IELTS Foundation Unit 7 Exercises
IELTS Foundation Unit 7 Exercises
UNIT 7
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1 I ___________ my driving test last month. Now, I drive to school every day.
2 My older sister is ___________ law. When she ___________university, she wants to be a family
lawyer.
3 I think that it is difficult for young people to ___________ a good job without experience.
4 My father ___________ me how to cook when I was a child.
5 I didn’t ___________ how to play a musical instrument when I was younger. I would like to
___________ piano lessons, but they are very expensive.
6 Many students ___________ the exam. They will ___________ it again next month.
7 I ___________ my computer course last week. I want to ___________how to design my own
website.
8 My friend is ___________ her new job tomorrow. She feels a bit nervous.
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Exercise 4: Complete the job advertisements with the words and phrases in the box.
energy experience friendly hard-working long hours
speak another language sports, art or music weekend
___________________ for busy city hotel, who can ___________________ (French, German or
Spanish).
You should be ___________________ to guests and give them any information that they need about
tourist attractions, local restaurants and transport in the city.
Summer Camp leaders to teach children ___________________at a mummer camp. You should
have a lot of ___________________ because you will spend all day with the children. You will need
to work weekdays and at the ___________________ but you will have one day off each week.
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at in on
1 I’m doing well at school. I got top marks for my English essay. I think it’s because I can write
really well.
2 I got a bad mark in my exams. My problem is that I can’t remember facts.
3 I was so nervous last year in my science exam that I couldn’t remember a thing.
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4 I studied French at school so I could communicate quite well with people when I visited France last
month.
I’m interested in the lifeguard job this summer.
I could swim very well. I can’t swim when I was a child but I learnt when I was 12.
I can’t also remember lots of information like instructions and what I need to do to help peopl
e in the swimming pool.
I have some questions about the lifeguards you had last year. They
could talk to new people easily? I can’t, so I think I am a good choice for this job.
Thanks,
Pablo
B. Language Builder
Exercise 1. Match the words with the pictures. Use the words in the box.
answer the phone build a wall clean the floor cut hair
make drinks wash dishes
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1 dirty
2 low
3 boring
4 long
5 terrible
6 hard
7 heavy
I work long hours. The company was a long way from my home.
The factory was very noisy. The job was boring. The job was well paid.
The pay was very low.
2 The machinery was so loud that you couldn’t hear anybody talk. _______________________
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Jacky: What _________ you do in the summer? Did you get a job?
Mark: Yes, I worked as a waiter for a bit. I _________doing that after a week, though. They pay was so
low. I only _________ £5 an hour and it was quite hard work.
Jacky: And so what did you do after that?
Mark: I _________ a job at a hairdresser’s .
Jacky: Oh no, I can’t believe that!
Mark: What are you thinking? I _________ cut people’s hair!
Jacky: so what did you do, then?
Mark: I _________ as a cleaner. I had to clean the floor! There was always hair everywhere. It was a bit
boring, but people _________ nice.
Jacky: Did you earn much?
Mark: No, just £4 an hour.
Jacky: That’s terrible!
Mark: That’s why I _________ and got another job.
Jacky: Another job? That’s too much!
Mark: I got a job with a builder for the last few weeks of the holiday. The hour were long, but they
money was very good.
Jacky: Was it hard work?
Mark: Yes, I had to carry lots of heavy things around, but I __________ to build walls, so it was OK.
And I liked being outdoors in the fresh air. It was healthy and I’m quite fit now.
Jacky: Yes, I can see.
Exercise 5. Put the words in the correct order to complete the sentences.
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Exercise 7. Read the online posts by students. Correct the mistakes by changing
the underlined verbs into the past simple.
Diane
Last summer, I get a job in a shop. I work every day from nine to five. I don’t like it much, but the
money is OK.
George
Last weekend, I help my mum and dad in the family business. I don’t have to work hard and it is a
bit boring, but I earn a lot.
Carlo
Last year, I have a Saturday job as a sales assistant in a clothes shop. I love talking to the customers,
but I don’t like working long hours.
Clare
During the last holidays, I start an office job, I enjoy answering the phone and working with other
people. The office manager doesn’t speak to me, but that isn’t a problem.
Exercise 2. Read the blog posts by people with different jobs. Choose the correct words to
complete the blog posts.
James, 23. The best part of my job is the children. They say so many busy/ clever/ easy things and
know so much already. I often feel like I can see them learning. It is important to be very boring/
difficult/ kind to do this job and not to get angry. And, of course, you need to be able to talk in a way
that young people can understand. I work very clever/ easy/ hard and I often have to take work home
at the weekends and in the holidays. But it is worth it at the end of the school term, when the children
tell me how much they enjoyed being in my class.
