IELTS Materials and Resources, Get IELTS Tips, Tricks & Practice Test |
- Blood, Sweat And Tears – Idiom Of The Day For IELTS
- IELTS Listening Practice Test 79
- Forsake – Word Of The Day For IELTS
- IELTS Writing Task 1 in September 2016 & Sample Answer
- IELTS Cue Card 57 Sample – Topic: A Person Influences You
- IELTS WRITING 2 PRACTICE TEST 23 and BAND 8.0 SAMPLE ANSWER
- IELTS Listening Practice Test 78
| Blood, Sweat And Tears – Idiom Of The Day For IELTS Posted: 23 Oct 2016 03:25 AM PDT Blood, Sweat And Tears – Idiom Of The Day For IELTS Speaking.Definition: hard work Example: ” This construction is the result of 3 years’ blood, sweat and tears.“ ” Jane took 3 years to finish her report. It is definitely her blood, sweat and tears.” “I remember on my wedding day my father saying that all good things in life involve blood, sweat and tears.“ Exercise:
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| IELTS Listening Practice Test 79 Posted: 23 Oct 2016 01:13 AM PDT SECTION 1Questions 1-3 Complete the description of the man $ briefcase using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS/LETTERS for each answer. Very light brown briefcase, approx. 50 x 30 cm. Distinctive 1______________clasp on front. Red trimmings. Black 2_____________Initials 3______________on clasp. Questions 4-7 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS for each answer. 4. What ‘is the lost property number given to the man? 5. When does the lost property office open? 6. How is the man going to the airport next week? 7. What is to the left of the lost property office? Questions 8-10 Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS NUMBERS for each answer. 8. What is the shortest time lost items are kept by the office? 9. How often does the office sell lost items? 10. Where does money from the December sale go? SECTION 2Questions 11-14 Decide which method or methods of sending money abroad is/are being described. Write A for international money order. B for bank draft. C for electronic transfer. D for telegraphic transfer. 11. You need a local bank account to use this. 12. You can avoid a commission fee if you use a local bank and the local currency. 13. Using a local bank and the local currency will allow you to get access to your money sooner. 14 . This is the quickest way to send money abroad. Questions 15-16 Complete the following summary about taking money out of your country. Your government might 15 ___________________ of money in and out of your country, so you might need to find out how to 16________________to transfer money, if there is a limit on transfers and what regulations there are. Questions 17-20 Complete the following notes about having enough money for your first few days abroad
SECTION 3Questions 21-24 Complete the notes on the purposes of a lesson plan using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. A LESSON PLAN help with 21__________________ creates a focus show material clarifies 22__________________ reminder to put aims first 23___________ student problems creates opportunities for solutions brings lesson 24_______________ teacher-student interaction distribution of time for each activity reminder of materials Questions 25-28 Complete the following notes on the example lesson plan.
Questions 29-30 Answer the questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 29. When using books, what should the student definitely write down, apart from the title? 30. What does the tutor give the student a list of? SECTION 4Questions 31-34 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS OR NUMBERS for each answer. 31. Which three foreign languages are traditionally taught in the USA? 32. How old are the youngest schoolchildren learning Chinese? 33. How many students are learning the leading 15 languages? 34. What percentage of Europeans speak a second language? Questions 35-38 Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 35. ___________________are secondary to cultural exchange at Potomac Elementary. 36. The young boy finds writing the strokes of Chinese characters in the_______________________to be difficult. 37. The lecturer says that children take more interest in learning if________________________do. 38. Apart from Chinese, the NEP focuses on_________________________ Questions 39-40 Decide which university student or students (A, B and/or C) is being referred to. 39. They have (He/ She has) been learning Chinese since they were 11 or younger. 40. They are (He/ She is) learning Chinese to help with their future career.
Answer keys: Section 1, Questions 1-10 1. (bright) red Section 2, Questions 11-20 11. IN ANY ORDER Section 3, Questions 21-30 21. pace and timing Section 4, Questions 31-40 31. French, Spanish, German (NB in any order) BONUS EXERCISE: GAP-FILLING The texts below are transcript for your IELTS Listening Practice Test. To make the most out of this transcript, we removed some words from the texts and replaced with spaces. You have to fill each space with the missing word by listening to the audio for this IELTS listening practice test. SECTION 1 Woman: Good morning. Heathrow airport lost [……………………………]office. How can I help you? Man: Good morning. I lost a briefcase at your airport yesterday and would like to report it, please. Woman: Certainly, sir. Could you give me a brief [……………………………], please? Man: Of course. It’s a very light brown briefcase, about [……………………………]wide and [……………………………]high. It’s quite [……………………………]because it has a bright red clasp on the front and red [……………………………]. The [……………………………]is black. My initials ‘AEJ’ are on the clasp. Woman: Ah! Just a minute, sir. I remember a [……………………………]matching that description being handed in yesterday. At about what time did you lose it? Man: My flight arrived from Sydney just after three in the afternoon. I had taken the briefcase onto my flight as [……………………………]. After [……………………………], it would have been almost four o’clock when I picked up my check-in luggage and left my briefcase at the carousel. It was so [……………………………]of me. Woman: Yes. Here is the log book. I’ll just check that it’s here. Do you have a pen and paper? You’ll need to [……………………………]a few things to remember for when you claim your briefcase. Man: I’ll just get that while you’re checking … Woman: Hello? Are you there? Man: Yes. Is my briefcase there? Woman: It is. When you come to claim it, you’ll need to tell whoever is on duty the lost property number-that’s [……………………………]. Have you got that? Man: EDV 758. Got it. Woman: You’ll also need to bring some [……………………………]with you something with your photograph on it. Most people present their [……………………………]. Man: Yes, of course. I’m flying to Austria next week, so I’ll pick it up then. Woman: That’ll be fine. You’ll have your [……………………………]with you, no doubt, so that can serve as identification. Man: My flight is in the evening, so I won’t be at the airport until seven o’clock at the [……………………………]. Will the office be open at that time? Woman: Yes, sir. We’re open until six, sorry, I mean from six in the morning until [……………………………], every day. Man: Great. I just need to know where your office is. Woman: It’s in the main [……………………………]of Terminal One at the airport. Will you be coming by taxi, by car …? Man: I’ll be arriving bv [……………………………]. Woman: OK. In that case, get off at the stop for Terminal One. Go up the [……………………………]to the main concourse. At the top of the escalator, turn left and you’ll see a large [……………………………]board-an electronic one. If you face this, you should see our office off to the right, in the comer. It’s clearly [……………………………]. Man: Up the escalator, turn left, off to the right of the departures board. Got it. Thank you very much for your help. Woman: That’s what we’re here for. I only wish we could return all the items we get handed in to us. Man: I guess you get [……………………………]of items every day. Woman: Yes, we’ve built up quite a collection. Man: What happens to the things that remain [……………………………], if you don’t mind my asking? Woman: Not at all. We keep each item for a minimum of three months. Twice a year, in June and December, we have a sale. The [……………………………]from the sale in June go towards the [……………………………]of the office and the proceeds from the December sale go to a children’s charity. The sales are by [……………………………]and attract a lot of interest from [……………………………]and staff, as well as from the general public. Man: How interesting. One final thing-who handed in my briefcase? It would be nice to thank them personally. Woman: I’m afraid there’s no record of that, sir. Man: What a pity! Well, thank you very much for your help. Goodbye. Woman: Goodbye. SECTION 2 Presenter: Good afternoon everybody. My name’s Sophie West and I’m here to give you some information and answer your questions about money when you are studying abroad. To obtain any form of entry [……………………………]into the country where you wish to study, you will need to prove that you have enough money to cover your [……………………………], accommodation fees and living [……………………………]. Therefore, you need to arrange all your funding ahead of time. Start by working out how much money you will need. I believe that you will be having a [……………………………]on that topic later this weejc so I won’t go into detail about it now. If you are hoping for a [……………………………]to help pay for your studies, then start making [……………………………]and applications now. The chance of [……………………………]a bursary or scholarship or major funding after arrival is minimal so it is [……………………………]to apply before you leave home. To find out what scholarships are available, you can [……………………………]the university you intend to study at and the [……………………………]of education in your own country for further information. Let’s look at possibilities for moving your money abroad. It is very risky to carry large [……………………………]of cash when you’re travelling. When the time comes to [……………………………], plan to take just enough cash to meet your [……………………………]needs and send the rest of your funds by another method, such as international money order, [……………………………], electronic transfer or telegraphic [……………………………]. Let’s go through those one-by-one, shall we? You can buy an [……………………………]money order before you leave, and then, when you get to the country you are going to study in, you can pay it directly into your bank account. You can also [……………………………]international money orders for cash at certain places. Remember to take your [……………………………]with you when you do this. A bank draft is similar to an [……………………………]money order, except that you can only pay it into a bank account: you cannot exchange it for cash. Ask to have it made out to you in the local [……………………………]and drawn on a local bank. That wav you will not pav a [……………………………]fee when you pay it into your account, and the funds will take less time to clear, that is to move through the system and into your account. An electronic transfer is when your bank in your home country transfers funds from your home account [……………………………]to your account abroad. This is often the [……………………………]way to transfer money, but it cannot be arranged until you have opened a bank account abroad. [……………………………]transfer is the fastest wav to send money [……………………………], but it is also the most expensive. As with an electronic transfer, you can only arrange a telegraphic transfer after you have opened your bank account abroad-it cannot be arranged [……………………………]. Most English-speaking countries place no [……………………………]to the amount of money you can bring into the country, but your [……………………………]may control the flow of money in and out of your own country. In that case, you’ll need to find out as soon as possible how to get [……………………………]to transfer money, whether there is a limit to how much you can transfer and what [……………………………]you must comply with. For further information contact your local bank for advice on how to transfer your funds abroad. When you first go abroad, you will have lots of things to do and it may be a few days before you are able to [……………………………]a bank and open a bank account. And once you do, it may take a while for your [……………………………]funds to clear through the banking system. So altogether, it could be anywhere from one to three weeks before you have access to the funds you transfer. Obviously, you will need some other sources of money in the [……………………………]. The possibilities include cash, traveller’s [……………………………]and credit cards. Let’s take a look at each of them. As I mentioned earlier, you should not carry large amounts of cash, but do bring a certain amount to cover the costs of your first few days or so. Cash is very useful for covering small [……………………………], such as drinks and snacks. If any of your [……………………………]are travelling with you, you will obviously need to bring more cash. Most international [……………………………]have a 24-hour bank or bureau de change where you can change overseas [……………………………]or travellers’ cheques no matter what time you arrive. However, bear in mind that the [……………………………]at these bureaux de change are not very good. Keep this in mind when planning your cash needs. You can also exchange money at banks. In English-speaking countries, most are open from [……………………………]., Monday to Friday, and on Saturday mornings. If you arrive outside those hours, plan to either exchange your money at the airport/[……………………………], or bring enough cash to cover your needs until the banks open. Travellers’ [……………………………]are much safer than carrying cash, as they are [……………………………]against loss or theft. They can be cashed at banks and [……………………………]de change and travellers’ cheques made out in the local currency can also be used like cash in many shops and [……………………………]– but check with the staff in each case to be sure to avoid [……………………………]. Credit cards are widely accepted as payment in English-speaking countries and you can also use them to get cash from the [……………………………]at banks. However, check with your bank at home to find out how much [……………………………]you will be charged if you use