Topic 1: Topic 1: Talk about some changes that you like in this city and some changes that you don’t like. Why? Managed by the governments, local authorities of our country, we are proud of the developments of our city. We are glad that there are a lot of tall buildings, big companies, modern houses, good services, wide streets, parks,… Our living condition is improving a lot. On the other hand, there are also some changes that affect badly to us such as there are a lot of factories, they cause water pollution, air pollution. There are a lot of Internet services, so students rush into there, they ignore their study. Moreover people become rich, they buy their children modern motorcycles. Days after days, there are so many motorcycles, they easily cause fatal accidents. The best way is that we should use public transportation. Topic 2: Topic 2: People often say life is getting faster every year. Does faster mean better? I think nowadays our life is becoming faster. For example: There are many kinds of modern machines, computers,…our work becomes better, faster. They can produce more products. Nowadays, we have a lot of labor saving devices for the home such as: vacuum cleaners, washing machines, refrigerators,… they help the housewives have more free time. Modern means of transportations help people travel faster. Modern means of communication such as: mobile phones, emails,… can bring people closer together. We also have good conditions in our life. Thanks to telephones, fax, mobile phones, … we can get information quickly. However, there are much pollution from cars, factories, … The air, land, ocean … are seriously polluted. There are more accidents, more disasters … Our work becomes busier, we have no time to relax, we don’t have enough time to take care of our family. In general speaking, I think faster means better and busier. Topic 3: Topic 3: The generation gap in the modern Vietnamese family? I live in a small family. There are two generations: my parents and me. There are some advantages living in a small family. My parents love me very much. So, they share me their experience in their life. And I have a lot of good conditions in my life. My family isn’t so noisy as big families but the atmosphere is always cozy. We are very happy together. However, there are some disadvantages such as their thoughts and their ideas are different from me. They don’t accept the modern life style, examples: music, SPEAKING B 6/17/2007 1 customs, fashion,Im interested in modern music, I like travel here and there with my friends but they dont like that. Sometimes, they look after me so carefully, I am not free at all. My mother thinks the girls shouldnt wear jeans. There are so many generations gaps that I cant tell you all. I hope our modern society can gradually change their own ideas. Topic 4: Topic 4: Teenager drug addiction in Ho Chi Minh city? As you know, Ho Chi Minh city is one of the most modern city in our country but I think it is a complicated city with full of drug addiction. However, most of teenagers are interested in their study but some of them dont care. They rush into drug addiction, there are a lot of bad results caused by drug addiction such as fatal races, robbing, aids, Those affect quite badly to their families, our society and our country. To prevent the problems, the local authority should manage their areas well, the media agencies should work better and the parents should take care of their children better. Topic 5: Topic 5: Describe what can be done to prevent pollution in our country? As you know, the earth is becoming hotter everyday because of bad habits of people around the world. There are a lot of factories in our country ,so there are a lot of smoke, wastes Our environment is being destroyed by many factors. We should have measures to minimize the pollution. Perhaps, the governments should ban cars, motorcycles from the city centre, develop public transportations like buses, trains to limit smoke in cities. We should use the solar energy instead of burning coal or oil. We should prevent people from deforestation. Besides, we should plant more trees in big cities. We can use banana leaves to wrap food because plastic bags are very hard to dissolve. We shouldnt throw trash or garbage into the rivers. Especially, we should diminish (laứm giaỷm bụựt) the increase of population. Topic 6: Topic 6: What is your lucky number / colour / charm? Do you think you are superstitious (meõ tớn)? My lucky colour is blue. I think blue is the hopeful colour. I usually have good things with blue. I feel self-confident with blue shirt when I go out with my friends. Blue symbolizes the sky, its very wide and I think its freedom. With a blue pen, I feel seft- confident in the exam and I will do the test better than usual. And I dont think Im superstitious. I think those are my tastes and my luckiness. Topic 7: Topic 7: What do you think people could be afraid of when they think about the future (old age, unemployment)? In my opinion, getting old is the truth that we must accept when we think about the future. It is because that no one is young forever. So, I think people could be afraid of losing their jobs when they think about the future. As you know, if you have a stable job, youll be certain that your life will be stable. When you are old, its difficult for you SPEAKING B 6/17/2007 2 to find a suitable (thích hợp) job. No one or no company wants to employ (thuê) such an old person like you. Moreover, the old are more experienced but less enthusiastic (thiếu nhiệt tình) and flexible (linh hoạt) than the young. Nowadays, the young know more skills than the old. They can speak many foreign languages. They can type, know how to use computers. They are more creative and more active than the old. Therefore, how can the old get new jobs when losing their jobs? Topic 8: Topic 8: What are your thoughts and feelings about computers? Nowadays, almost every people can use computer: businessmen, doctors, students, teachers, even children. Almost every office now uses computers. Business people use them to make business decisions. Doctors also