Page 114

ielts-yasi.englishlab.net

Updated Nov. 9, 2014

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 114

566. Something Special from a Holiday (May, 2014)

567. A Place Where You Would Like to Have a Home (May, 2014)

568. No Topic

569. A Time When You Stayed Away from Home (May, 2014)

570. A City You Have Visited (May, 2014)

RETURN TO PART 2 TOPIC INDEX

FQ = frequent question = a question that has frequently been reported = a question that is probably in the examiner's question book

* = my guess at a question

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566. Something Special from a Holiday (May, 2014)

Describe something special you brought home from a holiday. *

You should say:

        what it was

        when and where you went on this holiday

        what you did with it after you brought it home

and explain why you thought it was special.

Notes

It's possible that this topic has the words, "why you bought it" but not every souvenir is something that people buy.
Don't confuse the two words, "brought" and "bought".
The wording for this is not clear. It might say, "Describe something special you brought home from a holiday trip". Such a trip could simply be a one-day or two-day trip to the countryside, for example, or to another city.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Did you bring home any other things from that trip?

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Part 3

New word - "memorabilia"

Souvenirs

Do you (or, do people in your country) prefer to buy souvenirs when they visit a place or do they prefer to simply take something (not buy it) from the places they visit? See Note 2
Why do people buy souvenirs? FQ
What (types of) things do people buy as souvenirs? FQ
Do you think it is really worth the money to buy souvenirs? FQ
Do you think different types of people tend to buy different sorts of souvenirs?
Are children and adults the same when it comes to souvenirs?
What types of souvenirs do visitors to your country buy?
If you bought a shirt as a souvenir from some place you visited, would you prefer to wear that shirt or hang it on the wall as a display?
Do you think some people buy souvenirs in order to show others where they have been? FQ
(Different to above) Do you think some people just buy souvenirs to show off (to impress others)? FQ
What do you think is the value of keeping a souvenir for a long time?

The Souvenir Industry

Do any people earn a living from souvenirs?
Do you think it would be a good investment for a local person living in a tourist area to open a shop to sell souvenirs?
(Similar to above) Do you think it is a good investment for a local person living in a tourist area to open a shop to sell souvenirs?
(Similar to above) Do you think it's good for people to earn money by selling souvenirs? FQ
Do you think the price and quality of souvenirs are always reasonable? *
Does the sale of souvenirs have an effect on the local economy?
Does the sale of souvenirs ever create problems?

Ways to Record the Experience of a Trip (esp. photos)

Why do people often take photos when they go on a trip? FQ
Do you think it's a waste of time to take photos on a trip (or holiday spent away from home)?
Do you like to show your photos of a trip to your friends?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking a camera on a trip? FQ
When you travel, do you prefer to take a lot of photos or to spend that time walking around, looking at things?
Why do you think people like to show the photos of their trip to their friends and relatives?
What are the differences between writing a diary about a trip and taking photos of your trip? FQ

Traveling

How do people choose a travel destination?
Do you think people should plan their trip before traveling?

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567. A Place Where You Would Like to Have a Home (May, 2014)

Describe a place where you would like to have (or, build) a home.

You should say:

Where it is

What the place looks like

How you know about the place

When you first went to this place

What work you would do if you lived there

and explain why you would like to live there.

Notes

After "You should say" there will be only three points on the card (not including the line, "and explain ...").
Some people report this topic as, "Describe a beautiful place where you would like to live" but I'm not sure if the word "beautiful" is really used. You might have a good reason for wanting to live in a place (e.g., a city) that is not so beautiful.
It could be a holiday home, a second home, not your main home.
Some people think that the words "would like to" are used to talk about the future. Those words can refer to the future but they can also refer to the present - a present that is not true now. For example, "I would like to be a millionaire" usually means the same as, "I wish I were a millionaire".

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you know anyone who lives in a home like that?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 questions for Topic 394, Topic 96 & Topic 174

The Location of Homes

How important to you is the locality and the surroundings of your house?
Why do many people like to have a home near a park or public garden?
Where (what types of places) do most people in your country prefer to live?
What do you think about building a house in (or living in) the countryside? FQ
(Similar to above) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of living in the countryside? FQ
(Similar to above) If you could only build a home (or, "your dream home") in the countryside (not in the city), would you do it?
(Similar to above) Do people (in your country) prefer to live in cities or rural environments? FQ

(Similar to above) Do you think it would be good to live at the seaside? FQ

Do you think the big cities are becoming too crowded?
Do you think we should let big cities continue to grow, or is there a better alternative?
Do you think the government should encourage more people to live in the countryside (or, away from big cities)? FQ
What do you think the government could do to attract more people to live in rural areas? FQ
Do you think rural people and city people have similar outlooks on life?
Where do you think is the best place for old (e.g., retired) people to live?

