Sunday, October 26, 2014

Writing Task 1 : describe percentages

http://ielts-simon.com/ielts-help-and-english-pr/2014/10/ielts-writing-task-1-percentages.html

Write a single sentence to describe percentages, put it at the beginning or at the end:

Beginning: 6% of single aged people were living in poverty.

End: The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6%.

Add a comparison:

Beginning: 6% of single aged people were living in poverty, compared to only 4% of aged couples.

End: The level of poverty among single aged people stood at 6%, whereas the figure for aged couples was only 4%.


Use the above question as an example:

In 2003, 36% of online sales were related to travelling.
The level of travelling online sales stood at 36% in 2003.

In 2003, 24% of online sales were digital products, like film and music.
The level of purchasing film and music online stood at 24% in 2003.

In 2013, 33% of total online sales were the category of film and music.

The level of buying clothes online stood at 16% in 2013.

Add comparison:

In 2003, 36% of online sales were related to travelling, which accounted for the most proportion in this year. The second was buying clothes standing at 24%, whereas the figures for film/music and books were lowest in this year that were close to each other about 21% and 19%, respectively.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

speaking 1 - 'house or apartment'

http://ielts-simon.com/

1. Do you live in a house or an apartment?
I live in an apartment with two bedrooms in a suburb of Melbourne. I've lived there for over two years.

2. Which is your favourite room in your home? Why?
I don't really have a favourite room. But if I had to choose, I'd say the living room because that's where I go to sit and relax.

living room
dining room
bedroom
kitchen
balcony

3. Would you change anything about your home? Why / why not? 
Yes, I've been meaning to redecorate it since I moved in two years ago. It needs a new kitchen, so that's what I'd change first.

4. Would you like to move to a different home in the future? 
Yes, I'd definitely move again at some point if I could afford to. I'd like to live in the countryside, or maybe in a different city or country.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Business education: Banks? No, thanks!

http://www.economist.com/news/business/21623673-graduates-worlds-leading-business-schools-investment-banking-out-and-consulting

the world's leading business schools

investment banking

consulting and technology firms

a breed apart = a sort or kind or person that is very different from the norm

a master race of dealmakers

He possessed vast, almost unimaginable talent and ambitions.

most talented graduates

a situation still held true as the financial crisis struck in 2007.

land a job in finance

a meagre %5

elite business schools

take a low share

have culled the recruitment schemes

hired swathes of associates straight from business schools

recruiting the brightest undergraduates

, in the belief that ...

is more productive and better value

to develop cohorts of junior analysis in-house

rather than those with fixed ideas honed on expensive MBA programmes.

enthusiasm

Once, they wanted nothing more than to climb a bank's greasy polew,
with the vast riches this promised.

regulation has stunted bankers' bonuses

MBAs increasingly seek the flexibility to switch careers within a few years.

expect long-term loyalty

do a spell in banking

, whereas students see them as "a stepping stone into private equity or a hedge fund".

there has been a revival in business-school graduates' interest in working as consultants.

the number has risen from ... to ... over the same period.

be in vogue

the newly minted MBA

It attracts the strongest candidates and it gives the firms a high-powered network of alumni who may become future clients.

the exposure to different industries

the access to senior managers

a perfect base

offer the financial rewards

breadheads

higher pay was their most important consideration

to open new career opportunities

personal development

sceptics

reckon

forgone salary

Another big beneficiary of MBAs' loss of interest in banking is the technology industry.

The proportion of ... landing jobs at technology firms has risen from ... since. 

Many students want to be part of an entrepreneurial environment and make an impact, to feel they are building and shaping something.

the growing number of students

sth. appeals to sb.

gain the right experience to start their own business

non-bank financial-services sector

Five years ago it was rare for such places to recruit MBAs straight from campuses. Instead they would often poach talent from the banks.

to build formal recruiting ties with such firms.

a PE or venture-capital firm

Students from other backgrounds are also attracted by the dynamic atmosphere these outfits offer.

PE appealed to him and his peers over banking because the firms are smaller and the work more entrepreneurial and hands-on.

self-fulfillment is indeed the priority of

to do some serious rebranding.

the corporate culture

Added to this, ...

a sense of moral purpose

to build careers that have a positive impact on the world around them, such as running ethical-investment funds or corporate-social-responsibility programmes.

running campaigns

urge sb. to do sth.

believe media stories portraying them as greedy or evil.

to lure recruits

you can help make the world a better place/ you can make a difference in the world.

take a tougher line on sexual harassment of female staff (=take a hard/firm line on/against sb/sth)
采取强硬路线

advocate a healthier work-life balance

allow the odd work-free Saturday

For the business schools' brightest and best, though, all this may not be enough.

CCTV in public places

From http://ielts-simon.com/

Do you think that having video cameras in public places is a good idea?

- invades pravicy
- safety of the community
- invading every part of your life
- prosecutions with CCTV evidence
- crime prevention
- financial and privacy costs
- intrusion
- feel safer
- protection
- an excuse to have fewer police officers

For CCTV (closed-circult television)
Against CCTV

Sunday, October 12, 2014

a word 'paraphrase'

paraphrase (verb & noun)

= to express what somebody has said or written using different words, especially in order to make it easier to understand

> Try to paraphrase the question before you answer it.


Friday, October 10, 2014

Guitar


GUITAR

+ I'd like to express myself in music.
+ I can sing with my guitar for others.
+ After playing guitar, I make more friends.

Monday, October 6, 2014

writing tips to achieve IELTS 7

1. Budget your time carefully. 合理安排时间
2. Write on the topic exactly as it is given. 审题
3. Brainstorm 头脑风暴
4. Plan your essay before you write. 写之前计划好文章结构
5. Be sure your handwriting is as clear and legible as possible. 字迹清晰
6. Follow a clear, logical organization. 结构清晰,有条理
7. Use concrete examples and specific reasons. 具体的例子和原因
8. Use signal words to indicate transitions. 使用连接词过渡
9. Use a variety of sentence types. 句式多样
10. Check your essay for errors. 检查错误