Understanding the question is simple enough – it is basically asking whether or not research in various fields should be shared or not.
But there are so many tricky parts to that! Are we talking about government secrets? Should you just focus on scientific research? What if you don’t talk about academic and business research.
To be completely honest, I do not think it is a very good IELTS question even though it is from the real test. I think some students might only write about scientific research and some picky examiners will mark them down.
I would not mark down a candidate who mainly focused on scientific research.
If you have read my other sample answers, then you know that my main tip is to write very clear, specific and detailed examples. This question is begging for a more general, safe argument that touches on different types of research.
You should still find a way to write a specific example though. Read below to see how I dealt with this problem so that you can do a good job if you get a question like this on the real IELTS test.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer: Scientific Research (IELTS Cambridge 12) by Dave
Some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business, and the academic world. Others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
The question of how much information relevant to various areas of scientific and academic research should be shared is becoming more and more important as the pace of technological innovation quickens and the internet allows for instant collaboration. In my opinion, information is a valuable, potentially dangerous asset and should only be shared freely in particular circumstances.
Advocates of freely sharing information rightly argue that collaboration leads to faster results. This applies to scientists, who can help each by offering their individual research results, businesses, which can work together as long as they are not competitors on advertising or product development, as well as academics, who need fresh perspectives to push their work to higher plateaus. Take for example the potential for sharing information in the business world. Google has built their successful advertising business by working together with various companies and sharing information. Google collects a variety of statistics related to users including their location and interests. This information is shared with advertisers who can then better target ads for users. It allows the consumer to see more relevant products and services and the companies advertising to target their audience more efficiently.
While there are decided advantages like the one mentioned above, information is still a valuable asset that individuals and companies should safeguard. In a perfect world, we might expect people to openly share everything they know but the social and economic constructions of our actual world make this a naive proposition. One interesting example of this is from a recent news article about Elon Musk where he explained why his rocket company SpaceX does not apply for patents on any new technology. He reasoned that his main competitors are governments, not private companies. If his company discloses its innovations then domestic and foreign governments can take advantage of the shared technology and potentially disrupt his business. This is just one example of how sharing can prove damaging in a capitalist society.
In conclusion, though sharing might be a valid standpoint in a perfect world, it is not feasible under current global conditions. Instead of looking to increase sharing, governments should do more to support innovative companies and researchers. This will have a larger overall impact.
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis
1. The question of how much information relevant to various areas of scientific and academic research should be shared is becoming more and more important as the pace of technological innovation quickens and the internet allows for instant collaboration. 2. In my opinion, information is a valuable, potentially dangerous asset and should only be shared freely in particular circumstances.
1. The first sentence says the topic of the essay – don’t waste time on this sentence!
2. My second sentence is my opinion. Say your opinion (clearly!) in the introduction for full marks!
1. Advocates of freely sharing information rightly argue that collaboration leads to better results. 2. This applies to scientists, who can help each by offering their individual research results, businesses, which can work together as long as they are not competitors on advertising or product development, as well as academics, who need fresh perspectives to push their work to higher plateaus. 3. Take for example the potential for sharing information in the business world. 4. Google has built their successful advertising business by working together with various companies and sharing information. 5. Google collects a variety of statistics related to users including their location and interests. 6. This information is shared with advertisers who can then better target ads for users. 7. It allows the consumer to see more relevant products and services and the companies advertising to target their audience more efficiently.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence and clearly gives the main idea for the paragraph. ONLY focus on this main idea! For me is ‘better results.’
2. My second sentence lists the various areas where there are better results. I include this to make sure that I cover all the areas mentioned in the topic, even though I will focus on business for the example.
3. My third sentence begins my specific, detailed example.
4. The fourth sentence continues with the example of Google ads.
5. The fifth sentence continues the example.
6. The sixth sentence extends the result of this example.
7. The seventh sentence concludes my example with more specific details.
1. While there are decided advantages like the one mentioned above, information is still a valuable asset that individuals and companies should safeguard. 2. In a perfect world, we might expect people to openly share everything they know but the social and economic constructions of our actual world make this a naive proposition. 3. One interesting example of this is from a recent news article about Elon Musk where he explained why his rocket company SpaceX does not apply for patents on any new technology. 4. He reasoned that his main competitors are governments, not private companies. 5. If his company discloses its innovations then domestic and foreign governments can take advantage of the shared technology and potentially disrupt his business. 6. This is just one example of how sharing can prove damaging in a capitalist society.
1. The first sentence is the topic sentence for my second body paragraph that focus on my overall opinion – that information is too valuable to share freely.
2. My second sentence explains further why I think sharing information is unrealistic in a general sense.
3. The third sentence begins my specific example of something that Elon Musk said.
4. My fourth sentence expands on this example by explaining his reasoning – always a good way to continue an example.
5. The fifth also develops the example further by supporting his reasoning.
6. The sixth sentence summarises the paragraph and makes my point more general.
1. In conclusion, though sharing might be a valid standpoint in a perfect world, it is not feasible under current global conditions. 2. Instead of looking to increase sharing, governments should do more to support innovative companies and researchers. 3. This will have a larger overall impact.
