1. Describe a person you were friendly to, although you did not really like them(him or her). You should say: who this person was -> I'm going to talk about ..... when and where it happened what the situation was why you didn't like this person -> there are some reasons why.... Firstly, ...secondly, ... and explain why you were (or had to be) friendly to this person and explain what the results were after you were friendly to this personANSWERI would like to describe a person who I had to be friendly to, although I did not really like her. I think thissituation is quite common in our lives, especially when we have to act as part of a team.A couple of months ago, I was assigned to a team at my workplace in order to tackle a big project. Aspart of the team, I had to cooperate closely with this person. However, we had never really liked eachother for several reasons. Firstly, she is much older than I am, so she always thinks she is right anddisregards the opinions of others. I would describe her as both bossy and officious, although she did nothave a more senior position than I did in the company. Secondly, I considered her irresponsible becauseshe did not appear to me to pay serious attention to the project. So, although it was supposedly agroup project, I ended up working all on my own as much as possible in order to see the task through.As the work was vital for our company, we had to be successful. I therefore had no choice except tocollaborate with her in order to finish the job. I would rather have done all the work alone, but if I hadrefused to work with her as part of the team, then the evaluation of my job performance would havebeen affected at the end of the year. So, knowing her personality as I did, I swallowed my pride andtried to be patient.Despite our many arguments, we completed the task on time. I learned that sometimes people can worktogether, even though they don’t get on with each other. It just needs a little bit of time and patience towork things out, and each person has to compromise to achieve a common goal.Vocabulary:disregard = to pay no attention to something or someone.bossy = a bossy person is someone who is always telling other people what to do.officious = an officious person is someone who uses their authority or position to give orders to others -another word would be domineering.irresponsible = an irresponsible person has no feeling of responsibility for something.supposedly = according to what most people think.

end up = to find yourself in a situation that you did not expect to be in.on my own = alone.see.....through = if we see something through, we do not give up until it is finished.collaborate = to work together with others to achieve something.swallowed my pride = to hide my feelings, even though I wanted to express what I was thinking.get on with = to get on with someone is to have a friendly relationship with them.work things out = to find a solution.compromise = to give up some of your ideas in order to come to an agreement with someone.

Written by Ngoc Bach Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0 Page 17. Describe a subject you didn't like before but are interested in now.what subject it is: Today, I am going to share with you my experience with a subject Ididn’t like before but I am interested in now, that is maths.when you studied it before: In Vietnam, we had to study maths from elementaryschool onwards because it is one of the compulsory subjects.why you didn't like it before: There were so many reasons why I didn’t like maths.First of all, I think my elementary teacher failed to guide us through the exerciseswhich we had to do step by step. She basically gave us many types of maths problemsand the solutions to each type. Consequently, I didn’t fully understand the subject orthe logic behind the solution like: how did you come up with that particular solutionbut not in a different way? Secondly, she always assigned difficult problems for us todo at home. Since I didn’t understand the lesson, I couldn’t solve a single problem.So I was very discouraged when I tried to study maths.and explain why you are interested in it now: It was not until high school that I startedto like maths. At that time, maths was divided into algebra and geometry. I found thatI was very good at dealing with numbers. In addition, my maths teacher was a greatone. He focused on teaching us to master the basic knowledge, then how to use basicknowledge to solve more advanced problems. Written by Ngoc Bach Page: https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0 Page 2Vocabulary:maths/math = mathematics. The American usage is ‘math’, and the British use ‘maths’, as a noun andas an adjective. Both are correct, but use either the American or British form consistently.from.....onwards..... = starting from a particular time and continuing after that. In this case, starting inelementary school and continuing during all the time of my education in school.guide....through... = to explain a problem or a process so that we are able to complete it. Here, theelementary teacher did not explain how to do maths problems clearly, so I never understood them.step by step = each one of a series of things which you have to do to solve a problem. The teacher didnot take us through each one of these steps to arrive at the solution.logic = a way of thinking about something, in this case I did not understand the method of thinkingabout maths problems in order to solve them.come up with = to find, usually referring to an anwer to something [like finding the solution to a maths

problem].assign = to give a task to somebody, such as the homework which the teacher gave me.not a single = this is a strong way to say ‘no’ or ‘not any’, when used in front of a noun. I was not ableto solve any problems when I did my homework.discouraged = not confident or enthusiastic. This is how I felt when I had to study maths at that time.algebra = the type of maths in which letters and symbols are used to represent quantities.geometry = this is another types of maths. It deals with the shapes of objects and measuring lines,angles and their relationships.

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page 19. Describe a time when (you think) someone (you know) did not tell you the complete truth.what the situation was: Being lied to or telling a lie to somebody is a commonsituation in our daily life. I myself have experienced it before and I remember vividlyone occasion when I was a pupil in secondary school.who did not tell you the whole truth, in what way did they not tell you the whole truth(= what they said or did not say that was a lie) : One day, I came to class and saw thatmy friend had a big bruise under her left eye. I was really worried, so I asked myfriend what had happened to her. She said that she was fine; she had accidentally hither head on the wall that morning. She pretended that it had been nothing more thana simple mishap.and explain how you felt when you discovered you had not been told the whole truth.or explain how you felt when you discovered the whole truth: Later that day, afterclass, I found her crying in the corner of the parking lot. Knowing that somethingterrible had occurred, I ran to her and hugged her. She sobbed and told me that thatmorning her parents had been fighting and she had tried to stop them. Somehow, herfather had accidentally hit her in the face. At that moment, I felt sorry for heralthough she had lied to me earlier. For the first time, I thought to myself that,sometimes, being lied to is not that bad at all, especially when the lie is not intendedto hurt anybody. Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page 2Vocabulary:remembered vividly = I remembered very clearly, like the experience hadjust happened.bruise = a blue or brown mark that appears on the skin after somebodyhas been hit.mishap = a small accident which is not serious.hugged = put my arms around her and held her tightly to comfort her.sobbed = cried, breathing heavily at the same time as she was crying.thought to myself = to think about something without talking about it toanyone.

