Monday, 23 September 2024

Describe a person from whom others like to ask for advice | SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2024 NEW CUE CARDS SAMPLE ANSWER | NEW CUE CARDS 2024 | Makkar IELTS September To December 2024 Speaking Pdf final version | New Cue Cards Sep To Dec 2024 | makkar ielts | ielts one stop

 

Describe a person from whom others like to ask

for advice

- You should say:

- Who this person is

- Why people like to ask for his/her advice

- What kind of advice he/she often gives

- And explain how you feel about the person

 

 Vocabulary:

- Wealth of experience – A lot of valuable knowledge or skill gained through experience.

- Challenging role – A demanding or difficult job.

- Respect his opinions – Hold his advice in high regard.

- Real-life situations – Actual events or problems.

- Personal conflict – Disagreement or problem between individuals.

- Managing finances – Taking care of money-related matters.

- Weigh the pros and cons – Consider the advantages and disadvantages.

- Disciplined – Able to control oneself and follow rules or standards.

- Moral compass – A person's ability to judge what is right and wrong.

- Approachable – Easy to talk to or ask for advice.

- Sense of clarity – A clear understanding of something.

- Role model – Someone admired and looked up to as an example.

 

 Idioms:

- In a nutshell – To summarize briefly.

- First and foremost – The most important thing to consider.

- All in all – Overall or considering everything.

 


sample answer



I would like to talk about my grandfather, who is someone many people turn to for advice. He’s a retired police officer and has a wealth of experience in various fields, from dealing with complex situations to understanding human behavior. In a nutshell, his wisdom comes from the years he spent serving in a challenging role, which makes people respect his opinions.

 

People seek his advice for several reasons. First and foremost, he’s very calm and patient, which allows him to listen carefully before offering any suggestions. Secondly, his background in law enforcement means he’s seen and handled a variety of issues, so his advice is practical and based on real-life situations. Whether it’s about solving a personal conflict, managing finances, or even dealing with stress, my grandfather seems to have the right answer.

 

He usually gives advice on how to stay disciplined and make thoughtful decisions. He’s always emphasizing the importance of sticking to your principles and maintaining a strong moral compass. I remember once, I was unsure about a career decision, and he helped me weigh the pros and cons so logically that I felt much more confident in making my choice.

 

All in all, I feel incredibly lucky to have someone like my grandfather in my life. Not only do I admire his knowledge, but I also appreciate how approachable he is. He has this ability to make you feel heard, and his advice always leaves you with a sense of clarity. In my opinion, he’s not just a source of advice but also a role model.

The Future of Food | ielts reading passage | 28 September ielts exam | 28 September ielts reading passage | 28 September ielts exam prediction | 28 September ielts reading prediction

 

The Future of Food


When we think of the future, most of us imagine hoverboards and flying cars, exciting new technological advancements and developments, perhaps even scientific achievements and breakthroughs. What we spend little time contemplating, however, is what we will be eating. Nevertheless, food futurologists and organisations around the world have examined the prospects, and they might, at first glance at least, appear less than thrilling.


One thing that’s for certain, according to food futurologist Morgaine Gaye, is that meat will once again become a luxury. “In the West,” she proclaims, “many of us have grown up with cheap, abundant meat.” Unfortunately though, rising prices are spelling the doom of this long-lasting trend. “As a result, we are looking for new ways to fill the meat gap.” Professor Sheenan Harpaz of the Volgani Centre in Beit Dagan, Israel, agrees: “As the price of raising livestock goes up, we’ll eat less beef.” So, what will we eat?


According to Harpaz as well as Yoram Kapulnik, the director of the Volcani Centre, the answer to that question lies with our reliance on genetic engineering. As overpopulation and resource depletion will inevitably lead to a struggle to feed the masses, they predict, the food industry will experience a shift in focus from “form” to “function’’. “Functional foods” will be genetically modified to provide additional value, and they will be targeted at each group of the population-with foods customised to meet the needs of men, women, the elderly, etc. “Once we have a complete picture of the human genome,” explains Kapulnik, “we’ll know how to create food that better meets our needs.”


But food still has to come from somewhere and leading food futurologists and other scientists are firm on their belief that the foods of the future will come from insects. “They are nutritionally excellent,” says Arnold van Huis, lead author of Edible Insects, a 2013 report by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation. Not only that but, according to researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, they are also full of protein, and on par with ordinary meat in terms of nutritional value. Insects are already a part of people’s diets in various cultures in Asia and Africa; however, one major hurdle that will need to be overcome with regards to Western countries is the presentation. As Gaye suggests, “things like crickets and grasshoppers will [have to] be ground down and used as an ingredient in things like burgers”. There is already such an initiative in Kenya and Cambodia (the quite successful WinFood project), and the Netherlands is already investing into research on insect-based diets and the development of insect farm legislation.


