99 Cue Card For IELTS Speaking by IELTS Fighter-Chuan

Cơ sở 1: 254 Hoàng Văn Thái – Thanh Xuân Cơ sở 4: 350 Đƣờng 3/2 – Quận 10 – TP HCM
Cơ sở 2: 44 Trần Quốc Hoàn - Cầu Giấy – HN Cơ sở 5: 94 Cộng Hòa – Tân Bình – TP HCM
Cơ sở 3: 250 Xã Đàn – Đống Đa – HN Cơ sở 6: 233 Nguyễn Văn Linh – Thanh Khê –
Đà Nẵng
IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 1

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Link tải file nghe: bit.ly/99cue-card-ielts-fighter
Note:
File nghe đƣợc sắp xếp theo thứ tự của Cue Card (ví dụ S1 là file
nghe của Cue Card 1), các em tải về hoặc nghe online nhé!
File nghe đƣợc ghi âm bởi giáo viên ngƣời bản ngữ do chính
IELTS Fighter thực hiện!
Các Cue Card đƣợc tổng hợp nhiều nguồn khác nhau, chia sẻ miễn
phí và không mang tính thƣơng mại!
Biên soạn bởi: Trung tâm luyện thi IELTS Fighter

Đà Nẵng
MỤC LỤC:
CHƢƠNG 1: LỜI KHUYÊN HỌC TIẾNG ANH HIỆU QUẢ ................................................. 8
CHƢƠNG 2: BÍ KÍP TRẢ LỜI IELTS SPEAKING PART 2, PART 3 ................................. 12

I. IELTS SPEAKING PART 2: BÀI NÓI CÁ NHÂN và Cue card......................................... 12
II. IELTS SPEAKING PART 3: Discussion (thảo luận) .......................................................... 20
CHƢƠNG 3: 99 TOPIC IELTS SPEAKING PART 2,3 .......................................................... 27

#1: Topic: A Course You Like To Study .................................................................................... 27
#2: Topic: Exciting Sport ............................................................................................................. 29
#3: Topic: Things You Want To Buy In The Future ................................................................ 31
#4: Topic: A Place Full Of Colo .................................................................................................. 34
#5: Topic: Ambition You Have Not Yet Achieved .................................................................... 37
#6: Topic: A Child Made You Laugh ......................................................................................... 39
#7: Topic: An Electronic Equipment .......................................................................................... 41
#8: A Gift You Gave That Took A Long Time To Choose ....................................................... 43
#9: An Occasion When You Got Up Very Early ....................................................................... 45
#10: An Indoor Game .................................................................................................................. 47
#11: A Paid Job You/A Friend Enjoyed Doing.......................................................................... 49
#12: A Family Member You Spend The Most Time With ....................................................... 51
#13: A Person Speak A Second (Foreign) Language Well ....................................................... 53
#14: An Experience You Had As A Team Member .................................................................. 56
#15: Describe A Place Where You Often Go To Relax ............................................................. 58
#16: A Successful Small Business................................................................................................ 62
#17: A Disagreement You Had With A Friend.......................................................................... 64
#18: A Law About Environment ................................................................................................. 67
#19: Something You Do That Keeps You Fit ............................................................................. 70
#20: An Occasion You Unexpectedly Met Someone ................................................................. 72
#21: A Time You Borrowed Something ..................................................................................... 74
#22: A Country You Have Not Been To Yet .............................................................................. 76

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#23: A Country You Have Not Been To Yet .............................................................................. 78

#24: A Street That You Like To Visit ......................................................................................... 80
#25: An Article About Healthy Living ....................................................................................... 82
#26: Someone In The News You Like To Meet ......................................................................... 84
#27: A House/Apartment You Like To Live In ......................................................................... 86
#28: A Time When You Waited For Something........................................................................ 88
#29: Someone/Something Made A Lot Of Noise ....................................................................... 90
#30: A Song That Has Special Meaning ..................................................................................... 92
#31: A Film You Watched At Home Or In A Cinema .............................................................. 94
#32: A Time You Looked At The Sky ........................................................................................ 97
#33: A Recent Event Made You Happy ................................................................................... 100
#34: A Difficult Decision You Made ......................................................................................... 102
#35: Describe A Polluted Place ................................................................................................. 103
#36: A Product You Were Happy With ................................................................................... 105
#37: An Older Person Who You Admire ................................................................................. 108
#38: A TV Program That Made You Laugh............................................................................ 110
#39: First Time You Used A Foreign Language ...................................................................... 112
#40: Local News People Interested In ...................................................................................... 114
#41: A Story/ Novel Interests You ............................................................................................ 117
#42: A Goal That You Have .............................................................................................. 119
#43: An Item Of Clothing Bought For You ............................................................................. 121
#44: A Meal You Had With Your Friends ............................................................................... 123
#45: An Interesting Animal ....................................................................................................... 125
#46: A Special Toy ...................................................................................................................... 127
#47: A Sport You Have Learned ............................................................................................... 129
#48: A Family You Know .......................................................................................................... 131
#49: Topic: A Good Friend ........................................................................................................ 133
#50: A CHARACTER IN A MOVIE/TV PROGRAM ........................................................... 135
#51: A Person Influences You ................................................................................................... 137
#52: A TV Program Inspires You ............................................................................................. 139
#53: A TV Program Inspires You ............................................................................................. 141

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#54: Something You Make By Yourself ................................................................................... 143

#55: A SONG YOU ENJOY LISTENING ............................................................................... 145
#56: A VEHICLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO OWN ................................................................ 147
#57: SOMETHING YOU BOUGHT BUT YOU WERE NOT HAPPY WITH ................... 149
#58: A PERSON WHO CAN SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE....................................... 151
#59: A COUNTRY YOU HAVE VISITED.............................................................................. 153
#60: Describe An Old Friend..................................................................................................... 155
#61: Describe A Skill .................................................................................................................. 158
#62: Describe A Natural Landscape ......................................................................................... 160
#63: Describe The Best Experience........................................................................................... 162
#64: Describe An Interesting Thing You Did .......................................................................... 164
#65: Describe An Advertisement .............................................................................................. 167
#66: Describe An Bike/ Car Trip .............................................................................................. 169
#67: Describe A Language ......................................................................................................... 171
#68: Describe A Family Member .............................................................................................. 173
#69: Topic: Describe A Game/ Sport ........................................................................................ 175
#70: Describe an app you use in your mobile phone ............................................................... 177
#71: Person in your family who you most admire ................................................................... 181
#72: Describe your favourite movie/film .................................................................................. 185
#73: Describe a journey that you remember well.................................................................... 187
#74: Describe a piece of electronic equipment that you find useful....................................... 191
#75: Describe a competition that you took part in .................................................................. 197
#76: Describe a museum you have visited and liked ............................................................... 201
#77: Something you borrowed from your friends or family .................................................. 203
#78: An item of clothing you purchased that you didn’t like ................................................. 206
#79: Describe an old person you admire .................................................................................. 209
#80: A Project At Work Or Homework Assignment .............................................................. 213
#81: A Subject At School ........................................................................................................... 215
#82: A Person You Admire/Love .............................................................................................. 217
#83: Describe a teacher from your past that you remember .................................................. 219
#84: Describe a person who has done a lot of work to help people........................................ 222

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#85: Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood ......................... 226
#86: Describe a restaurant that you enjoyed going to............................................................. 231
#87: Describe an open-air or street market ............................................................................. 235
#88: Describe a place you went to which was full of colours .................................................. 238
#89: Describe a trip which was not up to your expectations .................................................. 242
#90: Describe a party that you enjoyed .................................................................................... 245
#91: Describe a meeting you remember going to .................................................................... 249
#92: An exciting competition or sporting event ....................................................................... 253
#93: Give your opinion in a questionnaire or survey .............................................................. 257
#94: Topic: Describe an important letter that you received. .................................................. 261
#95: Topic: A Good Leader ....................................................................................................... 265
#96: An interesting conversation you had ................................................................................ 266
#97: Describe something that is produced in your country .................................................... 269
#98: A present which you were given and that you broken accidentally .............................. 275
#99: Describe a gift you have received that was important to you ........................................ 280

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Lời nói đầu:
Các em thân mến, để giúp các em có thể luyện thi IELTS tốt hơn cho nên trong thời
gian qua tập thể Chiến binh - Giảng viên IELTS Fighter dành rất nhiều thời gian,
tâm huyết để biên soạn nhiều bộ tài liệu hay dành tặng các em. Và bộ tài liệu tổng
hợp 99 Cue Card – IELTS Speaking kèm theo hƣớng dẫn chi tiết các Tips làm bài
IELTS Speaking Part 2,3 này là một trong số đó.
Bộ tài liệu đƣợc biên soạn gồm các nội dung:
1. Lời khuyên học tiếng Anh hiệu quả

2. Tips cần lƣu ý khi luyện IELTS Speaking Part 2, Part 3
3. Tổng hợp 99 Cue Card cho phần thi Speaking part 2
4. File thu âm dành cho từng Cue Card – giọng bản ngữ - do Giám khảo chấm
thi IELTS thực hiện.
Cô, Thầy hy vọng với Bộ tài liệu IELTS Speaking này sẽ giúp các em tự tin chinh
phục IELTS Speaking 8.0 trong thời gian sớm nhất. Cùng cô, thầy khám phá để
biến IELTS – As Easy As Pie nhé.
Yêu tất cả các em!
Cô Trà My và tập thể các giáo viên IELTS Fighter!

Đà Nẵng
CHƢƠNG 1: LỜI KHUYÊN HỌC TIẾNG ANH HIỆU QUẢ
Một trong những điều để luyện IELTS Speaking hiệu quả là thay THAY ĐỔI THÓI QUEN
HỌC TIẾNG ANH hàng ngày. Cách thay đổi thói quen nhƣ thế nào cho hiệu quả, cùng cô tìm
hiểu nhé.
Phần 1: Rèn luyện thói quen học tiếng Anh hằng ngày
- Tại sao các em dành nhiều thời gian học tiếng Anh nhƣng vẫn không hiệu quả?
- Tại sao các em thƣờng chán nản khi học tiếng Anh?
Làm thế nào để khắc phục đƣợc điều đó?
Để làm đƣợc những điều này, các em hãy bắt đầu bằng việc hạn chế facebook, Zalo “chat
chit”… đã, đọc tiếp nhé!
Đầu tiên, cô muốn phân tích một tí về 4 kĩ năng học tiếng Anh bao gồm Nghe – Nói – Đọc –
Viết. Trong đó, có 2 kĩ năng mà cô gọi là Kĩ năng vào đó chính là Nghe và Đọc, 2 kĩ năng còn
lại đƣợc gọi là kĩ năng ra Nói và Viết.
Kĩ năng vào: Nghe và Đọc vs Kĩ năng ra: Nói và Viết
Sở dĩ, nó đƣợc gọi là kĩ năng vào đơn giản đó là cách mà chúng ta sẽ tiếp thu, không chỉ tiếng
Anh mà các kiến thức khác đều nhƣ vậy cả. Nghe – đọc là cách tiếp nhận thông tin. Và khi có
lƣợng thông tin nhất định thì chúng ta mới “ra” đƣợc. Đó chính là Nói và Viết.
Nói một cách đơn giản, chúng ta phải có lƣợng tƣ vựng – ngữ pháp… thì chúng ta mới có thể Nói
và Viết đƣợc. Và để có 2 các kiến thức đó thì chúng ta phải Nghe và Đọc đúng không nào?
Tất nhiên là 4 kĩ năng nó sẽ xuyên suốt với nhau rồi và đặc biệt là để học tập tốt thì không thể
ngoài 2 chữ Luyện tập – luyện tập và luyện tập rồi.
Nhƣng hôm nay, trong phần này cô sẽ nói đến việc đầu tiên – quan trọng nhất – và theo suốt tận
sau này. Đó chính là thay đổi thói quen.
Nghe thì có vẻ là “biết rồi – khổ lắm – nói mãi” nhƣng nó lại là một trong những nguyên nhân
chính làm các em không thể học đƣợc tiếng Anh đó chính là không có một thói quen học tiếng

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Anh mỗi ngày và một nguyên nhân khác mà cô cũng muốn đề cập trong này đó chính là một môi
trƣờng học tiếng Anh tốt nữa.
Nguyên nhân, phân tích kĩ thì chắc dài. Nhƣng quan trong hơn đó là:
Làm sao để khắc phục đƣợc điều đó?
Đầu tiên, sẽ NGHE:

- Hãy nghe tiếng Anh mọi lúc, mọi nơi.
- Thay đổi thói quen “nghe tiếng Việt” trở thành “nghe tiếng Anh”
Trong nghe, có 2 kĩ năng chính đó chính là Nghe Chủ Động và Nghe Thụ Động – đó cũng là 2
kĩ năng mà cô sẽ hƣớng dẫn và đề cập các em trong chia sẻ này.
Nghe chủ động:
Đó chính là việc các em dành thời gian học nghe bằng các bài nghe nhất định. Có rất nhiều bài
nghe mà các em có thể luyện nghe chủ động cũng nhƣ các phƣơng pháp luyện nghe khác nhau.
Tuy nhiên, đã nghe chủ động thì phải kết hợp với việc học (nói và viết) đi kèm mới hiệu quả. Khi
đó, các em cần phải đi kèm với sự nghiêm túc nữa.
Đối với cách Nghe chủ động thì cô khuyên các em là có thể dành thời gian luyện nghe với IELTS
luôn và có rất nhiều tài liệu để luyện nghe phần này.
Tài liệu: Các em có thể luyện tập với các bộ tài liệu Listening for IELTS (Collins), Listening
Strategies for IELTS, Basic IELTS Listening…
Rất nhiều!
(nếu các em cần tƣ vấn có thể inbox cho Cô nhé. Cô sẽ chọn cho các em một bộ tài liệu phù hợp)
Tuy nhiên, cô khuyên các em nên CHỈ HỌC MỘT CUỐN DUY NHẤT và theo đuổi nó từ đầu
đến cuối nhé.
Thời gian: Mỗi ngày cố gắng tối thiểu khoảng 30 phút để học với các tài liệu này.
Còn nữa!
Còn có một phƣơng pháp học vô cùng hiệu quả đó chính là Nghe và Chép Chính Tả. Nhƣng cô
sẽ đề cập tới phƣơng pháp cũng nhƣ tài liệu phù hợp với phƣơng pháp này sau trong một post
khác nhé. Hôm nay chúng ta bàn về thói quen nên nghe và chép chính tả rất khó (theo cô) để tạo
nên thói quen nên cô không bàn.

Đà Nẵng
Ý cô phần này là: Mỗi ngày, lôi một vài bài trong các cuốn sách ra và học, ngày nào cũng vậy
thì nó sẽ tạo thành thói quen (nhƣ các em học cấp 3 – luyện thi Đại Học vẫn chăm chỉ ấy).
Chỉ đơn giản thế thôi!
Nghe thụ động:
Có một phần mà các em cần thay đổi thói quen – cũng là tạo một môi trƣờng “bản ngữ” đó chính
là Nghe thụ động.
Hãy chuyển những thói quen hằng ngày trở thành thói quen học tiếng Anh. Và cô không khuyên
các em nghe thời sự - xem BBC, CNN suốt ngày để học nhƣ những ngƣời khác mà cô khuyên
các em hãy chuyển các sở thích – thói quen của mình nó “Tây” hơn mà thôi.
Thay vì xem Giọng Hát Việt sao các em không xem The Voice England, sao các em không xem
American idol thay cho Việt Nam idol…?
Ý cô là vậy đó, các em hãy xem các chƣơng trình nƣớc ngoài, nghe các bài hát bằng tiếng Anh…
mỗi ngày thay cho việc xem các chƣơng trình mà các em yêu thích bằng tiếng Việt. Nó sẽ thay
đổi kĩ năng nghe của các em khủng khiếp sau một thời gian đấy!
Tất nhiên, XEM KHÔNG SUB nhé. Xem có phụ đề nó chỉ cải thiện kĩ năng đọc thôi!
Còn một phần nữa đó là nghe Radio, Podcast thì cô sẽ đề cập trong một bài viết chi tiết khác cho
các em nhé!
Thay đổi thói quen đọc:
Cũng giống Nghe, đọc cô cũng chia thành 2 loại đó chính là Đọc thụ động và Đọc chủ động.
Về phần Đọc thụ động thì các em có thể làm bài Reading hoặc chuyển sang đọc bài mẫu Writing
cũng đƣợc nhé. Mỗi ngày cũng tối thiểu 30 phút là sẽ thành công.
Còn về phần đọc chủ động thì sao?
Đó chính là báo chí, tài liệu… chuyên ngành các em cần nghiên cứu…
Thực ra, nó cũng giống với kĩ năng nghe thôi. Các em nghiên cứu sẽ tự hiểu ra vấn đề và quan
trong là các em cần LÀM NÓ MỖI NGÀY để tạo thành NHƢ MỘT THÓI QUEN thì sẽ rất
tuyệt vời. Tiếng Anh sẽ “tăng nhƣ vũ bão” các em nhé!

Đà Nẵng
Điều cuối cùng mà cô muốn nói đó chính là:
Tiếng Anh không chỉ có một kĩ năng, tiếng Anh là một thể thống nhất. Chính vì vậy nên
đừng học mỗi kĩ năng một lần mà hãy học tập đồng thời nó sẽ hiệu quả hơn rất nhiều.
Ví dụ, khi học Nghe thì các em hãy Repeat theo để luyện phát âm và thử ghi lại ra giấy xem
thử mình nghe có đúng – viết có đúng không.
Học đọc cũng vậy, hãy đọc xem phát âm có chuẩn không và chép lại xem mình nhớ chính xác
không chứ đừng “đọc bằng mắt” nhƣ các thói quen thƣờng ngày của các em!
Thay đổi thói quen – thay đổi thành công!
P/s: Nghe nhƣ đa cấp nhỉ ^^
Và…
Cho dù làm gì cũng vậy, thành công nào cũng trải qua chông gai cả. Nỗ lực thì sẽ thành tài,
học chăm thì sẽ giỏi.
Và để vƣợt trội thì tiếng Anh – IELTS là điều mà các em cần phải có trong thời đại hiện nay.
Nó cũng sẽ mở ra cho các em một cánh cửa cuộc sống mới – một sự khám phá mới trong cuộc
sống đó!
Chính vì vậy,
- Hãy học nó bằng một niềm đam mê, tình yêu và sự hứng thú sẽ tốt hơn nhé các em!
Và để mở đầu,
- Hãy tạo thói quen học tập hằng ngày cho bản thân!

Đà Nẵng
CHƢƠNG 2: BÍ KÍP TRẢ LỜI IELTS SPEAKING PART 2, PART 3
I. IELTS SPEAKING PART 2: BÀI NÓI CÁ NHÂN và Cue card
Sau khi các em kết thúc Part 1 (phỏng vấn ngắn), giám khảo sẽ phát cho các em 1 tấm cue card,
trong đó sẽ có đề cho phần nói Part 2 và 3 đến 4 câu hỏi gợi ý đi kèm. Thông thƣờng, đề sẽ yêu
cầu các em mô tả một địa điểm/địa danh, một sự kiện hoặc một kỉ niệm nào đó mà các em đã trải
qua. Mỗi thí sinh sẽ chỉ có 1 phút để chuẩn bị cho bài nói thôi nhé. Đƣơng nhiên, giám khảo sẽ
phát giấy và bút để thí sinh có thể ghi lại các ý cần nói.
Trong phần 2 này, các em chỉ nên dành 1-2p cho bài nói thôi nhé. Sau khi kết thúc, giám khảo
(có thể) sẽ hỏi thêm một số câu hỏi liên quan đến bài nói. Điều khó nhất của phần 2 mà rất nhiều
bạn thí sinh chia sẻ đó là việc căn thời gian nói. Vậy nên, các em cần “ƣớc lƣợng” để có thể nói
đủ các ý mà vẫn nằm trong thời gian giới hạn 2 phút. Một cách luyện tập cô đã luyện tập và cảm
thấy rất hiệu quả, đó là chúng mình sẽ luyện nói ở nhà và tự bấm giờ, mình cũng nên tự thu âm
bài nói của mình các em nhé. Các em có thể sử dụng máy MP3 có chức năng thu âm (nhƣ cô ^^).
Bằng cách tự “thu âm” và tự “đặt giờ”, các em sẽ rất dễ dàng “ƣớc lƣợng” đƣợc bài nói của mình
đấy.
Làm thế nào để tận dụng 1 phút CHUẨN BỊ hiệu quả
Sau đây là một vài tips các em có thể áp dụng:
1. Một phút sẽ trôi qua rất nhanh, vì thế, các em nên gạch ra các ý chính cần nói một cách nhanh
nhất nhé
2. Không nên suy nghĩ quá lâu hoặc làm phức tạp hóa chủ đề
3. Với mỗi câu hỏi gợi ý, các em cố gắng đƣa ra đƣợc ít nhất 1 ý trả lời
4. Không nên viết cả câu, thay vào đó, ta viết “keywords”
5. Cố gắng dẫn dắt đến 1 chủ đề tƣơng tự mà các em đã có chuẩn bị trƣớc ở nhà
6. Các em có thể “tạm quên” đi ngữ pháp trong phần này, chỉ tập trung vào “vocabulary” và
“idea” để trả lời đủ các câu hỏi
7. Luyện tập, luyện tập và luyện tập. Tại sao chúng ta không bắt đầu luyện tập trả lời câu hỏi
ngay hôm nay nhỉ ? ^^
Dƣới đây là một ví dụ, Cô và các em cùng tìm hiểu nhé:
Trong cue card giám khảo đƣa sẽ có các thông tin sau:
You should say:
What kind of film it was
When you saw it
What it was about
And why you liked it or didn’t like it

Đà Nẵng
Trong 1 phút, các em sẽ viết gì trong giấy “nháp” nhỉ, cùng tham khảo phần “nháp” sau nhé:
Notes (1 phút)
1. The Social Network
2. True story
3. 2 weeks ago
4. Creator of Facebook
5. Simple idea
6. Global branding and fame
Part 2 Main Topics
Trong phần Speaking Part 2, Cô khuyến khích các em nên tập trung chuẩn bị ý trả lời cho 6 chủ
đề chính sau đây:
1. Mô tả 1 đồ vật (object) E.g. món quà (a gift), đồ vật đang sử dụng, …

2. Mô tả 1 ngƣời (person) E.g. ngƣời mình ngƣỡng mộ, thành viên trong gia đình, …
3. Mô tả 1 sự kiện (event) E.g. lễ hội, ngày kỉ niệm…
4. Mô tả 1 hoạt động (activity) E.g. sở thích…
5. Mô tả 1 địa điểm(place) E.g. nơi mình đã từng đến, kì nghỉ….
6. Mô tả điều mình yêu thích (favourite) E.g. cuốn sách/bộ phim/website…
Hầu hết các câu hỏi cần trả lời cho từng chủ đề đều có sự liên quan nhất định đến nhau. Ví dụ:
“Describe a river, lake or sea which you like” (Mô tả một con sông, hồ hoặc biển mà em thích) là
dạng câu hỏi thuộc chủ đề số 5 – khi trả lời, chúng ra có thể mô tả 1 kì nghỉ mát đến nơi có biển.
Nên chuẩn bị trƣớc các ý tƣởng trƣớc khi bƣớc vào kì thi!
Những ý tƣởng cần chuẩn bị
Chúng ta không thể chuẩn bị tất cả các câu trả lời cho tất cả các chủ đề có thể gặp trong Speaking
Part 2, tuy nhiên, các chủ đề sau đây các em nên cố gắng chuẩn bị thật tốt:
1. Favourites: Các em nên chuẩn bị những ý tƣởng cần nói về 1 cuốn sách nào đó các em yêu
thích, một bộ phim, bài hát…
2. People: Các em có thể lựa chọn chuẩn bị về 1 ngƣời nổi tiếng mà các em ngƣỡng mộ, hoặc 1
thành viên trong gia đình mà các em yêu quý
3. Activities: Chúng mình nên xác định 1 sở thích và chuẩn bị ý tƣởng để nói về điều đấy. Hoặc
mô tả về 1 ngày đặc biệt trong đó có rất nhiều hoạt động diễn ra, ví dụ nhƣ ngày sinh nhật, lễ hội
hoặc lễ cƣới.
4. Places: Các em nên nói về nơi các em sinh sống, hoặc nơi các em đã từng đến, các hoạt động
đã diễn ra, tại sao mình lại thích hoặc không thích nơi đó
5. Things: Các em có thể nói về đồ vật các em dùng hàng ngày, hoặc 1 món đồ mơ ƣớc….
Chúng mình nhớ rằng ở phần 2, từ khóa là “describe” (mô tả), vậy nên các em nên chuẩn bị các
tính từ hay và đặc biệt cho từng topic, ngoài ra các em nên đƣa ra cảm xúc cá nhân hoặc ý kiến cá
nhân cho bài nói. Thêm ví dụ hoặc kể 1 câu chuyện cũng là một cách rất tốt giúp ghi điểm với
giám khảo đấy các em ạ.

Đà Nẵng
Làm cách nào để “nói” trong vòng 2 phút
Nhiều bạn học viên hỏi rằng “ Có cần thiết nói đủ 2 phút nhƣ yêu cầu không ?”. Theo hƣớng dẫn
của đề các em có thể nói từ 1 đến 2 phút, điều này có nghĩa, các em không cần thiết phải nói
chính xác tuyệt đối 2 phút. Mặc dù vậy, lời khuyên của cô đó là các em nên cố gắng nói, nói
không ngừng cho đến khi giám khảo ngắt lời.
Sau đây cô sẽ chia sẻ 1 vài tips giúp các em có thể nói liên tục nhé:
1. Nói lần lƣợt các ý đƣợc yêu cầu trong cue card theo trình tự
2. Cố gắng phát triển các ý, kể cả ý đơn giản nhất. Ví dụ: nếu ý đầu tiên cần phải nói cho chủ đề
“describe a person” (mô tả 1 ngƣời) là “who is it?” (ngƣời đó là ai?), chúng ta không nên nói
“I‟m going to describe my father” (Tôi sẽ mô tả về bố của tôi). Thay vào đó, hãy thêm các thông
tin, nhƣ tên, tuổi, ngoại hình, nơi sinh sống và công tác, các em có thƣờng xuyên nói chuyện với
ngƣời đó không…
3. Đƣa ví dụ và kể chuyện
Để cải thiện điểm số phần Speaking IELTS, cố gắng đƣa ra các ví dụ hay để mở rộng câu trả lời.
Những ví dụ có tính thực tế cao hoặc các câu chuyện liên quan sẽ giúp tăng điểm phần thi nói.
Trong part 2, khi đƣa ví dụ trong câu trả lời sẽ giúp bài nói dài hơn. Trong part 3, ví dụ lại giúp
làm rõ nghĩa hơn câu trả lời của mình
Dƣới đây là 1 câu trả lời mẫu mà bạn thí sinh đã mở rộng khi nói Part 2, chủ đề về Mobile
phone:
“ For example, yesterday I used my phone to call some friends to arrange a get-together this
weekend. Some of them didn‟t answer, so I either left a message in their voicemail or I sent them
a text. I also replied to few emails while I was waiting in a queue at the bank.”
Dùng đúng thì (tense)
Hai câu hỏi đƣợc đặt ra
- Có thể dùng thì quá khứ khi mô tả về 1 ngƣời đang còn sống không?
- Khi tả ngƣời, thì nào phù hợp?
Câu trả lời cho câu hỏi đầu tiên là Có. Các em có thể nói: “My father was always a good role
model for me when I was growing up”. Câu này không ám chỉ rằng ngƣời đƣợc nói đến không
còn sống, nó chỉ mang 1 nét nghĩa đó là ngƣời nói đã lớn/trƣởng thành và không còn nhỏ
(growing up) nữa!

Đà Nẵng
Câu trả lời cho câu hỏi thứ hai là it depends. Nhƣ cô đã đề cập ở bên trên, các em có thể sử dụng
thì quá khứ, nhƣng cũng có thể dùng thì hiện tại và/hoặc tƣơng lai, ví dụ: “My father was always
kind to me when I was a child, and he still helps me whenever I need something. I‟m sure he will
always be there for me.”
3 tips quan trọng
Dƣới đây là 3 tips có thể áp dụng cho IELTS Speaking Part 2 cô muốn chia sẻ với các em:
1. Tận dụng 1 phút chuẩn bị thật tốt: thử trả lời các câu hỏi bằng tiếng Việt, sau đó viết lại
càng nhiều ý tƣởng càng tốt bằng Tiếng Anh
2. Đƣa ví dụ thực tế: nói lên suy nghĩ thực sự của mình, nói về cuộc sống thực sự và đƣa ra các
ví dụ có thật. Đƣa ví dụ rất quan trọng; bất kể lúc nào chúng ta “bí” ý tƣởng, chúng ta có thể đƣa
ra các ví dụ giúp bài nói dài và phong phú hơn
3. Không nên quá quan tâm đến ngữ pháp: chúng ta sẽ không có nhiều thời gian để nghĩ về
cách chia động từ thể bị động hoặc câu điều kiện. Hãy chỉ tập trung vào việc đƣa ra các ý trả lời
câu hỏi đƣợc yêu cầu
Không cần chú trọng nhiều vào eye-contact
Rất nhiều thí sinh lo lắng về việc phải giữ “eye-contact” với giám khảo, điều này rất nên chú ý
khi nói Part 1 và Part 3, tuy nhiên, với Part 2 này, nó không quá cần thiết.
Trong phần nói Part 2, điều quan trọng là chúng ta phải trả lời trọng tâm câu hỏi theo các gợi ý,
có nghĩa rằng, các em cần nhìn vào giấy “nháp” để đảm bảo không trả lời thiếu ý
Dùng câu hỏi để làm định hƣớng cho các câu trả lời. Trả lời lần lƣợt các câu hỏi, đảm bảo
rằng trả lời hết các câu hỏi đƣợc yêu cầu
Các em nên nhìn vào giấy “nháp”để nói đủ ý đã chuẩn bị từ trƣớc
Lƣu ý: giám khảo sẽ không trừ điểm vì thiếu eye-contact, nhƣng sẽ trừ điểm nếu các em không
trả lời đúng và đủ trọng tâm câu hỏi
Lấy ý tƣởng từ các chủ đề khác
Chúng ta không cần thiết phải chuẩn bị câu trả lời cho tất cả các chủ đề. Thay vào đó, cố gắng tận
dụng các ý tƣởng đã chuẩn bị sẵn cho các chủ đề tƣơng tự/tƣơng đồng. Chúng ta cùng xem ví dụ
dƣới đây nhé:
Describe a time when you received some money as a gift. You should say:
Who gave it to you
What the occasion was
How you left

Đà Nẵng
And explain what you did with the money
Nếu liên kết các câu hỏi trong chủ đề này với các chủ đề khác, chúng ta sẽ thấy câu hỏi trở nên
đơn giản hơn rất nhiều.
Một vài ideas trả lời cho câu hỏi bên topics:
1. You could say that you received money for your birthday and took your friends out for a meal
2. You could say that you bought yourself a new phone
3. You could say that you used the money to pay for a holiday or trip
Lƣu ý: Các em có thể sử dụng ý tƣởng cô đƣa ra trên đây, tuy nhiên, cô khuyến khích chúng ta
nên cố gắng tạo ý tƣởng và biến nó trở thành của mình nhé.
Không sử dụng các cụm công thức
Nhiều bạn học sinh thƣờng có thắc mắc rằng liệu các cấu trúc dƣới đây có hữu ích cho Speaking
Part 2 hay không:
I guess I could begin by saying something about (point 1) and I think I would have to
choose….
Going on to my next point which is (point 2), I really need to emphasize that (explain
point 2)
And now with reference to (point 3), the point I want to make here is that (explain point
3)
And so finally, if I have time, in answer to question of (point 4), really I should mention
that…
Theo các em, những công thức trên có phải là cách hiệu quả nhất để đạt điểm cao không? Câu trả
lời là NO!
Các giám khảo IELTS sẽ không đánh giá cao việc nói theo công thức nhƣ này. Việc nói theo
công thức có sẵn sẽ làm cho bài nói của chúng ta mất đi độ tự nhiên, giám khảo sẽ nhận ra rằng
chúng ta đang học vẹt. Chắc chắn rằng điều này sẽ không gây ấn tƣợng nào cho bài thi của mình
với giám khảo cả đâu các em ạ.
Tuy nhiên, học theo công thức cũng có những lợi ích, đó là nó giúp cho câu trả lời của em có hệ
thống hơn. Các em có thể cảm thấy tự tin hơn khi đƣa ra các ý tƣởng cho bài nói. Nhƣng vẫn có
các nhƣợc điểm sau của việc học theo công thức:
1. Các em sẽ có xu hƣớng tập trung nhớ các cụm công thức mà quên đi các ý chính mình cần nói
trong bài

Đà Nẵng
2. Giám khảo sẽ biết rằng các em học thuộc vì sự tự nhiên của bài nói sẽ biến mất. Từ đó, họ sẽ
đánh giá rằng trình độ tiếng Anh của thí sinh không cao.
Làm cách nào để đạt điểm cao? Thu âm, chép tay và phân tích
Dƣới đây, Cô sẽ chia sẻ các bƣớc các em có thể áp dụng khi luyện nói ở nhà:
1. Chọn chủ đề nói có mẫu giống bài thi thật, có thể dùng các topic từ bộ Cambridge
2. Thu âm câu trả lời của mình, có thể thu âm 1 phần hoặc cả bài nói
3. Nghe lại bài thu âm và viết lại ra giấy (viết lại tất cả những gì các em nói)
4. Phân tích lại bài nói đã chép lại. Tự hỏi bản thân làm cách nào để cải thiện câu trả lời của
mình?
5. Nghiên cứu và tìm hiểu các cách để giúp cho câu trả lời của mình tốt hơn
6. Trả lời lại các câu hỏi 1 lần nữa với câu trả lời mới. Thu âm, chép tay và phân tích
7. Tiếp tục các bƣớc trên nhiều lần cho đến khi cảm thấy hài lòng với câu trả lời của chính mình
Nếu chúng ta liên tục luyện tập bằng các cách trên hàng ngày trong một tháng, Cô tin chắc rằng
các em sẽ có cải thiện đƣợc sự tự tin khi nói cũng nhƣ diễn đạt ý tƣởng và câu trả lời tốt hơn rất
nhiều đấy.
Các chiến lƣợc hiệu quả
1. Cố gắng mở rộng các ý chính một cách chi tiết nhẩ. Với 3 câu hỏi đầu tiên, các em nên cố gắng
nói nhiều và chi tiết, tránh việc thừa quá nhiều thời gian cho câu hỏi cuối
2. Kể 1 câu chuyện: khi các em kể về 1 câu chuyện thật đã từng xảy ra, các em sẽ không gặp
nhiều khó khăn để phát triển các ý tƣởng cho bài nói. Các câu chuyện sẽ gây hứng thú cao với
ngƣời nghe (giám khảo) hơn nhiều đấy các em ạ
3. Đƣa ra ví dụ. Việc dùng ví dụ cũng giúp các em biến nó thành 1 mẩu chuyện nhỏ, từ đấy bài
nói cũng gây nhiều thiện cảm hơn
4. Khi mô tả 1 đồ vật, các em đừng quên mô tả chi tiết về nó nhé. Ví dụ về kích thƣớc, màu sắc,
hình dạng, chất liệu, vị trí (Just under my living room window)
Không nên quá lo lắng về thái độ của Giám khảo
Có nhiều bạn thí sinh chia sẻ rằng các bạn rất lo lắng nếu Giám khảo có thái độ nghiêm nghị hoặc
thể hiện sự cáu kỉnh trong buổi thi. Có thể kể đến những điều khiến các thi sinh lo lắng đó là
giám khảo không cƣời hoặc không nhìn thí sinh khi nói, ngắt lời bài nói, hoặc nhìn đồng hồ quá
nhiều. Vậy điều này có phải là dấu hiệu rằng điểm bài nói của chúng mình sẽ thấp không nhỉ?
Câu trả lời là không nhé các em! Đừng lo lắng nếu có các dấu hiệu đó từ giám khảo. Thái độ của
giám khảo không phải là điều quan trọng đâu các em ạ, các em hãy lờ đi những điều đó và chỉ tập
trung vào câu trả lời của mình cho thật tốt thôi nhé.

