GIÁO TRÌNH VÀ CHỮA BÀI SPEAKING TỪ THẦY NGỌC BÁCH + Để tìm hiểu thông tin về các khóa học, bộ sách mới nhất của thầy Bách, các bạn truy cập www ngocbach com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học 0974657403 (email tư vấn ieltsbach1707gmail com) 1 GHÉP ĐỀ SPEAKING
GHÉP ĐỀ SPEAKING QUÝ (THÁNG 6,7,8,9) BY NGOCBACH Combo 1 Describe an experience that you had with your friends and had a good time Describe a special day that you remember well Describe something exciting you did Sample Answer: I will never forget the day my friend and I went to Abington Park together We lived in a small town in the Midlands in the United Kingdom, where there are many beautiful parks to visit during the weekends My friend and I searched for some of the most interesting amusement parks in our town and we found Abington Park in Northamptonshire, England The park is located in the suburban area of Northampton and took only 15 minutes on the bus We arrived there in the morning and were so excited to see one of the most exciting places in England At the entrance of the park there was a parade with colorful characters going around meeting people and greeting them Then there was a lake with beautiful swans and a bird house My friend and I love animals so we were very enthusiastic when we saw these and we played with the animals all morning by feeding them and imitating their actions We visited all places and took tons of pictures before heading out to the food court, where many types of fastfood were on display The food there included fried chicken, potato chips, French fries, tuna salad, buttered buns and drinks These were all the food that we love So we spent some time there to eat and then went to the outdoor activity area We went on the roller coaster and the pirate ships where my friends screamed and I laughed hysterically because of her We also took pictures on the ship where we put on playful pirate clothes We had a blast that day and then we came home with a lot great memories and photos to look back on later I love the memories we have from that day and I will remember it forever small town (n): thị trấn nhỏ Eg: I grew up in a small town search for (v): tìm kiếm Eg: She is searching for an apartment on the Upper East Sides amusement park (n): cơng viên giải trí Eg: Linda takes her children to the biggest amusement park in the city parade (n): đoàn diễu hành Eg: The parade attracts people from all over the world suburban area (n): khu vực ngoại + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) Eg: Real estate in the suburban area is cheaper than in downtown greet (v): chào hỏi Eg: She went to the hotel lobby to greet the guests swan (n): thiên nga Eg: The Swan Lake is a famous ballet written by Tchaikovski enthusiastic (a): nhiệt huyết, tâm huyết Eg: She is enthusiastic about the upcoming trip feed (v): cho ăn Eg: They went to the park to feed the pigeons 10 imitate (v): học theo, làm theo, bắt chước Eg: Linda imitates the movement of the birds 11 head out (v): đến Eg: They headed out to school from the office 12 display (v): trưng bày Eg: She displays the disks where it can be seen 13 hysterically (adv): phấn khích độ Eg: They shouted and laughed hysterically all night long Combo 14 Describe an advertisement you remember well 15 Describe the information that was incorrect that you got Sample answer: I’d like to talk about ‘the one time that I got incorrect information that I still remember very well/ an advertisement that I remember well due to its inaccuracy’ In my case, the incident of receiving false information caused humongous inconvenience for me When I was in high school, I came across an advertisement about a contest for students, which encouraged the younger generations to come up with an initiative to protect the environment As an enthusiastic teenager, I immediately found that information appealing I spent time perusing the terms and conditions of the contest and checked out the website for the application deadline The organisers stated that all eligible initiatives must be submitted by the last day of + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) November I remember it was in October that I received such information Therefore, I believed that I had some time to kill to more research for my environment-friendly ideas Horribly, when I opened their website to apply in November, it was showing that time was up as the deadline had been in late October Needless to say, I was so upset that the portal was unable to accept my application It turned out that they had typo errors in the advertisement The misrepresentation of the information had tremendously troubled me since I had spent my enthusiasm and time on nothing at all In summary, any small mistakes could turn anyone’s plan upside down Hence, people should be impeccable in their work to avoid all the unfortunate mishaps as much as possible Personally, this is also a lesson for me that I should double check all the information carefully inaccuracy (n): khơng xác Eg: Her inaccuracy in the report caused trouble for the company humongous (adj): khổng lồ, to lớn Eg: The building is so humongous that it blocks out the sunshine to come across: tình cờ gặp gỡ, tìm thấy Eg: Mary came across Peter when she was hitting the gym yesterday to come up with: nảy (ý tưởng…) Eg: We need to sit together to come up with new solution for the problem initiative (n): sáng kiến Eg: The competition aims at encouraging people to demonstrate initiative enthusiastic (adj)/ enthusiasm (n): nhiệt tình/ nhiệt tình Eg: He could ‘be wildly enthusiastic/ have wide enthusiasm’ about a project appealing (adj): hấp dẫn, thu hút Eg: Village