IELTS Materials and Resources, Get IELTS Tips, Tricks & Practice Test |
- IELTS Writing Practice Test 6 From Recent Test (12/12/2015)
- On A Knife Edge – Idiom Of The Day For IELTS
- Principle – Word Of The Day For IELTS
- IELTS Cue Card Sample 30 – Topic: a street that you like to visit
- IELTS Listening Practice Test 35
- IELTS Speaking Actual Test in September, 2016 and Suggested Answers
| IELTS Writing Practice Test 6 From Recent Test (12/12/2015) Posted: 09 Sep 2016 03:00 AM PDT IELTS Writing Task 2 Topic:People should follow the customs and traditions when people start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Outline Identifying the essay type: Agree or disagree INTRODUCTION: many people hold this opinion. I completely agree with it. BODY Paragraph 1: [Problems if local customs are not followed] [1] Difficulties for new residents who do not follow customs and traditions of host country -example: if they start a business, they have to know local business customs in order to be successful. [2] Some actions will be illegal in the host country and will make local people angry, too -example: Singapore. Paragraph 2: [Benefits of following local customs and traditions] [1] Local people will accept newcomers who do this – more integration, easier to make friends. [2] New immigrants will enjoy the traditions and be able to take part in community life -example: enjoy festivals. CONCLUSION: repeat, using some different words. BAND 8.0+ SAMPLE ANSWER: Many people argue that foreigners should adapt to the local customs and traditions when they come to reside in a new country. I completely agree with this view. Newcomers will certainly face difficulties if they do not conform to the norms of social behaviour in the host country. Firstly, it will become almost impossible for them to blend into their new environment. For example, an entrepreneur who comes to live in a new country and starts up a business must be aware of the business practices of that country. There are bound to be many pitfalls, not only legal ones but also simply in terms of winning and keeping customers. Secondly, recent immigrants might fall foul of the law if they do not respect the behaviour and customs of locals. In Singapore, for instance, residents will consider newcomers dirty and ill-mannered if they litter the street or spit gum in public places. There are also many benefits for foreigners when they do adopt the customs and traditions of their new country of residence. One advantage is that local people will be more welcoming when they feel that the newcomers are showing respect for the local way of life. The establishment of closer links with the host community might lead to greater integration and mutual understanding. Another benefit is the richness of the experience which newcomers will gain from enjoying aspects of local customs and traditions, enabling them to participate in community life and avoid social isolation. During festivals and national holidays, especially, they will feel like they 'belong' in their new country. In conclusion, I would argue that it is essential for new residents to follow the traditions and habits of locals in the host community in order to integrate fully into society. (293 words) Useful vocabulary
Hope you can find this post intriguing. Try to practice writing every day to improve your writing skills. You can find more tips and lessons about the IELTS test on ieltsmaterial.com. Don’t forget “Practice makes perfect”.  | |
| On A Knife Edge – Idiom Of The Day For IELTS Posted: 09 Sep 2016 01:00 AM PDT On A Knife Edge – Idiom Of The Day For IELTS Speaking.Definition: In a very difficult situation and there are worries about the future. Example: “I’ve put myself on a knife edge when I forgot the calculator in the business management qualification test, which involved a lot of calculations.” “These underprivileged families have to live on a knife edge because their houses are demolished by the storm.” “At that time, she stood on a knife edge when the bank declared her that her own company was bankrupt.” Exercise:
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| Principle – Word Of The Day For IELTS Posted: 09 Sep 2016 01:00 AM PDT Principle – Word Of The Day For IELTS Speaking And WritingPrinciple: (Noun) /ˈprɪnsɪp(ə)l/ Definition:The basic idea that a plan or system is based on Synonyms:Assumption, Precept, Doctrine Collocations:With adjective: basic/ democratic/ fundamental/ general/ guiding/ important/ legal/ moral principle Example:For IELTS Speaking: For IELTS Writing: Exercise:Choose the following words to fill in the blank: interpret, specific, data, formulas, principles, concept, major, area, role, establish.
