Describe a famous person in your country You should say: Who this person is How you know this person What this person is famous for And explain why you like this person .... I think peop
Trang 2MỤC LỤC
I Part 1 6
1 Celebrity 6
2 Advertisements 8
3 Gifts 9
4 Transportation 10
5 Colors 13
6 Flowers 14
II Part 2 and Part 3 17
1 Describe a person/something that made you laugh You should say: When this happened Where this happened Who were there And explain why you laughed 17
2 Describe your favorite movie You should say: when and where you saw it; what type of film it was; what the film was about; and explain why it is your favorite film 20
3 Describe a piece of equipment in your home You should say: what it is; how often you use it; who you usually use it with; and explain why this item is important to you 27
4 Describe a gift that you recently gave to others You should say: When it happened Who you gave it to What gift you gave to the person And explain why you gave this gift to others 29
7 Describe an interesting song You should say: What kind of song it is How you found it What it is about And explain why it is interesting to you 31
8 Describe a creative inventor or musician You should say: Who this person is What this person does how you knew this person and explain why you think this person is creative 34
9 Describe a special meal you have had You should say: where you would like to have it; who you would like to have it with; 39
10 Describe a favorite part of your city or home that you often visit/ Describe a place where you relaxed 42 11 Describe a bicycle/motorbike/car trip that is interesting You should say: where you would like to go; how you would like to go there; who you would like to go with; and explain why you would like to go there by car, motorbike or bike 45
12 Describe a person that you admire You should say: Who this person is How you knew this person What you like to do together Why you admire this person 47
13 Describe an interesting photo You should say: Who took it Who was in the photo When the photo was taken Why it was interesting 52
14 Describe a sport that you prefer to do and is a little expensive 55
15 Describe a garden you visited and like 57
Trang 316 Describe an area of subject that you are interested in (such as physics, mathematics) You should say: What it is When you started to become interested in it What you have learned from it And explain
why you have interest in it 60
17 Describe someone who has a great influence on you/ Describe a person who you have met before and you want to know more about 63
18 Describe a tall building you like or dislike 66
19 Describe a wild animal You should say: What it looks like Where you can see it What it likes to eat or do Why you like it 69
20 Describe a time when you were very busy You should say: When it was What you had to do during that time How you managed it And explain how you felt about being busy 71
21 Describe a famous person in your country You should say: Who this person is How you know this person What this person is famous for And explain why you like this person 74
22 Describe an outdoor activity you like to do You should say: What it is Where you like to do it How you do it And explain why you like to do it 77
23 Describe an advertisement you have seen 77
24 Describe a website that you like to visit 80
26 Describe a time you needed to use imagination 86
27 Describe an interesting or unusual thing you do in your spare time 90
28 Describe a time you missed an important appointment for something 93
28 Describe a place in other countries where you would like to work 100
You should say: Where you would like to go What kind of work/ job you would like to have When you would like to go And explain why you want to work in that place 100
29 Describe a sport stadium that’s important in your city 103
30 Describe an important holiday (or festival) that is celebrated in your country 104
31 Describe an event that resulted in a positive change in your life Or Describe a positive change that you made to your life 107
32 Describe a piece of good news that you received 109
Trang 4HƯỚNG DẪN SỬ DỤNG SÁCH
Hi các bạn, các bạn đang đọc quyển ebook “IELTS Speaking FULL 3 parts by Ngoc Bach”
Đây là bộ đề cập nhật các đề và đáp án cho tháng 9/2016 đến tháng 1/2017 Các bạn thi trong khoảng thời gian này đều có thể học luôn Các bạn lưu ý là trong tháng 9, đề thi sẽ thay đổi liên tục và mình chỉ có thể biết chính xác sự thay đổi là gì đến cuối tháng 9 Do vậy, mình khuyên các bạn nên thi tầm tháng 10 trở đi để đề thi chính xác
và ổn định
TẤT CẢ CÁC BỘ ĐỀ các bạn có trên mạng phần lớn đều chưa chính xác ở thời điểm hiện tại, nhất là các bộ đề các bạn down về thời điểm đầu tháng 9 hoặc sách bản cứng (đơn giản là bản cứng thì làm sao cập nhật được nữa trong khi đề thi thì thay đổi liên tục) Mình sẽ liên tục cập nhật, so sánh và đối chiếu với đề thi các bạn học sinh thi trong tháng 9 về để update thêm list đề và đáp án mới sát nhât cho các bạn
Các bạn lưu ý: do hiện tại ưu tiên tổng hợp đề & cập nhật đáp án nhanh trước, nên
một số đáp án mình và giám khảo chưa kịp review nên sẽ update trong các đợt tiếp theo Anw, đáp án dù chưa review cũng là do các bạn ielts 8.0~8.5 (speaking 8.0~8.5) soạn nên dù bạn ở trình độ nào cũng có thể tham khảo nhé
Về cách học:
+ Các bạn có thể dựa vào bộ đề, đáp án tham khảo, giải thích từ vựng chi tiết do mình soạn -> học lấy các ideas hay áp dụng vào chính bài nói của các bạn Mình không khuyến khích học thuộc lòng
+ Nhiều bạn hỏi học thuộc lòng có sợ bị giám khảo phát hiện và trừ điểm không ? Câu trả lời là:
Trang 5Thứ nhất, về nguyên tắc, miễn là bài nói của bạn trôi chảy, phát âm sử dụng từ vựng chính xác, đúng ngữ cảnh -> không ai có quyền trừ điểm bạn
Thứ hai, không ai nhớ hết & thuộc làu tất cả đáp án trong bộ này cả nên chả bao giờ các bạn đi thi nói giống hoàn toàn nhau được đâu Ít nhất là hơn 2 năm sách speaking của mình ra đời chưa ghi nhận trường hợp nào giám khảo phát hiện vì nói giống nhau
cả (toàn là điểm tốt báo về… hehe)
Cuối cùng, các bạn hãy biết rằng, khi các bạn đã đăng ký mua sách, nếu có bất cứ thay đổi nào trong bộ đề cả 3 part, mình sẽ luôn theo dõi và cập nhật đề thi & đáp án sớm nhất cho các bạn Có là update ngay lập tực Các bạn không cần (và không nên) nhắn giục nhé, mình sẽ mất thêm thời gian trả lời từng bạn thôi, lại chậm cập nhật hơn
LƯU Ý CÁC BẠN CẦN CAM KẾT KHÔNG PUBLIC, SHARE SÁCH DƯỚI MỌI HÌNH THỨC
CÁC KIẾN THỨC TRONG SÁCH TỪNG CÂU, TỪNG CHỮ ĐỀU LÀ TÂM HUYẾT, CÔNG SỨC CỦA MÌNH SOẠN ĐÚC RÚT KINH NGHIỆM NHIỀU NĂM DẠY IELTS KHÔNG PHẢI TRONG MỘT SỚM, MỘT CHIỀU MÀ VIẾT ĐƯỢC
HÃY TÔN TRỌNG VÀ ỦNG HỘ SẢN PHẨM CỦA NGƯỜI VIỆT.
