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IELTS Preparation Vocabulary
IELTS Preparation Vocabulary
Chào bạn!
Trong tay bạn bây giờ là quyển Vocabulary thuộc bộ sách IELTS Preparation do IELTS Fighter biên
soạn dành tặng đến cộng đồng fan IELTS Fighter nhân dịp sinh nhật IELTS Fighter tròn 5 tuổi thay
lời tri ân các bạn đã luôn đồng hành và ủng hộ trung tâm trong thời gian qua.
Nhận thức được tầm quan trọng trong việc giúp các bạn củng cố kiến thức tiếng Anh nền tảng
nhằm bước đầu làm quen với bài thi IELTS, đội ngũ học thuật của IELTS Fighter đã biên soạn
cuốn sách IELTS Preparation Vocabulary. Cuốn sách này bám sát theo các chủ đề từ vựng phổ
biến, vừa xuất hiện trong chương trình học mới của Bộ Giáo dục & Đào tạo, vừa là những chủ
đề rất hay gặp trong bài thi IELTS. Thông qua đó, các bạn sẽ có cơ hội ôn tập, củng cố lại những
kiến thức vừa học trên lớp, và vận dụng được nguồn từ vựng này vào các dạng bài cơ bản
trong IELTS.
IELTS Fighter mong rằng cuốn sách các bạn đang cầm trên tay sẽ đóng vai trò như viên gạch
đầu tiên giúp các bạn nắm được cấu trúc bài thi IELTS, xây dựng lượng từ vựng cần thiết, vừa
phục vụ cho quá trình học tại trường, vừa tạo tiền đề cho quá trình ôn luyện IELTS để đạt
được mức điểm các bạn đề ra trong tương lai.
Các bạn truy cập file nghe tại link: https://bit.ly/2V4PKcZ hoặc quét mã QR
Chúc các bạn học tốt và luôn nỗ lực hết mình trên chặng đường chinh phục IELTS của bản
thân!
Thân ái,
Đội ngũ học thuật IELTS Fighter
Để tận dụng hiệu quả cuốn Ebook này, các bạn nên:
IELTS Fighter hiểu rằng, ở lứa tuổi này, có nhiều bạn đã nghe đến bài thi IELTS nhưng chưa
thực sự hiểu rõ về cấu trúc đề thi, hình thức thi cũng như những lợi ích khi sở hữu chứng chỉ.
Bởi vậy, các bạn nên dành thời gian để đọc những thông tin quan trọng này (Những kiến thức
tổng quan về bài thi IELTS được đề cập ở trang 5 và kiến thức tổng quan về từng kĩ năng Nghe
– Nói – Đọc – Viết cũng được thể hiện từ trang 7-17), nhằm hiểu rõ hơn về bài thi, cũng như
xác định rõ hơn về hành trang cần chuẩn bị để đạt được mức điểm như mong muốn trong
tương lai.
Một vấn đề rất hay gặp ở đa số người học đó là việc chưa xác định được thời gian cụ thể dành
cho việc học của bản thân, đặc biệt là với đối tượng là các bạn học sinh còn dành thời gian
ngoài nhà trường cho các hoạt động giải trí, học phụ đạo và giúp đỡ công việc gia đình. Bởi
vậy, để tránh việc học không đạt được hiệu quả tối đa, các bạn nên lên sẵn cho mình thời gian
biểu cụ thể, tốt nhất là cố định một khung giờ học tiếng Anh với thời lượng ít nhất là 45-60
phút/ngày. Khoảng thời gian học này nên được phân chia cụ thể để đáp ứng được mục đích
vừa ôn tập lại từ vựng đã học, vừa tiếp nạp thêm thông tin mới. Ví dụ, các bạn nên dành 10
phút đầu để nhắc lại lượng kiến thức đã học từ hôm trước và 10 phút cuối cùng trong ngày
để tổng kết lại toàn bộ từ vựng đã học cho buổi hôm nay.
3. Lựa chọn phương pháp ghi nhớ từ vựng thích hợp với bản thân
Để ghi nhớ được từ vựng hiệu quả trong thời gian dài, các bạn cần tìm ra cho mình phương
pháp ghi nhớ từ vựng phù hợp với bản thân. Hiện nay, một trong những phương pháp phổ
biến là sử dụng Flashcard bằng cách viết từ vựng, nghĩa, phiên âm và ví dụ vào một mẩu giấy,
Unit 4. Education 49
Unit 5. Jobs 58
Unit 6. Traffic 66
Unit 7. Society 73
Unit 8. Environment 82
Cuộc đàm thoại giữa hai người với chủ đề xoay quanh tình huống trong cuộc
Phần 1 sống. Ví dụ: Cuộc nói chuyện giữa người bán hàng và mua hàng tại một siêu
thị nhỏ.
Đoạn độc thoại trong ngữ cảnh thường ngày, đó có thể là các tình huống
Phần 2
hướng dẫn và giới thiệu một chủ đề quen thuộc như du lịch, trường học...
Cuộc đàm thoại giữa ba người hoặc bốn người chủ đề xoay quanh giáo dục.
Phần 3
Ví dụ: Thảo luận về bài tập trên lớp.
Đoạn độc thoại từ một người bản xứ có thể đang giảng bài hay thuyết trình
Phần 4
về vấn đề mang tính học thuật cao.
● Số lượng câu hỏi là 40 câu chia đều cho 4 phần (10 câu/phần). Mỗi câu hỏi đúng được 1
điểm và được quy ra theo bảng quy đổi sau
Client details:
Name: Elisabeth 1 ....................
Date of birth: 8.10.1975
Address: 2 .................... (street)
Callington (town)
Policy number: 3 ....................
1. bank ............
2. restaurant ............
3. chemist ............
4. library ............
5. service station ............
6. town hall ............
Rainbows
‘Rainbows are often seen when the sun comes out after or during a rainstorm. Rainbows are
caused when sunlight shines through drops of water in the sky at specific angles.’
Questions:
Rainbows are often seen _________________
A. after the sun sets at night
B. when it snows
C. before a rainstorm
D. after a rainstorm
1. The growth of the elderly population is going to make it extremely difficult to provide
adequate social service provision.
2. Approximately thirty percent of the population are over 60 years old.
3. Developed countries are much better prepared than developing countries for 2050.
Phần 1: Giới thiệu 4-5 phút Giám khảo giới thiệu và yêu cầu thí sinh giới thiệu
và phỏng vấn bản thân và xác nhận danh tính. Sau đó, giám khảo
sẽ hỏi về các chủ đề quen thuộc trong cuộc sống
như gia đình, bạn bè, việc làm, sở thích,…
Phần 2: Độc thoại 3-4 phút Thí sinh được trao một mẩu giấy và cây bút và được
yêu cầu nói về một chủ đề cụ thể trong vòng tối đa
2 phút. Trước khi nói các em sẽ có 1 phút để chuẩn
bị, sau đó giám khảo sẽ hỏi thêm 1 số câu hỏi về
chủ đề này và kết thúc chuyển sang Part 3.
Phần 3: Thảo luận 4-5 phút Thí sinh sẽ được hỏi thêm một số câu hỏi có thể
liên quan đến chủ đề phần 2 hoặc không. Ngoài ra,
các em cần phải thảo luận nhiều hơn với giám khảo
so với phần 1.
Part 3
Trong Part 3, giám khảo sẽ đưa ra những câu hỏi có liên quan với Part 2, vì thế chủ đề của
Part 3 sẽ giống với Part 2. Bảy dạng câu hỏi thường gặp trong Part 3 bao gồm:
● Opinion – Nêu ý kiến của bạn về một vấn đề gì đó
● Evaluate – Suy nghĩ của bạn về một ý kiến nào đó
● Future – Theo bạn điều gì sẽ xảy ra trong tương lai
● Cause and Effect – Nguyên nhân và tác động của một việc gì đó
● Hypothetical – Nói về những tình huống không có thật
● Compare and Contrast – So sánh, nói về sự giống nhau và khác nhau
● Past – Thực trạng trong quá khứ và đến ngày nay đã thay đổi như thế nào?
Advantage and Disadvantage essay (Dạng bài lợi ích và tác hại)
The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language
in the world. Some people think this will lead to English becoming the only language to be
spoken globally. What are the advantages and disadvantages to having one language in the
world?
