ielts-yasi.englishlab.net                                                                                                       

Updated Apr. 29, 2006

IELTS Part 2 and Part 3 Topics and Questions 

Page 8　

36.    An Interesting Subject   (September 16, 2006)

37.    A Small Business You Would Like to Own  (Probably no longer used)

38.    A Place Where You Often Go Shopping  (Probably no longer used)

39.    A Wild Animal From Your Country  (Probably no longer used)

40.    A Child You Know  (Probably no longer used)

RETURN TO PART 2 TOPIC INDEX

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

36. An Interesting Subject    (September 16, 2006)

(This seems to be a different topic to Topic # 18)

        Describe an interesting subject that you studied in school or university.

                            You should say:

                                           what the subject was 

                                           who taught you 

                                           how long you studied this subject (or, how the teacher taught this subject)

                            and explain why you think it was interesting.

Note: This topic could possibly be worded as, "Describe your favourite subject in school (or university)."

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

Possible follow-up question:

• Did your classmates also think it was an interesting subject?

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

Part 3

School Subjects

• What is your opinion of modern education (in school)? FQ

• What school subjects do you think are most important (in primary school or high school)? (Why are they important?) FQ

• What subject or subjects do you think will be most important in the future? FQ

• What school subject do you think will be the most useful in adult life (or, most useful for society)? FQx2

• Which subjects do you think should be optional and which should be compulsory?

• What are the advantages of studying computing in high school?

• In the west, (upper) high school students are allowed to choose many of the subjects they study. Do you think that would be a good idea in China? FQ

• Do you think students should specialize in one particular area, for example, science, in the last years of high school?

• Do you think sport is an essential subject?

• What subject(s) do you think should be added to schools in the future? FQ

• (As above) What subject(s) do you think might be needed in future which has not yet appeared? FQx2 FREQUENT & DIFFICULT QUESTION

• How do you think schools will change in the future?

• What do you think is the best age for children to start school? (Why?)

Teachers and Facilities

• What facilities do schools in China have?

• Are these facilities important? (= How important are these facilities?)

• How do computers effect/change the way students study? FQ

• Do you think computers will ever replace teachers?

• Do you think every school should have sports facilities and physical education equipment? FQ

• How important are sports facilities in school?

• How important or how necessary is sport in school?

• Which teacher did you like most in school? Why?

• Which do you think are (were) better in your school, the teachers or the facilities?

• If China could afford it, do you more money should be spent on teachers or on facilities? (= Which is more important? or Which most needs improvement?) FQ

• (As above) Compare the importance of facilities and equipment with the importance of good teachers. FQ

• Do you think school fees will increase in the future? FQ

• What could (should) the government do to improve the education system? FQ

• Do you think there should be fewer exams? FQ

• Should teachers have the right to teach whatever they want?

• (Similar to above) Who should decide what is taught in schools - the students, teachers or the government?

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

37. A Small Business You Would Like to Own   (Probably no longer used)

        Describe a small business that you would like to own.

                            You should say:

                                           what this business would be 

                                           how you would get the money to start this business * 

                                            (or, how you would start/open this business)

                                           where this business would be located *

                                           (how you would run this business)*

                            and explain why you would like to run this kind of business.

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

Possible follow-up question:

• Have you ever spoken to others about this idea?

• Is this a popular business to have in China?

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

Part 3

Small business

• What challenges and difficulties do people face when they try to have a successful small business?

• What should be the government's role in how small businesses are run?

• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of small businesses compared to large companies?

• How can small businesses benefit the people in the community where the businesses are located?

• Compare small shops with big (international) department stores and supermarkets.

Other possible questions

• What kinds of small business are most popular in China? *

• Why do some people open their own business? *

• What qualities does a small business owner need to have? *

• How have (small) businesses changed in recent years in China? *

• How do you think (small) business will change in the future in China? *

• Compare owning and running a small business to being an employee in a large company. *

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

38.  A Place Where You Often Go Shopping  (Probably no longer used)

        Describe a place where you often go shopping

                            You should say:

                                           where this place is 

                                           what this place sells 

                                           .how often you go there

                            and explain why you like (or chose) to shop at this place.

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

Part 3

Types of shops

• In your opinion, what kinds of shops (or shopping centres) are the most successful in China?

• How do you a shop could attract more customers?

• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of shopping in supermarkets?

• Do you think small shops might disappear in the future? (What are the benefits of small shops?)

• What benefits do you get from shopping? (How does shopping benefit your life?)

E-commerce

• Have you ever bought anything online? (What?)

• Why did you chose to buy that on the internet?

• What do most Chinese people buy on the internet?

• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of shopping on the internet?

• How do you think internet shopping will change society in the future?

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

39.  A Wild Animal From Your Country  (Probably no longer used)

        Describe a wild animal from your country.

                            You should say:

                                           what the animal is 

                                           what it looks like 

                                           where it lives

                            and explain how people in your country (or, you)  feel about this animal. 

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

Possible follow-up question:

Do you often see (have you often seen) this animal?

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

Part 3

Pets

• Do many people in China like to have a pet?

• Why do you think some people don't want to have a pet?

• What kinds of pets are most popular in China?

• What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet?

• Do you think animals have feelings and rights? (Why?/Why not?)

• Some people breed animals such as dogs for money. How do you feel about that?

• Do you think there should be laws to protect the welfare of pets and farm animals? (For example, laws against cruel treatment.) Why?/Why not?

Protection of wild animals *

• Are there any wild animals in China that are not found in any other country?

• Are there any animal reserves in China where wild animals can live in protection?

• How do Chinese people feel about the protection of wild animals?

• What do you think are some of the benefits to humans from protecting wild animals?

• What are the policies (laws) of the Chinese government concerning the protection of wild animals?

• Do you think that the protection of wildlife can ever be in conflict with economic development? (= Is it possible to have both economic development and wildlife protection at the same time?)

Zoos

• What is the purpose of having zoos?

• How do you think zoos in China could be improved?

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

40.  A Child You Know  (Probably no longer used)

        Describe a child you know.

                            You should say:

                                           how you know him or her 

                                           what he or she likes to do 

                                           what kind of person he/she is

                            and explain how you feel about this child.

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

Possible follow-up question:

Do you come in contact with children very often?

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

Part 3

Children, education and play

• What do you think are the differences between studying at home (possibly = home schooling) and studying at school?

• Why do you think learning theoretical material is emphasized more than learning practical skills in China?

• Why do you think so many Chinese people go abroad to study practical skills?

• Do you think the education system in China should be reformed? (If yes, how?)

• What do you think about children playing electronic games?

• Do you think children should spend more time on outdoor activities or more time on indoor activities?

Children and families

• How do you think children benefit from playing with toys?

• Who usually disciples children in Chinese families, the mother or the father?

• Do you think hitting children is sometimes necessary for discipline? (Why?)

• What kinds of problems do children have nowadays? How can we resolve these problems?

• Compare the advantages and disadvantages (for children?) of large families and small families?  

• How do grandparents influence the development of children?

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