Professional Documents
Culture Documents
UNIT 1
RELATIONSHIPS
A. READING
How our sweet tooth is hurting us
Over the last three centuries, the amount of sugar in the Western diet has continued to rise.
Back at the start of the 18th century, a typical English family consumed less than 2 kg of
sugar per year. By the end of that century, that amount had risen 400%. Compare that to the
40 kg that people now consume annually in the USA. In Germany, the second-most
sugar-loving nation in the world, people eat roughly 103 grams on average per day. In the
Netherlands, the country with the third-biggest sweet tooth, people eat 102.5 grams. Of
course, there are some countries in the world where sweet food is less popular: in India,
people eat only about 5 grams per day on average; in Indonesia, it’s 14.5 grams; and in
China, it’s just under 16 grams. If you’re not sure what 40 kg looks like, it means that the
average person in the USA now eats approximately 22 teaspoons of sugar a day. The
recommended limit, suggested by researchers from the World Health Organization, is no
more than 8 if you want to stay healthy, but just one can of soda contains around 10.
It is common knowledge that many drinks, in bottles or canned, contain a lot of sugar.
Although advertisements say that they are ‘energy-giving’, professional athletes and
sportsmen and women usually stay away from them. It is teenagers that are their greatest
consumers. And – although advertisers promise that these drinks will make people feel
energetic and active – because of the type of chemicals they have, once a person has drunk
all the soda, they simply feel hungry instead. However, sugar is also in products that many
shoppers find surprising, for example, cereal, which actually has a lot. Because they believe it
is a healthy kind of food, parents buy it for their children’s breakfast.
A large part of the problem, according to nutritionists, is that people find it hard to
understand the labels on the back of food products. Nutritionists think this should be a lot
easier for them. But at the moment, manufacturers don’t have to write ‘sugar’ on them, but
can use words like ‘corn syrup’ or ‘dextran’, which can result in confusion for consumers. But
why should we be worried about our sugar consumption? Firstly, it is harmful to young
children because it causes tooth decay; the pain from this can mean that children don’t get
the amount of sleep they need. As a result, they can’t concentrate when they are in class. In
this case, schools and governments have a duty to educate them about good and bad food
choices. For adults, the problems increase. Eating too much sugar makes people quickly gain
weight, it affects the heart and liver, and can lead to diabetes.
Exercise 1: Quickly read the passage. Which of the ideas in sentences 1–5 are mentioned in the
text on page 1? Choose Yes or No.
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Exercise 4: Synonyms and paraphrasing. Read the information. Then match the words in bold
with the phrases that have a similar meaning. Use the phrases in the box.
recommend that you stay away from not clear consume harmful to
was unexpected this can mean that greatest consumers recommended limit
which actually soda
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Exercise 6: Read the passage “How our sweet tooth is hurting us” again and answer the
questions.
1. Which country consumes the least sugar per person? __________________
2. What is the maximum recommended number of teaspoons of sugar that a person should
consume a day? ________________
3. Which group of people drink more sugary drinks than anyone else? ________________
4. How do people really feel after finishing sugary drinks? ________________
5. Which food product has an unexpected amount of sugar? ________________
6. What do nutritionists want to be clearer for consumers? ___________________
7. What may decrease as a result of tooth decay in children? __________________
B. LISTENING
Exercise 1: Listen and write down the missing numbers (Track 1.1)
1. 13% - 84% - 60% _________ __________ ___________
2. 8.25 – 2.1 – 18.7 _________ __________ ___________
3. 9:6 – 10:1 – 20:3 _________ __________ ___________
4. 2/3 – 4/5 – 1/2 _________ __________ ___________
5. 24 (degrees) – 41 (degrees) – 10 (degrees) ________ _________ _________
Exercise 2: Listen carefully and underline the numbers you hear on the recording. (Track 1.3)
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Exercise 5: In this section, you will have to circle the letter of the answer that you hear and
then fill in a table.
5A. Look at questions 1-7. (Track 1.4)
1. How many students have an account with the bank? (The proportion of students in in the
darker shade)
a b c
2. The maximum amount the student can borrow without paying interest is
a. £250
b. £215
c. £520
3. There is a minimum yearly interest payment of
a. 5%
b. 0.9%
c. 0.5%
4. If the student borrows more than £1,000 the interest rises to
a. 5%
b. 1.6%
c. 0.6%
Saver accounts
Annual Percentage Duration
Short Term Saver
2.75% (5) _________
Medium Term Saver
(6) _________ 2 years
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Driver’s License: NA
Deposit:
(10) ____________
Other Account Number:
(11) ____________
Phone Number:
(12) ____________
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o 1.7 meters
5. What do Anne and Tom agree is typical behavior for Maui dolphins?
o They prefer to live with many other Maui dolphins.
o They often choose to follow boats to catch fish more easily.
o They are friendly towards people who swim near them.
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UNIT 2
PLACES AND BUILDINGS
A. VOCABULARY: DESCRIBING A TOWN / CITY
Exercise 1: Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.
1. I come from a tourist town by ______________ . Every summer the beach is full of visitors.
2. My house is in ___________________ , so it’s part of the city but away from the city center.
Many of the people who work in the city live here.
3. We live on __________________ the city – it takes just five minutes to walk from our
house to the countryside.
4. I’d love to live in ______________________ , away from all the noise and traffic of the city.
5. Our house is in _____________________ in the mountains. There are only about 30 houses
and two shops.
6. he city where I was born is on _______________________ . There are always a lot of ships
from around the world in the port.
7. I live in _____________________ , which is great. It means that I can walk to restaurants,
cinemas and museums. But it does get very noisy here sometimes.
8. My town is in _____________________ my country, not far from the mountains.
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suburbs. I lived with them for about six months, but then they left/moved/chose house and went to
live in a different city. So I had to find a new place to live. In the end, I moved about/back/ between in
with my parents. It’s much nicer now than when I first lived here. But now I’m saving money to
buy/become/earn a flat – hopefully I’ll have enough money in a few years.
places to relax and have fun places to learn about your city’s past
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Exercise 2: Correct the sentences. Change the irregular verbs from the present simple to the
past simple. The number of changes you need to make is in brackets.
1. My parents buy their house 20 years ago. (1)
2. It is quite expensive, but the bank lends them half the money so they can afford to buy
it. (3)
3. It is a small house, but it feels OK when my brother and I are children. (3)
4. But as we grow older, the house becomes too small. (2)
5. After about ten years, my parents build a new room at the back of the house. (1)
6. But then my brother leaves home and the house is too big again! (2)
7. House prices then rise very quickly. (1)
8. So when my parents sell their house last year, they make a lot of money. (2)
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Exercise 3: Complete the sentences with the past simple negative form of the verbs in brackets.
Use contractions (e.g. wasn’t) where possible. The first one has been done for you.
1. We couldn’t (can) find their house for hours. It was in the middle of nowhere.
2. I _____________ (like) living in the city center – it was too crowded.
3. Our old flat ______________ (have) a balcony, but our new flat’s got one.
4. There _____________ (be) many other children in the part of town where I grew up.
5. I _____________ (see) my grandparents often when I was young because they lived a long
way away.
6. We _______________ (need) a car when we lived in the city, but now we’re in the suburbs,
we have two!
7. It ________________ (be) a very fashionable neighborhood, but I liked living there.
C. READING:
In this unit, you will answer IELTS Reading sentence completion questions and read a text about
mammoths.
Exercise 1: In this text, there is a range of vocabulary about the natural world and the
conservation of animals. Match the words with the definitions.
a population a skeleton an ecosystem to become extinct to decrease
to hunt to preserve
1. This happens when a type of bird, animal or plant doesn’t exist anymore:
4. to put something (e.g. food) in ice, salt, sugar or chemicals, so it can stay
in good condition:
6. all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the
environment:
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences about the natural world. Use the words in the box.
1. Pollution harms all the plants, fish and animals in the ________________ .
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2. The tutor showed the ________________ to the medical students and asked which small
bones were missing.
3. We expect the number of people living in the countryside will ________________ as
families move to the cities.
4. There are so few polar bears left that it is possible they will soon become
_________________ .
5. The ________________ of my city has risen to 8 million people.
6. Lions often ________________ other animals at night.
7. Nowadays, most people use fridges to _______________ their food.
Exercise 3: Match the words and phrases with the correct synonyms and paraphrases.
get smaller make a possibility both some lower (than) the contents of
1. build or create
2. inside of or within
3. a pair of
4. not as high as
5. a little or an amount of
6. decrease or fall
7. might or may
Exercise 4: Complete the sentences below. Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each
answer.
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Prehistoric cave paintings show us that people ate the woolly mammoths they killed, but
also used their bones and tusks. They used these to make simple animal and human
figures, an early kind of art, and also to create some basic tools. We also know a lot about
the woolly mammoth because the freezing conditions in Alaska and Siberia have
preserved them. Researchers have studied their skeletons, their teeth and even the grass
and plants that were still inside their stomachs. We know that their fur was an
orange-brown colour, they had a thick layer of fat, and they had long, curved tusks. Their
ears were short compared to an African or Asian elephant’s we might see today, so they
would not lose so much heat or get frostbite.
In recent years, some researchers have suggested that we could bring woolly mammoths
back to life. Interestingly, not all scientists believe that bringing the mammoth back to life
would be a good thing. They think it would be unfair to create a ‘new’ mammoth and
then keep it in a small space. They think the right thing to do would be to give it a certain
amount of freedom, perhaps in a wildlife park. But where would this be? And the
mammoth would also be alone, and like elephants, mammoths were probably social in the
way they behaved. This does seem to be a strong reason against bringing the mammoth
back to life. Perhaps the ‘new’ mammoth might also develop an ‘old’ disease – and this
might have an effect on the ecosystem that scientists cannot predict. Although the idea of
bringing the mammoth back seems like an exciting one at first, there are many issues that
we need to consider
1. The number of mammoths started to fall when their __________________ got smaller.
2. Humans used mammoths for food, and to make art and ____________________ .
3. Scientists have examined the contents of mammoths’ __________________ .
4. Mammoths had smaller _____________________ than modern elephants.
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5. Some scientists think that a ‘new’ mammoth should have some ____________________ .
6. Both elephants and mammoths are ___________________ animals.
7. There is a possibility that a ‘new’ mammoth could get a ____________________ .
The honey badger (Melivora capensis) is an African and south-Asian mammal that has a
reputation for being one of the world’s most fearless animals, despite its small size. And
in spite of its gentle-sounding name, it is also one of its most aggressive. Honey badgers
have been known to attack lions, buffalo, and snakes three times their size. Even humans
are not safe from a honey badger if it thinks the human will attack or harm it. They are
also extremely tough creatures and can recover quickly from injuries that would kill most
other animals.
At first glance, honey badgers look like the common European badger. They are usually
between 75cm and 1 meter long, although males are about twice the size of females. They
are instantly recognizable by grey and white stripes that extend from the top of the head
to the tail. Closer inspection, which is probably not a wise thing to do, reveals pointed
teeth, and sharp front claws which can be four centimeters in length.
Honey badgers are meat-eating animals with an extremely varied diet. They mainly eat a
range of small creatures like beetles, lizards and birds, but will also catch larger reptiles
like snakes and small crocodiles. Some mammals, such as foxes, antelope and wild cats
also form part of their diet.
The badgers locate their prey mainly using their excellent sense of smell, and catch most
of their prey through digging. During a 24-hour period, they may dig as many as fifty
holes, and travel more than 40 kilometers. They are also good climbers, and can easily
climb very tall trees to steal eggs from birds’ nests, or catch other tree-dwelling creatures.
As their name suggests, honey badgers have always been associated with honey, although
they do not actually eat it. It is the highly nutritious bee eggs (called “brood”) that they
prefer, and they will do anything to find it. They usually cause a lot of damage to the hive
in the process, and for this reason, humans are one of their main predators. Bee-keepers
will often set special traps for honey badgers, to protect their hives.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the honey badger is its working relationship with a
bird called the greater honeyguide (Indicator indicator). This bird deliberately guides the
badger to beehives, then waits while the badger breaks into the hive and extracts the
brood. The two creatures,bird and mammal, then share the brood between them.
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1. Although they are not big animals, honey badgers are fearless, _______________and tough.
2. Honey badgers will attack ________________if they need to protect themselves.
3. The pattern and colors on the honey badger’s back make it _______________.
4. The food they eat is meat-based and _________________.
5. _______________form the biggest part of a honey badger’s diet.
6. Honey badgers find the creatures they eat by their____________________.
7. ________________are often used to catch honey badgers which attack beehives.
8. For one particular type of food, the honey badger has a ____________with another creature.
D. SPEAKING
Exercise 1: Read the task card. Then complete the student’s notes. Use the words in the box.
Describe a place where you had a holiday that you enjoyed.
You should say:
where the place was
when you went there and how long you stayed
what you did while you were there
and explain why you enjoyed having a holiday at that place.
Notes
● where the place was
Exercise 2: Read the task card. Then watch the video of a student doing IELTS Speaking Part
2. The student makes some mistakes and uses the wrong tense in her answers. Correct the ten
mistakes using the past simple form of the verbs.
Describe a place where you had a holiday that you enjoyed.
You should say:
where the place was
when you went there and how long you stayed
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Then match the descriptions with the sentences. The sentences include words and phrases that
you can use in the IELTS Speaking test to sound more natural.
You can use words or phrases like basically, for a start, I mean, now (Unit 2
and actually to sound more natural.
Video 2)
Did you notice how the student in the video uses actually to talk about
a surprising fact?
Example:
... and it was actually the first holiday that we were together.
Exercise 6: You are going to do IELTS Speaking Part 2. You will need some paper and a pencil.
Describe a place where you had a holiday that you enjoyed.
You should say:
where the place was
when you went there and how long you stayed
what you did while you were there
and explain why you enjoyed having a holiday at that place
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E. LISTENING
Exercise 1: Listening for sound differences. The sentences below contain sounds which students
often find hard to pick out. Put a tick next to the sentence that you hear. You will have to listen
very carefully as the difference is very slight. (Track 2.1)
1. a. My name is Steve Newly.
b. My name is Steve Mewly.
a. I live at 10, Thanes Close.
b. I live at 10, Staines Close.
2. a. That’s Mrs. Melanie Ridgely.
b. That’s Mrs. Melanie Bridgely.
a. And the address is Charwood Crescent.
b. And the address is Sharwood Crescent.
3. a. You’ll need to speak to Jane Price.
b. You’ll need to speak to Joan Price.
a. You can find us at the end of Beachcroft Road.
b. You can find us at the end of Beachcross Road.
4. a. It’s Catherine – Catherine Millwell.
b. It’s Catherine – Catherine Meilwell.
a. My address is Ditchfield Way.
b. My address is Tichfield Way.
5. a. The name is Darren Knight.
b. The name is Daryl Knight.
a. This is it – 102, Pine Court Place.
b. This is it – 102, Vine Court Place.
Exercise 2: Listen to these dialogues and write the spellings in the blanks. Write NO MORE
THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
A (Track 2.2)
Name: Martin (1) ______________________________
B (Track 2.3)
Address: Preston Technical College
(4) ________________________ Road, Preston
Postcode: (5) ___________
Head of the Admissions Department:
(6) ____________________________Winters
C (Track 2.4)
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Exercise 3: Listen to eight speakers spelling out names and numbers. Listen carefully and
decide which names and numbers have been written down correctly. Choose the correct
answers. (Track 2.5)
CORRECT INCORRECT
1 HEBBURN
○ ○
2 EASTWOOD
○ ○
3 BRAMPTON
○ ○
4 WORROW
○ ○
5 MIDDLEDOM
○ ○
6 KIMBERLEY
○ ○
7 0141 768 112
○ ○
8 £ 948.75
○ ○
Exercise 4: The conversation in this unit is about food and drink. This is a common topic in
IELTS, so it is a good idea to think about some vocabulary you might hear. Match the words in
the box with the definitions.
1. the food and drink usually eaten or drunk by a person or group: _________________
2. to have a meal at home rather than in a restaurant: ________________
3. food that has already been prepared and can be eaten after it has been heated in an oven or
microwave: ________________
4. a meal cooked and bought at a shop or restaurant but eaten somewhere else, often at home:
________________
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Exercise 5: Read the information. Then listen to part of a conversation about how the diet and
eating habits of people in the UK have changed over time. Choose the correct decades for the
food eating habits. (Track 2.6)
1960s 1970s 1990s Now
1. Watching cooking on
TV and rarely cooking at
○ ○ ○ ○
home
2. Staying at home and
eating the same food every
○ ○ ○ ○
week
3. Buying more frozen
foods such as fish and
○ ○ ○ ○
vegetable
4. Eating out in restaurants
○ ○ ○ ○
5. Sitting at home and
eating takeaway food
○ ○ ○ ○
Exercise 6: Read the information. Then choose the one word in each list that does not have the
same meaning as the others.
