1.

Describe an occasion when you were not allowed to use your mobile
phone IELTS cue card
Describe an occasion when you were not allowed to use your mobile phone

You should say

When it was?
Where it was?
Why you were not allowed to use your mobile phone?
How you felt about it?

Introduction:
 Cell phones have become an indispensable part of our lives
 Today, we cannot think of a life without the cell phone.
 There are many places, where the use of a cell phone is very disturbing.
 For example, in religious places like temples, restaurants, and hospitals.
When it was?
 Here, I would like to talk about a situation when I was not allowed to use the
cell phone
 Last summer, my sister and I went on a holiday to let our hair down after a
hardworking year
Where it was?
 We decided to go to Hanoi for it has many interesting tourist attractions
and the first place we put a visit to was Ho Chi Minh museum.
 I remember vividly, there was a long queue to enter the main building.
 Our turn came after one hour’s wait.
 Just as we entered the main hall, my phone started ringing.
 Everybody turned to look at me as if I had committed a crime.
 I had forgotten to turn my cell phone off.
Why you were not allowed to use your mobile phone?

 There were notices all around that cell phones had to be turned to the silent
mode before entering the hall.
 I cut the call and immediately turned off my cell phone.
How you felt about it?
 I felt very embarrassed.
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  There were so many people there but nobody’s cell phone was ringing.
 After wandering round the museum, we came out.
 Then we went to a restaurant nearby, where food is sold for the visitors.
 After another one hour, we came out of area of the museum, and then I
switched my cell phone back on.
 There were four missed calls from my lists.
 I called back all of them and told them why we didn’t answer their calls
 They understood.
Conclusion:
 So this was the situation when I was not allowed to use my cell phone.
IELTS Speaking Part 3 : Follow up Questions

How do young and old people use mobile phones differently?

Definitely yes. Old people tend to use their phones for basic functions such as
calling or texting, I mean mainly for communication purposes. Young people, on
the other hand, use the device for a much wider range of activities: to stay in
touch with others, to take photos, to relax and entertain, to take notes, to make
plans, to learn languages or even to work. As a result, they spend much more
time on gadgets than old people.
What positive and negative impact do mobile phones have on friendship?
Without any doubt, cell phones have changed the way we communicate with our
friends and these changes are prominent over the last decade. There are several
improvements in relationship among friends and there are some negative impacts
as well. In the past, the ways of interaction were very limited. if you want to speak
with your friend, you would have to go directly to his house or send him a
message or write him a letter which may take a few days to get a response.
Nowadays, it's very easy to interact with your friends either by emails, mobiles,
chatting, etc. and I think that this has improved the existing relationships and
enhanced it in some way.
However, the abuse of mobile phones reduces the chances of face-to-face
communication. Nowadays, with the emergence of various social instruments in
them, such as Wechat,Facebook, it is common to see that people hold their
mobile phones all day long. Most of the people would like to make contact with
others by those instruments, but not through conversation which causes people’s
sense of loneliness to be increasing and the sense of trust to be decreasing with
the popularization of mobile phones
Is it a waste of time to take pictures with mobile phones?

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Definitely not. Not many people can afford a camera and moreover these days
most of the people have smartphones that come with powerful built-in cameras.
This is why mass people do not carry cameras that much and take photos using
their cell phones most of the time.
Whenever we visit a new place and we want to capture the beauty of the place as
well as the memory we can take picture with our mobile phone. We can also take
photos whenever we meet old friends, colleagues and relatives. Parents often take
pictures of their children to keep their childhood images on their phones, I have
noticed that ordinary people use cellphones on different festivals and occasions
too.
 
Do you think it is necessary to have laws on the use of mobile phones?

It has been proven around the world that laws are necessary to prohibit the use of
cell phone in different circumstances and places. The main danger is use of
smartphones while driving has distracted many drivers causing accidents and
fatalities. Regulations are already in place that cell phones cannot be used when
an aircraft is taking off or landing. Another rule that would be beneficial is the
restriction of using a telephone in quiet areas such as a theater.

2. Describe your favorite singer or actor

You should say:
Who he/she is
What his/her personality is like
What kind of style his/her music/acting belongs to
And explain why you like him/her
Today I would like to describe a celebrated singer that I am really into, and that is
no other than Ms. My Tam Vietnam. Of all the celebrities, My Tam has always
been beacon of light not just for her fame but also for her great passion for the
work that she has committed to. 

The first time got to know My Tam was, like, 10 years ago when I came across her
albums in a music store near my house. Her smoldering eye makeup and iconic
hairstyle instantly got into my heart, and you know what’s better than that? her
amazing mezzo-soprano voice. I instantly got hooked on her voice upon
hearing it played in the music store. 

Besides her angelic voice, My Tam is also known for her dedication to her work.
She once told the press that she loves her job, and she said that she was willing to
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be a singer for the rest of her life without getting married, which was quite a
statement and made the headline for weeks to come at that particular time. Well
you know, I always look up to any well-known public figures who were able to
devote all aspects their lives to their line of work. My Tam struck at people’s
heartcore by delivering down-to-earth music that inspired thousands of
audiences regard- less of ages, genders or social status, she was also known for
her tireless charity work. She was such a busy-bee that sometimes she did not
care about herself. At one time, she dropped everything to sing live in the concert
held by the disadvantaged and donated a huge sum of money for them. She is,
by all means, the greatest woman that I have ever seen.

Vocab highlights:

 A beacon of light (n.p): ngọn hải đăng

 Come across: tình cờ thấy
 Smoldering (adj): chảy bỏng, nồng nàn
 Get hooked on: bị nghiện
 Mezzo-soprano (n): giọng nữ trung
 dedication (n) sự tận tụy
 Make the headline (idiom): trở thành tiêu đề nóng
 Public figure (n): người của công chúng
 Struck at people’s heartcore: lay động con timmọi người
 Down -to -earth (adj): gần gũi
 Busy-bee (n): người bận rộn, chăm chỉ

Part 3:
What kind of music do people like at different ages?

I think the taste in music is generational. That means, regardless of their

current age, people mainly prefer the music they listened to when they were a
teen. So a person who was born in the 70s would be into disco, whereas a person
who was born in the 80s would be keen on pop or hip hop. What’s more?I think,
as we get older, we tend to be less receptive to new styles or genres of music
but we become more open minded about oldies and timeless classics. I found
that my friends and I had started talking about classical composers and their
works such Beethoven and his “Moonlight sonata” or Tchaikovski’s “Swan Lake”.

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  generational (adj): thế hệ
 the taste in something (n. phrase): gu/sở thích về cái gì đó (food, music,
clothes…)
 regardless of : bất kể, bất chấp
 to tend (v) + to : có xu hướng
 be receptive (adj) + to: có thể tiếp thu/lĩnh hội
 oldie (n): bài nhạc xưa, cũ
 timeless classics: những tác phẩm bát hủ

What is the difference between popular music now and popular music in the
past in Vietnam?

I’m not versed in the various genres of music so I’ll try my best to speculate. As
far as I remember, pop-ballad has always been something that people enjoy
listening to. Slow-paced songs about love and romance attract listeners of all
ages and I don’t see them going anywhere soon. Interestingly, there has been
an emergence of Rap music in Vietnam. After years of being nurtured by the
underground community, Rap became mainstream last year with the two
rap contests, namely “Rap Viet” and “King of Rap”.

 be versed in: hiểu rõ về 

 slow-paced (adj): chậm (về tiết tấu)
 to attract (v): thu hút
 emergence (n): sự nổi lên
 nurture (n): nuôi dưỡng (trong bài dùng theo nghĩa bóng). be nurtured:
được nuôi dưỡng
 mainstream (adj): đại chúng, phổ biến (có thể hiểu là popular)
 contest (n): cuộc thi. khác với exam vì trong contest có người thắng người
thua. 

DoVietnamese parents require their children to learn to play musical

instruments?
I wouldn’t use the word “require”, but I would say more and more parents have
become aware that playing musical instruments isn’t just a hobby. They are
putting their children into weekend classes or hiring private tutors to teach their
children to play piano, violin or guitar. Although most people, myself included,
have yet to grasp the influence of playing instruments on a child’s mind, I still
think it is beneficial to young children in some way, intellectually. On a practical

5
note, some universities have begun to take into account the
artistic achievements of their prospective students beside their academic
records. So learning how to play an instrument is helpful one way or another.

 myself included: cách nói “bao gồm cả tôi”

 grasp (v): nắm bắt được. nghĩa bóng: hiểu được, ngộ được
 on a practical note hoặc from a practical perspective: từ khía cạnh thực
tiễn/thực dụng
 prospective  (adj): tương lai, tiềm năng
 take into account something: xem xét
 achievement (n): thành tích, thành tựu

Why do some people like to listen to live music while others prefer CDs?
These two choices show that there isn’t a “correct” way of enjoying music. I think
that it really depends on the listeners’ personality and what gives them the
most pleasure. Some people love the atmosphere of live concerts. They get a
kick out of the realness of the moment and the sound despite its imperfection.
In concerts, some artists also do crowd work which seems really interactive and,
on some level, intimate. One the other hand, there are people who like to have
their music undisturbed by cheers and yells, or more specifically, they want to
listen to perfect renditions of their favorite songs in the comfort of their home. 

 pleasure (n): niềm vui

 get a kick out of (n): thích thú về
 realness (n): sự chân thực
 crow work (n): tương tác với khán giả, nói chuyện trực tiếp với khán giả
 interactive (adj): có tính tương tác
 intimate (adj): gần gũi
 undisturbed (adj): không bị làm phiền, gián đoạn
 rendition (n): phiên bản

3. Describe a plan in your life that is not related to work or study

You should say:
What it is about
Why you make it
What you need to do first
And explain how you would feel if it is successful
Introduction:

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Well, people always have some plans related to their work or study. I used to keep
on attending some short courses along with my regular studies to acquire new
skills. For example, I took classes of driving, music as well as French when I was
young.
What it is about?
But now I am planning to take cooking classes that I think I would need in my life
now. There are quite a few reasons why I want to opt for this course.
Why you made this plan?
The fact is that I now I am not as busy as I was a few years ago when my children
are quite older and I think I need to be capable of preparing good meals for my
family to make everyone feel happier when they are at home. This also saves
ourselves from eating outside food which is certainly not only unhealthy but very
expensive.
What you need to do first?
Well, first I will turn to my sister for some help because she is a wonderful cook
and can cook almost anything so learning this skill from her would also allow me
to spend some extra time with her. Apart from this, I will sulf the web to find one
page that offers short cookery courses and take a course that suitable for my
time.
And explain how you would feel if it is successful?
So that I can learn most of the Vietnamese cuisine along with some international
ones which my family members enjoy eating. I am pretty sure I will enjoy taking
cooking classes and I will learn it very quickly since I have a deep interest in
cooking.
Conclusion:
Overall cooking is one skill that I am planning to learn in near future.

Part 3:
Should parents make plans for children?
That’s an interesting one! I have mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, since
parents are more experienced, their plans might be more relevant and actionable
than what their children could come up with for themselves. On the other hand,
children tend to dislike being told what to do, especially if it’s against their will,
they may disobey or rebel. Even if they don’t, they would end up leading a
miserable life for being unable to do what they desire. I suppose the best solution
is for adults to listen to and guide their children in making their own plans.
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When should children start to make plans for themselves?
I’d say that, probably, when they start primary school. Toddlers and preschoolers
are too naive to take control of their own life but I believe schoolchildren are wise
enough to start managing their own destiny. This skill is vital to their future so it’s
better for them to practice and master it as soon as possible. Of course, timely
parental guidance is always needed.

What things should be planned on a daily basis?

Well, the way I see it, daily plans should focus on setting priority for the most
crucial and urgent tasks people must perform for both professional life and
personal life.  Those who don’t make a detailed plan or to-do list each day might
fall behind their schedule, or even worse, forget a major event such as a birthday
of someone who is dear to their heart. In addition, many also make daily plans for
what to eat or what to wear, which I find unnecessary.

Are plans always necessary? Can people succeed without plans?

Absolutely. We’re living in a chaotic world and I believe making smart plans are
the key to a happy and fulfilling life. Firstly, plans allow people to manage their
time wisely and productively. Without any specific plans, they might not know
what to prioritise or what they should do next. As a result, they could end up
wasting their time on trivial tasks that make no difference. Secondly, those who
make plans regularly tend to take better control of their life and be more satisfied
about it. This is mainly because they are more well-prepared for unexpected
situations and are less prone to worries or anxiety.
Success can be defined as achieving a goal or meet the criteria we have set. If we
do not have a plan, even we make a progress in life, we do not know if this
achievement is what we want.

TOPIC 4:

Describe a puzzle (jigsaw, crossword, etc.) you have played

You should say:
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 What it is like
How easy or difficult it is
How long it takes you to solve
And how you feel about it
Model answer 1:
Introduction:
I think puzzles are a good way to challenge our brains and let our hair down. Ever since I
was a kid, I have enjoyed solving puzzles. I was always very curious and even used to disassemble
and reassemble my toys just to see how they worked.
Whine My whole family used to do the Sunday newspaper crossword puzzle together, I
fancied doing jigsaw puzzles although, I was a little girl. Today, I would like to talk about one that I
did many years ago.
What it is like?
On my 16th birthday, my friends gifted me a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle. Before that, I had never
solved a puzzle with so many pieces. 100 pieces was the maximum I had done before. The jigsaw
design on the box had a beautiful landscape with mountains in the background and a lake in front of
it.
How easy or difficult it is?
It looked easy but I when I started doing it, I realized it had a lot of tricky repeating
patterns and similar shapes and colors.
How long it takes you to solve it?
It was very challenging and after spending 2 hours on it I was not even halfway done. I was
glad I was doing it on a weekend and didn’t have to go to school that day. I started getting frustrated
and at one point I wanted to give it up. I took a 30-minute break and decided to get back on it. The
break helped, and I could concentrate better and do it faster. I finally managed to finish it and in
total, it took me about 5 hours to solve it.
And how you feel about it?
I felt a great sense of achievement. I was so happy and showed the finished puzzle to my
family. I didn’t want to break it apart and kept it on my desk for a few days. I redid this puzzle after
a few months and finished it a little faster.
Conclusion:
I have bought many 500 and more piece’s puzzles after that but instead of completing them
in one day, I like to keep them on my desk and work 20-30 minutes on them every day.
Let one’s hair down: thư giãn
Disassemble: tháo ra
Reassemble: lắp ráp
tricky repeating pattern: mô hình lặp đi lặp lại phức tạp
a great sense of achievement: cảm giác thành tựu
Model answer 2
Introduction:
Well, there are a lot of indoor games that I played in my childhood like puzzle and crossword
but here I would like to talk about a special game which is really amazing and I think everyone must
have played this game at least once in their childhood and even it looks interesting to adults as well.
What it is like?
The name of the game is a jigsaw. It’s a kind of a puzzle game in which the player has to
assemble the oddly shaped interlocking pieces. Typically, each individual piece has a portion of
the picture, when assembled, they produce a complete picture.

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 I got to know about this game for the first time when it was gifted to me by my maternal
uncle. It was a book in which there were different levels. Starting from basic to advance.
How easy or difficult it is? and How long it takes you to solve it?
Honestly, its advanced level is quite tough and can take about half an hour to complete. To
win this game players have to assemble the picture consuming less time than others. Mostly I used
to play this game with my friend who is currently living in Ho Chi Minh City. That were the golden
days of my life.
This is a game which is liked by both, parents and children as it has various benefits like it
improves short term memory, it is a great meditation tool and stress reliever. This game is so
fantabulous that nowadays also people like to play it but now as technology has developed
therefore we can play it in our mobile phone.
And how you feel about it? and Conclusion:
Most interestingly, now we can even play with a person living far and can also talk while
playing. So, this is a game that I liked to play in my childhood.
Assemble: lắp ráp
oddly shaped interlocking pieces: Những mảnh ghép có hình dạng kỳ quặc
fantabulous: xuất sắc, ưu tú

Part 3:
1. Why do parents let their children play puzzles?
Parents let their children play puzzles because they are very good learning tools and
beneficial for their brain development. Puzzles keep their minds active and working. They help
improve their concentration, their problem-solving skills, and finishing a puzzle brings them a sense
of accomplishment.
sense of accomplishment: sense of achievement:cảm giác thành tựu
2. What kind of puzzles improve people’s intelligence?
Solving puzzles is good a way to exercise our brain and keep it active and sharp. Puzzles like
Sudoku, Crossword, Jigsaw, Rubik’s cube, etc. can improve our cognitive abilities and boosts our
intelligence.
cognitive abilities: khả năng nhận thức
3. Why are detective stories attractive to people?
I think detective stories are so popular because it enables people to use their imagination and
solve the mystery. Humans have the natural drive to solve problems and detective novels/movies let
them do that.
4. Which do you think is better? A detective movie or its original novel?
I think original novels are much better. Novels don’t have any time limitations and have more
depth. Movies need to capture the entire novel in a few hours and some important parts/details get
left out. Also, novels are mentally stimulating and engage the imagination more than movies

TOPIC 5

PART 2

Describe an environment law

You should say:

10
  what it is
 how you first learned about it
 who benefits from it
And explain how you feel about this law

I would like to talk about a policy which the government put in place a long time ago, and I
believe that has had a tremendously positive effect on the daily life of Vietnamese people.
I don’t remember the exact official title of the regulation, but generally, it states that people
must separate their household waste into three groups: organic, inorganic and recyclable
materials, each of which has been assigned a different coloured bin. To effectively make this
rule work, the government has had to install thousands of different coloured bins throughout
the city’s public areas.
 In the past, waste disposal was such a daunting task for the local government to deal with
because most people had very little environmental awareness, and they often just mixed
their trash into one giant mess, dumping it into rivers, on the streets or in any public place
they felt like. This became quite an alarming situation in Vietnam for a number of years
and had an extremely detrimental impact on the environment, and not to mention the mess
it was creating in many urban areas.
So, by introducing this new law and by effectively campaigning it, a clear shift has
occurred in people’s daily lives, as now there is an effective and practical solution to get rid
of everyday waste, and people’s awareness around this issue has now significantly increased
over the years. I’m really quite happy with how this law has helped to solve the waste
problem in my country, rather than only the ineffective talk about the problem that was
happening beforehand.

