https://meet.google.

com/hqo-ytxn-zns
Lesson #41
READING
SAVING THE SOIL

More than a third of the Earth’s top layer is at risk. Is there hope for our
planet’s most precious resource?
A
More than a third of the world’s soil is endangered, according to a
recent UN report. If we don’t slow the decline, all farmable soil could be
gone in 60 years. Since soil grows 95% of our food, and sustains human
life in other more surprising ways, that is a huge problem.
B
Peter Groffman, from the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in New
York, points out that soil scientists have been warning about the
degradation of the world’s soil for decades. At the same time, our
understanding of its importance to humans has grown. A single gram of
healthy soil might contain 100 million bacteria, as well as other
microorganisms such as viruses and fungi, living amid decomposing
plants and various minerals.
That means soils do not just grow our food, but are the source of nearly
all our existing antibiotics, and could be our best hope in the fight
against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Soil is also an ally against climate
change: as microorganisms within soil digest dead animals and plants,
they lock in their carbon content, holding three times the amount of
carbon as does the entire atmosphere. Soils also store water,
preventing flood damage: in the UK, damage to buildings, roads and
bridges from floods caused by soil degradation costs £233 million every
year.
C
If the soil loses its ability to perform these functions, the human race
could be in big trouble. The danger is not that the soil will disappear
completely, but that the microorganisms that give it its special
properties will be lost. And once this has happened, it may take the soil
thousands of years to recover.
Agriculture is by far the biggest problem. In the wild, when plants grow
they remove nutrients from the soil, but then when the plants die and
decay these nutrients are returned directly to the soil. Humans tend not
to return unused parts of harvested crops directly to the soil to enrich
it, meaning that the soil gradually becomes less fertile. In the past we
developed strategies to get around the problem, such as regularly
varying the types of crops grown, or leaving fields uncultivated for a
season.
D
But these practices became inconvenient as populations grew and
agriculture had to be run on more commercial lines. A solution came in
the early 20th century with the Haber-Bosch process for manufacturing
ammonium nitrate. Farmers have been putting this synthetic fertiliser
on their fields ever since.
But over the past few decades, it has become clear this wasn’t such a
bright idea. Chemical fertilisers can release polluting nitrous oxide into
the atmosphere and excess is often washed away with the rain,
releasing nitrogen into rivers. More recently, we have found that
indiscriminate use of fertilisers hurts the soil itself, turning it acidic and
salty, and degrading the soil they are supposed to nourish.
E
One of the people looking for a solution to his problem is Pius Floris,
who started out running a tree-care business in the Netherlands, and
now advises some of the world’s top soil scientists. He came to realise
that the best way to ensure his trees flourished was to take care of the
soil, and has developed a cocktail of beneficial bacteria, fungi and
humus* to do this. Researchers at the University of Valladolid in Spain
recently used this cocktail on soils destroyed by years of fertiliser
overuse. When they applied Floris’s mix to the desert-like test plots, a
good crop of plants emerged that were not just healthy at the surface,
but had roots strong enough to pierce dirt as hard as rock. The few
plants that grew in the control plots, fed with traditional fertilisers, were
small and weak.
F
However, measures like this are not enough to solve the global soil
degradation problem. To assess our options on a global scale we first
need an accurate picture of what types of soil are out there, and the
problems they face. That’s not easy. For one thing, there is no agreed
international system for classifying soil. In an attempt to unify the
different approaches, the UN has created the Global Soil Map project.
Researchers from nine countries are working together to create a map
linked to a database that can be fed measurements from field surveys,
drone surveys, satellite imagery, land analyses and so on to provide
real-time data on the state of the soil. Within the next four years, they
aim to have mapped soils worldwide to a depth of 100 metres, with the
results freely accessible to all.
G
But this is only a first step. We need ways of presenting the problem that
bring it home to governments and the wider public, says Pamela Chasek
at the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in Winnipeg,
Canada. ‘Most scientists don’t speak language that policy-makers can
understand, and vice versa.’ Chasek and her colleagues have proposed
a goal of ‘zero net land degradation’. Like the idea of carbon neutrality,
it is an easily understood target that can help shape expectations and
encourage action.
For soils on the brink, that may be too late. Several researchers are
agitating for the immediate creation of protected zones for
endangered soils. One difficulty here is defining what these areas
should conserve: areas where the greatest soil diversity is present? Or
areas of unspoilt soils that could act as a future benchmark of quality?
Whatever we do, if we want our soils to survive, we need to take action
now.

Questions 14-17

Complete the summary below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 14-17 on your answer sheet.
Why soil degradation could be a disaster for humans

Healthy soil contains a large variety of bacteria and other

microorganisms, as well as plant remains and 14 …………minerals……………..
It provides us with food and also with antibiotics, and its function in
storing 15 ………………carbon…………. has a significant effect on the climate.
In addition, it prevents damage to property and infrastructure because
it holds 16……………………water………
If these microorganisms are lost, soil may lose its special properties.
The main factor contributing to soil degradation is the 17………………
agriculture………….. carried out by humans.

Questions 18-21

Complete each sentence with the correct ending, A-F, below.

Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 18-21 on your answer sheet.
18 Nutrients contained in the unused parts of harvested crops C
19 Synthetic fertilisers produced with Haber-Bosch process E
20 Addition of a mixture developed by Pius Floris to the soil A
21 The idea of zero net soil degradation D
A may improve the number and quality of plants growing there.
B may contain data from up to nine countries.
C may not be put back into the soil.
D may help governments to be more aware of soil-related issues.
E may cause damage to different aspects of the environment.
F may be better for use at a global level.

Questions 22-26

Reading Passage 2 has seven paragraphs, A-G.

