New Isi

FOREWORD
Corporate training is a big competitive advantage for any business. It will not only help employees in
their career but it will also have a big impact on any business in the long run. An effective corporate
training can, in fact, significantly boost the employees’ skills in two different ways. First, by broadening
the employees’ knowledge of their existing skills by providing higher expertise in this area. Second, by
training them in completely new skills related to their work areas. This increases the usability in the
company as your employees possess diverse skills that can perform a variety of tasks in the business.
One of the many examples is Business English. It has now become more important than ever for
people working with colleagues, clients and partners from other countries to understand each other, so
that they can form an effective and productive working relationship.
Another example is communication. A good communication skill of the employees allows companies to
be productive and operate effectively. Employees can experience an increase in morale, productivity and
commitment if they are able to communicate up and down the communication chain in an organization.
An effective training requires a professional provider. We're delighted to tell you that Ultimate
Education has been providing corporate training programs. We provide our clients with tailor- made
programs to meet their objectives. In order to ensure the client's satisfaction, our fully qualified trainers
have the extensive experience of training business professionals and are happy to create bespoke
learning programs for each individual. Ultimate education is certainly the best partner to hold an
effective training program at your company.
Regards,
Jimmy Anwar
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

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2 WWW.ULTIMATEDUCATION.CO.ID
WHAT IS IELTS?
IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is taken by people who are required
to certify their level of English proficiency for educational, vocational and immigration purposes, and
measures a person’s ability to communicate in English across four language skills- listening, reading,
writing and speaking.
WHO TAKES THE IELTS?
The Academic IELTS is taken by people who wish to enrol in undergraduate and postgraduate courses,
and those who wish to undertake work experience at a graduate and post-graduate level.
The General Training IELTS is taken by people who are going to English-speaking countries to
complete their secondary education or undertake work experience or training programmes, or by people
who are planning to immigrate to countries like UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand etc.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC AND

THE GENERAL TRAINING TESTS
All candidates take the same Listening and Speaking tests. However, there is a difference between
Academic and General Training in the Reading and Writing tests.
General Training Reading Test

The texts are based on the type of material you would expected to encounter on a daily basis in an
English-speaking country. They come from newspapers, notices, official documents, booklets, leaflets,
timetables, advertisements, instruction manuals and books, and test your ability to understand and use
information.
The first sections texts relevant to basic linguistic survival in English with tasks that mainly require
ability to retrieve and provide general factual information. The second section focuses on the training
context-for example, the training programme itself or students’ welfare needs. The third section involves
reading a longer descriptive text with a more complex structure.
Academic reading test
There are three reading passages with tasks. Texts are taken from books, magazines, journals and
newspapers, all written for a non-specialist audience. They may contain visual materials such as
diagrams, graphs or illustrations, and deal with issues that are appropriate and accessible to candidates
entering undergraduate or postgraduate courses. At least one text contains a detailed logical argument.
General Training Writing Test

The first task requires you to write a letter of at least 150 words either asking for information, or
explaining a situation. For the second task, you need to write a short essay of at least 250 words in
response to a statement or question on a given topic of general interest. You are expected to demonstrate
your ability to:
 Discuss issues
 Provide general factual information
 Describe a problem and present a solution
 Present and possibly justify an opinion, assessment or hypothesis
 Present and possibly evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence and arguments
Academic Writing test

The first task requires you to write a description of at least 150 words. This is based on material found in
a chart, table, graph or diagram, and demonstrates your ability to:
 Present information
 Summarise the main features of the input
For the second task, you are required to write a short essay of least 250 words in response to an opinion
or question. The issues raised are suitable for and easily understood by candidates entering
undergraduate or postgraduate studies. You are expected to demonstrate your ability to:
 Discuss abstract issues

 Present a solution to a problem
 Present and justify an opinion
 Compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications
 Evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument
HOW THE IELTS IS SCORED?
Correct answers in each of the IELTS test are translated into a score on the IELTS nine-band scale Test
takers get separate band scores for each of the Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking test to measure
language proficiency.
Those scores are then averaged and rounded; the test maker then uses a confidential conversion table in
order to produce a final Overall Band score. Scores can be reported in either whole or half bands. Each
band corresponds to a descriptive statement that provides a summary of English competence.
The statements provided below will give you a sense of what competence is required for each band
score. However, these are not actual statements used by the test maker. For the actual descriptive
statements for each band, please visit the official IETS website, www.ielts.org.
HOW DO YOU REGISTER?

To register, you can contact Ultimate Education for assistance or you can register yourself on British
Council website. You will be asked to write the number of your passport or national identity card on the
application form, and attach a copy of the document. If you take the test outside Indonesia, your passport
is the only valid form of identification.
Scoring Each section is given band score. The average of the four scores the Overall Band
Score. You do not pass or fail IELTS; you receive a score.
IELTS and the Common European Framework of Reference

The CEFR show the level of the learner and is used for many English as a Foreign Language
examinations. The table below shows the approximate CEFR level and the equivalent IELTS Overall
Band Score:
CEFR description CEFR code IELTS Band Score
Proficient user C2 9
[Advanced] C1 7-8
Independent user B2 5-6.5
[Intermediate-Upper Intermediate] B1 4-5
This table contains the general descriptors for the band scores 1-9:
IELTS
Band
Scores
9 Expert user Has fully operational command of the language: appropriate,
accurate and fluent with complete understanding.
8 Very good Has fully operational command of the language, with only
user occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies.
Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles
complex detailed argumentation well.
7 Good user Has operational command of the language, though with occasional
inaccuracies, inapropriacies and misunderstandings in some
situations. Generally handles complex language well and
understands detailed reasoning
6 Competent Has generally effective command of the language despite some
user inaccuracies, inapropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and
understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar
situations.
5 Modest user Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning
in most situations, though is likely to make many mistake. Should
be able to handle basic communication in own field.
4 Limited user Basic competence is limited to familiar situations. Have frequent
problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use
complex language.
3 Extremely Conveys and understand only general meaning in very familiar
limited user situation. Frequent breakdowns in communication occur.
2 Intermittent Not real communication is possible expect for the most basic
user information using isolated words or short formulae in familiar
situations and to meet immediate needs. Has great difficulty
understanding spoken and written English.
1 Non user Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few
isolated words.
0 Did not No assessable information provided.
attempt the
test
Marking
The Listening and Reading papers have 40 items, each worth one mark if correctly answered. Here are some
examples of how marks are translated into band scores:
Listening 16 out of 40 correct answers: band score 5
23 out of 40 correct answers: band score 6
Reading 15 out of 40 correct answers: band score 5
Writing and Speaking are marked according to performance descriptors.
Writing: examiners award a band score for each of four areas with equal weighting:
 Task achievement [Task 1]
 Task response [Task 2]
 Coherence and cohesion
 Lexical resource and grammatical range and accuracy
Speaking: examiners award a band score for each of four areas with equal weighting:
 Fluency and coherence
 Lexical resource
 Grammatical range
 Accuracy and pronunciation
 For full details of how the examination is scored and marked, go to: www.ielts.org
IELTS Listening
How Long is the Listening paper?

The listening paper is the same in both the Academic and the General Training modules of the IELTS
test. It lasts approximately 30 minutes and you are given an extra 10 minutes to write your answers onto
a separate answer sheet.
What type of information will I hear?

The Listening paper has four separate sections. Each section is a little more difficult than the one before.
They feature speakers from a variety of English-speaking countries. Each section has a different focus.
 In Section 1, you will hear a conversation between two people (e.g. finding out
information about travel).
 In Section 2, you will hear a monologue on a general topic (e.g. a radio broadcast).
 In Section 3, you will hear a conversation between two or three people in an
academic context (e.g. discussing an assignment).
 In Section 4, you will hear a monologue in an academic context (e.g. a lecture)
Will I hear the recording more than once?

It is important to remember that you will hear the recording only once. To help you prepare, you will be
given some extra time at the start of each section. During this time, you should read the questions
carefully.
How is the Listening paper assessed?

You will be asked a total of 40 questions. In order to assess how much of the recording you understand,
the questions will usually paraphrase (use different words with a similar meaning) the words that are in
the text.
 Listening skills
What types of question will I need to answer?
There are 10 questions in each section, and there is a variety of question types. For some types, you need
to write words or numbers that you hear.
for other tasks, you need to choose an option from a list and write a letter on your answer sheet.
 Labeling a diagram/plan/map
 Matching
 Multiple choice
 Forms/notes/table/flow-chart/summary completion
 Short-answer questions
 Sentence completion
How do I answer the questions?

The instructions and the questions will tell you what type of information you need to listen for and the
type of answer you need to give. Listen carefully to any instructions you hear on the recording. Follow
the instructions on the question paper carefully. In this unit, you will be able to practise all of these
question types.
How can I improve my Listening paper score?

You can improve your score by following the instructions carefully, and remembering the Test Tips in
this unit. This unit will also tell you the skills you need in order to achieve your highest score. Before the
test, try to listen to accents from a variety of English-speaking countries. Studying all aspects of English
(including vocabulary and grammar) will also help improve your IELTS score. If you make any mistakes
in the practice excercises, make sure that you listen to the recording again and check your answers by
asking the teachers.
Listening skills
1. Getting ready to listen
In this unit you will practise:
 Understanding the context  Listening for specific details
 Using correct spelling  Understanding numbers
1. Understanding the context
In the introduction to the Listening section, you will be told who the Test Tip Before
people are, what they are talking about and why. This information is youdo each section,
you will be given 30-
called the context. It helps you understand the topic. It is not written on
45 seconds to look at
the question paper. the questions. Use this
After the introduction, you will be given a short time to look at the time to study the
questions. Studying the questions before you listen can help you predict questions and try to
what the speakers will talk about. predict what you
might hear.
1.1 2
You are going to hear the introductions of four IELTS Listening sections.
Before you listen, try to predict the context by reading the questions in the table below. Choose
FOUR answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-F, in the table.
Section Listening test questions Context

1  Total number of guests: C
 Susie will organize invitations and
2 What type of gift does the speaker recommend for a child’s birthday?
3 The students chose this topic because
A they have a lot of information about it.
B they would like to learn more about it.
C they think they will get a higher mark.
4 Aim: To assess the impact of loss of habitat on native animals
Methods:
 Calculate the current numbers of native animal species
 Study their movements by attaching
Contexts
A shopping for food D describing a research project
B discussing an assignment E buying presents
C organizing a party F explaining how something works
1.2 Listen again. Decide how many speakers you will hear in each of these
sections. Try to write down who the speakers will be.
2. Using the correct spelling
In listening Section I, you may need to listen for the name of a person or a place. Often, the names will
be spelt out for you. You need to recognize the letters of the English alphabet well, so that you can write
the letters you hear quickly. You will only hear the spelling once.
Any spellings that you hear will be in the context of a normal conversation, so you need to be able to
hear the difference between letters and words.
2.1 3 Listen and write the letters you hear.
1 4
2 5
3
2.2 4 There are several ways to help you spell a word. Listen to five short
conversations and complete notes 1-5 with NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR
A NUMBER.
Test Tip Always check
1 Name: Mr Andrew
your spelling. If you
2 Address: 63 Road, Birmingham
make a spelling mistake
3 Website address: www. .com
in the IELTS Listening
4 Meet at the Hotel
paper, your answer will
5 Registration number:
be marked wrong.
2.3 Listen again and complete extracts a-f from the conversations.
Conversation 1
a Is that colour? Test Tip Listen
carefully, as there are
b Yes, but several ways of helping
Conversation 2 people to spell a word
c Sorry, N or M? without simply spelling
Conversation 3 it out. If you need to
d That’s right, lower case. write something that is
Conversation 4 not a name (e.g. the
registration number of a
e Oh, it’s the Rose Hotel,
car), you may hear a
Conversation 5 combination of numbers
f It’s just and letters.
It’s HLP 528
Study Tip Practise saying the letters of the English alphabet. For example, spell
words out for a friend to write down.
3. Writing Numbers
In Section 1 of the Listening paper, you need to listen for specific details.
3.1 5
Listen and circle the number you hear in each pair (a-j).
a 1st/3rd
b $10.50/$10.15 f 15/50
c 6th/5th g 52/62
d 17/70 h £110/£810
e 19/90 i 31st/33rd
j 22nd/27th
3.2 Listening again and practise saying the numbers
3.3 6 Listen and complete the information below.
1 How much does the woman pay for her room?£

2 New students need to bring $
3 Garage width: m height: m
4 How much does the woman pay for the bus tickets?
A $25 B $55 C $75
5 Party date:
3.4 Listen again and write the other numbers you hear and the reason they are incorrect.
1 £80 this is the amount she paid last time
3.5 7 Listen to extracts from four different talks and choose the correct answer (A, B or
C).
1 The survey found that the majority of students drink

A water B coffee C tea
2 What point does the speaker make about skiing?

A A small percentage of the US is suitable for skiing
B A surprisingly large number of Americans like skiing
C A relatively small proportion of Americans have tried skiing
3 The number of wild elephants in Africa is estimated to be at least
A 53,000. B 470,000. C 690,000.
4 According to the speaker, which two can weigh the same?

A the tongue of a blue whale and an elephant
B an elephant and a blue whale
C a bus and an elephant
Listening skills
2. Following a conversation
 Identifying the speakers  Matching items Study Tip In theIELTS
 Identifying function  Completing notes Listening paper, Sections 1
and 3 are conversation
 Understanding categories  Completing a table between two or three
people. Section 2 and 4 are
1. Identifying the speakers
monologues with only one
For Sections 1 and 3, each speaker will have a different voice to help
main speaker. Sometimes,
you tell them apart (e.g. male/female; younger/older). Both speakers you may hear another
speaker introducing the
will talk equally, and you will hear answers from both speakers. talk or asking questions.
For section I, there is normally one person who has to find out
information from the other.
1.1 8 You will hear three short extracts from Listening Section 1. Listening and
identify what makes each speaker different, and what information they want to find out.
people description information wanted

1 Travel Older female The customer would like
agent information about …
Customer
2 Hotel The receptionist needs to find
receptionist out the guest’s …
Guest
3 Interviewer The applicant would like to
Job know about …
applicant
Study Tip You will hear native speaker accents from several English-speaking countries in
the test. These may include British, American, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand
accents. Search online for non-commercial national radio stations in these countries, and
try to listen to a variety of them. National stations often have talk or current affairs
programmes that can help you practise for IELTS.
1.2 9 You need to listen to both speakers carefully. Listen to the rest of the conversations
from 1.1 and answer the questions below. Ignore the final column for now.
1 Notes: Travel agent
 No need to book the 1 from the airport customer
 The customer wants me to organise 2 Travel agent
customer
2 1 How many nights will the man stay? Hotel
A one night receptionist guest
B two nights
C three nights
2 Which of the following is on the 10th floor? Hotel
A the gym receptionist guest
B the businesss centre
C the restaurant
3 1 Which country has the applicant worked in Interviewer job
most? applicant
2 What departement would the applicant like to Interviewer job
work in? applicant
1.2 Listen again and look at the final column in the table. Circle the person who provided the answer.
Sometimes both are possible.
2. Identifying function
Each speaker has a specific purpose in mind when they talk. We say their language has a function. We
use different language for different functions.
2.1 10 Listen to seven short extracts from different conversations. Complete extracts
1-7
1 …………………., Getting her a new bike?
2 …………………., We arrive on 22nd July.
3 That sounds great, ……………………….
4 ………………….. I’d enjoy that one.
5 You said you’d prefer to have the party outside, …………………………..?
6 …………………, it’s just gone up to $250.
7 ………………….., accommodation?
Where would you like to stay?
2.2 what is the function of the phrases you wrote in 2.1? Match extracts 1-7 to the correct function (A-
H). There is one extra letter that you do not need to used.
Functions
A agreeing E confirming
B correcting F moving to a new topic
C rejecting an idea G checking information
D suggesting H showing anger
11
2.3 Listen to extracts from two conversations: one from
Section 1 and one from Section 3. Choose the correct answers (A, B, or C).
Listening section 1
1 What food do the speakers decide to prepare for the party?
A pizza
B sandwiches
C hot dogs
2 what will they do next?
A go shopping
B decide on the music
C sort out the invitations
Listening Section 3
3 What aspect of pollution do the students decide to concentrate on?
A water pollution
B air pollution
C industrial pollution
4 What do the students decide to do next?
A contact their tutor for more help
B visit the library to find more resources
C chechk which topic other students have chosen
2.4 Look at the phrases below. Listen again and decide whether the phrases are in Extract 1 or Extract
2.
a that’s a good idea i you’re right….
b actually, I think we’re better off looking j that’s right….
online k so we could just do that?
c why don’t we …? l we’d better not …..
d we could look at … m we’d better start …
e what about a …? n now, we also need to …
f let’s ask them o so, what else do we need to do?
g pizzas it is, then! p but we always do that
h shall we go to …?
3. Understanding categories
In the Listening paper, you may be asked to complete a table. The headings in the table tell you the type
of information you will hear and need to listen for. They can also help you to follow a talk or
conversation.
3.1 complete the table below with the correct words from the box.
Juice Picnic Tent Barbecue Tram
Coffee Cabin Flat Theatre Lemonade
Coach Cinema Buffet Concert Ferry
accommodatio transpor entertainmen foo drin
n t t d k
To complete a table or a set of notes or a sentence, you need to write words that you hear in the
recording. You will be told how many words to write.
3.2 12 Listen to an extract from a conversation and answer the question below
Test Tip Pay

Complete the sentence below with NO MORE THAN ONE
attention to the
WORD AND/OR A NUMBER. number of words you
need to write. NO MORE
The expo will be useful because there will be more than
THAN TWO WORDS
………………………. experts there means that you may need
3.3 Now look at the answers that different candidates wrote. to write one word or two
Tick the correct answers. Why are the other answers incorrect? words. NO MORE
 Two hundred and fivety computer THAN ONE WORD
 250 computer AND/OR A NUMBER
 Two hundred and fifty computers means that if you write
 Over 250 computer two words or more, then
 250 computer experts your answer will be
 Over 250 experts wrong. Each of the
following is an example of
 Two hundred and fifty computer
ONE WORD AND/OR A
 250
NUMBER: 16th
June/three
books/6.11.12/twenty-four
cats/$450.50.
Listening skills
3. Recognising paraphrase
 Identifying distractors  Matching items
 Recognising paraphrase  Sentence completion
 Selecting from a list
1. Identifying distractors Test Tip For most

