Focusing on IELTS - Listening and speaking Skills (2011)

217 Pages·2016·126.69 MB·English

by  Thurlow Steven

First edition published 2002 by the National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research, Macquarie University
(reprinted once)
Second edition published 2011 by
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National Library of Australia
cataloguing in publication data
Author: Thurlow. Steven. 1963-
Title: Focusing on IELTS: listening and speaking
skills I Steven Thurlow and Kerry O·Sullivan.
Edition: 2nded.
ISBN: 9781420230192 (pbk.)
Subjects: International English Language Testing System.
English language-Study and teaching-Foreign speakers.
English language-Examinations.
Listening and speaking skills
Other authors/contributors: O'Sullivan, Kerry, 1952-
•
Dewey number: 428.0076 ·~4,~l;
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How to use this book v
Acknowledgments
Vll
Listening skills and strategies summary
Vlll
Speaking skills and strategies summary
IX
Unit 1: Listening 1 Guessing 26
Recognising meaning through
1.1 What is in the ListeningTest? 2
pronunciation 28
1.2 Test-taking tips 3
Understanding what speakers
Be prepared 3
are doing 34
Focus your eyes and ears 3
Anticipating what speakers
Guess 3
will do next 37
Manage your time 3
Giving information: times,
Write accurately 4 dates, numbers and letters 38
Know what to expect 4 Describing procedures and
1.3 Getting to know the test 6 processes 40
Multiple-choice questions 6 Describing objects 41
Short-answer questions 8 Explaining cause and effect 42
Sentence completion questions 8 Making comparisons 43
Form/note/summarylflow-chartl Classifying 43
table completion questions 9 Arguing a viewpoint 45
Labelling a diagram/plan/map 10 Describing problems and
Matching questions 11 solutions 46
1.4 The listening strategies and Telling a story 47
skills you need 13 1.5 Developing an independent
Managing the flow of study program 48
information 13 Identifying your needs 48
Listening for specific information 13 Improving your general
Focusing on more than one listening 49
question 18 Practising for specific sections 50
Matching the meaning 20 Practising specific strategies
Understanding what speakers and skills 51
are saymg 22 Exercises for study partners 54
Understanding vocabulary 22 1.6 Practice IELTS ListeningTest 55
•
Unit 2: Speaking 61 2.5 Developing an independent
study program 127
2.1 What is in the SpeakingTest? 62
Identifying your needs 127
2.2 Test-taking tips 63
Improving your general
Speak as much as you can 63
speaking 128
Speak at a reasonable volume
Practising for specfic sections 129
and speed 63
Practising specific strategies
Make a good impression ,63
and skills 130
Know what to expect 63
2.6 Practice IELTS Speaking Tests 136
Don't panic if asked about an
Doing the practice Speaking
unfamiliar topic 64
Tests with a partner 136
Don't memorise 64
Assessing other candidates
Try to relax 64
doing the practice Speaking
2.3 Getting to know the test 65 Tests 136
Part 1: Introduction and Speaking Test question bank 138
interview 65
Part 2: Individual long turn 70
Transcripts 143
Part 3: Two-way discussion 74
Unit 1: Listening 144
2.4 The speaking strategies and
Unit 2: Speaking 167
skills you need 77
Fluency and coherence 77
Ansvver key 185
Accuracy and range of
vocabulary 89 Unit 1: Listening 186
Grammatical accuracy and Unit 2: Speaking 189
range 99
Pronunciation 112
• Contents
You can use this book independently as you prepare for the IELTS test or as a course book
in an IELTS preparation course with a teacher. All material in the book is suitable for both
General Training and Academic candidates.
Throughout this book there are examples to follow and exercises for you to complete.
You can study the book from beginning to end or choose particular sections to study based
on your specific needs. To get the most out of this book and achieve your best possible
result on the IELTS test make sure you do all the exercises in each unit.
Transcripts of all the recordings, whether for examples, exercises or practice tests, as
well as a full answer key, are provided at the back of the book.
Both Unit 1: Listening and Unit 2: Speaking contain the following six sections.
1 What is in the test?
The first section describes the specific lELTS test, with information about its length, how
it is conducted and structured, what kinds of questions there are, and how it is assessed.
You should read this section in conjunction with the information available on the lELTS
website at <www.ielts.org>.
2 Test-taking tips
This section gives you advice about how to manage the test as successfully as possible.
These tips will help you to complete the test within the time allowed and get the best mark
possible.
3 Getting to know the test
This section tells you what is included in each part or section of the test and how to
approach these sections. It includes exercises and examples for familiarising yourself with
the requirements of each test section.
4 The strategies and skills you need
This is the main section of each unit because it explains the strategies and skills that
you need in order to do well in the Listening and Speaking modules, and it gives you
opportunities to practise them. Strategies are the practical techniques you can use to meet
the specific demands of the test - such as focusing on more than one question in the
Listening Test. Skills are the abilities needed to perform well in the test - for example,
the ability to speak fluently in the Speaking Test. Short exercises are included throughout
these sections to help you develop both strategies and skills. You should do these exercises
without assistance and try to follow any time limits suggested.
5 Developing an independent study program
This section helps you develop a self-study program. This involves identifying your needs,
finding appropriate practice materials and maintaining a regular study schedule. This
section includes exercises that are suitable for individual study, and exercises that you can
do with a study partner.
6 Practice IELTS tests
The practice tests in these sections simulate real IELTS tests. You can do them before you
start studying the other sections of the book to give you an idea of your current abilities,
or you can do them after working through the units to consolidate your learning. You
should do them without any assistance and follow any time limits given.
• How to us. this book
Author acknowledgments
Steven would like to thank Denise Flipo, Jan Pinder and Susan Shand for their advice and
encouragement. He would also like to thank Mary Jane Hogan and Viv Winter for their
professional support through the whole project.
Steven Thurlow
Publisher acknowledgments
The author and publisher are grateful to the following for permission to reproduce
copyright material:
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owner in each case.
•
e
Listening skills and strategies summary
This table indicates which exercises provide practice at different question types, skills and strategies for the IELTS Listening Test.
Speaking skills and strategies summary
This table indicates which exercises provide practice at the different parts of, and skills and strategies required for the IELTS Speaking Test.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47
Part 1:
Introduction and ././ ./ ./
interview
Part 2: Individual
././ ./ ./
lonQ turn
Part 3: Two-way
././ ./ ./
discussion
SpeakinQ fluently ./ ./ ./ ./
Speaking
./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./
coherentlv
Using discourse
markers and
././ ./
other cohesive
features
Using accurate
./ ./
vocabularv
Using a range of
./ ./ ./ ./
vocabulary
ParaphrasinQ ./ ./
Speaking
with accurate ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./ ./
Qrammar
Speaking with
a range of ./ ./ ./
Qrammar
Individual
./ ./ ./ ./
sounds
Word and
./ ./ ./ ./ ./
sentence stress
Rhythm ./ ./ ./ ./ ./:
Intonation and
./ ./ ./
pitch
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