Một lần nữa cám ơn các bạn đã đăng ký mua sách của mình !
-Ngọc Bách-
Trang 6I Part 1
1 Celebrity
1.1 Who is your favorite celebrity in Vietnam?
Well, to be honest, I adore quite a number of Vietnamese stars Regarding music, young and celebrated singers like Toc Tien and Dong Nhi are definitely my top choices whereas if it’s acting, veteran actors like Binh Minh or Manh Truong
deliver the best performance
1.2 Do you like any foreign celebrities?
As a matter of fact, yes I’ve been an avid fan of Western contemporary pop singers for quite a time now, especially those who have excellent vocal skills like
Adele, Bruno Mars or John Legend I even created a special playlist on my phone which contains their songs only to listen to whenever I want
1.3 Would you want to be a celebrity in the future?
I’ve never given this much thought but I’d have to say that joining the showbiz
isn’t really the path I’d choose Rising to stardom means losing a substantial part
of privacy as well as having less time with family and friends, so I guess I’d prefer
to stay as a part of the general public
1.4 Do you think we should protect famous people's privacy? Well, definitely It’s human rights to have your private information kept secret
and to have freedom in whatever you want to do without being followed by
paparazzis all the time Just because celebrities are public figures doesn’t mean their private life has to be exposed to everyone for gossips
1.5 How do celebrities influence their fans in Vietnam?
In Vietnam, as in any other countries, admirers consider celebrities a source of
inspiration as well as consolation For example, they would watch videos or read articles about their favourite artists to cheer themselves up when they feel down
Trang 7Additionally, fans can be affected in the way they behave or dress since most of
these fans are impressionable teenagers who want to appear like their idols
Vocabulary
Celebrated [adj]: known and praised by many people
o Eg: He is one of today's most celebrated young writers
Veteran [adj]: someone who has a lot of experience in a particular activity, job, etc
o Eg: He's a 10-year veteran event organiser
To be an avid fan sth [expression]: to be very enthusiastic about sth
o Eg: I like to play the electric guitar as I’m an avid fan of rock
Contemporary [adj]: modern, happening or beginning now or in recent times
o Eg: Vouge is a magazine devoted to contemporary fashions
Vocal skills [n]: singing skills
o Eg: Having great vocal skills is the most important for a singer
To rise to stardom [expression]: to become famous
o Eg: He rose to stardom in such a short time
Human right [n]: The basic rights and freedoms to which all humans
o are considered to be given
o Eg: Everybody should be entitled with human rights
Public figure [np]: a well-known and notable person
o Eg: She is an famous public figure in music
To be exposed to [expression]: Make (something) visible or know by uncovering it
o Eg: Her diary was exposed to everyone as a prank
Consolation [n]: something that makes a person feel less sadness, disappointment, etc
Trang 8o Eg: His kind words were a consolation to me
To feel down [expression]: to feel blue, to feel sad
o Eg: I listen to upbeat songs when I feel down
2 Advertisements
2.1 Are there many advertisements in your country?
I would say yes You can easily see a wide range of advertisements almost everywhere in my hometown For example, almost half of a newspaper is made up of ads
2.2 Why do you think there are so many advertisements now?
I guess it’s due to their benefits First, advertising is an essential part of
promotional campaigns for companies to reach their end users It helps raise
the visibility of a company's brand Second, advertisements can act as decoration on the street I find a street better-looking with advertisements
2.3 What are the various places where we see advertisements?
Today advertising gets to people through different forms of communication,
from print media to electronic ones, so you can see advertisements on websites, social network or in the newspaper and magazine There are also ads
you see outside, for example, large banners and posters hung on the roads, on
the buses or trains
2.4 How do you feel about advertisements?
Most people may find those ways of product promotion annoying, but I’m an exception I’m quite into advertisements They’re colourful, brilliantly designed, illustrated, photographed or typeset pieces and often have useful, creative contents
VOCABULARY
Trang 9 Promotional campaign: [noun] A series of advertisements using various
marketing tools that share the same message and ideas to promote a business or event to a target audience
o Example: Promotional campaign plays a crucial role in marketing strategy of a company
End users: [noun] Person or organization that actually uses a product
o Example: We provide the best quality products to our end users
Print media: [noun] refers to paper publications circulated in the form of
physical editions of newspapers, articles, journals, etc
Electronic media: [noun] refers to television, radio, etc
3 Gifts
3.1 How often do you buy others gifts?
Not very often, I think I used to send gifts to my friends on most occasions when I was younger, but I haven’t been doing that these days
3.2 Do you like to send expensive gifts?
Well I’m still a student, so sending expensive presents is a no for me I prefer giving gifts that show my love and care to that person, for example handmade