Questions in the
Distractors are the incorrect answers to a question. Identifying distractors Listening paper, you
will hear two or more
helps you to choose the correct answer and shows you have
potential answers to
understood the Listening text. each question, but only
13 one will be correct. The
1.1 Listening to extracts from each incorrect answers are
Section of the Listening paper. Answer the questions in the table below. called distractors.
Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER.
Questions distractors
1 What date will they leave?
2 What day will the tour visit a farm
3 The students decide to do a project about
4 Problems:
 Poor weather
 A lack of
Study Tip To improve your concentration, when you are doing the Practice Test in this
book, try to write down each possible answer. Cross out the incorrect answers as you listen,
based on what speakers say. (Not that you may not have time to do this in the exam,
however.)
1.2 Listen to the extracts again. Write down each possible answer and cross out the incorrect ones.
Write the distractors in the table.
2. Recognising paraphrase
The speakers you will hear in the Listening paper often use different words to those in the questions. For
example, you may hear a synonym (a word with a similar meaning).
2.1Match words/phrases 1-8 with their synonyms a-h.
1 a price a money
2 a location b to carry
3 funding c a drawback
4 dangerous d a fee
5 a solution e a place
6 to transport f risky
7 disadvantage g an impact
8 an affect h an answer
The questions may paraphrase an idea that you will hear (express the same idea in a different way).
2.2Listening to more extracts from each Listening Section.
Complete the first column by choosing the correct answer.
Synonyms/paraphrase Reasons the other options are incorrect
1 What do they decide to
organise first?
A a place to stay
B their airfares
C car hire
2 What change will they make
in the garden?
A improve the shade
B remove plants
C add a water feature
3 What do the students agree
they need to do with their
project?
A do more research
B make some cuts
C add some visual effects
4 The scientists are studying
A how snow forms in
different conditions.
B the effect that snow has
On our climate.
C the effect different clouds
have on snow
2.3 Listening again and complete the table on the previous page. First, write the
synonyms or paraphrases you hear for the underlined words and phrases. Then
explain why the other possible answers are incorrect.
3. Selecting from a list
Sometimes, you need to choose an answer from a longer list. All of the ideas in the list will be
mentioned, but only two or three options are correct. To help you concentrate, it can help to underline
key words before you listen. Key words are important words in the question (or the words or phrases in
an option that make it different to the others).
3.1 Look at the question and list of possible answers. Before you listen, underline the key ideas you
need to listen for.
Test Tip The questions
What TWO disadvantages of the new in the Listening paper
mobile phone does the speaker are in the same order as
mention? the information you
A it isn’t very user-friendly hear. This means that
you will hear the
B it is very expensive
information you need
C it can’t take photographs for Question 1 before
D it has a short battery life you hear the
E it is quite big information for
Question 2, etc.
3.2 To help practise scanning a list, listen and put options A-E However, in questions
in the order they are mentioned. Don’t answer the question yet. where you have to
Remember, the ideas will paraphrased, so you may not hear choose an option from a
the same words you see in the options. list, (e.g. multiple choice
A it isn’t very user-friendly or matching items) the
B it is very expensive list of possible options will
C it can’t take photographs be in random order.
D it has a short battery life
E it is quite big
3.3 Listen again and put a  or a × next each option A-E,
depending on whether or not it matches the information in the recording. Which Two options are
correct?
Test Tip Make sure
that you pay close
attention to any
negatives in the
options, as well as any
adjectives. With
matching or multiple
choice tasks, pay
careful attention to the
question, as well as the
options. The question
will tell you how many
answers you have to
choose, as well as hat
you need to listen for
(e.g. problems,
solutions, advantages,
etc).
Listening skills
4. Places and directions
 Understanding a description of a place
 Following directions
 Labeling a map
 Multiple choice
1. Describing a place
For some questions in the Listening paper, you need to look at a map of a place, or a plan of a building.
1.1 Look at drawings A-F and decide what the images are
Test Tip For labeling a
map or plan in IELTS,
you may need to follow
directions, or you may
hear a description of a
location.
Test Tip You should

study the map or plan
carefully before you
listen. Having a clear
image in your mind
will help you
understand what you
hear.
1.2 Study the map in section 3.3 for 30 seconds.
1.3 Try to answer questions 1-4 without looking back at the map
1 What is it a map of?
2 Name three landmarks on the map
3 Where is the entrance?
4 What is in the centre of the map?
Features already on the map are often used as landmarks to help you find your way.
1.4 16 Listen to extracts from the four sections of the Listening test. Complete the first
column in the table by choosing the correct letter (A, B or C).
1.5 Listen again and complete the table on the previous page. Write down the landmarks mentioned
and fill in the gaps in the phrases that help you to locate the correct answer.
2. Following directions
2.1 17 Listen and decide which diagram (A,B, or C) shows the directions described
by the speaker.
Test Tip You may need
to follow directions to
locate a place on the
map or plan. Marking
the way directly on the
map can be helpful.
.
Test Tip The distracters

for this type of task
might be extra
buildings
marked on the map, or
they might be extra
options in a list of
possible answers.
.
2.2 Listen again and make a note of any words or phrases that are used. to give directions
3. Labelling a map
Sometimes, a map completion task asks you to identify an area on a map then choose an answer from a
list. For this type of question, you need to familiarise yourself with both the list of options and the
features on the map before you start.
3.1 Look at this map completion task. Which landmarks might be used to Test Tip Before you
help you to find your way around? listen, read the option
several times so that you
3.2 18 Listen and label the map with the correct letter (A-F) become familiar with the
information you need to
3.3 Check your answers, then listen again listen for. Don’t cross
out any options unless
you are sure they are
23 WWW.ULTIMATEDUCATION.CO.ID wrong. If you can’t
decide between two
answers, write both
down and decide later.
Questions 1-4
Label the map below.
Choose the correct letter A-F and write the answers next to questions 1-4.
Listening skills
5. Listening for actions and processes
 Understanding mechanical parts  Describing a process
 Describing actions  Labeling a diagram
1. Understanding mechanical parts

For diagram completion tasks, you may need to listen and label the parts of a machine or device.
1.1 Look at the images below. What machine parts can you see?
1.2 19 Listen to extracts A-F from different talks. Match them to pictures 1-6 and check your
answers to 1.1.
At the bottom of the system The water in the pool was becoming quite
A there is a storage tank … D polluted so a pump …
B
A small spring in the centre
E There is a very fine grille at different points
causes the toy …
…
C The water passes through the F There is a wheel on the side, which is
pipe and … attached to …
1.3 Look at the diagram completion task below.
1 Look at options A-F. how many extra answers are there?
2 Look carefully at the device. Think about how it might work
3 Decide which verbs in the box you might hear
Spin Push Hold Drag Wrap

Explode Pop Hit Generate Force
Turn Rotate Wind Activate pull
1.4 Listen and complete the diagram
1.5 Which were the distractors? Listen again and decide why these answers were wrong
1.6 Which verbs from the box in 1.3 did you hear?
2. Describing an action or process
When we describe how something works, we often use prepositions or adverbs to explain movement
2.1 Draw an arrow on the following images to represent the words that have been underlined.
The first one has been done for you.
Describing how a machine works often involves verbs that you do not commonly use.
2.2 Match objects A-D with the words in the box. Then complete the description of each object.
Scales Thermometer Speedometer Calculator
2.3 21 Listen and check your answers to 2.2.
3. Describing a process
3.1 Think about the different stages involved in wrapping a present. How would you use the words in
the box?
First, Then, Next, Then, neatly Finally
22
3.2 Listen to a description of the process and fill in the gaps. Then circle all the verbs
used to describe the process.
Here’s how to wrap a present. First, gather together all of the things you need: wrapping paper,
sticky tape, scissors, some ribbon and, of course, a present. Then, 1 your present
on the opened wrapping paper and 2 a suitable amount using the scissors. Next,
3 the paper around the present and 4 it down with sticky tape.
Then, neatly 5 up each of the ends of the paper and 6 them down.
Finally, 7 the ribbon around your present. It’s now ready to present!
Listening skills
6. Attitude and opinion
In this unit you will practice:
 Identify attitudes and opinions  Multiple choice
 Persuading and suggesting  Matching items
 Reaching a decision
1. Identifying attitudes and opinions

In listening Sections 1 and 3, the speakers are often trying to make a decision or reach an agreement.
Identifying the speakers’ opinions can help you to answer the questions correctly.
1.1 23 Listen to eight extracts. What does each speaker show?
a strong agreement
b neither complete agreement nor complete disagreement
c complete disagreement
1.2 Listen again and complete the extracts.
1 Well, I
2 I think that’s a
3 Well, I’m about that.
4 I think you’re
5 Hmm, that’s a bit
6 I think that’s
7 That seems to me
8 I have to admit I don’t like the
1.3 In Listening Sections 3 dan 4, you may be asked to identify a speaker’s attitude. Match words 1-7
with synonyms a-g.
1 Worried a dubious
2 Enthusiastic b hesitant
3 Affraid c annoyed
4 Confused d concerned
5 Irritated e scared
6 Reluctant f puzzled
7 Doubtful g eager
Test Tip For
matching tasks
 Listening skills like this, the topics
in the questions
1.4 24 Listen to an extract from a Listening Section 3 task. will be discussed
in the same order
What aspect of the research did the students find surprising?
as they are listed.
Choose the correct answer (A, B or C). But you will hear
the different
A The amount of time it took to achieve results
options in the box
B The reaction of the public to the research
in a random order.
C The findings that the research produced
As you listen, you
need to keep
looking at the list
1.5 Listen again and write down all the words/phrases of options
the speakers use to mean ‘surprising’ or ‘unsurprising’.
2. Persuading and suggesting
In Listening Section 1 dan 3, in order to reach a decision,
you will hear the speakers make sugesstions, agree,
disagree or try to persuade each other.
2.1 Look at the Listening Section 3 task below.

Before you listen, complete these tasks.
1 Try to think of a synonym or paraphrase for the
underlined words/phrases
2 Read throught decisions A-F in the box several times so
that you are familiar with the different options to choose from
3 Decide whether you will hear the decisions or the presentation sections in order.
2.2 25 Listen and complete the task
Question 1-4
What do the students decide to do with the different sections of their project?
Write the correct letter, (A-F), next to questions 1-4 below.
Presentation Sections Decisions

1 Introduction A reduce the length
2 Advantages B change the method of presentation
3 Disadvantages C write some more
4 conclusion D make it more interesting
E check the sources are reliable
F Make sure they have current data
2.3 Check your answers and then listen again. Which synonyms of the underlined words/phrases are
used?
2.4 Look at Recording script 25 and find phrases which are used to do the things below.
 Make a suggestion
 Agree with an idea
 disagree
3. reaching a decision
In Listening Sections 1 and 3, you will often hear people discussing a problem, suggesting solutions and
then reaching a decision. A discussion like this might focus on the advantages and disadvantages of each
suggetion.
3.1 Look at these questions and try to think of possible advantages and disadvantages you might hear.
Write them in the table.
Possible
advantages/disadvantages
Section 1
The speakers decide to travel to the
airport by
A taxi
B bus
C car
Section 3
What do the students decide to do next?
A ask their tutor for help
B do more research on the topic
C produce a typed copy of their notes
3.2 26 Listening and answer the questions in 3.1.
3.3 Listen again make a note of any language that the speakers use to show they reach a decision or
agreement
Sometimes the speakers may need to decide on what action to take. A discussion like this might focus on
the reasons why one course of action is necessary or important.
Listening skills
7. Following a lecture or talk
 Identifying main ideas  Completing a summary
 Understanding how ideas are connected  Short-answer questions
 Understanding an explanation
1. Identifying main ideas

The questions in the Listening paper will focus on the main points made by the speakers, so it is
important to be able to identify the main points of a talk.
1.1 27 Listen to part of a talk by Paul, an Australian
Paleontologist (a scientist who studies dinosaurs and fossils). To help practice keeping track of the talk,
put the phrases below in the order you hear them.
 The very first field trip I went on
 It’s ancestor of the modern Australian wombat
 I found a funny-looking piece of rock
 An old professor studying dried-up dinosaur bones
 I immediately changed courses
 I had to do a compulsory unit on extinction
1.2 Which of the following describe the main topic of the talk?
a Important lectures Paul has given
b Describing the process that led to Paul’s current role
c Explaining hoe ancient Australian animals became extinct
The questions in the IELTS Listening paper focus on the main points of the talk. In between yhe points,
the speaker may also mention things that are not directly related to the main purpose of the talk.
27
1.3 Think about your answer to1.2 and listen again. Which three phrases in 1.1 are
used to give information that is directly related to the main purpose of the talk?
You may be asked to complete a summary in the Listening paper. This can look difficult, so it will help
to break down the information.
1.4 Look at the summary below and write questions related to the information missing from each
gap.
Summary
Paul was interested in the 1……………………. so took an ecology course at university.

The course included a section on 2………………………. and an interesting lecture caused
him quickly change his degree.
Paul says working in paleontology can be difficult and he describes the conditions as
3………………….. However, the discovery of a 4……………………… from an ancient
animal made him realise he had made the right choice.
What was Paul interested in?/ why did Paul take an ecology course?
1.5 27
Listen to the talk again and complete the summary with ONE WORD
ONLY. Check your answer, paying attention to your spelling.
1.6 The information in the Listening summary can help you to keep track of a talk. Look at Recording
script 27 and compare it to the summary.
1 Is the information in the summary in the same order as the script?
2 Complete the table below with the correct phrases from the script or the summary
Audio script Summary
My main interest has been … 1 Paul was interested in …
2 The course included a section on
A lecturer … I was fascinated 3
4 Change his degree
I found a … 5
6 A tooth from an ancient animal
2. Understanding how ideas are connected

The topics and language in Listening Sections 3 and 4 are more complex. Here are some examples of the
information you may hear.
A the methods used in a particular study
B the effects of an action
C the reason an section was carried out
D the conclusions that can be drawn from research
E the findings of an experiment
28
2.1 Listen to four extracts from Listening Sections 3 and 4. Decide what type of
information above (A-E) you hear in each.
1 2 3 4
29
2.2 Listen to the second part of Paul’s talk. Answer questions 1-4 with NO MORE THAN
TWO WORDS.
1 What information does Paul get from the machine her mentions?
2 What did the government recently give Paul?
3 What modern-day problem does he say ancient animals can help with?
4 What two causes of mega-fauna extinction does Paul hope to study?
3. Understanding an explation
To help you prepare for the listening, red the information in the
questions carefully and try to predict what information you will hear.
3.1 Read the two multiple-choice questions below. Use the

information in the questions to complete the notes on the right.
1 What did the researchers find in their experiments on The talk is most likely about research
mice? done on
A A lack of exercise made them appear older 1 …………, The talk will probably
B Their cells remained the same as they aged mention
C Their cells were unaffected by chages in diet 2 …………, …………….. and……………..
2 What new discovery have scientists made about During this talk, we will probably hear
pigeons? about what we already know about 3
A They use the Earth’s magnetic field to ……………. As well as some 4
navigate. ………........ information. I need to listen
B Their beak plays an important role when for wheter pigeons use the 5 ………….,
flying. or their 6………….. or …………. to stop
C A part of their ear helps them find their way. them getting lost.
3.2 30 Listen to the two extracts and answer the questions in 3.1 by choosing the correct
answer A, B, or C.
3.3 Why were the other options incorrect?
Listening skills
8. Contrasting ideas
 Signposting words  Table completion
 Comparing and contrasting ideas  Notes completion
 Using notes to follow a talk
1. Signposting words
For Listening Section 4, you will hear a talk by a student or an expert on an academic subject. Speakers
often use signposting words to move from one topic to another, or to help connect their ideas.
1.1 31
Listen to six short extracts from different
Listening Section 4 talks. Complete the extracts below.
1 Ok, …………………………………………………. the late 19th century, when a great deal
of changes were taking place.
2 Now,…………………………………., I wanted to give you some background information.
3 So, ……………………………………………. some possible reasons for this.
4 …………………………., I’d like to talk about some future projects.
5 So, ………………………. did we reach?
6 I’ll ……………………………. what this machine can do
1.2 Match the extracts 1-6 in 1.1 to uses A-C below.

A to stars off a topic
B to change to a new topic
C to finish off a topic
1.3 Here are some words you might hear in a talk. Match 1-8 to their synonyms A-H.
1 result B benefits
2 definition C solutions
3 challenges D findings
4 history E conclude
5 advantages F meaning
6 disadvantages G drawbacks
7 answers H problems
8 summarise
A background
```
2. Comparing and contrasting ideas

Sometimes, the focus of a talk will be comparing or contrasting (saying what is the same or different
about) several different things. The information may be organized as a table that you need to complete.
2.1 You are going to do a table completion task. First, study the table and then answer questions 1-5
below
1 Which of the following do you think you will hear?
A the names of all the plants, then all of their origins,
then finally, a discussion of all the positives and negatives
B a full description of one plant that also contains some
References to the other plants listed
C a complete analysis of one plant at a time, describing its origins, then finally its positives and
negatives
2 What type of information will you need to write for Question 1?

3 In which column will the questions focus on the benefits?
4 In which column do the questions focus on the drawbacks?
5 What information will you need to listen for in Question 8?
Plants that changed the world

Plant Origins Positives Negatives
potatoes Central and It led to  In Ireland, the 4…….
South  Changes in became dependent on
America 2…… potatoes.
Brought to  People moving to  Disease led to mass
1………….. another country to 5…………..
by the find new
Spaniards in 3…...
16th century
tobacco The  It played an  Led to increases in
Americas important role in slavery
US history  Became a cause for 7
 Known as the first ……………
6 ………..
crop in the US
8 China Helped bring The 9 ……
…………. about imposed on it
independence became a key
in the US event in
American
Revolution
White China It started It led to increases
Mulberry 10……… in the spread of
between East disease.
and West
2.2 32 Listen and complete the table with ONE WORD ONLY
```
3. Using notes to follow a talk

The headings in a set of notes can help you in the same way as the headings in a column.
3.1 Read the notes below and answer questions 1-4 below.
1 How is the information organised differently, in comparison with the table in 2.1?
2 How will this help you to follow tha talk?
3 What new topic will you hear about, which was not in the table in 2.1?
4 For which question do you need to write a nationality?
Plants that changed the world
Prehistory: flowering plants
 Arrived about 130 million years ago

 Became an essential source of 1 ……………………
2737 BC: tea
 Discovered in China, played a key role in USA, China & UK

 Led to financial problems in Britain – a Chinese ruler insisted all tea was paid for with
2 ………….., which had to be sourced from other countries
202 BC: White Mulberry
 In demand from 201 BC when it was essential in the production of 3 …………………..

 Trade routes led to spread of different 4 ……………………. But also made more people
ill and encouraged the exchange of dangerous products (e.g. 5 ………………….)
16th century: the potato
 Originated in Central and South America, brought to Europe by the 6 ………………….

 It was rapidly accepted because it was cheap and contained lots of 7 …………………….
 Helped prevent one specific 8 ………………………
 1845-1849 – large-scale failure of potato crops led to a million deaths in Ireland and the
9 ……………….. of another million people
33 Listen
3.2 and complete the notes with ONE WORD ONLY
3.3 Check your answer, then listen again and notice how the notes help to guide you through the talk.
```
IELTS Reading
What’s the difference between Academic Reading and General Training

Reading?
There are two separate reading tests, one for Academic candidates and one for General Training
candidates. Before enrolling for test, you need to decide which test is best for you. See www.ielts.org for
advice
How long does the IELTS Reading paper last?

The test lasts 60 minutes. Within that time, you must complete three separate sections with a total of 40
questions. You must also transfer your answers onto a separate answer sheet (there is no extra time given
for this).
What type of information will I read?

The Reading paper has three separate sections. Each section is a little more difficult than the one before
and features authentic reading passages. The Academic module contains three long texts of an academic
nature. The General Training module features a mixture of long and short texts of a more general nature,
as well as texts related wo work situations
How is the Reading paper assessed?

You will be asked a total of 40 questions. In order to assess how much of the reading passages you
understand, the questions will usually paraphrase (use different words with the same meaning) the words
that are in the text. The questions test a variety of reading skills including your abillity to do the
following.
 Identify the writer’s overall purpose

 Follow key arguments in a text
 Identify opinions and attitudes
 Locate specific information
 Distinguish main ideas from supporting details
 Extract information from a text to complete a diagram, summary, table or set of
notes
```
What type of questions will I need to answer?

There are 12-13 questions in each section, and you will be asked 1-3 different types of question in any
section. There are several possible types of question. For some tasks, you need to write words or
numbers from the reading passage.
 Sentence completion
 Summary, note, table, flow-chart completion
 Short-answer questions
 Diagram label completion
In other tasks, you need to choose one option from a list and write a letter on your answer sheet.
 Multiple choice
 Matching information
 Matching headings
 Matching features
 Matching sentence endings
 Summary completion
You may also need to decide if sentences are True/False/Not Given or Yes/No/Not/Not Given, based on
the information that you read.
How do I answer the questions?

The instructions and the questions will tell you what type of information you need to locate in the texts,
and the type of answer you need to write. Carefully follow all of the instructions on the question paper.
In this, you will be able to practise all of these question types
How can I improve my Reading paper score?

