speaking topics for ielts learners, Exercises of English Language

Download speaking topics for ielts learners and more Exercises English Language in PDF only on Docsity! SPEAKING TOPIC 1 Part 1: A. Health 1. How often do you get a cold? (Asking for frequency)  Answer: often, sometimes, rarely, never/ once or twice (3 times) a month/ week because … E.g: My heath is very weak, but whenever the weather changes, I may be easy to get a cold. + Well, I am allergic to weather, so there is the change in the weather, I may get a cold/ have a cold. + My health is quite good, I rarely/ seldom get/ have a cold. 2. How would you recommend treating a cold? (recommend: gợi ý)  drink a cup/glass of warm ginger water/ eat the hot soup with more garlic or ginger  wear more clothes to make the body warmer  have a rest early/ take medicine 3. When was the last time you were sick?  Well, it is really a hard question for me, because my health is really good, so I am rarely ill or sick, maybe I was sick 3 years ago. At that time, I got a cold because I didn’t wear enough clothes in a cold winter day.  Well, sadly, my health is very weak, I frequently get an illness, 3 days ago I was sick/ ill because I got a cold. B. Weather 1. Which do you like better: hot weather or cold weather?  I like cold weather because I can sleep all day and eat hot dishes like Pho.  As we know, hot weather is so terrible, my swear is tearing a lot, I feel so wet at any time. This makes me crazy. Thus, I like cold weather because I feel so dry. + I like hot weather because I go to the beach with my family and eat ice cream. As we know, eating an ice-cream in a boiling day is really fantastic. 2. How does weather affect your attitude? In fact, weather affects directly/ indirectly/ positively/ negatively my attitude in some specific cases. For example, in a hot/sunny day, I feel quite tired, so at that time, I lose my temper/ am easily angry. But in a beautiful day, my mood is so good, I feel that I am so gentle at that moment. 3. How do you often check the weather for your city? Well, the smart phone is so really modern with a lot of functions. One of them is the weather forecast app on it. Thus, I often check the weather for my city or everywhere I go by using my mobile phone. + listen to the radio on the bus/ in the car + listen to the news on TV on the evening before Part 2: (3 mins/ > 1:30) + BUS: - Which route? (the name of the bus?) - When do you use the bus route? - The appearance of the bus? Color/ bus driver/ assistant on the bus? Place of bus stop - Explain the reason why you choose to use bus  focus on the benefits of using bus (public means of transport: cheap, suitable for students’ budget/ convenient with many routes/ bus station is near my house??? Air conditioners  make me comfortable in sunny days + MOTORBIKE - Brand/ model/ the reason why you have (a gift on my birthday/ when I passed the university entrance exam) - Its appearance (color/ design/ material/price…) - The purpose of using motorbike (travelling to school, hanging out with friend, working part time…) - Explain the reasons why you like this  As I remember, it was the gift for my effort to pass university entrance exam, which remarks a turning point in my life. Moreover, my parents let me choose it by myself. + It is the first motorbike that I own. It only belongs to me. Part 3: 1. have you been involved in a traffic accident? help me to organize and do other things. I only need to get dressed beautifully to go there and enjoy my party. + Well, actually, I like party at home because it is cozy, warm and comfortable. I really love cooking the meal/ dishes for the party and see my guests at my parties eat all of them. Even, at home, we can do everything we want, which we can’t as we have a party in other places like restaurants. 3. What kind of food do you usually serve at your party?  Well, there are many kinds of food that I usually serve at my party because I like a lot of dishes and it depends on who my guests are. For example, I sometimes choose Japanese food when I hold party for my family because sushi and sashimi are my parent’s cup of tea. But when I have a birthday party with my friends, we often choose Korean food. Part 2: Talk about your favourite day of the year + My birthday (an important day in a year  remark a new age of mine)  My birthday is on…  On my birthday, I usually have a party with my family and my friends  we often eat out and go the cinema???  cố gắng liệt kê thêm các hoạt động khác nhau nữa mà mình thường làm trong ngày sinh nhật của mình? Với ai? ở đâu? Làm những gì? Nhưng chỉ nên cho khoảng 2 – 3 hoạt động tiêu biểu nhưng nói rõ chi tiết với các thông tin ở trên  I get a lot of wishes and gifts from them  I have the happy moments with my beloved relatives As I remembered, my 20th birthday was so special when I got a new mobile phone which was so expensive and latest from my boyfriend. I was so surprised about it. + Like me, young people at my age really highly appreciate their birthday, and they will prepare carefully for this day because they think it is a special event in a year. Part 3: 1. What is Valentine’s Day?  Well, it is really an interesting question, but I think there are many definitions of Valentine’s Day, I am sure about which is the best. However, in my opinion valentine’s day is the day when the couple show off their loves with each other. On that day, they choose the most beautiful gifts to give to each other. And some choose to have the special moments with each other by going on holiday or having a romantic meal at the luxurious restaurants. It is so simple that they will spend time staying besides with their partner to care and share with him/ her. 2. Is Valentine’s Day celebrated in Vietnam? If so, how? Well, as we know, like Western countries, young people at present are easy to adapt to and absorb the new cultures. Thus, valentine’s day is gaining in popularity in Viet nam, especially those in teens, twenties or thirties. On this day, the lovers/ couples spend a lot of preparing the gifts/ party for their partners. They often choose to buy chocolate, flowers and other things. They take their partners to expensive restaurants to have a romantic dinner. They also send the greatest words to show off their love to the other. 3. What are common gifts that people give on Valentine’s day?  Well, in my opinion, there are many popular/ favourite presents that people/ couples choose to buy for their lovers/ boyfriends/ girlfriends on Valentine’s Day. But, I think the most popular ones are chocolate and flowers because they are the typical gifts on a special day according to the norm/ culture. Besides, some also choose to buy the things that their lovers like such as clothes, jewelry or cosmetic, I think all are very popular. TOPIC 3 Part 1 A. Music 1. What kind of music do you like?  Well, among many kinds of music like Rap, R &B, ballad, classical music…, I am a big fan of Rap, especially the show named “Rap Viet” because the words in rap are familiar with the daily lives and thoughts of young people like me. 2. What was the last CD you bought? + Well, actually, I don’t like listening to music, so I don’t admire any singers. Thus, I never buy any CD. If have, I often buy CD with my textbooks in English class. As I remembered, I haven’t bought any CD for a long time. It is really hard to me to tell you the name. + Well, my favourite singer is… coming from. Thus, I frequently buy CDs of his/ hers. Last week, I just bought a new album of hers/ his. Its name is…. 3. While listening to the radio, do you ever want to sing the song that is being played? + Well, While listening to the radio, I really like to sing the song that is being played if it is the song of my favourite singer like … (tên bài hát của ca sĩ nào đó), but if it is not the song of his/hers, I only listen to it quietly and even do not listen to it. B. Meeting people 1. Do you enjoy meeting new people?  