ones
3.3 What kinds of gifts are popular in your country?
Birthday gifts, such as books, clothes or accessories Or teddies; when I was in
secondary school and high school, we used to send each other teddies or photo frames as birthday gifts
3.4 Why do people send gifts?
I think people send gifts to show that they care for the other party and that they
treasure the relationship between the two It can be more specific, like to express their affection, gratitude, or even to ask for forgiveness
Trang 10Vocabulary:
To be a no for smb [expression] to be impossible for smb
e.g Meeting this weekend is a no for me; I’ve already got something to do
Handmade [adj] made by a person using their hands rather than by machines e.g He asked me to give him a handmade scarf on his birthday
Accessory [n] something added to a machine or to clothing that has a useful or
decorative purpose
e.g She wore a green wool suit with matching accessories
Treasure [v] to take great care of something because you love it or consider it
valuable
e.g I always treasure those memories of my dad
Affection [n] a feeling of liking for a person or place
e.g She felt no affection for the child
Gratitude [n] the feeling of being grateful and wanting to express your thanks e.g He smiled at them with gratitude
4 Transportation
4.1 What's the most popular means of transportation in your
hometown?
The most prevalent vehicle in my hometown is motorbike As I’ve read in a
current newspaper, most Vietnamese adults have their own motorbikes
Moreover, I can easily catch sight of motorbikes whenever I go outside
4.2 How often do you take buses?
Trang 11I take buses to go to school at least twice per day as I haven’t had my own
vehicle yet Additionally, I usually use buses to visit my relatives or friends’
homes
4.3 Can you compare the advantages of planes and trains?
Obviously, airplanes and trains have their own benefits to passengers
Regarding plane, it has been the fastest means of transport so far It allows
people to travel all around the world with the shortest time
Train, however, I assume it is the safest vehicle to travel due to its rarity of accidents It also makes people feel relax as they can admire the views on
comfortable seats or even beds
4.4 Is driving to work popular in your country?
Yes As far as I’m concerned, private cars and motorbikes are the two most
popular vehicles in my country Therefore, it is obvious that there are a large number of people tend to drive to work
4.5 Do you think people will drive more in the future?
Yes, I think so People will continue to drive in the future due to its
convenience and affordable prices
4.6 Would you ride bikes to work in the future?
Yes As I’m a young person, I like to do energetic activities to improve my
health standard so that I will give priority to ride bike to work
4.7 What Will become the most popular means of transportation
in Vietnam?
Personally, I think the prevalence of motorbikes will continue to dominate in
Vietnam due to their various advantages namely convenience and reasonable prices
4.8 Do you prefer public transportation or private
transportation?
Trang 12Although owning a private vehicle has various advantages, I prefer using
public transportation in order to save my budget as well as protect the
There is an increase in the prevalence of smoking among young people
2 Catch sight of to see something only for
a moment
I caught sight of someone with red hair and knew it was you
3 Assume to think or accept that
something is true but without having proof of it
I assumed (that) you knew each other because you went to the same school
4 Rarity the quality of being rare The value of antiques will depend on
their condition and rarity
5 Admire to look at something and
think that it is attractive and/or impressive
We stood for a few moments, admiring the view
7 Affordable cheap enough that people can
afford to buy it or pay it
This type of car is affordable for people who have low income
8 Give priority Give something that you think
is more important than other things and should be dealt with first
Club members will be given priority
10 Dominate to be the largest, highest or
most obvious thing in a place
The skyline is dominated
by smoking factory chimneys
Trang 1311 Save budget Saving the money that is
available
In order to save budget we decorated the house on a small amount of money
5 Colors
5.1 What colors do you like?
I am a buoyant person so I like warm colors such as red, orange and yellow
Although I have a lot of vivid-colored clothes, my favourite color is white The
reason behind this is that I have a great sense of cleanliness
5.2 Do you like to wear dark or bright colors?
I prefer wearing bright colors as a way to cheer not only myself but also people
around me up and remind us to look on the bright side whenever our mood is
down
5.3 What's the different between men and women's preference on
colors?
In my opinion, gentlemen would like to wear dark colors whereas ladies often
prefer vivid colors However, there is also an opposite trend due to divergent
personalities
5.4 Do colors affect your mood?
Yes they do have some effects on my mood Apart from the influence of warm
colors I mentioned before, cool colors including blue, green and purple give me
peaceful feeling while brown and black make me feel gloomy
VOCABULARY:
buoyant (sôi nổi, vui tươi) [adjective] cheerful and optimistic
Trang 14Example: After receiving the message from her crush, Anna was in a buoyant mood for the whole day
look on the bright side (nhìn theo hướng tích cực) [idiom] consider the
positive aspects of a negative situation
Example: There are always challenges on your way to success so just look on the bright side and do your best to get over it
vivid (chói, rực rỡ) [adjective] very brightly coloured
Example: I remember on the first day at school she was wearing a vivid pink shirt
divergent (khác biệt, bất đồng) [adjective] Tending to be different or develop
in different directions
Example: Vietnamese is one of the most difficult languages because there are a lot of slangs which have divergent interpretations
gloomy (u ám, tối tăm) [adjective] depressed or dark
Example: The news said the world’s economic prospect was going to be less gloomy than the previous year
6 Flowers
6.1 Do you like flowers? (Why?)
Yes I’m really interested in flowers especially bright colored ones I love the way various types of flowers harmonize with each other in a garden or flower stores that creates a beautiful picture Every time I admire a gorgeous bunch of flowers, I feel relax, and optimistic
6.2 Which/What is your favorite flower?
I’m really keen on colorful flowers and sunflower is definitely my most favorite flower due to its symbolic meaning This flower represents the flexibility to overcome obstacles, the happiness and good luck
Trang 156.3 Do you think flowers are important?
