BODY LANGUAGE

BODY LANGUAGE

1. Don’t cross your arms or legs – You have probably already heard you shouldn’t cross your arms as it might make you seem defensive or guarded. This goes for your legs too. Keep your arms and legs open.

2. Have eye contact, but don’t stare – If there are several people you are talking to, give them all some eye contact to create a better connection and see if they are listening. Keeping too much eye-contact might creep people out. Giving no eye-contact might make you seem insecure. If you are not used to keeping eye-contact it might feel a little hard or scary in the beginning but keep working on it and you’ll get used to it.

3. Don’t be afraid to take up some space – Taking up space by for example sitting or standing with your legs apart a bit signals self-confidence and that you are comfortable in your own skin.

4. Relax your shoulders – When you feel tense it’s easily winds up as tension in your shoulders. They might move up and forward a bit. Try to relax. Try to loosen up by shaking the shoulders a bit and move them back slightly.

5. Nod when they are talking – nod once in a while to signal that you are listening. But don’t overdo it and peck like Woody Woodpecker.

6. Don’t slouch, sit up straight – but in a relaxed way, not in a too tense manner.

7. Lean, but not too much – If you want to show that you are interested in what someone is saying, lean toward the person talking. If you want to show that you’re confident in yourself and relaxed lean back a bit. But don’t lean in too much or you might seem needy and desperate for some approval. Or lean back too much or you might seem arrogant and distant.

8. Smile and laugh – lighten up, don’t take yourself too seriously. Relax a bit, smile and laugh when someone says something funny. People will be a lot more inclined to listen to you if you seem to be a positive person. But don’t be the first to laugh at your own jokes, it makes you seem nervous and needy. Smile when you are introduced to someone but don’t keep a smile plastered on your face, you’ll seem insincere.

9. Don’t touch your face – it might make you seem nervous and can be distracting for the listeners or the people in the conversation.

10. Keep you head up – Don’t keep your eyes on the ground, it might make you seem insecure and a bit lost. Keep your head up straight and your eyes towards the horizon.

11. Slow down a bit – this goes for many things. Walking slower not only makes you seem more calm and confident, it will also make you feel less stressed. If someone addresses you, don’t snap you’re neck in their direction, turn it a bit more slowly instead.

12. Don’t fidget – try to avoid, phase out or transform fidgety movement and nervous ticks such as shaking your leg or tapping your fingers against the table rapidly. You’ll seem nervous and fidgeting can be a distracting when you try to get something across. Declutter your movements if you are all over the place. Try to relax, slow down and focus your movements.

13. Use your hands more confidently – instead of fidgeting with your hands and scratching your face use them to communicate what you are trying to say. Use your hands to describe something or to add weight to a point you are trying to make. But don’t use them to much or it might become distracting. And don’t let your hands flail around, use them with some control.

SPEAKING QUESTIONS (MARCH)

STAGE1

Introduction
Talk about your hometown?
Does it have any historical significance?
Do you go for vacation?

STAGE2
Talk about a thing you have bought for which you had to save money
· What was it
· When did you buy it
· How long you had to save
· How happy/unhappy were you

STAGE 3
Should children be taught to save money?
How can you teach them?
Should children’s demand be fulfilled?
Does advertisement influence shopping
Do male and female have different shopping preference?
What factors influence shopping?

2)

STAGE 1
Introduction
History of hometown
Importance of museum
Should museums sell the items on display if they get good price?
What is the difference between the way festivals are celebrated in cities and in villages?

STAGE 2
Talk about a festival you celebrate in your hometown

· What is it
· When is it celebrated
· What is its importance

Stage3
Talk about any value/culture which your parents taught you and you will like to teach your children
Do boys and girls play the same sport in your country?
From where did you learn about your cultural beliefs and values?

WRITING TOPIC
Nowadays both parents are working. Does it have negative impacts on their family life. Give your opinion.
Support with relevant examples.

SPEAKING QUESTIONS (FEBRUARY,2011)

STAGE1


Introduction


Describe your hometown


what is the most interesting thing about your hometown


Do you like reading


what types of books do you read?


How much time did you spend for reading when you were a child?


Do you think the reading habits of children are decreasing these days?


Have you gifted a book to someone?


Do you enjoy shopping?


What kind of shops do you visit?


STAGE 2


Describe about an interesting animal you have seen

• what was it


• when did you see it


• why was it interesting

STAGE 3

What are the advantages of having pets?

