10 Culture

Aims: Talking about festivals and historical sites I Pronunciation: Linking

Using future forms I Exam technique: Predicting questions

VocabuLary: FestivaLs and historicaL sites

1 M€ltch questions 1-4 to answers a- d.

How is it ce lebrated? a On November 8th the whole country has a huge

celebration .
2 What is it in honour of? b It marks the anniversary of the day that we gained
our independence .
3 Do you enjoy it? c We all get the day off, and we march through the
streets holding banners and singing our nat ional
anthem. Then we hold street parties, eating
traditional food and having fun . At night, fireworks
are set off. The parties go on till the small hours of
the morning .
4 What is your country's d Very much so. The bu ild - up to it is so exciting, and
biggest festival? on the day itself everyone's always in a great mood.

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2 Complete the text below with words a-g from Exercise 1.

a . day off d national anthem f marks
b celebrations e banners g anniversary
c street parties
The 20th of May [1 J the [2J _ _ _ _ _ _ of when our King
ascended to the throne. Every year there are massive [3J in every city,
town and village throughout the country. All workers are granted the
[4J and the rules around having [5J are relaxed
making it easier for people to close off the roads to traffic, set up stalls and put up
[6J . In the afternoon, we all watch a television address by the King, and
then our [7J is performed . Everyone knows the words, of course, so we
all sing along.
3 Choose the correct words in italics 1-12 to complete the text.
It's all too unusual for archeology to make the news but the other day there was a news
item about an [1 Jexcavation/exhumation not far from where I live . An archeologist proudly
announced that he and his team had found the [2J leftovers/remains of a group of Bronze
Age roundhouses. In fact, all they had [3J displayed/unearthed of the buildings themselves
were post-holes, but they were clearly chuffed by the discovery. They had also found a
large number of [4J ruins/artefacts, and by carbon dating some substance from inside a
pot they were able to [5J date/time the site to around 2000 [6J Be/AD. Although peeple tend
to think of prehistoric man as 171 illiterate/primitive, the archeologist explained that they
were more sophisticated than we many imagine, capable of creating the most elaborate
metalwork, both [8J ornaments/embroidery and weapons. And Neolithic man was
clever enough to [9J demolish/construct structures such as S-tonehenge, which still
[10J draws/pulls over 800,000 visitors each year. The [11 J finds/findings will be
[12J exposed/exhibited in my local museum and I'll definitely go to see them.

Vocabulary: Protecting our heritage

4 1 Read the following text.

In the UK, our heritage is protected with the help of the system of listing buildings. A
listed building is one that is considered to have historical significance. It cannot be
altered or demolished without permission from the local planning authority. As well
as houses, other structures can also be protected, such as bridges and even bunkers.

2 Do you have a similar system in your country? Research the topic and practise talking
about it, using some of the vocabulary in bold above.

5 1 Read the text below.

UNESCO helps protect the world·s natural and cultural heritage by designating
places as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Such a designation means that the site is
considered of great importance to the common heritage of mankind. The sites can
sometimes receive funding. Examples of World Heritage Sites are the Pyramids of
Giza, Venice and the Statue of Liberty.

Culture and modern society 81

 ~ What is your nearest World Heritage Site? Have you visited it? Do some research on
the topic and practise talking about it, using some of the vocabulary in bold above.

IELlS Speaking Exam: Part 1

030
6 You are going to hear some questions that are typical of Part 1 of the exam. Listen to the
questions and record yourself answering them.
C02
Now listen to the sample answers.

Pronunciation: Linking
7 1 Record yourself reading the sample answer to the first Part 1 question, beginning Our
most impQrtant festival is without doubt . ..

o
31 &32
2 Now listen to the sample answer on Track 31. Does the speech sound natural?

C02 Listen to a second reading of the same sample answer on Track 32. How does it
compare with the first?

3 Play your recording. Is it more similar to Track 31 or Track 32?

The speaker in Track 32 sounds more fluent partly because her linking is effective.
Below we look at some of the rules govern ing linking in normal speech.