Vocabulary highlights:
1. tremendously – extremely or very much
2. regulation – an official law or rule
3. household waste – garbage from your house eg. food scraps, plastic packaging, boxes
etc
4. organic – something natural, not with any chemicals
5. waste disposal – throwing away garbage
6. daunting task – a task that makes you feel slightly worried or frightened about doing
it
7. environmental awareness – to think about or know about environmental problems
8. alarming situation – a serious problem
9. detrimental impact – a negative or damaging effect
10.not to mention – used when you want to emphasise something you are about to say
11.effectively campaigning – to successfully
12.a clear shift – an obvious change
13.get rid of – to be free of something

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PART 3

Are there laws about environmental protection in Vietnam?

Without a doubt, there are a considerable number of laws, regulations and guidelines on
environmental conservation in Vietnam but I’m afraid the enforcement of these laws isn’t
strong enough. Added to this, lenient punishments may also explain why littering, Illegal
dumping of hazardous waste, poor sustainability practices as well as wildlife trafficking are
still relatively common.
What kinds of rules are there in Vietnamese schools?
I’d say that basically there are two kinds of rules implemented in educational institutions
around Vietnam. The first one is codes of conduct or codes of ethics that govern behaviours
of students, educators and even students’ parents at school. This set of rules is critical
because without them, misconducts such as cheating on exams, disrespectful behaviours,
classroom disruptions and child abuse would be prevalent. Another common type of
regulations in schools is the dress code which clearly states what kinds of uniform or outfits
students and teachers should wear.
What can teachers do to make students obey the rules?
Well, this isn’t something I’ve ever considered but I suppose the best method is teaching
by example. It’s crucial for teachers to fulfill all their duties as well as the promises they’ve
made to their students. This way, children will respect them and voluntarily follow their
lead. Additionally, educators should strive to nurture an inspiring learning environment by
incorporating humour and fun into their instructions and guidance. This could make students
more willing to comply with rules and regulations. 
What should parents do to educate children about laws?
Well, as I mentioned the most effective way is for adults to set a good example themselves.
If parents violate or disrespect the law, their child might follow the same path. Moreover,
it’s critical to set clear rules and limits to discipline children from a very young age. If they
are properly taught to differentiate between right and wrong and be aware of their rights and
responsibilities, they will become dutiful citizens later.

TOPIC 6

PART 2

Describe a city or country you want to live the most in the future.

You should say:

 What city it is:…

 Where it is located:…
 Why you like it:..

I would like to tell you about Tokyo, the city I want to live in the most in the future.   It is the
capital city of Japan and is the most populous metropolitan area in the world.

12
The most important reason I wish to settle down in Tokyo is the co-existence of modern and
traditional values. It’s the kind of city where the red gates of a centuries-old
Shinto shrine may well be found just next door to a glass skyscraper showcasing the finest
21st century technology. Or where a quiet green lane lined with wooden low-rise houses and
an old school tofu shop might sit just a short stroll from a neon-lit square packed
with flickering billboards and rainbow-bright street fashion.

The hectic life in Tokyo is also an irresistible attraction for young people. Tokyo’s railway

system seems like it was designed to win world records. It’s rare to find a location in the
metropolitan area that can’t be reached with a train ride and a short walk. It is also common
knowledge that you could spend hours drooling over the elaborate pastries and picture-
perfect sushi rolls in a department store.

I feel that the city is moving toward the future. I believe Tokyo will become a city that is full
of surprises.

 metropolitan: connected with a large or capital city

 settle down: start to have a quieter way of life
 co-existence: the state of being together in the same place at the same time
 shrine: a place where people come to worship
 showcase: present
 a short stroll from: not far from
 flicker: keep going on and off as it shines or burns
 hectic: full of activity
 irresistible: cannot be stopped or resisted
 drool: let saliva come out of your mouth
 elaborate: carefully prepared

PART 3

1. Why do more and more people live in the city?

I think it’s because all the major opportunities are there. If you live in a rural area, you might
not be able to get your dream job, depending on what field you want to work in. For
example, if you want to work in finance, you’re not likely to find a great position out in the
countryside. Most cities are also known as cultural hubs. So people also move there for the
entertainment and nightlife.

2. How does this affect the environment and nature?

Well, when more and more people move to cities, those cities need to expand to
accommodate them. So they end up taking up more and more natural resources as they grow
bigger. That negatively affects the environment by destroying lots of species natural habitats.

13
More populated cities can also mean an increase in demands on the infrastructure. Having to
update things like public transit systems might result in more pollution.

3. What are some factors that attract people to settle down in certain places? W

I think young people tend to focus on their career goals. They want to move somewhere
that’ll provide them with a great job. They also focus on what the culture is like. For
example, they might prioritize a city that has a great nightlife or lots of entertainment
opportunities. However, older people might focus more on the scenery. People who have
retired already might want to live somewhere they can relax and be surrounded by nature.

4. What are the differences between the young and old when choosing where to live?
I think both like to live in cities because of job opportunities, health and education facilities.
Young people want to live in the towns searching for a good job so that they can secure their
future. On the other hand. health is essential for older people. so older adults prefer to live in
those places where they can easily reach the hospital in an emergency.
OR
I think the young mostly care about the availability of jobs and entertainment facilities. They
prefer places where they can get well paid jobs and where there are bars, restaurants, and
shopping malls so that they can enjoy life. On the other hand, old people care about presence
of family members so that they don’t feel lonely. Also, for the old, it is about good health
care facilities so that they can get timely help in case of emergencies and health issues.

TOPIC 7. Describe a piece of local news that people were interested in

You should say:
What it was about
Where you saw/heard it
Who was involved
And explain why people were interested in it
I would like to talk about a piece of interesting local news that I read in a newspaper. It
would be last week when I read this news in a local newspaper called ‘Ha Tinh News”.
In the article, the local authorities announce that they are going to build a new park in my
neighborhood. This park will be constructed by utilizing a big vacant plot, where people dump
garbage and there are only weeds there. This project will be completed within three months and
this park will contain plenty of amenities, like jogging tracks, sitting benches, lights, seesaw and a
fountain.
People in my area are joyful after knowing about this development. It would definitely help
to make my locality clean and green. In addition, it would allow the community members to
socialize as we see in the evening as well in the morning time, people like to visit parks, where they
sit together and talk. It would be a wonderful place for old people to sit together to play cards,
gossip and enjoy other activities. Similarly, it would also provide a safe playing area for children
because in my area, most children play on the streets which are quite dangerous as there is always a
risk of accidents.Last but not least, people these days suffer from many health concerns but in the
park, they can go for a walk and practice yoga which really benefit the people and would ensure
well- being of the community members.
14
 I hope this park will motivate local residents to come out of their comfort zones and take part
in physical activities.

Part 3:
1. Do people read the newspaper where you live? 
Yes, people in my city like to read newspapers every day. They do so to keep themselves up
to date with ongoing events and happenings the world over, so they can keep themselves and their
family safe. Moreover, many individuals prefer to read journals mainly to spend their free time by
acquiring knowledge about new innovations and technological advancements.
2. Do people prefer local or international news? 
Well, it depends. Most people prefer to give priority to local bulletins, as these affect their
daily lives more than international news stories. During this Covid situation, everyone was paying
more attention to their local news, so they could plan their daily activities accordingly. However,
individuals, especially working in finance and MNCs, take care of international news because of the
nature of their work.
Do you think it’s important to have a national identity? 
Definitely, it’s very crucial to have a national identity because people can show others their
culture and customs in that way. National identity can motivate young individuals to follow their
tradition and feel proud of their rich history.
How can people develop their national identity? 
I believe people can develop their national identity by wearing their traditional dresses. Then,
they can take part in local festivals and other cultural activities, which can teach them some valuable
things. Finally, they can host national flags on their establishments, which bring patriotic feeling
among them.

TOPIC 8. Describe a place you visited on vacation

You should say:
Where it is
When you went there
What you did there
And explain why you went there

When it comes to talking about a place I spent my vacation, the first thing coming to mind
was one village named Son Kim, which is about 40km from my hometown.
My family and I went on a 5-day vacation to the town about 10 years ago when I was granted
a summer vacation after graduation from university, and my parents decided to mark a milestone for
this important event by going somewhere off the beaten track.
After discussion, we opted to pay a visit to the countryside on our own motorbike to get
closer to nature. We’re both an early bird, so leaving the city at 5 in the morning wasn’t our
problem. On the way to the village, I snapped a couple of excellent photos which caused me to take
up photography then. After more than an hour’s drive, we got to the picturesque village, and in fact
its beauty cheered me up. After that, we borrowed three bikes to cycle around the village with many
small alleyways filled with wild grass. At noon, we had lunch with local delicacies which were
really yummy.
It was my first motorbike trip to a village, so I was filled with tremendous excitement during
the trip. It’s also a great way for me to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city as I relished
everything in the village from the pollution-free air, cozy ambience to ancient landscapes
from old houses. Besides, I grasped this opportunity to bond with my parents, my sister you know,
15
we fostered our mutual understanding after the trip. Most importantly, this is one of my most
important milestones, so how unforgettable it is.I think I need to embark on such a trip whenever I
have leisure time in order to get positive vibes from those places and the locals.

Part 3:
1. What are some popular attractions that people like to visit in your country?
The most popular tourist attractions in my country are Dalat City, Nha Trang City and Phu
Quoc island. These attractions have their own characteristics which are very attractive to tourists.
Dalat City is famous for its historical housing architecture and the flower industry, Nha Trang City
and Phu Quoc island both have beautiful beaches and spectacular landscapes. These destinations
attract thousands of domestic and international tourists every year.
2. Do old people and young people like to go to different places for vacation?
Yes, I think so! old people are more inclined towards history, god, and devotion. So, their
first preference mostly is some sacred temple or a museum. Whereas, young people love to go to
beaches and places with adventure sports, but old people are less keen on going to such places
because it requires a lot of physical exertion, which their bodies might not be able to handle.
3. What do old people and young people think about when making travel plans?
The central focus of the elderly is on comfort, due to this, their travel plan will be about
relaxation. Due to this reason, the percentage of older people on cruise vacations is high compared
to the youngsters. On the other hand youngsters, the prime motive is to have fun and entertainment,
so they indulge more in adventure sports and other such pursuits.
4. How do people get to know a new place?
The advent of technology has made the task of finding new places easier. Through the
internet, people come to know various sites of special interest. Moreover, there are numerous
websites like Wikitravel where people can find details of any tourist place.

TOPIC 9. Describe a businessman that you admire

You should say:
Who this person is
How you know this person
What kind of business this person does
Explain why you admire
When it comes to the businessman that I admire and respect, I would opt for
Mr………………, one of the most successful entrpreneurs in my country.
I first knew this famous personality 3 years ago when I read an article saying that he was
among innovative and influential personalities in Vietnam. This made me curious about him, so I
eventually read his biography, which was really motivational.
Mr………………..is now 35 years old and he established his first company which produced
electronic equipment when he was 25. After ups and downs, thanks to his hard work and
perseverance, he could build his empire in the local market. A few years later, he took some giant
leaps to expand it beyond his town. His companies currently employ millions of people, and this is
also a big success as a businessman.
I personally find Mr …………… such an inspiring model for young generation because of
his heart of gold and his humble personality. We can see it obviously through his simple outfits,
plain shirts and black trousers. Also, he never shows of his wealth and even talks about his
16
achievements. Furthermore, together with his wife, through his Foundation, he offers
scholarships to underprivileged minorities to make their dreams of a college education possible and
donates a large amount of money to those suffering from serious consequencies of natural disasters
such as floods and storms.
a heart of gold: a kind and generous character - 1 người có tấm lòng nhân hậu, tốt bụng
humble personality - tính cách khiêm tốn

PART 3
1. What do you think should be the retirement age for men and women?
I think rather than based on genders, and the retirement age should be based on professions.
In professions where physical fitness is crucial, the retirement age should be on the lower side, while
the retirement age could be more in office jobs. In general, I think 60-65 years is the ideal retirement
age. By that time, you’re old enough to have built up a nice financial reserve and young enough to
enjoy your job-free years
2. What qualities do people need to run their own business?
There are many qualities that a person nees to have in order to be sucessful in their own
business. In particular, they have to be intelligent, determined, resilient , and enthusiastic in order to
run their own business. People need to be smart enough to assess their target market and design a
business that is appropriate for their customers. Plus, they need to be determined and resilient
because running a business comes with many challenges and ups and downs . Finally, people need
to be enthusiastic in order to inspire their employees and come up with unique ideas.
3. What do you think are key factors the contribute to the success of a business?
I think many factors determine whether a business would be successful or not, and the
importance of factors varies according to the type of business. For example, a successful restaurant
needs a good location, good quality service, and tasty food more than anything else. In general, I
would say if the business is providing a product that has a demand and only the particular company
can provide it, it is going to be successful.
4. Is it better to start a business alone or start as a team?
Well, it would be better to start a business as a team, because that way you can come up with
double the ideas and double the financial capital to make your business a success. On your own ,
you have no one to talk to for advice, which can make it really difficult to make decisions and take
risks. Having a partner or a team also means that you can divide up the work load and avoid
becoming burnt out.

SPEAKING

TOPIC 10: Describe a time you were friendly to someone you didn’t like
You should say:
When and where it happened
Who he/she was
Why you didn’t like this person
And explain why you were friendly to him/ her on that occasion
INTRODUCTION: When it comes to make a description about a moment I was friendly to
a person who didn’t attract my liking, the first thing coming from my mind is Nam, who
lives in close proximity of my house.

17
Frankly speaking, we have nothing in common in terms of personalities and interest. To be
honest, I am quite extrovert, easy-going, talktive and can easily socialize with other people
while Nam is seemingly a cold, arrogant and aggressive person. That’s why we have a
different groups of friends at school as well as in the locality.

One day, if memory serves me right, may be it was when I was at grade 11, when coming
back from school, Nam fell off the bike and broke his leg. So he had to be interuppted with
study at school in a few weeks. His mother was afraid he couldn’t keep up with the lessons
after 2 weeks off, then she tried to talk to me and beg me to come over his house and help
him to study. At first, I felt a little bit awkward because I have never thought of the thing
that one day I would communicate with him. But I realised that I had to be polite and
friendly to him, so that I decided to accept his mother’s request and felt comfortably to show
him various useful lessons that our teacher gave us. After 2 weeks, inspite of the differences
of personalities between us, I didn’t feel discomfort when talking to him. Instead, I tried to
be kind to him everytime we met at schoolyard.

Proximity = ở gần đó
Awkward: kỳ quặc
Part 3:

1. Why are people friendly with the person they don't like?

Answer: In this modern era, irrespective of our likings and dislikings, people should be
friendly with others due to a variety of reasons. Some do that because they want to show
their politeness as well as they don’t want to hurt others by talking something rude. Others
choose to do that as they want to protect themselves from unwanted troubles or disputes
which might have detrimental effects their lives as well as their career.

2. What are the differences between being friendly and being polite?

As far as I know, being friendly means you show your pleasant, sincere and positive
affection toward someone you are communicating with. Meanwhile, being polite is to follow
and adhere the social norms, and it doesn’t show any level of intimacy such as making an
eye contact when you have a conversation. You don’t have to be friendly to be polite, but
you have to be polite to be friendly.

Adhere: giữ vững, dính chặt, tuâm thủ

Intimacy: sự thân mật

3. What are some qualities of a good friendship?

A good friendship is one in which both parties can point out each other’s flaws and make
positive changes together. In my opinion, this process take a number of remarkable qualities
18
such as loyalty, constancy, sympathy…... One of the most qualities is unselfishness. A
person who is concerned only with his own interests and feelings cannot be a true friend.
Friendship is a two-sided affair; it lives by give-and-take, and no friendship can last lone
which is all give on one side and all take on the other.

Trust is perhaps another important quality. There must be mutual trust between friends, so
that each can feel safe when telling the other his or her secrets. There are people who cannot
keep a secret, either of their own or of others’. Such people will never keep a longlasting
friendship.

