IELTS 4.

5 - Unit 1: Relationships

Lesson 1: READING & LISTENING

Reading skills Listening skills

- Identifying key words in a question - Identifying the speakers in a conversation

- Scanning - Listening for numbers
- Short answer questions - Answering multiple-choice questions

A. READING
Part 1. Reading: Identifying key words in a question
There are two types of key words:

Key words help identify information Key words help answer questions

 Eye-catching words (like Numbers (1992,  Amount (the majority of, at least,…)
40%), Capital letters (Atlantic), Name  Adjectives (difficulty, easy, strong,…)
(Susan Smith), Italic, Bold)  Adverbs (quietly, strongly,…)
 Normal texts  Comparison (more attractive than, the
most difficult, harder,…)
 Negative words (ignore, fail to, refuse,
deny, reject,…)
 Verbs (expected, learned,…)
 Others

Example: GREEN TAXES IN BRITAIN

According to a survey, most Britons believe “green” taxes on 4×4s, plastic bags and other
consumer goods have been imposed to raise cash rather than change our behaviour, while
two-thirds of Britons think the entire green agenda has been hijacked as a ploy to increase
taxes.
The UK is committed to reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, a target that
most experts believe will be difficult to reach. The results of the poll by Opinium, a leading
research company, indicate that maintaining popular support for green policies may be a
difficult act to pull off and attempts in the future to curb car use and publicly fund
investment in renewable resources will prove deeply unpopular.
The findings were released as the Prince of Wales yesterday called on Britain’s business
leaders to take “essential action” to make their firms more sustainable. Speaking in central
London to some of the country’s leading chief executives, Prince Charles said: “What more
can I do but urge you, this country’s business leaders, to take the essential action now to
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make your businesses more sustainable. I’m exhausted with repeating that there really is no
time to lose.”
Are the following statements TRUE, FALSE, or NOT GIVEN in the text?
1. Most Britons think that the Government wants to change people’s behaviour.
2. By the year 2050 the Government will have imposed higher green taxes.
3. The survey predicts that it will be difficult to change people’s dependence on cars.
4. The Prince of Wales believes that most businesses are not sustainable.
 Keywords help identify information are underlined and in italic.
 Keywords help answer the questions are in bold.
Based on the keywords, decide if the statements are True, False or Not Given.

Part 2. IELTS Reading: Scanning

1. Scanning is high-speed reading for specific information such as names or numbers.

Looking up a word in the telephone book or dictionary is an example of scanning for specific
information.

This skill is often used when you have a specific question in mind.

Scanning involves moving your eyes quickly across the page; you do not read every word,
only the key words or ideas that will answer the question. In other words, you know what
you are looking for and concentrate on finding the answer. Scanning helps you learn to skip
over unimportant words or information so that you can read faster.

2. Steps of scanning a text

Step 1: Read the question(s)/statement(s) carefully to understand what you are trying to find
and do not forget to underline the key words in each question/statement.

Step 2: Based on the key words and your general understanding of each question or
statement’s meaning, try to predict how the answer might appear and what clues help you
locate the answer.

Sometimes, headings or any other aids in the text may also help you identify which sections
might contain the information you are looking for.

E.g. if you are looking for a certain year, read the text quickly specifically looking for
numbers or other time expressions.

To answer questions about Look for

Who, where Capital letters, names
When Numbers, dates, time periods
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How much, how many, how long Numbers, measurements (e.g. meters, inches, etc.)
What, how, why Key word(s)/word(s) from the questions
Step 3: Selectively read and skip through sections of the text. Do not stop reading until you
find the specific information in the reading that matches the key words in the question. One
effective way is to use finger movement to help you ignore irrelevant information to your
question.
Note: In fact, if the key words/ phrases you are looking for do not appear directly in the
reading, seek synonyms or other paraphrased/reword forms (the words/phrases that convey
the same message but are written with different grammatical structures).

E.g. By words: I need some water. = I am thirsty.

By structure: John is taller than Pat. = Pat is not as tall as John.

Step 4: Read these sentences/ the sections you have found in the reading thoroughly;
however, in some cases, you also need to read the other parts that stand before and after
those to understand exactly what the author wants to express.

Step 5: Compare the information in that text with the one in the exam questions/
statements to decide your answers.

Note: If there are some new words that you think are important or helpful for your
understanding of the text, underline them and then try to guess their meanings.

E.g. Scan the passage and answer the questions. Apply the steps above.

Some Endangered Species paragraph

There are more than 1,000 animal species endangered world-wide. An endangered species
is one that is in immediate danger of becoming extinct if nothing is done to protect it.
(‘Immediate’ is usually taken to mean between 10 and 20 years.) Below are some of the
world’s main endangered mammals.

African elephant. Classified as endangered due to a reduction of at least 50% of the African
elephant population over the last three generations. Hunting is now

banned in many countries, but poaching for ivory continues.

