IELTS Essay Topics (Task 1)

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com

1

IELTS GRAPHS Cambridge 1 test 1 The charts below show the results of a survey of adult education. The first chart shows the reasons why adults decide to study. The pie chart shows how people think the cost of adult education should be shared. Write a report for a university lecturer, describing the information shown below. Interest in subject

40

To gain qualifications

38

Helpful for current job

22

To improve prospects of promotion

20

Enjoy learning / studying

20

To able to change jobs

12

To meet people

9 0

10

20

30

40

%

How the cost of each course should be shared

Employer, 35%

Individual, 40%

Taxpayer, 25%

I am going to describe two graphs. The bar graph shows the reasons why adults choose to study and the pie chart shows how the adults think the cost of each course should be shared. From the bar graph it is clear that the main reasons why adults opted for higher study were because of interest in subject and to gain qualifications. Nearly 40% gave this reason in the survey. Approximately 20% studied further because it was helpful for their present job and to improve their prospects of promotion. The same percentage also studied because they enjoyed studying. Around 12 % chose to study to be able to change jobs and the least 9% studied just to meet new people. From the pie chart we can infer that the individuals themselves wanted to spend only 40% of their fees for higher education. They wanted the employer to spend 35% and the taxpayer to spend 25% of their course fees. This ends my report.


Cambridge 1 test 2 The diagram shows how the Australian Bureau of Meteorology collects up-to-the-minute information on the weather in order to produce reliable forecasts. Write a report for a university lecturer, describing the information shown below.

Reliable weather forecasts are very important in today’s time. The given picture graph illustrates the process of latest information on the weather so as to produce dependable forecasts. It is clear from the graph that mainly four steps are involved in the process. The first stage in the process is the collection of the incoming information. This can be done through the satellite, radar and the drifting buoy. The data is collected on the satellite photo, radar screen and the synoptic chart. All this is then analysed for forecasting and fed into the computer. Finally it is broadcast on radio, telecast on TV and communicated as a recorded announcement through the phone. So, it can be seen that to produce authentic forecasts the data is collected through various sources, analysed and finally broadcast so that we can know beforehand what sort of weather we have to face in the coming time. This ends my report.

2


3

Cambridge 1 test 3 The chart below shows the amount of money per week spent on fast foods in Britain. The graph shows the trends in consumption of fast foods. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

Pence per person per week

Expenditure on fast foods by income groups 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Hamburgers Fish and Chips Pizza High Income

Average Income

Low Income

Consumption of fast foods 1970-1990

Two graphs are given. The column graph depicts the expenditure on fast foods by different income groups in Britain and the line graph shows the trends in consumption of fast foods from 1970 to 1990. The chart shows that high income earners consumed considerably more fast foods than the other income groups. They spent more than twice as much on hamburgers (43 pence per person per week) as on fish and chips or pizza (both under 20 pence). Average income earners spent 33 pence per person per week on hamburgers, which was the maximum they spent on any given fast food. This was followed by fish and chips at 24 pence, then pizza at 11 pence per person per week. Low income earners spent less than other income groups on fast foods, though fish and chips remains their most popular fast food, followed by hamburgers and then pizza. From the line graph we can see that in 1970, fish and chips were the most popular fast food where as burgers and pizza were the least popular fast food at that time. The consumption of hamburgers and pizza rose steadily over the 20 year period to 1990 while the consumption of fish and chips declined over that same period. There was a slight increase in popularity from 1985 to 1990. This ends my report.

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com Cambridge 1 test 4 Chorleywood is a village near London whose population has increased steadily since the middle of the nineteenth century. The map below shows the development of the village.

The map shows the development of Chorleywood village in between 1868 and 1994. Chorleywood park and golf coast lies in the centre of layout. To the south of this is the Chorleywood station. To the south of the Chorleywood Park, the darkly shaded area is developed in between 1922 and 1970. The horizontally shaded area around the station is developed in between 1883 and 1922. It can be seen from the graph that the area north of Chorleywood station and the west of Chorleywood park and the golf course developed in between 1868 and 1883. The north, south and east of the Chorleywood Park, which is the diagonally shaded area, developed in between 1970 and 1994. We can assume from the map that on the west and north of Chorleywood Park and golf course, the dark line represents the main roads which run from north to south and west to east. On the east of Chorleywood Park and the golf course runs the motor way, which was built in 1970. The railway line south of Chorleywood Park and the golf course was built in 1909. It can be seen there has been development around Chorleywood station and along the motorway which runs from south to north. We can arrive at inference that there has been a considerable development in the village Chorleywood during the period of 1970 to 1994.

4


5

Cambridge 2 test 1 The table below shows the consumer durables (telephone, refrigerator, etc) owned in Britain from 1972 to 1983. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given below 1972

1974

1976

1978

1979

1981

1982

1983

Central heating

38

43

48

52

55

59

60

64

Television

93

95

96

96

97

97

97

98

Consumer durables

Percentages of households with

18

Video Vacuum cleaner

87

89

92

92

93

94

95

Refrigerator

73

81

88

91

92

93

93

94

Washing machine

66

68

71

75

74

78

79

80

3

3

4

4

5

60

67

75

76

77

Dishwasher Telephone

42

50

54

The given table illustrates the percentage of British households who owned a range of consumer durables between 1972 and 1983. It is clear from the graph that this percentage increased over the years. The greatest increase was in telephone ownership, rising from 42% in 1972 to 77% in 1983. Next was the central heating ownership, rising from 37% of households in 1972 to 64% in 1983. The percentage of households with a refrigerator rose by 21% over the same period and of those with a washing machine by 14%. Households with vacuum-cleaners, televisions and dishwashers increased by 8%, 5% and 2% respectively. In 1983, the year of their introduction, 18% of households had a video recorder. Over the period the proportion of British houses with central heating doubled and of those with a phone increased from under a half to over three-quarters. There were also big increases in the ownership of washing machines and refrigerators, which suggests rising living standards of the British people over the period.


6

Cambridge 2 Test 2 The chart below shows the amount of leisure time enjoyed by men and women of different employment status. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Leisure time in a typical week : by sex and employment status, 1989-99

Hours of leisure time

100.00 81 72

80.00 60.00 40.00

80

72 52

47

40

38

Males

20.00 0

0

Females

0.00

The given column graph illustrates the hours of leisure time enjoyed by men and women in a typical week in 1998-99, according to gender and employment status. Among those employed full-time, men on average had a little less than fifty hours of leisure, whereas women had approximately thirty-eight hours. There were no figures given for male parttime workers, but female part-timers had forty hours of leisure time. This number was slightly more than women in full-time employment. In the unemployed and retired categories, leisure time showed an increase for both sexes. Here too, men enjoyed more leisure time - approximately eighty hours, compared with seventy two hours for women. Housewives enjoyed approximately fifty-two hours of leisure, on average. There were no figures given for men (househusbands). Overall, the chart demonstrates that in the categories for which statistics on male leisure time were available, men enjoyed at least ten hours of extra leisure time.


7

Cambridge 2 test 3 The first chart below shows the results of a survey which sampled a cross-section of 100,000 people asking if they travelled abroad and why they travelled for the period 199498. The second chart shows their destinations over the same period. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

Holiday

VISITS ABROAD BY UK RESIDENTS BY PURPOSE OF VISIT (1994-98) 1994 1995 1996 1997 15,246 14,898 17,896 19,703

1998 20,700

Business

3,155

3,188

3,249

3,639

3,957

Visits to friends and relatives

2,689

2,628

2,774

3,051

3,181

Other reasons

982

896

1,030

1,054

990

TOTAL

22,072

21,610

24,949

27,447

28,828

1994

DESTINATIONS OF VISITS ABROAD BY UK RESIDENTS BY MAIN REGION (1994-98) Western Europe North America Other areas TOTAL 19,371 919 1,782 22,072

1995

18,944

914

1,752

21,610

1996

21,877

1,167

1,905

24,949

1997

23,661

1,559

2,227

27,447

1998

24,519

1,823

2,486

28,828

The given tables illustrate the reasons why U.K. residents visited abroad and the countries they visited between 1994 and 1998. The data is based on a survey conducted on 100,000 people. According to statistical Information, the main reason for traveling abroad was holidays, business, and visits to friends and relatives. Indeed, there was a steady increase in the number of holiday makers. While in 1996 there were about 17,896 who travelled abroad, in 1998 there were 20,700 of them. Travelling for business also increased from 3155 travellers in 1994 to 3957 travellers in 1994. Traveling abroad for visiting friends and relatives showed a steady Increase over the period. While there were about 2,628 travellers in 1995, the number increased to 3,181 in 1998. The number of people who travelled for other reasons not mentioned in the graph showed fluctuations. There was also a change in the destinations which people preferred for travelling. Western Europe was the most popular destination. In 1994, only 19,371 of the sample preferred to spend their holiday in that main region. There was an increase to 24,519 in 1998. North America and other areas also appeared favourable. In 1996, there were 1,167 going to North America and 1,905 to other areas. These numbers increased to 1,823 and 2,486 respectively. This ends my report.


8

Cambridge 2 test 4

The table below shows the figures for imprisonment in five countries between 1930 and 1980. Write a report for a university, lecturer describing the information shown below. 160 140

in thousands

120 100

Great Britain Australia

80

New Zealand 60

United States Canada

40 20 0 1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

The given column graph illustrates the figures for imprisonment in Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, United States and Canada from 1930 to 1980. It is clear from the graph that there is considerable fluctuation in the figures for imprisonment from country to country. In Great Britain the numbers in prison have increased steadily from 30 000 in 1930 to 80,000 in 1980. On the other hand, in Australia, and particularly in New Zealand the numbers fell markedly from 1930 to 1940. Since then they increased gradually and reached 50,000 and approximately 85,000 for Australia and New Zealand respectively. Canada is the only country in which the numbers in prison decreased over the fifty year period, although there were fluctuations in this trend. The figures for the United States indicate the greatest number of prisoners compared to the other four countries. The prison population in the United States increased very rapidly from 1970 to 1980. This ends my report.

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com Cambridge 3 task 1 ( Same in Official materials )

The charts below show the number of Japanese tourists travelling abroad between 1985 and 1995 and Australia’s share of the Japanese tourist market. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

In this report I am going to describe a column graph and a line graph. The column graph shows the number, in millions, of Japanese tourists visiting other countries from 1985 to 1995 and the line graph shows the percentage of those Japanese tourists visiting Australia over the same period. The column graph clearly shows an upward trend in the number of Japanese tourists. This number was approximately 5 million in the year 1985 and reached 15 million by the year 1995. This number trebled over the decade. There were, however, minor fluctuations over the period. It is clear from the line graph that Australia got 2% share of Japan’s tourist market. This number also grew three times and by 1995, reached 6% with some minor ups and downs in between. It can be concluded that Australia’s share of Japan’s tourist market grew comparably over the period.

9


10

Cambridge 3 Test 2 The chart below shows the amount spent on six consumer goods in four European countries. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Personal stereos

Tennis racquets

Perfume Germany Italy

CDs

France Britain

Toys

Photographic film

100

120

140

160

180

Thousand pounds sterling

The given bar graph shows the amount of money the Germans, Italians, French and the British spend on consumer goods such as personal stereos, tennis racquets, perfumes, CDs, toys and photographic films. It is clear from the graph that Britain spends most heavily on the range of consumer goods included. In every case, British spend more than other countries. However, in the case of tennis racquets another country, Italy, spends almost the same. In contrast, Germany is generally the lowest spender. This is most evident in photographic film, where Germany spends much less than Britain. However, in tennis racquets and perfumes, Germany spends more than France. Meanwhile, France and Italy generally maintain middle positions. France spends more on CDs and photographic film but less on tennis racquets than Italy does. Italy’s spending on personal stereos is only marginally greater than that of France, while spending on toys is equal between the two. It is clear from the data given that there are some significant differences in spending habits within Europe.