1
Tham khảo https://www.examenglish.com/B1/b1_listening_describing_people.htm
Rosie is one of my close friends. She is a (1) ……………………. girl with fair skin and long straight
hair. We first met at an art class 4 years ago and I was sitting next to her. At first, I thought
she was kind of (2) ……………………. since she was quiet and didn’t talk much. However, when
we started talking about favorite arts concepts, I realized that she was actually a (3)
……………………. yet (4) ……………………. girl. As time goes by and we have gotten closer, I found
out that she is not only a (5) ……………………. girl who always looks on the bright side, but also
a (6) ……………………. friend who is always there whenever I need help. She is really (7)
……………………. and (8) ……………………., too. Her ideas in her artworks always amaze me. I guess
her sense of arts has also made her a well-dressed teenager.
Exercise 2. Choose and fill the words and phrases in their meaning
get to know sparks fly go back years on the rocks
get along tie the knot hit it off have a lot in common
Exercise 32. Read the text below and answer the questions
I’m blessed to have an extensive network of friends who are unbelievably helpful, positive
and very reliable. And I more than anyone, never take my friends for granted. This is why I
always make a special effort to keep in touch with my childhood friends, especially one in
particular, my friend Tom.
Tom and I first met in 5th grade. He sat next to me the whole year, and I knew right away we
would be best of friends. We used to spend all our time together. Tom was brilliant, outgoing,
and very smiley. Whenever the teacher asked for a volunteer, he was the first to raise his
hand. Later on, in high school and college, Tom became quite the lady’s man. I’m sure this
had something to do with the fact that he was quite tall with a muscular build. He also
had straight brown hair and blue eyes. He was a handsome young man.
Today, Tom is the owner of an IT firm with over a dozen employees. He and I have worked
together on a few projects when he hired me to build his website for him. He’s still a very
confident person, but I also found him to be very helpful, and we’ve had endless
conversations where we talk about family, career, and difficulties in life. He always tries to
encourage people to do their best, which is one of the things I admire about him. Even though
we don’t see each other as much as we used to, I really appreciate our wonderful friendship.
1. How are the author’s friends’ personalities?
....................................................................................................................................................
2. What kind of person was Tom?
....................................................................................................................................................
3. What did Tom look like?
....................................................................................................................................................
4. Does Tom always try to encourage people to do their best?
2
Tham khảo https://pjcenglish.com/eng/2020/02/04/ielts-vocabulary-describe-a-person-in-the-ielts-exam
Exam focus
Exercise 13. Listen and fill in the blank (Track 2)
Finn: How is your new job, Sam?
Sam: Some of them are. Lee is very nice and (1) ……………………. He helped me a lot on my first
day. Rebecca is really (2) ……………………. She often makes us all laugh.
Sam: It is. Most of my co-workers are very nice, honest and (3) …………………….
Finn: Why?
Sam: Catherine is very (4) ……………………. She only thinks about herself. Mike always starts
arguments with people. Phil talks too much.
3
Tham khảo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFCfeoWcEqw
Sam: Not with Phil. He is too (5) ……………………. I can’t do any work when he is in the office
because he keeps talking to me.
Now use the information in the passage above to fill in the blank with NO MORE THAN
THREE WORDS.
LEE
(1) ...............................
REBECCA
(2) ..................................
CATHERINE
(3) ..................................
MIKE
PHIL
(4) ..................................
(5) ..................................
Exercise 2. Read the passage below and decide if the following statements are True or
False.
Hi Mum and Dad,
Here I am at the Superb Camp. Mr. Lee is very kind and helpful. He asks us to write emails in
English! Everything here is in English!
There are 25 kids from different schools in Ha Noi. They are all nice and friendly. My new
friends are Phong, James and Nhung. (I’m attaching a photo of us here). James has blond hair
and big blue eyes. He’s cool and creative. He likes taking pictures. He’s taking a picture of me
T F
5. James is creative.
Exercise 3. Match column A to column B to make full sentences then practice speaking
IELTS Speaking
A B
Who is the person you 1. Well, to me, I have always a. She has a fair skin with
admire? wanted to show blonde hair and green eyes.
my admiration to Taylor She may look a bit
Swift. unfriendly, but in fact she is
a smiley woman. In the past
Tony: George Hawkins? That name sounds (1) ……………………. What does he look like?
Samantha: He’s really tall. He’s about 6 feet 4 inches tall. He has short (2) ……………………. hair.
He is a little bit (3) ……………………. He sometimes wears glasses. And he dresses very well. And
he usually wears a suit.
Samantha: His wife’s name is Jessica. She’s kind of short. She has long (4) ……………………. hair.
She’s very (5) ……………………. And very (6) …… ……………….
Tony: Oh yes. Of course I remember her. I was talking to her at Bill’s birthday party.
4
Tham khảo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRo1LVq-acw
Label the pictures below with the words given in the box.
playing chess painting watching TV surfing the Internet
dramas
listening to music playing video games playing sports rock climbing
7.
5. ............................. 6. ............................. 8. .............................
.............................
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Look at the table below and answer the questions.
1. cessh
2. vodei gema
3. hboby
4. kolewnedg
5. aytivitc
6. liuesre
7. rcko cimingbl
8. slikl
I love reading and writing when I have free time. Apart from these, I also like playing (1)
............................. So, whenever I do get time, I usually read, write or play soccer. For
relaxation, I prefer (2) ............................. I can do it for 20 minutes or maybe an hour. Nothing
helps me relax better than some instrumental songs. During the weekdays, most of the
evenings usually get lost in doing office work. But, during weekends, I work on my blog for
the entire day and so during evenings I usually spend some time with my friends, watching TV
(3) ............................. or playing (4) ............................. There is nothing much that can be done
after work because it becomes quite tiring. So, most of the time I am either working on my
Exam focus
Exercise 15. Listen and write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer. (Track 1)
List THREE leisure activities that are described as providing ‘flow’.
1. ........................................
2. ........................................
3. ........................................
List TWO leisure activities that are described as providing companionship.
4. ........................................
5. ........................................
5
Tham khảo http://fastlearn.edu.vn/2019/03/28/ielts-listening-practice-for-the-topic-of-entertainment
a. In the future... I would like to try something requiring concentration and thinking,
such as chess or things like that. Or I’ll try something challenging and adventurous, maybe
rock climbing for example. I think it’s time to get out of my safe zone.
b. Well, I think I have a wide range of interests when it comes to hobbies, such as playing
sports, listening to music, reading books, watching movies, something like that.
c. When I have spare time, I often read books. There are a lot of books at my house.
Reading is beneficial to me. I can sharpen my language skills and broaden my knowledge.
Moreover, reading makes me think deeper to understand the different viewpoints of
different authors.
d. You know, hobbies are various. I think sports are the most popular though. It is
because most kinds of sports are easy to access, such as soccer, basketball, badminton,
volleyball, etc. and they usually cost nothing or just a small price. The greatest benefits
include making you healthier and helping you stay in good shape. Another common hobby
6
Tham khảo https://ieltsmaterial.com/reading-practice-test-03/
Statements YES NO NG
1. In recent decades, an increase in working hours was predicted.
2. At the turn of the last century, weekly working hours dropped to 25.
3. Spending on leisure has gone up over the past three decades.
4. Long holidays have taken the place of long-haul short breaks.
5. In the future, people will pay less for the leisure facilities they use than
they do today.
6. 24-hour society will have a negative effect on people’s attitudes to
work.
7
Tham khảo https://www.examenglish.com/B1/b1_listening_free_time.htm
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Crossword
Across Down
2. Use a spoon or something similar to 1. A small dish of food that is served before
move a liquid around the main course of a meal
5. Cook something in oil 3. Cook something in water, usually in a
6. A set of instructions for cooking saucepan
something 4. The food and drink that you eat and drink
regularly
Exercise 2. Choose and fill the words and phrases in their meaning
have a balanced diet home-cooked food processed food place an order
follow a recipe a quick snack go on a diet eat in
The text is about the (1) …………………… of fast food in (2) fat
very (3) ……………………… But the text also mentions its (4) negative
Exercise 4. Make sentences using the words and phrases to describe the way to make
pasta
b. First, / you / have to / cut / onion, red peppers and bacon / small pieces.
c. Do / not / forget / main / ingredient. / Remember / cook / pasta / big / pot / boiling
water.
e. After that / add / oregano, garlic, tomatoes and water / and / cook / 20 minutes.
