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15. Sport .................................................... 23
Mục lục 16. Borrowing / Lending ........................... 24
17. Voice .................................................... 25
IELTS Speaking Part 1 18. Haircut ................................................. 26
1. Conversation With A Stranger .............. 9 19. Friend ................................................... 28
2. Opinions/ideas ...................................... 10 20. Jeans ................................................... 30
3. Tea or Coffee ......................................... 11 21. Sunshine ............................................. 32
4. Age ......................................................... 12 22. Trust .................................................... 33
5. Public Transportation ........................... 13 23. Movies ................................................. 35
6. Changes ................................................. 14 24. Travelling ............................................ 36
7. Picnics ................................................... 15 25. Music .................................................. 37
8. Being in a hurry ......................................16 26. Walking ............................................... 38
9. Clothes .................................................. 17 27. Sleep ................................................... 39
10. Trying new activities ........................... 18 28. Cooking ............................................... 41
11. Weekends ............................................ 19 29. Drink water .......................................... 43
12. Age/Different stages in life ................ 20 30. Fish ...................................................... 43
13. Discussion .......................................... 21
14. Recycle ................................................ 22
 42. Numbers .............................................. 55
43. Art ........................................................ 56
IELTS Speaking Part 2 44. Sweets ................................................. 57
45. Dessert ................................................. 58
46. History ................................................. 59
47. Park ...................................................... 60
48. Make up ............................................... 61
31. Perfume ............................................... 44
49. Concentration ...................................... 62
32. Photos/Pictures .................................. 45
50. Countryside ......................................... 63
33. Colours ................................................. 46
51. Street market ....................................... 64
34. Laughter .............................................. 47
52. Plants ................................................... 65
35. Running ............................................... 48
53. Sky ....................................................... 66
36. Pen and Pencil ..................................... 49
54. Animals ................................................ 67
37. Break .................................................... 50
55. Insects ................................................. 68
38. Scenery ................................................ 51
56. Handwritting ........................................ 69
39. Being alone .......................................... 52
57. Patience ............................................... 70
40. Water Sports ........................................ 53
58. Tidy ...................................................... 71
41. Science class ....................................... 54

1. Describe a performance you watched recently ...............................................................................73

2. Describe a family member who you spend the most time with .....................................................75
3. Describe a time when someone apologized to you ........................................................................77
4. Describe an important journey that was delayed ........................................................................... 79
5. Describe a successful small company that you know.................................................................... 81
6. Describe a person on the news that you’d like to meet ..................................................................84
7. Describe a team where you were a member ....................................................................................86
8. Describe a family (not your own) which you like and are happy to know .......................................89
9. Describe something you bought but difficult to use at first ...........................................................91
10. Describe a change that can improve your local area ....................................................................94

5 | ZIM
11. Describe a piece of important news you got through a text message ...................................... 97
12. Describe a new skill you learned that you think is important ..................................................... 100
13. Describe a place (not home) you spent time relaxing ................................................................ 102
14. Describe a time you were surprised to meet a friend ................................................................. 105
15. Describe an occasion you got lost that you didn’t know ............................................................ 108
16. Describe a place you visited that has been affected by pollution ............................................ 110
17. Describe a time you made a mistake and how you dealt with it .............................................. 113
18. Describe a person whom you met for the first time and made you happy ................................ 115
19. Describe something you did which was a waste of time. ......................................................... 117
20. Describe a volunteering experience you have had. .................................................................... 119
21. Describe a project you worked on in your school/college or office ........................................... 121
22. Describe a person who is full of energy ..................................................................................... 123
23. Describe a person who taught you something (knowledge or principles) ................................ 125
24. Describe a piece of advice you received when choosing your major or job ............................. 127
25. Describe a popular product that is made in your region e.g. food, handicraft .......................... 129
26. Describe your favorite actor/ actress or dancer. ........................................................................ 131
27. Describe a person you want to enjoy dinner with ...................................................................... 133
28. Describe a program on computer/a mobile app on the phone that you use ............................. 135
29. Describe a time you wouldn’t use the mobile phone ..................................................................137
30. Describe a crowded place you have been to .............................................................................. 139
31. Describe an occasion you helped your family members ........................................................... 141
32. Describe a noisy place that annoys you ..................................................................................... 143
33. Describe a foreign country (culture) you want to know more about ........................................ 145
34. Describe a time you took risk, you thought that bad things happened but still took it because
you believed it had positives ............................................................................................................. 147
35. Describe an old person that you know and respect .................................................................. 150
36. Describe something difficult you would like to succeed in doing ............................................. 153
37. Describe an occasion you wore the best clothes ....................................................................... 155
38. Describe a time when you missed an appointment ................................................................... 157
39. Describe a large company that you are interested in ................................................................ 159
40. Describe something you enjoyed doing with a group of people .............................................. 162
41. Describe a job you would like to do in a foreign country for a short period of time .................. 165
42. Describe a thing you once forgot to do ...................................................................................... 167
43. Describe an event you experienced but you didn’t like the music played there ........................ 170
44. Describe a time when you saw children behaved badly in public ............................................ 172
45. Describe the book you read that you found useful .............. ..................................................... 175
46. Describe a conversation topic that you were not interested in ................................................. 178
47. Describe a friend you lost contact with and started contacting again ..................................... 180
48. Describe a film that made you laugh .......................................................................................... 182
49. Describe an interesting tradition in your country ..................................................................... 185
50. Describe an area of science (physics, biology, psychology, etc.) that interests you ............... 187
51. Describe the time when you first talked in a foreign language .................................................. 190
52. Describe an ambition that you have had for a long time ........................................................... 193

6 | ZIM

Lời mở đầu
IELTS Speaking 2020 Review là tài liệu được đội ngũ giảng viên luyện thi IELTS tại Anh Ngữ ZIM
biên soạn với mục đích giúp người học có cái nhìn vừa tổng quan vừa chi tiết về độ khó của đề thi
IELTS Speaking trong cả năm 2020. Đồng thời, tài liệu cũng cung cấp phương án xử lý các đề thi cụ
thể qua việc phân tích đề, lập dàn ý và bài mẫu tham khảo. Nội dung chính của sách bao gồm:
• Tổng hợp đề thi thật IELTS Speaking trong năm 2020
• Câu trả lời tham khảo Band điểm 7+
• Phân tích các từ vựng hay trong bài

IELTS Speaking 2020 Review là sản phẩm trí tuệ của đội ngũ giảng viên tại Anh Ngữ ZIM. Các hành
vi sao chép dưới mọi hình thức mà không có sự đồng ý bằng văn bản từ phía Anh Ngữ ZIM đều là
những hành vi vi phạm bản quyền và luật sở hữu trí tuệ.

Scan mã QR dưới đây để truy cập Audio files

 7 | ZIM

IELTS
Speaking Part 1
 8 | ZIM
Most sales people are extroverts.
Conversation With A Stranger To break the ice: nói chuyện một cách thoải mái, cởi mở với
(2)

người mới gặp lần đầu tiên

Break /breɪk/: Phá vỡ
Ice /aɪs/: băng đá
1. Is it hard to start a conversation with a Ví dụ: Someone suggested that we play a party game to break
stranger? the ice.
1.1 To strike up a conversation: bắt chuyện Conversation
(3)

→ No, it’s not a problem to me, honestly. You /ˌkɒn.vəˈseɪ.ʃən/: cuộc hội thoại Ví dụ: It’s easy to strike up a
know, I’m an extrovert(1) and so, when meeting new conversation with some one when you’re traveling.
people, I’m always the person who breaks the ice(2)
and strikes up a conversation.(3) (4)
Approachable /ˈprəʊ.tʃə.bəl/: thân thiện và dễ bắt chuyện
Ví dụ: Graham’s always very approachable.

To leave a good impression on someone: để lại một ấn

(5)

tượng tốt cho ai đó

Impression /ɪmˈpreʃ.ən/: Ấn tượng

Ví dụ: She leave a good impression on us.

Awkward /ˈɔː.kwəd/: cảm giác ngượng nghịu Ví dụ: Some of

(6)
2. Do you normally carry on a conversation with
the questions were rather awkward.
strangers?
Get to know someone: làm quen và tìm hiểu về ai đó
(7)
→ Well, it depends. I mean, if the person is
Ví dụ: The first couple of meetings are for the doctor and
approachable(4) and he or she can leave a good patient to get to know each other.
impression(5) on me, then I will absolutely spend
more time talking. Otherwise, it would be pretty
awkward(6) to hold a conversation with a guy who
is unwilling to let people get to know(7) him.

An extrovert /ˈek.strə.vɜːt/: một người hướng ngoại Ví dụ:

(1)

3. Are you afraid of being evaluated when you meet someone for the first time? → Honestly
 speaking, I don’t really mind. I try not to think about it much because actually, how I’m perceived by
others is not as important as how I value myself.

Mở rộng

Chủ đề tương tự: Friends/ relatives/ celebrities (part I)/ nhóm chủ đề tả người (part II)
• Các từ vựng trên có thể được dùng để diễn tả về tính cách của một người Ví dụ:
What kinds of people do you like to make friends with?
Well, anyone who is approachable can leave a very good impression on me. If I find him/ her
inter esting, I would be ready to get to know and make friends with that person.
• Mở rộng cho câu trả lời ở part II
Ví dụ: Describe an interesting conversation you had with someone
I do remember a time when I had to talk to a complete stranger. It was around 5 years ago, on
my very first trip to Ho Chi Minh City. It was just a short moment but I still remember that I was
the one who broke the ice and struck up the conversation...

9 | ZIM
develop the ability to think for themselves and
Opinions/ideas even make their own decisions in some cases.

1. When children should have their own ideas/

opinions?
1.2 To be reliant on someone/ something: phụ thuộc vào ai/ cái
(1)

→ Well, I suppose that children should be gì

encouraged to form their own ideas when they Reliant /rɪˈlaɪ.ənt/: dựa dẫm
Ví dụ: The project is reliant on volunteers.
start school. At that time, kids can not always be
reliant on(1) their parents so it’s necessary to

2. What are the benefits when children have their own ideas/opinions?
→ An obvious advantage is that children will become more independent. Well, it’s true that there
will not always be someone to guide or tell them what to do; therefore, developing their own ways
of thinking will gradually help kids find solutions to their own problems later on.
→ Honestly, I don’t agree with that. You know,
3. What are the responsibilities of teachers to there are always differences between
help children develop their ideas/opinions? → generations. I mean, children are influenced by
Well, quite a tough question since I don’t other people rather than just their parents and
usually spend time with children or teach them they will definitely have their own perspective(4)
actually. But I guess the best way is to ask on life. Sometimes, they may come up with(5)
questions and give prompts or examples so different ideas from their parents, so forcing
(2)

that they can spark ideas(3) themselves. On top kids to think like adults only limits their
of that, teachers also need to encourage them imagination and creativity.
and let them be creative.

4. Do you think children are taught to have the

same ideas with their parents? Mở rộng
 Ví dụ: Her attitude lends a fresh perspective to
To give prompts /ɡɪv prɒmpts/: đưa ra gợi ý Ví dụ:
(2)
the subject
Adults give prompts or hints to enable children to
respond. To come up with: nghĩ ra (ý tưởng)
(5)

Ví dụ: She’s come up with some amazing scheme

To spark idea /spɑːk aɪˈdɪə/ : nảy ra ý
(3)
to double her income.
tưởng Ví dụ: They spark ideas for stories.

Perspective /pəˈspek.tɪv/: Góc nhìn, quan điểm

(4)

Chủ đề tương tự: Describe a person who has interesting ideas or opinions (part II) 10 | ZIM

enjoying a hot cup of coffee while having

Tea or Coffee chit-chat(5) was the best option.

Mở rộng
1. Do Vietnamese people like to drink tea or coffee?
1.3
→ Well, I think coffee is more popular. You see,
drinking a cup of coffee is a daily habit(1) of many
Vietnamese people, and coffee shops can be found
at every corner in this city. Coffee is my
(1)
A daily habit: một thói quen hằng ngày. Daily /ˈdeɪ.li/: hằng
ngày
preference(2) too, just because it tastes better.
Habit /ˈhæb.ɪt/: thói quen

Preference /ˈpref.ər.əns/: sở thích, sự ưa thích

(2)

2. Do you prepare tea or coffee for the guests at

home?
→ Although I’m more into coffee, I just offer tea to
my guests since many of them can’t stand the
bitterness(3) of coffee. Also, coffee contains a lot of
(3)
Can’t stand the bitterness /ˈbɪt.ə.nəs/: không thể chịu được vị
caffeine, which may make people stay awake at
đắng
night. Well, I don’t want to ruin(4) their sleep.
To ruin /ˈruː.ɪn/: phá hủy
(4)

3. When was the last time you drank tea or coffee?

→ Let me see, it probably was last weekend when I
hung out with some friends of mine. After doing
some shopping, we ended up at a small coffee
shop. You know, it was raining at that time, and so
 To have a chat /hæv ə tʃæt/: trò chuyện phiếm, tán gẫu
(5)

Chủ đề tương tự: weekends, visiting relatives, travelling/ holidays

Những chủ đề trên thường có cùng dạng câu hỏi về hoạt động bạn hay làm, do đó có thể
dùng cách diễn đạt chung là đi trò chuyện và thưởng thức trà/ cà phê Ví dụ:
• What do you do when you visit your relatives?
• What do you often do on the weekends?
Trả lời: Well, we tend to have a chat while sipping a hot cup of tea.
Nhóm chủ đề khác cũng có thể vận dụng ý tưởng là: concentration, sleep, staying up late
Ví dụ:
• What can help you concentrate better?
• What can affect your sleep?
Trả lời: Having a cup of coffee which contains a lot of caffeine can help me stay mentally
alert/ keep awake all night.

11 | ZIM
Age

1. What do you think is the best age to learn to

Driving ages: Độ tuổi được phép lái xe Driving /ˈdraɪ.vɪŋ/: lái
(1)

drive? xe
1.4 Ages /ˈeɪ·dʒɪz/: độ tuối
→ The ideal time to learn is when people turn 16. Ví dụ: The article also misstated the position taken by another
researcher on voting and driving ages.
Well, this is the legal minimum driving ages(1) in my
country. At this age, people are mature(2) enough to To be mature /məˈtʃʊər/: trưởng thành
(2)

Ví dụ: He’s very mature for his age.

be responsible for everything they do. Besides,
acquiring new skills(3) at a young age is also much To acquire new skills: tiếp thu các kỹ năng mới Acquire
(3)

/əˈkwaɪər/: tiếp thu

faster and easier. Ví dụ: The nagging sense of needing to acquire new skills, all
the time, is palpable.

2. How do you feel about getting older?

→ It would be a lie if I say I’m not sad about it. Actually, there is nothing I can do to stop being
 older, so just let it be. I’d better enjoy every second of my life, live happily and do meaningful
things so that I can have a life without regretting.

3. Should we treat people of different ages in the same way?

→ No, I don’t think so. You cannot treat a 5-year-old kid just like the way you behave when
meeting your grandparents, right? Older people always need to be respected.

Mở rộng

Chủ đề tương tự: Marriage

Những chủ đề trên thường có cùng dạng câu hỏi như “What is the best age for people to +
V” và có thể dùng cách diễn đạt chung đó là: “khi họ trưởng thành và biết chịu trách nhiệm”
Ví dụ
• What is the best age for people to get married?
Trả lời: When they are mature enough/ when they are both physically and mentally ready. At
that time, they have responsibility for everything they’ve done.

12 | ZIM
Public Transportation 3. Do you prefer public transportation or private
transportation?
→ I think a private vehicle is a better choice for me.
1. What’ s the most popular means of
To be honest with you, I can get car-sick(6) easily. If I
transportation in your hometown? travel a far distance(7) by bus or coach, I will get a
1.5
terrible headache and even vomit(8).
→ It’s the bus, I would say. I see many students in
my university going to school by bus on a daily
basis(1), simply because it’s cheap. You know, a bus
ticket costs only around five thousand VND, such
an affordable price(2) for anyone who is living on a
tight budget(3) and doesn’t have enough money to
buy their own vehicle. 4. Do you think people will drive more in the future?
→ It’s hard to say about the future but I hope
2. How often do you take buses? people will use more public transport instead of
→ I use the bus almost everyday because like I cars and motorbikes. Driving more just makes the
said, it’s the cheapest way to get around even air quality deteriorate (1), which negatively affects
though it’s always overcrowded(4) and not very people’s health.
punctual(5).
Mở rộng
 To be punctual /ˈpʌŋk.tʃu.əl/: đúng giờ
(5)

Chủ đề tương tự: Travelling, holidays, driving Ví dụ: He’s fairly punctual

To get carsick /ɡet ˈkɑː.sɪk/: bị say xe

(6)

Ví dụ: If you know you are likely to get carsick, there are several
ways you can prevent it.
On a daily basis: hằng ngày
(1)

Ví dụ: On a daily basis, I operated au naturel.

(7)
To travel a far distance: di chuyển khoảng cách xa Travel
/ˈtræv.əl/: di chuyển
(2)
Affordable price /əˈfɔː.də.bəl praɪs/: mức giá phải chăng, có Far /fɑːr/: xa
thể chi trả được
Distance /ˈdɪs.təns/: khoảng cách
Ví dụ: They are meeting consumer demand for fashionable Ví dụ: Notably, men who travelled far distances for a job
products at affordable prices. obligation mainly stated travel for work.
A tight budget: ngân sách hạn hẹp
(3)
To vomit /ˈvɒm.ɪt/: Nôn, buồn nôn
(8)

Tight /taɪt/: eo hẹp Ví dụ: He came home drunk and vomited all over the kitchen
Budget /ˈbʌdʒ.ɪt/: ngân sách floor.
Ví dụ: I am on a tight budget.

