make a general ……..different
comment?
.
What is the best order to put The number of……..per capita consumed by Holland the
information in? and the……..increased sharply between 1960 and
……..form around 4 liters per……..in Holland
about……..in 1980 and the form nearly
Which counties have a similar 8 liters to……..than 10 in the USA in 1980.
trend? Thereafter……..Countries’ consumption
declined……..to around 8 liters……..the
USA in 2000 and 10 in Holland.
Which country has a different The……..in Turkey was rather different. Turkey’s
pattern? …………….remained low, rising only…………... from 1 liter to
about 1.5 liters per person between 1960 and 2000.
Conclusion
How to summarize these trends?
Complete these activities based on the sample answer to build writing skills for Task 2
questions:
1. Synonyms
Which of the expressions in each group is not a synonym of the others?
The electronic information age that we live in today, certainly makes communicating very quick
and easy. It is simple for many people to contact dozens of others every day via computer of
phone, but does this make them feel happier? Happiness is difficult to define, but in addition to
basic needs like food, shelter or peace, it depends on such things as good health, a loving family
and friends, and a satisfying occupation – either job, study or pastime. Whether modern
communication has increased people’s feelings of happiness is, however, debatable.
There are many advantages to being connected electronically. For the price of a local phone call
we can stay in touch via email with family or friends around the world. In this way isolation by
distance or climate can be overcome. For example, Finland with its long winter has one of the
highest rates of internet use. Information that would only be available to a small number of
people without the use of computers is not at our fingertips. Similarly, thousands of people use
chatrooms and internet dating sites every day.
On the other hand it seems to be the case that depression and suicide rates are high and the
divorce rate is increasing. Employees complain of longer working hours and increased stress
levels. There is concern that people are in fact becoming more isolated, only communicating on-
line. On this evidence they seem unhappier today.
Happiness is hard to measure, as it is subjective and depends on the particular situation.
Perhaps there is more awareness of current problems because so much information is available
through technology and the media. Even so, it would seem that the quality of our relationships
and therefore our level of happiness is unrelated to modern technology, which is, after all, only
a tool. (299 words)
Comments
N
Jetty
Fishermen’s
Cottages
Lighthouse
Cafe
N
Lighthouse Keeper’s
house
Shop
Ferry
Wharf
HOTEL
Restaurant
Apartments
Car park
Supermarket
Think it through
Description
Introduction
What do diagrams show?
Diagram 1
What was there in 1950?
Diagram 2
What additional structures are there now?
Diagram 3
What new structures are planned?
Conclusion
What final observation summarize the data?
TEST 5 TASK 1
Look at the question, title and subtitle.
Highlight key words.
Ask questions to find the information you need. Then use the gapped sample answer as guide.
The diagrams of the coastal area of Bright Sea illustrate….. Development from a fishing
community in 1950 to a…. terminal, with plans for future…
In 1950 the coastal zone of Bright Sea…. Undeveloped….. Just a lighthouse and lighthouse
keeper’s house…… was a jetty for fishing boats, and…….. Few cottages.
Write the appropriate preposition for each sentence from the sample answer.
………1950 the coastal zone of Brightsea was undeveloped…..Further north, there was a
jetty……..fishing boats…and… a sailing club built alongside the hotel…..the south.
A second ferry wharf will be added….. a telecommunications antenna……the northern part of
Brightsea, a restaurant and apartments will be built….summary, the coast of Brightsea has
changed from being…
Complete the passive verb forms from the sample answer using the verbs in
PASSIVES
brackets()
…it can ………… …………. (see).
…roads have …….. ……….. (construct)
The hotel is to ………. ………… (extend)
A second, ferry wharf will be ………. (add)
… and the shop …….. by a supermarket and car park. (replace)
SYNONYMS
Find synonyms in the sample answer for these questions.
area ………….. undergo …………………
at present …………….. important ……………….
day to day……………. unchanged………………
requirements………..
ANSWERS: 1 In/ for/ to/ with/ In/ In
2 be seen/ been constructed/be extended/added/replaced/
3zone/currently/daily/needs/experience/
significant/constant.
SAMPLE ANSWER
The diagrams of the coastal area of Brightsea illustrate its development from a fishing
community in 1950 to a ferry terminal, with plans for future development.
In 1950 the coastal zone of Brightsea was undeveloped with just a lighthouse and lighthouse
keeper’s house. There was a jetty for fishing boats, and a few cottages.
Comments
The paragraph structure of this report is simple, with each diagram allocated a separate
paragraph.
The use of verb tenses is challenging in this type of report about changes across
different time points. The first diagram requires the simple past tense, with the present/
present perfect/ present continuous forms needed for the second diagram. The third
diagram requires some future tense forms. The final paragraph summary uses a mixture
of tenses.
The report uses synonyms well. ( Examples: show / illustrate; area / zone;
growth/development; build/construct; replace/supersede)
The summary paragraph can be shortened if more time is needed for Task 2.
Conclusion
SAMPLE ANSWER
Almost daily there are reports of new advances in medicine. In the developed world certainly,
the prognosis for many medical problems is more optimistic today than ten years ago and
continues to improve. But these developments in health care are very expensive, and it is
questionable whether countries can afford to continue to increase spending on health. Many
believe that it would be better to spend more preventing people from becoming unwell in the
first place, and reduce the amount spent on curing ill health.
As many modern diseases are a consequence of our lifestyles, one way of making savings to the
health budget would be to educate people about how to prevent expensive health problems
such as diabetes or heart disease. Most medical doctors today do not have the time to (nor are
they paid to) teach patients how to make these changes to their lifestyle through diet or
exercise.
It is understandable that when people are sick they want the best medical treatment possible,
with access to the latest diagnostic equipment, expensive MRI scanners, for example. If the
problem is life threatening then we demand complex operations such as open-heart surgery or
organ transplants. Such procedures usually require intensive nursing care and lengthy periods
of hospitalization, which are costly.
Thus it can be seen that this is not a straightforward issue and depends to some extent on one’s
situation. While the ‘health dollar’ is limited, however, it would seem rational to direct more
resources towards the prevention of ill health. In this way fewer people would become ill from
theses preventable lifestyle diseases. In the long term this should save the country money and
increase the well-being of the population.
Comments
3. USA
of
rs
4. China
5. Denmark
6. Canada
YOUR ANSWER
Dramatic increases……..numbers...
Increasing………..about 1.2 million…
Returning………..0.6 million…
Turning ………. The table of exporters…
……eight , ninth and tenth spots.
…….summarize…
Answers: 1 indicate-show/ dramatic-spectacular/ remained unchanged- stayed the same/
contracting-reducting/ prominent-significant/ summarise – conclude 2 Denmark- in fifth
position, Thailand- the biggest, USA- the third largest, South Korea- the lowest ranked, Norway-
the second largest,China- in fourth spot, 3 in/to/to/to/in/to
SAMPLE ANSWER
The bar chart and table present statistics about fishing between 1970 and 2000.
The data in the chart indicate that Asia was the region with the largest numbers of fisher in
1970,1980 and 2000 at 9,13 and 24 million respectively. No other region witnessed such
dramatic increases in numbers. Africa’s fishers numbered 1.3 million in 1970, and 2 million in
both 1980 and 2000. South America had steady numbers of fishers, 1.2 million throughout the
period. In North America there were 0.5 million fishers in 1970 increasing to about 1.2 million in
1980, a number that remained unchanged in 2000. Europe had the fewest fishers with 0.6
million in 1970 contracting to 0.3 million in 1980 and returning to 0.6 million in 2000.
Turning to the table of exporters for 2000, five of the ten, listed countries are from the Asian
region. Thailand was the world’s top exporter of fish, but European and North American
countries were also prominent. Norway and Denmark took second and fifth places respectively,
while the USA is the third largest exporter and Canada ranks sixth. China and Taiwan occupy
fourth and seventh places, while Russia, Indonesia and South Korea complete the table in
eighth, ninth and tenth spots.
To summarize, there are more fishers in Asia than in the rest of the world combined.
Comments
‘Fishers’ has replaced ‘fishermen’ as a gender-neutral term to include women who work
in the industry and catch fish for a living.
‘Turning to’ indicates transition to a new paragraph and a new topic- from the chart to
the table.
In the second paragraph, European countries are grouped together, then North
American to give variety and to follow the topic sentence order.
Use variety to avoid repetition: top exporter/ take second place/ is the third largest
exporter/ occupy fourth place/ ranks sixth/ in eighth… spots.
WRITING
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Paragraph topics
Conclusion
Break from mental activity, better concentration on school work, exercise, fitness, learn new
sports
SAMPLE ANSWER
It is true that there is increasing pressure on schools today to prepare their students for work in
the twenty-first century. As a result, physical education is losing ground on the school
curriculum to employment- related subjects like business. While many see this shift as
inevitable. I would argue that physical education is a vital part of the school program and
should be maintained. Sport and PE add variety to the curriculum, broaden the students’
experience and teach essential life skills.
Within the school day, students need physical activity to balance the long hours spent sitting at
desks. PE provides a break from the mental focus of academic subjects. A good PE program
should include a variety of sports plus non-competitive activities like dance and aerobics so that
students can experience exercise as both challenging and fun.
There is a growing concern among parents and educators about obesity in children. Many
young people have a sedentary lifestyle that revolves around TV, computers and being driven in
cars. Physical education ensures that all students get some form of regular exercise during the
school day. In addition they learn about the importance of liking after their bodies.
In conclusion, physical education programs in schools are not only worth maintaining, they
should be developed. The result will be students who are happier, healthier and more
productive in class. They will grow into adults who value fitness and enjoy participating in sport.
These are lessons for a lifetime, as important as any subject on the school curriculum.
Comments
The ‘thesis statement’ acknowledges the counter argument: ‘…many see this shift as
inevitable. It also indicates the position of the writer ‘I would argue that’ and answers
the question. ’How important?’ ‘ …physical education is a vital part of the curriculum
and should be maintained.’
Both paragraphs of the body of the essay begin by stating a problem and showing how
physical education helps to solve that problem, thereby demonstrating its value.
The conclusion re-states the writer’s opinion and reinforces the evaluation, answering
the question ‘How important?’
The essay is concise- just over the minimum number of words, but fulfills the task
requirements.
EXAMINERS' SUGGESTIONS
Here are some typical problems and questions that come up when students prepare for the
Speaking Test, along with suggestions for improvement.
What happen if…?
... I don't understand a question.
Suggestion
Don't remain silent. Ask the interviewer politely to repeat the question. It's fine to say, 'Sorry?'
or 'Pardon?' or 'Could you repeat the question, please?' These are good speaking strategies.
You can just say Tm sorry, I still don't understand'. The interviewer will move on to another
question.
Don't be worried that there is a correct answer to a question. The interviewer is just asking your
opinion and basically wants to hear you speak. You can talk about the situation in your country
or your personal experience.
It will be obvious to the interviewer if you have learned answers by memory and you will lose
marks. Practice lots but don't memorize. It is important to interact naturally and to be
spontaneous.
Practicerecording yourself making little speeches. Start with easy, familiar topics and a short
time limit. Gradually increase your time and choose topics that are more difficult.
