1

1. Most countries spend a large amount of money in weapons to defend themselves

though they are not at war. To the countries it should spend money to help the citizens
for who in the countries are poor and disadvantaged. To what extent do you agree or
disagree this statement?
2. Choose an invention, telephone or computer, and tell how it has changed our life. Are
the changes all positive or negative?  
3. People use the computers when they work, go banking and, but somebody argue that
it will make the people isolate and decrease social skills. To what extend do you agree
this viewpoint?  
4. It is one of government’s responsibilities to enable every child to get basic education
freely. If so, the profit private school is not necessary to exist. Do you agree or
disagree?  
5. Someone think the advertisements have the negative influence to young people and it
should be forbidden. Do you agree or disagree?  
6. Nowadays, family are not as close as before and a lot of people are getting used to it.
Write an essay to explain the reason and give your own suggestion? 
7. In most part of the world, the volume of traffic is growing at an alarming rate. In the
form of an assignment, discuss about the main traffic problems in your country, their
causes and possible solutions.  
8. Nowadays TV soap serials are very popular. It makes a lot of influence on people’s
life, community, and neighbourhood and so on. Do you agree or disagree?  
9. Most young people fell alone on the first day when they enter the university. What do
you think should the university to do to help them? 
10. Some people believe that government spends too much money on space research
while there is still a lot problem on the earth. Do you agree or disagree. ? 
11. Compared with three following media of communicating information, which is the most
effective Comic, Books, film, radio, television, theatre. ? 
12. Modern technology has influenced people’s entertainment, makes people less
creative. Agree or Disagree?  
13. Modern Technology, such as fertilizers and machinery has feed our world, but some
disagree, what is the advantage and disadvantage? Discuss. ? 
14. Many parents use punishment to teach the different between right and wrong to kids.
Many think punishment is necessary to help children learn the distinction. What
degree do you agree or disagree? What kind of punishment do you think can parent
and teachers use?  
15. Agree or disagree: the students who study from the school to university get benefit
less and contribute less to, than those of student who go to travel or job and get skills
and experience before going high university. ? 
16. It is one of government’s responsibilities to enable every child to get basic education
freely. If so, the profit private school is not necessary to exist. Do you agree or
disagree?  
17. It is one of government’s responsibilities to enable every child to get basic education
freely. If so, the profit private school is not necessary to exist. Do you agree or
disagree?  
18. Modern technology has influenced people’s entertainment, makes people less
creative. Agree or Disagree?  
19. It is wrong that our government pay more money to the artist projects, for instance,
there are more and more paintings and sculptures appearing at the public places,
because there are more important thing to do. What‘s you opinion? Do you agree or
disagree with it?  
20. Participating in a sport is as important for psychological health as it is for physical
condition and social development.? 
 2
21. Some people say the parents should except school to conduct their children‘s
behaviour and tell them what is ‘right‘ or ‘wrong‘. Others say schools should take this
responsibility. Please give your point about it. ? 
22. As the developing countries and the third world countries, there are a funds, how to
use it? Invest in the basic education or in the high-technology, for instance, computer?
What‘s your opinion?  
23. Fast food is developing more and more popular. It replaces other traditional food.
Some people think it is good, some people disagree with it. What‘s your opinion about
it. Give some reason of your opinion. ? 
24. More and more children‘s writing & math ability are affected by computers and
calculators. We should limit the use of those tools. Disagree or agree. ? 
26. Some people say that it is impossible for a woman to be both effective at work and a
good mother at the same time. It is also suggested that the government should give
salaries to mothers who stay at home to take care of their children. What do you think
about this? Participating in a sport is as important for psychological health as it is for
physical conditions and social development. ? 
27. The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap
and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.
Give reasons for your answer. ? 
28. As technological innovation brings about rapid changes and retraining becomes a
lifelong necessity, industry should take over more and more of the responsibility for
education. To what extent do you agree or disagree this statement?  
29. It is more important for governments to ensure adequate standards of housing,
education and health care for their citizens by developing the industrial base than to
use their resources to develop the rural areas. To what extent do you agree or
disagree this statement?  
30. Business education and training today must promoter environmental awareness. To
what extent do you agree or disagree this statement?  
31. Technological advances continue to improve manufacturing efficiency; the weight of a
drinks can has come down from thirty-five grams to about fifteen grams, for example,
and modern cars and production techniques are much more energy efficient.
Governments need to control the environment rather than controlling industry, as
companies already control their resources very efficiently. . To what extent do you
agree or disagree this statement? 
32. Training for work is far more important than proving a broad-based education. . To
what extent do you agree or disagree this statement?  
33. What steps should a student take in preparing for tertiary education and what would
be the benefit of taking such steps?  
34. The developed world should lead by example and not insist that aid to the Third World
is used to develop rural areas. . To what extent do you agree or disagree this
statement?  
35. People can do longer expect a job for life. What should individuals and governments
do to prepare the current and future environments for different working conditions?  
36. As we know, computers bring many benefits and conveniences to people. However,
computers used in primary schools influence children's ability in writing and
calculating. Some people think computers and calculators should be strictly limited in
the modern classroom. Do you agree? Give your opinion?
37. Some people think school uniforms prevent children's personalities from developing.
What's your opinion?  
38. With the development of society, customs and habits have changed a lot. Is it a good
or bad phenomenon? What’s your opinion?  
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39. Nowadays, nurseries and kindergartens take care of children from an early age, so
women can return to their work and children can get used to the society early. Is this a
good thing? What’s your opinion?  
40. Today, it is not allowed to raise pets in many cities, especially in modern cities. Do you
agree or disagree with this?  
41. Now many people are forgetting their history and culture, so some people suggest that
we should encourage people to wear their traditional clothing everyday. Do you
agree?  
42. The number of days' holiday that an employee receives per-year varies from job to
job. Do you think people should have the same amount of day’s holiday regardless of
their occupations? Give your reasons for your answer.?  
43. Some young people leave home before 20 for job or study. Do you think the sudden
independence is positive? Think the disadvantage of it? Give your reason and relative
sample experience.?  
44. Now there are more and more television camera in shops and homes to monitor
customers and visitors. Some people think this is unhappy and not be trustees. Others
think security is important than privacy. What do you think? Require: explain your
reason and use your own experience.? 
45. Children are becoming lazy, fat and unsociable, give your possible causes and
measures.? 
46. There are great amount of violence in television programs, we should reduce them.
Do you agree or disagree?  
47. Nowadays, parents spent little time with their children, and use the television for
keeping children quiet. What do you think about this case and the results? Give
reasons and suggestion about it by your experience (make example).? 
48. Some family sent their children to foreign country for education purpose. What is your
opinion?  
49. It is said that today people live are becoming increasingly stressful. What’s the
reason of it occur and how to solve the problem?
50.  High school students should study general subjects before they are 17 years old, to
study specialist subjects before that age is too early for them. Agree or disagree?
51. In some country children starting their school at seven age in order to strengthen their
relation with their parents, but in other countries, children can begin their school at
four ages. Discuss the advantage and disadvantage of starting school at an early age.
52. People rely on news for knowledge, shall we trust the journalists. What is your
opinion? What do you think what a good journalist should be?  
53. The world of work is changing rapidly. Nowadays, work conditions are not always the
same, and the employees can’t only depend on one type of job. Give causes of the
changes and give suggestion for employees to face the situation in future. Show your
own opinion; tell your experience and understanding about this matter ? 
54. As the development of modern science and technology, some aspects of traditional
culture are being lost, so some people think that the traditional culture and technology
will be replaced by the modern science and technology such as computer or internet,
what is your opinion?  
55. Some sport events such as the World Cup may help reduce the tension and bias
between different countries and keep the peace of the world, what is your opinion?  
56. Some people think that the animals should be treated as pets, others think that
animals are resources of food and clothing. What is your opinion?  
57. Some people think that the developed countries should fund international aid to poor
countries to help these developing countries to develop domestic health, education
and trade. What is your opinion?  
58. Young drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many countries, what are the
reasons for this and what can be done to combat it ? 
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59. Some people think that the new Millennium is the opportunity while others think it is
danger. What do you think about it and what do you expect to happen in the new
Millennium. ? 
60. If famous people are treated unfairly by the media? Should they be given more
privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives?  
61. Should developing countries concentrate on Improving industrial skills and modern
technology or should they promote education first?  
62. Who should be responsible for protecting the environment of a city or a country - the
government , the corporation or the people?  
63. Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when
technology was simpler?  
64. Tourism is a multibillion dollars industry that supports economic development, some
people think that it causes damage to local environment and culture, so what is your
opinion?  
65. Nowadays doctors can become very rich. Maybe they should not focus on profitable
activities such as plastic surgery or looking after rich patients and concentrate more
on patient health, no matter how rich they are?  
66. Will modern technology, such as the internet ever replace the book or the written word
as the main source of information?  
67. Should criminals be punished with lengthy jail terms or re-educated and rehabilitated,
using community service programs for instance, before being reintroduced to society?
68. In some countries if parents hit children or punish children physically, they will break
the law and will be arrested. Some people think that punishment is good for teaching
children to discipline their behaviour, others say it’s the matter of parents. ? 
69. Some people think that it is more important for a single language as an international
official language. Others think that it will make it difficult to identify countries and loss
culture. What’s your opinion? And show your reason and example . ? 
70. With the development of market economy advertisements have become a dominant
feature in television industry descript the rich information brought by TV, there still
exits strong criticism against TV advertisements. Write on article analyzing the passive
and negative effects of TV advertisements. ? 
71. The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as
before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible
causes of these changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for
work in the future. ? 
72. Some people feel that in order to improve the quality of our education, we should
encourage high school student to evaluate and criticize their teachers. Other feels it
will cause the loss of respect and discipline in the classroom.? 

More Essay Topics (New)

Topic 1: The telephone plays an important role in modern life. There's no doubt that it has
improved the quality of our lives in many ways. In other ways, however, it has had a negative
effect on our lives. Discuss both the positive and negative effects of the telephone on modern
life. Support your ideas with reasons and examples. (250 words)

Topic 2: Many places in the China have lotteries in which a person may win a million dollars
or more. What would be the advantages of winning a million dollars? Would there be
disadvantages? Write a 250-words essay explaining the advantages and disadvantages.

Topic 3: Many families are having fewer children. Having even just one child can have a
dramatic impact on the parents' lives. Write about this impact in about 250 words. You can
discuss the negative impact, the positive impact, or both.
 5
Topic 4: Everyone complains about taxes, yet think about what would happen if there were
no longer an income tax. In a 250-word essay, discuss the positive effects of an income tax,
the negative effects, or both.

Topic 5: Television is still a relatively new invention, yet it has had profound effects on China
and on Chinese's lives. Write about 250 words discussing the effects of television. You can
write about the good effects, the bad effects, or both.

Topic 6: Most people have dreams of one day becoming rich. But does the average person
have the ability to make a lot of money? Think about this question. Then write about 250
words describing your thoughts.

Topic 7: More and more people are living by themselves today. What are the advantages of
living alone? What are the disadvantages? Write an essay of about 250 words explaining the
advantages and disadvantages.

