IELTS Speaking/Writing outline 1. In my opinion/perspective/ point of view, I agree/disagree with... 2. First of all... For example, For Instance 3. Second of all...In addition, 4. Finally... Thus, 5.In conclusion/ Overall...Based on these reasons, I suppose.. 1. To begin with/Generally speaking... 2. Personally I believe... 3. On the one hand...For example, Moreover, Furthermore, 4. On the other hand... Hence, 5. But overall, I believe... 1 1

Some people prefer to eat at restaurants while others prefer to prepare and eat at home. Which one do you prefer and why? Give reasons for your answer. You should write at least 250 words. Nowadays, many people go to restaurants for a meal, whereas others prefer to cook and eat meals at home. In my opinion, even though both aspects have merits, I would argue home cooked meals are a far healthier alternative to restaurant food. On the one hand, many restaurants simply do not purchase high quality, organic food since that would likely increase the cost of meals. As a result, the number of customers would decrease. For example, a restaurant may not cook with “extra virgin olive oil” due to the fact it is a very expensive natural oil. Therefore, they may utilize Genetically Modified,(GMO), “canola or cottonseed” oil which has been proven to cause high cholesterol, heart disease and other severe health problems in patients. Furthermore, many people eat using the same dishes and drink from the same cups which may not even be properly cleaned. If such utensils are not properly cleaned, they can be extremely dangerous to human health. Hence, consumers simply have to “trust” the restaurant, which may be risky. On the other hand, restaurants may offer some advantages. In today's fast-paced world, most people have very little “free time.” Technology has made delivery as simple as downloading an App on your smartphone. Without even having to speak to a human being, people may now pay for and enjoy a delicious meal within minutes of ordering it online. Therefore, restaurants may be a convenient alternative for today's busy citizens. Nevertheless, statistics show that constantly eating “fast food” is known to be detrimental to one's health. Sugar is secretly used in almost everything now, and is certainly a factor in the growing number of diabetes patients around the world. In conclusion, I personally believe that even though eating at home and eating out both have advantages and disadvantages, cooking at home is a much healthier option.

Stress is now a major problem in many countries around the world Stress is now a major problem in many countries around the world. What is a major source of stress in modern society, and how can we reduce it? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Nowadays, stress is a serious problem that can have detrimental effects on many people’s lives. Pollution, rising living costs and healthcare problems are some of the many factors related to stress. The modern world we live in today presents us with many issues that we did not have to cope with in the past. In my opinion, “healthcare related stress”, particularly from fast food, is a major concern as cancer is on the rise around the world. With the advent of urbanization and the rise in popularity of fast food, there have been accompanying issues with rising cancer rates, especially in countries such as Britain and the USA. To begin with, consumers spend a large portion of their income on fast foods. The American Dietary Association found that, compared to the average Indian household, the average American household’s budget for “take-away fast foods” is six times larger per month. Consequently, it is to be expected that cancer rates will be much higher in such nations. Second of all, processed meats such as hamburgers and hot dogs, which are usually the primary ingredients in fast foods, contain chemicals called “nitrites” which are toxic to humans in large amounts. Furthermore, almost 99% of food, including bread, contains added white sugar, and GMO's, (Genetically Modified Foods), which is known to feed cancer cells over time. Consequently, diabetics who stop adding white sugar to their food and beverages still end up consuming it anyway in solid foods. Hence, this is a major source of stress for diabetics who must be cautious as to what they eat in order to control their blood sugar. Finding solutions is a challenging task but there are a number of ways in which developed countries could battle these issues more effectively. Firstly, new laws should be enacted to regulate how “fast food meat” is processed, and to prevent food manufacturers from adding sugar to shelf products. Secondly, public health initiatives could be advertised and promoted far more vigorously. For example, modules that inform citizens about healthy dietary requirements should be addressed in Universities so students may in turn relay this information to their families by “word of mouth”. In addition, doctors and other healthcare practitioners should have information about diabetes and cancer prevention in the waiting room. In conclusion, there are many factors around us today which lead to stress. Although diabetes and cancer are serious issues around world, if the above steps are taken, the situation will surely improve in the coming years, hence, reducing individual stress as well. 3

