Homework: Write at least 3 sentences to answer each question.

Here are model answers for the

questions.

1. Do you like travelling?

Yes, definitely! I think seeing the world, from great historical monuments to white sandy
beaches, is what life is all about. It's a very interesting way to learn about new cultures
and explore new places.

Yes. Travelling just changes your mind and refreshes you and makes you forget the busy
work schedule. When you start enjoying yourself for some time, you get charged up.

2. What is your favorite type of holiday?

I really like going to the countryside, getting away from it all. Nothing relaxes me as
much as wilderness... I am tired of tourist traps and usually go off the beaten track...
Getting away: escaping in order to rest from a daily routine.
tourist traps: places with many tourists.
go off the beaten track: to visit a place where a few people go.

3. What do you do on holidays?

I prefer visiting various museums and places of interest. For instance, on my last vacation
I was to Rome and I visited 12 museums. It was fantastic! Of course, sometimes I go
shopping with my friends or relatives too... But I don't find it near as exciting...
places of interest: memorable and honorable places.

4. Are there many tourists visiting your country?

Probably yes... My country has different tourist attractions in many cities, especially the
capital... For example, my country has old-time religious traditions... That's why we have
a lot of ancient cathedrals and churches that are interesting for both tourists and local
citizens...
I like to travel whenever I get the chance and have the means to afford the costs.
As a student, I can not afford much time and money to travel as frequently as I
otherwise would have; yet, I do not miss travelling to a few nice places at least
twice a year. For this topic, I would like to share my experience of travelling to a
lovely beach, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in our country.

The name of this tourist destination is "Sky blue beach" - a natural beach with
mesmerising views located near a famous ocean in our country. It offers a diverse
range of activities for tourists of all ages, and you can just idly lay on the beach and
enjoy the clear blue sky, crystal clear sea water, synchronised tide and ebb, and
listen to the music of the gentle breeze all day long without worrying about other
things!

I visited this attractive destination almost a year ago just after my semester break.
A few friends planned to visit this heavenly place just after we completed our fifth
semester at the university, and I did not want to miss the chance to spend some
quality time away from the hustle and bustle of city life. I thought it would be
refreshing and invigorating, and I was proven right. Just after I reached there, I
thought I was taken to the fairyland!

I enjoyed the view the most. It was like nothing else that I had ever experienced.
The serene nature of the surroundings, floating breeze of the coast, vast ocean,
soft sandy beach, blue sky and the vast openness blew away my mind. I also
enjoyed some local foods, tried a boat ride, enjoyed some music concerts at night,
and did some barbecue parties with my friends.  

I believe I relished visiting this tourist attraction because it was a marvellous beach
area with lots of things to see and do. I enjoyed a relaxing, soothing and peaceful
vacation after a long and the experience was so charming that I liked it a lot. This
was the first time when I realised how nature holds so many different kinds of
beauty that could equally thrill and excite us.
1. Do you enjoy shopping?
I do. It’s not that I’m a shopaholic or something. I just enjoy the activity itself so much, you know. I
like wandering around shopping malls and spending spree. That trying on snazzy,up-to-the-
minute clothes though I cannot afford all of those is like therapy to me. I also like shopping
for groceries. Whenever I walk into a grocery store, it’s the instant feeling of freshness that always
excites me.

2. How often do you go shopping?

Almost every month, I think. But usually, I don’t plan ahead. I’m an impulse shopper and sometimes,
it’s quite compulsive. I don’t usually try to catch on new fashion trends but whenever I have an eye
for an item, I bought it without a second thought.

3. Where do you usually shop?

Well actually I have a list of shops because each shop represents different styles, you know. And I
know a lot of girls today like to try on designer clothes, but I prefer clothes on the high
street because they’re more affordable. So, I often drive around the city center which is where all the
shops are, to browse and buy new clothes.

4. What is the most expensive item that you have purchased?

Although I love purchasing new clothes and shoes, the most pricey thing I have ever bought for
myself is the watch I’m wearing. I’m a big fan of the brand so the minute I saw the advertising of the
watch on its website, I decided that I had to have it though it costs an arm and a leg. But it’s cost-
expensivedue to its simple yet chic style that easily goes with any kinds of clothes. Also, it’s durable.