Topic 8: Sports are very popular in today's society. Some people believe, "Winning is the
only thing." Others believe, " It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." Is
there a way in sports in which both opponents could "win" a game? "Lose" a game? Detail
your thoughts on this issue in an essay of about 250 words.

Topic 9: Manufacturers who advertise sometimes directly name one or two of their
competitors and attack their products. What are your feelings about this advertising practice?
Write an essay of about 250 words describing your ideas.

Topic 10: For many years the nuclear family, consisting of father, mother, and children, was
considered to be the normal family pattern in China's society. Yet in many other cultures and
in our own in the past, three generations--grandparents, parents, and children--often have
lived together. What are the advantages and disadvantages of three generations living
together? Give specific examples in a 250-word essay.

Topic 11: Surveys show that more people get the news by watching television than by
reading the newspaper. Think about whether TV news shows are adequate as a person's
only source of news. Write an essay of about 250 words that details your thoughts.

Topic 12: Some people live in one community their entire lives. Many more moves at least
once; some quite often. Compare and contrast moving to different parts of the country versus
living in one community your entire life. Write about 250 words.

Topic 13: The automobile has had a profound effect on modern life. Some of these effects
have been positive and others negative. Detail these effects in a 250-word essay.

Topic 14: Materialism means placing great importance on material things such as clothes,
property, and furniture. Many people complain that modern society is too materialistic. Are
people in these times " what they own " or " what they are " ? Explain your thoughts on the
matter in an essay of about 250 words.

Topic 15: People spend a great deal of time, money, and energy to see or read about movie
stars, TV actors, and athletes. What role do such celebrities play in society? Write an essay
of about 250 words. Give specific examples
 6
Writing Task 1:

You are advised to spend a maximum of 20 minutes on this task.

The table below summarizes some data collected by a college bookshop for the month
of February 1995.Write a report describing the sales figures of various types of
publications, based on the information shown in the table. You should write at least
150 words.

  Non-Book Club Members Book Club Total

College staff College Members of Members  
Students Public
Fiction 44 31 - 76 151
Non- 29 194 122 942 1287
Fiction
Magazines 332 1249 82 33 1696
Total 605 1474 94 1051 3024

 Table shows the sales figures of fiction books, non-fiction books, and magazines in a college
bookshop for February 1995. The figures are divided into two groups: sales to non – Book
Club members and to Book Club members.

The non-Book Club member figures are comprised of sales to college staff, college students,
and members of the public. College staff bought 332 magazines, 44 fiction and 29 non-fiction
books. College students bought 1249 magazines, 194 non-fiction and 31 fiction books. More
magazines were sold to college students than to other group of  customers. Although no
fiction books were sold to members of the public, they purchase 122 non-fiction books and
82 magazines.

Book Club members bought more fiction (76) and non-fiction books (942) than other
customers. On the other hand, magazines sales to members (33) were fewer than the
combined magazine sales to other customers.

The total number of publications sold for the month was 3024(1474 t o college students, 405
to college staff, and 94 to members of the public). Of this figure, 151 items were fiction books
and 1287 were non fiction. Therefore, magazines accounted for the greatest number of sales
(1696).
 7

Writing Sample 1: Robots are increasing in operating in the industrialized world. On one
hand, robot replace people of dangerous or unpleasant for human beings and robotic
manipulators create manufactured products that are of higher quality and lower cost.

Writing Sample 2: It is inevitable that as technology develops so traditional culture must be

lost. Technology and tradition are incompatible- you cannot have both together.
To what extent do you agree with this statement?

Writing Sample 3: Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many
advantages. It is therefore a good idea to study English in a country such as Australia.
However, I believe it is not the only the way to learn the language.

Writing Sample 4: Television has had a significant influence on the culture of many societies.
To what extent would you say that television has positively or negatively affected the cultural
development of your society?

Writing Sample :5 in certain countries children are not allowed to leave school until they
reach a certain age, for example, in some countries it is 15 years.

Writing Sample 6: Technology can bring many benefits, but it can also cause social and
environmental problems. In relation to new  technology, the primary duty of Governments
should be to focus on potential problems, rather than benefits.

Writing Sample 7: A much debated issue these days is whether citizens should take out
private health insurance or not.

Writing Sample 8: As a way of entertainment, movie has become an indispensable part our
daily life. Regarding movie as their favourite hobby, film fans expect every film to bring them
wonderful spiritual enjoyment.

Writing Sample 9: Energy crisis, one of the most serious problems, which Mankind will be
faced with in the new millennium, causes more and more concerns.

Writing Sample 10: There is a Vietnamese saying: "the person who is content with what he
has is always happy."

Writing Sample 11: Just as other kinds of art, music has become an in indispensable part of
human culture.

Writing Sample 12 :Death penalty/sentence, also known as the capital punishment, has
existed in human society for hundreds of, or maybe thousands of years.

Writing Sample 13 :although most of people hold that women are playing the same role in
the society as men, it's rather common that most high level jobs are taken by men.

Writing Sample 14: Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many
advantages. It is therefore a good idea to study English in a country such as Australia.
However, I believe it is not the only the way to learn the language.

Writing Sample 15 : A government’s role is only to provide defence capability and urban
infrastructure (roads, water supplies, etc.) All other services (education, health, social
security) should be provided by private groups or individuals in the community.
 8
Writing Sample 16: A number of different medical traditions are now widely known and used:
Western medicine (using drugs and surgery), herbal medicine, acupuncture (using needles
at certain points of the body), homoeopathy (using minute doses of poisons), and so on

Writing Sample 17: Are computers an essential feature of modern education? What subjects
can be better taught using computers? Are there aspects of a good education that cannot be
taught using computers? 

Writing Sample 18 : The human race is facing problems which are getting more acute as
time goes on

Writing Sample 19 : Some people think the child should be brought up in the village because
of the good environment, meanwhile some people think the young child should be brought up
in cities. Do you agree or disagree.

Writing Sample 20: some people say that older people should live with their adult children.
Others say that they shouldn't. Which do you think is good practice.

Writing Sample 21: The great advances in science and technology have brought about
dramatic changes in human being's life and work style, especially from computers and
Internet.

Writing Sample 22 :For the sake of high rate of entrance to college, many of the leading
schools in China nowadays arrange scientific and literary courses for students, such as
mathematics, Chinese, English and so on, omitting the physical education

Writing Sample 23: With the development of market economy, advertisements have become
a dominant feature in television industry.

Writing Sample 24: Every day people's eyes and ears are filled with all kinds of
advertisement on TVs, radios, newspapers, Internet and billboards on main roads.

Writing Sample 25: some people argue that fundamental education for children should be at
the expense of the government rather than of their parents.

Writing Sample 26: some people argue that it is more important to have one language to be
adapted as the official international language.

Writing Sample 27 : It is a common phenomenon in some countries that parents punish their
children for their wrong doings by hurting their biddies While on the contrary ,in other
countries, the physical punishment to children is  considered to be immoral and illegal.

Writing Sample 28 :nowadays it is so difficult for graduate students to find a job that many
high schools tend to teach students some skilful subjects, such as computer, business and
communication, while reducing some traditional subjects, such as history, geography

Writing Sample 29: some say that it is good for children to stay away from their families and
go to a boarding school.

Writing Sample 30 : Why Do People Feel Isolated from Each Other and Solutions
 9
Referral 36

17 other sample essays

1.     Sample essay:

Every week millions of people buy lottery tickets, hoping their small investment will make
them rich. They often believe that if they won a million dollars, their troubles would be over. If
they actually got the money, would their dreams come true?

Whether people live “happily ever after” when they win the lottery probably depends on what
their dreams are. Money can buy some things but not others.

Cash buys houses, cars, and college educations; it pays for medical treatment and clears up
overdue bills. Money also purchases travel and new experiences. A million dollars could
allow someone to quit a tough, boring job and try for something better. It could provide a
feeling of security.

On the other hand, winning so much money could actually cause some problems. A person
who quit working might eventually become bored or lose some self-respect. Family members
might squabble over what should be purchased. Long-lost friends, relatives, and even
complete strangers are likely to want a handout. The winner must then decide whom to help
and whom to offend.

Despite all these drawbacks, I would rather win the money than not. The difficulties of having
to manage a million dollars are troubles I would like to have.

2.     Sample essay:

“After the baby is born, things will never be the same.” People say that to expectant parents-
and they are right!

It will be a long time before those parents can again sleep late in the morning. A baby wakes
early, screaming for food. The toddler thinks 6 a.m. is the right time to start the day. After that
come early school mornings.

It will be years before the parents can go anywhere together on the spur of the moment.
Every outing must be planned ahead so that a baby-sitter can be found. The budget will be
stretched, the work load will get heavier, and by the time parents can be alone, they may be
too tired to talk.

Still, people want children. Why?

One reason is that children are a link to the future. They will probably be here after the
parents are gone. In addition, their children will live after them.

A deeper reason for wanting children, perhaps, is that the more people we have to love, the
more fulfilled our lives can be. By giving to a child, people enrich their own lives. In the end,
we live not only for ourselves, but for others.
 10
3.     Sample essay:
It hurts to look at a pay check and see how much of it was taken out for income tax. That
money could have paid some important bills. It is easy to dream of doing away with the
income tax and keeping all that money for ourselves.

If there were no income tax, however, the government would have a lot less to spend. The
money we send to Washington seems to fall into a black hole and disappear. Actually,
though, many people depend on it. The money pays the salaries of government employees,
who provide services from drug control to highway building. It supports our military defence.
Also, much of the money is returned to people in the form of student loans, veterans’
benefits, and payments to farmers, for example. The government has been working to cut its
budget lately. With every cut, someone complains loudly.

So if the income tax were eliminated, other taxes would have to make up for it. Paying those
other taxes would also hurt. Sales taxes fall most heavily on poor people. Taxes on
manufacturers only result in higher prices to consumers.

Income taxes are not fun to pay. But doing without them would be worse. In my opinion,
income taxes should be made as fair as possible. Then we each must “bite the bullet” and do
our share.

4.     Sample essay:

Television has changed both the way we spend our time and what we know about the world.
Some of the changes brought by television have improved our way of life, but others have
made it worse.

People today on the average spend several hours a day watching television. In times past,
they would sit on their front steps and visit on nice evenings. This neighbourly visiting built
close friendships, but it seldom takes place any longer. Even though families may all watch
TV together, they may not communicate much. Some women have called themselves “sports
widows” because their husbands spend every spare minute watching televised football,
baseball, and other sports.

On the other hand, people have learned more about the world because of television. People
in small towns know more about the city, and people in cities have learned about the country.
Politicians, celebrities, wars, and disasters appear in the living room. Programs take viewers
to the bottom of the sea, the tops of mountains, and even outer space.

Some people think television leads to violence, immorality, and greed for possessions. I am
not sure whether this is true. However, good or bad, TV is here to stay. It is up to each of us
to make the most of its opportunities and avoid its problems.

