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Describe a trip that didn't go as you had (originally) planned. *

          You should say:

                where you were traveling to

                who was travelling with you *

                what happened that was unplanned (OR: what didn't happen according to plan) *

                what you did

          and explain how you felt. *

                    or

          and explain how this change affected your enjoyment of this trip. *

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Note: Written July 8

Someone has the reported the topic like this:

"I was asked to talk about my trip which was not up to my expectations and say:
- what happened,
- what did I do and
-what was my feeling"

I think the meaning of the first line of those words is the same as, "didn't go as you had (originally) planned". (Several people in China have included the word, "planned" when they reported this.) In English, we say "I didn't plan on that" which means, "I didn't expect that". So, despite all that I wrote below before July 8 (for Part 2 of this topic), I think the topic is simpler than previously reported.

I think it would be suitable if you just spoke about a trip that was disappointing. A typical example of a disappointing trip in China is going to some famous tourist location during the Spring Festival or some other time when there were so many people there that your enjoyment of the experience was decreased. (Give details about why or how it decreased your enjoyment.) You could include the fact that there was a lot of litter (垃圾) on the ground, one of the results of having too many people at one place at the same time. There are other disappointments you could talk about such as the cost of things, the fact that the hotels were full and you had to stay at a hotel 50 kilometers away from the tourist location, or the fact that some famous old building was in a bad state of disrepair etc. (The latter point is not connected to the crowds of people and is not so common in China nowadays.)

On the other hand, a trip that had a pleasant surprise would also fit the wording of this topic; it doesn't have to be something negative that happened. This is assuming the wording is similar to what is shown above.

The trip doesn't have to be a trip as a tourist. For example, you could talk about a 500 kilometer trip you took to see your girlfriend to ask her to marry you but, when you got there, she told you she no longer loved you and had found a new boyfriend. That was a disappointing trip! It was not what you had expected (= not what you had imagined = something you had not planned for = had not planned on.) Notice the use of the past perfect tense here. You will get extra points for grammar if you include the past perfect tense in your answer!

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Don't make the mistake of confusing the, "...ing" form of adjective with the, "....ed" form of adjective.

For example:

"It was surprising" --> "I was surprised" = "I felt surprised"

"It was disappointing" --> "I was disappointed" = "I felt disappointed"

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Below are the notes I wrote before July 8. (These notes are still worth reading and you could use some of these ideas in your story.)                   

• " * " = a guess at the correct wording. For this topic, I have a pretty good idea of the meaning of the points but small differences can make a difference in the way to speak for this topic. For example, if the card says something like, "what didn't go according to plan" then the main point to talk about is your original plan, followed by why and how your original plan was changed.

But if the wording is something like, "what happened that was unplanned" then the main point is to talk about this unplanned event and the results of this unplanned event. Usually, an "unplanned event" is negative, a 'mishap' such as an accident, losing your money, arriving at the train station or airport too late to travel on the train or plane that you had planned to travel on, getting lost, falling sick etc.

• If the wording of the topic is an unplanned event, then the unplanned event you choose to talk about should be something that had a significant effect on your trip, not something relatively unimportant. For example, if you slipped on an icy road and fell down but didn't hurt yourself, then that didn't really affect the rest of your trip. But if you slipped and injured your leg and, as a result, couldn't fully enjoy the rest of your trip because it was painful to walk, then that is a suitable example.

Your example could be something that seems simple but actually had an effect on your trip. For example, if you didn't pack a warm jacket because you thought you wouldn't need it but you found you constantly felt cold on the trip, then your enjoyment was adversely affected.

• As much as possible try to find a true story to talk about because you will speak more convincingly and communicate better when it is true.

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Part 3 Topic 206 A Trip Note 1

What different types of people go on holiday trips?

Here, "types" probably refers to different categories of people. But you could choose to talk about different personalities of people.

As the question is worded here, it could include domestic traveling, not just international traveling.

The different types of people might not be very apparent in China at the moment but in the West there are: a) Young people ("backpackers"), perhaps just before or just after university studies or on the university summer break who travel for adventure and to "see the world", b) Honeymoon couples, c) Retired people who now have free time and perhaps a lump-sum pension payment that allows them to "see the world", d) People who normally work but have a long vacation (e.g., two weeks) from work ...