Flaw: sai lầm, thiếu sót

4. Is it important for people to have a good friendship with their colleagues?

Definitely. It is of significance for people to be on good terms with their colleagues due to a
wide range of reasons. Firstly, people tend to perform better when working in a healthy
and sociable environment. For example, having a close friend to chat with when you have a
break, or simply knowing who to sit next to in a long meeting would be a source of comfort
during working hours, especially if you have mentally-taxing job. Secondly, Forming
healthy relationships with your coworkers is one of the most effective methods of team
building. Healthy relationships can offer a solid foundation of confidence for professionals who
need to work together on a team to accomplish organizational goals. Team members who get
along, cooperate as a part of a team and have respect for one another can form useful support
systems that drive engagement, enhance collaboration, provide motivation and produce higher
quality work. With this, developing strong relationships and a sense of trust with your coworkers
may allow you to be more productive in your role overall.

2. TOPIC 11: Describe a person who solved a problem in a smart way

You should say: Who this person is

What the problem was

How he/she solved it

And explain why you think he/she did it in a smart way

SPEAKING:

Today , I am going to talk about the person who always comes up with clever ideas to solve
problems. My mom, with whom I really get on well in my family , is the one that immediately
springs to my mind when it comes to this topic.

19
I am two years older than my sister and things weren’t easy for us when we were younger.
Honestly, our sibling rivalries could drive a significant number of episodes. I vividly recall
that back in the day, I was really jealous of my sister because she always flaunted her good
marks on all subjects at school. At that time, I felt disappointed about my result which was not
what I had expected. I thought my parents would give my sister a present and get mad at me.

My mom really read me like a book. In order to help me overcome that negative feeling, my
mom secretly bought me a present and put it under my pillow. She left the note inside the box,
saying that she was really proud of me. I could not describe how happy I was at that time and
how motivational the present was. To me, this was literally a clever way to motivate a person.
As a result, I no longer bore feelings of resentment towards my sister because we were treated
equally. Thanks to my mom, I always believe in myself, which encourages me when I am down
in the dumps. I hope that I will be successful in the future to make my mom truly proud of me.

VOCABULARY:

 Come up with something (v): nghĩ ra cái gì đó

 Get on well with someone (v): Có mối hê tốt với ai đó
 Drive a significant number of episodes (expression): biến thành phim nhiều tập
 Flaunt (v): khoa trương
 Read someone like a book (expression): hiểu rất rõ ai đó
 Down in the dumps (expression): buồn rười rượi
 Sibling rivalry (n): sự ganh đua, bất đồng của các cặp anh chị em
  Bear feelings of resentment towards someone: giữ cảm giác ghét một ai đó

Part 3:

1. Do you think children are born smart or they learn to become smart?
Well, this is genuinely a difficult question. I believe that even scientists are debating this.
Obviously, the environment that a child grows up in and the quality of their education directly
affect their intelligence. Children who go to good schools are more likely to do well in
intelligence tests. On the other hand, it’s also hard to deny the role the genetic makeup of a
child plays in determining his or her level of intelligence. I think both of them are of the equal
role in creating a child intelligent.  

 genetic makeup (adj+n): gen, vật chất di truyền

2. How do children become smarter at school?

It seems to me that children usually become smart at school by applying themselves and
being open to learning new things. They have to work hard at a subject in order to master it.
That requires doing all the homework and persevering even when it gets hard. Besides,
Children should be taught to reason and think logically. And don’t get wrong, I do not mean
schools should start teaching children how to solve complicated equations. On the contrary,

20
schools should let children play games that stimulate their minds like solving puzzles and
role playing to solve hypothetical problems. 

 to reason (v): lí luận

 equation (n): phương trình toán học
 to stimulate (v): kích thích
 hypothetical (adj): giả sử
3. Why are some children more intelligent than others?

I believe there are many factors that contribute to the intelligence of a child. Intelligence is a complex trait that is
influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. In terms of the former, if both parents are intelligent,
there is a high possibility that their genes will pass down to their children, which help their children become smarter
than kids with low IQ parents. Regarding the latter, factors related to a child’s home
environment and parenting, education and availability of learning resources, and nutrition, among others, all
contribute to intelligence. For example, children raised in wealthier and more educated households grow up to be
smarter than those brought up in poorer homes. The reason could be educated parents are more likely to talk at the
dinner table, take their children to museums and read stories to them at night, that sort of thing, which are activities
said to help boost a child’s intelligence.

4. Why are some people well-rounded and others only good at one thing?

Answer 1: Off the top of my head, I can only say that it’s due to their jobs. In my opinion,
people who work in managerial roles tend to be generalists. They know about many things
from social skills, communication to management. They have to be like that because their
jobs require them to deal with other people. In contrast, technical workers like to be
proficient only in their area of expertise. As they get better in their field, they get paid
better. 

 Off the top of my head (collocation): ý nói tôi không chắc chắn lắm
 managerial (adj): có tính chất quản lí
 generalist (n): người làm được nhiều thứ
 to deal with (phrasal verb): làm việc với, xử lí với
 expertise (n): chuyên môn
 proficient (adj): thành thạo

Answer 2: Being well-rounded or being good at one thing depends on your personality, as
well as the amount of effort you put into different aspects of your life. Some people find one
thing that they are good at and throw all of their effort into that one thing, becoming experts.
Others do not have one passion, but rather prefer to develop many different talents. Either
way, most people tend to focus on things they are good at rather than things they struggle
with.

5. Why does modern society need talents of all kinds?

Well, modern society needs talents of all kinds because that is the best way to have a healthy
workforce and consequently a healthy society. If everyone was good at science and became
21
doctors, then no one would become an author or a teacher or a business person. It is much
better to have a multi talented society so that everyone can contribute something different.
We need just as many artists as we need accountants.

TOPIC 12: Describe an exciting book that you enjoy reading

You should say:

When you read it

What kind of book it is

What it is about

And explain why you think it is exciting?

INTRODUCTION:
As we know, Books play an essential role in every person’s life because books providing
knowledge of the outside world, introduce them to a world of imagination, improving their
reading, writing and speaking skills, and boosting memory and intelligence. Today, I would
like to talk about the very first book I read which is also the one that I still enjoy reading a
lot.
WHEN YOU READ IT:
It is none other than the first book of the Harry Potter series, ‘Harry Potter and the
Philosopher’s Stone’, which was gifted to me by my mother on my 10 th birthday. Initially, I
hesitated to read it due to the length of this novel but I didn’t want to make mom sad so I
decided to pick up the book and started reading. I read just 10 pages and I was hooked. I
remember I used the word unputdownable to describe the book to one of my friends, a few
days later.

What kind of book it is and What it is about

It is the first magic novel in the series of Harry Potter. It follows Harry Potter, a
young wizard who discovers his magical heritage on his eleventh birthday when he receives
a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts School . Harry makes close friends with Ron and
Hermione as well as has a few enemies during his first year at the school, and with the help
of his friends, he faces his biggest enemy Lord Voldemort, who killed Harry’s parents, but
failed to kill Harry when he was just 15 months old.

And explain why you think it is exciting?

One of the most exciting of this book which attracts me a lot is that I can’t predict what
would happen in the next chapter. This book brings me a sense of curiosity as well as
inspiration so it always hold a special place in my heart. Even now I randomly pick up the
book once a month and read two three chapters. And I don’t know why but there is always
something I feel that I hadn’t read before.

22
Part 3:

1. What kinds of books do Vietnamese people like reading?

There is a wide range of books that are preferred in Vietnam. Old readers tend to place a
greater emphasis on historical books or biography. Probably, they are more fascinated by
the bygone than their young counterparts. Young readers, on the other hand, tend to be
captivated by personal development books and novels, especially romance stories or science-
fiction. Particularly, business books have been increasingly popular in Vietnam because
establishing and running a start-up has been on the trend among the youth for several years.

Captivated: hứng thú

2. Do boys and girls like the same kinds of books?

I suppose that this depends on the person’s preferences; some girls love the romantic comedy
genre, while others love honor novels. The same is true for boys. Honestly, boys are
discouraged at a young age from liking romantic or dramatic books, and are instead
encouraged to read nonfiction or action books. This really limits the kind of things that they
read, and I suppose that both boys and girls should explore a wide variety of literary genres.

Genre: thể loại

3. Do you think it is important to read the book before watching the movie version of it?

No, I don’t think so. Even though I love reading, and personally I like reading the book
before seeing the movie, it’s fine to just watch the movie by itself . I suppose that when it
comes to movies, it’s sometimes better to watch it without knowing anything about the story.
Sometimes, you can be disappointed if you watch the movie version because it might not live
up to the book.

Live up to: đạt được kỳ vọng

4. What are the differences between reading a book and watching the movie version of
it?

Books can let you imagine the setting or events happening in the story. They are also more
detailed than movies because movies sometimes leave out some important details. When
reading books, we get more knowledge and it helps us improve our vocabulary. Characters
are described much better and with more detail.
However, watching the same story which is adapted on the big screen is a different
experience. While reading spurs your imagination, a movie helps you visualize all the
elements of the books that were previously confined to your imagination. It immerses you
into the story in a different way than a book.

23
Spur: thôi thúc, kích thích
Adapt: chuyển thể
5. DO YOU THINK E-BOOKS WILL EVENTUALLY REPLACE PAPER BOOKS?

Although e-books are becoming very popular, I don’t think that they will ever completely
replace paper books. The reason for this is that people who love reading generally prefer
paper books. Reading on paper is easier on your eyes , and it’s also great for students
because they can highlight, underline, or write notes in the margins if they are using a paper
copy. Paper books are also great to wrap up and give as gifts!

TOPIC 13. Describe a cafe you like to visit

You should say:
Where it is
What kinds of food and drinks it serves
What you do there
And explain why you like to go there
Actually, I am not a coffeeholic (người yêu thích cà phê) so I don’t go to café so often.
There are a lot of café places in my residential area. That’ why I don’t really have to travel far
whenever I feel like spending some quality time at a café. But, the other day, a couple of my friends
asked me to visit a new café in the outskirt (ngoại ô) of my town, and today I would like to share
that story with you.
As I have just mentioned, it is a new café, named Happy House, and so I was not really too
sure about what to expect there. But, when I arrived there, I was in for (sắp được trải qua) a
pleasant surprise I found that the friendly management and staff there were eagerly waiting to greet
us and other customers. By the way, it was indeed a nice café, as my friends had told me before,
with a nice decoration inside.
The tables were nicely shaped with beautiful, cream colour table clothes on them. Each and
every table maintained a safe distance from each other to offer all of its customers a sense of
privacy. The flower vases on the tables added to the elegance of the café even more. Not to mention,
the lighting system of the café was also very colourful that certainly helped create a rather mystical
environment there. Besides, all around the café, everything looked very shiny and spotlessly (sạch
sẽ, tinh tươm) clean. Moreover, I am so impressed the exterior inside of this cafe which designed
following the modern lifestyle with a lot of man-made paintings on the wall, which made this an
ideal place for big fans of photography. There wasn’t a single thing that I could find to complain
about the café.
Talking about the foods and drinks there, they were equally delicious and appetizing,
especially, the strawberry-filled cheesecake (bánh kem dâu tây phô mai) and the garlic-roasted
bread (bánh mì bơ tỏi nướng) were simply outstanding. Besides, the cranberry fruit drinks
(Nước quả việt quất) tasted like they just came fresh from the garden!
Anyway, I liked this café, mainly because it had a huge space inside it to accommodate just
about everybody rather comfortably. Besides, the decoration inside the café was very gorgeous (rực
rỡ, lộng lẫy) and contemporary to lighten up my mood. Finally, I liked the café also because they
served some of the most delicious foods and snacks I had ever tasted.
Part 3:
1. Do Vietnamese people like to drink coffee?

24
 In Vietnam, coffee is more than just a beverage, it’s a way of life. The Vietnamese know how
to make, how to drink and how to appreciate the liquid black gold and they really made coffee an
integral part of their daily life. So Vietnamese people enjoy drinking coffee at any time during the
day. If you would like to ask a person out for a casual meetup, networking or even a date, just ask
them go for a coffee. That is the way tea penetrates into Vietnamese’ daily life. It’s not
an overstatement to say that if you don’t see coffee in Vietnam, you’re definitely visiting a wrong
country.
Meetup: cuộc gặp gỡ, gặp mặt
penetrates: thâm nhập vào
overstatement: nói quá
2. Why do many people like to drink a cup of coffee before work?
As we all know, coffee contains caffeine, which is one of the most common stimulants.
Therefore, Caffeinated coffee keeps people awake and provides their central nervous systems with
a boost that helps keep them productive throughout a hard-working day.
Stimulants: chất kích thích:
central nervous systems: hệ thần kinh trung ương
boost: sự tăng/nâng
3. What kind of people would like to go to a cafe to work or study?
I think people who enjoy drinking coffee don’t have time to make them or can’t make them at
home for some reason. Certain people also visit to study there or work there when they cannot do so
at home.
4. Why do young people like studying in a cafe instead of at home?
I think it’s because of the atmosphere. Coffee shops are now a creative working space for
many people. They are designed and built to not only be aesthetically to the eye but also to provide
an atmosphere that people can come to enjoy. Moreover, there are so many distractions at home.
Adults prefer cafes because household chores at home might tie them down.
Aesthetically: Có thẩm mỹ
distractions: sự xao nhãng
tie them down: trói buộc ai

TOPIC 14. Describe a time when you got up early

You should say:
When it was
What you did
Why you got up early
And how you felt about it
So today I’m going to tell you about the time I got up extremely early in the morning, it
happened a couple of months ago when I went on a trip with my family to let our hair down.
Well… I’ve got to be honest with you, I’m not an early bird, I always sleep in whenever I
have the chance, and my job doesn’t require me to wake up early either. That’s why I hardly ever
get up before 6 a.m.
Anyway, back in January, when my family and I decided to take a trip to Ho Chi Minh city, I
was really excited since I had never been to this city before and I had heard so many wonderful
things about this city.
While my father took care of the hotel bookings, I was in charge of airplane tickets for the
whole family. Unfortunately, all tickets were almost sold-out except for the 7 a.m flight, which
meant we all had to wake up at 4a.m in the morning!

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 At first, I thought it was going to be so difficult since I never have to wake up before sunrise.
But to my surprise, on the day of the trip, I was the first one to get up, even before the alarm went
off and had to wake everybody up. I guess I was just so excited that even waking up early was not a
challenge for a heavy sleeper like me!
All in all, our trip went really well, everyone had a blast there. We travelled around the city,
had lots of tasty local dishes and met wonderful people. I would definitely come back to HCM city,
even if it means I have to wake up at 4 a.m again.
 An early bird: người dậy sớm
 Let one’s hair down: thư giãn
 Sleep in: ngủ nướng
 In charge of sth: chịu trách nhiệm với một điều gì
 Sold-out: bán hết
 A heavy sleeper: người ngủ sâu, khó tỉnh
 To have a blast: có khoảng thời gian rất vui

Part 3:
1. Why do people get up early?
People wake up early in the morning for some of the reasons. First of all, waking up early
gives them time to make a healthy breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal, giving people the
energy to start the day.  Secondly, this habit is an advantageous way to exercise regularly, which
gives people a fit body and a good health as well. Finally, if people wake up early, they can leave
your home early, beating peak traffic hours (tránh giờ cao điểm). They don’t waste time being
stuck in traffic while commuting to work or dropping the kids off (đưa đón con).  
2. Is it easier for older people to get up early than young people?
I believe so. My father usually wake up at 4 in the morning. The main reason, I think, is
because their health is no longer in good condition, at least not as good as it was when they were
younger. So, it is hard for them to have 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night. Besides, unlike younger
people who have to work or study all day and therefore need a deep sleep at night to recharge their
batteries, older people usually have more time on their hands. They can take naps during the day,
which will affect their sleep at night, I suppose.
recharge their batteries: xạc pin, nạp năng lượng
have more time on their hands: có nhiều thời gian
3. Why do young people tend to stay up late more often than old people?
From my own experience as a night owl, I think that some people stay up late to work,
because they feel more focused and work more effectively at night than in the morning. More and
more young people like myself spend tons of time working really late, and I sometimes even have to
pull an all-nighter. Other than that, some people suffer from insomnia or other health issues that
can mess with their sleeping habits.
 night owl: cú đêm
 Sleep past: ngủ quá
 Morning person: người nhiều năng lượng vào buổi sáng
 Pull an all-nighter: thức xuyên đêm
 Insomnia: mất ngủ
4. What kinds of occasions need people to arrive early?
I think there are many diferent sutuations when people should turn up early. For example, if
people want to pick someone up in the airport or bus stop or somewhere else, they need to wake up
early to commute to the destinations. Moreover, going to an appointment, job interview or exam

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hall also requires arriving betimes. There are also some crucial jobs where arriving early is
extremely important such as doctor, police, teacher and so on.
turn up: xuất hiện, đến
betimes: sớm, đúng giờ
commute: đi

TOPIC 15. Describe a time when you waited for something special that would happen
You should say:
What you waited for
Where you waited
Why it was special
And explain how you felt while you were waiting