5.     Sample essay:

When lack of money prevents us from having something we want very much, it is tempting to
dream of being rich. It is hard to keep in mind that Americans are already wealthy compared
with people in many other parts of the world. Our modern conveniences would have been the
envy of kings in times past. Just the same, most people would like a larger. Whether most
people are capable of making a lot of money is another question.
 11
People in average circumstances can often get ahead through education, hard work, and
careful money management. But getting ahead is not the same as actually becoming rich.

Only a small percentage of Americans could be called truly wealthy. Some people joined this
group from ordinary beginnings. Usually they have done it by carefully riding some major
development in the economy on its way up. In the past, great fortunes have been made in oil,
steel, and railroads. Recently, some people have made millions in computers and real estate.

Usually, though, it takes money to make money. Big investors often start rich and then get
richer.

Most of us cannot strike oil or start the next new technical breakthrough. Most people are not
born into wealthy families, either. In America it certainly is possible to become more
prosperous. But unless someone wins the lottery, real wealth is not very likely to come along.

6.     Sample essay:

You come home alone after a long day at work. You open the door to your home. No one is
there. Is it blessed silence you hear - or echoing emptiness?

The millions of people who live alone today may have either experience. Some love living
alone, yet others wish they didn’t have to.

When they open that door at night, people who live alone do not have to put up with
demands or listen to someone’s noise or meet anyone’s dinner deadlines. They do not have
to debate about which TV program to watch or stay off the phone because someone else is
expecting an important call. No one else messes up their kitchen.

But when they are sick, no one else will bring them an aspirin or call the doctor. Preparing
dinner for one can be difficult, and eating dinner for one night after night can be very lonely.
Perhaps no one really cares what they did all day. If they are feeling sad, there may be no
one to cheer them up. Some people who live alone say the worst times come when
something very good happens because there is no one to share the joy.

During the course of a lifetime, one may sometimes live with others and sometimes live
alone. Each way of life has its advantages. Learning to take advantage of them is one key to
contentment.

7.     Sample essay:

Sports include both national teams and the teams for the rest of us. The national teams are
mainly concerned with winning and with money. The other teams are mainly concerned with
winning and with money. The other teams provide different satisfactions.

Being on a team helps people learn teamwork - to rely on others and to do their own part as
well. Players learn both to win and to lose. When the team loses, the members learn that
they can come back from a loss. They look for the reasons they were beaten, work on their
weaknesses, and try again. When the team wins, the members can learn to be gracious
winners and good sports.

Sports are also for play. Most of us have work to do most of the time. Now and then we need
to have fun. Sports can provide the time to relax.
 12
If a team helps people learn to work together, lose win, and have fun, it’s a winner regardless
of the score. But if players on a winning team have not worked together, if they feel that
winning makes them better than others, if there was no joy in the sport, those winners are
losers.

Having the winning score is important. Being a winner as a person is worth even more.

8.     Sample essay:

Advertisers who directly attack their competitors may amuse me if they do it cleverly.
However, they have probably lost me as a customer.

Companies who attack their rivals remind me of people who boost their egos by criticizing
others. When people do this, I often suspect they have little to offer and may even have
something to hide. I would rather find out what is good about a person, not what is bad about
someone else.

Similarly, I like advertising that lets me know about products that might meet my needs. I
don’t place much faith in ads telling me what may be wrong with a rival product. I tend to
suspect that the information could be biased.

I also believe advertisers are foolish to name their rivals because by doing so they give the
competing product free publicity. If the competition is worth attacking, I tend to think it may
actually have something to offer.

In advertising, as in life, I believe we should try to be the best we can be, without belittling the
next person - or the rival product.

9.     Sample essay:

Three generations living together can have both financial and personal advantages. On the
other hand, it can also have personal disadvantages.

In years past and today, three generations have probably lived together mostly out of
economic necessity or advantage. Sometimes a young family moves in with the older
generation because the husband and wife can’t afford a place of their own. Sometimes
grandparents move in because they aren’t well enough or can’t afford to live alone anymore.
Occasionally, grandparents come to take care of the children so both parents can work. In
times past, and sometimes today, three generations have lived together because they all
depended on the same farm or business.

Usually these arrangements do help solve financial and practical problems. Everyone has a
roof over his or her head. Children and old people in need of care are likely to get it. Often a
family can get ahead financially by sharing the work and the bills. In addition, a strong sense
of family and of belonging can develop in everyone.

What may be harder to work out are questions of who’s in charge. If grandparents don’t let
go of some authority, the middle generation is likely to resent it. On the other hand, ailing
grandparents may force their children to be parents to them and to their own children as well.
If parents and grandparents disagree on discipline, children may be confused or angry.

The personal disadvantages can be overcome. For three generations to live together
successfully, everyone’s needs must be respected.
 13
10.   Sample essay:
Television news shows are dramatic and interesting. Watching them is pleasant and does
not require the effort of reading. If television did not cover the news, some people would
know nothing about what is going on in the world.

However, television newscasters cover only the events that they have time for, and they
prefer stories that include some dramatic pictures. Viewers are quickly bored with reporters
who sit and talk into the camera. As a result, a complicated story is often cut short.

Newspapers and magazines do a better job of explaining complex events. They can include
details, and a person with a special interest can take the time to read them. Others can stick
to the headlines.

Reading allows more freedom of choice than television. The TV audience cannot decide
which stories to watch. In broadcasting, “one size fits all”. However, a person who reads
newspapers and magazines can choose to spend time on business, sports, health, or the
school board election, depending on special interests.

Television provides a useful glance at what’s happening. However, a person who has
individual interests and who wants the whole story needs newspapers and magazines as
well.

11.   Sample essay:

Some people live in one community all their lives, while others move around almost as much
as nomads. Both experiences have their advantages and disadvantages.

People who stay in one spot can develop lifelong friendships, and such friends may lend a
hand if trouble comes. They know each other’s life history, and they judge each other for the
kind of person each is, not for the image each projects.

Yet spending a lifetime in one location can also lock a person into a limited way of life.
Personal change may become very difficult. People with few experiences may develop a
narrow outlook and find it hard to understand those who have different ethnic, racial, or
religious backgrounds.

On the other hand, moving to different parts of the country is usually stressful. A person may
feel lost and uprooted in a place where streets, stores, schools, and churches all are
different. At first there are no friends to help.

However, those who do move learn that people in other places have a variety of outlooks.
There is a chance to appreciate different ways of life and even to choose the way one likes
best.

For a person who moves to a different place year after year, the disadvantages of moving
probably outweigh the advantages. But a few moves are probably worth the effort. By staying
in each place for a length of time, people can broaden their outlook but have enough time to
make adjustment and form friendships.
 14
12.   Sample essay:
The automobile has probably changed people’s way of life more than any other invention of
the last century. More than electric lights, television, air travel, or even computers,
automobiles have changed where people live and work, how they make a living, and even
how they find a mate.

Before there were cars, people generally travelled on foot or by horse and buggy over
unpaved roads. Whether they lived in the city or the country, they rarely went farther than a
few miles from home. They saw the same people and places year after year.

The car opened up whole new worlds. Roads were paved, and motorists went to see
different parts of the country. Some decided to stay. People with cars could live farther from
their jobs, and so the age of commuting began. New suburbs sprang up around the cities.

The auto industry boomed, and millions of Americans made a living manufacturing, selling,
servicing, or insuring cars.

As more people got cars, your people began driving them. No longer was courtship confined
to the girl’s front porch, under the watchful eye of her parents. The automobile began the
sexual revolution.

Some people believe that commuting, suburban life, and courting in cars are mixed
blessings. Whether the changes are good or bad, they seem to be here to stay.

13.   Sample essay:

Many people complain that modern society is too materialistic. Other people, they say, place
too great an importance on material property. Rather than value values, these critics insist,
people today value things.

There is no doubt that we live in a material, consumer-oriented society. In economic terms,

consumers use products; in everyday language, they acquire things: TVs, cars, clothes,
furniture. This kind of materialism can actually be good for a society since it helps create
jobs. When people have jobs, they acquire self-respect along with the money they need to
provide the material things they and their families require.

It is true, on the other hand, that many people have taken healthy consumerism too far.
Materialism is evident when an otherwise intelligent person goes into debt charging things
that he or she cannot pay for. Materialism is evident when people insist on buying a
particular designer label even though the same quality can be found in a cheaper product.
Materialism is evident when people are judged and admired for what they own rather than
what they are or can do.

Even if society has gone too far in the direction of materialism, as some say, the individual
person doesn’t need to surrender. He or she can still value honesty, integrity, freedom,
talent, quality, and all the other values there are to value and leave the materialism to others.

14.   Sample essay:

People spend a great deal of time, money, and energy to see or read about movie stars, TV
actors, singers, and athletes. Such celebrities often become idols. Posters, T-shirts, fan
 15
clubs, and attendance at live performances prove that. What do celebrities do to merit this
attention?

Celebrities create excitement. They create excitement because they have done something or
can do something that supposedly not everyone else can do. Raising a child, waking early to
go to work each morning, building a home and a place in the community-these achievements
actually deserve more admiration than rolling through Beverly Hills in a limousine or jetting
across the Atlantic to star in a new movie. Yet because these achievements are part of many
people’s everyday lives, they are not considered special. Celebrities help us dream by lifting
us out of our everyday lives and imagining ourselves doing other than everyday activities.

Celebrities also set styles. They become models for behaviour, clothing, and hairdos. Just
consider Elvis Presley or the Beatles, for example. Celebrities also influence politics, as Bob
Hope and Robert Redford have done.

Celebrities’ roles as “special people” and trendsetters, then, are the reason for the attention
many of us lavish on them. In many ways, the celebrities of today have merely replaced the
kings and queens of old.

15.   Sample essay:

Most people want to be successful in life, but success can come about in four ways: fame,
money, knowledge, and pleasure. Success is also usually characterized by the word more; to
be successful, people feel they have to be more famous, have more money, absorb more
information, or enjoy life more.

Success does not need to be characterized by quantity, however. Instead, you can measure
the success of your life by its quality. It is not important, for example, how many people know
you but who knows you and for what. Working in your community or on good relationships
with family and friends can bring quality fame. Earning less money but spending it wisely and
learning the joy saving is another way to succeed. Learning more so that you can turn
around and teach someone else produces quality knowledge. And finally, all the above will
most likely bring you quality success in enjoying the pleasures of living.

Success, in conclusion, can be seen in different ways by different people. Only one thing is
sure. No matter what other people see, the only one who knows whether you’re succeeded is
you.

16.   Sample essay:

Every year billions of dollars are spent on advertising. Many approaches are used to
persuade consumers to buy a product. Some seem to work better than others.

One approach, for example, is to try to make the reader or viewer identify with the people
shown using the product. These people seem to be glamorous, loved, successful, elite,
clever, or sexy. Supposedly, anyone who uses the product can expect the same reward.
Another approach is to let the product speak for itself; people are attracted to scrumptious
food, beautiful clothing, and sleek new cars. Sometimes good prices and special deals are
the focus. Ads for complicated products, such as computers, may provide a lot of
information. Endorsements by celebrities are especially common.
 16
In general, many of the ads succeed. People do tend to buy what they see advertised.
However, some advertising can backfire. People may be offended, for example, by ads that
are overly sexy or ones that viciously or sarcastically attack competitors’ products.

