Các chủ đề Speaking p2

TOPIC 17
Part 1: Let’s talk about protecting environment.
1. What is the most serious environmental problem in your city/ town?
 Now, I am living in Ha Noi. In my current city, I think that air pollution is the most serious.
In fact, due to the highly-dense population with the huge number of vehicles, it does the
damage to the air.
2. What have people done to try to solve it?
 Well, there are some methods/ solutions which have been done/ implemented to solve the
problem. One of them is that the residents should be encouraged to use public means of
transport instead of using personal/ private vehicles. Besides, people also raise their
awareness of avoiding throwing away the rubbish inappropriately.
3. Do you think it is effective? Why (not)?
 Well, in my opinion, despite small actions of each individual, its impacts are really huge.
The air is more and more polluted, and the main root is due to an increase in the number of
vehicles on the road every day. Thus, people try to use public means of transport, so the
number of commuters will decline rapidly because public means of transport can carry a lot
of passengers at the same time. Thus, the air pollution will be solved gradually.
4. What have you done to contribute in improving the situation?
 Like others, I am a student now. I try my best to contribute in improving the pollution in
my city. First of all, I go to school by bus every day. Next, I often buy recycled products
which are friendly to environment and are reused many times. In addition, I also say No to
nilon or plastic products which are really harmful to the environment.
5. What more would you like to do for a better situation?
 In the future, if I have a chance, I will take part in some campaigns on protecting
environment such as the voluntary work to plant the trees, picking up the rubbish on the road
or beaches. Besides, I will save my money to donate to some funds on protecting
environment.
Part 2:
Today, I would like to talk about + Having a foreign friend
1. If you have a chance to make friend with a foreigner, who would you choose?
Well, I am living in Ha Noi where many foreigners are living. Thus, if I have a chance to

make friend with a foreigner, I would like to choose a friend coming from speaking English
countries such as America or England.. because I am studying in international training


programs. Thus, making friend with the person will help me to improve my English skills a
lot.
[5. Who do you think will support you in having a foreign friend? Who will not?
At my university, because I am studying in international school, I have a chance to learn from
foreigner teachers/ lecturers. In fact, they are so friendly and enthusiastic to teach us. Thanks
to attending their classes each week, I can learn many things from them and make friends
with other foreigner who are the relationships of my teachers.]
2. What are the good things do you expect to have when making friend with him/her?
In fact, because the friend comes from a country whose mother tongue is English, his/ her
language is always better than me. Thanks to it, he or she can give me a help to master in
English. For example, she/he can talk to me or chat with me in English daily, which gives me
a chance to practice speaking and listening skills more. Besides, when I make a mistake, she
or he can help me to correct or sometimes I do not know how to pronounce any words, she or
he can teach me. In addition, by talking to him or her, I can know more about the custom/
culture of the country where she/he comes from. Thus, I can widen my knowledge of the
world. And I think all are the benefits of making friend with a foreigner.
3. What are the difficulties do you think you may have when making friend with
him/her?
Besides the pros, I many encounter some difficulties/ troubles at first. First of all, my foreign
language is so weak, I find it hard to listen to him or her or understand what he or she says.
Next, there are some differences in cultures between 2 countries, which leads to some
misunderstandings or conflicts.
4. How do you think both of you can meet in person?
After a long time of talking with each other on social networks like Facebook or Instagram, I
think we can have lunch/ dinner together to meet in person/ directly to know more about each
other.

[5. Who do you think will support you in having a foreign friend? Who will not?
At my university, because I am studying in international school, I have a chance to learn from
foreigner teachers/ lecturers. In fact, they are so friendly and enthusiastic to teach us. Thanks
to attending their classes each week, I can learn many things from them and make friends
with other foreigner who are the relationships of my teachers.]
Part 3
1. How easy or difficult to have a foreign friend in your country?


 Well, I am living in Ha Noi now. As you know, Ha Noi is the capital of Viet Nam. It is also
the center of economics, politics and culture of my country. Thus, it attracts a lot of foreigners
coming to my country, especially my city each year. Almost of them come to Ha Noi to work
as an English teacher at English centres. Besides, others are tourists. If you want to see them,
you can go to Ta Hien street, which is the famous place for foreign people whenever they
visit Ha Noi. Therefore, it is very easy to have a foreign friend in my country.
2. What do you think about the role of the Internet in helping people expand their social
network across borders?
 Well, in my opinion, the Internet plays an important role in helping people expand their
social network across borders. As we know, in the past, without Internet, people had to write
a letter and sent it to the receivers coming from other provinces or cities at the post office.
Thus, it took a lot of time, even it lasted some months. In addition, it was also limited in a
very long distance. But at present, thanks to Internet and the appearance of smart devices,
people can stay at home and login in their accounts, they can make friends with many people
on over the world. Therefore, they can widen their relationships and keep contact with them.
3. With globalization, are cultural differences becoming less influential in international
friendship?
 Well, it is a really interesting question but it is so hard to answer. But if I have to, I think
that cultural differences become less influential in international friendship with globalization
because of the following reasons. First of all, thanks to globalization, the intercultures happen
in almost all countries on over the world. It means that the person who is living in their home

country still experiences the different culture from other countries instead of going to there.
Thus, they will know more about the world outside. Thanks to it, it will reduce the gap
among the countries and the international relationship is easy to establish without the fear of
misunderstanding or conflicts due to the differences in cultures.


