Topic English (Tham Khảo) ppt

TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
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TOPIC ENGLISH 1 :

1.Talk about where you have travelled.
Last weekend, my uncle invited my family to Ha Long, one of the most famous
sea resort in Vietnam. It is really a wonderful place to go for a holiday.
There are many interest places you can visit in Halong: Thien Cung cave, Dau Go
cave, Trong Mai stone, Tuan Chau island, CatBa island. On day 1 we visited
caves . In Thien Cung , I was very surprise at a long well -preserved cave. At there
you can see different shape of stones caused by the erosion of water for thousands
years. Amazingly, some of them really like being carved by human. one like a
mother with her little child, another like a big lion … . The colour light installed
there even made me felt that I was walking on paradise. One day 2 we went to
Tuan Chau Island. The scenery was extremely beautiful. Both the sea and the sky
were blue ,the sand was golden and so soft. On the beach, there were full of
people and umbrellas. Some were sunbathing, some were swimming, and some
were surfing in the sea. I also saw many children building castles in the sand
amusingly .oh I almost forget saying about sea foods on the island which were
very delicious. We not only bought but also caught them by ourselves. The feeling
when I caught a big fish and scrap was really exciting .besides, the hotel was very
comfortable, local people were very friendly and helpful.
It is indeed an unforgettable trip. Halong will always be my first choice for
holidays.

2. Give advice to someone who wants to learn English.

Learning a language is a challenging. It requires lots of patience and hard
working. However it is a great benefit to know another language especially
English, the most world-wide language these days.
Before you start learning, it is a good idea to think carefully about what you need
or want English for. Differences purposes of learning English lead to different
method of teaching and learning. For example, English for academics purposes
very differ from business purposes.
Speaking and listening may be the most difficult skill to master. English people
speak very quickly with variety of accents. So English learners should attend
English classes and if a language laboratory is available, use it as much as
possible. You also should take every opportunity to meet and speak with native
English speaking people.
To learn reading and writing, it is advisable for every beginner to have a good
dictionary and grammar book. Each language has its own style. In order to drill
writing skills and enrich your vocabulary, you should try to read as much as
possible: books, newspaper, magazines….
But the most important thing you need is to practise regularly. It is possible to
forget 80% of what you have learnt within 24 hours if you don’t review. So you
need organize your time efficiently for learning. Spending 20 minutes everyday
for learning is much better than you learn continuously for 4 hours but just once a
week.
It is also good to make English more attractive through leaning famous English
songs and films.
Remember “practice makes perfect”

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3. Talk about something that you afraid of?
Each people have their own fear. Many people afraid of something which are
normal to others like spider, snake, height, blood… To me, I always afraid of
being old. When you getting older, your skin will wrinkle, you will lose all of
your hair and teeth. Your appearance will be terrible. Along with them is lot of
diseases such as far sighted, Alzheimer , heart attack… it is so boring when you
are ill and have to depend on other people ,lying in one place all day and doing
nothing. In addition, it is the fear of lonely when the children live far away, busy
with their own businesses and only visit their parents on some special days. The
worst thing of being old is that death becomes reality. You have to witness your
friends and relatives pass by and wait for your turn. I can’t imagine when one day
I will leave the world. Whether my body will be buried or fired and where my
spirit will go? Ohh I’m so scared.

4.What makes you happy
Well it hard to say . You know, happiness is the most difficult thing to define.
Maybe I’m happy when I come back my hometown and visiting my family. I’m
now too busy so I can’t visit them regularly about once a month. Each time I come
home, my parents and I talk a lot. I tell them about my study, my life at university.
They tell me events in my neighbour, my hometown and news about my relatives.
Sometimes they give me valuable advices. Then I will go shopping with my
mother or do the gardening with my father. I also will visit my grandparents and
friends. During the time I stay at home my mother often prepare a lot of foods of
course, all of them are my favourite food. No matter what I have grown, with
them I am always a little child. I’m so happy when living in a tender loving care
of my parents.
I also feel happy when I get something that I really desire to. Something that costs
me a lot of time, energy and effort. For example, when i passed my university

entrance examination, i have sense of satisfing and victory

5. What would you do if you had a million dollar?

It would be a big surprise if I had a million dollar. A huge amount of money,
right? It will be a chance to make all of my dreams come true. Of course, money
can’t buy everything yet with money, life will be more comfortable and pleasant.
Well, first of all, I will divide my money into 4 portions.
One portion I will give to my parents. My family is not very rich if I should not
say very poor. Although my parents have been working very hard, they can’t earn
enough money to support for our living, especially for my study at university. We
often live in debt. It is really terrible. My parents rarely have new clothes, they
often buy second-hand one because it is very cheap and they have never go on for
holiday. I ‘m always grateful to them for all things they have done and even
sacrificed for me. With the small amount of money, I wish my parents will live
better and happier.
I will keep 2 portions to do all things I have been dreamed about. Travelling all
over the world: Paris, New York, London, Sydney, Hollywood, Venice, Tokyo,
and Seoul…. And visiting Seven Wonders of the World, you know. Maybe after
travelling I’ll take further study in computing in Australia. I‘ll also invest some
money in real estate because I want my money to multiply (sinh soi nay no)
The last portion I want to devote for charity for poor and homeless people.
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
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I think it is a right thing if you share your luck to somebody who is not.

Hopefully, I will use my money wisely and never regret for that.

6. How to keep fit
Well, keeping fit is really necessary. When you are fit and healthy you will find
you look better and feel better, have more energy and self-confidence.
To keep fit, firstly, you should have a proper diet. To get enough vitamins and
minerals, you need eat variety of foods. However trying to eat less fat food such as
meat or diary products. Eating many vegetables as you like, drinking and eating as
much as water and fruit as possible.
Secondly, you should taking physical exercise regularly. Bodies are made to
move, it is not designed for sitting around in front of the TV or reading magazine.
Keeping fit doesn’t mean you have to be a super-athlete and even a little exercise
can give you a lot of fun. People who take regular exercise are usually more
relaxed and more alert than people who sit around all day. Swimming is the best,
total exercise because it works out your whole body. Walking in the early morning
and just before sleeping is the simplest way but can be very effective. It helps
warm up your body gently and realize stress after a hard-working day. It is
advisable to take up sports like football, table tennis, volleyball or badminton and
so on.
Lastly, you also should keep a healthy life style: sleep well, avoid smoking and
drinking alcohol, be optimistic in thinking…
So, keeping fit and you will have more time to enjoy life.

7. Some things you like and don’t like about being a student

Being a student is a great opportunity for everyone. However there are some
difficulties when you are a student.
Being a student means you are preparing for a good career. Job market these days
is so competitive. Therefore I think with a qualification from a university or
college, I will have a chance to find a job with high salary and promotion.

Besides, being a student give me a way to have new experiences. This often
means having opportunity to meet people different from those in my hometown.
In addition, I can expand my knowledge in subjects that I interested in like
Japanese and dancing…

On the other hand, because this is the first time I live far away from my family,
there is something that I dislike about being a student

The first thing that I don’t like about being a student is that I have suffered from
homesickness. I missed my parents and old friends so much.
Moreover it is hard to get on with things in a strange place. It was so good when
your mom cooked for you, made your bed. Your dad took you to school and when
class finished, you returned your room and made yourself completely comfortable.
But become a student implies that you will live in a dormitory or you ‘’ll rent an
apartment. Usually you have to take care of dirty dishes, messy rooms, and
cooking. This mean you have to learn many new things like how to cook several
dishes…

Another problem of being a student is money. You have to learn how
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
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to survive with the limited amount of money from our parents. There are hundreds
of things you want to buy: computers, cell phone, fashion clothes. Many events
need spending money like friend birthdays, some special days like valentine,
women’ s day… if you do not consider it carefully you will soon run out of money

and find it hard to live .
I will never forget the time when I’m a student. . It maybe somewhat difficulties
but this make I learn how to live my life better and how to appreciate what I have,
like my parents and my belongings. Besides, I get to appreciate the things I
achieve during my life because I learn that my goals are not achieved easily, but
that cost a lot of work and effort. In conclusion, being a student is great.