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen and fill in the blank (Track 2)
Now let’s just refresh our memories by looking at the (1) ……………………………….. OK, can you
all see that? Good. Well, now, as you see we’ve got three levels to our pyramid. At the top in
Next, in the middle of our pyramid we find the things that we can eat in moderation. Not too
much though! And that’s where we find milk, (4) ……………………, fish, nuts, eggs. And then at
the bottom of the pyramid are the things that you can eat lots of! Because they’re the things
that are really good for you.
And here we have bread, vegetables and fruits. So don’t lose (5) ………………….. of your healthy
diet pyramid when you do your shopping.
Use the information in the above passage to fill in the blank. Write NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS.
Exercise 2. Complete the diagram by writing NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS (Track 3)
Unit 4. Education
Vocabulary
Read the conversation between Truong and An and answer the question.
Truong: Hey, An! Long time no see!
An: Oh, Truong! Long time no see! How are you doing?
Truong: Good. How about you?
An: Well, recently I’m a bit tired.
Truong: What’s wrong?
An: You know, the National Examination is coming, so I have to study a lot if I want to get into
a prestigious university.
Truong: That sounds cool. How much do you have to study?
An: Like... literally every single day.
Truong: That much?!
An: That much. I’m quite good at social science, Literature for example. But I’m not that good
at Mathematics. So I have to have extra lectures to improve my Math score.
Truong: Sounds tiring. Do you intend to go to a business school?
An: No. I want to have a teaching profession. So I have to get a teaching degree.
Truong: You want to be a teacher? What subject?
An: English. At a secondary school.
Truong: Then why do you have to study Math so hard?
An: It’s a compulsory subject in the examination. There’s nothing I can do about it.
Truong: I see. University education seems so far away.
An: I know.
There are two parallel school systems in England. The first is the state school system, which
is free for all students and paid for by the state. The second category is the ‘independent’ or
See the Table below for more information about the school education system in England.
The National Curriculum is set by the government and must be followed in all state schools.
It is made up of the following subjects: English, Design & Technology, Geography, Maths,
Information Technology, Music, Science, Arts, Physical Education, History, and a Modern
Foreign Language. English, Maths and Science are core subjects, which are compulsory in the
national examinations at certain stages of the school education system.
Find the words or phrases in the reading passage which have the following meanings.
1. School at which all students do NOT have to pay tuition fee: .....................................
2. Education for children from 5 to 10 years old: .....................................
3. Education for children from 11 to 16 years old: .....................................
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Circle the correct word.
1. His son is intended for the medical profession/teaching
2. I’m sorry I can’t go out with you. I have a finance degree/lecture this afternoon.
3. Some students decide not to take university/primary education since it is not compulsory.
4. Eric has obtained his PhD degree/lecture. Now he is applying for a job in a laboratory.
Exercise 2. Crossword.
Down: Across:
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen to a radio show about the value of university education and fill in the
blanks. (Track 1)
The American education system requires that students complete 12 years of primary and (1)
………………………………. prior to attending university or college. This may be accomplished either
at public or state schools, or at (2) ……………………………….. These 12 years of schooling or their
equivalent may also be completed outside the USA, thus giving foreign students the
opportunity to pursue the benefits of the American education system and obtain a quality
American education. Perhaps one of the most impressive facts is that a large number of
presidents, prime ministers and leaders from other countries have experienced the American
education system and (3) ……………………………….. from a university or school in the USA. In
many fields and industries, the American education system offers the most cutting-edge,
sought-after programs at the world's best schools. That is why graduating from an accredited
American school and being exposed to the rigors of the American education system is an
investment in your future.
Whether you want to study at a top USA university, a top USA college, a (4)
……………………………….. or high school, a thorough understanding of how the American
education system works is essential. Without a clear grasp of the American education system,
Exercise 28. Read the passage and choose the best answer.
Sixteen – what now?
You’re 16 and finally you can leave school! By now, you’re probably sick of teachers, desks,
tests and exams. But don’t just run for the exit. You need to think carefully about what to do
next.
If you want a professional career, you will need to go to university and get a degree. To do
that, you need to stay at high school for another two years. But you needn’t stay at the same
place. There are several options in the district of Northacre.
St. Leopold’s School has the best pass rate of all the high schools in the district. It offers a wide
range of subjects in the humanities and sciences. St Leopold’s is, of course, a private school,
so may be too expensive for you. But don’t worry, there are several other options if you want
to follow the academic route. Knowle Grammar School is a state school, so there are no fees,
and it has excellent tuition and facilities. It is a boys’ school from the ages of 11-16, but from
16-18 it is co-educational. But it is selective, so you’ll have to pass an exam to get in. If you’re
interested in going into Business, check out Wyle River Academy. This school specialises in
subjects like Business Studies, Management and Economics. If you prefer the arts, look at the
courses on offer at Northacre College. Here you can study woodwork, art, textiles and much
more.
Northacre College also offers a wide range of vocational qualifications. You can do a 1-year
certificate or a 2-year diploma in subjects like electrics, plumbing, roofing and hairdressing. If
you’d prefer to work outdoors, look at Milldown College, where there are courses in Farm
Mechanics, Land Management, Animal Management and much more.
A final option is to get an apprenticeship with a local or national company. You will get on-
the-job training, gain certificates or diplomas and start earning straight away. But be warned
– places are limited! Find out more at the Jobs Fair on 26th May at Northacre College.
8
Tham khảo https://www.examenglish.com/A2/A2_reading_education.htm
Exercise 3. Use the given word in the correct form/tense to make a complete answer to
each question. Then practice speaking.
1. Are you a full-time or a part-time student?
At the moment / I / be / full-time freshman / business school / my hometown city.
....................................................................................................................................................
2. Why did you choose to study this?
First and foremost, / reason / I / want / start my own business / after graduation. I / be /
ambitious person. Besides, I / good leadership / which / confirmed by my friends, so I / believe
/ I / handle / my own company and staff.
....................................................................................................................................................
3. What was your favorite subject when you were at high school?
I / would like / say / Mathematics. I / think / numbers / be /magic creations. I / have / a lot /
fun / work with them. Every time / I / solve / a Maths problem / myself, I / feel / happy / the
bottom of my heart.
....................................................................................................................................................
4. Is there anything else you would like to study in the future?
I / still / have / a long way / go / until then. But / I / have / dream of / expand / my restaurant,
so / perhaps / I / study / logistics, or maybe / new language.
....................................................................................................................................................
Unit 5. Jobs
Vocabulary
Write the correct word in the boxes below the picture.
Baker Teacher Dentist Singer
Painter Doctor Farmer Waiter
Across Down
1. a person who is paid to work for 2. a person or company that pays people to
somebody work for them
6. knowledge and skill that you have gained 3. a person whose job is painting buildings,
through doing something for a period of walls
time 4. a person whose job is to serve customers
at their tables in a restaurant, etc.
5. a person whose job is baking and selling
bread and cakes
Exercise 3. Choose and fill the words and phrases in their meaning
Thank to Catch up on Take on Lay off Work with
Step in Take over Be in touch Involve in Interested in
6. To have a job, usually one that you are paid to do. ………………………
Exercise 4. A student is writing a thank-you letter for his tutor for helping him prepare for
the presentation. Complete the letter by making sentences using the given words and
phrases.
1. I’m / just/ write/ say thanks / your help / the presentation last week.
3. I know / you / had to put / extra hours to catch / on your own work.
Exam focus
Exercise 1.
A. Listen and fill in the blank with the correct form of the phrasal verb. (Track 2)
pick up call him back put him off wash up
get through take him on call by carry on
Sam is trying to call the café but he can’t (1) …………………………… (be connected on the phone).
