Those who want to conquer high-stakes IELTS exam must be familiar with the series of practice questions from Cambridge University Press: Cambridge Practice Test for IELTS. In the article below, 9IELTS will spend a couple of lines reviewing the second book of this famous series: Cambridge Practice Test for IELTS 2.
Cambridge IELTS 2 is in the book series of the same name, published by Cambridge University Press – one of the most prestigious publishers in the world of English language learning in particular, and language skills in general.
For those who don’t know, Cambridge IELTS is a series of books about the IELTS exam published annually by Cambridge itself to give you the best orientation for those who are preparing for the IELTS exam. The book is a collection of many different sets of topics, and by exploiting these topics, readers will be able to decipher and grasp the structure of the exam. This will help you be more confident when entering the ‘battle’ with the exam.
Cambridge IELTS 2 Review
Book Content
Cambridge Practice Test for IELTS 2 is divided into 4 main parts:
- The first part provides 4 IELTS Academic mock tests and 2 questions in General Training format. Listening section in each test, there is an accompanying audio file.
- The second part is recording the Listening tests in the practice test (audio scripts).
- The third part includes answers to exercises of the Listening & Reading test sections (answer key).
- The last part is the answer sheet – sample answer sheets of skills in the IELTS test.
Each practice test in Cambridge IELTS 2 is designed in the same order as in an IELTS Academic test: from Listening to Reading, Writing and Speaking. In there:
Attached to the Cambridge 2 book are audio files (CDs) for the Listening test.
Target Readers
Because the Cambridge IELTS 2 book only provides practice questions, this document is suitable for those who have mastered the exam structure and tactics for handling different tests in each skill. Thus, the book is a reliable source of reference and practice for test takers before the official exam.
Pros & Cons
Cambridge IELTS 2 is compiled by many world-renowned language experts on all aspects of the IELTS exam: from exam preparation, to writing questions to marks. They are the ones who know best what format a language proficiency test should follow, and what criteria the candidate’s work needs to meet to achieve the desired band score.
Therefore, what is compiled in the book Cam 2 will be as close to reality as possible. Moreover, the book is “honoured” to be a member of the official list of IELTS preparation materials of Cambridge University Press. Therefore, the reliability of this IELTS preparation book is undisputed.
Cambridge IELTS 2 designed both practice tests for the IELTS test in 2 formats: IELTS Academic and General Training with all 4 skills. This feature sets the book apart from most exam preparation materials on the market, as they mainly focus on one test format. The Cambridge IELTS 3 design can reach learners of both forms, Academic and General Training.
In addition, at the end of Cambridge IELTS 2, there are answers to IELTS mock tests in 3 skills: Listening, Reading, and Writing. In particular, the Listening section has a tape script (recording of audio recordings) in text form and pieces of information containing specific underlined answers, making it easy for readers to follow and find their own mistakes, and at the same time understand. I got the reason why I got the wrong answer.
However, Cambridge Practice Test for IELTS 2 only focuses on designing a series of IELTS mock tests with the full set of 4 skills (complete IELTS tests), without incorporating instructions on the test process, how to solve problems, and strategies. Strategies and exercises that build the foundation for learners. Therefore, the book is not suitable for beginners at all.
Besides, because Cambridge IELTS 2 has been published long, its updating has been reduced a bit. Some listening tests are no longer suitable for the current IELTS test.
For example, in Listening test 4, section 4 includes 2 types of multiple-choice and ticks on the column containing the correct information in the given table. In contrast, section 4 in IELTS Listening test from 2017 and later only tests one form. Note completion (Listen and fill in notes). This makes that part of the exercise deviate from the new IELTS Academic format.
Cambridge IELTS 2 Study Guide
Cambridge Practice Test for IELTS 2 belongs to the official test preparation kit of Cambridge University publisher, so you should take advantage of the opportunity to practice. However, there are two caveats before preparing for the exam.
Firstly, the test has some outdated test formats, especially in the Listening section. People need to carefully learn the latest IELTS format (which can be compared with Cambridge IELTS books from 9 onwards) to avoid making mistakes. Right those types. Secondly, for a successful mock exam, the necessary conditions for continuous and authentic test-taking must be ensured: space, time, tools, questions and answer sheets. After taking the test, you must compare the answers and convert them to the corresponding IELTS band score, then try to find the reason behind the mistakes.
With Speaking, you can record your Speaking part, and then ask relatives with experience in exam and assessment practice. You can self-evaluate based on the description of the IELTS Speaking scale, but this is a personal skill, so it would be good to consult from many sides because you will avoid wondering whether I think that’s fair. Have I pointed out what I need to improve?
Download Cambridge IELTS 2 Free
Please visit the link below to download the Cambridge IELTS 2 book and start practising immediately! Download Cambridge IELTS 2, and you can not only practice well but also have great experiences in the process of IELTS test preparation, thereby removing obsession and stress during the actual exam.
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