09. Speaking Quy 1-2020.pdf

LỜI MỞ ĐẦU

Để phục vụ cho học viên của IELTS Thanh Loan và các sĩ tử thi IELTS có thể đạt được thành tích cao nhất trong kỳ thi IELTS Speaking, team IELTS Thanh Loan đã cho ra đời cuốn sách “Đáp án tham khảo IELTS Speaking 2020”. Bộ sách bao gồm những bài mẫu cực “chất”, kèm theo từ vựng “ăn điểm” và bài dịch để các bạn có thể áp dụng vào bài nói của mình.

Speaking như các bạn đã biết trong phần thi IELTS có 3 phần thì phần 2 và phần 3 là 2 phần quan trọng nhất và ảnh h đã biết cho bạn bao nhiêu điểm và ở cuối phần 3, giám khảo sẽ dựa vào việc bạn trả lời tốt hay không để cho bạn thêm điểm hoặc cân nhắc để đưa ra điểm số cuối cùng. Vì thế, trong bài thi nói để đạt được điểm cao thì các bạn nên tập trung trả lời câu hỏi phần 2 và phần 3 thật tốt. Tuy nhiên, các bạn cũng đừng nên bỏ qua phần 1 nhé, vì “Đầu xuôi đuôi lọt” mà. Vậy nên, cuốn sách này sẽ là người bạn đồng hành của các bạn tuyệt vời hơn bao giờ hết giúp các bạn có thể đạt điểm IELTS như mong muốn.

Các câu hỏi được sử dụng trong cuốn sách này được trích từ bộ đề thi Speaking dự đoán áp dụng cho quý 1 (tháng 01 – 05) năm 2020. Chính vì vậy, đây cũng là thời điểm tốt nhất để sử dụng cuốn sách này.

Để có thể tận dụng tối ưu cuốn sách này, các bạn hãy làm theo các bước như sau: Bước 1: Đầu tiên các bạn hãy chuẩn bị một cuốn sách và bút để ghi lại tất cả những từ vựng. Bước 2: Trước khi luyện tập từng topic một, hãy tự gạch ý các ý tưởng và từ vựng của bài mình ra. Trong phần 2 của bài thi nói các bạn có thể dựa vào các câu hỏi để nghĩ ra ý tưởng. Bước 3: Các bạn có thể đọc bài mẫu, xem cách triển khai của bài cũng như từ vựng, cấu trúc. Các bạn cố gắng áp dụng tất từ vựng và cấu trúc trong bài của mình càng nhiều càng tốt. Bước 4: Bước này là bước khá quan trọng, đó là khi bạn thu âm bài nói của mình vào máy và nghe lại. Để hiệu quả bạn nên tìm một bạn đồng hành giỏi hơn bạn nghe và sửa cho bạn hoặc các bạn có thể nhờ thầy cô sửa bài cho mình.

Bộ đề Speaking đang được các bạn sĩ tử áp dụng để đi thi, đối với phần 2 thì tỷ lệ trúng đề khoảng 99%. Về phần 1 và phần 3 thì mang tính chất tham khảo, giám khảo đi thi sẽ không hỏi tất cả các câu hỏi giống hệt như thế, nhưng các bạn có thể tận dụng để học từ vựng, ý tưởng áp dụng vào bài thi của mình. Hơn thế nữa, đề thi part 1 và part 2 sẽ chưa được đầy đủ do mỗi thí sinh sau bài thi khó có thể nhớ hết những câu hỏi của mình.





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Thanh Loan không khuyến khích các bạn học thuộc bài mẫu, bởi vì đi thi nếu ai cũng nói giống bài mẫu hoặc trong trường hợp học thuộc dẫn tới diễn đạt không tự nhiên, các bạn sẽ bị trừ rất nhiều điểm cho phần thi nói của mình. Vì thế, các bạn chỉ nên tham khảo cách diễn đạt, từ vựng, cấu trúc trong bài này để có thể nói một cách tốt nhất. Cuốn sách này chắc chắn sẽ là bộ tài liệu hữu ích nhất cho các bạn sĩ tử thi IELTS và nó sẽ rút ngắn thời ôn thi speaking của các bạn.

Hơn thế nữa, để rút gọn thời gian ôn thi và vẫn mang lại hiệu quả tốt, Thanh Loan đã cố gắng viết những đáp án có thể “tái chế” cho nhiều câu hỏi khác nhau. Các bạn sử dụng cuốn sách này hãy cố gắng tái sử dụng câu trả lời hiệu quả. Trong quá trình biên soạn, có những bài mẫu được chia sẻ từ giám khảo IELTS Simon (ieltssimon.com) rất tốt và Thanh Loan sử dụng luôn làm đáp án tham khảo (Ví dụ: Describe a photo, Numbers….) Mọi ý kiến đóng góp để hoàn thiện hơn cuốn sách, các bạn có thể gửi về email [email protected]

Cám ơn tất cả các bạn đã mua sách và ủng hộ IELTS Thanh Loan. Chúc các bạn sớm chinh phục được IELTS với số điểm mong muốn. Thanh Loan

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Table of Contents SPEAKING PART 1 ............................................................................................................ 7 NUMBERS ...................................................................................................................... 7 PEN AND PENCILS ........................................................................................................... 8 SWEETIES ...................................................................................................................... 9 BEING ALONE (Spending time by yourself) ....................................................................... 10 SCENERY ..................................................................................................................... 11 MUSEUMS ................................................................................................................... 12 ARRT ........................................................................................................................... 13 CAKE ........................................................................................................................... 14 HISTORY ...................................................................................................................... 15 LAUGH ........................................................................................................................ 16 WATER SPORTS ............................................................................................................ 17 PARK ........................................................................................................................... 18 RUNNING .................................................................................................................... 20 SCIENCE ...................................................................................................................... 22 JEANS ......................................................................................................................... 23 TRUST ......................................................................................................................... 24 TIREDNESS ................................................................................................................... 25 MAKE-UP ..................................................................................................................... 26 EATING ....................................................................................................................... 27 ANIMALS ..................................................................................................................... 28 VOICES ........................................................................................................................ 29 ISLAND ........................................................................................................................ 30 PLAN ........................................................................................................................... 31 GARBAGE .................................................................................................................... 32 HAIRCUT ..................................................................................................................... 33 LANGUAGES ................................................................................................................. 34 WALKING .................................................................................................................... 35 CONCENTRATION ......................................................................................................... 36 FOREST ....................................................................................................................... 37 HOMETOWN ................................................................................................................ 38 WORK AND STUDY ........................................................................................................ 40 VISITING RELATIVES ...................................................................................................... 42 PERFUMES ................................................................................................................... 44 MATH ......................................................................................................................... 46 STREET MARKETS ......................................................................................................... 47 TEA OR COFFEE ............................................................................................................ 48 3 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

MUSIC ......................................................................................................................... 49 READING ..................................................................................................................... 51 TIME MANAGEMENT / BEING PUNCTUAL ........................................................................ 53 TRAVELLING ................................................................................................................. 54 ROBOTS ...................................................................................................................... 55 READING ..................................................................................................................... 56 SMILE ......................................................................................................................... 57

SPEAKING PART 2 - DESCRIBE A PERSON .................................................................... 58 1. Describe a female leader you would like to meet ........................................................... 58 2. Describe a person who is good at his/ her job ..................................................................... 60 3. Describe a person who often travels by plane ..................................................................... 63 4. Describe a person who taught you something (knowledge or principles) ........................... 65 5. Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions ................................................ 66 6. Describe a person who often helps others ........................................................................... 69 7. Describe a foreign celebrity you want to meet in person ................................................. 72 8. Describe your favourite band or singer ................................................................................ 75 9. Describe a person on the news that you’d like to meet ....................................................... 77 10. Describe a person who made you laugh happily when you were a child .......................... 79 11. Describe someone in your family who you like. ................................................................ 82 12.Describe a family member who you spend the most time with ......................................... 83 13. Describe a person you know who is good at foreign language ........................................ 86 14. Describe a friend or a person who encouraged you to achieve a goal .............................. 89

DESCRIBE A THING/ AN OBJECT ..................................................................................... 92 15. Describe a piece of clothing you enjoy wearing ............................................................ 92 16.Describe a uniform (in school or company) you wear ......................................................... 95 17. Describe a useful home appliance that you use often ................................................... 97 18. Describe a time that you spent a lot of money on something ........................................... 99 19.Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first .............................................. 102 20. Describe a product or application which is based on artificial intelligence ..................... 105 21. Describe a good experience of online shopping .............................................................. 107 22. Describe a toy you got in your childhood .................................................................. 109 23. Describe something special you took home from a tourist attraction ............................ 111 24. Describe a popular product made in your region ............................................................. 114 25. Describe a gift that took you a lot of time to prepare .................................................. 115 26. Describe something you borrowed from others ......................................................... 117 27. Describe an impressive advertisement you remember well ......................................... 119 28. Describe a photograph you like in your room ............................................................ 122 4 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

DESCRIBE A PLACE ....................................................................................................... 123 29. Describe a historical building you have been to ......................................................... 123 30. Describe a journey that you went by car ................................................................... 126 31. Describe a city you once went to with your family .......................................................... 129 32. Describe an experience that you visited a friend ............................................................. 131 33. Describe an experience that the vehicle you took broke down in your travel ................. 133 34. Describe an unusual experience of travelling .................................................................. 136 35. Describe an important journey that has been delayed ................................................ 139 36. Describe an occasion when weather prevented your activity ......................................... 140 37. Describe a time that you were tired but still had to stay awake ......................................... 140 39. Describe a time when you visited a park ............................................................................. 146 40. Describe a new public place you would like to visit ......................................................... 148 41. Describe a place where you read and write (not your home) .......................................... 150 42. Describe a change that can improve your local area ....................................................... 152 43. Describe a crowded place that you have been to ............................................................ 154 44. Describe a school you went to in your childhood ....................................................... 155 45. Describe an ideal home or apartment you would like to live in the future ..................... 157

DESCRIBE AN EXPERIENCE ........................................................................................... 160 46. Describe a time when you first met someone ............................................................ 160 47. Describe a time that you got up early in the morning ................................................. 163 48. Describe an occasion when you got incorrect information ........................................... 166 49. Describe a time when someone apologised to you ..................................................... 168 50. Describe a time you received a call from someone you do not know in the public place .. 169 51. Describe a practical skill you learned ........................................................................ 170 52. Describe a new skill you learned that you think is important .......................................... 172 53. Describe a time when you taught an older person something new ................................ 172 54. Describe an experience that you got bored when you were with others? ...................... 175 55. Describe an advice you received on your subjects or work .......................................... 177 56. Describe a time that you gave advice to others ............................................................... 179 57. Describe a time when you helped someone .................................................................... 182 58. Describe a situation when you celebrated your achievement ....................................... 183 59. Describe an occasion when you invite your family or friends to dinner .......................... 185

DESCRIBE AN ACTIVITY ................................................................................................ 192 62. Describe a water sport you would like to try in the future ........................................... 192 63. Describe an experience that you enjoyed an indoor game ........................................... 195 DESCRIBE YOUR FAVOURITE….. ................................................................................... 197 64. Describe a game show or a quiz program you watched on TV or online ......................... 197 65. Describe a TV program you liked when you were little .................................................... 200 66. Describe a performance that you watched recently ........................................................ 200 5 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

67. Describe a prize you want to get .............................................................................. 201 68. Describe a difficult challenge you met ............................................................................. 202 69. Describe an achievement when you put great effort to gain ........................................... 203 70. Describe a piece of important news you got through a text message ............................. 204 71. Describe an interesting conversation you had with a stranger ...................................... 205 72. Describe a film you would like to share with your friends ............................................ 207 73. Describe a sky you would like to see ......................................................................... 209 74. Describe an interesting animal you have ever seen .................................................... 211 75. Describe a job that you would not like to do in the future ........................................... 213 76. Describe a successful small company that you know .................................................. 214 77. Describe an article on health you read on magazine or the Internet ............................. 217







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SPEAKING PART 1 Numbers 1. Do you have a favourite number or a number that is special to you? Yes, my favourite number is 1 because it's the day I was born on, and it's my lucky number. I also like to be a unique person or have something which are unique, which means number 1. • Lucky number (noun): số may mắn • Unique (adj): duy nhất 2) Do any numbers have special importance in your country? Yes. The number 7, for example, is supposed to be a special number in my country. It appears in so many places, like the seven days of the week, the seven main notes in music, and the seven ages of man that Shakespeare described. People in Vietnam don't like number 4 because its Vietnamese pronunciation is quite similar to mortality and people want to avoid it. That’s why they hate number 4 appearing in their house number, their car number plate…. • Seven main notes in music (noun): bảy nốt nhạc • Mortality (noun): sự tử vong, sự chết chóc • Number plate (noun) = license plate (noun): biển số xe 3) Are you good at remembering numbers? Why / why not? No, I'm not very good at remembering numbers. I have a memory like a sieve. And also, I don't think it's necessary to learn them by heart; I just save them on my phone or other advanced devices. • Have a memory like a sieve (idiom): trí nhớ không tốt • Learn ST by heart (verb): học thuộc long • Advanced (adj): hiện đại 4) What numbers do people often have to memorise? The most important number to remember on a daily basis is the pin number for your bank card. Without this you can't pay for anything or get cash out. You should also remember a telephone number of the closest friend or relative in case of emergency. • On a daily basis (phrase): hằng ngày • Get cash out (verb): rút tiền

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Pen or Pencil 1. When was the last time that you used a pen or pencil? I like writing, and the last time I used a pen was yesterday morning, when I had to sign a paper, for pencil - it was yesterday evening, when I jot down some ideas to plan for the next day. I like both of them. Pen can make my words look bold, while pencil gives me some sort of connection between my thoughts and my writing. - Jot down (verb phrase): ghi lại - Bold (adj): đậm 2. Do you usually use a pen or pencil? I carry my pen with me more often, since pen is more reliable and the lines it produces is more visible than the pencil. I used to like the wooden pencil in the past, since it made me look nostalgic and somewhat intellectual, but I always forgot to bring along the pencil sharpener, and many times, I couldn’t use it at all. - Reliable (adj): đáng tin cậy - Visible (adj): đáng tin cậy - Wooden pencil (noun): bút chì gỗ - Nostalgic (adj): hoài niệp - Sharpener (noun): gọt bút chì 3. Which one do you use more often? Pen or pencil? Because I bring pen with me more often, I use pen more frequently. I also found out that though the development of technology can make people more dependent on laptops or tablets to take note, the most effective way to express our feelings and thoughts is by handwriting. 4. What do you think if someone gives you a pen or a pencil as a gift? A writing instrument, such as a pen or pencil, would be a lovely and thoughtful gift which is suitable in most of the occasions. We can give it to our friends, co-workers, lovers, people who are older or younger than us. Basically, if I got a pen or a pencil as a present, I would cherish it and also be thankful for the person who gives it to me, since I love writing, and cannot survive without pens or pencils. - Cherish (verb): trân trọng - Survive (verb): sống sót

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Sweeties 1. Do you like to eat sweeties? Not really, because I recognized that sugar can make our bodies age speedier, create more wrinkles and be prone to cancer, obesity and diabetes. So basically, that is not my thing. - Wrinkle (noun): nếp nhăn - Be prone to ST (adj): dễ dặp phải … 2. Do you like sweeties compared with you were child? Not anymore. When I was a child, sweets were always in my house. It seemed like everybody visiting my house brought me sweets as gift. I was really happy receiving them, and sometimes, even asked for more. But now, it is not my favorite thing anymore since I developed a healthier diet. My family still has bowls of sweets to serve guests, but I just don’t have any intention to touch them at all. - Have intention to do ST (verb): có ý định làm gì 3. Have you ever tried to make sweeties? I have never tried making sweets, since they are so cheap in my country, and I can easily buy them in every shop. Furthermore, I don’t really feel the need to have them, and I stay away from them as far as I can. 4. Why people like sweetíes? Well, I think people love sweeties, because when we eat something sweet, we feel happy and energetic. It gives us a sense of well-being, and helps moderate our moods. Many people said that after taking a sweet, they can continue working and stay conscious longer. To me, that seems like a getaway from the reality, since sweet tricks the body to react as if it has enough nutrients and energy to continue, without realizing the lack of vitamins or rest. But sweet is cheap and everywhere, therefore people would opt for it more often rather than looking for a healthy solution in a long term. - Moderate mood (verb): cân bằng cảm xúc - Stay conscious (verb): tỉnh táo - A getaway from the reality (noun): sự trốn thoát khỏi thực tế

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Being alone (Spending time by yourself) 1. When was the last time you were alone? I can’t remember exactly, maybe very long time ago. I’m kind of a social butterfly, so I tend to direct myself to crowded places. Furthermore, I have a very little son who always clings to me when I come home from work. I mean recently I have no time alone. • A social butterfly (idiom): người hoà đồng • Cling to SO (verb): bám theo, dính theo 2. What do you like to do when you are alone? As I’m a tea addict, that’s my number one activity to do alone. Furthermore, I enjoy reading a book or a series on Netflix. I tend to get lost in those two activities. Moreover, I enjoy taking a walk alone around town and people watching. • Tea addict (noun): người nghiện trè • Get lost in (verb): tham gia • People watching (verb): nhìn người lạ/ ngắm nhìn người lạ 3. Do you wish to have more time alone? Definitely not. As I live alone in a studio apartment, I sometimes get lonely, so I take every opportunity to have social interactions to avoid sitting at home alone. I would consider myself a mixture between introvert and extrovert, but definitely leaning more towards extrovert. Although I definitely appreciate my time alone, I certainly don’t crave anymore. • Studio apartment (noun): phòng cho 1 người ở • Introvert / extrovert (noun): người sống nội tâm/ ngoại tâm • Crave (for ST) (verb): khao khát cái gì 4. Is it important to have some time alone? Without a doubt! I think we all need some time alone for self-reflection. Furthermore, when we spend too much time with people, we tend to get annoyed with them, even take them for granted at times. With this said, we all need a break from people to remember just how great they are. • Self-reflection (noun): tự nhìn lại bản thân • Take ST/SO for granted (verb): không đánh giá cao cái gì

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Scenery 1. Is there any beautiful scenery in your hometown? Well, there is a massive amount of scenic spots in Vietnam. It feels like when we go to any city or municipal in our country, we have splendid destination to enjoy. My hometown is famous with green paddy fields that can lift everyone up with fresh air and endless view. I love waking up early to run to the field, look at farmers ploughing, and realize that the sun rises slowly from the far end to illuminate every single object. - Municipal (noun): thủ đô - Splendid (adj): lộng lẫy - Green paddy fields (noun): những cánh đồng lúa xanh - Plough (verb): cày - Illuminate (verb): chiếu sáng 2. When you travel, do you like to live in a hotel with a good view? That would be my dream. Though many places are now so heavily commercialized that in order to have a place with a nice view, we have to pay more money, I still like the idea of waking up to the sunlight, feel the fresh air within my whole body, listen to the sound of the beach or the daily life of locals. Whenever going on a holiday, I prefer to book a hotel with seaside, riverside or mountainside river. - Commercialise (verb): thương mại hoá - Seaside/ riverside/ mountainside (adj): ven biển, sông, núi 4. Do people like to take photos of beautiful scenery with their smartphone? Why? I think most of us want to keep good memories of moments reliving them as many times as we can since they bring us hope, joy and some time, life-changing events. Nowadays, with the help of technology, people can easily pull smartphones out of their pockets and have very high-quality pictures within some seconds, which is both convenient and exciting. However, I am a person who likes to keep good moments in my own memories, and truly enjoy while it lasts, so I usually forget to take pictures when I visit beautiful places. - Life changing events (noun): những sự kiện thay đổi cuộc đời - Within some seconds (phrase): trong vài giây

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Museums 1. Are there many museums in your country? Not so many in comparison with other countries, I think. The majority of museums in Vietnam have a strong emphasis on military history or a particular significant figure such as Ho Chi Minh Museum. I do hope in the future we could have Natural History Museums or Science Museums which are far/way more interesting. • Have a strong emphasis on ST (verb): nhấn mạnh điều gì 2. Do you think museums are useful for visitors? Absolutely yes! I do think museums play a crucial role in enhancing people’s knowledge about the world, arts and science. As well as this, they are particularly useful for those who doing research and want to dive deeper into their field of study. • Play a crucial role in ST (verb): đóng vai trò quan trọng • Enhance people’s knowledge (verb): có thêm kiến thức • Particularly (adv): đặc biệt • Dive deeper into (verb): tìm hiểu sâu về 3. Do you often visit museums? Once in a blue moon, to be honest with you! Perhaps, because the museums here are not interactive, attractive and engaging to me. So, I myself find it’s really difficult to feel either enthusiastic or have any desire to visit unless I am obliged to be there to write a report. That was the case about 8 years ago when my school organised a field trip to the Vietnam Military Museum and I had to submit an essay about what I learnt. • Once in a blue moon (idiom): Rất hiếm khi • Interactive, attractive and engaging (adj): nhiều tương tác, thú vị, hấp dẫn • Be obliged to … (adj): bắt buộc phải • Organize a field trip (verb): chuyến đi thực tế • Submit an essay (verb): nộp bài luận 4. When was the last time you visited a museum? It was actually 3 years ago when I had a golden chance to visit the Museum of Ethnology to get a better grasp at the lives and cultures of the 54 ethic minority groups in Vietnam. I really had a whale of a time that day. I have to say that it is a truly amazing place for any tourists visiting Vietnam. • A golden chance (noun): cơ hội vàng • The museum of Ethnology (noun): bảo tàng Dân tộc học • Get a better grasp (verb): hiểu hơn về • Ethic minority groups (noun): những dân tộc tiểu số • Have a whale of a time (idiom): rất thích cái gì (enjoy oneself vẻry much) 12 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Art 1. Do you like art? Yes, I like all types of arts, modern art, ancient art, cultural art, performance art, etc…. The fact is there is art everywhere and in everything. Whether it is a structural art of a building or a special way a chef creates a delicacy. I believe art is a beautiful thing and that it is the greatest form of human expression. • Modern art/ ancient art/ cultural art/ performance art (noun): nghệ thuật hiện đại/ cổ xưa/ văn hoá/ trình diễn • Delicacy (noun): món ăn 2. Do you think art is an important part of life? Yes, if there was no art, everyone and everything would be the same. There would be no entertainment. Life would be dull; we would all just work and go crazy. If we didn’t have art, we would all be robots. • Dull (adj): mờ nhạt, chán chê 3. Do you think art classes are necessary? Yes, definitely. Learning art, especially at a young age, can help stimulate children’s cognitive development and encourage them to think outside the box. Because they’re still little, their ideas are very fresh and lovely, which is worth appreciating. • Cognitive development (noun): sự phát triển nhận thức • Think outside the box (idiom): nghĩ sáng tạo 4. Do people in Vietnam like visiting museums and art galleries? Not everyone in Vietnam enjoys going to museums. Most of my friends are not interested in art, but I have a small passion for it. After I graduated, I began to enjoy taking trips to various art exhibits. Since then, I have made a few friends that are artists, and now they invite me to their galleries quite often. • Have a passion for ST (verb): có đam mê với … • Art exhibits/ gallaries (noun): triển lãm nghệ thuật

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Cake 1. Do you like dessert? To be honest, I’m an avid fan of dessert, be it cake, sweet soup, fruit or any type of ice cream. I also believe that I have more knowledge and preference on dessert than other types of dishes, for example main dish or appetizers, and dessert is always the first thing I choose. - Appetizer (noun): món khai vị 2. Do you like eating cakes? I have a sweet tooth, and cake is undeniably one of my favorite go-to choice when I am bored, when I’m excited or when I cannot choose anything else. I basically love all kinds of cakes, from vanilla, chocolate to fruit flavored ones. I can be proud that I know most of the bakeries within 300 meters from my house, and also a frequent guest of some. - Have a sweet tooth (verb): hay ăn đồ ngọt - fruit flavored cakes (noun): bánh vị hoa quả 3. What desserts do Vietnamese like? I’m not so sure about the exact number, but from my own experience, I could say that ice cream is what Vietnamese cannot live without. First of all, our country is a tropical country, so we need ice cream to cool ourselves down, especially in the summer. Even in the winter, when we go to the center of my city, there are still many ice cream shop opened with lines of customers waiting to be served. - Tropical (adj): nhiệt đới 4. Have you ever made cakes? Yes, though I’m still facing difficulties with certain types of cakes, say, muffin or maccaron. I’m quite proud of my pan cakes, cookies and birthday cakes. I love staring at the oven when the cake is being baked, discovering how the heat changes the shapes and colors of them. To me, a smell of newly baked cakes is heaven, it can turn a nasty, angry person into the nicest, most angelic one. Occasionally, I put more effort into by adding some topping, frosting or decoration; but most of the times, the cake itself is already perfect. - Muffin (noun): bánh nướng xốp - Maccaron (noun): bánh quy kẹp kem - Newly baked cakes (noun): bánh vừa mới được nướng - Angelic (adj): giống như thiên thần

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History 1. Do you like learning history? Yes, I am a big fan of reading historical stories. When I was a little girl, I always took some historical books from my father’s bookshelf and read. I feel that history cultivate my mental development but also give me a picture of human society • Cultivate (verb): nuôi dưỡng 2. What historical event do you find most interesting? I think it should be Vietnamese Independence Day, which happened on the second of September 1945. This day marked a milestone in our national history that Vietnam has become a nation of freedom, liberty and happiness. This event opened a new era for our nation. • Mark a milestone (verb): đánh dấu 1 mốc lịch sử • Liberty (noun): sự tự do 3. Do you think history is important? Obviously history is essential in our part of life. It forms a cultural identity and keeps the unique records of a nation. Learning about history is also a way to increase patriotism and learn from the past. • Cultural identity (noun): bản sắc văn hoá • Record (noun): những ghi lại • Patriotism (noun): lòng yêu nước • Learn from the past (verb): học từ quá khứ 4. Do you like to watch programmes on TV about history? Yes, I enjoy watching some documentaries about history on TV because I can see lots of video materials that cannot be seen in the textbooks. • Documentary (noun): phim tài liệu • Video material (noun): tài liệu dạng video 5. Can you name a person from history who you would like to learn more about? Honestly, even though learning history is one of my interests, I still have a little knowledge about Uncle Ho – the first president of Vietnam. I would like to investigate more about him who has gained reputation for a simple life, talented political strategies fighting against powerful invaders and a warm heart. • Gain reputation for ST (verb phrase): nổi tiếng về điều gì • A warm heart (noun): một trái tim nhân hậu 15 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Laugh 1. Do you like to watch movies or TV shows that make people laugh? Yes, though I’m not a fan of comedy movies, I love TV shows that bring light to people’s life. Our lives are stressful enough during the day that we don’t need more sadness or dramatic shows to be more pessimistic. Some of the shows that I love watching is The Ellen Show, in which Ellen - the host - always starts with a signature dance of hers. She also focuses on the joy and happiness of her audiences and guests. - Bring light to people’s life (verb): mang niềm vui đến mọi người - Pessimistic (adj): bi quan - a signature dance (noun): điệu nhảy đặc trưng 2. Do you usually make your friends laugh? Sometimes, since my friends say that I’m goofy, and I usually see the details that my friends don’t pay attention to. I’m not really the center of any parties that I go to, but I love hearing people laugh and looking at their happy faces encourages me to crack some jokes. Furthermore, having a good time together has been, and is always my key when I join my friends. - Goofy (adj): ngốc nghếch - Crack some jokes (verb): cười với câu 3. Are you the kind of person who makes people laugh? Not really, I think. Until now, I think people recognize me as a pleasant person to be around with. But to become that charming person, who can crack jokes without hurting anyone, who can make fun of him or herself without getting humiliated by others is a different circumstance, I need to sharpen some of my skills. We can all learn that, I suppose, by practicing. - Charming (adj): người khuyến rũ - Humiliated (adj): bị nhục nhã 4. Do you think it is important to laugh with friends? Yes, having friends is to make our lives less stressful, happier and more meaningful. It is crucial when we can stay strong together, overcome challenges, share good moments and a lot of laughs. - Cruicial (adj): quan trọng

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Water sport 1. Have you done water sports? I can swim, and I tried bodyboarding once when I visited Danang beach. Swimming lessons, I can say, are good friends of mine, which always make me feel alive after I meet them. And bodyboarding, all I had to do was to lie on the board, waited at the right current, and the waves would do the rest of the magic, flew me back to the shore. I spent my entire summer vacation just hanging at the beach, playing with the board. - Bodyboarding (noun): trò chơi nằm trên ván và lướt song - Magic (noun): trò ma thuật 2. What water sports do you like doing? I am a water body, and basically whenever I get into water, I feel that I can conquer the world. Right now, I love swimming, and learning free style. I find it hard and exciting at the same time. Sometimes, I forgot breathing, while in other moments, my legs missed some kicks, or my arms didn’t know what to do. But in general, I feel totally relaxed. - Conquer (verb): chinh phục - my legs missed some kicks (clause): chân tôi bị trượt 3. Are water sports popular in Vietnam? Let me see. Now, since I have access to both swimming pools, gym, yoga and dancing classes, I don’t really think water sports are common in my country, at least from my point of view. One reason could be there are not many facilities for us to do training, and people think that pool membership cards are somewhat expensive, in comparison with other types of exercises, such as yoga or gym. Another cause is that we are often not equipped with sufficient knowledge on how to react with dangers or accidents in water, so many Vietnamese people are afraid of getting into and really enjoying it. - Sufficient (adj): đủ 4. What kind of water sports do you want to try? I actually put surfing as a must-try this upcoming year. When I was at the beach, I found some very excellent surfers who were extremely professional and good at their job. They stood on the waves, controlled the boards, dancing with all the wind, the water and themselves. I was encouraged to stand on a board like that to try, and a minute later I found myself drinking a lot of sea water and swept away by the waves. I’m definitely going to try it this year. - Must-try (noun): nhất định phải thử - Be swept away (verb): bị cuốn đi 17 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Park 1. Do you like going to parks? On the whole, I am keen on going to the park with my close friends since I really want to get close to the nature and enjoy the fresh air. In addition, as the park is tranquil, it’s a great place for me to spend my quality time having chit-chat with my friends • Get close to the nature (ph.v): Gần với thiên nhiên • Tranquil (adj): Yên tĩnh và thanh bình • Quality time (n): Thời gian quý báu. • Chit-chat (n): Cuộc hội thoại 2. When was the last time you went to a park? To the best of my recollection, it must have been a few months ago, I went for a walk in the park with my boyfriend when we were full after the eating out at the restaurant. It was breezy in that night and it really put our feet up. • To the best of my recollection (idi): Theo tôi nhớ không nhầm • To be full (adj): Ăn no • Eat out (ph.v): Ăn ngoài • Breezy (adj): Gió mát • Put sb’s feet/ foot up: Thư giãn 3. Do you think the parks where you live could be improved in any ways? To be honest, I think more facilities such as slides, wings or playgrounds should be added quite a bit in the park. Because there’s not really that much thing to do in the park, so sometimes it’s getting quite tedious to pay frequent visits to the park. Furthermore, more leisure activities should also be provided for everyone to join and gain valuable experiences. • Slide (n): Cầu trượt • Swing (n): Đu quay • Playground (n): Sân chơi • Quite a bit= Quite a lot: Rất nhiều • Tedious (adj): Buồn tẻ • There’s not really that much thing to do: Không có nhiều thứ để làm • Valuable experience (n.ph): Trải nghiệm quý giá 4. Would you like to see more parks and gardens in your hometown? Yeah, definitely. There is just one park in my hometown, so I want to see more modern and complicated parks near my house so that I can go there to wind down and get away from the stressful working life. 18 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

• Complicated (adj): Phức tạp • Wind down (v): Thư giãn • Get away from the stressful working life (ph.v): Thoát khỏi cuộc sống làm việc căng thẳng 5. Do you prefer to relax with your friends in a park or an indoor place? It depends on my emotion. If I’m in a good mood, I would certainly spare time hanging out with my friends in the park. However, if I’m sick and tired of studying and working, I’d rather stay at home and take a nap to recover my energy. • Good mood (n.ph): Tâm trạng tốt • To be sick and tired of (ph.v): Phát ốm và mệt mỏi vì … • Take a nap (ph.v): Nghỉ ngơi

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Running 1. Do you like running? I have to confess, I’m a running addict. I usually get up early at 6 in the morning, and the first thing I do after that is to wear my training shoes in, then walk straight to the park to run for about 3-6 km. I think running keeps me fit, and is also a good way to perfectly start an effective day. - A running addict (noun): người thích/ nghiện chạy - Keep fit (verb): giữ dáng 2. Have you ever taken a running class? I have a gym membership card, so I tried running classes, uhm, maybe once or twice, but I don’t really like it. There were a lot of people in a same room, and when we sweated, it smelled really bad. Moreover, some times the teacher forced us too much that some people hurt and even broke down. I prefer my own pace, so that I could listen to my body and really enjoy the run. - Sweat (verb): đổ mồ hôi 3. When was your last long running? I cannot recall, actually, since my runs are usually about 3 to 6 kilometers around a park, and I have never joined any marathon or competition. But there was a day when I was so energetic that I completed 3 rounds of my park, which was about 9 km in total. That was 2 weeks ago, when the sun was ridiculously bright and it seems to generate a holy vibration to lift everybody’s mood. - Ridiculously (adv): kì lạ - A holy vibration (noun): sự rung động - Lift SO’s mood (verb): nâng cảm xúc 4. Where do you think is a good place to run? Well, there is no perfect place for this type of exercise. But running, to me, needs an open space so that we can really speed up and slow down without any constraint. It must also provide shades for people to stop, otherwise we would be burned under the sun. Therefore, a park would be a top choice for me. - Constraint (noun): sự hạn chế - Burned (adj); bị cháy nắng

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5. Do you think running is a good way to stay healthy? Definitely, because it is an exercise that requires our whole body to work. It consumes fat, water, makes our body sweat and leaves us with energy. I also believe that running can benefit all of us, since everybody can do it, without taking a class, like swimming, or boxing. A plus point, we can start whenever we feel like, and stop exactly whenever we want, without fear of exhaustion or broken limbs. - A plus point (noun): một điểm cộng - Exhaustion (noun): kiệt sức

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Science class 1. Have you ever taken science courses? I have taken some courses in Biology, Chemistry and Physics when I was in secondary and high school. These courses were subject oriented, which means every semester we learnt just one topic. I can remember that the Biological topic I learnt in grade 8 was the body of frogs. We had to go to the market and looked at real frogs, examined their bodies; then went to the lake near our school to learn their habitats and wrote a report when the semester ends. - Semester (noun): kì học 2. Should we learn science? Studying science should be high recommended. With science, we have a closer look at things happening around us every day, which we may be taking for granted. That can help us become more grateful, and also improve our analytical skills. For instance, when we finally discovered how certain types of acid react with protein, we started looking at our meals and helped our moms in kitchen more. Some of my friends also reported that when they stopped their family members from choosing the wrong foods, they became healthier. - Take for granted (verb): coil à hiển nhiên - Analytical (adj): phân tích 3. Did you have any science classes in elementary or high school? Yes, I did. In elementary school, I had science, and we learnt basic knowledge on how our bodies function, how to cook a simple meal for our family - which I found very interesting because none of our parents let us touch the real kitchen utensils when we were younger. In secondary and high school, we had 3 different subjects named Biology, Chemistry and Physics. - Utensils (noun): tận cùng 4. What kind of science do people usually study? I don’t really know the exact information However, if I have to guess, based on the choices of my friends and the popularity of training institutes and universities, I would say Biology. With this branch of science, people can later pursue careers in botany, zoology, anatomy, molecular biology and genetics, and many other sub-disciplines. - Pursue careers (verb): theo đuổi sự nghiệp - sub-disciplines (noun): môn học phụ 22 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

JEANS 1. Do you wear jeans? When I was at high school, I wore jeans on a daily basis. I used to mix and match them with colorful T-shirts and a pair of sporty shoes. But now I usually put on formal clothes such as a dress or a shirt and trousers to my office. - On a daily basis (prep): hằng ngày - Mix and match (collocation): kết hợp đồ - Put on (phrasal verb): mặc 2. How often do you wear jeans? I choose to wear jeans from time to time, especially at the weekend. Mostly I will wear jeans when hanging out with friends, wandering on the street at the weekend or having a picnic in a park, because it gives me a sense of flexibility and comfort. - From time to time (idiom): thỉnh thoảng - Hang out (verb): hẹn hò với bạn bè - Wander (verb): đi bộ - A sense of flexibility and comfort (collocation): cảm giác thoải mái 3. Do you like wearing jeans? Why? For casual attire, a pair of jeans seems to be a perfect choice for me and it also makes me look a bit younger. But I don't like wearing jeans in summer, especially when the weather is boiling hot because jean is not a light fabric. - casual attire (noun phrase): quần áo thường ngày - boiling hot (adj): nóng / rất nóng - light fabric (noun): vải nhẹ 4. Why do you think jeans are popular? I think firstly because it is fashionable. Youngsters are really into ripped jeans. Secondly maybe because of its price. You know clothes made of jean is quite affordable for all. − be really into ST (idiom): rất thích cái gì − ripped jeans (noun): quần bò rách − affordable (adj): trong khả năng chi trả/ giá hợp lí

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TRUST 1. Who do you trust most? My mom is the one I believe in. She had given me life, raised me and was burden with my naughty games when I was little. When I share with her my hardship, she understands and always looks for ways to solve the problem and make things better. I’m grateful to have my mom beside me. - tobe burden with sth (v): phải chịu đựng - hardship (n): sự khó khăn - to look for (v): tìm kiếm 2. Have you ever lost truth in someone? I would love to say no, but yes. There was a friend to whom I told a lot of deep dark secrets, shared my feelings and she revealed them with the world. I felt betrayed and depressed afterwards, but then accepted that she was just one of the people needed in my life, to teach me lessons about friendship and honesty. I would still share my feelings with friends because I’m still an open-hearted person. - betrayed (adj): bị phản bội - depressed (adj): trầm cảm - honesty (n): sự chân thành - open-hearted (adj): rộng rãi, thân thiện 3. What kind of people do you trust? It would be hard to define people by category because everyone is different. But a friend indeed is a friend in need. I would trust people who are kind, modest and friendly. If they help people, that means they are aware of others’ well-being and I think they are trustworthy. - define sth by category: phân chia sth thành loại - modest (adj): khiêm nhường - well-being (n): sự hạnh phúc - trustworthy (adj): đáng tin 4. Do you trust artificial intelligence? It depends. Personally, I don’t like the idea of having an AI robot to know all of my secrets and truths, because I’m afraid of the threats that could happen if my information is leaked to somebody’s ill intention. But in the modern technological era, where everyone is busy with their own purposes and problems that no one listens to another with their whole hearts, artificial intelligence could be an inevitable choice. - threat (n): mối nguy - leak (v): rò rỉ/bị phát tán - technological era (n): thời đại công nghệ - inevitable (adj): không thể tránh khỏi 24 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

TIREDNESS 1. What things make you tired? I feel exhausted when I have to do repetitive tasks or sitting idly a whole long day. This may happen when I have to attend seminars or listen to some boring lectures when I was at high school. I think because I didn’t find any benefits in those lessons. - exhausted (adj): kiệt sức/kiệt quệ - repetitive (adj): lặp lại - seminar (noun): hội thảo - lecture (noun): bài giảng 2. What do you do when you feel tired? Whenever my mood goes down, I will refer to music to be uplifted again. I created a playlist in my smartphone named “Workout”, which contains a lot of songs with a fast beat, drums, and bass. I also put national anthems and some EDM songs in this list, like a cure for my moody state. - national anthem (noun): quốc ca - moody state (noun): tình trạng chán chường, mệt mỏi 3. Who do you prefer to talk to when you feed mentally tired, your families or friends? Though my ultimate answer is talking to no one since I’d like to sit by myself and examine my thoughts individually. But if I have to give an answer, it would be my family to talk to, because they know me more than my friends. Furthermore, I can share with them my true feelings and secrets. - individually (adv): mang tính cá nhân 4. Do you want to talk to strangers when you feel mentally tired? I don’t think a stranger can help me if the problem is inside. Talking to a stranger about my problem seems to be a false escape out of reality. If I want to be stronger mentally, I would look deeper into myself to see what I need. - escape (noun): sự trốn thoát - reality (noun): thực tại.