11

Years of schooling

Cambridge 3 test 3 The charts below show the levels of participation in education and science in developing and industrialised countries in 1980 and 1990. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. Average years of schooling 10 8 6 4 2 0

Developing countries Industrialised countries 1980

1990

Scientists and technicians per thousand people Per thousand people

80 60

Developing countries

40 20

Industrialised countries

0 1980

1990

Spending on research and development US $ billions

400 300

Developing countries

200 100

Industrialised countries

0 1980

1990

The three column graphs illustrate the average years of schooling, numbers of scientists and technicians, and the spending on research and development in developing and developed countries. Figures are given for 1980 and 1990. It is clear from the charts that the figures for developed countries are much higher than those for developing nations. Also, the charts show an overall increase in participation in education and science from 1980 to 1990. People in developing nations attended school for an average of around 3 years, with only a slight increase in years of schooling from 1980 to 1990. On the other hand, the figure for industrialised countries rose from nearly 9 years of schooling in 1980 to nearly 11 years in 1990. From 1980 to 1990, the number of scientists and technicians in industrialised countries almost doubled from a little over 40 to about 70 per 1000 people. Spending on research and development also saw rapid growth in these countries, reaching $350 billion in 1990. By contrast, the number of science workers in developing countries remained below 20 per 1000 people, and research spending fell from about $50 billion to only $25 billion. This ends my report.


Cambridge 3 Test 4 The graph below shows the unemployment rates in the US and Japan between March 1993 and March 1999. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below

The given line graph compares the unemployment rates between U.S. and Japan from March 93 to March 99. It can be seen from the graph that the unemployment rates in Japan increased over the period whereas that of America decreased over the period. In March, 1993, United States had seven percent of unemployed workforce which was three times more than that of Japan, where 2.5% were unemployed. However, the unemployment rate in United States began declining slowly since March 1993, and reached 5% mark in the middle of 1996. Japan’s unemployment rate, however, doubled in three years. From then on, the percentage of unemployed workforce in United States remained roughly the same at about 5% until March 99, although there were minor fluctuations in the unemployment rate. As for Japan, the percentage of unemployed grew steadily but with fluctuations to reach 5.0% in March 1999. The major conclusion that can be drawn using the graph, is that number of unemployed in USA decreased by about 2.0% in the course of six years, while in Japan it actually increased by 2.5% percent. As a result, in March 99, both Japan and U.S. had about 5% of their work force unemployed. This ends my report.

12

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com Cambridge 4

AC Task 1

The graph below shows the demand for electricity in England during typical days in winter and summer. The pie chart shows how electricity is used in an average English home. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The given line graph illustrates the daily demand for electricity in England during typical days in winter and summer while the pie chart outlines how electricity is taken into use in an average English household. From the graph, it is evident that the daily demand for electricity is generally more in winter than in summer. The consumption of electricity fluctuates at an average level of 40,000 units in winter. The least demand for electricity is at about 7 am and after that, it increases steadily and peaks at nearly 10 pm after which it again falls at midnight. As for summer, the demand for electricity is just under 20,000 units throughout the day. It gets to its peak at 2 pm 10 pm and bottoms at 9 am. The pie chart illustrates that 52.5% of electricity is used for heating rooms and water. Around 17.5% of electricity is provided for ovens, kettles, washing machines. 15% each is used for lighting, TV, radio and for vacuum cleaners, food mixers and electric tools. This ends my report.

13


Cambridge 4 AC task 2 The table below shows the proportion of different categories of families living in poverty in Australia in 1999. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Family type

Proportion of people from each household type living in poverty

single aged person

6% (54,000)

aged couple

4% (48,000)

single, no children

19% (359,000)

couple, no children

7% (211,000)

sole parent

21% (232,000)

couple with children

12% (933,000)

all households

11% (1,837,000)

The given table illustrates the breakdown of the different type of families who were living in poverty in Australia in 1999. On average, 11% of all households, comprising almost two million people, were in this position. However, those consisting of only one parent or a single adult had almost double this proportion of poor people, with 21% and 19% respectively. Couples without children generally tended to be better off with only 7% in poverty whereas those with children were 12% . It is noticeable that for both types of household with children, a higher than average proportion were living in poverty at this time. Older people were generally less likely to be poor, though once again the trend favoured elderly couples (only 4%) rather than single elderly people (6%). Overall the table suggests that households of single adults and those with children were more likely to be living in poverty than those consisting of couples.

14


15

Cambridge 4 AC task 3

The chart below shows the different levels of post-school qualifications in Australia and the proportion of men and women who held them in 1999. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Post-school qualifications in Australia according to gender 1999

Skilled vocational diploma

Undergraduate diploma

Bachelor's degree Females Males

Postgraduate diploma

Masters degree 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

%

The given bar graph gives information about the percentage of men and women who held different levels of post-school qualifications in Australia in 1999. It is clear that gender differences were more pronounced in some fields than others. We can see immediately that there were substantial differences in the proportion of men and women at different levels. The biggest difference was at the lowest post-school level, where 90% men held a skilled vocational diploma compared with only 10% women. By contrast, more women held undergraduate diplomas (70%) and marginally more women reached degree level (55%). At the higher levels of education, men with postgraduate diplomas clearly outnumbered their female counterparts (70% and 30%, respectively), and also constituted 60% of Master's graduates. Thus we can see that more men than women hold qualifications at the lower and higher levels of education, while more women reach undergraduate diploma level than men. The gender difference is smallest at the level of Bachelor's degree, however. This ends my report.


16

Cambridge 4 test 4 The charts below give information about travel to and from the UK, and about the most popular countries for UK residents to visit. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Visits to and from the UK

Most popular countries visited by UK residents 1999 Turke y Greec e USA Spain Franc e 0

5 10 Millions of UK visitors

15

Two graphs are given. The line graph shows data on the number of visits abroad by British people and visits from overseas residents to the UK, while the bar chart provides the figures of the popular countries chosen by UK residents to travel to. It is clear from the graph that the visits made by UK residents are more than the visits made to the UK by overseas residents. The trend for overseas visitors climbed steadily over the period of 20 years, from 10 million visits in 1979 to over 25 million in 1999. On the other hand, the visits made by the British had a significant increase of 41 million trips in the same period, from 11 million to 52 million. In 1999, over 12 million UK residents visited France, which was the most popular country of all, while a lesser number (9 million) of travellers went to Spain. Visitors from other countries such as the USA, Greece, and Turkey had approximately 9 million visitors altogether.

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com Cambridge 5 Test 1

The map below is of the town of Garlsdon. A new supermarket (S) is planned for the town. The map shows two possible sites for the supermarket. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The given picture graph shows two potential sites for a supermarket that is planned there. Both sites have their pros and cons. The first potential location (S1) is outside the town itself, and is sited just off the main road to the town of Hindon which is 12 kms to the north-west. This site is in the countryside and so would be able to accommodate a lot of car parking. This would make it accessible to shoppers from both Hindon and Garlsdon who could travel by car. As it is also close to the railway line linking the two towns to Cransdon (25 km to the south-east), a potentially large number of shoppers would also be able to travel by train. In contrast, the suggested location, S2, is right in the town centre, which would be good for local residents. Theoretically the store could be accessed by road or rail from the surrounding towns, including Bransdon, but as the central area is a no-traffic zone, cars would be unable to park and access would be difficult. Overall, neither site is appropriate for all the towns, but for customers in Cransdon, Hindon and Garlsdon, the out-of town site (S1) would probably offer more advantages. This ends my report.

17


18

Cambridge 5 test 2 The table below gives information about the underground railway systems in six cities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Underground Railway systems City Date opened

Kilometres of route

London Paris Tokyo Washington DC Kyoto Los Angeles

394 199 155 126 11 28

1863 1900 1927 1976 1981 2001

Passengers per year (in millions) 775 1191 1927 144 45 50

The given table illustrates data about the underground railway systems in six cities which are London, Paris, Tokyo, Washington DC, Kyoto and Los Angeles. London has the oldest underground railway systems among the six cities. It was opened in the year 1863, and it is already 147 years old. Paris is the second oldest, which was opened in the year 1900. This was then followed by the opening of the railway systems in Tokyo, Washington DC and Kyoto. Los Angeles has the newest underground railway system, and was only opened in the year 2001. In terms of the size, London has the largest underground railway systems. It has 394 kilometres of route in total, which is nearly twice as large as the system in Paris. Kyoto, in contrast, has the smallest system. It only has 11 kilometres of route, which is more than 30 times less than that of London. Interestingly, Tokyo, which only has 155 kilometres of route, serves the greatest number of passengers per year, at 1927 million passengers. The system in Paris has the second greatest number of passengers, at 1191 million passengers per year. The smallest underground railway system, Kyoto, serves the smallest number of passengers per year. Overall it can be seen that, the underground railway systems in different cities vary a lot in the site of the system, the number of passengers served per year and in the age of the system.


Cambridge 5 test 3 The graph below shows the proportion of population aged 65 and over between 1940 1nd 2040 in three different countries. Summarise the information ……..

The given line graph illustrates the proportion of 65+ year olds in Japan, Sweden and U.S.A. from 1940 to the present time with a prediction till 2040. Overall, it can be seen from the graph that in all three countries, the percentage of elderly people is expected to increase by the year 2040. In 1940, the proportion of people aged 65 or more stood at only 5% in Japan, approximately 7% in Sweden and 9% in the U.S. However, while the figures for U.S.A. and Sweden grew to about 15% in 1990, the figure for Japan dipped to only 2.5% for much of this period before rising to almost 5% again at the present time. It is expected that, the proportion of the elderly will continue to increase in the next two decades in the three countries. A most dramatic increase is predicted between 2030 and 2040 in Japan, by which time it is projected that the proportion of the elderly will be similar to all the three countries. This ends my report.

19


20

Cambridge 5 test 4 The charts below show the main reasons for study among students of different age groups and the amount of support they received from their employers. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

%

Reasons for study according to age of student 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

For career For interest under 26-29 30-39 40-49 over 26 49 Age

%

Employer support, by age group (Time off and help with fees) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 under 26

26-29

30-39

40-49

over 49

Age

Two column graphs are given. The first column graph shows the proportion of people of different age groups who studied for career or for interest. The second graph shows the amount of support they got from their employers in terms of time off or fees. From the first graph it is clear that there is a gradual decrease in study for career reasons with age. Nearly 80% of students under 26 years, study for their career. This percentage gradually declines by 10-20% every decade. Only 40% of 40-49yr olds and 18% of over 49yr olds study for career reasons. In contrast, the study because of interest increases with age. There are only 10% of under 26yr olds studying out of interest. The percentage increases slowly till the beginning of the fourth decade, and increases dramatically in late adulthood. Nearly same number of 40-49yr olds study for career and interest. However 70% of over 49yr olds study for interest in comparison to 18% studying for career reasons in that age group. The second graph shows that employer support is maximum (approximately 60%) for the under 26yr students. It drops rapidly to 32% up to the third decade of life, and then increases in late adulthood up to about 44%. It is unclear whether employer support is only for career-focused study, but the highest level is for those students who mainly study for career purposes. This ends my report.


21

Cambridge 6 Test 1

The graph and table below give information about water use worldwide and water consumption in two different countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Water consumption in Brazil and Congo in 2000 Country

Population

Irrigated land

Water consumption per person

Brazil 176 million 26,500 km2 359 m3 Democratic Republic 5.2 million 100 km2 8 m3 of Congo A line graph and a table are given. The line graph shows the water used worldwide in industries, agriculture and in households from 1900 to 2000. The table shows the water consumption in Brazil and Congo in 2000. It is clear from the line graph that throughout the century, the largest quantity of water was used for agricultural Purposes, and this increased dramatically from about 500 km³ to around 3,000 km³ in the year 2000. Water used in the industrial and domestic sectors also increased, but consumption was minimal until mid-century. From 1950 onwards, industrial use grew steadily to just over 1,000 km³, while domestic use rose more slowly to only 300 km³, both far below the levels of consumption by agriculture. The table illustrates the differences in agriculture consumption in Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2000. The amount of irrigated land in Brazil was 26,500 km³ whereas that in the D.R.C. was only 100 km². This means that a huge amount of water was used in agriculture in Brazil, and this is reflected in the figures for water consumption per person: 359 m³ compared with only 8 m³ in the Congo. With a population of 176 million, the figures for Brazil indicate how high agriculture water consumption can be in some countries. This ends my report.