To deteriorate /dɪˈtɪə.ri.ə.reɪt/: Trở nên xấu hơn, tồi tệ hơn

(9)

To be overcrowded /ˌəʊ.vəˈkraʊ.dɪd/: đông nghịt, chật ních

(4) Ví dụ: The political situation in the region has deterio rated
Ví dụ: The prisons are overcrowded rapidly.

Nhóm chủ đề này thông thường có đề cập đến những câu hỏi về phương thức đi lại và do
đó có thể dùng chung ý tưởng về phương tiện giao thông.

13 | ZIM
salary in the near future.
Changes
3. Have there been a lot of changes in your
town/city?
1. Do you think you have changed a lot since you
→ Without a doubt. HCMC is developing really fast
were young?
but at the same time, it is gradually
1.6
becoming a concrete jungle(4). I mean more and
→ Of course yes, not to mention(1) changes
more skyscrapers(5) are being built and there is less
regarding my physical look(2), I would say that I’m
green in this city. Unfortunately, it’s a negative side.
now more confident, talkative and social than I was
many years back. At that time, I was just so shy
that I hardly had any friends.

Mở rộng
2. What positive change might happen in your life
in the next few years? Chủ đề tương tự: Hometown, Cities
→ Well, I cannot say anything now but I hope it will
be related to my career path(3). You know, I have
just started my job for a couple of months.
Currently I’m trying to learn and gain experience so
that I can be offered a higher position with a better (1)
Not to mention: không kể đến
Mention /ˈmen.ʃən/: đề cập vực với nhiều tòa nhà cao tầng, không gian trống và cây xanh
Ví dụ: I promised never to mention the incident again. khá ít)
Concrete /ˈkɒŋ.kriːt/: bê tông
Physical look /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl lʊk/: bề ngoài, ngoại hình Ví dụ: The
(2)
Jungle /ˈdʒʌŋ.ɡəl/: rừng
physical look of the movie is a revelation of a lost past.
Ví dụ: New York may be a concrete jungle, but it does have
some soil and sky

Skyscraper /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ.pər/: Tòa nhà chọc trời Ví dụ: The

(5)

restaurant is at the top of one of the big downtown skyscrapers.

Career path: con đường sự nghiệp
(3)

Career /kəˈrɪər/: sự nghiệp

Path /pɑːθ/: con đường
Ví dụ: Ortiz’s career path seemed equally unorthodox.

A concrete jungle: một “khu rừng bê tông” (ám chỉ một khu
(4)

Các nhóm chủ đề này thông thường sẽ có câu hỏi về sự thay đổi diễn ra ở quê hương hoặc
thành phố đang sống và do vậy có thể .

14 | ZIM
have some days off, I just wanna sleep, you know, to
Picnics unwind a bit before getting back to work.

1. When you were a child, did you ever go on

picnics?
1.7
→ No, I didn’t. Back then, my parents were so busy 3. Where would people go for a picnic in your
with their farm work and so I remember that during country?
my childhood, I just studied hard on weekdays and → Well, I don’t even care about it. Let me see,
played hide and seek(1) with some other kids living maybe on a park or on the outskirts of the city. I
next door after school. just can only think of these two places which may
be nice spots for a picnic. People can also have a
2. How often do you go on picnics now? chance to unwind(3) and enjoy some fresh air.
→Rarely. To tell you the truth, I am not really
interested in picnicking now. What’s more, my
hectic schedule(2) doesn’t allow me to enjoy it. If I
 1. What do you often have to do very quickly? →
Frankly, I always have to eat breakfast in a 1.8
To play hide and seek: chơi trốn tìm
(1)

Hide /haɪd/: trốn

rush(1). Well, sleeping in(2) is my bad habit, so every
Seek /siːk/ : Tìm morning I just have a short period of time to be
Ví dụ: We’d play hide and seek with guns. ready for heading to work. You know, things like
doing personal hygiene(3), putting on makeup(4)
and getting dressed all take me lots of time so I
have to eat quickly.

Hectic schedule: lịch trình bận rộn

(2)

Hectic /ˈhek.tɪk/: Bận rộn, tất bật

Schedule /ˈʃedʒ.uːl/ : lịch trình
Ví dụ: Mr. Vas has a very hectic schedule. 2. Do you think you do things well when you’re in a
hurry?
→ I don’t think so. I have to admit that I’ve got into
trouble a thousand times because I was in a hurry.
Once I broke a vase on the table while
hurriedly(5) moving around to find my phone and get
to work. I just left the mess and went out so that I
could catch the bus on time.
To unwind /ʌnˈwaɪnd/ : thư giãn
(3)

Ví dụ: A glass of wine in the evening helps me to un wind after

work. 3. Do you find it difficult to do things quickly?

In a rush: Trong tình trạng vội vã

(1)

Rush /rʌʃ/: vội vã

Ví dụ: In a rush about so many things
To sleep in: ngủ nướng
(2)

Ví dụ: I usually sleep in on Saturdays.

To do personal hygiene: làm vệ sinh cá nhân Personal

(3)

/ˈpɜː.sən.əl/: Cá nhân
Hygiene /ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn/: vệ sinh
Ví dụ: I do personal hygiene everyday

To put on makeup: trang điểm

(4)

Ví dụ: Anyone, after all, can put on makeup.

Hurriedly /ˈhʌr.id.li/: Một cách vội vã

(5)

Ví dụ: The party was a rather hurriedly arranged affair.

15 | ZIM
Being in a hurry
 → Yes, I mean who doesn’t? It’s hard to do something both carefully and quickly, isn’t it? If I am in
this position, surely I will make mistakes.

16 | ZIM
Clothes → Not really. During weekdays when being at work,
I have to wear a uniform which is a white shirt and
a black skirt. It fits me too closely so I feel a bit
uncomfortable. Well, weekends are the time for me
1. What kinds of clothes do you usually wear? →
to put off(7) my boring uniform and dress casually.
Casual clothes like jeans and T-shirts are my
1.9
best choice in the wardrobe(1). Putting on these
clothes makes me comfortable. It’s also easy to
mix and match(2) and I still look very stylish(3).
Wardrobe /ˈwɔː.drəʊb/: tủ quần áo
(1)

Ví dụ: He hung his suit in the wardrobe.

Mix and match /mɪks ænd mætʃ/: phối đồ, quần áo Ví dụ: Alice
(2)

learned to mix and match her skirts, blous es, and sweaters
2. Are there any colors you do not like to wear? →I (3)
To be stylish /ˈstaɪ.lɪʃ/: kiểu cách, hợp thời trang Ví dụ: The
try to avoid wearing white clothes since they tend to film’s direction is subtle and stylish.
get dirty easily, even a small stain(4) can also be easily
recognizable(5). Washing it up and removing the dirt
is much harder too. (4)
Stain /steɪn/: Vết bẩn, vết ố
Ví dụ: You can remove a red wine stain from a carpet by
sprinkling salt over it.

To be recognizable /ˈrek.əɡ.naɪ.zə.bəl/ : có thể nhận ra được

(5)

3. Do you wear the same kind of clothes on Ví dụ: The cartoon character was instantly recogniz able to
weekends and weekdays? millions of children.
 To put on: mặc (quần áo)
(6)

Ví dụ: If I’m having a bad hair day, I just put on a hat.

Put off: cởi bỏ (quần áo)

(7)

Ví dụ: Mr. Nirenberg was put off.

17 | ZIM
never done before.
To be curious /ˈkjʊə.ri.əs/: tò mò, muốn
(2)

tìm hiểu Ví dụ: I was curious to know what

would happen next.

2. Did you enjoy trying new To be eager /ˈiː.ɡər/ (to do something):

(3)

háo hức, mong muốn làm một việc gì đó

activities when you were
Ví dụ: She was eager to help.
1.10 younger?

Trying new → I tend to hesitate(4) a bit back

then. I think I had much more fear
activities of failure at that time but now I (4)To hesitate /ˈhez.ɪ.teɪt/: chần chừ, do dự
just try things without thinking Ví dụ: She hesitated slightly before
about it so much. Even if it’s answering the detective’s question.

something difficult and I don’t (5)

Attempt /əˈtempt/: sự cố gắng, thử làm
1. Do you like to try new activities một việc gì đó
succeed in the first attempt , I
(5)
that you haven’t done before? Ví dụ: He attempted a joke, but no one
still have a sense of laughed.
→ Actually, it depends on which
achievement(6) at the end.
activity that is. For me, most of (6)
A sense of achievement: Cảm giác bản
thân đạt được điều gì đó
the time I’m willing to give it a
Sense /sens/ : Cảm giác
go(1). I would say I’m kind of Achievement /əˈtʃiːv.mənt/ : thành tựu
curious and eager to learn new
(2) (3)
Ví dụ: It gives you a sense of achievement
things or get new experiences if you actual ly make it to the end of a very
long book.
from doing things that I have (1)
To give it a go: thử
Ví dụ: I might give it a go
 3. Do you prefer to try a new activity alone or with your friends?
→ Yes, I mean who doesn’t? It’s hard to do something both carefully and quickly, isn’t it? If I am in
this position, surely I will make mistakes.

18 | ZIM

3. Do you think there are enough

interesting things to do in your
city at weekends? → Undoubtedly
1.11 Yes. In HCMC, there is a wide
Weekends Recreational options: Lựa chọn để giải
(3)
range of recreational options(3) and
trí Recreational /ˌrek.riˈeɪ.ʃən.əl/ : giải trí
places for people to choose, Options /ˈɒp.ʃən/ : Lựa chọn
ranging from shopping malls, Ví dụ: Recreational options are available in
Garrison itself.
1. Do you like to go to the cinema cinemas to night markets, bars
on weekends? → Yes, for sure. I’m and so on.
a bit of an avid movie-goer(1). Every
weekend, after hanging out, my
friends and I often choose the
cinema as our last destination to
enjoy days off and catch up on the An avid movie-goer: một người thích đi
(1)

xem phim Avid /ˈæv.ɪd/ : Ham mê

latest movies. Movie-goer /ˈmuː.viˌɡəʊ.ər/ : Người xem
phim Ví dụ: His mother was a chemist and
an avid movie goer.

2. What do you enjoy doing most

on weekends? →Like I said, I
prefer going out with friends on
Saturday and Sunday. We mostly
do things like gossiping(2) while
(2)
To gossip /ˈɡɒs.ɪp/ : Nói chuyện phiếm
Ví dụ: Jane and Lyn sat in the kitchen
drinking tea, then taking selfies. It having a good gossip about their friends.
is literally the best way to unwind
and relieve stress.
19 | ZIM
 Age/Different stages in life 1. Are

you happy with the age you are now?

1.12 Degree /dɪˈɡriː/: trình độ, bằng cấp

→ Yes, I’m enjoying the best time Ví dụ: He received a master’s degree at
Villanova.
of my life, at the age of twenty
four. I have everything I need: a To pursue further education: theo đuổi
(6)

nền giáo dục cao hơn

well-paid job(1), a boyfriend and a Pursue /pəˈsjuː/ : theo đuổi
house to return. It can be Further /ˈfɜː.ðər/ : Xa hơn
considered as a sense of Education /ˌedʒ.ʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/ : Giáo dục
Ví dụ: If they don’t pursue further education
satisfaction(2).
by age 24, statistically it is not going to
happen.

2. What is the most important

thing you’ve done in your life so
1.13
far?
→ Up until now, the most crucial Discussion
thing is that I have got a decent 20 | ZIM
A well-paid job /ˌwel ˈpeɪd dʒɒb/: một
(1)
job(3) to earn money and relieve
công việc lương cao
the financial burden(4) on my Ví dụ: At last he had found a well-paid job 1. What kinds of things do you
family. I could also buy my dad a that interest ed him. enjoy discussing with your
new tie and buy my mom a new A sense of satisfaction: cảm giác hài
(2) friends?
dress with the amount of money I lòng Sense /sens/: Cảm giác → Well, all sorts of things from
Satisfaction /ˌsæt.ɪsˈfæk.ʃən/: hài lòng films, idols, shopping to food can
earn by myself.
Ví dụ: I did not feel any sense of
satisfaction at all. be a topic of our talk. We also like
to catch up on(1) what each of us
has been up to recently. Well, I
don’t really know whether it’s a
3. What do you hope you’ll be
A decent job /ˈdiː.sənt dʒɒb /: Một công stereotype but women tend to
(3) (2)

doing in five years time? việc tốt, ổn định have many more things to
→ I haven’t had any clear plan yet Ví dụ: He got a decent job doing
construction discuss than men, right?
but I think at this time 5 years
later, I will be studying overseas
(4)
To relieve the financial burden: giảm bớt
gánh nặng tài chính
for a master’s degree(5). You know, Relieve /rɪˈliːv/ : Dịu đi, giảm bớt đi
pursuing further education(6) is Burden /ˈbɜː.dən/: gánh nặng
always my dream. Financial /faɪˈnæn.ʃəl/: tài chính
Ví dụ: The New Zealander believes that
(1)
To catch up on /kætʃ ʌp ɒn/: bắt kịp, theo
central contracts for the top players could kịp Ví dụ: we catch up on the work.
help relieve the financial burden. (2)
A stereotype /ˈster.i.ə.taɪp/: một điều
định kiến Ví dụ: The characters in the book
are just stereotypes

Master’s degree: bằng thạc sĩ

(5)
2. In a discussion, do you prefer to talk more or listen more?
→Well, I would say I’m more into listening. Honestly, I’m not a talkative person but when needed,
I’m ready to raise my voice and share my opinions.

3. Do you often change your opinion during a

discussion?
→ In case I find that my point’s no longer
appropriate, I will adapt(3) to make my idea
better. Being determined(4) and sticking with an
opinion is good but not all the time. Sometimes,
change is for the better.

To adapt /əˈdæpt/: thay đổi

(3)

Ví dụ: The play had been adapted for children.

To be determined /dɪˈtɜː.mɪnd/ : kiên định Ví dụ: She

(4)

will get the job she wants - she’s a very determined

person.

21 | ZIM
 also encourage my friends and
family to recycle and reuse so as
to keep our environment clean.

(2)
My memory went blank: trí nhớ đột
1.14 nhiên trống rỗng
Recycle Memory /ˈmem.ər.i/: trí nhớ
Blank/blæŋk/: trống rỗng, khoảng trống
4. What kind of things do you Ví dụ: My memory went blank on my very
first line.
recycle? → Things made from
1. Do you recycle now? Why? non-biodegradable(6) materials like
→ Yes, I do recycle but not too plastic, glass, metal, … can be
often. Instead, I reuse things like recycled. (3)
To be environmentally friendly: thân
glass jars and bottles, paper bags thiện và không gây hại cho môi trường
or plastic bags to reduce the Friendly /ˈfrend.li/: thân thiện
amount of waste thrown out. If I Environmentally /ɪnˌvaɪ.rənˈmen.təl.i/(adv)
: môi trường
have no idea about how to reuse Ví dụ: There are a growing number of
it, I will sort things out(1) and send investors backing firms that are
them to the recycling centre. environmentally-friendly.

Pollutants /pəˈluː.tənt/: chất gây ô nhiễm

(4)

2. Did you recycle when you were Ví dụ: Sulphur dioxide is one of several
pollutants.
a kid? → No, I’m afraid. Recycling
wasn’t common at that time, To dispose of /dɪˈspəʊz əv/ : vứt ra, thải
(5)

ra Ví dụ: It took only five minutes for the

especially in the place where I world champion to dispose of his
lived which was a rural area. opponent.
That’s why my memory went
blank(2) for a second after hearing 22 | ZIM
your question. Non-biodegradable /nɒn
(6)

baɪ.əʊ.dɪˈɡreɪ.də.bəl/: không có khả năng

tự hủy sinh học
3. Will you recycle in the future? Ví dụ: Globally, around six billion
→ Of course yes. Recycling is non-biodegradable cards are produced
each year.
environmentally friendly(3). As I (1)
To sort things out: phân loại
said, it helps to limit the amount Sort /sɔːt/ : sắp xếp
Ví dụ: He figured he’d burn through his
of harmful pollutants(4) that need
$15,000 savings and sort things out from
to be disposed of(5). Besides, I will there.

Sport

1. What sports did you do when you were a kid?

→ Actually I didn’t play any sports when I was a little girl. Instead, I just spent all my childhood
1.15
playing traditional games such as hide and seek, bag jumping, ….

2. What’s your favorite sport? Why?

→Now, I’m still not a sporty person(1) so I don’t
have a passion for(2) any particular kinds of
sport. But if I have to choose one, I would love
to take up swimming. Well, I think it’s kinda
exhilarating(3) and good fun to relax during a
boiling hot weather(4).

3. Do you watch sports? Why?

 → No. Watching sports is not my cup of tea(5). I Ví dụ: We don’t usually have such boiling hot weather.

find it so tedious(6). In fact, I’m more into

watching comedies or TV series which make me
My cup of tea (idiom): sở thích của tôi
(5)
laugh hysterically(7) to relieve my stress.
Ví dụ: Opera is not my cup of tea.
To be tedious /ˈtiː.di.əs/ : buồn chán
(6)

Ví dụ: The problem is I find most forms of exercise so

tedious.