Đà Nẵng
Lƣu ý: Đôi khi những giám khảo có thái độ thân thiện, luôn tƣơi cƣời vẫn có thể cho các em điểm
thấp cho bài nói. Và ngƣợc lại, vị giám khảo nghiêm nghị, gây khó khăn hoặc tỏ thái độ không
hứng thú với bài nói lại có thể cho chúng ta điểm cao đấy các em ạ!
Làm cách nào để cải thiện sự tự tin
Dƣới đây là một vài tips các em có thể áp dụng để tăng sự tự tin khi làm bài thi Speaking nhé:
Chuẩn bị sẵn kiến thức về bài thi: các em cần nắm vững các phần của 1 bài thi nói.
Luyện tập thật nhiều: chắc chắn rằng một bạn học sinh luyện tập tất cả các câu hỏi trong 8
bộ Cambridge sẽ tự tin nhiều hơn so với một bạn chƣa luyện tập bao giờ
Viết các câu trả lời ra giấy: khi tự học ở nhà, các em sẽ có thời gian để chuẩn bị các câu
trả lời „tốt nhất‟. Hãy viết các câu trả lời ra giấy và nhờ 1 ngƣời bạn kiểm tra và đƣa ra lời
khuyên
Nói thành tiếng: bắt đầu bằng cách viết câu trả lời ra giấy (giống nhƣ việc 1 diễn viên đọc
kịch bản), sau đó nói thành tiếng mà không cần nhìn lại „kịch bản‟ đó
Tự thu âm: điều này giúp các em phân tích đƣợc chất lƣợng câu trả lời của chính mình,
cũng nhƣ cả phần phát âm, từ vựng và ngữ pháp
Tập trung vào các ý tƣởng: khi nói, việc bảo đảm ngữ pháp hoàn hảo rất khó, vì thế Cô
luôn khuyên các học viên rằng đừng quá lo lắng về cấu trúc ngữ pháp, hãy chỉ tập trung
diễn đạt ý tƣởng thật tốt mà thôi. Điều này có nghĩa rằng các em nên trau dồi vốn từ vựng
của bản thân
Tầm quan trọng của phát âm
Trong bài thi IELTS Speaking, phát âm chiếm 25% điểm số của toàn bài. Rất nhiều bạn vẫn mơ
hồ giữa định nghĩa “pronunciation” (phát âm) và “accent” (ngữ điệu). Hai điều này hoàn toàn
khác nhau nhé!
Sẽ không có giám khảo nào yêu cầu các em phải nói giọng chuẩn Anh-Anh hoặc Anh-Mỹ cả đâu
các em ạ. Thực tế, giám khảo sẽ không bao giờ đánh giá ngữ điệu (accent) của chúng ta.
Điểm phát âm “pronunciation” sẽ đƣợc chấm dựa trên các tiêu chí sau:
Mạch lạc (clartity) – nói rõ ràng

Tốc độ (speed) – không quá nhnah, không quá chậm
Trọng âm của từ (word stress)
Trọng âm của câu (sentence stress)
Ngữ điệu của câu nói (intonation) – việc lên xuống của giọng
Thật không dễ dàng để có thể cải thiện các tiêu chí trên trong một sớm một chiều. Phát âm chuẩn
và chính xác là kết quả của một quá trình nghe và luyện nói trong một thời gian dài. Tuy nhiên,
cô có 1 tip rất hay mà các em có thể ghi nhớ: Hãy bỏ đi nỗi lo lắng về ngữ điệu “accent”, chỉ tập

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trung vào việc nói một cách rõ ràng và dễ hiểu thôi – “ Stop worrying about your accent, and
focus on speaking clearly”
Tầm quan trọng của ngữ pháp và từ vựng
Nhƣ cô đã chia sẻ bên trên, thật khó để đảm bảo ngữ pháp hoàn hảo khi nói. Nhƣng nó lại đơn
giản hơn rất nhiều khi mình chuyển hƣớng sang từ vựng, điểm bài nói sẽ đƣợc cải thiện rất nhiều
đấy các em ạ.
Chúng ta nên nhớ rằng:

Ngữ pháp chỉ chiếm 25% điểm toàn bài nói
Nếu tập trung quá vào lỗi ngữ pháp, chúng ta sẽ mất đi độ trôi chảy của toàn bài
Nếu sử dụng quá nhiều các cấu trúc ngữ pháp khó, bài nói sẽ không còn tự nhiên
Chúng ta chỉ có thể không mắc các lỗi ngữ pháp nếu chúng ta đƣợc sống tại nƣớc nói
tiếng Anh trong một thời gian dài thôi
Lƣu ý: Điểm cao đƣợc cấu thành bởi 4 yếu tố: từ vựng, ý tƣởng, ý kiến cá nhân và độ trôi chảy
(vocabulary, ideas, opinions, fluency)

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II. IELTS SPEAKING PART 3: Discussion (thảo luận)
Trong phần 3 này, các em sẽ có một phần Thảo luận với giám khảo. Chủ đề sẽ (có thể) liên quan
đến bài nói ở phần 2, nhƣng sẽ tập trung vào các lý thuyết trừu tƣợng hơn. Nhiệm vụ của chúng
ta đó là diễn giải và làm rõ ý kiến cá nhân của mình. Chính vì vậy phần này đƣợc gọi là
Discussion (thảo luận), mà thực tế trong bài thi, chủ yếu là thí sinh trình bày câu trả lời. Để giúp
các em hình dung rõ hơn, cô sẽ đƣa ra ví dụ sau nhé. Trong phần 2, các em sẽ sẽ nhận đƣợc 1 cue
card có các thông tin sau:
Describe a good friend of yours. You should say

Where and when did you meet
What did you do together
What do you like about him/her
Why is he/she a good friend of yours
Sau đó, khi đến phần 3, giám khảo có thể hỏi các em các câu hỏi sau:
1. Who cannot be a good friend of yours? Tell the properties os such a person
2. What do you value and not value in people?
3. Can people, opposite in personality, be good friends?
4. What do the children think about friendship? What about the adults? Compare them.
5. What do you think of friendship through internet? What good and bad sides does it have?
Các loại câu hỏi thƣờng gặp
Sau đây là các loại câu hỏi giám khảo có thể đặt ra cho chúng ta:
1. Compare and contrast (so sánh và đối chiếu)
2. Give an opinion (đƣa ra ý kiến)
3. Imagine (tƣởng tƣợng)
Nếu chủ đề là về “cities”, giám khảo có thể hỏi chúng ta:
1. How is life different in cities compared to rural areas?

2. How do you think life in big cities could be made easier?
3. What do you think cities will be like in 50 years time?
Dƣới đây, cô sẽ đƣa ra một số câu trả lời cho các câu hỏi trên, các em chú ý tới các dấu hiệu về so
sánh, đƣa ra ý kiến và suy đoán tƣơng lai mà cô gạch chân nhé.
1. Firstly, the cost of living in cities is much higher. Housing is much more expensive in cities
compared to rural areas; every thing costs more. I think life in cities is more difficult. There are
more people, so there‟s more competition for jobs. Life is a lot slower in rural areas, everyone
knows each other and there‟s a sense of community. I don‟t think rural areas experience the
social problems that you find in cities, like crime and homelessness.

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2. In my opinion cities need to be well-planned. Good public transport can definitely make life
easier because there are so many people and it can be really stressful just to move around. Public
areas like parks are also important because people need space to relax, and I think cities should
be made into healthier places to live an work.
3. I imagine cities will be less polluted because we‟ll have electric cars and better public
transport. More people might work from home so maybe cities won‟t be so busy. But I think
there will probably still be problems because more and more people are migrating to cities. So
I‟m not so optimistic about issues like crime, homelessness and unemployment.
So sánh quá khứ và hiện tại
Ở phần 3 này, các em sẽ gặp phải những câu hỏi yêu cầu chúng ta phải so sánh quá khứ và hiện
tại. Khi đó, giám khảo sẽ tập trung chú ý vào các thì đƣợc dùng trong câu trả lời. Ví dụ:
Are there ant differences between the types of people who were seen as celebrities in the past
and those who are celebrities nowadays?
Yes, I think there have bene some big changes in the types of people who become famous. In the
past, before the invention of television, I suppose there were very few national or international
celebrities; maybe kings and queens, military, political and religious leaders were the only
household names. With the advent of TV and radio, performers such as actors and musicians
became more well-known. However, we now seem to have a competely new breed of celebrity as
a result of „reality‟ television programmes; these are people who don‟t really have any special
skills as performers, but who are famous for just being themselves.
Tăng độ dài cho câu trả lời
Dƣới đây là 3 kĩ thuật giúp các em đƣa ra đƣợc câu hỏi dài hơn, và chi tiết hơn:
1. Liên tục hỏi bản thân câu hỏi “why?”

2. Giảng giải cho các lựa chọn của mình
3. Đƣa ví dụ
Câu hỏi:
Do you think that school children should be encouraged to have their own ideas, or is it more
important or them to learn what their teacheres give them?
Answer:
I think that we should definitely allow children to be creative and have their own ideas. (why?)
Children need to develop the ability to think for themselves and solve problems (why?) because
as adults they will not always have somebofy to guide them or tell them what to do. (alternatives
?) If we don‟t allow children to have their own ideas, they will be less successful in the adult
world; they will be too reliant on others. (example?) A doctor, for example, might encounter a

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situation that he or she hasn‟t been trained for, but will still be expected to make a decision that
could save someone‟slife.
Thêm chi tiết cho bài nói
Cô sẽ giới thiệu cho các em 3 kĩ thuật các em có thể áp dụng:
1. Giải thích
2. Đƣa ví dụ
3. Giải thích cho lựa chọn của mình
Question:
Why do you think friendship is important?
Answer:
I think friendship is important for all sorts of reasons. (why?) We need friends to share
experiences with, to talk to, and for support. (example?) In my case, I like to meet up with
friends at the weekend to do something enjoyable, like see a film or go out for dinner. I like
chatting with my friends about what we‟ve been during a week, or about what‟s happening in the
world. (alternatives?) Without friends to talk to, life would be dull and boring;we would only
have our families to talk to.
Nên nói về những gì chúng ta biết tƣờng tận
Trong phần 2 và 3 của bài thi IELTS Speaking, chúng ta phải đƣa ra các quyết định nhanh chóng
về việc nên nói về cái gì. Các em luôn ghi nhớ cố gắng nói về chủ đề mà mình đã chuẩn bị kĩ
càng. Chúng ta cùng phân tích các ví dụ sau đây nhé:
Part 2: Describe a law in your country.
Lời khuyên: Các em hãy chọn 1 chủ đề quen thuộc trong IELTS, đó là “guns” (súng). Giải thích
tại sao ở nƣớc mình công dân lại có thể/không thể sở hữu 1 khẩu súng. Sau đó, chúng ta nói về
ích lợi và tác hại của luật về “guns” này.
Part 3: What new law would you introduce to improve life in your country?
Lời khuyên: Các em hãy chọn chủ đề về “environment” (môi trƣờng). Chúng ta có thể giải thích
về việc chính phủ đã ban hành các điều luật mới để giảm khí thải từ nhà máy và các phƣơng tiện
đi lại, … Ngoài ra có thể đƣa ra các lợi ích mà điều luật này đã mang lại cho cuộc sống của ngƣời
dân.
Tầm quan trọng của việc chia thì cho động từ
Trong phần 3 của bài thi nói IELTS, các em sẽ có thể gặp các câu hỏi về quá khứ và tƣơng lai.
Giám khảo sẽ lắng nghe câu trả lời để đánh giá khả năng chia thì của chúng ta đấy các em ạ.

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Nếu giám khảo đề cập đến “50 years ago” (50 năm trƣớc), “when your parents were
young” (khi bố mẹ em còn trẻ) hoặc “when you were a child” (khi em còn là đứa trẻ), khi
đấy chúng ta nên chọn thì QUÁ KHỨ ĐƠN
Nếu câu hỏi yêu cầu chúng ta phải dự đoán, hoặc nếu nó đề cập đến “in 50 years” (trong
50 năm tới) hoặc “in the future” (trong tƣơng lai), thì mình sẽ dùng thì TƢƠNG LAI
ĐƠN (will + infinitive)
Do you think people had easier lives 50 years ago?
Yes, maybe life was simpler and less stressful 50 years ago. The mobile phone didn‟t exist, so I
suppose it was easier to forget about work at the end of the day because people coundn‟t contact
you so easily.
Do you think life will be more stressful in the future?
Yes, it probably will be more stressful. As the world gets smaller, employees will probably have
to travel to different countries more often and stay in touch with colleagues and clients all over
the world. There will also be more competition for jobsand the cost of living will keep going up.
Các câu hỏi về tƣơng lai
Khi giám khảo hỏi 1 trong các câu nhƣ dƣới đây, các em nên nhớ rằng, giám khảo muốn đánh giá
khả năng đƣa ra các ý tƣởng mới, dùng thì tƣơng lai đơn
How do you think the design of homes will change in the future?
Câu trả lời mẫu:

I don‟t think there will be much changes in terms of what houses look like from the outside. In
this country, people still like traditional brick or stone houses. Having said that, the design of
apartmen blocks will probably continue to develop, with more and more experimental or
futuristic buildings made of glass and metal. I imagine that it will be the insides of homes that
change the most; houses will no doubt be full of technological devices to make our lives easier.
Maybe we‟ll have things like voice-controlled doors, lights and appliances.
Nếu chúng ta không thể trả lời câu hỏi
Làm cách nào chúng ta có thể trả lời câu hỏi mà không có ý tƣởng gì về chủ đề nhỉ các em?
Có 2 điều sau chúng ta nên làm nếu rơi vào trƣờng hợp đó nhé:
1. Hãy thành thật và giải thích với giám khảo rằng các em không biết câu trả lời
2. Hãy phỏng đoán và nói với giám khảo rằng em chỉ đang đoán mà thôi
Câu hỏi mẫu:
How has technology affected the kinds of music that young people listen to?

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Câu trả lời tốt nhất, sử dụng 2 tips cô đã hƣớng dẫn bên trên:
(1) To be honest I don‟t really know the answer to that because I‟m completely out of touch with
what young people are listening to, and I‟m not a fan of pop music.
(2) However, I suppose that technology must have affected music. Maybe young people are
listening to music that has been made using computer software instead of real musical
instruments like the piano or guitar.
Cá nhân hóa câu trả lời
Trong phần 3, cô khuyên các e nên đƣa ra các ví dụ liên quan tới cá nhân mình nhé. Cùng học hỏi
từ các ví dụ sau đây:
1. Do you think it’s importan for people to have hobbies? Why?

Yes, I think people need to have hobbies because we all need to do things we enjoy in our spare
time. In my case, I find that playing football once a week with some friends helps me to relax,
keep fit and forget about work. I think it‟s the same for everyone.
2. Can hobbies have any negative effects?

Yes, if you spend too much time on your hobby, it can affect other parts of your life. I remember
that one of my friends spent most of his time at university playing computer games instead of
studying. In the end, he failed most of his exams.
3 Tips đơn giản có thể áp dụng
Dƣới đây là 3 tips đơn giản có thể giúp cải thiện điểm số của chúng mình:
1. Luôn tự tin
Cho dù chúng mình rất lo lắng, nhƣng vẫn nên cố gắng nói rõ ràng và tự tin. Mỉm cƣời và thân
thiện với giám khảo. Trƣớc khi bắt đầu thi, chúng mình hãy nói với bản thân rằng mình đã chuẩn
bị rất kĩ càng để vƣợt qua thử thách.
2. Chuẩn bị bài
Đƣơng nhiên rằng việc chuẩn bị kĩ càng sẽ giúp chúng ta tự tin hơn rất nhiều khi bƣớc vào bài thi
thật. Chúng ta cần chuẩn bị những điều có thể sẽ gặp phải trong bài thi. Cô ví dụ nhé, sau khi các
em đã chuẩn bị ý tƣởng cho các chủ đề nhƣ “mô tả 1 địa điểm”, “mô tả 1 ngƣời”, “mô tả 1 sở
thích” cho phần 2, vậy còn phần quá khứ và tƣơng lai có thể xuất hiện trong phần 3 thì sao nhỉ ?
3. Nói tự nhiên
Hãy cố gắng thể hiện sự tự nhiên trong bài nói trƣớc giám khảo. Thay vì lo lắng quá nhiều về ngữ
pháp, các em nên tập trung lắng nghe câu hỏi từ giám khảo. Hầu hết các câu hỏi sẽ liên quan đến
những thứ xung quanh chúng ta và ý kiến từ chúng ta, vậy nên, hãy trả lời thật cởi mở.

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Hãy nghĩ rằng chúng ta đang tạo 1 đoạn văn ngắn khi trả lời
Trong phần 3 này, các em nên cố gắng đƣa ra các câu trả lời dài và bao gồm các chi tiết trong đó.
Cách tốt nhất để làm điều này đó là tƣởng tƣợng rằng chúng ta hãy biến câu trả lời thành 1 đoạn
văn ngắn.
Idea, explain, example (ý tƣởng, giải thích, đƣa ví dụ)
Bắt đầu bằng cách đƣa ra câu trả lời trực tiếp, giống nhƣ 1 luận điểm chính của đoạn văn vậy.
Sau đó, hãy giải thích câu trả lời bằng các chi tiết, minh họa cho phần giải thích bằng cách đƣa ví
dụ
Cô có câu hỏi sau đây:

Do you think that it‟s important for people to go on holiday?
Firstly, secondly, finally (điều 1, điều 2, cuối cùng)
Chúng ta lại đƣa ra câu trả lời trực tiếp, sau đó giải thích bằng 2 đến 3 lí do, hoặc cũng có thể đƣa
thêm ví dụ nữa nhé.
Cùng làm bài tập sau đây với cô nhé:
Cô có câu hỏi: Why do you think some people prefer not to go abroad on holiday?
Cô có các cách trả lời sau đây:
1) Do you think that it’s important for people to go on holiday?

Trả lời sử dụng “idea, explain, example”
Yes, I think we all nedd to go on holiday at least once or twice a year. It isn‟t healthy to work all
year round without some time off to relax; we all need to take a break and recharge our batteries
from time to time. Last summer, for example, I went on holiday to France for a couple of weeks,
and it was great to leave al of my usual responsibilities behind me. I came home feeling really
refreshed and reinvigorated.
2) Why do you think some people prefer not to go abroad on holiday?

Trả lời sử dụng “firstly, secondly, finally”
I suppose there are different reasons why some people choose not to go abroad on holidays.
Firstly, it‟s usually more expensive to travel abroad than it is to stay at home. A second reason
could be that some people find it stressful to spend time in a foreign country where they don‟t
speak the language, or where they feel that they can‟t easily integrate with the locals. Finally,
many people just love where they live, and don‟t feel the need to travel abroad.
Cấu trúc trả lời câu hỏi Phần 3

Dƣới đây là cấu trúc để trả lời các câu hỏi phần 3 một cách có hệ thống, các em cùng tham khảo
nhé:
Câu trả lời 1

1. Trả lời câu hỏi theo cách “it depends”

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2. Giải thích theo 1 phía lựa chọn

3. Giải thích cho phía lựa chọn còn lại
4. Đƣa ví dụ
Câu hỏi 2
1. Đầu tiên – đƣa ra đặc điểm đầu tiên
2. Thứ 2 – đƣa ra đặc điểm thứ 2
3. Cuối cùng – đƣa ra đặc điểm thứ 3
Câu hỏi 3
1. Trả lời câu hỏi theo cách “it‟s a mixture of both things”
2. Giải thích theo 1 phía lựa chọn
3. Giải thích cho phía lựa chọn còn lại
Thông thƣờng, cô hay sử dụng cách Idea, Explain, (Example) hoặc Firstly, Secondly, Finally
cho phần 3 các em ạ. Các em ghi nhớ cho cô nhé, chúng ta càng luyện tập nhiều, chúng ta sẽ càng
làm cho câu trả lời đƣợc chau chuốt và hoàn thiện hơn.

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CHƢƠNG 3: 99 TOPIC IELTS SPEAKING PART 2,3
#1: Topic: A Course You Like To Study
“Describe a course you would like to study (or, do)”
You should say:
- What course it is (or, would be)

- Where you would do it
- What you would learn in that course
- And explain why you would like to do this course.
Band 9.0 Sample:
Well, speaking of the course I‟d like to do, I would say that it‟s an English course. Today,
English is considered to be the most important language in the world. That‟s why it became one
of the compulsory subjects and we now have to study English from elementary onwards.
I‟d like to get admitted to the Foreign Trade University which offers a professional course in
Business English. They have a good reputation for teaching this course effectively to a high
standard. As I have other classes in the morning, I would like to enroll in the afternoon course.
Also, the course fee is both cheap and convenient for me to pay using my bank account.
There are so many reasons why I‟d like to enroll in an English course. First of all, English is an
international language, hence, having a knowledge of English can help people around the world
to communicate better. Second, it also gives us countless opportunities to become more
acquainted with other cultures. We depend on English to keep up to date with the latest news
from all over the world, since almost all the books and magazines are written in this language.
Finally, learning English can really help us in our careers and enhance our CVs, as these days,
many firms need good office employees to conduct international business.
USEFUL VOCABULARY :
1) compulsory: [adjective] that must be done because of a rule or law.

Example: In some countries, it is compulsory to attend school until the age of 16.

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2) onwards: [adverb] continuing from a particular time.

Example: I will be in my office from 8:00 am onwards, until I leave at 6:00 in the evening.
3) reputation: [noun] the opinion that people have about someone/something is like, based on
what has happened in the past.
Example: The restaurant enjoys an international reputation for the best Thai cuisine.
4) countless: [adjective] very many; too many to be counted or mentioned.

Example: The teacher has warned him countless times to pay attention in class.
5) acquainted: [adjective] familiar with something having seen, heard or read it.
Example: The students are already acquainted with the history of our country, having studied it at
elementary level.
6) keep up to date with: [expression] be informed about the latest information.

Example: I watch the news on TV every day, in order to keep up to date with the political
situation.
7) CVs: [noun] short descriptions of your education and qualifications, which you give to an
employer when you go for an interview.
Example: Students should make sure that they write good CVs, to help them when they apply for
a job.
8) firm: [noun] company.

Example: She works for a firm of lawyers in Paris.
9) conduct: [verb] organize or do a particular activity.

Example: The school has decided to conduct all its classes in English.

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#2: Topic: Exciting Sport
“Describe an exciting sport you know”
You should say:
- What sport it is
- How you know about it
- How difficult you think it is
- And explain why you think it is exciting
Band 9.0 Sample:

Of all the different types of sports, I am interested in figure skating the most.
I first learned about figure skating when I watched an Olympic competition in 2012. I found this
sport very interesting. I don‟t think that figure skating is a sport for everybody since it requires
great balancing skills. In addition, the person has to be very flexible and courageous when doing
this sport.
Coming from a tropical country, I don‟t get to experience ice and snow, thus, figure skating was
new to me. Watching the athlete‟s elegant performance on ice amazed me. I couldn‟t imagine
how people could do such things since just walking with ice skates is so difficult. These athletes
danced on ice without even tripping. They must have spent a great deal of time practicing
and preparing for their performances. Also, I found it very beautiful, as their costumes were so
elegant. I even enjoyed the background music they used during the performances. In comparison
to other sports, figure skating is an amazing feast for both the eyes and the ears.
USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS:

to be interested in – to like or to enjoy. “She is interested in figure skating and he is interested in
soccer.”
I found this sport to be very interesting – I thought this sport was very interesting. “He found the
work to be too easy for him.”
It requires – something that needs to be done. In this sentence it means that figure skating can
only be done by people who have good balance, and not everyone does.

Đà Nẵng
It‟s something necessary to have to do well at figure skating. “This job requires you to work 60
hours per week.”
Flexible – in this context it means that the person can do many things with his/her body, like
putting your foot above your head while you are skating. “Yoga teachers are very flexible and
can get themselves into all kinds of crazy positions.”
Courageous – brave. In this case you have to be brave to be a figure skater because itcan be
dangerous. “The mountaineers are courageous for climbing so high.”
Elegant performance – describing the performance as elegant means that you thought it was
very beautiful or gorgeous; it was pleasingly graceful and stylish in appearance or manner. “The
dancers gave an elegant performance this evening.”
Amazed me – surprised or shocked me. In this case it was incredible to see the skaters do such
things. “It amazed me that he received a 9 on his first IELTS exam.”
To trip – to fall down while you are walking or running or doing something else like dancing or
skating. “She tripped and hit her head on the table. Ouch!”
A feast for the eyes and ears – something pleasant to watch and listen to. “The Taylor Swift
concert was a feast for the eyes and ears. It was incredible to watch the show and I love her
music.”

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#3: Topic: Things You Want To Buy In The Future
“Describe something you really want to buy (in the future)”
You should say:
- What it is
- When you would like to (= want to / hope to) buy it
- How long you have wanted to buy this
- Explain why you would like to buy this
Band 9.0 Sample Answer
We all have a never-ending wish list of things that we want to buy, so do I. One item that has
been on my wish list for a long time is a one-bedroom apartment of my own.
I hope to cross this item off my list by the time I turn 30. I know it sounds impossible but it‟d be
cool if I could do it. And the most important thing is that I have a longterm goal to pursue. Since
I am an independent person, I have always wanted to move out of my parents‟ house. As soon as
I graduated college, I wanted to buy a small apartment. where you would like to buy it *: I‟m
currently looking for a condo a little further away from the city centre. Despite the fact that it will
take longer for me to travel to work, the price will be more reasonable and I will be able to afford
it. and
Having a flat of my own means a lot to me for several reasons. Firstly, I can decorate the house
according to my own tastes and personality. Secondly, I can do whatever I want without
interfering in my parents‟ lives. I can invite my friends over for the weekend and I can throw
a party anytime I want. Most importantly, I want to show my parents that I am a grown-up
woman and that I can take good care of myself.
USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS
never-ending – used to describe something that seems to never end or have an ending. “She had
a never-ending list of complaints about her last company.”
to cross an item off your list – to mark it as finished or completed. When you have a list of
things you want to do, and then you do one, you cross it off your list so that you know it has been
finished and you don‟t have to think about it anymore. “Today she was able to cross five things
off of her very long to-do list.”

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it would be cool if… – another way to say… it would be nice if or it would be great if – you are
talking about a hypothetical situation. “It would be cool if you could come visit me while I am in
Japan.”
to purse a goal – to go after something that you want to accomplish or achieve. “She spent the
last five years pursuing her goal of becoming a doctor.”
an independent person – someone who likes to do things on their own. “Her brother is a very
independent person; he moved out of the house when he was only 20 and spent the next five
years traveling around the world by himself.”
to move out of – to leave the place where you are living now. “He will be moving out of his
apartment at the end of the month.”
condo – short for condominium, a form of housing where a person owns the unit and then can
either live in it or rent it out to others. It is different than an apartment, which is usually owned by
a person or company that owns all the apartments in a building. “The price for condos these days
has really gone up.”
despite the fact that – even though. “Despite the fact that he has already graduated from college,
he still has no idea what he wants to do with his life.”
to be more reasonable – related to price, it means that you will have an easier time affording it
or paying for it with the money you have. If a price is unreasonable, it means that it is too
expensive for you and you won‟t buy it at that price. “The housing prices are becoming more
reasonable these days than they were 3 years ago.”
means a lot to me – to talk about something being meaningful or important to you. “It means a
lot to me that you came to dinner with me on my birthday.”
to decorate – to put up decorations such as paintings, curtains, wall-hangings, art and other
things in a home or apartment or office. “People decorate their spaces with things they like.”
according to – in agreement or accord with – in this case, she will decorate her apartment based
on her own tastes (what she likes) and her personality (with stuff that represents her). “He will do
his job according to his manager‟s instructions.”
to interfere with – to get in the way of, to be in the middle of something or others. “He doesn‟t
like it when his father interferes with his work by telling him what to do.”
to throw a party – to give or host a party, to be the person who invites others to the party and
provides drinks and food. “She is throwing a big party for her 50th birthday this Saturday.”

Đà Nẵng
a grown-up woman – a mature or adult woman, not a kid. Used to express that you can be
responsible and take care of yourself. “She wanted to prove that she was a grown-up woman by
purchasing a new condo all by herself.

