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Topic Study Do you work or study? Which university did you go to? Why did you choose your school / university? Is it good to study in the morning or in the afternoon? Do you enjoy studying or not? Do you like your school? Which part of your school you like? How you improve your study efficiency? Which part of your study you like the most? 10 Which part you hope your school to change? Which part of your school needs an improvement? 11 Are you looking forward to working? Topic Work Do you like your job? Which part is difficult in your job? Is it better to work in the morning or in the afternoon? What is the most interesting part of your job? Have you ever changed your job? / Why did you choose to that type oi job? Do you want to change your job? / Will you the same job in the future? Do you think the contents of your work will be changed in the future? What did you gain the most from your job? /What you learn from work? Which you think is more important, colleagues or work itself? 10 What you to improve your productivity? 11 Do you think your company needs to make some changes? Which part of your working environment needs an improvement? 12 Is this job a good opportunity? / Is it good for your future development? 13 Are nine-to-five jobs good? 14 Do you miss being a student? Topic Major (ngành) What is your major? Do you like your major? What have you learned from the courses? Which subjects are more difficult? / Do you think your major is difficult? What you dislike about your major? Why did you choose to study that (major)? What kinds of help can this major bring to your future job? Is the actual content of the major the same as what you expect? What are the differences? What’s the interesting part of your major? 10 Do you like the courses of your major? 11 Will you continue doing what you’re studying in the future? Topic Hometown Where are you from? / Which city are you living in? Is there anything you dislike in your city? How long are you going to stay there? Is there anything that you dislike about your hometown? How long have you lived in your hometown? Do you like the city you are living in now? Is that a big city or a small place? Topic Home (The area you live in) What kind of house or apartment did you live in when you were a child? What kind of house or apartment are you living in right now? / Do you live in a house or an apartment?/ What kinds of accommodation you live in? What kind of house or apartment you want to live in in the future? / Do you want to live in a house or an apartment in the future? Do you know anyone who lives nearby? /Are you familiar with your neighbors? Do you think the place you are Ii\ing at right now is suitable for a family with children? Do you think the place you are living at right now is suitable for elders? Where are you living now? / Why you live there? / Do you like your living place? How is the area surrounding your home like? / Are there any good facilities nearby your home? What is your favorite room? / What part of your home you like the most? 10 Will you move home in the near future? / Will you live there in the future? / Will you live there for a long time? /Do you plan to live there for a long time? 11 Are there any shops or facilities around there? 12 What changes you think your neighborhood/living area need? 13 Are the transport facilities to your home very good? 14 Please describe the place where you live 15 What’s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived in the past? 16 What part of your living place you dislike? 17 What are the changes of surroundings around your living place? 18 How long have you lived there? 19 How you think your room could be improved? 20 What you usually in your flat? 21 What room does your family spend most of the time in? Topic Window view What can you see from the window of your apartment? Do you like to watch the scenery from your window? Do you want to live in a house with beautiful window views? How you feel when you can’t see any beautiful views from your window? Topic Museum What types of museum you like? When was the last time you visited a museum? Do you like going to a museum alone or with others? Do you want to work in a museum? Do you think museums are important? / Do you like visiting museums? How often you visit museums?/Do you often visit a museum? Are there many museums in your hometown? Topic Farm How often you go to the farm? / Have you visited a farm? I don’t go to fauns very often I live in the city, so farms are pretty far away from me But I have a friend who lives on a farm I visit her every once in a while It’s fun walking around the property and enjoying the sceneiy There are lots of barn cats to play with as well Do you like farming? Well, I grew up in the city So I’m definitely not familiar with fanning But I think it sounds really interesting! And I have a friend who lives on a farm I visited her place often as a kid I got to see how farming works firsthand It’s pretty cool, but it’s just not what I grew up with Is farming important to a country? Are farms important to a country? Yes, definitely Farms are obviously important to agriculture Without farms, you would lack basic things like grain, dairy, and meat products Those are the backbone of the food industry It’s hard to imagine what life would be like without those things Our food would be really limited Would you like move to a farm? Do you want to live in the countryside? No, I don’t want to move to a faun Living in the countryside could be nice, but I wouldn’t want to live on a farm I think that living on a faun is just too