1. The first sentence explains my opinion and the justification for it.
2. My second sentence has some extra detail that many examiners require for band 7 and up for task achievement.
3. This final sentence draws a firm conclusion to the essay – it is not totally necessary but helpful if you have time to write it!
Sample Answer Vocabulary
The question of how much information relevant to various areas of scientific and academic research should be shared is becoming more and more important as the pace of technological innovation quickens and the internet allows for instant collaboration. In my opinion, information is a valuable, potentially dangerous asset and should only be shared freely in particular circumstances.
Advocates of freely sharing information rightly argue that collaboration leads to faster results. This applies to scientists, who can help each by offering their individual research results, businesses, which can work together as long as they are not competitors on advertising or product development, as well as academics, who need fresh perspectives to push their work to higher plateaus. Take for example the potential for sharing information in the business world. Google has built their successful advertising business by working together with various companies and sharing information. Google collects a variety of statistics related to users including their location and interests. This information is shared with advertisers who can then better target ads for users. It allows the consumer to see more relevant products and services and the companies advertising to target their audience more efficiently.
While there are decided advantages like the one mentioned above, information is still a valuable asset that individuals and companies should safeguard. In a perfect world, we might expect people to openly share everything they know but the social and economic constructions of our actual world make this a naive proposition. One interesting example of this is from a recent news article about Elon Musk where he explained why his rocket company SpaceX does not apply for patents on any new technology. He reasoned that his main competitors are governments, not private companies. If his company discloses its innovations then domestic and foreign governments can take advantage of the shared technology and potentially disrupt his business. This is just one example of how sharing can prove damaging in a capitalist society.
In conclusion, though sharing might be a valid standpoint in a perfect world, it is not feasible under current global conditions. Instead of looking to increase sharing, governments should do more to support innovative companies and researchers. This will have a larger overall impact.
Answers:
relevant: important and related to what is being discussed
technological innovation quickens: faster inventions and developments in science
instant collaboration: can work together quickly and easily
asset: something useful or valuable
particular circumstances: an individual context, specific situation
advocates: proponents or supporters
rightly argue: correctly believe/think
product development: making your products better
fresh perspectives: new ideas/views
push their work to higher plateaus: get better
target ads: place ads with the right people
more relevant products: products that are important and related to you
decided advantages: clear advantages
safeguard: keep safe
in a perfect world: in an ideal world, the best case/scenario
naive proposition: innocent idea, lacking understanding of the real world
patents: government license saying that you invented something and own it
reasoned: to think about the reasons/justifications for something
discloses: reveals
take advantage: exploit, use for yourself
disrupt: interrupt or cause a problem
prove damaging: have a negative impact
capitalist society: economy based on capital, companies, etc. opposite of socialism/communism
valid standpoint: understandable/defensible view
not feasible: impossible, very unlikely
global conditions: the way the world is now
larger overall impact: bigger effect overall
Vocabulary Practice
The question of how much information ______________ to various areas of scientific and academic research should be shared is becoming more and more important as the__________________________ and the internet allows for
______________________. In my opinion, information is a valuable, potentially dangerous ________________ and should only be shared freely in _______________.
___________________ of freely sharing information ___________________ that collaboration leads to faster results. This applies to scientists, who can help each by offering their individual research results, businesses, which can work together as long as they are not competitors on advertising or ____________________, as well as academics, who need ____________________ to ____________________. Take for example the potential for sharing information in the business world. Google has built their successful advertising business by working together with various companies and sharing information. Google collects a variety of statistics related to users including their location and interests. This information is shared with advertisers who can then better ____________________ for users. It allows the consumer to see ____________________ and services and the companies advertising to target their audience more efficiently.
While there are ____________________ like the one mentioned above, information is still a valuable asset that individuals and companies should ____________________. ____________________, we might expect people to openly share everything they know but the social and economic constructions of our actual world make this a ____________________. One interesting example of this is from a recent news article about Elon Musk where he explained why his rocket company SpaceX does not apply for ____________ on any new technology. He ____________________ that his main competitors are governments, not private companies. If his company ____________________ its innovations then domestic and foreign governments can ____________________ of the shared technology and potentially ____________________ his business. This is just one example of how sharing can ____________________ in a ____________________.
In conclusion, though sharing might be a ____________________ in a perfect world, it is ____________________ under current ____________________. Instead of looking to increase sharing, governments should do more to support innovative companies and researchers. This will have a____________________.
Links from YouTube
Here are some links to videos to get more ideas and review some of the vocabulary used in my sample answer.
Transportation is such a common topic – you are likely to hear about it in the listening or read about it in the reading test.
It may also come up on the speaking! Make sure you take a close look at the sample answer as well as all the vocabulary exercises below as they may be able to help all parts of your IELTS score!
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer from Cambridge 13: Transportation (by Dave)
Some people think that governments should invest mainly in making public transportation faster while other think there are more important priorities (cost, the environment). Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
While many are of the opinion that the most important factor in public transport is speed, others value areas such as cost and the environment. In my opinion, although there are a number of key considerations, speed is by far the most important.
Two of the most commonly addressed areas of public transport are cost and the environment. In Vietnam, the quality of the public transport buses is very low and they produce a lot of air pollution. However, they are very cheap and this allows the residents who need them the most, typically students and low-wage earners, to afford them. In an ideal world the government would have cheap buses that produce little exhaust, but cost and environmental concerns will always be in conflict. In developing countries, it makes sense to emphasise the expense of tickets while developed countries have the wealth and responsibility to try to better balance these competing policy influences.