Which section contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-G, in boxes 22-26 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
22 a reference to one person’s motivation for a soil-improvement
project E
23 an explanation of how soil stayed healthy before the development
of farming C
24 examples of different ways of collecting information on soil
degradation F
25 a suggestion for a way of keeping some types of soil safe in the
near future G
26 a reason why it is difficult to provide an overview of soil
degradation F

WRITING
IELTS Writing Task 1: Table (cont.)
Exercise 1: The table below shows the number of temporary migrant
workers in four countries in 2003 and 2006 and the number of these
workers per 1,000 people in these countries in 2006.

Exercise 2: The table shows the cost of water in 5 cities in Australia.

Lesson #42
WARM-UP: How noise pollution is ruining your hearing
LISTENING
Questions 11 – 14

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

Minster Park

11 The park was originally established

A as an amenity provided by the city council.
B as land belonging to a private house.
C as a shared area set up by the local community.
12 Why is there a statue of Diane Gosforth in the park?
A She was a resident who helped to lead a campaign. petition
B She was a council member responsible for giving the public access.
C She was a senior worker at the park for many years.
13 During the First World War, the park was mainly used for
A exercises by troops.
B growing vegetables.
C public meetings.
14 When did the physical transformation of the park begin?
A 2013
B 2015
C 2016
Questions 15-20

Label the map below.

Write the correct letter, A-I, next to Questions 15-20.
15 statue of Diane Gosforth ……E……..
16 wooden sculptures ……C……..
17 playground ……B……..
18 maze ……A……..
19 tennis courts ……G……..
20 fitness area ……D……..

SPEAKING
Speaking Part 2
1. Describe an occasion when someone or something was making lots
of noise.
You should say:
- When and where it happened.
- What you were doing.
- What/Who was making the noise.
- How it affected you.
2. Describe a time you made a complaint about something.
You should say:
- When it happened.
- Who you complained to.
- What you complained about.
- How it was solved.
3. Describe a time when you were very busy.
You should say:
- When it was.
- Why you were busy.
- What you did to deal with the situation.
- How you felt about it.
4. Describe a time you had to do something in a hurry.
You should say:
- What you had to do.
- Why you had to do it in a hurry.
- How well you did this.
- How you felt about it.

Lesson #43
READING
Motivational factors and the hospitality industry

A critical ingredient in the success of hotels is developing and

maintaining superior performance from their employees. How is that
accomplished? What Human Resource Management (HRM) practices
should organizations invest in to acquire and retain great employees?
Some hotels aim to provide superior working conditions for their
employees. The idea originated from workplaces – usually in the non-
service sector – that emphasized fun and enjoyment as part of work-life
balance. By contrast, the service sector, and more specifically hotels,
has traditionally not extended these practices to address basic
employee needs, such as good working conditions.
Pfeffer (1994) emphasizes that in order to succeed in a global business
environment, organizations must make investment in Human Resource
Management (HRM) to allow them to acquire employees who possess
better skills and capabilities than their competitors. This investment will
be to their competitive advantage. Despite this recognition of the
importance of employee development, the hospitality industry has
historically been dominated by underdeveloped HR practices (Lucas,
2002).
Lucas also points out that ‘the substance of HRM practices does not
appear to be designed to foster constructive relations with employees
or to represent a managerial approach that enables developing and
drawing out the full potential of people, even though employees may
be broadly satisfied with many aspects of their work’ (Lucas, 2002). In
addition, or maybe as a result, high employee turnover has been a
recurring problem throughout the hospitality industry. Among the many
cited reasons are low compensation, inadequate benefits, poor working
conditions and compromised employee morale and attitudes
(Maroudas et al., 2008).
Ng and Sorensen (2008) demonstrated that when managers provide
recognition to employees, motivate employees to work together, and
remove obstacles preventing effective performance, employees feel
more obligated to stay with the company. This was succinctly
summarized by Michel et al. (2013): ‘[P]roviding support to employees
gives them the confidence to perform their jobs better and the
motivation to stay with the organization.’ Hospitality organizations can
therefore enhance employee motivation and retention through the
development and improvement of their working conditions. These
conditions are inherently linked to the working environment.
While it seems likely that employees’ reactions to their job
characteristics could be affected by a predisposition to view their work
environment negatively, no evidence exists to support this hypothesis
(Spector et al., 2000). However, given the opportunity, many people will
find something to complain about in relation to their workplace
(Poulston, 2009). There is a strong link between the perceptions of
employees and particular factors of their work environment that are
separate from the work itself, including company policies, salary and
vacations.
Such conditions are particularly troubling for the luxury hotel market,
where high-quality service, requiring a sophisticated approach to HRM,
is recognized as a critical source of competitive advantage (Maroudas
et al., 2008). In a real sense, the services of hotel employees represent
their industry (Schneider and Bowen, 1993). This representation has
commonly been limited to guest experiences. This suggests that there
has been a dichotomy between the guest environment provided in
luxury hotels and the working conditions of their employees.
It is therefore essential for hotel management to develop HRM practices
that enable them to inspire and retain competent employees. This
requires an understanding of what motivates employees at different
levels of management and different stages of their careers (Enz and
Siguaw, 2000). This implies that it is beneficial for hotel managers to
understand what practices are most favorable to increase employee
satisfaction and retention.
Herzberg (1966) proposes that people have two major types of needs,
the first being extrinsic motivation factors relating to the context in
which work is performed, rather than the work itself. These include
working conditions and job security. When these factors are
unfavorable, job dissatisfaction may result. Significantly, though, just
fulfilling these needs does not result in satisfaction, but only in the
reduction of dissatisfaction (Maroudas et al., 2008).
Employees also have intrinsic motivation needs or motivators, which
include such factors as achievement and recognition. Unlike extrinsic
factors, motivator factors may ideally result in job satisfaction
(Maroudas et al., 2008). Herzberg’s (1966) theory discusses the need for a
‘balance’ of these two types of needs.
The impact of fun as a motivating factor at work has also been
explored. For example, Tews, Michel and Stafford (2013) conducted a
study focusing on staff from a chain of themed restaurants in the
United States. It was found that fun activities had a favorable impact on
performance and manager support for fun had a favorable impact in
reducing turnover. Their findings support the view that fun may indeed
have a beneficial effect, but the framing of that fun must be carefully
aligned with both organizational goals and employee characteristics.
‘Managers must learn how to achieve the delicate balance of allowing
employees the freedom to enjoy themselves at work while
simultaneously high levels of performance’ (Tews et al., 2013).
Deery (2008) has recommended several actions that can be adopted at
the organizational level to retain good staff as well as assist in
balancing work and family life. Those particularly appropriate to the
hospitality industry include allowing adequate breaks during the
working day, staff functions that involve families, and providing health
and well-being opportunities.