taxing There are too many things to get done. What kinds of farms you like? I really like farms that have common animals like sheep and cows I think cows are my favourite farm animals They’re big and they don’t smell that great, but they’re so cute! If you’ve ever seen a cow, you’ll know how big and sweet their eyes are Did you farm work when you were young? No, I grew up in a city so I never had to any farm work But a couple of years ago, I visited a friend who lived on a farm When I stayed over at her house, we did some farm chores in the morning It was fill! getting a taste of fann life. Topic Trees Do you like planting trees? Why? Well, I’ve never planted a tree before But I imagine it would be fun The hard part would be waiting for it to grow Trees don’t exactly spring out of the ground fully formed But I think the process of planting it would be rewarding It’d feel good to help out the environment in that way What kind of trees people usually plant in your country? How about your hometown? Well, there are many species of trees that are common in Vietnam I think the type of tree that Vietnamese people plant the most often is pine But fanners in Vietnam normally love planting fruit trees In my hometown, there are also a ton of willows lining the streets Have you planted trees? / Did you plant trees when you were a child? No, I didn’t have the chance to plant trees as a kid I grew up in an apartment, so we definitely didn’t have a backyard to put a tree in But I think it would’ve been a cool experience Planting trees is really good for the environment The more trees yoii have, the more oxygen goes into the atmosphere Are there any special lands of trees in your country? I don’t really know much about botany But I think the gingko tree is a type of native tree in Vietnam I’ve never seen TV programs or artworks from other countries describing the gingko tree But gingko is really widely planted in Vietnam Many cities in Vietnam even have streets famous for being lined with grngko trees Do people in your country plant trees? No, I don’t thrnk people in nry country plant trees so often It’s not a very common practice But March 12th is an exception because it’s National Tree Planting Day Many people get to plant trees on that day, usually organized by schools and companies Other than that I don’t usually see people around nre plant trees Are there many trees in your city? No, there aren’t that many trees in my city It’s kind of a shame I think that it really makes a city more beautiful when there are lots of trees around But our city is overpopulated and most of the land there is used for buildings Topic 10 Home country/City Which part of your country you want to live in? / Which city in Vietnam is the best one to live in? What makes you feel proud of your country? Do you know the history of your country well? Will you stay in Vietnam in the future? What’s the best part of Vietnamese culture? Are you proud of your hometown? Topic 11 Decoration (trang trí) What's the decoration like in your home? My house is decorated in a minimalist style That means everything is pretty plain and uncluttered My parents don’t like anything that’s too messy They prefer the house to look clean and sophisticated The walls are all neutral tones and everything matches There are no bright colours or clunky objects anywhere What kind of decorations you want to have? / What kind of decorations you prefer? Well, I hope to have a more classic-looking home I want an old classic interior design with old wooden furniture, with things that look classy but not old and outdated, like calligraphy and classic paintings I would also love to have an antique shelf with all kinds of antiques, which would look really nice Do Vietnamese people like redecorating their home? Not really People like making small changes to their home though When it comes to a large- scale redecoration to then home, I don’t think most families would it It’s not just money, it’s also about the workload behind it Moving out and back in can be really troublesome. What's your favorite colour when decorating your home? My favourite colour to paint or have as a colour scheme throughout my house is light yellow What decorations you have in your home? There aren’t too many decorations in my home, but we have a few paintings My mom’s friend is an artist She’s given our family some of her originals My favourite painting of hers is of a cherry blossom tree It’s so pretty and makes our house look so sophisticated. Topic 12 Math Did you learn math in high school?/ Do students learn maths in secondary schools in Vietnam? Do you think math is difficult? What did the teacher to improve your math? Are the methods interesting and useful? What can people with math in their daily life? / Do you think math is important? Do you use math in your work? Do you learn math now? Why/ Why not? No, I don’t learn math anymore I only use math in life and at work After graduating from college, I haven’t taken another math class It’s not because I hate math I just don't feel it’s necessary for me to spend more effort on sharpening my math skills anymore. Topic 13 TV program What kind of TV programs you like? Do you often watch programs on the TV or on your cellphone? I’m used to watching TV shows on my cellphone rather than on the TV I love watching all kinds of programs, but honestly, I never have time to sit down and relax on the couch in front of the TV So watching shows on my cellphone is a good alternative and it’s really convenient Do you talk with your friends about the program you watched? Yes, and I think I talk to my friends a little too