life is somehow more appealing to peruse (v): đọc kỹ Eg: Lana perused several online reviews eligible (adj): đủ tư cách, thích hợp Eg: The staff are given a list of customers who are eligible for discounts 10 environment-friendly (adj): thân thiện với môi trường Eg: Bringing your own bags when shopping is environment-friendly 11 upset (adj): buồn bực, tức giận Eg: The accusation upset her terribly + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 12 portal (n): cổng chính, cổng thơng tin website Eg: Sometimes, the portal doesn’t work well if many people access it at the same time 13 to turn out: hoá lại Eg: Josh was hesitant about going to the party, but it turned out to be a blast 14 misrepresentation (n): việc trình bày sai Eg: Janice’s misrepresentation of her boss’s ideas is unacceptable 15 tremendously (adv): cách ghê gớm, kinh khủng, Eg: The opera was tremendously magnificent 16 to turn sth upside down: làm đảo ngược điều Eg: Michael’s last decision turned the team’s plan upside down 17 impeccable (adj): hoàn hảo, khơng có chỗ chê Eg: The service at this resort is impeccable 18 unfortunate (adj): không may mắn, rủi ro Eg: The delay at the airport was an unfortunate start to our holiday 19 mishap (n): tai nạn, việc rủi ro Eg: The event passed without any mishaps 20 to double check (v): kiểm tra lần, kiểm tra kỹ Eg: Please double check your personal information before handing in the paper Combo Describe a family member you spend a lot of time with 22 Describe a person who taught you something (knowledge or principles) Sample answer: I have learnt many important things from people around me Among all the influential teachers in my life is my father because he has been a major inspiration for almost everything I Moreover, my father is a family member that I spend a lot of time with My father has always been a good role model for me since I was a kid He's industrious, knowledgeable and understanding My biggest impression about my dad is that he can answer almost every question I have, ranging from daily life situations to technical, scientific wonders Moreover, my father’s got a good sense of humour and seems to get + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) on well with everybody He brings smiles and happiness anywhere he goes Hopefully, I'll inherit some of these traits I admire my father because I think he brought me (and my brothers/sisters) up well Honestly, he is quite strict but always fair When I was little, I found it difficult to ask for permission to hang out with my friends, or even with my cousins However, if I had achieved something great, daddy wouldn’t have hesitated to compliment or reward me with small but lovely gifts Especially, he has always been someone I can turn to for advice I think my father has set a good example by working hard and having a positive outlook on life I remember that he used to leave work early and come home quite late, but he always made time for me (and my brothers/sisters) To sum up, my father is indeed my role model and true inspiration in life He has taught me so much knowledge and principles for being a good person I wish to become a source of inspiration like him some day a major inspiration/ a source of inspiration (n): nguồn cảm hứng lớn Eg: Daniel got a major inspiration for arts from Picasso a good role model (n): gương tốt để noi theo Eg: President Ho Chi Minh is a good role model for people in every aspect industrious (adj): chăm chỉ, cần cù Eg: Rachel is one of the most industrious employees you’ll ever have wonders (n): kỳ quan, điều kỳ diệu Eg: There are many wonders in the world that I would love to see a good sense of humour: vui tính Eg: People with a good sense of humour always lift up the mood everywhere they go to get on well with: hoà đồng với Eg: Phoebe doesn’t really get on well with her sisters to inherit the traits: kế thừa đặc điểm Eg: Pete was fortunate enough to inherit the good traits from his mother to bring sb up well: nuôi dạy tốt Eg: It shows that Zoey’s father has brought her up very well to ask for permission: xin phép Eg: Lizzie had to ask for permission to go to Brussels 10 to hesitate (v): chần chừ Eg: Don’t hesitate to enjoy your life as you only live once! + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 11 to turn to for advice: xin lời khuyên Eg: Ben has been the one who I turn to for advice all these years 12 to set a good example: ví dụ/ gương tốt Eg: William is always under the pressure to set a good example for his brother 13 a positive outlook on life: cách nhìn nhận sống tích cực Eg: Diana always amazes people on her positive outlook on life 14 to make time for: dành thời gian cho Eg: Even though daddy is super busy, he always tries to make time for his kids Combo Describe a challenging thing you have done Describe a goal you set that you tried your best to achieve 52 Describe a difficult challenge you met Sample answer: I would like to share ‘a goal I set that I tried my best to achieve/ a challenging thing I have done’, which is losing weight Specifically, I tried to lose kg in a month I set this goal right after the Lunar New Year celebration earlier this year It was a time of the year when I was exposed to a diversity of delicious food More remarkably, the traditional food of my country is primarily made up of rice and flour, which easily causes obesity Actually, I was only a bit overweight according to my country’s obesity standard of slim and petite girls But, my situation got worse after I overly enjoyed some tasty food continuously over the two weeks of the festival Therefore, I had the determination to lose kg in the next month, which was not an easy