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Trang 1TOPICS FOR SPEAKING E2 – 2013
1 Describe the educational system in Vietnam
2 Your favourite hobby/ hobbies and why you enjoy it/ them
3 Why are good books considered as good teachers and friends?
4 Describe New Year celebrations in your country
5 Describe the career you have chosen, and the reasons for your choice
6 Which season of the year do you like best? Why?
7 Why is it necessary to learn English?
8 Tell a foreigner about Vietnam, your beloved homeland
9 Talk about an important city in your Vietnam
10 Activities that people often take up when they go on holiday
11.The means of transport that most people prefer Why?
12.What are the possible effects of climate change on Vietnam? What can
we do to reduce the negative effects of climate change?
13.Give brief description of someone who has the most influence on you in your family
14.Describe your native village and state your reasons why you love it 15.What do you think of the weather in Viet Nam?
16.Describe your hometown
17.Describe the advantages of living in the country and the disadvantages
of living in the city
18.What are the Television programs that you like best?
19.Give some advantages and disadvantages of travelling by airplane? 20.T he difference between weekend and weekday activities
1 Education in Vietnam is divided into five levels: nursery school, primary
school, secondary school, hig h school and higher education
Formal education consists of twelve years of basic education
Basic education consists of five years of primary education, four years of intermediate education, and three years of secondary education
As I Know, The main educational goal in Vietnam is improving people’s general knowledge, training quality human resources and nurturing and fostering talent
With one of the highest GDP growth rates in Asia, Vietnam is currently trying
to overhaul its education system
Trang 22 Your favourite hobby/ hobbies and why you enjoy it/ them
I think that hobby is important thing in our life At the moment we have a lot
of hobbies which are very modern and popular For example photography, theatre, reading, collecting marks or doing videos
For me, My hobby is reading books I often read books at free time
The type of book I often read is science book
In my room , there are many books which was collected through many years
by me
I like reading books because it help me to know about the world, people every where
it is also a relaxing way after work hours
Finally, it helps me not to waste time on unimportant and unnecessary things
3 Why are good books considered as good teachers and friends?
Some said that: “Tell me what you are reading and I will tell you who you are”
For me, a good book is always a good teacher guiding me through life as well
as a true companion encouraging me and consulting me in my life
Good books are good friends and good teachers
Firstly, They are our friends because they can support us , help us , share with
us the fellings and knowledges
you can carry your books anywhere and take the time to read it
Secondly, About teachers , Good books teach us many knowledges, things
we should do or shouldn't do
The books help us explain many problems that we don’t understand deeply about everything in the world literature, science, sociology, anthropology, technology and economics
The most important thing is they never let us down And Onething teachers
or friends can't do,but books can, That is being both teacher and friend
4/ Describe New Year celebrations in your country
Trang 3Tet Holiday is the biggest annual celebration of Vietnam in the first days
of New Year During these days, people welcome a new coming year with good health, lucks and success Tet holiday is very special for Vietnamese families to reunite and celebrate together.
The preparation for Tet holiday is taken place very soon because it requires many steps All members of families clean and redecorate their houses together Then, they buy food, drink such as cookies, sweets, candied fruit, melon seeds to offer their guests and to store because in this occasion, many shops are closed A branch of peach flower or a kumquat tree cannot be absent from every home during these special days Children are the most eager, as their parents will buy them new clothes In addition to buying things, many Vietnamese families make Chung cake, pickled onion, frozen meat, which are our country's traditional food on Tet holiday We decorate ancestral altars with a five-fruit tray, vegetables, sweets, and flowers There are some families is come back to their hometown to visit their ancestors' graves and relatives From noon on, everybody go to their neighbors' houses to wish them a happy new year Children in new clothes are very excited, as they will get lucky money from adults and so on.
Each region in Vietnam has its own customs to celebrate Tet, which are very special and unique.
"Tet" is the word that is very familiar to Vietnamese people whenever we think about our country This is the time for family reunion, for festivals, and for people to give love to their loved one As for me, I enjoy the warm and cozy Tet's atmosphere when all members of my family stay and talk together.
5/ Describe the career you have chosen, and the reasons for your choice.
Today, it is not easy to choose a career Hundreds of students pass various examinations every year and compete with one another for positions in the various professions which are not so many as there are applicants I like to choose teaching as my career There are several reasons to consider teacher an interesting job
Being a teacher, we have to learn more If we teach History or Geography, it
is important to read many books to make our teaching lessons more interesting to our students The large extent of knowledge on different fields
Trang 4make students admire the teacher and love the subject of which he or she is in charge
A teacher has to speak well and clearly so that students can be able to understand instructions and lectures This would be a motivation to improve our powers of expression Even our pronunciation of words will be much better
Moreover, a teacher has more free time to read, learn and take some examinations to acquire more qualifications
Finally, as a teacher we are respected as educated persons Others will show their respect to teachers and have their great regard for them and opinions that teachers give
For the reasons mentioned above, being a teacher can help me to live a happy meaningful life
6/ Which season of the year do you like best? Why?