You can improve your score by following the instructions exactly and remembering the Test Tips in this
unit. Managing your time so that you can complete all of the questions is an important part of the
Reading paper. This unit will also tell you the reading skills you need to practise in order to achieve your
best score. Before the test, try to read a veriety of texts and improve ypur speed-reading skills. Studying
all aspects of English (including vocabulary and grammar) will also help improve your IELTS score. If
you make any mistakes in the Practice Test in this book, make sure that you read the texts again
carefully and use the Answer Key to help you identify any problems.
```
```
1 Reading strategies
 using the features of a passage
 understanding explanations
 skimming a text and speed reading
 global understanding of a passage
1 Using the features of a Reading passage
1.1 Label the reading passage with the correct letters in the box (A-G).
Features of a Reading passage
A footnote E heading
B subheading F caption
C column G paragraph
D figure / illustration
1 ……………. 3
…………….. 2..............................
Health-Tea
Sid Cowans looks at the health properties of a favourite drink.
If you are a tea drinker you have probably heard of tannins, which are plant based chemicals found in
tea. They are responsible for the astringent bitter taste sometimes associated with tea. When you drink a
cup of tea, it usually dissolves and remains clear unless the water is too cold or too alkaline.
Tannins occur in many different types of plants and food, but are especially
present in oak galls, which have been used for centuries in Chinese medicine
due to their health giving properties. Tannins are often present in drinks and
medicine because they are soluble in water, but how much they dissolve
depends on factors like temperature and the chemical make-up of the liquid.
1 In chemistry, an alkali is the opposite of an acid. Tannins exist in all

2 Abnormal growth on oak trees types of tea
6 ………………….
5 …………………… 4 …………………
Most Reading passages will have a heading and a subheading.
The subheading is used to give you the context to the passage.
```
1.2 Match headings A-D from four Reading passages with subheadings 1-5. There is one extra subheading that
you do not need.
A Alpine Glacial Lakes 1 Researchers disagree about whether social
B Clean Dream media is making us more isolated.
C Virtual Connections 2 Climatologists are assessing the impact of
D Creating Young Scientists climate change on high-altitude bodies of
water.
3 James Clegg identifies two current trends
that are expanding the role of science in high
schools.
4 Alan Parker outlines a recent breakthrough
in technology.
5 In the 19th century, a schoolgirl and a former
travelling salesman helped turn the humble
soap bar into an $18 bilion industry.
Understanding the context can help you to predict the type of information contained in the Reading
passage.
1.3 Match the types of information 1-6 Reading headings A-D need
You will need to use the information in the subheadings to help you and you may use any letter
more than once.
1 arguments put forward by several different experts
2 a description of a project in mountainous areas
3 a discussion about the impact of technology on society
4 research linked to trends in weather patterns
5 a historical look at a successful business venture
6 an argument presented from one expert’s point of view
An IELTS Reading passage might contain footnotes. These help explain technical terms. Some
terms are explained in the passage. Other terms can be understood by reading the text carefully.
1.4 The passage in 1.1 contains several explanations and definitions. Read the passage and match terms
(1-5) with meanings A-F.
1 tannin A a taste similar to a
lemon
2 astringent B a chemical found in
certain plants
3 alkaline C able to dissolve in
liquid
4 oak gall D the opposite of
acidic
5 soluble E becoming cloudy
F a problem found on
a type of tree
1.5 What helped you to identify the definition of each word?

A a footnote in the text
```
B an explanation in the text

C the surrounding context
2 Skimming a passage and speed reading

Skimming a passage means reading it quickly (concentrating on content words, like nouns and verbs) to find the
main points. It is not reading for detail. Skimming a text will also give you a general idea of how the information
is organised, which can help you locate information more easily later on. In your own language, you can probably
skim read 100 words in 20 seconds. In the exam, you should aim to skim read 100 words in 30 seconds.
2.1 This passage has four paragraphs of around 100 words each.
1 Using a timer, skim read the text to get the general idea of what it is about.
2 After 30 seconds, jump to the start of the next paragraph.
A The diets of children have changed dramatically over the last century due to the effect of
technologies (such as improved transport, canning and refrigeration), social changes (such as the
establishment of boarding schools) and evolving ideas about the nutritional needs of growing bodies.
Before World War I, the meals of children and adults alike would typically consist of vegetables
(often potatoes), large amounts of bread (often 0.5 kg/day) and soups with small amounts of meat.
B Imagine a 12-year-old Australian boy from 1970 standing next to a 12-year-old boy from 2010. The
boy from 2010 will probably be 3-5 cm taller and 7 kg heavier than his counterpart in 1970. He will
also be 25% fatter. A lot of that fat will be around the waist. The 2010 school trousers won’t fit the
boy from 1970; they will be 10 cm too big around the waist. Now imagine that the two boys have a
running race of over 1,600 metres; the boy from 1970 will finish 300 metres ahead of his mate from
40 years in the future.
C There are two chances in three that the boy from 1970 walked to school each day; there are three
chances in four that the boy from 2010 is driven to school by mum or dad. There are four chances in
five that in 1970 the boy was allowed to play unsupervised in the neighbourhood; there is only one
chance in four that in 2010 the boy will be allowed to go down to the park on his own. The boy in
1970 probably played three or four different sports; the boy from 2010 plays one or none. It is 30
times more likely that the local river was the favourite play space of the boy from 1970 than it is for
the boy today.
D What has caused these dramatic changes in the space of a single generation? There are two main
theories. Increasing overweight is caused by an energy imbalance: either energy intake (food)
increases, or energy expenditure decreases, or both. The ‘Gluttony Theory’ argues that children are
fatter because they are eating more than they used to, and more bad food (high energy density, high
in fat and sugar, high in saturated fats). The ‘Sloth Theory’ argues that children are fatter because
they are less active than they used to be. The two theories have battled it out in nutrition and physical
activity journals for the last 10 years.
2.2 Now look at questions 1-3 and, without looking at the passage, try to remember
whether this information was
A near the beginning.
B in the middle.
C near the end.
1 a comparison of children now and in the past

2 different hypotheses for the changes in weight
3 a list of factors that brought about changes in our diet
```
2.3 Questions 1-3 in 2.2 each give the main idea of the paragraphs in the passage. Read the questions again and
decide which paragraph (A-D) they relate to.
3 Global understanding
Sometimes, you may be asked a question that focuses on the whole Reading passage. This type of question
may ask you to choose a suitable title for the passage.
3.1 Which title (A-D) would be the most suitable for the Reading passage in 2.1?
A Children’s eating patterns mimic those of their parents
B The rapid transformation occuring in children’s body size
C A demonstrated positive link between diet and health in children
D The impact of modern technology on today’s food production
Skim reading a passage can also give you a sense of the attitude of the writer. Global questions can sometimes
focus on this.
3.2 Read the passage again and answer the global question below.
Which of the following describes the writer’s tone in this passage?
A He is giving a neutral account of recent scientific research.

B He is shocked that so many children are becoming overweight.
C He feels enthusiastic about the progress that is being made.
D He is doubtful that the situation will change in the near future.
```
Reading skills
2 Descriptive passages
 scanning for details  completing notes or a flow-chart
 recognising paraphrase  labelling a diagram
1 Scanning for detail

The passages in the IELTS Reading paper gradually become more difficult, with Section 1 being the easiest.
1.1 Spend one minute skim reading the following passage to get a sense of the overall meaning. What
is the main topic?
A new discoveries in chemistry
B the discovery of ancient objects
C how international scientific teams work
Ochre find reveals ancient knowledge of chemistry

The oldest ochre-processing toolkits and workshop ever found have been unearthed, indicating that
as far back as 100,000 years ago, humans had an understanding of chemistry.
South Africa’s Blombos Cave lies within a limestone cliff on the southern Cape coast, 300 km east
of Cape Town. It’s known for its 75,000-year-old rich deposits of artefacts such as beads, bone
tools and ochre engravings. Some engravings date as far back as 100,000 years.
Archaeologist Christopher S. Henshilwood from the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg

and University of Bergen, Norway has been excavating at the site since 1992, and has reported the
discovery of a mixture, rich in ochre, stored in two abalone shells. It dates back to the Middle Stone
Age – 100,000 years ago. Ochre is a term used to describe a piece of earth or rock containing red or
yellow oxides or hydroxides of iron. It can be used to make pigments, or paints, ranging from
golden-yellow and light yellow-brown to a rich red. Its use spans the history of humans – from
those living more than 200,000 years ago, to modern indigenous communities.
Made from an array of materials, this mixture, which could have functioned as wall, object and skin
decoration or skin protection (acting in a similar way to modern-day sunscreen), indicates the early
developments that occurred in the people who originally used the site.
“[Judging from] the complexity of the material that has been collected from different parts of the
landscape and brought to the site, they [the people] must have had an elementary knowledge of
chemistry to be able to combine these materials to produce this form. It’s not a straightforward
process,” said Henshilwood.
```
1.2 Scanning involves searching a text quickly for a specific piece of information. Practise scanning
the passage for the words/numbers in the box.
75,000 100,000 200,000 artefacts ochre
2 Using words from the passage

There are several types of question that ask you to write a word and/or number from the passage.
 You will be told the maximum number of words to write.
 You must only write words that are in the passage. Make sure you copy the spelling correctly.
 You do not need to change the words in the passage and you do not need to join words together.
 If you write too many words or make a spelling mistake, your answer will be marked wrong.
Short answer questions and sentence completion tasks

Short answer questions test your ability to find specific details in a passage. Use the words in the
questions to:
 help locate the relevant part of the passage
 find out exactly what details you are looking for.
2.1 In questions 1-3 below, the key words that you need to locate in the passage are in bold, and the
details you need to find out are underlined. Use these words to help you locate the relevant parts of
the text and then answer the questions.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage
for each answer.
1 Which of the artefacts mentioned are the oldest?
2 When was the material Henshilwood found originally made?
3 What two common materials did ancient humans use to obtain their ochre?
2.2 Look at the remaining questions, 4-6. Underline the words that will help you locate the information
in the passage and highlight the details you need to find. Then answer the questions.
4 What did the ancient people use to keep their ochre mixture in?
5 Nowadays, who makes use of ochre?
6 Apart from painting, what else might ancient humans have used ochre for?
3 Notes/flow-chart/diagram completion
The questions in 3.1 all focus on paraphrase. Paraphrase is the use of different words with the same
meaning. This helps to test which of the Reading passage you understand.
3.1 Look again at Questions 4-6.

1 For Question 4, which word/s in the passage mean the same as ‘keep … in’?
2 For Question 5, which word in the passage helped you to identify what happens ‘nowadays’?
3 For Question 6, which word/s in the passage mean the same as ‘used for’?
```
Sentence completion questions also test your ability to find specific details or information in the
passage. You must fill in the gaps in the sentences with appropriate words from the passage. The
sentences will paraphrase the words and ideas. They also contain details that help you find the part you
need to read in detail.
3.2 Spend 30 seconds skim reading the next part of the Reading passage to get the general meaning.
The Blombos Cave discovery is the earliest-known example of a pigment-or-paint-producing

workshop. All of the materials were discovered at the same site, and they included an array of raw
materials including samples of bone and charcoal, as well as pigment-producing equipment, such as
grindstones and hammerstones. Judging by the equipment, which shows signs of wear, Henshilwood
and his team were able to deduce the process used to produce the ochre mixture.
First, the pieces of ochre were rubbed on quartzite slabs and crushed to produce a red powder. This
was combined with ground-up mammal bone, the traces of which show signs that it was heated
before being ground. The ochre powder and the bone pieces were mixed with charcoal, stone chips,
quartz grains and a liquid (perhaps water) and was then transferred to abalone shells to be gently
stirred before being ready for application.
3.3 Look at the sentence completion task below. Find words in the passage in 3.2 that are paraphrases of
the underlined words.
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
1 Two ingredients used to make paint found in the cave were ……… and ………..
2 Two examples of tools used to make the paint that were found in the cave are
……………… and ………………….
3 The scientists used the ……………………… on the equipment to help work out
how the paint was made.
3.4 Carefully read the text, before and after the words you have found. Then complete
Questions 1-3.
Flow-chart and Note completion tasks
A flow chart is a diagram that shows the sequence of events in a process. In flow-chart
completion questions, the information may not be presented in the same order as in the
passage.
3.5 Study the flow-chart completion task below. For Questions 1-6, decide what type
of information you need to find.
1 a noun – something colourful that is created by rubbing ochre against quartzite
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
```
How pigment was made in ancient times

A colourful 1 ……………………. was created by rubbing the ochre against pieces of quartzite.
Animal bones were 2 ……………………… and then crushed and added to the ochre.
The bones and ochre were mixed with other solids and the researchers believe 3 …………………… was
then added
The mixture was poured into 4 …………………. then mixed by hand.
The final mixture was ready to use for either 5 ………………… of walls or as an early type of 6
……………………. for the body.
3.6 Look at the two Reading passage in 1.1 and 3.2. Which words or ideas are
paraphrases of the underlined words in the flow chart? Highlight the parts you need
to read in detail.
3.7 Carefully read the passages in 1.1 and 3.2 and complete the flow chart. Make sure
you use ONE WORD ONLY from the passages.
Note completion tasks are similar to flow-chart completion, but may cover a larger part of the Reading
passage. Again, the information may not be presented in the same order as the information in the passage.
Use the headings in the notes to help you find the information in the passage.
3.8 Study the note completion task below. For Questions 1-7, decide what type of
information you need to find.
1 a specific year or the date when digging began
2,3,4 ……………………………………………….
4 ………………………………………………….
5 ………………………………………………….
6 …………………………………………………
7 …………………………………………………
Complete the notes below.
Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage.
Blombos Cave Discovery

Background
 location : South Africa
```
 the date digging began: 1. …………………………
 Previous ancient objects found in this area

 2 ……….................
 3 …………………..
 4 …………………..
Recent findings
 a mixture containing a substance called 5 ……………………. (used to provide colour)
equipment
 a range of additional 6 ……………………. Including animal bone and charcoal
Conclusion
 in prehistoric times, humans knew basic 7 …………………………
3.9 Read the passages in 1.1 and 3.2 and complete the notes. Use the same techniques
you have learned from previous exercises.
Diagram completion tasks

In labelling a diagram tasks, you will see a diagram and a description of a process. You need to carefully
read the part of the passage that describes the process and complete the diagram with words from the
passage.
3.10 Look at the diagram. Try to imagine how the hydropower plant would work. Pay attention to how the
parts are connected.
Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD from the text for each answer.
3.11 Read the passage and underline the words that are already marked on the diagram.
```
The power of water

Most hydropower plants rely on a dam that holds back water, creating a large
reservoir behind it. Often, this reservoir is used as a recreational lake and is also
known as the intake. Gates on the dam open and gravity pulls the water through the
penstock, a line of pipe that leads to the turbine. Water builds up pressure as it flows
through this pipe. The water strikes and turns the large blades of a turbine, which is
attached to a generator above it by way of a shaft. As the turbine blades turn, so do a
series of magnets inside the generator producing alternating current (AC) by moving
electrons. The transformer, located inside the powerhouse, takes the AC and
converts it to higher-voltage current.
3.12 Answer Questions 1-5 on the diagram.

3.13 Replace the underlined words below with appropriate paraphrases from the text.
1 The dam helps contain the water and produces a reservoir.
2 The water moves through a pipe and increases in pressure.
3 The water rotates the blades of a turbine that is connected to a generator.
4 The transformer changes the AC current into a more powerful one.
```
Reading skills
3 Understanding the main ideas
 Distinguishing main ideas from supporting ideas

 Understanding the main points
 Identifying information in a Reading passage
 Matching headings
 Multiple choice
 True / False / Not Given
1 Identifying the main idea

In the IELTS Reading paper, you may be asked to match a list of headings with the correct paragraph or
section of a passage. The headings summarise the main idea of the paragpraph or section.
The passage may be divided into paragraphs or sections (i.e. with more than one paragraph in a section).
Matching headings questions are always placed before the passage on the question paper.
1.1 Read headings i-vii. What topic do all of the headings have in common? Underline the main points
in each heading.
List of headings
i. The future of urban planning in America
ii. Conflicting ideas through the history of urban planning
iii. Urban planning has a long and varied history
iv. Financial problems helped spread an urban planning concept
v. The background to one particular planned community
vi. Political change obstructs progress in urban planning
vii. An urban plan to reduce traffic
```
1.2 Skim read the passage below to get the overall meaning.
Planned communities: garden cities
The notion of planning entire communities prior to their construction is an ancient one. In fact, one of
the earliest such cities on record is Miletus, Greece, which was built in the 4th century BC. Throughout
the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, various planned communities (both theoretical and actual) were
conceived. Leonardo da Vinci designed several cities that were never constructed. Following the Great
Fire of London in 1666, the architect Christopher Wren created a new master plan for the city,
incorporating park land and urban space. Several 18th-century cities, including Washington D.C., New
York City, and St. Petersburg, Russia, were built according to comprehensive planning.
______________________________________________________________________
One of the most important planned city concepts, the Garden City Movement, arose in the latter part of
the 19th century as a reaction to the pollution and crowding of the Industrial Revolution. In 1898,
Ebenezer Howard published the book To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform in which he laid out
his ideas concerning the creation of new economically viable towns. Howard believed that these towns
should be limited in size and density, and surrounded with a belt of undeveloped land. The idea gained
enough attention and financial backing to lead to the creation of Letchworth, in Hertfordshire, England.
This was the first such ‘Garden City’. After the First World War, the second town built following
Howard’s ideas, Welwyn Garden City, was constructed.
___________________________________________________________________
C
In the early 1920s, American architects Clarence Stein and Henny Wright, inspired by Howard’s ideas
and the success of Letchworth and Welwyn, created the city of Radburn, New Jersey. Conceived as a
community which would be safe for children, Radburn was intentionally designed so that the residents
would not require automobiles. Several urban planning designs were pioneered at Radburn that would
influence later planned communities, including the separation of pedestrians and vehicles, and the use of
‘superblocks’, each of which shared 23 acres of commonly held parkland.
____________________________________________________________________
D
In America, following the stock market crash of 1929, there was great demand for both affordable
housing and employment for workers who had lost their jobs. In direct response to this, in 1935
President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration, which brought about a total of three
greenbelt towns: Greenbelt, Maryland; Greenhills, Ohio; and Greendale, Wisconsin. These towns
contained many of the elements of the Garden City Movement developments, including the use of
superblocks and a ‘green-belt’ of undeveloped land surrounding the community.
1.3 Read Paragraph A and choose the best summary:
```
A Past, present and future examples of urban planning

B The history of urban planning
C Problems associated with urban planning
1.4 Create a shortlist of possible answers for Paragraph A.

1 Decide which headings (i-vii) you can confidently say are not connected to the main topic of
paragraph A
2 Look at your shortlist again and choose the heading that best summarises the main idea of all
of paragraph A.
1.5 Read paragraphs B-D again, and repeat the steps above.
1.6 Look again at headings i-vii. For headings i, ii and vi, explain why they don’t match any
paragraphs.
2 Understanding the main points

Another type of question that can focus on the main point of a paragraph is multiple choice. This type of
question often requires you to carefully read more than one sentence in paragraph.
2.1 Look at this question, based on the passage in 1.2.

