Contents:
Vocabulary: learning, range of celebrations, the party begins, variety of food, entertainment, parties till the end,
Reading: Party time in Ancient Egypt
Listening: Test practice
1. VOCABULARY
Get our information
Different events, meals, parties
Welcoming each of their guests when they arrive at the party
All sorts of different food
Music and dance, dancers performing for the guests, musicians are playing the drums and other instruments, sing, clap their hands
Mark a person’s death; life after death
2. READING
Party time in Ancient Egypt
A. Academics often think the ancient Egyptians were obsessed with death. But when we look at the paintings on the tombs of ancient Egypt, we see these ancient Egyptians having fun at big celebrations. The drawings of these events are where we get our information about these special parties that happened so long ago. Wee see how the guests are enjoying themselves in the company of others. They are eating and drinking as they watch dancers and acrobats.
B. It’s not hard to imagine most of ancient Egyptian society celebrating throughout the year. The tomb pictures show them marking different events in the farming calendar, as well as marriages, the birth of children and funerals for the dead. And, of course, richer Egyptians invited lots of guests to meals and parties simply for enjoyment. The ancient Egyptians loved a good time. Food, drink and music were clearly a big part of their lives.
C. The tomb pictures show, for example, male and female hosts warmly welcoming each of their guests when they arrive at the party. They each receive a necklace of flowers and girls offer plates of food to them as they enter the room. Imagine those delicious dishes of butter and cheese, birds and beef, honey and fruit.
D. It is clear that these hosts do not worry about money when they invite guests to a celebration. Tey are serving beef, duck, geese, goats and fish. There are plates filled with all sorts of different vegetables.
The tomb pictures show about 15 different types of bread. The guests eat at their own individual tables and they use attractive bowls, plates and cups with pretty designs of flowers on them.
E. Tomb paintings show the importance of music and dance in the lives of the ancient Egyptians. Some pictures show dancers performing for the guests. In other pictures of celebrations, musicians are playing the drums and other instruments. The guests are taking part too – they sing, clap their hands and play simple instruments like tambourines or cymbals.
F. For poor people, life is sometimes very different from the lives of the ich. But the pictures seem to show poor people also taking part in celebrations mark a person’s death. In these celebrations the Egyptians are preparing for life after death. That is probably because they hope to enjoy the same pleasures after death that they enjoyed in their lives on earth. And Chearly, for them, parties are one of the big pleasures of life.
3. LISTENING
Test practice – 2a, page 21, IELTS Explorer 1 Studentbook.
4. TEST STRATEGY
Reading: You need to understand the meaning of the whole paragraph in order to know if it matches a heading. The passage will not use the same key word as a heading-you need to understand if a paragraph is describing an impact or not.
You often have to use the present simple in part 1 of the speaking test, where you answer questions about yourself, your home, family, work and studies.
Speaking & Writing: It’s important to use a range of comparative structures in IELTS speaking and writing. These structures are also very useful for task 1 of the writing paper.