Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@gmail.

com)
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

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Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

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Education Vocabulary

Topic vocabulary for the IELTS exam

* Important

• Do not try and learn this list of education vocabulary.

• Identify the vocabulary you find most useful for answering practice questions about
education.
• Record these in your vocabulary notebook and practice using them regularly.

Learning vocabulary for IELTS doesn’t just involve learning new words and phrases, it’s
also about how you use vocabulary to develop good answers.

This list of common education vocabulary is divided into 12 categories:

Set 1: Key definitions Set 7: School vocabulary

Set 2: Educational institutions Set 8: Facilities
Set 3: Course types & levels Set 9: Academic work
Set 4: Qualifications Set 10: The cost of education
Set 5: People in education Set 11: College and university
Set 6: School subjects Set 12: Other words and phrases

Set 1: Key definitions

education – the process of teaching or learning, especially in a school, college or university, or

the knowledge that you get from this

- Education is a low priority for the governments of some developing countries.

- Most children receive their education in schools but some are taught at home.

to educate – to give someone intellectual, moral or social instruction, typically at a school,

college or university

- At the school I visited in Kenya the children are educated in classes of over 60 pupils.

educational – relating to the provision of education

- When I was at school we had an educational visit to the British Museum in London to see
Tutankhamun’s treasures.

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educational institution – a place where people gain an education, such as a school

- We are fortunate to have many excellent educational institutions in our area.

formal education – education normally delivered by trained teachers in a systematic way in a

school, college or university.

- In Norway, formal education starts when children reach the age of six.

compulsory education – the legally-required period of time that children are expected to
attend school. In the western world, these laws generally require that children attend school
from the ages of 5 to 16 or 18.

- One day, a formal education will hopefully be compulsory for all children.

Set 2: Educational institutions

preschool – a school for children who are too young to begin their formal education

- Most children in the UK go to a preschool but it isn’t compulsory.

nursery school (UK)/kindergarten (US) – preschool education

- In the UK, most children begin nursery school at the age of four.

primary school (UK)/elementary school (US) – the type of school for children ages 5-11

- Bindi was so excited about starting primary school when the new term started in September.

primary education – the education of 5-11 year olds

- In an ideal world, primary education would be compulsory in every country.

secondary school (UK)/high school (US) – the type of school for children age 11 to 16,
sometimes 18

- I want to teach in a secondary school when I finish my teacher training as I really enjoy
working with older pupils.

co-educational/mixed – a school where girls and boys are taught together.

- These days, most schools in the UK are co-educational.

single-sex school – a school for either male or female students but not both

- Both my parents went to single-sex schools but it’s more normal these days to go to a mixed
school.

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state school – a school that is funded and controlled by the government and for which no fees
are charged

- The government is facing growing criticism for the underfunding of state schools.

comprehensive school – a state school that accepts pupils regardless of their level of
academic ability or achievement

- There is an ongoing debate as to whether all young people should attend comprehensive
schools or if schools that select pupils on academic ability are still relevant.

grammar school (UK) – state secondary school that selects their pupils by means of an
examination taken by children at age 11

- Although many people are against selective education where some school places go to the
most academically able pupils, grammar schools are still popular.

private school – a school that is not supported by government money, where education must
be paid for by the children’s parents

- Jonah’s parents decided to pay for him to go to a private school because most classes only
had 20 pupils in.

private education – education parents have to pay for

- Only a small percentage of parents can afford to give their children a private education.

public school (UK) – an exclusive, expensive school, run independently

public school (US) – a school which is free and paid for by the government

higher education (also called tertiary education) – education beyond the age at which it is
compulsory, usually in a college or university

- Most of Vijay’s friends wanted to leave school and get a job as soon as possible but he was
determined to go on to higher education to improve his career prospects.

boarding school – a school where students live and study during the school term.

- Yu Yang hated boarding school as she missed her family and felt very homesick.

college – a place of higher education where people study specialized subjects or undertake
vocational training for a skilled job

- Hugo applied for a place at the local college to train to be a chef.

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university – a high-level educational institution where students study for degrees and academic
research is done.

- Fuyuko wanted to study nursing at university in Australia but had to get a band 7 in her IELTS
exam to be accepted.

Set 3: Course types & levels

course – a series of lessons in a particular subject

undergraduate – studying for a degree but having not yet achieved it

postgraduate – having achieved a degree and now studying for a higher qualification, possibly
a professions qualification

vocational – education or training directed at a particular occupation and its skills, often
requiring practical skills

intensive – fast-paced courses which give a lot of information quickly and in a short time

Set 4: Qualifications

qualification – an official record showing that you have achieved a certain level of education or
skill in a particular subject or skill area

- Riya was determined to leave school with good qualifications so she could get a well-paid job
to support her family.

certificate – an official record of achievement, generally issued for a short course

- Shona was delighted to be presented her TEFL certificate on passing her course to become
an English teacher.

diploma – issued for a higher education course that is shorter than a degree

- Greg did so well in his two-year engineering diploma that his tutor persuaded him to study for
another year to qualify for a degree.

bachelor’s degree/or just degree (BA/BSc etc) – qualification issued by a university or college
at the end of three or four years of study

- I’m studying for a bachelor’s degree in marine biology.

- I’m studying for a BA in history.

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master’s degree/or just master’s (MA/MSc etc) – qualification issued by a university when the
student has completed further study beyond a degree, often in a more specialised field than a
bachelor’s degree

- Alonso wanted to stay on at university an extra year to study for his master’s but his parents
couldn’t afford the fees.

doctorate (PhD) – the highest level of degree qualification issued by a university

- I’m so proud of my sister for achieving a PhD in biochemistry.

fellowship – a teaching or research post given to a person studying for an advanced degree.

- Being awarded a research fellowship at my university is a dream come true as it enables me

to stay on and study for my doctorate.

Set 5: People in education

headteacher/principal – the person in charge of a school

- Our headteacher had been principal for 12 years when he retired.

teacher – a person who teaches, especially in a school

- My favourite teacher at school was Mr Webber because he made lessons so interesting.

tutor – a teacher who works privately with one student or a small group

- Our son struggles with maths so we’ve got him a private tutor to help him with his work.

lecturer – a person who teaches at a college or university.

- My cousin is a lecturer in physics at the University of London.

professor – a teacher of the highest rank in a department of a British university, or a teacher of

high rank in an American university or college

- Professor Stephen Hawking was one of the most influential figures in modern science.

an academic – a person who teaches in a college or university and continues to research and
increase knowledge about their specialist subject

- She was such a bookworm at school and always in the library researching some topic or other,
so it’s no surprise that she became an academic.

pupil – a person, usually a child at school, who is being taught

- The pupils loved Miss Lefebvre’s French lessons as she gave them fun learning games to
play.

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student – a person, usually a college or university, who is being taught

- The beginning of the academic year was so busy with all the new students starting their
college courses.

mature student – an adult student who attends college or university some years after leaving
school

- Jose was so grateful for the chance to study for a degree as a mature student having left
school with very few qualifications.

a graduate – a person who has finished their college or university education

- University graduates can usually get higher paid jobs than people with vocational skills.

peer – a person who is in the same class, age group or social group as someone else

Pupils these days are under a lot of pressure to dress and behave like their peers.

Set 6: School subjects

curriculum – the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college

- Her parents chose the school because it offered a broad curriculum including drama and
dance which were her favourite subjects.

syllabus – an outline or summary of the subjects to be covered in a course

- The new syllabus included environmental science which was becoming more popular as a
school subject.

maths/math/mathematics – the study of numbers, shapes and space

literature – the study of written works (such as poems, plays, and novels) that are considered
to be very good and to have lasting importance

the three R's – the basic educational skills of reading, writing and arithmetic (maths)

- Most schools put a high priority on teaching the three R's.

language – a system of communication used by a particular country or community often studied

as a subject by non-native speakers

- To her surprise, Jenna found that she was quite good at languages at school.

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humanities – studies about human culture, such as literature, languages, philosophy, and
history.

- Tuma couldn’t decide whether to study history or philosophy at university so opted for a
degree in humanities.

science – the study of the structure and behaviour of the physical world, divided into subjects
such as physics, biology and chemistry

• physics – the branch of science concerned with the nature and properties of matter and
energy

• biology – the study of living organisms

• chemistry – the branch of science concerned with the substances of which matter is
composed

geography – the study of the physical features of the earth and its atmosphere, and of human
activity as it affects and is affected by these

religious studies – the study of religion and belief systems

history – the study of past events, particularly in human affairs

information technology (IT or ICT) – the study of the development, maintenance, and use of
computer systems, software, and networks for the processing and distribution of data

physical education (PE) – instruction in physical exercise and games, especially in schools

art – the study of artistic techniques such as drawing, painting, sculpture, etc. or the
appreciation of works of art

music – the study of how to play a musical instrument or sing, how to read music, how to
compose music, etc

drama – the study of acting and theatrical performance

home economics – cooking and other aspects of household management, especially as taught
at school

Set 7: School vocabulary

to play truant – to be absent without permission from parents or teachers

- Helios was always playing truant from school which he regretted when he failed his exams
and struggled to find a good job.

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to skip classes – to be absent from lessons you are supposed to attend

- I was never brave enough to skip classes as my parents would have been furious if they’d
found out.

bookworm – a person who loves reading and/or studying

- My best friend is a real bookworm but is a great person to have on your quiz team because
his general knowledge is excellent.

rote learning – a teaching style based on learning by memorisation through repetition

- My parents’ education was based on rote learning but there was more emphasis on learning
by investigation by the time I went to school.

literacy – the ability to read and write, sometimes use as a subject title for reading and writing

- Afghanistan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world with just 28% of people able to
read and write.

literate – to be able to read and write

- In the past 20 years, the proportion of adults in the world who are literate has increased from
75% to 84% which is a great improvement.

illiterate – to be unable to read and write

- There are many children in the poorest countries of the world who have little or no access to
education and are illiterate.

remedial – involving pupils who need extra help with a particular area of study or subject

- Pupils who got poor grades use to be put in a remedial class but now they are given extra
support from a learning assistant.

additional needs/special needs – related to students who need special help due to a learning
or physical difficulty

- Shona spend the later part of her teaching career working in a school for students
with additional needs.

extra-curricular activities – activities or subjects offered in addition to the normal curriculum

usually offered outside normal class hours, such as art, cooking or computer clubs and extra
sporting activities

- The most popular extra-curricular activities at Westcroft School were pottery, badminton and
computer programming.

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school uniform – a particular set of clothes that has to be worn by pupils

- Do Hyan looked so smarting setting off for school on his first day wearing his new school
uniform.

discipline – a set of rules governing conduct or behaviour

- Schools where a high level of discipline is maintained, generally have above average exam
results

• impose discipline

• maintain discipline

• lack of discipline

timetable – a chart showing times of particular events, such as lesson times in the school day

- Ruby wasn’t very happy with her new timetable as she had double maths followed by double
science on a Monday, both subjects she found hard.

Set 8: Facilities

classroom – where lessons take place in a school

- The noisy classroom fell silent when the headteacher walked through the door.

lecture theatre/hall – a room or hall for lectures with seats in tiers

- There was excitement in the lecture theatre as the famous actor stood up to give the drama
students a lecture on method acting.

studio – a room where students studying art, photography, media studies, etc. create work

- The studio was set up with recording equipment for the students to practice editing
techniques.

library – a building or room containing collections of books, professional journals and other
academic literature and material relevant to student’s studies

- Sabiha spent all day in the university library doing research for her essay on globalisation.

laboratory – a room or building with scientific equipment for doing scientific tests or for teaching
science

- Kate’s favourite part of her degree course in molecular biology was the laboratory work.

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campus – the buildings and grounds of a university or college

- It took me a long time to find my way around the campus when I first started at university.

halls of residence – a college or university building where students live

- In his first year at college, Somchai lived in a hall of residence, but in his second year, he
rented a house with some other students.

student accommodation – living accommodation for college or university students

- The university offered a range of student accommodation including studio apartments, flats,
halls of residence and shared houses.

Set 9: Academic work

assignment – a piece of work given to someone as part of their studies

- I have three more written assignments to complete this term.

coursework – written or practical work done by a student during a course of study, often
assessed in order to count towards a final mark or grade

- Helga was really bad at exams so she chose a course where 50 per cent of the overall marks
came from assessed coursework.

dissertation – is a long formal piece of writing on a particular subject, especially for a university
degree.