much about the TV programs that I’ve watched I just love sharing the TV shows I like with people Sometimes I even talk too much about a show and give spoilers My fr iends have to ask me to stop Do you like watching TV alone? No, I like watching TV with my friends We usually have the same interest in TV shows and can always have a blast watching them together For example, when Game of Thrones was still playing, I watched all the episodes with my buddies It would be a pity if I watched it all by myself. Have you ever thought about making your own TV show? Yes, I’ve thought about that when I was daydreaming I’m a huge fan of variety shows So I’ve come up with a few different ideas for variety shows that I would absolutely love to make I even designed games that the celebrities in the show could play It was silly Do you like watching the same kind of program all the time? Yes, I actually like to rewatch the shows that I’m veiy fascinated by over and over again I could finish watching an entire series and then restart it that same night, no problem whatsoever For example, I can’t even remember how many times I’ve binge-watched Breaking Bad I just find it very soothing to watch it again Topic 14 Singing Do you like singing? Yes! I absolutely love to sing My favourite songs to sing are old jazz songs I am the only one in my family that actually has a nice singing voice Everyone else in my family also loves to sing but they aren’t as good as I am! When you sing? / Did you enjoy singing when you were younger? I will sing any place, any time I love to sing in the car when I’m driving, when I’m in the shower, or even while I’m at work and listening to music I used to sing in mv school’s vocal group and we would go perform at retirement centres The elderly people loved hearing us sing! Have you taken any singing lessons? / Will you take singing lessons in the future? I actually took singing lessons from ages 10-15.I loved singing so much that my parents allowed me to take piivate lessons with a vocal coach I learned so much in my vocal lessons, including music theory and how to read music off the page I love singing and I always will! Did you enjoy singing when you were younger? Yes, absolutely! I was even a member of the chon at my primary school My music teacher drafted me to the choir because she thought I had a lovely singing voice So I’ve been big on singing since then Topic 15 New Year How people celebrate the New Year?/How you celebrate New Year? In my experience, people usually meet up with their friends and family to celebrate the New Year Personally, I love hanging out with my fiiends and staying up until midnight It’s extra fun when we order a ton of food and just shoot the breeze together It’s the best way to ring in the New Year Do you still remember a new year that you celebrated? The first one that comes to mind is New Year’s a few years back If memory serves correctly , I was hanging out with a couple of my best fi iends We went to a big party together and had an amazing time together Then we went downtown and watched fireworks go off over the city It was breathtaking Why people often think New Year is a new start? I think it’s because it feels like a new beginning Even though technically it’s just another day, the New Year marks a big change in the calendar That can be an opportunity to change things up in your life or make some new resolutions I think that’s why people like celebrating the New Year Do you have any ceremonies to celebrate the New Year in your country? Yes! Here in Vietnam almost everyone celebrates the Vietnamese New Year It’s celebrated vibrantly here But the most important tradition is still the family reunion Families get together and enjoy a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve It’s a bonding time and you get to catch up with family Topic 16 Name Do you think it’s hard to remember others’ names? / Is it easy for you to remember people’s names? No, I don’t think it’s that hard Well, some people might have a spotty memory So they might not be able to remember names But personally, I think it’s easy if you make an effort It really makes a difference when you can keep track of people’s names Have you ever forgotten anyone's name? Yes, actually, I forgot my neighbour’s name after I met her for the first time We were both out for a walk and she introduced herself to me But a week later, I saw her again and completely blanked on her name Luckily, she graciously reminded me How you remember others’ names? Honestly, it’s just repetition I repeat their names a few times in my head when I fust leam it It also helps to have a face to match with the name If you remember what a person looks like, it’s easier to remember what then name is What you feel when people can’t remember your name? Most of the time, it doesn’t bug me at all I know that some people aren’t good with names I try not to take it personally But if they don’t remember my name after meeting me multiple times, I take a bit of offence It just rubs me the wrong way What names are you good at remembering? I’m good at remembering unique names It’s hard to remember common names But when I meet people with names that have rarely-used Vietnamese characters, their names often stick in my mind for a long time after I learn how to say them I think the effort helps me remember them Topic 17 Getting up early Do you often get up early in the morning? No, I’m definitely not a morning person I don’t like getting up at the crack of dawn I would much rather sleep ill I know that’s lazy, but I a lot of work late at night so I’m still productive I just prefer nighttime I don’t