Như đề bài mỗi câu hỏi đã chỉ rất rõ: Write “No” – if the statement contradicts the view of the writer Write “False” – If the statement contradicts the information in the text Write “Not Given” – If there is no information about this or If it is impossible to say what the writer thinks of this. Vấn đề nằm ở đây chính là chữ “contradict” và “No”, liệu rằng thông tin trong câu hỏi là đối lập nhau hay hoàn toàn không có thông tin ở câu hỏi xuất hiện trong bài đọc? Bài “Hướng dẫn phân biệt NoFalse và Not given” hôm nay sẽ giúp bạn giải đáp câu hỏi đó
Trang 1ĐỀ SPEAKING DỰ ĐOÁN T9-T12
Part 1
YOUR HOME
1.Where do you live?
I live on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, in a district called Thu Duc, about
15 km from the city centre
2.Do you live in a house or a flat?
I live in a room for rent in Thu Duc district with my roommate
3.Who do you live with?
You know I just a student So I share my room with my classmate
4.Is it a big place?
It’s pretty big for a room for rent Because I should share my room with 2 guys
It has 1 large bathroom and large 1 bedroom We also have 1 kitchen, it is smallbut it is enough for me
5.What is your favourite room?
Honestly, I keen on to live alone So my favourite room is like a private roomwith a lot of digital equipment such as television, laptop, air conditioner
6.How is your apartment decorated?
You know, I just a student and I just live in a room for rent alone So I thefreedom to decorate my room I have some pictures on the wall, and some flowersput along the window Because I think that is a great way to help them grown
7.Is there anything you would like to change about your flat?
Definitely, Yes You know, I really concerned about my parking lot It’s justvery small and I must be share with my neighbours I didn't like it and I want tochange it
8.Do you plan to live there for a long time?
Definitely, Yes You know I go to HCM city from a poor province for study So Ihave the plan to live for a long time here I mean HCM city Because I believe that Ican make lucrative income when I stay here
9.Do you have a garden?
Well, unfortunately I have to says no You know, I just a student and I live in aroom for rent So, that place not allow me to have a garden But I really have onegarden in the future with a lot of fresh vegetables
10.Are there many amenities?
Well, unfortunately I have to says no You know, I just a student and I live in aroom for rent So my room just has some things to serve for my life such as laptop,fan, light If I have to use some things like pools, good meals, good drinks I should
go to about 20 minutes by motorbike
Trang 2What are you studying at the moment?
You know, I’m a senior at University Technology and Education of HCM city.Which is one of the top universities in Vietnam My majoring in MechanicalEngineering Which is a job very hot in Vietnam nowadays
Why did you choose that major?
You know, when I was young I saw adults drive motorbikes, cars I usually askmyself Why it’s can move while it’s not life And it has given me a passion toresearch about engines, motors, machines And that why I choose this major
Is it a popular subject at your university?
Well, Honestly, I absolutely to says Yes Majoring is one of the top majors in myuniversity with over 4 thousand students with high quality
If you could change to another subject, what would it be?
Well, unfortunately I have to say No Because, you know, I’m a big fan ofmechanical So I’m never give up my passion.
What do you like most about your studies?
Well, Honestly I have to says that I learn a lot of things from my major But onething I really love is that research about machines, about how to them work, how tofix when they broke and how to manufacturing machines
What do you hope to do in the future when you have finished?
Well, honestly, I have to say that I hope I will have enough IELTS mark to studyabroad in Canada to improve my knowledge about mechanicals and it also make
me have a lucrative income
NAME
1) How did your parents choose your name?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that I don’t know why my parents choose myname because I never ask them about that But I still love my name because This
is a part of my life and a valuable gift from my parents
2) Does your name have any special meaning?
Well, I absolutely say Yes Because my name is very special, that is unique.You will very difficult to find some guys the same my name You know, myuniversity have over 30 thousand students But, there are only 2 guys the same myname
3) Is your name common or unusual in your country?
Well, I absolutely say Yes Because my name is very special, that is unique.You will very difficult to find some guys the same my name You know, myuniversity have over 30 thousand students But, there are only 2 guys the same myname.
4) If you could change your name, would you?
Well, unfortunately, I have to say No Because my name is very special, that isunique So it made people remember my name It’s also a valuable gift from myparents I do love it so much
Trang 31 What kind of jewelleries do you like?
Well, Unfortunately, I have to say that I’m not keen on any jewelleries.Because I’m a man and I didn’t really care about my outside
2 Have you given other people jewelleries?
Well, I absolutely say YES But just one time, that is unique I used to give mygirlfriend a ring when her birthday
3 Why do people like it?
Well, Honestly, you know I have to say that most people like it because that makesthem more beautiful, more luxurious when they hang out
4 What is your attitude toward jewellery?
Well, Unfortunately, I have to say that I’m not keen on any jewelleries.Because I’m a man and I didn’t really care about my outside But I think it is
suitable for women because I think it makes them more beautiful.
