5-core-topics-in-ielts-speaking-part-2_final

TABLE OF CONTENT PREFACE............................................................................................................................. 4 IELTS SPEAKING PART 2 OVERVIEW ............................................................................ 8 TOPIC 1: PEOPLE & ANIMALS ...................................................................................... 10 Cue card 1: Describe a child you know. ........................................................................................ 13 Cue card 2: Describe an old person you admire. ......................................................................... 15 Cue card 3: Describe a person in your family .............................................................................. 17 Cue card 4: Describe a friend of yours ......................................................................................... 17 Cue card 5: Describe a person on news that you would like to meet ......................................... 17 Cue card 6: Describe a person who tries to protect the environment ........................................ 18 Cue card 7: Describe a person who often travels by plane ......................................................... 20 Cue card 8: Describe a person who is good at his/ her job.......................................................... 22 Cue card 9: Describe an interesting animal you have ever seen ................................................. 25

TOPIC 2: FAVORITES ...................................................................................................... 27 Cue card 1: Describe your favourite gadget ................................................................................. 28 Cue card 2: Describe a piece of equipment/ household appliance in your home ...................... 30 Cue card 3: Describe an important item....................................................................................... 32 Cue card 4: Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first ................................... 33 Cue card 5: Describe a toy you got in your childhood ................................................................. 34 Cue card 6: Describe a picture or photograph in your home ..................................................... 36 Cue card 7: Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen ........................................... 38 Cue card 8: Describe a uniform you wear .................................................................................... 40 Cue card 9: Describe a piece of clothes you enjoy wearing ......................................................... 42 Cue card 10: Describe a film or TV program that made you laugh........................................... 43 Cue card 11: Describe your favorite food ..................................................................................... 45 Cue card 12: Describe your favourite sport ................................................................................. 47 Cue card 13: Describe your ideal job ............................................................................................ 49

TOPIC 3: PLACES ............................................................................................................. 51 Cue card 1: Describe a natural beauty ......................................................................................... 52 Cue card 2: Describe an ideal house or apartment you would like to have in the future ........ 54 Cue card 3: Describe a hotel you have stayed in .......................................................................... 57 Cue card 4: Describe a crowded place you have been to ............................................................. 59 Cue card 5: Describe a school you went to in your childhood .................................................... 59 Cue card 6: Describe a library that you visited............................................................................ 60 Cue card 7: Describe a place you remember well that is full of colors ...................................... 62

TOPIC 4: EXPERIENCES & EVENTS ............................................................................. 64 Cue card 1: Describe a time when you were excited .................................................................... 64 Cue card 2: Describe a performance that you enjoy ................................................................... 66

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Cue card 3: Describe a challenge you have ever faced ................................................................ 68 Cue card 4: Describe a goal you tried your best to achieve ........................................................ 70 Cue card 5: Describe an experience that you got bored when you were with others ............... 71 Cue card 6: Describe a time when someone apologized you ....................................................... 73 Cue card 7: Describe a time when the bad weather stopped you from doing something......... 75 Cue card 8: Describe a time you were sleepy but had to stay awake ......................................... 77 Cue card 9: Describe a time you was ill ........................................................................................ 79

TOPIC 5: OTHERS ............................................................................................................ 81 Cue card 1: Describe a physical phenomenon you know or study ............................................. 81 Cue card 2: Describe a sky you would like to see......................................................................... 83 Cue card 3: Describe an environmental issue in your country ................................................... 85 Cue card 4: Describe a new law you would implement where you live to make it a better place .......................................................................................................................................................... 87 Cue card 5: Describe a mathematical skill you learnt at primary school .................................. 90

RECAP................................................................................................................................ 92 APPENDIX ......................................................................................................................... 96

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PREFACE Chào các em! Cô là Trương Thu Hương, một Giáo viên với kinh nghiệm hơn 4 năm giảng dạy Tiếng anh tại Hà Nội. Nội dung giảng dạy chính của cô là Phát âm, Giao tiếp và IELTS speaking. Hiện tại cô đang giảng dạy tại SYM English, cùng với cô Bunny (Cô Nguyễn Thị Thu Hương) - tác giả của chuỗi videos “Dạy Reading có tâm’ trên Youtube của SYM English được rất nhiều bạn Học viên đón nhận và đánh giá cao. Thoắt cái đã gần 4 năm cô gắn bó với nghề rồi. Trong suốt những năm tháng ấy, được giảng dạy nhiều đối tượng người học (độ tuổi, trình độ, mục tiêu/ chứng chỉ mong muốn khác nhau), cô nhận thấy thời lượng học Tiếng anh trên trường lớp, trung tâm là không đủ cho một cú huých, sự cải thiện khả năng Tiếng anh. Người học cần luyện tập, tự học rất nhiều tại nhà thì mới thấy đuợc sự thay đổi. Tuy nhiên, cứ tự loay hoay thì cũng nản lắm, mà cũng không hiệu quả vì không có ai chỉ ra mình sai chỗ nào, rồi cần sửa ra sao. Nhận ra được vấn đề mà người học Tiếng anh gặp phải, cô mong muốn tạo ra một môi trường tự học cho các bạn học Tiếng anh, mà trong đó cô sẽ là người tạo thói quen, lịch trình học tập cho các bạn và đóng góp, nhận xét, sửa chữa bài làm của các bạn. Với mong muốn đó, trong thời gian qua, cô có thực hiện một số Video hướng dẫn Phát âm trên Youtube, bao gồm: Một số âm & từ người học Tiếng anh thường hay phát âm sai; Trọng âm từ-câu;Dạng rút ngắn trong Phát âm của một số từ, Nối âm, ..... Ngoài ra, cô cũng khởi động ‘Dự án chấm Speaking có tâm’: hàng tuần, một Topic trong IELTS Speaking (Part 1 hoặc Part 2) sẽ được đăng trên Group của SYM English. Kèm theo đó là gợi ý cách triển khai ý tưởng và Từ vựng. Các bạn nộp bài theo link đính kèm trong bài đăng. Cô chấm bài dựa trên các Tiêu chí của bài thi IELTS Speaking và chỉ ra một số lỗi Phát âm, Sử dụng từ, Ngữ pháp, cũng như gợi ý cách cải thiện bài nói. Cô rất vui khi nhận được những phản hồi tích cực của các bạn Học viên từ những Videos trên kênh Youtube của SYM English và ‘Dự án chấm Speaking có tâm’ thông qua Facebook cá nhân của cô https://www.facebook.com/thu.huong.148553. Điều đó tiếp thêm cho cô rất nhiều động lực để tiếp tục nỗ lực và hỗ trợ các bạn học Tiếng anh. Trong ‘Dự án chấm Speaking có tâm’, cô nhận thấy, cũng như một số bạn cũng inbox chia sẻ rằng các bạn còn lúng túng, thậm chí hoang mang khi đổi mặt với IELTS SPEAKING Part 2, đặc biệt với những đề ‘lạ’. Vì vậy, 4

cô mong muốn thiết kế một cuốn Handbook hướng dẫn những sĩ tử học IELTS cách hệ thống các Topics trong IELTS Speaking Part 2 và cách triển khai ý tưởng trong phần này, để dù đề bài có ‘khoai’ hay ‘lạ’, chúng ta vẫn bình tĩnh xử lý được. Handbook này chỉ hệ thống những CORE TOPICS (Chủ đề cốt lõi) và gợi ý cách triển khai ý tưởng. Điều quan trọng là ‘Speak your mind’-các bạn nên tập trung vào yếu tố tự nhiên để những gì nói ra thực sự là những gì mình suy nghĩ. Đây là thông điệp mà cô và SYM English luôn muốn truyền tải tới các bạn Học viên. Học IELTS hay Tiếng anh nói chung là công cụ để chúng mình thể hiện được suy nghĩ, cá tính của chính mình, thay vì rập khuôn đi theo những khuôn khổ, bài mẫu cho trước. Ngoài ra, chúng mình cũng cần lưu ý về trình tự học IELTS Speaking. Chúng mình đừng vội vàng học IELTS Speaking nếu chưa có nền tảng về Từ vựng và Phát âm nha. Cuốn sách nhỏ này phù hợp với những bạn đã có nền tảng khá ổn rồi, và đang bước vào Giai đoạn ‘Luyện tập’ hoặc ‘Cấp tốc/ Sắp thi’. Nếu có câu hỏi/ thắc mắc trong quá trình học, chúng mình đừng ngại trao đổi với cô qua:  FB cá nhân: https://www.facebook.com/thu.huong.148553  Kênh Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrEkAL5Z2CqYCKWbqFzLIMA  Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/symenglishedu/

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Tại sao lại là SPEAKING PART 2? Trước hết, chúng mình cùng xem lại Cấu trúc của IELTS Speaking nhé. ✓ Bài thi IELTS Speaking bao gồm 3 phần: ▷ Part 1: Interview -

Giám khảo sẽ hỏi bạn 10-12 câu hỏi liên quan tới những chủ đề thân quen trong đời sống hàng ngày, ví dụ: Study, Work, Health, Advertising.

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Thời lượng cho mỗi câu trả lời là khoảng 30 giây.

▷ Part 2: Individual talk Bạn sẽ có 1 phút để chuẩn bị cho bài nói. Đây là phần bạn được yêu cầu nói liên tục trong thời gian từ 1 phút 45 giây đến 2 phút. Giám khảo sẽ không ngắt quãng quá trình nói của bạn. ▷ Part 3: Discussion Phần cuối cùng trong bài thi IELTS Speaking kiểm tra khả năng phân tích, lập luận, đưa ra quan điểm đối với vấn đề liên quan tới Chủ đề của Part 2. Cụ thể, nếu Part 2 hỏi ‘Describe your favourite book’, thì câu hỏi trong Part 3 sẽ có nội dung về Books. Các câu hỏi về Books trong Part 3 có thể dưới dạng như sau: o What can be the benefits of reading books? o Why do very few young people nowdays read books? o Do you think that e-books will replace paper books in the future? Giám khảo sẽ hỏi bạn 3-5 câu hỏi trong phần này. Thời lượng cho mỗi câu trả lời là khoảng 45 giây. ✓ Kết quả của bài nói được quyết định dựa trên Part 1 và Part 2. Tức là sau khi bạn hoàn thành Part 1 và Part 2, giám khảo đã định hình số điểm cho bài nói của bạn rồi. Trong khi đó, kết quả của Part 3 không ảnh hưởng quá nhiều tới kết quả toàn bộ bài nói. Cụ thể, nếu kết quả Part 3 không được tốt lắm, kết quả của toàn bài nói sẽ là kết quả của Part 1 & 2. Ngược lại, nếu kết quả Part 3 của bạn tốt, nó sẽ là điểm cộng vào kết quả của Part 1 & 2, từ đó nâng kết quả của toàn bộ bài nói.

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Từ những đặc điểm trên, chúng ta có thể nhận thấy được: 

Thứ nhất, Part 2 trong IELTS SPEAKING là phần nói cần đầu tư nhiều công sức nhất và tác động nhiều nhất tới Kết quả toàn bộ bài Speaking. Và đây cũng là phần người học IELTS chúng mình thường loay hoay nhất.

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Thứ hai, có được kĩ năng tốt cho Part 2 thì Part 1 cũng tự động nói được vì Part 1 không đòi hỏi nói dài và triển khai ý sâu như Part 2 (thời gian trung bình cho mỗi câu trả lời ở Part 1 là 30 giây).

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Thứ 3, Part 3 là phát triển thêm của Part 2 nên các bạn hoàn toàn có thể định hướng bài nói của mình để chuẩn bị tốt cho Part 3.

Vì thế, Part 2 là phần trọng tâm của IELTS Speaking, và vì thế trong handbook này, cô chỉ đề cập tới Part 2. Có được kiến thức và Kĩ năng cần thiết cho Part 2 là đủ để chúng ta giải quyết những phần còn lại rồi. Trong Handbook này, cô sẽ cover 5 CORE topics, để chúng mình nắm được cách triển khai ý tưởng. Nắm được core topics rồi, chúng ta sẽ biết cách giải quyết subtopics (những topic nhỏ hơn). 1. PERSONS & ANIMALS 2. OBJECTS/ FAVORITES 3. PLACES 4. EXPERIENCES/ EVENTS 5. OTHERS ( The nature-The environment; Skills, Law) Highlight một số Từ vựng hay cho Core topics và từng Cue card.

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IELTS SPEAKING PART 2 OVERVIEW Trước khi bắt đầu với Nội dung chính của Handbook, hãy cùng nhìn lại một số thông tin cần biết về IELTS SPEAKING PART 2 nha. Trong phòng thi, giám khảo sẽ đưa cho bạn một Cue card giống như sau: Describe an old person you admire You should say:  Who this person is  How long you have known him/ her  What qualities he/ she has And explain why you admire him/ her so much.

 THỜI GIAN ► 1 phút chuẩn bị: Giám khảo sẽ nhắc bạn khi thời gian chuẩn bị trong 1 phút hết và yêu cầu bạn bắt đầu bài nói. ► 2 phút để nói. Trong thời gian 2 phút bạn nói, giám khảo sẽ không can thiệp vào bài nói của bạn. Lưu ý: Thời lượng tối thiểu cho bài Nói Part 2 là 1 phút 45 giây. Nếu bạn nói ngắn hơn 1 phút 45 giây: -

Tiêu chí Fluency của bạn sẽ bị trừ điểm

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Giám khảo sẽ hỏi thêm một số câu hỏi (do độ dài bài nói của bạn quá ngắn), và khi đó, Part 2 sẽ trở nên khó khăn hơn.

Vì thế, chúng mình cố gắng nói trong thời gian tối thiểu là 1 phút 45 giây, hoặc 2 phút là tốt nhất nha. Ngược lại, nếu bạn nói quá 2 phút: -

Giám khảo sẽ ngắt bài nói của bạn, yêu cầu bạn dừng lại. Trong trường hợp này, đừng lo lắng quá nhé. Giám khảo yêu cầu bạn dừng lại là để đảm bảo thời gian đã đặt ra cho toàn bộ bài IELTS Speaking.

 Như vậy Speaking Part 2 là Individual talk, khác với Part 1 là Interview (Giám khảo hỏi câu nào, bạn trả lời câu đó), và khác với Part 3 là Discussion (thảo luận những câu hỏi phức tạp hơn, cần khả năng phân tích, so sánh, …).

