Author Archives: Set Education

Tập đoàn giáo dục Navitas sẽ tổ chức Triển lãm giáo dục đầu tiên tại Việt Nam vào ngày 1, 3 và 4 tháng 4 tại Hải Phòng, Hà Nội và thành phố Hồ Chí Minh với sự tham gia của hơn 20 trường thành viên đến từ Australia, Anh, Mỹ, Canada và Singapore. 

Mỗi năm trường đại học Adelaide tặng 9 suất học bổng “Adelaide outstanding achiever scholarship international (AOASI) cho sinh viên quốc tế. Đây là học bổng toàn phần, học sinh được miễn toàn bộ học phí cho toàn bộ khóa học đại học tại trường đại học Adelaide. Học bổng này dành cho học sinh quốc tế đạt thành tích học tập cao ở khóa dự bị đại học vào trường đại học Adelaide tại Bradford College.

Theo cơ quan Giáo dục Quốc tế Australia, tính đến tháng 5/2009, Việt Nam xếp thứ bảy trong số các nước có sinh viên quốc tế đến học tại nước này với hơn 15.900 sinh viên đăng ký học tại các cơ sở giáo dục tại Australia, tăng hơn 60% so với cùng kỳ năm 2008.

Đây là một bài viết rất hóm hỉnh về các đặc tính và ý nghĩa của tiếng Việt và tiếng Anh. Hy vọng những đặc điểm này cũng là những lưu ý trong cách dùng từ - ngữ khi bạn diễn đạt, cả trong tiếng mẹ đẻ lẫn trong tiếng Anh.

Trong bài này, chúng ta sẽ tìm hiểu ba nội dung chính trong bài thi Nói trong kỳ thi IELTS và hãy cùng xem một số thí sinh trả lời các câu hỏi. Hãy nhớ tải các phần ‘Ghi chú’ của bìa này để biết thêm một số típ và những đề tài mẫu.

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1) Clip 1: The Speaking Test

2) Clip 2: Vocabulary Exercise

3) Printable Documents

     a) Notes for Study

IELTS Tip

Listen carefully to the questions being asked so that you respond appropriately. Try to use a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary. Speak clearly, evenly and at a natural pace.

Be positive and trust in your ability!

THE SPEAKING TEST

The purpose of the speaking test is to determine your ability to communicate socially and whether you have the kinds of speaking skills needed for work or study. So, you will be required to speak on a variety of topics ranging from the general and personal to the more abstract, using both formal and informal language.

Procedure

At the beginning of the interview an examiner will greet you and invite you into the examination room. You will be seated facing the examiner with a desk between you. The examiner will then begin recording the one-to-one interview. The purpose of the recording is to ensure the test is to standard, and conducted fairly for all candidates around the world. The interview will last between 11 and 14 minutes. The examiner times each section.

The Three Parts of the Interview

There are three parts to the test. Each part has a particular purpose and covers particular question types and communication patterns.

Part One – Introduction

(approximately 4-5 minutes)

 

Procedure

The examiner will introduce him/herself and then check your identification.

In the first part of the test you will be required to answer some general questions about yourself. These will be personal in nature and cover 2-3 familiar topic areas.

Simple questions on familiar topics should be easy to answer, and so will help you to relax into the interview.

Topic areas

The topic areas covered may include:

• hometown

• studies

• work

• travel

• sports

• family

• hobbies/interests/leisure

• food

• entertainment

• shopping

• the Internet

• films

The questions are of a general nature such as:

Travel

1. When was the first time you travelled abroad?

2. Which countries have you visited?

3. Which one was your favourite? Why?

4. Did you like the local food?

5. Where would you like to go next?

Sport

1. What sports are popular in your country?

2. Which do you play?

3. How often do you play?

4. Where do you play?

5. Who do you play with?

These are wh-type questions: who, what, when, why, which, where, how.

In response to these types of questions you would be required to provide simple details. You are not expected to give in-depth answers at this stage of the interview but you should extend your answer with one to two compound/complex sentences with explanations and examples.

Skills

In asking these questions the examiner is assessing a variety of skills or language functions, including:

• describing (eg. your flat, room)

• identifying (eg. music)

• expressing likes, dislikes and preferences (eg. foods)

• comparing or contrasting (eg. city vs. the countryside)

• expressing your opinion (eg. weather)

• speculating (eg. future plans)

• giving a reason (eg. studying a second language)

• explaining changes (eg. clothing)

For example, the set of questions below tests the following skills:

Skills/Language functions	Topic
	Music
identifying	What kinds of music do young people like in your country?
expressing a preference	What kind do you like?
giving a reason	Why do people listen to music?
expressing an opinion	Is it important to know how to play a musical instrument?