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#4: Topic: A Place Full Of Colo
“Describe a place you went to that was full of colour.”
You should say:

- What place it was
- Why you went there
- What you did there
- And explain why you think it was full of colour
Describe a garden or park you visited and liked.
You should say:

- Where it was
- What it looked like
- What you did (or, were doing) there [or, what people were doing there
- And explain why you liked it.
BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER:
I would like to share with you my impressions of a garden that I visited last summer, which was
full of colour and interest: Claude Monet‟s house and garden in Giverny, France.
As a big fan of Monet‟s paintings, especially the famous „Water Lilies‟, I had always dreamed of
seeing he scene in real life. So, when some friends suggested a visit last year, I jumped at the
chance. After a journey of about an hour by train from our hotel, we arrived at Giverny. The
garden was exactly as he had painted it – it was a riot of colour, from the peaceful white of the
water lilies to the striking reds and oranges which filled some of the flowerbeds. The two parts of
the garden complemented each other perfectly. We first admired the array of bright flowers and
fruit trees in the Clos Normand, but my favourite part was the water garden, and we enjoyed a
leisurely stroll, taking in all the colours, perfumes and bird songs. Monet avidly collected prints
of Japanese gardens, and these inspired the Japanese bridges covered with wisterias, the water
lilies in the pond, and the bamboo and weeping willows which he planted.
For me, it was like a wonderland of colours and a dream come true after so many years.

Đà Nẵng
impression: feeling or feelings (in the plural) about the garden (impressions) “His impression of
the meeting was that it didn‟t go very well.”
fan: although the word is often used in the context of football nowadays, here it means a person
who admires [ Monet‟s paintings]. “She is a huge fan of Maroon 5.”
jumped at the chance: I enthusiastically accepted the opportunity to visit the garden. “He jumped
at the chance to go to Las Vegas with his boss.”
a riot of colour: a collection of many different colours. “Sandra‟s rose garden is a riot of colour.”
striking: very attractive and unusual. “The woman he was with was wearing a striking outfit last
night.”
flowerbeds: a piece of a garden or park in which flowers are grown. “He loves digging in
his flowerbeds.”
complemented each other: each part of the garden added something different to the other part, so
that the garden as a whole became more attractive. “The wine and the fish complemented each
other to form a perfect meal.”
the array of bright flowers: the large and impressive collection of flowers. “The array of bright
flowers in her garden surprised everybody. They didn‟t realize she had planted so many
varieties.”
a leisurely stroll: a slow, relaxing walk. “We went for a leisurely stroll along the beach this
morning.”
taking in all the colours: our eyes noticed all the colours and features of the garden. “We were
taking in all the colours of his garden, when all of a sudden we heard a large crash outside the
garden gate. Two cars had just bumped into each other.”
avidly: Monet collected prints of Japanese gardens enthusiastically. “He studied English avidly,
from morning until late in the evening.”
prints: copies of original drawings or paintings. “The artist offered her prints for $100 each.”
wisterias: white or purple flowers which cover walls, bridges or trees. “The wisterias in the
garden were in full bloom.”
pond: a small area of still water, usually in a garden. “There are many beautiful fish in the pond.”

Đà Nẵng
bamboo: tall tropical plants which have hollow „stems‟ [the long, thin part of the plant] used for
building or furniture. “Pandas love to eat bamboo.”
weeping willows: trees which grow near water and have „branches‟ which hang downwards.
“There are two weeping willows on the property, but we should cut one down.”
wonderland: an imaginary place in children‟s stories. “The amusement park was a wonderland
for both children and adults.

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#5: Topic: Ambition You Have Not Yet Achieved
Describe an ambition that you have not yet achieved.
You should say:
- What your ambition is

- When you first had this ambition (or, how long you have had this ambition)
- How you plan to achieve it
(possibly) what you have done towards achieving this ambition
- And explain why you have not achieved it yet
Band 9.0 Sample Answer:

One of my ambitions that I have not yet achieved is to be able to communicate in Japanese.
I just thought about this idea a year ago because I realized that nowadays, knowing more foreign
languages is an advantage not only in our daily lives but also in work environments.
In order to achieve this, I registered for a Japanese class for beginners, twice a week. I also
downloaded an application on my iPhone which helps people study foreign languages named
Duolingo, so that I can study on my own at home. For the first two months, I did not skip any
classes, and spent at least 30 minutes every night studying Japanese on Duolingo at home.
Unfortunately, I could not keep up with the schedule for long since I was working full time, not
to mention that I had many other social activities that distracted me from studying. There were
days when I was so busy that I had to work overtime to finish my job. As a result, I wasn‟t able to
go to class and I definitely didn‟t have any time to study at home. Moreover, my
friends complained that I had been ignoring them, so I needed to arrange time to hang out with
them. Just like that, I gradually lost my ambition to study Japanese and until now, I can only
remember one alphabet table, even though Japanese uses three types of alphabets.

ambition – a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and
hard work. “Her ambition to become CEO of the company amazes her boyfriend.”

Đà Nẵng
not yet achieved – to not yet reach a goal or to succeed in doing something that you really want
to do. “He has not yet achieved his goal of getting an 8 on the IELTS writing exam.”
to realize that – to become aware of something, to know or come to understand something for
the first time. “His mom didn‟t realize that she wouldn‟t be able to visit him while he was
studying in Germany.”
to be an advantage – something that offers you a better opportunity at something is an

advantage or benefit to you. “As an employee, it is an advantage to be fluent in English these
days.”
to register for – to sign up for something like a class or workshop; to put your name on the list
and pay your money. “He has only five days left to register for the conference.”
to skip classes – to miss a class or not go to a class for some reason. “His teacher said that if he
skipped any more classes, he wouldn‟t receive any credit for the course.”
to keep up with – to be able to perform at a certain level or to be able to continue to do

something as planned. “She had a difficult time keeping up with all of the homework that her
English professor gave her.”
not to mention that – used to add additional information when you are explaining why
something did or didn‟t happen, used to introduce an additional fact or point that reinforces the
point being made. “She can‟t go to the meeting on Friday because she is ill, not to mention that
she has already put in twice as much time as everybody else has this week.”
distracted me from – used to talk about when you go off task or stop working on something
because your attention goes elsewhere. “Her funny jokes distracted me from getting my
homework done.”
they complained – to complain means to tell someone that you don‟t like something for some
reason. His friends didn‟t like that he wasn‟t spending time with them, so they complained to
him. “His wife complained that he was working too many hours.”
to ignore someone – you ignore someone when you don‟t respond to their phone calls,
messages, emails, etc., you don‟t pay attention to them. “He thought I was ignoring him because I
didn‟t answer his text, but I was just in a meeting and couldn‟t text him back.”
to arrange – to organize or to schedule something. “She needed to arrange a time to meet with
the accountant.”

Đà Nẵng
to hang out with – to spend time with someone. “They liked to hang out with their friends
on weekends.
#6: Topic: A Child Made You Laugh
Describe situation when a child made you laugh
You should say:
- Who the child was

- (when and) where it happened
- What he or she did to make you laugh
- And explain why you laughed.

One of my best friends has a 3-year-old baby girl; so every time we went out, she would take
her with us.
Her little girl is such a witty kid, and she is always full of energy. As she begins to be aware of
the outside world, she asks a lot of questions just to satisfy her curiosity.
It happened one day when we went out shopping. While her mother and I took
turns trying clothes on, she was sitting quietly on the bench. Then she looked at me and her
mother and started to express her opinions on our clothes.
The way she talked was so funny that we couldnt stop laughing. She was so used to playing with
her Barbie doll that she suggested we should dress like one of her dolls.
She even taught us how to walk like models because she thought that was pretty.
All the customers who walked in the store noticed her, even the store owner couldn‟t stop
laughing at her since she was still a baby girl, but she talked and acted like a grown-up
That was probably the best part of the shopping trip that I will never forget.

Đà Nẵng
witty: [adjective] able to say clever and funny things

Example: Everybody laughed during the lesson, because the teacher was so witty.
satisfy her curiosity: [verb phrase] to have an answer to a strong wish to know about something
Example: My answer did not satisfy his curiosity, so he asked me for more details about what
had happened.
trying clothes on: [verb phrase] to put on clothes to see if they fit and if they look good
Example: Try these clothes on before you buy them to make sure that they are the correct size.
models: [noun] people whose job it is to wear and show new styles of clothes
Example: The dream of many young people is to become fashion models and appear in
magazines.
grown-up: [adjective] typical of an adult

Example: The child was used to being treated in a grown-up way by his parents.

Đà Nẵng
#7: Topic: An Electronic Equipment
Describe an item of electronic equipment that you would like to have.
You should say:

- What it is where you would get (buy) it from
- What features it would have (or, special features you would like it to have)
- And explain why you would like to have it.
Since I was very small, I have had a special interest in cooking. So, it is no surprise that, now
that I have grown up, I dream of having an oven with rings for cooking on top, which is in very
popular use overseas. In my country, this kind of oven is only sold at big electronic and
appliance centers.
Different from the normal oven, this one provides more stable and exact temperatures, which is
one of the critical factors in baking. Besides, it has four oven top elements, which is highly
convenient because it allows you to cook and bake at the same time. It also saves a lot
of space in your kitchen because it is free-standing. Another feature that I would like the oven
to have is a self-cleaning system. If you cook frequently, you will definitely appreciate this
facility. It is inevitable that when you cook, your oven/cooker will get dirty. As a result, with
the self-cleaning feature, it is much easier for us to clean.
VOCABULARY:
grow up: [phrasal verb] to develop into an adult. Example: The children have all grown upand
left home now.
appliances: [noun] a machine which is designed to do a particular job in the home, such as
cleaning or preparing food. Example: The store sells a range of household appliances, including
microwave ovens and washing machines.
baking: [noun] the process of cooking something in the oven using dry heat. Example: My
mother loves baking – she makes bread and cakes every week in her oven.
free-standing: [adjective] not a part of or attached to something else. Example: The cupboard
was free-standing, so it was easy to move it away from the wall.

Đà Nẵng
self-cleaning: [adjective] able to be cleaned without a person having to clean it. Example: Her
new oven was self-cleaning; when it was dirty it cleaned itself automatically.
facility: [noun] a special feature of a machine that enables it to do something extra. Example: My
computer has a facility for checking spelling.

Đà Nẵng
#8: A Gift You Gave That Took A Long Time To Choose
“Describe a gift you gave that took a long time to choose.”
You should say:

- What it was
- Who you gave it to
- How you chose it
- And explain why you spent a long time choosing it or explain how the receiver of the
gift reacted
- When you gave it to him or her.

Choosing a gift for someone is usually a very difficult task, because you want to make sure that
the person who receives it will like it. For that reason, I always spend a lot of time picking gifts
for my relatives and friends. Today, I am going to share with you the time when I had to choose a
gift for my little sister’s birthday.
It was her 5th birthday and I wanted to give her something memorable and special. I decided to
go to a “Build-a-bear workshop” to buy her a stuffed bear. At this shop, you actually spend
time picking materials to build your furry friend, from the cotton inside to the clothes outside.
You also got to give this teddy bear a heart and a voice recorder, so that when you squeezed it,
it would say whatever you recorded before. After finishing building the stuffed toy, the store
would give him or her a birth certificate with a name and birthday.
My little sister was so happy when she received the bear. Well, kids always love a furry friend
anyway. However, what was special was that as she grew up, she understood how much love I
had put in the bear when building it for her at the store, so she came to appreciate the gift even
more.
VOCABULARY:
pick: [verb] to choose something from a group of things. Example: The man picked a blue tie
from the collection in the shop.

Đà Nẵng
memorable: [adjective] something special, good or unusual and therefore easy to remember.
Example: I will never forget the memorable holiday that I had in Japan.
workshop: [noun] a place where you can do a practical activity to create something. Example: As
a student, I attended drama workshops, because I had always loved acting.
stuffed bear: [noun] a toy in the shape of a bear, filled with cloth and made of some soft material.
Example: When I was a child, I had a stuffed bear, which I used to keep in my bedroom.
furry: [adjective] covered with fur – a soft thick mass of hair that grows on the body of some
animals. Example: People love pandas because they are so furry, with thick black and white fur
all over their body.
get to (+ infinitive): [phrasal verb] to be allowed to do something. Example: When we visited the
football stadium, we got to meet some of the famous players.
teddy bear: [noun] this is just another name for a stuffed toy bear.
squeeze: [verb] to press something firmly, especially with your fingers. Example: Every time you
clean your teeth, you squeeze the tube of toothpaste.
appreciate: [verb] to recognise the good qualities in something or somebody. Example: At

school, I appreciated the help that I received from my teachers.

Đà Nẵng
#9: An Occasion When You Got Up Very Early
Describe an occasion when you got up very early.
You should say:

- When it happened
- Why you got up early
- Who you were with
- And explain how you felt about getting up early.
Describe a long car journey you went on
You should say:

- Where you went
- Why you went there
- Who you travelled with
- What you saw on the trip (on the way)
- And explain why you went by car.
Like many other young people, I don‟t have the habit of waking up early every day, only for
special occasions. Last weekend, I and a group of my friends decided to go on a trip to the
mountainous area of my country called [………..]. We had to leave very early in the morning so
that we did not get stuck in the traffic. In addition, we would have more time to spend there.
It wasn‟t easy to get up early in the morning, because I had been so excited about the trip that I
had barely slept that night. I had never been to this place before. It is located in the northern part
of my country so I knew that we faced a long drive ahead. We had decided to go by car since,
that way, all 5 of us could travel together. Moreover, everyone reckoned that it would be safer
than going by motorbike. Waking up early did not feel that bad at all, even though it was the first
time I had done so for many months. To begin with, I felt a bit sleepy, but then the pure morning
air freshened me completely.
After 5 hours driving, we arrived at our destination. We were amazed to see a vast land filled
with the yellow color of terraced rice fields, ready to be harvested. Under the sunlight, these rice
fields sparkled like gold. We stayed for one night with a local host and helped the family with

Đà Nẵng
their regular tasks before setting out for home the next day. It was such an amazing trip, and it
helped us to learn more about the countryside and the way of life of those who live there. I‟d love
to make more trips like that in the future.
VOCABULARY:
get stuck: [verb phrase] to be in an unpleasant situation that you can‟t escape from.
Example: I left work early, because I didn‟t want to get stuck in traffic on my way home.
barely: [adverb] something that can be achieved, but only with difficulty.
Example: We barely had time to catch the train, so we ran all the way to the station.
faced a long drive ahead: [verb phrase] a long car journey.

Example: My advice is to sleep well if you face a long drive ahead the next day.
reckon: [verb] to think or have an opinion about something.

Example: If I want to lose weight, I reckon that I will have to eat less bread.
freshen: [verb] to make something cooler and more pleasant.

Example: The rain freshened the air.
vast: [adjective] very big.

Example: The Amazon is a vast rainforest.
harvest: [verb] to cut and collect a crop, such as rice.

Example: Every year, bananas are harvested from the trees on my uncle‟s farm.
sparkle: [verb] to shine brightly.

Example: The sky sparkled with thousands of stars.
setting out: [phrasal verb] leaving a place and beginning a journey.

Example: I finished my breakfast and set out for the train station.

Đà Nẵng
#10: An Indoor Game
Describe an indoor game that you liked to play when you were a child Describe an indoor
game that you played when you were a child.
You should say:

- What the game was
- Who you played it with
- How you played it where you played it
- And explain why you liked playing that game.
BAND 8.0 ANSWER:
An indoor game that I liked to play when I was a child was badminton. It started when I was in
6th grade. At that time, I was living near my uncle‟s house. Every morning, he would wake me
and my cousins up early and drive us to the sport center near our house.
It was actually a badminton class, so we had teachers and other students too. We practiced
badminton here for an hour. During the summer holiday, we even stayed there for another half
an hour. Just like tennis, you can play badminton as a singles match or doubles match.
The rules are pretty much the same as tennis. The only difference is that the badminton
shuttlecock is lighter than the tennis ball, thus, it requires less strength.
Due to my short-sightedness, I was not very good at playing this game but I enjoyed
itanyway. Firstly, it helped keep me fit. In addition, I could train my eyes to look further and
faster, and it quickened my reflexes. Last but not least, it helped me a lot in improving
my teamwork skills.
VOCABULARY:
badminton: [noun] an indoor game. Players hit a small light ball, with feathers round it, across a
high net, using a racket, like tennis.
Example: A net in badminton is much higher than in tennis, and the ball and
rackets are smaller and not as heavy.

Đà Nẵng
singles match: [noun] a game in which one player plays against one opponent.
doubles match: [noun] a game in which two players play against two opponents.
Example: She won the women‟s singles gold medal in tennis in the Olympic Games.
Then, playing with her friend, they won the women‟s doubles gold medal by defeating two
American opponents.
shuttlecock: [noun] badminton uses a shuttlecock, not a tennis ball. It is very light and it has
feathers round the edge.
Example: Players hit the shuttlecock across the net in badminton.
short-sightedness: [noun] a person who can only see things if they are very close, is short-
sighted.
Example: I need glasses for reading, because of my short-sightedness.
train my eyes: [verb phrase] I developed my ability to see things quickly and accurately.
Example: The detective trained his eyes to look for small but important details at the scene of
the crime.
quickened my reflexes: playing badminton improved my ability to move and think quickly when
I played the game.
Example: Many people say that video games quicken your reflexes and you become more
expert.

Đà Nẵng
#11: A Paid Job You/A Friend Enjoyed Doing
“Describe some paid work (or, a paid job) that you or a friend enjoyed doing.”
You should say:

- What the work was
- Where you did this work
- Who you worked with
- And explain why you or your friend enjoyed doing this work.
ANSWER:
I remembered working as an IT helpdesk assistant while I was in college and I really

enjoyed doing it. – Although I was a business major at that time, I still applied for a position at
the IT helpdesk because it was the best- paid job on campus. As an IT assistant, I helped other
students sort out problems with their personal laptops. Besides, I assisted professors and faculties
to set up projectors, to fix printers and copy machines on campus, and anything related to
technical matters in general. – There were 5 other students who were in the same position as me.
We usually registered work hours based on our own personal schedule, as long as the total
working hours met the job requirement. For one shift, there were usually two assistants, so that
we could help each other out if necessary. – I loved working at the IT helpdesk for many
reasons. First of all, I learned a lot about computers and other machines. Secondly, I got a
chance to talk withmany people around campus and it felt great when you were able to help
somebody with their problems.
VOCABULARY :
helpdesk: [noun] a service in a company or college that gives people information and help,
especially with computer problems.
Example: My university library has a helpdesk, which is very popular with students who don‟t
have much knowledge about using computers.
business major: [noun] I was studying business as the main part of my course.
Example: As she hopes to live in France, my friend is a French major at college.
IT assistant: [noun] a person with a knowledge of information technology, who uses that
knowledge to help others.
Example: As an IT assistant, my job is to help students become more expert at using their
computers.

Đà Nẵng
sort out: [phrasal verb] to deal with your own, or someone else‟s, problems successfully.
Example: My car would not start, but the mechanic sorted out the problem when he arrived.
schedule: [noun] timetable, in this case the number of hours that we were required to work each
week.
Example: Chinese will be on the school schedule next year.
shift: [noun] a period of time worked by someone or a group of workers, who start work as soon
as another person or group finishes.
Example: My shift begins at 8:00 am, when the assistant who works during the night goes home
help each other out: [verb phrase] to help somebody, especially in a difficult situation.
Example: A lot of customers come into the store at lunch hour, but there is always an extra
assistant, so we help each other out.

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#12: A Family Member You Spend The Most Time With
“Describe the member of your family who you spend the most time with.”
You should say:

- Who it is
- When you are usually together
- What you do together
- And explain why you spend the most time with this member of your family
BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER
Today, I am going to share with you a family member who I spend most of my time with. That
is my / father / mother / older sister/brother/cousin…
My father / mother / older sister / brother /cousin… is a very considerate and thoughtful person.
When I was small, he/she usually took good care of me; taught me good lessons and
never let me out of his/her sight. Even now, whenever I have a bad day, he/she has always been
there for me, and helps me get through it.
As I have got older, my father/mother/older sister/brother/cousin… has become my best friend. I

can share my interests, my career plans or even things about my love life with them – in fact,
anything at all. Especially when I am down, he/she gives me the encouragement that I need
to move on. To me, he/she is a role model whom I always look up to/admire/and follow in
his/her footsteps. He/she constantly reminds me that I have to try my best in everything I
choose to pursue so that I can achieve my goal in this life. Thanks to his/her advice, I have made
significant progress in my personal life in general. Although, of course, I love all my family,
because he/she is so special to me, I think that we will always keep in touch, just as we do now
almost every day.
USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS :
considerate: [adjective] always thinking of the wishes and feelings of other people.
Example: My mother is very considerate when guests come to visit our house and she always
offers some food or something to drink.
thoughtful: [adjective] showing that you think about other people and care about them.
Example: A good teacher should be kind and thoughtful.

Đà Nẵng
take care of: [verb] to provide the things which you need for your protection and health.
Example: A lot of patience is necessary when you take care of very young or very old people.
let me out of his sight: [expression] he/she always kept me where they could see me – they
protected me all the time.
Example: She never lets her daughter out of her sight.
be there for: [expression] to be available if somebody wants to talk to you or needs your help.
Example: If I was in trouble, my parents were always there for me.
get through: [expression] to successfully deal with a problem or overcome a difficulty.

Example: I would find it hard to get through the day if I had no friends to talk to.
down: [adjective] sad, unhappy.
move on: [verb] to make progress by starting something new.

Example: After I pass the exam, I want to move on to the next step in my career.
role model: [noun] a person that you admire and try to copy.
Example: Parents are a child’s most important role models.
follow in the footsteps of: to do the same job or to have the same style of life.
Example: She works as a journalist, following in her father’s footsteps.
try my best: [expression] to do as much as possible to achieve something.

Example: I will try my best to achieve my goal.
Thanks to: [expression] As a result of/with the help of their advice, I made progress in my
studies and my career.
keep in touch: [expression] to maintain contact with somebody so that I know what is happening.

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#13: A Person Speak A Second (Foreign) Language Well
“Describe a person you know who dresses well/ Describe a person you who know ho
speaks a second (or foreign) language well. /Describe a person (you know) who travels a
lot by plane”
Describe a person you know who dresses well
You should say:

- who this person is
- what kind of clothes this person likes to wear (or, wears)
- how you know this person
- and explain why you think this person dresses well.
Describe a person you know who speaks a second (or foreign) language well.
You should say:

- what language this person speaks
- how often they speak it
- and explain why you say they speak it “well”.
Describe a person (you know) who travels a lot by plane.
You should say:

- you know this person
- where this person travels to
- and explain why they (= he or she) choose to travel by plane
Today, I am going to share with you a person I know/ who dresses well/speaks a second (foreign)
language well/ travels a lot by plane/. That person is my friend/boss/…..

Đà Nẵng
As a typical saleswoman for a multinational company, my friend/my boss has to meet

many people from all over the world. That‟s why she speaks English as fluently as Vietnamese.
In addition, she also dresses well because appearance is very important in the sales market. She is
tall and thin, thus she always chooses to wear blouses with pencil skirts or midi dresses because
such smart clothes not only complement her figure, but also give her a formal look suitable for
business meetings. Every time she appears in public, she draws everyone‟s attention; people look
at her with admiration. I think that‟s one of the reasons why she is such an effective salesperson.
Due to the characteristics of her job, she has to travel to [……..]/uses English quite often because
our company has a large customer internationally. As a result, travelling by plane is the only
choice. There are months when she has to go there once a week to prepare for a client meeting or
provide training to new employees/ Being competent in English helps her a lot in closing the deal
with international clients, since nowadays English is considered to be the most common language
in the business world. She speaks English so well that one of our clients complimented her on
sounding exactly like a native speaker.
VOCABULARY :
typical: [adjective] having all the usual qualities or features that we expect. A woman whose job
is to sell products will usually have to meet a lot of people, and sometimes these may be
international customers. My friend/my boss is no different – she is a typical saleswoman.
Example: A typical street in the centre of London has crowds of shoppers, and the roads are full
of cars, taxis and buses.
dresses well: [verb+adverb] she wears a particular style or type of clothes and these give her a
good appearance.
Example: In England, people dress formally when they go for a job interview.
appearance: [noun] the way that somebody looks. If you are selling products, your ppearance
must be tidy and professional.
Example: Photographers always follow famous people, so those people pay a lot of attention to
their appearance – they want to look good !
skirt: [noun] a piece of clothing for a girl or woman which goes from the waist and covers part of
the legs.
pencil skirts: [adjective+noun] a skirt which is narrow and straight.

Example: Pencil skirts are often worn by professional women, such as secretaries or executives.
midi dresses: [noun] dresses which cover the legs to below the knees.

Đà Nẵng
smart: [adjective] looking clean, new and attractive.

Example: I have to be smart for work.
complement: [verb] to add something in a way that makes it look more attractive or improves it.
Example: His smart tie complemented his formal suit.
figure: [noun] the shape of the body.
look: [noun] this is another word for appearance – the way that somebody looks.
Example: My friend has a very professional look when she is at work.
draw attention: [verb+noun] my boss/my friend attracts the interest of everyone.

Example: In the world of men‟s fashion, David Beckham draws the attention of the world media.
customer base: [noun combination] all the people who buy or use a particular product or service.
Example: We need to appeal to a wider customer base.
closing the deal: [verb+noun] making an agreement with a customer or supplier.

Example: As a professional saleswoman, my friend usually closes the deal and makes a sale to
her clients.
compliment: [verb] to say something which expresses praise or admiration for a person.
Example: My boss complimented me on the work which I completed last week.

Đà Nẵng
#14: An Experience You Had As A Team Member
“Describe a person you were friendly to, although you did not really like them (him or
her)/Describe an experience you had as a member of a team.”
Describe a person you were friendly to, although you did not really like them (him or her)
You should say:

- Who this person was
- When and where it happened
- What the situation was
- Why you didn‟t like this person
- And explain why you were (or had to be) friendly to this person
- And explain what the results were after you were friendly to this person
Describe an experience you had as a member of a team.
You should say:

- Where it was
- Who were the members of the team
- What you did together in this team
- And explain why you became a member of this team or explain what the purpose of
the team was
I would like to describe a person who I had to be friendly to, although I did not really like her. I
think this situation is quite common in our lives, especially when we have to act as part of a team.
A couple of months ago, I was assigned to a team at my workplace in order to tackle a big
project. As part of the team, I had to cooperate closely with this person. However, we had never
really liked each other for several reasons. Firstly, she is much older than I am, so she always
thinks she is right and disregards the opinions of others. I would describe her as
both bossyand officious, although she did not have a more senior position than I did in the
company. Secondly, I considered her irresponsible because she did not appear to me to pay
serious attention to the project. So, although it was supposedly a group project, I ended up
working all on my own as much as possible in order to see the task through.
As the work was vital for our company, we had to be successful. I therefore had no choice except
to collaborate with her in order to finish the job. I would rather have done all the work alone, but
if I had refused to work with her as part of the team, then the evaluation of my job performance

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would have been affected at the end of the year. So, knowing her personality as I did, I
swallowed my pride and tried to be patient. Despite our many arguments, we completed the task
on time. I learned that sometimes people can work together, even though they don‟t get on with
each other. It just needs a little bit of time and patience to work things out, and each person has to
compromise to achieve a common goal.
disregard = to pay no attention to something or someone.
bossy = a bossy person is someone who is always telling other people what to do.
officious = an officious person is someone who uses their authority or position to give orders to
others – another word would be domineering.
irresponsible = an irresponsible person has no feeling of responsibility for something.
supposedly = according to what most people think.
end up = to find yourself in a situation that you did not expect to be in.
on my own = alone.
see…..through = if we see something through, we do not give up until it is finished.
collaborate = to work together with others to achieve something.
swallowed my pride = to hide my feelings, even though I wanted to express what I was thinking.
get on with = to get on with someone is to have a friendly relationship with them.
work things out = to find a solution.
compromise = to give up some of your ideas in order to come to an agreement with someone.

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#15: Describe A Place Where You Often Go To Relax
“Describe a place where you read and write (not your home) / Describe a café restaurant
that you like (to go to)./Describe a place where you (usually / often) go to relax (Not your
home)”
Describe a place where you read and write (not your home)
You should say:

- Where it is
- How often you go there *
- What you read and write there / who else goes there
- And explain why you read and write at this place.
Describe a café/restaurant that you like (to go to).
You should say:

- Where it is
- How often you go there
- What types of food it has
- And explain why you like it.
Describe a place where you (usually / often) go to relax. (Not your home)
You should say:

- Where this place is
- When you go there
- What you do there
- Who is usually there with you
- And explain why you choose to go to this place to relax.
Today, I‟m going to share with you a place where I usually/often go to relax/read and write/ hang
out with my friends, which is a small café/restaurant near my company/my house named “ABC”
As a full-time employee/student, I have to go to work/ school 5 days a week; therefore, the only
time that I can visit this place is on weekends. I always try to make time for my little trip to
“ABC” café every Saturday or Sunday.

Đà Nẵng
The coffee house is located on a quiet street with a lot of trees planted on both
sides. Additionally, it has a patio with hanging gardens which I like very much; it makes me feel
like I‟m sitting in a garden of my own.
Separated from the hustle and bustle of the city life in Hanoi, this place allows me to sit quietly
and reflect, relaxing after a week of hard work. I can concentrate on a personal project such
as reading or writing in my journal without being interrupted by other people.
It serves great coffee, tea, and cakes, thus, the place always smells very nice. In addition, the
employees are also friendly and helpful.
Sometimes, I go there with my friends. Over a nice cup of coffee/tea, we share our storiesand
smell the beautiful scent of the flowers. At that moment, we can escape from reality for a little
while and enjoy ourselves even more.
to share with you: in this context, to share with someone means to tell someone about
something, you are going to share some information or a story with another person; in another
context you could share an actual thing with someone, like share a meal with another person or
share something that you have, like some fireworks, with another; “I”d like to share a story with
you about my grandmother when she was a young girl.” “He doesn‟t want to share the fish he
caught with us.”
hang out with my friends: to spend time with friends, talking, relaxing, visiting; “He likes to
hang out with his friends at the pizza place after school.”
therefore: used when you want to give more information or explain the reason for something;
consequently; for that reason; “I am going to be in New York next week; therefore, I‟d like to
visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”
on weekends: use the preposition on when talking about things you do on Saturday and Sunday,
the weekend; in this case we use the plural because you are talking about weekends in general,
rather than a specific weekend; “He likes to play golf on weekends.” British English prefers to
say at the weekend or at weekends.
to make time for: to prioritize things so that you have time to do a certain thing that you want;
you have to make time for something in order to ensure that you do it, if you don‟t make time for
something, you won‟t do it; “He wants his father to make more time for him on weekends.”

Đà Nẵng
located on a quiet street: when we are talking about the location of something we use the
preposition on, something is located on the corner, on the right or left side, on a hill, on a
mountain; you can also use in for things located in another area, like the office is located in the
building on the left side of the street or the video store is located in the mall, as in inside the mall;
“Our new restaurant is located on one of the busiest streets in San Francisco.”
Additionally: used to give more information; “Additionally, the scientists found that there were
two more species in the area that had never been discovered.”
hanging gardens: plants and flowers that are hanging in pots from the ceiling; “The hanging
gardens in the train station made the place feel very warm and welcoming, unlike most train
stations.”
Separated from: apart from, away from; in a different part of a place; “The children‟s play area
is separated from the main part of the building; it is a great place where families can take their
children to play outside.”
hustle and bustle: describes the noise and high level of activity; “My grandfather hates the
hustle and bustle of the city; he prefers the calm and quiet of the countryside.”
city life in: used to describe the activity, noise, movement of people and traffic in a city; use the
preposition in or of; “The city life in New York is famous for the variety of things you can do
while there: Broadway shows, concerts, restaurants, bars, museums and so much more.”
to reflect: to think deeply about something; “After the meeting, he needed time to reflect on his
options before making a final decision.”
concentrate on: to think about something in a focused way, without distractions; “He found it
hard to concentrate on his homework while his friends were playing video games in his room.”
writing in my journal: you use the preposition in when talking about writing in a journal or
notebook; “I like to write in my journal right before I go to bed.”
serves: in this context it is referring to what is offered at the café; it‟s what a food establishment
offers to their customers; “They don‟t serve meat at this restaurant because it is a vegetarian
restaurant.”
the employees: the people who work at the café or restaurant; “The employees were upset with
their boss and didn‟t want to go to work.”
Over a nice cup of coffee/tea: in this context, using the word over means that you are doing
something, like visiting, while you drink a cup of tea; “We finalized our joint business venture

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over dinner last night.” (This means that we finished talking about our joint business venture
while we ate dinner together.)
escape from reality: to leave the reality of something, like your life or a specific situation; you
want to escape from reality especially if reality is something that is difficult for you to handle,
like a difficult job, having lots of work to do, etc. “Many people drink alcohol to escape from
reality, though this strategy has its own problems.”
enjoy ourselves: to have fun, to have a pleasant time; “We enjoyed ourselves last kend at our
friend‟s beach house.”

