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Simone Braverman

Simone Braverman is the founder of IELTS-Blog.com and the author of several renowned IELTS preparation books, including Ace the IELTS, Target Band 7, the High Scorer's Choice practice test series, and IELTS Success Formula. Since 2005, Simone has been committed to making IELTS preparation accessible and effective through her books and online resources. Her work has helped 100,000's of students worldwide achieve their target scores and live their dream lives. When Simone isn't working on her next IELTS book, video lesson, or coaching, she enjoys playing the guitar or rollerblading.

IELTS exam in India – March 2009 (Academic Module)

A friend from India is telling about his recent Academic IELTS exam:

Reading test
Reading was difficult, the time wasn’t sufficient. The topics that I remember were about a popular engineer and cosmetics.

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (report)
We had a graph about car manufacturing, what proportion of time was spent by 4 U.S based car companies in 1998-2002 on each car.

Writing task 2 (essay)
Schools arrange for students to be engaged in an unpaid work in some institutions and companies for a short period, do you think it is beneficial as a part of work experience?

Speaking test

Interview
– Questions about personal details
– Whether I work or study
– What are my future plans
– What do you do to be healthy?
– Is being healthy necessary?
– What do you think about birthdays?
– What do you do on your birthday?
– What should everyone do on their birthdays?
– Is birthday something only young children need to celebrate?

Cue card
Describe a book you recently read, you should say
– What book was it
– What it was about
– What you liked about it
– What you disliked about it

Discussion
– What kind of books young children like?
– Should only teachers be the ones making children read or should the parents do it as well?
– If so, how parents can make reading appeal to children?
– What is the effect of modern technology on books?
– What is the effect reading on adults?

Attention! A change in the IELTS Reading Paper (General Training)

The IELTS official website announced a change they are making in the General Training Reading from 1 May 2009.

At the moment Passage 2 of the Reading paper is focusing on training content (university, courses, etc). From 1 May it will be focusing on work context (e.g. applying for jobs, company policies, pay and conditions, workplace facilities, staff development etc).

The reason for this small change is that now more employers, professional associations and immigration authorities recognize the IELTS test. This change will ensure that the module will be adapted to real life situations and because of it will more closely meet the needs of candidates who take the IELTS test for employment or immigration purposes.

Nothing else will be changed, the rest of the passages remain as they were.

And here is an example of the new General Training Reading passage:

Click here to view.

There is even an answer key!