(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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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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Online
Encyclopedias (百科全书)
in English
Company-Sponsored
Exercise Programs
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http://english.sina.com/index.html
http://www.chinaview.cn/index.htm
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(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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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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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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http://animal.discovery.com/petplanet/
The Responsibilities of Pet Owners (Discussion Topic)
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23163
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?module=3&lg=en
http://www.dog-names.org.uk/dog-types-uses.htm
http://www.catbreedadvice.com/
http://www.webindia123.com/pets/cats/types.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
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://no.chineseembassy.org/eng/dtxw/t230943.htm
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)
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.)
Animal Welfare League (Australia)
http://www.animalwelfareleague.com.au/
http://www.animalwelfareleague.com.au/generalinfo_FAQ.asp
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Recycling Water-------------------------------
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
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/
This page is at quite an advanced reading level: http://www.epa.gov/nps/chap3.html
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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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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http://www.einaudi.cornell.edu/curriculum/monkey/food/index.asp?grade=3
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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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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
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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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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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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
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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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
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=46409
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Reading in English
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=45615
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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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'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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The Family
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=41728
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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
Colour
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=35084
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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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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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Intelligence and Learning Styles
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=23580
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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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(a possible upcoming
topic)
Dreams
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=192&t=23457
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An International Language (Discussion Topic)
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23048
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 where people live (Discussion Topic)
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=35477
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The Value of Holidays (Discussion Topic)
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23055
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Fame (Discussion Topic)
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=23050
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Gifts (Discussion Topic)
http://www.englishclub.com/esl-forums/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=24246
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