ielts-yasi.englishlab.net

Updated Aug 1, 2017

　

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 142

706.  The Perfect Job for You  (Jan. 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

707.  A Magazine or Newspaper Article  (Jan. 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

708.  A New Skill   (May, 2015)  (Moved from Topic 657 on January 15, 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

709.  A Happy Childhood Event (or Memory)  (Jan. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

710.  A Place With a Lot of Water  (Jan. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

 

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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706.  The Perfect Job for You  (Jan. 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

Version A

Describe your work plans for the future.

            You should say:

                          what job you would like to do  (or, plan to do)                       

                          what qualities are required for this work

                          what you should learn to get this job

            and explain why you want to do this work.

 

Version B

Describe a job you would like to have (or, do).

            You should say:

                          what job it is            

                          what qualities are required for this work

                          what you would need to learn to do this job

            and explain why you would like to do this work.

 

Version C  – the version in use now.

Describe what you think would be the perfect job (or "dream job") for you.

               You should say:

what job it would be (or is)

what you would do in this job *

how you would get this job

and explain why you think this would be the perfect job for you. *

 

Notes

  • (Note written March 17, 2016)  It seems to be confirmed that Version C is the wording being used now.

In previous years, when people started calling a topic, "Your Ideal Job", "Your Perfect Job", or, "The Perfect Job for You", I sometimes thought the most likely wording was really, "Your Future Work Plans". Possibly I was correct with some of those topics but with others I might have been mistaken. Those previous topics were 377, 360, 97 & 22.

  • For Version C, "Your Ideal Job" or, "The Perfect Job for You", most people should not need to use the word "will" at all in their answer. They should use "would" instead". If you use "will", then you probably will get no higher than 6 for grammar, but if you correctly use "would" then you have a chance of getting 7 or more for grammar.

For Version C, the job does not necessarily have to be the same job as for Version A or B.

Most answers for Version C should involve a job that is similar to one of your hobbies or interests, or related to something that you especially like, or a job that especially suits your personality or talents. For example, if you love being outdoors, you could talk about a job that involves being outdoors a lot of the time. Other jobs related to what you like might be – a job with children, a job with babies, a job with animals, a job in which you meet many people, a job in which you talk a lot, a job involving food, a job involving clothes, a job involving art, a job involving music, a job involving photography, a job involving books, a job involving films or television, a job involving money, a job selling things, a job helping people, a job discovering new things, a job inventing things, a job making things by hand, a job involving the sea, a job involving cars etc.

Of course, if it is a "perfect" job for you, it also needs to be well-paid. That means either a profession ( a job requiring a university education) or a job in which you are a financially successful self-employed person, i.e. with your own business.

  • For Version A and B, using the word "will" is suitable and using "would" might not always be suitable. However, it is best to use an adverb with the word "will" such as, "hopefully will", "probably will", "possibly will" etc. Using "will" without an adverb has the meaning that your plan will definitely or certainly happen, without any doubt.

  • See how to make sentences using "Would".

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Possible follow-up questions:

  • Do you think you'll ever get that job?

  • Did you want to do that job (or, that work) when you were a child?

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Part 3

There are many past topics related to work. I suggest you mainly look at the Part 3 questions of Topics 377, 360, 97 & 22. For the other topics, I suggest you concentrate mainly on any related or similar questions to those below, especially any FQ questions.

Other Topics: 139, 277, 346, 453, 484, 499, 484, 457, 363, 228, 50, 640, 579 & 564

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Work in Your Country

  • What jobs are most popular (among young people) in your country today? FQx2

  • (Not really the same as above) What jobs are most in demand in your country right now?  See Note 6

  • What jobs do you think are the least popular choice in your country?

  • Why are some jobs, such as being a lawyer or a doctor, popular choices?

  • Can you explain why people work? FQ

  • (Similar to above) What do you think are the motivations for people to (go to) work? FQ

  • Do you think most (young) people in your country expect to get a good job? FQ

  • Do you think work is equally important for both men and women? *

  • (Related to above) Which is more important for (or, to) a woman, marriage or work? *  See Note 9

  • Do you think people tend to become more interested in their work as they become older?

