PART 1

TOPIC: LEARNING ENGLISH

Q1: How long have you been learning English?
A: I started learning English when I was at secondary school, but I was very bad at it. We just
learned to take some English tests. Nowadays, English is important to my job, so I take an
English course to improve it.
Q2: How did you study it?
A: Well, I learnt English inFpa many ways such as reading articles in class, watching films with
subtitles, or listening to English songs. Sometimes I chatted with my friends in English.
Q3: What do you find most difficult when learning English?
A: My biggest problem is pronunciation. I found it difficult to pronounce some sounds in
English. Besides, I don't have enough vocabulary to express my ideas.
Q4: Do you think it's important to learn languages?
A: Of course, learning English is very important nowadays because people can do international
business. Besides, knowing English is useful when we travel abroad.
Q5: Is it important for children to learn foreign languages?
A: Yes, it is. Learning foreign languages is essential nowadays because English has become an
international language. Besides, it is easier for children to learn a foreign language when they
are young.
TOPIC: FAMILY
Q1: Tell me about your family.
A: My family has five people including my father, my mother, my young sister, my younger
brother, and me. My father and my mother are workers. My sister and brother are university
students. My family members get on well with each other.
Q2: Do you have a large or small family?
A: I come from a small family including 5 members. When living in a nuclear family, we have
more time to take care of each other.
Q3: What do your family like doing together?
A: My family do many activities together. For example, we enjoy playing sports and cooking
food in our spare time. Sometimes we go on a picnic at the weekend.
Q4: Who are you close to in your family?
A: I am very close to my younger sister in my family because we have many things in common.
For example, we are keen on swimming and reading books. Moreover, she is the person whom I
often ask for advice.
TOPIC: HOUSES
Q1: Do you live in a house or a flat?
A: I live in a house which is located on Tay Son Street. It is quite large with four floors. My
family have been living there for five years. Living in a house makes me feel comfortable
because I can enjoy private outdoor areas.
Q2: Who do you live with?
A: I live with my small family in this house. My family includes four members: my husband,
two children, and me.
Q3: Are there many rooms in your home?
A: Yes, there are eight rooms in my house including the living room, the kitchen, three
bathrooms, and three bedrooms.
Q4: What is your favorite room?
A: I would say that living room is the one I like most because it's the common space where my
family have a relaxing time together. We often watch TV and chat with each other about the
whole day after dinner.
Q5: What would you change about your home?
A: If I had enough money, I would make some changes to my house. For example, I would
rearrange the furniture, buy some new household appliances, and repaint the wall with bright
colors.
Q6: Do you plan to live there in the future?
A: Yes, definitely. I really love the living space in my house, so I don't want to move to another
place.
TOPIC: HOBBY
Q1: What do you often do in your free time?
A: In my spare time, I'm keen on reading books because it helps me reduce stress and I can
learn many things in life. Besides, I prefer playing sports as it makes me keep fit and stay
healthy.
Q2: Do you play sports?
A: Yes, I do. I often play volleyball with my friends after school every day. I play this kind of
sport in the stadium near my house. Playing volleyball gives me a chance to keep fit and spend
time with friends.
Q3: Do you watch TV?
A: Yes, I do. My family often watch TV after dinner. It is great to see our favorite programs and
chat with each other about everything.
Q4: What TV programs do you often watch?
A: My favorite program is VTV News. It is on VTV3 at 7 PM every day. I love it because it
helps me know what is happening around the world. Moreover, I can get information about
many fields in life.
Q5: Do you read books?
A: Yes, definitely. I am a big fan of reading books because it helps me reduce stress and
broaden my knowledge. Besides, I love reading news online because I can know what is
happening around me.
Q6: What kinds of books do you often read?
A: I am interested in many types of books. I often read books on my major to improve my
knowledge. Sometimes I read comic books to relax myself.
TOPIC: JOB
Q1: What do you do? What's your job?
A: I am working as a math teacher at a high school. I am in charge of making lesson plans and
giving lessons to students. Moreover, I also teach some extra classes to help my students pass
exams.
Q2: Where do you work?
A: I am working at a high school in Hanoi. This school has large space and modern facilities.
Q3: What responsibilities do you have at work?
A: I am responsible for many tasks at the workplace. For example, I am in charge of making
lesson plans and giving lessons to students. Besides, I also do some paperwork and organize
extra activities for students.
Q4: What do you like about your job?
A: I love my job so much because I can get a good salary and long holidays. Not only that, it is
fun to work with friendly and supportive co-workers.
Q5: Is there anything you dislike about your job?