Answer key Check out Vocabulary for IELTS Speaking & Writing on IELTS Material website to improve your vocabulary for IELTS and get a high score in IELTS.  | |
| IELTS Cue Card Sample 30 – Topic: a street that you like to visit Posted: 09 Sep 2016 12:51 AM PDT IELTS Cue Card for IELTS Speaking Part 2:Describe a street that you like to visit./Describe what you would do if you had a day off, free from work or study. Describe what you would do if you had a day off, free from work or study. BAND 9.0 MODEL ANSWER: Although I am quite a sociable person, I like my own space from time to time. Living in a metropolitan area with a fast-paced life doesn‟t allow me to have time for myself that often. This is probably the only time I can escape from my normal routine, completely free and just breathe, without worrying about my job/my studies. This street is perfect for my purpose because there are only government offices around here, hence it is always quiet. Moreover, both side of the streets are planted with many big trees, their shade covers the whole street. On a sunny day, you can see the sun‟s rays shining through the leaves. Every time I come here I feel fresh and less stressed, especially after my busy days at work/ preparing for exams. At the end of the day, I can refresh my mind and be ready for a new day. VOCABULARY  | |
| IELTS Listening Practice Test 35 Posted: 08 Sep 2016 11:20 PM PDT Section 1: Questions 1-10Questions 1-10: Complete the table below. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer. Section 2: Questions 11-20 Questions 11-15: Label the map below. Choose FIVE answers from the box and write the correct letter A-H next to questions 11-15. Questions 16-20: Choose the correct letter, A. Bor C. Section 3: Question 21 – 30 Questions 21-25: Choose the correct letter, A. B or C. Section 4: Questions 31-40 Questions 31- 40: Complete the table below. Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer. ANSWER KEY
TRANSCRIPT FOR IELTS LISTENING PRACTICE TEST 35 LISTENING SECTION 1 Man: Good morning. Can I help you? Woman: I hope so! I have a friend in Spain and her two daughters are coming to the city to study for a month. So I thought the Tourist Information Centre was the best place to ask about hostels. Can you recommend any? Man: Of course. Ah, I usually suggest one of the Hostelling International places. HI West End is a big hostel in a residential area, but it's only ten minutes from downtown if you take a bus. It's really popular. Woman: OK. Sounds good! I need to know how much it costs. The girls want a double room to themselves. They don't want to share with other people. Man: That makes it more expensive. The price is under $30 for a bed in a dormitory but they'll be paying $50 a night. But if they become members of Hostelling International, the price comes down to $41 a night. Membership costs $35. Woman: Right. Man: And membership offers them benefits too on all kinds of activities. Woman: Ah, what kind of things? Man: Oh, er, skydiving and white-water rafting. Things like that. Woman: Mm, I don't think they're interested in that kind of thing. If they become members, will they get cheaper entrance tickets to museums? Man: Oh, yes and also discounts on bicycle and car hire. Woman: OK. It's probably worth it. Is the hostel very noisy? They're coming here to do some studying. Man: Ah, I think it is quite noisy as it's a really big hostel. And if they want to use the Internet this hostel still makes a charge unfortunately. It's $1 for 15 minutes and $3 for an hour. Woman: Mm … it might not be ideal for them. What else can you recommend? Is there anything in a quiet area? Man: There's Elliscoat Hostel. Woman: Mm, how do you spell that? Man: E-L-L-I-S-C-O-A-T. Woman: I've never heard that name before. And where is that? Man: It's on the beach looking over the bay. Here, look on the map. It's quiet but not far from Dragon Island – there's plenty going on there in the evening. Woman: Oh, that's a nice area. And if they want to go to Dragon Island it only takes a couple of minutes to walk down to the ferry. So how much is a room there? Man: It's in such a nice spot that the rooms are a bit more expensive. They're $62. Woman: Does that include any meals? Man: Unfortunately not. It is possible to buy meals in the hostel at a reasonable price but because it isn't very busy in the winter, they only cook in summer. Woman: Oh, I think I know the place you mean. It's an old building, isn't it? Man: Yes, it's well known as it's one of the oldest in the city. There's been a hotel there since 1887 when it was first built. It was turned into a hostel in 1985 and they've invested a lot of money restoring it inside. Woman: Mm, they'd like that but I'm just looking on the map at where their college is – it's right in the centre. It is a bit far for them from there. Man: The hostel actually has scooters for hire at a very good price. So they could do that. Er, it would be quicker than cycling or walking to the centre. Woman: Mm, it is a bit expensive … But it sounds like the best one so far unless there's something a bit cheaper? Man: OK. Er, well, what about the Backpackers Hostel? That's not so expensive. It's in a side street in the entertainment district. They wouldn't need to go far to find everything they want – they could walk everywhere. And it's very reasonable. Only $45 and another $5 if they want to have breakfast. Woman: Mm, but what about other meals? Man: There's no café but on each floor in this hostel there's a kitchen for residents to cook in. I'm not sure how well equipped they are but it should be fine for basic meals. Woman: Well, that's really very helpful. I'll pass all this information on now. . Man: Do ask your friends to ring me if they need to know anything else. Woman: I will. Thank you.