22

Cambridge 6 test 2 The table below gives information about changes in modes of travel in England between 1985 and 2000. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Average distance in miles travelled per person per year by mode of travel

Walking Bicycle Car Local bus Long distance bus Train Taxi Other All modes

1985 255 51 3,199 429 54 289 13 450 4,740

2000 237 41 4,806 274 124 366 42 585 6,475

The given table demonstrates the different modes of travel in England in 15 years from 1985 to 2000. In general, some modes gained popularity while the others became less popular. The travel modes which gained popularity in the period included cars, long distance buses, trains, taxis and others. Cars remained top among the modes in the 15 years, with their average miles increasing considerably from 3,199 in 1985 to 4,806 in 2000. The average miles covered by distance buses and taxis trebled over the period. Travelling on foot, by bicycles and by local buses lost popularity in the one and a half decade. Average travelling distance by local buses suffered the biggest decrease, dropping from 429 to 274, whilst the number of miles covered on foot and bikes fell mildly from 255 to 237 and from 51 to 41 respectively. Despite the decreases, however, the total miles travelled grew from 4,740 to 6,475. Overall, the total travelling distance in the country grew in 15 years. Cars, long distance buses, trains, taxis and other modes of travel were more popular and walking, bicycling and local transportation less popular.


Cambridge 6 test 3 The diagrams below show the life cycle of the silkworm and the stages in the production of silk cloth. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Two processes are given. The cyclical process shows the lifecycle of the silkworm. The linear process shows the production of silk cloth. It can be seen from the first diagram that there are four main stages in the life of the silkworm. First of all, eggs are produced by the moth and it takes ten days for each egg to become a silkworm larva that feeds on mulberry leaves. This stage lasts for up to six weeks until the larva produces a cocoon of silk thread around itself. After a period of about three weeks, the adult moths eventually emerge from these cocoons and the life cycle begins again. The cocoons are used for the production of silk cloth. First of all, they are boiled in water and the threads can be separated by unwinding them. Each thread is between 300 and 900 metres long. The threads are then twisted together, dyed and finally used to produce cloth in the weaving stage. Overall, the diagrams show that the cocoon stage of the silkworm can be used to produce silk cloth through a very simple process.

23


24

CAMBRIDGE 6 TEST 4 The charts below give information about USA marriage and divorce rates between 1970 and 2000, and the marital status of adult Americans in two of the years. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Number of marriages and divorces in the U.S.A. 1970-2000 3

millions

2.5 2 1.5

Marriages Divorces

1 0.5 0 1970

1980

1990

2000

Marital status of adult Americans, 1970 and 2000 80 Percentage of adults

70 60 50 40

1970

30

2000

20 10 0 Never married

Married Widowed Divorced

The two bar charts compare the number of married and divorced people in USA over a span of 30 years from 1970 to 2000 and the overall marital status of US adults in 1970 and 2000. As can be seen from the first chart, over the period of 30 years, the number of marriages experienced a steady fall while the number of divorces fluctuated. To begin with, in 1970 and 1980, the number of marriages in USA stood at 2.5 million. However, divorces were 1 million in 1970 and increased to 1.4 million in 1980. There was a steady fall in the numbers of marriages after 1980 and the number reached 2 million by 2000. Divorces decreased slightly from 1.1 million in 1990 to 1 million in 2000. The year 1980 witnessed the greatest number of divorces and meanwhile, the number of divorces in 2000 drew even with that in 1970. As we look at the other chart, we see that the percentages of those who were never married increased from 14% to 20% and those who chose to end their marriages by divorce increased from 1% to 9% by 2000. In terms of the other two categories, namely, married and widowed, the figures for 1970 were higher than those for 2000. The percentage of married decreased from 70% to 60% and those widowed decreased from 6% to 5% over the years. This ends my report.


25

Cambridge 7 test 1 The table below gives information on consumer spending on different items in five different countries in 2002. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Percentage of national consumer expenditure by category - 2002 Country

Food/Drinks/tobacco

Clothing/Footwear

Leisure/Education

Ireland

28.91%

6.43%

2.21%

Italy

16.36%

9.00%

3.20%

Spain Sweden

18.80% 15.77%

6.51% 5.40%

1.98% 3.22%

Turkey

32.14%

6.63%

4.35%

The given table illustrates the amount of money spent by the Irish, Italians, Spanish, Swedes and Turks on different items in 2002. Overall, it can be seen that people of all countries spent the maximum on food/drinks and tobacco and the minimum on leisure and education. The people of Turkey spent approximately a third of their income (32.14%) on food, drink and tobacco which was closely followed by the people of Ireland at 28.91%. The Italians, Spanish and Swedes spent 15-20 % on these items. The Italians outstripped all others in spending on clothing and footwear. They spent 9% on these items whereas all others spent between 5% and 7% on these items. All the countries spent the least amount on leisure and education (less than 5%). However the Spanish spent below 2% on these which was the lowest among all. It can be said that in 2002, the consumer expenditure on various items had some similarities and some differences.


Cambridge 7 test 2 The graph below shows the consumption of fish and some different kinds of meat in a European country between 1979 and 2004. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The given line graph illustrates the changes in the amounts of beef, lamb, chicken and fish consumed in a particular European country between 1979 and 2004. In 1979 beef was by far the most popular of these foods, with about 225 grams consumed per person per week. Lamb and chicken were eaten in similar quantities (around 150 grams), while much less fish was consumed (just over 50 grams). However, during this 25-year period the consumption of beef and lamb fell dramatically to approximately 100 grams and 55 grams respectively. The consumption of fish also declined, but much less significantly to just below 50 grams. Therefore, although it remained the least popular food, consumption levels were the most stable. The consumption of chicken, on the other hand, showed an upward trend, overtaking that of lamb in 1980 and that of beef in 1989. By 2004 it had soared to almost 250 grams per person per week. Overall, the graph shows how the consumption of chicken increased dramatically while the popularity of these other foods decreased over the period.

26


Cambridge 7 test 3 The chart below shows information about changes in average house prices in five different cities between 1990 and 2002 compared with the average house prices in 1989. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. Percentage change in average house prices in five cities 1990-2002 compared with 1989

The given column graph illustrates the changes in average house prices in five different cities located in five different countries from 1990 to 2002 as compared to the prices in 1989. There were considerable variations in the average house prices over the period. During the period from 1990 to 1995, the average house prices fell significantly by 5% in New York(U.S.A.), 7.5% each in Tokyo(Japan) and London(U.K.) whereas the average house prices increased slightly by 2% and 2.5% in Madrid (Spain) and Frankfurt(Germany) respectively. In the next seven year period, the average house prices fell only in Tokyo by 5% whereas the prices increased in all other four cities. The increase was most pronounced in London, where it was 12%. In all other cities it was below 5%, the least (2%) being in Frankfurt. It is clear that the average house prices picked up most in the latter seven years of this 12 year period.

27


Cambridge 7 test 4 The pie charts below show units of electricity production by fuel source in Australia and France in 1980 and 2000. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The given pie charts compare the sources of electricity in Australia and France in the years 1980 and 2000. Between these years electricity production almost doubled, rising from 100 units to 170 in Australia, and from 90 to 180 units in France. In 1980 in Australia, a total of 100 units of electricity were produced out of which half the amount of electricity was produced from coal and the rest was produced from natural gas, hydro power (each producing 20 units) and oil (which produced only 10 units). By 2000, coal was used to produce more than 75% of electricity and only hydro continued to be another significant source supplying approximately 20%. A negligible amount (2 units each) was produced from oil and natural gas. In contrast, France used coal as a source for only 25 units of electricity in 1980, which was matched by natural gas. The remaining 40 units were produced largely from oil and nuclear power, with hydro contributing only 5 units. But by 2000, nuclear power, which was not used at all in Australia, had developed into the main source, producing almost 75% of electricity, at 126 units, while coal and oil together produced only 50 units. Other sources were no longer significant. Overall, it is clear that by 2000 these two countries relied on different principal fuel sources: Australia relied on coal and France on nuclear power.

28


GRAPHS FROM IELTS BOOKS

Step up to IELTS The pictures below show how someone can be tracked using an electronic tracking device. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown.

The diagram illustrates how an electronic tracking device can be fitted to someone's clothing or hidden in a bag, in order to allow that person to be tracked and located. There are three basic stages to the process. The first stage in the tracking process is to hide the device (the tracker) in an appropriate place such as a bag or the person’s clothing. The location of the device is monitored by satellite. A message is transmitted from the device to a transmission tower. It is received and then retransmitted as a text message to a mobile phone indicating exactly where the person is. His or her location can also be picked up on a computer / internet website. The device is able to provide details such as the name of the street or pinpoint a specific place on a map/screen. A device of this nature could be very effective as a means of tracking and locating someone such as a school child.

29


30

Step up to IELTS The diagram below contains information about distribution of water usage in Australia and the average household water usage in Australia. Write a report for a university lecturer……….. A. Distribution of water usage in Australia 50 40 30 Purposes for which water is used ( is shown as percentage of total)

20 10 0 Urban usage

Irrigation

Industry

Other

B. Average household water usage in Australia drinking / cooking

Gardens / swimming pools

Other

personal hygeine washing clothes washing clothes personal hygeine

Gardens / swimming pools

drinking / cooking Other

The given column graph and pie chart relate to different aspects of water consumption in Australia. The column graph provides an overview of how water is used generally, whereas the pie chart gives a breakdown of household water usage. From the column graph we can see that a slightly higher percentage of water goes on irrigation than on urban usage, 45 per cent in fact, while the proportion of water used in industry is approximately 10 per cent, is far smaller than in either of these other areas. From the chart we can see that by far the largest proportion of domestic water, well over 50% in fact, goes into gardens and swimming pools. Drinking and cooking account for a smaller volume of water consumption than personal hygiene and clothes washing, which together make up about 25%. A very small percentage of water is used for other purposes which are not identified in the chart. When read together, the two charts provide a useful overview of water use in Australia.


31

Step up to IELTS The diagrams below contain information about land and light penetration under the ocean. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

Profile across the sea coast of a continent (not to scale)

Depth zones of the ocean

The two diagrams illustrate the shape and formation of the land under the sea. The first profile provides a cross section of the coast of a continent beneath the surface of the sea, and illustrates that the continental shelf goes to a depth of approximately 200 metres below sea level. The land then drops abruptly to the bottom of the ocean, which is known as the sea floor. The second diagram focuses on the depth of the ocean and the amount of light that penetrates to the bottom. Sea level is shown as 0 m and the first 200 m below the surface is referred to as the sunlight zone. This is where the continental shelf ends. Below this is the twilight zone, which descends for 800 m. The water temperature shown is approximately 5°C in this zone. The area between 1000 m and 4000 m is known as the dark zone, with a water temperature of I-2°C. Almost no light can penetrate this far down.


32

Step up to IELTS The chart and graph below give information about sales and share prices for Coca-Cola. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below. A lot of bottles - Coca-Cola's unit case volume by region, 2000, % of total ( Total 17.1 bn) Africa and Middle East, 7 Asia, 16.4

North America , 30.4

Europe, 20.5 Latin America, 25.7

Two graphs are given. The pie chart shows the worldwide distribution of sales of Coca-Cola in the year 2000 and the line graph shows the change in share prices between 1996 and 2001. In the year 2000, Coca-Cola sold a total of 17.1 billion cases of their fizzy drink product worldwide. The largest consumer was North America, where 30.4 per cent of the total volume was purchased. The second largest consumer was Latin America. Europe and Asia purchased 20.5 and 16.4 per cent of the total volume respectively, while Africa and the Middle East remained fairly small consumers at 7 per cent of the total volume of sales. Form the line graph it is clear that since 1996, share prices for Coca-Cola have fluctuated. In that year, shares were valued at approximately $35. Between 1996 and 1997, however, prices rose significantly to $70 per share. They dipped a little in mid-1997 and then peaked at $80 per share in mid-98. From then until 2000 their value fell consistently but there was a slight rise in mid-2000. This ends my report.