8. Your favourite movie ( cai nay mot bai em viet, mot bai lay o trong sach
IELTS ).
8.1 - Well, “The Mummy Returns” is my most favourite film. Although I saw it
three moths ago but I still remember it quite clearly. It isn’t a serious film or
anything. It’s meant to be light- hearted ( vui ve ) and funny. It tells the story of an
ancient Egyptian priest who is accidentally brought back to life and wants to raise
his army from the dead. The army and the priest have supernatural powers and
they will be able to rule the world. To raise his army and rule the world the priest
needs a special bracelet ( /‘breislit/ - vong tay) which will allow him to control the
Scorpion King- I didn’t really understand that bit. But a small boy, the child of
some archaeologists ( nha khao co) puts it on. The priest kidnaps the boy and
takes him to Egypt and the boy’s parents go after him to rescue him and save the
world. They travel to an oasis in the middle of the Egyptian desert and fight lots of
supernatural enemies then the boy’s father fights the priest and saves his son and
saves the world. Actually it is more complicated than that but the story isn’t
serious. I enjoy it because it is have lots of humorous as well as frighten situations
. The special effects is good and there are some funny characters. The actors were
good and the make-up and special effects to show the Mummy coming back to life
is excellent.

8.2 - Last summer I was given and DVD film on my seventeen birthday namely
“50 first dates”. It is always my favourite film. Although I have seen it twice, I
will never get bored if I see it again. It is about a love story. There is a guy

working in a sea park, actually I forget his name because it is quite strange. With
him love are games. Each week, he dates with different girls. But one day, he
suddenly met Luci in a café and fall in love with her. Unfortunately, Luci have an
incurable disease. She has a problem in her brain because of an accident a year
ago. She forgets everything she has done when she wakes up. Everyday with her
is the same day just before the accident. So although one day the guy makes friend
with her and then they have a lot of memories, the following day the guy become
totally strange to her. So the guy have a plan .he make a record explain what
happened to her and each day he make friend with her in different ways. That why
the film has its name: “50 first dates”. Of course, like most love stories, the film
has a happy ending. The two main characters get married and live happy together.
What I like most about the film is its moving (cam dong) and meaning full story.
It helps us rely on the power of love. The film was made in Hawaii so the scenery
is wonderful and romantic. And the two main actor and actress performed
naturally as if it was their own story. There are also a lot of humorous scenes that
make me laugh a lot.
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Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
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9. The member in your family
It’s actually quite hard for me to choose just one member of my family as I feel
close to all of them. But I get on well with my elder sister X, so I will talk about
her. My sister is a postgraduate in a medicine university. She have a thick dark
hair, and brown eyes. She has a kind face and when you meet her, the first thing
you notice is her lovely, warm smile. Although she is 8 years older than I am but

we are very similar in personality. We are both outgoing and quite noisy. And we
enjoy the same things The same books, same music and films, especially we
both fascinate in computer and playing games. In my opinion, that is very
important in a relationship, to have things in common. With me she is extremely
generous, forgiving me all my mistakes and troubles I made for her. She is the sort
of person you can always go to if you have a problem and can rely on. I’m so
frond of having a sister like her in my life.

10.Talk about dificulties in leaving and taking a telephone message.
- Good everning everyone, today I’m very happy to be here to talk with you about
some way of dificulities leaving and taking a telephone message.
If it is the first time you talk with foreigner by telephone, please keep in mind
some way as below.
- Vietnamese always fills very dificult when they are speaking by telephone with
foreigner. Because of some our listening skill and voice are not good, we are loss
calm before we talk to them so the result is nothing we can hear from them. In
some case, their voice is not clear and they speak too fast, So we want to leaving
and taking a telephone message it’s very hard for us.
- To make good this weakness, firstly you must trust on yourself and keep yourself
calm down when you talk with foreigner. Try to best yourself to talk clearly and
fluently to them and hear what they said.

11.Describe a product you know well? What you can say to persuade
customers to buy the pro duct?
- Good morning everybody, today I’m very happy to be here to talk with you a
famous product which evryone know too.
I would like to introduce to you about chocolate. Chocolate is a special sweet, It is
made 100% from butter and cacao with traditional experiences and secrets of
creating characteristic scents.
Chocolates are made by profesional skill workers with control of production

process closest, terms of production and in the best of preservation.
Some of famous chocolate’s brand name in the world are in Swiss and Belgium.
- In case, I was a sale i would like to deal with some points of chocolate as below.
- Firstly, you can choose chocolate for the first gifts of special days, as birthday,
Women’s day, Valentine day or present from your business …. For example: On
your friends’s birth day you can choose chocolate for a gift, if she is your girl-friend
you will get double love from her.
If you get maried, it is easier than for you. Your wife and children will be pleased
with you if they are given.
Chocolate is made in a lot of beautiful and special figures that you can choose it.
- Seconly, the use of chocolate not only hobby but also one of the most wonderful
remedy. The scientists demostrated that seventy five percent of fat in chocolate are
useful for the health. We could be decreased cholesterol.
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Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
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Its price is not so expensive for everyone, it always compete with each other gifts.
- In the last, I guarantee with you that what I say is true.
That is my idea, thanks for your pay attention and hope you have a nice day.

12.What are the advantages and disadvantages of TV?
(Những ưu điểm và nhược điểm của truyền hình là gì?)
What would you do after a hard day at school and you want to entertaining. It
simple, just turn on your TV. Music channel, comedy channel or cartoon
channel is your choice, just pick a channel. And not only entertaining, TV can
also help you update the news from all over the world in the end of the day. When

you bore you can go anywhere you like: Paris, New York, London just pick travel
channel. As you can see TV have many advantages but you still can deny it have a
disadvantage. Now you have about 30 channel with you favorite program and you
don't want to miss. And you end up spend all day long to watch TV, and you
forget to do other thing. Like hang out with your friend, sea everything with your
own eye, or just forget to focus study for the exam. You can control your life, you
are the boss, so you should find the best way to rise your TV, so it only have
advantages.

Lợi ích và tác hại của TV
Bạn sẽ làm gì sau 1 ngày học tập vất vả ở trường và bạn muốn giải trí. Thật đơn
giản, chỉ cần bật tivi lên. Kênh âm nhạc, hài kịch, phim hoạt hình là sự lựa chọn
của bạn, chỉ cần bật 1 kênh. Không chỉ giải trí, tivi còn giúp bạn cập nhật những
tin tức từ khắp nơi trên thế giới vào cuối mỗi ngày. Khi bạn chán bạn có thể đi
khắp nơi bạn thích: Paris, New York, London… chỉ cần chọn kênh du lịch. Bạn có
thể thấy nhiều lợi ích của tivi nhưng bạn kô thể phủ nhận những tác hại của nó.
Bây giờ bạn có khoảng 30 kênh với những chương trình yêu thích của bạn và bạn
kô muốn bỏ lỡ chúng. Bạn xem tivi cả ngày mà quên làm những thứ khác. Như
thể là đi chơi với bạn bè, ngắm nhìn mọi vật với con mắt của bạn, hoặc chỉ cần
quên xem để tập trung học tập cho kỳ thi B ạn có thể kiểm soát cuộc sống của
mình, bạn là ông chủ, vì vậy bạn nên tìm ra cách tốt nhất để sử dụng tivi của mình
để nó chỉ có những mặt tốt.

13.The traffic problems in our city and how to solve them?
(Vấn đề giao thông trong thành phố của chúng ta & làm thế nào để giải quyết
chúng?)
After finish my study, I go back home at 5 pm. And all I can see is people with
diffrent vehicle: motorbike, car, bicycle I really hate rush hour, but what can I
do traffic jam always is a major problem in the city. And until now I still can find
a solution to fix this problem. The population is increasing so the vehicle is

increasing. But the road is still tiny for a huge amount of vehicle. It not enough
space for every one, and then you have it, traffic jam. In this state the only thing
we can do now is encourage people using public vehicle instead of personal
vehicle. The authority should open a private road for the public vehicle and then
people will using a public vehicle. And slowly we can fix this problem.

