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Updated July 3, 2008 

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 18

86.    A Famous Person   (May 12, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

87.    A TV Show   (May 12, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

88.    A Book You Read as a Child   (May 12, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

89.    A Lesson, Class or Training Session   (May 19, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

90.    A Trip You Made   (May 19, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

RETURN TO PART 2 TOPIC INDEX

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86.    A Famous Person   (May 12, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

Describe a famous person in your country.

(Or: Describe a famous person who has helped your country.)

You should say:

who this person is 

what this person did that helped your country

what kind of person he or she is 

               and explain why (or how) this person became famous. *

                                            or

              and explain why you think what this person did for your country was important. *

                                            or

              and explain how this famous person has contributed to history. *

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Possible follow-up questions:

• Does everybody like this person?

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Part 3

Fame

• What are some of the advantages or influence that famous people have?

• Would you like to be famous? (Why?/Why not?) FQ See NOTE

• Do many people want to be famous? FQ

• Do you think it's easy to become famous?

• Do you think it's good to be famous? (Why?/Why not?) FQ

• In general, how do people become famous? FQ

• What kinds of people become famous?

• Do you think, to be famous, a person needs to have some special talent (or ability)?

• What are some general qualities of famous people? Do they have any qualities that are different from ordinary people?  FQ

• Compare how people become celebrities today with how people became celebrities years ago, for example, 30 or 50 years ago. FQ

• Can you give me some examples of celebrities in your grandfather's time (i.e., about 50 years ago)? FQ

• Compare what kinds of people were famous in China in the past (e.g., when your grandfather was young) to the kinds of people who are famous today.  FQ

• In your opinion, were the standards for judging who is famous before better than they are now?

• What about the future - how do you think people will become celebrities in the future? (Hints: Internet/Cellphone movies/As before, great leaders and contributors to human society)

• Do you think famous people (celebrities) have a special duty (responsibility) towards making positive contributions towards society? FQ

• Do you think it is good that famous people such as movie stars or sports stars are used to represent (or speak for the people of) a country? (Why?/Why not?) FQ

• How do you think famous people appearing in advertisements affects children (or, young people)?

• Why are people interested in reading about famous people?

• What benefits do famous people gain from being famous?

• How do you think celebrity status might affect the family members (wife/husband/children) of a celebrity?  FQ

• What do you think might happen if you have a married couple and one of them is famous and the other is not?

• Why do some people (papparazi) invade the privacy of  celebrities by taking photographs of these celebrities?  FQ

• Do you think journalists should be allowed to write stories about the private lives of famous people? (Why?/Why not?)

• Do you think there are people who don't have the ability to become successful?

• Have you ever met a famous person?

People's Attitudes Towards Fame

• Do most people want to be famous? (Why?/Why not/)  FQ

• (Similar to above) Do you think it's good to be famous?

• (Similar to above) What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of being a celebrity?  FQ

• Do you think we should respect the privacy of celebrities?

• Do you think fans should be forbidden from bothering celebrities, for example, forbidden from asking for autographs? (Why?/Why not?)  FQ

• Do young people and old(er) people have the same ideas about who is a famous person?

• Do you think it is good that some young people try to copy the behaviour of some celebrities?

Community Service

Note: This Part 3 topic (or a similar topic) is believed to exist for Topic # 86 but no questions have been reported yet. The following questions are used for Topic 104, Page 21.

• Do you think it is important for people to do (voluntary, unpaid) community service sometimes? (Why?/Why not?) *

• Do many people do this in China? *

• What kinds of people volunteer to do work for their communities? 

• What kinds of people are best suited to working as volunteers?

• In what ways can/do people volunteer to do things to help their community (or country)? * 

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87.  A TV Program   (May 12, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

Describe a television program that you like. *                    

You should say:

what program it is

what the program is about (or, what type of program it is)

when you watch it

(who you usually watch it with) *

what information you get from this program * (possible question)

                    and explain why you like this TV program. *

                                        or

Notes 

• A "TV show" = a "TV program". "TV show" is more American usage but is also used in British English.

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Possible follow-up questions:

• Do your friends (also) watch this program? *

• Do you watch this program with your friends? *

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Part 3

The Role of TV in Society

• Do you like watching TV? (Why?/Why not?)

• Do people in China like watching TV?

• Why do you think TV is so popular? FQ

• What kinds of programs are the most popular (in China)? (Why?) FQ

• Compare the types of TV shows that adults prefer to watch with those that children like to watch.

• Do women and men like to watch the same kinds of TV programs?

• What do you think of currents (or recent) trends in TV programs?

• Do you think TV programs are suitable for everybody to watch?

• Do you like watching debates (discussion programs) on TV? (Why?/Why not?)