5. Do you like online shopping?

Yes, I’m a fan. For somebody that doesn’t know how to drive like me, online shopping is
wonderful. It’s so convenient because I can lie on my bed and shop with my phone. A lot of
retailers now have the 2-day or even 2-hour delivery option, which saves me so much time and
is just awesome.

6. What sites do you shop on?

Vietnam has some big online retailers like Tiki and Sendo. Some foreign companies have
jumped into our market as well, like Lazada and Shopee. Those are the sites I usually shop on. I
actually do Amazon too. For Amazon, most of the time, I just transfer money to my friends in
the U.S to purchase what I want for me because I don’t want to spend extra for shipping.

7. What are some problems of shopping online?

First, it’s false advertisement. I bought a dress online and on delivery, it looked completely
different from the photo posted on the website. It was such a disturbing experience. But that
was a few years ago when there were not a lot of online retailers competing with each other.
Now that there are a bunch of them, it’s very easy to find trustworthy ones. Another concern is
information security. You can be a victim of identity theft or risk compromising your credit card.

 Shopaholic: người nghiện mua sắm

 Rewarding (a): mang lại trải nghiệm tốt cho bản thân (như phần thưởng cho bản thân)
 Dresscode (n): phong cách ăn mặc chung cho một nơi hoặc 1 sự kiện nào đó
 Outfit (n): trang phục
 Trendy (a): thời thượng
 Stylish = snazzy (a) có phong cách
 Frumpy (a): (ăn mặc) lạc hậu và nhàm chán
 Dress up (v): ăn diện >< dress down (v): mặc thoải mái
 Casual clothes (n): quần áo thường ngày
 Designer (label) clothes: quần áo của các nhà thiết kế/có thương hiệu
 (clothes) Off the peg/rack = on the high street: quần áo giá rẻ, bình dân
 All the rage = very fashionable
 Up-to-the-minute fashion = the most recent trends (phong cách thời trang được cập nhật mới nhất)
 Catch on (v): bắt kịp (xu hướng)
 Afford (v): (đủ khả năng) chi trả
 Slave of/to fashion: nô lệ thời trang
 Impulse shopper: người mua sắm bất chợt, đột ngột, tùy hứng
 In search of: tìm kiếm (món hàng nào đó)
 Bargain buyer: người mua hay trả giá/săn giá hời
 Bargain hunting: săn giá hời
 Serious shopper: người mua sắm nghiêm túc (chỉ mua những gì cần mua)
 Have an eye for (v): để mắt đến (món đồ nào đó)
 Browsing = window shopping: ngắm nghía, lượn lờ tới lui (nơi mua sắm)
 Outspend (v): chi tiêu vượt ngưỡng hay vượt qua đối tượng nào đó
 Indulge in (v): tự nuông chiều bản thân mình bằng…
 Compulsive (a): khó kiểm soát
 A rip-off = a pricey (item) >< a steal (idiom): món đồ có giá cắt cổ >< món đồ có giá cực rẻ
 Shopping therapy (idiom): shopping là 1 phương pháp để 1 người cảm thấy khá hơn
 Shop till “one” drop (idiom): mua sắm đến khi kiệt sức
 Cost an arm and a leg = cost a fortune (idiom): tiêu tốn rất nhiều tiền
 Cut back on/reduce your spending = Cắt giảm/giảm bớt chi tiêu;
 Load/push (British English) a trolley / (North American English) a cart = Chất đầy/đẩy xe đựng hàng;
 Run a special promotion = Tổ chức một chương trình khuyến mãi đặc biệt;
 Go on a spending spree (idiom) = Mua sắm thỏa thích;
 Go to the shops/a store/the mall = Đi vào cửa hàng/tiệm/khu mua sắm;
 Hit/hang out at the mall = Dạo chơi ở khu mua sắm;
 Try on clothes/shoes = Thử quần áo/giày;
 (North American English) stand in line/ (British English) queue at the checkout = Xếp hàng ở quầy thanh
toán;
 Be in/ have in stock = Có hàng trong kho;
 Be on special offer = Được khuyến mãi đặc biệt;
 Deal with/ help/ serve customers = Đối phó với/giúp đỡ/phục vụ khách hàng.
 I. TỪ VỰNG IELTS CHỦ ĐỀ FLATS/ HOME/ ACCOMMODATION 
Houses  
 A detached house   
 A townhouse – a duplex – a semi-detached (usually two houses together)  
 A terraced house (one house connected to many others in the same row/street)  
 A bungalow (a house with only one level) 
 A squat (empty building where people start living without the owner’s permission)
 A hovel (very small, dirty house or flat in a bad or run-down condition)
 Rented accommodation (can be either furnished or unfurnished)
 Council or social housing  is rented accommodation provided by the state for
people who cannot afford to buy their own homes
 A Council Estate (U.K.) is a large group of such housing
Flats   
 Flat / apartment (a living area within a bigger building)  
 e.g. a two-bedroom flat  
 Note: flat and apartment are really the same, you can use either.   
 A block of flats (a building that contains many flats)  
 An apartment block (a building that contains many apartments)  
 A condominium (a building that contains many apartments) 
 A penthouse (a luxury flat at the top of a building)
 A high-rise building  
High-rise flats/tower block flats are flats in a tall, modern building with a lot of floors.
A granny flat (informal) is a set of rooms for an elderly person, connected to a relative’s
house.  

