Sense of Direction (Orientation) P2T2B15

WOMAN: I’m very pleased to welcome this evening’s 1._________ speaker, Mark Logan, who’s going to tell us about the
recent 2._______________ of Minster Park. Over to you, Mark.
MARK: Thank you. I’m sure you’re all 3.____________ with Minster Park. It’s been a 4._______ of the city for well over a
century, and has been the responsibility of the city council for most of that time. What perhaps isn’t so well known is the
4.__________ of the park: 5.________ many public parks that started in 6.___________ ownership, as the garden of a large
house, for instance, Minster was some 7._________ land, which people 8.__________ nearby started 9.________ with
flowers in 1892 (Q11). It was 10.__________ who actually owned the land, and this 11.________ settled 12.________20
years later, when the 13._________ took 14.______________ of it.
You may have noticed the 15.__________ near one of the entrances. It’s of Diane Gosforth, who played a key role in the
16.___________ of the park. Once the council had become the legal owner, it planned to 17.________ the land for
18.___________. Many local people (Q12) wanted it to 19.__________ a place that everyone could go to, to enjoy the fresh
air and natural environment – remember the park is in a densely populated residential area. Diane Gosforth was one of those
people, and she 20.____________ petitions and demonstrations (Q12), which eventually made the council
21.____________ its mind about the 22.___________ of the land.
Soon after this the 23.________________ broke out, in 1914, and most of the park was dug up and planted with
24.______________ (Q13), which were sold locally. At one stage the army considered taking in over for troop
25.___________ and got as far as contacting the city council, then decided the park was 26._______ small to be of
27._________. There were 28.___________ public 29._____________ during the war, in an area that had been retained as
grass.
After the war, the park was turned back more or less to how it had been before 1914, and continued almost unchanged until
recently. 30.________ for transforming it were drawn up at various times, most recently in 31.______, though they were
32._________in 33.________, before any work had started. The changes 34._________ got 35.__________ in
36._________ (Q14), and were 37.___________ on 38.______________ last year.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
OK, let me tell you about some of the changes that have been made – and some things that have been retained. If you look
at this map, you’ll see the familiar 39._________ of the park, with the river forming the northern boundary, and a gate in
each of the other three walls. The 40._____ of Diane Gosforth has been moved: it 41.___________ be close to the
42._______ gate, but it’s now immediately to the 43.________ of the lily pond, almost in the 44.____________ of the park
(Q15), which makes it much more 45._____________.
There’s a new area of 46.__________ sculptures, which are on the 47._____________, where the path from the
48.______________ makes a 49.________________. (Q16) There are two areas that are particularly intended for children.
The 50.________________ has been enlarged and improved, and that’s between the 51.__________ and the
52.___________ that leads from the pond to the river. (Q17) Then there’s a new 53.__________, a circular series of paths,
separated by low hedges. That’s near the 54._______ gate – you go 55.________ from there towards the river and then turn
56._________ to reach it. (Q18)
There have been 57.__________ courts in the park for many years, and they’ve been doubled, from four to eight. They’re
still in the 58._______________ corner of the park, where there’s a 59.____________ bend in the path. (Q19) Something
else I’d like to mention is the new 60.___________ area. This is right 61._________ to the lily pond on the 62._______ side
as the 63.________ gate. (Q20) Now, as you’re all gardeners, I’m sure you’ll like to hear about the plants that have been
64.___________ for the park.
IELTS Writing Task 1 --- Maps
Phrases and vocabulary Example sentences
to the north of/north of The marsh is north of the hotel = The marsh is to the north of the hotel.
to the south of/ south of The hotel is to the south of the marsh = The hotel is south of the marsh
to the east of/ east of The forest to the east of the river was completely cut down. = The forest