- It was hard getting my dissertation finished by the deadline and I handed it in on the very last
day.

thesis – a long piece of writing on a particular subject, especially one that is done for a higher
degree

- Adao wrote his PhD thesis on the effect of organic fertilizers on soil fertility in tropical climates.

presentation – a speech or talk given in front of an audience

- As part of their end of year assessment, the students had to give a presentation on the
theories of learning for children under 3 years of age.

lecture – a formal talk on a subject given to a large group of students who would normally take
notes

- She was so pleased that the lecture was cancelled as it gave her time to catch up on some
coursework.

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tuition – teaching or instruction, especially of individual pupils or small groups

- Dana was unable to get to lectures after breaking her leg but the college provided
individual tuition for her until she recovered.

tutorial – a small group study session with a tutor often following a lecture

- He always found tutorials helpful as it was a chance to ask questions about what they’d heard
in the lecture.

seminar – a class at university in which a specific topic is discussed by a teacher and a small
group of students

- At university, I found seminars far more useful than lectures as I learn best in a small group.

lesson – a period of learning or teaching, usually in a school

- Walter was late for the history lesson and got into trouble with the teacher.

homework – additional coursework work given to pupils to complete in their own time outside
school hours

- Most pupils hate homework as they’d rather be out with their friends or playing computer
games than studying.

correspondence course – a course of study in which student and tutors communicate by post

- Juan’s local college didn’t offer a course in accountancy but he found a good correspondence
course to give him the qualification he needed.

distance learning – a way of studying in which lectures are broadcast or lessons are
conducted by post or via the internet without the student needing to attend a school or college
or have in-person teacher interaction

- I prefer to study by distance learning as I can work when I want and at the pace I want.

online learning – Similar to distance learning but done 100% via the internet and often
involving in-person interaction with a teacher online

- I find online learning ideal for preparing for my IELTS exam and enjoy connecting with my
teacher via Skype.

to sit an exam – to take an exam.

- I want to carry on learning for the rest of my life but after I finish my training I hope I never
have to sit an exam again.

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Set 10: The cost of education

tuition fees – the money paid for a course of study, especially at a private school or a college
or university

- High tuition fees mean that many young people can’t afford to go to university.

a grant – money given by the government to support a student while studying

- Bernice was successful in her application for a grant which meant that she could attend her
local university.

a student loan – money which a student can borrow while they are studying, but which has to
be repaid

- Geraint took out student loans of £9000 a year to pay for his tuition of fees and left university
heavily in debt.

a scholarship – money given to someone, often by the institution they are studying at, to help
pay for their tuition

- He was overjoyed to receive a scholarship to Oxford University as his parents couldn’t afford
to pay the fees.

internship – a period of work experience (often unpaid) offered by an employer to give students
and graduates experience of working in an industry related to their field of study

- All students on the course were expected to secure an internship during the long vacation
between the second and third years of their degree course.

Set 11: Common terms related to college or university

unconditional offer – the offer of a place at an educational institution for which you already
meet the entry requirements

- Mustafa was delighted to receive an unconditional offer from his first choice university and
accepted immediately.

conditional offer – the offer of a place at an educational institution which requires you to meet
certain entry requirements, usually specific exam grades

- She was fairly confident that she would get the exam grades she needed to take up
the conditional offer at Bristol University.

to major in – to choose as your main subject

- I want to major in primary education with a specialism in science.

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to read (a subject) – to study a specific subject

- Hans read geology at university and is now working for an oil company in the States.

faculty – department in a university that specialises in a specific subject

- It was a proud day for the university when the faculty of science move into the new, state-of-
the-art building.

research – a detailed study of a particular subject

- I’m really enjoying this research project on the migratory behaviour of the golden eagle.

• conduct research

• carry out research

Set 12: More common words, phrases & expressions

to work your way through university – to have a paid job while studying to support yourself
financially

- With the steep increase in tuition fees, many students are forced to work their way through
university.

to keep up with your studies – to not fall behind with your work

- Giang would have to limit his time socializing with his friends if he was going to keep up with
his studies.

to fall behind with your studies – to not get your coursework and assignments done in the
time allowed

- She was a hard-working student but fell behind with her studies after catching pneumonia
and having to spend time in hospital.

to learn something by heart – to memorise it

- By the end of his first week learning English, Elisha had learnt all the days of the weeks and
months of the year by heart.

gap year – a period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between school
and university or college education

- Many students spend their gap year travelling to get more experience of life before they settle
down to studying for a degree.

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to take a year out – to take a gap year

- Before going to the university, I took a year out to travel and also earn some money.

to enrol – to officially register on a course at a college or university

- She didn’t know an old friend had enrolled on the same course until they met up on the first
day.

sign up for – to commit to something for a specific period such as the duration of a course

- Having signed up for the photography course, she now had to ask her brother if she could
borrow his camera.

to drop out – to leave a course before completing it

- Hiran was forced to drop out of university when his father became ill and he had to take over
the family business to support his family.

a dropout – a student who fails to complete a course of study and leaves the educational
institution with no qualifications

- Many famous and very wealthy entrepreneurs are college dropouts, which proves that you
don’t need a degree to succeed in life.

well-educated – someone who has received a high level or good standard of education

- You could tell that he was well-educated by the way he spoke.

to meet a deadline – to complete a piece of work by the required date

- I didn’t think I’d get my essay written in time but I just met the deadline.

note-taking – to take notes in a lesson or lecture when the teacher is talking

- I find note-taking in a lecture really difficult as I miss much of what is being said while I’m
writing.

to revise – study or read something again in order to remember it better, often before exams

- No matter how hard I revise, my mind goes blank as soon as I get into the exam room.

to review – to read over something again. Similar to revise, but generally done just after a
lesson or lecture rather than in preparation for an exam

- Bella found that reviewing her notes just before going to sleep helped her to remember the
key points.

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workload – the amount of work that has to be done

- The course workload felt overwhelming at first but became more manageable once the
students had covered the theory and moved on to the more practical part of the course.

to pass with flying colours – to pass an exam or test easily and with excellent result

- He was sure he was going to fail his maths exam but passed with flying colours.

scrape through – to just pass an exam

- She ran out of time in the exam and left many questions unanswered but just scraped
through with a pass mark.

to resit/retake an exam – to take an exam again in order to get a better result

- Madee needed band 7 in her IELTS Speaking test but only got 6.5, so she had to retake the
exam.

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Speaking Questions

Part 1

- Do you work or are you a student?

- Who was your favourite teacher at school?
- Why did you like them?
- When you were at school, did you get lots of homework?
- Did your parents help you with your homework?

Part 2
Describe a time during your education that you really enjoyed.

You should say:

• when this period was

• where you were studying

• what you were studying at the time

and say why you enjoyed this time so much.

Part 3

1. What are the qualities of a good teacher?

2. Why do you think people become teachers?

3. Do you think teachers are paid enough?

4. Is a good education more important for a boy or a girl?

5. How well do schools prepare young people for working life?

6. Do you agree that there is too much pressure on young people at school these days?

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Writing Questions – Task 2

1) Some people think that educated people are more valuable than people who have learnt
skills through experience.

Do you think that educated people are more valuable for society?

What kind of skills can people learn through experience that can benefit society?

2) Some people think that children should be home schooled when they are very young while
others think it is better for them to attend a kindergarten.

Which do you think is better?

3) Online education is becoming more and more popular. Some people claim that e-learning
has so many benefits that it will replace face-to-face education soon. Others say that traditional
education is irreplaceable.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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Reading Text & Questions

The Debate on School Uniforms

A Traditionally favoured by private and parochial institutions, school uniforms are growing in
popularity in the U.S. Nearly 22% of American public and private schools currently have a
uniform policy in place. Consequently, each year parents are forced to shell out money on
school clothes in addition to their kids’ regular wardrobe. Are uniforms conducive to the learning
environment, or are they extraneous? Here are three arguments in favour of school uniforms
and three against.

B Firstly, uniforms create a sense of equality among students. When school uniforms are
required, all students are expected to dress the same, regardless of their style preferences
or socioeconomic status. Uniforms can prevent envy and dissatisfaction among students, as
there is no ogling of designer dresses or mocking of thrift store rags. Instead of using children
as walking billboards for various brands, creating an atmosphere of “haves” and “have-
nots,” uniforms ensure that everyone is dressed the same, creating an environment of equality.
Plus, with uniforms, students save time and energy during the morning rush, giving them greater
space to focus on their studies instead of on fashion.

C Uniforms also promote order within the school hierarchy because learning is more likely to
happen when there is a sense of decorum and respect for authority in school. When school
uniforms are mandatory, classrooms may become more disciplined and orderly, as uniforms
remind students where they are and how they are supposed to behave. By exhibiting the
school’s expectation that high standards be met, by instituting uniforms, the hierarchy of student
– teacher – administrator is more deeply internalized. Attendance tends to rise, students may
behave better, and teachers are therefore more able to do their jobs.

D Finally, uniforms promote students’ safety. When uniformed students are off campus, they
can be easily identified as belonging to a particular school. One related benefit is that teachers
and strangers can readily spot them in a crowd, ensuring that no student goes missing while on
field trips. Strangers also know that the uniformed students are minors and should therefore not
be flirted with, served alcohol, or engaged in any adult behaviour. What’s more, when students
are required to wear uniforms, it becomes much easier to identify campus intruders, who stick
out like sore thumbs, thereby increasing safety for students as they study.

E One reason that school uniforms can be unpopular is that when they are mandatory, parents
incur the added expense of clothing that their children will have no use for outside of school.
They still need to buy regular clothes for their children to wear after hours, on the weekends and
for casual dress days. For parents who would have sent their children to school in hand-me-
downs or hand-crafted garments, as well as for parents banking on free public education,
forking out funds for school uniforms can be unaffordable.

F Another argument is that schools teach students about the U.S. Constitution and its
Amendments, so why not educate them to follow it? Everyone has a right to freedom of
expression. For example, in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School (1969), the

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court said that a student’s freedom of expression in school must be protected unless it would
seriously interfere with disciplinary requirements. In a school setting, this can and should be
extended to exhibiting individuality through clothing. Forcing all students to wear the same thing
infringes on this right. It also stifles students’ self-expression, which is a strong need during
adolescence. Uniforms go against teens’ natures and may drive them to express themselves
through harsher means, such as body piercings, tattoos and rebellious behaviour.

G A grievance amongst pupils is that uniforms can be impractical and uncomfortable. They are
often not practical for spending long hours sitting at a classroom desk and playing outdoors
during recess. They are often designed to be worn by all body types, flattering none. They can
be restrictive and made of cheap canvas or polycottons in unbecoming shades that may make
students sweat in the summer and chill in the winter. This may be particularly true for girls, who
often have to wear skirts, while their male counterparts get to wear pants.

H So, it can be seen that there are many reasons why school uniforms should be compulsory,
but there are also many reasons why requiring students to dress a certain way is unfair to
students and their parents.

Source: The Perspective website © ([Link]) – edited

Questions 1 - 5

The passage has eight paragraphs labelled A-H.

Which paragraphs contains the following information?

NB You may use any letter more than once.

1 The quality of uniforms is sometimes poor.

2 There is less truancy in schools where a uniform is mandatory.

3 Uniforms are an aid to campus security.

4 Children have the right to choose what they wear to school.

5 Wearing uniforms makes students behave better.

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Questions 6 - 10

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

6 A uniform means that pupils take less time to dress in the morning as they don’t have to
choose what to wear.

7 Schools with no uniforms have lower standards of discipline.

8 Students not in uniform are more likely to play truant.

9 Forking out for compulsory school clothing can stretch the finances of poorer parents.

10 Having to wear a school uniform clearly contravenes a students’ rights to free expression.

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
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Listening Questions

You will hear a recording of a short lecture on how schools are killing curiosity in children. The
lecture is divided into two parts with one set of questions to answer after each part.

Click the links to go to a webpage where you can listen to the recordings.

Click for Listening Recording Part 1

Questions 1 - 4

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.

How schools are killing curiosity

By discouraging children from asking questions in class, opportunities for 1 …………………….

are missed.

Scientists at C S Mott Children’s Hospital investigated how 2 ……………………. infants and

babies were.

The children’s interest in the world around them was more important to their level of
performance in school than their ability to 3 ……………………. .

In a 2007 study of young children, the average number of questions they asked each
4 ……………………. was 107.

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

Click for Listening Recording Part 2

Question 5

Chose the correct letter, A, B or C.

