IELTS exam in Japan – May 2009 (General Training)
A very kind student from Japan is telling us about his recent exam (thanks K!), here is what he remembers:
Listening test
Section 1 – about booking a seminar and the details of a presentation / a seminar
Sections 2 and 3 – don’t remember the topics
Section 4 – something about ancient paintings.
Sections 1, 2 and 3 were quite clear, I could listen and find the answers in proper sequence.
Section 4 was too fast, in first 4-5 questions’ passage, there were no clear clues for the answers, it was hard to locate them. I looked ahead in the next set of questions and stuck to its next sub-heading, there I could find clear answers.
Reading test
Passage 1 was easy (True/False/Not Given questions)
Passage 2 had six paragraphs referring to six different person’s names. Questions were to match each person’s name with the questions asked, so it was quite easy.
Passage 3: I started with Passage 3, because its always found harder than the other two passages and it requires more time to locate correct answers. It was based on various Social Institutes and what they do. What age group they consider and what help they provide. Answers were in form of (True/False/Not Given) and gap-fills with no more than three words.
Writing test
Writing Task 1
You saw an advertisement of some social activity related to helping old people. Write a letter to a manager and say
– Why you want to help old people.
– Give the details of your experience
– Tell them when could you be able to help them.
Writing Task 2
Some people say that international travel will be decreasing in future. Should the decrease in international travel be good? What are the positive and negative effects?
Speaking test
Interview
– What is your Full Name?
– Where are you from?
– Tell me about your current stay in Japan, where do you live?
– Tell me about transportation where you live.
Clue card
Discuss on an electronic machine/ device you would like to buy, you should say
– what would you like to buy
– where did you get to know about it
– what features would you like to have in it.
– explain why would you like to buy it.
Discussion
– Do you like driving?
– If you are having children, at what age would you like them to drive?
– What are the advantages of technology for you?
– What are the disadvantages of technology?
– How are the social changes related to technology happening?
– What about Internet, do you think Internet is a cause of social change?
– Do you think that people get lost if they are not coping up with technology?
