Updated Mt Internal English Material

Compiled by MANH TRAN (MA – TESOL)

MT IELTS TRAINER : 39/42 Chanh Hung Street, Ward 10, District 8, HCM City – Email: [email protected] Hotline: 0908.887.661/ 0908.390.789 Blog to share: http://my.opera.com/manhtrans/blog/ page 1

MT INTERNAL ENGLISH MATERIAL

IELTS PREPARATION

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WRITING A

IELTS TASK 1

OVERVIEW AND CHART REPORTS®

HANDOUT 1

Ho Chi Minh City, December 20th, 2010



OVERVIEW

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HOW IS TASK 1 GRADED?

Task 1 is seen as a question with a defined input and a predictable product rather than the somewhat

more open-ended style of Task 2. It is basically an information-transfer task relating narrowly to the

factual content of an input text or diagram. Therefore, the report should be appropriately precise in

terms of language (vocabulary), task fulfillment, coherence and cohesion, and sentence structures.

a) Task-fulfillment

The questions have been written in order that the report can be done without any additional specialist

knowledge. In fact, the marker’s judgment of the candidate’s performance is strictly based on the

comparison of the candidate’s response with the requirements set out in the task.

b) Coherence and Cohesion

This criterion looks at how the pieces of writing “hang together” both at the sentence level and the

paragraph level. Coherence refers to the way the information is arranged and presented so that it is

easily retrievable by readers. Cohesion refers to the appropriate and effective use of cohesive devices

(e.g.: Firstly …Secondly…) throughout the answer.

c) Vocabulary

This criterion refers to the effectiveness and the range of lexical choices the candidate has made.

d) Sentence Structures

This criterion looks at the range and the accuracy of patterns as well as sentence structures.

WHAT ARE THE TWO MAIN POINTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT?

Language Skills:

- Data description (paraphrasing)

- Comparison and Contrast

- Trend description

Ways to approach a particular type of chart report:

- Line chart/ Graph chart

- Bar chart

- Pie Chart and Table

- Combined charts

- Process/ Diagram/ flow chart

- Map comparison



I. LINE CHARTS/ GRAPH CHARTS and BAR CHARTS

Take a look at this sample 1:

Cases of bird flu in HCM city (2009)

Overview: The graph chart reveals the significant fluctuations in the number of bird flu patients in HCM City over a 9 - month period, from April to December, 2009.

Analysis: As is shown in the chart, there were 60 people infected with H5N1 virus in April. This figure went up slightly in May before dropping sharply to hit a dip of 25 just one month later. Suddenly, the number of patients suffering from bird flu inclined dramatically to nearly 90 in July before it fluctuated markedly during the next 5 months and peaked at 100 in November. Luckily, the situation of bird flu seemed to be controlled when the cases plunged to well over 40 in December.

Conclusion: All in all, the figure of bird flu patients witnessed remarkable variations which indicate that the situation seemed to be out of control at certain time of the surveyed period.

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Take a look at this sample 2:

The Number of People Visiting TuoitreOnline.com As Regards Men and Women

In HCM City, Between 2000 and 2004

(*)(1 unit counts for 1,000)

The bar chart compares the variations in the number of TuoiTreOnline.com visitors in thousand, namely men

and women, in HCM city over a period of 5 years, from 2000 to 2004. In general, during the first two years of

the surveyed period, female visitors outnumbered male ones, whereas it was a reverse situation over the rest

of 3 years.

As can be seen from the chart, both female and male visitors of TuoiTreOnline.com experienced an upward

trend. However, there were more women surfing the website than men in 2000, 25 compared with 20. Then,

the figure of female visitors inclined gradually from 25 in 2000 to reach a peak of 60 in 2004 with a plateau of

35 from 2001 to 2002. Meanwhile, that of male visitors declined slightly from 20 in 2000 to nearly 18 in 2001

before it suddenly rocketed to 60 just one year later, in 2002 – which was almost twice as high as that of

female ones. Over the next 2 years, the number of men visiting the website dropped marginally to 56 in 2003,

and then suddenly rose to top at over 60 at the end of the surveyed period.

In brief, the number of TuoitreOnline.com visitors witnessed an overall upward trend, and it is amazing that

at the end of the estimated time the figure was almost twice as high as itself at the beginning.

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A. Generic Format of An Academic Chart Report

Overview: - Overall trend? - What? (paraphrasing the data) - Where? - When?

