1. http://www.ielts-exam.net/ 2. Essay Topics: Do you think that homework should be abolished? Discuss its value. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/homework-should-be-abolished.html) Should teachers give pupils too much homework? Discuss. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/should-teachers-give-pupils-much.html) What subject you like best in school? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/what- subject-you-like-best-in-school.html) Describe the first day of your school (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/describe-first-day-of-your-school.html) The first day at school probably had been much impressed on your life. Give your impressed on that day. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-first-day-at- school.html) School is the most difficult time but it also keeps many joys for us. Do you agree? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/school-life-is-most-difficult-time.html) Describe your schoolmates and whom do you like best (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/describe-your-schoolmates-and-whom- do.html). Talk about your experiences as a school prefect (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/talk-about-your-experiences-as- school.html). What do you think of the use and abuse of private tuition? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/use-and-abuse-of-private-tuition.html) Examination day often makes many pupils worry. Do you agree? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/examination-makes-pupils-worry.html) What do you think of the important role of the teaching of crafts in the school? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/important-role-of-teaching-of-crafts.html) What makes an ideal teacher: Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-makes-ideal-teacher.html) Write about the kind of work which you hope to do when you leave the school. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/kind-of-work-you-hope-to-do-after.html) Today there is some changes in the educational system. In your opinion, how should we change to raise the quality teaching? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/some-changes-in-educational-system.html) Talk about your teacher of English (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/your- english-teacher.html) Is a teacher an actor? Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/teacher-is-actor.html) Write a description of your walk to school on a rainy day. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/walk-to-school-on-rainy-day.html) Describe all activities of your school-day (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/activities-of-your-school-day.html) Give an account of the end of the term. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/end-of-school-term.html) Describe your close friend (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/describe-your- close-friend.html) Suppose you could go to school where you wanted to. Which school would you choose and why? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/which-school-do-you-want.html) Living in an apartment instead of a college dormitory gain advantages and disadvantages. Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of apartment living and five your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/apartment-or- college-dormitory.html) For students, purchasing or renting a home? Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/for-students-purchasing-or-renting- home.html) English is a popular language all over the world, especially to students, tourists and businessmen. Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/english-is- popular-language.html) Nowaday, everybody is very fond of learning a foreign language. However, sucessful men are seldom. In your opinion, what is the basic factor? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/sucessful-in-learning-foreign- language.html) Is English the international language? Explain it. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/english-international-language.html) From what you have learned about English civilization, write an essay on England and the English (the land, its history, tradition and people) (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/england-and-english-people.html) What do you think of the value of education? Discuss it. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/value-of-education.html) In your opinion, what is one of the major problems in the world today? Discuss some reasons for its existence Give some possible solutions. ( Pollution) (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-is-one-of-major-problems-in- world.html) In your opinion, how do the pollution problems effect today? Discuss some reasons for its existence. Give some solutions to overcome. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-is-one-of-major-problems-in- world.html) Some people believe that a mother should not work. Others argue against this. Consider the problems that a working mother faces. Do you believe a mother should work? Support your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/03/mother-should- not-work.html) Knowledge is power. Discuss this sentence. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/knowledge-is-power.html) Give a comment about the uses of the hobby. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/uses-of-hobby.html) Tell about your hobby in free time. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/topic-tell- about-your-hobby-in-free.html) The kind of books we should read. Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/kind-of-books-we-should-read.html) Today, there are many books to read. What do you think of the choice of books? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/choice-of-books-for-reading.html) Describe a pet which you have kept. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/your- favorite-pet.html) Talk about the person you hate most. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/person-you-hate.html) Give a short account of an interesting magazine you often read. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/topic-give-short-account-of-interesting.html) The habit is a repetitive job everyday. Explain it. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/habit.html) Give an account of a visit to a book exhibition. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/book-exhibition.html) Discuss the appeal of a science fiction (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/appeal-of-science-fiction.html) Discuss the uses and abuses of television (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/uses-and-abuses-of-television.html) An interesting program which you heard on the radio. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/interesting-program-on-radio.html) Talk about the habit of smoking cigarettes (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/habit-of-smoking-cigarettes.html) Talk about the hobbies of your two close friends. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/hobbies-of-your-close-friends.html) Give one of the activities you like to do in your spare time (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/one-activity-to-do-in-spare-time.html) The difference between my father and my younger brother in the family. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/difference-between-father-and-son.html) What should we do to make a good impression at a job interview? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/for-good-impression-at-job-interview.html) Some people claim reading novel is a waste of more time than reading nonfiction works? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/topic-some-people-claim-reading- novel.html) Talk about the film you like best. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/film-you- like-best.html) In your opinion, what is the most difficult skill of studying English (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/writing-is-most-difficult-skills.html) Talk about the habit of reading in some students (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/way-to-read-books.html) How should we do to have a good memory? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/to-have-good-memory.html) " Money is the root of all evil". Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/money-is-root-of-all-evil.html) What is flight booking like? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-is-flight- booking-like.html) What means of traveling you choose for your trip? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-means-of-traveling-you-choose- for.html) Is traveling an educative experience? Discuss. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/value-of-traveling.html) Should marriage be arranged by parents or decided by yourself? Give your opinion. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/should-marriage-be-arranged-by- parents.html) What is the job of a human resources manager? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-is-human-resources-manage.html) How do Hearing-Impaired people talk? Discuss. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/how-doed-hearing-impaired-talk.html) What do you think of the opinion polls? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/opinion-polls.html) How should people protect and preserve the natural resources? (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/protect-and-preserve-natural- resources.html) Life in the city (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/life-in-city.html) Living in a multiracial community (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/multiracial-community.html) Tell about a visit to a famous city (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/visit-to- famous-city.html) Talk about modern inventions (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/modern- inventions.html) Talk about an adventure in a forest (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/adventure-in-forest.html) Talk about an unusual opportunity you had (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/unusual-opportunity.html) Talk about the value of libraries. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/value-of- libraries.html) Talk about a horrible sight you experienced. (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/horrible-sight.html) Discuss the part that money plays in our live (http://language123.blogspot.com/2008/04/role-of-money-in-our-lives.html) PART 1: ANALYZING CHARTS, GRAPHS & TABLES Task No.1: The graph shows Internet Usage in Taiwan by Age Group, 1998-2000. Summaries the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph shows changes in the age profile of Internet users in Taiwan between 1998 and 2000. The main users of the Internet in Taiwan are young adults between 16 and 30 years old. In 1998, they accounted for more than half of all users. In 1999 the number dropped slightly to 45%, but even in 2000 they were the biggest group. The second biggest group of users is aged between 31 and 50. They made up 41% in 1998, falling slightly to 37% in 2000. When combined with the 16-30 age group, over 94% of users in 1998 were between 16 and 50. However this number is dropping steadily as more children and older users log on. In 1999, the number of children online quadrupled from 2% to 8%, and it continued to increase in 2000. There were similar increases for older users, rising from 4% in 1998 to 10% in 2000. In summary, while adults between 16 and 50 still represent the great majority of Internet users in Taiwan, their share is declining as more children and older users join the web. Task No.2: The graph shows Underground Station Passenger Numbers in London. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words. You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph shows the fluctuation in the number of people at a London underground station over the course of a day. The busiest time of the day is in the morning. There is a sharp increase between 06:00 and 08:00, with 400 people using the station at 8 o'clock. After this the numbers drop quickly to less than 200 at 10 o'clock. Between 11 am and 3 pm the number rises, with a plateau of just under 300 people using the station. In the afternoon, numbers decline, with less than 100 using the station at 4 pm. There is then a rapid rise to a peak of 380 at 6pm. After 7 pm, numbers fall significantly, with only a slight increase again at 8pm, tailing off after 9 pm. Overall, the graph shows that the station is most crowded in the early morning and early evening periods. Task No.3: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The table below shows the sales at a small restaurant in a downtown business district. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Sales: week of October 7-13 Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. Sun. Lunch $2,400 $2,450 $2,595 $2,375 $2,500 $1,950 $1,550 Dinner $3,623 $3,850 $3,445 $3,800 $4,350 $2,900 $2,450 The sales at this small restaurant during the week of October 7 to 13th followed a fairly set pattern from Monday to Friday, and then showed notable shift on the weekend. The lunch and dinner sales during the week peaked on Friday and then dipper down as the weekend set in. During the week of October 7-14th, the lunch sales averaged at approximately $2,400. The highest lunch sales occurred on Friday, and the lowest occurred on Sunday. Sunday's lunch sales were approximately $1,000 less than the average lunch sales during the rest of the week. Dinner sales, which generated at least $1,000 to $1,500 more a day than lunch sales, also remained steady during the week. Just like the lunch sales, the dinner sales peak on Friday and dipped down for the weekend. Excluding Wednesday and Thursday, the lunch and dinner sales from October 7-11 rose gradually until the end of the business week. Midweek, on Wednesday and Thursday, the sales were slightly lower than they were on Tuesday. According to the sales report, this restaurant has a steady lunch and dinner crowd. The most profitable day during the second week of October was Friday. Sunday, was the least profitable day, with the full day's sales totaling/totaling less than the Friday dinner sales. These numbers are reflective of a restaurant that is located in a business/financial district where business hours are Monday through Friday. Task No.4: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The charts below show the percentage of their food budget the average family spent on restaurant meals in different years. The graph shows the number of meals eaten in fast food restaurants and sit-down restaurants. You should write at least 150 words. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. Over the past 30 years, the average family has dramatically increased the number of meals that they eat at restaurants. The percentage of the family's food budget spent on restaurant meals steadily climbed. Just 10 percent of the food budget was spent on restaurant meals in 1970, and 15 percent in 1980. That percentage more than doubled in 1990, to 35 percent, and rose again in 2000 to 50 percent. Where families eat their restaurant meals also changed during that 30-year period. In 1970, families ate the same number of meals at fast food and sit-down restaurants. In 1980, families ate slightly more frequently at sit-down restaurants. However, since 1990, fast food restaurants serve more meals to the families than do the sit-down restaurants. Most of the restaurant meals from 2000 were eaten at fast food restaurants. If this pattern continues, eventually the number of meals that families eat at fast food restaurants could double the number of meals they eat at sit-down restaurants. Task No.5: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The take below gives information about the underground railway systems in six cities. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. You should write at least 150 words. Underground Railways Systems City Date opened Kilometers of route Passengers per year (in millions) London 1863 394 775 Paris 1900 199 1191 Tokyo 1927 155 1927 Washington DC 1976 126 144 Kyoto 1981 11 45 Los Angeles 2001 28 50 The table shows the details regarding the underground railway systems in six cities. London has the oldest underground railway systems among the six cities. It was opened in the year 1863, and it is already lye years old. Paris is the second oldest, in which it was opened in the year 1900. This was then followed by the opening of the railway systems in Tokyo, Washington DC and Kyoto. Los Angeles has the newest underground railway system, and was only opened in the year 2001. In terms of the size of the railway systems, London, For certain, has the largest underground railway systems. It has 394 kilometers of route in total, which is nearly twice as large as the system in Paris. Kyoto, in contrast, has the smallest system. It only has 11 kilometers of route, which is more than 30 times less than that of London. Interestingly, Tokyo, which only has 155 kilometers of route, serves the greatest number of passengers per year, at 1927 millions passengers. The system in Paris has the second greatest number of passengers, at 1191 millions passengers per year. The smallest underground railway system, Kyoto, serves the smallest number of passengers per year as predicted. In conclusion, the underground railway systems in different cities vary a lot in the site of the system, the number of passengers served per year and in the age of the system. Task No.6: You should spend about 20 minutes on this task. The graph below compares the number of visits to two new music sites on the web. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. You should write at least 150 words. The graph shows people using new music places on the Internet in fifteen days period of time namely personal choice and trendy pop music. The overall trend shows fluctuation with slight Increased towards the end of the period. Starting with Music Choice websites; 40,000 people went on this new site on first-day. Half of them backed out the next day. In Contrast to this Pop Parade net sites were visited by 120,000 music lovers on day one which decreased slightly on the next day thereafter regaining the same fame on 3rd day. After 3rd day the enthusiasm for both music lines on Internet dropped slowly- reaching maximum fall of 40,000 on 7th day. Whereas Music choice gained popularity, slightly Improving to get the original strength of 30,000 viewers on screen, but was getting still less visitors than their opponent Pop group i.e. 40,000 on day 7. In the beginning of the next week both gained remarkable recovery after a few fluctuations for 8th and 9th day having 40,000 and 50,000 visitors respectively, reaching to their peaks of one and a half thousand new viewers for Pop Parade on 11th day showing a contrast of very few people visiting Music choice for the same day. Thereafter Music choice gained popularity on 12th day for having more than 120,000 new visitors on web. In the end of the period Pop sites were visited by maximum viewers of 180,000 whereas sites located to Music choice were not explored by more than 80,000 explorers on the last day of the report. PART 2: ESSAY TOPIC I. The advantages and disadvantages of co-education I study in a co-education school. In my class there are