Actually, we are always over the moon to wait for something special to happen. And now I
would like to share my experience when I really look forward to my holidays with full of
merriment.
Well, the thing is that my family plans holidays once a year to get from it all and we always
eagerly wait for these vacations. We go on vacations in group with our uncles’ and our aunts’
families, which makes the holiday funner and more enjoyable. 
Unfortunately, roughly six months ago, when we planned our holiday, my grandmother
suddenly fell sick. She had to be hospitalized, and we had to be available for her care. Although we
were a little disappointed, of course, our grandma’s health was more important. Well, after few
months she got perfectly fine and once again we planned the holidays. 
This time we were even more excited. In fact, we had made all the arrangements in andvance.
Howerver, to search for corona cases, the state forced lockdown, and once again, our trip was put
off. We had frustrated, but we couldn’t do anything about it. 
Finally, last month when corona restrictions were eased, we were keeping our fingers
crossed because this time, we didn’t want the vacations to get canceled. 
over the moon: vui
merriment: sự vui vẻ, hớn hở.
get away from it all: rời xa nhịp sống thường nhật
hospitalize: nằm viện
lockdown: phong tỏa
keeping our fingers crossed: Hy vọng vào một điều gì đó, cầu mong điều may mắn

Part 3:
1. On what occasions do people usually need to wait?
I think that waiting is a big part of our everyday life, and we have to wait for myriad of the
situations in our life. It could be when we are meeting someone, when we order food at a restaurant
or when we need to travel by public transport. In general, if the situation or the task requires two or
more people to complete it, then the waiting factor kicks in automatically.
myriad of: vô số
kick in: có hiệu lực
2. Who behaves better when waiting, children or adults?
I think adults have more patience when it comes to waiting because they are more mature and
from their past experience they know that some things are worth the wait. On the other hand,

27
children want everything precipitately and lack patience. Children are generally impatient because
they have not yet learned the benefits of waiting
Be worth: đáng
Precipitately: vội vã
3. Do you think people are less patient now than they were in the past?
I think yes, we do. We are now living in a rapid developing world. Flights and high-speed
railways enable people to travel around in short time. Fast food or take-away food makes it
convenient for people to eat while walking. Exposed to the world, people are made to get used to
and catch up with the fast pace. They have less time left to be patient.
take-away food: thức ăn sẵn
Exposed to: Tiếp xúc với
4. What are the positive and negative effects of being patient on society?
From a positive point of view, I think that it helps to develop patience in people and society
becomes more tolerant. When people are willing to wait for others, it shows that they care for them.
From a negative perspective, I think waiting can have disastrous effects sometimes. For example, if
we have to wait long for an ambulance, the consequences can be fatal. Secondly, waiting for long
periods in offices or other places can hamper productivity.

16. Describe a natural talent (sports, music, etc) you want to improve
You should say:
What it is
When you discovered it
How you want to improve it
And how you feel about it
Each of us possesses certain unique talent, like sports, singing, and art, that can help us to
become more successful in our life. Here, I would like to talk about my skill of painting that I
really want to improve.

Actually, I have a profound interest in (đam mê, thích) painting right from my childhood. The
colours, shapes and the beauty of pictures made me attractive as well.I still remember when I
was in 4th grade I came across this skill. At that time, my teacher enrolled me in the annual art
competition in which I had to create a painting. I was very nervous at the beginning as I never
participated in any art competition before that. So, I practiced a few days before the
competition day. On that particular day, I made a beautiful painting of a natural landscape
using watercolors. Everyone, including my teacher and friends, got amazed to see my artwork,
and I received a lot of appreciation for it, which boosted my confidence.

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Now, to improve this talent, I regularly make paintings in my leisure time. Moreover, I am
planning to take up an online course to learn the different forms of different forms of
painting.I hope I will surely receive exciting lessons and see myself doing something creative.

Although I opt for the other field, I fall in love with painting. Thanks to this, I can forget all the
worries in my life. It seems to be my faourite hobby which make me feel happy and rellax.

In the end I’d like to say that… painting is a great profession if pursued the right way and
hopefully I’ll refine (cả i thiện) my natural talent in the futre .

Part 3:

1. Do you think artists with talents should focus on their talents?

Definitely, they should. If they concentrate on their natural talents, they will obviously achieve
something big in that field, mainly due to their interest and skills. For example, Ho Ngoc Ha
was a successful model, but now she still choose to become a pop star idol because of his
passion for singing and now she is the most famous artist of Vpop.

2. Is it possible for us to know whether young children will become musicians or

painters when they grow up?
Well, I don’t think so. Children at a tender age are very curious, so they show interest in almost
all the activities. Because of this, it’s hard for parents to know what their children will become
in their adulthood, even if he or she possesses certain innate skills.

3. Why do people like to watch talent shows?

The primary reason individuals like watching talent shows is that such shows are based on
reality and are full of entertainment. These days, people are leading a stressful lifestyle, so
they want to spend their leisure time entertaining themselves through these types of TV
shows. Moreover, many people possess certain talents, so these reality shows allow them to
show their skills and become famous by participating in them.
4. Do you think it is more interesting to watch famous people’s or ordinary people’s
shows?
Well, it is very difficult to say which shows are more interesting. From celebrities’ shows, one
can learn about their achievements and struggle in their professional career, which can be a
motivating factor for them. On the other hand, general people’s shows have their own charm,

29
as viewers can easily compare their life with them or can acquire some life lessons. Therefore,
both types of shows are beneficial in their own ways.

17. Describe a tall building in your city you like or dislike

You should say:

Where it is

What it is used for

What it looks like

And explain why you like or dislike it

Well, I have seen many buildings with unique design contemporary as well as conventional.
Today I would take this opportunity to talk about a very impressive and beautiful building in
my city that I visited many times.

 it is the building of vincom shopping mall which is situated in the central area of Ha Tinh City.
This is a popular accommodation for local people visiting the city and it also serves as a venue
for shopping and other types of entertainment.
The mall with 20 story-building was constructed 3 years ago . The outer of the entire building
is made of glass that looks stunning. At night, it looks more beautiful when it gets illuminated
with thousands of lights. Moreover, There are a lot of flowers and plants in front of the
building so it really caught the attention the first time anyone sees it. They couldn’t stop
themselves from taking pictures of this building.
In addition, the interior of this building is even more impressive. The lower LEVELS have all
the major brands, where people can enjoy their shopping just under one roof and buy
anything they want from Clothes, Footwears to any other Household items, and on the upper
levels there are Cinemas, Food Courts, Game Parlours and many more for the Entertainment of
the visitors, and to access these all different levels, there are lots of escalators as well as
elevators, so that people could comfortably access different floors
Anyway, I like this building, primarily because this building is designed and erected with such
a nice architectural design. Finally, I like this building also because I can get the perfect view of
my beautiful hometown, especially during the night time. It is symbol of development in my
city where I love so much.

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Part 3:

1. What are the disadvantages of living in tall buildings?

There are some drawbacks to living in high-rise building, first and foremost, it’s the
inconvenience of using elevators. You have to share it with other residents, and normally it’s
crowded. Things could get worse when some elevators got broken.
Secondly, it could be a problem for some people who want to have pets because most tall
buildings don’t allow people to have pets. And finally, limited gardening in tall buildings could
be a huge disadvantage. People can only grow some vegetables/flowers on their balcony if
they’re lucky to have one.

2. Do you think there will be more tall buildings in the future?

For sure, I believe this will be the trend in future. More and more people are moving to big
cities to work and study. To accommodate the growing populations, the cities have to expand
either horizontally or vertically, and it seems that the latter is more feasible. Therefore, high-
rise buildings are the best solution for the development of cities in the future.
3. Why aren’t there many tall buildings in the countryside?
In the countryside, there is plenty of available and unused land, and most people prefer having
their own houses with gardens and open spaces. Constructing tall residential buildings doesn’t
benefit either the residents or the contractors.
4. Why do some people like to live in tall buildings nowadays?
There are some reasons to this, firstly, buying or renting an apartment in tall buildings is much
cheaper than buying a house, especially in big cities. Also, most tall buildings are located
downtown, which makes it very easy and convenient for residents to travel around. And last
but not least, high rise buildings offer a unique privilege, it’s the amazing view from high
above.

18. Describe an occasion when many people were smiling

You should say:

When it happened

Who you were with

What happened
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And explain why many people were smiling
A smile is a way to express the joyful mood of a person. People usually smile when they feel
happy and keep a fake smile on their face. But, here I would like to share my experience of
seeing many people smiling and it was the occasion of my cousin’s wedding last year.
The celebration was organized at the most expensive hotel in my city which was beautifully
adorned with light and flowers. The decoration was just breathtaking and we were impressed.
My cousin’s parents were greeting all the guests wearing a huge smile on faces and it was such
a delightful moment since we had seen them after ages.
It was such a grand celebration and there were arrangements of all sorts for the guests,
especially, the food and drinks. The delicious food and drinks were bringing a smile to every
face in excitement. In addition, my cousin had also invited a famous comedian for the
entertainment of the guests who was making everyone burst into laughter with his hilarious
jokes.
Lastly, there were dozens of cameras all around and to ensure they are looking smart and
cheerful all guests were wearing a smile on their faces. That day everyone was extremely
happy for the newly wedded couple and for that reason there were smiles all around and I
found it to be the place where and I saw lots of smiling faces.
Part 3:

1. Do you think people who like to smile are more friendly?

If I talk from personal experience, I couldn’t agree more. My mother gets a lot of compliments
about her infectious smile and she is one of the friendliest people I know. I think people find it
easier to approach or talk to people who smile and thus they seem more friendly for sure.

2. Why do most people smile in photographs?

People smile when they take photos because smiles bring a charm to our face and make the
photos more memorable and beautiful. Photos are reminders of memorable events and
smiling faces bring back happy memories.
3. Do women smile more than men? Why?
I think smiles have nothing to do with gender. People smile due to different reasons.
4. Do people smile more when they are younger or older?

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I think smile has nothing to do with age. Both young and old people like to smile. I think young
people may be more honest about their happiness when they smile and it might not be the
case with older people as they are certainly better at masking their true feelings.

TOPIC 19. Describe a time when you saw two of your friends argued
You should say:
What they argued about
Why they argued with each other
What happened at the end
How you felt about it
Arguments have become an essential part of our life because they help us to clarify our
thoughts. Arguments change people’s points of view or persuade people to a particular action or
behaviour.
Today I would like to talk about the time when my two friends argued with each other.
It happened about many years ago during twelfth class. My class planned to hold a coming
extracurricular activity. Our form teacher gave the plan, and she explained it to us step by step.
Two of my friends were very fond of this activity. They were always trying to do it in
different ways. They used to watch different videos for the same ideas. One day, our teacher decided
to do a competition between them. She told them to make a report in a minimum time. The teacher
thought they had the same ideas that she gave to them, but they selected different ways that they
watched on the internet.
Firstly, they explained their process to the teacher. Both ideas were interesting, but they
started arguing with each other for their ways because they thought their way was better but was
taking less time from one another. They did an argument with each other for fifteen minutes.The
teacher strictly warned them to stopped making arguments, focus on their work and gave proof that
their idea is better than each other.
Approximately after one hour, both completed their process. The teacher examined their
result and declared both were winner because their effort
I was afraid that this argument might affect their friendship, but I felt happy when the teacher
declared both of them the winner.
In the end, I’d just say that…I was happy that it was a test of their friendship and both of
them didn’t lose sight of it during the argument.
PART 3:
1. Do you think arguments are important?
Arguments have become an essential part of our life because they help us to clarify our
thoughts. Arguments change people’s points of view or persuade people to a particular action or
behaviour.
OR
Yes, arguments are definitely important because they make us know about the other side of
the issues. Arguments happen when we are adamant about something but at the same time, we fail to
understand the other side. When we argue we learn about what others think.
2. What do family members generally argue about?

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 Families often argue about topics related to major and even minor events. Such as selecting a
holiday destination. sibling argues for their clothes and other accessories. Older adults are mostly
arguing for politician parties, mean which is good.
OR
I think arguments happened over small issues like what should be made for dinner or what
movie should be watched to big issues like how children should be raised, how should money be
spent, marriage decisions, and so on. In case, there is a family business there may also be arguments
on how the business should be run. In the end, family members can argue over anything and
everything.
3. Is it easier for you to have arguments with your friends or your family members?
A parent’s job is to look out for you and keep you safe. Remember that they don’t want to
make things difficult for you. but they want to make sure that you understand their perspective. So it
hard to argue with parents because they have much experience and do not continue the argument
with them for a long time. On the other hand. arguments with friends are easy because we are a
similar age group. and most have a similar thinking level.
OR
I think it’s easier for me to have arguments with friends because after having the argument I
get the time and space to think about the issue. So, after thinking about it I generally apologise if I
think I am wrong or I just apologise for arguing even if I feel I am right. This ends the issue. On the
other hand, with family, I don’t get the space. So, sometimes the arguments continue for days.
4. Do you think people should change the way they think when they have arguments?
Arguments means — where tension starts to rise. responses start to get personal. and you go
around in circles without getting anywhere. I think people should change the way they feel when
they have arguments. People should listen to another person properly before putting his/her points in
front of him/her. People should speak in a very decent way so that they do not cross their limits and
reach a particular conclusion.
OR
I think arguments happen because of two main reasons. Firstly, people are unable to control
their emotions and they say things they wouldn’t normally. Secondly, they happen because people
have very strong opinions about something. So, I think instead of proving oneself right, people
should definitely try to listen to other’s point of view in arguments.
5. If two people argue, do you think a third person should be involved in the settlement?
I think the third person should not interfere in two person’s discussion. He should be
involved only when the situation goes out of control or when someone requests a third person to
help him/her.
OR
Yes, I think a third person can bring in the much needed objectivity because the people
involved in the argument become emotional about the issue. Sometimes a third person’s
involvement can bring a quick resolution, otherwise arguments can go on for days.
6. Why do you think people are stubborn and unwilling to change?
Stubbornness means having or showing dogged/ purposeful determination not to change
one’s attitude on something. especially in spite of good/ strong arguments or reasons to do so.
Sometimes a person may be stubborn because they know that stubbornness helps them get what they
want. Such kind people have a resolute adherence to their own ideas and opinions. Also. they have a
strong resistance to change. especially when others want to change them.
OR
I think people are egoistic and they feel that they will lose if they listen to the other person.

34
Moreover, they come to believe or practice something because of their past experiences and that’s
why they are emotionally involved with the issue.
7. Do you think you are stubborn?
The word stubborn is not written in my dictionary. but I think One should be a little bit
stubborn. Otherwise. they may lose many things which will never come back. I change myself
according to the situation.
OR
Yes, I think it’s one of my big drawbacks. I have very strong opinions about certain things
and that’s why I am stubborn. However, I am trying to change this part about me and listen more to
others.
8. Will you be willing to change?
Well. I change from time to time because it is good for us to keep updated. According to the
situation and proper evidence. I change my perspective. and I accept my mistake if I am wrong.
OR
Yes, as I said before I am trying to change but it is harder done than said. It would take time
but it is definitely possible.

TOPIC 20. Describe a time you helped a friend

You should say:
When it was
How you helped him/her
Why you helped him/her
And how you felt about it
Model Answer 1:
Well, I am quite helpful by nature and I never miss a chance to help my near and dear ones or
even strangers.
But, here I would like to talk about one such incident when I helped my friend who was in
dire need of money. Karan is my school friend. He is my best buddy and I have spent a lot of time
with him. He is a super-intelligent student and he has helped me in my studies throughout my school
days.
I vividly remember, when we were in 8th grade and our final exam was just around the
corner. We all received a notice from our school management to deposit the outstanding fee prior to
the final exam. Else they would not allow the students to sit in the examination hall. The time when
my friend read this notice, he really got disappointed when I enquired why he is so sad and
disappointed.
He told me that he has no money to pay the school fee. the fact is that is from a very poor
family and somehow his parents manage his school fee but at that time his mother was really sick
and was hospitalised for that reason most of the earnings were going her medication, to hear this I
really got emotional because I did not want to see my friend sad and not being able to take the final
exams just because of not paying the school fee in time.
The time I went home, I broke my piggy bank. whatever the money was there, I collected and
I decided that I help my friend. In fact, requested my parents as well to give me a pocket allowance
in advance. I procured enough money and the next day, I went to the school office and pay the
school fee for my friend.
The time he got to know that I had paid his school fee. He just came and hugged me tightly
and kept on thanking me again and again but I requested him to stop saying thank you because it just
because of our friendship I did this I did not do any kind of favour to you.