A few minutes later, the café owner (2) …………………………… (calls him after he called her). If
Sam does well during his day’s trial, she will (3) …………………………… (employ him) for the
2. The café owner calls Sam. They agree he b. the café is getting busy.
will work
3. Sam’s job is to c. they are distracting him from his work.
4. Jasmine asks Sam to help her because d. not a good way to spend your holidays.
5. Sam is not happy when he sees his friends e. make food, wash dirty dishes and help
because Jasmine.
b. Fill in the gaps with the correct word from the box
The Pomodoro Technique is designed to help people work effectively and avoid wasting (1)
………………... It helps you to get the maximum (2) ………………... in the time you have. First you
have to break down each (3) ………………... into steps. Then you use a (4) ………………... to
organise your time into intensive work and (5) ……………….... You write a list of things you need
to do, set the timer to twenty-five minutes and start working on the first (6) ………………... on
your list. When the timer goes off you stop work for (7) ………………... minutes. Then you repeat
these steps four or five times, ticking items off your (8) ………………... as you finish them. After
a few short breaks you can take a longer break.
Exercise 3. Match column A to column B to make full sentences then practice speaking
Question A B
What do you do? 1. For the past few months, a. To be more specific, this job
I’ve been working for The is unlike the nine-to-five
Guardian as a news editor. work schedule, enabling me
to find a better balance
between work and life.
Besides, this job gives me
opportunities to pursue my
dream to become a
journalist.
Why did you choose 2. I guess it’s mainly because b. This is my first job ever, and
to do that type of of job flexibility & my I’m working hard to
work (or, that job)? passion for journalism. contribute to the success of
this prestigious newspaper
Do you enjoy your 3. I do, most of the time. c. Contributing to the news
work? production for a world-class
newspaper gives me a
Do you miss being a 5. I missed student life once I e. What I don’t like about this
student? got involved in the job is that I have to do a
workplace. I think when I thousand edits to get to the
was a student, I had final one that meets the
someone to guide me, requirement of my boss.
whereas at work you must Sometimes I feel a bit
guide yourself. overloaded with tons of
tasks.
Unit 6. Traffic
Vocabulary
Choose the correct word for each picture.
Ship
A small mode of transport to
go across water
Taxi
A car with a driver. You pay
them to take you where you
Plane want to go
Boat
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Word search
5. get behind the e. the vehicles are so close to one another that they are
wheel almost touching and are moving very slowly.
7. zebra crossing g. the fastest speed that you are allowed to drive on a
road
Exercise 3. Fill the gap while you listen to the text below. (Track 1)
Richard Ryan is stuck in traffic. There must be (1) …….……………….. somewhere up
ahead because he’s been sitting in the same spot for the last few minutes. The cars aren’t
moving at all. It looks like it’s going to be another slow commute.
Even though he left his house early to beat (2) …….…………………., if the cars don’t start to move
soon, Richard will be late for a very important meeting. He has to meet some lawyers who
are advising his company on a construction project. Richard is the president of a big company.
If he’s late, he won’t get in trouble, but he hates to be late for anything.
Sergey is stuck in the same (3) …………………….. and he’s headed to the same meeting
that Richard is going to. He’s worried about being late, so he gets out his cell phone and calls
one of his coworkers to tell her that traffic is bad. Sergey doesn’t know that his boss, Richard,
is in the same traffic jam. If he knew that, he wouldn’t be so tense. Sergey has a reputation for
being late to work. He always blames it on the traffic. Everyone tells him he has to leave his
Exercise 4. Read the text below and answer the following questions:
Air Pollution
India's growing obsession with vehicles and failure to develop roads has increased air
pollution in most cities, the country's pollution watchdog has revealed. In the past two
decades, the carrying capacity of roads increased by less than 2.5 percent whereas the
number of vehicles grew at an annual rate of over 10 percent. In 2008, in India, 12 million
vehicles were plying on the 3.5 million km road network.
For people, its visible impact is the increased congestion on roads but what one didn't
see was the higher air pollution. "Vehicles in major cities estimated to account for 70 percent
of carbon monoxide, 50 percent of hydrocarbons and 30 percent of suspended particulate
matter of the total pollution load of these cities," the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
said in its report on Wednesday. Four metros and cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad and
Kanpur are among the worst affected.
The report said that the high concentration of pollutants like carbon monoxide and
hydrocarbons cause lung cancer and asthma, besides routine breathing problems. The sudden
jump in air pollution is a recent phenomenon, with the CPCB finding that half of the two-
wheelers and cars running on Indian roads have been registered in the last five to seven years.
The growth phenomenon in case of heavy vehicles has been less impressive.
The new vehicles, however, are not the sole cause of air pollution. The CPCB said that
vehicles older than 10 years caused 60 percent of vehicular air pollution. And the reason is
poor maintenance and no norms in India for the expiry of a vehicle, especially private ones.
Adulteration of fuel has been stated as another reason for high vehicular pollution.
So far, ironically, because of a lower level of income thresholds, the Indian market has
favored small cars and two-wheelers. As small engines use less fuel, the average fleet-wide
fuel consumption is expected to be low. But already, with rising income levels, there is a
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen to the conversation and choose True or False (Track 2)
Sentences True False
1. The Bristol train is at 20.12.
2. First class is at the back of the train.
3. Passengers for Oxford are delayed by 8 minutes.
4. The Paris flight is EV318.
5. People in the front of the train carriage can get out easily at
Liverpool Street.
6. The back doors won't open.
7. Liverpool Street has lots of other underground lines.
8. Redbridge is the last stop.
Exercise 3. Divide the passages below into two groups: ‘good things about cycling’ and
‘bad things about cycling.
1. Look how cars have taken over our cities. 2. Cycling in the rain is not many people’s
The poisonous fumes, the aggressive idea of a good time. You get wet, dirty,
speed of these machines endangering and cold. Not a good way to go
our lives, the traffic jams. anywhere!
3. A bicycle is easily stolen. Even with the 4. It is hard to know what makes cycling so
best lock, the risk of losing a bike is still enjoyable. Maybe the combination of
possible. fresh air, the smooth motion and the
exercise. Anyway, you soon realise why
people get obsessed!
5. Sadly, many people don’t cycle because 6. If you ride a bicycle you don’t use petrol
it’s dangerous. Outside Amsterdam or or other fossil fuels, so you are not
Copenhagen, road systems often aren’t emitting carbon dioxide into the
designed with cyclists in mind. Car drivers atmosphere and contributing to climate
go too fast, or aren’t properly trained change. Ride on!
how to share the roads with cyclists.
7. We all know cycling is great exercise. As 8. Cyclists are exposed to the pollution
one doctor told me, in his experience, the from all the cars, buses and lorries on the
longest living people are ballroom road, and this can take the pleasure out
dancers and cyclists. of cycling.
9. Not all cities have cycling facilities like 10. On a bicycle you don’t get stuck in traffic
cycle paths and secure bicycle parking. jams. Much of the time a bicycle is a
……………………………………………………………. …………………………………………………………….
Unit 7. Society
Vocabulary
Listen to the interview and complete the sentences with a suitable word or phrase. (Track
1)
He has been living in the new city for about (1) ……………. years. He works on the (2) …………….
of the city. It is very different from his hometown where there is not even a (3) ……………. He
thinks the city is modern and he is particularly impressed by the (4) ……………. systems because
it means he can live and work without a car. The city has been cleaned up and modernized.
Today people are able to fish in the river, whereas before it had been (5) ……………. He believes
that the modernization projects have attracted (6) ……………. which, in turn, has led to an
increase in jobs. Anybody looking for a good job still needs to have (7) ……………. Although he
is impressed by the transformation, he thinks it is a (8) ……………., process. Sometimes parts of
the city’s (9) ……………. are lost in the modernization. However, on the whole, he thinks that
the city is a good place to live and work. The (10) ……………. are good and things are improving
all the time.
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Read and select the things Alex writes about.
The weather in Newquay Places to visit in Newquay
Things to do in Newquay Food in Newquay
History of Newquay Where Newquay is located
Dear Will,
I hope you are well. I have finally returned to Thailand after three years away (1) …………………
the UK.
It is amazing to be back in Bangkok after so long. I have really missed the place. The traffic is
still pretty bad, but they (2) ………………… improved the subway system. So, it's easier to get
around.
Last night, I went out to a nightclub (3) ………………… my friends. The music was better than it
used to be. It was a great night out.
My parents sold their house, so we moved to the outskirts. It is quieter at night (4) …………………
before, and it is only a two-minute walk to the subway.
I am staying here (5) ………………… a month and then go to Japan for a year to work as an English
Teacher. I hope you can make (6) ………………… to Bangkok one day.