Although these are worthwhile considerations, speed of transport should be the main rationale as it has a trickle down effect on the economy and quality of life of a country. For example, Japan has a famously fast and efficient system of railways both inside cities and connecting provinces within the country. If someone has a family, faster transport allows them to spend more time with their family both before and after work. This can enhance the quality of life of working class people. It also means that they will get to work faster, get more work done during the day and have more time to recuperate for the next day. Over years and decades this has hastened Japan’s development into one of the world’s leading economies.
In my opinion, cost and the environment are crucial for ordinary people and the future of our planet but speed has a greater effect on people in both the short and long-term. Governments that focus on faster public transport will reap the rewards for decades and be able to reinvest that money in areas like the environment, education, and healthcare.
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis
1. While many are of the opinion that the most important factor in public transport is speed, others value areas such as cost and the environment. 2. In my opinion, although there are a number of key considerations, speed is by far the most important.
1. My first sentence restates what the IELTS essay topic is – keep it simple and fast!
2. The second sentence gives a clear opinion – don’t sit in the middle – be 100% clear in your opinion from the very beginning.
1. Two of the most commonly addressed areas of public transport are cost and the environment. 2. In Vietnam, the quality of the public transport buses is very low and they produce a lot of air pollution. 3. However, they are very cheap and this allows the residents who need them the most, typically students and low-wage earners, to afford them. 4. In an ideal world the government would have cheap buses that produce little exhaust, but cost and environmental concerns will always be in conflict. 5. In developing countries, it makes sense to emphasise the expense of tickets while developed countries have the wealth and responsibility to try to better balance these competing policy influences.
1. My first sentence is my topic sentence with the main idea for the paragraph: the relative importance of the environment and cost.
2. My second sentence begins a specific detailed example about the cost of transport in Vietnam.
3. The third sentence further develops this example by explaining the effect on students.
4. The fourth sentence explains why the environment and cost will always be in conflict.
5. My fifth sentence concludes the paragraph by distinguishing between rich and poor countries.
1. Although these are worthwhile considerations, speed of transport should be the main rationale as it has a trickle down effect on the economy and quality of life of a country. 2. For example, Japan has a famously fast and efficient system of railways both inside cities and connecting provinces within the country. 3. If someone has a family, faster transport allows them to spend more time with their family both before and after work. 4. This can enhance the quality of life of working class people. 5. It also means that they will get to work faster, get more work done during the day and have more time to recuperate for the next day. 6. Over years and decades this has hastened Japan’s development into one of the world’s leading economies.
1. My first sentence is another topic sentence that has the main idea for this paragraph: the speed of transport is important.
2. The second sentence immediately begins the example for this – start your examples as quickly as possible. Don’t waste any time!
3. The third sentence continues the example by detailing the impact of this.
4. My fourth sentence further explores the impact of faster transportation.
5. The fifth also continues to explore the impact. Be as specific as possible!
6. My sixth sentence concludes the paragraph by mentioning the impact on the whole country of Japan.
1. In my opinion, cost and the environment are crucial for ordinary people and the future of our planet but speed has a greater effect on people in both the short and long-term. 2. Governments that focus on faster public transport will reap the rewards for decades and be able to reinvest that money in areas like the environment, education, and healthcare.
1. My first sentence restates the opinion that I already said in the introduction and the main reason why.
2. The second sentence gives an extra detail that a lot of examiners will require for band 7+ for task achievement.
Sample Answer Vocabulary
While many are of the opinion that the most important factor in public transport is speed, others value areas such as cost and the environment. In my opinion, although there are a number of key considerations, speed is by far the most important.
Two of the most commonly addressed areas of public transport are cost and the environment. In Vietnam, the quality of the public transport buses is very low and they produce a lot of air pollution. However, they are very cheap and this allows the residents who need them the most, typically students and low-wage earners, to afford them. In an ideal world the government would have cheap buses that produce little exhaust, but cost and environmental concerns will always be in conflict. In developing countries, it makes sense to emphasise the expense of tickets while developed countries have the wealth and responsibility to try to better balance these competing policy influences.
Although these are worthwhile considerations, speed of transport should be the main rationale as it has a trickle down effect on the economy and quality of life of a country. For example, Japan has a famously fast and efficient system of railways both inside cities and connecting provinces within the country. If someone has a family, faster transport allows them to spend more time with their family both before and after work. This can enhance the quality of life of working class people. It also means that they will get to work faster, get more work done during the day and have more time to recuperate for the next day. Over years and decades this has hastened Japan’s development into one of the world’s leading economies.
In my opinion, cost and the environment are crucial for ordinary people and the future of our planet but speed has a greater effect on people in both the short and long-term. Governments that focus on faster public transport will reap the rewards for decades and be able to reinvest that money in areas like the environment, education, and healthcare.
