Page 24

ielts-yasi.englishlab.net

Updated Oct. 14, 2008

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

Page 24

116. A Family Event (Aug. 11, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

117. A Cafe or Restaurant (Sep. 1, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

118. An Artistic Activity (Sep. 1, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

119. No Topic

120. A Person You Would Like to be Similar to (Sep. 1, 2007) (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

* = I am not sure of the words here.

***********************************************************************

116. A Family Event (Aug. 11, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

Describe an enjoyable family event (such as a birthday party or family dinner) that you attended.

You should say:

where and when this event took place

what you did (or, what happened at this event)

who was there at this event (or, who participated in this event)

and explain why this event was enjoyable.

Notes

Instead of the word 'enjoyable', the word 'important' might be used.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possible follow-up questions:

Do you have any photographs of this event? *
Does your family often do this? *

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 3

Weddings

Have you ever been to a wedding celebration? FQ (Note: a wedding celebration is not the same as a wedding ceremony) See NOTE
What happens at a wedding celebration in China? (= What special activities do people do at wedding celebrations in China?) FQ
Do people eat, drink and dance at wedding celebrations in China?
Why are wedding celebrations important? *
Why do many people spend a lot of money on wedding celebrations? FQx2
(Similar to above) Do you think (most) people spend too much on weddings? FQx2 ("Too much" means "an excessive amount" or "an unreasonably large amount".)
Why do you think people spend a lot of money on their wedding?
Do you think it is important to spend a lot of money on wedding celebrations?
Compare the advantages of small wedding celebrations and large wedding celebrations.
What would be the ideal wedding celebration for you?
Compare modern weddings in China with traditional Chinese weddings (i.e., weddings many years ago). FQx2
Which would you prefer, a modern-style wedding or a traditional-style wedding? Why?
Do you know of any differences between weddings in China and those in the West (=overseas)? DIFFICULT QUESTION See NOTE
Do people in your country get married in a church? See NOTE

Married Life

Do you hope to/plan to get married one day? (Why?/Why not?)
At what age can people legally get married in China? * (i.e., the minimum legal age)
What factors do people (or you) consider are important (or necessary) when choosing who to marry?
Do you think it's important for people to be in love with each other before they get married?
In Chinese families, do men and women share the housework equally?
Do you think they should do that?
What is the role of the wife (or mother) in Chinese families?
Who do you think should be more responsible for the education of children in the home (or, the upbringing of the children), the father or the mother?
Do you think one's marriage is more important than one's career? *

Maintaining a Sense of Family

Can you think of any other important family events in China, besides weddings? (Hints: Certain religious events if the family follows a religion; birthdays; family reunions; funerals (not a happy event) ...) FQ
Have you ever attended a family event in someone else's family?
Do you like family reunions?
What do you think are the benefits of family reunions?
Do you think spending money on traveling, as a family, is a waste of time or is it useful?
Do you think family is important?
In general, how important are special family events, compared with public events (i.e., events for the whole of society)? DIFFICULT QUESTION
In China, are family events considered more important than community (public) events? *
(Similar to above) Do you think strong families are important for society? FQ
(Similar to above) How do you think maintaining the integrity of the family benefits society? FQ
Do you think people's ideas about (the importance of) family have changed in recent years?
(Similar to above) Have there been any changes to typical family gatherings in China in the past few decades?
Do you think society as a whole (esp. the government) has a responsibility towards maintaining the strength of the institution of 'the family'? Why? FQ
How do you think this could be achieved? FQ

***********************************************************************

117. A Cafe or Restaurant (Sep. 1, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

Describe cafe or restaurant that you know.

        You should say:

                where it is *

                how often you go there

                what kind of food they serve there (or, what service they provide)

                who you usually go there with


       and explain why you like to eat at this place. *

                              or

      and explain why you choose to eat at this place. *

Notes:

A "cafe" is a small, cheap and informal restaurant. It does not mean the same as "coffee shop" (咖啡馆), so it is unsuitable to talk about Starbucks. The word, 'cafeteria' (自助食堂) is sometimes used to mean a 'cafe' but usually 'cafeteria' means the kind of eating place that you find at a school, university, hospital, factory etc. Your school cafeteria would be a suitable place to talk about but you should call it a "cafeteria", not a "cafe" or a "restaurant".

