Updated Jun. 12, 2007
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IELTS Part 2 and
Part 3 Topics and Questions
Page 4¡¡
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Describe
an item of furniture, either modern or traditional.
You should say:
what material it is made of
what style it is
(modern or traditional)
who bought it (or, who chose to buy it)
and explain (how or) why this piece of furniture was bought. (Or, explain
how this piece of furniture is used.)
¡¡
The
topic above seems to be the one in current use.
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Alternatively,
this topic could be:
Describe
an item of furniture in your house. (The wording might include "that you use
often")
You should say:
what it is
where it is
what it looks like
and explain how or why you use it. *
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Part
3
Buying Furniture
- Do you like to go shopping
for furniture?
- What
style of furniture do you prefer?
- When (in what situations) do
people in China buy furniture? FQ
- What do they usually buy?
- Do people consider for a
long time before they decide what furniture to buy?
- How do people decide what
furniture to buy for the home or office? (What factors do they consider?)
(Comfort? Style? ...) FQ
- In Chinese families, who usually decides what furniture to buy for
the home? FQ
- How has buying furniture in
China changed in the past few years?
- Do
people in China like to occasionally change the furniture in their home?
(Why?/When?/Why not?)
- Why do people in China
prefer to buy furniture rather than second-hand furniture (even when the
second-hand furniture is in excellent condition)?
- How do modern Chinese people
decorate their houses? FQ
Furniture Design
- Has the style of furniture
('furniture fashions') in Chinese people's homes changed in recent years?
- What's your opinion about
modern furniture and home decoration fashions?
- Do people in China prefer traditional or modern styles of
furniture?
- What factors should a
furniture designer consider when designing a piece of furniture?
- What are the qualities of a
good furniture designer?
- Compare office furniture and
home furniture. FQ
(Of these), which type of furniture do you prefer? (Why?)
- If you had an office, what
furniture would you like to have in it?
- Compare furniture that is
for public use with furniture that is for (private) home use.
- How
do you think furniture will change in the future?
Housing
- What different kinds of housing are there in China?
- How do people decide on the
kind of housing they choose to live in? (What factors?)
- For most Chinese people, what is an ideal house?
- How has housing changed in China, compared to the past?
- How will housing change in the future?
- What
are the qualities of a good architect? *
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Describe
a practical skill that you have (such as driving a car, speaking a foreign
language, cooking etc).
You should say:
what this skill is
who taught you this skill; (how and when you learned it)
how long you learned this skill
(when you use this skill *)
and explain how this skill is useful to you.
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Possible
follow-up question:
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Part
3
Skills Training
- Do
you think it's important to have practical skills such as cooking?
- Compare the importance of practical skills and academic skills.
(advantages & disadvantages of each) FQ
Note:
'Academic skills' means something like 'theoretical
knowledge' or 'skills involving reading and writing' or 'problem-solving
skills involving theory rather than skills that are used in everyday, non-work
situations'.
- How can people learn practical skills?
(= What's the best way to learn a practical skill?) FQ
- Are there any skills that some people cannot learn? (I.e., are
there any skills that require a special talent that only some people have?) FQ
- Would
you agree that (= do you think that) everyone has a special talent?
- Do
you have any special talent (skill) that you think other people don't have?
- Do
you think that geniuses are born like that or are they the result of their
childhood environment?
Children/young
people and practical skills
- What practical skills do
children learn at school in China? FQ
- Who do you think should be
responsible for teaching practical skills to children, their parents or
their teachers?
- Who should be responsible for
the education of children?
- Do you think children should
learn some practical skills at school? (Why? Which skills?/ Why not?) FQ
- How useful are the skills
that children learn in school? (= How useful will these skills be to the
children after they leave school?)
- Do children learn
things (practical
skills) in the same way that adults do? FQ
- Besides academic and
practical skills, what skills are popular to learn (= fashionable) today among children and
young people in China? (Hints: a) artistic skills such as playing the piano;
b) popular culture skills such as break dancing, singing pop songs; c) martial arts and sports)
- Are
children and young people in China very interested in learning any
traditional Chinese skills?*
Mature age
education
- What do you think are the advantages or disadvantages of lifelong
study?
- Do
you think lifelong learning is a good idea?
- Do you think it¡¯s useful for old people to attend classes to
further their education?
- What kinds of classes exist in China for old people?
- What are some different reasons why adults might attend classes? FQ
- Do
you think that the study methods are the same for school students and adults
attending adult education classes?
- Who
do you think should pay for adult education - the government, the student or
the company (if it is a work-related course) ?
Note1:
It is not clear what verb tense is used in this question.
Note2: There seems to be two
different possible versions of this question.
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Describe
an evening class (or a class or course in school or
university) that you studied (or are studying now).
You
should say:
what this class or course was (or is)
how long you studied (or have been studying) this class or course
why you studied (or are studying) this class or course
and explain how useful this class was (or is) towards your future goals.
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Describe
a short-term course or class that you took (= studied).
You should say:
what this class or course was
how long you attended this course or class
where you took this course or class
and explain how you felt about the course or class.
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Part
3
Education
- Do you like studying? (=being
a student) (Why?/Why not?)
- What
other courses have you studied?
- What subjects do people in
China most prefer to study? (Why?) FQ
What is the value of studying this
(these) subject(s)?
- What do you think is the
value of education? In what ways does
the education of people affect the whole society? FQ
- Compare
the value of knowledge gained from books (and classes) to knowledge gained
from practical experience in the workplace. FQ
- At
present, university education in China concentrates on theoretical (book
& classroom) study. What do you think of this? Is it the ideal method of
education?
