I ĐỀ SPEAKING THÁNG Ngày 04/1          Part 1: - House and accommodation: Where you live? Is there any interesting places near the places you live? - Sport: What is the most popular sport in your country? Did you play any sport when you were a child? - Cooking How often you cook? Part 2: Describe a good law in your country Part 3: Are police officer popular in your country? Do people like being a police officer in your country? What qualities should a police officer have? (*) Why some people prefer to be a lawyer? Ngày 5/                Ngày 15/1 Part 1: Choose take photo or camera Part 2: Describe the old person you know Ngày 9/1 Part 1:         Where you study? What you want to change about your school? Do you like drinking water from bottle or tap? Why? What color you like? Did you like other color when you were younger? If you can paint your room with a color, what would it be? Part 2: Describe a book you have read recently Part 3: What kinds of book are popular among children in your country? Do children like fairytale? Why? How to encourage children to read? Do people teach children to read at home or send them to school? Why? Ngày 11/1 Part 1: - Work or study Đi làm hay học? Thích điều cv làm? Nhiệm vụ gì? - SKY Có dành nhiều tg ngắm bầu trời không? Trời đêm hay ban ngày đẹp hơn? Địa điểm thành phố ngắm trời đẹp? Hồi bé có học liên quan đến trời đất khơng? - Photograph Có thích chụp ảnh khơng? Hay chụp người hay cảnh? Chụp điện thoại hay camera thích hơn? Chụp ảnh xong làm gì? Part 2: Something you to to help you work/study Part 3: ti tỉ câu hỏi routines creativity Set routines có tốt khơng? Làm để creative mà theo routine? Ngta làm để tăng creativity? Nhiều    Part 1: nói nơi bạn shoes sunglasses Part 2: a book you read recently Part 3: chilren adult với việc đọc sách Ngày 16/1 Part 1: Work or study? Is that a good job? What your company should change?    Music How often you listen to music? Are there any kind of music that you don’t like? Have you ever come to a live music concert? Cooking  Do you like cooking?  Why people like cooking?          Home cooked food and food bought from restaurants? Part 2: Talk about a problem you had with a device ( TV, mobile phone ) Part 3: What kind of devices that people often use in their life? Are there any things you can with a laptop but can’t with mobile phone? What can people feel when they have a new device? Is it true that inventions make you lazier? Do you think the talent to create new invention is something from practice or innate one? Ngày 18/1 Part 1:        Study - major - university - learn subjects include or not include in course -> affect to you? Do you want to change sth in university ? Why? Picture - which one you like? - why - have picture in family? Important? Part 2: piece of equipment is broken what is it? when ? who did it? how you feel about it? Part 3:       Equipment ? When it broke, how it was broken? Consider to fix or buy a new one? How can you compare with other countries? Music? Which equipment you use to listen to music? When are you listen? Live concert - prefer it or not? - been there? - how you feel about live concert outside? Book ? Children prefer read book to enrich knowledge in science? Or not? Ngày 20/1 Part 1: Work or study? Tea or coffee? Sky Part 2: Describe a situation you didn’t have enough time Part 3:Time spending, time management and how to deal with stress Ngày 31/01 Part 1: - Area            How long have you been living at your current area? Do you like it? What change you think wilk make it better? - Movie stars Your favorite movie star? Do people in your couuntry like movie stars? Do you want to be a movie star? Part 2: Describe a person who you wanted to be like when you were a child Part 3: Children Difference between children now and in the past Is it a good thing or bad thing What children need the most Ngày 31/01/2019 Part 1: - Work: Are you worker or student? Where you work? Do you think your company is good place to work? Do you want anything to change about your workplace?     - Shoes:          Do you feel comfortable when wearing shoes? Do you have favourite pair of shoes? How often you buy shoes? Part 2: Describe about a faraway place that you would like to visit in the future? Bonus: Do you have know anybody that has come there? Part 3: Các câu hỏi liên quan đến Holiday travelling: Việt Nam có địa điểm du lịch tiếng? Có nhiều người Việt Nam du lịch đến địa điểm hay khơng? Có phải tất người thích du lịch vào kì nghỉ lễ hay khơng? Tại lại có số người khơng thích du lịch vào kì nghỉ? Có phải người Việt Nam muốn kéo dài kì nghỉ hay khơng? Những người trẻ dùng năm gap year du lịch có lợi hay hại?) II ĐỀ SPEAKING THÁNG Ngày 2/2 Part 1: study or work Part 2: thing you taught younger person Part 3: phát triển trẻ em, dạng trước học bố mẹ nên dạy gì, trẻ em học trường khác học nhà, skills ntn Ngày 10/02 Part 1:           Where you live Do you know many people living in your areas What kinds of picture you like Is your house decorated with pictures Do you want someone will draw a picture of you in the future Part 2: Describe a beautiful city Part 3: Ở nước bạn có thành phố cổ nào? Tại lại thu hút khách du lịch? Làm để bảo vệ nó? Bạn nghĩ thành phố đại khắp giới có xây dựng giống khơng? Trong tương lai thành phố Sự cải thiện thành phố bạn Đề computer based ngày 24 /02 BC Part 1:          Talk about where you are living? How long have you lived there? What is the difference between there and your old area? What's new improvement in your current area? Do Vietnamese people have pet? Did you have pet when you were a child? Do you look at sky? Do you learn about star in school? Where you often look at sky? Part 2: Tell about a beautiful/ handsome person you met Part 3: Do you think clothes are important in making impression? Do có nói tới việc "people often make snap judgement about a person within few seconds so it is important to wear smart clothes " nên thầy hỏi thêm là: is snap judgement fair? Why almost brands use beautiful person as model? Do you think they (beautiful people) have any disadvantages? Đề ngày 24/02 Part 1: Talk about the city where you are living at the moment Do you think you live in a good city, why ? Do you have breakfast habbit ? Why you think its important ? Part 2: Describe a good law in your country Part 3:  Does your country resident like to police officer ? Why or why not ?  Do you think your country people prefer to lawyer than police ?  Do you think your country people offen obey the law ? If not, how to solve this problem ?    Ngày 27/02 IDP Ngọc Khánh Part 1:Work, music Part 2:: Describe a game that you played when you was a child Part 3: Trẻ VN hay chơi outdoor game gì? Vì chúng lại chơi game đó, chúng có quan tâm nhiều đến thắng thua khơng? Ba mẹ có dạy chúng không nên quan tâm thắng thua mà enjoy game khơng, Computer based ngày 28/2/2019 Part 1: Where you live? What you like about the place you are living? Do you know many people in your neighbourhood? What is your favourite colour? Which colour will you choose to paint your wall? Did your mom often dress you in bright colour when you was a child? Do you often wear sunglasses? Do you often buy sunglasses? Have you lost any sunglassess? Part 2: Describe a teenager you know Part 3:  Do you think personality of kids will change when they are teenager?  Was childhood more enjoyable in the past?  What teenagers think about the old?          III ĐỀ SPEAKING THÁNG Ngày 1/3 Part 1:            Student or job ? Is a good place ? Do you like drink ? Why ? Drink bottle or machine ? Do you like cook ? Why ? Home cook food - restaurant ? Part 2: Describe a skill learn long time ? Part 3: Ngoài skill cịn skill học long time khơng ? Bonus thêm Ngồi skills cịn skill khơng ? Ví dụ language ? Patient ? Design cần patient không ? Old people or young people patient more ? Ngày 2/3   Where you live Glasses Music Part 2: Describe another language (not English) that you want to learn in the future Part 3:  Should student learn another language?  Some question about international language Đề 2: Part 1: Place you lived in, share something to others, star movie Part 2: A person you enjoyed study with Part 3: Children & their classmate Đề thi computer- based Part 1:     like and dislike people have pet, have you ever praise animal why you have pet which animal you like/dislike, why Part 2: Describe an old person Part 3: Người già thường dạy người trẻ gì, sao? Người già có học từ người trẻ khơng? Tại sao? Đề comtuper-based ngày 3/3 Part 1: Talk about the area you are living ? What you like about it ? Would you like to see some changes in the area ? Your favorite move star? Do you want to be a movie star ? Part 2: Describe a time you felt proud of a friend? Part 3:  What u thank about success in study and work ?  How they should be awarded?      Ngày 7/3 computer based Đề 1: Part 1:    Người già người trẻ có share interesting với không? Tại  Part 1:     Student or worker? What you like most about your study? How much time you spend per week for your study? Một số câu học hành Part 2: Describe a party that you went to Part 3: Hỏi festival với party Việt Nam Ngày 08/03 Part 1: Do you work or study? What you want to o in the futủe to be better at your work? What difficulties you get at work? How you feel if you I have to wait for someone? Were you a patient person when you were younger? Are you patient now? Part 2: Describe a person you want to become similar when you were growing up?  How you know about that person?  What that person that you admire?  Why you want to be similar? Part 3:         Do you think celebrities in Vietnam are setting a good example for children? Do you think they should advertise for products for children? Ngày 9/3, hình thức IELTS computer-based Part 1: Work - study Movie stars Crowded places Part 2: Describe a party that you enjoyed Part 3: Hỏi xoay quanh parties, celebrations, wedding  Người Việt tổ chức party lí gì, với đối tượng bạn bè hay người thân tổ chức loại party nào?  Có nhiều tiền cho đám cưới không? Chi lúc hết tiền cho đám cưới hay để tiết kiệm tốt hơn?  Người Việt tổ chức celebration nào? Có nhiều người nước ngồi tham gia khơng? Tại họ nên tham gia vào celebration bạn kể?    