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  • oils Cast Episode 23 You listening to Eilts cast the podcast to put you in touch with successful isles candidates from around the world.

  • Listening learners, they explain how the achieved band 78 Andi, even nine.

  • Now here's your host Ryan.

  • Hello and welcome toe Isles cast today I'm speaking with Baron and Isles candidates from gel Under, which is in Punjab India.

  • Baron is here today and he's going to tell us how he scored an overall band of eight with the very impressive perfect band nine and listening a band eight in Reading and Ban seven in writing and banned seven in speaking.

  • Hi Varun.

  • Welcome to islands caste higher and Oh, you I'm good.

  • Thank you.

  • Very nice.

  • So you mentioned that you had listened to podcasts before on dhe.

  • Did any of the podcasts share with you tips that perhaps you you hadn't known before?

  • That you put into practice for your own examination?

  • He s the one of you.

  • Sure you interviewed with it?

  • Yes, And that was very helpful because earlier I was able to finish my, uh, reading in about 50 minutes.

  • Okay.

  • But after because I was reading all the questions.

  • And then I was going toe the text and finding the answers.

  • But after eating that, what because I read one question and then went back to the test and then answer looked for them said And then going back to another question that reduce my 10 minutes signed a visible to finish my testing Only 40 minutes.

  • Wow.

  • So just that strategy alone that that accelerated your speed by 10 minutes.

  • Wow, that's incredible.

  • Varun and I were going to go through the examination.

  • The sections one by one and barren is going to share some of his advice and a bit of the experience that he had in the example.

  • So let's start with with your greatest mark on the exam The listening You got a perfect band night.

  • So barren.

  • Won't you tell us a little bit about how you approached preparing for the listening?

  • First of all, I listen tow these Discovery Channel.

  • I used to say lots off documentaries on Discovery Channel and they have been a lot in developing my listening skills.

  • And in addition to that, I listened to you poor cars and most of the people they were very good in speaking English.

  • So I was able to, uh, accommodate myself and acclimatize myself.

  • Toe various accents off the English by your podcasts.

  • And in addition, I had a report card subscribe through this Apple's iTunes.

  • Okay.

  • And what podcast was that?

  • There was All is English.

  • Hey, all ears English.

  • Okay, it's my two girls named Lindsey and Gabby.

  • Okay, It's the day GIs daily deleting Zo are anything they like to just a conversation between two people and that helped me a lot.

  • Okay, so Okay, so maybe that helped Thio train.

  • You're here for listening for conversation Style of English.

  • In addition to that, I bond is cameras, just people's the nine books which have official examination People's by Cambridge.

  • And I listened to the cities which were provided with them and also the questions along with that.

  • So I practiced the questions and I listened to you to the conversations on the port pod counts, and that would be OK.

  • So you were doing a lot of practice tests before you went to the exam?

  • Yes, I sold all the these nine books on each book is having four distinct right, four deaths.

  • So it was around 32 tests on this and finish in tow.

  • Delete.

  • This thing's great.

  • So you ran through all 32 tests is very yes.

  • Yes, Sharon, As you as you were going through the tests, did you find that your mark was improving?

  • Little by little, Uh, it was a good from initial, because when it's all the past test, I was able to score 36 hours.

  • 40.

  • Okay, great.

  • So after that, it was yesterday.

  • Improved.

  • Sometimes when I was able to get 40 or 40 other times, it was just 39.

  • 30.

  • So that regulates it.

  • Improved.

  • Okay, Terrific.

  • So that it sounds as though that the practice test that you were doing were a very good reflection of what you actually scored in the exam.

  • Yes.

  • Okay.

  • Let's talk about your experience in the exam itself.

  • He and experience was nice.

  • All the people were very friendly and media sit comfortably, and they gave us our candidate number and did made us check the had phones try so that there's no problem while listening the actual lives listening test.

  • And, uh, I had a strict prostrated before listening because I knew that there is an announcement in the beginning, and it's around one minute, 50 condone something like that.

  • So I just wrote it on me notebook that there's every gap which is in between this this listening to sections.

  • So initially there is a gap for on during which they announced that they're going.

  • This is an island test.

  • You're going to listen this and this and during their But I was just a reading like a section for inspection trees questions because they are very tough and the speed is going to increase as we go toward the last section.