1 In Paragraph A, what is the main point that the writer makes?
A Some urban designs are better in theory than in practice.
B The urban-planning concept itself is not restricted to modern times.
C Urban planning should be carried out by professionals.
D Some planned ancient cities are more successful than modern ones.
2.2 The parts of Paragraph A relating to each option are underlined below. Read the paragraph
carefully and choose the correct option, A-D.
B
The notion of planning entire communities prior to their construction is an ancient one. DIn
fact, one of the earliest such cities on record is Miletus, Greece, which was built in the 4th
century BC. A/DThroughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, various planned communities
(both theoretical and actual) were conceived. CLeonardo da Vinci designed several cities that
were never constructed. Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, the architect Christopher
Wren created a new master plan for the city that incorporated park land and urban space.
C
Several 18th-century cities, including Washington D.C.,New York City, and St. Petersburg,
Russia, were built according to comprehensive planning.
2.3 Read the questions below. Underline the parts of the passage that each question relates to. Then
read the text in detail and choose the correct letter, A-D.
2 According to the second paragraph, the Garden City Movement
A came just before the Industrial Revolution.
B was held back by a war and a lack of funds.
```
C resulted in cities that were larger than they had been before.
D was designed to combat problems caused by modernisation.
3 What was one aim in designing the city of Radburn?
A to create something totally different from cities elsewhere.
B to reduce the danger for families living in the area.
C to make sure people could park their cars close to their home.
D to increase green spaces by designing houses with gardens.
4 What do the towns of Greenbelt, Greenhills and Greendale all have in common?
A The residents were affected by the stock market collapse.
B The towns were built for the wealthiest people in America.
C The towns were each surrounded by natural parkland.
D They were all constructed in the same year.
3 Identifying information in a passage

For True / False / Not Given tasks, you need to look at a list of sentences or statements and decide
whether they are:
 True (the statement agrees with the information in the text)

 False (the statement is incorrect and does not agree with the information in the text)
 Not Given (you cannot say whether the statement is true or false because there is no information
about this in the text)
3.1 Skim read this passage to get the general idea of the content.
Urban heat
In 1818, Luke Howard published The Climate Large cities around the world are adopting
of London in which he identified an emerging strategies to combat this issue and it is not
problem: urban development was having a uncommon to find plants growing on top of
direct impact on the local weather. The early roofs or down the walls of large buildings. In
1800s was a time of great expansion for Singapore, the government has pledged to
London and 1
Howard noticed that transform it into ‘a city within a garden’ and,
temperatures in the city were gradually in 2006, they held an international
becoming higher than those in rural areas. We competition calling for entries to develop a
now refer to these areas as Urban Heat master plan to help bring this about. One
Islands. 2 The difference in temperature is outcome was the creation of 18 ‘Supertrees’.
usually greater at night and the phenomenon These metal constructions are made to
occurs in both winter and summer. 3 Experts resemble very tall trees and range in height
agree that this due to urban development, from 25m to 50m. Each one is a vertical
when open green spaces are replaced with freestanding garden and is home to exotic
asphalt roads and tall brick or concrete plants and ferns. Their structure allowed the
buildings. These materials retain heat designers to create an immediate rainforest
generated by the Sun and release it through canopy without having to wait for trees to
the night. In Atlanta, in the US, this has even reach such heights. They contain solar panels
led to thunderstorms occurring in the morning used to light the trees at night and also
rather than, as is more common, in the containers to collect rainwater, making them
```
afternoon. Officials there are advising truly self-sufficient.

builders to use light-coloured roofs in a bid to
reduce the problem.
3.2 Decide if statements 1-3 are True, False or Not Given according to the underlined parts of the text.
1 Luke Howard invented the term ‘Urban Heat Island’.
2 City temperatures are higher than country temperatures regardless of the season.
3 Experts have failed in their efforts to create heat-reflecting concrete and brick.
3.3 Read statements 4-8, then underline the relevant parts in the text. Are the statements True, False or
Not Given?
4 Atlanta has experienced more dramatic weather change than other areas of the US.
5 Roofs that are dark in colour help address the issue of Urban Heat Islands.
6 Singapore’s Supertrees are made entirely from natural materials.
7 The designers of the Supertrees originally planned to plant very tall trees.
8 The Supertrees require regular maintenance.
3.4 Read statements 1-8 again and correct any that were false.
```
Reading skills
4 Locating and matching information
 Identifying types of information

 Locating and matching information
 Connecting ideas
 Matching sentence endings
 Matching information
1 Identifying types of information

For matching information tasks, you need to locate an idea or piece of information in the text and
match it to a phrase that accurately describes it.
1.1 Read the extracts from two separate paragraphs of a Reading passage. What type of information
has been underlined?
A a description of an animal’s habitat
B the issues that can cause something to happen
C an argument for a type of action
A B
Meerkats devote a These animals are
significant part of their transient by nature and
day to foraging for food move if their food is in
with their sensitive short supply or if
noses. When they find they’re forced out by a
it, they eat on the spot. stronger gang. The
Primarily, meerkats are group’s dominant male,
insectivores, which the alpha male, marks
means their diet is the group’s territory to
mainly made up of protect the boundary
insects. from rivals and
predators.
Look at this matching information task based on the extracts above.
Which paragraph contains the following information?

1 two situations that force meerkats to change where they live
2 how meerkats generally spend their time
```
1 For this type of question, do you need to look for individual words or a whole idea?
2 Question 1 matches the information underlined in the paragraph above, so the answer is B.
Underline the part of paragraph A that matches the information in Question 2.
These questions describe the information you need to find.
1.2 Look at extracts A-H from different Reading passages and match them to the type of information
that best describes them.
A Water is forced at B The water is D Our study looked at C We achieved this

pressure through a warm thanks to the surrounding by weighing the
narrow pipe. The a natural hot environment while animals both
water hits the top spring beneath previous before and after
of the water wheel, the riverbed. researchers have periods of
causing it to turn. concentrated on exercise.
diet.
G They live in dark, H A month later, F After ten years, E It takes 35 days
humid areas and so we were able to they gave up. The for the chick to
tend to be found in test it again and experiment had leave the nest
and around tropical the results failed and, as a and fly.
rainforests. showed a result, the public
significant grew angry at the
change in waste of public
temperature funds.
when the
insulation was
used.
Types of information
1 the findings of a study
2 the method used in a research study
3 the reaction to something
4 a description of a habitat
5 the difference between current and past studies
6 a description of how something works
7 the cause of something
8 the amount of time needed for something
2 Locating and matching information
Just like matching headings, matching information questions are not in the same order as the passage.
2.1 Spend two minutes skim reading the passage below, so that you are familiar with the type of
information it contains.
What is the main purpose of the passage?
A to describe the habitat and eating habits of one specific animal
B to explain the background to a proposed study into tropical animals
C to argue that scientists can learn a great deal from studying nature
D to give the findings of new research into an animal’s behaviour
```
How geckos cope with wet

feet
A Geckos are remarkable little lizards, E Next, the trio sprayed the glass plate
clinging to almost any dry surface, and with a mist of water and re-tested the
Alyssa Stark, from the University of lizards, but this time the animals had
Akron, US, explains that they appear to problems holding it tight. The droplets
be equally happy scampering through a were interfering with the lizard’s
tropical rainforest canopies as they are attachment mechanism, but it wasn’t
in urban settings. ‘A lot of gecko clear how. And when the team immersed
studies look at the very small adhesive the geckos in a bath of room-
structures on their toes to understand temperatured water with a smooth glass
how the system works at the most basic bottom, the animals were completely
level’, says Stark. She adds that the unable to anchor themselves to the
animals grip surfaces with microscopic smooth surface. ‘The toes are super-
hairs on the soles of their feet, which hydrophobic,’ (i.e.water repellent)
make close enough to contact to be explains Stark, who could see a silvery
attracted to the surface by minute bubble of air around their toes. But, they
forces between atoms. were unable to displace the water around
B However, she and her colleagues their feet to make the tight contact that
Timothy Sullivan and Peter usually keeps the geckos in place.
Niewiarowski were curious about how F Then, the team tested the lizard’s
the lizards cope on surfaces in their adhesive forces on the dry surface when
natural habitat. Explaining that their feet had been soaking for 90
previous studies had focused on the minutes, and found that the lizards could
reptiles clinging to artificial dry barely hold on, detaching when they
surfaces, Stark says, ‘We know they were pulled with a force roughly
are in tropical environments that equalling their own weight. ‘That might
probably have a lot of rain and geckos be the sliding behaviour that we see
don’t suddenly fall out of the trees when the geckos climb vertically up the
when it’s wet’. Yet, the animals do misted glass,’ says Stark. So, geckos
seem to have trouble getting a grip on climbing on wet surfaces with damp feet
smooth, wet, artificial surfaces, sliding are constantly on the verge of slipping
down wet vertical glass after several and Stark adds that when the soggy
steps. The team decided to find out lizards were faced with the misted and
how geckos with wet feet cope on both immersed horizontal surfaces, they
wet and dry surfaces. slipped as soon as the rig started pulling.
C First, they had to find out how well Therefore geckos can walk on wet
their geckos clung onto glass with dry surfaces, as long as their feet are
feet. Fitting a tiny harnes around the reasonably dry. However, as soon as
lizard’s pelvis and gently lowering the their feet get wet, they are barely able to
animal onto a plate of smooth glass, hang on, and the team is keen to
Stark and Sullivan allowed the animal understand how long it takes geckos to
to become well attached before recover from a drenching.
connecting the harness to a tiny motor
```
and gently pulling the lizard until it

came unstuck. The geckos hung on
tenaciously, and only came unstuck at
forces of around 20N – about 20 times
their own body weight. ‘In my view,
the gecko attachment system is over-
designed’, says Stark.
2.2 Look at this task based on the Reading passage. For each question, underline the type of
information you need to scan for. The first two have been done for you.
Which paragraph contains the following information?

N.B. You may use any letter more than once.
Write the correct letter, A-E, next to questions 1-7 below.
1 visual evidence of the gecko’s ability to resist water

2 a question that is yet to be answered by the researchers
3 the method used to calculate the gripping power of geckos
4 the researcher’s opinion of the gecko’s gripping ability
5 a mention of the different environments where geckos can be found
6 the contrast between Stark’s research and the work of other
researchers
7 the definition of a scientific term
2.3 It is important to fully understand what you are looking for in the passage. Answer these
questions, based on Question 1 in the task above.
1 Which of the following do you think is ‘visual evidence’?
A something the researchers believe
B something the researchers have seen
C something the researchers have read about
2 Which of the following means the same as ‘ability to resist water’?
A soaks up water
B sinks in water
C stops water getting in
3 Scan the passage to find ‘visual evidence’ of an ability to resist water. Which
paragraph contains this information?
2.4 Study Questions 2-7 in 2.2 carefully and match them to paragraphs A-E.
Remember, the questions are not in the same order as the passage. This is
because your task is to find out where the information is.
```
2.5 Look again at Questions 2-7 and underline the parts of the passage that gave you
the answer.
3 How ideas are connected

Another type of question that requires you to match information is matching sentence endings. For
this type of task, you need to understand how ideas are connected within the Reading passage.
3.1 Complete each sentence below with the correct ending, A-F.
1 When I pressed the switch,
2 If you heat the ice,
3 The respondents to the survey
4 Children who attend small schools
5 Parents with overactive children
A all came from similar economic backgrounds.

B tend to need more sleep at night.
C the light came on.
D reported that she has been successful.
E generally get more individual attention.
F it melts.
You were able to complete this task using only logic and your knowledge of grammar. In the IELTS
Reading paper, you can do this to confirm or check your answer, but you will not be able to answer the
questions without the reading passage.
3.2 Look at these matching sentence endings questions based on the passage in 2.1. Try using these
techniques to answer the questions.
1 Scan the passage in 2.1 to locate the information in the sentence beginnings (1-4)
2 Read the relevant part of the passage carefully, then, choose the best sentence endings (A-F)
1 Other researchers have aimed to discover how

2 The work of Stark and her team is different because they wanted to find out how
3 Stark’s experiments revealed that
4 The researchers would still like to know when
A geckos struggle to grip onto dry glass as well as wet glass.

B the gripping mechanism of geckos actually works.
C geckos have a weaker gripping mechanism than previously thought.
D geckos are able to grip in rainforest settings.
E geckos are able to recover their gripping abilities after getting wet.
F geckos can grip more easily if their feet are not damp.
```
Reading skills
5 Discursive passages
 reading discursive passages

 identifying theories and opinions
 matching features
1 Discursive passages
The texts in the Reading paper gradually become more difficult. They may present contrasting points in
an argument or explain a complex theory. All Reading passages contain cohesive devices to help explain
how the ideas are connected together.
1.1 Write the cohesive devices in the box into the correct column of the table to show why a writer
would use them.
moreover such as although for instance
indeed therefore despite consequently
in spite of in addition thus as a result
similarly to illustrate this nonetheless in fact
whilst hence furthermore though
to add more/clarify a to show to give an example to draw

point contrast/present the conclusion/introduce a
opposite view result
moreover
```
1.2 Skim read the passage below. Find nine of the cohesive devices from the table in 1.1.
Aesop’s fable ‘The crow and the pitcher’ more fact than fiction
New research indicates that rooks, members of the

crow family, are able to solve complex problems using
tools.
In Aesop’s fictional fable ‘The crow and In the second experiment, the rooks were
the pitcher’, a thirsty crow uses stones to raise presented with stones that varied in size. Here,
the level of water in a jug to quench its thirst. the rooks selected larger stones over smaller
A recent study demonstrates that rooks, birds ones (though they didn’t do this straight away).
belonging to the corvid (or crow) family, are in The scientists speculate that the birds quickly
fact able to solve complex problems using realised that the larger stones displaced more
tools and can easily master the same technique water, and they were thus able to obtain the
used in the story. reward more quickly than by using small
Christopher Bird of the University of stones.
Cambridge, who led the study, highlighted the
importance of the findings, stating: ‘Corvids According to the team, in the final
are remarkably intelligent, and in many ways experiment, the rooks recognised that sawdust
rival the great apes in their physical could not be manipulated in the same manner
intelligence and ability to solve problems. The as water. Therefore, when presented with the
only other animal known to complete a similar choice between a tube half-filled with either
task is the orang-utan. This is remarkable sawdust or water, rooks dropped the pebbles
considering their brain is so different to the into the tube containing water and not the
great apes. Although it has been speculated in sawdust.
folklore, empirical tests are needed to examine
the extent of their intelligence and how they Despite the fact that the study clearly
solve problems.’ demonstrates the flexible nature of tool use in
In their first experiment, the researchers rooks, they are not believed to use tools in the
varied the height of the water in a tube and the wild. ‘Wild tool use appears to be dependent
four rooks, which were the subject of the on motivation’, remarked Bird. ‘Rooks do not
research, used stones to raise the water level to use tools in the wild because they do not need
reach a worm floating on top. The clever birds to, not because they can’t. They have access to
proved very adept and were highly successful, other food that can be acquired without using
regardless of the starting level of the water or tools.’ As Bird noted, that fits nicely with
the number of the stones needed. Two of the Aesop’s maxim, demonstrated by the crow:
birds were successful on their first attempt in ‘Necessity is the mother of invention.’
raising the water to the correct height whilst
the other two birds needed a second try.
In addition to the speed with which they
completed the task, the birds were also highly
accurate in their ability, adding the exact
number of stones needed to reach the worm.
Furthermore, rather than attempting to reach
the worm after each stone was dropped in, they
apparently estimated the number needed from
the outset, and waited until the appropriate
water level was reached before dipping their
beaks into the tube.
```
1.3 Read the passage again and complete sentences 1-6 with endings A-H.
1 A new study has actually
2 The intelligence of birds has been suggested in stories, but
3 Half of the birds in the experiment were immediately successful; however,
4 The birds promptly realised the advantage of using big stones, and so
5 The research showed rooks can use tools with ease, though
6 The rooks worked out the properties of different materials and as a result,
A others needed several attempts.

B experts think that they don’t do this in their natural
habitat.
C they achieved their goal sooner.
D confirmed a fictional account.
E helped us to understand a mysterious event.
F only scientific studies can prove this.
G they were able to protect themselves.
H consistently rejected one particular type.
1.4 Find synonyms in the passage for the cohesive devices that are underlined in questions 1-6.
2 Identifying theories and opinions

Many academic texts contain the theories or views of different people or experts. Direct quotations are
easily recognised by quotation marks, but a person’s views or ideas can also be referred to indirectly.
In this extract from the Reading passage, the verbs highlighted and stated are both used to draw attention
to the words of Christopher Bird.
Christopher Bird of the University of Cambridge, who led the study, highlighted the
importance of the findings, stating: ‘Corvids are remarkably intelligent, and in
many ways rivals the great apes in their physical intelligence and ability to solve
problems.
Bird’s views could also be expressed indirectly.
2.1 Which verb in this sentence tells us that this is Bird’s view and not the writer’s?
Christopher Bird of the University of Cambridge, who led the study, believes that
Corvids are remarkably intelligent, and in many ways rival the great apes in their
physical intelligence and ability to solve problems.
2.2 Find three more verbs and one preposition in the passage that refer to the views or theories of an
expert.
```
2.3 Statements A-F paraphrase opinions or theories that appear in the Reading passage. Match them to
the same idea in the passage, then put them in the order they appear.
A We imagine that the rooks were soon able to appreciate the advantage of using different-sized
tools.
B Tool use in rooks demonstrates a common English saying.
C Using tools in their natural habitat is simply not necessary for rooks.
D Rooks are as intelligent as the most intelligent of animals.
E In their natural setting, rooks can obtain food without using tools.
F The ability of rooks is surprising, given the lack of similarities between the brains of birds and
mammals.
3 Matching features
Matching features tasks are used with Reading passages that contain theories or comments about
different people, places, years and things.
For these tasks, the different options are listed in a box and you need to match them to the questions
(sentences that paraphrase the information in the passage). The questions will not be in the same
order as the passage.
For some questions, you may need to match a person to a study or an action, rather than a theory or
opinion.
3.1 Scan the passage on the following page for these names and highlight them each time they
appear.
 Page 1  Lieberman  Gray
3.2 Look at the following statements (Questions 1-5) and the list of researchers below. Match
each statement with the correct researcher, A, B or C.
Researchers
A Pagel
B Lieberman
C Gray
1 We are able to recognise certain words used by people in other cultures.

2 Regardless of what happens in the world, there appear to be fixed rules that govern the
way words alter over time.
3 Words that don’t follow a standard pattern will remain that way if they are used often.
4 Certain words have kept a similar sound across many years and many countries.
5 We focused on the historical changes that have occurred in one particular language.
3.3 Put Questions 1-5 in the order they appear in the passage.
```
3.4 Remember that some of the questions are based on comments made about the researchers.
1 For which question in 3.2 did you need to match a person to the study that they carried
out?
2 Which verbs in the text are used to show that a person other than the writer expressed a
particular theory or idea?
3.5 For further practice in matching sentence endings, complete sentences 1-3 with endings A-E.
1 For a long time, language experts have asked why

2 The English verb ‘help’ proves that
3 While cultures vary a great deal around the world,
A regular and irregular verbs change at different rates.