Vấn đề giao thông trong thành phố
Sau khi học xong, tôi về nhà lúc 5h chiều. Tất cả những gì tôi thấy là mọi ng` với
đủ các loại phương tiện giao thông: ô tô, xe máy, xe đạp… Tôi thực sự ghét giờ
cao điểm, nhưng tôi có thể làm đk gì, ách tắc giao thông luôn là vấn đề lớn trong
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thành phố. Mãi tới bây giờ mà tôi vẫn ko tìm ra giải pháp nào đê giải quyết vấn đề
này. Dân số tăng vì thế phương tiện giao thông cũng tăng. Nhưng đường thì vẫn
thế cho một lượng lớn phương tiện kô đủ chỗ cho mọi ng` và như vậy là ách tắc
giao thông. Trong trạng thái này, việc duy nhất chúng ta có thể làm bây giờ là
khuyến khích mọi ng` sử dụng phương tiện giao thông công cộng thay vì phương
tiện cá nhân. Chính quyền nên mở những con đường riêng cho phương tiện giao
thông công cộng và sau đó mọi người sẽ sử dụng chúng. Và dần dần chúng ta có
thể khắc phục vấn đề.

14.The advantages and disadvantages of working at the part time job while
studying at a university?
(Những thuận lợi & bất lợi của công việc bán thời gian trong khi học tại 1 trường
đại học?)

When you studing in the university you have a small allowance every month from
your family. And you can survive after one month, of course. But you need more
money in order to buy present or flower for you girlfriend. Buy birthday present
for your friend and other thing. So you must have a part time job to earn money,
not much but it all your. And not only you have money but also you have more
social experience when you fully enter the social network after you find a job.
You can meet new people, you can make friend But if you don spent you time
right between studying or working then your part-time job is not good as it used to
be. Just always remind yourself studing is more important than working, you must
have a best result after the exam. Or else you should quit.

Lợi ích và tác hại của công việc làm thêm
Khi bạn học tập ở Đại học bạn nhận đk sự trợ cấp nhỏ từ gia đình. Dĩ nhiên, bạn
có thể sống sau 1 tháng. Nhưng bạn cần tiền để mua quà, hoa cho bạn gái, mua
quà sinh nhật cho bạn bè và những thứ khác. Vì thế bạn cần 1 công việc để kiếm
tiền, không nhiều nhưng nó giúp ích tới bạn. Bạn ko chỉ có tiền mà bạn có kinh
nghiệm xã hội sau khi bạn đã hoàn toàn bước vào cuộc sống. Bạn có thể gặp mọi
ng`, có nhiều bạn bè… Nhưng nếu bạn kô quản lý tốt thời gian giữa việc học và
làm thì công việc của bạn sẽ kô tốt như nó đã từng. Luôn luôn nhớ rằng công việc
học của bạn là quan trọng hơn đi làm thêm, bạn phải có một kết quả tốt nhất sau
kỳ thi hoặc là bạn nên thôi học.

15. environment is bring polluted day by day reasons?
(Môi trường chúng ta ô nhiễm từng ngày, lý do?)
Our environment is polluted every single day. Air, water, soil everything is
polluted. For example, air polluted because it is the most important thing for us,
no air no breath. Everytime we burn gasoline it release a huge amount of CO2 and
it not friendly with our atmosphere. But with no gasoline we can operate our
vehicle, all the factory will be shut down because the don't have energy to operate
the machine. But we still have another way, we just have to find a new source of

energy more friendly with the environment. We can use solar energy, wind energy
and convert to the electricity. This energy is easy to get, easy to convert maybe it
unstable but we still can use this energy. All we have to do is find a source of
energy that don't destroy our environment everytime we use it.

Môi trường bị ô nhiễm
Môi trường của chúng ta bị ô nhiễm mỗi ngày. Kô khí, nước, đất… mọi thứ đều bị
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ô nhiễm. Ví dụ, kô khí ô nhiễm, nó l à thứ quan trọng nhất đối với chúng ta, kô có
kô khí thì ko thể thở. Mỗi khi chúng ta đốt xăng, nó sẽ thải ra một lượng lớn CO2
và khí này kô thân thiện với môi trường. Nhưng nếu kô có xăng, phương tiện sẽ
kô thể hoạt động đk. Tất cả nhà máy sẽ bị đóng của vì kô có năng lượng để vận
hành máy móc. Nhưng chúng ta vẫn có những cách khác. Chúng ta phải tìm ra
những nguồn năng lượng mới thân thiện hơn với môi trường. Chúng ta có thể sử
dụng năng lượng mặt trời, năng lượng gió và chuyển nó thành điện. … Tất cả
chúng ta phải làm là tìm một nguồn năng lượng không phá hủy môi trường mọi
lúc khi sử dụng nó.

16.Which do you thing is more valuable, health or wealth?
(Bạn nghĩ điều gì giá trị hơn, sức khỏe & sự giàu có?)
Health and wealth, both of them is very important so it very hard to choose. But I
think health is more important, with health I can do anything, I can go anywhere. I
can find a job to earn money and maybe I can be a billionaire and then I have both
of them health and wealth, impossible? No, I think it possible. Maybe some of you

think wealth is the most important, but you are wrong. Of course wealth is
important but is not everything. Just imagine how do you live with wealth and
without health. Your lungs have problem, your liver have problem, your heart,
your stomach and even your brain. You spend all day in the hospital, you have
breakfast with drug, you have lunch with drug, you have dinner with drug. So next
time if some one ask you what is more important between wealth and health, you
know the answer.

Tiền bạc và sức khỏe
Tiền bạc và sức khỏe, cả 2 thứ đều rất quan trọng vì thế thật khó để chọn lựa.
Nhưng tôi nghĩ rằng sức khỏe quan trọng hơn, có sức khỏe tôi có thể làm bất cứ
điều gì, tôi có thể đi bất cứ nơi nào. Tôi có thể tìm 1 công việc để kiếm tiền, có lẽ
tôi sẽ trở thành 1 tỷ phú và sau đó tôi sẽ có cả tiền bạc và sức khỏe. Không thể ư?
Không, tôi nghĩ là có thể. Có thể bạn nghĩ rằng tiền bạc là quan trọng hơn, nhưng
tôi nghĩ bạn đã sai. Dĩ nhiên, tiền bạc là quan trọng nhưng nó không phải là tất cả.
Chỉ cần hình dung rằng bạn sẽ sống ntn với sự giàu có mà sức khỏe kô tốt. Phổi
của bạn có vấn đề, gan của bạn có vấn đề, tim bạn, dạ dày của bạn và thậm chí cả
bộ não của bạn. Bạn phải ở cả ngày trong bệnh viện, bữa ăn sáng của bạn là thuốc,
bữa trưa của bạn là thuốc, bữa tối của bạn cũng là thuốc. Vì thế lần tới nếu có ai
hỏi bạn rằng tiền bạc và sức khỏe cái gì quan trọng hơn thì bạn biết câu trả lời của
mình rồi đấy.

17.Why do the young people prefer living in the big city?
(Tại sao những người trẻ tuổi thích sống ở những thành phố lớn?)
The big city always is the heaven for the young people. The big city have
everything the young people need, you can find everything in the mall,
supermarket and convinient store. This is the thing that country side don't have,
country side is like the old man and the big city like a teenager. And the big city
have a exciting night life, every time sun down the city is light up with the light
from the park, building, street You can work, study in the morning and relax,

hang out with your friend when the nigh fall. You can go to the cinema, go to the
park or shopping. A exciting life are waiting in the big city. So the young people
really love the big city. And when they get older they will want to move to the
country side, but it doesn't matter. Like myself, when you were young you always
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prefer living in the big city, who don't?