Page 1Ielts Part 2 topics and questions

(Updated)Phiên bản cho tháng 09-> tháng 12năm 2015Lưu ý: Đây không phải là đáp án do mình viết mà do học sinh của mình google, tổng hợp từ nguồn tài liệu trên mạng. Mọi người vẫn có thể sử dụng để tham khảo. Phần đáp án mình tự soạn sẽ được cập nhật và update trên trang ngay khi có https://www.facebook.com/tuhocIelts8.0 hoặc www.ngocbach.com (Các bạn đăng ký học offline hoặc online, các bạn học sinh cũ sẽ được update sớm hơn Chúc các bạn học tốt ! -Ngọc Bách- Page 21. Describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice. You should say: what the situation was who gave you the advice what the advice was and explain how this advice was useful to you.I‟m gonna tell you about some useful advice that I have received. So this situationhappened about 6 years ago. It was around September, 2009, I guess. At that time I wasin my last year at high school. I was thinking about what I should do after graduating.There were two options for me which was whether to continue my study or to get a jobright away. It was a really difficult choice that I had to make. One of my friends was theone who gave me the advice that effected strongly my decision. He had been studying inUK, in Manchester to be specific, for 4 years. He is older than me and he had a lot of realexperience. So I knew I needed to ask for his opinion. He told me that I should studyhigher education. It would only take me 2 year to receive a bachelor degree. so it wouldnot cost much time and money as well. he also said that nowadays, having academicqualifications help me enhance the resume that gives me opportunities to seek a jobeasilly. and I immediately got so excited after hearing those things. And I finally decidedto go study in university instead of working straight after school. At the moment, I reallyknew that it was a right decision and I benefited a lot from it.2. Describe situation when a child made you laugh. You should say: Page 3 who the child was (when and) where it happened what he or she did to make you laugh and explain why you laughed.I‟m a big fan of children. I usually find their innocence and cuteness overwhelming. I can spend hours, literally, digging cute baby videos on internet and sharing them with myfriends on Facebook. I still remember coming across this hilarious baby video called “ Iwant to marry him” the other day In the video, a five year old girl and a seven year old boy are getting into a heated exchange over their wedding plan. The girl is insisting passionately on marrying the boy,but unfortunately, the boy doesn‟t feel the same way about her, crying and screaming desperately for help from the mother, who was recording the whole thing. I was not the only person who found the wedding argument of the young couple super adorable and funny as the video quickly went viral and became an internet sensation, attracting millions of viewers on internet It got even better when I found out later that the two kids in the video are actually brotherand sister. If they weren‟t I bet the boy would terribly regret the day he turned such a great girl down when he grows up3. Describe an educational trip you went on. You should say: where the place was what you did at this place Page 4 who you went there with and explain what you learned on that trip. When i was in

grade 5, i had a chance to go to the beautiful garden in Bavi with my classmates. After a journey of about 2 hour by car, we arrived at Bavi. it was a riot of colour, from the peaceful white of the water lilies to the striking reds and oranges which filled some of the flowerbeds. we enjoyed a leisurely stroll, taking in all the colours, perfumes and bird songs. i was totally amazed at what i saw and learned .i learned a lot of lessons about the science of plants, animals, weather and environment. I also learned the necessity and responsibility to make the world a better place for all the species. It was more interesting, lively and practical. The whole trip was educational and enjoyable as well .until now, i still have a good memory of those days and the meaning of the trip.4. Describe an item of electronic equipment that you would like to have. You should say: what it is where you would get (buy) it from what features it would have (or, special features you would like it to have) and explain why you would like to have it.5. Describe an educational TV program that you have seen. You should say: what this program was (or, is) about how often you have watched it what types of people watch this program and explain why you think it was (is) educational or explain what you liked or disliked about this program. Page 5 . Well, watching TV is not my cup of tea. However, i‟m keen on watching international news as well as current affairs. So, at times, i turn on TV to watch CNN. It is a program which specializes in breaking news reported by many jounalists all overthe world. It‟s a good idea to combine watching news and learning English at the same time. I not only update a lot of information happening on Earth during 24 hours but also gain vocabularies and practice listening English and so on. Watching CNN is my daily routine. I watch this program every morning for about 15 to 20 minutes before I go to work. I find CNN educational and informative, especially for people like me because as i‟ve mentioned, it broadensour horizons, enriches our knowledge and we can deeply understand what‟s going on in our society.

6. Describe an occasion when you got up very early.

You should say: when it happened why you got up early who you were with and explain how you felt about getting up early.Let me talk about an occasion I got up extremely early, this stitution happened in Aprilthis year. I was planning to take a business trip with a colleague. In that morning, I wokeup early, at about 3 o‟clock to get to the airport where we agreed to meet. I took a seat inthe cafe bar in the airport and waited for him. One hour soon passed, but he didn‟t showup. I was beginning to worry a bit then, hoping he would not forget the business trip orwake up late. I made a telephone call to him, but could not put through, which made memore depressed. I had no ideas but made another telephone call to my superior and toldhim about my current situation, he told me to fly alone if my colleague didn‟t get to theairport in time in the end.To my surprise, after I hung up the telephone, I saw him entering the gate of the airportslowly. I asked him why he came to airport so late. He just said he never hurried to catchthe airplane, and told me that I should take easy. Oh, I doubted whether he lived nearhere. Getting up early is really hard for me, but waiting for someone who doesn‟t keep

time is even harder. I really didn‟t want to go on a trip with him next time. Page 67. Describe an indoor game that you liked to play when you were a childDescribe an indoor game that you played when you were a child You should say: what the game was who you played it with how you played it where you played it and explain why you liked playing that game.Id like to talk about one of the old and popular children‟s game mostly know as Hide and seek. In this game one player closes his or her eyes for a brief period (often counting to 100) while the other players hide. The seeker then opens his eyes and tries to find the hiders; the first one found is the next seeker, and the last is the winner of the round. I used to play it when I was a child, mostly when we went to my grandpa house, as we all gathered there at weekend as kind of hanging out, and all my cousins who were at my age, liked to do play this game, as that house was big enough to place us all, and we had enough room to hide. I remember that I won many times, as I was small , tiny and could easily go into wardrobe so that no one could see me. There was a wardrobe, in fact, that had a shelf in high position where I used to hide there, then run back quickly to home base and that made me winner all the time!! I love these kind of game because its easy to play.8. Describe some paid work (or, a paid job) that you or a friend enjoyed doing. You should say: what the work was where you did this work who you worked with and explain why you or your friend enjoyed doing this work.I‟m gonna tell you about the first paid job that I really enjoyed in my life. . Sothis situation happened about 3 years ago. It was around September, 2012, I guess. Atthat time I was in my last year at university. So, when my best friend suggested apply torestaurant waitress job, I jumped at the chance. I‟m a dynamic person so I was really Page 7excited about this suggestion. I applied online and in a few days I was called for theinterview. After two weeks, they gave me a call and said that I can go to work tomorrow.The name of the restaurant is Manzi and its located at the center of the city I live in. Itsquite and nice environment. I really enjoy doing this work for some reasons. Firstly, itallows me to meet basic human needs with high salary. Therefore I could buy what Iwant or travel anywhere I like instead of having to ask my parents for the expense.Secondly, the job give me countless opportunities to improve my English skills.Communicating with foreign customers constantly helps me to be able to hear and speakthe English language. Finally, I had a lot of real experiences from it9. Describe a gift you gave that took a long time to choose. You should say: what it was who you gave it to how you chose it Page 8 and explain why you spent a long time choosing it or explain how the receiver of the gift reacted when you gave it to him or her. . Well, now, i‟m going to talk about a special gift that i took a lot of time to find and choose. That gift was for my new friend. Hoa, a beautiful girl who i was lucky to meet on the occasion of the trip to Singapore 6 months ago. She made a great impression on me by her English. She was born in September, but i had to think of what the gift was from July. Fortunately, I had a summer holiday in Sapa. I immediately went shopping to look for some special things when I reached there. Unfortunately, there are a variety of products and I also do not know about my friend‟s hobby. Therefore, finding a suitable gift for her is extremely a challenge for me. After 2 days with careful considerations, i decided to buy a bracelet made from