Answers:
important factor: a key element
key considerations: important to think about
by far: clearly, far and away
commonly addressed: often considered or dealt with
residents who need them the most: people who require something
low-wage earners: people who do not make much money
in an ideal world: in a perfect world, ideally
exhaust: fumes coming out of cars
environmental concerns: possible problems related to the environment
better balance: make something more equal
policy influences: to control or alter laws
worthwhile considerations: good reasons to think about
rationale: reason for doing something
trickle down effect: impact will reach many people
enhance the quality of life: make life better
recuperate: get better
hastened: make faster
crucial: important, key
greater effect: bigger impact
reap the rewards: get rewards, receive what you deserve )if it’s good)
reinvest: put money back into something
Vocabulary Practice
While many are of the opinion that the most ____________________ in public transport is speed, others value areas such as cost and the environment. In my opinion, although there are a number of ____________________, speed is ____________________ the most important.
Two of the most ____________________ areas of public transport are cost and the environment. In Vietnam, the quality of the public transport buses is very low and they produce a lot of air pollution. However, they are very cheap and this allows the ____________________, typically students and ____________________, to afford them. ____________________ the government would have cheap buses that produce little ____________________, but cost and ____________________ will always be in conflict. In developing countries, it makes sense to emphasise the expense of tickets while developed countries have the wealth and responsibility to try to ____________________ these competing ____________________.
Although these are ____________________, speed of transport should be the main ____________________ as it has a ____________________ on the economy and quality of life of a country. For example, Japan has a famously fast and efficient system of railways both inside cities and connecting provinces within the country. If someone has a family, faster transport allows them to spend more time with their family both before and after work. This can ____________________ of working class people. It also means that they will get to work faster, get more work done during the day and have more time to ____________________ for the next day. Over years and decades this has ____________________Japan’s development into one of the world’s leading economies.
In my opinion, cost and the environment are ____________________ for ordinary people and the future of our planet but speed has a ____________________ on people in both the short and long-term. Governments that focus on faster public transport will ____________________ for decades and be able to ____________________ that money in areas like the environment, education, and healthcare.
Links from YouTube
Check out some links to videos that can help you to review the vocabulary above and learn new words and ideas that can help you on the test:
I wrote this IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer based on a real question from the test. I’m not sure exactly why but it seems that traffic and road safety questions come up all the time on IELTS!
This question asks to what extent you agree or disagree so you have 3 choices: you can agree, you can disagree or you can agree and disagree.
No matter what you must say your opinion at the end – you cannot sit in the middle or you will get a band 5 for task achievement!
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer from Cambridge 13: Traffic and Road Safety (by Dave)
Some people believe that the best way to increase the road safety is to increase the minimum legal age for driving cars.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Many are of the opinion that raising the age at which people can get driving licenses is the best way to make roads safer. Although this will help prevent some accidents due to inexperience, I strongly feel that it is more important to focus on safer roads through improved urban planning.
The main justification that proponents of raising the age at which people can drive will often cite is the number of accidents attributed to inexperience. In the USA, most teenagers get their driving permit around age 16. There are a couple of factors that can lead a 16 year-old to cause more accidents than someone in their 20s. The first is that they simply do no have as much road experience. They have only dealt with a limited number of experiences and are more likely to make poor decisions at pivotal moments. The other reason is that many American teenagers begin drinking alcohol around this age even though the legal age is 21. Teenagers are notoriously irresponsible and they have not developed strategies for handling alcohol when driving. All people, when drunk, are dangerous but it is especially dangerous if they are inexperienced in terms of both alcohol and driving.
Even though these are valid points, I do no think they outweigh the number of accidents that poor urban planning and infrastructure cause. There will always be other causes that include young drivers, driving while under the influence and road rage but the only factor that plays a hand in nearly all accidents relates to how the roads have been planned. Take the city of New Orleans for example. The urban planners in New Orleans constructed the city with almost entirely one-way streets. This may make it inconvenient at times but it has also resulted in one of the lowest accident rates in the USA. It has also allowed for the construction of parallel streetcars that have also greatly reduced the number of accidents. Cities around the world have replicated this approach by increasing the number of one-way streets and working streetcars into the city plan and seen reciprocal declines in vehicular accidents.
I believe that urban planning, despite not being a well-publicized cause, is the main source of most accidents around the world and raising the legal driving age would have little real impact. The more cities that begin to focus their attention on the causes, rather than the symptoms, of accidents the safer our roads will be for ourselves and future generations.
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis
1. Many are of the opinion that raising the age at which people can get driving licenses is the best way to make roads safer. 2. Although this will help prevent some accidents due to inexperience, I strongly feel that it is more important to focus on safer roads through improved urban planning.
1. The first sentence simply rephrases the topic – keep this sentence short and simple.
2. My second sentence has my opinion and my main reasons – include this or you will get a band 5 for task achievement!
1. The main justification that proponents of raising the age at which people can drive will often cite is the number of accidents attributed to inexperience. 2. In the USA, most teenagers get their driving permit around age 16. 3. There are a couple of factors that can lead a 16 year-old to cause more accidents than someone in their 20s. 4. The first is that they simply do no have as much road experience. 5. They have only dealt with a limited number of experiences and are more likely to make poor decisions at pivotal moments. 6. The other reason is that many American teenagers begin drinking alcohol around this age even though the legal age is 21. 7. Teenagers are notoriously irresponsible and they have not developed strategies for handling alcohol when driving. 8. All people, when drunk, are dangerous but it is especially dangerous if they are inexperienced in terms of both alcohol and driving.
