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October 2012

IELTS test in the UK – September 2012 (Academic Module)

Our friend K shared the following topics from a recent IELTS exam in the UK:

Listening testIELTS test in the UK

Section 1. About a Bed & Breakfast and the facilities available there.

Section 2. Map showing directions to different hotels.

Section 3. A list of book recommendations including the title, author, publication date and specific comments.

Section 4. A research into graduate students and their employment after studies.

Reading test

Passage 1. Reasons for Happiness.

Passage 2. How our mind calculate numbers.

Passage 3. History of the Middle Ages in Britain.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

A table showing data on cinemas in different locations (city centre, near city centre, suburbs, countryside) from 2004 to 2008 in the UK.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Group and team activities are more important than the actives done alone, because they teach us important life skills. Do agree or disagree?

Speaking test

Interview

– Do you live in a house or an apartment?
– Which room is your favorite?
– What makes a home pleasant?
– Did you spend most of your childhood with your friends or your relatives?
– Which relative visits you mostly?
– Do you like to draw pictures?
– Does drawing pictures help people?

Cue Card

Talk about a place of natural beauty that you would like to visit. Please say

– What and where is it?
– How can you get there?
– Where did you hear about it?
– Why do you like it?

Discussion

– Is tourism damaging places of natural beauty?
– How can natural beauty be brought to the city areas?
– Should the exploitation of natural resources be stopped?
– Does getting close to nature help to be happy?

Exam preparation tips from Roopa (IELTS veteran)

A winner of IELTS results competition, Roopa Siju Haridas from India who got Band 8 in the test, shared the following tips:

Band 8 in IELTS“My advice to other IELTS candidates is this – please stop the practice of learning by heart ready-made essays for the writing section. I update my IELTS result every two years and I have seen many candidates who come with prepared notes. They try to learn by heart the essays in their notes.This is of no use as the topics differ in each exam.They are just wasting their precious time.

Check out the time available for each section and learn to manage your time accordingly before you attend the test, as time management is a vital part of writing the IELTS exam.

While doing the listening and reading section, your gaze should fall only on the paper in front of you. If you try to see what others are doing, you will lose track of the text or the recording and will not be able to find the following answers.

In the writing section check the main topic – write the introductory paragraph, the first sentence of the remaining paragraphs should contain one main point and the remaining sentences should elaborate on that point. Write the last paragraph with your conclusion on the topic.

There are no shortcuts to mastering a language. It comes to you naturally if you read books regularly.

All the best to the future IELTS candidates!”