Questions 27-31

Look at the following statements (Questions 27-31) and the list of

researchers below.
Match each statement with the correct researcher, A-F.
Write the correct letter, A-F, in boxes 27-31 on your answer sheet.
NB You may use any letter more than once.
27 Hotel managers need to know what would encourage good staff to
remain. E
28 The actions of managers may make staff feel they shouldn’t move to
a different employer. D
29 Little is done in the hospitality industry to help workers improve
their skills. B
30 Staff are less likely to change jobs if cooperation is encouraged.
31 Dissatisfaction with pay is not the only reason why hospitality
workers change jobs. C
List of Researchers
A Pfeffer
B Lucas
C Maroudas et al.
D Ng and Sorensen
E Enz and Siguaw
F Deery

Questions 32-35

Do the following statements agree with the claims of the writer in

Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 32-35 on your answer sheet, write
YES if the statement agrees with the claims of the writer
NO if the statement contradicts the claims of the writer
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this
32 One reason for high staff turnover in the hospitality industry is
poor morale. Y
33 Research has shown that staff have a tendency to dislike their
workplace. Y
34 An improvement in working conditions and job security makes staff
satisfied with their jobs. N
35 Staff should be allowed to choose when they take breaks during the
working day. NG

Questions 36-40

Complete the summary below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 36-40 on your answer sheet.
Fun at work

Tews, Michel and Stafford carried out research on staff in an American

chain of 36………………restaurants……… . They discovered that activities
designed for staff to have fun improved their 37………………
performance……… , and that management involvement led to lower staff
38 …………………turnover……….. . They also found that the activities needed to
fit with both the company’s 39 ……………goals…………….. and the 40 ………………
characteristics…………. Of the staff. A balance was required between a
degree of freedom and maintaining work standards.

WRITING
Writing Task 2: Discuss both views
I. Introduction
- People have different views about…/Individuals have varying opinions
on… Personally/In my view,...
- It is true that [background]. Although it can be argued that…, I believe/I
support…
II. Body 1
- Topic sentence:
+ The argument in favour of A would be that…
+ The advocates of A would argue that…
- Explanation:
+ To be more specific
+ In particular,...
- Example:
+ For example,...
+ To illustrate,...
+ For instance,...
+ To take X as an example,...
- Linking:
+ This means that…
+ As a result,...
+ Consequently,...
III. Body 2
- Topic sentence:
+ However, I would agree with those who believe that/the advocates
of B.
+ Despite the above argument, I would agree with…
+ On the other hand,...
- Explanation.
- Example.
- Linking.
IV. Conclusion
- In conclusion, [background]. There are good reasons why A, but in my
opinion, B.

[Sample essay]
Some people think that all university students should study whatever
they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study
subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to
science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own
opinion.

→ People have different views about how much choice students should have with regard
to what they can study at university. While some argue that it would be better for
students to be forced into certain key subject areas, I believe that everyone should be able
to study the course of their choice.
There are various reasons why people believe that universities should
only offer subjects that will be useful in the future. They may assert that
university courses like medicine, engineering and information
technology are more likely to be beneficial than certain art degrees.
From a personal perspective, it can be argued that these courses
provide more job opportunities, career progression, better salaries, and
therefore an improved quality of life for students who take them. On the
societal level, by forcing people to choose particular university subjects,
governments can ensure that any knowledge and skill gaps in the
economy are covered. Finally, a focus on technology in higher
education could lead to new inventions, economic growth, and greater
future prosperity.
In spite of these arguments, I believe that university students should be
free to choose their preferred areas of study. In my opinion, society will
benefit more if students are passionate about what they are learning.
Besides, nobody can really predict which areas of knowledge will be
most useful to society in the future, and it may be that employers begin
to value creative thinking skills over practical or technical skills. If this
were the case, perhaps we would need more students of art, history and
philosophy than of science or technology.
In conclusion, although it might seem sensible for universities to focus
only on the most useful subjects, I personally prefer the current system
in which people have the right to study whatever they like.

Some people think that in the modern world we are more dependent on
each other, while others think that people have become more
independent. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
SHEEPT
Society
Health/
Economy
E
Politics
Lesson #44
LISTENING
Questions 21 – 26

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
What Hazel should analyse about items in newspapers:
● what 21………page……… the item is on
● the 22………size……… of the item, including the headline
● any 23………graphics…….. accompanying the item
● the 24……structure………… of the item, e.g. what’s made prominent
● the writer’s main 25………purpose………
● the 26………assumption……… the writer may make about the reader
Questions 27-30

What does Hazel decide to do about each of the following types of

articles?
Write the correct letter, A, B or C, next to Questions 27-30
A She will definitely look for a suitable article.
B She may look for a suitable article.
C She definitely won’t look for an article.
Types of articles
27 national news item ………A…… explicitly
28 editorial ………C……
29 human interest ………C……
30 arts ………B……

SPEAKING
Part 1:
● Crowded places.
● Being bored.
Part 2:
1. Describe a useful object that you cannot live without.
You should say:
- What it is.
- How long you have owned it for.
- What you use it for.
- Why you cannot live without it.
2. Describe a good advertisement that you think is useful.
You should say:
- When and where you saw it.
- What it was about.
- What was featured in the advertisement.
- Why you think it is useful.
Part 3:
● Technology & equipment.
● Advertising.

