Pooja Ph.D. CELTA, Author at IELTS BAND7

IELTS Speaking: Part 3 questions for an achievement you are proud of

March 23, 2020 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Speaking: Part 3 questions for an achievement you are proud of

Describe an achievement you are proud of is a popular cue card topic. In this post, we will look at some discussion questions related to this topic. These questions will be asked in the third part of the speaking test.
Q. 1: What qualities are needed to become successful?
Answer: There are several attributes which are essential for achieving success in life. In my opinion, the most important ones are willpower, perseverance, self-reliance, patience and integrity. If we have a goal and we don’t vacillate or procrastinate, then with these traits we can fulfill our dreams.
Q. 2: Some get a head start in life, while others don’t. What are your views on this?
Answer: Getting a head start in career can make a significant difference in one’s personal as well as professional life. Let’s take an example. If a young graduate joins the army as a high ranked officer, then his future prospects will definitely be better than that of a soldier. But, I wouldn’t say that a soldier can’t become an officer. It’s just a matter of time and hard work. In short, we should never lose our hope in life. We should try to do our best in all kinds of circumstances.
Q. 3: What would society be like if there were no businesses?
Answer: Businesses have played a pivotal role in the development of the world and civilizations. All business sectors, right from food, transport, education, healthcare, communication, banking to space research have deeply impacted our life. They have transformed the way we live and work. The absence of businesses will dramatically affect the quality of life we enjoy. I believe that the standard of life will drop considerably. Even, our survival could be difficult.
Q. 4: How life would be like if no one worked at all?
Answer: Work makes our life organised and meaningful. If all of us stopped working, chances are higher that life will become miserable. There will be no food, no cleanliness, no education and many other problems will pop up. What’s more, people will become irresponsible. I can’t even imagine the chaos that might arise under such circumstances.

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IELTS Speaking

IELTS Writing task 2: benefits and drawbacks of English as a global language

March 20, 2020 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Writing Task 2

Write about the following topic.
Do the advantages of having English as a global language outweigh the disadvantages?
Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer:

Thanks to the colonization done by the British, more than half of the world’s population can speak English to some extent. This language has surely helped in uniting the world on a global platform. I think that the benefits of English as a global language outnumber its drawbacks.

In today’s world, when people are traveling around the world for leisure, studies, work and medical treatment, a common language comes to an aid. For a two-way communication to happen successfully, both the parties need to be able to understand each other and respond accordingly. Certainly, English has played its crucial part in building a communication bridge among the people of different cultures and nationalities.

Furthermore, speaking a common language in a foreign country helps people in adapting in a new environment. It allows you to make friends relatively easily, learn about the culture, find a job and visit places. Not to mention, this universal language has facilitated trade and knowledge transfer across the globe, thereby turning the world into a global village.

On the other hand, the growth of English as a lingua franca has a negative impact on one’s culture. Owing to its strong influence, the popularity of western cultures has increased worldwide. The lack of interest shown by young adults in traditional functions/ceremonies and clothes is a clear example of this change. This is a worrying trend because the language is the medium through which cultural knowledge is passed on to our future generations.

All in all, it is undeniably true that English has brought the world together. At present, its disadvantages may seem minuscule when compared to its advantages. Nonetheless, its increasing influence is a real threat to cultural and linguistic diversity.(284 Words)

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IELTS Essay # Financial aid

March 19, 2020 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IELTS Writing task 2
You should spend 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:
Providing financial aid to the poor can increase poverty.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant example from your own knowledge or experience.
Write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer

Poverty has become a pressing problem across the globe. Governments in many countries take various measures to control the rising poverty levels. Giving monetary help to the poor is one of the most common methods followed globally. But, the effectiveness of this approach is often questioned by social reformers and economists. According to them, this measure can make the situation worse. I completely agree with this view and in this essay I will support my opinion with examples.

Firstly, financial support does not provide the poor with a motive to become self-sustained. It seriously damages the spirit of self-development. The fundamental reason behind this is the psychological attitude which it creates in the minds of beneficiaries. If someone is getting money for their needs without doing any work, then why they would work. Even if the amount is less, they are willing to accept it. Such people resist any kind of change in their way of living. This can be exemplified with unemployment benefit receivers who hardly try to find a suitable employment for themselves.

Another reason why I am against distributing money to the poor is that it affects the overall growth and development of a country. Research has shown that nations where citizens depend on monetary help experience a slow economic growth rate. A possible explanation for this could be the skewed distribution of the available funds. The money that is meant for the development of the nation is given to those who do not contribute to the economy in anyway. Therefore, it can be concluded that this solution creates a vicious cycle of poverty that is extremely hard to break.

To sum up, any government is responsible to fulfil the basic needs of its people. But, I strongly believe that providing financial help to the poor is not the answer. This practice should be discouraged. Other measures like skill development programmes, opening aided schools and hospitals, and creating more employment opportunities can yield far better results. In short, do not give fish to the poor, teach them how to fish. (341 Words)

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Graph # Population aged 65 and over between 1940 and 2040

March 10, 2020 Pooja Ph.D. CELTA

IETLS Writing Task 1 # Graph

You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.
The line graph below shows the proportion of the population aged 65 and over between 1940 and 2040 in three different countries.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Write at least 150 words.

Source: adapted from Cambridge IELTS 5

Sample Answer

The line graph illustrates the variations in the percentage of old people aged 65 and above in Japan, Sweden and USA over a 100-year period from 1940 to 2040.
In 1940, just under ten percent of the US population was 65 and over, the highest figure among the listed countries. Sweden and Japan stood at the second and third place respectively with nearly 7% and 5% population in this age range. In the next 50 years (i.e. 1940-1990), the curves followed strikingly similar upward trends in western countries. The proportion of elderly in the USA reached the mark of 15% whereas the percentage was slightly less than 15% in Sweden. In comparison, there was a small decrease of about 2% in the Japanese figures during this period.

Between 1990 and the present, the American figures remained constant while Sweden and Japan experienced a gradual increase in their percentages. Notably, these proportions are expected to rise dramatically in the next two decades in all the three countries. By 2040, the ageing population will account for nearly one fourth of the total population in these nations.

Overall, it is evident that the proportion of elderly people has risen in all the given countries. This trend is predicted to continue in the future and by 2040, these countries will have a similar number of old people (about 25%). (225 Words)

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