Harry
Exercise 3. You will hear an interview with an architect called Scott Tenbury. For each
question, choose the correct answer, A, B or C. (Track 3)
1. What does Scott say about his 'capsule' A. it was too small for him to feel
apartment in Japan? comfortable in
B. there was a lot of noise from nearby
apartments
C. he had to think carefully about
where to put things
3. How did Scott feel when he had to leave A. disappointed that it became so
his home in London? expensive to live in
B. pleased to escape the effects of the
weather
C. amazed that so many people
wanted to buy it
5. What problem has Scott had with his A. it's hard to find the right color for it
“water building”? B. it's difficult to build on water
C. it's not easy to get the right shape
Active Villagers
Residents of a small Welsh-speaking community have clubbed together to buy the
post office and shop, ten years after buying the pub.
The people of Llithfaen, Caernarfonshire were determined to prevent their village
losing its focal point. Ten years ago, they paid £40,000 for the pub, called the Victoria, and
now they have helped to keep the shop open. Most of the cost, £19,500, was met by the local
council and a European Union grant, but the villagers needed to raise a further £6,000 to buy
the shop from the owner who is retiring.
John Jones, chairman of the community committee, said: “We went around every
house and came back with £500 more than we needed. The post office and the pub are
essential to the life of the village. There are no other amenities.
“We were not prepared to stand by and let the heart and soul be ripped out of our
community. No one else was going to help us so we decided to buy them ourselves.” Llithfaen
had a population of 600 but that was halved when nearby granite quarries were closed. The
primary school was shut because of the population decline but the locals turned it into a
leisure center and youth club.
The shop has been leased to Ffion Medi Llywelyn, 24, who lives in the village with her
husband, Dillon. She said: “There is a wonderful community spirit here.”
1. The Llithfaen Post Office ...
A. closed ten years ago.
B. has been saved by the local people.
C. has now closed.
2. The shop has been bought …
A. by the local council
B. for £40,000.
C. with the help of the people who live in the area.
3. The shop was going to close ...
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen to the following recording and complete the summary below. (Track 2)
There are more people living in cities than in (1) …………………… areas. Urbanization is the
defining phenomenon of this century; half of the world’s population is urban. Many people
are enticed from rural areas by the lure of a better life. We need to improve living conditions
for the urban poor by providing adequate (2) ……………………, clean water and (3) ……………………
One key to making cities (4) …………………… better is good planning. Planners need to transform
cities to make them beneficial for all citizens. Cities need green transport and green (5)
………………; they need to be energy (6) …………………… and pedestrian- (7) ……………………, with
housing and jobs to (8)…………………… people to come to live there.
European cities
There are lots of different ways of classifying cities and lots of studies have been done. Some
studies concentrate on how big cities are, on economic factors like how expensive a city is,
others on how many artists or musicians work in the city.
● International hubs are big cities with an international reputation, like London or
Barcelona.
● Specialised poles are big cities with an important role in the national economy, and
sometimes in the global economy, like Cardiff in the UK or Zaragoza in Spain.
● Regional poles are small to medium-sized cities that have an important place in their
region or province
1. Which three ways of classifying a city are mentioned in paragraph one?
2. What factors did the European Union’s study of the state of Europe’s cities concentrate
on?
Exercise 3. These are questions in IELTS Speaking Part 1 (Topic: Accommodation). Rearrange
the words to form completed answers for the questions.
1. Do you live in a house or a flat?
bedrooms,/ I live in/ a house/ bathroom,/ an open living space./ and/ a/ with two
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. How is the place you live in?
small flat/I/a/live/in, large/ but/ attractive place./ not very/ it’s an/ it’s
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Exercise 4. Read the passage and answer the comprehension question below.
Many big cities already have good public transportation systems, which make it easy for the
citizens to go anywhere around the city. This also reduces and helps overcome the problem
of traffic jams that often occur at peak hours. With the convenience of public transportation,
the citizens do not have to drive everywhere and can save money as they do not have to pay
for parking fees.
There is a saying that big cities never sleep. This is true for some cities in which the nightlife
begins just when people in other cities are ready to go to bed. Big cities like New York, Madrid,
London and Paris have vibrant nightlife. People can still find entertainment, dine out or go
shopping into the early hours.
City dwellers are usually more diverse and there are many communities that hold social
events or parties, which provide interesting opportunities for social interactions and social
networking. The social interactions allow you to learn about other cultures and share interests
with people from different backgrounds, which makes you more open minded and able to
understand individuals. On the other hand, the social networking helps you broaden not only
personal but also professional relationships.
A. It is more expensive.
B. It is more modern.
C. It is more crowded.
D. It offers more entertainment.
3. What can people in big cities do in the early hours but people in rural areas cannot?
A. Dine out
B. Sleep
C. Go jogging
D. Travel
Unit 8. Environment
Vocabulary
Fill in the blank with the given words
battery solar panel pollution
electricity windmill petrol
Plastic shopping bags are used widely and cause many environmental problems. Some
people say they should be banned. Do you agree or disagree?
The main environmental side effect related to plastic bags is that they (1)………………. both
the (2)……………..An insignificant percentage of people may (3)……………..……. plastic bags, but
most ultimately (4)………………..them in the trash. If they are thrown in the trash, plastic bags
will (5)………….…………. in the ever-increasing number of landfills and contribute to soil
pollution. The ones that are simply (6)………..………… in the street clog drains in cities and
eventually find their way to the sea and entangle marine life. This is reason why plastic bags
should be banned.
9
Tham khảo https://www.ducksters.com/games/crossword_puzzle/renewableenergy.php
The best way to resolve the international environmental problems is to increase the cost
of fuel. Do you agree or disagree?
Increasing cost of fuel would lead to a reduction in car use, and thus a reduction in exhaust
emissions and the process of global warming.
1. Raising fuel prices would be a useful measure to (1) ……………………….……….
2. (2) ……………………….……… should raise taxes on the cost of fuel
3. In terms of the exhaustion of (3) ……………………….………, world supplies of oil will not
last forever, and by increasing petrol prices there would be less dependence on (4)
……………………….………
4. Fewer car journeys would mean a reduction in (5) ……………………….………. This would
have global consequences, slowing the process of global warming as the quantity of
greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere was reduced.
Exam focus
Exercise 1: Read the text below carefully
The Truth about the Environment10
For many environmentalists, the world seems to be getting worse. They have developed
a hit-list of our main fears: that natural resources are running out; that the population is ever
growing, leaving less and less to eat; that species are becoming extinct in vast numbers, and
that the planet's air and water are becoming ever more polluted.
But a quick look at the facts shows a different picture. First, energy and other natural
resources have become more abundant, not less so, since the book 'The limits to Growth' was
published in 1972 by a group of scientists. Second, more food is now produced per head of
the world's population than at any time in history. Fewer people are starving. Third, although
species are indeed becoming extinct, only about 0.7% of them are expelled to disappear in
the next 50 years, not 25-50%, as has so often been predicted. And finally, most forms of
environmental pollution either appear to have been exaggerated, or are transient - associated
with the early phases of industrialisation and therefore best cured not by restricting economic
growth, but by accelerating it. One form of pollution - the release of greenhouse gases that
causes global warming - does appear to be a phenomenon that is going to extend well into
our future, but its total impact is unlikely to pose a devastating problem. A bigger problem
may well turn out to be an inappropriate response to it.
Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage?
10
Cambridge IELTS 5 - Test 1 - Reading passage 2, “The Truth about the Environment”
2. Data on the Earth's natural resources has only been collected since 1972.
3. The number of starving people in the world has increased in recent years.
Exercise 2. This is an example of IELTS Writing task 2 topic. Make sentences using the words
and phrases in the boxes
Many countries use fossil fuels such as coal or oil as the main sources of energy. However,
in some countries the use of alternative sources of energy is encouraged. Do you think this
a positive or negative development?
(9)……………., I consider that it is important for governments and the public to support
the use of alternative energy sources, despite the safety concerns and other impacts.
The diagram below shows how solar panels can be used to provide electricity for domestic
use.