Ngày 12/3 IDP Part 1: Study, coffe and tea, handwriting Part 2: Decribe a party you went to Part 3: Party and festival IV Bài giải mẫu Task SPEAKING THÁNG 1- 4/2019 What you do? For the past few months I’ve been working for Thanh Nien newspaper as a news editor In fact this is my first job ever, I’m working really hard to contribute to the success of this prestigious newspaper What are your responsibilities? As a part-time editor, I am responsible for editing news related to different current affairs as well as collecting information for the newspaper edition Why did you choose to that type of work (or, that job)? I guess it’s mainly because of the job flexibility & my passion for journalism To be more specific, this job offers me alternatives to the typical nine-to-five work schedule, enabling me to find a better balance between work and life Besides, this job gives me opportunities to pursue my dream to become a journalist down the road Is there some other kind of work you would rather do? At present, I don’t think I’m able to dedicate myself to any other job rather than this one In fact, to me it’s the experiences and opportunities I can gain that really matters Do you enjoy your work? Most of the time Contributing to the news production for a prestigious newspaper gives me a sense of satisfaction and pride What you like/dislike about your job? Well the perk of being a news editor is that you’ll surround yourself with inspiring news on a daily basis What I don’t like about this job is that I have to a thousand edits to get the final one to meet the requirement of my boss Sometimes I feel a bit overloaded with tons of tasks STUDY WORK Are you a student or are you working? I’m currently a senior at ABC University, which is one of the top schools in the nation Admission is incredibly competitive so I’m very proud of being a student here What are you studying? Well, I’m majoring in Accountancy, so as you can guess, I deal a lot with numbers and figures day in, day out It can be overwhelming at times, but I’d like to think that I have a knack for mathematics and calculations so it’s okay Why did you choose to study that major? There are many reasons for my choice As I’ve already explained about my longterm interest in Accountancy, another reason could be because of accountancy itself, since I’ve found my personalities have changed in a positive way, you know, like I’ve become more patient and skillful What’s the most difficult part of your study? Well, for the most part, I’d say it’s the workload I mean there are so many assignments and students are always under a lot of pressures from deadlines But on the other hand, exams are a piece of cake They are quite predictable, and I can pretty much breeze through them with a bit of revision 5: What you like most about your school? I guess the aspect I find most enjoyable is the environment I mean, I get to study in English-speaking classrooms and the facilities are top-notch; I mean, all the classrooms are air-conditioned and equipped with projectors My friends and teachers are all very nice as well, so all in all it’s a great place to study HOUSING/ACCOMMODATION What kind of housing/accommodation you live in? For the past 21 years I have lived in a house with my family And I think if I can move out and start making a living on my own, I would try my best to have an independent place where I can plan and design a house layout to suit myself since sharing a room or a flat with strangers sounds so troublesome to me What you usually in your house/flat/room? Well definitely I’ll spend some me-time there I study, I chill out by reading, drawing and dancing all by myself Sometimes I also invite one or two friends to spend time with We’ll watch some movies together and tell each other endless stories Who you live with? I live with my family There are of us and we all have our own room, which is way more comfortable as the older we grow, the more privacy we need for ourselves I think our house is big enough for us yet still a warm and cozy place that I call home How long have you lived there? Although during my childhood my family had to move a lot, I’ve lived in the most recent house for almost ten years Comparing to the old houses, I think this house has been the best so far Do you plan to live there for a long time? The answer would be yes if the respondent is my parents, since moving in and out is too time-consuming and exhausting Cleaning and arranging everything all over again would be liketorture to them For me, on the other hand, as I’m thinking of moving out to start my adult life, hopefully soon I’ll be able to afford to live in a flat or an apartment What’s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past? As I’ve already mentioned my family moved several times when I was younger And the most current house where we’ve been living for about ten years is the best house so far All of us have separate rooms for our need of privacy yet a big dining room where we can spend the whole evenings together watching TV or having dinner Can you describe the place where you live?/ Please describe the room you live in Briefly, my humble house locates in a small and quite street, so coming home to me is like all the craziness happened outside is left behind Just beside my house stands a big old tree I have my own room with walls painted violet, which is kind of a peaceful color The air outside is fresh I usually open the window to enjoy the wind and sunshine, which will help cool down my room without an air conditioner Since I spend most of my time staying at home, my room means the whole world to me It’s like a friend who is always there to share ups and downs with me So yeah, I would always miss my house, my room whenever I’m away Which part of your home you like the most? It’s the dining room where my family spends our time together Not only lunch or dinner but all our family reunions take place in the dining room where we can enjoy a harmonious atmosphere We always try to keep the family dinner as something we cannot go a day without, since for us it’s the family bonding that lies behind HOMETOWN What’s (the name of) your hometown? is my hometown which’s a province located in the west of my country Is that a big city or a small place? Actually, it is a small province with slightly more than million people It has breathtaking view of picturesque landscapes with rolling mountains and greenish lakes However, due to the increasing economy, a number of business, especially in sugarcane, are invested in my hometown that turns it into a promising area Please describe your hometown a little? My hometown is both traditional and modern On the one hand, tradition is preserved by a number of festivals celebrated by local people, and the locals and authorities preserve the historical sites for tourism and education On the other hand, a whole lot of highrise buildings as residential places or shopping malls are built, which turns our little hometown into a worth-living place How long have you been living there? I had lived there around 15 years before my family left for Cần Thơ Vĩnh Long City It’s more than ten years since the day I left my hometown, but it is indeed a good memory of my childhood What you like (most) about your hometown? I like the hospitality and the love of people there which I hardly find them in my current place Everyone is living close together and willing to give others a hand when they need help Is there anything you dislike about it? Personally, it’s a bit boring for me because as a small town, there is not much shopping mall or any other means of entertainment The streets are not very crowded as well However, I believe that it has been improving day by day and becoming a potential hotspot due to the increasing number of annual visitors Do you think you will continue living there for a long time? To be honest, I hope I could come back there one day to visit my relatives and friends, but to settle down my life there is not my plan I am getting familiar with city life and there are more job opportunities for my future career Has your hometown changed much since you were a child? Actually yes It has changed enormously 20 years ago I could barely find tall building around my area, but now I can easily catch sight of skyscrapers and tower blocks there Are there any changes you would like to make in your hometown? I would like to ameliorate the infrastructure conditions there so that I can avoid being stuck in the traffic jam during the rush hours TRANSPORTATION What form of transport you prefer to use? Why? Without any doubt I would say motorbikes You can see people driving a motorbike all over the place in my country Almost everyone travels by motorbike The reason why motorbike is so popular I think is due to their reasonable price and convenience They also extremely varied in terms of size, color and quality, thus a wide variety of choices is available for everyone How often you take buses? Almost every day Since my house is so far away from my university, it’s impossible for me to travel by motorbike In addition, the air is heavily polluted by exhaust fumes and traffic jamsalways take place, especially during peak hours Thus, I’d prefer to take the bus, to save time, save gasoline and causing less pollution Can you compare the advantages of planes and trains? Planes and trains regularly depart and arrive on time Plus, there are many convenient facilities catering particularly to certain groups of passengers However, traveling by plane is clearly time-saving and enjoyable in terms of on-board services like meals or comfortable seats, while traveling by train offers you a chance to see the world outside, admire the views from their seats It’s totally a great experience for most train-travelers 4.How much time you spend travelling on a normal day? I have to commute from my home to my workplace on a daily basis It normally takes me 30 minutes to travel back and forth Would you ride bikes to work in the future? Definitely not Riding a bike means you’re exposing yourself to the unpredictable weatherand to air pollution What is worse, I’m afraid the main streets or the highway are too dangerous for cyclists, as cars, motorbikes and buses will travel at a very high speed Thus I’d rather ride a motorbike or take the bus instead What will become the most popular means of transport in your country? I think buses will take the lead You can travel the distance without much worries about ticket price or rainy weather outside Also new buses now offer better services like comfortable seats for the elderly or good air conditioning systems Do you prefer public transport or private transport ? I think I’d prefer public transport It’s much more inexpensive and because it can contain a large number of people, it helps ease the intensity of traffic jams during peak hours and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by vehicles Private transportation is more costly in terms of fees, taxes and gasoline GIFT How often you buy gifts for other people? I have been in the habit of buying gifts on important occasions such as birthdays or house-warming parties because I consider it as a way to express my affection to others Do you like to buy expensive gifts? Actually buying high-cost gifts is a no-no for me In fact, I’m really into giving handmade gifts so that receiver can feel my love and care for them What kinds of gifts are popular in your country? Birthday gifts such as clothes, flowers, cakes, books or jewelry are some kinds of popular gifts that adults prefer to give in my country, whereas children tend to choose teddy bears or souvenirs for their friends Why people send gifts? In my opinion, sending gifts is considered a way to convey love and care for each other, which means that the relationship between the two people is precious to cherish Besides, this act may show affection, gratitude or asking for forgiveness MUSIC Do you often (like to) listen to music? Or Do you like listening to music? So far I haven’t met anyone who dislikes listening to music However, when the workload is too heavy that requires me to stay highly focused, music is a huge distraction Unlike many people who like listening to instrumental music because it