www.yasi-kouyu.com.cn                                                                                                    

(Updated Oct. 6, 2008)                                                                                  

Good Internet Links for Reading About Topics

The links on this page will show you some links to websites that have useful articles on some common IELTS Speaking test questions. 

Reading about typical IELTS Speaking test topics is a key way to increase your vocabulary, your general knowledge and your understanding of what good English writing looks like. Similarly, listening to suitable materials also helps your ability in all four IELTS tests, not just the Listening test.

However, as students of English, not all reading and listening materials on the internet are suitable for you because the level of English is sometimes too high. The links below are to some places on the internet that have excellent resources for you, at about the right level for most IELTS students. 

Other Pages with Internet Links on this website.

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Note: Discussion Topics

Those topics labeled as "Discussion Topic" are discussion topics on an internet forum for learners of English (like you). Many of the postings on this forum have English errors! The idea of reading this discussion forum is to get ideas and to see how other people discussed these topics.

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Read Chinese News in English

 China Radio International

 'Up-Close', CCTV9 Program

Online Encyclopedias (百科全书) in English  

Environmental Issues

 Animals/Pets

 Water

 The Future

 Chinese Food

 China

 The Internet

 Company-Sponsored Exercise Programs

 Tourism

 Volunteering

 Crime and Law

Life Changes

Parties

Stress

Studying English

Globalization

Shopping

Family

Clothes

Colour

Personality Traits

Success

Learning

Art

Dreams

Language

Competition

Climate and Weather

Rest and Recreation

Fame

Gifts

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Read Chinese News in English

http://english.sina.com/index.html

http://www.chinaview.cn/index.htm

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/

http://english.people.com.cn/

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China Radio International

(This site is mostly for listening, not reading.)

http://english.cri.cn/  (Topic of the Day is shown in the right-hand side column.)

http://english.cri.cn/ce_easyfm/

This radio station has lots of different English content, often with Chinese translations.

Pay special attention to the  'Topic of the Day' for the program called, "China Drive". These topics are very often related to current IELTS Speaking test questions. This program is on both in the mornings and afternoons and they might sometimes have two different topics - one for the morning & one for the afternoon.

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'Up-Close', CCTV9 Program

This is not really an internet link but, rather, a recommendation to watch the program called 'Up-Close', which is on CCTV9 on Sundays, 9:15am, 3:15 pm, 11:15 pm & Monday 3:15 am. Previously, this program was not especially suitable for IELTS students, although any program in English is good. But I noticed today (Jan. 27, 2008) that today's program and next week's programs are especially suitable for IELTS students. This program is a 'talk show', an interview of one or two guests. In the past, most guests were foreigners or overseas Chinese. Today, the guests were two young Chinese people from China and the topic was 'holidays' and 'weekends' and free-time activities. One of the guests spoke just like a typical IELTS candidate - his English contained many grammatical errors but he was still quite fluent. The concept of 'change' was mentioned several times. Next week's program will be about food. This program has been redesigned to suit IELTS students! 

The following link will take you to videos of previous Up-Close programs. http://www.cctv.com/program/upclose/01/index.shtml

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Online Encyclopedias (百科全书) in English 

(Note that some of these websites are not always well-balanced on political topics.)

 

www.answers.com is quite a good reference for general knowledge and the meaning of words. The English is a little high-level but not as difficult as other online reference sites. 

 

http://www.wikipedia.org/ is a famous site but the English is not simple.

http://www.encyclopedia.com is a portal site to many different encyclopedias

http://www.britannica.com/  This is a pay site but you can read things on this site.

http://www.artcyclopedia.com/ An encyclopedia about art

http://www.askoxford.com/?view=uk  This site is more an information site than a dictionary, although the site does give short dictionary definitions of most words. (Oxford's full online dictionary exists but it is a pay site.)

http://dsc.discovery.com/  Discovery TV Channel. Some good reading on certain topics.

http://www.bartleby.com/  This is a portal site for looking up many different things such as famous quotations. 

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Environmental Issues

 

Garbage Disposal and Recycling in Beijing

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/china_urban_recycling.php

(The video has both Chinese and English.)