like being awake too early in the day Topic 23 Furniture (Đồ nội thất) Do you have a lot of furniture in your home? / What furniture you have in your home? I don’t have a ton of furniture in my home, but we have the basics You know, we have comfy couches, tables, and chairs My mom likes collecting antique furniture, so a lot of it is pretty old But you’d be surprised at how fashionable it can look She has a great eve for furniture and interior decorating Is there furniture of yours given by others? /Is there anyone who bought furniture for you? Well, no one ever bought furniture for me, but I actually got a couch from my best fiiend’s family They were looking to get rid of it since they were buying a new one I told my mom, and when she checked it out, she really loved it So my friend’s family gave it to us free of charge! It was so nice of them to that What furniture would you like to buy? I’d like to buy a new bedroom set You know, it comes with a bedửame and dressers The ones that are in my bedroom right now are pretty old So it would be really nice to upgrade I think I need more drawer space for my clothes It’s definitely a first-world problem What furniture you like best in your home? I definitely like the couches the best They’re super comfy to sit on Sometimes I just lay on the couch scrolling through social media on my phone Couches are perfect if you’re in a lazy mood You can just chill and relax on them Plus, if you’re having people over, they can sometimes sleep on the couch Topic 24 Clothes What kinds of clothes you like to wear?/What kinds of clothes you usually wear? I like wearing chic and modem clothes You know, I like following ament fashion trends and stuff like that But I don’t like anything too baggy I also tend to avoid bright colours or anything super form-fitting or revealing I usually wear a lot of high-waisted jeans and fancy shirts What kind of clothes you never wear? I never wear anything super loose and baggy I just don’t think those kinds of clothes are flattering You can barely tell what kind of body shape you have when you’re wearing an oversized sweater Some people are more comfortable with that, which I can respect But it’s just not for me Do you wear the same style of clothes on weekdays and weekends? No, I tend to wear slightly different styles on the weekdays versus the weekends On weekdays, I’m usually in classes so I try to dress up a little I wear things that are more business casual But on weekends, when I’m just hanging out with family or friends, I dress more on the casual side What’s your favorite color of your clothes? It sounds a little bleak, but I really like black It’s such a simple but iconic color for clothes You can match it with just about anything So it’s really a classic, and I have a ton of black shirts and pants I also like grey and white Just neutral colours, I guess Would you buy clothes because of certain brands? Honestly, I don’t really pay attention to brands They’re not important to me So I don’t think I would buy clothes just because they’re a certain brand I care more about how ứie clothes look and feel on me It doesn’t really matter if they’re a name brand or not What color you not like when choosing clothes? I really don’t like orange clothes I just think orange is one of the uglier colours Maybe it’s because it doesn’t look good with my skin tone But it just seems like a weird colour to me Plus, it’s hard to find a lot of colours that orange looks good with Topic 25 Concentration (Năng lực) How was your concentration when you were a child? Was it hard for you to focus? I was actually pretty focused as a kid A lot off kids my age would set distracted really easily But I usually set my mind to whatever was in front of me And I didn’t get bored or anything I would stay on task and follow through It wasn’t hard for me to focus at all When you need to be focused? I need to stay focused whenever I’m preparing for an important test For example, I had a big exam coming up a while ago I really had to buckle down and stay on task so I could well What you to help you concentrate? I find it helpfill to turn off my phone I usually have it on me , and all the messages and notifications that pop up can be distracting So I shut off mv phone and put it away As the saying goes, “out of sight out of mind” It really works wonders for concentration What may distract you when you’re trying to stay focused? Nowadays, there are so many distractions that can catch your eve Technology is probably the number one distraction It’s hard to stay on task when my phone’s going off Computers can distract me too because it’s easy to open a new tab and just surf the internet instead of doing your work When you usually focus on study? I usually like to study in the morning and early afternoon I’m a morning person, so I find it really easy to concentrate on school work in the morning However, after about 2:00 in the afternoon, I start to get tired, my brain is slower, and I can’t focus as well on my studying I also don’t like to study in the evening, as that is my free time for socializing or relaxing Is it difficult for you to stay focused on something? It depends Sometimes, when I’m really in the zone, nothing can distract me or get in my way But other times, I can get bored of what I’m doing and I start to lose focus Plus, I keep my phone on me most of the time, so sometimes when I see a message pop up on the screen, I get distracted Can you multitask? I think I can multitask pretty well Being a student taught me how to juggle lots of different tasks Even the simple things, like taking notes while listening to a lecture, teach you how to multitask well But you have to stay diligent, or else you’ll end up doing both tasks poorly. Topic 26 Make a list Do you usually make a list for shopping? No, I usually just wing it when I go shopping Honestly, it’s not the best method Sometimes I forget all the things I need when I go out So I end up buying a bunch off stuff I don’t need It’s not veiy helpful, especially when I’m going grocery shopping Do you usually make a list for study or work? Does it work?