Advertising can be a useful aid for the consumer. It helps a person learn what is new or in
style or handy to have around, what things cost, and where to buy them. To use this
information effectively, however, a person must learn to look past the emotional appeals and
find the facts.

17.   Sample essay:

Some animals are pets, some are wild, and many of them provide us with food. All have a
different - and important - role in our lives.

It is easy to forget that the steak at the supermarket once formed part of a steer. But without
domestic animals such as chickens and cattle, we would all be vegetarians, or a great deal of
our time would need to be spent hunting.

Wild animals attract sport hunters. For some people they are even an important source of
food. When urban people visit the wild, deer, bears, and other wild animals remind them of
an older way of life.

Pets, however, are the animals that are especially significant for most of us. They are
undemanding companions; they love us when we are not at our best. A pet can be a great
comfort when life seems hard.

For children, pets can be both fun and instructive. If a child cares for a pet, he or she learns
to take responsibility for another being. Watching kittens or puppies being born can be a
natural form of sex education. For children, as for adults, pets love companions and a help in
tough time.

As I recall, an Indian chief once said, “Without our brothers, the animals, we would all be very
lonely.” I believe he was right
 17

1. Now there is an increased work-related stress. Explain the causes and what should be
done?
2. The students who study from the school to university get benefit less and contribute
less to, than those of student who go to travel or job and get skills and experience
before going high. Do you agree or disagree.  
3. Many people say that we have developed into a “throw-away society” because we are
filling up our environment with so many plastic bags and rubbish that we cannot fully
dispose of. To what degree do you agree with this opinion and what measures can
you recommend to reduce this problem.  
4. Scientists contribute more to society, so scientific students should get more support.
To what extent, do you agree or disagree?  
5. Modern technology, such as chemical fertilizer, has been used in nowadays rapidly.
Some people think that it is dangerous to human health and has negative effects on
local communities. To what extent, do you agree or disagree?  
6. Compare the advantage and disadvantage, choose three of the following item as
media for communication information, give your prefer one which you think the most
effective comics, books, film, radio, television, theatre. ? 
7. Many parents use punishment to teach the different between right and wrong to kids.
Many think punishment is necessary to help children learn the distinction. What
degree do you agree or disagree? What kind of punishment do you think can parent
and teachers use?  
8. People use the computers when they work, go banking and, but somebody argue that
it will make the people isolate and decrease social skills. To what extend do you agree
this viewpoint?  
9. Which is the best measurement of a country’s success? Some people say it is
people's life quality which has nothing to do with money, others argue that it is a rich
economy .What is your opinion?  
10. Tell truth not all the time is essential. On some occasion, you have to tell lies. To what
extent do you agree or disagree? 
11. Happiness is considered very important in our life. Why it is difficult to define?
What factors are important in achieving happiness? What the important factors can
affect happiness?
13. Most countries spend a large amount of money in weapons to defend themselves
though they are not at war. To the countries, it should spend money to help the
citizens for who in the countries are poor and disadvantaged. To what extent do you
agree or disagree this statement?  
14. Waste disposal presents problems increasing especially in urban area” Suggest what
should government and individuals do can help reduce an amount of rubbish?  
15. The parents in unit British decade not have a television to children in their home.
Some people think children should take more creatively. To what extent, do you agree
or disagree?  
16. Your views on whether the extensively using of robot good /bad to we human beings?
17. Live animals are use in research. It is cruel and unnecessary; other say it is justified in
interest of human welfare. Discuss the two views.  
18. It is said that today people live are becoming increasingly stressful. What’s the reason
of it occur and how to solve the problem?  
19. The reason cause work-related stress and the way to solution  
20. Is that people thinking the elderly person should be taking care of by the professionals
in the residential house/home, better than with the younger members of his own
facility. To what extent, do you agree or disagree?  
 18
21. Scientific and technological advances have changed our lives. But some scientists in
some fields say that scientists are not able to find solutions to the problems they have
created. To what extend do you agree or disagree?
22. People rely on news for knowledge, shall we trust the journalists. What is your
opinion? What do you think what a good journalist should be?  
23. The world of work is changing rapidly. Nowadays, work conditions are not always the
same, and the employees cannot only depend on one type of job. Give causes of the
changes and give suggestion for employees to face the situation in future. Show your
own opinion; tell your experience and understanding about this matter.  
24. As the development of modern science and technology, some aspects of traditional
culture are being lost, so some people think that the traditional culture and technology
will be replaced by the modern science and technology such as computer or internet,
what is your opinion?  
25. Some people believe that government spends too much money on space research
while there are still a lot of problems on the earth. To what extent, do you agree or
disagree?  
26. Some sport events such as the World Cup may help reduce the tension and bias
between different countries and keep the peace of the world, what is your opinion?  
27. Some people think that the animals should be treated as pets, others think that
animals are resources of food and clothing. What is your opinion?  
28. Some people think that the developed countries should fund international aid to poor
countries to help these developing countries to develop domestic health, education
and trade. What is your opinion?  
29. Young drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many countries, what are the
reasons for this and what can be done to combat it?  
30. Some people think that the new Millennium is the opportunity while others think it is
danger. What do you think about it and what do you expect to happen in the new
Millennium.  
31. If famous people are treated unfairly by the media? Should they be given more
privacy, or is the price of their fame an invasion into their private lives?  
32. Should developing countries concentrate on improving industrial skills and modern
technology or should they promote education first?  
33. Who should be responsible for protecting the environment of a city or a country - the
government, the corporation or the people?  
34. Does modern technology make life more convenient, or was life better when
technology was simpler.
35. Tourism is a multibillion dollars industry that supports economic development, some
people think that it causes damage to local environment and culture, so what is your
opinion?  
36. Nowadays doctors can become very rich. Maybe they should not focus on profitable
activities such as plastic surgery or looking after rich patients and concentrate more
on patient health, no matter how rich they are?  
37. Will modern technology, such as the internet ever replace the book or the written word
as the main source of information?  
38. Should criminals be punished with lengthy jail terms or re-educated and rehabilitated,
using community service programs for instance, before being reintroduced to society?
39. In some countries if parents hit children or punish children physically, they will break
the law and will be arrested. Some people think that punishment is good for teaching
children to discipline their behaviour; others say it is the matter of parents.  
40. Some people think that it is more important for a single language as an international
official language. Others think that it will make it difficult to identify countries and loss
culture. What is your opinion? And show your reason and example.  
 19
41. With the development of market economy advertisements have become a dominant
feature in television industry descript the rich information brought by TV, there still
exits strong criticism against TV advertisements. Write on article analyzing the passive
and negative effects of TV advertisements.  
42. It is wrong that our government pays more money to the artist projects, for instance,
there are more and more paintings and sculptures appearing at the public places,
because there are more important things to do. What is your opinion?  
43. The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as
before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible
causes of these changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for
work in the future.  
44. Write an argument to an educated person of following statement : Students who go
directly from school to university benefit less from ,and contribute less to their courses
than those who take a job or travel in order to get more experience in "real world"
before they starting higher education. To what extent you agree or disagree this
statement.  
45. Some people feel that in order to improve the quality of our education, we should
encourage high school student to evaluate and criticize their teachers. Other feels it
will cause the loss of respect and discipline in the classroom.  
46. Modern technology has influenced people's entertainment, makes people less
creative. To what extent, do you agree or disagree?  
47. TV series (soaps) become more and more popular in modern society, because
communities and neighbourhood are non-exist. Do you agree or disagree?  
48. When students come to the campus on the first day, they always feel very lonely.
What other problems do they have on the first day and how could school authority
help them?  
49. It is one of government’s responsibilities to enable every child to get basic education
freely. If so, the profit private school is not necessary to exist. To what extent, do you
agree or disagree?  
50. Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things we really do not need.
Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives.
To what extent, do you agree or disagree?
 20
Practice IELTS Reading Test A (Academic Module)
READING PASSAGE 1

PERSONAL TIME MANAGEMENT

Since the early work of Halberg(1960),the existence of human "circadian rhythms" has been
well-known to biologists and psychologists. Circadian rhythms dictate that there are certain
times of the day when we are at our best both physically and psychologically. At its simplest,
the majority of us feel more alive and creative in the mornings, while come the evenings we
are fit only for collapsing with a good book or in front of the television. Other of us note that in
the morning we take a great deal of time to get going physically and mentally, but by the
evening are full of energy and bright ideas, while a very few of us feel most alert and
vigorous in the late afternoon .

Irrespective of our personal rhythms, most of us have a productive period between 10a.m.
and noon, when the stomach, pancreas, spleen and heart all appear to be in their most
active phases. Conversely, the majority of us experience a low period in the hour or two after
lunch (a time when people in some societies sensibly take a rest), as most of our energy is
devoted to the process of digestion. The simple rules here are: don't waste too much prime
time having a coffee break around 11a.m.when you should be doing some of your best work,
and don't make the after-lunch period even less productive by overloading your digestion. A
short coffee or tea break is ,in fact, best taken on arrival at the office ,when it helps us start
the day in a positive mood, rather than mid-morning when it interrupts the flow of our
activities. Lunch is best taken early, when we are just beginning to feel hungry, and we are
likely to eat less than if we leave it until later. An early lunch also means that we can get back
into our productive stride earlier in the afternoon.

Changes in one's attitude can also enhance personal time management. For example, the
notion of pro-action is eminently preferable to reaction. To pro-act means to anticipate events
and be in a position to take appropriate action as soon as the right moment arrives. To react,
on the other hand, means to have little anticipation and do something only when events force
you to do so. Pro-actors tend to be the people who are always one step ahead of other
people, who always seem to be in the right place at the right time, and who are always better
informed than anyone else. Many of us like an easy life, and so we tend to be reactors. This
means that we aren't alert to the challenges and opportunities coming our way, with the
consequence that challenges bother us or opportunities pass us by before we're even
properly aware they're upon us. We can train ourselves in pro-action by regularly taking the
time to sit down and appraise the likely immediate future, just as we sit down and review the
immediate past. 

Psychologists recognise that we differ in the way in which we characteristically attribute

responsibility for the various things that happen to us in life. One of the ways in which we do
this is known as locus of control (Weiner,1979), which refers to assigning responsibility. At its
simplest, some individuals have a predominantly external locus of control, attributing
responsibility to outside causes (for example, the faults of others or the help given by
them) ,while with other individuals the locus of control is predominantly internal, in which
responsibility is  attributed to oneself (for example, one's own abilities or lack of them, hard
work, etc.).

However, the picture usually isn't as simple as this. Many people's locus of control is more
likely to be specific to a particular situation, for example internal in certain areas, such as
their social lives, and external in others, such as their working lives. Or, to take another
 21
example, they may attribute certain kinds of results to themselves, such as their successes,
and certain kinds of results to other people, such as their failures. Obviously the best kind of
locus of control is one that is realistic and able to attribute every effect to its appropriate
cause, and this is particularly important when it comes to time management. Certainly, there
are occasions when other people are more responsible for our time loss than we are, but for
most of us, and for most of the time, the blame must fall fairly and squarely upon ourselves.