  • What do you think are the differences between work in your country and work in the West?  See Note 1

  • What jobs do you think are most suitable for older people? (e.g., 45 and older)

  • What would you say are the advantages and disadvantages of doing shiftwork (working in shifts)?

  • Some companies allow their employees to start and finish work at flexible hours, as long as the employee does 8 hours of work per day. What do you think of that?  See Note 10

  • What do you think are the advantages of flexitime? FQ

  • How do you think work will (or might) change in the future? FQx2

  • Do you think there will be new types of jobs in the future?

  • Do you think more people will be working from home in the future? FQ

  • What do you think are the pros and cons of working from home? FQx2

  • Would you consider relocating for your work?

  • Do you think people like relocating for reasons connected with their work?

  • Would you like to work abroad?

  • Would would you say are the pros and cons of specializing in a narrow area, as opposed to being more of a, "generalist"? *

    •

Choosing a Career

  • What factors (or, criteria) do people consider when choosing a career (or a job)? FQ

  • Do you think people's ideas about the ideal job for themselves have changed in recent years?

  • In general, how important is (money) the pay when people choose what job to do (or what career to have)?  FQx2

  • (Similar to above) Many people think money is the most important reason for choosing a particular job (or career). What's your opinion?  FQx2

  • Besides the need to get money, what other reasons are there for people choosing to do a particular job (or, choosing a particular career)? FQ

  • What do you think are the differences between a good co-worker and a bad co-worker?

  • In your opinion, which is more important in a job, the pay, or one's interest in the job (or "job satisfaction")? FQ

  • Do you think people tend to become more interested in their work as they become older?

    •

  • Do you think it is better for young people to choose their own careers, or is it better for their parents to make this choice?

  • Would you prefer to choose a challenging job or an easy one?

  • Do you think most people make a realistic choice of career?

  • Can you suggest why some people choose to dedicate their lives to some cause?

Changing Jobs

  • Why do some people change their job / career? FQ

  • Why do some young people change their job / career frequently?

  • Why do you think many new (types of) jobs are appearing in society?

Children's Ideas About their Future Work

"Children" = people under the age of 12 or 13

  • Do you think the work you will do (or are doing) is different to what you dreamed of doing when you were a child?

  • Do you think little kids ever think about work (their future work)?

  • What future jobs do children in your country dream about doing (or, want to do) when they grow up? FQx2

  • Why do most children change their job preferences when they grow up?

  • Do you think that the types of work that kids imagine themselves doing in the future today are the same as what kids imagined in the past?

  • Do boys and girls generally have the same ideas about their future "dream job"?

  • Why do they have these dreams? (Or, How do they get these ideas?)

  • When these children grow up, do they usually have the same career goals?

  • Do you think those childhood dreams were realistic?

  • How do you think setting goals in childhood and setting goals as an adult are different?

    •

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707.  A Magazine or Newspaper Article  (Jan. 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

Version A

Describe a magazine or newspaper article that you recently read. *

            You should say:

                          when and where you read it

                          what the magazine or newspaper it was *                         

                          what the article was about                         

             and explain what you thought of (= your opinion of) this article. *

                                    or

             and explain how you felt after reading this article. *

 

Version B

Copy of Topic 337

Describe a magazine or newspaper that you like to read.

            You should say:

                          what magazine or newspaper it is

                          what the magazine or newspaper is about

                          how often you read it

                          what kinds of people generally read this magazine or newspaper

             and explain why you like to read it.

 

 

Notes

  • Many people in China seem to be reporting this as Version A, but I would not be surprised if it is really Version B so I suggest you prepare for both. A couple of people have reported something similar to Version B.

