IELTS Speaking Part 1 Topic Dictionary
Questions and Answers
1. Do you use a dictionary?
(Answer) Yes, I do and I actually make use of dictionaries on a daily basis.
(Give a reason for your answer) As an English major student/ as someone who is preparing for a language test, I’m sometimes bombarded with new lexical items, which entails my looking them up in a dictionary to find their meaning.
2. Which kind of dictionary is useful?
(Answer) Even though dictionaries in general are an indispensable tool for language learners, I have to admit that the digital versions are best for on-the-go purposes.
(Give a reason for your answer) Compared to the paper version which can be bulky and time-consuming to look up, digital dictionaries appeal as a more feasible alternative. Carrying a heavy dictionary around is incompatible with our modern lifestyle
3. Do you think the dictionary is useful?
(Answer) My answer is a definite yes, I can’t imagine acquiring new languages without the help of dictionaries.
(Give a reason for your answer) It’s all too common for languages learners to encounter words or phrases that are simply over their head; and when they do, dictionaries are what they can turn to for support.
4. What are the benefits of using a dictionary for kids?
(Answer) Kids can gain a lot by using dictionaries.
(Give a reason for your answer) First, with a dictionary at hand, it is more likely that children will be more proactive at widening their vocabulary range, as they can refer to it whenever they hear or read a new word. Second, with electronic dictionaries in which the recorded pronunciations of words are available, children can easily repeat after the audio for correct pronunciation, which is of great benefit, especially for children learning a second language.
5. Is it important to look up words in dictionaries?
(Answer) I do believe it is essential that language learners look up the meaning of unfamiliar words in dictionaries.
(Give a reason for your answer) The reason is that not only do dictionaries provide all the possible meanings of each word in different contexts, with examples to illustrate, they also give the accurate pronunciation of those words for the learners to mimic, which is extremely helpful if learners want to master the native accent.
6. Do you prefer an electronic dictionary or paper version?
(Answer) To be honest, I lean towards electronic dictionaries.
(Give a reason for your answer) As I was saying, paper dictionaries are over shadowed by electronic dictionaries in terms of practicality and efficiency. Thus it is fair to say that the paper dictionary is becoming obsolete.
Vocabulary
Education Topic
1. to bombard someone with something
Meaning: to continually send someone something, esp. to inform or influence them.
Example: Every day it seems as if we are bombarded with e-mail messages warning of computer viruses.
Traditional vs Modern Vocabulary
1. to be incompatible with
Meaning: not able to exist with another thing (or person), because of important differences. Example: Communicating all information by letter is incompatible with the demands of modern business.
Language Vocabulary
1. to acquire a new language
Meaning: to be able to communicate in a new language as a result of your own efforts
Example: It takes many years of study to acquire a new language, so students have to be very motivated to learn.
Technology Vocabulary
1. to become obsolete
Meaning: to be no longer used because something new has been invented
Example: Technological innovation is now so rapid, that even the latest electronic devices soon
2. become obsolete.
Other new words
1. to entail [verb]:
Meaning: to involve something that cannot be avoided
Example: Passing the IELTS exam entails many hours of studying.
2. indispensable [adjective]:
Meaning: too important to be without
Example: Cars have become an indispensable part of our lives.
3. on the go [expression]:
Meaning: busy and active all the time
Example: Like most working mothers, she is always on the go.
4. bulky [adjective]:
Meaning: too big and taking up too much space
Example: When you use delivery services, bulky packages might cost more to mail.
5. to be over one’s head [expression]:
Meaning: too difficult or strange for somebody to understand
Example: I tried to take in what he was saying about nuclear fusion, but most of it went over my head.
6. context [noun]:
Meaning: the situation within which something exists or happens, and that can help explain it
Example: In the context of the film, the romance between the two main characters did not fit the story of the war.
7. mimic [verb]:
Meaning: to copy the way in which a person speaks or moves
Example: She was mimicking the various people in our office as a joke.
8. to lean towards
Meaning: to tend to support an idea or a proposal
Example: I lean towards studying online nowadays, because it is more convenient.
9. to over shadow somebody/something [phrase]:
Meaning: to cause someone or something to seem less important
Example: Karen has always felt overshadowed by her famous elder sister.
It was sensible