/ Do you like making a list? Yeah, I try to make a list of things I need to Especially when it conies to school, it helps keep me from getting overwhelmed Making a list of tasks keeps me organized and focused And it makes all the work seem more manageable So it’s definitely really helpfill It works like a charm Why some people not like making a list? I think they find it really boring You know, it’s not that fun to sit down and make a list of all the things you have to It takes lip time and can seem useless Other people don’t like making lists because they organize their work in other ways Do you prefer to make a list on paper or your phone? I prefer making a list on my phone Sometimes I try making lists on paper, but I always end up losing them But if I make a list on my phone, then I know I’ll have it with me at all times After all, my phone is practically always on me I never go anywhere without it Why some people not like to plan? I think some people don’t like planning because they’d rather focus on the present They don’t like thinking too hard about the future Sometimes that’s because they’re lazy Other times, it’s because they like to wing it and not have every step mapped out I think some of those reasons are valid Topic 27 Recycle Do you recycle now? Yes, I always tiy to recycle when I can It’s the least you can to help protect the environment If you put recyclable items in the trash, then you aren’t helping cut down on waste That really weighs on my conscience So I definitely recycle on a daily basis Did you recycle things when you were a child? Yeah, for the most part I recycled things as a kid My parents always taught me that I should mv part to help protect the environment That includes recycling whenever you can As the saving goes, reduce, reuse, recycle Those are the three big steps to cutting down on waste Will you recycle things in the future? Yes, I’ll definitely recycle things in the future Protecting the environment is really important to me My parents raised me to believe that everyone can make a difference, even if it’s through the small things That includes recycling So I’ll always my part to help out by cutting down on waste Should children be taught to recycle? Yes, I think children should be taught to recycle from an early age to instil good habits Children who recycle are more likely to grow into adults who recycle, which is really important for the environment Reducing waste should be a top priority, and recycling is one easy way to that What kinds of items are recyclable? Loads off things are recyclable; there are probably more things that you can recycle compared to things that you can’t! Plastic, glass, paper, and cardboard can all be recycled, and when you think about it, most of our waste is made up of one of those four materials What kind of things you recycle? I usually recycle paper As a student, I go through tons of it Whether it’s assignments or handouts always have tall stacks of paper by the end of the school year So when I’m done with the papers, I put them in the recycle That way, they can be repurposed and help the environment Is recycling becoming more important nowadays? Yes, I think that with all the damage that has already been done to our environment, recycling is super important You see reports all the time of wild animals being killed or injured by trash that has been left in their environment If more people recycled properly, this would not happen nearly as often. Topic 28 Changes Do you like changes? To be honest, I don’t like big changes They can stress me out For example, when I graduated high school, I was excited but moving on was really hard for me to adjust to I was really stressed about that big life change What are the changes in your hometown? Well, a huge one that I can think of right now is the renovation of shanty areas361 in our city As far as I know, the city has been working on projects to rebuild those ancient and undeveloped areas for years The old bungalows are being replaced by tall residential buildings and commercial buildings now It’s a great change! What has changed about you between now and in the past? / Have you changed a lot since your childhood? A lot has changed about me For one, I’m wav more outgoing now I was shy as a kid, but I’ve learned how to be more social since then Another change is that I’m more driven and focused I know more about what I want to with my life than I did in the past What are the positive changes you want to have in the next five years? “What’s your plan over the next five years?” What you plan to change next year? I think I’d like to change my exercise habits next year To be honest, I live a pretty sedentary lifestyle I’m a total couch potato So it’d be good to start being more active I think I’ll try going on runs eveiy week It seems like an effective way to bum fat and get in better shape What are the positive changes in your country? Well, there are lots of good changes in Vietnam For one, as you can see here, the whole society is going cashless in favor of mobile payment due to the popularity of apps like Zalo Mobile reliance has just reached an all-time high in Vietnam