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ielts-yasi.englishlab.net

Updated Mar. 6, 2011

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions

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271. A Friend You Admire (May 29, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

272. A News Story that Made You Happy (May 29, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

273. A Childhood Toy (May, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

274. A TV or Radio Presenter (May, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

275. A Long Journey (May, 2010) (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

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271. A Friend You Admire (May 29, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a friend who did something you admire.

You should say:

what he or she did

why he or she did this

what was the most difficult thing he/she had to do *

[ = what difficulties he or she had to overcome (= what difficulties he or she overcame) *]

and explain why you admire him/her.

Notes

"Admire" means both "like" and "respect", together. Depending on the situation, it can be much more "respect" than "like". Don't simply describe someone who you like in an affectionate way but rather, describe some admirable characteristics of this person. We usually "admire" characteristics in other people that we feel we do not possess ourselves. Because of this, "admire" can sometimes have a meaning that is close to "envy", but in a nice way. For example, you can "admire" another person's exceptional sporting or academic talents, their persistence, strength of character or their exceptional good looks etc.
The third point, "what difficulties he or she had to overcome" might be written as , "what difficulties he or she faced".
Someone (just one person) has reported this topic as, "Describe a friend of yours that had a difficult decision to make". That was probably what this candidate chose to talk about, rather than the actual question words. Nevertheless, making a difficult decision is a good example of doing something that is worthy of respect.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Would you do the same as your friend (if you were in the same situation)?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 questions (about friendship, teenagers and role models) for Topic 8, Topic 70, Topic 106, Topic 120, Topic 123, Topic 133, Topic 162, Topic 177, and Topic 233. That's a lot of questions but, if the topic of "Friends" is used in this Part 3, some of those questions are bound to be used again in Part 3 here. (Learn to speed read. Just read the questions and don't worry too much about planning very many answers, just a few.)

Who People Admire

What kinds of people do young people (teenagers or children) admire? FQx2
(Similar to above) What kinds of people do you most admire? FQ

Which age group of people do young people usually admire? (Why?)

What do you think are the results of young people admiring certain types of people?

Do you think the types of people we admire changes as we grow older?

(Similar to above) Do young people and older people (all) admire the same kinds of people? FQx2

What kinds of people are most admired in your country?

(Similar to above) Who do people in your country most admire?

Do you think the types of people we admire has changed much in the past 20 or 30 years?

Are there any people who are admired by almost everyone?

Do people admire others who have high social status? (Why?)

(Similar to above) Do people admire celebrities and political leaders? (Why?) FQ

Why do you think (young) people admire popular celebrities such as pop stars and film stars so much? FQ
Why do you think older people pay attention to or admire politicians much more than young people do?
Are there any political figures who you admire?
Do you think celebrities such as pop stars and film stars have a responsibility to give some service to the community?
Do you think that celebrities (or, famous people) should set an example for the rest of us? (= Is it a responsibility that accompanies being famous?) FQ
Would you say that (would you agree that) the people we admire do, in fact, always set a good example?
Do young people (in China) admire their parents?
Do you think that people should admire their parents?
Do you think that all parents should be admired by their sons and daughters?
Do you think young people should admire senior citizens (old people)?

Do you think everybody has someone who they greatly admire (or, respect; or, look up to)?

Do you think it's good for people to idolize others (or, to have heroes)?

The Factors that Determine "Success" in Life

What are the different factors that determine whether a person will be "successful" in their career (or, in life)?
Do you think a person's background (e.g., the social status of one's family) can affect how successful they will be?

The Value of Academic Education (in Achieving 'Success')

How important do you think it is to get high grades in school exams?
(Similar to above) How important is (academic) education in achieving success today? FQx2
Do you think the value of (the importance of) education (in achieving success) today is the same as in the past? FQx2
Why is education today more important than it was in the past?
Why is a university degree considered to be so important in China?
Do you think this great emphasis on university degrees might change in the future?
In what fields of work is education most important in order to be successful?
Which do you think is more important, academic education or practical knowledge (about important things)? FQ
(Similar to above) Which do you think is more important, academic skills or practical skills? FQ (See Topic 17 and Topic 77)
Would you say that children and young people today are under a lot of pressure to do well at school? FQ
Do you think such pressure is good for children and young people? *

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272. A News Story that Made You Happy (May 29, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a news story that made you feel happy.

You should say:

what the news was about (= what happened)

where you got this news from

what people were involved in this news story

and explain why it made you feel happy.