Personally, I think flowers play an important role in our lives It makes people
feel positive, energetic and tireless Without gorgeous and colorful flowers, the
world seems to be dark and boring that causes people depressed and lack of
inspiration
6.4 Are flowers important in your culture? (Give examples)
Of course, besides representing the beauty, some flowers also show our
Vietnamese people’s key virtues
For instance, Lotus was choose to be our national flower due to its beauty and
good meanings representing Vietnamese people’ character namely purity,
faithfulness
6.5 Do people in your country ever use flowers for special
occasions?
Yes Flowers are widely used in special occasions in my country namely birthday
parties, weddings, graduation days in order to show the respect of senders to receivers
6.7 What are the occasions when people give or receive flowers? There is a wide range of reasons for people to send or receive flowers
One of the most popular occasions is birthday party Colorful flowers and birthday cake will make the receiver happy Another occasion which is unable to be
integrity without flowers is graduation day in which flowers are used as a
congratulation gifts
6.8 In your country, do people (ever) give flowers as a gift?
Yes, they do Generally speaking, Vietnamese people tend to give flowers as a gift
in some certain occasion namely graduation day, birthday party, international women’s day
Trang 16VOCABULARY
Bright colored flowers (noun phrase): (những bông hoa nhiều màu sắc)
flowers which have bright colors namely yellow, red
Ex: Bright colored flowers make our gardens bright and beautiful
Harmonize (verb): (hòa hợp) harmonize (with something) if two or more
things harmonize with each other or one thing harmonizes with the other, the things go well together and produce an attractive result
Ex: The new building does not harmonize with its surroundings
Bunch of flowers (noun phrase): (một bó hoa) a group of cut flowers that you
hold together or that someone has tied together
Ex: he was given a bunch of flowers as a graduation gift
Optimistic (adjective): (lạc quan) expecting good things to happen or
something to be successful; showing this feeling
Ex: They are cautiously optimistic that the reforms will take place
Keen on (phrasal verb): (hứng thú vào việc gì) very interested in something
Ex: He's mad keen on planes as he always keeps searching about how to make his
own airplane
Symbolic (adjective): (biểu trưng) representing something else
Ex: The skull at the bottom of the picture is symbolic of death
Represent (verb): (đại diện cho) to be a symbol of something
Ex: Each color on the chart represents a different department
Overcome (verb): (vượt qua) to succeed in dealing with or controlling a
problem that has been preventing you from achieving something
Ex: The two parties managed to overcome their differences on the issue
Integrity (noun): (tình trạng nguyên vẹn) the state of being whole and not
divided
Ex: all countries in the world should respect the territorial integrity of each other
Trang 17II Part 2 and Part 3
1 Describe a person/something that made you laugh
You should say:
When this happened
Where this happened
Who were there
And explain why you laughed
ANSWER:
One of my best friends has a 3-year-old baby girl; so every time we went out, she
Her little girl is such a witty kid, and she is always full of energy As she begins to
be aware of the outside world, she asks a lot of questions just to satisfy her curiosity
It happened one day when we went out shopping While her mother and I took turns trying clothes on, she was sitting quietly on the bench Then she looked at me and
her mother and started to express her opinions on our clothes The way she talked was so funny that we couldn’t stop laughing She was so used to playing with her Barbie doll that she suggested we should dress like one of her dolls She even taught us how to walk like models because she thought that was pretty All the customers who walked in the store noticed her, even the store owner couldn’t stop laughing at her since she was still a baby girl, but she talked and acted like a
That was probably the best part of the shopping trip that I will never forget
VOCABULARY
witty: [adjective] able to say clever and funny things
Example: Everybody laughed during the lesson, because the teacher was so witty
satisfy her curiosity: [verb phrase] to have an answer to a strong wish to know
Trang 18about something
Example: My answer did not satisfy his curiosity, so he asked me for more details
about what had happened
trying clothes on: [verb phrase] to put on clothes to see if they fit and if they look
good
Example: Try these clothes on before you buy them to make sure that they are the
correct size
models: [noun] people whose job it is to wear and show new styles of clothes
Example: The dream of many young people is to become fashion models and appear
in magazines
grown-up: [adjective] typical of an adult
Example: The child was used to being treated in a grown-up way by his parents
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
1.1 How would you define happiness?
I believe different people have different ways of defining happiness, but for me, happiness means living this life knowing that I am loved by the people around me and no matter what I decide to do with my life, I am sure that those people would
always be by my side, to not only support me but also to guide me through the tough
times It was thanks to such positive ways of thinking that I was able to feel much happier and more confident about myself
1.2 Do Vietnamese people like to watch comedy?
Yes definitely Even though comedies now are not as popular as they used to be in the past, I think Vietnamese people still tend to seek good comedy TV shows to have
a good laugh and decompress after a hard day at the office or school
1.3 Who is the most popular comedian in Vietnam?
Trang 19Honestly I’m not really into Vietnamese comedy shows so I’m not so sure who the most popular comedian is at the moment But my most favorite gagman, I would have to say, is Xuan Bac He’s been in the showbiz for, I think, nearly 20 years now
but he’s still very well-loved by the public and continues to be one of the most sought-after men in comedy right now
1.4 What do you do when you feel unhappy?
It depends, really Some days I would just want to go out and be with somebody I’m
comfortable with like my close friends If I’m in a chatty mode, I may share with
them about all the things that have been troubling my life, but if I don’t feel like talking then I’d rather just forget about it all and try to have some fun with my friends doing things that we love, such as going shopping, going to the cinema or eating some good food Other days, I may want to spend the whole day being by myself and
watch some of my favorite Korean variety shows which have never failed to lift my mood and unwind my thoughts in some of the most difficult times of my life