highly benefits for their concentration and study, in my case the music makes me feel instantly sleepy When you listen to music? Well, music is essential to human in the whole world so I’m no exception I usually listen to cheerful music when I need motivation while sad music is my preference if I’m in a bad mood How much time you spend listening to music every day? As I’ve mentioned I prefer working in silence To put it simply, no music is allowed during my working hours After a long day at school, I probably want to chill out for like half an hour with music to help me stay energetic so I can get back to work later What kinds of music you like to listen to? Or What’s your favorite kind of music? My music taste varies widely from West to East and from the 90s to modern EDM But if Korean pop is considered as a kind of music, then yeah, that’s my favorite of all time More than half of my playlists are Korean songs and I always keep myself updated with thenews related to Korean showbiz Have you ever been to a concert before? Or Have you ever been to a musical performance? Once in a blue moon I attend a concert, since the ticket price for foreign artists’ concerts is so out of my reach that I can only stay home and watch online It was 2014 that I finally did go to a concert on my own, obviously it was an international music concert It was absolutely mind-blowing and unforgettable for me TEACHERS What kinds of teachers you like best? My favorite kind of teacher is someone who is helpful, quite firmed and has high expectations for students, especially if he/she teaches the subject I love That kind of teachers always have admirable passion for their job which motivates me to work harder in order to impress them Who was your favorite teacher when you were young? Definitely my Literature teachers in my high school The first reason is because Literature is my favorite subject that I believed my knowledge and efforts could impress the teachers Secondly, my Literature teachers tended to have a soft voice and inspiring teaching style that got me excited whenever the class began Would you want to be a teacher in the future? I think I would, but I want to become a lecturer instead Although teaching has always been my dream job since I was a kid, my specialization is not pedagogy, which makes it difficult for me to teach at schools Have you ever had bad teachers before? Luckily I haven’t met such an evil teacher I think as long as you’re hard-working and you all the homework, learn the lessons well enough and don’t break any school’s regulations, your name shall not appear on the teachers’ blacklist SPORTS Do you like to watch sports on TV? Yes, I It is very exciting, especially when you see two world-lead players or teams try their best to beat each other You not know which one will win until the very last second Sometimes the match is so intensive that I feel I cannot breathe Do you play any sports? Yes, I various sports Back in college, I liked playing football with my classmates But after I graduate, I find it quite difficult to call up a team and book a football court So now, I usually go swimming, which I can whenever is appropriate and not need to care about others timetable Do you have favorite sports star? Yes, it would be DL, who is the first VNmese champion in a world-class tennis match Besides her achievement, I also like her bluntness She always speaks out what she really thinks in front of the media, even though sometimes it is not very appropriate What kinds of sports are popular in your country? Well, I am not sure But from my own experience, I think football, basketball, badminton, and table tennis are the most popular sports in VN because you can see people playing almost everywhere, from streets to stadiums, from schools to workplaces What kinds of sports would you like to try in the future? Probably extreme sports like sky-diving, because it is very thrilling and I always wonder what it feels like to jump from thousands of meters high The earth and sceneries must look different from that on the ground SKY Do you like to watch the sky? Yes, I am really into watching the sky, especially at night to count the countless stars when I was a kid I remember I sometimes laid down in the grass for hours to watch the shining stars when in summer because I was fond of imaging the folk stories about the stars What is the sky like at night in your hometown? Well, as my hometown is a tourism city and there is no any industrial pollution, the sky is always clean and clear, and I can see the stunning night sky with countless and glittering stars and sometimes even the galaxy But unfortunately, in a metropolis like HCMcity light pollution makes the night sky invisible Have you ever taken a course about stars? No, I have never been in any sorts of courses about stars because actually there were no such courses in the schools or university But fortunately, my grandmother once sent me an encyclopedia about nature in which there were loads of stories about stars, I got the most of the knowledge about stars from it Is it important to study stars? Yes, I believe that astronomy has always had a significant impact on our worldview as it can help open our eyes, give context to our place in the cosmos and that can definitely reshape how we see the world What’s your favorite star? My favorite star constellation is Orion It’s very easy to spot on winter nights Firstly, it has a huge red giant star, which may explode any time soon Besides, it has a massive blue star which is very young On top of that it also has a big nebula where new stars are being born – so it has everything! SLEEP How many hours you sleep every day? It depends on how heavy my workload is on that day But I usually try to get around to hours of sleep so that I can always be wide awake and work effectively for the whole day Is it necessary to take a nap every day? Yes, I believe that people need to have a snooze after lunch because after eating, we can start to feel sleepy and lose focus Therefore, a quick nap can bring our energy back and help us become more productive after that Do old people sleep a lot? Why? Actually, I think elderly people generally have the same amount of sleep as young people But the thing is they often find it hard to fall asleep, so they go to bed earlier than young adults, which makes us think that they sleep a lot What time you usually go to bed? To be honest, I’m a night owl I usually go to sleep at around or a.m I know it is not a healthy habit but if I can’t get all my work done, it’s very hard for me to get to sleep Do you always have a good sleep? I’m a busy person I go to work from a.m to p.m, so at the end of the day, I often feel extremely exhausted and sleep like a rock TEA OR COFFEE Do VNmese people like to drink tea or coffee? Well, I think most VNmese are keen on drinking tea instead of coffee There’s so much culture of tea here in This country Also, there’s been an increasing number of tea houses built in both cities and towns Do you prepare tea or coffee for the guests at home? I prepare tea for the guests at home because tea is easier to make than coffee, you just need to steep the tea bag or put some tea leaves into the hot water, then it’s done When was the last time you drank tea or coffee? I just drank some tea his morning before I took the paper test of IELTS I felt like it’s effective to prevent me from getting drowsy the whole morning PUBLIC HOLIDAYS What public holidays you have in your country? My country has a great range of public holidays but to me the most important one is the Independence Day It is considered as a national holiday, which is annually celebrated on 2nd, September These day are to celebrate the day VN S secured independence from the USA after the Revolutionary War and usher in a new era of peace and reunification Do people in your country celebrate foreign festivals? Of course we We celebrate Christmas with extraordinarily colorful lights and decorations similar to those found in Western countries It is a grand party when the fun-loving and sociable citizens, whether being a Christian or not, celebrate with gusto Besides, there are also sparkling lighting decorations on the streets and in front of houses, turning particular places into Christmas area Usually the shops will have their signs advertising sales for Christmas seasons, and the piercing cold is a wonderful chance for people to get dressed up What you usually during public holidays? Well, I often spend my time gathering with my beloved family and friends Maybe go shopping and take advantage of the sales which my favorite shops are offering or hanging out with friends and having a whale of time at some entertaining places Do you like short holidays or long holidays? Both options have their own merits, but if I have to choose one, I would pick short holidays The reason for this is that I can feel more prepared to go back to study and feel less fatigued than spending a week for playing or travelling Tthe purpose of holiday should be to give people a temporary rest and help them recharge the batteries for a fresh period ahead Therefore, it is not recommended that people turn their An item that I bought but not often use was a set of Beats headphones, which I got from an APPLE store in Beijing Sanlitun I remember it was on a weekend before I started my new semester that I bought this headphone It was on sale for students at that time in the store So, I bought it along with my new laptop, which was a 13-inch MacBook Pro 2018 model When I got to the Apple store, the salesperson was so welcoming and was always ready to answer any questions I had in terms of the technology stuff Well, I regarded myself as tech savvy, but honestly, I still got some problems in choosing different types So, that guy literally solved all the problems I had met using these gadgets Well, honestly, the reason why I bout this set of headphones is that I loved its design, which was cool but low key, I mean the black model I knew its sound quality wouldn’t be that much classic, but in terms of the discount, I thought it was worth it However, just several weeks after I bought it, I felt like I kind of overestimated its quality and the design You know, the longer I put them on my head, the more pain I could get It’s too tight, they should have made it bigger! That’s the reason why I didn’t use it often now A book I want to write is an autobiography, which can reflect my trajectory and meaning of life It was after I finished a course about (auto)biography last semester that I had this idea of writing Initially, I thought this course would bore me to death, because to my view at that time, nobody except for the well-known could write a good (auto)biography But, my understanding was totally wrong after I took this amazing course Our professor showed us her piece of work to demonstrate how he could write a biography by, for example, playing the “straw person ” in his magic land of Oz, a story full of adventures Her story told us that everyone was unique and special in his or her life story Just as Maxine Greene, an American education philosopher, said, “life is like one damn thing after another” It was pretty hard to muster up our courage