Notes

"News story" means a news article or report of real news (新闻报道 not 消息 and not a fictional story, 故事). A "news item" might be just a summary or a statement of a piece of news but a "news story" includes, more or less, the full details.
You don't have to describe something that made you extremely happy – something that pleased you would be good enough. In other words, describe some good news.
It is possible for you to make up (invent) an untrue news item that you say you read in a Chinese newspaper or saw on the TV news. Examiners are not aware of all the news that is reported in the Chinese media. But you will speak more convincingly if it is a true news item (news story).
So far, nobody has reported that the word, "recent" is included in the wording but it might be a good idea to say that you read or heard this news story within the past year.

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Possible follow-up questions:

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 questions for Topic 46, Topic 101, Topic 141, Topic 203 and especially Topic 151. That's a lot of questions but some of those questions are bound to be used again in Part 3 here. (Learn to speed read. Just read the questions and don't worry too much about planning very many answers, just a few.)

Interest in the News

In general, are you interested in the news?
(Similar to above) In general, do you find the news (to be) very interesting?
Do you think it's important to pay attention to the news?
What sorts of news stories or what sorts of topics are most common in news reports and in newspapers? *
Do young people care much about the news? FQ
Are young people more interested in the news than older people? FQ

The News Media

What are the main ways that people get their news? FQ
(Similar to above) How do people in your country get the news? FQ
How do they get news from abroad?
How can people be sure that the foreign news they receive is true (or, reliable; or, accurate)?
What do you think will be the main ways that people get news in the future?
Do you think newspapers will be replaced by the internet in the future?

The News and Children

Are children interested in the news?

Can you suggest some ways to increase children's interest in the news?

Should schools have courses based on studying the news? FQ

(Similar to above) Should schools teach children how to read the news? FQ

(Similar to above) Would it be a good idea for schools to have courses based on studying the news? FQ

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273. A Childhood Toy (May, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a toy that was special to you when you were a child.

You should say:

when you got it

what it looked like

where you played with it

who gave it to you

and explain how you used it (how you played with it).

Notes

This topic looks similar to Topic 187.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do you still have that toy?
Can you still find the same toy (in toyshops) today?

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Part 3

Toys

What are the most popular kinds of toys in China? FQx2
(Similar to above) In general, what kinds of toys do children like?
Why do you think children often like certain toys instead of others?
Do boys and girls like the same toys?
What are the differences between boys' toys and girls' toys? FQx2
Do you think toys have changed since you were a child?
Compared to the past, do you think there have been any changes in what is a "boys' toy" and what is a "girls' toy"?
Do you think it's important for boys just to play with "boys' toys" and for girls to just play with "girls' toys"?
Do you think children have too many toys?
Can you suggest how parents could avoid that situation? (i.e., too many toys)
Are toys very expensive (or, dear) in your country?
Do you think the more expensive toys are always better than cheaper toys?
What could parents do if they couldn't afford to buy toys for their children?
How do you think toys will (or might) change in the future?

The Benefits of Toys

Do you think it's good for kids to play with toys?
Which do you think is better for children, to play with toys or play with other children?
How do you think toys influence a child's future (or, adult) life?
Do you think toys can help children develop their intelligence?
Do you think playing with toys can help a child develop his or her creativity and imagination?
What are some examples of toys that can help children develop their creativity (or, imagination)?
(similar to above) What types of toys that can help children develop their creativity (or, imagination)?
Do you think it's good if parents only buy "educational" toys for their children? FQ
Which do you think is better to give a child, a computer or a toy?
In what ways are traditional (or, "old-fashioned toys") different to modern electronic toys?
What effect do you think electronic toys have on children?
(Similar to above) Do you think children benefit from playing with electronic toys? FQ

Television

Do you think watching TV can take the place of playing with toys? FQx2
Why do you think some children prefer to watch TV rather than play with toys? FQ
Was it always like this?
What is your opinion about children spending a lot of time in front of the TV?
Who do you think is responsible for that, parents or children?
Do you think parents should prevent their children from watching too much TV? (How?)
Do you think it's important for parents to participate with their children when their children play with toys? FQ
How do you think parents could use toys as a means to communicate with their children?

Games

What difference is there between games for children in the past, and games for children now?
What effects do computer games have on children?
Can computer games help a child interact better with other children?
Do you think games should be educational?
If you had children, would you allow them to play computer games?
Do you think that the relationships between children and their parents is suffering these days because of computer games? Why?
How could we solve this problem?

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274. A TV or Radio Presenter (May, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a TV or radio presenter who you like.

You should say:

who this presenter is

what kind of program he or she presents

how well he or she is does this job

and explain what you like this person.

Notes

A radio or TV "presenter" is the same as a radio or TV "host". Probably a news reader or simply an announcer are suitable examples.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Do your friends also like him/her?

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Part 3

Working as a Radio or TV Host

Do you think he/she (the person you just spoke about) is good at his/her job?

What skills and qualities does a person need to be a TV or radio presenter? FQ

(Similar to above) What kinds of people become TV and radio presenters? FQ

How important is the personality of the radio or TV host?