TOPIC 18
Part 1: Let’s talk about using computers.
1. Do you have a computer or laptop?
 Well, I have/own/ possess a laptop of Apple/Asus brand. It is a gift that my mom/ dad gave
to me on my 18th/20th birthday.
2. When did you first use (or first start using/ or start to learn how to use) a computer?
 I first used computer when I was in secondary school. At that time, I had to make a power
point to give the presentation on… Thus, I had to borrow my dad/mom’s computer. It was the
first time I was taught how to use it.
3. What are the benefits you gain from using a computer?
 Well, there are the benefits I can gain from using a computer. First of all, it helps me to do
many tasks more effectively and I do not need to spend a lot of energy like before. Next, it
also has many functions which serve all of my needs such as entertainment or study/ work.
Finally, it helps me to keep contact with my friends or relationships via social networks on it.
4. What problems do you experience when using a computer?
 Besides the pros, using a computer can cause some troubles. For example, it makes me so
lazy or passive because I depend on my computer too much. I cannot do anything without it.
In addition, because I use computer to type my document/ papers, my handwriting skills will
be worse. Besides, like other machines, computers are out of order, I often lose all of my
document saved in it. It is so terrible at that time.
5. Do you use your computer/ laptop more or less these days? Why?
 Now I am a university student right now, I have to do a lot of homework and assignments
every day. These tasks are done on my computer, so I use more laptop these days.
Part 2:

Describe a historical site you have paid a visit to
 Today I would like to describe/ talk about a historical site I have paid a visit to.
 The name of the historical site is….
1. Where is the place?  The location of the site: It is located/ situated on/ in / at + address/
city/ country


2. What historical features make the place popular?  introduce the historical meaning of the
place
3. Why you visited the place?  on which occasion you visited the place (nên chuyển lên câu
giới thiệu ở phần trên)
4. What impression did the place leave in you?  describe the features of the place which
made a great impression on you (the architectural styles/ typical/ unique (significant features)
of the place)
5. Would you recommend other people to visit that place?  describe your feelings when you
visited the place and why it is so special to you  I would recommend other people to visit
that place
Sample 1
Whoever has been to Ho Chi Minh City knows that this place houses several historical
buildings which hold significant meaning in our history and culture. Among these, the one
that intrigues me the most is Reunification Palace, also known as Independence Palace.
This building is extremely popular with not only the local people but also foreign tourists.
One simple reason is that it's located in District 1, right at the heart of Ho Chi Minh City.
People could easily spot it from far for it covers a vast area of land. In front of it is the huge
park and if you look beyond that you can see Duc Ba Cathedral on the right and Diamond
Plaza on the left.
Even though the majority of people are aware that Independence Palace is one of the top
tourist attractions in Saigon, very few have really learned about its significant role in our
country history. This palace used to function as the home and workplace of the president of
South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. It's also this building that marked the reunification of

the North and the South. These days, it acts a reminder about our ancestor's victory and also
their sacrifice for the country freedom.
If you asked me the reason why this particular is special to me, I guess the reason is that
whenever I enter the building it seems to me that I am travelling back in time. In the rhythmic
voice of the tour guide, I almost see what takes place there and live in that historic
atmosphere once again.
Sample 2
Well, the historical building I had a chance to visit is the Temple of Literature, which is one
of the most famous old structures in Vietnam, and a must-see travel destination for almost all
visitors who arrive in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.


The temple was built in 1070 at the time of King Ly Thanh Tong. Then, it was reconstructed
during the Tran dynasty (1225 - 1400) and in subsequent dynasties.
The temple is located to the south of Thang Long Citadel. It was originally built as a
university dedicated to Confucius, scholars, and sages. This building is extremely well
preserved and is a superb example of traditional-style Vietnamese architecture. Despite wars
and disasters, the ancient architectural styles of many dynasties as well as precious relics can
easily

be

seen.