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 MỘT SỐ LƯU Ý Những phần gợi ý trong Cue card You should say: 

Who this person is



How long you have known him/ her



What qualities he/she has

Chỉ mang tính gợi ý, không bắt buộc  bạn không cần phải cover toàn bộ những gợi ý này. Bạn có thể đề cập những nội dung khác bên ngoài. Tuy nhiên trong thời gian rất hạn chế là 1 phút để chuẩn bị, nên đi theo những gợi ý này. Nếu bị tắc ở ý nào, thì bỏ quả và chuyển sang ý tiếp theo. ▶ Những việc cần làm trong thời gian 1 phút chuẩn bị Do IELTS Speaking Part 2 là phần tác động nhiều nhất tới kết quả bài nói của bạn, nên bạn cần chuẩn bị kĩ càng cho nó thông qua việc take notes, để lên kế hoạch sẽ nói những ý nào, triển khai ra sao và sử dụng từ vựng nào. Nếu không chuẩn bị mà cứ thế tằng tằng nói, quá trình nói sẽ khó mà được mượt mà, ý tưởng triển khai bị lộn xộn, và thiếu từ vựng đưa vào bài nói. Còn nếu không take notes, mà tin tưởng vào khả năng ghi nhớ của bản thân trong thời gian chuẩn bị 1 phút, khả năng cao là khi bắt đầu nói, bạn quên mất mình đã lên kế hoạch làm những gì trong bài nói này. Chúng ta cũng cần học cách take notes nhanh (do thời gian chuẩn bị rất ngắn, 1 phút) mà vẫn đảm bảo vẽ ra được bức tranh tổng thể mà các chi tiết của nó sẽ được đề cập đầy đủ trong quá nói. Và bây giờ, chúng ta hãy bắt đầu với Topic đầu tiên nha!

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TOPIC 1: PEOPLE & ANIMALS Trong một kho tàng câu hỏi ‘Describe a person’, từ những đối tượng gần gũi như ‘Describe a famous person/ helpful person’ đến những đối tượng không mấy thân quen như ‘Describe a person who travels a lot/ protects the environment’, sẽ là không thể nếu học mô tả từng đối tượng cụ thể (một là do số lượng đối tượng quá nhiều, nếu không nói là vô hạn; hai là khi đi thi giám khảo hỏi về ‘a person’ mà chúng ta không lường trước được). Vì vậy, chúng ta cần học cách ‘Describe a person’ một cách nói chung, lấy đó làm gốc về cách triển khai ý và từ vựng, để khi đề bài hỏi bất kì đối tượng nào, chúng ta chỉ cần theo các bước của cái ‘gốc’ kia và uốn nắn, thêm thắt chút, là có thể hoàn thành tốt câu hỏi về mọi loại đối tượng rồi. Cô sẽ minh hoạ cho chúng mình thấy nha. Giả sử chúng mình đã chuẩn bị kĩ cho câu hỏi ‘Describe a child’. Chúng mình đã chuẩn bị cách mô tả Ngoại hình cũng như tính cách đứa bé, và lý do tại mình quý đứa bé đó. Khi đi thi, nếu đề bài có hỏi ‘Describe a person that appears a lot on the news’- một câu hỏi mà chúng mình chưa gặp trong quá trình ôn luyện, chúng ta hoàn toàn có thể chuyển sang nói về ‘A child’: coi đứa bé đó là ‘a person that appears a lot on the news’. Hay nếu đi thi, đề bài hỏi ‘Describe a person who travels a lot’, chúng ta vẫn hoàn toàn sử dụng được cái khung mô tả về Ngoại hình và tính cách của ‘a child’, vì đã mô tả người thì sẽ cần nói về 2 đặc điểm này. Việc chuẩn bị cái ‘khung mô tả’ này giảm áp lực phải nói nhiều về ‘Explain why this person travels a lot’. ☑

Vậy thì cái ‘gốc’ gồm những gì?

Cái gốc sẽ bao gồm 2 đối tượng: A child & An old person Đồng thời, 2 đối tượng này sẽ được miêu tả dựa trên các nội dung sau: 1. Appearance (Ngoại hình) 2. Character (Tính cách) 3. ‘Love’ expressions (Những cụm từ diễn tả tình cảm)

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Age Face

PEOPLE

1. Appearance

Figure Social 2. Character

Work 3. 'Expressions of love'

adore, cherish, etc

Các bạn cùng cô nghiên cứu cụ thể nha! Khi nói về ‘A person’ thì hãy đề cập tới những Nội dung sau đây: 1. Appearance bao gồm: Gương mặt, tuổi tác & Vóc dáng 

Gương mặt, tuổi tác (nhìn tổng quát và một số nét nổi bật)  He’s in early 20s ( đầu 20). He’s good-looking with a high-bridged (mũi cao) nose and bushy (rậm rạp) eyebrows.  She’s in late 30s ( cuối 30). She’s pretty with big blue eyes and rosy (hồng hào) cheeks.

▶ Với Children thì có thể mô tả:  My nephew is 4 years old. He’s very adorable/ cute (dễ thương) with big black eyes and a chubby (bụ bẫm) face.  ▶ Với Elderly people thì có thể nói:  My grandmother is in mid-60s. She’s quite beautiful with a round face, full lips and sun-tanned (rám nắng) complexion although she has some wrinkles (nếp nhăn).

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Vóc dáng  He’s in good shape (cân đối) because he does a lot of sports such as badminton, football and swimming.  She has a good figure (vóc dáng đẹp) as she has a balanced diet (chế độ ăn cân đối) and regular sleep schedule. ▶ Với Children:  He is quite plump ( mập, mũm mĩm). Now he weighs 25 kilos, and he’s about 130 cm tall. ▶ Với Elderly people:  My grandmom is in very good shape as she has a balanced diet and regular sleep schedule.

2. Character Bao gồm tính cách trong cuộc sống (social life) và trong công việc/ học tập (work) Social life

Work

Funny, talkative, humorous, helpful,

Hard-working, responsible, ambitious,

shy, playful, etc

decisive, creative, etc

E.g. My father is very humorous. He

E.g. My father is a hard-working person.

often tells funny stories at dinner, so we

He stays up late to finish work and never

have a lot of fun.

complains about working overtime.

3. Một số Động từ liên quan tới ‘love’ Chúng ta cần chuẩn bị trước một số Cách diễn đạt tình cảm cho người mình yêu quý. Ví dụ:  Adore/ Cherish sb: yêu thương, muốn che chở chăm sóc ai đó  Admire/ idolize sb: ngưỡng mộ, thần tượng ai đó  Hold sb in high regard: tôn trọng, ngưỡng mộ ai đó ▶ Trăm nói không bằng thực hành. Chúng mình cùng bắt đầu với 2 core (lõi, chủ chốt) Cue cards ‘ Describe a child’ và ‘Describe an elderly person’ nha. Chuẩn bị kĩ 2 Cue cards cốt lõi này, chúng ta sẽ biết cách triển khai những Cue cards khác cùng Chủ đề: PEOPLE.

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Cue card 1: Describe a child you know. Describe a child you know You should say: 

Who this child is and how often you see him or her



How old this child is



What he or she is like

And explain what you feel about this child. Today I’d like to tell you about a child who

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

is my nephew. Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Who this child is and How often

He is the son of my elder sister. I used to see

you see him or her

him very often, but recently I’ve been busy



with work, so I haven’t met him for weeks.

Có một Tip nho nhỏ

Để tránh nói quá ngắn về ‘How often you see him’, chúng mình có thể chia ra: In the past: I used to & Now: but now/ currently. ▶ Ý 2: How old this child is

My nephew is 4 years old. He’s very

Nào, chúng mình nói về ‘Appearance’

adorable/ cute with big black eyes and a

vào đây nha.

chubby face. He is quite plump. Now he weighs 25 kilos, and he’s about 130 cm tall.

▶ Ý 3: What he or she is like He’s very playful. He never seems inactive

 Chúng mình áp dụng mô tả

during the day or even at night. He just runs

tính cách theo 2 phương diện

around, climbs trees in the garden and

mà cô đã trình bày ở trên:

splashes water on his face. Sometimes, he’s

Social life & Work nào!

a bit naughty and uncontrollable, but he would know not to cross the line.

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Bước 3: Explain what you feel about this child He’s a smart boy. At the age of 4, he can count from 0 to 1000, and he can read medium-length

stories.

Plus,

he

can

understand cartoons in English on Youtube.  Chúng mình đừng quên sử dụng

▶ I absolutely cherish my nephew. We’re

Expressions of ‘love’

so attached to each other. Whenever I drop

(adore, cherish, etc) nha.

by, he would scream with excitement and give me a warm welcome. He would also give me a big hug, sit in my laps and tell me his stories at school. I really treasure those happy moments with my nephew. ▶ And I particularly admire him for his

 Chúng mình nên đưa vào ‘một dẫn chứng/ câu chuyện’ khi nói ra một ‘từ

intelligence. As I said earlier, he is incredibly

khoá’ nhé. Ở đây, cô nói cậu bé ‘smart’,

smart. I remember one time when his mother

thì cô đưa vào câu chuyện giải thích cho

tested his English level, he scored 10 out of

sự thông minh của cậu bé đó.

10. At kindergarten, he is praised for being quick at understanding and offering his mates a hand when they can’t solve a problem. That’s all I want to say.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài nói

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Adorable/ cute: dễ thương

Drop by: ghé qua chơi

Chubby: bụ bẫm

A warm welcome: sự chào đón nồng hậu

Splash: té nước

Sit in sb’s laps: ngồi vào đùi ai đó

Cross the line: đi quá giới hạn

Treasure (V) st: trân trọng cái gì

Cherish: yêu thương, cưng nựng

Admire sb/st: ngưỡng mộ ai/ cái gì

Be attached to sb: gần gũi, hợp với ai đó

Quick at understanding: nhanh hiểu (vấn đề) Offer sb a hand: đề nghị giúp đỡ ai đó

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Cue card 2: Describe an old person you admire. Describe an old person you admire. You should say: 

Who this person is



How long you have known him/ her



What qualities he/she has

And explain why you admire him/ her so much.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about my grandmother whom I love very much.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What she looks like

My grandmother is in mid-60s. She’s pretty beautiful with a round face, full lips and suntanned complexion although she has some wrinkles. She has a good figure as she has a balanced diet and regular sleep schedule.

▶ Ý 2: How often you see her

I used to see her very regularly, say twice or three

(Chuyển qua thành ý này nha)

time a week. I haven’t visited her for weeks as I’ve

 Để kéo dài ý này, chúng mình có thể chia ra 2 mốc thời gian:

got too much work. I will spend more time with her when my schedule gets less tight.

Quá khứ- I used to & Hiện tại- Recently nha. ▶ Ý 3: What qualities she has

She is known for her punctuality. She’s on time

Trong ý này, chúng mình có thể nói

without fail. She often tells me that punctuality is

về ‘Work’ nha.

very important as it shows respect for those waiting for us, especially business partners. She is also very hard-working. She doesn’t bother working from dawn till dusk to finish work. I would say that she sets a really good example for her children.

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Bước 3: Explain why you admire her so much.

There are two main reasons why I really respect her. ▶ Firstly, she is ahead of her times and open to new ideas. Unlike her peers in mid-60s who choose to enjoy the convenience of modern life, she chooses to devote herself to being a volunteer calling for helping disabled children. She welcomes novel ideas and rarely make any judgements on others’ thoughts or decisions. That’s why I love sharing my plans with her as she is a good listener. ▶ Secondly, she always looks on the bright side. In times of hardships, she stays calm and tries her best to figure out solutions. For her, difficulties are inevitable, and we should regard them as an opportunity for personal growth. They will sooner or later will disappear, and we should live our life to the fullest.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Sun-tanned complexion: nước da rám nắng

Sun-tanned complexion: nước da rám nắng

Wrinkles: nếp nhăn

Wrinkles: nếp nhăn

A good figure: vóc dáng đẹp

A good figure: vóc dáng đẹp

Balanced diet: chế độ ăn cân bằng dinh

Balanced diet: chế độ ăn cân bằng dinh

dưỡng

dưỡng

Regular sleep schedule: giờ ngủ đều đặn

Regular sleep schedule: giờ ngủ đều đặn

Tight schedule: lịch trình dày đặc/ bận rộn

Tight schedule: lịch trình dày đặc/ bận rộn

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Cue card 3: Describe a person in your family Describe a person in your family 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.

 Với chủ đề này, chúng mình có thể liên kết sang ‘Describe a child or an old person’ ở trên nha. Cue card 4: Describe a friend of yours Describe a friend of yours You should say: 

What this person looks like



When and where you met this person



What you do when you are together

And explain why he/she is one of your best friends.

 Chúng ta có thể xử lý Cue card này, sử dụng cách triển khai cốt lõi của ‘Describe a person’ ở trên và thêm một số chi tiết khác nữa hoặc Chuyển hẳn sang ‘Describe a child/ an old person’- coi that child/ old person là best friend nha. Cue card 5: Describe a person on news that you would like to meet Describe a person on news that you would like to meet You should say 

Who that is



When the news was



What that person did

And explain why you would like to meet that person.

 Tương tự, Cue card này có thể sử dụng những đặc điểm mô tả ‘A child’ hoặc ‘An old person’ ở trên để nói nha.

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Cue card 6: Describe a person who tries to protect the environment Describe a person who tries to protect the environment You should say: 

Who the person is



How the person protect the environment



What difficulties this person has faced

And explain how you felt about the person.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a teenager who is an activist on saving the environment.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Who the person is

She’s Greta Thunberg- a Swedish environmental activist on climate change whose campaigns have gained a lot of international recognition in recent years. She’s now 16. She has Asperger's Syndrome, a developmental disorder, but it seems as a gift and a superpower.

▶ Ý 2: How the person protect

In May 2018, she decided to start protesting in front of

the environment

the Swedish parliament building, vowing to go on until the government met the carbon emissions target set by environmentalists. Recently, she refused to travel by plane to International confercne on Climate change held in Chicago and chose zero-emission boats instead.

▶ Ý 3: What difficulties this person has faced

Her parents used to be not enthusiastic about what she was persuing. They made it clear that she would have to be on her own in pursuit of her dream. She also came into a clash with some politicians, most notably with Amercian president- Trump as they see her efforts as barrier to their moving up their career ladder and achieving target economic growth.