0 33
8 Consonant + vowel
Listen:
C02
i n~ngland mos~mportant

Where one word ends in a consonant sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound,
we do not pause between the words - we link the words.

o34 a
2 Vowel + vowel
Listen. What sound is inserted between the two vowel sounds?
C02
• the end
• I ate
We add an extra sound, I __ I, to link two vowel sounds when the first vowel is leI/,
laIl, I"JII or Ii:/.

o35
b Listen. What sound is inserted between the two vowel sounds? Complete the sentence
below.
C02 • too often
• so amazing
We add an extra sound, I _ I, to link two vowel sounds when the first vowel is lau/,
loul or lu:/,

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c Listen. Which sound Links the words below? Complete the sentences below.
I'
36 • far away
02
• I saw it
We add an extra sound, I __ I, to link a word ending in r or re and a word beginning
with a vowel. [Note that in many English accents, includ ing standard Brit ish English,
final r or re is not pronounced so these words end in a vowel sound .1
Many speakers also add I _ _ I to l ink two vowe l sounds when t he first vowel is I Ial ,
leal, lua/, I-:J:/ , 13:/, l a:1 or l a/·
3 Practise Linking all the words above correctly.

9 1 Read Tracks 31 and 32 on page 123 and mark the words that shou ld be Linked.
2 Check your answers in the Answer key. Then practise reading the text, Lin king th e
words appropriately. Remember to pronounce any weak forms correctly. as well,
e.g. for, and, were. Record yourself.
3 Listen to your initial recording of the sample answer. Have you improved?
4 Listen to your own Part 1 answers. Then answer the questions again , making an-
attempt to Link words where appropriate.

IELTS Speaking Exam: Part 2

10 Read this Part 2 question. Give yourself one minute to plan your answer, making notes
YI if you wish. Then talk for one to two minutes. Try to use some of the vocabulary you have
2 learnt on the topic of festivals.

Describe a festival that you enjoy.

You should say:

when the festival occurs
where it occurs
what happens during it
and explain why you enjoy the festival.

Now Listen to the sample answer.

Culture and modern society 83

 Grammar and pronunciation: The future

o 11
38
1
2
Listen to this person talking about New Year and her plans.
Listen again and write down what she says. What tense does she use? Underline once
C02
where the tense is used to describe the future, and twice where it is used to describe
the present.
3 When referring to the future, the present continuous describes a fixed arrangement,
something that has been organised with another person, or a company or
organisation. Study these examples:
We're flying to France next week, (We have arranged it with the airline - we have
bought our tickets.]
r m meeting my friend John for lunch today. II have arranged it with John - we have
decided on a place and time ,)
My mum's starting her new job on Monday. (She's arranged it with her new boss -
she's been offered the job and told when to start.]
What preparations may the speaker in Track 38 have made for her trip?

o39
12 1 Listen to the example sentences above being spoken.

o
C02

2 Listen to the contractions and practise pronouncing them.

40
C02 Contraction Pronunciation
I'm laIml
it's lsi after IfI. Ik/. Ip/. It!. 191
he's/she 's Izl after other sounds
you 're Ij:>:1 or [weak form) Ijal
they're Ideal
we're IWIal

13 You can also use be going + to infinitive to talk about future plans. In many cases,
both the present continuous and be going to can be used. However, there are times
when one tense is more appropriate. Be going to emphasises a previous decision or
intention . Study these examples:
rm going to take a long lunch break today,
I think my boss is going to sack me - he 5 called me in to see him urgently.
We ' re going to move house next year.
Note that be going to go is usually abbreviated to be going. e,g, We 're going ffi-gfJ to
Japan ,

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 Unit 10

2 Be going to has another use - that of predicting something based on current evidence :
a England are going to lose in the cricket again.
b That woman 's going to trip.
c 00 you think it's going to snow? - Yes, definitely.
What could be the possible evidence for the predictions above?

3 Listen to the three sentences above being spoken. In which sentence is going to
I'
1 pronounced /gana/? Native speakers very often use this weak form. It is more
02 informal than the full form.

