Month: November 2016

IELTS Practice Reading # New Nation

The article below has been taken from TIME. You can read the entire article by clicking on the link. Today, we are looking at a part of it and try to cover the vocabulary that we come across.

Movies, and sometimes the people who make them, work on us at strange, subterranean levels we can’t even begin to comprehend. That’s why, even though relatively few people have seen it, few know quite how to feel about Nate Parker’sBirth of a Nation, which premiered here at the Toronto International Film Festival on Friday to a rousing response from the audience, some seven months after its sensational Sundance unveiling. Parker’s debut picture—about Nat Turner, the enslaved African American who led a violent revolt against slave owners in 1831—is distinctive for one notable reason: Movies about the history of blacks in this country are rarely made, and if you rule out the usual suspects like Spike Lee and Lee Daniels—and count back to the days before 12 Years a Slave and Selma—they have rarely been made by people of color. But months ahead of its release in the United States, in October, The Birth of a Nation has also become infamous for a thornier reason: In 1999, while they were students at Penn State University, Parker and his roommate and wrestling teammate Jean Celestin—cowriter of The Birth of a Nation—were accused of raping a fellow student. Parker was acquitted. Celestin was found guilty, though the verdict was overturned. Their accuser committed suicide in 2012. In the context of this terrible blot, should Parker be lauded as a filmmaker? Should people show tacit support of him and his actions by seeing the film? Is his work, or his view on anything, in any way trustworthy?

WORDMEANING
 strange unusual or surprising; difficult to understand or explain.
 subterranean existing, occurring, or done under the earth's surface.
 comprehend grasp mentally; understand.
 relatively in relation, comparison, or proportion to something else.
 premiered give the first performance of.;(of a musical or theatrical work or a film) have its first performance
 rousing exciting; stirring;(of a fire) blazing strongly.
 response a verbal or written answer.;a reaction to something.
 audience the assembled spectators or listeners at a public event such as a play, film, concert, or meeting.;a formal interview with a person in authority.
 sensational causing great public interest and excitement.;very good indeed; very impressive or attractive.
 unveiling remove a veil or covering from, in particular uncover (a new monument or work of art) as part of a public ceremony.;show or announce publicly for the first time.
 enslaved make (someone) a slave.;cause (someone) to lose their freedom of choice or action.
 violent using or involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something;(especially of an emotion or a destructive natural force) very strong or power
 revolt take violent action against an established government or ruler; rebel.;cause to feel disgust.
 slave a person who is the legal property of another and is forced to obey them.;work excessively hard.
 distinctive characteristic of one person or thing, and so serving to distinguish it from other
 notable worthy of attention or notice; remarkable.;a famous or important person
 thornier having many thorns or thorn bushes.;causing distress, difficulty, or trouble.
 accused a person or group of people who are charged with or on trial for a crime.
 acquitted free (someone) from a criminal charge by a verdict of not guilty.
.
conduct oneself or perform in a specified way.
 verdict a decision on an issue of fact in a civil or criminal case or an inquest.
 overturned tip (something) over so that it is on its side or upside down.;abolish, invalidate, or reverse (a previous system, decision, situation, etc.)
 blot a dark mark or stain made by ink, paint, dirt, etc.;a procedure in which proteins or nucleic acids separated on a gel are transferred directly to an immobilizing medium for identification.
 tacit understood or implied without being stated.

IELTS BAND7

IELTS Essay Latest Question # road safety

You should spend 40 minutes on this task.

Some people believe that the age limit for the drivers should be increased to ensure road safety.

 

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

 

Write at least 250 words.

IDEAS
  • Increasing the age limit will make people break the traffic rules more often.
  • Instead, the focus should be on ensuring high standards for giving the driving license.
  • The age does not determine how well a person will drive.
  • Trained traffic police and strict enforcement of traffic rules will ensure safer roads.
SAMPLE ANSWER

Traveling is in the blood of young people with most of them waiting to get their driving licenses. On the other hand, there is a rapid increase in the number of road accidents, especially the ones involving young drivers. Some people believe that the age limit for driving should be raised to tackle this situation. Although this is a feasible solution, in my opinion, there are other ways that should be followed to make roads safer for the general public.

age limit

Increasing the age limit will unlikely reduce the road safety as it is practically impossible to check every individuals driving license. Increasing the age limit will make it all the more fun resulting in increased illegal activities. However, if the focus is put upon improving the standards for getting driving license it will ensure that only the right set of people do get it. This will also make people to work hard to drive legally. For example, people can actually feel proud on gaining the driving license because it will be a proof that they indeed drive good.