  • If this is really Version A, then I strongly suggest you do NOT talk about an article you read about health. That is Topic 668 and if the examiner hears you talk about a health-related article, he or she might feel that you are speaking an answer that you had prepared before the test. This could cause you to lose big points. The IELTS people are aware that some people memorize an answer that could be used for more than one Part 2. It's not such a smart idea because very few memorized answers are 100% applicable to more than one Part 2. Besides that, many examiners can recognize a memorized answer after just the first one or two sentences.

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Possible follow-up questions:

  • Do you often read this type of article?

  • Would you recommend this article to your friends?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 of Topic 337, Topic 203, Topic 141, Topic 101 and Topic 549

Magazines

  • What did you do with that article? Did you cut it out and save it?

  • Do you prefer to read magazines, or newspapers? FQ

  • Which do you think provide more information, magazines or newspapers?

  • What different kinds of magazines do people in your country read? FQ

  • Can you explain why most people like reading magazines? FQx2

  • What kinds of people read magazines? FQ

  • (Similar to above) What kinds of people read magazines, as opposed to the kind of people who prefer to watch TV?

  • Do you think different types of people like to read different types of magazines? FQ

  • Would you say men and women generally read the same kinds of magazines?

  • Do you think people of different age groups prefer to read different magazines? FQ

  • (Similar to above) Do young people and old(er) people like to read the same kinds of magazines? FQ

  • In what ways would you say magazines are different to, and the same as newspapers? FQ

  • How do you imagine magazines will (or, might) change in the future?

  • Do you think paper magazines will one day be replaced by electronic forms of magazines? FQ

  • Can you explain why some people prefer to read paper magazines instead of reading the same magazine, if it exists on the internet? FQ

  • In what ways are advertisements in magazines different to those on TV?

  • Do you think it's good for children to read magazines?

  • When should children read magazines?

        Teenage Magazines

  • What kinds of magazines do teenagers (or, young people) like to read? FQ

  • (Similar to above) What (kinds of) magazines do your friends read?

  • Would you say there are both good points and bad points about teenage magazines? FQx2

  • (Similar to above) Would you say reading magazine has more a positive influence on teenagers, or more of a negative influence? FQx2

  • (Similar to above) Do you think that some magazines have a negative effect on young people? FQx2

  • What harm do you think teenage magazines could possibly cause?

  • Do you think it's good for teenage girls to read fashion magazines?  See Note 8

The News

  • How do people in your country get their news?

  • Is there any difference between a news article published in a newspaper, and a television program about the same issue? FQ

  • Do you prefer to get your news from TV or from newspapers? FQ

  • What do you think are the differences between the news on TV and the news in (news) magazines? FQ

  • Which do you think is more informative, the news on TV or the news in newspapers?

  • Which do you think is the more influential, the news on TV or the news in newspapers?

  • Do you remember better the news you have seen on TV, or the news you have read in the newspaper?

  • What do you think are the benefits of showing news on television?

  • Why do you think fewer and fewer people are reading newspapers nowadays?

  • Do many people get their news from the internet?

  • Do you prefer to get your news from TV or from the internet?

  • Do you think paper news magazines have the same news content that is available in other forms of media?

  • How do you think the news on the internet is different to the news in other media?

  • Do you think that the news that people read on social media is always true, or accurate?

  • Do many people still listen to the news on the radio? FQ

        Journalists

  • Do you think journalists (or, reporters) have an important role to play in society?

  • What influence do journalists have on society?

  • Would you say journalists are doing their job well?

  • Would you like to live the life of a reporter? *

Magazines and Children

  • Do you think (all) magazines are suitable for children to read?

  • (Similar to above) Should children (be allowed by their parents) to read magazines?

  • Are there any magazines that you think are not good for children to read? *

  • Are there any magazines that some parents don't allow their children to read (or see)? *

  • Do you think children are mature enough to make judgments about the contents of magazines? *

    •

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708.  A New Skill   (May, 2015)  (Moved from Topic 657 on January 15, 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

        Describe a new skill you would like to learn.

               You should say:

what skill (= what you would like to learn to do)

where you would learn it (or, where you think would be the best place to learn it)

how difficult you think it would be

and explain why you would like to learn this skill.