1.5 Why do children tend to be happier than adults?
I think it is because most children are nạve and so they have the ability to simplify
everything that they see, feel and encounter, which helps them to be more carefree and not over-analyzing things like what most adults do For those kids who often
forget what happened five minutes ago, neither the past nor the future is of significant importance to them, and that’s the reason why most of the time we don’t see kids wasting time worrying about the future or let a past mistake stop them from enjoying their present Though obviously children don’t have responsibilities and haven’t been exposed to the darker side of the world like adults, I personally believe such simplicity in children’s way of thinking is the key to living a life with much freedom and joy
VOCABULARY
Trang 20 To guide sb through: hướng dẫn, dẫn dắt (ai đó) qua điều gì
I will really appreciate if you guide me through this and tell me which Career Path will be more suitable for me according to my situation
Decompress (verb): giảm sức ép
After two weeks' hiking, we'll need a few days to decompress
Well-loved (adj): được yêu thích
In his closet, all his sneakers and boots looked brand new, but his Converse shoes appeared faded and well-loved
Sought-after (adj): được săn lung
At the age of 17 she is already one of Hollywood's most sought-after actresses
To be in a chatty mode: trong trạng thái muốn tán chuyện, buôn chuyện
Variety show (noun): show truyền hình giải trí
Running Man has constantly been one of most famous Korean variety shows in recent years
To lift sb’s mood: làm tâm trạng (ai đó) khá hơn
Food can lift my mood instantly
To unwind sb’s thought: gỡ rối suy tư
It took me so many years to unwind my thoughts and fill myself with positive thoughts
Carefree (adj): vô tư, thảnh thơi
I remember my carefree student days
Over-analyze (verb): phân tích quá mức
More people are prone to over-analyze than they will readily admit
2 Describe your favorite movie
You should say:
Trang 21when and where you saw it;
what type of film it was;
what the film was about;
and explain why it is your favorite film
ANSWER
As a frequent moviegoer, I watch a lot of films One of the movies that I
enjoyed the most recently was The Martian The movie was based on a novel
of the same title by Andy Weir Just like many other sci-fi films, it was about man travelling in space, however, this time; our main character was stuck on Mars due to a dust storm which nearly killed him All of the crewmates
thought that he was dead, so they went back to Earth without him But fortunately he was still alive, thus two and a half hours of the movie told the
story of how he fought for his life in the brutal environment of Mars, until NASA devised a plan to rescue him
My best friend is a big fan of astronomy, so she had read the novel before
That’s why she insisted on me going to see the movie with her After watching
the trailer and reading the plot, I was hooked It was maybe the best two and
a half hours of my week so far
After watching the movie, I was amazed at how ingenious and strong humans
can be when it comes to a life and death situation Mark Watney, the hero of
the movie, was a perfect portrayal of a young, humorous, brilliant and skillful engineer cum botanist Although the hostile environment of Mars threatened his existence many times, he relentlessly refused to quit Instead, he overcame
one problem at a time until he was successfully rescued The message that I
learned from the film is never to give up, however hopeless things seem to be
Trang 22VOCABULARY:
moviegoer: [noun] a person who goes to the cinema
sci-fi: [noun] science fiction; based on imagined scientific discoveries of the
future, such as space travel or life on other planets
Example: Sci-fi movies have become more popular since space travel has
stuck on Mars: the man was unable to escape from the planet
Example: we were stuck in traffic and so we arrived late for work
dust storm: [noun] a storm that carries clouds of dust in the wind over a
wide area
Example: a lot of plants die after a dust storm passes through an area
crewmates: [noun] all the people working on a ship or, in this case, a
spacecraft
fought for his life: [verb phrase] he made a great effort to stay alive Example: The man was badly injured in the accident, but he fought for his life
brutal: [adjective] if an environment is described as brutal this means that it
is very dangerous and it is difficult for a person to survive
devised: [verb] NASA invented something new to rescue the man Example:
a new system has been devised to control traffic in the city
astronomy: [noun] the scientific study of the sun, moon, stars and planets
trailer: [noun] a series of short scenes from a film or programme, shown in
advance to advertise it
Example: after watching an exciting trailer, I decided to go to see the film
plot: [noun] the events which form the story of a book, play or film Example: the book has a plot about a prisoner who escaped
hooked: [adjective] enjoying something so much that you want to see or do
Trang 23it
ingenious: [adjective] very clever at inventing new ideas
Example: many ingenious researchers are working on ways to combat
cancer
portrayal: [noun] the act of describing or showing something or sb in a
book, play or film
Example: the actor gave a fantastic portrayal of a clever detective in the film
botanist: [noun] a person who studies plants
hostile: [adjective] a hostile environment is unsafe for humans, because
there are many dangers
Example: in the hostile environment of the desert, you must take a lot of water
threatened his existence: the many dangers and difficult conditions on Mars
relentlessly: [adverb] in a way that continues strongly, without giving up Example: the soldiers relentlessly pursued their enemies after the battle
hopeless: [adjective] without hope
Example: after searching for the lost plane for many days, the situation
seemed hopeless and it seemed that the rescuers would never find it
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
2.1 Do you think (watching) films have (has) any educational benefits?
Personally, I agree with the idea that films bring a lot meaningful lessons to the
audience For example, romantic films can educate people the value of love, honesty, and faithfulness They can make watchers sympathize to other people and to respect what they have Indeed, they can teach people good virtues in
order to be better citizens through stories
Trang 242.2 In what ways are documentary films and films only for
entertainment different?