Is it good to keep pets in cities?

What kind of animals do you see in your area?

Is it justified to use animals for scientific researches?

WRITING TOPIC

City planners design cities with the schools,offices,homes and shops in specific areaswhich are widely seperated from each other.
Do the advantages outweigh disadvantages for the city residents by this plan?

SPEAKING QUESTIONS( NOVEMBER)

STAGE 1

Introduction
Tell me about your hometown
Do you have a pet animal?
Do you like animals?
Do you think animals should be kept as a pet?
What is your favorite meal?


STAGE 2

Describe some kind of help which you have done for someone?
· What was the help
· Whom did you help
· How did you feel

SATGE 3

Where would you prefer your children to have food? In the restaurant or at home?
Do you like your profession?
What kind of work do you do in your work area?
Will you cook for your children?
Do you think more people should help people?

2. STAGE 1

what is your name?

Do you study or work?

Where is your hometown?

What is your favorite color?

Do you quite often dress up in this color?

STAGE 2

Describe a modern building you have seen:

• where have you seen it


• what is it like


• why is it important

STAGE 3

What do you prefer, modernor old buildings?

What should be the appearance of the building of your like?

Has structure of the building got anything to do with attraction?

Does it add to tourism?

WRITING TOPIC

In some countries like America and the U.K working days are getting increased in offices and work area which is the negative side to social consequences.
Do you agree or disagree with the statement.
Support with relevant examples.

SPEAKING QUESTIONS ( OCTOBER)

STAGE 1

Introduction
Tell me about your hometown
What are your leisure activities?
What kind of food did you like when you were a child?
Do you like to have them now too?
Do you prefer your children to eat the same food?


STAGE 2

Describe an exciting message you received through mail / phone

· What was the message
· When did you receive it
· Why was it exciting

SATGE 3

How do you like to receive your messages?
How has communication advanced through the years?
What are its advantages?
Are there any disadvantages of that too?

SPEAKING QUESTIONS SEPTEMBER

Stage1

Introduction
What is your profession?
What is the nature of your job?
What is your dream job?
Do you stay in a flat or an apartment?
What is the difference between flat and apartment?
What is your hobby?
Describe your home town?
Do you follow fashion?

Stage2

Describe something you have made yourself
· What is it
· When did you make it
· Why did you like or dislike your creation


Stage3

What is the meaning of handicraft?
What is the difference between handicraft and factory outlets?
Which gender prefers handicraft more, male or female?
Will you work in a factory outlet if given a chance?
What skills person should have while making food?
In future what will be popular, handicraft or factory outlets?


WRITING TOPIC

If richer country provides foreign help to poorer countries, it can show negative effects on them. Do you agree or disagree? Justify your opinion .give relevant examples.

Some people think long prison sentence is good to reduce crime; however some think the alternative methods are better. Discuss and give your opinion.
Give relevant examples.

IMPROVING READING SKILLS

Improving reading skills is most important for a candidate to perform better in IELTS reading. No matter what reading level you may be at the present time, you can improve your skills by increasing your reading speed as well as your level of comprehension. The following are few simple but important tips that help you improve your reading skills:

1. Make a habit of reading regularly. Read as many English books, newspapers and magazines as you can get your hands on.

2. When reading, learn to fixate on a larger group of words at a time. As a matter of fact, people often tend to fixate on one word at a time which makes reading slow and dull. The best way to improve reading is to pick up a large group of words (say about four or five) at a time; also avoid fixating on insignificant words like a, or, the, or, an etc.

3. Set aside a regular time to read. Studies show that regularly reading will produce significant gains in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the decoding of words. For this you may require quite a good amount of time. Hence, before applying for IELTS, ensure that you have sufficient time for preparation.

4. Avoid lip movement while reading. It is a negative practice that tends to slow down your eye movement and thereby reduce your reading speed. Make your eyes and mind work more and minimize the usage of your mouth and lips. This will greatly enhance your reading speed.

5. Practice reading for at least 30 minutes a day, this will certainly improve your reading speed. Each time you practice, check your word count i.e. the number of words you had read in a minute. Simultaneously, analyze you comprehending skills by summarizing what you have read. Further, your chief objective is to read faster while improving comprehending skills hence use same type of reading material that provides consistency necessary for sensible practice.