With the advent of urbanization and the rise in popularity of fast food, there have been accompanying issues with rising cancer rates especially in countries such as Britain and the USA. Please explain and provide possible solutions. To begin with, it should be unsurprising that “fast food” is incredibly popular in countries like Britain and the USA. Consumers spend a large portion of their income on fast foods. For example, the American Dietary Association found that, compared to the average Indian household, the average American household’s budget for “take-away fast foods” is six times larger per month. Consequently, it is to be expected that cancer rates will be much higher in such nations. For example, processed meats such as hamburgers and hot dogs, which are usually the primary ingredients in fast foods, contain chemicals called “nitrites” which are toxic to humans in large amounts. Furthermore, almost 99% of food, including bread, contains added white sugar which is known to feed cancer cells over time. To make matters even worse, even though every food product has an ingredient list, people simply buy it without reading the ingredients first. Hence, diabetics who stop adding white sugar to their beverages still end up consuming it anyway in solid foods. Finding solutions is a challenging task but there are a number of ways in which developed countries could battle these issues more effectively. Firstly, new laws should be enacted to regulate how “fast foods meat” is processed. Secondly, public health initiatives could be advertised and promoted far more vigorously. For example, modules that inform citizens about healthy dietary requirements should be addressed in Universities so students may in turn relay this information to their families by “word of mouth”. Furthermore, doctors and other healthcare practitioners should have information about diabetes and cancer prevention in the waiting room. In conclusion, although diabetes and cancer is a serious issue around world, if the above steps are taken, the situation will surely improve in the coming years. 4

What do you look for when choosing a college? Location? Entrepreneurship opportunities? Career opportunities? Research opportunities? Study abroad opportunities? Available majors and classes? Available extracurricular activities?

Students choose to attend certain colleges or universities for many different reasons, for example, career preparation, increased knowledge etc. What are some factors that motivate students to choose specific colleges or universities? Use your own ideas, knowledge and experience. Support your arguments with examples and with relevant evidence. Nowadays, more and more students are choosing colleges with excellent “study abroad and entrepreneurship” opportunities. The new trend is that students are becoming more and more interested in technology entrepreneurship, and are combining it with their current interests and major. In today's world, many young people dream of becoming entrepreneurs. Self-employment is an interesting and challenging lifestyle. First of all, self-employment offers many benefits. The main advantage is that one can choose the type of work according to their interests. A self employed person can manage his working hours on his own and can work at his own pace. Therefore, students of all majors have become interested in this field and carefully select Colleges that encourage entrepreneurship. For instance, the New York University (NYU) Entrepreneurial Institute, fosters a University-wide startup ecosystem that encourages multi-disciplinary collaboration, accelerates innovation, and cultivates the next generation of startup leaders. Consequently, students from around the world choose to go to NYU based on the support they receive from successful entrepreneurs at NYU. Second of all, many students choose colleges based on the diverse study abroad programs available to them. For example, while a business student at Harvard University School of Business, Heather Hasson volunteered in Africa and met children who were unable to attend school because they lacked a school uniform. After graduation, Heather decided to start her own clothing company “FIGS USA”. For every necktie FIGS sells, a child in Tanzania or Kenya gets a free school uniform. The key point here is that Heather chose Harvard because it offers students a wide range of volunteer opportunities around the world. Hence, volunteering gave her the business idea, but Harvard gave her the opportunity. In conclusion, I personally believe that most students now choose colleges carefully on modern trends like technology, entrepreneurship and study abroad opportunities. Due to globalization, the more modern resources a University provides students, the more attractive it will be to potential applicants. 6

Sample Emails: How to write an effective and polite email in the University 1) Terms of Address: Dear Professor________, 2) Introduction: Greetings/Good Afternoon/ Morning____ My name is....I am in Course # ________ 3) Problem: I am very sorry to disturb, but I am unable to ______ ... 4) Request: May I please have ... / Would you please grant me ... 5) Additional Information: Kindly please find my information below i.e. University ID # etc... 6) Closing: Thank you so much for your time and help. Sincerely/Respectfully, ___________________________________ How to write an effective and polite email in general 1) Terms of Address: Dear Mr./Ms._________/To whom it may concern, 2) Introduction: Greetings, my name is.... 3) Problem: I am very sorry to disturb, but I am ______ ... 4) Request: May I please... / Would you please ... 5) Additional Information: I have attached the necessary documents for your review. 6) Closing: If you could kindly please advise, I would be most grateful. Thank you so much. Best,