LISTENING SECTION 2 Welcome to the Selmore Public Library which has just been reopened after major refurbishment. This tour will introduce you to the building and its services. At any time you can stop the tour. We enter by the café and our tour begins at the issue desk. If you stand between the information desk and the issue desk and look at the opposite wall, you will see shelves of books in the left-hand corner. This is where vou will find a large number of novels and short stories. They are arranged alphabetically. If you're looking for something in particular and it's not on the shelf you can reserve it. The next area, directly opposite the issue desk, is a section where people can study. The library provides computers for users free of charge on the next floor beside the reference books but this area is for people to use their own laptops. You should ask for the internet passcode at the information desk. In the right-hand corner of this floor there is a café. A selection of daily newspapers is always available there but you can also take magazines into the café to read while you have a drink. You will find these on the racks to the left of the café and there is a large selection. They are for reference only and cannot be borrowed but you are welcome to photocopy any articles of interest. We ask you to,return them when you have finished. You are not allowed to take fiction or any other books from the shelves into the café. Next to the café is the exit door leading to the stairs and escalator to the other floors. The largest collection of books in the library is fiction and the next largest is non–fiction which is in the corner of this floor opposite the café. These can all be borrowed as opposed to the reference books on the next floor, most of which cannot be taken out of the library – but they can be photocopied. There are several photocopiers available for this purpose downstairs in the basement. To one side of the issue desk is a door leading onto a gallery. This was added to the library as a public space where talks are given once a week on a Saturday by visiting authors of both fiction and non-fiction. It also houses the biography section. There are notices advertising the talks in the study area. Any books that you want to borrow should be taken to the issue desk. Before we leave this floor I will give you some information about using the library. There are also helpful notices by the information desk. To join the library and take books out, you need a membership card. Take your passport or identity card, as well as proof of your home address, to the information desk and you will be issued with a card. After a period of two years, all readers are required to go to the desk with a document that has their name and current address on it so the library can keep up-to-date records of where people are living. There's no need to show a passport again and there is no charge for this but any lost cards are charged at £5. If you can't find the book you want on the shelves, you can reserve it. If it's in another library in the city, we can usually get it for you within a week. If someone else has borrowed it, it can take a few weeks. Either wav, we notify vou bv phone or email when the item is available to be picked up. We will hold it for you for five days. Books can be borrowed for fourteen days and can be renewed for a further two weeks. Children's books also have a two-week borrowing period. The same system exists for CD-ROMs and CDs but DVDs, both children's and adults', can only be borrowed for UP to seven davs. It isn't possible to renew them. Some reference books can be borrowed but normally only for one day, so 24 hours. The library opening hours have been changed slightly. Instead of opening late on Wednesday evenings till 8pm, we will be closing at 6, as on other weekdays, but we will close at 7 instead of 5.30 on Saturdays and – a new development – we are going to open on Sunday mornings from next month – 9 to 1. We are closed on public holidays and notices are posted in the library about these. Before you go upstairs, please note that if you are going to the exhibition area on the third floor, large bags are not allowed. There are lockers beside the reference area on the second floor where vou can deposit them. If you need change, you can get that from the information desk on the first floor. Now press 'pause' and proceed to the second floor. When you reach the top of the stairs press 'play'. LISTENING SECTION 3 Tutor: Well, Anita and Lee. That was an interesting presentation you made about John Chapman. There are a few points I'd like to run through before you write it up. One thing which you didn't explain was why you decided to do a presentation on this man who spread apple varieties across the US? Anita: Well, ages ago, we were chatting about stuff we'd read as children, and I told Lee the Johnny Appleseed story – I had these American story books when I was small. Then when we were looking into the area of domesticated species of plants for our presentation, we realised that the introduction of the apple with the settlers in the US would be a good case study … Lee: And I remembered Chapman, so we looked up the real guy behind the legend. Tutor. Right. I think that would have made a good Intro. Anita: I thought it was too personal. Tutor: Just a couple of minutes would have drawn your listeners in. Anyway. Now a more serious point. You didn’t mention the sources of some of your information. Lee: We used some books and journal articles and did an internet search and found some good sites. Anita: We’ve put them on the back of the handout we gave everyone at the end. Tutor: Ah, let me see. Oh. here it is. Johnny Appleseed: Man and Myth, 1967. Well, the thing is. you really have to make this explicit when you talk. And anything you show, data you project from your laptop, etc., you must have the source on it. Anita: Right, OK. Tutor: At least you have got it all documented. I was a bit concerned about that. Anita: Sorry. Tutor. Anyway. Now, the content of your talk What vour listeners wanted to understand was whether, there were apples in the US before the Europeans started to live there. You told us the early settlers had brought young apple trees but that few of them had thrived because the climate was harsh, but what about native species? I don’t think you were very clear about species already there. Lee: Um, according to what I’ve read, there were some crab apples, but that was all. Everything that people now think of as traditional American apples, were species that the Europeans either introduced or bred by chance. Anita: Because they tended to sow seeds rather than use grafting. Tutor Yes, quite. But what to me was fascinating – and I saw most members of your audience start to take notes – was when you discussed how the apple genes spread via the Silk Route into Europe from the wild apple woods of Kazakhstan. Lee: Yes, well. I'd like to have said more about the development of grafting in ancient China, as a way of producing predictable varieties. It was so early in history! Tutor But it's the natural development of the original wild apple into new species that people wanted more about. Which says a lot for your presentation. You enthused your audience! So, now we need to discuss the form your follow–up work will take. Are you going to produce a paper? Or are you thinking of putting it all up on the department website? Anita: Um, I felt we could do both. And we could do a poster of some of the data. But Lee wasn’t sure. Lee: No. I think it would be enough to use the website.We can offer a link to our email for queries. That would save time and trees! Tutor I think Lee's nght. A poster would be nice, but it'd take too much time. Anita: OK. Tutor: Now I just want to give you a few pointers about the techniques of your presentation. Mostly it was good, but there are a few things you need to bear in mind next time you do one. You both managed the hardware. I mean the projector and things, very well indeed, which is always a great help. Anita: Good. Lee: Thanks. Tutor You'd obviously checked it out carefully. Lee: Yes. But unfortunately we hadn't finished our maps when we did the practice on my computer at home, that's why there were some the wrong way up. Anita: We didn’t realise the software on the laptop was a bit different from the one I have. Tutor: But you sorted out the problem very quickly and didn’t let it fluster you, so it wasn't a big problem. We could all read the map when we needed to. Anita: So it was OK. but we could have done better, we realise. Tutor : Mm. There was a bit at the end where I felt something didn't go as you’d planned – am I right? Lee: We had a few maps which we ended up leaving out, because we needed to get on to our conclusions. Anita: Yes, it took longer to explain the technical aspects of grafting than we'd expected, Lee: So sticking to the time limit for each part of our presentation something we didn't manage at all..Which means we’ve definitely got to improve before we do another one.- Anita: Yes. Tutor. Apart from that, weil, the handout was perfectly, adequate for a seminar like this, it gave all the kev information, and need to do those references in the correct format, as footnotes, in. future, Anita: OK. Lee: Yes, sorry, we will. Tutor: And finally, other students will be presenting projects later in the course. I shall be reminding them how well vou both spoke and that no one had any problem hearing or understanding either of you. In that respect your talk was a model that the others can follow. Lee: Oh. thank vou. Anita: Yes, thanks very much. This feedback has been very helpful. Tutor Well done, both of you. See you in a fortnight. Anita and Lee: Bye. Thanks.
LISTENING SECTION 4 Lecturer: This morning I'm going to describe for you a few of the kinds of experiments that have been used to investigate the sense of taste, which is now recognised as being a far more complex and important area of neurological science than was previously believed by most people. The results of some of these experiments can be quite fun and I shall suggest that you may want to choose one or two to try out in groups before having a go at designing a new experimental procedure of your own and trying to pinpoint the cause of your findings. The first one concerns a marketing exercise by a soft drinks company. The green colour of some cans was altered by the addition of yellow, so they were a brighter green. Then test subjects were asked what they thought about the flavour of the drink in the new-style cans, and they stated that there was more lime in the drink if it was in the ones with the new colour. This was because the brain picks up cues from the way the product is presented, as well as the product itself, which trigger taste sensations. Before food was packaged, humans used colour to gauge the ripeness of fruit, for example. Next there's the old problem with chewing gum. Everyone knows that after a few minutes’ chewing it loses its minty flavour. However, if you ask people to chew up to the point where it becomes tasteless, and then ask them to eat a little sugar and continue chewing, to most people's surprise, what happens is that the original mintiness actually returns because it is the sweetness which is needed to make the mintiness perceptible. So combinations of flavours can be significant, as the brain needs one of them in order to recognise the other. Another experiment demonstrates something we’ve all done. Drink half a fizzy drink straight from the fridge and then leave it at room temperature for a while. Take a sip and you may well decide you don't like it. The warm drink is too sweet to be refreshing. So put the rest back in the fridge until it’s chilled again. Now try it. Much better. Of course the sweetness doesn't change, it is our perception, because how sweet it tastes depends on the temperature. The extent to which the drink is sweetened is less evident if the drink has been cooled. Another interesting result has been derived