IELTS Vocabulary True Guide (Includes CD)

Author: Liu Hongbo
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: As early as in 2003, when I was planning the book The True Guide to IELTS Reading, I had an idea: if we could integrate the various highlights and memory methods discussed in class when teaching English vocabulary into the vocabulary list, people wouldn’t find memorizing words boring. The most important thing about memorizing words is persistence, and interest is the best driving force for persistence. Therefore, I invited Qu Bing, a master teacher of IELTS vocabulary at that time, to participate in the writing of The True Guide to IELTS Reading. Moreover, I selected a few words at a time and added interesting annotations from perspectives such as etymology, culture, and practical application, hoping to spark some interest in English vocabulary learning. It turned out that this method of explaining words while memorizing vocabulary was successful. In 2004, The True Guide to IELTS Reading topped the IELTS book rankings on major online bookstores across the country, and many English training institutions in various regions used it as a designated textbook, with multiple reprints. I also clearly recognized that this innovative annotation method for words was one of the key reasons for the book’s success. When I and Qu Bing decided to collaborate again and create a series of books on "Explaining Words While Memorizing Vocabulary" (including The True Guide to IELTS Vocabulary, The True Guide to TOEFL Vocabulary, and The True Guide to CET-4 Vocabulary), an unfortunate incident occurred: Qu Bing received offers from both Oxford and Cambridge for doctoral studies at the same time. What was even more unfortunate was that shortly after, she called from Cambridge, saying she was studying the similarities and differences between Confucius and Jesus Christ and thoroughly enjoying it, no longer willing to be bothered by worldly affairs. How sad. With no other choice, I had to write tirelessly in the late night. I firmly believe that effort always pays off. Finally, one day, Professor Hu Min, a towering figure in the English training industry and the principal of Beijing New Oriental School, was attracted by my dark circles under the eyes. After a long conversation, she showed great interest in the book’s creation and offered many valuable writing suggestions. Later, she occasionally dug out yellowed English books from her home for my reference. I have always handled these books with great care, afraid of damaging them. Receiving detailed guidance from Professor Li Chuanwei, a genius in the English training industry, was also a great fortune for this book. Professor Li often took time out of his busy schedule to point out the highlights of the vocabulary annotations, and his expertise in vocabulary studies is truly awe-inspiring. Professor Li himself is proficient in seven languages, and his understanding of Latin, Greek, Spanish, and French has elevated his grasp of English vocabulary to an extraordinary level. It is said that in his IELTS preparation classes at New Oriental School, Professor Li occasionally mixes up different languages, leaving his students both amazed and deeply impressed. Additionally, teachers such as Bai Yong from New Oriental, Mu Zhilong, a member of the China IELTS Dream Team and the main lecturer for IELTS vocabulary, and Zhang Hong, the main lecturer for IELTS listening, also contributed their wisdom to the writing of this book without reservation. Vice Principal John A. Gordon of New Oriental School conducted a comprehensive review of the book in the final stages to ensure its quality. The strong support from the New Oriental Publishing Department, including teachers Cai Qing, Guo Xia, and Mr. Zhang Qubo, the director of the distribution department, finally allowed this book to meet. Sincere thanks.
Features of the Book:
1. 3000 Core IELTS Vocabulary Words Carefully Selected
Among these 3000 core vocabulary words, this book is the first to include distinctive words that frequently appear in actual IELTS exams. For example: cobra (, reading), venom (, reading), falcon (, listening), acupuncture (, Cambridge IELTS 4), hinge (, reading). The book even includes simple words like crocodile () and raincoat (), because in the actual IELTS listening exam, test-takers are required to spell these words correctly after hearing them. You might encounter these questions in future exams and need to spell "crocodile" correctly. Therefore, all the core vocabulary words in The True Guide to IELTS Vocabulary should be memorized carefully.
2. 4000 Practical Vocabulary Words for Expansion
The common synonyms, antonyms, and collocations expanded after each word, along with the etymology knowledge of word roots and prefixes that runs throughout the book, bring the actual vocabulary capacity of the book to over 7000 words. This is more than enough to establish a solid foundation for high IELTS scores.
3. Concise and Effective Example Sentences
The writing method for example sentences in this book follows a balanced approach: one classic example sentence is provided for each word. This ensures that readers fully understand the meaning of the word while maintaining efficiency in memorization.
4. Powerful Functional Categorized Vocabulary
It is recommended to review the categorized IELTS vocabulary in the later part of the book before the exam, as they will be very helpful for short-term IELTS preparation.
5. Explaining Words While Memorizing Vocabulary
This is a word book that allows you to go from A to Z. However, to fully understand the knowledge points in the annotations, please first familiarize yourself with the following basic knowledge of English vocabulary:
Approximately 80% of English vocabulary is borrowed from over 120 languages, with a significant proportion coming from Greek and Latin, which have contributed many word roots and prefixes to English. Roman mythology adopted the system of Greek mythology, and the same god had different names in Roman and Greek mythology. For example: Eros (, the god of love in Greek mythology) and Cupid (, the god of love in Roman mythology). They gave rise to words such as "erotic" () and "cupidity" (, ).