In Engel’s study, how often did elementary aged pupils ask questions over a period of two
hours.

A 1 and 3

B 2 and 5

C 3 and 4

Questions 6 and 7

Which TWO do educational establishments seem to put the greatest emphasis on?

A pupil behaviour

B encouraging curiosity

C performance in class

Questions 8 and 9

Which TWO items did Ilminster Avenue nursery school give the children to play with?

A plastic bottles

B tin cans

C sand

D kettles

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

Vocabulary Exercises

Match these words with their correct definition 1 – 10.

vocational coursework qualifications curriculum tutor

campus co-educational playing truant distance learning peers

1. I believe that boys and girls should be taught together in ……………schools.

2. Chang wanted to be a mechanic so chose a ……………………. course rather than going to

university.

3. Pupils these days are under a lot of pressure to dress and behave like their ........................ .

4. English is a compulsory subject on the school ......................... .

5. Celia regretted ……………………. from school so often when she failed her exams and had
to retake the year.

6. The science block is on the other side of the university ……………………. to my hall of
residence.

7. I missed many lessons after breaking my leg and fell behind in my ……………………. .

8. I need to learn Spanish quickly for a work assignment so I’ve hired a private ………………. .

9. As Manuel lived in a remote area, ......................... was the perfect way for him to study.

10. Whilst good exam grades help to secure well-paid jobs, there are many highly successful
entrepreneurs with no academic ......................... .

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

Answers

Reading Test Answers:

1 G

2 C

3 D

4 F

5 C

6 True

7 False

8 Not Given

9 True

10 False

Listening Test Answers:

1 learning

2 curious

3 focus

4 hour

5 B 2 and 5

6 A pupil behaviour

7 C performance in class

8 tin cans

9 kettles

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

Answers – Vocabulary Exercises

1. co-educational

2. vocational

3. peers

4. curriculum

5. playing truant

6. campus

7. coursework

8. tutor

9. distance learning

10. qualifications

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

Homes & Accommodation Vocabulary

Topic vocabulary for the IELTS exam

* Important

• Do not try and learn this list of homes and accommodation vocabulary.
• Identify the vocabulary you find most useful for answering practice questions
about homes and accommodation.
• Record these in your vocabulary notebook and practice using them regularly.

Learning vocabulary for IELTS doesn’t just involve learning new words and phrases,
it’s also about how you use vocabulary to develop good answers.

This list of common homes and accommodation vocabulary is divided into 9 categories:

Set 1: Key definitions

Set 2: Types of home
Set 3: Location
Set 4: Rooms
Set 5: Owning and renting
Set 6: Inside a home
Set 7: Outside a home
Set 8: Improving a property
Set 9: Other vocabulary

Set 1: Key definitions

house – building where people (usually one family) live
- Our house is near the park.
home – place where someone lives, where they feel they belong
- It’s nice to come home in the evening and spend time with my family.
accommodation – a building or set of rooms where someone lives or stays
- Oti started looking for accommodation as soon as her university place was confirmed.
a property – building and the land it is built on
- Our present house is too small now that we have children so we are looking for a new
property.

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single storey – with only a ground floor level

- My elderly parents are buying a single storey house as they find it difficult to climb the stairs.
two-storey – with two floors levels
- Sanjay found a lovely two-storey property to rent close to his workplace.

Set 2: Types of home

detached house – a house that is not connected to any other houses

- We’d love to buy one of the new detached houses being built near the lake but they’re out of
our price range.
semi-detached house – a house that is joined to another house on one side
- Meena lived in a semi-detached house and could sometimes hear her neighbours arguing
through the adjoining wall.
terraced house (UK) / row house (US) – a house in a row of similar houses joined together on
both sides
- Having a property either side of us means that our terraced house stays warm in winter.
townhouse – a house built in a row but larger in size than a terraced house, often having more
than two storeys
- Townhouses are popular with families as they often have extra bedrooms in the attic.
bungalow – a house with only one storey; built all on one level
- Many people move to a bungalow when they retire so they don’t have to climb the stair as
they get older.
cottage – a small house, usually located in the countryside
- For lots of people, a cottage in the countryside is their idea of a dream home.
flat / apartment – a set of rooms for living in that are part of a larger building and are usually all
on one floor
- It was a big day when their son left home and moved into his own flat.
fully-furnished flat / apartment – one that you rent with furniture already in it
- The young couple didn’t have much money so looked for a fully-furnished apartment to rent
when they got married.
studio flat / apartment – a small flat that has one main room for living, eating and sleeping in
- Hilda had the choice of three studio flats in the converted property and chose the one with
pink walls.
bedsit – a rented room that has a bed, table, chairs, and somewhere to cook in it but a shared
bathroom
- The bedsit is small but has everything I need to create a little home for myself.

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
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condominium (condo) – a building or complex of buildings containing a number of individually

owned apartments or houses
- Manuel decided that if he got the big promotion, he would buy a condo down by the river.
apartment block / high-rise – an apartment building with at least 10 floors
- There is little space for housing in my city and most people live in a high-rise.
block of flats / tower block – a tall building with flats on many levels
- They are clearing some of the old terraced houses in our town and replacing them with blocks
of flats.
penthouse – an expensive flat at the top of a tall building in a fashionable area of a city
mansion – a large, impressive house
- If we were rich, I would buy a penthouse in London overlooking the River Thames but my
husband would prefer a mansion on the coast.
villa – a large, often luxurious house in the country or near the sea, especially in southern
Europe, and often rented out for holidays
- We stayed in a fabulous villa when we visited Greece. It even had its own swimming pool.
student digs – student accommodation, often in a shared house
- I was apprehensive about moving into student digs but I’m enjoying it and get on well with my
housemates.
hall of residence – a college or university building where students live in flats
- Shishka lived in a hall of residence for her first year at university then rented a house with
some friends.

Set 3: Location

residential area – area in which most of the buildings are houses

- Our town is growing rapidly with several new residential areas currently being developed.
suburb – a residential area on the edge of towns or cities
- Nearly all my colleagues at work live in the suburbs and commute by train each day.
on the outskirts – the areas that form the outer edge of a town, city or village, that are furthest
away from the centre
- It’s great living on the outskirts. It’s easy to get into the city but we are also close to the
countryside.
downtown – near the centre of a town or city, especially the business or shopping areas
- I’m looking for a flat downtown so I don’t have to commute far to work.
housing estate – a large group of houses built at the same time and in the same style
- In the UK, most new homes are built on housing estates.

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within walking distance – not very far; close enough to reach by walking
- We chose to live here because it’s within walking distance of the school.
close-knit community – a neighbourhood where people are helpful and supportive
- This is a close-knit community and there’s always someone to turn to if you need help.
to live on campus – to live on the university or college grounds
- I like living on campus as I don’t have far to go to lectures or the student’s union bar.

Set 4: Rooms

bedroom – room used for sleeping in

- I’ve painted my bedroom yellow as it makes me feel cheerful when I wake up.
living room / lounge / sitting room – room used for relaxing
- In the evenings I chill out in the living room with a book or watch a bit of TV.
bathroom – room with a bath and/or shower and often a toilet
- With five people in my family, we have to queue for the bathroom in the morning.
kitchen – room where food is prepared and cooked, and sometimes eaten
- The kitchen is my favourite room in the house because I love cooking.
dining room – room in which meals are eaten
- I usually eat my breakfast in the kitchen but we always have family meals in the dining room.
study – a room for doing paperwork and studying in
- Kamal spent all day in the study working on his essay.
hall / hallway – open area inside the main entrance which leads to other rooms and usually the
stairs
- Having a large hallway is so useful if you have a baby as there’s plenty of space to store the
buggy.
landing – area at the top of the stairs
- I’m always telling the kids off for leaving their toys on the landing in case someone trips over
them and falls down the stairs.
utility room – room used for storage and equipment such as the washing machine, freezer, etc.
- It’s a rule in our house that all muddy boots are left in the utility room.
basement / cellar – room below ground level used for storage and sometimes for
accommodation
- The children are so excited that our new house has a basement as we’ve promised to turn it
into a playroom for them.

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porch – a covered shelter protecting the front entrance of a building

- I’m so grateful for the porch on a wet day when I have to stop and wipe the dog’s feet before
going indoors.
conservatory – a room with a glass roof and walls, attached to a house at one side
- It was Klaus and Meena’s dream to build a conservatory on the side of their house as
somewhere to relax in the sun.
attic / loft – space in the roof used for storage and often converted into accommodation
- Margit regretted putting so much junk up in the attic now that she had to clear it out ready for
the builders to start work on the loft conversion.
pantry / larder – small, cold room used for storing food
- We had a proper larder when I was young but nowadays, most people keep food in the fridge,
freezer or a cupboard.
balcony – a platform enclosed by a wall or bars on the outside of a building, with access from
an upper-floor window or door
- My dream home would have a balcony overlooking the sea.

Set 5: Owning and renting

to rent – to pay money to the owner of a property to be allowed to live there

- One day I hope to own my own home but for now, I can only afford to rent.
to rent out / let out – to allow someone to live in your property for a fee
- I inherited my mum’s bungalow when she died and I’ve decided to rent it out.
rented accommodation – a property for which a person pays a fixed amount to live in it to the
person who owns it
- Being a university town, Exeter has lots of rented accommodation for the students.
landlord / landlady – the owner of a building or room that is rented out to others
- I have an excellent landlord who always fixes things quickly when something needs repairing.
tenant – someone who rents a flat or house from the person who owns it
- The people renting Adil’s flat gave notice last week so he’s looking for new tenants.
to give notice – to inform someone that you will be leaving or that they are required to leave
- We gave the landlord the required 30-day’s notice that we would be moving out of the flat.
to put down a deposit – to make an initial payment as part of a rental agreement or to secure
a purchase
- The landlord said that once we’d put down the deposit of £200, the flat was ours.
lease – the contract a tenant signs when renting a property
- We gave him the £200 deposit immediately and agreed that we’d visit the office later to sign
the lease.

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short-term rental / lease – a rental agreement that lasts for a short time, usually 3 - 6 months
- The flat was only available on a short-term lease as the landlord wanted to sell it.
evict – to force tenants to leave a property if they fail to pay the rent or they behave
unacceptably
- The tenants in the flat above us used to play loud music all night long but thankfully the
landlady evicted them.
fully-furnished – a rented property with all furniture included
- As a student, I didn’t have any money to buy furniture so always rented fully-furnished
accommodation.
estate agent (UK) / real estate agent (US) – someone whose job it is to help people buy and
sell property. Some deal with rentals as well.
- Tuyen told the estate agent what sort of property she was looking for and he gave her the
details of ten houses she might be interested in looking at.
to get on the property ladder – to buy a low priced property with the aim of buying another
bigger or more expensive one later in life
- They were fed up with paying high rents and longed to get on the property ladder and invest
in a home of their own.
mortgage – a large loan given to buys a house or flat
- Julio was delighted when his mortgage application was accepted and he could go ahead with
his house purchase.
to take out a mortgage – to borrow money from the bank in order to buy a house
- Taking out a mortgage is a big commitment and most homeowners spend all their working
life paying it off.
first-time buyer – someone buying a property for the first time
- The developer converted the old house into four apartments that would be affordable to first-
time buyers.
repossess – to take back possession of something, especially a property when mortgage
payments have not been made
- Luther lost his job and couldn’t pay his mortgage so the bank repossessed it.

Set 6: Inside a home

(all the) mod cons – appliances in the home that make it easy to do jobs like washing, cooking,
cleaning, etc.
- The furnished apartment I’m interested in renting has all the mod cons, including a
dishwasher and tumble drier which many rentals don’t have.

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
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appliances – a device, machine or piece of equipment, especially an electrical one, that does a
specific job in the home, such as a cooker or washing machine
- It must have been such hard work for my grandmother running a home without all the time-
saving appliances we have today.
fitted kitchen – a kitchen with the cupboards and units designed to fit the space exactly and
then fixed in place
- My new fitted kitchen has built-in appliances which make so much better use of the space.
built-in wardrobe – a wardrobe that is part of a room and fixed to the wall
- I didn’t need to buy much bedroom furniture for my first flat as it had built-in wardrobes.
carpeted – the floors have carpet on them
- Some people like bare floorboards in their home but I prefer the rooms to be carpeted.
furniture – items in a home that make it comfortable and functional to live in such as chairs,
tables, beds, etc.
- Wolfgang and Angelika went to town to choose some furniture for their new extension.
utilities – gas, electricity, water
- On top of the rental fee, they had to pay for the utilities as well.
spacious – having a lot of space inside
- Sally loved her friend’s new home, especially the spacious kitchen.
cosy – giving a feeling of warmth, comfort and relaxation
- Old cottages have really thick walls which makes them cool in summer but cosy in winter.
natural light – light from the sun
- I hate houses that are dark inside and like my home to be full of natural light.
elevator (US) / lift (UK) – a box-like compartment housed in a shaft for raising and lowering
people or things to different levels in a building
-Vadim often walked up the stairs to his tenth-floor flat but took the lift if he was carrying
shopping.

