Page 149

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Updated Jul. 24, 2017

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 149

741. A Missed Appointment (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

742. A Garden (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

743. A Gift You Gave (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

744. A Small Business (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

745. A Place to Relax (Sep. 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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741. A Missed Appointment (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a time when you missed an appointment.

You should say:

where it happened

what it was about

why you forgot it

and explain how you felt after missing the appointment.

Notes

It might say, "an important appointment", not simply, an appointment"

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Possible follow-up questions:

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See also the Part 3 of Topic 659, and Topic 533

Part 3

Appointments

Which appointments are more important, appointments to meet friends, or appointments to meet colleagues? FQ
Which do you think is worse, to miss work, or to miss a friend’s party?
(Most likely this is the question above) Which do you think is worse, to miss a work-related appointment, or to miss a friend’s party?

Forgetting and Remembering Appointments

How can people remember to keep appointments? FQ
What are some ways to keep track of time (or, the date)?
Do you think people forgot appointments more in the past than they do now? FQ
Is it common for people today to use (modern) technology to remember appointments?
How did people remember things such as appointments before the age of mobile phones?

Who do you think are more likely to forget their wedding anniversary, men or women?

Can you explain why some people forget appointments or important dates? FQ

Would you say people forget about appointments because they don’t care?
Do you think people tend to forget the things they really don’t want to do?

Remembering Important Details

Do you think people should know their family history? FQ
(Similar to above) What do you think are the benefits of knowing one's family history? FQ
Do you think it's beneficial for children (& young people) to talk to their grandparents and learn about the lives of their grandparents?
How can one remember (or, record) one's family history? FQ
How do you think people should deal with any "black sheep" they might discover in their family history? See Note 2
When people make an important agreement, such as in business, how do they remember the details of this agreement?

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742. A Garden (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a garden you enjoyed visiting

You should say:

where it was

what kind of garden it was

who you went to the garden with

what other people do (or, were doing) in this garden *

and explain why you are liked this garden.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you often go there?

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See also any related questions in the Part 3 of Topic 643, Topic 246, Topic 142, Topic 442, Topic 332, Topic 102 & Topic 537

Part 3

The Uses of Gardens

Do you have a garden at home?

(If yes to above) What do you grow in that garden?

What can (or, do) people do in a garden?
Would you say that people in different age groups do different things when they go to gardens and parks?
In your country, do elderly and young people do the same things in gardens? FQ
What are the different types of gardens that exist in your country?
Who do you think likes to engage in gardening more, young people or old people?
In your country, do people prefer to plant vegetables, or flowers in a garden?
Would you say wealthy people prefer to plant flowers in a garden?
Can you explain why some people want to grow their own vegetables?
Due to an overuse of pesticides in commercial farms, some people say that private gardens should be used for growing vegetables. Do you agree?

Public & Private Gardens

Do people in your country like to have their own gardens?
Do you prefer public or private gardens?
Do you think everyone should have a garden?
Is it possible to have a small garden on your balcony or windowsill if you live in an apartment?
What do people need to do in order to maintain a private garden?
Do you think gardens are good for cities? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think the "greening" of urbanized areas is a good thing? FQ
Should there be more gardens in the commercial parts of cities?
Do you think government should spend more money on creating public gardens?

Gardens and Children

Would you say it’s good for children to live near (or, play in) a garden? FQ
Do you think it's important to teach children about plants and the ecosystem in general?

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743. A Gift You Gave (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a gift you recently gave to others.

You should say:

when you gave it

who you gave it to

what their reaction was

and explain why you gave it to them. .

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you often give gifts?

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See also the Part 3 of the following topics: 637, Topic 423, Topic 364, Topic 221, Topic 233, Topic 160, Topic 85 and Topic 54

Note: (For Chinese people) The words, "send a gift" do NOT mean exactly the same as, "give a gift".

Part 3

Gift-Giving in Your Country

Do you prefer to give gifts, or to receive them?
What are some occasions when people give gifts in your country? FQ
Do you think it's good to give expensive gifts to one's boss, at work?

The Nature of Gifts

What are some popular gifts in your country?

What are the differences between handmade and store-bought gifts? FQ

What are the good points about (or, advantages of) giving hand-made gifts? See Note 3

Do you prefer to give a store-bought gift to your friends or something that you made yourself? FQ

Would you agree that handmade gifts are more meaningful?

What do people consider when they are choosing a gift for someone?

Do you think advertisements influence the way people choose gifts?

Do you think the price of a gift is important?