If the word used is simply "travel" rather than "go on holiday trips" (or something similar) then there are even more types of travelers: People traveling on business (e.g., salesmen, buyers, investors, people meeting possible new business partners); people migrating to another country; people who are moving to live in a different place; people traveling to attend school or university; people who work far from home such as oilfield workers; people traveling to look for work in a different place; people traveling back home for a family reunion or an event such as a wedding, .......etc.

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Part 3 Topic 206 A Trip Note 2

• If a foreigner was thinking of visiting China (as a tourist), what advice or suggestions would you give him or her?

• (Similar to above) Do you have any suggestions for foreigners who might be thinking of visiting China?

For the first question, say, "I'd suggest ..." or "I'd recommend ..." or "I'd say ..." etc. Use "I'd" (= "I would"), not "I will".

For the second question, you can use "I'd suggest", even though the question did not include the word, "would". Or, for that question, it is also possible to say, "I suggest" etc. instead of "I'd suggest". If you use the "I'd" form, you will impress the examiner more. Again, for the second question, don't say, "I will ...".

See Language Functions on the topic of "Suggesting".

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Part 3 Topic 206 A Trip Note 3

• In general, how do people plan a trip?

• (Similar to above) In general, what factors do (or, should) people consider when planning a trip?

These two questions could include the idea of how do people choose where to go on a trip. (Here, "trip" is probably referring to a holiday trip, simply for enjoyment.) In fact, I suspect that where to go is the main point that these two questions are referring to. Certainly that is the first point to consider when planning a trip. All this depends on the exact wording of the question or on the context within which the question is being asked. For example, if the examiner has been asking you questions about vacation trips and then asks you the first question using exactly those words, obviously the first thing to "plan" is to decide on where to go.

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Part 3 Topic 206 A Trip Note 4

What are some of the characteristics of these people who like to travel?

• You might get a question about "people who like to travel" and you might think this is a strange question because you think everyone likes to travel. Well, although most people do like to travel, there are some people who especially like to travel – you can almost say, "they are crazy about traveling". For these people, traveling is their main hobby and they go on a trip almost every chance they get.

The average or typical person sometimes stays at home when they have a vacation and sometimes they take a trip (if they have the money). Even though going on a trip is enjoyable, it does take some energy to do it and some people, especially those who work very hard, might prefer to just relax at home when they have a vacation, in order to have a rest. As well as just relaxing at home, some people have hobbies and interests that they can only do at home, such as gardening, playing a sport or playing the piano, and for these people, a break from school or work might be a good opportunity to spend some time on their hobbies at home. On the other hand, people who take a trip almost every time they have a break from school or work quite possibly don't have many hobbies that they do at home. As well as that, people who travel a lot probably have an above-average income because travelling, as a "hobby", is a rather expensive hobby.

As well as that, they probably don't have young children because frequent travel with young children is difficult; and they are more likely to be young or, if they are older, they are probably quite fit because traveling does require a certain amount of energy and physical fitness.

Other people travel a lot because they have a hobby of collecting something that requires them to go to different places to add to their collection. For example, people who collect sea shells, rocks, coins or antiques need to travel to find new things for their collections.

• The question is also asking you to use some adjectives (or other ways to describe a person such as expressions and phrases) to describe the personality or the psychology of these people who love to travel. Some words and expressions are: "adventurous", "active", "energetic", "curious", "eager to learn about different places and people", and possibly "restless", "always on the go", someone who tries to "live life to the fullest" or someone who has, "itchy feet".

People who travel also need to be "versatile" (= "practical", "adaptable") in order to cope with different living situations, different food etc. and, if they frequently travel overseas they probably are more "open-minded", "tolerant" and "respectful" of the cultural differences of people in the world. Quite often, people who travel a lot to foreign countries have an interest in foreign languages (even if they don't have the time or ability to learn foreign languages very well) and an interest in "the exotic".

Many people who travel a lot are nature-lovers and/or, amateur photographers who love to experience and photograph new and interesting natural environments. These are most probably urban dwellers and it is this group of people who are the stimulus (or, the catalyst) for the growth of "eco-tourism".

