Page 165

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Written Jun 11, 2018

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 165

821. A Happy Purchase (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

822. An Interesting Foreigner (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

823. How You Stay Healthy (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

824. A Knowledgeable Person (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

835. A Leisure Facility in Your Hometown (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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821. A Happy Purchase (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Modified copy of Topic 688

Describe a product you (recently) bought that you were (or, are) happy with. *

You should say:

what you bought

how you bought it

why you bought it

and explain why you were (or are) happy with it.

Notes

It is not certain that the word, "recently" is included in the first line, although it probably is. If it is used, the meaning of "recently" can be understood to mean, "within the past year or so". If "recently" is used then the card wants you to speak about something you bought as a young adult, not something you bought when you were a child.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Have you recommended that product to anyone else?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 of Topic 688

Shopping in Your Country

Do you like shopping?
What do you think of people who don't (particularly) like shopping?
Would you say there are differences between men and woman when it comes to shopping? FQ
Do you shop a lot?
What do you usually buy?
(Similar to above) What sorts of things do people typically (or usually) buy when they go shopping? FQ
Why do people go shopping? FQ

How often do people in your country go shopping? FQ

Can you explain why some people spend a lot of time shopping? FQ

Where do people in your country go for shopping? FQ
What are some differences between shopping today and shopping in the past (e.g., 30 years ago)?
Why do so many people buy things online today?
Do you think online shopping will one day replace shopping in "real shops"?
What do you think of people who don't like shopping online?
What are the differences between supermarkets and (typical, older-style, smaller) shops on the street? FQx2
What are the differences between supermarkets and street stalls? See Note 1
Many elderly people prefer to go to the morning market to do their everyday shopping. Why do you think they go there?
Why don't they just buy their food directly from the farmer?
Why do some people want to bargain when they go shopping?

The Quality of Products

Would you say the quality of products today is better than it was in the past? FQ
Would you say the quality of clothes has deteriorated, or improved over the years? FQ
Do you think the quality of products from big manufacturers is different to the quality of products from small companies?
Do you think there's much difference between the quality of products online and the quality of products in "real shops"?
Have you ever been disappointed after you bought something online?
What would you do if you were disappointed with something you had bought online?

Consumerism

Do you think people are generally shopping more today than they did in the past (e.g., 30 years ago)?
Can you explain why so many people are buying electronic products (e.g., smartphones) today?
Nowadays, when something breaks, do most people prefer to fix it or do they prefer to buy a new one?
Do you think consumerism is a good thing?

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822. An Interesting Foreigner (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe an interesting person you know (or know about) from another country. *

You should say:

who they are (= he or she is)

how you know )or know about) them

what they look like (or, what sort of person they are)

and explain why you think this this person is interesting.

Notes

Remember, if something is "interesting" it causes you to think; it does not primarily appeal to your emotions. For this topic, "an interesting person" is someone who is somewhat unique or even unusual, (which comes from comparing this person to other people, which is a "rational thinking process", not a "feeling process"). The person might cause you to be curious about something such as, "How did he achieve what he did at such a young age?" or any number of other questions. Choosing to talk about someone such as your favourite NBA basketball player in the USA might not always be the best choice because "favourite" is more related to your emotions than your rational brain.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Have you told others about this friend?
Have you ever met anyone like that (before)?

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Part 3

See also any related questions in the Part 3 of 49. Meeting Someone Who Spoke A Different Language, 280. Someone Who Spoke a Foreign Language & 245. A Famous Foreign Person

Going Abroad

Preparations Before Traveling Abroad

Why do people from your country go abroad?

Do you think preparation is necessary before travelling or living abroad? FQ

What preparations do people need to make before going abroad? FQ

Would you say it's important to know about a country before going there?

What sorts of things do you need to know?

Would you say it's important to know about a country's culture before going there? FQ

How would you say the culture of your country is different to that of other countries?

Do you have any foreign friends? FQ

Do you like making friends with foreigners?

Do you think making friends with foreigners a good way to learn about foreign cultures? FQ

(Similar to above) Do you think making a foreign friend a good way to learn about a country?