your home credit card abroad. It could be quite [……………………………]. Now, let’s take a look at… SECTION 3 Student: Good morning. I’m here for our meeting about creating lesson plans. Tutor: Ah, yes. Bang on time! Come in and take a seat. Now, didn’t I ask you to prepare something? Student: Yes, you did. You asked me to think of the [……………………………]uses for a lesson plan. Here’s what I came up with. First, it helps the teacher with the pace and timing of a class. Second, it creates a focus for the teacher and also for the students. Third, it shows everyone what [……………………………]is being covered, needs to be covered or has been covered. Tutor: That’s [……………………………]useful if you have a strict syllabus to follow. Student: However, there does seem to be a need for a [……………………………]between covering material and choosing when to let a class flow and let students carry on an [……………………………]if it’s leading to learning. Tutor: Yes, that’s certainly true. Anything else? Student: It gives clear aims to the students and to the teacher. I think it’s worth remembering that there are two [……………………………]to consider in the learning process. It also serves as a reminder for teachers to put aims first and materials second, rather than [……………………………]. Those are the five I came up with. Tutor: I think that you’ve got the most [……………………………], … the key points. I can add another five. A lesson plan also helps to [……………………………]potential student problems, and creates an [……………………………]to find a solution. Second, it brings [……………………………]and coherence to a lesson. Third, it clearly shows the [……………………………]between teacher and student-or at least the [……………………………]interaction. As we both know, lesson plans don’t always go according to plan! A lesson plan also clearly shows something else-the [……………………………]of time spent on different skills. This can really show if your speaking or writing class is really about speaking or writing. And finally, it serves to remind you what materials you have to take into class. Student: Thank you. I’ve made a note of those points. Tutor: Take a look at this [……………………………]lesson plan. Do you have any ideas about what could be added to each section? Student: Let’s see. The students are at [……………………………]level and the lesson will last for 50 minutes. The students are academic ones staying in Australia for three months to [……………………………]their spoken English. The aim of the class is to elicit reading comprehension and speaking [……………………………]for [……………………………], as well as to practice the present simple and the past simple tenses. Tutor: Can you think of any [……………………………]that the teacher may have? Student: Mmrn… Perhaps one could be to avoid [……………………………]instructions. Tutor: That’s a good suggestion. What assumptions would you make if you were the teacher? Student: Er… I’d assume that the students could understand the instructions. The topic is [……………………………]sports. Mmm. Perhaps Id assume that they do not understand some of the [……………………………]related to those sports-for example, the difference between mountain [……………………………]and rock climbing. Tutor: So that would qualify as an anticipated problem. Student: Ah, yes. Yes, it would. Tutor: And what solutions would you suggest? Student: Solutions? Perhaps one solution would be to elicit the difference from students via questioning. Tutor: Yes, that would work. Given their level, the students should be able to provide some answers to that, using fairly basic vocabulary. At the bottom, you can see a list of [……………………………], blackboard, chalk, [……………………………], pictures of rock climbing and mountain climbing. Student: Ah, the pictures will help to explain the vocabulary. A picture dictionary can be very useful in such situations. By the way, when I write the name of any textbooks I’m using, would you [……………………………]that I add some details? Tutor: You mean like the publisher and page numbers? Student: Yes. Tutor: I would certainly note down the page numbers. It’s probably a good idea to add the author, but probably not necessary to add the [……………………………]. Mind you, if other people are going to see your [……………………………]plan, it might be a good idea, because they might want the book [……………………………]-knowing the publisher makes it easier for them to find it. Student: Do you recommend keeping lesson plans? Tutor: Having stored plans for years it has become clear to me that no two classes are [……………………………]alike and this limits the [……………………………]for recycling lesson plans. However, one [……………………………]I can make is that you keep your ideas, rather than necessarily the whole plan. These can be kept on [……………………………]that are organised by topic-perhaps with [……………………………]for level, skill or structure- and then kept for easy access. This is really easy if you do it on a computer. Student: Can you recommend any books for helping with the creation of lesson plans? Tutor: My favourite book is Lesson Plans from Nothing by John Davis. You can get it from the [……………………………] on campus. If you’re interested in knowing how others do their lesson plans or just simply need a lesson plan now, because you have no time, try these websites. Student: That looks like a useful list. Thank you. Thank you very much. SECTION 4 Lecturer: More and more American parents are becoming [……………………………]having their children learn Chinese. This is not only a case of having their children attend [……………………………]classes or of schools teaching the [……………………………]instead of, or in addition to, the West European languages that are [……………………………]studied in the States, like Spanish. French and German. Oh, no. Studying [……………………………]can be taxing for any [……………………………], but at a select number of American schools, children are not only learning about angles, they are doing it in Chinese. This select number of schools is [……………………………], since Chinese is a hot language thanks to China’s surging [……………………………]and growing world clout. Even children as young as 6 are honing their Chinese at school, [……………………………]by a mix of parental prodding and their own [……………………………]to do something different. I went to see one of these schools and it really is amazing when you walk into a [……………………………]classroom, and the children are understanding what the teacher is saying and it’s all in Chinese. Half of the time the kids aren’t even aware that the teacher is speaking a [……………………………]. They just fall right into it. The United States has declared this year to be the “Year of Languages”, although few Americans are [……………………………]of the designation. According to a survey by the Language Association, more [……………………………]students are studying foreign languages than ever before. [……………………………]in Chinese has risen by 20 percent over the past 3 years. The [……………………………]students learning 15 leading languages represents a 17 percent increase over the same period. However, only 9.3 percent of Americans are able to speak a second tongue, compared to 52,7 percent of Europeans, according to the Census Bureau. At first glance, weighty national [……………………………]take a back seat to the fun of [……………………………]at Potomac Elementary. Hallways are festooned with Chinese art and learning aids, such as [……………………………]animals labelled with Chinese names. Children sing Chinese folk songs and American nursery rhymes in Chinese. In the fifth- grade [……………………………]class, songs and games come only after a [……………………………]vocabulary drill and lessons on triangles and [……………………………]– all taught in Chinese. The students are good at listening and do pretty well at reading, but writing is their weak point, according to the class teacher, who has a Ph.D. in education and was a teacher in his native Beijing. I asked two of the children-a boy and a girl-about their [……………………………]of learning Chinese. The boy said that mastering Chinese [……………………………]was tough. When I asked why, he said that he finds the writing [……………………………]hard because you have to do the [……………………………]in the right order. The girl said that learning Chinese is “cool” and that she is starting to catch on to the [……………………………]writing system of characters that contain [……………………………]of meaning and sound. She pointed out that it is quite different to English because there’s nothing like letters to refer to. However, she noted that she can remember how to write Coca-Cola in Chinese because it has a lot of [……………………………]that refer to a mouth. This visual [……………………………]of Chinese characters and how it [……………………………]children when they are learning the language is a theme I’ll return to later. Even though it is [……………………………]the parents who are pushing for more Chinese classes, my research revealed that they are not usually [……………………………]their children too hard, which I think is a good thing. Parents of the kids say they are loathe to plan careers for [……………………………]. To quote one of them, “Even if my child doesn’t use her Chinese going forward, she’s learned so much about another culture.” Some of the parents are [……………………………]their children- directly or indirectly-by taking night classes in Chinese. This has been proven to be a great motivator. If children see their parents learning something, they will usually take an interest in learning it too-or at least take a greater [……………………………]in learning generally. Dreams of selling Coca-Cola and other American [……………………………]to China have helped drive the interest in Chinese studies. According to the Language Association, [……………………………] U.S. colleges offer Chinese programs, while [……………………………] schools from kindergarten to 12th grade teach Chinese. Teaching Chinese is also of keen interest to the U.S. government, which [……………………………]the National Education Program in [……………………………]to fund university studies of languages of key world regions, including East Asia and the Middle East. In 2002, the NEP [……………………………]that it was placing particular [……………………………]on programmes to teach Arabic. Chinese. Korean and Russian. I spoke to some students who had just started learning Chinese here at this [……………………………]. All of them had learnt Chinese since the age of 11 and some had [……………………………]even earlier. Student A said he had started learning Chinese eight years ago because he thought it would be pretty fun. However, as he began [……………………………]college, he recognised that there were good [……………………………]for employment in China upon [……………………………]. As he said, China is expanding fast and now they need services, including lawyers and [……………………………]. Student B said that she wants to follow her father and start her own business and have an office in China. Student C said that he thought his studies would bring national gain as well as personal [……………………………]. To quote him, “When a lot of kids like us grow up and [……………………………]are able to speak Chinese, and get jobs with businesses who are trading and doing business with China, it will be a big leap for our country.” Practice every day to improve your IELTS listening skills. Don’t forget to visit IELTS Material website on a daily basis to find more practice tests for every skill in the IELTS Test.  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Forsake – Word Of The Day For IELTS Posted: 23 Oct 2016 12:10 AM PDT Forsake – Word Of The Day For IELTS Speaking And WritingForsake: (Verb) /fərˈseɪk/ Definition:to stop doing, using or having something that you enjoy Synonyms:Quit, Give up Example:For IELTS Speaking:. For IELTS Writing: Exercise:Choose the following words to fill in the blank: function, consist, estimate, method, involves, proceed, structure, assess, define, forsaken.
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 Writing Task 1 in September 2016 & Sample Answer Posted: 22 Oct 2016 11:03 PM PDT Check out the diagram below reported by an IELTS learner on IELTS Material website and read Sample Answer for one of the most difficult diagrams that have appeared in the IELTS test.IELTS Writing Task 1 TopicThe graphs below show the development of the cutting tools made by stone, one was made 1.4 million years ago, and the other was made 800 thousand years ago, viewing from back view, front view and side view. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. IELTS Writing Task 1 Sample: The stone tool made 1.4 million years ago was more rounded at the top and bottom edges. From the front and the back view of the tool it is clear that the diameter in the middle was almost 5 cm and towards the top and bottom, it was around 3 cm wide. The side view shows that the tool was wider in the middle, with a diameter of around 3 cm and it tapered towards the top and the bottom ends. The back of the stone had fewer cuts than the front and they were also not very fine. 800 thousand years ago, this tool developed into a sharper, more refined tool. In the front and the back view it can be seen that the maximum diameter of the tool was the same as in the older tool, but it was more towards the lower side. The bottom tapered into a 1 cm point, but the top tapered more sharply into a 1 cm point. The side view makes it clear that it was much lesser in width (1.5 cm) than the older tool. The stone was more chiseled than the previous one. Overall, it can be observed that the tool was improved over the years to a more refined and finer cutting tool.  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IELTS Cue Card 57 Sample – Topic: A Person Influences You Posted: 22 Oct 2016 08:47 PM PDT CUE CARD 57Describe a person who has influence on you. You should say:
BAND 8.0+ SAMPLE ANSWERSo far, I always consider myself lucky to meet lots of wonderful teachers throughout the academic years, one of them is my English teacher, Mr. Son. Indeed, meeting him is an essential turning point on my path of conquering English. I had the opportunity to work with him when I was a freshman at university. At first sight, I was truly impressed by his well-mannered eloquence and behavior. His unique way of teaching in fact provoked my passion for this language. To be more specific, Mr. Son altered my perspective of learning English. Before I met him, for me, English is just the matter of reading, grammars or writing and I barely paid any attention to the other factors. However, he showed me the vital role of sounds and intonation. Since then, under his guidance, I concentrated more on the way native speakers create their sounds and exerted myself to imitate that. Over a few months, my speaking and listening were upgraded a lot and I became addicted to English. It is my teacher that lighted up my study journey and inspired me to continuously practice for a better me. Vocabulary