 

Notes

  • Note (Written January 15, 2016): This topic was moved from Topic 657 on January 15, 2016. From now on, any changes or additional questions will be written here, not at Topic 657.

  • See the notes HERE for an explanation of the differences between the two words "learn" and "study". Basically, "learn" is used in reference to doing something while "study" is used in reference to theoretical or abstract knowledge. However, sometimes either word is used, such as "learn (to play) the piano" = "study the piano" and, ""learn to speak English" = "study English".

  • "How difficult you think it would be" is the same as asking, "If you learned it, how difficult do you think it would be?" Most people should not use the word "will" even once in this Part 2 answer. However,  if you say that you certainly will learn it, then to say "it will be easy" or "it will be difficult" is suitable.

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Possible follow-up questions:

  • Do you know anyone who has learned that skill? *

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Part 3

Skills Today Or, "Practical" and "Academic" Skills

  • In general, how do people get (learn) new skills?

  • What skills do you think are most useful in everyday life today? FQ

  • Do mean and women generally have (or need) the same skills?

  • What skills do you think are most useful in the workplace?

  • What roles do you think different skills play in people's lives?

  • Do you think everyone is able to communicate well?

  • Do you think a person's communication skills are mainly innate, or mainly learned? FQx2

  • Would you say it's a skill that one can learn?

  • Do you think a person's skills are more innate, or more learned? FQ

  • What are some examples of (everyday) skills that many people learn today but which were not common a few decades ago? FQ

  • Do you think there are any skills that people used to have that are not very useful in the modern world?

  • Do you think the elderly should learn some new skills?

  • Do you think the government should provide help for elderly people to learn these skills?

  • Which do you think are more important, academic skills or practical skills? FQx2

  • What skills do you think students need to have?  FQ See Note 5

  • How important would you say computer skills are today?

  • How important would you say it is for students to learn how to learn? *

  • Which do you think are more important in the workplace, academic skills or practical skills? FQ

  • How important do you think language skills are? (not necessarily foreign language skills)

  • How are the skills that people learn today different to what they used to learn in the past?

  • How important do you think it is for people to learn to use new technologies?

  • What (new) skills do you imagine will be most important for people to learn in the future?

    •

Skills that Children (and young people) Need to Learn

Possibly the wording, "young people"  (people aged 13 to 25) is used for some of these questions.

  • What (essential) skills do you think children need to learn? FQx2  See Note 2

  • (Similar to above) What (essential) practical skills (or, "life skills") do you think children need to learn?  FQx2

  • (Similar to above) Do you think it's necessary for children to learn skills such as cooking?  FQx2

  • How could (or, how do) children learn these essential skills?

  • What skills do you think are most likely to help a child achieve success in later years?

  • Do schools in your country place much importance on teaching practical skills, or do they focus only on academic skills?

  • What skills do children learn in primary school?

  • Are the skills that children learn at school today the same as the skills that children learned at school in the past?

  • Do children need to learn the same skills that adults learn?

    •

  • What are the differences between the skills that females (or, girls) learn and those that males (or, boys) learn?

  • Do you think boys and girls should both learn the same skills? FQx2

  • (Similar to above) Do you think schools should have classes that teach the same skills to both boys and girls? FQ  See Note 3

  • Do you think junior high school students should have cooking classes at school?

  • Do you think people should learn the skills they need for work while they at high school?

  • Are there any differences between the skills that school children learn today, and those that they learned in the past? FQx2

  • Are there any differences between the skills that school children learn today at school, and the skills that they learned in the past? FQx2

  • Which do you think are more important, the skills that children learn at school or the skills they learn at home? FQ 

  • Do you think academic skills are more important for children to learn than social skills?

Work Skills

  • Which do you think is more important in the workplace, one's educational qualifications or one's work skills?

  • What skills are necessary to be a good employee? FQ

  • (Similar to above) What work skills do you think working people need to have?  FQ

  • What kinds of work skills are most valuable in your country at the moment?