It

shows

one

of

the

most

typical

architectural

styles

in Vietnam, composed of wood and tiles. Along the paths are hundred-year-old trees that have
witnessed ups and downs of history.
I'd like to talk about the Temple of Literature for a few reasons. Firstly, the Temple of
Literature is an amazing and magnificent building. It is one of several temples in Vietnam
with "Quoc Tu Giam" or the Imperial Academy, which was built inside the temple. The stone
statues and inscriptions dotted throughout the temple still retain many of their original
features as the most renowned landmark of academia in Vietnam. I've been there once to visit
and explore the Vietnam's first national university. Visiting the Temple of Literature, which
has now become a memorial to education and literature, I have discovered historical
buildings in a revered place that saw thousands of doctors graduate.
Besides, I also feel that the Temple of Literature is the symbol of Vietnamese culture.
Originally the university only accepted aristocrats, the elite, and royal family members as
students before eventually opening its doors to brighter "commoners". Successful graduates
had their names engraved on a stele which can be found on top of the stone turtles. That's
why we're all proud of this ancient structure.
This historical site is ranked as one of Hanoi's most important cultural places and is steeped
in Vietnamese history. I'm convinced that if you ever go there, you'll definitely be impressed
and amazed. Those are the reasons why when it comes to old buildings, the Temple of

Literature is the first one that comes up into my mind.
Part 3:
1. Can historical attractions promote the image of a country for foreigners?
 Absolutely, historical attractions could promote the image of a country for foreigners in the
following aspects. First of all, when tourists pay a visit to these places, they will have a
chance to discover the history of the country with its traditional cultures. By seeing or
touching the ancient things displayed in these places, they would help visitors imagine the
life of the ancestors contributing to the development of that nation. From that, they may like
or love the custom and culture of its. For example, if a person visits a Temple of literature


located in Ha Noi, they would know that Viet Nam is the country with highly appreciated
spirit of academic.
2. How do you think visiting historical sites can help in the education of history at
school?
 Visiting historical sites can help a lot in the education of history at school because
those places are incredibly beautiful and breathtaking. For the most part, people can gain
a deeper understanding of a country's history by visiting museums, monuments and ancient
sites such as the Imperial citadel in Hue, the temple of Literature in Hanoi, and numerous
ancient pagodas that scatter the entire country. Tourists and locals alike flock
to these places because they always remind us of the ancient people’s wisdom and craft.
Therefore, we can learn about our customs, social structure in the past or even help us build a
sense of pride and patriotism.
3. What do you think the Government can do to increase people’s interest in history?
 Well, young people are less interested in learning history because they think that this
subject is so boring, but I think the Government can do some things to increase their interest
in history. First of all, the local authority should not ask visitors pay for the entrance fees.
Secondly, they can also hold some campaigns to educate and raise the awareness of the
citizens about the importance of history in our lives. Finally, the schools should organize the
competitions on history knowledge for their students. Thus, it will motivate young people

discover and learn more about the history or their own countries.


TOPIC 19
Part 1: Let’s talk about communication
1. What channels do you often use to communicate with your friends?
 Among many channels that people use to communicate with their friends, I often use social
networking like/ such as Facebook, Instagram or Zalo on my phones. I feel it so convenient
and can keep contacts with my relatives easily.
2. Do you often write postcards to your friends and family? On what occasions?
 Well, actually, due to the development of technology, there are many apps on mobile
phones introduced each year, specially, the appearance of social net workings like face book,
so like others I can update my information/ news about myself on it for my friends and others
to know. Thus, I rarely write postcards to my friends and family.
 Sometimes, I also write postcards to my friends and family on their birthday or Christmas
Day because I think it is so meaningful.
3. Do you prefer handwritten letter or electronic ones?
 Like young people, I am familiar with using technology, especially with the introduction of
laptop. It can help us to do many tasks. Thus, I often write electronic letter by using my
laptop instead of writing letters by hand.
4. What are the advantages of talking over writing when you communicate with people?
 There are the advantages of talking over writing when I communicate with people as
follows. First of all, I can know the feelings/ emotion of the other who is talking to me. Thus,
it helps to avoid the conflicts or misunderstanding. Second, instead of spending a lot of time
writing a letter, talking directly is much easier for listeners and speakers.
5. What are you doing to improve your communication skills?
 Well, there are some following ways which can help me to improve my communication
skills. Firstly, I join in some clubs. There I can have chances to meet many people and talk to

them. Besides, I can register for some communication courses with the experts. They are the
people who can give some tips to communicate with others more effectively.
Part 2
Describe an important skill you learnt.  I would like to talk about an important skill
that I learnt  cooking skills
1. What skill was it?  introduce the name of the skill
2. Where did you learn it?  place/ the person who taught you this skill/ time
3. How was the training arranged?  describe the process of being trained this skill (step by
step/ the main content of skill course)
4. Why is the skill so important to you?  give some benefits that this skill brings about to
you in the future life or career
5. What advice would you give to someone who is going to take up that skill?  give some
notes for those who wanted to learn based on your experience
Sample 1
Well, I personally believe that learning something is always beneficial. I also have learned so
many skill in my life such as- painting, dancing, driving, linguistic skill and so on. however,
here I would like to talk about a culinary skill which I had learned when I was only 8 years
old.
when I was a kid, I had a great interest in cooking. I was standing in the kitchen when my
mother was preparing food for us. then, my mother was started to teach cooking skills to me.
I remembered that day when I made a chapatti first time my own. my mother has
good

cooking

skills

and

she

taught

all

those

skills

to

me

slowly.

