Name: ________________

IELTS HI-INTERMEDIATE

SPEAKING

Week 07

SUMMIT EDUCATION SERVICES Hanoi SUMMIT EDUCATION SERVICES HCM City

No. 101 Lang Ha – Dong Da District. No. 198 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ward 6, District 3.
No. 302 Cau Giay – Cau Giay Dist.
No 564 Nguyen Van Cu – Long Bien Dist.
 SPEAKING - WEEK 7: SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
STUDENT’S HANDOUT

LEAD-IN

Practice 1: Work in pairs. Ask and answer these Part 1 questions. Try to incorporate the
vocabulary from your homework exercises.
How interested are you in learning about science and technology?
Do you prefer to read books or watch videos to learn about science and technology?
Did you have science classes in your primary school? Or only in high school?
What kinds of science classes did you study at school?
Do you think science classes are important?

EXAM FOCUS 1: SPEAKING PART 2 – DESCRIBING OBJECTS

Exercise 1: Here is a topic card for IELTS Speaking Part 2.
Describe an object that is essential to you in your daily life.
You should say:
When you first got it
How you use it
Any problems you’ve had with it
And explain why it’s so important to you.
Listen to a candidate doing this task. Tick the things she does in completing the task.
1 gives background detail
2 covers the prompts in order
3 details a particular problem she’s had
4 says she doesn’t know what to say
5 mentions comments people have made to her
6 specifies different types of uses
7 gives a long description of the object
8 lists different activities she does with it
9 gives examples
10 signals she is responding to different prompts

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Now look at the transcript and specify what the candidate said about
▪ Background information
……………………………………….…
▪ The physical features of the object
……………………………………….
▪ The main functions of the object
……………………………………….…
▪ Activities she does with the object
……………………………………….…
▪ A problem she has with the object
……………………………………….…
▪ The importance of the object
……………………………………….…

Exam tip:
For ‘describing object’ question type, the most common way to tackle the task is to cover:
Describe features of the object Describe functions of the object
+ overall: adorable / eye-catching / + It helps me/allows me/enables me….
fashionable / ancient / stunning + Thanks to this incredible device, I can….
+ size / shape: It weighs…./ …in the shape of + It makes my life easier / more convenient
…. by…
+ color: It looks … / It is covered in …. + I find it particularly useful / beneficial …
+ material / origin: made from…/consists of… + It’s a gadget/device you use for ….
Your experience with the object
+ how you had it: you bought it somewhere / someone gave you as a gift / it’s a prize you
won…
+ how often you use it
+ an unforgettable moment with the object
+ how you use it in the future: I will certainly … / I’ll take it wherever I go …
+ how valuable it is to you: I couldn’t imagine my life without…./ it is an essential/inevitable
part of my life.

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Exercise 2: Read those sentences from a candidate’s response to the task in Exercise 1.
Rearrange those sentences to make a complete script. Listen and check.
a – It has various uses. It functions as a normal phone so you can make calls and text people.
But, more usually for a phone, you can also surf the Internet and send emails.
b – New applications are being added all the time, and some of them are really crazy, like one
that lets you record your voice and then it plays it back to you but making you sound like an
alien!
c – The piece of equipment I’d like to talk about is my iPhone, which is a smartphone.
d – It is because... it is so many things rolled into one that it is so useful. I just love my iPhone,
and if I lost it, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.
e – It was a present from my parents. I’d been pestering them for months to get me one and at
last they gave in, when it came round to my birthday. I think they bought it online as it was
cheaper that way.
f – It also acts as a camera, though admittedly not a very good one. You can buy applications
from an online store, which allow you to find your way, play games, read e-books and much
more besides.
g – And last but not least, you can listen to your music and watch videos.
h – I was the first of my friends to get one, and I think they were all really envious. It is the
latest must-have. People love it because it is so beautifully made, so intuitive, so robust and so
clever.
I – I use it on the way to university to entertain myself, I use it to stay in touch with my friends.
I use it to check where I am. It is not so much useful to me as absolutely essential.
Practice 3: Work in pairs. Spare one minute to prepare your notes then take turns to
answer these Part 2 questions.
Describe a toy you got in your childhood. Describe a gift you recently gave to
You should say: someone. You should say:

● What it was
▪ What it was
● Who you gave it to
▪ When you got it
● What occasion the gift was for
▪ How you got it

And explained why you chose that gift.

