CUE CARD: YOUR FAVOURITE FOOD

Speak about a popular meal you like in your home town

What it is

How do you cook it

Why you like it.

Food habits widely vary from place to place and culture to culture. Even one’s religion has got decisive role in forming   his or her decision about what to eat and how to eat.

However,  People of my hometown Muvattupuzha  are habitually inclined to non-vegetarian foods and if you ask  about the dish I am pretty  fond of  well,    for the most part I’d say  it is that ever green Chicken biriyani. Largely,  I  adore chicken delicacies to the extent that my mother quite often quip  that I being a child  smiled a  contented smile only when I  got a plate full of steaming rice and a  lip-smacking chicken side dish!!.  She, is not wrong altogether! Even now Chicken delicacies form my most cherished dietary. I enjoy trying out almost all sorts of available chicken cuisines and my most favourite is not chicken just as an accompaniment to rice but as a main dish- chicken biriyani   and you know, my friends often call me “a self professed fan of chicken biriyani!”

When it comes to its preparation, it’s simple. To put it in one line, Chicken biriyaini is nothing but marinated and then fried chicken layered in parboiled ghee rice along with fried onion and chopped coriander leaves, cashews and other nuts. Chicken biriyani, together with its traditional side dishes and a small bottle of cola accompaniment forms my Saturday menu-nevertheless, I am not a big fan of Cola as such.

People quite often ask me why I am so particular about this dish. I often answer them in a one-liner;   chicken biriyani is flavoursome,   aromatic, and appetizing I just can’t resist it. As well as this, its   nutritional values with less cholesterol content is another attractive feature. At any rate, we friends hang out on weekends and automatically find ourselves at a popular city chicken hang-out!! I’d like to just sum up by saying that this chicken delicacy, named Chicken biriyani offers nothing less than a great treat to your taste buds!   

……

www.carmelcmi.com./ `IELTS kerala'( you tube)

  

VOCABULARY

11.   Marinade

12.   Layer(v)

13.   Parboil

14.   Accompaniment

15.   Form(v)

16.   Accompaniment

17.   Calorific

18.   Flavorsome

19.   Aromatic

20.   Appetizing

21.   Offer

22.   Nothing less than

23.   Noted for

24.   Hang out/about/around(with sb)/on/up 

A MUSEUM CUE CARD AND RELATED VOCABULARIES

A MUSEUM CUE CARD AND RELATED VOCABULARIES 

Describe a museum you visited

When did you visit?

How do you feel about it?

IMPROVE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCE WITH FITTING VOCABULARIES

The sentence: The museum has a variety of objects

Possible answers: 

The museum stores a variety of objects

or

The museum houses a variety of objects

or

The museum lodges a variety of objects

or

The museum maintains a variety of objects

  WHO RUNS THE MUSEUM

·       It is managed by/run by/.....

Other fitting vocabularies

* Exquisite art pieces/prestigious collection

* National Museum has also received many international laurels 

`IELTS kerala'( you tube)

FOLLOW-UP 4. BUILDING RELATED QUESTIONS

Building related (sample) follow-up questions

1.       Compare the differences between the constructions in your city now and
20 years ago? Describe the building styles in detail?

2.       What are people's attitudes towards old buildings today and that of our later
generation? Should we protect them? Why?

3.       What role do you think the old and modern buildings play in the society?

4.       Compare the differences between house and apartment?

5.       Are there some old constructions in your hometown?

6.       What do you think, is people's attitudes to old building today?

7.       Should we protect old constructions? Why?

8.       What role do you think the old and modern buildings play in the society.

9.       What roles do old buildings and new buildings play in modern society?

10.   What changes have taken place in architecture in the past two decades?

11.   Do you think it necessary to protect old buildings?

12.   Compare the differences between the constructions in your city with them in
20 years ago? Describe the building styles in detail?

13.   What are people's attitudes to old building today and that of our later
generation? Should we protect them? Why?

14.   What role do you think the old and modern buildings play in the society?

15.   Compare the differences between house and apartment?

16.   What do you think, is people's attitudes to old building today?

17.   Should we protect old constructions? Why?

What role do you think the old and modern buildings play in the society?

www.carmelcmi.com `IELTS kerala'( you tube)

MEDIA-The advent of electronic media and the survival of the print media

How has the print media, as a whole, survived the advent of the brand- new electronic media?

Well, media as a whole, indeed, is  an interesting topic.   Until recently/

·         in a matter of little over a decade

·         until nineties

print media was the only option for the people. But all of a sudden, I mean, in  hardly  ten years  the media market witnessed      Uunprecedented changes.  I mean, by the advent of electronic media-T.V channels and internet, to   be precise, channel wars grew deadlier. The traditional print media, apprantly/abviously, was on the receiving end/got caught in the crossfire/took a beating.

 No wonder if the intelligentsia of the print media had sensed it eaerlier and had planned their survival tactics well in advance. Consequently, next to no time, the leading news papers entered the fray I mean, the vibrant media market. As of now/as it stands now, most of the leading newspaper establishments have already set  foot in the vibrant electronic media market to make their mark on it. I mean, the leading newspaper establishments have already started to launch their own TV channels and obviously, the remaining ones are all set to follow the suit.

                              

·         Set foot on/in this vibrant media market.