FASTRACK SPEAKING
INSTRUCTIONS FOR TEST PRACTICE
There are
TWO sample
Speaking
2
Tests
Next...
Go back to the interview questions for Test 1.
Record your answers.
If possible, get a friend to ask you the questions and record the whole interview.
SPEAKING TEST 1-
[1] Set questions
Topic 1: FAMILY
Do you come from a large or a small family? Do all your family live in the same town or city?
How often do you see your brothers and sisters? (or your family?) Do you have a lot in common
with them?
SHORT TALK
Topic 2: FRIENDS
Do you have lots of friends or just a few special friends? Can you say something about one or
two of them? What kinds of things do you and your friends like to do together? Are you a
person who enjoys spending time alone?
TOPIC CARD
Describe a favorite shop or store. You should say: where it is and what it looks like what it sells
what you like to buy there and say why you like the shop so much.
Topic 3: TRAVEL
Which other countries have you visited? Which other countries are you interested in visiting?
Why? What are some of the things you don't like about travelling?
Topic 1: FAMILY
Here is Zsuzso’s topic card. Imagine you are being interviewed. Write your notes for each part of
the topic during the 1-minute planning time on CD 1.
Listen to Zsuzos’s talk. Match her vocabulary with the appropriate meaning.
Vocabulary Meaning
Treasure hunt look for great things to buy OR look for expensive antiques
Zsuzso didn’t like internet shopping at first because it took away the __________. Later she realized the advantages
of internet shopping. What example does she give?__________.
She thinks shopping has become a __________ activity for young people.
p.188
Circle the 3 activities Zsuzso mentions.
Buy presents / try on clothes / listen to pop music / go to the mall / have coffee
Underline the‘Filler language’Zsuzso uses in(A)while she is thinking about what to say. Then complete the shorter
version (B)which makes her expression more direct.
‘So it wasn’t a luxury to sort of shop every day it was a necessary sort of making choices I suppose was very hard but
we had to’.
‘So it wasn’t a _______________ to shop every day. It was ______________ to make choices. It was ____________
but we had to do it’.
Her fluency is good. She has no difficulty understanding questions or answering them
quickly. She seems comfortable with the intentions behind each question. She uses
connecting expressions easily to join different parts of her answers and to make her talk
flow. She uses ‘filler’ language to give herself time to organize her thoughts. In Part 1 of
the interview, her answer were a bit short. Because there was so little hesitation in her
reply, she would have had time to develop her answers a little more.
Zsuzso’s pronunciation is clear, though she has slight interference from her native
language (some vowel sounds). Generally speaking, she pronounces words clearly with
appropriate stress and has quite good intonation.
Her grammatical range and accuracy are good but probably her weakest feature. She
still has a number of slight errors in her speech and over-relies on certain forms (e.g.
however). On the other hand, she uses a good range of grammatical forms with ease
and can move between formal and less formal expression without a problem.
Her vocabulary is also generally good. She uses a wide range of expressions including
idioms and colloquialisms (e.g. touches my heart, browsing, shopaholic, pop into,
transform, festive season).
I think Zsuzso has demonstrated a level of speaking ability that is high enough for
successful entry to an English-speaking university anywhere in the world. She has clearly
benefited from several years living in an English-speaking community. She is stronger in
speaking and listening than in writing, which is often the case with students of European
background.
p.189
SPEAKING TEST 2 – INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Part 1 Set questions
Topic 1: FAMILY
Do you come from a large or a small family? Do all your family live in the same town or
city? How often do you see your brothers and sisters? (Or your family?) Do you have a
lot in common with them?
Topic 2: WEEKENDS
Are your weekends generally busy or relaxed? What kind of things do you usually do at
the weekend? What would you like to do in your time off if you could choose? Do you
ever go away on your days off?
Topic 3: EXERCISE
What kind of outdoor activities or exercise do you like? Are there any sports you don’t
like? Why? Do you think it’s important to keep fit? What are the best ways to keep fit?
p. 190
SPEAKING TEST 2:
WEN Wen (Wayne) comes from Taiwan. He is on study
leave from his job in banking. And is
working
Towards a PhD in International Business.
Listening Activities
First, read through the activities for Part 1 of the interview.
Then listen and complete each task. Do the same for parts
2 and 3. Finally, check your answers in the transcript.
(Pp.223-224)
Topic 1: FAMILY
Write the missing information:
Number of members: _______________
Where they live: ___________________
How often they see each other
Brother: ____________
Sister: _____________ ______________
What they have in common: ___________________ ________________
Topic 2: WEEKENDS
Complete the missing information.
Wen’s activities:
1__________________________ ______________
2__________________________
3__________________________
p.191
Part 3 Study the activities. Then answer as you listen.
Wen demonstrates a reasonable level of speaking overall. His ideas are complex and interesting but his
speaking is affected by his first language and culture.
His fluency is quite good – he responds quickly and can use filler language. But, he also hesitates
occasionally and his explanations sometimes lack the development expected by an assessor (e.g. in Part 1,
talking about his siblings, ‘…we are quite different because one of my brothers is businessman’).
Wen’s pronunciations is reasonably effective but weaknesses like final consonant sounds cause problems
for the listener (e.g. Hull). His stress and intonation are serviceable, though affected by his first language.
Grammar is Wen’s greatest weakness. Regular inaccuracy with articles and tenses reduces speaking
effectiveness and causes strain for the listener. Also, he lacks range and flexibility of expression.
Wen’s vocabulary is interesting. He can use complex expressions (e.g. culture shock, dynasty, evaluate) but
sometimes struggles to find the right form of a word (e.g. ‘makes me health’ for healthy).
I think Wen has demonstrated a level of performance that is somewhat typical of students from that
regions. His skills at listening, reading and writing have been strong enough to compensate for a slight
weakness in speaking. Given more time on his post-graduate studies, his spoken English should develop
further.
P. 194
Topic: music
What kinds of music do you enjoy listening to?
Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument? (Which one? / Why not? )
What is your favorite musical instrument? (Why?)
Do you find it easy to talk on the phone in another language? (Why? / Why not?)
TOPIC CARD
SOMETHING YOU MADE OR CREATED
Talk about something you have made or created.
What is was
What steps you took to complete it and say how you felt about making it.
TOPIC CARD
A MARKET YOU LIKE
Describe a market that you like.
p.196
Are school uniforms better than free choice of clothes for school?
What should people do with their old clothes to prevent waste?
What is more important – being original or being able to follow instructions well?
Will people in the future have more opportunities for creative pursuits or less?
Will markets be replaced more and more by huge shopping malls and big supermarkets?
Is the trend towards huge supermarkets a bad thing for smaller towns and cities?
Are people too concerned about buying and not concerned enough about caring?
TOPIC CARD
AN INTERESTING JOURNEY BY PLANE
Talk about an interesting journey you made by plane. You should say:
Where you flew to and how long it took
What you didn’t enjoy about the flight and say why you found the journey interesting
TOPIC CARD
A FAVORITE BOOK FROM CHILDHOOD
Talk about a book that you liked when you were a child.
What it is about
Does travel broaden the mind or is it just an excuse for buying souvenirs, sightseeing and status seeking?
When do you think there will be possibilities to travel to the moon or mars?
QUICK GUIDE…
Listening
Reading
Writing
Speaking
‘QUICK GUIDE’ TO A HIGHER IELTS TEST SCORE
Managing your test performance
THE PROBLEM: IELTS test takers often say, ‘I need a higher score!’
Increasing numbers of IELTS candidates are taking the IELTS test for the second, third, fourth… or even tenth time! They need
a higher score but don’t achieve it.
1 Write clearly. TIP 1 Practice every listening task type so that you know
exactly how each task type operates and how to manage
Often answers require letters of the alphabet. It can and respond to each type optimally and calmly.
sometimes be difficult for markers to tell the difference,
for example between an ‘A’ and an ‘H’, or ‘D’ and ‘O’, or TIP 2 Practice complete tests so that you learn how to be
numbers like ‘1’ and ‘7’. flexible and how to deal with unexpected situations calmly
across a complete test event. Panic is the enemy of
2 Change answers cleanly and clearly performance in the Listening test!
If you decide to change an answer do it clearly. Erase the TIP 3 Do the same IELTS practice test several times with a
answer you no longer want and write the new answer day or two in between repeats. This repeating of tests
clearly. Avoid any messy crossing out which may leave reduces input pressure (i.e. pressure of the amount of all
doubt. the new spoken input on the recording) and enables you
to focus on other aspects of test performance. (E.g. task
3 Don’t use abbreviations unless they are common ones
types and test tricks, building test management strategies)
Nearly everybody knows ‘kg’ or ‘$’ but some abbreviated
TIP 4 Practice IELTS ‘trick spotting’. The IELTS listening test
forms are not well known and may not be accepted as a
often contains little spoken ‘tricks’ to catch you out. A
correct answer. Be cautious and, if in doubt.
common example is the changing of address information.
4 Use correct word forms Practice enables you to identify the tricks quickly and learn
how to manage them.
It is very easy either to write a singular when a plural is
needed in the answer or vice versa, or to write a verb form TIP 5 Practice to become sensitive to little changes in the
without the ‘s’ at the end. speaker’s voice tone, pitch or emphasis, as these can
sometimes signal the use of answer information.
5 use correct word order
TIP 6 Practice building predictive skills. Listening usually
With answers requiring 2 or more words use correct order involves predicting what might be said next, based on
as meaning can change. Example: ‘answer key’ (list of what you have already heard and what you have come to
answers) but ‘key answer’ (main answer). expect from your previous experience of what is said in
similar situations.
6 Check the maximum number of words you can use in an
answer.
This sliding scale may suit the general training reading test - By dividing the passage into sections based on
a little more than the Academic Reading test as the paragraphs and topic sentences (usually the first
increase in difficulty is more marked. sentence in each paragraph)
- By circling people’s names, numbers, key words
- A time strategy for tricky questions. Perhaps no - Scanning the passage for synonyms (remember
more than 1-2 minutes on any tricky question that test questions are often created by using an
( Remember, you may be able to come back to expression in the question which is different
it) from the on in the passage but is a synonym of it
- An amount of time to save at the end to ‘quick (has a similar meaning).
check’ the accuracy of your answers on the
Answer Sheet (1-2 minutes perhaps). TIP 5 Remember common test patterns. Earlier questions
- An emergency strategy if you get into difficulties often relate to material in the earlier paragraphs of the
(for example, when you have only 5 minutes left text; later test questions relate to material in the later
but 10 questions still to answer). parts of the text. Be aware of such patterns to save
searching time.
TIP 2 DURING the test—first, overview the test contents
(questions and passages) TIP 6 Guess meaning from context. Guessing is necessary
when reading complex texts. If you need to know the
‘Overviewing’ here means getting a general impression. meaning of unknown words to help you choose particular
It’s part of the progressive buildup of meaning as you go answers, using the surrounding words helps you to make
from general understanding to specific meanings. It helps informed guesses.
to know what the topics are for each passage, the
subtopics of paragraphs and the type and focus of each TIP 7 Leave no empty answers, even if you are running out
question group. This is done by a form of quick reading of time and may not finish all the 40 questions. Leave a
called ‘skimming & scanning’—letting your eyes run freely minute at the end to make quick guesses. Maximize your
across particular locations in texts and questions. chances.