I had acquired some basic culinary skills and traditional food recipes from my mother. but I
wanted to become professional in it so that I joined an extra cooking course in Chandigarh. I
gained knowledge about Indian cuisine, Italian food, Chinese cuisine, and some other styles
through this course. apart from it, I also learned some baking technique through the internet
or online. By the god of grace, now I am quite satisfied with me to have this skill. fortunately,
I married with a loving and caring person who always support me. he encouraged me to share
my skill with others through youtube channel. so now I am running a channel which
name is easy cooking recipes to share my experience and knowledge to others. All in all,
cooking is that skill which changes my whole life and now I am feeling proud to gain a name
in this field.
Sample 2




I have learnt many practical skills in my childhood from people around me in my
life.



Here I would like to talk about a very useful practical skill of cooking, which I
learnt from my mother.



I have been slowly learning it from my mother since my childhood.



My mother is in her forties and she is very tall and beautiful.



She has a gifted hand in cooking.



She has her unique way of teaching us, I mean me and my sister, how to cook.



She never made us feel as if she was teaching us.



She just kept us involved in the kitchen while she cooked.



We learnt a lot just by observing her.



I learnt cooking because I too want to be able to cook like her.



I also learnt cooking because it is a very useful skill in today’s time.



Moreover, as I plan to go abroad for my higher education, this skill will be very
useful.



I will not face any food problems.



I am a vegetarian and I have heard that veg. food outlets are very few in foreign
countries.



This skill has proved very useful because many times I have been able to attend to
guests when my mother was not at home.



My mother not only taught me simple routine cooking but also some Chinese
dishes.




She also taught me how to make pizzas in the electric tandoor.



She also bakes excellent cakes.



Whenever anybody in our neighbourhood celebrates a birthday, the cake is always
baked by my mother.



She loves experimenting in the kitchen and she has many of her own recipes which
are quick and easy and at the same time very delicious.



She also presents her dishes very well.



She says that the look of the dish is as important as its taste.



I am fortunate, I have a talented mother who has taught me this useful skill

Part 3
1. What elective courses on practical skills should be offered at university?
 Well, actually, besides the compulsory modules at university, it is so important for students
to choose some elective courses on practical skills, which are so vital for their future life or
career. First of all, I think that students should learn how to cook because this skill helps them
to take care of themselves by cooking the tasty dishes for themselves and others no matter
where they live or who they stay with. Besides, they should be taught how to manage their
finance and time. These skills will help them know arrange their schedule suitably and avoid
the trouble involved in their money later.
2. How does technology force us to learn new skills in life?
 In fact, due to the development of technology, many activities of human are now done with
the help of computers or smart devices. Thus, in order to use these devices, we have to learn
computing skills or foreign languages to understand the instructions given by the
manufacturers Thanks to it, we can control the devices and ask them to serve our needs.
3. What should be done to have more updated training at university?
 To have more updated training at university, the university management board, lecturers
and students have to take action together. First of all, students give their own ideas on the
new practical skills that they think that really necessary for their later career or life and
express their wish or hope to be taught. Next, lecturers need to listen to their students’ wishes

and design the courses which fit their students’ needs with the approval of the management
board at university.

TOPIC 20
Part 1: Let’s talk about your living area.
1. Do you like living in your hometown or where are you living now?
 Well I like living in my hometown – [the name of your hometown] because my parents are
living there. Moreover, the air is so fresh and the life is peaceful. I really love the life there.
 Well, it is so hard for me to choose. But If I have to, I like living in Ha Noi where I am
staying now because there are many conveniences which can meet all my needs.
2. What are the good points about living here/ there? (có thể lấy lại phần giải thích ở câu
1)
 There are the good points about living in …. as follows. First of all, …
3. What factors do you consider when choosing a place to live?
 Well, there are some factors which I pay attention to when choosing a place to live as
follows. First of all, the neighborhood is the most important thing for me because there are


many services and conveniences around my places. It is so easy to reach for and use these
services. It is so convenient and can help me to save much more time.
4. Is there anything you dislike about your living area?
Besides the good things, there are still some bad points of my living area. First of all, there
are fewer trees, so sometimes when it is so hot, it can make me feel tired and hotter. Besides,
it is very far from parks, thus whenever I want to do the exercises, it takes me a lot of time to
go to the nearest park.
5. Can you suggest how it could be improved?
Well, I think the local authorities should plant more trees and build up more parks in the area
where I am living.
Part 2
I would like to describe a significant challenge in my life.