Well, it depends. Sometimes, when going somewhere, I feel very happy there, I quite enjoying meeting new people because I can make more new friends. Sometimes talking to new people makes me cheerful since I am so curious to know more about them. This feeling is so fantastic. But, sometimes, I am so tired and stressed, meeting new people drives me crazy. I don’t want to talk to anybody at that time.  Well, I am an extrovert person, I love meeting new people  Well, I am an introvert person, I hate meeting new people, I only talk to my best friends. 2. What kind of people do you like to meet?  personalities: + happy people because I also feel happier when I stay with them TOPIC 4 Part 1 Topic 1: Food 1. What foods do you think are most romantic? Why are they romantic?  Well, among many kinds of foods coming from various countries, I think Western cuisines create the most romantic dishes like/ such as beef steak… so on. In fact, when people watch movies in the settings of English-speaking countries like UK, France, couples have a meal in the luxurious castles and enjoy/ taste the colorful dishes with each other.  Well, I like traditional cuisines and I think Vietnamese foods are the most romantic, these kinds of foods serve different tastes of many people. 2. What food do you eat when you feel sick or depressed?  Yep, as you know, sweet things can help people to relax and releases the sorrow or stress very effectively. Like others, when I feel sick or depressed, I often order a big cup of milk tea with high sugar. It is really useful for me. 3. What is the strangest thing you’ve ever eaten? Where did you eat it? Would you eat it again?  well, I think the strangest thing I have ever eaten is stir-fried pork with onion and tomato. This dish was cooked by my friend coming from Hai Duong province when I was at university. At first, I felt so strange and did not want to eat it, but later I tried on and thought that it was so good. Topic 2: Jobs 1. When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?  When I was a child, I wanted to be a teacher because I thought that being a teacher, I could help others/ students to become good citizens in the future.  When I was a child, I wanted to be a businessman because I thought I would earn a lot of money to buy anything that I wanted with that job. 2. What influenced/ will influence your choice of job?  Well, I think there are some factors affecting my choice of job. First, it is my parents’ advice because they have a lot of experience in their lives. Next, I will choose my job according to my passion/ strength. Besides, salary is considered to be the more important factor which will influence my choice. 3. Which job do you think are the most popular than others and why?  It is really hard to choose which job is more popular than others, but I think more young people nowadays choose to work in economics or financial fields such as accountants, financial advisors.. so on because they think that these jobs will help them to earn much more money than others in a shorter time. Part 2: Talk about a hobby you have (reading a book/ doing the gym/ listening to music/ play games/ chess/ musical instruments like organ, piano, guitar) - Introduce the name of the hobby (giới thiệu tên của sở thích của mình là gì) - How long you have had a hobby (mình đã có sở thích đấy trong bao nhiêu lâu và bdau tập từ khi nào? Lý do tại sao) - How often you do it (mức độ thường xuyên mà mình tập: once/ twice a week/ a month/ every day/ whenever I am free - Who you do it with (có cùng chơi sở thích đó với ai k? giới thiệu qua 1 chút về ng này) - What equipment is needed? (nói về các dụng cụ lquan đến sở thích này nếu có) - Why you enjoy doing that thing (giải thích lí do tại sao mà mình lai thích cái sở thích này)  đi sâu vào nói về các lợi ích mà sở thích đó đem lại + help people to relax and release stress after the hard-working/studying days/ hours + make spiritual life of people cheerful and comfortable + widen/ enrich the knowledge + absorb the new knowledge/ information/ news + improve soft skills Part 3 1. Which hobbies are the most popular in your country?  Well, there are many hobbies which are the most popular in my country and it depends on each person’s taste/ like. But I think travelling and taking photos are two of the most preferable hobbies. These are suitable for young and old-aged people. In fact, when the living standards are improved, people are more interested in discovering the new land as well as understand the culture, food, and life of these places where they go to. When going there, they want to take pictures to restore their memories about them. Some choose upload these photos on the social networks like FB, Instagram. That can make them become famous one day. 2. Can you think of any hobbies which are popular with children and adults?  Well, among a variety of hobbies, reading a book is the one which is more popular with children and adults. In fact, there are many kinds of genres as well as topics for anyone with any tastes to choose a suitable book for them. Moreover, reading a book is really good for people and it can bring about many advantages. For example, readers can improve their knowledge, absorb the new information/ theory and train the soft skills like attention. Moreover, when reading a novel or stories written in books, they make their spiritual life emotional. They can learn many lessons in life. 3. Is it possible to have a healthy lifestyle in modern world?  Well, absolutely. In my opinion, whether people are possible to have a healthy lifestyle in modern world or not depends on how they choose to live, what kind of food they choose to eat, or what hobbies they like to do.. so on. These factors will affect the quality of their lives. If people have the awareness of them, they can be certain to have a healthy lifestyle. Moreover, there are a lot of sources and knowledge about how to have/ maintain a healthy life on the Internet. If we want, we can find everywhere, but the condition is that we ourselves have to want to change our mind/ way of thinking and our lifestyles. 1. Could you date someone who has terrible sense of fashion?  Well, it is really hard to answer this question because it depends on the model of boyfriend and girlfriend of each person. But in my case, I cannot have a date with someone who has terrible sense of fashion because going with these people like that, many people pay attention to us and point out towards us. I am a normal person, so I don’t like that. I only want to date the boys who have the sense of fashion like me and often wear usual clothes. 2. What area of fashion interests you most – clothes, hair, cosmetics, shoes…?  Well, as we know, there are different areas of fashion such as clothes, hair, cosmetics or shoes. Among them, I am keen on/ interested in cosmetics. You know all girls like me always appear to be beautiful in front of other people. To make it come true, we will have to make up every day. Thus, I often look for video clips which teach me how to make up in different styles and I often go to the shopping malls or cosmetic online shops to buy the things that I need after reading the review from them on Internet. 3. What do clothes tell people about our personalities?  yep, I think that clothes will tell us what a person values and a little about personality. For example, a person wearing suits tell us something different from a person with shorts and a tank top. Another example is that a person is considered to be so simple when he or she often wears usual clothes with plain color. Moreover, color and style are important, but so are other things… that tell us if the person is trying to attract attention to his or her figure or not. Topic 6 Part 1 Topic 1: House and Home 1. Do you like the place where you are living? Why or why not?  