BUILD FITNESS For the reading test—a weekly program for busy test takers:
Days 1, 2, 3 Choose one different passage from a full practice IELTS Academic test each day for three days.
- Answer all the questions and check the time it took each day (max. 20 minutes).
- Then check the answers each day and work out why incorrect answer was wrong.
Day 4 On day 4 repeat the process using the same text from Day 1 but this time complete your answers in 5 minutes less
time that the first time. This repeat practice helps you to get the feeling of doing a test section faster and more easily—this will
motivate you and increase your confidence to manage & complete things under time pressure.
Day 5, 6 on days 5 and 6, repeat, using passages 2 and 3 from days 2 and 3.
Day 7 Do the whole Reading test, 60 minutes maximum—using passages 1,2 and 3 of the academic test that you used on
days 1-6.
The following week-Start a new sequence of practice with new test material and gradually remove the repeat element until
finally you do a previously unseen, complete reading test in 60 minutes with no break. Practice and understand all the major
reading task types. Test practice books like this one will include examples of most of these. Work out how each task type
functions, what each task type demands and its difficult aspects. Take control and manage your IELTS ‘fitness training’.
3) Quick Guide to a higher score in IELTS WRITING
- Someone who organizes well and is systematic
cares about what they are writing and cares
A ‘clock victim’ is a writing test candidate who is always about the person who will be reading their
anxious about time. What happens to a ‘clock victim’? work. This important valuing of the reader-
Candidates who spend too much time either counting writer relationship is a worthwhile goal in IELTS.
words or clock watching, may lose focus and develop a
sense of panic linked to time. You need to see yourself in a
positive way and maximize your control of the situation.
IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING—TASK 1
Don’t count words all the time
7 Tips for increasing your score
Instead, work out the average number of words you seem
to write on a line, count the number of lines written and TIP 1 Write accurate information
multiply them together. A full IELTS Answer sheet page has
Usually for task 1 you are presented with some
20 lines.
statistical information in the form of a graph, or a
Create a suitable ‘persona’ for the IELTS writing test table or a pie chart. Whatever the material, study it
carefully and look at each category carefully so that
It is important for you to create a suitable ‘persona’ (a sort you report on it accurately (Accuracy creates a good
of test identity) with which both to manage your test impression of you as a professional report writer).
performance, build confidence, and make a positive
impression on the assessor. What might be a suitable TIP 2 Write about the most important patterns and
‘persona’? trends not about everything (good selection shows
evaluation skills—again, more professional)
A ‘Professional person’ is a suitable one for you to imagine
yourself as. It helps to make a stronger relationship TIP 3 Avoid overuse of ‘shopping lists’ (just listing
between the writer (you) and your writing assessor. information one fact after another). Instead, identify
Remember, everything you write to another person carries key trends and compare and contrast patterns
an impression of YOU within it. If, for example, your (comparing/contrasting shows more mature
writing is disorganized, looks messy, is off the point, and evaluation of material). Use sentence connectors at
offers inaccurate information, then all of these features the beginning of sentences to signal this evaluative
say something negative about you. type of writing.
The reader starts to imagine what YOU are like from how Examples: ‘Similarly’;’Conversely’;’an exception to this
and what you write. So, your writing has the power to trend is…’’This pattern changed from…’
influence the impression you make.
TIP 4 don’t make personal comments about the
Plan before you write statistical material (being professional, and reporting
on data requires you to be factual and objective).
Planning is essential to a professional approach in many
jobs. The same is true in IELTS. TIP 5 Use a systematic layout
- Often candidates receive their IELTS writing test - Write an introductionto your report on the data
paper and begin writing an answer almost and include in it perhaps a very general
immediately—they are so scared of time. A statement (overview) about the most dominant
professional person, in contrast, learns how to trend in the data.
manage time in the most effective way in order - Create and arrange other paragraphs
to achieve their goals. In IELTS, planning time logically(In professional report writing,
(even just 2-3 minutes) helps to create a more colleagues have limited time to read a report
systematic and well organized answer, which and need to access information easily).
impresses the assessor.
TIP 6 Use a professional writing style and tone
- Candidates who don’t plan may stop to think or
stop to cross something out more often during It is possible to shape your ‘tone’ (the feeling of your
the twenty minutes than the candidates with a ‘voice’ that the reader gets from your words and how
plan. It may be an unhelpful form of panic to appropriate they are to the style of document).
think that every second has to be used as
writing time. It’s also a mistake to think that the To achieve an appropriate, formal, business-like
best candidates are writing non-stop for 20 tone, avoid:
minutes.
- Lazy language expressions—these are not - The accuracy of the figures is doubt.
professional, are used more in spoken language, (Wrong – adjective ‘doubtful’ needed)
and suggest that the writer doesn’t care enough - The population increase rapidduring 2000.
to finish a sentence properly. (Wrong – adverb ‘rapidly’ needed)
Examples: ‘…etc.’ or’…and so on’
- Informal expressions-such expressions are not
professional enough for a formal report style.
Errors from Basic English grammar leave a more negative
Examples: ‘a lot’; ‘was OK’
impression than other kinds of mistakes because it is
- Repetition—this is too boring and makes the
assumed that you learnt about these basic rules when
writer sound very limited. To avoid repeating
younger and have had time to master them and use them
nouns, use appropriate synonyms or referencing
correctly.
language.
Examples: ‘this’, ‘it’, ‘the same trend…’, ‘a similar SENTENCE BOUNDARY and SENTENCE OMISSION
pattern…’ problems
- Over-use of general expressions that lack
precision. Candidates need to build sentences carefully and respect
Examples: ‘thing’, ‘do’, ‘is’, ‘big’, ‘nice’ what a sentence is and what the parts of a sentence are,
otherwise the assessor has to keep reading and re-reading
TIP 7 Reduce simple grammar mistakes the sentences to try to understand them. This leaves a
Of course, anyone taking the IELTS test is likely negative impression.
to make numerous grammar mistakes. However,
some mistakes create a more negative Look at 2 inaccurate examples:
impression than others when read by a native 1) The figures show the food preferences of men
speaker. If you can reduce the number of these and women they are in two tables.
you can spread a positive impression to other 2) The table shows the population. In the Asian
parts of your writing. countries up a lot in the ten-year.
4 Grammar errors that really annoy an assessor It is difficult not to re-read each of them because they
in Writing task 1 don’t communicate clearly or effectively. Now look at
these improved versions:
VERB TENSE mistakes
Example 1: The two tables show the food preferences of
- Talking about the data
men and women.
Usually IELTS Task 1s use data from particular
year dates. You must use the PAST tense when Example 2:According tothe table, the population in the
describing information from the past; if the Asian countries rose significantly in the ten-year period.
information is about the future, use appropriate
FUTURE tense forms)
- Talking about the visual/data you can see on
the Writing test paper IELTS ACADEMIC WRITING—TASK 2
You use the PRESENT tense forms to say, the
graph/chart/table shows… / …indicates… / … The second task involves writing about a social issues.
lists… Again, adopt a ‘professional person’ by imagining you are
presenting a formal and reasoned viewpoint on the issue
SUBJECT/VERB agreement errors to an academic colleague. Don’t view yourself negatively
In English we say, the graph shows… but, the as just a person taking a difficult test.
data show…; the population of the three Asian
3 STEPS BEFORE writing
countries ischanging…; the number of people
who sit IELTS isincreasing… (Head nouns 1. Study the words in your IELTS Writing Task 2
‘population’ and ‘number’ control the verb The same issues apply to Task 2 as to Task 1. You
agreement); need to read the task carefully, know clearly
what the topic is and what precise aspect of the
WORD FORMS—Adjective / Noun / Adverb topic you have to give your view on. This will
confusion help your answer to be relevant.
Candidates need to control and manage
effectively the English word forms they use. EXAMPLE: imagine this is an IELTS Task 2
Look at these 3 examples: question.
- There is some doubtful about the data. ‘Many people keep pets in small apartments.
(Wrong – noun’doubt’ needed) To what extent is this cruel?’
The topic is keeping pets. To be relevant, you What was said about Task 1 is also important here. A few
would focus your discussion of pets on: minutes spent planning your Task 2 response helps you to
- Types of pet( The expression ‘pets’ covers many write systematically and smoothly, and in clear paragraphs
types of living creature) —it is not wasted time.
- Where the pets are kept(specifically in this
essay, in small apartments)
- how cruel this is(you need to offer a clear,
precise point of view) WHILE Writing –Organizing paragraphs &
2. Decide upon a clear, precise and relevant point sentences for a higher score
of view
This can be achieved by offering enough detail to 1. Develop each paragraph by linking each
explain why you have that opinion. supporting point to the next point.
In the Task 2 essay, having a clear and precise Don’t just state on point and then move on to an
point of view on the task topic enables the entirely new point as this seems mechanical and
assessor to feel more connected to the strength prevents you from developing your opinion in
of your writing ‘voice’. more detail.
Example A: An unclear and not very precise 2. Use a variety of linking words between
point of view might be: sentences, rather than just the simpler,
‘It is sometimes cruel to keep pets in apartments ‘shopping list’ style links such as: firstly,
but sometimes it is not cruel’. secondly, thirdly, finally
This point of view sounds as though the writer
doesn’t clearly know what their point of view is Read this mini paragraph:
about cruelty, and so it is less convincing, less Keeping pets such as large dogs in small
powerful. apartments can easily lead to unintended
Example B: A clearer and more precise point of cruelty. An obvious example of this is that
view might be: limited space makes large animals frustrated
‘It is cruel to keep pets in small apartments if the because they can’t use enough of their physical
pets are large and need more space, more energy. This may result in possible aggression.
attention of a different environment in order to Linked to this lack of exercise is the issue of
be happy and healthy’. health. A dog that has insufficient space and
This point of view is clearer because it gives the lacks exercise can easily become obese which, in
precise conditions in which the writer thinks it is turn, may shorten the pet’s life.
cruel (that is, the writer says it is cruel, if pets are
large and if they can’t be healthy and happy in The linking words in bold type show how writers
small apartments) can direct their thoughts and express
3. Make a quick plan of the paragraphs and the relationships between the content as they move
topic of each paragraph. from sentence to sentence. This also helps the
Remember that the first sentence of each assessor to connect with the point of view that is
paragraph (often called the ‘topic sentence’) tells developing. Test candidates who list one point
the reader what the paragraph is about so if the after another without any development, and
topic sentence is clear, it gives a positive without relevant, considered linking expressions
impression to the assessor, because it means may seem less natural and less mature writers in
the assessor can predict the content of the rest the mind of the assessor.
of the paragraph more easily. An important
aspect of reading an easy easily is predicting 3. Leave a line between each of your paragraphs
what will come next. when you write your essay, so that the assessor
can easily see the way your essay is organized.
