マイチューターのIELTS対策コラム　マイチューター

IELTS READING PREPARATION, TIP #14
UNDERSTANDING THE SCORING SYSTEM
-edited by Shanti
 
 
IELTS reading test is similar to listening, it has 40 items which is also the highest score a candidate can get.  One correct answer is equivalent to one point for the score that ranges from Band 1 to Band 9 and the scores are reported in whole and half bands. Take a look at the raw scores illustrated below to give an indication of the score you want to achieve.
 

 
On the actual Reading test, a candidate will be asked to read three different passages, which  contains  2,150 – 2,750 words in total, and answer the questions deliberately. The purpose of the test is to asses one’s reading skills on how well a candidate read the general sense of a passage, the main ideas, the details and also how wide the understanding of inferences and implied meaning; how good one can recognize a writer’s opinion, attitude and purpose and how good one follows the development of an argument.
Whichever version of IELTS one gets, the test takes 60 minutes and a candidate is not allowed to get more time to transfer the answers so it’s wise to write them straight to the answer sheets. Time management here is very essential.
 
Be mindful of the questions and read instructions carefully. There are 40 variety of question types used. The candidate will be asked to fill gaps in a passage or table, to match heading to text, diagrams or charts, to complete sentences, to give short answers to open questions and answer multiple choice questions. Take note that one word is sometimes asked to answer the questions, short phrases or a simple letter or simple.
 
There are no penalties for incorrect answers so answer all the questions because you have nothing to lose and if you have more time don’t forget to check and review your answers.
 

IELTS READING PREPARATION, TIP #13:
THE DONT’s IN TAKING IELTS READING
Written/Edited by Shanti Esther A. Bonachita

Reading section is always very confusing and surely encounter tricky questions. Here are some tips you need to remember to avoid mistakes.
 

1. There are many task types you need to locate the answer and most cases you need to skim through it so don’t waste time reading the passage for every question. You may read it carefully but don’t read it too slow.

1. Don’t answer the questions based on  your knowledge, experience or feelings. Always read the text with comprehension and when you answer the questions make sure that they are in the passage.

1. You have to be calm and don’t be anxious especially when the questions are difficult. You leave the hard ones and proceed to the next questions then come back to the items you couldn’t answer after you are able to answer the easy ones.

1. Don’t worry. Free your mind from worries if you have a hard time understanding every word. It is always not necessary to understand every word to be able to answer the questions correctly. Get the whole idea of the sentence that’s being asked.

1. Don’t forget to write your answers on the answer sheet. There will be no more time to transfer your answers at the end of the test.

1. Don’t write many answers  when there’s only one required. Always be careful to write only one answer, otherwise you will not receive a mark even if one of your answer is correct.

 
 
 
Question:
 
What is the meaning of the band score  zero (0) and nine (9)?
 
a. satisfactory; native speaker
b. did not attempt the test; expert user
c. zero english level;100 IQ
 
 

IELTS READING PREPARATION, TIP #12
IELTS READING TARGET BAND, 9
Written/Edited by Shanti Esther A. Bonachita

For those candidates who get a band score of 9, the most important advice they always give is to read a lot of different kinds of English texts. Also, practice taking the test under timed-conditioned training and learn how to get a strategic ideas of the different questions IELTS reading test are also helpful. Here are some tips from Debashis ,an IELTS candidate,who got a band score of 9 in his Reading exam.
He carried a red pen with him, which he thought was invaluable. His key points are–
1. Scan the ‘reading sections’ and ‘questions’
2.  decide the sections you will answer first.
3.After picking a section, read the questions relating to it in detail,then read the section in detail. While reading, underline and annotate them with key words in bold red for easy reference. Quick referencing is vital.
 
In the actual test he received 4 reading sections. He rapidly scanned through all 4 sections and questions to identify the easier sections, and then tackled them in that order.
 
4. After selecting a section, he read it’s questions in detail, underlying key words in a red pen, and summarizing it in 2-3 words in bold red next to it. For e.g. if the question was “how many times did the explorer Captain Scott return to England after his first trip”, it would be written next to it in red “RETURN UK > 1st ?”. This helps in quick referral to the question when studying the main body.
 
