International

Language

Standard

Teaching IELTS

Министерство образования и науки Российской Федерации Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение

высшего образования «Алтайский государственный педагогический университет»

International Language Standard

Teaching IELTS

Учебно-методическое пособие

Барнаул – 2016

УДК 811.111 (075) ББК 81.432.1 я73

I-69

International Language Standard. Teaching IELTS : учебно-методическое пособие / сост. Я.П. Филиппова. – Барнаул : АлтГПУ, 2016. – 89 с.

Состовитель: канд. филол. наук, доцент Я.П. Филиппова

Рецензент: канд. филол. наук, профессор Т.Д. Максимова

Настоящее издание соответствует программе курса «Международный языковой стандарт» и включает теоретический материал по темам, входящим в программу дисциплины, а также практический материал на усвоение формата международного экзамена IELTS. Данное учебно-методическое пособие ориентиро-вано на подготовку бакалавров и магистрантов изучающих англий-ский язык по направлениям «Педагогическое образование» и «Теория межкультурной коммуникации и обучения иностранным языкам», а также может использоваться на других специализи-рованных факультетах высших учебных заведений и подходит для широкого круга лиц, изучающих английский язык (уровень Upper Intermediate и Advanced) и/или планирующих сдавать экзамен IELTS.

Рекомендовано к изданию редакционно-издательским советом АлтГПУ 28.01.2016 г.

© Алтайский государственный педагогический университет, 2016

Contents

Предисловие ……………………………………………………... Unit 1. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages………………………………………………………….. IELTS Mapping to the CEFR …………………………………...... Questions to Unit 1 ……………………………………………….. Unit 2. IELTS ………………………..…………………………... General Information………………………………………………. IELTS History……..……………………………………………..... Questions to sections General Information, IELTS History………. IELTS Test Format in Brief ………………………………………. Academic vs General Training IELTS …………………................. Questions to sections Test Format in Brief, Academic vs General Training IELTS…………………………………………………… IELTS Scores and Interpretation ……………..………...………... IELTS Band Scores……….. ……………………………………… Questions to sections IELTS Scores and Interpretation, IELTS Band Scores……………………………………………………..… IELTS Listening Module……………………………………….. Listening Module Sections………………..……………………… Listening Module Strategies………………………………………. Difficulties……………..…………………………………………. DOs and DON’Ts………...……..………………………………... Practice………...…………………………………………………... Developing Listening Skills………...……………………………... IELTS Reading Module……..……………..…………………… Differences between Academic and General Training Reading Modules………………………………………………………….… Reading Module Strategies………………………..……………… DOs and DON’Ts………..………………………………………... Practice………………………………………………..…………... IELTS Writing Module...…………………………...…………… Academic Writing Module. Task 1………………………..…….… Task Format…………………..…………………………………... Pie Charts………………………………………………..………... Line Graphs…………………………………………..…………… Bar Graphs/Charts……………………………………..………….. Useful Vocabulary…………………………………..……………. Practice………………………………………………..…………...

5 6 9 10 11 11 11 14 15 17 17 18 20 22 23 23 24 25 27 28 33 34 34 35 38 39 51 51 52 53 53 53 53 54

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Table…………………………………………………..…………... Practice………………………………………………..…………... Describing a Process or an Object……………………..…………. Practice………………………………………………..…………... General Training Writing Module. Task 1…………..……………. Structure for Letters……………………………………………….. Practice……………………………………………..……………... Writing Module. Task 2……………………………..……………. Academic Essay Writing……..……...…………………………….. General Training Essay Writing…..................……………………. Essential Writing Skills……………………………..…………….. IELTS Speaking Module……………………….………………... Parts of the Speaking Module…………………...………………… Part 1 – Introduction….………………………..…………………. Part 2 – Individual Long Turn……………….……………………. Part 3 – Two-way Discussion…………….…..….………………... Practice………………………………………………..…………... General Strategies for the Speaking Module………..……………. References……….…………………………………………………

59 60 60 60 65 69 70 74 74 74 79 80 81 82 83 85 86 88 89

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ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Настоящее учебно-методическое пособие представляет собой систематизированные теоретические материалы и лабораторно-практические задания по аудированию, чтению, письму и говорению в формате международного экзамена IELTS для подготовки магистров лингвистического института очной и заочной форм обучения по направлению «Теория межкультурной коммуникации и обучения иностранным языкам».

Подбор материала осуществлялся в соответствии с содержанием учебной программы дисциплины «Международный стандарт» и охватывает темы “Common European Framework of Reference for Languages”, “IELTS” (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking Modules). Источниками пособия послужили учебники для подготовки к сдаче экзамена международного формата – IELTS, а также вебсайты, ставящие перед собой аналогичные цели.

Организация материала настоящего учебно-методического пособия имеет унифицированный формат, представляющий собой введение в тему (теоретический материал), за которым следуют вопросы по разделу или практические задания для отработки полученных знаний. В данном пособии в достаточном объеме представлена не только теоретическая база, но практический материал в виде практических заданий и информативных блоков, направленных на углубленную работу с форматом IELTS.

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Unit 1. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, abbreviated in English as CEFR or CEF, is a guideline used to describe achievements of learners of foreign languages across Europe and, increasingly, in other countries. It was put together by the Council of Europe as the main part of the project "Language Learning for European Citizenship" between 1989 and 1996. Its main aim is to provide a method of learning, teaching and assessing which is applied to all languages in Europe. In November 2001, a European Union Council Resolution recommended using the CEFR to set up systems of validation of language ability. The six reference levels (given in a table below) are becoming widely accepted as the European standard for grading an individual's language proficiency. The CEFR divides general competences in knowledge (descriptive knowledge), skills, and existential competence with particular communicative competences in linguistic, sociolinguistic, and pragmatic competence. This division matches to some extent previously well-known notions of communicative competence. The CEFR has three principal dimensions: language activities, the domains in which the language activities occur, and the competences on which we draw when we are engaged in them.

Language activities The CEFR distinguishes four kinds of language activities: reception (listening and reading), production (spoken and written), interaction (spoken and written), and mediation (translating and interpreting).

Domains General and particular communicative competences are developed by producing or receiving texts in various contexts under various conditions and constraints. These contexts correspond to various sectors of social life that the CEFR calls domains. Four broad domains are distinguished: educational, occupational, public, and personal.

Competences A language user can develop various degrees of competence in each of these domains, and to help describe them, the CEFR has provided a set of six Common Reference Levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2).

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Common reference levels The Common European Framework divides learners into three broad divisions that can be divided into six levels; for each level, it describes what a learner is supposed to be able to do in reading, listening, speaking and writing. These levels are given in table 1:

Table 1. Common Reference Levels

Lev

el

grou

p Level group name

Level Level name Description

A

Bas

ic u

ser

A1

Bre

ak-th

roug

h or

beg

inne

r

• Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. • Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. • Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

A2

Way

stag

e or

ele

men

tary

• Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). • Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

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• Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

B

Inde

-pen

-den

t use

r

B1

Thr

esho

ld o

r in

ter-

med

iate

• Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. • Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. • Can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. • Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

B2

Van

tage

or

uppe

r in

term

edi-a

te

• Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization. • Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. • Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

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C

Prof

i-cie

nt u

ser

C1

Effe

ctiv

e op

erat

iona

l pro

ficie

ncy

or

adva

nced

• Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. • Can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. • Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. • Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

C2

Mas

tery

or

prof

icie

ncy

• Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. • Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.

IELTS MAPPING TO THE CEFR

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) band scores in relation to CEFR levels below are approximations only. They are a good indication of what your IELTS band scores would correspond to (picture 1):

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Picture 1. IELTS Band Scores in Relation to CEFR

Questions to Unit 1:

1. What does the abbreviation CEFR stand for? 2. What is considered to be the main aim of CEFR? 3. When was it recommended using the CEFR to set up systems of

validation of language ability? 4. Which are the CEFR three principal dimensions? 5. Name the six reference levels of CEFR. 6. If a person is in the Basic user level group, what linguistic

abilities can they demonstrate?

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7. What level is a person on, if being able to express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations?

8. In what way is the person on the Vantage level characterised? 9. What can a speaker demonstrate linguistically being on the B1

Level? 10. Can a C1-level speaker be placed in one study group with a B2-

level one? Why/Why not? 11. Which CEFR level does IELTS band score of 9 correspond to? 12. What is your CEFR level if you score 6.5 on IELTS?

Unit 2. IELTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) assesses the English language proficiency of people for educational, vocational and immigrational purposes. It provides a fair, accurate and relevant assessment of the four language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking), based on well-established standards, and covers the full range of proficiency levels, from non-user to expert user.

IELTS is developed and delivered through the partnership of the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, British Council and IDP Education Australia. The IELTS test is a British test created by UCLES (University of Cambridge Local Examination Syndicate) in the UK. It is written in British English. What main differences between British and American English do

you know? IELTS HISTORY

The English Language Testing service (ELTS), as it was then known, made its first appearance in 1980 when it replaced the English Proficiency Test Battery (EPTB), a traditional largely multiple choice test used by the British Council since the mid 1960s for the purpose of screening international applicants to universities and colleges in the UK.

The new test had an innovative format that reflected changes in language learning and teaching theory and developments in language

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testing. The ELTS was influenced by the communicative language learning and English for specific purposes.

The ELTS offered a choice of six modules covering five broad areas of study of UK tertiary education1, plus one non-specific area. The six modules were:

o Life Sciences; o Social Studies; o Physical Sciences; o Technology; o Medicine; o General Academic.

There was also a Non-Academic test for vocational candidates. Each candidate was required to take three sections in their subject area or module and two common tests in the General section:

M1 Study Skills G1 General Reading M2 Writing G2 General Listening

M3 Individual Interview The three subject area modules were thematically linked:

candidates were required to write on a topic connected to one of the texts in the Study skills paper. Similarly, in the Interview the candidate would be asked to discuss a topic already covered in M1.

ELTS continued in the form outlined above until 1989. During the 1980s the test numbers were quite low (4,000 in 1981 rising up to 10,000 by 1885), and it was clear that there were practical difficulties with the administration of the test, relating to the number of test items and the time taken to complete the test; there were also powerful reasons for change on the grounds of test redundancy.

In 1987 British Council and UCLES EFL (now known as Cambridge English Language assessment) commissioned Edinburgh University to conduct a validation study. Following this report the ELTS Revision Project, under the academic direction of Professor Charles Alderson of Lancaster University, was set up to oversee the design and construction of the revised test.

There was consensus to broaden the international participation in the revision project and in response to this the International Development Program of Australian Universities and Colleges (IDP), now known as IDP Education Australia, joined British Council and

1 higher education

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UCLES to form an international partnership, reflected in the new name for the test: The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The immediate outcome of this partnership was the secondment of an Australian academic, Professor David Ingram of Griffith University, to the revision project.

The recommendations of the revision team to simplify and shorten ELTS were accepted and a compromise was sought "between practicality and maximum predictive power". The number of subject-specific modules was reduced from six to three and the Non-Academic test was replaced by the General Module. IELTS first became operational in 1989.

From 1989 IELTS candidates took two non-specialised modules, Listening and Speaking, and two specialised modules, Reading and Writing. The non-specialised modules tested general English while the specialised modules were intended to test skills in particular areas suited to a candidate's chosen course of study. Specialised reading and writing modules (incorporating a direct link between the reading and writing activities) were available in three discipline fields which linked together related fields that had previously been separate modules in the ELTS battery, as shown below: • Module A – Physical Science and Technology • Module B – Life and Medical Sciences • Module C – Business Studies and Social Sciences

Reading Module A Module B Module C General Writing Module A Module B Module C General Listening Non-specialised Module Speaking Non-specialised Module Over the next five years the number of people taking the test rose by around 15% each year so that by 1995 there were over 43,000 candidates in 210 test centres around the world.

In keeping with the commitment of the IELTS partners to respond to developments in applied linguistics, measurement theory and teaching practice, further modifications to the test were implemented in April 1995. In addition to a number of modifications to improve security and administration, there were three areas of significant change: • The field-specific Reading and Writing Modules A, B and C were replaced with ONE Academic Reading Module and ONE Academic Writing Module. Details of the research behind this change to the test

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design can be found in Clapham (1996) who concluded that the different subject modules did not appear justified in terms of accessibility to specialists. In addition, the thematic link between the reading and writing activities was also removed to avoid confusing the assessment of reading ability with that of writing ability. • General Training Reading and Writing Modules were brought into line with the Academic Reading and Writing Modules in terms of timing allocation, length of written responses and reporting of scores. The difference between the Academic and General Training Modules is in terms of the content, context and purpose for testing rather than the scales of ability. • Measures were introduced to gather data on test performance and candidate background so that issues of fairness relating to test use and users could be more effectively monitored.

In keeping with this history of innovation, the IELTS partners continue to be committed to the ongoing development of the test. A revision project for the Speaking Test was launched in 1998 and the revised IELTS Speaking Test was introduced in July 2001. New assessment criteria for the Writing Test were operational from January 2005. A computerised version of IELTS was piloted in 2005 at a number of IELTS centres.