Some people who travel a lot are searching for something that they feel is missing in their lives, such as excitement, stimulation, variety or even searching for a way of life that is more satisfying or peaceful than the life they live at home and they hope to live this better life at least for a short time while they are on vacation. People who travel a lot to foreign lands quite possibly have a sense of dissatisfaction with their own culture and society and crave the experience of living in a different culture or society, even for a short period of time. A very simple example of a person seeking variety is someone who lives in a rather arid place that has a cold winter going to a warm, tropical island to enjoy the beach and the ocean. But that applies to everyone who travels, not just the people who travel a lot, as their main interest in life.

Possibly most people who travel a lot basically work in order to get enough money for their next trip. This kind of person quite possible spends all of their "spare money" on travelling rather than saving for "a rainy day". You could describe this kind of person as someone who "lives for the moment" and as a person who certainly is not very conservative because conservative people tend to save rather than spend, in addition to the fact that conservative people are not very interested in change or experiencing new things in life.

小心! Read this.

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Part 3 Topic 207 Water Note 1

What "fun" activities can people do at places where there is water?

More than one person has reported that the examiner used the word "fun". This seems to mean that the examiner is trying to get an answer from you that is more than simply an answer to the question: "What are some examples of water sports?" For water sports, many candidates probably just list the words, "swimming", "diving" and "water polo". But these are competitive sports that are held in water indoors and they are rather serious because they are competitive. "Fun" is doing something for enjoyment – it is not serious.

The examiner is talking more about natural places with water such as lakes, rivers and the ocean than about places such as a swimming pool.

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Topic 208 Science Lesson

• So far, the exact wording is not too clear. It is not certain that the wording says, "in school or university". It might just say, "school". Therefore, it is safer to prepare an answer for school, not university, or to prepare two answers.

• Make sure you understand the differences in meaning between "a lesson", "a class", "a course" and "a subject". See note here on this.

• There are two main points to speak about here: a) the one, specific thing that you learned in class and, b) the classroom teaching methods, equipment etc. that the teacher used. 

You should not speak only on either a) or b) but on both. For a), you should say one thing only. Think of the aim of the lesson – what new piece of knowledge was the teacher trying to teach you? You should expand that and explain with a little detail what exactly you did learn. You should explain this very clearly to the examiner; don't just name the topic of the lesson and give no more details.

But don't spend all of the two minutes just explaining a scientific fact or theory to the examiner – also describe the specific classroom situation for that specific lesson, i.e., how the teacher taught this lesson and how this classroom experience helped you to understand the new piece of information you were taught. (For the word "classroom" you can, of course, substitute another place such as an outside location or a laboratory.)

An experiment in physics or chemistry or talking about how you dissected a mouse to learn about internal organs would be ideal to talk about but the lesson doesn't have to be an experiment; it could be just a classroom lesson in which charts and other teaching devices were used to show ideas or information or even a lesson which was simply based on a chapter in your textbook. If that was the case, include a summarized description of any illustrations or diagrams that were in the textbook.

• Of course, use the past tense when talking about the lesson. But you should use the present tense to describe scientific facts.

• This topic requires you to use at least a few words that are not "everyday" vocabulary but are scientific vocabulary.

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Part 3 Topic 208 Science Note 1

Can you give me any examples in the home, of the practical application of biological or chemical science?

• To answer this question well requires quite a good vocabulary.

• Words written in heavy print (bold italic) represent the more heavily stressed word of the two words. Click on the links (the blue words) to hear a recording.

In (most) noun + noun combinations, the first word is pronounced with more stress. For example: "washing powder"; "coal mining"; "a swimming pool; "a car park" and "a traffic jam".

On the other hand, for adjective + noun combinations, such as, "genetic engineering" and "artificial flavourings", the second word, i.e. the noun, is spoken with slightly more stress than the adjective, except when the adjective is chosen to contrast with another adjective, such as, "I've got an old computer but she's got a new one". Listen to "electrical engineering". Here are four more: "a young man"; "The Olympic Games"; "The European Union"; "international law".

• For the  pronunciation of "laboratory", it's best to use the British pronunciation if your examiner is not from North America but both pronunciation are considered to be correct.   British:  9 American: 

1. The following products are produced after research in chemical laboratories:

(The words in heavy black print are pronounced with more stress than the other words in that word combination. For example, in "cleaning products" the word "cleaning" is spoken stronger than the word, "products" and in "artificial flavourings" the word, "flavourings" is pronounced stronger than "artificial".)

• cleaning products such as dishwashing detergent, floor cleaning liquid, washing powder for washing clothes, shampoo for washing your hair, toothpaste ...