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Bước 3: Explain how you felt

▶ I really admire this person. She genuinely and

about the person

deeply cares about the environment. Many of us may be aware of environmental issues, but just to some extent, but she wholeheartedly takes care of the environment. She has brought these issues to international level, awakening us to our irreversible harms to the environment. ▶ She also impresses me with her persistence, integrity and charisma. The determination in her eyes urges people in the world to rethink about their reckless actions to the environment and take immediate actions. And her lasting efforts in various forms such as demonstrations and strikes really touch our heart.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức

That’s all I want to say.

bài nói VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Vow: cam kết

Persistence: bền bỉ, kiên trì

Zero-emission: không xả khí thải

Integrity: sự ngay thẳng, chính trực

Clash: đụng độ, cãi vã gay gắt

Charisma: khả năng tác động tới người khác

Barrier: rào cản

một cách tự nhiên

Wholeheartedly: toàn tâm toàn ý

Urge: thúc giục

Awaken sb to st: làm ai đó nhận ra điều gì

Reckless: bất cẩn, ẩu đả

Irreversible: không thể sửa chữa được

Demonstration: biểu tình ( để phản đối) Strike: cuộc đình công

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Cue card 7: Describe a person who often travels by plane Describe a person who often travels by plane You should say: 

Who this person is



How you know this person



Where this person travels to

Explain why this person likes to travel by plane.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu  Chúng mình cần lưu ý: Paraphrase ‘often travel’

Today I’d like to tell you about my friend, Tom who travels by plane on a regular basis.

thành ‘travel on a regular basis’ Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Who this person is

He is the chief sales officer for company Y- one of the leading companies in making eco-friendly cars. He has been working here for nearly 5 years.

▶ Ý 2: How you know this He is my old friend. We first met when we were at

person

secondary school.  Chúng mình nên đưa kịch bản ‘At first … Then …’ để có thêm ý tưởng nha.

At first, we didn’t get on well with each other. We usually had fights and fell out for weeks. But gradually, it dawned on us that we had a lot in common. For example, we both liked pets and travelling. We were also crazy about K-Pop.

▶ Ý 3: Where this person travels to

Most of his travel by plane is business trips. He often goes to the headquarters of his company’s business partners to negotiate and win lucrative contracts. Most of these headquarters are based in America and Europe which are known for very high living standards, advanced education and spectacular natural beauty and constructions.

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Bước 3: Explain this person

▶ He thinks travelling by plane is much faster than other

why likes to travel by plane

means of transport.

 Triển khai ý này bằng

Let’s take an example. It takes only 2 hours to get to Ho

cách

Chi Minh city from Hanoi, but it might take up to 30

đưa ra ví dụ cụ thể, so

hours by coach, which is very time-consuming.

sánh Planes với một phương tiện khác.

For him, planes are convenient with plenty of airconditioners and adjustable chairs. He also likes the food served on planes because there is a wide selection of food to choose from and it is really good. ▶ He is always captured by the wonderful views from plane windows: spectacular mountain ranges, drifting clouds and still water of rivers. Plane windows are a perfect vintage point to enjoy these amazing sights. He usually takes photos of these sights and keeps them in his mobile phone so that he can look back on them anytime.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức

That’s all I want to say.

bài nói VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Chief sales officer: trưởng phòng Kinh doanh

Business partners: đối tác kinh doanh

Leading companies: những công ty dẫn đầu (

Lucrative: sinh lời lớn

về lĩnh vực gì đó)

Be based in: được đặt ở đâu

Eco-friendly: thân thiện với môi trường

Time-consuming: tốn thời gian

Old friend: bạn lâu năm

Wide selection: nhiều sự lựa chọn:

Get on well with sb: hoà thuận với ai đó

Be captured by sb/ st: bị cuốn hút bởi cái gì

Have fights = Fall out: cãi nhau

Drifting clouds: những đám mây trôi lơ lửng

Dawn on sb = realize: nhận ra điều gì

Still water: nước lặng

Business trip: chuyến công tác

Vintage point: một nơi ngắm được nhiều

Headquarters: trụ sở chính

cảnh xung quanh

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Cue card 8: Describe a person who is good at his/ her job 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 this job.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu  Chúng mình thêm ‘extra information’ bằng cách sử dụng

‘I’d like to tell you about my manager, X who is directly supervising my work at company Y’.

mệnh đề ‘Who’ nha.

Bước 2: Triển khai ý ▶ Ý 1. What he/ she looks like  Mình chuyển sang ý này nha vì ở Phần trước, chúng mình đã đề cập tới việc cứ vào Cue card ‘Describe a person’ thì sẽ đưa vào ‘Appearance’ vào triển khai.

▶ Ý 2: What her job is

Overall, she is good-looking, by which I mean she’s genuinely attractive though she hardly ever wears make-up or dresses up to capture attention. What I like most about her appearance are her big black eyes and her shiny smile.

She is the manager of Division of Sales & Marketing in my company. She has been

 Chúng mình có thể triển khai thêm về bộ phận mà người nay đang làm và Main responsibilities của họ.

working here for almost 4 years. Her main responsibilities are to devise Sales and Marketing directions to ensure the growth of the company, and monitor the recruitment for her Division as well as interview potential candidates. She also assigns tasks to us and checks the progress.

▶ Ý 3: How he/ she likes the job

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I am really impressed by her passion for work. She can talk about her work for hours. I can see the delight in her eyes whenever she shares about her Sales & Marketing. And she always puts her heart and soul into every task no matter how hard it is.

Bước 3: Explain why this person is good

▶ She has expertise of Sales and Marketing

at this job

that has been built up from her college education and plenty of experience working in several firms.

 Chúng mình triển khai thêm ‘her expertise’ đã giúp cô ấy như thế nào

Her expertise has helped her to figure out problems of low sales and suggest effective solutions to boost sales.

trong công việc.  Và chúng mình đừng quên đưa ra ví dụ cụ thể

Last year, her suggested solutions did increase the sales by 20% and made our company become one of the market leaders. ▶ She always keeps in mind that ’Nothing is impossible’. If she encounters a problem, she strains every nerve to discover the causes. She never gives up until she can unlock a problem.

 Và chúng mình đừng quên đưa ra ví dụ cụ thể.

For example, a few weeks ago when an excellent candidate refused to work for us, she studied thoroughly about that candidate’s profiles to find out the best way to persuade him. Then she spent hours talking him into working for us. Finally, he was blown away by her knowledge and skills and accepted her offer.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết bài thúc bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

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VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Good-looking: ưa nhìn

Delight: niềm vui

Genuinely attractive: cuốn hút, hấp dẫn một

Put her heart and soul into st: dành tâm

cách tự nhiên

huyết cho việc gì

Dress up: ăn diện, ăn mặc đẹp

Expertise: kiến thức chuyên môn cao

Shiny smile: nụ cười toả nắng

Keep in mind: ghi nhớ rằng, nhớ một điều

Monitor: giám sát, quản lý

rằng

Recruitment: tuyển nhân sự

Strain every nerve: căng não lên suy nghĩ

Assign: phân công, phân chia công việc

Encounter sb/ st: đối mặt, gặp phải ai/ vấn đề gì

Check the progress: kiểm tra tiến độ Be blown away by sb/st: bị choáng ngợp, cuốn hút bởi ai/ cái gì

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▶ Mô tả PEOPLE xong rồi, bây giờ chúng mình cùng chuyển sang mô tả ANIMALS nha. Về bản chất, mô tả Animals không khác nhiều so với PEOPLE. Vì vậy, chúng ta có thể đưa cái khung: Appearance, Character & ‘love’ expressions để mô tả Animals nha. Hãy cùng tiếp tục với Cue card 9! Cue card 9: Describe an interesting animal you have ever seen Describe an interesting animal you have ever seen You should say: 

What the animal was



Where you saw it



What you did

And explain how you felt about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to share with you about an animal I saw last week.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What the animal was

It was a dog, a Corgi from the UK, I guessed. I’d heard of this breed of dog, and I’d always been excited to see them in real life. It looked so cute with soft fur and bright eyes. His fur

 Áp dụng miêu tả ‘Appearance’ của People

was so distinctive with yellow and white on his head, and black on his cheeks.

vào Animals nào!  Và một chút vể ‘Character’

▶ Ý 2: Where you saw it

It was playful, running nonstop to bond with other dogs. They seemed to enjoy themselves.

I caught a sight of that Corgi when I was jogging around the lake in my neighborhood. Locals usually take their dogs there every afternoon. They teach their dogs how to swim and throw balls for them to catch.

▶ Ý 3: What you did

I came close to it, lovingly stroked its fur and patted it gently. It wagged its tail to welcome me in return.

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Then I fed it with my snacks. It licked its lips to signal that I should give it more. Bước 3: Explain how you felt

▶ Well, I felt so happy when I saw that Corgi and

about it

spent some time with him. We kinda clicked each other the first time we met. When I was about to leave, he just followed me and asked for affection. When I finally left, he barked continuously as if he was begging me to stay with him. ▶ I also felt relaxed as I could have time for myself by strolling. I’d been so swamped with work, you know: getting to the office at 8 o’clock and not getting back home until 8pm. It was a stressful period. Playing with that dog somehow eased my tension, and I did have a great time.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài

That’s all I want to say.

nói VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Distinctive: khác biệt, nổi bật

Click: hợp nhau, kết nhau

Bond: quây quần, gắn bó

Affection: tình cảm, yêu thương

Enjoy oneself: có thời gian vui vẻ

Bark: sủa (chó sủa)

Stroke: vuốt ve

Be swamped (with st): bù đầu với việc gì

Pat: vỗ nhẹ

( rất bận)

Wag: di chuyển từ bên này sang bên kia

Ease tension: giảm căng thằng

Lick sb’s lips: liếm láp, liếm môi ( ví dụ: khi nhìn thấy món ăn yêu thích)

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TOPIC 2: FAVORITES Kết thúc Topic 1, chúng mình chuyển sang Topic tiếp theo: Favorites. Favourites là một chủ đề rất rộng bởi vì có vô số đồ vật, và sở thích của mỗi người lại khác nhau. Thế nên, cô sẽ lựa chọn những Favourites tiêu biểu trong đời sống hàng ngày. Cụ thể, Topic này sẽ được chia 7 Nội dung chính, đó là:

1. Technological gadgets & Household appliances 2. Handcrafts: Toys, Photos, Paintings 3. Clothes 4. Movies, Books 5. Food 6. Sports 7. Work

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TECHNOLOGICAL GADGETS & HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES Hãy cùng bắt đầu với Technological gadgets. Tương tự như trong Topic 1: PEOPLE & ANIMALS, khi đi thi, giám khảo có thể hỏi về bất kì Technological devices nào. Vì vậy, chúng ta cần trang bị cách triển khai ‘xương sống’, để có thể giải quyết được bất kì đối tượng Technological gadgets nào. Trong phần này, cô sẽ lấy ‘Smart phones’ làm ‘xương sống’, để các em nắm được cách triển khai thế nào nha. Làm được điều này, dù đề bài có hỏi ‘Describe your favourite gadget/ Describe an important item’, chúng ta hoàn toàn xử lý được. Chúng mình bắt đầu với Cue card số 1 thôi ! Cue card 1: Describe your favourite gadget Describe your favourite gadget You should say: 

What is it



When did you get it



How often do you use it

And say why is it so important to you.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

I’d like to tell you about my mobile phone which is my favourite item.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý

The mobile phone is the gift from my parents when

▶ Ý 1: When you got it

I passed the university entrance exam last year. They kept their promise to get me an Iphone X which I’d been longing for a long time. I’m a technophile, so I like to keep up with the latest technological trends.

▶ Ý 2: What it looked like

That Iphone X looks so chic with the colour white and plain design. Its screen is medium-sized and shiny. I was drawn to it the first time I saw it. So I begged my parents to buy me one on condition that I would sailed through the exam with flying

▶ Ý 3: How often you use it  Cô triển khai thêm bằng cách thêm vế sau ‘but’, nói về

colors. Well, I use it everyday. I spend an average of 6 hours per day surfing the Net, but I will probably 28

tương lai mình sẽ dành bao

reduce the amount of time using it to 3 hours or so

nhiêu thời gian lướt web.

to protect my eyes and devote more time to doing sports.

Bước 3: Say why is it so important

▶ It would be hard to imagine a life without a

to you

mobile phone. It’s an indispensable item to me. It is useful for both study and work. Besides basic functions such as making phone calls and texting, I can check mails, send files without opening my laptop. I can also read daily news to keep myself informed of current affairs and look up new words when studying English. ▶ Plus, a mobile phone is a good source of free entertainment. There are plenty of games to let my hair down after school or work, ranging from games for fun to games to sharpen your mind. I especially like the game ‘Dota’ which teaches me several skills such as communicating with people from different cultures and racking my brain to find out the best strategy.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Technophile: người yêu công nghệ

Keep sb informed of st: cho ai đó được biết/ thông báo về cái gì

Keep up with st: cập nhật cái gì Chic: thời trang

Current affairs: sự kiện gần đây

Be drawn to st: bị cuốn hút bởi cái gì

Let sb’s hair down: thư giãn

Sail through an exam with flying colors: vượt

Sharpen your mind: luyện tập đầu óc

qua kì thi với điểm số rất tốt

Rack one’s brain: vắt não suy nghĩ (tìm giải pháp)

Indispensable: không thể thiếu được

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▶ Chúng mình chuyển sang Household appliances nha. Cue card 2: Describe a piece of equipment/ household appliance in your home Describe a piece of equipment/ household appliance in your home You should say: 

What it is



How often you use it;



Who you usually use it with

And explain why this item is important to you.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

I’d like to tell you about the washer that is very important to my family.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it is  Chúng mình ĐỪNG nói luôn đó là hãng nào. Hãy tạo một câu chuyện, có tình tiết:  We intended to buy … .

It’s an Electrolux from Germany, a country wellknown

for

making

top-notch

electronic

equipment. We intened to buy a Samsung, but then we changed our mind and decided on the Electrolux.

But then … . ▶ Ý 2 : How often you use it

We use the washer everyday, sometimes twice or three times a day when there’s a bunch of dirty clothes.

It has a large capacity and is very

powerful. If my memory serves, it can hold up to 10 kilos. And what I particularly like about this washer is the wide range of clothing it can wash and that it makes almost no noise when it’s working. ▶ Ý 3: When you bought it (Đổi thành ý này nha)

My father bought this washer two years ago when the previous one broke down. It was just wear and tear.

30

Bước 3: Explain why this item is

▶ I think doing the laundry with a washer would

important to you

be much less labor-intensive and time-saving. Thanks to it, there’s no need to bend our backs to do the washing by hand. What you need to do is just put the clothes in the washer, hit the correct buttons and wait for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, you can multitask such as sweeping the floor or cooking. Then, take out the clean clothes and hang them up in the air. ▶ On top of that, a washer is excellent at getting rid of stains or any kind of marks. In contrast, no matter hard we try to scrub the stains with a stiff brush, soap and water, they won’t go.