5. He then went back to the reading section, studying it in detail, and annotating it with my red pen. For e.g., if there were ten paragraphs, it would be written in bold red what the paragraph related to right next to it. This assists in quickly determining the likely paragraph a question relates to. He further underlined the possible answers, a task made easy as he could rapidly and readily read questions from their red summary in 3.2.
 
In overall, he found this module easy, as though he did not get time to practice, he is accustomed to reading large reports. He finished half-way through, and then proceeded to check his answers, twice. He noted with satisfaction that he did not need to change a single answer on revision. He got grade 9.
 
 
 
QUESTION:
 
How much score in IELTS  should an applicant need to pass the  prospective immigrants’ competence in English in the UK?
 
a.5.5
b.6.5
c. 7.5

 ▮　時間稼ぎ「埋め」に役立つフレーズ

 
IELTSスピーキングでは試験管は、受験者が、頭に浮かんだアイディアを関連づけて整理しながら明快に表現し、スムーズに話を進めているかを判定します。　間が空いたり言いよどんだりしたとき、「アイディアを探しているのか、それとも、単語や構文がでてこないのか」を試験管は見ています。
 

 
「埋め」言葉や台詞は、考えたり、答えを準備する時間を確保するために使います。
例えば、少し自信がないときや考えがまとまらないときは、” Erm” や　”Hmm” を挟みます。　埋めフレーズとしては、”Well, I don’t really know but I think … ”　や　” Let me see… ”　が使えます。
 
また、質問のキーワードの反復も、会話ではごく自然なことです。　キーワードを反復している間に、話す内容について考えることができます。　加えて良いことに、試験官が何気なく反応してくれることです。　「イエス」と相槌をうったり、うなづくだけかもしれませんが、試験官の反応を見ることができます。　ただし、質問全部を反復しては絶対にいけません。
 
IELTSスピーキングセクションでは、試験官は受験者のスピーキング能力を最大限引き出そうとします。決して意地悪な質問や難解な質問で受験者を困らせることはありません。しかしながら、試験官は質問内容に関連したsub-Topicsをいくつも用意していますので、あまり多くの追加質問を受けないように、自分のペースで話ができるようにします。
 
それには、質問に対し、なるべく長く具体例を挙げながら、質問に答えるようにしてください。　　決して、Yes… のような答はしないでください。　試験官はこのような答えを期待していません。
 
それでは具体的に間をつなぐ「埋めフレーズ」をいくつか覚えておきましょう。
 
Well, in my honest opinion
Well, to be honest
Well, frankly
I have to say that
I’m of the opinion that
..it’s my opinion that
..the vast majority of information on the web
..some of the information found on the web
..a very small percentage of information taken from the web
..is completely reliable
..is particularly unreliable
..lacks any reliability
For example, just look at
Take ___ as an example,
___ is a case in point,
 
「埋めフレーズ」を使うことで、評価基準「話しぶりの流暢さ」「語彙の豊富さ」を試験管にアピールすることができます。
埋めフレーズの後、豊富な語彙力と表現力を使い筋道立てた会話ができれば、あなたのスピーキング　スコアアップは間違いありません。
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
 
IELTS Speaking part is designed to stretch you as far as possible to see just how good you really are. The examiner has a couple of related sub-topics and question ideas but adapts the questions to you. Try to give longer answers and explain what you mean with examples.  Listen to the type of question you are asked and answer it appropriately, don’t always say “yes…” because it probably won’t be a Yes/No question in this part. Here are some useful phrases that would help you in answering.
 
Well, in my honest opinion
Well, to be honest
Well, frankly
I have to say that
I’m of the opinion that
..it’s my opinion that
..the vast majority of information on the web
..some of the information found on the web
..a very small percentage of information taken from the web
..is completely reliable
..is particularly unreliable
..lacks any reliability
For example, just look at
Take ___ as an example,
___ is a case in point,
Speak fluently and  give long, complex and very detailed responses without any loss of coherence, repetition or language searches. Use a wide range of discourse markers naturally and precisely. Your range of vocabulary allow you a high degree of precision and flexibility with plenty of examples of stylistically appropriate language. Use a wide range of complex structures and features, such as intonation and contrastive stress, to convey meaning.
 