Step up to IELTS The chart below gives information about global sales of games software, CDs and DVD or video. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information. 

You should write at least 150 words.



You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.

The given column graph shows the sales of video material / DVDs, games software and CDs around the world in billions of dollars from 2000 to 2003. It can be seen that the sales of videos / DVDs and games software increasedconsiderably, while the sales of CDs went down slightly over the three year period. Between 2000 and 2003, the sale of videos and DVDs rose by approximately 13 billion dollars. In 2000, just under 20 billion dollars worth of these items were sold, but in 2003, this figure had risen to a little over 30 billion dollars. The sales of games software also rose during this period, but less sharply. Sales increased from about 13 billion dollars in 2000 to just under 20 billion dollars three years later. By contrast, during the same time period, the sale of CDs fell from 35 billion dollars in 2000 to about 32.5 billion dollars in 2003.

33


34

Step up to IELTS The tables below show average yearly temperatures and rainfall for two cities in Australia. Describe the charts and make comparisons where relevant. Average yearly temperatures and rainfall for Brisbane and Melbourne in Australia

Brisbane climate Max° C Min° C Rainfall mm Rainy days

Jan. 29 21 169 14

Apr. 27 17 86 11

July 21 11 66 7

Oct. 26 16 102 10

Melbourne climate Max° C Min° C Rainfall mm Rainy days

Jan. 26 14 48 8

Apr. 20 11 57 12

July 13 4 49 15

Oct. 20 9 67 14

The given tables compare the average annual temperatures and rainfall for two cities Brisbane and Melbourne in Australia. It can be seen from the tables that there are some similarities and some differences in the climates. Brisbane and Melbourne have similar climates. However, we can see from the information provided that Brisbane is warmer than Melbourne although the differences in temperature are not huge. One interesting point is that the temperature in Brisbane never falls below 11° C, even in winter in July. Melbourne on the other hand experiences colder winters with average minimum temperatures as low as 4°. Both Melbourne and Brisbane have good annual rainfall. Brisbane, however, receives almost twice as much rain as Melbourne, while it has fewer wetter days. The wettest months in both cities are January and October, although neither city has a totally dry season, according to the data. So we can see that the climates of both cities have some similarities and some variations.


35

Step up to IELTS The graph below shows the world oil production since 1980 with a forecast till 2020. Write a report ……. Forecast in the world oil production - million barrels / day 20

15

Non OPEC

10

Other OPEC OPEC Middle east 5

0 1980-2000

2000-2010

2010-2020

The graph gives the past, present and future data concerning the production of the world’s oil in OPEC and non-OPEC countries. The figures show that while the production of oil in Middle Eastern OPEC countries is predicted to increase considerably, oil production elsewhere is likely to fall. Between 1980 and 2000, most of the world’s oil came from non-OPEC countries; only two million barrels were produced by OPEC countries. Since then these figures have changed considerably. Between 2000 and 2010, it is shown that approximately 10 million has come from Middle Eastern OPEC countries, while a further 10 million barrels has been provided by other OPEC or non-OPEC countries. It is predicted that oil production is likely to stabilise between 2010 and 2020. However, a lot more of this oil is expected to come from the Middle Eastern OPEC countries, and under 5 million barrels per day from other areas.


Prepare for IELTS – AC The following diagram shows nitrogen sources and concentration levels in the groundwater of a coastal city. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.

This diagram shows the sources and concentration levels of nitrogen in the groundwater of a coastal city. It can be seen from the diagram that nitrogen is oxidised by lightning or fixed by vegetation. Domestic wastes and fertilizers used in gardens also add to the nitrogen in the water table. Industries add nitrogen through leaks from storage tanks and wastewater ponds, and the disposal of waste in landfills may lead to more nitrogen entering the water table. The heaviest concentration of nitrogen comes from industry, from household liquid waste, and from landfill. The groundwater flows toward the sea and discharges into the ocean in the groundwater discharge zone. From the water table, some nitrogen is taken up by soil particles. Nitrogen is also added back to the soil by de-nitrification and degassing of ammonia. Therefore the concentration tends to decrease near the saltwater interface and between the areas of high concentration of nitrogen which descend from industry and waste disposal.

In this way the nitrogen cycle goes on.

36


37

Prepare for IELTS – AC – Insearch The table below shows consumer preferences for the features of automatic washing machines in different countries. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant. EXHIBIT ONE: CONSUMER PREFERENCES AS TO AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINE FEATURES, BY COUNTRY FEATURES

UNITED KINGDOM

GERMANY

FRANCE

SWEDEN

Shell dimensions

34" & narrow

34" & wide

34" & narrow

34" & wide

Drum material

Enamel

Stainless steel

Enamel

Stainless steel

Loading

Top

Front

Front

Front

Capacity

5 kilos

6 kilos

5 kilos

6 kilos

Spin speed

700 rpm

850 rpm

600 rpm

800 rpm

Water heating system

Yes

No

No

Yes

Styling features

Inconspicuous appearance

Indestructible appearance

Elegant appearance

Strong appearance

Washing action

Agitator

Tumble

Agitator

Tumble

[height and width]

The table shows consumer preferences for washing machines in four different European countries. In the United Kingdom [UK) and France consumers prefer 34" and narrow shells whereas in Germany and Sweden they prefer 34" and wide shells. The load capacity varies slightly between 5 and 6 kilos. The preferred spin speed ranges from 850 rpm [Germany], 800 rpm [Sweden], 700 rpm [UK], to 600 rpm [France]. The preferred drum material is enamel in the UK and France whereas it is stainless steel in the other countries. Consumers in every country except the UK prefer front loading to top loading machines. The British and the Swedes opt for a water heating system, but this is not so elsewhere. Each country has a different preference for styling features, the British favouring an inconspicuous appearance, the Germans requiring a machine which looks indestructible, the French an elegant machine and the Swedes a strong-looking machine. The final feature, the washing action, sees a division between the UK and France where consumers prefer an agitator, and the other countries where a tumble action is preferred. This ends my report.


38

Prepare for IELTS – AC – Insearch The following graphs give information about the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment sectors of a developing country. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Sectoral distribution of employment and GDP,1992 Natural Resources Industry

Services

Other TOTAL

Trade, restaurants, hotels Transport. communication Government

Employment 77.4%

GDP 19.2%

3.6% 4.9%

15.4% 37.1%

1.6%

8.4%

8.7% 3.8% 100%

12.5% 7.4% 100%

The table shows the percentage of people employed in different sectors of the economy in 1992, and the percentage of GDP which they produced. The main economic sectors are natural resources, industry and services. The line graph shows the trends in the percentage of GDP between 1986 and 1995. The first graph reveals that although 77.4% of the population worked in natural resources in 1992, they produced only 19.2% of GDP. However, the 3.6% of the population who worked in industry produced 15.4% of GDP, and the 15.2% who worked in the service sector produced 58% of GDP. The second graph shows that the percentage of GDP in the services sector fell steadily from approximately 65% to 53%. In 1986 natural resources provided more than 25% of GDP, but this declined to less than 20% in 1992, recovered in 1993 but fell below 20% in 1995. Industry earned less than 10% of GDP in 1986, but rose to almost 20% in 1995. The two graphs reveal that GDP was earned primarily by the service sector.


39

Prepare for IELTS – AC – Insearch The graphs below show the enrolment of overseas students and local students in Australian universities over a ten year period. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Enrolments 1989-1999

The two graphs show student enrolment trends over a ten-year period, from 1989-1999, in Australian universities. The first graph illustrates overseas student enrolments and the second local student enrolments. The first graph clearly shows that new overseas students continue to enrol in Australian universities. In 1999 there were approximately 80,000 overseas students [around half of whom were new students). The rate of increase in the number of overseas students has been dramatic, doubling every five years, from just under 9,000 in 1989, to 20,000 in 1994 and then over 40,000 in 1999. The local student population was around 600,000 in 1999 with just 200,000 of these being new students. This was just 33% of the local total. It was a significant decline from 50% ten years before, when the total local student population was 400,000 out of which approximately 200,000 were new students. The trends clearly demonstrate that growth can be expected to continue from overseas students but not for local students. The two graphs clearly demonstrate increasing demand for Australian university education by overseas students [increasing 400%] with a significantly smaller increase by local students [just 50%J for this period.


40

Prepare for IELTS – AC – Insearch The graphs below show the post-school qualifications held by Australians in the age groups 25 to 34 and 55 to 69. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting main features, and make comparisons where relevant. POST SCHOOL QUALIFICATIONS 357,500 Australians aged between 25 and 34 hold a degree. Their main fields of study were:

Administration, 19.08%

Social Sciences, Arts, 19.48%

other, 2.24%

law, 5.54% Education, 14.76%

medicine, 7.40%

Architecture, 1.85%

Science, Mths, Computers, 18.19%

Engineering, 9.36% Veterinary, Agriculture, 2.10%

104,800 Australians aged between 55 and 69 hold a degree. Their main fields of study were: Administration, 14.98% Social Sciences, Arts, 20.42%

Education, 13.17%

other, 2.48% law, 3.34%

medicine, 11.31%

Science, Mths, Computers, 10.11%

Architecture, 2.92%

Veterinary, Agriculture, 2.00% Engineering, 19.27%

These two pie charts show the differences between two groups of Australians [25 to 34 and 55 to 69 year olds] in terms of their post-school qualifications. The most striking feature of the pie charts is the huge number of people with qualifications. The younger group is more than three times bigger than the older group [347,500 compared to 104,800). Comparing the two groups, architecture and medicine were less popular with younger graduates; medicine was lower in popularity by almost 4%. However, the biggest loss was to engineering, which was preferred by 19.27% of the older age group as compared to 9.35% of the younger age group. Some subjects were more popular with the younger age group. The biggest gains in graduate numbers were made by Science, Maths and Computers which, as a group, were held by 18.19%. Administration was 4.1% more popular in the 25 to 34 year olds. To sum up, the graphs show that the number of young graduates were threefold more than the number of older graduates.


41

Ac task 1 High Impact The graph shows typical levels in enthusiasm, confidence and ability of students attending a ten week IELTS class. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given below.

100 90 80

Per cent

70 60 50

Ability

40

Confidence

30

Enthusiasm2

20 10 0

The given line graph shows the changes in three factors affecting students over a ten week period in an IELTS class. Overall it can be seen that ability increases a lot over the ten week period and confidence also increases but enthusiasm drops over the time. The most striking point is that at the beginning of the course, students' enthusiasm is almost 100 per cent whereas confidence and ability are only slightly above 20 per cent. Over the first four weeks, both confidence and ability increase, while enthusiasm declines steadily until the sixth week. Confidence takes a sharp fall but then rises again until week 8, while ability continues to climb. Between weeks 7 and 8, enthusiasm overtakes ability at about 70 per cent, finishing on approximately 85 per cent by the end of week 10. Confidence, however, continues to decline from week 8 ending at approximately the level in week 2. Overall, confidence and enthusiasm show fluctuations, whereas ability increases throughout.