- What
changes would you like to see in high school (university?) education in
China? FQ
- Do you think it¡¯s a good
idea to have classes without examinations? (Why?/Why not?)
- Do you think private schools are a good idea?
- How has education changed in recent years in China?
- How do you think education will change in the future?
FQ
- What
forms of adult education exist in China? *
- What
is the value of adult education? *
Teachers
- What do you think are the
functions of teachers?
- What are the
responsibilities of teachers?
- If
a student does not do well at school, do you think that is the fault (the
responsibility) of the teacher?
- Should
teachers pay more attention to those students who are most capable of
learning (= the smart students) or should they pay more attention to those
who seem to be poor students (= the less intelligent students)? *
- Is teaching a popular
profession in China? (= Do many people in China want to work as teachers?)
(Why?/Why not?) FQ
- What do people in China
think of teachers? FQ
- (As
above) Do teachers have high status in China? FQ
- Would you like to be a
teacher? (Would you like to work as a teacher?)
- How do the teachers at your school or university relate to the
students?
- What are the qualities of a good teacher or university lecturer?
- Do
you think a good teacher needs to be very strict?
- (As
above) In what ways can a very strict teacher affect his or her students?
Education
and work
- What specializations are available at your university?
- Why do graduates in some
specializations find work more easily than graduates with other
specializations?
- Do you plan to further your
education after you graduate?
- What
forms of adult education exist in China? *
- Do
you think adult education is important? (= What
is the value of adult education?)
19. An
Interesting Or Unusual Thing You Did Recently (May
27, 2006) (Probably no longer used)
Describe
an interesting or unusual thing you did recently (in your free time).
You
should say:
what you did
when and where you did it
who you did it with
and explain why you think it was interesting or unusual.
or
and explain why you wanted to do that.
or
and explain the results of this interesting or unusual activity.
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Part
3
Work/Leisure
Time
- How do people in China spend
their leisure time, for example, after school, after work or on weekends? FQ
- Compare how adults spend
their leisure time with how children spend their leisure time.
- What kinds of things do
families in China do together in their leisure time?
- Would you say that people have
enough leisure time today? FQ
- How do you think science and
technology has changed people's lives in China in the past few years?
- Has the amount of leisure
time that people have (in China) changed in recent years? (= Do people have
more free time today than they did years ago?) Do you think this
is a change for the better? FQ
- Compare the way men spend
their leisure time and the way women spend their leisure time. FQ
- Do men have more free time
than women? (Hint: Women who work outside the home usually have to do most
of the housework and childcare, as well.) FQ
- Compare
the role of women in society today to their role several generations
age. FQ
- Do
men and women have equal status in China today? FQ
- Do you think people will
have more, or less leisure time in the future? (Why?)
- How do you think the ways
people spend their leisure time will change in the future? (For example,
over the next 20 years.)
- What is the value of having
leisure time?
Children and Free Time
- How do children (or, young
people) in China
spend their leisure time? (Why do they do these things?) FQ
- Do
city children and rural children do the same kinds of things in their free
time?
- Do you think that children
spend their leisure time effectively or do they often waste their time?
- What do you think are the
effects on children of watching TV?
- How do you think (playing)
computer games affects children?
- Do you think parents in
China should spend more of their leisure time with their children? (Or: Do
children [or young people] spend much time with their parents?) FQ
- (As
above) Should parents (or grandparents) spend a lot of time with their
children? What are the benefits of doing this? FQ
The leisure Industry
- What are some examples of
'the leisure industry'? Is this is an important part of the
economy in China? FQ
- (As
above) The leisure industry, (for
example, cinemas, health clubs, internet bars, KTVs and other places like that,) is a
growing industry. Do you think this is important for the economy? FQ
- How
do you think the leisure industry will develop in China over the next few
years (for example, the next 20 years)? *
People¡¯s Interests
- What do people in China like
to do in their spare time or during holidays?
- Do old and young people like
to do the same things? (Why?/Why not? What do both groups like to do?)
- How do people become
interested in doing what they do?
- How has the way people in
China spend their free time changed in recent years?
- How do you think free-time
activities will change in the future?
Part 2
20.
A Walk (June
10, 2006)
(Probably no longer used)
Describe
a place where you often walk.
You should say:
where and when you walk
what you see on this walk
who you walk with
and explain why you walk.
¡¡
Note
This doesn't have to
be a walk you take for exercise - it is possible to talk about your walk from
the bus-stop to your home every evening, or from your dormitory to your
classroom everyday, etc.
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Part 3
Walking
and health
- Do
many people in China go for walks?
- How do you
think walking is beneficial to health? FQ
- Are
there any disadvantages to walking? (= What are the benefits of walking?)
- Do you think
that playing sport is better for your health than walking? (Why?/Why not?)
(= Compare walking and playing sport.)
- Do you think
people in the past walked more than people today, or less?
(Why?) FQ
- What is the
relationship between people¡¯s standard of living and the amount of walking
they do?
FQ
- Compare
the amount of walking that rural people, such as farmers do with the amount
of walking that city people do.
- Would
you say that it's easy for city people, living in a world of skyscrapers and
concrete, to go for a walk?
- In
China, do many city people go to rural areas in order to go for a walk and
have a picnic? (= go hiking)
- City
people spend more time riding in cars or other vehicles, rather than
walking. What do you think are some of the results of this lifestyle?
- How do you
think the government could encourage people to walk more?
FQ
- Can you think
of any examples where people walk a lot while doing their jobs?
FQ