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MAKE-UP 1. Do you often wear makeup? I don’t often wear makeup, because I think makeup products have a lot of chemicals which are not good for our skin. Moreover, applying and removing makeup costs a huge amount of time. Instead, I would choose to live healthily and doing skincare in order to have a good look. - a huge amount of (noun): một lượng lớn - healthily (adv): khỏe mạnh - skincare (noun): chăm sóc da - have a good look (v.phrasal): trông xinh đẹp 2. What does wearing makeup mean to you? I think this is a way for people to look younger, more beautiful and to conceal defects. It is not wrong since it can help us become more confident. But I’m not a fan of it because when people use makeup too much, they tend to be over-reliant on it and ignore the consequences it may bring, such as the insecurity of showing our bare skin or letting people see you without makeup. - conceal (verb): che giấu - defect (noun): nhược điểm - over-reliant on (v.phrase): quá dựa dẫm vào - ignore (verb): lờ đi - insecurity (noun): sự bất an 3. Do you give makeup as gifts? Yes, because I sometimes receive makeup products as presents from some friends. And some other friends are in need of them, so giving makeup away will bring us mutual benefits: my friends are satisfied with new makeup, and I get some free space in my room. - in need of (adj) cần - mutual (adj) có qua có lại - to be satisfied with (adj) hài lòng với 4. What do you think when you see a man wearing makeup? I think it is totally fine. I wouldn’t be surprised or opposed if my boyfriend wears makeup. It doesn’t mean he’s gay or gay-prone, just a way to take care of ourselves. If he wakes up one day and feels his lips dry, he should put some lip balm on it. - opposed (adj): phản đối - gay/ gay-prone (noun): đồng tính - lip balm (noun): kem dưỡng môi 26 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

EATING 1. How often do you eat with your family? I eat with my family every day. My mom is a very good cook, and she always gets up early to prepare food for us in the morning. I love it when my family gathers around the table to start a day with a big breakfast together. - good cook (n): người nấu ăn ngon - gather (v): tụ họp 2. Do you like eating healthy food? I love healthy food, because it keeps me from getting hungry, makes my muscles stronger and helps my brain work more effectively. I try to eat as many vegetables as I can, and avoid junk food when it comes to snacks. - muscles (n): cơ bắp - effectively (adv): hiệu quả - vegetable (n): rau xanh - junk food (n): thức ăn có hại 3. Do you eat out a lot? To be honest, I don’t like the atmosphere at restaurants or street vendors, where people sell food. The food there is made in bulk to serve many people at the same time, so I don’t really believe they received enough love and care from the cook. I find myself rarely go out to eat. - street vendor (n): người bán hàng ăn lề đường - make in bulk (v.phrase): làm số lượng lớn 4. Do you prefer eating at home or at a restaurant? I would choose to eat at home, though the clean-up can make eating at a restaurant a more appealing option sometimes. I like home-cooked food, the way we pick ingredients and even the time when people gather to prepare for the meal. Home meals are always my priority. - the clean-up (noun): việc dọn rửa - appealing (adj): hấp dẫn - ingredient (n): nguyên liệu

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ANIMALS 1. Have you ever kept pets? Yes, I have got 2 dogs. They are the funniest animals in the world. Whenever I go home, they waive their tails to welcome me. They always want to sit next to me, especially when I go to sleep. They also have some naughty moments, but overall they are lovely. - waive tail (v): vẫy đuôi 2. Do you like to go to the zoo? I don’t like going to the zoo. To me, it is a cruel place where animals are ill-treated and separated from their habitats and families. I have been to the zoo only two times, and the animals there are so sad that I don’t want to come back anymore. - ill-treated (adj): bị đối đãi tệ bạc. - habitat (n): môi trường sống 3. Have you ever seen any wild animals before? Yes, I have seen wild bees and snakes. At first, I was really scared of them, and I am still frightened by the snakes. But I became acquainted with the bees after a while. - frightened (adj): bị dọa sợ - become acquainted with (v): làm quen/ dần quen với 4. What wild animal do you like most? I like bees most since they are very hard-working. They are also a good symbol of unity and diligence. I also love to watch documentaries about them and learn from them great strength to stay in order no matter what the circumstance may be. - unity (n): sự đoàn kết - diligence (n): sự mẫn cán - stay in order (v): giữ trật tự/lề thói

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VOICES 1. Has your voice ever changed? Well, my pitch has been higher since 14, and because I love singing, my range also has been widened. I can lower my voice when I want to emphasize something or raise my pitch if I feel happy. - pitch (n) cao độ - widen (v) mở rộng ra - emphasize (v) nhấn mạnh 2. Do you enjoy recording your voice and listening to it? I like covering songs so recording and listening to my voice are one of my favourite hobbies. Some records need to be redone a lot of time because I am not a professional, but I really love how I produce and refine them. The whole process makes me feel like I’m a famous singer. - hobby (n) thói quen - refine (v) cải thiện - process (n) quá trình 3. Do you like your own voice? I am a big fan of my voice. In fact, I can imitate some singers, like Amy Winehouse and Aretha Franklin. Their voices were stronger and more powerful than mine, but I’m working to improve my ability and not worry about that. - imitate (v) bắt chước - work to do sth (v.phrase) cố gắng cải thiện 4. Does your voice sound similar to your parents’? I have never paid attention to this. But on second thought, my voice seems to be lower than my father’s and mother’s, so I don’t think I sound like them. - pay attention to (v.phrase) chú ý tới - on second thought (prep): nghĩ lại

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ISLAND 1. Have you ever been to an island? I have never set foot on any islands. But I have heard a lot about the beautiful islands all over the world. - set foot on (v) đặt chân tới 2. Are there any islands in your country? My country has a very long coastal line with a lot of islands. Most of them are very beautiful and attractive to visitors. They have a wild environment, and people having been there usually want to come back. - coastal line (n) đường bờ biển - attractive (adj) hấp dẫn 3. Do you want to live on an island if you have a chance? If given an opportunity, I would try living on an island. It might be an extraordinary experience for me because I’m too familiar with the convenience of the city with stores, shops, and services. If I live on an island for a while, I could become a braver, wilder version of myself. - extraordinary (adj) ấn tượng - convenience (n) sự tiện lợi 4. What do you like to do when you are on an island? I would definitely enjoy the fresh air, run as far as I can, shout as loud as I could, put my toes in the sand and enjoy the waves coming at me. But I might get lonely when the evening comes, because there are usually not many people on an island, and also not many kinds of entertainment to join. However, the idea of living on an island is wonderful, because I can live more naturally when I’m close to nature. - definitely (adv) chắc chắn - entertainment (n) sự giải trí

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PLAN 1. Do you make plans every day? I like scheduling my day before it really happens, and I’m fanatic about disciplines. Without planning, I don’t think we can have a successful day, and our life will gear towards nowhere if days are not controlled well. - tobe fanatic about (adj) nghiện/say sưa về - discipline (n) kỉ luật - gear towards (v) rẽ hướng về 2. Are you good at managing your time? I’m quite proud of my time-controlling ability. I developed 3 ways to use time effectively, which are Podomoro, making a to-do list, and blocking our time. I use them as frequently as possible and find them very effective. - frequently (adv) thường xuyên - effective (adj) hiệu quả 3. What is the latest plan you made? Well, the most recent plan I had was to attend my cousin’s wedding in a city 600 km from where I live. I had to book the flight ticket, asked for days off and did some research about the destination before departure because I wanted to explore the city. The trip went really well thanks to prior planning. - departure (n) sự khởi hành - prior (adj) trước 4. What is the hardest part of making plans? I think the most difficult thing in creating plans is to set true priorities in a time limit. Some people are afraid of long-term goals and struggle to break them down into smaller achievable tasks and finish it regularly. - priority (n) sự ưu tiên - struggle to do sth (v) vật lộn, gặp khó khăn để làm gì đó - break sth down into (v.phrase): chia cái gì đó nhỏ ra thành.. - achievable (adj) có thể đạt được

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GARBAGE 1. Why do some people throw garbage on the street? I think because they are lazy, their sense of community is low, or they are uneducated. They might have not known about the consequences of their behaviors and the pollution that the earth and people all over the world are bearing. - sense of community (n) nhận thức cộng đồng - uneducated (adj) thiếu học - consequence (n) hậu quả - pollution (n) sự ô nhiễm - bear (v) chịu đựng 2. What do you do with garbage when you are on the street? I would either put it in the bin or put it in my bag or pocket. Usually, my garbage is the package of products I buy, such as the cover of a slice of sandwich, or a paper cup. I could put them in the bin, or keep it if I can use it later. - package (n) bao bì 3. How do you feel when you see people throw garbage on the street? I would definitely classify them as either uneducated or ignorant. I could remind them about the importance of keeping the street clean, and help them put their trash in the right place. When gracefully approached with a nice statement, people would often listen and do accordingly. - uneducated (adj) thiếu học - ignorant (adj) lơ đãng - importance (n) tầm quan trọng - approach (v) tiếp cận - statement (n) lời khẳng đinh 4. Do you think your city is clean or not? To be honest, I think my city is not clean, and in fact, it is one of the most polluted cities in the world. The air quality is seriously low, and the trash is frequently seen on the street. - to be honest (adv) thành thực mà nói - frequently (adv) thường xuyên 


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HAIRCUT 1. Have you ever had an unhappy haircut experience? I once had a terrible haircut, which I regretted right after taking it. It was a last-minute decision when I arrived at the hairdresser’s, after her quick careless consultancy, I opted for a very short bang. It was a trend at that time, but my face having styled like that looked exactly like a cow. I almost cried the way home and never came back to that shop. - regret (v) hối hận - last-minute (adj) phút chót - decision (n) sự quyết đinh - hairdresser’s (n) tiệm cắst tóc - consultancy (n) sự tư vấn - opt for (v) chọn 2. How long have you had your current haircut? This style has been with me for about 4 months. I had an on-off relationship with it, but I’m always happy when I go back to it. - tobe with sb: ở bên cạnh ai đó - on-off relationship (n) mối quan hệ đến rồi lại đi (không liên tục) 3. How often do you have a haircut? My hair takes a little long time to grow, so if I want to have some renovations, it should take about 2 or three months. I usually restyle my hair in a quarter. - renovation (n) sự cải tạo 4. Do you like having your hair cut? I like having my hair cared and styled, and having hair cut is one of the activities I want to spend time on. Sometimes I go to the hairdresser’s to listen and try on some adventurous styles, but I also find it interesting to cut my own hair. - adventurous (adj) mang tính mạo hiểu

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LANGUAGES 1. Will you learn other languages in the future? I think being a multi-linguist will bring a lot of benefits to people such as knowledge of new cultures, opportunities to go abroad and to make money. More than that, the act of learning new things can help our brain work more effectively and become more intelligent. So I probably would choose some other languages to learn if I have time. - multilinguist (n) một người có thể nói nhiều thứ tiếng - probably (adv) có lẽ 2. Do you think it is difficult to learn a new language? I think learning everything has difficulties, especially when you are a beginner. But overcoming obstacles to me is a wondrous challenge worth trying. - wondrous (adj) tuyệt vời - worth (v) xứng đáng 3. What language can you speak? I can speak Vietnamese, my mother tongue, English, and some Korean. Not similar to English, Korean is very easy in pronunciation but difficult in grammar and vocabulary. I find learning new languages a good hobby to take up. - take up a hobby: học một thói quen mới 4. Why do you learn English? I believe when we learn a new language, we will not only expand our knowledge, but also change our mindset and open our perspectives. Learning English to me is more than just gaining a tool to access wisdom all over the world, which is mostly written in English, but to become a global citizen. - expand (v) mở rộng - perspective (n) quan điểm - global citizen (n) công dân toàn cầu

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WALKING 1. Where do you usually have a walk? I usually have a short walk in the park near my house. I really enjoy the lake and also the fresh atmosphere. Whenever I have a walk there, I can totally let my hair down without thinking about anything. - let my hair down: thư giãn 2. Do you think people will walk more or not in the future? Based on what I’ve observed so far, I would say people in the future would walk less because they are now having more and more excuses not to walk. They can drive motorbikes, or even cars to work; they use elevators to avoid climbing stairs, they make phone calls and chats to order food from the shops nearby. There could be more opportunities and encouragement to walk, but people would refuse to do it. - observe (v) quan sát - excuse (n) lời giải thích - avoid (v) tránh - encouragement (n) sự ủng hộ 3. Do you walk more often than in the past? As I am now responsible to do the shopping in my family, I must walk more often to the markets, or the supermarkets to buy groceries. In the past, after sitting all day at school, I continued sitting all afternoon and evenings in extra classes. So I can say I’m more of a walker now. - do the shopping= buy groceries: đi mua sắm những vật dụng cần thiết 4. Do you walk a lot? I don’t think so. I only walk when I need to, or when I feel to, with about 8km per day in total. Many people in my country selling clothes and groceries on the street, they have to walk up to 30km a day. I think only 20-30km per day should be considered as a huge number. - a huge number: một con số lớn

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CONCENTRATION 1. Why do you need to be focused? I believe when we are concentrated, we can get more work done. Furthermore, focus is one of the key factors leading to productivity and effectiveness. When I am focus, I can get up to 90% in my tests, while the maximum I can achieve with distraction is only about 60%. - concentrate (v) tập trung - furthermore (adv) hơn nữa - productivity (n) sự hiệu quả 2. What may distract you when you are trying to stay focused? There are a lot of distractions that can drive us away from our focus such as the noise from the surrounding; the wandering thoughts inside our heads or the disturbance of people and alerts from your devices. - drive sb away from (v) kéo ai đó khỏi cái gì đó - wandering (adj) lang thang - disturbance (n) sự quấy rầy - alert (n) thông báo 3. What do you do to help you concentrate? I believe in order to stay focus, we should prioritize your tasks, have a time limit to put us under pressure, and to stay away from distractions. When we set our goals precisely and prepare ourselves perfectly to enter the concentration mode, we can stay focus for a really long time. - put sb under pressure (v) đặt ai đó dưới áp lực - set goal (v) đặt mục tiêu - precisely (adv) chính xác 4. Is it difficult for you to stay focused on something? Yes, I find it hard sometimes. Especially when I have to switch between tasks, answer emails and do the logistics while I need to focus on one thing. I love writing and producing articles and trying hard to be more productive by focusing on what is important to me and forget the rest. - switch (v) đổi - do the logistics (v.phrase) làm những việc ngoài lề, như sắp xếp,...

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FOREST 1. When was the last time you went to a forest? I cannot recall the exact time, but about 3 to 5 years ago. I went with my family to a nationally natural reservation in the middle of my country. It was a wonderful trip because we saw many kinds of animals, and really felt the connection between us- human beings and nature. − recall (v) nhớ − natural reservation (n) nơi bảo tồn thiên nhiên − feel the connection (v) cảm nhận sự kết nối 2. Do you like going to the forest if you are free? I would definitely say yes. A trip to the forest can help me relax, release a lot of burdens and refill my pack of energy. - burden (n) gánh nặng - refill (v) làm đầy lại - energy (n) năng lượng

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HOMETOWN 1. Where are you from? I am from the countryside in the north of Vietnam, which has a tranquil atmosphere. Although it is a mountainous region, it is still a tourist attraction because of its spectacular landscape. Every year, there are a number of local and international visitors coming there so that they can escape from the hectic pace of life in big cities and enjoy some fresh air. - Tranquil: (adj) yên bình, tĩnh lặng - Mountainous: (adj) thuộc vùng núi - Tourist attraction: (noun) địa điểm thu hút khác du lịch - Spectacular: (adj) hùng vĩ, đẹp mắt - Pace of life: nhịp sống - To escape from the hectic pace of life: thoát khỏi nhịp sống xô bồ 2. What is it like where you live? Now I am living in Ha Noi – the capital of Viet Nam. You can see there are a number of shopping centres and fashionable boutiques there so I can buy anything. Another point is that although traffic congestion is a big challenge in Ha Noi, especially during rush hour, the government still maintain a good public transport so it is so easy to go around. - Shopping centre = Shopping mall: (noun) Khu trung tâm mua sắm - Fashionable boutique: (noun) Cửa hàng thời trang - Traffic congestion = Traffic jam: (noun) Ùn tắc giao thông - Rush hour: (noun) Giờ cao điểm - Public transport: (noun) Phương tiện giao thông công cộng 3. Do you like your hometown? (Why)? Yes, there are many things I am really into when living in Ha Noi. Firstly, because it is where my relatives and best friends live, so I always feel a strong sense of warmth. Also, Ha Noi has a lot of tourist attractions where I can come and meet international visitors to improve my English ability. Especially, I really enjoy the vibrant beauty of the city at night. It is a sprawling city, which has many high-rise flats, and office blocks. - Tourist attraction: (noun) Địa điểm thu hút khách du lịch - Sprawling city: (noun) Thành phố lớn - High – rise flat: (noun) Căn hộ nhiều tầng - Office block: (noun) Tòa nhà văn phòng - Vibrant: (adj) Sinh động

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4. Do you like living in the city? Yes, I do because I can hang out with my friends at pavement café, and also go shopping with them in fashionable boutiques. Besides, there are a variety of lively restaurants where I can visit in order to reduce stress after a hard-working week. The only thing that I don’t like about the city is the very high cost of living so I have to work flat out to afford my basic needs - To hang out with + SB: Đi chơi với ai - Pavement café: (noun) Quán cà phê vỉa đường - Fashionable boutiques: (noun) Cửa hàng thời trang - Lively restaurant: (noun) Nhà hàng rất sống động - To reduce stress: Giảm căng thẳng - The high cost of living: (noun) Chi phí sinh hoạt đắt đỏ - to work flat out (idiom): làm việc chăm chỉ 5. Would you prefer to live somewhere else? (Why)? For the moment, I am quite happy living here, but sometimes I really want to live in a place with a lower cost of living and leisurely pace of life. Ha Noi always makes me get in the rat race which sometimes annoys me because I prefer a sense of community. That is why I usually close down a weekend and visit some places on the outskirts of Ha Noi. - A lower cost of living: (noun) Chi phí sinh hoạt thấp hơn - Leisurely pace of life: (noun) Nhịp sống thư giãn - To get in the rat race: (noun) Bắt vào lối sống chạy đua với nhau - A sense of community: (noun) Tính cộng đồng - To close down: (verb) Đóng cửa kinh doanh - On the outskirts of Ha Noi: Vùng ngoại ô của Hà Nội 6. Do you think your hometown is a good place for young people? (Why)? Yes absolutely, Hanoi is an ideal place for young people in terms of amenities such as lively bars, and shopping malls which are completely suitable for the young. Also, there are a number of industrial zones or office blocks surrounding it, so young graduates can easily land decent jobs. - Lively bar: (noun) quán bar rất sôi động - Shopping mall = shopping centre: (noun) trung tâm thương mại - To land decent jobs: (verb) Tìm công việc tốt

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WORK AND STUDY 1. What kind of school did you go as a child? As a kid, I attended a public primary school, which is quite a big school and it is equipped with a lot of modern facilities to cater for students’ learning. At that time, I also studied with a lot of studious and disciplined friends who helped me a lot in studying. -

Attend a public primary school (ph.v): Tham gia trường công To be equipped with modern facilities (ph.v): Trang bị với nhiều thiết bị hiện đại Cater for students’ learning (ph.v): Phục vụ cho việc học của học sinh Studious (adj): Chăm chỉ Disciplined (adj): Kỷ luật

2. What is your area of specialization? Well, I majored in English Teaching Education Faculty at the University of Languages and International Studies. As I dreamed of becoming an English lecturer in the future who assimilates knowledge to students, I think this major is really right up my alley. - Assimilate knowledge (ph.v): Truyền đạt kiến thức - Right up my alley (idi): Phù hợp với sở thích mình 3. Why did you choose that major? As I previously said, I chose this major mainly because I really want to become an English teacher. I think the huge benefit of being a teacher is a sense of pleasure you achieve when you see your students make progress. Besides, I have been an English enthusiast since I was a child and I want to teach and inspire my students to have interests in this language. - A sense of pleasure: Cảm giác vui vẻ - Achieve (v): Nhận được - Enthusiast (n): Người đam mê - Inspire (v): Truyền cảm hứng - Have interests in (ph.v): Yêu thích 4. Do you like your major? Well, I have to say that I have never regretted opting for English Teaching Education major since this allows me to have a great command of English. You know, during my student’s years, I had countless chances to practice listening, speaking, reading and writing and to master this language. Additionally, when my students make progress in learning English, I get a sense of job satisfaction and self-worth. -

Opting for (ph.v): Lựa chọn Have a great command of St (ph.v): Giỏi/ Xuất sắc cái gì 40

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Countless chances (n.ph): Cơ hội đáng kể Make progress in (ph.v): Tiến bộ Self-worth (n): Giá trị của bản thân

5. Do you think that your country has an effective education system? To be honest, I don’t think so. The reason is that our country still exits the exam-driven education system, which only provides students with theoretical knowledge than a practical one. Therefore, a lot of students forget immediately about what they have learned and do not know to apply it to real situations. - Exam-driven education system (n.ph): Hệ thống giáo dục chú trọng vào thi cử - Theoretical knowledge (n.ph): Kiến thức lý thuyết 6. What do you do? I currently work as a teacher at a private centre in Hanoi. I am mainly responsible for teaching IELTS for students who want to pass the IELTS exam with flying colors. To me, it is not a job that helps me earn a great deal but gives me an immense amount of job satisfaction. - Pass the … exam with flying colors: Vượt qua kỳ thi nào đó với điểm số cao - Earn a great deal: Kiếm được nhiều tiền - Job satisfaction: Sự hài lòng trong công việc 7. Why did you choose to do that type of work (or, that job)? I guess it’s because of my passion which runs in my family. The process of teaching and designing the lessons improves my creativity and ability fighting against stress. - Passion: Đam mê - Run in family: Truyền thống gia đình

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VISITING RELATIVES 1. Do you often visit your relatives? (Why?) Personally, I rarely stand a chance to visit my relatives but I do visit them a few times on special occasions such as the Tet holiday and their birthdays. The subtle point is I am trying to mingle with the busy life in Hanoi which is quite far away from my hometown. That being said, the time I can spend on visiting them is quite limited. - Stand a chance (idiom): to have a chance of success of doing something - có cơ hội làm gì - The subtle point (noun phrase): small but important point - điều quan trọng - Mingle with (phrasal verb): to mix or fit in well with a group of people - hòa mình với 2. What do you do when you visit them? Well, it depends. Mostly my relatives themselves prefer to spend time together by sitting around a table and enjoy our dinner party. Honestly speaking, I’m not a good cook but there would be no trouble for me to prepare some avocado salad with a so-called recipe for the party. - Prefer to (verb): to like, choose, or want one thing rather than another, thích cái gì hơn - So-called (adj): introduce a new word or phrase that is not yet known , tự phong, không chính thống 3. When was the last time you visited them? What did you do? I’d say it’s a couple of months ago because the last time I visited them we were really in good harmony. I never feel being drifted apart from them though I might not have seen them for several months. We took the time to dine out and shared about recent ups and downs, they gave me a lot of support and encouragement. - In good harmony (idiom): agreeable or compatible with someone or something - hòa hợp vui vẻ với ai - Drift apart from (phrasal verb): become less friendly, isolated from, bị tách biệt, xa cách - Dine out (phrasal verb): to go to a restaurant to eat your evening meal - ăn tối bên ngoài - Ups and downs (idiom): a mixture of good and bad things happens - những giai đoạn thăng trầm

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4. Do you prefer visiting your relatives, or your friends? When it comes to choosing between relatives and friends, I believe relatives should be my priority. It’s obvious that visiting relatives will be an incredibly precious opportunity for all members even your family to gather and catch up with the loved ones. My experience when visiting friends was quite hectic with loud music, drink, and unaffordable parties, which made me feel extremely unrestrained. - When it comes to (phrase): used to identify the specific topic that is being talked about, khi nói đến vấn đề - Catch up with (phrasal verb): talk to someone who has not seen for a long time in order to find out what they have been doing, bắt kịp, thăm hỏi - Hectic (adj): very busy and fast - vô cùng bận rộn, hối hả - Unrestrained (adj): not limited or controlled - mất kiểm soát 5. Do you take anything when you visit your relatives? As my relatives are getting older, they don’t really appreciate the material gifts like money or clothes, instead they prefer to have someone cook a homemade meal for them. That’s the reason why I often drop by supermarket and pick up some raw materials to their houses and get ready to serve in the kitchen. - Homemade meal (noun phrase): a meal made at home - bữa ăn tại nhà - Drop by (phrasal verb): visit - ghé qua - Pick up (phrasal verb): collect - lựa chọn, mua - Get ready to (phrasal verb): be ready to do something - sẵn sàng làm gì

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PERFUMES 1. Do you use perfume? Well, being a man, I don’t really use perfume, but I do use cologne and aftershave. I tend to save cologne for special events and wear aftershave as my everyday scent. I really like the way it feels to put aftershave on, just before I leave the house. It closes up my pores and prevents pimples from forming as well as adding a nasal component to my overall presentation. It’s a pity it’s all so expensive or I would wear it even more. - Scent/ Nasal component: Mùi hương - aftershave: Nước hoa dùng sau khi cạo râu - Pores: Lỗ chân lông - Pimples: Mụn 2. Do you give perfume as a gift? To be honest, I rarely give perfume as a gift. Most expensive women's perfumes seem to contain ingredients that are either not good for your skin, or destructive to the environment. Although I suppose the fact that a good perfume might set you back more than a hundred dollars is a pretty strong motivation to find a more thoughtful gift also, as perfume seems pretty generic as a gift for your special someone. - Ingredients: Thành phần - Destructive: hủy hoại - (something) might set you back (amount of money): - Motivation: Động lực - Generic: bình thường 3. How do you feel by using perfume? Again, I can’t really speak about perfume, but when I use aftershave or cologne I feel great! The feeling of splashing it on your face just after a hot shower and a close shave can be painful, but it really leaves you feeling alive and invigorated. It also leaves me feeling more confident and ready to face the world, especially if I’ve been engaging in physical activity or strenuous work that might leave me a little pongy. - Splashing: Vỗ, - Invigorated: tiếp thêm sinh lực - Strenuous: vất vả - Engaging (in): Cuốn hút, thu hút - Pongy: Mùi hôi

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4. What kind of perfume do you like? I like scents that are fairly neutral and I dislike wearing products that have an excessively sweet or earthy smell. I like those smells in other kinds of products, for example, soap can smell sweet and fruity or red wine that smells earthy is ideal, but don’t often wake up in the morning and think ‘Wow, I’d love to go to the office today smelling of soap and fermented grapes’. My favourite fragrances don’t have one defining characteristic, but several blended ones. - Neutral (adj): trung tính - Excessively (adv): quá mức - Fragrances (noun): Mùi hương - Earthy (adj): Mùi đất - (a) defining characteristic (noun phrase): Đặc điểm rõ rang - Blended (adj): Lẫn/trộn 5. Are you willing to spend money on perfume? To a certain extent, I’m happy to spend money on colognes, perfumes, or aftershaves if the occasion calls for it. Perhaps for a wedding anniversary, I could be persuaded to splash out a little extra cash on some perfume as a gift, but when I buy fragrances for myself they tend to be in the lower cost range of what’s available. To be honest, I don’t really see the difference between a fifty-dollar bottle and a four hundred dollar bottle, they both smell nice, so I can’t possibly justify the extra three hundred and fifty dollars. - Occasion (noun): Dịp - (to) splash out on (something) (verb): Dành một khoản tiền lớn vào việc gì - Cash (noun): tiền mặt - (something) tend/s to be (verb): Có xu hướng gì - Justify (verb): biện minh

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MATH 1. When did you start learning math? In fact, Math is a compulsory subject in Vietnamese schools, so every child has to learn this complex subject from the first grade, and I’m not an exception. • Complex (adj): Phức tạp • An exception (n): Không ngoại lệ 2. Do you like math? Frankly speaking, since I was a little girl, I was not keen on learning Math because I found it complicated and tedious. I usually got bad marks in this subject and this just made me hate learning Math even more. − Complicated (adj): Phức tạp − Tedious (adj): Buồn chán 3. Who’s your favorite Math teacher so far? To be honest, I do not have any favorite Math teacher. However, the best math teacher I have ever studied with was the one in primary school. In the beginning, as she knew that I was not really good at Math, she just spent her extra time to tutor me and I did make progress. Although Math is not my cup of tea, she still left a good impression on me as a qualified and devoted teacher. − Make progress (v):Tiến bộ − Leave Sb good impression on (v): Tạo cho ai ấn tượng tốt − Qualified (adj): Có trình độ − Devoted (adj): Tận tâm 4. Is math difficult for you to learn? As I said already, it’s a tricky and incredibly hard subject. When it comes to solving Math subjects, it’s always a nightmare for me. - Tricky (adj): Rắc rối, phức tạp - Nightmare (n): Cơn ác mộng 5. Do you like to use a calculator? I’m really into using a calculator because you know, I’m not a math lover and a calculator will allow me to calculate numbers more quickly without having to thinking much. − Math lover (n): Người yêu thích học Toán

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STREET MARKETS 1. Are street markets common in your country? Yes, they are. I myself prefer to shop in the street markets than in the supermarkets and Saturday is my busiest shopping day. 2. What is usually sold there? Well, The street markets sell almost everything such as food, drink, and clothes. It’s also a great place to find handmade crafts such as jewelry, ornaments, wooden toys and other souvenirs, but it’s the food and drink that seem to be most popular. − Handmade crafts: đồ thủ công − Jewelry (n): đồ trang sức − Ornaments (n): đồ trang trí 3. Do you think people like street markets? Why? I can’t speak for everyone, but I like to buy things in the street market which is so close to my house. It is definitely more convenient than going to the supermarket and goods are more affordable. − I can’t speak for everyone, but : tôi không thể nói là tất cả mọi người, nhưng

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TEA OR COFFEE 1. What do Vietnamese people prefer, tea or coffee? It quite depends on age of users. If you are talking about young people, I think coffee should be the answer. Some even are coffee addicts because this drink keeps them wide awake to focus on work. However, when it comes to elderly people, tea will be their favourite beverage with a refreshing taste and so many positive impacts on health. - coffee addict (noun phrase): a person who is unable to stop drinking coffee - người nghiện cafe - wide awake (adj): fully awake and unable to sleep - hoàn toàn tỉnh táo 2. What do you usually prepare for your guests, tea or coffee? I myself choose coffee simply because it can be served within some minutes. Otherwise, to have a cup of tea, green tea is steeped in boiling water and the container is also needed to warmed beforehand, which is a complicated process. Furthermore, it has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content - steep in something (verb phrase): to put food in a liquid and leave it for some time so that it becomes soft and flavoured by the liquid - cho cái gì vào Cho ngấm - beforehand (adj): earlier; before something else happens or is done - trước đó - a stimulating effect (noun phrase): an impact that makes people feel enthusiastic - ảnh hưởng đầy tính khích lệ - caffeine (adj): a drug found in coffee and tea that makes you feel more active - chất gây nghiện caffein 3. When did you drink coffee or tea last time? My morning routines are waking up at 6, having a slight breakfast and drinking a cup of coffee. Even knowing that being addicted to coffee can trigger many health problems such as hypertension, Parkinson's diseases and so on, I think having only a cup daily can be at a slightly increased risk only. - Morning routine (noun phrase): the normal order and way in which you regularly do things - thói quen vào buổi sáng - be addicted to (adj phrase): unable to stop taking harmful drugs, or using or doing something as a habit - nghiện cái gì - hypertension (noun): blood pressure that is higher than is normal - bệnh cao huyết áp - Parkinson's disease (noun phrase): a disease of the nervous system that gets worse over a period of time and causes the muscles to become weak and the arms and legs to shake - bệnh Parkinson 48 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

MUSIC 1. Do you like music? Why/Why not? I really love music and it also plays an important part in my life. I’m really into going to a lot of music festivals such as Moon Soon which is held in Hanoi every year. Even when I am busy, I play recorded versions on my laptop all the time. - To be into = to be interested in: Thích cái gì - Music festival: Lễ hội âm nhạc - Recorded version: Bản thu âm sẵn 2. What kind of music do you listen to? Well, it’s hard for me to select only one genre of music. I love music in general but if I need to choose, I would say that I’m a big fan of pop music. It makes me popular with my friends because we have the same taste in music. Furthermore, this kind of music has a catchy tune and easy to sing along, for that reason, it has huge adoring fans including me. − Taste in music: Gu âm nhạc − Catchy tune: Gia điệu bắt tai − Sing along: Hát theo − Adoring fans: Người hâm mộ 3. How often do you listen to music? As far as I mentioned before, music is a part of my life so I listen to it every day. Whenever I’m depressed or sad, I have some massive hits on my phone to cheer me up. I love to sing along songs although I’m a bit tone-deaf. − Massive hit: Bản hit − Cheer somebody up: Khích lệ ai − Sing along: Hát theo − To be tone-deaf: Mù âm nhạc 4. Do you play any kinds of musical instruments? Well, it’s a pity that I didn’t. I’ve always wished I’d taken up a musical instrument. I’d love to be able to play the guitar but I think I have no potential to play it. I’m a bit tone deaf so perhaps I’d find it hard to put my idea in practice. - Take up a musical instrument: Học chơi một loai nhạc cụ nào đó - Have potential: Có tiềm năng - To be tone deaf: Mù âm nhạc

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5. Have you ever played in a music performance? Yes, I sang in school chorus several years ago and honestly, it was a shame experience in my school life. I couldn’t read music and only played by ear but in wrong tones because I am tone deaf. Finally, I decided to lip-sync and only make background music for my team. That was the last time I joined a music performance. - Read music: Hát có bài bản - Read by ear: Nghe và hát theo - To be tone deaf: Mù âm nhạc - Lip sync: Hát nhép - Background music: Nhạc nền 6. Has the kind of music that you listen to changed since you were young? Of course, it happened already. Logically people from different ages will have taste in music variation. When I was a teenager, I was fond of rock music which blasts out from its strong melody. I always listened to the latest rock songs as soon as they were released. However, when I grow up a little bit, classical music is my choice because it has a slow melody that I can relax my mind.

