Ielts Crash Course Material Do Aluno

IELTS
CRASH COURSE
Ielts Crash Course Index
DAY 1
Mock Test 1 LISTENING
Mock Test 1 READING
Mock Test 1 WRITING
Mock Test 1 SPEAKING PART 1
DAY 2
Listening Module Overview
Listening Section 1 Activity 1
DAY 3
Reading Module Overview
Reading Activity 1 (matching information to paragraphs)
Reading Activity 2 (matching headings to paragraphs)
Reading Activity 3 (multiple choices)
Reading Activity 4 (identifying information T/F/NG + multiple choices
Writing Module Overview
Writing Task 1 (presentation and practice)
DAY 4
Writing Task 1 (continuation)
Writing Task 2 (presentation and practice)
DAY 5
Speaking (presentation and practice)
Reading Activity 5 (diagram label completion practice and tips)
Reading Activity 6 (table completion and tips)
Reading Activity 7 (identifying writers view)
Listening Activity 5 (form completion)
Listening Activity 6 (complete notes/diagrams/matching information)
DAY 6
Mock Test 2 LISTENING
Mock Test 2 READING
Mock test 2 SPEAKING
Candidate Number
Candidate Name ______________________________________________
International English Language Testing System
Listening
Practice test 40 minutes
Time 40 minutes
Instructions to candidates
Do not open this question paper until you are told to do so.
Write your name and candidate number in the spaces at the top of this page.
Listen to the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Answer all the questions.
While you are listening, write your answers on the question paper.
You will have 10 minutes at the end of the test to copy your answers onto the separate
answer sheet. Use a pencil.
At the end of the test, hand in this question paper.
Information for candidates
There are four parts to the test.

You will hear each part once only.
There are 40 questions.
Each question carries one mark.
For each part of the test, there will be time for you to look through the questions and time
for you to check your answers.
1
Section 1 Questions 110
Questions 15
Complete the notes below.
Write no more than two words and/or a number for each answer.
Transport from Bayswater
Example Answer
Destination Harbour City
Express train leaves at 1 .
Nearest station is 2 .
Number 706 bus goes to 3 .
Number 4 . bus goes to station
Earlier bus leaves at 5 .
2
Questions 610
Complete the table below.
Write no more than one word and/or a number for each answer.
Transport Cash fare Card fare
Bus 6 $ $1.50
Train (peak) $10 $10
Train (off-peak) $10
before 5pm or after 7 pm) 8 $
9 ferry $4.50 $3.55
Tourist ferry (10 ) $35
Tourist ferry (whole day) $65
3
Questions 1114
Which counsellor should you see?
Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 1114.
A Louise Bagshaw
B Tony Denby
C Naomi Flynn
11 if it is your first time seeing a counsellor
12 if you are unable to see a counsellor during normal office hours
13 if you do not have an appointment
14 if your concerns are related to anxiety
4
Questions 1520
Write no more than two words for each answer.
Workshop Content Target group

Adjusting what you need to succeed 15 students
academically
Getting Organised use time effectively, find 16 all students

between study
and leisure
Communicating talking with staff, communicating all students, especially

across cultures
17
Anxiety 18 , breathing students about to sit exams

techniques, meditation, etc.
19 staying on track for long periods 20 students

only
5
Questions 2130
Write no more than three words for each answer.
Novel: 21
Protagonists: Mary Lennox; Colin Craven
Time period: Early in 22
Plot: Mary UK meets Colin who thinks hell never be able to
23 . They become friends.
Point of view: Omniscient narrator knows all about characters feelings,
opinions and 24
Audience: Good for children story simple to follow
Symbols (physical items that represent 25 ):
the robin redbreast
26
the portrait of Mistress Craven
Motifs (patterns in the story):
the Garden of Eden
secrecy metaphorical and literal transition from 27
Themes: Connections between
28 and outlook
29 and well-being
individuals and the need for 30
6
Questions 3135

Write one word only for each answer.
Time Perspectives
Time Zone Outlook Features & Consequences
Past Positive Remember good times, e.g. birthdays.
Keep family records, photo albums, etc.
31 Focus on disappointments, failures, bad decisions.

..
Present Hedonistic Live for 32 .. ; seek sensation; avoid pain.
Fatalistic Life is governed by 33 .. , religious beliefs,

social conditions. Lifes path cant be changed.
Future 34 Prefer work to play. Dont give in to temptation.

..
Fatalistic Have a strong belief in life after death and importance of
35 .. in life.
7
Questions 3640
Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.
36 We are all present hedonists

A at school
B at birth
C while eating and drinking
37 American boys drop out of school at a higher rate than girls because
A they need to be in control of the way they learn
B they play video games instead of doing school work
C they are not as intelligent as girls
38 Present-orientated children
A do not realise present actions can have negative future effects
B are unable to learn lessons from past mistakes
C know what could happen if they do something bad, but do it anyway
39 If Americans had an extra day per week, they would spend it

A working harder
B building relationships
C sharing family meals
40 Understanding how people think about time can help us

A become more virtuous
B work together better
C identify careless or ambitious people
8
Candidate Name ______________________________________________
Candidate
Number _______________________________________
INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM
Academic Reading
PRACTICE TEST 1 hour
Time 1 hour
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Read the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
Write your answers on the answer sheet. Use a pencil.
You must complete the answer sheet within the time limit.
At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your answer sheet.
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
There are 40 questions on this question paper.

English-online.org.uk
9
Questions 1 to 12
Gondwanaland
This test is in two parts, one of eight questions, the other of five.
For the first part you have to read the text, and then match the
paragraph headings A - H with the paragraphs 1-8. Write the
letter in front of each heading into the box next to the number
of the paragraph it belongs to. When you have finished the
whole test press 'Answers' to see if you were right.
This part of the test should take 17 -20 minutes.
1. Meet Mesosaurus, a small reptile which 5. By investigating similarities in animal

lived in fresh-water lakes and streams millions fossils, different types of plants found in the
of years ago during the lower Permain age. southern hemisphere but not in the northern
Mesosaurus has had a big impact on how we hemisphere, and patterns of rock formations,
view our planet, because he helped to prove researchers have managed to put the
the existence of the super-continent called continents of modern-day earth together like
Gondwanaland. a huge jigsaw to make up the vanished
super-continent. Sometimes rock formations
can be seen to break off at the ocean's edge,
2. Every schoolchild has probably looked to carry on once more thousands of miles
at a map of the earth and noticed how Africa away on another continent. The evidence
and South America fit together like pieces of a shows that not only were Africa and South
giant jigsaw, yet until just over a hundred and America once joined to Antartica, but so were
fifty years ago, no-one believed that this was India and Australia, parts of south Western
more than an odd coincidence. It seemed Europe, and Florida.
impossible that the massive continents of the
earth could ever be moved, let alone so far
apart that they ended up half a planet from 6. Although Gondwanaland was located
each other. in the far southern hemisphere of the planet,
where Antarctica remains today, the climate
was much warmer, and we know that huge
3. Nevertheless, in 1912 Alfred Wegener, forests grew there. These forests, fossilized
a German meteorologist came up with the into coal, supply many Indians with energy
theory that the continents of the earth had all today. The land animals were adapted to life
existed in a single mass, which he called on their cool continent, with its long dark
Pangaea (which is Greek for 'all the world'') winter days. Some of the best known
Later researchers decided that Pangaea had dinosaurs, such as Stegosaurus, Triceratops,
been two continents, one to the north of the and Tyrannosaurus lived on the northern
other, which had existed about 250 million continents, but Gondwanaland also had
years ago. From the geological evidence some fearsome predators such as
found in the Gondwana area of India, an Abelisaurus, a large meat-eater that lived
Austrian geologist, Eduard Suess coined the during the cretaceous period. The seas were
name 'Gondwanaland' for the southern populated with fish called placoderms, a
supercontinent, of which India was once a name which they get from their skin, which
part. (The northern continent was called was so thick that they were practically
Lurasia.) armoured.
4. For many years super-continents were 7. The break-up of Gondwanaland had

regarded as an interesting theory, but no-one huge consequences for planet earth as we
knew how it might work in reality. Then the know it now. In geological terms, India has
discovery of the mechanisms of plate been a sprinter. Breaking from
tectonics showed how continents might drift Gondwanaland the sub-continent drifted
10
across the face of the globe. Once it was rapidly northward from the south pole, finally
accepted that the continents were floating on smashing into Asia about 45 million years
currents of lava, more evidence became ago in a collision that raised the Himalayas.
apparent. A particular type of an early plant,
the seed fern, was found on continents now
scattered about the southern hemisphere of 8. When South America split off about 30
the world, as were tillates, a deposit left by million years ago the effect was even more
glaciers in the Permo-Carboniferous era of dramatic. Cold Antarctic water no longer
520 million years ago. And Mesosaurus, the mixed with warmer seas when pushed
little fresh-water reptile, left his remains in northward by the south American landmass.
West Africa and Brazil. Since Mesosaurus had Instead it circled the pole getting colder and
no way of crossing the Atlantic, researchers colder, until Antartica lost its vegetation and
realized that it could not be coincidence that animal life, and became the barren icy
this reptile had left remains in exactly the wilderness it is today.
place where Africa and South America fit
together so neatly.
A. Finding the evidence

B. The living continent
C. Small but significant
D. Making modern Antartica
E. Putting it all together
F. Joining another continent
G. An impossible idea
H. What's in a name?
Choose from the phrases in the box to complete the sentences 9 12, which best
summarize the points made by the writer. Write the letter of the phrase that completes
the point in the box after the first part. You only need four of the phrases given.
9. For many years the existence of Gondwanaland

10. The discovery of plate tectonics
11. Evidence for Gondwanaland
12. In the past Gondwanaland
I. was dominated by the theories of