Task 1 plan:
The picture (1) ……………………….……… the process of producing electricity in a home using
solar panels. It is clear that there are (2) ……………………….……… in this process, (3)
……………………….……… the generation of energy from sunlight. The final two steps show how
domestic electricity is connected to the (4) ……………………….………
At the first stage in the process, (5) ……………………….……… on the roof of a normal house
take energy from the sun and convert it into DC current. Next, this current is passed to an
inverter, which changes it to AC current and regulates the supply of electricity. At stage three,
electricity is supplied to the home from an (6) ……………………….……… At the fourth step shown
on the diagram, a utility meter in the home is responsible for sending any extra electrical
power outside the house into the grid. Finally, if the solar panels do not provide enough
energy for the household, electricity will flow from the utility grid into the home through the
meter. 11
11
Written by Simon (ielts-simon.com)
Vocabulary
Listen and choose words in boxes to fill the passage (Track 01)
Vietnamese all over the world are (1) ……………… for their most important and popular
day of the year – Tet, or the Lunar New Year. Tet (2) ……………. on the same day as the Chinese
New Year, but does not start at the same time. There is a (3) ………………. difference between
Hanoi and Beijing. The holiday celebrates the arrival of spring. There are a lot of (4)
……………….. that people practice during Tet. These include remembering ancestors, sending
people New Year's greetings, and giving (5) ………………….to children. It is a time to forget (6)
………………. of the past year and hope for better things in the coming year. It is also a good
excuse for people to have big (7) ………………...
People in villages across Vietnam are working overtime to prepare food and (8)
…………….. in time for the holiday. In Ho Chi Minh City, up 68 flower markets opened on
February 3 to start selling different kinds of blooms and decorative trees. Thousands of boats
bring flowers from all over the country down the Mekong River to Ho Chi Minh's floating
markets. Food is also big business during Tet. Villagers in Dong Thap province are working day
and night to make sure they have enough (9) …………….… rolls to sell – these are in big demand
during the festival. Tourism is also booming because of the holiday. Vietnamese travel agents
1. The Chinese and Vietnamese new year starts at the same time.
2. Tet celebrates the end of winter and longer and lighter days.
3. A Tet custom is to remember family members from past generations.
4. Children have to give money to adults during Tet.
5. Over 680 flower markets opened in Ho Chi Minh City.
6. Flowers are brought to Ho Chi Minh by thousands of boats.
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Choose the right answer
There are nine sub-groups that are (1)……………….by the ethnic minority M’Nong,
including Bru Dang, Preh, Ger, Nong, Prang, PJam, Kuyenh, Chil Bu Nor, and M’Nong Bu Dang,
with a combined estimate of more than 100000 people. They are concentrated (2)……………….
the southern parts of the provinces of Binh Phuoc and Dak Lak and in parts of Lam Dong. They
live in houses built on stilts or level with the ground, in every village where they usually have
2. A. on B. at C. for D. in
Rice flour rolls and/or pancakes Kebab rice noodles Stuffed sticky rice cake
Words Meaning
1. cr_ft An activity involving a special skill at making things with your hands
Cuisine in the country with more than 90,000,000 people differs strikingly between
the north, south and central regions, but two key (1)…………………………stand out.
Exercise 3: Read the passage and then decide whether the statements are true (T) or false
(F).
Green tea
Green tea must always be the first to be mentioned whenever one talks
about Vietnamese tea. From the middle of the 20th century, green tea has been planted
extensively throughout the North and the Middle of Vietnam, gradually becoming a symbol
of Vietnamese’ everyday life, of the peaceful countryside regions.
Vietnam has always been an agricultural country since people in the rural area earn a
living mainly from farming. Green tea is very amiable to Vietnam’ soil and climate, as it can
be found widely in not only plain but also highland areas, sometimes right in the family
backyard’s gardens. With the higher trunk and larger size of leaves in comparison with other
tea plants, green tea can be enjoyed fresh and there is no need to wilt or oxidize; people can
enjoy it right after picking the leaves from the tree. Steeping and boiling the tea leaves in hot
Nowadays, taking advantage of the popularity of green tea and its positive effects on
health, some shrewd businessmen have converted this folk beverage into canned drink,
bringing green tea closer to urban citizens as well as foreigners.
1. From the middle of the 20th century, green tea has been planted extensively throughout
the South of Vietnam.
4. Nowadays, some businessmen have converted this folk beverage into canned drinks.
Vocabulary
Read the text and then choose the best answer A, B, C, or D.
Every year, thousands of people come to Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland, to
take part in the Edinburgh Festival. For three weeks every August and September the city is
filled with actors and artists from all over the world. They come to Edinburgh for the biggest
arts festival in Britain. During this time, the streets of the city are alive with music and dance
from early in the morning until late at night. You can even see artists painting pictures on the
streets.
Tens of thousands of tourists come to the festival to see new films and plays and to
hear music played by famous musicians. This year, you can see over five hundred
performances with actors from more than forty countries.
The tickets for these performances are quite cheap, and it is usually easier to see your
favourite star in Edinburgh than it is in London. So come to Edinburgh next summer!
1. How many people come to attend the Edinburgh Festival every year?
A. Thousand people
B. Thousands of people
C. Some people
D. Few people
A. Two months
B. Three months
A. Tens of thousands
B. Thousands
C. Some people
D. Over five hundreds
A. Very cheap
B. Very expensive
C. Not cheap
D. Not quite expensive
After one hour, they saw another jet and stopped (7) ……………… (throw) The whole
town square (8) ……………… (be) red with rivers of tomato juice. Finally, they tried tomato
Bottom of Form
Practice exercises
Exercise 1.
Look at this guide for tourists visiting California, then do Task A and B to improve your
reading skills.
1. Fisherman’s Wharf, Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39 are all in San Francisco.
2. The Golden Gate Bridge is the shortest suspension bridge in the world.
3. Alcatraz is still a prison today.
4. You can see a surfboard damaged in a shark attack in the museum in Santa Cruz.
5. Ice skating is a popular activity on Venice Beach.
6. You can meet real film stars at Madame Tussauds in Hollywood.
7. The Grammy Museum in Los Angeles is dedicated to music and dance.
8. Space Mountain is the name of one of the hotels in Disneyland.
12
Cambridge IELTS 10 - Test 1 - Reading passage 2, “European transport systems 1990-
2010”
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Below is a graph in IELTS Writing Task 1. Fill in the blank with the given words in
the box.
The graph shows the amount of money spent on books in Germany, France, Italy and Austria
between 1995 and 2005.
Introduction: The line graph (1)……………….. the expenditure on books from 1995 to 2005 in
four different countries. Overall, it (2)……………..that people in Germany spent more on books
Body 2: Despite some fluctuations, the amount of money spent on books in Germany
continued to be (7)………………in the other countries throughout the period, and spending
reached a peak of almost $100 million in 2005.
Body 3: There was a (8)…………………..in the expenditure on books in France, and this finally
reached a figure of $75 million in 2005. This was similar to the figure for Austria, where the
money spent on books (9)………………….from $40 million in 2001 to $72 million in 2005. In Italy,
spending on books saw a gradual increase during the 10 years, reaching a (10)………………..of
just over $60 million in 2005.
According to Mariano Rojas, a Costa Rican economics professor, Costa Rica is a mid-
income country where citizens have plenty of time for themselves and for their relationships
with others. ‘A mid-income level allows most citizens to satisfy their basic needs. The
government makes sure that all Costa Ricans have access to education, health and nutrition
services.’ Costa Ricans, he believes, are not interested in status or spending money to show
how successful they are.
Created in 2008, the Happy Planet Index examines happiness on a national level and ranks
143 countries according to three measurements: their citizens’ happiness, how long they live
(which reflects their health), and how much of the planet’s resources each country consumes.
Exercise 3. Below is a sample of IELTS Speaking Part 2. Fill in the blanks with the correct
form of words then practice speaking.
Describe a foreign country you would like to visit
You should say:
● where the country is
● when you will go there
● why you would like to go there and explain why this is a good country to visit.
The country I (1) ………………… (never visit) is New Zealand. It (2) …………………… (locate)
in the Southern Hemisphere, on the continent of Oceania, and its nearest neighbor is
Australia. It is quite far away from where I live, so I (3) ………………… (have yet) a chance to visit.
I would like (4) ……………… (go) there in future, though. This year I (5) …………………. (be) too
busy, but I hope to get the chance to visit next year, or the year after that.