 
Question:
How are EILTS Speaking Test scores reported?
 
a.           Scores are reported in half bands.
b.           Scores are reported in whole bands.
c.           Scores are reported in whole and half bands.

IELTS READING TARGET BAND, 8
Written/Edited by Shanti Esther A. Bonachita
 

 

To hit a band score of 8 and up, one must  get at least 35 right answers out of the 40 questions. In IELTS reading section focusing on the time is always vital. Here are some tips you need to remember when taking the Reading section.
 
First of all, you must know how to begin. Always go through the text and gain a good understanding about the main idea of the passage. Then, read the questions carefully at least twice until you understand what it is asked. To get efficient answers, it is wise to identify which questions belong to which paragraphs. Also, you can write a note for each paragraph that will serve as your guide to the questions you need to answer. This will help you save time to search for important points and answer them easier.
 
Second of all, you must know how to deal with difficult questions. In situation like this, it is best to leave and turn to other sections and fill out the blanks. Once you finish the easy questions, you can get back to the difficult ones and try to concentrate,think clearly and focus to the question/s.
 
Thirdly, guessing can help even if you think that your answer/s are incorrect. Since wrong answers are not counted to your points, there is still a probability that answers you think are not “sure” can still be right.
 
Lastly, do not re-think of your answers. There are times when taking the test, takers dwell too much on the questions that are already answered  and change them because they think it is not right. First answers can be correct but chances are that  the wrongs ones can be chosen if you rethink your answers.  However, like in all sections, it’s always best to review and read through the answers especially when there is more time left to do it.
 
 
QUESTION:
 
1. In which country does  require IELTS for immigration purposes?
 
a. USA
b. Ireland
c. New Zealand
 

IELTS READING TARGET BAND, 7
Written/Edited by: Shanti Esther 
オンライン英会話　　マイチューター
 

▮　バンドスコア　7  を狙うには　！

IELTSリーディングセクションで　バンドスコア　「7」　を狙うには、とにかく様々なジャンルの論説、文章を毎日読むことです。
十分な単語を覚え、文法にも気を使いながら読み進めてください。
数多くの書物を毎日読むうえで、注意すべきはそのスピードです。　わからない単語がいくつかでできても止まることなく読み進め、著者の考え、主張を正確に捉えることが大切です。
 
 

 
To get a band score of 7 it is always advisable to read various articles  especially for IELTS reading section which requires intelligence to get a high score. By doing so, you have to remember the new words or expressions that you learn from the texts to increase a good range of vocabulary. Moreover, paying attention to the grammar structure with complete understanding is helpful too especially to your writing.
 
If you already mastered the essential tools in reading, skimming and scanning, catching the main idea of the text is the third important key to get a high band. How to do this? Practice reading, reading and reading. If doing it rarely, it is impossible to easily catch the main ideas of the passages in a time limited test. It would be suggestive to practice reading test everyday and develop the skills of understanding the main idea of the passage. Intensive reading  is notably essential when you are asked tough questions or even sentences that require complete comprehension  such as true or false questions wherein a single word can change the meaning of the sentence.
 
A lot of IELTS takers who got a band score of 7 in Reading developed the skill of speed reading which is a plus point to this section. However, in a short passage of 500 words  as you read it too fast but you have to read it again, not to mention encountering 5 or more unfamiliar words, then there is no reason to do speed reading. Always remember that the most important thing in this section is to understand the main ideas and the details and remember them as much as you can. In addition, if there’s an extra time left and before you finish the reading section and answer the questions don’t forget to check or review your answers especially the missed items.
 
As the saying goes “practice makes perfect”is far no different to practice reading for the IELTS test. An eager one should be concentrating on the weak points and build up a strong character  of not giving up , and in no time the  band of 7 is bound to come your way.
 
Keep  up the good work!
 