N. has been found in geological
European scientists
formations and fossils
J. had a large population of plants and
O. smashed into the Asian landmass 45
amimals
million years ago
K. demonstrated that continents can indeed
P. was nothing but speculation
drift apart
Q. had huge effects on the climate of
L. partly explains why earthquakes and
the Earth
volcanoes happen
R. was believed to be a legendary lost
M. was because Mesosaurus existed on two
continent
modern continents
11
Questions 13 to 28
This part of the test should take 17 -20 minutes.
The Family of Germanicus
Germanicus is not a name that many people are familiar with today, but the man and his family
are central figures in the story of one of the most colourful imperial dynasties the world has ever
known the Julio-Claudians.
The Julio-Claudians get their name from two families of the old Roman republic. Both families
were old. The Julians had an impeccable aristocratic pedigree, while the Claudians were one of
the most politically powerful families in the state. The two were thrown together into an alliance
during the troubles which gripped Rome during the fall of the Republic.
Julius Caesar, the most famous member of the Julian family, led his legions in the conquest of
Rome. Though Caesar was a great general, he lacked the political skills to control the Roman
senate and Caesar was killed by the senators during one of their meetings. Another round of
civil wars followed, and Caesar's great-nephew, Augustus, became the ruler of Rome.
In contrast to Caesar, Augustus was a superb, uncompromising and ruthless politician. Early in
his career he realized that his family could not rule alone, and he allied himself with the
Claudians by marrying a woman called Livia Drusilla. Livia was not only a Claudian herself, but
the former wife of another Claudian. She had two children by her first marriage, Tiberius and
Drusus.
When he grew up, Drusus married Antonia, the daughter of Mark Antony. They had two
children, one called Claudius and the other named Tiberius after his uncle and grandfather
(Tiberius was a common Roman name, and often used for members of the Claudian family.)
Tiberius joined the army while he was still a young man, and turned out to be an excellent
soldier. At the time, the Romans were busy with a major war in Germany. This war had not been
going well, and the Romans lost a number of legions during a major battle in the Teutonwald
forest. Tiberius was one of the commanders who helped to restore the power of Rome, and to
celebrate his victories, and to distinguish him from his uncle, the soldiers started calling him
Germanicus.
Germanicus, or Nero Claudius Drusus Germanicus to give him his proper name, was not only
an excellent commander, but one who took great care that his soldiers were well supplied and
looked after. He was loved by the troops he commanded and this love helped him to bring the
legions back under control when they mutinied on hearing of the death of Augustus.
Since Augustus had no sons he had adopted Tiberius, the uncle of Germanicus. As the son of
Augustus, Tiberius became emperor after him. Augustus had known how popular Germanicus
was, and considered adopting him instead of Tiberius, but instead adopted Tiberius and made
Tiberius adopt Germanicus. His plan was that power should go from himself, to Tiberius and
then to Germanicus and his sons. Germanicus had already become closer to the Julian family
by his marriage to Agrippina, the grand-daughter of Augustus.
Sadly, the glittering career of Germanicus did not happen. From Germany he want to Asia Minor
where he again won victories for Rome, but on his return from a trip to Egypt he became ill and
died. Some modern historians believe that Germanicus died of malaria, but Germanicus and his
wife were both convinced that he had been poisoned by his enemies. Among those they
suspected was Tiberius, the emperor, since it was felt he wanted power to pass to his own son
rather than to Germanicus.
12
With the clear line of succession destroyed, members of the imperial court started to plot and
scheme to see who would be emperor after Tiberius, who was already an old man. The
conspiracies drew in the surviving members of the family of Germanicus, and the two eldest
boys were accused of treason and killed. One daughter, Julia Livilla, was married to the son of
Tiberius and is believed to have poisoned him partly to help the plots of her lover and partly to
avenge the 'poisoning' of her father. Agrippina, the wife of Germanicus was exiled and starved
herself to death.
One boy survived, a young man called Gaius. Tiberius made him live in his house where he
could watch him carefully, but also because Tiberius was true to his promise that when he died
the children of Germanicus would come to power. Gaius did indeed become emperor, but the
mental stress of the earlier years could not be undone, and he is known today as the mad
emperor Caligula.
Gaius Caligula was assassinated, but history had not done with the children of Germanicus.
The next emperor was Claudius, the brother of Germanicus. He married, another daughter of
Germanicus called Agrippina after her mother. Agrippina, a direct descendant of Augustus, was
thus the wife and niece of Claudius, the sister of Caligula, and eventually, the mother of another
emperor. This was Nero, the tyrant emperor whose death marked the end of the descendants of
Germanicus and the Julio-Claudian dynasty of emperors.
13
Fill in the missing names in this family tree
Family Tree
Augustus 13.
married
Julia Tiberius Drusus Antonia

married
Agrippina Germanicus 14.

married
15. Drusilla Agrippina Drusus Nero Gaius Caligula
Nero
14
Decide if the information below is true or false or not given
True False Not given
16. Agrippina, wife of Germanicus killed herself
17. Augustus was the great-great-grandfather of Nero
18. Claudius was the father-in-law of Caligula
19. Antonia was Livia's daughter-in-law
20. Agrippina was the daughter of Tiberius
21. Two of Germanicus' children died soon after birth
22. Nero had no brothers or sisters
23. Julia Livilla plotted to poison her lover
Fill in the family relationship described below
A. Grandmother B. Stepson C. Brother D. Mother-in-law E. Daughter F.

Grandson G. Nephew
24. Livia was Antonia's ......
25. Gaius Caligula was Claudius' .......
26. Germanicus was Livia's ........
27. Antonia was Gaius Caligula's ......
28. Drusus was Augustus' ......
15
Read the text, and then answer questions 29 to 40
below. The questions are in three sections. Read the
instructions for each section carefully before doing the
answers
This part of the test should take 17 -20 minutes
What is music?
A. Music has probably existed for as long as man has been human, and it certainly predates civilization by tens of millenia. Yet even
today there is no clear definition of exactly what music is. For example, birdsong is certainly melodic, but it is not tuneful, and it is not
created with the intention of being musical (in fact it is sometimes meant to sound threatening) - therefore does it count as music?
B. On the other hand, some modern composers have been challenging the idea that music should be arranged in a pleasant manner
with the notes falling in an orderly succession. Others, famously the avant guarde composer John Cage have even used silence and
called the result music. As a result there is no one definition of music. Perhaps it should be said that music, like beauty, is what the
person who sees or hears it believes it to be.
C. Music is divided in many ways. Music itself is split into notes, clefts, quavers, and semi-demi quavers. Ancient and medieval
musicologists believed that these notes could be arranged 'horizontally' into melody (making notes that match on the same scale) and
'vertically' (going up and down the scales to create harmony). Another very basic measurement of music is the 'pulse'. This is present
in almost all forms of music, and is particularly strong in modern popular music. The pulse is the regular beat which runs through a
tune. When you tap your foot or clap your hands in time to a song, you are beating out the pulse of that song.
D. Another way of dividing music is by genre. Even a child who does not know that (for example) rock and roll and classical music are
different genres will be instantly aware that these are very different sounds; though he will not be aware that one is a percussion-led
melody while the other emphasizes harmony over rhythm and timbre. Each genre of music has numerous sub-divisions. Classical
music is divided by type - for example symphonies, concertos and operas, and by sub-genre, for example baroque and Gregorian
chant. Just to make it more fun, modern musicians have also been experimenting with crossover music, so that we get Beatles tunes
played by classical orchestras, and groups like Queen using operatic themes in songs such as 'Bohemian rhapsody'.
E. Almost all music is a collaboration between the composer, and the performer, while song requires a lyricist to write the words as
well. Sometimes old tunes are adapted for new lyrics - for example the song 'Happy Birthday' is based on a tune originally called 'Have
a nice Day'. At other times a performer might produce a song in a manner which the original composer would not recognize. (A famous
example is the punk rock band the Sex Pistols performing the British national anthem 'God save the Queen'.)
F. This is because the composer and lyricist have to leave the performer some freedom to perform in the way that suits him or her
best. While many classical compositions have notes stressing how a piece should be performed (for example a piece played 'con brio'
should be light and lively) in the end, what the listener hears is the work of the performer. Jazz music has fully accepted this, and jazz
performers are not only expected to put their own interpretation on a piece, but are expected to play even the same piece with some
variation every time.
G. Many studies of music do not take into account where the music is to be played and who the audience will be. This is a major
mistake, as the audience is very much a part of the musical experience. Any jazz fan will tell you that jazz is best experienced in small
smoky bars some time after midnight, while a classical fan will spend time and money making sure that the music on his stereo comes
as close as possible to the sound in a large concert hall. Some music, such as dance music, is designed to be interactive, while other
music is designed to remain in the background, smoothing out harsh sounds and creating a mood. This is often the case with cinema
music - this powerfully changes the mood of the audience, yet remains so much in the background that many cinemagoers are
unaware that the music is actually playing.
H. Music is very much a part of human existence, and we are fortunate today in having music of whatever kind we choose instantly
available at the touch of a button. Yet spare a thought for those who still cannot take advantage of this bounty. This includes not only
the deaf, but those people who are somehow unable to understand or recognize music when they hear it. A famous example is United
President Ulysses Grant, who famously said 'I can recognise two tunes. One is 'Yankee doodle' and the other one isn't.'
16
Choose which of these sentences is closest to the meaning in the text.
29 Modern composers do not always want their music to sound pleasant

Some modern composers do not want their music to be enjoyable
A modern musical composition should not be orderly
30 Crossover music is when classical orchestras play modern tunes

Crossover music moves between musical genres
Crossover music is a modern musical genre
31 Performers, lyricists and composers each have a seperate function

Performers of a song will need to become lyricists
Composers instruct musicians to play their work 'con brio'
Match these groups of words with one of the words in the box opposite - you do not need two of
the words.
32. Rock and roll, classical music, jazz
A. Collaborators
33. Composer, lyricist, performer B. John Cage
C. Classical
D. Baroque
E. Audience
34. Symphony, concerto, opera F. Genres
35. Cinemagoer, Jazz fan, dancer
17
The paragraphs are numbered A-H. Write the letter of the paragraph which contains the
following information (You can choose a paragraph more than once).
36. People can tell genres of music apart even without musical training.
37. Where you hear music can be as important as the skill of the performer.
38. Music has been a part of human existence for many thousands of years.
39. A piece of music might have more than one set of words to go with it.
40. Some people cannot tell the difference between classical music and birdsong.
18
Candidate Number
Candidate Name ______________________________________________
INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING

SYSTEM
Academic Writing
Practice Test 1 hour
Time 1 hour
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
Read the instructions for each task carefully.
Answer both of the tasks.
Write at least 150 words for Task 1.
Write at least 250 words for Task 2.
Write your answers in the answer booklet.
Write clearly in pen or pencil. You may make alterations, but make sure your work is
easy to read.
At the end of the test, hand in both this question paper and your answer booklet.

