Topic 1: Travelling

I went on a trip to TAN THANH beach last month with my friends. I will never forget that beautiful beach. At about 5:00am we met at school-gate then we caught the bus and we arrived at the beach at about 5:30am. I was so surprised by the beautiful scene at the sunrise. We walked along the beach and took some photographs of the beautiful landscapes. We ate some seafood then we swam in the sea, played some games and had a lot of fun. We came home at about 5pm. All of us really enjoyed the great scene, we had ahappy time in TAN THANH beach. I love TAN THANH and I hope that I can go there again.

TOPIC 2: EDUCATION AND FUTURE CAREER What do you think of education in Viet Nam?

Education plays an important role in the industrializing and modernizing of our country these days. It provides us good knowledge and ability for our work. It also helps us to develop personality and mental power.

To get a good job with a big salary, we need training well the special subject, computer, and foreign language. That is why I major in studying English. It is an official language used in more than 44 countries. Approximately four hundred

million people are using it as a second language apart from their mother language. English is considered a common language in the important conferences, in exchanging commerce, culture and technology.

I’m a student now. I want to become a good businessman and I will cooperate with foreign companies to contribute to the economic development of Vietnam. So, I have to learn English well in order to communicate effectively with them in my affairs.

Life in the twenty-first century demands a good preparation. Today, everyone in the country must receive an equal education to complete one’s responsibilities well. With this in mind, national leaders are placing

more emphasis on educating the young generation. The government, parents, and teachers are working hard to give the children the best education.

Vietnamese Government always encourages the parents to take their children to school. Parents should give them the best condition to study and develop their strong point so that they can satisfy important needs of the country in the future.

As result of that, I always am ware of studying well my subject and English to contribute many good things to my country and my family. With my effort and teachers’ help, I hope my ambition would come true in the near future.

Topic 3: FOOD AND HEALTH.

Health is one of the most important factors which many people concern. So, everybody often says “Health is gold”. To have a good health, we need to have a good diet.

We usually have 3 meals in a day. Lunch and dinner are considered as 2 main meals. Besides, the breakfast is alsoreally necessary. It helps us to recover energy after the long time of the night.

We should have a lot of vegetables, fruits and complex carbohydrates such as rice, bread, carrot and so on. We also should have more fish or seafood than meat. And we should eat as little fat, oil, and sugar as possible.

About the drinks, we should drinka lot of milk and fruit juice because they are good for health. We shouldn’t drink beer or wine. They are harmful to our health.

With a careful diet, we can gain more energy and have a good health to work and enjoy the life.

SHOOLING AND FUTURE CAREER

In 1997, I started going to school – it’sVõThịSáu primary school. I lived in my hometown until I entered the university last year. Now I’m the first year student of theFaculty of Electrical & Electronic Engineering at the University of Transport in HCM city.

In the university, we must study many subjects, such as: math, physics, chemistry, law, Electronic Devices, Electrical Circuits,etc… especially English and Informatics. I think these subjects are the most important ones because I need English and informatics for my future job.

When I graduate, I will become an Electronic Engineer and I want to apply for a job in a foreign corporation.

Foreign Language

The practise of introducing foreign language classes in schools has acquired class attention in society. Some people

believe that at high schools foreign language study should be compulsory and last for several years, since it provides opportunities for students the other mainstream. Opinion is that language study should be optional and up to students. I agree with the statement. One of the most apparent advantages of studying a foreign language at high school is the contribution made to the intellectual and spiritual development of a student. Long-term study of foreign language raises the level of proficiency to the level, which enables students to road and understand the English. Moreover, foreign language proficiency primarily benefits students in

the academic path. This is especially true for students, planning proceed their education abroad or to work in fields, closely related to international communication and cooperation. However, after graduation, language study can turn into a hard and lingering process due to time shortage, as most of the students launch a work career. The best example is electronic communication in international chats and forums, which requires knowledge of at least one foreign language. Students are not restricted only to data available in their native language. Instead they have perfect opportunities to

access works of literature and science offered in other languages.