The current test retains many of the features of the 1980 ELTS including the emphasis on the comprehension of extended text in the receptive papers (Reading and Listening), and the direct testing of performance through a face-to-face Speaking test and the use of the essay and report formats in the Writing test. Other innovations such as the links of theme and content between papers and the experiment with subject specific modules have proved less successful and have not survived into the current incarnation. However, the distinction between academic and vocational purposes has stood the test of time and is still reflected in the choice of Academic and General Training modules. In recent years, the candidature has continued to grow rapidly, with over 1.5 million tests taken in 2011.

Questions to sections General Information, IELTS History:

1. What does the IELTS assess? 2. Who administers the IELTS? 3. Why did the ELTS make its first appearance?

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4. What theme areas did the ELTS offer? 5. Who/What organisations initiated changes in the construction

of the ELTS test? 6. What did the revision team suggest doing with the test and for

what purpose? 7. In 1989, what were non-specialised and specialised modules

intended to test? 8. When did the IELTS prove to be successful? Give figures. 9. What were further modifications to the test that took place in

April 1995? 10. What features of the 1980 ELTS does the current test retain? 11. Were there any innovations that lacked success and were not

included into the current incarnation of the IELTS?

IELTS TEST FORMAT IN BRIEF

One of the things that should be necessarily known about the IELTS exam is the test format. The test has four sections, namely the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking sections. Candidates must do all four parts to receive IELTS results. The total test time is 2 hours and 45 minutes. Listening, Reading and Writing must be completed in one day. The Speaking test may be offered on the same day or up to a week before and after the other parts.

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Teachers and test takers should learn about all the aspects of these test sections in order to do well during the exam day. 1. LISTENING TEST For this section, you will have 30 minutes for four separate recording plus 10 minutes for transfer time. This section involves a conversation and monologue about topics such as a university lecture. 2. READING TEST The Reading test is subdivided into Academic and General Training Reading test. a) the Academic Reading test will give you 60 minutes, and every section has one long text. These texts are taken from magazines, journals, and books, and are written for non-specialist audience. The questions may include matching information, multiple choice, matching sentence endings, matching features, and sentence completion; b) the General Training Reading test also gives you 60 minutes and three sections, which contains factual and complex texts. These text are typically taken from advertisements, notices, books, and company handbooks. 3. WRITING TEST The Writing test, as well as the reading one, is subdivided into Academic and General Training Writing test. a) for the Academic Writing section, you will be given 60 minutes for two tasks. You need to write 150 words for the first task and 250 words for task 2. There will be visual information such as a chart, graph, diagram, or table. There will also be a problem, an argument, or a point of view, which you need to respond in 250 words; b) for the General Training Writing test, you will also have 60 minutes within which you will be presented with a situation and asked to write a letter requesting information, or explaining the situation. The letter may be personal, semi-formal or formal in style. Apart from that, you will need to respond to a given situation, argument, problem, or point of view. 4. SPEAKING TEST The IELTS Speaking test usually lasts from 11 to 14 minutes and involves a discussion with a certified examiner. There are usually three

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parts, and the first involves questions about yourself, family, interests, and work. Part 2 and 3 will be about a particular topic.

ACADEMIC VS GENERAL TRAINING IELTS

As it has been mentioned above, IELTS is available in two test formats: Academic or General Training. IELTS Academic – Institutions of Higher and Further Education The Academic format is, broadly speaking, for those who want to study or train in an English-speaking university or Institutions of Higher and Further Education. Admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses is based on the results of the Academic test. IELTS Academic may also be a requirement to join a professional organisation in an English-speaking country. IELTS General Training – for school, work or migration The General Training format focuses on general survival skills in broad social and workplace contexts. It is typically for those who are going to English-speaking countries to do secondary education, work experience or training programs. People migrating to Australia, Canada and New Zealand must sit the General Training test.

Questions to sections Test Format in Brief, Academic vs General Training IELTS:

1. What sections does IELTS examination consist of? 2. How long does the test last? 3. What is the time limit given to complete the Listening section? How many parts does the section contain? 4. How much time does it take to complete the Reading section? What are the differences between the Academic and General Training Reading tests? 5. How much time does it take to complete the Writing section? How many parts is the section divided to? 6. What are the differences between the Academic and General Training Writing tests? 7. Does the Speaking section require much time to be taken? 8. What IELTS format will one have to choose if one is going to:

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a) migrate to Canada; b) join a professional organisation in an English-speaking country; c) do secondary education; d) do training programs?

IELTS SCORES AND INTERPRETATION

Candidates receive scores on a Band Scale from 1 to 9 for each skill tested (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking). They are of equal importance. These four scores are then averaged and rounded to produce an Overall Band Score. Each candidate receives a Test Report Form setting out their Overall Band Score and their scores for each test. The scores are reported in whole bands or half bands according to the nine-band score given below. The Listening Test contains 40 items and each correct item is given one mark. The maximum raw score a candidate can achieve on a paper is 40. Band scores ranging from Band 1 to Band 9 are awarded to candidates on the basis of their raw scores. The Reading Test contains 40 items and each correct item is given one mark. The Academic and General Training Reading Tests are graded to the same level. However, because the texts in the Academic Reading Test are more challenging overall than those in the General Training Test, more questions need to be answered correctly on a General Training Test to receive the same grade. The tables below indicate the mean 2 raw scores achieved by candidates at various levels in each of the Listening, Academic Reading and General Training Reading tests. They provide an indication of the number of marks required to achieve a particular band score.

Listening

Band Score Raw score out of 40 5 16 6 23 7 30 8 35

2 average

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Academic Reading

Band Score Raw score out of 40 5 16 6 23 7 30 8 35

General Training Reading

Band Score Raw score out of 40 5 15 6 23 7 30 8 34

The Writing Test (both Academic and General Training) is marked on the following areas: Task Achievement (for Task 1), Task Response (for Task 2), Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Examiners give a Band Score for each of these criteria, which are equally weighted. For the Speaking Test, a Band Score is given for each of the following which are equally weighted: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Pronunciation. When marking the Writing and Speaking components, examiners use detailed performance descriptors which describe written and spoken performance at each of the 9 IELTS bands.

Writing

Criterion Weighting Task achievement (Task 1)/ Task response (Task 2)

25%

Coherence and cohesion 25% Lexical resource 25% Grammatical range and accuracy 25%

Speaking

Criterion Weighting Fluency and coherence 25% Lexical resource 25%

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Grammatical range and accuracy 25% Pronunciation 25%

Overall band scores are reported to the nearest whole or half band. The following rounding convention applies: if the average across the four skills ends in .25, it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in 75, it is rounded up to the next whole band. Thus, a test taker achieving 6.5 for Listening, 6.5 for Reading, 5.0 for Writing and 7.0 for Speaking would be awarded an overall band score of 6.5 (25 ÷ 4 = 6.25 = Band 6.5). Likewise, a test taker achieving 4.0 for Listening, 3.5 for Reading, 4.0 for Writing and 4.0 for Speaking would be awarded an overall band score of 4.0 (15.5 ÷ 4 = 3.875 = Band 4.0). On the other hand, a test taker achieving 6.5 for Listening, 6.5 for Reading, 5.5 for Writing and 6.0 for Speaking would be awarded band 6 (24.5 ÷ 4 = 6.125 = Band 6). If you do the practice tests under exam conditions, you need to score approximately 20 marks on both the Reading and Listening Test for a Band Score of around 5.5. To achieve a Band Score of 7, you need approximately 30 marks on Reading and Listening.

IELTS BAND SCORES

As it is said, there is no pass or fail in IELTS. The reason is, all test results are reported in a clear 9-band scale (from 1, the lowest, to 9, the highest). It has been mentioned above, that test takers receive an overall band score as well as individual scores for each test component (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking). • Test takers get from 1 to 9 points for the test, or a “0” if no assessable information has been provided. Every band score has its name and is given a description. Let us have a closer look at what each band score refers to.

• It has been mentioned above, that an examination paper evaluates to zero if a test taker did not attempt the test and gave no assessable information.

• If a test taker demonstrates no ability to use the language except just a few isolated words, he/she gets 1 point according to the IELTS band score (non user).

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• The one who has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English, lacking skills for real communication except for the most basic information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs, will receive 2 points and is considered an intermittent user.

• An extremely limited user, who conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations will get 3 points, while a limited user, whose basic competence is limited to familiar situations and who has frequent problems in understanding and expression, being unable to use complex language, gets 4 points.

• Due to the IELTS band score system, a modest user (5 points) is the one who has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations and being able to handle basic communication in own field, though is likely to make many mistakes.

• If test takers have generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings and are able to use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations, they are given 6 points and refer to the group of competent users.

• A good user, scoring 7, has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings in some situations and is able to handle complex language well and understand detailed reasoning.

• A very good user scores 8 for fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies and can handle complex detailed argumentation well. However, misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations.

• On top of the list are the test takers, who have fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. They get 9 points and are expert users.

Table 2, given on page 22, demonstrates the scores and their interpretations.

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Table 2. IELTS Scores and Interpretations

Questions to sections IELTS Scores and Interpretation, IELTS Band Scores:

1. How is an Overall Band Score produced? 2. What would be your Band score for the Listening section, if the Raw score is 30? 3. What are the two criterion taken into consideration in both Writing and Speaking sections? 4. What overall score does one get for the IELTS if the average across the four skills ends in .25? 5. What is the difference in the skills of a good and a very good user? 6. What interpretation is given to a limited user? 7. What do IELTS examiners expect from an expert user? 8. What abilities should one demonstrate to get 6 points for the IELTS?

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9. What kind of user has basic competence that is actually limited to familiar situations only and results in frequent problems in understanding and expression?

IELTS LISTENING MODULE

The Listening module consists of four recorded sections, each containing 10 questions, and takes 30 minutes to complete. Test takers are given 10 minutes to transfer the answers to an answer sheet. The recording is played once only and test takers should be able to deal with a range of topics and a number of different voices and accents (sometimes non-native English accents such as German or Spanish). The test measures how well you can listen for specific information; main ideas, supporting information and details; if you are able to understand the speaker’s opinion. The question types in the Listening module are as follows:

• Completion Tasks (form / note / table / flow chart / summary / sentence completion)

• Multiple Choice • Short-answer Questions • Labelling a Diagram/Plan/Map • Classification • Matching

LISTENING MODULE SECTIONS

Section 1 usually features a conversation concerning social needs, e.g. an interview at an accommodation agency, a survey, etc. Among the typical question types in this section are form completion, multiple choice and short answer. The target listening skill is listening for specific information (names, prices, measurements, etc.). The topic is usually social or general, and one speaker usually requires information from the other: answering the questions of passport officials at the airport; asking a passer-by for directions to the nearest bank, post office, etc.; checking into a student residential college; and the like.

Section 2 usually concerns social and training needs. You will hear a monologue on a general, non-academic subject (e.g. a short talk on how

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to use the local library facilities; a speech on healthy eating; a radio broadcast about interesting places to visit in the area). Typical tasks found in this section are note/table/flow chart/sentence completion. The target listening skill is that of listening for main ideas and supporting points.

Section 3 is concerned with educational or training contexts. You will hear a conversation among up to four people (e.g. a discussion between a tutor and a student; a group of students giving a presentation on an academic topic; a job interview; etc.). Some typical tasks that can be found in this section are summary completion, diagram labeling, matching. This section may test a range if skills, such as listening for specific information, main ideas and supporting points, and understanding a speaker’s opinion.

Section 4, which is also concerned with educational and training contexts, will feature a monologue, e.g. a lecture on the radio about a health problem; a monologue on how to breed animals, or a talk of general, non-specialist academic interest. Some typical question types found in this section are matching, classification and multiple choice.

LISTENING MODULE STRATEGIES

To prepare a student for the Listening Module nicely, a teacher should make him/her get acquainted with a number of strategies that help succeed on the examination day.

Strategy 1: Listen actively. One of the major challenges that an IELTS candidate has to face is doing several things at once while listening. You must recognise more than just names, places and times. You must also connect ideas, organize information, generalize and infer. Before you listen: Read the instructions to know how many words you are allowed

or required to write. Read through the questions and notes on the question paper

and decide what the topic is. Ask yourself who is talking, what they are talking about, how they feel about it.

Analyse the questions and prompts, and decide what type of information is required (price, name, time, etc.).

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Consider the options in relation to the question. Eliminate options by putting a cross beside them when you are

sure they are wrong. Underline the key words in the rubric, questions and options

before you listen – it can help you listen more effectively. Mouth the options in the box quietly to yourself. This may help

you recognise them in the recording. While you listen: Listen for any clue that the speakers about to answer the

questions. Always choose only the required number of options for each

question. Do not write more than the maximum number of words you are

asked for. Write only the words that you hear, without changing them.

If you miss an answer, do not worry – keep listening, otherwise you will miss the next question, too.

After you listen: Make sure you answer every question because you will not lose

marks for the wrong answer. As you copy your answers, check that the words you have

written make sense in the context, are grammatically correct and correctly spelt.