 

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Language Structures

A range of verb tenses is tested in Part One. There are certain language structures used for particular skills. It is helpful to practise using a variety of these structures.

Here are some examples:

Skill/ Language functions	Grammatical Structure	Example
describing	simple present tense	It is a small unit overlooking a park.
talking about a habit	present tense	I usually go out with my friends.
speculating about the future	future tense	I will enrol in an MBA. I am planning to study engineering
comparing	comparative	Studying abroad is far better than learning English at home.

 

Tips

Part One is not only the beginning of the test but also the stage where you are creating a first impression. Show that you are confident. It is helpful to maintain eye contact with the examiner. Try to relax.

Here are some strategies to use:

• develop vocabulary around the topic areas

• know how to describe, compare, contrast, give a reason, explain changes

• practise expressing your opinion on a variety of different topics

• practise delivering answers confidently, fluently, clearly and accurately

• use every opportunity to practise

 

Part Two – Individual Long Turn

(3-4 minutes including 1 minute preparation)

Procedure

The examiner will introduce Part Two of the interview by saying that you’ll be given a topic and will need to talk about it for one to two minutes. S/he will give you some paper and a pencil, and one minute to make some notes. After one minute you will be asked to start speaking. The examiner will follow up your short talk with a question.

The Individual Long Turn

In part two of the interview you will be speaking on your own without any prompting.

This part requires you to:

• speak at length on a given topic

• organise your ideas coherently

• use appropriate language

Skills

This part of the interview mainly focuses on your communication skills:

• fluency – speaking without too many pauses

• coherence – linking your ideas logically and using language appropriately

Topics

The topics you may be asked to talk about are of a general nature and should be familiar to you.

Here are some sample topics:

• Describe a subject you enjoyed at school.

• Describe your favourite teacher.

• Talk about an object that is very important to you.

• Describe a celebration you attended.

• Talk about a film you enjoyed.

• Describe your favourite restaurant.

• Talk about a television program you like.

• Describe an interesting building.

• Describe an important festival in your country.

It is important to use the one minute for preparation effectively and plan an answer.

Here is a sample prompt card and some strategies to use in preparing.

Describe a holiday you took in your country. You should say: • where you went • who you travelled with • what you did • and explain why you enjoyed your vacation.

 

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Preparing notes

Read through the prompt card carefully. Make sure you understand the topic and the points you need to talk about.

Think of 2 or 3 things to say about each prompt and write down key words that will help remind you of what to say. Don’t try to write full sentences or worry about grammar. Your notes need to be clear and brief.

On the following page is a plan for the sample verbal prompt. It is detailed. You, of course, will not have time to write such detailed notes in the interview but it is helpful when practising to think of several possible answers. The other choices may be useful for other questions.

Bullet	Describe a holiday you took in your country.
Bullet 1	where you went	Pacific Ocean, countryside, mountains • popular spot • 5 hour drive north of city
Bullet 2	who you travelled with	friends, family • engineering friends from university • celebrating the end of exams • school holiday with parents
Bullet 3	what you did	outdoor activities • water sports: swimming, scuba diving, fishing • volleyball, bush walking, hiking in the mountains
Explain	explain why you enjoyed your vacation	quality time • enjoying each others company • relaxing • beautiful scenery • new experiences

 

You should begin your talk by introducing your topic, for example

• I’m going to talk about my holiday ….

• The person I’m going to talk about is ….

• I’d like to describe my …

Following the order of the prompts will help with the logical organisation of your talk.

There would usually be more to say about the third and fourth prompts so leave enough time to cover those points. Remember to link your ideas.

Tips

• practise talking on a range of topics

• practise timing yourself

• practise organising your ideas logically

• practise linking your ideas

• practise speaking for 2 minutes

Do not memorise an answer. You will loose marks for a memorised answer.

 

Part Three – Two-way Discussion

(approximately 4-5 minutes)

In the final part of the interview you will need to engage in a discussion on more abstract issues that are linked thematically to the topic in Part Two.

The examiner will be assessing your ability to develop and expand on your ideas in some depth. You are also expected to take the initiative in the discussion, so try to develop the topic as far as you possibly can.

Topics

The topics are of general interest and focus on current issues in society, such as:

• challenges facing young people

• problems affecting the environment

• the impact of technology

• issues affecting the family and family relationships

• influence of the media

• transportation issues in the future

• primary, secondary and tertiary education

Skills/Language functions

In the course of the discussion the examiner will ask questions to elicit language structures relating to a variety of skills or language functions, including:

• describing

• explaining

• evaluating

• speculating and predicting

• giving an opinion

• making suggestions

• comparing or contrasting

• identifying

Language functions and questions

Here are some sample questions and the skill or language function tested.

It is helpful to listen out for the question key word so that you respond appropriately and accurately.