Asian elephant. Classified as endangered due to a reduction of at least 50% of population

over the last three generations. Four sub-species affected: Indian, Ceylonese, Sumatran and
Malaysian elephants.

a. How many sub-species of Asian elephant are endangered? ______________________

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b. How much has the population of the African elephant declined over the last three
generation? ____________________

Part 3. IELTS Reading: Short answer questions

Example: The fattest animals

As the largest animal in the world, the blue whale also has the most fat. In a 1968 study
involving 49 different species of mammal from across the US and Brazil, researchers
deduced that the blue whale had the highest percentage of body fat – more than 35%. With
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the whales weighing in at up to 180 tonnes, that’s easily a record-breaking amount of fat for
one animal.

But if we look at things proportionally, you might be surprised by some of the world’s full-fat
species. We’ll begin with blubber, the fat rich tissue belonging to marine mammals that has
myriad benefits for streamlining, buoyancy, defence, insulation and energy storage.

In waters further north live bowhead whales. To survive in these frosty, remote waters they
have a layer of blubber almost half a metre thick. In his studies, Dr Craig George found
blubber mass ranged from 43% to 50% of the body mass of yearling whales.

Answer the questions with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS:

1. Which animal has the most fat?

2. How is called tissue of marine mammals that is rich with fat?

3. Which marine animals need a thick layer of fat to survive in cold waters?

Step-by-step guide:

 Read the instructions carefully. Remember the word limit. In this case, you are not
allowed to write more than two words.

 Identify the key words in questions. Try to predict type of information needed to answer
each question.

1. Which animal has the most fat?  noun (an animal)

2. How is called tissue of marine mammals that is rich with fat?  noun (a name)

3. Which marine animals need a thick layer of fat to survive in cold waters?  noun (an
animal)

 Scan for key words in the passage. Locate information and answer the questions.

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

B. LISTENING
Part 1. Listening skills: Identifying the speakers in a conversation

IELTS Listening Sections 1 and 3 are traditionally dialogues, but sometimes they may have 3
speakers. When there are more than two people participating in a conversation, there are
some ways that can help you identify them.
- Accents/ Voices:
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 By accents: In a conversation between three people, for instance, they might all be
from different countries. As a result, their accents can be different.
 By voices:
 Genders: Men/ women
 Low/ high pitch voice
- Besides, in the conversation, the speakers will sometimes mention name of the person
who spoke, or name of the person they want to direct, or ask questions to.
E.g. Recording 1_Listen to the recording. Then, read the listening script of a conversation
between three people: Adam, Barbara, and Carl. Notice the bold words. You can use them to
identify speakers in the conversation.
*Notice that in the conversation, Adam and Carl are men and Barbara is a woman.

Adam: Okay, so one of the questions for the tomorrow seminar will be: “Should children
study Art and Music in schools?” What do we think? What’s your opinion, Barbara?
Barbara: It’s a strange question, isn’t it, Adam? I don’t know why Professor Copland is
asking us to discuss this. It’s obvious. Of course children should study Art and Music.
Carl: Really? Why? I didn’t. I studied Maths and Science mostly.
Barbara: You mean, you never studied any Art when you were younger, Carl?
Carl: Well, when I was much younger, yes. When I was about twelve, we had music lessons
and some art lessons. But I didn’t learn anything. I think there are much more important
things to know than learning how to play a piano or who painted the Mona Lisa.
Barbara: Hmm, Art lessons aren’t all about studying paintings. What about learning to be
creative? If we help children to create, to express themselves, then this improves their
minds. Art and Music classes help students to think more and to think in different ways.
Adam: Yes, that’s true actually. You don’t learn to be creative in a Maths or Science class.
Carl: Well yes, you do, Adam. In my opinion, Maths and Science are all about solving
problems, and finding ways to do things. They are creative, but in a different way.
Adam: Okay, yeah, good point, Carl. But we have to remember that we all have different
minds. And we all have different talents. What about children who aren’t interested or
aren’t good at Maths? I’m not good with numbers, and I never was.

Part 2. IELTS Listening: Listening for numbers

Listening for numbers is one of the most basic, but important skills that you need to acquire.
This skill is extremely helpful in different situations:

 Addresses, telephone numbers

 ID numbers, PINs, passport, visa numbers, tax file, scores
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 Time, dates
 Prices, costs, currencies, stock markets, percentages
 Distances, weights
 Weather, temperatures, rainfall levels, tide height.
A. CARDINAL NUMBERS
1. Zero (0) can be pronounced in several ways:

 Zero/ Nil/ Oh

 Nought (British English)/ Naught (American English)