35
 But, just because you are my friends I wanted to help and this how I help my friend who was
in dire need at that time.
Model Answer 2:
Introduction:
 Helping others is a very good thing.
 I have given and received help many times.
When it was?
 Here, I would like to talk about a situation, when I helped my friend in studies.
 When I was in 10th, my friend Rahul suffered a sprain in his ankle while playing
hockey in the school.
 He was advised strict bed rest for three weeks.
Why you helped him/her?
 Our exams were very near and Rahul’s mother was very worried that he would fail
this time if he did not attend school.
 So, I decided to help him as much as I could.
How you helped him/her?
 Every day after school, I would go to his house and update him with everything that
was done in school.
 His mother was so happy with my efforts that she would prepare nice shakes or
something to eat for me every day.
 Perhaps, that was her way of thanking me.
 I used to reach home very late, but when I told my parents the reason, they were OK
with it.
 Then the exams came, and Rahul and I both scored above 80% marks.
And how you felt about it?
 I realised that in helping him, I had helped myself even more. After this incident,
Rahul and I became even more intimate friends.
 Last month Rahul took his IELTS and scored 7 bands and has planned to go for higher
education in Canada.
 Because of Rahul, my parents have also decided to send me to Canada for my higher
studies.
 Earlier they were reluctant to send me.
Conclusion:
 When I helped him, then I did not know that it would have this far-reaching effect.
looking after one’s own interests.
PART 3
1. How do people usually help each other?
People help each other in many ways. For example, people help tourists by telling them about
directions. People also help each other financially by loaning some money during tough times.In
student life, intelligent students help others with their homework or studies during after school
hours.
2. How is online help different from real-life help?
The main way people can help others online is by bringing attention of others to their ordeal.
For example, many people got hold of oxygen during covid pandemic by raising SOS calls on the
internet. People can also donate money to charities online, which can use them on the ground. I
think the biggest difference is that we cannot directly help others online except if we transfer them

36
money. However, the advantage is that people can help others online wherever they are located and
they are not restricted by their geographical boundaries.
3. Should schools be responsible for teaching students how to cooperate?
I think both schools and parents should be responsible for teaching children about
cooperation. However, the increasing competition in schools is sadly having an opposite effect and
many students are facing issues in working along with others in their adult life.
4. What are the differences between help from friends and help from family?
I think the main difference is that in case of help from friends we feel more obligated to
return it sooner or later, whereas in the cases of family we don’t feel that need. We take help from
family for granted, which is both a good thing and a bad thing.
5. Do you like helping others?
Yes, I do. I love helping others. I have realised it gives a lot of mental satisfaction and
happiness.
6. Should parents teach helping others to their children?
Yes, of course. Parents are responsible for bringing their children into this world, and so it is
their duty to make their children into responsible citizens of the future. Parents don’t have to do
anything special to accomplish this. They just have to lead by example. Children will automatically
follow their footsteps. If all citizens are helpful and nice, then the whole world would become a nice
place to live in.
7. Do you think nowadays people do more good work as compared to the past?
I don’t think so. Life in the past was simpler and slower. People helped each other a lot. Now,
everyone is in the rat race of money and materialism. No one has the time to help others.
8. Will you help others in the future?
Yes, definitely. I believe that we must do unto others as we want them to do unto us. If I will
help others, only then I can expect help from others when I need it.
9. How do you encourage children to help others?
Nothing special is needed. Children are good observers and copy what their elders are doing.
All you have to do is help others and they will automatically follow.
10. How do world social organizations such as Red Cross collect their funds worldwide?
They do so by advertising their work. They organise activities and involve young people in
them. They also take the help of media.
11. Do small non-government organizations always need big organizations’ help or can
they collect funds themselves?
No, they do not always need big organisations help. If their projects are small, they can
manage on their own, otherwise they can seek the help of their bigger counterparts.
12. Do you think people in India should help foreigners who are visiting India and who
need help?(Why? / Why not?)
Definitely, yes. India is known for its hospitality and helpful nature. Guests are treated like
Gods. Tourists are our guests. If tourists need help, they should be helped. They will take back
happy memories and more and more tourists will flock-in in the future.
13. What is the most important way for a country to help foreigners who are visiting the
country?
Foreigners can be helped by guiding them about our customs and traditions, so that they do
not unknowingly hurt anybody’s sentiments. They can be helped by providing them good and
hygienic food, which suits their taste. They can be helped by not fleecing them when they buy some
souvenirs.
14. Many people only look out for themselves and never think about helping others.
What do you think of this attitude?
37
 I think such people are very short sighted. They do not think that if they don’t help others
they will also be left alone when they need help.

TOPIC 21. Describe a leisure activity near/on the sea that you want to try
You should say:
What it was
What you need to prepare
How easy or difficult it is
And explain why you want to try it
Model Answer 1:
Introduction:
Well, I have been on the seashore a lot many times and I have done a lot of adventurous and
recreational activities on the beach.
What it is?
However, I have never indulged in leisure activity on the sea. If given a chance I would like
to sunbathe on the beach followed by a sumptuous breakfast.
What you need to prepare?
I do not need any specific preparations to do this activity. Nevertheless, some preparations
are important for relaxing expeditions. I will have to take a break from study/work, ask a friend to
accompany me, prepare appropriate clothes, a mat, some sunscreen lotion, sunglasses, headphones
for good music and decide upon the destination.
How easy or difficult it is?
It is going to be a very easy activity as it is a leisure activity. There is no fear of doing it as it
is not adventure water sports like river rafting or scuba diving. I really wish to try this because of
many reasons. I wish to feel the water and sand while I bask in the sun. I have seen it on travel
shows on TV and its interests and amuses me.
And explain why you want to try it?
Soaking in the sun will also beat my stress and give me tons of natural vitamin D. A full-
fledged breakfast with a friend thereafter is a relaxing feeling indeed. I want to feel rejuvenated and
get away from the mundane routine.
Conclusion:
This leisure activity will give me an opportunity to re-energize myself and be with nature and
so I wish to do it.

Part 3:
1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of vacations on the seaside?
Seaside vacations offer many benefits. However, the main advantage is the beautiful sights
and the chance to try on some water sports. Moreover, the sea climate has many health benefits such
as being active, stress reduction, natural injection of vitamin D. On the other hand, people can get
heat strokes and bad tans if they spend too much time in the sun. Additionally, there may be
accidents like drowning etc.
2. Why do children like the sea better than adults?
Children can explore and get to know new knowledge and materials. I think the beach is a
perfect natural laboratory to learn. A child will be able to recognize, through his touch and sight,
different materials like dry sand, wet sand, rocks, shells, hot sand, water. They fall madly in love
with nature. Many new creatures you can meet on the beach: small curious crabs, silverfish, shy
hermit crabs tiny snails and busy ants. They interact with other children. The seaside is very
important for children to meet new people and make friends.
38
 OR
I think it would be wrong to consider that adults don’t like the sea. For children, I it’s mostly
about water sports. Children love doing water sports. Children can have fun and play around in the
water without getting hurt.
3. What types of job positions can be found on or near the sea?
There are various filed of the Ocean in which people can do jobs. These involve doing things
such as studying or caring for marine wildlife, helping to preserve the environment, fishing and also
do jobs in hotels that are near to the sea.
OR
People can find jobs like swimming instructors, lifeguards, fishing etc. Moreover, people can
also find work at seaside restaurants as there are many sea food restaurants on the seashore. Finally,
seaside locations are very popular tourist destination so there are many hotels in their vicinity. So,
these locations can provide jobs in the hospitality industry.

TOPIC 22. Describe a time when you shared something with others
You should say:
What you shared
Who you shared it with
Why you shared it
And explain how you felt about sharing it
Introduction:
Well, sharing is the way to make others feel that you care for them and it really helps in
strengthening the bonding between two people.
What you shared? and Who you shared with?
Here I would like to talk about my experience sharing my room with my younger brother.

Why you shared it?

I still remember It was when I was at grade 8, I got my personal room and I was so happy
about it as now I could have my own personal space. I always used to keep it spick and span. But
after few months, my parents said that I have to share my room with my little sister.
And explain how you felt about sharing it?
I was quite disappointed to hear as I didn’t want to compromise my privacy. But my mother
made me understand the importance of sharing and convinced me to do the same. It took me few
days to adjust with my sister but soon we started to enjoy each other’s company.
Together we used to watch TV, listen to music, play board games and study till late. I must
say by sharing room we realized we have so much in common. In fact, in little time we became so
much comfortable with each other that we could share even personal belongings.
Although, we sometimes used to have conflicts regarding cleanliness as unlike me she is not
much concerned about it. However, with my influence, she gradually became a tidy person. Before
sleeping we used to read books together and share our feeling and our secrets that we couldn’t share
with our parents due to the fear and this thing really improved our relationship to the next level.
Conclusion:
I am grateful to my mom who taught me the lesson and significance of sharing and now I
don’t hesitate to share things with others.
Part 3:
1. Do Vietnamese people like to share things with others?
Definitely, most Vietnamese pp like to share. I think that the act of sharing with other
people enhances our own enjoyment of something. Most of the highlights or milestones in our
39
lives are more special – more memorable – when we experience them with someone else. It also
shows that we care about others and not just our own selfish interests. Like the saying goes,
“Sharing is caring“.
2. What are the consequences if children don’t like to share?
It is very beneficial if a person shares things with others because, as a result, other people
also help them. Children should have this kind of habit because it is beneficial for their future, but if
children do not like to share, I think it might be difficult for children to make new friends if they are
hesitant to share. they might face many problems when they have grown up and work in a company.
During work, employees have to do a lot of teamwork where they have to share many things, so if
they are not ready to share something, they might face many problems. For example, when they are
working in a company and they are asked to share their responsibilities with others. If they fail to do
so, they might even lose their jobs.
3. Do you think students like to share accommodation with others on campus?
Sharing accommodation with others on campus not only allows us to meet new people and
make new friends, but social networks booms also. I think privacy is also essential. Some students
like to share accommodation but do not share a room with others. They only share their rooms with
others only when the person has the same mindset.
4. How could parents and teachers teach young children to share?
I think parents could do this by actually making children share responsibilities and things at
home. For example, young children should be made to share a room. Teachers can give group
assignments and encourage children to work together. When they work together and depend upon
each other, they would automatically learn to share.

TOPIC 23. Describe an article on health you read on magazine or the Internet
You should say:
What it was
Where you read it
Why you read it
And how you felt about it
 I have read many articles in my life. Today I will talk about an article about healthy lifestyle
that I read last year.
 I read this article from the website fitness.com. I was browsing through a website, when I saw
the link to this article. The name of the article was very eye-catching. It was “Look Younger, Live
Longer”. I clicked on the link and it opened this article.
 Nowadays, we all are living a sedentary lifestyle and facing many health related problems.
This article opened my eyes that to become healthier, it was all about making small lifestyle
changes.
 I came to know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We should have a
healthy and wholesome breakfast and never skip it. This helps boost our immunity and also helps us
go through the day with full energy. I have never skipped breakfast since I’ve read this article and I
can concentrate on my work and studies better.
 I also read that we should have at least one seasonal fruit everyday.
 It also said that walking for an hour a day is as good as one hour of gym. Since then, morning
walk has become a part of my routine.
 I used to dislike broccoli before I read this article. However, after reading that Broccoli is a
very good source of proteins and is full of nutrients, I started having it regularly.
 I feel very fit and healthy and have rarely fallen sick since I made these small changes.

40
  I have bookmarked this article and read it often. I have also shared it with many of my friends
and relatives.

Part 3:
1. Do you think people are healthier now than in the past?
Yes, I really do think people now are healthier than previously. It’s evident from the increase
in Life expectancy. People are living much more than previously. Additionally, people have become
more aware of their wellbeing.
It’s obvious that today, people enjoy much higher living conditions. With fast, free and easy
access to scientific information as well as professional advice, they’re better-informed and thus
know how to take care of themselves more effectively. Also, thanks to technology development,
people now can enjoy the benefits of advanced healthcare facilities, which clearly didn’t exist
several decades ago.
2. Is employees’ health important to an employer?
Absolutely. If workers are healthy, their performance and productivity would be boosted
significantly. Improved staffs’ well-being, both physically and mentally, may also lead to higher job
satisfaction and lower staff turnover rate, as they are less likely to quit their jobs. All in all, taking
care of employees’ wellness is highly beneficial to employers I believe.
3. What should employers do to improve employees’ health?
Well, first and foremost, it’s vital to build a healthy working environment. The office must be
clean, well-ventilated and spacious enough for people to leave their desks from time to time and do
a bit of exercising. Some reputed organizations such as Google and Facebook even build a separate,
fully-equipped green space for their staffs’ recreation activities, which I find truly amazing. Apart
from this, companies should allow people to take several days off work and break from it for a while
and get recharged. This is essential for them to maintain a healthy work/life balance.
4. What activities can schools organize for children to keep fit?
Health education should be required to provide students with essential knowledge and skills
to maintain their health, prevent disease and reduce risky behaviours. Effective curricula results in
increasing awareness and positive changes in students’ attitudes towards alcohol, tobacco, and other
drugs, physical activity, injury prevention and nutrition. Also, when students are in a good health,
they tend to perform better at school and attend classes more regularly. Physical and mental fitness
is vital for children to lead a fulfilling life I believe.
5. What can governments do to improve people’s health?
Obviously, the government plays a crucial role in promoting a healthy lifestyle. By imposing
higher taxes on junk food and drinks, they can encourage people eat healthier. Or they might run a
campaign on mass media and social media to raise public awareness of the issue. Most importantly,
it’s their responsibility to enforce the laws and create a safe and clean environment for all citizens.

TOPIC 24. Describe an older person that you admire

You should say:
Who this person is
How you know this person
What kinds of things you like to do together
And explain how you feel about this person
Well, the first person who came to my mind is my grandmother. She is almost in her 80’s and
she has always been a major influence on me.

41
  From my childhood, she has always been a caring person and loved me very much. Till now
she is a good friend of mine with whom I share so many of my personal information. She is a
benevolent and good person who possesses a warm heart.
She tries to help others with her highest efforts. I know her from my childhood as she has
been living with us for a long and we have lots of happy memories together. 
She is a successful mother of 4, including my father. She has devoted her entire life for the
betterment of her kids and made them educated and helped them greatly to be established. She
possesses a nice and charming personality that always pleases people around her. She is a kind and
wise woman.
I love and admire her for many different reasons. The most important reason is that of her
unconditional love and affection for me. She is a good mentor who can show me positive ways and
guide me in my distressing time. Talking to her is a soothing experience and the stories she tells are
always attractive and full of morality. I have learned many positive attitudes and good thinking from
her. For all those reasons and strong bonding between us, I admire her very much.  
Part 3:
1. What can young and old people learn from each other?
Well, a lot really. There are crucial values that children and young adults can learn from their
parents or grandparents such as hard work,patience, experience and resourcefulness (sự tháo vát).
Young people on the other hand are suitable to teach old people how to use hi-tech gadgets or how
to play and enjoy life. When people grow older, they tend to get worried more often and forget
to have fun so it’d be great to have kids around them.
2. What are the advantages and disads of several generations living in the same house?
In my opinion, the most obvious benefit of this is having someone to rely on. As adults are
now getting busier with work, it’d be wonderful if they can count on their grandparents to take care
of their little children at home. In return, old people would also be well looked after by
their offspring in case they fall ill. However, there are quite a number of problems when different
generations live together under the same roof. Due to generation gap, arguments and conflicts
are inevitable, leading to unnecessary stress at home. Also, when the grandparents get too frail and
are unable to perform physical activities, they might become a burden for working adults who are
already overwhelmed with their workload and taking care of their children.
3. Who should take care of old people?
Well in Vietnam, a large proportion of elderly people are currently looked after by their
family. However, I believe the situation will change soon as Vietnamese women are
increasingly pursuing their independent career and cannot bear the responsibility of a full-
time caregiver. Also, the elders might feel they are a burden to their offspring when living under
the same roof. It is highly likely that in the coming decades, Vietnamese seniors will choose to take
care of themselves or move into nursing homes. They have worked hard and paid tax their whole
life so they deserve to be supported by the government’s welfare programs.
4. Has old people's quality of life improved when compared to the past?
Absolutely! Old people in today’s world have much improvements in their health, diet and
life expectancy and overall living standards because:
It’s easier to find healthy food and get access to medicine. In the past we didn’t have enough
food to eat, now we have more than enough food and better healthcare. Although there are new
diseases that didn’t exist in the past ,overall life expectancy has increased. Improvements in
technology mean that many illness that many illnesses that used to be fatal can now be treated safely
and cheaply.

42
 There are also many communities where older peole can socialize and support each other.
This allows them to make new friends who share similar interests and remain active and enjoy their
old age. 

28.

Describe a time you saw something interesting on social media. You should say

1
When was it?
Where did you see it?
What did you see?
And explain why you think it was interesting?
A few days back, I saw a runaway trend during the lockdown when I was scrolling
Instagram. I was quite fascinated by it. I found its musical tone magical, and the choice of
words attracted me as well. There were a lot of transitions taking place on the same song. We
could do different steps in the video, and it came out beautifully recorded with us in the black
posing with a colourful background.

It was indeed when I started making these videos, and today I can not stop trying the new
songs and acting on them and dancing. I found my new hobby, and I was amazed to know
that I was actually good at acting. My sister in law and I keep making videos and some
tutorials on how to do it. We really enjoy doing it, and everyone loves our work.

Question 1:- Why do people like to use social media?

Social media has grown so much. It connects people from various parts of the world with the
help of a single click. People nowadays are addicted to it as being away from their close ones
doesn’t feel too far because of social media. It has made lives easier and has made the
relations stronger.

