[Review: Listening/Writing]

First Day Review: Practice

Listening: 37/39

Writing:

Task 1: 7

• One on one coaching. I like it that my writing was immediately checked.

Task 2: 6

• I had a hard time understanding the topic question. UGH. But the checker complimented me on my introduction *modest smile* but the rest of the paragraph were bleehhh. I think that’s one of my weak points, I really do have good introduction because I get most my ideas from my introduction. Anyway, it’s not too late yet.

[GT1: PRACTICE]

A friend recently invited you to a special party. you intended to go but at the last minute you were unable to attend.

Write a letter to your friend. In your letter

• apologise for not going to the party
• explain what prevent you from going
• suggest a way of making up for this

Dear Friend,

How are things going for you? I hope you are well.

I understand that you held a special party for an important occasion and it was an honor for me to be invited, however, I would like to ask for your forgiveness for not being able to be there at all despite my desire to be present at such significant affair. The reason for my absence was an emergency call from my brother who asked me to deliver some important documents he left at home to his work place. As you well know, my brother’s office was located outskirt of the city and by the time I got back it was already late for me to crash your party.

Since I missed the actual event, do you think it is all right for us to meet up and talk about some sort of belated celebration? I would love to hear your ideas about how could I make it a special day for you (all over again) as well as for me.

Best regards,

Me

The Point Between A & B

So I opened this blog again.

After my exam last March 21, 2010 I thought of deleting it after the results came out. My title was my own subtle mockery of my own scores. Yes, I aim for 9, but my scores weren’t anything near that number.

I was beyond disappointed but regret was far from my mind.

When I took the exam, all I ever thought was I can surpass it with flying colors. My scores weren’t that bad. In fact, my speaking was kind of surprising.

Reading: 7.5

Listening: 8

Speaking: 8

Writing: 6

OBS= 7.5

Okay, so screw writing. Honestly, I totally do not expect that. I was expecting somewhere between 7 and 7.5 but surprise!

Another surprise was my speaking. I know I can hold a conversation in straight English but during the exam, the examiner repeated the last question three times because I didn’t get what she was trying to ask me. And most of my answers were actually honest answers and I just let my spontaneity get the best of me.

The exam itself wasn’t traumatic at all. It’s the cost that will keep on bugging you.

But today, I am officially re-opening this blog with a renewed positivity and complete surrender to the Lord, that these things happen for a greater purpose and I know that His will be done.

I trust you Lord, into Your hands I rest my future~

[FINAL CALL]

Today is the IELTS exam held at Grand Regal Hotel.

I was nervous but hopeful.

“Into Thy hands, I surrender myself”

I don’t want to talk about the exam, how I messed up on some areas and how I became off-tangent during speaking.

I will patiently wait for the results for the next 14 days.

——-

I would like to thank the people who were all rooting for me, encouraging me and supporting me in the best way they can.

Thank you to my brothers Dave & Darrel. (I got teary eyed when I received Dave’s message.)

Thanks to all my friends who believed.

And most importantly, THANK YOU GOD for seeing me through. Guiding me. Enlightening me. Into Your Hands I commend my soul. THANK YOU.

[PRACTICE: WRITING]

Task 1:

The graph projects the population proportion of three different between years 1940 and 2040 among 65 year-old and above.

In 1940 Japan’s elder generation was 5%, Sweden has about 7% and USA has around 9%. 20 years later, Japan’s 65 year-old declined by roughly 1% as opposed Sweden and USA with 1% increase. By 1990′s Sweden and USA’s elder population decreased while in Japan, the 65 years old and above started to rise in number after a period of plateau from 1960 to 1980. On the other hand from 1980 to early 2020, there was a foresighted leveling of 65 years and above at around 14%, meanwhile in 2010 Sweden, the figure rose significantly by approximately 7% from its decline in the 90′s. Last 20 years ago. The most notable increase however was noted at Japan’s older population with a significant rise of 15% from its projected number in 2030, and continued to be foreseen as increasing.

Over all, Japan experienced a period of decline but with rising figures in the later years. Sweden and USA has fluctuating record, though the three countries’ older generations were projected as increasing come 2040.