5 Why so many people choose to buy expensive jewellery to maintain value?
Well, Honestly, you know I have to say that there are several reasons makepeople buy expensive jewellery I guess they want to invest money to makelucrative income or basically for decorating
6 How often do you wear jewellery?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that, I never wear jewellery last time Exception
in a watch Because it reminds me of time problem
FRUIT
1 Do you usually eat fruit and vegetables every day?
• Definitely yes You know, I’m a big fan of fresh fruit I eat them a lot of times,exactly every single day Because, you know, I think that is a great way to get lean
2 What kind of fruit do you enjoy the most?
Well, Honestly, you know, I have to say that I do love several fruits but onething makes me never forget is the banana Because I keen on that taste and that
is good for my health
3 Did you enjoy the same type of fruit when you were a child?
Well, I absolutely say Yes Because when I was young I really love banana.And now I still do love it It is delicious and good for my health
4 Do you prefer to eat fruit or vegetables?
Well, Generally speaking, I have to say that depends on the exact case But
I think I love fruit more than vegetables
5.Are there any fruits or vegetables you don’t like? Why?
Well, definitely yes, you know, most people in the world didn’t like greenonion, and I’m not the exception I really hate green onion Because of this taste,this is very disgusting with me
6.Do most people eat vegetables in your country?
Well, I absolutely say YES Most people in my country eat vegetables somuch Especially adults Because they believe that it good for their health
7.Are there many vegetarians in your country?
Trang 4Well, I absolutely say YES There are a lot of people in my country eatvegetables so much Especially people believe in Buddha Because they believethat it good for their health and their life.
LETTER
1.At work or in your studies, do you often write things?
Well, Unfortunately, I have to say No You know I didn't have a habit to writesome things in my job I'm just taking note on my hand phone Because I think it’smore convenient
2.How often do you send e-mails?
Well, Honestly I have to say that, I just send e-mails about 1 or 2 times aweek Because I believe that it’s makes me more time than take a phone
3.Do you prefer to write by hand or on a computer?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that, I prefer writing on a computer to writing byhands Because writing on a computer faster than writing by hands
4.Do you prefer to send letters or emails?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that I prefer sending emails to sending letters.Because I believe that sending emails faster than sending letters
5.Do you think computers might one day replace handwriting?
Well, I absolutely say Yes Because, nowadays, the computer has becomevery popular in the world Most schools teach their students about how to use thecomputer when they were young
HISTORY
1 Do you like to learn about history?
Well, unfortunately, I have to say No Because, you know, I a big fan of maths
So with me, history is very boring
2 Do you think history is important?
Well, I absolutely say Yes History is very important Because, you know Wecan know many things in the past when we learn history
3 Do you think you can really learn history from films or TV programs?
Well, I absolutely say Yes Because, you know We will feel comfortable when
we do some things we like Films or TV programs are the methods make historybecame not boring
4 Do you think the internet is a good place to learn about history?
Well, unfortunately, I have to say No Because Not every source is right We canlearn some wrong information I think it’s not good for my knowledge I believe that
we should learn history from our schools It’s the best way to learn history exactly
5.Do young people feel that history is very important?
Well, unfortunately, I have to say No You know, with young people, they keen onabout money while others fond of about power They don't care about history
Because it does not help them make a lucrative income
6.What is the value of learning about history?
Trang 5Well, Honestly, I have to say that There are a lot of valuable knowledge we canlearn from history We can know how to people has created, how to weapons hasinvented, the result of many wars in the world.
TRANSPORTATION
1 How did you get here today?
Well, actually, you know I get here by motorbike, and it makes me about 30minutes from Thu Duc district
2 Do you often use public transport?
Well, unfortunately, I have to say No Because, you know, in Vietnam, Itusually has traffic jams So public transport usually makes me a lot of time On theother hand, I also have car-sick when I use public transport
3 How could the transportation system be improved in your country?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that, Nowadays, In Vietnam, the government hasgiven a lot of policy to improve the transportation They repair the roads, building alot of new bridges
4.What form of transport do you prefer to use? Why?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that I hope I will travel by plane to some countries inthe world Because, you know, I never have a chance to go somewhere by plane.It's my dream from young to now
5.How much time do you spend travelling on a normal day?
Well, Honestly, I have to say that, I just spent about 1 or 2 hours to go someplaces special in HCM city such as around District 1, Village University in Thu Ducdistrict
6.What do you do while you are travelling?
Well, Actually, I have to say that There are a lot of activities I can do when I'mgoing to travel Firstly, I keen on to snap some photos and post them on myFacebook account Secondly, I fond of to eat many local foods, and finally, I think Iwill visit some landscape
7.Do you ever have problems with transport?
Well, I absolutely say Yes When I was a freshman This time, I stay in the finals
I have a test on the 8:00 a.m This day, I get up very early on 6:30 am But I stilllate my test Because, you know, I have a big problem with traffic jams As theresult, I fall this subject It’s the bad memories
FRIENDS
1 Are your friends mostly your age or different ages?
Most of my friends are about the same age as me because we met at school
or university I've got one or two friends who are older or younger that I metthrough work
2 Do you usually see your friends during the week or at weekends?
I tend to meet up with my friends at weekends because everyone's too busyduring the week
3 The last time you saw your friends, what did you do together?
It was one of my friends' birthday last weekend Six of us went out for a meal
to celebrate
Trang 64 In what ways are your friends important to you?
I think it's important to have friends that you can talk to and share experienceswith My friends make me laugh, but I know I can also rely on them whenever Ineed help or support
5 Do you like to make friends?
Answer 1: I like to do that on a regular basis I’m a social person, so if I can’thave more friends, I’ll be bored
Answer 2: Kind of I don’t need too many friends, but it’s good to have somenew ones It’s necessary for me
6 What are the differences between best friends and other friends?
A best friend is someone you may not talk to very often, but you never feeldistant General friends are easy to lose so you need to talk to them often
Magazine
1.Which do you prefer, reading newspapers or magazines?