• the preservatives and artificial flavourings in some of the food we eat

• the chemical that is used in refrigerators (the refrigerant)

• the medicines and cosmetics we use

• insecticides such as that which is in cockroach bait

• all the plastic products in the home

2. The following are produced as a result of research into biological science:

• food (which, hopefully has been selectively tested in laboratories for safety. "Safety" is determined by biological science standards.)

• medicines, cosmetics, cleaning products, food preservatives (which are all tested for safety on animals in the research stage)

• medicines, which have obviously been produced to cause changes in people's bodies

• food such as meat, vegetables, fruit and grain products which has been improved by selective breeding or genetic engineering

• meat, eggs and dairy products which often come from animals that have been fed growth hormones

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Part 3 Topic 208 Science Note 2

What do you think are some of the benefits of scientists freely making their raw research data available to the public (or, available to other scientists)?

If you tell the examiner that you are sitting for the IELTS test because you intend to do a post-graduate degree (i.e., a research degree) in science or engineering, you will have a big chance of getting this question. And if you give a poor answer, (i.e., an answer with few or no ideas), you will not give the examiner a very good impression.

The key words for the answer to this question are "peer review". (See also the following question about scientific fraud.)

Some useful reading on the internet concerning this topic (Not always simple English)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peer_review

http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12192&page=29  On sharing

http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=12192&page=1  Page 1

http://www.sir.arizona.edu/ier/Secrecy_in_Scientific_Research.ppt  Not bad

http://soundmedicine.iu.edu/segment.php4?seg=1538  Audio. Good.  See the New York Times essay written by Dr. Vickers

http://www.codex.vr.se/en/agande1.shtml About ownership of research results

http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews/i-sisnews11-17.php

http://www.istl.org/05-spring/article1.html

http://web.mit.edu/comm-forum/forums/universities_own.html

http://www.sehn.org/defpirpaper.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=hNRbPULPnpEC&pg=PA131&lpg=PA131&dq=Who+owns+the+results+of+scientific+research%3F&source=bl&ots=rKH9-yQK6e&sig=0R1xbNU4_IKVAL0o2QaZUW5ZrIY&hl=en&ei=pmBPSuynN4zEsQOH7NmqDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2

http://www.osti.gov/ostiblog/home/entry/sharing_results_is_the_engine

http://www.cbcrp.org/publications/reports/2002/page_08.php

http://www.soros.org/initiatives/information/focus/access/articles_publications/articles/openaccess_20070419

http://www.samizdata.net/blog/archives/2009/12/peer_review.html

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Part 3, Topic 210 Note 1

1. Can you imagine what your life would be like if you were old?

2. (Similar to above but different!!) Can you imagine what your life will be like when you are old?

These two questions are different in grammatical structure and in meaning. You should answer using the same structure as the question that you are asked. Don't mix the two structures.

The first question (a), is asking you to describe the unreal situation of you being old now. Don't use "will" to answer this; use "would".

The second question (b), is asking you to describe what you think the real (possible) future will be like when you are old, i.e., about 45 years in the future. There will be some changes in society over the next 45 years. Use "will" (with adverbs such as "probably") and other verbs that suit talking about the real (possible) future.

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Part 3 Topic 211

Do you think rich people are happy (or, happier than ordinary people)?

This question is not asking you to compare rich people and poor people. Instead, it is asking you to compare (very) rich people with average people.

However, it's Ok if you expand you answer to compare very rich and very poor people, after you have first answered the basic question.

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Part 2 Topic 212 A Happy Childhood Memory

Almost certainly, the wording of this topic includes the word, "event". (There is only a small possibility that it just says, "Describe a happy memory from your childhood".)

An "event" is something that happened at one particular time, such as a visit to the zoo, a birthday party or the time your father brought home a new pet for the family (e.g., a cute puppy). It is unsuitable to talk about something you did habitually or something that happened continuously, over a long period of time (or over your entire childhood) such as playing with your dog.

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Part 3 Topic 213 Radio and TV

How are television programs in China today different to those of in the past (e.g., 20 to 40 years ago)?

It is possible that this question (or the question about radio) is worded this way: How is television broadcasting in China today different to that of the past (e.g., 20 to 40 years ago)?

"Television broadcasting" includes everything about television, from the programs to television broadcasting technology and the style of TV's in the home. In fact, "television broadcasting" tends to focus more on the technology than on the program content.