Đà Nẵng
#16: A Successful Small Business
Describe a successful small business that you know.
You should say:

- What the business is
- Where it is
- Who runs the business / how you know about this business
- And explain why you think it is successful.
Nowadays, there is a new booming [1] trend of start-ups in my city; however, not all of them are
successful. One of the businesses that I think is the most successful is the KAfe chain of
restaurants and café boutiques.
I remember 2 years ago, they only had one business in our city. It quickly became one of
the favorite [2] spots for the youth to get together. Now they have expanded with franchises [3]
in almost every corner of my city. The fame of KAfe has spread by word of mouth, and in my
case, a friend told me about it. – The owner of the chain is a young woman, who is only 31
years old at the moment. Since I have always been [4] interested in opening up a small café/
restaurants of my own, I admire her work a lot. – She has successfully created a brand nameof
real food, in the environment of a modern, energetic and urban café, introducing the foreign
lifestyle to our rustic city.
Every time I have visited this restaurant, it has always been full [4] and this applies to
all other KAfe locations in our city, not just one specific place.
Recently, the group announced that it had [5] raised a 5.5- million-dollar investment from
overseas funds. This proves that the KAfe chain is considered to have great potential in
developing further and becoming even more successful in the future.
USEFUL VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS :
booming: [adjective] having a sudden increase in business, wealth and success.

Example: The owner was able to buy new machinery, because his company was booming and he
had money to invest.
start-ups: [noun] companies that are just opening.

Đà Nẵng
Example: Many start-ups fail because they do not have enough money to survive their first year
in business.
chain: [noun] a group of businesses owned by the same company.

Example: There are about 6 large chains of supermarkets selling food in the UK.
boutiques: [noun] a small business that sells fashionable products.

Example: A famous street in London is full of small boutiques selling all the latest styles of
clothes.
franchises: [noun] businesses which have been given permission by a company to sell its
products in a particular area.
Example: The largest restaurant franchise in the UK is McDonalds.
word of mouth: [expression] The chain is famous because people have talked about it to each
other.
Example: The news of the accident spread by word of mouth, hours before it was reported on TV.
brand name: [noun] the name given to a product by the company that produces it. Example: The
brand name of the most famous trainers is NIKE.
rustic: [adjective] simple – typical of the countryside.

Example: It is impossible to see rustic styles of houses in Hanoi nowadays.
investment: [noun] a sum of money that you lend to a business, expecting that you will make
more money over a period of time.
Example: The investment of money by the bank enabled the business to expand.

Đà Nẵng
#17: A Disagreement You Had With A Friend
“Describe an experience you had as a member of a team/Describe a disagreement that

you had with a friend.”
Describe an experience you had as a member of a team
You should say:

- where it was
- who were the members of the team
- what you did together in this team
- and explain why you became a member of this team or explain what the purpose of
the team was
Describe a disagreement that you had with a friend.
You should say:

- who you disagreed with
- what the disagreement was
- how it happened and explain
- how this disagreement was resolved
Today, I am going to share with you my experience I had as a member of a team/of the time
when I disagreed with my friend. As a student, I have to engage in a variety
of teamworkprojects. As a result, having disagreements with other team members is inevitable.
For topic “Describe an experience you had as a member of a team“:

We were supposed to gather a team of 3 to 4 people to work on a simulation project in our
management class. The simulation worked like this: each group in our class would run a shoe
production company on the internet. We had to make decisions as the simulation market
changed and each group‟s performance would be compared weekly. At the end of the semester,
we would have to prepare a presentation on our simulation project. – We decided to meet each
other once a week to work on the project; sometimes we would discuss urgent matters over e-
mails. Despite the fact that we were at daggers drawn many times, we successfully led our
company to the 2nd place overall in our class, so that was not a bad effort.

Đà Nẵng
For topic “Describe a disagreement that you had with a friend” : If you have ever had a chance
of working in a team to make a decision, you would know how difficult it was to make sure
everyone was pulling together. Running a simulative company was not as easy as we thought. A
wrong decision on pricing would significantly affect our profit. 3 of us fought for days on
pricing decisions. My friends wanted our products to be sold at a premium while I preferred
a medium price, targeting the mid-end market. After carefully reviewing the market itself as
well as material prices, we weighed the costs and benefits of each price to come up with a final
selling price. – From this experience, I learned that it was hard to persuade people with
your subjective reasons. However, if your decision is backed up by sound numbers, it will be
more convincing.
USEFUL VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS :
simulation: [noun] a project in which a situation is created, but is not real. However, the
conditions are similar to those that we could expect in real life. Example: In class, we studied
a simulation on the computer of how dinosaurs used to live.
be at daggers drawn: [expression] a dagger is a weapon, like a knife, and if people are at daggers
drawn, they are very angry with each other.
Example: In the debate, the candidates for President were at daggers drawn over the question of
economic policy.
pull together: [phrasal verb] to work together with other people in an organised way and without
conflict.
Example: If we all pull together, we will finish the work on time.
pricing: [noun] the act of deciding how much something should cost.
Example: The pricingpolicy of the supermarket was to offer a discount if you buy something in a
large quantity.
at a premium: [expression] if we talk of a premium price, we mean a price that is higher than
usual.
Example: Shares in the company are selling at a premium, because everyone thinks that the
company will be very successful this year.
mid-end: [adjective] I wanted to reach customers who wanted shoes of medium price and quality.
Example: Although the sales of expensive luxury cars and also cheap second-hand cars were
falling, sales aimed at the mid-end market remained stable.
come up with: [phrasal verb] to find or produce an answer to a problem.

Example: The government has come up with a plan to reduce pollution in the city.

Đà Nẵng
subjective: [adjective] based on your own ideas and opinions, not on facts. Example: Court
decisions are based on evidence, not on the subjective opinion of the judge.
back up: [phrasal verb] to support.

Example: His job application was backed up by a good reference from his previous employer.
sound numbers: [expression] reliable.

Example: The sound numbers published by the government encouraged more people to invest in
the country.

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#18: A Law About Environment
“Describe a change that you think would improve your local area/Describe a law about
the environment that you would like to see.”
Describe a change that you think would improve your local area
You should say:

- what local area
- what change
- how the change could be made
- and explain how this change would be an improvement to your local area.
Describe a law about the environment that you would like to see.
You should say:

- what the law would be about
- how the law would work
- what effects this law would have (= what changes would result from this law)
- and explain why you would like to see this law in existence or why you think this law
is needed.
BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER :
I was born and raised in Hanoi and have been here for 27 years. I have watched the city develop
from a small town and grow into a modern metropolitan area in the new era. With
the skyrocketing population of recent years, the city‟s environment has
become significantlypolluted. As a result, I think environmental laws should
be enacted immediately to solve this problem.
First of all, Hanoi‟s mayor should consider putting more trash bins out in the streets so that
people won‟t throw rubbish anywhere anytime. In addition, the city police should heavily
fine those who are caught littering the streets. By doing so, not only could we save a lot of
money on cleaning costs but we could also improve the surrounding public scenery.
Secondly, the city should run a campaign to educate people on how to classify and
separate garbage before throwing it out. This is necessary because unsorted garbage
contributes to the pollution of underground water and the earth. In my opinion, although these

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above actions are minor, they would contribute to diminishing the impacts of pollution in our
local area if they were done on a collective level.
USEFUL IELTS VOCABULARY & EXPRESSIONS :
born and raised in: to describe that you were born in a certain place and that you grew up there
with your parents; “He was born and raised in New York but moved to California when he was
35.”
skyrocketing: increasing, to describe when something goes up rapidly by a lot; “The

skyrocketing airline prices have hurt the tourist towns, as fewer people are traveling.”
significantly: in a sufficiently great or important way as to be worthy of attention, “Our profit

was significantly less this month than we had predicted.”
enacted: to put a law into place; “New laws have been enacted to keep people safe from gun
violence.”
rubbish: trash, garbage waste; “There is too much rubbish in this yard. Let‟s clean it up!”
heavily fine: to fine someone heavily means to charge them a lot of money because they have
violated a law or regulation; “The companies were heavily fined for polluting the river.”
littering: throwing trash on the ground rather than putting it in the bin; “Littering is against the
law and you can be fined $1000.”
scenery: what you see in the natural environment; a beautiful scenery usually includes beautiful
nature scenes, but ugly scenery would have trash and pollution; “The scenery in the Turkish
countryside is beautiful.”
run a campaign: to organize and work on a program to reach a goal, such as a campaign to
educate people about pollution or teenage pregnancy or alcohol abuse; “He is in charge of
running the campaign to save dogs in our rural areas.”
to classify and separate: in the context of recycling, to classify means to figure out what bin each
item belongs in, such as glass, plastic, paper and then to put them into the appropriate bins; “He
is lazy and doesn‟t like to classify and separate his garbage.”

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to throw something out: to get rid of something; to put it in the trash; “My mother threw out all
my boyfriend‟s old letters.”
unsorted: not separated; “The shirts were unsorted, so all the colors were mixed together and it
made it hard to find all the red ones.”
minor: small or insignificant; “We had a minor accident in our car today.”
diminishing: going down, lessening; “The pain has been diminishing since I took the aspirin.”
impacts of: the effects of something on something else; “The impact of the storm has yet to be
fully understood.”
collective level: a collective is a group of people, so in this context if you are working at a
collective level, it means that people are working together to solve a problem; “This problem will
only be solved if we work at it on a collective level, not an individual level.”

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#19: Something You Do That Keeps You Fit
“Describe something you do that keeps you fit. (or, that helps to keep you fit)”
You should say:

- what it is
- how often you do it
- how you do it (or, how easy or difficult it is to do) and explain how it helps to keep
you fit.
Nowadays, keeping fit is everyone’s concern and I am no exception. Since I am a full time
employee, I can‟t arrange time to go to the gym as often as when I was a student.
However, in order to stay fit, I register for a hip hop class, which is held twice a week. – Unlike
running on the treadmill, dancing is more fun. It helps me burn a lot of energy. In addition, it
enhances my flexibility with a lot of stretching movements. Dancing also allows me to work
on all the parts of my body. You might look at dancers and think that dancing is light and easy,
but you are wrong. In order to be that flexible and light, dancers have to work on their core
muscles to maintain their stamina. Dancing can help burn as many as 360 calories in just an
hour of intensive training.
By maintaining a schedule of dancing twice a week, I successfully manage to keep fit. Not
only that, dancing helps me relax after a busy day at work and my mind is always fresh and
alertduring and after the class.
VOCABULARY :
keep fit [verb phrase] do physical exercises to improve your strength and stay healthy.
Example: Keeping fit is especially important for people who spend a lot of their time at their
desks, working or studying.
hip hop: [noun] a type of music [usually with words] played with a regular beat on electronic
instruments.

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Example: Hip hop is great music for a keep-fit class, because the regular beat is perfect for
repeating physical exercises.
treadmill: [noun] an exercise machine with a moving surface that you can run or walk on, while
remaining in the same place.
Example: You can change the speed on the treadmill in the gym, for running or walking, fast or
slow.
burn a lot of energy/burn calories: [verb phrases] use up the energy that we get from our food.
Example: Athletes burn a lot of energy, so they need a diet with lots of calories.
flexibility: [noun] the ability to bend easily when we move.

Example: Without regular exercise, older people lose their flexibility and they find it more
difficult to move easily.
stretch: [verb] to put your arms and legs out straight and contract your muscles.
Example: These stretching exercises will strengthen the muscles in your arms and legs.
core muscles: [adjective + noun] the most essential muscles in your body.
Example: Dancing is an activity which uses all your core muscles.
stamina: [noun] the physical strength that enables you to do something for a long time.
Example: The event in athletics which demands the most stamina is probably the marathon.

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#20: An Occasion You Unexpectedly Met Someone
“Describe an occasion when you were surprised to meet someone you know. Describe an
occasion when you unexpectedly met someone you know.”
You should say:

- Who it was
- Where you met this person
- What you did when you met
- And explain why you were surprised to meet this person.
Well, it doesn‟t happen a lot when you unexpectedly meet someone you know. But a couple of
days ago when I was out for lunch, I bumped into a high school classmate whom I haven‟t seen
since we graduated.
I was walking along the street when I saw him standing in front of a restaurant.
He hasn’tchanged a bit, so I recognized him right away. I approached him and said hi;
however, it took him a while to realize that I was his high school classmate. At that moment, I
felt very awkward. Luckily, it didn‟t last long and we started to give each other a
quick update about our lives recently, such as where we are working currently, our families and,
of course, we swapped phone numbers and promised to keep in touch in future.
Since we were both in a hurry, we didn‟t spend much time chatting to each other. However, it
always feels good when you unexpectedly meet a long-lost friend. If we had had more
time,we‟d probably have reminisced about our high school memories with all the crazy
thingsthat we did back then.
VOCABULARY:
bump into: [phrasal verb] to meet unexpectedly by accident.

Example: To my surprise, I bumped into my English teacher in the supermarket.
he hasn’t changed a bit: [verb phrase] he looks or acts exactly the same.
Example: My uncle looks the same as in the photos of him 20 years ago. It‟s
amazing, he hasn’tchanged a bit.
right away: [adverb] immediately

Example: This message is very urgent, so please send it right away.

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awkward: [adjective] making you feel embarrassed.

Example: At the restaurant, my friend had to pay for our meal. It was an awkward situation,
because I had forgotten to bring any money !
update: [noun] a report containing the most recent information.

Example: I planned to go to the beach, so I checked on the Internet for an update on the weather
forecast.
swap: [verb] to give something to somebody and receive something in exchange.

Example: I swapped places with a man on the bus, so that I could sit near the front.
keep in touch: [verb phrase] to communicate with somebody, especially by writing or

telephoning.
Example: Most young people nowadays keep in touch by e-mailing or texting their friends.
chat: [verb] to talk in a friendly, informal way to somebody

Example: I decided to invite my friend for a coffee, so we could chat about our recent holidays
a long-lost friend: [noun] a friend that you have not seen for a long time.
Example: At the bus station, I bumped into a long-lost friend that I had not seen since my school
days.
reminisce: [verb] to think, talk or write about a happy time in your past.
Example: My father often reminisces about his years at university.
back then: [adverb] at a particular time in the past.
Example: I remember when I visited Thailand many years ago. Back then, there were very few
tourists.

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#21: A Time You Borrowed Something
“Describe a time when you forgot something important /Describe a time when
you borrowed something.”
Describe a time when you forgot something important.
You should say:

- when it happened
- what you forgot
- who you were with
- what was the result of your forgetting
- and explain why it was important.
Describe a time when you borrowed something.
You should say:

- what you borrowed
- who you borrowed it from
- what you used it for (how it was useful to you) and explain why you borrowed it.
Today I am going to share with you the time when I forgot something important/ I (once)
borrowed something useful. It happened a few months ago when I had to attend an important
exam for my accounting qualification.
The test strictly required candidates to use black ball point pen to write the paper. I was sure that
morning when I left for the exam that I had put two pens in my backpack. However, I was not
sure of their ink colors. So by the time I reached the examination hall, I quickly opened my
backpack to check. To my surprise, they were both blue pens.
This could have resulted in my answer booklet being disqualified and I would have had to re-
take the exam. Since the exam was held twice a year only, this mistake would not only have cost
me valuable time but also a lot of money for the upcoming exams.
In panic, I looked around to see any familiar face to ask for help; however, I did not see anyone
but the examiner. I took a deep breath and decided to ask him if he had a spare black pen that I

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could borrow. Luckily, he did. He was willing to lend me one and did not forget to remind me
about the regulation. I was relieved and ready to sit my exam, thanks to a kind examiner.
VOCABULARY :
disqualified: [verb] prevent somebody from doing something, because they have broken the
regulations.
Example: The police stopped the man in his car. He had been drinking and driving and he
was disqualified from driving for 3 years.
upcoming: [adjective] something which is upcoming is going to happen soon. Example: Brazil is
preparing for the upcoming Olympic Games in 2016.
panic: [noun] a sudden feeling of fear.

Example: As the fire spread through the school, the students ran out in panic.
breath: [noun] an amount of air which enters your lungs at one time.
Example: He can count from 1 to 20 in one breath.

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#22: A Country You Have Not Been To Yet
“Describe a foreign country you would like to go to. ( A country you have not been to
yet)”
You should say:

- What country it is (including where it is in the world)
- What this country is like
- What people can do in this country
- And explain why you would like to go to this country.
There are so many countries that I have not had a chance to go to, but one of those that I
would like to visit in my upcoming trip is Myanmar.
It is located in South East Asia. The country is like Thailand 25 years ago, before shopping malls,
and fastfood chains expanded in the country. Thus it remains rustic and traditional compared to
the modern world.
The people here are said to be friendly; they are willing to go out of their way to show
you around and they are very keen on practicing their English skills. Myanmar is famous for
its ancient city named Bagan, with more than 3,000 temples which date back to the 11th century.
I would particularly love to see the Shwedagon Pagoda. It is considered to be the greatest and
most sacred Buddhist temple in the country. The entire structure, which dates back 2,500 years,
is covered with hundreds of gold plates.
Since the country has just been opened up to the outside world, it still keeps the originality of
its culture. That‟s why I want to go there, to experience the country and the people
before globalization changes everything.
USEFUL VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS :
fastfood chain: [noun] a network of restaurants like McDonald‟s, which you can find in many
different places, serving food such as burgers and fries.
rustic: [adjective] simple and typical of the countryside.

Example: The old church in the small village had a rustic appearance.

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go out of their way to: [verb phrase] to make a special effort to do something.
Example: The teacher went out of her way to help the students, giving free classes before the
exams.
show someone around: [verb phrase] to be a guide for somebody when they visit a new place
and to show them what is interesting.
Example: We were shown around the school by one of the students.
sacred: [adjective] connected with a god, and considered to be holy.

Example: In Islam, Mecca is a sacred city.
opened up: [phrasal verb] possible to be visited.

Example: The railways opened up many remote parts of the country.
globalization: [noun] the process by which places become similar to each other all over the
world.
Example: You can now buy burgers in fastfood restaurants like McDonald‟s all over the world, as
a result of globalization.

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#23: A Country You Have Not Been To Yet
Describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice./Describe an
important conversation that you had with someone
Describe a situation (or time) when you received some useful advice
You should say:

- what the situation was
- who gave you the advice
- what the advice was
- and explain how this advice was useful to you.
Describe an important conversation that you had with someone.
You should say:

- when you had this conversation
- who you had the conversation with
- what the conversation was about and explain how this conversation influenced you.
It was 5 years ago when I was in my junior year of college, I was struggling to find out
what career would I follow in the future. As juniors, we had to choose courses related to our
business concentration such as marketing, finance, human resources or management. At that
moment, I was confused since I did not specifically like any of them.
As the deadline closely approached, I had to quickly make my decision. I decided to talk with
my father, a wise man, about my problem. Different from many other parents who always make
decisions for their children; my father guides me to the answer and lets me choose what I want.
He asked me what I would like my life to be like when I graduated, then analyzed
my personality, discussed my strengths and weaknesses. He also showed me some career paths I
could follow if I chose certain options.
After an hour of talking to him, everything had become clearer and I finally made my decision to
follow a career in finance. Thanks to the conversation that day, I understood more about myself.

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Five years have passed, I am now a financial analyst for an entertainment company and I have
never regretted my decision.
VOCABULARY :
career: your profession, the type of employment you will likely have for a long period of your
life or perhaps your entire life; “She was happy to have chosen a career that suited her
personality perfectly.”
related to: having to do with, having an association with; in this context the student needs to take
courses that are related to business; “She is tired of taking courses related to her major; now she
just wants to take classes for fun.”
deadline: a time when something is due, when it has to be done; “I am hoping that we will finish
this project by our deadline.”
closely approach: to get closer and closer to a certain point or destination in a short amount of
time; when something is closely approaching it means you are very near to that time; “The
baby’s due date is closely approaching and we still aren’t prepared.”
guides me: to guide is to help someone by showing them a way or by giving specific information
or assistance without actually doing the task for them; “The teacher guides us in how to learn
proper study techniques.”
analyzed my personality: to examine, assess or evaluate your personality from different points of
view; you can take a personality test like the Meyers-Briggs to help see your patterns and
propensities; “My mother is a psychologist and she loves to analyze people’s personalities to see
what makes them tick.”
regret: to feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that has happened or been done,
especially a loss or missed opportunity). “He regretted not having attended college sooner.”

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#24: A Street That You Like To Visit
Describe a street that you like to visit. /Describe what you would do if you had a day off,
free from work or study.
Describe a street that you like to visit
You should say:

- where is it
- how often you go there
- what you usually do there
- and explain why you like to go there
Describe what you would do if you had a day off, free from work or study.
You should say:

- where you would go
- what you would do there
- who you would go with
- and explain how you think you would feel at the end of this day.
BAND 9.0 MODEL ANSWER :
As a full time employee/student, I don‟t have much free time. As a result, whenever I have a day
off, I visit my favorite street in the city. The name of the street is [….]. It is located near
[……] and it is the place where I would always choose to go. I usually go there in the morning,
park my moped in the nearby parking lot and walk along the street by myself.
Although I am quite a sociable person, I like my own space from time to time. Living in
a metropolitan area with a fast-paced life doesn‟t allow me to have time for myself that often.
This is probably the only time I can escape from my normal routine, completely free and just
breathe, without worrying about my job/my studies. This street is perfect for my purpose because
there are only government offices around here, hence it is always quiet. Moreover, both side of
the streets are planted with many big trees, their shade covers the whole street. On a sunny day,
you can see the sun‟s rays shining through the leaves.
Every time I come here I feel fresh and less stressed, especially after my busy days at work/
preparing for exams. At the end of the day, I can refresh my mind and be ready for a new day.

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VOCABULARY :
moped: [noun] a motorcycle with a small engine and also pedals.

Example: I sometimes use the engine on my moped, but more often I use the pedals, like a
bicycle.
sociable: [adjective] a sociable person is someone who enjoys spending time with other people.
Example: she’s a sociable child who will talk to anyone.
my own space: my freedom and time to think and do what I want.

Example: he was tired of being with other people, so he went to his room to get some space.
metropolitan: [adjective] connected with a large city.

Example: my brother lives in the New York metropolitan area.
fast-paced: [adjective] very busy

Example: my university course is very fast-paced, so it is difficult to complete all my assignments
on time.
shade: [noun] an area that is dark and cool under or behind something [like a tree], where the
light of the sun does not reach it.
Example: We sat down in the shade of the wall.
rays: [noun] narrow lines of light.

Example: The rays of the sun entered my window when the sun rose early in the morning.
refresh: [verb] to refresh somebody is to make them less tired or less hot. Example: A cool
shower refreshed me after running in the park.

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#25: An Article About Healthy Living
Describe an article you read in a magazine or on the internet about healthy living.
You should say:

- what the article was about
- where you read it (which magazine or website)
- and explain what you learned/thought from the article
Recently I came across an interesting article on the internet about the benefits of drinking warm
water with lemon in the morning. The website name is bodyandsoul.com.au.
You would normally think that lemon water is just one kind of drink that helps keep your body
hydrated, however, it brings you many other benefits that you can‟t imagine. – The article says
that if you build up a habit of kicking off your day with a glass of warm waterwith the juice
of half a lemon, you will do your body and mind a great favor.
Firstly, lemon juice is a great source of Vitamin C, thus it helps boost your immune system in
fighting off colds and flu. Moreover, lemons are great for combating skin ageing because they
are rich in antioxidant properties. Lemon also helps clean our urinary tract and detoxify our
livers. The list of benefits doesn‟t end there. The high level of potassium in lemons can
help brain and nerve functioning and control blood pressure. Lemon water can also ward
off stress and depression, which have been linked to low levels of potassium. As a result, the
article suggests if you continue drinking warm water with lemon first thing in the morningfor at
least 21 consecutive days, you will notice the difference in your skin and general
healthimmediately.
VOCABULARY :
hydrated: [adjective] capable of absorbing or taking in water.

Example: In hot weather, keep your body hydrated by drinking lots of water.
build up: [phrasal verb] to develop.

Example: In business, it is important to build up a good relationship with customers.

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kicking off your day: [verb phrase] starting your day [like starting a football match by kicking
the ball]
Example: Kick off your day with a good breakfast, before you go to school.
boost your immune system: [verb phrase] to make your body stronger to help it fight against
illness.
Example: A healthy diet of fruit and vegetables, combined with exercise and sleep, will boost
your immune system by making your body strong.
fight off: [phrasal verb] to resist – in this case, illness.

Example: The soldiers fought off the enemy attack.
ageing: [noun] the process of becoming old.

Example: There are some skin care products which claim to stop the ageing process.
antioxidant: [adjective] removing harmful substances from the body.

Example: Vitamin C has antioxidant properties, so it is good to have it in your diet to prevent
illness.
urinary tract: [noun] the part of the body through which waste liquid passes. Example: If you
have pain when you go to the toilet , it may be a symptom of an infection of your urinary tract.
detoxify: [verb] to remove harmful or poisonous substances, in this case from your liver.
Example: As harmful substances can build up during the night, you can clean your liver and
detoxify it by drinking lemon water in the morning.
ward off: [phrasal verb] to protect or defend yourself against illness or danger. Example: She put
up her hands to ward off her attacker.

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#26: Someone In The News You Like To Meet
Describe a person you know whose job is important to society/Describe someone in the
news who you would like to meet.
Describe a person you know whose job is important to society
You should say:

- what job they do (= he or she does)
- and explain why you think their job is important or why you think their -
work contributes to society.
Describe someone in the news who you would like to meet.
You should say:

- why they are in the news
- and explain why you would like to meet this person.
Today, I am going to talk about a person whose job is important to society/ in the news whom I
would like to meet. It is Kenny G, the saxophonis
I first listened to his music when I was very small, starting with the well-known piece “Forever
in Love”. It was so melodious and relaxing that every time I listened to it, I felt like I was
on cloud 9. – Recently, Kenny G decided to hold a concert in Vietnam and it quickly became
a major news story, covered in all of our media from newspapers to TV, and most radio
channels. For people like me, who have been used to listening to his saxophone recordings since
we were young, this was a once in a lifetime chance to meet him in person and listen to his
music at a live concert, not on a music CD or online playlist.
Maybe to many people, being a musician doesn‟t contribute much to our society. However, I
think that any career that we choose to pursue plays an important role in our lives. If abusiness
person is important, so is a musician. Imagine a world without music, it would definitely be
so dull and boring. In addition, music also helps us soothe our soul and relax our brain after
hard days at work. Although we cannot quantify its benefit, the positive effects that music brings
to our lives are undeniably worth valuing.

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VOCABULARY :
saxophonist: [noun] a person who plays the saxophone.

Example: At the music concert, I thought that the saxophonist and the pianist were particularly
good.
piece: [noun] here we use „piece‟ to mean a „piece of music‟. We usually use it to refer to
classical music or jazz –not modern or rock music.
Example: At the concert, Kenny G played two pieces which he had written himself.
melodious: [adjective] music which is pleasant to listen to is „melodious‟.

Example: The piece was so melodious that I remember it whenever I am feeling relaxed and
comfortable.
on cloud 9: [expression] extremely happy.

Example: When I read that I had passed the exam, I was on cloud 9.
hold a concert: [verb phrase] to have a concert – we also use „hold a meeting/hold a
competition‟ in the same way.
Example: The organisers decided to hold the concert in New York.
once in a lifetime: [expression] used to describe something special that is not likely to happen to
you again.
Example: When my friend invited me to Brazil, I knew that this was a once in a
lifetime chance to visit the Amazon rainforest.
live concert: [noun] a concert when people are watching and listening when the event is actually
taking place.
Example: One thousand people attended the live concert to hear the musicians perform in person.
soothe our soul: [verb phrase] to make us feel relaxed and peaceful.
Example: Rock music is loud, but to feel relaxed I prefer to listen to classical music to soothe my
soul.
quantify: [verb] to express something as an amount or number.

Example: The pleasure that we feel when we see or hear something beautiful is impossible
to quantify.

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#27: A House/Apartment You Like To Live In
“Describe a house or apartment you would like to live in.”
You should say:

- where this house or apartment would be
- what it would look like
- when you would like to live there
- and explain why you would like to live in such a place
Today I am going to share with you a description of my ideal apartment that I would like to
live in. Since I live in a big city, it is probably more convenient to buy a condo in a building
complex.
I prefer a cozy place, so, I would expect it to be not too big, about 90 to 100 square meters,
with 2 bedrooms and 2 balconies. In my opinion, this size is perfect for a small family of
parents and one child. When it comes to cleaning the house, you would not feel discouraged by
all the chores you have to do.
It would be great if my apartment overlooked [1] a river or bridge, and it should be located on
a high floor like the 10th or above. As a person who loves color and nature, I would decorate
my house with a lot of paintings and plants. I would make a hanging garden in one of
my balconies [2] and put small chairs and tables out, so that I could sit there and enjoy my small
garden. I would use yellow -tinted bulbs and lamps all over the apartment to make it cozier.
If I got the chance [1], I would love to make my dream apartment become a reality as soon as
possible, because I have always wanted to move out of my parents‟ house. Owning an
apartment would allow me to do whatever I want, whenever I want.
VOCABULARY :
condo: [noun] one apartment that you own in a building with other apartments. However, the
shared areas are owned by everyone.
Example: The owners of the condos share the swimming pool and children‟s play areas that are
part of the apartment complex.
building complex: [noun] a group of similar buildings of one type in the same place.
Example: The buildings in the sports complex included a gymnasium and a basketball court.

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cozy: [adjective] small, but warm, comfortable and safe.

Example: Although it was cold outside, his small apartment was cozy and so we stayed
overnight.
balcony: [noun] something that is built on the outside wall of a building, like a small platform
with a wall or rail around it for safety.
Example: We had drinks on the hotel balcony, enjoying the view of the sea.
discouraged: [adjective] feeling less enthusiastic about something.

Example: when I looked at all the homework that I had to finish, I felt quite
discouraged. However, I decided to start doing it immediately.
chores: [noun] routine tasks.

Example: I have to do some chores every day, such as cleaning the kitchen and washing the
dishes.
overlook: [verb] if an apartment overlooks a place, this means that you can see that place from
the window or balcony of the apartment.
Example: We had lunch in a restaurant overlooking a lake.
floor: [noun] all the rooms that are on the same level of a building.
Example: On the 10th floor of my apartment block, there are 6 different apartments.
hanging garden: [noun] a type of garden on a balcony or roof in which many plants are in
baskets which hang down from baskets fastened to the walls.
Example: Many people in our apartment complex grow flowers in baskets which hang from the
walls of their balconies.
yellow-tinted: [adjective] having a light yellow colour.

Example: The yellow-tinted lights gave our apartment a relaxing and cozy atmosphere.

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#28: A Time When You Waited For Something
“Describe a time when you waited for (or, had to wait for) something (or someone).”
You should say:

- who or what you waited for
- where you waited
- why you waited (or, had to wait)
- and explain how you felt while you were waiting
Having to wait for somebody is a common situation in our daily lives. There was this one time I
had to wait for my friends, which was so special I‟d like to share the story with you today.
It was my birthday and I had invited a group of friends to a coffee house to celebrate it. We
were scheduled to meet there at 8 that evening. I was so eager that I came early. Certainly, none
of them were there, but it was easy to understand because I was early. However, I waited for
half an hour, but nobody showed up, and then I started to feel uncomfortable and worried. As I
was losing my patience, I began to call each of them to ask why they had not come yet. To my
surprise, none of them picked up the phone. I was really fed up, as you can imagine, because it
was my birthday and my friends had treated me like that.
I waited for a couple more minutes until I couldn‟t stand it anymore, and decided to leave. As
soon as I called the waiter for the bill, I heard the “Happy birthday” song start up in the coffee
house. Out of nowhere, all of my friends suddenly appeared with a birthday cake. They hugged
me and wished me happy birthday. It was such a surprise. My anger quickly gave way
to laughter and we had an unforgettable night chatting until the early hours, drinking coffee
and, of course, eating cake.
VOCABULARY :
show up: [phrasal verb] to arrive where you had arranged to meet somebody Example: It was
getting late when she finally showed up.
lose my patience: [verb phrase] to become annoyed or angry as a result of a delay. Example: The
train is now 1 hour late, and I am losing my patience.

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fed up: [adjective] bored and unhappy, especially with a situation that has continued for a long
time.
Example: The traffic congestion in our city never seems to get better, so people are really fed
up with the time it takes to get to work.
stand [something]: [verb] to dislike – used especially in negative sentences. Example: I like
John, but I can‟t stand his sister, she is very rude.
out of nowhere: [expression] appearing or happening suddenly and unexpectedly Example: The
woman cried for help and, out of nowhere, a policeman arrived.
hug: [verb] to put your arms around someone and hold them tightly, to show that you like or love
them.
Example: The child ran out of the school and he hugged his mother, who was waiting at the
school gate.
the early hours: [expression] early in the morning, for example about 2, 3 or 4 am.