I would say I prefer newspapers Newspapers in just ten or eight pages giveyou a glimpse of the entire world, including all the sections From fashion to thegeneral news to comics to sports to almost everything In just one newspaper, youhave access to the entire world
2.What type of stories do you like to read about?
I love reading autobiographies and non-fiction Autobiographies because theygive a glimpse of lifestyle of a very successful person You get to know them whenthey were the mango people and what they did to become what they became.Their struggle, the inner story, their point of view and for some reasons I find itquite exciting Other than this, I like reading non-fiction
3.Have you ever read a newspaper or magazine in a foreign language?[When/Why?]
Yes, all the time I lived in another country for several years, so reading in aforeign language was a normal activity for me, not just newspapers andmagazines, but all kinds of documents and literature I still do it to maintain myreading skills
4.Do you think reading a newspaper and magazine can help you learn alanguage?
Yes, but it depends on your language level If you are just beginning to learn alanguage then it can be very difficult and frustrating – certainly not the best way totry and learn a foreign language – but as you progress and develop yourvocabulary it is a good way to learn expressions and phrases related to commontopics in the news and current affairs, or related to a specific topic in the case ofmagazines
5.Why do you think some people prefer magazines to newspapers?
I think the reason might be that magazines are more specific So, for example
if I am interested in reading about like sports, then a magazine will offer me betterarticles and more specific, to be concise It also de clutters all the things that onedoes not wants to read
6.Which magazines and newspapers do you read (why)?
Answer A) I prefer reading magazines on travel Being a travel host, it is veryimportant for me to know about more places and understand them theoretically,before taking on my camera and team along side Travel magazine also help me tounderstand the perspective of the other person for a same place that I have also
Trang 7visited Apart from it, I like fashion magazines as well Not for the reasons offashion, I find them good entertainer when one wants to just spend time idly.
Answer B) I only read magazines and newspapers if I’m waiting someplaceand they are there, and there is no other alternative Most of the time, I preferdoing something on my phone But, either ways, I like to read sports magazine.Cars and their engines excite me for the most part I mean, there are fantastic carsout there and in magazines, a perfect description is given Newspapers, I rarelyread I prefer getting the news on either phone or television
Holiday
1.What kind of holiday do you like?
I try to avoid tourist traps I like to get away from it all and prefer goingsomewhere off the beaten track last year I had the holiday of a lifetime a twoweek wildlife safari in Kenya
2 What do you like to do when you’re on holiday?
I enjoy visiting the local places of interest I like to go sightseeing and alwayssign up for guided tours as it’s a chance to be shown around and take photographs one of my hobbies
3 Do you have many tourists in your country?
Yes we have a lot of holiday resorts along the coast that are popular withtourists most people come on package holidays and stay in one of the manyhotels and self- catering apartments
4 Do you like holidays? Why / why not?
Yes, I love holidays because I get the chance to take a break from work, torelax and unwind, and to spend time with my family
5 Do you prefer to travel or stay at home during holiday periods? Why?
If I can I prefer to travel It's nice to get away from everything and to have achange of scenery Also, I like visiting new places and doing some sightseeing
6 What do most people do during their holidays in your country? Why?
During the summer especially, I think most British people go somewhere hotand sunny, to escape from the British weather!
7 When do you prefer to take your holidays? Why?
I like taking my holidays just outside the main summer season, which is Julyand August If you go on holiday in May, June or September, everything is cheaperand places aren't so crowded with tourists
Shoe
1.Do you like shopping for shoes?
It's ok I suppose, but it's not something I especially enjoy doing You know, for
me it's just a matter of finding the right shoes and buying them, and the faster I canget it done, the better!
2 How often do you buy shoes?
Let me have a little think…um, I guess probably something like once everyfew months, cos I mean, the shoes I buy tend to last quite a long time, sometimeseven a year or so, before I need to get another pair So yeah, on average I'd say Ibuy a couple of pairs a year Something like that!
3 What kinds of shoes do you usually buy?
Well, thinking about it, the shoes I normally buy are just plain, simple walkingshoes, cos that's all I really need Oh and I also occasionally buy trainers forrunning, but that's pretty much it!
Trang 8Pretty much = more or less.
4 Do you prefer comfortable shoes or good-looking shoes?
Ah, that's an easy one! I much prefer comfortable shoes, cos for me, comfort
is definitely the number one priority But that's not to say I don't care at all abouthow they look I mean, I don't wanna go around wearing shoes that look hideous!You know, that would be pretty embarrassing But as long as they're ok looking,then that's good enough for me
5 What kind of shoes do you usually wear?
A) I mostly wear flat shoes rather than high heeled shoes because I find themmore comfortable I also go for shoes that aren’t lace-ups so that I can slip them onand off whenever I need to
6 Do you think the type of shoes someone wears reflects their character? A) Yes, I do People say that first impressions are important and I think thatgoes for shoes too If you see a person wearing a worn out pair of shoes, it givesyou the impression that they that are sloppy On the other hand, if you seesomeone wearing brand name shoes that cost a fortune, you know that the personhas plenty of money to splash around and doesn’t care about costs So, shoes cantell you a lot about someone’s character
The most impressive one is- 印象最深刻的
Another possible answer:Of course, Yes I studied with many teachers during
my academic career, but the person who inspired me the most was my Mathsteacher in high school
2.What you have learnt from this teacher?