B there are surprising similarities in the way different languages evolve.
C eventually, some irregular verbs become regular.
D some words stay the same over hundreds of years while others change quite quickly.
E some verbs gradually become irregular over time.
Maths shows why world persist over time

In a finding that parallels the evolution of genes, researchers have shown that the more
frequently a word is used, the less likely it is to change over long periods of time.
The question of why some words evolve rapidly through time while others are preserved – often with the
same meaning in multiple languages – has long plagued linguists. Two independent teams of researchers
have tackled this question from different angles, each arriving at a remarkably similar conclusion.
“The frequency with which specific words are used in everyday language exerts a general and law-like
influence on their rates of evolution,” writes Mark Pagel, author of one of two studies published this
week.
Anyone who tried hard to learn English will have been struck by its excess of stubbornly irregular verbs,
which render grammatical rules unreliable. The past tense of regular verbs is formed by adding the suffix
‘-ed’, but this luxury is not afforded to their irregular kin. Over time, however, some irregular verbs
‘regularise.’ For instance, the past tense of ‘help’ used to be ‘holp’ but now it is ‘helped’.
Mathematician Erez Lieberman, from Harvard University in Massachussets, US, performed a

quantitative study of the rate at which English verbs such as ‘help’ have become more regular with time.
Of the list of 177 irregular verbs they took from Old English, only 98 are still irregular today.
Amazingly, the changes they observed obey a very precise mathematical description: the half-life of an
irregular verb is proportional to the square root of its frequency. In other words, they found that the more
an irregular verb is used, the longer it will remain irregular.
```
A separate group of academics, led by evolutionary biologist Mark Pagel from the University of
Reading, in the UK, used a statistical modelling technique to study the evolution of words from 87
different Indo-European languages.
“Throughout its 8,000-year history, all Indo-European-language speakers have used a related sound to
communicate the idea of ‘two’ objects –duo, due, deux, dos, etc.” Pagel comented. “But,” he adds,
“there are many different and unrelated sounds for the idea of, for example, a bird – uccello, oiseau,
pouli, pakaro, vogel, etc.”
Before now, however, nobody had proposed a mechanism for why some words should evolve more
quickly than others. According to Pagel, “our research helps us to understand why we can still
understand bits of Chaucer [a medieval poet]” and points out that this likely explains “why we can
instinctively recognise words in other Indo-European languages, just from their sounds”.
Psychologist and language expert, Russel Gray, from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, was
impressed by both findings.
“Despite all the vagaries and contingencies of human history, it seems that there are remarkable
regularities in the process of language change,” he commented
```
Reading skills
6 Multiple-choice questions
 Understanding longer pieces of text

 Different types of multiple-choice questions
 Answering multiple-choice questions
 Identifying a writer’s purpose
1 Understanding longer pieces of text

To answer multiple-choice questions, you often need to carefully read two or more connected
sentences or several connected sentences.
1.1 Look at this extract from an IELTS Reading passage. Read it quickly to find out the main points
and then re-read it more carefully to get a more detailed understanding.
Linguists agree that language is needed during reading, but at which stage language becomes a
necessity has come under debate. Past research has shown that animals have the ability to
discriminate letters from one another, but previously, experts thought the ability to recognise
written words was dependent on an ability to understand language. Findings recently
published in the journal Science challenge this long-held notion, showing that despite having
no linguistic skills, monkeys are able to tell the difference between sequences of letters that
form real English words, and those that do not.
1.2 Without looking back at the extract, try to explain what it is about, in your own words.
Some multiple-choice questions begin with a direct question and then have four possible answers.
Some begin with an incomplete sentence and then have four possible endings.
1.3 Look at the question below and choose the best answer, A-D.
1 According to the paragraph, what point do linguists have different views on?
A animals are intelligent enough to learn how to read
B our ability to read words is linked to our writing ability
C when our language ability begins to affect reading ability
D when early humans developed the ability to read and write
2 Different types of multiple choice

Sometimes you may be asked to choose two correct answers from five options. You will need to read
and consider even more text.
```
2.1 Spend 45 seconds skim reading this Reading passage to find out the main points.
What do hurricanes mean for dolphins?

Hurricanes are typically associated with loss of life, loss of property and economic
devastation. Hurricane Katrina, which blew through the gulf coast of North America in 2005,
brought all those things and more. It also brought lots of baby dolphins. Hurricanes tend to be
related to increased strandings of marine mammals, so why might a hurricane be associated
with more dolphins, rather than fewer?
Scientist Lance J. Miller reasoned that there were probably several related phenomena that,
combined, could explain the apparent increase. Firstly, after a female dolphin loses her calf,
she can give birth again much sooner than if her calf had matured to adulthood. “If a large
number of calves perished as a result of Hurricane Katrina, this would allow for a greater
percentage of females to become more reproductively active the following year.” By itself,
this didn’t seem to adequately explain the increase in dolphin calves. Something else was
going on. That something was distinctively human.
When Hurricane Katrina blew through the gulf, the local shrimping, crabbing and fishing
industries were ravaged. In Mississippi, according to one estimate, 87% of commercial fishing
vessels were damaged or destroyed. This meant a decrease in the amount of seafood brought
into shore, of nearly 15%. Despite the common notion that dolphins enjoy playing in the
wakes created by boats, there is plenty of evidence that dolphins actually avoid them. Miller
deduced that, with a reduction in the number of boats in the water, both commercial and
recreational, dolphins may have been able to spend more time eating, and less time travelling
or diving in an effort to avoid boats.
2.2 Look at this task. What information do you need to find the in the passage?
Which TWO possible issues did Miller believe may have caused the rise in dolphin
numbers?
A More female dolphins survived the hurricane than males.
B Female dolphins were able to breed earlier than usual.
C The dolphins had access to greater numbers of shrimp and fish.
D There was a decrease in the number of dolphins being caught for sport or food.
E The dolphins had less contact with humans after the hurricane.
2.3 Read the passage again and highlight the parts that introduce the idea of a first and second issue.
Read the options A-E in 2.2 carefully and decide which two options are correct.
```
3 Identifying a writer’s purpose

Sometimes, multiple-choice questions ask you to consider the writer’s purpose or aim. You may be
asked to identify:
 why the writer made a particular reference

 what the purpose of a part of the text is
 the opinion or attitude of the writer
3.1 Look at this extract from a Reading passage to get the main idea and then re-read it more
carefully to understand it in detail.
One of the reasons Jurassic Park was so successful–as a novel and a blockbuster film–is that it
presented a plausible way to bring dinosaurs back to life. The idea that viable dinosaur DNA might be
retrieved from bloodsucking prehistoric insects seemed like a project that could actually succeed. Even
though the actual methodology is hopelessly flawed and would never work, the premise was science-
ish enough to let us suspend our disbelief and revel in the return of the dinosaurs.
3.2 Read these questions and consider how you would answer them.
1 What is the writer’s purpose in this paragraph?
2 What is the writer’s opinion of Jurassic Park?
To answer these questions, you need to consider more than the surface meaning of the words in the
Reading passage. You need to consider the writer’s tone or attitude.
3.3 Scan the extract in 3.1 and find the following words or phrases: blockbuster, hoplessly flawed,
revel in. Do they suggest a positive or a negative tone?
3.4 Answer the questions by choosing the correct letter. (A, B, C or D).
1 What is the writer’s purpose in this paragraph?
A to suggest that scientists should look to science fiction for inspiration
B to argue that people may choose to believe the improbable in order to be entertained
C to persuade us that art and science can be skillfully linked
D to demonstrate that scientific research can provide a source of entertainment
2 What is the writer’s opinion of Jurassic Park?
A the film was not a faithful rendition of the original book
B it shows how important thorough research is for successful writers.
C in spite of its inaccuracies, it was a successful novel and film
D it is good example of the importance of science fact in science fiction novels
```
Reading skills
7 Opinions and attitudes
 Dealing with argumentative texts

 Identifying a writer’s views/claims
 Identifying grammatical features
 Yes/No/Not Given questions
 Summary completion with a box
 Summary completion without a box
1 Argumentative texts
The most difficult and complex texts are in Reading Section 3. These passages may feature arguments
for or against a specific idea or theory. Or, they may present a discussion of different arguments. In
texts like this, it is important to be aware of the writer’s overall tone. A writer’s choice of words often
indicates their attitude towards a topic.
1.1 Put the adjectives into the correct column, to show whether they suggest a positive or negative
tone.
diverse disastrous unspoilt biased
accomplished vulnerable productive realistic
confusing irrelevant sophisticated harsh
catastrophic efficient monotonous distorted
thorough influential prominent dated
Positive Negative
1.2 Spend two minutes skim reading the following passage to get the main ideas. Then read it
again and underline any adjectives that you think might indicate a personal opinion or attitude.
```
Living with Mies

Lafayette Park is an enclave of modernist townhouses designed by the architect Mies van der
Rohe.
A few blocks east of Detroit’s downtown, just across Interstate 375, sits Lafayette Park, an enclave of
single- and two-story modernist townhouses set amid a forest of locust trees. Like hundreds of
developments nationwide, they were the result of postwar urban renewal; unlike almost all of them, it had a
trio of world-class designers behind it: Ludwig Hilbersheimer as urban planner, Alfred Caldwell as
landscape designer and Mies van der Rohe as architect.
The townhouses, plus three high-rise buildings, were built between 1958 and 1962 on land previously
occupied by a working-class African-American neighborhood, Black Bottom. While much of Detroit began
a steep decline soon after, Lafayette Park stayed afloat, its residents bucking the trend of suburban flight.
Lafayette Park today is one of the most racially integrated neighborhoods in the city. It is economically
stable, despite the fact that Detroit has suffered enormous population loss and strained city services.
We wanted to hear how residents — especially people with long-term, intimate knowledge of living with
Mies — think about this unique modernist environment and how they confront and adapt it to meet their
needs. During our research, we were struck by the casual attitude that many residents have toward the
architecture. Then again, Detroit has an abundance of beautiful housing options: one can live in a huge
Victorian mansion, a beautiful arts and crafts house or a cavernous loft-conversion space in a former
factory.
Living in a townhouse built by a renowned architect isn’t as noteworthy as one might think. At the same
time, such nonchalance is a mark of success: the homes are great because they work, not because they come
affixed with a famous name.
Indeed, their beauty isn’t always obvious. There is a kind of austere uniformity to the Lafayette Park
townhouses when viewed from the outside. Some visitors find them unappealing; one contractor described
them as “bunkers.” The interior layouts are nearly identical. The units are compact in size and some people
find them too small, though the floor-to-ceiling windows on the front and back of each building open the
living spaces to the outside.
To be sure, there are people who live in Lafayette Park who are architecture enthusiasts, keenly aware of
Mies van der Rohe’s place in history, who were drawn here specifically because he designed these
buildings. But they are a minority. Many more residents were attracted to the lush landscape, the sense of
community, the gigantic windows and the convenience of living downtown.
While they may have strong aesthetic preferences, the residents we spoke with do not necessarily favor
midcentury modernism in their interiors or architecture. But they make it work: several people remarked on
the way the interiors in the Lafayette Park townhouses can function as blank canvasses for a variety of
decorating styles. Indeed, the best design doesn’t force a personality on its residents. Instead, it helps them
bring out their own.
2 Identifying the writer’s views/claims

In Yes/No/Not Given tasks, you will be asked whether the statements in the questions match the views
or claims of the writer. A view is a personal opinion. A claim is a statement made by the writer and
presented as a fact.
```
2.1 Look at these extracts and decide whether you think they are views or claims.
1 Like hundreds of developments nationwide, they were the result of post-war urban renewal.
2 While much of Detroit began a steep decline soon after, Lafayette Park stayed afloat.
3 Detroit has an abundance of beautiful housing options.
4 There is a kind of austere uniformity to the Lafayette Park townhouses when viewed from
the outside.
5 Indeed, the best design doesn’t force a personality on its residents.
There are a lot of similarities between True/False/Not Given questions and Yes/No/Not Given
questions. But the main difference is that True/False/Not Given questions are based on factual
information in the Reading passage. Yes/No/Not Given questions ask you to interpret the views or
claims of the writer.
2.2 Look at the statements below and write

YES if the statement agrees with the views or claims in the Reading passage.
NO if the statement contradicts the views of the writer.
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks.
1 It is the era in which Lafayette Park was developed that makes it special.
2 Since 1962, many people have moved away from Detroit.
3 Mies van der Rohe’s designs influenced other architects in Detroit.
4 The exterior of each building in Lafayette Park has a distinct style.
5 Good architecture allows its occupants to reveal their identity.
2.3 For each question in 2.2, if you wrote

YES – give supporting evidence from the passage.
NO – correct the statements so that they match the views of the writer
NOT GIVEN – say what you do know from the passage and say which part of the passage gave
you your answer.
3 Identifying grammatical features

There are two types of summary completion tasks: one with a box of possible answers and one
without a box, where you need to choose word/s from the passage to complete the summary.
With a box of possible answers, the options may be actual words from the passage, or synonyms of
words in the passage.
```
3.1 Look at the box of possible answers (A-F) and decide what type of word each one is (noun,
verb, etc.). There may be more than one possible answer.
A Settled
B Adapt
C Neutral
D Poor
E Afford
F Strongly
3.2 Read the summary below and decide what type of word (noun, verb, etc.) you need for gaps 1-
4.
The residents of Lafayette Park
Lafayette Park was originally 1 …………………. area of Detroit. Nowadays, the area is
unusual because its residents are more 2 ……………… than those in other areas of the
city. In general, the residents of Lafayette Park feel quite 3 …………… about the
famous architecture they live in. But the residents do appreciate the fact that they can
4 …………… the townhouses and make them their own.
3.3 Read the relevant part of the passage in 1.2 and complete the summary using the list of words
(A-E) in 3.1.
For summary completion tasks without a box of answers.
 Consider grammatical features of the summary

 Choose words from the text that accurately complete the summary
3.4 Skim read this passage to understand the main points.

Meerkat study
Dr Alex Thornton from the University of Cambridge recently led a study into meerkat society.
Meerkats are highly social mongooses that live in large social groups and take turns foraging for
food and standing guard to look out for predators. Research has shown that the animals have their
own traditions within their groups. For example, while members of one meerkat troop will
consistently rise very early, those of another will emerge from their burrows much later in the
morning.
In an attempt to assess whether meerkats simply copy these behaviour patterns or are taught them,
Thornton and his team travelled to the Kalahari Desert and set a series of tests for a group in the
wild. One test involved putting a scorpion (the meerkat’s favourite food) into a transparent
container. The meerkats had to work out how to open the opaque lid of the container in order to
reach the scorpion inside. The tests showed that the more subordinate juvenile members of meerkat
troops are the most innovative when it comes to foraging – these low-ranking males were best at
solving problems and obtaining the treat. However, Dr. Thornton conceded that the meerkats didn’t
ever appear to work out that it was the opaque surface of the box that they should attack in
preference to the transparent ones. So, this may simply be evidence of persistence rather than actual
intelligence.
```
3.5 Look at this summary completion task.

1 What types of word will you need to fill in the gaps in the summary?
A recent study at Cambridge University discovered that different meerkat groups 1 ………………… at
different times of the day. This demonstrates that each group has distinct customs. They also learned that
young, male meerkats were more 2 …………….. than other members of their social groups when it came
to problem solving. The researchers conducted an experiment where the meerkats had to try to open a
container. If they did, they were rewarded with a 3 …………………… However, they also found that the
meerkats never learned that it was 4 ……………………. Part of the container that then needed to open.
3.6 Read the text in 3.5 carefully and choose ONE WORD ONLY from the text to complete each answer in
the summary.
```
```
THE WRITING MODULE Pt 1

TASK 1
Make all the possible matches between the expressions in the table on the left with those on the right:
1. The graph shows / Indicates A. That the population of Alia grew in the
2. It is clear from the table 20th century
3. It can be seen from the graph B. The growth in the size of the
4. As the table shows population of Alia
5. As can be seen from the graph C. The Population of Alia grew in the
6. As is shown/ illustrated by the graph 20th Century
7. From the graph it is clear
TASK 2
Which one is the best introductory sentence for a description of this graph from the following?
A. This graph shows the changes in world meat Production between 1950 and 1990.
B. From this graph we can see that most meat Production is a lot higher in 1990 than in 1950.
C. Between 1950 and 1990 meat production in the world rose significantly for all kinds of meat
except sheep and goat meat.
D. The graph shows that in 1950 production poultry and sheep and goat meat was less an 5
million tons, while production of pork and beef and buffalo meat was around 20 million tons.
```
TASK 3
Look again at the graph of World Meat Production (in Task 2) and complete the following statements
with a suitable expression of time:
1. The production of sheep and goat meat remained almost unchanged

2. The production of pork rose sharply
3. Poultry production increased slowly and rose dramatically.
4. Beef and buffalo production experienced steady growth
TASK 4
Graphs and tables often refer to common situations, and certain nouns often occur. Test yourself to see if
you know how to use some of them by making all the possible matches between the words in the first
column and those in the second.
Number Population
Amount GDP
Size Employees
Degree Unemployment
Quantity Literacy
Rate Production
Level Growth
Arms sales
Cigarette
consumption
Smokers
Income / expenditure
Years
TASK 5
Fill the gaps in the following description of the table by selecting any appropriate expression from those
given. Note that more than one choice may be correct!
```
Of all the waste reported in the UNSW survey in 1966, it was found that
(1) was paper which (2) 52% of the waste found in buildings Both
in outside eating areas and in skips (3) of waste (4) compostable
materials, which (5) 40% of the total. Considering the (6) of waste collected in
the university, it is clear that (7) could be recycled or re-used in some way.
1. a) the largest amount b) the greatest proportion c) the majority d) the biggest number
2. a) made up b) included c) accounted for d) was
3. a) the most significant proportion b) most c) the highest level d) the greatest
percentage.
4. a) consisted of b) was c) amounted to d) accounted for
5. a) represented b) was c) accounted for d) stood at
6. a) whole percentage b) total amount c) full number d) majority
7. a) the majority b) practically all of it c) nearly the whole Amount d) most of it
TASK 6
Read the following description of the pie chart given, and underline all the expressions of measurement,
and put a circle around the verbs. Then write a description of the graph that follows, using as many of
these expressions as you can
It is clear from the pie chart that in 1996/7 by far, the greatest proportion of electricity was generated by
oil, at 59%. Less than half as much, namely 26%, was produced from brown coal. Black coal and gas
together accounted for another 15% of generation, leaving hydropower at only 0.3%. In other words,
```
virtually 100% of electricity generation in Australia at the time came from fossil fuels, and only the
insignificant amount of 0.3% came from a renewable energy source
TASK 7
Read the following description of the bar graph given underneath, then cover the description and try to
fill the gaps in the version below. You do not need to use exactly the same expressions as those given,
but the meanings and grammar must be accurate.
Nine of the ten top rice-producing counties in the world in 1999 were in Asia. As one would expect,
China was of rice tones. It was followed by India, which
tonnes while the Indonesia, was responsible for at just
over 46.m. tonnes. Bangladesh, Vietnam and Thailand had similar , i.e. between 20 and
30 million tonnes each, while Malaysia, Japan and the Philippines tonnes. The only non-
Asian producer on the list, the USA, 8 million tonnes
```
TASK 8
The bar graph below shows the number of television receivers per 1,000 inhabitants in the world in 1970
and 1990. 'Write a report describing the information shown below.
First consider the following ways of expressing the same idea for an introductory sentence:
a. In 1970 the number of TV receivers per 1000 inhabitants in the world was much less than in
1997.
b. In 1997 the number of TV receivers in the world was much greater than in 1970.
c. There were nearly three times as many TV receivers in the world in 1997 as in 1970.
d. There were far more TV receivers in the world in 1997 than in 1970.
e. The ownership of TV receivers in 1997 was 200% (three times) higher than in 1970.
Which of the above do you think are the best descriptions? Why?
Now try to describe the rest of the graph using the most appropriate expressions you can, and avoiding
repetition.
TASK 9
Similarity can be shown by using:
Similarly Likewise Equally

In the The In a similar
same way same way/fashion
Both…….. As well Not only …… but also
and as Like x,y
Also Too Just as x, so y……
As…..as Just as x,
y…….
Contrast -which is more common -can be expressed by using
```
But While In contrast to