task for myself To achieve my goal on time, I had done some research and approached different methods I remember the most important one was doing fasting, which was horribly painful for a sweet tooth who usually craves for snacks like me However, I could only eat one main meal per day and allow myself to have just one apple or banana if I couldn’t stand the hunger Plus, my sleeping time was only to hours a day because the more I was awake, the more energy I would consume Also, I maintained to physical exercises for 20 to 30 minutes every day But to be honest, I felt so tired sometimes that I had a cheat meal or skipped the exercise for a day It was extremely tough during the process Although I only lost 2.5 kg afterwards, I could still feel a sense of achievement eventually I actually didn’t truly believe that I would make it at the beginning So, I was thrilled at the result and even rewarded myself with a piece of tiramisu, my favourite cake! Well, that’s really an unforgettable experience that I’ve challenged myself with + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) to be exposed to: bị phơi bày ra, tiếp cận với Eg: When studying abroad, you will be exposed to different cultures and customs a diversity of sth: đa dạng, phong phú thứ Eg: This supermarket displays a diversity of goods from Asian to European products obesity (n): béo phì Eg: The obesity among children is relatively problematic nowadays overly (adv): mức Eg: Kristin was a jealous and overly possessive woman to have the determination to sth: có tâm làm Eg: Conor had the determination to get promoted next year to approach different methods: tiếp cận phương pháp khác Eg: In order to solve this problem, my team had to approach different methods to fasting: nhịn ăn uống Eg: To fasting is one of the most popular methods to lose weight a sweet tooth: người thèm đồ ăn Eg: Bella is such a sweet tooth that she always brings candies with her everytime to crave for: thèm thuồng Eg: We are craving for the sea during these scorching hot summer days 10 couldn’t/ can’t stand sth: khơng thể chịu điều Eg: Thomas couldn’t stand his boss anymore that he decided to quit his job 11 to consume energy: tiêu hao lượng Eg: Cycling can consume a lot of energy if you it fast 12 a cheat meal: bữa ăn thả phanh không kiêng khem, thường xen kẽ lúc giảm ăn để giảm cân Eg: Nancy is waiting for her cheat meal this weekend for some pizzas 13 a sense of achievement: cảm giác hoàn thành mục tiêu Eg: One of the best feelings a person can have in their career is a sense of achievement Combo 12 Describe a time when you gave advice to someone 13 Describe an occasion when you invited your family or friends to dinner + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 57 Describe a time when a family member asked you for help Sample answer: Let me tell you about a dinner which I invited my secondary school friends to couple of months ago The interesting part is that I chose a place where all of us used to hang out when we were students, because we wanted to reminisce about the good old memories of around 10 years ago So, of us went to a KFC restaurant near our secondary school The restaurant hadn’t changed much It was still a three-storey building, decorated in red and white, which were the symbolic colours of the brand KFC We chose to sit on the corner looking out onto the street through a broad window, where we used to gather years ago It took me by no surprise that the menu still served a variety of fried chicken After ordering all the food, we chatted with one another while waiting for the dishes Some of my friends were studying at the same high school or university This is one of the reasons why we still stay connected after all this time Some of them were planning to study abroad after graduation, while some had started looking for a job What made me immensely impressed was that one of our classmates had decided to get married Of course, we were all happy for her as long as she felt confident with her decision After a while, our orders were served It was only simple chicken dishes but somehow it felt special for us since a lot of memories had been brought back We realized that we have been grown up a lot from the 13 or 14 year-old students we were We had our own plans to pursue but we promised to keep in touch and have a get-together regularly to reminisce (v): hồi tưởng, nhớ lại Eg: They reminisced about their summer trip last year a three-storey building: nhà cao tầng Eg: John’s house is that three-storey building on the right symbolic (adj): mang tính biểu tượng Eg: Few buildings can be as symbolic of the Roman Empire as the mighty Colosseum to take sb by (no) surprise: làm cho (không) bất ngờ Eg: It took Dany by surprise to see her boyfriend standing outside of her house at night to study abroad: du học nước Eg: My all-time desire is to study abroad in the UK immensely (adv): mạnh mẽ, cực kỳ, lớn Eg: The pop star was immensely popular all over the world as long as: miễn là, trường hợp Eg: I don’t care who you are, where you’re from as long as you love me + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 8 to bring back: đem trở lại Eg: This house brings back a lot of childhood memories to pursue (v): theo đuổi, đuổi bắt, mưu cầu Eg: The officer has pursued the van for hours 10 to keep in touch: giữ liên lạc Eg: Please give me your phone number so we can keep in touch 11 a get-together (n): buổi tụ họp, gặp mặt Eg: We usually have a get-together during the New Year celebration Combo 16 Describe a historical building 46 Describe a school you went in your childhood Sample answer: I would like to tell you about a school I went to