Lesson #45
READING
Alexander Henderson (1831-1913)

Born in Scotland, Henderson emigrated to Canada in 1855 and become

a well-known landscape photographer
Alexander Henderson was born in Scotland in 1831 and was the son of a
successful merchant. His grandfather, also called Alexander, had
founded the family business, and later became the first chairman of the
National Bank of Scotland. The family had extensive landholding in
Scotland. Besides its residence in Edinburgh, it owned Press Estate, 650
acres of farmland about 35 miles southeast of the city. The family often
stayed at Press Castle, the large mansion on the northern edge of the
property, and Alexander spent much of his childhood in the area,
playing on the beach near Eyemouth or fishing in the streams nearby.
Even after he went to school at Murcheston Academy on the outskirts
of Edinburgh, Henderson returned to Press at weekends. In 1849 he
began a three-year apprenticeship to become an accountant. Although
he never liked the prospect of a business career, he stayed with it to
please his family. In October 1855, however, he emigrated to Canada
with his wife Agnes Elder Robertson and they settled in Montreal.
Henderson learned photography in Montreal around the year 1857 and
quickly took it up as a serious amateur. He became a personal friend
and colleague of the Scottish – Canadian photographer William
Notman. The two men made a photographic excursion to Niagara Falls
in 1860 and they cooperated on experiments with magnesium flares as a
source of artificial light in 1865. They belonged to the same societies
and were among the founding members of the Art Association of
Montreal. Henderson acted as chairman of the association’s first
meeting, which was held in Notman’s studio on 11 January 1860.
In spite of their friendship, their styles of photography were quite
different. While Notman’s landscapes were noted for their bold realism,
Henderson for the first 20 years of his career produced romantic
images, showing the strong influence of the British landscape tradition.
His artistic and technical progress was rapid and in 1865 he published
his first major collection of landscape photographs. The publication
had limited circulation (only seven copies have ever been found), and
was called Canadian Views and Studies. The contents of each copy vary
significantly and have proved a useful source for evaluating
Henderson’s early work.
In 1866, he gave up his business to open a photographic studio,
advertising himself as a portrait and landscape photographer. From
about 1870 he dropped portraiture to specialize in landscape
photography and other views. His numerous photographs of city life
revealed in street scenes, houses, and markets are alive with human
activity, and although his favourite subject was landscape he usually
composed his scenes around such human pursuits as farming the land,
cutting ice on a river, or sailing down a woodland stream. There was
sufficient demand for these types of scenes and others he took
depicting the lumber trade, steamboats and waterfalls to enable him to
make a living. There was little competing hobby or amateur
photography before the late 1880s because of the time-consuming
techniques involved and the weight of equipment. People wanted to buy
photographs as souvenirs of a trip or as gifts, and catering to this
market, Henderson had stock photographs on display at his studio for
mounting, framing, or inclusion in albums.
Henderson frequently exhibited his photographs in Montreal and
abroad, in London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Paris, New York, and
Philadelphia. He met with greater success in 1877 and 1878 in New York
when he won first prizes in the exhibition held by E and H T Anthony
and Company for landscapes using the Lambertype process. In 1878 his
work won second prize at the world exhibition in Paris.
In the 1890s and 1880s Henderson travelled widely throughout Quebec
and Ontario, in Canada, documenting the major cities of the two
provinces and many of the villages in Quebec. He was especially fond of
the wilderness and often travelled by canoe on the Blanche, du Lièvre,
and other noted eastern rivers. He went on several occasions to the
Maritimes and in 1872 he sailed by yacht along the lower north shore of
the St Lawrence River. That same year, while in the lower St Lawrence
River region, he took some photographs of the construction of the
Intercolonial Railway. This undertaking led in 1875 to a commission from
the railway to record the principal structures along the almost-
completed line connecting Montreal to Halifax. Commissions from other
railways followed. In 1876 he photographed bridges on the Quebec,
Montreal, Ottawa and Occidental Railway between Montreal and
Ottawa. In 1885 he went west along the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) as
far as Rogers Pass in British Columbia, where he took photographs of
the mountains and the progress of construction.
In 1892 Henderson accepted a full-time position with the CPR as
manager of a photographic department which he was to set up and
administer. His duties included spending four months in the field each
year. That summer he made his second trip west, photographing
extensively along the railway line as far as Victoria. He continued in this
post until 1897, when he retired completely from photography.
When Henderson died in 1913, his huge collection of glass negatives was
stored in the basement of his house. Today collections of his work are
held at the National Archives of Canada, Ottawa, and the McCord
Museum of Canadian History, Montreal.
Questions 1-8

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading

Passage 1?
In boxes 1-8 on your answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
1 Henderson rarely visited the area around Press estate when he was
younger. F
2 Henderson pursued a business career because it was what his family
wanted. T
3 Henderson and Notman were surprised by the results of their 1865
experiment. NG
4 There were many similarities between Henderson’s early landscapes
and those of Notman. F
5 The studio that Henderson opened in 1866 was close to his home. NG
6 Henderson gave up portraiture so that he could focus on taking
photographs of scenery. T
7 When Henderson began work for the Intercolonial Railway, the
Montreal to Halifax line had been finished. F
8 Henderson’s last work as a photographer was with the Canadian
Pacific Railway. T
Questions 9-13

Complete the notes below

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 9-13 on your answer sheet.
Alexander Henderson

Early life
• was born in Scotland in 1831 – father was a 9 …………merchant………………
• trained as an accountant, emigrated to Canada in 1855
Start of a photographic career
• opened up a photographic studio in 1866
• took photos of city life, but preferred landscape photography
• people bought Henderson’s photos because photography took up
considerable time and the 10 ………equipment……………… was heavy
• the photographs Henderson sold were 11 ……………gifts……………… or
souvenirs
Travelling as a professional photographer
• travelled widely in Quebec and Ontario in 1870s and 1880s
• took many trips along eastern rivers in a 12……………canoe……………..
• worked for Canadian railways between 1875 and 1897
• worked for CPR in 1885 and photographed the 13 ……………
mountains……………… and the railway at Rogers Pass

WRITING
Writing Task 2: Opinion essay
Format

Totally Partly agree/disagree

agree/disagree

Introduction Some people believe It is true that

[background]. While I
 that…/It is believed by agree that…, I do
some that… → I believe that…
completely/totally
agree/disagree with this
point of view.

