CHANGES (CHECK YOUR ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR IELTS)

CHANGES

A.       Look at these sentences and decide if the statement which follows each one is true or false. Use the words and expressions in bold to help you decide.

1	The population of the country has trebled in the last 25 years. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people living in the country.
2	Unemployment has dropped by about 2% every year for the last six years. There has been a steady decrease in the number of people out of work.
3	The government has spent a lot of money improving roads around the country. There has been a deterioration in the national road system.
4	The number of exam passes achieved by the school’s pupils has risen by almost 50%. There has been a decline in the number of exam passes.
5	American travellers abroad have discovered that they can buy more foreign currency with their dollar. There has been a weakening of the dollar.
6	It is now much easier to import goods into the country than it was a few years ago. There has been a tightening up of border controls.
7	We’re increasing our stocks of coal before the winter begins. We’re running down our stocks of coal.
8	Prices have gone up by about 4% every year since 1998. There has been a constant rise  in the rate of inflation.
9	The pass rate for the exam was 3% lower this year than it was last year. There has been a sharp fall in the pass rate.
10	The alliance are going to reduce the number of conventional weapons in their armed forces. The alliance are going to build up the number of weapons they have.
11	Deflation has adversely affected industries around the country. There has been a growth in industrial activity.
12	The rules are much stricter now than they were before. There has been a relaxation of the rules.
13	Last year, 12% of the population worked in industry and 10% worked in agriculture. This year, 14% of the population work in industry and 8% work in agriculture. There has been a narrowing of the gap between those working in different sectors of the economy.
14	Some management roles in the company will not exist this time next year. Some management roles are going to be phased out.
15	More people are shopping at the large supermarkets rather than small village shops. There has been an upward trend in the number of people shopping in small village shops.
16	Her English is clearly better now than it was when she first arrived. There has been marked progress in her English.
17	People live in better houses, drive nicer cars and eat higher-quality food than they did twenty years ago. There has been a general improvement in the standard living.
18	Our company has opened factories in France, Germany and Italy in the last five years. Our company has witnessed considerable expansion in the last five years.
19	The government will spend less on the National Health Service next year. There are going to be cuts in healthcare spending next year.
20	British people nowadays want to see more of the world. British people nowadays want to narrow their horizons.

                                            

B.        Check your answers, then use some of the words and expressions in bold above and in the answer key to write some sentences about your country.

ANSWER KEY