In your Task 2 plan:
- Show an introduction which contains a relevant
viewpoint on the essay task 8 KEY GUIDELINES for language use to achieve
- List 2 or 3 paragraph headings each with a key
a higher score in task 2
reason connected to your own viewpoint, plus
one or two examples to support that reason 1. Avoid generalizations that are simplistic and
- Show a concluding paragraph that will thus too strong (simple generalizations seem
summarize what your essay has shown. unsubtle or strong, and often don’t reflect a
mature viewpoint)
NOTE:If you write a plan in the IELTS Answer book, just put
Example: Compare these 2 generalizations:
a line through it and underline it to show that it is not your
1) Alldogs like people.
actual answer. Then begin the actual essay.
2) Most dogs are sociable and seem to enjoy 5. Avoid using lazy or vague expressions to
human companionship. complete sentences, especially ones that belong
more to spoken conversation.
Which example above seems less simplistic and more Examples: ….’etc.’;’…and so on’;’…and things like
considered? ANSER: No. 2 that’;’…that sort of thing’
6. Avoid imprecise, general expressions that make
A more considered general view usually needs to be
views sound too simple.
expressed in a sentence that is:
Example: Compare these expressions in a) and b)
- Longer a) Walking a dog is a good thing and…
- More grammatically complex. b) Walking a dog is a necessary, daily activity
- More detailed and therefore more precise and …..
- Written using ‘cautious’ language forms (e.g.
Example b) offers more precision (necessary,
‘may’,’possibly’,’perhaps’,’seem’)
daily) than example a) (good)
2. Avoid using idioms or sayings which state the
obvious or seem out of place in an essay where a 7. In the final paragraph, come to a conclusion
formal viewpoint is being systematically about the point of view in your essay
developed. This helps to round off your answer. Here are
Examples: ‘Every coin has two sides’. ‘Every one or two examples of how to begin:
cloud has a silver lining’. ‘Overall then, the point of view developed in this
3. Avoid using clichés, as they can communicate response is that…..? ?’
too much informality. Or, for a different type of essay question,
Example: With most pets, what you see is what To sum up, the solution to this problem might
you get. best involve….’
4. Avoid using informal expressions in this formal
type of writing. 8. Make a quick check of your grammar and
Examples: spelling
Less formal more formal In the last minute or two read your essay quickly
Keeping pets is a very Keeping pets is a and try to find those elementary grammar or
Hot topic significant issue spelling mistakes which do not impress
assessors
Petrol-driven cars ….are fast Examples: ‘Pet are…’ (Should be, ‘Pets are ….) Or,
Past their sell by date becoming obsolete ‘Keep pets in small apartments is sometime
cruelty’. (‘Keeping pets in small apartments is
sometimes cruel’)
The main social task in the IELTS speaking test is to bring both the assessor and candidate closer
together, in a sense of ‘cooperative connection’. This means that each helps the other to make the
situation friendly and mutually successful.
Music: The assessor will feel comfortable, the more your spoken English echoes the music of the
language that native speakers are used to hearing, which means:
- Appropriate rises and falls in your voice,
- Good stress on the right sounds
- Not too fast, not too slow
- Appropriate pausing
- Very little hesitation or self-correction
- Neither too loud nor too soft
- Good rhythm and flow of sound
- Clear and accurate, individual sounds
- Good grouping of ‘chunks of meaning.
How to connect with the assessor at each stage of the Speaking Test
1) Connecting during the introduction
- When the assessor invites you into the room, it’s useful to put your passport or test ID on the
table so that it is ready.
- Don’t try to say much while getting seated, just smile and look pleasant and respond to
anything the assessor asks or says (Sometimes test candidates try to chat to the assessor by
saying things like, ‘How are you today?’ at this point but really the assessor just wants to get on
with the interview efficiently).
- The assessor isn’t a police officer, so say your name in a friendly way. If your name is really
difficult for assessors to identify or repeat properly, give them a short or simple first name to call
you during the interview.
- While seated, look interested and connected, not nervous or tired. Make friendly eye contact,
smile and be polite when asked for your passport or other ID.
Keep in step and keep in time with the first 12 questions (3 topics)
On average about 15 seconds is an appropriate length for each of your answers in order to ‘keep in step’
with the rhythm of this section.
- If you take a long time answering (either because of hesitation or going into too much detail)
then the assessor feels pressure because there is not enough time to ask all the other questions.
- Similarly, if your answers are too short, the assessor will get to the end of the questions before
the minimum time is up for the 3 topics (4 minutes).
So, keep in step with the time boundaries and make the assessor more comfortable.
Don’t use memorized answers or memorized material at any stage. Why not?
It is very easy for the assessor to recognize memorized answers and they:
- Often take up too much time
- Frustrate the assessor
- Create a bad impression—you are not conversing in a real way, you are being false!
Don’t be frightened to ask for a question to be repeated
The assessor has to read the questions from a printed page so if you don’t understand the question the
assessor can’t explain it to you. You can ask for the questions to be repeated, however. This is much
better than remaining silent.
You can say:
“Sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you repeat the question, please?’
If you still don’t understand the question after it is read to you again, just say:
‘I’m sorry but I still don’t quite follow the question’.
Try to extend your answers a little to use the 15 seconds or so.
Why? This makes you seem more interesting, friendlier, and less robotic.
Example:
Assessor’s question: Were you a good student at school?
Answer A: Yes I was a good student at school. (too brief, repeats question words)
Answer B:Most of the time I was, yes …especially at primary school …. But at high school… I had a period
when I was a bit rebellious… and occasionally I got into trouble for not doing my homework and arriving
late.
(Much better as it sounds natural, is extended fluently, is personalized, is in ‘chunks’, that is, ‘blocks of
meaning’ each with a tiny pause before the next block, is in polite, conversational style and is about the
seconds long)
“Sing the same song’
As native speakers, assessors will probably ‘sing the song’ of English by using rising and falling intonation
to add interest and show a positive attitude.
- Remember to try to mirror or echo this by using rising and falling intonation in a natural and
appropriate way to show how you feel about the answers you are offering. If you are talking
about something exciting or interesting let your intonation show this. If you are surprised, show
this.
- Add ‘personality’ to your language.Flatness of spoken English suggests to the assessor that you
are not interested, and maybe not interesting!
- Don’t speak to quietly, nor too loudly. Try to ‘engage’ the assessor when you speak both by
voice and gentle eye contact (this means keep the assessor’s attention and interest in what you
are saying)
Be yourself
The interview is testing your ability at spoken English but that English is spoken at YOU, so don’t
forget to be yourself and not be too frightened or too ‘hidden’
- You should see this part as a more natural type of interaction because the assessor may react
to your responses and share the discussion a little, not just move from one question to the next
like in part 1 of the Speaking test; however, the assessor will be careful not to take up too much
time talking as the aim is to assess your spoken abilities in this part.
- Remember, you are an ‘equal’.Imagine you are having a discussion in a coffee shop with a
colleague who is interested in your detailed views on certain things.
- Develop your answers using varied sentence connectors to build flow; don’t talk in short,
staccato sentences as this gives the impression that you don’t want to engage in or enjoy a
discussion, but just want to finish the test quickly.
Example:
Assessor’s question: ‘Do you think weddings are really necessary?’
Answer A: (too short, not flowing) ‘Weddings are necessary. Weddings are a tradition; they
make parents happy’.
Answer B (longer, but still too staccato); ‘Yes. They are necessary. Your family needs to follow
traditions. It is a bad thing not to get married. It brings shame. It shows you are not serious
about your life. You need to please your parents. Weddings help you do this’.
Answer C (longer and more fluent): They seem to be important even though they may not be
completely necessary, because, for a start, they enable a couple to show a public commitment
to each other in front of their family and friends, which helps them to feel supported when
making a big decision, and besides that, the couple can feel they are part of a long and
honorable tradition in their society, while at the same time pleasing their parents’.
If you can’t quickly think of a response to a question, there are various strategies you can use to
give yourself more thinking time:
--you can use ‘holding’ expressions
Examples: ‘Mm that’s an interesting question but not easy to answer quickly…’ or There are
different ways of responding to that question, it depends on how you…’
--you can ask the assessor to paraphrase the question by seeking clarification,
Example: ‘Do you mean, are weddings legally necessary or just socially necessary? I’m not sure
exactly what that question is getting at’.
- It can be useful and adds variety to give examples from your own life occasionally if that
makes it easier for you to communicate your viewpoint.
Example: ‘I’ll give you an example from my own experience. One of my close friends and his
partner are not married and have never had a wedding, and because of this, I don’t think they
feel as connected to their family’.
Don’t be either too formal or too informal during this part of the interview. You should be a
little more relaxed now because you know the assessor just a little better. It’s the part of the test
in which you can be a little friendlier and allow your fluency and intonation to communicate this.
Avoid ling silence or long hesitations.
Build precision into your explanation of words or ideas. How?
- Put some variety into your choice of sentence types and vocabulary use.
- Avoid repetition as this rarely adds anything new and doesn’t build variety
- Build precision by using expressions which enable you to paraphrase and extend an idea or
viewpoint.
Example: ‘I’m a bit anti-weddings. By this I suppose I mean that I’ve seen many of my friends’ marriages
fail so I’m a little pessimistic about expensive, ‘showy’ ceremonies and what they seem to represent. In
other words, today there seems to be too much emphasis on display and perhaps not enough attention
to deep meaning’.
Examples:
i) ‘… that sort of thing’; ‘… and things like that: (These are used at the end of spoken sentences,
very occasionally)
ii) ‘She’s some sort of…..; I’m not sure exactly, but I think he’s….; ‘ I have a feeling that it’s
something to do with…; (These are used at the front end of sentences, perhaps a little more
often)
If your assessor offers a comment, respond to it naturally - this increase the sense of mutual
connection. Here’s an example :
Assessor: ‘It sounds as though the idea of marriage is changing in your society’.
Candidate:‘Does it? Maybe you’re right. I think it’s definitely true that marriage seems more
risky these days, as in many societies people appear to be more selfish, more independent and
perhaps less respectful of traditional commitment…’
When the interview ends, just thank the assessor and say goodbye politely and briefly. Don’t
be ‘too polite’ – the interviewer may sense that you are trying to leave a favourable impression
and are being false. So, be polite, but genuine.
Be brief- assessors are busy, and under pressure to complete their candidate list.
Don’t ask questions about your performance after the interview has finished. The assessor
cannot discuss this and will not be impressed by your question, but embarrassed, as it seems
inappropriate. It may damage the cooperative connection you have built up in the previous 11-
14 minutes.
APPENDIX
LISTENING
Section 1
1. B
2. C
3. C
4. C
5. A
6. Advertise
7. Donate
8. (a) quote
9. Charity
10. Sell
TEST 2Section 1
1.