·         all set to launch their own channels

·         ready to go on air

·         gearing up to go on air,

·         on a wing and a prayer

·         in the pipeline

anytime in a couple of years. Moreover, they have also updated their printing facilitates to match  the new generation trend.  That is how the print media have survived and have been surviving since then.

…………

www.carmelcmi.com `IELTS kerala'( you tube)

MASTER THE ART OF SIGNPOSTING

  THE ART OF SIGNPOSTING

The term `signpost’ literally means small pieces of boards containing signs placed at the sides of the roads. These signs give information about the direction and distance of place. Similarly, signposting in your speaking helps to know the direction of your thoughts. They help anticipate the kind of information. They are also called `sentence connectors’

I have grouped them under the following headings;

       

    1. ADDITIONAL NEWS GIVER

    2. LISTING SPECIALIST

    3. REPHRASER

    4. SECONDER

    5.RESULT INDICATOR

    6. SMART EXAMPLE POINTER

    7. DEVIL’S ADVOCATE(expresses alternative view points)

    8. CONCLUSION ASSISTANT

      ADDITIONAL NEWS GIVER- As to, with respect to, what is more, corresponding, also, moreover, furthermore, again, further, then, as well as, in addition, besides, above all, too, either, neither… nor, not only… but also, similarity, in the same way, in fact, it is found that, in reality, really, as for, regarding

2.       LISTING SPECIALIST- To begin with, in the second place, moreover additionally, also, next, then, Firstly, secondly, thirdly, is another, yet another, in addition, finely, and to conclude, lastly, finally.

3.       REPHRASER- In other words, rather, or, better,  in that case is, in view of this, with this in mind, is to look at this another way.

4.       SECONDER- Therefore, accordingly, as a result, so, then, it can be seen that, the result is, the consequence is, resulting from this, consequently, now,  we can see that, it is evident that, because of this, thus, hence, for this reason, this suggests that, it follows that, in other word, otherwise in that case, that implies.

5.       RESULT INDICATOR- Notwithstanding, nonetheless, however, in the final analysis, although, though, after all, on the other hand, all the same, even if.

6.       SMART EXAMPLE POINTER- As in the following examples, an example of this is, that it to say, in other words, for example, namely, and, as follows, such as, including, especially, particularly, notably, mostly, chiefly, mainly.

7. DEVIL’S ADVOCATE (expresses alternative view points)

8.       CONCLUDING ASSISTANT- Thus we can see that, my conclusion is, therefore, so, in short, in conclusion, to conclude, to summaries, to sum up, briefly, in brief, overall, thus.

www.carmelcmi.com `IELTS kerala'( you tube)
...............

EVALUATION CRITERIA-1

CRITERIA 1.       FLUENCY  AND COHERENCE

It means your ability to speak in a “smooth and skilful way” which in turn, shows your skill to speak without unnecessary hesitation pauses along with your talent to use fillers, fittingly.

COHERENCE

If your speech is coherent the listener can easily make head or tail out of it. This is indicative of your ability to fit the parts of your presentation together.

Are you able to use connecting expressions EASILY to join different parts of answers and to make your talk flow?-is an important t question in terms of your fluency and coherence.

BRITISH COUNCIL PUTS `FLUENCY AND COHERENCE' UNDER THE FOLLOWING HEADINGS     

1.       SPEAK AT LENGTH

2.       ORGANIZING IDEAS LOGICALLY

3.       APPROPRIATE  SIGN POSTING

4.       EXPRESS AND JUSTIFY OPINIONS

5.       DISCUSS AND SPECULATE WITHOUT LONG PAUSES

The formula: (LLSOP=LoLiSOaP)

SIGN POSTING

                                          (You can read it from that portion, from this blog)

OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS IN CONNECTION WITH SPEAKING:

1.   BUILD ON YOUR POINT= Learn to speak  at length.

2. SPEAK CLEARLY AND SMOOTHLY AT NORMAL RATE

3. DO NOT UNECESSARILY, STOP OR PAUSE FOR SEARCH OF WORDS

4. LINK YOUR IDEAS

5. ORGANIZE YOUR SENTENCES LOGICALLY

Explanation

1.   BUILD ON YOUR POINT= Learn to speak  at length.

Examples

Eg: Q.1.  Where are you from?

A: Answer: I am from Muvattupuzha.

Though the answer is correct it is not a professional IELTS answer. Instead build on your answer.

A professional answer: Well, I am from Muvattupuzha, a medium- sized town located around 40 Kilometers away from here.

Q.2 What do you do?

Answer: I am a nurse

Recommended answer: I am presently working at Nirmala Medical Centre, a famous hospital in Muvattupuzha city, situated very close to the private bus stand.    I have been working there for four years.

Tip

Try to answer all the possible `wh’ questions (What/ when/where/why/who/whose)in your answer as as you speak.
2. 

SPEAKING CRITERIA-GENERAL

IELTS SPEAKING EVALUATION

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Follow the following paradigm as you speak:

1.       FLUENCY AND COHERENCE

2.       GRAMMATICAL RANGE AND ACCURACY

3.       PRONUNCIATION

4.       RANGE OF VOCABULARY

The coming blogs   discuss each one at length ….

  www.carmelcmi.com `IELTS kerala'( you tube)