18.There is no place like home?
(Không có nơi nào như quê nhà?)
You can go around the world but you will never find a place like home. It is where
you were born, where you lived with your family. And you had the memory with
your home and this memory is unreplaceable so you just have one and only home.
It belong to your family. Maybe your moved and start the new life. It alright, your
home is not just your house, you can sale your house but you still have the soul of
the house, it is your family, this is your home. This is where you belong. Some
people always want to go back home before the die, it not because they want to
spend they last day with the house they were born. No, they just want to spend
they last day with they family, because family is really unreplaceable. You'll be in
they heart as they'll be in your heart, from now and until they pass away. There is
really no place like home, your family is your one and truly home.


TEST 21
Describe your first day at school as a child

That morning my mother woke me up earlier than usual. She urged me to get dressed
and take breakfast quickly then tenderly took me to school. On the way to school I
met other children of my age accompanied by their parents to school.
The nearer I came to the school gate, the more nervous I became. Suddenly a strange
feeling of fear and worry seized my heart when I saw the majestic elementary school
in front of me and I felt like crying when my mother said good bye to me and put
some coins into my pocket. Never before had I been forced to separate from my
beloved mother! But when I saw old pupils laughing and talking merrily I regained
my composure.
After the droll of a drum, we were instructed to stand in line to salute the colours and
then go into our classes. A young and mild-looking teacher greeted us at the door.
And in a gentle voice, he taught us the first lesson that we never forget!

TEST 22
Your favourite hobby

My hobby is reading books. I inherited a valuable collection of books from my
deceased father and up till now my cultural treasures have been preserved carefully.
Reading books broadens my mind improves my knowledge. They help me distinguish
the bad from the good and prevent me from doing wrong.
Reading books brings me minutes of happiness and pleasures. I have found a source
of consolation and encouragement in books when I am in despair. They're my true
companions indeed. How relieved and comforted I feel when I can find in good books
good teachers and friends!
Instead of indulging myself in futile entertainments, I often absorbed in reading
interesting books which always have miracles to soothe my sorrows and hardships
and reveal to me strange and new horizons.

TEST 23

Which season of the year do you like best? Why?
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I was born in Northern Vietnam, where there are four clear seasons: Spring, summer,
autumn, and winter. Each season has its own charms and attractions. For example,
spring is the season which offers beautiful flowers and warm weather; summer is the
season of nice holidays when we can enjoy lots of outdoor activities such as
picnicking, camping, swimming, fishing etc Autumn is so beautiful with its ideal
weather while winter can give us such delight as gathering by a fire to chat or tell
each other funny stories. As far as I am concerned, I like autumn best because of the
following reasons:
During autumn, which lasts more or less from late July to early October, it is sunny
most of the time. The Autumnal sun is often splendid, dying nature yellow. The
weather is also ideal because it is not too cold or too hot. Then the coldish
northwesterly wind, which blows gently, thrills everyone with the breath of autumn.
The leaves of the trees turning yellow or red put a gorgeous coat of colours on nature.
Autumn is such a wonderful season that many poems and songs have been composed
to sing the praises of the season. Autumn is also a season which reminds me of my
first day at school, when my mother took me by the hand and led me to school for the
first time.
Last but not least, autumn is the time when I can enjoy my favourite fruit and dish
which are the Japanese persimmons and the green rice flakes. These are found only in
autumn.

TEST 24
Smoking damages our health (Smoking is harmful to our health)
Over the last thirty years, thanks to the efforts of various branches of science and
technology, research has proved that smoking damages health and shortens man's life-
span.
According to a diagram released by the World's Health Organization (WHO), the
number of people who die of diseases connected to smoking is increasing more and
more. The more science and technology learn, the more damage caused by smoking is
discovered. Therefore, it seems that we can never put a final stop to the list of harm
caused by smoking.
First of all, smoking brings about the decline of our memory because each cigarette
we smoke destroys 15,000 cerebral cells.
Smoking is considered the number one cause of cardiovascular trouble, pneumonia,
lung cancer etc The main offending agents are carbon monoxide and nicotine in the
smoke. These cancers - causing agents are also the ones which cause pharyngeal
cancer. The toxic effects of smoke make the smoker's voice hoarse. Additionally, the
visible effect is that the tobacco or opium tar sticks to the teeth, and causes them to
become dark or dirty-yellow, diminishing our good looks and charm.
In conclusion, I would like to quote our well-known scholar "Le Quy Don" as saying
some hundred years ago that smoking was like taking a toxic drug, the smoke of
which wasted our health and diminished our life-span; yet, few people heeded his
sage advice.


TEST 25
Describe your best friend and tell why you like him/her

Of all my friends, Thanh Hoa is my best friend since we enjoy each other's company
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so much that we'll miss each other greatly if we don't meet at least once a week.
Thanh Hoa is twenty-two years old but everyone thinks she looks much younger.
She's not so pretty but she's charming. She has a fair complexion that makes her look
very healthy; here eyes are clear and expressive.
She is a very reliable, mature girl with a great sense of humour. She is very "down-to-
earth" and is often shy. She has been with me in both good and bad times to either
rejoice over something with me or to comfort me. She has a strong personality with
crystal clear view of "right and wrong". She's an honest, a loyal and a warm
humanitarian. Some people wonder how we can become such good friends because
she is so quiet and I'm very energetic and outgoing. I think (that) the idiom "opposites
attract" is the answer.

TEST 26
Why is it necessary to learn English?

English is the international language of business. In order to discuss our country's
products and services with other people as well as to entice investment from foreign
lands, we must do so in English. To communicate our thoughts and ideas to other
cultures, the best tool is English. Communication is our link to the outside world and,
in turn, our chance at economic growth. Most leading countries in the world either
speak English or have English as their second language. There are the countries that
have the resources, technology and knowledge to help us grow.
We are also invited to learn so much from English speakers. We can experience the
foods of Ireland, the natural resources of Canada, the monuments of the U.S., the
desert 'areas of Australia or the best fishing ports in New Zealand, just by talking

with, these citizens. We, in turn, can also express our feelings and interests about
Vietnam. The sharing of this kind of information is a bridge to long term friendships
with people from all over the world.

TEST 27
The benefits of sports and physical exercises

Nobody can deny the benefits of sports and physical exercises.
In fact, such sports as: swimming, jogging, jumping, playing tennis, football, basket -
ball, volley - ball, skating, skiing etc bring us a well - proportioned body.
When we practise a certain sport, our muscles are developed; blood circulates easily
in blood vessels therefore we'll have a good appetite and a sound sleep
As for me, my favourite sport is jogging in the morning and playing tennis in the
afternoon. By practicing these sports regularly I always feel fit and never get sick.
Health is much more precious than money. We can't lead a happy life if we are
continually tortured by diseases.
Try to keep a clear mind in a healthy body and get accustomed to regular practice of
certain sports, we'll feel life worth living.

TEST 28
Describe the countryside in the morning

As usual, when the first cock crows break the complete silence of the country, every
activity of a new day begins: The villagers start getting up; buffalo tenders are calling
each other to drive their cattle to the fields.
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Smoke from the cottages is rising and spreading in the fresh air, mingling with the
veil of morning mist. A few hours later, in the west, a bright, fresh and newly-bathed
sun is looming gradually from the hedge of green bamboos. The dew drops on the
grass and golden rice ears by the roadside are as resplendent as precious stones.
Suddenly a lark flies up and sings gaily, followed by thousands of his companions. A
fresh breeze comes on, the yellow rice fields begin to move and the pure air is
redolent of soft fragrance. The scenery becomes livelier as groups of farmers are
rushing, to their fields talking and laughing merrily, ready to resume work of a new
day.

TEST 29
Why are good books considered good teachers and friends?