Johnstone
2. 126
3. 0414 847 749
4. (about) 10
5. (Uncle’s) shop (work)
6. C
7. B
8. C
9. A
10. E
11. C
Holds over 55 people, and our highly qualified and trained staff can advise you as to which class might
suit you. We are inviting you to a free one week trial period when you can come and try any of the
classes or activities before you make the decision to join. By the way there is also a large and very well
equipped gym, where we offer free fitness assessments and you can have an individual program
designed just for you. Also cardio vascular room has the latest range of machines which help you burn
fat, increase your fitness or just warm up. They’re very popular as you can forget all about the calorie
burning by watching your favorite music videos on TV while you exercise! Right now we have a very
special new member joining fee offer, which allows two memberships for the price of one, a real
bargain! So if you can, bring along a friend who’d like to get fit as well, in time for summer. Come along
and try us out. You can meet the staff, try out some of the classes for a week, absolutely free, and then if
you like us sign up for only $110 each for six months. Thanks for taking the time to learn about the
Centre and I hope we’ll see you there soon. Heidi. I’ll put one of our brochures in the mail for you right
now. Bye for now…
SECTION 3
Two business studies students, Evelyn and Mark, preparing for a seminar presentation
E Well I think the marketing of food would be a good topic. I read a very interesting article other day
about the Canadian food market.
M Mm I suppose everybody’s interested in food, even if it’s trying NOT to eat. Why Canada? I know
that’s where you come from, but isn’t just all North America really?
E No, that’s why I thought this article was interesting. Although lots of US companies are well
established in Canada, and vice versa, there are still subtle differences between the two markets, It says
here ‘the Canadian market is definitely not a northern clone of the US’ I like that. And it says that if you
understand these differences, it can have a big impact on successful food marketing.
M So I know that Canada has a big French-speaking population in Quebec, is this what they’re referring
to?
E Not only French and English speakers, they are many different ethnic groups in Canada. It’s really
quite multicultural. For example Toronto has large Asian and Italian populations, and Vancouver’s got a
large Asian population too. And because Canada’s population is small, these groups make quite and
impact, introducing new styles of cooking,. So you can see lots of unfamiliar vegetables and things in the
markets and new restaurants are opening every day. It’s great if you love trying out new foods, as many
people do!
M Which kinds of food are becoming popular?
E Well some Asian food I’d say has been popular for quite a while like Chinese. But now South East
Asian restaurants are becoming very fashionable, Then there’s Mediterranean of course, Such as greek,
Italian and so on, but Caribbean and Mexican food is really taking off among young people these days.
M So are the supermarkets starting to stock the ingredients that are needed to prepare these foods at
home, you know, all those unusual condiments and sauces?
E Yes, that’s right, it’s quite interesting going to the supermarket isn’t it, and noticing how they’re
introducing sections for foods or different nationalities – you can buy quite exotic products locally these
days. The article mentioned that 80% of the Canadian retail market is controlled by eight major national
supermarket chains, so that when they introduce changes they can happen quite rapidly.
M Ok well how are we going to organize this seminar then?
E I made some notes on the trends in the Canadian market, about changing tastes and also patterns for
where food is consumed. I thought maybe we could summaries it into a chart or table and maybe use
the overhead projector to present it.
M Good idea. Maybe I could have a look for similar trends and tastes in Australia and the UK for
comparison. Let’s have a look at what you found.
(Pause)
E The most significant trend it seemed to me, was Canadians are definitely interested in healthy food.
For example, did you know hat salads are the third most commonly eaten food in Canadian restaurant?
M Really! What about organic food then, is that becoming more popular?
E Yes, it’s definitely moving into the mainstream, compared to a few years ago. And, a recent survey
showed that 4 out of 5 shoppers said that they check the fat and nutritional information on the packet
when they are deciding what to buy.
M What other trends did you find out?
E There’s one change I noticed straight away when I was home last year, in the meat department. You
know here the meat packaging says ‘rump steak’ or ‘forequarter chops’ and so on? Well they discovered
that most consumers these days didn’t know what to do with these roasts. And pounds and ribs, so the
government approved a new naming system for cuts of meat, which is related ti the required cooking
technique.
M What a good idea. I’ve never really understood the difference between sirloin, rump, round and all
those names. So how many categories are there?
E Eight. There are three kinds of steak – for grilling, for marinating and for simmering, and then there’s
what they call ‘quick serve’ beef, for stir fries I suppose, and premium oven roast, oven roast, pot roast
and stewing beef. It’s a great idea isn’t it? I hope it catches on here.
M I agree! Any other trends that you thought were significant?
E Well what’s really interesting is what the article called ‘mobile meals’. In other words more and more
Canadians are eating meals away from home, but NOT just eating more junk food. They are projecting a
40% increase in snack food sales over the next three years and the growth is coming from healthy
snacks- you know the ones that have less cholesterol and fat, such as muesli bars, health food bars are
those types of products. Apparently in the food marketing jargon they are called “nutritious portable
foods” which means healthy snacks! The other major trend is that young people are doing more of the
food shopping these days so marketing has to be aimed more at them, as well as more conventionally at
the mother.
M Thanks Evelyn, I think we’ll have an interesting discussion about these trends and the comparisons
with other English speaking countries. I’ll see if I can get some information about them to compare with
yours, and meet you on Friday to put it together.
E See you then, bye.
SECTION 4
A talk given by Doctor Miranda James and introduced by the President of Overseas Students’ Association
Good afternoon everybody and welcome to the first series of talks we have arranged for the Overseas
Students’ Association this semester. Doctor James has very kindly agreed to speak to us today on the
topic of public speaking, and judging from the large numbers of you here it is clearly a subject of great
interest and relevance. Dr james
Section 2
An Overseas Student Officer talking to some new students about arrangements for an excursion to
Ironbridge, in England.
Hello everyone, my name is Pamela Sutcliffe and most of you already know that Fro the Overseas
Student Officer here at Salopian Technical College. Next Tuesday, the 28th September, we have
arranged an excursion for all new students, to the important historical town of Ir<-' - We are hoping yoi'"
-me because nly is thejustory of Ironbaitge very importdiu ana interesting, but also an excursion like this
is a relaxed and fun way to get' °ach other. Ironbridge is abont«fiftv-five^itometres froiB^we and we'll
be travelling by the college bus which holds 40 people. If there are more than that well bring a couple of
staff cars as well, though 1 might ask you to indicate on the list if you have a car and would be willing to
take a couple of passengers. The list Fm referring to is up there on the student notice board, and if you
would like to come on Tuesday would vou please add vnnr name as soon as possible. Bv the way could
vou please print your name clearly • I tow some people have wonderful ^nature? but often Fm afraid I
Can't ffad them which cai\ caUSQ pratto, Sp if we reed extra transport and vou could bring vour car, can
you tick the 'car' column next to vour name? Could you also add vour student number and vour
telephone number, just in case there are any last minute changes and we have to contact you. The other
information I need to give you is about lunch. There's a very nice little restaurant in Ironbridge, which
gives a 15% discount to the college when we bring groups. That means lunch is only about £4, and thev
do good vegetarian meals too, so ifs usually no problem for those of you on special diets. But if you
prefer to eat your own food that's fine too, either on the bus or in the park. But Td encourage you to try
the restaurant. Now talking of costs I should tell you that the bus will only cost you £10, and if you bring
your car well pay for the petrol, so you get a free trip in return for driving there. Will you please sign up
by Saturday at 6pm at the latest, the list is closed after that We will depart at 9.30am sham on Tuesday
morning, so please make sure that vou arrive at least 15 minutes before so that you can find a seat and
get settled on the bus, (Pause) The college bus garage is behind the engineering workshop. Ifs quite easy
to find. If vow come hre to the Student Union building, then walk east down the Avenue until vou get to
the Childcare centre pn your left, and then turn left and nalk PflSt the sports centre and the tennis
courts, which are both on your left-Cross over Central Square and opposite von is the engineering
workshop. Walk around to the back and youll see the bus. Please wear comfortable shoes as well be
walking around Ironbridge and be on our feet for most of the day. Wear a warm jacket and vou might
like to bring an umbrella and a backpack to put them in if the weather's warn and sunny, which we hope
it will be, but of course we can't guarantee that! Certainly bring your cameras and any snacks or drinks
for the bus journey there and back, which should take about an hour and a half each way. You should all
check the notice board on Monday and well also put a note in your mailbox to confirm arrangements, so
don't forget to check it Now why are we visiting Ironbridge? Well Ironbridge (as the name suggests) has
got the original iron bridge - that is the first ever iron bridge in the world! It was the birthplace of the
Industrial Revolution, and for 40 years it led the world - as Britain changed from an agricultural society
into an industrial one. It's hard to imagine today that this pretty, sleepy little tourist town was one of the
most important places in England for over a century. Just imagine, 209 years ago, people from all over
Europe and even North America came to Ironbridge to learn about what was then the latest technology!
Today it is listed as a World Heritage Site fcy the United Nations, as they consider the unique collection
of industrial monuments rank it alongside the Grand Canvon. the Pyramids and the Great Barrier Reef.
One place that's fun to visit is Blist Hill, which is a reconstruction of a small Victorian industrial town,
where people are working and living as they did a hundred years ago. I hope you'll enjoy the day - ifs
been a very popular excursion in previous years, so Fm looking foiward to going again next Tuesday.
Now don't forget to put your name on the list as soon as possible
Section 3
a group of students, Henry, Jo, Nancy and Gordon, discussing changes to their work experience
placement arrangements.
H Look there's the notice that Professor Jones told us he'd be putting up confirming the details
of our work experience placements.
J But I thought that was already arranged.
H No, he said he'd have to check wilh the companies that the days we preferred we OK for them - let's
see if any have changed. Theresa's not here today, but her name's first - it says the Uni Bookshop, Friday
aranungs, starting on the 23rd March, so nothing's changed. IH let her know.
Jo What about Manuel? He's not here either. Is he still going to the music store in the High St?
H If ifs Mainly Music, yes he's still down for that, on Friday afternoons, starting on the 9th.
Jo Um.. the day's different - ifs changed from Tuesday mornings, but that's OK, Til tell him. Hell really
enjoy listening to music all day!
H Now where's my name....Henry....here it is....I'm going to The Beauty Shop, and I said I preferred
Thursday afternoons...oh good, that seems OK and mv start date hasn't changed either. Jo, what day did
you opt for?
Jo Fm going to Highway Hotels on Monday mornings.
J Oh has that been changed? OK I was scheduled to start the rrcri; tafrre. HI just mate a nf?tp nf tM.
N What about me, Henry? Have I still got the Explore Travel Service on Wednesday mornings?
H Just a minute, where's your name? Uh let's see Nancy. OK here it is. Explore Travel on Wednesdays,
ves ...but afternoons and starting date is Wednesday 14th March. Has the date charmed?
N No not the date, iust the time, which is fine - III get to sleep in! You lazy thing Nancy! Chris's name is
next on the list. Gorgeous Gowns Fashions, what a name! Yes it sounds good, doesn't it? Tra hoping hell
bring me some free samples! So has he still got Wednesday mornings?
H Yes, Wednesday mornings, starting op the 14th March.
N OK, Fll tell him when I see him tonight that his arrangements haven't changed.
J Gordon, what about you?
G I chose that software company that makes computer games, I can't remember its name, but I asked
for Tuesday afternoons.
J Oh yes, here it is Games to Go on Wednesday mornings...there's a note here saving thev have their
weekly staff meetings on Tuesday afternoons, so that wouldn't be much use to vou. That's whv they've
changed it to Wednesdays, starting on 21st March, so you can see their working set up.
G OK Tm glad they've changed it. I don't think I'd want to sit through a meeting every week!
(Pause)
Can someone remind me what time we have to get to our tit in the afternoons?