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Topic 214 An Intelligent Person

• Of course, everyone is intelligent to some extent. The meaning here is, "very intelligent" compared to most other people.

• The last line, "and explain why you think this person is intelligent", can have two possible meanings. The first meaning, and the meaning that is intended here is, a) "and explain what it is about this person that causes you to think he or she is more intelligent than most other people".

The second meaning is, b) "and explain why or how you think this person became so intelligent". If you answered using the second meaning, the examiners should not think you are answering incorrectly (however, they might think that), but even if you answer using the second meaning, you still should include a description of the person's attributes that makes him or her seem to be very intelligent.

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The meaning of the word, "wise".

Some people think that "wise" means the same as "intelligent", but that is not really correct. In English, we do say things such as, "That's a wise decision" which does more or less mean the same as, "That's an intelligent decision".

However, a "wise person" means someone who has good judgment, good understanding or insight (洞悉) based on experience and reflection (= 沉思 = thinking about and learning from one's experiences). We usually only describe quite an old person as, "a wise person" and this wisdom usually refers to matters concerning people or society, not things such as mathematics or other abstract thinking like that. It's not impossible to describe someone who is, for example, under 30 years old as "a wise person" but it's unusual. Certainly, it is unsuitable to describe a child or a teenager as "a wise person". A child or a teenager can act wisely, say something wise or make a wise decision, but we still would not say this person is a "wise person".

On the other hand, it's possible to describe a three-year-old as "an intelligent child".

What is "intelligence", or what is "an intelligent person"? In the West, the psychology profession doesn't even have a universally agreed definition of "intelligence" even though psychologists have tests that supposedly measure intelligence! Most psychologists say it is something like "the ability to learn", "the ability to think abstractly" or even simply, "intelligence is what intelligence tests measure". "The ability to learn" does not just mean the ability to memorize material from books – it mostly means the ability to understand, although memory is part of intelligence.

Other words similar to "intelligent"

"Bright" means "quick to learn" or "quick to understand". We also can say, he or she is (very) "quick" to mean he or she can understand or learn something new quite quickly.

The word, "intelligent" is used in both American and British English but Americans also say "smart" as a less educated or informal way to say, "intelligent". However, in British English, "smart" means "well-dressed (especially in new-looking clothes) and well-groomed (for example, after a new haircut)".

"Clever" is a somewhat old-fashioned way to say "intelligent". Most people today use "clever" to mean "very skillful", "very creative" or "ingenious" (灵巧的) when referring to such things as a magic trick or a magician or someone who has a very ingenious idea: "a clever trick", a "clever idea", "a clever invention" or "a clever game player".

"Brainy" is an informal (and rather uneducated) way to say, "intelligent". But it would be OK for you to use that word in the Speaking test, as long as you don't overuse it.

A "genius" is an unusually intelligent person. Psychologists say that someone with an I.Q. of 140 or more is a "genius". (About 0.25% of the population have an I.Q. of 140 or more.) We also describe people who show unusual talent in areas such as mathematics, science, literature, music or invention as "geniuses" such as Mozart, Thomas Edison and Leonardo da Vinci.

A "child prodigy" (stress on the second word) is a child who shows intelligence or talent far superior to other children of the same age; that is, a child who shows talent that usually only a few highly talented adults show. Lang Lang (郎 朗), who was giving concert performances at the age of 5, was a child prodigy, as was Mozart.

"Gifted" is another rather old-fashioned adjective to refer to geniuses or especially child prodigies. It is based on the idea that God "gave" special talent to someone.

As well as saying "very intelligent" and "highly intelligent", it is very natural in spoken English to say, "really intelligent" to mean the same thing. You should try to use "really" at least once in the speaking test instead of "very" – it will make your speech sound more natural and less like written English. For example, "I really like spicy food" instead of, "I very much like spicy food" or, "I like spicy food very much". ["I very like spicy food" is wrong and is Band 4 level! English never has "very + verb", as in Chinese.]

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Part 3, Topic 216

Do you think students should save money?

In English, the expression, "to save money" has two different meanings:

a) to not spend money and, instead, to add to your store of money (e.g., put it in the bank).

b) to spend money but spend as little as possible, i.e., to buy things that are as cheap as possible. For example, if you need a computer, you can save money by buying a second-hand computer rather than a new one. This usage of, "to save money" = "to economize". Of course, you would save even more money if you didn't buy a computer at all.