 
QUESTION:
 

1. Aside from Australia, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and USA in what country is IELTS also accepted  for academic admission?

 
a. Philippines
b. India
c. France

THINGS TO REMEMBER DURING AN IELTS READING EXAM

Written/Edited by: Shanti Esther Bonachita

オンライン英会話　　マイチューター

▮　解答指示文に注意を払う！

後で後悔しないために解答指示文は十分気を付けて読んでください。　指示通りに書かないと得点でません。
IELTSリーディングセクションではひっかけ問題が多くでますので、ひっかけ問題のパターンがありますので、過去問で練習してください。
 

To avoid dissatisfaction during the test, here are some essential points you need to bare in mind when taking the IELTS-Reading section.

First and foremost, read the instructions carefully– a very important part of the IELTS-Reading test. It’s not ideal to skip this portion. Remember that the directions will tell you what exactly you need to do and how many words you should answer.

Secondly, understand the passage. Always make sure that you read the passage with good comprehension. It’s the same thing with the questions and always follow instructions carefully. As you read the title and subtitle from the beginning to end, you have to get the overview of a text before proceeding to the questions. If you do so, it’s more quick to process all the information and give good answers.

Thirdly, manage your time. It’s very important not to waste your time during the exam since a candidate is only given 20 minutes to answer all the questions. Bare in my mind not to get stuck on a single question, just leave it and get back to it later. Otherwise, if you are not sure of the answer, write them on the mark sheet using your pencil and return soon.

Further more, grammar counts. It is certainly the most important factor in IELTS. Even articles “a” or “the” matters. If you have problems with grammar just remember the basic sentence structure like simple and compound sentences and also be careful with singular/plural. If you want to get a higher score you can use the complex sentences. However, just remember two things: don’t write too little and not too much. Also, spelling matters. Like grammar, always be mindful of the spelling while writing your sentences. It can negatively affect your score and it’s not nice to lose points for ‘just’ incorrect spelling. Also, be extra aware of the words that you are copying in the text.

And most importantly, don’t Panic. Running out of time, encountering unfamiliar words and confusing passages can panic a candidate while taking the test. Take it easy and compose yourself, all the answers in the IELTS Reading section are in the passage.

Question:

What is the percentage of candidates who take the test to enter higher education in a foreign country?

a. 70%

b. 60%

c. 51%

READING TECHNIQUES

Written/Edited by: Shanti Esther Bonachita

As you take the reading section, the IELTS test makers arrange tricky questions specifically to catch candidates who employ skimming and scanning techniques that make the student thinks that it is really difficult. However, scanning and skimming is not enough if you aim to get a band score of 6.5, 7.0, 7.5++. To be able to do this, one must read and understand the material, and use critical thinking to absorb the passage. Critical thinking in taking the IELTS must require the student to think clearly and critically about ideas and arguments. Through this, you will ‘train’ yourself to think carefully and understand what other people are trying write. Here are some steps to improve your thinking skills and to do this, as you read an article about something, think about the following questions…

• What is the purpose of the article? Is the writer trying to sell a product, persuade the reader about something, raise awareness, give instructions….

• What reasons does the writer give? What do I think about these reasons / Could I give better reasons?

• What examples does the author give? What do I think about these examples / Could I give a better example?

• What statistics does the author use? Are they effective?

• What ‘experts’ does the author introduce? Should I believe a professor from Oxford more than a politician from Berlin?

• If there is an experiment, are there enough samples? Was the experiment done in a thorough way?

• How does the author use language? Does he / she use ’bad’ when perhaps ‘awful’ would be better? For example “The Chernobyl was bad.”

By doing this, you are now evaluating and criticizing what people write and how they write it. If you keep practicing these steps, you will realize that it is easier to improve your views in a more critical way when you give answers. Also, you will also pay more attention to the language, as the writer uses language to build their ideas. It will help you give convincing answers from the questions, give valid reasons and use persuasive answers and get a high mark.

So, grab an article now from the net and search for news or magazine, go to the ‘opinion’ section. Read articles as many as you can applying the steps you’ve learned today. And observe how authors write their ideas whether they are specific or general in their opinions.