1. What challenge was that?  nói về tên gọi của cái thử thách đó
2. When and how did it happen?  nó xảy ra khi nào ở đâu??? Nguyên nhân xảy ra là gì (giới
thiệu về bối cảnh cho thử thách đó??? Có liên quan đến ai hay k???)
3. How did you cope with the challenge?  mô tả những hành động của bản thân mà mình đã
làm để vượt qua thử thách đó??? Có ai giúp đỡ mình hay k??? họ là ai và đã làm gì để giúp
mình
4. Who did you contact for help to cope with the challenge?
5. What lesson did you learn after that challenge?  sau khi vượt qua thử thách đó thì nó đã
dạy mình bài học gì
Sample:


I think life would be very boring without challenges.



Challenges not only make life more exciting but also more meaningful.



Today I am going to talk about an assignment in school which challenged me.



The assignment was quite daunting for me, as it involved a group presentation.



And I am very afraid of public speaking.



I am very comfortable when talking with my friends but when I have to talk in
front of strangers I choke.




And for that assignment, I had to talk 10 minutes on the environment.



I was really worried and so I went to my uncle who regularly gives speeches in
public for advice.



He told me that the key to a good speech is mastery over the subject matter.



So, I spent one whole week memorizing the content.



The next thing he told me to do was to divide the topic in different sections.



I divided my presentation into five halves of 2 minutes each.



The first half was for introducing the topic and the last half for concluding the
topic.



The remaining three halves were for the main content.



After breaking the speech into sections, I felt a lot more confident.



My friends also knew about my fear of public speaking and so every evening they
used to come to my home and help me prepare.



Slowly, I started feeling that it was doable.



I was nervous but I wasn’t worried anymore.



When finally, the day of the presentation arrived, I not only gave the whole

presentation but also received an A grade for it.



My teacher told me that I did a really good job and she actually asked me if I had
prior experience of public speaking.



That is the day I realized that rather than fearing challenges we should welcome
them.

Part 3
1. What do you think are the benefits of challenges in life?


 Well, when people cope with challenges, they can gain some benefits as follows. First of
all, they can gain a lot of experiences which will help them solve the same problems in the
futures in the more effective ways. Besides, thanks to the challenges, they can become more
mature. Besides, they can learn many valuable lessons from the challenges which no one can
teach us. Only when we cope with them and overcome them, we can draw them to make us
much stronger and the lessons will be the most effective advices that we can give to others in
the same situation.
2. Do you think advances in technology are creating more challenges to people?
 Well, I think it depends on the ages or background of the users. For example, for young
people who are easy to adapt to the new things, advances in technology make them more
interested and serve all needs of theirs to help them to have the higher productivity of
learning and working instead of making troubles for them. On the other hand, in the cases of
older people, the advances in technology can make a lot of troubles for them because they are
too old to learn how to use it as well as get used to these devices.

3. What can or what do people do to better prepare for challenges?
 In my opinion, people should make the better preparation for challenges for themselves in
the following ways. First of all, they should train for their mind about the simple lifestyle,
which will help them make everything more complicated when it happens or comes. Besides,
they are always optimistic in most cases. With the spirit, they can overcome and cope with
the challenges more easily. Especially, they should write down the list of the names of the
people who can help them in case they need.

TOPIC 21
Part 1: Let’s talk about reading.
1. What types of books do you enjoy reading? Why?


 Well, I am keen on novels because I am a romantic person, so I like love stories which are
written in the kind of book.
 Well, I love comic books and I find it so relaxed when reading it.
2. Do you prefer reading paper books or e-books?
 Well, actually, thanks to the development of technology and the introduction of smart
phones, it helps people’s life become more convenient. So instead of buying a traditional
book and read, like young people I prefer reading e-books on my mobile phones. It is so easy
for me to read books at anytime and anywhere.
3. How important reading is to you?
 Well, because I am a student now and I have to do a lot of assignment, so reading a book is
really important to me in order to get the knowledge I need to complete my tasks required.
4. Do you read more or less these days?
Well, in fact, when I was a small boy/ girl, I was very lazy to read book because I thought
reading books was so boring, but now when attending university, I read a lot to gain the
theory or knowledge to do my assignment.
5. Would you recommend a book to read?
Well, I have read many books but I think the most interesting book that I would recommend

