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December 2010

Happy New Year 2011!

Happy New Year 2011! Looking back at 2010, what do you see? What are your hopes for the year ahead?

When I look at 2010, I see a lot of hard work – spending much time at my desk, gathering exam updates, preparing materials for publishing, answering emails, you get the idea. This may not sound exiting to you, but to me … it’s completely different – in a good way 🙂

It’s hard to get used to the enormous number of visitors IELTS-Blog is seeing. In 2010 we had over 2.2 million people over, who downloaded more than 9.5 million pages! I am thrilled to see these numbers growing every day, and that more new readers choose my books for their exam preparation. My sincere thanks goes to people who sent me their testimonials and wrote reviews for my books, this is the best gift any author could ask for. I would also like to thank all the test-takers who shared their exam experiences and tips for success, and to all the teachers, tutors and trainers who use IELTS-Blog.com as a source of materials for their classes.

The teachers at Benchmark have a special place in my heart – these kind people worked very hard correcting essays, letters and reports for everyone with a remarkable speed and accuracy. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for helping many students raise their IELTS scores in 2010, and we all are counting on your help in 2011.

I feel incredibly lucky to be where I am, because every day of my life is filled with opportunities to help people, to fix things that went wrong for someone, to make your life easier and to help make your dreams come true. To have your trust means the world to me, and your support enables me to carry on with my work, 365 days a year.

Thank you all for that, and I hope that 2011 will be peaceful, successful and prosperous for you.

Happy New Year 2010 from me, Simone Braverman, and the whole IELTS-Blog team!

IELTS Speaking test in Iran – December 2010

These speaking questions belong to the IELTS exam in Iran, published here 3 days ago. Thanks to H for sharing!

Interview

– What is your name?
– Can I see your ID card?
– Where are you from?
– What is your hometown famous for?
– Have you read any articles about the history of your hometown?
– Do you read books?
– What was your favorite book as a child?
– Do you have a favorite book now?
– Do you like to give books as a gift?

Cue card

Talk about one skill you have learned, like driving, cooking, etc. Please say
– How have you learned it?
– Why have you learned this skill?
– How difficult was this skill to learn?
– Why do you think it is useful?

Discussion

– Do you think it is good or bad for young children to learn practical skills?
– Do they teach practical skills to young children in your country in schools?
– Who is easier to teach, young children or adults?
– What do you think, was it is easier to teach a practical skill in the past than now? Why?
– Which one is easier do you think: teaching a practical skill or a fact?