 Dừng lại ở đây thì ngắn quá ha. You know, last month my T-shirt got stained when my cousin spilled coffee on it. I soaked it in Mình đưa vào một ví dụ hoặc câu chuyện để làm

soapy water for hours, but the stain didn’t

rõ ý hơn nha.

disappear. But then I threw it in the washer, and much to my surprise, after many spins, it was gone.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Top-notch = excellent: rất tốt, tuyệt vời Change sb’s mind: thay đổi quyết định

Do the washing/ do the laundary: làm công việc giặt giũ

Decide on st: quyết định chọn cái gì

Multitask: làm nhiều việc cùng lúc

If my memory serves: nếu tôi nhớ không

Take out: lấy ra

nhầm

Get rid of st: bỏ đi, tống khứ đi

A wide range of st: nhiều loại gì đó

Stain: vết ố

Labour-intensive: dùng nhiều sức lao động

Scrub: chà ( để đánh bật vết bẩn)

Time-saving: tiết kiệm thời gian

Stiff: cứng

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Cue card 3: Describe an important item Describe an important item You should say: 

Where you got it from



How long you have it



What you use it for

And explain why it is so important to you. Cue card này hoàn toàn có thể chuyển sang Cue card 1 hoặc 2 ở trên nha.

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Cue card 4: Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first You should say 

What that was



Where you bought it



What difficulties you had

And explain how you felt about it. Chúng mình tham khảo Cue card 1 hoặc 2 nha. Cô sẽ gợi ý thêm Ý 3 ‘What difficulties you had’ và ‘Explain how you felt about it’ vì chắc đây là 2 Nội dung các bạn bối rối. ▶ Difficulties: Couldn’t remember a bunch of buttons; the folders in the camera looked like a maze to me ▶ How you felt: 

At first: impatient and a bit cranky



Then: When I got the hang of it, I was so relieved and excited

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Maze: mê cung Cranky: cáu kỉnh Relieved: nhẹ nhõm, thanh thản

Work improperly: (máy móc, thiết bị) hoạt động không bình thường Be baffled/ confused by st: bị khó hiểu bởi cái gì

User-friendly: thân thiện với người dùng Get the hang of st: hiểu được cách sử dụng cái gì

33

HANDCRAFTS Trong Nội dung Handcrafts này, chúng mình đi vào chi tiết cách triển khai 3 món đồ Handcrafts tiêu biểu, đó là: A toy, A picture & A painting ▶ Nào, chúng mình bắt đầu với món đồ đầu tiên ‘A toy’ Cue card 5: Describe a toy you got in your childhood Describe a toy you got in your childhood You should say: 

What it was



When you received it



Who gave it to you

And explain how you feel about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about one of my favourites- the toy from my childhood

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1. What it was

It was a cooking set that consists of a large bowl, several medium-sized bowls, two knives and some utensils. It’s a product of the UK and has always been craved by all children. I was so lucky to be be given such a wonderful gift.

▶ Ý 2. When you received it

I got this gift on my 7th birthday. I received a bunch of gifts: a pair of sneakers, some barbie dolls, pretty hair clips and so on. But I liked the cooking set the most.

Triển khai tiếp bằng cách

I was on cloud nine when I opened it. I carefully

đưa ‘emotions’ lúc nhận quà

unwrapped the paper and took a closer look at it with huge excitement.

▶ Ý 3. Who gave it to you

It was my uncle who gave me that cooking toy. He must have watched me asking my mother to buy me one when he visited us. How thoughtful he was!

Bước 3: Explain how you feel about it

34

Đừng quên triển khai cụ thể câu chuyện

▶ Looking at the cooking toy gives me pleasure.

nha.

It brings back sweet childhood memories: I acted as a chef taking orders from customers whose roles were taken by my neighborhood friends. I also performed juggling foods and other cooking skills to amuse them. They complimented on my dishes that were out of this world and rated 9 out of 10. All these memories are so beautiful that sometimes I just want to indulge myself in nostalgia. ▶ Plus, I feel so relaxed when looking back on those memories. The cooking toy somewhat entertains me after stressful days at work. It reminds me not to be too hard on myself, but just take it easy ad enjoy life like a child. It has become a part of both my childhood and adulthood life. Sometimes something small and simple can uplift your emotions.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết bài

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Utensil: bộ dụng cụ bếp (dao, thìa, dĩa, …)

Take orders: lấy đặt món ăn/ hàng từ khách

Crave: được yêu thích

hàng

Be on cloud nine: rất sung sướng, hạnh phúc Juggle: tung hứng Unwrap: mở gói quà

Amuse sb: giải trí, làm cho ai đó cười

Thoughtful: chu đáo

Out of this world: of very good quality

Give sb pleasure: đem lại cho ai đó niềm vui

Indulge: chìm đắm, tận hưởng Nostalgia: sự hoài cổ Take it easy: relax

35

▶ Và bây giờ, là món đồ thứ 2: A picture/ photograph Cue card 6: Describe a picture or photograph in your home Describe a picture or photograph in your home You should say: 

What the picture is about



Who took that picture



Where you put it at home

And explain how you feel about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to share with you about a photograph of my family.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1. What the picture is about

It’s a photograph of all members in my extended family. It was taken on our trip to Dai Lai, a five-star resort on the outskirts of Hanoi. It was taken by the manager of the resort. We

▶ Ý 2. Who took that picture

were having a barbecue in the garden when the weather was so nice. Everyone offered their hands to wash vegetables, chop pork and make dipping sauce. And we just wanted to capture that wonderful moment of family bonding, so we asked the manager to do us a favor of taking a photo.

▶ Ý 3. Where you put it at home

I put this photograph in a pretty frame on the wall of living room so that every guest can see it. Sometimes I turn off all the lights, light up the candles that give off very pleasant aroma, I just gaze at it to remind myself of the tight bond among all the members.

36

Bước 3: Explain how you feel about it

▶ I’m so blessed to be born into my family where

every

member

is

loving

and

accommodating. When one’s life is on the rocks, others are always supportive. Two years ago, when I got sick, actually I  Đừng quên đưa vào

was at the death’s door, my uncles, aunts

một câu chuyện giải thích

and cousins took turns to keep a lookout for

từ khoá ‘supportive’

me. They made me good dishes, told me funny stories to cheer me up. They even offered to pay my hospital fees. ▶ I also respect my senior members as they set very positive examples to their children. My grandmother, for example, leads a healthy lifestyle. She’s in late 80s but she’s as fit as a fiddle. She gets up at 5 o’clock, then goes for a walk and does t'ai chi in the park near my house. She then goes back home and prepares breakfast for us.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Extended family: gia đình lớn (vs

Blessed (ADJ): cảm thấy may mắn

Immediate family: gia đình có bố mẹ và

On the rocks: gặp khó khăn

anh chị em ruột) At the death’s door: ốm rất nặng On the outskirts of a city: ở vùng ngoại ô của một thành phố

Keep a lockout for sb: trông chừng, để mắt tới ai đó

Capture st: chộp lấy, nắm bắt lấy cái gì Cheer sb up: làm ai đó cảm thấy vui hơn Do sb a favor: giúp đỡ ai ( lịch sự) Fit as a fiddle: rất khoẻ mạnh Light up ( a candle): thắp sáng (ngọn nến) Gaze at st: nhìn chằm chằm vào cái gì Aroma: mùi thơm

37

▶ Và bây giờ là món đồ cuối cùng: A painting Cue card 7: Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen Describe a painting or work of art that you have seen You should say: 

When you saw this work of art



Where you saw it



What it looked like

Aand explain your impression of it

Trước hết, chúng mình đừng bị hoảng loạn bởi từ khoá ‘painting or work of art’ nha. Tâm lý thí sinh đi thi thường hay bị áp lực bởi những từ khoá như thế này vì chúng ta sợ rằng sẽ không biết nói gì. Tuy nhiên, những chủ đề có vẻ ‘lạ’ này hoàn toàn có thể xử lý gọn gàng bằng cách liên kết nó với những chủ đề gần gũi hơn với chúng ta. Bước 1: Giới thiệu  Chúng mình đừng dừng lại ở

Today I’d like to tell you about a painting

‘ … by my nephew’.

produced by my nephew, a very smart and playful

Hãy tiếp tục add information

boy.

cho ‘my nephew’ bằng ‘a very smart and playful boy’. Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: When you saw this work of art

I came across this painting last week when I was cleaning the house. At that time I caught a glimpse of something colorful. I was so curious that I got close to it and found out what it was.

▶ Ý 2: Where you saw it

It was among the pile of the books on my bed. Maybe my nephew took out this painting from his bag and showed it to his mother. But he forgot to put it back in the bag.

▶ Ý 3: What it looked like

I don’t know whether it is a landscape painting or not. But I was so absorbed in it. On the one side of

38

the paper, he painted all the characters; on the other side, it said ‘Let’s protect animals on Earth’, and there was a score of ‘A’ next to the words. I thought it was his assignment of art subject at school. Bước 3: Explain your impression of

I was blown away by his intended message about deforestation. In the painting, a number of

it

poachers are cutting down trees and hunt some wild animals such as tigers, lions and elephants. They look frightened when they are being chased  Triển khai ý bằng cách đưa vào ‘emotions’

by these poachers, and their habitats are being destroyed. I have to say that his painting moved me to tears as the animals in his painting looked so pathetic. What they are suffering is so shocking. ▶ I love the way he mixed and matched colours so that every part in the painting was so connected. Every scene in the painting looks so real as if it was happening in front of my very eyes. I especially love the way he portrayed the poachers, you know cruelty is written on their faces.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Came across: vô tình gặp/ tìm thấy

Cut down trees: đốn hạ cây

Catch a glimpse: thoáng nhìn thấy gì đó

Move Sb to tears: làm ai đó xúc động

Be absorbed in st: mải mê, tập trung vào gì đó

Pathetic: đáng thương

Landsape painting: tranh phong cảnh

Cruelty: sự độc ác

Be blown away: bị choáng ngợp bởi

Be written: hiện rõ, rõ ràng

Deforestation: nạn phá rừng

39

CLOTHES Cue card 8: Describe a uniform you wear Describe a uniform you wear You should say 

How it looks like



When you wear it

And explain how you feel about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about my high school uniform that I have to wear from Monday to Friday.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: How it looks like  Đến bước này, nếu chùng mình

This uniform consists of a white T-shirt and dark blue skirt. It looks plain but pretty nice.

bí ý quá, không biết mô tả thêm gì

I usually mix and match my uniform with a

về cái bộ đồng phục, thì hãy thử

pair of blue sneakers, which sets off my height

nói về cách ‘mix and match’ với

and fair complexion.

các clothes/ accessories khác. ▶ Ý 2: When you wear it  Khi câu hỏi đề cập tới thời gian,

Previously, students at my school had to wear uniform the whole week, but they showed

đừng quên ‘nhắc’ tới quá khứ rồi

objections to that rule, and then the school

hãy quay trở lại hiện tại nha.

board decided to allow students to wear freely on Saturdays. We were so glad to hear that we could follow our styles on Saturdays.

Bước 3: Explain how you feel about it

▶ At first, I didn’t really like the uniform because it didn’t look like my cup of tea. But when I figured out how to look good in it, I gradually loved it. I feel it is now part of my student life. It reminds me that I belong to my current school and to some extent, it represents my school’s traditions and values

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that have been preserved since it was opened in 1980. ▶ On top of that, I do believe that uniforms, in general, connect students within a school. I mean they could eradicate possible gaps among students. No matter how poor or rich they are, they are considered equal when wearing the same outfits to school. Perhaps uniforms show their utmost importance when it comes to competition between schools. Students in the the same uniforms tend to feel connected, bond into a closely knit team, and this can increase chances of winning. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHTLIGHTS Consist of: bao gồm

Represent: đại diện, thể hiện

Plain: đơn giản, không cầu kì

Preserve: lưu giữ, bảo tồn

Mix and match: phối đồ

Eradicate: xoá bỏ

Set off st: tôn da/ dáng người/ etc

Outfit: quần áo ( DT đếm được)

Fair complexion: nước da trắng

Utmost imprtance: rất quan trọng

(show) objection(s) to st: phản đối

Bond: gắn bó, gần gũi

My cup of tea: guu/ thẩm mỹ/ kiểu mình

Closely knit: khăng khít

thích Figure out: tìm ra

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Cue card 9: Describe a piece of clothes you enjoy wearing Describe a piece of clothes you enjoy wearing You should say: 

What it is



Where you bought it



When you wear it

And explain how you feel about it.

 Chúng mình có thể nói về Uniforms ( Cue card 8 bên trên) hoặc chọn một trang phục khác, dựa trên cách triển khai ý tưởng của Uniforms nha.

42

MOVIES Cue card 10: Describe a film or TV program that made you laugh Describe a film or TV program that made you laugh You should say: 

When and where you watched it



What type of film or TV program it was



What it was about

And explain why it made you laugh.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

I’d like to share with you about a film that I find incredibly hilarious.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1. When and where you watched it

Last week my flatmate and I were in the mood for a movie, so we searched for a good one, the latest one. It was quite confusing at first to find, but we finally decided on the movie ‘Gái già lắm chiêu’ as its posters was very eye-catching and it got postive reviews.

▶ Ý 2. What type of film or TV program it was

It is a comedy. The plots were so exciting and amusing. The film stars Mr Siro and Lan Ngoc who are very famous public figures . I couldn’t take my eyes off them because they’re so attractive. Their chic outfits would kill the audience.

▶ Ý 3. What it was about It tells a story of a guy in his mid-20s falling in love with a lady who is 10 years his senior. She’s loaded being the director of an entertainment company. They first met when he went to the job interview. They had to

43

jump through many hoops to have a happy ending. Bước 3: Explain why it made you laugh

▶ What made me laugh was her clumsiness when she was introduced to her boyrfriend’s family. She accidentally broke several bowls and bumped into the wall. Then she got a lot of bruises. Her clumsiness made a bad impression on his family. His mother who is a tough nut to crack strongly expressed objection to their marriage. ▶ Another intersting point about the film was her best friends who stand by her side and accompanies her to big parties and events. They’re supportive and have an arsenal of tricks that made me burst out laughing.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Be in the mood for st: có hứng thú làm gì

Loaded: giàu có

Eye-catching: bắt mắt

Jump through many hoops: trải qua nhiều

Star sb: có diễn viên chính là ai

cửa ải, thử thách

Public figures: Nhân vật của công chúng

Make a bad impression on sb: tạo ấn tượng xấu với ai

Can’t take sb’s eyes off st: không thể rời mắt khỏi cái gì

A tough nut (to crack): ai đó/ cái gì đó khó khăn, khó xử lý

St Kill sb: đốn hạ trái tim ai đó Burst out V-ing (laughing): cười phá lên N years sb’s senior: hơn ai đó n tuổi

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FOOD Cue card 11: Describe your favorite food Describe your favorite food You should say:  What the food is  What it is made of  What you love about it And say why it is your favorite food.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

I’d like to tell you about the food that I really like.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What the food is

It’s Phở- one of the specialities in Vietnamese

cuisine.