Enjoy reading!

Question:

Can one successfully study for the test by themself?

a. Yes

b. No

c. Maybe

IELTSリーディング　Tips 7    

Written/Edited by: Shanti Esther Bonachita

 留学・ビジネス英語に強い　オンライン英会話　マイチューター

　▮　読む前に設問に集中する　！

IELTSリーディングセクションは英文読解力を試すだけのテストではありません。むしろ英文全部を読む必要がない問題も多いのです。　本文を読む前に必ず設問に目を通してください。　設問から本文のどこを読むべきかを知ることが大切です。

本、新聞、雑誌などを根気よく読み続けることで、知らぬ間に読解力は身についているはずです。　IELTSリーディングテストでは読解力に加え、速読テクニックである「スキャニング」と「スキミング」を試すテストとも言えます。

問題文を全部読むことよりも「スキャニング」と「スキミング」を使って重要な情報を素早く見つけ出すことをIELTSはむしろ評価するんです。

IELTSリーディングの問題は難解で長文です。　多くの受験者にとって全文を読むには時間が足りません。　また、全文を読む必要はありません。　　初めに設問に集中し、問題文のどこを読むべきかを知ることが大切なんです。　　設問から「スキャニング」「スキミング」を使い素早く解答を探し出してください。

IELTSリーディングで点数が低い方は特に設問に集中することです。　また、IELTSリーディングテストは設問のパターンもありますので事前に熟知してください。

After a severe reading of newspapers, magazines and books one must have improved the reading skills and speed. In this test, IELTS reading category does not asses your comprehension-not what you have understood, rather your skills in scanning and skimming.

The texts in IELTS are typically quite hard, so candidates spend as much time as possible reading the texts. One must focus on the question to avoid errors. Many candidates, especially for lower level, thinks that　skimming through is more helpful when reading the questions first to get an idea of what to pay attention to in the reading passage.

During the preparation you must train yourself first and practice an “open book” tests where you can see the answers as you do the questions. Here are some points to remember:

1. As advised, an IELTS taker must first read all the questions quickly to get an idea of what kind of information is required (whether scanning or skimming is needed). Focus exactly on what you are asked to do in ‘completion’ type questions. Make sure that you understand the questions and follow instructions carefully.

    

2. Underline words in the text in the exam. As you read the questions, use a pencil to underline important information such as dates, places and names. Do not try and read every word; remember, you are reading for a purpose and do not worry if there is a word that you do not understand – you may not need to use it.

    

3. Answer the questions one by one with the help of the underlined parts of the text. Having read the text once, you will find it easy to find specific information by scanning. If you do not know the answer to a question, attempt it but do not waste time; move quickly onto the next one.

    

4. Check your answers.

When you practice, read the passage, answer the questions, compare your answers to the answers and pay attention to the mistakes. You need to understand why you got wrong answers and try to remember them so that you won’t make the same mistakes.

Question:

Is IELTS test the most difficult English test?

a. Yes

b. No

c. Maybe

▮　エッセイが上達するたった4つの秘訣　　4 Cs とは？

 
IELTS　ライティング　インストラクター　である私は生徒から　「エッセイを上手に書く　秘訣はないか？」とよく聞かれます。そんな時私はいつも、「猛練習」「指導を受ける」「忍耐強さ」と答えています。　これを聞いた生徒は少しがっかりしますが、これは明らかに事実です。
そして、付け加えて、４Cs に従うことをアドバイスしています。　4Csって何のことって？　これがIELTS ライティング　スコアアップには大切になってきます。
 
4 Cs　とは、 conciseness(簡潔さ）, cohesion(文と文のつなぎ）, coherence(首尾一貫性) 、composition（構成力）です。
 
この4Cs に従ってエッセイが書ければ、あなたのライティングスキルは上達すること間違いなしです。
それでは、　4つの秘訣　4Cs について詳しく解説していきますね！
 