Choose ONE phrase (A-J) from the list in the box below to complete each key point
below. Write the appropriate letters (A-J) in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.

The information in the completed sentences should be an accurate summary of points

made by the writer.

N.B.    There are more phrases (A-J) than sentences, so you will not use them all. You
may use any phrase more than once.

Questions 1-6

Time management-key points

    Answer
Example   Our patterns of circadian rhythms...        G

                    1. A proactive person...

                    2. A reactive person...

                    3. Analysing circadian rhythms...

                    4. The idea that the best time to work is in the morning...

                    5. The notion of feeling alert in the late afternoon...

                    6. Productivity appears to be enhanced...

List of phrases

A) ...agrees with the circadian rhythms of most people.

B) ...makes us feel alive and creative.

C) ...conforms to the circadian rhythms of a minority of people.

D) ...if our energy is in a low phase.

E) ...is more able to take advantage of events when they happen.

F) ...enables one to gauge physical potential at particular times throughout the day.

G) ...can affect us physically and mentally.

 22

H) ...when several specific internal organs are active.

I) ...takes a more passive attitude toward events.

J) ...when we eat lunch early

　Questions 7-13

Complete the sentences below with words taken from Reading Passage 1,"Personal Time
Management.” Use NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer. Write your answers
in boxes 7-13 on your answer sheet.

Answer
Example   Most people are less productive.....       after lunch

7. Our ................ influence our physical and mental performance

8. We are more likely to be productive in the afternoon if we have................ .

9. A person who reacts tends not to see ................ when they are approaching.

10. Assessing the ................ aids us in becoming proactive.

11. A person with a mainly internal locus of control would likely direct blame toward ...........

12. A person with a mainly external locus of control would likely direct failure toward .............

13. A person with a healthy and balanced locus of control would attribute a result, whether
negative or positive, to ................

READING PASSAGE 2

You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 14-25 which are based on
Reading Passage 2, "The Muang Faai Irrigation System of Northern Thailand".

Questions 14-19

Reading Passage 2 has 7 sections.

Choose the most suitable heading for each section from the list of headings (A-L) below.
Write the appropriate letter (A-L) in boxes 14-19 on your answer sheet.

N.B. There are more headings than sections, so you will not use all of them.
 23
List of Headings

A)            Rituals and beliefs    

B)            Topography of Northern Thailand

C)            The forests of Northern Thailand

D)            Preserving the system

E)            Agricultural practices

F)            Village life

G)            Water distribution principles

H)            Maintaining natural balances 

I)             Structure of the irrigation system

J)            User's rights

K)            User's obligations

L)            Community control

                                14.     Section 1

                                15.     Section 2

                                16.     Section 3

                                17.     Section 4

Answer
Example        Section 5               A

                                18.    Section 6

                     19. Section 7

THE MUANG FAAI IRRIGATION SYSTEM OF NORTHERN THAILAND

SECTION 1

Northern Thailand consists mainly of long mountain chains interspersed with valley bottoms
where streams and rice fields dominate the landscape. Most of the remaining forests of the
North are found at higher altitudes. The forests ensure regular seasonal rainfall for the whole
area and at the same time moderate runoff, so that there is water throughout the year.
 24
SECTION 2

The lowland communities have developed an agricultural system adapted to, and partially
determining, the distinctive ecosystems of their areas. Practicing wet-rice agriculture in the
valley-bottoms, the lowlanders also raise pigs, ducks and chickens and cultivate vegetable
gardens in their villages further up the slopes. Rice, beans, corn and native vegetables are
planted in hill fields above the villages, and wild vegetables and herbal medicines are
gathered and wild game hunted in the forests higher up the hillsides. The forests also serve
as grazing grounds for cows and buffalo, and are a source of wood for household utensils,
cooking fuel, and construction and farming tools. Fish are to be found in the streams and in
the irrigation system and wet-rice fields, providing both food and pest control.

SECTION 3

In its essentials, a muang faai system consists of a small reservoir which feeds an intricate,
branching network of small channels carrying water in carefully calibrated quantities through
clusters of rice terraces in valley bottoms. The system taps into a stream above the highest
rice field and, when there is sufficient water, discharges back into the same stream at a point
below the bottom field. The water in the reservoir at the top, which is diverted into a main
channel (Iam muang) and from there into the different fields, is slowed or held back not by an
impervious dam, but by a series of barriers constructed of bunches of bamboo or saplings
which allow silt, soil and sand to pass through.

SECTION 4

Water from the Iam muang is measured out among the farmers according to the extent of
their rice fields and the amount of water available from the main channel. Also considered
are the height of the fields, their distance from the main channel and their soil type. The size
and depth of side-channels are then adjusted so that only the allocated amount of water
flows into each farmer's field.

SECTION 5

Rituals and beliefs connected with muang faai reflect the villagers' submission to, respect for,
and friendship with nature, rather than an attempt to master it . In mountains, forests,
watersheds and water, villagers see things of great value and power. This power has a
favourable aspect, and one that benefits humans. But at the same time, if certain boundaries
are overstepped and nature is damaged, the spirits will punish humans. Therefore, when it is
necessary to use nature for the necessities of life, villagers take care to inform the spirits
what they intend to do, simultaneously begging pardon for their actions.

SECTION 6

Keeping a muang faai system going demands cooperation and collective management,
sometimes within a single village, sometimes across three or four different sub districts
including many villages. The rules or common agreements arrived at during the yearly
meeting amount to a social contract. They govern how water is to be distributed, how flow is
to be controlled according to seasonal schedules, how barriers are to be maintained and
channels dredged, how conflicts over water use are to be settled, and how the forest around
the reservoir is to be preserved as a guarantee of a steady water supply and a source of
materials to repair the system.
 25
SECTION 7

The fundamental principle of water rights under muang faai is that everyone in the system
must get enough to survive; while many patterns of distribution are possible, none can violate
this basic tenet. On the whole, the systems also rest on the assumption that local water is
common property. No one can take control of it by force, and it must be used in accord with
the communal agreements. Although there are inequalities in land holding, no one has the
right to an excessive amount of fertile land. The way in which many muang faai systems
expand tends to reinforce further the claims of community security over those of individual
entrepreneurship. In the gradual process of opening up new land and digging connecting
channels, each local household often ends up with scattered holdings over the whole
irrigation areas. Unlike modern irrigation systems, under which the most powerful people
generally end up closest to the sources of water, this arrangement encourages everyone to
take care that no part of the system is unduly favoured or neglected.

Questions 20-23

The chart below illustrates the agricultural system of the lowland communities.

Select words from Reading Passage 2 to fill the spaces in the chart. Use UP TO THREE
WORDS for each space. Write your answers in boxes 20-23 on your answer sheet.

Area Activity
Example 　
Forests grazing  cows, buffalo 

Forests gathering  ...... (20)   .......,  hunting wild animals

Hill fields cultivating ................... (21) ..................

Villages rising ..... (22) .... cultivating vegetables

Valley bottom growing .................... (23) ....................

Question 24

From the list below, select the three main structures which constitute the muang faai
irrigation system. Write the THREE appropriate letters, in any order, in box 24 on your
answer sheet.

  A)            channels

  B)             saplings

  C)             dam

  D)             barriers
 26

  E)             reservoir

  F)             water

Question 25

From the list below, select two criteria for allocating water to farmers. Write TWO
appropriate letters, in any order, in box 25 on your answer sheet.

  A)  field characteristics

  B)   social status

  C)   location of field

  D)   height of barriers

  E)   fees paid

  F)   water available

READING PASSAGE 3

You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 26-39 which are based on
Reading Passage 3 below.

THE ORIGINS OF INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGES

The traditional view of the spread of the Indo-European languages holds that an Ur-
language, ancestor to all the others, was spoken by nomadic horsemen who lived in what is
now western Russia north of the Black Sea near the beginning of the Bronze Age. As these
mounted warriors roamed over greater and greater expanses, they conquered the
indigenous peoples and imposed their own proto-Indo-European language, which in the
course of succeeding centuries evolved in local areas into the European languages we know
today. In recent years, however, many scholars, particularly archaeologists, have become
dissatisfied with the traditional explanation.

The starting point of the problem of the origins of Indo-European is not archaeological but
linguistic. When linguists look at the languages of Europe, they quickly perceive that these
languages are related. The connections can be seen in vocabulary, grammar and phonology
(rules for pronunciation). To illustrate the numbers from one to ten in several Indo-European
languages. Such a comparison makes it clear that there are significant similarities among
many European languages and also Sanskrit, the language of the earliest literary texts of
India, but that languages such as Chinese or Japanese are not members of the same family
(see figure 1).

　
 27

OLD
ENGLISH LATIN GREEK SANSKRIT JAPANESE
GERMAN
ONE AINS UNUS HEIS EKAS HITOTSU

TWO TWAI DUO DUO DVA FUTATSU

THREE THRIJA TRES TREIS TRYAS MITTSU

FOUR FIDWOR QUATTOUR TETTARES CATVARAS YOTTSU

FIVE FIMF QUINQUE PENTE PANCA ITSUTSU

SIX SAIHS SEX HEKS SAT MUTTSU

SEVEN SIBUM SEPTEM HEPTA SAPTA NANATSU

EIGHT AHTAU OCTO OKTO ASTA YATTSU

NINE NIUN NOVEM ENNEA NAVA KOKONOTSU

TEN TAIHUM DECEM DEKA DASA TO

FIGURE 1       Words for numbers from one to ten show the relations among Indo-European
languages and the anomalous character of Japanese, which is not part of that family. Such
similarities stimulated interest in the origins of Indo-European languages.

The Romance languages served as the first model for answering the question. Even to
someone with no knowledge of Latin, the profound similarities among Romance languages
would have made it natural to suggest that they were derived from a common ancestor. On
the assumption that the shared characteristic of these languages came from the common
progenitor (whereas the divergences arose later. as the languages diverged),it would have
been possible to reconstruct many of the characteristics of the original proto-language. In
much the same way it became clear that the branches of the Indo-European family could be
studied and a hypothetical family tree constructed, reading back to a common
ancestor:proto-Indo-European.

This is the tree approach. The basic process represented by the tree model is one of
divergence: when languages become isolated from one other, they differ increasingly, and
dialects gradually differentiate until they become separate languages.

Divergence is by no means the only possible tendency in language evolution. Johannes

Schmidt, introduced a "wave" model in which linguistic changes spared like waves, leading
ultimately to convergence; that is, growing similarity among languages that were initially quite
different.

Today, however, most linguists think primarily in terms of linguistic family trees. It is
necessary to construct some explicit models of how language change might occur according
to a process-based view. There are four main classes of models.

The first is the process of initial colonization, by which an uninhabited territory becomes
populated; its language naturally becomes that of the colonizers. Second are processes of
 28
divergence, such as the linguistic divergence arising form separation or isolation mentioned
above in relation to early models of the Indo-European languages. The third group of models
is based on processes of linguistic convergence. The wave model, formulated by Schmidt in
the 1870's, is an example, but convergence methods have not generally found favour among
linguists.