Example
takeaway fast-food ready-made meal unhealthy
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Exercise 8: Listen to the recording. Choose the correct answers to complete the sentences.
(Track 2.7)
1. The problem is that many people ... have an unhealthy diet.
o Nowadays
o these days
2. The trend for buying Indian takeaways has risen by … since 2016.
o 16%
o 6%
3. Doctors are worried about the increase in heart disease among … and over.
o men aged 35
o men aged 45
4. Good-quality food can be found in many of the city’s ...
o fine hotel restaurants.
o five hotel restaurants.
5. Sales of our … pies have fallen over the last three months.
o ready-made fish
o already-made fish
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UNIT 3
EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT
A. VOCABULARY: JOBS, WORK, STUDY, COURSES, FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES
Exercise 1: Match the people with the descriptions of the jobs.
a chef a doctor a lawyer a manager a programmer
a soldier a teacher a vet
This person …
1. looks after people who are ill or hurt: ______________
2. designs or builds machines, equipment or roads, etc.: ______________
3. cooks food in a restaurant: ______________
4. protects his or her country: ______________
5. keeps information about money that a company or person receives, pays or owes: _________
6. gives people and businesses advice about the law: ______________
7. works in a school or college: ______________
8. produces computer programs: ______________
9. looks after sick animals: ______________
10. is responsible for a team of people or a project: ______________
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have any experience. In the end, I got a job as/at/for a marketing assistant. It was a bit boring, but I
was very good at/from/to my job. After a few years, I was offered a job as a marketing manager and
was given an increase as/in/of salary.
In my country, they usually study just a few subjects at college. You can study for a degree at
(6)________________. You need to do this if you want to become a teacher, a lawyer or an engineer,
for example. Many university courses include a (7)__________________ , where students spend a
few months in a place of work and learn some practical skills. After graduating from university,
some students stay at a university to do a (8)____________________ . Education doesn’t stop when
you leave school or university. Many people go to (9)_________________ which they attend after a
full day at work. You can also learn a lot at work by going on (10)_______________ . For example,
you might learn how to use new computer software or how to communicate with customers.
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B. GRAMMAR:
Exercise 1: Match the present results (present simple) with the past events (present perfect)
Exercise 2: Complete the sentences. Use the past participle of the irregular verbs in brackets.
1. He wasn’t very good when he started, but he’s _____________ (become) a very good
teacher in the last few years.
2. Have you _______________ (chose) a career yet? Do you know what you want to do when
you leave school?
3. I studied History for five years at school, but now I’ve ________________ (forget) almost
everything.
4. It’s been a very useful course and you’re a great teacher – you’ve __________________
(teach) me a lot.
5. I’ve __________________ (send) emails to lots of companies asking for a job, but nobody’s
offered me one yet.
6. Have you ________________ (be) on any training courses this year?
7. I need to write a 10,000-word essay by the end of my course, but I’ve only
_________________ (write) 2,500 words so far.
8. I studied Business at university, but I’ve _______________ (learn) more in my first month at
work than in three years at university.
9. Sorry I haven’t finished the presentation yet. I haven’t ________________ (have) time.
10. OK, so now that I’ve _______________ (show) you what to do, it’s your turn.
Exercise 3: Read the information. Then choose the correct answers to complete the
conversation.
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The words already, yet and just have slightly different meanings.
● already = before now, or before a particular time in the past
Example:
I’ve already done it.
= I did it in the past so I don’t need/plan to do it again.
A: Hey, I’ve already/just/yet remembered. We need to hand in our essays tomorrow. Have you
started writing yours just/yet ?
B: Actually, I’ve just/yet started. I started planning it half an hour ago. But I haven’t written
anything already/just/yet . I’m still thinking about what to write. What about you?
A: I started working on it at the weekend. I’ve already/just/yet written about half of it, but there’s
still a lot of work to do.
B: Oh, that’s not so bad. And have you planned everything just/yet ?
A: No, I haven’t planned the end already/just/yet . I mean, the first half’s good, but I don’t know
what to write for the ending. What about you?
B: I’ve just/yettold you! I started half an hour ago!
A: Oh, yes, sorry. And what about David? Has he started just/yet ?
B: Started? He’s already/just/yet finished! He wrote the whole essay last weekend!
Exercise 4: Complete the sentences. Use the words in brackets with the present perfect. Use
contractions where possible (e.g. haven’t). The first one has been done for you.
1. My sister’s just started university – it’s her first week this week. (my sister / just / start)
2. I’m really pleased. _____________________ all my exams. (I / pass)
3. We finished our project over a month ago, but our teacher _____________________ . (not /
check / it / yet)
4. _________________________ to go to evening classes to learn how to write computer programs.
(I / already / decide)
5. Don’t worry. __________________________ anybody your exam results. (I / not / tell)
6. I think the job interview went well, but ____________________________ , so I don’t know if
I’ve got the job or not. (they / not / contact / me / yet)
7. Why are we doing this training course again? ___________________________________ it three
times! (we / already / do)
8. I’m really worried. I think _____________________________________my end-of-course test. (I
/ fail)
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C. READING:
Exercise 1: You will read a text called ‘Cities of the future’. In the text, there are some opinions
given about problems our societies may face.
Exercise 2: Read the text “Cities of the future” and choose the correct answers.
CITIES OF THE FUTURE
Paragraph A
Researchers recently gave 1,000 people a questionnaire about ‘Cities of The Future’. To answer the
questions, the people had to imagine and describe what they thought our cities might look like in the
year 2050. Interestingly, a large number of people were anxious that they would become ‘dark,
dangerous places’, which had endless traffic jams and very few green spaces. This group also
predicted an increase in the level of pollution and thought people would always need to wear
facemasks in order to breathe. They also believed that it would be less safe to walk on the street as
there would be ‘more stealing’ and other criminal behavior. A smaller number thought cities might
become a lot cleaner and might be built from more interesting materials. They were also looking
forward to new technology such as flying cars and moving pavements. In general, they believed that
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the cities of the future would offer a much more convenient way of living. A few people were
uncertain; for example, they thought the size of apartments might reduce as the population of the city
grew, but they also thought that public transport would become better.
Paragraph B
What do the results from this questionnaire tell us? In a way, we shouldn’t be amazed by the
descriptions of the largest group. So many Hollywood films show cities of the future as frightening
places. Online newspapers are also responsible for spreading this same belief. Headlines such as
‘Global population rises – cities become crowded’ are becoming more frequent. Journalists rarely
discuss how future cities might be a good place to live.
Paragraph C
The facts are these: 50% of people now live in cities, even though cities only occupy 2% of the
world’s land. By 2050, it is predicted that the number of people living there will rise to 70%. Some
people are worried that villages in the countryside will become empty as everyone leaves for the city,
and so traditional ways of life will be lost. This may be true, but we have to accept changes like this
as part of human development. Rather than being negative, we should be hopeful that we can
improve people’s lives as they move to cities. The way to do this is through intelligent planning.
Paragraph D
Architects have a big role to play in our future cities. In the past, the architects who were responsible
for planning our cities often designed buildings that they were interested in; but now it is time for
them to listen carefully to what people living in cities are asking for. In many countries around the
world, people are choosing to have smaller families or to wait longer before they start a family. For
this reason, not everyone needs a large house. Smaller and cheaper houses are what they need. But
‘small’ doesn’t have to be the same as ‘ugly’ or ‘boring’. Western architects could perhaps look at
some of the architecture in Japanese cities, where very stylish houses are built on small pieces of
unused land.
Paragraph E
And what might cities of the future be made from? Engineering companies have produced some
interesting new products, for example, wood-like material made from recycled newspapers or old
drink cartons. One engineering team are even working on a project that uses mushrooms to create a
hard building material. These new materials may seem strange, but we should remember that plastic
was only invented in 1907 – at the time people thought that this was an unusual product, but now it is
something we cannot manage without. Building a city of the future requires imagination and an open
mind.
1. Paragraph A: What do the results of the questionnaire show?
A. Most people feel worried rather than pleased about the way that cities will develop.
B. People imagined that no one would use their own vehicles anymore.
C. People think that crime will be the worst problem that future cities will have.
D. Some people believe that there will not be enough houses in the city for everyone.
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B. Giving a reason why many people feel negative about cities of the future.
C. Suggesting that newspapers show a more realistic view of future cities than films.
3. What point does the writer make in Paragraph C?
A. It is important to encourage some people to stay in their villages.
B. It is possible to maintain traditional village customs after moving to cities.
C. It is necessary to think in a creative way about city design.
4. Paragraph D: In the writer’s opinion, architects who are responsible for planning cities
A. often make houses that are unattractive.
B. must make buildings based on people’s needs.
C. should get experience by working in foreign cities.
5. Paragraph E: The writer refers to the invention of plastic to make the point that
A. we can expect building materials to be very different in the future.
B. we must accept that good-quality materials take a long time to create.
C. we should use a variety of building materials to make our cities interesting.
Exercise 3: In an IELTS Reading text about the future, you are likely to see words and phrases
that are used to make predictions.
Match the meanings with the underlined words and phrases. Use the words in the box.
certain impossible possible probable uncertain
2. There is a very good chance that there will be no more oil by 2050.
3. Driverless cars will be very popular – but not with taxi drivers!
Exercise 4: EXAM PRACTICE. Read the passage carefully and choose the correct option.
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Most of us have at least one, but how did this popular item evolve?
One morning in 1945, a crowd of 5,000 people jammed the entrance of Gimbels
Department Store in New York. The day before, Gimbels had placed a full-page
advertisement in the New York Times for a wonderful new invention, the ballpoint pen.
The advertisement described the pen as “fantastic” and “miraculous”. Although they were
expensive, $12.50 each, all 10,000 pens in stock were sold on the first day.
In fact, this “new” pen was not new at all. In 1888, John Loud, a leather manufacturer,
had invented a pen with a reservoir of ink and a rolling ball. However, his pen was never
produced, and efforts by other people to produce a commercially successful one failed
too. The main problem was with the ink. If it was too thin, the ink leaked out of the pen.
If it was too thick, it didn’t come out of the pen at all.
Almost fifty years later, in 1935, a newspaper editor in Hungary thought he spent too
much time filling his pens with ink. He decided to invent a better kind of pen. With the
help of his brother, who was a chemist, he produced a ballpoint pen that didn’t leak when
the pen wasn’t being used. The editor was called Ladislad Biro, and it was his name that
people would associate more than any other with the ballpoint pen.
By chance, Biro met Augustine Justo, the Argentinian president. Justo was so impressed
with Biro’s invention that he invited him to set up a factory in Argentina. In 1943, the
first Biro pens were produced.
Unfortunately, they were not popular, since the pen needed to be held in a vertical
position for the ink to come out. Biro redesigned the pen with a better ball, and in 1944
the new product was on sale throughout Argentina.
It was a North American, Milton Reynolds, who introduced the ballpoint pen to the USA.
Copying Biro’s design, he produced the version that sold so well at Gimbels. Another
American, Patrick Frawley, improved the design and in 1950 began producing a pen he
called the Papermate. It was an immediate success, and within a few years, Papermate
were selling in their millions around the world.
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D. SPEAKING
Exercise 1: Match each job with the correct picture.
mechanic architect pilot chef scientist manager professor journalist
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Exercise 2: Read the task card and watch the video of the student doing IELTS Speaking Part
2. She makes some mistakes with verb forms. Find and correct the mistakes.
Describe a job you would like to have.
You should say:
what the job is
what you know about that job
what study or training you would need to do so you can get that job
and explain why you would like to have that job
1. I would like introduce a job which I would like to do in the
future. (Unit 3
2. My dream job is be a teacher.
Video 1)
3. I really like get on with children.
4. A lot of my classmates be teachers now.
5. I wanted to do this job since I started university.
Exercise 3: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. When I finish university I ______________ to be a scientist. (want)
2. The exam yesterday _______________ really difficult. (be)
3. I am ________________ to walk to work today. (go)
4. I _______________ been a mechanic since 2014. (have)
5. I’m ______________ on an interesting project at the moment. (work)
6. The information that my manager ______________ me last week was useful. (give)
7. The workers ______________ to be careful with the new machine. It’s quite difficult to use.
(need)
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Exercise 5: Read the task card. Then watch the video of a student doing IELTS Speaking Part
2 and look at the sentences she uses. Match the phrases in the box with the underlined words
which have a similar meaning.
I have always thought ... It is said that ... I’d like to talk about ...
It is necessary to to become
Exercise 6: Read the task card. Then watch the video of a student doing IELTS Speaking Part
2 and look at the sentences he uses. Add a phrase from the box to each sentence. This will help
improve the grammatical range.
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Exercise 7: You are going to do IELTS Speaking Part 2. You will need some paper and a pencil.
Describe a job you would like to have.
You should say:
what the job is
what you know about that job
what study or training you would need to do so you can get that job
and explain why you would like to have that job.
E. LISTENING
Exercise 1: The exam task in this unit is about money. This is a common topic in IELTS, so it is
a good idea to think about some vocabulary you might hear. Match the words in the box with
the definitions
cash trade coin financial valuable exchange payment worth
1. to give something to someone and receive something else from that person: __________
2. a small, round piece of metal that is used as money: _________
3. relating to money or how money is managed: ___________
4. having a particular value, especially in money: __________
5. an amount of money you give to someone, often for a product or service: __________
6. the activity of buying and selling products or services between people or countries:
____________
7. to be worth a lot of money: _____________
8. money in the form of notes and coins, rather than a credit card: _____________
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Exercise 3: In this example of an IELTS Listening sentence completion task, you will listen to
two students talking about the topic of finance in preparation for a lecture. Write ONE
WORD to complete each sentence. (Track 3.1)
1. Greg and Penny agree to do some background reading on the history of ___________ .
2. Greg says that before money, _____________ was very common.
3. Greg says that in the past, bronze was probably used to make ____________ .
4. The book Greg and Penny should read is called ‘The ____________ World’.
Exercise 4: Match the words and phrases in the box with the correct synonyms.
began to use circle were made for mostly had the idea
produce very small images
Exercise 5: Read the sentences. Choose the correct synonym for the words and phrases in bold.
1. The UK introduced the two-pound coin in 1998.
o began to use
o created
o made
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2. Before money, it was common for people to use food, such as rice, in exchange for tools.
o Easy
o Difficult
o normal
3. The line graph shows the number of people who worked in finance in the years between 1990
and 2015.
o Displays
o Explains
o includes
4. According to recent figures, the company was valued at £25 million in 2015.
o sold for
o offered
o worth
5. Many countries in Europe started to produce paper money in the 17th century.
o began to make
o changed to
o decided to use
6. The five-yen coin, used in Japan, is round with a very small hole in the middle.
o square
o tiny
o very big
Exercise 6: Read the information. Then read the extracts from a lecture on the history of
money and choose the five phrases that signal the introduction of a new topic.
Cues help you follow the ideas the speakers talk about.
You can do this by listening for signaling phrases, use when:
● introduce a new point or topic (e.g. We’ll start by …, But that wasn’t the
only…)
● make a point about the current topic (e.g. It should be noted that …)
● give a definition or an explanation (e.g. In other words, …).
¨ Well, we’ll start by thinking about the situation in prehistoric times.
¨ It was in western Turkey, however, that the system of producing coins became more
organized.
¨ The only problem with these little tools is that they looked just like the real ones.
¨ Now, about 3,000 years ago, there was an interesting development, and this happened in
China.
¨ This is a metal which is quite easy to use and to make large tools from.
¨ It’s something that’s so easy to buy in the supermarket nowadays.
¨ But that wasn’t the only big development in China.
¨ What else was used instead of money in the distant past?
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Exercise 7: Listen to a lecture on the history of money. Complete the sentences. Write ONE
WORD ONLY in each gap. (Track 3.2)
1. People often exchanged vegetables for ______________ in prehistoric times
2. In Ancient European cultures, tools that were used for ______________ were most
important.
3. Around 3,000 years ago, the Chinese began to make tiny _______________ of tools from
bronze.
4. China introduced coins that were round with a _______________ hole in the middle 2,800
years ago.