This type of question is giving you an opportunity to show your vocabulary knowledge and an opportunity to show your ability to explain and compare by showing that you understand the two different usages of the expression, "to save money".

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Part 2 Topic 218 A Competition Winner

• Many people will immediately think of a particular sports competition or a particular game such as an NBA final (which doesn't have one single person as the winner so it is not suitable). But there are many other types of competitions and contests such as:

1. a lottery

2. a talent quest

3. a beauty contest

4. a quiz show on TV

5. an English speaking competition in school

6. an election

These are all organized competitions and all of them have an audience watching the competition. But more personal competitions can exist just between two people. For example, an arm wrestling contest or a chess game. A competitive situation can also be called a "competition" such as a competition between the two top students in a class to see who will become the No.1 student; a competition between two people to get a particular job or promotion at work; or a competition between two men for the heart of a woman, etc.

There is also competition between companies and countries for trade or business. This kind of competition can last for many years. However, since this topic asks you to describe a person, not a company or a country, this kind of answer is not suitable.

• Make sure you speak about one particular competition that took place at one particular time (or time period). Don't speak too generally here.

• Some of the English language training school teachers are sure to produce an answer for this that many students will memorize for the test. The first time an examiner hears that answer, he or she might be impressed. But the second and following times examiners hear it, they will definitely not be impressed and they will give you a very low score for your answer. (There is no score given just for Part 2, but you understand my meaning.) Only fools or people who have no hope of producing their own sentences memorize long answers given by teachers or from books. Not only that, it's very boring for examiners to hear the same story over and over again.

小心! Read this.

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Topic 227, The Perfect Climate

Describe (your idea of) the perfect climate (for example, rainy, dry). *

        You should say:

                what climate it is / what is is like (or, what this climate would be like)

                what season it is usually in

                where this climate usually exists *

         and explain why you think this is (or, would be) the perfect climate for you. *

• The words, "weather" and "climate" are similar but not exactly the same. We use "weather" to talk about a short time period, such as "today's weather". "Climate" is used to talk about a longer time period and refers to the average or typical weather over this long period. For example, "The climate in Hainan during the months of June, July and August is hot and humid, with frequent, sometimes heavy rain showers".

• The key point when answering this topic is to speak personally, about how the climate you describe would be (or, is) "just right" for you. Talk about the how you feel most comfortable in this climate (when you do experience this climate) or talk about how this climate would be just right for you because it would allow you to do your favourite activities, such as swimming at the beach or skiing.

• You should describe one example of climate, not several examples.

• Most people should say, "This climate would be ideal for me" instead of, "This climate is ideal for me". This is because present tense verbs such as "is" are used to talk about things that are real, now, but most people will be talking about a climate that they are not living in now.

However, it is possible that the climate now, where you are now, is "just right" for you. If that is the case, you can mention that the climate you are in right now is ideal for you and say such things as, "This climate is ideal for me", instead of saying, "This climate would be ideal for me."

• Keep in mind that you will impress the examiner more, and therefore get a better sub-score for grammar, if you can correctly use the subjunctive form, (虚拟语气) of verbs. See the notes for the topic, "A Perfect Park".

• It is unclear if the word, "perfect" or the word, "ideal" is used in the wording of this topic. But it doesn't matter too much because something that is "perfect for you" = something that is "ideal for you".

Strictly speaking,  nothing is "perfect" in this world – "perfect" things or situations are imaginary. So, if the word used in the topic is "perfect", it would be suitable to talk about what you imagine the "perfect climate" to be, even if such a climate is impossible in reality. For example: "For me, the perfect climate would be sunny with a constant temperature of 25° all year round." This is talking about a fantasy (幻想) and the grammar you use should definitely be the subjunctive form, (虚拟语气).

But you don't have to describe a totally imaginary, impossible climate. Most people should describe a climate that is possible, but you still should use the subjunctive form of verbs because you don't live in such a climate now, i.e., it is not real, now.

• It is unclear if the word "would" is used on the task card. If it is, you should try to adapt your answer so that you use "would" when you speak about any points that are written using the word, "would".

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Part 3 Topic 230 Note 1

Do you think young people and older people learn in the same way?