Now, the slow and rather static operation of these processes is complicated by another
factor: linguistic replacement. That factor provides the basis for a fourth class of models. In
many areas of the world the languages initially spoken by the indigenous people have come
to be replaced, fully or partially, by languages spoken by people coming from outside. Were it
not for this large complicating factor, the world's linguistic history could be faithfully described
by the initial distribution of Homo Sapiens, followed by the gradual, ling-term workings of
divergence and convergence. So linguistic replacement also has a key role to play in
explaining the origins of the Indo-European languages.

Questions 26-32

Below is a summary of part of  Reading Passage 3,"The Origins of Indo-European

Languages".

Read the summary and then select the best word or phrase from the box below to fill each
gap. according to the information in the Reading Passage. Write the corresponding letters
(A-L) in boxes 26-32 on your answer sheet.

N.B. There are more words and phrases than you will need to fill the gaps. You may use a
word or phrase more than once if you wish.

Summary-Models of Language Change

Answer
  Example    There are four main models of language .... (Ex) .....                K

The first is the process of initial colonization where an uninhabited territory becomes
populated: the language spoken will therefore be that of the .....(26).....

Processes of .....(27)..... occur where different dialects, and then languages, develop from a
common .....(28)..... Many of the original characteristic of this common ancestor can be
reconstructed from what we know of the present   separate .....(29).....Processes of
linguistic .....(30)..... occur when languages which were initially different become more similar
through contact. The wave model, formulated by Schmidt in the 1870s, is an example.

The final model is that of linguistic .....(31)..... In this model, a new language replaces the
language spoken by the .....(32).....

A   colonizers G   languages

B   invaders H   waves

C   proto-language I   replacement

 29

D   indigenous people J   convergence

E   linguists K   development

F   model L   divergence

Questions 33-36

Several aspects of language development discussed in Reading Passage 3 are listed below.

Match each aspect with the appropriate model from the box below, according to the
information in the Reading Passage. Write the appropriate letter (A,B,C,or D) in boxes 33-36
on your answer sheet.

Aspects of language development

Answer
 Example      Population of territory                 A

                                           33. "wave" model

                                           34. Romance languages

                                           35. proto-Indo-European

                                           36. European languages

                                      Models

A     Colonization C     Convergence

B     Divergence    D     Replacement

Questions 37-39

Answer the following questions using NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS, according to the
information in the Reading Passage. Write your answers in boxes 37-39 on your answer
sheet.

37. What are three ways in which the languages of Europe are related?

38. On what basis does the author decide that Chinese and Japanese are not related to
European languages?

39. According to the tree model, what was the original proto-language for English?
 30

PRACTICES READING TEST 1 ANSWERS

  Reading Passage 1                                  Personal Time Management
1.    E

2.    I

3.    F

4.    A

5.    C

6.    H

7.    circadian rhythms.

8.    (an) early lunch

9.    opportunities // challenges // challenges and opportunities

10.   (likely) immediate future // immediate past

11.   himself // herself

12.   others // other people // outside causes // faults of others

13.   (its) appropriate cause(s)

  Reading Passage 2                        The Muang Faai Irrigation System ...

14.    B
15.    E
16.    I
17.    G
18.    L
19.    J
20.    two correct out of :    vegetables, herbal medicines, and herbs, wood
21.    two correct out of :    rice, beans, corn, (native) vegetables
22.    two correct out of :    pigs, ducks, and chickens
23.    (wet) rice / (fish)       
24.    E, A, D [any order]
25.    Two correct out of :    F, A, C [any order]
 31

  Reading Passage 3                The Origins of Indo-European Languages

26.    A
27.    L
28.    C
29.    G
30.    J
31.    I
32.    D
33.    C
34.    B
35.    D
36.    B
37.    vocabulary, grammar, phonology [all three must be correct]
38.    comparison of words/vocabulary/numbers/features // compare (the) words
39.    proto-Indo-European
 32

Practice IELTS Reading Test B (Academic Module)

READING PASSAGE 1

Of Ducks and Duck Eggs

For people who like to keep poultry, ducks offer certain advantages over hens. Ducks are
immune to some common diseases found in hens and are less vulnerable to others. Some
breeds of duck produce bigger eggs than hens. In addition, ducks lay eggs over a longer
season than do hens.

Poultry keepers with gardens have less to worry about if they keep ducks rather than hens
because the former are less apt to dig up plants and destroy roots. While both hens and
ducks benefit the garden by eating pests, hens are known to damage herb and grass beds.
Ducks, on the other hand, will search for insects and snails more carefully. Only very delicate
plans are at risk from the broad, webbed feet of ducks.

Like all water birds, ducks need access to water, and duck keepers typically provide this by
building a pond. Something this large is not absolutely necessary, however; ducks need only
to be able to dip their heads in the water to keep their nostrils clean. If a pond is provided,
though, it is important to keep ducklings away from it until they are old enough to withstand
the cool temperature of the water - about eight weeks.

When keeping ducks, one has to consider just how much the land will support. Generally the
rule is 100 ducks per half hectare. If  more than this proportion is introduced, there is a risk of
compacting the soil, which can lead to muddy conditions for long periods as the rain is not
easily absorbed into the ground.

While ducks offer many advantages over hens, they must be given a greater quantity of food,
especially if regular eggs are desired. An adult duck will eat between 170 to 200 grams of
food a day. If the ducks have access to grass and a pond, they will be able to find for
themselves approximately 70% of their daily dietary requirements in warmer months but less
than half that in colder times. Therefore, it is important that they be fed enough food, such as
grain, every day.

Experienced duck keepers raise duckings every three years or so because it is after this
period of time that ducks' egg-laying powers begin to seriously weaken. If the aim is to hatch
duckings, keepers should be aware that not all ducks make good mothers, and that certain
breeds of duck appear to be worse than others. The poor mothers abandon their eggs a few
days after laying them. A sure way of making sure the rejected eggs hatch is to place them
next to chicken eggs under a hen.

The eggs of ducks as food for humans have a mixed reputation. This is because of a number
of cases of salmonella food poisoning in Europe in the 1970s.Although it was never
conclusively shown that duck eggs were to blame, the egg-eating public stopped buying and
many duck egg producers went bankrupt. Indeed, there is a risk of salmonella poisoning
when ducks lay their eggs in damp conditions, such as on ground that is constantly wet, but
the same can be said for the eggs of hens. And commercial duck egg production in France
and England, where the outbreaks of salmonella poisoning took place, followed the same
standards as those used in the hen egg industry, which experienced no salmonella
problems. (Storage of eggs, whether those of hen or duck, can also be a factor in
 33
contamination. Studies have found that bacterial growth reaches potentially dangerous levels
at storage temperatures of 5C or greater.

The salmonella scare was over by the early 1980s, but, at least in smaller markets like
Australia and New Zealand, few producers wished to risk investment in ducks for fear of
problems. No large-scale commercial duck egg production exists in these countries. It has
thus been left to small producers, and, more commonly, home duck keepers.

____________________________________

poultry: farm birds (e.g., chickens, geese, ducks)

Questions 1-6

Classify the characteristics listed below as belonging to:

                        D  Ducks

                        H  Hens

                        or

                       NI  If there is no information in the reading passage

Write the appropriate letters in boxes 1-6 on your answer sheet.

Example      more vulnerable to illness           Answer: H

1.    more eggs per week

2.    lengthier laying period

3.    less likely to uproot plans

4.    dangerous to grass

5.    eat more grain

6.    better mothers

Questions 7-10

Complete the partial summary below: Choose ONE or TWO words from the passage for
each answer. Write your answers in boxes 7-10 on your answer sheet.

To prevent their ... (7) ... from getting dirty, ducks should have access to water. This may be
provided by building a pond, but ducklings under ... (8) ... of age should be prevented from
entering it because of the ... (9) ... of the water. If too many ducks are kept on a plot of land,
the soil may eventually become ... (10) ... as a result of compaction. For this reason, it is
advised that one limits the number of ducks per half hectare of land to 100.
 34
Questions 11 and 12

Choose the appropriate letters (A-D) and write them in boxes 11-12 on your answer sheet.

11.    Salmonella food poisoning ...

   A   resulted from consumption of duck eggs.

   B    created difficulties for the duck egg business.

   C    occurred all over Europe.

   D    was found in both duck and hen eggs.

12.    Duck eggs ...

   A    have been produced in large quantities in New Zealand since the early 1980s.

   B    are more at risk of salmonella contamination than hen eggs.

   C    may be contaminated when laid in wet conditions.

   D    should be kept at 5C to prevent contamination.

READING PASSAGE 2
You are advised to spend about 20 minutes on Questions 13-28 which are based on
Reading Passage 2.

Questions 13-17

The Reading Passage 'Job Sharing' has 6 sections, A-F. Choose the most suitable headings
for sections A, C, D, E and F from the list of headings at the top of the next page. Write the
appropriate numbers (i-x) in boxes13-17 on your answer sheet.

N.B.    There are more headings than sections so you will not use all of them. You may use
any of the headings more than once.

List of headings

  i     Characteristics of job sharers

  ii    Employer acceptance of job sharing

  iii   Sharing work v. sharing jobs

  iv    Rejection of job sharing by industry

  v    Definition of job sharing

  vi    Finding a job share partner

 35

  vii   Ingredients of successful job sharing

  viii   Creating employment through job sharing

  ix   Women sharing work

  x     Job sharers as bosses

13.    Section A

  Example          Section B                           Answer: iii

14.    Section C

15.    Section D

16.    Section E

17.    Section F

Job Sharing

Section A

Job sharing refers to situation in which two people divide the responsibility of one full-time
job. The two people willingly act as part-time workers, enough hours between them to fulfil
the duties of a full-time worker. If they each work half the job, for example, they each receive
50 per cent of the job's wages, its holidays and its other benefits. Of course, some job
sharers take a smaller or larger share of the responsibilities of the position, receiving a lesser
or greater share of the benefits.

Job sharing differs from conventional part-time work in that it is mainly (although not
exclusively ) occurring in the more highly skilled and professional areas, which entail higher
levels of responsibility and employee commitment . Until recently, these characteristics were
not generally seen as compatible with anything less than full-time employment. Thus, the
demands of job sharing are reciprocated by better pay and conditions and, ideally, more
satisfaction than conventional part-time work.

Section B

Job sharing should not be confused with the term work sharing, which pertains to increasing
the number of jobs by reducing the number of hours of each existing job ,thus offering more
positions to the growing number of unemployed people. Job sharing, by contrast, is not
designed to address unemployment problems; its focus, rather, is to provide well-paid work
for skilled workers and professionals who want more free time for other pursuits.

Section C

As would be expected, women comprise the bulk of job sharers. A survey carried out in 1988
by Britain's Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) revealed that 78per cent of shares were
female, the majority of whom were between the ages of 20 and 40 years of age. Subsequent
 36
studies have come up with similar results. Many of these women were re-entering the job
market after having had children, but they chose not to seek part-time work because it would
have meant reduced wages and lower status. Job sharing also offered an acceptable
transition back into full-time work after a long absence.