Skill/Language function	Question
comparing	What is the benefit of travelling abroad compared with travelling in your home country?
describing	What is the best way to travel?
giving an opinion	Do you think it is important to travel?
speculating	How will people travel in the future?

 

Tips

• acquaint yourself with current issues in society by watching programs on current affairs, listening to talk back radio

• practise discussing topics that are current and of general interest

• practise giving your opinion, offering suggestions, giving explanations

• focus on the key words in the question so that you answer the question accurately and appropriately

• be prepared to develop and expand on your ideas

• record yourself and listen to yourself

• listen for how often you stop and start

Take time to practise!

Remember:

The more you practise, the more confident you will be.

The more confident you are, the better you’ll do in the Speaking Test!

 

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     b) Learning Activities

Practise and consolidate your learning about the IELTS Speaking Test by completing our activities. The answers for all activities are on the last 2 pages.

ACTIVITY 1

Match the language function in the left-hand column with the appropriate question in the right-hand column.

	Language function			Question
1	identifying		A	Should schools be allowed to sell fast foods in their canteens?
2	describing		B	Is it important to conserve water in your country? Why/ Why not?
3	comparing		C	What measures should be taken to reduce traffic jams?
4	evaluating		D	What can we do to educate children about eating healthily?
5	describing changes		E	Why is it important to exercise?
6	giving an opinion		F	What are the benefits of studying abroad?
7	explaining		G	How has the environment changed in the last 20 years in your country?
8	making suggestions		H	What kind of developments will your country undergo in the future?
9	giving reasons		I	How has technology changed your life?
10	speculating		J	What is the difference between the family unit today compared to the past?

 

ACTIVITY 2

Tick (√) the information that is most relevant to the questions

Question 1

What are the benefits of studying English in an English-speaking country?
	• native English speaking teachers
	• learn the language more quickly
	• get a taste of English cuisine
	• forced to communicate in English

 

Question 2

What qualities would be desirable for a teacher?
	• likes giving orders
	• a good speaker
	• creative
	• patient

 

Question 3

What is the importance of playing sports?
	• earn a lot of money
	• builds character
	• good for health
	• reduce stress

 

Question 4

What can be done to reduce traffic jams?
	• restrict the number of cars entering the city
	• government should increase the tax on petrol
	• improve public transport
	• improve the efficiency of cars

 

Question 5

What advice would you give someone learning another language?
	• model your pronunciation on that of native speakers
	• use a monolingual dictionary
	• learn at least five new words every day
	• translate everything you don’t know

 

Question 6

What might the negative effects of the Internet be?
	• exposes children to inappropriate material
	• addictive
	• no censorship of hate literature
	• wealth of information

 

Question 7

Would you agree that dieting is a good thing?
	• no, you may lose weight but then gain all the weight and more once you stop
	• yes, it helps keep your weight under control
	• yes, being overweight is unattractive
	• no, it can be very stressful monitoring your weight

 

Question 8

What effect has tourism had on your country?
	• increase in pollution
	• provide jobs reducing unemployment
	• enhance understanding of the country
	• decrease in global warming

 

Question 9

Should children have to wear school uniforms? Why/Why not?
	• yes, one less expense for parents
	• yes, brings discipline to the classroom
	• yes, helps them focus on their studies
	• yes, children are equal

 

Question 10

What are the advantages of having a part time job while studying?
	• ease the financial burden on parents
	• good experience for the future
	• gives a sense of competition
	• make a lot of money

 

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ACTIVITY 1 ANSWERS

1. D                             6. A

2. I                               7. F

3. J                              8. C

4. B                             9. E

5. G                             10. H

 

ACTIVITY 2 ANSWERS

Tick (√) the information that is most relevant to the questions

Question 1

What are the benefits of studying English in an English-speaking country?
√	• native English speaking teachers
√	• learn the language more quickly
	• get a taste of English cuisine
√	• forced to communicate in English

 

Question 2

What qualities would be desirable for a teacher?
	• likes giving orders
√	• a good speaker
√	• creative
√	• patient

 

Question 3

What is the importance of playing sports?
	• earn a lot of money
√	• builds character
√	• good for health
√	• reduce stress

 

Question 4

What can be done to reduce traffic jams?
√	• restrict the number of cars entering the city
√	• government should increase the tax on petrol
√	• improve public transport
	• improve the efficiency of cars

 

Question 5

What advice would you give someone learning another language?
√	• model your pronunciation on that of native speakers
√	• use a monolingual dictionary
√	• learn at least five new words every day
	• translate everything you don’t know

 

Question 6

What might the negative effects of the Internet be?
√	• exposes children to inappropriate material
√	• addictive
√	• no censorship of hate literature
	• wealth of information

 