Do people like to receive expensive gifts?

Do you prefer small or big gifts?

Children & Gifts

Should we give gifts to young children?
Would you say children like receiving gifts? FQ
Who do you think is happier when receiving gifts, children or adults?
What types of gifts are given to children in your country?
Do people generally give different gifts to little boys and to little girls?
Do you think gifts for children should have educational value?
What are some examples of "educational gifts"?
Do you think parents should encourage their children to give gifts?
(Similar to above) Do you think parents should teach their children to give gifts?

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744. A Small Business (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a small business you would like to start in the future. *

You should say:

what type of business it would be

where you would have this business

what would need to be done before starting it

and explain why you would like to start this kind of business. .

Note

It is not clear if the word, "start" is used or if another verb such as, "own", "run" (= operate), or "have" is used. However, the meaning is more or less the same, whatever word is used.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you think you (ever) will start such a business?

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Part 3

See also any relevant questions in the Part 3 of Topics 37, 79, 98, 306, 378, 398, 508, 615, 651 & 720

Having Your Own Small Business

What are some examples of small businesses in your hometown? FQ
Do many of these small businesses go bankrupt (= fail) in the first year?
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of having one’s own business? FQ
What are some personal qualities that people need to start (or run) their own businesses? FQ
(Not quite the same as above) What skills do people need to have to start (or run) their own small business? FQ
Do you think getting an MBA or doing a course in management is necessary before opening a small business?
Which do you think is more important when running a small business, a university (or similar) qualification, or practical experience? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think a businessperson needs more practical, or theoretical (or, academic), knowledge? FQ
What challenges do people face when starting a small business?
Is it profitable to start (or, operate) a small business in your country?
Is it easy to start a small business in your country?
What is required to open a business in your country?
Does government support small business in your country? FQ See Note 1
Would you say that small businesses are good for the economic development of a place (e.g., village, town, city, province, country)?
What do you think are the differences between selling a product and selling a service?

Working as an Employee

What are some of the differences between working as an employee and having one’s own business? FQ
(Similar to above) Would you prefer to be an employee, or to work for yourself (to be your own boss)? FQ
Would you prefer to be an employee in a big company or organization, or a small one? FQ
What are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a large company?
Would you say the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

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745. A Place to Relax (Sep. 2016) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a place where you sometimes go to relax.

You should say:

where it is

what you do there

how often you go there

and explain why it is a relaxing place. .

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Possible follow-up questions:

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Part 3

See also any related questions in the Part 3 of the following topics: 675, 648, 449, 374, 313, Topic 282, 248, 147, & 94

Relaxing in Your Country

How do people in your country like to relax in their free time?
Are modern ways to relax the same as in the past?
What are the differences between the ways people relax now and in the past? FQ
Is it easier to relax nowadays compared to the past?
Would you say it's important to relax?
Do young and old people relax in the same ways? FQ
Have science and technology changed the way that we relax?
In what ways have computer games changed from a decade ago?
Do you think the government should allocate more money on electronic devices for citizens to use?

Working People & Students Relaxing

Would you say students feel stressed at school?
Is it good for students to feel stressed at school?
What is the benefit of students and working people taking time to relax once in a while?
Do you think doing something different (to study or work) helps people to relax?
In your opinion what is the ideal environment for relaxing?
What are some things schools could do to give students opportunities to relax? FQ
Is it good for employees to have stress?
Are the surroundings an important factor in helping people to relax?

How can companies give employees opportunities to relax? FQ

(Similar to above) What are some things employers could do to give employees opportunities to relax? FQ

The Working and Studying Environment

Do you think it’s important to have a good place to work or study?
In your opinion what is the ideal environment for working or studying?
Do you think that working or studying environments should be decorated beautifully?
Is it good to study or work in a noisy environment?
Do you think how the manager at work communicates to the employees contributes to a good working environment?

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Note 1

This question can refer to local, state or provincial, as well as national government.

Note 2

It is not certain that the term, "black sheep" is actually used in the question. That term in general refers to someone who does not fit in. In the context of family history, it could refer to several different situations, including the discovery that an ancestor had committed a crime.

Note 3

This question seems to be most often worded that way, without specifying who (whose hands) made the gift. However I think the real meaning is usually (but not always), "a gift that you made yourself". This is especially true when the question is preceded by the question, "What are the differences between handmade and store-bought gifts?"

We also the the tricky question of determining when a gift that is mass-produced in a factory is actually made by hand labour and when it is made using a machine. Factories usually use a combination of those two when making things such as toys.