Types of Homes

What kinds of home do people in your country live in?
What do you think is the best type of home for families to live in?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a house compared to living in an apartment? FQ
What do you think are the benefits and the drawbacks of living in an old house or apartment? FQx2
Do elderly people and young people like to live in the same kinds of homes?
What types of homes are best for families with children?

The Size of One's Home

What do you think are the pros and cons of living in a big home, compared to living in a small one? FQ
Which do you think is better for old people to live in, a big house or a small one?
Which do people in your country prefer to live in, a small home or a big place?
Do you think mobile homes are suitable for children to live in?

The Cost of a Home

Would you say the cost of housing in your country is reasonable?

Who People Live With

Do you prefer to live alone or with others?
Which do you think is better for an unmarried young person, to live with his or her parents or live away from their parents?
How do people today in your country feel about living with relatives (e.g., elderly parents)? FQ
What are the advantages of living with family members?
Is this different to the way people have traditionally lived?

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568. No Topic

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569. A Time When You Stayed Away from Home (May, 2014)

Describe a place where you stayed when you were away from your home. *

You should say:

        where it was

        how long you stayed there

        what you did there (or, why you stayed there) *

and explain how you felt about (staying at) this place. *

and explain how you felt during your stay. *

Notes

The words, "stay away from" something can mean, "avoid" something but they can also mean, "spent one or more nights away from" something. The second meaning is the meaning here. In Chinese, "stay" more or less means 住 but we don't say "live" in English when we talk about just spending a night or two in a hotel or at a friend's house. That is, we normally say, "stay" in a hotel or hospital, not "live" in these places. But if you stayed in a hotel for a long time, such as several months or more, then "live" might be suitable.
Keep in mind that, if the word, "stay" is used, it means that you lived in this place temporarily, at least for one night. It could even be at your grandparents' home.
Boarding at school is not a very good example if the word, "stay" is in the wording because people board at school (= live there) for long periods (many months), not just, "stay" there.

If the wording above is more or less correct, your answer does not necessarily have to be about a building such as a hotel or a hospital – it could be about staying in a town, city or even another country, for example. But, judging from Part 3, the wording of Part 2 might imply staying in a building of some sort.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Did you miss home while you were away? (= Were you homesick while you were away?)

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Part 3

See also any related questions in the Part 3 of the following topics - Topic 44, Topic 66, Topic 138 , Topic 159, Topic 233, Topic 275, 303, 319 and especially Topic 528.

Staying with Relatives or Friends

In your country, when people travel to see friends or relatives, do they usually stay with the people they are visiting or do they usually stay in a hotel? FQx2

What do you think are the pros and cons of visitors staying in a hotel rather than in the home of the people they are visiting? FQ

Is it preferable to stay with relatives, or with friends?

What are some differences

between staying with relatives or friends and living in your own home? FQx2

Visitors / Hospitality

How often do you have friends or family visiting you at home?
Do you ever allow your home to be used by other people? (e.g., someone who has no place to stay/to live)
If someone stays in another's home as a guest, do you think they should help with the housework? FQx2
How would you react if a guest rejected (or, ignored / or, did not return) your hospitality?
How do you think a visitor to someone's home should behave?
If a guest is staying at your house, do you think they should adapt to your family (or the people who live permanently there)? (Hint: smokers)
(Similar to above) If a guest visits your house, such as for a party or dinner, do you think they should adapt to your family or other friends? (Hint: smokers)

Hotels

Do people in your country often stay in (or, at) hotels?

Why do people stay in hotels?

Do you think people like staying in hotels?

What factors do people consider when they are choosing a hotel to stay at? FQx2
(Similar to above) What qualities do people look for in a hotel? FQx2 See Note 1
If there were two hotels to choose from, one with friendly service and another with good facilities, which would you choose?
Do you think it's important for the staff in a hotel to give good-quality service?
How do you think hotels in your country could be improved? *
Is Hotel Management (or, Hospitality) a very popular career choice in your country?
When people are choosing a hotel to stay in, which do you think people give more weight to, the location or the price?
(Similar to above) Which do you think is more important when choosing a hotel to stay in, the location or the price?
Do you think it's important (or, necessary) to have (luxurious) 5 star hotels?
How do you think the hotel staff in luxury hotels are (or might be) different to the staff in less luxurious hotels?
Do people in your country prefer to stay in hotels or in hostels?
Do you think it would be an interesting job to write reviews (e.g., in travel magazines) of hotels?