What do you think are the benefits of talking with a foreigner to learn about that person's country?

If someone doesn't have any foreign friends, what else can they do to learn about a foreign country? FQ

Will you search for information about a foreign country before you go there?

Foreign Tourism

Do you think visiting another country as a tourist is good for young people?
What sorts of difficulties might someone encounter while visiting another country? FQ
What would you say is the difference between being a tourist and living abroad for a long time? FQ
What are the differences between the benefits you can get as a tourist and the benefits you can get from living overseas for a while?

Living and Studying Abroad

What are the benefits of studying in a foreign country?
What sorts of difficulties do people encounter while living in another country? FQ
What changes do people have to make when they live in another country?
How can someone adjust to the cultural differences when they live in another country? *
Do you think it would be a good idea to first visit a place as a tourist before going there to live as as student? *

Multinational Companies

Which multinational companies are famous in your country?

Do you think the products or services of that company (or those companies) are better than those from your domestic companies (or, from your own country)?

What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of working in an international company? FQ

(Slightly different to above) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of working in an international company in another country?

(Different to above; more general) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a company in another country?

International Relations

What are some ways in which countries can (and do) co-operate with each other? FQ

What can prevent (or hinder) countries from working together? FQ

Do you think international sports events improve relationships between countries? FQ

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823. How You Stay Healthy (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Copy of Topic 485

Describe something you do to (help you) stay healthy.

You should say:

        what you do

        when you started doing this

        how much time you spend doing this (or, how often you do this)

and explain what benefits you get from this activity.

                        or

and explain how this activity helps you stay healthy.

This topic has been used many times over the years. However it is possible that sometimes the word, "fit" is used instead of "healthy".

They both mean more or less the same thing, but being "fit" is related more to how well you can do something using the (muscles of the) body, such as how fast you are, how strong you are, how much endurance you have and how flexible your body is. On the other hand, being "healthy" just means, "in good health" = "not ill" and is more related to the state of your whole body, not just your musculature and those organs important for endurance such as the heart and lungs.

Exceptionally good health, maintained over many years, tends to lead to a long life. However although a person, especially a woman, who cannot run or swim very fast or for a long time, or who cannot lift heavy weights might be described as "not very fit", such a person might still be in perfect health and might live to be an old age.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Have you told your friends about this way of staying healthy?

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Part 3

See also any relevant questions at:

485.  Something You Do to Stay Healthy,       654.  An Activity You Do that Keeps You Fit

717.  An Activity You Do for Health or Fitness,      184.   A Healthy Habit

585.  A Healthy Activity,       262.  Something Healthy You Would Recommend,

309.  A Lifestyle Change to Improve Your Health or Fitness,      350.  Someone You Know Who Has a Healthy Lifestyle

668.  An Article You Read about Health

Ways to Stay Healthy

How do people in your country keep healthy? FQ
Do you think it's important (to maintain one's health)? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think good health is important? FQ
What are some things that people do that damage their health?
How do you deal with stress?
Are there any differences between men and women when it comes to keeping healthy? FQ
Do you think men and women have different reasons for wanting to stay healthy?
How do 30-50 year-old people keep healthy? FQ
What do the elderly do to keep healthy?

Do young people (or, teenagers) pay attention to maintaining good health? FQ

(Slightly different to above) Should young people (or, teenagers) pay attention to maintaining good health? FQ

Do you think older people are more inclined to pay attention to their health than young people?
(Slightly different to above) Should older people pay more attention to their health than young people?
Are there any other ways to keep healthy apart from sports? FQ

Would you say a lot of exercise is the most important way for maintaining health?

Which do you think is more important for health, healthy eating or exercise?

Do you think getting adequate sleep is necessary for good health? FQ

Do many people nowadays prefer meditation or yoga as a way to say healthy?

Children

How do schools help their students to stay healthy? FQ

Do schools encourage children to exercise at school? FQ

What forms of exercise do children do at school?