Question 7

Would you agree that dieting is a good thing?
√	• no, you may lose weight but then gain all the weight and more once you stop
√	• yes, it helps keep your weight under control
	• yes, being overweight is unattractive
√	• no, it can be very stressful monitoring your weight

 

Question 8

What effect has tourism had on your country?
√	• increase in pollution
√	• provide jobs reducing unemployment
√	• enhance understanding of the country
	• decrease in global warming

 

Question 9

Should children have to wear school uniforms? Why/Why not?
√	• yes, one less expense for parents
	• yes, brings discipline to the classroom
√	• yes, helps them focus on their studies
√	• yes, children are equal

 

Question 10

What are the advantages of having a part time job while studying?
√	• ease the financial burden on parents
√	• good experience for the future
√	• gives a sense of competition
	• make a lot of money

 

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     c) Transcript

Hello, and welcome to Study English, IELTS Preparation. I’m Margot Politis.

Today we’ll look at the IELTS Speaking Test.

There are three parts to the test. Each part has a particular purpose.

The examiner will record the interview to ensure the test is to standard and conducted fairly for all candidates.

Let’s watch someone begin their interview. [Part One]

Interviewer:              Good morning, my name is Maria. What’s your name?

Interviewee:             My name’s Sanjay.

Interviewer:              Thankyou. Can I just check your ID please Sanjay. Thank you, that’s fine. What are you doing at the moment? Are you a student, or do you work?

Interviewee:             I’m currently a student.

Interviewer:              And what are you studying?

Interviewee:             I’m studying a Diploma in Business.

The purpose of Part One is to settle you down and get you used to the test situation. So you will only be required to answer some general questions about yourself on some familiar topics such as: studies … travel … sports … family … food and exercise.

Let’s see how another candidate answers questions about exercise. The first question is designed to test her skills at identifying:

Interviewer:              What kind of exercise do you enjoy?

Interviewee:             I enjoy running, because I think it’s easy, and I think you should need, er, good shoes and you can run and I can run at morning, it’s really good …I think.

The next question is to see how well she expresses an opinion:

Interviewer:              Is it important to exercise regularly?

Interviewee:             Yes, I think it’s really important, because you can, um, keep your body healthy and you can keep fit, especially for girls’ health, keep fit. And it’s good for your health as well.

This question tests comparing:

Interviewer:              Do you think people are exercising more these days, compared to 50 years ago?

Interviewee:             No, I don’t think so. Because, you see, like me, they don’t have enough time. I think it’s, a lot of people don’t have enough time as well, so they don’t have enough regular exercise.

Other skills that are assessed include:

• describing;

• expressing preferences; and

• giving reasons

You are not expected to give in-depth answers at this stage of the interview but you can extend your answer with a longer sentence.

To help prepare for this section you can develop vocabulary around the topic areas and make sure you know the verb tense that is appropriate for answering the question.

For example the question ‘What kind of exercise do you enjoy?’ is in the simple present tense, so she replies with the same tense: I enjoy running. Listen again:

Interviewer:              What kind of exercise do you enjoy?

Interviewee:             I enjoy running.

In Part Two the examiner will give you a topic on a prompt card to talk about for one to two minutes. You will be allowed one minute to make some notes. After your talk, the examiner will ask you a follow up question.

The topics are of a general nature. You could be asked to talk about an object that is important to you or a major festival in your country or to describe an interesting building.

Let’s see how the interviewer introduces the second part of the interview and how the candidate prepares for the talk.

Interviewer:              Now, I’d like you to talk for one to two minutes on a topic that I’ll give you.

Interviewee:             Sure.

Interviewer:              You have one minute to prepare, and make some notes to help you.

                                     Do you understand?

Interviewee:             Yes.

Interviewer:              Okay. Well, here’s a pencil and a paper for making notes, and here is your topic. I’d like you to describe a holiday or vacation you took recently.

Interviewee:             Sure.

This is what was written on the prompt card she gave him:

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Describe a holiday or a vacation you took recently.

You should say:

• where you went

• who you travelled with

• what you did, and

• explain why you enjoyed your vacation

Think of 2 or 3 things to say about each prompt and write down words that will help remind you of what to say. Let’s look at what he wrote.

Where:           Bangkok last minute short

Who:               Mum, sister, brother

What:              Shopping mall, weekend market, stalls, humungous place

Why:               Wonderful experience; sights

Do the notes help him? Let’s listen to his talk.

Er, the holiday which I went on recently was in Thailand, Bangkok, Thailand. Um, we, we planned this, I guess, two weeks, two weeks in advance, it was kind of a last minute planning with, with my family, we decided to just go for a short holiday down to Bangkok. So, er, we called, we called my travel agent, and, er, we got, we got tickets booked for me, my Mum, my brother and my sister.

It is important to begin your talk by introducing the topic.

He is following the notes he made. For 'who' he tells us “we got tickets booked for me, my Mum, my brother and my sister”.

