TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Unit | Topic | Page |
| Unit 1: | Introduction to Collocations, Phrasal Verbs & Idioms | 5 |
| Unit 2: | Education | 13 |
| 2.1. Technology in Education | 15 | |
| 2.2. Higher Education | 20 | |
| Unit 3: | Work | 27 |
| 3.1. Qualifications and Experience | 29 | |
| 3.2. Job Hopping | 36 | |
| Unit 4: | The Environment | 43 |
| 4.1 Environmental problems | 45 | |
| 4.2 Protecting endangered species | 52 | |
| Unit 5: | Tourism | 59 |
| 5.1. Tourism and the Environment | 61 | |
| 5.2. Culture and Travel | 66 | |
| Unit 6: | Transport | 73 |
| 6.1 Comparing forms of transport | 75 | |
| 6.2. Traffic problems | 80 | |
| KEY | 86 |
UNIT 1: Introduction to Collocation Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
IELTS test-takers have heard a lot about phrasal verbs, idioms and collocations, and their seemingly ‘miraculous’ power in IELTS Speaking. So what are they? Do they indeed do magic, or are they over-rated? Is learning them a piece of cake or a real headache?
An Idiom is, as defined in the Cambridge Dictionary, “a group of words in a fixed order that have a particular meaning that is different from the meanings of each word on its own.” So like chalk and cheese has nothing to do with chalk and cheese, and there’s nothing flying in your digestive tract when you say I have butterflies in my stomach. Many idioms entail vivid images used as a metaphor for the thing you want to describe.
Phrasal verbs consist of a base verb and two or three more words. The meaning of a phrasal verb is different from the meaning of a base verb. For example, to look after someone doesn’t mean to look at their backs, and to do up a house is, surprisingly, to repair and improve it. We can consider phrasal verbs as similar to idioms, although they are often considered separate concepts in many books for teaching purposes.
A collocation is a combination of words that naturally go together. We make a decision, not ‘do a decision’. ‘Large’ and ‘huge’ are similar in some nuances, but only ‘huge’ collocates, or naturally goes with, the noun ‘advantage’ (a huge advantage). A great combination of a ‘V+Adj+N’ collocation is to offer distinct advantages. The boundary between a collocation and an idiom is loose; in other words, some dictionaries may consider a phrase an idiom, but others see it as a collocation. The phrase at risk is classified as an idiom in Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, but a collocation in Cambridge Dictionary.
Glossary
- a piece of cake: /ə pi:s əv keɪk/ – very easy
- a real headache: /ə riəl ‘hedeik/ – a person or thing that causes worry
- chalk and cheese: /tʃɔ:k ænd tʃi:z/ – completely different from each other
- have butterflies in your stomach: /hæv ‘bʌtəflaiz ɪn jɔ: ‘stʌmək/ – feel nervous about something
- look after: /lʊk ‘ɑ:fta/ – take care of
- do up a house: /du: ^p/ – repaint, repair and improve a house
- make a decision: /meɪk ə dɪ’sɪʒən/ – decide
- offer distinct advantages: /’ɒfə dɪ’stɪŋkt əd’vɑ:ntɪdʒɪz/ – to have a lot of clear, obvious benefits
- at risk: /æt rɪsk/ – in a situation when you may be harmed
Practice
Exercise 1: Label the following photos with the phrases suggesting them.
- ______________ (Image: 1+1=2)
- ______________ (Image: Man looking stressed/worried)
- ______________ (Image: Piece of cheese)
- ______________ (Image: Stomach with butterflies)
Exercise 2: Fill in each blank with ONE word from the Glossary.
- Wild animals are ______________ risk of becoming extinct.
- They are twins, yet surprisingly their personalities are like ______________ and cheese.
- At first I thought the IELTS test was a piece of ______________, but then I ______________________ in my stomach whenever I make a presentation.
- I always have ______________ in my stomach whenever I make a pre-sentation.
- This IELTS book offers distinct ______________ to IELTS learners.
Exercise 3: Complete the following sentences, using the following phrases. You can make some changes to the phrases if necessary.
(Phrases: a piece of cake, look after, do up, offer distinct advantages, at risk, chalk and cheese)
- Our house was built around 10 years ago, and now we need to ______________ a little bit.
- Some of my friends see Maths as ______________________, but I don’t. I almost failed once last semester!
- Tom may be ______________ of losing his job; the boss learned that he had lost a very important folder.
- While fast food indeed ______________________, especially to busy people, I don’t think that it is healthy if over-consumed.
- The previous boss and our current one are like ______________. One is very friendly, and the other is quite aggressive.
- I was on holiday, so I asked my neighbor to ______________ my garden.
Exercise 4: Rewrite the following sentences, using the words you have learned.
- I have decided to take the IELTS test this month.
- My brother is completely different from me.