DIFFICULTIES

In many completion tasks in the IELTS listening test, you have to listen for numbers. You should be familiar with the following conventions: Telephone Numbers These are usually spoken as individual numbers (e.g. 273458 – “two seven three four five eight”). With seven-digit numbers, speakers often divide them into one group of three and one group of four, with a short pause between the groups (e.g. 634-4398 – “six three four…four three nine eight”). Sometimes a few numbers are grouped into a larger number, especially when this involves consecutive zeros (e.g. 975600 – “nine seven five six hundred”). Often, “0” in telephone numbers is spoken as the letter “o”, as in “go”. In British and Australian English, sometimes the words “double” and “triple” are used (e.g. 334-6777 – “double three four…six triple seven”).

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Decimal Numbers Decimal numbers are introduced with the word “point” and then each decimal number is spoken individually (e.g. 16,78 – “sixteen point seven eight”)3. Prices When talking about prices, the word “point” is not usually used. The decimal numbers are usually combined and introduced with “and” (e.g. $15.75 would be spoken as “fifteen seventy-five”). Fractions With the exception of “a half”, “a quarter”, and “a third”, fractions are expressed with “th” at the end (7/8 – “seven eighths”, 9/10 – “nine tenths”). Thousands It is also possible to express thousands as the equivalent numbers of hundreds (e.g. 1,700 – “seventeen hundred”, 1,123 – “eleven hundred twenty three”). Dates There are several possible ways to write dates. In British English, the day comes before the month, and periods are often used to separate elements (e.g. the date May 16, 1976 would be written 16/05/76 or 16/5/1976). In American English, the month comes first, and slashes are often used to separate elements (e.g. 05/16/76 or 5/16/1976). For the IELTS listening test you should adhere to the following format:

• 5 July • 5 July 2004 (when it is necessary to include the year)

Strategy 2: Anticipate key points based on the main idea. Anticipating means thinking about what might or will come next. Anticipation makes listening easier. Knowing the topic helps you predict and anticipate certain details. Knowing the possibilities makes it easier to hear what the speaker says.

Strategy 3: Do not try to record everything in notes. The notes you take during the exam should be effective and efficient. While making notes, less important words could either be omitted or recorded using symbols and abbreviations.

3 Note: 0.5 will be read “point five”.

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When you are given 30 seconds at the end of each section to check your answers, look at your notes and circle the parts that you think answer the questions.

Strategy 4 (for conversations, lectures and talks): Create columns. Should you decide to make notes, it is important to keep them organized. To do this, create one column for each speaker in the conversation. Identify each speaker as Professor/Student, Man/Woman, Student 1/Student 2 as you will never be asked to name any of the speakers.

Strategy 5 (for conversations, lectures and talks): Be prepared for the spoken English. The speakers in the listening test will not sound as if they are reading an essay. Instead, their speech will be natural and resemble everyday spoken English, which can include interruptions (“Excuse me, but…”, “I don’t want to be rude, but…”, “Hang on…”, “Can I interrupt?”, etc.) and self-correction (“Actually…”, “Hold on…”, “That’s not exactly right.”, “Let me rephrase that.”, “Let me start over.”, etc.). Such mistakes as self-corrections are used in the listening examination as distracters.

DOS AND DON’TS

In this section there is a list of dos and don’ts that need to be taken into consideration by both teachers, preparing students, and examinees when they are to sit for the IELTS Listening module.

Listen carefully to the introduction to each section. This will give you useful information about the situation and the speakers.

Use the time at the beginning of each section (and in the middle of Section 1–3) to look through the questions to think about the topic.

Read the instructions for each task carefully. Remember to check the maximum number of words allowed.

Write all your answers as you listen – remember you won’t hear the recording a second time.

Check that what you write makes sense in the context.

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Answer all the questions even if you don’t feel sure about the answer – you may have understood more than you think.

Wait until the end of the test to transfer your answers. You have ten minutes for this which is plenty of time.

Write clearly when you transfer your answers. If an answer isn’t clear on your answer sheet, you will loose the mark.

Check your spelling (and grammar where necessary).

Don’t worry if you have to cross out or change an answer.

Don’t panic if you miss one question. Look ahead and concentrate on the next one.

Don’t try to rephrase what you hear. Write down the words you hear which fit the question.

Don’t write more than the maximum number of words or letters allowed for each answer.

Don’t copy any words that are printed on the Question Paper when you transfer to the Answer Sheet.

PRACTICE

In this section you are going to do the Listening Module4. • Before you start doing the Listening, state the type of each task

(completion, matching, labelling, multiple choice, etc.). • Do the tasks one by one. The recordings will be played for you

only once. Make notes and try to follow the strategies listed above.

• Say, what type of skills is being tested in every task (use section 2.5.1 pp. 23–24).

Section 1. Questions 1–7 Complete the form below, using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

4 Exercise source: http://www.ielts-exam.net

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Travel Safe I N S U R A N C E P L C

Department: Motor Insurance Client details: Name: Elisabeth 1 .................... Date of birth: 8.10.1975 Address: 2 .................... (street) Callington (town) Policy number: 3 .................... Accident details: Date: 4 .................... Time: Approx. 5 .................... Supporting evidence: 6 .................... Medical problems (if any): 7 .................... injuries

Questions 8-105 Label the diagram/plan below. Write the correct letter, A–G, next to questions 8–10.

5 Listening Tip In the IELTS Listening exam, you may be asked to label a map or plan. In such questions, think of ways you can describe where places are before you listen. You will need to think of vocabulary for directions, for example: on the left, first right, along the road and vocabulary for places or position, such as opposite, next to, behind, at the end of the street.

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8 traffic lights .................... 9 petrol station .................... 10 blue van .................... Section 2. Questions 11-14 Complete the sentences below, using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 11. Dormouse numbers have fallen .................... as well as in the UK. 12. Dormice are about as heavy as two ..................... . 13. You are most likely to have seen a dormouse in a ..................... . 14. In the UK, dormice probably live in hedges and woods, and next to ..................... . Questions 15-17 Label the identification sheet below. Write the correct letter A–E next to questions 5–8. 15. opened by woodmice .................... 16. opened by voles .................... 17. opened by dormice ....................

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Questions 18–20 Complete the summary below, using NO MORE THAN ONE WORD in each space. If you find nuts opened by dormice 18 .................... where you found them. Put them into some kind of 19 .................... and 20 .................... them (name and address). Post them to Action for Wildlife. Section 3. Questions 21–26 Which company website has the following features? A Hills Cycles website B Wheels Unlimited website C both websites Write the correct letter, A, B, or C next to questions 21–26. 21 bicycle catalogue .................... 22 price list .................... 23 bicycle accessories .................... 24 company history .................... 25 online ordering .................... 26 moving graphics .................... Questions 27-30 Choose the correct letter, A, B, or C. 27 According to the tutor, the basic criterion for evaluating the websites should relate to A appearance. B ease of use. C target customers.

28 On the subject of timing, the tutor says A the students’ plan is appropriate. B the students’ presentation will be too long. C the students can extend the presentation if necessary.

29 Sarah and Jack will share the work by A speaking in short turns. B doing half the presentation each.

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C managing different aspects.

30 The tutor advises Sarah and Jack not to A talk too much. B show complicated lists. C use a lot of visuals. Questions 31-37 Answer the questions below. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. 31 Which elephants stay together all their life? __________________________________ 32 What are elephant family groups known as? __________________________________ 33 When scientists tracked groups of elephants, which feature of behaviour did they notice? __________________________________ 34 Which sense do elephants probably use to communicate over long distances? __________________________________ 35 What did American scientists do with a recording of elephant calls? __________________________________ 36 What did the elephants in the experiment rush to find? __________________________________ 37 What were scientists unable to do with the recording they had made? __________________________________ Questions 38-406 What does the lecturer say about each type of elephant call? Choose your answers from the box, and write the letters A–H next to questions 38–40. A cannot be heard by humans at all В is usually accompanied by a leg movement С begins and ends at the same pitch D is usually accompanied by a nod of the head E continuously increases in pitch

6 Listening Tip If you cannot choose between two answers for one question, write them both down for now. One might be the answer to a later question, then you will know you cannot choose it twice.

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F is repeated over a long period G continually fluctuates in volume 38 Greeting .................... 39 Contact call .................... 40 Summons to move on ....................

DEVELOPING LISTENING SKILLS

Listening involves both linguistic (understanding of lexis, grammar, phonology and discourse) and non-linguistic (understanding of the context or situation, the topic and the purpose of the interaction) knowledge. When we listen in our native language we apply both types of knowledge at the same time to make sense of what we hear. We can use our existing knowledge to predict what might come next, and check each prediction in the light of the information we receive. It is of vital importance to be able to understand not only the surface information conveyed but what lies beneath, between the lines. This is what every teacher should strive to achieve with their students.

Listening skills can be developed not only in a classroom through listening to recorded materials and interacting with the teacher and other students, but outside the classroom where there is a huge number of opportunities for students of English to listen to different varieties of English on TV and the Internet, through songs and interaction with other speakers of English.

Teachers can help their students improve listening skills by supporting every topic studied by listening tasks on a related topic. It is important to make sure students have a clear understanding of what they have to do and provide the related language before they listen. In some cases (especially in low-level groups) you might need to pause or replay the recording when necessary and allow plenty of time for checking and discussion of answers. That would be a great idea and nice experience to listen to a range of non-exam formats (e.g. songs, videos, new broadcasts, real-life speakers) to develop confidence and motivation.

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IELTS READING MODULE

The Reading module is the second part of the IELTS examination. It lasts 60 minutes and consists of 40 questions based on a variety task types. You need to read three to four passages – about 2,000-2,750 words in total. There are usually three passages in the Academic Reading module, and three or four passages in General Training Reading module. You are not given extra time at the end of the reading to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. Answers need to be written on the answer sheet in the 60 minutes given to complete the Reading module.

The IELTS Reading module tests a range of skills, such as: • Multiple Choice (single answer – choose one of up to four

options, multiple answer – choose more than one answer from a list of options)

• Short Answer Question (direct answer; lists) • Completion Tasks (note/table/flow chart/summary/sentence

completion) • Labelling a diagram • Matching (items in two lists; text or visual information to each

other or other texts) • True/False/Not Given • Yes/No/Not Given • Classification

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND GENERAL TRAINING

READING MODULES Though the task types of the Academic and General Training Reading modules are absolutely the same, the types of reading passages differ. The reading in the General Training module tend to be more descriptive and instructive, give chronological description and describe a process, while the Academic Reading is likely to contain at least one passage organised as a logical argument.

The Academic Reading involves reading three texts which come from books, magazines, newspapers and journals, and are non-specialist. At

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least one passage contains a detailed argument. The texts are not discipline specific and are usually presented in increasing order of difficulty.

The General Training Reading module involves reading three or four passages grouped into three or four sections. Section 1 deals with social survival and consists of one or two short but very informative texts (e.g. public information leaflets). Section 2 focuses on subjects related to general training and usually contains the texts, giving information about a university/college and services or facilities provided. Sections 3 and 4 consist of one longer text each and involve general reading comprehension on almost any subject.

Each section in the General Training module has 8–15 questions, and each section in the Academic Reading module has 13–15 questions.

READING MODULE STRATEGIES

To make your students achieve the best results in the Reading module, you should teach them a combination of strategies to be used simultaneously.

It is essential to know several reading comprehension tactics which are important to use during the Academic or General Training Reading Modules of the IELTS.

1. Skimming and Scanning Skimming is reading for general ideas (when you need to quickly gather key information), while scanning, on the contrary, is reading for specific information (e.g. to find a departure time on a bus timetable). Skimming should be used during the IELTS when you need to quickly read for just the main idea of the text, without thinking about specific details. It involves selective reading of the most important parts of the text to find out how text is organised and get the general idea of what the text is about. Scanning should be used when you need to read to find specific pieces of information such as names, dates and facts. Both tactics involve reading a text quickly and are important skills to use on the IELTS exam.

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2. Understanding Opinion An opinion is a personal belief, i.e. a subjective notion, which may or may not be true. It is different from a fact, which is a statement known to be true or based on generally accepted evidence. In texts, opinions are usually introduced by phrases such as: N. argues that…, several experts claim that…, some people say that…, in N’s view…, many scientists suspect that… . It is important not to allow your own opinions to interfere with your choice of answer when answering questions as you are looking for the writer’s idea.

3. Identifying Main Ideas and Details Texts are divided into paragraphs to make them easier to read. A text usually has the following organisation:

• Introduction: theme, statement and objective In the introduction the writer usually outlines what he/she is going

to write about and the main issues to be raised. • Paragraph 2: topic, supporting point or details • Paragraph 3: topic, supporting point or details Each paragraph deals with one key issue, which is stated in a topic

sentence and possibly summarized in the last sentence of the paragraph. Supporting details are used to develop and explain the main idea of the paragraph.

• Conclusion: summary and restatement of main idea

Apart from these tactics, there are several strategies that are always effective. Strategy 1: Make notes. Making notes might help avoid having to read the same portions of the text again to refresh your memory.