Well, I am living in the heart/centre of my city, it is so noisy and hectic, so I really like it. Moreover, it has enough facilities and conveniences to serve all needs of mine such as delicious restaurants or large shopping malls.  Well, I am living in the suburban, I love this place because it is so peaceful without the noise and polluted environment. Moreover, there is a lot of green space around my house, which helps me to always stay healthy. 2. What is your favourite room in your house? Why? (living room/ bathroom/ bedroom = my own room)  Well, my house has 3 rooms, but I think I like/ love my own room/ bed room because I can do everything that I want without the fear of being disturbed or laughed at by others. Sometimes, I can sing loudly in it. The feeling is so fantastic.  … and my favourite room is the living room. My family gather in this room to have dinner, watch TV and chat with each other after the hard working or studying hours. Being with other members in my family is a wonderful time for us in a day. Living room is the place where stores all the memories of our family. 3. Which room do you spend the least/ the most time in? + The least time: I spend the least time staying in bathroom/ kitchen because I have to study at university all day, I can come back to home at night. At that time, I may use bathroom to take a shower or go to the toilet. / Because I don’t know how to cook, so I don’t spend much time in the kitchen. + the most time: my bed room because it is my own room, so all activities happen in this room. For example, I often do the homework, chat with my friend, even relax/ take a rest in this room… Topic 2: Parties 1. What do you like to do at parties? Well, when I have a chance to go to the party, I often try to make more new friends, have a good time talking to them. Moreover, I will taste/ enjoy the delicious dishes/ food there or dance/ sing many songs with them. It is so really happy. Besides, I can meet more people who I have not seen for a long time. 2. Describe the best party that you have been to. Why was it the best? Among the parties that I have ever been attended, the 20 th birthday party of my sister was the best. In fact, that party was well-prepared with a lot of guests. On that day, I got dressed very beautifully and ate a lot of delicious food. Moreover, I had a chance of seeing my idol who was…., and took a photo with him/ her. Thus, I was so very happy to see him/ her. That made the party so special in my mind. 3. Do you let people smoke/ drink at your party? Well, the fact is that I am a teenager, and I am not allowed to smoke or drink by my parents, so I don’t let people smoke/ drink at my party. Part 2 Describe a friend who has played an important part in your life.  Today, I would like to talk about my friend who has played an important part in my life.  Giới thiệu ng mà các bạn định nói là ai? Tên là gì? Vì sao quen (it was my best friend in my high school time. Her name is Lan. We have known each other for 3 years)  Mô tả ngoại hình của người mình chọn (chỉ chọn từ 2 – 3 đặc điểm tiêu biểu và có đi sâu vào giải thích) + She has a charming smile, so anyone is impressed by and attracted by this smile. + She has big round eyes, so whenever she smiles, everybody around feels happy with her.  Mô tả về tính cách (chỉ chọn 2 – 3 tính cách để mô tả kèm giải thích) + She is very kind. She is always willing to help others if they are in trouble. For example, …  Well, as we/ you know, dinner is the most important meal in the day because it is the time when all the members in the family can gather and have dinner to gather after a long/ hard-working/studying day. Thus, like other families, no matter how busy anyone is, we must come back home and eat together daily/ every day.  Well, each member in my family has different schedule. Thus, it is really hard to arrange the time to eat dinner together. Frequently, at/ on the weekend, we have a chance of having meal together. 2. What do you and your family like to do together?  Well,/ actually, there are many activities that my family and I love doing together. For example, we have dinner, clean up our house or travel to famous/ beautiful places together. In fact, we have a really good time and memories when we do everything together. Part 2 Describe an electronic item that is important to you  mobile phone/ laptop + giới thiệu tên của đồ vật mà mình muốn mô tả (I would like to talk about/ describe the most important thing to me. It is my mobile phone/ laptop) + giới thiệu lý do vì sao mà mình có món đồ này và đã sử dụng được bn lâu (It was my 20th birthday gift given by my parents. I have used/ owned it for 1 year/ 6 months) + giới thiệu về nhãn hiệu/ dòng máy (it is a product of Apple/ Samsung. Its name…) + Mô tả về ngoại hình của máy đó (its appearance  chỉ chọn 2 cho 3 chi tiết nổi bật và đi sâu vào mô tả  a big screen, which helps me play games conveniently and I can see everything clearly on this big screen/ color/ special features: water resistance because I am so careless and absent-minded. I remember putting my old phone into the washing machine, so it was out of order. Thus, this feature of my new phone is really important to me) + Mô tả chức năng hữu dụng và qtrong của máy đó với mình (cũng chỉ chọn 2 – 3 tính năng) - A good Camera  I am a big fan of photography  I often take photos of myself and others - A good entertainment way for me  listen to music/ watch movies/ play games - Office applications  I can read any document at any time and anywhere I want  these features of my new mobile phone help me a lot in my daily life, so I cannot live without it. Part 3 1. What are some advantages and disadvantages of technology? Well, as we know each coin has 2 sides. Like other matters, technology has both advantages and disadvantages. In terms of the benefits that technology brings about, it can replace the roles of human in many activities, so human’s life has become more convenient and comfortable. Because there is the appearance of many machines, we have more time to serve our personal needs. Imagine that we have to do everything by hand now, I think that is really so terrible and we are really hard. However, if human abuses it or depend on it, we are gradually passive and lazy. Thus, it is the reason why many young people get obesity because they are addicted to using mobile phone or laptop. Otherwise, others cannot do anything if they do not have technology, so the working productivity reduces a lot. 2. What are the reasons for people to trust technology? Well, I think we can trust technology because no matter modern technology is, it is produces/ invented by human. In fact, human beings devise these kinds of machine with a view to making people’s life more comfortable and convenient. As long as users do not use technology for illegal aims, we completely trust technology. 3. What things would you never let technology replace? Well, it is an interesting question. In fact, we know technology with the appearance of many machines can help people do a lot things in many aspects of life, but taking care of our relationships cannot be replaced by technology. For example, we need to meet and talk directly or face to face o our friends/ husbands/ wives/ children and other relatives frequently because machine is still an animated thing, so it can help us express our feelings/ care or emotion toward them. Besides, we should cook a meal together, I think it is so really happy instead of ordering food on some delivery apps. TOPIC 8 Part 1 Topic 1: Making friend 1. Do you enjoy meeting new people?  