When I read a book, I am swept away into my own little world discovering new
things and imagining places only I can see. It is a private dialogue between the author
and me. There is no one to criticize or question me. I can read the book at my own
speed and savour it every moment. Books offer us the world. We can learn about
history, geography, famous and interesting people and different countries. It is the
cheapest form of travel that I know! I love to read a variety of authors and learn about
new ideas and ways of expression. I also try to read a variety of books, from romance
to biographies and everything in between. I especially like adventure stories because
it is in here that I can really put my imagination to work! There is such a vast amount
of information available in books. From the early ages to our recent years we can
continue to learn about a variety of topics and interests. School textbooks offer us the
basics for learning how to learn-from math to science, from language to arts.
Recently, my father and brother were interested in building a new table and chairs for
our family's dinning room. Neither one of them is a carpenter. So how did they do it,
your might ask? They bought a book that showed them how! A good book truly

merits respect whether it is a "how-to" book, a good novel or a school textbook.
TEST 30
You tell a foreigner about Vietnam, your beloved homeland

Vietnam is a long, narrow strip of land in the shape of a letter "S". We, Vietnamese,
compare our country to the shape of a dragon with the long narrow regions of the
Centre forming the slender body, and the regions of the North forming the head, mane
and front legs. Vietnam has a total territory of 332.000 square kilometers, and a
coastline which meanders along the immense Pacific Ocean.
Being of a peace-loving nature the Vietnamese people nevertheless know how to
react vigorously against adversities to defend their homeland. Fiercely protective of
their independence and sovereignty for 2.000 years, they are also welcoming
foreigners who come as their guests.
Most visitors who come to Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty of the
country's natural setting. The Red River Delta in the North, the Mekong River Delta
in the South and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork of green rice fields
(paddy-fields) tended from draw to dusk by peasants in conical hats. Visitors will also
have the opportunity to experience the energetic and purposeful performance in
revitalizing the Vietnamese economy by the Vietnamese. They will have their senses
thrilled by all the sights, tastes and smells of a society born of over a century between
an ancient civilization and the ways of the West.
Despite the ravages of war in the past, the Vietnamese people are now determined to
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rebuild their homeland, making it many times as rich and magnificent as it used to be

following Uncle Ho's teaching.

TEST 31
I like to go shopping at a supermarket. Why?

I like to go shopping at a supermarket because of the following reasons:
The supermarket is large, comfortable and conveniently-located. It takes me only a
few minutes to walk there from my house. I usually don't have much time for
shopping, so I have to buy things according to a plan, or from a shopping list. At this
supermarket I can buy exactly what I need very quickly because everything is placed
on open shelves. All I have to do is (to) choose whatever I want and take it to the
check-out counter.
Apart from that, I don't have to bargain over prices before buying, yet. I'm never
afraid of being overcharged for anything. Goods are sold at fixed prices and the
supermarket guarantees the things we buy. Should the items become faulty, the
supermarket will either have them replaced or repaired for free.

TEST 32
The birthday present you bought for your mother

I always have a difficult time choosing original birthday presents. My imagination
never seems to go beyond ties, handkerchiefs or pairs of socks. But strangely enough,
it didn't take me long to decide on my mother's birthday present. For the first time in
my life I had a good idea - I would buy her a gas stove which I thought would make
her happy.
As a housekeeper of a large family, my mother had to toil hard over her bulk of
housework. Among her household tasks was the cooking, which took a lot of her
time. The cooking was done by means of burning firewood or compressed coal,
which usually emitted a lot of smoke. This was affecting my mother's health. With a
gas stove she could save a lot of her time as well as her health.

Since I bought her this gas-stove, my mother has had some free time to relax and her
health has improved a lot. I felt very happy that the birthday present I bought for my
mother was of great service to her.

TEST 33
Describe New Year celebrations in your country

Every year towards the middle of the twelfth lunar month everybody is eager to
welcome New Year.
They all have their houses whitewashed and decorated beautifully. They buy new
clothes for their children and get everything ready for Tet.
On the thirtieth night of the twelfth lunar month when the clock strikes 12, the New
Year actually takes place of the old one. All houses are well-lighted and they're busy
making offerings to their ancestors. Children, in their new clothes, wish longevity to
their grandparents, parents and are looking forward to receiving some money put in
small red envelopes.
On New Year’s Days, the Vietnamese usually eat square and cylindrical glutinous
rice cakes and water-melons or crack water-melon seeds and enjoy some special
foods. On these days they often pay visit to each other and wish each other a Happy
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New Year. During New year's Days they avoid talking nonsense and often go to
churches, pagodas and temples to pray for a lucky and Prosperous New year.
Vietnamese Tet lasts about a fortnight after that they're ready to resume work as
usual.

TEST 34
Describe the advantages of living in the country and the disadvantages of living
in the city.
Although I've spent most of my life in the city, I always prefer to live in the country
rather than in the city.
First, living in the country we can enjoy fresh and pure air all year round whereas the
city atmosphere is seriously polluted.
Second, we can live a safe and peace full life in the country while townsfolk are often
obsessed with sudden deaths caused by careless drivers and fool hardy motorcyclists.
Third, nothing can be compared with beautiful sceneries at dusk and at dawn in the
country side. They help us relax wonderfully after a hard day's work while the
debaucheries in prostitute houses in beer shops and dancing-halls are ruining
townspeople's body and soul.
Four, nowadays, with the extensive electricity network, country life isn't less
comfortable and civilized than town life.
In a word, we can enjoy the clean atmosphere, the closeness to nature and the gentle
pace of living in the country whereas the city life with its evil influences spoils and
poisons townsfolk's minds.

TEST 35
Describe your English teacher

My English teacher is Miss Loan. She's of medium height, about twenty five of age.
She's fairly pretty with her oval-shaped face, straight nose, large forehead and bright
eyes. Though young and attractive in appearance she's dignified and virtuous.
She's known to be a teacher of considerable ability. Her method of teaching differs
somewhat with that of our former teacher. Instead of explaining fully every new
lesson beforehand she just gives us assignments and let us work out ourselves. Thus
her methods of teaching correspond to all of us and help us become active in our

English learning.
When teaching, she particularly pays close attention to English accent and
pronunciation. She often makes us pronounce an English word several times until it's
pronounced correctly and accurately. She always encourages us in our English study
and thanks to her devotion to teaching us, we have been making a rapid progress.
Everyone in our class is now talking about our new English teacher who deserves our
love and respect.

TEST 36
Describe the career you have chosen, and the reasons for your choice

The choice of a career is of the utmost importance. It determines one's whole life. As
for me, after careful consideration, I want to become a construction engineer.
In our country, after long years of atrocious war, many houses, villages, bridges and
roads were destroyed by bombing They all need to be repaired or rebuilt. After
graduation, I'll contribute my part to the reconstruction of my war torn country into
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one of the most modern and powerful countries in the world.
How happy I feel when I am able to turn slum areas into blocks of high buildings, to
bring happiness and joys to my poor compatriots!
How proud and delighted I am to build high-ways, bridges and factories for my city
dwellers by the sweat of my brow'

TEST 37

Describe your native village and state your reasons why you love it

Although my village is small, it's very beautiful and lovely.
My village is divided into 4 hamlets which are directed and supervised by heads of
hamlet who are m charge of and responsible for the activities of their hamlet.
In the middle of the village stands an ancient pagoda where the villagers gather to
make offerings to the God of Agriculture on the 15th day of the first lunar month. On
the left flows peacefully a blue and clear river where I used to take a swim on hot
days when I was young.
Almost the houses in my village are built on high ground to avail floods in the rainy
season. The villagers live chiefly on agriculture. All year round they cling to their
soil, thinking of the best ways to force their soil to produce more food and vegetables
to their families. They get rich owing to their creative work and industriousness. The
harvest time is the merriest and busiest season of the year.
How I love my native village! It's in this nice and lovely place that I was born and
have grown up and spent wonderful days of my childhood. It's the cradle, the paradise
of my whole life!

TEST 38
Write about a holiday you took. Give details.

My friend and I recently went on a four-day holiday to Nha Trang. It was wonderful
to escape the air and noise of Ho Chi Minh City.
We took the night train and we were gently lulled to sleep by the sound of the train
and the pleasant night air. We arrived in Nha Trang early the next morning and
checked into the Grand Hotel which is very near to the beach, restaurants and
nightlife. The hotel offered all kinds of accommodation-from first class to economy.
The staff was friendly and extremely helpful to us. They recommended a few tours
which we took and we were not disappointed with. On the beach we ate fresh seafood
such as boiled crabs, grilled lobsters and sanguine oysters. Nha Trang was clean and

quiet, making our holiday very peaceful, restful and unforgettable.