Analysis: - Bear in mind that it’s necessary to decide on how to present the data analysis.

(Trend? Timing? Comparison? Contrast? Academic phrases?)

Conclusion: - Reconfirm the overview in another pattern. (paraphrasing)

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

1. HOW TO WRITE AN OVERVIEW

It is important to note that your introductory overview must be paraphrased – not written with the

given key words in the question. There are two common ways to write as follow.

With single line chart

The line/ graph/ bar chart reveals (overall trend?)…in (What?)… (Where?)… (When?)

shows

illustrates

With multiple line chart

The line/ graph/ bar chart compares (overall trend?)…in (What?)… (Where?)… (When?)

2. HOW TO WRITE A DETAILED ANALYSIS

Idiomatic phrases to master:

- As can be seen from the graph chart (that)/(,)…

- As is shown in the graph chart (that)/(,)…

- A close look at the chart reveals that …

- A careful study of the chart illustrates that …

- A reference to the chart shows that …

Verbs of Trend:

- Start/ begin (at) …

- Level off (at) …

Remain [fairly/ relatively] stable/ constant (at)… => a plateau (n) of …

Stay the same (at)…

Stabilize (at) [+] / Stagnate (at) [-]

- Fluctuate + (Adverb) => nouns: fluctuation(s)/ variation(s)



Vary

- Increase

Incline

Go up + from A to B/ by C*/ (Adverb) => nouns: increase/ incline/ rise/ growth (of) + C*

Rise

Grow

- Decrease

Decline

Go down + from A to B/ by C*/ (Adverb) => nouns: decrease/ decline/ drop/ fall (of) + C*

Fall

Drop

(*) C is the subtraction of A from B. [ bien do giao dong, lay B tru A]

- Top (at)

Peak (at)

Reach a peak (of)

- Bottom out (at)

Hit a dip (of)

Drop to the lowest point (of)

- Rocket (to)

Leap (to) => nouns: a leap

Shoot up (to)

Soar (to)

Take off (to)

Jump (to) => nouns: a jump

Surge (to) => nouns: a surge

- Plummet (to)

Plunge (to) => nouns: a plunge/ a tumble

Slump (to)

Crash (to) => nouns: a crash/ a slump

Tumble (to)

Sink (to)

Essential pattern 1: S + V + ADV/ PREP PHRASE.

e.g.: The sales of Pepsi products inclined slightly from $ 2 million in 2007 to $ 2.1 million in 2009.

Adverbs/ Adjectives:



Degree of change

Adverbs Adjectives Slightly/ moderately/ marginally Slight/ moderate/ marginal

Substantially/ significantly/ remarkably/ markedly Substantial/ significant/ remarkable/ marked Sharply/ considerably/ steeply Sharp/ considerable/ steep

Dramatically Dramatic

Speed of change

Adverbs Adjectives Slowly/ gradually Slow/ gradual

Steadily Steady Quickly/ rapidly Quick/ rapid

Suddenly/ abruptly Sudden/ abrupt

Essential pattern 2: THERE (BE) + (TREND) IN + (WHAT) (WHERE) (WHEN)

e.g. There was a slight increase of $ 0.1 million in the sales of Pepsi products between 2007 and 2009.

Verb tenses:

- Past trend: Past Simple

- Present trend: Present Continous

- Future trend: => prediction -> It is predicted/ likely/ expected that Subj will V.bare…

Time expressions:

- Over a 3 year period, from …to…/ between …and …

- During a 3 year period, from …to…/ between …and …

- In a 3 year period, from …to…/ between …and …

- Over/ In/ During a period of 3 years, from …to…/ between …and …

- One year later

- Over the next 2/ 3 years

- In the first/ last 2 years of the estimated period,

- In May/ June…

- In 2001/ 2002…

Sentence connectors:

- In details,/ To be specific,/ To illustrate,…

- To begin with, First(ly), Second(ly), …

- Then, / , and then/ In addition,/…

- Amazingly,/ Surprisingly,/ Suddenly,/ Interestingly,/…

3. HOW TO WRITE A PROPER CONCLUSION



Summarizing phrases:

- In conclusion,/ All in all,/…

- In summary,/ In short,/ In brief,…

- To sum up,/ To conclude,/…

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

B. PARAPHRASING PRACTICE

Practice 1: Complete the sentences, using the given cues.