For 'what' he talks about shopping:

We went to two shopping malls. It was, one of the malls called Big C, Big C, yeah, that was the mall. So, er, the mall was very clean and, er, I was surprised, it was very clean, very big, very, very big, very clean and all. So that was just a normal shopping centre. Then over the weekend we decided to go and visit this big weekend market in, Bangkok itself. So it’s called a big, a weekend market, er, it had like thousand over stalls, it was this big, humungous place. So what we did, we spent our whole time there, shopping.

For 'why' he tells us what a wonderful experience it was:

But it was a wonderful experience, going to Bangkok, and, er, visiting the sights.

Your talk will be well organised if you follow the same order as the prompts on the card.

The interviewer ends this section with a follow up question. Let’s listen to what the interviewer asks him.

Interviewer:              Do you think you’ll go back there again?

Interviewee:             Er, yeah, definitely, I mean, for shopping is one thing, prices are really cheap and all but, er, it’s just the place. The people, they’re all friendly and down to earth, and, um, it was a memorable experience.

He responds appropriately with two sentences. That’s all that is required.

To help you prepare for this part, practise talking about a range of topics.

The final part of the interview is a discussion on issues related to the topic in Part Two.

The examiner will be assessing your ability to develop ideas in some depth.

Let’s see what kind of questions he was asked and how the discussion is introduced.

Interviewer:              Okay then. Well, you’ve described a holiday you’ve been on, and I’d like to ask you a few more questions related to this.

Interviewee:             Sure.

Interviewer:              Is it important to travel and take holidays in different places?

Interviewee:             Yeah, I feel, I feel it is important, er, reason being you, you’re exposed to different cultures, you’re exposed to different kind of people, how, how do they behave, and, er, you get to see a lot of things. If you just take a holiday in your own country, or somewhere nearby, er, you won’t really get to see, er, the world I guess, see how people behave and all.

By asking him "Is it important to travel?" she is testing whether he can express an opinion. Next, she sees if he can speculate:

Interviewer:              Are people travelling more these days, do you think?

Interviewee:             Er, yes, definitely. Er, as you can see nowadays there’s budget airlines where airline prices all become so cheap so that they can visit more places and go to other countries.

Then she asks a question designed to see how well he can compare:

Interviewer:              Is it better to travel alone, or in a group?

Interviewee:             I believe it’s better to travel in a group, where you have a companion. Maybe not, not in such a big group, but, I guess, maybe two to three people … where it’s nice to have someone along to share your experiences with and, you know, to visit places and, you know, have someone there for companionship and all.

And finally she tests how well he can identify:

Interviewer:              What kind of problems is travel and tourism causing?

Interviewee:             Um, sometimes people don’t know other people’s culture, and they might offend them in a rude way, they might not know its offensive, but, you know, not knowing the culture, and not reading up about it, sometimes when you go to a foreign land, and you might do something to maybe insult the host or insult someone there.

To answer questions well in this section you should watch programs on current affairs and practise discussing topics and using a variety of language functions such as comparing, explaining and describing.

That’s all for today

Good Luck with your studies.

 

(Nguồn UTS: Insearch and Australia Network)

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Trong bài này, chúng ta sẽ tìm hiểu câu hỏi của các dạng bài viết và các đề tài để viết luận trong cuộc thi IELTS. Hãy nhớ rằng việc hiểu rõ yêu cầu của câu hỏi là rất quan trọng.

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1) Clip 1: Question Tasks and Topics 

2) Clip 2: Vocabulary Exercise

3) Printable Documents

     a) Notes for Study

IELTS Tip

Reading newspapers regularly and watching programs on current affairs and stories of general interest can help you build a bank of ideas.

Think about whether you agree or disagree with topics discussed or look out for any causes or consequences of problems and solutions to these problems.

Remember, you will need to state your opinion and take a position on the IELTS topic in the Writing module.

QUESTION TASKS AND TOPICS IN WRITING

IELTS Writing Task 2 assesses your ability to present a clear argument supported with reasons and examples based on your own experience or knowledge. So, it is important to understand what the question is asking you to do and then support your answer with ideas that are relevant to the question.

An IELTS question consists of two parts:

Question Topic

Question Task

 

Question Topic

The topics around which writing tasks are designed are of general interest and do not require you to have specialist knowledge. It is important though that you do have an opinion on and interest in general issues in society.

The range of topics and subtopics discussed in the episode as well as other examples is listed in the table below.