Often for students   

 Rented house  
 Student accommodation 
 Student digs 
 A studio / A bedsit (a self-contained unit; everything in one room) 

Collocations   
Remember to use collocations to add ‘color’ to your language. 
A run-of-the-mill house  = an ordinary house  
A cosy / noisy / cramped flat   
Cozy = small and comfortable  
Cramped = too small and uncomfortable   
A three-story building  
I live on the third floor  
a spacious /comfy flat   
Spacious = plenty / lots of room   
Comfy = comfortable 
 Apartment (n): căn hộ, chung cư
 Flat (n): căn hộ
 An apartment block/block of flats (noun phrase): dãy nhà, khối căn hộ liền kề
 Terraced house (n): ngôi nhà trong dãy nhà cùng kiểu
 Studio (n): căn hộ có diện tích nhỏ, không có sự phân chia rõ ràng giữa các phòng
 Dormitory (n): kí túc xá
 Duplex (n): căn hộ 2 tầng
 Penthouse (n): cao ốc thông tầng, thường nằm ở vị trí cao nhất của 1 tòa nhà.
 High-rise apartments (noun phrase): căn hộ (cao cấp) nhiều tầng
 Flat-roof house = Bungalow (n): nhà trệt
 Mobile home (n): nhà di động
 Thatched cottage: nhà tranh, nhà gỗ theo phong cách châu âu, thường xuất hiện ở vùng
quê
 Mansion (n): dinh thự, biệt thự
 Igloo (n): nhà bằng đá
 Courtyard house (n): nhà có sân
 Spacious (adj): rộng rãi
 Harmonious (adj): ấm cúng, yên bình
 Homey (adj): thoải mái như ở nhà 
 Multi-purpose (adj): đa chức năng
 Breathtaking (adj): đẹp đến nín thở, tuyệt đẹp
 Necessity (n): tiện nghi
 Residential area (n): khu dân cư
 Urban area (n): vùng thành thị
 Close-knit community: cộng đồng dân cư có mối quan hệ khăng khít
 Home comforts (noun phrase): sự tiện nghi trong nhà
 Amenity (n): sự tiện nghi
 Mod cons (n): sự tiện nghi hiện đại
 Privacy (n): sự riêng tư 
 Bedsit (n): phòng vừa để ngủ vừa để học, tiếp khách
 Back garden (noun phrase): vườn ở phía sau nhà
 Campus (n): khu ký túc xá đại học
 Dream home: ngôi nhà trong mơ
 Add an extension: xây hoặc lắp thêm (nội thất, phòng ốc) cần thiết vào
 Facade (n): mặt tiền
 Equip (v): trang bị
 Modify (v): sửa đổi, thay đổi
 Refurbish (v): tân trang nhà cửa
 Do up (an old house) (v): nâng cấp nhà
 Afford to do sth (v): có đủ tiền để trang trải/ mua cái gì
 Classify (v): sắp xếp vào hệ thống
 Settle (v): sinh sống, an cư
 Admire something (v): chiêm ngưỡng
 Let someone’s hair down = Chill out (v): thư giãn, thả lỏng
  Disturb (v): quấy rầy
 House-warming party (noun phrase): tiệc tân gia
 for the better part of something (time) (prepositional phrase): phần lớn (thời gian)
ENG: for most of something (time)
 side street (noun phrase): ngõ (dẫn ra các con phố chính)
ENG: a less important street leading off a road in a town
 amenity (noun): tiện nghi
ENG: a feature or service that makes a place pleasant, comfortable or easy to live in
 in the proximity of something (prepositional phrase): ở gần
ENG: near something in distance or time
 detached house (noun phrase): nhà đơn lập, nhà riêng lẻ
ENG: a house that is not joined to another house on either side
 on the outskirts of something (prepositional phrase): ở ngoại ô, ở ngoài rìa
ENG: in the parts of a town or city that are furthest from the centre
 grow attached to something (verb phrase): gắn bó, yêu mến
ENG: become liking somebody/something very much
 roomy ~ spacious (adj): rộng rãi, thoáng
ENG: having a lot of space inside
 style something (verb): thiết kế
ENG: to design, make or shape something in a particular way
 minimalist (adj): tối giản
ENG: (of art, music or design) using very simple ideas or a very small number of simple
elements
 touch (noun): điểm nhấn
ENG: a small detail that is added to something in order to improve it or make it complete
 comfortably furnish something (verb phrase): sắp xếp nội thất
ENG: to put furniture in a house, room, etc. comfortably

