The charts below show reasons for travel and the main issues for the travelling public in the US in 2009.

IELTS Speaking Part 2: team project

Describe a team project that you worked on. You should say:

·    what it was

·    what you did

·    and how you felt about it.

 

I’d like to talk about a team project that I was involved in during my final term at business school. There were four of us on the team, and our task was to work with a local company to research a new market, in a European country, for one of their products or services. Our objective was to produce a report and give a presentation.

The first thing we did was split into two groups of two. We had been assigned a company that produced a range of bicycle accessories, so two of us spent some time getting to know the company while the other two researched the market and the competitors in the target country, which was Germany. In the end, I think it was a successful project because we managed to identify a possible gap in the market in Germany for one of the company’s products. Our group presentation also went really well.

Until that point, the course had been all about business theory, so it was quite a learning experience to work with a real company. I felt a real sense of accomplishment when we handed in our report and delivered our presentation, and I think all of us were proud of what we had done.

Vocabularies:

·    a team project with 3 members on each team

·    It was quite a learning experience

·    In the end, I think it was a successful project

·    Our task was to...

·    We had to collaborate

·    The challenges were intense but fun

·    a real sense of accomplishment

·    It was more rewarding than I could have imagined

·    They were proud of what we had done

·    Success is a team project

·    share the burden

IELTS Speaking Part 2: old building description

Describe an old building that you like. You should say:

·    where it is

·    what it is used for

·    and why you like it.

1. I'm going to describe a very famous building in New York: the Empire State Building. People might not think of it as an old building, but the Empire State Building was built in 1931, so I don't think it can be classed as new. It's located on Manhattan island and it's probably the most distinctive and recognisable building when you look at New York's skyline.

2. As far as I know, the Empire State Building is an office building, but visitors can go up to an observation deck on the top floor, which is the 102nd floor. There's also a 360-degree observation area on the 86th floor. Apparently, the building makes more money from the sale of tickets to the observation floors than it does from office rentals.

3. I think the Empire State Building is still one of the most impressive skyscrapers in the world. It's such an iconic structure, and it's amazing to think that it was built around 80 years ago. The best thing about the building is the viewing deck on the top floor, which offers spectacular views of the city; it's definitely the best vantage point in New York. I'd recommend anyone who visits the city to go there and experience the view.

Classed: Classified كلاسه بندی شده

Distinctive: متمایز

recognisable: قابل تشخیص

Skyline: دورنمای یك شهر

Deck: سكو، عرشه 

Top floor: بالاترین طبقه

Rental: پول اجاره

Sale: فروش

Sky scraper: آسمان خراش

iconic: مهم و تاریخی

Spectacular: تماشایی

Vantage point: بهترین موقعیت دیدن

IELTS Writing Task 2: 'salary' essay

When choosing a job, the salary is the most important consideration. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Many people choose their jobs based on the size of the salary offered. Personally, I disagree with the idea that money is the key consideration when deciding on a career, because I believe that other factors are equally important.

On the one hand, I agree that money is necessary in order for people to meet their basic needs. For example, we all need money to pay for housing, food, bills, health care, and education. Most people consider it a priority to at least earn a salary that allows them to cover these needs and have a reasonable quality of life. If people chose their jobs based on enjoyment or other non-financial factors, they might find it difficult to support themselves. Artists and musicians, for instance, are known for choosing a career path that they love, but that does not always provide them with enough money to live comfortably and raise a family.

Nevertheless, I believe that other considerations are just as important as what we earn in our jobs. Firstly, personal relationships and the atmosphere in a workplace are extremely important when choosing a job. Having a good manager or friendly colleagues, for example, can make a huge difference to workers’ levels of happiness and general quality of life. Secondly, many people’s feelings of job satisfaction come from their professional achievements, the skills they learn, and the position they reach, rather than the money they earn. Finally, some people choose a career because they want to help others and contribute something positive to society.

In conclusion, while salaries certainly affect people’s choice of profession, I do not believe that money outweighs all other motivators.

(275 words, band 9)

based on/on the basis of بر اساس

key consideration  فاكتور اساسی

equally important  به همان اندازه مهم

basic needs  نیازهای اساسی و اولیه

health care  مراقبتهای بهداشتی، بهداشت

cover the needs  برآوردن نیازها

career path  مسیر شغلی

considerations  ملاحظات

general quality of life  كیفیت كلی زندگی

job satisfaction  رضایت شغلی

outweigh  مهم تر بودن

motivator  مشوق