There are many reasons why I would like to visit New Zealand. For one thing, it (6)
……………… (look) like a stunningly beautiful country. Its natural scenery (7) ……………… (seem)
captivating to me, and I’d love to travel around seeing the mountains and rugged coastline.
In these places, there (8) ………………… (be) many amazing animals to see, and I (9)
…………………… (be) a big fan of wildlife. In addition, New Zealand (10) ……………….. (have) a long
and fascinating history, which I’d like to explore. New Zealand seems like a good country to
1. beard 5. wavy
2. mustache 6. fair
3. straight 7. serious
4. smiley
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Crossword
1. calm 5. jealous
2. generous 6. clever
3. selfish 7. arrogant
4. competitive 8. bossy
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen and fill in the blank (Track 2)
1. helpful
2. funny
3. friendly
4. selfish
5. talkative
From the conversation, fill in the blank with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS.
Exercise 2. Read the passage below and decide if the following statements are True or
False.
T F
Exercise 3. Match column A to column B to make full sentences then practice speaking
1. c
2. a
3. d
4. b
5. e
1. familiar 4. blonde
2. black 5. thin
3. overweight 6. stylish
Label the pictures below with the words given in the box.
1. surfing the Internet 5. play video games
2. playing sports 6. listening to music
3. painting 7. playing chess
4. watching TV dramas 8. rock climbing
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Look at the table below and answer the questions.
1. Watching TV/videos (is the most popular activity among teens).
2. Group exercise/sport (is the least popular activity among people in their 60s).
3. Teens.
4. 1,200
Exercise 2. Put the letters in the correct order to form a correct word.
1. chess 5. activity
2. video game 6. leisure
3. hobby 7. rock climbing
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen and write NO MORE THAN TWO WORD for each answer. (Track 1)
1. rock climbing
2. paragliding
3. chess
4. music
5. football
6. surfing
7. bird watching
8. painting
9. drama
Exercise 2. Put the given sentences in the right order to make a complete conversation, then
practice speaking about your hobby or favorite leisure activity.
1. b
2. c
1. activities 6. paint
2. sports 7. cooking
3. seven/7 8. entertainment
4. eleven/11 9. free
5. interesting 10. time
1. A
2. C
3. B
4. B
Good morning everyone. My name’s Ethan, and I’d like to tell you about the different
activities on offer on board this fantastic cruise ship.
Waiter: Hello.
Jamie: Hi. A table for two, please.
Waiter: Of course. Over here, please. Here’s the menu.
Sally: Thank you.
(pause)
Waiter: Are you ready to order?
Sally: Yes, we are.
Waiter: What would you like for your starter?
Jamie: I’d like French onion soup, please.
Sally: And I’ll have a tomato salad, please.
Waiter: And for your main course?
Jamie: Mmm, I’m not sure. I don’t know whether to have the steak or Thai chicken.
Sally: Oh, I’d like the Thai chicken and rice please.
Jamie: OK, me too.
Waiter: So that’s two Thai chicken and rice. What would you like to drink?
Jamie: I’ll have a fresh orange juice and ...
Sally: I’d like some mineral water, please.
Waiter: OK, thank you.
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Crossword
1. starter 5. fry
2. stir 6. recipe
3. boil 7. tasty
4. diet 8. takeaway
Exercise 2. Choose and fill the words and phrases in their meaning
1. have a balanced diet 5. follow a recipe
2. home-cooked food 6. a quick snack
3. processed food 7. go on a diet
4. place an order 8. eat in
Exercise 4. Make sentences using the words and phrases below then
a. Then you heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the onion, red peppers and bacon.
b. First, you have to cut the onion, red peppers and bacon into small pieces.
c. Do not forget the main ingredient. Remember to cook the pasta in a big pot of boiling
water.
d. Finally, serve the pasta with the sauce and enjoy!
e. After that, add oregano, garlic, tomatoes and water and cook for 20 minutes.
Step 1: b
Step 2: a
Step 3: e
Step 4: c
Step 5: d
Exam focus
Exercise 1.
Listen and fill in the blank (Track 2)
1. Healthy Diet Pyramid
2. avoid
3. salt
4. lean meat
5. sight
Use the information in the above passage to fill in the blank. Write NO MORE THAN THREE
WORDS.
Now let’s just refresh our memories by looking at the Healthy Diet Pyramid. OK, can you all
see that? Good. Well, now, as you see we’ve got three levels to our pyramid. At the top in
the smallest area are the things which we should really be trying to avoid(1) as much as
possible. Things like …
Example: Yes, sugar, salt, butter… all that sort of thing.
Next, in the middle of our pyramid we find the things that we can eat in moderation. Not
too much(2) though! And that’s where we find milk, lean meat, fish, nuts, eggs. And then at
the bottom of the pyramid are the things that you can eat lots of(3)! Because they’re the
things that are really good for you.
And here we have bread, vegetables and fruit. So don’t lose sight of your healthy diet
pyramid when you do your shopping.
Exercise 2. Complete the diagram by writing NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS (Track 3)
Good morning, everyone. Today we’re going to make Apple and Blackberry Crumble. So, I hope
you’ve all bought your ingredients. Ready? Now, let’s get straight on with cooking. First, you
peel the apples, and cut them into slices.(1) OK? Don’t forget to take the middle out of the
apple. Now, put the sliced apples in a pan and cook them with some of the sugar.(2) In about
10 minutes they should be nice and soft. Right? Now, mix the blackberries and apple together,
make sure that you have about half and half, and put them into the bottom of a baking dish.(3)
(4) That’s fine ... Now, the next thing to do is rub the flour and butter together(5) with your
Exercise 3. Match column A to column B to make full sentences then practice speaking
1. c
2. a
3. d
4. b
5. e
Hello everyone. Welcome to the university. I hope you’re settling in and beginning to find
your way around. I know a lot of students find it hard to adapt to the food. So I thought I’d
tell you about a couple of popular English meals that you might hear about. Well, actually,
you might’ve heard of the first one already … it’s really popular … it’s fish and chips. Fish
and chips are fried in deep fat. So it’s actually very greasy and not at all healthy. But it’s still
very popular, especially on a Friday night. That’s when a lot of people get their fish and
chips from the ‘fish and chip’ shop, and take them home to eat. The other traditional meal,
which is definitely healthier, is Sunday lunch. In England, Sunday lunch is usually some kind
of roast meat with vegetables. Traditionally, families have their Sunday lunch at home but
these days quite a lot of families have Sunday lunch in a restaurant.
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Circle the correct word.
1. profession
2. lecture
3. university
4. degree
Exercise 2. Crossword
1. business school 4. degree
2. education 5. teaching
3. lecture 6. profession
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen to a radio show about the value of university education and fill in the
blanks. (Track 1)
1. secondary education
2. private schools
3. graduated
4. vocational
5. academic
Exercise 3. Use the given word in the correct form/tense to make a complete answer to
each question.
Do this exercise while you listen. Circle the best answer for these questions. (Track 1)
1. workers
2. experienced
3. results
4. findings
5. problems
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Crossword
1. employee
2. employer
3. painter
4. waiter
5. baker
6. experience
Exercise 3. Choose and fill the words and phrases in their meaning
1. Involve in 6. Work with
2. Interested in 7. Thank to
3. Be in touch 8. Take on
4. Step in 9. Lay off
5. Take over 10. Catch up on
Exercise 4
1. I’m just writing to say thanks for your help with the presentation last week.
2. Thank you so much for stepping in to help.
3. I know you had to put in extra hours to catch up on your own work.
4. We hope to work with you again on future projects.
5. I’ll be in touch again soon.
6. I look forward to working with you more closely.
Exam focus
Exercise 1.
A. Listen and fill in the blank with the correct phrasal verb from the box. (Track 2)
1. d
2. a
3. e
4. b
5. c
Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the word in brackets. (Track 3)
a. True or False
1. True 5. False
2. True 6. False
3. False 7. True
4. True 8. True
1. time 5. breaks
2. productivity 6. item
3. task 7. five
4. timer 8. list
Host: On ‘Star Students’ today we’re speaking to Peter, who is going to tell us about the
Pomodoro Technique, a system to help manage your time. It was invented by an Italian
man called Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. Now, he called it the Pomodoro Technique after
a tomato-shaped timer that his mother used to use when she was cooking. Pomodoro is
Peter: Thanks.