brocade fabric. It was sophisticated and unique. I crushed on that bracelet at the first sight. I was satisfied because at least, i had tried to find a meaningful gift for my beloved friend. And she seemed to love it a lot.10.Describe a person you know who dresses well You should say: who this person is what kind of clothes this person likes to wear (or, wears) how you know this person and explain why you think this person dresses well.I‟d like to talk about my mother, who is considered as a fashion icon by a lot of her friends. My Mom is famous for her sense of style. She loves the classic style, which means, her fashion is simple, but it turns out to be stylish all the time. Her motto is“Simple is the best” but the way she mixes colors makes people admire. She usually keeps up with the latest fashion and each season, she seems to have a new appearance . Everyone believes that my mother has an eye for fashion; therefore, they often ask her forsome advice. She said to me that:” Dressing well is a good form of art”, so, let‟s do well, live well and dress really well. Page 911.Describe the stage of life that you have enjoyed the most. You should say: what stage it was what you used to do during that stage where you were during that stage * who you spent time with during that stage and explain why you enjoyed that stage so much.I‟m going to talk about my seventeen- the age that i found myself amazing and a little bit crazy. i learned a lot of stuff about life, people around me and i began to be aware of the valuable relationships. i was motivated to change to be the unique one in this world and i desire for traveling and making friends with people from all walks of life. I remarked my sweet seventeen with the trip to the land of opportunity,Lyson. Besides, i felt like ifulfilled my dream „cause after the trip, i had a lot of new friends and the knowledge about my country. Now, i come to realize that nothing in the natural world remains the same from one moment to the next, and everything continually changes whether we wantit or not, but anyway, my seventeen is a big change. In other words, it‟s also my turning point that i will never forget. .12.Describe a garden or park you visited and liked. You should say: where it was what it looked like what you did (or, were doing) there [or, what people were doing there] and explain why you liked it. I would like to share with you my impressions of a garden that I visited last summer, which was full of colour and interest: Coloful garden in dalat. So, when some friends Page 10 suggested a visit last year, I jumped at the chance. After a journey of about 6 hours by train from hanoi, we arrived at Dalat it was a riot of colour, from the peaceful white of the water lilies to the striking reds and oranges which filled some of the flowerbeds. The two parts of the garden complemented each other perfectly. We first admired the array of bright flowers and fruit trees in the center, but my favorite part was the water garden, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll, taking in all the colors, perfumes and bird songs.Fresh air and wonderful environment which made me fell comfortable and relax when I was there. For me, it was like a wonderland of colors I never forget13.Describe a photograph in your home. You should say: what is in the photo where this photo is in your home how this picture was taken and explain what this photo means to you. . The photograph that was taken when I was only 4-5 years old with my parents, grandfather and grandmother in a

beautiful garden in Datlat. It is one of my very favorite photographs. The photograph is hang on the wall in my living room. The small kid (me), the grandparents and young parents make the picture a really significant one to me. I looked at the picture sometimes and can't believe I was so small and different looking at that time The picture gives me a sad feelings as my grandfather and my grandmother no longer with us. In the picture they seems so lively but I can't be with them anymore! This photograph is probably is my most favorite one as it conveys my grandparents' memory and depicts a happy family. Every time I look at this particular picture, it gives a different sensation - mixture of happiness and sadness. This is a priceless possession to me and I would like to keep it with me for the rest of my life.14.Describe a person you know who speaks a second (or foreign) language well. You should say: Page 11 who this person is how you know this person what language this person speaks how often they speak it * and explain why you say they speak it "well". . I‟m going to talk about Hoa, a beautiful girl who i was lucky to meet on the occasion of the trip to Singapore last month. She made a great impression on me by her English. She spoke english so fluently that at first, i thought she was a native speaker. What i liked about her English was her melodious voice, whenever she spoke, i thought that she was singing but not talking. . Every day in that trip, I had chance to listen to her sweet voice. She helped me improve my ability to give a successful presentation, how to go up and down whenspeaking English and how to call attention from others. That‟s very useful. . And after the trip, we still often keep in touch to learn and share effective methods to improve our English speaking ability.15.Describe a place where you read and write (not your home)16.Describe a café restaurant that you like (to go to).17.Describe a place where you (usually / often) go to relax. (Not your home) Today im gonna share with you a place where I usually (go to relax / read and write/hang out with my friends) , which is a small café/restaurant near my company named Manzi As a full time employee, I have to go to work 5 days a week, therefore the only time that I can visit this place is on weekend. I always try to make time for my little trip to Manzi café/restaurant every Saturday or Sunday Page 12 The coffee house is located on a quite street with a lot of trees planted on both sides. In addition, it has a patio with hanging gardens which I like very much, it makes me feel like im sitting in a garden of my own Separated from the hustle and bustle of the city life in Hanoi, this place allows me to sit quietly and reflect, relaxing after a week of hard work. I can concentrate on a personal project such as reading or writing in my journal without being interrupted by other people It serves great coffee, tea and cakes, thus, the place always smell very nice. Furthermore, the employees are also friendly and helpful Sometimes I go there with my friends. Over a nice cup of tea, we share our stories and smell the beautiful scent of the flowers . At that moment, we can escape from reality for a little while and enjoy ourselves even more18.Describe an experience you had as a member of a team. You should say: where it was who were the members of the team what you did together in this team and explain why you became a member of this team or explain what the purpose of the team was‟d like to talk about a team project that I was involved in during my final term at business school. There were four of us on the team, and our task was to work with a local company to research a new market, in a European country, for one of their products or services. Our objective was to produce a

report and give a presentation. The first thing we did was split into two groups of two. We had been assigned a company that produced a range of bicycle accessories, so two of us spent some time getting to know the company while the other two researched the market and the competitors in the target country, which was Germany. In the end, I think it was a successful project because we managedto identify a possible gap in the market in Germany for one of the company‟s products. Our group presentation also went really well. Page 13 Until that point, the course had been all about business theory, so it was quite a learning experience to work with a real company. I felt a real sense of accomplishment when we handed in our report and delivered our presentation, and I think all of us were proud of what we had done. .

19.Describe an historic building that you have visited.

You should say: what it was where it was and explain what features of the building you found interesting. I definitely think Tháp Rùa, meaning "Turtle Tower", is one of the most important historic buildings in Vietnam. It is on Jade island of Hồ Gươm lake, "Lake of the Returned Sword," which is located in Old Quarter, the very central part of Ha Noi. "Turtle Tower" was built in the late 1800's where “Ta Vong" an earlier temple, had stood. The temple was built to honour a famous warrior Le Loi, who fought foreign invaders. Legend has it that this lake is where the Dragon King reclaimed the sword he had given Le Loi, to free the Vietnamese people from enemies from the North. Today, there are large soft shell turtles in the lake, where the golden turtle which was "Kim Qui" came to the surface and asked Lơi , for his golden sword back, to give to the Dragon King. Every once in a while, people visiting the lake can take pictures of hundred-year-old turtles surfacing, which has long been considered as a sign of good fortune by locals. The words inscribed on the sword are said to say "The Will of Heaven", meaning it‟sheaven‟s will that this country and its people should be free and independent. This tower I believe, a tourist attraction now, has a huge significance in Vietnamese history as well as culture.