Well, I am an extrovert people, so I really like meeting new people and make more new friends. Having a new friend and knowing more about him/her makes me so interested.  Well, really I am so introvert, so I am afraid of seeing and talking to new people. Thus, I don’t like it. 2. What kind of people do you like to meet?  Well, among different kinds of people, I like to see sociable/ friendly people because I feel so comfortable when I talk to them without the fear of making misunderstanding.  I really the people who are humorous. Being with these people with this personality is really happy and funny. Because they know how to make a joke, I can laugh a lot. 3. Are you nervous when you are introduced to someone new?  Well, I am a little bit nervous when I am introduced to someone new because I don’t know what the person will think about me after talking to me or seeing me. Topic 2: Technology 1. When did you first get your mobile phone?  Well, I first got my mobile phone when I was in grade … It was a gift given by my parents on my … birthday. It was a product from [brand of mobile phone] 2. How much do you spend a month on your mobile phone?  Well, I often call my mom and dad because I am living far away from my home, so I spend quite a lot of money on it each month. It is about + [the sum of money]  normally, I often have access to social networking like Facebook, Instagram. Sometimes I often read online newspapers or magazines. Thus, I spend about… on buying the internet data. TOPIC 9 Part 1: Topic 1: Movies 1. How often do you watch movie?  Well, actually I am so busy with my study at university, and I have no time for leisure activities like watching movie. Thus, I seldom watch movies or go to the cinema.  Well, I often watch movies because it is one of my hobbies in my free time. Watching movies really makes me relaxed. 2. Which do you like better? Action or romantic movies?  Well, I am a big fan of romantic movies because this kind of film reflects/ tells love stories in it, and watching this kind of film makes me gentle and optimistic instead of stressful feeling like action movies.  Well, I really love watching action movies because there are famous actors in this kind of film. 3. Have you ever seen the same movie more than once?  Absolutely, I can see my favorite films many times because these films have a good content with interesting details and famous actors with the great performance. Although I watch it many times, this film still attracts me.  In fact, I am not a person who likes watching movies, so I rarely do it. Thus, it is impossible for me to watch any movies more than once. Topic 2: Making friends 1. Do you make friends easily? Well, it depends. For example, if I meet a person who is so really nice and friendly in the first time, I may make friends with him or her easily. However, if there is any person with the bad/ rude behaviors/ manners, I am really so hard to make friends with him/ her. 2. How many people do you consider as your best friends?  Well, I am really a lucky person, so I have many best friends. I have about 8 good friends who are willing to help me in hard time.  Well, I am an introvert person, so I am so hard to make friend. Thus, I have only best friend who was my classmate in grade 8. Besides, when I grow up, I cannot make friends with anyone else. 3. What do you do when you have a misunderstanding with your friend?  Well, each person has a different way to solve the misunderstanding with his/her friend. In my case, when I misunderstand any friend of mine, I often have a direct meeting and talk to each other. We give a chance of explaining the misunderstanding to one another. I think it is a really good way to do that. Part 2: Describe a child’s story you have read 1. Introduce the name of the story that you intend to tell  mention the reason why and the time when you read this story 2. (Introduce the person who told the story for you) 3. Give the plot of the story  focus on telling the main events in this story 4. Explain the reasons why you choose this story to tell to the examiner  analyse the strengths of this story or the features which make you impressed Sample Answer 1: I heard a lot of stories from my parents and grandparents when I was growing up as a child. Some of those stories were funny, exciting and fairy tales while the others were sad or thought-provoking. However, today I would like to share a story here, told to me by my old grandfather, which is about the sheer bravery of a person. The story goes like this - back in the days of my grandfather in the early 1920s, they used to live in a village which was surrounded by many forests. However, having forests around the village of my grandparents was not exactly an issue for them if some tigers also hadn’t lived in those forests and preyed on their cattle and goats at will. But, unfortunately, none of the villagers, where my grandparents had lived, was brave enough to take the challenge to kill their forest enemies. So, they decided to seek help from one of the strongest (a bodybuilder) and bravest persons, they knew, from another village, who had the experience of killing a few tigers by using a rifle. This mystery person came to the village of my grandfather and set up a tent at a strategic location to kill the tiger. After waiting for a couple of nights, the brave hunter finally saw a tiger in the village on the third night. Seeing this, the tiger hunter immediately came out with his rifle and tried to pull his trigger but, unfortunately, he wasn’t able to do so in time. So, the tiger attacked him and injured him, even though it was eventually killed by the bullet from his rifle. Anyway, it was indeed an interesting story because the brave hunter actually overpowered the tiger, even though he lost one of his ears in the process. Anyway, I still remember this story because it actually gave me a live image of the difficult life that people lived a century ago when they had to constantly struggle with nature to survive. Besides, it also taught me to be strong and brave if I really needed to face any challenge in my life. Sample Answer 2: Childhood stories were fascinating and in my childhood, I had been very fond of those short of stories. My grandmother used to tell me stories before going to sleep. One such childhood story that I can remember is about a prince who fought and defeated a mighty giant to rescue his princess. He was a good prince who helped his countrymen and was a very good fighter. He was happily married to the prince he falls in love with. They were benevolent kings and queens for the country and people of the country loved them very much. One day a giant ghost came from other territory and tried to abduct a small kid. The prince was out of the country at that moment for business purpose and the queen tried to force the giant to leave. That irritated the giant and it finally abducted the queen. The prince returned to the country a few days back and learned the stories. He became very gloomy and decided to search for his queen. Everybody tried to convince him but he finally remained steady in his decision. He started a long and struggle-some journey to find the giant and rescue the queen. The journey was much surprising and full of different puzzles and obstacles. He finally reached to the abyss and found the queen. He had to fight with the giant and finally kill it to get his princess back. liked the story very much and I always required my grandma to tell this very story. Because I have heard this story several times, naturally it became the part of my memory. It was one of my very favourite stories in my childhood and later on, I have told this story to some of my younger cousins. Most importantly, in my childhood, I have made lots of imaginary things regarding this story and that made a strong impression on me. Because of that I still remember this story. Similar cue card topics: 1. Describe a story you remember. 