Besides, another obvious change is that the government and people have a stronger environmental awareness than before Do you think people change a lot from childhood? I think a lot of people change as they grow older I don’t know anyone who’s exactly the same as they were when they were a kid People usually get more confident, or their personality might change a ton as different things happen in life Topic 29 Picnic Did you go to picnics when you were a child? Well, I didn’t go to picnics veiy often when I was a kid I remember going a couple of times, but nothing more than that But those two times were hill of good memories It was nice to eat outside with friends and family I remember we all had a blast hanging out at a local park How often you go to picnics now? I don’t go very often, honestly My friends and I don’t usually that kind of thing And I can’t remember the last time my family wanted to have a picnic I think it’s becoming an old-fashioned activity.I guess that’s kind of a shame, since picnics can be really fun Where you go to picnics? Why? On the rare occasion I go on a picnic, I usually go to a park near my house It’s only a ten- minute walk, which is super convenient The park has lots of big tr ees that give you shade380 But you can also sit on the gr ass in the sunshine It’s a lovely place What’s the difference between a picnic and cooking at home? Well, with picnics you have to most of the preparation in advance You can’t just make food as you go You have to have it all packed up since you’re away from a kitchen But when you cook at home, you have all those appliances at your fingertips They’re very different things Where people in your community go to have a picnic? There are lots of public parks in my city, which are great places to have a picnic I would say that these parks are busiest in the spring and summer, because the weather is nice enough to sit outside for a while The most popular parks are the ones that are closer to downtown, because that way you can visit downtown or go shopping after your picnic! Why people like going to have a picnic? I think people like having a picnic because it’s always nice to get fresh air, and vitamin D from the sun Eating at home all the time can get boring, and restaurants are expensive, so going for a picnic is a happy medium It’s full and interesting, and it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg Topic 30 Sports What kinds of sports you like? /What’s your favorite sport? Sports aren’t really my cup of tea, but I like a few of them I really enjoy swimming and badminton They’re pretty different, but I think they’re both really fun to Swimming is probably my favourite It’s a great way to blow off some steam while getting some exercise What sports team you support? /Are you a fan of any sports teams? Why? I don’t really know about a lot of sports teams I honestly don’t really watch sports on TV, and definitely don’t go to games So I wouldn’t even know where to start when it comes to teams If I ever get into sports, I should probably find a local team to support Did you like sports in your childhood? What’s the sport you did the most when you were a child? Yeah, I actually liked sports when I was a kid hi fact, I was on a few different sports teams The sport I did the most was soccer I thought it was really full to run up and down a field chasing after the ball It always kept me on my toes Do you watch sports games on TV? / Do you watch sports matches? Why? No, I don’t watch sports games on TV I think there are tons of other interesting things to watch Sports kind of bore me to death, if I’m honest If anything I’d rather play them than watch them So I don’t go out of mv wav to watch sports on TV Topic 31 Cinema Do you often go to a cinema? I don’t so to movie theatres veiy often Honestly, I’m kind of a homebody So I prefer watching movies from the comfort of my couch But if I want to something fun with my friends, going to the theatre is always a good time Do you like watching movies on weekends? “What you often on weekends?” What types of movie you like to watch? I mostly like comedies and action movies I find most dramas or documentaries can be a bit boring unless you’re really interested in the topic, but comedies and action films are never boring! There is always something funny to laugh at with friends, or some dramatic action sequence keeping you glued to the edge of your seat. Topic 32 Weekend activity What you often on weekends? On weekends, I usually sleep in and try to hang out with my friends We all get pretty busy with work and school, so weekends are sometimes our only chance to spend time together We like going to the mall or seeing a movie together It’s always a blast and makes the weekends a fun time Did you anything special last weekend? No, not really I had a pretty quiet weekend I just out by myself at home It might sound boring, but it was actually really relaxing I get so busy with work and school that I don’t often have time to just kick back and relax So I’m glad I had a chill weekend What you want to next weekend? I’d really like to hang out with my friends next weekend We haven’t seen each other in a while, so it would be nice to have a meal together We always have a ton of fun when we try to cook something Even though we’re not great at cooking, it’s the effort that counts Do you like playing alone or with others? I like playing with others If I’m doing a fun activity, it’s always more fun with friends For example, going to the beach by yourself can allow you to reflect and enjoy some quiet time410 But I have way more fun when I go with my friends We get to