As the year 2009 ends, all IELTS candidates are awaiting toforesee what trends in IELTS speaking in 2010 will be. Almost all thestudents in Longre training center are asking the same questions. “Whatkind of questions will be asked?”, “Will the question and topic be morechallenging than before?” To answer all these questions here are someof the most important topics that candidate should prepare for IELTSspeaking 2010.
HOT TOPIC ONE Education
Education was one of the most “hot” topics in 2009. Examinerswould like to know the different situations of the education in one’scountry and how it differs from the others. Good education is one ofthe most important right a citizen should have .Therefore; examinerswould like to hear different views and opinions towards this topic.Without adequate knowledge about this topic, candidates will have adifficult time answering these questions. 1. Why parents would prefer to home school their children?
Parents prefer to home school their children because it has beenobserved that children who are home schooled tend to be able to make itto international universities. Most people would be concerned about thechild having an abnormal social life as he will not have any classmateswhen he is home schooled. Surprisingly, home schooled children seemedto be well rounded as compared to children who go to the traditionalschooling. Parents can pay particular attention on the weakness of thechild and focus on how to improve this when home schooling. 2. What are the advantages of Chinese education that you think should be passed on to the next generation?
Chinese characters seem to be complicated, yet very interestingbecause each stroke and character has a meaning of its own. When acharacter is combined with another character, the meaning becomesdifferent already. Chinese history is very rich in culture and valueswhich are essential in one’s character and lifestyle. Sadly, not allthe Chinese are lucky enough to be able to learn all these things. 3. Do you think that having a 9 year-compulsory schooling is enough to have a bright future?
I am not convinced about the idea that a 9-year compulsoryschooling is enough to have a bright future. It would really depend onthe child’s emotional maturity, character, capacity, intellect andresilience to be able to have a bright future. Most of the tycoons thatwe know did not come from well to do backgrounds, thus some of themwere not able to finish even the elementary level. A bright future isnot only gauged on material gains, but on how much this individual hascontributed for the benefit of those around him.
HOT TOPIC TWO Media
Media – Magazine, Newspaper, Radio, Television and Advertisementare all parts of Media. In the IELTS speaking test, there are a varietyof questions comparing these different media types because it isconsidered to be the most powerful source of information that canstraightly affect and influence people. Media is widely spread all overdifferent places and countries. Most of the time it can change people’sway of life and way of thinking ,so examiners would like to know howyou think and feel about it. Here are some examples of questionsrelated to media in the IELTS speaking test. 1. Do you think that we should have censorship in TV programs?
Yes, I think that we should definitely have censorship in TVprograms. I speak not only for the children but for the adults as well.What we see on TV do affect our subconscious level more than we areactually aware of. X rated films and violent programs are major factorswhy crime and violence are very rampant in the world we are living in. 2. Why some people are willing to spend a lot of money in purchasing magazines?
Magazines can be source of leisure yet can be informative as wellthat is why some people do not hesitate to splurge their money on thesethings. Through magazines, we can read about the life of some of ourfavorite celebrities. We get to also learn about practical tips aboutbudgeting, fashion, improving our homes, etc. It is a source ofentertainment where learning is fun and not forced. 3. What kind of influence can advertisement give to people?
Advertisement either compels people to buy or refrain them frombuying certain things or from doing certain actions without theirconscious awareness. It is a very powerful tool to influence themindset of people both young and old. All types of advertisement seemto have this kind of impact whether they are found on the billboards onthe trains, buses and roads, whether they are found in the magazines ornewspapers, and whether they are seen on TV. Advertisement has greatpower to boost or break a particular brand.
HOT TOPIC THREE Science and Technology
Science and technology – This is one of those things that ischanging rapidly in the society. Computers, MP 4, appliances are allpart of the development of Science and technology. Any kind of changeabout these things usually has a very strong impact on us, somepositive and some negative. Questions about pros and cons about thistopic are often asked by the examiners during the exam. And anythingabout science and technology can become a question in IELTS speakingtest. Here are some example questions candidates should know. 1. Do you think computer will replace TV in the future?
I think the computer has already replaced TV in the present time.People can download the movies or the TV series that they would like towatch from the internet. We can even enjoy watching our favorite Talkshows via internet too. The you tube is very famous nowadays because weget to see not only movies or programs but demonstrations about doingsome of the things that we would like to learn to do. 2. What are the disadvantages of high technology?