42

Ac task 1 High Impact The graphs below show three exports from South East Asia and the four sources of revenue for 1970 and 1995. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given below. 50

Exports from South East Asia

45

Millions of $ US

40 35 30 25

Manufactured products

20

Timber

15

Other raw products

10 5 0 1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

Sources of revenue for South East Asia 1970 Other, 11%

1995

Sources of revenue for South East Asia 1995 Other, 13%

Domestic , 33% Tourism, 27%

Domestic, 21%

Exports, 12%

Exports, 29%

Tourism, 54%

The three graphs present changes in exports and revenue in South East Asia from 1970 to 1995. The line graph shows three different exports, namely manufactured products, timber and other raw materials. From 1970 to 1975, these three exports rose, with timber increasing most dramatically by $20 million US dollars. From 1975, exports from both timber and other raw materials declined whereas exports from manufactured products continued to increase with a peak of approximately $43 million US dollars in 1988. From the pie charts it is clear that the source of revenue from tourism doubled in 1995 as compared to 1970. It was 27% in 1970 and 54% in 1995.However, this was accompanied by a decline of over one third in domestic revenue ( from 33% to 21%). The remaining named source of income, classed as 'other', experienced only a slight increase of 2% over the same period. The revenue from exports decreased markedly from 29% to 12%. In conclusion, it can be observed that while timber and raw material exports fell, revenue from tourism markedly increased.


43

Ac task 1 High Impact The graph below shows four areas of accommodation status in a major European city from 1970 to 2000. 57

38 000s

tenants buying/bought landlords Other

19

0 1970

1980

1990

2000

The graph shows trends in a European city in four different types of accommodation position over a thirty year period. The most striking trend is the overall decline in the number of people having bought or in the process of buying, their own property, falling from approximately 55,000 in 1970 to approximately 15,000 by 1990. There was a slight recovery to about 19,000 by 2000. In contrast, the number of people in the category 'other', increased from 20,000 in 1970 to 35,000 in 1990. However, after that the number of people in this category fell dramatically and reached 19,000 again by 2000. A similar correlation can be observed between the number of tenants and the number of landlords, with nearly 50,000 tenants and just over 10,000 fewer landlords in 1980. From that point to 2000, both numbers declined, although the number of landlords declined at a marginally faster rate. Overall, all categories of accommodation declined over the period, with the sharpest decline coming from those buying a property.


44

Ac task 1 High Impact The diagram below shows the process of publishing a book. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given below Author works on manuscript Author makes revisions

Received by publishing house Assessment Pre-production meetings Publishing schedule established

Production team assembled Book edited and produced in galley stage Illustrations commissioned

Checked by author and editor

First page proofs Checked by author and editor

Second page proofs

Sent to printer The given flow chart illustrates the process of developing a manuscript into a published book. It is clear from the linear process that many steps are involved in publishing a book. The process begins with the initial writing, which is then sent to a publishing house for assessment. If necessary, the material is then returned for revisions by the writer and this cycle of the process is repeated until it passes the assessment stage. Following that, the project is discussed in pre-production meetings. Once a schedule has been arranged, a team is brought together for production and the work is edited and produced in the galley stage. This goes to the editor and the writer, following which illustrations are commissioned and the work is checked by the author and the editor. This is then converted into first page proofs which are once again checked by both the editor and the author before moving on to second page proofs. The process is concluded when these proofs are sent to the printer. This ends my report.


45

Ac task 1 High Impact The graph shows the most popular sports watched by different age groups in an average European city. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given below.

Number of people (000s)

50

People who regularly watch sporting events

40

30 15-25 years old 20

26-40 years old 41 + years

10

0

The column graph illustrates the number of people of different age groups, who watch various sports such as soccer, tennis, rugby, golf, athletics and cricket in a typical city in Europe. The most notable trend is that people aged between 15 and 25 always rank the lowest regardless of sport. The graph shows that in this age category, golf is not watched at all, and athletics and cricket are not popular (5,000 and 10,000 spectators respectively). Soccer attracts the most spectators for this age range, closely followed by rugby ( 24,000 and 22,000 viewers respectively). Those people aged 41 or over account for the highest number of spectators of most sports, particularly in golf and cricket. Rugby and athletics, however, are favoured by those in the middle category, aged between 26 and 40, being the clear majority of rugby spectators. Of all the sports, cricket and golf show the widest disparity between the age groups, with soccer being the sport that draws an almost even number of spectators.


46

Ac task 1 High Impact The chart below shows days taken off work due to stress-related illnesses by job for men and women. 15

Stress-related illness in four different jobs, 1998

14

12

Days off work

10 Men

7

Women 5

4

4 3

2 1 0 Factory worker

Teacher

Police officer

Fire fighter

The given column graph illustrates the number of days taken off from work, in four types of jobs, because of stress related problems among men and women in 1998. The chart illustrates the impact of illness due to stress and its correlation to days absent from work for both sexes. The most obvious point is that men rated higher than women across the chart, with the most striking difference coming from those employed as fire fighters. In this occupation, men took more than three times as many days off, averaging 14 days in the year compared with four days for women. A similar trend can be observed with police officers, with men being absent for nearly twice the number of days. The result for factory workers and teachers is not so pointed, but still with women taking fewer days off than men. For both groups, the difference between the sexes was only one day a year. Stress-related absence from work only accounted for one day a year for women in factory positions rising to three for teachers. Men were absent for two days and four days respectively. On the whole police officers and fire fighters take more days off from work than teachers and factory workers. However, even in these professions women are better at coping with stress than men and take fewer days off.


47

AC task 1 High Impact The table below shows the attitudes to recycling of people in different age groups. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below Age groups 5-14

15-25

26-40

41-55

56-70

71+

Actively recycle

8

59

48

47

39

8

Recycle when they remember

21

20

34

26

16

34

Don’t know anything about recycling Prefer not to comment

52

8

4

7

28

42

19

13

14

20

17

16

opinion

All data is in percentages

The table gives opinions on recycling in percentages of people in six different age categories. At less than 10 per cent, those under 15 and over 71 represent the lowest percentage of people that actively recycle. This figure increases over five-fold to 59 per cent for those aged 15 to 25. The remaining age categories vary between just under half to over one-third of people. The under 15s remain the largest per cent of people who do not know about recycling. The lowest percentage is those aged 26 to 40, although this figure doubles to eight percent for those just under this age. Slightly more than a quarter of those aged 56 to 70 know nothing about recycling, a figure which is four times higher than those aged 41 to 55. One-fifth of people aged 41 to 55 opt not to give their opinions on recycling, with those under 15 just one per cent behind. The remaining four categories are within a four per cent range.


48

Ac task 1 High Impact The table below shows the production and consumption of natural gas in different countries in 2001. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below

Natural gas consumption and production, 2001 Consumption* Production*

Country

The USA

588.9

500.0

The United Kingdom

86.1

97.3

The former Soviet Union

7.1

0.4

The United Arab Emirates

30.0

35.9

Australia

19.1

28.0

Japan

68.6

-

New Zealand

4.9

5.1

South Korea

18.9

-

China

24.3

25.0

*In millions of tonnes

The table provides data about the use and production of natural gas in nine different countries in 2001. The most striking trend can be seen in The USA, where figures are over five times higher than those of any other country. With the exception of the former Soviet Union, other countries' production figures are higher than their consumption figures although there are no figures provided for either Japan or South Korea. New Zealand had the lowest consumption and the closest correlation to its production, with 0.2 million tonnes excess. In contrast, the former Soviet Union accounted for far less production than it consumed, using nearly 15 times the amount it produced. Australia produced nearly one-third more natural gas than it consumed. The United Kingdom produced over 10 million tonnes more than it used, twice the excess produced by the United Arab Emirates. China consumed only 0.7 million tonnes less than its production. Although the majority of countries produced more gas than they used in the same year, the rate of both production and consumption was markedly different between them.


49

AC task 1 High Impact The graph shows the number of people using different modes of transport to travel to work in 1990, 1995 and 2000 in Melingen City. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information given below.

Modes of transport used to travel to work in Melingen City, 1990-2000 100 80 60 000s

1990 1995

40

2000 20 0 Bus

Car

Train

Bicycle

Walk

Other

The given column graph illustrates the number of citizens who used different transportation to work in three separate years, namely 1990, 1995 and 2000 in Melingen City. The vertical axis represents the number of people in thousands and the horizontal stands for the different modes of transport like bus, car, train, bicycle and so on. The number of people who drove to work was dramatically higher than others. The number of citizens who went to work by bus was 20,000 in 1990. It rose to 25,000 in 1995 and then dropped to 20,000 in 2000. In contrast, the number of people who travelled by train was slightly higher than those who travelled by bus. The number was approximately 26,000 in 1990. In 1995, the highest number of people travelled by train. The number of people who used bicycle and walking was not very high. An insignificant number used other modes of transport not mentioned in the graph. On the whole, the column graph shows that cars were the most popular form of transport over the three years.


Ac task 1 High Impact The diagram below shows two proposed sites for a hospital. Which would be better for a hospital.

In both plans a proposed site for a hospital has been marked, and there are a number of similarities and differences between the proposed sites. Both are situated beside a main road and have a car park although in plan A the car park is slightly further from the suggested site. In plan B, the main road terminates at the car park, whereas in the first plan it continues. Added to this, the route of the main road passes much closer to the hospital site which could cause problems due to traffic noise. On the other hand, plan A also has access by train even though the station is half kilometre away and requires crossing a main road. Around the site, both plans have natural features. In plan B there is a mountainous area and a river but these may be less accessible than the park and lake offered in plan A. Overall, plan A is superior because of the amenities it allows for patients, staff and visitors.

50


51

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book The bar chart shows the average consumption by car drivers of two types of fuel for a range of different age groups in 2005. Summarise the info…….. 14 12

Litres per week

10 8 6

Unleaded petrol Diesel

4 2 0 20-25 years

26-30 years

31-35 years

36-40 years

41-45 years

46-50 years

51-55 years

56-60 years

Age range in years

The given column graph illustrates the average amount of diesel and unleaded petrol consumed in a week for age groups ranging from 20 to 60 years of age. Generally unleaded petrol was consumed at a much higher rate than diesel, the highest being 14 litres of unleaded petrol per week for the 41-45 year age groups. This is a difference of three litres in comparison with diesel. The 20 to 25 year age group shows the largest variation in fuel use with leaded petrol consumption being over five times as large as diesel. In contrast, for the two oldest age groups the pattern is reversed with the amount of diesel consumed being about 1 litre higher. In addition, the consumption of diesel was the same for 51 to 55 age group and the 56 to 60 age group( 7 litres per week). Overall it can be seen that there is a significant difference in consumption across the age ranges with the middle range using the most fuel.


52

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book This graph illustrates the number of Chinese, Japanese and Indian students who enrolled at North Dean University over a five year period. Summarise the information…….

120

International student enrolment

100

Numbers

80 60

China Japan

40

India

20 0 1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

Years

The given line graph illustrates the enrolment of Chinese, Japanese and Indian students at North Dean University from 1999 to 2003. During the period, enrolment of both Chinese and Indian students more than trebled. However, Japanese admissions fell substantially with numbers being almost the reverse of those for Chinese students. Chinese numbers increased slightly up to 2002 followed by a sharp growth reaching almost 100 students by 2003. Similarly, numbers of Indian students showed a steady growth throughout the period from about 10 in 1999 to over 70 in 2003. In contrast, enrolment of Japanese students dropped from a number of over 100 students in 1999 to over 90 in 2000 to just over 40 in 2001. Numbers then stabilised throughout 2001, finally dropping again to a low of around 30 in 2003. A further point of interest is that in 2001, enrolments in all the three countries were very similar, the average difference being approximately 10 students. Overall, the graph highlights a considerable difference between growth of Chinese and Indian enrolments but reduction in Japanese enrolments.


53

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book The graph shows the percentage of staff trained by four different companies between 2003 and 2006. Summarise the information……. 40

Staff training provided by four companies

35 30 Company A % 25

Company B Company C

20

Company D

15 10 2003

2004

2005

2006

The given line graph illustrates the staff trained by four companies for the period 2003 to 2006. In 2003, companies A, B and C had similar levels ( between 25% and 28% ), with company D significantly lower at 20 %. By 2006, all companies had increased their training with D rising substantially to become the second largest at 35% whilst A grew less, ending about 10 % lower than the others. A and B showed similar trends rising slightly in 2004, falling a little in 2005 with the gap between them gradually increasing. In contrast C and D showed very different changes. In 2003, training by D fell to a low of about 17% whilst C rose steeply reaching a high of over 35%. After significant growth by D and a steady decline by C in 2004, the two companies converged in 2001, with C peaking at around 37% and D at 35%. Overall, it can be seen that staff training for all four companies increased, although following very different trends.