− − − −

Taste in music: Gu âm nhạc Rock music: Nhạc rock Blast out: Nhạc rất to To be released: Được phát hành



7. Would you prefer to participate in a music band? I wished I could have enough ability to become a member of a music band as K-pop bands for example. If I joined a band, our debut album would be about youth which inspires teenagers in life. We would have the first music performance in a stadium to capture a huge number of audiences and also attract adoring fans. But you know, I told you that I am tone deaf, so my intentions will never come true. - Debut album: Album đầu tiên ra mắt công chúng - Music performance: Buổi biểu diễn âm nhạc - Capture audience: Thu hút khán giả - Adoring fans: Người hâm mộ 50 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

READING 1. Do you like reading books? Why or why not? I am deep into reading books, especially the real page-turners because this brings me a lot of advantages. Firstly, it gives me relief from stress and slows me down after the daily rat race. Secondly, it also broadens my knowledge of different cultures and lives. - Real page-turner: cuốn sách đáng đọc - Give relief from stress: giảm căng thẳng - Slow me down: làm cho tôi sống chậm lại - Rat race: cuộc sống bon chen 2. What kinds of books do you like to read? As I mentioned before, reading is my cup of tea but I love reading Japanese comic books most. It is really entertaining and exciting which brings me a lot of different emotions. Moreover, it broadens my knowledge about the culture and people in Japan – the country that I desire to visit once in my life. - To be my cup of tea = I like - Exciting: hấp dẫn, thú vị 3. Did you read much when you were a child? Yes, I was a bookworm when I was a little girl as my father. He bought me a huge number of books and taught me to love reading. You know, the apple doesn’t fall far from tree. - Bookworm: mọt sách - The apple doesn’t fall far from tree: cha nào con nấy 4. What kinds of books did you read when you were a child? The books with many colorful images like comics were my all-time favorite books. I just couldn’t put them down and were engrossed in those books. - All-time favorite: sở thích - Can’t put it down: không thể đặt xuống - To be engrossed in: đắm chìm trong 5. Do children like reading books? Previously there was nothing much to play with, so I think books become children’s best friends. However, in this state – of – the – art world while the technology and the Internet are dominating, children tend to read less and spend their time on playing gram online instead. - State-of-the-art: hiện đại - Dominate: chiếm lĩnh 51 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

6. What do you think are the benefits of reading for children? Obviously reading plays an important role in children’s lives because it brings a lot of advantages. Firstly, it broadens children’s knowledge about different cultures and people in the whole world. Secondly, the lexical resources of children will be widened while they read books. And finally, books nurture their souls that help them become more sensitive with things around them. - Lexical resources: Vốn từ vựng - Nurture: nuôi dưỡng 7. What do you think are the benefits of reading to children? Totally parents should read books for their children, especially bedtime reading books. It not only nurtures their children's souls about cultures and people in other places but also makes a close-knit relationship between parents and children. - Bedtime reading: Sách đọc trước giờ ngủ - Close-knit relationship: mối quan hệ khăng khít

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TIME MANAGEMENT / BEING PUNCTUAL 1. Is it important to be punctual? There is no doubt about it! Being on time is one of the most basic manners showing that you are the man of your words and can be relied on. The habit of punctuality also expresses your respect and make a good impression on other people. − On time: đúng giờ − The man of his/her/your words: người giữ đúng lời 2. How do you feel when others are late? I think it really depends on whether there is a good reason for it or not. For example, I would feel very annoyed if someone came late just because they oversleep or forget about it. This demonstrates that he or she is stealing the precious time of other people and are undervaluing them. However, in some situations, if there is an objective reason like getting stuck in the traffic jam or having an illness, I think it can totally be tolerable. - Undervalue: đánh giá không đúng mực - Tolerable: có thể tha thứ được 3. Are you, yourself, late very often? Well, I am pretty good at on the dot for things because I respect both my time and the time of other people. However, I can be late sometimes, but of course with a good reason for it. I mean, for example, in some unexpected circumstances like getting stuck in a traffic jam or having an illness - On the dot: đúng giờ - Get stuck in traffic jam: bị kẹt xe 4. How often do you check the time? Oh, I do it frequently. Because of the requirements of my job, I usually have to check the time to ensure that I am on schedule. I don’t want to race against the time and then meet the deadline just in the nick of time. It can exhaust me. - On schedule: đúng tiến độ, đúng lịch trình - Race against the time: chạy đua với thời gian - Meet the deadline: đúng hạn - In the nick of time: vừa kịp giờ, vừa sát giờ - Exhaust somebody: làm ai đó kiệt sức. 5. What do you do when you wait? Waiting time is really not my cup of tea, so I always try to find interesting things to kill the time like surfing Facebook, talking on the phone or indulging in a book. - Kill the time: giết thời gian 53 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

TRAVELLING 1. Do you like holidays? Why / why not? Yes, I am passionate about holidays. You know, to deal with the hectic pace of life, I need to have short breaks regularly so that I can get away from it all. Especially, I think everyone should have a holiday of a lifetime that makes their lives more interesting and significant. However, I detest tourist traps because it wastes a huge amount of money and all services seem to be overloaded. - Short break: kì nghỉ ngắn ngày - To get away from it all: Thoát khỏi tất cả đi du lịch để giảm căng thẳng - Tourist trap: Nơi nhiều khách du lịch đến và bóc lột khách du lịch (bằng cách lấy tiền đắt) - Holiday of a lifetime: kì nghỉ đặc biệt trong đời 2. What kind of holiday do you like? Well, still being a student, so self – catering is the kind of holiday that I really enjoy. Its cost is quite reasonable for my tight budget. My friends and I usually go sightseeing in picturesque villages after an exam and prepare all things by ourselves. We can reduce stress about the study on these holidays. - Self-catering: Kì nghỉ tự phục vụ - To go sightseeing: Đi tham quan - Picturesque village: Ngôi làng đẹp như tranh

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ROBOTS 1. Are you interested in robots? Absolutely, robots are the cutting – edge items that are indispensable in this world. They help people handle a number of issues not only at home but also at work. - Cutting-edge: Hiện đại - Indispensable: Không thể thiếu - Handle: Giải quyết 2. Do you like robots to work at your home? Yes, I love the idea having a domestic robot helping me around the house like cleaning the floor or cutting the grass. It would be an awesome way to save time and energy. − Domestic robot: Robot trong nhà − Help around the house: làm việc nhà 3. Do you want to take a car which robot is the driver? Well you know nowadays, self-driving cars are certainly not a strange topic anymore. However, I gotta say I don’t really feel comfortable letting robots take the wheel. I think they are not 100% reliable and may not handle dangerous situations like a slippery road as well as a human driver does. So, for now, I still prefer to drive manually. - Self – driving a car: ô tô tự lái - Take the wheel: lái xe - Slipper: trơn trượt - Drive manually: lái bằng tay 4. Will robots replace human beings in the workplace completely? Certainly not. Although now human labor is being replaced by automatic robots in manufacturing, there are always things that require the delicate touch of a human hand like producing handicraft products. - Manufacturing: sản xuất - Delicate: tinh xảo - Handicraft: thủ công 5. Would you like to buy a robot? Owning a domestic robot is my dream and I desire to make my dream come true. It should be smart, portable and also energy-saving because I wouldn’t want to waste too much energy on it. Especially, it would be better that it doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg, too. - Energy – saving: tiết kiệm năng lượng - Cost an arm and a leg: Tốn tiền 55 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

READING 1. Do you like reading books? Why or why not? I am deep into reading books, especially the real page-turners because this brings me a lot of advantages. Firstly, it gives me relief from stress and slows me down after the daily rat race. Secondly, it also broadens my knowledge about the different cultures and lives. - Real page-turner: cuốn sách đáng đọc - Give relief from stress: giảm căng thẳng - Slow me down: làm cho tôi sống chậm lại - Rat race: cuộc sống bon chen 2. What kinds of books do you like to read? As I mentioned before, reading is my cup of tea but I love reading Japanese comic books most. It is really entertaining and exciting which brings me a lot of different emotions. Moreover, it broadens my knowledge about the culture and people in the Japan – the country that I desire to visit once in my life. - To be my cup of tea = I like - Exciting: hấp dẫn, thú vị 3. Did you read much when you were a child? Yes, I was a bookworm when I was a little girl as my father. He bought me a huge number of books and taught me to love reading. You know, the apple doesn’t fall far from tree. - Bookworm: mọt sách - The apple doesn’t fall far from tree: cha nào con nấy 4. What kinds of books did you read when you were a child? The books with many colorful images like comics were my all-time favorite books. I just couldn’t put them down and were engrossed into those books. - All-time favorite: sở thích - Can’t put it down: không thể đặt xuống - To be engrossed into: đắm chìm trong 5. Do children like reading books? Previously there was nothing much to play with, so I think books become children’s best friends. However, in this state – of – the – art world while the technology and Internet are dominating, children tend to read less and spend their time on playing gram online instead. - State-of-the-art (a): hiện đại - Dominate (v): chiếm lĩnh 56 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

SMILE 1. Do you like to smile? Yes definitely. To be honest, a smile helps me find happiness and peace of mind. Especially smiling can lift my spirits when I’m feeling blue and might be beneficial for me to cope with stressful situations in my life. − peace of mind: bình yên trong tâm hồn − life sb’s spirits: làm ai đó phấn chấn hơn − blue: buồn bã − cope with: giải quyết 2. How often do you smile? I smile on a regular basis when I have some good news. The moment I wake up, right away, I kick off my day by smiling to get motivated. When I pass the university entrance exam with flying colors, I smile all the time to let others know that I am really over the moon. − Kick-off: bắt đầu − get motivated: trở nên tràn đầy động lực − flying colors: điểm xuất sắc 3, Do you smile when you are having your picture taken? Why? Not really. I smile whenever I am over the moon. I will show the exact facial expression I have at that time to keep the unforgettable moments. In addition, I will look more picturesque when you express my happiness on my face. − facial expression: nét mặt − over the moon: rất vui 4, When do people smile to others? When they would like to express their feelings about what others told them, they will smile to show that they are full of the joys of spring. Others’ smiles could help you overcome stressful situations and improve your mood. − full of the joys of spring: tràn đầy niềm vui − improve your mood: cải thiện tâm trạng 5, Can you sense if someone's smile is fake? Honestly no. Because I’m not actually a sensitive person, I couldn’t know when others smile to try to hide their feelings. However, when somebody sneers, I do realize the kind of an unkind expression. − sensitive: nhạy cảm − hidden their feelings: che giấu cảm xúc − sneer: cười khinh bỉ 57 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

SPEAKING PART 2 - DESCRIBE A PERSON 1. Describe a female leader you would like to meet You should say: ● Who she is ● What she does ● What she is like ● And explain why you would like to meet her I would like to describe the manager of my mother, who I think is a really excellent female leader. She is the director of my mother’s company, who leads more than 2 hundred staff. Her main duties at work are keeping contact with partners, distributing tasks for her employees, including my mom, and controlling the effectiveness of her own business. Via stories of my mom about her, I also know that she is a single mom of two little sons, or in other words, she is also the leader of her home, too. Why do I want to meet her? Well firstly, because my mom always describes her like a princess, with fair skin and a brilliant smile, which makes me so curious about her outlook. Secondly, I really admire her leadership. As my mom said, she wins the respect and admiration of most staff in the company. Instead of using her right and power to force people to work overtime, she becomes a source of motivation for them to willingly contribute to the company. Most importantly, I really want to learn more about her time managing skills, how she can keep a balance between work and life to take care of her sons. I think she is really an influential leader and I always habour a dream to start my own business after graduation, so I really to meet her in person to ask for advice and to motivate myself to be successful like her. - director (noun): giám đốc - keep contact with (verb phrase): giữ liên lạc với - a single mom (noun phrase): mẹ đơn thân - princess (noun): công chúa - a brilliant smile (noun): nụ cười toả sáng - win the respect and admiration (phrase): chiếm được sự tôn trọng và ngưỡng mộ - willingly (adv): sẵn lòng - habour a dream (verb phrase): nuôi dưỡng 1 ước mơ - in person: trưc tiếp 58 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: FEMALE LEADER 1. Do women have more responsibility for taking care of children? No, I think looking after children is the shared responsibility of both men and women. Most men and women nowadays are working parents, so both of them are breadwinners of each family. Hence, raising children and doing household chores necessarily need to be shared between them. I think they can agree on what particular tasks each of them is responsible for before starting a family. − Look after (v) = take care of: chăm sóc ai đó − Shared responsibility (n): trách nhiệm được san sẻ − Working parents (n): cả bố cả mẹ đều đi làm − Breadwinner (n): trụ cột trong gia đình − Do household chore (v): làm việc nhà − Start a family = have children (v): bắt đầu có gia đình riêng và bắt đầu có con 2. Do you think there is equality in the workplace for men and women nowadays? No, I see that even though employers are increasingly aware that they should treat equally between men and women, there is still sexual discrimination in the workplace. For example, it’s much easier for men to get a promotion than female counterparts for the same position. - Sexual discrimination (n): phân biệt giới - Get a promotion (v): thăng tiến - Counterpart (n): đối tác

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2. Describe a person who is good at his/ her job You should say: ● Who this person is ● What his/her job is ● How he/she likes the job ● And explain why this person is good at the job (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a female leader you would like to meet và nhấn mạnh rằng người này rất giỏi ở công việc của mình) I would like to describe the manager of my mother, who I think is really excellent at her work. She is the director of my mother’s company, who leads more than 2 hundred staff. Her main duties at work are keeping contact with partners, distributing tasks for her employees, including my mom, and controlling the effectiveness of her own business. Via stories of my mom about her, I also know that she is a single mom of two little sons, or in other words, she is also the leader of her home, too. Why do I think she performs her work well? My mom is an accountant in her company and so I know a bit about her income and fortune. I have to say that she has money to burn, which means that she does her work very well to earn a lot of money like this. More importantly, as I said, she is a single mom and via status and images she shared on facebook, I see she still has much time for relaxation and life enjoyment, which one more time demonstrates how effectively she manages her time and work. I think she is really an influential leader and I always habour a dream to start my own business after graduation, so I really to meet her in person to ask for advice and to motivate myself to be successful like her. - fortune (noun): gia tài - have money to burn (idiom): có rất rất nhiều tiền - life enjoyment (noun): thưởng thức cuộc sống

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PART 3: GOOD AT JOB Question 1. How should young people perform on their first jobs? Youngsters should try their best to perform optimally on their first job as it marks a milestone that they embark on the labour force. Moreover, trying to do the best on the first job helps them to gain much knowledge from experienced colleagues. Last but not least, people can see whether the job is suitable for them or not. If they don’t take any interest in it even when they try their best, they can change to another field. - Embark on (verb): bắt đầu Question 2. Who can help people improve their job performance? I think the most influential person is their leaders. If their leaders can give them a sense of respect by recognizing and stimulating their contribution, this will arouse their willingness to try their personal best. The second influencer is colleagues, who should be supportive and collaborative because you know, two heads are always better than one. - A sense of respect (noun): một sự tôn trọng - Stimulate (verb): thúc đẩy - Arouse willingness (v.phrase): thúc đẩy sự sẵn sàng cống hiến - Collaborative (adj): hợp tác - Two heads are better than one (idiom): một cây làm chẳng nên non, 3 cây chụm lại nên hòn núi cao Question 3. What skill set should a manager have? The answer is a set of leadership skills. They need to be a professor in the field to win the trust and belief of their staff. Instead of being a strategy planner, they should be too, because easier said than done. The last skill is time management to lead their team to the highest productivity but save much time. - Win the trust and belief (v): có được niềm tin - Strategy planner (noun): người lên kế hoạch - Easier said than done (idiom): nói thì dễ, làm mới khó

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Question 4. Do you think what you learn in university is going to help you in your future job? In university, students should be equipped with specialised knowledge about their major. For instance, if they want to be an English teacher after graduation, university education needs to help them boost their English ability to have a command of this language first. Then, students also need job-related skills, too. Some practical skills are generally essential for all positions, such as time management, collaboration, but some skills are required particularly for a specific job; for instance, a future teacher really needs effective but attractive teaching methods. - Boost (verb): nâng cao - Have a command of ST (v): có khả năng tốt về …. - Collaboration (noun): sự hợp tác

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3. Describe a person who often travels by plane You should say: ● Who he/she is ● Where he/she goes to ● What he/she feels about it (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a female leader you would like to meet và nhấn mạnh rằng người này hay đi lại bằng máy bay) I would like to describe the manager of my mother, who as I know takes flights quite often. She is the director of my mother’s company, who leads more than 2 hundred staff. Her main duties at work are keeping contact with partners in different countries, distributing tasks for her employees, including my mom, and controlling the effectiveness of her own business. As I know, she takes a flight at least once a week. Most of the time she is on a business trip, normally in Vietnam and from time to time in other nations, too, to attend a meeting, meet a partner or other tasks. Once in a blue moon, she travels by air to some tourist attractions for relaxation. She has become a VIP client of Vietjet - the most popular airline in Vietnam, so the flight attendances are familiar with her face and her favourite meals on the plane. She is also discounted 10% for every flight ticket and given other priorities. When I ask her about her feeling of the high frequency of taking flights, she said it is not as great as I used to think of. She always takes a nap on the plane to recharge her battery, and if the flight lasts more hours, she will suffer from a headache after that. But I haven’t travelled by plane any time in my life, so I still habour a dream to be like her, travelling by air, at least once in my life. - business trip (noun): chuyến đi công tác - from time to time (idiom): thỉnh thoảng - once in a blue moon (idiom): hiếm khi - a VIP client (noun): khách hàng VIP - airline (noun): hàng không - flight attendance (noun): tiếp viên hàng không - priority (noun): sự ưu tiên - take a nap (phrase): ngủ chợp mắt - recharge her battery (phrase): sạc lại năng lượng 63 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: TRAVEL BY PLANE Question 1: What are the advantages of traveling by plane? Well, travelling by plane brings passengers some great benefits. First of all, it is the fastest means of transport, so it helps them to save a great deal of time. In addition to that, people have a lot of options for entertainment such as enjoying the spectacular view through the window or kick back in comfort when travelling by air. - Spectacular view (noun): tầm nhìn rất đẹp - Kick back in comfort (v): ngồi thoải mái Question 2: Why do some people prefer to travel by train? Some people are interested commuting by train because this means of transport is quite affordable for them as compared to travelling by plane. Some places are easier to access by train, too, because there are no nearby airports, like some mountainous areas in the northern parts of Vietnam. - Access (verb): tiếp cận - Nearby (adj): ở gần đó Question 3: What are the disadvantages of living near an airport? Well, there are several drawbacks for those who live near an airport. The greatest one may be noise. Even though houses are equipped with thick soundproof windows, people usually suffer from noise there. Additionally, the fuel combustion of an airplane is very smelly, which can cause a headache for those who live near the airport. - Soundproof (adj): cách âm - Combustion (n): khí thải

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4. Describe a person who taught you something (knowledge or principles) You should say: • Who this person is • What he/she is like • What he/she taught you • And how you felt about him/her (Áp dụng ý tưởng của bài Describe a female leader, nhưng con người thành công này đã dạy cho bạn 1 bài học ý nghĩa nào đó, về công việc hoặc về thái độ sống) I would like to describe the manager of my mother from whom I learn to be more determined and positive She is the director of my mother’s company, who leads more than 2 hundred staff. Her main duties at work are keeping contact with partners, distributing tasks for her employees, including my mom, and controlling the effectiveness of her own business. Via stories of my mom about her, I also know that she is a single mom of two little sons, or in other words, she is also the leader of her home, too. Actually I just met her once or twice, in some company parties when I went with my mon. However, she actually became my role model. Why? Firstly, she has a positive outlook about life. You know, it is not a piece of cake for a little woman to both manage this stressful work and handle all childrearing tasks. But she always smiles and has a brilliant face, which I think makes her braver to overcome her life challenges. Secondly, she also taught me to be determined to be successful. My mother said she had gone through many times of living on the breadline or even bankruptcy before going from strength to strength like she does now. I think she is really an influential leader and I always habour a dream to start my own business after graduation like her. I also wish her happiness and success in life, too. • Have a positive outlook about life (verb): có cái nhìn cuộc sống tích cực • A role model (noun): hình mẫu • A piece of cake (idiom): dễ dàng • Childrearing (noun): việc chăm soc con cái • Brave (adj): dũng cảm • Live on the breadline (idiom): sống thiếu thốn, sống khốn khó • Bankruptcy (noun): sự phá sản • Go from strength to strength (verb): đi từ thành công này đến thành công khác

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5. Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions You should say: ● Who this person is ● What this person does ● How you know him ● And explain why you think his ideas and opinions are interesting I would like to talk about my buddy, who always comes up with creative ideas and opinions. She is my classmate at secondary school and has been always in my good book since then. At this moment, she is working as a marketing manager in an English center and her main duty is to create marketing tactics and products to enhance the brand awareness of this center among potential customers. Surely she is one of the most creative persons I have had chances to study and then work with. When we were still students, both took part in an English club and she was always the organizer of all events. You know, she could think of many interesting ideas just in the blink of an eye. Once I asked her about the decoration of the main front stage for the Mid-autumn festival, she suggested 2-3 ways at least, such as using plastic moon and stars flashing at night, or creating a 3D stage with a projector. Until now, she is still creative and thinks out of the box quite often. For example, in order to promote the brand of this center, she organizes many games on the fanpage to call for actions from fans and subscribers or gives scholarships for excellent students to encourage them to give feedback. Not only in her profession, she has interesting ideas in her daily life too. For example, last vacation, our friends planned to dine out together but she recommended to have a picnic in a park on the outskirts, then have a BBQ and take part in some outdoor games with her being the leader, and we all had a once-in-a-lifetime day off. - Buddy (n): bạn thân - Come up with (verb): nảy sinh ý tưởng - Marketing tactics (noun): chiến thuật marketing - Brand awareness (noun): nhận diện thương hiệu - In the blink of an eye (idiom): trong nháy mắt - Think out of the box (idiom): nghĩ sáng tạo - Profession (noun): chuyên môn - Dine out (verb): ăn tối bên ngoài - Once-in-a-lifetime day off (noun): ngày nghỉ có 1 không 2 66 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: INTERESTING IDEAS AND OPINIONS Question 1: When do children begin to have their own ideas? Well, I think that children start to hold their own views at a very young age, even small children sometimes talk and amaze us as to where they got those ideas from. If you watch “Little Big Shots”, which has acquired its reputation for an ideal place where kids share their knowledge and own perspectives with adults, you may agree with my opinion. For example, I still remember vividly about one four-year-old boy attending “Little Big Shots” who came up with some ideas about the ways to protect the environment such as using paper cups rather than single-use plastic straws or cups when drinking tea. What an intelligent boy! − Little Big Shots: Biệt tài tí hon − as to something = as regards to something: liên quan đến cái gì − to acquire one’s reputation for something: nổi tiếng với cái gì − vividly: rất rõ − to come up with (an idea): nghĩ ra (một ý tưởng) − single-use (plastic straws or cups): (ống hút/ cốc) dùng một lần − what an intelligent boy: (câu cảm thán) một cậu nhóc thông minh làm sao Question 2: Why are there more and more differences between children and their parents? I think the main reason why children are increasingly different from their parents may be that both father and mother are now up to their ears in work, so they have less contact with their offspring and less energy to enjoy family activities like having meals together. As a result, they do not have much time to share stuff with each other, and therefore, they cannot gain in mutual understanding. However, I believe that if there were stay-at-home parents like in the past, there would not be more and more differences between them because they would have more time to exchange ideas, and therefore have much in common with each other. − to be up to one’s ears in something (idiom): bận rộn với cái gì − offspring: con cái − to gain in mutual understanding: tăng sự thấu hiểu lẫn nhau − stay-at-home: (thường đứng trước “parents”) ở nhà chăm sóc con cái thay vì đi làm − to have much in common with SB (idiom): có nhiều điểm tương đồng

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Question 3: What are the advantages and disadvantages of setting rules for children? Well, a clear advantage of setting rules for children is to help them better behave and form good habits. For example, parents usually limit the number of hours their offspring are allowed to watch TV, which does not make them become a couch potato and have more time to participate in outdoor activities. However, forcing children to follow strict principles may hold back their creativity, or in other words, they may not think outside the box. For instance, not being allowed to draw pictures on the wall may prevent children from creating a unique work of art that they may develop into graffiti later on. − Offspring (noun): con cái − a couch potato (idiom): người nghiện xem TV − to hold back (creativity) (verb): ngăn cản (sự sáng tạo) − to think outside the box (idiom): sáng tạo − a work of art (noun): một tác phẩm nghệ thuật − graffiti (noun): tranh tường (các bức vẽ lên tường ngoài đường phố) − later on (idiom): at a time in the future - sau này Question 4: Is there someone with good ideas that has changed many people’s lives? Yes, there are so many people who came up with excellent ideas that have changed many people’s lives, particularly inventors who invented cutting-edge technologies. For example, Paul Baran, who pioneered the Internet, helps tons of people be able to study at home which is now commonly referred to Internet-based education and be able to work from home instead of going to offices. If there had not been the development of the Internet, people would always have to go to school or workplace to study or work.” − to come up with (an idea): nghĩ ra (một ý tưởng gì) − cutting-edge (adj): hiện đại − to pioneer something (verb): sáng tạo ra cái gì − Internet-based education (noun): học trên mạng

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6. Describe a person who often helps others You should say: ● Who this person is ● How often this person helps others ● How this person helps others ● Why this person helps others ● And how you feel about this person (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions và nhận mạnh việc người này hay giúp người khác) I would like to talk about my buddy, who has a golden heart and helps others often. She is my classmate at secondary school and has been always in my good book since then. At this moment, she is working as a marketing manager in an English center and her main duty is to create marketing tactics and products to enhance the brand awareness of this center among potential customers. Surely she is one of the kindest person I have ever met. When we were still students, she supported me a lot in my study. For instance, when I struggled with English lessons, she could spend all break times to guide me tough exercises and practice speaking in English with me. I did made impressive progress and passed most exams with flying colors since we became friends. She is not a fair-weather friend, but a true friend. Why did I say that? You know, friends in need are friends indeed, and she is always beside me. After graduation, I had difficulties in landing a job, and she helped me define my dream career, lifted my mood and searched for job vacancies that meet my ability. What’s more? Whenever I run out of money, she never refused to give a loan ….. and many other occasions. Not only me, but she also treats well with all relatives and friends. I want to reaffirm that she is really a warm-hearted person who is willing to do others a favour when they are in need. - Struggle with ST (verb): gặp khó khăn với …. - Tough exercise (noun): bài tập khó - Make impressive progress (v.phrase): cải thiện/ tiến bộ đáng kể - Pass the exam with flying colors (idiom): vượt qua kì thi với điểm cao - Fair-weather friend (noun): bạn chỉ đến khi ta giàu có… - Friends in need are friends indeed (idiom): bạn khi hoạn nạn mới là bạn thực sự 69 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Run out of money (v.phrase): hết sạch tiền Job vacancy (noun): việc trống Do others a favour (verb): giúp ai đó

PART 3: HELPING Question 1: Do people nowadays help others more than in the past? I don’t think we should try to judge or compare how altruistic people are now and were in the past because there have always been those who lend others a hand and those who don’t. Due to increasing social issues such as crime, contemporary people have a fear of being deceived and therefore tend to show their unwillingness to help needy people. However, there are still many people who are always willing to do others a favour. - Altruistic (adj): vị tha - Lend others a hand = do others a favour: giúp đỡ ai đó - Comtemporary (adj): hiện đại, đương thời - Deceive (v): lừa dối - Unwillingness (n): sự không sẵn lòng - Needy people (n): người khổ cực Question 2: Who should teach children to help others? Parents or teachers? I think both parents and teachers share the responsibility to ensure that children learn to lend others a hand. Parents should be good role models for their children to learn from, and teachers can have lessons or activities to inculcate these values in children. - Good role model (n): hình mẫu lí tưởng - Inculcate these values in (v): khác sâu những giá trị này vào … Question 3: In what kinds of professions do people help others more? There are some certain kinds of professions people lend others a hand more. A typical example is those who work for non-profit organisations like Red Cross which are founded to help alleviate the sufferings of the unfortunate and underprivileged. Some other jobs like doctors and firemen also help needy people. - Non-profit organisation (n): tổ chức phi lợi nhuận - Alleviate (v): giảm thiểu/ giải quyết - The unfortunate (n): người thiếu may mắn - The underprivileged (n): những người nghèo

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Question 4: Why are some people willing to help others? I think it’s the kindness that exists in their hearts and they understand that we can all experience difficult times in our lives when we might need support. For example, we all grow old, and we all run the risk of losing our jobs or having a health problem that affects our ability to look after ourselves. So, I think they empathise with needy people and often it simply makes us happy to help others in some way. - Experience difficult times (v): trải qua những khoảng thời gian khó khăn - Look after (v): chăm sóc ai đó - Empathise with (v): cảm thông với

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7. Describe a foreign celebrity you want to meet in person You should say: ● Who this person is ● How you knew about this person ● What this person does ● Why you want to meet this person Today, I would like to talk about an internationally acclaimed American singer that I have a burning desire to meet once in my life. Her name is Taylor Swift. She acquires a reputation for a lot of pop songs which made a splash in the music world in the 21st century. To be honest, her great songs not only left a deep impression on music lovers about the hidden stories and but also kept me motivated for a long time. I listened to her song namely Blank Space, which Taylor Swift wrote about her personal life and inspired individuals how crucial each person knows truly who he or she is. It was when I was up to my ears in preparing for the university entrance exam, so I needed time to chill out. The minute I heard her voice, I was completely hooked. Until now, every now and then when somebody reminded me of this song, I often say that: “The lyrics is so cheesy but I couldn’t believe that I immersed myself in that catchy lyrics.” Frankly speaking, hopefully, I can grab a chance to meet her, a real person who will tell us about her stories and achievements during her career. I am actually an admirer of her effort for chasing her dreams. - internationally acclaimed (adj) - be famous in the world: nổi tiếng trên thế giới - acquire a reputation (collocation): có danh tiếng - leave a deep impression on (collocation): để lại ấn tượng sâu sắc về - chill out (verb phrase) - completely relax: giải trí - be hooked (verb): strongly attracted to something/somebody: bị thu hút mạnh mẽ bởi cái gì - every now and then = sometimes (adv): thỉnh thoảng - cheesy = too romantic (adj): sến sẩm - immerse oneself in = to become or make somebody completely involved in something (collocation): cuốn hút vào cái gì - catchy = pleasing and easy to remember (adj): hay và dễ nhớ 72 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: FAME Question 1: How can people become famous? I think there are several ways that people can become renowned. The first one is that some people are gifted with some talents such as singing or acting. They can show their own abilities so that other people can recognise them. In addition, some individuals become famous simply because they use scandals to grab others’ attention. Besides, some people rise to stardom just because they are good-looking. - Renowned (a): nổi tiếng - Be gifted with (a): nổi tiếng với - Grab the attention of SO (v): bắt được sử chú ý của ai - Rise to stardom (v): vươn lên thành ngôi sao Question 2: What are the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a celebrity? I think there are many good things about rising to stardom. Firstly, you will be well known for your talents and you will have many fans that always love and support you with cordiality. Secondly, you can profit from it and your monthly income is double or triple than the normal. Besides, there are some disadvantages to this. Because you are the person of the public, you will lose personal freedom. When you go somewhere, you must be careful about all of your actions to avoid scandals. Simultaneously, you have to work with a busy schedule from morning to night, even until midnight. This probably will affect adversely your health. - Cordiality (n): thân ái, lòng thân mật - Double / triple (v): gấp hai/ gấp ba - Simultaneously (adv): đồng nhất/ đồng thời - Affect adversely (v): ảnh hưởng tiêu cực

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Question 3: What influences can famous people have on society? Celebrities have great influences on society both on positive and negative sides. Some famous people can serve as a good role model for youngsters because of their perseverance and excellence. For example, Cristiano Ronaldo is a good example of many young footballers about the fact that hard work will pay off. However, some renowned individuals can have negative impacts on society in some way. For example, some celebrities who are in the habit of drinking and smoking or in other words normalize substance use affect negatively those who idolize them, and their fans can want to be like their idols. - Celebrity (n): người nổi tiếng - A good role model (n): hình mẫu lí tưởng = be a good example for SO - Perseverance (n): sự kiên trì - Hard word will pay off (idiom): sự nỗi lực sẽ được đền đáp xứng đáng - Normalize substance use (v): thấy việc sử dụng thuốc, chất kích thích là bình thường - Idolize (v): thần tượng hoá Question 4: Why can some celebrities stay famous for a long time while some cannot? I think that some celebrities can stay renowned for a long time is because they have genuine talents such as singing or acting that lasts forever. On the other hand, those who use scandals or beauty to become famous cannot be permanent because it cannot survive for a decade. - Genuine talent (n): tài năng - Permanent (a): mãi mãi

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8. Describe your favourite band or singer You should say: ● Who your favourite band/ singer is ● What his/her personality is ● What kind of style his/her music belongs to ● And explain why he/she is your favourite singer (Áp dụng ý tưởng và câu trả lời của đề Describe a foreign celebrity you want to meet in person) PART 3: SINGER / BAND Question 1: What kind of music do people like at different ages? Different ages have various taste in music. In terms of teenagers, they are interested in rock music which blasts out from its strong melody. They often listen to ballad songs that tell about a love story in soft rhythms. Regarding old people. they usually have a thirst for bolero or songs in wartime which arouse people’s love for the country and anti-war feelings. - Taste in music (n): sở thích âm nhạc - Blast out (v): nổ tung - Melody (noun): giai điệu - Soft rhythm (noun): giai điệu nhẹ nhàng - Arouse (verb): đánh thức Question 2: What kind of music is popular in your country now and what will be in the future? In the era of globalization, people in my country are affected by foreign countries in some way including music. Vietnamese youngsters nowadays have a great passion for western music like hip hop, pop or jazz. Also, K-pop has achieved enormous popularity in my country. Thanks to exposure to these foreign genres, young generations can broaden their horizons about cultural diversity, but they tend to ignore traditional music. In the future, I think artists will make a great effort to capture the audience’s attention towards traditional music, so maybe there will be a combination of contemporary and traditional music. - Have a great passion for (v): có niềm đam mê mãnh liệt với - Achieve enormous popularity (v): trở nên phổ biến - Exposure to (n): tiếp cận với - Cultural diversity (noun): sự đa dạng văn hoá - Capture audience’s attention: thu hút sự chú ý của thính giả - Combination (noun): sự kết hợp 75 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Question 3: Do people learn to sing nowadays? I think it depends on each person’s interest. If someone is gifted with music, they will definitely learn how to sing since they are young in order to pursue a career in this field. But if those who are not interested in singing, I think they will not be keen to sing. However, in general, singing is an effective way for people to get away from it all, so many people regard this activity as a type of entertainment even though their voice is not beautiful. - Be gifted with (adj): có năng khiếu - Pursue a career (noun): theo đuổi sự nghiệp Question 4: Do you think the most popular singer is the best one? No, I don’t think the most famous singer is the best one because in order for a singer to gain enormous popularity they need many other factors not just their voice. I see there are many unpopular singers who sing even more beautifully than those who are really famous. The fact is that some excellent singers cannot be widely known because they are not good-looking. - Gain popularity (verb phrase): phổ biến - Good-looking (adj): xinh đẹp

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9. Describe a person on the news that you’d like to meet You should say: ● Who this person is ● Where you usually read about him/her ● What he/she is like ● And explain why you want to meet him/her (Áp dụng ý tưởng và từ vựng của đề Describe a foreign celebrity you want to meet in person nhưng cần nhấn mạnh là người này hay xuất hiện trên tin tức như thế nào?) Today, I would like to talk about an internationally acclaimed American singer that I have a burning desire to meet once in my life. Her name is Taylor Swift. She acquires a reputation for a lot of pop songs which made a splash in the music world in the 21st century, and she also appears on the headline all year long. I listened to her song namely Blank Space, which Taylor Swift wrote about her personal life and inspired individuals how crucial each person knows truly who he or she is. It was when I was up to my ears in preparing for the university entrance exam, so I needed time to chill out. The minute I heard her voice, I was completely hooked. From then on, I have paid more attention to life and career of this singer, and you know, her name is mentioned on news very often. Some articles share about her up-coming singles and her intentions to contribute to the world’s musical industry. Some records her participation in musical events, and also others share photos of her beautiful moments. I love her also because she hardly has any scandals or bad news like other celebrities, but she always spread positive attitudes because of her determination to achieve success. Frankly speaking, hopefully, I can grab a chance to meet her, a real person who will tell us about her stories and achievements during her career. I am actually an admirer of her effort for chasing her dreams. - On the headline (prep): trên tiêu đề chính các bài báo - All year long (phrase): suốt cả năm - From then on (prep): từ đó trở đi - Up-coming singles (noun): các bài hát sắp tới - Scandals (noun): vụ bê bối - Spread positive attitudes (verb): lan truyền thái độ tích cực

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Part 3: PEOPLE IN NEWS 1. What kind of people do you usually see in the news? Well, there are two main kinds of people who are usually shown in the news. The first one is TV celebrities such as politicians, actors or singers. News often mention famous people as a way to promote their image. For example, a singer may be shown in the news after he releases a new song so that more people will know and listen to that song. The second type is criminals who just carried out an illegal act. 2. Are stories about celebrities in the news always true? I think they are not always true. A lot of stories about personalities are exaggerations about their personal lives so that this news can increase its target rating point. 3. ls news often about famous people? Why? Yes, I think most news is about TV celebrities. As people, especially youngsters tend to look up to famous people, such kind of news can attract a bigger number of audiences. Also, news about TV personalities is an effective way to promote their image, so more audiences will know about them and follow them afterwards. 4. Could superstars bring positive influence to the public? Yes, of course. Many superstars possess good characters that can bring positive impact to the public. For example, many famous sportspeople such as Cristiano Ronaldo show great determination, perseverance when they involve intense training on a daily basis. As a result, someone who looks up to them will regard them as good role models and try to possess such good characters. • TV celebrity = TV personality (n): người nổi tiếng • politician (n): chính trị gia • promote one’s image (collocation): • criminal (n): tội phạm • exaggeration (n): sự phóng đại, không đúng sự thật • look up to somebody (phr. verb): ngưỡng mộ ai • sportspeople (n): vận động viên thể thao • determination (n): sự quyết tâm • perseverance (n): sự kiên trì • intense training (n): luyện tập với cường độ cao • a good role model (n): hình mẫu lý tưởng 78 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

