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Focus on Academic Skills for IELTS | |
Publisher: Longman
Authors: Morgan Terry, Judith Wilson
175 pages
Price: £13.50
ISBN 058283791X
As a new academic year begins, many students will be thinking of going to a university at the end of their studies. Well, now is the time to start preparing. It's a long job, because you have to decide on your university, and then you have to meet the entrance qualification. And more and more universities are insisting on an English qualification, even if the subject is not English, and the university is not an English-speaking university. Many American universities want the TOEFL, and British Universities like the CPE exam. But another qualification which is gaining popularity is the IELTS test. IELTS stands for International English Language Testing Services, and its exams can be taken all over the world.
This book is for those who want to take the IELTS as a university qualification. The authors have written other books on the IELTS, and many students will have seen other books in the Focus series edited by Sue O'Connell. At English for Everybody we like books that have good explanations of what students have to do, and and exercises which help them to practice doing it. This book is one of these. It is organized into ten modules of 12 pages, each of which has Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking and a Language Review. After every two modules there is a progress check. with some (more expensive) versions of this book, you also get a listening CD.
The book gives good, clear advice to students who are interested in doing the test. It explains what is being tested, and the vocabulary and skills you will need. The main focus of the book is on academic reading and writing skills, but the other parts of the test are well described, and there is a handy section of exam tips on the inside back cover. There are not a lot of pictures, and most of those are there because they are part of the test material. There are no games, jokes or crosswords.
Who is this book for? If you need a short intensive course for the IELTS, then this book will provide it. If you have more time, this book is a useful addition to your IELTS study library. New teachers and self-study students will find the tips and descriptions of the exam very useful. If you are going to an English-speaking country for tourism or business, there are better books available. But for IELTS for university, this book is one of the best you can find.
Verdict: A solid, professional product
Assessment 8/10
This review copy was supplied by Cambridge International Book Centre