Đây là tài liệu tổng hợp các bài viết Ielts có điểm từ trên 8.0 của các tác giả từng là giám khảo của các kỳ khảo thí ielts trên thế giới. Các bạn có thể rút ra các kinh nghiệm và kiến thức bổ ích từ tài liệu này. Tổng hợp đa dạng các chủ đề từ: Giáo dục, phương tiện giao thông, du lịch, văn hóa, internet, ô nhiễm môi trường, những vấn đề toàn cầu, xã hội, con người, thể thao và những vấn đề thường thức trong cuộc sống quanh ta
1 Environment and Pollution Computers and the Internet Languages and Cultures Media and Advertising Travel and Tourism Work and Life Education and Learning Technology and Inventions Government and Society 10 Others Unit Environment and Pollution The unlimited use of cars may cause many problems What are those problems? In order to reduce the problems, should we discourage people to use cars? Model Essay Having a car has become an essential part of many people’s lives It offers flexibility to their life and work, and also provides ready access to a variety of services and leisure options, however, a range of problems have been identified and need to be addressed The problems associated with frequent car use becoming increasingly familiar to the general public The widespread use of cars has real environmental costs Vehicles are major sources of urban air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions It is reported that road traffic is the source of one third of all harmful air pollution is the world Car exhaust contributes to acid rain, carbon dioxide and lead, which cause global warming and damage human health Traffic jam is another problem As more and more people drive to work rather than walk, cycle or take public transport, there are heavy traffic jams almost every day at rush hours The most serious problem, however, is safety Car accidents cause huge numbers of casualties every year To solve these problems, some people suggest that the government should impose a strict restriction on the use of cars, but I not think this is the best option, because this would lead to reduced mobility for people and a decline in the car industry I think a better solution would be for car manufacturers to design more environmentally friendly cars, which run solar power or hydrogen Also, traffic problems can be alleviated by building more underground tunnels and parking garages, and safety problems can be avoided by educating drivers as well as pedestrians to use greater caution on the road So, in conclusion, I think that while discouraging the car use might seem a quick solution to many problems currently facing the society, it is most unlikely to be a permanent cure ( High scoring – 303 words ) Key Vocabulary • Flexibility (n) tính linh hoạt An overdraft provides increased flexibility but at a higher cost • Access (n) phương tiện đến nơi đó; hội/quyền sử dụng gì; cách tiếp cận Students must have access to good resources • Address (vt ) đề cập Your essay does not address the real issues • Emission (n) khí thải The government has pledged to clean up industrial emissions • Exhaust (n) khí thải The exhaust of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere heavily influenced the surroundings • Casualty (n) thương vong Both sides had suffered heavy casualties (= many people had been killed) • Impose (vt) áp đặt This system imposes additional financial burdens on many people • Mobility (n) tính động/di động An electric wheelchair has given her greater mobility • Alleviate (vt) làm nhẹ bớt, làm giảm bớt A number of measures were taken to alleviate the problem Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, are used in many countries The use of alternative sources of energy, including wind and solar power, is encouraged Is this trend a positive or negative developments? Model Essay I think that the use of alternative sources of energy (also known in some cases as ‘green’ energy) is a positive trend of development, and indeed their use should be encouraged further As the demand for energy worldwide is increasing, especially in developing countries, the strains on the existing and already limited resources also increase To solve this problem, we must consider two issues: how to better use the existing, limited fossil fuel resources and how we can encourage the use of alternative energy sources It is universally acknowledged that there is a limitation on the use of fossil fuels, especially coal and oil Some countries are rich in oil deposits like OPEC, whereas China completely dependent on the import of resources For all countries – resource rich versus resource poor, alternative energy should be encouraged and utilizes to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels ads well as to keep the global environment in balance and ‘healthy’ The only way is to turn to other sources to get energy supply Wind power and solar power are at present feasible alternatives France is one country which has the advanced technology needed to produce extremely efficient solar panels to store energy from the sun both kinds of power can reduce a country’s dependence on fossil fuels Furthermore, they not pollute the environment and in turn help keep the ecosystem stable While fossil fuel resources are diminishing, the demand for energy continues to increase year on year It is a positive trend to develop other alternatives to replace these traditional energy resources Experiences should be shared and promoted, technology shared and exchanged to limit or even reduce the greenhouse effect If this switch to alternative energy is encouraged early, then we may yet avoid the pending energy crisis ( High scoring – 314 words ) Key Vocabulary • • • • • • • • Alternative (adj) Please find alternative means of transport We have no alternative but to it Strain (n) You will strain your eyes by reading in such poor light Universally (adv) His actions made him universally respected Deposit (n) The Nile floods the fields and deposits mud on them Feasible (adj) The plan is feasible in reason but impractical Diminish (v) His illness diminished his health Year on year Vietnam’s CPI in May is rising nearly 20% year on year Pending (adj) A decision on this matter is pending The environment problems facing today’s world are so great that there is little ordinary people can to improve the situation Governments and large companies should be responsible for reducing the amount of damage being done to the environment To what extent you agree or disagree with this statement? Model Essay In modern society, more often than not, environment-related issues have confronted ecological scientist, government agencies, and the general public While they are making coordinated efforts to curb the global environmental deterioration, the downward spiral can hardly be reversed In my opinion, environmental protection can only be achieved by promoting people’s environmental awareness To begin with, individual awareness of the natural law of cause and effect must be nurtured All levels of education, especially primary and secondary schools, can be a good starting point to develop the realization that whatever we to the environment, it will return to ourselves Moreover, the mass media are also responsible for raising the public’s ecological consciousness Instead of persuading people to buy those new products that only serve to fuel the existing environmental problems, one of their unavoidable obligations is to instill the urgent need of taking care of our natural environment into the psyche of each and every member of our planet It is undeniable that serious actions are being taken In fact, restrictions are being placed on emissions of pollutants, and new environmentally friendly sources of energy for motor vehicles are being developed Moreover, vast tracts of land are allocated for wildlife conservation, and many endangered species have been spared the fate of extinction Nevertheless, it is also a well-known fact that the pace of damage to the environment far outstrips our conservation efforts Unless all citizens of the world are fully aware of the gravity of the situation, ecological degradation, which is happening in their counties, can never be halted All too often, we tend to expect our scientists, engineers and governments to solve the environmental problems while, in the meantime, factories and households are dumping millions of litres of toxic wastes into rivers, lakes and oceans Similarly, fancy private vehicles are being crazily purchased, emitting billions of tons of car exhaust into the atmosphere and aggravating the greenhouse effect Given this argument, it is reasonable to conclude that if every member of the society is aware of the relationships between humans and the nature and stops their destructive behavior, the ecological strain on earth can relieved and the benefits to all nations are enormous ( High scoring – 365 words ) Key Vocabulary • Confront (v) đương đầu The government found itself confronted by massive opposition • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Agency (n) đại lý; sở, cục You can book at your local travel agency Co-ordinated (adj) hợp tác, cộng tác Our efforts need to be further co-ordinated for higher efficiency Curb (v) kiềm chế A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation Spiral (n) đường xoắn ốc The birds circled in a slow spiral above the house Awareness (n) ý thức, nhận thức It is important that students develop an awareness of how the Internet can be used Nurture (vt) ni dưỡng; khuyến khích, ủng hộ Her teacher recognized and nurtured her musical talent form an early age Realization (n) nhận thức There is a growing realization that changes must be made Ecological (adj) thuộc sinh thái học We risk upsetting the ecological balance of the area Fuel (v) cung cấp chất đốt, tiếp nhiên liệu; làm tăng thêm Higher salaries helped to fuel inflation Unavoidable (adj) tránh khỏi, tất yếu Recession at the time seemed unavoidable Instill (v) làm thấm nhuần Fear of the father is instilled into some children from their infancy Undeniable (adj) phủ nhận It is an undeniable fact that crime is increasing Restriction (n) giới hạn There are no restrictions on the amount of money you can withdraw Tract (n) vùng miền They bought a 40-acre tract of land for development Allocated (v) cấp, phân phát They intend to allocated more places to mature students this year Spare (v) tránh (cho ai) (điều đó) You could have spared yourself an unnecessary trip by phoning in advance Pace (n) nhịp độ, tiến độ The word progressed at a slow pace Outstrip (v) bỏ xa, vượt Their latest computer outstrips all its rivals Gravity (n) mức độ nghiêm trọng Punishment varies according to the gravity of the offence Degradation (n) phẩm giá; thối hóa Being sent to prison was the final degradation Dump (v) vứt bỏ; ném phịch xuống The dead body was just dumped by the roadside Fancy (adj) đẹp; ngon He was the fanciest dresser in the room • • • • • Exhaust (n) khí thải The exhaust pipe shot sparks Aggravate (v) làm trầm trọng thêm Military intervention will only aggravate the conflict even further Destructive (adj) có tính tàn phá/hủy diệt Opencast coal mining is among the most environmentally destructive activities carried out in Wales Strain (n) áp lực, căng thẳng these