1.  conciseness(簡潔さ）

英語以外の言語では、長くて手の込んだ文章こそが　”　称賛される　”　言語もあります。　しかしながら、英語は短い言葉で、多くを表現することを好む言語なのです。　時々、生徒の中で、残念ながら、長い文章の方が　”アカデミック　”　に聞こえると信じてる方もいるのです。
あなたが、もし、長い文章で答えると、2つの問題が生じるでしょう。　　1つ目の問題は、この次に紹介する” C ” 、coherence(首尾一貫性) が損なわれてしまうリスクです。　2つ目は、文が長くなることで　grammar (文法）ミスが多くなる危険があります。　エッセイの採点をすると生徒は皆がっかりするのですが、　減点の多くは、文章が長いために発生した、 coherence (首尾一貫性)  と　grammar (文法）ミスが原因なのです。
 

2. cohesion(文と文のつなぎ）

それでは、どの程度の文章が適切でしょう。　2番目の　”　C ” に関連しますが、　cohesive phrases (文をつなぐ句）　を入れても8〜15 語でしょう。
 
cohesion(文と文のつなぎ）はアイディアをつなぐ語句と言えます。　　たとえば、
 
Because of this, …
As this shows, …
As can clearly be seen from this example, …
It is clear that…
Thus, the idea that…
To illustrate this, …
After analyzing both points of view, …
To provide a summary, …
Without a doubt, this causes…
 
是非とも、これらのつなぎフレーズ　cohesion を覚え、 上手に使えるようにして下さい。　IELTS ライティングテストは時間との戦いです、cohesion を正確に覚えることは、時間の節約だけでなく、文法、スペルミスのリスクをなくします。
 

3. coherence(首尾一貫性)

3番目の　” C ” coherence とは、読者に簡潔にわかり易く、自分の考えを伝える「首尾一貫性」のことです。
IELTS　ライティングの評価基準でも　coherence は大切な要素です。　　受験者のエッセイが、内容が明確で、なめらかに書かれているかが評価されます。　情報とアイディアと言葉を上手く操ってessayをまとめているか？　内容は論理的で、意味を成しているか？　アイディアやポイントをつないで論旨を展開しているか？ 　構文や文脈づくりで多様なテクニックが使われているか？　などが審査されます。
2　番目の　cohesion も　このcoherence の重要な要素になります。
 

4. composition（構成力）

最後に、4番目の　”　C ”    composition  （構成力）の説明をします。 エッセイを書くには、読み手にわかり易い、明快な段落構成が必要です。パラグラフごとに１つのメイン・アイディアを盛り込み、各パラグラフの間を1行あけます。　　そうすれば、いくつパラグラフがあるのか一目でわかるので、採点者がエッセイ全体の構成を理解し読みやすくなります。　IELTSライティング　Part 2 では、全部で4〜5 つのパラグラフを書くことになります。
 
まず、エッセイのイントロダクション（導入部分）でトピックが何であるか短く述べます。加えて、トピックについて一般的な文章を１〜2 文添えましょう。　イントロダクション（導入部分）の最後の部分で、thesis statement （意見表明）しておきましょう。　これがタスクの課題に対するあなたの意見や立場を伝える文章になります。　あるいは、この問題には2面あり異なる見解があると、簡単に触れておくこともできます。
これが、あなたのargument statement （議論紹介）となります。
 
本体パラグラフは２〜３つで構成されます。　各本体パラグラフは、常にトピック・センテンスで書き始めます。　トピック・センテンスは、そのパラグラフの主な主張を大まかに読み手に伝えるものです。　トピック・センテンスに続いて、アイディアを支える例証や理由、根拠を述べる2〜3つの文が必要です。
 
結論部分で、thesis statement （意見表明）に再び言及しますが、全く同じ表現ではいけません。　違う言葉を使って、少し強調します。　そしてエッセイを貫く自分の主張を支えるべく、最終的な結論にもっていきます。
トピックの将来や起こりうる結末について付け加えるのもいいでしょう。　できたら、エッセイの最後の文章は、読み手にインパクトを与えるべく工夫をしてみましょう。
以下に典型的なパラグラフ構成とパラグラフごとのおおよその単語数を示しました。