IELTS A.A. 2019 (1st semester)

Reading/Speaking homework for 28th November: 

1) Please complete pp. 106-113 of IELTS TRAINER (Reading Passages 2 + 3 questions 14-40) in NO MORE THAN 40 MINUTES. Within this timeframe, transfer your answers to a separate sheet to hand in at 8.15 on 28th November. A blank answer sheet is attached at the end of this notice.

2) To follow up the work we did on Speaking Parts 2 + 3, please finish watching this short video on the topic of the internet, misinformation and fake news: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqPARIKHbN8 and, if you want to see what the Svalbard Seed Vault featured in today's reading comprehension actually looks like, watch this video on Veritasium: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_OEsf-1qgY - thanks, Andrea :)

Next week, one of the speaking topics will be LANGUAGE and COMMUNICATION. To start you thinking about this topic and generate some useful vocabulary, try listening to the following videos/podcast: 

https://time.com/5261446/language-critical-period-age/

https://www.ted.com/talks/john_mcwhorter_4_reasons_to_learn_a_new_langua...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Kvs8SxN8mc

http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/webcast/mp3/whoo...  (click here for the transcript)

Finally, there are many more interesting videos you can find on the subject of language and communication, such as the one which discusses the evolutionary development of humans vs. primates in "Mind Field: The Cognitive Trade-off Hypothesis" on Vsauce https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktkjUjcZid0 

If you have any other suggestions for ways to follow up some of the topics we have been studying via online resources, please share them!

See you next Thursday for the sample test.

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READING AND SPEAKING HOMEWORK FOR 21st NOVEMBER (DOTT.SSA VICKERY):

1) Please complete pp. 78-82 of IELTS TRAINER (Reading Passage 3 + questions 27-40) in NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES. Transfer your answers to a separate sheet to hand in at 8.15 on 21st November. A blank answer sheet is attached below this notice.

2) In the next lesson there will be further practice on Parts 2 and 3 of the IELTS Speaking Test. All of you should attend an appointment in the Institute during which we will complete a sample test of Speaking. The feedback we give you is based on the IELTS speaking assessment criteria, which focus on fluency and coherence, grammatical range and accuracy, lexical range and accuracy and pronunciation. To help you understand how to improve these some of these key areas, please watch these videos:

https://youtu.be/2SI0twnNEN8

https://youtu.be/LQQE2hWrl98

https://youtu.be/UawwTSzaZzk

In addition, it is very useful to record yourselves doing a Speaking test and listen to your performance in order to identify areas of improvement. One way to do this is by downloading the British Council IELTS app via this link: https://www.britishcouncil.it/esami/ielts/preparazione/app  The app includes three practice tests for speaking and has a recording facility so that you can practise giving your answers and listen to the recording afterwards. If you wish to save your recordings and would like to receive my feedback on them, you may book a tutorial with me via email on Fridays between 10.00 and 13.00.

Finally, to stimulate your ideas and useful vocabulary for various topics which could feature in the IELTS Speaking test, Part 3, you might like to watch these videos of candidates who achieve band scores of 6.0, 6.0, 7.0 and 8.5 respectively. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ3WudiiZi4&list=PLSAx4faA_rjNEb16E7FGDn... (Gabriel - Band 6.0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBkffRImTwE&list=PLSAx4faA_rjNEb16E7FGDn... (Xin - IELTS Score 6.0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T6zglM1Onc&list=PLSAx4faA_rjNEb16E7FGDn...(Hendrik - IELTS Score 7.0)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ta4CESUj94&list=PLSAx4faA_rjNEb16E7FGDn... (Kenn - IELTS Score 8.5)

Don't forget to read the IELTS Official comment under the videos, which explain why they were awarded these scores. 

See you next week!

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IELTS READING/SPEAKING HOMEWORK FOR 14th NOVEMBER (DOTT.SSA VICKERY):

Please complete ONLY pp. 69-72 of IELTS TRAINER (Reading Passage 1 + questions 1-13) in NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES. Transfer your answers to a separate sheet to hand in at 8.15 on 14th November.

In the next lesson we will also be focusing on Parts 2 and 3 of your Speaking Test and the concept of "SUCCESS". In preparation for this, please WATCH the following video. Under the video you will see an option for subtitles. Click on this to select English subtitles, if required.

https://www.ted.com/talks/richard_st_john_s_8_secrets_of_success?language=en

This should stimulate your ideas on the topic and generate useful vocabulary. In addition, please WATCH three videos of candidates who achieve band scores of 7.5, 5.0 and 9.0 respectively. 

Aashish,Tina and Anuradha:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAf41I68HD8 (Part 1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0UGhSufSJk (Part 2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IeEgRkpIvU (Part 3)

These three candidates receive band scores of 7.5, 5.0 and 9.0 respectively. READ the transcripts under the videos, which explain why they were awarded these scores. 

We will discuss the candidates' performances in the next lesson.

SOME OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL VIDEOS AND PODCASTS:

To introduce you to the many different varieties and dialects of English and help you improve your understanding and knowledge

of new vocabulary, you might like to try out some of these links to videos and podcasts:

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/10462520/one-minute-world-news

https://youtu.be/Rnwwo9Zol6w

https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/60-second-mind/

https://www.aljazeera.com/topics/events/oneminute.html

https://www.ted.com/playlists/81/ted_in_3_minutes

https://learningenglish.voanews.com/z/3619

Here is a link to IELTS-based podcasts, which will help you focus on particular parts of the test, as well as topics and questions:

https://splendidspeaking.podomatic.com

FEEDBACK ON CORRECTED WORK:

For feedback and guidance on your corrected work and for help enrolling for the IELTS examination on line, please book a tutorial appointment: 

Dott.ssa Cooper: Wednesdays 12.00-15.00 (Room 6, 1st Floor, Palazzo delle Scienze)

Dott.ssa Vickery: Fridays 10.00-13.00 (Room 6, 1st Floor, Palazzo delle Scienze)

You are expected to attend at least ONE appointment during the semester.