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.

▮　　文章の構成　（Organization)とは

TOEFL ライティング総合問題（Integrated Task)では、

パッセージを読んだ後、レクチャーを約2分聴いた後で、

レクチャーの内容を要約することと、それがどうのようにパッセージの内容と

関連しているか（多くは異なる観点）をライティングで表現するテストです。

とはいえ、最終的な採点のポイントは、文章（エッセイ）の構成力です。

文章の構成（Organization)とは、

①   Introduction (序論）　
②   Body （本論）
③　Conclusion (結論）を言います。

ここではTOEFL ライティング総合問題(Integrated）　における、

高得点を取るための構成ついて示してみます。

▮　①Introduction (序論）

Introduction とは、エッセイの書き出し段落です。

Introductionで最も重要な部分は、thesis statement （主文）となります。

読み手が、thesis statementを読んで、エッセイのアウトラインが

分かるようにしなければいけません。

先ず初めに、「メイン・トピック（パッセージとレクチャーが何について論じているか）は何か、

レクチャーの要約をリーディング・パッセージとの関連で述べていきます。

読み手にあなたのエッセイに関心を持ってもらうために、
明確で力強いIntroduction (序論）が必要です。

エッセイの冒頭部分次第で、読み手は内容を見ずに読む気を失うか、読み進めるかを決めるのです。

▮　②   Body （本論）

Body （本論）では、リーディング（パッセージ）とリスニング（レクチャー）

の具体的な概要を書きます。

Introduction (序論）　でのエッセイのアウトラインであるthesis statement を

具体的な例を挙げながら、確固たるものにしていきます。

リスニング（レクチャー）視点での、（パッセージ、レクチャー）双方の

重要ポイントとと、それをサポートする主張を展開し、

thesis statementをより明確に正当化させていきます。

一般的に、パッセージは3つのメインポイントとそれを支える3つのアイディアから成り、

レクチャーでは、それらの主張に対し、反論していく展開をします。

レクチャーは、パッセージの主張を反論するために、具体的な例を挙げたり、

新たな考えを例を挙げて登場させます。

注意したいのは、エッセイに中で、決して自分の考えや、

パッセージ、レクチャーどちらかを支持するかのような自分の意見を書かないでください。

ライティングIntegrated は、あくまでも、リーディングとリスニングの内容を、

わかり易く明確に説明するエッセイが求められます。

ですから、パッセージとレクチャーが述べていない、

誇張した表現や、自分で想像したこともまた書くと減点されます。

③　Conclusion (結論）

Conclusion (結論）はエッセイの最後の文になります。

introduction (序論）で書いたエッセイのアウトラインthesis statementと、

それを具体的に証明したbody (本論）をベースに、まとめたものを、簡潔に書く最終文となります。

▮　TOEFLテスト形式で練習してみましょう

ここでは、実際のTOEFLテスト形式を使ってエッセイを書いてみましょう。

Question

Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they answer the specific problems presented in the reading passage

レクチャーの内容を要約することと、それがどのようにリーディングの内容と

関連しているかを述べよ。

解答時間　　20分　　150〜225　words

（これは目安であり、225語を超えても構いません）

★　次のパッセージを3分で読んでください。　（メモを取っても構いません）

★　続いて次のレクチャーをお聞きください　（メモを取っても構いません）  約2分

★　それではエッセイを書いてください。　（パッセージを見ることができます）

Question
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they answer the specific problems presented in the reading passage