And explain how you felt about it

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SKILL BUILDING 1 – STRATEGIES TO MAINTAIN FLUENCY
Exercise 3: Look at this Speaking task. Take one minute to make your own notes for the
task.

Describe something old that you or your family own and that you feel is important.
You should say:
What the item is and what it looks like
Where it came from
What it is/was used for
And explain why you feel the item is important.

Now look at a candidate’s note and listen to her answering the question. Did she mention
all the points in her note? Did she add anything else?

Student’s note

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Listen again to the candidate doing the task in Exercise 3. She uses several strategies to
help her keep going. As you listen, complete the extracts below by writing two or three
words in each gap.

Strategy Extract

Gives a full introduction Actually, there are 1. ……. objects that I

could talk about.

Picks the point she can say the most about First, I think I’ll 2. ………. where it came
first from.

Speculates on the origins of the necklace As 3. …….. I know, she’d been given it ……

Includes a saying or quote But as 4. ……. says, you can’t ….

Says what the item is not I 5. …….. that it’s strikingly beautiful ..

Compares the item to others that she has Not as 6. …… as the gold necklace that I got
for 21st birthday.

Makes a concession ….. I don’t really like beads, but 7. ….. that,
I’ll always keep them.

Practice 4: Work alone and think how you can use the phrases you noted down in Exercise
10 in your talk. Then work in pairs and, using your notes from Exercise 10, take turns to
give your talks.

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EXAM FOCUS 2 – COMPARING AND CONTRASTING VIEWPOINTS
Exercise 4: What aspects of high technology does each picture show? Use the word from
the box to help you.
virtual reality regenerative medicine cloning
artificial intelligence genetically modified food space exploration

Discuss with a partner:

1. Do you think technology has changed the way we eat / learn / communicate / treat diseases?

2. How do job opportunities differ for those who have technological skills from those who do
not?

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Exercise 5: look at these sample Q&A and answer the questions and fill in the blank with
words from the box.

much easier the higher made it worse

in the old days unlike while however

Q: Do you think technology has changed the way we communicate?

(Introducing opinion + statement of view) Yes, absolutely. I believe that modern technology
has made significant changes in the way we communicate with each other.

(First idea + justification) The biggest improvement that you can see is immediate
communication. 1……………………….., mail carriers had to travel from places to places on
horseback or go dogsledding to deliver letters, postcards, which took them, maybe days, weeks
or even months. 2…………….., nowadays, thanks to technology, it has become
3………………. for people to quickly connect and get in touch with their friends and relatives
who live far away.

(Second idea + justification) On the other hand, when you think about the quality of
conversation, technology has somehow 4………………….. 5………………… in the past
people used to meet in person or write long detailed letters, these days, they tend to send short
instant messages, which I suppose, convey no intimacy.

Q: How do job opportunities differ for those who have technological skills from those who
do not?

(Introducing opinion + statement of view) From my experiences, technological skills are very
important in today’s world and employees who have good tech skills are definitely at an
advantage.

(First idea + justification) 6…………….. in the past when most of the workload was done
manually, as you can see, in almost every workplace now, people use technological devices
like computers, printers or even automatic machines to help with their work. That’s why it’s a
must that workers know how to use these gadgets or else they would have a very limited chance
of being recruited.