Documentary films are different from entertaining films in various aspects,
especially their purposes
Regarding purposes, documentary filmmakers intend to document some aspects
of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a
historical record
In contrast, entertaining films are mainly for entertainment Directors draw attention to the interest of audience, give pleasure and delight
2.3 Why do you think documentary films are not so popular?
Documentary films are not very prevalent because they might not meet the interest of audience
This kind of films is primarily for education instruction aims and lack of
entertaining features as well as dramatic elements which might make
audience feel bored and distracted
2.4 How are movies and real life different ?
Movies are not the same to reality due to various aspects
Firstly, movies contain dramatic elements which can make audience
experience various emotions through happy to sorrow or thrilling just in few seconds that is difficult to happen in real life
Secondly, films will often dramatize and invent scenarios for
the convenience of moving a story along or making the audience feel for a character
However it contrasts sharply with what would happen if these situations were encountered in real life
2.5 Do men and women like to watch the same kinds of films?
Personally, I think men and women have different preferences to films
Trang 25In general, men tend to watch action films with fast and dangerous scenes or science fiction films which relate to unrealistic stories and are far beyond
people’ imagination
Conversely, a large number of women prefer romantic films or comedies which bring worthy messages
2.6 Do different age groups like the same kinds of films?
It is obvious that different generation prefer different kinds of films For
example, adolescents are usually fond of cartoons or comedies which bring
funs
Adults tend to watch various types of films namely action films, romantic films depending on their interests
2.7 Do you like any particular film star? Why?
Yes My favorite film star is Emma Watson who was the actress in Harry
Porter film series which I saw since I was a child I particularly like her due to
her superb performance and good personalities
Regarding performance, she made me really impressed by her acting ability, skills in many films she took part in Moreover, she was also received various important awards for the best actress
She also has a kind-hearted, generous person who is always willing to help disadvantaged people
Every time I saw her on TV, I remembered my childhood and that makes me happy I think I will continue to follow her in the long run
VOCABULARY
Sympathize (verb): (thông cảm, đồng cảm) to feel sorry for somebody; to
show that you understand and feel sorry about somebody’s problems
Trang 26Ex: I know what it's like to have migraines, so I really sympathize
(with you)
Document (verb): (dẫn chứng bằng tài liệu, ghi lại chi tiết sự việc) to record
the details of something
Ex: Causes of the disease have been well documented
Primarily (adverb): (chính, chủ yếu) mainly
Ex: The report is primarily concerned with aircraft safety
Dramatize (verb): (soạn thành kịch) to present a book, an event, etc as a play
or a film/movie
Ex: Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ was dramatized on television recently
Scenario(s) (noun): (viễn cảnh có thể xảy ra) a description of how things
might happen in the future
Ex: The worst-case scenario (= the worst possible thing that could
happen) would be for the factory to be closed down
Adolescent(s) (noun): (trẻ chưa vị thành niên) a young person who
is developing into an adult
Ex: He looked uncomfortable, like a self-conscious adolescent who's gone to
the wrong party
Superb (adjective): (tuyệt vời, xuất sắc) excellent; of very good quality
Ex: Taylor scored a superb goal at the end of the first half
Kind – hearted (adjective): (tốt tính) A kind-hearted person is one
who likes other people a lot and always wants to help them
Ex: She also has a kind-hearted, generous person who is always willing to help
disadvantaged people
Trang 273 Describe a piece of equipment in your home
You should say:
what it is;
how often you use it;
who you usually use it with;
and explain why this item is important to you
Thanks to the simple instructions, I can make yogurt for my whole family any time I want As yogurt is good for our health, eating it daily can make people healthier, it can help to prevent some potentially fatal diseases and boost the human immune system Therefore, the members of my family have all adopted the habit of
eating yogurt every day Owning a yogurt maker helped me to cut down
considerably the amount of time that it took to make yogurt, not to mention the higher quality as opposed to the traditional method
At present, I still make yogurt every day for my family with this machine and I think that this is an indispensable product for preparing an essential part of our
regular diet
Trang 28VOCABULARY:
fits: [verb] is the right shape and size for something
Example: This jacket fits me perfectly, but those shoes don’t fit at all
pour: [verb] to make a liquid flow from a container
Example: Pour some milk into my glass, please
potentially: [adverb] used to say that something may develop into something
Example: Smoking will not kill you immediately, but it is potentially harmful
for your health
fatal: [adjective] causing or ending in death
Example: Police were called to a fatal accident, in which 3 people were killed
immune system: [expression] the system in your body that helps it fight
against infection and disease
Example: A strong immune system is necessary to remain fit and healthy
adopted the habit: [expression] started to use a particular method of doing
something
Example: Last month, my friend adopted the habit of running for one hour
every day in order to keep fit
cut down: [phrasal verb] reduce the amount, size or number of something
Example: I should cut down my working hours and spend more time just
relaxing
indispensable: [adjective] too important to be without it
Example: A good dictionary is indispensable for learning a foreign language
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
3.1 Have (the item you chose to talk about) changed much over the years? 3.2 Do you think that (the item you chose to talk about) are important to society? (How?)
Trang 293.3 Do you think everyone needs to know how to use the item you chose to talk about?
3.4 What kinds of electrical appliances are most used in the home, besides the telephone and computer?
3.5 What are some examples of electronic or electrical equipment that are used for communication?
4 Describe a gift that you recently gave to others
You should say:
When it happened
Who you gave it to
What gift you gave to the person
And explain why you gave this gift to others
ANSWER (Tham khảo từ đề 30 trong sách 2015 “Describe a gift you gave that took a long time to choose.”)
