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Written Jun 11, 2018

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

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811. An Achievement (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

812. An Advertisement that Influenced You (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

813. Your Teaching Experience (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

814. A Successful Businessperson You Admire (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

815. A Traditional Product (Sep. 2017) (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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811. An Achievement (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe an achievement that you are proud of.

You should say:

what you did

how you did it

how difficult it was

and explain why you felt proud after this achievement.

Notes

Another word for "achievement" is "accomplishment".
This topic is similar to previous topics about "succeeding" or reaching a goal. It is rare (or impossible) for a person to "achieve" without first having the goal (or intention) of reaching that achievement.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Have you told others about this achievement?
Are your parents also proud of that achievement?

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Part 3

See also any related questions at:

An achievement or success you have had: 811, 662, 416, 173, 109, 43.

An achievement or success you would like to have: 700, 609, 344,

Another person's achievement: 571, 296,

And: 595

Goals

Do you have any other goals (besides what you spoke about in Part 2)?
What sorts of achievements do children need to reach (or, have)?
What sorts of goals (ambitions, dreams) do children want to achieve?
(Probably the question above is really this) What sorts of goals (ambitions, dreams) do young people want to achieve? FQ
In your country, do parents generally care about the goals that their children have?
What methods do parents use to influence the goals their children have?
Would you say young people need to (or, are expected to) achieve many different things?
Do many people in their twenties change their goals in life?
Why do you think most young people have the goal of academic achievement?
(Similar to above) How important would you say the goal of academic achievement (or, "success") is?
What would you say are the most important goals that most people have in life (after finishing school)? FQ
Can you explain why so many people have the goals of achieving great wealth (becoming rich)?
Do you think that really is a worthwhile goal to have? *
Some people don't have (or don't seem to have) any goals. What's your opinion about that? FQ
What do you think is the importance of (or, benefits of) setting (or having) goals? FQ
Do you think it's necessary (or, important) to set high goals for oneself? FQ
What do you think are the differences between short-term and long-term goals?
Do you think it's necessary to have the goal of becoming famous?
What do you think a person should do if they fail to reach a goal?
What should a person do once they have reached a goal?
What would you say are the factors that effect how successful a person is in achieving their goals?
Do you think old (or, older - unclear which) people still set gaols for themselves?
(A little different to above) Do you think old (or, older - unclear which) people should still set gaols for themselves?

Pride

What sorts of things (or, achievements) make parents proud of their sons and daughters?
What sorts of things make adults feel proud of themselves?
Do you think a person should tell others about their accomplishments?
Can you explain why many people who do simple, low-paid jobs such as sweeping the streets feel proud of what they do?
Do you think it's important for people to have a job?

In the Workplace

What kinds of achievements by employees should be rewarded by the company (or their employer, or their supervisor)?
In your country, how are employees rewarded? FQ
Do you think employees should be rewarded just for doing their jobs well? *
Please suggest how employees could be (or, should be) rewarded.
What would you say are the benefits, and the downsides for a company from rewarding their employees? FQ

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812. An Advertisement that Influenced You (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used

Describe an advertisement that caused you to buy something.

You should say:

what product was advertised

where you saw the advertisement

what the message of the advertisement was

and explain how the advertisement caused you to buy the product.

Copy of Topic 464

Describe an advertisement that made you (want to) buy something.

You should say:

        what the product was

        where you saw / heard this advertisement

        what was in the advertisement

and explain how the advertisement made you want to buy that product.

Notes

This might be a repetition of Topic 464.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you still see this advertisement?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 of Topics 740, 538, 464, 352, 297, 190, 170, 121 & 65.

Advertising in Your Country

Where do people see advertisements in your country?
What are the different forms of advertising in your country? FQ
Which type of product is the most often advertised?
What does social media advertise the most?
Does music play a very big role in advertising?
Do these ads really work, in your opinion?
How do advertisements influence people?
What types of (or type of) advertising are (is) the most effective, in your opinion? FQ
What benefits do advertisements bring to society?
What impact do advertisements have on the society?
Would you say advertisements vary from country to country?
How is the culture of a country incorporated in advertisements?
Can you suggest how advertisements in your country could be improved?
Do you trust (or believe) all advertisements?
What do you think of false (or, untruthful) advertising?
Do you think (the contents of) advertisements should be regulated (or, monitored, or supervised)?
Who do you suggest should supervise advertising? *
How should it be done? *
Do you think governments should place restrictions on advertising?
In what ways are television advertising and online advertising different?
How do you think advertising will (or, might) change over the next 50 years?

Advertising and Children

Do you think it's good for advertisements to be aimed at children? FQ
Do you think it's good for children to be exposed to advertisements? FQ
What effects do (or can) advertisements have on children?
At what age do you think children should see advertisements?

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813. Your Teaching Experience (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a time when you taught someone (such as a relative or friend).

You should say:

when this happened *

who you taught

what you taught

and explain how you felt. *

Notes

This topic has not been seen before.