1. My first sentence is a topic sentence which contains the topic (road safety) and my main idea for the paragraph (accidents due to inexperience) – short and simple please!
2. My second sentence begins a specific example – always be specific with your examples!
3. The third sentence develops the example – always develop your specific examples as much as possible!
4. The fourth sentence continues to develop the same example.
5. My fifth sentence also continues to develop the example.
6. The sixth sentence further develops the same example – focus on one example and develop it fully!
7. My seventh sentence develops the example further and links it back to why this is dangerous.
8. The eighth sentence concludes the paragraph emphasising why young people are more likely to get into accidents.
1. Even though these are valid points, I do no think they outweigh the number of accidents that poor urban planning and infrastructure cause. 2. There will always be other causes that include young drivers, driving while under the influence and road rage but the only factor that plays a hand in nearly all accidents relates to how the roads have been planned. 3. Take the city of New Orleans for example. 4. The urban planners in New Orleans constructed the city with almost entirely one-way streets. 5. This may make it inconvenient at times but it has also resulted in one of the lowest accident rates in the USA. 6. It has also allowed for the construction of parallel streetcars that have also greatly reduced the number of accidents. 7. Cities around the world have replicated this approach by increasing the number of one-way streets and working streetcars into the city plan and seen reciprocal declines in vehicular accidents.
1. My first sentence is another simple topic sentence containing both the topic and the main idea for the whole paragraph – poor urban planning causes more accidents.
2. My next sentence explains my main idea – you only need this sentence if you feel that your main idea needs some more explanation.
3. The third sentence begins my specific example for this paragraph. It is fine to write short, accurate sentences – not every sentence has to be long and complex!
4. My fourth sentence develops this example.
5. My fifth sentence continues to develop this example.
6. The sixth sentence is still developing the example by drawing some conclusions!
7. My seventh sentence make this more general and concludes the whole paragraph.
1. I believe that urban planning, despite not being a well-publicized cause, is the main source of most accidents around the world and raising the legal driving age would have little real impact. 2. The more cities that begin to focus their attention on the causes, rather than the symptoms, of accidents the safer our roads will be for ourselves and future generations.
1. My first sentence summarises the whole essay – don’t worry much about this sentence – write it quickly because it has no impact on your task achievement score.
2. The second sentence adds an extra detail that many examiners require for band 7+ for task achievement.
Sample Answer Vocabulary
How many of the words in bold below do you know? You might understand them a bit, not 100%. To practice try to write a dictionary definition of each one and then check your answers below.
Many are of the opinion that raising the age at which people can get driving licenses is the best way to make roads safer. Although this will help prevent some accidents due to inexperience, I strongly feel that it is more important to focus on safer roads through improved urban planning.
The main justification that proponents of raising the age at which people can drive will often cite is the number of accidents attributed to inexperience. In the USA, most teenagers get their driving permit around age 16. There are a couple of factors that can lead a 16 year-old to cause more accidents than someone in their 20s. The first is that they simply do no have as much road experience. They have only dealt with a limited number of experiences and are more likely to make poor decisions at pivotal moments. The other reason is that many American teenagers begin drinking alcohol around this age even though the legal age is 21. Teenagers are notoriously irresponsible and they have not developed strategies for handling alcohol when driving. All people, when drunk, are dangerous but it is especially dangerous if they are inexperienced in terms of both alcohol and driving.
Even though these are valid points, I do no think they outweigh the number of accidents that poor urban planning and infrastructure cause. There will always be other causes that include young drivers, driving while under the influence and road rage but the only factor that plays a hand in nearly all accidents relates to how the roads have been planned. Take the city of New Orleans for example. The urban planners in New Orleans constructed the city with almost entirely one-way streets. This may make it inconvenient at times but it has also resulted in one of the lowest accident rates in the USA. It has also allowed for the construction of parallel streetcars that have also greatly reduced the number of accidents. Cities around the world have replicated this approach by increasing the number of one-way streets and working streetcars into the city plan and seen reciprocal declines in vehicular accidents.
I believe that urban planning, despite not being a well-publicized cause, is the main source of most accidents around the world and raising the legal driving age would have little real impact. The more cities that begin to focus their attention on the causes, rather than the symptoms, of accidents the safer our roads will be for ourselves and future generations.
Answers:
are of the opinion: think/believe/feel
urban planning: designing cities
justification: reason for doing something
cite: reference or quote
pivotal moments: key moments/events
legal age: the age at which you are allowed legally to do something
notoriously: famous for being bad
handling alcohol: being able to drink alcohol (beer, wine) responsibly
valid points: good arguments
driving while under the influence: driving drunk or while using a drug
road rage: getting very angry while driving
plays a hand: is part of, has a role in, is partly responsible for
urban planners: the people who design cities
one-way streets: streets where you can only drive in one direction
at times: sometimes
resulted in: the end product is, the end result
parallel: running alongside, opposite of perpendicular
replicated: repeated/reproduced/duplicated
reciprocal: something done in return or as a result
well-publicized cause: a story or issue that gets a lot of attention in the media
little real impact: not much effect
symptoms: a sign or results of a problem, usually used when talking about illness (sneezing is a symptom of a cold)
Vocabulary Practice
Many __________________________ that raising the age at which people can get driving licenses is the best way to make roads safer. Although this will help prevent some accidents due to inexperience, I strongly feel that it is more important to focus on safer roads through improved __________________________.