TEST 39
Tell about the pollution in our city and how to solve it
The pollution of air, water and land in our city with such pollutants as smoke,
industrial and household waste is getting worse and worse. It has reached intolerable
levels. The-amount of carbon monoxide (CO) of the air now far exceeds the accepted
limit. As a result of this, the health of every citizen here is being jeopardized
alarmingly.
To solve the problem of pollution I think the government should relocate the factories
outside the city limits and penalize people for littering, especially for relieving
themselves in the streets. I also think there should be stronger controls on vehicles
emitting pollutants. Apart from these measures, the government should establish more
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factories to recycle garbage, which is probably the best way of disposing of
household waste. Then the masses should be mobilized to tidy up their houses and the
streets where they live, to grow trees and plants into forests to preserve their
environment. Only then can the pollution be diminished.

TEST 40
How do you spend an evening when it rains?

Evening is the time when I've finished a day of hard work and deserve a good rest. I
usually go out either to see a film or visit my friends to discuss current events and

inquire about each other's school work.
However, I'd rather not go out but stay (at) home when it rains. When at home, the
first thing I'd like to do is to put everything in my study room in order. Then I invite
my next-door neighbour to come over with his chessboard for a couple of chess
games. This helps settle me down until dinner time. Sometimes I want to be alone in
my room to read funny stories, listen to good music or simply to the sound of the rain
beating on the outside. Once in a while my grandfather will contribute his share to
these indoor activities of mine by telling me and my younger brothers and sisters
stories about well-known characters in our national history. We all like to hear about
these famous people's good works in literature, good deeds in cultural and social
activities, and especially feats of war.
In spite of all the things I try to do to while away my time when it's impossible for me
to go out in the evening because of the rain. I always find it dull. So I think I should
embark on an indoor hobby to occupy myself on such evening as these.

TEST 41
Do you like to live in an old house or in a modern flat?

I live in an old house, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't want to live in
a modern flat at all. Let me tell you why.
Our old houses are very solidly built and will weather big storms. The walls are
thicker than those of a modern flat, and this keeps out the summer heat. Also, our roof
is tiled, and I like to climb up inside the house and listen to the sound of the rain
beating on the outside.
Also, old houses seem friendlier than new ones. The sharp edges are worn smooth,
making everything more comfortable to me. Old houses are bigger too, with extra
rooms for everything, and this makes our houses more fun to play in.
Then, too, our old houses often have a nice big yard around it, and that makes a good
place to play in, and also a place to keep my pet dog. If I lived in a flat, I couldn't
have a pet. So now you can see why I am so happy to live in a big, old house.

TEST 42
Suppose you are living away from home in a foreign land.
Write a short letter to your parents, telling them about your feelings and
impressions.

Dear Mom and Dad,
By this time I am well-adjusted to living away from home. Living in another country
is the only way to become acquainted with what the people are really like, it is only
by becoming very good friends with some of the American students here at school
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that I have gained lots of insights into their way of life.
Even though the countryside looks very different here and the weather changes to
great extremes, from winter cold and snow to summer sun and heat, I find that people
are the same everywhere. Everyone has friends. Everyone is concerned about living
in peace with his fellowmen, but sometimes this is hard to see clearly. All men have
love for their country and a need to do satisfying work. And everyone needs to have a
home of his own and to raise his own family.
I am learning a lot by being here for so long. I am learning about life through living
here, and not just from studying at the university.
However, studying is what I must do right now. So until I write again, I remain your
loving son.

TEST 43

Relate a sad happening in your life.

I have lost several valuable things during my life and have been unhappy but I have
never felt as sorrowful as I have of late-after learning that I had just lost a dear friend
(whom) I had known for so many years.
One morning when I was studying my lesson, I received a telegram. I opened it and
read the sad news-my friend had been killed in a car accident. I was shocked and
could not believe the words in the message. Just last week we saw each other at a
party and chatted happily about everything. Could it be that we would never meet
again? I took the telegram, read it over and over again, hoping that I had misread it or
that it had been an error.
But the more I read, the more my doubts were dispelled. It must be true. I was so sad
that I couldn't do anything. Suddenly tears dimmed my eyes. I remembered studying
with him and the good times we had gone swimming together. Then, I recalled his
sincerity and faithfulness. We seemed to understand and relate with each other almost
as if we had been identical twins. I felt very close to him. I also knew how deeply I
would miss him, realizing acutely that a good friend is a precious treasure. It is
painful to think that I have lost one person who understood, comforted and brought so
much joy to my life. I know I will always remember him but hope that time will help
(to) lighten my grief and loss.

TEST 44
What benefits can traveling (travelling) bring to you?

To supplement what we learn from books and teachers, schools usually organize trips
for students. Many students considered the planned trips as social outings designed
for pleasure only. They don't realize all the knowledge and benefits they can derive
from travel.
In reality these trips can bring about so many physical, social and mental benefits.
Let's describe these benefits in details.

In some of our travels we have an opportunity to live amongst nature, to inhale clean
air and fresh breeze. We also have opportunities to take long walks, to run, to jump
and climb freely so that we can develop physically healthy bodies. On such trips our
appetite improves and we sleep soundly.
In addition, we gain a lot of social and mental benefits from our trips. Travels and
outings provide students with opportunities to be joyful and friendly, and so escape
from everyday routines. They give us a chanc9e to become better -acquainted and
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socialize with others. From these contacts, we learn how to relate to people, exchange
ideas and gain friends. Our trips provide us with association with nature, give us time
to relax, meditate and to enjoy games out-of-doors (outdoors). Living with others in
groups helps us (to) form good habits such as sharing consideration for others,
resourcefulness and friendliness. Moreover, travels and outings will help to develop
our knowledge and supplement what we learn from books and teachers. The lessons
on Geography, History and Science will be more meaningful to us, enriched through
true-to-life observations and experiences. Through travels we can also learn about our
beautiful country, the historical relics, the places of interest, the rich resources of our
country, the progress that has taken place and the improvements that need to be made.
As a result, we turn to know and love our country more.
In conclusion, trips are usually beneficial to us. However, to gain the most from our
outings we should learn to observe carefully and put in practice rules of good social
behavior. We should also learn how to enjoy nature and respect its numerous
beautiful offerings. If we keep in mind and practice (practise) all of the points
involved in travelling successfully, we can benefit greatly from these experiences.

TEST 45
Write a letter to a foreign friend of your introducing him (or her) one aspect of
the Vietnamese culture.

Dear John,
I am very happy as I write this letter to you today because this is a happy time of the
year in Vietnam. It is the time of Tet, our New Year.
Later I will write to tell you about some other aspects of our Vietnamese culture, but
now let me just tell you about this special holiday, Tet.
"Tet" is the start of our lunar year. It does not fall on the same date as your New Year
- January 1", but we usually celebrate it somewhere from January 15th to February
28th. At this time of the year, the shops are busy, especially those in the Central
Market where gaily-wrapped sweets and other goodies fill the shelves. Many people
come to buy and the shops are very crowded.
Everyone likes to wear new clothes to start the New Year. Then too, gifts must be
bought for all relatives, especially for grandparents. Some streets are lined with pretty
flowers and big watermelons are for on sale along others. From what I have read and
heard, it is similar to your Christmas.
"Tet" is a favorite holiday of most Vietnamese people. The culture and traditions of
"Tet" have been passed on to us for so many generations. Before and during "Tet" we
observe these customs and traditions.
In my next letter I will tell you more about some of the special customs we observe
during this time.
May I close by wishing you "Cung Chuc Tan Xuan", our words for "Happy New
Year".
Your friend,


TEST 46

You have just arrived to visit a foreign country. Write to your parents
announcing that you have arrived safely and ask them to send something to you.

