VSTEP speaking common topics

VSTEP là một kỳ thi đánh giá năng lực tiếng Anh mới theo khung năng lực Ngoại ngữ 6 bậc, bắt đầu áp dụng tại đại học Ngoại Ngữ từ ngày 16 tháng 5 và hiện nay 710 đơn vị được Bộ cấp phép đã tổ chức thi chứng chỉ tiếng Anh B1, B2, C1 theo định dạng Vstep.

VSTEP SPEAKING: COMMON TOPICS HOMETOWN I VOCABULARY A TOWN * Some of the things you will find in big town Commercial center shopping center car park factories Suburbs libraries pollution night-life Traffic museum high buildings noise B THE COUNTRY: * Some of the things you will find in the country C Advantages and disadvantages Cities and towns Advantages The countryside Exciting and interesting Quiet and peaceful Convenient Clean There are a lot of things to Calm and relaxing There’s a wide range of shops Has lots of open space There’s lots of night-life (bars, cinemas, safe night clubs…) Disadvantages Noisy Boring Dirty and polluted Inconvenient Stressful There’s a few activities to Crowded There are only a few shops dangerous There is no night-life II USEFUL STRUCTURES: - My hometown is …………… It is located/ situated in the North/ Middle/ South of Vietnam - It’s very + adj (comfortable/convenient… ) living there - It’s a/an + adj (nice/quiet….) place to live in - Living there is + adj (interesting, noisy….) - I lived there for ……… years … years ago, I moved to……… - I have been living there since I was born - My hometown is famous/ well-known for ………………… throughout Vietnam - It is rich in ………… (oil, mineral deposits…) - ………….is the best place in my hometown III SAMPLE ANSWERS: Where are you from? /Where you come from? Let’s talk about your hometown What kind of place it is?  My hometown is / I am from/ I come from …………… It is a beautiful city/province/village in the North of Vietnam My hometown is famous for some places of interests such as : ……………………… Some special/ delicious kinds of food in my hometown are …………………………………….The weather here is very nice and the people are helpful, friendly and hospitable What part of the city you live in? What is it like living there? / Is it a nice place to live in?  I live in a flat/ rented house in the center of the city It is a bit noisy and crowded, but it is very convenience and there are many opportunities for jobs and education  I live in the suburbs/ outskirts of the city It is a quiet place to live in The atmosphere is fresh and the neighborhoods are helpful and kind How long have you lived there?  I lived there for ………… years …………… years ago, I moved to Hanoi for my education  I have been living there since I was born in …………… 5 What are the main tourist attractions in your hometown? What you like about your hometown? If I visited your hometown, what would you advise me to go and see?  There are many famous tourist attractions there such as pagodas, lakes, parks… For example, you can visit …………… when you come to my hometown  If you visited my hometown, I would suggest that you visit Hoan Kiem Lake It is very famous for its ancient beauty and peaceful atmosphere Has your hometown changed a lot in recent years? What changes have taken place in your hometown?  Yes, it has seen a lot of changes With the development of the economy, people’s living standards have been greatly improved  There are many changes such as the roads are getting wider and better The transportation has improved much and there are more and more vehicles travelling on the roads such as cars, motorbikes, buses… Besides, buildings are getting higher and higher 10 What are the problems of your hometown? What are the solutions to these problems?/ What would you like to change about your hometown?  There are some problems such as overpopulation, traffic jam and pollution of air, water and noise In my opinion, the local government should have more effective measures and stricter law For example, to reduce air pollution, we should develop the infrastructure, reduce the number of cars and use public transports FAMILY AND FRIENDS I VOCABULARY A Relatives (= members of your family) Male Female Your parents’ parents grandfather grandmother Your parent’s brother and sister uncle (s) aunt (s) Your aunt’s/ uncle’s children cousin (s) cousin (s) Your brother’s/sister’s children nephew(s) niece(s) The father and mother of the person you marry father-in-law mother-in-law The brother and sister of the person you marry brother-in-law sister-in-law The person you marry dies, so you are a widow widower Your mother or father remarries, so you have a step-father step-mother B Family background: My grandfather was a market gardener He grew flowers, fruits and vegetables, and sold them in the market every day He worked hard all his life, and when he died, his son (now my uncle) and daughter (my mother) inherited a large house and garden They carried on the business together until my mother met my father They got married, moved to England, and I was born two years later They didn’t have any more children, so I am an only child C Family names: When you are born, your family gives you a first name (James, Kate, Alex…) Your family name (also called your surname) is the one that all the family share (Smith, Brown…) Some parents