Set 7: Outside a home

garden – area of grass or other vegetation beside a house and belonging to the property
- I would hate to live in a house without a garden as I love to grow my own vegetables.
lawn – an area of grass that is cut short, especially in someone's garden
- Our garden is mostly lawn with some flower borders and a vegetable patch.
backyard – a small space surrounded by walls at the back of a house, usually with a hard
surface (US – an enclosed area covered with grass)
- The kids are out playing in the backyard.

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terrace / patio – paved area close to the house for relaxing, eating, etc
- In the summer we enjoy relaxing on the patio and often set up the barbeque there.
hedge – a line of bushes or small trees growing close together around a garden or field
The property had a high hedge which gave it good privacy from the neighbours.
fence – a flat upright structure made of wood or wire that surrounds a garden or other area of
land
- We had to put up a new fence at the side of the house as the old one blew down in a gale.
shed – small wooden building in a garden usually used for storing garden tools
- I don’t like going into the shed to get tools out as there are large spiders in there.
garage – building intended for storing a car, usually attached to the side of a house
- Most people in the UK use their garage for storage and don’t have room for the car.

Set 8: Improving a property

to convert – to change the form of something

- Our plan is to convert the garage into a study.
loft conversion – to turn the loft/attic into living accommodation
- Doing a loft conversion will mean that each of the children will be able to have a bedroom of
their own.
to add an extension – to build an extra room onto a house
- Many people add an extension as their family grows rather than buying a larger house.
to redecorate – to paint one or more rooms again or put new wallpaper on the walls
- The colour scheme in their new house was dull and old-fashioned so they redecorated before
they moved in.
to do up a property – to repair and update an old property
- Jai couldn’t afford the smart new houses he looked at so he decided to buy an old property
and do it up.
to renovate – to restore to a good state of repair
- The property had been empty for several years but we’re planning to renovate it and turn it
back into a nice home.
to paper the walls – to put up wallpaper
- My friend is a decorator and is going to help me paper the walls in my new flat.
to tile the bathroom – to cover a wall with tiles to make it water resistant
- We’ve nearly finished the new extension and just need to tile the bathroom.

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
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a lick of paint – a small amount of paint; one layer of paint

- There was very little that needed doing before we move into the house but we gave the walls a
lick of paint to brighten them up.

Set 9: Other vocabulary

dream home – a home you regard as perfect

- My dream home would be a cottage by the sea.
modern – based on up to date styles
- Most modern houses are very similar to look at and have small rooms and not much storage
space.
house-hunting – looking for a property to live in
- We’ve been house-hunting for three months but can’t find anything that really suits us.
house-warming party – a party to celebrate moving into a new home
- I’m going to a colleague’s house-warming party on Saturday and can’t wait to look around
her new home.
to have a place of your own – to have your own home and not have to share it with anyone
else
- I love living at home with my family but I’m 21 now and have a good job so I feel it’s time to
find a place of my own.
to move in – to begin to live in a property
- Niko was impressed with the recently renovated hall of residence and couldn’t wait to move in.
to move out – to stop living in a particular place
- Veronica broke up with her boyfriend and moved out of their flat.
downsize – to reduce in size; to buy a smaller house
- Many parents downsize when their children have left home as they don’t need such a large
house.
to feel homesick – to feel unhappy because you are away from home and are missing your
family, friends, and home very much
- For the first few months at university, Dalia felt very homesick but she began to feel better
once she started to make new friends.
next door – the property next to yours
- A new family has just moved into the house next door.
a view – what you can see from a particular place
- The thing I remember most about my grandmother’s house was the lovely view of the
mountains.

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
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Speaking Questions

Part 1

- What are the most common types of homes in your neighbourhood?

- Do you like the area where you live?

- How long have you lived there?

- Do you to prefer to stay at home or go out?

- What would be your dream home?

Part 2
Describe the home you live in.

You should say:

• what the home looks like

• where this home is located

• why you chose this home

and explain how you feel about living in this home

Part 3

1. Is it common to own your own home in your country?

2. What are some advantages of owning your own home?

3. Do you think homes are overpriced?

4. For what reasons do people sometimes move to a new area?

5. Why can it be stressful moving home?

6. How do you think homes can be made more environmentally friendly?

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
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Writing Questions – Task 2

1) Many countries are currently facing a serious housing shortage.

What are some of the reasons for this shortage and what solutions can you suggest?

2) Safety standards are important when building people’s homes.

Who should be responsible for enforcing strict building codes, the government or the people
who build the homes?

3) In some countries, most people prefer to rent their homes rather than buying them.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of renting a home?

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

Reading Text & Questions

How Big Is the Gender Divide in Housing?

Find out what home features women really care about and how they differ from their male
counterparts.

A One in five consumers buying a home today is a single woman. This cohort is the second
largest group of home buyers in the country, trailing only married couples. What’s more, women
now control nearly 60% of all personal wealth in the U.S., according to the National Association
of Women Business Owners and the Small Business Administration. Understanding this mighty
buying force and their housing preferences will help real estate professionals better serve their
clientele.

B Meyers Research in Costa Mesa, Calif., conducted a survey analyzing the buying
preferences of 33,000 home shoppers, including both men and women with a variety of
locations and price points. They found that the influence of the female buyer segment goes
further than expected. Not only are women involved in buying their own homes, but they also
help guide many single men who seek advice during a home search.

C Following the purchase, women often take the reins in deciding what goes into the home,
whether they’re buying solo or with a spouse. The interior is considered a reflection of her
success and who she is, said Mollie Carmichael, principal and lead strategist with Meyers
Research, who presented the survey results during a webinar on “What Women Want in
Community and Houses” in October. At the top of their wish lists, women want a supersized
pantry, a tub in her bathroom, a first-floor office, and a front porch. The survey results are also
helpful in understanding how female preferences compare to those of their male peers. Among
the many points Carmichael discussed in her webinar, seven are especially key to help brokers
and agents work with clients to identify their ideal home.

D Among women’s top motivations for purchasing a home are family, safety, price, and
schools. For men, the prime factor is prestige, but they also care about fitness and family,
according to the survey. Single women are more willing to commit to buying than men because
they view a home as a wise investment and a way to spend their monthly living expenses
wisely, especially since interest rates are low. Women also see homeownership as a way to
help lock in their financial security. “They have confidence in the market now and consider it a
good time to buy,” Carmichael said. “Waiting would cause a greater sense of insecurity.” Single
men, however, are less willing to commit to buying since they’re more transient. They’re more
likely to move for a job or relationship, Carmichael said.

E Overall, both women and men prefer a suburban location, though men are more willing to
consider city or rural living. A male buyer is also more willing to drive longer distances to his job.
Women are more likely to work from home, which is why the home office feature is important to
female buyers, Carmichael said. When it comes to a home’s size, women prefer smaller—under
2,500 square feet—with more functional design. For men, a bigger home is preferred because
they believe it’s more likely to guarantee a “better” lifestyle, Carmichael said.

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Buyer: Nastaran Moradi (moradinastaran12@[Link])
Transaction ID: 9VJ32030NP6375642

F A female buyer loves the interior of her home. it’s one of the prime motivations for her to buy,
according to the survey. She seeks a place to socialise with others and alleviate stress. And if it
has a large walk-in closet, all the better. While the female buyer cares about outdoor space and
likes the idea of a front porch, it’s an area she’s willing to compromise on for greater intimacy
and affordability, according to the survey. A male buyer, however, typically favours the outdoors
for socialising and barbecuing. He also likes the idea of a backyard or rooftop deck, though he’s
also looking for a larger garage and a media room.

G Countless images on sites like Pinterest and Houzz have opened home shoppers’ eyes to a
variety of housing aesthetics. When it comes to favourite looks, both women and men lean
toward the modern touch, according to the survey, but his modern is more modern than hers.
Men also like Spanish and English Tudor, while women veer more toward casual contemporary
and modern farmhouse styles. She’s more willing to consider attached housing and multilevel
than he is. The interior design of a home matters greatly to both, and builders have taken note
by focusing more attention on interior choices, Carmichael said. Regardless of gender, white
remains the top colour choice, almost twice as much as other choices. Comfort is also a big
selling feature for both women and men.

H The ability to personalise the interior of a home so that rooms reflect the owner’s taste
matters more to women than to men. Female buyers favour having utility space, an upgraded
kitchen with cabinet “jewellery” and quartz countertops, a bathroom with a tub, guest space to
accommodate parents or visitors, and a smart-home hub with remote access to everything from
the front door and security systems to appliances. Male buyers prefer keeping costs down and
making upgrades later, but when they do personalise, they want wine storage and granite
countertops over quartz, the survey found.

I According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2017 “Animal House: Remodeling

Impact” report, 81% of potential buyers said that animal-related considerations will play a role in
deciding their next living situation. But the Meyers Research survey found that women, more
than men, want to have pets and treat them like family members by giving them a dedicated
space in their home with a pet door, bed, and area to wash them. Women also more frequently
look for homes in communities that have a dog park, Carmichael said.

J Extra touches in a house or amenities in a community are sometimes the tipping point for a
sale. Women care about having a safe place for package deliveries more than men. “This
Amazon phenomenon continues to grow,” Carmichael said. Men care more about being able to
work out and enjoy healthy living while also have a place to disconnect when they get home. In
their community, female and male buyers seek a resort-style pool, fitness centre (she likes
workout classes; he prefers to exercise independently), and Wi-Fi. A nearby sports park is a
preference favoured by men, though both men and women say they’d like a basketball court.

Source: Realtor Magazine © ([Link])

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Questions 1 - 7
The passage has ten paragraphs labelled A-J.
Which paragraphs contains the following information?

1. the priority given to indoor and outdoor areas

2. the significance of pet ownership

3. reasons for buying

4. making the space their own

5. other desirable features

6. the importance of location, size, and convenience

7. design influences

Questions 8-12

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage?

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

8. Only married couples and single men buy more homes in The States than women who live
on their own.

9. One priority for women is a space to work from home.

10. For both male and female buyers, the features of the home are more important than the
location.

11. People get interior design ideas from the internet.

12. The facilities in the neighbourhood are important but never the deciding factors on where to
buy.

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Listening Questions

You will hear a recording of a talk on the construction stages of building a house. The talk is
divided into two parts with questions to answer after each part.

Click the links to go to a webpage where you can listen to the recordings.

Click for Listening Recording Part 1

Questions 1 - 4

Complete the flowchart below.

Write NO MORE THAN ONE WORD for each answer.

The initial stages of building a house

Pre-construction: planning applications are obtained and colour schemes chosen

↓
Stage 2: the 1 ……………………. foundation is poured

↓
Stage 3: the brickwork is completed and electrical 2 …………………. and plumbing installed

↓
Stage 4: the 3 ……………………. is constructed

↓
Stage 5: the house is made …………………….

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Click for Listening Recording Part 2

Questions 5 and 6

Choose TWO letter, A-E.

Which TWO are completed at stage 7?

A worktops

B lighting

C kitchen cabinets

D shower screens

E painting

Questions 7 and 8

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

Before you can collect the keys and move into the house, you must make the 7 ………………. .

It take around 8 ……………………. months to build a brick house.

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Vocabulary Exercises

Complete these sentences with the correct word or phrase from A, B or C.