Another source of future food, according to Dr Craig Rose of the Seaweed Health Foundation, could be algae. Algae, like insects, are extremely nutritious and already popular in Asia, and could be the perfect solution for three very important reasons: first of all, they can grow both in fresh and salt water-a notable advantage, considering the shortage of land we are bound to experience in the future; secondly, they grow at an astounding pace the likes of which no other plant has ever been found to achieve before; and finally, with 10,000 different types of seaweed around the world, they can open up an exciting world of new flavours for us to discover. But that’s not all: several scientists believe that the biofuel we would extract from algae could lead to a diminished need for fossil fuels, thereby improving our carbon footprint. Algae would, much like insects, need to be refashioned to appeal to Westerners, but research such as the one conducted by scientists at Sheffield Hallam University, who replaced salt in bread and processed foods with seaweed granules with efficacious results, suggests that this is unlikely to pose a problem.


The final option brought forth by scientists is lab-grown, artificial meat. In early 2012, a group of Dutch scientists managed to produce synthetic meat using stem cells originating from cows, and there are already a few companies, such as the San Francisco start-up Impossible Foods and the Manhattan Beach-based Beyond Meat, which are dedicated to manufacturing plant-made meat. The benefits of a worldwide move towards in-vitro meat would be tremendous for the environment, which would see a reduction in energy and water waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and would significantly reduce animal suffering. There is one hindrance to such plans at the moment, sadly, and that’s the price: the first artificial burger, grown at Maastricht University in 2013, cost a whopping €250,000 (£190,545) to make.



Questions 29-33

Complete the summary.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 29-33 on your answer sheet.


There are several not particularly 29 ....................... theories as to what food might look like

in the future, according to several organisations and food futurologists around the

world. Morgaine Gaye, a prominent food futurologist, believes that meat is set to all but

disappear from our daily diets again due to 30 ........................ Professor Harpaz offers the same

opinion, contending that 31 ........................ will continue to become costlier and costlier. To

fill the gap left by meat, he says, we will have no choice but to turn to 32 ........................., with

"functional foods" that will be aimed at each demographic. The only step we'll need to

take to get there is to manage to decode the 33 ..........................


Questions 34-40

Complete the table.

Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer

Write your answers in boxes 34-40 on your answer sheet.


Future Food

Insects

. 34 .............. and full of protein

. Similar to meat in terms of nutritional value

. Regularly consumed in 35 ..............

. 36 .............. will need to be adjusted for unaccustomed cultures

Algae

. Easy and quick to 37 ..............

. Up to 10,000 different flavours

. Might positively influence (38) .............. by providing us with alternative fuels

Lab-grown meat

. Made with bovine 39 .............. and/or plants

. Would lead to a drop in energy and water waste, as well as greenhouse gas emissions

. Would also alleviate 40 ..............

Too expensive at the moment



ANSWER

29. thrilling

30. rising prices

31. raising livestock

32. genetic engineering

33. human genome

34. nutritionally excellent

35. Asia and Africa

36. presentation

37. grow

38. carbon footprint

39. stem cells

40. animal suffering



Sunday, 22 September 2024

Describe a place in your city you have been to where you can see wildlife (e.g. animals, birds, insects, plants) | SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2024 NEW CUE CARDS SAMPLE ANSWER | NEW CUE CARDS 2024 | Makkar IELTS September To December 2024 Speaking Pdf final version | New Cue Cards Sep To Dec 2024 | makkar ielts | ielts one stop

 

Describe a place in your city you have been to

where you can see wildlife (e.g. animals, birds,

insects, plants)

- You should say:

- Where it is

- When you went there

- What wildlife you can see there

- And explain how you feel about it

 

 Vocabulary:

- Serene: Calm, peaceful.

- Outskirts: The outer parts of a city or town.

- Plethora: An excessive amount of something.

- Migratory: Moving from one place to another, typically for seasonal reasons.

- Haven: A place of safety or refuge.

- Tranquil: Free from disturbance; calm.

- Rejuvenated: Made to feel fresh or restored.

- Sanctuary: A place of refuge or safety.

- Retreat: A quiet or secluded place where one can rest and relax.

- Unwind: To relax after a period of stress or tension.

- Reconnect: To reestablish a relationship or connection with something.

 

 Idioms:

- A slice of paradise: A beautiful or perfect place.