repayments are putting a strain on our finances Enormous (adj) khổng lồ The problems facing the President are enoumous The rising levels of congestion and air pollution found in most of the world cities can be attributed directly to the rapidly increasing number of private cars in use In order to reverse this decline in the quality of life in cities, attempts must be made to encourage people to use their cars less and public transport more Discuss possible ways to encourage the use of public transport To what extent you agree with this statement? Model Essay In a world of increasing environmental awareness improved public transport represents the way of the future Although people enjoy the convenience and privacy of traveling in their own private vehicles In my opinion they may choose public transport if it fulfills certain conditions These conditions fall into three broad categories: attitudinal, financial and logistical From an attitudinal perspective, people must first be convinced of the benefits of public transportation An educational or public relations campaign must be launched to sensitize those who might have disregarded this possibility before People should be familiarized with the environmental, social and personal benefits for present and future generations This is one step From a financial perspective, public transportation must be a clear and viable benefit to consumers In other words, it must be more affordable than driving to work every day For example, if people know that by using bus and subway, they can save enough money to take a free holiday each year, many more individuals would be persuaded to travel in this way This is another critical step From a logistical perspective, public transportation should be convenient for commuters City planners and transport officials must ensure that frequent and reliable public transportation is available for each citizen For people to make the habit of traveling by bus or subway, they must know that they will be able to get to various places on time Transport vehicles must be well maintained, subway and bus drivers should be customer-oriented and service must be punctual and efficient This is an additional important step In conclusion, through a multi-pronged approach, it is possible to increase the use of public transportation City officials and politicians can lead the way by utilizing these forms of transport themselves and bringing about change through personal example Then, more citizens will follow suit and we may all hope to live in a cleaner, less polluted environment A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to protect the environment Which you think the company should choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer Model Essay Man, through the ages, has undergone many changes from the time when he depicted a herd of mammoths on the walls of the cave to nowadays when the arts are more complicated Our attitude towards the environment is changed too A few centuries ago people did not care about pollution, erosion, animal extinction, etc However, nowadays people again and again talk about this and try to make a difference I think that money donation for environment protection must take priority over the support of the arts Bellow I will give my reasons to support my answer The invention of the automobile is undoubtedly one of the humankind's greatest inventions However, the automobile brought us many disadvantages as well The air nowadays is polluted by millions of cars every day Every day clouds of exhaust are rising from the ground contaminating all around So, I think that money from a company can be used to make our air fresher and cleaner Another important aspect of this is the contamination of water Water is an essential recourse of all living creatures Nothing will survive without it Unfortunately, we spend fresh water sometimes very carelessly Also, many factories wash away their used resources in the nearest river poisoning everything alive there I think that money donations would be helpful for cleaning our water resources from oil, garbage and chemical matters Finally, I think that now humankind faced the problem of overpopulation The population is dramatically rising We need more food, shelters, clothes, construction materials and space So, many animals are extinguishing So, I believe that this money could be spent on conducting a campaign against overpopulation To sum up, I think that in order to make our children happy we should be more careful with the resources that we take from the nature and if it is possible restore them Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the past thirty years that many cities in the world are now ‘one big traffic jam’ How true you think this statement is? What measures can government take to discourage people from using their cars? Model Essay Most people would agree that car ownership has increased in recent years and is causing a range of problems, particularly in built-up areas I think there are a number of ways that governments can aim to deal with this Many big cities in the world have traffic problems but these problems vary For example, it is reasonably easy to drive around my city after 10 am and before pm However, outside these hours, you have to allow double the usual time to reach your destination In some other cities, traffic is congested at all times, and there is the continual sound of car horns as people try to get wherever they want to go One of the best approaches governments can take in busy cities is to encourage the use of public transport This means the transport facilities