Besides knowledge, he also teaches us how to adapt to the society I havelearnt comprehensive skills from him, such as how to get along with other people,how to overcome difficulties and so on, which are essential to be an useful citizen
in the society
3.Do you still keep in touch with your teacher?
yes, I often send them text messages on teachers' day Sometimes i go back
to school to visit them When we have a class reunion, we also invite them as well. 4.Why do people become teachers?
I personally love this profession I think that people become teachers becausethey want to help other people Teachers play a very important role in thecharacter development of a student In my opinion they are serving the society in avery good way
5.Do you think you could be a teacher?
I don’t think I am suitable to be a teacher, I am not a patient man and cannotbear to repeat the same things frequently Teachers’ job is really boring to me, youhave to make your explanations as easy as possible for students to fullyunderstand It is a challenging job, I am afraid I cannot do it
6 In the future, do you think machines will replace humans for doinghousework?
Trang 9Not completely, no, because, as I mentioned just now, machines often needhumans to operate them, so I think, in all likelihood, it will continue to be acombination of both machines and humans.
Forgetting thing
1.What do you remember to do every day?
Well, there are many things I have to remember to do every day For example,after getting up in the morning, I need to take some simple physical exercises likedoing some crunches and push-ups Besides, another important thing that I shouldkeep in mind is to teach my son to read the traditional Chinese poems in theevening
2 What helps people to remember things?
Well, it’s kind of hard to say but people I know around me use the to-do-listapps in their mobile phones to help them remember what to do next; but maybe forothers, they may probably write the urgent things down in the notebooks
3 Why do old people forget about things easily?
Well, I guess it’s quite normal that people are more and more forgetful whenthey are becoming ageing Apart from some negative emotional factors like stressand depression, elderly people are easier to forget things because of their normalageing
4 Have you ever forgotten something important?
Oh yes, I nearly forgot the birthday of a woman I liked last time I once askedher what her birthday was, and told her I would send her a gift, but I justunbelievably forgot it until the evening that day Fortunately I asked her out todinner to celebrate with her
5.Why do people often forget small things?
Well, I suppose it could be because they have a lot of things to think about orremember and sometimes it’s easy to remember big important things - but littlethings are more easily forgotten
6 What kind of things do you have to bring when you go out?
Cell phone, of course I take it with me wherever I go And my keys, wallet,lipstick are also must-have items I always put them together in a small handbag. 7.Did you ever forget to bring something?
I rarely forget to bring something as I have a good memory But there was atime when I forgot to take my house key before I left home What was worse, myparents were on their trip So I had to stay with my friend for onenight
8.How do you remind yourself?
I always write a note about what I should bring, and stick it to the refrigeratordoor Everyday before I leave my home, I check it to find out what is missing And
it really works
9.Do you carry different things in the morning and in the evening?
For me, there is no difference between the things carried in the morning and inthe evening, almost the same
SCHOOL
1.How old were you when you started school?
Trang 10My school is in the vicinity of my house.I went there when I was 6 years old,because it is not allowed to start school before than 6.
2.How did you get to school each day?
My school was just located near my home, so every day I walked to schoolwith myself, or sometimes with my neighbours
3.Tell me something about the school
My school is called the Haiyang Elementary School, which was established 50years ago in my hometown The school was quite spacious as it was large butthere were no many students Besides, the teachers there were always kind-hearted and responsible for their teaching
4.What subjects did you study in secondary school (=high school)?
There were many subjects we had to learn at secondary school, such asmaths, English, physics, chemistry, history, geography, and so on So you can see
we had a heavy burden at that time
5.Have you ever returned to see your old school again?
Yes, every time I go back to my hometown, I’d like to visit my old school andI’ll be very delighted to see how my school developed I was really proud of it. 6.Can you describe yourself as a good student?
Well, overall I think I am a good student I am not an eager beaver, nor theteacher's pet but I'm good at scientific subjects and, most importantly, I likestudying
7.Do you study English now?
Yes, of course I've taken an intensive course this year, where I've attendclasses three times a week And I plan on pursuing my studies in the future, too 8.Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?
I've never really liked school I'm not a bookworm and a lot of humanitiessubjects seemed too boring to me However, the workload was not too big Theother good thing about school is being able to see your friends And fortunately, Ihad wonderful classmates
9.What kind of school did you go as a child?
I have always gone to co-ed schools, right from primary to intermediate and ithas helped me to be more comfortable while interacting with opposite sex
ROBOTS
1.Are you interested in robots? Why?
Yes, i have to say that i am fanatical about robots I used to watch a verytouching movie named Cyborg girl, which tells about the love story of a robot andher owner we often think that robots can not think and love, but the movie hasshown the opposite, by which i was deeply impressed
2.Why are robots part of many TV shows and movies?
That's a very interesting question ! Scientists and science researchersimprove techniques by testing advanced technologies with robots to betterunderstand our world as well as the universe in the film-making field The audiencefeel like they have superpowers while the television or film is speaking to them
3 Would you like a robot to help out around the home?
I hope so ! I'm in charge of making sure that everyone and everything is in theright place at home Almost every day I am in need of urgent help A robot , my
Trang 11most anticipated assistance , may reduce the frequency of my daily stress It canbecome a part of my family
4 Would you ride in a car driven by a robot?
I would love to have a car with a robot in it, but only if there is an option ofmanually driving the car as well Having a robot every time in the car, will just takeaway the fun of driving the car The fun that you get, the rush of reaching to aplace, the fact that you can control something is amazing Although, having a robotwill help in having those long trips but a permanent driver is something I’ll avoid. 5.will robots replace human beings in the workplace completely?