5. Coins were made mostly from ______________ in western Turkey.
6. King Alyattes had the idea of putting pictures of birds and _______________ on coins.
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UNIT 4
FOOD AND DRINK
A. VOCABULARY:
Exercise 1: Put the words in the correct categories to complete the table.
milkshake yoghurt cabbage basil butter cheese lamb salt and pepper juice
rice beef lemonade chili bread chicken onion carrot salad
SIDE DISHES
(FOOD GO WITH THE MAIN SOFT DRINKS VEGETABLES
COURSE)
Exercise 2: Complete the definitions. Use the sentence endings in the box.
you cook it at a temperature below boiling. you cook it for too long and it goes black.
you cook it in an oven. you cook it in hot oil or fat. you cook it under a very hot place.
you cook them in an oven, using a little oil or fat. you cut it into long, thin pieces
you cook them in water that is boiling (= very hot). you cut them into pieces with knife
you put it on plates so that people can eat it.
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3. A ______________ is a small piece of cloth or paper used while you’re eating to protect
your clothes or clean your mouth or fingers.
6. A _____________ is a deep pan that you use for cooking vegetables or pasta in water.
8. A _____________ is a bowl where you keep food before you put it onto plates.
9. The general name for wooden spoons, kitchen knives and other things that help you cook
is kitchen _________________ .
1. I love ______________ food. It’s hot and has lots of strong flavors.
2. I prefer _______________ food. It still tastes good, but it’s not hot and the flavors aren’t very
strong.
3. _______________ pies, like apple pie, are popular in many countries.
4. _______________ pies, like meat pie, are also popular in some countries.
5. I don’t like ________________ chilli. It’s too strong for me.
6. This meal is _______________ . It tastes really nice.
7. I don’t like mashed potato. It’s so _______________ and doesn’t really taste of anything.
8. These carrots are very _______________ . There’s too much salt on them.
9. This meat is still _______________ ! Please cook it a bit longer.
10. The meal was ________________ . It tasted horrible!
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A: Well, it also contains/ holds/involves fried onions and tomatoes. Plus lots of spices like chilli and
pepper to give it a strong appetite/color/flavor . Would you like to fry/test/try it?
B. GRAMMAR:
Exercise 1: Read the information. Then read the sentences and choose the correct answers.
Countable nouns:
Things that you can count, e.g. one book, two books; one person, two people.
Uncountable nouns:
Things that we don’t normally count, e.g. water, fun.
1. I went to the shop and bought two ice creams, one for me and one for you.
In this sentence, ‘ice cream’ is
o countable
o uncountable
2. For dessert, we’ve got ice cream. In this sentence, ‘ice cream’ is
o countable
o uncountable
3. In my family, we often have pizza for dinner. It’s our favorite meal. In this sentence,
‘pizza’ is
o countable
o uncountable
4. I ordered a takeaway pizza, but when it arrived, it was really small. In this sentence,
‘pizza’ is
o countable
o uncountable
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o uncountable
6. I never eat chocolate. It’s too sweet for me. In this sentence, ‘chocolate’ is
o countable
o uncountable
Exercise 2: Read the information. Then choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
We use much with singular uncountable nouns and many with plural nouns
Exercise 4: Complete the description of how to make scrambled eggs. Use a, the, some or any.
1. You will need __________ butter, two or three eggs and ___________ large frying pan.
2. First of all, break ___________ eggs into ___________ bowl.
3. Make sure there aren’t ____________ pieces of eggshell in _____________ bowl.
4. Mix ____________ eggs with ____________ fork .
5. Now melt ____________ butter in ____________ frying pan.
6. When ____________ butter has melted, pour ______________ eggs into the frying pan.
7. Use ____________ wooden spoon to stir the eggs in ___________ pan .
8. When it’s nearly ready, add ____________ salt and pepper to ______________ eggs.
9. Keep mixing _____________ eggs with ___________ wooden spoon.
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10. When it’s ready, serve ___________ scrambled eggs with ______________ toast.
C. READING:
Exercise 1: What words and phrases do you already know for describing communication?
Match the words and phrases with the definitions.
formal interaction online forum relationship social media
social network to get in touch to keep in touch to respond update
Exercise 2: Read this paragraph from the text. What information does it contain? Choose the
correct answer.
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Paragraph A
It’s often impossible for teenagers to imagine that in the past we all had to make our social
arrangements either face-to-face or using a telephone landline. Just 20 years ago, trying to organize a
visit to the cinema meant that you had to call your friends at least a day in advance and hope they’d
be home when you rang. If someone didn’t turn up, you could try to call them from a public
telephone box. If their parents were home, you could leave a message, but your plans for the evening
would probably be ruined.
Exercise 3: Read the information. Then match the types of information with the sentences.
When reading an IELTS Reading text, it is important to think about what type of
information it covers. Other types of information could be:
● a reason for ...
● details of ...
● a description of ...
● a suggestion ..
Exercise 4: Read the next paragraph. Then match the information statements (A–D) with the
numbered parts of the paragraph (1–3). There is one information statement that you do not
need.
Paragraph B
Nowadays, getting in touch is a lot easier. Almost every aspect of human communication has
changed: we have email, text, Skype, Facebook and Instagram, and we are certainly busy using them
to build and maintain our relationships. According to recent reports, the top social networks now
each have more than a billion monthly active users. And keeping in touch isn’t just something we do
in class or at work any more: we continue to communicate with friends, strangers, family and
colleagues (1) while we’re on the train, in the living room and at the dinner table, for instance.
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One recent British study indicated that (2) 79% of teens even put their phone under their pillow
so they can keep up-to-date with whatever is happening on social media day and night, and not
miss out on updates. As for adults, a recent survey showed that (3) they now spend 20 to 28 hours
a week on social media and have on average 275 personal connections. However, in contrast,
only 11% of these same people actually meet their social connections in an actual physical
environment on a regular basis.
A. a comparison between the time spent online with friends and time spent in real places
B. some examples of typical locations in which digital technology may be found
C. the reason why some young people feel the need to keep a digital device with them at
all times
D. the suggestion that adults could learn about digital communication from their children
1.
2.
3.
Exercise 5: Read the next paragraph. Then complete the matching information statements for
the numbered parts of the paragraph. Use the words in the box.
Paragraph C
Email is now one of the most common means of communication. At the moment, over 100 billion
emails are sent and received per day for business purposes. (1) This trend is expected to continue,
and business email will account for over 132 billion emails sent and received per day two years
from now. The number of letters which are sent through the post, however, has decreased
dramatically. (2) A consequence of this is that many town and village post offices have closed.
These were once places where a great deal of social interaction used to take place between local
people. Now it is no longer possible for neighbors or workers in the area to meet up with each
other like this, and older people in particular are often unhappy about this development. But
certainly the advantages of email cannot be ignored: in the past, the post would only be delivered
once or twice a day. If a letter was sent to an overseas destination, it could take months. Without
doubt, email has made it easier to do business.
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Exercise 6: Quickly skim read the next paragraphs. Then do the exercise.
Paragraph D
However, there are several downsides to this form of technology. Firstly, no one would disagree that
email puts pressure on people to respond immediately as soon as they find a new message in their
inbox. A recent French report says that anxiety and general tiredness has risen dramatically amongst
office workers, largely because they carry their digital devices with them, feeling obliged to
constantly check for new mail from clients. A further problem is how to write an email, especially
when communicating with people we don’t know well. In the past, everyone knew that it was
‘correct’ to begin a letter ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ and end with ‘Yours faithfully’. Nowadays, these
phrases often feel too formal. No one wants to give the wrong impression when writing an email, but
without ‘rules’, this can easily happen.
Paragraph E
Another significant impact technology has had on methods of communication is in the field of
education. Traditionally, if someone wanted to take a higher education course, they would have to
travel to attend lessons on a university campus. Nowadays, it is possible to take a range of courses
through distance learning, and the number of these is likely to rise in the next few years. What is the
appeal of studying this way? Many online courses encourage students to take part in online forums
and post comments about their learning experiences, reading assignments and projects. They must
also comment on their classmates’ posts. In one way, this approach certainly appears to encourage
communication.
Paragraph F
However, some surveys have found the opposite to be true. Because online students are physically
separated, and indeed may never have met, they do not have the opportunity to build a good
relationship. Students who come to campus regularly have the chance to get to know and support
each other, and feel part of a community, so when they are asked to comment on the other person’s
work, they can do this in ways they know the other person will appreciate. For example, some
students prefer their peers to be direct in their criticism, whereas others might prefer a more sensitive
approach. But when students are asked to comment on the work or opinions of people they have
never met, they are often reluctant to do so. Interestingly, one of the main reasons why people give
up studying on their online courses is that they miss the face-to-face interaction with others.
Certainly technology has made our lives more ‘convenient’ but perhaps also more complicated.
There are many questions still to be answered about how we can and should use our modern digital
tools to enable effective communication, an evolutionary skill that has been centuries in
development.
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2. problems that occur at work and in formal situations because of digital communication
o D
o E
o F
Exercise 7: Read paragraphs D-F again, this time more carefully. Which paragraph contains
the following information? You may use any letter more than once.
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EXAM PRACTICE:
GRAPHIC NOVELS
People who think graphic novels are just comics with a different name should think again
A. Graphic novels, as the name suggests, are books written and illustrated in the style of
a comic book. The term graphic novel was first used in 1978 by author and artist Will
Eisner to distinguish a comic novel he had written and illustrated from newspaper comic
strips. He described graphic novels as consisting of 'sequential art' — a series of
illustrations which, when viewed in order, tell a story.
B. Although today's graphic novels are a recent phenomenon, this basic way of telling
stories has been used in various forms for centuries. Early cave drawings, hieroglyphics
and medieval tapestries are examples of this. The term graphic novel is now generally
used to describe any book in a comic format that resembles a novel in length and
narrative development.
C. Many adults feel that graphic novels are not the type of reading material that will help
young people become good readers. They believe that graphic novels are somehow a bad
influence that prevent 'real' reading. In other words, they think that they are not 'real'
books.
D. However, many quality graphic novels are now being seen as a method of storytelling
on the same level as novels, films or audio books. From originally appealing to a small
following of enthusiasts, they are now being accepted by librarians and teachers as proper
literature for children and young adults. The main advantages are that they promote
literacy, and attract and motivate young people to read.
E. How do we know this? In the last few years, teachers and school libraries have
reported outstanding success getting children to read with graphic novels. Many have
mentioned the motivational factor of the graphic novel. This has been especially true with
children who are usually reluctant to read, especially boys. The colorful pictures attract
them, and then encourage them to find out what the story is about. Providing young
people of all abilities with a wide range of reading materials, including graphic novels,
can help them become lifelong readers.
F. Furthermore, one of the main benefits of a graphic novel is that it can help students
who are learning a foreign language, and who are having problems improving their
reading skills. This is because the pictures provide clues to the meaning of the words.
Language learners are therefore more motivated by graphic novels, and will acquire new
vocabulary more quickly.
G. Many teachers have reported great success when they have used graphic novels with
their students, especially in the areas of English, social studies and art. They have
discovered that, just like traditional forms of literature, they can be useful tools for
helping students examine aspects of history, science, literature and art.
H. The idea that graphic novels are too simple to be regarded as serious reading is no
longer valid. The excellent graphic novels available today demand many of the same
skills that are needed to understand traditional works of fiction. Often they actually
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contain more sophisticated vocabulary than traditional books. Reading them can help
students develop the skills that are necessary to read more challenging works.
Questions 1 -7:
The Reading passage has eight paragraphs, A-H.
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-H.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
1. people with negative attitudes towards graphic novels __________
2. a variety of school subjects where graphic novels can play an important role __________
3. why a graphic novel's visual element speeds up learning __________
4. a modern definition of graphic novels __________
5. graphic novels are as good as any other method of telling a story __________
6. graphic novels sometimes use advanced words __________
7. the historical use of pictures as a method of storytelling __________
Passage 2:
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A. Wheat farmer Gang Liu is a worried man. The annual rains have not arrived, and
there is a danger that unless there is substantial rainfall soon, his annual wheat crop will
fail. As he looks anxiously at the clouds which promise rain but are failing to deliver it,
there is a sudden loud roar, and from fields for miles around, hundreds of small rockets
are fired into the clouds. Within twenty minutes, the farms around the eastern Chinese
city of Luohe are experiencing their first rain for many weeks. Gang Liu's valuable
wheat has been saved, thanks to a technique known as 'cloud seeding', in which the
chemical silver iodide (Agl) is introduced into clouds. This causes the tiny drops of
moisture in the clouds to turn to ice. These tiny ice particles join until they become
heavy enough to fall from the sky, turning into rain as they melt.
B. But did cloud seeding really cause the rain in Luohe to fall, or was it just a
coincidence? Experts often question whether cloud seeding actually works. It is hard to
tell how effective cloud seeding actually is, they say, as it might have rained anyway,
without human intervention. But this has not stopped many governments and
organisations from trying. There are currently 150 weather-modifying projects taking
place in more than 40 countries. Not all of them are aimed at creating rain. The Eastlund
Scientific Enterprises Corporation in the USA, for example, is experimenting with firing
microwaves into clouds to prevent the tornadoes which cause enormous damage to the
country every year. In Russia, experiments have been carried out to make sure the sun
shines during important national events.
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E. "We want to understand what makes clouds rain," says Philip Brown of the UK
Meteorological office, explaining why so much time, effort and money are being
invested. "But there is a more powerful economic reason. A lot of countries around the
world are at risk from drought, and governments will try anything to make sure that
doesn't happen, even if the scientific evidence is weak. The potential economic value is
greater than the scientific value. Making it rain might allow you to keep agriculture
going where, without human intervention, it might fail."
F. Some people are concerned, however, that altering the weather can have negative
consequences. Leonard Barrie, director of the research department at the World
Meteorological Organisation in Geneva, explains why. "All areas of weather
modification are still very controversial. Some people think that diverting water for
irrigation benefits some people, but is a disadvantage to others. Someone in one area will
get more water, but as a result, someone somewhere else could get less." His fears may
be justified. Recently, the town of Zhoukou in China's Henan province accused
neighbouring town Pingdingshang of 'stealing' rain from clouds that were due to pass
over its own farms, prompting what may be the world's very first documented incident of
'rain rage'.
Questions 1-6
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each
answer.
D. SPEAKING
Exercise 1: In IELTS Speaking Part 2 you will speak about your personal experience of a topic.
Then, in Part 3, the examiner will ask you about your general opinions on the same topic.
Look at a student’s answers and decide if each one describes a personal experience (for Part 2)
or a general opinion (for Part 3).
1. We should eat healthier food because we need healthy bodies to work and study.
➔ This is personal experience for Part 2./ This is a general opinion for Part 3.
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3. I think that buying fast food is often easier than cooking for yourself.
➔ This is personal experience for Part 2./ This is a general opinion for Part 3.
4. I think governments should give people more advice about healthy food.
➔ This is personal experience for Part 2./ This is a general opinion for Part 3.
6. No, I don’t think so, because it is now more expensive to import food from foreign countries.
➔ This is personal experience for Part 2./ This is a general opinion for Part 3.
7. I think we’re healthier than in the past because nowadays we concentrate on the ingredients
in meals.
➔ This is personal experience for Part 2./ This is a general opinion for Part 3.
9. Yes, I think so, because nowadays we are unhealthy because of fast food.
➔ This is personal experience for Part 2./ This is a general opinion for Part 3.
Exercise 2: Read the IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions and answers. Highlight the words that
the student uses to paraphrase the examiner’s words in bold.
1. Examiner: Do you think it’s easy to buy many types of food in your country?
Student: Yes, there is definitely a wide variety of things to eat where I am from.
2. Examiner: Some people say it’s better to eat mostly local food rather than food imported from
other countries. Do you agree?
Student: Yes, I think it is important to buy food that was grown near where you live.
3. Examiner: Do you think that your country’s traditional food might disappear in the future?
Student: No, it simply isn’t possible that people would stop eating what we have always eaten
where I am from.
4. Examiner: Do you think that the food people eat in your country now is better than the food that
they ate in the past?
Student: No, I don’t. I think what people used to eat was healthier.
5. Examiner: What are the reasons why unhealthy food is so popular in many countries these days?
Student: I think there are several reasons why people like eating things that are bad for them.
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Exercise 3: In IELTS Speaking Part 3 you can use and, but, so, and because to help explain
your opinions.
Read the information, then complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.
Use and to join two ideas that are similar. (e.g. I like coffee and tea.)
Use but to join one idea that is different from another idea. (e.g. I like apple juice but not
orange juice.)
Use so to join one idea that is the result of another idea. (e.g. I want to be healthier, so I’m
eating more fruit.)
Use because to join one idea with the reason for another idea. (e.g. I am going to a
restaurant on Saturday because it’s my friend’s birthday.)
1. Sugar causes a lot of health problems, ___________ people should eat fewer things that
contain sugar.