1. One of her greatest concerns about going to university was finding decent ………………….. .
A property B buildings C accommodation

2. Many elderly people prefer to live in a ………………….. as there aren’t any stairs to climb.
A bungalow B cottage C townhouse

3. It is popular to live in the ........................ and commute into the city by train each day.
A downtown B residential area C suburbs

4. My mum still has some of my old toys stored away in the ....................... .
A pantry B attic C balcony

5. My landlord is threatening to ........................ me because I complained about the damp

patches in my flat.
A evict B tenant C lease

6. I’m so excited about moving into my new apartment. It comes with all the ........................,
including a dishwasher.
A utilities B applications C mod cons

7. We converted our downstairs rooms to open-plan and now the house is so ........................ .
A spacious B cramped C dark

8. The old property was in a bad state of repair but looked great after it had been .................... .
A derelict B converted C renovated

9. Once their children have left home and they don’t need so much space, many parents
........................ .
A modernise B downsize C move out

10. I have a great ........................ of the countryside from my bedroom window.

A vantage B view C sight

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Answers

Reading Test Answers:

1 F

2 I

3 D

4 H

5 J

6 E

7 G

8. False

9. True

10. Not Given

11. True

12. False

Listening Test Answers:

1 concrete

2 wiring

3 roof

4 secure

5 B lighting

6 E painting

7 final payment

8 7 to 8

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Answers – Vocabulary Exercises

1 C accommodation

2 A bungalow

3 C suburbs

4 B attic

5 A evict

6 C mod cons

7 A spacious

8 C renovated

9 B downsize

10 B view

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Family Vocabulary

Topic vocabulary for the IELTS exam

* Important

• Do not try and learn this list of family vocabulary.

• Identify the vocabulary you find most useful for answering practice questions
about the family.
• Record these in your vocabulary notebook and practice using them regularly.

Learning vocabulary for IELTS doesn’t just involve learning new words and phrases,
it’s also about how you use vocabulary to develop good answers.

This list of common family vocabulary is divided into 10 categories:

Set 1: Types of family

Set 2: Family Members - general terms
Set 3: Immediate family
Set 4: Extended family
Set 5: In-laws
Set 6: Stepfamilies
Set 7: Parenting
Set 8: The Generations
Set 9: Other vocabulary
Set 10: Family idioms

Set 1: Types of family

family – a group of people who are related to each other

- Mohit was very nervous when he met his girlfriend’s family for the first time.
immediate family – your closest relations, such as your parents, children, husband or wife
- My immediate family are my dad, mum and two sisters.
nuclear family – parents and their children
- The average nuclear family in the US is made up of parents and two children.
extended family – a family unit that includes grandmothers, grandfathers, aunts, and uncles,
etc. in addition to parents and children
- I have a large extended family with many nieces, nephews and cousins.

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dysfunctional family – a family that is not behaving or working normally, where there is
conflict, misbehaviour, etc.
- Cynthia came from a dysfunctional family and could often be seen wandering the street on
her own when she was young.

Set 2: Family Members - general terms

family member – someone who belongs to a specific family

- I have family members living all over the world.
to be related to – to belong to the same family as
- I’m related to many people in my village as my family has lived here for generations.
a relative – someone who is part of your family
- We are going to visit relatives who live on the coast for our holiday this year.
blood relative – someone you are related to through birth rather than marriage
- Aunty Sylvia is my blood relative but Uncle George, her husband, is only related to me by
marriage.
distant relative – generally, a relative who is a third cousin or greater, or a great aunt or uncle,
especially when you have little or no involvement with him or her.
- A member of my family died last week but they were a distant relative and I didn’t know them
very well.
next of kin – the person or group of people you are most closely related to
- When you apply for a passport, you have to name your next of kin in case there is an
emergency while you are away travelling.
descendants – a person who is related to you and who lives after you, such as your child or
grandchild, and all future generations
ancestors – family members from past generations
- I’m writing my autobiography so that my descendants will know what life was like for one of
their ancestors.
household – all the people who live in one house
- There are now only three people in my household as my older brother has gone away to
university.

Set 3: Immediate family

father – a man in relation to his child or children

mother – a woman in relation to her child or children
parent – father or mother

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husband – the male partner in a marriage; a married man

wife – the female partner in a marriage; a married woman
spouse – a husband or wife
son – a person’s boy child
daughter – a person’s girl child
brother – a male who has the same parents as another person
sister – a female who has the same parents as another person
big brother / older brother (or sister) – older than you
little sister / younger sister (or brother) – younger than you
- I have two younger sisters but I do wish I had an older brother.
sibling – a brother or sister
- I have three siblings, two brothers and a sister.
twin – either of two children born to the same mother on the same occasion
- My sister has just given birth to twins, a boy and a girl.
identical twins – twins who look exactly the same
- I have an identical twin brother and even our parents find it difficult to tell us apart.
an only child – a child who doesn’t have any brothers or sisters
- It can be lonely being an only child as you don’t have siblings to play with.

Set 4: Extended family

uncle – the brother of your mother or father

aunt – the sister of your mother or father
nephew – the male child of your brother or sister
niece – the female child of your brother or sister
cousin – a child of your uncle or aunt
grandparents – the parents of your parents
grandfather – the father of your mother or father
grandmother – the mother of your father or mother
grandchildren – the children of your children
grandson – the son of your son or daughter
granddaughter – the daughter of your son or daughter

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Set 5: In-laws

in-laws – the relatives of your husband or wife

- When we were first married, we couldn’t afford a place of our own so lived with the in-laws.
mother-in-law – mother of your spouse
- Many people don’t get on with their mother-in-law but mine is really nice.
father-in-law – father of your spouse
- My father-in-law offered me a job in the family business so he is also my boss.
son-in-law – the husband of your daughter
- I didn’t like Amir when I first met him but he’s a great son-in-law and helps me out whenever I
need it.
daughter-in-law – the wife of your son
- We are very happy that our son has decided to marry Zehra and look forward to her becoming
our daughter-in-law.
brother-in-law – the husband of your sister
- My brother-in-law is lazy and not a very good husband to my sister.
sister-in-law – the wife of your brother
- I often help my sister-in-law to look after my baby niece.

Set 6: Stepfamilies

step – in the context of family relationships, ‘step’ means that you are related to the person
because of one of your parents marries one of their parents
stepmother – the wife of your father, but not your biological mother
stepfather – the husband of your mother, but not your biological father
stepson – the son of your new wife or husband, but not your biological son
stepdaughter – the daughter of your new wife or husband, but not your biological daughter
stepsister – the daughter of your stepmother or stepfather
stepbrother – the son of your stepmother or stepfather
half-brother – a brother you have only one parent in common with
half-sister – a sister you have only one parent in common with

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Set 7: Parenting

parent – a person's father or mother

- I’m glad that my parents live close by as it’s easy to visit them.
motherhood – the state of being a mother
- I’d like to have children one day but I’m not ready for motherhood yet.
fatherhood – the state of being a father
- Sakda is taking the responsibilities of fatherhood seriously and now only goes out drinking
with his friends once a month.
to start a family – to have children
- Billy and I are planning to start a family as soon as we get married.
to give birth – to have a baby
- It was a special moment in Cesar’s life when he saw his wife giving birth to their first child.
offspring – a person's child or children
- My two sisters are visiting with their offspring so the house is very noisy.
family man – a man who enjoys being at home with his wife and children
- Deepak used to love partying but now that he has kids he’s become a real family man.
family life – the kind of life a person normally leads when they are married and have children
- My husband and I enjoy doing lots of activities with our children and we all have a great family
life together.
to raise (a child) – to take care of a child until they become an adult
- It’s a big responsibility raising children but I love being a parent.
to bring up (a child) – to raise a child
- When Jae-min’s husband died, she was left to bring up the children on her own.
upbringing – the way in which you are treated and educated when young, especially by your
parents
- I was fortunate to have a good upbringing but not all children have caring parents who look
after them well and teach them the right way to behave.
to support (a family) – to have enough money to be able to look after a family
- Egor earned very low wages and had to work two jobs to support his family.
breadwinner – the member of a family who earns most of the money that the family needs
- In many countries, men are expected to be the breadwinner in a family.
dependant – someone who depends on you for financial support, such as a child or family
member who does not work
- I‘m working hard to get a promotion and earn more money now that I’m a husband and a
father and have dependants who rely on me.

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to adopt – to legally take another person's child into your own family and take care of them as
your own child
- Paul and Siri were unable to have children of their own and decided to adopt a baby.
to foster – to take care of someone else’s child, usually for a limited time, without becoming the
child's legal parent
- Even though I’m an only child, I always had other boy’s and girl’s to play with when I was
growing up as mum and dad often used to foster other children.
over-protective parents – a parent who protect their child too much
- Overprotective parents can prevent their children from building confidence and
independence.
spoilt child – a child who shows bad behaviour because they have been allowed to do or have
anything they want
- I don’t like playing with the girl next door because she’s a spoilt child and gets in a temper if I
don’t let her win all the games.
single parent – a person bringing up a child or children without a partner
- My sister is a single parent now that her husband has left her.
stay at home parent / stay at home mum – a parent who stays at home to take care of their
children rather than going out to work
- These days, it’s far more usual for men to be a stay-at-home parent than when I was young
when it was always the mother who looked after the kids.
to look after – to take care of
- I’m going to look after my daughter’s children on Saturday while she has a day out with her
friends.
childcare – the care of children, especially by a crèche, nursery or childminder while parents
are working
- Childcare is a big problem for many working parents and they are lucky if their own parents
can help out.
strict – strongly limiting someone's freedom to behave as they wish, or likely to severely punish
someone if they do not obey
- My parents are very strict with me and I have to finish all my homework before I’m allowed to
play or watch TV.
authoritarian – demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them the freedom
to act as they wish
- My father was very authoritarian when I was growing up and I was terrified of him.

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Set 8: The Generations

generation – all the people of about the same age within a society or within a particular family
- It’s hard to believe how much everyday life has changed for my grandparent’s generation.
older generation – people of middle-age and older
younger generation – young adults, teenagers and children
- The older generation are often stuck in their ways, while the younger generation welcome
change.
generation gap – a difference of opinions between one generation and another regarding
beliefs and attitudes, often leading to a lack of understanding between them
- It’s a skilled politician who can bridge the generation gap.
teenager – a person aged between 13 and 19 years
- My lovely little boy turned into a rebellious monster when he was a teenager but now he’s a
lovely young man.
adolescent – a young person who is developing into an adult
- Many adolescents develop emotional problems as they try to find their place in the world.

Set 9: Other vocabulary

sibling rivalry – the feeling of competitiveness that often exists between brothers and sisters
- There was huge sibling rivalry between my two brothers and they were always fighting but
they are the best of friends now that they’re adults.
run in the family – a common feature in a family; something which is passed from parents to
children
- Artistic ability seems to run in the family.
hereditary – passed from the genes of a parent to a child
- Diabetes is hereditary in our family so I make sure that I eat healthily and keep fit to lessen
my chances of getting it.
childhood – the time when someone is a child
- Many children in the world do not have a happy childhood.
family background – the details of a person's family regarding education, social status, etc.
- We want our son to marry a girl from a good family background.
family gathering / family get-together – an informal event where family members meet up
- We’re having a family get-together to celebrate my mother’s birthday.

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close-knit – involving groups of people in which everyone supports each other

- We’re a close-knit family and know that we can rely on each other when one of us needs
help.
family ties – the sense of connection between family members
- Family ties aren’t as strong as they used to be in my country because relatives often live
many miles apart and even in different countries.
to care for – to provide the things someone needs, especially someone who is young, old, or ill
- In my country, sons and daughters are expected to care for their elderly parents.
a widow – a woman whose husband has died
- Her husband died young and she has been a widow for almost thirty years now.
a widower – a man whose wife has died
- My mother died last year so my father is now a widower.
to desert – to leave someone without help or in a difficult situation and not come back
- My father deserted us when I was young and my mother has brought me up on her own.

Set 10: Family idioms

There are many idioms about the family but I’ve chosen just a few that might prove a useful
addition to your family vocabulary. Pick only one or two to learn and make sure that you know
how to use them 100% or they won’t make sense.
If you’re unsure about them, give them a miss rather than risking sounding silly.
get on with / get along with – to like someone and have a friendly relationship with them
- I used to fight with my siblings when we were young but I get on with them really well now
that we’re adults.
to fall out with / to have a falling out – to have a disagreement which ruins a relationship with
that person
- I fell out with my sister when she started dating my boyfriend.
- The two brothers had a falling out over the broken toy.
on speaking terms – friendly enough to talk
- My parents had a big argument and are not on speaking terms at the moment.
to look alike – to look very similar to someone else
- My twin sister and I look alike and people often call us by each other’s names.
to take after (someone) – to be very similar to an older family member
- Mila was excellent at drawing. She took after her mother who was a famous artist.

