WELCOME TO THE REAL

IELTS
Real People Make
Miracles!
nd
therealielts
UNIT 5
Reading
Consumerism
 OBJECTIVES

In this unit you will learn how to:

✔ identify topic sentences
✔ identify main and supporting ideas
✔ match headings with paragraphs
✔ use will and going to.
 1. Which of these activities can you do at a shopping mall? Which can you see in the pictures?

Buy clothes buy or rent an apartment

check your health Go climbing
go in a hot air balloon go to the beach
Have a snack have a beauty treatment
have an expensive meal See a film
see an art exhibition see plants and trees
ski
 THE FUTURE OF MALLS
A. Shopping malls have never been just about shopping. They began in the United States after the Second
World War and, for the young, they were always a place to 'hang out' and be seen. However, the world
has moved on, and just providing shops and a food court is no longer enough to keep malls alive. Malls
became less popular at the start of the 21st century, mainly because of on line shopping. There is even a 2. Read the text in one minute. Answer
website, dead malls.com, which shows the end of many US malls. Malls need to change to survive. So the questions orally without looking at
what will the mall of the future look like? the text again.
B. Malls are already becoming bigger and better all over the world. Asia and not the US is now the 'mall
capital' of the world and is home to the five largest malls in the world. China is home to the two largest.
Some mat ls in the Middle East and East Asia are starting to specialise. It is predicted that this will happen
more and more in the future. Some ma tis will only sell electrical items, for example, or only fashion for
young people. Some malls will only include expensive shops or cheap shops, as already happens in 1 Which of the activities in exercise 1 were
Bangkok and Singapore. mentioned? all
C. Malls are becoming 'the new downtown', with cinemas, bowling alleys, climbing walls and even concert
halls. Xanadu, a mall 30 km from Madrid, is a recreation centre for a family day out as well as a shopping 2 Can you remember any places that were in
centre, with ski slopes, minigolf, go-karts, balloon rides, bowling and billiards. We have always been able the text? the US, China, the Middle East, East Asia,
to grab a burger at the mall, but in the future we are going to see 'fine dining' too, with more expensive Bangkok, Singapore, Madrid, London
restaurants based at malls, as well as spas, fitness centres and art galleries. There are also going to be 3 Is the text mainly about the past, present or
more apartments and office space so that more people can live, work, shop and be entertained in one future? It is mainly about the present and future
location.
D. Mall owners are going to need to think of new ideas to remain in business. One growing trend is the
seasonal changes in the mall. It began with having Santa Claus in December, but now there are 'pop-ups'
temporary shops, stalls and kiosks - for other seasons and events. Brent Cross in North London has an
'urban beach' in summer, and its main lobby has different promotions and events every week, from
bungee jumping for kids to free health checks.
E. So, we have looked at the facilities ma tis wilt need to offer. Malls will need to consider the environment
too. There will be more open-air malts and more natural features. Mall designers will have to make sure
people can get there by public transport. They will also need to use more natural sources of heat and
light. We will see more plants, trees, grass and even waterfalls at our local malls in the future.
F. The future of malls looks exciting: there will be 'virtual malts' and technology wilt be used within malts
to help us shop, find bargains and even park our car. With all these creative innovations, the malt will go
from strength to strength.
 MATCHING HEADINGS
Matching headings tests your ability to summarise and understand the main idea of a paragraph.
You are given a list of headings (more than the number of paragraphs) and you must choose a suitable
heading for each paragraph.
To match headings, you need to be able to find the main idea of a paragraph. You can usually find one
sentence that sums up the main idea. This is the topic sentence. This has been highlighted in paragraph
A: Malls need to change to survive.
The sentence Malls need to change to survive is supported by evidence in the paragraph, including:
• The world has moved on.
• Malls became less popular at the start of the 21st century, mainly because of online shopping.
• There is even a website, dead malls.com, which shows the end of many US malls.
3. The topic sentence in paragraph B is Malls are already becoming bigger and
better all over the world. Write two pieces of evidence from paragraph B which
support the topic sentence.