I was born in Vietnam, where there are four clear seasons: Spring, summer, autumn, and winter Each season has its own charms and attractions For example, spring is the season which offers beautiful flowers and warm weather; summer is the season of nice holidays when we can enjoy lots of outdoor activities such as picnicking, camping, swimming, fishing etc Autumn is so beautiful with its ideal weather while winter can give us such delight as gathering by a fire to chat or tell each other funny stories However,
I like autumn best because of the following reasons:
During autumn, which lasts more or less from late July to early October, it is sunny most of the time The Autumnal sun is often splendid The weather is also ideal because it is not too cold or too hot Then the coldish northwesterly wind, which blows gently, thrills everyone with the breath of autumn The leaves of the trees turning yellow or red put a gorgeous coat of colors on nature Autumn is such a wonderful season that many poems and songs have been composed to sing the praises of the season Autumn is also a season which reminds me of my first day at school, when my mother took me by the hand and led me to school for the first time
Trang 5Last but not least, autumn is the time when I can enjoy my favorite fruit and dish which are the persimmons(quả hồng) and the green rice flakes (cốm) These are found only in autumn
7 Why is it necessary to know English?
English is the most international of language It is spoken as a native language
in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, most of Canada and some other country It is also used as a second and foreign language by 700 million people in the remaining parts of the word
To many people, English is an important language to master because it is a gateway to word scholarship and international trade It has become the official language in the fields of politics, business, science and technology In our country, English is the main foreign language, which is taught in schools and widely used in business If we know English, we can read many kinds of English book to wide our knowledge, to communicate with the foreigners most easily and above all, to find a good job in the business company In brief, it is necessary for us to know English If we know English well, we have a better change of improving our lives
8/ Tell a foreigner about Vietnam, your beloved homeland
Vietnam is a long, narrow strip of land in the shape of a letter "S" Vietnam has a total territory of 332.000 square kilometers, and a coastline which meanders along the immense Pacific Ocean
Being of a peace-loving nature the Vietnamese people nevertheless know how
to react vigorously against adversities to defend their homeland, they are also welcoming foreigners who come as their guests
Most visitors who come to Vietnam are overwhelmed by the sublime beauty
of the country's natural setting The Red River Delta in the North, the Mekong River Delta in the South and almost the entire coastal strip are a patchwork of green rice fields (paddy-fields) Visitors will also have the opportunity to experience the energetic and purposeful performance in revitalizing the Vietnamese economy by the Vietnamese They will have their senses thrilled
by all the sights, tastes and smells of a society born of over a century between
an ancient civilization and the ways of the West
Trang 6Despite the ravages of war in the past, the Vietnamese people are now determined to rebuild their homeland, making it many times as rich and magnificent as it used to be following Uncle Ho's teaching
9/ Talk about an important city in your Vietnam
HANOI is the capital of the socialist republic of VIET NAM The center of culture, politic, economy of the country
It’s the largest city in VIET NAM, it lies on the red River in the north center
of Viet Nam
HANOI is exciting and peaceful capital Hanoi still maintains many ancient architecture Including : The old quarters and over 600 pagodars and Temples One of the famous places is The one Pillar Pagoda; The Quoc Tu Giam temple Literature, Hanoi Opera House; Precident Ho Chi Minh’s Mausolem And now, there’re a lot of big famous buildings as MyDinh stadium; Ho Tay water park; National conference center
However, Ha Noi has problems with traffic and polution Only over 6 million people but there are 4.5 million motorbike and car Traffic jams occur There’s a lot of smoke and dust in the air Moreover the price and service is a bit expensive, so many people don’t like living here
For me, Hanoi is still a beautifull place to live and to work and I like living here
10> Activities that people often take up when they go on holiday.
Just as sleep is necessary for our body similarly holidays are important for relaxation and change – they provide relief from the monotony of our daily routine
In the Holidays, We are our own rulers as we manage our time; we play, visit places, pursue our hobbies and are relaxed
We also go for walks in the evenings, the cool fresh air, the long walks late into the night, When we come back to our cottage we are tired but very happy and have a good night’s sleep
Trang 7I know, holidays are enjoyed more by those, who work hard, because they bring a change for them rather then for those who while away their time Thus, holidays are as important for as going to school and study
11/ The means of transport that most people prefer Why?
Nowadays we have many different means of transportation For instance, on land, we can use bicycles, motorcycles, cars, train, and horses On the water
we have ship, hydroplanes, and submarines In the air we have airplanes and
It is rather difficult for me to tell what means of transportation is the most rewarding because I haven't had opportunity to try all them So, I think much depend on what kind of trips we make- short trips or distant ones Based on the experiences I have had, I think that the automobile is my favorite means
of travel
I select this kind of transportation for the following reasons An automobile is less tiring and more comfortable than traveling on a motorbike or bicycle A person escapes the hot sun, wind, rain in a car I think the automobile is more convenient than traveling by train too, because it allows a person to adjust his rate of speed and stop whenever he like It also allows one to adjust one owns time He can start whenever he wishes and doesn't have to meet a certain fixed departure time So, one can select one's companions and doesn't have to sit by or share seats with strangers A trip by automotobile is usually less noisy and smoky, so one feels cleaner and less tired than he would if he traveled on a train I realize that traveling by automotobile has some disadvantages points such as mechanical problems, flat tires, collisions and accidents Inspite of all these, I still prefer an automotobile to others type of transportation
I would like, however, to have an opportunity to try some of other kinds of transportation From what I have read, they look as if they might be exciting and good for certain kinds of travel
12/ What are the possible effects of climate change on Vietnam? What can we do to reduce the negative effects of climate change?