  • Do you think schools should give information to their students about useful work skills?

  • (Not exactly the same as above) Do you think schools should teach their students useful work skills?

  • Do you think men and women (or, males and females) should both learn the same work skills? FQ

  • Do you think vocational high schools should be given more importance than what they have now? *

  • Do you think there should be more vocational high schools in your country?

  • What kinds of skills do people need when they participate in group work?

  • How important do you think teamwork is in the workplace?

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709.  A Happy Childhood Event (or Memory)  (Jan. 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

Copy of Topic 617

Describe a happy family event from your childhood.

               You should say:

what the event was

 where it happened

 what you saw and did *

and explain why you remember this event so well.

 

Notes

  • I think there is a small chance that this topic is not being used at the moment, even though it is quite often reported as used. I think the people who report it might be getting Topic 682, Something that Recently Made You Happy and are remembering the Part 3 sub-topic, Happiness in Childhood.

  • Possibly this is a repeat of Topic 617

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Possible follow-up questions:

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Part 3

See also any relevant Part 3 questions at Topic 617, 547, 366, 345, 301, Topic 257, Topic 191, Topic 146, Topic 116 & Topic 55

Childhood Happiness

  • How important would you say it is for people to have a happy childhood? *

  • Do you think parents really understand what makes a child happy?

Recalling Personal Memories

  • Do you think most people can remember their childhood?

  • Can you explain why people sometimes recall memories from their childhood (or, think about their childhood)?

  • What sorts of memories do people recall?

  • Can you suggest why some memories are unforgettable?

  • Do you think these memories are always accurate?

  • Can you suggest why some people forget things from their childhood?

  • Can you still remember some of the toys that you happily played with in your childhood?

  • What can help (or what helps) people keep happy childhood events in their memory? FQ

    •

  • Do people in your country usually keep things from their childhood? FQ

    •

  • Do you think recalling memories of one's past is (or can be) useful?

  • Should (old) people be encouraged to recall their memories of the past? FQ

  • How could they be encouraged to do that?

Preserving One's Culture and History

  • Do you think it is important to preserve one's traditions and cultural (or, historical) heritage? FQ

  • (Similar to above) How important do you think it is for people to preserve their culture? FQ

  • Do you think it's important for children to be taught the history (& culture) of their country (or, their people)? FQ

  • Can you suggest why some people seem to reject old, traditional objects and their traditional culture?

  • What traditional festivals do you have in your country?

  • How important do you think it is for people to celebrate traditional events in their culture?

  • Can you suggest why some people don't bother about celebrating these traditional events?

  • Why do you think many young people pay little attention to traditions?

  • What can be done to help preserve one's culture / traditions?

  • Who do you think should be responsible keeping traditions alive?

  • Do you think we should preserve our traditions without any changes?

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710.  A Place With a Lot of Water  (Jan. 2016)  (Probably no longer used)

Modified Copy of Topic 626

Describe a place with a lot of water (such as a river, a lake or the ocean) that you enjoyed visiting.

               You should say:

                               where this place was 

                               what it looked like

                               what people were doing at this place (Or, what you did there)

                               why you went there *

                               who you went there with *

               and explain why you liked this place. 

 

Notes

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Possible follow-up questions:

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Part 3

For this Part 3, the questions are usually very similar to, or the same as previously used questions. Pay special attention to previously used FQ questions. See the Part 3 of Topic 519, Topic 407, Topic 312, Topic 207 , Topic 140 & Topic 626

Places with Water

  • What kinds of places with water do we have in the world?

  • Are there any particular places in your country that have a lot of water, such as a lake or beaches?

  • In general, why do you think people like going to places that have water?  FQ

  • Do you think more people than before are moving to live in places that are near water?

  • Do you think there is anything unique about the air at the beach?

    •

  • How do people in your country pass the time when they have a holiday?