B. Malls are already becoming bigger and better all over the world. Asia and not
the US is now the 'mall capital' of the world and is home to the five largest malls in
the world. China is home to the two largest. Some mat ls in the Middle East and
East Asia are starting to specialise. It is predicted that this will happen more and
more in the future. Some ma tis will only sell electrical items, for example, or only
fashion for young people. Some malls will only include expensive shops or cheap
shops, as already happens in Bangkok and Singapore.
 4. Find the topic sentences in paragraphs C, D and E.

C. Malls are becoming 'the new downtown', with cinemas, bowling alleys, climbing walls and even concert halls.
Xanadu, a mall 30 km from Madrid, is a recreation centre for a family day out as well as a shopping centre, with
ski slopes, minigolf, go-karts, balloon rides, bowling and billiards. We have always been able to grab a burger at
the mall, but in the future we are going to see 'fine dining' too, with more expensive restaurants based at malls,
as well as spas, fitness centres and art galleries. There are also going to be more apartments and office space so
that more people can live, work, shop and be entertained in one location.

D. Mall owners are going to need to think of new ideas to remain in business. One growing trend is the seasonal
changes in the mall. It began with having Santa Claus in December, but now there are 'pop-ups' temporary shops,
stalls and kiosks - for other seasons and events. Brent Cross in North London has an 'urban beach' in summer, and
its main lobby has different promotions and events every week, from bungee jumping for kids to free health
checks.

E. So, we have looked at the facilities ma tis wilt need to offer. Malls will need to consider the environment too.
There will be more open-air malts and more natural features. Mall designers will have to make sure people can
get there by public transport. They will also need to use more natural sources of heat and light. We will see more
plants, trees, grass and even waterfalls at our local malls in the future.
 5. Below is one supporting idea for each of paragraphs C, D and E. Add one more
for each paragraph. Write the supporting ideas in your own words.

C Xanadu ... is a recreation centre for a family day out as well as a shopping centre.

D Brent Cross ... has different promotions and events every week.

E There will be more open-air malls and more natural features.

Possible answers
C There will be more fine dining/ There will be spas, fitness centres and art
galleries/ There will be more apartments and office space.
D There are 'pop-up' shops, stalls and kiosks at different times of the year.
E Malls will have to make sure people can reach them by public transport /
Malls will have to use natural sources of heat and light / There will be more
plants, trees, grass and waterfalls.
 PARAPHRASE

6. In the test, there are always more headings than you need. Read these headings
for paragraphs B to E (they are not in the right order).

i Innovate and stay alive

ii Fast food paradise
iii Expanding and improving
iv Malls and the natural world
v A new city centre
7. Match the words and phrases 1-6 (from the headings above) with the words and
phrases a-f (from the topic sentences of paragraphs B-E).

1. innovate a. becoming bigger

2. stay alive b. environment
3. expanding c. think of new ideas
4. improving d. downtown
5. natural world e. remain in business
6. city centre f. becoming better
8. Choose a heading from exercise 6 for paragraphs B to E. Write the correct
number i-v in the gaps.