2. In my country, it’s easy to have a healthy diet _____________ we grow a lot of fruit and
vegetables.
3. Fast food is unhealthy ____________ it’s tasty and cheap.
4. One reason I like fruit is that it tastes nice ___________ another reason is because it’s
healthy.
5. People drink a lot of water in the summer _____________ it’s very hot.
Exercise 7: Watch the video of a student doing IELTS Speaking Part 3. Listen and complete
the examiner’s questions. (Unit 4_Video 2)
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1. Examiner: OK, we’ve been talking about food and drink and I’d like to discuss with you one or two more
general questions related to this. So let’s consider, first of all, local and ______________ food. Do you think
it’s easy to buy many types of food in your country?
2. Examiner: Some people say it’s better though to eat mostly _____________ food rather than food
imported from other countries. Do you agree?
4. Examiner: Do you think though that your country’s _____________ food might disappear in the future?
5. Examiner: OK, let’s think about food ____________ and healthy food. Do you think that the food people
eat in your country now is better than the food that they ate in the past?
6. Examiner: What are the reasons why ______________ food is so popular in many countries these days?
7. Examiner: Do you think that governments should make laws which encourage people to eat healthy
________________ and avoid unhealthy food?
8. Examiner: Do you think people would obey the rules, the government rules, about ______________
food?
Exercise 8: There is one mistake in each of the student’s answers. Find the mistakes and
correct them.
1. Examiner: Do you think it’s easy to buy many types of food in your country?
Student: Yes, I think is easy to buy international food in Hong Kong.
3. Examiner: Do you think though that your country’s traditional food might disappear in the future?
Student: As far I as can see, it’s possible, but unlikely.
5. Examiner: Do you think that the food people eat in your country now is better than the food that
they ate in the past?
Student: Personally, I thinking that it’s better nowadays
Exercise 9:
You are going to do IELTS Speaking Part 2. You will need some paper and a pencil.
Describe what you like to have for breakfast in the morning.
You should say:
what you like to eat and drink for breakfast
how you prepare these things
whether you think this is a healthy breakfast
and explain why you like to eat and drink these things.
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E. LISTENING
Exercise 1: In this unit, you will practise the skills you need to answer an IELTS Listening
matching task and a map labelling task. The topic of this unit is visiting museums.
Listen to two students talking about a trip to the Museum of Transport. Choose the correct
answer. (Track 4.1)
What activity do the students need to complete at this location at the Museum of Transport?
Location
The Information Centre
Activity
● collect their timetable
● get a map of the museum
● meet their tour guide
Exercise 2: Labelling maps is an important skill in the IELTS Listening test. It’s a good idea to
familiarise yourself with key vocabulary that you might hear when labelling maps.
Read and listen to the extract of John and Denise’s conversation. Choose the correct words and
phrases you hear to complete the extract. (Track 4.2)
Denise: Great. That’ll be interesting, I expect. Now, what activity did our tutor say we had to
complete when we arrived at the Information Centre/ Welcome Hall/ Gift Shop at the museum?
John: Well, we’ve already got our timetables/map/ brochure for the whole visit, so we don’t need to
pick those up.
Denise: Oh, I remember – we’re supposed to introduce ourselves to someone from the museum – the
person who’s going to show us around the museum later on and talk to us about some of the displays/
paintings/ exhibits.
John: You’re right. That’s it. OK, well, we’d better do that first.
Exercise 3: Read the information. Then listen to the next part of the conversation between
John and Denise and answer the question. (Track 4.3)
What activity (A–E) do the students need to complete at this location at the Museum of
Transport?
1. The Space Travel building
o A do an interview
o B watch a short film
o C do a quiz
o D listen to a recording
o E learn to use some equipment
Exercise 4: Listen to the rest of the conversation. Which activity (A–E) do the students need to
complete at the Trains and Travel room, Central Hall and ‘Going Second Class’ room at the
Museum of Transport? (Track 4.4)
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A do an interview
C do a quiz
D listen to a recording
Exercise 5: Read the information below. Then look at the map of the Museum of Transport and
listen to three different speakers giving directions to the Space Travel building. (Track 4.5)
What is the starting point for each speaker? Are they talking about a present or a future visit?
Write the starting point and either Present or Future for each speaker.
Speaker 1
Speaker 2
Speaker 3
Exercise 6: For the IELTS map labelling task, it is a good idea to learn words and phrases for
giving directions and instructions. (Track 4.6)
Read and listen to the tour guide giving directions to three locations. Complete the directions
with the correct word or phrase you hear.
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OK, I’m going to tell you where some of the important rooms in the museum are. We’ll
start with the ‘Car Collection’ room. So we’re here in the Welcome Hall,
(1)_______________ the Central Hall. You need to go through the door over there on
the right. That’ll take you to the room that (2)________________ to the café, but don’t go
that way – take the other door instead. Go across the corridor and then you’ll enter a
long, (3)_________________ room. Walk all the way through this room, through the
corridor and into the next one. That’s where you’ll find our collection of cars.
Alright, you’ll also be visiting the exhibition called ‘Going Second Class’. Let me explain
how to find it. From here, the Welcome Hall, go (4)_____________ into the Central
Hall, and then head for the door on the left on the (5)_______________ side of the hall.
Go through the door that leads outside – and then you’ll see a row of three buildings.
When you’re facing the buildings, the middle building will be directly (6)
________________ you, and you want the one on the left of it.
Alright, what about the ‘Fashion and Travel’ room? There are a couple of ways to get
there, but I suggest you leave here, the Welcome Hall, and go into the Central Hall.
(7)_________________ left, but don’t go all the way to the end. You want the door on
your right, as you’re facing the western exit. That’ll (8) _________________ the
‘Fashion and Travel’ room.
Exercise 7: Listen to the tour guide. Choose the correct letters (A–L) from the map for each of
the three rooms (Track 4.7)
A B C D E F G H I J K L
Crossing New
Horizons ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
building
Map room
○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
Explorers
room ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
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Exercise 9: Listen and write the correct letter (A-G), next to these questions (1-3) (Track 4.9)
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UNIT 5
CONSUMERISM
A. VOCABULARY
Exercise 1. Look at the words in the table. Which words can you add to them to make new
words? Use the words in the box.
bag foot manager online department convenience keeper
trolley assistant mens basket sports
shop…. shopping…
-wear …store
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In the footwear and bags department, I found a lovely bag, with a 40% discount/off/sale. It had a
two-year fitting room/guarantee/receipt, so I could get my money back if it broke. Then I went to the
womenswear department and found some nice trousers on discounts/refund/special offer. They were
50% of the normal price. I wanted to go to the fitting room/queue/till to try them on, but there was a
long bargain/queue/sale – there were about ten other people waiting – and I didn’t want to wait. So I
went to the cash machine/fitting room/till and paid for everything.
When I got home, I tried the trousers on. They were the right size, but they didn’t fit/pass/suit me at
all – they looked terrible on me. So I decided to take them back and ask for a receipt/refund/return.
But I couldn’t find my footwear/receipt/shopping bag, so the shop assistant said he couldn’t give me
my money back. Next time, I’ll be more careful when I shop at the sales.
2. _____________ bowling.
4. _____________ a film.
7. _____________ a holiday.
8. _____________ money.
B. GRAMMAR
Exercise 1. Read the conversations.
Then choose the correct reason for Speaker B using will + infinitive or going to + infinitive each
time. The first one has been done for you.
1. A: Hmm, it’s a lovely jumper, but I can’t buy it today. I haven’t got enough money.
B: That’s OK. I’ll lend you the money. How much do you need?
o We often use will to make a decision while we’re speaking, or to ask another person for a
decision.
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o We often use will to make a prediction (= a guess about the future) based on our own
opinions.
o We often use will to make a promise to another person.
o We often use will to offer help to another person, or to ask for help.
2. A: These trainers are quite expensive. Are you sure you need them?
B: Yes, Mum. Don’t worry – I’ll wear them every day. Trust me!
o We often use will to make a decision while we’re speaking, or to ask another person for a
decision.
o We often use will to make a prediction (= a guess about the future) based on our own
opinions.
o We often use will to make a promise to another person.
o We often use will to offer help to another person, or to ask for help.
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Exercise 2. Read the conversations and correct Speaker B’s answers by using the correct form
of will + infinitive. Use contractions where possible (e.g. he’ll). The first one has been done for
you.
1. A: Look what I’ve found. A lovely shirt for you. Do you want to see if it fits you?
B: OK, I try I'll try it on.
4. A: Can I tell you a secret? My ‘expensive’ dress was actually really cheap. I only paid £10 for it.
B: Wow! Don’t worry. I don’t tell anyone.
5. A: I ordered some books online yesterday, but they haven’t arrived yet.
B: Don’t worry. They probably arrive next week.
6. A: You should take those shoes back if they don’t fit and ask for a refund.
B: I know, but I’m a bit nervous. Do you come with me?
8. A: I don’t want to go to the shopping centre tomorrow. It’s always really crowded.
B: Don’t worry. It isn’t be crowded tomorrow morning.
Exercise 3. Complete the conversation with the correct forms of the words in brackets.
Use going to + infinitive in all your answers. Use contractions where possible (e.g. isn’t)
A: Hurry up! You need to decide. The ____________________ in a minute. (shop / close) Which
laptop _________________________ ? (you / buy)
B: _______________________________ one here. (I / not / buy)
A: Why not? Your old laptop’s broken and you’ve got a business trip next week.
______________________________ one when you’re away. (you / need)
B: I know, but _______________________________ a new laptop online instead. (I / get)
A: Well, don’t forget your flight’s on Monday morning, so that doesn’t leave you a lot of time.
B: Don’t worry. ________________________________ it tonight. (I / order) It won’t take more
than three days to arrive.
A: _________________________________ pretty stupid at your business meeting next week if
you don’t get your new laptop by then. (you / feel)
B: Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.
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§ We often use will to make a decision while we’re speaking, or to ask another person for a
decision.
§ We often use will to make a prediction (= a guess about the future) based on our own
opinions.
§ We often use will to offer help to another person, or to ask for help.
§ We often use going to talk about plans and decisions. Often the plan/ decision has already
been made.
§ We often use going to to make a prediction based on what we know or can see.
Exercise 5. Read the information. Then choose the best answers to complete the sentences.
1. This laptop comes with a five-year guarantee. That means that if it stops working in the
next five years, you’re going to/you’ll get your money back.
2. I’ve just bought some new running shoes because I’m going to/I’ll start running every day
from tomorrow.
3. Oh no! We’ve spent too long in the shops. We’re going to/We’ll miss the last bus home.
Look – it’s leaving now.
4. We aren’t going to/won’t buy anything. We didn’t bring any money. We only came here to
do some window-shopping.
7. A: I can’t carry all these bags. Are you going to /Will you help me, please?
B: Yes, of course.
Exercise 6. Do the advantages of online shopping outweigh the disadvantages? Choose the best
words to complete the student’s answer.
However, there are also some important advantages/benefits/drawbacks to online shopping. For one
thing /Overall/Personally , you have to wait a few days, or even weeks, for your shopping to arrive.
However /In my view/What’s more , you can’t try on clothes before buying them.
Because/However/In addition, you sometimes need to pay extra for postage. Many online shops do
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try to deal with/suffer/outweigh the disadvantages by offering free delivery for any clothes that you
want to return, for example.
For instance/Overall/So, I believe the benefits of online shopping deal with/outweigh/suffer the
disadvantages.
B. READING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will do IELTS Reading matching heading tasks and read a text on
the topic of family history (also called ancestry).
What vocabulary do you already know on the topic of ancestry? Match the words with their
definitions.
2. a person who is related to you but lived and died before you were born:
_______________________
3. a person who is related to you and who will live after you in the future (e.g. your
grandchildren’s children): _________________________________
5. the history of your family, for example, where they came from, what jobs they had:
_____________________________
6. used with a word for a family member from an older generation (e.g. your mother’s
grandmother): ___________________________________
8. a legal document that explains what a person has decided should be done with their
money and property after they die: ___________________________________
9. a phrase that describes a feature, quality, ability or disease that people from the same
family share: ________________________________
10. a legal document that contains information about a new baby such as its name, the names
of its parents and the time and place it was born:
_____________________________________
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Exercise 2. Read the information, then read the sentences from Paragraphs A–H. Match the
main ideas with the sentences from Paragraphs A–H.
TIPS: It is often possible to quickly get a general understanding of the main ideas and topic of a text
by reading only:
§ The final sentence of the introduction (I.e. the first paragraph in the text)
§ The first sentence of all the paragraphs in the main body (i.e. all the paragraphs between the
introduction and the conclusion)
§ The final sentence of the conclusion (i.e. the last paragraph in the text).
_______________________________________________________________________________
Final sentence of Paragraph A: ‘… It was also necessary for landowners to know their family
background – so they could prove that a large castle or manor house really belonged to them, and
not to another person further along a branch of the family tree who wanted it for themselves.’
First sentence of Paragraph B: ‘An interest in knowing who your ancestors were and what they did
is, of course, something which is common in all cultures.’
First sentence of Paragraph C: ‘While some people are still interested in family trees as a way of
making sure they can receive money or valuable items from a great-uncle or great-great
grandparent, others have different motivations.’
First sentence of Paragraph D: ‘Part of what makes family-tree research so fascinating is the sense
of uncovering a mystery as you find more clues – just like a detective would.’
First sentence of Paragraph E: ‘Before the age of the internet, if you wanted to find out about your
family history, you would have needed to travel to different locations.’
First sentence of Paragraph F: ‘Researching your family tree has now become an ever more
popular activity, partly for the reason that it has become much easier, faster and more convenient.’
First sentence of Paragraph G: ‘Despite the advances of modern technology, it can still be a
challenge to find your distant ancestors.’
Final sentence of Paragraph H: ‘… Rather than writing out the family tree in a book in the
traditional way, they record stories, images and voices using audio and video recordings for their
descendants to see one day.’
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Paragraph A
Paragraph B
Paragraph C
Paragraph D
Paragraph E
Paragraph F
Paragraph G
Paragraph H
Exercise 3. Read the information. Then skim read the paragraph and choose the correct
heading.
ANCESTRY IN THE UK
Paragraph A
Up until relatively recently, English school children were often obliged to learn the names of the
kings and queens that ruled the country from the 8th century to the 18th, and understand how
they were related. This was no easy task. Sometimes a king would pass his kingdom to his son,
but very often would be a much more distant relative that took over. To become king, you would
have to show you had royal blood in the family tree, and to do this, you would need to know
exactly who all your ancestors were. It was also necessary for landowners to know their family
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background – so they could prove that a large castle or manor house really belonged to them, and
not to another person further along a branch of the family tree who wanted it for themselves.
Exercise 4. Read the information. Then skim read the next paragraphs and answer the
question.
Paragraph B
An interest in knowing who your ancestors were and what they did is, of course, something which is
common in all cultures. Not all cultures, however, have a phrase which translates as family tree for
when they want to describe earlier generations of the same family. We use this particular phrase
because it was traditional in the past in some countries to put the oldest generations at the top of a
drawing and the youngest generation at the top and narrower at the bottom – just like a tree.
Paragraph C
While some people are still interested in family trees as a way of making sure they can receive
money or valuable items from a great – uncle or great – great grandparent, others have different
motivations. Some people choose to research their family tree because they are simply curious about
their origins. Or perhaps they have heard an unusual story about an ancestor and wish to discover the
truth. They may even have a more serious and useful purpose, for example wanting to find out about
a medical condition which runs in the family.
Choose the correct headings for the paragraphs. Look at the text again if you need to.
1. The correct heading for Paragraph B is:
o Practical and personal reasons for finding out about ancestors
o The appeal of making unexpected discoveries
o The problems people face in carrying out family-tree research
o Why we use ‘family tree’ to refer to our family background
o Traditional ways of researching family trees
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iii How businesses benefit from the growing interest in family trees
viii How knowing your family tree could lead to power and property
Paragraph D
Part of what makes family-tree research so fascinating is the sense of uncovering a mystery as you
find more clues – just like a detective would. This kind of process was shown in the hugely popular
program ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’, which featured well-known TV personalities exploring
their family origins. The show’s researchers often found surprising information. One person,
interviewer Jeremy Paxman, was disinterested at first. He believed it was more important to be
‘forward-looking’ – and think about the future rather than the past. Then he learnt that his
great-grandmother had managed to raise nine children by herself after her husband died, even though
she was extremely poor. He soon wanted to know more. Certainly this kind of program has
encouraged people to look for their own ancestors.