give their children a middle name, but you usually say this name Your full name is all the names you have, e.g Sarah Jane Smiths D Changing times: Society changes and so families In some places, people may decide to live together but not get married They are not husband and wife, but call each other their partner There are also many families in some parts of the world where the child or children live(s) with just their mother or father, these are sometimes called single-parent families E Friends: We can use a number of adj before friend: An old friend a close friend your best friend There are some kinds of friends: Colleague roommate classmate We use ex- for a partner we had in the past but not nave now: Ex-husband ex-wife ex-boyfriend ex-girlfriend II USEFUL STRUCTURE: - There are …………… members in my family./ My family has …………… people - My father/mother/ sister is a /an + job (teacher, doctor, farmer, student……….) - My father/mother is ………… years old - My father/mother is the breadwinner of the family - I often spend time + Ving (chatting, going shopping) with my friends/family - I prefer to stay with my family than with my friends because ………… III SAMPLE ANSWERS: Tell me something about your family => There are four people in my family: my father, my mother, my sister and I My parents used to work in a state-run company but now they are retired My sister is a doctor, she’s 25 years old We are a happy family Do you live in a big or small family? => I live in a small family There are four people in my family: my parents, my brother and I We live in a small house in…… => I live in a big family, an extended family with my grandparents, my uncle and aunts living together We are very close-knit and quite happy Do you prefer to have a big or small family? Why? => I prefer to have a small family I think in a small family, we can understand each other better and we will have more time to take care of all members of the family => I prefer to have a big family because I feel happier if there are many members in the family We can talk and share many things Moreover, it is easier to help each other in a big family Who often does the housework/shopping/cooking in your family? => My mother often does the housework/cooking because she has a lot of free time and she knows how to things well However, when I have free time, I often help her and she also teaches me a lot of things Who is the breadwinner in your family? => My father is the breadwinner in my family He is a doctor Every day he works very hard from early morning until late in the afternoon He loves his job very much What you often with your family? => We are busy with our work during the day so in the evening, we gather to eat dinner together After dinner, we watch Tv and talk about our daily activities My parents often listen to me carefully when I tell them about my study and my activities at university => I live far from my family so I often come home at weekends When I come home, I help my parents some housework and spend time watching TV with them, talking to them about my life at university How has family changed in the recent decades in Vietnam? => Well, family structure in Vietnam has changed a lot, generally from big to small Vietnamese used to have extended family with a few generations living together However as time go on, people need to move for their jobs so small family are more common as they’re easily mobile Do you have many friends? Are they close friends or acquaintances? => I have many friends, from my primary school, secondary school, high school and university However, I only have some close friends who I can share with them my thoughts and feelings What you often with your friends? => When I go out with my friends, we often go to the cinema, go shopping or go to a café, talk about our daily activities, our study and relationships Sometimes we go on a picnic at weekends 10 What is more important to you, family or friends? => In my opinion, both family and friends are important but family is more important than friends, because they are our closest people They always care for us, and they are always there whenever we need them 11 Do you prefer to spend time/stay with your family or your friends? => I prefer to stay with my friends because when I am with them, I feel very relaxed and happy We have many things in common; we can easily talk and share a lot of things => I live far from my family so when I have free time, I prefer to spend time with my family We often stay together eating, talking and doing housework Sometimes we go to visit our relatives 12 In what ways family/friends important to you? =>Family/ Friends are very important to me Spending time with my family/ friends make me feel happy and relaxed My family/ friends often share with me my happiness and sadness They also help me to overcome many difficulties in my life EDUCATION AND WORK I VOCABULARY A EDUCATION * School: Most children in our country follow this route in the state system (=free education) nursery school – primary school – secondary school - high school - university When a pupil leaves high school, he or she may choose to go to university or a college