Body 1 + Direct method: PEER On the one hand, I

+ Counter - argument: accept that…
The argument in favour or → EER
A would be that… →
However, I believe (A is
wrong)

Body 2 Apart from the Nevertheless, I believe

concerns above, I also that…
reckon that…

Conclusion In conclusion, I affirm In conclusion, while I

that… agree that…, I still
think that…

[Sample essay]
It is true that some celebrities are known for their glamorous lifestyles
rather than for the work they do. While I agree that these celebrities set
a bad example for children, I believe that other famous people act as
positive role models.
On the one hand, many people do achieve fame without really working
for it. They may have inherited money from parents, married a famous
or wealthy person, or they may have appeared in gossip magazines or
on a reality TV programme. A good example would be Paris Hilton, who
is rich and famous for the wrong reasons. She spends her time
attending parties and nightclubs, and her behaviour promotes the idea
that appearance, glamour and media profile are more important than
hard work and good character. The message to young people is that
success can be achieved easily, and that school work is not necessary.
On the other hand, there are at least as many celebrities whose
accomplishments make them excellent role models for young people.
Actors, musicians and sports stars become famous idols because they
have worked hard and applied themselves to develop real skills and
abilities. They demonstrate great effort, determination and
ambition, which is required for someone who wants to be truly
successful in their chosen field. An example is the actor and martial
artist Jackie Chan, who has become worldwide famous through years of
practice and hard work. This kind of self-made celebrity can inspire
children to develop their talents through application and perseverance.
(Add your own conclusion)
Notes: Pay close attention to every single piece of information in the
prompt.

Some people say in order to prevent illness and disease, governments

should focus on reducing environmental pollution and housing
problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Lesson #46
LISTENING
Questions 31 – 40

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
How the Industrial Revolution affected life in Britain

19th century
● For the first time, people’s possessions were used to measure Britain’s
31………wealth …….. .
● Developments in production of goods and in 32……technology…………
greatly changed lives.

MAIN AREAS OF CHANGE

Manufacturing
● The Industrial Revolution would not have happened without the new
types of 33………power……… that were used then.
● The leading industry was 34………textiles………. (its products became
widely available).
● New 35………machines …….. made factories necessary and so more
people moved into towns.
Transport
● The railways took the place of canals.
● Because of the new transport:
– greater access to 36……newspapers…………. Made people more
aware of what they could buy in shops.
– when shopping, people were not limited to buying 37…
local…………… goods.
Retailing
● The first department stores were opened.
● The displays of goods were more visible:
– inside stores because of better 38………lighting………. .
– outside stores, because 39………windows……… were bigger.
● 40……advertising…………. that was persuasive became much more
common.
SPEAKING
Part 1:
● Fishing.
● Robots.
Part 2:
1. Describe a person you know who likes to talk a lot.
You should say:
- Who this person is.
- How you knew this person.
- What this person likes to talk about.
- How you feel when you are with this person.
2. Describe a person who likes cooking for others.
You should say:
- Who this person is/How you knew this person.
- What this person likes to cook.
- Who this person cooks for.
- Why this person enjoys cooking.
Part 3:
● Expressing yourself, communication.
● Cooking & food.

Lesson #47
READING

Saving bugs to find new drugs

Zoologist Ross Piper looks at the potential of insects in pharmaceutical
research
A
More drugs than you might think are derived from, or inspired by,
compounds found in living things. Looking to nature for the soothing
and curing of our ailments is nothing new – we have been doing it for
tens of thousands of years. You only have to look at other primates –
such as the capuchin monkeys who rub themselves with toxin-oozing
millipedes to deter mosquitoes, or the chimpanzees who use noxious
forest plants to rid themselves of intestinal parasites – to realise that
our ancient ancestors too probably had a basic grasp of medicine.
B
Pharmaceutical science and chemistry built on these ancient
foundations and perfected the extraction, characterization,
modification and testing of these natural products. Then, for a while,
modern pharmaceutical science moved its focus away from nature and
into the laboratory, designing chemical compounds from scratch. The
main cause of this shift is that although there are plenty of promising
chemical compounds in nature, finding them is far from easy. Securing
sufficient numbers of the organism in question, isolating and
characterizing the compounds of interest, and producing large
quantities of these compounds are all significant hurdles.
C
Laboratory-based drug discovery has achieved varying levels of
success, something which has now prompted the development of new
approaches focusing once again on natural products. With the ability
to mine genomes for useful compounds, it is now evident that we have
barely scratched the surface of nature’s molecular diversity. This
realization, together with several looming health crises, such as
antibiotic resistance, has put bioprospecting – the search for useful
compounds in nature – firmly back on the map.
D
Insects are the undisputed masters of the terrestrial domain, where
they occupy every possible niche. Consequently, they have a
bewildering array of interactions with other organisms, something
which has driven the evolution of an enormous range of very interesting
compounds for defensive and offensive purposes. Their remarkable
diversity exceeds that of every other group of animals on the planet
combined. Yet even though insects are far and away the most diverse
animals in existence, their potential as sources of therapeutic
compounds is yet to be realised.
E
From the tiny proportion of insects that have been investigated, several
promising compounds have been identified. For example, alloferon, an
antimicrobial compound produced by blow fly larvae, is used as an
antiviral and antitumor agent in South Korea and Russia. The larvae of
a few other insect species are being investigated for the potent
antimicrobial compounds they produce. Meanwhile, a compound from
the venom of the wasp Polybia paulista has potential in cancer
treatment.
F
Why is it that insects have received relatively little attention in
bioprospecting? Firstly, there are so many insects that, without some
manner of targeted approach, investigating this huge variety of species
is a daunting task. Secondly, insects are generally very small, and the
glands inside them that secrete potentially useful compounds are
smaller still. This can make it difficult to obtain sufficient quantities of
the compound for subsequent testing. Thirdly, although we consider
insects to be everywhere, the reality of this ubiquity is vast numbers of a
few extremely common species. Many insect species are infrequently
encountered and very difficult to rear in captivity, which, again, can
leave us with insufficient material to work with.
G
My colleagues and I at Aberystwyth University in the UK have developed
an approach in which we use our knowledge of ecology as a guide to
target our efforts. The creatures that particularly interest us are the
many insects that secrete powerful poison for subduing prey and
keeping it fresh for future consumption. There are even more insects
that are masters of exploiting filthy habitats, such as faeces and
carcasses, where they are regularly challenged by thousands of micro-
organisms. These insects have many antimicrobial compounds for
dealing with pathogenic bacteria and fungi, suggesting that there is
certainly potential to find many compounds that can serve as or inspire
new antibiotics.
H
Although natural history knowledge points us in the right direction, it
doesn’t solve the problems associated with obtaining useful
compounds from insects. Fortunately, it is now possible to snip out the
stretches of the insect’s DNA that carry the codes for the interesting
compounds and insert them into cell lines that allow larger quantities
to be produced. And although the road from isolating and
characterizing compounds with desirable qualities to developing a
commercial product is very long and full of pitfalls, the variety of
successful animal-derived pharmaceuticals on the market
demonstrates there is a precedent here that is worth exploring.
I
With every bit of wilderness that disappears, we deprive ourselves of
potential medicines. As much as I’d love to help develop a
groundbreaking insect-derived medicine, my main motivation for
looking at insects in this way is conservation. I sincerely believe that all
species, however small and seemingly insignificant, have a right to exist
for their own sake. If we can shine a light on the darker recesses of
nature’s medicine cabinet, exploring the useful chemistry of the most
diverse animals on the planet, I believe we can make people think
differently about the value of nature.