  • Okay, so I don't question section four and section trees question during that period only.

  • And when er on also said that, you know, you can turn to section one, then it immediately turn to section one and 200.

  • The questions of Section one.

  • Interesting.

  • So Okay, that's I've never heard anyone suggest that before, but that that makes a lot of sense.

  • I mean, typically, section when the first couple of questions are really straightforward, it very easy.

  • So you used that little gap of time just to jump ahead to kind of preview what the subject would be and what sort of questions you would face in three and four.

  • Yes.

  • Okay.

  • As you were going through where you also preview previewing the questions in the review time that you're given.

  • No, I was not driving the questions.

  • I was going Air dander.

  • Didn't the questions off the next section?

  • Yes.

  • So that there is no use of revenge.

  • Innocent Because we have heard already everything.

  • And there is no time.

  • There is no use of wasting their time.

  • I use that time to read the question of the next section, right?

  • That's right.

  • That's what I meant.

  • You're So you're previewing for the next section in that In that Yes.

  • Okay, one end up.

  • Actually, there was a problem.

  • I just missed one question.

  • It was like because about air balloons.

  • So it was individuated best to go into the in that air balloon.

  • So I just missed that part because I was reading the next.

  • Because there is a gap between, uh, one section.

  • Also, give the gap off about some minutes during which you can read the first day, tell 1st 5 questions, one section, the next fight.

  • It's like that.

  • So there is a gap between uh, five questions off the, uh, 1st 1st question in the last five questions off same section.

  • So I used that also the lead, because in the third and fourth section Oh, OK, yes, I know what you mean.

  • That there is that little gap in the middle of the listing itself.

  • So even that little gap you went ahead to listing three and four.

  • Yes, well, so during that time, I just missed one question, but I was able to just predict it.

  • I think I predicted it right, because the game's been off The best season to go in an air balloon would be a spring season.

  • Because I heard that he was saying that winter season, there's lots off.

  • Also, you won't be able to go in summer.

  • It's too hard.

  • And so he made two seasons.

  • He was making that.

  • They're not good.

  • I see.

  • Well, I I couldn't hurt which season is good, but I predicted that it might be a spring season, so I put it there, and I think that might have run, right.

  • Well, yeah, it sounds like it.

  • So you just You just kind of deduced from what you knew and the middle.

  • Yes.

  • Okay.

  • Wow.

  • Great advice, Varun.

  • Is there anything else you want to share about?

  • The listening, huh?

  • Nothing.

  • It's just we have to practice because even if we listen to these orcas, we must practice questions in so that we get started this hour.

  • Sold?

  • Yes.

  • So I just made I have a return on my notebook.

  • I'll send you the exact gaps which are present.

  • We need section, so I'll send them.

  • I feel them to you so that you can share with Excellent.

  • Great, Thank you.

  • Wonderful advice.

  • Now let's move on to the reading section.

  • And again you scored band eight.

  • Uh, can you walk us through the step that you you took to prepare for that?

  • For that, I just used to solve these Cambridge peoples.

  • And in addition to that, I had a friend who during some coaching institute, So I took some other test people's from him, which I used to Seoul.

  • So during my practice off these tests, I used to score almost 90%.

  • I was able to score a bank night, so I was even.

  • I was expecting nine.

  • Also in this one, I came home and told my parents, I'll be getting nine in at least reading because I was sure cure about this.

  • I was not sure about listening because I missed that one.

  • And I predicted one question and the exact opposite night when I got nine in listening and eat in reading, right?

  • Okay, well, both very, very, very good marks as well, So you can't be too unhappy about that.

  • But did you do any sort of a strict vocabulary preparation or, you know, exercises to try improved in a book?

  • I direct the news People's only in his paper on me mobile phone itself.

  • So I usedto a copy of the whole sentence in which that book ever needed a new liver.

  • I copy that and placed it in my notes, and then I used to this made the mobile pronounce all those sentences.

  • So I was able to practice my listening.

  • I was able to know how they were being lost, and I was also able to learn all the meanings of those works.

  • And I think also that when you see it used in context, this also indirectly helped your writing because then you can see exactly how this word is, it would be used correctly.

  • Yes, That mean writing is okay.

  • Great.