Paragraph E
Before the age of the internet, if you wanted to find out about your family history, you would have
needed to travel to different locations. People used to visit churches to look at their records, for
example of the names of people who were born and died in the area. Another way to investigate
family history would be to look through old newspapers that were stored in the basements of
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libraries, or to search through birth and marriage certificates at the local town-council building. Not
all of these visits, of course, would be successful. You needed to be very patient and have a lot of
spare time to find out about your past.
Paragraph F
Researching your family tree has now become an ever more popular activity, partly for the reason
that it has become much easier, faster and more convenient. Councils have uploaded many public
records to their websites, including details of marriages, names of taxpayers and property owners,
and the wills of people who have died. Many museums and libraries have also become involved and
offer guidance about the best tools and apps to use when searching for ancestors. One online
company which helps people trace their ancestors was recently bought for over £2.4 billion –
showing just how popular this method of research has become.
Paragraph G
Despite the advances of modern technology, it can still be a challenge to find your distant ancestors.
Before the 11th century, a person would only sometimes share their parents’ surname. This was
because a surname usually showed the town or region where you came from, e.g. John of Kent, or
your occupation, e.g. John (the) Baker. So, if a child was born in a different place to a parent or had a
different job, they might have had different surnames. This system also meant that thousands of
people had exactly the same surnames even when they were not related. For wealthy people, it would
also have been possible to have two different surnames if they owned land or property in two
different locations. Of course, many old records have also been lost or destroyed, too.
Paragraph H
Many people who are keen on producing a family tree are interested in looking forwards rather than
back. They recognize their role as an ancestor of people who haven’t even been born yet, and who
may live in many different parts of the world. They want to create records for them – showing the
different branches of the family today. Rather than writing out the family tree in a book in the
traditional way, they record stories, images and voices using audio and video recordings for their
descendants to see one day.
So has every other woman in her village of Foro, in the Konso district of south-western Ethiopia in
Africa. Binayo left school when she was eight years old, in part because she had to help her mother
fetch water from the Toiro River. The water is unsafe to drink; every year that the drought continues,
the river carries less water, and its flow is reduced. But it is the only water Foro has ever had.
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B
In developed parts of the world, people turn on a tap and out pours abundant, clean water. Yet nearly
900 million people in the world have no access to clean water. Furthermore, 2.5 billion people have
no safe way to get rid of human waste. Polluted water and lack of proper hygiene cause disease and
kill 3.3 million people around the world annually, most of them children. In southern Ethiopia and in
northern Kenya, a lack of rain over the past few years has made even dirty water hard to find. But
soon, for the first time, things are going to change.
C
Bringing clean water close to villagers’ homes is the key to the problem. Communities where clean
water becomes accessible and plentiful are transformed. All the hours previously spent hauling water
can be used to cultivate more crops, raise more animals or even start a business. Families spend less
time sick or caring for family members who are unwell. Most important, not having to collect water
means girls can go to school and get jobs. The need to fetch water for the family, or to take care of
younger siblings while their mother goes, usually prevents them ever having this experience.
D
But the challenges of bringing water to remote villages like those in Konso are overwhelming.
Locating water underground and then reaching it by means of deep wells requires geological
expertise and expensive, heavy machines. Abandoned wells and water projects litter the villages of
Konso. In similar villages around the developing world, the biggest problem with water schemes is
that about half of them break down soon after the groups that built them move on. Sometimes
technology is used that can’t be repaired locally, or spare parts are available only in the capital.
E
Today, a UK-based international non-profit organisation called WaterAid is tackling the job of
bringing water to the most remote villages of Konso. Their approach combines technologies proven
to last - such as building a sand dam to capture and filter rainwater that would otherwise drain away.
But the real innovation is that WaterAid believes technology is only part of the solution. Just as
important is involving the local community in designing, building and maintaining new water
projects. Before beginning any project, WaterAid asks the community to create a WASH (water,
sanitation, hygiene) committee of seven people. The committee works with WaterAid to plan
projects and involve the village in construction. Then it maintains and runs the project.
F
The people of Konso, who grow their crops on terraces they have dug into the sides of mountains,
are famous for hard work. In the village of Orbesho, residents even constructed a road themselves so
that drilling machinery could come in. Last summer, their pump, installed by the river, was being
motorised to push its water to a newly built reservoir on top of a nearby mountain. From there,
gravity will carry it down in pipes to villages on the other side of the mountain. Residents of those
villages have each given some money to help fund the project. They have made concrete and
collected stones for the structures. Now they are digging trenches to lay pipes. If all goes well, Aylito
Binayo will have a tap with safe water just a three-minute walk from her front door.
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Questions 1-6
The reading passage has six paragraphs, A-F.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
List of Headings
Questions 7-11
Complete the sentences below.
Choose NO MORE THAN ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
7. The water levels in the Toiro River are falling because of ……………….
8. Globally, the number of people who die each year as a result of using dirty water is ……………
9. When families have clean water, they can spend more time growing ……………….
10. Specialist knowledge and equipment are needed to dig ……………….
11. WaterAid uses a dam made of………………. to capture rainwater.
Questions 12-13
Choose TWO letters, A-E.
Which TWO of these activities were performed by the villagers of Orbesho?
A building a transport route
B digging a reservoir
C gathering building materials
D making pipes
E fitting taps
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D. LISTENING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will learn about Section 1 of the IELTS Listening test and practise
the skills you need to answer five-option multiple-choice questions.
The topic of this unit is libraries. Read the information. Then read the sentences from different
conversations and decide who is speaking. Choose the correct answers.
A an architect
B a library assistant
C a member of the library
D a computer specialist
E a local journalist
1. I’m writing an article about the library for the local newspaper. __________
2. I’ve got my library card with me. I’m interested in science fiction, mainly. __________
3. What I like best is ordering new books and recommending them to people. __________
4. I designed the new library. __________
5. I’m working on a new piece of software for the library. __________
Exercise 2. Read the information. Then listen to the recording and answer the question. Choose
two letters, A–E. (²Track 5.1)
Which TWO people are taking part in the conversation about the new library?
¨ A an architect
¨ B a member of the library
¨ C a library assistant
¨ D a computer specialist
¨ E a local journalist
Exercise 3. Listen to the conversation and choose TWO letters A-E for each question (1-4).
(²Track 5.4)
1. Which TWO reasons does Irina give for visiting the exhibition?
A to meet a friend
B to improve her knowledge
C to buy something
D to check prices
E to entertain her child
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B the space
C the activity
D the ceiling
E the entrance
Exercise 4. Listen to the conversation and answer questions 1-6. Choose TWO letters, A-E.
(²Track 5.5)
Questions 1-2
Which TWO criteria will the students use to choose a successful person?
A. age
B. gender
C. individual talent
D. fame
E. global importance
Questions 3-4
Which TWO things do the students agree to do before they meet again?
A. write a biography
B. conduct more research
C. find photographs
D. write a talk
E. plan a seminar
Questions 5-6
Which TWO things do the students agree are linked to success?
A. wealth
B. experience
C. talent
D. effort
E. location
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E. SPEAKING
Exercise 1. Watch the video of the student doing the IELTS Speaking test, then choose the
correct answers to the questions below. (· Video 5_1)
1. The IELTS Speaking test takes 5-10/ 11-14 minutes, and has three parts.
2. In Part 1, you answer questions about yourself and your opinions/ suggestions .
3. In Part 2, you speak for 1 to 2 minutes about part 1/ a topic
4. In Part 3, you have a longer discussion/ presentation about the topic from Part 2.
5. The three parts are always/ not always in the same order.
Exercise 2. Watch the videos of a student doing the IELTS Speaking test. Which part is she
doing in each video? Choose the correct answers. (· Videos 5_2 à Videos 5_4)
1. The student is doing IELTS Speaking Part 1./ The student is doing IELTS Speaking
Part 2./ The student is doing IELTS Speaking Part 3.
2. The student is doing IELTS Speaking Part 1./ The student is doing IELTS Speaking
Part 2./ The student is doing IELTS Speaking Part 3.
3. The student is doing IELTS Speaking Part 1./ The student is doing IELTS Speaking
Part 2./ The student is doing IELTS Speaking Part 3.
Exercise 3. In the IELTS Speaking test, you should ask the examiner to repeat the question if
you don’t understand it. Watch the video of the student doing the IELTS Speaking test and
notice the phrase she uses. (· Video 5_5)
1. Sorry, I don't/didn't understand.
2. Could you give me/repeat the question, please?
3. I’m sorry, would you mind repeating/saying that again?
4. I’m afraid I don’t know/understand the question.
5. Excuse me, could you repeat that/this ?
Exercise 4. Using linking words and phrases can help to improve fluency and coherence.
Put the examples in the box in the correct columns.
Another reason is … On the other hand The main reason is … In general
In most cases But Secondly First of all However Generally
In addition In the first place
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Exercise 7. Complete the conversation. Use the words and phrases in the box.
another reason however in addition in most cases the main reason
Examiner: Why do you think that shopping on the internet has become so popular?
Student: Well, in my opinion, __________________ is that it’s so convenient. You don’t have to
leave your house to do it. _________________is that it’s often cheaper. ___________________ ,
there is a lot of choice online, so you can choose from a wider variety. ___________________ , I
still prefer to shop in a mall. I like to spend the afternoon with my friends looking at clothes.
__________________ , it’s better to shop for clothes in a mall because you can try them on before
you buy them
Exercise 8. You are going to do IELTS Speaking Part 2. You will need some paper and a pencil.
Describe a time you went shopping to buy something, but you were not able to buy it.
You should say:
what you wanted to buy
when and where you tried to buy it
why you were not able to buy it
and explain how you felt when you weren’t able to buy it.
______________________________________________________________________________
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F. WRITING
Exercise 1. Match the prepositions with the correct pictures. Use the prepositions in the box.
between east of near next to north of on opposite south of
west of
Exercise 2. Look at the map. Then choose the correct options to complete the sentences.
1. The London Eye is near the park./ west of the Sea Life London Aquarium./ opposite Big Ben.
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2. Big Ben is on the South Bank./ opposite Westminster Underground Station./ next to
Westminster Bridge.
3. The park is near 10 Downing Street and nearby offices./ north of Westminster Underground
Station./ east of the Sea Life London Aquarium.
4. The Sea Life London Aquarium is next to Jubilee Bridge./ near Westminster Underground
Station./ on the South Bank.
5. 10 Downing Street and nearby offices are west of Big Ben./ south of the London Eye./ on the
North Bank.
Exercise 3. Look at the map. A company wants to open a sandwich shop in this area. It is
choosing between two possible positions: Location 1 and Location 2. Complete the descriptions
of the two locations. Use the words in the box.
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Exercise 4. Look at the map again and match the two halves to complete the sentences
it is close to the park.
it is near the 2,000 people who work in 10 Downing Street and nearby offices.
using the underground station might buy a sandwich.
stop to buy a sandwich in Location 2.
visitors to the Sea Life London Aquarium and the London Eye.
1. An advantage of Location 1 is that
____________________________________________
2. One benefit of Location 1 is that people
____________________________________________
3. Location 2 would be good for
_____________________________________________
4. One advantage of Location 2 is that
_____________________________________________
5. The visitors to the Sea Life London Aquarium could
____________________________________________
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UNIT 6
LEISURE TIME
A. VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR
Exercise 1. Find the answers to the questions. Use the words in the box.
basketball cricket football (soccer) golf hockey squash table tennis
tennis volleyball
1. In which sport do players try to score goals by kicking a ball a net? _______________
2. In which sport do players use sticks to try to score goals, either on grass or on ice?
_______________
3. In which sport do two or four players hit a small ball over a net on a table with small bats?
_______________
4. In which sport do players try to hit a ball into nine or 18 holes using a long thin stick (called a
club)? _______________
5. In which sport do players hit a ball over a high net with their hands and arms? _______________
6. In which sport do players hit a small against a wall using rackets? _______________
7. In which sport do players try to score points by throwing ball through a high hoop?
_______________
8. In which sport players try to hit a ball as far as possible using a bat and then run between two sets
of wooden posts? _______________
9. In which sport do two or four players hit a ball over a net with rackets? _______________
1. An area of grass where you play football, hockey or cricket is call a _______________.
3. In some sports, like golf and horse racing, the area of land or water you move along, from the start
to the finish, is called a _______________.
5. Events like ice skating and ice hockey take place in an ice _______________.
6. A sports _______________ is smaller than a stadium, but it includes a pitch and an area for
people to sit.
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7. If you want to have a swimming race, or play water polo ( a game where swimmers try to get a
ball into a goal), you’ll need a swimming _______________.
8. In schools, the large room for sports is called the _______________. It is same word for places
where people go to get fit.
9. You play indoors like basketball and squash, or outdoor sports like tennis, on a _______________
Exercise 4. Read the information. Then complete the sentences with the correct prepositions of
place.
1. We had great seats between/beyond/next to the pitch, so we could see all the action really
clearly.
2. In volleyball, there is a high net along/between/opposite the two halves of the court.
3. When you serve in squash, you can’t hit the ball below/between/beyond the line on the wall.
4. The other player was standing right behind/ in front of/outside me, so I couldn’t get past him.
5. In football, the goalkeeper is only allowed to use his or her hands below/inside/over the
penalty area (the area within the white lines in front of the goal).
6. The golfer was careful not to hit the ball too far. Just around/ beneath/beyond the hole there
was a small lake.
7. In tennis, the players stand below/opposite/outside each other, on either side of the net.
8. We couldn’t see much of the match – we were sitting behind/in front of/ on top of some
people who kept standing up.
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Exercise 6. Read the information. Then choose the correct words to complete the sentences.
TIPS: We use comparatives (e.g. better, slower, more important) and superlatives (e.g. the best, the
slowest, the most important) to compare things.
- With short adjectives, we usually add -er/-est.
- With long adjectives, we usually add most/ more.
_________________________________________________________________________________
1. Boxing is one of the oldest/ most old/ more old/ older sports in the world.
2. I like running, but it’s a bit boring. Team games like football are the most exciting/ most
exciting/ more exciting .
3. Crazy golf is a fun, short version of golf. It’s a lot the most easy/ easiest/ easier/ more
easy than real golf.
4. Formula 1 racing is one of most dangerous/ more dangerous/ the most dangerous sports in
the world.
5. In the USA, sports like baseball and American football are a lot more popular/ the most
popular/ most popular than soccer.
6. Table tennis is a lot more fast/fastest / most fast/faster than normal tennis – it’s hard to
see the ball most of the time!
7. Most sports have become safest/safer / most safe/more safe in the last 100 years, but there
are still a lot of accidents and injuries.
8. Most expensive/ The most expensive/ More expensive footballer in the world cost £89
million.
9. The most cheap / cheapest/ cheaper/ more cheap sport is probably running – you don’t
need to buy anything and you can do it wherever you like!
10. You should do some more exercise! It’s a lot healthiest / most healthy/ healthier/
healthier than sitting and watching TV all day.
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Exercise 7. Read the information. Then change the adjectives in the sentences to the correct
comparative form where necessary.
SPELLING -ER FORMS
We can make -er comparatives from most short adjectives (e.g. clean) and some short adverbs (e.g.
soon).
§ Word ends in -e, add -r
(e.g. nice -> nicer)
§ Word ends in consonant +-y.
Change -y to -ier
(e.g. angry -> angrier).
§ Word ends in one vowel + one consonant, double the consonant
(e.g. hot -> hotter).
IRREGULAR FORMS:
Good/well -> better
Bad/ badly -> worse
Far -> further/farther
1. I’m quite good at most sports, but my sister’s good than me at everything.
2. I can run quite far, but she always runs far than me.
3. I can lift heavy weights, but she can lift much heavy things than I can.
4. I can jump quite high, but she always jumps high than me.
7. When we throw the ball in basketball, hers is always close to the hoop than mine.
8. She says I’m lazy, but she’s even lazy than me. She never practises sports, but she’s still really
good at them.
9. There’s only one sport she’s bad at, and that’s tennis. She’s terrible, but I’m even bad than her.
Exercise 8. Use the correct form of the words in brackets to complete the sentences.
1. I can run 10 km quite easily, but a marathon is much _____________ (hard) .
2. Most basketball players are much ____________ than other people (tall).
3. What’s _____________ sport, in your opinion? Which do you think is the hardest? (difficult)
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6. Motor racing is a lot _____________ than it was, but it’s still really dangerous. (safe)
7. I don’t think he’s better or ______________ than you. You’re both as good as each other.
(bad)
8. The least ____________ thing you can do is watch sports on TV all day! (healthy)
10. I’m quite good at volleyball, but I’m not quite as good as my brother. He’s a bit
_____________ than me. (good)
Exercise 9. Put the phrases in the correct categories to complete the table.