10. Describe a person who made you laugh happily when you were a child You should say: ● Who this person is ● What this person did to make you laugh ● Why this person made you laugh ● And how you felt about it Though I don’t think I can recall much from my childhood memory, my father was the most hilarious person who always cracked jokes and made fun of himself, just for the sake of others’ laugh. Sometimes he came home with some sheets of fabric and offered to make an artificial bunch of flowers for my mom. My mom then discovered that the fabric was from the luxury collection in her closet. It goes without saying that my dad and I both received criticisms from mom. In other cases, he pretended to be a horse for me to ride around the house, and the horse never stayed still but usually mounted, cantered or galloped. Controlling the horse had always been my favorite childhood challenge since it was not easy, but I did win occasionally, when my father was tired, or when he let me win. My father wasn’t born with an innate sense of humor, because my grandfather was very strict with him. So I think he either did it out of love since I was the only daughter and caught all of his attention at that time. Or he wanted to experience some childhood fun games himself because he didn’t have the chance in the past. In one way or another, my childhood was fun because of the games my father created. I feel lucky to have him. - Crack joke (verb phrase): kể chuyện hài - Make fun of (verb phrase): làm trò đùa - For the sake of (adv): vì mục đích/vì mong muốn - Fabric (noun): vải - Bunch of flowers (noun): bó hoa - It goes without saying (clause): không cần phải nói - Criticism (noun): lời chỉ trích - Pretend (verb): giả vờ - Canter (verb): phi nước kiệu nhỏ - Gallop (verb): phi nước đại - Sense of humor (noun): khiếu hài hước - Do sth out of love (verb): làm điều gì đó vì tình yêu 79 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: LAUGH Question 1: What can make children laugh? It is easy to make kids laugh. First of all, if parents can allow their children to play games that they are interested in, they will definitely feel over the moon. Beside that, watching comedy films also a great way to make children laugh. ● over the moon (idiom): rất vui ● comedy film (noun): phim hài kịch Question 2: What do you think is the best age for people to have a child? Though I know that each person has their own right time to embark on parenthood, I still believe people should have a child only after they have grown in maturity so that they can take great care of their children. In addition to that, they should not face financial difficulties when they start a family as there will be lots of expenses like tuition fees they need to pay for. ● to start a family = to embark on parenthood (verb phrase): có con ● to grow in maturity (verb phrase): trưởng thành ● to take great care of somebody (phrasal verb): chăm sóc ai tốt ● to face financial difficulties (verb phrase): gặp khó khăn về tài chính ● expense (noun): khoản chi tiêu ● tuition fees (noun): học phí Question 3: Do you think people should be trained before becoming parents? No, though I know that raising children is by no means an easy task and being trained in a parenthood preparation course is an ideal way to help parents to take better care of their children, I think that it is not necessary for them to attend these parenting lessons. Each kid has their own personality, so parents should learn by trial and error and by getting to know their own children so that they can come up with the most appropriate method to teach their kids. ● by no means (idiom): không ● a parenthood preparation course (noun phrase): khóa học trước khi làm bố mẹ ● to take better care of somebody (phrasal verb): chăm sóc ai tốt hơn ● to attend parenting lessons (verb phrase): tham dự các lớp học làm bố mẹ ● to learn by trial and error (idiom): học qua kinh nghiệm và lỗi ● to come up with something (phrasal verb): nghĩ ra cái gì

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Question 4: Do you think childhood is the most important stage in one’s development? Yes, I think childhood is the most crucial stage for one child’s development as it’s when they explore their surroundings and broaden their horizons about the world. Also, this period is when they develop their own personalities and behaviour, so it is important for adults to teach kids in an appropriate way in this stage so that they can become a responsible citizen in the future. ● to explore one’s surroundings: khám phá môi trường xung quanh của ai ● to broaden one’s horizons about something: mở rộng tầm hiểu biết về cái gì ● to develop one’s personality: phát triển tính cách ● a responsible citizen: công dân có trách nhiệm

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11. Describe someone in your family who you like. You should say: ● How this person is related to you ● What this person looks like ● What kind of person he/she is ● And explain why you like this person (Áp dụng câu trả lợi mẫu về Describe a person who made you laugh when you were a child nhưng với câu hỏi này, bạn cần nhấn mạnh rằng người đó là thành viên trong gia đình bạn, và bạn thích người đó vì sao?) I have the most close-knit with my father in my family. To me, my father is a hero and also a close friend. My father is in his fifties, but he looks like a 60-year-old man because of his dark face skin and grey hair, but the main reason is when he was young, he had to work strenuously from daunt to dusk to make a living. Fortunately, he is quite physically strong. People usually think that as a girl like me, I will be closer with my mother, but no. Though I don’t think I can recall much from my childhood memory, my father was the most hilarious person who always cracked jokes and made fun of himself, just for the sake of others’ laugh. Sometimes he came home with some sheets of fabric and offered to make an artificial bunch of flowers for my mom. My mom then discovered that the fabric was from the luxury collection in her closet. It goes without saying that my dad and I both received criticisms from mom. In other cases, he pretended to be a horse for me to ride around the house, and the horse never stayed still but usually mounted, cantered or galloped. Controlling the horse had always been my favorite childhood challenge since it was not easy, but I did win occasionally, when my father was tired, or when he let me win. I mean that my dad has a great sense of humor, so every moment that I am beside him is so happy. I love my dad and want to be beside him also because he gives me a sense of safety. If I encounter any difficulties at work or even in my friendship, he will come to me with useful advices that you can never find in any books. They are accumulated via his life experience. Sometimes I see he seems to be too talkative and worrisome, but then things happen accurately like he said. He is definitely not a foreteller. I don't think I can describe my father by some few words. I love him more than I can say, and I feel lucky to have him. 82 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Grey hair (noun): tóc trắng Strenuously (adv): cực nhọc From dawn to dusk (idiom): từ sáng đến đêm Make a living (idiom): kiếm sống A sense of safety (noun phrase): cảm giác an toàn Accumulate (verb): tích luỹ Worrisome (adj): hay lo lắng Foreteller (noun): người nói trước mọi thứ, nhà tiên tri

12.Describe a family member who you spend the most time with You should say： ● Who this person is？ ● What kind of person he /she is？ ● What you usually do together？ ● And explain why you spend most time with him/her？ (Áp dụng y hệt bài mẫu về Describe a family member you like ở phía trên) PART 3: FAMILY MEMBERS 1. In your country, who is the family leader? As far as I know, men are considered as breadwinners who mainly raise their families. This conception is true both in the past and now. Even now women tend to have long – term jobs which support their families, men still take a role as leaders of families who can make the most decisive ideas. • Breadwinner: Trụ cột • Long - term job: Công việc lâu dài • Take a role as: Có vai trò như là 2. How do grandparents educate their grandchildren? Grandparents play an important role in educating their grandchildren in various ways. Firstly, they set good examples for their offspring to follow. They also bring up lots of examples of right and wrong and make certain that their grandchildren understand the differences to behave and react correctly. Secondly, they have a reservoir of knowledge, so they also teach their grandchildren about everything in life, especially about history. However, in some occasions, grandparents sometimes too pamper their kids so they can make them become spoiled. • Play an important role in: Đóng vai trò quan trọng • Set a good example: là tấm gương tốt • Have a reservoir of knowledge: có vốn kiến thức lớn 83 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

3. In what ways have families in your country changed in recent years? Families have changed a lot in several recent years in both size and family role. Families transferred from extended families with many generations living together to nuclear families with only parents and their children. The main reason for this fact is to avoid unnecessary family conflicts and arguments because of generation gap. Furthermore, family role also changed a lot while both husbands and wives go for work to provide for their families. Thus, they also shared the same responsibility for bringing their children up as well as doing household chores. • Transfer from st to st: chuyển đổi từ cái gì sang cái gì • Extended family: Gia đình nhiều thế hệ • Nuclear family: Gia đình 2 thế hệ gồm bố mẹ, con cái • Family conflict and argument: Xung đột và tranh cãi trong gia đình 4. Which are more important: family or friends? Honestly, family is much more important thing than anything else including friends. Family is the place where a man begins his life, so family has been with you longer than any of your friends. They share the same blood with you, pamper and love you more than your friends ever will. They also sacrifice everything they have for bringing you up and give you unconditional love, never expect for your return except for your presence in daily life, which is their motivation to overcome ups and downs in life. They always will be in your situation that your friends can’t be to rescue you from troubles. All in all, at least as for me family is much more important than friends. Phần lớn các từ vựng mình sử dụng trong các câu trả lời này đều xuất phát từ phần từ vựng cho topic Family trong IELTS Speaking mà mình đã gửi đến các bạn trước đó. Các bạn có thể quay trở lại bài cũ để tham khảo về giải thích nghĩa bằng tiếng Anh và ví dụ riêng cho các từ vựng này nhé. • Share the same blood: Cùng chung dòng máu • Sacrifice for: Hy sinh cho ai/cái gì • Bring up: Nuôi dưỡng • Ups and downs: thăng trầm • Rescue from: Cứu vớt khỏi

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5. What do you think about single parent families? In my opinion, single parent families are also called broken families which influence their children a lot. Children from these families tend to drift apart from their friends at school because they feel a complex about their situation. For that reason, they may perform poorly in school. Furthermore, single parent families are not stable home for kids, which lack love, parental care and happiness. Parent also needs to work to provide for their children, which becomes a hard burden for him or her. • Single parent family: Gia đình chỉ có bố/mẹ • Broken family: Gia đình tan vỡ • Drift apart from: Trở nên xa cách với • A complex about: Mặc cảm về • Stable home: Gia đình yên ổn 6. Should husbands and wives have different roles within the family? Why / why not? I think husband and wife have different things to do in a family, however they also need to support each other. Human need to settle down with a companion and husband and wife enjoy other’s company most in life. So, to run the family and avoid conflicts, both of them should share the responsibilities. Men are the main breadwinners who provide for their family, while women take responsibilities for household chores. However, the role changes a lot while both men and women share the same earning for living task and household matters such as raising children or doing housework. • Settle down: Kết hôn • Enjoy other’s company: Hợp • Run the family: Hoạt động gia đình một cách trơn tru • Provide for family: kiếm tiền nuôi gia đình

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13. Describe a person you know who is good at foreign language You should say: ● who this person is ● what language this person can use ● how often this person uses this language ● and explain why this person can master this language. While I’m actually privileged to know quite a lot of bilingual people, the most gifted linguist I’ve ever met is my wife, Mai. I’ve actually known people that speak more proficiently in their second language and people who could speak three or four languages relatively fluently, but I’ve never met a faster learner. Mai speaks two languages fluently, English and Vietnamese, but knows enough to communicate in Japanese and Korean too. She’s always so fascinated when we see a foreign language movie and will always try to pick up a new word or two, even if it’s a dead language like Latin or ancient Chinese! Of course, she uses some languages more than others, with English being the language she converses in most frequently, but she speaks Vietnamese to her family back home whenever she has the time to spare. When we started speaking in English together she was always looking for a word or stumbling through some awkward grammar, but now she reads whole novels in English without even using a dictionary! Sometimes I think she must have an eidetic memory because once she learns a new word, she never forgets it. That’s maybe the main reason why she can be excellent at those languages so fast. But I can’t deny that she is very studious, which is demonstrated by the fact that she hit the books in the language she is targeting at all the time. That’s why she can learn how native people choose words or use grammar naturally. − privileged (adj): đặc quyền − bilingual people (noun): Người nói song ngữ − gifted (adj): năng khiếu − linguist (noun): nhà ngôn ngữ học − proficiently (adv): thành thạo − ancient (adj): cổ đại − dead language (noun): ngôn ngữ chết ( không được sử dụng nữa) − stumble (verb): nói vấp váp − eidetic memory (noun): Nhớ chính xác những hình ảnh thị giác − hit the book (idiom): cắm đầu vào học 86 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE Question 1: Is learning a foreign language important? Being proficient in a foreign language plays a crucial role in different aspects of life. Firstly, if people have a good command of a foreign language, they can extend their social network worldwide. By this, I mean, individuals can establish deep connections and cross-cultural friendships with foreign coworkers or local people while travelling abroad. Secondly, being bilingual or multilingual helps people to have good job prospects, especially if this language is widely used in a business context. - Proficient in (adj): thành thạo - Play a crucial role in ST (v): đóng vai trò quan trọng - Have a good command of … (v): có khả năng tốt - Extend social network (v): mở rộng mối quan hệ xã hội - Cross-cultural (adj): đa văn hoá - Bilingual / multilingual (adj): song ngữ/ đa ngữ - Have a good job prospect (v): có tương lai nghề nghiệp tốt Question 2: What benefits can a foreign language bring to one’s career? Well, I think that learning a foreign language helps people to brighten their career paths because being fluent in more than one language can open up a world of job opportunities. For example, if Vietnamese people have a great command of English, they can work as an interpreter or an English teacher. In addition, people who are excellent at a foreign language have a chance to work for multinational corporations which are an ideal working environment for people to acquire valuable experience and skills. − Brighten career path (v): tươi sáng con đường sự nghiệp − To open up a world of job opportunities (v): mở rộng cơ hội việc làm − multinational corporations (n): tổ chức đa quốc gia − acquire valuable experience and skills (v): có thêm nhiều kinh nghiệm/ kỹ năng giá trị Question 3: Do you think English will be the mainstream language of the world in the future? Although Chinese is now the most widely spoken language in the world because of its dense population all over the world, I expect that English will be the mainstream language of the world in the coming years. As the world has become more interconnected than ever, and the demand for cross-border communication is rapidly increasing, English will be the most effective tool to make foreign friends and to strengthen bonds among countries. Actually, it is significantly more difficult for most foreigners to learn Chinese than English, so English would be more widely used throughout the world. 87 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Dense population (n): dân cư đông đúc Interconnected (a): có liên quan mật thiết Cross-border communication (n): giao tiếp nước ngoài Make foreign friends (v): kết bạn nước ngoài Strengthen bonds (v): thắt chặt mối quan hệ

Question 4: When learning a foreign language, which part is easier? Speaking or Writing? Well, I think it depends much on each learner. For those who are interested in watching oversea films, learning the spoken language might be a piece of cake because they can watch films and practice speaking simultaneously. Yet, for someone who are passionate about reading, the written language might be easier for them since they can use many formal words learnt from articles or journals in their essays. - Spoken language (noun): ngôn ngữ nói - A piece of cake (idiom): rất dễ - Simultaneously (adv): đồng thời - Passionate about (adj): đặc biệt thích cái gì - Written language (n): ngôn ngữ viết

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14. Describe a friend or a person who encouraged you to achieve a goal You should say: ● Who this person is ● How you met this person ● What your goal was ● How he/she encouraged you to achieve your goal Well, I think, perhaps, that the person who I have the most to thank for their advice and support was my supervisor in my honours year at university, David. The first time we met was at a lecture for one of my second year subjects as the normal lecturer was busy and they had to find a replacement. What followed was one of the most amazing educational experiences of my life. He captivated a room of two hundred people with little more than a blackboard and his own forceful personality. At that moment I knew I would ask him to be my supervisor for my post-graduate year. When I reached out to him, he agreed immediately. During my final year, I got to know David very well. He was an inspiration in himself, born blind, yet somehow managing to attain 3 university degrees, with two of them at the master’s level. He could speak two languages and remains the smartest person I’ve ever met. Honours year was difficult and required more effort than I’ve ever put into anything before. David was there every step of the way, finding articles of interest for me and constantly reminding me to stay focused. He had such a huge effect on me in general, not only getting me over the line in my most important academic year but also changing the way I am as a person. I could not be more thankful to him and we keep in touch, swapping ideas and thoughts, to this very day. − honours years(noun): năm học cao học − replacement (noun): sự thay thế − captivate a room (verb phrase): thu hút cả lớp − with little more than (phrase): chỉ với − forceful (adj): mạnh mẽ − at that moment (prep): tại thời điểm đó − reach out to (verb phrase): vươn tới − inspiration in himself (noun phrase): cảm hứng trong chính mình − every step of the way (noun phrase): mỗi bước trên con đường − keep in touch (verb phrase): giữ liên lạc − swap ideas and thoughts (verb phrase): trao đổi ý tưởng và suy nghĩ 89 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: ACHIEVING GOALS Question 1: Why is it important for teenagers to set goals? I think there are many great benefits of goal-setting for teenagers. First of all, setting targets allows young adults to achieve their highest potential. Without any goals in life, they tend to stick to something that they feel safe and comfy, which prevents them from growing. In addition to that, goal-setting gives youngsters an incentive that helps them fuel their energy and strength. - Goal-setting (noun): việc đặt mục tiêu - Achieve SO’s highest potential (verb phrase): đạt khả năng tốt nhất - Stick to (verb): gắn chặt với - Comfy (noun): sự thoải mái - Give youngsters the incentive (v.phrase): Khích lệ người trẻ - Fuel energy and strength (v.phrase): đốt cháy năng lượng Question 2: What will encourage children to learn more? I think that the more children understand about themselves, the more motivation they will have for learning new things. If children define their own interests and discover what they want most in their life, they will be more active in learning and more persistent to achieve their targets. - Motivation (noun): động lực - Persistent (adj): kiên định - Achieve their targets (v.phrase): đạt được mục tiêu Question 3: Do parents and teachers punish children physically nowadays? In many Eastern countries like Vietnam or China, even though physical punishment has become less acceptable as compared with in the past, this kind of punishment is still common in homes and some schools. Recently, there have been some cases in Vietnam that teachers spanked children at some kindergartens, which made their parents worried about. - Physical punishment (noun): chừng phạt kiểu đánh đập - Acceptable (adj): có thể chấp nhận được - Spank (verb): đánh đòn - Kindergarten (noun): trường mẫu giáo

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Question 4: Who do you think has a greater influence on the goal-setting of children? Teachers or parents? I think both teachers and parents have some positive impacts on the goal-setting of children, but teachers may be greater. As goal-setting is mostly related to study performance like achieving a high mark in exams, children tend to listen to their teachers more than parents. Besides, teachers keep their students company during the learning process more than parents, so they might have a more significant influence. - Have positive impacts on ST (phrase): có ảnh hưởng tích cực đến … - Keep students company (v.phrase): bám sát với

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DESCRIBE A THING/ AN OBJECT 15. Describe a piece of clothing you enjoy wearing You should say: ● Where you bought it ● How often you wear it ● What it is like ● And explain why you enjoy wearing it I would like to tell you about a piece of clothing that I prefer to wear in a period of time in the past. This beautiful dress is one valuable present I received. This is a dress in yellow and white colours. It is made of light fabrics which totally suit an energetic girl like me. When I was a little girl, my family was poor and my parents couldn’t afford to buy new clothes for me, so the dress was a hand – me- down as a birthday gift from my sister. I can say that it absolutely goes out of fashion and is quite old now with several tears in the front. It was a dress that I only wore on some special occasions when I needed to get dressed up such as Tet holiday or the beginning day at school and I usually mixed it with sandals. However, if I wear it now, I cannot be a fashion icon at all that’s for sure. You know, I have been really into this dress because it was my first dress I’ve ever received on my birthday, and it was more special because it came from my sister who I always had sibling rivalry, which surprised me most. Honestly, even it is an old dress now but at that time, it was really still a fashionable item and I have to say that my sister had an eye for fashion for her choice. I still like it but I need to put it in my wardrobe as a memory because it is too tie and worn out now. All in all, I believe that this dress has effects on my fashion gout about mixing and matching outfits. − Light fabrics (noun): Vải thoáng/nhẹ − Hand - me - down (idiom): Quần áo cũ của anh chị để lại cho em − Go out of fashion= Old fashion: Lỗi mốt − Fashion icon (idiom): Biểu tượng thời trang − Get dressed up (idiom): Ăn mặc chỉn chu − Fashionable item (noun phrase): Món đồ thời trang − Have an eye for fashion (idiom): Có con mắt thời trang − Fashion gout (idiom): Gu thời trang − Mix and match (collocation): Phối đồ 92 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: CLOTHING AND FASHION Question 1: What’s the difference between the dressing style of young people and that of old people? Well, I see there are some clear differences between what the young and the elderly have a thirst for wearing. For youngsters, most of them always try to keep abreast of the latest fashion in order to look more fashionable. However, for those who are old, they just want to put on clothes that are as polite and comfortable as possible. Another distinction between their styles is flexibility. Old people are usually fixed with one particular type of clothes, while young people can change continuously from dress, skirts to shorts. - Have a thirst for ST (v): cực thèm khát cái gì - Keep abreast of ST (v): theo kịp cái gì - Fashionable (adj): rất thời trang - Put on (verb) = wear: mặc - Flexibility (noun): sự linh hoạt Question 2: Do the people living in South Vietnam wear different clothes from the people living in the north? No, in general people in the south of Vietnam wear the same kinds of clothes as ones from the north. They are all interested in some kinds of common clothes like T-shirts, shirts, jeans, and so on. However, because of the difference in the weather, it is often scorching in the south, so individuals there usually put on comfortable clothes made of light fabrics. Meanwhile, the weather in the north is changeable, sometimes hot and sometimes freezing cold, so residents can wear a wider range of clothes like T-shirts or coats. - Scorching (adj): rất nóng - Light fabrics (n): vải nhẹ mỏng - Changeable (adj): thay đổi liên tục - Freezing cold (adj): rất lạnh Question 3: Do you think students like to wear uniforms? I think it depends on each pupil. There is someone who is minimalists, I suppose uniforms definitely are their preferred choice as they don’t have to think much about what to wear on a daily basis. However, for those who take pride in their appearance, they might not be keen on this type of clothing because it doesn’t make them fashionable. - Minimalist (noun): người theo chủ nghĩa tối giản - Preffered choice (noun): sự ưu tiên - Take pride in appearance (v): chú ý đến ngoại hình 93 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Question 4: When do people wear formal clothes? People usually dress up on some special occasions. First of all, I think most people put on formal clothes when they go to their offices or go to a job interview because they want to look elegant before others. Besides, people are usually dressed up to the nines when they attend a party like a wedding or a birthday party. - Dress up (v): mặc đẹp - Put on (verb): mặc - Elegant (adj): duyên dáng - Dressed up to the nines (idiom): mặc đẹp cho những dịp đặc biệt

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16.Describe a uniform (in school or company) you wear You should say: ● When you usually wear it ● Who bought it for you ● What it is like ● And how you feel about it (Áp dụng 1 phần ý tưởng của đề Describe a piece of clothing you enjoy wearing, nhưng câu chuyện sẽ cẩn khác hẳn: bạn cần khẳng định đó là đồng phục trường/ công ty chứ không phải bạn mua nó, dẫn đến giá tri/ ý nghĩa của quần/áo này cũng sẽ có nhiều thay đổi) I would like to describe the uniform of my first company. Actually I have had uniforms of so many schools from primary to university, and some companies, but too me, it is such a special one – a dress. This is a dress in yellow and white colours. It is made of light fabrics which totally suit an energetic girl like me. It goes with a yellow tie knotted like a rose. At that time, I was a hotel receptionist and I was required to put on a high-heel all times to work, and all the outfit makes me have a youthful appearance and a better faked height. I wore this dress every weekday for more than three months, every time I came to work and sometimes when I hanged out with my friends right after work. You know, I have been really into this dress because it was my first uniform of the first job, so it kinda marks a milestone in my life – turning to an independent life. Also, this is the most beautiful uniform I had ever had. Even though I didn't have an eye for fashion, I always took pride in my appearance every time I put it on. However, wearing a dress and commuting by motorbike, it is actually a bit inconvenient. This uniform is still kept in my wardrobe. Definitely I never wear it any more, but I don't dare to throw this memorable thing away. - A yellow tie knotted like a rose (phrase): nơ thắt hình hoa hồng - A high-heel (noun): giầy cao gót - A better faked height (noun): chiều cao giả - Every weekday (noun): mỗi ngày trong tuần - Have an eye for fashion (verb): không có gu thẩm mỹ - Take pride in my appearance (verb): tự hào về ngoại hình - Put on = wear (verb): mặc - Wardrobe (noun): tủ quần áo - Not dare to do ST (verb): không dám làm gì 95 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Part 3: UNIFORM 1. Why should students wear school uniforms? I think there are tons of reasons why students are required to put on uniforms. Firstly, school uniforms are an effective way to promote equality. You know, public schools have students from all walks of life, so this outfit helps to erase the gap between the wealthy and the poor. Secondly, instead of worrying about what to wear to school every day, wearing uniforms helps students avoid wasting time on their appearance. So, they have more time to study, and then their academic results may be improved. 2. On what occasions should people wear uniforms? People should put on uniforms on some particular occasions. Firstly, uniforms are appropriate attire for students to wear at school since this outfit helps them not to worry about what to wear every day. Secondly, people who work as some certain professions such as doctors, policemen also need to wear uniforms so that ordinary people can recognise them and their functions and ask for help in case of emergency. 3. Should companies ask for employees’ opinions about the design of uniforms? Yes, of course. As employees are the ones who have to put on these uniforms, it is better to wear what they are interested in rather than what they are not. Besides, when companies ask for their staff’s opinions, staff will feel that they are respected. As a result, they may contribute more to the development of companies. 4. Can people tell a person’s personality by his/ her clothes? Yes, I think the clothes of a person can somewhat tell his or her personality. For example, a person who usually put on designer clothes is definitely the one who takes pride in their appearance and has a passion for fashion. In the meanwhile, if a girl usually wears sporty outfits, she may be very active, enthusiastic and keen on travelling. • tons of something (quanti.): nhiều cái gì • put on something (phr. verb): mặc cái gì • promote equality (collo.): thúc đẩy sự bình đẳng • all walks of life (idiom): tất cả các tầng lớp của cuộc sống • outfit / attire (n): bộ trang phục • erase the gap (collo.): xóa bỏ khoảng cách • academic result (n): kết quả học tập • profession (n): nghề nghiệp • emergency (n): trường hợp khẩn cấp • designer clothes (n): quần áo hàng hiệu • take pride in their appearance (collo.): quan tâm đến bề ngoài • has a passion for something (collo.): có đam mê với cái gì • sporty outfit (n): trang phục thể thao 96 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

17. Describe a useful home appliance that you use often You should say: ● What it is ● What it is like ● How often you use it ● And explain why you think it is useful Well, speaking of money and buying things, I’m not a big spender, but when it comes to really vital purchases, I would go for things that are of high quality, which can last long and help me well. A home cleaning robot I’ve bought recently is a possession worth saving up for. I was hesitated to purchase it online at first, since I was not familiar with online shopping, and was afraid of fraud and fake products. But there were no shops in my city selling it, and its functions were so enthralling that I couldn’t resist but to click right on the “Buy” button on the website. 3 days later, the cleaning robot became one of my family members. In fact, I could say that it is the most hard-working member in my family, and also the cleanest. It never refuses to work when I activate and tell it to clean the house, and so diligent since it can focus on cleaning up to 4 hours without complaint, no matter how dirty my room could be. It can remove pet hair, automatically navigate around obstacles like chairs or tables’ legs. If I want it to clean the house when I go out, all I have to do is to set up a mapping plan, a time limit and turn it on. I’m pretty sure that the floor will be bright and shiny when I come back. I think this home cleaner is one of the best investments in my life. - big spender (n) một người chi nhiều tiền vào các thứ không cần thiết - worth (v): đáng giá - save up (v): tiết kiệm tiền - enthralling (adj): say mê, thu hút - resist to something (v) kiềm chế lại được - fake product (n): hàng giả - diligent (adj): chăm chỉ, mẫn cán - automatically (adv): tự động - navigate (v): điều hướng - mapping plan (n): cài đặt bản đồ - investment (n): sự đầu tư - bright and shiny (adj): sạch bong sáng bóng 97 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: HOME APPLIANCES Question 1: How has technology changed the way people do housework? Well, technology has changed a lot of how we do household chores. In the past, our ancestors did manually housework like washing clothes or dishes, which must have been very time-consuming. However, in contemporary life, thanks to cutting-edge technology, we can have these household chores done by labour-saving devices. So, we can save a great deal of time and energy, actually, we take it for granted. - Manually (adv) = do ST by hand: làm bằng tay - Time consuming (adj): tốn nhiều thời gian - Contemporary (adj): đương thời - Cutting-edge (adj): hiện địa - Labour-saving devices (noun): thiết bị giải phóng sức lao động - Take it for granted (v): coi cái gì là hiển nhiên Question 2: Some people say people will not need to do chores in the future. What do you think? I think it’s great if people will not have to do household chores in the future. I see these activities waste a lot of time and energy of people, so if they can all be done by labour-saving devices in the future, people will have more spare time to do what they are interested in like hanging out with their friends or hitting the gym. - Spare time (noun) = free time: thời gian rảnh - Hang out with SO (verb): ra ngoài cùng ai - Hit the gym (verb): đi tập gym Question 3: What are the benefits of doing housework? Doing household chores can be beneficial to some extent. As it requires a lot of energy, people can get into shape when they do housework on a daily basis. Moreover, people who cannot afford to buy state-of-the-art devices can save a lot of money. - Get into shape (verb): giữ dáng - State-of-the-art (adj): hiện đại

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18. Describe a time that you spent a lot of money on something You should say: ● When you spent money ● What you bought ● Where you bought it ● And explain why you spent a lot of money on it (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ đề Describe a useful home appliance that you use often và nhấn mạnh về việc nó tốn rất nhiều tiền) Well, speaking of money and buying things, I’m not a big spender, but when it comes to really vital purchases, I would go for things that are of high quality, which can last long and help me well. A home cleaning robot I’ve bought recently is a possession worth saving up for. I bought this robot on the Internet and only 3 days later, it became one of my family members. In fact, I could say that it is the most hard-working member of my family, and also the cleanest. It never refuses to work when I activate and tell it to clean the house, and so diligent since it can focus on cleaning up to 4 hours without complaint, no matter how dirty my room could be. It can remove pet hair, automatically navigate around obstacles like chairs or tables’ legs. If I want it to clean the house when I go out, all I have to do is to set up a mapping plan, a time limit and turn it on. I’m pretty sure that the floor will be bright and shiny when I come back. I think this home cleaner is one of the best investments in my life. It costs more than 10 million dongs, equivalent to my savings in 2 months, and after buying it, I have to tighten my belt a lot. But you know, it is really a labour - saving device, I have more time for work and for my family, so I still think it is a perfect purchase I did. - equivalent to (adj): tương đương với - tighten my belt (idiom): thắt lưng buộc bụng - labour-saving device (noun): thiết bị tiết kiệm sức lao động

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PART 3: SAVE/USE MONEY Question 1: Why do people save money? I think people save money for various purposes and it depends on each person. For some kids, I suppose most of them save money to buy candies or some snacks because they have a sweet tooth. Regarding some young adults, they usually keep money for a rainy day, or to buy a house and a car. Old people can squirrel money away in case of emergencies like when they have to go to the hospital. - Have a sweet tooth (idiom): thích ăn đồ ngọt - Keep money for a rainy day (idiom): tiết kiệm tiền phòng khi gặp khó khăn - Squirrel money away (v.phrase): sóc tiền đi - Emergencies (noun): tình huống khẩn cấp Question 2: Do you think rich people are happier than those who are not rich? No, even though money plays an essential role in our daily life, I don’t think affluent individuals are happier than poor ones. I see many wealthy people cannot find their happiness as they are too occupied with their jobs and they cannot find any spare time to let their hair down. On the other hand, some who are not rich can be happy simply because they can spend quality time with their family members. So, I think that wealth does not decide whether a person is happy or not. - Affluent (adj): giàu có - Occupied with (adj): quá bận rộn - Let SO hair down (idiom): giải trí - Spend quality time with (v.phrase): dành thời gian với …. Question 3: Do you think children should learn money management? Yes, it is really necessary for children to learn how to manage money. When kids learn money management, they will understand the value of money, and therefore, they are less likely to splurge money on something unnecessary. Besides, children are continually bombarded with advertising on TV or social media, they tend to force their parents to buy stuff they saw on the advertisements if they don’t know about money management. So, teaching kids how to manage money might help prevent them from impulse spending. - Splurge on ST (v): tiêu sài hoang phí cho …. - Be bombarded with (v): bị tấn công với / bị bủa vây - Impulse spending (v): tiêu sài thiếu suy nghĩ

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Question 4: Why do many people apply for credit cards nowadays? More and more people use credit cards instead of cash in contemporary life because of some reasons. First of all, using credit cards helps people less be able to lose their money than cash. In addition to that, thanks to credit cards, we can transfer money to those who are far from us without meeting face-to-face. More importantly, using a credit card is a great way to control your spending, because this loan is limited based on a person’s creditworthiness. - Creditworthiness (noun): uy tín

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19.Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first You should say: ● What it was ● Where you bought it ● How you used it successfully ● And how you felt about it (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ bài Describe a useful home applicance that you often use, cái nhấn mạnh của đề này là bạn cần nói nó khó sử dụng ở chỗ nào, rồi bạn làm gì để biết cách sử dụng nó) Well recently, to release my own labour for some tedious household chores, I bought a home clean robot, which really costed me a fortune. I think this is the first sophisticated and advanced artificial intelligence product I had ever owned, but the very real problem I met right after that is how to make it operate. As I read, this robot can remove pet hair, automatically navigate around obstacles like chairs or tables’ legs. If I want it to clean the house when I go out, all I have to do is to set up a mapping plan, a time limit and turn it on, and then the floor will be bright and shiny when I come back. Unfortunately, I’m actually not a techie and also not smart enough to pre-program it. I tried reading the attached instructions but all are written in China. Omg it is a Chinese product, you know, and of course, I understood nothing. Then an idea sparkled in my mind – I searched on youtube and thankfully, because it is such a common choice, there are some videos of Vietnamese reviewers about it, of course in Vietnamese. I followed their step-by-step instructions of one and succeeded. In fact, I could say that it is the most hard-working member in my family, and also the cleanest. It never refuses to work when I activate and tell it to clean the house, and so diligent since it can focus on cleaning up to 4 hours without complaint, no matter how dirty my room could be. - Sophisticated (adj): tinh vi phức tạp - Techie (noun): người sành công nghệ - Pre-program (verb): lập trình trước - Sparkle in my mind (verb): loé lên - Step-by-step instruction (verb): hướng dẫn từng bước

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Part 3: SOMETHING DIFFICULT TO USE 1. What kinds of products do young people think are useful but old people may not? I suppose labour-saving devices such as washing machines, dishwasher or household cleaning robots are the products which come in handy for young people rather than old ones. I think the elderly do not feel this kind of product useful because the prices of these devices are usually exorbitant and they feel splurging on them is wasteful spending. • labour-saving device (n): thiết bị tiết kiệm sức lao động • come in handy (idiom): hữu ích • exorbitant (adj): đắt đỏ • splurge on something (v): vung tay quá chán 2. Do you think product instructions are useful for users to use products better? Yes, definitely, instruction manuals really come in handy for users. Because they provide step-by-step description about how to use a particular item, users will not misuse the functions of a product. Besides, these guides also help users avoid suffering from an injury. For example, thanks to product instructions, you know you must not use your mobile phone when its battery is being charged. As a result, you can use products more effectively. • instruction manual (n): cẩm nang hướng dẫn • step-by-step description (n): sự mô tả từng bước một • misuse (v): sử dụng sai chức năng • charge battery (collo.): sạc pin 3. What do you usually do if you don’t know how to use the things you have bought? If I don’t know how to use any products I just purchased, I will try many ways. First and foremost, I will read their instruction manuals and attempt to follow their step-by-step description. Sometimes, I search information on the Internet, particularly watching guidelines on Youtube. I also usually ask technicians a barrage of questions about how to use a product I wanna buy. • first and foremost (idiom): đầu tiên • technician (n): chuyên viên kỹ thuật • a barrage of questions (collo.): một loạt các câu hỏi

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4. Do you think it is necessary to produce many products nowadays? Yes, as each product fulfils its certain functions to support humans, it is vital to produce more products, especially labour-saving devices such as washing machine, dishwashers or household cleaning robots. Nowadays, most people lead a hectic life, so these cutting-edge devices help people save a great deal of time and energy. As a result, they will have more spare time to do what they enjoy, like hanging out with friends, reading books and so on. • fulfil a function (collo.): thực hiện chức năng • lead a hectic life (collo.): sống một cuộc sống bận rộn • cutting-edge (adj): hiện đại • hang out with somebody (phr. verb): đi chơi với ai

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20. Describe a product or application which is based on artificial intelligence You should say: ● What it is ● What it is used for ● How it is used ● And what you think of it (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ đề Describe a useful home appliance that you use often và nhấn mạnh về hoạt động của nó dựa trên trí tuệ nhân tạo) You know, artificial intelligence is gaining its popularity in modern life because of the convenience it brings to us. I really welcome the assistance of AI and tightened my belt to possess a household appliance that operates based on AI. This is a home cleaning robot. I bought this robot on the Internet and only 3 days later, it became one of my family members. In fact, I could say that it is the most hard-working member of my family, and also the cleanest. It never refuses to work when I activate and tell it to clean the house, and so diligent since it can focus on cleaning up to 4 hours without complaint, no matter how dirty my room could be. It can remove pet hair, automatically navigate around obstacles like chairs or tables’ legs. If I want it to clean the house when I go out, all I have to do is to set up a mapping plan, a time limit and turn it on. I’m pretty sure that the floor will be bright and shiny when I come back. More intelligently, this robot can autonomously recharge its battery and come back to its home when it has finished work. I mean that its operation is totally automatic, without any control or monitoring of humans. As for me, this is one of the most crucial technological devices It is really a labour - saving device. Since its appearance in my home, I never have to worried about a tedious household chore - cleaning the floor and have more time for work and for my family, so I still think it is a perfect purchase I did. - tighten my belt (idiom): thắt lưng buộc bụng - recharge my battery (collocation): sạc lại pin

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PART 3: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Question 1: How does artificial intelligence affect our lives? Artificial intelligence has had a huge impact on our lives in various aspects over the past many years. First of all, in the workplace, robots help to perform tasks faster and much more consistently than humans. Actually, robots can produce some types of products in factories like assembling cars. In addition to that, in our daily, cutting-edge devices based on artificial intelligence such as washing machines or washdishers help households to do household chores, so humans can find more spare time and save a great deal of energy. ● a huge impact on something (noun phrase): ảnh hưởng lớn vào cái gì ● consistently (adv): thống nhất ● assemble (verb): lắp ghép ● cutting-edge (adj): hiện đại ● do household chores (verb): làm việc nhà Question 2: Will artificial intelligence have emotions in the future? I think it’s feasible that artificial intelligence will have emotions in the future thanks to the rapid development of technology. As the need for humans for making friends with robots is increasing, I suppose that programming robots to have emotions is likely to happen in the near future. - Feasible (adj): khả thi - Rapid development (noun): sự phát triển nhanh chóng - Make friends with (verb): kết bạn - Program (verb): lập chương trình

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21. Describe a good experience of online shopping You should say: ● When it happened ● What you bought ● Why you bought ● And explain why you think it was a good experience (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ đề Describe a useful home appliance that you use often và nhấn mạnh bạn mua sản phẩm này online và rất hài lòng về nó) I rarely buy things on the Internet because, to be honest, I don’t really trust in the quality of online products. I would like to talk about my most recent online shopping experience and fortunately, I was really pleasant with it. I was hesitated to purchase home clean robot online at first, since I was not familiar with online shopping, and was afraid of fraud and fake products. But there were no shops in my city selling it, and its functions were so enthralling that I couldn’t resist but to click right on the “Buy” button on the website. 3 days later, the cleaning robot became one of my family members. In fact, I could say that it is the most hard-working member of my family, and also the cleanest. It never refuses to work when I activate and tell it to clean the house, and so diligent since it can focus on cleaning up to 4 hours without complaint, no matter how dirty my room could be. As for me, it was a good experience of online shopping. Firstly, it is because of the service I received from the seller, who consulted me carefully via a virtual chatting system and packaged the product beautifully. The delivery is also fast, only 3 days, and totally free of charge. Secondly, this robot meets perfectly my desire, from its appearance to its operation. From this experience, I hold a more positive outlook about online shopping and from then, I become a vampire shopper.