Topic	Subtopic
Media	privacy issues; censorship; influence of advertising
Education	testing and assessments; public and private education; home-schooling
Environment	eco-tourism; global warming; pollution
Health and Nutrition	obesity; alternative medicine; diet; exercise; health care
Communication	the internet; mobile phones; text messaging
Society and Culture	communities; traditions, habits and customs; arts and music; traditional versus popular culture
Family	parents and children; responsibilities in a family; generation gap; relationships – marriage and divorce
Employment	unemployment; workplace conditions; job training; apprenticeships
Transport	infrastructure; vehicle safety; road tolls; choice of transport
Technology	dependence on technology; computers and mobile phones; trends and changes
Sciences	marine biology, archaeology, architecture; geography

 

Reading the newspaper and watching programs on current affairs in particular, will help you keep up-to-date with social and community issues and therefore will help you develop a bank of ideas.

 

Question Task

The Question Task provides the focus of an IELTS question or the requirements of the task. Its purpose is to test a range of skills which would produce different types of writing.

Question tasks are designed around the following skills and assess your ability to:

• present a solution to a problem

• present two sides of an issue

• evaluate and challenge an issue

• compare and contrast an opinion or evidence

• justify an opinion and use appropriate examples

There are many different ways question tasks can be worded to assess the different types of writing. Here are some examples.

• What are the causes and effects of …

• Provide a solution or suggestion to the problem of ….

• What is a possible solution to the problem of …

• To what extent do you agree or disagree …

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of

• Is this a positive or negative development …

• Discuss both these views.

• What are your views?

• What is your opinion?

The question task not only determines the type of writing or “essay type” but the kind of language structures you will need to use. For example, if the task asks for ‘causes’ and/or ‘effects’, then the language of cause, effect and result will need to be used.

 

Cause, effect and result language structures

The relationship between cause and effect can be summarised as follows

active voice
cause	markers	effect
Obesity	causes leads to results in can lead to	many chronic diseases. high blood pressure. heart disease. premature death.
The number of children in the obese category has doubled.	Consequently, As a result, Because of this,	the rate of disease is higher.
markers	result	cause
The cause of The reason for	obesity	is a sedentary lifestyle.
marker	result	Effect
The effect of One consequence of	obesity is	diabetes. premature death.
passive voice
effect	markers	Cause
Obesity	is caused by is the result of	excess body fat. a sedentary lifestyle.

 

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Sample Question Topics and Tasks

Here are some sample IELTS questions to practise identifying:

• The topic area

• the skill tested

• the main topic of the question

• task requirements

• topic ideas

• topic vocabulary

 

Sample Question 1

_____________________________________________________

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic.

While the number of smokers in the industrialised world has been steadily decreasing, the same cannot be said for developing nations. Despite the warnings by health care workers about the dangers of smoking, the advice has gone unheeded.

What are some of the effects of smoking and how can governments address this problem?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

______________________________________________________________

 

Topic Area:                           Health

Skill:                                       Present a solution to a problem

Main topic:                            Dangers of smoking

Task requirements:           Name some of the negative effects of smoking.

Suggest ways that governments could deal with the problem that people are not taking advice of the warnings about the dangers of smoking.

Topic Ideas

Effects of smoking	Suggestions
• increases the likelihood of developing a serious illness, eg lung cancer, bronchitis, heart disease • places the lives of non-smokers at risk, especially children • addictive • can be dangerous i.e. cause a fire	• authorise advertisements showing the effects of the various diseases caused by smoking • prohibit smoking at work and in public places • restrict and prohibit the sale of tobacco products • conduct educational campaigns in schools teaching children about the dangers of smoking

 

Topic Vocabulary

target item	vocabulary choices
illness	chronic illness, stomach cancer, bladder cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases
dangers	dangerous substance, cancer-causing, endanger, risk, harm, injure, damage
addictive	causes addition, nicotine, bad habit, dependence, controlled by
advertisements	visually explicit advertisements
prohibit	ban, prevent, legally prohibit, legally enforce, restrict, remove, limit
campaign	advertising campaign, conduct a campaign, tobacco prevention campaign

 

Sample Question 2

____________________________________________________________

WRITING TASK 2

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic.

Mass media is greatly contributing to the development of youth the world over because of its easy accessibility. Some say that the influence of media on the day-to-day lives of these adolescents is more harmful than advantageous.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

 

Topic Area:                          Media

Skill:                                       Evaluate and challenge an issue

Main topic:                            Influence of the media on adolescents is harmful

Task requirements:           Decide to what extent you agree (fully, partially) or disagree (not at all) that the media’s influence is harmful and state your where you stand on the issue. If you believe this to be true, then give reasons why you think there are benefits and state under what circumstances you think the media could be seen as harmful.