Strategy 2: Try to predict what you are going to read about. Before you start reading the article, pay attention to the title and subheading (if there are any) to probably get some information about what you are going to read.

Strategy 3: Build a mental map of the passage as you are skimming. It is necessary to build a mental map of the text not to be disoriented. To do this you first need to identify the topic or purpose of each paragraph in the passage; write a couple of words about the main idea of paragraphs. Knowing what the paragraphs are about will help you find the answers faster.

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Strategy 4: Identify the type of text you are reading. Quickly skim the text and look at the title, introduction and paragraph openings. These will give you the clues needed to identify the main ideas, topics and organisation of the text.

Strategy 5: Study the keywords. To locate the parts of the text where the answers might be, carefully study the keywords in the question and then scan the text for these or synonymous and parallel expressions. Using your mental map of the text should help you do this.

Strategy 6: Skim actively. Do not worry about the words you do not understand when skimming a text, but try to get an overall impression of the text. making sure you read the first sentence of each paragraph.

Strategy 7: Make intelligent guesses. To read effectively, you should try to work out what the unknown words might mean if they seem important in the context.

Strategy 8: Remember about the time limit. If you cannot figure an answer, go on to the next question. Some questions in the reading test might be easier, so it is a good idea to save as much time as possible by dealing quicker with the easier questions. Do not forget to mark the unanswered questions to be able to find them later easily if you still have time for this.

Strategy 9 (for Completion tasks): • Remember that correct answers can contain fewer than the

maximum number of words stated in the instructions. • Do not change the form of the words you add in any way. • If the options are given in the box, read them carefully. Focus

more on the meaning of the sentence than on grammar. You need to consider all the options in the box. Check that you have not used the same option twice.

Strategy 10 (for Multiple-choice tasks): • Try to eliminate the options that seem logically wrong first.

Remember, in some cases an option may be true, but does not answer the question.

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• Check that the answer you choose is not only correct according to the passage, but also gives an appropriate reason or explanation to answer the question or complete the sentence. When you think you have found the correct answer to a multiple-choice question, remember to check that the three other options are definitely wrong.

Strategy 11 (for Matching tasks): • When matching pictures to sections of the text, try to think of

different words to describe what is in each picture and look for keywords in the text. Match the ones you are sure about first and the more difficult ones second. When matching statements, try to identify keywords in the statements and look for synonyms or paraphrases of those keywords in the text(s).

• Skim the passage to build a mental map of the text by noting the main idea of each paragraph. It is a good idea to match as many headings as you can without reading the passage again, and cross off the headings you have used, including the examples.

DOS AND DON’TS

Below is a list of dos and don’ts that are helpful for teachers, preparing students, and examinees when they are to do the IELTS Reading module.

Keep an eye on time: it will probably seem to pass very quickly, so take care not to spend too much time on one passage or question. Remember that you only have 60 minutes to answer the questions and transfer your answers to your Answer Sheet.

Start at the beginning of the test and work through it. If you cannot do a particular question, leave it and go to the next one.

Answer as many questions as you can.

Read the instructions for each question carefully.

Use the glossary, if there is one provided, to help you understand unfamiliar words.

Pay attention to any examples that are provided.

Make sure that your answers keep to the word limit asked for.

Make sure that you copy words accurately from the text:

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spelling mistakes will mean that you will lose the mark for that question.

Make sure that where you have to write an answer yourself, your answer is grammatically correct.

Don’t waste time reading the whole passage each time for each set of questions. You often need to skim quickly through the passage rather than read it carefully.

Don’t go back to the beginning of the passage for each question when you know from the task type that the answers will come in the order of the information in the passage.

Don’t forget that questions can come before the reading passage as well as after.

Don’t become anxious if there are questions you cannot answer or if you cannot understand every word.

PRACTICE

In this section you are going to try to do the Reading Module7. • Before you start doing the Reading, look at the tasks given and

state the type of each (multiple choice, short answer questions. completion, matching, labelling, true/false/not given, etc.).

• Do the tasks with the time limitation of 60 minutes. Try to follow the strategies listed in section 2.6.2.

• Say, what type of reading skills is being tested in every task (use information on pp. 35-36).

IELTS Reading - Passage 1

The Coral Reefs of Agatti Island

A Agatti is one of the Lakshadweep Islands off the southwest coast of India. These islands are surrounded by lagoons and coral reefs which are in turn surrounded by the open ocean. Coral reefs, which are formed from the skeletons of minute sea creatures, give shelter to a variety of

7 Exercise source: http://www.ielts-exam.net

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plants and animals, and therefore have the potential to provide a stream of diverse benefits to the inhabitants of Agatti Island.

B In the first place, the reefs provide food and other products for consumption by the islanders themselves. Foods include different types of fish, octopus and molluscs, and in the case of poorer families these constitute as much as 90% of the protein they consume. Reef resources are also used for medicinal purposes. For example, the money cowrie, a shell known locally as Vallakavadi, is commonly made into a paste and used as a home remedy to treat cysts in the eye.

C In addition, the reef contributes to income generation. According to a recent survey, 20% of the households on Agatti report lagoon fishing, or shingle, mollusc, octopus and cowrie collection as their main occupation (Hoon et al, 2002). For poor households, the direct contribution of the reef to their financial resources is significant: 12% of poor households are completely dependent on the reef for their household income, while 59% of poor households rely on the reef for 70% of their household income, and the remaining 29% for 50% of their household income.

D Bartering of reef resources also commonly takes place, both between islanders and between islands. For example, Agatti Island is known for its abundance of octopus, and this is often used to obtain products from nearby Androth Island. Locally, reef products may be given by islanders in return for favours, such as help in constructing a house or net mending, or for other products such as rice, coconuts or fish.

E The investment required to exploit the reefs is minimal. It involves simple, locally available tools and equipment, some of which can be used without a boat, such as the fishing practice known as Kat moodsal. This is carried out in the shallow eastern lagoon of Agatti by children and adults, close to shore at low tide, throughout the year. A small cast net, a leaf bag, and plastic slippers are all that are required, and the activity can yield 10–12 small fish (approximately 1 kg) for household consumption. Cast nets are not expensive, and all the households in Agatti own at least one. Even the boats, which operate in the lagoon and near-shore reef, are constructed locally and have low running costs. They are either small, non-mechanised, traditional wooden rowing boats, known as Thonis, or rafts, known as Tharappam.

F During more than 400 years of occupation and survival, the Agatti islanders have developed an intimate knowledge of the reefs. They have

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knowledge of numerous different types of fish and where they can be found according to the tide or lunar cycle. They have also developed a local naming system or folk taxonomy, naming fish according to their shape. Sometimes the same species is given different names depending on its size and age. For example, a full grown Emperor fish is called Metti and a juvenile is called Killokam. The abundance of each species at different fishing grounds is also well known. Along with this knowledge of reef resources, the islanders have developed a wide range of skills and techniques for exploiting them. A multitude of different fishing techniques are still used by the islanders, each targeting different areas of the reef and particular species.

G The reef plays an important role in the social lives of the islanders too, being an integral part of traditions and rituals. Most of the island’s folklore revolves around the reef and sea. There is hardly any tale or song which does not mention the traditional sailing crafts, known as Odams, the journeys of enterprising ‘heroes’, the adventures of sea fishing and encounters with sea creatures. Songs that women sing recollect women looking for returning Odams, and requesting the waves to be gentler and the breeze just right for the sails. There are stories of the benevolent sea ghost baluvam, whose coming to shore is considered a harbinger of prosperity for that year, bringing more coconuts, more fish and general well-being.

H The reef is regarded by the islanders as common property, and all the islanders are entitled to use the lagoon and reef resources. In the past, fishing groups would obtain permission from the Amin (island head person) and go fishing in the grounds allotted by him. On their return, the Amin would be given a share of the catch, normally one of the best or biggest fish. This practice no longer exists, but there is still a code of conduct or etiquette for exploiting the reef, and common respect for this is an effective way of avoiding conflict or disputes.

I Exploitation of such vast and diverse resources as the reefs and lagoon surrounding the island has encouraged collaborative efforts, mainly for purposes of safety, but also as a necessity in the operation of many fishing techniques. For example, an indigenous gear and operation known as Bala fadal involves 25–30 men. Reef gleaning for cowrie collection by groups of 6–10 women is also a common activity, and even today, although its economic significance is marginal, it continues as a recreational activity.

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Questions 1-9 Reading Passage 1 has nine paragraphs A–I. Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.

List of Phrases

i Island legends vii The social nature of reef occupations

ii Resources for exchange viii Resources for islanders’ own use iii Competition for fishing rights ix High levels of expertise

iv The low cost of equipment x Alternative sources of employment v Agatti’s favourable location xi Resources for earning money vi Rising income levels xii Social rights and obligations

1) Paragraph A 2) Paragraph B 3) Paragraph C 4) Paragraph D 5) Paragraph E 6) Paragraph F 7) Paragraph G 8) Paragraph H 9) Paragraph I Questions 10-138 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

8 Reading Tip: multiple-choice questions 1) Multiple-choice questions will commonly include four choices, which will be related to the information mentioned in the text. A process of elimination of the incorrect answers is useful in helping you to reduce the number of errors you make. 2) You should read the question carefully, and then consider the information given for each choice. The ideas in the choices may not be mentions at all, be irrelevant to the question, refer to someone or something else, or be the opposite in meaning to the text. 3) Through understanding and eliminating incorrect choices, you have a better chance of choosing the correct answer under time pressure. A 50/50 chance is good, eliminating all the incorrect answer is best.

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10) What proportion of poor households get all their income from reef products?

A 12% B 20% C 29% D 59%

11) Kat moodsal fishing A is a seasonal activity. B is a commercial activity. C requires little investment. D requires use of a rowing boat. 12) Which characteristic of present-day islanders do the writers describe?

A physical strength B fishing expertise C courage

D imagination 13) What do the writers say about the system for using the reef on Agatti?

A Fish catches are shared equally. B The reef owner issues permits. C There are frequent disputes. D There is open access.

IELTS Reading - Passage 2

Urban Planning in Singapore

British merchants established a trading post in Singapore in the early nineteenth century, and for more than a century trading interests dominated. However, in 1965 the newly independent island state was cut off from its hinterland, and so it set about pursuing a survival strategy. The good international communications it already enjoyed provided a useful base, but it was decided that if Singapore was to secure its economic future, it must develop its industry. To this end, new institutional structures were needed to facilitate, develop, and control

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foreign investment. One of the most important of these was the Economic Development Board (EDB), an arm of government that developed strategies for attracting investment. Thus from the outset, the Singaporean government was involved in city promotion. Towards the end of the twentieth century, the government realised that, due to limits on both the size of the country’s workforce and its land area, its labour-intensive industries were becoming increasingly uncompetitive. So an economic committee was established which concluded that Singapore should focus on developing as a service centre, and seek to attract company headquarters to serve South East Asia, and develop tourism, banking, and offshore activities. The land required for this service-sector orientation had been acquired in the early 1970s, when the government realised that it lacked the banking infrastructure for a modern economy. So a new banking and corporate district, known as the ‘Golden Shoe’, was planned, incorporating the historic commercial area. This district now houses all the major companies and various government financial agencies. Singapore’s current economic strategy is closely linked to land use and development planning. Although it is already a major city, the current development plan seeks to ensure Singapore’s continued economic growth through restructuring, to ensure that the facilities needed by future business are planned now. These include transport and telecommunication infrastructure, land, and environmental quality. A major concern is to avoid congestion in the central area, and so the latest plan deviates from previous plans by having a strong decentralisation policy. The plan makes provision for four major regional centres, each serving 800,000 people, but this does not mean that the existing central business district will not also grow. A major extension planned around Marina Bay draws on examples of other ‘world cities’, especially those with waterside central areas such as Sydney and San Francisco. The project involves major land reclamation of 667 hectares in total. Part of this has already been developed as a conference and exhibition zone, and the rest will be used for other facilities. However the need for vitality has been recognised and a mixed zoning approach has been adopted, to include housing and entertainment. One of the new features of the current plan is a broader conception of what contributes to economic success. It encompasses high quality residential provision, a good environment, leisure facilities and exciting city life. Thus there is more provision for low-density housing, often in

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waterfront communities linked to beaches and recreational facilities. However, the lower housing densities will put considerable pressure on the very limited land available for development, and this creates problems for another of the plan’s aims, which is to stress environmental quality. More and more of the remaining open area will be developed, and the only natural landscape surviving will be a small zone in the centre of the island which serves as a water catchment area. Environmental policy is therefore very much concerned with making the built environment more green by introducing more plants – what is referred to as the ‘beautification’ of Singapore. The plan focuses on green zones defining the boundaries of settlements, and running along transport corridors. The incidental green provision within housing areas is also given considerable attention. Much of the environmental provision, for example golf courses, recreation areas, and beaches, is linked to the prime objective of attracting business. The plan places much emphasis on good leisure provision and the need to exploit Singapore’s island setting. One way of doing this is through further land reclamation, to create a whole new island devoted to leisure and luxury housing which will stretch from the central area to the airport. A current concern also appears to be how to use the planning system to create opportunities for greater spontaneity: planners have recently given much attention to the concept of the 24-hour city and the cafe society. For example, a promotion has taken place along the Singapore river to create a cafe zone. This has included the realisation, rather late in the day, of the value of retaining older buildings, and the creation of a continuous riverside promenade. Since the relaxation in 1996 of strict guidelines on outdoor eating areas, this has become an extremely popular area in the evenings. Also, in 1998 the Urban Redevelopment Authority created a new entertainment area in the centre of the city which they are promoting as ‘the city’s one-stop, dynamic entertainment scene’. In conclusion, the economic development of Singapore has been very consciously centrally planned, and the latest strategy is very clearly oriented to establishing Singapore as a leading ‘world city’. It is well placed to succeed, for a variety of reasons. It can draw upon its historic roots as a world trading centre; it has invested heavily in telecommunications and air transport infrastructure; it is well located in relation to other Asian economies; it has developed a safe and clean environment; and it has utilised the international language of English.