Cambridge Book5

Task 2

Equality is important these days. What a man can do, the woman also tries to do, and this social fact is also relevant in universities because there are people who are believe that there should be an equal number of male and female students in a given class.

I suppose having the same number of men and women is somewhat impossible. There are many factors to be considered: first, the number of enrollees that registered in a certain subject or course. We might want to investigate how many per gender enrolled as to divide the class equally. In my case, I was a Nursing major and most student nurses in our schools are females, while only a handful of male are enrolled. Naturally, more females than males are there in a given class. Another point to ponder into is the fact that some subjects are labeled ‘feminine’ or ‘masculine by society which creates an invisible wall when a person decides to pursue a certain course’. Take Civil Engineering for example, a friend of mine who took up engineering claimed that in his class of 20, only three were females. Perhaps, it is safe to say that Civil Engineering gives off a masculine vibe thus attracting lesser women students.

Despite the progress of equality movement on both genders, there are things that still need to be deliberated. This issue among universities is more than an equality matter. I think it does not matter whether there are only five males as opposed to 15 females in a certain class and vice versa after all, the universities are more concerned on academic pursuits more than anything else.

[SCORES]

BOOK 5

Reading:

1- 34/40

2- 29/40

3- 35/40

4- 35/40

Listening:

1- 31/40

2- 37/40

3- 32/40

4- 35/40

[SCORES]

BOOK 3

Reading:

1- 30/40

2- 31/40

3- 24/40

4- 33/40

Listening:

1- 32/40

2- 34/40

3- 25/40

4- 37/40

[PRACTICE: WRITING]

Task 1

The table depicts the CO2 emissions for various modes of transportation in the European Union while the pie chart projects how much is being spent on these vehicles.

The highest CO2 emission was from Air transport with almost 400 grams of CO2 per passenger followed by passenger cars with around 130 grams of CO2 per passenger. Maritime and rail transports have about the same CO2 emission with approximately 49 grams. Coaches have the lowest CO2 emission with roughly 47 grams.

On the other hand, 52% of the European Union funds go to roads; 31% for railways; 10% for public transport; 2% for ports and 1% for Interm modal, Inland waterways and airports.

Considering the money invested on airports, it is significant to note that there is no correlation between the CO2 emission and the funding for developing airports. More over, despite more than half of  funding for transport on roads, the total CO2 emission from road vehicles cannot equal to that of the air transport.

Task 2

The increase in mobile phone use in recent years has transformed the way we live, communicate and do business. Mobile phones can also be the cause of social or medical problems. What forms do these problems take?
Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of mobile phones?

The simple telephone that Mr. Grahambell developed has come a long way. Nowadays, mobile phone can do various things at once. A person can watch TV, browse the internet, and take pictures and many others. But like any other technology it has its pro’s and con’s.

There are people who argue that hand phone as much as they are handy, they are also causes some of social and medical concerns. Ironically, as much as mobile phones bridges gap in communication, it also alienates the people from themselves. For example, in a friend’s gathering; instead of talking during the meet-up, people take out their hand phones and start tinkering it hence impairing the individual’s communication. There are also people who believe that cellular phones emit a certain radiation that can cause medical problems like cancer. There was a study conducted about the radiation emitted by hand phones and although the research is not conclusive, it suggest that hand phone usage might indeed contribute to certain illness. And there are some people who are more concerned of the disposal of mobile phone batteries. These people claim that throwing discarded batteries into normal trash pose a threat in terms of health and safety of the society and those cellular phone manufacturers should implement proper disposal of batteries.

Personally, I have always believed that there are two sides to every story. There will be advantages and disadvantages, people should use it wisely. There is no doubt that hand phones are helpful yet it can create problems for us. The way I see it, the user should balance the positive and negative effects to limit possible problems that it might cause after all, we are all responsible for the things we own such as these high-tech mobile phones.

[PRACTICE: READING]

I started Book 5 of the Cambridge series.

Practice 1: Reading Score : 34/40

Practice 2: Reading Score: 29/40

Needs more practice. SERIOUSLY.

[REVIEW: SPEAKING]

Wed:

Speaking. I got good feed backs. WEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!