in my childhood During my high school years, I attended the XYZ school from grade 10 to grade 12 I was around 16 years old then and was there until I turned 18 My high school was not very far from my house, but it wasn’t near, either It took me approximately 30 minutes to get to school by bus, including the time needed to walk to the bus station My school was a four-storey building in a rectangle shape with over 1000 students and more than 50 awesome teachers What we loved most about our campus was the brick playground, where all the students could sit down on the floor to take a break between classes or hang out a little more before going home My friends and I usually got together there and gossiped with one another about all the things we cared at that time Behind the main building for study was the canteen This was our favourite place where I could have instant noodles with sausages for breakfast, snacks and drinks during the breaks All of them were not made professionally, but for us, they were super delicious In front of the main building was a sand pitch for physical exercises I still remember that having physical education classes on hot, sunny days there made us all sick of it However, the boys enjoyed the pitch very much as they played football after class everyday I was really impressed with how our teachers expanded our horizons through interesting lessons Moreover, some of them even acted as our close friends, who we could turn to for advice Besides the academic classes, our school was popular for a variety of student clubs where we could socialize and sharpen many skills So, I could say that going to my high school not only taught me knowledge from text books, but also important skills for real life + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) In summary, even though the workload of my high school was extremely heavy, I still enjoyed my time there very much I made a lot of good friends, some of whom have stayed as my close ones until today Also, I am thankful for all the lessons my teachers gave me during those years approximately (adv): khoảng, xấp xỉ Eg: This journey will last for approximately hours a four-storey building: nhà cao tầng Eg: Her neighbourhood has many four-storey buildings to take a break: nghỉ giải lao Eg: The students are longing for 10 o’clock, when they can take a break to get together: tụ tập, tụ họp Eg: Let’s get together to update about our lives recently gossip (v, n): tán gẫu, trò chuyện Eg: They would start gossiping about Jennie as soon as she left to make sb sick of sth: làm phát ốm/ chán nản Eg: Listening to her complaints made me sick of it to expand one’s horizons: mở rộng tầm mắt, đầu óc Eg: Lucy wants to study abroad to expand her horizons to turn to for advice: tìm đến xin lời khuyên Eg: Conor is the one who Minnie often turns to for advice to socialize (v): giao lưu xã hội, trò chuyện hỏi han Eg: Our boss doesn’t mind socializing with his staff 10 to sharpen skills: nâng cao, cải thiện kỹ Eg: Harry enrolled on this course to sharpen his technical skills 11 workload (n): khối lượng công việc Eg: Since the workload was too heavy, Matt couldn’t finish his task in time 12 to be thankful for (adj): biết ơn, cảm ơn điều Eg: You should be thankful that the dog days are finally over Combo + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 10 Eg: The picture displays a broad and beautiful landscape to boast (v): lấy làm kiêu hãnh, khoe khoang Eg: Lisa boasted about her many conquests ancient/ antique (adj): cổ kính, cổ xưa Eg: This ancient castle contains a good number of antique artefacts captivating (adj): làm say đắm, quyến rũ Eg: Ursula has a captivating smile magnificent (adj): tuyệt vời, tráng lệ, nguy nga Eg: My room has a magnificent view of the mountains 10 to indulge (v): thoả thích, say mê, ham mê Eg: Sally indulged her passion for long walks 11 medieval (adj): thời Trung cổ Eg: This medieval church still keeps all the significant features 12 colossal/ massive (adj): to lớn, khổng lồ, kỳ vĩ Eg: Anna has to deal with a colossal amount of mail every day 13 breathtaking (adj): hấp dẫn, ngoạn mục Eg: The view over the forest is breathtaking 14 winding (adj): ngoằn nghoèo, quanh co Eg: Our room was at the top of a winding staircase 15 luxuriant (adj): sum suê, um tùm Eg: My aunt takes care of a luxuriant green garden 16 to lift up one’s mood: làm trạng thái vui vẻ lên Eg: Dan always knows how to lift up his wife’s mood 17 substantially (adv): đáng kể, nhiều Eg: The cost of oil imports has fallen substantially 18 notably (adv): đáng ý Eg: A diet low in animal fat protects against potentially fatal diseases, notably diabetes 19 to fulfil (v): hoàn thành, làm trọn Eg: Kate woudn’t be able to fulfil her ambition to climb the Everest 20 to witness (v): chứng kiến Eg: Vaughn witnessed the criminal happened in his neighbourhood + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 34 21 in person: trực tiếp Eg: It is Maya’s dream to meet her idol in person Combo 21 51 Describe an occasion you wore your best clothes 28 Describe a uniform (in school or company) you wear Sample answer: I have always been very fond of wearing a variety of clothes on special occasions To be fair, because those are the only times I could dress up a bit more noticeably than normal days Whether it was one of my school’s events or a particular family gathering, I usually take extra care of my attire One incident that I can vividly recall was my high school’s senior prom when I wore a red oneshoulder dress I still remember that day as I was flooded with compliments from all of my friends Particularly, I was wearing brand-new red high heels that