54

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book The diagram shows the different stages in the making of a straw bale house. Summarise the information……. Straw Bale House Construction Previous building demolished and ground prepared Concrete stem wall Straw bales Roof and external finish Internal installation Electrics

Plumbing

Insulation

Structural inspection ( Buildings officer) Decoration (painting, carpet, curtains etc.) Furnishing (white goods, furniture, entertainment systems) The given flowchart illustrates the different stages in the construction of a straw bale house. It is seen from the graph that several steps are involved in the construction of the straw bale house. The process commences with the demolition of the previous building and the preparation of the ground in order to give a solid base for the new building. After this the bales are positioned and secured. At this point, the roof is installed and the external finish is completed. Following that, work commences on the inside of the house with several steps happening simultaneously. Electric and plumbing work is completed to provide heat, light and water and the house is insulated to reduce energy loss. The next stage in the process is when the structure is inspected by the buildings officer to ensure that safety requirements are met. Before the property can be furnished it must be decorated. This step involves painting and carpeting as well as putting up curtains as well as other decorative fittings. Finally, the construction is finished and the new house is ready for sale.


55

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book

The table below shows the percentage use of four different fuel types to generate electricity in five European countries in 2001. Summarise the info…….. Fuel types used to generate electricity (%) Nuclear Coal and lignite Germany 29 50 Britain 23 34 Italy 0 11 Sweden 45 1 Belgium 58 12

Petroleum products 1 2 27 2 2

Hydro and wind 6 2 20 49 2

Other 13 39 42 44 26

The table shows different sources of fuel for producing electricity and their percentage use in five European countries in 2001. Generally, the five European countries showed a significant difference in their patterns of consumption. Taking nuclear fuel first, Belgium had the highest percentage with 58% with Sweden second with 45%. In marked contrast, Italy used no nuclear power at all. Turning to coal and lignite, Germany and Britain used this to generate a large proportion of their electricity (50% and 34% respectively), a much higher percentage than remaining countries. Regarding petroleum products, Italy produced 70% of its electricity from this source. In comparison, the other countries only generated 2% or less of their electricity from this fuel. However, hydro and wind reveal another pattern with Sweden producing almost half of the electricity this way (over twice as high as Italy which had the second highest percentage at 20%) Finally, a significant amount was produced from other sources with three countries (Britain, Italy and Sweden) generating about 40% of their electricity from other fuels. Overall, it can be seen that there was a significant variation in which fuels countries used to generate electricity.

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com IELTS Graduation Student’s Book

The diagram below shows the life cycle of a frog. Summarise the information ……..

The diagram shows the life cycle of a frog from the egg to the mature frog. Initially, the eggs, which are called frogspawn, float on the surface of the pond. The step after this is the emergence of the small tadpole, which has a small body and a long tail. Over time, the tadpole develops and its body enlarges while the tail becomes longer. Gradually, the legs appear in order to prepare the tadpole for its future life on land. Eventually, the tadpole starts to change into a young frog with a wider mouth, a reduced tail and bigger legs. At this point, the young frog continues to live in the pond. Finally, the frog matures and moves onto the land. As a result of being on land, it breathes air it loses its tail. The mature frog then finds a mate so as to produce eggs and the lifecycle begins again.

56

www.kiransielts.blogspot.com IELTS Graduation Student’s Book

The diagram below shows the carbon cycle. Summarise the information………….

The diagram shows the different changes carbon goes through as it is transported from fossil fuel to atmospheric gas and back again. To begin with, carbon, in the form of coal and oil, is extracted from within the earth by mining. After this stage is complete, these fossil fuels are burnt so as to provide energy for goods manufacturing, the production of electricity and transport, in fuels such as petrol and diesel. As a result of burning fossil fuels, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere which causes pollution and contributes to global warming. The negative effects of this step in the cycle are balanced by the CO2 being absorbed by the trees. Any reduction in trees caused by forest clearance reduces CO2 absorption and adds to global warming. The final stage in the process is when trees decay and gradually form back into coal and oil. Once the final stage has been completed, the carbon returns to its original state as a fossil fuel and the cycle continues again.

57


58


The charts below show the share of global manufacturing and exports for four countries between 1985 and 2005. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Share of global manufacturing Germany China 1985

Japan

1995

US

2005 0

10

20

30

40

%

Share of world exports Germany China 1985

Japan

1995

US

2005 0

5

10

15

20

%

The given bar graphs compare the worldwide manufacturing and exports as a percentage, from 1985 to 2005 in Germany, China, Japan and the US. The U.S. had the largest share of global manufacturing and exports although its manufacturing percentage dropped significantly from around 36 % in 1985 to under 24% in 2005. In contrast, China’s manufacturing and exports represented the smallest share of the four countries. However, it was the country with the greatest growth with manufacturing up from 5% to just under 15% and exports up from 3% to 10%. Turning to Japan, it had the second largest percentage of manufacturing although by 2005, it was equalled by China. However, its exports experienced a steady fall ending as the lowest exporter of the group. Despite Germany’s manufacturing being the lowest of the countries, it remained steady throughout the period. Its exports, however, represented the second largest percentage, showing a slight increase from about 11 to 12%. Overall it can be seen that U.S. remained the largest manufacturer and exporter, although the steady growth in China was significant.


59

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book The charts below show the work pattern for employees in four industries. Summarise the information ……………..

Catering Day 21%

Transport Evening 31%

Evening 14%

Day 39% Night 33%

Night 13%

Weekend 35%

Retail

Weekend 14%

Finance Evening 21%

Day 45%

Night Evening 5% 9% Weekend 4%

Night 4% Day 82% Weekend 30%

The given pie charts show the pattern of work for workers employed in four industries which are catering, retail, transport and finance. Firstly, looking at daytime work, the vast majority of finance staff work at this time (82%) while well under half of retail and transport workers follow this pattern (45% and 39% respectively). Conversely, only slightly over two fifths of catering employees work in the day with 35% working at the weekends, which is similar to retail staff at 30%. For the catering, finance and retail sector, only a minority work at night (13%, 5% and 4% respectively) In contrast, a third of transport staff are employed at night which is almost equal to the number working in the day. Finally, for catering, transport and retail, the numbers in evening work is approximately the same as those in weekend work. For the finance sector, evening work is equal in size to the combined total of night and weekend work. To sum up, it can be seen that there is a wide variation in work patterns in the four sectors with only the finance sector employing the majority of workers in daytime work.

kiransielts.blogspot.com

60

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book The diagrams below show the main reasons workers chose to work at home and the hours males and females worked at home for the year 2005. Summarise the info …………………

%

Main reasons for working at home 2005 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

69

65

Males 26

23 12

To run own business

More flexible

Females

5 Easier childcare

Hours worked at home - 2005 Hrs worked per week Under 10 10-30 31+

Males(%) 2 16 82

Females(%) 73 22 5

A column graph and a table are given. The column graph shows the reasons why men and women chose to work at home in 2005. Overall, running their own business was the main reason for both males and females (69% and 65% respectively). In contrast, approximately a quarter of the males put flexibility a reason, which was twice as high as the female response (26% and 12% respectively). For childcare, the pattern was different again with almost a quarter of females giving this reason compared with very few males (5%). The second diagram shows the hours men and women worked at home in 2005. The vast majority of males worked over 31 hours a week (82%) contrasting with a minority of females (5%) doing similar hours. The pattern is reversed when examining the under 10 hours category with almost three quarters of females working this amount compared to only 2% of the males. The 10-30 hours category shows fewer marked differences. To sum up, it can be seen that men and women do not always give the same reason for home working and in general, men work longer hours at home.


61

IELTS Graduation Student’s Book The illustrations show two stages in the development of the mobile phone. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

The given picture show two mobile phones, an early model and a more recent design. Despite the many differences, both phones show the same basic design principle. The main part of both phones is a keypad which is used to enter information. Above this are the control buttons for selecting different functions. The top sections of the phones contain the display and the earphone. However, there are several major differences. The most significant difference is that the contemporary model is a folder type phone. The length is reduced by 40mm and width by 10 mm compared to the earlier phone. It is also under half the weight of the earlier model (150 grams and 70 grams respectively). Another variation is that the contemporary mobile has greater functions and can access e-mail and the internet, play music and has a multiplayer game facility as well as a camera with video capability. The much larger colour display is clearly the most useful of these extra functions. Overall, it can be seen that both function as telephones but the contemporary mobile is much more advanced despite its reduced size.


62


The illustration shows a house designed to use energy efficiently all year round. The house follows a conventional design but with number of innovations. The first floor of the house is situated underground whilst the upper floor consists of a wide low-angled roof. Along the length of this roof are a series of oblong shaped skylights. In the summer, the skylights open fully, which allows heat to be released. The roof covering which reflects heat reduces heat penetration and helps to protect the house from being too hot in the summer. Similarly, the underground floor remains cool in the summer months as a result of being protected from the sun’s rays. In the winter, these features function differently and are used to retain heat. The skylights maximise the amount of heat and light entering the house and wall insulation prevents this from escaping. The underground floor is less affected by cold weather as the surrounding earth helps to retain warmth. To summarise, it can be seen that the house uses design features which maximise heat retention in winter and heat loss in summer.


63


The map below shows three potential sites for a leisure centre. Summarise the information and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram shows a map with three potential sites for a leisure centre. If the leisure centre was located in between the factories to the right of the map, at (A), the site would not be very attractive, but would be easily accessible to the workers. Also, its proximity to the river would benefit users interested in water sports. Location B is in the middle of the residential area in the top left hand corner of the factories. It would be easier access for local residents, who would create less car pollution as they would not need to drive there although one disadvantage would be problem of congestion if people from out of town used these facilities. Turning to location C in the lower left part of the map, it would have the most attractive setting due to being surrounded by forest. However, environmental destruction caused by the construction of this centre, and the ongoing pollution would be major disadvantages. Overall, building the leisure centre in position B would combine the easiest access for users with low environmental impact.


64

OFFICIAL MATERIALS TASK 1

In this report I am going to describe a column graph and a line graph. The column graph shows the number, in millions, of Japanese tourists visiting other countries from 1985 to 1995 and the line graph shows the percentage of those Japanese tourists visiting Australia over the same period. The column graph clearly shows an upward trend in the number of Japanese tourists. This number was approximately 5 million in the year 1985 and reached 15 million by the year 1995. This number trebled over the decade. There were, however, minor fluctuations over the period. It is clear from the line graph that Australia got 2% share of Japan’s tourist market. This number also grew three times and by 1995, reached 6% with some minor ups and downs in between. It can be concluded that Australia’s share of Japan’s tourist market grew comparably over the period.


65


The given picture graph illustrates the process of hydro-electric power generation. It can be seen from the diagram that four main steps are involved from the collection of water to the supply of electricity. In the first stage the sun’s rays fall on the sea because of which water evaporates and turns into clouds. Then, rain falls and this rain water is collected in a reservoir made by a dam. This dam has a valve opening. When this valve is opened, then the water falls with great pressure on a turbine. Because of this the turbine rotates and electricity is generated which is then transferred through high-voltage cables and then stored in transformer stations. Finally, from there it is supplied through underground cables to various places like homes, schools, hospitals and so on. The water which falls on the turbines is reused by pumping it back to the reservoir. This ends my report.