 

Help the Environment

http://www.jea.com/community/education/efficiency/help/index.html

 

Greenpeace China

(You can read this website in English and Chinese.)

http://www.greenpeace.org/china/en/

 

Sustainable Agriculture

There's no need to spend a lot of time reading the following sites but it's a good idea to know about the ideas behind the concept of, 'sustainable agriculture'.

http://www.answers.com/sustainable%20agriculture

http://www.answers.com/permaculture 

http://www.permaculture.org.uk/ 

http://www.permaculture.org.uk/mm.asp?mmfile=whatispermaculture 

 

Alternative Energy

Biofuels

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=49277

 

Wind Power (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=45116

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Animals/Pets

http://animal.discovery.com/

http://animal.discovery.com/petplanet/

 

The Responsibilities of Pet Owners (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23163

 

Eating Animals such as Dogs

http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=3&lg=en

Dogs

http://www.dog-names.org.uk/dog-types-uses.htm

Cats

http://www.catbreedadvice.com/

http://www.webindia123.com/pets/cats/types.htm

http://cats.about.com/od/coatcolorpatternstypes/Coat_Color_Patterns_and_Types_Tabbies_Calicos_and_more.htm

http://www.petnet.com.au/selectacat.asp

The Endangered Animals of China

http://www.wwfchina.org/english/loca.php?loca=87

http://www.ifce.org/pages/conservation.html and http://www.ifce.org/endanger.html

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200210/27/eng20021027_105733.shtml

http://www.aapn.org/endangered.html

http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=bb2a660aa23bc0ac796febc077681055535c3b89 (A video with some Chinese)

http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/curriculum/monkey/monkey/index.asp?grade=6

Animals in China

http://www.muddlepuddle.co.uk/The%20World/Country%20pages/Animals%20of%20China.htm

http://www.china.org.cn/english/environment/222917.htm

http://www.china.org.cn/english/zhuanti/zly/148300.htm

http://www.chinaembassy.org.in/eng/szyss/gjgk/t89101.htm

http://www.animalsasia.org/

http://no.chineseembassy.org/eng/dtxw/t230943.htm

Work Animals in China

http://www.fao.org/AG/againfo/resources/documents/WAR/war/W0613B/w0613b0p.htm (Not simple English)

The Humane Treatment of Animals

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals  (Australia)

http://www.rspca.org.au/

 

Vivisection

http://www.vivisectioninfo.org/

 

Animal Welfare

http://www.animalconcerns.org/

 

Animal Rights

http://animalrights.about.com/od/animalrights101/a/ARtenets.htm

 

Animal Welfare Institute (U.S.A.)

http://www.animalwelfare.com/

 

Animal Welfare League (Australia)

http://www.animalwelfareleague.com.au/

http://www.animalwelfareleague.com.au/generalinfo_FAQ.asp

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Water

Water Resources  

Conserving Water

Recycling Water

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Water Resources

P.R.C. Ministry of Water Resources

http://www.mwr.gov.cn/english/

 

Water Woes Coming With Warming

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/04/17/waterwoes_pla.html?category=earth&guid=20070417090030

 

China's Massive Glaciers Melting

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/04/17/waterwoes_pla.html?category=earth&guid=20070417090030

 

Water Scarcity Looms with Warming

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2007/03/22/waterscarce_pla.html?category=earth&guid=20070322094530

 

Conserving Water

Why conserve water? 

http://www.jea.com/community/education/efficiency/wisely/save.html

 

Tips on saving water

There are many internet sites with ideas on how to conserve water (in the home). Below are some of these. You'll find many ideas repeated on different websites.

http://www.edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/water/ucando.htm

http://www.sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/WaterSavingTips/

http://www.americanwater.com/49ways.htm 

http://www.gem.msu.edu/pubs/msue/wq16p1.html 

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/09/conserve_water.php 

http://www.kcc.org.nz/howcanihelp/water.asp 

http://www.monolake.org/waterconservation/

http://www.conservewater.melbournewater.com.au/ 

http://www.canadianliving.com/life/green_living/water_conservation_10_ways_to_conserve_water_in_your_home.php

This page is at quite an advanced reading level: http://www.epa.gov/nps/chap3.html

 

Recycling Water

Harvesting Rain Water

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCiX005jScI&feature=related

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HamURhj_S3E&feature=related

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHi4IU7JQ5Q&feature=related

 

Waste Water Treatment Plants

This is advanced technology. You only need a few ideas on this for the test.

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pYoUXilyyg

video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMD8gb4fTJk&feature=related

These three are rather advanced reading

http://www.epa.gov/region09/water/recycling/index.html

http://www.health.vic.gov.au/environment/water/recycle.htm

http://www.waterquality.crc.org.au/consumers/Consumersp9.htm

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The Future

Building the Future

http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/building-the-future/episode-guide/episode-guide.html

 

Alternative Energy (These are videos in English. There is no written English - it's all listening.)

http://dsc.discovery.com/video/player.html?playerId=203711706&bclid=958525258

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Chinese Food

http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/curriculum/monkey/food/index.asp?grade=3

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China

http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/index.htm

http://english.gov.cn/chinatoday.htm

http://www.cctv.com/english/special/chinatoday/01/index.shtml

 

Although there are many websites with general information about China in English, I am attempting to put internet links on this page that are written in simple English but not all information written in English on the internet is simple English. Not only that, many websites contain political content that I do not want to promote on my website. 