Would you like to be a radio or TV host? *
Do you think many people would like to do that kind of work? Why?
What kinds of people want to do that job?
What are some differences between a radio presenter and a TV presenter?

Being a Public Figure (= a well-known person)

What kinds of (categories of) people become public figures?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a public figure?
Why do you think some people want to be public figures?
In general, what character (or, personality) traits do these people have?

Broadcasting

What is the effect of modern technology on broadcasting? FQ (This might be referring to the internet and the future amalgamation of TV, radio, cell-phones and the internet.)

News Readers, Television Journalists and News Commentators

What are some differences between a TV or radio host and a TV or radio news reporter? FQx2
(Similar to above) What do you think are the differences between a television (news) reporter and the person who hosts the news program on TV? (i.e., the news reader or the news program anchor {see definition 2}) FQ
Which of those two would you consider to be the more professional? See Note
Do you think it's suitable for TV or radio hosts to express their personal opinions on current issues (or, on certain news topics)? FQ
(Similar to above) Do you think it's suitable for TV news presenters to express their personal opinions on current issues (or, on certain news topics)?
Are newspapers neutral in the way they report certain topics?
Do you think we need to have news commentators?
Do you think a TV or radio presenter can influence people's opinions?
What are the differences between a TV news commentator and a news commentator in a newspaper?
What qualities does a person need in order to be an effective news commentator?

Treating the News as a Topic of Humour

Do you think a TV news presenter is different to other types of TV presenters or TV program hosts?
Do you think TV news presenters should always be serious?
(Similar to above) Do you think all TV news presenters should be serious?
Do you think a news commentator should ever use humour as an effective tool (to influence the audience)? FQx2 See Note
Do you think it's suitable to (ever) treat the news in a humorous way? FQ
Do you think a TV (or radio) news presenter should express his or her opinions about news topics?

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275. A Long Journey (May, 2010) (Probably no longer used)

Describe a long journey that you have been on.

You should say:

where you went

how you went there

who was with you

and explain why you made this journey.

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Possible follow-up questions:

Would you like to go there again?
Would you like to make a similar trip in the future?

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Part 3

See also the Part 3 questions for Topic 159 and Topic 242

Long Distance Traveling in General

What are the differences between traveling alone and traveling with a friend?
What's the difference between young people and old people when they travel (long distance)?
What are the pros and cons (or, the good points and the bad points) of long-distance traveling? FQ

Forms of Transportation for Long-Distance Travelling

Public Transport or Private Car

Do you think the way people travel now is different to the way people used to travel in the past?
In your country, when people travel long distance, do they prefer to go by public transport or to drive their own car? FQ
(Similar to above) Which do you think is better for long trips, going by public transportation or driving your own car? FQx2

What impact will an increasing usage of cars have?

Do people like to drive a car to go for long trips?

Do you think you will ever drive a car to go on a (long) trip?

(Similar to above, but different) If you had the money, would you buy a car and use it for long trips?

Main Forms of Long-Distance Transport - Plane versus Train

Do people use the same means of transport for going to different (kinds of) locations?
What are the different forms of transport that people use for long journeys?
What do you think are the benefits of traveling by plane? (the benefits of flying)
How would you compare traveling by plane and traveling by high-speed train?
(Similar to above) Would you prefer to take a trip by plane or by high-speed train?
Why do some people prefer train travel to traveling by plane? FQ
(Similar to above) Why do some people feel uncomfortable when they travel by plane? FQ

Improvements

How could (long distance) transportation be improved? FQx2
(Similar to above) How could (long distance) transportation facilities be improved? FQx2
(Similar to above) How could plane travel be improved? FQ

Future

What do you think traveling (or, travel) will be like in the future?
What do you think of space travel?

Travel Destinations (esp. overseas)

Where do people from your country like to travel to when they take a holiday trip?
Do you think traveling to a place that has many other travelers is worth the trouble?
Have you ever traveled overseas?
What overseas location would you like to travel to?
(Similar to above) If you had the chance to travel overseas, where would you go?
What do you think you would lean from that trip?
(Similar to above) What can people learn from traveling to another country? FQ
Why do you think most people prefer to go to another country (e.g., Thailand) to see the culture rather than see examples of the culture (for example, music, a dance, food) at home (e.g., Beijing)?
If you wanted to take a holiday trip to a distant location, how would you choose where to go?
When people go (as tourists) to another city, how do they choose (or decide) what hotel to stay in?
(Similar to above) If you went to another city, how would you choose what hotel to stay in?

Long-Distance Traveling for People of Different Ages

What are some differences between (long distance) travel for old(er) people and for young people?
What do (you think) children enjoy most when they go on a long trip?

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