TOPIC 29 – Talk about a time when you needed to get help
BAND 8.0+
PART 2
Alice (English US)
George (English US)
When was it?
Where was it?
Why did you need help?
Who helped you, and what was the end result?
ANSWER
Recently, I got help to prepare for this IELTS exam, especially in writing. About 5 months ago, when I decided on my test date, I began searching for resources to help me get ready for this test.
Since I knew nothing about writing in IELTS and was bad at writing reports or essays, I had to find out materials, strategies, and guidance so I could do well.
Actually, I didn’t have any idea where to begin. So, I started with some online research. Fortunately, I found lots of great information. And I knew about a great website called ieltsanswers.com, which provides IELTS writing correction and feedback services, so I decided to use this service with a professional instructor. His name is Mike, and he is an ex-examiner from Australia.
This website helped me understand the structure of the different sections and provided me with lots of materials to learn from.
Regarding the service that I used, I bought 10 packages for writing corrections. The price for each package is $70.
Every day, I wrote a report or an essay, which I then sent to him. And within 24 hours, he checked my writing tasks and gave me feedback on errors and ways to improve my writing, like grammar or word choice. He also gave me a score for each of the four grading criteria.
With all of the assistance that I got from my instructor, as well as the strategies and practice every single day, my writing score increased from 6 to 7, or even 7.5. It really made me content and ready to take this test.
Of course, I will have to wait several days to know my results. I believe that hard work always pays off, so I hope I can get high scores.
PART 3
Alice (English US)
George (English US)
- Why is it important to help people in times of need?
I reckon that the main reasons for helping those in need are:
Firstly, because it’s ethical.
Secondly, it also makes us happier and healthier and can reduce stress levels in some cases. It brings us together, strengthens communities, and helps create a happier society for all. And it’s good for society!
I remember last month, when my neighbor was sick but her husband wasn’t at home. So I helped her a lot by buying medicine and food. She really appreciates it.
- How does helping others impact your life?
It creates a sense of belonging and reduces isolation.
I think that helping others is considered one of the ways that people create, maintain, and strengthen their social connections. For example, volunteering and helping others can help us feel a sense of community, make new friends, and connect with our communities.
- Why should we not always help others? When should you not help others?
If someone expects us to be dishonest, exhaust our resources, or put ourselves at risk, that’s a clear signal to stop helping. Whether it’s our time, energy, or resources, we should help within our means.
If assisting someone else is overtaxing our time, energy, or resources, it means we should stop!
- What might be the consequences of not helping?
In my humble opinion, not aiding others can lead to a sense of looseness in society.
I mean, if I didn’t help my neighbor when she was sick, she would think I was a cruel person. Not to mention, I would feel terrible about it.
- What are some common situations where people seek help from others?
As I said, when they are sick, apart from that, in some cases, they have car accidents or experience economic hardship.
- Which resources may be particularly useful in these kinds of situations?
It depends on the circumstances that we talk about.
When a person gets sick, medications are definitely a good remedy for them to help them recover quickly.
When someone experiences economic hardship, we can lend them a hand by lending them some money.
When I was a student, I was broke several times, and my close friend helped me by lending me money. Until now, I’m really grateful for it.
- Has the way people seek help these days changed compared to a generation before?
From my perspective, they have changed considerably since three decades ago. In the past, people relied on landlines to seek help and the opinion of their relatives, friends, or teachers. However, these days, people can use mobile phones to seek assistance quickly, and they use the internet to get help from many people all around the world.
- Can you elaborate on that?
Sure. When I was in secondary school, when I had trouble solving math, I only relied on my math teacher to explain for me. But now, whenever I am in trouble, I just search online, and there is a great deal of information to help me out.
- People these days often need to troubleshoot problems with their electronic devices. Why is this?
This is an interesting question. Many people have a lot of gadgets these days, which are very complex and cause a range of problems.
And it would be expensive to get professional help. So they try to figure out the problem on their own to save money.
- What is the best way to find solutions to these problems?
I’m not sure what the best way is. Yet, I know that there are a lot of great videos on Youtube or websites; they are really helpful.
Whenever I want to write a good essay about the environment, I don’t have any idea about it. So I looked it up on the internet. There is a great deal of information that I can refer to.
- Who are the professionals that deal with troubleshooting on a daily basis?
Aside from car mechanics, there are computer technicians, engineers, or doctors dealing with troubleshooting every day.
- Why are their jobs important?
I believe that, nowadays, people constantly rely on them to be able to function in life and work effectively and in a timely manner. If a person’s car is not working, it’s difficult to commute.
VOCAB
- a sense of belonging
- Nghĩa: cảm giác thuộc về, cảm giác hòa nhập
- Phiên âm: /ə sɛns ɒv bɪˈlɒŋɪŋ/
- Ví dụ: Joining a club gave her a sense of belonging and a community to connect with.
- a sense of community
- Nghĩa: cảm giác cộng đồng
- Phiên âm: /ə sɛns ɒv kəˈmjuːnɪti/
- Ví dụ: The neighborhood organized regular events to foster a sense of community and togetherness.
- a sense of looseness
- Nghĩa: cảm giác lỏng lẻo, không chắc chắn
- Phiên âm: /ə sɛns ɒv ˈluːsnɪs/
- Ví dụ: The screws were not tightened properly, causing a sense of looseness in the furniture.
- exhaust resources
- Nghĩa: cạn kiệt tài nguyên
- Phiên âm: /ɪɡˈzɔːst rɪˈsɔːsɪz/
- Ví dụ: Overfishing can exhaust marine resources and disrupt the ecosystem.
- put sb at risk -idiom
- Nghĩa: đặt ai đó vào tình thế nguy hiểm
- Phiên âm: /pʊt sʌmbədi æt rɪsk/
- Ví dụ: Careless driving can put pedestrians at risk of accidents.
- Cruel -adj
- Nghĩa: độc ác, tàn nhẫn
- Phiên âm: /kruːəl/
- Ví dụ: It is cruel to mistreat animals and neglect their well-being.
- experience economic hardship
- Nghĩa: trải qua khó khăn về kinh tế
- Phiên âm: /ɪkˈspɪəriəns ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈhɑːdʃɪp/
- Ví dụ: Many families experienced economic hardship during the recession, struggling to make ends meet.
- a remedy
- Nghĩa: biện pháp, cách giải quyết
- Phiên âm: /ə ˈrɛmɪdi/
- Ví dụ: Drinking plenty of fluids is a common remedy for relieving a sore throat.
- be in trouble
- Nghĩa: gặp rắc rối, gặp vấn đề
- Phiên âm: /biː ɪn ˈtrʌbl̩/
- Ví dụ: If you don’t submit your report by tomorrow, you’ll be in trouble with your boss.
- Gadget -n
- Nghĩa: thiết bị công nghệ, đồ điện tử
- Phiên âm: /ˈɡadʒɪt/
- Ví dụ: The latest smartphone is a popular gadget among tech enthusiasts.
- Troubleshooting -n
- Nghĩa: khắc phục sự cố, tìm lỗi và sửa chữa
- Phiên âm: /ˈtrʌblˌʃuːtɪŋ/
- Ví dụ: The IT technician specializes in troubleshooting computer issues and resolving technical problems.
- in a timely manner
- Nghĩa: đúng thời hạn, kịp thời
- Phiên âm: /ɪn ə ˈtaɪmli ˈmænər/
- Ví dụ: The company aims to respond to customer inquiries in a timely manner to ensure customer satisfaction.
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Composed by Ms.Ngọc IELTS