Phở

has

several

diversities, but I like Phở Thìn the most. It has been popular with not only Vietnamese people but also foreign tourists. In recent years, it has been featured on CNN and other American Tv channels. ▶ Ý 2: What it is made of Phở consists of rice noodles, sliced beef, broth made from beef bones and onions. All the ingredients are put in a bowl with onions on top of the beef.

▶ Ý 3: Where you can enjoy Phở (Chuyển thành ý này nha)

There are a bunch of places where you can eat Phở, and the prices greatly vary. But I would recommend Phở Thìn on Lò Đúc street as the price is very reasonable- it costs only 30,000 VNĐ while it may cost 50.000 – 1000,000 VNĐ at other places.

45

Bước 3: Say why it is your favourite food

▶ Honestly, a bowl of Phở is always mouthwatering to me. The tastes of all ingredients are in perfect harmony. It has a delicate taste and smells so good that I can’t resist it whenever I go past. Phở is also nutritious enough to be a typical breakfast in Vietnam. ▶ Plus, I really respect the painstaking efforts to make Phở. You know, it might take up to 10 hours to make Phở. Those who make Phở should have a big passion so that they have preserved the business of making Phở for decades although it is not really a lucrative one. Take Mr Thìn, the owner of Phở Thìn for example. His life has been on the rocks several times as incomes from selling Phở could not cover his living costs and his wife left him. But he still sticks to his passion, and last year he was invited to Japan as the ambassador of Vietnamese cuisine to make Phở for Japanese people.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

Vocabulary highlights Speciality:đặc sản

In harmony (with st): hài hoà, ăn nhập (với

Cuisine: ẩm thực

cái gì)

Diversity: đa dạng, nhiều phiên bản

Be delicate: tinh tế, nhẹ nhàng

Broth: nước dùng

Resist:kháng cự

Be reasonable: hợp lý ( giá cả, tính cách)

Be painstaking: bỏ rất nhiều công sức

Be mouth-watering: khiến ai đó chảy nước

Be lucrative: sinh lãi nhiều

miếng ( do quá ngon)

On the rocks: gặp khó khăn

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SPORTS Cue card 12: Describe your favourite sport Describe your favourite sport You should say: 

What it is



How often you play/ watch it



How to play it

And explain why it is your favourite sport.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a sport that I’m really keen on.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it is

It’s badminton- a sport orginally comes from China as far as I know. Then it’s spread to many coutries and become popular all over the world,

▶ Ý 2: How often you play/ watch it I took up this sport in the 8th grade after watching  Hãy bắt đầu bằng hành trình chúng mình trở nên thích môn thể thao này như thế nào

a badminton match between the two top badminton players at Olympics Games 2008. I’ve become interested in it since then.

nha. I’ve never missed a single badminton match on TVs, and I play badminton nearly every day. So I would call myself a badminton person.

▶ Ý 3: How to play it

Badminton is a team sport. The number each team can vary. At professional games, it is a maximum of 2, but it can be up to 5-6 at amateur games. Playing it is just a piece of cake. Just hit the shuttlecock towards the opponents over the net using your racket, and they are supposed to catch the shuttlecock.

47

Bước 3: Explain why it’s your

▶ It’s simple and easy to play. For complete

favourite sport

beginners, they can learn how to play it with just a few instructions. Plus, it does not require too much equipment as other sports. While you need complex equipment such as a set of golf clubs that cost an arm and a leg to play golf, all you need are just a set of rackets and a few shuttlecocks. ▶ Another reason why I love this sport is that it is not very vigorous, so it’s suitable for people of almost all ages and health conditions. I used to play football, but I often got exhausted: you know, being short of breath after every match as I got to run a lot. But I get energetic after playing badminton. Since I led a healthy lifestyle: having a balanced diet and playing badminton every morning, I have become fit as a fiddle.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Be keen on st = like st

Short of breath: thở dốc/ hổn hển

Take up: bắt đầu một sở thích

Energetic: tràn trề năng lượng

A badminton person: người thích cầu lông

Lead a healthy lifestyle: có một lối sống

(E.g. A dog/cat person)

khoẻ mạnh

A piece of cake: rất dễ dàng

A balanced diet: chế độ ăn cân bằng

Cost an arm and a leg: đắt đỏ, ngốn rất

Be fit as a fiddle: rất khoẻ mạnh.

nhiều tiền Vigorous: đòi hỏi nhiều sức, năng lượng

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WORK Cue card 13: Describe your ideal job Describe your ideal job You should say: 

What the job would involve



What qualification or experience you would need for this job



What you think the most difficult thing about the job would be

And explain why it is your dream job.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today Id’d like to share with you about my dream job in the future. It would be teaching English to speakers of other languages.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý

Actually, I’ve been pursuing this profession for

▶ Ý 1: What your current job is

nearly 4 years, and I realize that it’s my true calling. I would put my heart and soul in it to become a

(Chuyển thành ý này nha)

good teacher to help learners of English to make tremendous progress and communicate effectively in both social and work contexts.

▶ Ý 2: What the job would involve

Teaching

English

involves

doing

thorough

research on methods of learning and teaching a language and then apply the right one in specific cases. Teachers also prepare for lessons prior to class time to make sure that contents will be delivered within an amount of time, say 45 minutes or one hour , and most importantly, students will be engaged in the lesson. On top of that, tests and exams are needed to check students’ progress and make any changes if necessary. In order to become a professional English teacher, I Ý 3: What qualification or

would have to obtain the International teaching

experience you would need for this job certificate CELTA that stands for Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults. I also need to 49

brush up on my English to gain proficiency as well as teach and observe several classes to get the picture of common problems that learners of English have.

Bước 3: Explain why it is your

Teaching would be my dream job as

dream job

▶ I’ve loved English since I was 4. It was my grandfather that inspired me to learn English. I would like to share what I’ve accumulated throughout the years with learners of English. ▶ And I would be able to meet learners from all walks of life, each of whom has a story. And this means that I can have a great time listening to their experiences and learn a lot from them. Then I would make friends and broaden my social circles. ▶ I also like to deliver lessons, communicate with others and ensure that they understand the lessons and the messages I convey. It would be big happiness when my students get good results, exchange small talks with me and give me presents on special occasions such as Vietnamese teachers’ day or Women’s day even after they finish the course.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS True calling: định mệnh, tiếng gọi con tim

Obtain st: đạt được kiến thức, kĩ năng, etc

Put my heart and soul in st: dồn tâm huyết

Stand for st: đại diện, viết tắt cho cái gì

vào việc gì

Brush up on st: luyện tập cái gì

Make tremendous progress: tiến bộ đáng kể/

Accummulate: tích luỹ

rất nhiều Walks of life: các tầng lớp xã hội Thorough research: nghiên cứu, tìm hiểu rất kĩ lưỡng Be engaged in st: tham gia vào cái gì

Social circles: mạng lưới bạn bè Deliver lessons: truyền tải bài học

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TOPIC 3: PLACES Sau Topic 2: OBJECTS & FAVOURITES, chúng mình tiếp tục với chủ đề PLACES. Với Topic số 3 này, cô sẽ chia thành 2 Main Subtopics: Natural beauty & Man-made

Places

structures.

Natural beauty Man-made structures

Trước hết, mình bắt đầu với Natural beauty nha. Nếu chúng ta nắm được ‘xương sống’ triển khai Miêu tả Natural beauty (Ví dụ, chúng mình chọn ‘Describe a beach’và chuẩn bị thật kĩ cho nó), thì khi đi thi, đề bài hỏi ‘Describe a river/ lake/ mountain/ forest, etc’ thì chúng ta hoàn toàn giải quyết được, bởi vì: Cho dù hỏi về ‘A beach’ hay ‘A river/ lake/ mountain/ river’ thì chúng ta cũng sẽ phải đề cập tới: -

Specific information about this place

-

Location

-

Who you went with/ Where you stayed

-

Activities you engaged in while you were there

Nếu những nội dung trên chúng ta chuẩn bị kĩ cho ‘A beach’ rồi, thì cứ thế khéo léo áp dụng cho ‘A river/ lake/ mountain/ river’ thôi.

51

▶ Chúng ta bắt đầu với Cue card ‘xương sống’ nha! Trong Cue card xương sống này, cô lựa chọn nói về Halong bay. Cue card 1: Describe a natural beauty Describe a natural beauty You should say: 

What is it



Who you went with



When you visited it

And explain why it is a place worth visiting. Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a natural beauty in Vietnam that has become one of the most popular destinations in the world.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it is  Lưu ý: Đừng dừng lại ở việc chỉ nói tên địa danh. Chúng mình triển khai thêm: 

Một là: vị trí của địa danh đó ‘in Southern Vietnam …’



Hai là: Nó nổi tiếng thế nào ‘it attracts milions of tourists …’

It’s Halong bay- a complex of beach and bay in

Southern

recognized

Vietnam

as the

that

has

world heritage

been by

UNESCO. Every year, it attracts millions of tourists from all over the world and generates incomes for local people through several tourism services such as accommodation and luxury cruise.

▶ Ý 2: Who you went with and where you stayed

I went there with my family last summer vacation. We chose this place after a lot of thorough research. We stayed at a selfcatering hotel that overlooked the sea. It was such a stunning view.

▶ Ý 3: What you did there (Chuyển thành ý này nha)

Well, we had a blast at Halong bay. We took part in many activities such as swimming, volleyball and going on boating trips. We got up at breaking dawn to watch the sunrise, stroll along the beach, and make sand castles and swim at sunset. We went there out of 52

season, so there were no flocks of tourists as in peak season. Bước 3: Explain why it is a place worth

▶ Going sightseeing at this place was a

visiting

once-in-a-lifetime

opportunity

as

it’s

endowed with breathtaking landscape that took my breath away: crystal clear sea water, smooth sand and mountain ranges spreading to the infinity. I particularly liked the overnight cruise in which I could observe the sky full of sparkling stars and indulge in the still of the night. ▶ I also really like the local residents who gave us very warming welcome. They were incredibly friendly and accommodating. There was one time I got lost, and some locals were willing to get me to my hotel although it was a pretty long distance. I could learn from their diligence, optimism and hospitability. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Thorough: cẩn thận, kĩ lưỡng

Once-in-a-lifetime: cơ hội có một không hai

Self-catering: tự cung tự cấp

Be endowed with st: được trời phú cho cái gì

Overlook st: ở vị trí đối diện cái gì

Take sb’s breath away: khiến ai đó choáng

Stunning: rất đẹp, choáng ngợp

ngợp

Breaking dawn: sáng tinh mơ

Sparkling stars: những ngôi sao lấp lánh

Out of season: không phải mùa cao điểm Flock: đám đông người

Still: Sự tĩnh lặng Accommodating: hay giúp đỡ người khác, tốt bụng

Peak season: Mùa cao điểm Hospitality: sự hiếu khách Go sightseeing: đi ngắm cảnh 53

▶ Bây giờ, chúng mình chuyển sang MAN-MADE STRUCTURES nha. Đối với man-made structures, cách triển khai trong mỗi câu hỏi chi tiết có thể khác nhau môt chút (Describe your ideal house/ a hotel/ library, etc). Nhưng tựu chung lại, cho dù là Ideal house, Library, Hotel hay bất kì công trình kiến trúc nào, thì vẫn bao gồm 2 phần: Exterior (Phía bên ngoài) và Interior (Phía bên trong). Vậy là, khi biết cách miêu tả Exterior và Interior cho 1 công trình kiến trúc nào đó, chúng ta sẽ áp dụng được cho những công trình kiến trúc khác. Tuy nhiên, cách miêu tả Man-made structures không chỉ dừng lại ở Exterior và Interior, mà còn bao gồm một số nội dung khác, phụ thuộc vào từng câu hỏi cụ thể. Trong phần tiếp theo, cô sẽ lựa chọn 4 Câu hỏi: Describe an ideal house; Describe a hotel; Describe a library & Describe a place full of colors (đề này hơi lạ một chút) để chúng ta hiểu được một số nội dung cần triển khai bên cạnh Exterior & Interior nha. Cue card 2: Describe an ideal house or apartment you would like to have in the future Describe an ideal house or apartment you would like to have in the future You should say: 

Where it is



What furniture or equipment it would have



How it looks

And explain why you would like to live in it in the future.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about my dream house that I have longed since I was a child.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Where it is

It would be a detached house, much of a bungalow in the suburb where air pollution is not a serious issue. The first time I saw a bungalow on TV, I was so captured by it, and I’ve dreamt of having one since then.

▶ Ý 2: What furniture or equipment it

I’d like my future house to follow a minimalist

would have

style, in other words, not having too much furniture or equipment. It would just have cupboards, a set of utensils in the kitchen and a 54

large closet for the whole family in the bedroom, and some other essentials. ▶ Ý 3: How it looks like

It would be a medium-sized house with a balcony on the second floor so that I can watch the sky and

 Bắt đầu miêu tả một chút về Exterior nha.

enjoy the gentle breeze while sipping a cup of tea in the morning or in the late afternoon. And I would paint it in the color creamy white- a

 Và tiếp tục với Interior nha.

color expressing my hospitality. It would also have an indoor garden with both local and exotic flowers and plants that give off very pleasant fragrance.

Bước 3: Explain why you would like

▶ Well, I’d love to live in this house because it

to live in it in the future

is tranquil and peaceful, as opposed to the hustle and bustle in cities. I would listen to birds singing at dawn and my favorite melodies at night without being disturbed by noisy neighbors. ▶ I would have healthy lifestyle if I live in this kind of house. There would be plenty of space to walk or run to keep myself active throughout the day as well as very fresh air to breath in. I would take up fishing on weekends instead of gluing my eyes to electronic gadgets such as smart phones or Ipads. ▶ Lastly, having a bungalow means that I can have a barbecue on weekends and invite my friends to come over, and throw an amazing house-warming party on a spacious yard.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

55

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Detached: nhà

Exotic: khác lạ, đặc biệt

Bungalow: nhà gỗ một tầng

Give off: toả ra ( mùi hương)

Be captured by st: bị thu hút bởi cái gì

Tranquil: yên tĩnh, yên bình

Minimalist: tối giản (lối sống, phong cách, …)

Hustle and bustle: sự ồn ào náo nhiệt

Essentials: đồ dùng thiết yếu

Disturb st: quấy rầy ai đó

Breeze: cơn gió nhẹ, thoang thoảng

House-warming: tân gia

Sip: nhấm nháp, uống ngụm nhỏ

56

Cue card 3: Describe a hotel you have stayed in Describe a hotel you have stayed in You should say: 

Where the hotel was



Why you stayed at that particular hotel



Give details of the hotel and the view from it

And explain what makes the hotel special.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to share with you about a hotel that I stayed during my summer vacation in Da Nang three years ago.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Where the hotel was

After doing a lot of thorough research on Agodaan app for booking accommodation, I decided on a hotel named ‘Zu zi’ located near My Khe beach that has been recognized as one of the most popular attractions in the world.