Even more, age does not define how well a person can drive. Driving is more of how much you have practiced. Like, a 20 year old can drive better if he or she has been driving on rough edges. On the other hand, a 34 year may not drive that well if he or she does not has practice of driving.

Overall, surely age can play a role in safer roads, in my opinion it cannot be the deciding factor. Therefore the focus should be on improving the quality of rules and enforcement rather than increasing age limit.

IELTS BAND7

 

Listening # Future Cities

The audio has been taken from BBC 6 minutes English.

FUTURE CITIES

You can download the audio from the given link –

 

Answer the following question in NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS

  1. Name the computer game about city building?
  2. What is the percentage of world’s population that will be living in cities in 2050?
  3. Which term is used for an imaginary place where everything is perfect?
  4. Which term is used to refer to the way a city spread into an underdeveloped land around it?
  5. Which word is used to describe poor communities where houses are built of cheap materials?
  6. What is used to refer to the basic facilities a town or city needs?
  7. Which organization are John Rossant founder and chairman of?
  8. Which term is used to refer to something that is present everywhere?
  9. Which term is used to refer to something that can significantly affect the way things are?
  10. What percent of world’s population lives in cities in the present?

ANSWERS

  1. SimCity
  2. 70%
  3. Utopia
  4. Urban Sprawl
  5. Shanty towns
  6. Infrastructure
  7. New Cities Foundation
  8. Ubiquitous
  9. Game changer
  10. 54%
IELTS BAND7

IELTS Speaking # Technology

We are living in an era that is surrounded by technology. From the computers that we use for work, to the phones that we use to interact and now the machines we use to stay fit, technology is everywhere and we are using it like never before. Although there are certain advantages associated with it, people often believe that technology has done more harm that it has done good. Let us today have a look at some of the questions related to technology that might be asked in the Section III of IELTS.

How can technology make our lives easier?

Technology is the application of scientific principles for the practical purposes. For example, we are using watches to get time, mobile phones to stay connected, Internet to grab knowledge etc and thus our life is made easier than before. Living without these amenities might have not affected our lives as in we would still have been living, but certainly we should have stayed in the primitive age. Technology has changed the way we study, work or even spend money. Gone are the days when we were limited to the physical resources we had, now there is so much more that we can get irrespective of whether it is around us or not. Technology has helped us in getting a better life standard with much more efficient tools and devices to help us in every possible way.

What are some great inventions you know about?

There are some great inventions that have been done in the human history so far. From fire, to tools, agriculture, electricity, internet, software, computers, engines, we surely have come a far way from where we began. But, I think the most important invention till date has to be the invention of fire. I think it was after it that humans realized that there are things that they can find out and make his life easier.So, they started inventing things like wheels which are the fundamental inventions for any of the communication system. The recent one, which has radically changed the world, has to be definately the invention of computers and internet. It is because of them that we are able to stay connected with so many people and learn so much more.

technology

Why should we restrict the use of mobile phone in public places?

Mobile phone, undoubtedly, is an important invention in the history of man kind but it surely has some detrimental impacts. Using mobile phones in public may appear indecent or it might cause irritation to others. Like, if there are three people sitting quietly in a park and then there is this guy who is talking loudly on phone, it takes away the peace of the entire atmosphere. Or if you are in a temple, the phone rings and imagine that happening for lot of people. The sound causes disturbance. Moreover, since public spaces are very crowded, there are more chances of accidents accidents happening.

Why mobile phones are gaining its popularity?
Mobile phones are gaining popularity  because they are easy to use and carry. You have a computer and camera in a device equivalent to your palm. Moreover, they are more affordable for the public and come without any legal complexities.Even more, it is more convenient than other means of communication when it comes to contacting the other person. I believe since a person gets everything, from internet, to camera, to interaction, mobile phones are gaining popularity and they definitely go a long way.

Can you do without your mobile phone?

Yes, I can go few days without my mobile phone because no matter how much important it is, I am not very much addicted to it and I believe that there are things that can be surely put on hold. Because, while enjoying the present moment, one hardly needs to be worried about the future or the past. Even more, when I am working I prefer to put my entire focus on work.

In the present era that we are living, I think it is almost impossible for me to do without a mobile phone even for a single day. I need it not only for communicating but also for passing time by playing games of using internet application and there is so much more to do.

IELTS BAND7

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