bond and lots of activities together What are the activities you want to in the future? I’d really like to tiy parasailing It’s when you lift off in a parachute attached to a boat It sounds crazy, but I’ve seen pictures and videos and it looks like a blast I also want to go hiking I’ve never done it before, and it seems like a really good way to bum some fat and get in shape What other people in your hometown usually on weekends? Usually, people hang out at the mall or go to bars on the weekends Those are probably the two most popular places to chill with friends and just shoot the breeze Some people also like doing outdoor activities, like Tai chi in the park Others go for runs and exercise a lot What are the differences of family activities between now and in the past? I think that in the past, family activities were more low-key You know, families would just sit around playing card games or something But nowadays, lots of families like doing outings together They might go to a nice restaurant or go for a walk in the park I think it’s a nice change. Topic 33 In a hurry What you usually in a hurry? It sounds a little unusual but I usually get ready in a hurry I’m not the kind of person who takes hours to get ready in the morning I stay in bed for as long as I can, and then I rush through blushing my hair and teeth and getting dressed What kind of things would you never in a hurry? I would never any task for school or work in a hurry Those types of tasks are really important when it comes to making a good impression on either your teacher or your boss You need to put your best foot forward at school and work, so you should take your time with those things Are you often in a hurry to leave home?/Do you usually go out in a hurry? Yeah, I’m usually in a rush to go out I always get distracted by something on my phone, so when it’s time to leave I’m never ready I just run around like a chicken with its head cut off until I’m finally ready to go Do you like to be in a hurry? No, it sucks when I’m in a rush It totally stresses me out I get all panicky that I’m going to be late It’s absolutely the worst It’s much better when I can take my time I’m a lot calmer that way And I end up in a better mood than if I’m in a hurry. Topic 34 New activities Do you like to try new activities? Why? Yeah, I like trying new activities! I think it’s cool because it gets me to things outside my comfort zone I can have new experiences that broaden my horizon Most new activities are fun to For example, I recently tried rock-climbing It was awesome, and I really enjoyed it Did you try new activities w hen you were young? Honestly, I was a pretty shy kid So I didn’t like doing a lot of new things I just stuck to what was familiar So, I only tried a couple new things, and that was it But now that I’m older, I realize how valuable new activities can be So I’ve definitely come around Do you like to try new activities alone or with friends? I like trying new activities with friends I usually have a lot more fun that way Plus, if I’m nervous about the activity, my friends make me feel better When I tried rock-climbing, I was pretty scared to get going But my friends set my mind at ease and I ended up enjoying it What activities (sports) did you when you were a child? When I was a kid, I did sports like swimming and soccer I was fairly active, so that was my favourite way to spend time Plus, I had a lot of frill with my teammates We won a lot of games together I also liked more relaxed activities like reading and drawing What activities would you like to try? I’d really like to tiy parasailing It’s when you lift off in a parachute attached to a boat It sounds crazy, but I’ve seen pictures and videos and it looks like a blast I also want to go hiking I’ve never done it before, and it seems like a really good way to bum some fat and get in shape Topic 35 Stages of life Are you happy with your life right now? Yes, for the most part I’m absolutely satisfied with my life I graduated a year ago and I have a really good job right now The pay is great, which means I can support myself completely and very well Plus, all my colleagues are super nice Honestly, I’m very gratefiil for what I have right now What’s your plan over the next five years? / Tell me your plan for the next five years Umm I’ve never planned so far But I’m sure that I will spend a lot of time and energy trying to study abroad in the next few years and getting an undergraduate degree Honestly, I’ve planned and dreamed it for years So, I hope I can see myself doing well in a foreign university in the next five years What is the most important thing (or biggest achievement) you’ve clone in your life? Honestly, I think the biggest achievement I’ve made is graduating at the top of my class in university It took so much work, starting all the wav in first year At some points I didn’t think I’d well at all I wanted to just give up But I worked hard, and I finally succeeded What’s your opinion of different stages of life? I think of life like a cycle, where we’re born and taken care of and then when we get old we are also taken care of It’s what we in the middle that makes it all so exciting Knowing that there is a finite amount of time in each life makes each stage so amazing and so precious What age (or stage of life) you think is the happiest? Well, I think childhood should be the happiest time of a person’s life Whenever I look back on my childhood memories, I have a big smile on my face You know, children don’t have any responsibilities and they have a lot of free time playing So most of their days are relaxing and full of fun Do