i Innovate and stay alive

iii
Paragraph B __
ii Fast food paradise
i
Paragraph D __
iii Expanding and improving
v
Paragraph C __
iv Malls and the natural world
iv
Paragraph E __
v A new city centre
 OBJECTIVES
In this unit you will learn how to:
✔ organise a Part 2 essay
✔ write an introduction
✔ write about points for and against, and give opinions
✔ give examples and evidence to support your views
GRAMMAR: FUTURE FORMS
 THE FUTURE OF MALLS
A. Shopping malls have never been just about shopping. They began in the United States after the Second
World War and, for the young, they were always a place to 'hang out' and be seen. However, the world has
moved on, and just providing shops and a food court is no longer enough to keep malls alive. Malls
became less popular at the start of the 21st century, mainly because of on line shopping. There is even a
website, dead malls.com, which shows the end of many US malls. Malls need to change to survive. So
what will the mall of the future look like?
B. Malls are already becoming bigger and better all over the world. Asia and not the US is now the
'mall capital' of the world and is home to the five largest malls in the world. China is home to the two
largest. Some mat ls in the Middle East and East Asia are starting to specialise. It is predicted that this will
happen more and more in the future. Some malls will only sell electrical items, for example, or only fashion
for young people. Some malls will only include expensive shops or cheap shops, as already happens in
Bangkok and Singapore. 9. Find examples of future forms
C. Malls are becoming 'the new downtown', with cinemas, bowling alleys, climbing walls and even concert in the passage The future of
halls. Xanadu, a mall 30 km from Madrid, is a recreation centre for a family day out as well as a shopping malls. Which two ways of
centre, with ski slopes, minigolf, go-karts, balloon rides, bowling and billiards. We have always been able to talking about the future are
grab a burger at the mall, but in the future we are going to see 'fine dining' too, with more expensive used? Write one example of
restaurants based at malls, as well as spas, fitness centres and art galleries. There are also going to be
more apartments and office space so that more people can live, work, shop and be entertained in one
each.
location.
D. Mall owners are going to need to think of new ideas to remain in business. One growing trend is the
seasonal changes in the mall. It began with having Santa Claus in December, but now there are 'pop-ups'
temporary shops, stalls and kiosks - for other seasons and events. Brent Cross in North London has an
'urban beach' in summer, and its main lobby has different promotions and events every week, from bungee
jumping for kids to free health checks.
E. So, we have looked at the facilities ma tis wilt need to offer. Malls will need to consider the environment
too. There will be more open-air malts and more natural features. Mall designers will have to make sure
people can get there by public transport. They will also need to use more natural sources of heat and light.
We will see more plants, trees, grass and even waterfalls at our local malls in the future.
F. The future of malls looks exciting: there will be 'virtual malls' and technology wilt be used within malls to
help us shop, find bargains and even park our car. With all these creative innovations, the mall will go from
strength to strength.
 is going to
are going to

will
will/are going to
are going to
will
EXAM SKILLS
11. Which paragraph in the passage Markets around the world contains
information on the following? Write the correct letter, A-G.

1. markets put on at a particular time of year F

2. markets where anyone can sell anything D
3. markets selling things to eat B
4. advice for people who want to dress differently from others C
5. examples of markets outside Europe E
12. The reading passage has seven paragraphs, A-G. Choose the correct heading for
paragraphs B-F from the list of headings (i-vii) below. Write the correct number, i-vii. There
are two headings you won't need.

List of headings
i Local are and craft work to take home ii
1 Paragraph B ___
ii Inexpensive things to eat straight from the countryside iv
2 Paragraph C ___
iii Toys for children of all ages vii
3 Paragraph D ___
iv Invent a new style for yourself at bargain prices i
4 Paragraph E ___
v London has the best markets vi
5 Paragraph F ___
vi Find gifts for winter celebrations
vii Sell what you don't need
 Markets around the world
A. We have become so used to shopping in big supermarkets and chain stores, identical in every town, that we have forgotten about one important way to shop - markets. Markets
are found in every country in the world, but wherever you go they are different and reveal the local culture - and agriculture. From farmers' markets selling fresh produce to craft
and antique markets, they are the best place to find something unique at a great price.
B. Food is at its cheapest and freshest in markets. Farmers often sell direct to the consumer, without all the packaging, shipping and advertising that increases costs in shops and
supermarkets. You can often find unusual products and those that are not mass-produced. Food markets vary hugely according to where they are in the world. For example the
Kauppatori market in Helsinki, Finland sells moose, reindeer and bear salami. Wherever you are, food will be locally produced and reasonably priced.
C. Markets are also good places to buy clothes. Some sell cheap new and second-hand clothes, while others specialise in vintage or ethically made clothes and original items. The
markets of London are some of the best in the world for those who want to create a unique look for themselves. Many new designers start with a market stall, so if you are looking
for a totally original item of clothing, you could get something really special at a bargain price at Brick Lane, Spitalfields or Portobello Road markets.
D. Another type of market is a flea market. This is a much more informal type of market, where second-hand products can be sold by anyone. If you have unwanted items at home,
you could take them to a flea market and sell them yourself. There are also antiques and possibly local crafts at this kind of market. In some parts of the world there may not even
be stalls; rather, vendors lay out their goods on a sheet on the ground. In other parts of the world, flea markets have developed into car boot sales, where people sell their
unwanted items from their cars.
E In some places, markets are directed at visitors and tend to sell handicrafts typical of the region. For many tourists, a visit to a nearby market to buy souvenirs is an important part
of their holiday. Guadalajara in Mexico has a huge range of traditional textiles, glassware, ceramics and art works and Seoul in Korea has some wonderful original designs of all
kinds of products at affordable prices. Countries in the Middle East usually have beautiful hand-made rugs and carpets, and Indian markets sell colourful handloom fabrics and
beautiful silk scarves.
F In Europe, Christmas is the time when seasonal markets are held to sell decorations and gifts for the festive season. One of the most famous of these is held in Wenceslas Square
in Prague in the Czech Republic. The market is made up of colourfully decorated wooden huts selling traditional handicrafts, embroidered lace, wooden toys, scented candles,
Christmas tree ornaments, and puppets and dolls beautifully dressed in traditional costumes. This looks very pretty, especially in the snow.
G. So, wherever you are in the world and whatever you are looking for, there is a market for you. You can get all kinds of unusual things at great prices.
UNIT 5
Writing
Consumerism
 1. Put the words and phrases into the correct column.