  • So see, it sounds like you were doing a lot of academic reading your reading newspapers regularly doing the Praxis examinations.

  • Now, where did you do any any focus on language for different kinds of English.

  • So, for example, medical English or maybe English related to the environment or related thio education or no, actually, I'm a science student.

  • Only I had a good hold on the science book.

  • Edwards and I usedto read this business, right?

  • Health, health segments and all the current affairs.

  • I see.

  • Now let's talk about the examination itself.

  • Why don't you share a bit of a about the experience with us during the examination?

  • Actually, after the listing, they gave us this writing paper.

  • Sorry, reading people.

  • So I stay distracted doing a one woman so more wanting to know this during practice, I used to get some questions, but you're not in sequence.

  • But in this in this actually does all the questions were in because only So I was reading the question, going back to the text.

  • I was getting it in the first paragraph itself and then going to next question.

  • That was in next line on next paragraph.

  • So it was a pretty easy reading part.

  • I didn't find any difficulty in reading.

  • Do you remember the topics that your readings were on?

  • Yes.

  • One was on preparing your CB on the last one.

  • Wasn't the giant barred frog giant bird frog Bart be a double R eady general artwork?

  • Okay, so it was something to do.

  • It was the third, the most difficult one.

  • The third section, and, uh, one more was dead.

  • I can't remember that one.

  • And did you remember the question types that you saw?

  • Yeah.

  • People like in the last segment River.

  • This true vault's not given and the multiple choices And they were fill in the blanks and actually didn't got any headings or not.

  • I prepared a lot for those ones also.

  • Okay, toe.

  • But there were no headings in my reading, April.

  • Anything else that you'd like to share but reading hearing before we move on to reading?

  • Uh, just I think most of the questioning on 90% of question are in sequence, so we must keep on doing them.

  • Were not able to find any question.

  • We shouldn't waste time on that.

  • Just finished the question.

  • Which way of finding the answers to you and just go back at last if you have time to see the difficult ones?

  • Because I think our 25 question Dr Fortier.

  • Very easy.

  • We confine very easy answer just in front of us.

  • And then I think they're a little difficult.

  • And five are kind of pretty that I have deduced from the various examination People have soared.

  • So those five, we can leave our last we can shouldn't waste much time on them.

  • Just finished the easy part, then the difficult and the tricky We can do it last.

  • Okay, Great.

  • And so, like, you were sharing at the beginning, and it only took you 40 minutes to get through all of the readings.

  • Yes, actually, go went for a break that I went to drink water.

  • No, not for that.

  • Washed up because I didn't have anything.

  • Do do.

  • Right.

  • Okay.

  • Wonderful.

  • So that that's some very good advice regarding the reading.

  • Now let's move on to the writing.

  • And now, just to give us a bit of perspective, Baron, have you taken the outs before or was this the first time?

  • Yeah, I hadn't given it before.

  • This was my first time.

  • You've obviously got because the topic which we came in this my writing I had done already a military type type of topic I had sold already.

  • Okay, so it was like some topic was the time period short controlled the time off, their Children watching TV and playing video games.

  • And this time should be spent on reading books.

  • So do you agree?

  • You're basically it was like this.

  • So what I have so longed early was that I still don't know spending a lot of time on watching TV and playing video games.

  • Do you agree?

  • And what we can do for this?

  • So this that this time can be utilized for reading books.

  • That was a new thing.

  • The half part I had so lonely during my practice.

  • I see.

  • So it was kind of off.

  • No stopping me.

  • Okay?

  • I just modified a little bit and a road.

  • Everything okay?

  • Terrific.

  • And as for a structure goes, how did you structure your essay?

  • How many paragraphs did you include?

  • I included four paragraphs and first part.

  • I just give a little introduction about a technology that it has provided us with all these things.

  • We do games and everything.

  • So we're kind of getting dependent on this technology toe a wish you'd rather use it for.

  • Construct people position better than being too much depended on there.

  • And then in one paragraph, just focus on the positive things off reading these books and everything.

  • And in second, better and better.

  • He included the negative parts off watching TV and playing video games in last.

  • Okay, terrific.

  • So it sounds like a pretty straightforward argument.

  • SC?

  • Yes, Uh, in a task one.

  • I had a letter.

  • I gave your training exam.