20.Describe a successful small business that you know.

You should say: Page 14 what the business is where it is who runs the business / how you know about this business and explain why you think it is successful.There is a family living in front of my apartment. They have their own fast foodcafe. They have started that business before five years. Initially, they sold milk only.However, they have nice space in front of the house so got point in mind to open up acafe. The owner himself has been a good cook and he had been accompanied by his wifein preparation. They have two sons who also helped them in serving and in making. Thengradually they have started taking orders on phone through whats app, sms and calls andstarted providing free home delivery services. Many old people live in this area so alwaysthey find problem with making arrangement of food. So this concept came in mind ofowner. These days, many corporate people come here for lunch and snacks too. These

shop people always maintain hygienic standards well and make the things in front of us.So the quality of stuffs and ingredients they use that we can see. And they use healthfriendly stuffs. Sometimes, we may feel that we take better fresh things here than athome. Moreover, they also charge nominally. So its been a small business of that familybut they have been very well satisfied and enjoy that business though there has beensignificant manual labour in that business. All people appreciate their services and qualityand hence I believe that business is successful.21.Describe a disagreement that you had with a friend. You should say: who you disagreed with what the disagreement was how it happened Page 15 and explain how this disagreement was resolved. . Well, two months ago,I thought that summer was coming,so I needed to do something to lose weight. I saw an advertisement and intended to take some diet pills.The advertisement boosted how magical the drugs are. As I was urged to loseweight,without thinking,I decided to buy some .However, my roommate didn‟t recommend me to do that. She said the slimming pills not only cost a lot but also are negative effect to health . She asked me to keep diet and jogging with her every night. I thought it was fine to just have a try. If this plan back fired, I would try another way to lose weight such as running or eating fruits instead of meals. After taking slimming pills for a week, I didn‟t have weight lose, but became insomniac, maybe that‟s a side effect of the drugs. Finally I gave up andrunning with my roommate everyday. Now when I „m thinking about this argument ,I really thank to my friend, otherwise I would try this stupid idea for two weeks or even longer.22.Describe a change that you think would improve your local area. You should say: what local area what change how the change could be made and explain how this change would be an improvement to your local area. . If there is a chance to change something which makes our local area better, i think it‟s the small library. The standard knowledge about social issues of local people is quite low. I will give you a prominent instance about my cousin. She was the sameage as me and she just married last week „cause she had 5 month pregnancy. Butthe thing was she didn‟t know she was pregnant until 2 weeks ago. Apparently, she was lack of sexual knowledge and I think that if only my hometown had alibrary in which there was a wide range of books , she wouldn‟t have come into troubles. Also with a small library, people at all ages can enlarge their knowledgeabout all aspects of life. I‟m sure that this change is a significant turning-point in the education of my local area. For example, the literacy rate can be higher, so my province can provide a better well-educated workforce for economy, and unemployment level or other social evils can be mitigated. All in all, the appearance of a library is the key to open a new door for my province. Page 1623.Describe something you do that keeps you fit. (or, that helps to keep you fit) You should say: what it is when you do it why you do it and explain how it helps to keep you fit.Of all the sports that I more or less know how to play, swimming is the one that I findmost fascinating and I think it keep me fit.. I learnt to swim when I was a small childbecause my parents believed that it would be useful for me. Unlike other sports, thereare no rules to follow when you swim. Basically, swimming is just the combination of armand leg motions and the natural floatation of the body.

Swimming is a good way to lose weight and get fit. Cardio workouts like swimming burnscalories, helping me go get rid of excess body fat and weight. Furthermore, swimmingimproves the health and helps me to avoid illness. It will raises heart rate and works thelarge muscle groups in the body.The main thing that fascinates me about this sport is the weightless freedom andliberation I feel when I swim. It feels just like flying. I cannot fly, but swimming is thenext best thing. The water is my sky. .24.Describe an occasion when you were surprised to meet someone you know.Describe an occasion when you unexpectedly met someone you know. You should say: who it was where you met this person what you did when you met and explain why you were surprised to meet this person. I‟m going to talk about my best friend now, Kira, who made a deep impression on me at the very first sight and i was totally surprised at her. i met her by chance in a dreary winter day for interviewing a scholarship. she attracted all interviewees by her self- Page 17 assured and extrovert characteristics, relaxed people with jokes and her good sense ofhumor. she was also talkative at times, but i didn‟t make us annoyed, it turned out to bebeneficial „cause we felt comforting after listening to her funny stories. It was definitely a big surprise „cause i found that she had a talent for calling attention from others and the ability to make friends easily. Later, we both passed the interview and now, we are closed friends but she still makes me surprised sometimes „cause of her well- rounded knowledge.25.Describe something that you would like to learn (how) to do. (Something thatyou cannot do now) You should say: what you would like to learn to do where you would learn it how you would learn it and explain why you would like to learn to do this.I really want to learn German and to be able to communicate with Germanfluently. I would learn in a German class for beginners in Goeth Institude. Everyday, Ispent 3 hours to learn new words and grammars. In addition, I repeated after the speakerin video on the internetActually German is difficult language but I always stopped telling myself howhard German was and started focusing on the positive. Creating a positive filter made thelanguage easy for meI want to learn German because I think that nowadays, knowing more foreignlanguage is an advantage not only in my daily lives but also in my work environment.Furthermore, German is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe Page 1826.Describe a special trip you would like to go on in the future. You should say: where you would like to go who you would go there with (or, who you would like to go there with) what you would do there (or, what you would like to do there) what you would (or, will) need to do to prepare for this trip and explain why this trip would be special to you.I‟d like to say that if possible, I feel like travelling to the Sapa which is located LaoCai, YenBai with my family. I‟m keen on going there because Its a beautiful place and also a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam I once watched the documentary film on the TV introducing the Sapa, I was attracted by remarkable landscape and imposing mountains. Among various reasons, i want to go to Sapa simply „cause of people there. They are warm, kind hearted and trustworthy. My friend said that last