Secondly, … Overall, … For example, …
There has been a lot of discussion recently about … Some people believe that
…
In addition, … For this reason, … On the other hand,… In
conclusion, …
For instance, ... In contract, … In my opinion, … In my view, …
First of all,… As a result,.. Also,…
Adding a point to support an argument Summarizing all your points at the end
and reaching a conclusion
Exercise 10. Complete the text. Use the words in the box.
All discussion example hand opinion overall
people reason result secondly
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There has been a lot of ___________ recently about the role of money in sport. Some
________________ believe that sport has become a business and, therefore, that we are forgetting
the original meaning of sport as a game.
In my _____________ , however, money is good for the world of sport for two reasons. First of
_____________ , money allows the best sportsmen and sportswomen to spend all their time
practicing their sports. They don’t have to do other jobs just to earn money. As a _______________
, they can become a lot better at their chosen sports.
_______________ , when there is more money, sports might become a lot safer. For
_______________ , sports teams could then afford more full-time doctors to take care of their
players. On the other ______________ , there is a risk that money gives the richest people, teams
and countries an unfair advantage. For this ________________ , most people from poorer teams or
countries rarely have the chance of reaching the top of their sports.
________________ , however, I believe that more money generally makes sport better.
B. READING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will look at Yes / No / Not Given questions and summary
completion. You will read a text about travel photography. Read the information. Then read
the sentences about photography and decide if they are the writer’s views or claims.
For IELTS Reading Yes / No / Not Given questions, you need to recognize and understand
the views and claims that a writer expresses in a text:
● a view is the writer's opinion about something.
Example:
The best way for students to spend their free time is in travelling and taking
photos.
● a claim is something that the writer believes is a fact – information they
understand to be true.
Example:
The first modern photograph was taken in France in 1826 or 1827.
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In an IELTS Reading Yes / No / Not Given task, you read a text in which the writer
expresses some views or makes some claims. Then you decide if a set of statements agree
with the writer’s views or claims in the text.
● If the statement expresses the same idea as the writer, the answer is Yes.
● If the statement expresses the opposite idea to the writer’s, the answer is No.
● If the statement expresses an idea that the writer does not express any views or
claims about, the answer is Not Given.
One of the world’s first travel shoots took place in 1849 when two young Frenchmen, Gustave
Flaubert and Maxime Du Camp, decided they would set out on a great adventure and travel to Egypt.
Du Camp took hundreds of photographs of the Pyramids and the Sphinx, and when he returned home
and published his travel album, the images amazed the European public and turned Du Camp into a
celebrity overnight.
Maxime Du Camp became famous because of the photos in his travel album.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
Exercise 3. In the IELTS Reading task, choosing No or Not Given can sometimes be more
difficult than choosing Yes. Read the paragraph again. Then choose the correct answers.
1. The European public was disappointed with the photos in Maxime Du Camp’s travel
album.
o No
o Not Given
2. The European public saw photos of Egypt for the first time when they looked at Du
Camp’s travel album.
o No
o Not Given
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3. Maxime Du Camp was surprised by the amount of attention he received after publishing
his book.
o No
o Not Given
4. It took a long time for Maxime Du Camp to become famous after he published his travel
album.
o No
o Not Given
Exercise 4. Read the information. Then read the statements 1–7. Match the synonyms and
paraphrases in the box with the bold words and phrases in the statements.
dangerous event great is now acceptable outsiders
realize what the challenges were work hard for
1. Most photographers understand how hard it was to take photographs in the 19th
century. _________________________________
2. Some of the chemicals that Du Camp used for his photography were unsafe .
___________________________________
3. There is a lot of luck involved in taking really good photographs.
__________________________________
4. It’s usually photographs that require a lot of effort that professional photographers are
most pleased with. _______________________________________
5. All Souls Day in the Philippines is an older festival than the Day of the Dead in
Mexico. ________________________________________
6. Mexican locals are happy for foreigners to attend Day of the Dead celebrations.
____________________________________
7. It has become common for some native American groups to photograph important
ceremonies. __________________________________
Exercise 5. Read the information. Then read the next four paragraphs of the ‘Eyes on the
World’ article. Answer the questions.
While Du Camp’s photographs may appear simple in comparison to modern photographs with their
special effects, it seems to me that nowadays the majority of photographers fail to realise what the
challenges were in taking photographs in the 19th century. To begin with, foreign travel was
expensive and difficult to organise. Fortunately, Du Camp had money of his own and he was also
able to get additional funding for the journey from the French government. Another issue was the
size and weight of 19th-century cameras – they were very large and heavy. Finally, not only was
there a great deal of equipment and chemicals to transport, but travelling itself could be highly
dangerous. Of course, travel photographers do still take risks as part of their job, but the level of
danger is hardly the same as when Du Camp was travelling across continents.
Nevertheless, as any professional photographer knows, to be good at the job still requires hard work
and dedication. The popular idea that great photographs are often the result of a photographer being
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in exactly the right place at exactly the right time, just by chance, does not reflect reality. Last year,
for example, on a visit to Reykjavik, Iceland, I met several photographers I knew. We were all there
for the annual Winter Lights festival, involving works by many artists and musicians. One shot we
all wanted was the perfect image of the aurora borealis – the strange green lights that sometimes
appear briefly in the sky as the sun is going down. It took hours for everyone to decide how best to
catch this moment and to work out where to place themselves to get the best result. In the end, I was
delighted with the way my photographs turned out. In general, professional photographers share the
feeling that the most rewarding photographs are the ones you’ve worked hard for.
Events like this attract photographers because the atmosphere can help create some wonderful photo
opportunities. The Day of the Dead in Mexico is a perfect example. Although other countries have a
similar event, for example, All Souls Day in the Philippines, the Mexican event is a photographer’s
dream. It’s a time of celebration, when people remember relatives who have already passed away.
Good photographs will capture that sense of joy in the bright and colourful decorations on the
gravestones and in the faces of the families who are using humour and art to remember their dead.
What’s more, the local people are usually happy to share this experience with outsiders so visitors
can participate if they wish. The festival is held in November, and should be included in any
photographer’s diary.
Read the statements and choose the correct answers. Note that the words and phrases for
expressing views and claims have been underlined here for reference.
1. Most photographers understand how hard it was to take photographs in the 19th century.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
2. Some of the chemicals that Du Camp used for his photography were unsafe.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
3. There is a lot of luck involved in taking really good photographs.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
4. It’s usually photographs that require a lot of effort that professional photographers are
most pleased with.
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o Yes
o No
o Not Given
5. All Souls Day in the Philippines is an older festival than the Day of the Dead in Mexico.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
6. Mexican locals are happy for foreigners to attend Day of the Dead celebrations.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
7. It has become common for some native American groups to photograph important
ceremonies.
o Yes
o No
o Not Given
Exercise 6. Read the final paragraph of the ‘Eyes on the World’ article carefully. Then choose
the four ideas which are found in the text.
One question that people often ask is whether it’s possible to make a reasonable living in the travel
photography industry today. Gone are the easy days when photographers simply shot photos for
magazines and newspapers, sent them to an editor and got paid at the end of every month: these
forms of media now usually buy photos for their stories directly from companies that store millions
of them. As a result, photographers now need to be more flexible about the kind of projects they
work on. One way to do this is by working for big businesses. In the past, photographers often
decided where they would like to go, and could perhaps experiment more with the kinds of
photographs they took. However, working for a big business often means that you are sent where the
company wants you to go; perhaps to a beach or a mountain if they want to promote these as tourist
destinations. The desert is another popular place: many car companies like to shoot this kind of
background to advertise their new vehicles. Of course, nowadays this kind of well-paid work
opportunity is very popular, so a huge number of photographers will all apply for the same job; a
situation which you didn’t see so much in the past. Nevertheless, in my experience, whether
photographers are amateurs or professionals, there is a generally positive feeling between them: they
are supportive of each other and willing to share advice about work opportunities and the risks that
travelling to foreign destinations sometimes involves.
□ Some photographers like to take photographs of serious subjects while others like to take
amusing ones.
□ The typical career of a photographer is not the same today as it was in the past.
□ Big businesses sometimes use photographers to take pictures of their products or services.
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□ The internet has made it much easier to see the work of many photographers.
□ There are a huge number of training courses if people want to study photography.
□ Photographers talk to each other about their experiences and provide useful information.
Exercise 7. Match the paraphrases and synonyms in the box with the ideas in the sentences.
Exercise 8.
Making a chance
How easy is it for us to change our lives – and why?
In 1990, a young American named Christopher McCandless gave up his career plans, left behind
everyone he knew, including his family, and went off on an adventure. He was 22 at the time. In an
act of kindness, he donated all his savings to the famous charity, Oxfam International, and hitchhiked
his way through America to Alaska. His decisions were so unusual for his age that Jon
Krakauer wrote a book about them called Into the Wild, and Sean Penn directed a film that had the
same title.
Of course, this is an unusual story. Most college graduates would not do quiet the same thing.
However, studies do show that in teenage years., people are more likely to try out new experiences.
Instead of following the family career path, for example, and working his way up the same
organization like his grandfather did, a 15-year-old may dream about becoming a traveler – only to
find in his early 20s that this fascination with new places is declining and change is less attractive.
This age-related trend can be observed in all cultures.
The reason why people all over the world become less keen to change as they get older may be
because people’s lives generally follow similar patterns and involve similar demands. Most people,
wherever they are, aim to find a job and a partner. As they get older, they may have young children
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to look after and possibly elderly family members. These responsibilities cannot be achieved without
some degree of consistency, which means that new experiences and ideas may not have a place in the
person’s life. New experiences may bring excitement but also insecurity, and so most people prefer
to stay with the familiar.
However, not every individual is the same. One toddler may want to play a different game every day
and get fed up if nothing changes at the nursery. Another may seek out and play with the same
children and toys on every visit. Young children who avoid new experiences will grow up to be more
conventional than others. Psychologists argue that those who have more open personalities as
children are more open than others might be when they are older. They also suggest that young men
have a greater interest in novelty than women, although, as they age, this desire for new experiences
fades more quickly than it does in women.
The truth is that, as we get older, we prefer the things we know. We tend to order the same meals in
restaurants, sit on the same side of the train when we commute to work, go on holiday to the same
places and construct our day in the same way. If you are older than 20, remember that your openness
to new experiences is slowly declining. So you are better off making a new start today than
postponing it until later.
Questions 1-6: Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in the reading
passage? Write
1. Teenagers are more ready to have new experiences than young adults.
3. Life demands are different depending on which country you live in.
5. Children who dislike new experiences become more adventurous than others as
adults.
6. If you want to change something in your life, you should avoid delay.
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C. WRITING
Exercise 1. The bar chart compares the amount of money (in millions of dollars) that people in
four different age groups from Seoul, South Korea, spent on going to the cinema, restaurants
and music concerts in 2014.
Choose the correct answers to complete the statements.
1. The 26–39 age group spent less than the 40–55 age group on going to the cinema./
restaurants./ music concerts.
2. The 18–25 age group spent less than the 26–39 age group/about $14 million/the same
as the 56–80 age group on going to music concerts.
3. The 56–80 age group spent the least of their money on going to the cinema./
restaurants./ music concerts.
4. The 26–39 age group spent about the same on going to the cinema and restaurants./
the cinema and music concerts./ restaurants and music concerts.
5. The 40–55 age group spent about $10 million/ over $20 million/ under $5 million on
going to the cinema
Exercise 2. Look at the bar chart again. Choose the correct words to complete the student’s
report. Use the words in the box.
18-25 40-55 amount category compared highest money
spent total
The bar chart shows how much South Koreans of different age groups spent on seeing movies, eating
out and going to concerts in 2014.
Overall, the _______________ amount of money was spent on going to restaurants (about $67
million), _______________ with going to the cinema (about $40 million) and music concerts (also
about $40 million).
The _______________ age group spent the most on going to restaurants at about $22 million, while
the _______________ age group spent the least with only $13 million. With a total
_______________ of approximately $12 million, the 26−39 category had the highest spending on
going to the cinema while the 56−80s spent the least _______________ , at around $8 million.
Exercise 3. The pie charts compare what male and female teenagers from Peru prefer to do in
their free time. Look at the two charts. Choose the correct option to complete each statement.
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1. The most popular activities are using the internet for boys and meeting friends/playing
sport/reading/using the internet/watching TV for girls.
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D. LISTENING.
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will learn about IELTS Listening Sections 3 and 4 and practise the skills
you need to answer three-option multiple choice questions and a map labelling task. The topic of this
unit is university life. Complete the table with the words and phrases in the box.
A lecturer a campus a tutor an accommodation officer
Hall of residence
Exercise 2. For an IELTS Listening labelling task, it’s a good idea to learn adjectives that
describe shapes. Label the shapes with the correct adjectives in the box.
L-shaped circular rectangular semi- circular square
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Exercise 3. Read the information. Then look at the plan of a university campus and label the features
1–5 with the words in the box.
bridge fence lake river small park
1. ______________
2. ______________
3. ______________
4. _____________
5. ______________
Exercise 4. Listen to a guide describe where different places are on a university campus plan.
Write the correct letters next to the locations. (²Track 6.1)
1. the Browning Lecture Hall___
2. the Dining Hall ___
Exercise 5. Listen to the recording. Write the correct letters next to the locations. (²Track 6.2)
1. Halls of Residence ________
2. Seminar Rooms ________
3. Art Society ________
Exercise 6. Follow the instructions and answer questions 1 – 10: (²Track 6.5)
Questions 1 – 3: Multiple choice
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
1. Dr Deacon’s talk is on
A. The newest London street markets.
B. Current changes in London street markets.
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E. SPEAKING
Exercise 1. Match the activities with the correct photos.
Camping computer games cooking gardening hiking jogging
Listening to music playing the harmonica swimming taking photos
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Exercise 3. Read the information. Then choose the correct words or phrases to complete the
sentences.
1. On the one hand, most people think having a lot of free time is a good thing. On the other
hand/For example some people would rather have less free time.
2. I enjoy sports that you play in teams, whereas /like football, rugby, hockey and
basketball.
3. Most girls at my college like listening to music, while/for instance most boys prefer
playing computer games.
4. My family regularly eat together at the weekend. Such as/For example , last weekend, my
grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins all came to my house for lunch.
5. We live on a farm where we keep a lot of different kinds of animals, such as/whereas
horses, sheep, goats, chickens and ducks.
7. In my country, people who are the same age as my parents have enough money to go on
holiday, for example/whereas a lot of young people don’t have money to travel.
8. My father has expensive hobbies. For instance/While , he likes horse riding and sailing.
Exercise 4. In the IELTS Speaking test you can explain your answers by giving an example or
by comparing two things. Read the conversations and choose what the student is doing in each
one.
1. Examiner: Who usually has more free time – young people or older people?
Student: Older people have more free time because they are already retired and have lots of free
time. For example, my grandparents have lots of time every day.
o This student gives an example.
o This student compares two things.
2. Examiner: Who usually has more free time – young people or older people?
Student: I’m not sure. I suppose that maybe young people don’t have much free time because they
spend a lot of time studying and doing activities. On the other hand, old people have a lot of free
time because they’re not very active.
o This student gives an example.
o This student compares two things
Exercise 5. Watch the video of the student answering a question in IELTS Speaking Part 3.
Then choose the correct answers to complete the sentences. (· Unit 6_Video 1)
1 . The examiner asks the student about the past/ the future .
2. The student explains his answer by giving an opinion about the future/ giving an example from the
past
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Exercise 6. Read the information. Then complete the phrases using the words in the box.
In the IELTS Speaking test, phrases like That’s a good question … can give you more time
to think of an answer.
Example:
Examiner: Have the types of shop you like going to changed over the years?
Student: That’s a good question, …
Exercise 7. You are going to do IELTS Speaking Part 2. You will need some paper and a pencil.
6. Do you think you’ll have more free time in the future than you do now?
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UNIT 7
FAME AND THE MEDIA
A. VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR
Exercise 1. Complete the descriptions with the words and phrases in the box.
celebrity fan film star lead singer paparazzi reporter
role model supporter
1. A ____________ is someone who is famous
2. A ____________is a famous movie actor
3. The ____________of a band is the main (and sometimes the only) singer.
4. A ____________ is someone who really likes a particular person, group or team.
5. Your ____________is a person who you like and want to be like.
6. A ____________ is someone who likes a particular sports team, person or group and wants them
to do well.
7. A ____________ is a person whose job is to find information about news events and describe
them for newspaper, on TV, etc.
8. The ____________ are photographers who follow famous people and try to take photos of them.
I’m going to be famous when I’m older. I’m going to ____________a TV rogramme about a films.