 

Topic ideas

Mass media harmful (agree)	Mass media advantageous (disagree)
• exposure to violent and unsuitable images • can affect children’s behaviour • children are immature so cannot discern right from wrong • interest in inappropriate products being advertised	• many good educational programs • the saying “the world is your oyster” is appropriate because the opportunities of learning form the different media about issues worldwide are limitless
Position: despite the harmful effects, adolescents could be supervised and guided to benefit from the advantages of mass media

 

Topic vocabulary

target item	vocabulary choices
mass media	television and radio programs, internet and mobile telephone advertisements, commercials, advertisements, films, newspapers, magazines; important source of information
unsuitable	inappropriate materials
children	adolescents, youth, young people, immature, those under 18
harmful	negative effects, disadvantages, drawbacks, detrimental effect, damaging
benefits	advantageous, advantages, beneficial, good, positive
accessibility	gain access to, availability, possibility

 

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     b) Learning Activities

Practise and consolidate your learning about by completing our activities. The answers for all activities are on the last 2 pages.

 

ACTIVITY 1

Tick (√) the ideas that are relevant to the topic.

 Topic 1:         Home-schooling is better for a child.

	Advantages		Disadvantages
	• emotional bond with child		• no interaction with peers
	• control what the child learns		• not taught by a professional teacher
	• it’s expensive		• don’t know how the child is progressing in relation to other students
	• protect the child from negative influences		• inexpensive

 

Topic 2: Living in the city is more beneficial than life in the countryside.

	Agree		Disagree
	• more employment opportunities		• more pollution
	• overcrowded		• stressful
	• more entertainment		• limited health facilities and services
	• people are more friendly		• too expensive

 

Topic 3: People are losing their identity, culture and traditions because of globalisation.

	Effects		Solutions
	• introduction of fast foods to the detriment of traditional foods		• reduce the greenhouse gases
	• English becoming the main language in day-to-day transactions		• impose heavier taxes on imported goods
	• preference for Western music among youth		• make the native language a mandatory subject at school
	• increase in global warming		• promote the country’s traditional cuisine

 

Topic 4: Industrialised countries should assist poorer nations financially.

	Agree		Disagree
	• addresses poverty, illiteracy and disease		• corruption is rife
	• helps national security		• may lead to dependency
	• it’s a humane thing to do		• they have their own poor and homeless people to help
	• increase the standard of living		• too costly

 

Topic 5: Living abroad for an extended period of time can be problematic.

	Problems		Solutions
	• homesickness		• chance to achieve success
	• language barrier		• take some language courses
	• lifestyle change		• join a club to meet new people
	• adjusting to a different diet		• learn to be independent

 

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ACTIVITY 2

Choose the appropriate cause/effect word or phrase to complete the sentences.

caused by      because                     cause of         a result of      due to leads to          consequence of       caused           effects of        cause

 

1. The country road was blocked _____________ the landslide.

2. John’s promotion came ____________ he worked hard.

3. An increase in interest rates ______________ a decrease in property sales.

4. The landslide was ____________ heavy rain.

5. It is well documented that the increase in diabetes is ____________ poor dietary habits.

6. Bad economic policies were the __________ negative growth and serious shortages.

7. Being obese may ___________ serious health problems.

8. Poor sleeping habits can be the _______________ stress and workload.

9. The explosion _____________ massive damage to the factory.

10. The task asked for the _____________ global warming.

ACTIVITY 1 ANSWERS

Tick (√) the ideas that are relevant to the topic.

Topic 1: Home-schooling is better for a child.

	Advantages		Disadvantages
√	• emotional bond with child	√	• no interaction with peers
√	• control what the child learns	√	• not taught by a professional teacher
	• it’s expensive	√	• don’t know how the child is progressing in relation to other students
√	• protect the child from negative influences		• inexpensive

 

Topic 2: Living in the city is more beneficial than life in the countryside.

	Agree		Disagree
√	• more employment opportunities	√	• more pollution
	• overcrowded	√	• stressful
√	• more entertainment		• limited health facilities and services
	• people are more friendly	√	• too expensive

 

Topic 3: People are losing their identity, culture and traditions because of globalisation.

	Effects		Solutions
√	• introduction of fast foods to the detriment of traditional foods		• reduce the greenhouse gases
√	• English becoming the main language in day-to-day transactions	√	• impose heavier taxes on imported goods
√	• preference for Western music among youth	√	• make the native language a mandatory subject at school
	• increase in global warming	√	• promote the country’s traditional cuisine

 

Topic 4: Industrialised countries should assist poorer nations financially.

	Agree		Disagree
√	• addresses poverty, illiteracy and disease	√	• corruption is rife
√	• helps national security	√	• may lead to dependency
√	• it’s a humane thing to do	√	• they have their own poor and homeless people to help
√	• increase the standard of living		• too costly

 

Topic 5: Living abroad for an extended period of time can be problematic.