YOUR OPINION ABOUT THE TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH AT PRESENT

- Do you have any problem with the teaching and learning of English present?- It is true that the younger a person is,

the easier it is for him to learn a new language?- What problems do you think adult

learners have to face when they learn English?- What do you think of the English

speaking clubs in the city? Are there good places for English learners come to

improve their listening and speaking skills?

1. Nowadays, nobody can deny the importance of foreign languages in international relations - in any country in the world. Teaching and learning a foreign language becomes an essential problem – people of different countries have to deal with each other in their daily intercourse in international trade. In the exchange of culture science and technology – People in different parts of the world speak different languages. So a certain language has to be chosen so that people of most countries in the world can use as a means of exchanging ideas – Up to the present time. English has still been considered as an international language and is spoken by

¾ of the population of the world – Naturally. Thedegree of using English in different countries is different – in some countries. English is used as their first language. The United States. Australia. New Zealand… in some others it is used as a second language. The Philippines. Singapore and Malaysia… and in other …… . It is used as a foreign language. In our country. For instance. English is used at a foreign language and is taught in both High Schools and Universities.

2. As English has become more and more important in the daily activities or a great many people in the world. Innumerable books and magazines have been writenabout the methods of teaching and learning English – As what has been mentioned above. English I

spoken by people of different countries in the world and each country has its own language. So the teaching and learning English is never the same. Several methods of teaching and learning English have been tried out to discover the best way of teaching and learning English.

3. However talking about the teaching and learning English. Most people agree that the younger people are the easier it is for them to learn a foreign language – and naturally. When people grow older, their obtaining of the knowledge of a foreign language becomes more difficult.

4. In fact, to an adult. The learning of foreign language is never easy – An adult has been so accustomed to the

sounds. The words. The verb patterns. The way of expressing ideas in his own language. So whenever he has to write or speak an English sentence. He usually thinks of his native language first – This is naturally a great hindrance for him in mastering a foreign language.

5. To us. Vietnamese, we can say such sentences as “maëcduøtoâibaännhöngtoâivaãntôùi” (Although I was busy but I came) or “vìtoâiñauneântoâikhoângtôùi” (Because I was sick so I couldn’t come), but to an Englishman such a sentence building is not accepted – there are also the mistakes Vietnamese students usually made when speaking or writing

an English sentence – It’s the same for pronunciation. The Vietnamese find it hard to pronounce such words as think. Thanks. These .those or cat. Sand-Mat etc. because the souncis ___ and ___or the sound ___ do not exist in the Vietnamese language. Grow - up people usually learn a new language through what’s called. Translation Method and this method certainly has its own disadvantages – it takes English learners much more time to master English and learners usually have to learn English Grammar first. Another problem is that many English learners do not to have chance to practise what they’ve learnt. So many of them find it difficult in dealing with foreigners in English

although they sometimes an write English fairly well.

6. Talking about the teaching and learning English we can’t fail to mention the role of the English speaking clubs in the city – In spite of the fact that quite a lot of English speaking foreigners are in our city, now several students haven’t got any chance to practise their English – For this lesson I think that the speaking clubs in a number of Foreign Language _____ in the city are of great help to students in their speaking English _____ ESL organizers even invite foreign lecturers of foreigners the problem in real life – This is really a good opportunity for students to improve their listening and speaking skills because rarely can we speak a foreign

language fluently and naturally without regular practice.

NOTES:

- Adult learner = ngöôøihoïclôùntuoåi- Daily

intercourse = giaotieáphaèngngaøy- Exchange of

culture = traoñoåivaênhoaù- To try

something out = thöûnghieäm

- To master = naémvöõng- To pronounce

= phaùtaâm- Translation

method = phöôngphaùpdòch- To deny =

phuûnhaän- Essential =

thieátyeáu- Innumerable

= khoângñeámñöôïc

- Hindrance = trôûngaïi- Lecturer =

giaûngvieân- Disadvantage

= ñieàubaátlôïi