As a long narrow country with an extensive coastline, one of the world’s major river deltas, and mountains on its eastern and northeastern borders,
Trang 8VietNam is heavily exposed to the risks of weather variability and climate change Its vulnerability to weather risks has given the country experience in designing and implementing measures to mitigate the effects of droughts, flooding, storms, and similar events on agriculture and other sectors of the economy
Adaptation options
As Simply, households’ adaptation
options aimed at managing climate risk have been identified: listening to weather forecasts, building stronger houses, moving goods to upstairs rooms, evacuating out of unsafe areas, etc These are mostly short-term coping strategies.(chien luoc ngan han)
13/ Give brief description of someone who has the most influence on you
in your family.
Who has been the biggest influence in my life?
I realize that it might be traditional or should I say a bit conventional, but I have to say that my mother, Dorothy has most definitely been the biggest influence to my life She has always taught me to be who I am and not to pretend to be someone I am not Even when I have made decisions in the course of my life that she has not necessarily agreed with she always accepts
me in spite of those decisions
What kind of impact did she make to my life?
She has taught me how to be kind and loving but not to allow others to take
my caring and kindness for weakness She has also taught me to dream big and do everything within my power to make those dreams a reality
What kind of person is she?
My mother is the kind of person that anyone can look up to and say I would like to be like that She could be described as a short quite round older bi-racial lady with always very short and thin blonde hair She usually only wears old worn out cut off sweat pants and a t-shirt Although to me she is beautiful, she is not what most people would describe as attractive She is the kind hearted, caring and loving person that she has taught me to become She
Trang 9is strong willed, hard working and very dedicated to Jesus Christ, as well as her family
Do I feel that she inspires others as much as she has me?
I don’t feel that she inspires others, I know that she does She is a great speaker and teacher with a passion to teach others what she feels life is truly about, and I know that her meaning of life is a successful and inspirational way of life
14/ Describe your native village and state your reasons why you love it.
I was born and have grown up in the country in a small village beside a beautiful river My village is surrounded in a hedge of green bamboos Most
of the houses in the village are built of brick and have red tiled roofs
In the middle of the village there is an old pagoda with high trees around it
On the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month, the villagers often go to the pagoda to give offerings to The God of Agriculture
On the right of the village flows quietly a clear and blue river When I was young, I used to swim in the river with my friends How can I forget the wonderful time on this river fishing or rowing a boat with my boyhood friends!
On the left of the village lies the village green where village meetings are often held by village officials On this ground covered with soft grass we used
to fly kites on windy autumnal evenings
The majority of villages live on agriculture They get rich thanks to their fertile rice-fields and their diligence Harvest time is certainly the busiest and the merriest time of the year During the harvest, the villagers often get up very early in the morning They cheerfully go to their rice-fields to harvest the bumper crop – the fruit of many months of hard work
My villagers are very friendly and helpful They are willing to offer mutual help in any case and always get on with one another harmoniously
My village is rather small indeed but I like it very much because I was born
Trang 10and have grown up there and spent my happiest childhood among the simple and hard-working villagers who always feel attached to their native land
15/ What do you think of the weather in Viet Nam?
Vietnam is a tropical climate country This country is devided into three regions : the Northern ,the Middle and the Southern I living in the Northern
of VN and I talk about the weather in the Northern of VN
In the Northern of VN , there are 4 seasons : Spring,Summer, Autumn and Winter Spring is the most beautiful season in the year
Tet or New Year 's Eve ,which is celebrated in Spring ,is the most important holiday.People decorate their house with Peach-pot or apricot-pot.This holiday lasts 7 days
Summer is hot and humid 30/4 , 1/5 ,19/5 are holidays in this season Autumn is the season of falling leaves I love this season because it is dry and cool And Hand-in-hand, walking with your girlfriend/boyfriend is Romantic
on 15/8 ,Mid-Fall is the holiday for children in this season Finally ,it is Winter It which makes everyone close together Close to your girlfriend/boyfriend What do you think ? Cold but warm ,right ?
I like the weather in the northem of VN
16 Describe your hometown
I was born and grew up in XG - a small village of BT district, in LC province It is about 300 km from here
It is a small village because it has only a population of 1000 with a size of 3 square kilometers
There is a primary school in the village, so it is very convenient for children
to go to school There is a small market with a lot of fresh food The food here
is cheaper and fresher than the one in the city
My village has some nice view, such as: large fields where we can fly a kite and many streams, where I could swim and my mother usually wash clother there