or a vocational school * University: I Subjects: You can normally do/study these subjects at university: Medicine law philosophy engineering psychology Sociology architecture politics business agriculture II Departments/ Faculties in University: English University of Social Sciences and Humanities Vietnamese Trường Đại học Khoa học xã hội Nhân văn  Faculty of Archive and Office Management  Khoa Lưu trữ học quản trị văn phòng  Faculty of History  Khoa Lịch sử  Faculty of International Studies  Khoa Quốc tế học  Faculty of Journalism and Communication  Khoa Báo chí truyền thông  Faculty of Library and Information Science  Khoa Thông tin- Thư viện  Faculty of Linguistics  Khoa Ngôn ngữ học  Faculty of Literature  Khoa Văn học  Faculty of Management Science  Khoa Khoa học Quản lý  Faculty of Oriental Studies  Khoa Đông Phương học  Faculty of Philosophy  Khoa Triết học  Faculty of Political Science  Khoa Khoa học trị  Faculty of Psychology  Khoa Tâm lý học  Faculty of Sociology  Khoa Xã hội học  Faculty of Tourism  Khoa du lịch  Faculty of Vietnamese Studies and Language  Khoa Việt Nam học Tiếng Việt  Department of Anthropology  Bộ môn Nhân học University of Sciences Trường Đại học Khoa học Tự nhiên  Faculty of Mathematics- mechanics – informatics  Khoa Toán-Cơ- Tin học  Faculty of Physics  Khoa Vật lý  Faculty of Chemistry  Khoa Hóa học  Faculty of Biology  Khoa Sinh học  Faculty of Geography  Khoa Địa lý  Faculty of Geology  Khoa Địa chất  Faculty of Hydro-meteorology and Oceanography  Khoa Khí tượng Thủy văn Hải dương học  Faculty of Environmental science  Khoa Môi trường B WORK I What you do? - I’m a/an ( + job) e.g a teacher/ an engineer - I work in ( + work unit/ general area) e.g a bank/ marketing - I work for (+ name of company) e g VietcomBank II What you in your job? - I’m in charge of ( = responsible for ) + N / Ving (marketing work) - My work/ responsibility involves + Ving (researching customers’needs) - My work/duty is to + V (research customers’ needs) - I have to + V (attend a lot of meetings) III Payment The money we receive every month in our work is called a salary E.g My salary is million VND a month = I earn million VND a month The total amount of money you receive in a year is called your income This could be your salary from one job, or from different jobs you have And on this income you have to pay part to the government – called income tax IV Working hours: Normally people works in office have a nine-to-five job (regular working hours of full-time jobs) Some people have part-time jobs, or some have to shiftwork ( = working at different times, days or nights) Sometimes when the company is busy, people also have to work overtime (= work extra hours) V The career ladder: To be unemployed ( = out of work) apply for a job have an interview sign a contract a training course have a good salary to overtime resign (= quit) to be sacked get a good pay rise to be/get promoted to retire II SAMPLE ANSWERS: Where are you studying? What are you studying? = What is your major/ field of study? => I am a first/second year student at USSH My major is Journalism and Communication I find my major is very interesting and useful Why did you choose this field of study? => Since I was small, I have always wanted to be a journalist because I like writing and travelling I choose this major because I think it is suitable and useful for my future job I can learn a lot of interesting knowledge and skills in this field => Well, my parents and my high school teacher chose it for me because I was very young then and they helped me make the decision They said that this major would be very popular in the future And of course, they were right What you like most about your studies? => Well, I think my major is very important in the modern society and it’s very useful, with this major I can find a good job in the future What difficulties you have in your study? What you to overcome it? What you find most difficult about learning English? How to improve your English? => I find the most difficult subject is English, because in English, we have to learn a lot of things such as grammar, vocabulary or pronunciation We don’t have much time practicing it so it is difficult for us to communicate in English However, I am trying to overcome it by learning from different sources such as from my teacher, my friends and some online course I also try to practice listening and writing as much as possible What would you like to after graduating? / in the future? => In the future, I want to be a teacher I love to work with children every day and see them change and grow While working with children, I can share with them my knowledge as well as points of view => I want to be a computer programmer With this job, I can work on many kinds of software which are useful in our daily life I like computer and I want to work with something challenging What qualities/ qualifications you need to that job? => Well, first of all, I need a bachelor degree in education If I want to be a successful teacher, experience in teaching is also very important Besides, I will need to be a patient and enthusiastic person => To become a computer