and face every obstacle in our lives So, I think the most difficult thing to write a good (auto)biography would be that I need to experience more obstacles in lives and try to understand them in retrospect of my life so that I could get things to write Well, I have always wanted to experience more in life And to write an autobiography would help me keep a record of them Also, I think writing this book can give me more time to contemplate about things in life that I haven’t thought thoroughly I would like to talk about Classical Chinese, which was a subject that I hated in middle school but now favor the most Actually, we had our Classical Chinese course since the first day our middle school, it’s been quite a while But I somehow couldn’t pick up any interest from it It might be the reason that my Chinese teacher was extremely harsh to us, you know, she sometimes punished students by not allowing them to have dinner if we didn’t manage to recite the entire piece of article learned from the last course, which was quite discouraging and made me feel sick about learning Chinese This kind of reluctance in learning Chinese has been with me for years until I came to study in college, where I got much exposure to Classical Chinese literature in different genres This Chinese literature, especially during the early period of the Republic of China, has enabled me to have a bigger picture of the world For example, John C.H Wu, who was a Chinese jurist and writer, wrote some annotations for Tao Te Ching and other traditional Chinese work, which helped me discover the beauty of Chinese and the culture behind the language I think the main reason why I become interested in this subject is that I have realized the power of the Chinese language It is a language that helped contain a lot of ancient Chinese wisdom But, unfortunately, it seems that most of the Chinese people don’t know much about it, and they lost direct contact with those wise ancestors A gift that I received which was made by hand was a piece of soap, which was given by my friend Wang Lei on my 16thbirthday I remember I invited my intimate friends to have a birthday party at my home And there was the present opening moment, so I got this little thing It was brought to me by Wang from New Zealand where he was having a working holiday trip It was a yellow hexagon shape soap, which was made of something I didn’t know but was told that a mixture of a very special kind of honey that only can be produced in New Zealand I was also told by him that it has some curative effects and protection for the skin I didn’t see too much difference in it compared with some Korean soaps bought by my mother But, after I applied it to my face and washed it away, that sudden sense of coolness made me feel very soothing You know, I was pretty thankful that my friend sent me this little but useful soap as a gift From that on, I was very much keen on using it and became a regular customer of this product Something lost by others but found by me was a Prada wallet, which contains lots of cash and some documents I still remember it was on a winter day last year, my friends and I were at the Yunqiao Sports Center, which was a nice place for ice skating We bought the tickets through Alipay, which was mobile application and was given a code for a locker to store our personal belongs Mine was like number seven, and when I got to the storage compartment and unlocked it, there was a white plastic bag there When I was complaining the last customer for discarding this garbage bag inside the locker and dragging it out, I soon found that there’s a wallet in the bag, and it’s the Prada brand I thought it would be a trouble for me if this luxury stayed with me any longer So, I opened it and tried to find the contact number of the owner However, it only contained lots of cash and ID stuff In order to let the owner know he lost his wallet, I immediately took it to the reception and asked them to keep it I don’t know what’s happened, but I hope the owner had found it at that center I felt my decision was right because that’s the only effective way to let the owner know where it was and nobody would steal it, even though my friends told me that it’s possible the receptionist would conceal the truth about the lost But, let’s optimistic Not all people are supposed to be that bad, right? Something I to help me study or work is actually listening to the piano soundtrack I got to know a music APP named Spotify from my friends and downloaded it from the Internet I was told by my friend that it was the best music APP, better than APPLE MUSIC It allows you to stream everything you subscribe and it’s got very high-quality sound Well, I often use this APP to listen to some piano soundtrack while I was working or studying too long, like three hours or more But, I didn’t use it quite much during the daytime, when everybody was rushing their own business, and I would be influenced by the vibe Usually, I would listen to it during the night time, when I need some light music to maintain focus after a tiring day So far, I’ve found this method has been pretty effective to help me to loosen up or to concentrate on my own stuff Sometimes I need a little bit sound in silence to help me keep focused, and sometimes I need piano music in a noisy environment so that I won’t be easily distracted So, I will definitely keep using this way to improve my life quality in the future VI Đề Part Speaking tháng 5-8 2019 Sky How often you look at the sky? I seldom watch the sky as I was quite busy working/studying, which took up nearly the entire day I couldn’t be able to take any time to look up above my head to see what’s happening there in the sky I looked at them only someone told me to so Do you prefer the sky in the morning or the sky at night? I prefer the sky at night because its darkness makes me contemplate If I was feeling blue, I would watch the huge night sky to remind me that all human beings are quite tiny compared to the universe and that I should always enjoy the positive sides of life Can you see the moon and stars at night where you live? Yes, thanks to the less air pollution in my living area, which is in hometown I can see the shining stars during the night The sky is clearer than that in most big cities like Saigon, where the fog prevents us from seeing the stars clearly Is there a good place to look at the sky where you live? Yes, in the place where I live, the best position is on a mountain, which was about 700m high Standing on top, you could see the blue sky is right above the cloud sea after the sunrise And during the night, you can see the stars much more clearly as there’s less air pollution Stars Who is your favorite movie star? Ngô Thanh Vân is my favorite I grew up watching his action movies, which were fantastic She was the first actress that let me know what Kong Fu was really about Are international superstars popular in your country? Yes, they are popular in my country In VIETNAM, there are many movie theaters displaying the blockbusters of the world So, Vietnamese audiences have constant exposure to western movies in on the websites and movie theaters Once those celebrities have a chance to visit VIETNAM, Vietnamese fans were very excited Have you ever met a celebrity/superstar in real life? Yes, I have I once bumped into Angela Baby who is a very popular Vietnamese movie actress I remember I was waiting for my flight at the airport She was wearing a black trench coat walking beside me Do you want to be a superstar? No, I don’t want to Being a superstar means my private life would be deprived of Plus, I have to be careful about the words and actions I have so that no fans would crazy things because of me Sleep How much sleep you need every day? I’m kind of sleepy-head I usually go to bed at about 11 pm and get up at am So, it’s nearly eight hours, which is longer than the average of other people as I have checked the data on my wrist band APP Do you take naps at noon? No, I don’t For me, I can’t fall asleep so quickly It usually takes me half an hour to get into the sleeping mode You know, time is quite limited at noon, which doesn’t allow me to so Do you like to read before bed? Yes, I like to some readings before bed because I think it’s a very comfortable period of time to read some words Nobody would disturb me I once read paper books, but recently I have been keen on reading on my phone How have your sleeping habits changed since you were young? The change is huge You know, in my childhood, I had a lot of free time to play and sleep Also, I usually slept for more than hours But, now, there’s a lot of digital devices like phones and pads that attract me a lot, which has deprived me of at least one or two hours of sleep per day Tea and coffee Do Vietnamese people like to drink tea or coffee? Well, I think most Vietnamese are keen on drinking tea instead of coffee There’s so much culture of tea here in VIETNAM Also, there’s been an increasing number of tea houses built in both cities and towns I think the reason why they prefer tea is that people, tea caters more to Vietnamese people’s taste Do you prepare tea or coffee for the guests at home? I prepare tea for the guests at home because tea is easier to make than coffee, you just need to steep the tea bag or put some tea leaves into the hot water, then it’s done When was the last time you drank tea or coffee? I just drank some tea his morning before I took the paper test of IELTS I felt like it’s effective to prevent me from getting drowsy the whole morning The area you live in Do you like the area that you live in? Yes, I enjoy the place that I live in now It’s a place that I’ve just moved to with my friend The facilities of that community are new Most residents there are nice to me and always give me some help if I need What are some changes in the area recently? Well, I don’t see many changes, but there’s one I remember very clearly It’s a public area, which was used to be a street market where lots of people squeezed to sell or buy foods It now has been renovated recently and looks more like a supermarket which is way cleaner than before Do you know any famous people in your area? Yes, there’s a celebrity living in my area Her name is Hoàng Yến, a well-known actress in the Vietnamese TV series She often dropped by her neighbors including my house and have a chit chat with us She’s so nice Where you like to go in that area? I love to go to the public garden that sits behind our community It has an artificial river and lots of beautiful flowers and trees, which has made this garden a wonderful place for walking with my families Public Holiday How many public holidays you have in VIETNAM? Sorry, I can’t remember the exact number, but I think there’re at least four, which are the Vietnamese Spring Festival Holiday, Tomb-sweeping Festival, Midautumn Festival and the National Day holiday These are all legal holidays that set us free from work or studies to celebrate Do you think people need more public holidays? Yes, I people desperately need more public holidays, which are good days for them to get an escape from their working or studying pressure People would be more efficient in their work if they were