01 Use/ TV/ fall/ sharply/ since 2001 …………………………………………………………………………………………………

02 This figure/ now/ go up/ dramatically/ 57%. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

03 There/ sharp/ fluctuation/ number/ schoolgirls/ 2004 and 2008. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

04 The sales/ milk tea/ recently/ decline/ significantly. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

05 Gas price/ level off/ VND 19,400/ between June/ September/2010. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

06 Home phone subscribers/ reach/ peak/ 2 million/ three months ago. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

07 Over/ last/ 4 months,/ use/ cable TV/ grow/ sharply/ 40%. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

08 Recently,/ there/ overall/ increase/ use/ radio,/ going/ 400 hours/ person/ in 2000/ to/ 600/ 2009. …………………………………………………………………………………………………

Practice 2: Rewrite the following sentences.

01 The number of motorbikes increased significantly in 2008. There …………………………………………………………………………………

02 The use of internet has grown slightly during the past two months. There ……………………………………………………………………………………

03 There was a remarkable decline in the amount of coffee beans exported to India. The amount…………………………………………………………………………………

04 Recently, America’s big TV networks have increased by nearly 5%. Recently, there………………………………………………………………………………

05 Thanks to the Internet, there has been a growth in website advertising of 45%. Thanks to ……………………………………………………………………………………

06 The chart shows that the number of Internet users went up dramatically in 2000. As can……………………………………………………………………………………

07 The pie chart reveals the significant decline in the number of pets since 2004. As is shown………………………………………………………………………………

08 The number of hours spent watching cable TV grew dramatically between 1999 and 2005. There …………………………………………………………………………………

C. GRAMMAR REVIEW: Comparisons

Equalities

- S1 + VERB (twice/ three times…) + AS adj./ adv. AS + S2 + (Aux.Verb)

e.g. : My father earns (three times) as much as yours.



- As many N*plu.+ + VERB …As N*plu.+

e.g. : As many schoolboys like computer games as schoolgirls.

- As much N*noncount+ + VERB …As N*noncount+

e.g. : As much rice was exported to the Philippines as it was to India in 2007.

Comparatives

- S1 + VERB (far/ much…) Adj-Er/ Adv-Er THAN S2 + (Aux.Verb)

e.g. : The investment in textile products was (far) heavier than that in agricultural ones in 2009.

- S1 + VERB (far/ much…) More Adj/ Adv THAN S2 + (Aux.Verb)

e.g. : My brother is (much) more humorous than I am.

Superlatives

- S + VERB + THE (first/ second…) + ADJ/ ADV- Est …

e.g. : Thierry is the (second) nicest man I have ever met.

- S + VERB + THE (first/ second…) + most ADJ/ ADV…

e.g. : John used to be the most intelligent student in my school.

- S + VERB + THE least + ADJ/ ADV…

e.g. : Susan seems to be the least aggressive lady among those ladies standing over there.

Sentence building practice

Practice 1: Rewrite the following sentences as directed. 1 Japanese is more difficult than Spanish

Spanish ………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………..

2 Nobody can speak Chinese as fluently as Jack.

Jack ……………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………..

3 Mike is three years older than you

You ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

4 The number of schoolboys learning English as a second language is as high as that of schoolgirls.

As many ……………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………..

5 I have never seen a more charming girl than Julie.

Julie is …………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………..

6 Tom is not as generous as Henry is.

Henry is ………………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………..

7 The amount of rice exported to the Philippines in 2008 was as large as that to India.

As much ……………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………..

8 Joe has three brothers more than me.

I have three brothers …………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………..

9 My sister has much more money than you do.

You have ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

10 Terry plays badminton more regularly than Dave.



Dave plays badminton ………………………………………………….……………………………………………………………..

Dave doesn’t play ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Practice 2: Complete the following sentences, using COMPARISON.