6. Build a good vocabulary by keeping a dictionary handy, maintaining a list of new words, and knowing the origin of words.

7. Broaden your knowledge on various subjects by reading newspapers, journals, magazines, books, and using internet. You are not sure on what subject or topic you may get a reading passage in the IELTS exam, hence it is better to get acquainted with a wide range of subjects.

8. Finally, remember that you are reading for a purpose. So your primary focus must be on that specific purpose and how to do it quickly. If you lose interest take a break. Your efficiency greatly reduces upon reaching saturation point. Hence a shot break is absolutely essential. This simple technique helps you focus more and increase your concentration.

IELTS QUESTIONS (AUGUST)

STAGE 1

Introduction
Are you a student or working somewhere?
What type of job you are doing
What are your responsibilities at workplace?
If you get a chance to change your profession after 10 years, what profession wills you chose?
Do you like animals? Why
What kinds of animals do you like most?
Do you think animals should be kept as pet?

STAGE 2

Describe a movie you have watched recently

· Name of the movie
· When did you watch it
· Why did you like/dislike it

STAGE 3

Are cinemas good/bad for youngsters?
Do you think that movies have changed since past?
Do movies show the culture of a country?
Would you allow your kids to watch movie in the cinemas?
Technology will effect the movie in the future what do you think?
What is the difference between Hollywood and Bollywood movie?



WRITING TOPIC

The youth should be encouraged to visit different countries for their benefits. Do you agree or disagree with the statement.

Give relevant examples to support your answer..

BAND SCORES

Marking is carried out at the test centre by trained examiners whose work is closely monitored. This ensures that exam results are available without any administrative delay. Results are standardized and usually available within two weeks of the test, and Test Report Forms are sent to the candidates and to the sponsor(s)/receiving institution(s). Test centers are not permitted to give results out over the phone, nor by fax or e-mail.

Test Scores

Number of Correct Answers Score
20 5.5
25 6
28 6.5
30 7
33 7.5
35 8
38 8.5
40 9

SPEAKING QUESTIONS (MAY)

Stage1
Introduction
Describe your job
Is your work Important?
Are you interested in your job?


Stage2
Describe a family other than yours
· Name the family
· Why do you like them
· What do you do with them

Stage3
How do parents treat their children these days?
Is there a difference between boys and girls in parental treatment?
Do youngsters like to stay with their family these days?
Are the children forced to move out of house ?

WRITING TOPIC

Children can learn effectively by watching television therefore they should be encouraged to watch it regularly.Do you agree or disagree?
Give relevant examples.

SPEAKING QUESTIONS (APRIL)

Stage1
Introduction
What is your profession?
What are your job responsibilities?
Would you like to change your job in future?
What kind of fashion do you follow?
Do you enjoy shopping?

Stage2

Talk about your favorite subject
· What is it
· How were you taught this subject
· How helpful is it in your daily activities

Stage 3

Would you like to be a teacher in future?
What qualities should a teacher have?
What is the learning process for people these days?
How much do you admire a teacher?
How has the teaching process changed from the past?


Writing Task 2

Mobile and internet has changed the way of communication. How beneficial has been the both for you? Give your opinion for the same.
Give relevant examples.

SPEAKING QUESTIONS FEBRUARY

Stage 1

Introduction
Talk about your work
What is your favorite dish
Do you often go to supermarkets?
What do you buy from there?

Stage 2
Talk about an important meal that you had
· What was it
· How was it prepared?
· Why was it important

Stage3
Why are there many supermarkets these days?
What is the thing that attracts people in a supermarket?
What are the disadvantages of these?

2.

Stage1


Introduction
Are you a student or working?
What is the importance of your course?
Why are fresh fruit and vegetables important?
Does the market nearby your house supply fresh fruits and vegetables?

Stage2
Describe a recent important conversation you had
· What was it about?
· With whom you had it?
· Why was it important?

Stage3
What is the importance of your work?
How can you improve your position at your workplace?
What is the importance of communication skills?
How can you improve language skills?
How can you compare the level of communication with different individuals?

Writing topic

These days’ advertisements are more focused on children than the parents. Why do you think it is? Is it a positive or a negative development?
Discuss with relevant examples.

IELTS SPEAKING QUESTIONS (JANUARY)

Stage 1

Introduction
Student or working?
Where r u from?
Do you like flowers?
What kind of flowers do you like?
On Which occasion did u give flowers recently?
Do you read newspaper and magazine?
What kind of magazines do you read?