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#29: Someone/Something Made A Lot Of Noise
Describe someone or something that made a lot of noise.
You should say:

- who or what made the noise
- what the noise was like
- and explain what you did when you heard this noise
If you live in my country long enough, you will totally agree with me that those who
are driving make a lot of noise, especially during peak traffic hours.
All roads have never been free of the honking noises of all kinds of vehicles from vans and cars,
to mopeds. It is, in my opinion, the most annoying sound you could imagine. Whenever I heard
people honking like angry geese, I felt very annoyed and frustrated. A majority of people
should learn when to use the horn properly. It seems to me that they push the horn all the
time because they want to be able to drive fast, while everyone else gets out of their way.
Despite the fact that I hate it so much, I cannot give up driving here. So I learned to ignore it,
and use my horn sparingly or just in case of emergency. However, I still think that the city
should have a campaign on educating people to use the horn in a proper way so that the city is
not polluted by noise.
VOCABULARY :
peak traffic hours: [noun phrase] the times when there is most traffic on the roads, usually when
people are travelling to or from work.
Example: Because of all the traffic, it is difficult to cross the road during peak traffic hours.
honk: [verb] if you honk the horn of a car or other vehicle, it makes a loud noise like a warning
sound.
Example: She knew that the taxi had arrived, because she heard the horn honking outside the
door.
geese: [plural noun] this is the plural form of „goose‟ – a large bird with a long neck. It makes a
loud honking noise.

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Example: The geese were on the lake, with some smaller birds nearby, which were probably
ducks.
horn: [noun] a device in a vehicle for making a loud noise as a warning.

Example: In the traffic jam, some of the drivers were honking the horns of their cars because
they were frustrated with the delay.
get out of the way: [verb phrase] move out of the route which someone else is taking.
Example: All of the drivers got out of the way, to allow the ambulance to pass.
sparingly: [adverb] in a way that is careful, so that we only use a little.

Example: He spent his money sparingly, because he only had enough for a simple meal.

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#30: A Song That Has Special Meaning
Describe a song that has special meaning for you.
You should say:

- what this song is about
- when and where you first heard this song
- how often you listen to this song
- and explain why it has special meaning for you
I love listening to music, so I like many songs. However, one of my favorite songs that I want to
talk about today is “Hall of Fame” by The Script and Will.i.am. This song was written for the
2012 Olympic Games.
When it came out, it quickly became a hit on every single music chart throughout the world, not
just because of its catchy melody, but also for its meaningful lyrics. The song talks about how
each of us can be a champion or anything we want to be as long as we dedicate our time
and efforts to doing what we are passionate about. The song is played at big athletic events to
pump up the crowd, but you can easily relate to the song at other times as well, especially when
you are about to give up.
I think this song has such a powerful message that whenever I was tired or had decided to quit, it
would lift me up right away. It made me think about why I had started in the first place and that I
needed to finish the job that I was currently doing.
VOCABULARY:
became a hit: when a song becomes a hit, it means that it is super popular and that people are
listening to it on the radio and buying it on iTunes or elsewhere. Example: Taylor Swift‟s song
“Bad Blood” became a hit instantly.
catchy melody: the melody is the part that you sing along with and if it is catchy, it means that it
is easy to sing along with and people like it, you easily remember it and it sticks in your mind.
Example: The song “Uptown Funk” has a catchy melody that people love to sing.

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meaningful lyrics: lyrics are the words in a song and if they are meaningful, it means that they
actually mean something or have some sort of importance or significance; they aren‟t just silly,
meaningless words.
Example: His sister writes meaningful lyrics for her songs.
champion: someone who wins, a winner.

Example: He didn‟t see himself as a champion until he had reached his goals.
dedicate: to commit your time to doing something; to make a promise to yourself to do

something.
Example: You were able to get a high score on the test because you dedicated 2 hours every day
to studying and preparing yourself.
effort: the work that you put into doing something.

Example: The time and effort he spent improving his English paid off when he got a $10,000
raise.
passionate: if you are passionate about something it means you have a strong desire to do
something or a strong interest in something.
Example: Elite athletes are passionate about their sport and want to become the best.
played at: to play a song at an event means to broadcast it over loudspeakers so everyone can
hear it.
Example: They always play the song “We Are the Champions” at basketball games.
to pump up the crowd: to get the people excited about the game or event.
Example: The cheerleaders tried to pump up the crowd during the football game.
relate to: to see yourself in something or to understand it in a personal way. Example: She can
relate to the lyrics of that song about love and loss.
give up: to quit; to stop doing something.

Example: He decided to give up smoking after 10 years.
quit: to stop doing something; to give up.

Example: She convinced her son not to quit the soccer team.
lift me up or lift someone up: to make someone feel better.

Example: His brother is good at lifting others up when they are feeling down.

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#31: A Film You Watched At Home Or In A Cinema
Describe a film you watched at home or in a cinema.
You should say:

- what film it was
- what it was about
- why you chose to watch that film who you watched it with and explain if you learned
anything important from the film
As a frequent moviegoer, I watch a lot of films. One of the movies that I enjoyed the most
recently was The Martian.
The movie was based on a novel of the same title by Andy Weir. Just like many other sci-fi films,
it was about man travelling in space, however, this time, our main character was stuck on Mars
due to a dust storm which nearly killed him. All of the crewmates thought that he was dead, so
they went back to Earth without him. But fortunately he was still alive, thus two and a half hours
of the movie told the story of how he fought for his life in the brutal environment of Mars, until
NASA devised a plan to rescue him.
My best friend is a big fan of astronomy, so she had read [2] the novel before. That‟s why she
insisted on me going to see the movie with her. After watching the trailer and reading the plot, I
was hooked. It was maybe the best two and a half hours of my week so far.
After watching the movie, I was amazed at how ingenious and strong humans can be when it
comes to a life and death situation. Mark Watney, the hero of the movie, was a
perfect portrayal of a young, humorous, brilliant and skillful engineer cum botanist. Although
the hostile environment of Mars threatened his existence many times, he relentlessly refused to
quit. Instead, he overcame one problem at a time until he was successfully rescued. The message
that I learned from the film is never to give up, however hopeless things seem to be.
VOCABULARY:
moviegoer: [noun] a person who goes to the cinema.

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sci-fi: [noun] science fiction; based on imagined scientific discoveries of the future, such as space
travel or life on other planets.
Example: Sci-fi movies have become more popular since space travel has become possible.
stuck on Mars: the man was unable to escape from the planet.
Example: we were stuck in traffic and so we arrived late for work.
dust storm: [noun] a storm that carries clouds of dust in the wind over a wide area.
Example: a lot of plants die after a dust storm passes through an area.
crewmates: [noun] all the people working on a ship or, in this case, a spacecraft.
fought for his life: [verb phrase] he made a great effort to stay alive.
Example: The man was badly injured in the accident, but he fought for his life and he recovered
later in hospital.
brutal: [adjective] if an environment is described as brutal this means that it is very dangerous
and it is difficult for a person to survive.
devised: [verb] NASA invented something new to rescue the man.

Example: a new system has been devised to control traffic in the city.
astronomy: [noun] the scientific study of the sun, moon, stars and planets.
trailer: [noun] a series of short scenes from a film or programme, shown in advance to advertise
it.
Example: after watching an exciting trailer, I decided to go to see the film.
plot: [noun] the events which form the story of a book, play or film.
Example: the book has a plot about a prisoner who escaped.
hooked: [adjective] enjoying something so much that you want to see or do it.
ingenious: [adjective] very clever at inventing new ideas.

Example: many ingeniousresearchers are working on ways to combat cancer
portrayal: [noun] the act of describing or showing something or somebody in a book, play or
film.
Example: the actor gave a fantastic portrayal of a clever detective in the film.
botanist: [noun] a person who studies plants.

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hostile: [adjective] a hostile environment is unsafe for humans, because there are many dangers.
Example: in the hostile environment of the desert, you must take a lot of water with you.
threatened his existence: the many dangers and difficult conditions on Mars were a danger to his
life.
relentlessly: [adverb] in a way that continues strongly, without giving up.

Example: the soldiers relentlessly pursued their enemies after the battle.
hopeless: [adjective] without hope

Example: after searching for the lost plane for many days, the situation seemed hopeless and it
seemed that the rescuers would never find it

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#32: A Time You Looked At The Sky
Describe a (recent) time when you looked at the sky (either day or night)
You should say:

- what you were doing
- when you looked at the sky
- who you were with
- what you saw and explain how you felt when you looked at the sky.
BAND 9.0 MODEL ANSWER:
Last week, my friends and I decided to go camping on the outskirts for the weekend.
Living in a big city doesn‟t offer me much of a chance to enjoy the sky at night because of
the pollution, the lights, and the skyscrapers. That‟s the reason why I liked this short trip so
much because I could enjoy looking up at the clear sky, searching for stars and observing the
moon.
Luckily for me, there was a full moon that night. We made a small campfire and sat around the
fire, grilled potatoes and marshmallows, happily chatting with each other.
When the moon had risen high up in the sky, we all looked up, and started counting stars. I had
never seen so many stars in the sky as I did that night. They twinkled while the moon shone
brightly. At that moment, I felt at peace. My mind was blank; I wasn‟t thinking of anything
else, all my sadness and disappointments disappeared. All I thought of was that I was content in
that moment.
VOCABULARY:
outskirts: the part of town that is far away from the center.
Example: We lived on the outskirts of town for about 10 years and then finally moved closer to
the center last year.
offer: in this context to offer you something means to make it available to you.
Example: Living in the city offers many exciting activities like going to the theater, attending
concerts and lots of different types of restaurants.

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pollution: harmful substances in the air or water.

Example: The air pollution in the city is getting worse every year.
skyscrapers: tall buildings that can be used for offices or residential units.
Example: New York City has many tall skyscrapers.
clear sky: a sky that is clear of any pollution or other things (like clouds) that make it hard to see
the stars and the moon.
Example: Tonight, when I looked up at the clear sky, I saw millions of stars.
observing: watching, looking at, seeing.

Example: The scientist will be observing the monkeys this afternoon.
full moon: The phase of the moon at which the moon, as viewed from Earth, appears to be fully
illuminated by the sun. The full phase marks the half-way point of a single revolution of the
moon around the earth.
Example: Did you see the full moon last night?
campfire: a fire that is made while camping and around which you sit to cook food, roast
marshmallows and talk.
Example: My son is always in charge of making the campfire.
grilled/to grill: a way of cooking something on a grill over a fire.

Example: We grilled some hamburgers and hot dogs last night for dinner.
marshmallow: A light, spongy, very sweet confection made of corn syrup, gelatin, sugar, and
often vanilla.
Example: Kids love to roast marshmallows while camping.
chatting: talking.
Example: They have been chatting for over two hours already.
to twinkle: to shine and sparkle, flicker, glimmer – what stars do. Stars twinkle.
Example: The stars twinkled in the clear night sky.
to feel at peace: to be peaceful or feel peaceful, without any worries or concerns.

Example: He felt at peace when he was meditating.
mind was blank: to have nothing in your mind, to not be thinking about anything at all.
Example: After staying up all night studying, my mind was blank during class.

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disappointment: frustration, something that you feel disappointed or dissatisfied about.

Example: His grandmother has suffered many disappointments throughout her lifetime, but now
she is living the good life.

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#33: A Recent Event Made You Happy
Describe a recent event (or something you did) that made you happy.
You should say:

- what you did
- where you were
- who you were with and explain why it made you happy.
Today, I am going to share with you a recent event that made me happy. A month ago, my friend
and I attended a hip-hop and contemporary dance performance sponsored by the Japan
Foundation Center, Goethe Institute, and L‟Espace Center called “Europe Meets Asia”.
The tickets were free so we did not see any reason for not going; we both like dancing a lot. The
performance was given by artists from Japan and Israel. It was a combination of hip-hop and
contemporary dance.
With their talents, they created such an amazing performance. We were surprised to see
how flexible they were while performing. The dance also delivered a message which could
be interpreted differently by different people. To me, it was about young people in the modern
world, bored with the daily routine of life and trying to escape from this boredom in order to do
something spectacular or at least pursue their passions.
After a 40-hour workweek, this event was like a fresh breeze in my life. It was a new experience
that I had rarely had before, because in Hanoi, we don‟t get to see art performances by foreign
artists that often.
VOCABULARY :
hip-hop: a style of music usually based on rap and often including elements of other styles such
as funk or rhythm and blues.
Example: My best friend is an awesome hip-hop artist who performs all around the world.
contemporary: current, modern, nowadays.

Example: As an art collector, he focuses on contemporary artists from Asia and Europe.

Đà Nẵng
sponsored by: an individual or organization that puts something on, that supports an event
financially.
Example: This evening‟s event was sponsored by Apple, Microsoft and Dell computers.
given by: in this context the artists give a performance or perform and so we say it was given by
them.
Example: The keynote presentation was given by Mark Zuckerberg, speaking Chinese.
combination of: when two or more things are combined to create something new.
Example: The combination of science and art classes helps students learn in a creative way.
talent: a special skill that one has.

Example: He has a talent for making movies and will likely become a director some day.
flexible: to be able to bend your body in all sorts of ways.

Example: Ballet dancers and yoga instructors are very flexible.
interpret: to understand something in a certain way.

Example: The two people interpreted the performance in two completely different ways.
daily routine: that which you do every day, like get up, eat breakfast, go to work, come home,
clean up, watch TV, go to bed.
Example: His daily routine starts at 5 a.m. and ends at 10 p.m.
spectacular: amazing, fantastic, super special.

Example: His new book is spectacular. Have you read it yet?
pursue their passions: to follow your interests and desires.

Example: He wants to pursue his passion for chemistry by getting a PhD.
fresh breeze: used in this context to describe something that is new and refreshing.
Example: Spending a day out in the woods was like a fresh breeze, compared to my usual boring
daily routine.
rarely: not very often.

Example: I rarely go downtown due to the traffic.

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#34: A Difficult Decision You Made
“Describe a difficult decision that you made.”
You should say:

- what decision it was
- what difficulties you faced
- how you made the decision and explain why it was a difficult decision.
It was when I prepared the application form for the university entrance exam that I had to make
an important but difficult decision. At that time, I was at a crossroads, where I had to
decide which university to apply for. Actually, my interest was in economics, which was taught
in two separate universities, one of which specialized in international trade while the other
focused more on the national economy. Fortunately, my sister, who graduated from
an economics college, gave me some sound advice. Having weighed up the pros and cons
of each school, she encouraged me to choose the university specializing in international trade.
Finally, I applied for this school after thinking carefully about all the options. At present, I feel
so satisfied with the learning environment of this university that I am always thankful for my
decision as well as my sister‟s advice. Without her guidance, I probably wouldn‟t be as content
with my university life as I am.
VOCABULARY :
at a crossroads: [expression] at an important point in someone‟s life or development.

Example: His life was at a crossroads – whether to join the army or to continue studying at
university.
sound advice: [adjective and noun combination] sensible and reliable advice.
Example: My parents gave me sound advice about my choice of career.
weighed up the pros and cons: [expression] considered carefully the advantages and
disadvantages of something.
Example: Having weighed up the pros and cons, I decided that it would be more useful for me
to learn English rather than French.
learning environment: [noun phrase] the conditions that affect the behaviour and development of
people who are learning a subject.
Example: The school had the latest technology, the buildings were modern and the teachers were
very helpful – it was the perfect learning environment.

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#35: Describe A Polluted Place
Describe a polluted place.
You should say:

- What the place is
- What type of pollution it is/ are
- Cause and effect of pollution and explain how can this pollution be controlled.
It is regrettable that Hanoi, where I‟m living, is negatively affected by pollution and the major
environmental problems it is facing are water pollution, air pollution and noise pollution.
There are various reasons why this city is badly polluted. Firstly, due to modernization, more
and more vehicles such as cars and motorbikes are used. This leads to an increase in exhaust
emissions which contaminate the atmosphere, not to mention the rising level
of noisepollution. Secondly, factories and industrial zones in the city have discharged a huge
amount of untreated waste into rivers, causing death to many fish and other aquatic animals.
In fact, pollution makes people here less healthy, and some even suffer from life-
threateningdiseases such as lung cancer, skin cancer, and so on. Therefore, the government must
deal with this problem right away. Cutting down on vehicle use is the best way to reduce air
pollution and noise pollution. We can do this by encouraging people to use public transportation.
Besides, those who litter should pay a heavy fine. Finally, I think the best solution is to raise
awareness and educate people to protect the environment.
VOCABULARY :
regrettable: [adjective] something that you are sorry about and wish that it had not happened.
Example: It is regrettable that only a minority of people are concerned about the environment.
exhaust emissions: [noun phrase] waste gases that come out of a car or other vehicle.
Example: The exhaust emissions from big trucks cause serious air pollution in my city.

Đà Nẵng
contaminate: [verb] make a place or thing dirty, by adding a substance that is dangerous or
polluting.
Example: Every day, more and more vehicles enter the city centre and contaminatethe
atmosphere with their exhaust emissions.
discharge: [verb] when somebody discharges a gas or liquid, they release it and it goes into the
water or the air.
Example: The factory was fined for discharging chemicals into the river.
aquatic: [adjective] living in water

Example: Rivers which are clean have a lot of aquaticlife, such as fish and frogs.
life-threatening: [adjective] likely to kill someone.

Example: Aid workers in poor countries often have to deal with
difficult, lifethreatening situations.
cutting down on: [phrasal verb] reducing the size, amount or number of something.
Example: You will improve your health by cutting down on cigarettes.
awareness: [noun] knowing that something exists and is important.

Example: In schools, campaigns about awareness of road safety are essential for young children.

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#36: A Product You Were Happy With
“Describe a product you bought that you were happy with.”
You should say:

- What you bought
- (when and) where you bought it
- Why you bought it and explain why you were happy with it
BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER 1:
It was last summer that I bought a new yogurt maker and I am very satisfied with it.
This machine is quite small and fits conveniently into my kitchen. Interestingly, it looks like
a cooker with six glasses inside. And the most important thing is that it is very easy to use. You
just have to pour the mixture of ingredients to make yogurt into these glasses, turn the yogurt
maker on and leave it for a few hours. Then, you will have delicious home-made yogurt.
Thanks to the simple instructions, I can make yogurt for my whole family any time I want. As
yogurt is good for our health, eating it daily can make people healthier, it can help to prevent
some potentially fatal diseases and boost the human immune system. Therefore, the members of
my family have all adopted the habit of eating yogurt every day.
Owning a yogurt maker helped me to cut down considerably the amount of time that it took to
make yogurt, not to mention the higher quality as opposed to the traditional method. At
present, I still make yogurt every day for my family with this machine and I think that this is
an indispensable product for preparing an essential part of our regular diet.
VOCABULARY :
fits: [verb] is the right shape and size for something.

Example: This jacket fits me perfectly, but those shoes don‟t fit at all.
pour: [verb] to make a liquid flow from a container.

Example: Pour some milk into my glass, please.
potentially: [adverb] used to say that something may develop into something.
Example: Smoking will not kill you immediately, but it is potentially harmful for your health.

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fatal: [adjective] causing or ending in death.

Example: Police were called to a fatal accident, in which 3 people were killed.
immune system: [expression] the system in your body that helps it fight agains infection and
disease.
Example: A strong immune system is necessary to remain fit and healthy.
adopted the habit: [expression] started to use a particular method of doing something.
Example: Last month, my friend adopted the habit of running for one hour every day in order to
keep fit.
cut down: [phrasal verb] reduce the amount, size or number of something.
Example: I should cut down my working hours and spend more time just relaxing.
BAND 9.0 SAMPLE ANSWER 2 :
Last summer, I bought a Nokia smart phone that I was really satisfied with. My cell phonewas
the latest product from Nokia, so there were various useful applications such as video calling,
emails, games, music players, and so on. I intended to use this smart hone to listen to music,
make phone calls, send messages and check emails. I must say that this portable device helps me
a lot no matter where I am.
There were numerous reasons why I took an interest in this product. Firstly, I wanted to use it
for entertainment purposes. I could refresh myself after a hard day‟s work
by enjoying music or watching reality shows on the Internet. Moreover, thanks to this smart
phone, I was ble to keep in touch with my old friends whom I could not meet in
person regularly. Besides, his mobile phone helped me to handle my workload effectively. For
example, I could check mails when waiting for the bus, which saved a lot of time.
As a final point, I would emphasize that I chose the mobile phone myself. That was the main
reason why I felt so happy with this product.
VOCABULARY :
portable device: [noun] an object that is easy to carry or to move.

Example: A lot of people on my flight were using portable devices, such as their laptops, during
the journey.

Đà Nẵng
took an interest in: [expression] wanted to know more about the product.
Example: My parents took an interest in my grades at school, because they wanted me to go to
university.
entertainment: [noun] for interest and amusement.

Example: The local newspaper gives news about entertainment, with information on all the
latest films, music, shows and events in our city.
refresh myself: [verb] make myself feel less tired and stressed.
Example: After work, I usually refresh myself with a shower and a hot drink.
reality shows: [noun] shows that use real people [not actors] in real situations, in order to provide
entertainment.
Example: Reality shows like „Big Brother‟ are very cheap to make, because there are no actors
to pay.
handle my workload: [expression] manage the amount of work that I have to do.
Example: The company has paid me for some extra hours to handle my increased workload.

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#37: An Older Person Who You Admire
Describe An Older Person Who You Admire
You should say:

- Who this person is
- How long you have known him/her
- What qualities he/she has
I would like to describe one of my teachers who taught me at high school. She had a
great influence on me and was a role model whom I look up to.
Her name is Yen and she taught me Math for 3 years of high school. She was in her 50s, and so
she had a lot of teaching experience. Actually, we met each other almost everyday as she
was also my form teacher. She cared about us as if we had been her sons and daughters. For
example, she always brought some kinds of medicines so that whenever her students got a
cold, coughed or something like that, she would give them the medicines immediately.
Above all, I was most influenced by the way she taught us in class. Her thoroughness in
teaching inspired me to study Math, even though I had not been interested in the subject before.
Thanks to her effective teaching method, I was able to pass the university entrance exam with
a high Math grade. Besides, I was also influenced by her lifestyle, which was so simple and
worthy of respect that I really wanted to copy her. As she is a warm-hearted person, she always
gave us advice about any problems we faced. At times, I felt that she was like my friend who I
could share everything with. Although we have now all graduated from high school, my friends
and I often visit her at the weekends to tell her about our daily life at university.
VOCABULARY :
role model: [noun phrase] a person that you admire and try to copy.
Example: Parents are usually the most important role models for a child.

Đà Nẵng
in her 50s: [expression] between the ages of 50 and 59.

Example: My mother retired from her job as a teacher when she was in her 50s.
cared about: [phrasal verb] felt that we were important and worth worrying about.
Example: Everybody had a good opinion of the hospital – the doctors and nurses really cared
about the health of the patients.
thoroughness: [noun] the quality of doing things very carefully and with great attention to detail.
Example: The report was perfectly organised and included every important detail, and I had to
admire his thoroughness.
lifestyle: [noun] the way in which a person or group of people live and work.
Example: When I moved to the countryside from Hanoi, I had to change my lifestyle completely.
warm-hearted: [adjective] kind and generous

Example: He often gave money and chatted in the street to poor people that he knew – he was a
very warm-hearted person.

Đà Nẵng
#38: A TV Program That Made You Laugh
Describe a television program that makes you laugh.
You should say:

- What program it is
- How often you watch it
- What it is about and explain why you laugh at this program (= explain what is funny
in this program).
A TV program that I found really funny was an American show called “How I met
your mother” which was broadcast every Sunday last summer.
It was a sitcom with 9 series, each of which included about 24 episodes. I watched all of the
episodes and found them absolutely hilarious. The series followed the main character, Ted,
who recounted to his son and daughter the time when he met and got married to their mother.
The special thing was this – all the events Ted had experienced with his best
friends before meeting his wife were illustrated in a highly amusing way. For example, in one
episode, Ted described his dates with a girlfriend whose name he had forgotten, so Ted and the
other characters had to refer to her as “Blah–blah” all the time.
Because of the characters‟ eccentric humor and natural acting, this show made me laugh a lot.
So, at present, whenever I feel stressed, I replay this series so that I can just put my feet up and
have a good laugh

Đà Nẵng
VOCABULARY :
sitcom: [noun] a regular TV program that shows the same characters in different funny situations.
Example: In a good sitcom, all the characters who appear regularly make us laugh.
episodes: [noun] parts of a story on TV or the radio which is broadcast in several parts.
Example: The sitcom finally ended after 200 episodes.
absolutely hilarious: [adverb+adjective] extremely funny.

Example: At the party, he told me an absolutely hilarious story, and I couldn‟t stop laughing.
recounted: [verb] told someone about something that you experienced.

Example: My father sometimes recounted to me stories of his time as a student.
dates: [noun] aromantic meetings with a boy or girl.

Example: Although they had several dates, they decided to remain just good friends.
eccentric: [adjective] considered by other people to be strange or unusual.

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#39: First Time You Used A Foreign Language
Describe the first time you used a foreign language to communicate.
You should say:

- What the situation was
- Where you were who you communicated with
- And explain why you used a foreign language to communicate on this occasion.
I have been learning English for a long time, but I haven‟t had many chances to practice
speaking English with native speakers. To the best of my recollection, the first time I used it
was on Christmas Eve three years ago.
At that time, I was hanging out with my friends. Suddenly, a foreigner came up to me and
asked for directions to a supermarket. Honestly, he spoke too quickly for me to catch everything.
But after he repeated his words, I finally understood and showed him the way to the nearest
supermarket. I used body language a lot to explain the directions to him, since I didn‟t speak
English well then. After that, he said “Thank you” to me and headed for the supermarket. I
realize that English plays an important role in our life, despite the fact that we don‟t live in
English-speaking countries. It is spoken globally and it‟s becoming the dominant language.
Therefore, I have been trying to practice speaking English daily so that I can have a good
command of this language, and I can talk confidently with foreigners, whatever the topic of
conversation.
VOCABULARY :
to the best of my recollection: [expression] if I remember correctly.

Example: I was not present at that meeting, to the best of my recollection.
hanging out: [phrasal verb] spending a lot of time in a particular place, but doing no special
activity.
Example: My friends and I enjoy hanging out at our local coffee shop, just chatting and enjoying
a coffee.

Đà Nẵng
came up to: [phrasal verb] approached.

Example: The manager came up to me and shook my hand.
catch everything: [expression] hear or understand everything that he said.

Example: At the train station it was too noisy to hear all the information clearly, and I was unable
to catch everything.
body language: [noun] the way that you show what you feel or think by moving your body.
Example: Sometimes, our teacher uses body language, not words, to help to communicate an
idea.
headed for: [phrasal verb] moved in a particular direction.

Example: After the show finished, everyone headed for the exits.
have a good command of: [expression] have a good knowledge of something.

Example: People who apply for this job must have a good command of English, in order to
communicate with our American customers.

Đà Nẵng
#40: Local News People Interested In
“Describe some local news that people in your locality are interested in.”
You should say:

- What the news is
- How you know about this news
- Who is involved in this news
- And explain why it is interesting to people.
I came across this intriguing article in a newspaper I read at my school’s library. It involved
how positive attitudes have greatly affected people‟s success, based on the story of how a local
woman had never given up her dream and had now become a world-famous novelist.
According to the news story, optimistic people are more likely to be successful. Since they look
at the bright side, their lives are always full of enjoyment. Therefore, when
running into problems, optimists try their best to work out solutions. This leads them to great
achievements. In contrast, pessimistic people tend to act negatively, which not only puts them
under a lot of strain, but also has a bad impact on their performance and people around them.
Since I read this news, I have tried to maintain positive attitudes about everything. Whenever I
fail to do something, I will not blame myself but work harder to overcome such failure. I hope
that, like this woman, everybody can learn to be optimistic about whatever situationthey face.

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VOCABULARY :
intriguing: [adjective] very interesting, because the news was unusual.

Example: He told me an intriguing story about how a shark had once attacked him while he was
swimming in the sea.
had never given up: [phrasal verb] had never abandoned: she had always continued to believe in
her dream.
Example: The police announced that – after 10 days – they had finally given up looking for
survivors of the air crash.
world-famous: [adjective] known all over the world

Example: McDonald‟s is a world-famous chain of fast-food restaurants.
novelist: [noun] a person who writes novels – fictional stories.

Example: The author of the „Harry Potter‟ books used to teach English, but now she is a world-
famous novelist.
optimistic: [adjective] expecting good things to happen or to be successful.

Example: He was optimistic about his chances of passing the exam, because he had studied hard.
look at/on the bright side: [expression] to be cheerful about a bad situation, by thinking of the
advantages – not the disadvantages.
Example: Although you have lost your keys, look on the bright side – your brother has a copy of
all of them.
work out (solutions): [phrasal verb] think of (solutions).

Example: Engineers work outsolutions to many technical problems when they design new
buildings.
pessimistic: [adjective] expecting bad things to happen or expecting things to fail.

Example: The patient was very ill, and the doctors were pessimistic about his chances of
recovering.
puts them under a lot of strain: [expression] puts a lot of pressure on them, because they are
worried about being able to solve a difficulty.
Example: The team have lost every match, so this puts them under a lot of
strain when they have to face new opponents.
whatever: any or every (situation)

Example: Whatever the situation about your travel visa, we will work out a solution together.

Đà Nẵng

Đà Nẵng
#41: A Story/ Novel Interests You
Describe a story or a novel that was particularly interesting to you.
You should say:

- What the story/novel is
- What it is about
- Why you find it interesting
I would like to talk about my favorite classic novel called The Godfather, which is written by a
well-known Italian author, Mario Puzo. I came across this novel when I was trying to find a
dictionary at a bookstore. It was published in hard-cover version and there was a colourful
illustration on the front which caught my eye.
At first, although I was not much impressed by the novel‟s preview, I still bought it and started
to read the story right after getting home. Surprisingly, the more I read “The Godfather”, the
more it appealed to me. This novel told the story of an Italian imaginary character named
Vito Corleone, who was a mafia boss in America after World War I. What attracted me in
this story was the way the author described Vito‟s tricks to survive in a chaotic society.
Thanks to this novel, I learned a lot about the course of American history in that lawless period.
After finishing this book, I read some more novels by Mario Puzo and they were all fascinating.
I realize that reading books is a good way to gain knowledge; therefore, everyone should get
into the habit of reading.
VOCABULARY :
classic: [adjective] accepted as being one of the best or most important of its type.
Example: The story of Romeo and Juliet is a classic tale of love and revenge.
come across: [phrasal verb] to meet or find somebody or something by chance.

Example: Yesterday, I came across some old photographs in a drawer.

Đà Nẵng
hard-cover: [adjective] with a stiff cover which does not bend.

Example: The hard-coverversion of the book is expensive, so I am waiting for the paperback
version to be published.
caught my eye: [expression] attracted my attention.

Example: As I looked at the shop window, a dark blue jacket caught my eye.
right after: [adverb] immediately after.

Example: Yesterday, I spoke to the teacher right after the class.
appeal to: [phrasal verb] attract or interest someone.

Example: The company‟s new website is designed to appeal to people of all ages.
chaotic: [adjective] confused and without any order.

Example: At busy times, the traffic situation is chaotic in New York.
lawless: [adjective] where laws do not exist or are not obeyed.

Example: Chicago was known as a lawless city, controlled by gangsters and the mafia.
fascinating: [adjective] very interesting.

Example: She has written a fascinating book about the history of crime in America.
get into the habit of: [expression] do something regularly, so that you do it almost without
thinking.
Example: My sister has got into the habit of turning on the TV when she arrives home.

Đà Nẵng
42: A Goal That You Have
Describe a goal that you would like to achieve.
You should say:

- What the goal is
- How easy or difficult you think it will be to reach this goal
- How you plan to achieve this goal and explain why this is one of your goals.
One of my goals in the near future is to improve my proficiency in Japanese. Actually, I have
been studying Japanese for two months; therefore, I can just hold some simple conversations
about daily life. There are various reasons why I want to study this language.
Firstly, I am keen on Japanese culture, which is so incredibly unique and diverse. By learning
Japanese, I can know more about traditions there. Secondly, I have always longed to work for a
Japanese company. Since people in Japan are organized and hard-working, collaborating with
them gives me a good chance to improve myself. That‟s why I really want to master this
language. To achieve this goal, I am taking a Japanese course with a native teacher who gives
me the best methods to study Japanese effectively. Besides, I am trying to practice speaking
Japanese with my friends and watch as many Japanese films as possible, so that my level of
Japanese can be improved considerably. I hope that soon I will have a good command of
Japanese and I am sure that I will remain motivated to achieve my goal.