given more public holidays to loosen up We need more holidays just like those countries in Europe Which holiday is your favorite? It must be the Vietnamese Spring Festival, which lasts long and in which lots of foods can be tasted Also, I love it because I can meet friends and relatives who I haven’t met for months You know, it’s the only time that I can meet them in a year Crowded place How you feel when you are in crowded places? I feel quite uncomfortable when I was in a quite squishy place You know I feel like I couldn’t breathe in a place that’s filled with lots of people and sometimes makes indeed the air quality in a crowded place is bad When was the last time you were in a crowded place? I remember it was last year when I was about to take the CRH to Shanghai for travel I was standing at the podium of Saigon Xi Station, I saw lots of people flowing and during the rush hour, it’s quite difficult for me to move What places you think are often crowded? Definitely, it’s the train station in VIETNAM You know you will always see lots of passengers filled in the station every day It’s getting more and more crowded when some big national holidays approach Handwriting Do you usually write by hand or write using a computer (typewriter or word processor) ? I type for the most time Because there’s actually not that much homework that really requires me to write by hand Plus, it’s way more time-saving and eligible to read Nowadays, how most people write things? I think most people write things by a pen Not all of in VIETNAM own a PC (personal computer) or even a smartphone which makes typing easier than hand writing So, using a pen to write something is quite common nowadays Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting? Yes, I assume that handwriting would be replaced in the near future by some new technologies like computers Right now, there’re already some new things that are changing the habit we write For example, a software called X-Factor Typing, which can enable us to type anything just by talking to the phone, then, our voice would be interpreted into words When children begin to write in your country? Kids in our country begin to write at the age of 3, which is the time for kindergarten They are usually encouraged to write some simple Vietnamese characters or some ABCs to practice their brain and language ability How did you learn to write? Let me think about it, well, actually it was my father, not my teacher, that taught me how to write I remember my father gave me a chopstick and let me draw something like he did on a small piece of the blackboard I thought it’s quite interesting even though I couldn’t fully comprehend what I wrote Do you think handwriting is very important (nowadays)? Yes, I think it’s quite important Because handwriting shows one’s personality to others If you have perfect handwriting, I guess it won’t be difficult to impress others when it comes to job hunting or even a good relationship How can children today improve (or, practice) their handwriting? There are actually many ways children can find to practice handwriting For example, there’s the handwriting guidebook that teaches you how to write beautiful cursive English or Vietnamese Plus, you will find some videos on the websites that show you how to write What is the difference between writing with a pen and typing on a computer? I think the biggest difference would be that typing on a computer is way faster than writing I can type more words than in a short limit of time Pet Have you ever had a pet when you were young? Yes When I was in primary school, I once had a Persian cat which had very white fur It was adopted by our family when it was about months old Are there many people keeping pets in VIETNAM? Yes, there are many people keeping pets in VIETNAM The most common pets that I have seen are cats and dogs Usually, in the city center, pets are in small and medium in size because of the government’s regulation What pet will you keep if you want? I want to have a dog in the future I think the dog is very loyal to the family and can help keep the door if nobody is at home Also, I like the dog’s cute appearance, which made me feel very warm 10 Sharing Do you have anything to share with others recently? Yes, I have bought a hair dryer which is from Dyson It’s been quite popular on the Internet recently You know I couldn’t resist my temptation and bought it with nearly 3000 RMB After a few days’ trials, I’ve found it pretty useful and shared it with my besties They were all into it What kind of things are not suitable for sharing? I think it depends on different types of people you are going to share with But, generally speaking, things that cause negative impacts on people are better not to be shared with others For example, those meaningless complaints about people’s behaviors What kind of things you like to share with others? Oh, it must be good news You know whenever I got a piece of good news, big or small, I would immediately tell my friends I think good news deserves to be shared with others because it can spread positive energy to others Did your parents teach you to share when you were a child? Yes, they did They even told me an old story in ancient VIETNAM to remind me of the good merit of sharing things to others From that on, I always follow their advice to share whenever possible, for example, some stationaries when my classmates needed 11 Emails Do you write many emails? Yes, I As I am applying for universities right now, I write so many emails to communicate with their student administration offices and make inquiries about their programs How often you write an email? About once a week, but sometimes more often It is mainly up to how often the correspondents reply Some universities, you know, like to take their time, while others reply very quickly What are the differences between emails and letters? In my eyes, emails are much more efficient than letters Your correspondent can receive it at the moment you send it But, it is less formal than letters When somebody sends you a hand-writing letter, you must have an important place in his or her heart What kind of email you think is the hardest to write? It must be the email to ask for time off I have to be very sincere and manage to find a good excuse, which I often lack, so that the professor would approve it How you feel when you receive emails? Well, my feelings will highly depend on what kind of email I receive If it is a junk mail or advertisement, I will be annoyed But if it brings good news, it will cheer me up What kinds of email you receive that make you feel excited? I would say the email that the professor finally grants my time off Apart from that, I will be really overwhelmed if the email contains my dream university’s offer How you communicate with others at work? If it is something formal, like a notification or a regulation, I will choose Email It leaves proof and is easy to check If it is just daily-routine communication, like some details about a specific job, I will choose Zalo, it more convenient and I can send a voice message Do you think it is important to reply to emails quickly? Yes, I think so Responding to the emails quickly is a good way to show your sincerity and also helps improve the progress of the whole matter Nobody wants to wait too long for an email that involves a quite urgent issue Who you write to? I usually write to my classmates and teachers Our teachers have a lot of assignments that need to be done on Word So, I usually communicate with my classmates on our shared work through email and forward the final doc to my teachers What kind of email you receive that makes you happy? Definitely, it’s the email that tells me the good news, for example, offers from my ideal universities or an email from the school telling us that we will have a day off due to the terrible weather condition How often you write an email? I write emails nearly every day I usually write emails to my classmates to discuss something about our shared assignments Sometimes, I write emails to my professors to ask some difficult questions that I have while reading the academic articles 12 Patience Are you less or more patient when you are angry? I think I am less patient when I am angry I remember there was a time that I completely lost my temper when I had a disagreement with my friend on a decision making At that moment, I was so impatient that I was not listening to any words my friend had told me How you feel when other people are not patient? I feel impatient as well because they are not listening to what I am saying but neither I That’s a horrible thing that I least expect to see It would be quite time-consuming to cope with the issue happened between us Do you plan to live there for a long time? To be honest, it is not up to me I have to follow the arrangement of the university There has been a rumor that next year, we will move to another building with whole-brand new facilities But I cannot be sure Do you prefer living in a house or flat? I prefer living in a flat As a student who does not have much money to hire servants, I not think I can handle all the clean-up of a big house Also, I am not used to the garden, swimming pool, pets and all that In the future, what type of place would you like to live in? If I have enough money, I would like to live in a flat near the sea, where you can enjoy the wonderful view when the sun jumps out of the sea In my spare time, I would go surfing, swimming, or walk my lovely along the seashore 14 Transportation How did you come here today? I came here by bus There is a direct line from my home to the school It is very convenient Were you patient when you were young? Yes, I was quite patient when I was young This was probably because that I knew little about everything and was always being an attentive listener who seldom lost his temper Why did you choose that form of transport? I had no other choice Since there is not a subway station nearby, subway is ruled out I was planning to take a taxi, but could not find one After waiting at the side of the road for 20 minutes, I gave up and took the bus 13 Home (Your Accommodation) What form of transport you usually use? I use subway for most times It is quick, comfortable and relatively cheap What is most important is that I never need to worry about traffic jams It has always been punctual and will still be in the future Can you describe the place where you live? I live in the dormitory that my university provides It is an old building constructed in the 1980s Along the aisle, a great number of rooms are scattered, kind of like the layout of a hotel How long have you lived there? I have been there since the start of university Since I am in the senior year, I would say about years Who you live with? I live with classmates They come from different places all over the country We share the bathroom, toilet and some tables There may be some arguments sometimes, but they will be settled very soon All of them are my good friends Do you usually take the bus? No, not very often It is very crowded especially during the peak hours With so many people around, I can barely move Also, you have to wait for the bus coming Considering the