However Whereas By contrast
Nevertheless Although Instead of
Yet Even though Apart from
On the other As opposed to Except for
hand
Unlike
Some of the above are conjunctions and are used within sentences, to connect clauses, while some are
connectors that are used to join sentences. Which are the ones that are used to start a new sentence?
Some are prepositions and must be followed by nouns. Which are these?
Task 10
Fill in the gaps in the following description, using expressions from the above lists. Try to vary the
expressions you use to avoid repetition.
In 1920, 75% of the labour force in Alia was employed in agriculture only 10%
worked in business and trade. At the same time the manufacturing sector
the professional sector consisted just 2% of the workforce each. This situation changed only very
gradually over the next 20 years the professional workforce, which increased more
than threefold. . By 1970 there had been a significant change in the pattern of
employment. the agricultural employees had declined in number to 40% of the workforce;
manufacturing employees professionals had increased their share to 13% and 10%
respectively.
the business sector did not increase until 1970. The most dramatic
could be seen by 1990, when the proportion of agricultural workers was reduced to just 10%.
the tree major sectors had all increased to over 20% of the workforce.
TASK 11
```
World production increased in all types of meat sheep and goats between 1950 and
1990. There was a slow rise in the production of pork and beef buffalo meat up to 1980,
after this, pork production increased more rapidly. Poultry production showed a trend. Starting
from a low base of just 5 million tons, it increased relatively slowly for the first 20 years of the reported
period , after that it increased sharply, until by 1990 it had reached over 30 million tons.
the production of sheep and goat meat remained steady throughout the period at around 5
million tons.
TASK 12
Mark the following verbs, which are transitive verbs and the intransitive ones intr. Some can be both!
Increas Go up Rise Grow

e Double Multipl Jump
Expand Gain y Acceler
Climb Escalate Raise ate
Develo
p
Decreas Go down Fall Drop
e Reduce Shrink Lessen
Decline Contract Slow Deplete
Lower Level off down
Diminis
h
Remain The same/ Steady/ Fluctua
/Stay Unchanged Stable/ te/Vary
Consta
nt
TASK 13
Identify which form of the verb should be used in the following:
Note that in those cases where the verb can be both transitive and intransitive, the choice depends on
whether the action itself is stressed (intransitive) or there is the idea that someone was responsible for the
action. E.g. The number of unemployed people doubled in the last 10 years. But: The output of the
factory was doubled when the new machinery was installed.
```
1. The number of workers in manufacturing increased / was increased between 1950 and 1960.
2. The total professional sector expanded / was expanded throughout the last 80 years.
3. The business sector also grew / was grown after 1980.
4. The number of manufacturing employees rose / was risen / raised / was raised significantly
between 1950 and 1970.
5. The agricultural workforce has steadily decreased / has been steadily decreased over the last
80 years.
6. Other kinds of employment remained / were remained fairly steady throughout the period.
7. The agricultural workforce reduced / was reduced quite sharply after 1960.
TASK 14
Note that it is very important to combine nouns and verbs correctly. Combine as many of the following
as is possible:
The number of (The) Workforce Rose

The quantity of (The) banking sector Fell
The proportion of (The) workers Increased
The rate of (The) consumption Decreased
The level of (The) production Declined
The percentage of Employment Grew
The size of Expanded
The amount of Shrank
Dropped
Reduced
Fluctuated
TASK 15
In the following description, underline all the useful expressions you can find and use them in your own
description of the correlation of the graphs that follow.
```
There is a clear correlation between the number of cigarettes smoked per capita and the number of
tobacco-related deaths. The table shows that the greatest consumption of cigarettes in 1995 was to be
found in Europe, China and the Western Pacific, and that each of these regions also had by far the largest
number of tobacco-related deaths in 1998. Europe, with the greatest consumption per head of cigarettes,
namely over 2000 for 1995, also experienced well over 1 million tobacco-related deaths by 1998. The
region with the second highest consumption of cigarettes was the Western Pacific with nearly 2000 per
head and it also recorded the second highest number of tobacco-related deaths, namely 1.185 million.
In all regions except Southeast Asia it can be seen that the higher the consumption of cigarettes, the
higher the tobacco-related mortality rate. It is interesting that in Southeast Asia, with the highest level of
cigarette consumption, at 415 per capita, the mortality rate was as high as in the Americas, namely .58
million, although in the latter the consumption was nearly three times as high. Clearly other health or
economic factors must be involved. It is also interesting to note that in each case the number of female
deaths was significantly lower than that of males, which seems to be a reflection of the fact that in
general far fewer women than men smoke.
TASK 16
Now write a description of the following, using as many suitable constructions as possible from the
above model.
In the IELIS test the question would typically be expressed as follows:
The graph below shows the rate of women's literacy and population growth in selected countries from
1988 to 2000.
TASK 17
Insert the appropriate expressions from the list given below (more than one may be correct), changing it
to the correct part of speech where necessary, for each of the following gaps:
```
( A great deal / Enormous / Significant)
1. The graph shows

a. A/an rise in the use of email between 1998 and 2004
b. That email use would have risen between 1998 and 2004.
c. The number of email users to have increased between 1998 and 2004
d. The increase in email use between 1998 and 2002 to be
(Dramatic / More than / Significant / Steady)

2. In fact the number of adult users has…………………………… doubled in that time.
( A bit / Large / Significant / Steady )

3. After the year 2002 it is expected that the growth rate will decline
TASK 18
Select the best words from the list below to enter into the gaps in the description that follows this graph,
changing the parts of speech where necessary.
```
There was a change in the type of marriage common in Japan between 1950 and the
1990s. While in 1950 the number of love marriages was only 22%., By 1955 the
number of such marriages had increased to 50% and by the 1990s there was an even
more trend away from arranged marriages, which had declined to
less than 15%.
About, Dramatically, Nearly, Noticeably, Rather, Remarkably
Now replace the words used above with other from the lists that would be just suitable.
TASK 19
Supply any suitable expressions for the gaps.
The number of Internet-connected computers has risen since 1981. Although the
number more than doubled from 1981 to 1983, the figures at that stage were small, going from 213
to 552. However, as the rate continued to double, or even more than double in the following years, the
growth rate was rapid. Only after 1996 was there a slower rate of
expansion as the growth rate no longer doubled each year. Nevertheless, by 1999 the number of Internet-
connected computers in the world had risen, within period of less than 20 years, from
200 to 56 million.
TASK 20
Improve the following statements by removing the redundancy in any suitable way. You will need to
reduce the number of sentences.
```
1. From the graphs we can see that there has been a change in the rate of use of email in the UK.
The rate of change of email use is shown from the year 1998 to the year 2004. Email was used by
few people in the UK in 1998 but it was used by many people in 1999 and the number kept
increasing. In 1998 the number of people using email in the UK was about 10 million and by the
year 2000 the number had doubled to become about 20 million. The graph shows this trend
continuing until 2002 and then a slight reduction in growth rate to 2004.
2. The graph shows the trend in two types of marriages in Japan between 1950 and 1990. The two
types of marriages are love marriages and arranged marriages. The percentage of arranged
marriages decreased and at the same time the percentage of love marriages increased
dramatically between 1950 and 1990. In 1950 only 22% of the population had love marriages,
while 65% were in arranged marriages, but by 1990 this proportion was inverted, with 83% being
in love marriages and only 15% having arranged marriages
TASK 21
The diagram below shows career paths in the travel industry. Write a report describing the information
shown below.
```
THE WRITING MODULE Pt 2

TASK 1
Choose the appropriate function(s) for each sentence below
1. Cooper is a good conductor of electricity

A. A fact B. An Opinion C. A proposal D. A reservation
2. The new motorway may be built in the near future
A. A fact B. A possibility C. Permission D. A solution
3. The measure cannot be implemented
A. An opinion B. An impossibility C. A measure D A result
4. The use of mobile phones while driving should have been banned a long time ago.
A. A measure B. A non-fulfillment C. An improbability D.A recommendation
5. Crime rates are increasing around the world
A. A conclusion B. A result C. A general statement D. A suggestion
6. Because the experience of the elderly is in danger of being lost, institutions should be forced to
employ more and more people over the age of 60.
A. A reason B. A proposal C. A result D. A possibility
7. More attention could be focused on literacy and numeracy at secondary level as this would raise
the employability of youngsters when they leave school.
A. An example B. A method C. A tentative proposal D. An effect
8. This may seem, at first sight, to be a good idea, but, if one digs just below the surface, the
problems soon start to appear.
A. A concession B. A measure C. A fact D. A recommendation
9. Although the number of young people accessing computer-oriented courses is increasing yet
there is still a serious shortage of skilled people.
a. A contrast B. A concession C. A conclusion D. A probability
10. The numbers of people on anti-depressants are increasing dramatically, in the last year alone,
figures have almost doubled in certain areas.
A. An Explaination B. A general statement C. A result D. A reason E. A cause
```
TASK 2
Insert the appropriate connecting words and phrases from the list below into the pairs of sentences which
follow. Keep the meaning of the sentences in each pair the same. You may use some of the items from
the list more than once and in some cases there may be more than one answer.
I. Otherwise X. Although XIX. In order

II. Much as XI. However XX. Nevertheless
III. So XII. So much so XXI. While
IV. Once XIII. Moreover XXII. Despite
V. So……………that…… XIV. Even so XXIII. Take…………………This…
…… XV. So that ……….
VI. Although XVI. But XXIV. For example
VII. Therefore XVII. As well as
VIII. Having XVIII. Though
IX. As
1. A. the President disapproved of the Prime Minister, he still had to accept his
nomination.
B. his disapproval of the Prime Minister, the President still had to accept his
nomination.
2. A. it is hard to agree to such sweeping changes,………………… they must
be implemented
B. It is hard to agree to such sweeping changes, they must be implemented.
3. A. Newspapers and magazines need to be made from more recycled paper than the present
average of 60%, more and more forests might be endangered.
B Newspapers and magazines need to be made from more recycled paper than the present
average of 60%, to endanger more and more forests.
4. A. The road toll system proved very successful . the government has decided
to back the scheme financially.
B The road toll system proved very successful, the government has decided
to back the scheme financially
5. A. introducing stiffer penalties for traffic violations is by far the best way to
deal with the increase in road fatalities.
B .the introduction of stiffer penalties for traffic violations
Is by far the best way to deal with the increase in road fatalities.
TASK 3
Combine the information in each case into one sentence.
1. The government plans to help poorer countries. It plans to cancel all third world debt (Remove
the repetition and use by)
2. Government officials have constantly been denying charges of corruption. The government
officials have secretly been accepting bribes from businessmen and lobbyists. (use while)
```
3. The government has plans to boost renewable energy generation. The plans will be announced
today. The plans will be announced by Geoff Healey. This is his first policy move since he
became environment minister. (remove the repetition in the first three sentences ; then use in and
then since + verb + ing)
4. The project is opposed by both big companies and government departments. The project aims to
regenerate all slum areas in the next decade. (use a relative clause without which/that or an
auxiliary verb)
5. Companies need to play on their strengths. Companies need to put more effort into successful
areas. Companies need to reduce investment in failing ventures. (remove the repetition, use verb
+ ing and while+ verb +ing)
6. The government could force through the construction of cheap houses for essential workers. It
could purchase all the brown-field sites in major cities (Use by+ verb+ ing or by +noun).
TASK 4
Use the words after each sentence below to change the way the information in the sentences is
combined, while keeping the meaning of the original sentence. Note you should make as few changes as
possible.
Example :
The system will deteriorate rapidly and so people will be further delayed
thus delaying
Answer : The system will deteriorate rapidly thus delaying people further
1. The underlying cause needs to be addressed rather than tackling the result.
Instead “
2. The proposal to legalise cannabis was rushed through and consequently the manner of social
problems increased.
, resulting In
3. In spite of having some objections to the introduction of higher taxes on petrol, but on balance, I
support the policy.
Much
4. This is an idea, which has a number of bad points and a number of good points.
With
5. The idea may cause some inconvenience to the public, but it will be implemented
Causing
6. The government made sure that the opposition was crushed and then introduced the bill
sure that the opposition was crushed, the government then
introduced the bill
7. Although the proposals are coming in for some heavy criticism, they must be supported
coming in for some heavy criticism, the proposal must be supported.
```
8. As soon as the fuss about animal-to-human transplants has passed over, there will be another
dilemma for people to get worked up about.
the fuss about animal-to-human transplants has passed over, there
will be another dilemma for people to get worked up about.
TASK 5
Look at the sentences in the left-hand column below. You can see that each sentence contains a main
point. Use the connecting words in the column on the right in order they occur to create a paragraph.
Remove all unnecessary repetition. You will have to change the punctuation and remove some words.
For example, you need to remove the words in bold in number 2 in order to use the word like. You also
need to remove the full stop after country at the end of the first sentence.
1. Money needs to be invested in the Unless

infrastructure of the country
2. An example is the transportation Like
system.
3. A number of problems arise For example
4. The transport system will wear out And
5. The transport system will break down Verb + ing
6. The breaking down of the transport
system will cause serious
inconvenience to the travelling public. This
7. The break down in the transport system
and inconvenience to the travelling
public will have a knock-on-effect. (remove repetition)
8. It will have a knock-on effect on the
economy in general. With + verb + ing
9. More people will turn to cars And + verb +ing
10. The roads will become congested Which in turn
11. The congested roads will slow the
economy down
TASK 6
This exercise gives you more practice with putting ideas into a text. This time, there are no hints as to
how you should connect the text. Please note that the final paragraph is similar to the previous exercise.
1. More public funds in many rich western countries need to be invested in skill shortages in certain
areas
2. An example is teacher training and teaching
3. There will be serious repercussions.
4. The educational system will deteriorate further
5. The education system will simply collapse.
6. The collapse of the education system will seriously affect the world of society.
7. The collapse of the education system will have serious consequences.
8. The collapse of the education system will have serious consequences for companies.
```
9. The companies will turn to other countries where there are no skills shortages to set up new
ventures.
10. In my home country, factories are being built in areas where there is a surplus of skilled and
computing staff.
11. Governments in more developed countries will have less money from taxes to fund training.
TASK 7
The jumbled text below gives you practice with predicting the grammar and the function of paragraph as
you write. Write out the 14 pieces of jumbled text in the correct order.
Remember to use grammar as well as meaning to help you.
The first piece of text has been marked for you in bold
1. Of a nation depends on natural resources, but

2. Economic, but also the social development of a country suffers.
3. Nations fail to invest sufficient funds for one reason or another
4. Unfortunately, many
5. Skilled and healthy workforce
6. In their health system
7. For example, the manufacturing industry needs healthy workers.
8. As do the financial and services sectors. Otherwise, not only the
9. A lack of investment in health care, however;
10. It is often said that the wealth
11. Country requires
12. Now suffer from a workforce that cannot function effieciently
13. Means that these countries
```
TASK 8
On the left, there is a series of questions. Answer these questions from the alternatives in the right hand
column to create a text on poverty and crime.
1. What poverty is like in today’s world? A. Poverty appears to be increasing rather

than decreasing even though people
generally are becoming richer
B. Poverty is the state where people earn
less than the average income.
C. Poverty will always be with us
D. The most important cause is poverty
2. What do many people think poverty A. Many people feel that poverty will be
causes? wiped out in the future
B. Some people are of the opinion that
poverty and crime are closely related
C. Many people think crime is related to
poverty
D. Many people believe poverty is the
main cause of crime
3. But what do I believe? A. But I think it is a big mistake
B. But they are entitled to their own
opinions
C. But I believe that they might be right
D. But I believe that they are seriously
mistaken
4. What is the first reason for their A. For a start, there are more poor people
misconception? than rich people
B. More poor people than rich people
appear to be caught committing serious
crimes
C. This misconception arises simply
because poverty is getting worse
D. Poor people annoy rich people
5. And the result? A. It is not true, because it takes time
B. It is not true, because poverty is with us
always
C. So statistically there is a good chance
of there being more crimes which are
committed by poor people
D. Poor people have just the same rights as
the rich
6. What other reason can I add? A. There are always other reasons
B. Further, there are many criminals
around who come from the rich, but
they can employ people to help them
avoid being caught
C. Further, poverty will always be with us
D. And I can think of many other reasons
```
7. What is my conclusion? A. So, the fact that poverty is the main

cause of crime is not a fallacy
B. So, the fact that poverty is the main
cause of crime is fallacy
C. If only the government had more
money to tackle the problem
D. The government will introduce a raft of
new measures to tackle the problem.
```
THE WRITING MODULE pt 3

