Family

Question 1

VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS
Introducing your family

Answer 1

There are 3 of us
I have 2 siblings, an elder brother and elder sister
I am an only child
My close family (my partner and children)
My direct or immediate family (parents, grandparents, siblings,
children)
My extended family (my direct family plus uncles, aunties, and
cousins, as well as in-laws).
I met my wife / husband / partner / spouse…
I was working in Spain at the time,
I had been working there for several years
We met in my calligraphy class
Nice way to use three tenses in a short anecdote

Question 2

Ages and Stages of Life

Answer 2

Stage and Age (approx)
Useful expressions and phrases

Question 3

Baby 0 -18 months

Answer 3

She eats, cries and sleeps
She takes after her mother (looks like)

Question 4

Toddler 2-4 yrs
Infant 2 - 5 yrs

Answer 4

She is so stroppy / bolshy. (demanding and annoying).
He is a bundle of joy (great fun to be with)
He absorbs everything like a sponge. He picks things up quickly (learns quickly).
She’s at the terrible twos stage

Toddler: کودک تازه براه افتاده، کودک نو پا

Question 5

Child 4-12 yrs

Answer 5

He throws tantrums (get angry). -
عصبانیت شدید کودک ( ونگ زدن )
- کسی که بسیار عصبی و ناراحت می شود و رفتار کودکانه دارد.
Have an outburst.
They pester their parents (annoy parents by asking for things)
She’s a barrel of fun
He’s the apple of my eye (I love him)

Question 6

Teenager
13 - 18 yrs

Answer 6

She’s in that
rebellious stage They are going through puberty, and hormonal changes.

Question 7

Teenager
13 - 18 yrs

Answer 7

She’s in that
rebellious stage They are going through puberty, and hormonal changes.

Question 8

Young adult
18 - 30 yrs

Answer 8

They come of age (become an adult).
He is irresponsible
She’s all over the place (can’t find her direction in life)
She’s all grown up.
They have grown wings - they are leaving the nest.

Question 9

Young adult
18 - 30 yrs

Answer 9

They come of age (become an adult).
He is irresponsible
She’s all over the place (can’t find her direction in life)
She’s all grown up.
They have grown wings - they are leaving the nest.

Question 10

Middle aged
40-60 yrs

Answer 10

vHe’s going through
a mid-life crisis She’s getting on.
(she’s getting older)
He’s over the hill. (too old)

Question 11

Old aged / Elderly

Answer 11

70+
He’s doing well for his age
She’ll live to a ripe old age.
He’s a silver surfer (an elderly person who like to use the Internet)

Question 12

Do you spend much time with your family?

Answer 12

Yes, I do.
Note: It’s really natural English to answer this question with ‘Yes, I do’ /
‘No, I don’t’. Rather than just ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
I like to spend quality time with them
During this lockdown period, I am with them 24/7

No, I don’t
Note: You don’t want to just say ‘no’. Start to develop your answers.
For example…
I am miles away from them actually, due to the lockdown.
I work in a different city, so I don’t get to see them much

Question 13

Do you prefer spending time with your family or your
friends?

Answer 13

It depends, if I am going to a bar, then I’d like to hang out with friends,
but if I am going to see a movie, I’d rather go with family
I don’t spend as much as time with my family as I should, because I
live abroad, but I would like to see them more frequently
I like both equally, I tend to spend an equal amount of time with both
friends and family Probably more with my family, I think blood is thicker than water

Question 14

IDIOMS

Answer 14

Like father, like son
پدر و پسر مثل هم هستند، پسر به پدرش رفته است
It runs in the familyارثیه
Blonde hair runs in the family. Artistic talent runs in the family.
I followed in my Dad’s footstepsبه کسی تاسی کردن، اقتدا کردن، پیروی کردن، دنباله روی کردن
I took over my Dad’s business and followed in his footsteps.
Blood is thicker than water (= Family is more important than friends)رگ و ریشه گم نمیشه
She’s the breadwinner (= She earns the money)
My mother is the breadwinner in our family
She brings home the bacon (= She earns the money)نان آور خانواده بودن

The black sheep of the family (the naughty / bad one in the family)

Rags to Riches: To go from being very poor to being very rich
out in the sticks: Far away from anywhere, far away from the city

Question 15

Short Story

Answer 15

In a small village in China, there was a boy named Li. Unlike many of his friends who were only children, Li had one little sister, Xiao.

