MULTI LEVEL PRACTICE TEST 5

PART 1
Time management
How do you organize your time?
Hmm, well I'm not always the most organized person, but the good thing is that
I'm not a procrastinator (someone who waits until the last minute). I always
do what needs to be done first, such as my errands or work tasks. After I do
what I need to do, I will then allow myself to relax.
Do you make plans every day?
No, I don't. I'm more of a spontaneous (unplanned) person. I don't like to plan
every second of every day, as plans can quickly change. I only plan out what I
need to do and how to get it done, but I let my social interactions come up
(arise) unplanned.
Would you say you manage your time well?
More or less. I'm not the most organized nor disorganized person on the planet.
However, I can say with certainty that I always complete what is asked of me.
On the other hand, I sometimes can't do things like plan vacations very well.
Are you ever late for anything?
Once in a blue moon (very rarely)! I am a stickler (serious) about time, so I
am almost never late. When I think about it, the only times I've been late for work
were because of a traffic jam or an accident.
Do you think young people organize their time in the same way?
No, I don't. I think that's too general of a question. I believe everyone organizes
their time in different ways. However, young people tend to have heavy work
and study schedules, so they may not be able to manage their time and tasks
as well as someone who doesn't. So, in this case, young people have to
prioritize(decide what is most important) more.
What's the biggest difficulty you have when managing time?
I would have to say my social life. As I have a demanding work schedule, I tend
to lose track of time and forget to add in time to spend with my friends and family.
I am looking for a way to manage this better.
 PART 2
IELTS Speaking Part 2
Describe a childhood friend you have lost touch with
You should say:
where you met
how you spent time together
what you liked about your friend
and say why you think you have lost touch with them.

Model answer
I’d like to tell you about Giorgio, my old schoolfriend. I met him in primary school –
we were assigned to sit at the same desk and we hit it off in no time at all. He turned
out to be quite keen on videogames, just as I was. This kind of brought us together.

We would spend days either at my place or his talking about our hobbies, playing
games or reading comic books. We would rarely go outside, which sometimes caused
me falling out with my family. Other than that, my parents didn’t stand in the way of
our friendship.

What I really liked about Giorgio was his determination. I idolised his persistence in
achieving whatever he would set out to do. I guess this quality has proved really
helpful throughout his life. Small wonder he is so successful now!

I guess the reason we grew apart was a natural one. At some point Giorgio became
a family man, too busy to have time for many things. I mean we still have lots in
common and would find something to talk about, but it just isn’t going to be the way
it used to.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

Family and friendship
What personal qualities make a good friend?
I’d say that a good friend is a person with empathy. You should be able to relate to
other people’s feelings – whether positive or negative ones. Another important trait
of character is being considerate – paying attention to what other person says, thinks
or needs. Finally, a great friend is a selfless one – in other words, they are ready to
put other people’s interests before their own. Surely there are many other important
personal qualities, but these three are the cornerstone ones.

Who do people have stronger connection with – their friends or their family?
Why?
This is a pretty tough question and it should be looked at a case-by-case basis. Some
cultures have stronger family ties – whether it’s their immediate or extended family.
They have family meetings and dinner regularly. They have more respect for the
elder members of their community as well. Others bond stronger with their friends –
either childhood ones or those from school, college or work. One thing is true – while
we can’t choose our family, we can definitely pick friends – so it might be safe to say
that the latter tends to be stronger as it is based on common interests or other things
that draw people together.

Nowadays people tend to start families later in their lives. Why?

I think there is a number of factors at play here. First of all, the economic reasons.
Young people today have a harder time finding a promising career. A good job takes
up the majority of their time which leaves little room for the personal side of life.
Similarly, raising a child can be quite taxing on family budget so many choose to
postpone having a family and children until they are financially comfortable. Another
possible reason is an overall shift in social paradigm – some people no longer see
starting a family as an integral part of life.

Relationships
How has technology affected the way people communicate?
The ubiquity of the Internet and increasing popularity of mobile devices has had a
dramatic effect on the way we keep in touch. In fact, the change was so vast that
even phone conversations are becoming obsolete, rapidly being ousted by
messengers. These enable people to send text or voice messages virtually free of
charge. Consequently, people have moved from real-time conversations to sending
and receiving messages that they can read or listen to at their convenience.

Has the way people meet their partners changed over the past twenty years?
I would say yes, the dating scene is much more different from what it was for my
parents. In those days people would find their other half at disco bars, parties at their
friends’ or introduced to by mutual acquaintances. While some of these ways are still
popular today, people have been increasingly preferring various online websites and
apps for their dating needs. Some might say that the romance is now gone and the
process of finding a partner has become devoid of thrill and excitement. All in all, the
process has indeed changed.

Friends and family vocabulary

Hit if off – to become friendly or to like each other quickly, usually right after meeting.
Bring together – if something brings people together, it unites them because they
are equally interested in it.
Fall out (v) – when you fall out you have an argument or a row, usually verbal, non-
violent one.
Grow apart – to stop being in touch, to stop taking or communicating. It happens
gradually rather than abruptly.

Have lots in common – to be interested in the same thing, to be alike.

Empathy (n) – the ability to put oneself in other person’s shoes, to try and understand
how they might feel about something.
Relate to (v) – if you relate to a person you understand how they feel because you
have experienced something similar in the past.
Considerate (adj) – a considerate person is one caring about how others feel and
because of that they try not to offend anyone.
Selfless (adj) – a selfless individual sees other people’s needs and desires as more
important than their own.
Family ties – family connection, relation
Immediate family – parents and children. Your parents, sisters and brothers are your
immediate family.
Extended family – grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews AS WELL AS the
members of immediate family.
Bond (v) – to get closer spiritually, to connect.
Draw together – if something draws people together it helps them connect to one
another.
Keep/stay in touch – to keep talking or communicating. See ‘grow apart’ as a rough
antonym for this.
Other half – one’s romantic partner, not necessarily a spouse.
Introduce (v) – introducing one person to another is telling them their name as to
encourage communication.
Mutual acquaintance – a person both you and somebody else know.

General vocabulary
Be assigned (v, passive) – being told what to do or given something by a higher
authority, e.g. a teacher or a manager
In no time – very soon, without waiting
Would (past form) – a construction used to talk about actions in the past that are no
longer true. When I was a child I would spend all summer running in the field playing
with other kids.
Persistence (n) – personal quality that helps do the same thing until you succeed
despite difficulties or setbacks
Set out – if you set out to do something, you make up your mind about doing it and
start doing so.
Small wonder – there is no surprise that …
Cornerstone (adj) – fundamental, integral, crucial, very important
Case-by-case basis – a situation where each example has to be reviewed individually.
Factors at play – things that affect the outcome
Have a harder time at something – have difficulties at doing something.
Take up – to start doing something e.g. a hobby or a sport.
Taxing (adj) – tiring either physically or mentally
Postpone (v) – decide to do something later (similar to ‘procrastinate’)
Integral (adj) – see ‘cornerstone’
Ubiquity (n) – the state of being available or present everywhere.
Be ousted by (v, passive) – to be replaced by someone or something better
Enable somebody (v) – allow or give the opportunity to do something.
Virtually free of charge – almost free
At one’s convenience – whenever one finds it comfortable