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Questions 14-199 Complete the summary below using words from the box. decentralisation fuel industry industry hospitals loans deregulation service trade transport entertainment recycling labour tourism hygiene beautification agriculture

Singapore

When Singapore became an independent, self-sufficient state it decided to build up its 14) ...................., and government organisations were created to support this policy. However, this initial plan met with limited success due to a shortage of 15) .................... and land. It was therefore decided to develop the 16) .................... sector of the economy instead. Singapore is now a leading city, but planners are working to ensure that its economy continues to grow. In contrast to previous policies, there is emphasis on 17) ..................... In addition, land will be recovered to extend the financial district, and provide 18) .................... as well as housing. The government also plans to improve the quality of Singapore’s environment, but due to the shortage of natural landscapes it will concentrate instead on what it calls 19) ..................... Questions 20–26 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2.

TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage FALSE if the statement is false according to the passage NOT GIVEN

if the information is not given in the passage

20) After 1965, the Singaporean government switched the focus of the island’s economy.

9 Reading Tip: summary completion Don’t always expect words or phrases in the box to be the same as in the text. They may be words with similar meaning or the same word in a different form, so read both the text and the summary carefully.

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21) The creation of Singapore’s financial centre was delayed while a suitable site was found. 22) Singapore’s four regional centres will eventually be the same size as its central business district. 23) Planners have modelled new urban developments on other coastal cities. 24) Plants and trees are amongst the current priorities for Singapore’s city planners. 25) The government has enacted new laws to protect Singapore’s old buildings. 26) Singapore will find it difficult to compete with leading cities in other parts of the world. Questions 20–26 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2.

TRUE if the statement is true according to the passage FALSE if the statement is false according to the passage

NOT GIVEN if the information is not given in the passage

20) After 1965, the Singaporean government switched the focus of the island’s economy. 21) The creation of Singapore’s financial centre was delayed while a suitable site was found. 22) Singapore’s four regional centres will eventually be the same size as its central business district. 23) Planners have modelled new urban developments on other coastal cities. 24) Plants and trees are amongst the current priorities for Singapore’s city planners. 25) The government has enacted new laws to protect Singapore’s old buildings. 26) Singapore will find it difficult to compete with leading cities in other parts of the world.

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IELTS Reading - Passage 3

Food and Spices

A Spice plants, such as coriander, cardamom or ginger, contain compounds which, when added to food, give it a distinctive flavour. Spices have been used for centuries in the preparation of both meat dishes for consumption and meat dishes for long-term storage. However, an initial analysis of traditional meat-based recipes indicated that spices are not used equally in different countries and regions, so we set about investigating global patterns of spice use. B We hypothesized initially that the benefit of spices might lie in their anti-microbial properties. Those compounds in spice plants which give them their distinctive flavours probably first evolved to fight enemies such as plant-eating insects, fungi, and bacteria. Many of the organisms which afflict spice plants attack humans too, in particular the bacteria and fungi that live on and in dead plant and animal matter. So if spices kill these organisms, or inhibit their production of toxins, spice use in food might reduce our own chances of contracting food poisoning. C The results of our investigation supported this hypothesis. In common with other researchers, we found that all spices for which we could locate appropriate information have some antibacterial effects: half inhibit more than 75% of bacteria, and four (garlic, onion, allspice and oregano) inhibit 100% of those bacteria tested. In addition, many spices are powerful fungicides. D Studies also show that when combined, spices exhibit even greater anti-bacterial properties than when each is used alone. This is interesting because the food recipes we used in our sample specify an average of four different spices. Some spices are so frequently combined that the blends have acquired special names, such as ‘chili powder’ (typically a mixture of red pepper, onion, paprika, garlic, cumin and oregano) and ‘oriental five spice’ (pepper, cinnamon, anise, fennel and cloves). One intriguing example is the French ‘quatre epices’ (pepper, cloves, ginger and nutmeg) which is often used in making sausages. Sausages are a rich medium for bacterial growth, and have frequently been implicated as the source of death from the botulism toxin, so the value of the anti-bacterial compounds in spices used for sausage preparation is obvious. E A second hypothesis we made was that spice use would be heaviest in areas where foods spoil most quickly. Studies indicate that rates of bacterial growth increase dramatically with air temperature. Meat dishes

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that are prepared in advance and stored at room temperatures for more than a few hours, especially in tropical climates, typically show massive increases in bacterial counts. Of course temperatures within houses, particularly in areas where food is prepared and stored, may differ from those of the outside air, but usually it is even hotter in the kitchen. F Our survey of recipes from around the world confirmed this hypothesis: we found that countries with higher than average temperatures used more spices. Indeed, in hot countries nearly every meat-based recipe calls for at least one spice, and most include many spices, whereas in cooler ones, substantial proportions of dishes are prepared without spices, or with just a few. In other words, there is a significant positive correlation between mean temperature and the average quantity of spices used in cooking. G But if the main function of spices is to make food safer to eat, how did our ancestors know which ones to use in the first place? It seems likely that people who happened to add spice plants to meat during preparation, especially in hot climates, would have been less likely to suffer from food poisoning than those who did not. Spice users may also have been able to store foods for longer before they spoiled, enabling them to tolerate longer periods of scarcity. Observation and imitation of the eating habits of these healthier individuals by others could spread spice use rapidly through a society. Also, families that used appropriate spices would rear a greater number of more healthy offspring, to whom spice-use traditions had been demonstrated, and who possessed appropriate taste receptors. H Another question which arises is why did people develop a taste for spicy foods? One possibility involves learned taste aversions. It is known that when people eat something that makes them ill, they tend to avoid that taste subsequently. The adaptive value of such learning is obvious. Adding a spice to a food that caused sickness might alter its taste enough to make it palatable again (i.e. it tastes like a different food), as well as kill the micro-organisms that caused the illness, thus rendering it safe for consumption. By this process, food aversions would more often be associated with unspiced (and therefore unsafe) foods, and food likings would be associated with spicy foods, especially in places where foods spoil rapidly. Over time people would have developed a natural preference for spicy food. I Of course, spice use is not the only way to avoid food poisoning. Cooking, and completely consuming wild game immediately after

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slaughter reduces opportunities for the growth of micro-organisms. However, this is practical only where fresh meat is abundant year-round. In areas where fresh meat is not consistently available, preservation may be accomplished by thoroughly cooking, salting, smoking, drying, and spicing meats. Indeed, salt has been used worldwide for centuries to preserve food. We suggest that all these practices have been adopted for essentially the same reason: to minimize the effects of harmful, food-borne organisms.

Questions 27–33 Reading Passage 3 has nine paragraphs, labelled A–I. Which paragraphs contain the following information? 27) an example of a food which particularly benefits from the addition of spices. 28) a range of methods for making food safer to eat. 29) a comparison between countries with different climate types. 30) an explanation of how people first learned to select appropriate spices. 31) a method of enhancing the effectiveness of individual spices. 32) the relative effectiveness of certain spices against harmful organisms. 33) the possible origins of a dislike for unspiced foods. Questions 34–3910 Answer the questions below with words taken from Reading Passage 3.

Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. 34) According to the writers, what might the use of spices in cooking help people to avoid? 35) What proportion of bacteria in food do four of the spices tested destroy? 36) Which food often contains a spice known as ‘quatre epices’? 37) Which types of country use the fewest number of spices in cooking? 38) What might food aversions often be associated with?

10 English Reading Tip Some of you may have difficulty keeping within the word limit. Try to focus on using noun phrases. If you find yourself getting stuck, you can write longer responses initially and edit them down to three or two words once you have answered all of the questions.

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39) Apart from spices, which substance is used in all countries to preserve food? Question 40 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D. 40) Which is the best title for Reading Passage 3?

A The function of spices in food preparation B A history of food preservation techniques C Traditional recipes from around the world D An analysis of the chemical properties of spice plants

IELTS WRITING MODULE

The Academic and the General Training Writing modules consist of two tasks that are designed to assess the range and accuracy of English vocabulary and sentence structures and whether you possess the ability to describe diagrams/tables/lists, if you can to develop an argument supported by evidence or communicate ideas clearly.

It is suggested that about 20 minutes is spent on Task 1, which requires candidates to write at least 150 words. In task 2 you have to write at least 250 words and are recommended to spend 40 minutes on it. Candidates will be penalised if they write fewer than the required number of words. The Academic and General Training Writing module both have a similar second task, which is writing an essay on a presented point of view, an argument or a problem. However, the first task differs dramatically. Let us have a closer look at these differences.

ACADEMIC WRITING MODULE. TASK 1

Task Format In this task candidates may be asked to write a report on a visual input: to describe graphs, bar charts, pie charts and diagrams. For example, you may have to consider a set of statistics and then write a description outlining the key features; or study a diagram of a machine and explain how it works; or you may have to look at a flow chart and describe the main stages in a process. Candidates should be sure they have included

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the most important and the most relevant points in the diagram. Some minor points or details may be left out.

Objects of Control Candidates will be assessed on their ability to choose and clearly describe the most important information on the diagram or chart. They will be assessed on how well they can organise the information as well as the accuracy of their use of language. The register of Task 1 is strictly academic.

Examiners assess the answer according to the following criteria: • Task Achievement (i.e. how effectively the candidate has identified, illustrated and reported the key features of the information in the task) • Coherence and Cohesion (i.e. how well the information and ideas are organised, and how well the information is linked) • Lexical Resource (i.e. the range of vocabulary used, how accurately it is used and how appropriate it is for the task) • Grammatical Range and Accuracy (i.e. the range of structures used, how accurately they are used and how appropriate they are for the task)

Target Skills The target skills in the Academic Writing Task 1 are being able to understand information that is presented in diagram/graph/chart/table form, describing a process or how something works, using appropriate and accurate language. They must also be able to choose the most significant information to include in their description and be sure to focus on the overall trends within the data (if it is presented) in order to give an overview of it. They may also need to compare and contrast information.

For the first task of the Academic Writing module it is essential to know the difference between charts, graphs, tables and their types.

Pie Charts Pie charts are circular charts divided into sectors or “pie slices”, usually illustrating percentages. The size of each pie slice shows the relative quantity of the data it presents. Together, the slices create a full circle. They are commonly used in the business world and the mass media, and are less common in scientific or technical publications. For IELTS Task 1 there are sometimes two or three pie charts that you must compare. The pie charts may represent different years and show

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trends over time. You need to describe the changes and similarities / differences between the pie charts.

Line Graphs Line graphs can be used to show how something changes over time. They have an x-axis (horizontal) and a y-axis (vertical). Usually the x-axis shows the time period and y-axis shows what is being measured. Line graphs can be used to show trends.

Bar Graphs/ Chart Bar graphs (also called charts) are similar to line graphs in that they have two axes and are useful for showing how something has changed over a given period of time, especially when there are significant changes. Bar graphs consist of rectangular bars, which can be orientated horizontally or vertically, with the lengths proportional to the data values that they represent. They are typically used for comparing two or more values.

Useful Vocabulary 1. Charts, graphs, tables Pie chart: segment Chart/table: row, column Graph (bar graph, line graph): solid line, dotted line, broken line 2. Describing patterns This (chart) shows that/represents… It gives (the number of hours)… As it can be seen from (the chart)… According to (Table 1)… Looking at the (figures) in… It is estimated that… As far as (X) are concerned… 3. Analyzing trends Verbs increase, climb, shoot up, leap, rocket, soar, stabilize, level off, fluctuate, decrease, decline, slump, plummet, dive Sales: were up/down/at their lowest/at their highest (level) are continuing to rise/fall

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went up/rose/improved (slightly/steadily/dramatically/sharply/steeply) went down/fell (noticeably/markedly/gradually) recovered/got better/got worse (moderately/rapidly) leveled off/stabilized/stayed the same/remained stable reached a (their) peak/a maximum reached a low point/hit rock bottom fluctuated

There has been: a dramatic /sudden increase in (a) steady/significant improvement in (a) moderate growth in a leveling off of a slow/slight decline in a sharp drop in an upward/downward trend. The trend has been upwards/downwards.