programmer, I think I will have to have a good degree in computer sciences Moreover, I need to be good at both English and computer operation HOBBIES AND SPORTS I VOCABULARY Hobbies/ pastimes are activities that we in our spare time (= free time) A Things people play Cards (computer) games musical instruments (guitar, piano) sports B Things people collect Coins stamps antiques CDs books chess C Indoor activities Listening to music Watching movies Surfin g the internet handicraft making dancing collecting reading baking cooking sleeping hiking jogging D Outdoor activities Gardening travelling Going to the cinema hanging out with friends going to karaoke bar camping going to café Note: When we start a hobby for the first time, we often use the phrase verb take up, and when we stop doing the hobby, we often use the phrasal verb give up I took up golf when I was fifteen, but I gave it up last year E Sports You normally play a game but a lot of/ a bit sport Play Do go Tennis Yoga Swimming Basketball Aerobics Jogging Baseball Martial arts Running volleyball Judo Skiing Badminton Karate Mountain climbing Golf Sailing Soccer/football cycling Table tennis II USEFUL STRUCTURES: - In my free time/spare time, I often + V…………………… - I’m interested in/keen on/fond of N + Ving - I like………… best because…………… - I like/enjoy + N/ Ving……………………… - I don’t like…………… Because it’s too………………… I prefer………………… - What I like most about …………… is that …………………… - I prefer N/Ving to N/Ving because …………………… - My favourite activities/ hobbies/pastimes are ……………………… III SAMPLE ANSWERS: Do you have any hobbies?/ What are your favourite hobbies/ pastimes? => Yes, I have some hobbies I am interested in watching TV, collecting stamps and cycling Among them, my favourite one is watching TV => Yes, stamp collecting is my favourite hobby because I like travelling very much Through collecting stamps, I can see different cultures and scenery of different countries What you in your free time/ after study? / How you spend your free time? => I usually some reading when I have free time/ after work When I feel tired, I often watch TV or go to the cinema => In my free time I often listen to music, watch TV or read some books I like reading comic books because it makes me feel very relaxed What you normally on weekdays? Is it different at weekends? => On weekdays, I have to get up early to go to university I also go to university on Monday and Wednesday afternoon In the evening, I my part-time job as a tutor of English I feel very busy and sometimes tired on weekdays However, at weekends, I often go out with my friends for eating or playing sports Sometimes I stay at home, listen to some music, sleep and relax => At weekends, sometimes I invite my friends to my home for a meal Sometimes we go shopping, go to the cinema or café, or go for a picnic in the mountain => I live far from my family so at weekends, I prefer to stay with my parents I often come back to my hometown, spend time with my family and visit my relatives who live next door What are some popular hobbies for young people in Vietnam? => Well, in Vietnam, people many different things For example, some people raise pets, some like collecting everything from books to coins Some prefer indoor activities such as listening to music or reading while others prefer outdoor activities such as shopping or playing sports However, in my opinion, young people often sports or hanging out with their friends What free time activity would you like to try in the future? => Well, if I had time, I would like to take up playing the piano/guitar I know it’s not easy for me because it takes a lot of time and practice However, I like watching others playing the piano and I hope I can it one day What sports you play?/ What sports are you good at?/ What is your favourite sport? => I like playing badminton/ I am good at playing badminton./ My favorite sport is badminton In my free time, I often play badminton with my friends and sometimes I play for the local team It makes me feel relaxed and healthy Besides, I also like swimming, running and doing yoga => I like jogging a lot When jogging, I can go with my friends , see the scenery, breathe the fresh air and relax after study What is the most popular sport in your country? => I think football is the most popular sport in Vietnam Many people are interested in it, and many participate in it, especially young people Watching or playing football is both very excited What are the sport facilities like in your country? => I think we have a lot of sport facilities nowadays such as sport stadiums, gyms, or swimming pools basketball courts or football fields However, these are usually located in sport areas or universities and they charge a lot if the public want to use them So I think there should be some facilities in the communities for people to use freely What are the advantages of sports? => Playing sports has many advantages First of all, it helps us to be healthy and get fit We can have attractive and strong body when playing sports Moreover, sports connect people together, so that we can make more friends when playing sports 10 How important are hobbies/ sports in your life? => I think hobbies/ sports are very important to our life I feel very relaxed and happy when I enjoy my hobbies/ play sports I used to feel very weak and tired after studying hard, but now I feel so enegertic and healthy because I have time to sports/ to enjoy my hobbies every week TRAVEL AND TOURISM I VOCABULARY A Sightseeing You may a bit sightseeing on holiday or you may a lot of sightseeing You may visit some of these things: temple pagoda entertainment center statue art galleries cathedral market fountain historical monument disco/ bar tourist shops/souvenir shops shopping center night clubs national forest park B Things that tourists often on holiday Look round the shops/ have a look round the shops Take photos buy souvenirs Spend a lot of money go out in the evening get lost go sight-seeing Go shopping go sailing go surfing go hiking Sunbathe go for a walk/stroll have a picnic have a good time C Describing places The town is full of interesting places Hanoi is beautiful but it’s always packed ( = very crowded/ full) with tourists in the summer Many beautiful cities have become very touristy ( a negative word = too much tourism) Hochiminh city is a really lively place ( = full of life and activity) and the night-life is fantastic D Departure on air This is the usual sequence of activities when you go to the airport First, you go to the check-in desk where they weigh your luggage Usually you are permitted 20 kilos, but if your bags weigh more, you may have to pay excess baggage The airline representative checks your ticket and gives you a boarding card for the plane with your seat number on it Then you go through passport control where and official checks your passport, and into the departure lounge Here, you can also buy things in the duty-free, e.g perfume, alcohol and cigarettes About half an hour or forty minutes before take-off, you are told to go to a gate number, e.g gate 14, where you wait before you get on the plane When you board the plane, you find your seat If you have hand luggage, you can put it under your seat or in the overhead locker above your seat The plane then moves slowly towards the runway, and when it has permission, it accelerates along the runway and takes off E A visit to a hotel We stayed in the Carlton Hotel for three nights in July, but I booked our room three months in advance because it was in the middle of the tourist season When we arrived, we checked in at reception, and then the porter carried out suitcases up to our room I gave him a small tip, as the staff was very friendly and the rooms were very comfortable The only problem we had, in fact, was with the shower which didn’t work very well (There was something wrong with the shower) We stayed in a twin room (room for two people with two single beds) Mary and David were husband and wife so they stayed in a double room There was one single room for Tom NOTE: Be aware of the terms related to tourism and use them correctly: Travel (V/N) – We have travelled all over the country - Travel broadens the mind Trip (n) Mary and John are on a honeymoon trip to Paris Tour (n) We made a cycling tour of this city Journey (n) Did you have a good journey? Voyage (n) He tried to make a voyage across the Atlantic II SAMPLE ANSWERS: Do you often travel? When did the last time you travel? => I often travel with my family or friends once a year in the summer The last time I travelled was last summer holiday when I went to Da Nang with my family It was a memorable trip What places in your country travelers visit most?/ What is the most popular tourist destination in Vietnam? Why? => I think Nha Trang city is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam Nha Trang is home to many famous beautiful spots and landscape It has many beautiful beaches with find and clean sand, and the blue ocean water with mild temperature all the year round Do you prefer travelling alone or in a group? Why? => I prefer to travel with a group of friends I feel very happy when I can talk to them, play games with them during the trip Moreover, it is safer and easier to help each other if you travel in group Sometimes we stay together in camping sites and explore from there It’s convenient and economical Do you like to travel on a package tour? = > Yes, I like to travel on a package tour If I go on a package tour, I don’t have to worry about accommodation or transport It can save me a lot of trouble => No, I want to travel alone or with a group of friends because we will feel free to go anywhere we like, eat anything we want to eat We don’t have to depend on the tour 5 Do you prefer travelling by air or by train? Why? => I prefer to go by train because it is economical and convenient Moreover, I can a lot of sight-seeing on the road sides If you had a chance to travel, where would you like to go? => If I had a chance/ an opportunity, I would like to go to Hawaii, the weather here is very warm and the beaches are wonderful I would love to see hula dancing and the palm trees What are benefits of travelling? Why so many people like travelling nowadays? => I think travelling has a lot of benefits It helps us feel relax after