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| IELTS WRITING 2 PRACTICE TEST 23 and BAND 8.0 SAMPLE ANSWER Posted: 22 Oct 2016 06:00 PM PDT IELTS WRITING 2 PRACTICE TEST 23Discuss the reasons why people define happiness differently and how to obtain happiness?BAND 8.0 SAMPLE ESSAYIt is not unusual to find that individuals often hold different view towards the nature of happiness and the approach to it. As far as I am concerned, the perception of happiness varies dramatically from one person to another as a result of the combined effect of individual characteristics and environmental factors. These elements accounts for a large part of forming the approaches adopted by different people to obtain happiness. It's not a surprising fact that people have different interest to pursue and different objectives to attain in a lifetime, and meanwhile, their objectives and interests differentiate depends on their life stages. One individual may have the passion for toys as a child, fashionable clothes as a teenager, an admirable career as an adult and possibly the company of family members as an elder with age. We can see that a person's attitudes, capabilities and concerns are subjected to change. For instance, following the latest fads is really appealing to young people, in spite of the expenditure of time and money. Comparing to that, older people are hardly fond of keeping their clothes in fashion, purchasing trendy consumer products or changing a hair style, and moreover, tend to consider all of these as a wasteful use of money. In addition to those visible factors, some other elements are less obvious and tend to be subjective in affecting one person's perception of happiness. These intrinsic factors include one's characteristics, pursuits and philosophies. Considering monetary wealth as an example, people often perceive the value of money differently. Some people sacrifice everything for wealth, whereas the others take it more lightly. Instead, they treasure family, friends, hobbies and their core values. This is also one of the reasons why people see favorable events such as marriage, family reunion, a promotion, and so forth differently and also react differently to trouble or bad luck, for example, accidents, conflicts, divorce to name but a few. Considering the fact that people are all encouraged to attain their happiness, it is crucial that they first evaluate whether the objectives are attainable or not. High expectations for the future might bring nothing but high levels of stress and a sense of disappointment. Setting reachable target is a recommended alternative. Another step to be taken is setting priority for things in a person's life, such as money, health, growth, fame, power and relationship. It is almost impossible to attain many targets at a time. The secret is to identify to the top priorities and concentrate your energy on those.  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| IELTS Listening Practice Test 78 Posted: 22 Oct 2016 12:19 AM PDT SECTION 1Questions 1-3 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS for each. 1. How long will the customer’s course last? 2. Which course has the customer already taken at the school? 3. How much discount can returning students qualify for? Questions 4-6 Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR NUMBERS for each. 4. The customer’s address is______________________. 5. The customer can contact his former teacher by______________________. 6. There are____________________hours erf classes each day, Monday to Friday. Questions 7-10 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 7. What is the customer’s impression of the female Arabic teacher? 8. What other languages can the customer speak? 9. What does the customer decide is the third factor in choosing a school? 10. What does the customer say the reception area should be like? SECTION 2Questions 11 – 13 Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND NUMBERS for each answer. 11. The Construction Education Centre has existed for________________ 12. The CEC receives_____________visitors trainees and delegates each year. 13. Equipment is available for_______________days. Questions 14-16 Complete the following information about the various rooms available at the CEC.
Questions 17-20 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND NUMBERS for each answer. 17. In which part of the CEC was the “Sustainable London” event held? 18. How many schemes were shown at the “Sustainable London” event? 19. When does the CEC expect to have 150 students? 20. What is in Russell Street? SECTION 3Questions 21-23 Choose the correct answer, A, B, C or D. 21. David says that he thinks a gap year is unsuitable for A. a few people. 22. Gap years began because Oxford and Cambridge A. demanded all students take one. 23. Gap years are popular in A. the UK and Australia. Questions 24-27 Choose the correct answer or answers, A, B, C or D. 24. Students in most European countries A. study 4-year courses at university. 25. David says that gap years cost £15000 to £20000 because that is A. the total cost of travel, accommodation, food, insurance, etc. 26. Kelly says that a gap year can benefit young people by A. increasing motivation. 27. David says that A. useful non-academic skills can be learnt during a gap year. Questions 28-30 Complete the sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer 28. Kelly suggests working for a_________________. 29. Research shows employers appreciate young people who have lived outside ____________________ 30. The graduate workplace requires flexibility and ______________________. SECTION 4Questions 31-33 Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 31. Prairie Dog barks have___________________meanings 32. Prairie Dog? are able to invent_____________________for things they have never seen before. 33. Prairie Dogs in Arizona and Colorado appear to speak different, but mutually-comprehensible _______________________ Questions 34-36 Complete the following notes on the criteria set by linguists for something to be a language. has words with 34__________________ Questions 37-40 Complete the following sentences using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. 37. What did the researcher use to record Prairie Dog barks? 38. What kind of animal is the great-homed owl? 39. Why wouldn’t the Prairie Dogs know of the European ferret? 40. What kind of animal is the coyote described as? Answer keys: Section 1, Questions 1-10 1. 