advantages all things considered benefits

disadvantages drawbacks in my view
negative aspects positive aspects personally

advantages disadvantages all things considered

benefits drawbacks in my view
positive aspects negative aspects personally
2. These sentences are from an essay on the advantages and disadvantages of shopping
online. Are they talking about good points (G), bad points (B) or giving an opinion (O)?
Write G, B or 0. The first one has been done for you.

1 A wider range of products is available on line. G

2 You can't try on clothes and shoes if you buy online. B
___
3 I prefer going to shops and choosing things in person. O
___
4 There is no need to carry heavy shopping to your car. G
___
5 You save money on petrol, parking or bus fares. G
___
6 Goods might be delivered when you are out. B
___
7 It isn't a good idea to give your credit card details on line. O
___
8 You often have to pay a lot for postage and wait for your goods. B
___
9 I think it is better to support local shops. O
___
 PART 2 QUESTION TYPES
3. Three of the question types you might find in Part 2 are:

1. Do you agree (or disagree) that ... ? C

2. Do the advantages/benefits of ... outweigh the disadvantages/drawbacks? A
3. Discuss two different views and give your opinion. B

Match the question types 1-3 with what you have to do (a-c).

a Say if you think there are more good points than bad points.
b Write about both sides and say what you think.
c Give your opinion on this.
 4. Look at the following question.

Do you agree that supermarkets are a threat to small shops and local communities?

Decide on your own opinion. Choose from these options.

A I strongly agree. Supermarkets will force small shops to close and this will damage
local communities.
B I agree to some extent. There may be a slight threat to small shops and local
communities.
C I generally disagree. There is a place for both small shops and supermarkets.
D I strongly disagree. Supermarkets will not have an impact on small shops and local
communities.
5. The same topic could be expressed as a different question type:

Do the advantages of supermarkets outweigh the disadvantages?

Are these advantages or disadvantages of supermarkets?

1 They are cheap.
2 There are many different products.
3 You often need a car to get there.
4 You don't usually meet your friends there.
5 Food is usually fresh.
6 There are sometimes queues at the checkout.
7 There is plenty of free parking.
8 Small shops lose their customers.
 WRITING AN INTRODUCTION
6. Which of these, A or B, is the better introduction for the essay topic in exercise 5?
Give reasons.

A. I totally agree that the advantages of supermarkets outweigh the disadvantages.

There are many benefits - cheap prices, plenty of choice, late opening hours, and only
a few drawbacks. In this essay I will explain my opinion.
B. Nowadays you can find a supermarket in every town. There are often several to
choose from and there is strong competition between them. This clearly has many
benefits, but there are some drawbacks too. I will consider both sides of the argument
and give my own view.