High technology certainly takes away the virtue of patience in usbecause everything is fast paced. Some of us get out of touch withnature and are not able to enjoy playing with the frogs and enjoyingthe cool wind and sunshine outside because we prefer to play computergames inside the house. Mobile phones come in handy as we can easilyget in touch with people whenever we need to. But with this conveniencealso comes consequences because studies proved that using mobile phonesare harmful not only to our brain but also to the different parts ofour body organs. 3. Should young people adapt with the changes of technology now?
Actually, it’s not only the youth that should adapt to the changesof technology but the adults and seniors as well. For many years,people who live miles apart from their families are only able to get intouch through snail mails and long distance telephone calls. Butnowadays, they can easily get in touch with each other via webcam andheadset phones. It is very convenient but both parties must at leastknow how to open the computer and be able to enjoy the use of these.
HOT TOPIC FOUR Flat and House
Flat and House – The most “in” topic in the last quarter of theyear 2009. It is actually also one of the hottest topics last year, theyear 2008. The difference between house and flat are the most in demandquestion about this topic. To be able to answer the questions well,candidates should at least know the difference between the two and haveopinions about each one of them. What kind of decorations, and thingsthat can be found inside a house or apartment should also be known bythe candidates who are preparing to take the test? The following areexample questions of flat and houses in the IELTS speaking exam. 1. Why do you think some people invest a huge amount of money in buying houses?
A house actually speaks a lot about the person who lives insideit. Some people invest a huge amount of money to buy a house because itis a reflection of how much they have achieved. Some people are willingto shell out a large sum of money because they would like to enjoy aquality and comfortable home with their family. After all, who wouldnot want to take comfort in a nice and pleasant house after a tiringand stressful day? 2. Should we live in a flat or in a house?
Whether to live in a flat or in a house would actually depend onthe lifestyle of the resident. It would be practical for a singleprofessional who just comes home to sleep, take a shower and go to workto live in a flat for his own convenience. But it would be advisablefor a family especially with children to live in a house as they willmore likely be able to make full use of the space and the rooms. Ofcourse, needless to say that we must live in a place where our budgetcould afford.
3. What kind of decorations do you have in your flat/house?
When you come to my house, you will see lots of oriental lanterns,bamboos, paintings and vases. It’s a Japanese theme for my living roomso you get to see lots of pillows, a low square table and figurines ofladies in their kimonos. Since Chinese dish is one of the greatestdishes in the world, my kitchen is that of a Chinese theme. We wouldfind Chinese characters and pictures on the wall paintings, porcelainplates and tea sets, and of course a round table where we enjoy oursumptuous meals.
HOT TOPIC FIVE Law
Law – This topic caused panic and anxiousness to the students inthe first quarter and through the second quarter of this year. Becausemost of the students do not have anything to say about it. Plus, thefact that this topic needs a certain depth in both their languageability and knowledge to be able to conquer and answer the questionsabout law. In my opinion, students should know and be definite aboutthe punishment of the law that they want to say. If not, or studentsare not sure of their knowledge, it is wise to give opinionated answersrather than giving information and details about it .Take note : Thereare no right or wrong in one’s opinion! Questions related to thistopic that had occurred in the IELTS speaking test are: 1. Why do people have to abide the law of its country?
For a country to remain orderly and peaceful, it is very necessaryto have laws for the citizens to abide. After all, we as the citizenswould be the ones to benefit if we abide by the law. The governmentrequires us to pay our taxes so that they would have the funds tofurther improve and maintain our roads, bridges and otherinfrastructures which every single citizen in the country is actuallyusing. Proper penalty is imposed on people who committed a crime or aviolence to discourage these things from being committed by thecitizens. 2. Do you think laws should be changed after a certain time?
There is a saying that the only thing permanent in this life ischange. It is actually a give and take thing because some laws work forthe advantage of others while some of the laws work for thedisadvantage of others such as the business sector. Laws should only bechanged if it would give greater benefit to the welfare of thecitizens. However, the government should be able to discern betweenlaws that are negotiable and laws that are not negotiable. 3. What do you think should be the punishment if a person does not follow the law of your country?
Punishment for not abiding in the law should be in accordance withwhat law was violated. There are numerous kinds of laws and numerousacts of violations as well, so the government should impose areasonable penalty or punishment for each kind of violation. If it isas grave as murder, then “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a toothshould be applied. I think death penalty would be the best suited forthis violation.
HOT TOPIC SIX Transportation
Transportation — Transportation topic in IELTS speaking testincludes questions about bus, subway, train etc. Bicycle is often askedduring the exam because it represents a strong culture of the Chinesepeople in terms of transportation. Examiners like to ask questionsregarding special culture and means of lifestyle of a place. It isindeed a part of every one’s life. Let us see what are the questionsabout this topic are often asked in the IELTS oral test. 1. What do you think about scooters or electric motorbike?