is that book with the name “….….” written by the author “…” who is very famous because
the content of the book is so good and meaningful. It can give me a lot of lessons in life.
Part 2
Describe something (special) that you saved money for.  kind: describe a thing
 Introducing sentence: I would like to talk about the special thing that I save money
for (smart phone/ laptop)
1. What was it?  giới thiệu đó là món đồ gì??? Mua ở đâu??? Nhân dịp nào? Mô tả qua về
đặc điểm nổi bật của món đồ đó. + 2. Why did you want to save money for it? (đi sâu về
ngoại hình? Cơng dụng và chức năng của món đồ đó)
3. What did you do to earn the money and make savings?  giá trị và số tiền mình bỏ ra?
Cách mà mình qdinh dùng để tiết kiệm tiền
4. How long did it take you to save enough money to get it?  mơ tả q trình mà mình tiết
kiệm số tiền đó sau bn lâu thì hồnh thành đc mục tiêu để mua??? Khi đi mua thì mua với
ai??? ở đâu??? Bằng phương thức nào ???
5. How did you feel when or after you get it?  cảm xúc sau khi mua 1 món đồ đó bằng tiền
tiết kiệm của mình


Sample 1:
I am one of those people who just can’t seem to understand the virtue of saving money,
probably because we get more fun in spending them rather than saving them. Besides, I guess
that it is my natural instinct to spend as much as I can. However, it may sound a bit odd, but
even I saved up some money against my natural instinct because I wanted to buy something
special.
The money, I saved, was to buy a pure leather jacket. Of course, one may ask as to why I
was really so broke financially that I actually needed to save up some money to buy some
kind of jacket? I mean, was I really not earning enough to even pay about a couple of
hundred dollars to buy a leather jacket?! Well, the answer is, yes, I was earning enough,
probably more than enough, to pay for a jacket without using any saved up money, but I still
needed to save up the money because I had spent a lot of money on buying an expensive

motorbike

only

a

few

weeks

earlier.

So, I was essentially “broke” when I wanted to buy a leather jacket that was made of pure and
expensive leather. By the way, I wanted to buy a leather jacket because I was essentially
getting tired of wearing a winter coat, made of fabrics, which needed regular cleaning.
Besides, a winter coat, which is made of fabrics, gets easily worn out, and as such, I needed
something more versatile and all-purpose coat. Anyway, it didn’t take me long to save enough
money to buy my favourite jacket because I managed to buy it only after a month or so after
buying

my

motorbike.

Well, it was important for me to buy that jacket because it was really becoming cold during
the winter where I lived in my country. Besides, I also needed to buy it because I would be
able to use it for any occasion or in any place during the wintertime without worrying that my
winter court would become worn out and old quickly.
Sample 2
To purchase a digital camera for my younger sister I had to save money for about 6 months. It

was a Canon SLR camera that I knew she had a great desire to purchase. Since she is still in
her

college,

it

was

really

difficult

for

her

to

buy

such

a

camera.

After I managed a part-time job, I planned to buy it for her. I wanted her to be happy with the
camera and that’s the primary reasons I wanted to purchase it. I knew she has a talent for

photography and that’s why I wanted her to have a good camera so that she gets inspired.
After I went to some branded camera shops, I found that the camera would cost me a bit more
than I would be able to effort. As I had just a part-time job at that time, it was not easy for me
to instantly purchase the camera for my sister. Then I planned to save money for a few
months and then purchase it. I had to save money for 6-7 months and then I had been able to
actually

buy

it.

Giving a present to someone we care about is more exciting and satisfying than purchasing
things for ourselves. I knew how happy my little sister would be if I could manage to buy her
a good camera. I also wanted her to continue the hobby of photography which was quite
tough without a quality camera. For these reasons, it was very important for me to purchase a
camera for my sister.
Part 3
1. Do you think it is easy or difficult for young people to save money?
 Well, I think that it depends on each person’s personality. For example, I know some people
who are really so good at managing their finance despite their young age. They know what
they should to buy or should not as well as set up the limits to spend their income per month.
For those people, I find it so easy. However, some other friends have the inappropriate
spending habits. Whenever they like anything, they will buy immediately and use up the
amount of money they have. It leads to the financial trouble later. For those, saving money is
not an easy task.
2. What is your priority of targets for which you are saving money?
 Well, I have many targets in my life and I always try my best to complete all. Among them,
my priority target that I am saving money to do it is to pay for my tuition fee for the semester
at my university. As you know, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, it causes a lot of

negative effects of the economic situation in almost all countries and families. Like others,
my parents are in trouble now, so I do not want my parents to be under pressure to pay for my
tuition fees which is really high because I am studying at international school.
3. In your opinion, what brings more pleasure: saving money or spending money?

 Well, it depends on each person’s thought. But I think we should balance both. For
example, for the necessary things that serve our life, we should spend on them such as


electronic appliances to do the housework or equipment used for studying or working.
However, for other things which are not vital in our daily life, we don’t need to spend on
them. Instead, we can save money from the amount spent on the mentioned needs like
hanging out with friends, eating out or buying high-brand clothes.