- Doing Tai-chi is beneficial to old people.
- Before my first interview, I was very nervous because other applicants were more experienced than I was.
- Adapting to a new lifestyle is very difficult to students who are studying in a foreign country.
2.1 TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION
Online learning really does wonders for my English skills. Around 3 years ago, English was my Achilles heel. Grammar was a real struggle, and I couldn’t make head nor tail of what the teacher was trying to explain. However, one day, one of my friends introduced me to an open course on Canvas, an online-based learning site, and I was completely hooked!You know, I had to admit that I was a little bit slow on the uptake, and with the site, I could learn at my own pace – I mean, I could replay the video lessons as many times as I liked until I completely took in all the information. And you know what, my English came on in leaps and bounds. I passed my final test with flying colors!
While online learning is really convenient, social networking is a nuisance to my learning process. It always gets on my nerves when I am studying and somebody just keeps texting me every 5 minutes!
15
Practice
(Hình ảnh các ký hiệu học tập: 1+3=4, &, B+, !?,
x+yx+y
, z z z, x, bóng đèn, cọ vẽ, x+y, @)
Exercise 1:
There is an error in each of the following sentences. Find and correct them.
- Eating vegetables really makes wonders for my health.
- John really couldn’t make tail nor head of what his father was saying.
- With that terrible grade, passing the exam with flown colors is just a dream.
- Nowadays, the Internet allows students to study effectively on their own pace.
- His repeated mistakes really got into the boss’s nerves.
Exercise 2:
Fill in each blank with an appropriate phrase.
| completely hooked | couldn’t make head nor tail of | with flying colors |
| take in | slow on the uptake | Achilles heel |
| at my own pace | do wonders |
- He passed his exam …………………….. although he didn’t study hard throughout the semester.
17
- He was …………………….. on that game after seeing Tom brilliantly playing it.
- English was my …………………….. when I was in university. I hated it.
- Despite listening carefully, I still …………………….. what my tutor said.
- If you want to …………………….. all the information in the letter, you should read it twice.
- He’s pretty …………………….. so I usually spend more than one hour reviewing each lesson with him.
- I think using a computer is the best way for me to study ……………………..
- Drinking a lot of water can …………………….. for my health because it helps maintain the balance of body fluids.
Exercise 3:
Rewrite the following sentences, using the words you have learned.
- I am really mad because he keeps making the same mistake.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - Eating an apple a day will be greatly beneficial to your health.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. - With this MOOC platform, we are able to learn at the speed that suits us most.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
18 ANH NGỮ ZIM – Chuyên gia luyện thi IELTS cấp tốc
2.2 Higher Education
A: Hi Tom! Long time no see, how have you been doing?
B: Well I’ve just passed the university entrance exam with flying colors and received an acceptance letter. That was absolutely fantastic!
A: Congrats! What school are you going to attend?
B: Foreign Trade University, one of the top-ranking schools in Vietnam.
A: So, how do you feel? Is it great?
B: Yeah, I am very proud of myself because, you know, the admission is really competitive. However, I am afraid that I will have to deal with the incredible pressure of lots of deadlines and assignments. So, what about you?
A: I’m now studying at the University of Education, specializing in English, and everything is good here. My friends are so nice and my lecturers are approachable. All of them have helped me a lot in my studies. Also, the equipment is top-notch with projectors, air-conditioners and smart boards.
B: How lucky you are! Do you have any plans for your university life?
A: Oh yes I do. I intend to do a part-time job at an English center to get hands-on experience. Oh, my mom is calling so I have to go home now. See you next time!
B: Ah OK, See you soon. Take care!
20 ANH NGỮ ZIM – Chuyên gia luyện thi IELTS cấp tốc
20 ANH NGỮ ZIM – Chuyên gia luyện thi IELTS cấp tốc
Glossary
- academic performance /ˌækəˈdemɪk pəˈfɔːməns/
the performance of someone at school - entrance examination /ˈentrəns ɪɡˌzæmɪˈneɪʃən/
an examination that educational institutions conduct to select prospective students for admission - top-ranking /tɒp-ˈræŋkɪŋ/
considered to be among the best of its type - specialized in /ˈspeʃəlaɪzd ɪn/
be very good at something - enrich /ɪnˈrɪtʃ/
to make something better - hands-on experience /hændz-ɒn ɪksˈpɪərɪəns/
hands-on experience or training involves you doing something rather than just reading about it or watching other people do it - Competitive admission /kəmˈpetɪtɪv ədˈmɪʃ(ə)n/
the process through which students enter tertiary education at universities and colleges. - Top-notch /ˈtɒpˈnɒtʃ/
very high in quality - rewarding /rɪˈwɔːdɪŋ/
giving you satisfaction, pleasure, or profit - academic attainment /ˌækəˈdemɪk əˈteɪnmənt/
academic achievement