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PART 3: ONLINE SHOPPING Question 1: What are the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping? There are several clear benefits and detriments of shopping on the Internet. About advantages, we don’t have to travel to stores to buy stuff, so it kinda helps us to save a great deal of time. Besides, when we shop online, we can compare prices from different brands or sellers, so we have a chance to buy the same goods as going to stores at a cheaper price. More importantly, we can avoid buying goods impulsively because we have time to have second thoughts when shopping online. However, regarding disadvantages, goods provided on the Internet actually might not look like their images. Also, we are more difficult to try goods in advance when shopping online. - Impulsively (adv): hoang phí - Have second thoughts (v.phrase): suy nghĩ lại Question 2: Do you think it is safe to shop online? No, I don’t think it is safe to shop on the Internet. As many people buy goods from websites who are not reputable, they are more likely to purchase fake goods that have poor quality. If these types of products are food like milk, people’s health is adversely affected. Some online shoppers may be stolen personal information by hackers. - Reputable (adj): có uy tín - Poor quality (noun): chất lượng thấp - Adversely (adv): ngược lại - Hacker (noun): kẻ trộm thông tin mạng Question 3: Do you think government should impose more control on online shopping? No, I don’t think the government should control online shopping. As people who sell goods online don’t have to lease stores or pay tax, buyers have a chance to buy goods at more affordable prices. Therefore, if the government imposes more control on this shopping method like imposing tax on sellers, online shoppers cannot take advantage of its benefits. - Lease (verb): thuê - Affordable (adj): có đủ khả năng chi trả - Impose tax on SO (verb): đánh thuế - Take advantage of (verb): tận dụng cái gì đó

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22. Describe a toy you got in your childhood You should say: ● What it was ● When you got it ● How you got it ● And how you felt about it One special toy that I remember getting was a Lego car. It was a birthday present from my parents. I can't remember exactly how old I was, but I was probably about 10 or 11. The special thing about this car was that I had to build it myself out of hundreds of pieces of Lego. The pieces came in a box with a picture of the finished car on the front, and I had to follow step-by-step instructions to put all the pieces together in the correct way. This wasn't an easy task because the car even had an engine, movable seats and gears. It took me a day or two to make and required a lot of concentration. When the car was finished it looked great, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. I seem to remember that I didn't play with the car very much; the fun part had been the process of building it. Actually, at this moment, I have more choices to entertain myself, like playing computer games or surfing the Internet, but I still remember this Lego car and play it sometimes, because it reminds me of my childhood and hones my patience to assemble each small piece to have the car. (Tham khảo từ ielts-simon.com) - Step-by-step instruction (collocation): hướng dẫn từng bước - Engine (noun): động cơ - Movable (adj): có thể di chuyển - Gear (noun): phanh - A sense of accomplishment (collocation): cảm giác thoải mãn - Entertain (verb): giải trí - Surf the Internet (verb phrase): lướt web - Assemble (verb): lắp ghép 109 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: TOY Question 1: How do advertisements influence children? Advertisements affect negatively children in some way. Advertisements can easily grab children’s attention by colorful images, so kids tend to insist on asking their parents to buy goods they saw on television, especially sugary and fatty food or drinks, which adversely affects their health. Besides, children are innocent and easy to imitate what they have seen on TV, so some ads which involve violent actions can put kids in danger. - Insist on (verb phrase): khăng khăng - Innocent (adj): vô tội - Imitate (verb): bắt chước Question 2: Should advertising aimed at kids be prohibited? Yes, I definitely think advertising focusing on kids should be banned because these advertisements affect adversely children. As businesses try to get children’s attention, they can use inappropriate or even violent activities in their ads, which is harmful to the development of children.

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23. Describe something special you took home from a tourist attraction You should say: ● What it was ● When/ Where you bought it ● What it was like ● And explain why you think it was special I’m going to talk about a piece of calligraphy that means a lot to me, and I brought it home after visiting the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. It was quite a few years ago, when I was a senior in high school. At the time I was preparing for my university entrance exam, feeling worried and nervous all the time. In order to feel better, I went to a place called the Temple of Literature. The place is situated in the centre of our capital, and its architecture is typical of the feudal time, looking very distinct from the modern buildings in its surroundings. More importantly, it is the first national university in Vietnam, built a thousand year ago, so rumour has it that if a student pays a visit to this temple before an important examination, he can pass this exam with flying colors, and I wished it could have been true to me, too. At the entrance I noticed people in traditional clothing offering calligraphy service. I briefly told one of them what I needed and he soon produced a piece of calligraphy that roughly translates to “success in exams” which I brought home and hanged in front of my studying table. I think this art work is quite special because I considered it a lucky charm to perform my best in such an important exam. It is also used as home decoration in my bedroom, perfectly matches with my wooden bookshelf and bed. - Calligraphy (noun): thư pháp - Temple of literature (noun): Văn miếu Quốc tử giám - Senior (noun): năm cuối - Feudal time (noun): thời phong kiến - Distinct from (adj): khác hẳn so với - Rumour has it that (phrase): có lời đồn rằng - Pay a visit to (phrase) = visit somewhere: đến thăm nơi nào đó - Pass the exam with flying colors (idiom): vượt qua kì thi với điểm số cao - Briefly (adv): ngắn gọn - Lucky charm (noun): tấm bùa may mắn - Perform my best (collocation): thể hiện tốt nhất 111 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: SOUVENIR Question 1: What souvenirs would people buy from tourist attractions? There are many types of souvenirs visitors can buy from tourist spots, but I think it depends much on the specialty this place is famous for. For example, if people pay a visit to Lua village in Vietnam, they will definitely buy Ao dai as a souvenir as this place has acquired a reputation for this traditional product made from silk. - Acquire reputation for (verb phrase): nổi tiếng với - Silk (noun): lụa Question 2: Why do people like to take photos when travelling? I think most people take photos when travelling mainly because they want to keep precious memories of the trip. Whenever they look at these photos, they can remind them of the tourist spots they visited. In addition to that, many individuals are keen to show them to their friends about the happy and luxurious life they are leading. Last but not least, people want to hold the beauty of each place they go in each photo so that they can look back at this stunning and beautiful views of where they have been. - Keep the precious memories (noun): ghi nhớ những kỉ niệm quý giá - Remind SO of ST (v): gợi nhắc ai về cái gì - Tourist spot = tourist attraction: điểm thu hút khách - Luxurious life (noun): cuộc sống xa hoa Question 3: Is it good that the locals sell things to tourists? Yes, it’s very beneficial for local people to sell stuff to visitors because this is kinda an effective way to introduce their specialties or local delicacies to visitors, especially foreigners so that they can imprint their places on tourists’ brains. In addition to that, many locals rely on selling things to visitors to make a living, so this activity is really good. - Rely on (verb): phụ thuộc vào - imprint ST on (verb): ghi nhớ - Make a living (verb): kiếm sống

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Question 4: What are the pros and cons of taking professional cameras when travelling? There are several benefits and drawbacks when taking professional cameras during people’s travel. In terms of advantages, professional cameras allow travellers to take pictures with HD standards and to shoot a thing from a far distance. However, I see that as compared to a smartphone, cameras are not so compact as a cell phone to bring with. But in my opinion, the advantages of taking cameras far outweigh its disadvantages. - HD (high-definition): use of television, film or video images that are extremely high quality, with very clear, sharp outlines and details - Shoot (verb): bắn - Compact (adj): gọn nhẹ - Outweigh (verb): vượt quá

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24. Describe a popular product made in your region You should say: - What this product is - Where it is made - How it is made - How do you feel about it (Áp dụng câu trả lời về Describe something you took home from a tourist attraction, nhưng câu chuyện ở đây là: nó là 1 sản phẩm phổ biến ở quê bạn, tức nó được bán rất nhiều) I’m going to talk about a very popular traditional product in Hanoi capital, specially when Lunar new year is coming - pieces of calligraphy This product is not actually sold every corner in Hanoi, but you need to find the right place if you want to have one - the Temple of Literature. The place is situated in the centre of our capital, and its architecture is typical of the feudal time, looking very distinct from the modern buildings in its surroundings. At the entrance of this temple, many old people in traditional clothing offer calligraphy service. You can imagine that calligraphers will write meaningful words beautifully using brushes and black ink. Rumour has it that if a student pays a visit to this temple before an important examination, he can pass this exam with flying colors. People usually buy one piece of calligraphy as a decoration for Tet, too. They believe that handing words in black written in red papers all year long will bring them luck and happiness in a new year. Actually in the past, this is a free service, but now people have to pay to have one piece of traditional art. I think it is reasonable because not everyone can produce this art work, but they have to study and practice a lot. Moreover, they help preserve a cultural identity of Vietnam, so they are worth being paid off. • Art work (noun): một tác phẩm nghệ thuật • Cultural identity (noun): bản sắc văn hoá • Worth ST (adj): xừn đáng với cái gì đó

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25. Describe a gift that took you a lot of time to prepare You should say: ● What it was ● Who you have it to ● How you prepared it ● And explain why you spent a lot of time preparing it I would like to make a description of a birthday cake that took me many hours to prepare for my husband. Actually, since we tied the knot, I haven’t done anything special to him. On his last birthday, I think we need to warm our love a bit and I decided to make a birthday cake for him by myself. To be honest, I’m not an excellent cook and rarely cook, too, because most of my time, I’m snowed under work. I had to confess that making a birthday cake is the most complicated dish I have ever prepared, but I did not try in vain. To prepare this gift, I searched the recipe on Youtube and jotted down all essential ingredients, such as white powder, sugar, cream, some fruits,…. and bought all in a local market. Then, I followed step-by-step instruction of a Youtuber carefully from the scratch, and the final product is a one-bowl cake that bakes up buttery and tender-crumbed, topped off with swirls of flavorful buttercream and a smattering of sprinkles. I was nearly exhausted after nearly 2 hours in the kitchen, but my energy was recharged right after my husband came home and was surprised, even going to cry in happiness. I think making a birthday cake was not too special but really meaningful to me and to my husband. - Tie the knot (idiom): kết hôn - Be snowed under work (idiom): quá bận rộn với công việc - Try in vain (phrase): thử nhưng thất bại - Recipe (noun): công thức nấu ăn - Jot down (verb phrase): ghi chú xuống giấy - Step-by-step instruction (phrase): hướng dẫn cụ thể từng bước - From the scratch (prep): từ đầu - Exhausted (adj): bị kiệt sức - Cry in happiness (phrase): khóc trong hạnh phúc 115 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: GIFT Question 1: How do people usually choose gifts? I think most people choose items receivers are interested in as a gift for them. For example, my close friend is a bookworm, so I always give her a book on her birthday. Additionally, gifts are affordable for buyers so that they don’t have to splurge on them or have to tighten their belt after buying that gift - Bookworm (noun): người mọt sách - Splurge on ST (v): đổ đống tiền vào cái gì - Tighten the belt (idiom): thắt lưng buộc bụng Question 2: Why do some people find it hard to choose gifts? People might find difficult to choose gifts mainly because they don’t know what receivers are keen on. For me, if I am in this situation, I will definitely opt for really useful gifts such as a notebook or a pen so that I have to use it even though they don’t like it. Sometimes, I also have to surf the web to choose a suitable present. Question 3: Do you think useful gifts are always more suitable than those useless ones? Yes, I think useful items are more suitable than useless ones. When something is useful, receivers can use it regularly, so it can fully function. On the other hand, gifts which are useless, such as a bunch of flowers, just occupy space of other items. - a bunch of flowers (noun): bó hoa

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26. Describe something you borrowed from others You should say: ● What it was ● When you borrowed it ● Who you borrowed it from ● And explain why you borrowed it Well, this task card reminds me of several occasions when I had to borrow something useful and important from others, but I would go with the story of borrowing a book from my close friend, which came first in my mind. I decided to take the IELTS test for my studying purpose and struggled with finding a real page-turner that can help IELTS learners gain a deep understanding about this exam as well as have a good source to practice with actual tests. Fortunately, my close friend is a high IELTS scorer and she recommended me to use a book called The official guide to IELTS published by Cambridge publisher. Then, I asked her to borrow her old book because I knew that she would never use it again and I myself can take advantage of her old notes The target readers of this book are learners at intermediate level. It includes two main parts, with the first part including all basic information, sharing, tips, and short exercises to combat different question types in all four skills. I was quite impressed by some videos illustrating the IELTS Speaking procedure this book has. Then second part is a combination of eight full tests for students to practice before sitting a real exam. I read it from cover to cover and realized it one of the most reliable and useful books I have ever read in my life. I couldn't put it down since I could not only increase my confidence but also widen my knowledge. I see my time management skills improve much and hope that I can pass this exam with flying colors All in all, I greatly appreciate her kindness which helps me a lot in the preparing process for this test. There is no word to describe how useful this book is to me. − Struggled with (verb): xoay sở − Page turner (noun): sách hay − Actual test (noun phrase): bài kiểm tra thật − Target readers (noun phrase): độc giả được hướng đến − Sit a real exam (collocation): thi thật − Read cover to cover (idiom): đọc từ đầu đến cuối − Put it down (phrase): đặt xuống 117 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Time management skills (noun): kỹ năng quản lý thời gian Pass this exam with flying colors (idiom): đỗ với điểm số cao

PART 3: BORROWING Question 1: What kinds of things do people borrow from each other? There are many kinds of things that people usually borrow from each other. And I think that people usually borrow stuff they may not be able to afford to buy. For example, I often borrow a camera from my friends because this device is quite unaffordable for me. Another kind of thing people often borrow is what they are most interested in, and they want to enrich their knowledge about it. For instance, for bookworms, I think the item they often borrow from others is books. - Unaffordble (adj): ngoài khả năng chi trả - Bookworm (idiom): kẻ mọt sách - Enrich the knowledge (v): làm giàu kiến thức Question 2: What are the things that people do not choose to lend to others? I think people are usually not keen on lending their luxurious items to others. For example, I own an iPhone which I never let others use it because it is my most expensive item, and I don’t want it to be unintentionally broken. Some belongings are quite personal, I mean each person should have one, such as a lip balm or a lipstick, should not also be lent, I think. It is quite unusual to share lip balm or lipstick, you know. - Unintentionally (adv): vô tình - Lip balm (noun): kem dưỡng môi - Lipstick (noun): son môi

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27. Describe an impressive advertisement you remember well You should say: ● When and where you saw it ● What was advertised ● What the contents of the advertisement had ● And explain how you felt about it. Well, I would like to talk about a Tet holiday commercial that I came across on Youtube, which touched my heart and made me really want to make a purchase. As you know, the Tet holiday is the traditional festival in Viet Nam and it is a precious time interval when people can go back to their hometown and celebrate the holiday with their families. The advertisement I mentioned is so emotional and meaningful. It is about advertising Chinsu soya sauce, which commences with old parents who miss their son and they feel down in the dumps because their son can’t come home for the New Year holiday. His son is having a good time with his family in Korean. While he is taking photos with his family, he overheard a conversation between two young men about their desperation for going back Viet Nam to visit their parents. Then, he thinks about beautiful memories in the last holiday and makes a quick decision to fly back and see his parents. The moment when his parents see him moves me to tears because I suddenly realize that my father and my mother are getting on a bit and I’m scared of not sparing much time with them anymore. All families gather to eat dinner with the Chinsu sauce and watch fireworks together and the joyfulness radiates in their faces. After watching the video, I decided to buy some Chinsu sauce bottles to take home for my family. Until now, I still remember it vividly because it has left the deepest impression on me. − Commercial (noun): Quảng cáo − Come across (verb): Ghé qua − Make a purchase (collocation): Mua cái gì đó − Emotional and meaningful (adj): Cảm động và ý nghĩa − Feel down in the dumps (idiom): Cảm thất rất buồn − Have a good time (phrase): Có khoảng thời gian tuyệt vời − Desperation (noun): Sự khao khát − Beautiful memories (noun): Những kỷ niệm đẹp − Make a quick decision (collocation): Quyết định nhanh − Moves me to tears (collocation): Làm tôi khóc 119 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Getting on a bit (verb phrase): Già đi − Joyfulness (noun): Niềm vui − Radiate (verb): Tỏa ra − PART 3: ADVERTISEMENT Question 1: Why do some people hate advertisements? I guess there are a bunch of reasons why people detest commercials. Firstly, since too many ads make them annoyed, imagine how annoying it is when people get interrupted and have to endure more than 10 minutes of advertisement while watching their favourite TV shows. Secondly, companies usually exaggerate their products’ effectiveness such as Fami milk, so individuals often have a bad impression about these advertisements. - A bunch of (noun): một mớ, 1 đống - Detest ST (verb): rất rất ghét cái gì - Commercial (noun): quảng cáo - Endure (verb): kéo dài - Exaggerate (verb): phóng đại - Have a bad impression about ST (v.phrase): có ấn tượng xấu về Question 2: Do people usually buy stuff after watching advertisements? Yes, if not, companies would stop spending a great amount of money on advertising. I see many people make a purchase after watching advertisements because most products are advertised with outstanding features. One of the most effective marketing tactics that many businesses use is celebrity endorsement, which helps enterprises to promote their products. - Make a purchase (verb phrase): mua sắm - Marketing tactics (noun): chiến thuật marketing - Celebrity endorsement (noun): thuê người nổi tiếng làm đại sứ thương hiệu - Promote products (v.phrase): quảng cáo sản phẩm −

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Question 3: Is music useful in advertising? Yes, of course. Music plays an important role in advertising since it helps catch viewers’ attention and also be a good way to touch the audience’s heart, thereby somehow making people remember companies’ brand names and making a purchase. For this reason, more and more businesses use product placement in the music videos of famous singers to advertise their products. For example, a pair of shoes from Biti’s Hunter collection was sold out after its product placement in the Lac Troi music video. - Play an important role in ST (v.phrase): Đóng vai trò quan trọng - Catch the attention of SO (v.phrase): thu hút sự chú ý của …. - Product placement (noun): quảng cáo theo cách đặt sản phẩm ở đâu đó Question 4: What are the advantages of TV advertisements? How about internet advertisements? About TV commercials, since people cannot skip advertisements on television, the audience can be more aware of the features of products. In terms of advertising on the Internet, this method does not require such a heavy expenditure like advertising on TV, so it helps enterprises save a great deal of money. In addition to that, because most people browse the Internet on a daily basis in order to surf Facebook, Instagram or watch shows on Youtube, ads on Youtube and pop-up commercials on many websites can approach many people. As a result, online advertising can cover a larger mass of audience compared to TV one. - Commercial (noun) = advertisement: quảng cáo có sự kiểm soát của chính phủ - A heavt expenditure (noun): chi phí cao - Enterprise (noun): doanh nghiệp - Pop-up commercials (noun): quảng cáo dưới dạng thông tin bật lên - Cover a larger mass of audience (v.phrase): bao quát nhiều đối tượng hơn

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28. Describe a photograph you like in your room You should talk about: - Where the photo was taken - What you were doing when it was taken - Who took it - And explain why you like the photo The photograph that immediately comes to mind when I think of one that I like is my university graduation photo. It was taken just before the graduation ceremony that marked the end of my undergraduate degree. You can’t see anything in the background of the photo, but it was actually taken in the students’ cafe next to the hall where the ceremony was held. In the photo, I’m wearing the traditional clothing for university graduates: a black gown and an academic cap, which is often called a mortar board. I’m also holding my rolled-up degree certificate. Obviously this was a formal portrait photo, and so I was standing still, smiling and looking into the camera. The person who took the photo was a professional photographer. He had been hired by the university to set up in the cafe and take photos of graduates before the ceremony. He had a white screen, some lighting devices, and an assistant who took payments and collected our details. The reason why I like my graduation photo is that it reminds me of a pivotal moment in my life. Being presented with my degree certificate at the graduation ceremony was the culmination of four years of hard work, and it marked the end of the ‘education’ stage of my life. I had achieved my objectives and made my family proud, and I knew that the next step was to look for my first proper job. Whenever I look at the photo it brings back happy memories, both of my university days and of the relief and contentment that I felt on my graduation day. - Graduation ceremony (noun): lễ tốt nghiệp à graduate (noun): người tốt nghiệp - A black gown (noun): áo choàng đen - An academic cap (noun): mũ tốt nghiệp - A mortar board (noun): mũ cử nhân - Rolled-up degree certificate (noun): bằng tốt nghiệp được cuộn tròn - Portrait (noun): bức tranh chân dung - A pivotal moment (noun): khoảnh khắc quan trọng - Culmination (noun): sự tích luỹ - Objective (noun): mục tiêu - Contentment (noun): sự hài lòng 122 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

DESCRIBE A PLACE 29. Describe a historical building you have been to You should say: ● Where it is ● What it looks like ● What it is used for now ● What you learned there ● And how you felt about this historical building I would like to describe a very famous historic architecture in Hanoi, which is the Temple of Literature. It takes only a 5-minute drive from Guom Lake, the center of our capital city, to reach the building. As the very first university of Vietnam, it is still used for hosting ceremonies, contests, and festivals nowadays. This temple does not only keep the proof of our history, but also represents the enthusiasm and dramatic changes in Vietnamese educational system. Just a few walks from the main gate, people can already feel the ancient atmosphere, peacefulness and for me, the encouragement to learn more and explore more. There are 5 courtyards, and each yard is decorated with different statues, stones or stelae, to commemorate the contributions of sages and scientists of Vietnam It draws the attention of many visitors from all around our country and even foreigners. I particularly take a chance to pass by the Temple whenever I’m about to sit an exam, or to apply for a job. After each visit to the site, it seems like all the burdens and stresses are relieved, and my heart will be fulfilled with calmness and joy. As a Hanoian, I am proud that we can still keep such a beautiful historic place like The Temple of Literature. I also feel the responsibility to protect the site for the next generations. - Architecture (n): the product of planning, designing, and constructing buildings or any other structures – kiến trúc - To reach (v): to arrive at a place, especially after spending a long time or a lot of effort travelling - đi tới - The proof of (noun phrase): a fact or piece of information that shows that something exists or is true - bằng chứng - Enthusiasm (n): a feeling of energetic interest in a particular subject or activity and an eagerness to be involved in it - sự nhiệt tình - Dramatic (adj): very sudden or noticeable, or full of action and excitement - kịch tính 123 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Educational system (n): an education system comprises everything that goes into educating public-school students at the federal, state, or community levels - hệ thống giáo dục Encouragement (n): words or behaviour that give someone confidence to do something - sự cổ vũ Commemorate (v): to remember officially and give respect to a great person or event, especially by a public ceremony - tưởng nhớ, ghi nhớ Sage (n): a wise man/woman - nhà hiền triết Draw attention (verb phrase): to make someone notice - gây sự chú ý Take chance (verb phrase): to do something that could have either good or bad results - tóm lấy cơ hội Pass by (verb phrase): to go/move pass - ghé qua Sit an exam (verb phrase): to take an exam - làm bài kiểm tra Burden (n): the main theme or gist of a speech, book, or argument- nỗi đau/gánh nặng Relieve (v): to make an unpleasant feeling, such as pain or worry, less strong - giải tỏa Fulfill (v): to do something as promised or intended, or to satisfy your hopes or expectations - hoàn thành/làm đầy

PART 3: HISTORICAL BUILDINGS Question 1: Do Vietnamese people like to visit historical buildings? Sadly, no. Not many Vietnamese people are interested in visiting historical buildings. As people in my country now lead a hectic life, they find it hard to manage their time to go to these places. That’s why they just pay a visit to these buildings on some special occasions. For example, high-school students in my country usually visit Temple of Literature before they sit the entrance exam in order to pray for a good result. - Lead a hectic life (v): sống cuộc sống bận rộn - Pay a visit to …. (v): đến thăm - Sit the entrance exam (v): thi/ kiểm tra đầu vào - Pray for (v): cầu nguyện Question 2: Why do people visit historical buildings? I guess there are some reasons why individuals pay a visit to historical buildings. First of all, visiting these places helps them to develop a sense of pride and patriotism. Besides, because these areas are in connection with the past, people can acquire some knowledge about their past. Last but not least, it’s kind of a way that contemporary people commemorate sages who made a large contribution to the development of their country. 124 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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to develop a sense of pride and patriotism: phát triển lòng tự hào và yêu nước to commemorate (v): tưởng nhớ sages (n): các nhà hiền triết

Question 3: Is it necessary to protect historical buildings? Yes, it is very important to preserve historical buildings because these ancient areas are the reminders of the cultural history and aesthetic of an area. In addition to that, these places usually attract foreign visitors, so it’s kind of beneficial for tourism development. More importantly, visiting these places can be an effective way for students to learn knowledge from the past. So, they should be protected by all people. - Preserve (v): bảo tồn - Reminder (n): sự nhắc nhở - Aesthetic (a): đầy tính nghệ thuật - Tourism development (n): sự phát triển du lịch Question 4: Do most people agree to the government’s funding to protect historic buildings? No, I don’t think that many people would agree with this idea because they believe that the government should spend money on other more important and practical sectors such as health care, education or infrastructure. If the government expends money on preserving these buildings, there will be less investment in those important fields. - Infrastructure (n): cơ sở ha tầng - Expend on ST (v): chi tiền vào - Investment in (n): sự đầu tư

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30. Describe a journey that you went by car You should say: ● When it was ● Where you went ● Who you were with ● And how you felt about the journey I would like to describe a car journey that I had with my small beloved family last national holiday. On the first two days of September, we had two days off because it is the Independence day of Vietnam. So my husband and I thought we should have really grasped the chance to go somewhere and put our feet up. Because we have a little son who is only 10 months old, we preferred some destinations close to Hanoi to avoid tiredness of a long travel. Tam Dao, which is a small and pristine district in the northern part of Hanoi, about 60 kms from my home, was our final choice. We also made a decision to travel by our own private car. Most of the times we visited somewhere, we used to take public transport like plane or train, but that time was the first one we drove by ourselves. Why? You know, as I mentioned, I have a little child so there were so many things I had to bring with me: his personal clothes, diapers, scooter, food, ….. so many, so moving by car is definitely more convenient. Another reason is because of its flexibility. Tam Dao is not a well-known tourist attraction, so it is quite inaccessible by train or plane, and private car seems to be the perfect choice to approach it any time. I think this car journey is perfect and exciting. My husband monitored the car while my son and I played toys together, sang along or even took a nap in the car. On the way home, it rained cats and dogs and surely we were not suck in water, yeahhhhh. I think from now on, I will plan more car journeys like this. − Beloved (adj): yêu quý − Day off (noun): ngày nghỉ − Grasp the chance (collocation): nắm bắt cơ hội − Put SO feet ut (idiom): nghỉ ngơi, giải trí − Destination (noun): điểm đến − Pristine (adj): hoang sơ, còn nguyên sơ − Make a decision = decide (verb): quyết định − Diaper (noun): bỉm − Scooter (noun): xe hai bánh còn bàn đạp của trẻ con 126 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Flexibility (noun): sự linh hoạt Inaccessible (adj): không thể tiếp cận Take a nap (collocation): nghỉ ngơi, chợp mắt Rain cats and dogs (idiom) = pour down = rain heavily: mưa xối xả Suck in water (collocation): ướt sũng

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PART 3: GOING BY CAR Question 1: Do you think cars are a daily necessity? Absolutely no, I don’t think cars play such a necessary role in our daily life because of its disadvantages far more significant than its advantages. Making daily commutes by car leads to serious air pollution due to a large amount of CO2 emissions released from this means of transport. In addition to that, cars are the main factor contributing to traffic jam in my country, which actually wastes a great deal of time for commuters. - Play a role in … (verb): đóng vai trò - Make daily commutes (v): đi lại hằng ngày - Air pollution (noun): ô nhiễm không khí - CO2 emissions (noun): khí thải CO2 - Means of transport (noun): loại phương tiện giao thông - Traffic jam (noun): tắc nghẽn giao thông - Commuter (noun): người đi lại Question 2: What will cars look like in the future? It’s hard to predict something in the future, especially such an unpredictable topic like cars. But I suppose since people are more conscious of their responsibility for protecting the environment, cars in the future will be more energy-efficient or use renewable energy sources like solar in place of petrol. - Energy-efficient (adj): tiết kiệm năng lượng - Renewable energy source (noun): nguồn năng lượng có thể tái chế Question 3: Is driving a skill that everybody must learn? No, I don’t think everyone must learn how to drive. If people don’t commute by car, they don’t necessarily know how to drive. However, there are some professions that require people to have a driving license like bus drivers, so driving is definitely the skill that they must learn. - Driver license (noun): bằng lái xe Question 4: What are the downsides of having a car? As I said before, there are many clear disadvantages of owning a car. First of all, it’s not easy for people who travel by car to get around big cities because of their large size. In addition to that, motorists always have to find a safe place to park their car whenever they go outside, not mention to the detriments this means of transport brings to the environment and society. - Motorist (noun): người đi ô tô 128 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

31. Describe a city you once went to with your family You should say: ● What the city was ● Why you went there ● What the city was like ● And how you felt about it (Một phần tái chế ý tưởng, từ vựng từ câu hỏi Describe a journey that you went by car nhưng nhấn mạnh việc mô tả thành phố bạn đến thăm và bạn đi cùng gia đình) I would like to describe a beautiful city that I had with my small beloved family last national holiday. On the first two days of September, we had two days off because it is Independence day of Vietnam. So my husband and I thought we should have really grasped the chance to go somewhere and put our feet up. The city we chose is Danang, which is a famous coastal city in the central part of Vietnam. It gains a reputation for a long sandy beach with crystal green water and many yummy cuisines and seafood. We, including my husband, my little son and me, booked a flight with a detailed itinerary to discover this city within two days. When we finally arrived in Da Nang at 7.pm, my mind was totally blown away by the lush coconut trees around here. My family usually walked along the street so that we could contemplate the stunning beauty of this city. The city was full of colorful lights, and I felt as if I was coming to a wonderland. On that night, we had a warm party in a cozy restaurant with local specialties, which are all tasty and whet my appetite. People in this city are also hospitable and polite, because every time I ask for directions, they are always willing to show me the ways. This was a memorable family trip and I still remember it vividly until now. In the future, I really wish to spend more quality time with my family like this. - Gain reputation for ST = be famous for ST: nổi tiếng với - Crystal green water (noun phrase): làn nước trong xanh - Cuisine (noun) = traditional food: món ăn truyền thống - Book a flight: đặt vé máy bay - Itinerary = schedule (noun): lịch trình 129 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Totally blow away (idiom): Hoàn toàn ngạc nhiên, sửng sốt Lush coconut trees (noun): Cây dừa xanh mướt Quality time (noun): Thời gian đáng quý Colorful lights (noun): Ánh sáng rực rõ Local specialty (noun): Đặc sản vùng quê Whet my appetite (collocation): Muốn tôi ăn nhiều hơn Tasty = yummy (adj): Ngon Vividly = clearly (adv): sống động, rõ ràng

PART 3: VISITING A CITY Question 1: What kind of city do you like? I’m interested in a city located in coastal areas where I can enjoy the wonderful weather all year round. I have a thirst for this kind of city because I enjoy walking alongside the beach after a hard-working day, and sometimes doing some sunbathing. - Coastal area (noun): vùng ven biển - All year round (phrase): quanh năm - Have a thirst for … (noun): thèm khát - Do some sunbathing (v): tắm nắng Question 2: What are the advantages of living in a city? Living in urban areas have some great benefits for residents. First of all, cities provide more job opportunities for job seekers, so living there helps them be more likely to land a rewarding job. Besides, individuals have a chance to access better infrastructure and educational system when they live in big cities. - Urban area (n): vùng ngoại ô - Job seeker (n): người tìm việc - Land a rewarding job (v): tìm việc làm tốt - Infrastructure (n): cơ sở hạ tầng Question 3: Why do many people nowadays prefer living in the suburbs? There are several reasons why more and more people enjoy living in the suburbs. First of all, it may be because people want to escape from the hustle and bustle of city life. In addition to that, individuals have a chance to get closer to nature and enjoy the fresh air when they live in the suburbs. - Escape from the hustle and bustle of city life: thoát khỏi sự bận rộn bộn bề của cuộc sóng - Get closer to nature: hoà mình vào thiên nhiên 130 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

32. Describe an experience that you visited a friend You should say: ● Who you visited ● What you did ● Why you visited him or her ● And how you felt about it (Áp dụng ý tưởng đề Describe a journey that you went by car và đề Describe a city you once went to with your family nhưng mục đích của chuyến đi là thăm 1 người bạn) I would like to describe a time that I visited my buddy's last national holiday. On the first two days of September, we had two days off because it is Independence day of Vietnam. So my husband and I thought we should have really grasped the chance to have a visit to one of my buddies, who was my classmate, also my roommate and is living in Danang now. I always consider Hue like my close relative, because we overcame many ups and downs in our student life together. After graduation, Hue tied the knot with a man in this city and has settled down there since then, so it has been more than five years since the last time we met each other. We still keep in touch and always wish to meet each other in person. And I did turn our wish come true. Hue welcomed my family at the airport and drove us home. She prepared a feast full of seafood and some special cuisines that whet my appetite every time I think of. After that, her husband brought us to a park where our sons played together while we sipped some cups of coffee and gossiped about today's life, sometimes reminded of unforgettable memories in the past. We also grasped this chance to put our feet up too, because you know, Danang is also a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam. She became our tour guide to introduce us about different destinations, with its history and cultural values. This was a memorable family trip and I still remember it vividly until now. In the future, I really wish to have more time visiting Hue, her family, and her city. - Ups and downs (idiom): những thăng trầm - Tie the know (idiom) = get married: kết hôn - Settle down (verb prhase): định cư - Keep in touch = keep in contact with SO (phrase): giữ liên lạc với ai đó - Meet SO in person (phrase): gặp ai đó trực tiếp 131 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Turn a wish/ a dream come true (collocation): biến ước mơ thành sự thật A feast (noun): một bữa tiệc lớn Sip (verb): nhâm nhi Gossip (verb): tán gẫu Tour guide (noun): hướng dẫn viên du lịch

PART 3: VISITING A FRIEND Question 1: What social skills can you learn from communicating with other people? When I socialise with other people, I can improve my communication skills as I have more chances to express my ideas and opinions with others. I have a chance to learn to be a good listener. As most people tend to share their stories with others, I can listen to their stories and learn how to respond appropriately. - Socialise with (v): chơi với/ hoà đồng với - Communication skill (noun): kỹ năng giao tiếp - A good listener (noun): Một người giỏi lắng nghe Question 2: Do you prefer hanging out with a big or small group of friends? Well, as I’m a social butterfly, I am more interested in hanging out with a big group of friends. Talking to more people helps me to broaden my horizons about different aspects of life. Also, I can improve my communication skills if I communicate with more people. - Social butterfly (idiom): người dễ hoà đồng - Hang out with (verb): ra ngoài với / đi chơi với - Broaden SO horizons (verb): mở rộng chân trời - Communication skill (noun): kỹ năng giao tiếp

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33. Describe an experience that the vehicle you took broke down in your travel You should say: ● Where it happened ● When it happened ● Who you were with at that time ● And what impacts this breakdown had (Một phần tái chế ý tưởng, từ vựng từ câu hỏi Describe a journey that you went by car nhưng sau đó xe của bạn bị hỏng giữa đường) I would like to describe a bad experience with my car on the last national holiday. On the first two days of September, we had two days off because it is the Independence day of Vietnam. So my husband and I thought we should have really grasped the chance to go somewhere and put our feet up. Because we have a little son who is only 10 months old, we chose to visit Tam Dao, which is a small and pristine district in the northern part of Hanoi, about 60 km from my home. We also made a decision to travel by our own private car to easily bring my son’s necessary things: his personal clothes, diapers, scooter, food, ….. so many. My husband monitored the car while my son and I played toys together, sang along or even took a nap in the car. On the way home, it rained cats and dogs and surely we were not sucked in water, yeahhhhh. Unfortunately, my car started making odd sounds out of the engine, and then suddenly stopped. Oh my got it ran out of petrol because I forgot to fill it up. We got stuck in the middle of nowhere without any petrol station and had to stop on the highway and flagged down any vehicle we saw to ask help. Fortunately, a driver stopped and pulled my car to the nearest petrol station. Phuzzz It was really a ridiculous situation I have come across in my life, and I promise next time I will always check the petrol provision for long journeys. - Odd (adj): kì quặc, kì lạ - Run out of petrol (verb phrase): hết xăng - Fill ST up (phrase): đổ đầy - Get stuck in the middle of nowhere (phrase): mắt kẹt giữa đường - Petrol station (noun phrase): 133 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Highway (noun): đường cao tốc Flag down (verb phrase): vẫy ai dó (để nhờ giúp đỡ/ yêu cầu gì) Ridiculous (adj): nực cười