Well, i don't think so Even though robots are massively replaceing humanlabour and this helps us avoid potential dangers as well as saving labour, the role
of human beings is rereplaceable We still need to control robots as well as findsolutions for arising problems or process data as robots are still unable to do thesetasks
6.What kinds of robots would like to have?
Just as I mentioned, I really want to have a robot like Baymax Since I am sobusy with my study every day, I don’t have any time to do any housework So itwould be great to have a robot that could do laundry, cooking and cleaning for me,which could save me lots of time
7.Will robots change our society significantly?
Technology has already made great changes to our lives, and have made alot of jobs much easier Therefore, I am sure there will continue to be changes.However, it is hard to say how significant they will be
INDOOR GAMES
1 Do you play any indoor games?
Absolutely yes! Playing indoor games is a must-do activity for me and myfriends The best part of it is that you don't have to prepare much or spend money,
by simply following the instruction you can get tons of fun together with friends
2 Do you prefer to play indoor games or outdoor games?
Well, I'll definitely choose indoor games Lazy bones as I am, playing outdoorgames is a basically a waste of energy Even thinking about the burning sun andclothes soaked with sweat makes me sick On the contrary, indoor games canenergize me without spending too much energy So indoor games is no doubt mytype
3 What indoor games did you play when you were a child?
Well, there are lots of indoor games to play for me when I was a child Cardgame, puzzles and indoor hopscotch 室内跳房子 were all very much interesting.More than that, I think it's also my parents' company that comforted me No matterhow busy they were, they always took some time from their tight schedule andplayed with me
4 Is there any particular indoor games that you liked when you were a child? Looking back to my childhood, playing hide and seek was the utmostimportant activity to me I always enjoyed the excitement when I was hiding Myheart flooded with adrenaline as the seeker approached As they left, the heart feltrelief again excited me Moreover, playing hide and seek can also build a closerelationship with my friends This indoor game now become my most cherishedchildhood memory
5 What sort of indoor games do children play now?
Trang 12I think children nowadays are more than willing to play video games Take mynephew for example, whenever I propose to play hide and seek, he showsobviously no interest in it Nevertheless, the moment I start my PS4, he will rush to
my side and stare at me keenly I guess virtual games now has taken over realitygames
6 Do you think the young people should spend a lot of time on playinggames?
Well, I think so I think the children can make many friends when playinggames together and I think it is a good opportunity for them to broaden the socialcircle Moreover, the children may play games with other friends, so I think thechildren can be more active and cooperative during this process
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
1 Which musical instrument do you like listening to most? (Why?)
My favourite musical instrument to listen to is the guitar I like the fact thatthere are different types of guitar, like classical, acoustic and electric I love thevariety of sounds a guitar can make
2 Have you ever learned to play a musical instrument?
I took some guitar lessons when I was younger and still have a guitar at home
I don't play it much nowadays I wish I had more time to practise
3 Do you think children should learn to play an instrument at school?
Yes, I think it's a great skill and it's really enjoyable to be able to play amusical instrument All children should be given this opportunity
4 How easy would it be to learn to play an instrument without a teacher?
It would probably be more difficult without a teacher You need someone toshow you what to do and correct your mistakes You need a lot of discipline toteach yourself
5.If you could learn to play any musical instrument, what would you choose?
I think I'd probably go for the violin It's such a beautiful instrument and I thinkthe music that can be played on it can be really haunting and moving Yes,I'ddefinitely choose that one
WEATHER
1.How is the weather today?
It’s really lovely today There were a few showers this morning and it was a bitchilly, but it has brightened up this afternoon and I think it will stay that way for therest of the day
2.What’s your favourite kind of weather?
It depends what I’m doing really If I’m doing something outside, I like theweather to be sunny but not too hot because it gets a bit uncomfortable after awhile If I’m inside, I love listening to the rain beating against the window and thewind howling outside
3.What is the climate like in your country?
I’m from Ireland, so the thing people always complain about is the rain It isright on the edge of Europe so we get lots of rain rolling in off the Atlantic.However, because we are an island it means that we don’t get very harsh wintersand it hardly ever snows I think temperate is the word to describe our climate- nottoo hot, not too cold
4.Does the weather effect people’s lives in your country?
Trang 13Yes, very much so In the winter it is really grey all the time and it gets darkvery early in the afternoon The lack of sunlight leads to some people getting a bitdepressed and I imagine that’s why people drink much more wine and whiskey inthe winter to cope with how dull everything is.
5.Do people change in the summer?
Absolutely, as soon as the sun starts to shine and it gets warmer, people start
to have barbecues, do more outdoor activities and are generally happier.Unfortunately, it doesn’t last very long but people definitely make the most of itwhile the weather is good
6.Is there any type of weather you really don’t like?
I don’t mind when it’s raining or windy and I don’t mind when it’s cold, butwhen it’s cold, windy and raining all that the same time, well that’s horrible,especially if you have to work or do something outside I remember when we were
at school we would have to go outside in horrible weather to do P.E and Idetested every minute of it
7.Does bad weather ever effect transport in your country?