	Problems		Solutions
√	• homesickness		• chance to achieve success
√	• language barrier	√	• take some language courses
√	• lifestyle change	√	• join a club to meet new people
√	• adjusting to a different diet	√	• learn to be independent

 

ACTIVITY 2 ANSWERS

1. due to                                 6. cause of

2. because                            7. cause

3. leads to                              8. consequence of

4. caused by                         9. caused

5. a result of                          10. effects of

 

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     c) Transcript

Hello, and welcome to Study English, IELTS Preparation. I’m Margot Politis.

Today we’ll look at question tasks and topics in the essay section of the IELTS test.

Both IELTS tests - the academic and the general - require you to write a short essay.

What are the questions likely to be about?

Media:                        censorship; privacy; or the influence of advertising.

Education:                testing; computers; public and private education.

Environment:           eco-tourism; global warming; pollution.

Health:                       obesity; alternative medicine; exercise; diet.

Communication:     the internet; mobile phones.

Society:                     youth issues; juvenile delinquency; ageing populations.

There are two parts to an essay question.

First, there is the question topic, a statement like this:

Internet access should be under government control to avoid any potential harm to children.

And second, there is the question task, which will be something like:

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

OR

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of government controlling Internet access.

OR

What are the reasons for government control? What other measures could be taken to deal with this problem?

The purpose of the different question tasks is to test a range of writing skills.

They can test your ability to identify causes and effects. You could be asked "What are the causes …" or "What are the effects …"

Or they are designed to see how well you can present a solution to a problem. For example:

What measures could be taken to deal with this problem?

Here you would need to say what can be done to stop children being harmed by material on the internet, such as using software that prevents children accessing harmful sites or keeping computers out of children’s bedrooms where they are not supervised by a parent. Often the question task tests whether you can present two sides of an issue, compare opinions and justify your view, such as these:

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

OR

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of government control.

OR

What is your opinion?

Here’s the question topic again:

Internet access should be under government control to avoid any potential harm to children.

Let’s look more closely at some question tasks for it. First:

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Here you would need to decide how much you agree or disagree with the issue of governments controlling Internet access and give your opinion.

Your ideas would need to be supported with reasons and appropriate examples.

Why should the government control the internet? Try to think of situations that support what you think.

A very similar style of essay would be required if you were asked:

What is your opinion?

With this question task you must still consider other points of view. And remember the instruction to give reasons and provide examples still applies.

What about this question task?

---

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of government control.

Here you’re not required to directly give your opinion, but to present and explain both sides of the issue. But by saying what you think is good and bad; your view of the issue should be obvious.

The question task can be more direct, like this:

What are the reasons for government control? What other measures could be taken to deal with this problem?

You should give reasons why governments need to control the Internet and then suggest what else could be done to protect children. This task tests how well you can identify causes and suggest solutions.

Let’s look at some more sample questions.

In some countries there are fewer doctors and teachers taking up jobs in rural areas. As a result, communities in these remote areas are being poorly served.

What are the effects of this and what measures could be taken to improve it?

The main topic is teachers and doctors not working in remote areas. Here you would need to write about the negative effects that a community experiences when there aren’t enough teachers and doctors.

For the second part of the task - what measures could be taken – you should suggest some ways of improving the situation. This question tests your ability to write about the effects of something and provide some solutions.

Let’s look at another question.

Children’s eating habits and lifestyles today are more likely to be harmful than beneficial.

Discuss both these views.

The main topic is what children eat and how they spend their time.

The task asks you to discuss two views - both these views.

What are the 2 views?

The question topic says "more likely to be harmful than beneficial", so the 2 views are:

The more likely, according to the statement, that children’s eating habits are causing harm.

And the opposite, that "children’s eating habits" are beneficial.

The task requires you to compare the negative effects of what children eat these days with the positive effects. So it’s the sort of question task that tests if you can compare 2 sides of an issue. And it gives you the opportunity to challenge the question topic.

You could argue that children these days eat very well and exercise a lot and that the idea that they don’t is exaggerated. Remember though that you can’t do this without giving good reasons and providing examples.

Computers have changed the way children are taught. Some believe this means that children are missing out on a well-rounded education.

What is your opinion?

Here the main topic is the use of computers in children’s education.

You need to decide what you think about computers in classrooms and whether they might stop children getting a well-rounded education. In forming your opinion, you should also write about what other people might think.

So we’ve looked at questions in the general areas of education, technology, society and health.

The essay question consists of a statement called the question topic, which can be about any topic of general interest and a question task, which determines the style of essay you need to write. Remember that the same topic can be looked at from different perspectives. Include not only causes, effects and solutions but also advantages and disadvantages when building a bank of ideas for a topic.

That’s all for now.

Go to our website if you want to watch any episode of Study English again. You’ll also find plenty of extra material there to keep you busy. The address is: australianetwork.com/studyenglish

I’ll see you next time on Study English.

 

(Nguồn UTS: Insearch and Australia Network)

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