Questions 14-20
Reading Passage 2 has nine paragraphs, A-I
Which paragraph contains the following information?
Write the correct letter, A-I, in boxes 14-20 on your answer sheet.
14 mention of factors driving a renewed interest in natural medicinal
compounds.C D
15 how recent technological advances have made insect research
easier H
16 examples of animals which use medicinal substances from nature A
17 reasons why it is challenging to use insects in drug research F
18 reference to how interest in drug research may benefit wildlife I G
19 a reason why nature-based medicines fell out of favour for a period
B
20 an example of an insect-derived medicine in use at the moment E

Questions 21-22
Choose TWO letters, A-E
Write the correct letters in boxes 21 and 22 on your answer sheet.
Which TWO of the following make insects interesting for drug research?
A the huge number of individual insects in the world
B the variety of substances insects have developed to protect
themselves
C the potential to extract and make use of insects’ genetic codes
D the similarities between different species of insect
E the manageable size of most insects

Questions 23-26
Complete the summary below.
Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 23-26 on your answer sheet.

Research at Aberystwyth University

Ross Piper and fellow zoologists at Aberystwyth University are using
their expertise in 23………ecology………………… when undertaking
bioprospecting with insects. They are especially interested in the
compounds that insects produce to overpower and preserve their
24……………prey……………. They are also interested in compounds which
insects use to protect themselves from pathogenic bacteria and fungi
found in their 25…………compounds……………… Piper hopes that these
substances will be useful in the development of drugs such as 26……………
antibiotics………………..

WRITING
Writing Task 1: Process
A. Layout
I. Introduction
The given chart/diagram (shows/describes/illustrates):
+ How X is made/manufactured/produced.
+ The process of making/manufacturing/producing X.
+ How to make/manufacture/produce X.
+ The manufacture/production of X.
II. Overview
- There are [number] main stages/steps in the process of producing X,
beginning with A and ending with B.
- The production involves [number] main steps, starting with A and
finishing with B.
III. Body 1 & 2
Separate the steps into two body paragraphs.

B. Useful lexical & grammatical structures

I. Consequential relation
- Firstly/At the first stage of X → Then → Next → After that/Afterwards/At the following
stage/At the subsequent stage → Finally.
- After/Before + clause/gerund, clause.
- Clause, followed by + N/gerund.
- Once + clause, clause.
- Subsequently, clause.
- Having been + V-ed, clause.
II. Simultaneous relation
- During + N/phrase, clause.
- Clause, thereby + V-ing.
- While/At the same time.

Practice: The diagram below shows the production of olive oil.

the first stage starts with gathering olives from trees/from farms
At the first stage, ripe olives are collected from gardens before being
taken to the factory where they are washed with cold water. Then, they
are rinsed and transferred through a conveyor belt to a smashing
machine, which separates the olive paste and stones.

Lesson #48
LISTENING
Questions 1 – 10

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.
 Children’s Engineering Workshops

Tiny Engineers (ages 4-5)

Activities
● Create a cover for an 1 ………egg………… so they can drop it from a
height without breaking it.
● Take part in a competition to build the tallest 2 …………tower……… .
● Make a 3 ……car…………… powered by a balloon.
Junior Engineers (ages 6-8)
Activities:
● Build model cars, trucks and 4 ………animals………… and learn how to
program them so they can move.
● Take part in a competition to build the longest 5 …………bridge………
using card and wood.
● Create a short 6 …………movie……… with special software.
● Build, 7 ……decorate…………… and program a humanoid robot.
Cost for a five-week block: £50
Held on 8 …………wednesdays……… from 10 am to 11 am
Location
Building 10A, 9 ………fradstone………… Industrial Estate, Grasford
Plenty of 10 ……………parking…… is available.

SPEAKING
Part 1:
● Geography.
● Gifts.
Part 2:
1. Describe an unusual holiday that you had.
You should say:
- When and where it was.
- What you did.
- Why it was unusual.
- How you felt about it.
2. Describe an important journey that was delayed.
You should say:
- When it was.
- Why it was important.
- How it was delayed.
- How you felt about it.
Part 3:
● Tourism, travelling, holidays.
● Transportation, travelling.