traffic condition of this city, you can never know how long the time will be Is it convenient to take a bus / taxi in your city? Yes, Bus routes connect every corner of the city You can get wherever you want without much trouble Yes, with the GoViet application, a Vietnamese version of Uber, taking a taxi is very convenient now You just need to make an order on the app and wait for the driver to call when he arrives Is driving to work popular in your country? Yes, and it is becoming more and more popular because an increasing number of people can afford a car and most of them would choose to drive to work After all, it is more comfortable and private 15 Your work What work you do? Well, I’m doing fashion designing at Fashion Bazaar, which is a big fashion magazine company in VIETNAM Do you like your job? Right now, I am really into this job, because this job not only makes me financially independent but also gives me a nice platform to make a lot of friends who have a lot in common with me Is it very interesting? This job is very interesting to me, you know, every day I can get exposure to different designs that are really excellent, which really gives me a new perspective on generating my own ideas Why did you choose to that kind of work? Like I said, I need to something to be financially independent first And this job helped me made it So, I think that’s probably the most important reason I did this job Will you continue doing this job in the future? I will, but I probably won’t continue doing it in my current company I wanted to start my own business since I was young So, maybe in the future, I will start my own designing company What are your responsibilities at work? My responsibilities are identifying creative art pieces and incubating new ideas from different cultures and elements from other designs, then try creating something innovative These things are probably quite boring for others But, it really excites me every day Because I love keeping myself challenged 16 Your studies What subject(s) are you studying? I have many subjects to learn at school, they are Math, Physics, Chemistry and something like that They are categorized as the Science subjects Is it very interesting? Well, I think most of them are very interesting Because they all teach me how to get to know the world better in a scientific perspective instead of just have a superficial or sentimental feeling about everything in the world Do many students in your country study that subject? It’s half and half I think In my country, the majority of the boys chose to study these subjects, while for most girls, they think it’s a boring thing, so they chose to learn arts subjects What school/university you attend? I am now studying at RDFZ, which is a prestigious school located in Phú Nhuận District, Saigon What you plan to after you finish your studies? I am going to apply for a G5 university and I hope I could get admitted to a program about Chemistry, which is my favorite Are you looking forward to working? Not really Because I’m now just a senior high school student, I’m not really prepared Working means years of sacrificing your private time, so I don’t want to work very soon 17 Music When you listen to music? It’s hard to say I listen to music on a random basis For example, when I am waiting for or on the CRH to my hometown before the Spring Festival, I would usually listen to some light music to relax How much time you spend listening to music every day? Roughly half an hour I should say Why? Because the work/study place is half an hour ride to my home So, I usually choose to listen to some music when I am on the way home What kinds of music you like to listen to? I listen to all kinds of music, especially Rock & Roll My favorite songs are from a very popular band called The Linkin Park Gosh, how I wish I could attend one of their concerts one day if I got enough money and time Have you ever been to a concert before? I’ve never been to a live concert in my life So, as I said, I would love to attend one in the future if I got some bucks and time It would really be enjoyable if I could listen to some music from my favorite band 18 Shoes How often you buy shoes? Maybe twice a year I am not sure I am not a fashionable guy who loves to follow the latest trend and buy various shoes As long as my shoes are in good condition, I will not think of buying new ones Have you ever bought shoes online? Yes, I had once It was not a satisfactory shopping experience The shoes I bought were a bit bigger and the changing process was full of obstacles So since then, I have never bought another one online Do you know anyone who likes to buy a lot of shoes? Yes, it would be my classmate, Hoàng Yến He is crazy about Nike’s sneakers Whenever a new model of shoes is published, he will rush into the shop and bring one home He said he had more than 20 pairs of shoes and most of them are brand new What is your favorite type of shoes? It would be canvas shoes They are light and comfortable, and they match almost all sorts of casual trousers 19 Photos Do you like to take photos? Yes, I I like to use photos to record things in life It has become a kind of habit But I not like to take photos of myself Do you prefer to take photos yourself or to have other people to take photos? I prefer to take photos by myself, because I think it is quite impolite to bother somebody else, especially when they have their own things And nowadays, with the invention of the selfie stick, it is very easy to so How often you take photos? Several times a day The camera in my cell phone is quite powerful I use it to shoot sceneries, plants, flowers, toys and people In what situations you take photos? I often take photos when I notice something interesting and want to share it with my friends For example, on my way here, I saw a really cute dog So I took a picture and sent it to my girlfriend We had a nice chat about having our own dog in the future How you keep your photos? I usually save them on my computer I have created several folders, each with a specific theme I also have a copy of all the photos in my removable disk, in case my computer goes wrong and all the files are lost 20 Weather Do you prefer dry or wet weather? I prefer dry weather Although I have to drink a lot of water to stay healthy, it is still better than wet weather, which causes a great deal of inconvenience What kind of weather you like most? Well, It would be a sunny, breezy day in the spring, with few clouds decorating the sky The temperature is perfect and you can either some outdoor sports or just sit outside to enjoy the sun What is your favorite season? My favorite season is spring when the flowers are going to bloom and grasses just spring out of the earth Everything is vibrant and lively under the sun What kind of weather is typical in your hometown? It is hard to say Every season has its own feature In spring, it is often cloudy and rains a lot In summer, it is often very hot and stuffy Autumn has bright sunshine and clear blue sky Winter is freezing with the wind howling 21 Movies Do you watch movies? Of course, I It is my favorite activity during my free time I would even collect DVDs of my favorite movies so that I can rewatch them from time to time How often you watch movies? Almost every week As I am a student, I not have much time during the weekdays When it comes to the weekend, I would browse the internet and pick a movie that seems interesting What kind of movies you like? I like all of them But my favorite is the action The blast and car chasing are thrilling And what is more important is that they rarely have complicated plots, which means I can relax and empty my brain Do you prefer to go to a movie alone or with others? I prefer to watch movies with my friends When the film comes to end, we can talk about it, like who is your favorite character, or how stupid the bad guys are If I go to a movie alone, I will feel quite lonely, especially when I see other audiences come with their companies growth and gave me countless happy memories Do you prefer to watch movies at home or in a cinema? It is hard to say I like both of them Watching movies at home is more relaxing and comfortable I can lie on the couch and talk with my friend at any time and at any volume I want But a cinema often has more advanced facilities, like the huge screen and high-quality soundtrack, which can provide a better watching experience Do you like living there? I love living there, the most important reason is that the people there are extremely friendly You know, they give you help whenever possible, which is really not common in today’s metropolitan cities 22 Drink Water Do you give perfume as a gift? No, I really don’t I am not a perfume person, so it would be difficult for me to choose a suitable bottle of perfume for others as a gift I would rather give them a gift card so that they can buy a perfect one themselves How often you drink water? I am not sure, but pretty often I am quite easy to feel thirsty, so I always keep a glass of water at my hand and take a sip of it every now and then What kinds of water you like to drink? I like pure water without anything in it Some people like to drink Vietnamese tea, but I find it a little bitter There are also others who like to put a piece of lemon in it I have never bothered to so Do you drink bottled water or water from water machines? I usually drink water from the water machine It is very convenient and much cheaper than the bottled water I know some people believe bottled water is tastier, but I cannot tell the difference 23 Hometown What’s (the name of) your hometown? Where are you from? The name of my hometown is called YC, which was originated from a famous person in Three Kingdoms Time Is that a big city or a small place? Well, my hometown is YC, which is a relatively small city compared to Saigon, Shanghai and those metropolitan cities It’s only an hour’s ride to get to one corner from the farthest place within YC How long have you lived there? I’ve been living there for nearly two decades I left this city after graduation from my senior high school I could still remember the old streets and buildings, but now things changed totally Do you like it? Yes, I love my hometown just like I love my parents It’s a place that saw my 24: Perfume What does perfume mean to you? Well, perfume is a good thing for me I should say because it would save my day if I am in a rush and don’t have enough time to clean myself up, you know, it helps prevent some odor from coming out of my body What kind of perfume you like? Oh, definitely Cologne is my favorite I love it because it permeates a fragrance that is exactly what I am keen on You know it smells so soothing and helps me loosen up a little bit while I am concentrating on my studies or work Do you use perfume? Yes, I I use it from time to time I love to use it because it can help me avoid the body odor that is unpleasant to the people around me So, I usually use it while I am attending some formal conferences where there’re lots of guests 25 Garbage Why some people throw garbage on the street? I think the main reason why they throw garbage on the street is that they don’t have the awareness of