J It says here "mornings start at 9am and afternoon sessions at
G Oh thafs a shame. I thought Professor Jones was going to change it to 9.30am and 1.30pm.
J Yes he did say that he'd try to make it later, but obviously that wasn't possible.
G By the way, just in case, what happens if we're ill or something and can't make it? Do we phone the
college or the place we're going to?
N I think we have to phone the company first and then the college. Didn't you get the information
sheet about work experience at our last seminar? |
G No I missed it because I had to go to the dentist. What else did it say?
N Well we have to do a total of 24 hours altogether, so if we miss one of the arranged sessions we have
to organise another time to make up the hours. And he gave us details of the presentation we haw to
give, about our work experience.
G Oh really, whit dp we have to do?
J In week 10 we each have to give a presentation to the class about the company we've been with. Ifs
30% of o\u final mark for this subject, so ifs going to be a lot of work!
N Yes he's expecting us to do a lot of research while we're there, so that we can outline the history of
the company, its management structure, number of employees, other branches etc,
J And he said we should use lots of visuals such as diagrams and flow charts during the presentation.
H Yes, and we should also include what we did each week, the different departments of the company
or positions that we observed, and try to relate what we saw to our studies so far. He gave examples like
management style, accounting systems, information technology, and so on.
G You were right. It sounds like lots of work!
Section 4
A talk from a member of the Conservation Society about 'green cleaning'
Good morning everyone. Ifs a pleasure to be here as a representative of the Conservation Society, to
talk to you about "Green Cleaning", in other words about ways you can help to save the environment at
the same time as savin? money. Fll start with saving money - as we're all interested in that, especially
students who are living on a tight budget. Probably none of you has sat down and calculated how much
you spend on cleaning products each year - everything from dishwashing detergent, window cleaners
and so on through to shampoos and conditioners for your hair, and then those disasters - products to
get stains out of carpets, or to rescue burnt saucepans. I can see some nods of agreement, even if vou
don't spend a lot of time on housework you'd end up spending quite a lot of money over a period of
time, wouldn't you? We can save money on products and also use products which are cheap,
biodegradable and harmless to the environment - these I will call 'green' products. Unfortunately most
cleaning products on sale commercially are none of these, and many of our waterways and oceans are
polluted with bleach, dioxins, phosphates and artificial colourings and perfumes. Also, think how mapy
plastic frptfe each household throws away over a year - thgyll still be vmA in land-fill when you are
grandparents: So we often feel there's nothing we can do to make a difference, but we can. The actual
'recipes' are on handouts you can take at the end of the talk: The sorts of ingredients I'm referring to are
things like bicarbonate of soda, eucalyptus oil, ammonia, vinegar, lemons, pure soap. Lastly many
people find they're allergic to modern Nothing in these recipes should cause vou any problems, an end
to itching and wheezino! (Pause) So lets start with spills and stains. Soda water is wonderful as an
immediate stain remover: mop up the excess spilL don't rub but apply soda water immediately - its great
for tea, coffee, wire-beer and milk - as is salt or bicarbonate of soda, which will While we are talking
about disasters lets quickly look at some others that can be avoided. Bicarbonate of soda is wonderful
for removing smells, especially in the fridge - an open box in the fridge will eliminate smells for up to
three months. And those terrible burnt saucepans? Either sprinkle with OUT good friend hicaib again,
and leave it to stand, or cover with vinegar and a laver of cool. Much cheaper than a new saucepan!
Then there are heat rings on wooden furniture. Simply nib with a mixture of salt and olive oil, or for
scratched furniture use olive oil and vinegar. Now lets look at general cleaning - first the floors. If your
floor covering is made of slate, cork or ceramic tiles or lino it probably only needs a mop or a scrub with
vinegar in a bucket of water. Carpets can be shampooed using a combination of pure soap, washing
soda, cloudy ammonia and some boiling water. You put a small amount of this mixture onto the mark on
the carpet, rub with a cloth until it lathers and then wipe off the excess. A smelly carpet can be
deodorized by sprinkling bicarbonate of soda on the surface, leaving overnight and vacuuming off the
next day. Cleaning in the kitchen, bathroom and toilet, is the next section
LISTENING- TEST 3
Section 1
A conversation between two students about buying a used car
E Hello.
J Hello. Can I speak to Elena please.
E This is Elena speaking. 3 Hi. My name is Jan. I'm calling about the car that was advertised on the
notice board in the student union building. Is it still for sale?
E Yes it is.
J Your ad says it's a 1985 Celica, in good condition.
E It's old but it has been well looked after. My family has had the car for ten years. I'm just the third
owner and my mother had it before me, so we know its history. We've got all the receipts and records.
It's had regular maintenance and the brakes were done last year. It runs really well, but it looks its age.
J Why are you selling it, by the way?
E Well rm Qoinq overseas next month to study. HI be away for at lea.?* o I have to sell it, u *ely. Its
been a good
J You want S1500? Is tw right?
E I wasking 52000 but since l^teed to sell it quickly, reduced the price. Would you like to come and take
it drive? I don't live fai from the university.
J Yes I'd like to have a look. What time would suit you?
J I'm glad I ran into you. I've decided I have to get a car. S You're going to buy a car? Do you really need
one? I'd probably still be driving except that my car broke down last year. Instead of getting another
one, I just moved closer to the university and went back to riding a bike - better for the environment,
better for my health and I save a lot of money.
J Did it really cost that much?
S Well when you think of registration, insurance, rising petrol costs, parking, plus maintenance and
repairs, it adds up.
JI know it's going to be expensive but I really need my own transportation. It takes a half an hour by bus
each way to university as it is. But now I'm There's no way 1 want to hang at night then walk 3 blocks
home alone.
S Hey, I think you've got a point there. So what kind of car are you looking at?
J Ifs an 85 Celica, same Jrind as I used to have. The owner's asking $1500.
S Thafs pretty old. How many kilometres has it done?
J You know, I forgot to ask. HI have to check tonight when I go to see it. Would you be able to come
with me to have a look? At about 6:30?
S Sure Til come, but I don't know a lot about cars. I do know one thing, though. I wouldn't buy an old
car without having a mechanic look at it first.
J Thafs a good idea but won't it cost a lot?
S Not really. You can get a check done through the Automobile Association for $80 and it comes with a
report on the condition of the car. It can save you a lot of money in the bng run.
J I’ll keep that in mind. So we have to get to Parkwood at 6:30. Do you want to take the bus? It goes
straight down South Road every fifteen minutes. Or maybe we could walk. I don't think ifs that far.
S Actually I could borrow my room mate's motorbike for an hour or so. He's working all evening in the
library.
J Do you think he'd mind?
S No way. He owes me a favour or two.
J OK. Great! See you at six, outside the Student Centre.
SECTION 2
Hello everyone. Glad to see so many happy faces on this wild and windy day. Are you all ready to go
looking for whales? I'm Tony and our other guide today is Dale. We'll be using these two rubber boats
you see here and our trip today will take 3 hours. In a few minutes, well be heading into part of the
largest temperate rainforest of the Pacific Northwest, fll show you our route on the map here. This is
where we are now. Well be leaving the sheltered bay and heading out across the mouth of the bay
toward the open water. As you know, last night there were strong winds in the area so we can't go out
into the ocean as we had planned. Near the mouth, the water will be quite rough, That's where we are
most likely to spot orcas or killer whales as they are also called. After crossing the where vou took for
ipw whate. Then we will continue up this narrow inlet dose to the shore. You will have a great view of
giant fir and cedar trees that have never been logged- Here is the place to watch for wildlife. You are
likely to see bears along the shore and eagles in the sky overhead. Right at the back of the inlet, here,
are the hot springs where we will be stopping for an hour. You can have a soothing soak in bubbling hot
water before the return trip. Ill tell you a little bit about the whales now because with the noise of the
wind and the engine you won't be able to hear much out there. As we head out in the boat, we will
probably see dolphins first They are a grey colour and quite small -1-2 metres long. They will swim right
beside the boat, racing along and sometime jumping out of the water just ahead of us. They swim very
fast, and thev are playful and curious. They're really fun to watch. The next ones we'll see are orcas or
killer whales, which are actually members of the dolphin family. They are 7-8 metres long, very fast and
they have sharp teeth. Some stay in these waters all year round. We identify them by the distinctive
hlarlr and white colour. They feed mainly on salmon in these waters, but the orca diet can include
seabirds, seals, dolphins and other mammals. They can be fierce hunters and this is why they are called
"killer whales'. We should start watching for them as soon as we get out towards open water. We're
likely to spot the orcas from a considerable distance. Watch for the black and white marking and mist
spouting from the blow holes on top of their heads. Just outside the inlet is where we will probably see
grey whales. The greys are migratory. They pass through here twice a year, moving from far in the north
where they feed, to the warm southern waters where they breed. You're very lucky today because
several have been reported in the area. Unlike the orcas, greys are solitary, except when you see a
mother with a calf. The grey whales are much longer and heavier than the orcas -14 metres long and
weighing up to 30 tonnes. The grey whales are filter feeders, gathering tiny ghost shrimp from the sand
at the bottom. We recognize greys from their tail fins, because each one is different. Once we find the
whales, well come up as close as we can safely. We are allowed to approach the whales no closer than
50 meters but that feels pretty close when you are in the presence of animals this big. Youll see mist
coming out of the blowholes when they breathe out and youll hear a loud hiss. If we are downwind, we
might even be able to smell them - a strong fishy smell (Pause) Now for just a few words of caution. It
will quite bouncy out there, especially in the front of the boat. If you want a smoother ride, stay in the
middle of the boat, close to the engine. Hold onto the ropes and keep an eye on any big waves. Be alert
so you don't get thrown out of the boat. In case of an emergency, you are all wearing survival suits.
They'll keep you warm and dry in or out of the water. They are bright orange for visibility. The water
temperature is around 8 degrees. Without these suits you would only last a few minutes in this cold
water. With these suits your survival time is increased dramatically. They will keep you upright in the
water even if you can't swim. But we don't expect anybody to end up in the water so don't worry.
people have to use their left hand, which is the weaker hand. Typewriter technology improved, doing
away with the original rationale for the QWERTY distribution, but the keyboard remained. In spite of its
inefficiency, it is the keyboard we all use today. (Pause) Already, back in 1932, there was a solution to
the problem. Efficiency expert August Dvorak came up with a new keyboard layout. His home row
consisted of AOEUIDHTNS- which includes all of the vowels as well as the most commonly used letters.
On this keyboard, over three thousand words can be typed using only the home row. In fact, 70% of all
the work can be done on the home row, 22% on the row above, and 8% on the row below. The QWERTY
keyboard allows only about fifty words to be typed without reaching for other rows. In addition, on
Dvorak's keyboard, the right band handles 56% of the work load and the left handles 44%, just about the
opposite of the division on the QWERTY keyboard. This is an advantage for most right banders. The
Dvorak keyboard, increased accuracy in typing by almost 50 percent and speed by 15 percent to 20
percent. How much labour did this Dvorak layout save? In one study, a group of typists was evaluated in
the use of both keyboards. Those using the Dvorak keyboard moved their fingers just about one mile on
an average day, while those who used the QWERTY keyboard moved their fingers an average of twelve
to twenty mite?! The superiority of the Dvorak keyboard was clearly established. However, it has never
been adopted as the keyboard of choice. Why? First or all, bad luck and bad timing on the part of the
Dvorak team. First there was the Depression, not a good time for introducing change. But the main
factor that worked against the Dvorak system was habit People were used to the QWERTY keyboard.
