Updated May 28, 2014
IELTS Part 2 and
Part 3 Topics and Questions
Page 96
476.
Something
that Helped You Learn a Foreign Language (Jan. 5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
477. A Childhood Toy (Jan.
5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
478.
A Book or Film about the Future (Jan. 5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
479.
A Childhood Game
(Jan. 5, 2013)
(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
* = my guess at a question
***********************************************************************
476.
Something that Helped You Learn
a Foreign Language (Jan.
5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
Version A
Describe something that helped you learn another language (besides your own
language).
You should say:
what it was
where you used it
who you used it with
and explain how this thing helped you.
Version B
Describe something you did that helped you learn another language (besides your own
language).
You should say:
what it was you did
where you did it
who you did it with
and explain how this activity helped you.
Version C
Adaptation of Topic 115
Describe another language that
you would like to learn.
You should say:
the name of this language (& where it is spoken)
how you would learn it
what
equipment or facilities you would need to study this language *
and explain what difficulties you
think you would have (or, might have) when learning this language. *
or
and explain why you would choose to study
this language. *
Notes
-
I believe the topic in use is something like either Version A or B,
which was Topic
171. It is possible that Version C was in use from January to
either the end of April or the end of August - this is not clear - but I
think Version A is the wording in use now. To be safe, I suggest you at also
be prepared to answer Version C in case that really is the wording.
-
Also
see the previously written
Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
See also the Part 3 questions for Topics
49,
115,
171 and
280.
The words, "another language" could be used to
describe another language that is used within your country. That is, a different
language to the one you use but one that is not really a "foreign" language.
Examiners probably vary the way they word that in these questions.
Learning Another language
-
Is learning foreign languages popular in your country?
FQ
-
Why do people want to learn another language?
-
How do people in your country learn these languages?
-
What do you think are the benefits of knowing another
language?
FQx2
-
(Similar to above) What do you think are the benefits
of being multi-lingual?
-
Do you think learning a foreign language can help you
learn that culture?
-
Do you think it's difficult to learn another language?
FQ
-
(Similar to above) Do you think it is difficult to learn English?
FQ
-
(Similar to above) Do you find it difficult to learn a
foreign language?
FQ
-
What are the difficulties that people encounter when
learning another language (or, a foreign language)?
FQ
-
(Similar to above) What do you think is the most difficult part of learning
a language?
FQx2
-
Do you think it's better to start learning another
language as an adult or as a child?
FQ
-
(Similar to above) What do you think is the best age to
learn a foreign language?
FQ
-
What are the differences between old and young people
learning a language?
-
Who do you think learns a language easier (or, faster),
children or adults (or, old people)? FQx2
-
(Similar to above) Who do you think is more suitable
for learning a foreign language, children or elderly people? FQx2
-
How does (or, how can) someone learn another language?
-
(Similar to above) How would you learn another
language?
-
(Similar to above) What do you think is the best (most effective) way to learn another
language?
FQ
-
Do you think that the way people learn languages today
is different to the way people learned languages in the past?
-
Do you think overseas travel can help people learn a
foreign language?
-
Do you think it's best to study a foreign language in a
university in your country or in a university overseas?
-
(Similar to above) Some people think the best way to
learn a foreign language is to go to the the country where it is spoken. Do
you agree?
FQ
-
Do you think there is any value in learning a minority
language that is spoken in your own country?
-
What do you think are the benefits of someone learning
a language that is spoken in a neighbouring country?
-
Do you think modern ways of learning a language are different to the ways
people learned a language in the past?
-
How has the learning of foreign languages (in your
country) changed in the past few decades?
-
How has the technology that is used for studying a
foreign language changed in the past few decades?
-
How do you imagine such technology might change in the
future?
-
Do you think learning another language can help a
person better understand his or her own culture?
-
Do you think watching a foreign film (in a foreign
language) with subtitles can help people learn that language?
-
What foreign language do you think might be the most
difficult one to learn?
Children Learning languages
-
Do you think it's useful for children to learn another
language (or, languages)?
-
(Similar to above) What are the benefits of children
learning another language?
-
How has the teaching of languages to children changed
in your country in the past few decades?
-
Do you think it's a good idea to teach languages (or, a
language) to children in primary school?
-
At what age do you think it is best to start learning
another language? *
Languages and International Relations
-
Do you think it's more important today for people to
learn a foreign language than it was in the past?
-
In what ways do you think international relations are
improved when national leaders can speak foreign languages?
-
Do you think that, by learning a foreign language you
also learn about the culture of the people who speak that language?
-
English is widely used as an "international language".