hard working hours Besides, travelling widens our knowledge about different places and cultures We can taste different kinds of food and explore new things What are the positive and negative effects of tourism on local communities? => Tourism has many benefits to the local people They can have more job opportunities or more chances to earn money by providing local services for tourists such as selling souvenirs, renting transport Besides, they can become more open-minded when they communicate with visitors => However, there are also negative effects of tourism, for example environmental pollution Besides, tourism can speed up the spread of diseases such as flu or measles Finally, the life of local people and animals may be disturbed Do you think that tourism in Vietnam will develop in the future? => Yes, certainly Vietnam has many beautiful landscapes as well as famous historical places Moreover, Vietnamese people are always very hospitable, they’re eager to welcome visitors to experience Vietnamese culture and customs However, I also think that the Government should have more policies to improve the qualities of services in the future FASHION AND SHOPPING I VOCABULARY A Types of clothes Formal clothes casual clothes (informal clothes) handmade clothes ready-made clothes Traditional Vietnamese-style clothes Korean-style clothes B Things to wear: Hat Shirt Coat cap conical hat T-shirt blouse jacket L suit dress beret wollen cap scarf skirt jeans shorts trousers gloves tracksuit top sweater(jumper) Socks tight boots Bracelet shoes necklace earrings sandals high-heel shoes belt tie purple orange trainers C Color and shade pink white brown grey black red yellow navy bule violet green dark blue bright light D In the shop Shop assistant customers service shop window convenient helpful department store supermarket newsagent(‘s) Greengrocer(‘s) boutique(=clothing store) window shopping shopping list various colourful E Types of shop stationery butcher(‘s) chemist(‘s) shoe shops bookshop II SAMPLE ANSWERS: How often you go shopping? What you often buy? => I live with my friends so I go to the market everyday to buy food such as meat, fish, vegetables, eggs… At weekend, we sometimes go shopping to buy necessary things, for example clothes, shoes and books Do you prefer to go shopping alone or with other people? => It depends on what I want to buy When I buy food, I prefer to go alone so that I can easily choose what I want to eat However, when I want to buy clothes, I prefer to go with my friends or my mother because they can give me good advice to choose suitable clothes What kinds of clothes you like wearing? =>Normally I like wearing casual clothes such as jeans and T-shirts because they are very convenient and beautiful Sometimes I also wear uniform to university as it looks very nice and simple On special occasion, I prefer to wear formal clothes such as aodai or long dress (female)/ suit and tie (male) Where you often buy your clothes? => I often buy clothes in a shop near my house There are various kinds of clothes in the shop, the price is reasonable Sometimes I also shopping online but I have to look carefully at the clothes before I buy them I never buy clothes in shopping center because it’s very expensive What criteria you base on to choose your clothes? (price/quality or style) => When I buy clothes, I always think about comfort first Therefore I often look at the material first, then the quality Sometimes I may choose the style But as style changes fast, I often choose classical style so that it will never be out of date 6 In your opinion, can what people wear show their personality? => Yes, I think so What people are wearing can show their personality to some extent, but it’s not absolutely For example, modest people often wear simple clothes such as jeans or T-shirts, or extrovert people often follow the latest trend while introvert people may like traditional clothes How has clothing styles changed in Vietnam? => I think there have been a lot of changes in clothing styles in Vietnam About 70 years ago, the most common clothes for men was a long dress, usually black and white pants Women wore the same kind with the colours of grey, black and green But nowadays, we have different kinds of materials such as silk, woolen, cotton and various colours We can have any kind of style and people are encouraged to create their own unique style FOOD AND EATING HABITS A Meat, fish and shellfish pork beef chicken lamb veal cuttlefish carp eal oyster carrot duck shrimp crab mussels seafood poultry sausages cauliflower cabbage mushroom B Vegetables Potato green beans Spinach peas lettuce tomato cucumber aubergine pumpkin sweetcorn C Fruit: Apple orange Banana grapes lemon strawberry peach melon pear pineapple cherry mango grapefruit plum coffee beer wine milk Coke stew steam stir fry D Drinks Fruit juice tea E Ways of cooking food Boil fry grill bake roast F Describing food Tasty= delicious fresh salty >< bland sour>< sweet spicy/hot oily nutritious gone off fatty Healthy>< unhealthy II SAMPLE ANSWERS: What is your favourite food? How you cook it? bitter => My favourite food is seafood I like all kinds