Traveling / Tourism

Are there any differences today (in your country) about traveling abroad, compared to a few decades ago?

What forms of transport do people use when they go on a trip?

How is the transport that people use today different to what they used in the past?

Why do so many people (like to) travel as tourist?

Do you think they have time to go traveling?

(Similar to above) Why do so many people (like to) go traveling when they have a vacation (from school or work)?

What preparations do people usually make before they go on a trip?

What foreign countries do people from your country most like visit?

Which do most people prefer, to visit a place close to home or a place far from home?

Why do (you think) some people spend their vacations (holidays) at home rather than go somewhere?

Which would you prefer to do, spend your holiday at home or travel somewhere?

Are there any differences between old people and young people when it comes to traveling? FQx2

Do you think the tourist industry (or, hospitality industry) is a good industry to work in for young people in your country? FQ
Should there be any regulations controlling (or governing) the hospitality industry? FQx2
(Possibly the question above is this) Should there be any restrictions on the travel business? See Note
(Possibly the question above is this) Should there be any restrictions on the tourism industry?
(Possibly the question above is this) Should there be any restrictions on business travel?
Some people say that we don't need to visit (distant) places nowadays because we can learn all about such places from the internet, videos or from books. Do you agree with that? FQx2
What are the differences between viewing images of a place on the internet and actually visiting that place? FQ

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570. A City You Have Visited (May, 2014)

Copy of Topic 235

Describe a city you visited or lived in.

You should say:

when you visited (or lived) there

why you went there (or why you lived there)

what you did there

which time of the year is best for visiting this place

and explain how you felt in that city. *

and explain what you liked and/or disliked about that city. *

Notes

This seems to be a return of Topics 24, 122 & 235.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Would you like to go there again?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 of Topics 24, 122, 235 & Topic 195

Living in Cities

Why do many people want to live in cities? FQ
What are the pros and cons of living in a (big) city? FQx2
Did most people live in cities in the past?
Do you think living in cities today is the same as it was in the past?
Can you suggest why families with children tend to prefer living in a city?
How are cities (in your country) different to cities in the past? FQ
In what ways has the use of cars changed cities?
In general, what types of people (like to) live in cities? FQx2
In general, what types of people live in rural areas? FQ
Do people prefer to live in the inner city or in the outer suburbs of cities?
Why do some people move from rural areas to cities? FQ
Which place do you think is better for children to live, a city or a rural environment? FQ
What benefits are there for families with children to live in a city? FQ
Which do you think is safer, living in a city or living in a rural environment?
Which do you think has more pollution, cities or the countryside? FQ
Why do some people move from one city to another city to live?
Do you think cities have more females living in them, or more males?
If you had the choice, where would you choose to live, in a city or in the countryside?
In general, what are the differences in educational opportunities between cities and rural areas?
What do you think are some of the results of urbanization on the lives of the people who move into big towns and cities from the countryside?
Do you think cities are more suitable for old people, or for young people to live in? FQ
Can you suggest why some city people go to live in the countryside (after they retire)?

The Problems that Cities Have

What do you think are the most serious problems that cities today are experiencing?
How would you suggest these problems be addressed? = What do suggest could be/should be done about these problems?
Do you think it's possible (or, a good idea) for large parts of a city to be moved to a new location? (satellite cities)

Traveling

What are some of the different reasons why people travel?

Do people in your country like travelling as tourists (= "travelling for pleasure")

When do people go on a trip (or, go on a holiday)?

Where do they go?

Do they prefer to travel within or country or to go abroad?

Why do you think some people don't like traveling?

Who do you think prefers to travel, young people or old people?

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Note 1

If you want to use the word, "cleanliness", check the pronunciation at an online dictionary that has voice recordings of pronunciation. Unlike the word "clean", the "ea" in "cleanliness" is pronounced as "e", like in "egg".

Note 2

Obviously you need to know that the verbs "take", "bring" and "carry" are different. (Also the verb, "send".)

Some people steal small things from hotel rooms as "souvenirs", such as things that have the hotel logo.