A: Yes, there are several things I don't like about my job. First of all, I often have to work under
pressure and do too much paperwork. Moreover, my job is very busy so I don't have much time
to spend with my family.
TOPIC: TRAVEL
Q1: Do you like traveling?
A: Yes, I enjoy traveling because it helps me open my mind. When traveling, I have chances to
visit many famous places, meet different people, and taste local food.
Q2: Have you travelled this year?
A: Yes, I have. I went on holiday to Da Nang this summer. I went swimming in the sea and
enjoyed beautiful views on the beach. Moreover, I went sightseeing in famous places.
Q3: Where do you like to travel during the holidays?
A: During my holidays, I would like to travel to Nha Trang. It is a beautiful city with a lot of
famous destinations. When going there, I can visit some islands, taste local seafood, and go
swimming in the sea.
Q4: What do you often do when you travel?
A: Well, it depends on the kind of holiday I go on. For example, on a beach holiday, I prefer
swimming in the sea and eat local seafood. When going to the mountain, I often visit beautiful
villages nearby, explore the nature, and take a lot of photos.
TOPIC: HOMETOWN
Q1: Where do you live? Where are you from?
A: I live in the city centre of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. I have been living here for seven
years. I love living in Hanoi because it is a modern city with many entertainment facilities like
cinemas, parks, and shopping malls.
Q2: What is it famous for?
A: Hanoi is famous for many beautiful places such as the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, and
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum.
Q3: What do people do when visiting your hometown?
A: People can do many activities when coming to my hometown. For example, they can visit
famous places such as West Lake, Hoan Kiem Lake, and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Besides, it
is great to taste delicious food in the Old Quarter like Bun Cha, Pho, and so on.
Q4: How's the weather in your hometown?
A: Hanoi has tropical climate with four seasons like spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each
season lasts for about three months. It is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.
Q5: What do you like best about it?
A: What I like most about it is that there are many entertainment facilities like cinemas, parks,
and shopping malls here, so I can do a lot of things to relax.
TOPIC: FOOD
Q1: What food do you like best?
A: I like eating fruits best because they are good for my health. They provide me with a lot of
vitamins and minerals. My favorite fruit is banana and I love eating it every day.
Q2: What do you usually have for breakfast?
A: I often have many dishes for breakfast such as rice, pho, bread with milk, and so on. I like
eating bread with milk at breakfast most because it is easy to prepare it.
Q3: What's your favorite meal of the day?
A: I like dinner most because it is time when my family members can have the meal together
and talk about our work or study during the day.
Q4: Where do you usually have lunch?
A: I often have lunch at home because my mom cooks it for me. I often have rice, vegetables,
and fish for lunch.
Q5: How often do you eat out?
A: I rarely eat out because it is expensive to have a meal at a restaurant. I like eating at home
because it is both safer and cheaper. Moreover, my family members can prepare food together
so we become closer.
Q6: What restaurant do you often go to?
A: My favorite restaurant is Kichi. My family often go there for dinner at the weekend. We love
it because it serves many kinds of delicious food. Moreover, the staff members are very friendly
and polite.
Q7: What kind of food does it serve?
A: It serves hot pot with many kinds of food such as meat, seafood, vegetables, and so on.
TOPIC: HEALTH
Q1: Is it important to eat healthy food?
A: Yes, it is very important to eat healthy food like fresh fruit and vegetables. Having a good
diet gives people more energy and keeps them healthier.
Q2: What do you do to keep fit and healthy?
A: I do many things to keep fit and healthy. For example, I have a good diet by eating more
fruit and vegetables. Besides, I do exercise and play sports regularly. Keeping fit can help me
live longer.
Q3: Do you do anything which is not healthy?
A: Yes, I sometimes eat junk food like fast food which is unhealthy. Moreover, working with
computers too much is not good for my health.
Q4: What do you think is more important: eating a healthy diet or doing exercise?
A: In my opinion, both eating a healthy diet and doing exercise are important. Having a good
diet gives people more energy and keeps them healthier. About doing exercise, it helps people
relax, keep fit, and live longer.
TOPIC: TRANSPORT
Q1: How do you usually get to and from work/college? Why?
A: I often get to and from work by motorbike because it is easy and fast to get around narrow
streets. Besides, it is not expensive to buy a motorbike.
Q2: How often do you use public transport?
A: I sometimes use public transport like the bus to go to work. It's cheap to go by bus and the
staff are friendly and helpful, but I prefer to travel by motorbike because it's fast and more
convenient.
Q3: What types of public transport do you use?
A: My favorite public transport is the bus. I often go to work by bus because it is cheap.