Isabelle, 34. The part of my job that I enjoy the most is meeting new people and finding out about
their health. Speaking to people is very awful/ busy/ important in my job, because I need to be able to
explain things clearly to sick people and their families. This can be a clever/ difficult/ friendly job.
When I first started working in the hospital, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to take care of
everyone, especially when the hospital was very busy/ interesting/ kind, but the other staff were very
helpful, and I really enjoy working there now.
Gary, 28. The best part of my job is that I can spend so much time doing a sport I enjoy and get paid
for it. I also have the chance to travel around the world and it’s great that I can get to meet so many
easy/ favorite/ interesting people. I love talking to fans and taking photographs with them. Of course,
the job is not always fun. It makes me very tired and it can be very difficult, especially on the days
when I don’t play well. I have to play the best I can at all times and that isn’t always easy/ kind/
popular.
Sarah, 19. My favorite part of the job is talking to people and helping them to decide what to buy. I
prefer my job when the shop is busy and there are a lot of people to help. It can be a bit boring/ busy/
interesting when the shop is really quiet. I like making the clothes look nice so that customers will
want to buy them. I also enjoy seeing the new clothes before anyone else and wearing the latest
fashions. Of course, there are some difficult people, but most of them are really nice and awful/
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favorite/ friendly.
Exercise 3. Read the blog posts in Exercise 2 again and choose the correct answers
Most students learn subjects like English, Maths, Science and Geography at school. However, some
people don’t think that these subjects are so useful for students. They think that these subjects will not
help students to get a job later, after they leave school. So, some schools have started to teach new
subjects to their students, which they think will be more useful to them in the future.
Some schools want their students to study subjects which they think will be more helpful for them to
get a job in the future. One school in the United States has decided to teach their students how to do
different things using computers. Their students are learning how to write computer programs and
how to design mobile phone apps. Their students enjoy these new subjects, and would like to have
more lessons to improve their computer skills.
Other schools want their students to learn more daily life skills. A school in the UK is teaching their
students about what they should eat to stay healthy and how to cook healthy meals. In the past, most
children learnt how to cook at school, but today, many schools have stopped teaching cooking, so that
they can spend more time on subjects like Science and Maths. However, this UK school teaches
cooking as well as other skills such as how to save money.
Finally, learning how to speak and write well is very important for both work and family life. Some
people think that children do not learn these skills properly in school, because they spend so much
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time studying for tests. Therefore, a school in Singapore has started teaching their students how to
speak and write well, and how to speak in a good way to young people and adults.
Complete the summary with words from the box. Read about subjects that are taught in schools
again to help you.
Some schools are now teaching new things to their students which will be more useful to them in the
_________. Some of the new _________, such as Computer Programming, can help students get a
_________ when they leave school. Others help them to learn important _________ in the home, for
example, how to cook healthy meals and how to save _________. Finally, more _________ in speaking
and writing can also help young people get on well with other people when they leave school, both at
_________ and at home.
Exercise 5. Read the essay about tests in school. Label the paragraphs with the correct phrases
from the box.
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their students by playing games to help them prepare. These people think that if children have a test they
will pay more attention to their lessons and they will do more work at home and at a school.
_____________________
It is important for children to do tests in school because teachers need to know that their students
understand the subject. Doing tests also helps children to pay attention in class and spend their time
well. However, schools should not give too many tests to their students, because this will make children
feel bored.
Exercise 6. Put the words in the correct order to complete the sentences.
Exercise 7. Put the sentences in the correct order to complete the paragraph.
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However, other say that school school does not help many young people to get a job in the future.
Also, they can learn other important life skills, such as how to make friends and get on well with
other people.
They think that children need to learn more pactical skills for work.
Secondly, they can learn usefull skills in school, like how to learn another language and write essays.
Many people think that school is very important for young people.
For example, how to write computer programs or make things with their hands.
Firstly, they can learn about many different subjects from Maths to Music.
Exercise 8. Complete the paragraph. Use the words and phrases from the box. One word or
phrase is used twice.
_______________ use computers to help them with their school work. _______________ there are
advantages and disadvantages with using computers at school. _______________, using computers can
be helpful for finding information about different school subjects. _______________, students can find
websites and fames to help them learn a different language. _______________, young people enjoy
using new technology and they often work better when they use computers. _______________, using
computers can also stop young people from studying because there are so many other things they can do.
_______________, they might check their mail, play games or watch videos instead of working.
Exercise 9. Read the sentences from the paragraph. Then match the sentences with the
information.
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A Many students use computers to help them with their school work.
B I think there are advantages and disadvantages with using computer at school.
C Firstly, using computers can be helpful for finding infromation about different school sunjects.
D For example, students can find websites and games to help them learn a different language.