4. Comparisons there are more/less/fewer…than... (prices) fell more sharply/steeply in than… by far the largest… twice the number/twice as many (approximately/roughly/nearly/about) three times as many (just over/under) a half/double the number (of)… in comparison with/as opposed to

in contrast… …, respectively … in particular Practice 1 The pie charts below show the average household expenditures in Japan and Malaysia in the year 2010. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

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Average Household Expenditures by Major Category

Read the following model answer. Complete the answer by filling the gaps with a word from the box below. main but than higher smallest in contrast compared with lower higher overall indicates while

Model answer The pie charts show the proportion of money spent on various household expenses in Malaysia and Japan in 2010. We can see that in Malaysia the greatest proportion of expenditure (34%) was on housing, .......... in Japan housing accounted for just 21% of the total. .........., in Japan the greatest single expense was other goods and services at 29%, .......... 26% in Malaysia. Food came in second place in Japan, at 24%, while in Malaysia the actual proportion was .......... (27%). In Japan another major expense was transport, at 20%, but this was much .......... In Malaysia (10%). In both countries the .......... percentage of expenditure was on health care. .........., the data .......... that in both cases food, housing and other goods and services were the .......... expenses, .......... that in Japan, transport and other goods and services took up a .......... proportion of total expenditure .......... in Malaysia.

2

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The line graph below gives information about the number of visitors to three London museums between June and September 2013 11. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Look at the line graph and complete the text with the correct forms of the verbs in brackets and the correct prepositions.

Model Answer

The graph ........... (show) how many people ........... (visit) three London museums in the summer of 2013. Most visitors ........... (go) to the British museum ........... June and September. The number ........... (fluctuate) between 500 and 750. By contrast, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum ........... (receive) fewer visitors. The number of people who visited the Science Museum ........... (drop) gradually from 400 thousand to 300 from June to August then ........... (rise) to 450 thousand ........... September. We can ........... (see) that the

11 Test Tip Check the horizontal axis to find whether the graph refers to past, present, future or all three. We use the present simple to describe the graph: The graph shows … , We can see … If the graph refers to past period of time, we use the past simple, and if the graph includes future times, we use will or it is predicted that.

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trend for the Natural History Museum ........... (be) similar. There was a sharp drop in visitors from June to July. The number ........... (remain stable) in August and then ........... (increase) steadily in September.

3 The bar chart below shows the percentage of students who passed their high school competency exams, by subject and gender, during the period 2010-2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words.

Students passing high school competency exams, by subject and gender, 2010-2011

*includes French, German and Spanish Look at the graph and complete the following model answer by writing NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS in each space.

Model answer

The graph shows the percentages of boys and girls who were successful in their high school competency exams in the period from 2010 to 2011, by subject. Overall, students of both sexes .......... best in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Foreign Languages, .......... French, German and

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Spanish. Results for boys and girls were roughly .......... in Computer Science and Mathematics. In other subjects, .........., there were some significant ........... Girls achieved by far their .......... in Computer Science, with a pass rate of .........., which was .......... than the boys. The difference was even .......... in Chemistry, where .......... more girls passed. .......... subject where boys’ results were better than girls was .......... where they achieved a pass rate of .........., which was 10% higher than .......... for girls. In general, .......... that during the period in question girls performed better in most subjects in the competency exams than boys.

Useful Tips 1) Spend a few minutes planning the organization of your answer and the content of each paragraph. 2) If there are large amount of data, divide it into categories so that you express the main features, but not every detail. 3) When you first see a bar chart, ask yourself the following questions: - What do the numbers on the vertical/horizontal axis measures? - How is the information grouped on the other axis? - What do the different shades of the bars show? - When was the data collected? 4) Focus on the most important aspects of any data you are given. Do not quote the data mechanically. Link your ideas together naturally while referring to specific data. 5) Think about the most significant changes over time or the key points of comparison between different categories. 6) Organise your description of the data around these key points, and include any relevant secondary points. You will increase your Writing Band Score in Academic Writing Task 1 if you:

• Mention all the major features of the statistics or charts; • Make sure you describe the statistics accurately; • Paraphrase the information in the question; • Avoid repeating the same words and phrases and try to vary the

sentence structures you use; • Give an overview of the most important trends or patterns.

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IELTS Tip: Useful language for describing trends to experience a(n) [increase/decrease/rise/fall/drop in/of] to [increase/decrease/rise/fall/drop by/from … to] to fluctuate / undergo a change / remain [stable/steady] / stagnate / dip / peak / increase [twofold/threefold] / surge a [less/more] marked [increase/decrease], etc. (occurred / took place) [less/more] significant / steady / especially strong growth a parallel [rise/fall] to expect / predict / forecast

Table Tables contain words and numbers, displayed in columns or boxes to illustrate a set of facts and the relationships among them.

Practice The table below shows the monthly expenditure of an average Australian family in 1991 and 2001 12. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. 1991 2001

Australian Dollar Per Month Food 155 160 Electricity and Water 75 120 Clothing 30 20 Housing 95 100 Transport 70 45 Other goods and services* 250 270 Total 675 715 *non-essential goods and services

Model answer The table shows changes in the spending patterns of an average Australian household between 1991 and 2001. In general, Australian household spending was high in 2001 than in 1991 but the difference was not significant (AUD $715 per month and AUD $675 per month respectively). The amount of monthly spending on electricity and water saw a dramatic increase over the 10-year period from $75 to $120. Yet in

12 You cannot include all the data in your answer, so you need to select the most interesting data related to the key features to illustrate your summary.

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terms of the expenditure on non-essential goods and services, the rising trend was less obvious with a minor increase of $20. At the same time, the amount of money spent on food and housing rose only slightly from $155 to $160 and $95 to $100 respectively. However, there was a decrease in expenditure on the other two items. Australians spent one third less on clothing, which fell from $30 to $20. Similarly, expenditure on transport dropped from $70 in 1991 to $45 in 2001. It seems that food and “other goods and services” were the two biggest items of expenditure. Altogether, they accounted for more than half of the total household spending. By comparison, Australians spent little on dressing up. (188 words)

Describing a Process or an Object Although interpreting and presenting data is the most common task type for Task 1 of the Academic Writing module, two other tasks are possible. In one, you given a diagram and asked to describe a process or to explain how something works. In the other, you have to describe an object or a series of events. Practice 1 The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

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Model answer The first potential location (S1) is outside the town itself, and is sited just off the main road to the town of Hindon, lying 12 kms to the north-west. This site is in the countryside and so would be able to accommodate a lot of car parking. This would make it accessable to shoppers from both Hindon and Garlsdon who could travel by car. As it is also close to the railway line linking the who towns to Cransdon (25 km to the south-east), a potentially large number of shoppers would also be able to travel by train. In contrast, the suggested location, S2, is right in the town centre, which would be good for local residents. Theorically the store could be accessed by road or rail from the surrounding towns, including Bransdon, but as the central area is a no-traffic zone, cars would be unable to park and access would be difficult.

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Overall, neither site is appropriate for all the towns, but for customers in Cransdon, Hindon and Garlsdon, the out-of-town site (S1) would probably offer more advantages. (179 words) 2 The diagram below shows the typical stages of consumer goods manufacturing, including the process by which information is fed back to earlier stages to enable adjustment. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the process shown.

• You should write at least 150 words. • You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

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Model answer Most consumer goods go through a series of stages before they emerge as finished products ready for sale. Raw materials and manufactured components comprise the initial physical input in the manufacturing process. Once obtained, these are stored for later assembly. But assembly first depends upon the production planning stage, where it is decided how and in what quantities the stored materials will be processed to create sufficient quantities of finished goods. The production planning stage itself follows the requirements of the goods' design stage that proceeds from extensive research. After assembly, the products are inspected and tested to maintain quality control l Those units that pass the inspection and testing stages are then packaged, despatched and offered for sale in retail outlets. The level of sales, which is the end point of the manufacturing process, helps determine production planning. A product's design is not only the result of product research, but is also influenced by testing and market research. If the testing stage (after assembly and inspection) reveals unacceptable problems in the finished product, then adjustments will have to be made to the product's design. Similarly, market research, which examines the extent and nature of the demand for products, has the role of guiding product design to suit consumer demands which may change with time. Market research, while influenced by product sales, also serves to foster future sales by devising suitable advertising for the goods. Thus the reality of consumer goods manufacturing goes well beyond a simple linear production process. Now you will need to practice describing a

chart/graph/table/etc. on your own using the knowledge you have received in the section. Be concentrated, use active vocabulary, try to stick to the time limit and write at least 150 words.

Practice Task 1 The chart below shows the amount spent on six consumer goods in four European countries. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

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Practice Task 2 The graph and the table give information about water use worldwide and water consumption in two different countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

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Practice Task 3 Draw pie charts comparing populations of the European Union in 1998 and 2007 by percentage and describe it. Use the table given below:

Country 1998 2007 Germany 17.1% 16.6% France 12.5% 12.8% United Kingdom 12.2% 12.3% Italy 11.8% 11.9% Spain 8.3% 9% Poland 8% 7.7% All other countries (21) 29.4% 29.4%

GENERAL TRAINING WRITING MODULE. TASK 1 In this task, a prompt poses a problem or describes a situation that requires a written response in letter format. Candidates may be required to write a letter to an imaginary person (a friend or a teacher); a formal letter to a stranger or an official. Informal, semi-formal or formal

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writing style can be used depending on the situation given and your relationship to the target reader. Bullet points in the task instructions outline what should be included in the letter. The task requires you to:

• respond appropriately to a task; • show familiarity with letter-writing styles; • include the information highlighted in the bullet points; • use appropriate and accurate language. It is extremely important to stick to the style needed. There is a

number of rules necessary to know when writing a letter. Do you know these rules? In your copybooks make a list of differences that can be singled out in formal and informal styles. Use any necessary resources if needed.

Check your knowledge doing the test below: Below, you will see eleven common situations that people encounter when they are writing a formal letter. Choose the sentence or phrase (A, B or C) that would be most appropriate in each situation. 1) You are writing a letter to the headteacher of a school or college, but you don't know their name. How do you begin your letter?

A Dear headteacher, B Dear Sir/Madam, C Dear Sir,

2) You have received a letter from the manager of a company which buys computer components from your company, and you are now replying. What do you say?

A Thank you for your letter. B Thanks a lot for your letter. C It was great to hear from you.

3) You recently stayed in a hotel and were very unhappy with the service you received. You are now writing to the manager. What do you say?

A I had a horrible time at your hotel recently. B I would like to say that I am unhappy about your hotel.

C I would like to complain about the service I received at your hotel recently.

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4) You have sent a letter of application to a college, together with your curriculum vitae which the college requested. What do you say in the letter to explain that your curriculum vitae is attached?

A You asked for my curriculum vitae, so here it is. B As you can see, I've enclosed my curriculum vitae. C As you requested, I enclose my curriculum vitae.

5) You have applied for a job, but you would like the company to send you more information. What do you say?

A I would be grateful if you would send me more information. B I want you to send me more information. C Send me some more information, if you don't mind.

6) In a letter you have written to a company, you tell them that you expect them to reply. What do you say?

A Write back to me soon, please. B Please drop me a line soon. C l look forward to hearing from you soon.

7) In a letter you have written, you want the recipient to do something and are thanking them in advance of their action. What do you say?

A Thank you for your attention in this matter. B Thanks for doing something about it. C I am gratified that you will take appropriate action.

8) The company you work for has received an order from another company and you are writing to them to acknowledge the order and let them know when you can deliver. What do you say?

A About the order you sent on 12 January for...

B I would like to remind you of the order you sent on 12 January for...

C Refer to your order of 12 January. 9) In a letter, you explain that the recipient can contact you if they want more information. What do you say?

A Give me a call if you want some more information.

B If you would like any more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

C If you would like any more information, why not get in touch?

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10) You began a letter with the recipient's name (e.g., Dear Mr. Perrin). How do you end the letter? 13

A Yours faithfully. B Yours sincerely. C Best wishes.

11) You did not begin the letter with the recipient's name (see number 1 above). How do you end the letter?

A Yours faithfully. B Yours sincerely. C Best wishes.

Look at these sentences and decide if they are true or false. 1) Formal letters are always longer than informal letters. __________________________________________________________ 2) In a formal letter it is acceptable to use colloquial English, slang and idioms. __________________________________________________________ 3) In a formal letter it is acceptable to use contractions (e.g., I've instead of I have). __________________________________________________________ 4) In a formal letter you should include your name and address at the top of the page. __________________________________________________________ 5) In a formal letter, you should always write the date in full (e.g., 1 April 2000 and not 1/4/00). __________________________________________________________ 6) In a formal letter, you should always put your full name (e.g., James Harcourt and not J. Harcourt) after your signature at the bottom of the letter. __________________________________________________________ 7) Formal letters do not need to be broken into paragraphs. It is acceptable to write them as one continuous paragraph. __________________________________________________________

Now we will have a look at a number of examples of formal and informal letters.

