IELTS exam in South Africa – January 2010 (General Training)
IELTS exam in South Africa was shared by A., and I am nearly speechless, because she managed to remember everything!
Thank you very much A., and good luck – we all wish you a very good score.
Listening test
Section 1: A mother was being interviewed by the headmaster of her child’s new school. The accent was Australian.
Questions: About the child’s performance at the old school, what subjects the child would like to take in the new school, etc. Short-answer questions, sentence completion, gap-fills.
Section 2: A new shopping complex had recently opened. The accent was from New Zealand.
Questions: Related to directions within the complex, opening hours, types of shops.Short-answer questions, multiple choice questions, sentence completion, True/False/Not Given.
Section 3: A university student was reporting on the findings of her study on village culture a long time ago. The accent was strongly Cockney!
Questions: related to how the study found out about life in these times and how people farmed then. Multiple choice, short-answer questions, sentence completion, True/False/Not Given.
Passage 1: There were 7 sports articles, relating mainly to outdoor adventures and inland water adventures. One was about rugby (Cambridge versus Oxford) and they put this one in to confuse us, so that we would automatically think this article had to to with the famous canoeing (inland water) competition!
Questions: Mainly True/False/Not Given, multiple choice and short-answer questions.
Passage 2: A situation where a department store selling mainly electronic goods, was explaining their returns policy.
Questions: True/False/Not Given, multiple choice and short-answer questions.
Passage 3: A lengthy article on a University Student Scholarship Programme.
Questions: True/False/Not Given, multiple choice and short-answer questions.
Passage 4: Crocodiles and how they have adapted to life on earth over the millennium.
Questions: Multiple choice, match paragraphs to headings, sentence completion, gap-fills.
Writing test
Writing task 1 (a letter)
A semi-formal letter to your neighbor complaining about her animals. Your neighbor keeps pets in the garden so that the animals create problem for you and your family. Write a letter for your neighbor about the situation. Include the following information:
– who you are,
– describe the problem,
– your suggestion how to solve the problem.
Writing task 2 (an essay)
An argument topic about the benefits of a life as a celebrity was given. We had to explore the pros and cons of being a celebrity and support one side.
Speaking test
Interview
Exactly like the questions asked in the Philippines!
Cue card
Describe an exciting sport, you should say:
– how you found out about it,
– what it is about,
– why it is exciting to you.
Discussion
– What type of sport is broadcast on TV in your country?
– Do you think there is too much sport on TV?
– Should children do sport in schools?
– Would you watch sport on TV?