2. Describe a story suitable for children. 3. Describe a story you heard from your grandmother. 4. Describe a story you read in your childhood. 5. Describe a bedtime story you remember. Part 3: 1. Do you think the Internet will make books less popular to both young and old people?  In my opinion, it depends on the ages of readers. In case of young people, they are adaptable to the changes in their modern life, and they know how to use new technology and are attracted by the innovation. Absolutely, when the technology develops with the appearance of smartphone devices like mobile phones, laptops connected to the Internet, they are bound/ sure to use these devices to read online books instead of buying the paper books at the bookstore to read. However, for older people, they are likely to read the paper books because they cannot keep up with the changes in the technology. Besides, reading books on the screen of the mobile phone makes their eyes strain. It leads them to be unable to read more in a long time. 2. What could be done to improve the reading habits of children and let them get away from video games and Internet?  Well, the fact has shown that children in the modern society do not have the reading habits/ are lazy to read a book because of their different hobbies with smart phones like playing games or watching videos on Youtube. Thus, it is necessary to encourage children to read a book in the following ways. First of all, parents train their children to read a book at home by setting the time for all the members in a family to read books which are up to the tastes of each person. Besides, parents should tell their children about the benefits of reading a book and the drawbacks of using smart devices, which helps young children to know which is good or bad for their development later. Meanwhile, the teachers can arrange the reading time for their students at school or hold some competitions about writing the review of good books for their schoolers. These methods may improve the reading habits of children. Topic 10 Part 1 Topic 1: Marriages 1. Are you married? If yes, when did you get married? If no, when?  In fact, I am a freshman at university. Thus, I am not married, even I have never dated with anyone. I think I will get married when I am 30 years old. I think this age is suitable because I have enough conditions to feed my own family. 2. What is the best season to get married? In my opinion, autumn is the best season to get married because the weather in this season is not cold and hot. Thanks to this, the bridge does not suffer from the hot feeling when she wears the wedding dress. Her make up is more beautiful because there is little sweat. Even the cool weather is so chill to get married. 3. Which is the more important for you, job or marriage? Well, I think it depends. For example, after graduating from university, young people like me should pay attention to career development. This helps them to earn enough income and have stable position in their workplace. But when they become older and they have enough condition to get married, you should find a suitable partner to marry at that time. Topic 2: Diet 1. Have you ever been on a diet?  Well, I can control my weight so well, I have never been on a diet. Instead, I always keep a healthy diet to stay healthy.  Well, due to the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic last year, I became a little fat. At that time, I decided to be on a diet. 2. Why do people go on a diet? Well, I think there are many reasons why people choose to go on a diet. First of all, they want to lose weight. Next, maybe they want to stay healthy and improve their immunity system. Even, for some people, when they are on a diet, the portion of a meal is vegetable and fruit. It is good for their skin. 3. Do you think dieting can be dangerous? Well, I think it depends. For example, people choose the diet which is healthy and good for health like Eat-clean, it is ok. But others have unhealthy diet such cancelling the meals, eat the only kind of food. It is really harmful to their physical health. If they maintain it in a long time, it is really dangerous. Part 2 Describe a plan you have for the future.  a plan after you pass the final exam of Semester 2 at my university. + explain the difficulty level of this exam (4 skill exams which cover a lot of knowledge/ in English but my foreign language level is so low  so worried/ make a lot of efforts to pass it] + the compulsory condition for you to move to the second school year.  plans: (1) apply for a part-time job to [get more income to buy smt/ earn more experience] + which part-time job you intend to apply for + where??? Expected salary? Benefits will be good for you (2) Have a wonderful trip/ journey with my family/ boyfriends/ girlfriends + Where you intend to go?? The name of the place? Means of transport + how long? Activities??  triển khai thêm về cách thức thực hiện để hiện thực hoá các plan kể trên (read the reviews on the Internet about [the place]/ check the prices and book rooms at the hotel in advance] >< [write the CV/ get information on the kinds of part-time jobs on the Internet/ learn skills to take part in the interview] However, if I really want to make this plan come true, I need to pass the final exam of Semester 2 at university with flying color. I will try my best to do it. Part 3 1. Is it easier to stay at home on holidays or to go somewhere?  It is really to answer exactly the time of getting up and going to bed in my schedule/ timetable in a day. It depends on the different activities on that day. But normally, I go to bed at around 11:30 and get up at 6 a.m because I have to go to school. 2. Are your weekday and weekend routine different?  Absolutely, my weekday and weekend routine are very completely different. For example, on weekdays, I have classes at my university, so I have to get up early and even come back to home late because I must self-study and complete my assignments at university library; almost all of my time is spent at school. But on the weekends, I have no class, so I can sleep all day. And I can do whatever I like. It is the time for myself. Thus, I really like the weekends. 3. What would you like to change about your weekday routine?  Well, if I have a chance to change about my weekday routine, I want to change the time of studying at university. It means that all of my classes are expected to take place in the morning only, so I can come back home and cook the meal for me before taking a rest for all activities in the afternoon or evening. 4. What is your favourite part of the day?  Well, for the busy people like me, I really love the time in the evening. It is when I can come back to my house after a long day at school. There I can relax and take a rest to recover and get more energy for the next day. PART 2: Describe a sport that you either watch or play.  Sport: football/ soccer + Giới thiệu tên của môn thể thao mà mình chọn (bóng đá) + Tại sao mình lại biết đến môn thể thao này và biết đc về môn thể thao đó trong bao nhiêu lâu rồi?  my father is a big fan of soccer, he has never skipped any football match between VietNam football team and another one. As I remembered, I was a baby/ little, I often watched the football match with my dad. Since then. I have been a long time before. + mô tả về dạng thức chơi? Số lượng người chơi trong cái môn thể thao đó? (đề cập đến cả where/ when)  12 football players in a team/ there are two teams/ two teams compete with each other to get a ball and kick into the opposing team’s goal.  