Academic/General Training Module by Adam Smith First Published in 2015

 IELTS
 JOURNAL 
 
25 
Keywords in Questions 
 
1. people power … 
2. increases in travelling time … 
3. higher incomes … 
4. avoiding an overcrowded
2
centre 
… 
5. benefits of working together … 
6. improve the quality of life … 
7. only averagely good … 
Similar Words in the Text 
a. 
valuable to place people working 
in related fields together 
b. 
commuting
1
times far higher 
c. 
local pressure groups 
d. 
reasonable but not special 
e. 
pushing everyone into the city 
centre was not the best approach 
f. 
wealthier 
g. 
creating a better place to live 
Glossary:  
1. Commuting: travelling (into a city) to work.
2. Overcrowded: too populated; overpopulated (too many people in one place) 
 
Note: 
Try finding the keywords in the table above if you have a copy of the book 
Cambridge IELTS 6, page 40, to see whether they help you to get the right answer 
more easily. 
 
 

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 IELTS
 JOURNAL 
 
26 
The importance of vocabulary 
IELTS Reading is basically a vocabulary test. If you don't understand words or phrases 
in the text, it will be difficult to get the right answers. 
Make a list of words that you don't know. Then, look them up and write them down in 
your notebook. If you don't have a vocabulary notebook, you should start one now! 
Make sure to include the 
part of speech
and a few 
synonyms
of the word like the 
example below. 
chronic /'krA:.nIk/ 
(adj.)
: continuing for a long time; 
long-term
; 
persistent
; 
recurring
chronic diseases/conditions 
chronic arthritis/pain 
There is a chronic shortage of teachers. 
Tip: 
Knowing the meanings of new words is not enough. You should also be able to use 
them correctly in your sentences, while speaking or writing. Therefore, while preparing 
your vocabulary notebook, pay enough attention to the pronunciation, spelling and 
the usage of new words.