There are two tasks on this question paper.
Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.
19
WRITING TASK 1
You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The graphs below give information about computer ownership as a percentage of the
population between 2002 and 2010, and by level of education for the years 2002 and
2010.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make
comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.
20
WRITING TASK 2
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
A persons worth nowadays seems to be judged according to social status and material
possessions. Old-fashioned values, such as honour, kindness and trust, no longer seem
important.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own
knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.
21
LISTENING MODULE OVERVIEW
How much time do you have to do the Listening Module?
How many sections are there?
How many times can you hear each section?
How many questions do you have to answer?
How many marks do you get for each answer?
Do you lose marks for mispelled answers?
Is there time for transferring answers to the answer sheet?
Can I write my answers in capitals?
22
Day 2 activity 1
LISTENING SECTION 1
Strategies:
Answer the following questions before listening to Questions 1-7
a. In this section do you expect to hear a conversation or a monologue?
b. What do you expect to hear in each gap? Make notes
c. Do you think spelling will be important to answer any of the questions?
d. How many people are there in the conversation and what are their roles?
Discuss your answers with a partner.
Answer the following questions before listening to Questions 8 10
a. Do you think Questions 8-10 are related to 1-7? If so, what are they talking about?
b. What do you think the letters A to G mean?
c. Since the picture is of a map, what kind of prepositions do you expect to hear?
Discuss your answers with a partner
23
24
Day 2 activity 2
LISTENING SECTION 2
Strategies:
Answer the following questions before listening to Questions 11-14
b. What do you expect to hear in each gap? Make notes
a. Do you think Questions 15 - 17 are related to 11 - 14? If so, what are the speakers
talking about?
b. What do you think the pictures A to E mean? Are there any differences among
them? If so, what are they?
c. Try to predict which letters A-E go with questions 15 17
a. Do you think Questions 18 20 are related to Questions 15 17? If so, what are
they about?
b. Try to predict what each gap is about. Are there any repeated words? If so, highlight
them.
25
26
Day 2 activity 3
LISTENING SECTION 3
Strategies:
b. What are the key words in A,B,C and in 21 to 26? Highlight them.
a. Do you think the talk above will continue?
b. Highlight the key words in sentences 27 to 30.
c. Read the alternatives carefully.
27
28
Day 2 activity 4
LISTENING SECTION 4
Strategies:
b. Highlight the key words in questions 31 37?
c. Do you expect the answers to be words or numbers?
DO NOT WRITE MORE THAN 3 WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER
a. Do you think the talk above will continue?
b. Highlight the key words in sentences A to G.
c. Predict possible answers to 38 40
29
30
READING MODULE OVERVIEW
How much time do you have to do the Reading Module?
How many sections are there?
Are there time limits for each section?
How many questions do you have to answer?
How many marks do you get for each answer?
Is it OK to leave questions blank?
Is there time for transferring answers to the answer sheet?
31
Reading activity 1
You are going to read a passage about Helium. Together with a partner
make guesses at what the reading passage is about and write down
possible related words and/or ideas.
Takeielts.britishcouncil.org
32
Read the text very quickly and check your predictions.
Heliums future up in the air
A) In recent years we have all been exposed to dire media reports

concerning the impending demise of global coal and oil reserves, but the
depletion of another key non-renewable resource continues without
receiving much press at all. Helium an inert, odourless, monatomic
element known to lay people as the substance that makes balloons float
and voices squeak when inhaled could be gone from this planet within a
generation.
B) Helium itself is not rare; there is actually a plentiful supply of it in the

cosmos. In fact, 24 per cent of our galaxys elemental mass consists of
helium, which makes it the second most abundant element in our
universe. Because of its lightness, however, most helium vanished from
our own planet many years ago. Consequently, only a miniscule
proportion 0.00052%, to be exact remains in earths atmosphere.
Helium is the by-product of millennia of radioactive decay from the
elements thorium and uranium. The helium is mostly trapped in
subterranean natural gas bunkers and commercially extracted through a
method known as fractional distillation.
C) The loss of helium on Earth would affect society greatly. Defying the
perception of it as a novelty substance for parties and gimmicks, the
element actually has many vital applications in society. Probably the most
well-known commercial usage is in airships and blimps (non-flammable
helium replaced hydrogen as the lifting gas du jour after the Hindenburg
catastrophe in 1932, during which an airship burst into flames and crashed
to the ground killing some passengers and crew). But helium is also
instrumental in deep-sea diving, where it is blended with nitrogen to
mitigate the dangers of inhaling ordinary air under high pressure; as a
cleaning agent for rocket engines; and, in its most prevalent use, as a
coolant for superconducting magnets in hospital MRI (magnetic resonance
imaging) scanners.
33
D) The possibility of losing helium forever poses the threat of a real crisis
because its unique qualities are extraordinarily difficult, if not impossible
to duplicate (certainly, no biosynthetic ersatz product is close to
approaching the point of feasibility for helium, even as similar
developments continue apace for oil and coal). Helium is even cheerfully
derided as a loner element since it does not adhere to other molecules
like its cousin, hydrogen. According to Dr. Lee Sobotka, helium is the
most noble of gases, meaning its very stable and non-reactive for the
most part it has a closed electronic configuration, a very tightly bound
atom. It is this coveting of its own electrons that prevents combination
with other elements. Another important attribute is heliums unique
boiling point, which is lower than that for any other element. The
worsening global shortage could render millions of dollars of high-value,
life-saving equipment totally useless. The dwindling supplies have already
resulted in the postponement of research and development projects in
physics laboratories and manufacturing plants around the world. There is
an enormous supply and demand imbalance partly brought about by the
expansion of high-tech manufacturing in Asia.
E) The source of the problem is the Helium Privatisation Act (HPA), an

American law passed in 1996 that requires the U.S. National Helium
Reserve to liquidate its helium assets by 2015 regardless of the market
price. Although intended to settle the original cost of the reserve by a U.S.
Congress ignorant of its ramifications, the result of this fire sale is that
global helium prices are so artificially deflated that few can be bothered
recycling the substance or using it judiciously. Deflated values also mean
that natural gas extractors see no reason to capture helium. Much is lost
in the process of extraction. As Sobotka notes: "the government had the
good vision to store helium, and the question now is: Will the corporations
have the vision to capture it when extracting natural gas, and consumers
the wisdom to recycle? This takes long-term vision because present
market forces are not sufficient to compel prudent practice. For Nobel-
prize laureate Robert Richardson, the U.S. government must be prevailed
upon to repeal its privatisation policy as the country supplies over 80 per
cent of global helium, mostly from the National Helium Reserve. For
Richardson, a twenty- to fifty-fold increase in prices would provide
incentives to recycle.
34
F) A number of steps need to be taken in order to avert a costly
predicament in the coming decades. Firstly, all existing supplies of helium
ought to be conserved and released only by permit, with medical uses
receiving precedence over other commercial or recreational demands.
Secondly, conservation should be obligatory and enforced by a regulatory
agency. At the moment some users, such as hospitals, tend to recycle
diligently while others, such as NASA, squander massive amounts of
helium. Lastly, research into alternatives to helium must begin in earnest.
Now, highlight some key words in paragraphs A F.
Then, highlight some key words in 1-5
Read the passage again and say which paragraph A-F contains the
following information.
1) a use for helium which makes an activity safer
2) the possibility of creating an alternative to helium
3) a term which describes the process of how helium is taken out of the
ground
4) a reason why users of helium do not make efforts to conserve it
5) a contrast between heliums chemical properties and how non-

scientists think about it
35
Reading activity 2
Look at the following list of headings and highlight one key word per
heading. Check with a partner if you share the same.
List of Headings
i The probable effects of the new international trade agreement
ii The environmental impact of modern farming
iii Farming and soil erosion
iv The effects of government policy in rich countries
v Governments and management of the environment
i The effects of government policy in poor countries
vii Farming and food output
viii The effects of government policy on food output
ix The new prospects for world trade
Paragraph A __________________________
Paragraph B __________________________
Paragraph C __________________________
Paragraph D __________________________
Paragraph E vi
Paragraph F ___________________________
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Before you do a full reading, well work with one paragraph only. Look at
Heading vi and try to find it within Section E.
Section E
In poor countries, governments aggravate other sorts of damage.

Subsidies for pesticides and artificial fertilisers encourage farmers to use
greater quantities than are needed to get the highest economic crop yield.
A study by the International Rice Research Institute of pesticide use by
farmers in South East Asia found that, with pest-resistant varieties of rice,
even moderate applications of pesticide frequently cost farmers more
than they saved. Such waste puts farmers on a chemical treadmill: bugs
and weeds become resistant to poisons, so next year's poisons must be
more lethal. One cost is to human health. Every year some 10,000
people die from pesticide poisoning, almost all of them in the developing
countries, and another 400,000 become seriously ill. As for artificial
fertilisers, their use world-wide increased by 40 percent per unit of farmed
land between the mid-1970s and late 1980s, mostly in the developing
countries. Overuse of fertilisers may cause farmers to stop rotating crops
or leaving their land fallow. That, in turn, may make soil erosion worse.
What word is used as a synonym to poor countries?
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Now read paragraphs A, B, C, D, F and match to the headings above.
There are always more choices of paragraph headings on the list than
paragraphs, so be careful when matching them.
Section A
The role of governments in environmental management is difficult but

inescapable. Sometimes, the state tries to manage the resources it owns,
and does so badly. Often, however, governments act in an even more
harmful way. They actually subsidise the exploitation and consumption of
natural resources. A whole range of policies, from farm-price support to
protection for coal-mining, do environmental damage and (often) make no
economic sense. Scrapping them offers a two-fold bonus: a cleaner
environment and a more efficient economy. Growth and
environmentalism can actually go hand in hand, if politicians have the
courage to confront the vested interest that subsidies create.
Section B
No activity affects more of the earth's surface than farming. It shapes a

third of the planet's land area, not counting Antarctica, and the proportion
is rising. World food output per head has risen by 4 per cent between the
1970s and 1980s mainly as a result of increases in yields from land
already in cultivation, but also because more land has been brought under
the plough. Higher yields have been achieved by increased irrigation,
better crop breeding, and a doubling in the use of pesticides and chemical
fertilisers in the 1970s and 1980s.
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Section C
All these activities may have damaging environmental impacts. For

example, land clearing for agriculture is the largest single cause of
deforestation; chemical fertilisers and pesticides may contaminate water
supplies; more intensive farming and the abandonment of fallow periods
tend to exacerbate soil erosion; and the spread of monoculture and use of
high-yielding varieties of crops have been accompanied by the
disappearance of old varieties of food plants which might have provided
some insurance against pests or diseases in future. Soil erosion threatens
the productivity of land in both rich and poor countries. The United
States, where the most careful measurements have been done,
discovered in 1982 that about one-fifth of its farmland was losing topsoil
at a rate likely to diminish the soil's productivity. The country
subsequently embarked upon a program to convert 11 per cent of its
cropped land to meadow or forest. Topsoil in India and China is vanishing
much faster than in America.
Section D
Government policies have frequently compounded the environmental

damage that farming can cause. In the rich countries, subsidies for
growing crops and price supports for farm output drive up the price of
land. The annual value of these subsidies is immense: about $250 billion,
or more than all World Bank lending in the 1980s. To increase the output
of crops per acre, a farmer's easiest option is to use more of the most
readily available inputs: fertilisers and pesticides. Fertiliser use doubled in
Denmark in the period 1960-1985 and increased in The Netherlands by
150 per cent. The quantity of pesticides applied has risen too: by 69 per
cent in 1975-1984 in Denmark, for example, with a rise of 115 per cent in
the frequency of application in the three years from 1981. In the late
1980s and early 1990s some efforts were made to reduce farm subsidies.
The most dramatic example was that of New Zealand, which scrapped
most farm support in 1984. A study of the environmental effects,
conducted in 1993, found that the end of fertiliser subsidies
had been followed by a fall in fertiliser use (a fall compounded by the
decline in world commodity prices, which cut farm incomes).
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The removal of subsidies also stopped land clearing and over-stocking,
which in the past had been the principal causes of erosion. Farms began to
diversify. The one kind of subsidy whose removal appeared to have been
bad for the environment was the subsidy to manage soil erosion. In less
enlightened countries, and in the European Union, the trend has been to
reduce rather than eliminate subsidies, and to introduce new payments to
encourage farmers to treat their land in environmentally friendlier ways,
or to leave it fallow. It may sound strange but such payments need to be
higher than the existing incentives for farmers to grow food crops.
Farmers, however, dislike being paid to do nothing. In several countries
they have become interested in the possibility of using fuel produced from
crop residues either as a replacement for petrol (as ethanol) or as fuel for
power stations (as biomass). Such fuels produce far less carbon dioxide
than coal or oil, and absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. They are
therefore less likely to contribute to the greenhouse effect. But they are
rarely competitive with fossil fuels unless subsidised - and growing them
does no less environmental harm than other crops.
Section F
A result of the Uruguay Round of world trade negotiations is likely to be a

reduction of 36 percent in the average levels of farm subsidies paid by the
rich countries in 1986-1990. Some of the world's food production will
move from Western Europe to regions where subsidies are lower or non-
existent, such as the former communist countries and parts of the
developing world. Some environmentalists worry about this outcome.
It will undoubtedly mean more pressure to convert natural habitat into
farmland. But it will also have many desirable environmental effects.
The intensity of farming in the rich world should decline, and the use of
chemical inputs will diminish. Crops are more likely to be grown in the
environments to which they are naturally suited. And more farmers in
poor countries will have the money and the incentive to manage their land
in ways that are sustainable in the long run. That is important.
To feed an increasingly hungry world, farmers need every incentive to use
their soil and water effectively and efficiently.
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Reading activity 3
Try following these steps when doing multiple choice questions:
Read questions 1 - 3 and underline the "keywords" - these are the words
that you will try to find in the passage (the main words that give the
meaning of the question).
Read choices A - D and underline one or two keywords in each one. Focus
on words that make the difference between each choice.
Go to the passage and look for the keywords from the questions.
When you have found the right part of the passage, look for the keywords
from the choices.
Read the relevant part of the passage carefully, comparing it to each

choice.
To be sure you have the right answer, you should be able to show that the
other answer choices are wrong.
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Questions 1 3
Choose the appropriate letters A, B, C or D.
1 Research completed in 1982 found that in the United States soil erosion
A reduced the productivity of farmland by 20 per cent.