4/four weeks 2. Arabic refresher (course) 3. 5% 4. 38 Temple Way 5. email 6. 4/four 7. well spoken, friendly 8. French (and) German 9. location 10. welcoming Section 2, Questions 11-20 11. almost seventy/70 years 12. over 100000 13. half and/or whole 14. three/3 separate rooms 15. 20-22 16. executive meetings 17. (in/the) exhibition area/part 18. over 60 19. in two/2 years 20. (a) car park Section 3, Questions 21-30 21. C 22. C 23. A 24. IN EITHER ORDER- B,C 25. B 26. IN ANY ORDER- A, B,C 27. A 28. charity 29. their comfort zones 30. improvisation skills Section 4, Questions 31-40 31. distinct, individual (NB just one of these two words is acceptable) 32. (new) terms 33. dialects 34. abstract meanings 35. smaller elements 36. use words 37. digital recorders 38. nocturnal 39. (it is) foreign 40. (a) predator BONUS EXERCISE: GAP-FILLING The texts below are transcript for your IELTS Listening Practice Test. To make the most out of this transcript, we removed some words from the texts and replaced with spaces. You have to fill each space with the missing word by listening to the audio for this IELTS listening practice test. SECTION 1 Saleswoman: Good afternoon. Can I help you? Customer: Yes, I’d like to sign up for the [……………………………]course in Arabic, please. Saleswoman: Of course. There are three courses. One runs during the day- that’s an [……………………………]course that runs for four weeks. Then there is the weekend course, which runs for eight weeks. Finally, the evening course runs for [……………………………]. Customer: I’d like to join the intensive course, please. My company is [……………………………]me to Syria in six weeks and I need to [……………………………]on my basic [……………………………]Arabic before then. Saleswoman: I see. Have you taken a course here before? Customer: Yes. 1 have. I took the Arabic [……………………………]course during the summer. I really enjoyed it. Saleswoman: Do you have your [……………………………]card for that course? If so, it will speed up registration and we can give you a [……………………………]too. Customer: I think I have it in my handbag. … Yes, here it is. A little dog-eared, I’m afraid. Saleswoman: Thank you. … Your name is David Ri… I’m sorry, the rest of your name is not clear. Customer: Rivers- RIVERS. Saleswoman: Ah, yes. … OK, I have your details on the computer. Customer: Actually, my address has changed since I took the previous course. My new address is 38 Temple Way. Saleswoman: Thank you. I’ll just change that. Can I have your new [……………………………]too, please? Customer: That’s right. Saleswoman: It says here that the teacher was very [……………………………]with you. Customer: Really? Ahmed was a great teacher. Is he still here? Saleswoman: I’m [……………………………]not. He went hack to Syria. Since you’re going there, I'd love to give you his email address, but I’m afraid it’s against company [……………………………]. Customer: That’s OK. I think I have his email address written on the back of the [……………………………]card. I have it on my laptop as well somewhere. Saleswoman: I’m sure he’d be glad to hear from an [……………………………]. Customer I’m banking on it. 1 wouldn’t mind having a friend in Syria when I go there. Saleswoman: I’m sure he’ll be glad to show you around. The course runs Monday to Friday from 10 to 12 and 1 to 3. Nine students have [……………………………]so far. Is that OK? Customer: No problem. And the cost? Saleswoman: [……………………………], after your discount. Customer: Thank you. Here’s my credit card. … Will the course be held in this building, like last time? Saleswoman: Yes, it will. In classroom 4. The teacher this time is Mrs Aziz. Customer: Oh, I’ve met her. She seems well spoken and friendly. I’m looking forward to her class already. Saleswoman: Oh, we’ve had very [……………………………]feedback from students about her classes. May I ask if you have a few minutes to answer a few questions? We’re [……………………………]a survey of our clients. It won’t take long, I promise. Customer: Oh, I’m not in a hurry. Go ahead. Saleswoman: The first question is about why you chose to study Arabic. I’ve got your answer to that one. How did you first hear about our school? Customer: Well, I saw a newspaper [……………………………]-I think it was in The Standard-and then I mentioned it in [……………………………]with a friend who had studied French here and she said she was very happy with the course. Saleswoman: Oh, I see. What was your friend’s name? Customer: Mary Wright, with a 'W' Saleswoman: WRIGHT. Thank you. Do you think you would be interested in taking courses other than in Arabic? Customer: I doubt it. I need to speak a little French and German in mv line of work, but I speak those languages to an [……………………………]level, so farther improvement is [……………………………]. I’ve always been interested in learning an [……………………………]language-like Chinese- but I don't really need either, so… Saleswoman: What is important to you when selecting a school? Could you put these five items in order, please? One [……………………………]the most important. Customer: Teachers is top of my list, for sure. [……………………………]from others-yes, that’s next. Teaching materials? Mmm … no. location. Then admin [……………………………]. I think a good teacher can make use of even quite poor [……………………………], so that would be the least important to me. Saleswoman: Any other important points that are not on the list? Customer: A welcoming reception area. … er … group size-perhaps up to a [……………………………]students. That’s a big [……………………………]for me. It creates a better atmosphere-[……………………………], more personal. You know what I mean? [……………………………]Saleswoman: Absolutely. Thank you very much for that. Here’s a [……………………………]English-Arabic pocket dictionary with our thanks. SECTION 2 Presenter: Welcome to this short-and you have my word, it will be short! – [……………………………]on the conference and meeting facilities [……………………………]at the Construction Education Centre. The Construction Education Centre is the [……………………………]focal point for many major activities connected with building [……………………………], construction, [……………………………]and design-and even some activities outside those areas. For almost seventy years it has [……………………………]at the heart of the industry and today plays host to many important events, receiving over [……………………………]visitors, trainees and [……………………………]throughout the year. The Construction Education Centre provides the perfect [……………………………]for a wide range of business, educational and social [……………………………]including: conferences, [……………………………], meetings, special events, [……………………………]and press events, exhibitions, presentations, lectures and training classes. Our team of experienced [……………………………]is on hand to ensure your event runs [……………………………]and our aim is to remove the normal worries and concerns from function [……………………………]so that events are both [……………………………]and anxiety-free. Some our recent clients include Design for Homes, the Association of Building Engineers, Learn Direct, the London Housing Federation and even the College of Law. A fall range of [……………………………]is available for use, including a slide [……………………………], which is available for half or