The main __________________________ that proponents of raising the age at which people can drive will often __________________________ is the number of accidents attributed to inexperience. In the USA, most teenagers get their driving permit around age 16. There are a couple of factors that can lead a 16 year-old to cause more accidents than someone in their 20s. The first is that they simply do no have as much road experience. They have only dealt with a limited number of experiences and are more likely to make poor decisions at __________________________. The other reason is that many American teenagers begin drinking alcohol around this age even though the __________________________ is 21. Teenagers are __________________________ irresponsible and they have not developed strategies for __________________________ when driving. All people, when drunk, are dangerous but it is especially dangerous if they are inexperienced in terms of both alcohol and driving.
Even though these are __________________________, I do no think they outweigh the number of accidents that poor urban planning and infrastructure cause. There will always be other causes that include young drivers, __________________________ and __________________________ but the only factor that __________________________ in nearly all accidents relates to how the roads have been planned. Take the city of New Orleans for example. The __________________________ in New Orleans constructed the city with almost entirely __________________________. This may make it inconvenient __________________________ but it has also __________________________ one of the lowest accident rates in the USA. It has also allowed for the construction of __________________________ streetcars that have also greatly reduced the number of accidents. Cities around the world have __________________________ this approach by increasing the number of one-way streets and working streetcars into the city plan and seen __________________________ declines in vehicular accidents.
I believe that urban planning, despite not being a __________________________, is the main source of most accidents around the world and raising the legal driving age would have __________________________. The more cities that begin to focus their attention on the causes, rather than the __________________________, of accidents the safer our roads will be for ourselves and future generations.
Links about Traffic and Road Safety
Here are some ideasfor how you can practice when watching these videos.
This is a discuss both sides IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer about the topic of newspapers and media from the real test. I’m a real former British Council IELTS examiner so you can fully trust the answer below to be accurate and the exercises to help you boost your score.
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer from Cambridge 13: Newspapers and the Media (by Dave)
Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn news. However, others believe that they can learn news better through other media. Discuss both views and give your opinion
Newspapers have been considered the most reliable news source for more than a century but in recent decades newer forms of media have supplanted their influence. Some feel that these new sources of news are better but in my opinion, newspapers are by far better because of the amount of time and research that writers put into their articles.
The main reason that many people prefer newer media outlets is that they deliver news more quickly across a variety of convenient platforms. The most notable example of this is online news. The vast majority of people get their news from Facebook and other social media websites which aggregate articles from various online publishers, including the online version of print newspapers in some cases. The problem here is that websites are solely concerned with increasing traffic and getting news up as fast as possible. It is a common occurrence for a website to publish news quickly in order to beat others to the scoop before it has been properly verified or even thoughtfully analysed. The result is hordes of people clicking on links to amuse themselves for a minute without casting a critical eye over the veracity of the news. These articles are then shared online or by word of mouth and false information spreads rapidly.
Despite the conveniences of online media, the news that is printed in newspapers has been better researched and verified in most cases. Newspapers frequently devote entire departments to long-term investigative journalism. A standout example of this would be the Boston Globe’s years long investigation into sexual abuse by the Catholic church. They carefully interviewed victims and put together a convincing case which led to long-lasting reforms and convictions of some individuals. They also published stories on the topic for over a year which allowed for detailed and thoughtful analysis of the problem, suggestions for solutions, and articles on wider societal implications. This type of reporting is anathema to the fervent pace of online media.
In conclusion, even though newspapers are a dying industry I think they are more informative and trustworthy than the largely online institutions that are replacing them. This trend is irreversible and will have consequences for the future of democracies around the world as people become less informed.
IELTS Examiner Sample Answer Analysis
1. Newspapers have been considered the most reliable news source for more than a century but in recent decades newer forms of media have supplanted their influence. 2. Some feel that these new sources of news are better but in my opinion, newspapers are by far better because of the amount of time and research that writers put into their articles.
1. In your first sentence just restate the topic quickly – this sentence is not that important so write it as fast as you can!
2. The second sentence makes my opinion 100% clear – the clearer the better!
1. The main reason that many people prefer newer media outlets is that they deliver news more quickly across a variety of convenient platforms. 2. The most notable example of this is online news. 3. The vast majority of people get their news from Facebook and other social media websites which aggregate articles from various online publishers, including the online version of print newspapers in some cases. 4. The problem here is that websites are solely concerned with increasing traffic and getting news up as fast as possible. 5. It is a common occurrence for a website to publish news quickly in order to beat others to the scoop before it has been properly verified or even thoughtfully analysed. 6. The result is hordes of people clicking on links to amuse themselves for a minute without casting a critical eye over the veracity of the news. 7. These articles are then shared online or by word of mouth and false information spreads rapidly.
1. My first sentence is a topic sentence that has the main idea for the whole paragraph (they are faster and more convenient).