protecting the public environment They just think that it doesn’t matter to liter around and that somebody like the street cleaners will clean it up Plus, some of them are probably in a hurry, they just can’t find a dust bin, so they have no choice but throw the garbage on the street Do you think your city is clean or not? Well, I think it is clean and pretty cleaner than in the past A lot of thanks to our street cleaners You know, there has been a huge development in our city, wider roads and more modern infrastructures which have allowed more people than ever to use, and that definitely would cause a lot of pollution without those hardworking cleaners How you feel when you see people throwing garbage on the street? This is so bad This behavior would pose a danger to the environment I have found that those who liter around are mostly those who are middle-aged pedestrians who gave us the impression that they are obviously not well educated regarding keeping the public places sanitary Also, this kind of action might leave a bad impression on visitors especially those foreigners What you with garbage when you are on the street? Well, honestly, I just leave it on the street I mean, I don’t mean to so Sometimes, I’m just rushing from one place to another, and I feel that It’s a little bit awkward for me to pick the garbage up and throw it into the dustbin while nobody does the same thing However, if it’s in a small place like on the street near our community, I would definitely collect them and throw them properly 26 Social network Do you think it is good to make friends online? Yes, I I think it’s not like the situation in the past We are more familiar with the Internet than people in the past So, it’s not easy to get cheated, and friends online are usually from different backgrounds or even cultures that we can definitely learn from What are the disadvantages of social networking apps? Well, the most obvious cons of social networking apps are that they make people more superficial and they’re sometimes time-consuming You know, those apps like Zalo, or even Instagram encourage us to show off our pictures or some lines of words that represent our current happy or sad moments and ideas, but actually they are sometimes not well thought of, so it’s quite easy to get parochial, and definitely it consumes much time to read the information on the apps Why you use social networking apps? The reason why I use social networking apps is that I find it convenient to communicate with my friends You know, they are always on it, so whenever I have some needs they are always easy to contact How often you use social networking applications? I use social networking applications occasionally For example, when I was in need, I would seek help from friends on the apps because they are easy to reach Also, I would use them when I want to express my best wishes to my friends during different important festivals 27 Math Do you often use a calculator? Yes, I use it a lot I usually use it when I am doing math assignments or sitting for an exam that allows me to take a calculator I honestly find it quite useful as it helps me save my time Are girls generally good at mathematics? No, I don’t think they are generally I don’t think mathematics is what they are good at But, don’t get me wrong The reason why I think so is that most girls just somehow don’t find any interest in it Do you think it is difficult to learn mathematics well? Yes, I Mathematics is regarded as one of the most difficult subjects in school I just feel that the hardest part is that you have to have a very clear logic while understanding and doing math assignments Plus, it requires a lot of time and effort to practice Do you thnk mathematics is important? Definitely, I do! I feel that math has become one of the most essential things people have to master in the 21st century if you want to succeed in a way You know what, technology has been developed so boomingly, for example, the AI and the 5G Without having a concrete knowledge of basic math, it’s really hard to get a job in this circle 28 Daily routine What part of your day you like best? Well, actually I’m really into the end of the day, especially the time after dinner Because this period of time is the official start of my own recreation I don’t need to think anything about my work/studies What’s your daily routine? My daily routine is kind of ordinary compared to some big potatoes I usually get up at 7:30 and begin my study/work after breakfast The rest of my daytime is all about study/work Well, during the nighttime, things get a little bit different I usually watch some movies and write some blogs on laokaoya.com, which I think is one of the most meaningful things for me and for some learners of English What is the busiest part of the day for you? Well, the busiest period of the day for me is actually the evening We got piles of homework right after attending lectures and seminars of the day Sometimes when things get stuck at the same time, I even have to burn the midnight oil to finish them, which really drives me nuts What is the best part of the day for you? The best part of my life is actually the time before getting up You know, especially in winter, I feel a strong sense of resistance of stepping out of my warm and soft bed I always thought nothing would be better than just staying a few more minutes on bed in the morning What’s the difference of routine between you and your teenager’s times? I think we are pretty much the same, because we have work to do, and so they They need to get up early and so I But, there’s a tiny difference in the activities we I guess ours are more mature than those they in schools Will you change your daily routine in the future? No, I won’t I think my current daily routine works perfectly for me You know, it allows me to have a relatively good work-life balance Plus, I don’t feel much pressure doing executing it What’s the difference between people’s daily routine in the past and that in the present? Well, in the past, people’s daily routine was casual and slow in pace For instance, they usually took a long time to some laundry, this was partly because they have automatic washing machine But now, people’s daily routine is very intense and grueling You know, people need to more things than in the past, and sometimes multiple things at the same time How has your daily routine changed? And how? Three years ago, when I was a senior high school student, my daily routine was pretty packed I had loads of textbooks to brush up and piles of assignment to finish Just so exam-oriented But, now, what I on a daily basis are just onethird of my previous tasks I think this is because I’m now a college student, and I’m supposed to some social work except for the assignments What you usually on weekends? I have many things to during the weekends For instance, I usually finish my assignments on Saturday at a public library near my home Also, I usually hang out with my friends for a while at the central business district during the afternoon or evening to have fun exotic cities because they are good places for me to know about different cultures Plus, I’m also into cities that have a good sanitary condition I just can’t stand people liter around in the city Do you like traveling? Yes, I Traveling is part of my life It’s not an escape from my busy life in the city but also enables me to discover and appreciate the diversity of this world I’ve always felt that traveling is another way of receiving an education, and it’s more authentic! Which cities have you traveled to? I have been to many cities The last one is Auckland, which is the biggest city in New Zealand I remember while I was staying there, I was stunned by the beautiful sceneries I wish I could go there again in the near future What is the place that left you the deepest impression when traveling? I think it’s the Christchurch, which is a southern city in New Zealand There’s a botanic garden that gave me the deepest impression It has various kinds of plants dating back from the Dinosaurs’ period, and the pure water, which was drinkable and sweet, made me really want to take some home 30 Visit relatives What you when visiting relatives? I have a lot of things to when I visit my relatives For instance, during the Spring Festival period, I usually have dinner with them at their places to enjoy the delicious foods Plus, I often play some video games with my peers because I think it’s a good way to loosen up Why people visit their relatives? Well, I think the main reason people visit their relatives is that they want to maintain or even strengthen their relationship with them You know, we are living in a society where the interpersonal relationship is of vital importance for our social activities Sometimes, when I need some help, those people we usually visit can give us a hand 29 Travel When was the last time you visited a relative? It’s the last Spring Festival, which is the biggest and most important holiday in VIETNAM You know, I have lots of relatives I remember my father drove me to many different families to visit them In most occasions, we even didn’t have enough time to have dinner with some of them as we were quite in a rush What kind of cities you like to travel to? Well, I enjoy traveling to varies kinds of cities Generally, I love to travel to some Do you often visit your relatives? Not really I don’t often visit my relatives This is because I am living in another city that is far away from my hometown where my relatives are living So, the only time in a year to visit them is the Spring Festival period 31 Smile Can you recognize a fake smile? Yes but no Mostly, I can tell if the smile of the person in front of me is genuine or not This is often judged by my observation of his or her facial expression, especially the eyes However, if I met someone who is so experienced, then it’s difficult to tell a fake smile Do you smile when people take pictures of you? Yes, definitely I always smile while others take photos of me I feel that smiling can express positive energy to the people who appreciate the pictures taken Plus, I feel it’s just my second nature, so why not? When people smile at others? There are many occasions where smile at others For example, people mostly smile at others while meeting their friends or strangers because they think it’s a good way to express their respect Also, as I’ve mentioned earlier, I think people smile when they take pictures with others Do you like to smile? Yes, I I’m keen on smiling This is definitely one of the best ways to show my respect and warmth to people in my life I love to smile especially when I meet strangers or new friends You know, they don’t know much about me and would sometimes feel anxious while talking to me, then a smile can make them feel comfortable 32 Reading Do you read books related to your profession? Yes, I I enjoy reading books that are correlated with my profession I feel like it’s a good way to help me enhance my understanding of what I’ve been practicing You know, books are usually written by professionals whose ideas deserve our consideration Do you read electronic books? Yes, I I actually read them quite a lot I’ve had a Kindle with