01 As many/ sheep/ sell/ Australia/ 1990/as/horses. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 02 Number/ people/ infected/ swine flu/ Vietnam/ last week/ twice/ high/ as/ 2010. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 03 Rate / divorce/underdeveloped countries/ incline/ slowly/ than/ developing countries. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 04 Life expectancy/ Vietnamese/ now/ 2 years/ high/ 3 years ago. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 05 Susan/ tendency/ spend/ far/much/ fashion/ than/ education. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 06 Laos/ have/ high/ illiteracy rate/among/ three neighboring countries/ Vietnam/ Laos/Cambodia. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 07 Quantity/ furniture/ import/ Brazil/ last year/ large/ this year. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 08 Textile products/ make up/ low/ percentage/ 20% / year. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 09 Rice export/ make/ large/ contribution/ 2.5 billion US dollars/ the GDP/, whereas/ handicraft products/

contribute/ small/ proportion/ 0.5 US dollars. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10 As / houses/ damage/ Tsunami/ Japan/ 2 weeks ago/ as/ 2 atomic bombs/ 2nd world war. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Practice 3: Rewrite the following sentences, using COMPARISON.

11 Last year, John did not earn as much as he does now. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 Nobody in my class can speak Spanish as fluently as Naomi. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13 George is far stronger than Mark. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 14 Maria is the most benevolent lady I have ever known. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15 The number of international employees working in Japan is as high as that in Singapore. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16 The amount of money invested in railway systems is usually as high as that in bus systems. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17 Mark is older than his cousin by 4 years. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18 David was not as humorous as he is now. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19 None of my schoolmates is as dynamic as Terry. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20 Smith has 3 nieces more than I do. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………



Practice 4: Complete the following sentences, using COMPARISON.

01 As many/ boys/ learn/ how/ make/ cream cakes/ girls/ last June. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 02 Number/ people/ suffer/ Tsunami/ Japan/ 2 weeks ago/ twice/ high/ as/ Cuba/ 1976. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 03 Rate / juvenile crime/currently/ incline/ fast/ than/ middle-aged crime. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 04 Unemployment/ rate/ now/ much/ low/ than/ 10 years ago. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 05 Local government/ recently/ invest/ far/ much/ infrastructure/ than/ used to. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 06 Illiteracy rate/ Laos/ three times/ high/ Cambodia. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 07 Living cost/ Singapore/ not/ low/ as/ Vietnam. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 08 Agricultural products/ make up/ high/ percentage/ 70%. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 09 Rice export/ make/ large/ contribution/ the GDP/ than cashew export/, 20%/ to/ 17%. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10 As much/ sticky rice/ export/ South Africa/ as/ Iraq. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Practice 5: Rewrite the following sentences, using COMPARISON.

11 Last year, John earned far more than he does now. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 Nobody can sing as beautifully as Michael. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 13 George is 3 kilos heavier than Mark. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 14 Mathew was the most ambitious man that I had ever known. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15 The number of photocopiers imported from Japan was as high as that from Singapore last year. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 16 The amount of oil which was illegally exported to Cambodia last month was as high as that in 2009. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 17 My former boss is not as humorous as the current one. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 18 Dave earns 2000 US dollars a month, whereas his wife earns 1000 US dollars. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 19 None of my friends solved the math exercise as quickly as Julie. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20 Henry has 2 sisters. Susan has 5 sisters. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21 As many people died in the Tsunami in Japan 2 weeks ago as those passed away in Puket, Thailand in 2009. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………



22 The quantity of money which was stolen from the safe last week was as large as that last year. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

D. REPORT PRACTICE

Practice 6: Cases of Swine flu in HCM city (2009)

Practice 7: Sales of phones in HCM city

from January to July, 2008.

(1 counts for 1,000 units)

Practice 8: Write an academic report to your lecturer

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Sales of IBM Laptops at Dragon Shopping Mall

Practice 9: Write a report on the number of paper subscribers in HCM city

(One counts for a thousand)

II. PIE CHART and TABLE REPORTS.

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Sales of IBM laptops

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Tuoi Tre

Thanh Nien



Example: National Investment in 2010

Investment Brazil Mexico

Road repairs $ 3.0 billion $ 1.0 billion

Healthcare service $ 4.5 billion $ 4.5 billion

Bus systems $ 0.5 billion $ 1.5 billion

Railway systems $ 1.5 billion $ 4.0 billion

Sample:

The table compares the rate of investment in public service as regards Road repairs, Healthcare service, Bus

systems and Railway systems in Brazil and Mexico in 2010. (The table compares the amount of money that

Brazil and Mexico invested in public service regarding Road repairs, Healthcare service, Bus systems and

Railway systems in 2010.)