If you get this question, firstly note carefully if the word "learn" or the word "study" is used in the question. Most likely, the word "learn" is used because everyone, including old people, learn things but old (e.g., your grandparents) and older people (e.g., your parents) don't often engage in "study".

Also note if the words, "young people" or "children" are used and if the words, "old people" or "older people" are used.

Although there is some overlap in the meaning and usage of these two words, there is a basic difference: "learning" is a change that takes place in the brain; "studying" is an activity such as reading your textbook.You should, in a natural way, develop your answer so that the examiner sees that you know this difference, or at least accurately talk about "learning", not simply "studying". Don't speak in such a way that the examiner sees that you have obviously read this website!! See here for more information about the differences between the words, "learn" and "study".

The biggest difference in learning is between very young children and adults. Young children (e.g., pre-school children) mostly learn from play, exploration and mimicking others, especially their parents, rather than study. For old people, learning is more difficult than for young people and children, partly because their memory is not so good. For everybody, learning is based on what you already know (= already have learned).

You could also develop your answer to talk about different study styles or study methods between, say, primary school children and adults.

小心! Read this.

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Part 3, Topic 230

Teachers

Generally speaking, 'teachers' in university are not called, "teachers". Instead, they are called "lecturers", "tutors" or "professors". So, if the examiner uses the word "teacher", the meaning is usually "a high school or primary school teacher". [In American English, any university lecturer can be called a "professor" but in British English, only the head of the department is called, "the professor".]

In Britain and Australia and other countries that follow the British styles of education, tertiary colleges that are not classified as "universities", such as TAFE colleges in Australia,  might use the word, "teacher" to describe the lecturer.

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Part 3 Topic 232

Do you think the status of old people will change in the future?

This question is hinting at the fact that in developed countries (such as in Western Europe, Japan, North America, Australia etc.) the proportion of old people in society is growing. This is because fewer people are having children or, if they have children, they have fewer children. That is, the average age of the population is increasing and these societies are being called, "aging societies".

So, will the status of old people change in the future if a large percentage of the population (larger than now) is composed of old people?

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Part 3 Topic 263

On what occasions do people send a card (or, postcard) to someone?

A "postcard" and a "greeting card that people send to others" are not the same. Postcards are usually photographs of some tourist destination; you write a message on the back of the card, and you write the address of the receiver and put the postage stamp on the card itself. Other cards, such as birthday cards, are put into an envelope and sent that way.

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Topic 240 - Old Thing

1. A useful word to use is: "heirloom".  (Check the pronunciation of "heirloom" in the dictionary. It is pronounced the same as "air loom", with the first word spoken a bit stronger than the second word.) Usually we say "a family heirloom", not simply "heirloom", although "heirloom" alone is also possible. If you want to say, "a family heirloom", don't say the word "family" stronger than the word, "heirloom" – the second word, "heirloom", is pronounced with more stress than the word, "family". The stress pattern is the same as for "a family member" or "the city centre". See this page for more on this stress pattern: http://ielts-yasi.englishlab.net/TYPE_4_Page_2.htm
2. Some people (at the Band 4 level and lower) are confused about the difference between the two words, "home" and "family". Your home is a place, the place where your live. If you live in a tent in the forest, you can say, "My home is a tent" or "His home is a cave in the mountains". A "family" is a group of related people.

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Part 3 Topic 241 Note 1

Do you think living in a city with a large population increases the stress in people's lives?

In Chinese, you use the word "压力" to mean both "pressure" and "stress". But in English, there are some subtle differences between the usage of these two words. When we are referring to the negative effects that too much "压力" can have on a person, we call it "stress". The word "stress" is used by doctors and especially by psychologists as well as by the general public, whereas "pressure" is more general and is not referring so much to the damaging effects on the body and on the mind.

For example: "I'm under pressure to finish this report before the end of the week" or, "My parents are putting pressure on me to get married before I turn 30." These examples are not referring to the physical or psychological damage that this pressure might cause. On the other hand, look at this example: "He's under a lot of stress because his business is losing money and, at the same time, his wife wants a divorce. Lately, he's been quite depressed, smoking too much, over-eating and not sleeping well. I'm worried about his mental health."

Other examples: "Being caught in traffic jam every morning on the way to work certainly increases the stress in people's lives." And: "Living in a quiet, attractive rural location with good friends and doing something that you love at a relaxed pace is one way to achieve an almost stress-free life."

小心! Read this.

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