2. The second sentence begins my example by focusing on online news.
3. The third sentence makes my example more specific by focusing on sites like Facebook.
4. My fourth sentence continues with the example by describing why this is a problem.
5. My fifth sentence further develops why this is a problem.
6. The sixth sentence continues with the impact of this problem.
7. The seventh sentence continues more with the impact so that I have a fully developed example.
1. Despite the conveniences of online media, the news that is printed in newspapers has been better researched and verified in most cases. 2. Newspapers frequently devote entire departments to long-term investigative journalism. 3. A standout example of this would be the Boston Globe’s years long investigation into sexual abuse by the Catholic church. 4. They carefully interviewed victims and put together a convincing case which led to long-lasting reforms and convictions of some individuals. 5. They also published stories on the topic for over a year which allowed for detailed and thoughtful analysis of the problem, suggestions for solutions, and articles on wider societal implications. 6. This type of reporting is anathema to the fervent pace of online media.
1. The first sentence is a topic sentence focused on why newspapers are better (better researched, more reliable news).
2. My next sentence develops this idea by making it more specifically about newspaper departments and investigative journalism. Being specific is great fro your task achievement score and will help bring out really good vocabulary.
3. The third sentence gives a very specific example of a news story from a real newspaper.
4. The fourth sentence continues with this example.
5. My fifth sentence also continues with this example.
6. The sixth sentence concludes the paragraph by comparing it to online news.
1. In conclusion, even though newspapers are a dying industry I think they are more informative and trustworthy than the largely online institutions that are replacing them. 2. This trend is irreversible and will have consequences for the future of democracies around the world as people become less informed.
1. My first sentence concludes the essay by summarising my main ideas and opinion.
2. The second sentence adds in an extra detail. Be sure to include one extra detail at the end for full task achievement points!
Sample Answer Vocabulary
How many of the words in bold below do you know? You might understand them a bit, not 100%. To practice try to write a dictionary definition of each one and then check your answers below.
Newspapers have been considered the most reliable news source for more than a century but in recent decades newer forms of media have supplanted their influence. Some feel that these new sources of news are better but in my opinion, newspapers are by far better because of the amount of time and research that writers put into their articles.
The main reason that many people prefer newer media outlets is that they deliver news more quickly across a variety of convenient platforms. The most notable example of this is online news. The vast majority of people get their news from Facebook and other social media websites which aggregate articles from various online publishers, including the online version of print newspapers in some cases. The problem here is that websites are solely concerned with increasing traffic and getting news up as fast as possible. It is a common occurrence for a website to publish news quickly in order to beat others to the scoop before it has been properly verified or even thoughtfully analysed. The result is hordes of people clicking on links to amuse themselves for a minute without casting a critical eye over the veracity of the news. These articles are then shared online or by word of mouth and false information spreads rapidly.
Despite the conveniences of online media, the news that is printed in newspapers has been better researched and verified in most cases. Newspapers frequently devote entire departments to long-term investigative journalism. A standout example of this would be the Boston Globe’s years long investigation into sexual abuse by the Catholic church. They carefully interviewed victims and put together a convincing case which led to long-lasting reforms and convictions of some individuals. They also published stories on the topic for over a year which allowed for detailed and thoughtful analysis of the problem, suggestions for solutions, and articles on wider societal implications. This type of reporting is anathema to the fervent pace of online media.
In conclusion, even though newspapers are a dying industry I think they are more informative and trustworthy than the largely online institutions that are replacing them. This trend is irreversible and will have consequences for the future of democracies around the world as people become less informed.
Answers:
reliable: can be trusted, unchanging and consistent
supplanted: take over or take the place of
by far better: much better
deliver news: give or show the news
platforms: the places where you can read the news such as on Facebook, Instagram, on Google, etc.
most notable example: the best example of
vast majority: by far the most
aggregate: choose/collect
solely concerned: only interested in
getting news up: posting news online
common occurrence: happens a lot
scoop: exclusive news published before anyone else publishes it
properly verified: checked to make sure it is 100% true
hordes: lots of people
casting a critical eye: looking critically at something
veracity: truth
word of mouth: what people say about something; a movie might have good or bad word of mouth
devote: commit fully to
long-term investigative journalism: when a newspaper researches a story for a long time
convincing case: compelling argument
long-lasting reforms: changes that are permanent or last for a long time
wider societal implications: impacts all of society
anathema: hateful to/repugnant
fervent pace: very fast
largely: mostly
irreversible: cannot be changed or reversed or put back to the way it was before
Vocabulary Practice
Newspapers have been considered the most _________________ news source for more than a century but in recent decades newer forms of media have _________________ their influence. Some feel that these new sources of news are better but in my opinion, newspapers are _________________ because of the amount of time and research that writers put into their articles.
The main reason that many people prefer newer media outlets is that they _________________ more quickly across a variety of convenient _________________. The _________________ of this is online news. The _________________ of people get their news from Facebook and other social media websites which _________________ articles from various online publishers, including the online version of print newspapers in some cases. The problem here is that websites are _________________ with increasing traffic and _________________ as fast as possible. It is a _________________ for a website to publish news quickly in order to beat others to the _________________ before it has been _________________ or even thoughtfully analysed. The result is _________________ of people clicking on links to amuse themselves for a minute without _________________ over the _________________ of the news. These articles are then shared online or by _________________ and false information spreads rapidly.