TOPIC 22
Part 1: Let’s talk about fashion.


1. How important is fashion to you?
 Well, I am a simple person, I like wearing casual clothes or the things that I feel
comfortable, so I think that catching up with fashion is a silly thing that a lot of people do. I
think fashion is not really important to me.
2. What can you say about your fashion style?
 To find a word to describe my fashion style, I think it is simple because I am still a student
and I have to do a lot of activities in a day. So I often choose the comfort clothes to wear with
plain color.
3. What is your priority to consider when buying clothes.eg: style, quality, price or
color?
 Among the given criteria, I always pay attention to price and quality when buying clothes.
First of all, I am a student and live on my parents’ allowance, so I don’t have a lot of money.

Besides, I think the good quality of clothes will bring about the comfort for the wearers.
Thus, these factors are my first criteria.
4. How much influence do your friends have on your purchase of fashion items?
 Well, when I go out to buy clothes, I often go with my friends because they can give the
some advice to choose the most suitable kinds of clothes for me. Moreover, they are welldressed and know fashion a lot.
5. How would you like working in fashion industry?
 Well, my ideal job is a banker because it is the traditional job of my family, so in fact I
don’t want to work in fashion industry.
Part 2
I would like to Describe an arts installation or exhibition that I once attended.
1. What was the installation or the exhibition and where was it organized?  giới thiệu về tên
buổi triển lãm? ở đâu? Khi nào? Do ai hoặc đơn vị nào tổ chức?
2. What was the installation or the exhibition about?  chủ đề của triển lãm đó là về cái gì?
3. What were you impressed most about the event?  ấn tượng của mình về cách tổ chức? các
hoạt động có trong triển làm mà mình u thích
4. How would you like to improve the exhibition for the better?  chỉ ra 1 số đặc điểm còn
tồn tại và đưa ra giải pháp hoặc gợi ý để khắc phục
5. Would you like to go to an event like that again?  nói về cảm xúc sau chuyến đi triển lãm
đó
Sample Answer


When I was a little girl, I went to a museum near my home that was exhibiting life-size wax
sculptures.
It was in a large room in the museum. The wax figures showed people from different
occupations and different poses. Each looked so real that it almost seemed as if a real person
was actually standing there and staying perfectly still. For the first half-hour when I was in
the room, I was sure that one of the figures would begin to move, and that I would finally
prove that they were really just people. The skill of the sculptor was amazing in how each one
was perfectly made to exhibit the human body’s texture, posture and size.

I was especially amazed at the wax figure of the cowboy, it seemed that he came right out of
an old western movie with his cowboy pants, gun and spurred boots. There was also the
figure of a woman at a beach, with a swimsuit, towel, sunglasses and surfboard. There was a
policeman, his hand held out to stop traffic with a whistle in his mouth. There was a
mechanic, with his hand resting on the hood of a car that he had just fixed and the illusion of
grease smudges all over his hands, face and clothes.
As a young girl, I was amazed at how someone could make a statue look so real.
Vocabulary for Cue card


Museum: an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other
objects

of

artistic,

cultural,

historical,

or

scientific

importance.

Eg: I visited the Museum with my parents.


Cowboy: an

animal

herder

who

tends

cattle

on

ranches

Eg: He painted himself as a cowboy.


Spurred: (of a rider or their boots) having a spiked device on the heels for urging a
horse

forward

Eg: He is wearing spurred boots.


Illusion: an instance of a wrong or misinterpreted perception of a sensory experience.
Eg: She is in an illusion.



Smudges: cause (something) to become messily smeared by rubbing it.
Eg: She smudged the two colours from the palette


Part 3
1. What are the reasons that people are interested in visiting arts installation or
exhibition?
 There are some reasons why people are interested in visiting arts installation or exhibition
as follows. First of all, when they go there, they will have a chance to look at/ see/ enjoy the
beauty of the most famous works. Thus, it will help them to escape from their boredom and
dissatisfaction of the real world. It is a way of relaxation. Next, they will have a chance to
make new friends with those who have the same hobby. Finally, it is the best opportunities for
them to learning knowledge and the trend. In fact, exhibitions also give a good indication of
where things are headed and viewers can learn as much as possible.
2. Arts exhibition are important to teach young generations about cultural heritage. Do
you agree?
 Well, personally, Arts exhibition are important to teach young generations about cultural
heritage because of the following benefits. First of all, in any exhibition, some samples/
things related to the cultural heritage are on display. When young people go there, they have a
chance of looking at, listening to the history and touching these things, which gives them
good experience and make them interested in learning about the places instead of learning the
subjects with the visual aids like photos in the textbook.
3. What do you think the government in your country can do to make the public more
interested in arts events?
 From my perspective, the government in my country can do some following ways to make
the public more interested in arts events. Firstly, they should let the entrance fees free, which
give chances for more people which can’t afford to go to the exhibition. Secondly, the local
authorities should hold some campaigns to educate people about the role of arts exhibition in

each person’s life. Lastly, they can organize some competitions on arts events with the high
prizes to attract more people to join in.