  • So it was a letter of individual.

  • You have toe.

  • Ask your friends for getting a photograph.

  • That because your came round, your computer had become corrupted.

  • And you don't have time for the draft, and you have to write a letter to your friend to get that photograph from you.

  • Okay.

  • Also sounds quite Chris Tree fort.

  • So as far as then preparing for the writing.

  • Did you take any course before you?

  • You, uh you took this examination at all.

  • Did you have anybody?

  • Coach, you're writing?

  • Yes.

  • Not exactly, Coach.

  • I just used to write an essay and got got them checked from a teacher.

  • Okay, so she used to tell me that she used to get initially she gave me, like, 6.56 25.

  • Then she said mito make a the structure a little better and include into you're good with words and use complex sentences.

  • So, as with time, she started giving giving seven.

  • And at last, when?

  • Just before the exams, she gave me 7.5.

  • Okay, great.

  • Okay.

  • There was Obviously, there was There was some gradual improvement there.

  • And it's reflected in your performance on the Isles.

  • Okay.

  • Anything else you want to share of Aaron about writing before we move on?

  • Just we should like we should go with a patron.

  • But there are different ways to approaching this thing.

  • I read the more peoples which are given in temperature test, but these big books, so you should just get a dramatized one sec off.

  • Just stick to one patron like I start to this pattern.

  • Just first I'll give it through.

  • Then I'll give two paragraph in which I'll discuss.

  • I discussed the question which they have asking in last paragraph, I'll given conclusion.

  • So I just stuck to this in every state practice.

  • I just made this Petra normally degree So any better new just which is you're comfortable with.

  • Just stick to that pattern.

  • So So that why your exact examination?

  • You're able to follow that pattern only, and you're obviously school.

  • Good to hear your your practice that that better in a lot of times, Okay.

  • And that's very good advice.

  • You should go into the examination already with a structure in mind, not try to build a structure when you're when you're engaging.

  • Very good advice.

  • Now let's move on to speaking.

  • You also scored band seven and you're obviously a very strong speaker, A confident speaker.

  • Your pace is good.

  • Your accent is good.

  • You use a variety of vocabulary.

  • I can tell just from this this interview that we've, uh we've been having together now.

  • So why don't you talk a little bit about how did you prepare for the examination of frankly speaking?

  • I was too afraid of regarding my speaking only because every I couldn't find any partners who with I can practice there.

  • So what?

  • I did it I are some of my friends.

  • So how to do it?

  • And I'll also make teacher used to check my writing papers she and weighs me that I should know if I'm not able to talk with someone, I can.

  • What I can do is I can just read all readout long, whatever I'm reading.

  • Read it out loud so that you're speaking as well while reading.

  • Okay, that's a good idea.

  • I was reading that in my room.

  • I was sitting alone.

  • I used to read it out loud so that I am able to build my pronunciation and every knew what I was finding.

  • I just in my dictionary on my phone rate, meaning read its meaning.

  • And then I made it to pronounce the world.

  • And then I know that my myself and I kept on practicing everything I knew.

  • I found I just took the whole sentence so that I knew it's not like learning things.

  • Single wars.

  • I took the whole sentence in watch what context that word was being used and how it is being pronounced.

  • And then I kept on revising every third day or every 40.

  • Whatever name I knew what I remember?

  • Okay, Interesting.

  • So you're building a personal dictionary?

  • You were trying to use these words.

  • Did you do any recording?

  • So recording your own voice and playing it back.

  • And I thought of doing that, but I couldn't do it.

  • I don't know.

  • I actually ate a big pleading.

  • I thought that I just see a topic, which which were in those tests textbooks off Cambridge.

  • And I prepare my speaking and recorded myself and the least listen to it.

  • But I couldn't do it.

  • I don't know if I Yeah.

  • Okay.

  • So this is not a strategy that worked for you.

  • Yes.

  • Okay.

  • So you got into the examination room, tell us a bit about the experience.

  • Where was the examiner from?

  • And how did they make you feel?

  • The Examiner was from India only, and he was very nice.

  • And he just came to the door and received me toe prints.

  • I don't miss it.

  • And then he told me his name.

  • And then he asked for mine and then asked for my i D.

  • And then he started asking the questions.