summer when herfamily decided to have a holiday in Sapa, they came into trouble „cause it was a tourist season and we ran out of hotels. Fortunately, they were put in by a local person for a night and she found a hotel nearby for them the following morning. Besides people, Sapa many interesting places to play and learn about the ethnic minorities in Vietnam that I just had a chance to see in textbooks and on TV.For example: I will go to Love market which takes place every Saturday night and go trekking the highest mountain in Vietnam-Faxnipan.It is really a valuable pleasures of life Therefore, I see Sapa as a beautiful and peaceful place for me to refresh myself and recharge my battery after hard work.27.Describe an enjoyable long trip that you experienced. (or Describe a place thatyou have visited far away from home) You should say: Page 19 where you went how you went there (= what means of transport you used to get there) how long it was when you went there * who you went with * and explain what you saw during the trip or what you did during the tripI‟m going to talk about my enjoyable long trip with my family.Its a beautiful place and also a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam, Sapa. It took 6 hours to go there by train.Among various reasons, i love Sapa simply „cause of people there. They are warm, kind hearted and trustworthy. I remember last summer when my family decided to have a holiday in Sapa, we came into trouble „cause it was a tourist season and we ran out of hotels. Fortunately, we were put in by a local person for a night and she found a hotel nearby for us the following morning. Besides people. i found in Sapa many interesting places to play and learn about the ethnic minorities in Vietnam that I just had a chance to see in textbooks and on TV. Therefore, I see Sapa as a beautiful and peaceful place for me to refresh myself and recharge my battery after hard work. Anyway, i will come back to Sapa next summer for sure.28.Describe a time when you forgot something important. You should say: when it happened what you forgot who you were with * what was the result of your forgetting and explain why it was important. *29.Describe a law about the environment that you would like to see. Page 20 You should say: what the law would be about how the law would work * what effects this law would have (= what changes would result from this law) and explain why you would like to see this law in existence or why you you think this law is needed.I live in (..say the name of your city..) and this city has got some several issues related toenvironmental pollution. The major environmental pollutions that this city has are airpollution. Air pollution is the direct reason people suffer from various dangerous diseasesincluding lung cancer, asthma, heart disease etc. In fact the number of people currentlysuffering from these diseases in alarming and if steps are not taken to prevent airpollution immediately, this number would rapidly increase. Therefore, the strict lawwould to create public awareness . We are mostly creating that pollution and endangeringourselves, the nature and other species. Without our awareness and strict determination toprevent our city from pollution, we can‟t reduce or prevent it. Strict laws should beintroduced and applied against environmental pollution and all the illegitimate industriesand companies should be banned. Job opportunities and other facilities should beimproved in the rural areas so that people can manage works in their own cities and

villages other than coming to this city. This law is needed as it reduce the risk of harm tothe environment and human health, also improve people‟s quality of life.30.Describe a foreign country you would like to go to. ( A country you have notbeen to yet) You should say: what country it is (including where it is in the world) what this country is like what people can do in this country * and explain why you would like to go to this country. If I had a chance to visit a foreign country, it would be Australia. To begin with,I‟m planning to enter the university in this country. After graduating in my country, I Page 21 want to continue my study to broaden the knowledge and gain life experiences. Its would be great to be there and to get to know everything by myself. Furthermore, while visiting an English speaking country I would have a great opportunity to improve my English skills. I spend a lot of time studing myself, reading books, watching movies in English and attending E course. However, I know that the best method of learning a foreign language is being in the country where it is native. Australia as a country where I can train my English, find more information about future education and give me valuable experiences. Australia is the perfect choice for me31.Described a success you have had in your life (Describe a goal that you haveachieved) You should say: what it was how you achieved it what others thought about your success and explain how this success affected your lifeThe success I think I am proud of is now able to communicate with German fluently. 2years ago, I travelled to Germany with my parents on holiday and at that moment Idecided to learn German immediately when I came back to VietnamActually German is difficult language but I always stopped telling myself howhard German was and started focusing on the positive. Creating a positive filter made thelanguage easy for me. Everyday. I spent 3 hours learning new words and grammar. Thisis 2 main factors to learn a foreign language. Furthermore, I read so much especiallynovels in German. This is a useful way to uncover new words so that I can refer back tothe list and slowly build them into my everyday vocabulary.I think that nowadays, knowing more foreign language is an advantage not onlyin my daily lives but also in my work environment. Furthermore, German is one of the Page 22most widely spoken languages in Europe.This success gave me the impression that if Ican do better, my hard work would be rewarded accordingly and I would be in a betterposition in my future. Thus this success inspired me to achieve next success.32.Describe an art or craft activity that you did at school. You should say: what activity it was how you did it * who you did it with and explain how you felt about this activity. When I was in high school, I joined school musical band. We have four members, I played drum, two others played guitars and one vocalist. Our band practiced for school orientation day to welcome the new students and to celebrate new school year. We were playing few country rock songs at the event and everyone was really excited to sing along. That was best time in my high school, it helps me build a strong relationship with member in class and33.Describe an important conversation that you had with someone. You should say: when you had this conversation who you had the conversation with what the conversation was about and explain how this conversation influenced you.

While my journey in a train to my hometown, I had a very interestingconversation with a person named Kien who was a journalist of a daily newspaper. I can'trecall his last name but he was a man around 35 years and sat next to me in the train.I usually read books in long journeys or listen to music. That day I was reading abook by Dan Brown and the person who sat next to me asked about the book. This is how Page 23the conversation started. The conversation was mostly about writers in general, thepolitical condition in our country, journalism, travelling and the major problems of ourcountry. I rarely continue longer conversation with strangers but that conversation I hadin the train was pretty different and lasted almost 3. his conversation was interestingmostly because of three reasons: one, the person I had the conversation with was asmooth talking person with good knowledge and experience. Secondly, the way theconversation started and progressed was really interesting. Finally, the place andcircumstances when the conversation took place was really interesting. I must say, Ilearned many things from the opinion and experience he shared that day.34.Describe a long car journey you went on. You should say: where you went why you went there who you travelled with what you saw on the trip (on the way). and explain why you went by car.I‟m going to talk about my long trip with my family. Its Sapa beautiful place and also a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam. It took 6 hours to go there by car. Among various reasons, i went go to there as Sapa simply „cause of people there. They are warm, kind hearted and trustworthy. I remember last summer when my family decided to have aholiday in Sapa, we came into trouble „cause it was a tourist season and we ran out of train ticket. Consequently, we had to catch the taxi the following morning. On the way, I saw beautiful terraced rice fields that I just had a chance to see in textbooks and on TV. These cover the whole sides of mountains and during ripening of rice, everything are turning to yellow. I feel so lucky as enjoying a amazing picture of nature and I really proud of my country35.Describe a person (you know) who travels a lot by plane. Page 24 You should say: who this person is how you know this person where this person travels to and explain why they (= he or she) choose to travel by plane I would like to tell you about my best friend. I met her when I was only 8 yearsold and was in primary school. After that our intimacy grew up and we became bestfriends. Now she works for educational company in Vietnam. Her boss and she usually have business travel every month, and most of the time by plane. Her company has offices in Ireland, Vietnam and Indonesia, therefore she has to travel to different cities all the time. Travelling by plane saves a lot of time, especially when she got a tight schedule in one day and need to travel to other places. Also, it is more convenient and comfortable for passenger. For instant, on the airplane there are many airline hostesses to serve, take care and help passengers. Moreover, airplanes have good security system. Airports have modern systems to take care of security of passengers. Before boarding the plane, staff will check supplies to protect from accident.36.Describe a street that you like to visit. You should say: where is it how often you go there what you usually do there and explain why you like to go thereI would like to describe a street from my hometown that I like to visit when I was a littlegirl. I spent a lot of time in my childhood and adolescence time. This street is called