Laugh hysterically: cười một cách điên cuồng

(7)

Hysterically /hɪˈster.ɪ.kəl.i/ : điên cuồng, cuồng loạn

4. Are you a fan of any sport teams? Why? → Laugh /lɑːf/ : Cười
Ví dụ: She started laughing hysterically.
Honestly, I don’t have my favorite team because
like I said, I’m not fond of(8) watching these
matches. Having said that(9), I do admire the
Vietnamese national football team. You know, To be fond of: thích
(8)

Ví dụ: She was very fond of horses

all players are skillful despite their young age.
Having said that: mặc dù vậy
(9)

A sporty /ˈspɔː.ti/: một người yêu thích và giỏi thể

(1)
Ví dụ: He forgets most things, but having said that, he
thao always remembers my birthday
Ví dụ: Guy wasn’t really the sporty type.

To have a passion for something: có niềm đam mê,

(2)

yêu thích về một cái gì đó

Passion /ˈpæʃ.ən/ : đam mê
Ví dụ: I have a passion for history.

To be exhilarating and good fun: hứng khởi và vui

(3)

vẻ
Exhilarating /ɪɡˈzɪl.ə.reɪ.tɪŋ/ : Hứng khởi
Ví dụ: His work is exhilarating and good fun

A boiling hot weather: thời tiết nóng sôi (nóng như

(4)

nước sôi)
Boiling /ˈbɔɪ.lɪŋ/: sôi 23 | ZIM
Hot /hɒt/ : nóng
Weather /ˈweð.ər/ :thời tiết
others? → I don’t mind lending
things as long as the borrower
promises to return it back to me
on time and on top of that(2), they
must be a responsible person
because I don’t like to see any
1.16
damage to my stuff.
Borrowing /
Lending 3. How do you feel when people
don’t return the things they
borrowed from you?
→ Basically, those people will
1. Have you ever borrowed money
leave a bad impression on(3) me.
from others? → Yes, occasionally,
They have betrayed my trust(4).
in unexpected cases. Like,
Well, it’s not that serious actually
yesterday, I did borrow some
but I won’t lend them anything
money from my roommates to
after that.
buy some food since I forgot my
wallet at school. But most of the
time, I try to manage my money
carefully so that I won’t get into
debt(1) some days.

2. Do you like lending things to

24 | ZIM
 Ví dụ: On top of that, it was funny. Ví dụ: My girlfriend betrayed my trust

To get into debt: nợ nần

(1)

Debt /det/ : nợ
Ví dụ: He got into debt after he lost his job. (3)To leave a bad impression on
somebody: để lại ấn tượng xấu cho ai đó
Impression /ɪmˈpreʃ.ən/ : ấn tượng
Ví dụ: Remember, bad hygiene will leave a
bad impression on everyone
(4)
To be betrayed my trust: phản bội lòng
tin Betray /bɪˈtreɪ/: phản bội
Trust /trʌst/: lòng tin
On top of that: trên hết là
(2)

1.17

Voice

1. Is your voice similar to that of a family member?

→ I don’t think so. My parents have heavy local accents(1) from central Vietnam while I don’t.
I guess it’s because I was born and raised in the south. Not to mention that my parents’
voices are much thicker(2) than mine.

2. Do you enjoy recording your voice and listening to it?

→ I used to feel quite awkward(3) when recording and listening to my own voice, but now, I
really enjoy it. Actually, it’s the thing I do every day to become more fluent at(4) speaking
English. By listening to my voice, I can easily check my pronunciation, fluency and
intonation.

3. Was your voice different when you were young?

→ I’m not sure but I don’t think there have been any significant changes in my voice. I’ve
always had this high-pitched(5) voice. To be honest, I don’t really like my voice because it
doesn’t sound “mature” at all.

4. Does everyone have the same voice? → I guess not since I have never met two people
with the same voice, let alone(6) everyone. Voices vary from person to person(7) and it either
will be different in pitch, volume or tone.

5. Are you using the same voice all the time? → Probably no. Whenever I am in a heated
discussion(8), I often raise the tone and volume(9) of my voice in order to place more emphasis
on the message I am delivering.
A local accents: giọng địa phương
(1)

Local /ˈləʊ.kəl/: địa phương

Accents /ˈæk.sənt/: giọng
Ví dụ: He speaks with a local accent.
To be thicker /θɪk/: trầm hơn
(2)

Ví dụ: Closed-circuit security cameras are probably thicker on the ground in Britain than in any other country.
 To be awkward /ˈɔː.kwəd/: kỳ quặc, ngượng ngùng Ví dụ: He seemed a little awkward when I first met him.
(3)

(4)
To be fluent at /ˈfluː.ənt/: trôi chảy, lưu loát Ví dụ: There was not anything fluent at all about our offense

High-pitched /ˌhaɪˈpɪtʃt/: giọng cao

(5)

Ví dụ: He talks to his dog in the most ridiculous high pitched voice.

Let alone /let əˈləʊn/: huống chi, huống hồ Ví dụ: Some people never even read a newspaper, let alone a book.
(6)

To vary from person to person: khác biệt giữa người này với người khác
(7)

Vary /ˈveə.ri/: thay đổi.

Person /ˈpɜː.sən/: người
Ví dụ: The effects will vary from person to person.

A heated discussion: cuộc tranh luận nảy lửa Heated /ˈhiː.tɪd/: nổi nóng
(8)

Discussion /dɪˈskʌʃ.ən/: cuộc tranh luận

Ví dụ: Her remarks on the employment question led to a heated discussion.

To raise the tone and volume: lên tông giọng và lớn tiếng
(9)

Raise /reɪz/: làm cho thứ gì đó tăng lên

Tone /təʊn/: tông giọng
volume /ˈvɒl.juːm/: độ lớn của âm thanh
Ví dụ: My boss raise the tone and volume to me 25 | ZIM

high. Every
now and then, I often get a facial
2. How often do you have your hair massage(7) and shampoo also, so
cut? → Once a month or once the cost can sometimes amount
every two months I suppose. to(8) a hundred VND in total.
1.18 Because my hair grows quite fast
so I have to go to a barbershop to
Haircut have it cut(4) and sometimes dyed
if I want to refresh(5) myself. 4. Have you ever kept a hairstyle
you don’t like? → Everyone must
1. What’s your favorite hairstyle? have, at least once in their life, and
→ I don’t actually have a favorite I am no exception. When I was in
hairstyle these days. But in the grade 6, undercut style was a
3. How much money do you megatrend(9) so I decided to give it
past, I used to be crazy about the
undercut(1) style which was really usually spend on your hair cut? a try(10). It turned out that the style
compatible with(2) my face shape. How often do you change your made me look quite rebellious,
However, now I just let the hair cut? which gained a lot unnecessary
barber(3) do whatever he wants as → As I mentioned, I do multiple attention(11) from my teachers.
long as I look neat and tidy. things at the same time like
(6)

having my hair cut and dyed, so

the cost of my haircut is quite
 democratic government. facial /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/: thuộc hoặc nằm trên khuôn
mặt massage /ˈmæs.ɑːʒ/: mát-xa
Barber /ˈbɑː.bər/: thợ cắt tóc
(3)

Ví dụ: I get a facial massage in every day

Ví dụ: He used to work as a barber.
To amount to /əˈmaʊnt/: lên đến
(8)

Federal and state costs for building and

operating prisons amounted to $25 billion.
(4)
To have it cut and dyed: cắt và nhuộm
tóc cut /kʌt/: cắt
dyed /daɪ/: thay đổi màu sắc của vật bằng
chất lỏng, trong trường hợp này là nhuộm
tóc.
(9)
Megatrend: xu hướng lớn (toàn cầu)
26 | ZIM
Ví dụ: My girl friend will have it cut and dyed dụ: The advance of technology
Ví
before TET holiday constitutes a development megatrend with
megatrend with huge potential.
(5)
To refresh /rɪˈfreʃ/: làm mới
Ví dụ: A good night’s sleep will refresh you.
(10)
To give it a try: thử
Ví dụ: You can give it a try here.
Unnecessary attention: sự chú ý không
(11)
(1)
Undercut /ˌʌn.dəˈkʌt/: kiểu tóc undercut
cần thiết Unnecessary /ʌnˈnes.ə.ser.i/:
Ví dụ: My favorite hairstyle is the undercut (6)To do multiple things at the same time:
không cần thiết attention /əˈten.ʃən/: sự
style làm nhiều việc cùng lúc
chú ý
Ví dụ: The Congress and its members can
(2)
To be compatible with /kəmˈpæt.ə.bəl/: Ví dụ: It would create unnecessary
do multiple things at the same time attention.
thích hợp với
Ví dụ: Such policies are not compatible with (7)To get a facial massage: mát-xa mặt
5. What was the last time you had your cut and styled for my birthday.
hair cut? → If I’m not mistaken, it has (12)
To have my hair done: làm tóc hair /heər/: tóc
been a month since the last time I had done /dʌn/: làm
my hair done(12). I’m planning to go to Ví dụ: I had my hair done yesterday.
the barber’s next week to have my hair

6. On what occasions do Vietnamese people usually have their hair cut? → Well, people in my
country usually have their haircut and also styled before important occasions like their
birthdays, Tet holidays and so on; or simply when it has reached a certain length.
 27 | ZIM
their actions would make great can always confide in .
(7)

friends because they must be very

trustworthy(2). On the other hand, I
would never, not even in a million
years(4), be friends with a stingy(3)
1.19 person.
Friend 3. Do you have any far friends?
How close are you to them? /Why
are they close to you? → I have a
2. Do you think you are a good few friends who are studying and
1. What kind of people do you like
friend for others? → Like everyone working abroad. We try to catch up
to make friends with? / What do
else, I do make mistakes once in a with(8) each other once in a while
you think make good friends? →
while (5) but I believe that I have but it isn’t easy. We used to be
Honestly speaking, I would say
tried my best (6)
to be a supportive much closer but now we are
those who take responsibility for(1)
and trustworthy friend who they slowly growing apart(9).
 it.

4. Have you ever contacted your To confide in /kənˈfaɪd ɪn/: tâm sự

(7)

Ví dụ: She’s nice, but I don’t feel I can

friends from primary school?/ confide in her.
How important childhood friends
are? To take responsibility for
(1)

→ Honestly the thought of /rɪˌspɒn.sɪˈbɪl.ə.ti/: chịu trách nhiệm

Ví dụ: I take responsibility for what (8)
To catch up with /kætʃ ʌp wɪð/: bắt kịp
reaching out to(10) my childhood happened. với Ví dụ: Will Western industry ever catch
friends never occurs to me. (2)
To be trustworthy /ˈtrʌstˌwɜː.ði/: đáng tin up with Japanese innovations?
Simply because I think we no cậy Ví dụ: We have a brand that is To grow apart /ɡrəʊ əˈpɑːt/: không còn
(9)

longer share any similar perceived as trustworthy. thân thiết với nhau
interest(11). To me, childhood To be stingy /ˈstɪn.dʒi/: keo kiệt
(3) Ví dụ: There was nobody else involved - we
Ví dụ: The landlords are so stingy - they just grew apart.
friends are like good old
refused to pay for new carpets.
memories that we look back on
occasionally. Not even in a million years: không bao
(4)

giờ
To reach out to /ritʃ aʊt tu/: chủ động
(10)

liên lạc với ai đó

Ví dụ: The Democrats have to reach out to
these people to win this election.
Once in a while /wʌns ɪn ə waɪl/: thỉnh
(5)

thoảng Ví dụ: We meet for lunch once in a (11)To share any similar interest: có cùng sở
while. thích share /ʃeər/: chia sẻ
similar /ˈsɪm.ɪ.lər/: gần giống, tương đồng
(6)
To try my best: cố gắng hết sức
interest /ˈɪn.trəst/: sở thích
Try /traɪ/: cố gắng làm điều gì đó
Ví dụ: Toan and Hoang no longer share any
28 | ZIM Best /best/: tốt nhất
similar interest
Ví dụ: I’m trying my best, but I just can’t do
5. What is the most important thing about dụ: He’s a dog that stays with you through thick-and
thin.
friendship?
→ For me, it would be trust because without To be inseparable /ɪnˈsep.rə.bəl/: không thể tách
(14)

rời Ví dụ: When we were kids Zoe and I were

trust, there will be no friendship. As friends, we inseparable.
must always have each other’s back, even in the
toughest time(12). It is hard for people to go back
to being friends again once losing trust in each
other.

6. Which do you think would be more important

at school: friends or teachers?
→ Well, having great teachers can provide one
with good learning experience and influence,
while friends are those who stay through thick
and thin(13) and create valuable memories
together with you. I would say both are
inseparable(14) parts of a student’s study at
school.

The toughest time: thời điểm khó khăn nhất

(12)

tough /tʌf/: khó để thực hiện hoặc đối phó

time /taɪm/: thời điểm
Ví dụ: The company is going through a toughest time.

To stay through thick and thin /steɪ θruː θɪk ænd

(13)

θɪn/: ủng hộ và ở bên cạnh dù cho có khó khăn gì Ví

 29 | ZIM

1.20 2. Is there any jeans brand you

Jeans prefer? → I must admit that I
would go for any brand whose
products make me feel
3. How often do you wear jeans?
1. Do you wear jeans? / Do you like comfortable in my own skin .
(4)

However, my friend recently gave → On a daily basis(6) I guess. I

wearing jeans, why?
mean, I am sick of formal attire(7)
→ Of course, they are my all-time me a pair of Calvin Klein jeans,
like shirts and trousers that I have
favorite(1) items. I have many pairs which really compliment my body
to wear at work. That’s why I
of jeans in my wardrobe because shape .
(5)

always choose a pair of jeans and

they are very durable(2). Like the
mix and match(8) with a funky
one I am wearing, they haven’t yet
T-shirt to match my personality(9)
stretched out(3) although I have
when I go out.
washed them many times.
 restaurant. in
To be durable /ˈdʒʊə.rə.bəl/: bền
(2)

The machines have to be made of durable

materials.
To be stretched out /stretʃ aʊt/: giãn,
(3)

nhão Ví dụ: He stretched out his legs On a daily basis / ɒn ə ˈdeɪ.li ˈbeɪ.sɪs/:
(6)

hằng ngày Ví dụ: All seedlings were

watered on a daily basis.

Formal attire: trang phục trang trọng

(7)

Formal /ˈfɔː.məl/: trang trọng

Attire /əˈtaɪər/: quần áo mang tính đặc
biệt hoặc trang trọng
To feel comfortable in my own skin: tự
(4)

Ví dụ: I hardly think jeans are formal attire

tin về chính mình
for a wedding.
Skin /skɪn/ : Da
Feel /fiːl/: cảm thấy To mix and match: phối đồ
(8)

30 | ZIM Comfortable /ˈkʌm.fə.tə.bəl/ : Thoải mái Mix /mɪks/: phối hợp

Ví dụ: I wanted to feel comfortable in my Match /mætʃ/: phù hợp, hợp với nhau
own skin Ví dụ: The pieces in my spring collection
were designed to be mixed and matched.
To compliment my body shape: tôn dáng
(5)

Compliment /ˈkɒm.plɪ.mənt/: khen ngợi (9)

To match my personality: phù hợp với
hoặc bày tỏ sự ngưỡng mộ tính cách Personality /ˌpɜː.sənˈæl.ə.ti/: tính
All-time favorite: yêu thích nhất
(1)
Body /ˈbɒd.i/: thân hình cánh
All-time /ˌɔːlˈtaɪm/: nhất Shape /ʃeɪp/: hình dáng Ví dụ: She says, “My style matches my
Favorite /ˈfeɪ.vər.ɪt/: yêu thích Ví dụ: Wear clothes that compliment my personality, which is sarcastic and quiet”.
Ví dụ: This is my an all-time favorite body shape and that you feel comfortable
4. Why do you think jeans are popular in Vietnam?
→ The reason why jeans are popular among the majority of Vietnamese people is because they
are very easy to mix and match. Furthermore, they are also very comfortable to wear and suitable
for the weather in my country.

Mở rộng

Chủ đề tương tự: Color, Clothes

 31 | ZIM
prefer rainy or windy days when
the temperature is much cooler,
as I can’t put up with(3) the terrible
heat from the sun.
To get sunburnt /ˈsʌn.bɜːnt/: bị cháy
(1)

1.21 nắng Ví dụ: When you go out in the hot sun,

Sunshine you should always put sunscreen on your

skin to avoid getting sunburnt.

To be exposed to /ɪkˈspəʊzd/ /tuː/: tiếp

(2)

xúc với Ví dụ: About 800,000 children are

1. Do you like sunshine? 2. What do you do on sunny days?
exposed to poisons each year.
→ No, I don’t. I can get sunburnt(1) To put up with /pʊt ʌp wɪð/: chịu đựng
(3)

very easily if I am exposed to(2) the Ví dụ: He’s so moody - I don’t know why she
sun for long periods of time. I puts up with him.
→ I usually stay indoors because sunny days in Vietnam or other tropical countries are often very
hot. I try not to go out on such days; otherwise, I’ll sweat like a pig.

To speed up skin aging: tăng nhanh quá trình lão

(4)

hóa da
3. Have you ever used sunscreen?
Speed up /ˈspiːd.ʌp/: tăng tốc
→ I certainly do, on a daily basis. Scientifically Skin /skɪn/: da
speaking, ultraviolet rays from the sun can Aging /ˈeɪ.dʒɪŋ/: sự lão hóa
Ví dụ: Try to avoid foods high in saturated fats since
speed up skin aging(4), which makes us look less
these foods can speed up your skin aging.
attractive or even makes us more prone to skin
To be prone to skin cancer: dễ bị ung thư da
(5)
cancer(5). That’s why I wouldn’t leave the house
Prone /prəʊn/ to: dễ bị bệnh
without putting on sunscreen. Cancer /ˈkæn.sər/: ưng thư
Ví dụ: If my doctor says I am prone to skin cancer, I
lather in sunblock and enjoy the beach from the shade
of an umbrella.

