Homework · Day 4

TED Talk Listening · Mock Test Prep

Estimated time: 40 minutes Due: Before Day 5 Submit by: Email (button at bottom)

What you'll do tonight

  1. Pick a TED Talk (10 minutes) on a topic that interests you.
  2. Take notes using a signpost-aware template.
  3. Write a 3-sentence summary using only one word per gap structure.
  4. Tomorrow is a full mock — sleep well, eat breakfast, bring water.

Exercise 1 — TED Talk note-taking

Go to ted.com and pick any talk under 12 minutes. Watch it once with subtitles off. Fill in this signpost-aware template as you listen.

Talk title:

Speaker:

Topic in one sentence:

Opening signpost (how does the talk start?)

Phrase used:

Main points (3–5):

Point 1:

Point 2:

Point 3:

Point 4 (if any):

Transition phrases you heard between points:

1:

2:

Closing signpost (how does the talk end?)

Phrase used:

Exercise 2 — Summary in ONE WORD per gap

Based on the talk you just watched, fill in this generic summary template using one word only in each gap. (This is exactly the IELTS summary-completion task type.)

The speaker, , talks about the importance of . They argue that this matters because of . They give an example involving to illustrate the point. They conclude that we should in our daily lives.

Self-check

Did you stay strictly to one word per gap? If you wanted to write "make better decisions" — that's three words. Try a single word like "decide", "reflect", or "engage" instead.

Exercise 3 — Contrast vocabulary

Match each contrast signal to its function.

PhraseFunction (a–d)
1. however   a. introduces a similar idea
2. whereas   b. introduces a direct opposite
3. similarly   c. introduces a concession ("yes but…")
4. even though   d. compares two different things in the same sentence

1 b (however → direct opposite) · 2 d (whereas → compares two things) · 3 a (similarly → similar idea) · 4 c (even though → concession)

Exercise 4 — Tomorrow's mock test

Before tomorrow
  • Sleep. 7–8 hours minimum. Mental fatigue costs you marks on Sections 3 and 4.
  • Eat breakfast. Listening uses real concentration.
  • Bring: two pens, a pencil, water, your printed answer sheet (or use the on-screen one).
  • Arrive early if in-person. Online: log in 5 minutes before start.

Quick self-check before the mock. Tick which strategies you'd actually use tomorrow.

  1. I'll read the questions during the prep time, not stare at the wall.
  2. I'll underline keywords in each question before listening.
  3. I'll predict the part of speech for each gap.
  4. If I miss an answer, I won't panic — I'll move on and come back.
  5. I'll check word-count limits on every fill-in-the-blank.
  6. I'll double-check spelling during the 10-minute transfer time.

Free practice resources

Extra free practice for tonight — each link opens in a new tab. These are free online resources (no purchase needed); a few may ask you to create a free account.

Ready to submit?

Submit your TED Talk notes and summary by email. See you tomorrow for the mock!