Giang Vo and it is at the back side of the high school we used to study at. This is not avery wide street and since it is in the back side, people often avoid this road and take themain street. There are some 2-3 storied buildings there and one 7th storied building issituated beside this street. Since I now live in a different city I rarely visit this street.However I go to this street sometime with my friends whenever I visit my hometown. Page 25This is the place where I spend my time with my friends in the evening when I stay at myhometown. I go to my hometown 3-4 times in a year and visit this street each time I visitmy hometown. I like this street because I have so many memories related to this street. Istill go there whenever I visit my town. And this very street where I used to spend someof my golden periods reminds me my old time there. Being there with my friendssometimes reminds me things I used to do there and how precious the time was. For thesereasons I like this street very much37.Describe an article you read in a magazine or on the internet about healthyliving. You should say: what the article was about where you read it (which magazine or website) and explain what you learned/thought from the article. I would like to share you an article I read on the internet yesterday .It talks about the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle on livestrong.com. A popular website about healthy living. There are 2 things I learned from it. Firstly, I find that it is challenge to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Perhaps it is your busy schedule and limited time to prepare healthy meals you are more likely to skip meals and choose convenient or fast food to eat. You must be patient with yourself and to select only one to two goals at a time to work on. Small changes over a long period of time will equal big results. Secondly, if you determined to have a healthier and longer life , you will prevent diseases such as heart disease or diabetes. Eating well and exercising can help defend against depression and will sharpen your memory and stabilize your mood38.Describe a person you know whose job is important to society. You should say: who this person is how you know this person what job they do (= he or she does) Page 26 and explain why you think their job is important or why you think their work contributes to society.Ok, well it was actually quite difficult choosing whom to talk about, because, I mean, ifyou think about it, everyone‟s job is important in some way or another. But in the endI‟ve decided to talk about Mrs. HuongMrs. Huong is a teacher who taught English when I was in primary school. She was akindhearted woman with short gray hair because she was about sixty. She usually woredark-colored clothes and glasses. She always spoke slowly but she was very popular inour class. I found being a teacher an important job because teachers not only teach usknowledge, but also good manners. In addition, I think education is the foundation ofsociety, and teachers are the foundation of education. Mrs. Li always told us to be usefulin society. Her Chinese lessons were always very good; because of them, I am also verygood at it now.So I think not only are teachers an essential part of society, but also it is an important job.39.Describe a house or apartment you would like to live in. You should say: where this house or apartment would be what it would look like when you would like to live there and explain why you would like to live in such a place.

in future I would like to live in a farm house in my hometown. The house would be asmall one with 4 rooms in it. But there would be plenty of trees, gardens, ponds and openspaces in from of the house. I want to live close to nature rather than living in a crammedmetropolitan building. The house would be built with woods, leaves, some modernmaterials and tin. There would be a big veranda in front of the house. Trees would be allaround the house. I have plan to live there when I built my own successful careers andstart a family. Living in a farm house in my hometown that would allows me l enjoy freshair, clean environment, healthy and fresh foods. This is the main reason I want to livethere. Furthermore, I would like to invite my friends over for the weekend and then throwa party outdoor with campfire and have a barbeque40.Describe something useful that you (once) borrowed. Page 27 You should say: what you borrowed who you borrowed it from how it was useful to you and explain why you borrowed it.Well, I borrowed many things in the past few years. But I think the most specialone that gave me a good impression is a cell phone which I borrowed from a strangepassenger on a train. Last year I took train back to my hometown from Saigon. It was along distance trip from Saigon to my hometown. I needed to sleep on the train one night.Unfortunately, when I got up in the morning, I could not find my cell phone. I guessedthat must be stolen by someone. I was so nervous, because I afraid my parents could notfind me when I arrived the train station. So I borrowed a cell phone and called to mymom told her I will wait them before the big statue on the train station square. Thanks forthe borrowed cell phone I could arrive to my home safely41.Describe someone in the news who you would like to meet. You should say: who this person is why they are in the news and explain why you would like to meet this person. . I‟m going to talk about Hoa, a beautiful girl who i was lucky to meet on the occasion of the trip to Singapore last month. She made a great impression on me by her English. She spoke english so fluently that at first, i thought she was a native speaker. What i liked about her English was her melodious voice, whenever she spoke, i thought that she was singing but not talking. . Every day in that trip, I had chance to listen to her sweet voice, and because of language barriers, she always used English all the time. She helped me improve my ability to give a successful presentation, how to go up and down whenspeaking English and how to call attention from others. That‟s very useful. . And after the trip, we still often keep in touch to learn and share effective methods to improve our English speaking ability. Page 2842.Describe a time when you waited for (or, had to wait for) something (orsomeone). You should say: who or what you waited for where you waited why you waited (or, had to wait) and explain how you felt while you were waiting.Let me talk about an occasion I waited for my colleague in the airport, which happened inApril. I was planning to take a business trip with a colleague. In that morning, I woke upearlyto get to the airport where we agreed to meet. I took a seat in the cafe bar in the airportand waited for him. One hour soon passed, but he didn‟t show up. I was beginning toworry a bit then, hoping he would not forget the business trip or wake up late. I made a

telephone call to him, but could not put through, which made me more depressed. I hadno ideas but made another telephone call to my superior and told him about my currentsituation, he told me to fly alone if my colleague didn‟t get to the airport in time in theend.To my surprise, after I hung up the telephone, I saw him entering the gate of theairport slowly. I asked him why he came to airport so late. He just said he never hurriedto catch the airplane, and told me that I should take easy. Oh, I doubted whether he livednear here. I really didn‟t want to go on a trip with him next time43.Describe a long walk that you went on. You should say: where you walked Page 29 who you walked with what you saw (and did) during this walk and explain why you went on this long walk. or and explain how you felt about going on this long walk.44.Describe someone or something that made a lot of noise. You should say: who or what made the noise what the noise was like and explain what you did when you heard this noise. Let me tell you about my neighbor who are so noisy and usually drove me crazy. when I was in university, I rent a house in the crowed students area. Most of my neighbor were students like me. One of them who lived next door to my house , always had parties at weekends. Every time, a lot of people came by, they got drunk and turned on the musicreally loud . I couldn‟t concentrate on my exam studies. Few neighbors also complained about the noise, so I called police to tell them about my concerns. The police came and talked to the neighbor and advised them to keep the noise down, not too loud to affect others people.45.Describe a song that has special meaning for you. You should say: what this song is about when and where you first heard this song how often you listen to this song and explain why it has special meaning for you. Page 30My mother often sang me a lullaby titled „Oh my sweet angel look the Moon has come toplay with you...” in my bed time and I have heard it so many times in my childhood that I can still remember it very vividly. This was a song usually famous in the rural area of our country that mothers often use to soothe the baby and to send them in sleep. It was an 8- 10 lines song with great harmony and the way my mother sand it was extraordinary. It still echoes in my head and I miss those days. I can remember my mother often sand this song till I got admitted in the school and I heard it from my father as well in my bed time. I was pretty touched with the lyrics and in my childhood I often imagined that the verses used in this song were true and would happen to me as well. We often remember things from childhood specially the stories or songs we hear with great enthusiasm. This song was no exceptions. I heard it hundreds of times and as a child I fanaticized those things to be true. Thais is the main reason I still remember it. May be someday when I will become a father/ mother, I will sing thins song to my children as well. This has in fact become a permanent memory and I still love the great and calming piece of music.46.Describe an important holiday (or festival) that is celebrated in your country. You should say: when this celebration takes place what people do during this celebration what you especially like and dislike about this celebration and explain why it is important. I think the main festival in my country is Tet that means Lunar New Year. It is the most important celebration of Vietnamese culture. The celebration often falls between late January and early February. It is time for everybody to come back

