1.

Some universities now offer their courses on the Internet so that people can
study online. Is this a positive or negative development?

Hai từ trái ngược = thảo luận (2 mặt của vấn đề)

Bày tỏ quan điểm
Dạng bài số 3: Thảo luận và nêu quan điểm
Body1: Tiêu cực
Body2: Tích cực

Paraphrase: Courses on Internet = online courses = courses through/via internet =

distant learning courses = remote learning courses = internet based learning
courses.
Brainstorming:
Body1: Tiêu cực negative = disadvantages = drawbacks = downside = hardship
Low interaction, depend on Internet quality, less concentration on the lesson, bad
for eyes, less motivation, less concentration, get addicted to Internet.
Body2: Tích cực
Positive = advantages = upside = benefits = merits = strong points
Low cost of tuition fee, save time, save effort/energy, to be in active of time = less
waste of time, gain lots of materials, appropriate frame of time, convenient…

Out line:
- act as: Có tác dụng như
- alternative solution / measure / method / way
- Covid – 19 pandemic = epedemic
- deter/prevent/stop/discourage sb from + V-ing:
- help sb + (to) V:
- make sb + V0/adj
- V-ing brings sb st = V-ing brings st to sb
- remind sb of st = remind sb to + V
- raise one’s awareness of st:
- play an important role in + st/V-ing

It is true that online courses are becoming a common feature of university education.
Although there are some drawbacks of Internet-based learning, I would argue that there
are far more benefits.

The main drawback of the trend towards online university courses is that there is less direct
interaction. Students may not have the opportunity to engage face-to-face with their
teachers, and will instead have to rely on written forms of communication. Similarly,
students who study online do not come into direct contact with each other, and this could
have a negative impact on peer support, discussion and exchange of ideas. For example,
whereas students on traditional courses can attend seminars and even discuss their subjects
over coffee after lessons, online learners are restricted to chatting through website forum
areas. These learners may also lack the motivation and element of competition that face-
to-face group work brings.
Despite the negatives mentioned above, I believe that online university courses are a
positive development for various reasons. Firstly, they allow learners to study in a flexible
way, meaning that they can work whenever and wherever is convenient, and they can cover
the material at their own pace. Secondly, the cost of a university education can be greatly
reduced, while revenues for institutions may increase as more students can be taught.
Finally, online learning offers open access to anybody who is willing to study, regardless
of age, location, ability and background. For example, my uncle, who is 65 years old, has
recently enrolled on an online MBA course in a different country, which would have been
impossible in the days before Internet-based education.

In conclusion, while I recognize the possible disadvantages of online learning, I consider it

to be a positive development overall.

S1 + outweigh/overshadow (vượt trội) + S2:

Such as = namely = named = called + N
and so on = and so forth = etc.
For example, + clause

Sb tend to + v = sb has a tendency to V = seem to + V = appear to v

Modal verbs: may/might; can/could/ shall/should; probably;
It to be (im)possible for sb to v:

Internet-based learning Học tập trên mang internet

Less direct interaction Ít TUơng tác trực tiep
Written forms of communication Các mẫu văn bản giao tiep
Come into direct contact with Tiếp xúc trực tiep với
Have a negative impact on Có tác động tiêu cực lên
Element of competition Yếu tố canh tranh
Study in a flexible way Học tập một cách linh hoat
Revenues for institutions/academy Thu nhập cho các học viện
Offers open/available access to Cung cấp truy cập mở cho
 2. In some countries, many more people are choosing to live alone nowadays
than in the past. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

In recent years it has become far more normal for people to live alone, particularly in
large cities in the developed world. In my opinion, this trend could have both positive
and negative consequences in equal measure.

The rise in one-person households can be seen as positive for both personal and broader
economic reasons. On an individual level, people who choose to live alone may become
more independent and self-reliant than those who live with family members. A young adult
who lives alone, for example, will need to learn to cook, clean, pay bills and manage his or
her budget, all of which are valuable life skills; an increase in the number of such
individuals can certainly be seen as a positive development. From an economic perspective,
the trend towards living alone will result in greater demand for housing. This is likely to
benefit the construction industry, estate agents and a whole host of other companies that
rely on homeowners to buy their products or services.

However, the personal and economic arguments given above can be considered from the
opposite angle. Firstly, rather than the positive feeling of increased independence, people
who live alone may experience feelings of loneliness, isolation and worry. They miss
out on the emotional support and daily conversation that family or flatmates can provide,
and they must bear the weight of (gánh vác) all household bills and responsibilities; in
this sense, perhaps the trend towards living alone is a negative one. Secondly, from the
financial point of view, a rise in demand for housing is likely to push up property prices
and rents. While this may benefit some businesses, the general population, including those
who live alone, will be faced with rising living costs.

In conclusion, the increase in one-person households will have both beneficial and
detrimental effects on individuals and on the economy.