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Phrases and vocabulary Example sentences
east of the river was completely cut down.
The factory to the west of the school was flattened and relocated. = The
to the west of/ west of
factory west of the school was flattened and relocated.
north east of / to the north east of The sand dunes are north east of the tea room.
north west of / to the north west of The industrial area to the south west of the station was expanded.
south east of / to the south east of The shopping centre is relocated to the south west of the town, which has a
south west of / to the south west of population of 50,000.
in the west
in the east Most of the town’s buildings are concentrated in the north.
in the north There were many shops in the east.
in the south
Shops on the south side of the current main road will be maintained in the
on the south side of future.
on the north side of The trees on the east side of the river were cut down and a new office
on the east side of block was built.
on the west side of The shops along the north side of the new pedestrian street will be
demolished to make way for a bus station.
Northern Southern The house faces northwest.
Eastern Western The northern area is rarely countryside, while the southern area is filled
Southeast with houses.
Northeast There is a school at the end of the fork road in the southwest corner and a
Southwest park in the southeast area.
Northwest Most factories are located on the northeast side of the town.

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How To Write an IELTS Map Essay
There are 5 steps to writing a high-scoring IELTS map essay:
1) Analyse the question 2) Identify the main features 3) Write an introduction
4) Write an overview 5) Write the details paragraphs

Ideally, your essay should have 4 paragraphs:

P1 – Introduction P2 – Overview P3 – 1st main feature P4 – 2nd main feature

The maps below show the village of Stokeford in 1930 and 2010.

Step 1 – Analyse the question

You must do 3 things:
1. Select the main features.
2. Write about the main features.
3. Compare the main features.

Step 2 – Identify the Main Features

1) What time periods are shown?
2) What are the main differences between the maps?
3) What features have remained the same over the time period?

Main feature 1: The farmland has been built on.

Main feature 2: The large house has been converted into a retirement home.
Main feature 3: The school has been enlarged.
Main feature 4: The shops have disappeared.

Paragraph 1 – Introduction
Paragraph 2 – Overview
Paragraph 3 – 1st main feature
Paragraph 4 – 2nd main feature
Step 3 – Write an Introduction

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Question:
The maps below show the village of Stokeford in 1930 and 2010.

Introduction (Paragraph 1):

The two maps illustrate how the village of Stokeford, situated on the east bank of the River Stoke, changed over an 80 year
period from 1930 to 2010.

Step 4 – Write an Overview (Paragraph 2)

For example:
Overview (Paragraph 2):
There was considerable development of the settlement over these years and it was gradually transformed from a small rural
village into a largely residential area.

Step 5 – Write the 1st Detail Paragraph

Main feature 1: The farmland has been built on.
Main feature 3: The school has been enlarged.
Paragraph 3:
The most notable change is the presence of housing in 2010 on the areas that were farmland back in 1930. New roads were
constructed on this land and many residential properties built. In response to the considerable increase in population, the
primary school was extended to around double the size of the previous building.

Step 6 – Write the 2nd Detail Paragraph

Main feature 2: The large house has been converted into a retirement home.
Main feature 4: The shops have disappeared.
Paragraph 4:
Whilst the post office remained as a village amenity, the two shops that can be seen to the north-west of the school in 1930,
no longer existed by 2010, having been replaced by houses. There also used to be an extensive property standing in its own
large gardens situated to the south-east of the school. At some time between 1930 and 2010, this was extended and
converted into a retirement home. This was another significant transformation for the village.

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Example 1: The diagrams below show the coastal village of Seaville in 1980 and 2010. Summarise the
information by selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant. Write at
least 150 words.

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Sample A
The maps illustrate 1.____________ changes in the seaside town of Seaville, over a 2._________
period, from 1980 to 2010.
Overall, the village 2.___________ substantially from a holiday 3.____________ to a permanent town
over the 30 year period. Similarly, 4.___________ and amenities increased, along with the town’s capacity
to 5._________ for tourists.
In 1980, Seaville was tiny, 6.__________only a few tourists, who were accommodated in cottages or a
small hotel. In 7.__________, East Bank was unspoilt. To the east of the cottages, was a marsh, and there
was woodland to the 8.__________. 9.___________ recreation, besides the beach, the town only offered a
tea room.
However, the village underwent changes dramatically by 2010. Retirement villages were built to the
west of the main road. The marsh, on the other hand, was drained and the cottages 10.__________ in order
to construct houses. To 11._________for tourists, both a new high-rise hotel and holiday cottages on East
Bank were 12.________ constructed. The woodlands were then cleared and 13.___________ by a golf
course. Similarly, a boat club was built on the west bank of the river. New infrastructure was created to
14._________ East Bank. On the other hand, the town preserved the original hotel.