Lesson #49
READING
Chelsea Rochman, an ecologist at the University of California, Davis,
has been trying to answer a dismal question: Is everything terrible, or
are things just very, very bad?
Rochman is a member of the National Center for Ecological Analysis
and Synthesis’s marine-debris working group, a collection of scientists
who study, among other things, the growing problem of marine debris,
also known as ocean trash. Plenty of studies have sounded alarm bells
about the state of marine debris; in a recent paper published in the
journal Ecology, Rochman and her colleagues set out to determine how
many of those perceived risks are real.
Often, Rochman says, scientists will end a paper by speculating about
the broader impacts of what they’ve found. For example, a study could
show that certain seabirds eat plastic bags, and go on to warn that
whole bird populations are at risk of dying out. ‘But the truth was that
nobody had yet tested those perceived threats,’ Rochman says. ‘There
wasn’t a lot of information.’
Rochman and her colleagues examined more than a hundred papers
on the impacts of marine debris that were published through 2013.
Within each paper, they asked what threats scientists had studied – 366
perceived threats in all – and what they’d actually found.
In 83 percent of cases, the perceived dangers of ocean trash were
proven true. In the remaining cases, the working group found the
studies had weaknesses in design and content which affected the
validity of their conclusions – they lacked a control group, for example,
or used faulty statistics.
Strikingly, Rochman says, only one well-designed study failed to find the
effect it was looking for, an investigation of mussels ingesting
microscopic bits. The plastic moved from the mussels’ stomachs to their
bloodstreams, scientists found, and stayed there for weeks – but didn’t
seem to stress out the shellfish.
While mussels may be fine eating trash, though, the analysis also gave a
clearer picture of the many ways that ocean debris is bothersome.
Within the studies they looked at, most of the proven threats came from
plastic debris, rather than other materials like metal or wood. Most of
the dangers also involved large pieces of debris – animals getting
entangled in trash, for example, or eating it and severely injuring
themselves.
But a lot of ocean debris is ‘microplastic’, or pieces smaller than five
millimeters. These may be ingredients used in cosmetics and toiletries,
fibers shed by synthetic clothing in the wash, or eroded remnants of
larger debris. Compared to the number of studies investigating large-
scale debris, Rochman’s group found little research on the effects of
these tiny bits. ‘There are a lot of open questions still for microplastic,’
Rochman says, though she notes that more papers on the subject have
been published since 2013, the cutoff point for the group’s analysis.
There are also, she adds, a lot of open questions about the ways that
ocean debris can lead to sea-creature death. Many studies have looked
at how plastic affects an individual animal, or that animal’s tissues or
cells, rather than whole populations. And in the lab, scientists often use
higher concentrations of plastic than what’s really in the ocean. None of
that tells us how many birds or fish or sea turtles could die from plastic
pollution – or how deaths in one species could affect that animal’s
predators, or the rest of the ecosystem.
‘We need to be asking more ecologically relevant questions,’ Rochman
says. Usually, scientists don’t know exactly how disasters such as a
tanker accidentally spilling its whole cargo of oil and polluting huge
areas of the ocean will affect the environment until after they’ve
happened. ‘We don’t ask the right questions early enough,’ she says. But
if ecologists can understand how the slow-moving effect of ocean trash
is damaging ecosystems, they might be able to prevent things from
getting worse.
Asking the right questions can help policy makers, and the public,
figure out where to focus their attention. The problems that look or
sound most dramatic may not be the best places to start. For example,
the name of the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ – a collection of marine
debris in the northern Pacific Ocean – might conjure up a vast, floating
trash island. In reality though, much of the debris is tiny or below the
surface; a person could sail through the area without seeing any trash
at all. A Dutch group called ‘The Ocean Cleanup’ is currently working on
plans to put mechanical devices in the Pacific Garbage Patch and
similar areas to suck up plastic. But a recent paper used simulations to
show that strategically positioning the cleanup devices closer to shore
would more effectively reduce pollution over the long term.
‘I think clearing up some of these misperceptions is really important,’
Rochman says. Among scientists as well as in the media, she says, ‘A lot
of the images about strandings and entanglement and all of that cause
the perception that plastic debris is killing everything in the ocean.’
Interrogating the existing scientific literature can help ecologists figure
out which problems really need addressing, and which ones they’d be
better off – like the mussels – absorbing and ignoring.

Questions 27-33

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading

Passage 3?
In boxes 27-33 on you answer sheet, write
TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this
27 Rochman and her colleagues were the first people to research the
problem of marine debris. F
28 The creatures most in danger from ocean trash are certain
seabirds. NG
29 The studies Rochman has reviewed have already proved that
populations of some birds will soon become extinct. F
30 Rochman analysed papers on the different kinds of danger caused
by ocean trash. T
31 Most of the research analysed by Rochman and her colleagues was
badly designed. F
32 One study examined by Rochman was expecting to find that
mussels were harmed by eating plastic. T
33 Some mussels choose to eat plastic in preference to their natural
diet. NG

Questions 34-39

Complete the notes below.

Choose ONE WORD ONLY from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 34-39 on your answer sheet.
Findings related to marine debris

Studies of marine debris found the biggest threats were

• plastic (not metal or wood)
• bits of debris that were 34……………large…………….. (harmful to animals)
There was little research into 35…………‘microplastic’………………. e.g. from
synthetic fibres.
Drawbacks of the studies examined
• most of them focused on individual animals, not entire 36 ……………
populations…………..
• the 37…………concentrations………….. of plastic used in the lab did not
always reflect those in the ocean
• there was insufficient information on
– numbers of animals which could be affected
– the impact of a reduction in numbers on the 38………
predators……………….. of that species
– the impact on the ecosystem
Rochman says more information is needed on the possible impact of
future 39……………disasters…………… (e.g. involving oil).