32 | ZIM

1.22

Trust

1. Who do you trust the most?

→ The one that springs to mind(1) is my mother. She was my very first best friend in life and
always had my back(2). Throughout the ups and downs(3) of my life, my mother has always
stood by my side, and given me support whenever I needed.
 2. Have you ever lost trust in someone? → Yes, my best friend Jack, who used to be my
closest confidant(4) until I saw him getting intimate with(5) my crush, even though he knew
that had deep affection(6) for her. Then, we drifted apart(7) and our friendship came to a
halt(8). After that, I find it really hard to open up(9) and confide in(10) anybody.
To spring to mind /sprɪŋ tə maɪnd/: hiện lên đầu tiên trong đầu
(1)

Ví dụ: Say the word “Australia” and a vision of beaches and blue seas immediately springs to mind.

To have my back /hæv maɪ bæk/: ở bên cạnh giúp đỡ Ví dụ: I know my teammates have my back.
(2)

Ups and downs /ˌʌps ən ˈdaʊnz/: thăng trầm trong cuộc sống
(3)

Ví dụ: Like most married couples we’ve had our ups and downs, but life’s like that.

My closest confidant: bạn thân nhất

(4)

Close /kləʊs/: thân thiết

Confidant /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dænt/: người mà bạn có thể chia sẻ cảm xúc, bí mật; người bạn tâm giao.
Ví dụ: Mira is a my closest confidant.

To get intimate with /ɡet ˈɪn.tɪ.mət wɪð/ : thân mật với

(5)

Ví dụ: You can see I get intimate with my subject matter

To have deep affection: có tình cảm sâu đậm Deep /diːp/: sâu đậm
(6)

Affection /əˈfek.ʃən/: tình cảm

Ví dụ: I’ve avoided getting intimate with girls, so my early relationships were pretty fraught

To drift apart /drɪft əˈpɑːt /: dần không còn chơi thân với nhau
(7)

Ví dụ: Ms. Iversen and her siblings drift apart.

To come to a halt: đi đến kết thúc

(8)

Come /kʌm/: đi
Halt /hɒlt/: nơi tạm dừng
Ví dụ: Everything would immediately come to a halt
To open up /ˈəʊ.pən ʌp/: mở lòng
(9)

Ví dụ: I’ve never opened up to anyone like I do to you.

(10)
To confide in /kənˈfaɪd ɪn/: tâm sự
Ví dụ: She’s nice, but I don’t feel I can confide in her. 33 | ZIM

3. What kind of people do you trust? → I guess and willing to help us wholeheartedly(12). You
only our family members are trustworthy(11) know, after being betrayed by my best friend, I
 kind of lose faith in humanity(13). I am always
To be trustworthy /ˈtrʌstˌwɜː.ði/: đáng tin cậy Ví
(11)

afraid that when I confide in some, he or she dụ: We have a brand that is perceived as trustworthy.
may go behind my back(14).
Wholeheartedly /ˌhəʊlˈhɑː.tɪd.li/: toàn tâm toàn ý
(12)

Ví dụ: I hear what you say and I wholeheartedly

agree.

To lose faith in humanity: mất niềm tin vào con

(13)

người
Lose /luːz/: đánh mất
Faith (in) /feɪθ/: sự tin tưởng lớn, tự tin về một ai đó,
điều gì đó.
Humanity /hjuːˈmæn.ə.ti/: nhân loại, loài
người Ví dụ: You must not lose faith in
humanity.
4. Do you trust Artificial Intelligence (AI)? →
To go behind my back /ɡəʊ bɪˈhaɪnd maɪ bæk/: làm
(14)

For now, it would be a yes. As long as there chuyện lén sau lưng
are regulations to limit(15) AI to a certain Ví dụ: I can’t believe you went behind my back and
capacity, I believe that AI would contribute(16) gossiped about me!

greatly to the development of every society.

To limit /ˈlɪm.ɪt/: giới hạn

(15)

Ví dụ: I’ve been asked to limit my speech to ten

minutes maximum.

To contribute /kənˈtrɪb.juːt/: đóng góp

(16)

Ví dụ: She contributes to several magazines.

34 | ZIM
→ I am a huge fan of romance and
The Notebook is definitely my
number one choice(1) when it
comes to classic(3) romance
1.23
movies. Although the motif(2) of a
tragic love story isn’t new, the
Movies movie is still a masterpiece(4) to
me. 2. Do your friends like this movie?
→ Unlike me, most of my friends
1. Which movies do you like?
say this is such a cliché(5) movie Cameras /ˈkæm.rə/: máy ảnh
and therefore, would rather spend Ví dụ: He has a fear of cameras
their time watching horror movies,
which gives them real thrills(6).

1.24

3. Do you want to be a movie star? Travelling

→ Not at all. Becoming a celebrity
means you have to expose your
private life(7) to the rest of the 1. Do you like travelling?
world, and sharing has never been → I must admit I’m a travel lover(1)
my thing(8). Besides, I have a fear and travelling to a new country is
of cameras(9), which means I could always on top of my to do list
never become an actor/ actress. every year. Travelling helps me
broaden my horizons(2) and blow
off some steam(3) after
strenuous(4) working days.

My number one choice: lựa chọn hàng

(1)

đầu của tôi Number one /nʌm.bə ˈwʌn/:

hàng đầu
Choice /tʃɔɪs/: lựa chọn
Ví dụ: Iphone is always my number one
choice.
Motif /məʊˈtiːf/: mô-típ
(2)

Ví dụ: The motif of betrayal is crucial in all

these stories.
2. How many cities have you
Classic /ˈklæs.ɪk/: kinh điển
(3)
travelled to?
Ví dụ: I’ve always enjoyed reading classic
novels.
Masterpiece /ˈmɑː.stə.piːs/: tuyệt tác
(4)

Ví dụ: Leonardo’s “Last Supper” is widely

regarded as a masterpiece.
A travel lover /ˈtræv.əl ˈlʌv.ər/ : người yêu
(1)

thích du lịch
Ví dụ: Travel-lovers need to keep living fully

To broaden my horizons /ˈbrɔː.dən maɪ

(2)

həˈraɪ.zən/ : mở rộng tầm hiểu biết

Cliché /ˈkliː.ʃeɪ/: rập khuôn
(5)
Ví dụ: When I went to university I wanted to
Ví dụ: The story is shamelessly corny, and
broaden my horizons.
grownups will groan at its clichés.
To blow off some steam /bləʊ ɒf sʌm
(3)
To give them real thrills / ɡɪv ðem rɪəl
(6)
stiːm/ : thư giãn
θrɪls/: cho họ sự phấn khởi
Ví dụ: To blow off some steam, they took
archery lessons together.

To be strenuous /ˈstren.ju.əs/ : kiệt quệ về

(4)

thể chất lẫn tinh thần

To expose your private life: phơi bày đời
(7)

Ví dụ: His doctor advised him not to do any

sống cá nhân
strenuous exercise
Expose /ɪkˈspəʊz/: phơi bày
Private /ˈpraɪ.vət/: mang tính cá nhân,
riêng tư Life /laɪf/: cuộc sống, đời sống
Ví dụ: You shouldn’t expose your private life
on Facebook
To share has never been my thing: chia
(8)

sẻ không phải việc tôi thường làm

Share /ʃeər/: chia sẻ
Ví dụ: not (one’s) thing: không phải thứ mà
một người thích hoặc giỏi. 35 | ZIM
A fear of cameras: nỗi sợ đứng trước
(9)

máy ảnh Fear /fɪər/: nỗi sợ

 → Probably 6. Last year, during my winter break, I had a chance to travel with a group of my best
friends and visited the Northern region of my country. We are also planning to travel overseas
next month.

3. What kind of cities do you like to travel to? → All year round /ɔːl jɪər raʊnd/: quanh năm
(5)

Since HCMC is usually hot and humid all year Ví dụ: The venue shows movies all year
round.
round(5), I would love to visit cities that have cool
To get away from the hustle and bustle: rời xa khỏi
(6)
weather like Da Lat or Sa Pa. Additionally, I also
sự ồn ào và tấp nập
want to get away from the hustle and bustle(6) of Hustle /ˈhʌs.əl/ : Hối hả
the city life, so anywhere which gives me a Bustle /ˈbʌs.əl/ : Nhộn nhịp
sense of tranquility(7) would be my kind of city to Ví dụ: We both have busy lives and it’s good to get
away from the hustle and bustle.
visit.
A sense of tranquility: cảm giác yên bình
(7)

Sense /sens/ : cảm giác

Tranquility /træŋˈkwɪl.ə.ti/ ̬ : Sự yên bình
Ví dụ: I love the sense of tranquility in my hometown.

4. What is the place that left you the deepest

impression when travelling? Picturesque scenery ˈsi .n r.i/: phong cảnh đẹp như
(8)

→ Honestly speaking, it is Sapa. The city has tranh vẽ

Scenery /ˈsiː.nər.i/ : phong cảnh
its unique charm and picturesque scenery(8) that
Picturesque /ˌpɪk.tʃərˈesk/: đẹp như tranh vẽ Ví dụ:
takes my breath away(9) just by looking at the The countryside in this region is very picturesque
photos I took during the trip. This place is scenery.
definitely worth visiting(10) and words alone are To take my breath away (idiom): làm tôi choáng
(9)

not enough to describe its beauty. ngợp

Ví dụ: The beauty of the Taj Mahal took my breath away

To be worth visiting: đáng tham quan

(10)

Visit /ˈvɪz.ɪt/ : Tham quan

Worth /wɜːθ/: đáng giá
Ví dụ: Two other sites are eminently worth visiting.

36 | ZIM
→ Like I have mentioned, pretty
much whenever I need to chill out
after strenuous(3) working hours.
Besides, I love to indulge in a Mở rộng
1.25
soothing ballad(4) on my way to
work. Trả lời câu hỏi liên quan tới
Music Spending money • Have you
reduced your spending recently?

1. Do you like music? What kinds

of music do you like to listen to?
→ Definitely. I always listen to 3. Have you ever been to a concert
music in my leisure time to relax before? → As much as I love (1)
To let myself loose: thư giãn cơ thể
and let myself loose(1). Pop music music, I haven’t had a chance to Loose /luːs/ : thả lỏng
is my top choice when I need to Ví dụ: I couldn’t let myself loose.
attend a concert because the
recharge my energy and my tickets to my favorite singer’s
(2)
All-time favorite: thích nhất mọi thời đại
all-time favorite(2) album is Red by Favorite /ˈfeɪ.vər.ɪt/ : yêu thích
concert usually cost a fortune . (5)
Ví dụ: It’s my all-time favorite guitar.
Taylor Swift. Since I am a student and always
on a tight budget(6), I certainly
2. When do you listen to music? cannot afford a ticket.
 chìm vào bản nhạc ballad êm dịu nhiều tiền Ví dụ: The movie cost a fortune
Indulge /ɪnˈdʌldʒ/ : Thưởng thức and flopped.
Soothing /ˈsuː.ðɪŋ/ : Êm dịu (6)
To be on a tight budget: ngân sách eo
Ví dụ: I usually indulge in a soothing ballad
hẹp Tight /taɪt/ : eo hẹp
(3)
To be strenuous /ˈstren.ju.əs/: kiệt quệ về in evening.
Budget /ˈbʌdʒ.ɪt/: ngân sách
thể chất lẫn tinh thần
Ví dụ: I’m on a tight budget, no wiggle room
Ví dụ: His doctor advised him not to do any
strenuous exercise

To indulge in a soothing ballad: đắm

(4) to cost a fortune /kɒst ə ˈfɔː.tʃuːn/: tốn
(5)

I would say yes. I recently just bought a new laptop, which cost me a fortune; therefore, I am on
a tight budget so as to have enough money to pay for other expenses.

37 | ZIM
Walking

1. Do you walk a lot?

→ I’m afraid not. I normally travel around by my motorbike since my workplace and my school are
1.26
not really near my house. Though I know walking regularly can do wonders for our health, I am still
too lazy to step out of my house and go for a walk.

2. Do you think people often take more than in

the past? learn to balance between work and life(3), it
→ I don’t think so. There are tons of different would be hard for them to spare any time(4) for
means of transport(1) to assist people in walking. Besides, people nowadays would prefer
travelling these days, so there is no point in staying indoors and going to the gym than going
walking anywhere. That’s not to mention people for a walk.
nowadays have such a tight schedule(2) that they
hardly have any leisure time for such physical
activity.

Mở rộng
Means of transport /miːnz əv ˈtræn.spɔːt/: phương
(1)

3. Do you think people will take a walk more tiện giao thông
often or not? Ví dụ: The means of transport was oddly appropriate

→ Probably no. Like I have said, unless people A tight schedule: lịch trình dày đặc
(2)
 Schedule /ˈʃedʒ.uːl/ : lịch trình Life /laɪf/ : cuộc sống
Tight /taɪt/ : eo hẹp Ví dụ: the balance between work and life has become
Ví dụ: We had a tight schedule. central to progressive family policy.

To spare any time /speər ˈen.i taɪm/ : dành thời gian

(4)

làm việc gì
Ví dụ: I could not spare any time for work.

To balance between work and life: cân bằng giữa

(3)

công việc và cuộc sống

Balance /ˈbæl.əns/ : Cân bằng
Work /wɜːk/ : công việc

Chủ đề tương tự của “Walking”: Sports, Travelling.

Sports
• How often do you play sports?
→ Although playing sports can do wonders for my health, I am too lazy to step out of my
house to do any.
Travelling
• Do you prefer to travel alone or with other people?
→ Yes: an extrovert → having a travelling companion is fascinating → travelling and chatting
can be an enjoyable experience.

38 | ZIM
→ Absolutely. I think napping is a
4. How have your sleeping habits
great way to recharge my
changed since you were young?
batteries(2) and refresh my mind(3).
→ Well, when I was younger, I slept
For me, taking a nap at noon is like
like a log(6). My parents always
hitting the restart button(4) in my
1.27 had a hard time waking me up.
brain.
Sleep However, due to stress, I suffer
from insomnia(7) and can hardly
fall asleep at night.
1. How much sleep do you need
every day? → I have to admit that I
haven’t been sleeping much Mở rộng
recently, just about 5 hours a day.
I’m currently working and studying Các chủ đề tương tự: Dream
3. Do you like to read before bed?
at the same time, so I have to deal
→ I would say no. I usually feel
with tons of schoolwork as well as
exhausted(5) at night and working
the overwhelming workload(1) at my
all day leaves me no energy left to
workplace. And, as a result, this
read. My nighttime routine overwhelming workload: quá tải công
(1)
does not allow me to have much
includes cleaning myself up, việc Overwhelming /ˌəʊ.vəˈwel.mɪŋ/: quá
time to sleep in a day. tải
changing into my pajamas and
Workload /ˈwɜːk.ləʊd/: khối lượng công
2. Do you take naps at noon? going straight to bed. việc Ví dụ: There’d be so much work, an
overwhelming workload, but we liked it Refresh /rɪˈfreʃ/ : thư giãn
when it was busy. Mind /maɪnd/ : tâm trí, đầu óc
Ví dụ: I will take a couple weeks off to
refresh my mind and body

To hit the restart button: khởi động lại

(4)

đầu óc Ví dụ: Hit the restart button and find (6)To sleep like a log: ngủ rất say
your thing that gives you joy every day Log /lɒɡ/ : Khúc gỗ
Ví dụ: I went to bed early and slept like a
To recharge your batteries (idiom)
(2)
log.
/ˌriːˈtʃɑːdʒ/ /jɔːr/ / ˈbæt.ər.i/: nạp năng
lượng (5)
To be exhausted /ɪɡˈzɔː.stɪd/: kiệt sức
(7)
Insomnia /ɪnˈsɒm.ni.ə/: mất ngủ
Ví dụ: She took a trip to the South of France Ví dụ: By the time they reached the summit Ví dụ: Holly suffered from insomnia caused
to recharge her batteries. they were exhausted. by stress at work.

To refresh my mind: thư giãn đầu óc

(3)

Đây là 2 topic đều liên quan đến giấc ngủ nên có 2 cách trả lời chung. Tôi ngủ say, sâu và
không hay mơ hoặc tôi thường ngủ không yên và hay nhớ được các giấc mơ. Đây là 2 cách
diễn đạt ý:

39 | ZIM
• I often sleep very deeply.
• I often have uneasy sleep and I usually remember my dreams when I wake up. How many
hours do you sleep every day?
8 hours → I often sleep very deeply.
Do you often remember your dreams?
Yes → I often have uneasy sleep and I usually remember my dreams when I wake up. 40 |
ZIM

1.28

Cooking
1. Do you like cooking?
→ Of course I love cooking. I have a passion for(1) cooking because I can prepare
home-cooked food(2), which is much safer and healthier than processed food(3). Besides,
cooking is a great way to relax as well as show affection to your loved ones.

2. Is it difficult for you to cook Vietnamese food?

→ Not really. Since I was born and raised here, I’m very familiar with the main ingredients in
most Vietnamese dishes and how to season(4) them. I did have some difficulty learning how
to use kitchen equipment(5) at first, but not learning how to prepare Vietnamese food.

3. Do you want to learn how to cook? → Certainly, since cooking is considered as a survival
skill(6) that everyone should learn. Ever since I was a little girl, spending time in the kitchen
helping my mother’s cooking has been a great interest of mine.

