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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 test in Japan – January 2023 (Academic Module)

Thanks to our kind friend A, we are sharing today the questions from his recent IELTS exam in Japan:

Listening Test

Part 1. A woman was asking a staff member at the Artificial Snow Centre about the range of activities they offer.
Part 2. We were given a map and asked to label the streets and shops on it, according to what we hear.
Part 3. A conversation between a university tutor and two students, on their inter-department project.
Part 4. Don’t remember.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (a report)

The graph below shows the percentages of people in four age groups who had been to the cinema more than once a month, in the period between 2000 and 2011.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

IELTS Writing Task 1 Cinema Attendance Patterns
* Note: this isn’t the actual graph given in the test, it was recreated for the purpose of demonstration.

Writing task 2 (an essay)

Public health is becoming an urgent issue nowadays. Some argue that governments should create nutrition and food choice laws to improve public health, while others believe that it is a matter of personal choice and responsibility. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Speaking test

Part 1 (Interview)

– What is your full name?
– What do you do, work or study?
– What is the weather like in your country?
– Do you prefer hot weather or cold weather? Why?
– Do you celebrate birthdays?
– Do you celebrate birthdays differently now compared to when you were young?
– Has the importance of birthdays changed for you? Why / why not?

Part 2 (Cue Card)

Describe your childhood friend. You should say

– who he/she is
– when you met him/her
– where you met
– and explain what you did together.

Follow-up question: do you still see your childhood friend?

Part 3 (Discussion)

– Do you still talk to your childhood friends? Why?
– Has the Internet changed the way people make friends? Why do you think so?
– Have you been affected by this change?
– Why do you think people lose their childhood friends?
– Is it important for young children to have friends?
– What influence do you think friends have on young children?

IELTS essay, topic: Celebrities can be poor role models for teenagers (agree/disagree)

This essay topic was seen in a recent IELTS test in Italy.

Nowadays many teenagers have a celebrity who they follow as a role model. Some people think this is not a good idea, because celebrities often set a bad example. Do you agree or disagree?

Sample Band 8 Essay

It is not uncommon for teenagers to worship celebrities. From singers to actors, many young people around the world look up to these stars and attempt to emulate their lifestyles. In my opinion, allowing children to idolize celebrities can often be detrimental, as they frequently set a poor example.

Many of today’s celebrities tend to lack moral values, and they promote behaviour inappropriate for young people. For instance, some music videos feature explicit lyrics glorifying drug use and violence. In addition, the media often reports on celebrities who indulge in excessive partying or drinking alcohol despite being underage. These types of headlines can have a negative influence on impressionable teens who might falsely believe that they should follow suit to appear cool or successful.

Poor morals aren’t the only issue, as many popular stars are also well-known for their irresponsible spending habits. They routinely splurge on luxury items such as designer clothing or expensive cars without any consideration for budgeting or saving money responsibly. This kind of behaviour is dangerous because it is normalizing materialism and teaching teens that costly possessions will bring them happiness instead of focusing on what really matters in life: meaningful relationships, knowledge, and hard work.

To conclude, young adults should keep in mind that society’s perception of fame and fortune is based on temporary, insubstantial things rather than what actually matters. In the grand scheme of things, it would be far more beneficial for teenagers to spend time developing their own set of values rooted in quality education and strong family relationships.

Click here to see more IELTS essays of Band 8