Dear Mother and Father,
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
19

This letter is to let you know that I have arrived safely in Singapore. My first
impressions are that Singapore is a beautiful country and that I am going to enjoy my
stay here very much.
Everything is so clean and beautiful and very well-organized. The airport is very large
and modern and I could see that they have just completed the modernization. The
people working there were friendly, courteous and very helpful. They made me feel
very welcome to their city. The taxi from the airport downtown was readily available
and very inexpensive.
My hotel is a new modern one with every convenience. The tourist bulletin that I
found in my room suggests to me so many different things that I might like to see and
do, so I am sure that I will be busy every minute.
Unfortunately, I forgot the shopping list that I had made out before I came here. As
you know, many of my friends asked me to buy something for them. I can not
possibly remember everything, so would you please send the list to me.
I miss both of you and wish that you were here with me. Don't worry about me
because this is a very secure and safe place. I will write again in a few days.
Your loving son,

TEST 47

Relate an accident you've witnessed

Last week my next-door neighbor was cooking dinner when there was a telephone
call. She rushed out of the kitchen to answer the telephone but forgot to turn off the -
gas-stove. The telephone conversation lasted for quite a long time.
When she finished the conversation and got back to the kitchen, she found the gas-
stove was on fire. Frightened out of her wits, she threw water over the fire. However,
the fire did not die out but got bigger and bigger instead, causing her to burn herself.
She then shouted for help. Her husband, who was busy making furniture outside in
the yard, burst into the kitchen, and placed a large wet piece of cloth over the fire.
The fire immediately went out. He then put a bandage over his wife's burns.
We should be very careful while cooking and should learn how to deal with fire.


TEST 48
Tell about your indoor hobby and why you enjoy it.

Experience has taught me a valuable lesson, which is that I should have an indoor
hobby to occupy myself in my spare-time; otherwise I might spend my leisure-time
on entertaining games which are either mindless or wasteful. After careful
consideration I decided to start stamp collection since I regard postage stamps as
objects of interest and value. For stamps to be accepted for use as postage, stamps
undergo screening steps, and only those stamps which excelled the others in
meanings, in artistic skills, and aesthetic designs will be selected. So a stamp is really
a cultural trait of the country which issues it.
What could be more interesting than having in my hand such a masterpiece?
Stamps teach lessons on geography and history. I, of course, will have to look up
from dictionaries or other books to discover more about the origin of stamps. This
will broaden my geographical and historical knowledge more and more.
Then, too, collecting stamps is quite a relaxing activity. I can well imagine how a new

beautiful stamp, whether, it is a domestic or overseas one, could make, me happy
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
20

watching it for hours on end. So my hobby can help me relax.
All in all, stamp collecting further stimulates my creative and intellectual growth,
which makes me never feel guilty about wasting time.


TEST 49
In not more than 100 words write a letter of three paragraphs inviting a friend
to spend a weekend with your family at your home in the country.

Dear Phu,
I'm writing you this letter to invite you to spend some days with my family in the
country.
Your final term examinations have just been over and you must have studied hard. To
get rid of the stress from school activities, come to my country to relax for some days.
My family and I have made some arrangements for your arrival.
Now it's the harvest time in my country. We'll have a lot of interesting things to do if
you like the farm work. In the morning we'll take part in the harvest. In the afternoon
we'll take a swim in the river or go fishing on nearby ponds. Hurry up Phu, lots of
nice surprise are waiting for you!
Cordially yours,
Trung
Tran Viet Trung

TEST 50
Describe a day spent by the river or by the sea.

Summer comes together with its extreme heat and nobody can resist the temptation to
spend their holiday at the seaside.
Last week, in order to escape from the suffocating atmosphere of a crowded city, my
friends and I decided to go to Vung Tau beach. When we got to the seaside, the beach
had already been crammed with holiday makers. They were either sunbathing on the
beach or swimming in the river. After walking along the beach for a short time, we all
took off our clothes and put on our swimming costumes. We dived into the water and
let ourselves drift along on the waves.
Swimming brought us a good appetite. We enjoyed some sea foods and then took a
quick nap after lunch.
In the afternoon we strolled along the beach, inhaling in rapture the fresh sea air and
took lots of photographs.
A holiday at the seaside helped us get rid of all worries and trouble and gave us health
and enthusiasm to resume work again.










TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO

Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
21



TOPIC ENGLISH 2 :

1. Advantages and disadvantages of modern life

Modern life really brings us both advantages and disadvantages. Together with the
striking developing of our society, people live more and more comfortably.
In their work, they can use laptops to get information as well as to
exchange information easily. In their housework, there are some machines which can
help them to do the housework. For their entertainment, there are many
kinds of recreation for them to choose. However, they have to work very hard to get
money as much as possible so that they can afford for their life’s expenses. In fact,
their lifestyle has really been changing a lot. Although they have to spend much time
on studying or working, they also find part-time jobs or study extra majors in order to
compete with others. In addition, because most of young people are at work all the
time, they usually don’t have leisure time at all. They spend most of their time in
work or study so that they can get higher promotion. Therefore, have very little
time for their entertainment.
Sometimes,they don’t even have time for their family. In short, living in a
modern life, we will get both good things and bad things.Therefore, I
personally think that we should share time for work and entertainment so
that we can have enough time to enjoy our colourful and poetic life as well as figure
out that our life is more and more meaningful.

2. How do you measure success?

In any time, people desire to be successful in their life. Usually, people measure
the success of a certain person thanks to his material gains, his position and his
happiness. In fact, a person is considered to be successful in life if he has a good
job with high salary. That is because the first factor people often
measure someone’s success is to consider his properties such as land, house, car and
so on.
Besides, the second factor is his social position. Someone who gets good
knowledge and high social position is usually respected very much because he is one
of the successful models in our society nowadays. The last factor to measure
someone’s success is his happiness. This is the most important factor because if he
has a lot of properties and high social position, but he doesn’t have a happy family
with harmonious atmosphere, he is not considered to be successful in
life. It’s really true that we must try our best to succeed not only in job and social
activities, but also in our family. Someone who is successful in life needs to live in a
happy family where each member has to love as well as take care of one another with
great and immense affection and responsibility. In short, material gains, position and
happiness are really three main factors which can help us to measure someone’s
success in our modern life nowadays.

3. What’s your hometown like? Are there any changes compared to the old
days?

TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
22

My hometown is . It is one of the provinces located in the eastern of . It is not very
big, but it is very beautiful with a lot of rubber-tree forests along the roads.
Especially, there are a lot of industrial parks here. In fact, has been
developingconsiderably because it really attracts many foreign investments. It is
also a province of a great number of immigrants because a lot of people from
other provinces rush to immigrate to Binh Duong to work in some
companies in the industrial parks. If someone who lives far away from Binh Duong
for a long time and now he comes back to Binh Duong, he will be very surprised with
the striking developments in Binh Duong nowadays. In fact, unlike in the past, Binh
Duong nowadays has great developments. The infrastructure is very good. Also,
the standard of living has been developing day after day. Every day, we can see a lot
of cars on the streets with many high buildings along the two sides of the streets. Binh
Duong is considered one of the most provinces having high speed of
development. In short, Binh Duong, my hometown, is the most beautiful and
developing place in the bottom of my heart. Therefore, where I go and whatever I do,
I am always thinking about Binh Duong with all my affection.

4. It is generally thought that the only thing people are interested in these
days is earning more and more money. Is there any truth in this way of
thinking? What else do you think people should be interested in to make
their life worth living?

With the striking developing of our society nowadays, people are really interested
in earning more and more money so that they can afford their family’s expenses in
the modern life. In fact, they try all their best to find good jobs with high salary or
to seek for extra jobs in order to earn more and more money. It is
true that we cannot live happily without money. Therefore, we try all our best to
find the best way to earn as much money legally as possible. However, I personally
think that, beside money, people should be interested in some other important things

such as health, knowledge, and happiness. If our health is not good, it’s very difficult
for us to work effectively to earn much money. In addition, when we have a lot
of money without knowledge, then our life is not really meaningful. Besides, I think
that a happy family with a lot of smiles and love is more precious
than money because when lose money, we can get it back. However,
when we lose the immense love as well as the harmonious atmosphere in our
family, we can hardly get it back. In short, money plays a very important
in our life but not all.
Therefore, beside money, there are some other precious things which we should be
interested in to make our life more and more exciting and meaningful.