Question 2:- What kind of things are popular on social media?

Social media has its own trends. One day a food video might get viral, and the other day it
may have some controversy. Social media has a place for all the categories. There is nothing
more or less famous here, everyone has the same level of authority, and people work on their
followers.

43
2.
Introduction:
I think social media has become a very important part of our life nowadays.
Among the different social media platforms, I use Instagram the most.
One of my favorite Instagram channels is 10-minute crafts.
I find this channel very interesting, and I am always waiting for their new posts.
The channel posts about different arts and crafts which people can learn in under
10 minutes.
When it was? and Where you saw it?
I first saw this channel a year ago, during the corona lockdown.
I had a lot of free time and I wanted to make use of my time doing something
productive.
As I was scrolling through Instagram posts, I came across one of their posts.
What you saw?
In the post, they had taught about block painting.
And explain why you think it was interesting?
I am not good at painting but when I came across the painting technique, I felt
even I could do it. It was very simple. I tried it and it came about really good.
When my mother saw it, she decided to get it laminated and hanged it in the
living room. I have been following the channel since then. Their channel has so
many interesting posts about such projects. They show these really good-looking
arts and crafts projects, which look like only professionals could have made.
However, then they describe the simplest methods of making them below the
project pictures. This is what makes their channel interesting to me.
I think anyone can decorate their whole house, just by following their channel.
And there is a different charm about decorating our house by objects we have
made ourselves.I have recommended their channel to many of my friends and
cousins. All of them feel that it is a gold mine.
1. Why do people like to use social media?
I think the main reason why people use social media is to stay in touch in with
friends and family members. Another major reason is to keep abreast with the
latest news and information. Last but not least, it is just a way to fill up spare time.
2. What kind of things are popular on social media?
Many things are popular on social media, but the most popular is to share
pictures and videos about oneself. People also share the latest news and

44
information they find interesting. Nowadays, even businesses have started using
social media to advertise their products and create a name for their brand.
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of using social media?
I think the main advantage of using social media is that it is very easy to access
information, provide information and communicate via social media. It lets us
make friends and keep in touch with old friends very easily. On the other hand,
the main drawback is the lack of privacy and lack of reliable information. There
are many instances where people have used social media to share false
information for example, recently people spread misinformation about
the harmful effects of covid vaccination, which caused a lot of hesitancy among
people about vaccination.
4. What do you think about making friends on social networking sites?
I think it’s not safe to make friends on social media because it’s very easy for
people to pretend to be someone else. I think we should rather use it to keep in
touch with real life friends.

Question 3:- What are the advantages and disadvantages of using social media?

I feel social media makes us feel connected and has made our lives easier, but on the same
level, we lose contact with the people in front of us to be in touch with those far away. We all
know that too much of anything in excess is bad, and so is the case with social media.
Everything within the limit is good for an individual.

Question 4:- What do you think about making friends on social networking sites?

Making friends on social media is great. You get to know a lot of different people, their
backgrounds and culture as well but what is more important here is whom to trust and whom
not to. Being aware is very important on social media as cyber crimes take place more often
these days.

Question 5:- Is social media sites safe for children?

45
I’ll say it’s the children who need to make it safe for themselves as social media has each and
every information which individuals of a certain age or above should be indulged in. parents
should keep a close check on their browser history to make sure they are on the right track
and are not in the influence of someone which may harm them in the future as being at this
age every new thing feels exciting. We have the least control over our actions as well as
reactions.

29
Describe an art and craft activity (e.g. painting, woodwork, etc.) that you had
You should say:
What you made
How you made it
What it looked like
And how you felt about the activity
Part 3:
What traditional handcrafts are popular in Vietnam?
What do young people think of traditional handcrafts?
Do people in your country send handcrafts as a gift?
What are the benefits of making handcrafts?

Introduction

Art and craft have always fascinated me since my childhood. 

What you made?

Although I had participated in many such activities during school time, I was regular at
painting. I won an award when I drew a flowing river on the canvas.

How you made it? , and What it looked like?

During the summer holidays of the 6th standard, our teacher assigned a task to us. It was
to draw a painting with nature as the theme. Since I had plenty of time at my disposal, I
had done a lot of research to find the correct theme for my painting.
46
Finally, I decided to paint the flowing Huong river with the Ngư Binh Mountain in the
background. The task was not easy because you need to be accurate with colours when
you have to draw nature on canvas. It took me a week to draw the painting. Initially, I was
very nervous, but eventually, I got into a state of flow. From the 3rd day onwards, I started
enjoying every second of my task. I drew it with precision. To come up with the right colour
for the background, I had to mix various colours. Finally, when I unveiled the painting at the
school, I gained tremendous appreciation from the school. They gave me a good round of
applause. The school principal gave me a trophy along with a bunch of peonies.
And how you felt about the activity? 

That day, I was on cloud nine because that moment changed my life’s path and made me a
confident person. After that, I participated in many other competitions and brought laurels
to my school.

The admiration I had received that day would always remain etched in my memories.

Here are some examples of follow up questions that the examiner might ask during your
speaking part 3 related to cue card “Describe an art or craft activity that you had at
school”.

Part 3: Handcraft
1. What traditional handcrafts are popular in Vietnam?

Being a tropical country with advantageous climate patterns for bamboos and
woods, it is not hard to find crafty products from these materials in Vietnam, you
know something like small baskets made of woven bamboo thin strips and massive
vases of lotus carved from woodblocks. Not only are they favoured in Vietnam, but
they also successfully reached some international major markets such as Europe
and the US.

 Advantageous (a) thuận lợi

 Weave (v) đan
 Strip (n) mảnh, dải
 Carve (v) điêu khắc
2. What do young people think of traditional handcrafts?

Admittedly, a large number of Vietnamese teenagers now tends to chase after

superficial values such as something momentarily lasting trend and social media
fame. As a natural result, anything related to tradition is often implicitly and explicitly
scoffed to be obsolete and outdated compared to the glamorous and glittering stuff
that they are constantly after. However, here and there, I’m happy to see a minimal
bunch of the young still cherish this type of artwork, which actually usually requires
artisans a certain number of arcane skills to be made, in fact.
47
  Momentarily (adv) nhất thời, chốc lát
 Scoff (v) chế giễu
 Implicitly (adv) bóng gió, ngầm
 Explicitly (adv) thẳng thừng, rõ ràng
 Obsolete (a) lỗi thời
 Glamorous (a) hào nhoáng
 Arcane (a) tinh xảo, nhà nghề
3. Do people in your country send handicrafts as gifts?

Crafty products are presumably not among Vietnamese people’s priorities when it
comes to a present for their friends, family and colleagues. It probably results from
an overarching trend of the whole society, which is quite disenchanting but in fact,
not only the young but also other generations now are likely to subconsciously
underestimate the true value of traditions. State-of-the-art items with a high
monetary emphasis usually seem to be considered to become a gift in the
community, from my own experience.

 Overarching (a) bao quát, chủ đạo

 Disenchanting (a) mất lòng tin
 Subconsciously (adv) một cách vô thức
 State-of-the-art (phr) hiện đại
 Monetary (a) thuộc về tiền bạc

4. What are the benefits of making handcrafts?

It is undeniable that handicrafts have various benefits for our society from the
individual to the national level. Firstly, I suppose that handicrafts potentially bring
artisans a stable amount of income to ensure a decent life qualifies for their families.
Furthermore, this kind of livelihood also benefits the nation as it helps perpetuate a
lasting cultural identity in Vietnam for our descendant generation.

 Artisan (n) nghệ nhân

 Livelihood (n) sinh kế
 Perpetuate (v) duy trì
 Cultural identity (n) bản sắc văn hóa
 Descendant (n) con cháu

30.
Describe a time you bought something from a street (or outdoor) market
48
You should say:When it was
Where the market wasWhat you boughtAnd how you felt about itPart 3:
What kinds of markets are there in Vietnam?
Do you think small markets willdisappear in the future?Have people’s
shopping habits changed in recent years?
Introduction:
I am a shopaholic, and I love to do shopping, especially from street markets.
This is because I love to bargain, and bargaining is not possible in big malls
and stores.
Here I would like to talk about an item I purchased from a street market in my
hometown.
When was it? and Where was the market?
 Every Saturday, there is a street market in the Model Town area of my
hometown.
 There are about a hundred stalls of all sorts of items
 I usually go there with my mother and look for all the new things that I can
come across.
 About two months ago I saw a stall with handbags of various brands.
  I was surprised to see all branded handbags over there.
 But when I went closer, I noticed that they were not original; they were
copies of famous brands like Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, and Coach.
 Every handbag was below hundred dollars.
 The originals of the same brands start from about US $.15,000.
What did you buy?
 One bag especially caught my fancy.
 It was a copy of Calvin Klein bag.
 The seller told me that it is for US$ 100 , but I bargained, and I got it for US$
70
 It is a black bag and big enough to hold my 13-inch laptop
 Inside the bag, there are three more bags – one for coins, one for keys, and
one for sunglasses
 I found it a really good deal
 Ever since I bought it, I use it almost every day
 Only a true connoisseur can tell the difference between real and fake.
 My aunt has a similar original Calvin Klein purse, and she takes it out only
on special occasions.
And how you felt about it?
49
  I feel happy that I can use my bag daily without having to worry about
spoiling it.
 Sometimes my mother also uses it when she goes shopping.
Conclusion:
 Although it is faux leather, it is very sturdy and looks like real leather.
 So, this is the item I bought recently from a street market.
1. What kind of markets are there in Vietnam?
Vietnam is a diverse country. All types of markets are out there in Vietnam. There
are malls, supermarkets, outlet malls, street markets, and small street shops.
Absolutely, Vietnam has many street markets in spades. They’re a crucial part of our culture,
or Asian cultures, for that matter. Even though supermarkets and convenience stores have
become popular nowadays, shopping for food at street markets still remains an indispensable
part of many Vietnamese’day-to-day life.

2. Do you think small markets will disappear in the future?

No, I do not think small markets will disappear in the future because they have
their own importance. One has to specially make a plan to go to these big malls
which are outside the main cities. Small shops cater to the immediate needs of
the people. So small shops small markets will never disappear although they
might suffer a decrease in sales.
3. Have people’s shopping habits changed in recent years?
Yes, people have started shopping online, and going to small markets and
shopping malls has gone down. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has also given a
big boost to online shopping trends, and this change has come around only in
the last year or two.
4. What are the differences between shopping in street markets and big
shopping malls?In big shopping malls, the prices are fixed, and there the people
pick up things on their own, and there is nobody to tell them about the products.
However, in street markets, there is a lot of bargaining, and the products are
described in detail by the salespersons.

TOPIC 31. Describe a piece of equipment that is important in your home

You should say:
What it is
How often do you use it
50
 With whom you use it
And explain why it is important
I’d like to tell you about the washing mahine that is very important to my family.
It’s the brand LG from Korea, a country well-known for making top-notch electronic
equipment.
I use the washer every day, sometimes twice or three times a day when there’s a bunch of
dirty clothes. It has a large capacity and is very powerful. If my memory serves, it can hold up to
10 kilos. And what I particularly like about this washer is the wide range of clothing it can wash
and that it makes almost no noise when it’s working.
I bought this washer two years ago when the previous one broke down. It was just wear and
tear.
I think doing the laundry with a washer would be much less labor-intensive and time-
saving. Thanks to it, there’s no need to bend our backs to do the washing by hand. What you need
to do is just put the clothes in the washer, hit the correct buttons, and wait for about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, you can multitask such as sweeping the floor or cooking. Then, take out the clean
clothes and hang them up in the air.
  On top of that, a washer is excellent at getting rid of stains or any kind of marks. In contrast,
no matter hard we try to scrub the stains with a stiff brush, soap, and water, they won’t go.
You know, last month my T-shirt got stained when my son spilled coffee on it. I soaked it in
soapy water for hours, but the stain didn’t disappear. But then I threw it in the washer, and much to
my surprise, after many spins, it was gone.
That’s all I want to say.
Từ vựng hay trong bài.
 Be top-notch = excellent: rất tốt, tuyệt vời
 If my memory serves: nếu tôi nhớ không nhầm
 Be labour-intensive: dùng nhiều sức lao động
 To multitask: làm nhiều việc cùng lúc
 To take out: lấy ra
 To get rid of st: bỏ đi, tống khứ đi
 Stain: vết ố
 To scrub: chà ( để đánh bật vết bẩn)
 Be stiff: cứng

TOPIC 32. Describe a time you tried to do something but was not very successful
You should say:
- When it was
- What you tried
- Why it was not very successful
- And how you felt about it
Being an innovative person, I try to take part in new activities. Sometimes I gain success, and
sometimes failure.
Last year on Teachers’ day celebration at my school where I am working, I tried to give a
public performance as a singer. There I failed miserably.
Although I have been singing since my childhood, I always shy away from public
performance. Due to this reason, I developed a fear in myself. On many occasions, I had got chance
to exhibit my singing talent, but every time I said no.However, on this occasion , I said yes because
my colleages and sutdents insisted on me.I didn’t want them to feel sad on this special ceremony.
Hence, I said yes, but deep inside, I was not feeling confident. My start was good, but in the middle
51
of the song, I went blank and forgot the lyrics. Although I had the write-up of the lyrics with me, I
didn’t have the confidence to carry on. The crowd gave me a big round of applause to cheer me, but
continuing with the performance was impossible for me. Seeing my plight, one of my colleage had
come to my rescue and started singing from the point I left.Later on, I joined her, and somehow we
finished the performance.When the music stopped, I had a sigh of relief.
Initially, I felt embarrassed, but later on, I felt light.No doubt I gave a terrible performance
but at least I had tried.

TOPIC 33. Describe an activity that you do after school/work

You should say:
What it is
When and where you do it
Who you do it with
And how you feel about it
Modern life is going hectic day-by-day. Hence, a pursuit after school/work has become need
of the hour. So today, I would take this opportunity to talk about my favourite pastime after work.
Well, the activity I do.. is playing Badminton! Actually, my dad taught me the game with a
small plastic racket when I was young and I started loving it from then on. Badminton builds
good physical stamina and mental agility  which consequently pays me off in the work life.
I usually get back home from work at 6.00 in the evening. Then I head straight
to Badminton court located in the sports complex of our society and play Badminton. On the
weekends, We play one session in the morning and another in the evening.
Badminton is a sport for 2 or 4 people. I usually play it with my daughter. She is only a
twelve-year old girl but she can play badminton quit well .Sometimes I ask my husband and son to
play with us when he has free time. I really love the feeling of getting better and better at the game.
Sometimes I sense that without the activity, my work would swallow my entire personal life.
So this game is my saviour! I feel rejuvenated  and mentally relaxed after playing it for an hour. It
wouldn’t be wrong if I say it’s the source of my energy.
In the end I would just say that.. Whether it is school children or office-goers , everyone
should devote at least an hour into the activity of their choice in order to break the monotony of
their lives.
Từ vựng hay trong bài.
- need of the hour : nhu cầu hằng giờ
- physical stamina : sức chịu đựng về thể chất
- mental agility : sự nhanh nhẹn về tinh thần
- pays me off : đền đáp xứng đáng
- pays me off : đền đáp xứng đáng
- saviour : vị cứu tinh
- rejuvenated : trẻ lại
- office-goers : dân văn phòng
- monotony : sự đơn điệu

TOPIC 34. Describe a habit your friend has and you want to develop.
You should say
Who your friend is?
What habit he/she has?
When you noticed this habit?
And explain why you want to develop this habit?
52
 Introduction:
No doubt, we easily get impressed by the good habits of others and wish to develop the same
attributes, which is not an easy thing to do. 
Here I am going to describe a good habit of my friend just who keeps the habit of reading for
interest in leisure time.
He has been doing this thing for ages, and now he’s kind of addicted to this pursuit. 
Reading in free time helps him in many ways. Firstly unlike others, he spent his free time in a
productive manner.
Secondly, through reading, he acquires knowledge of different domains, and this is perhaps the
reason why he is the most active student in the classroom who always has the answers to the
questions asked by the teachers.
Last but not least he is very proficient in English because he mostly read books in English,
which helps him to improve his vocabulary. Considering all these factors, I think I should also
develop an interest in reading.
I have requested just to help me by lending some books to read as he has a kind of a library at
home with hundreds of books, as many of those books being gifted to him by his friends and family
members. In fact, he also accompanied me to the local library, where we read some journ
I hope this habit will help me to sit and study for long hours, which will ultimately improve my
academic performance overall. It is the habit that my friend has, and I, too, wish to develop.
Part 3 : Follow up Questions
1.What habits should children have?
I think children should wake up early and sleep on time. They should brush their teeth twice a
day, once in the morning and once at night. They should respect their elders, their parents, and their
teachers. These are basic habits I think all children must possess, but there are also plenty of other
good habits, which parents should help children develop.
2. What should parents do to teach their children good habits?
I think the parents should incentivise children to develop good habits. For example, they can
buy them a toy if they wake up early every day of the month. Also, children pick up a lot of habits
just by watching their parents. So, if parents do something regularly, children would automatically
pick up the habits on their own.
3. What influences do children with bad habits on other children?
I don’t think bad behaviour is contagious. But I think parents should constantly monitor
children to make sure they don’t pick up any such negative habits. In fact, parents should not
insulate children from such bad habits because they are a reality in life.
4. Why do some habits change when people get older?
Habits change when people get older because of busy schedules and changes in priorities. For
example, as people get older, they might not be able to find time to exercise regularly. Similarly,
people might have to stay awake at night to finish work and thus, they might not be able to get up
early. In childhood, it is easier to maintain habits because there is a lot of spare time. In my
childhood, I used to read at least one novel a week, but nowadays, sometimes I can’t even find time
to read one during the whole month.