Introduction B is better because the writer's opinion is not given in the introduction. In an 'advantages/disadvantages'
essay it is better to give views on both sides before you give your own opinion. Introduction A also gives some of the
main points in favour of supermarkets, which is not appropriate in an introduction.
7. Study the information about introductions in the box above, and then read the
following Part 2 question and a student's introduction. What are the good and bad
things about this introduction?

Some people think shopping on line is better, while others prefer going to the shops.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
8. Check the notes below. Did you find the same points?
 9. Write a three-sentence introduction to this question.

A 'cashless society' is one where people use debit/credit cards and other forms of
payment instead of cash. Do the advantages of a cashless society outweigh the
disadvantages?
 DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT
10. Match the main points (1-4) with the supporting evidence (a-d).

Main points
1 Supermarkets are often in competition with each other. C
2 Supermarkets keep increasing the range of services they offer. D

3 Supermarket chains also offer online grocery shopping. A

4 Shopping can be an enjoyable and social experience. B
Examples / evidence
a You can sometimes get free delivery on some days of the week.
b When I was a child, my mother enjoyed talking to shopkeepers and neighbours while she was shopping.
c Some supermarkets will refund money if the same goods cost less at another supermarket.
d You can now buy insurance and foreign currency at large supermarkets.
 11. Can you think of examples which support these main points?

1 Supermarkets provide jobs for local people.

2 Large supermarkets can offer a large choice of products.
3 Some large supermarkets offer loyalty cards.

Sample answers
1 In my local town the employment offered by the shops is essential as there are not many other jobs.
2 You can get expensive, mid-price and cheap versions of many products.
3 By shopping at the same supermarket you can earn points which save you money.
12. Read the essay question and answer the questions below.

Small, independent shops will have no place in the future.

To what extent do you agree with this statement?

1 Do you agree or disagree?

2 Note down a few points which support your opinion.

13. Read the essay. Were any of your points made?

 14. Complete the essay plan.

goods are all the same

They have unique items, e.g. antiques

Music shops have staff who know about music

Small shops give character to a town
 15. Find the following in the essay.

1 two expressions for giving opinions

my view is, I strongly believe
2 two expressions for introducing examples
for example, for instance
3 an expression to show it is the last point
Finally
4 twopeople
Some different future
believe thatforms
this is going to happen …; there will always be a place for
smaller shops
5 two more linking expressions
too, however
EXAM SKILLS
16. Write an essay on the following topic.

In the future, the main reason for going to the shopping mall will be for entertainment, not to shop. Do
you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

You may use some of the following ideas or your own ideas.
• Most people shop online.
• People enjoy shopping at malls with friends.
• Malls have cinemas, bowling alleys, restaurants.
• Malls have plans for even more entertainment facilities.
• At the mall you can try on clothes and get advice on products from shop assistants.
• Shops and entertainment are under one roof.
Remember to:
• organise your ideas into four paragraphs
• for 'agree or disagree' questions, give your opinion in the first paragraph
• consider both sides of the argument
• use examples to provide supporting evidence
• use linking expressions
• use future forms.
Sample answer
In some countries a malt is known as a shopping centre. The main purpose of a
mall was to shop. This is beginning to change and I believe that in the future, the
main purpose of a mall will be for entertainment.
More and more of us enjoy shopping online. It is safer than ever and much more
convenient. Many websites offer free next-day delivery. On sites like eBay and
Amazon, there is far more choice and there are also many discounts and special
offers. Obviously, this means that fewer shops will be needed. However, people
still want to go out, meet their friends and have fun. A mall is a place which offers
space to do that. If people have done their shopping on line, the mall will have to
offer other facilities to attract visitors.
Some malls already have cinemas and places to eat. However, as well as cheaper
cafes and fast food chains, malls are beginning to offer better restaurants and
places to eat. I believe this trend will continue. In addition, malls will offer all
kinds of leisure facilities such as gyms, swimming pools, children's play areas,
spas, and so on. There will be more live shows, including music, theatre and
dance, and a range of exhibitions and special events.
I believe malls have an important role in future society but they will have a
different purpose from today. There will still be a few shops but most people will
go to the mall to relax and enjoy themselves with their family and friends.