【attracting developed infrastructure provide settlement significant thirty-year】

【access cater contrast demolished newly north regarding supplanted】

Sample B
The two maps show the 1.___________ of the same seaside village in 1995 and at 2.___________.
Overall, it is 3.___________ that the infrastructure for housing and recreation has increased at the expense
of agricultural land and 4.__________ fishing.

The most 5.__________ changes are the disappearance of the fishing port and 6.__________ fish
market, as well as the creation of a golf course and tennis courts in the north-east, 7.________ farmland and
a forest park were still found in 1995. Furthermore, a new housing development 8.__________ apartments is
now found on the waterfront at the former site of the fish market, and a number of restaurants have been
built on the 9.__________ side of the road where shops used to be.

There was also an increase in the total number of houses, from 12 in 1995 to 16 at present. In addition,
the road encircling a small housing development west of the main road has been 10.___________ further
westward.

The hotel and cafe in the south-east have remained as is. A new car park has been added next to the
hotel.

【adjacent commercial containing evident extended layout notable opposite present】

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1. Some people regard video games as harmless fun, or even as a useful educational tool. Others, however,
believe that video games are having an adverse effect on the people who play them. In your opinion, do the
drawbacks of video games outweigh the benefits?
Sample A
Many people, and children in particular, enjoy playing computer games. While I accept that these
games can sometimes have a positive effect on the user, I believe that they are more likely to have a harmful
impact.
On the one hand, video games can be both entertaining and educational. Users, or gamers, are
transported into virtual worlds which are often more exciting and engaging than real-life pastimes. From an
educational perspective, these games encourage imagination and creativity, as well as concentration, logical
thinking and problem solving, all of which are useful skills outside the gaming context. Furthermore, it has
been shown that computer simulation games can improve users’ motor skills and help to prepare them for
real-world tasks, such as flying a plane.
However, I would argue that these benefits are outweighed by the drawbacks. Gaming can be highly
addictive because users are constantly given scores, new targets and frequent rewards to keep them playing.
Many children now spend hours each day trying to progress through the levels of a game or to get a higher
score than their friends. This type of addiction can have effects ranging from lack of sleep to problems at
school, when homework is sacrificed for a few more hours on the computer or console. The rise in obesity in
recent years has also been linked in part to the sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise that often accompany
gaming addiction.
In conclusion, it seems to me that the potential dangers of video games are more significant than the
possible benefits.

Sample B
The on-going debate about the pros and cons of video games has caught a lot of attention recently.
Personally, I think that the negative effects of playing video games can be very serious while the positive
aspects are being overestimated. In this essay, I will discuss some common belief about the benefits of video
games then try to demonstrate the real drawbacks of it.
Firstly, it is true that video games can be incredibly entertaining. In today society, gaming act as a stress
relief for people with a high-intensity job. However, many researchers have shown that gaming is the least
effective method to reduce stress level when compared to meditation, reading books, and listening to music.
Another argument about the benefit of video games is its educational value. Although gaming can really
engage students in learning, it is only suitable for younger children and children with learning disabilities.
The act of introducing gaming into secondary school or even higher education system is unnecessary
because students at these ages should be able to focus on the subject in class without any supporting tools.
Despite some positive effect of it, playing video games is the root of a countless number of negative
problems in our society. It is a fact that video games cause adverse effects on children’s brain. For example,
scientists have shown that teenagers who spent more than 3 hours per day for gaming have a smaller
attention span than the controlled group. In addition, the highly sexualize and violence content of some
video games can create an unrealistic viewpoint on life for children and make them act unaccordingly to the
society. Researchers have pointed out that video games are account for the upsurge in the number of
adolescent’s deviant behaviors.
In conclusion, I think that video games cause more harms than goods for our society. Despite the
common belief about the positive effects that it possess, gaming is detrimental to both the development of
children and the society.