  • So he asked me about this sunshine out units and certain Shane and then everything dying to apartment later does.

  • And generally different aspect of sunshine Looking in windows and I don't wanna interrupt.

  • But I just find that very interesting because typically, I found that the speaking the first part is often related to the person taking the exam.

  • So something like What do you What are you doing?

  • You know?

  • Are you a student?

  • Are you Are you working?

  • What sort of stuff is he doing here?

  • Spending that he asked me a very welcome I'm a student.

  • And then he started asking.

  • I see.

  • Yes.

  • Yes, you are asking.

  • I told him that I was thinking a condition, medical condition in which I couldn't be a death sentence in a law.

  • So what you doing Windows and doing other season?

  • I enjoyed doing so much.

  • I am not able to tolerate it.

  • And I was telling, like during the rainy season, when the sun comes out and it sometimes makes foreign born everything, I used release expressions and I kept myself for that.

  • Even I was trying to make him feel that I'm confident and against be very good, Okay.

  • And it sounds a cz, though you also using a lot of examples.

  • Yes, yes, yes.

  • Okay, so I use it in various contexts, Like on a winter morning when the rays of sun far fall on you face and they just give you the warmth.

  • That kind of feeling is very good.

  • I used Thio training videos, contacts like in Windows and Spring in different seasons.

  • I told them like that.

  • Okay, great.

  • Okay.

  • So why don't you continue to tell us a bit more about what happened in part two and part three, in part?

  • Oh, he asked me about to a person I like to spend my time with.

  • So I told him that I'd like to spend my time with my brother.

  • So s so it was like, what activities you do together?

  • Why do you like him?

  • And so I just told him the qualities off my brother.

  • Because of what?

  • Because of we like to spend my time with my brother.

  • And what duties They were like going toe movies, watching television, playing sports like that.

  • Okay, that sounds like a very classic.

  • It's part Two questions for you.

  • Yes.

  • Yes, In part three, he was asking like, Oh, what kind of people they like to spend time with other people.

  • And some people there in towards some are actually.

  • So what are the reasons for that?

  • He actually that part was difficult.

  • I was asking some difficult questions related to this behavior of people.

  • Okay.

  • And I suppose that these were questions that came naturally after you finish your monologue about your brother educated in finishing was speaking only I didn't stop that two minutes.

  • He stopped by himself.

  • Okay.

  • And how long did you end up speaking for?

  • How did I end up?

  • How long Where you got?

  • Maybe two and 1/2 minutes or Yeah, I think it was two and 1/2 to 3 minutes.

  • So he didn't stop me.

  • And then he started asking the next question's bark three.

  • Okay, great.

  • Okay, so then that led him into the part three of the exam.

  • And so how did you feel about your performance When you were when you were in the examination room, Did you Did you leave the room Feeling confident?

  • Yeah, I was happy.

  • I thought I did Well, I was expecting at least seven.

  • I was expecting I e examiner told that my velocity that you're this speaking part is finished, and no, you can leave.

  • So you just came to the door and so see me off, And I wished him that.

  • Have a nice day, and he wished me back.

  • And then I just left.

  • He made me very comfortable.

  • I was I was not feeling like I was giving an exam.

  • It was like a normal conversation or that's wonderful.

  • That's good.

  • So that helps you to relax and give your best.

  • Yes, Baron, we're coming to the end of the interview.

  • Is there anything that you would like to share to students that have tried the examination several times and they still can't get their mark?

  • I would suggest Just be confident.

  • I was not looking here and there.

  • I was just looking at the Examiner and just try to look a 10 even confidence, so that the Examiner knows that you know the English.

  • And if you're confident it'll come next really?

  • From within that you know it and you can speak.

  • Everybody knows it.

  • Just the nervousness examination that we're not able to speak in front of Examiner Baron.

  • Thank you very much for joining me today.

  • Yeah, thanks a lot.

  • Thank you for downloading from Ayotte's.

  • I'll start calm.

  • Have you achieved an overall band off seven or higher on the isles exam?

  • Why not contribute to the podcast?

  • Contact Ryan at his blawg.

  • I ELT I else don't come.

  • And don't forget to rate this podcast on iTunes.

oils Cast Episode 23 You listening to Eilts cast the podcast to put you in touch with successful isles candidates from around the world.

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