Đà Nẵng
VOCABULARY :
hold conversations: [expression] have conversations

Example: It is impossible to hold conversations in that place – it is too noisy !
keen on: [adjective] very interested in an idea or activity

Example: My parents are very keen on visiting my uncle in the US.
diverse: [adjective] very different and varied.

Example: New York is a big city with people from diverse cultures.
longed to: [phrasal verb] wanted to do something very much.

Example: It is just a dream, but I have always longed to be a famous musician.
master: [verb] learn or understand something completely.

Example: In many jobs we have to master new techniques, such as computer skills.
have a command of: [expression] have an ability to do or use something – especially a language.
Example: You must have a good command of English in order to pass the IELTS exam.

Đà Nẵng
#43: An Item Of Clothing Bought For You
“Describe an item of clothing that was bought for you”
You should say:
what it was who bought it

what it looked like
why it was bought for you and explain how you felt about this item of clothing.
I would like to describe a coat my parents gave me as a present on my 18th birthday. I must
say that it is really smart and exactly to my liking.
The coat is made of cotton only and by a Vietnamese clothes brand. It is a knee-length black
coat, which was in fashion at that time. What I like the most is that there are two deep side
pockets, so in winter, I always put my hands into those pockets to avoid the cold. Besides, I
can button the coat from top to bottom and it‟s also got a decorative waist belt. I am so fond
of this coat that I usually wear it every winter. It fits me perfectly and makes me
feel comfortable and warm, no matter how cold the weather is. I keep myself warm by wearing
the coat with jeans and boots, which match it well.
In fact, I have never thought whether it will be out of fashion. As this coat is a gift from my
parents, I treasure it a lot and – for sure – I will keep wearing this coat in the future.

Đà Nẵng
VOCABULARY :
really smart: [adjective] very clean, neat and attractive.

Example: If you want to look good on special social occasions, or even at work, it is important to
dress in really smart clothes.
to my liking: [expression] suitable, and how somebody likes something.

Example: The smart way in which she has decorated my house is exactly
to my liking.
button the coat: [verbal phrase] fasten the coat with buttons.
Example: Stepping outside my warm house, I quickly buttoned the coat which I was wearing to
try and keep warm.
decorative: [adjective] intended to look attractive, because of the way in which it is decorated.
Example: Many tourists visit the Temple of Literature because of the many decorative sculptures
which they can see there.
fond of: [expression] finding something pleasant or enjoyable, especially something that you
have liked or enjoyed for a long time.
Example: My uncle is an excellent musician, and he is very fond of his hobby.
match: [verb] if things match each other, they have the same colour or style and therefore look
attractive together.
Example: None of these shoes match my jeans – they are all very different and they are too
formal.
treasure: [verb] have or keep something that you love and that is very valuable to you.
Example: Thank you for e-mailing the photos. They are superb and I will always treasure them
and the memories that they bring.

Đà Nẵng
#44: A Meal You Had With Your Friends
“Describe a meal you had your friends (in someone’s home or in a restaurant).”
You should say:

- Who organized this meal
- Where you had it
- What you talked about during the meal
- What you ate and drank and explain why you had this meal with your friends.
Last month, I had a get-together with some of my high school friends whom I had not met since
we graduated. Then, we decided to have lunch at a well-known pizza restaurant in the city
centre.
Arriving at the restaurant, we were quickly given the menu. What surprised me the most was
that there were various types of pizza and drinks; hence, it took me quite a long time
to choose the food. After that, we talked with each other while waiting for the dishes. Some
of my friends were studying at the same university, some had decided to get a job. And I
was especially impressed by the decision of one friend to take a gap year. She said that as she
had a strong passion for traveling, she would spend one year visiting lots of places.
Then, the dishes were served. The pizza was out-of-this-world and the drinks were tasty
although they were a bit pricey. We kept talking and enjoyed the meal and drinks for about two
hours. Actually, meeting them reminded me of the time when we studied at high school and I
realized that now we were all grown-up, we had our own plans to pursue. But we all promised
to meet up regularly.

Đà Nẵng
VOCABULARY :
get-together: [noun] an informal meeting or gathering of friends.

Example: We usually have a family get-together during the New Year celebrations.
gap year: [noun] the year that a young person spends working and/or travelling after leaving
school and starting university.
Example: I‟m planning to take a gap year before I start my university course, and I have decided
to go to see India and China.
have a passion for: [expression] have a hobby or activity that you like very much.
Example: He has a passion for traditional music, and he is learning to play some traditional
musical instruments.
out-of-this-world: [adjective] used to emphasize how good or beautiful something is.

Example: The variety of Vietnamese food available during the Tet holiday is out-ofthis-world.
asty: [adjective] having a very delicious flavour.

Example: When I want something tasty to eat, I often buy some chocolates or ice-cream.
a bit pricey: [adjective] a little expensive.

Example: Although my favourite restaurant serves food that is out-of-this-world, it is
unfortunately a bit pricey, so I can‟t afford to eat there often.
grown-up: [adjective] mentally and physically an adult.

Example: She has a grown-updaughter who works in our local hospital.
meet up: [phrasal verb] to meet someone, usually by arranging a time and place with them first.
Example: After work, we all met up at the cinema to watch the new James Bond movie.

Đà Nẵng
#45: An Interesting Animal
“Describe a time when you saw an interesting animal.”
You should say:

- What animal it was
- Where you saw it
- What happened when you saw it and explain why you thought it was interesting.
I am raising an Alaska dog, which is a large breed of domestic dog. My dog has
a double coat:the undercoat is soft while the outer one is coarse and water-proof. Also, his coat
has two colors, black and white.
In my opinion, his most attractive feature is the small upright ears which are out of proportion
to the head. Having had this dog for almost a year, I find him intriguing. He is very smart, so he
learns everything quickly. I once taught him how to fetch. Surprisingly enough, he successfully
chased and retrieved the object after I tossed it for the second time. He acted as if he had
intrinsically understood the game. He is also friendly to everyone, especially children.
Whenever someone visits my house, instead of barking, he welcomes them by licking their feet.
For me, my dog is a friend I can play with after school. I often walk him around the park at the
weekends and he seems to like this, as there are different dogs there. I also talk with
himregularly and I feel that he can understand what I say. As a final point, I hope that my dog
can live with me for a long time.
VOCABULARY :
breed: [noun] an animal such as a dog, horse or cat that has been developed by people in a
controlled way.
Example: The airport police use a breed of dog which can smell hidden drugs in bags and
suitcases.
coat: [noun] the fur or hair which covers the body of an animal.
Example: Some breeds of cows have a thick winter coat to protect against cold weather.

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coarse: [adjective] rough

Example: As a result of working on a construction site all his life, his hands were coarse.
upright: [adjective] straight, not lying down or bent.

Example: My dog‟s ears appear to be large, because they are upright and this helps him to hear
everything very well.
intriguing: [adjective] interesting and unusual

Example: It is intriguing to see how my teacher explains things so clearly to the class.
fetch: [verb] go to where something is and bring it back.

Example: It started to rain, so I went back to the house to fetch the umbrella for me and my wife.
retrieved: [verb] to bring something back, especially from a place where it should not be.
Example: The wind blew my hat into the road, so I quickly retrieved it before any cars came.
tossed it: threw it, but in no special direction.

Example: After he had read the newspaper, he tossed it on to the ground.
intrinsically: [adverb] in a way that was part of his real nature or character.
Example: I believed his story, because he is an intrinsically honest man.
barking: [verb] the sound made by a dog.

Example: When the postman arrived, the dog started barking.
licking: [verb] moving its tongue over someone or something.

Example: I saw the cat lickingits whiskers after it had finished eating.

Đà Nẵng
#46: A Special Toy
“Toy you had in your childhood.”
You should say:

What it was
Who gave it to you
How often you played with it (or, how you played with it) and explain why it was special for
you.
I remember that when I was young, I was keen on watching the cartoon called “The many
adventures of Winnie the Pooh”, so much that I kept pestering my father for the stuffed bear
Winnie the Pooh. Finally, my father gave me one as a present for my 6th birthday. When I got
this toy, I jumped for joy and even paid no attention to my other presents.
This stuffed bear was, incredibly, identical to the character in the cartoon I had watched. He also
had a short red shirt and was holding a jar of honey which was his favorite food. Therefore, I felt
as if he had come from the movie.
Since then, I considered him my closest friend and I couldn‟t go anywhere without him, even
when I went to sleep. Every day, I talked with the bear and told him about my daily
routine. Unfortunately, I lost the bear at an amusement center, which made me cry for almost a
week. At that time, I felt like I had lost a good friend who I could share everything with.
At present, whenever I watch this cartoon or see any photos of Winnie the Pooh, all the
wonderful memories about him are brought back. Thanks to the bear, I experienced a
happy childhood.
VOCABULARY :
was keen on: [phrasal verb] was eager to/was enthusiastic about
Example: He was keen on fishing when he was a boy, and he still loves to go fishing
at weekends.

Đà Nẵng
pestering: [verb] annoying someone by asking them many times.

Example: In the shop, some children were pestering their mother to buy ice-cream.
stuffed bear: [noun] a toy in the shape of a bear, made of cloth and filled with soft material.
Example: Stuffed bears have always been popular as toys for young children.
identical to: [adjective] exactly the same as someone or something else.

Example: His sports bag is identical to mine, and as a result one day I took his bag by mistake.
amusement center: [noun] a center which has a lot of things which you can play on and many
different activities to enjoy.
Example: Our city has a huge shopping mall, and it has a fantastic amusement center
for children to play while their parents are shopping.

Đà Nẵng
#47: A Sport You Have Learned
“Describe a sport that you have learned.”
You should say:

- What sport it is
- When you learned it
- What you learned to do and explain how you feel about this sport.
Basketball is the sport which I have been interested in for a long time. Therefore, I have taken up
this sport recently. Basketball is played by two teams of five members on a rectangular court,
where the players of each team try to shoot the ball through the rival‟s hoop.
As far as I know, basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world. This is because of
basketball‟s great benefits to our health, such as muscular development, height growth, and so
on. Of course, it‟s also fastmoving and exciting. Considering its huge advantages, I decided to
take up this sport. Actually, I have been learning it for three months at a sport center. Here, I am
taking the beginner course which provides me with basic skills to play basketball such as
dribbling, jumping and shooting. Also, I have many opportunities to practise these skills with
experienced basketball players, which helps to improve my game a lot.
As a final point, I would emphasize that in the near future, I hope that I will be able to play
basketball skillfully to improve my physical condition and really enjoy the sport to the full.
VOCABULARY :
take up: [phrasal verb] learn or start to do something.

Example: I decided to take up a new hobby – jogging.
rival: [noun] a person, team or company which competes with another in sport or business.
Example: Nike and Adidas are rivals in the sportswear business.

Đà Nẵng
hoop: [noun] the ring through which players throw the ball in basketball to score points.
Example: The best basketball players consistently shoot the ball through the hoop.
muscular development: [expression] the process by which your muscles become stronger.
Example: He uses the equipment at the gym every day in order to increase his muscular
development.
dribbling: [gerund] a way of moving the ball with several short bounces on the basketball court.
Example: I practice running and bouncing the ball in order to improve my dribbling for
basketball.
to the full: [adverb] to the greatest possible degree.

Example: Staying fit and healthy helps us to enjoy life to the full.

Đà Nẵng
#48: A Family You Know
Describe a family (not your own family) that you like.
You should say:

- Where this family lives
- Who the members of the family are
- How you know them
- What each person in this family does in life (student/work/retired etc.) and explain
why you like this family.
I would like to talk about a family that I am very close to, it‟s my uncle’s family. His family
has 2 daughters who are around the same age as me; therefore, I usually drop in to his house to
chat with them. At times, we bake some cakes and take them to our grandparents‟ house; then
we have an overnight sleep there. Besides, we often hang out together, especially at the
weekendsjust to take it easy and enjoy ourselves so as to get ready for a new week.
Their parents, I mean my uncle and aunt, are very warm-hearted, and they both work as college
teachers. So, whenever I run into difficulties with my homework, I usually turn to them for help.
I remember when I was small, I used to live in my uncle’s house and they looked after me as if I
had been their daughter. Hence, our relationships are out-of-this-world, although we don‟t have
much time together like before. But on special occasions such as the Tet holiday, we will gather
at my grandparents‟ house to make Chung cake, enjoy a firework performance as well as wish
New year‟s greetings to each other. As a final point, I hope that we can maintain this close
relationship for ever.
VOCABULARY :
close to: [adjective] knowing someone very well and liking them a lot.
Example: I am still very close to my best friend, and we meet up regularly.
drop in: [phrasal verb] pay an informal visit to someone.

Example: I was passing your house, so I decided to drop in and have a chat.

Đà Nẵng
overnight: [adjective] for one night.

Example: All the hotels were full and I could not find any overnightaccommodation.
hang out: [phrasal verb] spend a lot of time in a place.

Example: During the school holidays, a lot of kids hang out at the shopping mall.
take it easy: [expression] relax and avoid working too hard or doing too much.
Example: The doctor told me to take it easy for a few days until I felt better.
warm-hearted: [adjective] kind and generous.

Example: My parents were very warm-hearted and they always helped other people with their
problems.
run into difficulties: [expression] experience difficulties.

Example: As I did not understand much French, I soon ran into difficulties when I visited Paris.
looked after: [phrasal verb] were responsible for and took care of me.
Example: My aunt looked after us while our mother was in hospital.
out-of-this-world: [expression] used to emphasize how good something is.

Example: Visitors to Vietnam think that the traditional food is out-of-this-world.

Đà Nẵng
#49: Topic: A Good Friend
“Describe a good friend.”
You should say:

- When and how you met
- What kind of personality he/she has
- What makes you like him/her.
I would like to describe my best friend, Huong, whom I have known for roughly 10 years. I first
met her at primary school when she was my classmate. At first, she was quite shy and did not
want to talk with anyone, which made me feel that she was a bit proud. However, when we
became close friends, she was more sociable and amiable. We have done a lot of
things together. Studying at the same schools, we have variousmutual friends. So, we
usually throw parties at the weekends or have a picnic together.
Besides, whenever I get into trouble, I turn to her for help. For example, I remember when I got
bad marks in the mock university entrance exam, she consoled me and then we studied
together until the official exam took place. Finally, we had the opportunity to study at our
favorite college.
At present, despite the fact that we have different plansand goals to pursue, I believe that we
will be best friends for good and we will try our best to maintain this relationship.
VOCABULARY :
roughly: [adverb] approximately, but not exactly.

Example: In the exam, I wrote roughly 300 words for my essay.
close friends: [expression] friends who know each other very well and like each other a lot.
Example: Close friends usually share the same interests and have no secrets from each other.
amiable: [adjective] pleasant and easy to like

Example: Our form teacher is very amiable and we all enjoy the relaxed atmosphere in her
classes.

Đà Nẵng
mutual friends: [expression] friends which are shared by two or more people.
Example: Although we had not met before, when we started chatting, we discovered that we had
some mutual friends.
throw parties: [expression] give parties.

Example: Some Hollywood film stars throw parties which hundreds of people attend.
consoled: [verb] gave sympathy to someone who is unhappy.

Example: After the team lost the match, the coach consoled the players and told them that they
had played well.
for good: [expression] permanently

Example: I decided to leave New York for good and move to Europe.
try our best: do as much as possible to achieve something

Example: Although we tried our best, we failed the exam.

Đà Nẵng
#50: A CHARACTER IN A MOVIE/TV PROGRAM
“Describe a character from a story/ film/ TV program.”
You should say:

- Who this character is
- When did you first see/ read about him/ her
- What kind of person this character is
Considering the fact that I am a movie – nerd, I have adored so many characters so far. And
today I want to share about one person that makes great impressionon me in terms
of appearance and characteristics – Juliet.
She is a remarkable Shakespeare‟s earlier play – Romeo and Juliet. In fact, she is a very well –
developed characters with real emotions and personalities. The story of Romeo and Juliet
happened in Verona, Italy and is a very sad love story due to the hatred between two important
families: the Montague and the Capulet. At first, I was really astonished to see how strongly she
loves Romeo, Juliet even goes againsther whole family to protect her love.
But then I notice that Juliet doesn‟t start off as this strong young women, she changes in the
story. When we first met Juliet, she was a 13 year – old girl, she was quiet and usually does what
her parents want her to do.
But by the end of the film, she moves from being this young girl to a mature, young women who
dare to stand up for her own happiness. It‟s my opinion that the strong and beautiful Juliet is the
character who makes this love story so popular.
VOCABULARY :
- Movie – nerd (slang): a person who like watching movies very much

Đà Nẵng
- Adore (verb): to like or desire something very much
- Make impression on SO (Expression): impress SO
- In terms of (Expression): about
- Remarkable (Adjective): striking, worthy of attention
- Well – developed (Adjective): advance, good
- Due to (expression): because of
- Hatred (n): deep and extreme dislike
- Astonish (verb): surprise
- Go against (phrasal verb): oppose
- Start off (phrasal verb): begin
- Stand up for (phrasal verb): protect something
- Mature (adjective): behaving in a sensible and thoughtful way

Đà Nẵng
#51: A Person Influences You
“Describe a person who has influence on you.”
You should say:

- Who this person is
- How/ When you met him/her
- How he/she has made impact on you/ your life/ your study…
BAND 8.0+ SAMPLE ANSWER :
So far, I always consider myself lucky to meet lots of wonderful teachers throughout the
academic years, one of them is my English teacher, Mr. Son. Indeed, meeting him is an
essential turning point on my path of conquering English. I had the opportunity to work with
him when I was a freshman at university. At first sight, I was truly impressed by his well-
mannered eloquence and behavior. His unique way of teaching in fact provokedmy passion for
this language. To be more specific, Mr. Son altered my perspective of learning English. Before
I met him, for me, English is just the matter of reading, grammars or writing and I barely paid
any attention to the other factors. However, he showed me the vital role of sounds and intonation.
Since then, under his guidance, I concentrated more on the way native speakers create their
sounds and exerted myself to imitate that. Over a few months, my speaking
and listening were upgraded a lot and I became addicted to English. It is my teacher that
lighted up my study journey and inspired me to continuously practice for a better me.
VOCABULARY:
Turning point (noun phrase): an important change

Conquer (v): achieve, take control
Freshman (n): first year student
Eloquence (n): way of talking, delivering messages
At first sight (expression): At first moment
To be more specific (expression): to be more detailed

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Passion (n): strong love

Alter (v): change
Perspective (n): view
Vital (a): important
Concentrate on (v): focus on
Upgrade (v): improve
Addicted to ST (phrase): like something very much without control

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#52: A TV Program Inspires You
“Describe a TV program that inspires you a lot.”
You should say:

- What type of program it is?
- What is it about?
- How often you watch it?
- Is it popular in your country?
BAND 8.0+ SAMPLE ANSWER :
Well I guess I could start – off by pointing something about the type of the program. Actually
nowadays I don‟t watch television that often but I used to be a couch potato in high school years.
I remember sitting in front of the TV and channel surfed until I sound something interesting.
One day, a documentary on Discovery Channel named “The Sacrifice of Genius” caught my
entire attention. I really have to add that this program was a serial that consists of 10 episodes. It
mainly emphasized on telling the sacrificing life stories of some well – respected scientists in the
world such as Louis Pastuer and Marie Curie.
By their great passion in researching, those incredible people had gone through so
many adversities in order to devote themselves to science. With reference to how often I
watched it, as far as I remember, this documentary was broadcasted every Thursday. I was
so passionateabout it that no matter how busy I was, I managed to watch the box at 9 pm on
Thursday. Although it is a really interesting program, it was not very prevalent during that time.
I guess this is because people are often more fond of entertaining programs, rather than academic
ones. But after all, this program inspired me a lot and provoke my persistence sense especially
when I encounter difficulties in life.
VOCABULARY:
Couch potato (idiom): a person who spend a great deal of time watching TV
Channel surf (expression): change frequently from one channel to the other
Catch someone’s attention (expression): attracts someone
Emphasize (v): play special importance on something

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Adversity (n) Difficulty

Broadcast (v): transmit by Radio or TV
Passionate (a) have a strong feeling for something
Watch the box (idiom): watch TV
Provoke (v): stimulate something
Encounter (v): meet or contend against

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#53: A TV Program Inspires You
“Describe a TV program that inspires you a lot.”
You should say:

- What type of program it is?
- What is it about?
- How often you watch it?
- Is it popular in your country?
BAND 8.0+ SAMPLE ANSWER:

Well I guess I could start – off by pointing something about the type of the program. Actually
nowadays I don‟t watch television that often but I used to be a couch potato in high school years.
I remember sitting in front of the TV and channel surfed until I sound something interesting.
One day, a documentary on Discovery Channel named “The Sacrifice of Genius” caught my
entire attention. I really have to add that this program was a serial that consists of 10 episodes.
It mainly emphasized on telling the sacrificing life stories of some well – respected scientists in
the world such as Louis Pastuer and Marie Curie. By their great passion in researching, those
incredible people had gone through so many adversities in order to devote themselves to science.
With reference to how often I watched it, as far as I remember, this documentary
was broadcasted every Thursday.
I was so passionateabout it that no matter how busy I was, I managed to watch the box at 9 pm
on Thursday. Although it is a really interesting program, it was not very prevalent during that
time. I guess this is because people are often more fond of entertaining programs, rather than
academic ones. But after all, this program inspired me a lot and provoke my persistence sense
especially when I encounter difficulties in life.
VOCABULARY:
Couch potato (idiom): a person who spend a great deal of time watching TV
Channel surf (expression): change frequently from one channel to the other
Catch someone’s attention (expression): attracts someone
Emphasize (v): play special importance on something

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Adversity (n) Difficulty

Broadcast (v): transmit by Radio or TV
Passionate (a) have a strong feeling for something
Watch the box (idiom): watch TV
Provoke (v): stimulate something
Encounter (v): meet or contend against

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#54: Something You Make By Yourself
“Describe something you make by yourself.”
You should say:

- What the thing is?
- How do you make it?
- Why do you like it?
Band 8.0+ Sample Answer :
I guess I could begin by saying something about what this thing is. In fact, I am not
that meticulous and patient therefore the things that I have created by myself can be counted on
the fingers of one hand.
However one thing that made me really proud of is the kite that I made when I was 7 years old. In
fact, it was also the very first thing that I created all the parts from scratch. Another part worth
mentioning is the making process of this toy. Well, my kite had the shape of a diamond and was
made mainly of paper. Considering the fact that I had never done anything like this before, it‟s
not astonishing to say that I spent almost three days in a row to complete just
the fundamental parts.
The first step was attaching paper to a bamboo frame. Although this sounds quite simple, it was
absolutely not as easy as a piece of cake since I had to keep the balance for the kite. After that, it
came to the issue of assembling lots of colorful light weight pieces in order to make the tail.
The thorny part was ensuring the flying ability of the kite even when it was attached with a long
tail.
Until now, I still remember the gorgeous feeling when I completed the toy which was considered
as a treasure back then. I guess this was mainly because it gave me a sense on own achievement
and pride whenever I played with it or talked about it to my friends. In my childhood, the whole
world was just as simple and funny as a party to be thrown – like a famous singer said.
Vocabulary:
Meticulous (a): showing great attention to detail

Count something on the fingers of one hand (idiom): say that something is really scarce

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Start from scratch (idiom): start from the very first part
Fundamental (a): basic and important
In a row (idiom): continuously
Assemble (v): put together
Piece of cake (idiom): easy and not requires lots of effort
Thorny (a): very difficult
Ensure (v): to make sure
Gorgeous (a): very pleasant, beautiful and attractive
Throw a party (idiom): to hold, to arrange a party.

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#55: A SONG YOU ENJOY LISTENING
“Describe your favorite song.”
You should say:

– What is the song about?
– When did you first hear the song?
– Why is it your favorite?
Band 8.0+ Sample Answer:
Honestly speaking, for the most part, I would probably say that I have a
great passion for listening to music and indeed I have listened like thousands of songs so far.
However, if I have to pick out a song that I like the most, I would probably choose the song
Million Years Ago by Adele. By gorgeous lyrics and melody, it‟s like a piece of cake for Adele
to make me addicted tothis song.
A significant feature that I should mention is the song‟s meaningful content. It is a

regretful callinginside an adult who has born his soul on the way of growing up and earning his
stripes. Every now and then I feel he is so desperate that he could do anything to escape the
cycle of his life but after all he can‟t afford to do so. The reason why I am so fond of this song
has something to do with the fact that it provokes so many beautiful memories from my
childhood.
Although this song is a sad song, it opens my eyes to many things in life, one of them is that you
should not take anything for granted, even the simplest one, try to live to your fullest so that
one day you would not have to regret that much about the journey that you have been through.
Fairly speaking, Million Years Ago is a really good songs for self – reflecting especially when
you find yourself lost in the super busy world nowadays.
Vocabulary:
Passion (n): strong and intense emotion, love

Pick out (phrasal verb): to choose
Piece of cake (idiom): something very easy
Be addicted to something (expression): be devoted to a particular activity or thing
Calling (n): a strong urge to a particular way of life

Đà Nẵng
Earn someone’s stripes (idiom): Do something to show you deserve a particular rank or
position
Every now and then (expression): occasionally, from time to time
Provoke (v): stimulate or give rise to something
Open one’s eyes to Something (idiom): make someone understand something
Take something for granted (idiom): fail to properly appreciate ST
Reflect (v): think deeply and carefully about something.

Đà Nẵng
#56: A VEHICLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO OWN
“Describe a vehicle you would like to own or something expensive you would like to buy.”
You should say:

- What it is?
- Why do you want to own it?
- When are you going to buy it?
Regarding the fact that I am crazy about exploring the spaces, I have to say if I was a billionaire
and had an enormous amount of money, I would probably buy a spaceship for my own
exploration adventures. The main reason accounting for this intention is that ever since I was a
kid, I have always held a strong yearning for becoming an astronaut.
Therefore, having my own personal spacecraft would give me the opportunity to fulfill my
childhood‟s dream. There is a myriad of purposes for my spacecraft, one of them is that I would
use my spacecraft to visit other planets in the outer space and maybe one day I could find
a habitableplace for people.
This certainly would be a great discovery for human being especially when The Earth is currently
flooded by trash and contaminants. In addition, since photography is one of my hobbies, it
would be fantastic to take pictures of different celestial bodies from the space.
Although this may sound crazy, I think with remarkable innovations in science, a spacecraft
would become affordable for people in the years to come.

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Vocabulary:
Regarding to (exp): about

Crazy about (a): like something very much
Enormous (a): huge, very large
Account for (phrasal verb): explain
Yearning (n): a feeling of intense longing for something
Fulfill (v): to complete, to achieve
A myriad of something (exp): a huge number/ amount of something
Habitable (a): suitable or good enough to live
Contaminant (n): pollutants
Celestial (a): positioned or relating to the sky\
Remarkable (a): striking, worthy of attention
Affordable (a): inexpensive, reasonably priced.

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#57: SOMETHING YOU BOUGHT BUT YOU WERE NOT HAPPY WITH
“Describe something you bought but you were not happy with.”
You should say:

- What this thing is?
- When did you buy it?
- Why were you not happy with it?
- How did you react?
Actually in my life, I have performed many differenttransactions which give me both sense of
satisfaction and discontent. However if I have to pick out one item that really let me down, I
would name the birthday cake that I bought for my sister 2 years ago.
Now with reference to why I were not content with is, I suppose there was a combination of
reasons here. One of them was its exorbitant price. On my sister‟s birthday, I had an emergency
at work and it took me almost all day till 11 pm to resolve it.
Although it cost me an arm and a leg to buy the cake, I still decided to take it since it was the
only bakery shop stayed open that late. Everything would be fine if it tasted good but
unfortunately the cake was of terrible quality. It tasted way too sweet and was not appetizing at
all. Thus, I was kind of regretful, choosing to purchase the cake instead of any other present for
my sister.
Actually as I had to splash out on the cake and received almost nothing back, I tended be more
careful to make really sensible buying decision from that on.
Vocabulary :
Transaction (n): an instance of buying or selling something

Discontent (n): dissatisfaction, lack of contentment
Pick out (phrasal verb): to choose

Đà Nẵng
Let someone down (expression): fail to support or help someone as they expected
With reference to (expression): about
Content (a): in a taste of peaceful happiness
Exorbitant (a): (price) unreasonably high
Cost an arm and a leg (idiom): be extremely expensive
Appetizing (a): delicious
Splash out (phrasal verb): to spend a lot of money on something
Sensible (a): in accordance with wisdom and prudence

Đà Nẵng
#58: A PERSON WHO CAN SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
“Describe a person who can use or speak a second language.”
You should say:

– Who this person is?
– What language can he/she use?
– How often does he/she use it?
Initially, I think I can start off by pointing out something about who this person is. Actually, I
know quite a lot people who are bilingual, however I‟d like to share about my best friend who is
fluent in Japanese. Her name is Nguyen and she is currently working in a Japanese corporate.
In fact, she is the one who has inspired me a lot to learn the second language. The factor that
makes her unique to me is the fact that despite acquiring Japanese on her own, she managed to
become excellent at it with gorgeous intonation like a native speaker. The chief reason
encouraging her to learn this language is indeed quite simple. When she was in university,
she fell in love with a Japanese person and gradually became addicted to this country‟s culture
and language.
Therefore, she exerted herselfand put a lot of effort in Japanese with the first target of being able
to communicate with her boyfriend in his mother tongue. Time went by and her passion for this
language grew so strong that she committed herself to conquer it, no matter how hard it is
when it comes to the matter of self – study.
However at the end of the day, she achieved it with flying colors and lots of opportunities come
to her after graduation from university. It is my friend who gives me a precious lesson in life: Do
the thing you are truly passionate about and you will rock it.
Vocabulary :
Bilingual (a): speaking two language fluently

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Corporate (n): a company or a group

Acquire (v): obtain, to get
Chief (a): most important
Fall in love with (idiom): to begin to love someone
Exert oneself (expression): put oneself to strenuous effort
Conquer (v): overcome and take control of something
At the end of the day (idiom): finally
With flying colors (idiom): successfully.