Stage 2

Describe a special meal you enjoyed
· What was it?
· How is it prepared?
· Why did you enjoy it?


Stage3


In Some culture people don’t speak while eating, in others they do .what is your culture?
Have you got a chance to have food in the other culture?
Why do you think these days there are more supermarkets than in the past?
Does it have negative impact?

SPEAKING QUESTIONS(DECEMBER)

Stage 1

Introduction
What should I call you?
What is your profession?
Do you like it?
How long you have been working?
Where do you live?
Describe your neighbor hood?

Stage 2

Describe a happy event of your childhood
· When was it?
· What did you do?
· Why do you think it was a happy event?

Stage 3

Do you think people think more about the past than present these days?
Should the traditional culture handed over to the next generation?
How can we update the younger generation about traditional culture and values?
What do you prefer letters or e-mail?
Is advertisement more today than in the past?
Which advertisement do you like most?
Do you buy things after viewing advertisements?
Who features more in your favorite advertisements?


WRITING TOPIC

It is better for students to leave their home and family for university studies and live alone. Do you agree or disagree?
Give your opinion and support it with relevant examples.

A Confident Speaker

How To Be a Confident Speaker: Ten Tips

Here are ten tips for becoming a more confident speaker.

1. Organize - Outline your thoughts, beginning with the goal of your presentation. Be disciplined and stick to your outline. This will give your presentation structure.

2. Spice it up - Like a good dish, every presentation needs some spice and accenting. A few well-chosen anecdotes, a well-timed joke, a personal experience, or a fact can liven things up.

3. Feel the Floor - Before you begin to speak, be sure that your feet are firmly planted. Making floor contact helps you breathe better, and provides a sense of strength and power.

4. Relax muscles - Muscle tension affects not only the way you look, but the way you sound. Lightly shrug shoulders, roll head, wiggle toes to relieve body tension. Gentle chewing motions and smiling internally helps loosen jaw and facial muscles.

5. Breathe deeply - Deep breathing relaxes and supports the voice, improving your entire delivery. Think of your torso as an accordion which expands with every inhalation and contracts with each exhalation. Proper breathing also leads to increased stamina, and prevents your voice from becoming tired.

6. Focus - When speaking , concentrate on the subject of your speech; by so doing, your presentation will be more focussed and alive. To help focus yourself, before speaking, concentrate on an object or color you find pleasing. This will help channel your attention, as well as relax you.

7. Use energy - Energize your speech by activating your breath and speaking with conviction. Even if you're speaking softly, make the air between you and your audiences vibrate. This will help you project better, and communicate more effectively with your audience.

8. Add color - Vary the sound of your voice. Emphasize important words; change your pitch from high to low and vice versa. Alter your rhythm of speech to add interest.

9. Practice - The old adage, "practice makes perfect," could not be truer when it comes to speaking . The more you practice in advance and become familiar with your material, the more comfortable you'll feel, and the more comfortable your audience will be.

10. Have fun! - Fun is infectious. If you're enjoying what you are doing, you will automatically convey this to your audience.

SPEAKING QUESTIONS (OCTOBER)

Give me your introduction
Tell me about the place you were born?
Which part of the country are you from?
What is this part famous for?
What are the main industries there?

2
Describe a newspaper/magazine article that you have read and liked

What was it about?
Where did you read it?
Why did you like it?

3
Why is advertisement increasing these days?
What are the mediums through which people get updated about news these days?
Who uses the internet most?
Is radio popular where you come from?

Writing Topic

Some criminals commit crimes and are punished for it. However they repeat certain crimes later. Why does this happen? Give reasons for your answer. Support it with examples.

FEAR OF FAILURE

This person:

At age 22 - Failed in business;

At age 23 – Was defeated for the State Legislature:

At age 24 - Again failed in business;

At age 25 – Was elected to the State Legislature;

At age 26 - His sweetheart died;

At age 27 – He suffered a nervous breakdown;

At age 29 – Was defeated for speaker;

At age 31 – Was defeated for elector;

At age 34 – Was defeated for Congress;

At age 37 – Was elected to Congress;

At age 39 – Was defeated for Congress;

At age 46 – Was defeated for the Senate;

At age 47 – Was defeated for Vice-President;

At age 49 – Was defeated for the Senate;

At age 51 – Was elected President of the United States.