Later, they’ll ask me to ____________ in fims and I’ll have my name in big letters on movie posters.
I’ll ____________a fortune for every film I make and I’ll incredibly rich. I’ll also ____________ a
luxury yatcht and perhaps I’ll have my own private island. My photo will appear on the cover of lots
of magazines. I’ll ____________film primiers (and see movies before anyone else), where I’ll wear
stylish clothes. Of course, it won’t be so nice if thousands of people ____________ me in the street. I
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don’t really want to ____________ hundreds of autographs every day. It’d be horrible if newspapers
and magazines ____________rumours and gossip about my private life. I also don’t think I’d like to
____________ part in lots of boring interviews and press conferences. Maybe being famous
wouldn’t be so nice after all.
1. The ____________ is general name for the group which includes the Internet, newspapers,
magazines, television, etc.
2. One of the oldest branches of the media is ____________. They are written by journalists and
then printed on printing presses or can be read online.
3. ____________ are similar to newspapers, but they’re generally more colorful and entertaining.
4. Films became popular around the beginning of the 20th century, when people visited cinemas to
watch moving pictures (or ____________) for the first time.
5. The 20th century was the age of ____________- sending programs to lots of people at the same
time, using, for example, television or radio.
6. ____________ was the first way of broadcasting spoken words and music, and it continues to be
popular today.
7. In the middle of the 20th century, as ____________ sets became cheaper, TV took over from radio
as the most popular form of broadcast media.
8. At the end of he 20th century, the ____________ added a new way of providing traditional media,
such as news, music and films.
9. However, in the early 21st century, millions of ordinary people started creating their own online
‘newspaper’, where they reported whatever they found interesting in their web logs (later shortened
to ‘ ____________’).
10. Later, thanks to ____________sites like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, everybody could
broadcast everything to the world, instantly.
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Exercise 5. Read the information. Then complete the sentences. Use the idioms in the box.
An idiom is a group of words in a fixed order which has it own meaning. Even when you
know the meaning of each of the words in an idiom, you will need to learn the meaning
of the whole idiom.
Are in the public eye claim to fame make it big paying the
price rising star victim of her own success
1. I don’t know why she’s famous. Her only ____________is that her dad was a famous singer.
2. I don’t feel too sorry for celebrities who complain about the paparazzi. They’re just
____________for being famous.
3. This singer isn’t famous yet, but she’s been on TV a few times, so she’s definitely a
____________– I’m sure everyone will know her name this time next year.
4. I think all people who ____________should be very careful about what they say and do in public
– many people look up to them and copy their actions.
5. She was a great songwriter before she was famous, when she was poor and angry. But now she’s
rich and happy, she’s got nothing to write about! She’s a ____________.
6. It’s very difficult to ____________in the music business. Many people try, but only a small
number succeed.
Exercise 6. Correct the first conditional sentences by changing the incorrect use of will. Use
contractions where possible. The first one has been done for you.
1. I’m going to start writing about my life on social media. If it’ll be interesting, I’m sure people
will want to follow me. à it’s
2. If I’ll get lots of followers, I’ll start my own YouTube channel and make funny videos.
3. All my followers will watch my YouTube channel if I’ll tell them about my funny videos.
5. If enough people will watch my videos and share the links on social media, they’ll go viral –
thousands of people all over the world will watch them.
6. TV and newspaper reporters will notice if my videos will go viral, and they’ll tell even more
people about them.
7. If a TV or film producer will hear about my videos, he/she will pay me to make professional
films or TV programs.
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9. On the other hand, if nobody will follow me on social media, none of those things will
happen.
Exercise 8. Read the information. Then match the situations with the examples.
CAN, COULD, MAY AND MIGHT
Talking about ability
● Present: can / can’t
● Past: could / couldn’t
● Future: will be able to / won’t be able to
Offering help
● I can … / Can I (help) … ?
Asking for help Asking for permission Giving permission Offering help
Refusing permission Talking about future ability Talking about past ability
Taking about present ability Taking about something that’s not certain in the future
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____________________________
6. Don’t phone me when I’m at the concert later. I won’t be able to talk to you.
_____________________________
_____________________________
B. READING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will look at an IELTS Reading matching features task and read a
text on the topic of work and jobs.
What vocabulary from the topic of work and jobs do you already know? Match the words with
the definitions.
automation employee employer flexibility manufacturing
opportunity organization profit self-employed workforce.
2. All the people who work in a company, industry, country, etc.: ______________
3. Another name for a company (often one that is very big): ______________
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4. Money that a business earns after it has paid for everything it needs (e.g. offices, factories,
workers, etc.): ______________
8. The chance to get a job or do something that you want to do: ______________
Exercise 2. Read the information. Then skim read the title and the first paragraph of the text
below. Choose three statements from the list which express the main ideas of the paragraph.
○ Women now work in all the same professions that men do.
○ In the area of work, things change more quickly now than they used to.
○ Technology has a big influence on how people do their jobs.
○ People don’t have enough free time because they work too much
○It’s unclear what type of jobs people might do in the future.
○ Some industries have not been affected by new technology.
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Exercise 3. Read the second paragraph of the text and the four statements. Choose the two
statements that best match the opinions of Patrick Carter and Adrian Gates.
Statements
1. An increasing number of employers will want employees to have the right personality.
2. It is normal for companies to reduce the number of employees so that they can increase their
profits.
3. Some jobs that people did in the past were boring and led to health problems.
4. Companies will increasingly appreciate the abilities of young people.
Many people are optimistic about these changes. Patrick Carter, educational consultant at
City University, looks forward to a world where the types of jobs people will be more
rewarding than ever before: ’Think of the jobs many people have been forced to do
throughout history that were poorly paid and caused illness or injury’, he says. ‘People
look back and say “the old day” were great, but they forget how difficult life was for
many employees in factories, who often had to do the same task again and again, for ten
or more hours a day’. Carter feels that the use of robots to build and make products can
only bring positive change. However, not everyone shares this kind of optimism. Adrian
Gates, a human resources consultant at Pro-Corn Enterprises, points out that, as new
technologies replace humans, there will be a huge decrease in the demand for employees:
‘Jobs for accountants and retail workers, for example, will disappear. History proves that
employees will find it very difficult to retrain for a completely different career.’
1 2 3 4
Patrick Carter
○ ○ ○ ○
Adrian Gates
○ ○ ○ ○
Exercise 4. Read the information. Then complete the table with the words and phrases in the
box. The words and phrases are all taken from the Reading text ‘The Changing Face of Work’.
the better option may not be very useful to invest in further learning and training
be forced to do (something) people can qualify for jobs they really want to do
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Exercise 5. Read the numbered quotes in bold (1–6) from the third paragraph of the article. Is
each person expressing a positive view, a negative view or are they making a claim? Choose the
correct answers.
Carter thinks differently: (1) ‘If we introduce more automation, we don’t have to pay wages to so
many emplyees’, he explains, (2) ‘and then we will have more money to invest in further
learning and training for more people, so that they can qualify for jobs they really want to do.’
So will there still be enough jobs for people if robots replace human workers? Joanna Hardinf, a
lecturer in music technology at Mapplethorpe University, makes an interesting point about job
creation and loss: (3) ‘Recent developments in technology mean we can all listen to music when
and where we want. Certainly, these develops have created jobs for people in the digital music
industry, especially in engineering and in factories,’ she says. (4) ‘However, those same
developments have unfortunately caused huge job losses in the traditional music industry. It’s
this kind of dramatic change we often find hard to imagine’ . Harding explains that because of
the digital music industry and the fact that milions of people download music illegally, many record
companies can no longer afford to pay songwriters, producers, technicians and marketing teams. (5) ‘
A large number of people download music illegally just because everyone else seems to be doing
it – but really, (6) they ought to consider what consequences their selfish actions could have on
other people, in this case, loss of employment.’
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Exercise 6. Look at the statements and read the third paragraph of the text again. Who said
what? Match the statements with the correct person.
Statements
1. If more robots do manufacturing jobs, it will create opportunities for people to get a better
education.
2. People should think more carefully about how their behaviour might affect others.
3. Some traditional jobs will continue to exist but in a different location.
4. We cannot always predict how new technology will affect jobs in a particular industry.
Carter thinks differently: ‘If we introduce more automation, we don’t have to pay wages to so many
emplyees’, he explains, ‘and then we will have more money to invest in further learning and training
for more people, so that they can qualify for jobs they really want to do.’ So will there still be enough
jobs for people if robots replace human workers? Joanna Hardinf, a lecturer in music technology at
Mapplethorpe University, makes an interesting point about job creation and loss: ‘Recent
developments in technology mean we can all listen to music when and where we want. Certainly,
these develops have created jobs for people in the digital music industry, especially in engineering
and in factories,’ she says. ‘However, those same developments have unfortunately caused huge job
losses in the traditional music industry. It’s this kind of dramatic change we often find hard to
imagine’ . Harding explains that because of the digital music industry and the fact that milions of
people download music illegally, many record companies can no longer afford to pay songwriters,
producers, technicians and marketing teams. ‘ A large number of people download music illegally
just because everyone else seems to be doing it – but really, they ought to consider what
consequences their selfish actions could have on other people, in this case, loss of employment.’
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Exercise 8. Read the final three paragraphs of the text. Look at the statements and the list of
researchers. Match each statement with the correct researcher, A–D.
However, many large corporations have been created in the last 20 years because of the existence of
the internet. It is the internet that allows them to sell their apps or online services as downloads.
Professor of Sociology, Sara Milington, researches employment at these massive internet- based
companies. ‘They make enormous profits but employ few people, and thousands of applicants hope
to get the same few jobs,’ she says. ‘ If you decide to apply, you need to have the right skills and
qualifications, but you also need to have exact qualities they are looking for,’ she says. ‘More and
more companies are interviewing people to find out if they have the kind of character that fit in with
their company culture – and this trend is going to continue.’
The way that people work is also likely to change. Nadia Campbell, who works for the Independent
Professionals Group, can see this trend already developing. ‘Many people no longer want to do a
nine – to – five job every day. And in this future they will want even more flexibility in regards to the
hours they work, and with the place they choose to work from,’ she says. ‘The idea of working for
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one boss will become less option. ‘New technology might mean new types of jobs, but it is also
likely that certain ‘older’ jobs will have to evolve to suit future needs. A recent study from
researchers in Finland concluded that ‘many of these jobs won’t disappear completely… they will
move into new environments, such as into outer space – work.’ Although change in the types of
work we will do is causing anxiety for many, it must be remembered that the generation that controls
much of the workforce, people now in their fifties and sixties, may retire in the next ten to fifteen
years.
Jack McCaw, a researcher for Career magazine suggests that the next few generations will have a
completely different experience of work: ‘in the year 2020, 50 % of the US workforce will be people
born after the year 2000. These people know how to connect to others, learn and work together in a
digital way, organizations today will welcome and value them as they have the knowledge and skills
they need. ‘These are exactly the kind of people now taking Joanna Harding’s music technology
course. She knows that some of the things she is teaching them now may not be very useful in ten
years’ time, as the technology will completely different.
A B C D
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C. LISTENING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will practise the skills you need to answer a diagram labelling task
in IELTS Listening Section 4. The topic of this unit is survival and the environment. Look at
the diagram of a snow cave. Complete the descriptions of the diagram with the words in the
box.
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Exercise 2. Listen to the first part of a survival expert’s talk about snow caves. Write the
correct letters (A–H) next to the descriptions (1–2) (Track ²7.1)
The second part of the survival expert’s talk about snow caves. (Track ²7.2)
3. piled-up snow adds strength ______
4. allows air in and smoke out ______
The third part of the survival expert’s talk about snow caves. (Track ²7.4)
5. cold air get trapped ______
6. a thick jacket or backpack work best ______
7. melting is reduced by keeping smooth walls ______
Exercise 3. Read and listen to the extracts from the recording. Complete the extracts with
between one and three words for each gap. (Track ²7.3)
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can then place these inside the cave, on top of the flat shelf – the one ___________________ of the
cave and away from the entrance.
Exercise 6. It is common in IELTS Listening tasks that you will not hear the same words in the
recording as you read in the questions. Match the possible paraphrases with the words in bold
from the descriptions (5–7).
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D. SPEAKING
Exercise 1. Read the task card from IELTS Speaking Part 2. Then watch the video of the
student doing the exam task, and answer the questions. (Unit 7_Video 1)
Describe a famous person you know about.
You should say:
Who the famous is
Why this person í famous
What you think about this person
And explain how you feel when you see or hear something about this person.
________________________________________________________________________
1. Does the student look at his notes while he is speaking?
○Yes ○No
2. Does the student answer all parts of the question?
○Yes ○No
3. Does the student speak for 2 minutes?
○Yes ○No
4. Does the student have enough to say?
○Yes ○No
Exercise 2. In IELTS Speaking Part 2, it can sometimes be difficult to think of enough things to
say about the topic. Look at the task card and watch the video again. Then complete the
sentences with extra information the student could have added. Use the words in the box.
American Championships example gold kind
news proud team
2. LeBron James has also won several NBA ______________ and two Olympic ______________
medals.
3. I think that LeBron James is a very ______________ and thoughtful person, and is a good
______________ for children.
Exercise 3. In the IELTS Speaking test you might sometimes want more time to think of what
to say. If this happens, you can use a phrase that gives you more time. Complete the phrases
that you can use to give you more time. Use the words in the box.
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2. Examiner: Do you think it’s right that the media can talk about the private lives of famous
people?
Student: I’ve never __________ though about that before. I suppose a lot of people want to read
about famous people.
8. Examiner: Why do the media often report embarrassing things that celebrities do?
Student: I’m not an __________ on this but it’s probably because embarrassing stories are more
interesting and sell magazines.
Exercise 4. Match the examiner’s questions with the student’s clarifying questions.
Examiner: Have you ever met a Student: Sorry, when you say ‘the media’,
famous person?
● ● do you mean ‘journalist’?
Examiner: Do you think it’s right when Student: Sorry when you say ‘downside’,
the media talk about the private lives of
● ● do you mean ‘disavantage’?
famous people?
Examiner: Woud you enjoy being a Student: Sorry, can I just check what you
star yourself?
● ● mean by ‘star’? Are you asking me if I
woud enjoy being famous?
Examiner: Is there a downside to being Student: sorry, can I just check what do
famous?
● ● you mean by ‘celebrities’? Do you mean
‘famous people’?
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E. WRITING
Exercise 1. A graph or chart IELTS Writing Task 1 will either compare data at the same point in
time or show trends over a period of time. A trend is a general development or a change in a
situation. Look at the graphs and charts. Then choose the correct descriptions.
○ This chart compares the number of visions to five different holiday destinations in Mexico at the
same point in time.
○ This chart shows the number of visitors to five different holiday destinations in Mexico over a
period of time.
○This graph compares the populations of five differrent cities in the world at the same time.
○ This graph compares the populations of fives differrent cities in the world over a period of time.
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○This chart shows the numbers of different types of animal in the Maasai Mara National Reserve in
Kenya at the same point in time.
○This chart shows the numbers of different ypes of animal in the Maasai National Reserve in
Kenya over the period of time.
○This chart compares the ages of the population of Ireland at the same point in time.
○This chart compares the ages of the population of Ireland over a period of time.
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Exercise 2. Look at the graph. Then choose the correct answers to complete the statements.
1. The population of Lagos increased by just under 4 million between 1970 and 1980. /decreased
by just over 8 million between 1970 and 1980. /stayed about the same between 1970 and 1980.
2. The population of New York City increased by just over 2 million between 1970 and 1980.
/decreased by about 1 million between 1970 and 1980./ stayed about the same between 1970 and
1980.
3. The population of Moscow increased by about 2 million between 1990 and 2000. /decreased
by about 2 million between 1990 and 2000. /stayed about the same between 1990 and 2000.
4. The population of New York City increased by about 6 million between 1990 and 2010./
decreased by about 2 million between 1990 and 2010. /stayed about the same between 1990 and
2010.
5. The population of Tehran has increased by about 5 million between 1970 and now./ has
decreased by about 2 million between 1970 and now. /has stayed about the same between 1970 and
now.
Exercise 3. Put the words in the correct columns to complete the table.
drop decrease stay the same fall rise increase
grown remain
GO UP GO DOWN NO CHANGE
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Exercise 5. Look at the graph again and read the student’s report. Then complete the report
with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
The line graph compares the number of people living in five cities in the world between 1970 and
the present.
On the whole, the population of these cities ____________ (grow) a lot since 1970. The number of
residents in Lagos and Beijing ____________ (rise) the most, while the number in Moscow and
Tehran ____________ (increase) too.