 Where are you living now?

Well, actually, at the moment, I’m living with my younger sister in a pretty small apartment.
We couldn’t afford a more spacious living for both of us, because.. you know, it’s really
expensive here. However, luckily, we could manage to equip our room with a fairly adequate
number of necessities.

For the better part of the last 4 years, I’ve been living in a mini flat in a small side street in
the heart of the city. All amenities are available in the proximity of my home, like
supermarkets, restaurants, fashion stores, cinemas, or hospitals. I can easily grab anything I
need in just a few minutes.

I live in a detached house on the outskirts of Hanoi. I’ve been living there since I was born
and I’ve grown so attached to this place.
Well, the flat is not really roomy, but it’s just right for us. It is styled in a minimalist way. All
the walls are painted plain white. All the rooms have big windows with bright curtains adding a
decorative touch to them. The interior design is simple, yet convenient.

I live in a two-storey house with an amazing rooftop as its main feature. My home has three
bedrooms; one spacious living room and a beautiful kitchen. All the rooms are comfortably
furnished.

 What kind of housing/accommodation do you live in?

I live in a terraced house that has a living room, a kitchen, three bed rooms, two bathrooms and
a lovely back garden. It’s not really a spacious house, but it’s just right for me and my family.

 Who do you live with?

I live with my family. There are 5 of us and we all have our own room, which is way more
comfortable as the older we grow, the more privacy we need for ourselves. I think our house
is big enough for us yet still a warm and cosy place that I call home.

 How long have you lived there?

I’ve lived there since I was a child, until I graduated from high school and moved to the city to
enrol at university, where I lived in a student dormitory during the semester.

 What do you usually do in your house/flat/room?

Well, definitely I’ll spend some me-time there. I study, I chill out by reading, drawing and
dancing all by myself. Sometimes I also invite one or two friends to spend time with. We’ll
watch some movies together and tell each other endless stories.

 What’s the difference between where you are living now and where you have lived
in the past?