4. Did you learn to cook when you were a child? / Who taught you how to cook?
→ Actually no. My parents were always occupied with work(7), so cooking, let alone teaching
me to cook, was nearly impossible for them. However, I used to spend a lot of time at my
grandparents’ house during summer so I got to learn how to prepare some simple meals
myself from my grandmother.
To have a passion for: có niềm đam mê với cái gì đó Ví dụ: Anton has a passion for science fiction.
(1)

Home-cooked food: đồ ăn tự nấu

(2)

Cook /kʊk/ : nấu ăn

Ví dụ: At university you have no home-cooked food.

Processed food: đồ ăn đã qua chế biến Processed /ˈprəʊ.sest/ : được chế biến
(3)

Food /fuːd/ : thức ăn

Ví dụ: He didn’t smoke or drink or eat processed food

Season (verb) /ˈsiː.zən/: nêm gia vị

(4)

Ví dụ: Offer seasonings on the side, so that each person can season the meal to taste.

Kitchen equipment: dụng cụ nhà bếp

(5)

A survival skill: kỹ năng sống còn

(6)

Survival /səˈvaɪ.vəl/ : Sự sống con

Skill /skɪl/ : kỹ năng
Ví dụ: It’s a survival skill they’ve developed over millennia.

To be occupied with work: bận rộn với công việc Occupied /ˈɑk·jəˌpɑɪd/ : bận rộn
(7)
 Ví dụ: Organized sports can keep teenagers occupied. 41 | ZIM

5. Do you think baking is a healthy method of

cooking? Cách chủ đề tương tự : Hobby, Food.
→ As far as I’m concerned, it is! Baked dishes To be greasy /ˈɡriː.si/ : có nhiều dầu mỡ
(8)

are usually not greasy(8). But it takes a lot of Ví dụ: These French fries are too greasy.
time to bake so not many families in my country
prefer this method of cooking.

6. Do you prefer eating home cooked meals or

eating out?
→ Honestly it depends. There’s no doubt that To be hygienic /haɪˈdʒiː.nɪk/ : vệ sinh
(9)

food at restaurants is less hygienic(9) than home Ví dụ: It isn’t hygienic to let animals sit on the dining
table.
cooked food but we don’t know what kind of
ingredients they put in. But on special occasions A nice change of atmosphere: đổi gió
(10)

Change /tʃeɪndʒ/ : thay đổi

or lazy days, I would definitely dine out to save
Atmosphere /ˈæt.mə.sfɪər/ : Không khí
time clearing up as well as enjoying a nice Ví dụ: All we want is a nice change of atmosphere.
change of atmosphere(10).

Mở rộng

Food: Do you usually eat out? Yes → don’t have to clear up and wash dishes. Hobby: What do
you like to do in your leisure time? Cooking → a survival skill and interesting hobby →
decompress
 42 | ZIM
Drink water

1. How often do you drink water?

→ I drink a lot of water every day. Probably between 2-3 litres a day, depending on how hot it is, or
1.29
how much exercise I have done on that day.

2. Do you drink bottled water or water from

water machines? / What kinds of water do you
like to drink?
→ As a matter of fact, unfortunately tap water is 1. Why do people go fishing?
To be harmful to your health: gây hại cho sức khỏe
full of chemicals that are harmful to your health, Harmful /ˈhɑːm.fəl/ (adj) : gây hại
so I never drink it. I only drink filtered water that Ví dụ: Some diets that may help you lose weight may
comes in big plastic containers, which has been be harmful to your health over time

purified so it is much more hygienic.

Fish
 → Well, the reason that springs to mind is that people could blow off some steam and get away
1.30
from the hustle and bustle of the city by going fishing in the countryside.

2. Do you like eating fish?

dưỡng
→ Certainly yes! It is a nutrient-rich(1) food for a
Ví dụ: Pregnant women especially need nutrient-rich
healthy diet(2). One of the best ways to cook fish food
is to braise it with chilly.
A healthy diet: chế độ ăn lành mạnh
(2)

Healthy /ˈhel.θi/ : lành mạnh

Diet /ˈdaɪ.ət/ : chế độ ăn
Ví dụ: We discussed a healthy diet and exercise.

3. Where can you see fish?

To be nutrient-rich /ˈnjuː.tri.ənt/ /rɪtʃ/ : giàu dinh
(1)

→ Pretty much at every river, lake in parks or the ocean. Besides, fish are sold in most markets
and supermarkets in the city.

43 | ZIM
younger as I could not stand
strong fragrance(1). But as I grew
older, I realised that a girl should
have something called a
2. What kind of perfume do you
“signature scent”(2). That’s the like?
1.31
reason why I started to use → I’m the type that prefers a light
Perfume perfume on a daily basis.
fragrance(3) than a strong scent. I
really love the delicate and sweet
fragrance of flowers, especially
1. Do you use perfume?
roses and lilies.
→ I used to hate it a lot when I was
 thơm Ví dụ: The delicate fragrance of
roses
3. What does perfume mean to
you?
→ You know, whenever I put on
some perfume, the pleasant
fragrance makes me feel really (4)
To leave a deep impression on: để lại ấn
good and more attractive. Besides, tượng sâu sắc
using perfume that suits your Deep /diːp/ : Sâu 3. How do you keep your photos?
Impression /ɪmˈpreʃ.ən/: ấn tượng
personality can leave a deep → I keep most of them on Google
Ví dụ: I ended up going to one Friday
impression(4) on the people around protest, which left a deep impression on Photos, a cloud-based image
you. me. storage service, so I could take a
look at them whenever I want. I
have also printed and framed(7) a
4. Do you give perfume as a gift? few of my favorite photos and
→ I do, but only to my closed ones Pricey /ˈpraɪ.si/: mắc tiền
(5)
hung them in my bedroom. Well,
because a bottle of perfume can Ví dụ: It’s a bit pricey but the food is
wonderful. they aren’t masterpieces or
be quite pricey(5) so I do not want anything but they really evoke(8)
to waste my money on such an good memories when I look at
expensive gift for someone who I them.
barely understand. On top of that,
choosing the right scent for the
receiver can be a very challenging 1.32
task. Photos/Pictures
To have a lifelong passion: đam mê dài
(1)

lâu Lifelong /ˈlaɪf.lɒŋ/ : suốt đời

Passion /ˈpæʃ.ən/ : đam mê
1. Do you like to take photos?/
Ví dụ: John also had a lifelong passion for
How often do you take photos? / the outdoors
In what situations do you take (2)
To enhance my creativity: nâng cao sức
photos? sáng tạo Enhance /ɪnˈhɑːns/ : nâng cao
→ All the time, actually. I have a Creativity /ˌkriː.eɪˈtɪv.ə.ti/ : Sự sáng tạo
Ví dụ: Different people find different
lifelong passion(1) for photography,
strategies to enhance their creativity
not like selfies but pictures of
different scenery. I guess it can
really help enhance my
creativity(2). I take pictures of (3)
Behind the camera: đứng đằng sau
almost everywhere I go and camera ( người chụp hình)
Behind /bɪˈhaɪnd/: đằng sau
44 | ZIM whenever I feel like it.
Ví dụ: My brother sitting behind the
camera.
To capture moments: chụp lại các
(4)

2. Do you prefer to take photos khoảnh khắc Capture /ˈkæp.tʃər/ : bắt lấy
Moments /ˈməʊ.mənt/ : Khoảnh khắc
yourself or to have other people
Ví dụ: The app allows you to capture
(1)
Strong fragrance /strɒŋ/ /ˈfreɪ.ɡrəns/ : take photos for you? → Both I moments in video.
mùi hương nồng/ mãnh liệt think. I am usually the one behind (5)Modelling /ˈmɒd.əl.ɪŋ/: làm người mẫu/
Ví dụ: These doses were chosen because
the camera(3) on every trip I have làm mẫu Ví dụ: Ashley’s always wanted to
of the strong fragrance of the essential oil.
with my friends and my family go into modelling.
(2)
Signature scent: mùi thơm đặc trưng
because I enjoy capturing (6)
To strike great poses: tạo dáng đẹp ( để
Signature /ˈsɪɡ.nə.tʃər/ : đặc trưng
moments of my loved ones. But I
(4) chụp hình) Poses /pəʊz/ : tư thế
Scent /sent/ : mùi thơm
Ví dụ: The cute Beckham boys strike great
Ví dụ: Each suite has its own signature also like modelling(5) in front of poses.
scent
cameras and can strike great
poses(6)!

A light fragrance : mùi thơm nhẹ nhàng

(3) To be framed /freɪmd/: đóng khung
(7)

Fragrance /ˈfreɪ.ɡrəns/: mùi hương, mùi Ví dụ: All the screens will be framed in dark
wood.
To evoke /ɪˈvəʊk/ : gợi nhớ
(8)

Ví dụ: That smell always evokes memories

of my old school. Mở rộng

1.33

Colours
To go for: chọn
(1)

Ví dụ: I’d go for bread.

1. Do you like dark colours?
→ Absolutely! I always go for(1) To catch my attention: thu hút sự chú ý
(2)

của tôi Attention /əˈten.ʃən/: sự chú ý

dark-colored items, from the Ví dụ: Two of the specimens catch my
clothes I wear to the phone I use. attention.
There isn’t any particular reason
why I’m into dark colours,
especially black; they simply catch
my attention(2) whenever I go (3)
To have a preference for: yêu thích ...hơn
Preference /ˈpref.ər.əns/: sự yêu thích
shopping.
Ví dụ: We have a preference for a
comprehensive, mar ket-based approach to
addressing climate change.
2. What’s your favorite colour?
→ When I was growing up, I guess
blue was my favourite colour. I
don’t know why, but I always really
liked things that were dark blue.
These days though, I tend to have
(4)
To boost my confidence: nâng cao sự tự
a preference for(3) things that are
tin Boost /buːst/: thúc đẩy
green. So I suppose green and Confidence /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/: sự tự tin
blue are the colours that I like Ví dụ: I did not need the goal to boost my
confidence, my confidence was already
most
there

To lift my mood up: làm tâm trạng tôi tốt

(5)

3. Do you usually wear clothes in lên Mood /muːd/: tâm trạng

your favorite colour? Ví dụ: The memories have suddenly lifted
my mood.
→ I surely do because wearing
them would boost my
confidence(4) and lift my mood
up(5). I wouldn’t put on anything To be feminine /ˈfem.ɪ.nɪn/: nữ tính
(6)

that isn’t in my favourite colour Ví dụ: Her clothes are always very feminine

despite how gorgeous the items To be unappealing /ˌʌn.əˈpiː.lɪŋ/: kém

(7)

hấp dẫn Ví dụ: Life for people working late,

are.
irregular hours is expensive, difficult and
unappealing.

4. Are there any colours you

dislike?
→ I would never, not even in a
million years, put on any pink
item. The color pink is too
feminine(6) and unappealing(7) to
me and I would definitely feel
uncomfortable wearing pink
clothes when going out.

45 | ZIM
 Các chủ đề tương tự: Clothes, Shoes, Sunglasses.
Một câu hỏi đặc trưng của những chủ đề này đó là: “What type of clothes/ shoes/
sunglasses do you often buy?” Các ý tưởng về chủ đề Colors trong những câu trả lời mẫu ở
trên có thể được dùng để trả lời dạng câu hỏi này:
Ví dụ: What kind of clothes do you often buy?
I like buying clothes that are comfortable, not necessarily fashionable. More importantly,
I always choose dark-colored clothes, like blue because it compliments my skin tone.

46 | ZIM
other people apart from my
friends.

To be naturally funny: vui tính bẩm sinh

(2)

3. Do you think it is important to Naturally /ˈnætʃ.ər.əl.i/: Tự nhiên

1.34 Funny /ˈfʌn.i/: vui tính
laugh with friends?
Laughter → Sure! I think laughter is really
Ví dụ: I’m not a naturally funny person.
(3)
To crack a joke (idiom)/kræk/ /ə/
important, as it can bring friends
/dʒəʊk/ : nói đùa Ví dụ: I cracked a few
closer together and strengthen jokes to try to cheer everyone up.
1. Do you usually make your their friendship. Besides, having a
friends laugh? → I do try to make good laugh with our best friends
my friends laugh at times when is a good way to relieve stress
we are talking. However, I don’t after a stressful day. (4)
To strengthen a friendship: củng cố mối
think I have a very good sense of quan hệ bạn bè
humor. There have been many Strengthen /ˈstreŋ.θən/ : củng cố
Friendship /ˈfrend.ʃɪp/: tình bạn
times when I tried to make some Ví dụ: Any passionate area of interest can
jokes but failed miserably. strengthen the friendship.

To have a good sense of humor: có

(1) To bring friends closer together: đem
(5)

2. Are you the kind of person who khiếu hài hước Good /ɡʊd/: Tốt bạn bè đến gần nhau hơn
Sense /sens/: Giác quan Bring /brɪŋ/ : mang
makes people laugh?
Humor /ˈhjuː.mər/: Hài hước Friends /frends/ : bạn bè
→ Definitely not! As I mentioned, Ví dụ: You’d better have a good sense of Closer /kləʊz/ : gần hơn
I’m not naturally funny, so I’m not humor Together /təˈɡeð.ər/: cùng nhau
Ví dụ: We wanted to bring friends closer
confident enough to crack jokes together.
and tell funny stories in front of

4. Do you like to watch movies or TV shows that make people laugh?

→I don’t watch TV much these days and I don’t have time for a full-length movie. Therefore, I just
watch short funny videos on Youtube and TikTok, a Chinese video platform, or look at some
memes on the Internet.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề sharing things:

→ I don’t mind sharing things, as I believe that it is a good way to bring people closer to
gether and strengthen relationships.
 Hoặc áp dụng khi mô tả một người trong part 2
→ I really enjoy talking to Nam since he has a very good sense of humor. He often cracks
jokes that make me burst out laughing.

47 | ZIM
khỏe tốt Maintain /meɪnˈteɪn/: duy trì
Good /ɡʊd/: Tốt
Health /helθ/: khỏe tốt
Ví dụ: I try to do everything I can possibly
do to main tain good health

Full body workout: bài tập thể dục toàn

(2)

1.35 thân Full body /fʊl/ /ˈbɒd.i/ : Toàn thân

Running Workout /ˈwɜː.kaʊt/: Bài thể dục

Ví dụ: We encompass a full body workout
in every class
To get rid of the negative thoughts: loại
(3)

1. Do you like running? bỏ những suy nghĩ tiêu cực

→ I love it. Running is a good full Rid /rɪd/: thoát khỏi
Negative /ˈneɡ.ə.tɪv/: tiêu cực
body workout that helps me to Thought /θɔːt/: suy nghĩ
keep fit and maintain good health. 2. How often do you do running Ví dụ: We have to get rid of the negative
exercise? thoughts and go again
Also, while running, I can easily get
rid of the negative thoughts in my
mind.

To maintain good health: duy trì sức

(1)

→ I run on a daily basis. Every morning, I go out for a short run in a park near my house. This
activity helps me prepare for a productive day at work.

3. Where do you usually go for running?

→ As I mentioned, I often do a short run every morning in a park near my house. It is an airy and
lovely park with a lake, large old trees and pleasant pathways lined with flowers.

4. Do you have long-distance running?

→ No, I have never due to my low stamina.
The longest distance I’ve ever run is around 5. Do you like watching a running race on
3 miles, and I don’t think I can endure more TV? Why?
Stamina /ˈstæm.ɪ.nə/ : sức bền
(4)

than that. Ví dụ: The triathlon is a great test of stamina.

→ To be honest, I don’t even know that such programs exist. Besides, I don’t have much time for
watching TV these days, so my answer is no.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề liên quan đến thể thao/ vận động: swimming,
walking, sports
 → Swimming is a good full body workout that helps me to keep fit and maintain good
health. Also, while immersing myself in the cool water, I can easily get rid of the negative
thoughts in my mind.
→ Some physically demanding sports, such as football or basketball, are not suitable for
people with low stamina.

48 | ZIM
Pen and Pencil

1. Do you usually use a pen or pencil for writing?

→ I use them both. I often use pencils to take notes or to draft my essays and then use pens to
1.36
correct my mistakes and highlight important points.

2. Which do you prefer to use, pen or pencils?

→ I prefer using pencils to pens because with pencils, I can easily erase the mistakes I’ve made.
Besides, pencils are much cheaper than pens. In Vietnam, the price of a pen is usually double that
of a pencil.

3. If someone gave you some pens or pencils,

To be delighted /dɪˈlaɪ.tɪd/: vui, hạnh phúc
(1)
how would you feel?
Ví dụ: Pat was delighted with her new
→ I would be really happy if someone gave me house.
either pens or pencils. Of course we all feel
delighted when receiving presents from others.
Also, I just keep losing my pens and pencils all
the time, so I always need new ones.

4. When was the last time you bought some

pens or pencils?
To be well-made /wel/ /meɪd/: được sản xuất với
(2)

→ I just bought a new pencil last week. I really chất lượng tốt
like pencils, and I have a collection of Ví dụ: It’s a very well-made film
Japanese pencils which are really well-made. Without hesitation: không ngần ngại
(3)

Last week, my favorite brand released a new Without /wɪˈðaʊt/: không có

Hesitation /ˌhez.ɪˈteɪ.ʃən/ : Sự ngần ngại Ví dụ:
pencil, and I bought it without hesitation.
She answered questions without hesitation

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng khi mô tả một người trong part 2
→ I’m absolutely delighted to have a friend like Anna. She is a kind-hearted person who
often helps other people without hesitation.
Hoặc dùng để mô tả đồ vật, hàng hóa:
 → I really like clothes from that brand. They are affordable but really well-made. 49 | ZIM

breaks work better for(3) me.