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of watching TV for both adults and children? FQ

• What do most adults think about TV?

• (Similar to above) Compare the attitudes of adults and those of children towards TV.

• Do you think it is good for adults to watch TV just to pass the time?

• Do you think it's good for children to watch TV just to pass the time?

• Do you think watching a lot of TV is good for the health?

• Would you say, for adults, watching TV is a good way to relax? FQ

• Why do so many people watch TV to relax?  FQ

• What are some alternative activities that people could do, besides watching TV?

• Some people say watching TV is a waste of time. What do you say?  FQ

• How are TV programs today different to those of the past?  FQx2

• (Similar to above) How have TV programs changed (in China) in the past few years?  FQ

• What do you think are the reasons for these changes? FQ

• How has television affected (or, changed) society? FQ

• (Similar to above) What do you think has been the effect on society of TV? FQ

• Do you think television programs have lowered moral standards in society?

• How do you think TV programs will develop over the next 20 or 30 years?

• Do you think you'll be watching more, or watching less TV in the future?

• Compare watching TV to watching films.

• Do you think it is important to watch the news on TV?

• What are the differences between watching the news on TV and reading the news in a newspaper. FQ

• Do you think TV can ever give viewers a deeper understanding of the news than newspapers? (Hint: 'Seeing is believing')

• Do you think there have been any recent changes in the way items are presented in newspapers?

• In your opinion, should there be government controls (or, limits) on the contents of TV or newspapers? (censorship)

• In China, are there any regulations concerning what can and what cannot be shown on TV news programs?

• Do you think there should be regulations controlling what is shown on TV? 

• (Similar to above) Do you think it is good to have censorship of TV programs?

• To what extent do you think the government should be involved in controlling the media?

• Compare watching TV to using the internet.

• In China, can people watch English language TV programs? FQ

• What do you think of (these) English language TV programs? FQ

• Do you think they are useful to watch? FQ

The Effects of Television on Children

• What kinds of programs do children like to watch?  FQ

• (As a young adult now), do you still watch the same kinds of TV programs that you did when you were a child?

• How do (or can) TV programs influence children?  FQx2 See Note

• What kinds of TV programs are suitable for children to watch?

• Do you think there is too much violence on children? + Is this good for children?

• In what ways can/do TV affect children's development?

• Do you think parents should supervise what their children watch on TV? (Why?/Why not?)  FQx2

• Do you think parents should supervise the amount of time  their children spend watching TV? (Why?/Why not?) FQx2

• How many hours of TV per week (or per day) do you think is appropriate for children?

Advertisements on Television

• How do you feel about advertisements on TV? 

• Do you think there are too many advertisements on TV?

• How could the number of advertisements on TV be reduced?

Alternatives to Television

• Do you get your news mostly from TV news programs or from newspapers?

• Compare getting the news from TV news programs and getting it from newspapers.

• Compare getting the news from TV news programs and getting it from the internet.

• (Similar to above) Compare the quality of TV news with that of the news on the internet.

• Compare watching TV to reading as spare-time activities.

• Do you think family life has suffered or has benefited from the widespread habit of watching a lot of TV? *

• Do you think that TV programs (as we know them today) will disappear in the future? (This question probably referring to the increasing use of the internet.)

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88.    A Book You Enjoyed as a Child  (May 12, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

Describe a book you enjoyed when you were a child. *

You should say:

what the book looked like

(what kind of book it was)

whether it had pictures 

what the book was about

              (whether you read it yourself or whether the book was read to you)

and explain how (why) this book was special to you. *

(Or: explain why you preferred this book to other books.) *

(Or: Explain what you got from this book.) *

See Notes

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Possible follow-up questions:

• Do you still have this book?

• Did you have to read this book at primary school? 

• Did your friends also like this book?

• Is this a popular book in China?

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Part 3

The Importance of Reading

• Why do children like adults reading stories to them? FQ

• (Similar to above) Why do children like listening to stories that are read to them? FQ

• What are the benefits of this?

• Do you think it is better to expose children to reading early or later? (What are the benefits of doing this?)

• Do you think it is better for a child to learn to read at a young age, (such as 3, 4 years old) or later (such as 7 years old)? (Why?) [Note: Learning to read in China is different to learning to read the alphabetic system used in the West !]

• Do you think that people who read a lot (when they are young) will be more successful in future than those who don't read much?

• If a person cannot read, what problems (and disadvantages) will this cause for that person? FQ

• What are some of the main differences between books and films?. FQ

• (Similar to above) Do you prefer reading or watching films? (Why?)

• What can a person learn from reading books from overseas?

• Do you think it's a good idea to learn a foreign language by reading materials such as novels in that language? FQ

• (Similar to above) Do you think reading stories written in a foreign language can help you to learn that language? FQ

Libraries

• Are libraries important? (Why?/Why not?) FQ (The question might be, "Are libraries necessary?")