E Secondly, young people enjoy using new technology and they often work better when they use
computers.
F However, using computers can also stop young people from studying because there are so many other
things they can do.
G For example, they might check their email, play games or watch videos instead of working.
1A ● ● Another advantage
4D ● ● First advantage
5E ● ● A disadvantage
6F ● ● An example of a disadvantage
7G ● ● An example of an advantage
Exercise 10. Write a paragraph on the following topic:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing homework?
Use the notes to help you.
Notes
In your paragraph, remember to include:
1 an introduction to the topic.
2 your opinion.
3 some information that agrees with the topic.
4 some information that disagrees with the topic.
5 examples of advantages and disadvantages.
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Exercise 11. Read the paragraph. Choose which ways man is destroying the Earth.
a. Eating too much meat.
b. Having too many holidays.
c. Using too much energy.
d. Driving too much.
e. Working too much.
Today, people are destroying the Earth by using resources too quickly and causing pollution. The
situation needs to change quickly. We need to do three things to stop this situation. First, we need to
reduce the amount of energy people use. Finally, we can help to protect our world.
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4 The problem
1 Tracks 7.7 ● ● can talk about things that are interesting for tourists
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When I was a young child, I wasn’t very good at sports. I couldn’t ___________ football and I couldn’t
swim, but I could ___________ very fast – faster than most of other children of my age. I remember we
had lots of ___________ at school and I always ___________. I learnt to read early and by the age of
six or seven I could read all the books for children in the school library. I also ___________ my own
stories.
I am studying ___________ at university now. My main language is English and I can also
___________ French and Spanish quite well and I can ___________ Italian new online. I still enjoy
writing and I write lots of articles for university magazines. I also work on the magazine, because
students can help others to write better. I am also good at speaking and enjoy giving my opinion in
___________. I always use my laptop to write presentations which have photos, drawings or video and
so I have good ___________ skills as well. I am still interested in running and I take part in lots of
university races.
Exercise 4. Read the text about what John wants to do after university and the skills he needs.
Choose the correct answers. Then listen and check your answers. (Track 7.14)
I’m not exactly sure what I want/ wanted/ will to do when I leave university, but I think I want to
work as a journalist. Maybe I could/ couldn’t/ won’t work for a newspaper or even for radio or
television as a reporter. I think that would be great. I am/ are/ can very interested in lots of sports
now. I love/ loved/ loving going to football and rugby matches and like/ liked/ liking watching tennis
on TV. When we have a quiz night at university, I’m the one who can/ could/ does answer all the
questions about sport. I think my dream job will/ won’t/ would be a TV sports reporter.
I already have some of the skills you need/ needed/ needing for that job, but I think I still need to
learn/ learning/ learnt a lot. How to interview people in a TV studio, for example, and maybe how to
sat/ sit/ sitting in front of a camera.
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2 drive ● ● people
3 run ● ● a car
4 speak ● ● a marathon
5 interview ● ● a bicycle
6 surf ● ● English
Exercise 7. Put the words in the correct order to make sentences. Practice saying the sentences.
8 You need for that job I already of the skills have many .
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Exercise 8. Listen to two students, Mark and Jacky, talking about the jobs they had during the
summer holidays. Choose the correct answers. (Track 7.15)
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Exercise 10. Talk about your skills. Use these questions to help you. Spend a few minutes thinking
about what to say.
Questions:
• What skills did or didn't you have when you were younger?
• What skills do you have or are you learning now?
• What job do you want to do in the future?
• What skills do you need to learn to do the job?
Exercise 11. You are going to talk about a job you had during the holidays or last year. Use the
ideas below to help you.
Ideas
• Say what the job was.
• Say if you think it was a good job or not.
• Say what you liked or didn’t like.
• Say what you did.
• Say what you earned.
RECORDING SCRIPTS
Exercise 8.
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Exercise 9.
Mark: Did you work in a café or in a restaurant again, Jacky?
Jacky: No, I wanted to do something different this summer. I got a job for a couple of weeks in a
busy office.
Mark: Only two weeks?
Jacky: It was three weeks actually.
Mark: And did you like it?
Jacky: Yes, it was OK, but the problem was I was the only person under 30 working there. There
weren’t any young people, so it wasn’t much fun. The manager wasn’t very nice either. He shouted
all the time. He was so loud and he was never happy.
Mark: Was there anything good about the job?
Jacky: Yes, of course! It wasn’t completely negative. There were some good things about the job. It
was very well paid. I earned quite a lot of money, and most of the work was quite interesting. I wrote
emails and answered the phone, for example. That was OK. Oh, I nearly forgot. I also made drinks
for everybody. If they wanted tea or coffee, I made it and brought it to them.
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