While short breaks refresh me,
long breaks sometimes make me
more procrastinate(2) and
therefore reduce productivity. (1)
To take my eyes off something: rời mắt
1.37 khỏi Ví dụ: I didn’t take my eyes off him.
Break
3. Do you think having a break is
important for you?
1. How often do you take a break → Of course it is. Taking a break
when you are studying or helps me to unwind, which is key
working? to having a higher level of (2)
To procrastinate /prəˈkræs.tɪ.neɪt/ : trì
→ When I’m working, I often take concentration and productivity hoãn Ví dụ: When it comes to housework, I
a short break every 90 minutes. when I get back to work. Without tend to procras tinate.
During my 10-minute breaks, I a break, I will have a hard time(4) (3)To work for somebody: hiệu quả đối với
often take my eyes off(1) the being productive. Ví dụ: Outsourcing doesn’t work for me.

screen, walk around my office

and drink water.
Mở rộng
To have a hard time doing something:
(4)

2. Do you prefer to have a long or gặp khó khăn khi làm việc gì
short break? → I think short Ví dụ: I have a hard time acting fear.

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng có các chủ đề: concentration, music → Without music, I
may have a hard time focusing on my work.
→ Some people think that listening to music while working is distracting, but it works for
me.
 → There were times when I kept procrastinating and therefore missed my deadlines. 50 |

ZIM

enjoy the panoramic(2) view of Ho

Chi Minh city.

2. Do you think people enjoy

taking pictures of beautiful To be breathtaking /ˈbreθˌteɪ.kɪŋ/ :
(1)

1.38 choáng ngợp Ví dụ: The view from the top

scenery? Why?
Scenery of the mountain is breath taking.
→ I think a lot of people love doing(2)
To be panoramic /ˌpæn.ərˈæm.ɪk/: toàn
so because they don’t often have cảnh Ví dụ: A wonderful panoramic view of
the opportunity to enjoy it. the countryside
1. Is there good scenery in your
Besides, there are some rare
hometown? → There are a lot of
occasions, for example a big
beautiful views in Ho Chi Minh
cloud shaped like a phoenix. And
city, but my favorite one is the
people take photos to capture
breathtaking(1) view of the whole
these moments(3) so that they can (3)To capture moments: bắt khoảnh khắc
city from the observation sky Capture /ˈkæp.tʃər/: bắt lấy
enjoy them later.
desk on the 49th floor of Bitexco Moments /ˈməʊ.mənt/: Khoảnh khắc
Ví dụ: The app allows you to capture
Tower. From this skydeck, we can
moments in video
 3. When you travel, do you like to stay in hotels with scenic views?
→ Yes, I do. One of the main purposes of travelling is to enjoy the beautiful scenery of different
places, and it’s great if you can enjoy, for example, a breathtaking sea view right from your room.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể dùng cho chủ đề photograph

→ The reason why people take photos is that they want to capture memorable moments to
enjoy these moments later.
Hoặc dùng khi mô tả cảnh trong một chuyến đi
→ When we reached the top of the hill, we could enjoy the panoramic view of Da Lat city. It
was truly breathtaking.

51 | ZIM
me from being distracted and
2. What do you usually do when therefore improves my
you spend time by yourself? productivity.
→ When I am on my own, I often
listen to music or read books. 4. Is it bad to spend a lot of time
1.39
Besides, there are times when I do alone?
Being alone nothing, only enjoy my solitude(2)
while contemplating(3) different
issues in life.
1. Do you like to spend time by
yourself? Why? → Yes, and to be (1)
To be an introvert /ˈɪn.trə.vɜːt/: người
more accurate, I need to be alone. hướng nội Ví dụ: I am not an introvert.
3. Do you prefer spending time
Being an introvert(1), every day, I
alone or with friends?
need to be on my own for a while.
→ I prefer spending time alone.
This gives my brain, body and
Even though being with friends is
emotions a break from the
fun, it can drain my energy(1) really
constant engagement with other
quickly. Besides, when I need to
people and therefore helps me to
concentrate, being alone prevents
recharge my energy. (2)
To enjoy my solitude: tận hưởng sự cô
đơn Solitude /ˈsɒl.ɪ.tʃuːd/: Cô đơn contemplated moving his football club to Drain /dreɪn/: rút cạn
Ví dụ: After months of solitude at sea it felt another city. Ví dụ: The long journey completely drained
strange to be in company. me.

To contemplate /ˈkɒn.təm.pleɪt/ : suy

(3)

ngẫm Ví dụ: The owner of the team

To drain my energy: rút cạn năng lượng
(4)

→ I don’t think so. Being alone allows people to temporarily disconnect from others so that they
can have time for themselves. Such time can be considered as a self-care practice.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể dùng cho chủ đề crowded places

→ I can’t stand crowded places. Being an introvert, I love being alone, enjoying my soli
tude while contemplating issues in life. Visiting crowded places and being surrounded by
strangers drain my energy very quickly.

52 | ZIM
Water Sports

1. What kind of water sports do you like to play?

→ The only water sport that I know is swimming. I don’t practice swimming very often, just once
1.40
in a while in the summer. This sport helps me not only to relax but also to maintain good health.

2. What water sports would you like to do in the future?

→ If I had a chance, I would try scuba diving. From what I learn from the Internet, it is a great
experience when we can enjoy the beautiful scenery under the sea and learn more about the life
of marine animal species.

3. Are water sports popular in Vietnam?

→ To be honest, it’s quite the opposite. In
Vietnam, there aren’t many facilities for water 4. Do you think water sports are dangerous to
sports. The most popular one is swimming, play?
yet not many people are into it due to the poor → Definitely! We can’t breathe underwater. If
condition(1) of the swimming pools here. we aren’t careful and equipped with(2) proper
tools, swimming or diving may be
life-threatening(3).
 trang bị
Ví dụ: We were well equipped for the trip.

To be life-threatening: Đe dọa đến tính mạng

(3)

Threatening /ˈθret.ən.ɪŋ/: Đe dọa

Life /laɪf/: cuộc sống
Mở rộng Ví dụ: His injuries are life-threatening
Poor condition: điều kiện tồi tệ
(1)

Poor /pɔːr/: nghèo nàn

Condition /kənˈdɪʃ.ən/: điều kiện
Ví dụ: The current building is in poor condition.

To be equipped with: được trang bị Equipped /ɪˈkwɪpt/:

(2)

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng để tả một cơ sở vật chất

→ Not many people go to parks these days due to their poor condition. Therefore, I hope
that the government can invest more money so that parks will be equipped with more
lights and better public toilets.

53 | ZIM
could so I wouldn’t fail the are important?
exams.

2. Did you have a science class in

1.41 primary school or high school?
To have a knack for: có sở trường về gì
(1)

Science class → When I was in primary school, I đó Knack /næk/: Sở trường

had only one science class in Ví dụ: She has the knack of making people
which I learn some basic feel comfortable.

knowledge in different fields of (2)

Intriguing /ɪnˈtriː.ɡɪŋ/ (adj): thú vị
1. Do you like science class? Ví dụ: The final represents an intriguing
science. As I went to high school,
→ Even though science classes clash of styles – attack versus defence.
I had different classes focusing
are really intriguing̣ , I can’t say
(2)
on Chemistry, Physics and
that I like them. When I was in
Biology. I was never good at(3)
high school, I didn’t have a knack
them, though. (3)
To be good at: giỏi về gì đó
for(1) science subjects like Ví dụ: I’m good at tennis
Chemistry or Physics. All I did
3. Do you think science classes
was to try to study as hard as I
 → Yes. Science surrounds us. For example, there is science in cooking. When we melt butter, a
solid becomes a liquid – that’s science. Therefore, I think picking up some bite-sized chunks of
science knowledge is really interesting and useful for our daily life.

4. What kind of science did you do at school?

→ When I was in primary school, the knowledge I learned was pretty simple. For example, water
boils at 100 degrees Celsius. However, in high school, things became more complicated. One
example that I can remember is that molecules move faster when temperatures increase.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng cho các chủ đề liên quan đến sở thích, năng lực của bản
thân.
→ Although diving seems really intriguing, I don’t think I will try it. I don’t have a knack for
water sports, so I don’t want to risk my life for this dangerous activity.

54 | ZIM

2. Are you good at remembering

phone numbers?
→ Well, to be honest, I have a (1)
To manage my expenses: quản lý chi phí
1.42 terrible memory for numbers. Manage /ˈmæn.ɪdʒ/: quản lý
Numbers Besides, I don’t think it’s necessary Expenses /ɪkˈspens/: chi phí
to learn them by heart(2). Whenever (Từ manage còn có thể dùng với thời gian:
manage my time – quản lý thời gian của
I need to memorize(3) numbers, I tôi)
1. Do you usually use numbers? can simply save them on my
→ I don’t use numbers for my phone.
work. I’m an HR executive, so I
mostly work with people, not
To learn by heart: học thuộc lòng
(2)
numbers. However, in my everyday
3. What is your favourite number? Learn /lɜːn/ : học
life, I have to do some Heart /hɑːt/: trái tim
calculations when paying my bills Ví dụ: Her poems are accessible and often
learned by heart.
and managing my expenses(1).
Memorize /ˈmem.ə.raɪz/ (verb): ghi nhớ
(3)
Ví dụ: She memorized her friends’ phone numbers

→ Well, I’m not interested in numbers enough to decide my favorite number. If I have to pick one,
I’d say 25. It’s my date of birth.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng vào các chủ đề: time management, list, các chủ đề liên
quan tới học tập hoặc các môn học
→ Personally, I think making lists is very helpful. For example, I often make a list of things I
need to pay for in a month, and this helps me manage my expenses much better. → I don’t
like history classes. I only try to learn by heart the knowledge in my textbooks in order not to
fail my exam.

55 | ZIM
art gallery voluntarily . The only
(2) không yêu thích
Ví dụ: Dancing is not my cup of tea.
time I visited a gallery was during
a field trip in high school.

3. Is there any artwork on the wall

1.43 in your room? → No, there isn’t. I (2)Voluntarily /ˈvɒl.ən.trəl.i/: tự nguyện
Art don’t feel like decorating my room Ví dụ: We decided to voluntarily withdraw
with artworks. Instead, I use some the drug from the market.
photos of myself, my close
1. Do you like art? friends and my family. I like
→ No, art is not my cup of tea(1). looking at the faces of the people I
Like other peo ple, I sometimes love for my own peace of mind(3). (3)Peace of mind /piːs/ /əv/ /maɪnd/: cảm
doodle in my notebooks, but I’m giác yên bình
4. Have you ever had art classes? Ví dụ: Peace of mind is a great gift.
neither good at drawing nor
interested in enjoy ing paintings.

2. Have you ever visited an art

gallery? → As I mentioned, I’m not
Not someone’s cup of tea: thứ/ việc
(1)
into art, so I have never visited an
 → I only attended art classes that were involved in school curriculums. To be honest, I always
found those classes boring and took advantage of them to do my homework for other classes.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể áp dụng cho các chủ đề về sở thích

→ Sports are not my cup of tea, so I have never participated in any sporting events at my
school voluntarily.
→ Music can give me peace of mind whenever I feel stressed.

56 | ZIM

To uplift my mood: thúc đẩy/ nâng đỡ

(1)

1.44 tâm trạng Uplift /ˈʌp.lɪft/: nâng đỡ

Sweets Mood /muːd/: tâm trạng
Ví dụ: Sing with other children uplifted my
spirit.
2. Do you like sweets compared
To have a sweet tooth: hảo ngọt
(2)

1. Do you like to eat sweets? to when you were a child?

Sweet /swiːt/: Ngọt
→ Yes, I have a sweet tooth. My → I’m less into sweets now than Tooth /tuːθ/: Răng
Ví dụ: Mind you, I have a sweet tooth, so
most favorite sweet is chocolate. when I was a child. I used to be a reduce the amount of syrup if you prefer.
A chocolate bar is a great stress chocoholic and couldn’t go a day (3)
Stress reliever: thứ giúp giảm stress
reliever for me, and it has never without a bar of chocolate. Reliever /rɪˈliː.vər/ : thứ giúp giảm thứ gì
failed to uplift my mood. However, a few years ago, I
đó Ví dụ: Photography is his stress
started to go on a diet, and I have reliever.
been cutting down on my
consumption of sweets ever
since. (4)
To be chocoholic /ˌtʃɒk.əˈhɒl.ɪk/: người
3. Have you ever tried to make thích/ nghiện chocolate (các từ tương tự
sweets? có workaholic, shopaholic, …)
Ví dụ: Mr. Ward, 50, is not some rabid
chocoholic, former employees say.
 → No, I haven’t. I once thought of making chocolate, yet I realized that it would be better for such
a clumsy person like me to stay away from the kitchen.

4.Why do people like sweets?

→ The first reason is that sweets are tasty, and many kinds of sweets are really cheap. Also,
sweets are good for our moods, as they cause our brains to release endorphins, chemicals that
make us feel good.

Mở rộng
Các từ vựng trên có thể dùng cho chủ đề cakes, eating, hoặc các chủ đề liên quan tới sở
thích
→ I think eating can be a good stress reliever, as tasty dishes have never failed to uplift my
mood.
→ I have a sweet tooth, and I love everything about cakes.

57 | ZIM
Dessert

1. Do you like dessert?

→ I love it. A slice of cheesecake or a scoop of chocolate ice cream is a perfect dessert for me.
1.45
However, I’m on a diet now, so I don’t eat desserts very often.

2. Do you like eating cakes?

→ Yes, I have a sweet tooth. I love everything about cakes, from the soft texture to the aroma
of freshly baked cakes. And a delicious cake complemented by a cup of coffee is the most
wonderful thing ever.

3. What desserts do people in your country like?

→ I think “Che”, which is Vietnamese sweet soup, is the most popular dessert in Vietnam.
Recently, due to the influence of Western culture, many people, especially the youth, often have
cheesecakes or ice cream for dessert.

4. Have you ever made cakes?

→ No, I haven’t. I don’t have a talent for(1)
baking. I’m quite clumsy(2) actually, so I don’t
wanna try and mess up my entire kitchen.
 Các từ vựng trên có thể dùng khi mô tả người:
To have a talent for something: có tài năng cho
(1)

việc gì
Talent /ˈtæl.ənt/: tài năng
Ví dụ: He had a talent for writing succinctly

Clumsy /ˈklʌm.zi/ (adj) : vụng về

(2)

Ví dụ: My attempts to apologize were very clumsy.

Mở rộng

→ My sister has a talent for baking. She can make even complicated cakes such as
Tiramisu. On the other hand, I’m a clumsy person who can mess up the entire kitchen even
when boiling an egg.

58 | ZIM
History

1. Have you ever been to a historical museum?

→ I’m not a big fan of history, so I have never visited a historical museum voluntarily. The only
1.46
time I visited a museum was during a field trip in high school, which happened a few years ago.

2. Do you like history?

→ No, I don’t. History lessons at school in To lose interest in something: mất hứng thú với
(1)

cái gì
Vietnam are boring. Therefore, when I was at
Interest /ˈɪn.trəst/: Hứng thú
school, like many other students, I never paid Lose /luːz/: mất
any attention in history classes, and gradually, I Ví dụ: I generally lose interest in works I’ve done
lost all my interest in(1) history.

3. Have you ever watched history films?

 → Yes, I have, but the movies I’ve watched are about Chinese history, not Vietnamese. My most
favorite movie is “Romance of the Three kingdoms”, which is based on a novel from La Quan
Trung.

4. Do you like history when you were young?

To find something + adj: cho rằng việc gì đó có
(2)
→ As I mentioned, I’ve always found history
tính chất như thế nào
classes at school boring(2). When I was a Ví dụ: I find my story of my life
student, I only tried to remember the historical
events mentioned in my textbooks to pass my
exams.

5. When was the last time you read about

interesting (3)Let alone: huống chi là
history?
→ I don’t remember, though. I sometimes
come across some posts about history when
scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed. I do
read some
of them, but I can’t remember their content
clearly, let alone(3) the time when I read them.

Mở rộng

Các cách diễn đạt trên có thể áp dụng cho nhiều chủ đề khác nhau:
→ I find social media distracting and time-consuming. I don’t have enough time to hang out
with my friends and family, let alone chat with some strangers on the Internet.

59 | ZIM
→ Of course! I love doing so.
Parks are a great place for us to 2. What can you do if you go to a
do physical activities while park? → When I go to a park, I
escaping from the hustle and usually do a short run. If I do not
bustle(1) of cities and enjoying feel well that day, I may just enjoy
1.47
some fresh air. Personally, I prefer a walk along some pathways
Park visiting parks to going to lined with trees and flowers.
shopping malls. Besides, I sometimes go to a park
to participate in social events(2)
1. Do you like going to parks? such as a concert or a sporting
event. other hand, amusement parks are coeducational social events
often too noisy(4) and crowded for
3. Do you think people in Vietnam my liking.
like going to parks?
→ I guess so. A lot of Vietnamese
people go to parks to do physical Mở rộng Public gathering area: nơi tụ tập công
(3)

cộng Public /ˈpʌb.lɪk/: công cộng

activities and just simply enjoy
Gathering /ˈɡæð.ər.ɪŋ/: Tụ họp
some fresh air and the scenery. Area /ˈeə.ri.ə/: Khu vực
Besides, Ví dụ: The campus would open up at Vine
and De Longpre, with a large public
some large parks can act as
gathering area that would include public
public gathering areas(3) where The hustle and bustle: sự nhộn nhịp,
(1)
art and the majority of the development’s
náo nhiệt Hustle /ˈhʌs.əl/ : Hối hả
people hold social events. 20,000 square feet of retail space.
Bustle /ˈbʌs.əl/ : Nhộn nhịp
Ví dụ: I love the hustle and bustle of the
marketplace.
4. Do you prefer natural parks or
Too +adj for my liking: quá so với mức
(4)
amusement parks?
tôi có thể chấp nhận được
→ While I love natural parks, I Ví dụ: He pontificates too much for my
dislike amusement parks. Being a liking

nature lover, I find it really (2)

Social events: sự kiện xã hội
Social /ˈsəʊ.ʃəl/ : Xã hội
comfortable and relaxing when
Event /ɪˈvent/ : Sự kiện
visiting a natural park. On the Ví dụ: Community centers hold

Các từ vựng trên có thể dùng cho chủ đề crowded places

→ I rarely go to public gathering areas or participate in social events. I can’t stand the
hustle and bustle, as it is too noisy for my liking.

