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Recent IELTS exams

Real students tell about their recent IELTS exams: IELTS questions, topics, tasks, answers.

IELTS exam in Germany – May 2009 (Academic Module)

In this report D from Germany tells us about his IELTS exam, the topics and questions. Many thanks, D!

Listening test

It was quite difficult and I can hardly remember anything but the following:
Section 1: a talk about a sports center with different facilities like tennis courts, etc.
Section 2: a talk about a journey to some caves.

Reading test

I can only remember the Passage 3, which was about sand dunes. It said that there are different types of dunes, some dunes are static and others are moving. The progress of moving dunes was explained and some information about the sound it makes while moving was given as well.

Writing test

Writing Task 1 (report)
We had a bar chart with information concerning the average class sizes in
1. Primary schools
2. Lower secondary schools
in 6 different countries (all over the world: Korea, Japan, UK, Mexico, Iceland and one more I don`t remember) in 2006.
This information was contrasted to the world average and I had to write a report for a university lecturer.

Writing Task 2 (essay)
Some people think that their happiness in life is strictly related to economic success. Others give different reasons apart from that one. What do you think about it? Discuss.

Speaking test

Interview
In Speaking my examiner began with some questions about my studies and my work. Then we talked about the television and she asked:
– What do you watch when you need to relax?
– How many hours do you watch TV a week?
– What do you like the most on TV?

Then she asked me about reading, those were nearly the same questions as the ones she asked me concerning the TV. What I read, how many hours I spend on reading and so on.

Cue Card
Talk about someone who helped you very much in a difficult situation. You should say:
– Who helped you
– What it was about
– When it occurred and
– Why it was so important for you

Discussion
– Nowadays old people are often in need of our help. Years ago the younger generations spent more time doing that. Why did it change?
– What are the reasons for that change?
– Do you think it is important to help older people?
– And in what ways do they need help?

IELTS exam in Lithuania – May 2009 (Academic Module)

Thanks to RM from Lithuania I can tell you a lot about the recent IELTS exam there. Not only he gives us the topics and the questions, but also his conclusions and lessons he learned, what he would have done differently in his exam preparation. Here goes:

Listening test

I can say is that unlike the usual test, where section 4 is the hardest, in our test it wasn’t difficult (something about children). However the second section was hardest one for me and some other students.

Reading test

I don’t remember it very well but I will try to describe all I do remember.
Passage 1: Some sort of material which is added to chewing gum, helps to clean oil and is sprinkled on fruits so they grow bigger than they would naturally.
Passage 2: Bamboos, where they grows, what presents dangers for bamboos and so on.
Passage 3: Fairytales for children, when they were invented and how old tales developed to nowadays tales for kids.

Writing test

Writing task 1 (report)
We had two tables with the numbers of international students of two academic years in 2 countries, there were total numbers of international students and the change in percents. First table was about international students in Canada and the second one about international students in the USA.

Writing task 2 (essay)
In many countries traditional food is changed to international fast food. This has negative effect on families and societies as well. Do you agree or disagree provide reasons for your opinion.

Speaking test

Firstly I was asked if I’m a student and I said “Yes I am”. A man then asked me in which university, I told that I’m not in university, I’m in my graduation years at school, so he told me (I could say little bit angrily) that I’m not a student then (that’s strange because in school we always call kids who go to school ‘students’).

Interview
– Tell me your full name.
– Tell me how should I call you.
– Tell me where you live.
– What you like about your city?
– Does your town have a place where to swim?
– Do people in your town like swimming?
– Do you think swimming is useful and why?
– When people in your country give presents?
– Do you think it is important that present is expensive?
– Have you ever made a gift by yourself?
– Is it hard for you to choose the present?

Cue card
Cue card was the same as in Brunei, May 2009, about who would be the famous person you’d like to meet. I’ve read that letter from Brunei before my exam and I though that I won’t get the same topic, so I didn’t think who that person could be. It was a shame that I didn’t, and I still don’t know who it could be, so I made it up).

Discussion
– Would you like to be famous?
– Why do you think people want to be famous?
– How do you think, do famous persons have privacy? How much of it?
– Do all famous persons have a lot of money?
– What is the difference between famous persons in the past and in nowadays? (this was difficult one for me, because I honestly couldn’t tell it even in my mother tongue)
– What famous person should have to be adored by teenagers?

And my advice to everyone who is going to take IELTS exam is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, as much as you can! Is it really very helpful. I’m saying it because I didn’t practice enough (because of my laziness)and now I’m afraid I didn’t get my target score.