Section D

Although job sharing is still seen as too radical by many companies, those that have chosen
to experiment with it include large businesses with conservative reputations. One of Britain's
major banks, the National Westminster Bank, for example, offers a limited number of shared
positions intended to give long-serving employees a break from full-time work. British
Telecom, meanwhile, maintains 25 shared posts because, according to its personnel
department, 'some of the job sharers might otherwise have left the company and we are now
able to retain them.' Two wide-ranging surveys carried out in the country in 1989 revealed
the proportion of large and medium-sized private-sector businesses that allow job sharing to
be between 16 and 25 per cent. Some 78 per cent of job sharers, however, work in public-
sector jobs.

Section E

The types of jobs that are shared vary, but include positions that involve responsibility for
many subordinates. Research into shared senior management   positions suggests that even
such high-pressure work can be shared between two people with little adjustment, provided
the personalities and temperaments of the sharers are not vastly different from one another.
A 1991 study of employees working under supervisory positions shared by two people
showed that those who prefer such a situation do so for several reasons. Most prevalent
were those who felt there was less bias in the evaluation of their work because having two
assessments provided for a greater degree of fairness.

Section F

The necessity of close cooperation and collaboration when sharing a job with another person
makes the actual work quite different from conventional one-position, one-position jobs.
However, to ensure a greater chance that the partnership will succeed, each person needs to
know the strengths, weaknesses and preferences of his or her partner before applying for a
position. Moreover, there must be an equitable allocation of both routine tasks and
interesting ones. In sum, for a position to be job-shared well, the two individuals must be
well-matched and must treat each other as equals.

Questions 18-22

Complete the notes below for SECTION A. Choose ONE or TWO WORDS from the section
for each answer. Write your answers in boxes 18-22 on your answer sheet.

JOB SHARING

Common job sharing areas:

 highly skilled      (Example)

 ... (18) ...
 37

Job sharing requires a greater degree of:                               

 ... (19) ...                                                             

 ... (20) ...

Benefits of job sharing over part-time work:

 ... (21) ...

 better conditions
 ... (22) ...

Questions 23-27

Do the following statements reflect the claims of the writer in Reading Passage 2? In boxes
23-27 write:

YES                 if the statement reflects the claims of the writer

NO                  if the statement contradicts the writer's claims

NOT GIVEN          if there is no information about this in the passage

23.    The majority of male job sharers are between 20 and 40 years of age.

24.    Job sharers have no intention of later resuming full-time work.

25.    Employers may allow job sharing to keep or attract good workers.

26.    Fewer job sharers are employed in the private sector than in the public sector.

27.    Most employees prefer to work under a shared supervisory position.

Question 28

Choose the appropriate letter A-D and write it in box 28 on your answer sheet.

28.    What is the main aim of the writer of 'Job Sharing'?

                    A    to encourage employers to allow more job sharing

                    B   to introduce the reader to the concept of job sharing

                    C     to advise people who wish to try job sharing

                    D    to discuss the implications of job sharing for industry

 38

READING PASSAGE 3

You are advised to spend about 25 minutes on Questions 29-42 which are based on
Reading Passage 3 (next page).

Question 29

From the list below choose the most suitable title for the whole of Reading Passage 3. Write
the appropriate letter A-D in box 29 on your answer sheet.

   A   The Growing Incidence of Malaria

   B   The Worldwide Spread of Malaria

   C   Malaria Prevention Using Vaccines

   D   The Elimination of the Malaria Parasite

(Untitled)

The renewed spread of malaria in recent years, particularly in parts of sub-Saharan Africa,
has been a cause of great concern to health workers and officials around the world. The
global health community was once confident that the disease had been brought under
control, with many successes in ridding large areas of malaria over the previous decades,
but now increasingly large numbers of people are dying from the mosquito-borne ailment.
Forty per cent of the world's population live in areas that are infected with malaria, and each
year brings approximately 270 million new cases. Table 1 summarises recent distribution by
geographic area.

The resurgence of malaria is occurring in several parts of the world. However, it is most
acute in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert, where according to a 1993 World Health
Organisation (WHO) report, between 1.4 and 2.8 million people, half of them children, now
die each year from the disease. This is triple the annual number of people in the same region
who die of AIDS. Actual numbers of malaria deaths may be even larger because the
symptoms, such as chronic fever, are often mistaken for other, unrelated illnesses, such as
influenza or pneumonia.

Table 1: Annual distribution of malaria infection, approximate, selected regions

  Sub- Southeast Indian South Northeast

　
Saharan Asia subcontinent America Asia
Africa
New cases (average
per year)
135 million 66 million 46 million 17 million  6 million
of which children
48 million 23 million 19 million 5.1 million 1.7 million
(average per year)
2.1 million 360 000 320 000 110 000    57 000
Deaths (average per
year)                        
 39
Incidences of cerebral malaria, which is caused by Plasmodium falciparum, the more
dangerous of the two main malaria parasites, have been responsible for the growing number
of fatalities in East Africa since the late 1980s. When treatment using chloroquine, which in
many cases is not even effective, is not available, victims of cerebral malaria may survive as
little as 24 hours.

In the 1950s, sub-tropical regions in the United States, southern Europe and elsewhere were
sprayed with DDT, which eliminated the malaria parasite where used appropriately but
resulted in resistant mosquitoes where sprayed too often. In other parts of the world at this
time, chloroquine was introduced as a means of preventing infection, and it was thought to
be effective in bringing down the number of malaria cases until the 1970s, when chloroquine-
resistant strains of the parasite began to appear. The resistance kept getting stronger as time
went on, and in some areas, such as Malawi and Kenya, malaria is now no longer
preventable with commonly used drugs.

Increasing urbanisation is also responsible for the renewed spread of malaria in Africa.
Because the parasite is more commonly found in rural areas where mosquitoes can breed in
large numbers, people who are raised there have a significantly higher immunity to it than
those reared in the towns and cities. Indeed, 5% of children in the countryside die of malaria,
and the many who survive it go on to become adults with a high degree of natural resistance.
This is not the case with people living in urban areas; when such people go to visit relatives
in the countryside, they are at a much higher risk of contracting malaria.

Health workers, discouraged by the diminishing effectiveness of malarial drugs, are seeking
to promote physical barriers to infection rather than chemical ones. The concept of mosquito
nets hung over beds to keep mosquitoes away is certainly not new, but recent efforts to
improve them have led to some success in protecting people from malaria. In experiments in
Gambia, the number of children dying from malaria has dropped 50% since using nets
soaked in insecticide . To remain effective, the nets need to be re-soaked only twice a year,
and no drugs need to be taken for prevention. The nets provide additional benefits to the
families who use them in that they prevent other types of irritating insects from getting too
close.

Whether or not mosquito nets would be effective on a large scale remains to be seen, as
conditions vary from place to place. Some users complain it is too hot under the nets to be
able to sleep. Furthermore, their cast limits the number of people who can take advantage of
them.

Thus the search for a vaccine for malaria continues. Manuel Patarroyo, a medical researcher
from Columbia, stated in 1993 that he had been successful in trying a new vaccine on some
20000 people in South America. Similar testing of the vaccine is being done in Africa, but
health officials there are not convinced it will be effective because the rate at which new
cases of malaria develops is many times higher than that in South America.

Although not a vaccine, arthemeter, derived from the Chinese herb qinghao, appears to offer
an effective way of protecting people from malaria parasites. It proved to have tripled the
effectiveness of chloroquine in research carried out in 1993 along the border of Thailand and
Cambodia, an area not unlike sub-Saharan Africa in the strength of the parasite's resistance
to conventional malarial drugs. There are plans for the new drug to be produced in China and
marketed internationally by a French pharmaceutical company.

　
 40
Questions 30-35

Use the information in Reading Passage 3 to indicate the relationship between the two items
given for each question below. Classify them as:

   A   if there is a positive correlation

   B   if there is a negative correlation

   C   if there is little or no correlation

   D   if there is no information

Write the appropriate letters A-D in boxes 30-35 on your answer sheet.

Example       number of new malaria cases     number of malaria deaths       Answer:   A

30.    malaria growth rate                       incidence of influenza

31.    chloroquine used in 1950s                 number of new malaria cases

32.    amount of chloroquine taken per day      effectiveness against disease

33.    resistance of parasite                      number of new malaria cases

34.    growth of cities                           number of new malaria cases

35.    use of soaked mosquito nets               number of new malaria cases

Questions 36-38

Choose ONE phrase A-H from the list below to complete each key point. Write the
appropriate letters A-H in boxes 36-38 on your answer sheet.

The information in the completed sentences should be an accurate summary of points

made by the writer.

N.B.    There are more phrases A-H than sentences so you will not use them all. You may
use any phrase more than once.

36.    Malaria infection ...

37.    Arthemeter ...

38.    Use of DDT ...

        A   has spread to 40% of the population.

        B   is preventable without the need for drugs.

        C   has not been recorded in Northeast Asia.

 41
        D   is especially effective in aiding victims of Plasmodium falciparum.

        E   effectively rid parts of the world of malaria parasite.

        F   has been found to be effective in South America.

        G   is claimed to be better at fighting infection than chloroquine.

        H   is limited to malaria prevention.

Questions 39-42

Answer each of the following question using NUMBERS or NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS
taken from Reading Passage 3. Write your answers in boxes 39-42 on your answer sheet.

39.    Approximately how many children contract malaria each year in sub-Saharan Africa?

40.    Identify ONE symptom of malaria as discussed in the passage.

41.    Identify ONE country in which conventional drugs are no longer effective in preventing
malaria.
　

42.    Identify ONE problem with the use of mosquito nets.

 42

PRACTICE READING TEST 2 ANSWERS

1.    NI
23.     Not given
2.    D
24.     No
3.    D
25.     Yes
4.    H                                                      
26.     Yes
5.    NI                                                     
27.     Not given
6.    H                                                      
28.     B
7.    nostrils                                                
29.     A
8.    8/eight weeks                                           
30.     C
9.   (cool) temperature                                     
31.     B
10.   muddy                                                  
32.     D
11.   B                                                      
33.     A
12.   C                                                    
34.     A
13.   v                                                      
35.     B
14.   i                                                      
36.     B
15.   ii                                                     
37.     G
16.   x                                                       
38.     E
17.   vii                                                    
39.     48 million
18.   professional                                          
40.   chronic fever
19-20.responsibility; (employee)                     
commitment (either order)                           41.    Malawi//Kenya

21-22.  better pay; more satisfaction  (either 42.    too hot//cost

order)
 43
1. What is the meaning of your given name?