MORE TOPICS FOR REVISION
Topic 23
Describe A Successful Small Company Or Business That You Know
You should say :


what the business is



where it is



who runs the business / how you know about this business



and explain why you think it is successful.

Sample Answer
Nowadays, there is a booming trend of start-ups in my city; however, not all of them are
successful. One of the businesses that I think is the most successful is a chain of restaurants
and café boutiques.
I remember that 2 years ago, they only had one business in our city. It quickly became one of
the favorite spots for the youth to get together. Now they have expanded with franchises in

almost every corner of my city. The fame of X has spread by word of mouth and in my case,
a friend told me about it.
The owner of the chain is a young woman, who is only 31 years old. Since I have always
been interested in opening up a small café/restaurant of my own, I admire her work a lot. She
has successfully created a brand name for real food, in the modern era. Every time I have
visited this restaurant, it has always been full and this applies to all other locations in our city.
Recently, the group announced that it had raised a 5.5 million-dollar investment from
overseas funds. This proves that X could be considered to have great potential in developing
further and becoming more successful in the future.
Vocabulary




Booming: Having

a

sudden

increase

in

business,

wealth,

and

success.

Eg: The owner was able to buy new machinery because his company was booming
and he had money to invest


Start-ups: Companies

that

are

just

opening.

Eg: Many start-ups fail because they do not have enough money to survive their first
year in business.


Chain: A

group

of

businesses

owned

by

the

same

company.

Eg: There are about 6 large chains of supermarkets selling food in the UK.


Boutique: A

small

business

that

sells

fashionable

products.

Eg: A famous street in London is full of small boutiques selling all the latest styles of
clothes.


Franchises: Businesses that have been given permission by a company to sell its

products

in

a

particular

area.

Eg: The largest restaurant franchise in the UK is McDonald’s.


Word of mouth: The chain is famous because people have talked about it to each
other.
Eg: The news of the accident spread by word of mouth, hours before it was reported
on TV.



Brand name: The name given to a product by the company that produces it.
Eg: The brand name of the most famous trainers is NIKE.



Investment: A sum of money that you lend to a business, expecting that you will
make

more

money

over

a

period

of

time.

Eg: The investment of money by the bank enabled the business to expand.
Part 3:
1. Do you want to work for a large company?
Oh, I used to. When I was a fresh graduate, just like my peers, I longed to work for a giant
multinational corporation. Back then, I actually had no clear idea why. Everyone was


wishing the same and so was I. Maybe because of their glamour and reputation, you know. It
must be quite something to be part of a huge enterprise that is recognized all over the
world. Now, I’d prefer small and medium sized companies because they offer an open,
friendly and flexible working culture.
2. What are the biggest companies in Vietnam? What kinds of industry they belong?
Let me see. There is a host of corporations with thousands of employees in Vietnam such as
VNPT, Viettel, Vingroup and FPT. Some of them are state-owned and some are private but
it’s

clear

that

they

are

all market

leaders.

They

operate

in a

wide

range

ofindustries including construction, telecommunication, retailing, manufacturing and IT (I
mean Information & technology).
3. Why do young people want to work for a large company?
Well, as I mentioned, the most obvious reason is because people can take pride in the size
and popularity of such corporations. Large companies have been around for a while so they
provide their employees with a sense of stability and structure. People can easily see their
corporate career ladder when joining an established business. On top of that, giant
enterprises often have abundant resources to invest in their staffs. They tend to offer
more attractive benefit packages that cover health insurance and retirement plans.
4. What are the differences between small and large companies?

The way I see it, large organisations seem more stable and have greater financial
resources but their operations can be slow and rigid with onerous procedures. Small and
medium firms, on the other hand, tend to more agile and flexible. They can get things done
more quickly and even more efficiently. However, their limited budgets do not allow them to
invest generously in staff training or expensive marketing campaigns. This is definitely a
huge drawback when it comes to talent attraction and retention.
5. What are benefits large companies bring to its customers?
Apparently, people all like to deal with the leading businesses on the market. They have
successfully become the leaders for a reason you know. The first definite advantage is that
their brand can be seen as a guarantee of top quality and customers can stay worryfree when buying from them. Also, huge enterprises have ample money to invest heavily
on enhancing customers’ experience. That’s why they are able to win people’s
heart, delight them and keep them as their loyal fans for a long time.
Topic 24