Peter: It’s about getting maximum productivity from your available time. I use it for
studying, but professionals use it at work.
Peter: No. It’s actually very simple. It’s about breaking down your work into separate jobs
and then using a timer to separate your time into periods of intensive work and short
breaks.
Host: OK, well, that sounds sensible. So, how do you start?
Peter: First of all, you should think about the task you need to complete. For example,
writing an essay for homework. You need to think about all the stages of the task and write
a clear to-do list on a piece of paper. When you are ready to start you set the timer to 25
minutes and you start working on the first item on the list.
Peter: When the timer goes off you must take a short break of between 3 to 5 minutes.
One 25-minute session is one ‘pomodoro’ so when you have completed this, you deserve
a short break. You should try to move about a bit during the break.
Then, set the timer for another 25 minutes and keep working. At the end of the next
‘pomodoro’ you have another short break. As you complete the items on the ‘to-do’ list
you should tick them off, to give you a feeling of satisfaction that you’re getting the job
done.
Host: OK … I get it. Can you use any timer? Most people have timers on their phones these
days. Could you use that?
Peter: You could, but the danger is that then you can check messages on your phone or you
start looking at apps. I use my dad’s kitchen timer and I make sure I switch off my phone
when I’m studying. I get so much more done. In the breaks I sometimes check my phone
but only if I’ve completed some of the items on my to-do list.
Peter: Well, when you’ve had four or five short breaks you can take a longer break, and
then you start again.
Peter: Yes, it works for me! It stops me wasting time. My work is much more effective when
I use the timer. It’s like short, intense periods of work. I actually get my homework done a
lot quicker now, which leaves me more free time, so for me it works really well.
Host: Oh, I think I’ll give it a try. Thanks so much for coming in, Peter.
Exercise 3. Match column A to column B to make full sentences then practice speaking
1. b
2. c
3. a
4. e
5. d
1. schools
2. experience
3. interested
4. work
5. careers
6. in
1. minimum
2. leadership
3. draw, profit, family
Ship
Taxi
A car with a driver. You pay
them to take you where you
want to go
Plane
Boat
Practice exercise
Exercise 2. Match the words with meanings
1-d 5-f
2-g 6-h
3-c 7-a
4-e 8-b
Exercise 3. Fill the gap while you listen to the text below. (Track 1)
1. an accident
2. the traffic
3. traffic jam
4. stay out late
5. new location
Exercise 4. Read the text below and answer the following questions:
1. The major cause of air pollution in India is growing an obsession with vehicles and failure
to develop roads.
2. The number of vehicles, growing at the rate of over than the carrying capacity of the
roads.
3. Pollutants like carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons
4. Indians favor small cars and two-wheelers because also because their small engines use
less fuel.
Exam focus
Exercise 3. Divide the passages below into two groups: ‘good things about cycling’ and
‘bad things about cycling.
good things about cycling bad things about cycling
1 2
4 3
6 5
7 8
10 9
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Read and select the things Alex writes about.
Where Newquay is located
Places to visit in Newquay
Things to do in Newquay
Exercise 2. Choose and fill the words and phrases in their meaning
1. in
2. have
3. with
4. than
5. for
Exercise 3. You will hear an interview with an architect called Scott Tenbury. For each
question, choose the correct answer, A, B or C. (Track 3)
1. C
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. B
Exercise 4. Read the text and for questions 1-5 choose the correct option a, b or c.
1. b
2. c
3. c
4. c
5. a
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Listen to the following recording and complete the summary below. (Track 2)
1. rural 5. spaces
2. shelter 6. efficient
3. sanitation 7. friendly
4. work 8. attract
Exercise 4. Read the passage and answer the comprehension question below.
1. D
2. B
3. A
4. C
1. pollute
2. land and water
3. reuse or recycle
4. litter or throw
5. wind up
6. tossed
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Find the 09 hidden words
Exercise 3. Write the complete the summary by using the words in boxes
Exam focus
Exercise 1. Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading
Passage?
Exercise 2. This is an example of IELTS Writing task 2 topic. Make sentences using the words
and phrases in the boxes
1. On the one hand
2. negative
3. reliance
4. potential to pollute
5. wind farms
6. fossil fuels
Exercise 3. This is a topic of IELTS Writing Task 1. Read carefully and fill the corrected words
in the essay
1. illustrates
2. five distinct stages
3. beginning with
4. external power supply
5. solar panels
6. electrical panel
1. preparing
2. is celebrated
3. one-hour time
4. traditional customs
5. lucky money
6. the troubles
7. family reunions
8. crafts
9. pork
10. foreign tourists
Vietnamese all over the world are preparing for their most important and popular day
of the year – Tet, or the Lunar New Year. Tet is celebrated on the same day as the Chinese
New Year, but does not start at the same time. There is a one-hour time difference between
Hanoi and Beijing. The holiday celebrates the arrival of spring. There are a lot of traditional
customs that people practice during Tet. These include remembering ancestors, sending
people New Year's greetings, and giving lucky money to children. It is a time to forget the
troubles of the past year and hope for better things in the coming year. It is also a good excuse
for people to have big family reunions.
People in villages across Vietnam are working overtime to prepare food and crafts in
time for the holiday. In Ho Chi Minh City, up to 68 flower markets opened on February 3 to
start selling different kinds of blooms and decorative trees. Thousands of boats bring flowers
from all over the country down the Mekong River to Ho Chi Minh's floating markets. Food is
also big business during Tet. Villagers in Dong Thap province are working day and night to
make sure they have enough pork rolls to sell – these are in big demand during the festival.
Tourism is also booming because of the holiday. Vietnamese travel agents say domestic
1. B
2. D
3. A
4. C
5. B
6. C
7. D
8. A
9. A
10. B
Practice exercises
Exercise 1. Choose the word which best fits each gap
Exercise 2. Base on words in boxes and pictures, fill the corrected names of the below
dishes into the paragraphs
1. craft
2. decoration
3. countdown
4. Lunar new year
5. lucky money
Exam focus
Exercise 1: This an IELTS topic of Writing Task 2. Choose the corrected forms of words in
the summary below
1. Spring Festival
1. features 5. herbs
2. rice 6. available
3. appearance 7. familiar
4. ingredient 8. dessert
Exercise 3: Read the passage and then decide whether the statements are true (T) or false
(F).
1. From the middle of the 20th century, green tea has been
X
planted extensively throughout the South of Vietnam.
1. B
2. D
3. C
4. D
5. A
Choose the correct word A, B or C for each gap to complete the following passage.
1. is held 6. wear
2. were 7. throwing
3. to climb 8. was
4. saw 9. traditional
5. were thrown 10. enjoyed
Practice exercise
Exercise 1. Look at this guide for tourists visiting California, then do Task A and B to
improve your reading skills.
Task A: Match the vocabulary with the correct definition and write a–f next to the
numbers 1–6.
1. a
2. c
3. e
4. f
5. d
6. b
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. B
6. C
Tour guide: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen and welcome to this fantastic tour of
London by bus. My name’s Greg and I’m your guide this afternoon on our tour of London. As
Explanation:
1. The effect of energy consumption in the transport sector on the environment is
mentioned. Specifically, CO2 emissions are estimated to increase by 50% by 2020 due to the
traffic growth trend, and road transport is also the main cause of CO2 emissions attributable
to transport.
2. In the paragraph, the author argues that “..., CO2 emissions from transport can be
expected to increase by 50% to 1,113 billion tonnes, compared with the 739 billion tonnes
recorded in 1990.” So, 739 billion tonnes is the figure for CO2 emissions in 1990, not in 2020.
3. The author does not provide any information about the price of these countries’ cars or
indicate whether they are expensive or not. So, the statement is NOT GIVEN.
4. Using alternative fuels and improving energy efficiency is thus both an ecological
necessity and a technological challenge.
Exam focus
Exercise 1: Complete each sentence 1-6 with an appropriate word.
1. compares
2. is clear
3. over the 10-year period
4. increased
5. in Germany
6. the figure for Austria
7. higher than
8. steady increase
9. rose sharply
10. final figure
1. 2008
2. 143
3. Environment
4. Resources
5. Health
6. Citizens
Exercise 3. Complete the IELTS Speaking Part 2 answer below. Fill in the blanks with the
correct word forms