Question 40

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

Write the correct letter in box 40 on your answer sheet.
40 What would be the best title for this passage?
A Assessing the threat of marine debris
B Marine debris: who is to blame?
C A new solution to the problem of marine debris
D Marine debris: the need for international action

WRITING
IELTS Writing Task 2: Problems & Solutions
I. Question types & requirements
1. Cause - Solution
E.g. Many people believe that educational standards have declined in
recent times, particularly in the area of literacy & numeracy.
Discuss the causes of this problem and offer some possible solutions to
it.
2. Cause - Effect
E.g. Today, more and more people are leaving rural areas to live in the
city.
Discuss some effects of rural recession (migration from the country to
the city) and the cause of this.
3. Problem- Solution
E.g. Consumers are faced with increasing numbers of advertisements
from competing companies.
To what extent do you think consumers are influenced by
advertisements? What measures can be taken to protect them?

II. Layout (Problem - Solution)

1. Introduction
- It is true that/It is commonly seen that … Although there are
undoubtedly some negative consequences of this, [societies] can take
some steps/actions to mitigate these potential problems.
- X is among the principal dangers facing people recently. This essay
will first indicate that the major issues brought on by this phenomena
are …, and it will then make the case that the best solutions involve …
2. Body 1 - Problems
- Topic sentence:
E.g. As [background], several related problems can be anticipated.
- Problem 1: Firstly/The main issue is that/For starters,... → PEER.
- Problem 2: In addition/Furthermore,... → PEER.
3. Body 2 - Solutions
- Topic sentence: There are two main actions/measures/methods that
(governments) could take/apply to address/tackle/solve the issues
above.
- Solution 1.
- Solution 2.
4. Conclusion
In conclusion, …

III. Sample essay

Many people prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced
films. Why could this be? Should governments give more financial
support to local film industries?
→ It is true that foreign films are more popular in many countries than domestically
produced films. There could be several reasons why this is the case, and I believe that
governments should promote local film-making by subsidizing the industry.
There are various reasons why many people find foreign films more
enjoyable than the films produced in their own countries. Firstly, the
established film industries in certain countries have huge budgets for
action, special effects and to shoot scenes in spectacular locations.
Hollywood blockbusters like ‘Avatar’ or the James Bond films are
examples of such productions, and their global appeal is undeniable.
Another reason why these big-budget films are so successful is that
they often star the most famous actors and actresses, and they are
made by the most accomplished producers and directors. The poor
quality, low-budget film making in many countries suffers in
comparison.

In my view, governments should support local film industries financially.

In every country, there may be talented amateur film-makers who just
need to be given the opportunity to prove themselves. To compete with
big-budget productions from overseas, these people need money to
pay for film crews, actors and a host of other costs related to producing
high-quality films. If governments did help with these costs, they would
see an increase in employment in the film industry, income from film
sales, and perhaps even a rise in tourist numbers. New Zealand, for
example, has seen an increase in tourism related to the 'Lord of the
Rings' films, which were partly funded by government subsidies.

In conclusion, I believe that increased financial support could help to

raise the quality of locally made films and allow them to compete with
the foreign productions that currently dominate the market.

IV. Practice
1. It is observed that in many countries, not enough students are
choosing to study science as a subject. What are the causes of this?
And what will be the effects on society?
2. Many working people do not have enough free time off work to spend
with their friends and family. Why is this the case? What are the effects
on family life and society as a whole?
It is true that a lot of working people nowadays have little free time off
work to spend with their acquaintances. There are several reasons why
this is the case, And I believe this could cause some negative effects on
family life and society.
Outline:
- Body 1: Cause
+ Reason 1: young people tend to be more ambitious.
+ Reason 2: cost of livings is higher people have to work overtime to
cope with it
- Body 2: Effects
+ Effect 1: Family life: less time spent with family can cause family
members to feel isolated (family bonds are weakened).
● Example: higher divorce rates
+ Effect 2: Society as a whole: population mental health decrease
significantly

Lesson #50
LISTENING
Questions 11 – 15

Choose the correct letter, A, B or C.

Minster Park

11 Dartfield House school used to be

A a tourist information centre.
B a private home.
C a local council building. x
12 What is planned with regard to the lower school?
A All buildings on the main site will be improved.
B The lower school site will be used for new homes. x
C Additional school buildings will be constructed on the lower school
site.
13 The catering has been changed because of
A long queuing times.
B changes to the school timetable.
C dissatisfaction with the menus.
14 Parents are asked to
A help their children to decide in advance which serving point to use.
B make sure their children have enough money for food.
C advise their children on healthy food to eat.
15 What does the speaker say about the existing canteen?
A Food will still be served there.
B Only staff will have access to it.
C Pupils can take their food into it.
Questions 16-18
What comment does the speaker make about each of the following
serving points in the Food Hall?
Choose THREE answers from the box and write the correct letter, A-D,
next to Questions 16-18.
Comments
A pupils help to plan menus
B only vegetarian food
C different food every week
D daily change in menu
Food available at serving points in Food Hall
16 World Adventures D
17 Street Life A
18 Speedy Italian B
Questions 19 and 20

Choose TWO letters, A-E.

Which TWO optional after-school lessons are new?
A swimming
B piano
C acting
D cycling
E theatre sound and lighting

SPEAKING
Part 1:
● Running
● Films
Part 2:
1. Describe a uniform that you wear.
You should say:
- What it looks like.
- Who purchased it.
- When and where you need to wear it.
- How you feel about it.
2. Describe a rule that you don’t like.
You should say:
- What it is.
- When and where it is applied.
- Why you don’t like it.
- What others feel about it.
- Whether you follow it or not.
Part 3:
● Uniforms
● Rules
HOMEWORK
Speaking part 2
Describe your first day at school.
You should say:
- When it was.
- What the school looked like.
- What you did during that day.
- How you felt about it.

Describe a plant in your country.

You should say:
- What plant it is.
- Where it grows.
- Why it is important in your country.
- Why you like or dislike it.