One-person households Hộ gia đình một NGUời

Self-reliant Tự lực
Valuable life skills Các kĩ năng sống có giá trị
Greater demand for housing Nhu cầu nhà ở cao hơn
Experience feelings of loneliness, Trãi nghiệm cãm giác cô đơn, cô
isolation and worry lập và lo lắng
Emotional support Hỗ trợ tinh thần
Bear the weight of Chịu trọng trách của
Household bills and responsibilities Trách nhiệm và hóa đơn của gia đình
Property prices and rents Giá bất động sãn và tien thuê
Rising living costs Tăng chi phí sinh hoat
ADVANTAGES OUTWEIGH DISADVANTAGES
3. Some people regard video games as harmless fun, or even as a useful
educational tool. Others, however, believe that videos games are having an
adverse effect on the people who play them. In your opinion, do the drawbacks
of video games outweigh the benefits?

Many people, and children in particular, enjoy playing computer games. While I accept that
these games can sometimes have a positive effect on the user, I believe that they are
more likely to have a harmful impact.

On the one hand, video games can be both entertaining and educational. Users, or gamers,
are transported into virtual worlds which are often more exciting and engaging than real-life
pastimes. From an educational perspective, these games encourage imagination and
creativity, as well as concentration, logical thinking and problem solving, all of which
are useful skills outside the gaming context. Furthermore, it has been shown that computer
simulation games can improve users’ motor skills and help to prepare them for real-world
tasks, such as flying a plane.

However, I would argue that these benefits are outweighed by the drawbacks. Gaming can
be highly addictive because users are constantly given scores, new targets and frequent
rewards to keep them playing. Many children now spend hours each day trying to progress
through the levels of a game or to get a higher score than their friends. This type of addiction
can have effects ranging from lack of sleep to problems at school, when homework is
sacrificed for a few more hours on the computer or console. The rise in obesity in recent
years has also been linked in part to the sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise that often
accompany gaming addiction.

In conclusion, it seems to me that the potential dangers of video games are more
significant than the possible benefits.

Have a positive effect on Có tác động tích cực trên

Have a harmful impact Có tác động có hai
Real-life pastimes Hoat động giãi trí thực te
Encourage imagination and Khuyen khích trí TUởng TUợng và
creativity sáng tao
Concentration, logical thinking and Sự tập trung, suy nghĩ logic và
problem solving giãi quyet vấn đe
Real-world tasks Nhiệm vụ thực te
Highly addictive Gây nghiện cao
Lack of sleep Thieu ngủ
Sacrificed for Hi sinh cho
Obesity Béo phì
Sedentary lifestyle Lối sống ít vận động
Lack of exercise Thieu tập the dục
2 - PART QUESTIONS
4. Happiness is considered very important in life. Why is it difficult to define?
What factors are important in achieving happiness?

It is no doubt true that the majority of people would like to be happy in their lives. While
the personal nature of happiness makes it difficult to describe, there do seem to be some
common needs that we all share with regard to experiencing or achieving happiness.

Happiness is difficult to define because it means something different to each individual

person. Nobody can fully understand or experience another person’s feelings, and we all
have our own particular passions from which we take pleasure. Some people, for example,
derive a sense of satisfaction from earning money or achieving success, whereas for
others, health and family are much more important. At the same time, a range of other
feelings, from excitement to peacefulness, may be associated with the idea of happiness,
and the same person may therefore feel happy in a variety of different ways.

Although it seems almost impossible to give a precise definition of happiness, most people
would agree that there are some basic preconditions to achieving it. Firstly, it is hard for a
person to be happy if he or she does not have a safe place to live and enough food to eat.
Our basic survival needs must surely be met before we can lead a pleasant life.
Secondly, the greatest joy in life is usually found in shared experiences with family and
friends, and it is rare to find a person who is content to live in complete isolation. Other
key factors could be individual freedom and a sense of purpose in life.

In conclusion, happiness is difficult to define because it is particular to each individual, but I

believe that our basic needs for shelter, food and company need to be fulfilled before we
can experience it.

The majority of Đa số
The personal nature of Bãn chất cá nhân của
Fully understand Hoàn toàn hieu
Take pleasure Có niềm vui
A sense of satisfaction Cảm giác hài lòng
Achieving/deriving/reaping success Đạt ĐƯợc thành công
Basic preconditions Đieu kiện tiên quyet cơ bản
Basic survival needs Nhu cầu sinh tồn cơ bãn
Lead a pleasant life Dẫn đen một cuộc sống hài lòng
Shared experiences with Chia sẻ kinh nghiệm với
Content to live in complete isolation Hài lòng sống trong sự cô lập
hoàn toàn
Individual freedom Tự do cá nhân
A sense of purpose in life Ý nghĩa của mục đích sống
Basic needs for shelter, food Nhu cầu cơ bản về nhà ở, thực phẩm