B was almost as severe as in India and China.
C was causing significant damage to 20 per cent of farmland.
D could be reduced by converting cultivated land to meadow or forest.
2 By the mid-1980s, farmers in Denmark
A used 50 percent less fertiliser than Dutch farmers.

B used twice as much fertiliser as they had in 1960.
C applied fertiliser much more frequently than in 1960.
D more than doubled the amount of pesticide they used in just 3 years.
3 Which one of the following increased in New Zealand after 1984?
A farm incomes
B use of fertiliser
C over-stocking
D farm diversification
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[Note: This is an extract from an Academic Reading passage on the subject of
government subsidies to farmers. The text preceding this extract explained how
subsidies can lead to activities which cause uneconomical and irreversible changes to
the environment.]
All these activities may have damaging environmental impacts. For

example, land clearing for agriculture is the largest single cause of
deforestation; chemical fertilisers and pesticides may contaminate water
supplies; more intensive farming and the abandonment of fallow periods
tend to exacerbate soil erosion; and the spread of monoculture and use of
high-yielding varieties of crops have been accompanied by the
disappearance of old varieties of food plants which might have provided
some insurance against pests or diseases in future. Soil erosion threatens
the productivity of land in both rich and poor countries. The United States,
where the most careful measurements have been done, discovered in
1982 that about one-fifth of its farmland was losing topsoil at a rate likely
to diminish the soil's productivity. The country subsequently embarked
upon a program to convert 11 per cent of its cropped land to meadow or
forest. Topsoil in India and China is vanishing much faster than in America.
Government policies have frequently compounded the environmental
damage that farming can cause. In the rich countries, subsidies for
growing crops and price supports for farm output drive up the price of
land. The annual value of these subsidies is immense: about $250 billion,
or more than all World Bank lending in the 1980s. To increase the output
of crops per acre, a farmer's easiest option is to use more of the most
readily available inputs: fertilisers and pesticides. Fertiliser use doubled in
Denmark in the period 1960-1985 and increased in The Netherlands by
150 per cent. The quantity of pesticides applied has risen too: by 69 per
cent in 1975-1984 in Denmark, for example, with a rise of 115 per cent in
the frequency of application in the three years from 1981.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s some efforts were made to reduce farm
subsidies. The most dramatic example was that of New Zealand, which
scrapped most farm support in 1984. A study of the environmental
effects, conducted in 1993, found that the end of fertiliser subsidies had
been followed by a fall in fertiliser use (a fall compounded by the decline
in world commodity prices, which cut farm incomes).
The removal of subsidies also stopped land clearing and over-stocking,
which in the past had been the principal causes of erosion. Farms began to
diversify.
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The one kind of subsidy whose removal appeared to have been bad for
the environment was the subsidy to manage soil erosion.
In less enlightened countries, and in the European Union, the trend has
been to reduce rather than eliminate subsidies, and to introduce new
payments to encourage farmers to treat their land in environmentally
friendlier ways, or to leave it fallow. It may sound strange but such
payments need to be higher than the existing incentives for farmers to
grow food crops. Farmers, however, dislike being paid to do nothing. In
several countries they have become interested in the possibility of using
fuel produced from crop residues either as a replacement for petrol (as
ethanol) or as fuel for power stations (as biomass). Such fuels produce far
less carbon dioxide than coal or oil, and absorb carbon dioxide as they
grow. They are therefore less likely to contribute to the greenhouse effect.
But they are rarely competitive with fossil fuels unless subsidised - and
growing them does no less environmental harm than other crops.
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Reading activity 4
TRUE, FALSE OR NOT GIVEN
Read statements 4 10 and underline one or two keywords per

statement.
4) Chronobiology is the study of how living things have evolved over time.
5) The rise and fall of sea levels affects how sea creatures behave.
6) Most animals are active during the daytime.
7) Circadian rhythms identify how we do different things on different days.
8) A night person can still have a healthy circadian rhythm.
9) New therapies can permanently change circadian rhythms without

causing harm.
10) Naturally-produced vegetables have more nutritional value.
TIPS
Answers come in order
Understand the meaning of each answer
a. True = the same information is found in the reading passage
b. False = the opposite information is found in the reading passage
c. Not Given = the information is not found in the passage
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Questions 4 10
Read the passage and answer True, False or Not given to questions 4 10
above.
True if the statement agrees with the information
False if the statement contradicts the information
Not given if there is no information on this
Making time for science

Chronobiology might sound a little futuristic like something from a
science fiction novel, perhaps but its actually a field of study that
concerns one of the oldest processes life on this planet has ever known:
short-term rhythms of time and their effect on flora and fauna.
This can take many forms. Marine life, for example, is influenced by tidal
patterns. Animals tend to be active or inactive depending on the position
of the sun or moon. Numerous creatures, humans included, are largely
diurnal that is, they like to come out during the hours of sunlight.
Nocturnal animals, such as bats and possums, prefer to forage by night. A
third group are known as crepuscular: they thrive in the low-light of dawn
and dusk and remain inactive at other hours.
When it comes to humans, chronobiologists are interested in what is

known as the circadian rhythm. This is the complete cycle our bodies are
naturally geared to undergo within the passage of a twenty-four hour day.
Aside from sleeping at night and waking during the day, each cycle
involves many other factors such as changes in blood pressure and body
temperature. Not everyone has an identical circadian rhythm. Night
people, for example, often describe how they find it very hard to operate
during the morning, but become alert and focused by evening. This is a
benign variation within circadian rhythms known as a chronotype.
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Scientists have limited abilities to create durable modifications of
chronobiological demands. Recent therapeutic developments for humans
such as artificial light machines and melatonin administration can reset
our circadian rhythms, for example, but our bodies can tell the difference
and health suffers when we breach these natural rhythms for extended
periods of time. Plants appear no more malleable in this respect; studies
demonstrate that vegetables grown in season and ripened on the tree are
far higher in essential nutrients than those grown in greenhouses and
ripened by laser.
Knowledge of chronobiological patterns can have many pragmatic

implications for our day-to-day lives. While contemporary living can
sometimes appear to subjugate biology after all, who needs circadian
rhythms when we have caffeine pills, energy drinks, shift work and cities
that never sleep? keeping in synch with our body clock is important.
The average urban resident, for example, rouses at the eye-blearing time
of 6.04 a.m., which researchers believe to be far too early. One study
found that even rising at 7.00 a.m. has deleterious effects on health unless
exercise is performed for 30 minutes afterward. The optimum moment
has been whittled down to 7.22 a.m.; muscle aches, headaches and
moodiness were reported to be lowest by participants in the study who
awoke then.
Once youre up and ready to go, what then? If youre trying to shed some
extra pounds, dieticians are adamant: never skip breakfast. This disorients
your circadian rhythm and puts your body in starvation mode. The
recommended course of action is to follow an intense workout with a
carbohydrate-rich breakfast; the other way round and weight loss results
are not as pronounced.
Morning is also great for breaking out the vitamins. Supplement

absorption by the body is not temporal-dependent, but naturopath Pam
Stone notes that the extra boost at breakfast helps us get energised for
the day ahead. For improved absorption, Stone suggests pairing
supplements with a food in which they are soluble and steering clear of
caffeinated beverages. Finally, Stone warns to take care with storage; high
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potency is best for absorption, and warmth and humidity are known to
deplete the potency of a supplement.
After-dinner espressos are becoming more of a tradition we have the

Italians to thank for that but to prepare for a good nights sleep we are
better off putting the brakes on caffeine consumption as early as 3 p.m.
With a seven hour half-life, a cup of coffee containing 90 mg of caffeine
taken at this hour could still leave 45 mg of caffeine in your nervous
system at ten oclock that evening. It is essential that, by the time you are
ready to sleep, your body is rid of all traces.
Evenings are important for winding down before sleep; however, dietician
Geraldine Georgeou warns that an after-five carbohydrate-fast is more
cultural myth than chronobiological demand. This will deprive your body
of vital energy needs. Overloading your gut could lead to indigestion,
though. Our digestive tracts do not shut down for the night entirely, but
their work slows to a crawl as our bodies prepare for sleep. Consuming a
modest snack should be entirely sufficient.
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Now use the same strategies you have used to do Day 3 - Reading
Activity 3
Questions 11-16
Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.
11) What did researchers identify as the ideal time to wake up in the
morning?
A) 6.04
B) 7.00
C) 7.22
D) 7.30
12) In order to lose weight, we should
A) avoid eating breakfast
B) eat a low carbohydrate breakfast
C) exercise before breakfast
D) exercise after breakfast
13) Which is NOT mentioned as a way to improve supplement absorption?
A) avoiding drinks containing caffeine while taking supplements
B) taking supplements at breakfast
C) taking supplements with foods that can dissolve them
D) storing supplements in a cool, dry environment
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14) The best time to stop drinking coffee is
A) mid-afternoon
B) 10 p.m.
C) only when feeling anxious
D) after dinner
15) In the evening, we should
A) stay away from carbohydrates
B) stop exercising
C) eat as much as possible
D) eat a light meal
16) Which of the following phrases best describes the main aim of Reading
Passage 1?
A) to suggest healthier ways of eating, sleeping and exercising
B) to describe how modern life has made chronobiology largely irrelevant
C) to introduce chronobiology and describe some practical applications
D) to plan a daily schedule that can alter our natural chronobiological

rhythms
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ROAD TO IELTS
WRITING MODULE OVERVIEW
Activity 1: Get familiar with the Writing Paper
See how much you know about the Writing paper. Look at these statements and say whether
they are true or false. If you think they are false, correct them.
1. You have to do two pieces of writing, task 1 and task 2. T/F
2. In task 1 there is always a graph T/F
3. In task 2 you have to write an essay T/F
4. For task 1 you are asked to write a minimum of 150 words. T/F
5. You are advised to spend no more than 20 minutes on task 1. T/F
6. For task 2 you are asked to write no more than 250 words T/F
7. You should spend about 40 minutes on task 2. T/F
8. Responses to both tasks must be in a formal style T/F
51
PRACTICE FOR WRITING MODULE - TASK 2 (Criteria) Page 1
1. Think about the following and make notes under the different headings.
What does an examiner look for in a perfect piece of writing?
Task Achievement / Response
The flow of sentences and ideas
Grammar
Vocabulary
52
Now read the Marking criteria for the Writing paper Page 2
Task 2. Academic. This requires candidates to formulate and

develop a position in relation to a given prompt in the form of a
Task Response / Task question or statement. Ideas should be supported by
Achievement evidence, and examples may be drawn from the candidates
own experience. Responses must be at least 250 words long.
This is about the overall clarity and fluency of the message:

how the response organises and links information, ideas and
Coherence and Cohesion language. Ideas should be linked through logical sequencing,
and there should be a variety of appropriate linking devices
(connectors, pronouns and conjunctions).
This refers to the range of vocabulary that the candidate has