PART 3: VEHICLES BREAKING DOWN Question 1: Who likes to travel more? Older people or younger people? I would say that young people are far more interested in travelling than old ones. Since the young are energetic and have a strong desire for exploring the world, most of them prefer travelling. Moreover, by travelling they have a chance to meet interesting people and enjoy local delicacies, and therefore, they tend to travel frequently. - Energetic (adj): tràn đầy năng lượng - Have a strong desire for (v): khao khát làm gì - Enjoy local delicacies (v): thưởng thức đặc sản địa phương Question 2: Are there fewer people using private cars because of improved public transport? Yes, I reckon more people will use public transport rather than their personal cars if this environmentally friendly means of transport is improved. Private cars are now commuters’ preferable choice because it is much faster and more convenient to travel by car. Therefore, if public transport system can meet these requirements of users, people would not choose to use their car because of its unaffordable price. - environmentally friendly means of transport (n): phương tiện thân thiện với môi trường - preferable (a): được ưa thích hơn - commuter (noun): những người đi lại trong 1 quãng đường có tính lặp đi lặp lại - meet requirements (verb): đáp ứng nhu cầu - unaffordable (adj): không có khả năng chi trả Question 3: What do you think needs to be improved in public transport? “I think that the government in my country needs to improve the public transport system to encourage citizens to make daily commutes by this environmentally friendly means of transport. One thing is that it should have more regular buses in order for passengers not to wait too long for a bus, such as every 5 minutes instead of every 15 minutes. Beside that, buses need to be connected with the Internet so that passengers can take advantage of the time while sitting on a bus to do something necessary. For example, I usually listen to English podcasts to improve my listening skills when on the bus.” 134 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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to make daily commutes (v): đi lại hàng ngày environmentally friendly (adj): thân thiện với môi trường a means of transport (noun): một phương tiện giao thông in order for somebody to do something: để cho ai làm gì to take advantage of something (v): tận dụng cái gì

Question 4: What are the advantages and disadvantages of private transport? I think that personal vehicles like cars or motorbikes have several clear advantages to users. Regarding motorbikes, they are not only great for commuters to get around quickly but easy to park and economical to run. About cars, it is much faster and safer to travel by car. However, these means of transport are disadvantageous to some extent.as it leads to serious problems such as traffic congestion and air pollution. - Get around (v): đi quanh đâu đó - Economical (adj): tiết kiệm - Means of transport (n): loại phương tiện giao thông - Traffic congestion (tắc nghẽn giao thông)

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34. Describe an unusual experience of travelling You should say: ● Where you went ● When you went there ● Who you were with ● What you did there ● And explain why it is unusual (Một phần tái chế ý tưởng, từ vựng từ câu hỏi Describe a journey that you went by car và kết hợp với đề Describe an experience that the vehicle you took broke down in your travel) I would like to share with you about two unusual experiences I had on my last trip. On the first two days of September, we had two days off because it is Independence day of Vietnam. So my husband and I thought we should have really grasped the chance to go somewhere and put our feet up. The first abnormal thing is we made a decision to travel by our own private car. Most of the time we visited somewhere, we used to take public transport like planes or trains, but that time was the first one we drove by ourselves. Why? You know, as I mentioned, I have a little child so there were so many things I had to bring with me: his personal clothes, diapers, scooter, food, ….. so many, so moving by car is definitely more convenient. Another reason is because of its flexibility. Tam Dao is not a well-known tourist attraction, so it is quite inaccessible by train or plane, and the private car seems to be the perfect choice to approach it any time. My husband monitored the car while my son and I played toys together, sang along or even took a nap in the car. On the way home, it rained cats and dogs and surely we in water, yeahhhhh. The second unusual experience is …. my car was broken halfway. On the way home, my car started making odd sounds out of the engine, and then suddenly stopped. Oh my got it ran out of petrol because I forgot to fill it up. We got stuck in the middle of nowhere without any petrol station and had to stop on the highway and flagged down any vehicle we saw to ask help. Fortunately, a driver stopped and pulled my car to the nearest petrol station. Phuzzz They are two ridiculous and unusual situations I have come across on the same journey, but they both make my journey unforgettable. 136 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: UNUSUAL TRAVEL Question 1: What are some popular attractions that people like to visit? I think that crystal clear beaches and endless shores are one of the tourist attractions. People usually go to the beach to dispel the extreme heat of the summer and to let their hair down after hard-working days. In addition to that, individuals have a chance to do some sunbathing there. − crystal clear (n): rất trong − to dispel the extreme heat (idiom): thoát khỏi nóng bức − to do some sunbathing (v): tắm nắng Question 2: Why do many people like to travel abroad? Well, I guess that many people enjoy travelling to another country because of several reasons. First of all, they have a chance to experience a new culture when they go abroad, which helps them to explore cultural diversity all over the world. In addition, they can meet lots of interesting people and make foreign friends. Last but not least, individuals can enjoy a lot of local delicacies when travelling overseas. − cultural diversity (n): sự đa dạng văn hóa − to make foreign friends (collocation): kết bạn nước ngoài − to enjoy local delicacies (v): thưởng thức các món ăn đặc sản − cultural diversity (n): sự đa dạng văn hóa Question 3: What do people usually do during long holidays? Well, I think it depends on each person. Some people spoil themselves by going to tourist spots so that they can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city after hard-working months. They may choose to visit coastal areas to swim, walk along the beach to enjoy the fresh air and do some sunbathing, or mountainous areas to go hiking. Some others may prefer to stay at home and spend time with their family, cook together and enjoy meals, or watch interesting films. − to spoil oneself (v): chiều chuộng bản thân − tourist spot (n): địa điểm du lịch − to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city (v): thoát khỏi cuộc sống xô bồ − to do some sunbathing (v): tắm nắng − to go hiking (v): đi bộ đường dài

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Question 4: Do you think there will be more ecotourism in the future? Yes, I think people are now becoming more conscious about the damage to the environment caused by tourism and about the fact that tourism needs to be environmentally friendly in order to achieve environmental sustainability. Therefore, ecotourism will become more popular. − environmentally friendly (a): thân thiện với môi trường − environmental sustainability (n): sự bền vững của môi trường − ecotourism (n): du lịch xanh

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35. Describe an important journey that has been delayed You should say: • What was the journey • What caused the delay • What happened at the end • How you felt about it I’m gonna talk about a business trip to Danang which occurred last month. Last month, I received an invitation from British Council to participate in their workshop held in Danang. As a person who took the IELTS exam with flying colours, I was going to be one of the guest speakers at that workshop who shared experience related to IELTS with students there. Because that workshop was held by British Council, which is an international and professional organization, that journey was incredibly important to me. Since the workshop started at 10 pm, I booked a flight at 6 am so that I was going to have plenty of spare time to wander around Danang. However, that flight got delayed due to the severe weather condition. We all knew that the air in Ha noi was forecasted to be getting worse and worse. And in that early morning, the city was covered in a thick blanket of fog, which caused poor visibility. So, the flight was rescheduled for 2 hours later. Fortunately, the weather was gradually getting better. When it was sunny, visibility was clearer and the flight finally took off at 8 am. Luckily, I still took part in the workshop in time although I did not have much time to discover the beautiful landscapes of Danang. This journey is one of my memorable experiences. After that experience, whenever I book a flight, I have to watch the weather forecast in advance so that I can ensure the flight will not be delayed and I’m not late. • a business trip (n): chuyến công tác • with flying colours (idiom): (thi cái gì) đạt điểm cao • guest speaker (n): diễn giả • book a flight (collo.): đặt vé máy bay • wander around somewhere (v): đi lang thang quanh đâu đó • severe weather condition (n): điều kiện thời tiết khắc nghiệt • a thick blanket of fog (collo.): một màn sương dày • poor visibility (n): tầm nhìn kém • reschedule (v): sắp xếp lại (lịch trình) • take off (phr. verb): (máy bay) cất cánh • weather forecast (n): dự báo thời tiết 139 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

36. Describe an occasion when weather prevented your activity You should say: • what the activity was • what was the weather like • how long was your activity cancalled • what happened at the end (Áp dụng y hệt câu trả lời cho câu hỏi Describe an important journey that was delayed ở phía trước) PART 3: MAKING PLANS 1. How does technology help people make plans? Thanks to many applications on smartphones, people can plan their study or work much easier. As for me, I usually take advantage of Note app on my phones to note down crucial meetings. More importantly, there is a website called Asana – do you know it? It is like a virtual working space that I can construct working projects, distribute tasks and set due dates for my staff and discuss with them effectively. • Take advantage of (verb); tận dụng điều gì • Crucial (adj): quan trọng • Virtual working space (noun): không gian làm việc ảo 2. Do you think residents should make a plan for the changes in the local area? Of course yes. Everything should be ordered in advance. For instance, if local councils have a plan to construct a primary school, they will not allow erecting a new road or a market close to this area because its noise can affect students in the future school. • In advance (prep): trước • Erect = construct (verb): xây dựng 3. When you do something alone, do you need to inform other people about the changes in your plan? Normally yes. I think even when being alone, we should be watched by someone in case of needing help, and I think it will relieve the worries of my relatives about me. For example, even when I travel alone and change my itinerary, I still call to announce it to my husband so that he can be aware of where I am and whether I am safe or not. • Relieve worries (verb): giải toả lo lắng • Itinerary (noun): kế hoạch, lịch trình 140 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

4. Do you ask for other people's advice when making a plan? I will if it is a vital plan. For instance, if it is a schedule to hunt a scholarship, I think useful advice from the formers who had succeeded will help much so that my plan would go smoothly. However, if the plan is something personal, I will not share it. - Vital (adj): quan trọng - Hunt the scholarship (verb): săn học bổng - The formers (noun): những tiền bối

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37. Describe a time that you was tired but still had to stay awake You should say: • why you were tired • why you had to stay awake • what you did to avoid falling asleep I’m gonna talk about a period when I got extremely exhausted but had to stay awake. It occurred last month when I had to prepare for the IELTS exam. Actually, because I applied for a scholarship and had to prove my English ability by getting at least 8 in the IELTS exam. That’s why this exam was of great importance and I had got only one month left, so I had to cram for the exam. In fact, I haven’t been always a night owl, but I must pull an all-nighter many nights to practice my reading and listening skills so that I could improve my IELTS band score. Because I used to go to bed early, staying up late made me really exhausted. I felt drowsy whenever I had to study at night but I still burnt the midnight oil to make the grade. In order to avoid falling asleep, I had to try lots of ways. First and foremost, I drank a cup of black coffee, but it did not work with me, I still felt sleepy. After that, I washed my face with cold water even though it was freezing cold. Thanks to that, I was able to stay awake and fully focus on my study. Today I sit for the real exam, and I really hope that I can pass the exam with flying colours so that my hard work can pay off. And it will make my dream come true, I will have a chance to get the scholarship to study abroad. • exhausted (adj): kiệt sức • ST be of great importance (collo.): cái gì rất quan trọng • cram for the exam (collo.): học nhồi nhét • a night owl (n): người hay ngủ muộn vào ban đêm • pull an all-nighter (idiom): thức suốt đêm để học • stay up late (verb phr): thức muộn • drowsy (adj): buồn ngủ ríu cả mắt • burn the midnight oil (idiom): học hành thâu đêm • make the grade (idiom): đạt điểm cao, thành công trong kì thi • First and foremost (idiom): đầu tiên • black coffee (collo.): cà phê đen không đường • freezing cold (adj): rất lạnh • sit for the exam (collo.): dự thi 142 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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with flying colours (idiom): (thi cái gì) đạt điểm cao hard work pays off (idiom): chăm chỉ sẽ được đền đáp make ST come true (collo.): biến cái gì thành sự thật

PART 3: STAY AWAKE 1. Do you think people nowadays spend too much time working? What are the impacts?

Yes, I think most people nowadays are a workaholic as they spend a great deal of time working on a daily basis. Maybe some work too much because they want to achieve a goal that they set before. Many spend much time working to make a living. About the negative impacts, I suppose they will not have much spare time to spend with their loved ones, and their relationship may be weakened. Besides, they will not have time to take much pride in their appearance. • Workaholic (noun): người làm việc quá nhiều • Achieve a goal (verb): đạt thành tích nào đó • Make a living (verb): kiếm sống

2. Do you think people are spending too much time on social media? My answer depends on different age groups. For young people, this statement is really true. Some youngsters glue their eyes on mobile phones’ screens to chat with their friends, surf new feed or upload photos on facebook. They sometimes become reluctant to people in front of them. But for older people, I see many of them do not know how to use social media such as facebook. r - Glue the eyes on screens (verb phrase): dán mắt vào màn hình

Can you suggest some methods to not fall asleep/ to stay awake?

Well, there are lots of ways not to be drowsy and I think each is suitable for a specific method. For some, they often drink a cup of black coffee so that they can not fall asleep, but it does not work with me because I still sleep like a log after drinking coffee. Another way is to do exercise. I usually go jogging when I feel sleepy but have to stay awake. - Drowsy (adj): buồn ngủ - Black coffee (noun): cà phê đen - Sleep like a log (idiom): ngủ như chết

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38. Describe a place you remember well that is full of colors You should say: ● Where it is ● What it is like ● What it is used for ● And explain why you remember it will I think when people want to know how many colors could gather in one place, they can visit a park near my house. It is Thong Nhat park, about 2 km from my house, and about 3km to the south from my city center. Though I’m a fan of monotone, and a lot of colors somehow make my eyes tired, the shades here are the exceptions. I enjoy every corner of it. It has the blue of the lake, the green of the tree leaves, the orange of some flowers in the gardens, the yellow and red of the bricks and stones leading to the lake. I really love jogging around the lake in the early morning, seeing people wearing bright colored shoes running, playing badminton, soccer, dancing or doing aerobics. It is also relaxing to see some big white swan boats riding on the lake with lovely couples. The sun shines through the leaves and illuminates everything. I usually go to this park every morning, to do some basic workout and to inhale fresh air like a normal way to start my day. However, this park is also used for other purposes, too. Some primary schools in my area usually hold a visit to this park to teach students Biology or Physical education. Couples consider this park an ideal destination for dating, while some university clubs hold events there. When I go away from my city, I will always remember the joy and a lot of vibrant energy coming from all the colors in the park. This is not only a park but also a representative of my city, full of shades but compatible, congruent and solid. − Monotone (n): một màu − dating (noun): hẹn hò − Exception (n): sự ngoại lệ − Vibrant (adj): náo nhiệt − Corner (n): góc − Representative (n): đại diện − Lead to (v): dẫn tới/dẫn xuống − Compatible (adj): hòa hợp − Illuminate (v): làm tỏa sáng − Congruent (adj): đồng điệu − workout (n) = exercise: bài tập thể dục − Solid (adj): thống nhất − inhale >< exhale (verb): hít vào - thở ra 144 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: COLORS Question 1: Is color important for clothing? Yes, colors play a crucial role in clothing as each color suits different people. For example, if you are overweight, black outfits look better on you than white ones because they help you to look slimmer. Or if you look for a boost to your confidence, you should wear red clothes as this color can easily get others’ attention. - Outfit (noun): quần áo - Slim (adj): thanh mảnh Question 2: Should coursebooks be colorful? Yes, I think course books definitely need to be full of colors because colors make books more attractive. Besides, by using different colors, authors can easily express their ideas. For example, when I see a line graph just in black and white, I cannot distinguish what line belongs to what particular field. - Distinguish (v): phân biệt

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39. Describe a time when you visited a park You should say: ● When you visited it ● Who you went there with ● What you did there ● And how you felt about it (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a place you remember well that is full of colors và nhấn mạnh 1 lần cụ thể mà bạn đến công viên này) I would like to describe a time I visited a park really near my house, but it left a long-lasting impression on me. Actually this park is very close to my house, about only 1 km, but I had never visited this park before because I think it would be like others, with trees and dirty lakes. However, last month my friend invited me to a cafe in this park and then wandered around it. Though I’m a fan of monotone, and a lot of colors somehow make my eyes tired, the shades here are the exceptions. I enjoy every corner of it. It has the blue of the lake, the green of the tree leaves, the orange of some flowers in the gardens, the yellow and red of the bricks and stones leading to the lake. I jogged around the lake in that morning, seeing people wearing bright colored shoes running, playing badminton, soccer, dancing or doing aerobics. It is also relaxing to see some big white swan boats riding on the lake with lovely couples. The sun shines through the leaves and illuminates everything. I realised that some primary schools in my area usually hold a visit to this park to teach students Biology or Physical education, and several couples consider this park an ideal destination for dating, while some university clubs hold events there. I think this park is a perfect place to live closer to nature in a concrete jungle in Hanoi, and it is a pity not to visit this park regularly before. - leave a long-lasting impression on SO (phrase): để lại ấn tượng sâu sắc đến ai - wander (verb): đi dạo quanh - a concrete jungle (noun): nơi bị bê tông hoá 146 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: VISITING A PARK Question 1: Is it important to keep parks clean? Yes, I think it is really necessary to keep parks clean because they are extremely beneficial for human beings. Parks are an ideal place for us to get closer to nature and get away from it all, especially after hard-working days. - Get closer to the nature (v): hoà mình vào thiên nhiên - Get away from it all (v): tránh xa tất cả Question 2: Why should we keep parks clean? We should keep parks clean because they bring many benefits to human beings. First of all, parks provide us with vital green space, so we can go there to lift our mood and reinvigorate ourselves. Also, parks are an ideal place for us to get closer to the nature and enjoy the fresh air as they are full of trees and flowers. In addition to that, we can have some picnics with our friends there to wind down and get away from the stressful working life. - Lift SO mood (v): nâng cao tinh thần - Reinvigorate (v): sạc lại năng lượng - Wind down = relax (v): giải trí - Get away from the stressful working life (v): thoát khỏi cuộc sống bận rộn

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40. Describe a new public place you would like to visit You should say: ● Where it is ● What it is like ● How you knew this place ● And why you would like to visit it (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a place you remember well that is full of colors và nhấn mạnh đây là 1 công viên mới xây, bạn chưa ghé thăm lần nào) I would like to describe a park which is newly built in my local area and I really want to visit it in the near future. I could say that my city is like a concrete jungle, too many skyscrapers or office buildings, but fortunately recently the council was approved to construct a new park to refresh the air and to have more public spaces for citizens. More luckily, it was built very close to my house, about 1 km only. Since it was open to the public, my mom jogs around the lake every morning. She describes it as heaven. It has the blue of the lake, the green of the tree leaves, the orange of some flowers in the gardens, the yellow and red of the bricks and stones leading to the lake. It is also relaxing to see some big white swan boats riding on the lake with lovely couples. The sun shines through the leaves and illuminates everything. Since then, some primary schools in my area usually hold a visit to this park to teach students Biology or Physical education, and several couples consider this park an ideal destination for dating, while some university clubs hold events there. It is a pity that I’m not a morning riser to go to this park in the morning like my mom, and I’m also too occupied with the IELTS exam, but I think at this weekend I will arrange my time to visit it. - skyscraper (noun): toà nhà cao tầng - office building (noun): toà nhà văn phòng - refresh the air (noun): làm không khí trong lành hơn - be open to the public (phrase): mở cửa đón khách - heaven (noun): thiên đường - a morning riser (idiom): người dậy sớm - be occupied with ST (adj) = be too busy with ST: quá bận 148 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: PUBLIC PLACE Question 1: Do people prefer living in new houses or old houses and why? I think most people are more interested in living in new houses than old ones because they can refresh their mind when living in new and clean houses. Moreover, people can equip their new houses with a cutting-edge piece of furniture they are keen on without worrying about a narrow space like in old ones. - Refresh the mind (v): thư giãn đầu óc Question 2: Should old buildings be rebuilt? Why? I think it depends on the purpose of this building. If these buildings bring historical values, they should be rebuilt because they remind contemporary people of their past and they also can be an ideal place to grab visitors’ attention, especially those from other countries. However, some old buildings do not have any function, they need to be knocked down to make way for new buildings. - Rebuild (verb): xây dựng lại - Grab visitors’ attention (verb): thu hút được sự chú ý của khách du lịch - Knock down (verb): phá bỏ - Make way for (verb): nhường đường cho/ nhường chỗ cho

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41. Describe a place where you read and write (not your home) You should say: ● Where it is ● How often you go there ● Who you go there with ● And explain how you feel about this place (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a place you remember well that is full of colors và nhấn mạnh đây là nơi bạn thường đến để đọc hoặc/ và viết) I think the perfect place that I usually visit to read books or write essays is Thong Nhat park, which has just built very close to my house, about 1 km only. I enjoy every corner of this park. It has the blue of the lake, the green of the tree leaves, the orange of some flowers in the gardens, the yellow and red of the bricks and stones leading to the lake. I really love jogging around the lake in the early morning, seeing people wearing bright colored shoes running, playing badminton, soccer, dancing or doing aerobics. It is also relaxing to see some big white swan boats riding on the lake with lovely couples. The sun shines through the leaves and illuminates everything. I usually go to this park every weekend. I usually choose a quiet corner and read my favourite book from cover to cover, sometimes have a break for my eyes to be relaxed and wander around the park. There is a cafe in this park named Ever-green, with a good view over the lake, and I from time to time sit there and jot down some daily stories on my diary or even write IELTS essays. Why I love writing and reading in this park? Because the natural beauty lifts my mood a lot, I feel more willing to read or to write. I also have the joy and a lot of vibrant energy coming from all the colors in the park. - from cover to cover (idiom): đọc từ đầu sách tới cuối sách - have a break (phrase): nghỉ ngơi đôi chút - from time to time (idiom): thỉnh thoảng - jot down (phrase): viết / ghi chú vào vở / sổ - lift my mood (phrase): nâng cao tinh thần 150 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: READ AND WRITE Question 1: Which is more important, reading or writing? Though being literate plays a necessary role in our daily life, I think that reading skills are more important than writing skills as we need to know how to read before writing. Reading is kinda the foundation for writing skills. Everyone needs to be able to read, especially in contemporary life. - Literate (adj): biết đọc biết viết - Play a role in (verb): đóng vai trò Question 2: Who needs to have good writing skills? There are some kinds of professions that require people to have excellent writing skills such as content writers, or journalists as they are the ones who send out information or news by words for people from all walks of life. So, they need to own good writing skills so that different types of readers can understand what message they want to convey. - Profession (noun): chuyên ngành - Send out (verb): truyền thông tin - Walk of life (noun): mọi nẻo đường cuộc sống - Convey (verb): truyền tải Question 3: Where can people get more information, words or pictures? I think in general people can get more information from words as they are clearer to catch up with ideas. On the other hand, I also think each kind suits different types of people. For example, those who are deaf only can get information from visual materials like pictures. Similarly, those who are blind only can receive information from hearing words. - Catch up (verb): bắt - Deaf (adj): điếc - Visual (adj): mô phỏng - Blind (adj): mù

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42. Describe a change that can improve your local area You should say: - What it is - When and Where it happens - How can it improve your local area - And explain how do you think about this change (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ đề Describe a new public place you would like to visit nhưng bạn cần nhấn mạnh đến những thay đổi tích cực nó mang đến quê hương của bạn, ví dụ như thay đổi môi trường trong lành hơn, hay mọi người bắt đầu tập thể dục thường xuyên hơn. Rất chú ý xử dụng thì tương lai đơn cho câu chuyện này) I would share with you about a park which will be built in my hometown next year, and I believe it will change my hometown for the better. I could say that my city is like a concrete jungle, too many skyscrapers or office buildings, but fortunately recently the council was approved to construct a new park to refresh the air and to have more public spaces for citizens. More luckily, it is planned to be built very close to my house, about 1 km only. I think that when it is open to the public, my mom will jog around the lake every morning, and my neighbours will visit it often to do some exercise with some free equipped facilities. I also think that the primary schools in my area should hold a visit to this park to teach students Biology or Physical education, and several couples will consider this park an ideal destination for dating, while some university clubs will hold events there. But beside visual benefits as mentioned, this park will also improve air quality, too, by absorbing more air pollutants and dirts. For such promising importance, I really wish to see the construction of this park.

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PART 3: PUBLIC FACILITIES 1. What kinds of public facilities are available in your area? Actually, I am living right in the center of Hanoi capital, so I am surrounded by many amenities. Within a walking distance, I can access a lovely park where I usually do exercise in the morning. About one kilometer from my house, there is a supermarket with a variety of goods where I could buy all foods, household appliances or others. - Amenity (noun): tiện nghi 2. Where do people in communities usually have social gatherings? I think it should be a park. I see people of all ages can gather in a park for different purposes. Some old men surround a chess table while old women gather in a spacious yard to dance. I think park is a suitable place because it has much open space and fresh air, and more important, entering a park is totally free of charge. - Spacious (adj): rộng rãi 3. How do local people make use of public facilities? In my point of view, people are now more aware of taking advantage of public facilities and protecting them at the same time. For instance, there are many free of charge machines to do exercise in my nearby park: some running machines, squat racks, bench presses and so on. Local people use it quite often and even queue to use politely. - Take advantage of (verb): dùng/ sử dụng

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43. Describe a crowded place that you have been to You should say: - Which place is it? - When did you visit it? - Why do you visit it? - And explain how crowded it is? (Áp dụng ý tưởng của bài Describe a park giống như các câu hỏi phía trước nhưng người nói cần nhấn mạnh nó đông tới nhường nào và vì sao nơi này lại đông đức đến thế) I’m gonna talk about a park near my house in which sometimes I think there is no room for an apple to fall This park is newly built very close to my house, within a walking distance. I visited it sometimes, with my mother in the morning to do some exercise or simply to inhale fresh air. What impressed me it that it is such a colorful park. Though I’m a fan of monotone, and a lot of colors somehow make my eyes tired, the shades here are the exceptions. I enjoy every corner of it. It has the blue of the lake, the green of the tree leaves, the orange of some flowers in the gardens, the yellow and red of the bricks and stones leading to the lake. Actually this part is really packed, at least when I visited it. All corners are full of people from all ages, some do exercise like me, others sit and hit a book, some couples have a date in this park, students from a close school also come here for biology classes, and so on. Sometimes, finding a seat seems to be impossible, and the crowds also break the peace of this park to. I think it seems to be crowded like this because it is just recently open to the public, and you know, people are instinctly curious about a new place. Also, this park is equipped with many free exercise machines for all parts of body to work out, so it is really a great place to strengthen physical health but saves much money. All in all, I can sympathise why this park is so packed, but I wish it would be a more spacious and tranquil place. - There is no room for an apple to fall (idiom): không có khoảng trống/ chật trội - Within a walking distance (phrase): trong khoảng cách đi bộ được - Inhale (verb): hít vào - From all ages (phrase): từ mọi độ tuổi - Hit a book (verb): đọc sách - Instinctly (adv): theo bản năng 154 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

44. Describe a school you went to in your childhood You should say: ● Where it was ● What it was like ● What you learned there ● And how you felt about it (…say your elementary/ primary school name…) was the first school I went to and this is the school I will always remember. The school was in the middle of my hometown just behind the city hall, beside a big park and a pond that gave it a nice view. I got admitted to this school when I was only 4 years old and because of that, everything was new to me. I had a very positive vision of the school, teachers, friends and I was very lucky to be in this school that taught me many important aspects of education and life. I studied in this school for about 3 years and I enjoyed my time there a lot. The school was a nice place with a suitable environment for the kids. It was a 4 storied building of L shape and there were almost 200 students there. The teachers were very helpful and very friendly. I never found them in a rough mode with students. Managing and taking care of 200 students is not an easy task and to my surprise, the teachers were very dedicated and caring to do that perfectly. They always treated us like their own children and there were numerous times we got gifts from them. They have helped us a lot to prepare for our study and also taught us about the values and ethics of life. I enjoyed the environment of our school, especially the big garden, playground and canteen. I also enjoyed having such great teachers who were caring and good humans. In the break time, I used to play with my classmates and that’s something I will never forget. The childhood is magical and pleasant and for me, this became even happier because of the school I went to. - To get admitted to SW: được chấp nhận vào học - In a rough mode (prep): thái độ khó chịu - Dedicated (adj): nhiệt huyết - Caring (adj): chăm sóc - Numerous (adj): rất nhiều - Ethics (noun): đạo đức 155 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: A SCHOOL Question 1: What are the difference between the present and the past teachers? I think there are not quite a lot of differences between contemporary and past teachers. The only thing that I see clearly between teachers nowadays and the past is that teachers now can take advantage of cutting-edge technology to make their lessons more interesting to learners while those in the past did not. - Contemporary (adj): đương thời - Take advantage of (verb): lợi dụng / tận dụng - Cutting-edge (adj): (mô tả các thiết bị công nghệ) hiện đại Question 2: What are the difference between being taught by teachers and being taught by AI? There are some differences between being taught by teachers and artificial intelligence. First of all, if students are taught by teachers, they can receive feedback from their teachers, which helps them to gradually make progress. Teachers can serve as good role models for students who can help learners to try harder during their learning process. Meanwhile, learners who are taught by artificial intelligence like computers have a chance to learn more interestingly as this teaching method involves visual materials. - Make progress (verb): tiến bộ - Good role model (noun): tấm gương sáng - Visual material (noun): những thiết bị / tài liệu trực quan

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45. Describe an ideal home or apartment you would like to live in the future You should say: - Where you are living now - Where you want to live - What kind of home is your dream home - And explain why you think it is your dream home Today, I would like to share with you about the description of my ideal home. Since I work near the center of Ha Noi, it would be great to have an aparment located there so that I could commute to work more quickly and conveniently. I also like to live in a residential area with many amenities within a walking distance. For example, I can walk to a supermarket or a gym center, which makes life more convenient and helps me stay away form traffic congestion As I’m really into a cozy place, I expect it would be spacious house consisting of three bedrooms, one kitchen room, one bath room, one living room. From my perspective, this is perfect for a family including my husband, two children and me. Additionally, I want to have a garden on the balcony where I can grow various types of roses and take care of them in my leisure time. When the roses are in bloom, they will give off pleasant smell and decorate my house beautifully. Last but not least, I prefer a fully furnished house with household appliances such as refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, dish washers, washing machine because it might reduce the manual labor after I come home from work. To me, I always dream of having my own apartment because this can allow me to have more freedom to do whatever I want and I will make my dream house become a reality. • Cozy: Ấm cúng • Spacious: Rộng rãi • From my perspective: Theo cách nhìn nhận của tôi • Reality: Thực tế • Give off pleasant smell : Tỏa mùi hương dễ chịu • In bloom: Nở rộ • Leisure time: Thời gian rảnh rỗi • Fully furnished: Trang bị đầy đủ • Household appliance: Thiết bị điện gia dụng • The manual labor: Lao động chân tay • Decorate my house beautifully: Trang trí nhà thật đẹp 157 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: DREAM HOUSES 1. What are some of the housing problems that exist in your city? Well, Vietnamese citizens are faced with numerous housing problems, one of which is extortionate house prices. In big cities, urbanization and overpopulation have caused house prices to increase more than ever before. Many underpriviledged residents have to rent substandard houses to live instead of having their own home. • Underpriviledged (adj): Những người dưới tầng lớp xã hội • Extortionate (adj): Đắt cắt cổ • Substandard (adj): Không đạt tiêu chuẩn 2. What is the government doing to solve these problems? Practically, the government has come up with some possible solutions like constructing lowcost apartments for the middle class. Besides, some housing projects are carried out to allow the impoverished to borrow money to rent accomodation at a low interest rate. However, at this stage, these solutions have not proved to be really effective. • The impoverished (n): Người nghèo khổ • Low-cost apartment (n.ph): Những tòa nhà chung cư giá thấp • Low interest (n.ph): Tiền lãi ít 3. In cities in your country, are there many people who do not have a place to live? Yes, there are. Thousands of beggars and homeless people in my country cannot afford even three meals a day, let alone a place to sleep. A well-furnished house is usually regarded as a luxury in my country, especially for poor people. • Beggars (n): Những người ăn mày • Homeless (adj): Không có nhà cửa • Well-furnished house (n): Những ngôi nhà được trang bị đầy đủ 4. Do you think the prices of homes in your country are too expensive for the average person? Absolutely yes, this is a common problem in big cities like Ha Noi or Ho Chi Minh cities. Because of the population explosion and thriving social development, there is an insufficient amount of land for people to build houses and the price of land is also exorbitant. Therefore, people have to work diligently for their whole life to buy a house. • Population explosion (n): Sự bùng nổ dân số • Thriving social development (n): Sự phát triển thịnh vượng của xã hội • Diligently (adv): Chăm chỉ • Exorbitant (adj): Đắt cắt cổ 158 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

5. What are some of the reasons why the prices are so high? As I previously mentioned, this might be due to the increasing shortage of land. In modern society, many plots of land have been used for building industrial zones, contructing offices, companies, etc……, which causes the costs of lands increase significantly. • Plot of land (n): Mảnh đất • Shortage (n): Sự thiếu hụt • Industrialization zone (n): Khu công nghiệp

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DESCRIBE AN EXPERIENCE 46. Describe a time when you first met someone You should say: ● Where you met him or her ● When you met him or her ● What you talked about ● And how you felt about it I first met Hailey in a festival named Equation, which was a 3-day music festival held annually in my city in the last week of November. We were both volunteers, I took care of the artists performing on stages, and she was responsible for the arts and crafts workshops. We coincidentally sat together on a bus going to the festival site, and only after half an hour, we were on the same boat. I believe that the energy level of ours will attract people with the same vibrations. We seem to be a match. I shared with her my experience of festivals, which was little at that time; and she revealed her knowledge of wine and how organizers manipulated attendees in such events. I was astonished to learn that and decided that I would stick to her for the rest of the weekend. As I joined many activities with her in 3 days, I also discovered many interesting ways to enjoy the event without letting it become a wasted occasion. We delightedly enjoy yoga mornings, dances in the afternoon and deep talk by the fires until midnights. Before having met Hailey, I didn’t think that I could make a new friend in a crowded strange festival, but things can change and it turned out to be a happy memory to recall when we become older. - annually (adv) hàng năm - arts and crafts (n) nghệ thuật và điêu khắc - coincidentally (adv) một cách ngẫu nhiên, trùng hợp - on the same boat (n): cùng hội cùng thuyền - vibration (n) tần số - a match (n): một cặp - reveal (v): tiết lộ - manipulate (v): điều khiển - to be astonished to do (v): rất bất ngờ khi làm gì - turn out to be (v): hóa ra lại là 160 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: MAKING FRIENDS Question 1: How do people in your country make new friends? Well, there are tons of ways to make new friends in my country. But, I think most individuals make friends with their classmates who are in the same class at high school or universities. Another popular way is that people usually make friends with those who attend similar clubs or workshops because these people have something in common with them. Coworkers also can be friends if they are quite approachable. − to make friends with somebody (v): kết bạn với ai − to have something in common with somebody (v): có điểm chung gì với ai − co-workers (n): đồng nghiệp − approachable (a): dễ gần Question 2: Do you think it is strange to make friends online? Well, I think it’s common to make friends on the Internet. In the past, it might actually weird to make friends online because they did not know much about each other, and social networking sites were just a way for people to keep in touch with their old friends or relatives who lived far from them. But nowadays, making cyber friends is quite popular as long as there’s a mutual exchange, and quite interesting because they don’t have to travel anywhere. − social networking site (n): trang mạng xã hội − to keep in touch with somebody (v): giữ liên lạc với ai − to make cyber friends (v): kết bạn trên mạng − a mutual exchange (n): có cùng sở thích Question 3: Why do some people have few friends? It’s hard to say the reason why some don’t have many friends. But I guess some people have few friends because they cannot enjoy other people’s company. They don’t want to socialise with too many acquaintances that don’t make them feel comfortable. − enjoy one’s company (v): muốn dành thời gian với ai − socialise with somebody (v): hòa đồng với ai − acquaintance (n): người quen (nhưng không thân)

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Question 4: Which is more important, new friendships or old ones? I believe that old friendships are much more crucial than new ones. For old friends, we have already gone through many ups and downs together, and therefore, we understand clearly about each other. However, for new friends, we still don’t know much about them, we cannot know whether they are fair-weather friends or not. So, I more highly value old friendships than new ones. − to go through ups and downs (v): trải qua nhiều thăng trầm − fair-weather friends (n): người bạn chỉ đối tốt với bạn khi bạn thuận lợi (và sẵn sàng quay lưng khi bạn gặp khó khăn)

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47. Describe a time that you got up early in the morning You should say: ● When this happened ● What you needed to do that day ● Who you were with ● How you felt about getting up that early on that day I remember there was a time quite recently that I woke up super early in the morning, I think It was about 5 am. The reason I woke up that early was that my sister and I decided that we would climb a nearby mountain to watch the sunrise. In all my life, it was the only time I’d seen the sunrise and it was absolutely stunning. The sun illuminated the sky with an otherworldly orange hue. It looked like a perfect egg yolk, surrounded by occasional puffy white clouds that still hung over the horizon after the rainstorm the night before. Watching the sunrise from the top of the mountain on Northern Vietnam filled us with pride at our accomplishment and somehow relaxed us simultaneously, as we stood awestruck by such a unique vision of the familiar landscape below. We had climbed the mountain very slowly because honestly, it had been a long time since I’d done any strenuous exercise and both of us grew tired quickly. However, after we’d eaten some snacks and drank some apple juice at the summit, we descended much more quickly and arrived home just in time for lunch. Despite the fact I normally hate waking up early in the morning, I loved waking up early on that day so much, once every month, my sister and I set our alarm clocks and wake up with a smile. − Stunning (adj): Kinh ngạc − Illuminate (verb): Thắp sáng − Otherworldly (adj): Thế giới khác − Horizon (noun): Chân trời − Occasional (adj): Thỉnh thoảng − Accomplishment (noun): Thành tựu − Simultaneously (adv): Đồng thời − Awestruck (adv): Đứng hình − Strenuous (adj): Vất vả − Descend (verb): Đi xuống 163 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: GET UP EARLY Question 1: What kind of people usually get up early? And why? Well, I think the elder are usually early birds because of some reasons. First of all, old people cannot have so much sleep even if they try due to their age. In addition to that, most of them are in the habit of doing some gentle exercise in the early morning in order to be physically fit. That’s why I think the elder usually get up super early in the morning. - Early bird (idiom): những người dậy sớm Question 2: Is it easier for older people to get up early than young people? Yes, I reckon that it is a piece of cake for the elder to wake up in the early morning because of some reasons I’ve mentioned before. On the other hand, youngsters are usually late risers since they tend to be more energetic at night than in the morning. Those who are in their twenties usually stay up late to surf Facebook, to go to nightclubs or to meet the deadlines without paying much attention to the long-term effect of functioning against natural biological clock. - A piece of cake (idiom): thật dễ dàng - Late riser (idiom): những người dậy muộn - Pay attention to (verb phrase): chú ý đến - Long-term effect (noun): ảnh hưởng lâu dài - Natural biological clock (noun): đồng hồ sinh học tự nhiên Question 3: What are the benefits of getting up early? Getting up early in the morning means that by the time people get to school or work, so if people rise early, they are able to focus on task lists without being interrupted by their family members or coworkers. Besides, getting up early provides people with more time to acclimatize to the day, which helps to improve their concentration and enhance their productivity. - Rise early (verb): dậy sớm - Accimatize to ST (verb): quen với - Improve concentration (v.phrase): cải thiện độ tập trung - Enhance productivity (v.phrase): tăng năng suất

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Question 4: What effects does sleeping late have on a person’s life patterns? Well, there are some negative impacts on a person’s life patterns if they get up late in the morning. First of all, it makes a person lose out on some of their productive hours. In addition to that, a person who wakes up late is usually not very active and feels lethargic throughout the day, which results in their low productivity. - Lose out on (verb phrase): mấy đi - Wake up (v): thức dậy - Lethargic (adj): hôn mê - Low productivity (noun): năng suất thấp

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48. Describe an occasion when you got incorrect information You should say: ● Why you got it ● When and how you got it ● How you found it was incorrect ● And how you felt about it Recently I have encountered an unpleasant situation in which people weren’t completely honest to me I was shopping in a shopping mall in Hanoi and bought a new microwave oven several days ago. It cost me an arm and a leg so I asked the salesman whether it was a brand new one. She replied to me that it was never used before and I can bring it back within a week for an immediate exchange or a full refund if there is any mistake. So I took it home, but after trying several times, I found the equipment was not working as it claimed to be. The food in the oven was still cold after being heated for even 5 minutes. It seemed to be something wrong with the equipment. Therefore, I telephoned the after-sales department in that shop to tell them the faulty machine. They sent a technician to my home to examine the machine. That man admitted that my microwave was once sold to others before, and returned afterwards, so I bought a broken one, and I felt I was cheated and fooled by that salesman obviously. I was really angry with that salesman, I thought I trusted her, but she didn’t tell me the truth. That crafty saleswoman really made me sick. So I returned that microwave immediately but to my surprise, they refused to grant my request for an exchange. Apparently, in order to be returned, the oven must still be in the unopened packaging with original tags and tickets attached. It came to me as a huge shock and disappointment. Anyway, the lesson learned was, if something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not true. Next time I should ask carefully about the exchanges and refunds policy to find out what the catch is so that any negative feelings can be avoided later. − Cost me an arm and a leg (idiom): đắt cắt cổ − Exchange (verb): trao đổi − A full refund (noun): trả lại đủ − After-sales department (non): phòng hậu mãi − Examine (verb): kiểm tra − Fooled (adj): ngốc − Crafty (adj): láu cá 166 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

− −

Grant my request (collocation): đáp ứng yêu cầu The catch (noun): cái bẫy

PART 3: INCORRECT INFORMATION Question 1: What kinds of professions are related to giving information to others? Well, there are so many jobs related to delivering information to others. Off the top of my head, people who work in the media industry usually send out information to others by disseminating daily news on television. In addition to these people, journalists, broadcasters and practitioners usually give information to others. - Deliver information (v): truyền tải thông tin - The media industry (n): ngành công nghiệp truyền thông - Disseminating (adj): phổ biến - Broadcaster (n): phát thanh viên - Practitioner (n): bác sĩ Question 2: What is the difference between giving information by phone and by email? I think there are several differences between giving information by phone and by email. Regarding the phone, those who send out information can ensure that people receive their information and they are given the response of receivers immediately. In terms of email, receivers may ignore these emails. Besides, in case people forget the information mentioned in emails, they can read again. - Send out (v): phát ra/ truyền tin Question 3: How can people check whether a piece of information is correct or not? In order for people to verify whether a piece of information is correct, they can use Google Search to double check this information. They should check multiple sources rather than rely on one or two websites. More importantly, the websites that people check again have to come from reputable-checkable confirmed ones. - Reputable (a) có uy tín Question 4: Do people trust the information online? It depends on what source the information comes from. If it is from some reputable confirmed sources such as books, national papers, people can rely on this piece of information. However, if information available online is not verified, it can be unreliable, so people will not believe in this information. - Rely on (v): phụ thuộc vào - Verified (a): được xác nhận - Unreliable (a): đáng tin cậy 167 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

49. Describe a time when someone apologised to you You should say: • When it happened • Why he/she apologized to you • How you felt • And how do you think about this apology? Recently I have encountered an unpleasant situation in which people weren’t completely honest to me I was shopping in a shopping mall in Hanoi and bought a new microwave oven several days ago. It cost me an arm and a leg so I asked the salesman whether it was a brand new one. She replied to me that it was never used before and I can bring it back within a week for an immediate exchange or a full refund if there is any mistake. So I took it home, but after trying several times, I found the equipment was not working as it claimed to be. The food in the oven was still cold after being heated for even 5 minutes. It seemed to be something wrong with the equipment. Therefore, I telephoned the after-sales department in that shop to tell them the faulty machine. They sent a technician to my home to examine the machine. That man admitted that my microwave was once sold to others before, and returned afterwards, so I bought a broken one, and I felt I was cheated and fooled by that salesman obviously. I was really angry with that salesman, I thought I trusted her, but she didn’t tell me the truth. That crafty saleswoman really made me sick. So I returned that microwave immediately but to my surprise, they refused to grant my request for an exchange. Apparently, in order to be returned, the oven must still be in the unopened packaging with original tags and tickets attached. It came to me as a huge shock and disappointment. Anyway, the lesson learned was, if something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably not true. Next time I should ask carefully about the exchanges and refunds policy to find out what the catch is so that any negative feelings can be avoided later.