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possible follow-up questions:

Do you think other people would like to go to this restaurant?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 3

Diet and Health

Do you think there is any connection between food and health?
What kinds of food are most popular in China?
Do you think the most delicious food is also the most nutritious?
Do you think that the most popular food is also the most nutritious food?
Is Chinese food very nutritious?
What foods are most nutritious and what food are not very nutritious? FQ
Do you think that people should eat more healthy food?
Are there many vegetarians in China?
Why do you think they don't eat meat? *
Do you think it is good that there is so much food readily available in shops, restaurants and other places like that?
In China, have people's eating habits changed much in the past few years?
Besides Chinese food, what other kinds of food do you know about?
Is Western food very popular in China?
Why do you think food such as pizza is popular?
Why do children like Western style fast food?
Do you think advertising has an effect on what foods people eat? FQ
Do you think that junk food should be banned? FQx2
(Possibly the above questions is: Do you think the advertising of junk food should be banned? Or: Do you think the advertising of junk food should be better regulated?)
Compared to several years ago, do you think there has been a change in people's attitudes towards healthy eating?
Who should be responsible for educating the public about correct nutrition - schools, the government or parents?
What measures should be taken to increase public awareness of proper nutrition? FQ

Technology and Food Production

How has technology changed the food production process?
Do you think the government should be concerned with food production and the sale of food?

Restaurants & the Food they Serve

Are there many restaurants near your home/school/university/work? FQ
What (different) types of restaurants are there in your hometown? FQ
What kinds of eating places are there at your school/university?
Does Chinese families often go to a restaurant to eat?
What are the most popular kinds of restaurant in China today?
How have restaurants in China changed in the last few (e.g. 20) years?
What are some of the factors that make a restaurant a good one? FQx2
(Similar to above) What makes a restaurant a famous one (or a popular one)? FQ
(Similar to above) If you had your own cafe, how would you run it?
Is foreign food (international food) very popular in China?
(Similar to above) Are there any restaurants serving foreign food in your hometown?
Why do you think some people like the food from a particular country?
Does the food in the restaurant you just talked about (in Part 2) taste different to Western food? (Compare the two) FQ
How is restaurant food different to home cooking?
Do you think multi-national restaurant companies such as KFC are changing the food culture of China?
What personal qualities (and skills) are necessary for working in a restaurant?
Do you think the spread of such restaurants is a good thing?
In China, what is the social significance of eating out with others? (i.e., eating in restaurants with others)
(Similar to above) In Chinese culture, what are some examples of important occasions when people eat together in restaurants?
(Similar to above) What are some different reasons why people (not family members) eat together in a restaurant?
Is it important in Chinese culture to eat (out) with other people? ('Eat out' means to eat at a place such as a restaurant, out of your home.) FQ
There is a lot of leftover food in restaurants. What do you think is the best way to dispose of this food?
Do people in China often go to coffee shops?

***********************************************************************

118. An Artistic Activity (Sep. 1, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

Describe an artistic activity that you do/did (outside of normal classes) at school or university (such as painting, woodwork or pottery)*

        You should say:

                what the activity is/was

                when & where you do/did this activity

                who you do/this activity with

                how you did this activity


       and explain how you felt (feel) about his activity.

See Notes

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possible follow-up questions:

Do you still do this activity? *
Are you still interested in this activity? *

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 3

School

In what ways do you think teaching methods could be changed in order to make classes more active? (or, more interesting)

The Cultural Value of Handicrafts

[See also these questions from Topic #9, Part 3]

Are any handicrafts part of traditional Chinese culture?
Do you think traditional handicrafts are still important?
Do you think traditional handicrafts are a form of art?
Do foreign tourists like to buy traditional handicrafts in places they visit? (Why?) FQ
Are young people today very interested in traditional handicrafts?
Are young people today willing to learn these traditional handicrafts or does everyone want to learn modern skills?
Do you think it's important to keep these traditional handicraft skills alive by having young people learn them?
Do you think the government has a responsibility to help ensure that traditional arts and craft skills do not become extinct?
In this modern age, do you think manual arts classes, such as woodwork, have any value?