They lived in a cozy home in a rural neighbourhood. In fact, their village was really out in the sticks. The nearest shop was a two-mile walk away.

Their house wasn’t big, but at the heart of it (= in the centre) was the
dining room. That’s where the family gathered around (=come together around) the fireplace and shared meals, stories, and laughter.

Li’s parents were amazing. They taught him so much, __not just__ school stuff, but life lessons too. They raised and educated him with love.

Whenever Li faced problems, they were there to lend a helping hand (=to help) . Truly, his family was his rock.

Only children (Plural)

Out in the sticks: Far away from anywhere
Cozy: Comfortable

Question 16

Fill the gaps

Answer 16

1. Jane has no _siblings,** brothers / sister**s. She is an only
   child.
2. I live in a** rural / friendly / remote** neighbourhood, far from the
   city.

After no we usually use Plurals : No siblings

Question 17

IELTS Vocab For FAMILY

Answer 17

Siblings
Younger sister / brother
Little sister/brother
Older sister/brother
Elder sister/brother
I am an only child
To be an only child: to have no brothers or sisters
Half sister / brother
= a parent remarries and has children with new spouse (related by blood) .ارتباط خونی هست
Step sister/brother
= a parent remarries someone who already has children - not related by blood ارتباط خونی نیست

Question 18

Family activities

Answer 18

• To gather round
• To huddle round حلقه زدن
• To get together
  Gather around the table
  Gather around the fire

We used to gather round the table and play cards.
We used to huddle round the table and drink tea
We would gather round the table and tell jokes.
We would get together around the fire and tell stories.

My family is my rock
= my family is my strength, stability, foundation

A rock is a big stone.

Question 19

Collocations with Neighbourhoods

Answer 19

Rural / remote :
I live in a remote neighbourhood out in the sticks
A neighbourhood out in the sticks
Run-down = old, not well-kept, not looked after old and dirty
Urban = not rural (related to the city)an area in the city
Suburaban: an area next and around the city

I prefer to live in a suburban neighbourhood as it is quiet but close to the city.

Residential
Commercial
Bustling: busy, lively
Respectable = has a good reputation
Nondescript: Plain, simple, Run of the mill (برجسته نبودن در جنس، متوسط، عادی)
I live in a quiet, nondescript neighbourhood in the suburbs.

Neck of the woods: neighbourhood (نزدیکی ، مجاورت ، همسایگی ، دوروبر)
My neighbourhood is teeming with activities since it is next to the municipal offices.

Question 20

Parents and children

Answer 20

The following are ways to say your parents looked after you, gave you
food and clothes and helped you grow into an adult.
To _______ a child
* Raise
* Bring up
* Educate

My parents raised me to be honest
Note: We often use these in the passive to talk about yourself

I was raised in Manchester
I **was brought up **in Manchester by my grandmother.

Note: To grow up, is not used in the passive.
I grew up in Manchester.
I was born and bred in Manchester.
I had a strict upbringing. (They control you and discipline you)
I had a traditional upbringing.
I was well educated.

In passive way you don’t have to say by my parents, unless by other pers

Question 21

Chapter 2: Beijing

Answer 21

After finishing school, Li moved to Beijing to attend college. Those years flew by(go quickly), and soon he graduated (= to leave school) with big dreams.

With the help of his uncle and his sister Xiao, they set up (= to create / establish / start a new business) a family business in the bustling city. They set up an e-commerce platform for locally-sourced organic foods.

It wasn’t easy at first. They faced challenges (= to find and handle a difficult situation) long hours, and many sleepless nights. But with teamwork and dedication, their hard work paid off (= to be successful).

After a few years, their business wasn’t just doing okay—it was a huge success. Li and Xiao had become famous business people and they felt proud of their family’s shared achievement.

Pay off~ Give reward, Give it a benefit نتیجه دادن، موفق بودن
- I worked a lot & I made a lot of money, it paid off.
- I invest in digital marketing on Bitcoin, I lost a lot of money. It didn’ pay off.
- If you study hard for IELTS it will pay off.
Organic food: Has not had any medicine, pesticide, chemicals in it
Runaway from challenges or face them

Question 22

Funny Jokes

Answer 22

Jokes for children:
When is it time to go to the dentist?
Tooth hurty (2:30)

Why didn’t the teddy bear eat dessert
Because he was stuffed.
To be stuffed
[1] to be filled with foam/cloth/sponge
[2] To be full (from too much food)
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