of seafood such as shrimp, crab, cuttlefish, fish and oysters Because seafood is very fresh, the easiest and most delicious way to cook them is to steam You only have to put some kinds of spices such as salt, ginger and citronella into the seafood and steam it for some minutes What food is popular in your country/hometown? Why people like this type of food? => One of the most popular food in my country/hometown is seafood People like it because there are many kinds of seafood such as … … They are fresh, delicious and nutritious It is also easy to buy and easy to cook Is fast food popular in your country? Why? => Yes, I think so Because people are very busy with their study and work, they don’t have much time to cook so they often eat fast food or takeaways Especially young people, they like eating fast food because it is very convenient, they can both sit at the table eating, chatting with each others or even working Can you tell me something about Vietnamese food? => Well, because we have different regions: Northern, Central and Southern, there are various kinds of special food in each region However, in a typical Vietnamese meal, we often have steamed rice, a soup dish, a kind of meat or fish dish and a vegetarian dish (either stir fried or boiled) Besides the typical meals with rice, Vietnam has many traditional types of food such as pho, crab noodle (bun rieu), springrolls (nem), Chung cake… Can you cook? What dishes you often cook? => Yes, I can cook I often cook meals for my family/ friends I can cook simple dishes such as boiled rice, fried eggs, fried fish, stewed meat and some kinds of soups Who usually does the cooking in your home? Why? => My mother often does the cooking in my home because she is retired; she has a lot of free time to cook for the family She is a wonderful cook => I live with my friends so I and my friends take turn to the cooking When I have free time, I will cook and when I am busy, she does the cooking for us We can cook simple dishes such as ………… Do you think you eat healthily? What should we eat to stay healthy? =>I am quite busy with my study so I sometimes eat fast-food or ready-made food, but in generally, I think I eat healthily In my opinion, to stay healthy, we have to eat enough meat and fish, eat a lot of vegetables and drink a lot of water Besides, we should reduce the amount of fat and eat a little fast food to be healthy ENTERTAINMENT A CINEMA Types of film Western science fiction Horror film musical action film comedy soap opera thriller cartoon love story Describing films Moving Blockbuster violent classic powerful based on a book gripping subtitled funny dubbed slow beautifully filmed - The film was set in ………… - The main characters are ………………… - It was based on a novel by………… - It was directed by………………………… - It was filmed in ………………………… - Kate Winslet played the part of ………………… - It was about …………………… - The film was nominated for 11 Oscars B TELEVISION PROGRAM Music program travel program current affairs program arts program wildlife program Sports program Play educational program talk show quiz show drama news game show regional news documentary weather forecast series C MUSIC Kinds of music Classical music pop rock jazz Folk song soft music dance country music R&B instrumental music soloist People in music Composer song writer musician band orchestra Guitarist lead singer drummer pianist dancer Novels(romantic/historical/contemporary novel) short stories detective story Science fiction magazines singer D READING Kinds of book comic books poem ghost stories newspapers Talking about books -It’s a book by ………………… - It’s called…………… / Its name is………………… ………… - It’s for children - It has been translated into - It’s about ………………… - It has been made into a film - It’s set in………………… - The main characters are …………………… - It’s based on a true story - The main themes are love and selfishness II SAMPLE ANSWERS: Can you tell me something about the entertainment facilities in your city? ( What are the entertainment facilities like in your city?) => There are all kinds of entertainment facilities in my city such as cinemas, theaters, circuses, pubs, bars, discos, night clubs Many people also go to karaoke bars to sing and dance the songs that they like What is the most popular entertainment for young people in your country? => Well, I think the most popular entertainment for the young is going online, surfing the internet There are many net bars everywhere, and only with a smart-phone, they surf the internet for information, chat with their friends, log on social networks such as facebook, or send emails to their friends far away Sometimes they just play games What kind of music/film/TV program you like? => My favourite kind of music/ TV program/ film is ………………………… I often listen to it/ watch it when I have free time It makes me feel relaxed after stressful working hours Do you like music? How often you listen to music? => Yes, I I think everyone likes music When I have free time or when I feel stressful, I often listen to music to relax What kinds of music/films are popular in your country? => There are many popular kinds of music/films in my country such