Computers today could easily switch the arrangement of letters to the Dvorak layout, but it seems that
because of habit, the QWERTY layout remains dominant. People felt comfortable with the keyboard
they learned on so it was the established patterns of hundreds of millions of typists, manufacturers,
typing teachers and typewriter salespeople that have crushed all moves toward keyboard efficiency for
over 70 years. It looks like QWERTY keyboard may be with us for a long time yet.
LISTENING TEST 4
Section 1
A comersation m an international airport between a newly student, Jenny Lee, and an agent at the lost
luggage counter
A Ok, who's next, please?
J I think I am.
A How can I help you?
J I just came in on flight 372 from Singapore at 11:30 and my luggage hasn't arrived, Tve been waiting
at the baggage claim for about a half an hour now and everything seems to have come off the plane. The
conveyor belt has stopped and all the passengers have gone. So I came here to find out what has
happened to my bag.
A Can I see your ticket please? . .
J Here it is.
A So you came from Honp Kong today and changed planes in Singapore, right?
J Yes the connection in Singapore was a tight one. The plane got in late and I had to rush to to next
flight.
A Thafs the problem right there. There wasn't enough time to get your bags onto the connecting flight
Normally Singapore airport is very efficient. Now, I need you to fill in these forms. Your name?
J Jenny Lee
A Address?
J I guess you want ray address here. I'm staying with relatives. Just a minute, IH have to look it up. It
looks like 583, no its 533 East 67th St. in Riverside.
A Do you have the phone number there?
J Yes I do. Ifs -Lini 93014269.
A So you came in on Qantas Flight 392. Do you know the number of the flight out of Hong Kong?
J Let me see. I think it was Cathay Pacific 900 or something. Oh yes, it says here CX912.
(Pause)
A Right. Now, I need a description of the luggage. How many pieces did you check in?
J Just one.
A Can you describe it for me? Here is a picture to help you.
J OK. It's a big bag like this one. Rectangular - not hard shell but soft covered and it has a zipper around
the front.
A Is it black?
J No, sort of a grey colour.
A Any identification?
J Just a tag with my name on it.
A Any other features?
J Well, it has wheels, and a retractable handle on the end so you can pull it, as well as the handle in the
middle.
A OK thafs fine. Now, if your bag missed the connection, Tm sure ifll be put on the next flight. TU email
Singapore as soon as I finish here. The next flight comes in at 17:50. thafs ten to six this evening. You can
pick it up then.
J Ten to six. Thafs too long to wait. Can I get my uncle to pick up the bag on his way home from work?
A Sony. You have to be here yourself to clear customs.
J Of course. I almost forgot. Will the bag come here, to this desk?
A Yes. You pick it up here, then take it over to the customs area. By the way, don't forget to bring your
passport. You will also need to have the key plus your ticket vrith the baggage claim ~
Section 2
A recorded message about buying tickets from a booking agency
Thank you for calling ATS Advanced Ticketing System, the call system for all your entertainment needs.
Our automated telephone service is designed to answer your questions quickly and easily. The ATS office
in the Regency Theatre is open Monday to Thursdays from lQam-5 pm and on Friday and Saturday till 8
pm. For online bookings and detailed program Listings check ouj \ website at www.abtjx.com That's
spelled A-T-S-T-I-X. Please listen to the choices available. You may press vour choice as" soon as you
hear it to get more information. For sporting events including the Weston International Tennis Classic,
press 1. < For the Formula 1 Grand Prix, press 2. For classical music including the upcoming Philharmonic
Orchestra series, press 3. For theatre and dance press 4. For other enquiries, please hold the line.
(Pause)
Ticket prices for the Formula 3 Grand Prix on the 10th-14th March are asfollows:
General Admission
Thursday $27 Concession $10
Friday $37 Concession $15
Saturday $55 Concession $35
Sunday $70 Concession $65
Concession rates apply to children under 14 and to students, seniors and pensioners on presentation of
a valid card. Grandstand seating Four-day tickets covering the 6 main grandstands cost $299. However,
Pit Straight tickets are $350 and seats at the Chicane cost $450 each. Children under 3 are admitted free
to the general admission area and children under 14 are eligible for concession prices. Gates open at
Sam Thursday and Friday and 7:30 Saturday and Sunday. Events begin at 9:00. Alcohol, ice boxes, cans,
bottles and animals are not allowed on site. There are no refunds or exchanges. On each ticket a $2.50
booking fee applies. To make a booking you must have a valid credit card. To listen again press l. To
make a booking or to talk to a ticket agent, press 2. You call is in our queue. You can expect to wait
about 3 minutes.
Section 3
A discussion among three students, who are organising an international film festival at their college
C Thanks for coming to this meeting on such short notice, Anna and Veronica. It looks like we have just
become the organising committee for this year's international film festival. We've all just met so perhaps
we should start by an introduction with a bit of background from each of us.
A OK. Tm Anna. I finished three years of a Languages degree in Sweden, where I come from. This year I
decided to study overseas to get to know a different part of the world. Tm also a big fan of European
cinema, especially French and Italian. Those are the languages I majored in along with English. To me,
film is a great way to learn about the rest of the world. I was in the film club at my university so when I
saw the notice asking for volunteers, I thought it would be a good way to meet people and get involved
in something I really enjoy.
V Thanks, Anna. My name is Veronica and I come from Italy. Fm doing graduate studies in English
Literature. I went to some of the films in the festival last year and enjoyed them. I especially liked the
video interviews. That was when I decided to get involved. I used to do film reviews for our student
newspaper back home
C Hi Tm Chris from Scotland and Tm in 4th year Journalism. Cinema is my hobby. Last year I joined the
organising committee, just like you have now, and somehow, this year I've ended up in chaige. Tm
actually able to use mv coordinating work on the festival towards a credit for one of mv courses. I have
to write up a report on the festival with recommendations so that's an extra motivation for me. So I
hope this is going to be a good experience for us all. OK. Where would you like to start?
A How about a general overview of the festival? I don't really know much about it.
C Well, the film festival was started by International Students' Society five years ago and has grown
every year. It is held over 4 nights during study break. Wednesday to Saturday. Normally we show 3
films a night. Last year we tried to choose films from different parts of the world that fit together in
some way. Maybe a similar theme. Or we could feature a type of film like action films or science fiction.
(Pause)
A Who picks the films?
C It's UP to us. on the committee, to decide.
V You mean we get to pick all the films ourselves? What a hard decision! There are so many to choose
from.
C Well that's the fun part. We have this catalogue of independent distributors. The films are listed by
language and have a short summary. We just have to go through it to find a good combination of films
that will attract an audience.
A Veronica mentioned something about interviews. How does that fit in?
C We set up cameras in the foyer of the theatre and did Uve interviews before, during intermission and
after the screening. Anyone from the audience could come up and talk about the film. The broadcasting
and journalism school set it up and ran the interviews. They were shown on big screens around the
lobby and in the theatre. It went over really well. We had a long line up of students waiting to be
interviewed on TV. Everybody wanted their minute of feme.
A Great idea!
C Yeah, it worked really well. We should certainly do something similar again.
V Maybe even develop the idea further. Like a website with audience reviews and discussion so we can
get as much participation and involvement as possible.
C Hey thafs « 7^4 ideal
A Can I ? n, None of the fi "nalish, right? Are they dubbed or subtitled?
C r """-H, we do occasional^ * se. a film in Engb'sh but only from usualwhere Hfl uialect i^o strong they
sometimes need subtitles- tifcTthe Caribbean or even Scotland! The majority of films in the festival are
foreign language, dubbed in English. We've learned from experience that students don't like reading
subtitles. Maybe they read too much already. Whatever the reason the subtitled films get smaller
audiences so we avoid them as much as possible. V So how large an audience can we expect and how
much does it cost to get in?
C It costs $5 per film or a $20 pass for the whole event * all 12 films for the real movie fan. We would
have broken even last year except for a bad storm on the Friday night - we almost had to cancel the
whole thing. But overall we had a good turnout -more than 2000 people in 4 days.
V Thafs what I was wondering about - the financial part. Where does the funding come ftom? What
kind of budget do we have?
C The festival is subsidised by the student council. We generate money through advertising and through
admission charges. We'll go over the budget in detail a little later. But we've got lots of work to do in the
meantime.
A I guess we have to start pretty soon.
C Well, I think by the first of March at the latest, we need to select all the films. Then we have to find
some advertisers to sponsor the event - that shouldn't be too hard. Well just start with last year's list.
Our deadline for that should be the middle of March. By the end of March we need to design the
program. Then we can get posters made up and distributed in ApriL
V Like you said, we need some clever promotion - something to generate interest and get people
talking. We have 4 months to get ready. It should be enough time.
C OK where do we start?
A Let's start by talking about films - since that is the best part - and see what we come up with. What
was the best film you saw last year?
Section 4
A talk given by a lecturer to a group of avil engineering students on the reed bed system for sewage
treatment
Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today about what is now called the reed bed sewage
treatment system. This system uses naturally occurring reeds to treat domestic and industrial waste. Ifs
an environmentally friendly alternative to normal systems. You all know what reeds are like don't you? -
those tall plants with hollow stems that grow in wet places... like marshes, for example. Here's how the
system works. First of all, an artificial marsh is created. To do this, holes are dug about 1 metre deep and
usually rectangular in shape. They are then lined with day or plastic and the liner is covered with gravel.
After that, a system of tubing is laid, with holes in it and more gravel is added to cover that. Finally reeds
are planted in the bed. The sewage is brought to settling tanks. From there it is distributed to the roots
of the reeds through the tubing. Note that the waste material enters the beds underground and remains
underground. The reeds conduct oxygen very effidently through their stems to the roots system. Here,
bacteria work to reduce the waste material to basic elements. What comes out of the artificial marsh is
water that has been cleaned through a| natural process. The purified water leaves the reed. a simple
outflow pipe. The water that comes out has to b« tested. Sometimes it is he in a pond until it evaporates
or soaks into the gr Sometimes, after testing, the water is discharged streams and rivers. (Pause) The
reed bed system originated in Germany in the 1970s and installations have been built in a number of
countries throughout the world. To give you an idea of the size and appearance of a reed bed
installation, an area of 3 by 5 metres approximately would be adequate for a single house. It would look
lite a pond overgrown with reeds. There are tities with 150,000 people in Germany whose entire sewage
treatment requirements are served by reed bed installations which extend for 10-20 hectares. There are
two wonderful environmental advantages. First of. reed bed systems are natural composters. As time
passes grade soil builds up in the beds. The soil can be removed used for agricultural purposes. Soil
produced from waste containing heavy metals would, of course, have to be test the toxic material
removed by chemical processes.