Despite the conveniences of online media, the news that is printed in newspapers has been better researched and verified in most cases. Newspapers frequently _________________ entire departments to _________________. A standout example of this would be the Boston Globe’s years long investigation into sexual abuse by the Catholic church. They carefully interviewed victims and put together a _________________ which led to _________________ and convictions of some individuals. They also published stories on the topic for over a year which allowed for detailed and thoughtful analysis of the problem, suggestions for solutions, and articles on _________________. This type of reporting is _________________ to the _________________ of online media.
In conclusion, even though newspapers are a dying industry I think they are more informative and trustworthy than the _________________ online institutions that are replacing them. This trend is _________________ and will have consequences for the future of democracies around the world as people become less informed.
Links about News and the Media
Watch these videos to review some of the ideas and vocabulary from the sample answer above. This will help you to improve for all parts of IELTS, not just the writing.
Welcome to our continuing series on all IELTS listening question types – today is multiple choice IELTS listening.
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Multiple choice questions are some of the more difficult questions mainly because they involve more reading, synonyms. and distractors compared to other parts of IELTS listening.
In this post, we’re going to look at a sample question, an exclusive listening test, the tapescript and you will get some practice doing multiple choice questions.
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There is a lot to read here! I recommend that you don’t spend time trying to think of synonyms or anything like that. You should underline the keywords.
Mainly focus on just reading and understanding the questions. I’m a native speaker and I only have time to carefully read and understand the questions.
If you understand them well, then you can simply listen, understand, and choose the correct answer.
Read carefully:
The Listening
Let’s practice this together.
Look at the questions above and listen to the recording. Write down your answers.
On IELTS you can only listen once but you are practicing now so don’t worry if you have to listen more than one time (that is how you improve your listening).
The Key Tips for IELTS Multiple Choice Questions
How did you do? Comment below!
There are a couple of tips that might help when you are listening.
First, follow along the answers with your pencil. In multiple choice questions, the speakers usually talk about A, B, and C (not in that order).
So follow along with your pencil while you listen. The speakers might switch back and forth between different options multiple times so keep your pencil moving like a cat hunting a mouse!
The second tip is that multiple choice questions contain more distractors than any other type of question (more about that below). So make sure that you are not too focused on the keywords. The test is trying to trick you a lot of the time!
You might hear some key words but other ones will be paraphrased. Focus on the meaning of the questions and the meaning of the words they are saying – not trying to simply here the same words that are in the questions (that is how they trick you in this section!).
Keep reading to see exactly how the test tries to trick you with paraphrases and distractors!
Practice with the Tapescript
This is the most important part.
Whenever you do listening practice, you should always go check your answers in the tapescript and figure out why you got an answer right/wrong. That is how you will get better at question types.
If you just do practice test after practice test, you will improve very slowly. Look at the tapescript and the reasons why answers are right/wrong and you will improve rapidly!
The answer are underline in the tapescript below. Let’s look at each one and pull out the two main challenges for multiple choice questions: distractors and paraphrases/synonyms.
Paraphrases/Synonyms
In question 21 it says ‘main topic’ but in the listening this is changed to ‘angle’. An angle is not a direct synonym for main topic but in this context it means the same thing – what they will be talking about.
This is why you should NOT try to think of synonyms when you read the questions. You do not have time and they will not come up. Instead, just focus on understanding the questions and keywords fully.
Here are some more examples paraphrases/synonyms from the listening:
‘Main topic’ changes to ‘angle’
‘How public library services are organised in different countries’ changes to ‘how different countries organise them’
‘Are reflected in’ changes to ‘relate the changes in libraries to external developments’
‘How the funding of public libraries’ changes into ‘changes in the source of funding’
‘Generally old’ changes to ‘out of copyright’ and ‘won’t find the latest best-seller or up-to-date information’
Look at that last one – it isn’t a synonym at all! But in this context it means that same thing.
Don’t waste time looking for synonyms. You should just focus on understanding the questions and keywords well and listening and understanding. There are no shortcuts to this!
Study the tapescript after you practice and underline the paraphrases – this will help you to be more prepared for the test and improve your ability to understand paraphrasing.
Distractors
Distractors are when the test tries to trick you by showing you something very close to the right answer. For example, Stewart first suggests how libraries have changed and organisation.
You may hear this and quickly choose letter A. This is a distractor.
The more important part is what Trudie says – that they should relate the changes to external developments such as literacy and the languages that people speak.
The correct answer is B because Trudie is talking about changes in society. This is very difficult because she is giving examples of changes in society – not just saying ‘changes in society.’
In question 22 there is another distractor. Trudie says that it takes her a long time to read on screens (so you may think that the answer is A) but Stewart disagrees (‘Oh, I prefer it.’). The question asks about what they ‘agree’ about so it cannot be A.
The test tries to trick you – those are distractors. Improve your ability to avoid the tricks by looking at the tapescript afterwards so that you are more aware of distractors.
Here are the full answers:
21. B
22. C
23. C
There are no shortcuts on IELTS listening – you must improve your vocabulary in order to be able to read and understand the questions and then listen and understand what they are talking about. If this was too hard for you, you probably shouldn’t be studying IELTS at all.
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