Lesson 2 – Practice Speaking

Part 1:

1. Do you have sisters and brothers? If so, how many?

Well, I’ve got two siblings—a younger brother and a younger little sister. Growing
up, it was like living in a mini circus. Whenever we sat at the table, my brother and
I would often exchange jokes and playful remarks, and my little girl would always
try to join me in whatever activity I was engaged in. You know, typical sibling
stuff.

2. How often do you meet with your family?

We catch up on a daily basis, especially dinners during weekends. With life

whizzing by, it’s so meaningful to spend quality family time together enjoying
delectable meals and watching romantic comedy films. Plus, Mom’s cooking
recipes are something none of us can copy, so Saturday and Sunday dinners are
pretty much given.

3. How do you spend time with your family?

Ah, that’s an interesting one. We usually go to the Hanoi Old Quarter on the
weekends after finishing breakfast and then head to a popular market on Hang Be
Street to buy some meats and vegetables for our meals in the following weeks. And
every now and then, we venture out for a short day trip to popular beaches or
breathtaking mountainous landscapes. So, last summer holiday, for example,
we went to visit a wonderful resort in Ba Vi, and it was such a breath of fresh air!

4. Do you want to live with your family in the future?

Oh, that’s a tough cookie to crack. On one hand, living with family has its merits
– you’ve got constant support and a sense of belonging. On the flip side, there’s
something about striking on your own that’s engaging. Buf if you asked me
right now, I’d say I definitely would like to stay close to my family as much as
possible and visit them more often.

5. Are you close to all of your family members?

For the most part, yes, we’re a close-knit family. I mean, every family has its ups
and downs, right? There are times when my parents were arguing over which film
to go and see, and I might butt heads with my younger sister over silly sibling
stuff, but at the end of the day, we always patch things up.

6. How has your family influenced you?

Well, in a nutshell (very briefly, giving only the main points), they’ve shaped my
values, belief and character in more ways than I can count. My parents, with
their endless tales of their younger days, has taught me the importance of
compassion and how to to be courage and be kind to everyone. My siblings,
though? They’ve given me a masterclass in patience and managing emotion
mostly. But seriously, they’ve shown me the value of having a support system, no
matter what life throws at you, which have influenced my outlook on life.

Part 2:

Describe someone in your family who you really admire.

You should say:

What relation this person is to you

What are your first memories of this person

How often you see this person

And explain why you really admire this person

Alright, let me take you back to my happy childhood since then. So, growing up
with a big-hearted mother, there’s always a mix of admiration, trustworthiness
and a whole lot of shared memories. When I think of family, my mother’s smiley
face instantly pops up in my mind, painting a vivid picture of my beautiful time
since I was a little girl.

As for the memories I shared with her, I’ll never forget this one. One of the
earliest memories with her dates back to when I was about three. When I had
my first trip abroad with my family in Malaysia, it was just me and my mom with
my grandparents. While I was climbing a tree in the park to see the baby birds
hatching from their eggs, I accidentally slipped and twisted my ankle. My mom
quickly carried me on her back to a clinic for first aid, even though she had a big
and heavy backpack on her shoulder filled with drinks and our jackets. This made
me realize how lucky I am to have a caring mother in my life, and it always
reminds me to cherish her as much as I can. I was really scared when the doctor
was putting my bone back in place; my mom was right there cheering me up and
even promised to get me my favorite lollipop if I stayed still.

Well, I meet and catch up with my mom almost every day. We have breakfast and
dinner together pretty often, chit-chatting about this and that. She is always there to
help me whenever I need her, knows all about my personal life, what I like and
dislike, and even my favorite position when I sleep too. And the most important
thing is that she always makes an effort to be present in my life despite her busy
schedule.

And now why I admire her. Here’s the thing: my mom’s always been this blend of
strong character and mindful. I’ve seen her stay up with me all night long when I
was sick. Plus, she has always been a role model for me in terms of her work
ethic and determination to provide for our family. And she also had an incredible
ability to truly listen when you talk. That’s the reason why each of us, as her
precious child, needs to appreciate her every single day.

Part 3:

1. Is family important in your country?

You know what? In just about every corner of the world I’m aware of, family is
right up there in terms of importance. It’s kind of the glue that keeps society
together. I mean, people always tend to put their family ahead of anything else and
I am proud that family bonding in our country is quite strong and unbreakable.

2. How has the size of the family changed in the last few decades in your
country?

Ah, that’s an interesting one. If we were to cast our minds back a few decades,
families in Vietnam were notably larger and extended. So, let me take an example
of older generations; he had totally eleven siblings, and they all lived with their
parents and grandparents in a big house in the countryside. But fast forward to
today, and there’s a dramatic change in the family size due to various social and
economic factors. Urbanization, changing career goals, and social norms have all
played their part. People seem to be striking a balance between raising their kids
and pursuing their dreams.

3. How do you think the family will change in the future?

Now, I don’t have a crystal ball or anything, but judging how things are going, I’d
reckon families might become even more diverse, depending on the social,
economic, and cultural factors that influence it. The size of the family might
continue to decrease in the future, as more people will prefer to have fewer or no
children. This trend may be influenced by the rising cost of living and
environmental concerns nowadays.

4. What role do grandparents play in the family in your country?

Grandparents, ah! In many places, they’re like the cornerstones of the family.
Basically, they maintain a balance by nurturing the old traditions and values and
teaching how to adhere to the roots. More than that, they’re like a safety net,
advising the rest of the family from time to time regarding family matters, as they
have more experience. From this sense, they act like reliable mentors.

5. Who do you think should be responsible for the care of the elderly, the
family or the government?

You know, traditionally, families have always taken care of their elderly. But as
time flies, it’s become harder for families to always be there, especially with the
hustle and bustle of modern life. So, while the family should play its part,
governments need to step up too, because they have more resources and authority
to address some of the challenges and needs of the elderly.

6. Why is the number of joint families decreasing in modern times?

Okay, for me, it’s a mix of things. The city-centric life which is all about highly
competitive and busy has diminished the concept of joint family and created the
nuclear family. Besides the urban influence, ever-increasing inflation, our
affection towards a materialistic life towards the traditions and values have ended
up making our own nuclear family.