as …………………… The young often listen to/ watch …………… while older people prefer ………………………… Can you play any musical instrument? If not, what musical instrument you wish to play? => At the moment, I cannot play any musical instrument but in the future, if I have a chance, I would like to learn to play the guitar I feel the sense of romance when I see someone playing the guitar, and I want to try playing it Do you prefer watching films at home or at the cinema? => I prefer watching films at the cinema because the atmosphere is so good The sound effect is excellent and the screen is big, and the images are more vivid => I prefer watching films at home because it is more convenient You don’t have to go out, just sit on the sofa, eating anything you like and watching your favourite film It’s very relaxing 8 Do you often read? What kinds of book you like best? => Well, to tell the truth, I don’t often read because I am very busy with my study and work so I don’t have a lot of time to read However, my favourite kind of books is novel I often read during summer holiday, and I like reading classical novels or romantic love stories What are the benefits of listening to music/ reading? => Listening to music / Reading helps people relax and reduce stress after their working hours Besides, it also helps broaden our knowledge about different people and cultures in the world 10 How often you use the internet? What you use it for? => I often use the internet everday I use it to look for information for my study and look up the dictionary when necessary Besides, the internet also helps me connect with my friends and relatives around the world, via email or facebook I also use it for entertainment purposes such as listening to music, watching films or playing games TRANSPORT I VOCABULARY A Vehicles Public transport private transport Bicycle(bike) motorbike bus car van cyclo coach lorry scooter B Buses Sometimes buses are not very punctual Where I live buses should run every ten minutes, but sometimes I wait at the bus stop for half an hour with a long queue of people, and the bus comes but it’s full up On other occasions the bus is early and I miss it ( = I cannot catch it) C Important words and phrases Taxis use the road, pedestrians use the pavement The speed limit on motorways in VN is 120 kph Most petrol stations in Great Britain are self-service Get in the car and remember to fasten your seat belt II SAMPLE ANSWERS How you usually travel in your hometown? => I usually go by bus as I think it’s very convenient and the bus service is quite good But sometimes I also ride a bicycle to university because my home is near the university => I often go by motorbike because it’s convenient and fast Sometimes I also go by bus with my friends What are the means of transports used in your city? What is the most popular means of transport? => There are many means of transport in my city, including public transport such as buses, taxis and private transport for example motorbikes, bikes, cars The most popular means of transport is motorbike With motorbikes, it’s convenient to go to various places and in rush hours, motorbikes can go faster and more easily What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a motorbike? => The main advantage of a motorbike is that it’s economical and convenient You can easily travel to any places you want and easily find places to put it However, the main disadvantage a motorbike has is that it can get stolen very easily if you aren’t careful about it Another disadvantage is motorbike can cause a lot of pollution What are the problems with the transport system of your city? => The main problems is that there’s always traffic jams everywhere in rush hours, especially in the city center There are a lot of transports on the street and you can walk faster than driving a car or taking a bus => The major problem is the increasing rate of car accidents, especially during holidays Many people not observe carefully or not follow traffic rules and regulations How can the transport problems be solved? => I think the government should have stricter laws to punish those engaged in drink-driving and high speeding The road conditions should be improved and it’s important t raise people’s awareness to observe traffic rules and regulations Do you think transport in Vietnam has changed a lot? => Well, there have been a lot of changes First of all, the quality of the automobiles is much better than before Second, transport in remoted areas has been improved a lot And there are more and more people using private cars  ... living together However as time go on, people need to move for their jobs so small family are more common as they’re easily mobile Do you have many friends? Are they close friends or acquaintances?... with my friends because when I am with them, I feel very relaxed and happy We have many things in common; we can easily talk and share a lot of things => I live far from my family so when I have... think there have been a lot of changes in clothing styles in Vietnam About 70 years ago, the most common clothes for men was a long dress, usually black and white pants Women wore the same kind