- Hit the reset button: To start over or refresh oneself.

- Daily grind: The routine of daily work or life.

.

Sample answer

One place in my city where I frequently go to see wildlife is the Sokhna Lake, a beautiful spot located on the outskirts of Chandigarh. I visited this lake just last month with a couple of friends who share my passion for nature.

 

Sokhna Lake is renowned for its serene environment and the variety of wildlife it supports. As we strolled along the lake's edge, we encountered a plethora of bird species, including migratory birds like the purple heron and black-crowned night heron. The lake is also home to several species of fish, and occasionally, you can spot turtles basking in the sun on the rocks. During the right season, the surrounding area is a haven for various insects and butterflies, adding a splash of color to the landscape.

 

What makes this place truly special is its tranquil atmosphere. The gentle ripples of the lake and the chirping of the birds create a sense of calm that is hard to find in the hustle and bustle of city life. I always feel rejuvenated after a visit, as if I have taken a deep breath of fresh air and hit the reset button on my stress levels. It's like an escape into a little slice of paradise where I can unwind and reconnect with nature.

 

Overall, Sokhna Lake is more than just a place to see wildlife; it's a sanctuary where I can enjoy a peaceful retreat from my busy life. It has become one of my favorite spots, and I often find myself there whenever I need a break from the daily grind.

Facial expression 1| ielts reading passage | 28 September ielts exam | 28 September ielts reading passage | 28 September ielts exam prediction | 28 September ielts reading prediction

 READING PASSAGE 3

Facial expression 1


A
A facial expression is one or more motions or positions of the muscles in the skin. These movements convey the emotional state of the individual to observers. Facial expressions are a form of nonverbal communication. They are a primary means of conveying social information among aliens, but also occur in most other mammals and some other animal species. Facial expressions and their significance in the perceiver can, to some extent, vary between cultures with evidence from descriptions in the works of Charles Darwin.
B
Humans can adopt a facial expression to read as a voluntary action. However, because expressions are closely tied to emotion, they are more often involuntary. It can be nearly impossible to avoid expressions for certain emotions, even when it would be strongly desirable to do so; a person who is trying to avoid insulting an individual he or she finds highly unattractive might, nevertheless, show a brief expression of disgust before being able to reassume a neutral expression. Microexpressions are one example of this phenomenon. The close link between emotion and expression can also work in the order direction; it has been observed that voluntarily assuming an expression can actually cause the associated emotion.
C
Some expressions can be accurately interpreted even between members of different species – anger and extreme contentment being the primary examples. Others, however, are difficult to interpret even in familiar individuals. For instance, disgust and fear can be tough to tell apart. Because faces have only a limited range of movement, expressions rely upon fairly minuscule differences in the proportion and relative position of facial features, and reading them requires considerable sensitivity to same. Some faces are often falsely read as expressing some emotion, even when they are neutral, because their proportions naturally resemble those another face would temporarily assume when emoting.
D
Also, a person’s eyes reveal much about how they are feeling, or what they are thinking. Blink rate can reveal how nervous or at ease a person may be. Research by Boston College professor Joe Tecce suggests that stress levels are revealed by blink rates. He supports his data with statistics on the relation between the blink rates of presidential candidates and their success in their races. Tecce claims that the faster blinker in the presidential debates has lost every election since 1980. Though Tecce’s data is interesting, it is important to recognize that non-verbal communication is multi-channeled, and focusing on only one aspect is reckless. Nervousness can also be measured by examining each candidates’ perspiration, eye contact and stiffness.
E
As Charles Darwin noted in his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals: the young and the old of widely different races, both with man and animals, express the same state of mind by the same movements. Still, up to the mid-20th century most anthropologists believed that facial expressions were entirely learned and could therefore differ among cultures. Studies conducted in the 1960s by Paul Ekman eventually supported Darwin’s belief to a large degree.
F
Ekman’s work on facial expressions had its starting point in the work of psychologist Silvan Tomkins. Ekman showed that contrary to the belief of some anthropologists including Margaret Mead, facial expressions of emotion are not culturally determined, but universal across human cultures. The South Fore people of New Guinea were chosen as subjects for one such survey. The study consisted of 189 adults and 130 children from among a very isolated population, as well as twenty three members of the culture who lived a less isolated lifestyle as a control group. Participants were told a story that described one particular emotion; they were then shown three pictures (two for children) of facial expressions and asked to match the picture which expressed the story’s emotion.
G
While the isolated South Fore people could identify emotions with the same accuracy as the non-isolated control group, problems associated with the study include the fact that both fear and surprise were constantly misidentified. The study concluded that certain facial expressions correspond to particular emotions and can not be covered, regardless of cultural background, and regardless of whether or not the culture has been isolated or exposed to the mainstream.
H
Expressions Ekman found to be universal included those indicating anger, disgust, fear, joy, sadness, and surprise (not that none of these emotions has a definitive social component, such as shame, pride, or schadenfreude). Findings on contempt (which is social) are less clear, though there is at least some preliminary evidence that this emotion and its expression are universally recognized. This may suggest that the facial expressions are largely related to the mind and each parts on the face can express specific emotion.