Lexical range used, and the accuracy and appropriacy of that use in terms of
the specific task.
This refers to the range and accuracy of the candidates

Grammatical Range and grammatical resource as shown in the candidates writing at
Accuracy sentence level.
53
The stages of writing Page 3
1. pre-writing / planning / making notes

2. drafting / writing
3. revising / checking / editing
1. Pre-writing / planning / making notes
Write your ideas very quickly. They dont have to be in English.

Dont write full sentences, just key words (usually nouns and verbs)
Dont worry how useful the ideas will be.
Dont worry about neatness and correctness.
Ask yourself the four WH questions get your ideas in order:
Who is the reader?
What is the purpose?
What exactly do I want to say?
What action do I want?
2. Drafting / writing
The most important thing here is to get words onto paper. If you cant remember a spelling,
or are struggling with the grammar, leave a space and come back to it. Dont get stuck on
the details during this stage!
It is important to see clearly what you have written.
So:
Write on every second line. Make changes on the blank line above your writing.
Cross out rather than use typing fluid or a rubber. Then you can see your original wording or
spelling.
3. Revising / checking / editing
The third stage is where you check that:

you have said what you wanted to say
you have said it in a clear and appropriate way
Revising is the most important stage in the writing process.
It involves checking that your content and purpose are clear and appropriate for your reader,
in the particular writing situation.
It is not just a matter of checking spelling, punctuation and grammar. It also involves
arranging, changing, adding, leaving out words, and so on.
54
Essay skeletons Page 4
Look at these two sample essay skeletons. An essay skeleton shows you the basic
structure of an essay. If you get used to writing skeletons while planning, you will find it
much easier to put the flesh (your ideas) on when youre writing.
Essay skeleton A
Some people think that reducing air travel is the best way to protect the environment.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Introduction
These days we need to reduce carbon emissions to protect the environment because
Paragraph 1
One way to do this would be to limit air travel because
Paragraph 2
However, there are many other ways we could reduce emissions, for example
Conclusion
On the whole though, I think that the most effective way of reducing emissions is reducing air travel
OR E or F, because
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Essay skeleton B Page 5
In many countries children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as
completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning and
taking responsibility.
What are your opinions on this?
Introduction
These days the issue of child labour is being raised in the media more and more, because
Paragraph 1
There are two main arguments against children working
Paragraph 2
However, some people would disagree, because
Conclusion
Ultimately, I believe that it is important / completely wrong for children to be paid for working
because
SUMMARY OF C AND D OR E AND F.
56
Now look at these two essay questions. Write skeletons. Page 6
Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are
essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
Introduction
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Conclusion
It is generally accepted that families are not as close as they used to be.
Give some reasons why this change has happened and suggest how families could be
brought closer together.
Include any relevant examples from your experience.
Introduction
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Conclusion
57
What was the question? Page 7
Since its introduction in the 1990s the Internet has played a crucial role in the way we interact with
other people. 1 __________ has increased the speed of communication 2__________ created a
number of new avenues in social interaction 3__________ has been accused of reducing actual
real life human to human contact. 4 __________ the benefits of on-line communication are
undeniable, there are 5 __________ growing fears over the effect the Internet has on the social
balance.
6__________ of the major arguments against the Internet is that people can hide their true nature in
the virtual world. Facial expressions and gestures play an important role in understanding the whole
meaning of an interaction. 7 __________, these vital elements are absent from Internet-based
communication. 8 __________ it is possible for people to hide their true feelings and intentions; it
makes it easy for people to lie.
9__________, through the Internet people communicate with strangers who 10 __________ have
never met, or even seen, in real life.11 __________ poses an especially great threat to children
and young people 12 __________ 13__________ strangers could have hidden agendas.
14__________, the Internet has become a popular medium for criminal activity.
15__________, the absence of real human contact is a major adverse effect of the Internet.
16__________ people spend more time with their computers, they become increasingly isolated
from the rest of the world and their family 17__________ could result in long term psychological
effects.
18__________ its many disadvantages, the Internet also can be seen as a powerful medium for
communication. 19 __________, social networking websites, e-mail and even online games can
help people to keep in touch with friends and colleagues. At the click of a mouse we can send a
message to virtually anywhere in the world. 20 __________, people can meet others who share
common interests.21 __________, they enhance their knowledge and develop friendships.
22__________, like any other medium the Internet has both positive and negative effects with
respect to social interaction.23 __________, people should be more aware of all the issues and try
to strike a balance between their on-line activities 24 __________ real life interactions.
Linking words:
also although and as because but consequently despite
for example furthermore as a result however in addition in conclusion
in fact it one therefore these they this thus which and
58
Useful language for Writing
Putting information in order: Firstly, secondly, thirdly, finally
Making a contrast: However / despite / in spite of / although /

nevertheless / whereas / but / On the other hand
Time: When / while / until / after / before
Giving views: I would argue that / I believe that / It seems to me that / It is

understood that
Some people say / As far as I can see / It is widely believed that / It is

generally accepted that
Emphasising / adding further information: Furthermore / In addition to

this / Not only / but also
Arguing against something: It is hard to believe that / I dont believe that

/ I am unconvinced that
Concluding: In summary / In conclusion / To sum up / Overall
59
Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are
essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement.

Page 8
Read the answer below and discuss it according to the assessment criteria (in pairs)
I strongly believe that international tensions can be suppressed through sporting events. It is also a
safe way to resolve patriotic emotions.
Sports and games are a common language known to all. It sees no caste, religion or nationality. The
rules are the same to all wherever they may play. I would like to recall the soccer world cup held in
2002. Everyone knows that it is not easy for any team to qualify for the world cup and not every
team did. Im a Sri Lankan, but I always support Brazil who ultimately won the world cup. So
everyone plays or supports a team for the love of the game.
In very few cases the spirit of patriotism overwhelms and creates disastrous conclusions. In such
cases if you note its the crowd who fights and never the sports people. Im sure you must have
heard of Michael Jordan who played for a club named Chicago Bulls and won many championships.
Later on he retired and then moved to another club named Washington Wizards, who were the
worst team in the league. Though he did not win matches, he performed well. Once there was a
match in Chicago between the Bulls and the Wizards. Though Jordan played for the wizards, the
Chicago crowd supported him throughout the match. There was also a fan holding a banner which
said Thank you Michael.
So I thereby conclude by saying that any sporting event held will not only break the walls of
international tensions and emotions but will also serve as a means of making peace and build a
spirit of hope and trust.
(277 words)
60
Now look at this model answer to the question. Why do you think it is a good answer
according to the assessment criteria?
Page 9
Today, more than ever in the past, we are faced with mounting tension and strained relationships
among nations. In fact, the threat of war looms over many countries, especially neighbouring ones. I
strongly believe that popular international sports events are very significant, because they are
undoubtedly a safe vent for pent up patriotic emotions.
It may be argued that the strained emotions among nations are always due to a justifiable cause.
However, the majority of people in any country would want these conflicts resolved through
international dialogue and other diplomatic measures, not by war.
It is claimed that the diplomatic missions are there to improve international relations. However, the
international sportsmen are the true ambassadors of a nation, simply due to the fact that they
themselves and the events they represent are so popular. For example many Indians wouldnt know
the name of Sri Lankan High Commissioner in India, but the former Sri Lankan skipper, Sanath
Jayasooriya, may be a household name for them. Thus it is evident why the Indian Prime Minister
sent the Indian cricket team to Pakistan as messengers of peace. It was a message to the hearts of
the people of Pakistan, an invitation only to play battles in cricket and not to be at war.
Irrespective of the venue these events are played at, millions of people become united the world
over as spectators via television. Let us imagine the situation where a Pakistani and an Indian
student are watching together a match played by their fellow men; I am sure there would be friendly
combat between the two. Likewise we Sri Lankans have witnessed the distress and the disgust of
spectators when one of our cricketers gets bowled; the desire to kill the offending bowler of the
opponent team is always evident. What safer ways than these are there to release patriotic
emotions?
In summary, I would like to say if any battles were to be fought among nations, let them be fought
on the playing fields, not definitely at war. (337)
Teachers notes:
This is a coherent answer which responds to the task well. Ideas are clear, develop naturally and
are supported with examples and evidence. The writer position is made clear in the first paragraph.
Ideas are logically arranged using paragraphs. There is a wide variety of accurately spelt
vocabulary, and a broad, accurate control over a range of grammar structures is demonstrated.
There are a few problems with articles, but these do not detract from overall clarity. In addition, a
variety of cohesive devices is used accurately and appropriately.
61
Page 10
Television has brought great changes to the way many children spend their leisure time.
While some of these changes have been beneficial, others have had a harmful effect.
To what extent do you agree / disagree?
You should write 250 words.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and relevant evidence.
1. Read the question.

2. With your group, brainstorm beneficial changes and harmful changes. Make notes below.
3. Discuss to what extent you agree / disagree.
Notes:
62
Page 11
63
Page 12
Now read the model answer and do the following:
1. Underline the main ideas

2. Circle the support for these ideas
3. Tick the ideas that are the same as yours
4. Underline the comparative structures.
5. Circle the linking words.
6. Tell your group what you have learnt from this exercise.
Model answer
In the past fifty years, television has become more popular among children than any other form of
home entertainment. Although parents and teachers often disapprove of it, few would prevent their
children from watching it altogether.
Television has several advantages for children. Firstly, it is an easier and safer way for them to relax
than, for instance, playing in the street. Secondly, television can be highly educational because
children can learn about subjects, like music or sport that they might not read about in books.
Moreover, they acquire a wider vocabulary and improve their general knowledge. Lastly, television
fosters childrens interest in subjects. In consequence, they are better-informed about the world than
children were in the past and they form attitudes and opinions about things outside their direct
experience.
However, there are some harmful effects. Nowadays perhaps, children in general are not as
sociable as previous generations, who used to spend more time playing with friends. As a result,
some children may feel lonelier and more isolated. In addition, they may be less imaginative than
children in the past because they do not have to invent their own games and because they spend
less time reading books. Finally, since they spend so much time in front of the television, they may
have fewer hobbies.
To sum up, television has had both positive and negative effects. I believe that parents should
monitor both how much time their children spend watching television and the type of programmes
they watch, and encourage them to watch those which are either entertaining or educational.
However, children should also be encouraged to find time for other activities, such as playing with
friends.
(277 words)
64
Task Page 13
People increasingly spend their leisure time using computers, for example, surfing the
internet or playing computer games. This has brought benefits but has also created new
problems.
To what extent do you agree / disagree?
You should write 250 words.
You should use your own ideas, knowledge and experience and support your arguments with
examples and relevant evidence.
Notes:
65
Read the model answer. Page 14
1. Underline the main ideas.