In Lagos, the number of residents ____________ (rise) from about 1 million in 1970 to 2 million
1975, but since then the population ____________ (grow) quickly from 2 million in 1975 to 18
million at the present time. Similarly, the number of people living in Beijing also ____________
(increase) from 8 million in 1970 to just under 20 million in 2010.
By contrast, the population of New York City ____________ (stay) the same since 1970. During the
1970s it fell (fall) from 8 million to about 6.5 million. The number of residents then ____________
(remain) at about 7.5 million between 2000 and 2010, and since then it ____________ (grow) slowly
to around 8 million people at the present time.
The bar chart compares the different ages of people living in Ireland between 1980 and 2010.
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All in all, the size of the 25–54 age group increased the most about/over the period while the size of
the two younger age groups decreased a little bit. The number of people in/to the two older age
groups stayed about the same.
The 25–54 age group grew from/over approximately a third of the population in 1980 to nearly half
of the population in 2010. By contrast, the 0–14 age group fell from/in just over 25% in 1980 from/to
just under 20% in 2010. Similarly, the 15–24 age group dropped from just over 20% of the
population in 1980 to just over/under 10% of the population in 2010.
The older two age groups did not increase or decrease much. The size of the 65 and over age group
remained at/in about 12%, whereas the size of the 55–64 age group only fell from/under about 12%
at/to about 10% of the population.
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UNIT 8
NATURAL WORLD
A. VOCABULARY & GRAMMAR
Exercise 1. Put the words in the correct categories to complete the table.
bear shark butterfly eagle snake crocodile whale
penguin salmon bee seahorse rabbit frog lizard
parrot ant
Exercise 2. Look at the plant and animal characteristics. Which are the odd ones out? Choose
the incorrect answers.
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Exercise 3. Complete the text. Use the words and phrases in the box.
common conservation endangered species habitat population
rare risk wildlife
I believe that people have a responsibility to take care of ______________. The best way to do this is
to protect the places where they live – their natural ______________. That’s why I decided to take
part in a local ______________ project to protect the plants and animals in a forest near my town.
The forest is home to several ______________– types of animals and plants which may soon not
exist because there are so few of them. For example, there are some very ______________ birds,
which are only found in a few small areas now – there are probably fewer than 500 of them left in
the wild. Fifty years ago, there were lots of them everywhere – they were a lot more
______________. Anyway, thanks to our conservation project, the bird population is slowly going
up again. The birds are still at ______________, but hopefully we’ll be able to save them.
1. The general name for the natural world: the air, water and land in or on which people, animals
and plants live: ______________
4. The layer of air high above the Earth that protects it from the sun’s rays: ______________
7. When heat from the Earth can’t escape into space, and so the Earth gets hotter and hotter:
______________
8. Gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) which stop heat from the Earth escaping into space:
______________
1. Is it too late to cause/ produce/ save our planet? I don’t think so.
3. Power stations don’t just damage/ produce/ survive electricity; they also cause pollution.
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4. A lot of people believe that pollution causes/ goes/ saves global warming, but some people think
the Earth is getting hotter by itself.
5. The population fell to below 100 animals, but a group of conservationists worked very hard and
the number is now declining/ dying/ increasing – it’s going up again.
6. I think it’s wrong to cut down rainforests and destroy/ go/ recover animals’ natural habitats.
7. When we cut down rainforests, etc., we make it impossible for the animals and plants that live
there to protect/ save/ survive.
8. Don’t break the branches on that tree! It’s alive and you’re causing/ damaging/ recovering it!
Exercise 6. Read the sentences. How is the speaker using the modal verbs in bold? Match the
correct descriptions with the sentences. Use the descriptions in the box.
To talk about a feature possibility
To talk about a lack of ability to do something in the present and past
To talk about a possibility in the present
To talk about an ability to do something in the present and past
6. If people understood crocodiles better and were less afraid of them, this could help their survival.
Exercise 10. Choose the correct verb forms to complete the interview.
A: How long are you being/ have you been/ were you a wildlife photographer?
B: Well, I’ve loved taking photos of animals since I’m/ I’ve been/ I was a child. I think I take/ I took/
I’ve taken my first animal photo when I was about five years old. But I’m/ I’ve been/ I was a
professional photographer for about 20 years now.
A: In your career, you’ve won/ you win/ you won a lot of awards for your photos. What’s the best
award that you’ve won/ you win/ you won so far?
B: Wildlife Photographer of the Year. I’ve won/ I win/ I won that five years ago, and then again last
year.
A: So you’re winning/ you’ve won/ you win that award twice, then?
B: Yes, that’s right, and I just hear/ I just heard/ I’ve just heard I might win it again this year.
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B. READING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will look at IELTS Reading four-option multiple choice questions
and a diagram label completion task. You will read a text on the topic of survival techniques.
Choose the correct words to complete the definitions.
1. When levels of water in your body become lower than normal: container/ evaporation/
dehydration
2. To become smaller in size, amount, degree, importance, etc.: consume/ trap/ reduce
3. To eat, drink or use something, especially in large amounts: consume/ trap/ reduce
4. When a liquid changes into a gas (e.g. water turning into steam): container/ evaporation/
dehydration
5. An object, such as a box or a bottle, that can be used for holding something: container/
evaporation/ dehydration
6. Successful or achieving the results that you want: effective/ consume/ container
7. To keep something such as heat or water in one place, especially because it is useful (verb):
reduce/ dehydrate/ trap
Exercise 2. Read the information. Then read the first paragraph. Choose the correct option to
answer the question.
What does the writer say about television programs on the subject of surviving in the wild?
○A. The people who make the programs know little about of surviving in the wild?
○B. The people who appear on the programs are never in real danger themselves.
○C. The programs fail to make ordinary people aware of how difficult it is to survive.
○D. The programs should not discuss the stories of people who have not survived.
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Exercise 3. Read the second and third paragraphs of the text. Then choose the correct options
to answer the questions.
The human body is approximately 75% water – and this water has several important functions,
including keeping the body at the right temperature. If a peron doesn’t drink water, it will take only
two or three days for them to become dehydrated, and their body temperature may either drop or rise
to dangerous levels. Often it is the case that hikers or campers who are lost in the wild don’t start
thinking about how they can find a new source of water untill they run out of it, by which time it may
be too late. They haven’t thought about the consequences of dehydration, and neither do they
recognise the warning signs. An ache in the kidneys, a headache, general confusion – all of these can
tell someone that they are in need of water.
The average person loses 2 -3 litres of water every day just through normal activities such as
breathing. It’s impossible to avoid losing water form body, but there are ways to slow it down. For
example, when it may be necessary to build a shelter in the wild to sleep in, this should be carried out
in the shade rather than in full sun. This reduces the amount of sweat which is produced when body
temperature rises, which is, of course, water leaving the body. Some people may find it surprising
that eating may increase chances of dehydration, but digestion does require water, so eating should
be avoided if water is short. Hiking at night when the temperature drops is also option, but only if
hikers have a good torch or there is a full moon.
○A. The speed at which dehydration occurs in people depends on the enviroment.
○B. People use all the water they have and only then start thinking how to get more.
○C. Most people know when they are beginning to suffer from dehydration.
○D. Peple should find out where water is located before they go hiking?
2. What recommendation does the writer make for reducing water loss?
○A. It’s never a good idea to travel fater the sun has gone down.
○B. It’s best to consume food in small amounts and regularly.
○C. Hiker shoulf not waste their time making a basic place to stay in.
○D. It’s a good idea to keep cool while dong any activity.
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Exercise 4. Read the text and look carefully at the diagram. Then label the diagram with the
bold words from the text.
A deep hole is dug into the ground and a narrow container is placed at the bottom of it. The hole is
then covered with a plastic sheet, as this kind of material will trap rising water as it evaporates. Once
the gas cools and turns back into water, it can fall into the container below. To ensure that he
maximum amount of water possible is collected, a heavy object such as a small rock should be
placed in a central position above the container so that the water drops can fall directly into it. If
people are near an ocean, water from here can be added to a second, larger container, and placed
beneath the narrow one. Even though the salt content in this kind of water is great, the processes of
evaporation and condensation will remote it, and then the water can be drunk.
Exercise 6. Read the complete description of a solar still and label the diagram. Write NO
MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each question.
A SOLAR STILL
In situations when people are unable to locate a stream or river, there are certain ways they can get
water which are less difficult than others. Building a simple structure called a solar still is one of
these methods, but it will be most effective in regions which have dramatic temperature change. This
is because, in very hot environments, lots of water is taken up into the air and turns into gas, a
process called evaporation. At night time, however, when it is far cooler, the air releases the water
again – the process of condensation.
So how does a solar still work? A deep hole is dug into the ground and a narrow container is placed
at the bottom of it. The hole is then covered with a plastic sheet, as this kind of material will trap
rising water as it evaporates. Once the gas cools and turns back into water, it can fall into the
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container below. To ensure that the maximum amount of water possible is collected, a heavy object
such as a small rock should be placed in a central position above the container so that the water drops
can fall directly into it. If people are near an ocean, water from here can be added to a second, larger
container, and placed beneath the narrow one. Even though the salt content in this kind of water is
great, the processes of evaporation and condensation will remove it, and then the water can be drunk.
Using the solar-still method will not produce enough water for people to collect and travel with, but
it can ensure survival while people are waiting for rescue.
C. LISTENING
Exercise 1. In this unit, you will practise the skills you need to complete an IELTS Listening
note completion task. You will also hear a talk connected with the topic of transport. This is a
common topic in IELTS, so it is a good idea to think about some vocabulary you might hear.
Match the words in the box with the correct definitions.
1. a railway system in which trains travel through tunnels below a city: ______________
2. something that gives travel information to drivers and other road users:______________
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4. a special part of a road that can only be used by certain kinds of transport (e.g. buses or taxis):
______________
5. car, buses and other kinds of transport moving along a road: ______________
6. a machine, usually with wheels and an engine, used for transporting people or things, especially on
roads: ______________
7. to pay use something for a short period of time (e.g. a car): ______________
8. The money that you pay for a journey (e.g. on a bus or a train): ______________
9. the place where someone is going or where something is being sent or taken: ______________
10. something that moves up and down, carrying people or things to different floors of a building:
______________
Exercise 2. Read the information. Then listen to the recording and answer the questions.
Choose the correct answers. (²Track 8.1)
1. Where is the speaker talking?
○at a university
○at a community centre
○at a train station
2. Who is the speaker talking to?
○some people who have lived in the area for a long time
○some peope from another country
○some people who have recently moved to the area
3. What is the purpose of the speaker’s talk?
○to give advice for travelling in a city
○to describe plans for the future of transport in the city
○to offer free travel around a city.
Exercise 3. Match the words and phrases on the left to the correct synonyms and paraphrases
on the right.
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Exercise 4. Before you listen, it is a good idea to guess what kind of words you need to listen for
(e.g. nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc.) and what kind of information is missing. Read the
information. Then read the descriptions and the notes. Write the correct description (A–H) for
the missing words (1–10) in the notes. One letter is used three times.
Descriptions
A a plural noun or an uncountable noun for an area where people can ride a bikes
F a singular noun for something you can collect when you buy a ticket
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Exercise 5. Read the notes on city-centre travel. Then listen to the next part of the recording.
Write one word in each gap (1–4) to complete the notes (²Track 8.2)
NOTES
City-centre travel
§ (1) Green lanes in center are only for cycling – use these.
§ A new (2) bridge makes cycling over busiest roads very
safe.
CYCLING
§ Buying a bike that is good for riding in an area that has
(3) ______ is recommended.
§ You can hire bikes from a place near the (4) ______
The next part of the talk about transport in the city centre. (²Track 8.3)
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Exercise 7. Listen to the last part of the recording. Write the correct words in the gaps 8–10.
Write one word in each gap. (²Track 8.4)
NOTES
City-centre travel
§ Trains best for visiting (8) ________.
UNDERGROUND § Check if station has any (9) ________ or not before you take trains.
§ A (10) ________ can be picked up from ticket offices.
D. SPEAKING
Exercise 1. In the IELTS Speaking test the examiner is checking your lexical resource. This
means you should use a range of vocabulary related to the topic. Read the IELTS Speaking
Part 2 task card. Then match the the words you might use to talk about this topic with the
definitions.
5. The companies and activities necessary to produce goods for sale, especially in factories
_____________
9. Land not in towns or cites that is used for farming or is left for forest etc. _____________
10. A buildings or groups of building where large amounts of products are made using machines
_____________
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Exercise 2. For the IELTS Speaking Part 2 task card below, you need to speak in the past
simple. Watch the student doing the task and notice the grammatical errors she makes. Then
correct the seven errors. (·Unit 8_Video 2)
3. Some people who guide us can speak Korean and Japanese. (2 mistakes)
Exercise 3. Choose the correct articles to complete the conversation from IELTS Speaking
Part 3
Examiner: Now we’ve been talking about a/the environment and I’d like to discuss with you one or
two general questions related to this. Let’s talk about living in a/the countryside. What are a/the
disadvantages of living in a/the countryside?
Student: In general, living in a/the countryside might be inconvenient because a/the public transport
there is not very good. For example, people need to use taxis or take the bus, because there’s no
special transportation such as the underground. I think that is a/the disadvantage for living in a/the
countryside. Other possible disadvantages are…
Examiner: Do you think people damage the environment more when they live in a town
or when they live in the countryside?
Examiner: Is it possible for people to have a high standard of living without seriously
damaging the environment?
Examiner: What are some ways people change or affect the environment when they live
in countryside?
1. _________________________________________________________________________
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Student: One main disadvantage of living in the countryside might be that it’s inconvenient
because public transport isn’t very good.
2. _________________________________________________________________________
Student: In my opinion, people affect the environment if, for example, they buy themselves a
car.
3. _________________________________________________________________________
Student: I think, in general, people who live in a town have more of an effect on the
environment. This is because a lot of people live in towns and, as a result, there is a lot of
traffic and rubbish on the streets.
4. _________________________________________________________________________
Student: I think it’s possible, although it depend on where you live. For example, you might
be able to afford a car, but you might choose to cycle to work or to school instead.
5. _________________________________________________________________________
Student: I think in some areas people already live in these kinds of conditions. However, I
don’t think it’s a good idea to live without any nature.
E. WRITING
Exercise 1. Read the sentences about IELTS Writing Task 2. Are they True or False?
1. You should spend about 20 minutes on IELTS Writing task 2.
○True ○False
2. You should write at least 250 words in IELTS Writing task 2.
○True ○False
3. You get a higher score if you can write a lot more than 250 words in ILETS Writing task 2.
○True ○False
4. You shoud discuss different opinions about the question and give your own opinion.
○True ○False
5. You should not write about your own knowledge or experience of the topic.
○True ○False
6. It is a good idea to be funny and informal in your answer for IELTS Writing task 2.
○True ○False
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Exercise 2. After you have found the subject and the special idea about the subject, you should
decide what the essay question is asking you to do. Match each essay question with what it is
asking you to do.
1. There are too many overweight children in the world. Why do children become overweight and
what can be done about it? ___________________________
2. Some people think that vegetarians are healthier than meat – eaters while other people think they
are less healthy. Compare the two views. ___________________________
4. Sugar is now a big health problem in many countries around the world. What is your opinion?
___________________________
Exercise 3. Before you write the IELTS Writing Task 2 essay you should make a plan.
Complete the plan with the correct words or phrases in the box.
Exercise 5. Put the paragraphs in the correct order to complete the IELTS Writing Task 2
topic: “Sugar is now a big health problem in many countries around the world. What is your
opinion?”
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(1) On the one hand, it is true that people eat too much sugar now and that is has a bad effect on
their health. For example, in my country a lot of people drink cola with their meals instead of
water. Cola has a large amount of sugar in it so they are drinking a lot more calories. More
calories means that people get fat and have problems with their heart other illnesses. In my
view, they should reduce the amount of cola that they drink.
(2) In conclusion, I agree that sugar is a big health problem, I think people should reduce the
amount of sugar they have by drinking water instead of cola but I also think they should still
enjoy sugar on special occasions or in coffee sometimes.
(3) On the other hand, it is important not to stop enjoying traditional food. For example, in my
country we have traditional sweet cakes with cherries and nuts, which we eat at parties. Also,
where I live it is normal to have sugar with coffee. I think it would be sad to stop eating these
cakes on special occasions and I do not agree that it is a problem to drink coffee with sugar
sometimes.
(4) Nowadays, a lot of people around the world are unhealthy because they eat too much sugar.
In my opinion, people should reduce the amount of sugar they eat but also enjoy sweet things
sometimes. In this essay, I am going to explain why I partly agree and disagree that sugar is a
big health problem.
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