  • Do people in your country like to go to the beach for recreation?  FQ

  • (Similar to above) Are holidays (vacations) to places with lots of water very popular in your country?  FQ

  • Can you explain why people enjoy spending leisure time at a place such as a beach or river?  FQx2

  • Do you think spending time near water can help relieve the pressure of modern life?

  • What activities do (or can) people do on (or, in) the water at these places?  FQx2

  • Do children and adults generally do the same things when they visit these places?

  • Can you explain why children like to go to a beach?

  • Why do children like to dig in the sand at a beach and build sand castles?

    •

  • What water sports do they do in these places?  FQx2

  • Is boating (or, sailing) a very popular activity in your country?

  • Do you think government should invest money in developing facilities for water sports (or, recreational activities on the water)?

Children Learning to Swim

  • Can you explain why children enjoy playing in water?

  • How do children benefit from activities in or on the water?

  • Do you think it's important that children know (or learn) how to swim? FQx2  (See also the Jan-Apr 2015 Part 1 questions)

  • In your country, do children learn to swim at school?

  • Do you think they should learn how to swim at school? FQx2

  • (Similar to above) Do you think children should be taught how to swim at school? FQx2

  • When do you think children should learn to swim; in primary school, middle school or high school?

    •

Water Usage / Water Conservation

  • Do you think here is more water available today than in the past?

  • How important would you say water is in our society?

  • (Similar to above) What is the importance of water in our (daily) lives ?

  • In what ways do people use water?

  • (Similar to above) In what ways is water used in society?

  • (Similar to above) Besides using water in the home, in what other ways is water used in society?

  • Do you think the way people (in your country) use water today has changed, compared to the past? FQx2

  • Do you think people today are using more water, or less water than they used to?

  • Can you suggest any water saving measures? FQ

  • (Similar to above) How can we save some water? FQ

  • What measures should governments, and individual take in order to conserve water? FQ

  • In your opinion, should the personal use of water be controlled (or, restricted)?

  • What causes water shortages in some places?

  • What are some ways that water is wasted (= not used or not used for good reasons)

  • Do you think raising the price of water would encourage people not to waste it?

  • What are the causes of water pollution?

  • How can (or, how are) water resources protected? FQ  See Note 7

  • Can you suggest how waste water should be treated?

  • In what situations do you think water should be recycled?

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Note 1

This question would not be asked if your country is a Western country. But the examiner might ask another comparison question such as, "What do you think are the differences between work in your country and work in other parts of the world?" or, "What do you think are the differences between work in your country and work in non-Western countries?"

Note 2

Don't forget, reading, writing and doing (basic) arithmetic are skills. They might be called "academic skills" but they are essential for living in modern society.

Then there are the so-called "social skills", such as learning to co-operate with others, make friends, communicate with others etc.

And, of course, there are the basic skills for looking after oneself such as how to tie shoe laces, dress oneself, prepare a simple meal for oneself, use public transport etc.

Note 3

In the West, the traditional situation has long been that boys have a woodworking or metalworking class in junior high school while girls have a "Home Economics" class, which is mainly about cooking and sewing. When I was at school, the boys also had the choice of doing a Technical Drawing class in which they learned the elementary skills of draughting (drafting).  In addition to that, in the U.S., many senior high schools have a class in which the students learn to drive a car and some schools have a class called "Workshop" in which the students learn how to maintain their cars and, to some extent, do minor repairs on the cars. I doubt that any schools would actually restrict girls from taking a woodworking, metalworking, or workshop class, or restrict boys from taking a Home Economics class.

Of course, many high schools all over the world today have a Computing class in which both boys and girls learn how to use a computer.

Note 5

This question was not reported as "primary school pupils" or "primary school students". The word, "pupil" is more suitable for children (i.e., people between the ages of about 4 and 12), while "student" could refer to high school and university students or even mature age people who are learning something. Therefore, your answer would depend on the exact words used in the question. The same person reported this question and the question, "What work skills do you think working people need to have?" so it seems more likely that it is "high school and university students" in contrast with working people.

Note 6

The note below on the use of the expression, "in demand" is my opinion, which some other native English speakers might not fully agree with.