night, which matched perfectly with my dress As it was the first prom I had ever attended in my three years at high school, I was quite worried about finding a suitable dress I wanted something that was elegant, quite outstanding but still decent Actually, I spent an afternoon with my girlfriends, trying on multiple dresses and buying an off-shoulder one To be honest, it was not my ultimate choice but since we were exhausted with finding a proper one, I chose it eventually However, my dad was not happy with that dress and told my mom to take me out and buy a new one Fortunately, mommy and I managed to find that one perfect dress Not only did it suit me flawlessly, but it also made me look stunning in an elegant way I was absolutely happy with the dress and even felt over the moon when receiving plenty of compliments all night be fond of: thích Eg: He was not too fond of dancing to be fair: Eg: Even though the food tasted quite strange, it was not terrible to be fair to dress up: ăn diện, ăn mặc đẹp Eg: Everybody dressed up beautifully last night gathering (n): buổi tụ họp, tụ tập Eg: I am looking forward to the gathering with my cousins tomorrow attire (n): phục trang, quần áo + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 35 Eg: Thomas preferred formal attire for dinner incident (n): vụ việc, việc Eg: One person was stabbed in the incident vividly (adv): cách sống động Eg: Margaret remembers vividly the day she received the grim news to recall (v): nhớ lại, triệu hồi Eg: Kyle recalls how he felt when she left be flooded with: ùa đến tới tấp, tràn ngập Eg: The show was flooded with positive reviews 10 compliment (n): lời khen ngợi Eg: The manager paid Becca an enormous compliment 11 particularly (adv): đặc biệt là, cá biệt Eg: The acoustics in the church are particularly good 12 brand-new (adj): tinh Eg: They are opening a brand-new store soon 13 elegant (adj): lịch, tao nhã Eg: Emily was dressed in an elegant black outfit 14 outstanding (adj): bật, ấn tượng Eg: The team’s outstanding performance received a standing ovation 15 decent (adj): hợp với khuôn phép, đoan trang, chỉnh tề Eg: He was a devoted husband and a very decent chap 16 ultimate (adj): lớn nhất, tối đa, cuối cùng, Eg: The ultimate aim was to force his resignation 17 eventually (adv): cuối cùng, kết cục Eg: Eventually, they started to feel like home in this new place 18 fortunately (adv): may mắn thay Eg: Fortunately, nobody was hurt when the wall collapsed 19 to manage to sth (v): thành công, xoay sở làm Eg: Michael managed to fix the door last week 20 flawlessly (adv): hồn hảo, khơng tì vết Eg: The system works flawlessly, without any mistakes + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 36 21 stunning (adj): tuyệt vời, choáng váng Eg: Jasmine looked apparently stunning in that golden dress 22 over the moon: vui sướng Eg: Lauren was over the moon when James proposed to her at the beach Combo 22 54 Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first 45 Describe a practical skill you learned I would like to tell you a story about “one thing I bought but at first found it difficult to use”/ “a practical skill I learned by myself” With my heavy workload, I always feel sleepy at pm, when I often still have tons of things to complete I can’t help falling asleep without having a cup of coffee, also my favorite drink Ordering a cup of coffee each night became so exorbitant that I decided to have my own coffee maker last year One day when cleaning my slovenly kitchen, I took apart my coffee maker and discovered a lot of black mold I am embarrassed to say that I didn’t know that coffee makers need sanitizing on a monthly basis and that’s why I had been drinking black mold for almost half a year I had to toss it out and bought a new one, wondering how I could deal with this intrusive machine After searching high and low on the Internet, I found something useful It is recommended to use vinegar and the clean coffee maker once a month, but the obsessive me intended to it once a week It turns out to be simple It just requires cups of distilled white vinegar in the water receptacle of the machine and then cups of clean water twice And tadaaa, I have had clean and mold-free coffee since then As being exposed to mold can cause respiratory diseases and other dangerous health issues, I would say that how to clean a coffee maker effectively is among the necessary skills, especially for coffee-lovers like me Highlight vocab heavy workload (n phr): khối lượng công việc lớn e.g Teachers are always complaining about their heavy workloads tons of (n phr): lượng lớn + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 37 e.g We have tons of food left over from the party can’t help V-ing: dừng lại e.g I can’t help laughing when hearing your story exorbitant (adj): đắt đỏ, xa xỉ e.g The bill for dinner was exorbitant coffee maker (n phr): máy pha cà phê e.g I bought this coffee maker last year slovenly (adj): bừa bộn, lộn xộn e.g I’ll have to improve my slovenly habits – my mother’s coming to stay take apart (phrasal verb): tháo e.g I like to take things apart to see how they work mold (n): nấm mốc e.g I see a lot of mold on this ancient wall embarrassed (adj): xấu hổ e.g I was too embarrassed to admit that I was scared 10 sanitize (v): sát khuẩn e.g You have to sanitize your hands before shaking others’ hands 11 on a monthly basis: hàng tháng e.g We back up our computer files on a monthly basis 12 toss sth out: vứt bỏ e.g She tossed the old chair out 13 intrusive (adj): phiền phức, khó chịu e.g I was woken up by the intrusive sunlight this morning 14 to search high and low: tìm kiếm khắp nơi e.g I have been