Moreover, the staff are friendly and helpful. In addition, I don't have to worry about the air
pollution or the bad weather.
Q4: How often do you take taxis?
A: I often take taxis when going out with my family. It is convenient to travel by taxis because I
don't have to worry about parking.
Q5: Do you have any suggestions to improve travel and transport in the town?
A: Yes. To solve traffic jams during rush hours, the government should encourage people to use
public transport instead of private vehicles.
TOPIC: COMMUNICATION
Q1: How do you usually keep in touch with members of your family/your friends?
A: I usually contact my family members by making phone calls. Besides, I often keep in touch
with my friends via social networking sites like Facebook.
Q2: How often do you make phone calls?
A: I make phone calls every day. I often call my parents because it is a convenient and quick
way to talk with them. Besides, I can hear their voice immediately.
Q3: How often do you send emails?
A: I contact my customers by sending emails every day because it is convenient and easy to
keep the information. Moreover, sending emails is a good way to keep in touch because it is
free.
Q4: Do you prefer to write by hand or on a computer?
A: I prefer to write on a computer because it is fast and saves time. Moreover, it is convenient
to keep the information or copy things.
TOPIC: THE INTERNET
Q1: How often do you go online?
A: Well, I go online every day. I access the internet to find information when studying. When I
have free time, I go online Facebook to contact my friends or watch movies on YouTube.
Q2: What do you use the internet for?
A: I surf the internet to do many things. First of all, I often access the internet to get information
to do my homework. Besides, I use the internet to read online news or listen to music.
Q3: How do you get online?
A: I visit social networking sites such as Facebook to chat with my friends. Sometimes I access
VnExpress.net to read online news.
Q4: What's your favorite website?
A: I like to access VnExpress.net most because it gives me news about many aspects of life. For
example, I can know what is happening in Vietnam and around the world.
TOPIC: FESTIVALS
Q1: What's your favorite festival?
A: My favorite festival is Tet. It takes place from late January to early February. It is a good
occasion for family members to return home and gather after a full hard working year. Before
Tet, people spend time shopping for food and decorating their houses. During Tet, they visit
their relatives and friends.
Q2: Are there many festivals in the area where you live?
A: Yes, there are many festivals in the place where I live. For example, Tet festival, Mid-
Autumn festival, Hung King Temple festival, and so on.
Q3: Do you think festivals are important?
A: Yes, festivals are very important. Festivals are occasions for people to enjoy life after a full
hard working year. For example, Tet holiday is the best occasion for family members to return
home, gather, and become more close-knitted. Besides, some festivals help to show the culture
and traditions of a country.
Q4: How did you last celebrate your birthday party?
A: On my last birthday, I organized a small party at home. I invited my close friends and
relatives to come. First, I received some greetings, flowers, and presents from everyone. After
we sang the "Happy Birthday to You" song, I blew out candles on the birthday cake. At last, we
enjoyed a meal together.
PART 2
TOPIC: LEARNING ENGLISH
I'm thinking about a way to improve my English speaking skills among three options: joining an
English class at center, joining an English club, or talking to foreigners in public places. In my
opinion, taking an English course is the best choice for some reasons. Firstly, I can study with
experienced teachers. They can correct my mistakes or give me useful materials. Secondly, I
can practice speaking English with many different topics. For example, each lesson I often learn
about one topic. As a result, at the end of the course, I'm able to speak to others about different
things.
However, there are several reasons why I don't choose the other options. I don't choose to join
an English club because it's too noisy. I can't hear what other people are saying. Besides, talking
to foreigners in public places isn't my choice since I can only speak about very common topics
like name, food, or weather. In short, I believe that going to an English class is the best way for
me to improve my English speaking skills.
TOPIC: FAMILY
I am thinking about an activity for my parents' wedding anniversary among three options: a
party at a restaurant, going on holiday, and a party at home. I suppose that a party at home
would be the best choice because of some following reasons. Firstly, a party at home can create
a cozy and comfortable atmosphere. A familiar environment helps people become closer to each
other. Secondly, my family can save a lot of money. We can use this amount of money for other
things like food, drinks, and so on. Finally, I have the freedom to choose the food and decorate
the party according to what I like.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Organizing a party at restaurant or
going on holiday may be expensive. Besides, a holiday is not my choice because I have to take
a lot of time to make a plan about where to go and what to do. In short, I think that a home party
is the most ideal to celebrate my parents' wedding anniversary.