use computers to help their patients (they can type prescriptions, they can find out the disease …). Computers are very useful for students, too. Internet services help people closer. In general speaking, computers make our work become faster and better. However, students spend much time on playing computer games. We cannot deny(từ chối) that it also has some negative (tiêu cực) effects (tác động). Especially for teenagers. Some programs contain violence (bạo lực), crime (tội ác)…even sexuality ( tình dục ) . Teenagers easily get influence from them. Obviously , they have lowered their results in studying. Topic 9: Topic 9: Advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones? Nowadays, we don’t need to be at home or at the office to use telephone because mobile phones become more and more popular. With mobile phones we can call anyone, anywhere and anywhen we like. We can carry it in our pockets. We can play games, take photographs, listen to music, even chat. Next, it is used as an alarm clock. Thanks to mobile phones, we can take messages and leaves messages easily. It also interrupts our work and our talk because some nets are not good. Besides, we spend much money on mobile phones. Topic 10: Topic 10: Do young people today make good use of their time? Nowadays, most of young people today have strong and healthy bodies. After a day working or studying hard, they often go to the sports club where they can play football, tennis… Besides, nowadays there are a lots of places for entertainment. In their free time, they often go to the cinemas, parks where they can relax their minds. Thanks to the information on media, they can stay at home to watch TV or listen to radio to get news. Besides, they like to go to the library to read books to get information they need. However, some of young people ignore ( phớt lờ ) their study or their works. They rush into Internet services, fatal accidents or drug addiction. Their parents buy their children modern motorcycles, so they easily cause fatal accidents. Those affect badly to their family, our country, our society. SPEAKING B 6/17/2007 3 Topic 11: Topic 11: The differences between your own life-style and that of your parents are interesting. Talk about the differences between your life and your parents’? I have lived with my parents since I was born. I’m the only son in my family. In our free time, we like talking together. Of course I have my own work and thoughts and so do my parents. I like reading. I think reading helps me widen the doors of knowledge, get more information… My parents are interested in chatting with their friends. I like excited atmosphere, but my parents don’t like that. They like silent atmosphere. I like to travel here and there with my friends but my parents always stay at home. My mother thinks that the girls shouldn’t wear jeans. She thinks it isn’t beautiful. My parents love me very much. Sometimes, they look after me carefully, so I think I’m not free. However, we understand and sympathize each other. I think my parents are the best in my minds. Topic 12: Topic 12: What can be done to improve the quality of public transport in our city/town? Nowadays, there are many kinds of public transportations such as : buses, motorcycles, taxis, coaches. Some means of transport are very good. They are new, modern and comfortable. They also have good services. However, there are many kinds of transport in the streets so there is much traffic jam and accidents daily. To avoid this, most streets should be widened, everyone should be aware of their speed limit. Motorcycles should be limited if possible, we should encourage people to transport by public bus. It’s convenient and safe. Topic 13: Topic 13: What do you think of the newly-built office buildings in the city? Nowadays, in the center of the city, the streets are wide and crowded with people and vehicles. There are many tall buildings, too. Looking at the newly-built office buildings, we think of the development of our country. Life has become much better for most of its residents (ngöôøi daân cö nguï). There are more office buildings means more companies are invested in our country, so there are more chances for us to get good jobs. Our life will be better. Topic 14: Topic 14: Advantages and disadvantages of being a member of a large family? I’m living in a small family. There are only three members in my family. But I think I can share you some advantages and disadvantages of being a member of a large family. Firstly, there are many people gathering to have dinner or watch TV. This creates a cozy atmosphere in my family. After dinner, we can have tea, watch TV and talk about any current ( hiện hành ) events of the day. Secondly, we are willing to take care of together when someone is ill. This affection also helps him or her recover SPEAKING B 6/17/2007 4 quickly from the illness. Thirdly, whenever I have any sorrows or sadness, I can share them with my sister or my mother. However, there are many members in a family so there are many opinions, surely there are many quarrels (arguments: tranh luận) or conflicts ( xung đđột ) . But, we should behave well to avoid those conflicts. Topic 15: Topic 15: Young motorcyclists’ fatal races? Nowadays, some teenagers aren’t interested in their study. They rush into drug addiction, fatal races or robbing. Especially, they cause fatal races. This affect badly to their family, our society, our country. Once I went to My Tho city, I saw a lot of young motorcyclists races. Most of them were drunk or drug addicted. They rode their motorbikes with extremely high speed. It’s very dangerous for them and for everyone in the street. They never minded accidents. I think the authorities should arrest and capture them at once to avoid terrible accidents. SPEAKING B 6/17/2007 5 . some nets are not good. Besides, we spend much money on mobile phones. Topic 10: Topic 10: Do young people today make good use of their time? Nowadays, most. enough time to take care of our family. In general speaking, I think faster means better and busier. Topic 3: Topic 3: The generation gap in the modern Vietnamese