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50. Describe a time you received a call from someone you do not know in the public place You should say: ● Who called you? ● Where you received this call? ● What the call was about? ● How this call was special to you? I remember being at a restaurant for one of my friend’s birthdays when I got the most awkward call of my life so far. Right at the height of the festivities, my phone rang and it showed no caller ID. I picked it up any way of course and turned the volume to maximum because of all the noise surrounding me. I was surprised to hear a strange woman start shrieking at the top of her voice. Although she was almost unintelligible, I managed to make out:‘’ You want to run away girl? Come back and pay me what you owe”. I was very confused and utterly shocked by the ongoing abuse pouring out of the phones’ earpiece while all of my friends were sitting around listening. I was struck dumb by the torrent of anger that was flowing my way and tried to tell her that she called the wrong number. She insisted that I was trying to avoid her call and pretending that I didn’t know who she was. She was saying that if I did not pay her straight away she would come to my working office to see me in person. That was when all of my problems were solved. I was a student, I had no office for her to visit. To be sure, I asked her to tell me my own name and she answered incorrectly. I instantly felt like myself again, I calmly told her the address of an office down the road from my old high school. I announced to my silent friends that it was now somebody else’s problem and with the laughter that followed the life of the party returned. − Awkward (adj): Kì quặc − At the height of the festivities (prep): đỉnh cao của bữa tiệc/lễ hội − Shrieking (adj): hét lên − Unintelligible (adj): không thể hiểu được − Utterly (adv): hoàn toàn − Abuse (verb): lạm dụng − Earpiece (noun): tai nghe − Pretend (verb): giả bộ − Straight away (adv): ngay lập tức 169 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

51. Describe a practical skill you learned You should say: ● What it was ● When you learned it ● Why you learned it ● And how you felt about it In fact, I’m not confident talking about this skill, because I haven’t mastered it. But riding a motorbike is a highly practical skill, and any person in my country would see a lack of riding skill a huge mistake in one’s life. I was lucky enough to have my friend teach me motor riding lessons for free when we were studying in high school. My friend had a scooter at that time, and I was riding a bicycle to school every day. Figuring out my bike’s speed was only a fifth of his, I was a little pissed off and wondered how I would feel if I could ride a motorbike. So I asked him to teach me, in fact, I had to bribe him some cakes, candies and free math lessons in order to get those practices. It took me about 1 week to be fully equipped with knowledge about a motorbike and how it works. I almost got a car crash when the motorbike suddenly stopped in the middle of the road, which was a frightening experience. There were 2 times I fell off the motorbike, but fortunately my body wasn’t hurt. I now find riding a motorbike exhilarating, since I can breathe in the fresh air and the wild wind whenever I speed up. The congestion in my country may make us appear like aggressive and careless riders, but to me riding motorbike is a vital skill to survive and commute. - master sth (v): thành thục một điều gì đó - a lack of (n) sự thiếu thốn - a scooter (n): xe máy gầm thấp, phân khối nhỏ - figure out (v): phát hiện ra - a fifth (n): một phần năm; ⅕ - bribe (v): hối lộ - to be fully equipped with sth (v.phrase): được trang bị đầy đủ với - fortunately (adv): may mắn - exhilarating (adj): hào hứng - breathe in (v): hít vào - commute (v): tham gia giao thông (để đi làm/đi học) 170 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: PRACTICAL SKILLS Question 1: What is the most important practical skill in modern society? There are so many crucial practical skills that contemporary people need to learn, but I guess time management might be the most important one. In such a hectic life, people are always occupied with lots of stuff, if they cannot manage their time effectively, they will not have any spare time to do some recreational activities like hanging out with their friends, travelling to tourist attractions or hitting the gym to be physically fit. - Time management (noun): việc kiểm soát thời gian - Hectic (adj) = busy: bận rộn Question 2: What kinds of skills are difficult to learn? I think skills that somewhat require inborn talents like singing or acting are hard to get to grips with. Even though those without innate talents can make minor progress if they are persistent to learn over many years, they cannot be as proficient in this kind of skill as those with natural abilities. - Inborn = innate (adj): bẩm sinh - Get to grips with (idiom): thành thạo - Proficient in (adj): Thanh thạo cái gì Question 3: What kinds of professions require practical skills? I think that most jobs that require people to have practical skills relate to vocational training. The first job I would like to mention is chefs who extremely excel at cooking. Besides, there are some other jobs bus drivers which require driving skills and mechanics whose job is to repair machines or the engines of vehicles. - Vocational training (noun): giáo dục nghề - Chef (noun): đầu bếp - Excel at (verb): giỏi/ xuất sắc - Mechanics (adj): cơ học Question 4: What are some special skills that people can learn? Well, there are several special skills that people can learn by trial and error. One outstanding example I wanna mention is playing sports. Take Cristiano Ronaldo as an example. Even though he is not gifted with excellent football skills like Messi, he can still be one of the best football players in the world thanks to his persistent practice over many years. The case of Ronaldo reminds me of a saying “Hard work pays off”, so we can learn any skill as long as we make a great attempt to do this. - to learn by trial and error: học hỏi qua trải nghiệm và sai lầm - gifted with (adj): có tài năng - make a great attempt (v): nỗ lực hết mình 171 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

52. Describe a new skill you learned that you think is important You should say: - What skill is it? - How did you learn it? - Are you good at this skill now? - Why do you think it is important? Có thể áp dụng câu trả lời hoàn toàn trùng khớp với câu hỏi Describe a practical skill you learned 53. Describe a time when you taught an older person something new You should say: ● When it happened ● Who you taught ● Why you taught this person ● And how you felt about it (Áp dụng ý tưởng của đề Describe a practical skill you learned nhưng nhấn mạnh đây là kỹ năng bạn dạy 1 người nào đó đã lớn tuổi) I would like to share about the experience of teaching my mom how to ride a motorbike. Riding a motorbike is a highly practical skill, and any person in my country would see a lack of riding skill a huge mistake in one’s life. However, for an elderly person like my mother, riding a motorbike seems to be new because she used to cycle before. So when I was a freshman and had mastered riding motorbike, I decided to teach her, too. At first, she seemed to hesitate to learn, but then figuring out her bike’s speed was only a fifth of me, she was motivated to learn it. So it took me about 1 week to fully equip her with knowledge about a motorbike and how it works. Then, we were in a stadium for her to have the first ride. There were 2 times she fell off the motorbike, but fortunately, her body wasn’t hurt. Then, she could monitor her motorbike professionally and gradually increased her speed. Talking about my feeling about this experience, well it’s quite funny because I see my mother happy with her new skill. The congestion in my country may make us appear like aggressive and careless riders, but to me riding a motorbike is a vital skill to survive and commute, and I’m quite happy about helping my mom know how to ride a motorbike. 172 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: TEACH OLDER PEOPLE Question 1: Do you think old people know more things than young people I think it depends on what kinds of knowledge it is. Because of exposure to a longer life, old people are usually more experienced than youngsters. They have more knowledge about how to deal with some particular problems. For example, when I got a slight cold in the past, my grandpa gave me some types of herbs, which helped me recover within a short time. However, there are several kinds of knowledge such as technology that youngers are more excellent than the elderly. − exposure to a longer life (n): sống lâu hơn − experienced (adj): có kinh nghiệm − get a slight cold (v): cảm lạnh nhẹ − herb (noun): các loài vật nuôi trong nhà − recover (v): hồi phục Question 2: Is it easy for old people to use new technology? Well, it depends on each old person. Some old people can easily get to grips with using contemporary technology. However, there are some who are bad at learning new things, especially technology, so it’s hard for them to use this technology even after following stepby-step instructions. - Get to grips with (idiom): thành thạo với …. - Comtemporary (adj): đương thời - Step-by-step instruction (noun): hướng dẫn cụ thể từng bước Question 3: Why do some old people refuse to use new technology? Some old people are not keen to use cutting-edge technology because they are quite narrow-minded, they don’t want to learn new things which are completely different from what they often do. In addition to that, some of the elderly don’t use modern labour-saving devices such as washing machines or dishwashers because they have much free time to do manually. narrow-minded - Cutting-edge (adj): hiện đại - Narrow-minded (adj): hẹp hòi - Labour-saving (adj): tiết kiệm sức lao động - Manually (adv): bằng tay

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Question 4: What are the advantages and disadvantages for old people to use smart phone? Using cellphones brings both benefits and detriments for the elderly. About the advantages, by using smartphones to read daily news on the Internet, old people can keep abreast of the latest trend, and therefore they would be more open-minded. Smartphones can help old people to remind of upcoming appointments like a medical check-up. However, overexposing smartphones adversely affects the elderly’s eyes. - Keep abreast of (v) = catch up with: bắt kịp với - Open-minded (adj): sẵn sàng đón nhận cái mới - Remind of (v): nhắc nhở về - A medical check-up (noun): kiểm tra sức khoẻ - Over-expose to ST (verb): tiếp cận quá nhiều vói cái gì - Adversely (adv): tiêu cực

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54. Describe an experience that you got bored when you were with others? You should say: ● When it was ● Who you were with ● What you did ● And explain why you were bored The most boring moments can happen when we are with the wrong person. I have experienced it when my friend tried to match me up and scheduled a coffee date with one of her male friends. We were in the coffee shop, in the morning. I remember exactly what he ordered a black Americano, and I had a cup of coconut coffee. We had a short conversation about our personal information, and then it geared towards a very strange situation. That man kept talking about his preferences of movies and previous dates, while I had no reason to escape from the scene without being rude. To me, that hour was as boring as hearing the same lecture ten times without any passion for it. I tried to pick up some interesting facts in his stories, in the hope of a question from him for me to talk. But it was in vain. At first, the chance of getting in turns to share my favorite hobbies and leisures was still ambiguous; I sat there with a smiley face. But then, the chance got slimmer and slimmer, I just wanted to end the date quickly to go home. And finally it did. I think I got bored not because my date was a boring person, but because we didn’t have anything in common. He was not a good listener, and I don’t have any feelings for a person who only cares about himself. − Match sb up (v): kết hợp ai đó với người khác − Schedule (v): lên lịch − Gear towards (v): chuyển hướng/lệch hướng sang − Escape from the scene (v): trốn thoát − Rude (adj): thô lỗ − Passion (n): đam mê − Pick up (v): nhặt lên/ chọn lọc − to do ST in vain (adj): vô vọng/ thất bại − Get in turns (phrase): nói lần lượt, theo thứ tự − Ambiguous (adj): mơ hồ − Slim chance (n): ít có cơ hội. 175 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: BOREDOM Question 1: Why do people get bored? People can get bored because of many reasons. They’re easily tired of doing the same tasks on a daily basis. Some people are bored because they are forced to do something they’re not interested in. For example, some students who have a thirst for art are forced to learn economics, that’s why they can’t be pleasant. - Be tired of (adj): quá chán ngán với việc gì - Have a thirst for (v.phrase): thèm khát điều gì Question 2: Why are people less interested in reading books nowadays? Contemporary children show less interest in reading books because of the presence of many other recreational activities that are more interesting. Some common activities that every kid enjoys are playing games on iPads, watching cartoons on TV. Additionally, because parents are now up to ears in work, they don’t spend time taking their children to bookstores to provoke their interest in reading books. - Recreational activity (noun): hoạt động giải trí - Be up to ears in ST (idiom): quá bận với việc gì - Provoke interest in ST (v.phrase): khêu gợi sự hứng thú với …

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55. Describe an advice you received on your subjects or work You should say: ● What it was ● Who you received it from ● What you did after receiving it ● And how you felt about it I would like to talk about a valuable piece of advice I received when I was in my college from my father. At that time, I decided to set up the business – running a coffee shop near my college. The idea appeared in my mind while I was drinking coffee at a small but crowding shop, so I thought that it would be beneficial for me to have such a shop and with the earnings, I would be able to meet my expenses. However, it totally went belly up because I did not have enough ability to manage and control everything in my café, and you can guess, the project was at the risk of going bankrupt. Luckily, my father gave me a piece of advice and his advice saved me from a huge loss and misery. He taught me to balance the books between capital and expenses. He also told me to go into business with his best friend – Mr Lam to avoid risks and even make a profit due to his experience. Thanks to his advice, I could keep head above water after a long time in trouble. It would be a memorable lesson to me, which I realized that launching a product never seemed to be easy. Furthermore, to achieve the goal, you need to learn to crawl before you walk, I mean the forehead experiences should be priceless. All in all, it was the most valuable advice I received which encouraged me a lot to habour my dream to become a businessman in the future. - set up the business (verb): to start a business – bắt đầu công việc kinh doanh - meet my expenses (verb): to make a payment that needs to be made – có thể chi trả được - go belly up (id): To fail completely – thất bại - go bankrupt (verb): Stop running a business – phá sản - balance the books (verb): to not spend more money than earning – cân bằng tài chính - go into business with (verb): to join another person to start or expand a business – hợp tác kinh doanh - keep head above water (id): to deal with a difficult situation, especially one in which you have financial problems, and just manage to survive – sống sót 177 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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launching a product (verb): to start selling and promoting a new product – bắt đầu bán 1 sản phẩm learn to crawl before you walk (id): You have to learn the basics first, you have to start a bit at a time, you can't get ahead of yourself – học bò trước khi học chạy

PART 3: ADVICE ON WORK/ STUDY Question 1: Why do so many young people choose communication or media studies as their major? There are several reasons why many youngsters opt for majoring in communication or media subjects. Firstly, as these majors are truly contemporary subjects that are relevant to their daily life, people find it more practical to learn than academic subjects like science. Secondly, it’s extremely interesting and hands-on to make our own film, write our own newspaper or set up our own website. Last but not least, learning those subjects allows students to expose to cutting-edge technology, so many young people are interested in these subjects. - Major in (verb): chuyên về - Academic subject (noun): những môn học học thuật - Hands-on (adj): thực tiễn Question 2: Why do young people find it hard to make career choices? I think it’s not easy for youngsters to make up their mind what career they should pursue because most of them still don’t know what they are interested in. Furthermore, they don’t have any working experience in a particular field, so they don’t know what tasks involve in one job, that’s why they find it hard to choose a job. - Make up SO mind (v.phrase): đưa ra quyết định - Involve in (v.phrase): có liên quan đến

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56. Describe a time that you gave advice to others You should say: ● Who you gave advice to ● What the advice was ● Why you gave advice ● And how you felt about the advice (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ đề Describe an advice you received on your subjects or work nhưng hoán đổi vai trò, bạn là người đưa ra lời khuyên chứ không phải người nhận lời khuyên) Friends and families usually come to me for advice when they are into troubles because I get on a bit in comparison with my real age and is also a good listener. The most recent situation is when my younger brother asked me for advice about his business. My brother decided to set up the business – running a coffee shop near his college with the wish to meet his expenses. However, it totally went belly up because he did not have enough ability to manage and control everything in his café, and you can guess, the project was at the risk of going bankrupt. Because I was also a self-employer – I open my own English Center but run it quite well, I think I have more experience than him. So, I needed to do something to save him from a huge loss and misery. I taught him to balance the books between capital and expenses and advised him to go into business with his best friend to share duty, profit and experience, too. After that, he obeyed my advice and could keep head above water after a long time in trouble. It is a really nice experience for me, because I did give him a hand when he was really in difficulty and my advice worked well. Actually I think that is also the first time that he totally listened to me. - Get on a bit (v): già hơn so với tuổi - Self-employer (n): tự làm chủ công việc của mình - Give SO a hand (v.phrase); giúp đỡ ai đó - Advice works well: lời khuyên tỏ ra hiệu quả

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PART 3: GIVING ADVICES Question 1: What kinds of advice do parents give to their children? As parents want nothing but the best for their children, they always give their children many kinds of advice and the most common type, I think, is about studying. They always instill in their children’s minds that they have to study hard in order to land a rewarding job in the future. In addition to that, they usually give their children sound advice about a romantic relationship that they have to choose the right partner so that they will not end up being broken-hearted. - Instill in …mind (v): thấm nhuần … trong tư tưởng - Land a rewarding job (v): tìm được 1 công việc tốt - Sound advice (n): lời khuyên đúng đnaws - Broken-hearted (a): đau lòng Question 2: How do experts give advice to others? (e.g: doctor give advice to his patients) I think experts give others advice only when they understand clearly about the problems of these individuals. For example, doctors cannot easily give medical advice to their patients who are suffering from illness without listening to patients’ complaints about their health and undergoing a medical examination. They need to know the health condition of one person before giving them advice. - Medical advice (n): lời khuyên về chăm sóc sức khoẻ - Suffering from … (v): chịu đựng ….. - Undergo (v): trải qua - A medical examination (n): khám sức khoẻ Question 3: What advice do parents give to teenagers about making friends? I think parents usually advise their children not to make fair-weather friends so that they cannot be taken advantage of. Also, parents usually advise their children to play with someone who is studious and disciplined because they want their children to learn from these good personalities. Friends who have superiority complex are not usually advised to make friends with. - Take advantage of (v): lợi dụng ai đó - Fair-weather friend (n): bạn chỉ bên ta khi ta giàu có - Studious (a): chăm chỉ - Disciplined (a): có tính kỉ luật - Superiority complex (n): trọng mình khinh bạn 180 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Question 4: Whose advice is more helpful? Parents’ or friends’? I think it depends on the kind of advice that we need. Parents are more experienced than friends, so we might get a wiser or more sensible answer from them. However, friends are less likely to become too worried if we go to them with a problem. For example, if I have a financial problem, I will probably tell my friends instead of my parents as I don’t want to burden them. - Sensible (a): nhạy cảm - A financial problem (n): vấn đề về tài chính - Burden (v): trở thành gánh nặng

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57. Describe a time when you helped someone You should say: - Who did you helped? - When did you help? - How did you help? - How did you feel about it? Áp dụng câu trả lời của Describe a time that you gave advice to others nhưng nên nhấn mạnh rằng bạn giúp họ bằng cách đưa họ lời khuyên. The most recent situation I helped someone is when my younger brother asked me for advice about his business. My brother decided to set up the business – running a coffee shop near his college with the wish to meet his expenses. However, it totally went belly up because he did not have enough ability to manage and control everything in his café, and you can guess, the project was at the risk of going bankrupt. Because I was also a self-employer – I open my own English Center but run it quite well, I think I have more experience than him. So, I needed to do something to save him from a huge loss and misery. I taught him to balance the books between capital and expenses and advised him to go into business with his best friend to share duty, profit and experience, too. After that, he obeyed my advice and could keep head above water after a long time in trouble. Actually it is not a financial help as you might think, but in this case, I think giving advices is an invaluable help because his business did recover a bit and is gradually better. It is a really nice experience for me, because I did give him a hand when he was really in difficulty and my advice worked well. Also, actually I think that is also the first time that he totally listened to me.

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58. Describe a situation when you celebrated your achievement You should say: ● What you did ● When you celebrated it ● Who you celebrated it with ● And how you felt about it I would like to talk about a home warming party I held last month. After five years of working really hard, my husband and I have just afforded a small apartment of our own. As for me, it is a really big achievement in my life, and I want to call it a milestone. You know, during my student life or even after graduation, I had to rent a small untidy room and sometimes had to relocate to different places. That was such a terrible period because not until you have settled down can you thrive. That’s why I did throw a party with the attendance of my beloved family members to share this pleasure in my new home. Our home warming party has the attendance of my biological parents, my parents in law, my brothers and some close relatives, because they all support me mentally and financially to turn my dream come true. I cooked many dishes and serve a feast on the table, we then discussed the interior decoration of the house, the financial management in order to pay the rest, you know we pay in installment, and many other stories. The happiest moment is all attendants prepared different presents for us, most of which are furniture or household appliances that are really useful and meaningful to me and my small family. - Home warming party (noun): tiệc tân gia - Afford ST (verb): đủ khả năng chi trả cái gì - Milestone (noun): dấu mốc của cuộc đời - Not until you settled down can you thrive: an cư lạc nghiệp - Throw a party (idiom): tổ chức 1 bữa tiệc - Biological parent (noun): bố mẹ đẻ - Parent in law (noun): bố mẹ chồng - Feast (noun): bữa tiệc lớn - Interior decoration (noun): nội thất - Pay in installment (verb phrase): trả góp - Household appliance (noun phrase): thiết bị gia dụng 

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PART 3: CELEBRATE AN ACHIEVEMENT Question 1: How do Vietnamese people celebrate their family events? Is there anything different from other countries? I see that the way Vietnamese people celebrate their family events like Tet holiday is quite different from that of other countries. Vietnamese individuals usually return to their hometowns on those special days to have family gatherings. It’s time for us to spend quality time with our beloved ones and feast on great delicacies together. But for some other nations, especially western ones they usually eat out instead of eating at their cozy home. - Family gathering (noun): sự đoàn tụ gia đình - Beloved (adj): thân yêu - Feast on (verb): ăn một lượng thức ăn lớn Question 2: Why is it important for sports fans to celebrate when their favourite team wins? As I’m not a big fan of any particular sports team, I don’t know the exact reason why fans need to celebrate when their team wins, but I guess that they need to do so in order to cheer up players. And it’s kinda a better way for players to feel a sense of accomplishment. Also, players will try harder next time when they see their continuous attempts are recognized. - Be a big fan of ST (noun phrase): là fan lớn - Cheer up (verb): chúc mừng - A sense of accomplishment (noun): cảm giác vui vẻ vì đạt được thành tích gì Question 3: Do people prefer winning in a team or on their own? I think that people are more interested in winning by themselves than winning in a group because they can see that their own effort pays off. Also when players win solely, they are definitely recognized by their fans. Meanwhile when players win in a team, they may not be recognized by the audience. For example, in every football match, there are always outstanding players that the audience recognizes their talent, while other players may not be recognized or even may be forgotten. - Pay off (verb): được đền đáp xứng đáng - Solely (adv): một mình

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59. Describe an occasion when you invite your family or friends to dinner You could say: ● When you invited them ● Where you had the dinner ● Why you invited them ● And how you felt about this dinner (Một phần ý tưởng từ đề Describe a situation when you celebrated your achievement nhưng nhấn mạnh hơn về việc bạn mời bạn bè/ người thân như thế nào) I would like to talk about a dinner I invited my family last month, and it was also a special dinner I had with them. After five years working really hard, my husband and I have just afforded a small apartment of our own. As for me, it is a really big achievement in my life, and I want to call it a milestone. You know, during my student life or even after graduation, I had to rent a small untidy room and sometimes had to relocate to different places. That was such a terrible period because not until you have settled down can you thrive. That’s why I did throw a home warming party with the attendance of my beloved family members to share this pleasure in my new home. Our home warming party has the attendance of my biological parents, my parents in law, my brothers and some close relatives, because they all support me mentally and financially to turn my dream come true. I cooked many dishes and serve a feast on the table, we then discussed about the interior decoration of the house, the financial management in order to pay the rest, you know we pay in installment, and many other stories. More meaningful, I haven’t had any dinner with my extended family like this for so long, simply because we, I mean both my husband and I, had to work nonstop recently to pay for this apartment. Therefore, this dinner is also a family reunion to me.

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PART 3: HAVING DINNER Question 1: Where do people in your country usually eat? At restaurants or at home? Although eating out has become more and more common than in past, people in my country usually eat at home. It’s simply because the costs of eating at restaurants are quite exorbitant. People usually go outside to eat at the weekend or some special occasions to spoil themselves. - Eat out (v): ăn ngoài - Exorbitant (a): đắt đỏ - Spoil SO (v): làm hư ai đó Question 2: Why do more and more people like to eat at restaurants rather than at home? There are some major reasons why people prefer eating out to eating at home. First of all, since they are now up to their ears in work or study, they cannot manage time to buy stuff in the market, prepare for ingredients, and then cook them, eating at restaurants is their preferred choice. In addition to that, restaurants serve customers a wide range of great delicacies that they may not cook by themselves at home. Last but not least, people do not have to worry about washing dishes after meals. - Be up to SO ears in ST (idiom): bận rộn - Ingredient (n): thành phần - Preferred choice (n): sự lựa chọn được ưu tiên - Great delicacy (n): món ngon Question 3: What are the advantages and disadvantages of eating at restaurants? I think the main benefit of eating out is it helps people save a great deal of time as they do not have to go to the market to buy stuff and cook them. Besides, there are a wide range of delicious cuisines at restaurants that people may not cook on their own at home. However, eating at restaurants costs the earth for many people. Moreover, people cannot make sure the quality of food cooked at restaurants. - Cuisine (n): món ăn truyền thống - On their own (prep): tuỳ theo ý mình - Cost the earth (idiom): rất đắt đỏ

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Question 4: Do you think it is possible that everyone will eat at restaurants instead of at home in the future? No I don’t think so. I believe that home-cooked meals play an essential part in our daily life even in the future when people are wealthier. As people are becoming more and more health-conscious and they can ensure high-quality food when they cook at home, eating at home will still be their preferred choice. - Home-cooked meal (n): bữa ăn nấu ở nhà - Play an essential part in (v): đóng vai trò quan trọng - Health-conscious (a): quan tâm đến sức khoẻ

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60. Describe a time where you were a member of a team You should say: • what it was • who were the members of the team • what role did you play in this team • how you achieved your goal I’m gonna talk about one of my best experiences that I was part of a team. It’s when I was a senior and had to prepare for a presentation in the final exam. My teacher made teams of five members and the team members were selected randomly. Luckily, I got on well with all other members, so we could work in a team easily. As I was a bookworm in the team, I was assigned to collect data about the topic, but the other members also helped. I still remember vividly that I spent the whole week reading books in the library. Actually I was engrossed in lots of journals and books, and finally collect a great deal of useful data. That test was incredibly important to us at that time because if we failed, we had to resit the exam and had no chance to receive a scholarship in that term. Therefore, my college buddies and I tried our best to make the best presentation. Luckily, we all did really well. And I really had to say “Hard work pays off”. Our team aced the test and got the highest mark in class. At that time, I felt over the moon as I got a scholarship at the end of the term thanks to that high grade. All in all, I feel that it’s so useful to cooperate with others to undertake a task because I can learn a lot from each member. • senior (n): sinh viên năm cuối • get on well with somebody (phr. verb): hòa thuận với ai • bookworm (n): mọt sách • vividly (adv): một cách rõ ràng • engrossed in something (adj): đắm chìm vào cái gì • a great deal of (quanti.): nhiều • resit the exam (collo.): thi lại • college buddy (n): bạn đại học • hard work pays off (idiom): sự chăm chỉ sẽ được đền đáp xứng đáng • ace the test (collo.): đạt điểm cao trong bài thi • over the moon (idiom): vui, hào hứng • undertake a task (collo.): thực hiện một nhiệm vụ 188 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: TEAMWORK 1. Is teamwork important? Yes, I think teamwork plays a vital role both in work and study. Two heads are always better than one. I mean working in a team is the best way to learn from others who are better than me and to discuss and argue to come up with creative ideas. • Two heads are better than one (idiom): Một cây làm chẳng nên non, ba cây chụm lại nên hòn núi cao 2. How can people learn teamwork skills? By practicing, I think. At school even from kindergarten, you can see that schools organise many activities and projects that students are required to collaborate with others. For instance, when Lunar New Year is coming, my son with some of his classmates will make Chung cake - a traditional cake with sticky rice and meat. So in this case, they learn to distribute tasks to members, to solve problems together ..... • Kindergarten (noun): trường mầm non • Collaborate with SO (verb): hoạt động theo nhóm với …. • Sticky rice (noun): gạo nếp 3. Why team sports are becoming popular? A more valuable thing about team sports in comparison with solo sports is social networks. When you take part in a team sport, such as football, volleyball or basketball, you have chances to meet others, to socialise with them, to enhance your teamwork skills. That's maybe the main reason for the popularity of team sports. • social networks (noun): mối quan hệ xã hội

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61. Describe a time you wouldn't use the mobile phone You should say: • When it was • Where it was • Why you could not use your mobile phone • And how you felt about it I’m gonna talk about an experience that I was not allowed to use my mobile phone. It’s when I sat for the entrance exam. I still vividly that at the end of the time when I was a senior at high school, I had to burn the midnight oil to prepare for the entrance exam. On the day I took the exam, I left my mobile phone on my pocket by accident until I came in the test room. When the examiner informed all students about rules, one of the rules was that students must not use their phones. And if a student used his phone, even not deliberately, he would not be allowed to do the test any more and his test result would be removed. Luckily, I checked my pocket and found out that I still kept my phone on my pocket. At that time, I was really frightened, but still calm enough to ask for the examiner’s permission to bring the phone outside. I think all students could not use their phone in any exam because if they used phone, they could search the information or answer of the test on the Internet. So, the test could not assess the real ability of students. Actually, at that time I was scared to death, but still felt fortunate because I did not forget my phone on the pocket, and obeyed all rules of the exam. Thanks to that, I could ace the entrance exam and passed University of Languages and International Studies, my all-time favourite university. • sit for the entrance exam (collo.): dự kỳ thi Đại học • vividly (adv): một cách rất rõ ràng • senior (n): học sinh năm cuối (trường cấp 3)/ sinh viên năm cuối (ĐH) • burn the midnight oil (idiom): học hành chăm chỉ • by accident (idiom): không có ý • deliberately (adv): có tình • ask for one’s permission (collo.): xin sự cho phép của ai • scared to death (idiom): rất sợ hãi • obey rules (collo.): tuân thủ luật lệ • ace the entrance exam (collo.): đạt điểm cao trong kỳ thi ĐH 190 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: NOT USE MOBILE PHONE 1. Do young people and old people use mobile phones in the same way? I would say no. For young people, they are more addicted to using phones. I mean they keep gluing their eyes to phones' screens quite often, to play games, listen to music, chat chit with friends or watch films. For older people, most of them just use some most popular functions of phones such as making calls and sending text messages. • Glue the eyes to ST (verb): dán mắt vào màn hình 2. Should children be not allowed to use mobile phones? Yes or no. I think using mobile phones is very educational and entertaining. For instance, my little son likes listening to English nursery songs and he reacts quite quickly and learns a few words. I mean using phones in a proper way is very useful, but I think parents should control the content or time their children access mobile phones. Overusing it is damning and detrimental to health. • Nursery song (noun): nhạc thiếu nhi • Detrimental (adj): có hại 3. Why are some people addicted to their mobile phones? I think it really makes sense. Mobile phones house too many funny things such as films, music or social media. If we are not suspicious about its disadvantages, we will become overreliant on phones unconsciously. - Make sense (verb): dễ hiểu - Suspicious (adj): cảnh giác - Unconsciously (adv): vô thức

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DESCRIBE AN ACTIVITY 62. Describe a water sport you would like to try in the future You should say: ● What it is ● Where you would like to try it ● How difficult it is ● And why you would like to try it I have to confess that I am not a sports lover and hardly take up any sports at all. But recently I watched some competitions on TV in the ASIAD 2018 and was quite impressive with a common sport, which is swimming. Unlike other sports, there are no rules to follow when you swim. Basically, swimming is just a combination of your leg and arm motions and the natural floatation of the body. To progress as a swimmer, you need to take up exercise and practice with a personal trainer as well as wear some special swimming costumes such as a swim cap or glasses to protect your hair and eyes from chemicals in the swimming pool. I came across a swimming competition when coming home from work and found my father stick his eyes to the TV screen. I guessed it should be something very spectacular or interesting and it drew my attention. I came closer to my TV and watched it with him, and in the end, I found it worth trying. I want to play this sport because of two main reasons. It helps me get into shape and build endurance because it provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of my muscles are used during swimming. Additionally, I also feel liberal and flexible when I’m deep into the water. All daily stress and hardness are set aside when I come to the swimming pool where my whole body and brain are released. Finally, it is clear that the swimming pool is an ideal place to help me escape from the extremely hot weather in the summer.