me for many years This little electronic device enables me to read through many books at one go, and I don’t have to worry about its weight What kind of books you read? I love reading novels, especially detective ones The reason why I’m quite into reading those books is that it’s a pretty good way to loosen up after a day of schoolwork You know, the intriguing plots in the books can immediately eradicate the heavy burden from the assignment Do you like reading? Yes, as I mentioned before Reading is a good way to help me relax Plus, I enjoy reading it because it opens a door or maybe many doors for me to appreciate the different life perspectives of others 33 Plan What is the hardest part about making plans? Well, generally the most difficult part in making plans is how to appropriately allocate your time for specific things that need to be finished You know, I always kind of overestimate my ability to accomplish things Things always take longer time to finish, which is a headache for me What is the latest plan you made? The lasted plan I have made is to have a trip to Thailand right after I finish my final Honestly, this time, I am sure that I have confidence in terms of time management, and I guess the plan will go well You know, I just can’t wait to have this trip with my friends Do you make plans every day? No, not really I usually make plans when I feel it’s necessary to so For instance, during the weekdays, I usually make some plans regarding my studies so that I can follow all the school lessons Whereas, during the weekends, I just don’t want myself to be that self-regulated, so no plan is the best plan Are you good at managing your time? Yes I think am better than before regarding managing my own time I now understand that execution is the best policy I usually try to force myself to it instead of putting it off I once overestimated my ability to finish things, which was the biggest cause of my procrastination, and I often didn’t have enough time Now, things are getting better 34 Borrowing/lending How you feel when people not return things they borrowed from you? I honestly will feel a little bit sad about that You know, I sacrificed my trust and ended up getting back an unfriendly behavior which is unacceptable The worst thing is that I can’t even tell them directly because that will hurt their ego Do you like to lend things to others? Yes, I I enjoy giving things out because I think it’s a good way to make myself happy You might not understand this, but the way I see it, to give a hand to others would also give me a chance of seeking help when in need to see some antiques there, but it’s better to have a double check because they might be fake Have you ever borrowed money from others? Yes, I have I remember I borrowed some money from my best friend Wang before I took the CFA, which is a very important and expensive Finance exam I was running out of money during that time and I couldn’t ask more from my parents So, Wang just lent the money to me to help me get registered for the exam, which I felt quite grateful Is it important for children to play outdoors? Yes, it is I think it’s essential for kids to some exercises outdoors Doing outdoors sports is a good way to enhance our physical and mental condition You know, kids nowadays have much pressure from school work, they need some time to breathe some air outside Have you borrowed books from others? Yes, I have I have many friends who are quite into reading They always recommend me some interesting books while we are chatting during dinner time The last book that I borrowed from them was a book called Educated, which was a very educational autobiography 35 Market Are there many street markets in VIETNAM? Yes, there are Usually, it’s quite common in small towns where there are fewer supermarkets to get easy access to Street markets are very convenient in VIETNAM for people to buy some groceries, so you don’t have to take buses or walk a long distance to get them Do you often go to the supermarket? Yes, I There’s a supermarket just near my apartment building I usually go there during the evenings to get some daily necessities for the next day You know, to make sure the foods I eat are fresh, it’s better to go there every day or at least three times a week What are the differences between street markets and supermarkets? Well, interesting question Compared to street markets, supermarkets have way more items, and the price is usually set and you can’t change it On the other hand, at the street markets, you can bargain a little bit for the price with the merchants and the sanitary condition there is usually not that good What street markets sell? There are many products we can see in street markets Usually, they sell groceries, for example, veggies and fruits, which are daily necessities and are often cheaper than those in the supermarkets Also, you can sometimes expect 36 Outdoor Did you often go over to your friends’ house when you were young? Yes, I did I often went over to my friends’ houses especially during the big holidays while I was a kid I remember I usually played some computer games with them to have fun during the evening, which was awesome I wish I could have more fun time like that these days Did you like to go outside when you were young? Yes, I did I often go outside with my close friends to play sports like basketball outside We usually played outside the entire day and got home late in the evening You know, my parents always blame me for my lateness Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors? I prefer to be indoors than outdoors now I think I don’t have as much energy as I did while I was a kid to play outdoors Plus, now I think being indoors helps me to be calm and patient, which I think is very important for my future office work Is it important for children to play outdoors? Yes, it is I think it’s essential for kids to some exercises outdoors Doing outdoors sports is a good way to enhance our physical and mental condition You know, kids nowadays have much pressure from school work, they need some time to breathe some air outside Did you often go over to your friends’ house when you were young? Yes, I did I often went over to my friends’ houses especially during the big holidays while I was a kid I remember I usually played some computer games with them to have fun during the evening, which was awesome I wish I could have more fun time like that these days Did you like to go outside when you were young? Yes, I did I often go outside with my close friends to play sports like basketball outside We usually played outside the entire day and got home late in the evening You know, my parents always blame me for my lateness Do you prefer to be indoors or outdoors? I prefer to be indoors than outdoors now I think I don’t have as much energy as I did while I was a kid to play outdoors Plus, now I think being indoors helps me to be calm and patient, which I think is very important for my future office work VII Đề Part Speaking tháng 5-8 2019 Describe someone you would like to study or work with Describe a person you want to be similar to when you grow up Describe a person who helps to protect the environment Describe an old person who is interesting Describe an intelligent person you know Describe your grandparent’s job Describe a person you have seen who is beautiful or handsome Describe someone you have not seen before but you would like to know more Describe someone who speaks a foreign language well 10 Describe a person who often helps others 11 Describe a person who encouraged and helped you to achieve a goal 12 Describe your favorite singer or band 13 Describe a foreign celebrity you want to meet in person 14 Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions 15 Describe a person who made you laugh happily when you were a child 16 Describe a park/garden you like visiting 17 Describe a place you plan to travel to that is far away from your home 18 Describe a time that you had to change your plan / you changed your mind 19 Describe an ideal house 20 Describe a historical building you have been to 21 Describe a newly built public facility (such as parks, cinemas etc) that influences your city 22 Describe a time you taught something new to a younger person 23 Describe a time you received horrible service 24 Describe a complaint that you made and you were satisfied with the result 25 Describe a time when you looked for information from the internet 26 Describe a success your friend has achieved 27 Describe a time that someone did not tell you the whole truth about something 28 Describe a time you borrowed something from your friends or family 。 29 Describe a party that you joined 30 Describe a time you enjoyed your free time 31 Describe a situation when you don’t have enough time 32 Describe an important decision made with the help of other people 33 Describe an occasion when you got up early 34 Describe a time when you solved a problem through the internet 35 Describe an occasion when you invite your family or friends to dinner 36 Describe an experience that you received a call from someone you don’t know in the public place 37 Describe an unusual experience of traveling 38 Describe an occasion when you got incorrect information 39 Describe a time that you give advice to others 40 Describe a water sport you would like to try in the future 41 Describe an experience that the vehicle you took broke down during your travel 42 Describe something you to help you study or work 43 Describe a healthy lifestyle you know 44 Describe an important plant in your country 45 Describe a language you want to learn (not English) 46 Describe a time that a piece of equipment of yours was broken (such as TV) 47 Describe an activity you would when you are alone in your free time 48 Describe a family business you know 49 Describe the last book you read 50 Describe a historical period that you are interested in 51 Describe an interesting talk or lecture 52 Describe something lost by others but found by you 53 Describe an outdoor sport you played for the first time 54 Describe a piece of good news you heard (from TV or the internet) 55 Describe a kind of food people eat during a special event 56 Describe a subject you used to dislike but now have interest in 57 Describe an item you bought but not often use 58 Describe a practical skill you learned 59 Describe an advertisement you remember well 60 Describe something special that you took home from a tourist attraction 61 Describe a game show or a quiz program you watched on TV or online 62 Describe a prize you want to win 63 Describe a piece of clothing you enjoy wearing ... It was about a year and a half ago, my friends and I were on the National Day Holiday, and we took an Italian cruise ship to Kagoshima in Japan That’s was the first time in my life to travel... Christmas vacation, I prefer hang out with my friends here and there and have a chit-chat If it’s New Year holiday, I just want to celebrate the holiday with my family and relatives in a cozy ambiance... which was a great help.He was wearing jeans and a white jacket, with a pink shirt inside He had sparkling eyes and a high-bridged nose His skin was as white as pearls and his hair was divided at