(Second idea + justification) One more important thing is, candidates with technological skill
not only have more job opportunities but also get higher salary. For example, if I wanted to

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hire an architect, I would pay more for the one who can provide me with 3D visualizations
rather than someone who can just offer simple sketches. In other words, I would say, the more
skillful you are at technology, 7…………….. you can earn.

Now answer the questions below.

1 Did the speakers present one side or discuss both sides of the question?
2 What discourse markers did the speaker use to signal his/her ideas?
3 How did the speakers justify their opinions?
Exam tip: For IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions, you are expected to clearly express your
opinion and support your opinions with explanations, examples or experiences.
You can make comparisons in order to justify your opinion. Use language to describe the
similarities and differences between two things in order to contrast them.

Exercise 6: Here is another sample Q&A. Read the sample and discuss how the speaker
take advantage of contrasting viewpoints.
Q: Which one is a better way of communication: writing letters or sending emails?

A: Well, you might expect me to be to say online communication, I mean, sending emails, but
actually, I am in favor of writing letters. Obviously, on the one hand, emails allow instant
information exchange, on the other hand, they are emotionless while letter composition is far
beyond a technical way of delivering ideas. It can convey hidden messages of sincerity,
intimacy, and appreciation.

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 Exam tip: Extending answers will usually mean giving details, explaining different views
and offering opinion / speculation. In extending your answers, one way of making your
opinion sound interesting is to contrast it with what others think. This will give you more to
say and shape your answer. For example, you might discuss / contrast these views in these
ways
Personal and general
For many/most/some people ….. but I believe ….
You might expect me to say/think …. but actually …
Rule and exception
I think as a rule …. The only exception to this I suppose is …..
Real and ideal
Ideally, more people would …. but the way things are …..
True and False
It’s just not true that …. Basically, you have to ….
Exercise 7: Look at these examples and decide which category above they belong to.
▪ To many/most/some people …. but to me ….
▪ Of course, I’d love to …. but practically speaking ….
▪ Generally speaking, it’s good to …. In my experience, though….
▪ Many/most/some people would say …. but I ….
▪ People who say …. are wrong. In reality, ….
▪ A lot of people think ….. but I beg to differ.
▪ On the whole, people prefer …. But there are a few ….
▪ I wish it wasn’t like this … but in today’s world ….
▪ Most people expect …. but in my view ….
▪ It’s nonsense to say …. what we actually need ….
Exercise 8: Worth with a partner to form contrasting viewpoints from these notes, using
the above structures. Try to expand your ideas with justifications.
1 digital books / paper books
2 organic food / GM foods
3 traditional banking / online banking
4 shopping in stores / shopping on the Internet

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Practice 5: Ask and answer these questions in pairs using the ideas above.
1 Will electronic books ever completely replace printed books in the future?
2 What do you think of consuming GM foods?
3 What are some reasons for the increasing popularity of online banking?
4 Have attitudes towards using the Internet for shopping changed in your country since it
became widely available?
SKILL BUILDING 2 - MAKING SELF-CORRECTION
Exercise 9: Identify the grammar or vocabulary mistakes in the sentences below and then
correct them using appropriate expression from the box. Try to use a different expression
each time.

1 Research has revealed a direct line between excessive exposure to action films and violent
behaviors among children.
2 A lot of employees are addressed by telepathy since it allows them to work from their own
home.
3 The users report that they benefited enormously when attend online classes.
4 Nowadays, computers are an important part of life, and don’t have access to computer is a
huge disadvantage.
5 But computers also bring a drawback is that people become too alone.

Practice 6: Work in pairs. Use the sentences in Exercise 7 as main arguments and expand
ideas by explanation and clarification and make self-correction if needed.