The link below is written for school children in America and seems reasonably well-balanced, politically, (although this page,  - http://www.tooter4kids.com/china/map_of_china.htm shows two maps of China but Taiwan is included in only one of them. One cannot expect much better from an American website.) 

The main page, http://tooter4kids.com, is a website to help children study by home schooling, which is becoming popular in America. There is a lot of good reading for Chinese IELTS students here, at an English level meant to suit American school children up to 6th grade level (about the age of 12).

http://www.tooter4kids.com/china/Index.htm

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The Internet

Note: The English in the websites shown below is sometimes a little advanced.

 

Internet Usage Statistics for China (January, 2008)

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/141494/china_internet_population_tops_200_million.html

 

Survey Report on the Internet Usage in Chinese Rural Areas

http://en.chinaelections.org/newsinfo.asp?newsid=15306

 

Some comparisons between Chinese and U.S. internet usage

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3627587

 

Internet usage (in the U.S.A. but good for vocabulary)

http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/Press_Release/press_detail.html

 

Essay about internet usage by children in the U.S.A. (2003)

http://www.ladlass.com/ice/archives/007631.html

 

Internet usage in New Zealand, 2003

http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentPage____9975.aspx

 

Predictions for world internet usage in the near future

http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3626274

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Company-Sponsored Exercise Programs

 http://www.humanresourcesmagazine.com.au/articles/95/0C02DC95.asp?Type=60&Category=881

http://www.goodhealthsolutions.com.au/en-au/ServicesandSolutions/ExerciseClasses/tabid/63/Default.aspx

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Tourism

Reading this webpage (and the linked pages to this page) will help you increase your vocabulary and will give you more knowledge about the topic of tourism.

http://www.answers.com/topic/tourism

 

Tourism and Holidays

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=23893

 

The Benefits of Tourism (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23889

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Volunteering

http://www.volunteering.org.uk/

 

Why people volunteer - a Canadian study

http://www.nald.ca/fulltext/heritage/ComPartnE/WhyPplE1.htm

 

Personal Benefits of Volunteering

http://www.timebank.org.uk/aboutgiving/benefits_vol.htm

http://www.energizeinc.com/art/subj/Benefits.html

http://www.givingandvolunteering.ca/pdf/factsheets/Benefits_of_Volunteering.pdf

http://www.worldvolunteerweb.org/resources/how-to-guides/volunteer/doc/benefits-of-volunteering.html

 

The Importance of Volunteering

http://herenb.canadaeast.com/front/article/391633 (A Canadian article)

http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/careers/volunteer.htm (A Canadian article)

http://fulltext.ausport.gov.au/fulltext/2000/nsw/vitalrolevolunteersandorganisations.asp (A Speech from Australia)

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Crime and Law

Police & Crime

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=48487

 

Bribery and Corruption

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=40081

 

Corruption (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23042

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Life Changes

Life Changes

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=47853

 

Life Changes (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=47852

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Parties

Party Games

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=47578

 

Parties (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=47577

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Stress

Stress

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=46409

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Studying English

Reading in English

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=45615

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Globalization

Globalization

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=43090

 

Globalization (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=43089

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Shopping

'Shopaholics'

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=42478

 

Shopping (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=42477

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Family

The Family

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=41728

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Clothes

Clothes

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=38328

 

Culture, Religion and Clothes (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=38327

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Colour

Colour

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=35084

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Personality Traits

A Sense of Humour

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=34060

 

Adventurers

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=48911

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Success

Success

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=33232

 

Success (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=33231

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Learning

Intelligence and Learning Styles

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=23580

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Art

Art

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=23458

 

Museums and Stolen Artifacts – Should they be returned to the Countries They Were Stolen From? (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23431

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Dreams

(a possible upcoming topic)

Dreams

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=23457

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Language

An International Language (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23048

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Competition

The Olympics and the Importance of Winning (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23637

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Climate and Weather

Climate and where people live (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=35477

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Rest and Recreation

The Value of Holidays (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23055

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 Fame

Fame (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23050

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Gifts

Gifts (Discussion Topic)

http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=24246

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