Mọi người ở trong đất nước của bạn có hâm mộ hay thích môn thể thao đó như bạn hay không?  nói về sự phổ biến của môn thể thao đó trong đời sống thực tế sau khi mình nói rõ về đặc điểm cũng như lợi ích khác mà môn thể thao đó đem lại. People in my country really love playing and watching football, especially the matches of Vietnam national team. Even they stop everything they are doing to watch football together. Besides, there are many football champion tournaments in domestic for the numerous teams to beat with each other.  For example,…  nói về cảm xúc của mình khi xem và chơi các môn thể thao đó là gì???? + Proud/ excited/ curious to check whether my team can win or not. PART 3 1. Do you think that young people spend too much time studying, watching TV and playing on computers rather than getting exercises and playing sports?  In my opinion, young people spend too much time studying, watching TV and playing on computers, and they pay less attention to get exercises and play sports due to the following reasons. First of all, the curriculum of teenagers at school is really hard, they have to attend many classes in a day with a huge amount of homework which needs completing at home. Thus, this takes a lot of time in a day of theirs. Besides, thanks to the development of technology, there are many modern inventions/ machines + created/designed to serve for the different purposes of people’s needs. One of them is TV or computers. In fact, there are many interesting programs or applicants on both, which attracts the concerns or interest of young people. Thus, when they are keen on these activities, they do not have enough time for physical activities like doing the exercises or playing sports. But, I think that It is really harmful to them later. 2. Which sports do you think will become more popular in the future?  Well, actually, there are many new kinds of sports which appear in our life like …. . But I think that Dancing is gaining in popularity in the future because of the reasons as follows. First of all, young people really admire the idols from Korea or Western countries with the singers, they may think that thanks to Dancing, their idols can have a great body/can be in shape. Besides, Dancing is considered to be the kind of sport which can help dancers release their stress and negative energy quite good. There are the reasons why I believe that Dancing has become one of the most common sports in the future. TOPIC 12 PART 1 Topic 1: Family 1. Do you live alone or with other people?  Well, in fact, I am very clean and careful, so I hate others to touch and rearrange my belongings and timetable to wait for others. Thus, I like living alone. This feeling is so great since I am free to do whatever I want.  Well, living alone really makes me sad and lonely because I have to do everything by myself but cannot share with anyone. Thus, I love living with other people. When we are living together, we can share the housework and take care of each other. Even when we are in trouble, living with others can help us to find out the solutions to solve the problems more easily. 2. What jobs do the people your immediate family do?  There are…. people in my family. My dad is a…/ My mom works as….. The last one is my sister/brother who is a student/ pupil. 3. What kind of things do you and your family do together?  On weekdays, each member in my family is really busy with our job and study, so we rarely spend time on each other. But on the weekends, we are free, so we often do the needed for their further development in the future such as critical thinking… Especially, English is taught as the second language instead of being a foreign language now. It means that the future generations can master in both. 2. Do you think that education should be free?  well, it is really hard to say whether education should be free or not because it depends on each situation of each country. For example, for developed countries like American and England with the stable economics with abundant national budget, education is free, which helps people at all ages as well as in any circumstance go to school. Thus, thanks to it, people there can be literature and their levels will be improved. It is good for both. However, in developing countries, national budget is limited, and there are other social issues to be solved. If education is free, it causes some troubles for other needs. It puts pressure on the citizens, especially those who are working, it means that they have to work harder to pay more tax used for the aim. 3. What do you think are the qualities of a good school?  Well, from a view of a student like me, a good school needs to cover the following issues/ aspects. First of all, the infrastructure and equipment at school are modern and well- furnished. For example, each class needs to have an air-conditioner and projector. Besides, there are extra-curricula activities organized for students. It is considered to be best way to help students to gain more experiences and improve their soft skills. Especially, the relationship between teacher and students is close. The teachers are always friendly and helpful when students need the help. TOPIC 13 Part 1: Topic 1: Films 1. What kinds of films do you like to watch?  among many kinds of movies, I love watching (horror/ action/ romantic/ comedy movies) because it makes me relaxed/ comfortable/ funny/ happy after a hard studying day/ I like the actors who are the main character in this kind of film. 2. Are these kinds of films/ movies popular in your country?  Absolutely, [the kind of film] is really popular in my country because the population of my country is young people like me. Thus, there is the same hobby among young generations, which makes this kind become more preferable. 3. Who is your favourite actor or actress?  Well, I like [the kind of movie], so I am a big fan of [the name of the actor/ actress] because he/she has a great performance in films with a good appearance. I am really impressed by her charming smile/ sexy body/ his muscles. Topic 2: Food and cooking? 1. What is your favourite food or meal?  among three main meals, I like breakfast because I can eat a lot of things without the fear of being overweight.  among three main meals, I like dinner because I can have a chance of gathering with other members in my family after a day at school or office.  well, I like many kinds of food, but the most favourite one/ dish is [the name of the dish] because its taste is really good. 2. Do you like to cook?  Well, certainly, I am good at cooking, so I love cooking. This hobby can make me really relaxed.  In fact, I am not good at cooking, so I don’t like it. 3. Who usually cooks in your home?  Well, the person who takes in charge of cooking in my house is always my mom. She is really a master chef because she can cook many kinds of delicious dishes for us. 4. Are there kinds of food that you do not like?  besides the dishes that I like, I hate eating [the name of the food] because its taste/flavor is so terrible/ is so hard to eat. Part 2: Tell me about something you own which is useful or important to you.  Today, I would like to talk about/ describe a thing which is useful/ important to me. It is my mobile phone/ laptop + giới thiệu tên của đồ vật mà mình muốn mô tả (I would like to talk about/ describe the most important thing to me. It is my mobile phone/ laptop) + giới thiệu lý do vì sao mà mình có món đồ này và đã sử dụng được bn lâu (It was my 20th birthday gift given by my parents. I have used/ owned it for 1 year/ 6 months) + giới thiệu về nhãn hiệu/ dòng máy (it is a product of Apple/ Samsung. Its name…)  Well, this activity is suitable for young children, now I am 19 years old. Moreover, my study is very busy. Thus, I rarely visit zoo or wildlife parks. 