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PRONUNCIATION: SENTENCE STRESS 2
Exercise 10: Read these examples of candidates correcting themselves. Why are the
highlighted words stressed? Try to read the sentences with appropriate chunking and
stress.
1 Research has revealed a direct line, or rather, a direct link between excessive exposure to
action films and violent behaviors among children.
2 A lot of employees are attracted by telepathy, what I meant to say was, teleworking since it
allows them to work in their own home.
3 The users report that they benefited, I mean, they benefit enormously from attending online
classes.
4 Nowadays, computers are an important part of life, and don’t have access to computers, let
me put that another way, without having access to computers, is a huge disadvantage.
5 But computers also bring a drawback is that people become too alone, sorry, what I intended
to say was, it makes people become too lonely.

Exercise 11: In this extract from the recording, underline the words that should be
stressed.

Interviewer: Welcome to the programme.

Gary: Thank you.

Interviewer: How did it all start?

Gary: When everyone lived in small communities and knew the local farmer who grew and
sold vegetables, advertising was unnecessary. But in a larger community it’s a different
situation.

Then listen and check. Why do you think the highlighted words are given extra stress?

1 When everyone lived in small communities and knew the local farmer who grew and sold
vegetables, advertising was unnecessary. But in a larger community it’s a different situation.

2 For centuries adverts simply gave information. The big change occurred in the late nineteenth
century. This was really the beginning of advertising designed to persuade people to buy.

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 Exam tip
Words in sentences aren’t given equal stress. Speakers use stress to emphasize certain
elements in their speech, for example, to:
▪ highlight a reference
▪ emphasize an aspect of their answer
▪ make a contrast
▪ correct a mistake
Sometimes you need to stress a whole phrase to draw particular attention to it.

Exercise 12: Write your answer to these questions, underlining the words you would like
to stress.

1 Do you think children and old people have different attitudes towards technology?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………….………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………….……………………………………………………………
……………………………………….…………………………………………………………
……………………………………….…………………………………………………………
2 Do you think men and women view technological devices differently?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………….………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………….……………………………………………………………
……………………………………….…………………………………………………………
……………………………………….…………………………………………………………

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Final Practice: Work in pairs.
(1) Take turns to be the examiner and candidate
(2) The examiner gives instruction, keeps time and asks a follow up question. While you listen
to your partner, complete the checklist and give some detailed comments.
Questions Checklist for evaluation
Part 2: Describe a technology that you have ▪ did your friend address the
started using recently. question?
You should say: ▪ did your friend speak fluently at
● what it is and what it does length?
● how it makes life better or easier ▪ did your friend use fluency
● how it is different to other similar strategies / self-correction
technology strategies?
and say whether you think you will be using it ▪ did your friend give supporting
in ten years’ time or not and why. explanations / examples?
▪ did your friend use a variety of
Part 3: Technology and education
discourse markers to structure the
1 Do you think accessing information and answer?
knowledge was the same in the past as it is? ▪ Did your friend expand ideas by
contrasting viewpoints?
2 Would you agree that e-learning will become
▪ did your friend use a variety of
more and more common as an alternative to
sentence structures and verb
traditional learning?
patterns?

3 Would robots change our society ▪ did your friend use appropriate

significantly? speech rate and chunking?

▪ Did your friend use appropriate
4 Do you think robots will one day replace stress to emphasize information?
teachers in the class?

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 IELTS HI-INTER WEEK 7 – SPEAKING HOMEWORK
Vocabulary worksheet Vocabulary: Social affairs
Talking about Problems and Solutions
Recording exercises IELTS Speaking Part 2 and 3

VOCABULARY WORKSHEET
In the following exercises, you will be introduced to lexical items to describe activities.

LOCATION & EQUIPMENT

For each sport and leisure activity below, choose the words from the box to fill in the
right column.
You can add your own words.

LOCATION stadium outdoor garbage kitchen studio court pool

EQUIPMENT whistle racket rope club rod net biodegradable items

blender ball mixer container

COSTUME glasses gloves protective suit uniform apron

ACTIVITIES strenuous exercises individual training campaign project

team coaching boot camp unwind tournament
compete championship/trophy vocational class

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Recycling
basketball

baking swimming

gardening camping

In the following exercises, you will be introduced to lexical items to talk about current
social affairs.