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a chip off the old block – the person is very similar (in character and personality) to one of
their parents
- Sanjay is always cracking jokes, just like his father. He’s a real chip off the old block.
to follow in someone’s footsteps – to do the same thing as someone else did previously,
especially someone in your family
- I want to follow in my father’s footsteps and become a doctor like he is.
spitting image – to look extremely similar to someone
- Cher is the spitting image of her mother.
wears the trousers – to be the person in a family who holds the authority and makes decisions
- My dad likes to thinks that he’s in charge but it’s my mother who wears the trousers in our
house.
black sheep (of the family) – someone who brings shame to their family by being different or
doing something wrong
- My brother first started getting into trouble with the police when he was a teenager and he’s
become the black sheep of the family.

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Speaking Questions

Part 1

- How big is your family?

- How often do you spend time together?

- What do you enjoy doing as a family?

- Who are you closest to in your family?

- How do you keep in touch with family members?

Part 2
Describe a famous family in your country.

You should say:

• why they are famous

• who the family members are

• whether the family is popular or unpopular with the public

and explain why you would or would not like to be a member of this family.

Part 3

1. What types of special family occasions are celebrated in your country?

2. How important is it for families to celebrate together?

3. Are family occasions as important today as they were for former generations?

4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of grandparents living in the same
house as their children and grandchildren?

5. What do you think about single parent families?

6. How do you think the family will change in the future?

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Writing Questions – Task 2

1) These days, it is often fathers who stay at home to take care of their children while mothers
go out to work.

What are the reasons for this?

Do you think it is a positive or a negative development?

2) In many western countries, there are an increasing number of couples who choose not to
have children.

What are the advantages and disadvantages for a couple of not having children?

3) Some people think it is better for children to grow up in the city, while others think that the
countryside offers more advantages.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

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Reading Text & Questions

Reading Text 1

Great Expectations: Holding Children to Higher Standards than Adults

I once said in a book, “So often, children are punished for being human. They are not allowed to
have grumpy moods, bad days, disrespectful tones or bad attitudes. Yet, we adults have them
all the time. None of us are perfect. We must stop holding our children to a higher standard of
perfection than we can attain ourselves.” This quote has gone viral, being seen by millions
around the world, and has received mixed reactions from people who love and understand the
meaning of the quote and those who misunderstand it to mean we should let children by with
being disrespectful.

I, of course, believe in teaching children to be kind, considerate and respectful. I believe in

coaching them to have positive attitudes, and to be aware of their emotions and how to manage
them. I also happen to believe this is best done by providing an example, and if I’m honest,
when I listen and look at many of the adults around me, I’m just not seeing it.

We generally expect children to be on their best behaviour at all times, yet this is a feat we can’t
accomplish ourselves. Who of us has never lost our temper? Who of us doesn’t get grumpy or
have a bad attitude from time to time? I’d be a hypocrite if I said I was always perfectly well-
behaved, and I dare say most readers would as well. It is not possible, in our human condition,
to be perfect, and if I, in all my nearly four decades, haven’t managed to attain perfection yet,
why should I demand it of my children who have only been here a very short while?

Consider the way we behave toward children in contrast with the way we expect children to
behave toward us. We tell children “hands are not for hitting” but the majority of Americans still
spank their kids. We tell them to use “inside voices” but we yell at them when we are frustrated.
We tell them to be patient but quickly become irritated at backed up traffic or other daily
annoyances. We demand respect but humiliate them on social media. It seems to me that
adults aren’t upholding the many values we try to impart on our children, and we aren’t behaving
in the excellent manner in which we expect them to behave.

When I scroll through my Facebook newsfeed, I see name-calling and rude behaviour. When I
watch politics, I see much of the same. When I run errands, I hear cashiers being fussed at and
bank tellers being yelled at. I worked in banking for more than a decade and was on the
receiving end of many adult tantrums. I am not suggesting we are all bad people. It’s the
opposite, in fact. We are mostly good people who, on occasion, behave badly.

As a parent, I’ve lost my temper and yelled at my kids. I’ve run to my room and slammed the
door. I’ve yelled at my spouse, hung up on telemarketers and said negative things under my
breath to the person who cut me off in traffic. I’m not a bad person. I’m a human person. Our
children aren’t bad kids. They’re human kids. They make mistakes. They get angry. Sometimes
they’re rude or grouchy. It’s never OK to treat others badly, and of course, they should be taught

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that, but when we correct them, let’s do so bearing in mind that we, ourselves, are sometimes
guilty of the things we are correcting them for.

My opening quote isn’t a suggestion to lower the standard we have set for our children so much
as it’s to raise the standard for ourselves. It’s a call to rise up to our own fullest potential as
people and parents and behave in a manner suitable to be imitated. And it’s also a call for
understanding and compassion because being a kid is hard sometimes. Being a person is hard,
sometimes. We all need a soft place to land. As parents, let’s not fail to teach our children all the
right things, but just as importantly, let’s not forget to wrap them in arms of grace and say, “I am
your safe place. Here you will always be loved.”

Source: Rebecca Eanes, Boston Parents Paper © ([Link]) - edited

Questions 1-5

Do the following statements agree with the views of the writer in the reading passage? Write:

YES if the statement agrees with the views of the writer.

NO if the statement contradicts what the writer thinks.
NOT GIVEN if it is impossible to know what the writer's point of view is.

1) Adults often expect children to have higher standards of behaviour than themselves.

2) On the whole, adults provide good role models for the younger generation.

3) Children mistrust adults who tell them how to behave but then behave badly themselves.

4) Behaving badly makes you a bad person.

5) People should not have such high expectation of their children.

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Reading Text 2

Family Culture in India

The family is an important institution that plays a central role in the lives of most Indians. As
a collectivistic society, Indians often emphasise loyalty and interdependence. The interests of
the family usually take priority over those of the individual, and decisions affecting one’s
personal life, such as marriage and career paths, are generally made in consultation with one’s
family. People tend to act in the best interest of their family’s reputation, as the act of an
individual may impact the perception of the entire family by their community.

Although most family members are within geographical proximity or part of the same
occupational groups, the growth of urbanisation and migration has seen younger generations
challenging these perceptions of family. Today, many people have extensive family networks
that are spread across many different regions and hold different occupations. The links an
Indian person maintains with their extended family overseas are often much closer than those of
most people in English-speaking Western societies. Indians living abroad also maintain close
connections to their family remaining in India through regular phone calls, sending remittances
or visiting if circumstances allow.

The concept of family extends beyond the typical nuclear unit to encompass the wider family
circle. These large multigenerational families can also be essential to providing economic
security to an individual. They often provide a source of work in a family agricultural business or
lead to opportunities in cities where kinship ties and third-party introductions are crucial for
employment.

People may be encouraged to have relationships with their aunts and uncles that are just as
strong as parental relationships. In many parts of India, it is common to find three or four
generations living together. The father (or eldest son, if the father is not present) is usually
the patriarch while his wife may supervise any daughters or daughters-in-law that have moved
into the household. Extended families tend to defer to the elderly and observe a clear hierarchy
among family members. In more urban areas, people will usually live in smaller nuclear families
yet maintain strong ties to their extended family.

The inequality between the status of men and women is quite pronounced in India. There are
varying customs surrounding a practice known as ‘pardah’ that calls for the seclusion of women
in certain situations. It is practised mostly in northern India and among conservative Hindu or
Muslim families. In accordance with pardah, females are generally expected to leave the
domestic realm only when veiled and accompanied by a man. Nuances in the custom vary
between ethnicities, religions and social backgrounds. For example, married Hindu women in
particular parts of northern India may wear a ‘ghoonghat’ (a specific kind of veil or headscarf) in
the presence of older male relatives on their husband's side.

The degree to which gender inequalities persist is undergoing continuous change. For example,
a brother and sister in India are now likely to receive equal schooling and treatment in the
educational system. Although still bound by many constraining societal expectations, educated
women in society are becoming more empowered through employment opportunities and
political representation. There are also affirmative action programs for women to help address
structural inequalities.

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Arranged marriages are common throughout India, though expectations and practices of marital
arrangements vary depending on the region and religion. Marriages are typically arranged
through a matchmaker, the couple’s parents or some other trusted third party. Unlike in the past
where individuals would not be informed about their future partner, it is now more common for
the family to consult the couple for consent before the wedding.

Arranged marriages are nearly always influenced by caste considerations. Therefore,

endogamous marriages remain a common practice (limited to members of the same caste or, in
some cases, religion). This is in part because arranging marriages is a family activity that is
carried out through pre-existing networks of a broader community. Although people will marry
within the same caste, families avoid marriage within the same sub caste. The institutions of
arranged marriage and caste endogamy enable parents to influence the futures of their children
as well as sustain the local and social structure. Intercaste marriages are almost never
arranged. Such marriages are known as ‘love marriages’ and are becoming more common.
Regardless of how one finds a spouse, the family is nearly always consulted in the marriage
process.

Usually, weddings are conducted in the villages of the families, regardless of whether the family
resides in their village or in a major city. Indeed, it is common for families to keep their village
home for the purpose of weddings or other major family events. Weddings may span over
several days and specific practices vary depending on the region and the religion of the
families.

Source: Cultural Atlas © ([Link]) - edited

Questions 6 - 10

Complete the sentences below.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the text for each answer.

6. Perceptions of traditional family culture are being altered by ……………………. .

7. Being part of an extended family can bring greater financial …………………… to members.

8. Although there is still inequality between men and women in India, girls can now expect to
receive as good an ……………………. as boys.

9. Whilst matchmaking is still a common way to find a spouse, nowadays the couple is often
……………………. before the marriage takes place.

10. Families now living in urban areas usually return to their ......................... for family
weddings.

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Listening Questions

In the recording, you will hear the transcript of an article on ‘How to survive the teenage years’.
The recording is in two parts with a set of questions to answer after each part.

Click the links to go to a webpage where you can listen to the recordings.

Click for Listening Recording Part 1

Questions 1 - 4

Complete the summary below.

Write ONLY ONE WORD for each answer.

How to survive the teenage years: a parents’ guide

The storybook, Zagazoo, by Quentin Blake, presents a fun but powerful picture of
1 ……………………. . Experts have plenty of good advice for parents on how to cope with the
teenage years. First, parents need to learn to step back and not be so 2 …………………. of
their child. Next, they should understand than some teenage behaviour is purely down to
3 ……………………. as the adolescent body undergoes huge hormonal changes. Further, as a
teenager’s brain develops, their patterns of 4 ……………………. change and they want to go to
bed late and get up late.

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Click for Listening Recording Part 2

Questions 5 - 10

Answer the questions below.

Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.

What are TWO types of video game content symbolised in rating information?

• 5 …………………….

• 6 …………………….

When doing what TWO activities is it suggested that non-confrontational conversation might
occur?

• 7 …………………….

• 8 …………………….

State TWO of the ideas given for new real-life activities to try with a teenager.

• 9 …………………….

• 10 …………………..

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Vocabulary Exercises

Match these words with their correct definition 1 – 10.

descendants adopt nuclear dependants siblings

strict household stepdaughter childcare next of kin

1. A ……………………. family is made up of the parents and their children.

2. When completing the booking form, I had to include my ……………………. to contact in case
of an emergency.

3. I’m writing a book about our family history to leave as a legacy to my ........................ .

4. There are six people in our ......................... now that my grandmother has come to live
with us.

5. Soona had four …………………….; three older brothers and a baby sister.

6. When I married again after the death of my husband, I gained a lovely ……………………. .

7. I’m very concerned about possible redundancies at work as I have …………………….to

support.

8. A medical condition meant that Sarah couldn’t have children so she and her husband
decided to ......................... a baby.

9. ......................... can be a huge problem for parents who both have to work to pay the bills.

10. My parents are very ......................... about how much time I’m allowed to spend playing
video games each day.

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Answers

Reading Test Answers:

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not Given

4. No

5. No

6. urbanisation and migration

7. security

8. education

9. consulted

10. village

Listening Test Answers:

1 adolescence

2 protective

3 biology

4 sleep

5 scary scenes 9 and 10 Two of the following:

6 sex • climbing
7 (while) walking • cake decorating
• whittling
8 doing household chores
• kite flying
• surfing

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Answers – Vocabulary Exercises

1. nuclear

2. next of kin

3. descendants

4. household

5. siblings

6. stepdaughter

7. dependants

8. adopt

9. childcare

10. strict

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Shopping Vocabulary

Topic vocabulary for the IELTS exam

* Important

• Do not try and learn this list of shopping vocabulary.