Do you think it would cause a threat to other languages if it was officially
designated as the international language
(= the one and only official international language)
?
***********************************************************************
477. A Childhood Toy (Jan.
5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
Describe a toy that was important to
you when you were a child.
You should say:
how
you got this toy (or, who gave you this toy)
what
it looked like
how you played with it
and explain why
it was important to you.
Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
See also the Part 3 questions for
Topic 187 and
Topic
273.
Toys in General
-
What toys are popular with kids nowadays in your
country?
-
Do you think different children like different types of
toys?
-
Are there any differences between the toys that boys
like to play with and those that girls like to play with?
FQx2
-
Why do you think boys and girls tend to play with
different kinds of toys?
-
Besides electronic devices, can you think of any toys
that boys and girls both like to play with?
-
Do you think it's better for kids to play with toys
that both boys and girls like, or to play with toys that are traditionally
considered to be 'boys toys' or 'girls toys'?
-
How do children benefit from playing with toys? *
-
Do you think different toys have different effects on
kids?
-
Do you think the toys that kids play with have any
influence on what work the kids will do in the future?
-
How are toys today different to toys in the past?
FQx2
-
How do you imagine toys might change in the future?
FQ
Parents (or Adults) Buying Toys for Kids
-
Before adults (or, parents) buy toys for children, what
factors do you think they should consider?
FQx2
-
(Similar to above)
Before adults (or, parents) buy toys for children, what factors do you think
they consider?
-
Do you think men and women tend to buy the same kinds of toys for their
kids?
-
Do they usually place more importance on the price of
the toys or on some other factors?
-
Do you think advertising influences people decisions
about what toys to buy?
-
Is the influence of advertising always a good
influence, in your opinion?
-
Some toys are based on animated cartoon characters. How
do you think this influences people's choices when buying toys?
-
Do you think adults and children sometimes have
different views about toys?
-
In your opinion, how important is it to give
'educational' toys to kids?
-
What are some of the different reasons why parents buy
toys for their children?
-
Why do some parents buy a lot of toys for their kids?
-
Do children always want new toys?
-
Do you think it's possible for kids to have too many
toys? * (See
Note)
-
Which do you think is better, for kids to play with toys or spend time
playing with their parents?
-
Do you think it might be better for parents to give
their kids money instead of toys?
-
Do you think it might be better for parents to give their kids money and let
the kids choose what toys to buy?
FQ
***********************************************************************
478.
A Book or Film about the Future
(Jan. 5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
Describe a book that you have read or a film that you have seen about the
future.
You should say:
what book or film it was
how you first heard about this book or film
what the book or film was about.
and explain how you felt after reading this book or watching this film.
or
and explain
what you learned from this book or film.
Notes
-
All of the words above are my guess because I have found no better wording
for this topic. Of course, the real wording does not give you a choice for
the last line – there is only one "and explain" line on the real card..
-
If the wording is similar to above, it allows you to describe either a book
or film with a fictional story, or a non-fiction book or film
about the future, i.e., a predictive book or film.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
The Future as Depicted in Films and
Books
-
Do you like films about
the future?
-
Why do people like films
about the future?
FQ
-
In general, what types of
people like these films?
-
Can you suggest why people write books or make films about the future?
-
Why do you think people are interested in the
future?
-
Do you think people benefit from these films?
-
Do you think we can learn
anything from science fiction films?
FQ
-
Do you think people really learn about science from
these books and films?
-
To what extent do you think what we see in these films
or read in futuristic books will actually come true?
FQ
-
(Similar to above) Do you think these books and films
are just based on imagination or are they based on other, real things?
-
Do you think the effects of these books and films on
people are always positive effects?
-
Do you think there are any dangers in the future of the
world?
-
How would you suggest these dangers be handled?
-
Do you think there are any future dangers connected to
the environment? (See
Note)
Technological Development
You will notice that I use the word "might" much
more often than I use the word, "will" for these questions because I believe the
examiner probably also often uses "might" for many of these questions. You
should do the same in your answers or say, "possibly will", "perhaps will",
"maybe will", "probably will", "I imagine .. will" or, "I think ...will". A
simple "will" without an adverb or those other words implies certainty
about the future.
-
What do you think has
been the most important development in technology in modern times (e.g.,
within the past 50 or 100 years)?
FQ
-
What effects do you think
modern inventions have on people?
-
How do people benefit from
modern technological inventions?
-
How can old people learn to use modern
technology?
-
How do you imagine
technology might develop in the future?
FQ
-
What do you imagine the next great invention
might be?
FQ
-
Do you think (new) paper books might disappear one day in the future, to be
replaced by electronic books?