TOPIC 35. Describe a foreign person who you have heard or known that you think is
interseting
You should say:
Who this person is
What this person does
Why this person is interesting
53
 How you think of this person
Band 8 Sample
Now, I’m going to tell you something about a very nice and funny foreign friend that I have.
His name is Xin Jiping, and is Chinese. I first knew about this person 2 years ago when I was an
exchange student in China. To the best of my recollection, the first time that I met him, I was
highly impressed by his leadership skills as well as his strong determination.
He is a tall, fat guy and quite a bit older than me. In his country, he is well-known for his talent
in organizing events and leading groups in social activities. He told me he first discovered this talent
at the age of 8, when he first read a book called “Marxist philosophy”, which he called “The Holy
Bible”. Through this book, he learned many new things about leadership and how to become an
influential person in society. At first, he had some difficulties when applying the theories in this
book into reality since many people were still opposed to his opinion. However, thanks to his effort,
he eventually managed to become the leader of student union at a big university in China. So far, he
has participated in a number of different activities and used his influence to help many less fortunate
people in his hometown.
Finally, with regards to my feeling about this person, I think there are many things that I need
to learn from him. I hope that I’ll have another opportunity to go back to China and meet him again.
Vocabulary highlights:
To the best of my recollection: if I remember correctly
An influential person: a person who has a lot of influence on other people
Part 3:
1. Do you think communicating with foreigners is a good way to learn about foreign
culture?
Well, I think it’s too obvious, actually. From my experience, people from any country are
always willing to share what they know about their own culture to others with a great sense of pride.
Therefore, we can learn a great deal of new things about their country when having a chat with
them.
2. What are the disadvantages of working for an international company?
In my opinion, I believe that the biggest drawback when working for a multi-national
organisation would be the differences in working cultures. You know, many employees may find it
difficult to adapt to a completely strange working environment and it would take them quite a while
to get used to everything at the new place. This may somehow affect their working performance
during the first days at the company.
3. What kinds of problems do people face when they travel or live in a foreign country?
There are several problems in this case and the most obvious one would be the differences in
cultures. Some actions may be acceptable in a culture but can be considered as offensive in another.
Therefore, if we don’t carefully take culture into consideration when travelling to a new place, we
may get into some trouble with the local people.
4. Do you like to make friends with people from other countries?
Yes, of course. Having friends from different countries is a very good way for us to learn about
new places and new cultures. And such knowledge can be highly valuable if we plan to move to
another country to live or just to travel.
5. Do you have any international friends?
I do have a few but we’re not very close. You know, I don’t have time to see them frequently,
so we actually don’t know very much about each other.
6. How do the cultural differences hinder the growth of an organization/company?
From my own experience, some employees may be reluctant to work and contribute to
organizations whose culture doesn’t match, or is even conflicting, to the one of their local area.
54
Because of this, the working performance of each worker and then the productivity of the company
may be negatively affected.
7. How do sports help to break the barriers of cultural differences?
To be honest, I don’t know much about sports and their influence on culture. But if I have to
give an answer for this question, I think that maybe when people play sport, they share the fun and
passion of the sport and don’t take culture into consideration. That could be the reason why
differences in cultures can be eliminated in sports.

TOPIC 36. Describe a difficult decision that you made

You should say:
what decision it was
what difficulties you faced
how you made the decision
and explain why it was a difficult decision
Sample Answer
It was when I was filling up the application form for the university entrance exam that I had
to make an important but difficult decision. At that time, I was at a crossroads, where I had to
decide which university to apply to. Actually, my interest was in economics, which was taught in
two separate universities, one of which specialized in international trade while the other focused
more on the national economy. Fortunately, my sister, who graduated from an economics college,
gave me some sound advice. Having weighed up the pros and cons of each school, she encouraged
me to choose the university specializing in international trade. Finally, I applied for this
school after thinking carefully about all the options. At present, I feel so satisfied with the learning
environment of this university that I am always thankful for my decision as well as my sister’s
advice. Without her guidance, I probably wouldn’t be as content with my university life as I am.
Vocabulary
At a crossroads: At an important point in someone’s life or development.
Eg: His life was at a crossroads – whether to join the army or to continue studying at
university.
Sound advice: Sensible and reliable advice.
Eg: My parents gave me sound advice about my choice of career.
Weighed up the pros and cons: Considered carefully the advantages and disadvantages of
something.
Eg: Having weighed up the pros and cons, I decided that it would be more useful for me to
learn English rather than French.
Learning environment:The conditions that affect the behaviour and development of people
who are learning a subject.
Eg: The school had the latest technology, the buildings were modern and the teachers were
very helpful – it was the perfect learning environment.

Topic 40. Part 2:

Describe a time when you received good service in a restaurant or cafe.
You should say
- when this was
- what kind of restaurant or cafe you were in
- why you were there
- and why you thought the service was good

55
  I’m going to talk about the service we received in a restaurant where a friend of mine
celebrated his birthday last Saturday evening.
 My friend had decided to book a table in a local Italian restaurant for the party. It was
a small, family-run place, but this made it feel all the more welcoming and inviting.
The atmosphere was great and the service was excellent.
 As I mentioned, I went to the restaurant because a friend had invited me to celebrate
his birthday there. There were about ten of us there - mostly people I’ve known
since university - and it was really nice to catch up with them and chat about what
we had all been up to since we last got together.
 The service was good because the restaurant staff and owners really made us feel at
home. From the moment we walked in, the waiters
were polite, approachable and attentive; nothing was too much to ask. They brought
out a cake with candles and sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to my friend, although we
hadn’t asked them to do this, and the restaurant owners kept checking whether we
were happy with everything, which was thoughtful of them. All in all, the delicious
food, good company and friendly service made it an unforgettable evening.
Part 3:
1. What do you think of the relationship between companies and consumers?
According to me, Consumers have human-like relationships with brands. When a
brand has built up trust in its customers, brand loyalty begins. If customers find a
product they can believe in, then they will be loyal to brands. Thus, it is not surprising
that the leading companies in the world like Apple, Amazon also have the most loyal
customers.
2.   As a customer, what kinds of services would you expect to receive from a
company?
I think companies should fulfil their promises most of all. For example, if companies
make promises like one-day installation, the promised work should be done within one
day. In addition, if the product provided doesn’t keep up to the standards promised, the
company should apologize and reimburse the customers.
3. What kind of jobs involve coping with the public?
Broadly, most sales and marketing jobs involve the most public-centric approach.
Apart from them, Services such as automobile workshops, product installations,
healthcare, and teaching also involve day-to-day public interactions. Although the
internet swallowed a huge share of face-to-face services, still a large number of jobs
entail coping with the public.
4.   Why should companies react quickly when customers have difficulties?
I think it is important to proactively deal with consumer complaints and difficulties
because it can easily erode brand loyalty. According to conventional wisdom, customers
are more loyal to firms that go above and beyond. Reducing response times and
responding to your customers with helpful and relevant information is the key to
customer service success today.
Topic 41. Part 2:
Describe a difficult thing you did.

56
You should say
What it was?
How did you complete it?
Why it was difficult?
And how you felt about doing it?
Introduction:
 I always try to keep things simple, and short, however, on a few occasions, the
circumstances prompt me to try my hand at daunting tasks.
Recently I had such instance when after tremendous hard work, I finished a difficult task.
What was it?
A few months back, the second wave of the corona was wreaking havoc in my country. Due
to that, the higher authorities imposed a stringent lockdown.
Since the colleges were closed, I had to take my exams online. A few days before the exam,
my laptop stopped working. To my dismay, all repair shops had ceased their operations
during that time, and I did not have any other option but to repair the laptop myself.
Why it was difficult?
It was difficult for me because I didn’t have any knowledge of it. Although I had decent
knowledge regarding how to run it, for repair work I was a novice.
How did you complete it?
To do it, first I took the internet’s help. I had watched numerous videos, none of them
provided me with enough knowledge to complete the task.
In the end, I decided to take the help of one of my friends who was an expert at repairing
computers.
With his unabated support and my hard work, I managed to repair my laptop, after working
hard for six hours.
The most challenging part was to reassemble the system post repair.
How you felt about doing it?
I had a sigh of relief, and I felt proud of myself. 
Conclusion:
Doing challenging tasks is a must-have attribute to gain success in life.
Part 3:
1.  What kinds of jobs require people to be confident? 
I think confidence is a skill which is a must-have for all the jobs. Because in this
contemporary epoch where fierce competition has become an integral part of our lives, it is
difficult to lead your life towards an impressive growth trajectory just n the basis of domain
expertise. Our success in today’s thrives primarily on our soft skills. Thus confidence is an
essential attribute for all jobs because it empowers you to handle conflicts adroitly at your
workplace.
2. On what occasions should children be encouraged? How? 
Whenever children do something beyond the conventional domain, they must be encouraged.
It is the bounden duty of the parents and teachers to develop confidence in children by
motivating them. For example, whenever children do something creative, the school
authorities must reward them.
3. How can people in the neighbourhood help the elderly during an epidemic?

57
 During the epidemic, the life of the elderly comes to a standstill. In such circumstances, it is
the indubitable responsibility of the young people to provide unabated support to them. They
can do so by offering doorstep service to the elderly. All the youngsters of the
neighbourhood must work in tandem to work for the welfare of the elderly.
4. Do you see this kind of help occurring in your neighbourhood?
Yes, during the ongoing corona pandemic, all the people in our neighbourhood had provided
unstinted support to the needy people in the area. Almost all the inhabitants contributed
financially, and moreover, those who couldn’t pay due to financial crunch provided enough
help by delivering the necessities.
Topic 42: Part 2
Describe a course you would like to take

You should say:

 what course it is ( would be)
 who teaches it
 and explain why you like it
I am certainly not a “health freak”, but I have some genuine interest in what we eat, and how
our eating behaviour affects our overall health and moods. The issue becomes even more
important when we see so many different kinds of food and snacks are flooded into our
markets with very little or no nutritional value.

And, it is from this concern that I would like to take a course on improving nutrition and
health if I ever have time in the future. This interesting course would cover the aspects of
biology, chemistry, and even physics to some extent, along with, of course, gaining
important insights into healthier eating, in order to teach us about six nutrients, called
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, vitamins and minerals, that are needed for energy,
maintenance of tissues and regulation of bodily processes. 

This course would also help me understand how to read food labels, choose healthier food,
hydrate appropriately, and how to become more informed about the choices we make for the
food we eat without spending too much time or money or running to a doctor.  This course
would also investigate how information about healthy eating differs around the world. By the
way, one can take this course from any local health institute or university. People can take
this course also from online these days.

Well, I want to complete this course because there are a number of benefits to taking this
course. It will allow us to consider the relationships between food and feelings and
alternative routes to offer help and support to those who need it. This nutrition-related course
would also teach me how food, nutrients and health science can be used for medicinal and
therapeutic effects – to prevent illness, like obesity, malnutrition and over-nutrition (yes,
there is such a thing called “over-nutrition”) – especially after learning so much conflicting
information about our food habits and diets.  Finally, I want to take this course also because
it would allow me to become a registered fitness professional in the future if I ever want to
build a career in this sector.

58
Part-3 : Follow up Questions
1: Do you think children should be allowed to study a course of their
choice?
Yes I believe a person only succeeds and has fulfillment in what he has an interest in.
Studying a course that doesn’t pique your interest is always a waste of time and effort
because though you might succeed in it, there will be no fulfillment and happiness.
2: Which course do you think is the most important?
All courses have their importance, no course is to be ignored but the most valued courses in
this generation are Medicine, Pharmacy, Law, Engineering and others.
3: Do you think people should go into teaching?
Yes teachers are a great asset to our community, if nobody wants to be a teacher then who
will build the Doctors, lawyers, Engineer, or even the President of a country. Teachers are
valuable.

TOPIC 43. Describe a time when you felt proud of a family member
You should say:
When it happened
Who the person is
What the person did
And explain why you felt proud of him/her

Well, I always feel proud on my family, but here I would like to share the incident when I
was extremely proud on my eldest brother. At that time, he graduated from high school.
When it happened? 
I still remember that we come from a poor family, and our parents found it difficult to pay
our school fee. When my older brother finished secondary school and won a place at Medical
University, our father was seriously ill. Because of that, a lot of money went into his treatment and
my mother had to stop her work to look after him. For that reason, the parents were unable to pay
the school fee for both. 
Who is this person? and What the person did?
At that time, My brother decided to give up becoming a famous doctor which he had
harbored for a long time. He worked as a waiter at a restaurant to earn money for me to continue my
studying. He always works very hard. Some years later, my father’s health got better and better but
it was too late for my bother to come back The University.
Explain why you felt proud of him/her? 
For me, he made such a huge sacrifice for both me and my family. Without his sacrifice, i
would not have success today. That is the reason why I feel proud of him.
Part 3
1. When would parents feel proud of their children?
Parents all love and care about their children, so there are a lot of occasions when parents feel
proud of their kids, especially when the children make progress in their life or study, such as
behaving well at school and at home, getting prizes in the competitions, overcoming their
weaknesses, being polite, helping others, sharing something with their friends, doing better than
their peers, and so on.
59
 2. Should parents reward children? Why and how?
From my view, parents should reward children whenever they make progress, which is a
good way to recognize their efforts and achievements. It can give them a sense of confidence and
care, which motivates them to continue doing it and do better next time. However, parents shouldn’t
spend too much money buying some expensive things to reward them. People it is better to make
delicious dishes or buy little gifts.
3. Is it good to reward children too often? Why?
I think that It is not a good idea to reward children too often because they will get used to it,
which make them think that the aim of doing the good things and making the progressive is to
receive the rewards. Then when they don’t get any, they are unwilling to behave well. That is not
good for children. Parents should make their kids know that making progressive or achievement is
good for themselves, not for others.
4. On what occasions would adults be proud of themselves?
Adults have many occasions when they are proud of themselves, like a promotion at their
job, buying their first home, getting their children into good schools, doing social work like
helping others or a friend in need.

TOPIC 44. Describe a time you had to do something and had a positive result
You should say:
When it happened
What it was
How you achieved a positive result
And how you felt about it
To be honest, all people have a lot of things which they have to do in their life. When it
comes to talk about it, I would like to describe the time I bought a piece of land which had a positive
result.
Actually, when I got married, my family lived in a rent apartment. As a teacher with low-
salary, I have difficulties saving money to buy a piece of land and build my own house. 3 years ago,
my neighbor, who needed money for his business, decided to sell a piece of land, whose site area
was about 200 square meters. It is a good piece of land so my husband and I borrow money from the
bank and my relatives and bought it. That was an unknowingly risk. After that, many people told me
that the prize of property market was decreasing. After listening to them, my brain has been stuck
and I was in dilemma. Luckily, a year later, everything became better. We sold that piece of land
with double prize. With the benefit, we bought a new house for my family.
At that time i always lived in the feelings of terrifying and worrying, but now I am over the
moon and thrilled to bits because I know my choice at that time was correct.
Part 3
1. What kind of things do children usually feel very hard to do?
There are a lot of things that children usually feel very hard to do in their life, but the
common ones are “saying thank you and sorry”. Most of kids nowadays feel very embarrassed
when expressing their grateful and sorry emotion because of lacking of communicative skills.
2. How can parents encourage children to do something difficult?
People can teach thier children to have courage when hard things come their way. One way is
by telling them stories from your own life. Write down the lessons you've learned and simplify
them. ... When their children feel stressed out, help them understand their body is preparing them to
be brave.

TOPIC 45. Describe a person who impressed you most when you were in primary school
60
 You should say:
Who he/she is
How you knew him/her
Why he/she impressed you most
And how you feel about him/her
On our schooling days, we meet and take advice from a lot of people. However, there are
only a few people who impress us, and we always seek flashes of inspiration from such persons.
As far as I am concerned, I met a remarkable personality in my childhood, and according to
me, she is the most impressive person I have ever met.
She is Miss Hien who is used to be headmaster of my primary school and right now she is 65
years old.
During my budding years, I used to be a bad student. I was not much interested in studying,
and my teachers would rebuke me a lot. One time, when I was playing football with friends, a piece
of glass of the principal’s office was broken down. Due to such a bad action, I was invited to the
headmaster’s room. After that I had to stay at school after finishing classes and Miss played the role
of a tutor to help me with my studying.
Every day, She used to tell me a good story until I felt keen on the reading and studying. He
did this task with me for three months, and the result was that I became the topper of my class.
Today I am a successful person. This is not lack of the help of Miss Hien and I am very
grateful to her.
Part 3
1. Why do people always miss their childhood?
I think it’s because that is the only time when we are free of worries, tensions, and stress. We
know that our parents would take care of any problem we face. It is also because after childhood we
are never able to spend that much time with our family again.
2. Are kids happier than adults? Why?
Yes, I believe most people are happier during their childhood and it’s because of the same
reason, they don’t have to face the responsibilities and stress of adult life.
They don’t worried about the expending in the life, about their work and the relationship in
our society.
3. Why do people still remember many of their friends from primary school?
I think it’s because of the amount of time we spent with them. We never spend as much time
with friends during adulthood because of work and familial responsibilities. Also, because we all
like to reminisce about our childhood, and childhood friends are a big part of our childhood.
4. What kinds of primary school teachers impress students?
I think primary school teachers need to be patient and understanding. All children are
different in different ways. For example, some have a difficult time reading but are good at math.
Teachers need to be able to understand these differences and have the patience to be able to guide
students at their own speed. This is especially important at an early age because children are not
mature enough to explain their problems to teachers.