• Identify the vocabulary you find most useful for answering practice questions
about shopping.
• Record these in your vocabulary notebook and practice using them regularly.

Learning vocabulary for IELTS doesn’t just involve learning new words and phrases,
it’s also about how you use vocabulary to develop good answers.

This list of common shopping vocabulary is divided into 8 categories:

Set 1: Going Shopping

Set 2: People
Set 3: Types of shop
Set 4: Buying Things
Set 5: Prices and cost
Set 6: In a shop
Set 7: Other vocabulary
Set 8: Shopping idioms

Set 1: Going shopping

to go shopping – to go to the shops to buy things

- I won’t be home until 6pm tonight because I’m going shopping after work.
to do the shopping – the activity of buying items from shops
- I hate doing the shopping as it’s always so crowded in the supermarket.
goods – things that are sold
- Department stores have a wide range of goods on sale.
window shopping – the activity of looking at goods for sale, especially in shop window
displays, without the intention of buying anything
- One of my favourite activities on a Saturday is to go window shopping with my friends to see
the latest fashions.

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bargain hunting – looking for products that are good value for money, usually because they
are on sale at a lower price than normal
- I love bargain hunting and feel great when I find something I need at a knock-down price.
shop around – compare prices before buying something
- I always shop around before buying high value items as prices can vary considerably.
browse – looking at things in one or more shops without a firm intention to buy anything
- When I go into town, I often browse around the clothes shops to see if I can pick up any
bargains.
retail therapy – the practise of buying things in order to make yourself feel better when you are
unhappy
- I need some retail therapy to help me get over the disappointment of not getting a promotion
at work.
to go on a shopping spree – a short period of time in which someone buys a lot of things
- I’ll have to go on a shopping spree before my holiday next month as I’ve lost so much weight
that my beachwear doesn’t fit me anymore.
hit the shops / stores – to go on a shopping spree
- I’m taking a bus into the city with some friends on Saturday and we’re going to hit the shops.
an impulse buy – an unplanned purchase when something is bought suddenly without careful
thought
- My waterproof jacket was an impulse buy as I was actually looking for some new walking
boots, but it was such a bargain that I just had to get it.
a shopaholic – someone who loves shopping and does it often, sometimes to the point of it
being an addiction
- My friend Sally is a true shopaholic but I do worry about her as she can’t really afford all the
designer clothes she buys.
to try on – to put on an item of clothing to see if it fits or looks good
- Can I try on these two dresses please as I’m not sure which size will fit me best?
take something back – return an unwanted item to a shop
- I’m going to have to take this jacket back to the shop as the colour doesn’t match my skirt.
to return an item - to take or send something back to the retail outlet it was purchased from
- I’ll have to return the jumper I bought online as they sent the wrong size.
exchange – change an item that has been purchased for a different one
- The shirt I bought my dad for his birthday is too large so I’m going to exchange it for a smaller
one.
for sale – available to buy
- I was really impressed by the quality of goods for sale in the new furniture shop in town.

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shopping list – a list of the things you want to buy when you go shopping
- I always take a shopping list when I go to the supermarket so that I don’t forget anything.
customer service – any activity designed to increase the level of customer satisfaction, such
as help them find finding the right product and guidance about its use
- I was really impressed with the customer service at the computer shop as a sales assistant
helped me to choose the best laptop for my needs rather than trying to sell me a more
expensive one.
to give someone the hard sell – try to sell someone something in a forceful way
- When I said I needed to go away and think about it before buying the car, the salesman tried
the hard sell on me.
shoplifting - take goods from a shop without paying for them
- My cousin was caught shoplifting again and might be sent to prison this time.
shop online / internet shopping – to buy things over the internet
- It’s really popular to do your grocery shopping online these days and have it delivered to your
house.
- The increase in internet shopping is leading to many local shops closing down
to order – to request a product over the internet or from a shop when the required item is not in
stock
- I must remember to go online and order the computer game my brother wants for his birthday
or it won’t arrive in time.

Set 2: People

shopper – a person who is shopping

- It was the start of the summer sales and the high street was packed with shoppers.
customer – a person who buys goods or services from a shop or business
- I like to do my shopping early in the morning before the shops get busy with customers.
retailer – a business or person that sells goods to individual customers, as opposed to a
wholesaler or supplier, who normally sell their goods to another business
- Although supermarkets are primarily food retailers, they also sell many other things such as
electrical goods and clothing.
bargain hunter – someone who is looking for goods that are very good value for money,
usually because they are on sale at a lower price than normal
- My sister is a keen dedicated bargain hunter and rarely pays full price for anything.

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shop assistant / sales assistant – a person who serves customers in a shop

- These days, shop assistants are often too busy chatting to one another to help their
customers.
cashier - the person who takes the money in a shop
- The cashiers were all busy and I had to join a queue to pay for my groceries.
market trader / market vendor – a person who runs a stall at a market
- I was late getting into town and many of the market traders were already packing away their
stalls.
store detective – a person employed by a store to detect and prevent theft from the store by
shoplifters.
- The store detective stopped the man as he was leaving the store and discovered a stolen
bottle of wine in his coat pocket.

Set 3: Types of shop

shop / store / retail outlet – a place where customers can buy goods

- My favourite shop / store / retail outlet to visit when I’m in London is Harrods.
chain store – a group of shops that belong to one company
- These days, most towns in the UK are full of chain stores and there are very few independent
retailers left.
independent stores – shops not owned by large companies
- When I want to buy a special outfit for a wedding, I shop in an independent store so that I can
be sure that no one else will be wearing the same thing.
department store – a large shop that sells different types of items in different areas or
departments of the store
- The department store in our town sells everything from clothes and shoes to bedding,
kitchenware and cosmetics.
convenience store – a small local shop that is open for long hours and sells a limited range of
everyday food and other goods
- If we run out of bread or milk, I send one of the kids down to the convenience store at the
end of the road to buy some.
supermarket – a large shop that sells mainly food and household items
- I buy most of our food at the supermarket, although I do like to go to the local butcher for
meat.
discount store – a shop that sells goods at less than the normal retail price
- Having a motor parts discount store near my home means that I can keep my car on the road
quite cheaply.

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grocery – shop that sells groceries (the collective term for items of food sold in a grocery or
supermarket)
- I hope that our local grocery store doesn’t close down now that a big supermarket has been
build near town.
greengrocer – person or shop that sells fresh fruit and vegetables
- When I was young I was always given a free apple when I went to the greengrocer with my
mum.
butcher – person or shop that sells fresh meat
- My butcher makes the best sausages in the area.
bakery – shop that sells fresh bread and cakes
- Fresh bread from a bakery always tastes much better than bread bought from a supermarket.
fishmonger – person or shop that sells fresh fish
- Our fishmonger buys his fish straight off the local fishing boats so it’s very fresh.
farm shop – a shop which sells produce from a farm directly to the public
- Buying from a farm shop helps to support the local economy and guarantees the produce is
fresh.
pharmacy – shop that sells medicines
- They were very helpful at the pharmacy and recommended some cough mixture that has
calmed my chesty cough.
chemist (UK) / drugstore (US) – sells medicines and toiletries
- I was glad that mum asked me to pick her tablets from the chemist as they had an offer on
razor blades and I needed some new ones.
newsagents – shop that sells newspapers and magazines
- Harry stopped off at the newsagents on his way to the train station each weekday morning to
buy his daily paper.
pet shop – shop that sells food and other items for dogs, cats and other pets and sometimes
small pets as well
- My dog loves visiting the pet shop with me as he knows that I’ll buy him a dog chew.
bookshop – shop that sells books
I buy lots of Christmas and birthday present from bookshops as all my family are keen readers.
DIY store – shop that sells things for home improvement
- Dad has promised me some shelves in my room so we’re off to the DIY store at the weekend
to buy some planks of wood and screws.
hardware shop / ironmonger – shop that sells goods such as nails, screws and hand tools.
- I love browsing in hardware stores as they sell so many interesting bits and pieces.

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delicatessen (deli) – shop that specialises in cooked meats, cheeses, and unusual or foreign
prepared foods
- My special treat is a venison and mushroom pie from our local deli.
market – a place where people sell produce and good on small stalls
- I buy all my fruit and vegetables at the market because they are fresher than in the
supermarket.
flea market – a group of stalls selling old furniture or clothes
- The flea market in Portobello Road, London, started in the 1800s and is still popular with both
locals and tourists.
shopping mall – a large enclosed shopping area from which traffic is excluded
- The first time I visited a shopping mall I was so excited to see so many big brand name
shops all in one place.
shopping centre – a large building or a group of buildings containing lots of different stores,
often build away from town centres
- One of the reasons why people like out-of-town shopping centres is that you get free parking.

Set 4: Buying Things

to buy / to purchase – to acquire something by paying for it

- Juan bought himself a new suit for his job interview.
- Kari couldn’t decide whether to buy the red or the blue pair of shoes so she purchased both of
them.
gift voucher – a card that you buy at a shop to give as a gift, which entitles the person to
exchange it for goods worth the same amount
- I often give my nieces and nephews gift vouchers for their birthdays so that they can buy
what they want.
discount voucher – a ticket or piece of paper, often with a code on it, that gives money off the
purchase price
- When I bought my new TV, I got a discount voucher for 20% off my next purchase from the
shop.
coupon – a voucher, often printed in a newspaper or magazine, that can be used to get
something without paying for it, or at a reduced price
- There’s a coupon in our local newspaper this week for a free cupcake from the new bakery in
town.
store card – a plastic card that can be used to buy goods in a particular store that you pay for
at a later time
- My Macy’s store card saves me lots of money as I get 10% off everything I buy with it.

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loyalty card – a card issued by a shop that enables customers to save money on the basis of
how much they spend
- I have 9 points on my bookshop loyalty card and next time I buy a book I’ll get a second one
for free.
debit card – a plastic card used to pay for items that takes the money directly from your bank
account
- My debit card is now contactless so I don’t even need to enter my PIN number for small
purchases.
credit card – a plastic card that you use to buy goods or services and pay for them later
- I’m careful as to how I use my credit card as it is very easy to overspend with one.
cash – money in the form of notes and coins
- I hardly ever use cash these days as I do most of my shopping online.
receipt - a piece of paper showing the amount of money you have paid for something used as
proof of purchase
- I always keep the receipt when I buy something in case I have to return it.
refund – money given back to a customer when they return a product they are not happy with
- I took the faulty clock back to the shop and asked for a refund.

Set 5: Prices and cost

price - the amount of money you have to pay for something

- I was delighted when I looked at the price of the pretty blue dress and found that it was less
than I had expected.
price tag – a label that states the price of an item
- When I see an item of clothing I like, I check the price tag first to see if I can afford it.
discount – a reduction in the price of something
- If I’m buying lots of items from a shop, I always ask for a discount.
a sale – a period during which a shop sells goods at reduced prices
- I need a new vacuum cleaner but I’m waiting until the January sales to save money.
on sale / on offer - for sale at a reduced price
- Umbrellas are on sale at the moment so I’m going to buy one ready for the rainy season.
to pick up a bargain / to snap up a bargain – to buy something cheaply
- She picked up some great bargains in the sale.
knock-down price – extremely cheap or costing much less than the usual amount
- Now that spring is here, they’re selling off winter coats at a knock-down price.

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to slash prices - to reduce prices a great deal

- Mr Patel is closing down his clothes shop and has slashed prices to sell off his stock.
expensive – costing a lot of money
- Stefan bought his girlfriend an expensive necklace for her birthday.
inexpensive / cheap – something that does not cost a lot of money
- Hyun-Gi looked in the sales for an inexpensive watch to wear for work.
- Wan-Soo said he’d seen some nice watches going cheap in the market.
to be value for money – to be worth the cost
- My new laptop was quite expensive but has all the latest features so I think it was good value
for money.
over-priced – to cost more than you think it is worth
- The sunglasses made me look really cool but they were over-priced so I didn’t buy them.
to save up – to put money aside for something until the required amount is reached
- Khalil was saving up to buy a new bicycle.
haggle – to negotiate the cost of an item
- I had to really haggle with the car salesman to get the price I wanted.