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ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE CHANGE
Exercise 1: Complete the text with words from the box.

Now match the words in bold with their synonyms

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CRIME
Exercise 2: Read the text below.

Now rewrite those sentences using the words in bold. Try to use as many words/phrases
as possible.

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POVERTY
Exercise 3: Read the interview below and look up the dictionary for new words and
collocations.

Which of the following words…..

1 – are used to talk about the poor?

~ street children, sleeping rough

2 – are used to describe financial situations?

~ below the poverty line, desperate need, live on the margins of society

3 - can be used in collocation with ‘poverty’?

~ escape, combat, eradicate, alleviate, lift out of

4 – means ‘reduce’ or ‘get rid of’?

~ eradicate, escape, combat, eradicate, alleviate, lift out of

In the following exercises, you will be introduced to lexical items that will be useful for you
to talk about Problems and Solutions.

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Exercise 4: Choose the more natural collocations below.
1. Smoking seems a ………. problem among teenage girls, in particular. Every year more
and more are getting hooked. (growing/rising)
2. I’m afraid this is a very ………. problem which requires prompt attention.
(serious/large)
3. There are a number of reasons why Geoff is not suitable for the job, but the ……….
problem is that he is famous for rubbing people up the wrong way! (simple/basic)
4. One of the most ………. problems facing cities today is traffic congestion.
(pressing/important).
5. I believe that traffic congestion in large cities is an ………. problem. I can see no way
round it. And it’s only going to get worse and worse. (unsolvable/insurmountable)
6. I wish there was a simple answer to this issue, but it’s a very ………. problem, and it
will require a complex solution. (complicated/complete)
7. Asylum seekers may be (fleeing / freeing) from problems at home, but they often meet
very serious problems when they finally settle somewhere else.
8. The professor (fought / wrestled) with the problem for weeks, but he finally had to
admit defeat.
9. No one has (posed / solved) the problem of what to do with radio active.
10. We simply can’t afford to avoid the problem of teenage pregnancy. I think that we need
to (tackle / ignore) it head on.
11. We must get to the (depth / root) of the problem. We need to discover the cause of it
before too much damage is done.
12. There isn’t a straight (answer / solution) to the problem because it isn’t that simple.
13. If you think that our profitability will improve simply by making staff cuts, then you
misunderstand the (nature / approach) of the problem.

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 VOCABULARY NOTES

Make a list of vocabulary for this lesson. Remember to include the words/phrases from both students’ handout and homework.

No Words | Phrases Pronunciation Meaning Example / Association

(a person) who is afraid of or dislikes new He’s definitely not a technophobe; in fact, he’s
1 technophobe N/A
technology considered a technophile.

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 RECORDING EXERCISES
There are 2 questions in this section and each includes 2 parts: Part 2 and Part 3. Pick 1 question,
write a script and record the answers.

Notice:
● Remember to use a stopwatch to make sure you prepare for the task card in Part 2 within
the time limit.
● Remember to use the techniques and discourse markers you have learnt to give a good
structure for your answers.

Question 1:
PART 2
Describe a technological item that has been very important in your life.
You should say
+ what it is
+ what you use it for
+ how long you have owned it
And explain why it is important to you.

PART 3
1 As more and more people are becoming victims of online crime, is it time for everyone to stop
conducting all their business over the Internet?
2 Do you think that people fully appreciate and value the technology that is available to them
today?
3 Is it possible that people rely too much on science for their knowledge and understanding of the
world?

Question 2:
Describe something that can help you concentrate on work or study.
You should say:
- What it is
- How does it help you
- What do you think about it
And explain why you think it is helpful

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Part 3
What is the best age for children to begin computer lessons?
Do you think schools should use more technology to help children learn?
Do you think that the advance of technology has improved standards of education in
schools?

---- THE END -----

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