▶ Ý 2: Why you stayed at that

I chose that hotel because it looked great on its

particular hotel

website and the price was reasonable, only 250,000 VND per night including a meal. And it made good impressions on me when I got there. It was tidy and neat, and it had a fantastic view of the beach.

▶ Ý 3: Give details of the hotel and the

Well, the hotel didn’t look gorgeous from the

view from it

exterior, but as I entered it, I was blown away

 Chúng mình triển khai theo Exterior & Interior nha.

by its cozy atmosphere. There was a small garden with local and exotic plants. A brook was making babbling sounds. The hotel was painted

57

in white,

and

it offered some

conveniences such as TVs, air-conditioners, etc. Everything was spick and span. Bước 3: Explain what makes the hotel ▶ I really appreciated its staff who were helpful special Có rất nhiều yếu tố ‘makes the hotel special’: tiện nghi, khoảng cách gần với trung tâm thành phố/ biển, thái độ nhân

and hospitable. They knocked on my room door to give clean shower towels in early afternoon every day and booked Grabs for me. When I didn’t know where to go in Danang, they just recommended several places as well as itineraries

viên phục vụ, etc. Chúng mình có thể

to get the most of these places. They also invited

lựa chọn tiêu chí chúng mình yêu thích.

me to have meals with them. They gave me a very

Ở đây, cô lựa chọn: thái độ nhân viên

warm welcome.

phục vụ và khoảng cách gần với biển.

▶ Besides that, I particularly liked the proximity of the hotel to the beach, you know, just a few steps of walking. I got up very early, say 4:30 or 5:00 and strolled to the beach. I could also enjoy the gentle breeze from the balcony of the hotel while nibbling some toasts and a cup of coffee.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Gorgeous: hoành tráng, đẹp đẽ

Babbling (ADJ): róc rách ( tiếng suối chảy)

Exterior: phần bên ngoài

Spick and span: sạch tinh tươm

Be blown away by st: bị cuốn hút bởi cái gì

Get the most of st: tận dụng tối đa cái gì

Cozy: ấm cúng

Proximity to st: gần với cái gì (vị trí địa lý)

Exotic: ngoại lai, khác biệt

Nibble: ăn rón rén, ăn miếng nhỏ

Brook: dòng thác/ suối nhỏ

58

Cue card 4: Describe a crowded place you have been to Describe a crowded place you have been to You should say: 

Where it was



Who you were with



What you did there

And explain how you felt about it.

 Với Cue card này, chúng mình có thể chuyển sang nói về Natural beauty (Cue card 1) nha. ▶ Gợi ý một số Từ vựng cho key word ‘ A crowded place’ 

Tourist trap: điểm đến rất đông khách du lịch



Flock (verb): đổ dồn đến đâu với số lượng lớn



Hordes of tourists: đám đông du khách



In season: trong mùa du lịch ( vs out of season: mùa thấp điểm)

Cue card 5: Describe a school you went to in your childhood Describe a school you went to in your childhood You should say: 

Where it was



What it was like



What you learned there

And say how you felt about it.

 Với Cue card này, chúng mình áp dụng những gợi ý triển khai ở những Cue card trên nha. ▶ Mô tả: Exterior (big school gate, colorful flower beds, etc) và Interior ( 50 well-equipped classrooms, libraries with plenty of books and references, etc). ▶ Còn đối với phần ‘Say how you felt about it’ thì đơn giản rồi ha. Chúng ta có thể đưa vào một số từ vựng chỉ tình cảm ‘love’ expressions đã chuẩn bị trong Topic: PERSONS.

59

Cue card 6: Describe a library that you visited Describe a library that you visited You should say: 

Where the library was



What facilities it had



Why you went there

And explain whether you found the library useful or not.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a library that I went to last month.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Where the library was

It is located in the heart of Hanoi, on Ba Trieu street- a very bustling part of Hanoi.

 Chúng mình triển khai thêm bằng cách giới thiệu thời gian thành lập nha.

It was first opened in 1954 by the French colonists, and it has been in existence for nearly 70 years. It’s a beauty of interest of Hanoi. Every year it attracts millions of tourists all over the world.

▶ Ý 2: What facilities it had  Chúng mình triển khai theo Exterior & Interior nha.

What impressed me in the first place was the fabulous fountain in the front yard that produced very impressive sounds and shape. The entrance door was arch-shaped which is typical of French architectural style. When I stepped in the main hall, I could see the large numbers of shelves filled with hardcover books of various genres such as novels,

▶ Ý 3: Why you went there

journals and so on. At that time, I had plenty of spare time, so I went there just to kill time. Visiting that library was a part of my exploring Hanoi. I

60

had very little idea of specialties of my city although I’d lived there for about 10 years. I found that library quite useful because Bước 3: Explain whether you found the

▶ Firstly, it had a diversity of books and

library useful or not.

references ranging from novels to some academic journals. And it is noticeable that all the materials were in very good condition. I came across an incredibly valuable book dating back to 1900, and it’s been well-preserved over a century. ▶ Secondly, the library was an ideal place of studying as it was spacious, airy and quiet. Everyone coming there was required to keep quiet and turn off their mobile phones and they would be rejected if they made noise to distract others. Since I discovered the library as a study room, my level of concentration was greatly improved.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS In the heart of a place: nằm ở trung tâm của một nơi

Kill time: giết thời gian Come across st: tình cờ phát hiện ra cái gì

Bustling: huyên náo, sôi nổi

In good condition: được bản quản/ giữ gìn

In the first place: ngay từ đầu

tốt

Fabulous: hoành tráng, tráng lệ

Date back to a year (1980): có nguồn gốc từ

Hardcover: (sách) bìa cứng

khi nào

Genre: thể loại (sách, âm nhạc)

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Cue card 7: Describe a place you remember well that is full of colors 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 well.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a place that is decorated with a spectrum of colors.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Where it is

It’s Yen So park, a newly constructed amenity, and it’s about 5 kilometers from my house. This park used to be for farming, but then it’s been transformed into a great attraction.

▶ Ý 2: What it is like

It’s enormous with an estimated size of 1,000 square meters. It has an arch-shaped entrance gate and plenty of flower beds whose colors greatly differ in intensity. Some of them have dark colors; others have bright colors. My mood seemed to switch from excitement and delight to calmness as I moved from bright color flowers

▶ Ý 3: What it is used for

to dark color ones. This

park

is

originally

intended

for

entertainment. It has equipped with a large number of rides such as merry-go-round and some extreme rides. But it can be used as a place to hold events such as raising funds for disabled children.

Bước 3: Explain why you remember

There are two reasons why this place keeps

it well

echoing in my head.

62

▶ Firstly, it’s indeed a landmark. When I was going to the art event that was held at this park, I could immediately catch a sight of it as it was so noticeable and impressive. I was drawn to its colorful style and its surroundings that were made up of landscape paintings and wooden statues of some animals. ▶ Secondly, it has state-of-the-art facilities and it’s incredibly clean. I was blown away by its lush green land, the range of its rides, cafeterias as well as helpful and professional staff. They gave me very detailed instructions on how to play the rides safely and directions to some special zones in the park. They were also willing to take photos for us. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS A spectrum of st: một dải (màu), sự đa dạng

Echoe in sb’s head: nằm sâu trong tâm trí

Amenity: cơ sở vật chất ( mang tính giải trí)

ai (do ấn tượng)

Intensity (color): tông màu (sáng, trung tính,

Catch a sight of sb/st: nhìn thoáng thấy ai/

tối)

cái gì Be drawn to st: bị cuốn hút bởi cái gì

Merry-go-round: vòng quay ngựa gỗ Extreme rides: vòng quay mạo hiểm

Landscape paintings: tranh phong cảnh

Raise funds: gây quỹ

State-of-the-art: hiện đại, cập nhật Lush: Xanh rờn, nhiều cây cối

Disabled children: trẻ em khuyết tập

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TOPIC 4: EXPERIENCES & EVENTS Một Topic khá là rộng. Trải nghiệm và sự kiện trong cuộc đời thì chúng mình có vô số: đỗ đại học, học lại, thất tình, trúng xổ số, … nói chung không thể đếm xuể. Theo cô, chúng mình có thể chia những sự kiện và trải nghiệm trong cuộc đời thành 2 nhóm: Happy experiences & Sad experiences. Từ cách phân chia trên, chúng mình cần trang bị một số Vocabularies miêu tả Happiness và Sadness để nói về Emotions trong các câu hỏi cụ thể của Topic này. Một số Từ vựng chỉ Happiness: Excited, Over the moon, On cloud nine Một số Từ vựng chỉ Sadness: Disappointed, Down in the dumps, Frustrated ▶ Chúng ta bắt đầu với Cue card đầu tiên về HAPPY EXPERIENCES nha! Cue card 1: Describe a time when you were excited Describe a time when you were excited You should say 

When it was



What happened



Who you were with

And explain why you were excited. Bước 1: Giới thiệu

I’d like to tell you about a time I got excited that I will remember for my whole life.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: When it was

It was in November 2016 that I first fell in love. It was love at first sight. We just clicked right from the first time we met. We saw a romantic movie at CGV near my work office and

▶ Ý 2: What happened

then had dinner. We had a stroll, talked for hours. We did have a great time.

Sau đó, chúng ta cần kể chi tiết

Then he held my hands and gave me a kiss on my cheek,

hơn những gì xảy ra nha.

which made me get goosebumps. I was speechless, but deep down from my heart, I was really over the moon at that time as I eventually found the missing piece of my life.

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▶ Ý 3: What you were wearing (Chuyển sang ý này nha)

At that time, I was wearing a flowery dress that I spent hours looking for. It set out my sun-tanned complexion and conceals my modest height. I just looked so pretty in it that my boyfriend complimented on me and couldn’t take his eyes off me.

Bước 3: Explain why you were

That was the first time I had been in love, and the tender

excited

love from him really uplifted my emotions. My emotions, I guess, were much more intense than those in love several times. They were new, thrilling and just perfect. I would treasure such wonderful moments with him. ▶ Another reason why I got high at that time was I could find someone who lent me an ear and had a lot in common with me although there were some opposites, but I just keep in mind that opposites attract. For example, he kept everything neat and tidy, and he always made careful plans. I, on the other hand, was quite messy and disorganized. I just did things on the spur of the moment.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc

That’s all I want to say

bài nói VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Love at first sight: yêu từ cái nhìn đầu tiên

Intense: mãnh liệt

Click: hợp nhau ngay tức khắc

Thrilling: hồi hộp, gay cấn

(get) Goosebumps: (nổi) da gà

Lend sb an ear: lắng nghe ai đó tâm sự

Speechless: không biết nói gì (do xúc động)

Keep in mind: ghi nhớ, khắc cốt ghi tâm

Over the moon: rất hạnh phúc, mãn nguyện

Opposites attract: trái dầu hút nhau

Can’t take my eyes off sb/st: không thể dời

Disorganized (ADJ): lộn xộn, thiếu trật tự

mắt khỏi ai/ cái gì

On the spur of the moment: thích thì làm,

Uplift (emotions): nâng cảm xúc

không có kế hoạch

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Cue card 2: Describe a performance that you enjoy Describe a performance that you enjoy You should say 

What it is about



Where it is



Who you were with

And explain why you enjoy it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I‘d like to share with you about a singing performance that has had a lasting impression on me until now.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it is about  Chúng mừng dừng lại ở đây nha.

It was a gig of Ha Anh Tuan- one of the most wellknown singers in Vietnam.

Hãy nói rõ hơn tại sao người này He is applauded for his beautiful voice that is lại ‘well-known’.

free of rigid singing techniques and captures the audience’s attention from the first notes.

▶ Ý 2: Where it is The gig was held on a university campus in Da Lat- a Southern province of Vietnam. Ha Anh Tuan seems to have a strong preference for this place as most of his concerts have taken place there. ▶ Ý 3: Who you were with Well, it might sound a bit weird, but I went to the gig alone. I just wanted solo-travelling, and I knew at that time that my friends were swamped with work, so it would be no good asking them to go with me. Bước 3: Explain why you enjoy it

▶ As I said earlier, I’m really into Ha Anh Tuan. His voice is so awesome. He never mimics any other singers’ styles; he chooses his own style: 66

gentle, delicate but powerful , which is unique and blows the audience away whenever he is on stage. I especially like the way he reaches high notes perfectly. He knows how to conceal his weaknesses and show off his strength. I am absorbed in every minute of his performance because it is flawless to me. ▶ Besides that, the gig took place in the midst of autumn in Da Lat. It was breezy and a bit cold, but the flock of the audience soon warmed me up. They swayed gently with the melody and looked over the moon. The gig ended on a high note, and I did have a blast and feel energised to get back to my city after months of heavy workloads. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Gig: concert nhỏ

Conceal: che đậy

Applaud: tán thưởng, hoan nghênh

Show off: khoe ra, thể hiện ra

Captures sb’s attention: thu hút sự chú ý của ai

Be absorbed in st: tập trung, bị lôi cuốn

Have a strong preference for st: ưa thích cái gì

vào cái gì

Solo-travelling: du lịch một mình

Flawless: hoàn hảo, không tì vết

Be swamped with st: rất bận rộn

Breezy: gió thoảng thoảng Sway: đung đưa

No good V-ing: vô ích khi làm gì

Over the moon: rất vui, hạnh phúc

Be really into sb/st: really like sb/st Mimic: bắt chước

On a high note: vui vẻ

Blow sb away: làm ai đó choáng ngợp

Have a blast: have fun

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Cue card 3: Describe a challenge you have ever faced Describe a challenge you have ever faced You should say: 

What it was



When it happened



How you overcame it

And explain how you felt about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’m gonna tell you about a challenge that I confronted a few months ago

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it was

Back then my best friend and I were running a project that we had been dreaming of for years. It was teaching free English for poor children in some remote areas in Vietnam.

▶ Ý 2: When it happened

The project was going well, but suddenly a bunch of our volunteers rejected to work with us because they felt no connection between them and us. I was speechless as I thought that we really got on well with each other.

▶ Ý 3: How you overcame it

My friend and I strained every nerve to find out the causes. We also consulted another friend who is an expert in Human Resources, and he gave us very useful advice. Then we rushed to persuade the volunteers to stay.