Important Skills 1. IELTS Language (practice speaking/writing) 2. How to write a professional essay/paper in the University 3. Entrepreneurship 4. Internship/Volunteering 5. How to write a professional email 6. How to write a professional CV/Résumé 7. How to write a professional cover letter 8. Importance of letters of recommendation 11

. Interesting ideas to write/speak for the IELTS? Practice IELTS books/ Read/ Entrepreneurship Conferences/ Workshops/ Publications/ Internships/ Extracurricular Activities/ Volunteer/ Community Service Interesting CV or Résumé (resume) and Letters of recommendation . 12 12

How to write an effective and polite email in the University 1) Terms of Address: Dear Professor________, 2) Introduction: Greetings/Good Afternoon/ Morning____ My name is....I am in Course # ________ 3) Problem: I am very sorry to disturb, but I am unable to ______ ... 4) Request: May I please have ... / Would you please grant me ... 5) Additional Information: Kindly please find my information below i.e. University ID # etc... 6) Closing: Thank you so much for your time and help. Sincerely/Respectfully, ____ How to write an effective and polite email in general 1) Terms of Address: Dear Mr./Ms._________/To whom it may concern, 2) Introduction: Greetings, my name is.... 3) Problem: I am very sorry to disturb, but I am ______ ... 4) Request: May I please... / Would you please ... 5) Additional Information: I have attached the necessary documents for your review. 6) Closing: If you could kindly please advise, I would be most grateful. Thank you so much. Respectfully, 13 13

Sample email cover letter Dear Professor/To whom it may concern________: Greetings, I am very sorry to disturb, my name is___and I am very interested in interning with your organization if possible please. I am currently a full-time undergraduate student at _____________ studying_______. In addition, I am studying at the American University School of Continuing Education. While at the University, I recently became aware of your amazing organization which helps future entrepreneurs learn more about the field. This past summer I was a technology intern at Google here in New York. I was responsible for investigating new ideas and developing projects in 2 main areas: technology and startups. The opportunity to work with the CEO helped me gain firsthand insight into the world of entrepreneurship. By attending technology conferences as well, I was also able to learn from other aspiring entrepreneurs and gained new skills in the field of project management and social media marketing. It is my goal to continue gaining new skills in this field both locally and abroad. In the future, I hope to study abroad, hence, I am currently preparing for the IELTS as well. I would be very grateful if you could please advise as to any current internship vacancies in your organization? Kindly please find my CV/Resume attached below. I also have letters of recommendation from my Professors/Volunteer Program Directors as well. Thank you so much for your time and help. I hope to have my zeal and enthusiasm made known in person. Thank you so much. Respectfully, 14 14

Internship sample email cover letter Dear Professor________, Greetings, I am very sorry to disturb, my name is___. I am currently a full-time undergraduate student at _____________ studying_______. In addition, I am studying at the American University School of Continuing Education. While at the American University, I recently became aware of your amazing organization. In the past, I was a volunteer/intern at _______ and am very interested in interning with your organization if possible please. In the future, I hope to study abroad, hence, I am currently preparing for the IELTS as well. I would be very grateful if you could please advise as to any current internship/volunteer vacancies in your organization? Kindly please find my CV/resume attached below. I also have letters of recommendation from my Professors/Volunteer Program Directors as well. Thank you so much for your time and help. I hope to have my zeal and enthusiasm made known in person. Thank you so much. Respectfully, 15 15

Assignment #1: Writing a CV Format for a University Paper/Essay Your name Professor Course: English Elective Date: January 6th, 2017 Assignment #1: Writing a CV (PLEASE USE Font: Times New Roman) Font Size: 12 (PLEASE Double Space and Spellcheck)

