Studying Abroad
Lesson 1.5 brings every Unit 1 skill together around studying abroad — a mind map of the unit's vocabulary, an integrated reading + listening, a Speaking Part 2 cue-card planner, and a visual self-assessment of your own paragraph.
- Apply all Unit 1 vocabulary visually
- Plan a Speaking Part 2 long turn with a visual cue planner
- Skim a short reading + answer mixed types
- Self-assess a paragraph against a Band 6 vs Band 7 rubric
Get Ready · Studying abroad
- Would you ever study or live in another country? Where?
- What is the hardest part of studying in a foreign language?
- Does studying abroad guarantee a better career?
Vocabulary · Studying-abroad mind map
- culture shock
- homesickness
- overcome the language barrier
- adjust to a new environment
- broaden your outlook
- expand your horizons
- become self-reliant
- immerse yourself in the culture
- host country
- tuition fees
- scholarship
- student visa
Grammar · Unit 1 mini-quiz
- Students ___ wear a uniform in many Asian schools. (must / should / don't have to)
- She ___ at Oxford for two years before transferring. (studies / is studying / studied)
- Tuition fees are ___ high ___ many students take loans. (so / that · such / that)
- More universities ___ shorter courses these days. (offer / are offering)
- I ___ studying abroad is one of the best decisions a young person can make. (think / firmly believe)
Integrated task · Reading + Listening
Part A — Short reading (5 min)
The number of students studying outside their home country has more than tripled since 2000, with English-speaking destinations — particularly the UK, Australia, Canada and the US — attracting the largest share. While the academic benefits are well documented, recent research highlights a broader set of gains: improved intercultural communication, greater independence and a sharper sense of one's own national identity. Cost, however, remains a serious barrier, with the average international undergraduate now spending between £20,000 and £35,000 per year.
Same script · adjusted speed
Tap play to generate and listen.
| Q | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TFNG: International student numbers have grown more than threefold since 2000. | TRUE |
| 2 | TFNG: The US attracts the largest share of international students. | NOT GIVEN |
| 3 | Short answer (≤2 words): main barrier to studying abroad? | (financial) cost |
| 4 | MCQ: According to the passage, studying abroad can: a) reduce identity, b) strengthen identity, c) eliminate culture shock. | b |
Part B — Short listening (multi-accent)
Sarah (American student) + Charlie (British advisor). Stability 0.55, similarity 0.75. Standard for first listen, Slow (≈0.85×) for review.
ADVISOR (UK): You've been offered places at Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff. Have you decided? SARAH (US): I'm leaning towards Edinburgh — the course content is amazing. ADVISOR: Have you thought about the cost of living up there? SARAH: I know rent is higher than Cardiff but lower than London. ADVISOR: Right. And travel time home — Edinburgh adds about three hours compared with Manchester. SARAH: True. But I'll only go back twice a year. ADVISOR: Apply early for accommodation — places fill by end of May.
ElevenLabs audio
Tap play to generate and listen.
| Q | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Which university has Sarah chosen? | Edinburgh |
| 6 | How does rent in Edinburgh compare with London? | lower |
| 7 | By when should she apply for accommodation? | end of May |
| 8 | How often does Sarah plan to fly home? | twice a year |
Speaking · Part 2 cue-card planner
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- old city, near hills
- cousin's recommendation
- cinematic architecture
- MSc Renewable Energy Engineering
- world-class department
- self-reliance
- managing budget abroad
- new social circle
The place I'd most love to study abroad in is Edinburgh, in Scotland. I chose it because a close cousin of mine studied there a few years ago and never stopped talking about how welcoming the city was, and how the architecture made walking to class feel almost cinematic. If I went, I'd ideally pursue a master's in renewable energy engineering, which Edinburgh is world-class in. Beyond the academic side, living abroad would push me to become far more self-reliant — managing my own budget, navigating a foreign healthcare system, building a social circle from scratch. All of that, I imagine, would change me in ways that are hard to predict, but I see only upside.
Writing · Rewrite & self-assess
Open the paragraph you wrote in Lesson 1.1. Rewrite it using a stronger topic sentence, one concrete example, one collocation, and one reason→result linker.
- Task response: addresses prompt with some clear ideas
- Coherence: logical order, some linking
- Lexis: adequate range, some repetition
- Grammar: mix of simple & complex, noticeable errors
- Task response: addresses fully with developed ideas + clear position
- Coherence: smooth flow, varied accurate linkers
- Lexis: wide range, natural collocations
- Grammar: frequent complex structures, few errors
Compare your two paragraphs side by side. The single biggest change you made is the pattern to repeat — note it in your error log.
Pathway focus · Integrating Academic Task 1
Treat every reading you do as a potential data source — note any numbers or trends you could describe in Task 1 language.
- 'tripled', 'doubled', 'rose sharply', 'levelled off' — log every trend verb you meet.
- Practise reading numbers aloud: 9,500 → 'nine thousand five hundred'.
- Always include an Overview paragraph — no exceptions.
Exam Strategy
- Exam Tip
Use the 60 seconds of Part 2 prep to write 5 keywords — never full sentences.
- Time Strategy
Manage time in integrated tasks — a 5-minute reading deserves no more than 6 minutes total.
- Time Strategy
Always rewrite — your second draft is almost always 0.5 band higher.
Independent Practice
One flashcard per lesson for the single most useful collocation. Review 5 min/day.
Record yourself on the cue card. Was the answer 90–110 seconds?
Fresh 100 words: 'Studying abroad is worth the cost.' Self-assess with the rubric above.
Key Takeaways
- Integration is the heart of the modern IELTS coursebook.
- Self-assessment against the descriptors is the fastest route to Band 7.
- Rewriting beats writing more.