Bước 3: Explain how you felt about it  Đến đây nếu bí ý, chúng mình

▶ I felt shocked at first because I had to cope with such a challenge. I didn’t know what to

đừng quên kịch bản ‘At first, … .

do. The future of our project was just up in

But then/ However, …’ nha.

the air. I was in two minds whether or not to leave it. I stayed up very late then to try to reach a decision, but that was impossible.

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▶ But then I happened to see a movie named ‘Sing’, a cartoon featuring the director of a theater in New York making enormous efforts to give it a rebirth. He faced several hardships along the way, and he experienced mixed feelings: motivated, inspired but frustrated and lonely which are the same to mine at that time. I came to realize that those feelings are part of life, and if you want success, you’ll surely go through them and learn from them for personal growth. That movie somehow cheered me up to keep calm and move forward. I silently thanked that difficulty for affording me the opportunity to learn and become a better me. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Confront: gặp phải, đối mặt (khó khăn, … )

Be in two minds: lưỡng lự, phân vân, không

Remote areas: vùng xa xôi hẻo lánh

đưa ra quyết định được

Be speechless: câm nín (do xúc động/ sốc)

Happen to V: tình cờ làm gì

Get on well with sb: hoà thuận, có mối quan

Give it a rebirth: hồi sinh cái gì

hê với ai đó

Along the way: trong suốt hành trình/ quá

Strain every nerve: vắt não suy nghĩ ( tìm

trình

cách giải quyết vấn đề)

Be frustrated: cảm thấy nản lòng

Consult sb: xin tư vấn từ ai

Cheer sb up: làm ai đó phấn chấn, vui

Be up in the air: chưa rõ ràng, chắc chắn

Afford Sb the opportunity: tạo cơ hội cho ai

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Cue card 4: Describe a goal you tried your best to achieve Describe a goal you tried your best to achieve You should say: 

What it was



What you did



Who helped you

And explain how you felt about it. Chúng mình có thể tham khảo Cue card 3 để hoàn thành Cue card 4 này nha.

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▶ Bây giờ, chúng mình chuyển sang SAD EXPERIENCES nha! Cue card 5: Describe an experience that you got bored when you were with others 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.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell about a time that I got bored.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: When it was

It was last week when I had to wait for the bus at the bus station near my apartment. I rushed there right after I finished my English class. It took me up to half an hour to travel only 3 kilometers as I was stuck in the traffic jam. The traffic was terrible, it was in fact bumper-to-bumper. Luckily, some traffic wardens directed the traffic, so it soon became smooth. I was with my friend Jerry. We’ve been friend

▶ Ý 2: Who you were with

since college, and have gone through many ups

 Đừng quên nói qua một chút về

and downs. He’s kind and helpful. He always

‘Character’ khi nhắc tới một

lent me a hand when I am in trouble. But we were

người nha.

having a fight, so we didn’t say a word.

▶ Ý 3: What you did

I had nothing to do but to glue my eyes to the smart phone, listen to music and hope that the bus would soon arrive.

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Bước 3: Explain why you were bored

▶ I was down in the dumps when Jerry misunderstood me. He was somewhat cranky those days. He said that what I said the other day hurt him, but I didn’t mean any harms. I told him that maybe he was a bit sensitive, and he freaked out. How weird it is when you and your friend fall out! ▶ Also, the drizzling weather at that time made me feel blue. I hate gloomy days as I’m not in the mood for anything. I am kinda sluggish, and just want to lie down in bed. Damp and dirty roads as a result of drizzle really put me off doing anything.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Rush: vội vàng đi đâu

Fall out: cãi nhau

Bumper-to-bumper: (giao thông) xe cộ nối

Freak out: nổi khùng lên

nhau thành hàng dài

Sluggish: uể oải, mỏi người

Ups and downs: thăng trầm của cuộc sống

Gloomy: mù mịt, xám xịt (bầu trời)

Lend sb a a hand: giúp đỡ ai đó Be down in the dumps: chán

Put sb off doing st: làm ai đó không có hứng làm gì

Cranky: cáu kỉnh

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Cue card 6: Describe a time when someone apologized you Describe a time when someone apologized you You should say: 

What happened



When it happened



Who apologized you

And explain how you feel about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a time that one of my students made apology to me.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1 và 2:

It was two years ago when a student of mine, Linh begged me to help her with her tons of English

 When it happened  Who apologised you

assignments. Normally I’m willing to give my students a hand with their English homework, but that time I was annoyed by Linh’s flood of messages to me at midnight and the way she talked to me as if she was giving commands.

▶ Ý 3: What happened

I made it clear to her that her way of communicating got on my nerves, and I couldn’t tolerate it. She argued that she didn’t mean disrespect for me. It was because she was stressed with her schoolwork and didn’t know how to cope with it. And I was the only one whom she could count on. She then realized her mistakes and apologized for her poor behavior.

Bước 3: Explain how you feel about

▶ At first, I was sympathetic to her. I tried to put

it

myself in her shoes to understand the problem she was confronting. Her trouble reminded me of my senior year at college when I was drowned in the

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first-term exam. There was too much to study, and I had no one to help me. I just panicked. ▶ But then I was at a loss when she apologized profusely. I said I would let it go and she wouldn’t need to be worried about that any more. But she kept saying sorry. After almost one hour, she stopped apologizing and promised that she wouldn’t make the same mistake. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Give sb a hand: giúp đỡ ai

Put yourself in sb’s shoes: đặt mình vào vị

Flood of st: số lượng lớn, một tràng cái gì

trí người khác để hiểu họ

Give commands: ra lệnh (cho ai)

Be drowned in st: ngập trong cái gì (bận rộn)

Get on sb’s nerves: làm ai khó chịu Panic: ( Past: panicked): hoảng loạn, bối rối Cope with st: đối mặt, xử lý việc gì Profusely: (xin lỗi) liên tục Count on sb: trông cậy vào ai Let it go: bỏ qua (chuyện gì)

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Cue card 7: Describe a time when the bad weather stopped you from doing something Describe a time when the bad weather stopped you from doing something You should say: 

When it was



What happened



How you solved it

And explain how you felt about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a time when the weather was so awful that it prevented me from doing some sightseeing during our trip to Dalat in 2017.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý

It was in the middle of September 2017 that we

▶ Ý 1: When it was

visited Dalat- a highland in the South of

Ở đây, chúng mình nên triển khai theo

Vietnam. At first, we intended to go there the

cấu trúc:

following year 2018 when my cousin returned to

‘At first … But then …’, để có nhiều ý

Vietnam from France. But then, she went on a

tưởng để nói hơn nha.

business trip to Vietnam in September 2017, so we just brought forward the trip by a few months.

▶ Ý 2: What happened

The weather was so nice when we hit the road.

Chúng mình cần mô tả cụ thể nha:

It was breezy and cool. But then dark clouds

Ban đầu: thời tiết đẹp  Lúc sau: thời

appeared; the sky became overcast, and it started

tiết xấu; Xấu như thế nào: Trời mưa, mây

to rain. We shivered as it was getting cold, and

đen, bầu trời u ám; Bạn cảm thấy thế

after about an hour, my hand went numb; my

nào:lạnh, đói, etc.

stomach rumbled as it was empty.

▶ Ý 3: How you solved it

We soon rushed to find a shelter. It seemed hopeless to find one, but luckily, we stumbled upon a cottage whose owners let us stay overnight. We were so relieved to find a place to take a rest after such a long day.

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Bước 3: Explain how you felt about it

▶ It goes without saying that we were disappointed with the trip as all of our plans just backfired. The weather hindered us to tour Dalat, and we had no choice but to staying inside and listening to the rain rhythm. ▶ But then it turned out that we did have a good time later despite the bad weather. The cottage owners were very welcoming, friendly and humorous. They told funny stories that made us have a belly laugh. They made delicious local dishes, tell us several local specialities including traditions and customs that have been preserved for hundreads of years and recommend most popular destinations.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Go on a business trip: đi công tác

Rumble: bụng sôi rục rục

Bring forward st: thực hiện, làm điều gì sớm

Rush: vội vàng, nhanh chóng làm gì

hơn kế hoạch

Stumble upon st: tình cờ phát hiện/ tìm ra

Hit the road: khởi hành, bắt đầu lăn bánh

cái gì

Be overcast: âm u (bầu trời)

It goes without saying: Khỏi cần phải nói

Shiver: run rẩy (vì lạnh)

Backfire: kế hoạch phá sản

Be numb: tê cứng (do lạnh)

A belly laugh: cười vỡ bụng

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Cue card 8: Describe a time you were sleepy but had to stay awake Describe a time you were sleepy but had to stay awake You should say: 

When it was



Why you had to stay awake



How you kept yourself awake

And explain how you felt about it.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’m gonna tell you about a time when I was very sleepy but had to stay awake.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: When it was Ý 2: Why you had to stay awake

It was last week when the final exam neared and I had to stay up very late to cram for it. I cut class quite often during the semester, so my mind was just blank. If I didn’t stay awake, I wouldn’t have enough time for revision.

▶ Ý 3: How you kept yourself awake

I dropped off several times, and I couldn’t stop yawning. I started to feel dizzy after 3 hours of studying. I decided to splash my face with water and do some gentle exercises such as rotating my neck and stretching my arms. These exercises did help, and I got a bit refreshed soon. Then I had a cup of coffee. It kicked in immediately.

Bước 3: Explain how you felt about it

To be honest, I was exhausted then. Cramming for the exam drained all my energy. When the clock struck at 3 o’clock, my eyes got very tired and it seemed that I couldn’t take in any more knowledge. A thought of just winging the exam crosesed my mind . I was then in two minds 77

between burning the midnight oil and going to sleep. I was also stressed as I was afraid I might do bad poorly in the exam or even fail it. If that happened, I would be dead meat as my mom would yell at me. She would kick me out of house and stop giving me monthly allowances. That would be a terrible I should have paid attention to the lessons, studied hard. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thúc bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Cram ( for exam): học nhồi nhét

Kick in: ngấm, phát huy tác dụng (cafe, trà, …)

Drain: hút cạn (năng lượng)

Wing (the exam): đánh lụi bài thi ( không ôn tập

Cut class: cúp học Drop off: ngủ gật Yawn: ngáp ngủ

gì mà đi thi) Cross my mind: một suy nghĩ loé lên trong đầu Be in two minds between … and …: phân vân giữa 2 sự lựa chọn

Spalsh: té nước Burn the midnight oil: thức đêm học bài/ làm việc Be refreshed: tỉnh táo, đỡ mệt hơn Be dead meat: không xong/ gặp vấn đề với ai đó Yell at sb: mắng, la hét ai đó

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Cue card 9: Describe a time you were ill Describe a time you were ill You should say: 

When it was



What the symptoms were



How you felt

And say how you recovered from the illness.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a time when I was ill.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: When it was  Đừng dừng lại ở đây.

It was two years ago when I was a sophomore at National Economics University.

Hãy triển khai cụ thể

Our class threw a party at a rrestaurant near the

‘quá trình’ ốm bắt đầu

college after the end-of-term exam, and after that

từng bước thế nào.

when I got home, I started to feel unwell.

▶ Ý 2: What the symptoms were

At first, I started to feel light-headed. Then I had a headache; my head just spun and was heavy as lead. I guessed that was because I drank a couple of wine during the party. I also burnt up and threw up several times at night. I was indeed sick as a dog.

▶ Ý 3: Who you were with

Luckily, I stayed with my parents so they took turns to take care of me. They were very worried about me; they stayed up the whole night to keep an eye on me.

Bước 3: Say how you recovered

▶ I made a speedy recovery because I took a lot

from the illness

of rest, ate nutritious foods and tried some traditional treatments such as steam inhalation and herbal bath. I lied down in bed and stayed away from smart phones. I drank plenty of fruit 79

juice to stay hydrated and boost immune system. It was my mother who made meals for me. She stewed chicken with some herbs and congee with onions. These dished were so good that I devoured them quickly. ▶ I should have thanked my friend for giving me Chinese massage that did help to ease my illness. At first, I was a bit scared as I was afraid that would hurt badly. On the contrary, it relaxed my body, and I felt completely refreshed. It was just magical. I would learn this therapy to perform on my parents when they are under the weather or sick. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Light-headed: choáng váng, chóng mặt

Steam inhalation: xông hơi

Heavy as lead: đầu nặng như chì

Herbal bath: tắm lá thuốc

Burn up: hâm hấp sốt

Stay hydrated: giữ ẩm (cơ thể, mặt, …)

Throw up: nôn mửa

Immune system: hệ miễn dịch

Sick as a dog: ốm nặng

Stew: ninh, hầm

Take turns: thay phiên nhau

Devour: ăn ngấu nghiến, ăn nhiều

Keep an eye on sb/st: để mắt tới ai/ cái gì

Be under the weather: mệt nhẹ ( khi thời tiết

Make a speedy recovery: phục hồi nhanh

thay đổi)

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TOPIC 5: OTHERS Trong Chủ đề cuối cùng này, chúng ta sẽ đề cập tới 3 mảng chính: ✔

The nature-The environment

✔

Laws

✔

Skills

Ngoài ra, còn những chủ đề khác thì chúng mình áp dụng nhũng cách triển khai từ đầu cuốn sách để luyện tập nha.

THE NATURE – THE ENVIRONMENT Cue card 1: Describe a physical phenomenon you know or study Describe a physical phenomenon you know or study You should say: 

What it is



How do you know it



When it usually happens

And explain why this phenomenon is important.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a physical phenomenon that I studied at secondary school. It’s thunder and lightning. It is when the sky rumbles and sparks off light during the rain.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it is

I was taught this phenomenon in Physics in the 8th grade. I was really interested in this content because I had been curious for a long time. To be honest, I was so scared when there was thunder and lightning that I would cry or even leave home if I was on my own.

▶ Ý 2: How do you know it

The first time I heard of this phenomenon was on a Documentary on VTV2- an educational channel in Vietnam. I was intrigued by how it works, but it

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still remained a mystery to me. About two months later, my Physcis teacher delivered a lesson on some natural phnomena and disasters, and I could get an insight into thunder and lightning. ▶ Ý 3: When it usually happens

This phenomenon often happens when it rains. It can last for a few minutes or even hours. The worst thunder and lightning I’ve ever experienced was last year. I was so terrified by it, and I sticked around at the office until it stopped raining.