Exercise 9
In the exercise below, the sentence beginnings in the column on the left are in the correct order. To
complete the sentences and create a paragraph, match the jumbled sentence ends in the column on the
right.
You can use each text on the right only once. The first complete sentence has been done for you in bold.
1. Planting more trees in city centres … a) can also help to make the environment in
2. The trees, as well as … cities more appealing.
b) watching water as a form of escape from the
3. There …
stresses of work.
4. Any green space, c) is a very good example.
5. The city of London, where there are many d) making the environment more pleasant to
parks, … live and work in, will add a touch of colour.
6. In many other cities, lines of trees … e) is very restful.
7. Moreover, the leaves … f) however small, provides welcome relief
8. Along with trees, fountains in public places from the endless concrete.
g) is yet another way to make the
…
surroundings attractive.
9. The sound of falling or flowing water … h) are planted on streets to provide shade in the
10. Many people, for instance, enjoy … summer for pedestrians and workers.
i) contribute to making the air fresher.
j) is certainly nothing more attractive than
greenery in parks or gardens or on drab city
streets.
Exercise 10
The jigsaw in this exercise is slightly more complex than in the previous one. You can see that there are
three columns. Choose an item from each column to make seven sentences, which, you then put in order
to form a paragraph on solving congestion in city. You may use each item only once.
The paragraph contains the following 7 functions:
a solution, a result, a reaction, an explanation, a result, a [second] result and a conclusion.
Use these functions to help you put the sentences in order. The first sentence, a solution, has been
marked for you in italics.
```
A B C
1. A further deterrent is that a) is i. necessary

the restriction to people’s
movements
b) is paying
2. What people will object
ii. charging for private cars
to most entering city centre areas
3. Without doubt, the c) is to introduce
restrictions iii. going into the central
4. Yet, conscious of the zone
cost, car owners d) are iv. extra revenue which can
5. The best solution e) will be discouraged from be spent on public
transport
6. The initial public
f) will raise v. not difficult to imagine
reaction, however vi. the extra money
7. Such charges vii. their attitudes and the
congestion in city centres
g) will affect
Exercise 11
By now you should be much faster at putting texts together. In the exercise below, the texts between
sentences 1 and 6 are jumbled and one of them is irrelevant. The texts between 6 and 14 are also
jumbled, but four are irrelevant.
As quickly as you can, put the sentences into the correct order to create a paragraph
When you have checked your answer with the key, try to write your own text on the same subject using
sentences 1, 6 and 14 as a guide.
1. Many people are pressing for more and 8. Energy is as everyone valuable resource
more recycling 9. Some of the packaging, which is used is
2. However, it has been shown that more very attractive
energy is used when items are recycled 10. Research should also be carried out to find
3. They say that valuable resources are being other less harmful ways of recycling bottles
wasted by throwing away newspapers food and other waste
packaging batteries and bottles, etc 11. Similarly, the recycling process requires
4. Newspapers provide us with up-to-date energy as well! Instead of recycling waste,
information the amount of packaging in wrapping food
5. Already some newspapers are made from should be reduced
more than 60% recycled paper and the 12. In the future, there will be e-newspapers and
amount is increasing e-books so the anxiety of disposing of waste
paper will be reduced
6. People forget about the petrol required to 13. So the amount of non-recycled paper is 48%
transport the waste in large lorries and 14. But then we will have something else to be
the exhaust fumes from the vehicles anxious about!
7. Research provides helpful information
Exercise 12
```
This exercise gives practice with increasing your flexibility and fluency in connecting your ideas.
Choose suitable connections from the alternatives A, B, C, D in the texts below.
Note that in some instances, there may be more than one suitable answer.
1. There has been a sharp increase in the different types of mobile phones coming on the market. (A.
The sharp increase in the different types B. This, however, C. A sharp increase in the different types
D. However, it) is happening at a time when the market place is saturated.
2. The government has ambitious plans to connect every home to the Internet. (A. Doing tat B. Were the
government to do this, it C. They D. To do so) would require considerable resources.
3. It is difficult to choose between the two arguments. (A. Both issues are B. They are both C. Both are
D. Both the arguments that are difficult are) equally valid.
4. The research found serious faults with a number of operational procedures, but little attention was
paid to (A. It B. The findings C. The research D. The research about serious faults).
5. The rate of increase in prices has slowed down considerably. (A. So much so B. The rate has slowed
down so much C. It has slowed down so much D. So much) that some governments are worried more
about deflation than inflation.
6. The finance minister resigned suddenly this week. (A. It B. A minister’s resignation C. Resignation
D. This sensational event) will certainly have an unsettling effect on the markets
7. Most people would never have believed (A. This B. It C. That D. What is to follow): the government
has decided to back the scheme financially.
8. Sales rose in a rather desultory manner for the first few months, but (A. a rise B. the increase C. the
rise D. it) was short-lived as shares slumped.
9. The off-shore oil exploration programme failed, because the financial backers withdrew their support
from (A. it B. the venture C. this D. the off-shore oil exploration programme).
10. (A. They had B. They C. Having D. Once they had) built up large network of contacts, the company
found it easier to market its products.
Exercise 13: connections for flexibility and fluency
When writing an essay, it is sometimes difficult to avoid repetition and at the same time to write fluently.
This requires a high degree of flexibility. In this exercise, you are going to focus on avoiding repeating
yourself while connecting a text.
Look at the list of items A-V below. Then read the text, which follows the list, and choose suitable items
from the list to connect the text. Note that in some cases more than one answer may be possible.
```
Remember to avoid repetition.
A. People who make too much noise

B. This
C. It
D. These
E. People making too much noise
F. Such anti-social behaviour
G. Noisy people
H. Loud music from neighbours
I. Is another source of annoyance
J. If people living in flats play hi-fi systems etc
too loudly, they
K. People living in flats who play hi-fi systems
etc too loudly
L. Anti-social behaviour of this kind
M. Flat-dwellers who play hi-fi systems etc too
loudly
N. Those making too much noise
O. They
P. Also constitutes a source of annoyance
Q. These curbs
R. Another thing that is annoying
S. Such rudeness in shops or over the telephone
T. Such rudeness
U. Nuisance
V. Such offending drivers
Noise, especially loud music from neighbours in blocks of flats, is a major nuisance 1 is
now such a frequent occurrence that the present law should be made even stricter
to curb 2
3 should be warned once only in writing and then speedily evicted. Loud music from
cars pasing or parked outside in the street 4 . As well as seizing the equipment, be it a car
radio or the car itself, 5 should have their licences endorsed. 6 on bad
behaviour may not deter the seasoned offender,
but 7 will reduce the 8
9 is people being rude, for example, shoppers who jump queues or shop assistants who
do not know how deal with customers. The public needs to complain more
and more about 10 Seeking compensation from organisations might also help.
Exercise 14: essay titles

It is important that you are able to interpret essay titles in the exam so that you write an essay that
answers the question. Your sentences need to fit together to form a paragraph and the paragraphs need to
fit the essay question, not just almost fit.
Look at the pairs of essay titles below. Decide what the similarities and differences are between each
essay in the pair. The first one has been done for you.
1. A What are main cause of crime?

B Crime is a major problem for many societies throughout the world and is
Increasing rather than decreasing. What are the main reasons for crime?
There are two basic similarities between on the two essays. In each essay, the general subject is crime
and the essay is organised around focus words: cause and reasons for, which both mean the same thing.
The difference is that the first essay title is presented as a question, whereas the second one makes a
statement about the present situation as regards crime and then poses a question. In the end, the content
and organization of the essays are basically the same..
2. A Only education can tackle anti-social behaviour, such as football hooliganism and vandalism.
Measures such as fines and prison sentences or curfews do not work. How far do you agree?
B Only measures such as fines and prison sentences or curfews can tackle anti-social behaviour
such as football hooliganism and vandalism. Education does not have any effect. To what extent
do you agree?
3. A How far do you agree or disagree that it is only education and not other measures such as fines
and prison sentences or curfews that can tackle anti-social, behaviour, such as football
hooliganism and vandalism?
B The only way to combat crime is through education. To what extent do you agree?
4. A Charging people for plastic bags in supermarkets and refunding money on glass bottles were once
the norm in some countries. Do you think that this is the best way to make people more aware of
the damage plastic bags and bottles cause to the environment?
B Discuss the best ways to make people aware of the need to care for wildlife.
5. A The abuse of animals, both wild and domestic, is increasing year by year. The numbers of species
of wild animal are decreasing through pressure on their habitat from man and cruelty to domestic
animals including pets is a serious problem. How can this cruelty be stopped?
What benefits do animals bring the human race?
B The abuse of animals, both wild and domestic, is increasing year by year. The numbers of species
of wild animal are decreasing through pressure on their habitat from man and cruelty to domestic
animals including pets is a serious problem. Should there be stiffer penalties for the abuse of
animals? What factors are involved in this abuse?
6. A What factors are involved in making people in the modern world feel insecure?
B People in the modern world feel more insecure than they used to be. Discuss the causes of this.
7. A People in the modern world feel more insecure than they used to be. Do you agree?
B People in the modern world feel more insecure than they used to be. How far do you agree or
Disagree?
8. A Modern technology like computers and mobile phones is more of a problem for parents than it is
for their children. How far do you agree? In what ways can adults be encouraged to embrace new
technology?
B Violence is one of the major scourges of the modern age. Can anything can be done to tackle this
problem? Or is violence just an inevitable consequence of modern life?
9. A It is important in today’s world to have as broad an education as possible.
Discuss the arguments for or against this issue.
B. Success is seen by many as a goal. However, it does have a downside. What are the major
disadvantages of being successful?
10. A More and more people throughout the world are using credit cards in one form or another. So
much so that the end of the cash age is being predicted. Are we moving toward a totally cash
free world? Or do you think that cash is here to stay?
B More and more people throughout the world are using credit cards is one form or another. So
much so, in fact, that the end of the cash age is being predicted. Discuss the problems that might
arise if this, in fact, happened.
Speaking Test Assessment
The IELTS speaking test is assessed using the following four criteria
Fluency and Coherence  Have you answered the question directly?

 Can you logically support what you are talking about
 Can you carry on speaking without hesitating or correcting
yourself?
 Do you use different discourse markers to start your
sentence?
Lexical Resource?  How wide is your vocabulary range?
 Are you using the correct words for the topic and
situation?
 How often do you use collocation and idiomatic language?
Grammatical Range and Accuracy  How regularly can you speak without making mistakes?
 How often do you use complex sentences accurately when
you speak?
Pronunciation  Can you pronounce the sounds of English accurately?
 Are your stress and intonation patterns natural?
 Can you separate your language into meaningful parts?
 Can most of what you say be clearly understood?
Understanding The test

EXAM INFORMATION: The speaking test is divided into 3 sections
 Part 1 : Lasts about 4-5 minutes. You will be asked a number of questions about a range of personal topics
 Part 2 : Last about 3-4 minutes. You will be given a topic. You will be given 1 minute to make notes and prepare
what you are going to say. You will talk about yourself and your experiences
 Part 3 : Lasts about 4-5 minutes. You will be asked some general questions linked to the topic you spoke about
in part 2.
L1 Listen to a candidate talking about the IELTS test

1. Fill in the gaps as you listen to answer Questions I -6. What is different about the 3 parts of the test?
How many expressions with ‘end’ do you hear?
Although I’d practised for hours 1.................... . I was still quite nervous before my speaking test
because I didn’t know what to expect. 2.......................it was really not as bad as I thought it
would be. In Parts 1 and 2 the topics were much more 3................. and I mostly spoke about
myself, my family, friends and experiences I’d had. I did notice the test changed in Part 3; the
questions seemed more formal to me and I had to speak more about 4............ and 5................
Issues. I suppose 6 .................... it was like any interview; I had to listen carefully to the
questions and make sure my answers were clear.
2. Match the example responses in Column В to the appropriate part of the IELTS Speaking test in Column
A.
Column A Column B
Part 1 1 When I think about old buildings, one particular building springs to mind. It is in the north
of my country and I went there with my family last year.
2 The way I see it, music and culture cannot be separated, but then again, it does also
depend on other factors like age and how you were brought up.
3 Teachers need to be more aware of how their behaviour can affect the way their students
Part 2 learn. My own personal experiences and those of my friends certainly proved that this is the
case. Like many others, we had teachers whose methods actually made us not want to learn.
4 I absolutely hate cooking! I’ll make up any excuse not to have to do it.
Part 3
5 I’m going to talk about the friend I spend most time with. I’ve known her since I was a
child. In fact, our mothers were close friends, so we probably saw each other most
weekends.
6 Well, I’ve been doing the same job now for about 10 years. I’m a doctor and I work in a
general hospital, but I also run my own private clinic.
PART 1
Introduction
The speaking test begins with introductions.
• The examiner introduces himself/herself. ‘Good morning. My name is Cynthia Brown. I’ll be your examiner. ’
• The examiner asks for your name. 'Can you tell me your name please?’ DO NOT SPELL YOUR NAME. DO
NOT GIVE EXTRA INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR NAME.
• The examiner asks for identification. ‘Can I see your identification please? DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE
YOUR PASSPORT OR ID CARD INTO THE TEST ROOM.
1. Read the following introduction to an IELTS speaking test. Underline the five mistakes in the candidates’
response.
Examiner: Can you tell me your name please?
Candidate: My name is Donciano Delafuente. You spell that D-E-L-A-F-U-E-N-T-E. It means ‘of the
fountain and it is an old Spanish name, which is quite interesting as my family actually comes from Italy.
I'm 28 years old and I'm single.
Give relevant answers

Your responses must directly answer the examiner’s question.
Read the following questions. Which response, А, В, С or D, completely answers the question?
1. Question: What time do you like getting up in the morning?

a) I really hate getting up in the morning.
b) I have no idea.
c) I have to get up really early because I’m a doctor so I usually get up around 6.30, but if I had the choice,
I’d prefer to get up at 9 o’clock.
d) I am a single mum so I have to get up at 5.00. I make breakfast for my children. Then I have to get my
children ready for school. I get them dressed and take them to school and then I go to work. I drive to work
and the traffic is always bad in my city so it takes me a really long time to get there.
2. Question: How often do you use the library?
a) Not as much as I should, but I try to go at least once a week.
b) I’m a teacher and I make sure my students go to the library every day because I know how important that
is for them and for their learning.
c) I think libraries are so important for us.
d) We have the internet now so I don’t believe people see the need to go to libraries anymore. It’s really a
bad thing.
3. Question: Do you think it’s important to make plans?

a) Of course, why not?
b) I have made an important plan recently. I’m going to my new job in Australia so that’s why this IELTS is
very important for me. I need level 7. It’s really necessary for me and my family.
c) I’m an English teacher, so I have to make lesson plans every day. It’s an essential part of my job.
d) Absolutely. A plan is what gives you direction. I think we probably save a lot of time by making plans
before we do something.
2 L2 Listen to three candidates answering Part I questions below. Which responses logically answer the
questions (A) and which ones go off-topic (О)? Write an A or О next to each speaker.
Was it difficult to get accepted on this

course?
Will you have to study more before you start
working?
Speaker I: Question I______ Question 2

Speaker 2: Question I ______ Question 2
Speaker 3: Question I ______ Question 2
Talking about different topics

EXAM INFORMATION: In Part I you have to speak about 3 topics. You may be asked a number of questions
about each one. You need to practise thinking quickly. You also need to have a wide range of ideas so that you
can change from one topic to the next.
1 Look at the following Part I topics and related questions. Write your own question for each one.
Topic I: Jobs
1 What kind of work do you do?
2 Did you have to study before you started this job?
3 Is this a popular career choice in your country?
4 (Your idea)..........................................
Topic 2: Neighbours
1 Do you get on with your neighbours?
2 Do people in your country usually spend time socially with their neighbours?
3 Is it important to have neighbours?
4 (Your idea)..........................................
Topic 3: Time
1 Do you always try to be on time for meetings and appointments?
2 Can you think of any situations where it is acceptable to be late?
3 How do your friends organise their time (i.e. Do they make a diary?)?
4 (Your idea).........................................................
2 Work with a partner. Take it in turns to be the candidate and the examiner. Ask each other the questions
from exercise I.
3 Work with a partner. Take it in turns to be the candidate and the examiner. Ask each other the following
Part I questions
Topic I: Studies
1 Are you attending school or university at the moment?
2 Is it important for you to study alone or in a group?
3 What kinds of things do you have to do as part of your studies that you need a computer for?
4 What would you like to study in the future?
Topic 2: Food
1 Do you think your diet is healthy?
2 Is traditional food popular in your country?
3 Do you think it is important that children are encouraged to eat healthily?
Topic 3: Animals
1 What is your favourite animal?
2 Did you keep animals as pets when you were a child?
3 Do you think children should be taught to look after animals?
Explaining your likes and dislikes

In Parts I and 2, you have to say what you like and don’t like. You need to:
• Learn some expressions to describe likes and dislikes.
• Give reasons for your preferences.
1 L3 Listen to 2 candidates answering the Part I question below. Make notes in the table as you listen.
a) What expressions are used to show likes and dislikes?
b) Does the speaker give any reasons for these likes or dislikes?
c) What tenses does Speaker I use?
Question: Do you like keeping flowers in your house?
Speaker I Speaker 2
A likes/Dislikes A likes/Dislikes
B Reasons B reasons
2 Read the following candidate answers to Part I questions. Replace the underlined words with a synonym
parallel expression. An example has been done for you.
Question: Do you prefer eating at home or in restaurants?
Candidate: I like eating at home. but I prefer eating in restaurants.
Although I do sometimes enjoy cooking in my own kitchen. I think eating out is much better.
1 Question: Which musical instrument would you like to start playing?

Candidate: I would like to start playing the piano.
2 Question: What’s the best thing about your home town?

Candidate: I think the best thing about my home town is the mountains around it.
3 Question: What do you like about spending time with friends?

Candidate: What I like about spending time with friends is that we always have fun together.
4 Study the expressions in the Useful Language box below. Use them when you speak and make them part
of your speaking vocabulary. Keep adding any new expressions that you see and hear.
Useful Language: explaining likes and dislikes
Likes Dislikes
I really enjoy... I can’t stand...

One of the nicest things about... is... I don’t care that much for...
I love... One of my least favourite
It makes me happy when... things is...
I’m very fond of... I don’t particularly like...
I’m not really fond of...
Examples:
1 love swimming. Examples:
It makes me happy when my wife has I can't stand driving in rush-
dinner ready for me when 1 get home from hour traffic.
work. I don't particularly like
shopping
Part I topics
Look at the following possible Part I topics. Build vocabulary around these topics
PART I
 Your spare time This is for you to add notes and questions you think
• Your studies an examiner may ask you.
• Your family / childhood
• Food / restaurants / meals Example: Your spare time
• Your hobbies / interests • What do you like to do in your free time?
• Your country / home town • Is free time important to you?
• Your job • Do you prefer to be with your family or with your
• Your accommodation friends in your free time?
• Your room
• An achievement you are proud of Example: Letters and emails
• The internet • Do you usually write letters, or emails?
• Dreams • When did you first send someone an email?
• Animals • Do you think people will still use a pen and paper
• Newspapers/magazines to write with in the future?
• Neighbours/neighbourhoods
• Letters and emails
• The weather
• Plants and flowers
• Fruit and vegetables
• Radio and television
KEEP ADDING TO THE LIST
PART 2
Talking about a topic
EXAM STRATEGY
In Part 2 you will be given a topic card. On this card there are prompts to help you structure what you say.
These prompts usually begin with a question word. i.e. 'What...Who...When...’ Think of something to say about
each one. You should try to use your own experiences and ideas.
You need to:
• Keep to the topic.
• Keep to the tense.
• Keep talking
1 Read the following Part 2 topic card and the candidate’s answer. Underline the expressions that introduce
each prompt.
Describe something you did that you are proud of.
You should say:

• What it was
• When you did it
• How it made you feel
You should also say what effect this achievement had on your life.
What it was I’m going to talk about what I feel is probably my greatest achievement. I guess many people
are proud of things having to do with their job ... maybe the amount of money they’ve made,
but I suppose mine is more of an emotional achievement. I’m exceptionally proud of a
competition I once took part in.
It was about 5 years ago when I was still at university. I was studying engineering and there
When you did it was a competition to see who could come up with a safer and more eco-friendly way of
processing waste oil.
After the competition, I remember feeling exhausted and relieved that it was all over. I did not
How it made you feel win, which was a bit disappointing for me, but I was told by one of the judges that he really
liked my ideas. What he said made me decide to keep some of my designs because I truly
believed they would work. I’m really glad I did because, as it turns out, some of those
processes that I designed then are now being used in the gas company I work for and that
makes me very proud.
2 L4 Listen to a candidate answering the following Part 2 topic card and answer the questions.
Describe a vehicle you would like to own.
You should say:

• What it is
• What it would look like
• Where you first saw it
You should also say if this vehicle is popular in your country
1 Does the candidate use the prompts to help him?

2 Does he keep to the topic?
3 Is his answer long enough?
4 What did he do well?
5 How could he have improved his answer?
3 Work with a partner. Talk for at least one minute about the topic below. Check that your partner:
• Speaks for 1 minute.
• Keeps to the topic.
• Uses the correct verb tenses
Describe the place where you grew up.
You should say:

• Where it was
• How long you lived there
• What you liked about it
You should also say if you think this is a good place for children to grow up
in. You need to speak for 1 to 2 minutes.
4 After you have spoken about the subject outlined on the topic card, you may be asked 1 or 2 follow-up
questions. Look back at the topic cards in questions 1 and 2. Read the examples below and match the
follow-up questions to each topic. Write A (Topic Card I) or В (Topic Card 2) for questions 1-4.
1. Do you think you will buy this vehicle one day? TOPIC
2. Did you tell anyone else about what you did? TOPIC
3. Do you still feel the same way about this? TOPIC
4. Will this be expensive to buy? TOPIC
Pronunciation: Final consonants

Pronunciation mistakes can make you lose marks in the IELTS speaking test. If the examiner cannot understand
what you are saying, it is difficult to get a good mark.
Remember:
Open your mouth (even if it feels unnatural). Do not speak through your teeth. Do not mumble. Make sure you
have pronounced the ends of words or sentences. Do not swallow sounds. In particular, sounds like /s/, /z/, /d/,
/к/,/п/ and /I/.
L5 Look at the words below. Fill in the gaps to make the words then put them in the correct place in the