14 Will + infinitive (or won't + infinitive) is used with predictions based on opinions or our
experience, with hopes and with assumptions. Study these examples:
1 He'll call you when he gets there. Don 't worry.
2 I hope we'll be able to go out today - it hasn 't stopped raining.
3 In the future, people will live for much longer than they do now.
and with future events that are not yet arranged:
4 I think r II visit my grandmother this weekend.
We also use will for spontaneous offers or decisions.
r
5 I'm not sure I follow you. - II explain it again.

2 Listen to the sentences above, paying particular attention to the pronunciation of the
I·
2 contraction 'Il, Repeat what you hear,
CO2
15 1 Choose the correct future forms in bold to complete the dialogue.
Sarah : [1) Are you doing/Will you do anyth ing special for New Year?
Laura: Well, I might go to Granada . [2) I'm looking/I'm going to look online tonight to
try and find a good last-minute dea l. I kept tonight free on purpose because I
know these things take ages!
Sarah : Oh, don 't worry. [3) I'm going to help/I'll help you .
Laura : Oh, brilliant. Thanks. How about you? [4) Are you going/Will you go away?
Sarah : Yes. Steve and I (5J are spending/will spend two weeks with my parents in
Scotland .
Laura : Oh, that (6J is going to be/will be lovely.

2 Practise talking about the future with a friend, Below are some ideas for topics:
• your plans for the weekend and for New Year/Christmas/your birthday
• the future plans of people you know
• the weather tomorrow/next week
• sor:ne current news/sports stories [predict how they will developJ
Example: You know that volcanic eruption? I don't think they'll find any survivors. 00 you ?

Culture and modern soci ety 851

o43
16 The future perfect - will have + past participle - is used to say something will have
happened or will have been completed by a certain point in the future (note that by here
C02 means not later than!. The weak forms of will have are /wd hav/ or /wIl av/ .
1 Listen and complete the sentence with the words you hear.
People in my country are becoming less religious, so I think that by 2050 people
_ _ __ _ _ _ _ _ _ about the origins of Christma s,
2 Use the following phrases to make some predictions about things that will have
happened or been completed by a certain point in the future.
• By this time next year" ,
• By the time I retire " ,
• By the year 2050 , , ,
• By the next m illenn ium ",

: Exam tip: The IELlS exam is designed to challenge even t he best students, so don't
: worry if you str ugg le at so me po int in the exam , Th is is completely normal and the
: examiner will expect it.
: It is be tter to be honest if you don ·t understand a question , And if yo u need some time
: to think before you answer a question, don 't sit in silence with no exp lanation , Say
t so meth ing l ike, Let me j ust th ink about that for a moment.

IELTS Speaking Exam: Part 3

o 44
17 You are going to hear questions that are typical of Part 3 of the exam. Listen and answer
the questions, practising what you have learnt in this unit, paying particular attention to
C02 your use of future forms.
Now listen to the sample answer.

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 Unit 10

Exam technique: Predicting questions

Exam tip: There is almost an infinite number of possible questions for Part 3 of the
exam . It is therefore useful for you to be able to predict questions based on topical
issues you may encounter, for example in the news . The following exercises will
guide you in generating possible questions and allow you to train on any top ic. These
~ techniques can also help you during the exam to anticipate the exam iner"s next
l question .
.....................................................................................................................................................................................................

1 Look at this brainstorm on the topic of celebrity.

reasons people become fa~ disadvantages of be ing famous

celebrities in the past celebrities as role models

With a friend if possible, brainstorm the following topics:

• the media
• advertising
• food

2 Look carefully at all the Part 3 questions you have studied so far in this book. Notice that
Part 3 questions often ask you to:
• compare the present with the past
• predict how things will change in the future
• speculate about and analyse issues
and you are often asked to talk about issues within the context of your own country.
With the above points in mind, write three possible Part 3 questions on each of the topics
brainstormed above. Then practise answering them, with a friend acting as the examiner.
Celebrity Advertising
The media Food

Culture and modern society 87