searching high and low for my birth certificate 15 obsessive (adj): ám ảnh e.g She obsessive about punctuality 16 turn out (verb phrase): hóa e.g It turns out that she had known him since they were children 17 distilled (adj): chưng cất e.g To this experiment, we need distilled water 18 receptacle (n): thùng chứa e.g Residents are given four separate receptacles for their rubbish + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 38 19 mold-free (adj): khơng có nấm mốc e.g Put it into the fridge to keep it mold-free 20 exposed to (adj): tiếp xúc với e.g About 800,000 children are exposed to poisons each year 21 respiratory diseases: bệnh liên quan đến đường hô hấp e.g Coronaviruses caused a dangerous respiratory disease 22 coffee-lovers (n): người thích cà phê e.g I am a coffee-lover and I can drink cups a day Combo 23 49 Describe a friend who is a good leader 53 Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions If I had to tell you about “a friend who is a good leader”/ “a person who has interesting ideas or opinions”, that would have to be Trang, who has been my friend since high school She graduated as a valedictorian from my university She is now a co-founder of Sky English Center, which is a top educational center in Vietnam Back in our days in school, she demonstrated her passion for English and she really excelled in the use of English language by gaining IELTS certificate of 8.0 when she was 16 years old Trang is not only intelligent but láo very sensible in relation to social issues She has the ability to think things through, distinguish the right from wrong and give the best advice in the blink of an eye, so I always confide in her whenever I’m in trouble That is the reason why I think she has very unrivalled ideas Another outstanding thing about Trang is that she knows exactly how to connect with people in her work and motivate them to achieve common goals She’s extremely creative and has such positive influence on other people as well At high school, she became a pioneer in starting an English club in our school and organised outdoor activities for students to practise their English such as speaking contests, camping with foreigners and so on She was able to attract people with her speech, which not all the other teenagers are capable of at our age It was really a cool thing, because to be honest, I learned most things from Trang, from the way she manages to study or work and the way she connects with others Highlight vocab + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 39 Valedictorian (n): thủ khoa e.g A 100% tuition free scholarship is given to class valedictorians To graduate from: tốt nghiệp e.g After he graduated from high school, he joined the Army Co-founder (n): người đồng sáng lập e.g The company's co-founders still control a majority of the voting shares Excel in: trội e.g Rebecca always excelled in languages at school Think st through: suy nghĩ thứ thấu đáo e.g I need some time to think it through, I don't want to make any sudden decisions in the blink of an eye: nhanh e.g In the blink of an eye, he was gone Confide in (sb): giãi bày tâm với e.g She's nice, but I don't feel I can confide in her Unrivalled: không sánh e.g The museum boasts an unrivalled collection of French porcelain Common goal(s): mục tiêu chung e.g We all work together for a common goal even when there is suffering Combo 24 55 Describe a time you did not tell a friend the truth 60 Describe a time when you missed an appointment If I had to talk about “one time I did not tell the truth”/ “one time I missed an appointment”, I would tell an embarrassing silly story about me It was a typical Thursday last week when I was comfortably sitting in my living room, watching my favorite movie on my smartphone I then picked + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 40 up my hand to swipe and all of a sudden, I remembered something really important I had entirely forgotten that I had dinner with one of my friends who I had not seen for a long time I immediately leapt up, checking the time and realized it was far too late for me to make it in time I couldn’t describe how embarrassing and I was at that time, wondering how I could gracefully recover from this faux pas A few seconds later, I took a deep breath, exhaled and calmly accept that I had missed an important appointment I didn’t think I should give her a long-winded and frantic apology for my silly mistake I decided to text her that I had been stopped by the police because I didn’t take the driving license with me when coming and then they didn’t allow me to go I gave her a gracious apology and she totally believed and sympathized with my experience I thought that my white lie would not hurt her and could protect our relationship Though I still rescheduled our appointment for the next week and when seeing her again, I would certainly give her a say-sorry gift for wasting her time Highlight vocab embarrassing (adj): đáng xấu hổ e.g It’s embarrassing to be caught telling a lie swipe (v): lướt, trượt e.g Swipe right to unlock the phone all of a sudden: e.g It seemed to happen all of a sudden – I felt dizzy and I just collapsed entirely (adj): hoàn toàn e.g I admit it was entirely my fault immediately (adv): e.g We really ought to leave immediately leap up (phrasal verb): bật dậy e.g He leapt up from his chair when he heard the back door open wonder (v): tự hỏi e.g Your parents will wonder where you are gracefully (adv): cách duyên dáng e.g He gracefully skis down the slopes faux pas (n): lỗi lầm, thiếu sót e.g I made some remark about his family and then realized I’d made a serious faux pas 10 exhale (v): thở + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 41 e.g Take a deep breath in then exhale into the mouthpiece 11 long-winded (adj): dài dòng, lê thê e.g You should not give a long-winded explanation 12 frantic (adj): cuống cuồng, kiểm soát e.g Where on earth have you been? We’ve been frantic with worry 13 driving license (noun phrase): lái xe e.g You need to have a driving license to drive a bike 14 gracious (adj): tử tế e.g He was gracious enough to thank me 15 apology (n): lời xin lỗi e.g I owe you an apology – I forgot to send that report 16 sympathize (v): thông cảm e.g I know what it’s like to have migraines, so I really sympathize with you 17 though (conj): e.g She hasn’t called, even though she said she would 18 reschedule (v): trì hỗn, thay đổi e.g I rescheduled my doctor’s appointment for later in the week Combo 25 19 Describe a crowded place you have been to 43 Describe a new public building in your place As a rule, I like to explore various public places in the vicinity of my neighborhood, but if I have to mention one, the shopping mall right next door to my house is what I would say is the most fascinating place for me The last time I went there was during a small trip with some of my buddies at university We just wanted to have a temporary escape from the sweltering summer day There was a lot to see in the mall since it is the hub of activities for city-dwellers There were people going out for dining, shopping or children playing in recreation areas As for us, we totally had a good time together by relishing a good meal and catching up on gossip in a diner The mall interests me for a couple of reasons First, the atmosphere is really fresh as it is built with an open-space structure and is full of plants and flowers, which makes me blow off some + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 42 steam Second, this mall is divided into separate blocks like food courts, shopping or entertaining areas that I can easily satisfy my desires And yeah, I look forward to locating all available of these there Highlight vocab As a rule = as usual: thuờng lệ e.g As a rule, we were wearing jeans In the vicinity of: vùng lân cận e.g The club is in the vicinity of Domingo Righ next door to: gần e.g Who lives right next door to you? Buddy (n): bạn e.g Bob and I have been buddies for years, Have a temporary escape from: tạm thoát khỏi e.g I would like to have a temporary escape from my working life Sweltering (adj): nóng e.g In the summer, it’s sweltering in the smaller classrooms Hub of (n): trung tâm e.g The City of London is the hub of the UK’s financial world City-dweller (n): cư dân thành phố e.g Most of city dwellers like this place Recreation (n): giải trí e.g Emma’s only form of recreation seems to be shopping 10 Relish: enjoy e.g I relished our vacation, but I didn’t like the twenty-hour trip back home 11 Catch up on gossip: tám chuyện e.g Let’s go for a coffee – I need to catch up on all the gossip 12 Blow off some steam: relax, reduce stress e.g When work get frustrating, I like to go bowling to blow off some steam Combo 26 35 Describe a gift that took you a lot of time to choose + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 43 58 Describe something difficult you would like to succeed in doing Today I’m gonna tell you about the graduation gift I prepared for my sister Her name is Linh and she is my uncle’s daughter To be honest, that was quite a difficult decision for me to make as my sister is kind of picky and hard to please while graduation is kind of a really big day, a once-in-a-life-time event Needless to say, I had no idea what to buy her at first I mean I was totally clueless about what she was into at that moment, about her color preferences or what would be beneficial for her after graduating And it is not because we are not so close to each other but because I am so absent-minded that I often miss the details So basically I had to bend my mind to find out the best gift out of a thousand choices And what I did at that time to solve the problem was to try my best to recollect everything from what she said to me when going shopping together to what she had liked on facebook And coupled with considerable help from my uncle, I have to say that hard work did pay off I found out that she is a real sucker for all things blue especially jewellery She love wearing lots of bling as a way to lend some visual interest to her outfits And that was all I needed to go online and order a stunning sterling silver bracelet with blue stones from Pandora for her I mean it would be perfect for her when she wants to look a bit fancy and dressed up in formal events And you might think that normally people would go to bricks-and-mortar stores to buy high-value items like this but I have to admit that at that time I was living on a tight budget and therefore purchasing things online would help me to score some great deals without breaking the bank Highlight vocab Graduation gift: quà mừng tốt nghiệp e.g My father gave me a watch as a graduation gift Picky: kén chọn e.g She’s very picky about her clothes Big day: ngày trọng đại e.g Saturday promises to be a big day for Irish sport Once in a life time: có đời e.g An opportunity like this comes once in a lifetime Needless to say: khơng cần phải nói, cách hiển nhiên + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 44 e.g The problem, needless to say, is the cost involved Have no idea: không biết, không hiểu e.g I had no idea she’d had such a difficult life Be clueless about: mù tịt, khơng có chút thơng tin e.g He's completely clueless about computers Be into something: thích, đam mê e.g He's into surfing in a big