whole days, video and monitor, 35mm [……………………………]slide projector with infrared remote control and screen, flip charts and [……………………………], laser pointers and lecterns. Other audio-visual equipment can be provided as well as access to [……………………………]Internet services. Details are provided on request. My business card is [……………………………]to the brochures you’ve been given. Allow me to provide you with a brief introduction to our range of rooms. On this slide, you can see the main [……………………………]room. We call it the London Room. Spacious, isn’t it? This room has the advantage of central movable panels, making it an ideal venue for [……………………………]of up to [……………………………] people or receptions for up to [……………………………]. The suite may also be used for presentations. The room mav be divided into three [……………………………]rooms if required. This slide shows you the Bloomsbury Room. It is also ideally suited for [……………………………]and lectures. There is seating for 72 people or it can be used as a [……………………………]area for up to 100. Next, we have two rooms that are very similar. Indeed, we have given them virtually [……………………………]names. We call them Holborn 1 and Holbom 2. They are both suitable for small meetings, training classes and presentations. Hoi-born 1 is slightly larger, capable of hosting 20-22 people, whilst Holborn 2 holds a [……………………………]of 18 people. The Oxford Suite measures 12 by 6 metres and provides a more [……………………………]and luxurious environment for executive meetings and presentations. As you can see, it is [……………………………]elegant and well furnished. The Construction Education Centre also has an [……………………………]area, which is used by many clients when they hold a [……………………………]or meeting. This can be used as a way of informing [……………………………]of your company or as a visual launch pad for your company or it’s products and services. Recently, we held an exhibition entitled “Sustainable London” from Friday 9th March until [……………………………]. Here are a few slides showing that exhibition. The “Sustainable London” exhibition presented the challenge, the [……………………………]and progress towards a [……………………………]21st century city. The exhibition featured over 60 different schemes from private houses to master plans and showed how local government, [……………………………]and engineers are employing technology to reduce [……………………………]impact and address climate change. Here, we can see an example of a display of environmentally friendly [……………………………]by some of the leading brands in the field. I would also like to show you a few slides showing our educational [……………………………]. Here, you can see our [……………………………]students assessing construction plans. We currently have about 120 students here at the CEC and we hope to [……………………………]that number to 150 over the next two years. We provide a wide range of [……………………………]training for the people who will hold key positions in the [……………………………]industry of tomorrow. In this slide, you can see students at work on designing an [……………………………]friendly home. Their designs are later [……………………………]by experienced professionals and have led to changes in the way that such homes are designed. Finally, I’d like you draw your [……………………………]to this slide showing the location of the Construction Education Centre. As you can see, it is located in the heart of London’s East End in Story Lane, off Court Street. Limited [……………………………]parking is available outside the CEC, but there is a car park nearby in Russell Street. The nearest [……………………………]stations are Court Road and Russell Square. The Centre is also within walking distance from Queen’s Cross train station. SECTION 3 Mary: So, do you think taking a gap year between leaving school and beginning unit is worth it? I was just reading that it is [……………………………]that at least [……………………………]young people here in Britain take one each year. David: I think it’s a good idea for some, but not for most. Kelly: Oh, David, I [……………………………]. David: Well, Kelly, in the clamour to arrange a volunteer [……………………………]placement or to book round-the-world plane [……………………………], how many school leavers -or their parents for that matter-stop to think about the true worth of taking a year out? Are gap years the [……………………………], character-forming experience their [……………………………]claim them to be, or are they [……………………………]an excuse to waste time, bum money and delay the [……………………………]? How did the idea ever start anyway? Mary: It says here that originally they were [……………………………]mainly among Oxford and Cambridge [……………………………], who were required to apply for a university place after already taking their A-levels. Once [……………………………], this gave them a farther nine months to travel or to do with as they [……………………………]. Kelly: They are mostly a UK and Australian [……………………………]. In the US. the tendency is still to go to [……………………………]straight after leaving school In most other [……………………………], gap years are rare, partly because students will often. take longer to [……………………………]their university courses and have more time during the [……………………………]year t,o take time off. Mary: Well, David says they might not be worth it, so is there any way we can [……………………………]the cost? Kelly: Well, the first thing to do is to assume that you will use the time available to travel abroad for a [……………………………]of time, working for a period [……………………………]to save up the money [……………………………]. Let’s see. Roughly speaking, you will probably need about [……………………………]for the plane ticket, [……………………………]on w’here you go. Then you’ll need up to [……………………………]for the specialist travel [……………………………], and anything up to [……………………………]to pay for the cost of internal travel in the countries you visit, plus food, [……………………………]and other [……………………………]. Many gap-year travellers can make do with about [……………………………]in total, although this means living on a fairly tight [……………………………]. David: But then you need to add the above cost the [……………………………]benefit of one year’s salary after [……………………………]. For example, say your first job after leaving university were to pay [……………………………]to [……………………………]a year, that’s what you lose by taking a gap year. Kelly: Well, that’s not entirely fair. You can [……………………………]value through personal development as well as [……………………………]. A gap year tends to broaden young people’s [……………………………], helps them to matur e and see things from a much wider [……………………………]. It can motivate them to focus on their studies. Research shows that students are more likely to be [……………………………]with and complete their chosen course after taking a gap year. Many universities also say that they can tell the difference between those students who have taken gap years and those who have not, in terms of [……………………………], [……………………………]and general insights that are less [……………………………]in those who come straight from school. These are all [……………………………]that a person wall carry with him or her well past university. Many employers are on record as saving that they welcome job [……………………………]from students whose CVs sav they took a year off, either before going to university or, in some