4. Which is your favourite animals?  I really love [the name of the animal  cats/ dogs] because it is so cute and naughty/ dogs are so faithful and friendly. 5. Are there any animals that are you afraid of?  Besides cute and small animals, there are some big-sized animals which make me afraid. They are lions or tigers.  I am really afraid of [the name of the animals: snakes/ poisonous spider] because it is really dangerous. Topic 2: Birthdays 1. How do people celebrate birthdays in your culture? Well, there are many ways of celebrating birthdays in my culture. One of them is that people often have a party with their friends or families. On that day, they can get many gifts received by others. They also have many happy moments with each other. Another way is to going to another city/ province to celebrate their birthday. 2. Do people in your family celebrate birthdays in different ways? Absolutely, because it depends on the ages of my family members. We are young generations, so we often like eating out with my friends on that day, but my parents cannot even remember their birthday, and they often do nothing to celebrate it. Instead, we often buy a cake to make a surprise for them. 3. Tell me a little about the best birthdays celebration you have been to.  The best birthdays celebration I have been to my friend’s 18 birthday party. In this party, I had a chance of eating many delicious dishes, and met many of my old friends who studied in the same high school as mine. In addition, I met a famous singer in that party. She/he was …. Ow, I cannot forget that day when I could take a photo with him/her. Part 2 Describe a recent news story that you have heard or read about.  the news on the outbreak of Covid-19 disease pandemic in my home country which happens from the middle of May till now. (giới thiệu về nội dung tin tức và thời gian tin tức ấy xảy ra) + giải thích qua về covid 19 disease (this disease is caused by a virus names SAR_COVI2, it is a dangerous virus because it can attack the respiratory of patient and make them have higher risks of being dead. + nguồn mà mình xem tin tức: social networking site, especially Facebook/ online newspaper (Dantri/ kenh14) + It is so important news because our country can protect the citizens from the widespread of this disease with strict policies before that. Thanks to it, we can return to our normal life. However, when I know the pandemic happens again in some provinces and cities of my country at higher spend and more dangerous levels, each citizen like me has to protect ourselves from this disease first by staying at home and wearing the mask when going out. It is the thing that I can do to help the authorities to against this disease pandemic. However, I still heard the news on some people who do not obey the rules, which make the disease widespread in the community. Thus, it makes the medical staff harder and more tired. I am so angry at them. Part 3: 1. How do most people in your country get the news? Well, in fact, there are many sources of news for most people in my country, but I think, TV and mobile phones are the most popular ones. Among them, TV is suitable for older people because they have more time at home and watching TV is one of their hobby. But for young people, mobile phones are not a thing which they can’t live without. Besides, smart devices are more and more modern with the appearance of many apps which can serve all of their needs. and They always bring mobile phones with them, so whenever they need, they can update news on accessing to online newspapers. 2. Compare newspaper and TV as new sources. Well, watching the news on TV is quite different from reading it on newspaper. First of all, watching the news on TV is a lot easier for people to understand and is more convenient than reading it in paper. For the people who are always in a rush in the morning, it is more convenient to turn on the TV and listen to what is going on rather than trying to read a paper because it will only slow their task down. Besides, newspaper can give readers complete and detailed information, and they can read at any time of day when they will be free but on TV they can only listen particular information at that time. 3. How do you think most people will get the news in the future?  in my opinion, traditional newspapers and TV will be less popular methods of getting news in the future because of the time lag between when news happens and when the readers get them. By contrast, I believe mobile phone/devices will be a dominant way of updating news because they can offer instant news. Another trend that I am thinking of is the readers will play the role of correspondents. In other words, they will report stories by themselves and post those online. TOPIC 15 Part 1 Topic 1: Books 1. How often do you read books?  Absolutely, I am keen on/ am fond of reading books, so I read a book daily because it gives me a lot of knowledge about many aspects of life. Besides, it can help me to relaxed after hard working/ studying hours. through the information and stories aired or uploaded on its website. If you miss something on the channel, you can have the option to catch the particular story on the website. Well, I usually browse the website at my office and in fact, this is the first task for me to check the website for the latest happenings. I check the website and its uploaded stories of varied interest. Before starting my work, I try to learn the current situation of the world which is also a part of my job. During the website visitors in the morning at the office, the story caught my attention. I was amazed by the witty title and started reading the story with high attention. I needed to know about the ways of irritating the superior authority in cases when they cast unwanted loads to me despite being inactive round the day. At first, it appeared that the story is about performing tasks that will risk one’s job and will eliminate the employee within few seconds. But when I clicked on the link, a different thing appeared. It told that the first half minute is enough for the employer to allow the job to you or to reject you. If you cannot exhibit the right manner and etiquette during your interview, the employer will reject you in the first sight. Following some studies, the brain decides within the first 30 seconds whether to like or dislike any individual. But I interpreted the meaning in the opposite way. The story also read that to be count among the others, an individual needs to be well prepared in every issue related to the job. The news story is an ever remembering one for me only for the title. Merely a title is enough to make the audience feel attracted to a specific news story. I have saved the news and sometimes have a look at the texts dealing with the importance of professional etiquette. When the news story title is not attractive, the readers tend to leave them and move to the next news story. The statement is true for all of the readers. I also should have skipped the news if the title was not a teasing one. The title trickily attracts the readers and this is the skill of the news-makers or editors that they are able to tease the readers with a bunch of small words. Even the useless words become lively when they are well organised by an expert brain. Part 3 1. What kind of food do people in your country like to eat?  Well, it is really hard to talk about the favourite food chosen by most people in Viet Nam because there are so many kinds. But I have to choose, Vietnamese people like me would definitely go for Vietnamese traditional cuisine because although it does not win any points for complexity, it is all about the combination of fresh ingredients, intense flavours, and ease of cooking and preparation, so it wins our heart. Vocab:  Picky (adj) /ˈpɪki/: kén chọn  Cuisine (n) /kwɪˈziːn/: ẩm thực, phong cách nấu nướng  Complexity (n) /kəmˈpleksəti/: sự phức tạp, tốn nhiều công sức  Fresh ingredients /freʃ ɪnˈɡriːdiənt//: nguyên liệu tươi mới  Intense flavours /ɪnˈtens ˈfleɪvər/: hương vị đậm đà  Ease (n) /iːz/: sự dễ dàng, không phải gặp khó khăn gì 2. Do you think that most people in your country eat healthy?  