As I said before, it rarely snows, but when it does the transportation systemcollapses People are just not used to driving in the snow and the whole countrypretty much grinds to a halt Buses and trains normally stop running completelyuntil the snow thaws
8 Is it worse to feel too hot or too cold?
Well, I suppose if it’s too cold you can just wear more layers, but nevertheless
I prefer to be too hot At least it means the weather is good, and you can always gofor a swim to cool down What I really can’t stand is being cold and wet That’s theworst combination and it makes me worry that I’m going to catch a cold
9.Does the weather affect your mood?
Yes Cold, gloomy days put me in a bad mood I love summertime, when it'swarm and sunny
10.What is your favourite season?
Well, I think it's spring The weather is very pleasant and it's nice to seeeverything come back to life and blossom
11.Do you always pay attention to the weather forecast?
Yes, as Beijing is facing more and more oppressive haze, I always keep awatchful eye on the weather forecast I installed an app in my mobile phone, andsee the indicator of PM 2.5 It has been a routine for me
COLOUR
1.What was your favorite color when you were a child?
As a child, I remember not being very much fussy about the color, I loved all ofthem and there was nothing like favoritism for any color There were times when Iloved violet, the other times red, sometimes yellow and on and on
2 Is that still your favourite colour now?
Not really I love black colour now I think black is very mysterious andsophisticated at the same time
3.Do you think colors are important?
Well, I think yes Colors tend to suggest the mood of a person and bring more
of spark in a particular day Like, on a wedding , people tend to wear bright clothesand it uplifts the entire mood I think every color has its own significance, and theybring that significance alive
Trang 144.Is color very important for you when buying clothes?
For me, the only thing that matters while buying clothes is that it should lookgood on me So, I really don’t bother much about the color as long as the dress islooking nice on me
5.If you were to paint the walls of your room, what color would you choose?
I would prefer white or beige color for the walls, with some drawing or stylingdone on the room White or beige make the room look more spacious and I likeroom to be spacious and the styling brings more of personal touch to the room. 6.Do you think different types of people like different colors?
Sure, some people like pale colors and other like darker colors Take me and
my sister for example – I love black and she almost hates it, she much preferslighter, pastel colors, especially for her clothes
Some people prefer dark colors because they’re somber and serious andothers prefer certain colors like yellow and white because they invoke a sense ofserenity and peace So, yes, different types of people like different colors
HATS
1.Do you wear hats/caps? Do you like them?
I wear caps…I just had one big brown cowboy hat when I was in college but Ididn’t wear it much….never found a liking for it
2.Why do you wear them?
I wear them every day as I ride to work on my bike and I don’t want my hair to
be wrecked…and since I need a cap every day, I have bought quite a few differentkind of caps so that I don’t repeat just the one or two
3.Why do people generally wear a hat?
To shade their heads from the sun…or maybe to hide their baldness…I think
in my country these are the main reasons…and another reason can be for peoplewho are fashionable and want to try hats with their look…some people also wearhats as it is a part of the uniform they’re wearing…for example, policemen
4.Does it represent any fashion?
Yes they do…nowadays young boys and girls were these very quirky beretcaps…I think they are in trend right now…
5.On what occasion people generally prefer wearing a hat?
Muslims generally wear a small round cap when they go to the mosques topray, and in Hindu households, men wear a white cap called ‘Gandhi cap’ at thetime they are a part of any religious or traditional ceremony
6.Is wearing hats popular in your country?
It’s not much sought after in my country where motorbike is the most commonmeans of transportation, and it is a must to wear a helmet whenever you ride amotorbike for safety I think you can imagine how much uncomfortable it is to wear
a hat under the helmet Thus in most of the case, hats are for pedestrians andfashionista
GIFTS
1 Do you like to receive gifts?
2 What kind of gifts do you like to receive?
3 Do you like giving gifts to people?
4.When do people give gifts or presents in your country?
5.Do you ever take a gift when you visit someone in their home?
Trang 156.When did you last receive a gift? [What was it?]
7.Do you enjoy looking for gifts for people?
1.Yeah, I really enjoy receiving gifts from friends because I’m always movedwhen someone gives me a gift on some special occasion like my birthday Isometimes receive some books, fruit, tea from my close friends
2.Actually, I really enjoy receiving books as gifts because I’m a bookworm,reading is my favourite habit When I was a little boy, I had received a wide variety
of gifts that I really liked, such as books, stationery, balls and so on
3.Yes, I do I’m pretty into giving gifts to friends because gifts can enhance thefriendship between friends, although they will cost much, I still like sending giftsbecause I believe giving is much more pleasure than taking
4.I think like in most countries we give gifts on special occasions; the mainones would be birthdays, weddings, graduation from college or university, maybewhen people buy their first apartment or home; really anything that people think is
an event to celebrate
5.Yes, sometimes, but it's a little different, maybe I would take something likesome flowers for my grandmother or if it's a friend's house then maybe a bottle ofwine or something like that I think it's nice to show your appreciation for theinvitation or in the case of my grandmother, I know that she loves flowers so theyalways make her happy - which is great The type of gift would depend a lot onwhy I was visiting; maybe a dinner invitation or just to call round and see a friend Isuppose it's considered normal when it's a social invitation but I certainly don'talways show up with a gift on every occasion
6.Ok, this is funny; just a couple of days ago I received a bag of potatoes fromthe owner of the store at the corner of my street Not exactly your usual 'gift' and Istill don't know why he did it, but he just gave them to me and said not to worryabout paying for them It was a complete surprise, but a really nice gesture by him. 7.Sometimes I enjoy looking for gifts, but not always Again, it depends onwhat type of gift I'm looking for and who it's for Things like birthday presents can
be hard to choose sometimes, because they're so personal, unless you know theperson really well Wedding gifts on the other hand are much easier - they evengive you a list sometimes! The gifts I like buying best are when I see somethingand I just think of a particular person, so I'm not really looking for a gift but I findsomething that I think one of my friends or family would love, and I buy it for them.There doesn't always need to be a special occasion to give a gift