An additional advantage is that the reed bed can function exactly as a marsh, providing a healthy natural
home or habitat for waterfowl and other birds, insects, reptiles and mammals. But there are practical
advantages to a reed bed system over existing sewage treatment plants as well At all levels the cost is
lower than for normal systems. Labour costs are a fraction of the costs of a conventional system.
Typically a large scale reed bed installation will cost 10% less than a mechanical system. They require
little maintenance and unlike mechanical systems, the effidencv of reed beds increases over time. But
before we go any further, you must have some questions? Maybe this sounds too good to be true.
S1 Thafs exactly what I wanted to ask. If these systems have so many benefits, why aren't they more
popular? Why don't we see them everywhere?
L As I said, the technology is now almost 40 years old. Demonstration projects of all types have been
built and monitored and are slowly convincing regulators of the advantages of the system. But you have
to understand that regulating authorities are by nature conservative and resist change. Typically there is
a lot of opposition to these systems - by manufacturers, and by everyone involved in maintaining the
conventional systems. Feed bed systems require fewer staff to operate so there would be a decline in
the workforce. Therefore unions would resist the change as welL
S2 What happens to reed beds in winter? Does the efficiency decrease?
L The above ground part of the plants die back in cold weather but the roots remain alive and active
and the system continues to work just as effectively in winter. As soon as the weather warms up new
reeds appear and grow quickly.
S3 Is there a problem with mosquitoes in these ponds?
L Well, they are not exactly ponds, with standing water. The beds look more like a field, covered with
long grass. The soil is moist but not like a swamp so there would be no more mosquitoes than in any
other field. Remember, the effluent enters the beds underground and remains underground. Ok let's get
into some of the technical details now and III answer questions as they come up.
Introduction
I: Hellp. I’m Jessie, and your name is….?
W: Zsuzso
Zsuzso. And you're from?
From Hungary.
Hungary. And ... ii this your identification?
Here it is.
OIL Thank yen.
PART 1
OK, flat then, a few questions about you and your Ufa. Left talk about your family: Do you Mine from a
Urge or a smaa faulty? A relatively large family, five members. Sight And do all your family live in the
same town or city? No, I live in Australia and my family Uve in Hungary. Mm light So how often do you
see your brothers and sisters? Probably once a year. Do you have a lot In common with them? Well we
look the same, urn I suppose our lives are little bit different however. OK. Is it alright to talk about your
frieads? Thafs OK. Do you have lots of friends or just a few special friends? I've got a few very spedal
friends but er I do have lots of people I can call friends. Oh huh and can you say something about one or
two of your friends? Well I've got a spedal friend called Pat er she always helps me through rough times.
I've got another special friend, Gordon, who is also wonderful and we share lots of activities together.
What kinds of things do yon and your frieads do together? We like hiking, going outdoors and visiting
places and I suppose just even just go shopping. Mm, are you a person who enjoys spending time alone?
Definitely not. No? Not at alL OK Let's move on to talk about travelling to other countries. What other
countries have you visited? I have visited a few ... I came from Hungary then um I went to visit um most
of the countries in Europe, America um some countries in Asia and Australia thafs all.
Which other countries are you interested in visiting? I suppose every country has got a lot to offer, um if
a country has got good food and good people, Fm happy to go there. Uh huh and what are some of the
things that you don't like about travelling? I don't like the inconvenience of the travelling itself, going,
taking aeroplanes, and living out of suitcases. Probably these are the big 'no-nos' about travel. OK.
Part 2
Now I'm going to give you a piece of paper with a topic on it Please talk about the topic for 1-2 minutes,
but before you talk you have about I minute to plan. You can write notes if you want to. Is that OK? Yes
thafs fine. Here's some paper for your notes and this & the topic: Please describe a favourite shop or
store.
TOPIC CARD
Describe a favourite shop or store.
Yon should say:
where it is and what it looks like
what it sells
what you like to buy there and
OK. Don't forget you only have 1 to 2 minutes for your talk so I might stop you when the time's up. Thafs
all right. Ready to start? Yes. Yeah, I have to describe my favourite shop. It is very hard because tm a
'shopaholic', so I've got many favourite shops. Amongst the many er favourites there is one special
store, ifs a department store called David Jones. I like shopping there because of the quality and variety
of goods in the store. It is always an experience to shop there ifs almost like a treasure hunt. I like
shopping in an elegant and sophisticated environment um ... I can browse for hours in a depai..a
different level in the department store, in the food store, at the book store, at the fashion departments,
er they're just all wonderful. During the Festive Season the shop transform into something magical, urn
which touches my heart even as an adult so I definitely have to say that 1 love shopping there. OK.
Thank you. Um do your friends like to shop there too? I think so, I converted them. OK. All right
Part 3
Now you talked about a shop that you liked, so lef s talk now about some other aspects of shopping.
First, electronic shopping. What do yon think of shopping on the Internet? Firstly I didn't like shopping
on the Internet it somehow er took away the personal um touch from shopping; however I had to
realise later on of the conveniences of electronic shopping um such as um if I want to buy a book which
is available in America on-line, I can order it and within a week I can have it and read it and use it which
is quite convenient. Yes and how do you think that using the Internet is going to affect shopping in the
future? Um I suppose lots and lots of people nowadays working with the Internet or using Internet
daily ... so it is convenient to shop on line, so probably more and more people going to use that.
However, I think that might be just sort of convenient shopping because I believe for example to buy a
chocolate bar is probably easier to pop into the comer store rather than order it on the Internet and
wait for it for days. For sure, for sure. Why do you think that shopping has become so popular with
young people now? •funk the meaning abmo has changed i4' oast decatos... raths^than having rmt of a
gathering experience taking th* necessary goods, I think it- became a social activi™. It is popij 1... to go
with hip' M to try a couple of rrSw clothes on, pop into the mall to see whafs-new and in the same time
have a cup of coffee. Yes, so talking about consumer habits in general um how are your parents'
shopping habits, for example, different from your own? I should say very different. My father used to
own a little deli in Hungary. They shopped every day, that was part of their lives. And um my time is so
precious for me, I have to manage ray time so I don't have time for shopping every day, so I go shopping
every two weeks and I suppose ifs helping my wallet as well, saving some money. Kmm. And speaking of
wallets do you think in wealthy countries people buy too many things that they don't need? Is that the
case in your country as well? I can't really speak about what...or talk about whafs happening now in
Hungary, as I left the country five years ago. However, um five years ago and earlier than that we used
to buy just necessary things... we had to make our mind up whether we would like to buy a pair of shoes
or do we huy a microwave so it wasn't a luxury to sort of shop every day, it was a necessary sort of
making choices. I suppose was very hard but we had to. Right OK. Well, thafs the end of the interview.
Thanks very much for talking with me and good luck. Thank you very much.
Part 1
OK, first then a few questions about you and your life. Yeah. Lefs talk about your family. Bo you come
from a large or a smalt family? Well ifs not large or... ifs not a small but ifs just a medium one. We got six
members in my family. OK and um do all your family live in the same town or city? No, no they separate.
Right How often do you see your brothers and sisters? Well, usually I meet my brother three times a
year and then I meet my sister once a year because of one of my sister now is living in Canada.
PART 2
OK. Now I’m going to give you a piece of paper with a topic on it. Please talk about the topic for 1-2
minutes, but before you talk you can have 1 minute to plan. You can write notes if you want to. Is that
OK?
Yeah.
Here’s some paper for your notes and this is the topic: Please describe an important year in your life.
TOPIC CARD
Describe an important year in your life.
You should say:
How old you were
What important things you remember from that year
Where these things happened and say why you think that year is so important.
OK. Don’t forget you only have 1-2 minutes for your talk so I might stop you when the time is up. Ready
to start?
Yeah. Well’ I think the most important year in my life is when I study IMBA degree in the univerth.. in
the university of Hull U.. in UK. That experience give me culture schock, a real culture shock. I… noticed
that um Mexican people speak Spanish and one of, I remember, one of my Spanish classmates she can’t
differentiation.. differentiate Thailand and Taiwan. And another experience is when I went to a British
family in the Christmas holiday and that family.. didn’t know where the location of Taiwan is and the
family. They didn’t have an idea about Taiwan. That give me a real sh.. culture shock because from the
American point of view, most of American or Canadian people they know the Taiwan situation. But form
the west from the European or from a British point of view they are not have the same idea. That.. so
that really give me a culture shock. So I noticed that if we evaluate different issues we have to judge
from the international point of view. That’s very important for me right now. Thank you. Did you keep a
diary, or something in writing, to remember that year?
Oh, I didn’t. That was very pity.
PART 3
OK. You talked about things you remember from an important year la year Ufa. Now I d like to talk
about some general questions connected te memory and the past. How important do you think It Is to
know your family history? Well I don't think ifs mf important. Well... this, this probably because... my
expetknce. U em family, one family is their history is doing business that would be important for the...
for the other family, the othff members of the family to learn how to doing business but for mt the.,, the
thi study on... in the academic field is just work by myself so I don't think (he family history would be
very important for me. Umm. ITA; i are the smi ways to keep a family history alive for...piopler for ftihue
members of your family, do you think? Well you say the best way, (MI) oh w*ll if this family has a glory
history of coursi it should be IlirtU hut rr I have two academic vocabulary have to msntlon heie, Iho i>in>
is 1earo'/the other one is
OK. You talked about things you remember from an important year in your life. Now I’d like to talk about
some general questions connected to memory and the past. How important do you think it is to know
you family History?
Well I don’t think it’s very important, Well.. this, this probably because.. my experience. If one family,
one family is their history is doing business that would be important for the.. for the other family, the
other members of the family to learn how to doing business but for me the.. the the study .. in the
academic field is just work by myself so I don’t think the family history would be very important to me.
Umm. What are the best ways to keep a family history alive for.. people, for future members of your
family, do you think?
Well'unlearn', which mean to learn a new things and unlearn the past success because the family history
ifs... ifs a kind of past tense (mm} so people should learn new things and unlearn the past success thafs
would be better. And are you not curious about yonr history? Mo I don't think so because er...my family
came from China but er most of my family didn't haven't ...gone to China so ifs a. it's a not a big image
for me to... to learn and or to learn something from that history Uhuh. Do you think it is important to
study and understand the history of one's country? Yes of course,... because history give us a lesson that
um make us the same situation won't happen again. Yeah? What, for example? Well ura ..for example,...
in now there's a conflict you know between Taiwan and China. The separation is just only 40 years but
um from that long term of view ... they are two very longest long period of separation in China. Each has
four hundred years separation but finally the dynasty of China has been united. Ah. And why do you
think studying history has become less popular these days? Well I think this is probably because of the
education system, because most of the teacher they just ...cram knowledge into the brain of the
students so they, students don't like history. Ifs because ifs very boring. How do you think we could
encourage young people to become interested in history? I think the teachers should ... teach the
student from the longitudinal perspective to compare with the different dynasty, to compare with the
different countries, that would be more interesting. And should they only learn abont Chinese history?
No, no of course not, it should learn all the history in the world, for example Af.. the present, the United
States against Afghanistan. Most of people don't realise the history of, of the. .Afghanistan. Uhuh, well it
sounds very interesting but the interview has ended now so thank you very much for talking to me.
You're welcome.