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2. Many people believe that social networking sites (such as Facebook) have a huge negative impact on both
individuals and society. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The advent of social networking sites, mainly Facebook and Instagram, in the early decades of the 21st
century have transformed the ways that people interact with their friends and community. I am in complete
agreement that they have had a negative overall impact on both individuals and society.
Social networking sites hurt individuals by replacing more active forms of enjoyment with transitory,
unhealthy self-esteem boosts. In the past, people were more likely to take up an active hobby such as
painting, playing a sport or learning a musical instrument. Over time those hobbies increase self-esteem,
provide hours of enjoyment, and can be seen as active and healthy to varying degrees. Facebook and
Instagram replace not only the time spent on worthwhile hobbies but users also get stuck in a feedback loop
which gives them temporary bursts of dopamine in place of longer lasting feelings of accomplishment.
Just as social media has undoubtedly hurt individuals, it has also taken its toll on society. It is a
common refrain to hear older people complaining about how generations today are narcissists, glued to their
phones. There is an element of truth in this. Social networking sites, coupled with smartphones, allow people
to withdraw and be anonymous in public places. Over time people will come to feel they have less in
common with their fellow man and society will become fragmented and more insular with deeply complex
political, individual and social consequences.
In conclusion, the rise of social networking platforms has hurt individuals and society greatly. In order
to combat this, governments and parents should at least better regulate their availability to children and
young teens.

Vocabulary Practice
The ______________ of social networking sites, mainly Facebook and Instagram, in the
______________ have ______________ the ways that people ______________ their friends and
community. I am in ______________ that they have had a negative ______________ on both individuals
and society.
Social networking sites hurt individuals by ______________ more ______________ of enjoyment with
______________, ______________. In the past, people were more likely to take up an ______________
such as painting, playing a sport or learning a musical instrument. Over time those hobbies
______________, provide hours of enjoyment, and can be seen as active and healthy to ______________.
Facebook and Instagram replace not only the time spent on ______________ but users also get
______________ in a ______________ which gives them ______________ of ______________ feelings of
accomplishment.
Just as social media has ______________ hurt individuals, it has also ______________ on society. It is
a ______________ to hear older people complaining about how generations today are ______________,
______________ to their phones. There is an ______________ in this. Social networking sites,
______________ smartphones, allow people to ______________ and be ______________ in
______________. Over time people will come to feel they have less ______________ their
______________ and society will become ______________ and more ______________ with
______________ political, individual and social ______________.
In conclusion, the rise of social networking platforms has hurt individuals and society greatly. In order
to combat this, governments and parents should at least ______________ their ______________ to children
and young teens.

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3. Some people think that family life and parents have great influence on children’s development, while others consider that
external influence plays a more important role in children’s life.

Parental influence and family life have huge importance to the development of a child, according to many, while others
opine that children's behaviour is influenced more by outside factors like friends, teachers and the surrounding environment.
In my opinion, influences of parents, relatives and family life are essential for the proper psychological and physical growth
of a child, but environmental and external influences are more useful for them to confront real life. This essay will discuss
both views before drawing a rational conclusion.

On one hand, parents have remarkable impacts on their children's growth, especially to shape a good childhood. The sense
of family, relationship, responsibility, and punctuality are instilled in a child by parents and it plays an influential role on
their maturity. Love and attention from parents develop a strong character in a child while the lack of proper parenting often
ruins it, according to many psychologists. Furthermore, children mostly mimic their parents and become more like them.
Undoubtedly, this single fact proves how important it is for a child to have a family and proper parenting.

On the other hand, to become a complete human, we need to study in a school, interact with teachers and neighbours, have
friends, face challenges, learn from our environment, gain social experiences and all those factors have crucial roles to play
in a child’s life. Parents keep their offspring safe from dangers while their real life experiences teach them how to deal with
those obstacles. Outside the home, children encounter several kinds of situations that teach them how to solve their own
problems. Furthermore, children learn invaluable skills in schools which help them develop a sense of community to have a
normal life beyond their family borders.

To infer, I am convinced that while parents have a huge impact on children’s attitude, social interactions and external factors
are also imperative and cannot be ignored for a child's overall development.