As can be seen from the table, both Brazil and Mexico invested the largest budget of $4.5 billion in Healthcare

service. However, there were noticeable differences in the investment rate of transport system between the

two countries. To be specific, Brazil had a tendency to invest the second largest quantity of $3.0 billion in Road

repairs and the smallest sum of $0.5 billion in Bus systems. By contrast, Mexico ran a completely different

policy when it invested the second largest amount of money in Railway systems and the smallest sum in Road

repairs, $4.0 billion and $1.0 billion respectively.

In short, the comparison of investment rate of public service between Brazil and Mexico reveals that these

two countries ran largely different investment policies in transport system, yet they both gave the highest

priority to development Healthcare service.

III. MAP COMPARISON

A. Grammar Review: Passive Voice or Active Voice?

Put the verbs below into correct form. All of the changes took place between 1980 and 2005.

1. The maps show changes which (occur) ………………… between 1980 and 2005.

2. Very few trees (leave) …………………….in 2005.

3. Over the next twenty five years, all these houses (demolish) ……………………

4. The single dwellings (replace) ………………………….by skyscrapers.

5. The trees (chop)………………………… down.

6. The area (witness) …………………………dramatic changes.

7. The woodland (give) …………………….. way to a golf course.

8. A marina (also, construct) ……………………………………………………………

Replace the italic words with the one from the list below.

Cut Make way for (a) Build Knock down Remain Experience Take place Make way for (b)

B. Put the verbs below into correct form. All of the changes took place between 1980 and 2005.



1. The block of flats (turn into) ……………………………. a hotel.

2. The block of flats (make way) ………………………..for a hotel.

3. The row of old houses (knock down) …………………………to make way for a road.

4. The forest (cut down) ……………………….build a railway.

5. The area (redevelop) ………………………………..completely.

6. The factory (convert) ………………………………….into an art gallery.

7. The city centre (undergo) ………………………..a total transformation.

8. The row of old terraced houses in the city (pull down) ….and (replace) ……by a block of flats.

9. A sport complex (construct) ……………………………in the suburbs.

10. A number of spectacular changes (take place) ………………………………………..

11. The whole center of the town (transform) ……………………………… by new developments.

C. Transform the sentences by changing the nouns into verbs and using the PASSIVE.

1. There were spectacular changes in the area.

2. There were dramatic developments in the town centre.

3. There was a complete transformation of the neighborhood.

4. There was a total reconstruction of the residential area.

5. There was a total redevelopment of the old factories.

6. There was a rebuilding of the old houses.

7. There was a complete modernization of the entertainment district.

8. There was a complete clearance of minefields.

D. Choosing the correct prepositions.

1. Several changes took place at/ in/ on the town of Northgate.

2. North of the town, there is a lake surrounded in/ of/ by trees.

3. A number of new houses were built beside/ at/ on the railway line.

4. There was a large industrial area located on/ in/ at the North.

5. A new railway which can run at/ in/ from North to South was constructed.

6. Two new hotels were erected on/ in/ at the banks of the river.

7. A large number of villas were built beside/ at/ to the sea.

8. A yachting club was set up on/ in/ at the shores of the lake.

9. A number of wind turbines were placed in the sea, just on/ off/ to the coastline.

E. Sentence transformation.

1. There were spectacular changes in the area.

The area underwent ………………………………………………………………………………………….

The area was ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2. The town centre was transformed totally.

There was ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The town witnessed …………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. The coastal town experienced a total redevelopment.

The coastal town was ………………………………………………………………………………………..

There was ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

4. There was a complete clearance of the rubbish dump.

The rubbish dump was ………………………………………………………………………………………

F. MAP REPORTS



G. Practice 1

Practice 2: Complete the report with given words.

surrounding grew leading built original make way for

The two plans illustrate how a small coastal village in Europe …1…………… into a large tourist centre.

During this period, a large number of high-rise hotels were …2…………along the coastline on both sides of the …3…………

village. The harbor and coastal woodlands were replaced by a sandy beach and a golf course for the tourists. Similarly,

the olive groves inland were demolished to …4………….. fruit and vegetable farms for the tourist market.

The original village and those further inland on the hillsides were developed with more homes for locals and more shops

for the tourist trade. A main road …5………… from the hills to the coast was built to cope with the increased traffic to the

village.

In conclusion, not only the original village, but also the whole …6…………… area was transformed into a well populated

tourist resort.

Updated Mt Internal English Material

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Transcript of Updated Mt Internal English Material