48. Describe a skill that was difficult for you to learn

Part 2 :
When you learn it
Why you learn it
How you learned it
How do you felt when you learned it ?

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 Well, throughout each person’s life, there are some essential skills that we have to learn
anyway they are not always easy to acquire. And today, I am going to talk about on of such skill is
driving.
Actually, I am not keen on any kind of car and learning how to drive a car seemed never
cross my mind until five years ago my husband got me enrolled in a driving course.
In my vivid memory, my instructure was Mr Ha who was very friendly, soft-spoken and
enthusiastic.
On my first day, he helped me to gain control over the steering (vô lăng) and then I learned to
drive on the ground with no vehicles around. I still scared and my instructor motivated me to boost
my confidence
Actually, the most challenge part came as I drove on the highway. Sometimes I felt hopeless
because I couldn’t manage as many types of vehicles from the other side. I was really frifhtened as I
was afraid that I would crash into them. The trainer cheered me up and asked me to keep courage If
I want to learn this skill.
Gradually I got more confident when driving on the road, however whenever driving in the
city center with heavy traffic I was stll stressful even though I passed the exam and got the driving
license.
I learned a lot from my mistakes and today I can confidently drive a car but I still consider
driving is the most challenging skills that I have ever acquire.
Part 3:
1. What skills do students need to master ?
We are living in the era of science and technology so each one who wants to live and develop
he/she have to acquire many skills, especialy students. Academically speaking, I think students need
to master skills like : reading, math and speaking as these ones basically serve for further education.
For non-academically I think they should be aware of the importance of other skills such as :
cooking, money management, driving, using a foreign laguage or some computer skill, all of which
serve effectively for a fully develop not only for themselves but also for society as well.
2. Is it hard for students to learn skills ?
On the contrary, I think it is easier for them to pick up new skills as they are young and they are
flexible and quicly acquire new thing. That’s why children are encouraged to learn many things
like : swimming, driving or learning a new language at the early age.
3. Is it hard for old people to learn new skills ?
As I know, except for outstanding person who can master everything at any age, there is a
trend that the older you are the more difficult for you to acquire new skills because students pick up
new things more quickly and easier. Old people might not able to remember things so they need to
do things repeatedly to pick up new skills, so itis advisable to learn when you are still young.
4. Is a good teacher very important for students learning experiences ? Why ?
Yes, I absolutely agree. Teachers are not only resposible for teaching but also ensure that
children are motivated. Morever, nowadays, children are very impatient and lose focus easily as
there are countless distractions around them ( TV, games, movies, social network). A good teacher
would help them to hold on their attention and enhance their ability of learning experiences.

45. Describe a person who impressed you the most when you were in primary
school
- Who he/she is?
- How you knew him/her
- Why he/she impressed you the most

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- And how you feel about him/her

Everyone has a special person in their life whom they look up to. Some consider their father
or other family member as their role model, whereas others look up to some special person
who fascinates them the most. It all comes down to an individual's personal choice. Here I
would like to talk about a person who inspired me the most when I was in primary school.
He was my maths teacher. His name is …... He started teaching me when I passed my 10th
standard. he taught us for two years. He was my favourite teacher in the school. there were
many reasons for it. Firstly, he was really friendly and always made us comfortable in
difficult situations. Despite being a math teacher, he was also a good mentor to us. he taught
us to never lose faith and always keep trying no matter what are the circumstances. He was a
very health-conscious person and had a really good physique. He used to follow a strict diet.
he was very punctual and guided students to always respect time. Everyone in the school
loved him from the heart because of his humbleness. his way of teaching was very easy to
understand, he never made study look difficult for us. His aura is really optimistic. Even the
school principal use to ask for his opinions while making important decisions. now when I
think about my school, I always remember him. he was also one of the reasons I loved my
school. I am also in contact with him now and whenever I feel like talking to him I call him.
he is still that mentor for me. I am really glad that he is still there to guide me as he did in
school. so this is the person who impressed me the most in primary school.

Part 3:
1. Why do people always miss their childhood?
I think it’s because that is the only time when we are free of worries, tensions, and stress. We
know that our parents would take care of any problem we face. It is also because after
childhood we are never able to spend that much time with our family again.
2. Are kids happier than adults? Why?
Yes, I believe most people are happier during their childhood and it’s because of the same
reason, they don’t have to face the responsibilities and stress of adult life.
3. Why do people still remember many of their friends from primary school?
I think it’s because of the amount of time we spent with them. We never spend as much time
with friends during adulthood because of work and familial responsibilities. Also, because
we all like to reminisce about our childhood, and childhood friends are a big part of our
childhood.
4. What kinds of primary school teachers impress students?
I think primary school teachers need to be patient and understanding. All children are
different in different ways. For example, some have a difficult time reading but are good at
math. Teachers need to be able to understand these differences and have the patience to be
able to guide students at their own speed. This is especially important at an early age because
children are not mature enough to explain their problems to teachers.

46. Describe a time when you move to a new home or school.

When you moved?
Why you moved?

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Where you moved?
How you felt about it?

Ten years ago, I had to leave my old house and moved to Ho Chi Minh City. Now I would like to share with
you about this experience and how I feel about it. For 18 years, I lived happily in my sweet home in a
peaceful hometown to the Middle of Vietnam though it is much less developed than other provinces in the
neighborhood.

After I passed the university entrance exam, my family decided to move to Ho Chi Minh City so that I t
could go to school more easily. The fact that I must leave my dear house, especially my little cozy bedroom
hurt me seriously at the time. When I first came to Ho Chi Minh City, I couldn’t remember streets and their
names. I got exhausted with the traffic in rush hours and I told my parents that I hated this place. I wished to
come back to my beautiful garden with plenty of trees and green space.

However, several weeks later, my family made friends with some neighbors next door and they turned out to
be quite friendly and assisted us to adjust to our new life. My new classmates were also funny and kind, and
some of them also came from rural areas like me. Therefore, I managed to get along with my new
companions and the city life seems to be less challenging. So, I think moving to HCMC was not that bad of a
decision and I will definitely miss this city if I have to move again.

PART 3

1. Why do people move to a new home?

There are many reasons why people move to a new home. But, most commonly, people move for job,
education. In other words, people move when they get a job or join an educational institute, which is too far
for them to commute daily. Another big reason is marriage or because of children. This is because either
they want independence and privacy or because their earlier house might be too small to accommodate the
growing family.

2. What problems do people face after moving to a new place? 

How do people solve these problems? I think it depends upon the place they are moving to. For example, if
they are moving to a new place with a different culture, they might face a culture shock. Another problem is
getting to know neighbours and making new friends. People solve these problems by having a
housewarming party to invite new neighbours and get to know them.

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in the same place?
It is comfortable to live in the same place for a long time. As people are familiar with everything, they don’t
need to spend time setting up things again and again. On the other hand, it gets boring and monotonous to
live in the same place.

4. Is it good to move to a new place frequently? Why?

I don’t think it is good to move to a new place too frequently. Firstly, it might be challenging to do so
financially. Moving involves a lot of expenses. Secondly, it might be difficult to make new friends and
people might miss their old place. Finally, from a children’s point of view, it can be disastrous as it would
affect their educational continuity.

47. Describe an item on which you spent more than expected

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Introduction:
Well, I must say I am a frugal spender who really do not believe in wasting money and spending it on
unnecessary things.

But, lately, for my cousin’s wedding, I ended up spending too much money. The fact is that at this wedding I
was going to be the best man and I was super excited about it. And of course, I wanted to look for something
special on this day. For that reason, I visited the branded store at the local shopping mall where I could buy
some party wears.

What it is?
At this store, I was able to found what I was actually looking for. It was a dress white in color and elegantly
designed; the cost of this dress was 1.5 million VND that was too little high.

How much did you spend on it?  Why you bought it?  Explain why you think you spent more than
expected?
However, I liked it so much, so I decided to buy it. In fact, the sales guy showed me a white coat that would
go really well with this dress, and he compelled me to buy it. Finally, I paid 3 million at this store and came
back with these two things, and later in the evening, I tried this attire to check my looks.

At this point, I realized that I did not have matching formal shoes to wear with this dress, so I went to the
market to buy a new pair of shoes, and it cost me another 1 million VND.

Finally, I thought it was all over now, and I was ready for this wedding. One of my friends suggested that
this dress is incomplete without some accessories. I must wear a tie or a bow and a brooch to look more
classy and elegant. Hence, I had to spend few more million VND to get all these things now it was the
wedding evening.

Conclusion:
I was beautifully dressed up, and I must say that I received hundreds of compliments from my near and dear
ones for looking so beautiful in this dress, and I realized that it was worth spending this much money.

Overall it was a time when I spent a lot of money on something.

Part 3:

1. Do you often buy more than you expected?

Yes, I often buy more than I expected, but it is normally in case of small household items or grocery items.
For example, I would buy 2 pairs of jeans if they are on an offer, even if I need just one. The iPhone was the
first time I spent so much more than I should have spent.

2. What do you think young people spend most of their money on?
I think young people spend their money on clothes and other fashion accessories like belts, shoes, etc. Also, I
think a lot of youth spend their money on gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, and headphones.

3. Do you think it is important to save money? Why?

Yes, I think it is crucial as we can never be certain about the future. The recent Corona epidemic has made it
even more clear that how uncertain life is. Many people died because they couldn’t afford the costly
healthcare. Also, if people didn’t have savings, it would have been impossible to tide over these difficult
times.

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4. Do people buy things that they don’t need?
Yes, all the time. I think we buy things because buying things makes us happy. Even though we know we
won’t be using the thing, we buy it for momentary happiness. A common example is an electric drill, which
people barely use for 10 mins after buying and then collects dust sitting unused for years.

TOPIC 49. Describe an activity you usually do that waste your time
Part 2:
As we know, there are a lot of activities taking place during each person life, some are
extremely crucial or vital to survive like : working to earn money to support the life, learning new
things to have a developed mind, practising a balance diet to have a fully physical development...
but sometimes, there are some activities that are not necessary, even detrimental we still waste too
much time on. And I myself, though I know that using mobil phone too much is greatly harmful, I
can’t help using.
Mobil phone is indispensible in my everyday life, it support my life a lot, it keeps me
contacted with friends, colleagues and relative or update the latest news, get important notifications
which are work-related. However apart from above useful usages, I realize that I am abusing mobil
phone. I use my phone at the moment I get up and still stay in bed, instead of doing exercise.
Everyday, in the middle of my work or study I take small breaks which turn into hours using phone
to watch series films, chat with friends, surf facebook and forget the time flying and my main
responsibility, which is a waste of time. And I am fully aware of this, I am trying my best to avoid
overusing my phone and concentrate on my work.
Part 3 :
1. How do you balance life and work ?
There is a fact thatpeople today are under pressure to work longer hours and take less
holiday, which has a negative effect not only on themselves but also on the society as well so
learning how to balance between life and work has become extremely important.
From my perspective, one of the most effective way to balance life and work is setting a
suitable time table and strictly stick to it. In my time table I often prioritize my tasks into categories,
the more important and urgent work I will do first. And another important factor in my time table is
taking time for relax and make time for holiday, which are decisive factors to have a balance work
and relaxing.
2. Will you continue doing sothing when you are aware that it’s a waste of time?
To be honest, not always but sometimes I know that it’s a waste of time I cannot stop doing
such as surfing facebook, giving comment below some posts or following some shopping online
pages
Everyday, many people from acquaintance to relatives release countless posting and I often
try to find out beautiful words to give comments, sometimes, it doesn’t tell the true, this often takes
me a lot of time and bring me nothing. And more, at noon or at night, during break time I often
follow some pages that sell goods online and buy unnescessary items, it does not only cost me a lot
of money but also take me a lot of time on it.
In short, there are two common time-consuming activities that I want to give up but it seems not
easy at all.
3. What kind of things make people feel pressured?
Pressure in life is something that undeniable, sometimes pressure creates fovorable condition
for us to develop. For example, under the pressure of the employers, worker have to work hard to

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produce high quality products or students who are under the pressure of geeting good marks they
will try their best to study over day and night.
And it depends on person to person to know what causes them pressure and I myself, as a
working mother I feel stressful before any exam. Though I am hard working, I am not intelligent and
lack of confidence, to prepare for thi Ielts exam is not an exception, I am so nervous and wish the
time flies quickly so that the exam is over soon.
4. Why do some people refuse to abide by rules ?
Rules are the ways that us aware of our rights and responsibilities. Rules describe us what to
do and what not to do. If there were no rules, people would start doing things in their own way
which is highly dangerous.
In my opinion, people who refuse to abide by rules are selfish, they want to put their own
benifits above the others’, for example : for drug dealer, they want to get a lot of money from drug
selling and they ignore the others’ health and safety. Another example is, because of people’s
selfishness, they want to move quicker than the other and violate the traffic rules as a result they
cause accidents and they risk their lives too.
So I think the authority should apply strict punishment to eliminate the risk for the whole
society.

TOPIC 50. Describe a goal you set that you tried your best to achieve
Part 2 : Attempt to lose weigh
I don’t think I have a strong willpower and many times I set have set goals but failed to
achieve them. 8 years ago, I made a resolution and I made sure I completed it.
In 2013, I gave birth to my second child and I unfortunately I spent a lot of time taking care
of my child at home for six months without doing exercise and lack of physical activity, I gained 5
kilos of weight in those months. Due to the weight gain, I lost confidence was afraid of meeting
people and stopped talking to my friends. I started staying indoor and I gained even more weight.
So, at the beginning of 2014 with the help from my husband I decided to lose all the weight
that I gained and regain my confidence. I mainly did three things to achieve it. First, I joined a gym
and stayed regular with it. Every day I used to wake up at 6 AM and go to the gym. I spent about 45
mins to 1 hour at the gym. The second thing I did was to control and manage my diet. I stopped
eating sweets and packaged products. This was really hard for I love sweets. It was especially hard
to give up on chocolates. The last thing I did was to sleep on time. I could only be regular with the
gym if I woke up on time and that meant I needed to sleep on time. Earlier I had the habit of binge-
watching TV shows and so I used to stay up late at night. I used to wake up just very late and thus if
I did that, I would never have been able to go to the gym. After three months of this schedule, I was
finally able to lose all that weight.
Doing this made me really confident and I started going out and meeting my friends again.
Follow ups questions
1. Do people need to write down goals or simply memorize them?
Well I live to write down my goals. It just provides that extra motivation in that weak
moment or when we are having a bad day and we feel like giving up.
` 2. Should parents set goals for children?
I think parents should motivate children to keep goals, but I don’t think parents should
themselves keep the goals. Because I think if children don’t keep the goals, they won’t have the
same level of motivation to fulfill them.
3. When do young people start setting goals for themselves?
I think there is no fixed age. It all depends upon the persons maturity and level of
responsibility. Some people start keeping goals at a very early age like at twelve or thirteen, while
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others start keeping goals after reaching adulthood. Goal setting is much more about self-fulfillment
and making oneself better and this realization to make oneself better sometimes come early and
sometimes late.
4. What are the kinds of goals that are unrealistic?
I think goals which are in tune with a person’s personality are realistic. I mean if I decide to
do something which would require me to make a drastic change in my personality, I would not be
able to achieve it. So that would be unrealistic for me.
5. Do young people and old people have different kinds of goals? What are they?
I think both yes and no. Yes, in the sense that young people goals are more about achieving
something in life, while goals for old people are about helping their young achieve their goals in life.
No because sometimes goals can be similar too, for example see both young and old trying to lose
weight and look smart in the gyms.
6. What is more fulfilling working towards a goal or achieving it?
I think both are fulfilling in their own sense. Working towards a goal is about meeting and
overcoming challenges, it is about failing and getting back up. Finally, achieving a goal brings a
feeling and that efforts did make a difference. However, if we didn’t struggle to achieve something,
neither the work we put in nor the final goal brings in fulfillment.
7. Do you think it’s important to have realistic goals?
I think being realistic has its own advantages and disadvantages. Its advantageous because if
the goals are unrealistic it is very easy to give up and believe that it was not possible in the first
place.It’s also harmful in the sense that we never test our limits. We never try to go beyond. So, I
generally set goals to just beyond realistic.

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