60 | ZIM
Make up

1. Do you often wear makeup?

→ Not really, but every day when I go to work or school, I just put on some lipstick to make me
1.48
look fresh because, to be honest, my natural lip color is just so dark. Apart from that, I hardly use
any other kinds of beauty products.

2. What does wearing makeup mean to you?

→ I think it’s all about self-confidence. Putting lipstick, as I said, but even the slightest bit of
on makeup can really boost my confidence(1) makeup can help create a more “perfect”
and make me feel more in control. I only wear version of myself.
 Confidence /ˈkɒn.fɪ.dəns/: sự tự tin
3. Do you give makeup as gifts? Ví dụ: I like to think that I’ll look back on it and it
will boost my confidence
→ Not at all. You know, as cosmetics are nor
mally very expensive, I don’t think it’s suitable to
give as gifts, especially for a student living on a
shoestring like me. That’s not to mention that
everyone has different tastes(2) in makeup, so
Taste /teɪst/: thị hiếu, gu
(2)

it’s hard to decide what to give. Ví dụ: She came home from Europe with a taste for
To boost my confidence: thúc đẩy sự tự tin
(1)
art and the finer things in life
Boost /buːst/: thúc đẩy

4. What do you think when you see a man wearing makeup?

→ I think there’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone has the right to make themselves look good.
That’s why if men want to wear makeup, they should do so.

Mở rộng

Các từ vựng trên có thể dùng cho các chủ đề liên quan đến thời trang: fashion, clothes,
perfume
→ Even though some perfumes are extremely expensive, I just can’t live without them.
Wearing perfumes can boost my confidence.
→ Young and old people often have very different tastes in music.

61 | ZIM
focused?
→ At all times, I guess. I find it
necessary to stay focused while
driving, doing assignments and so
on, but I consider myself as an My mind often wanders: lơ đễnh
(2)

1.49
easily distracted individual. I Ví dụ: When I think about gorging myself
Concentration mean, my mind often wanders(2)
sick, my mind often wanders over to hot
dogs
while I am driving or doing
homework.
1. When do you need to be
2. What may distract you when you’re trying to stay focused?
→ There are many distractions around me, like the ringing sound of Facebook notifications. Yeah,
it’s embarrassing to say that I am a Facebook addict, so I can hardly concentrate while using it.
Besides, I can also lose my concentration when other people gossip near my desk at work.

3. What do you do to help you concentrate?

To take up something: bắt đầu một hoạt động/
(1)
→ The best way to improve my concentration
thói quen
is by doing yoga. I’ve just participated in this Ví dụ: I’m not very good at golf – I only took it
activity for a few weeks, and I can feel that I up recently.
have a healthier mind day by day. One of my
friends advised me to take up mediation(1) next
summer as this also helps me focus better on
my work, so I think I will give it a shot.

4. Do you think concentration is important? → I

think concentration plays an important role in To improve our productivity and creativity: cải
(3)

thiện năng suất và sự sáng tạo

our work and study. When we concentrate, we Improve /ɪmˈpruːv/ : Cải thiện
focus our energy on the tasks at hand, which Productivity /ˌprɒd.ʌkˈtɪv.ə.ti/: Năng
improves our productivity and creativity(3). suất Creativity /ˌkriː.eɪˈtɪv.ə.ti/: Sự sáng
tạo
Therefore, we can finish our tasks much faster
Ví dụ: We can improve our productivity and
and more efficiently. creativity when we focus

Mở rộng

Những từ trên có thể dùng cho chủ đề sleep, break, …

→ Without good sleep, I find it hard to concentrate. My mind often wanders, and I can be
distracted easily.
→ Taking a break every 90 minutes can help us improve our productivity and creativity. 62 |
 ZIM

Ví dụ: This unique entertainment facility is

3. Do you spend much time in the located close to 150 universities and
colleges
countryside? → Yes, I do. Actually I
was born and brought up in a
(2)
Physical exercise /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kəl/ /ek.sə.saɪz/:
thể dục vận động
small village so I spent my
Ví dụ: It’s heavy work but excellent mental
1.50 childhood in a rural area. Even and physical exercise.
Countryside though I am living in Ho Chi Minh
City now, I come back home twice
or three times a year for family (3)
Financial pressure (n): áp lực tài chính
1. What do people living in the reunions .(4)
Financial /faɪˈnæn.ʃəl/: tài chính
Pressure /ˈpreʃ.ər/: áp lực
countryside like to do?
Ví dụ: He knows about layoffs and financial
→ Actually, there are not many 4. Do you consider living in the
pressure.
entertainment facilities(1) in rural countryside in the future?
areas, so I think they often enjoy → Well, that’s an interesting
doing physical exercise(2) or question. I think I will live there
watching television with their when I retire(5) because the clean
family after dinners. air and low pace of life(6) might be
good for old people. But now I will (4)Family reunion (n): buổi đoàn tụ gia đình
Reunion /ˌriːˈjuː.njən/ : Sum họp
just stay in the city because there
Family /ˈfæm.əl.i/ : gia đình
are more opportunities to earn Ví dụ: We have a family reunion coming up.
2. What are the benefits of living in money here.
rural areas? → I believe the most
important thing is air quality.
There are not many factories or Mở rộng
vehicles in the countryside so the
(5)
Retire /rɪˈtaɪər/: nghỉ hưu
Ví dụ: He is due to retire as chief executive
environment is likely to be fresher next year.
and cleaner. Besides, the living (6)
Low pace of life /sləʊ/ /peɪs/ /əv/ /laɪf/:
cost is low so people don’t have nhịp sống chậm
(1)
Entertainment facility /en.təˈteɪn.mənt/ /
much financial pressure when
(3)
Ví dụ: She loved the luxuriously slow pace
fəˈsɪl.ə.ti/:tiện ích giải trí of life.
staying in small towns.

Các chủ đề tương tự: City, Accommodation, Hometown

Những chủ đề này tập trung hỏi về nơi sống/ chỗ ở. Một câu hỏi đặc trưng có thể hỏi chung
cho dạng chủ đề này là: Where do you live now?
Từ câu trả lời của thí sinh, có thể mở rộng ra những câu hỏi liên quan như:
• Do you like living there?
• Is your hometown another place?
 • Do you want to move to another place to live?
• Why do many people prefer living in big cities?

63 | ZIM
Street market

1. What do street markets sell?

→ In Vietnam, there are many different products sold in the street markets but I think the most
1.51
common items are fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. Sometimes I even see people sell flowers
and bonsais during holidays.

2. Are there many street markets in Vietnam?

→ Well, street markets are a Vietnamese “thing” and can be found on every corner of both villages
and cities across the country, especially in the northern regions.

3. What are the differences between street mar

Open-air market /ˌəʊ.pənˈeər/ /ˈmɑː.kɪt/: chợ
(1)
kets and supermarkets?
trời Ví dụ: There is an open-air market nearby.
→ There are some noticeable differences be
To haggle over the price : mặc cả về giá
(2)

tween open-air markets(1) and supermarkets. Haggle /ˈhæɡ.əl/: Mặc cả

First, the prices in street markets are often flexi Price /praɪs/: giá cả
ble. I mean buyers can haggle over the price(2) Ví dụ: A customer came up; they began haggling
over the price.
to get a bargain(3) while goods are always sold
at a fixed price in a supermarket. In addition, Bargain /ˈbɑː.ɡɪn/: món hời
(3)

Ví dụ: She has a sharp eye for a bargain.

sellers in a supermarket are often more
friendly and helpful to their customers.

Mở rộng

Các chủ đề chung: Visiting relatives, Being punctual, Rubbish

Các chủ đề này có thể có cách phát triển chung cho câu hỏi đầu tiên là những thứ này rất
phổ biến và quen thuộc (hoặc không) với người Việt Nam.
• _ _ _ is a daily habit of many Vietnamese people.
• _ _ _ is a Vietnamese “thing”.
Why do people litter?
→ To be honest, littering has become a daily habit of many Vietnamese.
Are you a punctual person?
No → being punctual is not a Vietnamese thing.
 64 | ZIM
small garden so every winter, she
started to plant some bok choy
because it was our favorite veggie
and I helped her do the
gardening(2) and watering. (1)
To boost my mood (v): thúc đẩy tâm
1.52 trạng Boost /buːst/ : thúc đẩy

Plants 3. Do you know anything about

Mood /muːd/ : tâm trạng
Ví dụ: So fostering friendships at work is a
key way to boost my mood.
growing a plant? Certainly! Years
1. Do you keep plants at home? of helping my mom with her
garden turn me into a true farmer.
I do. My apartment has a small
I know every step and technique
balcony where I hang some pots
in planting and it’s like a piece of To do the gardening (v): làm vườn
(2)

to plant vegetables and flowers. Garden /ˈɡɑː.dən/ : khu vườn

cake(3) for me to grow common Ví dụ: He would get this young beau to do
Having such a green and lovely
vegetables. the gardening in the nude for the
corner in the city center truly
paparazzi later, he said.
helps boost my mood(1) and
reduce stress after a hard day at 4. Do Vietnamese people send
plants as gifts?
work.

2. What plant did you grow when

A piece of cake (idiom) /ə/ /piːs/ /əv/
(3)
you were young?
/keɪk/: rất dễ dàng, dễ như ăn bánh
It was bok choy. My mom had a Ví dụ: The exam was a piece of cake.

I think yes but it is not very common. When talking about gifts, people prefer giving some useful
things such as clothes, household equipment or cosmetics. I think they send plants as gifts to
each other only on such occasions as Lunar New Year or birthdays.

Mở rộng
Các chủ đề tương tự: Vegetarian, Garden, Pets, Hobby
Nhìn chung, những chủ đề này đều hướng thí sinh tới những câu hỏi liên quan tới sở thích
 cá nhân hoặc sở thích chung của một cộng đồng/ xã hội.
Những câu hỏi có thể gặp:
• Do you keep pets?
• Is it common for Vietnamese people to have a garden in their house?
• Do you like gardening?

65 | ZIM
Sky

1. How often do you look at the sky?

→ Well, I just gaze at the sky when I think it’s going to rain or when it’s too sunny. Anyways, I live
1.53
in a city and the sky is covered by tall buildings most of the time so I have no reasons to look at it.

2. Do you prefer the sky in the morning or the sky at night?

→ At night, definitely. While the daytime sky is rather boring, the starry night sky, especially in the
countryside, is so amazing that I was entranced the first time I saw it many years ago. It isn’t like
anything you can find in cities nowadays.

3. Can you see the moon and stars at night

where you live? which is incredibly beautiful.
(1)
Faint /feɪnt/: mờ nhạt
→ Due to light pollution, the stars are too
Ví dụ: She gave me a faint smile of recognition.
faint(1) to be seen in Ho Chi Minh City, but we (2)
To catch sight of /kætʃ/ /saɪt/ /əv/: bắt gặp Ví
can easily catch sight of(2) the moon. Once a dụ: Paddlers might catch sight of a blue heron
month, from here we can see the full moon floating overhead.

4. Is there a good place to look at the sky where you live?

→ Probably not. Actually looking at the sky is not my thing so I’ve never tried finding a good
location to do so. But I think it will be great to stand on the terrace of a skyscraper, such as the
Landmark 81, to look at the sky and think about the future.

Mở rộng
Các chủ đề tương tự: Weather
Mọi người thường nhìn bầu trời để đoán thời tiết → dự báo thời tiết bằng
cách nhìn lên trời là cách phát triển chung cho 2 chủ đề này.
Looking at the sky might sometimes help predict the weather.
→ cloudy → it is about to rain.
→ nocloud → fine weather.
How often do you look at the sky?
 Quite often → to predict future changes in weather.
What kind of weather do you like/dislike?
Hate rainy days → can predict and avoid by looking at the sky.

66 | ZIM
Animals (Pets - Wild Animals)

1. Are there many people keeping pets in Vietnam?

→ There are. I think in Vietnam, most families have 1 or 2 pets. The most popular pets are dogs,
1.54
cats and birds. People consider pets as family members.

2. Have you ever had a pet when you were young?

→ When I was 8 years old, I had a dog named Milu. I played with her every time I got back from
school and we were best friends. Sadly, she died when she was just 2 years old because of a
traffic accident.

3. What pet would you keep if you had the opportunity?

→ Well I think it would be a dog. I love puppies a lot because they are loyal. They will never leave
me for any reasons and they’re also very smart.

4. Do you think it is necessary to protect wild

Ecosystem /ˈiː.kəʊˌsɪs.təm/ : Hệ sinh thái Ví dụ:
(1)
animals? What wild animals do you like?
Pollution can have disastrous effects on the
→ Wildlife plays an important part in the delicately balanced ecosystem.
ecosystem(1) so I believe it’s important to Preserve /prɪˈzɜːv/ : Bảo tồn
(2)

preserve them. All wild animals are adorable.

(2)
Ví dụ: We want to preserve the character of the
But I think I like squirrels and monkeys the town while improving the facilities.

most.

5. Do you like to go to the zoo?

→ I think the answer is No. I don’t like the fact that they are kept in small cages. Besides, I think
there is not so much to learn about animals at zoos.

Mở rộng

Những chủ đề liên quan: Plants, Garden, Insects

Đối với những chủ đề này, thí sinh có thể dùng cách diễn đạt chung là Tôi là người yêu thiên
 nhiên, vì vậy _ _ _
• Do you like growing trees?
→ I am a nature lover so I certainly like planting trees.

67 | ZIM
Insects

1. How do you like insects?

→ Actually I don’t like them. They are quite annoying and ugly. Some of them even have poisons
1.55
and it is not a comfortable feeling being bitten by them.

2. Are there many different insects where you live?

→ Because it’s a city, there are just some common types of insects such as bees, mosquitoes or
flies. But in my hometown, where there are many trees and paddy fields, there is a wide range of
those tiny species.

3. Do you think insects are useful?

→ Well, I think they are not useful for humans frogs or lizards.
Pollinator /ˈpɒl.ə.neɪ.tər/: công cụ thụ phấn Ví dụ:
but they help plants and animals a lot. Insects
These chemicals are known to be highly toxic to
such as butterflies or bees are pollinators for honeybees and other pollinators.
many plants and all of them are a great source
of food for other bigger animals such as birds,

4. Is there a good place to look at the sky where you live?

→ Probably not. Actually looking at the sky is not my thing so I’ve never tried finding a good
location to do so. But I think it will be great to stand on the terrace of a skyscraper, such as the
Landmark 81, to look at the sky and think about the future.

Mở rộng
Những chủ đề liên quan: Animals, Pets, Plants, Forest
 68 | ZIM
Handwritting

1. Do you often write with a pen?

→ No. I mostly type on my laptop because it’s easier and faster. I just use a pen when I have to
1.56
sign something or when I have to write down some notes.

2. Is your handwriting easy to read for other

people? I’ve never heard anyone complain about my
→ Probably yes, I suppose. It’s not beautiful handwriting.
Legible /ˈledʒ.ə.bəl/ (adj): rõ ràng, dễ đọc (chữ viết)
(1)
but I’m sure it’s legible(1) enough for people to
Ví dụ: Her handwriting is barely legible.
understand accurately what I write. I mean

3. Do you like to receive cards with hand-written words?

→ I receive emails every day and hand-written cards on only special occasions like
birthdays or anniversaries so of course I treasure these cards more. They feel
much more personal than emails, too.

4. Can we tell someone’s personality from his or

her handwriting? adventurous.
(2)
Penmanship /ˈpen.mən.ʃɪp/ : khả năng viết chữ đẹp,
→ I think yes. A person who has penmanship (2)
sạch sẽ
is often very careful. In contrast, people who Ví dụ: This work shows the typical power of his
write untidily tend to be careless and penmanship

5. What’s the difference between writing with a pen and typing on a computer? → I think it would
be much more convenient typing on a computer because you can correct everything quickly and
 your bad handwriting is never a problem. But when you write something with a pen, you must be
more careful.

Mở rộng
Các chủ đề tương tự: Emails, Shoes, Means of transport
Các chủ đề về Emails, Handwriting, Shoes and Means of transport đều có một
điểm chung là mọi người đều sử dụng chúng cho nhiều mục đích khác nhau.
Chính vì vậy, một cách để phát triển câu trả lời đó là đưa ra những ứng dụng,
mục đích khác nhau của chúng. Một số cụm từ có thể sử dụng:
• To be multi-functional/versatile.
• Has a wide variety of uses.
Ví dụ:
What’s your favorite kind of shoes?
Sneakers → school, work, gym, formal events.
What’s the most common means of transport in Vietnam?
Motorbike → both short and long trips.