to their hometown, gathering with family, visiting relatives and having a good relaxing time after a hardworking year. The first day of tet is probably the most exciting time of the holiday for me. It signifies a new beginning , cleaning of past misfortunes and hopes for a brighter future. Furthermore, I especially like this holiday because I will be gifted lucky money in traditional red pocket by parents, grandparents or relatives. Unfortunately, I have no Page 31 reasons to dislike Tet because it have a lot of great foods and you can see happy faces and big celebrations everywhere. I strongly suggest my foreign friends to go to Vietnam for Lunar New Year to feel the atmosphere and happiness that can only be understood by experiencing it themselves.47.Describe what you would do if you had a day off, free from work or study. You should say: where you would go what you would do there who you would go with and explain how you think you would feel at the end of this day. . if I had a day off I would immediately go to swimming with my best friend. Swimming isthe one that I find most fascinating and I think it can strengthen my physical health.. I learnt to swim when I was a small child because my parents believed that it would be useful for me. Unlike other sports, there are no rules to followwhen you swim. Basically, swimming is just the combination of arm and leg motions and the natural floatation of the body. .The main thing that fascinates me about this sport is the weightless freedom and liberation I feel when I swim. It feels just like flying. I cannot fly, but swimming is the next best thing. The water is my sky.After swimming, I feel happier, stronger , more comfortable and more relaxed.48.Describe the member of your family who you spend the most time with. You should say: who it is when you are usually together what you do together Page 32 and explain why you spend the most time with this member of your family Let me tell you about my mother. She plays a very important role in my life. She is a very considerate and thoughtful person who has always done her best to help me make decisions in the face of day-to-day difficulties.I really consider my mother to be a role model. She has a strong personality and she never lets others tell her what to do. I learned how to be responsible and also more determined in my daily life.My mother has always encouraged me to be more outstanding in work.I remember she usually told me stories or sang lullaby when I lied on the bed at nigh in order to help me sleep. When we are together at home, she always discusses with meabout my job and often complains that I didn‟t get better results. It took me a long time torealize what she meant, but now I understand how rewarding my work should be thanksto her recommendations. I believe she is one of the reasons why I always want to dobetter in everything I attempt.49.Describe an unforgettable advertisement that you liked You should say: what type of advertisement it was where you saw or heard it what product or service was advertised and explain why you liked that advertisement . I'm going to talk about an advertisement for Coca-Cola, which is one of the biggest brands in the world. I've seen Coke advertised everywhere, on posters and TV commercials. . The advert shows a picture of Santa Claus smiling and holding a bottle of Coke. I think the aim is to target children and associate (link/connect) the brand with Christmas time. The advert is interesting because the company is deliberately /diliborotli/ trying to influence and attract children. The marketers are trying to capture young customers. They are presenting the drink as something

special, a gift for Christmas. However, Coca-Cola is not necessarily a healthy drink for children; it contains a lot of sugar. Page 33 Maybe this kind of advertising manipulates /monipiulet/ children and encourages them to pester their parents

6. Describe an exciting sport you know.You should say:what sport it is: Of all the different types of sports, I am interested in figure skating the most.how you know about it: I first learned about figure skating when I watched an Olympic competition in 2012. I found this sport very interesting.how difficult you think it is: I don’t think that figure skating is a sport for everybody since it requires great balancing skills. In addition, the person has to be very flexible and courageous when doing this sport.and explain why you think it is exciting: Coming from a tropical country, I don’t get toexperience ice and snow, thus, figure skating was new to me. Watching the athlete’selegant performance on ice amazed me. I couldn’t imagine how people could do suchthings since just walking with ice skates is so difficult. These athletes danced on icewithout even tripping. They must have spent a great deal of time practicing andpreparing for their performances. Also, I found it very beautiful, as their costumeswere so elegant. I even enjoyed the background music they used during theperformances. In comparison to other sports, figure skating is an amazing feast forboth the eyes and the ears. to be interested in - to like or to enjoy. “She is interested in figure skating and he isinterested in soccer.”I found this sport to be very interesting - I thought this sport was very interesting. “Hefound the work to be too easy for him.”it requires - something that needs to be done. In this sentence it means that figureskating can only be done by people who have good balance, and not everyone does.It’s something necessary to have to do well at figure skating. “This job requires you towork 60 hours per week.”flexible - in this context it means that the person can do many things with his/her body, like putting your foot above your head while you are skating. “Yoga teachers are very flexible and can get themselves into all kinds of crazy positions.”courageous - brave. In this case you have to be brave to be a figure skater because it can be dangerous. “The mountaineers are courageous for climbing so high.”elegant performance - describing the performance as elegant means that you thought it was very beautiful or gorgeous; it was pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner. “The dancers gave an elegant performance this evening.”amazed me - surprised or shocked me. In this case it was incredible to see the skatersdo such things. “It amazed me that he received a 9 on his first IELTS exam.”

to trip - to fall down while you are walking or running or doing something else likedancing or skating. “She tripped and hit her head on the table. Ouch!”a feast for the eyes and ears - something pleasant to watch and listen to. “The TaylorSwift concert was a feast for the eyes and ears. It was incredible to watch the showand I love her music.”

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page 114. Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.You should say:what place it waswhy you went therewhat you did thereand explain why you think it was full of colour36. Describe a garden or park you visited and liked.You should say:where it waswhat it looked likewhat you did (or, were doing) there [or, what people were doing there]and explain why you liked it.ANSWER:I would like to share with you my impressions of a garden that I visited last summer, which was full ofcolour and interest: Claude Monet‟s house and garden in Giverny, France.As a big fan of Monet‟s paintings, especially the famous „Water Lilies‟, I had always dreamed of seeingthe scene in real life. So, when some friends suggested a visit last year, I jumped at the chance. After ajourney of about an hour by train from our hotel, we arrived at Giverny. The garden was exactly as hehad painted it – it was a riot of colour, from the peaceful white of the water lilies to the striking reds and oranges which filled some of the flowerbeds.The two parts of the garden complemented each other perfectly. We first admired the array of brightflowers and fruit trees in the Clos Normand, but my favourite part was the water garden, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll, taking in all the colours, perfumes and bird songs. Monet avidly collected prints of Japanese gardens, and these inspired the Japanese bridges covered with wisterias, the water lilies in the pond, and the bamboo and weeping willows which he planted.For me, it was like a wonderland of colours and a dream come true after so many years.