2. Repeated number British English and American English have their ways to say repeated
letters. You should be prepared and get used to both.
E.g. 22 could be said: Two two/ Double two
333 could be said: Three three three/ Triple three
3. -teen & –ty
It is one of the most common confusion in Listening, even for high level listeners. The
difference comes from the last syllable and word stress.
Stress in 1X always falls on the second syllable, while X0 on the first.
E.g. 13: /θɜːˈtiːn/ 30: /ˈθɜː.ti/
4. Large numbers: is said by dividing it into units of hundreds and thousands

 400,000: four hundred thousand (no “s” plural form)

Commas (,), not points (.) like in Vietnamese system, are used to separate parts of large
numbers.
E.g. English => 227,075 (in English)
Vietnamese => 5.075 (in Vietnamese)
Look at these examples in the table below to see how different large numbers are written
and spoken:

Written Spoken

2,012 two thousand and twelve

42,012 forty-two thousand and twelve

742,012 seven hundred forty-two thousand and twelve

1,258,742 one million two hundred fifty-eight thousand seven hundred and forty-two
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Besides the standard system, it is also possible to express thousands as the equivalent
number of hundreds.
E.g. 1,600: “one thousand six hundred” or “sixteen hundred”
1,123: “one thousand one hundred and twenty-three”
3. Telephone numbers
 Telephone numbers are usually spoken as individual numbers.
E.g. 276938: two seven six nine three eight
 With eight-digit numbers, speakers often divide them into two groups of four, with a
short pause between the groups. Intonation is also important when people give
telephone numbers.
E.g. 3088931227: three oh eight … eight nine three … one two two seven
 Sometimes a few numbers are grouped into a larger number, especially when this
involves consecutive 0 (zero/oh)
E.g. 9791 6000: nine seven nine one six thousand
4. Prices
The currency is spoken after the number but its abbreviation is written before the number.
E.g. $3.20: three (dollars) twenty (cents)
£4.15: four (pounds) fifteen (pence)
€1,456: one thousand four hundred and fifty six euros
B. DECIMALS & PERCENTAGES
1. Decimals
A: is spoken as a cardinal number
B is spoken separately as individual numbers
E.g. 103.456 “One/a hundred and three POINT four five six”.
= One/a hundred and three POINT four hundred and fifty six
Note:
- “Point” or “Comma”: Be aware of the differences between written decimal formats in
Vietnamese and English. In English, decimals are written with a point (.), not a comma (,) like
in Vietnamese.
E.g. 1.342 = 1342/1000 1,342 = 1000 + 342
- 0 has different variations in spelling and with decimals less than 1 (one), 0 before the point
can be omitted.
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E.g. 0.34 = Zero/Nil/Oh/Naught point three four = Point three four.

2. Percentages can be expressed in several ways: number, decimal, or even fraction.
E.g. The maximum error that can be introduced by over-mixing is 10%.
His final result is 75.6%
The growth rate of Vietnam in 2014 is forecasted to be 4½ %
Note: Percentage and Per cent are not interchangeable.
- “Per cent” means “per hundred” and can either be written out or expressed by the symbol
%. Ideally, “per cent” is always associated with a specific number.
- “Percentage” is used to refer to a general relationship rather than a specific measure.
E.g. A large percentage of the people voted, but only 20 percent/ 20% of the votes
counted.
PRACTICE. [Recording 2] Listen and complete the notes with numbers and letters.

Part 3. IELTS Listening: Multiple choice questions

Preparing the Questions

 Check for a title

 read the question

 find a key word in the question

 the key word will help you understand which answers are right and which are wrong.

 paraphrase the key word

Preparing the Multiple Answers Options

 read through the answer options

 highlight different parts of the options

 think of paraphrases

 all answer options will probably be given in the recording

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 don’t think that the first answer you hear is the correct one - if you think an answer is
correct, put a tick next to it but keep listening to make sure it is right.

 watch out for answers that are given and then taken away again by the speaker

 listen for the word ‘but’ or ‘however’ - this can mean a negative is coming which means
it might not be the right answer.

 you can write on your question paper so use ticks and crosses for right and wrong
answers

Multiple choice answers

 you might not hear the exact words in the answer options - answers might be a
paraphrase

 your answer should be a letter not a word - be careful when you transfer your answers

PRACTICE. [Recording 3] Listen and choose the correct letter.

1. At approximately what time will the ship arrive?

A. At 7 a.m. B. At 8 a.m. C. At 9 a.m.

2. Which of these can children have in the restaurant?

A. A children’s menu B. Earlier mealtimes C. A children’s party

Step by step guide and explanation:

I. Read the questions and options carefully, identify the key words.

1. At approximately what time will the ship arrive?

A. At 7 a.m. B. At 8 a.m. C. At 9 a.m.

2. Which of these can children have in the restaurant?

A. A children’s menu B. Earlier mealtimes C. A children’s party

II. Think of paraphrases of the key words.

E.g. arrive= reach the destination, get to,….

children= kids, restaurant= eating place,..

III. Listen and answer the questions.