66


The given line graph illustrates the number of complaints made about noise from road works, traffic and households in Newtown from 1980-1996. It is clear from the graph that, complaints of households and traffic followed a similar trend although the number of domestic complaints were much higher than those of traffic. From 1980 to 1984, the complaints about traffic noise were stable at around 300. From 1984 to 1986, this number decreased significantly and reached 200. Again, from 1986-1988, the number of complaints against traffic stabilised and after 1988 there was a rapid increase in this number and it reached 600 by 1996. The number of domestic complaints were approximately 500 in 1980 and after following a similar pattern of increases and decreases ended at 1200 by 1996. The complaints against factories and road works followed opposite trends. There were 400 complaints against factories in 1980. This number increased rapidly to 600 by 1982. Then there was a slight increase till 1988 and this number was a little over 700 by 1988 and then there was a slight fall and by 1996, the number of complaints were 700. The complaints against road works stood at above 600 in 1980 and after minor fluctuations reached an all time low of around 90 by 1996. These were the only complaints which had a downward trend. This ends my report.


67

Achieve IELTS graph The illustrations below show how coffee is sometimes produced. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features.

Dry Method of Coffee Production

The given diagrams show how coffee is produced. This is the dry method of coffee production. First, the beans are sorted by hand and then cleaned using a sieve. Next, they are laid out in the open and are dried in the sun. While they are drying, they are raked and turned so that they are dried evenly on all sides. This process can take up to four weeks. After this they are stored in a silo before being sent to the mill. After they are transported to the mill, they are hulled by a machine so that the outer layers are removed. Then they are graded for quality as all the beans are not the same. Once they are graded, they are bagged and sent to companies which sell the coffee. In these companies, the beans are roasted and packaged for sale to the general public. This process shows that there are many steps involved in the making of the coffee which we buy from the market.


68

Achieve IELTS The charts below show one governments spending on culture and education in 1995 and 2005 and the number of people participating in Arts events in the same years. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main events and make comparisons where relevant.

Proportional Government Spending on the Arts

1995

2005 visual arts

visual arts

theatre

theatre

music

music

literature

literature

Number of People Participating in Arts Events 200000 150000 100000 50000

1995

0

2005

The given pie charts illustrate how a government spent on visual arts, theatre, music and literature in the years 1995 and 2005. The column graph tells the number of people who participated in the Arts events in the same years. Overall it can be seen that the proportion of money that the government spent on the various Arts changed between 1995 and 2005 but this did not always reflect the number of people who went to the Arts events. The government spent the most money on music in 1995 but the amount spent dropped slightly in 2005. However, the number of people attending music rose between 1995 and 2005. Theatre received a relatively small proportion of money from the government in 1995 and this rose substantially in 2005 to a similar amount as was spent on music. The number of people attending theatre events rose only slightly although this was the second most popular art forms. In 2005, far less money was spent on visual arts than in 1995 and the number of people participating dropped as well. The amount spent on literature in 1995 and 2005 was more or less the same and this was the least popular art form, although the number of people participating did rise slightly. This ends my report.


69

Achieve IELTS The table below shows the number of people in each age group working in certain sectors in the UK in 1998 and 2006. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

Numbers of People in Each Age Group by Sector (UK) SECTOR hotel and catering building technology education

YEAR 1998 2006 1998 2006 1998 2006 1998 2006

18-25 25,764 18,998 112,565 86,430 5,497 187,600 6,388 4,987

26-35 17,663 19,034 79,607 46,409 63,889 454,375 112,559 115,476

36-45 15,229 21,303 21,555 19,003 18,452 273,466 124,776 125,436

46-55 8,201 12,578 9,878 7,655 3,090 54,888 125,347 118,975

56-65 4,300 7,544 5,400 3,287 800 19,352 43,647 23,000

The given table illustrates how many people were employed in certain sectors in the UK in 1998 and in 2006. It is clear from the graph that there were significant changes in the number of people of different age groups working in various sectors. In hotel and catering, the maximum people working in 1998 were in the age group 18-25, whereas in 2006, the maximum workers belonged to 36-45 age group. The least number of people working was of 56-65 age group. The overall number of people working increased in all age groups except 18-25 group in which there was a slight fall. The building industry had fewer workers overall in 2006 though it retained a similar age profile to that of 1998. The technology industry saw enormous changes with the number of workers substantially more than in 1998. The vast majority of workers in both the years were in the 26-35 age group. In education, numbers did not change much within each category although in 2006 there were fewer workers in the over-56 age group. This ends my report.


70

Achieve IELTS The charts below show UK and USA energy consumption in 2000 and 2006. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main events and make comparisons where relevant. Energy Consumption 2000 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

UK USA

oil

coal

gas

nuclear other power renewable sources

Energy Consumption 2006 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

UK USA oil

coal

gas

nuclear other power renewable sources

The given column graphs illustrate energy sources in the UK and the USA in 2000 and 2006. In both years non-renewable sources provided the vast majority of energy in both countries. The UK and USA derived their energy from different sources. In 2000, both countries were dependent on oil but in 2006 the UK was mainly dependent on gas whereas the USA mainly used oil. The oil consumption of both countries increased over the years with figures in the UK rising from 28% to 30% and in the USA from 37% to 40%. The consumption of coal in both countries decreased and that of natural gas increased over the years. The usage of nuclear power almost halved in UK in 2006 as compared to 2000. It came down from 14% to 8% in UK and from 8% to 6% in USA. The dependence on other renewable sources was the same in UK in 2006 as in 2000 but in USA the percentage fell slightly. This ends my report.


71

IELTS Foundation SB The diagram below shows the process of milk production. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown below.

The given diagram illustrates the process of the production of milk. It can be seen from the picture that seven steps are involved in this process from the milking of cows to the sale in retail stores. Milk is produced on farms from cows that are usually largely fed on grass. First, the cows are milked. This usually happens twice a day, using a milking machine. Then, the milk is cooled and stored in large, refrigerated containers. Refrigerated tankers collect the milk on a daily basis from many small farms and deliver it to the dairy. Next, at the dairy, milk is made into various products including cheese, cream, butter and liquid milk for drinking. Liquid milk is usually pasteurized in order to kill any bacteria. This is done by heating it to 72 degrees for a very short time, usually about 16 seconds. After this, the milk is again cooled and then homogenized, which results in a product that does not separate into milk and cream. Following this, the milk is packaged in plastic containers, which could be of various sizes from 0.5 litres to 2 litres. Finally, these are delivered to supermarkets and shops. This ends my report.


72

IELTS Foundation The graph below shows cinema attendance by age in Great Britain. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information shown. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The given line graph illustrates the percentage of people of different age groups who attended cinema from 1984 to 2000. In general cinema attendance increased significantly from 1984 to 2000. It can be seen that, the number of people watching films varied with age. From 1984 to 2000, cinema attendance rose significantly across all age groups, but the increase was the greatest for the 15-24 age groups which rose from about 18% in 1984 to over 50% in 2000. Though the figures fluctuated between 1990 and 1995 this age group still went to cinema more than any other age group. There was also a substantial rise in cinema attendance among older people (35 plus). In this case the figures increased over this period from about 2% to over 10%. Cinema attendance of 7-14 and 25-35 year-olds followed a similar pattern from 1984 to about 1997 which was characterised by a gradual increase until about 1994 followed by a decline after this date. However, from 1999 the trends differed in that 7-14 year olds went to the cinema less frequently while cinema attendance of the 25-44 year olds was on the increase. This ends my report.


73

CAMBRIDGE VOCABULARY The diagram below shows the process of making of chewing gum. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the process.

The diagram shows how chewing gum is produced. First, the pieces of gum are put into a container and heated until they form a single mass. This is then strained until all of the liquid has been eliminated. Next, the gum is placed into another container and the desired flavourings, sweeteners and softeners are added. This mixture is blended until all of the ingredients are mixed together. The gum then passes to a different machine which uses rollers to flatten out the gum. Then the thin sheets of gum are cut into rectangular shapes and broken into separate pieces. Finally, the gum travels along a conveyor belt where it is enclosed in packaging ready for distribution. So, it can be seen that the process of making the chewing gum involves seven steps from melting to packaging.


74

Cambridge vocabulary The flowchart below shows the recycling process of aluminium cans. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

The flowchart shows how aluminium cans are recycled. First, the cans need to be taken to special collection centres instead of being thrown away with the normal refuse. The cans are collected from here and taken to a factory where they are first sorted and then cleaned. Next, the cans are shredded and crushed in a special machine until they form one solid block. The metal is then heated to a high enough temperature to allow the aluminium to melt. It is then rolled out flat to a thickness of between 2.5 mm and 6 mm, depending on what it is going to be used for. The aluminium is now ready to be recycled into new packaging, such as drink containers. Finally, the new cans are delivered to a soft drinks factory where they are filled. The cans can now be sold to the public and reused. In the UK, 74 per cent of all aluminium cans that are sold are recycled. This ends my report.


75

Cambridge vocabulary The graph below shows the actual population of Australia in 2002 and the projected figures in 2101. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. 15

% of total population

12

9 2002

6

2101 3

0 15-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

Age group years)

The given column graph illustrates the statistics of the population of Australia in 2002 and the predicted figures for 2101. Age groups are plotted on the x-axis and the percentage of people on the y-axis. The percentage of people aged 15-24 is predicted to fall significantly in this period whereas there will be an increase in population of those aged 55-64. Just under 15 per cent of population was aged between 15 and 24 while in 2101 this is predicted to drop to approximately 10 per cent. In 2002, the highest percentage of population was of 25-44 year olds. This age group constituted 30 % of the total population. 45-54 year age group formed 14 % of the population and 55-64 year olds constituted the smallest share of approximately 10%. In 2101 it is predicted that the population of 35-44, 45-54 and 55-64 will be equal at 12 % each. This ends my report.


76

Cambridge Vocabulary

The graph below shows the average growth in domestic products in wealthy countries, countries that have adopted a global approach to business and countries that have not. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below. Average annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth 5

4

3 %

Wealthy countries Globalisers

2

Non-globalisers 1

0 1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

Globalisers = developing countries adopting a global approach to business Non-globalisers = developing countries adopting a non-global approach to business The given column graph illustrates the average annual GDP growth for three types of countries over a period of 40 years. Overall it can be seen that the annual GDP growth of ‘wealthy countries’ decreased over the years, that of ‘globalisers’ increased and that of ‘non-globalisers’ showed fluctuations. In the 1960s, the figures for wealthy countries were the highest at nearly 5% per annum. This figure is double that of non-global countries and three times that of countries adopting a global approach to business. By the 1970s, this trend had changed considerably. The globalisers doubled their annual GDP and there was also a growth in the GDP of the non globalisers, while the GDP of wealthy countries fell to 3% per year. In the 1980s and 1990s, the downward trend for wealthy countries continued and was 2% by the end of this period. The GDP of non globalisers fell significantly to below 1% in 1980s and only recovered slightly in 1990s. The GDP figures for globalisers rose significantly throughout this time and by the 1990s reached a little under 5%. This ends my report.


77

Cambridge Vocabulary The graph below shows how much waste is collected and recycled in the US. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

National Recycling Rates, 1960-2005 80

100 90 80 70 60 50 % 40 30 20 10 0

mty

60 40 20 0 1960

1970

1980

1990

1995

1997

Total waste recovery (mty=million tonnes per year)

2000

2005

Percent recycling

The given line graph shows the amount of garbage collected and recycled annually in America between 1960 and 2005. It is clear from the graph that the amount recycled increased far less as compared to the total waste recovery over the years. From 1960 to 1970, the amount of waste recycled remained fairly static at just over 6%. However, this figure rose significantly from 1970 to 1990 when it peaked at approximately 32% of the total waste collected. On the other hand, the amount of waste being produced increased dramatically at around the same time, growing from approximately 10 million tonnes per year to 55 million tonnes within 5 years. Following this sharp increase, the amount of waste collected rose steadily while the percentage of waste recycled fell from 32% to 26% in 1995. Fortunately, recycling gradually increased and by 2005 it had reached the same figure as in 1990. However, this figure is disappointing as compared to the total amount of waste that is thrown away. This ends my report.