4. Many modern children spend a great deal of time sitting in front of a television or computer screen. This is extremely
harmful to their development. Therefore, parents should strictly limit the time that children spend in this way.

It is generally accepted that spending too much time in front of the TV harms childrens’ development. Therefore,in my
opinion, parents should by all means limit their childrens’ TV and computer screen time, especially while they are younger.

Watching TV or using a computer can be addictive, even for adults. Parents must prevent their children from developing bad
habits, like spending a lot of their time in front of the TV, early on. Not only should parents strictly limit their childrens'
screen time, they also need to be role models. Certainly, younger children will need more guidance, while teenagers can be
given more responsibility in how they spend their time.

Moreover, watching TV is a passive way to spend time with no social interaction. While this point is not so much about
computers, physical exercise and playing with other children are essential activities for healthy development. Spending a lot
of time in front of computer or TV screens limit’s a child time for such activities.

In particular, younger children can not concentrate for an extended time span without breaks. Watching TV or playing
computer games for many hours can hurt their ability to concentrate on their homework or a book later on. So even if the
content watched is age adequate and educational, watching it for too long can be harmful for a child.

All things considered, there are many reasons why parents are well advised to monitor their childrens’ use of TV and
computers closely, especially younger children who need to be guided to spend their time in active and healthy ways.

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5. Children today spend a lot of time on social media. What potential problems could it cause and how
would they be addressed.
Children spend a considerable amount of time these days glued to the internet watching videos or
engaging in social networks. Outdoor and creative activities are being replaced by technology like apps,
video games, etc. Even though the internet has revolutionised our ways of thinking and doing things, it
comes with its own set of issues. This essay will discuss in detail, the potential problems caused due to
social media in the lives of children and will suggest practical solutions to address the issue.
Firstly, higher social media usage affects a child's academic performance. Research suggests that
children who spend more time on social media relatively have poor concentration levels and productivity
than those who don’t or use it constructively. Moreover, in the long run it affects their eyesight, sleep
patterns and cognitive abilities.
Secondly, the usage of social media has a close relationship with declining mental health. It has been
observed that exposure to social media leads to anxiety and other mental problems which seems to get worse
as time goes by. Children are vulnerable and therefore more susceptible to falling in social media traps like
online addiction or impressing others on such platforms.
These issues can be addressed by drawing certain boundaries and time limits to its usage through
careful monitoring. Parents can introduce interesting books with illustrations, educational audio-visuals,
outdoor sports and engaging activities for kids which is a better use of their time.
To conclude, there is no doubt that social media has inevitably replaced a lot of conventional hobbies
and interests that children used to indulge in. However, over exposure of social media usage does more harm
than good. With some restriction and involving kids in enjoyable activities these problems can be tackled
which will help them use their time constructively and boost their overall wellbeing.

6. Social media is becoming increasingly popular amongst all age groups. However, sharing personal
information on social media websites does have risks. Do you think that the advantages of social media
outweigh the disadvantages?
Since the invention of social media, many people have been better able to connect with each other and
also to keep up to date with the lives of their friends, families, co-workers and even celebrities, to such a
degree which was previously impossible.
However, social media has its risks. As people of all ages have access to social media, children can be
exposed to adult content, and are themselves vulnerable to be approached by strangers with unknown
intentions. Even if children are sure of who they’re talking to on social media, social media’s issues are not
completely eliminated. Cyber bullying is frequently reported in the news, and occurs on social media
between children and schoolchildren. This is problematic, as it means even when children are at home,
remote from their bullies they can still be bullied when they’re inside their own homes.
Social media can be problematic for adults, too. People often feel comfortable posting things on social
media that they wouldn’t say in real life. This can indirectly cause a bad impression on other people, and if
employers judge the nature of the content prospective employees post on social media to be inappropriate, it
can affect their chances of attaining or keeping jobs.
As long as people are aware of the risks of using social media, and are careful to post only respectful
and respectable content, then the advantages of social media far outweigh the disadvantages, and children
and adults alike should be allowed to benefit from such technology.

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