way Color preferences: màu sắc ưa thích e.g Whilst individuals vary in their color preferences, colors such as blue are commonly the most liked 10 Absent-minded: đãng trí, hay quên e.g Grandpa’s becoming quite absent-minded 11 Bend my mind: vắt óc suy nghĩ e.g She bent her mind to the problem of escape 12 Try one’s best: cố gắng e.g She tried her best to get it done on time 13 Recollect: gợi nhớ, nhớ lại e.g As far as I can recollect, she wasn't there on that occasion 14 Coupled with: với e.g Overproduction, coupled with falling sales, has led to huge losses for the company 15 Hard work paid off: có cơng mài sắt có ngày nên kim 16 A sucker for: người đam mê / khơng thể cưỡng lại e.g I've always been a sucker for men with green eyes 17 Bling: thứ lấp lánh e.g She has a fake tan and wears too much bling 18 Lend some visual interest: làm trơng hấp dẫn 19 Bricks-and-mortar: cửa hàng ngồi đời (khác với cửa hàng online) e.g They translated a bricks-and-mortar to the Web 20 Live on a tight budget: sống cách tằn tiện (vì khơng có nhiều tiền, không dư dả) e.g This hotel caters for people living on a tight budget 21 Score some great deals: mua đồ tốt giá rẻ 22 Break the bank: không tốn nhiều tiền e.g We can just get a sandwich if you want—that won’t break the bank + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 45 Combo 27 59 Describe a film you would like to share with your friends If you are having a gloomy day, if you want to declutter your mind and have some food for thought or just simply have been bored to death with overly sentimental films that are dominating the movie industry nowadays, I would love to recommend you “Wonder” - a simple but wholesome and heart-warming family movie that is worth your time To begin with, Wonder is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Palacio and revolves around a boy named Auggie who has a rare inborn facial deformity The movie starts with Auggie, after being homeschooled his whole life, going to a mainstream school for the first time and having to deal with a myriad of problems from bullying to isolation However, with kindness and bravery, he has gradually won people over and become a source of inspiration for everyone at his school I know this sounds simple and kind of easy but when you actually watch it, you will definitely shed a tear or two at the end after seeing the whole journey that Auggie has been going through Besides, the movie’s phenomenal success can also be attributed to the fantastic job of all the main actors The role of Auggie has been perfectly played out by Tremblay All the kids are amazing and all contribute to delivering the movie’s strong, open-hearted message about friendship, sympathy, courage and goodwill But as a self-confessed movie geek, I have to say that Julia Roberts - Auggie’s mother is the one who stands out the most for me I mean she has an incredible screen presence in the movie and needless to say she absolutely steals every scene she is in So hands down, I would call it a must watch And as its name suggests, Wonder is full of wonders Highlight vocab Declutter: làm cho gọn gàng => declutter one’s mind: giải tỏa đầu óc e.g A 7-step plan to help you declutter your home Food for thought: hạt giống tâm hồn e.g The programme certainly provides plenty of food for thought Bored to death: chán ngấy e.g She was alone all day and bored to death + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 46 Wholesome: tốt, có lợi, có nhiều giá trị e.g Wholesome food helps keep you healthy Heart-warming: ấm lòng e.g It’s heart-warming to hear of the success you’ve had with the appeal Revolve around: xoay quanh chủ đề/nhân vật e.g The discussion revolved around the question of changing the club's name A myriad of: nhiều e.g Designs are available in a myriad of colours Win somebody over: làm thay đổi cách nhìn nhận e.g She's against the idea but I'm sure I can win her over A source of inspiration: nguồn cảm hứng e.g The sea has provided a great source of inspiration for many of his paintings 10 Shed a tear: khóc, rơi nước mắt e.g She shed no tears when she heard he was dead 11 Be attributed to: đến từ, nhờ vào, có nguyên nhân từ e.g The power failure was attributed to the recent storms and high winds 12 Movie geek: mọt phim, người xem nhiều phim có kiến thức phim ảnh e.g Jeff is such a movie geek because he wanted to see who the key grip was 13 Stand out: bật e.g The lettering stood out well against the dark background 14 Screen presence: thần thái phim, ảnh e.g She has a great screen presence in her latest movie 15 Needless to say: khơng cần phải nói, cách hiển nhiên e.g The problem, needless to say, is the cost involved 16 Steal every scene: thu hút ánh nhìn, ý e.g The little girl stole the scene from all the big stars 17 Hands down: khơng nghi ngờ e.g It is hands down the best movie this year + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 47 + Để tìm hiểu thơng tin khóa học, sách thầy Bách, bạn truy cập: www.ngocbach.com + Hotline tư vấn đăng ký học: 0974657403 (email tư vấn: ieltsbach1707@gmail.com) 48 ... disease 22 coffee-lovers (n): người thích cà phê e.g I am a coffee-lover and I can drink cups a day Combo 23 49 Describe a friend who is a good leader 53 Describe a person who has interesting ideas... when Patrick proposed to her Combo 10 29 Describe a photograph you like in your room 33 Describe a place you remember well that full of color 23 Describe an ideal house or apartment you would like... with compelling ideas 21 initially (adv): ban đầu, tiên Eg: Initially, he thought the new concept was nonsense Combo 16 24 Describe a successful small company that you know 26 Describe the article