Vocabulary in the script:

impression: feeling or feelings (in the plural) about the garden (impressions) “His impression of themeeting was that it didn‟t go very well.”fan: although the word is often used in the context of football nowadays, here it means a person who

admires [ Monet‟s paintings]. “She is a huge fan of Maroon 5.”jumped at the chance: I enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to visit the garden. “He jumped at the chance to go to Las Vegas with his boss.”a riot of colour: a collection of many different colours. “Sandra‟s rose garden is a riot of colour.”striking: very attractive and unusual. “The woman he was with was wearing a striking outfit last night.”flowerbeds: a piece of a garden or park in which flowers are grown. “He loves digging in his flowerbeds.”complemented each other: each part of the garden added something different to the other part, so that the garden as a whole became more attractive. “The wine and the fish complemented each other to form a perfect meal.”the array of bright flowers: the large and impressive collection of flowers. “The array of bright flowersin her garden surprised everybody. They didn‟t realize she had planted so many varieties.”a leisurely stroll: a slow, relaxing walk. “We went for a leisurely stroll along the beach this morning.”taking in all the colours: our eyes noticed all the colours and features of the garden. “We were taking in all the colours of his garden, when all of a sudden we heard a large crash outside the garden gate. Two cars had just bumped into each other.”avidly: Monet collected prints of Japanese gardens enthusiastically. “He studied English avidly, frommorning until late in the evening.”prints: copies of original drawings or paintings. “The artist offered her prints for $100 each.”wisterias: white or purple flowers which cover walls, bridges or trees. “The wisterias in the garden werein full bloom.”pond: a small area of still water, usually in a garden. “There are many beautiful fish in the pond.” Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page 3bamboo: tall tropical plants which have hollow „stems‟ [the long, thin part of the plant] used for buildingor furniture. “Pandas love to eat bamboo.”weeping willows: trees which grow near water and have „branches‟ which hang downwards. “There aretwo weeping willows on the property, but we should cut one down.”wonderland: an imaginary place in children‟s stories. “The amusement park was a wonderland for bothchildren and adults.”

Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page 18. Describe a time when you did something to help someone you didn't know.You should say:where it happened:who the person was:

how you helped this person:and explain how you felt after helping this person:where it happened: Today, I’m going to share with you my own story about how Ihelped a stranger on the street.who the person was: It was an elderly woman whom I met on the way while driving towork.how you helped this person: She was trying to cross the road to go to a pagodanearby. Unfortunately, it was a big road with 4 lanes of traffic and it was during therush hour. At that time, I was driving to work, and stopped for a red light. She slowlyapproached me and asked if I could take her to the other side of the road. I hesitatedat first since I didn’t know her. Well, life in a big city is very complicated, you don’treally know if the person you are trying to help is good or bad. So it’s hard to trustpeople these days. However, after a moment’s hesitation, I decided to give her a lift tothe door anyway, since she was an elderly lady and I would feel bad if I turned herdown.and explain how you felt after helping this person: When I dropped her off at thepagoda, she thanked me and said “God bless you”. I was glad that I had made thedecision to help her, although it did not bring any dramatic change to the world!Any kind action, however small, brings its own reward in terms of the satisfactionderived from helping others. Her gratitude made me feel that my help had meant alot to her and I determined that, in future, I would be less suspicious of strangers. Written by Ngoc Bach Website: www.ngocbach.com Page 2Vocabulary:elderly = old, but it is a more polite way to describe people who are old.the rush hour = the time when the roads are full of traffic because people are travelling to or from work.hesitate = to be slow to speak or act because you are nervous or unsure.give a lift = a free ride in a car [in this case, to the place where the elderly lady wanted to go – the pagoda].to the door = directly to the place where she wanted to go.turned her down = I would have felt bad if I had refused to consider her request.dropped her off = I took her to the particular place where she wanted to go, while I continued my journey to a different place.brings its own reward = the good moral feeling that I had from helping the lady was enough, without expecting any payment or thanks from her.derived from = came from.gratitude = the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express her thanks.meant a lot to her = my help had been very important to her.suspicious of somebody = not willing to trust somebody.

TOPIC: Everyone should become vegetarian because they do not need to eat meat to have a

healthy diet. Do you agree or disagree?Many people choose to become vegetarians since a vegetarian diet is believed to be better for thehuman body. Although I agree that eating only plant foods provides us with a healthier diet, I donot believe that everyone should stop eating meat in order to enjoy good health.There are a variety of reasons why becoming a vegetarian is beneficial. Firstly, science hasproven that vegetarians have lower risks of developing several chronic illnesses such as heartdiseases, diabetes, some forms of cancer and obesity. This is due to the fact that a healthyvegetarian diet is typically low in fat and high in fiber. Secondly, eating vegetables properly givesus adequate nutrition to support our bodies. For example, raw spinach is a great source ofVitamins A, K, E as well as calcium. As a result, instead of eating many kinds of food to get thesevitamins, we only need a bowl of spinach.However, there are some disadvantages to be considered before becoming a vegetarian.Perhaps the principal one is that if a vegetarian’s daily meal is not properly balanced ,he or shemight suffer from a lack of calories to meet his or her energy needs. Consequently, they will feellethargic and unable to do anything energetic. In addition, food which is eaten raw, steamed orstir-fried retains more vitamins and minerals than that which is boiled in water or deep-fried. So,culinary traditions such as those in Vietnam are the most advisable ones to follow in preparingvegetarian meals. Vegetarians brought up to cook using Western methods should, therefore,either change or else adopt a non-vegetarian diet.In conclusion, although healthy, a vegetarian diet is not for everyone and it demands care in thechoice and preparation of meals.

(19/9/2015)TOPIC: Everyone should become vegetarian because they do not need to eat meat to have ahealthy diet. Do you agree or disagree?Many people choose to become vegetarians since a vegetarian diet is believed to be better for thehuman body. Although I agree that eating only plant foods provides us with a healthier diet, I donot believe that everyone should stop eating meat in order to enjoy good health.There are a variety of reasons why becoming a vegetarian is beneficial. Firstly, science hasproven that vegetarians have lower risks of developing several chronic illnesses such as heartdiseases, diabetes, some forms of cancer and obesity. This is due to the fact that a healthyvegetarian diet is typically low in fat and high in fiber. Secondly, eating vegetables properly givesus adequate nutrition to support our bodies. For example, raw spinach is a great source ofVitamins A, K, E as well as calcium. As a result, instead of eating many kinds of food to get thesevitamins, we only need a bowl of spinach.However, there are some disadvantages to be considered before becoming a vegetarian.Perhaps the principal one is that if a vegetarian’s daily meal is not properly balanced ,he or shemight suffer from a lack of calories to meet his or her energy needs. Consequently, they will feellethargic and unable to do anything energetic. In addition, food which is eaten raw, steamed orstir-fried retains more vitamins and minerals than that which is boiled in water or deep-fried. So,culinary traditions such as those in Vietnam are the most advisable ones to follow in preparing

vegetarian meals. Vegetarians brought up to cook using Western methods should, therefore,either change or else adopt a non-vegetarian diet.In conclusion, although healthy, a vegetarian diet is not for everyone and it demands care in thechoice and preparation of meals.