2. Circle the support for these ideas.
3. Tick the ideas that are the same as yours.
4. Underline the comparative structures.
5. Circle the linking words.
6. Tell your group what you have learnt from this exercise.
The growing popularity of home computers has brought about the biggest single change in the way
we spend our free time since the invention of television. This development is viewed by many
people as a mixed blessing.
Having a computer at home has undoubted advantages. Firstly, through the internet we can make
contact with many more people than we would normally meet in our everyday lives: people from
other parts of the world and people with similar interests to our own. Moreover, it gives us the
possibility of sharing information and interests with others more easily than in the past through the
use of e-mail and chat programs. Finally, some people believe that computer games are more
stimulating for our brains than, for instance, watching television because they improve our reactions
and our ability to think logically.
On the other hand, like television, personal computers tend to isolate us from the world just outside
our front door. We may speak to friends and neighbours less because we are busy playing
computer games indoors. What is more, there is evidence that we are not as healthy as we used to
be due to the sedentary lifestyle that computers encourage us to lead. Lastly, some psychologists
argue that computer games are addictive, which means that some people may be distracted from
doing more important things, such as spending time on their studies or with their family.
In conclusion, I believe that computers are useful in the home, as long as we use them as a tool, for
example, to communicate with friends or find information. However, they may be harmful when they
become our main source of entertainment.
(276 words)
66
Diagram label completion tips
Read the instructions carefully
Study the diagram and the labels if they are given
See if you can guess any of the answers
The information will be given in the same order as the numbers on
the diagram
Read the labels and scan the text to find them
Table completion tips
Read the instructions carefully

Look at the table and examine any headings or subheadings
Try to get an idea of the topic and to predict what the answers are
Decide what section of the passage the exercise covers
work out which way it is best to read the table horizontally or
vertically
take each gap one by one and search the text for the best word(s)
to fill the gap
if you think you need more than three words your answer is
probably incorrect
67
Academic Reading sample task Diagram label completion
[Note: This is an extract from an Academic Reading passage on the subject of dung
beetles. The text preceding this extract gave some background facts about dung
beetles, and went on to describe a decision to introduce non-native varieties to
Australia.]
Introducing dung1 beetles into a pasture is a simple process: approximately 1,500 beetles
are released, a handful at a time, into fresh cow pats2 in the cow pasture. The beetles
immediately disappear beneath the pats digging and tunnelling and, if they successfully
adapt to their new environment, soon become a permanent, self-sustaining part of the
local ecology. In time they multiply and within three or four years the benefits to the
pasture are obvious.
Dung beetles work from the inside of the pat so they are sheltered from predators such
as birds and foxes. Most species burrow into the soil and bury dung in tunnels directly
underneath the pats, which are hollowed out from within. Some large species originating
from France excavate tunnels to a depth of approximately 30 cm below the dung pat.
These beetles make sausage-shaped brood chambers along the tunnels. The shallowest
tunnels belong to a much smaller Spanish species that buries dung in chambers that hang
like fruit from the branches of a pear tree. South African beetles dig narrow tunnels of
approximately 20 cm below the surface of the pat. Some surface-dwelling beetles,
including a South African species, cut perfectly-shaped balls from the pat, which are
rolled away and attached to the bases of plants.
For maximum dung burial in spring, summer and autumn, farmers require a variety of
species with overlapping periods of activity. In the cooler environments of the state of
Victoria, the large French species (2.5 cms long), is matched with smaller (half this size),
temperate-climate Spanish species. The former are slow to recover from the winter cold
and produce only one or two generations of offspring from late spring until autumn. The
latter, which multiply rapidly in early spring, produce two to five generations annually.
The South African ball-rolling species, being a sub-tropical beetle, prefers the climate of
northern and coastal New South Wales where it commonly works with the South African
tunneling species. In warmer climates, many species are active for longer periods of the
year.
Glossary
1. dung: the droppings or excreta of animals
2. cow pats: droppings of cows
68
Academic Reading sample task Diagram label completion
Questions 6 8
Label the tunnels on the diagram below using words from the box.
Write your answers in boxes 6-8 on your answer sheet.
cowpat (dung)
Approximate depth in
cms below surface
0
8
10
6
20
30
Dung Beetle Types
French Spanish
Mediterranean South African
Australian native South African ball roller
69
Academic Reading sample task Table completion
Question 9 13
Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
Number of
Preferred Complementary Start of active
Species Size generations
climate species period
per year
French 2.5 cm cool Spanish late spring 1-2
Spanish 1.25 cm 9 ............ 10 ............ 11 ............
South African
12 ............ 13 ...
ball roller
70
Academic Reading sample task Identifying writers views/claims
Discovered in the early 1800s and named nicotianine, the oily essence now
called nicotine is the main active ingredient of tobacco. Nicotine, however, is
only a small component of cigarette smoke, which contains more than 4,700
chemical compounds, including 43 cancer-causing substances. In recent times,
scientific research has been providing evidence that years of cigarette smoking
vastly increases the risk of developing fatal medical conditions.
In addition to being responsible for more than 85 per cent of lung cancers,
smoking is associated with cancers of, amongst others, the mouth, stomach and
kidneys, and is thought to cause about 14 per cent of leukemia and cervical
cancers. In 1990, smoking caused more than 84,000 deaths, mainly resulting
from such problems as pneumonia, bronchitis and influenza. Smoking, it is
believed, is responsible for 30 per cent of all deaths from cancer and clearly
represents the most important preventable cause of cancer in countries like the
United States today.
Passive smoking, the breathing in of the side-stream smoke from the burning of
tobacco between puffs or of the smoke exhaled by a smoker, also causes a serious
health risk. A report published in 1992 by the US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) emphasized the health dangers, especially from side-stream
smoke. This type of smoke contains more smaller particles and is therefore more
likely to be deposited deep in the lungs. On the basis of this report, the EPA has
classified environmental tobacco smoke in the highest risk category for causing
cancer.
As an illustration of the health risks, in the case of a married couple where one
partner is a smoker and one a non-smoker, the latter is believed to have a 30 per
cent higher risk of death from heart disease because of passive smoking. The
risk of lung cancer also increases over the years of exposure and the figure jumps
to 80 per cent if the spouse has been smoking four packs a day for 20 years. It
has been calculated that 17 per cent of cases of lung cancer can be attributed to
high levels of exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke during childhood and
adolescence.
A more recent study by researchers at the University of California at San

Francisco (UCSF) has shown that second-hand cigarette smoke does more harm
to non-smokers than to smokers. Leaving aside the philosophical question of
whether anyone should have to breathe someone elses cigarette smoke, the
report suggests that the smoke experienced by many people in their daily lives is
enough to produce substantial adverse effects on a persons heart and lungs.
71
The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA),
was based on the researchers own earlier research but also includes a review of
studies over the past few years. The American Medical Association represents
about half of all US doctors and is a strong opponent of smoking. The study
suggests that people who smoke cigarettes are continually damaging their
cardiovascular system, which adapts in order to compensate for the effects of
smoking. It further states that people who do not smoke do not have the benefit
of their system adapting to the smoke inhalation. Consequently, the effects of
passive smoking are far greater on non-smokers than on smokers.
This report emphasizes that cancer is not caused by a single element in cigarette
smoke; harmful effects to health are caused by many components. Carbon
monoxide, for example, competes with oxygen in red blood cells and interferes
with the bloods ability to deliver life-giving oxygen to the heart. Nicotine and
other toxins in cigarette smoke activate small blood cells called platelets, which
increases the likelihood of blood clots, thereby affecting blood circulation
throughout the body.
The researchers criticize the practice of some scientific consultants who work
with the tobacco industry for assuming that cigarette smoke has the same
impact on smokers as it does on non-smokers. They argue that those scientists
are underestimating the damage done by passive smoking and, in support of
their recent findings, cite some previous research which points to passive
smoking as the cause for between 30,000 and 60,000 deaths from heart attacks
each year in the United States. This means that passive smoking is the third
most preventable cause of death after active smoking and alcohol-related
diseases
The study argues that the type of action needed against passive smoking should
be similar to that being taken against illegal drugs and AIDS (SIDA). The UCSF
researchers maintain that the simplest and most cost-effective action is to
establish smoke-free work places, schools and public places.
72
Questions 4 7
Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in the reading passage?
In boxes 4-7 on your answer sheet write
YES if the statement reflects the claims of the writer

NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
4 Thirty per cent of deaths in the United States are caused by smoking-related
diseases.
5 If one partner in a marriage smokes, the other is likely to take up smoking.
6 Teenagers whose parents smoke are at risk of getting lung cancer at some time
during their lives.
7 Opponents of smoking financed the UCSF study.
73
Listening sample task Form completion (to be used with IELTS Listening Recording 1)
SECTION 1
Questions 1 8
Complete the form below.
Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
PACKHAMS SHIPPING AGENCY customer quotation form
Example
Country of destination: Kenya

............
Name: Jacob 1
Address to be collected from: 2 College, Downlands Rd
Town: Bristol
Postcode: 3
Size of container:
Length: 1.5m
Width: 4 Height: 5
Contents: clothes
Total estimated value: 8
74
Page 1 of 3 Sample Listening A: Questions
Sample Listening A: Questions
SECTION 3 Questions 21 30
Questions 21 and 22 Page 5 of original Listening paper
UNDERSTANDING THE WORLDS OCEANS
The Robotic Float Project
Float is shaped like a 21
Scientists from 22 have worked on the project so far
IELTS Scores Explained
75
Questions 23 25 Page 6 of original Listening paper
Complete the notes on the diagram below.
THE OPERATIONAL CYCLE
Global Satellite
Meteorological station
Information is
analysed
Boat
Float records
changes in
Float dropped salinity and
into ocean and 25
23 ...................
by satellite
Average distance travelled:

24 .....................
76
Questions 26 30 Page 7 of original Listening paper
In what time period can the float projects help with the issues 26-30 below?
A At present
B In the near future
C In the long-term future
Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 26-30.
26 El Nio
27 Global warming
28 Naval rescues
29 Sustainable fishing practices
30 Crop selection
77
Candidate Name ____________________________________________
Candidate number __________________________________________
International English Language Testing System
Listening
Practice test 40 minutes
Time 40 minutes
Instructions to candidates
Listen to the instructions for each part of the paper carefully.
While you are listening, write your answers on the question paper.
You will have 10 minutes at the end of the test to copy your answers onto the separate
answer sheet. Use a pencil.
At the end of the test, hand in this question paper.
There are four parts to the test.