How can children (and young people) be encouraged to avoid eating junk food and eat more healthy food such as fruit? FQ

Do you think parents should encourage their children to play sports (or, a sport)? See Note 6

Sports

Do people in your country play sport very much? FQ
What sports do they play? FQ
How does playing sport benefit a person's health?
Have there been any changes in the past few decades in the sports (or physical activities, or exercise) that people do?
What are the differences between the sports that men and women play? FQ
What's the difference between the sports that the elderly (or, older people such as the middle-aged) play, and the sports that young people play?
Who do you think are doing more physical activities to keep themselves fit, young people or older people? See Note 2

Educating People About Healthy Living

Schools

Do you think children need to be taught how to keep healthy? FQ
(Similar to above) Should schools educate students about healthy living? FQ
Do schools in your country teach students about healthy living? FQ

Government

Does your country have anything similar to advertisements about healthy living (or, maintaining health)? FQ

In your society do you think the government is responsible for educating people about a healthy life style? FQ

(Similar to above) Do you think it's a responsibility of government to educate people about a healthy life style? FQ

(Not exactly the same as above) Do you think it's the government's responsibility, or an individual's responsibility to keep themselves healthy? FQ

Should the government be responsible for people's health? See Note 5

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824. A Knowledgeable Person (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a person who knows a lot (in one particular area) and who taught you something. *

You should say:

who they are

what area they know about

what they taught you

and explain why you think they know a lot.

Notes

This seems to be a new topic, one never used before.
"They" is a way to say or write, "he or she". Of course, this is asking about one person only, not more than one.
It seems this topic is looking for an example from your life such as a teacher or university lecturer, but it could also be a knowledgeable person who is not a formal (qualified) teacher or university lecturer.
The fist line might be this - "Describe a person who knows a lot in one area and who taught you something" or, "Describe a person who knows a lot in a particular area and who taught you something". The question of specialization is in Part 3 but it is also probably included in this Part 2.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Would you like to learn more from him/her?

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Part 3

See also any related questions at:

214.  An Intelligent Person      534.  An Intelligent Person     224.  A Skill You Recently Learned

325.  Something You Recently Learned          154.  Something You Would Like to Learn

803. A Clever Solution

Knowledge

Would you prefer to be a person who knows something (but not a lot) about a wide range of subjects, or an expert in just one field? FQ
(Similar to above) Which do you think is better, to be a person who knows something about a lot of subjects, or an expert in just one field? FQ
Can you suggest why the media places so much emphasis on science?

Learning

Which is better for you, to learn at home, or at school?
How important are teachers in the learning process? FQ
(Similar to above) Do we really need teachers? FQ
What are the differences between self-learning and learning with somebody’s guidance?
Do you think people usually learn more from teachers, or by self-study? *
If someone has no teacher, do you think they can still learn?
How can children learn things without a teacher?

Do you think people need to learn how to learn?

How can they do that?

Do you think group study is better than individual study? FQ
(Similar to above) What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of learning in a group as opposed to learning by oneself? FQ
Why do so many students go to the library alone? FQ
(Similar to above) Why do some people like to study on their own? FQ

Learning Using Computers & The Internet See Note 3

What sorts of things can we do on the internet?
What are the benefits of this?
Are there benefits for children from going online?
Do we need coaches (or guidance) to get knowledge (or, information) from the internet?
Do you think all information on the internet is trustworthy? FQ
How can people get reliable information on the internet? FQ
Do you think people can study (or learn) by using a computer?
Which do you think is better, getting information from the internet, or from paper books?
Which do you think is better, learning from (or studying on) the internet, or by using textbooks?
What would you say are the benefits of "e-learning" (learning on a computer)?
Do you think the internet will eventually replace paper textbooks (or, books)? FQ

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835. A Leisure Facility in Your Hometown (Sep. 2017) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a leisure facility you would like to have in your hometown. *

You should say:

what it is (or would be)

what types of people would use it

what people would do there

and explain why you would like to have this facility in your hometown.

Notes

There are some indications that the real wording is, "a leisure facility you would like to have in your hometown" not, "a leisure facility you have in your hometown". If that is correct, then, of course, talk about a leisure facility that you don't yet have in your hometown.