• (Similar to above) Is it important (or necessary) for towns and cities to have libraries? (Why?/Why not?) FQ

• (Similar to above) How do local (neighbourhood) libraries affect the lives of the people in that neighbourhood? FQ

• What are the purpose of having libraries? (= the functions of libraries) FQ

• What are some differences between borrowing books from a library and buying books? FQ (This question might be referring mainly to the different kinds of books.) 

• (Similar to above) Compare the types of books people usually buy in bookshops with the types of books in libraries. FQ

• How do you think libraries will change in the future? (Hint: internet) FQx2

• How do you think the internet will affect the way people read?

Pictures in Books

• What do you think is the value of having pictures in books?

• Compare reading books and watching movies. Which can you learn more from? How?/Why?

• If a person watches a film that is based on a book and then, after watching the film, reads the book, what differences do you think the person will notice between the film and the book? FQ DIFFICULT QUESTION

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89.    A Lesson, Class or Training Session  (May 19, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

Describe a lesson, class or training session that you enjoyed. 

(Or: Describe a lesson, class or training session that left an impression on you. *)

You should say:

what the teacher and the students did

when & where you had this class 

who the other people in the lesson or training session were

what the contents of the lesson were (or, what you learned in this training session or lesson)

               [Or: explain why this lesson or training session impressed you so much. *

               Or: and explain how you benefited from this lesson or training session *

               Or: and explain why you enjoyed this lesson or training session *  Think about these questions but the wording is probably as above.]

See Note

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Possible follow-up questions:

• Did the other people there feel the same way about this class as you do? *

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Part 3

Children's Education

• Do you think education is important for children?

• Compare the (similarities and) differences between how children learn and how adults learn.

• (Similar to above) Compare the (similarities and) differences between how children and adults learn new skills.

• Compare the different attitudes of children and adults towards learning (or, towards education).

• How do you think a teacher for children (e.g., primary school children) should teach differently to a teacher of adults?

• Why is it especially important for school teachers to make lessons for children interesting and appealing to them?

• Which do you think is better, to encourage a child to study (academic subjects) or to encourage a child to pursue his or her hobby? FQ

• (Similar to above) Do you think children can learn more from school lessons or from pursuing their hobbies and interests? FQ

• What skills and knowledge do you think schools should teach children and what should parents teach?

• Do you think it is good for (high school) students to specialize in one particular area, such as science or is it better for students to have a more general education?

• If a child spends most of his or her time studying or doing homework, how can he or she gain social experience and develop social skills? FQx2

• (Similar to above) Who should have  responsibility for teaching social skills to children - school teachers or parents? FQ

• (Similar to above) How can children's social skills be improved? FQ

• Do you think students in China have enough time to live a balanced life, for example, doing things such as getting exercise or spending time with their friends? FQ

• Do you think that everybody needs to study in their youth in order to have a good life when they are adults?

Education for Old(er) People

• Some people say that age is no barrier to learning. What do you think? FQ

• (Similar to above) How do you feel about the idea of life-long learning? FQ

• (Similar to above) How do you feel about the idea of continuing to attend training sessions and continuing to study job-related materials after one has started working? FQ

• (Similar to above) Do you think it's true that, "It's never too late to learn?" FQ

• Do you think it's necessary (or, useful) for everybody to receive extra education, whether they are working or not?

• Do you think it is reasonable for working people to have to continue learning how to do their job in their spare time?

• Are old(er) people suited to learning new things? ('Older' people might include anyone over the age of, say, 40. 'Old' people is more suitable as a description for people over the age of about 60.)

• Do you think old(er) people should learn about recent developments in science and technology?

• Who should pay for mature age education? (The government, the students or the company if it is work-related?) FQ

• Should old people pay for mature age (recreational) classes? FQ

Educational Methods.

• What do you think about the current education system in China? (How good is it? How could it be improved?) FQ

• What do you think about schools or university having a large number of students in one class? Is it good?

• Do you think Western educational methods and educational methods in China are the same? 

• (Similar to above) What do you think are some of the strengths and weaknesses of these two educational systems? 

• What are the qualities of a good teacher? (or, the skills needed to be a good teacher) FQ

• What kind of teacher do children need to have?

• (Similar to above) What qualities and skills should a good schoolteacher have? FQ

• What are some examples of using modern technology in the classroom? (Hints: Educational videos; lectures in the form of video recordings of previous lectures; video cameras used to project a picture of the blackboard to TV screens spread throughout large lecture theatres; tape recordings used in language classes; overhead projectors; information presented on a screen in the form of Microsoft Powerpoint presentations; teachers giving students photocopied copies of classroom materials; students making tape recordings of lectures; students writing lecture notes onto their laptop computers ... )

• How do you think education will change in the future? (Hint: internet)

• Do students in China use computers at school? What are the advantages of this?