You will hear each part once only.
There are 40 questions.
For each part of the test, there will be time for you to look through the questions and
time for you to check your answers.
ieltsforfree.com
78
Questions 15
Complete the form below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each
answer.
Northern Rental Bookings
Name: William (1)
Contact number: (2) 07
Address: 10 (3) Nelson
Payment by (4)
Card No. 4550 1392 8309 3221
Card expiry date: July 20XX
Rental period: (5) days
ieltsforfree.com
79
Questions 6 to 10
Answer the following questions USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR
A NUMBER
6. How much is the car per day?
7. What does the price include?
8. Who will he be visiting?
9. What kind of car does the agent recommend?
10. What does he need to collect the car?
ieltsforfree.com
80
SECTION 2
Questions 11-20
Questions 11-15
Complete the table below. If there is no information given, write X.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each
answer.
Distance / km Highlight Time / hours

(11) 3 volcanoes 11
Overlander
Transalpine 223 (12) 16 (13)
(14) 5
Transcoastal (15)
Questions 16 to 20
Complete the summary below USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A

NUMBER.
Taking three days to complete, the (16) is one of the worlds

longest train journeys. The Ghan is shorter, passing through towns built by
the (17) . There is also a sculpture designed to mark the laying of
the (18) concrete sleeper. The Overland was the first train to
travel between two (19) and it is also the oldest journey of its
kind on (20) .
ieltsforfree.com
81
SECTION 3
Questions 21-30
Questions 21-25
Circle the correct letter AC.
21 Lyn is having difficulty completing her project because
A she doesnt have enough information.

B she cant organise her presentation.
C she doesnt have enough time.
22 Her presentation is going to focus on
A solar power in America.

B solar-powered water heaters.
C alternative energy technology.
23 Why does Lyn think we should be looking for alternative sources of

energy?
A Fossil fuels are expensive.

B Fossil fuels have an impact on the environment.
C Fossil fuels are limited.
24 Solar power is a good form of alternative energy because
A it can be harnessed with simple technology

B it is infinite
C it can be applied equally well in any country.
ieltsforfree.com
82
25 Which graph best indicates what Lyn is describing?
Questions 26 to 30
Label the following diagram USING NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND /
OR A NUMBER
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
ieltsforfree.com
83
SECTION 4
Complete the sentences below using NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS OR A
NUMBER
Questions 31-40
Lecture on (31)
Examples: tourism and (32)
Common misconception is that marketing points to (33) in what

is being provided.
Marketing is actually essential in maintaining (34)
Selling a product is easier because it is (35) and customers do

not have such different (36) .
Aim: offer service beyond hopes of (37)
Important to: (a) keep informed & (b) (38)
One way to achieve this: (39)
(40) must always be available for any queries or problems.
ieltsforfree.com
84
Reading
Passage 1
Questions 19 Reading Passage 1 has nine paragraphs AI.
Choose the correct heading for each paragraph from the list of headings below.
List of Headings
i Island legends vii The social nature of reef occupations
ii Resources for exchange viii Resources for islanders own use
iii Competition for fishing rights ix High levels of expertise
iv The low cost of equipment x Alternative sources of employment
v Agattis favourable location xi Resources for earning money
vi Rising income levels xii Social rights and obligations
1 Paragraph A ....................................
2 Paragraph B ....................................
3 Paragraph C ....................................
4 Paragraph D ....................................
5 Paragraph E ....................................
6 Paragraph F ....................................
7 Paragraph G ....................................
8 Paragraph H ....................................
9 Paragraph I ....................................
Questions 1013 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

10 What proportion of poor households get all their income from reef products?
A 12% B 20% C 29% D 59%
11 Kat moodsal fishing

A is a seasonal activity. C requires little investment.
B is a commercial activity. D requires use of a rowing boat.
12 Which characteristic of present-day islanders do the writers describe?

A physical strength C courage
B fishing expertise D imagination
13 What do the writers say about the system for using the reef on Agatti?
A Fish catches are shared equally. C There are frequent disputes.
B The reef owner issues permits. D There is open access.
1 IELTS Masterclass Oxford University Press PHOTOCOPIABLE
85
The coral reefs of
Agatti Island
A Agatti is one of the Lakshadweep Islands off the south- F During more than 400 years of occupation and survival,
west coast of India. These islands are surrounded by lagoons the Agatti islanders have developed an intimate knowledge
and coral reefs which are in turn surrounded by the open of the reefs. They have knowledge of numerous different
ocean. Coral reefs, which are formed from the skeletons of types of fish and where they can be found according to the
minute sea creatures, give shelter to a variety of plants and tide or lunar cycle. They have also developed a local naming
animals, and therefore have the potential to provide a stream system or folk taxonomy, naming fish according to their
of diverse benefits to the inhabitants of Agatti Island. shape. Sometimes the same species is given different names
depending on its size and age. For example, a full grown
B In the first place, the reefs provide food and other Emperor fish is called Metti and a juvenile is called Killokam.
products for consumption by the islanders themselves. Foods The abundance of each species at different fishing grounds is
include different types of fish, octopus and molluscs, and in also well known. Along with this knowledge of reef
the case of poorer families these constitute as much as 90% resources, the islanders have developed a wide range of skills
of the protein they consume. Reef resources are also used for and techniques for exploiting them. A multitude of different
medicinal purposes. For example, the money cowrie, a shell fishing techniques are still used by the islanders, each
known locally as Vallakavadi, is commonly made into a paste targeting different areas of the reef and particular species.
and used as a home remedy to treat cysts in the eye.
G The reef plays an important role in the social lives of the
C In addition, the reef contributes to income generation. islanders too, being an integral part of traditions and rituals.
According to a recent survey, 20% of the households on Most of the islands folklore revolves around the reef and
Agatti report lagoon fishing, or shingle, mollusc, octopus and sea. There is hardly any tale or song which does not mention
cowrie collection as their main occupation (Hoon et al, the traditional sailing crafts, known as Odams, the journeys
2002). For poor households, the direct contribution of the of enterprising heroes, the adventures of sea fishing and
reef to their financial resources is significant: 12% of poor encounters with sea creatures. Songs that women sing
households are completely dependent on the reef for their recollect women looking for returning Odams, and
household income, while 59% of poor households rely on requesting the waves to be gentler and the breeze just right
the reef for 70% of their household income, and the for the sails. There are stories of the benevolent sea ghost
remaining 29% for 50% of their household income. baluvam, whose coming to shore is considered a harbinger
of prosperity for that year, bringing more coconuts, more fish
D Bartering of reef resources also commonly takes place,
and general well-being.
both between islanders and between islands. For example,
Agatti Island is known for its abundance of octopus, and this H The reef is regarded by the islanders as common property,
is often used to obtain products from nearby Androth Island. and all the islanders are entitled to use the lagoon and reef
Locally, reef products may be given by islanders in return for resources. In the past, fishing groups would obtain
favours, such as help in constructing a house or net permission from the Amin (island head person) and go
mending, or for other products such as rice, coconuts or fish. fishing in the grounds allotted by him. On their return, the
Amin would be given a share of the catch, normally one of
E The investment required to exploit the reefs is minimal. It
the best or biggest fish. This practice no longer exists, but
involves simple, locally available tools and equipment, some
there is still a code of conduct or etiquette for exploiting the
of which can be used without a boat, such as the fishing
reef, and common respect for this is an effective way of
practice known as Kat moodsal. This is carried out in the
avoiding conflict or disputes.
shallow eastern lagoon of Agatti by children and adults, close
to shore at low tide, throughout the year. A small cast net, a I Exploitation of such vast and diverse resources as the reefs
leaf bag, and plastic slippers are all that are required, and the and lagoon surrounding the island has encouraged
activity can yield 1012 small fish (approximately 1 kg) for collaborative efforts, mainly for purposes of safety, but also
household consumption. Cast nets are not expensive, and all as a necessity in the operation of many fishing techniques.
the households in Agatti own at least one. Even the boats, For example, an indigenous gear and operation known as
which operate in the lagoon and near-shore reef, are Bala fadal involves 2530 men. Reef gleaning for cowrie
constructed locally and have low running costs. They are collection by groups of 610 women is also a common
either small, non-mechanised, traditional wooden rowing activity, and even today, although its economic significance is
boats, known as Thonis, or rafts, known as Tharappam. marginal, it continues as a recreational activity.
PHOTOCOPIABLE Oxford University Press IELTS Masterclass 2

86
Reading
Passage 2
Questions 1419 Complete the summary below using words from the box.
Singapore
When Singapore became an independent, self-sufficient state it decided to build up
its 14 ...................................., and government organisations were created to support
this policy. However, this initial plan met with limited success due to a shortage of
15 .................................... and land. It was therefore decided to develop the
16 .................................... sector of the economy instead.
Singapore is now a leading city, but planners are working to ensure that its
economy continues to grow. In contrast to previous policies, there is emphasis on
17 .................................... . In addition, land will be recovered to extend the financial
district, and provide 18 .................................... as well as housing. The government
also plans to improve the quality of Singapores environment, but due to the
shortage of natural landscapes it will concentrate instead on what it calls
19 .................................... .
decentralisation fuel industry transport

hospitals loans deregulation service
trade transport entertainment recycling
labour tourism hygiene beautification
agriculture
Questions 2026 Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 2?
Write True if the statement agrees with the information
False if the statement contradicts the information
Not Given if there is no information on this.
20 After 1965, the Singaporean government switched the focus of the islands
economy. ....................................
21 The creation of Singapores financial centre was delayed while a suitable site was
found. ....................................
22 Singapores four regional centres will eventually be the same size as its central
business district. ....................................
23 Planners have modelled new urban developments on other coastal cities.