Choosing a gift for someone is usually a very difficult task, because you want
to make sure that the person who receives it will like it For that reason, I
always spend a lot of time picking gifts for my relatives and friends Today, I
am going to share with you the time when I had to choose a gift for my little
It was her 5th birthday and I wanted to give her something memorable and special I decided to go to a “Build-a-bear workshop” to buy her a stuffed bear At this shop, you actually spend time picking materials to build your furry friend, from the cotton inside to the clothes outside You also got to give this teddy bear a heart and a voice recorder, so that when you squeezed it, it would say whatever you recorded before After finishing
Trang 30building the stuffed toy, the store would give him or her a birth certificate
My little sister was so happy when she received the bear Well, kids always love a furry friend anyway However, what was special was that as she grew
up, she understood how much love I had put in the bear when building it for her at the store, so she came to appreciate the gift even more
VOCABULARY
pick: [verb] to choose something from a group of things
Example: The man picked a blue tie from the collection in the shop
memorable: [adjective] something special, good or unusual and therefore
easy to remember
Example: I will never forget the memorable holiday that I had in Japan
workshop: [noun] a place where you can do a practical activity to create
something
Example: As a student, I attended drama workshops, because I had always loved acting
stuffed bear: [noun] a toy in the shape of a bear, filled with cloth and
made of some soft material
Example: When I was a child, I had a stuffed bear, which I used to keep in
my bedroom
furry: [adjective] covered with fur – a soft thick mass of hair that grows on
the body of some animals
Example: People love pandas because they are so furry, with thick black and white fur all over their
body
get to (+ infinitive): [phrasal verb] to be allowed to do something
Trang 31Example: When we visited the football stadium, we got to meet some of the famous players
teddy bear: [noun] this is just another name for a stuffed toy bear
squeeze: [verb] to press something firmly, especially with your fingers
Example: Every time you clean your teeth, you squeeze the tube of
toothpaste
appreciate: [verb] to recognise the good qualities in something or
somebody
Example: At school, I appreciated the help that I received from my teachers
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
4.1 In Vietnam, when (on what occasions) do people give gifts to others? 4.2 What sorts of things do they give?
4.3 Do people today still give the same kinds of gifts that people used to give, many years ago?
4.4 Why do people like to receive gifts?
4.5 What are some of the possible different reasons why give gifts to other people?
4.6 Do you think it's suitable to give money as a gift?
4.7 Do you think it's a good idea for people who are doing business with each other to exchange gifts?
4.8 Why do some people not give gifts to others very often?
7 Describe an interesting song
You should say:
What kind of song it is
Trang 32How you found it
When it came out, it quickly became a hit on every single music chart throughout the world, not just because of its catchy melody, but also for its meaningful lyrics The song talks about how each of us can be a champion or anything we want to be as long as we dedicate our time and efforts to doing what we are passionate about The song is played at big athletic events
to pump up the crowd, but you can easily relate to the song at other times as well, especially when you are about to give up
I think this song has such a powerful message that whenever I was tired or had
decided to quit, it would lift me up right away It made me think about why I
had started in the first place and that I needed to finish the job that I was
VOCABULARY:
became a hit: when a song becomes a hit, it means that it is super popular
and that people are listening to it on the radio and buying it on iTunes or elsewhere
Example: Taylor Swift’s song “Bad Blood” became a hit instantly
catchy melody: the melody is the part that you sing along with and if it is
catchy, it means that it is easy to sing along with and people like it, you easily remember it and it sticks in your mind
Trang 33Example: The song “Uptown Funk” has a catchy melody that people love to sing
meaningful lyrics: lyrics are the words in a song and if they are meaningful,
it means that they actually mean something or have some sort of importance or significance; they aren’t just silly, meaningless words
Example: His sister writes meaningful lyrics for her songs
champion: someone who wins, a winner
Example: He didn‟t see himself as a champion until he had reached his goals
dedicate: to commit your time to doing something; to make a promise to
yourself to do something
Example: You were able to get a high score on the test because you dedicated 2 hours every day to studying and preparing yourself
effort: the work that you put into doing something
Example: The time and effort he spent improving his English paid off when he
passionate: if you are passionate about something it means you have a strong
desire to do something or a strong interest in something
Example: Elite athletes are passionate about their sport and want to become the best
played at: to play a song at an event means to broadcast it over loudspeakers
so everyone can hear it
Example: They always play the song “We Are the Champions” at basketball games
to pump up the crowd: to get the people excited about the game or event
Example: The cheerleaders tried to pump up the crowd during the football game
relate to: to see yourself in something or to understand it in a personal way
Trang 34Example: She can relate to the lyrics of that song about love and loss
give up: to quit; to stop doing something
Example: He decided to give up smoking after 10 years
quit: to stop doing something; to give up
Example: She convinced her son not to quit the soccer team
lift me up or lift someone up: to make someone feel better
Example: His brother is good at lifting others up when they are feeling down
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
7.7 What do old people like to listen to ?
7.8 How would your grandfather feel if you gave him some hip hop music to listen to?
7.9 Why do you think old people like old songs?
7.10 Why do you think people of different age groups have different favourite songs?
7.11 What kinds of music do (small) children in Vietnam like to listen to ?
7.12 What are the differences between popular music and the music that (young) children like to listen to ?
7.13 Why do some people like to play music (= play a musical instrument) in the open?
8 Describe a creative inventor or musician
You should say:
Who this person is
What this person does
Trang 35how you knew this person
and explain why you think this person is creative
ANSWER
I am going to talk about a creative person who I really admire That person is Albert Einstein - one of the most well-known physics scientists in the world He was born in
1879 in a Jewish family in Germany
He was a theorical physicist and is now recognized as the father of modern physics Above all, he was the founder of the “Theory of Relativity”, which became an important contribution to the science of mankind It was to be the biggest achievement of his life In 1921, he was awarded the “Nobel Physics Prize” He was
a prolific writer and published about 300 scientific articles covering150 topics as well during his career
I came across a new biography about him on the internet and there was a lot of interesting information which really inspired me a lot His childhood was not carefree
as I had thought He had a problem learning how to talk until he was about 8 years old Besides, because of his unconventional character, he tended to be bullied and teased a lot, however, he ignored all these taunts and concentrated on doing experiments in the laboratory
What I really admire him is how passionately he worked and what he contributed to physics and our understanding of the world He lived and worked with passion and the enthusiasm all his life, and he is a shining example for me to follow
Trang 36Example: People who study the world through building mathematical models are
called theoretical physicists
founder: [noun] a person who creates an organization, company or idea
Example: Bill Gates is the founder of Microsoft
relativity: [noun] the word for how things only have importance in relation to other things
Example: Einstein’s Theory of Relativity says that the way that anything [except
light] moves through time and space depends on the position and movement of someone who is watching
prolific: [adjective] producing many written works
Example: Picasso was a prolific artist who produced many paintings
came across: [phrasal verb] met or found something/someone by chance
Example: While I was looking for my passport, I came across some old photos from
my schooldays
biography: [noun] the story of a person’s life written by another person
Example: I have just read a new biography about the life of Shakespeare
inspired: [verb] gave me the confidence and enthusiasm to do something well
Example: My father inspired me to follow his example and to study hard at school
carefree: [adjective] having no worries or problems
Example: After she retired from work, she had a carefree life with no reponsibilies
unconventional: not following what is done or considered normal or acceptable by most people
Example: The normal solutions to traffic congestion have not been effective, so a
more unconventional approach is necessary
bullied: [verb] frightened or hurt a weaker person
Example: My son was bullied by the older boys at school
Trang 37 teased: [verb] laughed at somebody and made jokes about them – sometimes