13 IELTS Tip Yours sincerely and Yours faithfully can both be used to close formal and semi-formal letters. Yours faithfully is used when you don't know the name of the person you are writing to.

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STRUCTURE FOR LETTERS

There are four basic elements found in formal and informal letters. They are: a salutation (greeting), an introduction, the body and a conclusion with signature. Let us get better understanding of each element:

Salutation You should start a letter with greeting a person you are writing to. Begin with Dear followed by the name of the person to whom you are writing. It is important to know that for (semi-) formal letters, the person’s name is followed by a colon, while for informal letters, a comma should be used. It is unnecessary to include an address if none was given in the task prompt.

Introduction In the introduction, you are to explain in one or two sentences why you are writing to that person.

Body In the body you will outline the information that you need to communicate, as indicated in the instructions given to you in the prompt. It is important to be concise 14, but also to include all the necessary that you have been asked to provide. Your use of advanced and varied vocabulary, as well as a sophisticated and assertive tone, will also illustrate your strong English writing abilities. In formal and semi-formal letters, you should use a formal conclusion, such as:

• Thank you for your time and assistance. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

• Thank you for your help and consideration. I will call you next week to follow up.

Conclusion and Signature

The content of the closing will depend on whether the letter is formal or informal. For formal and semi-formal letters in which the name of the addressee is known, the word Sincerely followed by a comma should be used. When the name of the addressee is not known, the phrase Yours faithfully should be used. For informal letters, phrases such as Regards

14 brief yet comprehensive

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or All the best can be used. They should also be followed by a comma. Leave some space for the signature, and then write your name in print underneath it. Practice 1 Applying for a Part-time Job You are looking for a part-time job at a football club. Write a letter to the manager of the football club. In your letter:

• introduce yourself • explain what experience and special skills you

have • tell him/her when you think you could start

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Model answer

Dear Sir/Madam, I am a 21-year-old student and I am studying Sports Coaching Science at St Mary's University. I have been studying there for the past three years. I am writing to ask if there are any part-time job vacancies at your football club. I really enjoy sport, and my areas of particular interest and experience are Football, Rugby and Cricket. I have had some experience of coaching for these sports over the past three years that I have been at the University. Last year, I worked in the holidays at a football club in my own country. I will be able to provide references from this summer job and also from my teachers at the university. I would prefer to work in the evenings and at the weekends, as I have classes during the daytime, and I can start from the beginning of November. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Yours faithfully, Adam Lawerence 2 Writing to a Restaurant You celebrated your birthday with some friends last week in a restaurant. It was a great success and you and your friends enjoyed the evening very much.

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Write a letter to the restaurant to thank them. Mention the food, service and the atmosphere. Also suggest any improvements to make things better.

• You should write at least 150 words. • You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. • You do NOT need to write your own address.

Model answer

Dear Sir, Last week on Saturday night some friends and I had dinner in your restaurant to celebrate my birthday. I am writing to thank you for the great evening that we had. All my friends remarked afterwards on the standard of the food and service that we received. All the food was very tasty and well presented. Our waiter, whose name was James, was fast and friendly and put with well with our bad jokes! The restaurant itself was warm and friendly and the atmosphere showed that all the diners there were enjoying their evening. I would like though to suggest one improvement. One of my friends is a vegetarian and he felt that the choice for vegetarians was little small. If you could develop that, it would be a great advantage to your restaurant. Once again I would like to thank you for my highly enjoyable birthday dinner. Yours faithfully, Rebecca Ahlinder 3 Writing to a Friend You are going to another country to study. You would like to do a part-time job while you are studying, so you want to ask a friend who lives there for some help. Write a letter to this friend. In your letter:

• give details of your study plans • explain why you want to get a part-time job • suggest how your friend could help you find a

job Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

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Model answer Dear Sara, My departure date for Canada is drawing near, and I am busy with preparations. I have enrolled at an institution called ‘IDT English’ in Ottawa, for a four-month intermediate course, full-time. It is quite expensive but I am hopeful of improving my pronunciation, especially. To assist in covering the costs of my study, I aim to find a part-time job. Not only are the college fees rather high, but also I know that rental accommodation in the capital city will not be cheap, to say nothing of food and heating expenses! So I would very much like to arrange some temporary employment before I arrive. I was wondering if you could ask around among your friends and colleagues to see if anyone wants a house-cleaner, gardener, or nanny for their children. I know you have a wide social network in Ottawa which you could canvas for me, if you wouldn't mind. I'd be so grateful. I look forward to seeing you soon. Best wishes, Helen 4 Looking for Accommodation You are studying a short course in another country. Your accommodation was arranged by the course provider. There is a major problem with the accommodation. Write a letter to the course provider. In your letter:

• Say what the problem is. • Describe the accommodation you thought you

were getting. • Ask the provider to solve the problem.

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

Model answer

Dear Mr Watterson, My name is Andrew Fish, and I am taking an eight-week intensive English course at Oxford House College. My company is paying for my tuition, and I am using my summer vacation to study. It is expected I will pass an English Proficiency Test as a result, and be transferred abroad. Therefore, it is rather important to me that I am able to study in the best environment.

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I am staying in Phoenix Hostel on campus. While my room is pleasant and the facilities are very good, the hostel is extremely noisy. When I organised my accommodation, I was assured I would be staying only with post-graduate or intensive-course students. However, most of the people in this hostel are doing summer-school courses due to academic failure, and they are all under 22. It seems to me they are enjoying one long party: certainly no one observes light out or turns down music despite being asked to. I wonder if I may be moved to a hostel which is more conducive to serious study, or I may use the remainder of my accommodation fee to go towards payment for a hotel. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely, Andrew Fish Now that you have studied all the sample letters above, you will

need to practice writing a letter being given a prompt only using the knowledge you have received in the section. Be concentrated, choose the adequate register, stick to the time limit and write at least 150 words.

Practice Task 1 You saw an advertisement for a tennis course in England but you have one or two problems and can’t stay the whole course. Write a letter to the course director 15. In your letter:

• explain your interest in the course • describe your problems • find out if a refund is possible

Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses. Practice Task 2 You are a student at an English language school in Brighton and are living in private accommodation with other flat mates. You have not

15 Test Tip If you do not know the name of the person you are writing to, begin with Dear Sir or Dear Sir or Madam or Dear Madam and end your letter with Yours faithfully, followed by your full name.

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had hot water or heating for some time. The landlord’s workmen have tried to fix the problem but without success. Write a letter to the landlord. In your letter:

• state your reason for writing • describe the problems and explain how you feel • propose a solution and risk the landlord to take

action Write at least 150 words. You do NOT need to write any addresses.

WRITING MODULE. TASK 2

ACADEMIC WRITING

In task 2 of the Academic Writing module you are given brief details of an opinion, an argument or a problem, and have to produce an extended piece of discursive writing in response which is an essay of 4-6 paragraphs in answer to a question. Your aim is to present a strong argument supported by evidence. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task and write at least 250 words. This task should be written in a formal and impersonal style.

The target skills are: • arguing, defending or refuting 16 a point of view using

supporting evidence • identifying the causes of or suggesting a solution to a problem • comparing and contrasting opinions • evaluating the effects of a course of action

The structure of an essay

1 The Introduction It is important to remember that you are strongly recommended to avoid repeating any part of the question in your introduction. The copied sentence or so-called “chunks” of the question text will be disregarded by the examiner and deducted from the word count. You can use individual words of the prompt though.

16 disprove, prove false

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In the introduction one should first say what one understands by the question. Then the main issue or issues that are intended to be brought into the answer are given. It is not the paragraph to go into any detail or to develop your opinion, neither should you give any reasons; you can save that for the later paragraphs.

2 The Body of Your Essay

The best amount of the paragraphs in the body of an essay is 3 or 4 paragraphs. That goes without saying that you can write more or fewer paragraphs if the answer requires. However, having only 40 minutes to cover all the question areas does not allow you to be too ambitious and it seems to be barely possible to write more. In the body of the essay a candidate needs to examine all parts of the question. Remember there is often more than 1 question contained in the essay question text. It is necessary to look at all that is asked and to look at both sides of every issue. IELTS essay questions usually ask something which has two or more points of view, and both sides of every argument need to be considered no matter what your opinion is, though naturally your writing will favour the position that you personally support. Give the reasons and say why you do not accept the opposing point of view. The ideas you give need to be supported by examples. For every presented idea try and give an example from your own experience that shows that your idea is right. Personal experience-based examples are always preferable, though it is great if you can give examples from your country's news or history or anything that you have read anywhere. More than that, if necessary, examples can be invented, as long as they seem realistic and believable.

3 The Conclusion

The conclusion is the paragraph in which all the points discussed need to be summed up providing a final perspective on the topic. This part of an essay should not be long. Three or four strong sentences, which do not need to follow any set formula, will be enough. Review the main points (being careful not to restate them exactly or repeat all your examples) and briefly describe your feelings about the topic; this provides an answer to all parts of the question. Let us view the model answer. This is not the best answer, but one of the varieties that are possible.

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Pay attention to the given at the sides structure points. Think in what way you would name blocks 3, 6, 7 and 9.

Some people think that human history has been a journey from ignorance to knowledge. Others argue that this underestimates the achievements of ancient cultures, and overvalues our achievements. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Write at least 250 words.

1 description of the situation and problem

1 Some argue that people in the modern world are in possession of much more knowledge than people of ancient cultures. Others believe that this ignores the accomplishments of the past and places too much emphasis on present achievements. 2 While it is undoubtedly true that modern technologies, such as the internet could not have been imagined in ancient cultures, 3 it is a mistake to view these ancient cultures as ignorant. 4 Few would argue that the builders of the Sphinx were mere primitive cavemen, for example. People at the time had the knowledge they needed to understand and deal with their world and in fact one argument that is sometimes put forward is that, even with all we know today, we do not have the technology to build the Pyramids of Egypt. 5 Even if we do accept that modern society is richer in technological terms, it is undoubtedly poorer in spiritual terms.

2 an opposing opinion

3 _________ __________

4 one possible idea to support your point of view

5 another supportive idea

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6 Our societies have become so complex that people often become victims to the lifestyles they lead and must face a whole new variety of widespread modern-day problems, such as stress and obesity which affect people in developed countries worldwide. 7 Furthermore, the number of uneducated people still living in poverty with little opportunity to benefit from technological achievements suggests that our modern society is not so advanced after all. 8 In my view, however, there is no comparison between what we can achieve today and what people even two hundred years ago could achieve as we now know so much more. The vast majority of people in developed countries are able to benefit from an education system, standard of living, healthcare and life expectancy that are so much more advanced than ever before. 9 It is my personal opinion that although we must remember and respect ancient cultures, modern day achievements have brought us to the peak of human civilisation.

6 _________ ____________ ____________

7 _________ ____________ ____________

8 a summary of your main points

9 _________ ____________ ____________

GENERAL TRAINING WRITING

Writing task 2 with the General Training format is always a discursive essay question that requires you to write about a contemporary social issue. The essay should be written in a semi-formal or formal style. You are given a point of view, an argument or a problem, and are asked for

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your opinion. The following are some of the typical tasks that you might be required to do:

• Discuss advantages and disadvantages of something; • Outline the reasons for a problem and suggest solutions; • Express views on an issue; • State whether you agree or disagree with a view; • Take a side in an argument over an issue.

You are required to write an essay that answers all the points in the rubric. The content of the essay must be relevant to the question. The ideas expressed in the essay should be logically organised and supported. Different parts of the essay should be logically and grammatically connected; the essay must be coherent and cohesive.

The target skills are: • Expressing and justifying a point of view on the topic; • Comparing and contrasting opinions based on personal

experience; • Evaluating a situation or development; • Discussing the causes of a problem and suggesting possible

solutions. Below you will find a sample essay which is only one way to answer the given prompt. Read the essay and say:

• if the task is fulfilled and all the key points are covered; • if the essay is lexically and grammatically accurate; • if the spelling and punctuation are correct; • if the essay is logically organised: the text is divided into

paragraphs, the sentences are logically linked and appropriate conjunctions are used (and, but, although, that, etc.);

• if you liked the essay and if it is necessary to change anything in it.

Sample essay

Many people believe that media coverage of celebrities is having a negative effect on children. To what extent do you agree?

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Model answer In the past, news about famous people may have been confined to gossip columns in newspapers; these days it is not uncommon for celebrities to feature as front page news. There is evidence that the public feels there is too much news coverage of famous people. Not surprisingly, there is concern about how this might be affecting people, and in particular children. One of the possible negative consequences of the 'cult of celebrity' is the tendency to confuse fame and notoriety. Celebrity scandals are just as likely to receive publicity as celebrity achievements. Indeed, some famous people have received more attention for their misuse of drugs and alcohol than for their successes on the stage or in sports. Children who crave attention may come to see misbehaviour as normal. The emphasis on individuals in the public eye may also be at the expense of serious news coverage. Next to the superficial excitement of celebrity gossip, news about serious events and issues that have a more profound effect on people's lives may seem uninteresting. Children may be forming a very distorted picture of how the world works. The negative influence of celebrities on children can also be seen in children's career aspirations. These days, young people are much more likely to see themselves as potential sports stars or entertainers. The prevalence of these figures in the mass media may convey the impression that such positions are plentiful. Children may be developing unrealistic expectations that they too will become rich and famous. In summary, the 'cult of celebrity' may be affecting children in a number of undesirable ways. It is important that children be taught to critically evaluate what they see in the media so that they can form a more realistic view of society, acceptable behaviour, and indeed themselves.