Well, it depends. In fact, a lot of Vietnamese people pay attention to the food they eat, and many of them like eating soup or vegetables. I think that's pretty healthy. But I have to admit that nowadays because of the fast pace of life, many people have to choose junk food for lunch, which is usually not healthy. 3. Do older people and younger people prefer the same kinds of food?  Well, it is really hard to answer this question, but I think there is the difference in two generations (older and younger people) in many things, which lead to the dissimilarity in the favourite foods that each group often eats. For example, older people often like eating traditional dishes because they think that the food is so tasty and healthy, buy young people have a chance of tasting many new kinds of food. Thus, they often love eating fast food or dishes from foreign cuisines like Korean or Japanese ones. 4. What kinds of food do you think will be more popular or less popular in the future?  Well, due to the faster pace of life, people are becoming hurry in all activities that they do, so gradually, they will not have time to cook for themselves and their family. Moreover, there is a rapid increase in the numbers of fast-food restaurants to meet the higher demands/ needs of customers. Thus, I guess that fast food like…. Will become more and more popular in the future. Topic 16 Topic 1: Home 1. What kind of place do you live in – a house, a flat or a dormitory?  Well, I am now living in a rented house/flat on [the name of the street] in Ha Noi alone to study at my university.  I am living with parents in a house with 3 or 4 floors on [the name of the street]. 2. Who do you live with?  Well, I am now living in a rented house/flat on [the name of the street] in Ha Noi alone to study at my university.  I am living with parents in a house with 3 or 4 floors on [the name of the street]. 3. How long have you lived there?  I have been living there since I was born in [year] with my family.  Well, I was born in [your hometown], but I passed the university entrance exam and I had to move to Ha Noi city for my further study. Now I have lived there for almost a year. 4. Do you like living there?  Well, I really like living there because it is so convenient for me to do everything. For example, my house is so near my school, so I can walk to my university every day. It can help me save a lot of money. Besides, there are many shops around, thus I can buy anything that I want without going far. Topic 2: Computers 1. How often do you use a computer?  Well, I am a student, and I have to do many kinds of homework which is needed to use a computer, so I use my laptop every day. 2. Which websites do you often visit on the Internet?  There are many websites on the Internet now, but the most popular one to me is “Google website” because I often use it to look for any information or knowledge related to my assignment at school. enjoying some snacks also at the same time. Then, it was time for some hot tea in order to conclude the evening time to get together for the day. So, anyway, when everybody was busy pouring sugar into their cup full of tea while zooming in on the brand name of the tea, they noticed that one of the wives was not taking any sugar. When asked, why the lady was not taking any sugar, she smilingly answered that she always likes to keep her sugar and husband under control. After that joke, everybody burst out in laughter. And, with that laughter, the advertisement was concluded. Anyway, I really like the advertisement and find it effective, mainly because it is trying to deliver a very clear message to its audience about controlling their sugar consumption also in order to check their diabetes while enjoying their tasty tea as much as they can. I like the advertisement also because it revealed a very sweet but age-old rivalry between a husband and wife as to who gets to control who in a romantic relationship. Sample 3 There are several advertisements that we see on TV daily and some of them are very boring and others are average while some are very interesting and creative. One such advertisement that I really liked was regarding the unmatched contributions of mothers for their kids which I saw a few months back. The advertisement was broadcasted for "Mother's Day" and it was not for any product. The ministry of child & mother care of health department was the sponsor of this ad and I saw it 3-4 days before last Mother's Day. This ad was a very creative one and it was not like most other ads that publicise or advertise their products. Rather it was an advertisement dedicated to the mothers and it reminded us that the toughest job in the world is the job done by mothers. They take care of their kids with the utmost care and dedication. They sacrifice their own wishes and will to properly bring up the kids. I saw this ad in the (...say a channel name..) UR TV channel. This was a creative ad that effectively delivered the message it intended to. It has shown some successful person in the history at the end and before that, it showed how mothers are taking care and inspiring their kids to do good things and in the end, it shows the tribute to the mothers of the world for their valuable and second to none contribution. Part 3 1. What kind of advertising can you find in your everyday life?  Well, there is a wide range of adverts I encounter every single day, from billboards and leaflets on the street to pop-ups on the Internet. But I suppose the most intrusive ones are video commercials on Youtube and sponsored posts on Facebook or Instagram. No matter how annoying or creepy they might be, I can’t skip or block all of them. 2. Do you think that there is too much advertising in our lives?  Personally, I don’t think there are too many… I mean the advertising industry employs a lot of people, so that’s a good thing, right? And companies need to sell their products and services to survive, so advertising is kind of an essential part of business and the economy. I’m not sure if you can measure how much is too much – because there is no limit, is there? I guess if companies advertise, then they must be moving their products, and they wouldn’t advertise something if it wasn’t going to be successful for them, because that would just be bad business, so I suppose they must assess the level of advertising they do and are happy withit. Maybe some people might think there are too many ads everywhere, but then it’s not like anyone is forcing you to look at them or respond to them. 3. Do you think that certain products are better advertised in particular ways?  Definitely, yes. Advertisements bring out the idea of the new products and their features in a nut shell. They prove to be beneficial for both the customers and the company. But, with advertisement market rising up, I think companies have learnt the art of deceiving the customers as well. 4. What controls should there be on advertising?  In my opinion, there should be some controls on advertising. For example, some things should not be advertised, such as cigarettes, which are harmful to people’s health. Most people are aware of their existence, so they don’t need to be promoted more. Children especially should not be shown advertisements that make harmful things look cool or interesting. Advertisements that have age-inappropriate content should also be banned.