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Possible follow-up questions:

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Part 3

See also any similar or relevant questions in the Part 3 of Topics 730, Topic 708, 683, 602, 525, Topic 375, 224, 154, Topic 127, Topic 91, Topic 89, Topic 82, Topic 77, Topic 18 & Topic 17. See notes about "learn" and "study".

Teaching

How do you feel about teaching others?
How do (or, how can) a person teach others? FQ
(Similar to above) What do you think is the best way to teach others? FQ
(Similar to above) What teaching skills would you say are the most important?
What qualities should a good teacher possess?
What do you find to be the most difficult thing (or, things) to learn? (Why?)
Do you think many other people have the same difficulty?
Which do you think is better, to tell someone how to do something, or to show them how to do it? FQ
How important do you think practice is when learning (to do) something?
What are some examples of things that take a long time to learn?
What skills do adults need to learn?
What sorts of things can young people teach elderly people? FQ See Note 1
(Similar to above) What sorts of things can kids teach the elderly? FQ
Why do you think the elderly need to learn that?
How do the think old people should be taught? FQ
(Similar to above) What do you think is the best way to help an old person learn something? FQ

Teaching Children

What do you think is the best way to teach children?
What do you think children need to (or should) learn?
What skills do parents teach their children?
What do you think is the best age for children to start going to school?
Do you think it's possible for a child to start school too early?

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814. A Successful Businessperson You Admire (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a successful businessperson you admire.

You should say:

who it is

how you know about this person

what they did to become successful

and explain why you admire them.

Notes

Until about 40 years ago, the words, "businessperson" and "businesswoman" were rarely used. It was assumed that only men engaged in business so only the word, "businessman" was used. But that has changed now. If you only use the word, "businessman" you run the risk of offending and angering female examiners. So be careful. Modern women in the West are quite sensitive about "sexist" language.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do other people also admire him / her?
Would you like to start (or, have) a business like he/she has?

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Part 3

Previous topics with similar questions are Topics 37, 79, 98, 306, 378, 398, 508, Topic 651, Topic 720, 786 & 744

Having One's Own Business (or, company)

Do many young people (or university students) in your country want to start (or dream of starting) their own business? FQ
(Similar to above) In general. do young people in your country usually want to have their own business, or do they prefer to work for others?
What kinds of businesses would (or do) these young people like to have? FQ

Do you also want to do that?

(Similar to above) If you had the opportunity to have your own business, what business would it be? FQ

Do they mostly want to have an online business or a business in "the real world"?
What qualities does a person need to have in order to be a successful businessperson? FQ

Which do you think is more important when running one's own business, formal qualifications, or experience? FQ

(Especially for Chinese candidates) Why do so many people study for an MBA? See Note 5

What does a (self-employed) businessperson generally do in their daily work?

Should a business owner concentrate on day-to-day tasks only, or should he or she try to expand the business?

Would you say successful businesspeople are very hard-working?

(Similar to above) Would you say a person needs to be hard-working in order to be a successful in business?

Do (self-employed) businesspeople generally work long hours? See Note 7

Do you think people in your country work too hard? See Note 6

What do you think are the key factors that contribute to the success of a business? FQ

Do you think reputation is important for a business to survive? See Note 4

How can (or do) businesspeople expand their social network?

Do you think there are differences between foreign entrepreneurs (businesspeople) and those in your country?
Do you think it's important for a business owner to take good care of their employees? See Note 2
In what ways should they take care of their employees?
Do you think a company (or employer) benefits by giving employees a vacation (= leave, time off work)?

Work in Your Country

Speaking about those young people in your country who don't want to start their own business, what kinds of work do they prefer to do (or, what kinds of work do they generally do)?
Do (young) people in your country prefer to stay in one job for a long time (or, a lifetime), or do they prefer to change jobs quite often?
Would you say people in your country generally have job security? See Note 3
Would you say working conditions in your country are generally good?
Are people allowed enough rest during the workday?

Retirement

At what age do people in your country usually retire from work? FQ
Is that a legal requirement? (= Is that a compulsory retirement age?) *
Do men and women retire at the same age?
Do you think that's a suitable age to retire? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think that's the most suitable age for retirement? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think the retirement age should be lower than that, or higher than that? FQ
Why do some people still engage in other occupations (or, paid work) after retirement?

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815. A Traditional Product (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a traditional product in your country.

You should say:

what it is

what it is made of

where you see it

and explain when (or where) you see it. *

Notes

Strictly speaking, a traditional food product or even a traditional dish could be used as an example here. But Chinese candidates should be careful about telling the examiner a memorized answer about dumplings (饺子) because the examiner has probably heard it several times before. Try to make your answer unique and as a result, more interesting for the examiner to listen to.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you use one of those yourself?
Do you have one of those in your home?