レクチャーのスクリプトとsample essayはこちら

TOEFL 特訓ゼミの詳細はこちらをご覧ください。

▮　リスニング力をつける効果的学習法！

 TOEFL ライティング総合問題（Integrated Task)では、パッセージを読んだ後、

レクチャーを約2分聴いた後で、レクチャーの内容を要約することと、

それがどうのようにパッセージの内容と関連しているか（多くは異なる観点）を

ライティングで表現するテストです。　　読解力同様、リスニング力が問われます。　　

リスニング力は、ただひたすら英語を聞き流すだけでは上達しません。

いくつかのことに気を付けて英語を聴くことで飛躍的にリスニング力はアップします。

リスニングが苦手な方は、以下のことに注意して学習をしてください。

1. Practice listening to different kinds of materials in English everyday. Listen to short audio clips first and gradually increase the length of audio materials you listen to.
2. Avoid distractions and always listen actively.
3. Try to answer the “who, what, when, where, why, and how” questions about the topic. Carefully think about the speaker’s purpose of the lecture.
4.Pay attention to the difference between the main ideas and details presented. Be mindful of details like facts, examples, or opinions presented.
5. Learn to recognize different styles of organization such as theory and evidence, cause and effect, steps of a process, and comparison of two things.
6. Take down notes while listening so that you can gather important details, relevant points, and new expressions or vocabularies. Write down only the information that you hear. Do not attempt to interpret anything based on your personal understanding or knowledge of the topic.
7. Listen to keywords or signal words like the following:
Opinion (I think, It appears that, It is thought that)
theory (In theory)
inference (therefore, then)
negatives (not, words that begin with “un,” “non,” “dis” “a”)
fillers (non-essential information) (uh, er, um)
reasons (because, since)
results (as a result, so, therefore, thus, consequently)
examples (for example, such as)
comparisons (in contrast, than)
an opposing idea (on the other hand, however)
another idea (furthermore, moreover, besides)
a similar idea (similarly, likewise)
restatements of information (in other words, that is)
conclusions (in conclusion, in summary)
8. Pay attention to pacing, intonation and other ways that speakers indicate that information is important like repeatition of information, paraphrasing of sentences, or stressing of words.
9. After each listening activity, write a short summary on the topic explaining the main idea and what the speaker is trying to say.
10. Listen to the same audio clip and review your notes and summary. Change or add more details if necessary.
11. Use different sources of English listening materials: News, Audio Books, Television Programs, Movies, Music, etc.
12. You can also go to these websites for listening practice:
*National Public Radio (www.npr.org)
*CBS News (www.cbsnews.com)
*Randall’s Cyber Listening Lab (www.esl-lab.com)
*BBC World Service.com Learning English (www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish)
13. Exchange conversations with an English speaker. It will help improve your ability to comprehend and quickly respond.
14. Attend academic lectures, presentations, or gatherings in English.
15. Make it a hobby to be an attentive listener. Practice, practice, practice!

Good luck!

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

TOEFL Integrated Essay Tip # 3: IMPROVING READING SKILLS

by: Rose Angelie Lapina

オンライン英会話　　マイチューター

▮　総合ライティング―　リーディング力をつける！

IELTSライティングｰ　総合ライティングではパッセージを読んでその内容や著者の主張をまとめる能力が問われます。　「読む」ことと「理解する」ことは別の話です。　ここではパッセージを素早く理解しポイントをまとめる学習方法を紹介します。

In TOEFL Writing Integrated Task, reading is the first part of the exercise followed by listening. You are given 3 minutes to read a passage which is mostly about academic topics. Reading within 3 minutes is easy for most of us. However, reading and understanding is another story. Reading without comprehension is absolutely useless when answering the TOEFL Integrated Task. Reading comprehension is one of the skills that you need to be good at when taking the exam, so it is of utmost importance that you practice reading. Make it a habit to read textbooks, journals, academic passages, research articles, and encyclopaedias. Though you don’t need to know about any certain subjects, it would be useful if your familiar on how the academic materials are presented.

Basically, TOEFL evaluates your skills in succeeding in an American university or college, while some countries that speak English also use the TOEFL score as a pre-requisite for admission. Thus, you should focus on studying the language that you would normally hear in school. It would be very helpful to learn academic English, and one way to do that is through reading.

Now, let’s discuss about how you can improve your readingskills.

-TIPS-

1. To start, choose any article or topic that you find interesting to read. After few reading practices, choose subjects that are not familiar to you. Make it a point to read articles that are 300-400 words long.

2. Always have a pen and paper on hand while reading so you can easily take down valuable information, interesting phrases, or even difficult words.

2. Read aloud and be aware of your pronunciation and intonation. This helps you to slow down while reading, thus you can comprehend more.

3. Avoid distractions by finding a quiet and comfortable reading place where you could spend long hours of reading without any disturbance or discomfort.

4. Define vocabulary words ahead of time through pre-reading. That way, you can give meaning to uncommon words and you’ll understand the context better while reading.

5. Summarize what you just read based on your notes and review your answer by checking the article if you have covered all important information.

6. Re-read. Read the same articles over and over again to gain fluency and better comprehension.

7. Read daily. Yes, make it a habit to read, read, read!

Good luck!

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%