TOPIC: HOUSES
If I were in this situation, I would believe that buying a flat near the city center is the best
choice among three options: living with parents, buying a flat, and buying a house 10
kilometers far away due to some reasons. Firstly, buying an apartment tends to be cheaper than
a house. Besides, it is safe to live there because there is security guard 24 hours a day. The
second reason is that living in a flat gives me a good chance to make friends with other people
because there are many families living on the same floor. Finally, as the flat is located near the
city center, it is convenient to travel to many places, especially the workplace. Therefore, I can
save time and money of travelling.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Living with parents is not my
choice because my husband and I may not have private space or have the freedom to do what
we want. I don't choose to buy a house 10 kilometers far away because it is not convenient to go
to work. Moreover, buying a house is expensive. In short, for all reasons I put above, I'll choose
to buy an apartment near the city center as the most ideal choice.
TOPIC: HOBBY
I am thinking about an activity to do with my friends on a Sunday evening among three options:
seeing a movie, doing shopping, or singing karaoke. In my opinion, watching a movie is the
best choice for several reasons. First of all, my friends and I are big fans of watching movies, so
it is very interesting to go to the cinema and enjoy our favorite films at the weekend. Moreover,
seeing movies is a good way for me to reduce stress after school. When watching comedy or
romantic films, I feel very relaxed and comfortable. Finally, it is a great chance to spend time
with friends. For example, we can chat with each other before and after the film.
I don't choose the other options because of some reasons. About shopping, I personally think
that it is often a hobby for women, not for men, so it is not suitable for my friends including
both boys and girls. Besides, going shopping is a waste of time. Singing karaoke is not my
choice since it is very noisy and we cannot chat with each other. Moreover, noise is bad for our
health. To sum up, from my point of view, seeing a movie is the best choice for me and my
friends on a Sunday evening.
TOPIC: JOB
If I had to choose among three types of jobs: a telephone operator, a hotel receptionist, and a
tourism agent, I suppose that a tourism agent would be the most ideal part-time job because of
some reasons. First of all, I have a lot of chances to communicate with foreigners from different
countries directly. This helps me learn more skills such as communication skills and English
skills. Besides, I can broaden my relationship by making more new friends.
Moreover, I can gain more knowledge when going to many beautiful places in Vietnam and
around the world. Therefore, I know more about languages and cultures of these places. Finally,
a tourist agent is an interesting job because I can explore many new things when travelling to
new places.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Firstly, becoming a telephone
operator or a hotel receptionist is a boring job because I have to do the same thing every day.
About a telephone operator, it's boring to just answer the phone and transfer calls. Besides, I
will not have a chance to communicate with customers directly. In short, for all reasons I put
above, a tourism agent is my best choice for a part-time job.
TOPIC: TRAVEL
If I were in this situation, I would believe that a seaside resort is the most ideal choice among
three options: a seaside resort, a lakeside hotel, and a countryside cottage because of the
following reasons. First of all, it is easy and fun to organize different activities in a resort with a
large space. There are many activities for my family to do on the beach such as playing team
sports, going swimming, and so on. Taking part in these activities helps my family members
become closer to each other.
Secondly, as it is getting hot, it is suitable for us to have a trip to the beach. It is great to play
water sports in hot weather, for example, windsurfing, swimming, and diving. When playing
these sports, my family will feel more relaxed and become healthier.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Firstly, it is difficult to organize
different activities in places with small spaces like a hotel and a cottage. Besides, there are not
many interesting activities to do or beautiful views to see in these places. In short, with all
reasons above, a beach resort is the best choice for my family to enjoy the trip.
TOPIC: HOMETOWN
If I had to decide among three options: Da Nang, Hanoi, and Hue for a three-day holiday, I
would choose Da Nang as the best choice because of the following reasons. First of all, I can
visit beautiful beaches in Da Nang. It is great to walk along the beach and have the fresh air.
Besides, I have a chance to enjoy beautiful views on the beach such as watching the sunset and
sunrise.
Moreover, I can eat a lot of local seafood such as crabs, lobsters, and so on. The seafood here is
fresh, delicious, and cheap. Finally, there are many activities to do on the beach such as playing
team sports, going swimming, and so on. When playing these sports, I will feel more relaxed
and become healthier.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Firstly, it is boring to go on
holiday in Hanoi because I have visited famous places here many times. Besides, it is difficult
to move around in Hanoi during rush hours because traffic jams are serious. Moreover, Hue is
not my choice because I do not like to visit historical places there. In short, with all reasons I
put above, Da Nang is my best choice for a three-day holiday.
TOPIC: FOOD
I am thinking about a place to organize my sister's birthday party among three options: at home,
in a restaurant, and in the park. I believe that holding a party at home is the best choice because
of some following reasons. Firstly, a party at home can create a cozy and comfortable
atmosphere. A familiar environment helps everyone become closer to each other. Secondly, my
family can save a lot of money. We can use this amount of money for other things like food,
drinks, and so on.