• Compare education via the internet with face-to-face education (in classrooms).

• Do you think computers will ever take the place of teachers?

• What are some things that teachers can do but computers can't do?

• What different kinds of training should be given to different types of people? (Examples of different types of people - male and female; different educational levels; different intelligence levels; physically handicapped & normal; rural & urban; [and different social classes])

• Do you think school fees (primary school and high school) should be eliminated? FQ

• (Similar to above) Do you think all education, including university education, should be free, that is, paid for by the government? (Why?/Why not?) FQ

See also the Part 3 questions for Topic 18, Page 4.

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90.    A Trip You Made  (May 19, 2007)  (Probably no longer used)

Describe an interesting trip (= a journey) that you made (for example, by car, train or plane).

        You should say:

                when and where you went 
                why you went there (= what you saw and did on this trip)
                how you traveled

        and explain how (or why) this trip was interesting.

Notes

• Instead of the word 'interesting', the word, 'unforgettable' might be used.

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Possible follow-up questions:

• Would you like to go there again?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 questions for Topic #32 & Topic #112.

Commuting to Work

• How do you get to (travel to) work?

• How long does it take you to travel to work?

• In some cities in the world, people are trying to move from the (outer) suburbs (or, from just outside the city) into the city. What are the advantages of doing that? (Note: The wording of this question is unclear. Note: In other cities, people are trying to move to live just outside the city.)

• Do you think the amount of traveling people do to get to work has any effect on the local economy?

• In general, how do people in China get to (= travel to) work? FQ

• Do you think this is an efficient use of resources?

• What are the travel conditions like for these people? FQ

• (Similar to above) What difficulties do people in China (or do you) have in travelling to work? FQ

• How could the transportation systems in your city be improved?

• Do you think there should be limits on the number of cars in the city?

• How do you think this could be achieved?

• Do you think this is an infringement on people's freedom?

• Why do so many people have to travel to work each day?  FQ

• Why do some people need to travel such long distances to work? FQ

• What do you think about people having to travel (long distances)  to work everyday?  FQ

• Do you think more people have to do this today than previously? (Why?)  FQ

• How do you traveling (to work) might change in the future?

Working From Home

• Can you think of any examples of people who can work from home (= do not need to travel to work)? Hint: Those who can do their work by using the internet.

• Do you think more people will be able to do this in the future?

• What are the advantages of working at home?

• Are there any (possible) disadvantages of working from home?

International & Domestic Travel

• Do Chinese people like to travel overseas? (Why?/Why not?)

• Why do many people travel abroad?

• Why do many people like traveling abroad?

• What are some of the benefits of international travel?

• (Similar to above) What can we learn when we travel internationally?

• Compare travelling internationally and travelling within China.

• What are the transportation conditions in China like?

• How does international travel influence the economy of countries (or, a country)?  FQ

• After someone returns from traveling overseas, what effects can they have on their home country? FQ

• (Similar to above) After people who have traveled/lived overseas come back to their home country, what kinds of things (knowledge, skills, ideas & attitudes etc.) can they bring back to their home country? FQ

• How can these new ideas, skills etc. benefit their home country? *

• What are some of the problems that people can have when they travel (including domestic travel)? FQ

• What are some of the problems that could occur when one travels overseas?  FQ

• If a Chinese family migrates to a different country such as Canada or Australia, do the think the education of the children will be a problem? FQ

• Who do you think is better able to adapt to a new environment in a new country, the parents or the children? (Why?)

• What do you think of foreign cultures?

• Do you plan to travel overseas? (If yes, where?) FQ

• What challenges (besides language differences) do you think you will face when you go overseas? 

• Are there any places in China that you would like to travel to? (Which places? Why?) [This means, places you haven't been to yet.]

Tourism

• How often do people in China go on a trip as tourists?

• Why do people like to travel to different places (or, new places)? FQ

• Why do people like to explore new places?

• Can you think of any places that humans have not yet explored very much? * (Hints: outer space; the ocean floors ...)

• What are the benefits (to a nation) of tourism?

• (Similar to above) How does tourism affect the economy of the tourist destination place (or country)?  FQ

• Are there any possible disadvantages that come from tourism to a particular place?

• How do people get information about tours and travel destinations?

• Is there much information about these on the internet?  FQ

• Compare the value of traveling to new places for children and for adults. FQ

• Compare the advantages & disadvantages of going on long trips to the advantages & disadvantages of short trips.

• Many foreigners visit China as tourists. What benefits does this bring to China?

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