Living in a dorm with other roommates is totally different from living in my own house. My
current residential area is quite small and it’s very noisy because there are a lot of people there
and I don’t have my own space. Conversely, when I was living at home, I had my own spacious
room and it made me feel comfortable.

 Do you plan to live there for a long time?

To be honest, I intend to buy an apartment in an urban area after I graduate from university. I
can decorate and design my ideal home with whatever facilities I want.

 What part of your home do you like the most?

I prefer my bedroom most due to its convenience and privacy. Because of my stressful work I

want to be in a quiet place and concentrate on my work. In my own room, I’m
never disturbed by anyone else. Moreover, in my own space I can do whatever I want without
bothering others.

 Which room does your family spend most of the time in?

It’s definitely the kitchen. Not only lunch or dinner time but all our family reunions take place
in the kitchen where all the family members get together to eat tasty meals, and chat to each
other – it’s a really harmonious atmosphere.

 Are the transport facilities to your home very good?

To be honest, the transport services at my house are very modern. There is a bus stand and a
railway station which provide services very frequently.

 Are there many amenities near your home?

My house is located in a residential complex, so everything is within reach. There is a gym, a

park, as well as a wide variety of shops, which are more than enough to cater for all residents in
my area.

 Do you prefer living in a house or a flat?

Each type has some things to offer me but I would have to go for a house. Because I value my
privacy and need my own space. Owning an independent house, I can plan and design a house
layout to suit myself. Moreover, I can modify a house according to the size of the family.

 Can you describe the place where you live?/ Please describe the room you live in.

My current room is actually more like a bedsit. It is a multi – purpose room, I use it to sleep
and study as well. It is painted in pink, that’s my favourite colour with a bed, a cupboard and
desk. It’s not really spacious but it’s just right for me.

 What have you done to your room to make it look nice?

I like the white and black colour, so the room’s walls have painted a combination of both
things. I love art and craft, so I made many things from old material which is hung on the walls,
and the most important thing is that I keep my room spic and span.

 Should we live in a flat or a house?

It heavily depends on people’s preference and affordability since each type of property has its
own perks. If one enjoys the modern amenities that an apartment complex can provide such as
gyms, swimming pools and convenience stores and, of course, he has money, an apartment
would be a great choice. In contrast, houses are usually suitable for those who prefer privacy
and a quiet lifestyle.

It’s safe to say that I have given my dream house a considerable amount of thought. But first I
must say that I’m currently residing in a small apartment in District 3, Saigon, a
thriving metropolis in southern Vietnam. 
However, I dream of moving to the breathtakingly beautiful mountainous area of Dalat,
located in the central highland of Vietnam. My special house would have a variety of features.
Firstly, it would be a two-storey detached house built from glass and timber with an outdoor
terrace so that my family can sunbathe every day. I would also want to have an infinity
swimming pool and an immaculately kept garden because I’m very passionate about flora
and fauna. There is no greater feeling than being able to enjoy the idyllic scene that Dalat has
to offer while relaxing in the water. Last but not least, it would be wonderful if my house had
a spacious living room with a fireplace as well as an open-plan modern kitchen and a cozy
dining room where I can invite all my friends over for dinner sometimes. 
The reason why I want to have this splendid house is because I really appreciate the cold
weather that Dalat has to offer and would love to immerse myself in the local culture there. The
house would be big enough for all of the family to enjoy at once. Moreover, I would love
nothing more than to be at one with nature and I think that house would really allow me to do
that in a safe and comfortable environment. Dalat is also not too far from Ho Chi Minh City, so
it might be convenient for travelling back and forth between the two locations if I need to.
 It’s safe to say: chắc chắn
 metropolis: thủ phủ
 breathtakingly beautiful: đẹp hút hồn
 detached house: nhà biệt lập
 timber: gỗ
 immaculately kept garden: khu vườn được chăm sóc cẩn thận
 flora and fauna: thực vật và động vật
 idyllic scene: phong cảnh yên bình
 spacious: rộng rãi
 open-plan: không ngăn vách
 splendid: tuyệt vời
 immerse: hoà mình
 be at one with nature: hoà hợp với thiên nhiên