cases, after graduating. They too are aware of the greater [……………………………]and broader potential vision of those who have used their time [……………………………]and learned something about Hie world. David: That’s true. Employers want [……………………………]who can work well in teams think [……………………………], communicate effectively and make informed [……………………………], all of which can be learned by taking a gap year. This potential to [……………………………]yourself from other applicants becomes all the more important at a time when up to [……………………………] of young people are taking degrees, often graduating with good [……………………………]. The key here is ensuring two things: that the time you have taken off is used [……………………………]and that you make it clear in any job [……………………………]what you have learned from your gap year and how it applies to the post you are applying for. Swarming on a beach in Australia is hardly likely to impress the [……………………………]employer. Kelly: There is no doubt that if you can show a practical [……………………………], for example by volunteering with a [……………………………], you will gain [……………………………]points from many employers. But equally, any [……………………………]in which a young person has been required to learn new things, to act independently, to work for someone, to be able to mix with fellow [……………………………]and people in the countries they are visiting, will be seen as a [……………………………]experience. [……………………………]Mary: It says here that academic research [……………………………]for the Department for Education suggests that employers [……………………………]they stand to benefit from new recruits who, to quote one IIR director, have “been out of their [……………………………]” and are thus more likely to have the [……………………………]and [……………………………]skills to deal with the demands of the graduate workplace. David: Again, I think that the key thing is to make sure that your [……………………………]is steered into [……………………………]whatever experiences you have gained during that gap year. Clearly, telling a prospective boss that your six months on a beach in Oz was “[……………………………]” will put you at a disadvantage compared with another applicant who goes into great details about the business skills learned by working in a cafe in the same location. SECTION 4 Lecturer: Welcome to this presentation on Prairie Dogs. You can see a picture of these rather cute animals on this slide. As you can see, they are about the size of a [……………………………]and they have a brown or [……………………………]coat with black-tipped hairs and a black-tipped tail. The underside of the [……………………………]dog is a light tan colour. They have short legs and sharp claws to help them dig their homes. Their bodies are [……………………………]long with a 3-4 inch tail and they weigh 2-4 pounds. I’ve been interested in these animals for a long time and would like to talk about a [……………………………]discovery. The barks of prairie dogs have [……………………………], individual meanings. Prairie dogs have different “words” for tall human in [……………………………], short human in green shirt, coyote, deer, red-tailed hawk and many other creatures. They can even coin new terms for things they’ve never seen before, [……………………………]coming up with the same calls or words, according to research done over two [……………………………]by a professor from Arizona University, who can now not only call himself a biology professor, but also a [……………………………]dog linguist. Prairie dogs of the Gunnison’s species, which were studied [……………………………], actually [……………………………]different [……………………………]in Arizona and in Colorado, but they would probably understand one another, research indicates. So far, this is believed to be … or prairie dogs appear to be [……………………………], the most sophisticated communication system that anyone has shown in animals. Prairie dog chatter is variously [……………………………]by observers as a series of yips, [……………………………]barks or ekes. And most scientists think prairie dogs simply make sounds that [……………………………]their inner condition. That means all they’re saying are things like “ouch” or “hungry” or “eek”. But we now know that prairie dogs are [……………………………]detailed information to one another about what animals are showing up in their [……………………………], and maybe even [……………………………]. Linguists have set five [……………………………]that must be met for something to qualify as language: It must contain words with [……………………………]meanings: possess [……………………………]in which the order of words is part of their meaning; have the ability to coin new words; be composed of smaller [……………………………]: and use words separated in space and time from what they [……………………………]. The American researchers focussed their efforts on these five criteria to see if prairie dogs use a language, as defined by human [……………………………], or not. Work was done in the field and in a [……………………………]With digital recorders, they recorded the calls prairie dogs make as they see different people, dogs and other animals of different sizes and -with different coat colours, such as hawks and elk. They then [……………………………]the sounds using a computer that dissects the underlying [……………………………]and creates a sonogram, or visual representation of the sound. Computer analysis later [……………………………]the similarities and differences. The prairie dogs have calls for various [……………………………]but also for elk, deer, antelope and cows. It’s as if they’re trying to inform one another what’s out there. So far, the [……………………………]have recorded at least twenty different “words.” Some of those words or calls were created by the prairie dogs when they saw something for the first time. Four prairie dogs in the lab were shown a great-homed owl and [……………………………]ferret, two animals they had almost [……………………………]not seen before, if only because the owls are mostly [……………………………]and this kind of ferret is foreign. The prairie dogs [……………………………]came up with the same new calls. In the field, black [……………………………]cut-outs showing the [……………………………]of a coyote, a skunk and a circular shape were [……………………………]run along a wire through the prairie dog colony. Now, there are no black ovals running around out there and yet they all had the same word for [……………………………]. The researchers believe that prairie dogs are [……………………………]programmed with some.vocabulary and the ability to [……………………………]things. The researchers then played back a recorded prairie dog alarm call for coyote in a prairie dog colony when no [……………………………]was around. The prairie dogs had the same [……………………………]response as they did when the predator was really there. In other wTords, there’s no coyote present, but the prairie dogs hear this [……………………………]of prairie dogs barking, “Hey, there's a coyote!” and they say, “Oh, coyote! Better hide.” Computer [……………………………]has been able to break down some prairie dog calls into different [……………………………], suggesting the creatures have yet another [……………………………]of a real language. The researchers are cpxietly [……………………………]that they will establish that the prairie dogs will meet the five criteria set by linguists. Then, there will be [……………………………]proof that animals have language.
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