Grammar for IELTS

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Linking Ideas – Lead In

Grammar for IELTS 23. Linking Ideas Linking Ideas – Lead In

A. Context Speaking

  1. Tell me about fish’s nutritional value.
  2. What drawbacks come with eating fish?
  3. How does fish benefit brain health?
  4. Tell me about omega-3 in fish.
  5. What environmental concerns relate to fish?
  6. How does fish support heart health?
  7. Tell me about mercury in fish.
  8. What about fish farming practices?
  9. How does eating fish impact ecosystems?

B. Context Listening

You are going to hear a student presenting a report on eating fish. Before you listen, match the words (1-9) to the definitions (a-i).

1 staple (adj)
2 controversy
3 benefits and risks
4 consumption
5 mercury
6 poisonous
7 dose
8 exposure to
9 outweigh
  1. advantages and disadvantages
  2. be greater than
  3. main / basic
  4. a heavy silver metal
  5. harmful to the body
  6. contact with
  7. disagreement
  8. amount
  9. eating

Listen and say whether these statements are true or false.

  1. Eating fish might be bad for the heart.
  2. Eating fish is good for the growth of the brain.
  3. Some fish may contain a poison.
  4. The Fisheries Scholarship funded this student’s project.
  5. The Fisheries Scholarship influenced the results of the study.
  6. Comprehensive information is available about the pros and cons of eating fish.
  7. The research noticed strong negative effects on the brain from the mercury contained in fish.
  8. The student concludes that it is better for one’s health to avoid eating fish.

Fill in the gaps in the extract from the talk with the words from the box.

although        despite        finally        firstly        however        in spite of        secondly        to sum up

We discovered that, 1. _______ , the literature available on the risks and benefits of fish consumption, there are still important gaps in this information. 2. _______ , these gaps, 3. _______ , decisions about how to advise people on fish consumption should be made based on what we know now.

4. _______ , in terms of heart disease, it has been shown that consuming even small quantities of fish can lower your risk of heart disease by 17%. 5. _______ , consuming fish is known to have a beneficial effect on brain development. 6. _______ , 7. _______  mercury through eating fish can have a negative effect on IQ levels, the effects that have been observed are relatively small.

8. _______ , it would seem that the health benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks.

Which of the words in the box is used:

  1. to show contrast?
  2. to give one idea in a list of ideas?
  3. to introduce the conclusion?
Show Answer Key and Audio Transcript

Answer Key

1 1 c 2 g 3 a 4 i 5 d 6 e 7 h 8 f 9 b
2 I F 2 T 3 T 4 T 5 F 6 F 7 F 8 F
3 1 in spite of 2 Despite 3 however 4 Firstly 5 Secondly 6 Finally 7 although 8 To sum up
4 1 in spite of; however; despite; although 2 firstly; secondly; finally 3 to sum up

Transcript

Narrator: Fish has long been a staple food in many cultures, but there has been some controversy recently about the benefits and risks of fish consumption. For example, we know that fish supplies us with polyunsaturated fatty acids, substances that have been found to protect against heart disease. Moreover, because it is beneficial to the development of the brain, in many cultures fish is known as a ‘brain food’. However, recent studies have shown that fish can also contain mercury, which is poisonous in large doses and has been linked to lower intelligence. As a result, people are unsure whether to increase or decrease the amount of fish they eat.

Narrator: We recently undertook a project to evaluate the health advice currently being given about fish consumption. Although this work was supported by grants from the Fisheries Scholarship Fund, this did not affect the research findings or interpretations of the results. We discovered that, in spite of the literature available on the risks and benefits of fish consumption, there are still important gaps in this information. Despite these gaps, however, decisions about how to advise people on fish consumption should be made based on what we know now.

Narrator: Firstly, in terms of heart disease, it has been shown that consuming even small quantities of fish can lower your risk of heart disease by 17%. Secondly, consuming fish is known to have a beneficial effect on brain development. Finally, although exposure to mercury through eating fish can have a negative effect on IQ levels, the effects that have been observed are relatively small.

Narrator: To sum up, it would seem that the health benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks.
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