Finally, my family have the freedom to choose the food and decorate the party according to
what we like. There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Organizing the party
in a restaurant is not my choice because it may be very expensive. About holding the party in
the park, it is very noisy so we cannot talk with each other comfortably. In short, for all the
reasons above, I think that a home party is the most ideal to hold my sister's birthday party.
TOPIC: HEALTH
My friend is thinking of an activity to improve her health among three options: jogging in the
park, going to the gym, or doing yoga in a yoga club. If I were her, I would choose to go to the
gym as the best choice because of some following reasons. The first reason is that doing gym is
cheaper than doing yoga in a club. Therefore, she can save an amount of money. Secondly, she
can take part in different activities such as dancing, swimming, doing squats, and so on. It
means that she has many choices to do what she wants.
It is more interesting than just doing yoga or jogging. The final cause is that she can use good
equipment. In the gym, there are a lot of modern facilities with high quality, so she can feel
very comfortable and excited when doing exercise.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. Firstly, it is boring to go jogging
in the park or do yoga instead of doing many activities in the gym. Besides, the fee to join a
yoga club is expensive, so doing yoga is not my choice. To sum up, I think going to the gym is
the best activity for my friend to improve her health.
TOPIC: TRANSPORT
If I had to decide a form of transport for a group of people going on a trip from Da Nang to
Hanoi among three options: by train, by plane, and by coach, I suppose that going by plane
would be the best choice because of some following reasons. First of all, going by air is the
safest among three types of transport. People don't have to worry about road accidents.
Secondly, going by plane is very fast; therefore, they can save a lot of time. It only takes them
one hour to fly from Da Nang to Hanoi.
Finally, people can enjoy good services on the plane. Flight attendants will serve them food and
drinks, so they can feel very comfortable during the journey.
I don't choose the other options due to some reasons. Firstly, going by train is too slow, so it
wastes people a lot of time. Moreover, going by coach is not my choice because it may be very
dangerous. Besides, there are not good services on a coach, so this may make people
uncomfortable. To sum up, I think that plane is the most convenient means of transport for
people to travel from Da Nang to Hanoi.
TOPIC: COMMUNICATION
I am thinking about a way to contact my close friend among three options: an email, a post
mail, or a postcard. In my opinion, an email is the most ideal choice because of some following
reasons. First of all, it is a quick way to keep in touch with my friend. It only takes few seconds
or minutes to send and reply an email. Besides, I don't have to spend any money on contacting
my friend because it is free. Moreover, using emails is a convenient way to send videos and
photos. It is difficult or impossible to do that when I use a post mail. The final reason is that it is
able to send information to a lot of people.
There are some reasons why the other options are not my choices. Firstly, a post mail is not a
good idea because it takes a long time to write and send the letter. Besides, the letter may be
lost. In addition, I don't choose a postcard because it is not popular in Vietnam and it cannot
show long messages. In short, for all reasons above, writing an email is my best choice to
contact my friend.
TOPIC: THE INTERNET
I am thinking about a way to look for a job among three options: the person who is doing that
job, the internet, or newspaper. I think that asking the person who is doing that job is the best
choice because of some following reasons. In the first place, this person can provide exact
information about the position I want to get. For example, he can help me know about the
salary, the working environment, and so on. Therefore, I can consider these things to see
whether it is suitable for me or not.
Secondly, he can share with me about his experience or give me good advice about the job. As a
result, I can easily get the job even get promotion after I am accepted.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. First of all, the internet is not a
good choice because the information about some jobs might not be correct. Secondly, I don't
choose newspaper because it is not updated quickly. Besides, it takes lots of time to find a
suitable job in a newspaper. To sum up, for all reasons above, I think that finding information
about the job from the person who is doing it is the most ideal option.
TOPIC: FESTIVALS
Among three options: a clothing item, a book, a pair of movie tickets, I think that a book is the
best birthday present for my friend because of some following reasons. First of all, my friend is
keen on reading books. Therefore, if I give her a book that she likes, she will be very excited
and happy. The second reason is that reading a book helps her relax after hard working hours.
Finally, a book is a great present for her to improve her knowledge. I can choose to buy a book
that is useful for her work. It is both relaxing and informative.
There are some reasons why I don't choose the other options. About a clothing item, it is
difficult to choose a suitable one because I don't know her size or what kind of clothes she likes.
Moreover, a pair of movie tickets is not my choice because she doesn't like watching movies. In
short, for all reasons above, I believe that a book is my best choice as a birthday gift for my
friend.