2. Does your name affect your personality?

3. Tell me something about your hometown.

4. What are the differences in accent between your hometown and Hanoi?

5. What is the character of the people like in your hometown?

6. What is people's favourite food in the region where you live?

7. What will you do during the Spring Festival this year?

8. Are there any traditional festivals in your region?

9. Describe a typical Spring Festival for a Vietnamese family.

10. Tell me something about the Hue Festival.

11. How have weddings changed in recent years?

12. Tell me something about the Hung King Festival.

13. Describe a traditional wedding ceremony.

 14. How do Vietnamese usually celebrate birthdays?

 15. Are there any traditions concerning the birth of a baby?

 16. How do you like Hanoi? Compare it to your hometown.

 17. What place do you like best in Hanoi?

 18. What places in Hanoi should a foreigner visit?

 19. What places would you recommend a visitor to go to in your region/hometown?

 20. If you had the choice, where would you choose to live in Vietnam?

 21. Which parts of Vietnam would you recommend a foreigner to visit?

 22. Tell me something about your family.

 23. Which is the worst place you've been to in Vietnam?

 24. Who takes the greatest responsibility for bringing up your child in your family?

 25. Which is the best place you've been to in Vietnam?

 26. Who does most of the household chores in your family?

 27. Are the traditional sexual roles within the family changing?
 44
 28. Why is the divorce rate increasing so rapidly? Is it a problem?

 29. What is your opinion of the planning family policy?

 30. How do you discipline your child?

 31. Is it acceptable for couples to live together without marrying?

 32. If you had the choice, would you have a son or a daughter?

 33. Are you going to bring your child up any differently to the way your parents did?

 34. What hopes do you have for your child?

 35. Do women still have too heavy a burden in their day to day life?

 36. Is the increasing influence of the West largely a positive or negative thing?

 37. What, according to you, has been the greatest change in recent years?

 38. What, according to you, has been the most problematic change in recent years?

 39. If you are a lecturer, what changes have you seen in education over the past few years?

 40. Who should bear the responsibility for payment of tuition fees?

 41. What can be done to improve education in rural areas?

 42. Have recent changes affected your job in any way?

 43. Do you agree with private education?

 44. What can be done to close the gap between urban and rural areas?

 45. If you had the power, what reforms would you carry out within education?

 46. Describe a typical working day for you.

 47. How do you see yourself in ten years time?

 48. If you had the opportunity to change your job, what would you do instead?

 49. If you had one million dollars, what would you do with it?

 50. If you could start your life again, would you do anything differently?

 51. Do you have any ambitions?

 52. Which country/place would you most like to visit?

 53. What changes do you think Vietnam will see in the next few years?

 54. Will any possible future changes affect your job in any way?
 45
 55. How do you think you will cope in Australia?

 56. Does anything worry you about going to Australia?

 57. Are you looking forward to anything in particular in Australia?

 58. What are your plans on your return to Vietnam?

 59. What do you do in your spare time?

 60. What will you do if you fail the IELTS?

 46

Writing Topics

1. Write a letter to a bus company that you have left something valuable in the bus and tell
them what to do if they find that thing? (At least 150 Words)

2. You have recently moved into the new house, there has been damage after you moved
into the house, write a letter to your land lord about what had happened and what you
wanted him to do for you? (At least 150 Words)

3. You have asked for the accommodation to do a course in country, but your plan has
changed now and you would like to ask for a new accommodation, Write a letter to the
agency and explain to the agency, explain your situation, and ask them for a new
accommodation? (At least 150 Words)

4. Write a letter to a company you worked for and say what you think about their good and
weak points of the company, say whether you think that some changes should be done or
not. (At least 150 Words)

5. Write a letter to the sports centre manager complaining regarding the problems that you
are facing when you go into his sport centre, also give some suggestions that might help him
to get more public for the centre (At least 150 Words).

6. A company has invited you for a new job interview, but the train that you had taken was
delayed, write a letter to the manager of the company explaining him about your situation,
and ask them what you want them to do. (At least 150 Words)

7. A friend has written you a letter and offered you the help in your forthcoming trip to a
foreign country, he has offered you to help you find suitable accommodation, Write a letter to
him that what you have in your mind for the accommodation. (At least 150 Words)

8. You have just finished a tow days seminar in the college, write a letter to your friend
explaining him the detail regarding the seminar, which part of the seminar was most
interesting, also give him suggestion how it may help you in your future. (At least 150 Words)

9. You have broken your leg in an accident and you have been staying at your home for few
week, your classmates have sent you some gifts, cards and messages. Write a letter to them
and describe how you spend your time and tell them about your recovery and when you are
expected to join them. (At least 150 Words)

10. One of your pen friend wants to come to your country and you have never seen him/her,
Write a letter to him/her explain him a place where he can find you easily, also ask him/her
how can you recognize him/her. (At least 150 Words)

11. You have purchased a camera from a duty free shop; there has been something wrong
with the camera. Write a letter to the manager of the shop and describe what you felt when
you found out the problem; Tell them what you want him to do. (At least 150 Words)

12. Write a letter to local newspaper editor, to inform him that article about city/town you
know very well which contains some incorrect information, write how you know that city what
incorrect information article contains, what they should do about that . (At least 150 Words)
 47
13. You live in a room in a college which you share with another student, however there are
many problems with this arrangement and you find it difficult to work/study, write a letter to
the accommodation officer of your college, explain your problem and why it is difficult for you
to study/work & also say what kind of accommodation you would prefer. (At least 150 Words)

14. You have had a bank account for a few years. Recently you received a letter from  the
bank stating that your account is $240 overdrawn and that you will be charged $70 which will
be taken directly from your account. You know that this information is incorrect. Write a letter
to the bank. Explain what has happened and say what you would like them to do about it. (At
least 150 Words)

15. You hired a car from the car hiring company. You involved in a minor accident. Write a
letter to a hiring company about how the accident. As they need to provide the information to
the insurance company. You need to mention and explain about accident, you need to
include the information on when you hired the car, what measures you taken after the
incident. (At least 150 Words)

16. A large tree grows just near your house, producing troubles for you. Write a letter to local
authority explaining this problem, discuss the ways of its resolution and make enquiries
about financial aspect. (At least 150 Words)

17. You have had an accident and are in hospital. Write a letter to your college
administration    explaining why you will be absent from class for the next month. Ask for
advice about how to continue your studies during this period. (At least 150 Words)

18. Write a report for your college teacher describing an English-language course which you
have taken. Explain why it is not necessary for you to take further English-language courses.
(At least 150 Words)

19. You are writing a letter to your pen pal. Describe your previous studies and work
experience, your current activities, hobbies and interests. Tell your pen pal that you will be
visiting her/his country during the summer vacation and suggest meeting him/her. (At least
150 Words)

20. You have had an accident and are in hospital with a broken leg. Your friends visited you
bringing books, flowers and fruits. Write a letter to one of your friends thanking him/her for
his/her attention. Give details about all that happened to and comment on the medical
treatment which you received. (At least 150 Words)

21. You are a tourist and have settled into the hotel. Although your room was booked in
advance through a travel agency, you discover that there is no balcony, the entrance is
under the staircase and the window opens on to the road. Write a letter to the travel agency
manager asking her/him for a refund of the cost of the accommodation (At least 150 Words)
 48
You are helping to organise a class reunion for all the students from your last year at
secondary school. Write to your ex-classmates giving those details of the reunion and
inviting them to come. (At least 150 Words)     

Dear Classmate

As a member of the Class of '81 at Grantham Senior High School I would like to invite you to
a class reunion.

This will be a fun night, a chance to meet with your old classmates and their families and
remember your younger days and all of the things you did-or didn't do! Many of our old
teachers have also been invited and so this will be an opportunity to talk with your teachers-
rather than be talked at by your teachers!

The night will include a 3 course meal with wine, music, dancing and of course a few stories
from our past.

This invitation is going out to all class members, their families and teaching staff and we
sincerely hope everyone will be able to come along.

Venue: South Perth Yacht club

Date: Saturday 10 November 2001

Time: 6.30pm-12.00 midnight

Cost: $50.00/person

RSVP: Friday 26 October 2001

Yours truly,
 49
You rent a house through an agency. The heating system has stopped working. You
phoned the agency a week ago but it has still not been repaired.

Write a letter to the agency. In your letter

 introduce yourself
 explain the situation
 say what action you would like the agency to take

Write at least 150 words.

You want to sell some of your furniture. You think a friend of yours might like to buy it from
you.

Write a letter to your friend . In your letter

 explain why you are selling

 describe the furniture.
 suggest a date when your friend can come and see the furniture.

Dear Rob,

As you know, I'll be moving to a new country soon and there are a few things that I won't be
able to take with me. The new house is a bit smallerso I have to sell some furniture and I was
wondering if you were interested?

In particular, I want to sell my dining room table Do you remeber it? It has wooden legs and a
green glass top and it seats six people. Ther are six matching chairs to go with it.

I know that you've always admired this piece of furniture so I could let you have it at a good
price. I'd rather sell it to you than a stranger!!

Why don't you pop round sometime next week and have a look at them. Perhaps we can
combine it with a bit of lunch.

Give us a ring and let me know.

Love,

Gwyneth
 50
You have seen an advertisment for a part-time job that you are interested in. Write a letter of
apllication to the personnel manager You should say

 briefly introduce yourself and provide education history.

 if you have any working experience.
 when you would be available to work.

You should spend 20 minutes on this task and write about 150 words.

Dear Sir / Madam,

In response to your advertisement for part-time evening/Saturday staff in “ The

Camden Herald” (21/7/99), I should like to apply for one of the positions [I should like
to be considered for one of the positions].

I am 21 years old, and a second year Business Studies student at Camden

Polytechnic. I have “O” levels in mathematics, and “A” levels in Economics, English
and Geography. Although I was born in -------- I speak, read and write English fluently.
I live in the International Students’ Hostel, about 20 minutes’ walk from the main
shopping centre of Camden.

My work experience has so far been limited to a variety of temporary/ holiday jobs,
starting at age 16, with a Saturday job in a local grocer’s shop. Three summers ago
( in 1996) I spent ten weeks working in a hospital kitchen. At Christmas 1997, I worked
for 3 weeks in a large department store in London ( ....name....) as a shop assistant in
the menswear department. Six months ago, I was employed by............ In the ticket
office........( Etc)

As my classes finish at 3.30 pm every weekday, I am free to work any time after 4pm,
as well as all day Saturdays.

I enclose a brief CV, and 2 references. I enjoy dealing with the general public, and
have been commended for my reliability and helpfulness.

I would be grateful if you would consider my application and grant me an interview. I

can be contacted by phone at any time of the day or evening.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,
 51
You are due to start a new job next week but you will not be able to because you have some
problems.

Write a letter to your employer. In your letter

 explain your situation.

 describe your problems.
 tell him/her when you think you can start.

Dear Mr. Spurgeon,

I am writing concerning the post of English Teacher that I am due to start next
Tuesady. However a problem has arisen.

As you know, I am cxurrently working for my uncle's retail business, and you will
remember from my interview that I have gained vallueable work experience there.
Unfortunately he has had to go to hospital for an operation, leaving my aunt in charge
of both the home and business. She has asked me, as this is a particularly busy time
of year, to stay on and help her with the running of this office.

I realise this will be inconvenient to you, but very much hope that, given the
circumstances, you would be prepared to allow me to take up my position with you
two weeks later than planned.

I would like to emphasise that I remain very keen to work with you, and that I will be
gaining further useful experience during this time.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Anna Searle