Robots
Frequent sub-topic
-
What do you think of
robots?
-
What sorts of things can
robots do (today)?
-
Is there anything they
can't do?
-
What do you think they
might be able to do in the future?
-
(Similar to above) What
role do you think robots will play in the future?
-
What do you think robots might be able to do
(or, will be able to do) in people's homes in the future?
-
Do you think a robot might
one day replace me (the examiner) to test people's speaking skills?
-
Do you think robots might be dangerous in the future?
***********************************************************************
479.
A Childhood Game
(Jan. 5, 2013)
(Probably no longer used)
Copy of Topics 100 & 179
Describe a game you enjoyed
when you were a child. (Not a sport.)
You should say:
what
the game was
when,
where and with whom you usually played it
how
you played it
and explain why
you enjoyed this game.*
or
and explain what
was special about this game. *
Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
Games
-
Do you think children
today play the same games that children played in the past?
-
How are the games that children play today
different to the games that people played in the past?
FQ
-
Do adults also play games?
-
Do you think adults
should play games?
-
What are the social
benefits that adults derive from these games?
-
Are there any problems
associated with these adult games? *
-
What are some differences
between adults' games and children's games?
FQx2
-
How are the games that
people play today different to the games that people played in the past?
FQ
-
What do you think are the
benefits of playing games?
-
Do you think playing games
can be useful in the classroom?
-
What are some differences
between outdoor games and indoor games?
FQ
-
Which do you think is
better, indoor or outdoor games?
FQ
-
Why do you think computer
games are so popular?
-
Do you think parents worry
about their children playing computer games?
-
How do you think games
might develop in the future?
FQ
-
Do you think we need to invent some new games?
-
Which do you think is better for children, to play
games invented by others or to create their own games?
FQ
-
Are there any games that are native to your country
(or, traditional culture)?
Sports and Recreation
-
Do you think it's beneficial for employers to organize games for their
employees?
-
In additional to games, what recreational activities do
people in your country do?
-
Do you think every residential area should have
recreational facilities?
-
Who should fund these facilities?
-
Are there any differences to the sports that people in
your country play today, compared to what they played in the past?
-
What are the benefits of playing sports?
-
Is there any sport that you would like to play in the
future?
***********************************************************************
(Probably no longer used)
Describe
how you became good friends with someone the first time you met.
You should say:
who they are (= he or she is)
how you met
what you did together
and explain why you became good friends.
Notes
-
It might say, "close friends" instead of, "good friends". The meaning is
more or less the same.
-
It might also say, "Describe the time when you first met someone who became
a good friend" but most people are reporting the wording above. The
difference between this second wording and the wording above is that, the
second wording can be interpreted to mean,
"Describe the time when you first met someone who later became
a good friend". But most people don't have a clear memory of such first
meetings when they didn't become friends immediately. For example, most
people make friends at school or work and they don't remember the exact time
they first met someone who eventually become a friend.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Part 3
See also any similar questions in the Part 3 of the
following topics:
Topic 8,
Topic 30,
Topic 91,
Topic 106,
Topic 123,
Topic 162,
Topic 177,
Topic 223,
Topic 288
&
Topic
359
Friendship
-
In general, how do people
in your country make friends?
FQ
-
Where do they first meet the people who become their
friends?
-
What factors contribute to people becoming friends (as
opposed to simply being acquaintances)?
-
What are some differences between friends and
co-workers (colleagues)?
FQ
-
Who do working people spend more time with, their
co-workers or their friends?
-
What kind of person do you prefer to make friends with?
-
What do you think are the qualities of a (good) friend?
FQ
-
Can you suggest why some friendships only last a short
time?
-
How do (or, how can) people maintain (= keep) a
friendship with someone (for a long time)?
FQ
-
Do you prefer to have a few good friends or many
friends?
-
(Similar to above) Which do you think is better, to
have a few close friends or be friends (maybe not so close) with many
people?
-
At what age did you start to understand (or, think
about) this topic of friendship?
-
Do you think it's easier to make friends when you are
young or older (possibly: child vrs adult)?
-
How can old (or, older) people make new friends?
-
Do you think it's possible to make new friends on the
internet?
Family
-
What are the major
differences between friends and family members?
FQ
-
Do you prefer to spend time with your friends or with
your family?
-
Which do you think is more important, friends or
family?
FQ
-
Do most young people today spend more time with their
friends or with their family? (Why?)
FQ
-
(Similar to above) Do you prefer to spend time with
your family or your friends?
-
Who do you think it's easier for young to communicate
with, their friends or their family members (or, parents)?
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