78

Cambridge Vocabulary

The graph below shows the statistics about tourism in a Harbour city. Summarise the information by selecting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. 100

80

60 %

city hotel occupancy coastal hotel occupancy

40

adventure tourism rail travel

20

air travel

0 1970

1985

2000

Harbour City Tourism

The given column graph shows the trends in tourism in Harbour City between 1970 and 2000. Data is given for city hotel occupancy, coastal hotel occupancy, adventure tourism, rail travel and air travel. The city hotel occupancy stood at a little over 40% in 1970. It was approximately twice that of coastal hotel occupancy. Both city and coastal hotel occupancy peaked in 1985 at nearly 74 and 82% respectively. In 2000, there was a fall in both. However, the fall was more dramatic for coastal hotel occupancy which reached around 14%. Adventure tourism rose from a low of a little below 20% in 1970 to a peak of 42% in 2000. Rail travel decreased from about 58% in 1970 to about 25% in 2000. In contrast air travel became more popular over the years. It was approximately 40% in 1970 and increased slightly to 42% in 1980 and finally rose dramatically and reached nearly 60% in 2000. This ends my report.


79

IELTS and TOEFL made easy

1200

Tourists in Dubai, 1990-1994

000s (thousands)

1000 800 Russia Other Total

600 400 200 0 1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

The given line graph shows the numbers of tourists in hundreds of thousands visiting Dubai between 1990 and 1994. It is clear from the graph that the number of tourists from all countries increased but Russian tourists became more and more important for the tourism industry in Dubai. First of all, the total number of tourists increased rapidly between 1990 and 1994. In 1990 there were a total of 450,000 tourists in Dubai. This rose sharply to 625,000 in 1991, an increase of more than 30%, and rose slightly again to just under 700,000 in 1992. In the following two years, the number of visitors started to pick up again and reached 1 million in 1994. This was more than double the figure for 1990. The second trend is that there was a huge increase in the number of tourists from Russia. In 1990, Russian tourists comprised only 20,000 or less than 5% of visitors. This number shot up to 50,000 in 1991 and doubled again to more than 100,000 in 1992. Between 1992 and 1994, the number trebled, from 110,000 to 330,000. This meant that Russian tourists made up one-third, or 33%, of Dubai’s 1 million visitors in 1994. In comparison, the number of tourists from other countries increased only slightly, from 550,000 in 1991 to 580,000 in 1994. This ends my report.


80

PTP – 2 The diagrams below show the development of a small fishing village and its surrounding area into a large European tourist resort. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The two given plans illustrate how a small coastal village in Europe grew into a large tourist centre between 1974 and 2004. The figures show that over 30 years, the local population increased dramatically from only 12,000 to 80,000. There was also the capacity to accommodate an extra 50,000 during the tourist season. During this period, large numbers of high-rise hotels were built along the coastline on both sides of the original village. The harbour and coastal woodlands were replaced by a sandy beach and a golf course for the tourists. Similarly, vegetable farms for the tourist market were made in place of the olive trees. The original village and those further inland on the hillsides were developed with more homes for the locals and more shops for the tourist trade. A main road leading from the hills to the coast was also built. Therefore, it can be seen that not only the original village, but also the surrounding area had been transformed into a well populated tourist resort by 2004.


81

Help Now graphs Test 6 The tables below show predicted and actual immigration figures for the UK for the years 1984 - 2000. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below. TABLE 1 - Predicted Immigration Figures for UK 1984 - 2000; in thousands Year Figure

1984 38

1985 40

1986 42

1987 45

1988 46

1989 80

1990 97

1991 91

1992 80

1993 67

1994 80

1995 98

1996 117

1997 121

1998 133

1999 140

2000 148

TABLE 2 - Actual Immigration Figures for UK 1984 - 2000; in thousands Year Figure

1984 58

1985 60

1986 40

1987 43

1988 71

1989 80

1990 100

1991 91

1992 64

1993 66

1994 82

1995 114

1996 102

1997 105

1998 140

1999 158

2000 163

The given tables illustrate the predicted figures for UK immigration for the years 1984 to 2000 and the actual UK immigration figures for the same period. The predicted immigration figure for 1984 was 38,000. This predicted figure rose slowly until 1988 and reached 46,000. The next two years,1989 and 1990 saw large increases to 80,000 and 97,000 respectively. The next three years showed decreases, the predicted figures being 91,000, 80,000 and 67,000. From 1993 to 2000 immigration was predicted to go up steadily finishing at 148,000 for the year 2000. The actual immigration figures for the same period were different. Some years‛ figures were higher and some were lower than what was predicted. Immigration for 1984 and 1985 was higher than what was predicted with figures of 58,000 and 60,000 respectively. From 1986 to 1990 immigration rose steadily to 100,000. The next two years showed a decrease similar to the predictions and then in 1993 immigration rose again. It continued to rise steadily to 163,000 in the year 2000 although in one year, 1996, there was a small dip. This ends my report.


82

Help Now graphs Test 7 The bar graph below shows the numbers of employed persons by job type and sex for Australia in the year 2003. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below. Managers Professionals Semi Professionals Tradespersons Males Production

Females

Clerical Labourers 0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900 1000

000s

The given bar chart illustrates the types of job that employed men and woman held for the year 2003. Figures are given in hundreds of thousands. Three times more men than women were managers in 2003. There were approximately 600 000 men employed as managers whereas only just under 200 000 women were employed in this capacity. Men and women shared professional jobs much more equally. Approximately 640,000 women were in professional jobs whereas 610,000 men were in such jobs. Jobs as semi professionals were more common for men. There were about 500 000 men employed as semi professionals compared with about 360 000 women. As regards tradepersons, far more men were employed in this profession. The figure for men was approximately 900 000 whereas the figure for women was just over 100 000. Figures for jobs in production were similarly mismatched with about 540 000 men and about 100 000 women employed in this field. Clerical jobs however, accounted for more women employed than men with approximately 945 000 women and 885 000 men respectively. Finally about 400 000 men were employed as labourers compared to about 290 00 women. This ends my report.


83

Help Now graphs Test 8 The two pie charts below show the marital status of Australia’s and Canada’s populations for 1999 and 2000 respectively. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below. Marital Status of Australia's Population, 1999 Marital Status 7%

3%1%

Married

7%

Never married Widowed 53%

Divorced Separated but not divorced

29%

Same sex marriage

Marital status of Canada's Population, 2000 5%

2%

6%

legally married 41%

Single Widowed

46%

Separated but still legally married

Two pie charts are given. The first pie chart shows the marital status of the Australian population in 1999. The second pie chart shows the marital status of the Canadian population in the year 2000. The first pie chart shows that 53% of the Australian population were married in 1999. The next highest group was for people who had never been married with 29% of the population. 7% of the Australian population in 1999 were widowed and 7% were divorced. Just 3% of the population were separated but not divorced and finally 1% of the population were involved in a same sex marriage. The second pie chart shows that 41% of the Canadian population in 2000 were married. This number was much less than that of Australia in 1999. A higher proportion (46%) were single as compared to the population of Australian singles in 2000. The percentages for divorced, widowed and separated but still married people were slightly lower in Canada with 5%, 6% and 2% respectively. There is no data for same sex marriages in Canada in 2000. This ends my report.


84

Help Now graphs Test 9 The two line graphs below show different New Zealand import figures from Australia and Japan. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below

Two line graphs are given. The first line graph shows figures for New Zealand imports from Australia between 1994 and 2004. The second line chart shows figures for New Zealand imports from Japan for the same period. The figures are in New Zealand dollars. The first line graph shows that Australian imports into New Zealand stood at $4 billion in 1994. The imports rose steadily to $5 billion in 1996. After that imports from Australia decreased sharply to about £3 billion in 1999 in spite of a small rise in 1998. Then there was a sharp rise to approximately $7 billion in 2000 and 2001. Although there was a dip in 2002 ($5 billion approx), imports then rose to about $8 billion in 2004. Japanese imports started at $3 billion in 1994 and they rose steadily to just under $7 billion in 1997. They then dropped to approximately $4 billion in 1999 before rising again to about $6 billion in 2000. Imports then dropped dramatically to about $3 billion in 2001 and then dropped further to about $2 billion in 2004. This ends my report.


85

Help Now graphs Test 10 The diagrams below show the process of how uranium is used in the production of nuclear power. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

In this report I am going to describe how uranium is mined, processed, used and then discarded. Uranium is found under the ground and so it must be mined. Once the mined uranium has been extracted, it is taken to a processing centre. Here the uranium is converted into a form that can be used as a fuel in a nuclear power station. To do this, the uranium is changed into a gas and enriched before it is reformed as U-235 fuel pellets. The fuel pellets are then used in nuclear power stations to provide up to 7 billion kilowatts of electricity from just one station. After the fuel has been used for about four years it is removed from the power station and stored. Some of the used fuel can be re-processed and re-used in a power station to produce more electricity. Finally, old stored fuel that cannot be re-processed is put into stainless steel containers and then buried deep in the ground. This ends my report.


86

Focus on skills for IELTS Foundation

The chart below shows the number of members taking part in different sports activities at Santon Sports Club from 1995 to the present day. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. 350 300

Numbers

250 200

circuit training

150

fitness classes swimming

100

racquet sports 50 0 1990

1995

2000

Present day

Numbers of club members participating in different activities - 1990 to present day


Help Now test 5 The diagrams below show how humans and plants interact to produce oxygen and carbon dioxide. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information below.

87


88

Focus on skills for IELTS Foundation The chart below shows the percentage of young people taking part in different outdoor sports from 1975 to the present day in the South West of England. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.

40 35

Percentage

30 25 20

biking / roller skating

15

ball games swimming

10

jogging / running 5 0 1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

Present time

Percentage of young people taking part in different outdoor sports


Scotts Writing task 1 The diagrams below show the growth in population in Australia in 2001. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

Population growth in Australia – 2001

89


Passport to IELTS The following diagram shows the working of a refrigerator. Describe it in your own words.

90


91

MEA The pictures below show the changes that took place at Laguna Beach from 1950 to 1990. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant


92

Focus on skills for IELTS Foundation The chart below shows possible causes of urban drift, where large numbers of people move from rural to urban areas. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant

Use of fossil fuels

Climate change

Poor harvests disease

People move to cities

People’s expectations - more money - better lifestyle

-

Not enough jobs Overcrowding Poor housing Only young men

-

Social problems In cities/rural areas


93

IELTS Intensive The table below gives information about rail transport in four countries in 2007. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at least 150 words. Country

Number of people using rail transport (not including metro)

Passenger kilometres per head of population

Cargo carried (billions of tons)

UK USA Japan

5.9 0.3 27

770 80 1,980

22.2 2.820 23.01

Italy

5.S

780

21.9


94

IELTS Intensive Graphs

The table below shows the number of students living in the UK gaining teacher training qualifications in 2005/6 and 2006/7, and the proportion of male qualifiers. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant Initial Teacher Training (IIT) qualifications obtained 2005/6 and 2006/7, UK Total Female Male %Male 2005/6

2006/7

Total teaching qualifications obtained

31,930

23,865

8,065

25.3%

PGCE*

24,405

17,420

6,980

28.6%

BEd & other degrees

7,525

6,440

1,085

14.4%

Total teaching qualifications obtained

31,945

24,335

7,610

23.8%

PGCE

23,900

17,415

6,485

27.1%

Bed & other degrees

8,045

6,920

1,125

14.5%

*Postgraduate Certificate in Education


Exam Question Task 1: The diagram below shows the process of glass recycling. Write a report……

95


96

IELTS writing test of 25-9-2010 – India The given diagram shows the process of getting a driving licence. Write a report …………….. Visit licence centre

Retake written test

Fail Complete application form

Retake written test

Fail Take eye test

pass Pay fee

Take written test

Fail

Pass Fail

Take driving test

Not applicable Get licence

IELTS Essay Topics (Task 1)

Recommend Documents