Bước 3:

Learning this phenomenon is very crucial as

Explain why this phenomenon is

▶ Firstly, being struck by lightning can be fatal.

important

Very few people survive being hit by lightning. Being aware of this danger, we would find for a shelter to avoid it or stay away from dangerous zones, particularly near a tree. ▶ Secondly, this phenomenon paved the path for the invention of lightning conductor that has made lightning less harmful. Lightning conductor is a metal rod or piece of wire which moves the electric currents generated by lightning to the ground. They can be seen on church towers, skyscrapers and tall buildings to protect them from damage.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Rumble: (sấm) kêu rầm rầm

Be struck by st: bị đánh, đổ bộ bởi cái gì

Be intrigued by st: bị tò mò, cảm thấy thú vị

Fatal: có thể gây chết người

bởi cái gì

Shelter: chỗ trú, nơi ẩn nấp

get an insight into: hiểu sâu, hiểu tường tận

Pave the path for st: dọn đường, tạo cơ hội

cái gì

cho cái gì

Be terrified by st: kinh hãi cái gì Lightning conductor: cột thiên lôi Stick around: nán lại, ở lại 82

Cue card 2: Describe a sky you would like to see 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.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a sky that I wish to see someday.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: Where it is  Một lần nữa, chúng ta lại nhìn thấy bóng dáng của Topic: PLACES. Đừng quên đưa vào một số cách

It would be in West England, a rustic and peaceful part of England where there are plenty of ancient houses dating back to 18th century.

triển khai của Topic này để triển khai ý ‘Where it is’ này nha. ▶ Ý 2: Who you would like to see it with

I’d like to watch the sky with my best

Ý này hỏi chúng ta về ‘Who’, tức là hỏi về

friend. We’ve been friends since university,

‘A person’- chính là Topic 1: PEOPLE mà

but we haven’t met for 5 years. I really

chúng ta đã học ở bên trên. Chúng mình

missed her. She’s a very strong-willed and

đừng quên áp dụng cách triển khai của Chủ

insightful person. In 2015, she got a

đề này nha. Đưa vào một số đặc điểm về

scholarship to study Supply Chain

Appearance hoặc Character (hoặc cả 2 nội

Management in the UK. She’s now living in

dung này). Ở đây, cô lựa chọn chỉ nói về

London and has a two-year daughter. We

Character.

vowed to watch the sky somewhere in Europe after we graduated.

Ý 3: What you would like to see

I’d love the sky to be full of sprinkling stars and I would count the stars in the nippy weather at night. My friend and I would stay awake and enjoy the still of the night. We 83

would also share our stories and wear our heart on our sleeves. Bước 3: Explain why you would like to

▶ We’ve been longing for a night sky for

see it

ages as it would be spectacular. We would look at the stars and the moon, the nearest celestial body to us. It would be ideal to see a meteor shower. We would need to focus to spot even dim meteors. Seeing meteors is associated with luck. Maybe I would be lucky to find a boyfriend of my dream after seeing some meteors. ▶ I ‘d also like to draw and color the sky although I don’t have a knack for drawing. I’d gaze at the sky, remember the position of the stars and put them on the paper. Then I would give my nephew as a present for him on his birthday.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Rustic: đơn sơ, mộc mạc

Spectacular: ngoạn mục

Sprinkling: lấp lánh (ngôi sao)

Celestial body: thiên thể trên

Nippy: se se lạnh

Spot (V): nhìn ra, phát hiện ra

Wear sb’s heart on sb’s sleeve: dốc hết tâm

Dim: lờ mờ, không rõ

sự

(have) a knack for st: có tài năng làm gì

Long (V) for: khao khát, mong muốn làm gì

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THE ENVIRONMENT Cue card 3: Describe an environmental issue in your country Describe an environmental issue in your country You should say: 

What is it



How harmful it is



What harmful effects it creates

And explain what can be done to prevent this environmental problem.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’d like to tell you about a pressing environmental issue in my country Vietnam. It’s air pollution, especially in big cities where there are large volumes of vehicles. This issue is getting more serious in recent years and has become one of the top priorities of the Vietnamese government.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: How harmful it is (Không cần nói ý ‘What it is’ nữa nha,

In the case of air pollution in Vietnam, the government has declared state of alert. Thick fog over the past few months turned out to be

vì cô đã đề cập ở phần Giới thiệu rồi).

polluted air. The consequence is very alarming: the number of respiratory cases has rocketed; a growing

number

of

elderly

people

is

complaining of the worse air they breathe in everyday. ▶ Ý 2: What harmful effects it creates

Air pollution can cause long-term effects on humans’ nerves, brain, kidneys, liver and other organs. Other health issues such as heart disease and lung cancer would be worrying.

Bước 3: Explain what can be done to

In my opinion, there are two steps that can be

prevent this environmental problem

taken to alleviate this problem. Firstly, public transport and eco-friendly vehicles should be encouraged, and prices of 85

motorcycles should be raised to discourage citizens from using them regularly. By doing that, the amount of smoke coming from vehicles would be greatly reduced. Secondly, citizens should be provided with guidelines on caring for health, particularly wearing masks on a daily basis, rinsing noses and gargle with salt water after being exposed to exhaust emitted from vehicles’fumes. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói.

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Pressing: nhức nhối (vấn đề)

Alleviate: giảm nhẹ vấn đề

Top priority (ies): ưu tiên hàng đầu

Eco-friendly: thân thiện với môi trường

State of alert: tình trạng báo động

Rinse: rửa sạch

Alarming: ở mức báo động

Gargle: súc miệng

Respiratory: thuộc về hô hấp

Exhaust: khí thải (từ xe cộ)

Breathe in st: hít vào cái gì

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LAWS Cue card 4: Describe a new law you would implement where you live to make it a better place Describe a new law you would implement where you live to make it a better place You should say: 

What law it would be



Would it be easy to introduce such a new law



Would it be popular

And explain what the benefits of such a new law would be.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Today I’m gonna share with you about a law that you would like to implement to transform my place.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What law it would be?

This law would be to take poor parents who conduct misbehaviors to their children, such as cursing or domestic violence, to court. They would be held accountable for their improper behaviors to their children and punished accordingly. They would be deprived of being parents, and their children would be sent to childcare centers if their children suffer both physically and psychologically.

▶ Ý 2: Would it be easy to intriduce

I suppose enacting this law would be very

such a new law?

challenging as in my society, an Asian culture, educating children has been disregarded for hundreds of years. Raising a child is usually confined to how to feed them and sending them to reputational schools, which has resulted in several overprotected children. But parents are unaware that they should educate themselves in the first place so that they can set good examples for their children. If they can’t manage their 87

emotions, for example, getting angry and vent their anger on their children, they’re likely to copy such bad behaviors.

It would take ages for this law become popular ▶ Ý 3: Would it be popular?

as the traditional yet inappropriate way of communicating with children has ingrained in Vietnamese parents for hundreds of years. But it would eventually become prevalent in my society as people come to realize the harms of wrong ways of educating children.

Bước 3: Explain what the benefits of such a new law would be.

In opinion, there would be two main benefits of such a new law ▶

Firstly, the role of wholesome parenting

would be evaluated correctly. In other words, it would be taken seriously, and parent-to-be would have to attend parenting courses to equip themselves with sufficient knowledge and skills of child-rearing. Parenting, therefore, would be less of a tough nut. ▶ Secondly, children would enjoy a happier childhood when parents are not hard on them and understand their thoughts and decisions. They would also learn positive habits and behaviors from their parents. To illustrate this point, my friend now living in Paris told me that her daughter used to be stubborn and badtempered because she copied these traits from the mother. But then my friend realized the negative influences of her characters on her children, she corrected these weaknesses and taught her daughter to overcome too. Her 88

daughter is no longer a stubborn and badtempered girl. Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Misbehavior: hành vi cư xử không đúng mực

Vent anger on sb: trút, xả giận lên ai

Domestic violence: bạo lực gia đình

Parent-to-be: những ai sẽ làm cha mẹ

(Be held) Accountable for st: chịu trách nhiệm

Child-rearing: việc nuôi dạy con cái

về điều gì

A tough nut: một người/ việc khó nhằn,

Disregard: không coi trọng, không đánh giá cao khó đối phó Be confined to st: bị giới hạn vào cái gì

Be hard on sb: căng thẳng, khó khăn với

Overprotected children: những đứa trẻ được

ai

bao bọc

Bad-tempered: mất bình tĩnh, cáu kỉnh

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SKILLS Cue card 5: Describe a mathematical skill you learnt at primary school Describe a mathematical skill you learnt at primary school You should say: 

What it was



Who your teacher was



When and where you learnt it

And explain how useful this skill has been.

Bước 1: Giới thiệu

Rudimentary mathematical skills that I was taught at primary school.

Bước 2: Triển khai các ý ▶ Ý 1: What it was

It was a key part of Arithmetic, and it consists of Addition,

Subtraction,

Multiplication

and

Division. It was Ms Lan who taught us these skills. She was ▶ Ý 2: Who your teacher was  Chúng mình đừng quên áp dụng cách triển khai của Chủ đề PEOPLE nha. Đưa vào một số đặc điểm về Appearance hoặc Character (hoặc cả 2 nội dung này). Ở đây, cô lựa chọn nói về

the head of the Math department at my school, and she became our class’s head teacher in 2005. At first, we didn’t like her; in fact, we were scared of her discipline, but first impressions could be misleading. Ms Lan turned out to be a great teacher with solid knowledge of Math and effective teaching methods. She was also thoughtful and very enthusiastic.

Character. We learnt these skills in the 3rd grade. We got ▶ Ý 3: Was it difficult

started with basic level and then moved to higher levels. We did struggle at first, but thanks to Ms Lan’s patience, we soon got the hang of the lessons

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Bước 3: Explain how useful this skill ▶ This skill was extremely valuable as it was the has been

preparational step for Math in upper grades. We wouldn’t be able to understand more complex Math if we didn’t master elementary skills. ▶ Besides that, mastery of these skills is vital to making everyday calculations for example, when calculating interest earned from saving accounts staying at a bank. ▶ On top of that, back then my classmates and I usually competed in ‘Calculating contests’. We divided into two teams and found the results of equations. Who came up with the correct answers first and got the higher scores would become the winner and be awarded with 10 packs of sweets and cookies. My team was the winner most of the time and we really enjoyed the foods given by the opponents.

Bước 4: Đừng quên kết thức bài nói

That’s all I want to say.

VOCABULARY HIGHLIGHTS Arithmetic: Đại số

Struggle: vật lộn, gặp nhiều khó khăn

Head: người đứng đầu, tổ trưởng một bộ

Get the hang of st: nắm bắt, sử dụng cái gì

phận

thành thạo

Head teacher: giáo viên chủ nhiệm

Bank interests: lãi suất ngân hàng ( tiền phải

Discipline: tính kỉ luật

trả cho ngân hàng bên cạnh tiền gốc/ tiền được hưởng từ tiền gửi ngân hàng)

Misleading: gây hiểu lầm Opponent: đối thủ Thoughtful: kĩ lưỡng, chu đáo

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RECAP Vậy là chúng mình đã cùng hệ thống những Chủ đề xương sống trong Speaking Part 2 cũng như cách triển khai cho từng Chủ đề, cũng như cách giải quyết một số Câu hỏi lạ. Tóm tắt lại những nội dung ở Chương trước, chúng mình đừng quên: -

Chuẩn bị cách triển khai ý cho từng Topic lớn ( Ví dụ: Đối với Chủ đề ‘A person’, mô tả về Appearance & Character, etc)

-

Khi nêu ra một đặc điểm, ví dụ: My smart phone is very expensive.  Cần triển khai cụ thể bằng cách: Cung cấp thông tin cụ thể: It costs 15 million VNĐ. It costs an arm and a leg because it’s of top-notch quality and it’s the latest version on the market now. Nói At first, … But then, … : At first I was going to buy an Android because it seemed easier to use. But then I changed my mind and bought an Iphone.

-

Trang bị Từ vựng cho từng Core Topics từ nhiều nguồn khác nhau: Phim ảnh, Truyện, Tạp chí, … KHÔNG nên chỉ học từ trong Sách vở thôi nha, vì Từ vựng kiểu vậy khá nhàm chán và không thông dụng trong giao tiếp hiện đại.

Và quan trọng nhất là chúng mình cần luyện tập thường xuyên để kĩ năng Speaking được củng cố, vững chắc. Đừng quên là cô vẫn đang thực hiện Dự án ‘Chấm Speaking có tâm’ để hỗ trợ các bạn Học viên được luyện tập và đánh giá, sửa lỗi Speaking nha. Chúng mình đừng ngần ngại gửi bài cho cô để nhận được những góp ý, giúp cải thiện bài Speaking nha.

Dưới đây là một số hình ảnh trong Dự án ‘Chấm Speaking có tâm’ mà cô đang thực hiện.

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Bài Speaking của các bạn học viên gửi về tới hòm mail của SYM English. Cô sắp xếp những bài Speaking này trong folder ‘Chấm Speaking’ để tiện theo dõi và quản lý tiến độ chấm bài.

Các bạn Học viên cần gửi: Bản word (ghi lại những gì bạn nói gì trong bài Speaking) và Audio (phần nói/ âm thanh của các bạn).

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Một bài Speaking được cô chấm dựa trên các tiêu chí trong bài thi IELTS Speaking.

Cô cũng chỉ ra các lỗi sai về Phát âm, Cách dùng từ, Ngữ pháp.

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Nếu có câu hỏi/ thắc mắc trong quá trình học, chúng mình đừng ngại trao đổi với cô qua:  FB cá nhân: https://www.facebook.com/thu.huong.148553  Kênh Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrEkAL5Z2CqYCKWbqFzLIMA  Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/symenglishedu/

Chúc tất cả chúng ta đều đạt mục tiêu IELTS của mình nhé <3

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APPENDIX ▶ ‘Like’ & ‘Dislike’ phrases LIKE

DISLIKE

Enjoy St/ V-ing

Be bored with St/ V-ing

Be really into St/ V-ing

Hate St/ V-ing

Be keen on St/ V-ing Be fond of St/ V-ing

Be excited about St/ V-ing

Can’t bear St/ V-ing

Be a big fan of St/ V-ing

Can’t stand St/ V-ing

Be crazy about St/ V-ing Be obsessed with St/ V-ing E.g. She really enjoys reading comics.

E.g. She can’t stand dog meat.

Thrilling

Boring

Exciting

Dull

Interesting

Disappointing

Fascinating

Confusing

E.g. For me, that novel is fascinating.

E.g. Studying History is boring.

▶ ‘Happy’ & “Sad’ phrases HAPPY

SAD

Delighted

Feel blue

On top of the world

Miserable

Over the moon

Down in the dumps

On cloud nine

Depressed

Ecstatic

Frustrated

Heart lifts

Heart sinks

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▶ Some redundancy words To be honest

Thành thật mà nói … / Bạn biết không …

Actually Well You know I guess

Tôi nghĩ rằng/ cho rằng …

I suppose

The end

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