about twenty boys and twelve girls. We learn many things one another in the course of being in the same class everyday. Sometimes the interaction is pleasant and sometimes not. In other words co-education has its good points and bad points, that is, its advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage that I can see is that we learn that boys are different from girls in many ways. In short, we learn how to handle each other. Boys tend to be more physical, while girls are far gentler. However this is not a universal rule, for tom-boys do exist in our class and they pack a harder wallop than some sissies who also exist in our class. Anyhow I learn that the two sexes behave generally in fixed manners although there are exceptions. I suppose this sort of interaction will come in useful in the future when boys and girls become men and women who will produce the next generations. I am a boy and I have to admit that I learn a lot about how to handle both boys and girls. I have a friend who studies in an all-boys’ school. He always asks me how I handle the girls. He is quite ignorant about girls, for I have seen him being tongue-tied in front of girls. None of my classmates have such a problem. The one big disadvantage about having boys and girls in the same class is when we go for physical education. Boys and girls just cannot do the same type of exercise or play the same game together. So we need to have two teachers, one for the boys and one for the girls. Our headmaster has come up with the ingenious solution of having two classes doing P.E. at the same time so that the boys and girls from each class combine together under one teacher each. Another advantage of a co-education school becomes obvious when the school holds the school sports, concerts and other functions. In sports a co-education school can see full participation from both sexes. Also the harder physical work of preparing for a sports meet can be done by the boys while the gentler tasks of preparing food and drinks as well as serving guests are best left to the girls. The boys and girls get to learn their social roles. In concerts and other functions it is undoubted that both boys and girls are needed. In a co- education school there is no problem of finding the persons to take part. However in an all- boys’ or an all-girls’ school, they will have to “borrow” the necessary boys or girls in order to run their functions. I myself and other boys have had to go and serve our all-girls neighbor for [...]... widely used language is the English language There are few countries in which this language is not understood or used Even the countries which preached hatred for everything English, including the English language, during their struggle for independence from British rule such as India, found it difficult to dispense with this language after they became independent Therefore, they not only continued... organized will go a long way to improve the efficiency of the student IV Which language do you think has made the greatest contribution to the promotion of better understanding among the people of the world? English has made the greatest contribution to the promotion of better understanding Which language do you think has made the greatest contribution to the promotion of better understanding among the... when the lessons done in the class have not been fully understood by the student and he have to be told more than to impress upon him for the lesson done in the class may not have caught his brain For this reason, tuition at home may be the answer Generally a class room is not conductive for individual teaching The teacher pupil interaction highly spoken of is not possible in the class A teacher normally... children need a private tutor as a permanent feature From the examination point of view some may seek tuition The students who want to achieve very good results in competitive courses may resort to tuition This has become a common practice for getting seats in medical, engineering and technological course An ordinary classroom lecture does not cater to the needs of such students For many aristocratic families,... school I am sure they enjoy themselves too I have not studied in an all-boys’ school before so I do not really know what sort of situation exists there However I would not change my place here for anything else It is definitely better to have girls around than to see only boys everyday II The importance of examinations (exams) Life today has become so complex that examinations have come to play an... themselves to the syllabuses which are aimed at imparting knowledge in a systematic manner, and thus develop mental discipline Examinations are therefore an important part of academic studies III What do you think of the use and abuse of private tuition? Private tuition as against what is being done in regular school is resorted to, in certain cases where the pupil is not able to follow his lessons well and... to play a leading role in international communication Thus, many people whose native language is not English have studied English and become more conversant with English than with their own languages This is especially true with the leaders of the people to whom English is a foreign language As a result, the English language is used by them not only in the administration of their countries but also... thoughts of the English people have made a deep impression on the minds of the people of other countries Innumerable books have been written in the English language on all branches of study, and such is the thirst of English scholars for knowledge and their desire to communicate it, that they have even translated books of great value from other language to English for the benefit of all Writers of other nationalities... of information Therefore, people everywhere have developed a special respect for the language and they continue to learn it with avidity As the English language is used so extensively, it is mainly in this language that the people of the world communicate with and understand one another No other language has such a wide appeal In my opinion, it is the English language that has made the greatest contribution . Choice websites; 40,000 people went on this new site on first-day. Half of them backed out the next day. In Contrast to this Pop Parade net sites were visited. There are few countries in which this language is not understood or used. Even the countries which preached hatred for everything English, including the English