in an unfriendly way
Example: The boy was teased at school because he was fat
taunts: [noun] insulting remarks intended to make someone angry or upset
Example: Racist taunts were often shouted at black football players in the past
shining example: [noun] excellent and inspiring example
Example: President Obama is a shining example for young, black people in
America who want to have a successful career
QUESTIONS FOR PART 3
8.7 What creative activities did you like to do when you were young?
I remember when I was young, I was really into cartoons and comics, especially Japanese animations (anime and manga), and so I often spent hours everyday
drawing the cartoon characters that I liked I even came up with a new story for all
of my favorite ones and almost made it into a complete comic book But as I got into
high school, I got so much busier with all the homework and exams that I barely had
time to pursue my hobby and eventually lost interest in drawing
8.8 Why do people like to copy others' ideas these days?
I think people might just run low on both inspiration and motivation to actually be original Maybe they find it much easier to claim others’ work as theirs than going out of their way and put the effort into producing something as their own
Sometimes, it can even earn you some short-term fame if you’re good enough at
imitating others For example, a Vietnamese singer has got himself rather famous nationwide for being a G-Dragon copycat Despite the criticism, it is undeniable that
he has got quite a number of fans and followers thanks to such outright copying
tactic
8.9 What's the best way to cultivate children's creativity?
Trang 38I think nothing works better than providing children with the urge and motivation to
be creative and be their true selves Not only kids but even grown-ups need to be regularly reminded that they can be anything that they want to be and that they should not be afraid to be different, think differently or act differently Only when
children are encouraged to breakthrough thinking from inside the box can they
really have the freedom to express themselves and nurture their creativity
8.10 Do you think creativity can be learned?
I personally don’t think so To be creative, one must be original to begin with If you need someone to teach you how to think and perform in order to reach a certain level
of creativity then in my opinion, you can no longer call yourself “original” as you’re,
in essence, just base your ideas and thoughts on someone else’ visions, not your own
8.11 Why does art help to nurture creativity?
Just like how I was inspired to draw a comic book due to the endless hours I invested into watching anime and manga, I think art in general can inspire others to create something of their own as long as they are passionate enough about such idea Also,
in order to be a successful artist, one needs more than just a standard melody or a
predictable plot; hence, artists are often in a constant battle with themselves to keep pushing the boundaries and explore new horizons, to stay different but still
relatable, which is obviously not an easy task to do but I believe that’s the reason why art can serve as the best catalyst to creative thinking
VOCABULARY
To come up with: nảy ra, nghĩ ra ý tưởng gì
She's come up with some amazing scheme to double her income
Barely (adv): hầu như không
His wages are barely enough to keep body and soul together
To run low on: trong tình trạng cạn kiệt
The car is running low on gas
Trang 39 Original (adj): nguyên bản, nguyên thể
This is a daring new film by one of our most original modern directors
To go out of one’s way: cố gắng hơn mức bình thường
They really went out of their way to make us feel welcome
To put the effort into sth/doing sth: đặt hết khả năng vào làm việc gì
Put more effort into a project and you’ll become more passionate about it
Imitate (verb): bắt chước
Some of the younger pop bands try to imitate their musical heroes from the past
Copycat (noun): người bắt chước một cách mù quáng
Sales of the product have fallen by 42% since copycat versions were launched
Tactic (noun): chiến thuật
We need to agree tactics before the game
To breakthrough thinking from inside the box = To think outside of the box = Creative thinking: khả năng suy nghĩ sáng tạo
To think outside the box is to look further and to try not thinking of the obvious things, but to try thinking of the things beyond them
Plot (noun): cốt truyện
The plots of his books are basically all the same
To push the boundaries: cố gắng vượt qua giới hạn bản thân
At Intel, we constantly push the boundaries of innovation in order to make people's lives more exciting, more fulfilling, and easier to manage
To explore new horizons: khám phá những chân trời mới
Now that he has entered Hollywood, he has to explore new horizons as an actor
9 Describe a special meal you have had
You should say:
Trang 40where you would like to have it;
who you would like to have it with;
what you would like to eat;
and explain how you would feel about the meal
ANSWER
Last month, I had a get-together with some of my high school friends whom I had not met since we graduated Then, we decided to have lunch at a well-known pizza restaurant in the city centre
Arriving at the restaurant, we were quickly given the menu What surprised me the most was that there were various types of pizza and drinks; hence, it took me quite a long time to choose the food After that, we talked with each other while waiting for the dishes Some of my friends were studying at the same university, some had decided to get a job And I was especially impressed by the decision of one friend to take a gap year She said that as she had a strong passion for traveling, she would spend one year visiting lots of places
Then, the dishes were served The pizza was out-of-this-world and the drinks were tasty although they were a bit pricey We kept talking and enjoyed the meal and drinks for about two hours Actually, meeting them reminded me of the time when we studied at high school and I realized that now we were all grown-up, we had our own plans to pursue But we all promised to meet up regularly
VOCABULARY:
get-together: [noun] an informal meeting or gathering of friends
Example: We usually have a family get-together during the New Year
celebrations
gap year: [noun] the year that a young person spends working and/or
travelling after leaving school and starting university