ESSENTIAL WRITING SKILLS

In order to write effectively and score well on the Writing module, it is essential to have in-depth knowledge of effective preparation and planning; appropriate style and tone; and the proper structure and format for each type of writing task. The stages of the process of writing are: preparation, drafting and reviewing, each of which is further subdivided into smaller steps. Let us have a look at these stages in detail.

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Stage 1. Preparation Step 1: Read the task carefully. Make sure you understand what you are required to write about. Identify the appropriate style for your essay. Step 2: Brainstorm and note down your ideas. This can be done on your question paper, but not on the answer sheet. Your notes do need to follow any logical order, just write down anything you think is relevant to the task you are given. Step 3: Plan your essay. Select, prioritise and group your ideas according to the genre and the suggested layout for your essay. This stage should not take more than 5 minutes in task 1 and 10 minutes in task 2. Stage 2. Drafting Step 4: Write your essay. Start writing on an Answer Sheet. Follow the plan you have made. Do not volunteer information you were not asked for. Use varied vocabulary and syntax. You should use the pencil because it will be easier to make changes and corrections to your essay later. This stage should not take more than 10 minutes in Task 1 and 20 minutes in Task 2, provided the previous stage has been productive. Stage 3. Reviewing Step 5: Review and improve your essay. Check the essay for grammar and spelling mistakes. Focus on locating and correcting your typical mistakes. This stage should not take more than 5 minutes in Task 1 and 10 minutes in Task 2.

IELTS SPEAKING MODULE The IELTS Speaking module assesses the communicative and linguistic skills necessary for effective oral communication in educational, training and social contexts. Every candidate is assessed individually by the trained examiner according to the following criteria: Fluency and Coherence • ability to express ideas clearly and

coherently without long hesitations

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Lexical Resources • range of vocabulary used • appropriate use of vocabulary

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

• range of structures used • number of errors

Pronunciation • whether it is easy to understand what you are saying

• ability to use features of English pronunciation (intonation, stress and connected speech) naturally

• accents are not taken into consideration

PARTS OF THE SPEAKING MODULE The Speaking test lasts for 11 to 14 minutes and consists of three parts. It is the examiner who controls the timing in all the test parts. In Parts 1 and 2, the examiner follows a script with instructions and questions. During Part 3 of the Speaking test, the examiner will paraphrase the question prompts to match them to the proficiency level of an examinee. Each test is recorded for security and monitoring purposes. Here is a schematic plan of the Speaking module: Part 1: Introduction and Interview

• Lasts for 4-5 minutes. • Examiner asks questions based on topic frames. • Topics are general (e.g. home, family, job, interests).

Part 2: Individual Long Turn

• Lasts 3-4 minutes. • You are given a topic card and one minute to prepare notes. • You speak a monologue based on the topic card.

Part 3: Two-way Discussion

• Lasts 4-5 minutes. • Examiner asks you questions based on the topic from Part 2.

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• You may be asked up to seven questions, which the examiner adapts to your proficiency level.

In the next section we will have a closer look at each part of the Speaking module.

PART 1 – INTRODUCTION

This part lasts for 4-5 minutes. The examiner introduces him/herself, and then asks questions about familiar topics, such as about you, your home, family, work, free time, holidays, places to go in your spare time, transport, shopping, reading, etc. Each set of questions on a specific topic is called a “Topic Frame”. The first topic is often about where you live, your work or your studies. The two other topics will be randomly selected from a list of eight topics available to the examiner. Although topics may be similar from one test version to another, the questions included in the Topic Frames will be different. Example of Topic Frame 1: ABOUT YOU

• What is your (full) name? • Can I have your name please? • Could you tell me your full name please? • What shall I call you? • How can I address you? • Does your name have any special meaning? • Is your name important to you? • Do Korean people like changing their name? Why? • Have you ever changed your name? Why or why not? • Why do so many people change their name? • Do you work or study?

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PART 2 – INDIVIDUAL LONG TURN

The examiner gives you a card that contains a topic and some bullet point prompts. Before speaking, you will be given one minute to prepare and make notes on a sheet of paper. You will be required to speak for one or two minutes. When you are finished, the examiner will ask one or two questions to wrap up the long turn. All in all, this part lasts for 3-4 minutes.

An examinee is provided with a pen/pencil and paper. It is allowed to make notes, but they are destroyed after the test, so you are not allowed to take them out of the room.

Part 2 begins with the phrase like “Now, I’m going to give you a topic and I’d like you to talk about it for one to two minutes. Before you talk, you’ll have one minute to think about what you are going to say. You can make notes if you wish. Do you understand?”

Example of a Task Card: Take one minute to prepare a talk on the following subject. Take notes if you like and remember to include reasons and examples. You should then speak for between one and two minutes.

Describe your favorite shop.

You should say: • where it is • what things it sells • what sort of people are its customers

and explain why you like the shop so much.

It is necessary to make notes during one minute and you should

practice to do it quickly and effectively. Let us view the example. Imagine, you have received the Task card with the following contents:

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Describe a piece of furniture you have in your home. You should say:

• What kind it is and what you use it for. • What materials it is made of • how the piece of furniture was chosen for your home

And explain how you feel about this piece of furniture.

Notes: writing desk – bedroom antique, expensive oak got it from grandparents – don’t know much about it took good care, doesn’t look shabby used it for school love it – will give it to my children or collector of antiques

Sample Speech: I would like to talk about my writing desk. This desk is in my bedroom. It is an antique and is probably very expensive. It is quite large and I think it is made of oak. I received it as a present from my grandparents when they moved into my parents’ house. I do not know much about how long my grandparents had it or where it came from. It’s quite old, but I have taken really good care of it, so it doesn’t really look shabby. It’s got three drawers. Some parts of it are decorated with some fancy carvings. Anyway, I really love this desk because I spent lots of time studying and working at it when I was at school. I still find it very useful and will probably give it to my children when they start school. If they don’t want it, I’ll sell it to a collector of antiques.

Wrap-up Questions After you have finished with the monologue, the examiner will ask you a couple of rounding-off questions, which require very simple answers: Examiner: Do any of your friends have a piece of furniture like this? Candidate: Yes, some of them do. Examiner: Where would you go to buy a piece of furniture like this? Candidate: At an antique shop.

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PART 3 – TWO-WAY DISCUSSION

In Part 3 of the Speaking Test, the examiner will ask you to discuss some abstract, non-personal questions that he or she raises. Depending on your level of English and performance, you might be asked up to seven questions related to Part 2. You are not required or expected to ask the examiner any questions. The discussion will last 4-5 minutes. Example of the questions If the topic of your Card in Part to was Shopping, the following blocks of questions might be formed for the third part of the Speaking module: Things to buy

• What typical things can visitors to your country buy? • What things do young people like to buy in your country?

Money • Is it a good idea to save money? Why (not)? • Do you think that people are happier if they have money? Why

(not)? Shopping

• What can shops do to make shopping more pleasant for their customers?

• Do you think that in the future people will do most of their shopping using the Internet? Why?/ Why not?

Key phrases for introducing and linking ideas It is always easier to accept one’s speech when introductory and linking phrases are used. Presenting your point of view: I think/believe/suppose that…/I don’t think that …/Personally, …/As far as I understand/know, …/As far as I am able to judge, …/I am convinced that …/In my opinion, …/I’d say… Adding new ideas: Also…/And…/Besides, … Explaining reasons and consequences: It’s probably because …/That’s why …/One of the reasons for this could be …/What this means is that … Speculating: might/may/could/perhaps/It’s not likely that …/It’s very unlikely that …

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Moving to the next point: Anyway, …/ So, to move on, … Giving examples: For example, …/For instance, … In Part 3 of the Speaking module you will need to communicate your opinions alongside with demonstrating your control of grammatical structures and depth of vocabulary. Use modal verbs to give possible reasons or describe likely (dis-) advantages. Examiner: Why do you think some people like giving presents more than receiving? Candidate: Well, it might be because they are generous. Another reason could be they feel good about themselves when they give someone a present. When you give an opinion, support it by giving a reason for it or by offering a second point of view. Examiner: Do you agree that public transport should be free? Candidate: I totally agree. We all pay taxes and I think some of the money governments collect from tax-payers should be invested in building an efficient public transport system. This could also encourage people to use public transport instead of driving private cars. But I think it might be difficult and very expensive to put this idea into practice, and I suppose many people would disagree that making public transport free is a good idea. Practice Part 1 (4-5 minutes) In this part, the examiner will ask you 2-3 general questions about yourself:

• Where do you live? • Do you work or study? Where do you work?/Where do you

study? • What do you like doing in your free time? Do you have any

hobbies? • Do you cook? How often do you cook?

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Part 2 (3-4 minutes) The examiner will give you a topic card, a pencil and some paper. You will be given one minute to prepare what you are going to say. You can make notes if you wish to plan your answer. Then the examiner will ask you to speak about the topic for or two minutes. Describe a city or a town you have enjoyed visiting. You should say:

• when you visited the town or city • what you did there • how long you stayed there

and explain why you enjoyed the visit. After your talk, the examiner will ask you one or two brief questions about the topic.

• Would you like to visit this place again? • Has anyone you know visited the city/town?

Part 3 (4-5 minutes) In this part, the examiner will ask you 2-3 general questions related to the topic in Part 2. Travel and Tourism

• Do people travel more nowadays than they used to on the past? • What can one learn from travelling to other countries? • Do you think people will travel more, or less, in the future?

Tourism, Economy and Environment

• What positive o negative effects does tourism have on a local economy?

• What effects does travel have on the environment? • What can countries do to promote tourism?

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GENERAL STRATEGIES FOR THE SPEAKING MODULE

Like in other IELTS modules, the performance in the Speaking module will be more effective if one follows certain strategies. Strategy 1: Don’t memorise long answers. Anything you say that the examiner thinks has been memorized will not be assessed. Strategy 2: Use your imagination in your answers. Remember that the examiner is testing your ability to speak English, not your views on general knowledge. Strategy 3: Use varied and advanced vocabulary. You should try and demonstrate you have enough vocabulary to discuss non-personal topics. The examiner will be checking if you can use complex sentences. You will get credit for your attempts, even if you make mistakes. Strategy 4: You can pause, but not for long. If you cannot answer the examiner’s question right away, you can use some “filler” phrases to acknowledge the question and to show the examiner that you are thinking over your answer. However, avoid waiting too long before you speak. This will cause the examiner to give you lower marks for fluency. Here are some time-filling phrases you can use: That’s a good question!/OK, well, let me see./I’ve never thought of it before…/Hmm, let me think… Strategy 5: Speak loudly. You should speak loudly enough for the examiner to hear you and for the recorder to capture what you are saying. Also, make sure to pronounce your words as clearly and correctly as possible. Strategy 6: Don’t be nervous. In Part 1 of the Speaking module the examiner will ask you some questions about yourself. You should not feel nervous or threatened in any way. The examiner is there to help you speak, and if you misunderstand a question or cannot answer, he/she will repeat or change the question. Speak to the examiner as if you are speaking to someone you have just been introduced to.

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Strategy 7 (for Part 1): Give direct answers. Answer each question you are asked, trying to give examples, reasons and opinions where appropriate. Your answers do not need to be very long or sophisticated. Strategy 8 (for Part 2): Read the Task Card carefully. Read the topic and the bullet points very carefully not to misunderstand the task. If you rush this step, you might make notes and prepare a speech that doesn’t cover the topic at all. Then you will have to talk without any preparation. Strategy 9 (for Part 3): Speak at length, but stay on topic. In Part 3 of the Speaking Test you are required to give extended answers. The examiner cannot give you high marks if your responses are always very short. Make sure that the information you provide is relevant to the question and that you have kept to the original topic of the question.

REFERENCES

1. Cambridge IELTS. – Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. – 172 p.

2. Cavuldar, Glenn. IELTS Cube. The Way to Study / Glenn Cavuldar – Ankara: Gür Ozalit, 2008. – 150 p.

3. IELTS. 2009 – 2010 Edition. – New York: Kaplan Publishing, Inc., 2009. – 301 p.

4. IELTS Exam Preparation [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://www.ielts-exam.net.

5. History of IELTS [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: http://ieltsportal.ru/article/show/172.

6. Common European Framework for Languages [Электронный ресурс]. – Режим доступа: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common _European_Framework_of_Reference_for_Languages.

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Учебное издание

Составитель: Филиппова Яна Павловна

International Language Standard. Teaching IELTS

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