you want to become older or younger? / What would you if you could be young again? I hope there is magic that can make me younger and even go back to the past Well, I don’t mean that I want to live my life all over again, but when I look back on tilings I’ve done in the past, there are ceitam things that I wish I could have handled differently For one, if I could go back to junior middle school, I would definitely not have a falling out with my friend again Nothing is worse than losing your best friend. Topic 36 Borrowing/lending Have you borrowed books from others? Yeah, I’ve actually borrowed a lot of books from my friends It’s definitely cheaper than buying the latest book I want to read Plus, since I’m such a book-lover, it helps me bond with my friends by seeing what they like to read You just have to make sure you return the book in good shape Have you ever borrowed money from others? I don’t want to make a habit of it, but I’ve borrowed money from others in the past For instance, last year I accidentally milled mv laptop by spilling coffee on it I had to borrow money from my friends to pay for a new one It was a total bummer Would you like to lend your phone to others? Well, it depends on the situation If they need to borrow it to make a phone call, I can totally that for them But I wouldn’t want to let them borrow it for a long time I’m pretty attached to my phone I use it all the time, so I would want to keep it to myself Would you like to lend things to others? What would you like to lend to others? I think it’s good to be generous with your tilings Everyone likes a helping hand So yeah, I’d like to lend things to others if I have the chance I’m fine with letting people borrow my books or even my clothes if they want It’s nice to share your stuff with others Is there anything that you will not lend to others? I definitely wouldn’t lend anything really expensive to others For example, I wouldn’t lend them my laptop or my phone, since they cost me an arm and a leg I wouldn’t want to lend hygiene products like my toothbrush either That would really gross me out It’s best to keep that stuff to yourself How you feel when people don’t return things they borrowed from you? It’s honestly really frustrating I’m trig them a favoirr by lending them something The least they can is give it back It’s really rnconsiderate, especially if the item is something expensive Most of the time I can let it slide But when it happens repeatedly, I start to get ticked off Topic 37 Public transportation What is the most popular means of transportation in your country?/ Do people usually use public transportation in your country? I’d say that nowadays, public transportation, like buses and subway trains, is still the most popular mode of transportation in Vietnam Given the fact that most Vietnamese cities have lots of public transportation, the habit of getting around by bus or train hasn’t changed for most Vietnamese families, even though a lot of them can afford a car How would you improve transportation in your town or area? Well, I would add a subway We already have a bus system, but it’s kind of slow And it adds to the traffic problems we have during lush hour So it would be really helpful if we had subway trains Plus, I really love riding the subway when I go to bigger cities When was the last time you took public transportation? Well, actually I came here by bus because the place I live is far from here The bus was slow and iam-packed with passengers And the traffic was a little bit heavy this morning, so it took me about 40 minutes, which is longer than usual Are there any traffic problems in your area? Yeah, we have traffic problems My city isn’t that big, so we don’t even have a subway system And in recent years, a lot of families can afford a car so they get around by driving, which creates more traffic problems During rush hour , traffic moves at a snail’s pace It makes commuting super frustrating I think it’s something the city should improve first. Will you use more public transportation in the future? Well, right now I drive to and from work So I don’t actually have to use public transportation I live in the suburbs, so it’s hard to access it It’s really out of my way But I think that if bus routes extended to my neighborhood, I would use public transportation more often Is driving to work popular in your country? Yeah, driving to work is pretty popular in my country Even though there are buses and subways in major cities, most people still drive They like having the freedom of piivate transportation Unfortunately, that means there are a lot of traffic jams It’s a real pain in the neck for commuters Do you prefer public transportation or private transportation? Honestly, I prefer public transportation I mean, it’s nice to have your own car because you can choose when to start and stop Plus, you don’t have to depend on other people But I like public transportation better because it’s more fun You can people-watch on the bus or subway Plus, they’re cool to ride ... around there? 12 What changes you think your neighborhood/living area need? 13 Are the transport facilities to your home very good? 14 Please describe the place where you live 15 What’s the difference... lived in the past? 16 What part of your living place you dislike? 17 What are the changes of surroundings around your living place? 18 How long have you lived there? 19 How you think your room could... major? 10 Do you like the courses of your major? 11 Will you continue doing what you’re studying in the future? Topic Hometown Where are you from? / Which city are you living in? Is there anything