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Part 3

See also any related or similar questions in the Part 3 of Topics 729. Topic 677, 541, 446, 287 and 108

Traditional Objects (or, products)

Besides the example you just spoke about (in Part 2), can you think of any other traditional (or cultural) products in your country? FQ
What would you say is the definition of, "traditional product" (or "traditional object")? See Note 8
Where can people buy traditional products?
Would you say traditional products that are made in your country today are the same quality of the products that were produced in historical times? FQ
Would you say traditional products in your country today are of high quality? FQ
Do traditional objects (or products) play a significant role in the economy of your country?
Do you think tourist souvenirs in your country are good examples of traditional products?
What would you say are the differences between traditional products (or objects) and modern ones that serve the same purpose? FQ
For example, how are modern clothes in your country different to traditional clothes from your country? FQ
Which do you think are better, traditional products or the modern products that have replaced them? FQ
(Slightly different to above) Which do you prefer, traditional products or the modern products that have replaced them?
Do you think all traditional products can be replaced by modern products?
(Similar to above) Are there any traditional products that cannot be replaced by modern products?
What would you say is the relationship between traditional objects and modern ones? FQ
What are the main differences between traditional products and the modern products that serve the same purpose (or modern products that have replaced the traditional products)? FQ (Hint: handmade)
Can you explain why some people prefer handmade products to factory made (or, mass-produced) ones?
Can you think of other handmade traditional products?
Why are some traditional things are often sold to people who are traveling (i.e., tourists)?
Do you think it's important for (some) people to learn how to make traditional products in schools and/or in the home? FQ
Do you think it is a responsibility of government to promote the continuation of the knowledge and skills needed to make traditional products?
Can you suggest how that could be done? *
In many countries, if someone finds an object that is hundreds or thousands of years old (for example, by digging in the ground), they have to hand the object to the government. Do you think that's reasonable?

Traditions

What are some examples of traditions in your country?
What would you say is the relationship between the traditions of your country, and the modern culture of your country (or modern society in your country)?
Do you think traditions should be (or, need to be) protected? FQ
How do you suggest that could be (or, should be) done?
Are young people very interested in traditions?
(Slightly different to above) Are young people very interested in following tradition?
Do you think it's important for to teach children about traditions in schools and in the home?

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Note 1

Instead of "elderly", the examiner might say, "much older than you", for example, your parents.

Note 2

Do you think its important for a business owner to take good care of their employees?

The examiner might use different words to "take care of". The question means, "Do you think its important for a business owner to pay attention to the human needs of their employees, and not just treat them as workers who produce the wealth of the company and of the company owner?" "Human needs" can be interpreted as "the welfare of the employees".

Examples of this are – the health and safety of employees at work; the happiness and satisfaction that the employees feel at work; the fact that employees are human and need to feel that their employer values them as people; the fact that employees occasionally become ill and need time off from work; the fact that employees are not machines and need occasional breaks during the work day; the fact that employees need to have a vacation from work from time to time; the fact that many employees have a spouse and children and need to give time and attention to them; the fact that employees occasionally have personal problems that might interfere with their work performance; the fact that employees will one day retire and will need some form of income after they retire; the fact that low-paid employees might be struggling to find a cheap place to live, etc etc.

In most countries there are laws that compel employers to give attention to most of these needs of the employees. For example, there are laws that give employees a certain number of "sick leave" days per year whereby the employees do not lose any pay for taking a day off because of illness.

Note 3

"Job security", or words similar to that, means an employee feels confident that he or she will not lose their job because the company fails or is not doing well and needs to lay off some workers. Similarly, the employees feel that their employer cannot easily fire them for no good reason. That is, they feel secure in their employment. Most Western countries have laws, or strong unions that make it difficult for employers to arbitrarily fire employees (= fire employees for no good reason). Of course, employees can be fired if they do something wrong such as stealing from the company, consistently perform badly in their work, or disrupt the smooth operation of the company in some way.

Note 4

Instead of "reputation", the examiner might ask a somewhat different question: "Do you think having contacts (or, connections) is important for a business to survive (or prosper)?" In Chinese, this is 关系.

This question is referring to the idea expressed in the question, "How can (or do) businesspeople expand their social network?"

Note 5

"MBA" = a Master of Business Administration degree

Note 6

Do you think people in your country work too hard?

Here, "too" means excessively. When we say "too" (+ adjective or adverb) in English, it means problems result form this. For example, if you habitually eat too much, you will get fat. In Chinese, "too" for this meaning = 过度. Another meaning of "too" is "also" but that is not the meaning here.

Note 7

"Work long hours" = spend a lot of time working, for example, working 10 or more hours a day, or working 60 or more hours per week. The word, "workaholic" might be used by the examiner.

Note 8

A "traditional product" is something that is still produced today and is the same (or almost the same) as the product that has been produced in your country for several hundred or even several thousand years. This does not necessarily mean that the product is produced on a large scale – sometimes the product is produced today only as an art form or to keep the tradition alive when it was historically produced to be used as an object that served a useful purpose. At other times, the product is produced today simply as a tourist souvenir. In China, you can still find paper that is produced today in the same way it was produced for hundreds of years even though it is cheaper and more efficient to produce paper in modern factories.

An object that someone might find by digging in the ground, or in a very old building, or see in a museum is better described as "a historical object" but it could also be described as "(an original) traditional product".

(Be careful of quoting these words verbatim in the test. You will lose points if the examiner realizes you are quoting a memorized answer, especially an answer written by someone else.)