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− Natural floating (noun phrase): Nổi tự nhiên − Take up exercise (phrase): Bắt đầu tập luyện − Personal trainer = a person who is paid by somebody to help them exercise, especially by deciding what types of exercise are best for them (noun): Huấn luyên viên cá nhân − Have a crack at practicing (idiom): Nỗ lực tập luyện − Get into shape (collocation): Cơ thể cân đối khỏe mạnh − Build endurance = To increase the ability to continue doing something painful or difficult for a long time (verb phrase): Tăng khả năng chịu đựng − All-over body workout (noun phrase): Cả cơ thể cùng được hoạt động − To be deep into (collocation): Hòa mình vào PART 3: WATER SPORT Question 1: What is the difference between outdoor sports and indoor sports? I think outdoor sports like football usually require much strength while indoor ones don’t need it. In addition to that, indoor sports are usually equipped with some cutting-edge technology to play whereas outdoor sports usually don’t have. - cutting-edge (adj): hiện đại Question 2: What kinds of water sports are popular nowadays? Well, I guess swimming is the most popular aquatic sport nowadays as it is a life skill that helps people in a moment of emergency. Also, there are some other common water sports such as windsurfing and water polo which are really adventurous. Actually, I see people are filled with a great sense of excitement and enjoyment when they play these types of aquatic sports. - Aquatic sport (n): thể thao dưới nước - Emergency (noun): tình huống khẩn cấp - Windsurfing (noun): lướt gió - water polo (noun): bóng nước - adventurous (adj): mạo hiểm - a great sense of excitement and enjoyment (noun): cảm giác hào hứng và vui vẻ

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Question 3: Why should we develop water sports? Actually, as many kinds of sports, aquatic sports also bring relaxation and fun. It also allows them to keep fit and build up their muscle and stamina. Last but not least, many people are really into involving in these aquatic activities because they can escape from scorching summer days. That’s why we should develop these kinds of sports.” - Aquatic sports (noun): Môn thể thao nước - Keep fit (verb): Giữ dáng - Build up their muscle and stamina (v.phrase): Rèn luyện cơ bắp và sự dẻo dai - Scorching summer days (noun): Những ngày hè nóng nực Question 4: Do you think it is necessary for everyone to learn to swim? Yes, I think it is extremely necessary for people to take up swimming because of its great benefits. First of all, swimming is kinda a life skill that helps people in moments of need and emergencies. In addition to that, swimming provides an all-over body workout that helps swimmers get in shape and build endurance. Last but not least, it allows swimmers to escape from scorching summer days. - Take up (v.phrase): bắt đầu - An all-over body workout (noun): vận động toàn cơ thể - Get in shape (v): giữ dáng - Build endurance (v.phrase): xây dựng sự dẻo dai

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63. Describe an experience that you enjoyed an indoor game You should say: ● What the indoor game was ● Who you played it with ● Where you played it ● And how you felt about it As a child I enjoyed playing chess. I think chess is probably the best known board game in the world. It’s a game for two players, and the aim is to defeat the other player by taking his or her pieces and eventually trapping his King. This final move is called checkmate. I remember that it was a classmate of mine at primary school who first taught me to play chess. He had a small, portable chess set, and once I knew how each piece moved, we started playing at break and lunch times; we played in our classroom or outside on the school playground. Later my parents bought me my own chess set as a birthday present so that I could play at home. I taught my younger brother to play, and at some point I joined the school chess club. There I had the chance to hone my skills against some of the older pupils, and in my final year of primary school I made it onto the school team. There were five of us on the team, and we competed against children from other primary schools in the same town. I liked playing chess because I enjoyed the challenge of thinking ahead and trying to outwit my opponent. I was probably seven or eight years old when I started playing, and it seemed like a very mysterious and intellectual game at that time. Also, although I loved winning, chess taught me to learn from my losses and to congratulate the person who had beaten me. (ielts-simon.com) - Board game (noun): trò chơi trên bàn cơ - Trap (verb): giăng bẫy - Checkmate (noun): chiếu tướng - At break and lunch time (phrase): giờ giải lao và giờ ăn trưa - Hone skill (verb): mài dũa kỹ năng nào đó - Compete against SO (phrase): chiến đấu chống lại - Think ahead (verb phrase): nghĩ trước - Outwit opponent (verb phrase): đánh bại đối thủ - Mysterious (adj): huyền bí - Intellectual (adj): có tính trí tuệ 195 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: INDOOR GAMES Question 1: What indoor games do children like to play nowadays? Some contemporary games are video games that relate to state-of-the-art technology like Ipads, but sometimes they can be addicted to these games, too. There are some really interesting indoor games kids are interested in like playing with lego, or Simon says, and they can stimulate strategy-building skills. - Addicted to (adj): nghiện vái gì - Strategy-building skill (noun): kỹ năng xây dựng chiến thuật Question 2: What qualities should a team leader have? I think in order to become a good team leader, people need to have certain qualities. First of all, leaders need to be excellent at communication skills as they have to communicate regularly to divide tasks and present their expectations to team members. I also think that effective team leaders need to possess strong organizational skills that help their team to plan clear objectives and strategies in order to perform optimally. - Possess (verb) = own: sở hữu - Organisational skill (noun): kỹ năng tổ chức - Optimally (adv): tối ưu hoá Question 3: Is teamwork important to individuals? Yes, collaboration plays a crucial role in our contemporary life as we usually have to perform tasks in a group. In academic environments like schools, students usually have to study in a team as they need to have a group presentation or joint research. In the workplace, people also have to work with their colleagues so that they can finish tasks to meet deadlines. So, individuals need to learn how to be part of a team. - Collaboration (noun): sự hợp tác - Meet the deadlines (v): kịp tiến độ

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DESCRIBE YOUR FAVOURITE….. 64. Describe a game show or a quiz program you watched on TV or online You should say: ● Where you watched it ● What it was like ● How often you watched it ● And explain why you liked/ disliked it I’m going to talk about “Who wants to be a millionaire”, one of my favorite TV shows ever. As far as I can remember, it was originally a UK TV Game Show, and it made its first debut in Vietnam around 10 years ago. This was kind of a quiz show in which contestants have to go through a set of 15 questions with increasing difficulty. The first 5 questions are pretty silly really, and they always give me and my family a good laugh. Contestants are given 4 lifelines to aid them with difficult questions, and most of them are usually used up when the contestant reaches around question 7 or 8. The entire show is a sea of knowledge. Many questions from different fields are asked, ranging from trivial things like ingredients needed to make cookies to academic stuff like quantum physics and archeology. You know, I’m quite a curious man, so back when I was a high school kid, I hardly missed an episode. When the Internet became available in Vietnam, I started to watch the UK and US version as well, and knowledge acquired from those shows were really helpful to me in many of my high school knowledge quizzes. An interesting thing in this TV show is that the master of ceremony has a great sense of humor, who brings many funny moments to this show. I think “Who wants to be a millionaire” is one of the most interesting and worth-watching TV shows. You can not only entertain yourself after hard work but also widen your knowledge. − Debut (noun): The first public appearance of something - lần đầu tiên xuất hiện trước công chúng − Contestant (noun): a person who takes part in a contest - Thí sinh tham gia cuộc thi − Silly (adj): showing a lack of thought, understanding or judgement - Ngốc nghếch − To give somebody a good laugh (verb phrase): to make someone laugh in excitement - làm ai đó cười khoái chí 197 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

− Lifeline (noun): a line or rope thrown to rescue somebody who is in difficulty in the water - Phao cứu hộ − A sea of knowledge (noun phrase): a lot of knowledge - biển kiến thức − Trivial (adj): having little value or importance - Nhỏ, vụn vặt − Quantum physics (noun): The branch of science that investigates the principles of quantum theory to better understand the behaviour of particles at the subatomic level - Vật lý lượng tử − Archeology (noun): the study of cultures of the past, and of periods of history by examining the remains of buildings and objects found in the ground - Khảo cổ học − Master of ceremony (noun phrase): a person who acts as host at a formal event - Người dẫn chương trình − A great sense of humor (noun phrase): the ability to find things amusing - Tính hài hước PART 3: QUIZ Question 1: Why do people like to watch TV shows? I reckon that most people watch the box for recreational and educational purposes. In terms of entertainment, as people now lead a hectic life and always feel stressed out, watching these TV shows is an effective way for them to put their feet up after work. About education, people can acquire knowledge about various topics like science, wildlife, and history when watching TV. For example, the game show “Who wants to be a millionaire?” provides the audience with many useful pieces of information. - watch the box: (watch TV) xem tivi - lead a hectic life (v.phrase): sống cuộc sống bận rộn - stressed out (adj): căng thẳng - put the feet up (idiom): giải trí/ giải toả căng thẳng - acquire knowledge about ST (v.phrase): có thêm kiến thức về … Question 2: What kinds of TV shows do people like to watch? There are a wide variety of types of TV shows, but I think the most popular genres are sitcoms and world news. As sitcoms do not only provide the audience with witty scenes that make them spit their sides but it sometimes keeps the audience in suspense, most people are keen on this kind. Besides, world news is another widely-watched form of TV because it helps people to keep up with the latest events around the world. − genres (noun) = kind: thể loại − witty scenes (noun): cảnh hài hước − to split one’s sides (laughing/ with laughter): cười bể bụng − keep somebody in suspense (v.phrase): khiến ai đó hồi hộp 198 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

Question 3: What is the difference between the games people play now and those people played in the past? I see there are several clear differences between the games in the past and in the present. Firstly, many games are now equipped with cutting-edge technology. An example is VAR which stands for Video Assistant Referee used in the football matches nowadays. In addition, sports and sportspersons currently get more media exposure than in the past. Almost all Vietnamese people take an interest in AFC, one of the football championships in Asia and the football players in U23 Vietnam. - Stand for (verb): viết tắt cho từ …. - Sportspersons (noun): người chơi thể thao - Get more media exposure (v.phrase): tiếp cận nhiều với thông tin đại chúng - Take an interest in … (v.phrase): hứng thú với … Question 4: Why do some people watch TV shows online? Well, I reckon that because individuals now are on the go with their work or study, they cannot follow regular shows on television. That’s why they choose to watch these shows on the Internet as they can watch them at their convenience without worrying about missing the shows. − on the go with ST (idiom): bận rộn với việc gì − at one’s convenience (prep): bất cứ khi nào ai đó muốn

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65. Describe a TV program you liked when you were little You should say: ● What it was ● When you watched it ● How you knew it ● And explain why you liked it (Để trả lời câu hỏi này bạn có thể sử dụng lại Describe a game show or a quiz program you watched on TV or online) 66. Describe a performance that you watched recently (Có thể áp dụng thông tin của Describe a game show or a quiz program như trên, và tình huống ở đây là mình mới xem gần đây thôi, và xem trên ti vi) PART 3: TV PROGRAM Question 1: What is the difference between children’s games nowadays and the past? There are several clear differences between games chosen by kids in different periods. Firstly, while children now often play indoor games which make them lead a sedentary life, those in the past used to play outdoor, which helped them to be physically fit. Secondly, most games nowadays are equipped with cutting-edge technology like iPads or computers whereas games in the past just use simple tools like rocks in the game “O An Quan” in my country. - Lead a sedentary life (v): lối sống ít vận động - Physically fit (adj): dáng dấp vừa vặn Question 2: What are the advantages of children’s games nowadays? There are some great benefits of contemporary games. First of all, video games nowadays can be a great source of learning, that’s why most modern educational institutions, especially in learning foreign languages, usually incorporate these games as a teaching method. Also, video games are required players to read or listen to step-by-step instructions provided at the beginning, players need to remember them throughout the game. As a result, those games help kids to enhance their memory. - Incorporate (v): kết hợp - Step-by-step instruction (noun): hướng dẫn chi tiết từng bước - Enhance memory (verb): phát triển trí nhớ 200 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

67. Describe a prize you want to get You should say: ● what the prize is for ● how you know about it ● what you would have to do to win it ● and why you would like to win this prize. For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to visit Myanmar, a country that many people have told me is the most unique and beautiful country in Asia. I’ve never had the chance though, because the flights and tours cost quite a bit more than what I can scrounge from my holiday budget. So you can imagine that I was immediately drawn in by a short-story writing contest run by the local newspaper offering a two week all-expenses-paid trip to Myanmar. My mother alerted me to the possibility and I immediately got down to business as soon as I’d hung up the phone. The rules of the competition stated that I would have to write a ten thousand word story set during the Great War and submit it before the 27th of August. This required both research and planning, so I started reading whatever I could read about the period. I’m still a long way off submitting my story, let alone receiving a prize for it, but every night I do a little bit of work and I’m already almost half-finished. In reality, I know my chances are quite slim, but in my head, I feel like I’m destined to win. − For as long as I can remember (phrase): Miễn là tôi có thể nhớ − Unique (adj): độc nhất − Have the chance (collocation): có cơ hội − Scrounge (verb): tranh giành − Holiday budget (noun phrase): Ngân sách ngày lễ − All-expenses-paid (Vii): Mọi chi phí đã thanh toán − Get down to business (collocation): bắt đầu vào việc − Competition (noun): Cuộc thi − Long way off (noun): đường dài − In reality (phrase): thực tế − Destined (adj): định mệnh 201 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

68. Describe a difficult challenge you met You should say: - What change is it? - How difficult is it? - What did you do to overcome this difficult challenge? - Did you overcome it? (Áp dụng ý tưởng về Describe a prize nhưng câu chuyện của bạn cần nhấn mạnh nó khó khăn đến nhường nào (ít thời gian, phải viết bằng tiếng Anh, số lượng tham gia cực đông) và sử dụng thì quá khứ đơn) For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to visit Myanmar, a country that many people have told me is the most unique and beautiful country in Asia. I’ve never had the chance though, because the flights and tours cost quite a bit more than what I can scrounge from my holiday budget. So you can imagine that I was immediately drawn in by a short-story writing contest run by the local newspaper offering a two week all-expenses-paid trip to Myanmar. My mother alerted me to the possibility and I immediately got down to business as soon as I’d hung up the phone. The rules of the competition stated that I would have to write a ten-thousandword story set during the Great War and submit it before the 27th of August. It was really a big challenge for me because of some reasons. Firstly, this required both research and planning which I had never practiced before, so I started reading whatever I could read about the period. Secondly, I had to write this story in English, which is not really a piece of cake because my English isn't excellent. But thankfully, my elder brother did agree to help me review linguistic errors when I had finished. Thirdly, it’s about time constraint. I got to know about this competition only 7 days before it’s due, so I finished the first draft after 2 days and for some final days, I even had to burn the midnight oil to write and revise my writing. I think this is one of the very rare times I did pay much effort like this. I’m still a long way off submitting my story, let alone receiving a prize for it, but every night I do a little bit of work and I’m already almost half-finished. In reality, I know my chances are quite slim, but in my head, I feel like I’m destined to win. - A piece of cake (idiom): sự dễ dàng - Linguistic (adj): thuộc về ngôn ngữ - Time constraint (noun): hạn chế về thời gian - First draft (noun): bản nháp - Burn the midnight oil (idiom): thức đêm 202 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

69. Describe an achievement when you put great effort to gain You should say: - What it is - When did you achieve it - What did you do to achieve it - And describe how did you feel about this achievement (Áp dụng ý tưởng về Describe a prize nhưng câu chuyện của bạn cần nhấn mạnh về việc bạn đã nỗ lực như thế nào để đạt được và sử dụng thì quá khứ đơn) For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to visit Myanmar, a country that many people have told me is the most unique and beautiful country in Asia. I’ve never had the chance though, because the flights and tours cost quite a bit more than what I can scrounge from my holiday budget. So you can imagine that I was immediately drawn in by a short-story writing contest run by the local newspaper offering a two week all-expenses-paid trip to Myanmar. My mother alerted me to the possibility and I immediately got down to business as soon as I’d hung up the phone. The rules of the competition stated that I would have to write a ten-thousand-word story set during the Great War and submit it before the 27th of August. This required both research and planning, so I started reading whatever I could read about the period. Then, I finished the first draft after one week and asked my friend to read it through and give me some feedbacks. For some final days, I even had to burn the midnight oil to revise my writing. I think this is one of very rare times I did pay much effort like this. After submitting, in my head, I felt like I was destined to win and fortunately it is true. One month later, I received an email announcing my prize and omg, I jumped for join. I am really looking forward to the day I visit Myanmar. - First draft (noun): bản nháp - Burn the mid-night oil (idiom): thức đêm thức hôm - Jump for join (idiom): nhày cẫng lên vì sung sướng

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70. Describe a piece of important news you got through a text message You should say: - What news is it? - Is this a good or a bad new? - When did you receive it? - How did you feel about this new? (Áp dụng ý tưởng từ đề Describe a prize và nhấn mạnh về việc bạn đã nhận được tin rằng mình đạt giải nhất qua tin nhắn điện thoại, rồi bạn đã hạnh phúc như thế nào) For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to visit Myanmar, a country that many people have told me is the most unique and beautiful country in Asia. I’ve never had the chance though, because the flights and tours cost quite a bit more than what I can scrounge from my holiday budget. So you can imagine that I was immediately drawn in by a short-story writing contest run by the local newspaper offering a two week all-expenses-paid trip to Myanmar. My mother alerted me to the possibility and I immediately got down to business as soon as I’d hung up the phone. The rules of the competition stated that I would have to write a ten-thousand-word story set during the Great War and submit it before the 27th of August. This required both research and planning, so I started reading whatever I could read about the period. Then, fortunately I submitted the essay on time after many efforts. A morning last month, I woke up and checked my phone as usual and jumped for join because of a message that announced I won the first prize in this writing competition. This message had been sent to me the day before, but I thought it was a spam because it was sent by an unfamiliar brandname. But I saw two repeated notifications with the same content both via email and text message and thus I read it more carefully. Actually I had taken part in many online competitions like this before but never won, so I was really surprise to be the winner. Until now I can’t believe that. I am really looking forward to the day I visit Myanmar. - Jump for join (idiom): nhảy cẫng lên vì vui sướng - Spam (noun): thư rác 204 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

71. Describe an interesting conversation you had with a stranger You should say: ● Who this person was ● What the conversation was about ● Why you had this conversation ● And how you felt about it Last month, on the bus to my hometown, I had a chance to talk to a foreigner and I have to say that it was a very memorable conversation in my life. It was a handsome man with short blond hair that I immediately knew he was a British person. I stood at the back of him and we did not talk anything. Surprisingly, he decided to break the ice and asked me some questions about myself and how to get to Trang An cave. We all had a really fascinated conversation that I realised he was a warmhearted person with a cozy voice that attracted me a lot. We talked about my study and I also introduced him to some amazing tourist attractions near my house. I felt so content of this sudden conservation for a number of reasons. Initially, it was the first time I’d ever met a foreigner, so thanks to him, I had a valuable chance to practice English which I’d learned so far. Secondly, he was such a good man that I wish we would become friends in the future. All in all, if I have a time–machine, I would prefer to go back time and meet this man once again. − Memorable: Đáng nhớ − Break the ice: Phá vỡ sự im lặng − Warm – hearted: Ấm áp − Cozy voice: Giọng nói nhẹ nhàng dễ chịu − Time machine: Cỗ máy thời gian

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PART 3: CONVERSATION Question 1: What are the difference between face-to-face conversation and phone conversation? Well, there are quite a lot differences between face-to-face and over-the-phone interactions. First of all, interacting with someone in person is more effective because people can use their body language, especially a hug or a kiss to express their ideas when they are out of words while people interact over the phone cannot. However, commuting over the phone can help people to save a lot of time as they don’t have to go to a particular place to meet their friends like face-to-face interactions. - Over the phone interaction (noun): giao tiếp trên điện thoại - Out of words (prep): cạn lời Question 2: Which one do you prefer? Face-to-face conversation and phone conversation? Well, it depends on different situations. When I’m over the moon, I really want to hang out with my friends to communicate in person with them. However, when I’m in a gloomy mood, I think over-the-phone conversations are my preferred choice as I can hide my true feeling. - Be over the moon (idiom): rất vui - Be in a gloomy mood (idiom): tâm trạng chán chường Question 3: Are there any disadvantages of face-to-face conversation? Yes, communicating in person is disadvantageous to some extent. You have to commute to a meeting place and if it is an international meeting, it is really time-consuming for travelling. On more drawbacks of talking in person is you have to show a polite manner such as nodding your head to show agreement or keeping eye contact, which is so complicated sometimes. - Time consuming (adj): tốn thời gian - Nod head (verb): gật đầu - Keep eyes contact (v.phrase): giữ giao tiếp bằng mắt

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72. Describe a film you would like to share with your friends You should say: ● Where you watched it ● What it was about ● Who you watched it with ● And why you want to share it with friends I can describe myself as a couch potato so I would like to spend hours on watching TV drama series in my spare time. My all – time favorite series is a Korean film called “You who came from stars” which was produced 4 years ago. The main actor is Do Min Joon, who is an alien landing on Earth 400 years ago. He possesses a perfect appearance and enhances physical abilities involving his vision, hearing, and speed. After that he meets Song Yi who is the biggest Hallyu star in Korea. They easily fall in love at first sight and overcome the ups and downs in their love life. I love every scene in this film but there is a part which I am impressed most. This is the scene when two main actors decided to get married despite the difficulties and struggles they had to face due to their differences of origin. It really touches my heart that I burst into tears so many times whenever I watch it again. I’m deep into this series for several reasons. Initially, the actors and actresses are not only handsome and beautiful but also really talented. The content of the film is conveyed exactly through their actions that I am persuaded and really engrossed in it. Secondly, this film is proof for a permanent love can pass over all difficulties. Due to this film, a huge number of audiences are willing to sit on the edge of their seats every week and peeking out their windows after the show aired, hoping for their own personal alien invasion. All in all, I think that the film is a combination of romance and comedy which gives me fulfill emotions. I wish it would be displayed on the big screen in the future. − Couch potato (idiom): Mọt phim − Possess (verb): Thừa hưởng − Enhance (verb): Tăng cường − Fall in love at the first sight (collocation): Yêu từ cái nhìn đầu tiên − Overcome ups and downs (collocation): Vượt qua thăng trầm − Loveline (noun): Mối tình − Burst into tear (collocation): Bật khóc − To be deep into (collocation): Cực kỳ yêu thích − To be engrossed in (collocation): Cực kỳ tâp trung − Peek out (phrasal verb): Ghé nhìn 207 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

− Show aired (clause): Phim được phát sóng − On the big screen (prep): Công chiếu ngoài rạp PART 3: FILMS Question 1: Are drama series popular in Vietnam? Yes, drama series is right up Vietnamese people’s alley, especially drama films from Korea. This genre always keeps us in suspense because of its interesting plots. - be up your alley (idiom): đúng sở thích - genre (noun): thể loại - keep somebody in suspense (v.phrase): khiến mình liên tục hồi hộp - plot (noun): cảnh trong phim Question 2: Do you think TV dramas reflect what happens in the real world? Yes, I think drama films reflect what happens in the real world to some extent. The genre usually focuses on love, family, or work which are part of our daily life. However, sometimes since screenwriters want to make their films more interesting, they tend to exaggerate reality. - Screenwriter (noun): người viết kịch bản - Exaggerate (verb): phóng đại Question 3: Do you think people will change their preference for TV when getting older? Yes, I think that our taste in TV programs will change over a period of time because our perception of life and surroundings changes as we grow into maturity. For example, when I was a little girl, cartoons and other colourful TV shows like Tom & Jerry were my favourite even though I didn’t understand them. However, during my teenage years, I preferred chick flicks like Full House because I enjoyed happy-ending romance. - Perception (noun): sự nhận thức - Grow into maturity (v.phrase): dần trưởng thành hơn - Chick flicks (idiom): phim đặc biệt hấp dẫn phụ nữ - Happy-ending romance (noun): cái kết đầy lãng mạn Question 4: What is the difference between foreign dramas and ones in your country? Well, I think there is a lot to mention about the difference between oversea dramas and ones in my country. First of all, since social practices and situations between my country and the others are different in many ways, dramas reflect different issues as they are mostly based on reality. Also, visual and sound effects in the film industry of my country are not so advanced as those in foreign ones. - Practice (noun): thực tiễn 208 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

73. Describe a sky you would like to see You should say: ● Where it is ● Who you would like to see it with ● What you would like to see ● And explain why you would like to see it Living in the metropolitan area, I rarely get the chance to see a night full of stars because we are having a serious visual pollution, in which lights never stop shining, buildings seem to be taller and the sky in the city is usually covered with smoke and billboards. So it is definitely a yes from me if I can see a clear sky with hundreds or thousands of stars at night. I suppose this could only happen at night, in the countryside or by a seashore. It would also be a very romantic scene if my lover and my family are there, enjoying the tranquility and peacefulness while sharing our wisdom, wishes, and blessings. The stars don’t have to be too bright to outshine the moon or disturb the night sky, they just have to be there silently to enjoy the harmony of all beings. Under that sky, everything would seem to slow down, I don’t have to worry about anything. All the rushes, fears, anger and depression can disappear. I would feel like the moon, the stars and the whole sky are sharing the same breathing rhythm with me. A getaway under that sky has always been my dream, and I wish to see a sky like this in Hanoi. - Metropolitan area (n): khu vực đô thị - Visual pollution (n): ô nhiễm tầm nhìn - Billboard (n): biển quảng cáo - Tranquility (n): sự yên bình - Wisdom (n): sự hiểu biết - Blessing (n): lời chúc - Outshine (v): sáng vượt - Harmony (n): sự hợp nhất, đồng thuận - Rhythm (n): nhịp.

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PART 3: SKY Question 1: Should kids acquire knowledge about stars? Well, I think children can broaden their horizons about stars as long as they like astronomy. However, at this age, I think they should focus more on necessary knowledge and skills that are practical in their daily life like maths, literature or some survival skills such as swimming. - Astronomy (noun): thiên văn học - Survival skill (noun): kỹ năng sống Q Question 2: Is high technology helpful for star watching? Yes, definitely, the advancements in technology facilitate people to dig deeper into astronomy. For instance, there are some giant telescopes making distant stars appear magnified by lenses and curved mirrors. To the best of my knowledge, we are also inventing driverless rocket, so I think maybe in the future space tourism will develop more. - Facilitate SO to do ST (v): giúp ai đó làm việc gì đó dễ dàng hơn - Telescope (noun): kính hiển vi - Magnify (v): lộng lẫy - Curved mirror (noun): gương cong - To the best of my knowledge: như những gì tôi biết - Driverless rocket (noun): tên lửa không người lái - Space tourism (noun); du lịch trong vũ trụ Question 3: What kinds of people are interested in stars? I think astronomers are those who have a thirst for exploring stars. As their daily tasks are to observe and study stars, they definitely need to be keen on them so that they can work for a long time. Some kids are also interested in finding information about stars, and they can remember many things about them, like names, distance from the Earth …. of Mars, Jupiter and other stars on our universe. - Astronomer (noun): nhà thiên văn học

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74. Describe an interesting animal you have ever seen You should say: - What it looks like - When you saw/knew it for the first time - Where it lives - And explain why it is interesting I’m going to talk about a dog of my close friend which I saw sometimes but remembered it quite well This dog has a double coat: the undercoat is soft while the outer one is coarse and waterproof. Also, his coat has two colors, black and white. My friend said that almost a year ago, she found him intriguing. He was very smart, reacted everything quickly even he seemed to be very hungry and tired, so she decided to give him some food and brought him home, then he becomes her best friend until now. Actually you can see that dog is a very common animal, but as for me he is the one of most interesting animals in the whole world. Firstly, he is so smart. My friend taught him how to fetch and Surprisingly enough, he successfully chases and retrieves the object after she tosses it for the second time. Secondly, he is also friendly to everyone, especially children. Whenever someone visits his house including me, instead of barking, he welcomes them by licking their feet. Finally, he changed my mind, too. Actually I had never been a dog lover before, I thought they are a bit dirty and unfriendly, but he shows me his loveliness and I sometimes find myself not refrain from his attractiveness. I wish I could raise such a lovely dog like this, and I also refute eating dog meat because they are our friends. • Double coat (compound noun): hai lớp lông • Soft (adj): mềm mại • Coarse (adj): thô ráp, xù xì • Water-proof (adj): chống nước • Foster mother (compound noun): mẹ nuôi • Stray dog (compound noun): chó hoang • Intriguing (adj): thu hút • Smart (adj): thông minh • Fetch (v): bắt • Retrieve (v): nhặt về • Bark (v): sủa 211 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

PART 3: ANIMALS 1. Is it important to protect wild animals? Animal conservation is really really important. You can see that many animals are human's friends, including dogs, cats and monkeys. Furthermore, I think each animal plays a role in the food chain, so if one is extinct, others may face the risk of extinction, too. Finally, animals serve human's benefits for foods, clothes, transportation or research, so protecting animals means protecting humans, too. • Animal conservation (noun): bảo vệ động vật • Extinct (adj): tuyệt chủng à extinction (noun): • Food chain (noun): chuỗi thức ăn 2. Are zoos necessary or should they be banned? Why do we have to ban zoos? Zoos should be run regularly because it is a place for endangered animals to be taken care of medically, to be fed and protected against predators. Moreover, researchers can easily assess animals for research. • Endangered animals (noun): động vật đang trong tình trạng nguy hiểm • Predator (noun): động vật săn mồi 3. How can zoos be improved? There are many things should be done to improve zoos. Firstly, it should be free of charge to attract more visitors to discover wildlife. Secondly, governments should give financial supports to upgrade facilities regularly, to clean their cages and feed them nutritiously. • nutritiously (adv): đầy đủ chất dinh dưỡng • cage (noun): chuồng

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75. Describe a job that you would not like to do in the future You should say: • what the job is • what the duties are • why you don’t want to do it I’m gonna talk about a profession that I don’t want to do in the future. It’s a salesperson. As you know, the main responsibility of a salesperson is to sell goods or services. In particular, their duties are to reach out to prospective customers through cold calling, and then use solid arguments to persuade them to buy products or services. In addition to that, in order for customers to be loyal to business, a salesperson has to develop and maintain positive relationships between two sides by paying a regular visit to customers’ house and giving them a gift. Besides, a salesman has to keep abreast of promotional trends to boost sales. I would not like to do that job because I see it’s kinda not suitable for my character. It requires one to be extrovert so that he can reach out to more customers. But actually, I’m an introvert and I’m extremely weak at communication skills. Moreover, a salesperson is always worried about meeting sales targets, so it puts them under considerable pressure all the time. That’s why I’m not interested in that work. I really look up to someone who can work as a salesperson as this job requires lots of skills, especially stress management skills. • profession (n): công việc • reach out to somebody (phr. verb): tiếp cận với ai đó • prospective (adj): có tiềm năng • cold calling (uncountable n): chào mời khách hàng tiềm năng qua điện thoại • solid argument (n): lập luận chặt chẽ • pay a regular visit to somewhere (collo.): thường xuyên đến thăm nơi nào • keep abreast of something (idiom): cập nhật cái gì • boost sales (collo.): tăng doanh số • extrovert (adj, n): (người) hướng ngoại • introvert (adj, n): (người) hướng nội • meet sales targets (collo.): đạt chỉ tiêu doanh số • put somebody under considerable pressure (collo.): đặt ai vào áp lực lớn • look up to somebody (phr. verb): ngưỡng mộ ai • stress management skills (n): kỹ năng kiểm soát căng thẳng 213 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

76. Describe a successful small company that you know You should say: - What is it? - How many employees work there? - What is its work? - And explain what do you think about it? Today I would like to talk about a small company of my brother, which has moved from strength to strength. My elder brother graduated from the English department of a prestigious university in Vietnam. After graduation, he worked as a full-time teacher in a well-known English Center but he kept complaining about his business. He thinks that because this company is driven by profit, they do not care much about their students’ improvements. That’s why after one year being employed, he started to open a small English center, which has only two classes of his wife and he and focuses only on helping students at primary levels boosting their English skills. It is just a small business but I think it is quite sustainable. Withdrawing many useful lessons from the previous teaching position, he emphasizes on the quality of education. His wife and he update new pedagogical methods non-stop to attract students’ attention in classes, and they also invest most of their profit, at least for some first months, to update teaching facilities. Therefore, even though their center is small, it is quite fully-furbished with projectors, smart TV and eye-catching decorations. But more importantly, I think the most pivotal reason for their success is their dedication. If a student lags behind their classes, they are willing to support them outside class time. They continuously remind students of the significance of language skills for their future study and career, which arouses their interest in every single lesson. Thus, students’ parents trust them a lot and support them by promoting their classes via word of mouth. I always look up to their determination and I think because the market is becoming more and more competitive, we can only succeed by working with love. • from strength to strength (idiom): từ thành công này đến thành công khác • prestigious (adj): uy tín • be driven by profit (collocation): lợi nhuận là ưu tiên hàng đầu • boost … skills (collocation): nâng cao kỹ năng • sustainable (adj): bền vững 214 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

• • • • • •

withdraw lessons (collocation): rút bài học từ …. pedagogical method (noun): phương pháp giảng dạy attract SO attention (collocation): thu hút sự chú ý fully - furbished (adj): trang bị đầy đủ eye-catching decoration (noun): trang trí bắt mắt pivotal (adj): quan trọng 
dedication (noun): sự tận tâm 


• • • • • •

lag behind SO (collocation): tụt lại phía sau significance (noun): sự quan trọng arouse SO interest (collocation): tăng /khích lệ sự hứng thú word of mouth (noun): hình thức truyền miệng look up to (verb): tôn trọng ai đó determination (noun): sự kiên định / sự quyết tâm

PART 3: JOBS 1. Do you think a good job means high salary job? Why? I think that a high salary job wouldn’t necessarily mean a good job, but a good job should definitely be well-paid. If your job doesn't support you to cover all basic needs, it will not a decent job any more. Besides, I think that a good job also means job satisfaction, good working environment and job security. - Job satisfaction: Sự hài lòng về công việc - Working environment: Môi trường làm việc - Job security: An toàn lao động 2. What kind of job do most people like to do? Actually, it depends on each person’s personality. Some people prefer nine – to – five job to ensure a stable income and avoid changes, while others would challenge themselves by trying various kinds of demanding jobs to make for living, so they hop jobs frequently. - Nine – to - five job: Việc hành chính - Stable income: Thu nhập ổn định - Make for living: Kiếm sống - Hop jobs: Nhảy việc 3. What kinds of job do you think worth well paid? Why? I think that all types of job would be paid generously as they all serve our society. However, if there is any kind of job that is most worthy a high salary, I would say it is doctor. This puts enormous pressure on doctors since they hold all responsibility for the fate of their patients. Hence, it is understandable that we pay doctors a fair amount for their vital and highly stressful role. 215 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

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Puts enormous pressure on: Đặt nhiều áp lực vào Hold/Take responsibility for: Chịu trách nhiệm cho

4. How to make employees work with passion? Who take responsibility for this? I think that passion comes from real interests and high salaries. Therefore, to make the employees passionate about their work, it is essential to assign them with tasks which excite them. In addition, employees would contribute with much more enthusiasm if they think that there is fairness in their workplace. In other words, they receive a stable income which deserves their contribution. - Passonate: Có cảm hứng - Assign: Chia việc - Workplace: Nơi làm việc 5. Do you think it is hard for teenagers to look for a job? No I don't think so. I mean although teenagers lack experience, they are always full of energy and creavity and also more easy – going when it comes to payment and job benefits. Therefore, as long as they are active enough, there are many jobs that require little extensive expertise waiting for them. - Job benefits: Những lợi ích từ công việc - Expertise: Chuyên môn 6. Do you think universities should support students seeking jobs? Obviously higher education should lend a helping hand when students enter the job market. For example, universities can organize job fairs, offer students professional connections to recruiters and introduce them to internship to land a job that they desire. - Lend a helping hand: Giúp đỡ - Job market: Thị trường công việc - Job fair: Hội thảo công việc - Intership: Thực tập - Land a job: Có công việc 7. What kinds of job do young woman like? Why? In my opinion, I believe that a stable and nine – to – five jobs are preferable to women due to their family commitments. Thanks to these kinds of jobs, they would have more time to take care of their family. - Nine – to – five jobs: Công việc 8 tiếng 1 ngày - Family commitment: Ràng buộc gia đình 216 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)

77. Describe an article on health you read on magazine or the Internet 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. Recently I came across an interesting article on the internet about the benefits of drinking warm water with lemon in the morning the websites name is body and soul dot com dot a you. You would normally think that lemon water is just one kind of drink that helps keep your body hydrated. However, it brings you many other benefits that you can't imagine. The article says that if you build up a habit of kicking off your day with a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon you will do your body and mind a great favor. Firstly, lemon juice is a great source of vitamin C. Thus, it helps boost your immune system in fighting off colds and flu. Moreover, lemons are great for combating skin aging because they are rich in anti oxidant properties. Lemon also helps clean our urinary tract and detoxify our livers. The list of benefits doesn't end there. The high level of potassium in lemons can help brain and nerve functioning and control blood pressure. Lemon water can also ward off stress and depression which have been linked to low levels of potassium. As a result, the article suggests if you continue drinking warm water with lemon first thing in the morning for at least twenty-one consecutive days, you will notice the difference in your skin and general health immediately.

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PART 3: NEWS ABOUT HEALTH 1. Do you think it is easier to keep a healthy lifestyle now than in the past? Yes or no. Considering what we eat, it is now more challenging to obey a healthy diet because most foods we are eating are no longer organic, but they are genetically modified, pre-packaged or made from low-quality ingredients. Many foods are rich in fat, sugar but low in vitamins and minerals. However, talking about another aspect which is doing exercise, you can see that nowadays, people have more time and facilities to work out every day. In comparison, in the past, they were swept into the maelstrom of work, let alone time to do exercise. - Organic (adj): hữu cơ - Genetically modified (adj): biến đổi gen - Work out (verb): tập thể dục - Be swept into the maelstrom of … (phrase): bị cuốn vào dòng xoáy …. 2. Is employees' health important to an employer? Of course yes. Firstly, if the staff is physically strong, they will limit sick leave and therefore less affect work negatively. Secondly, we can come up with new ideas or solutions only when we are in a good condition. Thus, many giant companies have break time for employees to do exercise, or even they can hire a yoga trainer to help their staff strengthen their fitness. - Sick leave (noun): nghỉ ốm 3. What should employers do to improve their employees' health? As I mentioned before, maintaining some exercise classes is important. Furthermore, they should organize 6-month regular check-ups in prestigious hospitals, too. And finally, buying health insurance is really important to ensure benefits for employees when they, unfortunately, come down with some diseases. - Regular check-ups (noun phrase): kiểm tra sức khoẻ thường xuyên - Prestigious (adj): uy tín - Come down with (verb): mắc bệnh 4. Should healthcare services be free? I think no. If it is totally free, governments will have to shoulder much financial burden while patients cannot have good treatment, simply because the doctor-to-patient ratio is too high. But I really recommend that the government should partially support hospital fees in order for people of low classes to afford it. - Shoulder financial burden (verb): gánh gánh nặng tài chính - doctor-to-patient ratio (noun): tỉ lệ 1 bác sĩ chăm sóc bao nhiêu bệnh nhân 218 (Website: http://ielts-thanhloan.com)