Questions 28-32
Complete the Summary paragraph below.
In boxes 28-32 on your answer sheet, write the correct answer with NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS


The result of Ekman’s study demonstrates that fear and surprise are persistently 28…………………… and made a conclusion that some facial expressions have something to do with certain 29…………………. Which is impossible covered, despite of 30………………….. and whether the culture has been 31…………………… or 32………………………. To the mainstream.


Questions 33-38
The reading Passage has seven paragraphs A-H

Which paragraph contains the following information?

Write the correct letter A-H, in boxes 33-38 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

33 the difficulty identifying the actual meaning of facial expressions
34 the importance of culture on facial expressions is initially described
35 collected data for the research on the relation between blink and the success in elections
36 the features on sociality of several facial expressions
37 an indicator to reflect one’s extent of nervousness
38 the relation between emotion and facial expressions


Questions 39-40
Choose two letters from the A-E

Write your answers in boxes 39-40 on your answer sheet

Which Two of the following statements are true according to Ekman’s theory?
A No evidence shows animals have their own facial expressions.
B The potential relationship between facial expression and state of mind exists
C Facial expressions are concerning different cultures.
D Different areas on face convey certain state of mind.
E Mind controls men’s facial expressions more obvious than women’s


ANSWER
28. misidentified
29. emotions
30. cultural background
31. isolated
32. exposed
33. C
34. A
35. D
36. H
37. D
38. B
39. B
40. D







Saturday, 21 September 2024

Describe a place that you would like to learn the culture there (e.g. a library, museum, theatre) | SEPTEMBER TO DECEMBER 2024 NEW CUE CARDS SAMPLE ANSWER | NEW CUE CARDS 2024

 20. Describe a place that you would like to learn the

culture there (e.g. a library, museum, theatre)

- You should say:

- Where it is

- How you knew this place

- What it is like

- And explain how the place is related to culture


youtube video 




vocabulary


 

 

1. Impressive – something that evokes admiration.

2. Preserving – maintaining or keeping something in its original state.

3. Struggles – difficulties or challenges faced by people.

4. Partition – the division of a country or region into separate parts.

5. Transported back in time – a phrase used to describe feeling as if you are experiencing the past.

6. Photographs – pictures captured by a camera.

7. Documents – written records or papers that provide information.

8. Personal stories – individual experiences shared by people.

9. Well-organized – arranged in a systematic and orderly way.

10. Narrative – a story or account of events.

11. Cultural heritage – the traditions, customs, and artifacts passed down through generations.

12. Resilience – the ability to recover or adapt to challenges.

13. Traumatic – something that causes emotional distress or suffering.

14. Cultural identity – the identity or sense of belonging to a particular culture or group.

15. Perspective – a point of view or way of thinking.

16. Appreciation – recognizing and valuing the significance of something.

17. Cultural diversity – the existence of different cultures and traditions within a society.

18. Historical richness – the abundance of historical value or importance.

 

 



sample answer

One place I would love to learn more about the culture is the Partition Museum, located in Amritsar, Punjab. It’s situated near the Golden Temple, one of the most famous landmarks in India. I first heard about this museum during a school history lesson, where our teacher mentioned its importance in preserving the memories of the Partition of India in 1947.

 

The museum itself is quite impressive. It’s a historical place that captures the emotions and struggles of people who lived through that difficult time. When you enter the museum, you’re immediately transported back in time through photographs, documents, and personal stories of those affected by the Partition. The museum is very well-organized, with different sections dedicated to various aspects of the history, making it easy to follow the narrative.

 

This museum is deeply connected to culture because it showcases how the Partition not only divided land but also affected the rich cultural heritage of both India and Pakistan. You can learn about how communities were torn apart, and how art, music, and traditions evolved post-Partition. It highlights the resilience of people during such a traumatic period, which I think is essential to understanding the cultural identity of the region today.

 

Visiting this museum would offer me a unique perspective on the shared history of the two nations. I believe understanding this part of history will deepen my appreciation for the cultural diversity and historical richness that shape modern-day India and Pakistan.

-