from experiments with sound. One of these involved eating crisps. Subjects were put into soundproof rooms and given batches of crisps to eat. As they ate, the sound of crunching which they made as they ate the crisps was played back to them. This was adjusted so that they sometimes heard the crunching as louder, or, at other times, more high–frequency sounds were audible in the sound feedback that accompanied their eating. Fascinatingly, if the sound level. So, we've looked briefly at colour, at complementary flavours, at temperature and sound. It seems that all the senses are working together here, but what about the sense of touch? A number of experiments have been done in this area. If you take, for instance, cheese sauce and prepare different versions, some thicker and some thinner, but without any alteration in the strength of flavour, what do you think the subjects perceive? Yup, if the sauce is thicker, they'll say the cheesy flavour is less strong. It was clear that the thing that was influencing the subjects' judgement about the flavour of the sauces was the texture of each one. Now, this result is important for dietitians as well as marketing executives. Lastly, another variation on the two flavours theme. This concerns the capacity of the brain for bridging a sensory gap. The subjects in this experiment stuck out their tongues so that the testers could drip two liquids onto them simultaneously, one strawberry flavoured and one sugar flavoured. The testers then took away each flavour in turn. When the sweetness was taken away, the subjects reported they could hardly taste anything, but they continued to think they could taste strawberry even after it was taken away! So that taste gap was filled. Well, that's just a quick look at some of the examples in the current literature. The references will be in the handout you'll get at the end of the session. Now let's see about trying a few of them for ourselves.  | |
| IELTS Speaking Actual Test in September, 2016 and Suggested Answers Posted: 08 Sep 2016 08:36 PM PDT Our kind friend took the IELTS test in Canada and sent his speaking test (including Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3) to us.IELTS Speaking Part 1+Work & study + Visitors Colors
IELTS Speaking Part 2
BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER • I'm going to describe a high-rise building in my neighborhood. It's called Paradise Green City, located in Canada. • Unlike other modern blocks, which are usually huge glass towers, the building is painted yellow, although it's named Green City. The structure of Green City is not dissimilar to that of most buildings in Canada nowadays, with the bottom half used as a shopping center and the top half occupied by apartments. • One feature that makes the building unique is that its trade center offers Canadian products only, with a view to promoting domestic products to Hanoi people and also to supporting national manufacturers. At the entrance of the building, if you look to the right, you can easily find a store named Masterchef bread, which serves traditional bread to people who just do not have enough time to go inside, so they line up waiting to pay. • In spite of its prime location, however, Paradise Green City offers a reasonable price for its apartments, which are affordable for many middle-income families. From the building, we can enjoy the breathtaking scenery. So, if you are planning to find a place with a beautiful and peaceful view, or simply want to buy something traditional, Paradise Green City may be a good choice. • (Dislike) What I don't like about Paradise Green City, however, is that its design is neither eye-catching nor original. In fact, I personally find that it resembles Times City, a modern building nearby. Moreover, the paint color doesn't match its modern structures, which makes the building somehow old-fashioned. And, the quality, as well as diversity of products on sale do not meet the expectations of most customers. So, I guess it's the reason why the building doesn't attract as much attention from the public as expected. VOCABULARY 1.high-rise: very tall and having a lot of floors 2.blocks: tall buildings that contain flats or offices 3.huge glass towers: high-level buildings with the exterior made of glass 4.dissimilar: not the same 6.domestic products: goods that are manufactured within a country, by manufacturers of that country. 7.serve: to provide food, entertainment or service 8.prime: excellent, the best available 9.offer a reasonable price: sell with a price that is not too high, and affordable
11.breathtaking scenery: very beautiful and spectacular landscape
14.match : look good together 15.meet expectations: be as good as expected 16.attract attention: make people notice something 17.the public: the community/ the people as the whole
IELTS Speaking Part 3Compare the differences between the constructions in your city with them in 20 years ago? Describe the building styles in details? The traditional buildings are made of the red brick and always have curved eaves. Thousands of buildings look the same. But now, various buildings with different colors and styles have been going up in my hometown. In addition, room is equipped with kitchen and bathroom. This is very convenient. What are people's attitudes to old building today and that of our later generation? Should we protect them? Why? People, including our later generation, advocate that government should protect old buildings because old buildings represent the great artistic achievements of ancient civilization. What role do you think the old and modern buildings play in the society? Oh, modern buildings are for us to live and work, while old buildings are for us to visit and research. Compare the differences between house and apartment? In my country, there is a big yard beside house, where we can plant some flowers and trees etc. But house is more expensive. Apartment is convenient and cheap but small.  |
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