table a according to their final consonant sound. Listen and check your answers.
/s/ /z/z /d/ /k/ /n/ /l/
2. L6 Read the following Part 2 Topic Card and the Candidate’s answer. Practice reading it aloud and
make sure the final consonants in the underline words are pronounced. Add any new words to the table
above. You can listen to the candidate’s answer on the Audio CD.
Describe a conversation you had recently that changed your way of
thinking.
You should say:

 Who you spoke to
 What you spoke about
 What you liked about it
You should also say if you think we communicate enough today.
I remember one conversation in particular that changed my whole way of thinking about teaching children. It was a
seminar I attended on the importance of teaching reading at kindergarten level. I spoke to a professor afterwards who
said he thought it was essential children were taught to read| as early as possible. He moved on to say that teachers
should not be frightened of using electronic books. At first I thought this sounded insane, but then he said that children
were extremely sociable at this age and enjoyed working together. Sometimes trying to force them to read books was
futile. An easy solution was to allow them to use computers, and he said every primary school teacher today knows the
convenience of using these in the class. I liked his suggestion that a long-term solution required an expansion into the
e-book market. He finished by explaining that the government needs to start making changes to education policies. I
think a fundamental problem is that we don't talk ^enough to each other today, so changes are difficult to make
Part 2 topics
Look at the following possible Part 2 topics. Build vocabulary around these topics. Practise speaking about each one
for 1 minute
PART 2
 A book you have read • A plan you have made
 A person you admire • A conversation you had recently that
 An achievement you’re proud of changed your way of thinking
 A toy you played with • The type of weather you particularly like
 A party you attended • Your school days
 A festival you’ve been to • A television programme you watch
• A piece of jewelry
 A trip you’ve been on
• A garden/park you enjoy visiting
 A film you’ve watched
• An old building you remember
 A place you would like to visit
• A course you are interested in
 Your favourite form of transport • A family member you like to be wit
 Your favourite style of dress
 Your best friend KEEP ADDING TO THE LIST
 A sport you enjoy playing*
 A song you like listening to
PART 3
Introducing and organizing your opinions
EXAM INFORMATION:
In Part 3 the examiner will say: 7 will now ask you some GENERAL questions. ’ This means:
 Do not talk personally about yourself. You can use your personal experiences as a common example, but make sure
you show this clearly in the language you use.
Example: Most men in my country, like myself, enjoy being competitive, especially when it comes to sport. But I feel
competition is important in many areas, such as business, so it is not exclusive to sport.
 Talk about the world as a whole. Use global examples where possible.
Example: I think the problem of traffic in cities is something that can be seen on an international scale in most major cities in
the world, especially in countries like the UK and the USA.
1. Structure what you say

1. Introduce your ideas with a sentence starter.
2. . Support your main idea by adding extra information - an example or a reason.
Extra Information (Reason)

Your main idea:
“…..It is not only the
The main reason behind my thinking
Sentence starter government’s responsibility to
this is that the general public has to
“Basically I feel that..” solve the problems caused by
accept the part they have to play. If we
heavy traffic.”
don’t all work together, then the
problem will probably never go away
2 Study the expressions in the Useful Language Box below.

Use them when you speak and make them part of your speaking vocabulary. Keep adding any new expressions that you see
and hear.
Useful Language: structuring what you say

Sentence starters: Introducing your ideas and Extra information to make your ideas
opinions clearer
• Basically, I feel that... Giving reasons and examples
• If it were up to me I’d... • One example that springs to mind us...
• I think ... should... • Probably the best example I can think of
• My idea is that... should... is...
• To me, what we need to be focusing on is... • • In my country for instance...
Personally speaking... • The reason I feel this way is because...
• It would seem to me that... • There are several reasons why...
• Without a doubt I believe that...I truly believe • One relatively easy way to do this is...
that... • Mainly, this is because...
• I think most people feel / believe / think / accept
that...
• I think you can look at this in a number of
different ways...
• The thing we need to be looking at is...
Examples:
• Basically I feel that advertising can make people
buy things.
• If it were up to me, I’d put a higher tax on big
cars to try and encourage people to use public
transport more.
• To me, what we need to be focusing on is how to
make our economy stronger.
• I think governments should put more money into
adult education.
• I think most people feel that women are just as
capable of managing a company as men.
• I truly believe that we will find an alternative
energy source in the future.
• One example that springs to mind is how winter
can make you/someone feel more depressed
because there is not much sunlight. • There are
several reasons why houses in hot countries are
built this way. The first one is that they are
designed to reflect heat.
3 Find appropriate phrases from the Useful Language Box to complete the following Part 3 main ideas. Use your own ideas to
make your ideas clearer where necessary. The first one has been done as an example
0 Children don’t 1. Advertising on the 2. Families need to spend 3. Self-study is better

enjoy reading as internet has more more time together. than studying with a
much these days positive effects than teacher
negative ones
0 It would seem to me that children don’t enjoy reading as much these days. In my
country for instance, most children prefer to watch television or play computer games,
to me, what we need to be focusing on is educating parents and getting them to spend
more time reading with theirchildren. One relatively easy way to do this is by reading
them bedtime stories.
Pronunciation: Pausing and Chunking

When we write, we use punctuation to make our writing easier to follow. When we speak we need to do the following to
make our ideas easier to follow:
1 Breathe. When you are nervous, you may speak too quickly and forget to breathe regularly.
2 Pause in the right places.
3 Break up what you say into logical ‘chunks.
1 L7 Listen to a candidate answering the following Part 3 question and answer the questions.
Do you think the telephone is a popular form of communication?
1 Does he pause in the right places?
2 Is his answer easy to follow?
3 Does he sound like he knows exactly what he is talking about?
4 Does he sound natural?
5 Would this candidate get a good mark for fluency?
6 Would this candidate get a good mark for pronunciation?
2 L8 Read a candidate’s answer to the following Part 3 question and divide the sentences into a logical chunks, Listen
and check your answer.
Do men and women like to read different types of books?

Yes, I think it's in this way because the nature of women and men are уёгу different so I think they choose
different subjects and they have different tastes in reading. Yes for example I think women are very
interested in reading novels that are based on love and affection. On the other hand I think men are very
interested to read books for example the adventures and for example stories that are based on the travel of
the person I mean biography for example and things like that.
3 L9 Listen to the candidate’s answer again and answer the following questions.
1 Does she pause in the right places?
2 Is her answer easy to follow?
3 Does she sound like she knows exactly what she is talking about?
4 Does she sound natural?
7 What could the candidate do to improve her answer?
Pronunciation: Intonation
Intonation can show your attitudes and feelings. In English intonation, the voice usually goes up for a question and it falls to
show completed statements.
1 L10 Listen to a candidate answering the following Part 3 question and answer the questions.
Should boys and girls be given the same toys to play with?
1 Is his answer easy to follow?

2 Does he use intonation?
3 Does he sound natural?
2 L11 Now listen to another candidate answering the same question.
Predicting the future

EXAM INFORMATION:
In the IELTS Speaking test you may need to make predictions about future events or situations as in the exercise below.
1 L12 Listen to a candidate answering the question from the box above. Fill in the gaps as you listen.
Examiner Do you think travelling will still be necessary in the future?
Well, I think I ) ........................that people will still need to travel in the future, especially people like
businessmen and politicians. Of course, video-conferencing will 2)..................... mean that lots of meetings
can be done from the office. Having said that, Г т 3)......................... no future developments in technology
will ever take away people’s need to see new places first-hand and meet people face-to-face. The other thing
is that families are also much further apart geographically today than they used to be. Different family
members live and work abroad and I think this trend will 4)................. continue in the future, which means
people will have to travel to go and visit their families.
Put the expressions from Exercise 3 into the table below.

I am sure I am fairly sure I am not sure
3 Add the following expressions to the table above.

1 I’m not actually sure if/whether...
2 There’s no doubt in my mind that...
3 I would most definitely say that...
4 There is a good chance that...
5 I am absolutely convinced that...
6 It’s impossible to say if/whether...
7 No-one really knows if...
8 There is a very real possibility that...
9 I don’t really know if...
10 I truly believe that...
11 It could be/might be said that...
4 Work with a partner. Take it in turns to be the candidate and the examiner. Ask each other the following Part 3
questions. Use the expressions from the table to help you.
1 Where will most people live in the future, in towns or in the countryside?
2 Is it likely that we will still be reading books in paper form in the future?
3 Will people in your country have a healthier diet in I0 years time?
4 Do you think business men and women will still travel abroad for meetings in the future?
5 Do you think that people in the future will still want to learn about the history of their country?
6 What will be the most serious problem cities will have to face in the future?
5 L13 Listen to a candidate talking about his future study plans. What expressions does he use? Write Y for Yes or N
for No for Questions I -8.
1 I aim to... _______
2 I intend to... _______
3 What I hope to develop from this is... _______
4 My main goal is to... _______
5 The main focus is to... _______
6 I hope it’ll help me to... _______
7 The main purpose is to... _______
8 What I hope to achieve from this is... _______
6 Read the advertisement for a language course you are going to be taking. Talk about your plans and what you hope
to achieve. Use the expressions from Question 5 to help you.
ACADEMIC SPEAKING SKILLS COURSE

Length of course: 3 hours per week for 4 weeks.
Course Aims:
a) lo learn how to effectively communicate in English at university.
b) To learn how to take part in discussions.
c) To get practice in expressing your ideas on a wide range of topics.
d) To build confidence in speaking in front of people.
Part 3 topics
Look at the following possible Part 3 topics. Build vocabulary around these topics. Remember the vocabulary you use for Part
3 speaking is formal. It is similar to the writing style you need for Task 2.
PART 3
 The media  The importance of free time in our modern world.
 Journalism and if journalists have a responsibility to tell the  The importance of making plans and having goals.
truth.  Immigration.
 Advertising.  The importance of history and understanding your
 Music and culture. own country’s history.
 The protection of wild animals.  International history compared to local history.
 The environment.  Studying and working abroad.
 Education.  Private and public transport - advantages and
 Human relations / communication. disadvantages.
 Population growth.
 Social problems and issues.
 Your government and some of their policies
on health, education etc.
 Charities / International Aid.
 The nature of human happiness.
 The relationship between employers and employees.
PARTS 1, 2 and 3
Using Idiomatic language
1 Look at the two examples from a candidate’s answer to the Speaking Part 1 topic Your Studies. Which of the
answers is better and why?
Speaker 1
I'm studying at the moment and I must confess that I find exams particularly stressful. Of course, I have
good days and bad days like everyone else. Some days I'm so stressed out that I feel I want to throw in the
towel. All I can do at such times is call it a day and get a good night's sleep! I usually find that things look
different in the morning. It's like you have a fresh start and you can start studying again. At the end of the
day, I know I have no choice; if I want to pass, I have to study!
Speaker 2
To tell you the truth, I'm a student and I really find it difficult to meet deadlines, especially essays. My
mother said always I'm a bookworm! I usually find I have to work really hard, both day and night, but the
early bird catches the worm. Of course I know I'll feel much better when I finally hand in my work because
every coin has two sides.
2 Add the idioms in the box to the sentences. Use a dictionary to check the meaning of any idioms you do not know.
You may have to change the grammar.
A) to be part and parcel B) to be on the same wavelength C) in this day and age
D) one thing that strikes me about... E) in the long run F) a fresh start
G) to get the wrong end of the stick H) get through the red tape I) to go round in circles
J) (start) from scratch K) to read between the lines L) at the end of the day
M) to call it a day N) to throw in the towel O) to wear your heart on your sleeve
P) to call the shots Q) the be-all and end-all
1. I think you must have............................................ That wasn’t what I meant at all. You completely misunderstood
what I was saying.
2. My sister really.............................................................. She gets so emotional about every little thing.
3. I can’t understand young people who think playing computer games is th e ................................... of everything. I
think there’s more to life than sitting in front of a computer screen.
4. I honestly believe that the automobile industry should now completely forget about fossil fuels and by looking for
alternative forms of energy.
5. It is not going to be easy for us to set up this new company. It’s still a developing country so we are going to have to
find ways to ........................................... and deal with all the government regulations.
6. Although learning a new language is frustrating, I never considered..................................................because quitting is
not an option for me.
7. ....................................... it’s hard to imagine our lives now without Facebook and Twitter.
8. Writing emails is certainly more time-consuming than talking on the phone, but...........................................
particularly in business, sometimes there has to be a written record.
9. Although recycling may initially cost a great deal of money,............................... it will benefit the environment and
could cut down on the detrimental effects caused by global warming.
10. My family and I are planning to move to Canada because we feel we really need.....................
11. The student council meeting seemed to take forever. The discussion kept................................ because some of the
students could not agree, so it took about two hours before a decision was made.
12. My sister and I have always been really close. We have so much in common and I can instantly tell when she is
upset because we .............................................
13. ................................................ this whole issue of being in fashion is that young people are spending way too much
money on clothes. It’s almost becoming a negative obsession.
14. Making mistakes is ................................... of the language learning process but, it is only by correcting their
mistakes that learners can move to the next stage.
15. Sometimes I feel it’s better to ................................. than to struggle for hours with no results.
16. You mustn’t take anything he says at face value because he is very good at hiding his feelings. The only way is to
.................................to find out what the truth is.
17. To a large extent, it’s the bigger multi-national companies that a re ......................................... now, especially when it
comes to influencing which products will dominate the international market. Smaller businesses just don’t have
enough resources or power to compete.
3 Answer the following Speaking Part 3 questions with a partner. Use idioms from Exercise 2 where appropriate.
1. (Topic: Fashion) Do you think people in your country will still be wearing traditional clothes in 10 years’ time?
2. (Topic: Sport) Assess how sport competitions such as the Olympic Games can help relations between
differentcountries to develop and improve.
3. (Topic: Aid) Compare the roles and influence of local and international charities.
4. (Topic: Childhood) Evaluate how much a happy childhood can influence a person’s development as an adult.
5. (Topic: Competition) Do you think encouraging children to compete is positive or negative?
6. (Topic: Languages) Is it necessary to learn the culture of a country to learn the language?
Using collocations
4 Study the expressions in the Useful Language Box on the opposite page. Use them when you speak and make them
part of your speaking vocabulary. Keep adding any new expressions that you see and hear.
Useful language : collocations

Adverb + verb Verb + “time’ Adjective + ‘time’
 I strongly believe that…….  Spend time (with)  Free time
 I honestly believe that…  Waste time  Spare time
 I sincerely hope……….  Save time
 I totally support……  Make time
Example:
Examples  I spend most of my free
 I sincerely hope that people time with my husband
will still use libraries in the  Parents need to make
future. more time to be with their
 I totally support the idea of children
having more green spaces like
parks in cities
5 Find 2 adjectives from the box that commonly collocate with each of the nouns below,
disruptive relaxed expensive healthy negative anti-social
I a)______________________________ b )________________________+ lifestyle
2 a) b) + attitude
3 a) b) + behavior
6 Which noun in each sentence does NOT collocate with the verb?
1 make + a) an effort b) progress c) an influence d) a difference

2 save + a) energy b) habits c) space d) lives
3 keep + a) attention b) track c) calm d) a record
4 come + a) to a compromise b) to a standstill c) to a schedule d) to an agreement
5 go + a) cooking b) abroad c) online d) bankrupt
6 take + a) a break b) a fine c) an exam d) notes
7 Read a candidate’s answer to the following Part 3 question and underline the collocations.
How can people be encouraged to use public transport?
First of all, the most important thing for people nowadays is time. They don’t want to actually
waste their time so the public transport services should be very quick and run without any delays. I mean
it’s a real problem for me as a businessman when trains don’t run on time. Public transport should also be
easy to access. The other point is the expenses. I feel it should be cheap because if we are expected to use
it, then it should be affordable. Maybe governments should pay some kind of subsidy to reduce the charges
that the general public has to pay
8 L14 Listen to a candidate answering the following Part I question and answer the questions.
Do you like the place where you're living at the moment?
1 Does she use collocations?
2 Is her answer easy to follow?
3 Does her English sound natural?
5 Would this candidate get a good mark for vocabulary?
Further practice: Parts 1, 2 and 3

EXAM INFORMATION:
Remember that you should:
• Answer the question directly.
• Develop your answer - give a short reason / example / explanation to support your idea.
For example:
Examiner: Do you enjoy reading?
‘Oh yes, definitely; there’s nothing I like better than to sit and read in the evenings just before I go to bed. I find it
really relaxing and it also helps me sleep.'
1 Work with a partner. Ask each other the following Part I questions.
Topic: Books
1 Do you enjoy reading? (Why/Why not?)
2 Has the internet changed the way you read?
3 Do you think we will still read books in the future?
Topic: Films
1 How often do you watch films?
2 Do you prefer to watch films on DVD or at the cinema? (Why?)
3 Do you think parents should control the kinds of films their children watch?
Topic: Mobile Phones

1 Are mobile phones popular in your country?
2 Is there anything you don’t like about mobile phones? (Why?)
3 Do you think children should be allowed to have mobile phones?
Topic: Emails
1 How often do you write emails?
2 What sorts of things do you usually write about?
3 Do you think emails is a good way to communicate with others? (Why / Why not?)
2 L15 Listen to a candidate talking about films and answer the following questions.
1 What sentence starters does he use?
2 What language does he use to show his likes / dislikes?
3 Look at the following Part 2 topics. Work with a partner. Take it in turns to be the examiner and the candidate
Use the questions in exercise I to assess each other.
Examiner: I’d like you to speak about the following topic for I to 2 minutes. First, you have one minute to make notes
and think about what you are going to say.
4 L16 Listen to a candidate talking about a song he enjoys listening to. Answer the following questions:
1 What sentence starters does he use? 2 What collocations does he use?
5L17 Read part of the candidate’s answer and divide the sentences into logical chunks. Underline the main words that
are stressed. Listen and check your answer
And one of the reasons I like this song is as I said before... the guitars. It’s a > rock-and-roll beat to the
song, but it’s also a... you know, it’s a coming-of-age song. It’s about young love. It reminds me of my
working-class upbringing. It’s about cars and the highway and young peoples’ dreams. I think most
people enjoy music for pretty much the same reasons as I do. Because music or songs usually tell a
story or they inspire people or sometimes they bring back memories... or bring up dreams that you once
had or dreams that you might still have. And I think that’s very important to people. It kind of lightens
the load ... And it’s ... it’s what music is all about, as far as I’m concerned.
6 Now ask each other the following Part 3 questions that follow on from the Part 2 topics in question 3. Take it in
turns to be the examiner and the candidate.
Examiner: Now I’d like to ask you a few general questions about the topic you’ve just been speaking about
Topic I: TV programmes
1 Compare the kinds of TV programmes that children and adults usually enjoy watching.
2 Do you think that parents should control how much television their children watch?
3 Evaluate the effectiveness of television as a means of communicating the news compared with other media forms
such as the internet and radio.
Topic 2: Music
1 Do people in your country prefer to listen to local or international music? (Why / Why not?)
2 Describe the importance of music in showing the culture of a country.
3 Evaluate the effect of technology (such as the internet) on music.
Topic 3: Advertising
1 Should companies be targeting children in their advertising campaigns?
2 Compare the use of the internet in advertising with other media forms such as television and radio.
3 Do you think advertisements should be censored? (Why / Why not?)
Topic 4: Photographs
1 Do you think photographs are important in helping us remember our past?
2 Why do you think people like to keep childhood photographs?
3 Should the private lives of famous people be respected by the media? (Why / Why not?)
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FOREWORD

Founder and Chief Executive Officer

WHO TAKES THE IELTS?

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ACADEMIC AND

General Training Reading Test

General Training Writing Test

Academic Writing test

 Discuss abstract issues

HOW DO YOU REGISTER?

IELTS and the Common European Framework of Reference

How Long is the Listening paper?

What type of information will I hear?

Will I hear the recording more than once?

How is the Listening paper assessed?

How do I answer the questions?

How can I improve my Listening paper score?

Section Listening test questions Context

2.1 3 Listen and write the letters you hear.

3.3 6 Listen and complete the information below.

1 How much does the woman pay for her room?£

1 The survey found that the majority of students drink

2 What point does the speaker make about skiing?

4 According to the speaker, which two can weigh the same?

people description information wanted

Test Tip Pay

1. Identifying distractors Test Tip For most

Test Tip You should

Test Tip The distracters

1. Understanding mechanical parts

Spin Push Hold Drag Wrap

1.4 Listen and complete the diagram

First, Then, Next, Then, neatly Finally

1. Identifying attitudes and opinions

2.1 Look at the Listening Section 3 task below.

2.2 25 Listen and complete the task

Presentation Sections Decisions

3.2 26 Listening and answer the questions in 3.1.

1. Identifying main ideas

Paul was interested in the 1……………………. so took an ecology course at university.

2. Understanding how ideas are connected

3.1 Read the two multiple-choice questions below. Use the

1.2 Match the extracts 1-6 in 1.1 to uses A-C below.

2. Comparing and contrasting ideas

2 What type of information will you need to write for Question 1?

Plants that changed the world

3. Using notes to follow a talk

Plants that changed the world

Prehistory: flowering plants

 Arrived about 130 million years ago

 Discovered in China, played a key role in USA, China & UK

202 BC: White Mulberry

 In demand from 201 BC when it was essential in the production of 3 …………………..

 Originated in Central and South America, brought to Europe by the 6 ………………….

What’s the difference between Academic Reading and General Training

How long does the IELTS Reading paper last?

What type of information will I read?

How is the Reading paper assessed?

 Identify the writer’s overall purpose

What type of questions will I need to answer?

How do I answer the questions?

How can I improve my Reading paper score?

1 In chemistry, an alkali is the opposite of an acid. Tannins exist in all

1.5 What helped you to identify the definition of each word?