5. Never too old to learn

Learning is one of the most important things in one’s life, especially for children
being educated in schools of different levels. In fact, they must acquire as much
knowledge as possible, which can help them know better about the outside world
and develop themselves for their future career. As for grown-ups, even the aged,
learning is important as well. Although they have studied something for
many years, and have learned a lot already, there are still some
experiences and laws discovered by our predecessors for them to learn. In
addition, the world keeps changing unceasingly. There is always
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
23

something new for them to learn. Therefore, they must be aware that they
should stick to learning throughout their lives. In fact, constant learning can

make people become more learned and experienced so that they can suit the
changing world better. In short, the proverb “It is never too old to learn” still remains
the precious value for each of us.

6. Money cannot buy happiness, but it can help.

In our busy daily life, with money we can buy a house, but not a home as well as
we can buy a clock, but not time. In fact, if we have much money, we can build a
luxurious building, but we cannot buy the warm and comfortable atmosphere in
our family. Also, we can buy a good bed with money, but we cannot buy a good
sleep. Therefore, it is clear that money cannot buy true love as well as
true happiness in our real life, but money is very necessary to us in life. This is only
because we live in a materialistic society. In fact, with money we can buy what we
need in our busy daily life. In addition, almost everybody knows the
value of money because nothing can be bought without money. However, we
should use money in doing something helpful. It is better to put money in sound
investment than in speculation. Indeed, there is no way to avoid saying that “Money
cannot buy happiness, but it can help.” Therefore, we should use our
money properly. Those who use it properly will find the way to success because the
right use of money may bring us a comfortable life and a cheerful heart. In short, I
completely agree with the above saying.

7. To look after the environment is to look after ourselves.

Nowadays there are a lot of environment problems affecting our entire world such
as acid rain, air pollution, waste water, global warming and ozone depletion. How
can we do to protect our world environment? The above environment problems are
not only affecting the natural creatures, but they are also seriously affecting our
health.
In fact, there are some strange diseases such as A/H1N1 and bird flu.

Therefore, protecting our world environment is very important. In order to do that
well, we have to preserve natural resources: woods, animals, vegetables
and pollution because these substances can destroy the ozone and pollute the air, and
water resources can change the climate. Health is one major aspect when
the global warming can be seen clearly. We must also teach the young
generations lessons about the protection of the environment and encourage everybody
to take part actively in this task. In short, I completely agree that “To
look after the environment is to look after ourselves” because it really reminds us of
living with great responsibility towards our lovely environment.

8. “To save time is to save money.”

Time is invaluable as each of us is endowed with life only once, and the life span is
limited. Therefore, I completely agree with the above proverb. However, I
personally think that time is more precious than money because when money is
spent, we can earn it back, but when time is gone, it will never return. This is the
reason why we must value time since each of us recognizes that time is money, so
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
24

“To save time is to save money.” In fact, it is clear that the time for our study and
work is unusually limited.
Hence, even an hour is extremely precious. We should make full use of our time to do
useful things. As students, we must not relax our efforts to engage in our studies. In
reality, there are a lot of students who do not know the importance of time. They
spend their precious time smoking, drinking and gambling. They do not realize

that wasting time is equal to wasting their money as well as their valuable life.
In a word, we should get into the good habit of saving time. Do not put off what we
can be done today until tomorrow because laziness will not only bring us failure but
also lead us to the road of poverty.

9. People nowadays read less than they used to because of the influence of
video and television.

There is no way to avoid saying that the influence of video and
television has really affected to people’s reading habit considerably. In fact,
people nowadays read less than they used to read in the past. For example, instead of
reading a long novel or story, they only watch a film on video or television. Not only
does this help them save time, but it is also make them feel more interesting because
they can see the characters’ actions in the novel or story lively and
excitingly. In addition, it is true that films are much more interesting than books
because people can see more exciting things such as famous actors and actresses,
content, plots and so on. As a result, they feel like something happening in their real
life. That is the most important reason why nowadays they read less than they used to
read in the past. Besides, with the developing of our society today, people have to
work harder and harder to earn more money for their family expenses . Therefore,
after a long day working hard, they feel tired and are not eager to read. Instead of
reading, they watch television to get information as well as to relax. Their reading
habit has really been changing day after day. Consequently, they do not like to read as
they used to any longer. In fact, they can quite upgrade their knowledge by watching
television or relax by watching video. In short, it is clear that since
video and television were discovered, people have not read so much as they used to
do in the past any longer.

10. Health is better than wealth.

Nowadays, although we are very rich with a lot of money and
properties, we cannot enjoy life if our health is not good. Therefore, I completely
agree with the saying “health is better than wealth.” In fact, each of us
figures out that health plays a very important role in our life. We cannot do
anything if we have health problems. In our daily life, there are many rich
people, but their health is very poor. Therefore, their life is very terrible in the
deep pain. They try all their best to find the good and famous doctors to help them get
rid of their sicknesses as well as diseases, but all of their trial is hopeless because they
get serious diseases, so all talented doctors have to give up. Nowadays, together with
the striking developing of our industrial life, most of young people rush to work with
very little rest and relax. They are really workaholic and try all their best to earn as
much money as possible, but they don’t recognize that in the future they
cannot overcome their illnesses as well as diseases because of their overwork
although they have much money. Therefore, it’s very important for us to recognize
TÀI LIỆU THAM KHẢO



Nguyễn Ngọc Toàn – Phone : 0977260895 – E-mail :
25

that health is the most valuable thing in the world. In short, wealth is really less
valuable than health, so we are able to discover that being free from sickness is better
than being rich.

11. You can’t judge a book by its cover.

In our real life, whenever we go to the bookstore and have a quick look at many
kinds of books, we are surely attracted by the ones with the most beautiful covers.
However, we are not sure whether these books have good contents or not. From

the gist of the above saying, we easily infer a very precious lesson in our daily life:
We shouldn’t judge a person by his appearance. In fact, the true value
of each person cannot be judged by his appearance because there are many people in
our life whose appearances are very good-looking luxurious, but their personalities
are not really good. Therefore, in communicating with other people in our daily life,
we would rather rely on their personalities as well as their behaviors to
judge whether they are really good people or not. In addition, we really need a long
time to figure out someone in many aspects because some people who are very clever
to hide their true bad tempers with their luxurious and good-looking appearance.
Therefore, the saying “You can’t judge a book by its cover” is always
very valuable for each of us ever and ever.

12. Money can make the world move

All of us know that money really plays a very important in our life
because without money, we can’t find happiness as well as without money we can't
live.
However, there are a lot of things in our real life that we cannot have although we
have a large number of money. In fact, if we have a lot of money,
we can buy happiness and love, but we can't keep happiness and love
by money. In reality,there is no way to avoid saying that money can't buy
wonderful moment when we are born, the moment when we graduation, or
the moment when we marry our sweethearts. Indeed, money can't clear our tears
when we cry, can't fill the gap in our hearts. In addition, if we have much money, we
can build a luxurious building, but we cannot buy the warm and comfortable
atmosphere in our family. Also, we an buy a good bed with money, but we cannot buy
a good sleep.
Besides, with oney we can buy a book, but not knowledge. Moreover, with money we
can buy position, but not respect. Furthermore, with money we can buy blood, but
not life. For those reasons, in short, I personally think that money can hardly make the

world move.

13. Practice makes perfect.

The saying “Practice makes perfect” is really reasonable in any times. Therefore, I
completely agree with this for some following reasons.Firstly, the more we
practice, the more we get experiences. For example, when we study English, we
have so much to learn such as vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, reading,
writing, and grammar.However, if we want to use English fluently and
effectively, we need practice almost every day. Otherwise, we just