have to be well run and people must be able to afford them Buses, trams and trains are good ways of getting around, and if they are cheap and reliable, people will use them Another approach is to discourage people from actually entering the city by building car parks and shopping centres on the outskirts Many cities around the world this quite successfully and offer passengers bus transport into the centre, if they need it At peak travel periods Governments can also run campaigns to encourage people to be less dependent on their cars Apparently, a lot of car trips involve very short journeys to, say, the supermarket or local school These are often unnecessary, but we automatically get in our cars without thinking Clearly we all have a responsibility to look after our cities Governments can a lot to improve the situation and part of what they should involve encouraging individuals to consider alternatives to driving ( The official Cambridge guide – 299 words ) Unit 2: Computers and the Internet Computers are increasingly used in education In which areas you think are computers more important and in which areas are teachers more important? Model Essay Computers are now essential in many areas of life – modern banking, retail, and information exchange among others However, this is not true for education At a simple level, some subjects may be better taught using computers, but to explain important concepts, a human teacher is still indispensable There are some subjects in which a computer can be used successfully to teach Elementary mathematics, elementary language learning and any area which requires a student to memorise basic facts through repetition are well suited to computer learning The computer can be programmed to provide an endless number of simple questions, and as the student answers these questions, the facts are learned and reinforced However, in the learning and practice of more complex ideas, the computer is not adequate A computer can evaluate an answer as right or wrong, but it cannot determine concepts in a different way so the student will understand It cannot determine at what stage in a mathematics problem the student has made an error; it can only indicate that there are too many variables for a computer to deal with successfully In all these cases, a human teacher seems indispensable in class Thus, while computers many be useful as a tool for practicing simple skills, they not an essential feature of modern education, because they cannot monitor a student’s grasp of concepts nor evaluate a student’s reasoning Until further developments in computers are made, the human teacher will remain indispensable (High Scoring -272 words) Key vocabulary Essential (adj) thiết yếu The museum is closed while essential repairs are being carried out Indispensable (adj) thiếu A good dictionary is indispensable for learning a foreign language Reinforce (v) củng cố Success in the talks will reinforce his reputation as an international statesman Evaluate (vt) đánh giá Our research attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of the different drugs Indicate (v) biểu thị = show The article claims that an increase in crime indicates decline in moral standards Variable (n) biến số With so many variables, it is difficult to calculate the cost The main purpose of public libraries is to provide books, and they shouldn’t waste their limited resources and space on providing expensive hi-tech media such as computer software, videos and DVDs To what extent you agree or disagree with this statement? Model Essay In a traditional sense, libraries are places with a large collection of books However, the digital age has given today’s libraries new means of storing and retrieving information on media other than the printed pages CD-ROMs, videos and DVDs are widely used in public libraries, and they serve both the libraries and the readers Opponents of a high-tech library would argue that multimedia facilities are expensive This may be true to some extent because a DVD player is often more expensive than a bookshelf However, with immense storage capacity, these new high-tech media can actually save the most valuable resource – space A computer disc 12cm in diameter can store a whole Encyclopaedia Britannica which, in printed volumes, would occupy a complete shelf section Furthermore, magnetic and digital media can store information much longer than traditional means It takes great care to protect books from moisture, fire or human damage, and a book in a library serves readers for only a few hundred years But digital files, easily duplicated and restored, can perhaps last forever Finally, visiting a library with multiple media access is much more interesting Multimedia resources offer readers a dynamic combination of images, sounds and videos A reader can actually hear Martin Luther King crying out “I have a dream”, or roam about the world with an interactive atlas In conclusion, modern technology has turned a public library from a place of lending and borrowing books into an interactive centre for the spread of human knowledge and experience The investment in multimedia facilities by a public is justified and should be encouraged Key Vocabulary Retrieve (v) lấy, truy xuất liệu Computers are used to store and retrieve information efficiently Opponent (n) đối thủ; người phản đối điều Leading opponents of the proposed cuts in defence spending will meet later today Magnetic (adj) có sức hút; có tính từ He is a person who has a magnetic personality Interactive (adj) mang tính tương tác This is an interactive museum where children can