69 | ZIM
Patience

1. Were you patient when you were young?

→ Yes. When I was a child, my parents were always beside me to help me solve problems. So
1.57
whatever happened, I was never angry or worried because I knew my parents would come very
soon to help me.

2. How do you feel when other people are not patient?

→ I don’t feel anything when I am not the reason that makes them impatient. But in my
observation, people who are patient are more likely to be successful in life.

3. Were you less or more patient when you were

angry? Chủ đề liên quan: Personality, Temper,
→ I easily lose my temper(1) when I am angry. Friends Những câu hỏi thường gặp:
When something bad happens, it drives me To lose temper /luːz/ /ˈtem.pər/: Mất bình
(1)

crazy(2) and I just can not be patient enough to tĩnh Ví dụ: She can make you lose your temper.
deal with it. It often takes me a while to calm To drive me crazy /draɪv/ /miː/ /ˈkreɪ.zi/: Khiến tôi
(2)

myself down(3). phát điên

Ví dụ: It’s only physicists who drive me crazy.

To calm down /kɑːm/ /daʊn/: Bình tĩnh lại Ví

(3)

dụ: I’d better calm down before I speak to him.

Mở rộng

→ What are the qualities of a good friend/ successful person/ …?

 → What personalities should a good leader/ good teacher have?
→ Are you good or bad at keeping your temper?

70 | ZIM
Tidy

1. Are you a tidy person?

→ Well, yes. I love it when things are clean and orderly. So I manage to spend some time every
1.58
day cleaning my house no matter how busy I am.

2. Are all of your family members tidy?

→ Yes. Actually my dad is a soldier, so he example of a tidy per son for us to follow.
To set a good example /set/ /ə/ /ɡʊd/
always wants to keep the house and
/ɪɡˈzɑːm.pəl/: Nêu một tấm gương tốt
everything neat and clean. He sets a good Ví dụ: Parents must set a good example.

3. Do you think you are more tidy at school than at home?

→ I think I am more tidy at home because when I am at school, I always have the cleaners tidy up
everything. But at home, I have to do the cleaning myself and if I don’t do it, my house will be comg
a mess.
 71 | ZIM

IELTS
 Speaking Part 2 & 3 72 |

ZIM

Ta_2 and a painter Yorke. At their concerts(1),

Performance they give one-and-only performances with Ta_2
singing and Yorke simultaneously(2) painting
dynamic artworks.
IELTS Speaking Part 2
I’ve been their fan for years. Last week, they
Describe a performance you watched recently
uploaded a new video on their channel on
You should say:
Youtube, which included highlights(3) of their
• What it was biggest concert in Japan last year.
• When you watched it
• Who you were with In the video, they performed a song called
• And explain why you watched it “Aching Horns”, one of their most popular
songs. Ta_2 sang so energetically(4) that it
Answer seemed like he was pouring his heart out(5).
I’d like to tell you about the performance of my While I got absorbed in Ta_2’s sorrowful(6)
favorite rock band called Oldcodex. singing, my eyes were also pleased by the
beautiful psychedelic(7) horns Yorke was
painting on a canvas on the stage.
First, let me give you some background
information about the band: Oldcodex is a
That was one of the most impressive
Japanese rock band formed by a singer named
performances I’ve ever watched. Oldcodex is Ví dụ: Two children answered the teacher’s question
not really a kind of worldwide famous band, but simultaneously.
they are unique. They’ve produced great songs 3. Highlight /ˈhaɪ.laɪt/: điểm nổi bật Ví dụ: Highlights of the
and performances that only they can create. One match will be shown after the news.
day, when I save enough money, I hope that I 4. Energetically /ˌen.əˈdʒet.ɪ.kəl.i/: đầy năng lượng
can travel to Japan and enjoy their Ví dụ: Many community groups have energetically opposed
the idea.
performances with my own eyes rather than
watching them on my laptop’s screen. 5. Pour one’s heart out /pɔːr/ /wʌns/ / hɑːt/ /aʊt/: trút hết
tâm sự
Ví dụ: I poured my heart out to him and then he told all his
That’s all I want to share with you. friends what I’d said.

6. Sorrowful /ˈsɒr.əʊ.fəl/ đau buồn Ví dụ: With a sorrowful

sigh she folded the letter and put it away.

7. Psychedelic /ˌsaɪ.kəˈdel.ɪk/: các bức vẽ được miêu tả là

psychedelic thường có màu sắc sáng và các họa tiết khó
hiểu
Ví dụ: Radioactive Facebook juice seeps through the ceiling,
as imagined by sychedelic muralist Jen Stark.

1. A concert /ˈkɒn.sət/: buổi trình diễn ca nhạc

Ví dụ: The musicians are busy rehearsing for the concert. 73 | ZIM
2. Simultaneously /ˌsɪm.əlˈteɪ.ni.əs.li/: đồng thời
Mở rộng

Những từ vựng và ý tưởng trong bài có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề:
Describe a sentence or a few words you like from a poem or a song.
One of the reasons this line keeps lingering in my mind is that in one of his live
performances, (Tên) sang those words so energetically that it seemed like he was pouring
his heart out.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. What’s the difference between watching a live performance and watching it on TV?

Gợi ý: enjoyable (thú vị, thích thú), extroverts (những người hướng ngoại), chant (hô khẩu hiệu),
introverts (những người hướng nội), in the comfort of their home (sự thoải mái ở nhà).

I think watching live performances and watching them on TV is more enjoyable than one another to
audiences with different characteristics. On the one hand, extroverts who want to dance and chant
with other fellow fans prefer watching performances live. On the other hand, introverts who want
full control of their surroundings and no distraction opt for enjoying events on TV in the comfort of
their home.
2. Should governments provide financial support to promote traditional performance?

Gợi ý: preservation (sự bảo tồn), survive (sống sót), cultural values (những giá trị văn

hóa)

Definitely! The preservation of traditional performances requires a lot of money, and without the fi
nancial support of the government, these performances may not survive. As a result, we lose some
of our cultural values.

3. Is learning drama or dancing helpful for children?

Gợi ý: stressful (căng thẳng/ đầy áp lực), relaxation (hoạt động thư giãn), creative (sáng tạo),
con fident (tự tin)

Yes, it is. First, learning drama or dancing is less stressful than science subjects such as math or
chemistry. Therefore, dancing and drama classes can be a good relaxation for children. Also,
studying performing arts like drama or dancing and even painting can help children become more
creative and confident.

74 | ZIM
back home from work, I share with her
Family everything on my mind whether it is relationship
problems or conflicts at work.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 She often listens to me carefully and asks

questions that help me gain a better
Describe a family member who you spend the
understanding of(3) the issue. She also gives
most time with You should say:
feedback to help me clarify my thinking(4) and
• Who this person is make suggestions(5). When she was younger,
• What kind of person he /she is she worked in many fields ranging from HR to
• What you usually do together marketing, so she has a wealth of knowledge,
• And explain why you spend most time with skills and experience. Therefore, her feedback
him/her
and suggestions are always of great help to me.

Answer Besides, she is very patient with me. There have

been times when I was fully aware that I was
She’s my aunt, and we live in the same house, so
just talking nonsense(6), complaining about
I’d say I’ve known her since forever. She is in her
school or work. Still, she was there for me,
70s now, but she looks a lot younger than her
listening to my grumbles and offering comfort.
age. I guess it’s because she does yoga every
day. She’s also very healthy and lucid(1).
Whenever I face problems in my life and need
someone to turn to for advice, she is the first
My aunt is a warm-hearted(2) and friendly
person that comes to mind.
woman. Since I was a child, she has looked
after me, and I really love spending time with
her. She’s my confidant. Every day, after getting
 dụ: We are hoping to gain a better understanding about the
underlying process.

4. To clarify my thinking: làm rõ suy nghĩ của tôi

clarify /ˈklær.ɪ.faɪ/: làm rõ
thinking /ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/: suy nghĩ
Ví dụ: It has helped me clarify my thinking about my
research

5. To make suggestions: đưa ra gợi ý suggestions

/səˈdʒes.tʃən/: gợi ý Ví dụ: She made some very helpful
suggestions but her boss rejected them all.

6. Nonsense /ˈnɒn.səns/: điều phi lý Ví dụ: This report is

nonsense and nothing but a waste of paper.

1. Lucid /luː.sɪd/: minh mẫn, sáng suốt Ví dụ: She gave a

clear and lucid account of her plans for the company’s
future.

2. Warm-hearted /wɔːmˈhɑː.tɪd/: tốt bụng

Ví dụ: She’s a good, warm-hearted woman

3. To gain better understanding about something: hiểu rõ

75 | ZIM
hơn về điều gì đó understanding /ˌʌn.dəˈstæn.dɪŋ/: hiểu Ví
Mở rộng

Những từ vựng và ý tưởng trong bài có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề:
• Describe an old person that you know and respect
I always have the greatest respect for her advice. When she was younger, she worked in many
fields ranging from HR to marketing, so she has a wealth of knowledge, skills and experience.
Therefore, her feedback and suggestions are always of great help to me.
• Describe a person you want to have dinner with
I love having dinner with my aunt. She’s my confidant, and every day, during dinner, I share with
her everything on my mind whether it is relationship problems or conflicts at work.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. What are the benefits of younger and older generations living together?

Gợi ý: generation (thế hệ), take care of each other (chăm sóc lẫn nhau), learn from each other
(học hỏi lẫn nhau), valuable (có giá trị/ quý giá), life experience (kinh nghiệm sống)

Both younger and older generations can enjoy the benefits of living together. First, family members
can take care of each other. Also, they can learn from each other. For example, children can help
their parents with technology. In return, their parents can teach them a lot of valuable life lessons.

2. What about the drawbacks?

Gợi ý: tension (sự căng thẳng), privacy (sự riêng tư), alone time (thời gian một mình)
One drawback is that living together may lead to tension in a family when different generations
have some kind of conflict. Besides, having more people in the home means less privacy, which
may be stressful for introverts who need to be alone.

3. Which do you prefer, support from family members or friends? Why?

Gợi ý: trustworthy (đáng tin cậy), deceive (lừa dối), beholden (mắc nợ)

Personally, I prefer support from family members. Not every one of our friends is trustworthy, and
thus we aren’t sure if they are deceiving us or not. Another reason is that it is really uncomfortable
feeling beholden to others.

76 | ZIM
customers completely drained him.
Apologize
Therefore, after some minutes to compose
myself, I approached the waiter and politely
IELTS Speaking Part 2 explained what had happened.
He panicked at first, but then immediately
Describe a time when someone apologized to
apologized and prepared a table for us in just a
you You should say:
blink of eyes. Seeing that, I really couldn’t be
• When it was
angry at him.
• Who this person is
Before we left, he came to us and said that he’s
• Why he or she apologized to you
sorry once again.
• And how you felt about it
To me, it was forgivable that the waiters made
Answer mistakes in such a stressful time, and I really
liked how he sincerely(6) apologized and
I’d like to talk about the waiter whom I met at a
compensated for his mistakes.
restaurant near my house last week.

Back then, my friend and I decided to have

dinner at a Korean restaurant near my house, as
we are both Korean food lovers. I had made a
reservation(1) because I was well aware of how
famous this restaurant was and how crowded it
could be. However, when we arrived at the
restaurant, it was full of people, and we had to
wait for around 15 minutes.

We were starving(2) at that time and really upset,

and I was ready to make a very ugly scene(3).
Yet, as I looked at the waiter, I didn’t have the
heart to do(4) so. He looked so young that I 1. To make a reservation /meɪk/ /ə/ / ˌrez.əˈveɪ.ʃən/: đặt chỗ
guessed he was just a newbie(5), maybe just a Ví dụ: I’d like to make a table reservation for two people for
college student doing his part-time job, and it nine o’clock.
seemed that having to serve so many
2. To starve /stɑːv/: cực kỳ đói Ví dụ: Whole communities
starved to death during the long drought. Ví dụ: I’m sincerely grateful.

3. To make a very ugly scene: gây nên một trận tranh cãi
ugly /ˈʌɡ.li/: xấu xí
scene /siːn/: Bối cảnh
Ví dụ: I was ready to make a very ugly scene

4. Do not have the heart to do something: không nỡ làm

điều gì đó heart /hɑːt/: Trái tim
Ví dụ: She asked me to go with her and I didn’t have the
heart to refuse.

5. Newbie /ˈnjuː.bi/: người mới Ví dụ: The guide helps 77 | ZIM

newbies understand the latest social networking sites and
apps.

6. Sincerely /sɪnˈsɪə.li/: một cách chân thành

Mở rộng

Những từ vựng và ý tưởng trong bài có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề:
• Describe a time you received a terrible service

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. On what occasion do people usually apologize to others?

Gợi ý: mumble (lẩm bẩm), hurt someone’s feelings (làm tổn thương người khác – về mặt tình
cảm/ cảm xúc), make an apology (xin lỗi)

Obviously when we make mistakes. When we do something wrong, making an apology is always a
must. For example, when you accidentally hit someone on the road, you should apologize
immediately. Or when you hurt someone’s feelings, it’d be terrible if you just leave it there without
any apology.

2. Do people in your country like to say “sorry”?

No, they don’t. Vietnamese children are taught to apologize when they do something wrong, yet
they forget all about it when they get older. Many adults never apologize to others even though
they’re the ones at fault.

3. Do you think people should apologize for anything wrong they do?

Gợi ý: unreasonable (bất hợp lý), regret (hối hận)

They definitely should. It is unreasonable when we make mistakes and pretend that nothing
happened. Apologizing shows that we regret what we did, or that we didn’t mean to hurt them.

4. Why do some people refuse to say “sorry” to others?

Gợi ý: arrogant (kiêu ngạo), maintain their personal image (giữ hình ảnh cá nhân), lose face
(mất mặt), guilty (cảm thấy tội lỗi)
This is because they’re arrogant, I believe. Those people are afraid that admitting their mistakes
and apologizing may make them lose their face. On the other hand, some other people refuse to
apologize because it makes them feel even more guilty about their actions.

78 | ZIM
about the unexpected(5) weather.
Journey
Luckily, the weather was really nice the next day,
and we could enjoy the sun and the beach to our
IELTS Speaking Part 2 heart’s content(6).

Describe an important journey that was delayed

You should say:
• When it was
• Why it was important
• How it was delayed
• And how you felt about it

Answer

I would like to talk about the time when my

journey was delayed due to the bad weather.

I can’t remember precisely when it was because

I have a terrible memory for dates, but it was
1. Bestie /ˈbes.ti/: bạn thân nhất Ví dụ: One of my besties
several years ago when my besties(1) and I
bought me this hat.
decided to make a 3-day trip to Nha Trang,
which is a coastal city in the South of Vietnam. 2. To be unpredictable /ˌʌn.prɪˈdɪk. tə.bəl/: không thể đoán
trước/ không thể lường trước
Ví dụ: She’s very unpredictable so there’s no knowing how
We booked a flight to Nha Trang. I expected we
she’ll react to the news.
would arrive in Nha Trang in the afternoon, and
then we could enjoy sunny weather and 3. Sunbathing /ˈsʌnˌbeɪ.ðɪŋ/: tắm nắng Ví dụ: It was too hot
beautiful beaches. However, the weather, for sunbathing.
unfortunately, is unpredictable(2). To my great
4. To end up doing something: kết cuộc là làm một việc gì
disappointment, when we arrived at the airport
khác với việc dự định ban đầu
on our departure day, it rained heavily and was
Ví dụ: The deals were popular at the time, but many ended
so windy that our flight to Nha Trang was up losing money.
delayed for 4 hours.
5. Unexpected /ˌʌn.ɪkˈspek.tɪd/: không lường trước được
Ví dụ: Her resignation was completely unexpected.
To say we were disappointed is an
understatement. We had already checked in, so 6. To enjoy something to our heart’s content: tận hưởng
we had no choice but to stay in the waiting thỏa thích Ví dụ: We enjoy the party to our heart’s content
room.

When we finally arrived in Nha Trang, it was quite

late. Therefore, instead of sunbathing(3) and
swimming in the water, we just ended up(4)
staying in the boring hotel and complaining
79 | ZIM
Mở rộng

Những từ vựng và ý tưởng trong bài có thể áp dụng cho chủ đề:
• Describe a time when the weather prevented your activity
We had planned to go to the beach, and we had checked the weather forecast in advance. I
expected this would be a fantastic trip with sunny weather and beautiful beaches. However,
the weather was unpredictable and, to my great disappointment, when we got up that
morning, it was raining heavily.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

1. Why do people have to travel every day?

Gợi ý: travel to work (đi làm), go out for a coffee (ra ngoài đi cà phê).

Well in general, there are thousands of reasons for us to travel, and it’s impossible to know all of
them. Some people have to travel to work or to school every day. Some others just simply go out
for a coffee, to see a movie with friends or to visit someone they know.

2. What problems can occur during people’s daily travel?

Gợi ý: congestion (kẹt xe), drunk drivers (lái xe say xỉn), bump into (gặp phải, chạm mặt).

There are a lot. Congestion might be the most popular problem, especially in big and crowded
cities. Besides, there’s also a chance people may encounter an accident when travelling. There are
many careless or even drunk drivers out there and who knows when we’ll bump into them.

3. Do you think people won’t have to travel to work and instead work from home in the future?

Gợi ý: erase the need (xóa bỏ nhu cầu), be present (có mặt).

No, I don’t think so. Working from home might be a thing in the future, but it can never erase the
need to travel. Doctors still need to be present at the hospital to treat their patients, for example,
and it still requires them to travel. I don’t think that we can do some kind of remote operation, not in
at least the next 50 years.
80 | ZIM