Handicrafts in China

What handicrafts are most popular with people in China?
What handicrafts are most common in China?
What kinds of people like handicrafts in China? Why?
Do you know how to create any traditional Chinese handicrafts?
What traditional handicrafts do (some) Chinese people still know how to make? See NOTE
How did they learn this skill?
Do you have any friends who have learned a traditional Chinese handicraft?
What is/was their reason for learning that?

Handicrafts as Gifts

Have you ever made anything by hand?
Do you think that something you made yourself could be a suitable gift to give someone? FQ
What feeling to people get when they receive a gift that was personally made by the gift-giver? FQ
What kinds of things do Chinese people make themselves and give as presents to others? (Hint: School students often make greetings cards, e.g., birthday cards, to give to others.)

***********************************************************************

119. No Topic

***********************************************************************

120. A Person You Would Like to be Similar to (Sep. 1, 2007) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a person who you would like to be similar to in the future.

        You should say:

                who this person is

                how you know this person

                what impresses you about this person


       and explain why you would like to be similar to this person. *

                                    or

      and explain in what ways you would like to be similar to this person. *

Notes

If the first line of this task card does not say, 'a person you know', then 'how you know this person', does not mean that you necessarily know this person personally. (For example, the person could be dead or a movie star or a sports star.)
A few people have reported on the internet that this topic is, "Describe a person who you are similar to." This is possible but I think this is not the topic, in this case. (It was a topic in the past.)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Possible follow-up questions:

Do you think you are similar to him/her now?
Do other people also want to be similar to this person?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part 3

Heroes and Role Models

What kinds of people do children (or young people) in China want to be similar to when they grow up?
(Similar to above) Who are some of the most famous 'heroes' or role models that young people (or, children) in China like? FQ
How (or why) do popular stars such as sports stars or pop singers become role models for young people (or children)?
Do you think it is good for children and young people to use entertainment stars as role models? FQ
Do you think it's good for children to have heroes, people who they idolize?
When you were a child, what type of person did you want to become?
What are some of the (possible) disadvantages of this kind of hero worship? (Hint: Possible disillusionment if the hero turns out to be a person with some faults, i.e., an imperfect person.)
How do you think teachers or parents should balance the influence of heroes in children's lives? (Hint: a) By becoming ideal role models themselves and b) By explaining that these heroes are humans who are not perfect.)
Do you think it is best for children to use their own parents as role models?
Why do some companies advertise products by using famous people? FQ
Do you think this is good? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think this has a good effect on children (and young people)? FQ
Do you think famous people who appear in advertisements have any special responsibilities towards society? FQ
Compare the heroes of young people several years ago (e.g., 20 to 50 years ago) to the heroes of young people today.
Do you personally know any famous people or any members of a famous person's family? ("Personally know" means you have met them & spoken to them and they know you.) (Say how you know them/where you met them.)
There are many famous film stars and sports stars but very few famous scientists. Why do you that is the case?

Child-Rearing/Child Welfare

See also the questions under the topic, "Factors that Influence the Development of Young People & Children" for Topic # 103.

How do parents (or whoever looks after a child) influence the development of that child?
Are there any habits that parents have that could negatively affect their children?
Should parents always make decisions for children?
Do you think it's important for children to learn to think independently?
How is the way children are brought up today in China different to when your parents were young? FQ (Hints: Single-child families ... spoilt children ... more attention for children ...more divorced parents ... better standard of living ... TV & internet ... China's "opening up" to the outside world ...)
Do you think the way children today are brought up is better than in your parents' time?
Do you think it's a good idea to have special training schools for kids to go to after school in order to improve their grades?
(Similar to above) In your opinion, at what age can people be considered to be 'grown up? FQ
(Similar to above) In your opinion, at what age do young people become independent of their parents? FQ
What can the government do to improve the welfare of children?

**********************************************************************