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#59: A COUNTRY YOU HAVE VISITED
“Describe a country you have visited.”
You should say:

- Where is this country
- When did you visit it?
- What were the interesting things about this country
I suppose I should begin by highlighting the point of where this country is. In actual fact, the
countries that I have visited so far can be counted on the fingers of one hand. Among those,
India is the one that truly amazed me by many factors.
India has a very long history, the country is very big and has the second largest population in the
world. I guess this is why there are so much to see. For me, one of the most interesting places in
India is The Ganges River, which is well – known as the longest and holiest river in India.
While most rivers around the world are for recreation or sports, the Ganges has many other
functions. As the Indians believe, that the river is holy, people come here to pray and wash
themselves in its water. In addition, the river also has thousands of people who wash their clothes
by beating them on rocks.
The other thing that often impresses tourist is the unique architect of Hindu temples all over India
and visitors can enter at any time. The temples are usually immense and have antique statutes
that are thousands of years old. Visitors are also welcome to eat and sleep in the temples at night
if they have no place to go.
After all, I have to say that paying this beautiful country the second visit in future is one of
the prioritized items on my bucket list.
Vocabulary :
Highlight (v): to pick out and emphasize

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Count on the fingers of one hand (idiom): to express that ST is very scarce
Amaze (v): surprise someone strongly
Recreation (n): entertainment
Holy (a): sacred
Immense (a): very large
Antique (a): old
Pay a visit (expression): visit
Prioritize (v): treat something as more important than the other things

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#60: Describe An Old Friend
“Describe an old friend you enjoy talking with.”
You should say:

– Who this person is
– How you knew him/her
– What you usually talk about
– And explain why you want to talk to this person.
I have always been lucky enough to be surrounded by a large circle of friends who
are incredibly supportive, compassionate and open-minded. And everybody knows how
precious it is to have such a gift and I, of all people, know better than taking that for granted.
That is why I always make effort to keep in touch with people I‟ve become close with and one
of whom is my ex-boss, aka my mentor – Eli.
Admittedly, it‟s far from an ordinary relationship for most people, but to Eli and I, it came
naturally. We first met during the training course we both attended for a luxurious soon-to-be-
open restaurant in town roughly 2 years ago. Eli was our Filipino manager and I was about to be
a hostess for the very first time. Every concept, every rule and every etiquette when working in
hospitality industry just overwhelmed me and if it hadn‟t been for Eli, a patient teacher as well as
a dedicated friend, I wouldn‟t have managed to complete my training and achieved high
performance at our workplace. However, thanks to those hard times we‟ve been through
together, we became closer and our conversations would last endlessly ranging from family,
career, happiness to setbacks in life. As a predecessor, Eli usually offers me valuable
advice and emotional support whenever I confine in him. No lecturing. No “I told you so”. Just
pure compassion. He always tries to bring out the best in people instead of being Mr. Know-it-
all and patronizing, which is one of million things I admire about him.
Even though we are no longer working together and hanging out more often than we should,
our strong bond has never got loose. We keep each other in the loop about everything
significant happening around us and provide mutual support if needed. Once in a while, we

Đà Nẵng
would meet over coffee or dinner to catch up if our schedules allow and still, I truly, deeply
treasure every moment together.
Vocabulary & Useful expression:
a large circle of friends: a number of friends who usually do things together
take something/ someone for granted: fail to appreciate the value of something/ someone
Example: He has always taken her for granted, which is the main reason why they split up.
make effort to do something: do something even though you find it hard to do

Example: Her parents made effort to reconcile their relationship but it didn‟t work out.
keep/remain/stay in touch with: maintain communications with
come naturally: to be naturally easy to someone

Example: Josh‟s ability to play guitar came naturally when he was young.
roughly: approximately
achieve high performance: do an excellent job

Example: They spend hours practicing everyday to achieve high performance in a play-off round.
hard time: difficulty that can be overcome with effort

Example: 2017 is going to be a hard time for real estate market.
offer (valuable/ practical/ useful…) advice

(offer/ provide…) emotional support
confide in someone: to trust someone with one‟s secret or personal problem

Example: Jack always has difficulty confining in anyone but his twin.
bring out the best/ the worst in someone: cause someone to behave in the best/ worst manner
Example: Susan is a bad influence. She always brings out the worst in me.
Mr. Know-it-all (informal) (disapproving): someone who acts as if he/ she knows everything

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Example:We can‟t get along with Steve, who plays Mr. Know-it-all every time someone raises a
question as if we asked for his opinion.
no longer = not anymore:

Example: Tom no longer smoked since his wife was pregnant.
keep someone in the loop: keep someone informed about something

Example:We keep you in the loop if we have any update about the contract.

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#61: Describe A Skill
“Describe a skill you would like to learn”
You should say:

– What the skill is
– Why you want to learn this skill
– Whether you think it would be difficult
– Whether you think you will learn it in the near futur
Digital technology has reshaped the world in more than one way during the last decade. As a
result, a new way of living and working has also prevailed among people,
especially Millennials. If you‟ve heard about “digital nomad” – a work-from-anywhere kind of
employee, you already know how a specific digital skill set can improve and simplify your life,
which is why I take great interest in and set Photoshop – one of the most powerful graphic
design tool to be my next challenge to conquer.
Being known as an incredible image editing program, Photoshop has earned its reputation for
good reasons. Created and maintained by Adobe, Photoshop provides users with a complete and
advanced tool set tomaximize their creativity. It can do anything regarding online media, for
example, creating 3D images, resizing, color correction and even editing video. Fancy as it
sounds, to acquire Photoshop skill would be a painstaking process. Due to
complex features and even more complex applications, Photoshop is not for those without
patience and constant practice. Furthermore, the program usually gets upgraded with more
usages, therefore, you would have to keep learning to avoid being obsolete. Graphic design is a
critical skill in this digital era which affords anyone flexibility as well as attractive income.
Therefore, it would definitely be on top of my must-learn skill in the near future. Actually, I have
already scheduled my timetable and squeeze in some hours for Photoshop 101 class next month
and I hope it would go as well as it could be.a
Vocabulary & Useful Expression :
prevail (v): exist or be very common at a particular time or in a particular place

Millennials (n): people who became adults around the year 2000

Đà Nẵng
digital nomad: people who use telecommunications technologies to earn a living

simplify (n): make something easier to do or understand
take interest in: become concerned or interested in someone or something
conquer (a challenge) (v): succeed in dealing with or controlling something
earn reputation/ respect (collocation)
provide someone with something/ provide something for someone:
maximize (v): increase something as much as possible
acquire a skill/ an accent…: gain something by your own efforts, ability or behaviour
painstaking (a): needing a lot of care, effort and attention to detail
feature (n): a distinctive attribute or aspect of something
constant practice
get upgraded
obsolete (a): out of date
afford (v) (formal): provide
attractive income:
schedule (v): arrange that an event or activity will happen at a particular time
squeeze in: manage to make room or time for someone or something in a tight space or
schedule

Đà Nẵng
#62: Describe A Natural Landscape
Describe a natural landscape of your country that you would suggest to foreign visitors.
You should say:

– Where the landscape is;
– How people can get there;
– What special things that foreigners would like to learn;
– And explain why it is an interesting place for international tourists
Vietnam is blessed with a variety of astonishing landscapes, many of which have been
recognized as UNESCO‟s heritages and national treasures. From Northern mountainous areas
to Mekong delta, you can come across hundreds of signature tourist attractions and if you‟re
into exploring local mountainous lifestyle and breathtaking scenery, Sapa is destined for you.
Sapa might not be a familiar name to travelers around the world, but it‟s a must-go
destination for those who enjoy fresh air and unique practices of a large circle of ethnic
minority groups residing here. Sapa is an incredibly picturesque town in northern Vietnam,
along the border with China. Visitors can get there either by bus or train from Hanoi and because
there are quite many schedules for tourists to choose from, you can be active in planning
ahead your journey. More interesting, Sapa also can be reached by motorcycle from Hanoi by
variety of routes; so if you don‟t mind 10 hours being on the road, go for it. One of the
most intriguing features of Sapa is its weather. It is said that you can experience four seasons in
one day. Chilly winter in early morning, spring time after sunrise, summer in the afternoon and
cold winter at night. Sapa is home to many ethnic minorities like H‟mong, Muong, Thai, Hoa, to
name a few, with rich cultural diversities. Best way to learn and explorelocal customs is to live
like a local. I would recommend homestay if you love authentic mountainous lifestyle. People
are so hospitable that they would introduce you to everyone within vicinity and welcome you
with open arms. Traditional markets on weekend is another thing you can‟t miss
where handicrafts, ethnic style clothing, fresh produce, medicinal herbs and other tribal
artworks are on display. All those things make Sapa an exceptional attraction for foreign
travelers who wish to discover Asia‟s, especially Vietnam‟s culture.

Đà Nẵng
astonishing (a): very surprising; difficult to believe

picturesque (a): pretty, especially in a way that looks old-fashioned
intriguing(a): very interesting
diversity (n): variety
authentic (a): true and accurate
hospitable (a): generous and friendly to visitors
vicinity (n): the area around a particular place
exceptional (n): very unusual

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#63: Describe The Best Experience
“Describe the best experience of your school/university life you have had.”
You should say:

- What it was,
- When it was,
- Why it happened,
It was almost 8 years since I competed in an English Speaking Contest, standing on a big stage in
front of a hundred-strong crowd to deliver one of the best speeches I‟ve ever given with the
support of my friends. That was something you can never forget in your whole life and the
most magnificent moment, bar none, of my high school highlights.
Never had it crossed my mind that one day I would be on stage talking about the thing I
treasured most in my life – my family and friends or just be qualified enough to represent the
entire school compete at such competition. If it hadn‟t been for my English teacher‟s constant
encouragement, I wouldn‟t have participated in the contest in the first place. Students were free
to choose their topics and were asked to present it in front of a panel of judges and audience. It
soundedintimidating for so many reasons but I had managed to subdue my anxiety and learned
to believe in myself. Preparation for D-day was tough for everyone, both emotionally and
physically. We kept practicing nonstop for 4 hours straight, every single day; me trying to perfect
my pronunciation and acquire that American accent, my friends singing their heart out Miley
Cyrus‟s song “True Friend” since we wanted to kick our performance up the notch by
featuring some musical element. Our hard work had finally paid off with us bringing home the
Champion Cup as well as Best Performance Award. It brought me to tears as I realized at that
moment it wouldn‟t have mattered if we hadn‟t won because we already won when we got over
ourselves, stepped out of our comfort zone and kept going till the end. That was our true
victory. Until now, the lesson I‟ve learnt 8 years ago still has its own value and will always be
there to remind me of those good old days.
deliver a speech: give a speech

magnificent (a): extremely attractive and impressive
bar none: with no exceptions
cross one’s mind: to come into your thoughts as a possibility

Đà Nẵng
represent (v): act or speak officially for somebody

constant encouragement
in the first place: in the beginning
panel of judges: a group of persons selected to act as a team to judge a contest
intimidating (a): frightening in a way which makes a person feel less confident
subdue(v): calm or control your feelings
sing one’s heart out: to sing with vigor or intensity
kick something up the notch: to do somethingwith vigor or intensity
pay off: yield good results, succeed
bring someone to tears: to bring someone to thepoint of crying
step out of comfort zone: do things that you don‟t feel comfortable with doing

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#64: Describe An Interesting Thing You Did
Describe an interesting or unusual thing you did recently (in your free time)
You should say:

- What you did
- When and where you did it
- Who you did it with
- And explain why you think it was interesting or unusual
In all seriousness, between school and the office where I am working as an intern, I barely have
time for entertainment. Though, when I do, I take it seriously. Once or twice, I managed to get
out of the city andindulged myself in secluded areas where Internet service and its distracting
minions like social media and advertising emails ceased to exist. My latest sweet escape was my
trip to Binh Ba island last summer.
Binh Ba was one of the four deserted, yet beautiful islands located in Khanh Hoa province,
Vietnam due to little exposure to tourism. This, however, would change drastically within the
next few years since Binh Ba had been drawing lots of attention thanks to positive
feedbacks from those who had wandered there. I went to Binh Ba alone just to take a break
from the fast-paced city life and to have time to contemplate myself, which I rarely did with
people around. It had been an intriguing 2-day journey full of surprises. That was the first time I
traveled alone, first time riding on a speedboat, first time scuba diving and first time having
dinner with a life jacket on my back and crystal clear water as my dining room. Additionally,
seafood here was a bomb which came in different kinds and varieties. People I met during my
stay at a villager‟s house were ultra-friendly and helpful, both locals and visitors whom shared
their stories as though you were their long-lost friend stopping by to catch up. And there was
nothing better than enjoying great company over a nice meal and bonfire.
Binh Ba left an unforgettable impression on me where I learnt to appreciate precious moments

with those I cared about and be grateful for whatever life had to offer. Life is tough but it would
be lifeless without it toughness.
in all seriousness = very serious

In all seriousness, I don‟t take it well when people give rude comments without a sound reason.

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barely = rarely: almost not

Ex: Jim barely knows anyone when first moving to the new city.
cease (+to): bring to an end:

Ex: Those talented artists never ceased to amaze the world with their masterpieces.
take something/ someone seriously: regard someone or something as important and worthy
of attention
Ex: Nowadays, people are taking environmental issue more and more seriously.
manage to do something: succeed in doing something, especially something difficult

Ex: Alex managed to close the deal with XYZ company after several times of rejection.
indulge in: allow yourself to have or do something that you like, especially something that is
considered bad for you
Ex: She got herself indulged in some serious unhealthy diet after her latest breakup.
secluded = deserted: quiet and private; not used or disturbed by other people
Ex: That secluded island is suitable for those who need to get away from busy life in big city.
(little) exposure to: the state of being in a place or situation where there is no protection from
something harmful or unpleasant
Ex: Local tribes in those mountainous area have little exposure to civilization.
drastically (adv): extremely

Ex: The weather has changed drastically within the last few years.
draw someone’s attention: attract someone to notice

Ex: Ally‟s amazing transformation has finally drawn Tim‟s attention, whom she always has had a
huge crush on since forever.
(positive/ constructive/ negative) feedback: advice, criticism or information about how good
or useful something or somebody‟s work is
Ex: I usually receive constructive feedback from my boss about how to improve my work or
productivity, which I find very appreciative.

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take a break (from): to rest or cease temporarily from something

Ex: He took a break after 4 consecutive hours working on the project.
contemplate: to think deeply about something for a long time

Ex: Everyone should have sometime to contemplate and reflect themselves once in a while to
truly understand who they are as a person.
intriguing = interesting
long-lost friend: friend you haven‟t met for a long time

Ex: She is my long-lost cousin whom I haven‟t seen for ages.
good/ great company: someone who people enjoy spending time with
Ex: Nick was a great company when we met during my trip to Sapa last year.
unforgettable impression: a feeling/ opinion one gets which is hard to forget

Ex: She left an unforgettable impression on me at the party last night.

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#65: Describe An Advertisement
“Describe an advertisement you have seen/heard recently”
You should say:

- When and where you saw it
- What was advertised
- What the contents of the advertisements were
- And explain how you felt about it
We have been bombarded with an array ofinformation every single day. Whether it is
newspaper, television or social media like Facebook or LinkedIn, news always has their own way
to reach us. One of the most frequent pieces of news I have encountered these past few days was
about Echelon Vietnam 2016 – Discover Asia‟s Next Dragon.
As an avid Facebook user, I scroll down my newsfeeds board practically every 30 minutes
to stay abreast ofevery latest action within my social network. Admittedly, there are some better
things I can do but I just can’t help myself. Therefore, the fact that Echelon Vietnam 2016
repeatedly popped up on my newsfeed really caught my attention. Some of my friends
were already “interested” in Echelon official page, others were even “going”. It piqued my
interest so much that I paid a visit to their website to figure out what their gig was.As far as I
am concerned, Echelon Vietnam 2016 this November is a 2-day international technology and
investment event for entrepreneurs and business leaders within and outside Vietnam. It
is appealing not only to big tech companies but tech savvy individuals as well. The event aims
to reach out to foreign investors, raising funding opportunities and developing the tech and
startup community in Vietnam in the era where tech disruptions are leading almost every
industry. With some of the most brilliant and world-class speakers, attendees are going to get
some food for thought and inspiration during and after the event.
I personally believe that this could be a golden opportunity for Vietnam to shine as a promising
landwhere young and talented engineers, developers and entrepreneurs are thriving non-stop
toward a better future, a better life within Vietnam and beyond. If I am able to schedule my
time and afford the tickets, I will definitely be there to enjoy the
vibe and explore many potentials in this rising industry.

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be bombarded with: to be attacked (with too much information, criticism…)

stay abreast of: keep up-to-date
pique someone’s interest: to arouse interest; to arouse curiosity
pay a visit to: visit somewhere
what one’s gig is (informal): what is special, interesting… about something
tech savvy (a): well informed about or proficient in the use of modern technology
food for thought: issues to be considered
vibe (n): a mood or an atmosphere produced by a particular person, thing or place
tech disruptions: newest innovations in technology

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#66: Describe An Bike/ Car Trip
“Describe a bicycle/motorbike/car trip that is interesting”
You should say:

- Where you would like to go
- How you would like to go there
- Who you would like to go with
- And explain why you would like to go there by car, motorbike or bike
There is a thing that troubles me more often than notwhen living in Vietnam is the majority of
people are riding motorbikes rather than cars. As a result, most people don‟t know how to drive a
car, I included, which also itches me since I have always wanted to take a road trip across the
country. A road trip by car from the south to the north of Vietnam would be tough
and adventurous because hundreds of marvelous destinations are awaiting to be explored.
However, it is worth taking risks and stepping out of your comfort zone to
truly experience what life has to offer when your legs can still carry you rather than to regret in
your later life.
“If you wanna go fast, go alone. If you wanna go far, go together.” It might be fun if you were
a lone travelerand didn‟t enjoy getting lagged behind your schedule. Still, the adventure could
be more colorful and unexpected, hopefully in a good way, when you got company, especially
during a long journey like the one I prefer. Hence, picking up a close friend or two who share the
same vision, the same eagerness to capture the beauty of Vietnam would be my choice. We
would start from the south where we are living and move north on the go, stopping at our favorite
beaches like Phu Quoc, Nha Trang… a little longer than other places because there ain‟t nobody
don‟t have time for juicy coconuts and white sand paradise. Vietnamese cuisine would also be
our utmost priority whenever we reach a new place as the best way to live like a local is to eat
like a local. A car is our best choice because it would give us room tocomfortably converse
with each other and shelterfrom inclement weather during our journey, if any. It is not only
about the destinations but also about the time I would love to spend with my dear friends as we
would share the same space in a four-wheel vehicle along the road; and at the end of the day,
it‟s the people that matters.

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more often than not: usually

take risks: to do something that might be dangerous
have to offer: have something available to be used or appreciated
get lagged behind: get fallen behind
cuisine (n): style of cooking
utmost (a): greatest; most extreme
inclement (a): (of the weather) not pleasant; cold, wet, etc.
at the end of the day: in the end, finally
shelter (v): protect or shield from something harmful, especially bad weather

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#67: Describe A Language
“Describe a language other than English that you would like to learn.”
You should say:

– What the language is
– Where it is spoken
– What you think would be difficult
And what would be easy about learning the language and explain why you would like
to learn it.
Learning a second language not only adds up your skills but also offers enormous benefitsfor
your brain and personal growth. Additionally, being bilingual or multilingual expands your
knowledge across the country‟s border and provides you easy access to the understanding of
other cultures. Therefore, beside English, Spanish sits high in my must-learn list due to its wide
application and beautiful culture.
Needless to say, Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world and one of the
six official languages used in United Nations conferences and statements. Spanish is spoken in
most countries in South and Central America and in the US, over 50 million people are using
Spanish either as their mother tongue or second language. As a result, knowing Spanish would
absolutely widen your horizon, develop your sense of appreciation for Hispanic culture as well
as transform your travel experience as who knows when you would bump into some Spanish
friends on your adventure. Many have said that Spanish is one of the easiest languages to
learn thanks to its phonetic pronunciation and its similarity with English, in terms
ofvocabulary. However, it‟s easier said than done. No matter how simple and intriguing that
may sound, without full commitment and self-discipline, being able to speak Spanish would be
a far-fetched idea. Therefore, in order to meet my goal and not to get demotivated along the
way, I would have to find a learning partner and we would fight this tough war together.
Vocabulary & Useful expression :
application (n): practical use of something

mother tongue (n): the language that you first learn to speak when you are a child

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appreciation (n): pleasure that you have when you recognize and enjoy the good qualities of
somebody/something
in terms of: used to show what aspect of a subject you are talking about or how you are
thinking about it
commitment (n): the willingness to work hard and give your energy and time to a job or an
activity
self-discipline (n): the ability to make yourself do something, especially something difficult or
unpleasant
far-fetched (a): very difficult to believe
demotivated (a): feeling that it is not worth making an effort

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#68: Describe A Family Member
“Describe a family member you are closest to”

You should say:
- Who this person is;
- Describe some things you have done together;
- And explain why you like this person.
I‟m grateful to have such a supportive and caring family who are always there for me no matter
what. We have 5 members in the house that‟s always full of laughter: my parents, my two sisters
and me. Even though I love them all to the moon and back, my younger sister, Jade, is the one
that‟s closest to me.
Jade is seven years younger than me, which might create some sense of generation gap, yet, we
still get along well, or at least most of the time. She is in high school now and has a dream of
becoming a doctor one day. In term of appearance, we have little in common. By that I
mean while I‟m kind of tall, she‟s relatively short; while I take after my father, she‟s my
mom‟s splitting image. Same thing with our characteristics. I am people-oriented and a true free
spirit, Jade, on the contrary, is quite introverted and into stability. Hence, it came as a huge
surprise when others acknowledge our strong bond. We‟re like 2 sides of the same coin. No
matter how different we are, we have never neglected or abandoned each other. In fact, we
are partners in crime in so many impulsive and silly acts that our family has lost count. Once, I
tried to play the victim with my uncle as I accidentally broke a crystal vase that my aunt adored,
Jade backed me up as we put the blame on our poor cousin. What a shamefulact! But that was
years ago and we learnt our lesson the hard way. Another time when my sister‟s teacher asked
to meet our parents because Jade had ditched class. In her defense, that subject was boring and I
was the one who talked to her teacher. In the end, Jade had to serve more time at the library and

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we kept this from our parents and so were many other things. We got each other’s back and we
always will because that‟s what sisters do and simply because I love her.
love someone/ something to the moon and back: love someone/ something more than anything
get along well: have a harmonious or friendly relationship
have … in common: to share interests or characteristics
take after: resemble (a parent or ancestor)
splitting image: a person who bears a strong physical resemblance to another, esp to a relative
2 sides of the same coin: very closely related although they seem different
partners in crime: good friends who get in trouble together or get each other in trouble
impulsive (a): acting suddenly without thinking carefully about what might happen because of
what you are doing
lost count: to fail to be able to count someone or something, especially because there are so
many
play the victim: the act of pretending to be the one who has been done wrong to manipulate
others or seek attention
back someone up = have one’s back: support or help someone
put the blame on = blame something on someone = blame someone for something: say that
someone or something has done something bad
learn something the hard way: learn something by experience, especially by

an unpleasant experience
in someone’s defense: used at the beginning of a sentence to indicate that the subsequent
statement will justify some action or decision one made

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#69: Topic: Describe A Game/ Sport
“Describe a game or sport that you enjoy playing”
You should say:

- What kind of sport that is;
- Who you play it with;
- Where you play it;
I‟m not a great swimmer in any sense but swimming is like my religion. It is
truly refreshingand literally, washes away every disturbing thought I have whenever I dive into
cold water. No matter how tight my schedule may get, I usually pay at least one visit to a local
swimming pool to work myself up and get rejuvenated.
Sometimes, I have a partner or two, who have been my best friends since high school. We live in
the same neighborhood so it‟s not too stressful when we have to set a schedule for our swimming
session. We carpool more often than not and it takes us roughly 15 minutes to get to the
local recreation center where it provides the locals with a variety of facilities for training
purpose such as gym class, stadium, swimming pool, tennis court and so on, which is extremely
convenient for those who practice more than one activity. The only thing better then swimming
itself is swimming with your besties, which is one of hundreds of things I love about my
weekly ritual. Hardly do we have time to meet each other during week days as we‟re all up to
our neck at work and totally stressed out. Therefore, having such a healthy way to catch up with
my friends and recharge battery after an exhausting week never sounds better. Just like any
other sports, swimming helps maintain your health, keep you fit as well as build your
endurance. However, unlike others, it‟s a very relaxing and peaceful form of exercise, you don‟t

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even sweat for hours – a supreme advantage. Therefore, if you‟re looking for a kind of sport that
brings you comfort and relaxation, swimming should be your first choice.
refreshing (a): making you feel less tired or hot
literally (adv): in a literal manner or sense; exactly
disturbing (a): making you feel anxious and upset or shocked
work up: make yourself or another person excited or upset
rejuvenate (v): make somebody/something look or feel younger, more lively or more modern
more often than not: usually
recreation center: a building that is open to the public where meetings are held, sports are
played, and there are activities available for young and old people
ritual (n): something that is done regularly and always in the same way
be up to neck: to be very busy
endurance (n): the ability to continue doing something painful or difficult for a long period of
time without complaining

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#70: Describe an app you use in your mobile phone
Describe an app you use in your mobile phone.
You should say:

What it is
How you use it
What benefits do you get
and explain why this mobile app is important to you.
Model Answer 1:
'Mobile phone' is one of the greatest inventions of the modern science. It appears that without the
mobile phone life would not be as easier as it is today. The use of mobile phone is everywhere
and it has become an important part of our daily life. We cannot do without it. I have an iPhone
and there is a built-in application named compass. But I have also installed another compass
which is more functional and attractive than the built-in one of my iPhone. The compass is a
great thing for me. It is used to navigate and get directions.
I use the compass for navigational purpose. The compass is my favourite application on the
phone. As I like travelling much, I visit different places in the country but it is not possible for
me to know about the directions of the areas I am travelling in. Then I unlock the phone and use
the compass to navigate and get the best direction towards my destination.
The compass is highly useful for a traveller and hiker like me. It helps me to recognise the
directions to my objective and the most important issue is that I do not get lost wherever I go. I
could get a direction to get out of the unknown roads and areas using the compass and a map of
the area. It is also helpful to navigate at night times when there are no lights. I could also use the
compass with the association of stars and get the right direction even in the darkest night when
there is no light or directive measures to guide the travellers.
I have some very important gears to travel from place to place. All of those are necessary for my
survival when I set out for a travel. But without a compass, they are nothing. If I fail to get the
right direction of my destination, I could not be able to use the gears. The hiking and travelling
gears will be of no use if I could not get out of my home and if I have a compass working well, I
will be able to start the journey. Earlier, I had a physical compass but I broke that on my last trip.
Then I decided to install a suitable compass app on my iPhone despite the built-in one as I cannot
do my travelling without the virtual tool.
Cue Card Answer 2:

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I use a Sony Xperia series smartphone which has Android operating system. The Gmail android
application is one of the applications I use very frequently.
As it is an email application I mostly use it to check my emails and to send emails to others. On
an average, I check my emails three to four times and send around 5-7 emails per day.
As a senior employee in a multinational company, I have to track the project status I work on and
thus communicating with my team members and Chief Operating Officer is essential for me. The
nature of projects I work on demands me to keep in touch virtually every hour – be it at office or
home. Thus this application has immense importance for me. Our office rule makes it mandatory
to use the Gmail as our primary official email address. Hence I am kind of obliged to use this
application. Personally, I prefer Gmail over the Yahoo and Hotmail. Gmail is owned by the
Google Incorporation and in my opinion, this is the best email client application for email users.
The simple and user-friendly design, the ease of access and the convenience of receiving and
sending attachments with this email client make it stand out of the crowd.
I use Gmail application for my personal communication with my friends and family members as
well. The advanced spam filter of this application filters the spam and junk emails and thus I feel
quite comfortable using this email application. The convenient notification system of this
application alerts me whenever I get a new message and I can flag them or forward them very
quickly. The tab based email categorising of this application, which was very recently introduced,
makes it easier to find out the important emails whereas it is quite hard in other email
applications.
In fact, Gmail mobile application has an immense importance to me. Each morning I check my
emails and can plan my day ahead. I can update my team members about any important change
from anywhere and can keep in touch with my family members and friends. Thus this is an
application I cannot do without personally and professionally.
Idea Generation for this Cue Card topic:
This should be a fairly easy topic for you to describe. You can talk about any mobile application
you use like Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Facebook Messenger, Google Maps, WhatsApp, Google
Hangouts or even a simple utility application like 'Super Torch' or 'Alarm Clock'. Make sure you
can give some details about the application you are talking about like how popular it is, who is
the publisher of this apps and what benefits it has for you and whether it is a free or paid
application.
A web browser like Google Chrome, Opera mini or Firefox for mobile can also be described.
Avoid talking about any games like Angry Birds as they are often treated as a game rather than a
utility application.

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You must mention the mobile phone you are using (iPhone, Samsung, Nokia, HTC etc.) and then
mention the type of OS it has.
Here we are picking the Android application "Instagram" and writing down some notes to
properly talk about this application, as an example. You are advised to pick one of your most
favourite mobile applications and do the same in the comment section.
What it is = Android application "Instagram".
How you use it = For photo-sharing, video-sharing and social networking. It enables me to take
pictures and videos and then share them on a variety of social networking platforms.
What benefits do you get = I can take and save precious moments via images and videos, I can
share them over other popular social networking platforms, It gives a various of options to add
effects to the images I take and finally it saves my photos and videos for later use.
And explain why this mobile app is important to you = I love to capture photos and videos
with my handheld mobile phone and this application is one of the best one for taking photos on
the go. I can share my photos and videos in a low internet bandwidth, update my profile and get
in touch with my friends and family members. The photos and videos uploaded by me are stored
in their server and I can retrieve those anytime I want. This application is fast and usages low
resources of my cell phone. One of the most popular android applications, Instagram, is an
application I can't do without.
Part 3: Details Discussion:
Q. How can technology make our life easier?

A. Technology is the use of invented science and the uses of technological tools and that have
made our life easier. For example, we are using watches to get time, watching television for
different reasons, and using telephones for communication purposes etc and thus our life is made
easier than before. But if there were no clock, television or telephone invented, certainly we
should have stayed in the primitive age. The current advancement would not have been possible.
Technology has changed that way we study, work or even spend our leisure time. With the help
of the technology, we can have a better life standard with much more efficient tools and devices
to help us in every way possible.
Q. What are some greatest inventions you know about?

A. There are a large number of inventions have been done so far, but the most important
invention appears to me is the invention of electricity. Then I should consider the invention of
wheels which truly has made the communication system and travelling easier to us. Thirdly I
should consider the invention of Internet, which has radically changed the world. Apart from that
light bulbs, aeroplane, penicillin, telephone are some other greatest inventions of all time in my
opinion.

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Q. Why should we restrict the use of mobile phone in public places?

A. Mobile phone, undoubtedly, is an important invention but it has some detrimental impacts too.
Using mobile phones at public places may appear indecent. Mobile phone users talk about
countless issues but sometimes the speeches may cause irritation to others existing on the public
spots. Moreover, the speakers may also reveal their secrets inadvertently that may hamper their
privacy. Moreover, since the public places are always crowded, the chance of accidents is more
while talking on mobile phones.
Q. Why mobile phones are gaining its popularity?

A. Mobile phones are gaining popularity as those are easy to carry. Moreover, someone can buy a
mobile phone at an affordable cost and without any legal complexities. Besides, the tariffs are
also economic. It is far more convenient that other means of communication system and faster to
deliver the message. So, the mobile phones are gaining popularity gradually.
Q. Can you do without your mobile phone?

A. In the current days, it is impossible for me to do without a mobile phone for a single day. I
need the phone not only for communication purpose, but I also use the phone for passing my time
by playing games, using internet applications and more other necessary issues. So it would be
quite difficult for me not to use the mobile phone.

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#71: Person in your family who you most admire
Describe the person in your family who you most admire.
You should say:

What his/her relationship is to you
What s/he has done in your life
What s/he does now
and explain why you admire this person so much.
Model Answer 1:
'Family' is the most precious thing for everyone. One cannot live without a family, and even if we
notice deeply, we could see that familial bonding is also found among animals. Thus, the
importance of having a family cannot be ignored to live on the planet. A family is a place where
anyone could expect to get anything without the promise of return in exchange. In my family, I
admire my father most. He is the key person in our family and maintains the family in a solid
way. He is my hero in my life. My father is truly an admirable person for his outstanding
qualities.
He has guided me to the right path so that I could shine in my career and personal life. When I
was a kid, he helped me in all possible ways, when I turned a bit matured he showed me the ways
to choose. The most important thing is that he never forced me in doing something or performing
after his will. He always left the issues on me, showed the ways, and I decided the right road.
With his advice, currently, I am an established photographer in the society. He bought me the
first camera of my life by cutting his costs in half when he came to know that I would like to be a
photographer.
My father has retired from his job and now passing his days with the family and friends. Most of
his friends have also retired like him and together they pass their moments by recalling their
olden days. Sometimes my father takes my mother for outing too. They spend all the day outside
and return at night as they used to do in the first hours of their marriage. I like the romanticism
between my parents. Moreover, my father loves gardening, and he takes care of the garden before
our house. Frequently he buys flowers of different categories and asks me to get his photos with
the plants.
I admire my father and will continue doing so for his honesty, his sincerity and the sense of
responsibility. I have never seen him ignoring his responsibilities to my family. The most
important feature of my father is sympathy to others regardless of relations. When someone of
the family turned ill, he rushed to take care of the patient amid his thousands of responsibilities.

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He also used to help the destitute relations and also hide the events to us. I am truly lucky to have
a father like him.
Alternative Cue Card Answer 2:
The person I admire most in my family is my mother. Why? She is always there for me and never
turns her back on me. She gave birth of me and because of her, I came to this world. She loves
me even when I disagree with her or do something wrong! Her love for me is unconditional and I
have countless reasons to admire and love her the most.
She is the most loving person I could possibly meet in my life. She taught me the basic values of
life and she put a great effort to teach me to distinguish the right from wrong. She is a virtuous
and benevolent women and I have a great admiration for her. She took care of my elementary
education and inspired me to read books outside of my academic book list. In my childhood, she
was always near me. She took me to schools and playgrounds and waited patiently for a long so
that she could look after me.
She never hesitates to inspire me whenever I do something good. She is the best critic I can
possibly have and because of her, I have learned computer programming, art and other important
skills. She is a hard working woman who has devoted her entire life for her family. I learned the
importance and necessity of a close family from her. I have only a younger sister who is 12 years
old and my mum was always my best friend.
In my teen ages she advised me about many things and always supported me and that helped me
a lot to come out from the depression I had at that time. She inspired me to take part in the
outdoor activities and motivated me to play cricket with other children of my age.
She took great care of me when I was ill and I can remember many sleepless nights she had spent
to look after me. She still does that whenever I get sick. She inspired me to get admitted in the
best university of our country and she is the one who contributed the most to help me become the
man I am.
She was a school teacher for about 5 years but she left her career and became a full-time mum
when I was born. Who else would make such great sacrifice for me except my mother? She is my
inspiration and idol in my life. I admire her for everything she has done for me and everything
she still does for me. Her sacrifices and love for me are unparalleled to anyone or anything in the
whole world.
Other family members in your family you might describe:
Your mother.