GOING OUT
1 Do you prefer going out or staying at home? Why?
A I am the person who is interested in spending my spare time with myfamily What matters is not about whether going out or staying at home, but beingwith my family,so both is ok to me.We can stay at home watching a whole day ofold movies and ordering take-aways or we can make a wild field trip to the rarelybeaten part of the city
2 What will do if you go out?
A In weekends, I am used to hanging out with my family members and spend
on outdoor, sometimes we go to cinema or parks In weekdays, I have to go towork and study This is the usual thing I would be doing if I go out Apart from that,sometimes I would like to hang out with my friends and visit naturally beautifulplaces in my hometown
Trang 163.When you go out for an evening, what do you like to do?
I call my close friends to check out what they are doing and whether they arebusy or not If they are free, I either choose to visit a park and spend time therewith my friends or arrange an outdoor game like cricket or badminton.Sometimes I
go out for shopping in the evening if this is necessary or enjoy a movie in a movietheatre
4.Do you prefer going out on your own or with friends?
You bet!being alone is boring while being someone's company is joyful.So mymotto is the more the better.it really feels wonderful even when we just slob aroundthe streets and do some idle joking and poking at each other
TOYS
1 Do you play with toys when you were a child?
Yes, of course I enjoyed playing with toys when I was small I think allchildren do
2 What kinds of toys did you like?
I was attracted by dolls, cars and stuffed animal toys My bed was full ofstuffed chicken, bear, panda toys and I always thought that they would protect mewhen I was sleeping
3 In your country, do boys and girls play with the same types of toys?
Not really I think boys prefer playing with boy toys like cars, robots and girlswould choose Barbie dolls, stuffed animals However, some boys and girls like toplay the same things and enjoy playing together
4 Do you think that toys help children to learn?
Well, it depends on types of toys they play with Violence toys such as plasticswords or sticks would make them familiar with violent actions If we provide themsuitable toys, toys will be a good way to encourage children to use theirimagination and creativity
5 How? (related to question number 4)
Well, it is a fact that sometimes with even simple toys, children can use theirimagination to create situations or invent games and rules For example, they usecolorful wooden bars to form a lot of things, even a castle
LEISURE TIME
1.What do you do in your spare time?
I love reading and writing when I have some free time available Apart fromthese, I also like playing badminton So, whenever I do get time, I usually read,write or play badminton
2.What do you do to relax yourself?
For relaxation, I prefer taking a short nap It could be either for 20 minutes ormay be an hour But, nothing helps me relax better than some sleep
3.What do you usually spend your weekends?
During the weekdays, most part of the evenings usually gets lost doing theoffice work But, during weekends, I work on my blog for the entire day and soduring evenings I usually spend some time with my friends, going on long walkstogether or have dinner at their place
4.What do you usually do after work or classes?
Trang 17There is nothing much that can be done after work because it really becomesquite tiring So, most of the times I am either working on my blog or writingsomething or some drafts, here and there.
5.Do you prefer staying at home or going out during evenings?
I love taking long walks So, if I am not busy at something during evenings, Iusually take long walks with my friends or for that matter even alone at times
6.Do you think modern lifestyles give enough time to people for leisure?
I think it depends on the kind of modern lifestyle an individual is leading So, aperson doing a corporate job might have less time to spare for leisure activity butprobably a person who does freelancing will find more time to leisure Not because
a work is less time consuming but because the way things get done in each Evenmore, I think it all depends on how the person sets priorities for themselves
7.Do you think people today have more time to relax as compared to that inpast?
I certainly believe that people are more busy when compared with their pastcounterparts Earlier people lived a content life but with changing times people areless satisfied with what they have and are always on the look out of doing more.This has made lives much more hectic than ever
8.What do you think is the importance of leisure time in life?
Leisure is the one thing that makes the life worth living I surely believe thatapart from the daily mundane activities a person should always try to do things thatmakes him or her happy It could be either something that he or she likes doing orcould even be some person one likes spending time with It is only through thisthat a person is able to enjoy life
9.Do you think old and young people spend their leisure time in the sameway?
I believe it is not about young and old, it is more about individuals I have seenold people party harder than some of the young chaps out there and then someyoung people reading better than the wiser older people In my opinion, it is allabout the individual choices that people make
10.Do you like to travel in holidays?
Well, I love travelling not only because everyone else does but because for
me travelling teaches so much more to me than anything else can ever do Also,travelling allows me to explore myself and the world in ways that opens up myhorizons, giving me a broader aspect of life
11.If you had a child, what leisure places would you go with your child?
I think I would like to take my child to library and a field ( could be of anygame) as part of leisure activity Also, I would love to travel with my child because
in my opinion, a child learns so much more from travelling, history and art than he
or she can ever learn from any of the text books or any motivational videos
12.What do you like to do in your free time?