This person was ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

Keep things in perspective; do not be disheartened. The fact that you’ve failed at something does not mean that your life is over. It does not mean that your reputation is forever ruined and that you’ll never get another chance. Don’t make the situation bigger or more pervasive than it really is. Instead, remember the famous line:

“And this too shall pass . . .”

FEEDBACK (SEPTEMBER,09)

STAGE1

Introduction
What is your profession?
When can this course be taken?
What is the duration of this course?
What are your job responsibilities?
What are the traditions of India?
Do you like driving?
Why is there an age limit for driving in India?
Will you allow your child to drive at an early age?

STAGE2

A CHILDHOOD ACHIEVEMENT THAT YOU REMEMBER
what and when was it
where was it
why do you remember it


STAGE 3

Why is tradition and culture diminishing in India?
What can be done to preserve it for future?
What is the attitude of youngsters towards the tradition and culture?
Should the schools initiate to provide driving license for its students?
Is it important to have fresh fruits and vegetables for good health?


2.

STAGE 1

Give me your Introduction
How often do you use internet?
Do you remember the first time you used the internet?
Who helped you in using internet?


STAGE 2

DESCRIBE AN OCCASSION WHEN YOU WERE TRAPPED IN TRAFFIC
When was it
How long were you trapped in it
What was your reaction

STAGE 3

What is the effect of traffic on environment?
How is the traffic in peak hours in your country?
What can authorities do to relieve traffic in metro and small cities?

WRITING TOPIC

Computer is very popular these days.what are the areas where computers are popular and what are the areas where teachers are still important. Discuss.

LIFE-"a web of mysteries" By SANGEETA KHATRI (AAS 2009)

we call it as happiness & full of joy

when life gives us every ,key

what would be if we find this key

in the sand of downs

life then appears miserable

we call it ambitious & full of oppurtunities

when life gives us ample chances

what would be if these chances are

in a dark room

life then appears dull and heavy slot

we call it full of love& dreams

when life us caring and trustworthy

what would be if we have to look for them

among the million in the crowd

life then would appear boring &

..........very very long.

SANGEETA KHATRI

POINTS TO REMEMBER FOR IELTS EXAM

1. More is less. A very common mistake is to answer in more words than instructed. If the task says "Not more than 3 words", answering in 4 or more words will definitely cost marks.

2. Less is less. The length of a written task is crucial. When instructions mention a minimal number of words (250 for essay, 150 for report or letter), it means that any work shorter than required will be penalized.

3. Longer essay doesn't mean better mark. Another common misconception is that longer essays score better in IELTS. Not only is this a myth, but also a dangerous one. Writing a long essay can indirectly cost marks, because the chances of making mistakes increase with the number of words and sentences.

4. Changing the subject is unacceptable. Every so often a student is asked to write on topic, that he doesn't understand. To avoid the disaster of missing a whole task they decide to write on a slightly – or entirely - different topic. The sad fact is that no matter how beautiful the submitted work is, the wrong topic means zero score. Another similar pitfall is to omit parts of the given topic or ignore the guidelines in your work. Every point the topic refers to needs to be covered because the examiners will be actually counting them.

5. Good memory can get you in trouble. Having seen that the topics sometimes repeat, "smart" students with good memory decide to memorize essays. This is a terrible mistake to make because the examiners are trained to look for memorized essays and have firm instructions to disqualify such works on the spot.

6. Accent is not important. Pronunciation is.! IELTS, being a test for non-native English speakers can't penalize people for having an accent. The problem here is that not everyone knows the difference between speaking with an accent and mispronouncing the words. No matter how strong of an accent a person has, the words are to be pronounced correctly or it will cost marks.

7. It is not the ideas that are important, but the way they are described in. Many students think that expressing the wrong ideas (whether it is in essay, letter or discussion) can harm their score. The truth is that no idea can be wrong and the ideas are not important on their own, it is the way they are expressed in that important.

8. Connective words: the more is not always the better. Smart students know that one of the essay marking criteria are coherence and cohesion, and what better way is there to demonstrate cohesion than to use lots of connective words, right? Wrong. Overuse of connective words is a know problem, which is easily recognized and penalized by the examiners.

And in conclusion, a word of advice: to stay out of trouble, it is equally important to be aware of the pitfalls and to practice enough before the exam. Being familiar with the structure and the procedure of the test will build up confidence and that will reflect in your score.