actively manipulate the exhibits Practical Sentence Patterns Cách diễn đạt nhượng bộ: This may be true to some extent… However… Bạn sử dụng cách diễn đạt nói để trình bày lập luận văn nghị luận, nghĩa trước tiên bạn thừa nhận quan điểm sau đưa quan điểm riêng để phản bác Thừa nhận quan điểm xem xét chừng mực định cách hiệu giúp bạn trình bày suy nghĩ cách tồn diện có sức thuyết phục Hãy xem cách diễn đạt nhượng văn mẫu: Opponents of… would argue that… This may be true to some extent… Howerver… Trong đó, phần trình bày trước This may be true to some extent phần thừa nhận quan điểm mà bạn xem xét, phần sau từ however phần đưa quan điểm thân để phản bác Dưới đoạn văn sử dụng cách diễn đạt nói trên: It is sometimes said that multinational companies and globalization are making societies more open This may be true to some extent However, I would argue that as a result the human race is losting its cultural diversity Some people think computers and the Internet are important in children’s study, but others think students can learn more effectively in schools and with teachers Discuss both views and give your own opinion Model Essay The ways in which children today study, both at home and at school, are radically different from any previous generation, and the increased availability and relatively low price of modern technology have been instrumental in this change However, I feel that while modern technologies, such as computers and the Internet, are important in assisting a child’s learning, this learning should be guided and directed by the experience of teachers There is no denying the fact that computers and the Internet are popularly used in the field of education; they can present knowledge in a vivid and novel way The computer and the Internet can also enable students in enhancing their general understanding of how to solve difficulties in study as well as giving them vital skills in readiness for later life However, the problems are: the information that the computer can show has to be pre-programmed and needs constant updating, for example Encyclopaedia’s on DVD-ROM; and contrary to popular belief, the Internet may not be a reliable source for knowledge, since there is often conflicting information available when taken from different sources A traditional and long-established practice is for children to study and gain knowledge at school, learning skills in various ways taught by traditional methods A school is a place where students gather to be educated and learn from each other as well as formal educators At school, student’s development is orchestrated stage by state, step by step by experienced teachers, and their acquisition of knowledge is guided and backed up in a systematic way I not believe that it will help students to learn effectively and in long-term manner to overemphasizing the use of computers and the Internet Rather, I feel that modern technologies can complement more traditional teaching and learning methods, without being (High – Scoring – 305 words) Key Vocabulary Radically (adv) There is only a formal resemblance between the two systems; they are in fact radically different Instrumental (adj) I was instrumental in catching the criminal Direct (v) She directed the planning of the festival Novel (adj) We are supposed to dress up as movie characters for the party; what a novel idea! Enhance (v) He made many efforts to enhance his reputation Readiness (n) She shows great readiness to learn Pre-programmed (adj) The neighbourhood is monitored by a pre-programmed surveillance system Constant (adj) She feels upset by the constant noise Conflicting (adj) My husband and I hold conflicting opinions on this matter Orchestrate (v) The demonstration was carefully orchestrated to attract maximum publicity Acquisition (n) Next to acquiring good friends, the best acquisition is that of good books Back up He brought along a file of document to back up his claim Systematic (adj) Science means systematic knowledge possessed as a result of practice and study Overemphasis (v) Academic qualifications should not be overemphasized during the process off recruitment Complement A wine is complement to good meal Practical Sentence Patterns Cách diễn đạt nhượng bộ: There is no denying the fact that… Có thể dùng nhiều cấu trúc để diễn đạt nhượng Ngoài cấu trúc giới thiệu văn mẫu đề thi tháng 11 năm 2005, người ta thường dùng cấu trúc xuất văn mẫu này: There is no denying the fact that… Cấu trúc vừa nêu thường xuất câu trọng tâm đoạn văn dùng để mở đầu đoạn văn, tiếp theo, người viết trình bày quan điểm thân để phản bác quan điểm nêu trước Dưới đoạn văn sử dụng cấu trúc để diễn đạt nhượng There is no denying the fact that even individuals should take the responsibility to help solve the environmental problems The government, however, is more likely to take the leading position in directing the whole society to care about the environment What disadvantages will people meet if they cannot use computers? What should our government do? (Version 86) ... riêng để phản bác Thừa nhận quan điểm xem xét chừng mực định cách hiệu giúp bạn trình bày suy nghĩ cách tồn diện có sức thuyết phục Hãy xem cách diễn đạt nhượng văn mẫu: Opponents of… would argue... actively manipulate the exhibits Practical Sentence Patterns Cách diễn đạt nhượng bộ: This may be true to some extent… However… Bạn sử dụng cách diễn đạt nói để trình bày lập luận văn nghị luận, nghĩa... harnessed for the good environment Word count: 325 Possible band: (Academic Writing Practice for IELTS Sam McCarter) Explain some of the ways in which humans are damaging the environment What can