But since there's not a lot of information available, there is still the possibility that this topic says, "Describe a leisure facility you have in your hometown", which would be.a repeat of Topic 326 or Topic 26, more or less.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you think you will (ever) have this facility in your hometown?

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Part 3

See also any relevant questions at the Part 3 of: Topics 326, 26, 202 & 42

Entertainment & Leisure See Note 4

What sorts of recreational (or entertainment or leisure) activities do university students (in your country) prefer? FQ
(Similar to above) What do young people in your country do for fun? FQ See Note 7
What are the differences between the forms of entertainment that young people like and those that older (e.g. middle-aged) people like? FQ
When you are older, will you do that?
Where do retired people go for leisure (or entertainment)?
Do you think people change their entertainment preferences as they grow older?
Do males and females generally do the same leisure activities? FQ
Do primary school and high school students all like the same recreational (or entertainment, or leisure) activities?
Do you think it's important for people to have leisure time? FQ

Recreational & Entertainment Facilities

What are some examples of leisure facilities that you have in your country?
In the future, do you think entertainment will be more based in the home (than it is now), or more based on going out?

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Note 1

A "street stall" is a small, temporary structure that is set up on (= the side of) a street for selling something. It's not the same as a "shop on the street", which is in a building. When several street stalls are set up close together on the same street, that is called a "street market". Sometimes street markets are set up in the middle of the street, in which case the street is closed to traffic, and this might be a permanent situation, especially in popular tourist locations.

Note 2

Who do you think are doing more physical activities to keep themselves fit, young people or older people?

The correct answer for a question that is worded this way is probably older people. Why? The key to understanding the question is the words, "to keep themselves fit". This is referring to the intention or purpose of doing the physical activities. It's true that young people (e.g., aged 15 to 30) are usually more physically active than people older than that but most young people are doing these activities because they simply love the activity and are having fun. An example of that is a bunch of 18-year-old boys playing basketball. Most of them would not be doing that primarily with the intention of keeping fit. But if you see a 50-year-old or a 70-year-old doing some physical activity such as playing badminton in the park, they might be having fun but primarily they are doing it with the intention of keeping fit.

Note 3

A couple of points on this sub-topic:

a) Not all learning "using a computer" is done on the internet. People can learn using educational software (e.g., a CD) that is loaded into a computer without being connected to the internet.

b) Not all learning on the internet for example, by reading webpages, viewing videos or listening to audio recordings, is done without teachers. Very often people are learning (or studying something) by using the internet to connect in "real time" to teachers or tutors who are far away, such as on Skype or Wechat, or connecting to them by email.

Note 4

The three words, "entertainment", "recreation" and "leisure" each have their own meaning, although there is some overlap (intersection) between them. See here for notes on the word, "entertainment".

The word, "to relax" is also related to those three words but "to relax" has two somewhat different meanings. The first meaning is to "to rest" or "to relax the muscles of the body". For example, if you are doing something physically strenuous and then sit down or lie down to rest, you are "relaxing".

The second meaning is something like "to do something enjoyable that is a break from working". This usage is loose and not very accurate but it is still used this way. For example, a bunch of boys who take a break from studying to play a little basketball are certainly doing something that is physically strenuous but someone might ask, "Why aren't they studying?" and another person might answer, "Well, they were studying before but they're relaxing for a little while now." That means they are relaxing the brain from the strenuous mental activity (the work) of studying. See here for words related to "relaxing".

Note 5

Should the government be responsible for people's health?

This question is quite different to the questions about government educating people about a healthy lifestyle.

"People's health" includes healthcare, such as hospitals and doctors. Many countries have free or almost free healthcare but for some people in the West, such as in Britain & the USA, government-funded healthcare is an example of "socialism" and they oppose it. Usually the people who oppose it are wealthy people who object to having the high taxes they pay to the government being used to pay for free or almost free healthcare for those people who are not so wealthy. These wealthy people want to pay less tax and, in addition, they want all, or almost all, government services to be privatized because it is they, the wealthy people, who would then own or invest in the private companies that would provide these privatized services, for a profit.

Note 6

Know the difference between "sport" and "(physical) exercise".

Note 7

Know the difference between "fun" and "funny".