Scooters and electric motorbikes are very economical because theydo save a lot on gas. Not only do they save on gas but they do save ontime as well as riders of these kinds of transportations can easilyslide through the traffic jam of cars and buses. But personally, I donot like to ride on scooters or electric motorbikes because I see themas very dangerous. Whenever I visit a hospital, I discover that most ofthe accidents of the bloodied victims are caused by these things. 2. What should be done to encourage people to take public transportation?
To be able to encourage people to take public transportation, thegovernment should emphasize on the benefits of doing so. Publicvehicles should be properly maintained so that people would find itsafe to ride in them. The government can also impose a law on themaximum number of car each household should have. In some countries,there is a law about color coding of the plate numbers of the cars sothey can only be used on certain days of the week. 3. Should the owners of private cars pay more taxes?
Each taxpayer is charged depending on the level of his income, solikewise I think owners of private cars should pay taxes depending onthe cost of their cars. People who buy luxury cars or regular cars alsoworked hard to be able to afford to buy such a thing in the same way assome people who work very hard but could really not afford to buy acar. It is actually not only about cars because people who have moreproperties such as real estate’s naturally pay more taxes as comparedto people who have lesser properties or none at all. As the sayinggoes, with great capacity comes great responsibility and more isrequired of you.
HOT TOPIC SEVEN Pollution
Pollution – A huge problem in the society that should be solvedimmediately and that is why this topic is also tackled in IELTSspeaking test. We are facing a variety of pollution problem such as airpollution, water pollution and noise pollution etc. Examiners wouldlike to know how the candidates feel about this serious problem andmethods to solve them .Below are questions related to pollution thatcandidates should have knowledge about before taking IELTS test. 1. What causes the pollution problems in your city?
There are many causes of pollution in our city that leads to poorhealth of the people. Air pollution is a hopeless case because of thegas that too many vehicles and factories emit. Smoking is also a formof air pollution and it causes lung cancer both to the active andpassive smoker. Improper disposal of garbage causes land and waterpollution that often leads to dengue, malaria or dysentery especiallyamong children. 2. What should be done to reduce pollutions?
People should regularly have their car checked on emission test tominimize too much gas emission per travel. Factories and householdsshould properly dispose their garbage and not just throw themcarelessly in the canals and roadside. Each individual shoulddiscipline themselves not to urinate or spit in public places but to dothese things in the comfort room. Government should make it mandatoryto always keep on planting trees and unscrupulous businessmen shouldstop illegal logging. 3. Why some people do not care about the pollution problems of the city?
Some people do not care about the pollution problems of the citybecause they are not aware of the consequences that it brings. Somepeople are aware of the consequences but they are indifferent about itbecause it has not personally affected them yet. Some businessmen aremindless about the negative impact of the pollution because it wouldmean huge profit for them. Cigarette smoking is considered to be astress remover so most smokers refuse to quit this habit.
HOT TOPIC EIGHT Population
Population – Population is indeed the biggest and worst problem ofChina. The effect of this problem is widely talked about in news,debates and even in IELTS oral exams. How to reduce the population isalso one of the most important thing that people should care about.Adequate knowledge about questions regarding the negative effects ofpopulation and positive ways of solving this problem are necessary ifyou want to take the IELTS exam. Here are examples that candidates canbrowse on: 1. What are the bad effects of having a huge population?
Too much population in a country causes problems for thegovernment. Some citizens dutifully pay their taxes while most do notpay at all because their income could not afford it. If this is thecase, there will be a shortage to government funds. Too muchpopulation may also cause problem especially if the country’s space isnot big enough for the increasing number of people. 2. What are the good ways to reduce population problems?
China has one good way of reducing population problem and this isthe one child policy per family. In history, this country has one ofthe largest population in the world, yet they were able to make anintelligent solution about the problem. Parents especially thenewlyweds should be educated about family planning and birth controlmethods. Since it is usually the poor and the uneducated that has toomuch children, government can also impose a law about havingappropriate number of children according to the income bracket. 3. Do you think population is the biggest problem of China?
Population used to be the biggest problem of China, but I don’tthink this is the case at present. The one child policy has beensuccessful and it is now possible for parents to give quality life totheir child because their budget could afford it. But there is aconsequence too because since the parents have only one child; it is atendency for them to pamper and spoil the child. This results in thechild not being exposed to hardship and thus not being able to developthe character of hard work and perseverance, which may not be good forthe country’s future.