I do quite a lot of sport actually I play football mostly - on Wednesday nightsand Sunday afternoon with a local team I also play tennis and squash when I canbut I don't really get the time to do them as well every week I work quite hard atthe moment, so I don't get a lot of free time unfortunately
13.Have your leisure activities changed since you were a child?
Not a great deal actually I used to love playing football when I was young aswell - I played a lot at school Though of course I did all the other things kids loved
to do such as going out on bike rides after school and things
Trang 1814.Do you prefer to spend your free time alone or with other people?
It depends on my mood really I think most people need some time on theirown Sometimes my work is quite stressful and I spend a lot of time there withothers, so it's good to just get home and relax and read a book or something But Iget bored if I am alone too much so I like to go out and meet friends in the evening
or play football
WEEKENDS
1.How do you usually spend your weekends?
Well, it depends on if I have any special plans or not For example, lastweekend I went to visit a friend for the weekend and while that’s not a usualweekend, nearly every other weekend I try to go out and do something different,either with friends, family or even by myself But a normal weekend when I havenothing particular planned would revolve around my family and just being at homerelaxing
2.Which is your favourite part of the weekend?
Really, I don’t have a favourite part as in Saturday or Sunday or morning ornight time I guess I like having big meals with my family at weekends which wedon’t always manage to do during the week, so that’s nice, but overall I enjoy all ofthe weekend and just being around my family
3.Do you think weekends are long enough?
In general, yes, I mean it’s not something that is probably going to change soI’ve never really considered if two days are long enough or not It’s always beentwo days I feel that it’s time enough to have a break in your routine from during theweek, and it’s also enough time to do things like traveling and visiting other places. 4.How important do you think it is to have free time at the weekends?
Having enough free time is very important for overall wellbeing and balance inlife, but it doesn’t necessarily all have to be at the weekends, it’s just that for mostpeople it’s the case that the weekends are the time when they have most of theirfree time because they’re so busy during the week
5.What is a typical weekends or weekdays for you?
Speaking Answer A) Well, with me, there are no particularweekends/weekdays, it is more of the period when I am working and when I am onholidays The job that I do, is of a travel host, so in busy schedules, which we are
in for most of the time, we are only focused on work and not the day However, incasual days, I tend to go for either a spa or meet my family members or hang with
my friends, especially because they are free on week ends Weekdays, when I amfree, I tend to just stay in home and read some book and cook food and spendsome time alone
6.Do you wear a particular outfit on weekends and weekdays? Why /why not?
I work at a software company, so there is a certain attire that I need tomaintain while at work, i.e on weekdays I prefer wearing Indian formals duringweekdays, because I am more comfortable in them and they look more classy aswell On weekends, I put on t-shirts and jeans for most of the time Because there
is lot of ground work that I need to do and tshirts for some reason are easier whenyou feel like jumping and fighting
7.Do you spend all your weekends the same way?
Well, too an extent you can say yes My job is such that I have very less timefor travelling during weekdays, but travelling and blogging being very important for
Trang 19me, it is in weekends that I do the travel blogging part So, every weekend I travel
to a new place and get to know about the local culture and what is important aboutthe place, the history and the changes it has seen since the time it was built.Sometimes, however, I travel with my friends as well and make some memories
HOMETOWN
1.Where is your hometown?
My hometown is on the south-east coast of Northern Ireland It’s calledDundrum and it’s about 1 hour south of the capital city
2.What do you like about it?
It’s an area of outstanding natural beauty and for me, one of the most beautifulplaces of earth It has everything; fantastic beaches, rolling mountains, denseforests and picturesque countryside
3.What do you not like about it?
It can be a little bit boring because it’s really tiny There are only a few smallshops and a couple of pubs and that’s it! In the summer, it’s OK because you canenjoy the outdoors but it would be nice to have a few more indoor facilities for thewinter
4.How often do you visit your hometown?
Not as much as I should I only get to visit about once a year now to see myfamily because I’m really busy with work and it’s quite far away, but I hope to visitmore in the future
5.What’s the oldest part of your hometown?
There is an old Norman castle that sits on top of the highest hill of the town.It’s a ruin now, but there are some breathtaking views from it and it’s easy to seewhy they chose that site for a castle, because you can see for miles around
6.Do many people visit your town?
Thousands of tourists visit every summer They come from the capital citymostly to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy the peace and quiet.There are more and more international tourists visiting because lots of scenes fromthe TV show ‘Game of Thrones’ were shot just outside the village
7.Is there any way your hometown could be made better?
As I said before, the best thing about the town is its rural beauty and you can’treally improve that If I had to say something, it would be to improve the roads,they are in a terrible state and cause a few car accidents every year
8.How has your hometown changed over the years?
Since I was a child the town has almost doubled in size and population Itused to consist of just one main street, but now there are many new housingdevelopments and apartments next to the water With all these new people moving
in, it has changed the character of the town a little bit, people are not as friendly asbefore
9.Are there good transportation links to your town?
The public transport system consists of just buses that pass through the town
on an hourly basis One bus goes north to the capital city which is reallyconvenient if you need to do any shopping and the other bus goes south whereyou can switch buses and go across the border to the Republic of Ireland, so youcould say we have international transport links which is not bad for a little town likeours
10.Would you recommend the town to people with children?