....................................
24 Plants and trees are amongst the current priorities for Singapores city planners.
....................................
25 The government has enacted new laws to protect Singapores old buildings.
....................................
26 Singapore will find it difficult to compete with leading cities in other parts of the
world. ....................................
87
acquired in the early 1970s, when the in the centre of the island which serves
in Singapore
government realised that it lacked the as a water catchment area.
banking infrastructure for a modern Environmental policy is therefore very
economy. So a new banking and much concerned with making the built
corporate district, known as the Golden environment more green by introducing
Shoe, was planned, incorporating the more plants what is referred to as the
historic commercial area. This district beautification of Singapore. The plan
now houses all the major companies and focuses on green zones defining the
planning
various government financial agencies. boundaries of settlements, and running
Singapores current economic strategy along transport corridors. The incidental
is closely linked to land use and green provision within housing areas is
development planning. Although it is also given considerable attention.
Urban
already a major city, the current Much of the environmental provision,

development plan seeks to ensure for example golf courses, recreation
Singapores continued economic growth areas, and beaches, is linked to the
through restructuring, to ensure that the prime objective of attracting business.
facilities needed by future business are The plan places much emphasis on good
planned now. These include transport leisure provision and the need to exploit
and telecommunication infrastructure, Singapores island setting. One way of
land, and environmental quality. A major doing this is through further land
concern is to avoid congestion in the reclamation, to create a whole new island
central area, and so the latest plan devoted to leisure and luxury housing
deviates from previous plans by having a which will stretch from the central area to
British merchants established a trading strong decentralisation policy. The plan the airport. A current concern also
post in Singapore in the early nineteenth makes provision for four major regional appears to be how to use the planning
century, and for more than a century centres, each serving 800,000 people, system to create opportunities for greater
trading interests dominated. However, in but this does not mean that the existing spontaneity: planners have recently given
1965 the newly independent island state central business district will not also much attention to the concept of the 24-
was cut off from its hinterland, and so it grow. A major extension planned around hour city and the cafe society. For
set about pursuing a survival strategy. Marina Bay draws on examples of other example, a promotion has taken place
The good international communications world cities, especially those with along the Singapore river to create a cafe
it already enjoyed provided a useful waterside central areas such as Sydney zone. This has included the realisation,
base, but it was decided that if and San Francisco. The project involves rather late in the day, of the value of
Singapore was to secure its economic major land reclamation of 667 hectares retaining older buildings, and the creation
future, it must develop its industry. To in total. Part of this has already been of a continuous riverside promenade.
this end, new institutional structures developed as a conference and Since the relaxation in 1996 of strict
were needed to facilitate, develop, and exhibition zone, and the rest will be used guidelines on outdoor eating areas, this
control foreign investment. One of the for other facilities. However the need for has become an extremely popular area in
most important of these was the vitality has been recognised and a mixed the evenings. Also, in 1998 the Urban
Economic Development Board (EDB), an zoning approach has been adopted, to Redevelopment Authority created a new
arm of government that developed include housing and entertainment. entertainment area in the centre of the
strategies for attracting investment. Thus One of the new features of the current city which they are promoting as the
from the outset, the Singaporean plan is a broader conception of what citys one-stop, dynamic entertainment
government was involved in city contributes to economic success. It scene.
promotion. encompasses high quality residential In conclusion, the economic
Towards the end of the twentieth provision, a good environment, leisure development of Singapore has been very
century, the government realised that, facilities and exciting city life. Thus there consciously centrally planned, and the
due to limits on both the size of the is more provision for low-density housing, latest strategy is very clearly oriented to
countrys workforce and its land area, its often in waterfront communities linked to establishing Singapore as a leading
labour-intensive industries were beaches and recreational facilities. world city. It is well placed to succeed,
becoming increasingly uncompetitive. So However, the lower housing densities will for a variety of reasons. It can draw upon
an economic committee was established put considerable pressure on the very its historic roots as a world trading
which concluded that Singapore should limited land available for development, centre; it has invested heavily in
focus on developing as a service centre, and this creates problems for another of telecommunications and air transport
and seek to attract company the plans aims, which is to stress infrastructure; it is well located in relation
headquarters to serve South East Asia, environmental quality. More and more of to other Asian economies; it has
and develop tourism, banking, and the remaining open area will be developed a safe and clean environment;
offshore activities. The land required for developed, and the only natural and it has utilised the international
this service-sector orientation had been landscape surviving will be a small zone language of English.
88
Reading
Passage 3
Questions 2733 Reading Passage 3 has nine paragraphs, labelled AI.
Which paragraphs contain the following information?
27 an example of a food which particularly benefits from the addition of spices

..................
28 a range of methods for making food safer to eat ..................
29 a comparison between countries with different climate types ..................
30 an explanation of how people first learned to select appropriate spices ..................
31 a method of enhancing the effectiveness of individual spices ..................
32 the relative effectiveness of certain spices against harmful organisms ..................
33 the possible origins of a dislike for unspiced foods ..................
Questions 3439 Answer the questions below with words taken from Reading Passage 3.
Use NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.
34 According to the writers, what might the use of spices in cooking help people
to avoid? ....................................
35 What proportion of bacteria in food do four of the spices tested destroy?

....................................
36 Which food often contains a spice known as quatre epices?

....................................
37 Which types of country use the fewest number of spices in cooking?

....................................
38 What might food aversions often be associated with?

....................................
39 Apart from spices, which substance is used in all countries to preserve food?
....................................
Question 40 Choose the correct letter, A, B, C, or D.

Which is the best title for Reading Passage 3?
A The function of spices in food preparation
B A history of food preservation techniques
C Traditional recipes from around the world
D An analysis of the chemical properties of spice plants
89
A Spice plants, such as coriander,
cardamom or ginger, contain
and cloves). One intriguing
example is the French quatre
periods of scarcity. Observation
and imitation of the eating habits
compounds which, when added to epices (pepper, cloves, ginger and of these healthier individuals by
food, give it a distinctive flavour. nutmeg) which is often used in others could spread spice use
Spices have been used for centuries making sausages. Sausages are a rapidly through a society. Also,
in the preparation of both meat rich medium for bacterial growth, families that used appropriate
dishes for consumption and meat and have frequently been spices would rear a greater number
dishes for long-term storage. implicated as the source of death of more healthy offspring, to whom
However, an initial analysis of from the botulism toxin, so the spice-use traditions had been
traditional meat-based recipes value of the anti-bacterial demonstrated, and who possessed
indicated that spices are not used compounds in spices used for appropriate taste receptors.
equally in different countries and sausage preparation is obvious.
regions, so we set about H Another question which arises is
investigating global patterns of
spice use.
E A second hypothesis we made was
that spice use would be heaviest in
why did people develop a taste for
spicy foods? One possibility
areas where foods spoil most involves learned taste aversions. It
B We hypothesized initially that the

benefit of spices might lie in their
quickly. Studies indicate that rates
of bacterial growth increase
is known that when people eat
something that makes them ill,
anti-microbial properties. Those dramatically with air temperature. they tend to avoid that taste
compounds in spice plants which Meat dishes that are prepared in subsequently. The adaptive value of
give them their distinctive flavours advance and stored at room such learning is obvious. Adding a
probably first evolved to fight temperatures for more than a few spice to a food that caused sickness
enemies such as plant-eating hours, especially in tropical might alter its taste enough to
insects, fungi, and bacteria. Many climates, typically show massive make it palatable again (i.e. it
of the organisms which afflict spice increases in bacterial counts. Of tastes like a different food), as well
plants attack humans too, in course temperatures within houses, as kill the micro-organisms that
particular the bacteria and fungi particularly in areas where food is caused the illness, thus rendering it
that live on and in dead plant and prepared and stored, may differ safe for consumption. By this
animal matter. So if spices kill from those of the outside air, but process, food aversions would more
these organisms, or inhibit their usually it is even hotter in the often be associated with unspiced
production of toxins 1, spice use in kitchen. (and therefore unsafe) foods, and
food might reduce our own chances food likings would be associated
of contracting food poisoning.
F Our survey of recipes from around
the world confirmed this
with spicy foods, especially in
places where foods spoil rapidly.
C The results of our investigation
supported this hypothesis. In
hypothesis: we found that countries
with higher than average
Over time people would have
developed a natural preference for
common with other researchers, we temperatures used more spices. spicy food.
found that all spices for which we Indeed, in hot countries nearly
could locate appropriate
information have some
every meat-based recipe calls for at
least one spice, and most include I Ofwaycourse, spice use is not the only
to avoid food poisoning.
antibacterial effects: half inhibit many spices, whereas in cooler Cooking, and completely
more than 75% of bacteria, and ones, substantial proportions of consuming wild game immediately
four (garlic, onion, allspice and dishes are prepared without spices, after slaughter reduces
oregano) inhibit 100% of those or with just a few. In other words, opportunities for the growth of
bacteria tested. In addition, many there is a significant positive micro-organisms. However, this is
spices are powerful fungicides. correlation between mean practical only where fresh meat is
temperature and the average abundant year-round. In areas
D Studies also show that when
combined, spices exhibit even
quantity of spices used in cooking. where fresh meat is not
consistently available, preservation
greater anti-bacterial properties
than when each is used alone. This G But if the main function of spices
is to make food safer to eat, how did
may be accomplished by
thoroughly cooking, salting,
is interesting because the food our ancestors know which ones to smoking, drying, and spicing
recipes we used in our sample use in the first place? It seems meats. Indeed, salt has been used
specify an average of four different likely that people who happened to worldwide for centuries to preserve
spices. Some spices are so add spice plants to meat during food. We suggest that all these
frequently combined that the preparation, especially in hot practices have been adopted for
blends have acquired special climates, would have been less essentially the same reason: to
names, such as chili powder likely to suffer from food poisoning minimize the effects of harmful,
(typically a mixture of red pepper, than those who did not. Spice users food-borne organisms.
onion, paprika, garlic, cumin and may also have been able to store
oregano) and oriental five spice foods for longer before they spoiled, 1 poisons produced by living organisms,
(pepper, cinnamon, anise, fennel enabling them to tolerate longer especially bacteria

90
Ielts Crash Course References
Ielts Masterclass Oxford University Press
Ieltsforfree.com
Ielts.org
Road to Ielts British Council
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IELTS

Candidate Name ______________________________________________

International English Language Testing System

Practice test 40 minutes

Information for candidates

There are four parts to the test.

Complete the notes below.

Transport from Bayswater

Express train leaves at 1 .

Number 706 bus goes to 3 .

Number 4 . bus goes to station

Earlier bus leaves at 5 .

Complete the table below.

Transport Cash fare Card fare

Train (peak) $10 $10

Train (off-peak) $10

before 5pm or after 7 pm) 8 $

9 ferry $4.50 $3.55

Tourist ferry (10 ) $35

Tourist ferry (whole day) $65

Which counsellor should you see?

Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to questions 1114.

11 if it is your first time seeing a counsellor

12 if you are unable to see a counsellor during normal office hours

13 if you do not have an appointment

14 if your concerns are related to anxiety

Complete the table below.

Write no more than two words for each answer.

Workshop Content Target group

Getting Organised use time effectively, find 16 all students

Communicating talking with staff, communicating all students, especially

Anxiety 18 , breathing students about to sit exams

19 staying on track for long periods 20 students

Complete the notes below.

Write no more than three words for each answer.

Protagonists: Mary Lennox; Colin Craven

Time period: Early in 22

Plot: Mary UK meets Colin who thinks hell never be able to

23 . They become friends.

Point of view: Omniscient narrator knows all about characters feelings,

Audience: Good for children story simple to follow

Symbols (physical items that represent 25 ):

the robin redbreast

the portrait of Mistress Craven

Motifs (patterns in the story):

the Garden of Eden

secrecy metaphorical and literal transition from 27

Themes: Connections between

individuals and the need for 30

Complete the table below.

Time Zone Outlook Features & Consequences

Past Positive Remember good times, e.g. birthdays.

Keep family records, photo albums, etc.

31 Focus on disappointments, failures, bad decisions.

Present Hedonistic Live for 32 .. ; seek sensation; avoid pain.

Fatalistic Life is governed by 33 .. , religious beliefs,

Future 34 Prefer work to play. Dont give in to temptation.

Fatalistic Have a strong belief in life after death and importance of

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

36 We are all present hedonists

39 If Americans had an extra day per week, they would spend it

40 Understanding how people think about time can help us

INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE TESTING SYSTEM

PRACTICE TEST 1 hour