IELTS Technology Vocabulary

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Do you enjoy using technology?
Stephan: Well … I wouldn’t call myself a techie or a computer buff but I enjoy using computers … I’d like to find out more about how they work … when my computer crashes I never know what to do.

Examiner: Do you use the Internet for your studies?
Sophie: Yes … I’d be lost without it … I do lots of video conferencing to practiсe speaking and social media like Facebook is a good way to meet up with other students … and I download podcasts that teach English vocabulary and grammar.

Examiner: Do you have your own computer?
Tania: Yes … I have a MacBook Pro … I use it all the time … for word processing … browsing websites and catching up with TV programs I’ve missed.

Part 2-style task

Describe an item of technology you have that is very important. You should say:

• what the technology is

• when you got it

• how often you use it

and say how different your daily life would be without it.

Mattie: I don’t have many gadgets … just a computer … a laptop and my mobile phone … but I’ll talk about my computer as it’s so useful … it’s funny really … 2 years ago I was still learning to use computers … how to use email … send attachments how to access websites … then I decided to do a digital editing course for video and photography … and so I bought the laptop when I started the course … my husband had a desktop PC but it was very slow so I decided to upgrade to a powerful one because we do a lot of video editing on the course … it’s a high-spec laptop … very fast … the latest operating system … it boots up really quickly and it’s fun to use so it makes working a pleasure … I’ve become a competent computer user now … if I didn’t have it I daresay I’d have to spend more time at college using their computers … but on the positive side I suppose I’d read a lot more if I didn’t have it … I probably waste a lot of time surfing the web … but hopefully I won’t have to be without it …

Part 3-style questions

Examiner: What do you think are the important things people need to learn when they start using computers?
Alejandro: Well … there are things like how to use the Internet … how to enter a web address … how to navigate websites … that kind of thing but it’s also important to know how to back up your files in case your computer crashes … and all about Internet security.

Examiner: What kind of technological developments have made the biggest impact on our lives?
Faydene: In my lifetime it has to be the Internet of course but I also think Wi-Fi has made a huge difference to how we interact with the Internet … wireless networks at home and public Wi-Fi hotspots mean we can go online easily … access our mail … log into our work intranet and basically be connected wherever we are.

Examiner: Do computers make it much easier to study?
Jane: Definitely yes … researching information is much easier with the Internet … you can bookmark webpages for future reference and writing essays is much easier … being able to cut and paste sections of text means you can experiment with organization … so yes … compared to years ago when you had a pile of books on your desk and a pen and paper … it’s now much easier.

Definitions

• to access websites/email: to locate

• to back up files: to make a copy of files in case of a computer problem

• to boot up: to start a computer

• to bookmark a webpage: to mark a webpage for future reference

• to browse websites: to look at websites

• a computer buff: an expert computer user

• to crash: to suddenly stop working

• to cut and paste: to move text or images from one place in a document to another place

• a desktop PC: a computer that isn’t portable and remains in situ on a desk

• digital editing: to edit digital materials like audio or video files

• download (podcasts): to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device

• to enter a web address: to type the address of a website into the address bar of your browser

• a gadget: a technological tool like a mobile phone or camera

• to go online: to start using the Internet

• high-spec (laptop): powerful computer with top quality components

• Internet security: Internet safety

• intranet: a network of connected computers within an organization that is not accessible by unauthorized visitors

• to navigate a website: to find your way around a website

• operating system: the software that tells the computer how to work

• send an attachment: send an email with an accompanying file

• social media: media used to interact with other people such as Facebook or Twitter

• to surf the web: to look at a series of websites one after the other

• a techie: somebody who has an interest in technology

• to upgrade: to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer or piece of software

• video conferencing: to see and hear people from different locations using the Internet

• wireless hotspot: a public place where you can access the Internet

• wireless network: a network where users can access the Internet without the use of fixed cables

• word processing: producing written texts on a computer