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Dear Editor, You posted a very interesting situation common amongst job seekers nowadays. I also struggled like the individual in your email, however, I am now employed and looking forward to studying abroad soon, and becoming an entrepreneur in the future as well.   In my opinion, job hunters just need to change a few things to see positive results.Young people should remember to take steps early in their life to gain experience and build up their CV, otherwise they will have to work unpaid after graduation until they build up their CV. First of all, I suggest having your CV looked over by a professional career counselor at your University. My career counselor was able to give me valuable insight about both my CV and cover letter. I was emailing hundreds of employers without any luck. I had academic letters of recommendations from my Professors, but no professional recommendations. Consequently, my career counselor provided professional career advice, and helped me improve my CV before continuing to email it to employers. Second of all, anyone looking for work must take steps early while in the University to gain experience whether paid or unpaid. The connections and experience are more important than the money. For example, employers want to see a “well rounded CV” with internships, volunteer work, IELTS test results and other respected professional Certificates. In addition, everyone should learn as many “United Nations” languages as possible. Unfortunately, I did not do anything while in the University, and was embarrassed of my CV since it was practically empty! I took the year following graduation to intern, volunteer, take the IELTS, learn French and gather Certificates so I could gain some experience in my field of interest. Quite frankly, my internship director has been wonderful and I am learning so much from this internship. In fact, since I have been here for 6 months, they are willing to hire me full-time after I complete the internship, and provide me with a letter of recommendation! Based on these reasons, I personally believe students should be encouraged from their first year in the University to start doing internships, a part-time job and volunteer work. Many of my friends, including myself, now have full-time employment with the same organization because of it. Remember, dreams only come true when you take action. Keep trying and don't give up! Thank you for your time. 19

Peter A. Victor pvictor2343@gmail.com Education: (Doctor of Medicine, MD) Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Graduated with Honors (2012) - The American University in Cairo, Professional English Language Coursework- 2008-2009 Professional Experience/Internships: PGY1 Internal Medicine Resident, Cairo University Hospital, Cairo, Egypt (2012 to Present) Clinical Externship, Internal Medicine Department, Harlem Hospital, New York City, USA (2010) Professional Examinations: - IELTS (International English Language Test System), Overall Band Score 8
 - United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), Step 1 completed 2012, USMLE Steps 2&3 (in progress) Volunteer Work / Community Service: - Operation Smile-Egypt, Medical Volunteer Cairo 2010 - UNICEF- United Nations International Children's Fund, Alexandria, Egypt, Volunteer 2008 - United Nations World Health Organization- Internship Cairo, Egypt 2007 
Membership/ Professional Societies: -Vice President of the Egyptian Medical Students Association, Cairo University (2005-2010) 
 Extracurricular activities / University activities: -Invited a speaker from the United Nations World Health Organization to speak at Cairo University Medical Students Association about Global Public Health in the Middle East Publications:



 Published an independent article distributed at Cairo Medical Society titled: “Minimizing Chemicals in one's daily life: Cancer prevention and Natural Healthcare” Certificates: Basic CPR/ Life Support Training Course, United Nations World Health Organization, Egypt (2011) Languages: Arabic  (Native) English (Fluent) Letters of Recommendation / References available upon request 20 20

IELTS Speaking Test | A goal you hope to achieve. My goal at the moment is to gain admission to a University in London. It is something which is very important to me because it will literally change my life forever. First of all, I’ve been planning and working towards this goal for the last couple of years. I have been trying to build up my CV since I was 13. For example, since I have a strong interest in healthcare, I have been volunteering at a local hospital on the weekends. In addition, I tutor students in my High School in Biology. As a result, my teachers are willing to write me strong letters of recommendation which will help me gain admission to a top University. Second of all, my dream is to volunteer with Operation Smile before I graduate from High School next year. Operation Smile is a non-profit international medical organization which provides free surgeries for children with cleft palates and cleft lips all over the world. My friend went on an international mission last summer and said it was the experience of a lifetime. Finally, completing the IELTS test is one of the requirements as part of the College application process. Therefore, it is essential I get a good overall score in the test. Hence, I am studying for this exam almost everyday after-school. Furthermore, I have signed up for an IELTS test preparation course starting this weekend. In conclusion, I am now dedicating my time and energy towards achieving these goals. Becoming a volunteer with Operation Smile, and then a student in the UK, are experiences which will help me mature quickly and become forward thinking. I realize the challenges ahead. Nevertheless, the fire burns in me to fulfill my dreams and become a college student at City University London by Fall 2017.

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