The term, "in demand" is most commonly, but not exclusively used when the topic is related to economics or serious issues concerning the social welfare (i.e., the needs) of people or the country. The topic of employment comes under these categories.

"In demand" means a lot of people are asking for or looking for something because they need or want it and, usually, there is a shortage of this thing. For example, in situations of high unemployment, any job is in demand because many people are asking for or looking for any job. And when a certain product on the market is in short supply such that more people want to buy it than the supply can satisfy, we can also describe that product as being "in demand". But we can also say that a product is "in demand" when many people want to buy that product and the supply satisfies the demand.

On the other hand, the term, "in demand" can sometimes be used to describe situations that do not fit the type of situations described above.  For example, I know that in China every year thousands of high school graduates apply to attend university degree courses in acting (because they dream of being in films or on TV) but only a small percentage of these applicants are successful because there is a limited supply of these places in universities. Therefore one could say that places in acting courses are "in demand".  However, since this is not related to economics or the needs of the country or the people, (although it is related to the desires of many people), I would say that places in acting courses are more suitably described as, "highly sought after", although describing places in acting courses as "in demand" is not 100% unsuitable.

On the topic of jobs, we don't normally talk about a particular job a being, "in demand". It is more common to refer to people to do certain  jobs as being "in demand". For example, doctors are in demand in remote communities because there is a shortage of doctors in those communities and the people in those communities need and want a doctor. That is to say, working in remote communities is not a popular choice among doctors; it is not a popular job. Certain other categories or types of working people (not "jobs"), especially certain specialists, are also in demand when employers or the country need more of these people than are available.

The meaning of, "a popular job" is, many people choose to do that job. As mentioned above, acting is a popular choice for university study but is it also a popular job? I would say it is not because not so many people actually do that job. On the other hand, teaching, working in banking and finance, working in the IT (i.e., computer-related) industries, and working in government office jobs are popular jobs in most countries.

Let's look at a job that is similar to the choice of acting as a university course. Many people, especially those with some financial training or experience, would like to work as investment managers because investment managers often make high commissions on the profits they generate. One could say this is a "popular desire" of many people. But it would be inaccurate to describe it as "a popular job" because not so many people actually do it. Furthermore, it would not be suitable to describe jobs as investment managers as "in demand", even though there are not enough of these jobs to satisfy these popular desires. Just because many people would like to have this job and are looking for it does not mean that they really need it, nor does the economy or the country really need more investment managers. I think this is the key to why the statement, "investment manager jobs are in demand" is somewhat unsuitable – the term, "in demand", when referring to economics  is used to refer to more serious demands or needs than simply the whims, desires or personal preferences of people. To say that jobs as investment managers are "in demand" is almost like saying, "there should be more of these jobs available to satisfy this demand". Yes, some people feel that way but should there really be more investment managers jobs made available? Similar to  places in acting schools, I would say jobs as investment managers are more suitably described as, "highly sought after" jobs.

Note 7

How are water resources protected?

"Resources" here means the same as "sources". That is, the origins of  the water we use, especially drinking water.

If the word, "protected" is used, the most suitable answer would be to explain how to keep the sources of water free from pollutants.

Possibly the question is, How should water resources be protected? Unlike the question above, that question is asking about what should be done, which might be different to what is actually being done now.

Possibly the question is, How should water resources be preserved? To "preserve" something means to keep it in existence for continual use in the future. This could relate to not using the water in such a way that causes the water source to become exhausted. But it can also mean something like "protected" because, if a source of water becomes so polluted that it can no longer be used, then that source of water no longer exists as a usable source of water for the future.

Note 8

Research the topic of "anorexia".

Note 9

Of course, a married woman, especially if she has children, still "works" even if she doesn't have a job outside the home. That is, housework and being a parent does include a lot of unpaid work.

Note 10

This is called "flexitime". Obviously, with the internet, a lot of work can be done away from the office but flexitime can be used for a few other types of work, as well.