Set 6: In a shop
checkout – the place where payment is made for goods, especially in a supermarket
- The girl on the checkout was very friendly and chatted as she took the payment for my
groceries.
queue – a line of people waiting
- The supermarket was really busy and I had to queue for ages at the checkout.
shelves – the place where they put the products in a shop, especially in a supermarket
- With Christmas only a few weeks away, the shelves were stacked with festive food.
trolley – a large container with wheels that you use to put products in, especially in a
supermarket
- It’s important to pack your trolley carefully so that your fruit and eggs don’t get squashed
under heavy items.
changing room / fitting room – place in a shop where you can try clothes on before buying
them
- Belita wasn’t sure which size blouse would fit her best so she took a small and a medium into
the changing room to try on.

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opening hours – the times when a shop is open for business

- In recent years, many shops have extended their opening hours to stay open later and catch
customers leaving work.

Set 7: Other vocabulary

brand – a unique design, symbol or words, or a combination of these, used to create an image
that identifies a product and differentiates it from its competitors
- When I buy new fitness trainers, I always choose a well-known brand like Nike so that I can be
sure of the quality.
big brand names – large, well-known companies or product names
- Shoppers generally look for big brand names as their products usually have a good
reputation.
brand-name goods – products made by a well-known company
- Teenagers are a huge market for brand-name goods as having the same brand as the cool
kids makes them feel cool too.
high street names – well-known shops
- If you visit any town in the UK, you will see all the familiar high street names such as Boots,
Marks & Spence and W.H. Smith.
a luxury – something expensive that you do not need but you buy for pleasure or comfort
- One day I’m going to treat myself to a luxury car but while the kids are young, a station wagon
is far more suited to our family needs.
status symbol – a product that people want to have because they think other people will
admire them for owning it
- Designer clothes are an important status symbol among young people.
second-hand – something that is for sale but has been used before
- I often browse the second-hand clothes shops to see if they’ve got anything worth having in
my size.
fake – imitation or counterfeit
- The sale of fake designer clothes and perfumes is illegal but can make dealers a lot of money.
genuine – what it is meant to be, not fake
- The leather jackets were so cheap that Marlon doubted that they were genuine.
throwaway society – the idea that we have become a society that consumes a lot of stuff and
readily throws it away, replacing it with new goods
- Whilst the transition to throwaway societies is good for economic growth, it’s leading to a
huge waste problem.

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Set 8: Idioms
the real McCoy – genuine, not fake
- I was worried that the gold bracelet I bought in the market wasn’t made of real gold but I
showed it my uncle who’s a jeweller and he said it’s the real McCoy.
going for a song – on sale for a very low price
- I was glad I went to the end of season sale at the garden centre as many of the plants were
going for a song.
to shop until you drop – to continue shopping until you are exhausted; to shop intensively over
a short period of time
- I’m meeting my best friend in town on Friday afternoon and we’re going to shop until we
drop.

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Speaking Questions

Part 1

- What is your favourite type of shop?

- When did you last visit this kind of store?

- What was the last purchase you made there?

- Is there anything you dislike about shopping?

- Do you prefer to visit retail stores or shop online?

Part 2
Describe an open-air or street market you have enjoyed visiting.

You should say:

• where the market is located

• how big the market is
• what is sold at the market

and explain why you enjoyed visiting this market.

Part 3

1. Is shopping a popular activity in your country?

2. How have shopping habits changed over recent years?

3. To what extent do you think advertising affects the way people shop?

4. In your country, what kinds of possessions give people status?

5. It is easy to buy fake designer goods in your country?

6. How can governments protect the rights of consumers?

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Writing Questions – Task 2

1) In the past, shopping was a routine domestic task but nowadays, many people regard it as a
hobby.

What are the reasons for this?

Is this a positive or negative development?

2) The growth of online shopping will one day lead to all shops in towns and cities closing.

Do you agree or disagree?

3) Some people think that it is better to build public parks and sports facilities in new towns
rather than shopping malls.

What is your opinion?

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Reading Text & Questions

More than milk and bread: corner store revival can rebuild neighbourhood ties

Do you have a corner store? Once an icon of suburban Australia, many neighbourhood corner
stores vanished in the face of unrelenting competition from large supermarkets, global
convenience franchises, modern service stations and extended trading hours. Many will argue
this is just the evolution of modern Australian retailing. Few consider the social and community
impacts of the loss of this former neighbourhood cornerstone.

Lately, though, a corner-store revival of sorts has been underway. A new generation of
shopkeepers is offering a contemporary twist on the old milk bar. These new stores could play
an important role in restoring the sense of community that many feared had been lost along with
the corner store.

As massive shopping centres emerged and urban population density increased, the
connectedness with community people once felt diminished. It seems that the bigger things get,
the more isolated we feel. Research has shown that feelings of loneliness and social isolation
are directly related to neighbourhood attachment and indirectly related to local amenities.

Social anonymity theory is often used to explain the level of connectedness within society.
Sociologist Louis Wirth’s seminal 1938 work, Urbanism as a Way of Life, highlighted the
elements of social anonymity and isolation as cities grew. He noted the relative absence of
intimate personal acquaintances, and the segmentalisation of human relations which are largely
anonymous, superficial and transitory. Simply, as cities grew larger, people began to feel
anonymous and isolated. We stand on busy trains, trams and buses every morning, surrounded
by people, yet can feel very alone.

A recent survey found only half of us would recognise our neighbour if we saw them on the
street or would invite a neighbour into our homes. Similar findings have been made in
comparable nations like the United States and the United Kingdom.

From the 1950s until the early 1970s, almost every suburban neighbourhood had a corner store.
Locals of all ages were drawn to these shops for newspapers, bread, milk, tobacco, ice-creams
and mixed lollies. But stores were more than just economic hubs, they were social by nature.
People knew their local shopkeepers, and shopkeepers knew their customers. Children
experienced that first taste of independence in walking or riding their bike to the local shop,
often with the family dog in tow. Shopping locally involved picking up a few items for Mum and
Dad as well as the obligatory ice-cream or bag of mixed lollies. A typical scene outside a local
store would show children on bikes, dogs waiting by the door and customers stopping for a chat
while picking up the essentials.

From 1980 onwards, a combination of factors created a “perfect storm” that led to the closure of
neighbourhood stores across Australia. Milk bars started vanishing from Australia
neighbourhoods in the 1980s. The introduction of Sunday trading for large grocery stores and
the growth of convenience stores combined with petrol stations meant customers could buy

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most items sold in their local corner store from supermarkets and service stations, often at much
cheaper prices. BIS Shrapnel reported a 34% decrease in the number of corner stores between
2010 and 2012 while Australian Food News reported in 2012 that the numbers of traditional milk
bars had declined significantly over the previous 30 years.

As well, the immigrant parents who had run many stores found their children were often
reluctant to take over a business with long hours and modest returns. Stores suffered and many
closed. When the family-run business failed, one, two or three generations often moved away
from the area.

The closure of local corner stores left both literal and figurative holes in neighbourhoods. People
had no choice but to shop full-time at larger supermarkets, often further from home and
requiring car travel. Eamon Donnelly has painstakingly documented the history of the corner
store and the ubiquitous milk bar. His book, Milk Bars, traces the history of Australia’s love affair
with the local store in a striking collection of images of once-thriving and later abandoned stores
around the country.

Empty storefronts have significant local economic and social impacts for consumers, existing
retailers, landlords and local authorities. Vacant buildings very visibly symbolise a
neighbourhood in decline and potentially harbour illegal activities.

However, in some urban and suburban areas, the humble corner store is having a revival of
sorts with a new generation of shopkeepers is reinventing the local store. These new stores are
striving to meet the demands of a new kind of local customer by providing a friendly, local
shopping experience. They are introducing in-house chefs, cafes and pop-up tastings, stocking
local products, promoting their eco-credentials and supporting local schools, charities and
causes. The new breed of local shopkeepers is keen to encourage recycling, low- or zero-waste
products and packaging, and sustainable retailing. Aided by social media marketing, these
stores are sharing their personal stories and in many areas are the new community hubs.

Sadly, not all corner stores can be revived. For those that are, the benefits for the local
community are tangible. Local stores have an important role to play in rebuilding a sense of
community and trust, as they foster social engagement and encourage people to walk or ride
their bikes in their local area.

While many corner stores have closed over the past 30 years, the success of those that have
survived or been revived is based on adapting to what local consumers are demanding –
convenience, coffee and community.

Source: The Conversation website © (www. [Link].)

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Questions 1 - 6

Complete the summary using the list of words, A-H, below.

The disappearance of corner shops has an impact on the whole neighbourhood. Urbanisation

and the development of huge shopping 1 ……………………. has led to people feeling less

connected to their 2 ……………………. and suffering from loneliness. We can be surrounded by

people on public transport but feel 3 ……………………. and isolated. Back when most

4 ……………………. neighbourhoods had a corner store, they were a local meeting place. As

they began to close from the 1980’s onwards, people were force to go to 5 …………………….

for their groceries. However, corner shops are making a comeback in some areas and adapting

to current local needs. Many are proudly 6 ………………….… .

A anonymous E supermarkets

B population F community

C eco-friendly G amenities

D malls H suburban

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Questions 7 - 11

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

7. Reasons for many corner shops closing include

8. Just 50% of people these days

9. As well as being the place to buy essentials, corner shops

10. Corner shops were not taken over by the owner’s offspring

11. The new-style corner shops are promoting themselves

A were the centre of the community.

B the increase in running costs.

C through social media.

D cheaper supermarket products and longer opening hours.

E prefer to shop at a supermarket.

F because of low profits and long working hours.

G know their neighbours well enough to invite them in.

H because they didn’t want to run a family business.

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Listening Questions

You will hear a talk entitled ‘The Future of Shopping’. The talk is divided into two parts with a
set of questions to answer after each part.

Click the links to go to a webpage where you can listen to the recordings.

Click for Listening Recording Part 1

Questions 1 - 4

Complete the sentences below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS for each answer.

The Future of Shopping

Amy uses the internet to compare the cost of items at different 1 ……………………. .

Amy saves over seventy dollars on her purchase by using 2 ……………………. .

The internet makes it easy to learn about products, discover their cost and also find

3 ……………………. .

Five decades after department stores became popular, they were experiencing strong

competition from 4 ……………………. .

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Click for Listening Recording Part 2

Questions 5 - 8

Complete the notes below.

Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER for each answer.

The Future of Shopping

Average return on investment: Amamzon – 17%

Department stores – 5 …………..

Percentage of store sales influence by online data: 6 ………………..

Omnichannel retailing:

websites

physical stores

direct mail

call centers

social media

networked devices

gaming consoles

7 …………………….

Traditional retailers often have outdated 8 ……………………. .

(Answers – see the answers on the final page of the PDF.)

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Vocabulary Exercises

Complete these sentences with the correct word or phrase from A, B or C.

1. I often go ......................... and feel really pleased with myself when I find a great outfit going
cheap.
A window shopping B shopping around C bargain hunting

2. One reason why I like to shop on the high street is that it’s easy to ......................... an item if
I change my mind about it or there is a problem.
A review B exchange C reject

3. It is disappointing that so many shop assistants have no idea how to properly look after
their ......................... .
A customers B retailers C shoppers

4. At my dinner party, I’m going serve a selection of speciality Italian cheeses from the
new ........................... that’s just opened in town.

A grocery B delicatessen C pharmacy

5. When I retired, my colleagues gave me some lovely flowers and a ......................... to buy
materials for the arts classes I want to attend now that I have more free time.
A discount voucher B coupon C gift voucher

6. When you buy something, it’s important to keep the ......................... in case you need to
return it.
A receipt B refund C cash

7. When I was on holiday in Egypt I found it strange having to ......................... with the market
traders over the price of their goods.
A haggle B argue C disagree

8. I don’t mind having to ......................... at the supermarket to pay for my groceries as I like
chatting to the other shoppers who are also waiting.
A checkout B wait C queue

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9. For many young people these days, clothing can be a status symbol and the .........................
of their shoes is often more important than how comfortable they are to wear.
A design B brand C cost

10. My husband dreams of owning a ......................... car but I just want one that is practical for
transporting our three kids and the dog around.
A genuine B fake C luxury

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Answers

Reading Test Answers:

1. malls

2. community

3. anonymous

4. suburban

5. supermarkets

6. eco-friendly

7. D

8. G

9. A

10. F

11. C

Listening Test Answers:

1. retailers

2. coupons

3. special deals

4. shopping malls

5 6.5%

6 50%

7 televisions

8 IT systems

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Answers – Vocabulary Exercises

1. C bargain hunting
2. B exchange
3. A customers
4. B delicatessen
5. C gift voucher
6. A receipt
7. A haggle
8. C queue
9. B brand
10. C luxury

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