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Your elder brother or sister.

If you are living in a joint family, you can also describe your grandfather, grandmother,
uncle, aunt or any elder cousin.
Do not describe the whole family as the cue card asks you to talk about a single family
member whom you admire the most.
Attitudes to family:
Q. In what ways have families in your country changed in recent years?
A. The families have changed greatly in my country for different reasons and situations. Earlier
the families were united but currently they have been shaped into nuclear families. When people
used to live the in the country areas, the families were large but with the advancement of time,
the families have broken and took their own shares and formed small families instead of the large
ones with the excuse of extensive maintenance cost, misunderstanding and more other issues.
Q. Should husbands and wives have different roles within the family? Why / why not?
A. A husband and a wife should play different roles for different reasons. From time immemorial,
males are considered as the bread earners while the females are the homemakers. But the ideas
have changed massively in the current days. Now, both the husband and wives are seen engaged
in money-earning activities. Moreover, they are sharing their responsibilities between them and
thus they are playing different roles in the family.
Family or friends:
Q. Which are more important to you - your family or your friends?
A. My family is the most important thing to me than friends. A Family is a place where you will
have everything. The family members will try to support you reasonably; both in good and bad
situations and in return, they do not expect anything. It is the most important feature of a family.
The family members will never leave you forever, but the scenario is just the opposite with the
friends. When there are no benefits in helping you, the friends will be nowhere to be found! They
will avoid you in every possible manner. So, my family is my top priority.
Q. What conflicts can arise between a person's family and a person's friends?
A. There are different issues that can create trouble between you and your family or you and your
friends. Regarding the familial issue, your family members may guide you to the right way but
due to your lack of knowledge, you may get involved into arguments over the guidance. You may
prefer following the one which appears better to you (although in reality that is not meant for
you).
On the other hand, conflicts with friends may range from any trifling matter to a major issue like
business loss or life or death situation. Family members are always with the well-wishers or try to
make better but the friends are not always with the same thought to make you feel good unless

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they have any hidden benefit with the issue. The common conflict can arise when someone
spends most of his/her time with friends and family members starts complaining about it.
Family responsibilities:
Q. What responsibilities do parents have towards their children?
A. Parents naturally love their kids. However, the parents are responsible for everything of their
kids from rearing their kids well, educate them, and allow picking the right things for them or
their career or even their marriage.
Q. What responsibilities do children have towards their parents?

A. The most important responsibility the children have towards their parents is to abide by all the
directives they get from the parents. There are no parents who want to have their kids in distress.
So, the children should pay attention to their parents, take care of them in their old age and
overall they should respect the parents always.

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#72: Describe your favourite movie/film
Describe your favourite movie/film.
You should say:

what it is
when you watched it
what it is about
and explain why this is your favourite movie.
Model Answer:
I love to watch movies in my leisure hours and have watched a wide number of movies. It is a
kind of addiction to me and usually, I watch at least one movie a day.
The Gods Must be Crazy is the best movie I have ever seen and I like it most for many reasons. I
have watched the movie for many times and each of the time the pleasure was different to me. It
never becomes old with me. The natural reactions against the modernization of the protagonist -
Xi makes me amused. His reactions against the modern civilisations are quite natural and funny
as well. But the other installments (part two and three) of the same movie appear as those are not
up to the mark. Many of the events have been exaggerated which has damaged the real beauty of
the movie. So, considering all the aspects, the first part of the series is my favourite movie and I
think many of the audiences will agree with my opinion.
I watched the movie first when I was a teen and it might be the 1990s when I watched that. My
father brought the movie that was played on a VCR connected to our television. At that time,
watching movies had two ways only. The first one is to go to the cinemas while the second one
was to bring the video cassettes at home. My father also loved watching movies and he brought
the video tape of the movie. But since I was a kid, I could not derive much pleasure in the
beginning. When I grew up, I started understanding the inner meaning of the movie. Sometimes I
have watched the movie alone and in some cases, I played the movie at home when someone
came to visit us. In my 30s today, still I am fond of the movie as I was in my teenage.
The movie is all about a tribal population (bushman) who live in a remote part of Kalahari Desert
in African continent. Life goes on for them but the trouble occurred when they received a piece
of Coca-Cola bottle which was thrown by an airplane pilot. The bottle was received by Xi, the
lead character of the movie. It brings a change in his family. The family members started
quarrelling among themselves. The peace of life was broken for the bottle. So, Xi wants to return
the bottle. He believed that since the bottle has fallen from above, it might be the Gods who have

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thrown it. He starts his epic journey to return the bottle to the Gods and experiences different
strange events of his life.
The movie is the best movie to me for some specific reason. It was made in the 1980s and the
plot concept is clear. It wants to give a message to the modern people that everything they are
doing is not fair. This is a comedy movie but the message it provides in guise of comedy is
strong. The movie shows that Xi is praying before killing an animal while the modern people do
not perform so. Moreover, every blessing of the modern world was unfamiliar to him and he
could not cope up with the complexities of life in the city. He knew how to survive in the desert
and jungle but survival in the city becomes difficult for him. In fact, modernization has made life
more complex than the uncivilised life. Besides, political turmoil (depicted in the movie) also
shows the unstable situations of the modern era. Xi, now wants to go back in his tribe but due to
the complicated system, he cannot get back easily. The movie actually shows the simplicity of
life. So, like the movie best.

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#73: Describe a journey that you remember well
Describe a journey that you remember well.
You should say:

where you went
how you travelled
why you went on the journey
and explain why you remember this journey well.
Model Answer 1:
A journey is always pleasant to me. It not only gives us entertainment, it is helpful to teach over
different unknown issues as well. The most important benefit of travelling is the excellent
opportunity to gather knowledge. The knowledge earned in first hand experienced cannot be
found on books or any other place. So, people like to travel and it has been continued from a long
past. But sometimes the journeys are not pleasant and the travellers have to undergo different
unexpected situation during the trips.
Recently I have made a train journey and it was the most thrilling event in my life as I have never
ridden on trains before. I went to join at the marriage ceremony of one of my intimate friends
who has passed his childhood days with me. The area where the friend is getting married is at the
farthest part of the country and requires trains to reach there.
Fourteen on our childhood friends planned to reach the village marking the marriage and
accordingly we bought fourteen train tickets for the purpose. My friends and his family members
had started for the village earlier before our journey. On the planned night of the journey, we got
out of home reached the railway station to catch the train. But interestingly the train was half an
hour late due to an accident on its way to the railway station. We all rode on the train and finally
the journey at night on a train begins.
It was the most thrilling experience in my life I have ever made so far. It was highly enjoyable to
me due to the nature of the journey. I used to hear experiences of people attentively when they
described their experiences about the train journeys but could not make chances to ride on due to
different reasons. So, when the other childhood mates made the plan, I was the only one of them
who jumped out of joy.
The journey is truly substantial one for me. It was a moonlit night when the train started and my
seat was just beside the window. I looked at the full moon and it appeared that I am floating on
the heaven with a great speed. The trees were passing us fast and the illuminated distant localities

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appeared like stars to me, shining on the large sky. The deep emotions that I felt on the night
journey are inexpressible.
Alternative Answer 2:
Well, the journey I still remember very vividly is the one I took to Nha Trang, a coastal resort
city in southern Vietnam, where my sister lives with her husband. It was probably early February
2014 when I got a call from my brother-in-law that my sister has given birth of a beautiful baby
girl. We were expecting the baby a few days later but that was indeed a very good news as this
was the first baby in our family and both the mother and child were doing fine as my brother-in-
law informed me.
I immediately returned home from my university to give this wonderful and happy news to my
parents. My parents were quite excited and they planned to visit the newborn and my sister on the
following day. It was more than 10 hours‟ journey and we started in the early morning next day.
We went to the local train station and luckily got three first-class seats on the train. I am very
fond of train journey as it gives me the freedom to walk in different compartments of the train,
read books pleasantly, enjoy the meal in the train cafeteria, buy books and magazines, use the
lavatory if needed and enjoy the scenic beauty of the countryside, unlike the monotonous long
bus journey. The journey was a very pleasant one and I finished a book that I took with me.
Besides, I read two magazines and a daily newspaper that I bought from the station. I specifically
remember the journey because my parents were with me and they also enjoyed being out of home
after a long. The longing and waiting to see the new baby also made it a pleasant journey and a
memorable one. My mother told me some stories of my childhood that she never shared with me
before and my father told about his first experience in a train and that was so funny that we
laughed quite loudly!
Idea Generation for this Cue Card:

The model answer provided with this Cue Card could be followed to understand how you should
answer this topic. However, it is advised that you use your own experience and sentences to
answer any cue card topic. Following are some of the ideas that you can borrow and match with
your own to properly answer the questions.
While answering the cue card topic, always focus on the accompanying questions. Focus more
on the forth question and give more details about this.
Reasons for daily travel

Q. Why do people need to travel every day?

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A. People need to travel in their everyday life for a large number of reasons. The most important
thing is their job – they need to attend their office and thus they need to travel using different
transportation mode. But not only the service holders, people of all strata in a society needs to
travel for many other purposes. They need to shop, need to visit relatives, friends or others for
important matters, need to go for learning at schools or educational institutions and many other
issues.
Q. What problems can people have when they are on their journey, for example to work or
school? Why is this?
A. A few troubles may occur during their travel to school or office and the most common trouble
is the traffic congestion on a busy road. It mostly happens when the traffic rules are violated,
vehicles are parked on here and there on the roads, non-motorized vehicles occupy the important
streets, and mostly the narrow roads where the traffic is large. It is also responsible for the law
violation competition among the public vehicle drivers, pedestrians crossing the roads etc. These
are the common problems and the regular commuters are to adjust with the situations.
Q. Some people say that daily journeys like these will not be so common in the future. Do
you agree or disagree? Why?
A. After passing a certain time, daily journeys will not be necessary but that should be applicable
in some specific areas. When online presence is required for a formal meeting, someone does not
need to be physically present there. If you work digitally, you always do not need to be at your
workplace and there is no travel required. But if you are driving your own car, you cannot do that
sitting on your writing desk at home. So, I partly agree that in near future journeys will be
reduced for the advancement of the technology.
Benefits of international travel

Q. What do you think people can learn from travelling to other countries? Why?
A. Travelling to a foreign country is one of the best ways to learn about that country and gain
direct knowledge. When travellers are on a foreign trip, they try to get information about the
culture and customs of the specific geographical location. They also do not miss the foods of the
nation, visits the popular spots, ride on the common vehicles get pictures and have much fun. In
fact, they learn about the country by their own attempt which is unavailable on books.
Q. Can travel make a positive difference to the economy of a country? How?

A. Definitely, travel can bring a positive change in the economy of a country. When the
travellers go for a trip in a foreign country, they spend money after their desires. As a result, the
travelling spots‟ economy gets boosted. For instance, if you are travelling in France, certainly
you will buy the miniature model of the Eiffel Tower for your collection. If the tourists start
buying the miniatures, its demand is on the rise, then its production will also go up and the
production requires employment, while the employed people will have a decent living with the
wages they get and thus the economy of the entire locality will go up. It is happening for your
travel in the country.
Q. Do you think a society can benefit if its members have experience of travelling to other

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countries? In what ways?

A. A society could be benefited if the travelling experiences are used in a proper manner. When
the travellers will return in their native lands, they may share their experiences with their families
or in any formal or informal discussions. As a result, the knowledge is shared. The travellers may
establish a profitable model that they have seen in their foreign trips and that could employ
people or the models could be used for the benefits of the society. Thy can also find some
exemplary social works in foreign countries and might start practising that. Thus the knowledge
and experience the travellers gather from their visit to others countries can positively contribute
to establish a better society in their home country.

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#74: Describe a piece of electronic equipment that you find useful
Describe a piece of electronic equipment that you find useful.
You should say:

What it is
How you learned to use it
How long you have had it
and explain why you find this piece of electronic equipment useful.
Model Answer:
Science has made human life comfortable. With the advancement of age, we have started reaping
the benefits of the past inventions and discovered technology, and marching towards an advanced
and digitised world. Thereby, we are surrounded by electronic equipment almost everywhere
regardless of home or working stations.
I have a desktop computer at my home with the latest configuration. It is the most important and
valuable thing for me when I am at home. It helps me in different ways. When I get back home
from work, I play songs on the computer. Sometimes I and my wife watch thrilling movies too on
the computer. It has become an essential part of my life. I also use the electronic equipment for
many other purposes and use the sophisticated applications made for various purposes. Mostly I
play different video games on the computer during my holidays and y wife uses it for editing
photographs. It is truly useful equipment for me and my family.
But learning to run the applications were not so easy for me as it is today. Now I can perform
some extraordinary tasks with the computer. I can edit photos using photo editing software, write
anything on the word writing applications like Ms Word, make presentations for my office using

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PowerPoint, analyse numerous data using data analysis software and more others tasks. I took
admission at a training school where I mastered the skills. Now I am also able to edit photos or
create images and give them shapes after needs with the editing applications. All I learnt from the
training school and took a six-month training there. In the beginning, I made silly mistakes to run
the applications but now I am highly skilled in running those and even I do not need to check the
keyboard if I am pressing the right key.
I had to buy the computer for my wife in 2014 as she is a wildlife photographer, captures still
pictures of the animals and needs to edit those before submitting to different agencies. Although
she has a small laptop, she is uncomfortable to work with the equipment and thus I had to buy the
computer. The computer owns a higher configuration and allows running almost all the heavy,
available and complicated applications. It works at an unimaginable speed. Moreover, after
having the computer, I have learnt its use which I was ignorant before. By the span of a year, I
have turned into an expert.
The computer is greatly helpful for me and my wife as well. Both of us use the electronic
equipment to meet our daily needs. Most of the time of the day, my wife uses the machine to edit
her captured wildlife images from different parts of the earth. Besides, I make logical and
beautiful presentations to be presented before my office while taking any important decisions.
Thereby, I am highly beneficial by the applications. Sometimes I am assigned from the office to
design some logos or banners over specific events to be printed, I make them at home which has
a great role in my career development. Moreover, this is the age of communication and I browse
social networking websites using the computer to reach my other family members or friends. I
prefer computer rather than cellular phones to browse the internet. The large screen is really
enjoying.
Idea Generation for this cue card topic:

You can describe any electronic equipment you have and used. Some most commonly used
electronic equipment are listed below so that you can pick one and develop your own cue card.

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A computer.
A laptop.
A printer.
A scanner.
A vacuum cleaner.
A washing machine.
An electric razor.
A table lamp.
A hair dryer.
A refrigerator.
A microwave oven.
A copier machine.
A television.
A wireless router.
A fax machine.
An Electric Toothbrush.
An MP3 player.
An e-book reader.
A Coffeemaker.
A Toaster.
No matter what electronic device or equipment you select, first say what it is and what you use it
for. Then mention how you learned to use it. Some tools are very easy to use and for that do not
give more details about how you learned to use it. For the third question 'how long you have it'
mention an approximate month or year. Put more emphasis on the fourth question i.e. 'and
explain why you find this piece of electronic equipment useful.' Give more details about how this
tool has made your life easier and how much it means to you. Also give details what it would
have been without it. Finally, mention the importance of this equipment in your life. If you feel

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that we have missed an important electronic device or equipment that you use, do not hesitate to
mention it in the comment section.
Part 3 - Detail discussion / Two-way discussion:
Technology in housework:
Q. What kinds of machines are used for housework in modern homes in your country?
A. In the modern age, different tools and equipment are used now for housework. There are
several types of electric machines available to complete the household chores. For example, to
clean the floor, people use vacuum cleaner which absorbs all the dirt and other unwanted
particles inside its container. But earlier, people had to clean or swipe their floors manually which
was also a tiring job. To clean clothes, washing machines are introduced in the modern age. You
just need to pour the water, soap and place the clothes inside the machine, it will automatically
clean the clothes, and it was manual too in the previous days. To make the clothes smooth and
good looking, modern people use electric irons. To heat foods or prepare cakes, people apply
microwave ovens, another electric equipment of the modern day. Now we have refrigerator that
has made preserving foods easier than ever before. With the passing of days, newer technologies
are being invented and applied for the household works.
Q. How have these machines benefited people? Are there any negative effects of using
them?
A. The machines like refrigerators, microwave ovens, vacuum cleaners, electric iron, blenders;
television sets etc. have made life easier and pleasant. In the past days, people had to do the
works manually investing hard labor. Take example – people had to clean their clothes manually.
They had to apply soap, water and then thrash the clothes on floor or ground. But now, the
scenario is hardly found anywhere. People had to cook all the available foods on the same day
when they collected, but now they preserve the remaining foods on a refrigerator. Cooking was
difficult and still difficult for males, but now they could easily prepare foods using the electric
ovens. But the appliances have few negative impacts too. Since they are made to run with
electricity, they may get damaged or may cause fire related incident if not handled with care. For
instance –a hot electric iron may burn the clothes if not cared.

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Q. Do you think all new homes will be equipped with household machines in the future?
Why?
A. As we are marching to modernity, we will see numerous changes in the upcoming days. There
are lots of changes in our homes in the present days and those were unimaginable in the past.
Now we have automated machines to perform majority of our household chores but the day is
appearing when all the activities will be done by machines. There might be robots to perform the
household activities or different newer machines will be invented to perform specific tasks. All
the new homes will be equipped with the machines and equipment by this way to make living
easier.
Technology in the workplace:

Q. What kinds of equipment do most workers need to use in offices today?
A. The offices and the employees of current days mostly need computers. It is a must for each
and every office regardless of its type or category to have computers after their needs and
employee number. Then they require cleaning machines like vacuum cleaner, refrigerators for
preserving foods etc. For their official work, they need photocopiers, digital dictionaries, printers
to print documents, overhead projectors for presenting important documents during meeting and
discussion, and for communication purposes they need telephone, fax machines etc.
Q. How have developments in technology affected employment in your country?

A. My country depends on technology more than any other thing. Internet is a must and without
it we cannot do for a single second. The majority of the important places are under Wi-Fi
coverage and the speed is smoother. The advanced technology has occupied all the country in
different other forms too and even we do not carry hard cash with us when we are out of home,
instead we have credit or debit cards for transaction or trading purposes. Everything has been
controlled by technology and thus life turns easier for us.
Q. Some people think that technology has brought more stress than benefits to employed
people nowadays. Would you agree or disagree? Why?
A. I do not think that technology has invited stress rather it has lessened the working load. To

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make the issue clearer, computer is one of the latest technological advancement and could do a
large number of works within a few seconds. It is also used to count and analyze data and
information. If there were no computer, it would be too difficult for the employees to count
numerous accounts manually and thus, they would be more stressed. If there were no computer,
people would have to analyze the available data on any specific issue using their own intelligence
and the result would not be so perfect as it is done by the computer. So, it is clear that technology
has reduced the stress and increased the comfort level to the employees.

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#75: Describe a competition that you took part in
Describe a competition (e.g. TV, college/work or sports competition) that you took part
in.
You should say:

what kind of competition it was and how you found out about it
what you had to do
what the prizes were
and explain why you chose to take part in this competition.
Model Answer:
Sports competitions are one the great sources of joy and enjoyment. Both the participants and the
spectators enjoy the competitions and sometimes the events are telecast live on television
channels and even some multinational and corporate companies sponsor for the program in
exchange of their advertisements.
When I was in college in Massachusetts, I used to play basketball for my college team. Actually,
I was fond of the sports due to its nature and mostly the dribbling attracted me most. When I
watched the sports on television, I started nurturing the dream to be a basketball player like the
players on the television. After my admission at the college, I joined the basketball team and
suddenly the team was invited to participate an inter-college basketball championship
competition. So, accordingly, our team started preparing for the upcoming competition. At first, I
was advised to play at the point guard and then was shifted to the centre for my extraordinary
height (I am 6‟3”) among the other players of the college team.
Basketball is an interesting sport and the players are assigned to hit the basket of the opposition
to make scores. So, I was assigned to shoot the basket of the opposition as much time as I could. I
also took assistance from the other mates of my college team. But it was not easy for us to make
scores. Most of the players of the opposition team were highly skilled too like us. They defended
almost every attempt of us in the first half of the game. But we finally scored 15 points while
they were only nine. But they tried their best to win the competition and made some fouls in
favour of us. For the fouls, we got three free shots at the basket which ensured our victory.
Interestingly, I took the free shots and scored three goals within one and a half minute which
inspired my teammates greatly. As a result, we were the champion of the competition.
The prizes of the competition were the most attractive things in the entire event. Each of the
participants was awarded a classic basketball medal made with gold and other material while the
champion team was awarded a large trophy and that is kept in a caring condition at our college

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compound. Moreover, the participants were awarded gift vouchers worth $200. The prize giving
ceremony was held in a festive mood and the participating college authorities delivered their
speeches and also vowed to hold such competitions again and again. I have kept my medal at my
home, safely, and even in my current days I check the medal and remember the happy moments I
had in my college days.
Basketball was a charming sport for me from my early days and I started playing the game with
my friends in my school. Since the school had no such team to play basketball, papa told me that
he will allow joining at the basketball team when I will be at college. When I joined at the college
team, the instructor was happy seeing me and he liked me most for my height and capability to
dodge the opponents with the ball. So, when the invitation for participating at inter-college
competition arrived, I did not miss the chance.
Idea Generation for this cue card topic:
This cue card asks you to describe a competition you took part in either in a television
programme, in your college, office or a sporting competition. So do not talk about a competition
that you only watched. You should start the cue card answer by saying that "Whenever I think
about a competition that I took part in, the inter-college debate competition pops up in my mind.
It was so important for us to win this competition and the struggle that I had to went through is
the main reason I will never forget it." Then say a bit more about the competition like when you
took part in it, what type of competition it was, why it was important for you to win, who were
with you, what challenges you had to face to take part in this competition, what was your part in
the competition and about the prizes of this competition. Finally give more details about why you
took part in this competition and how you felt about it.
Competitions in school:
Q. Why do you think some school teachers use competitions as class activities?
A. Competition is the process to move ahead from the contemporary situations. It helps to inspire
people on performing something very special so that they could be the best or the winners. Luck
has nothing to do here. Sometimes the school teachers use competitions as a class activity for
their students with the view to improve them in their studies. When there is a competition, the
students will be more eager to study and the hard labour will bring their victory. They will be
considered as special students than others. Competition among the students helps to bring a
positive change inside them. A competitive attitude is a must to shine in future and if the sense
could be grown from the tender age, undoubtedly they will be successful in the upcoming days.
Therefore, competition is considered as a part of teaching.
Q. Do you think it is a good idea to give prizes to children who do well at school? Why?
A. Prizes are always inspiring. It is a kind of recognition for someone‟s work or labour. It helps

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to get encouragement to perform better. Prizes build confidence among the winners. When the
winners do not get something after their hard work, they gradually start losing interest over the
issue. Consequently, their performances fall to a great extent. By the same way, when there is a
competition at school, the children should be given prizes. The prizes help to raise their
confidence level and they could get inspiration too for winning the next competition. By this
way, they will be getting stronger day after day to battle and survive in the future days.
Q. Would you say that schools for young children have become more or less competitive
since you were that age? Why?
A. Currently, the schools in different areas try to beat one another in term of good scores
performed by the students. In my days, the competition was not so available because the number
of schools for the young children was few. But in the current days, with the advancement of time,
commercialization has taken place in the schools and thus the authorities are trying to attract
students and motivating the parents to admit their kids into the school. But if the overall
performances of the school are not considerable, the parents turn reluctant to seek admission of
their kids. So, commercialization is a potential ground for the schools for the young and they try
to compete with the other institutions. But in my childhood days, we did not experience such
competition rather the schools tried to inspire us in having a better performance than others so
that we could build a better future.
Sporting Competitions:
Q. What are the advantages and disadvantages of intensive training for young
sportspeople?
A. Training is a must to master any specific skill or art. It is the gateway to learn and earn skills
to be applied in real life. It is the way to make them aware of the certain issue so that they could
perform well during the competition. Intensive training helps to perform the skills by closing the
eyes and comfortably. When the training is provided, the trainees are armed with the necessary
visible and invisible tools and use those when necessary. They achieve the right skills and
techniques with the exercise. Moreover, they attain physical flexibility to perform the task which
is impossible for the untrained people. But intensive training has some disadvantages too. It does
not allow the young sports athletes to go outside of the training zone. The chances of
socialisation decreases and sometimes they may get a serious injury during the training.
Q. Some people think that competition leads to a better performance from sports stars.
Others think that it just makes players feel insecure. What is your opinion?
A. Competition helps to build confidence among the sports star and thus they get more
inspiration to win the next match or event. Moreover, when they are inspired, they perform better.
It arouses the inside spirit among the sports star to gain in the competition and earn fame in their
specific sporting arena. But there are some other schools that are on the view that competition
leads the players to insecurity. This idea is not a worthy one to pay attention. If a player has
enough training and practice over his/ her respective sport, it is not supposed to feel insecure
during the competition. The issue of insecurity may arise only if there is the lack of practice or
training of the player. But usually, the players practice more than before during the beginning of
a competition.

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Q. Do you think that it is possible to become too competitive in sport? In what way?
A. Competition is part and parcel of sports and sporting events. If there were no competition, the
sporting events would have lost their appeal. So, a player needs to be competitive. But I do not
think that a player has to be too competitive in sports. Sometimes the willingness of higher
competition creates rivalry which leads to damage of career. So, being too competitive is not the
way to be the best; rather practising more and more will help in gaining the best skills to be the
best in the sport. When people take preparation for a competition, they lose the common sense to
behave naturally and thus the enmity begins which may lead to real life issue too. So, I think it is
not possible to be too competitive and if there are chances to be so, one should leave it for a
growing career.

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#76: Describe a museum you have visited and liked
Describe a museum you have visited and liked.
You should say:

what kind of museum it was
when you first went there
what you saw and did there
and explain why you liked this museum.
Model Answer:
Museum is an exciting place to learn about the past and histories of numerous issues. A few
weeks ago, I went to the War Remnants Museum with some of my friends.
The War Remnants Museum is located in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. This museum is a place
of wonderful collections of Vietnam War. The museum also contains relics and collection of the
first Indochina war where the participation of the French Colonialists was a notable issue. The
museum is currently operated by the state. The museum exhibits mostly the relics of the war
associated with the Americans and the French. In the 1970s, the relics were exhibited on the
temporary basis and were termed in a different name. Such exhibitions were also held in different
parts of Vietnam to let people know about the war crimes which Vietnam has suffered. The
exhibition name was changed in the 1990s.
When I was a teen, I went to the museum with my high school mates. It was an educational trip
for us and we visited the museum from our school. The school authority organised for the tour
and all the students of the high school had to participate in the trip. I learnt a lot of information
during the trip but it was not that much popular as it in the current days. Around one million
visitors come to see the war relics in this museum and it has turned into one of the most attracting
places both for the natives and global travellers. But the foreign visitors are more in number than
the local visitors and the opinions are different among the travellers. Some of them cannot bear
the horrors of the Vietnam wars during the visit.
The museum bears the wounds of war and it is a kind of insult to the Vietnamese people.
Thereby, the anti-USA elements are more visible than any other historical elements. The relics
are highly sensitive for the local people and the nation as well. There are series of rooms themed
with a different period. Military tools and various equipment are also kept in care inside the
museum. There are some unexploded ordnances also stored inside the museum yard as the war
relic. The photographs are the best thing to see in the museum and they exhibit the horrific events
of the war days. I walked through the rooms and the buildings to see all the relics and deeply felt

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sad for the departed souls in the war.
I like the museum for its extraordinary decoration, war relic collections and mostly the
photographs. The photographs were captured by photojournalists of different countries and some
of them have donated the photos for common exhibition. Though in the beginning, the museum
was the house of propaganda against the USA, different changes have taken place in past years
and such words or posters marking the propaganda have been removed. Besides, the museum
allows the visitors to write their own thought about the entire Vietnam War issue and I liked that
much as the visitors can freely write down their own thoughts and compliments.

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#77: Something you borrowed from your friends or family
Something you borrowed from your friends or family.
You should say:

what it was
when you borrowed it and from whom
why you borrowed it
and explain why it was important for you to borrow it.
Model Answer:
Due to my wicked nature, I was admitted to a boarding school where I lived with my friends of
similar nature. I had to borrow a tie from one of my friends to attend a presentation in the class.
It was a blessing for me that the friend did not have the course that I took in the high school
grade. So, I was able to borrow a tie for the presentation of my group in the class. The teacher
ordered us all to be formal in attires during the presentation day and accordingly all of us planned
to put on a black suit with a white tie. But unfortunately my tie was red in colour and I started
seeking one. The teacher also said that if he sees someone in informal attires, he would not allow
the student to appear in the presentation. It means he is to stay in the same grade for another year.
The presentation was set on 10am and my classroom was just beside the dormitory - it took a 3-
minute walk to reach the classroom. So, I used to get up late and get prepared for the classes in
the regular days and it turned into a habit for me. So, the events were repeating even on the
presentation day. When it was 9.45am, I noticed that I need a tie. So, I asked the other roommates
and all of them said that they are going with me for the presentation, and accordingly they cannot
offer me their tie. I was upset and the race against time began. Then I moved to the next room of
mine and found that Robin, one of my batch mates is sleeping on his bed as he does not have any
presentation on that day.
Although there were dress codes in my school, but the presentation day attire was our creation.
Some of the intelligent (!) students, I was one of them, set the dress code as black and white. The
colour combination was great but I forgot to mention them that I do not have any white tie. The
one I have is red in colour and I do not use it frequently except any special occasion. When I
found that the colour is red, it was like a bolt from the blue on me. I started seeing a white tie and
had to borrow it from Robin to appear in the presentation. The presentation was important to me
as it was the year ending presentation over a special assignment that we did for last quarter.
If I failed to appear before the teacher and my classmates with the assignment, my promotion to

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the next grade would have been halted by the school authority. In line with the written
examinations, we are to present some specific topics before the teachers and fellow classmates
which are counted like an exam. So, absence in the presentation refers absent in the exam. My
promotion will be stopped, and I have to study in the same grade again. I had everything except a
white tie. Usually, I do not borrow anything from anyone; I had to do so on that day due to lack
of time and my negligence. So, it was highly important for me to borrow the tie from Robin and
later I thanked him generously.
Part 3 – Details Discussion:
Q. How often you borrow something from others?

A. Borrowing is not in my nature but when I am in extreme need of something and I cannot
manage alone getting that, I borrow. But it is a rare event to me and my surrounding people that I
am borrowing something from them. However, I do not bother in lending.
Q. In which situation people usually borrow things?

A. When people have nothing to do with any specific issue, they are to borrow from others. For
instance, you are standing in a bus queue to get the ticket for returning your home and suddenly
realised that someone took your wallet (I mean you are experiencing a pickpocket) but you have
to go home, what will you do? This is an emergency for you. The first thing you will do is that
you will look for any familiar people who can help you in that situation by paying your ticket
fare. In such a situation, you will not mind in borrowing and also will return the favour in the
next day or when it is possible.
Q. Is it good to borrow apart from the emergency situations?

A. If you make it a habit of borrowing things in every situation it will be considered as a bad
habit. Moreover, it will reduce your credibility and a help building a negative image of you
among your surrounding people. You can borrow anything you need if it is an emergency for
you. Besides, the people will extend their helping hand towards you without any condition or
second thought when they will realise that truly you are in danger. But if you abuse their
generosity, at the end of the day you will get no help from any of them. In this case, you can
recall the moral story of the cowboy and tiger.
Q. Is it okay to borrow money from neighbours?

A. You can take anything if you truly need them. It may be money, it may be any favour or even
it may be any sort of physical and mental support. But it should be necessary and you need to be
unable right that moment to gather the things you are borrowing. You can borrow money from
your neighbours too but you need to be honest in this case. You are to return the money within
the promised returning time. If you miss the deadline, the neighbour may not say you something
due to courtesy but you may not get any further help from him/ her in future.
Q. What problems can occur while collecting return money from people?
A. Usually, people love to forget the favours. Many people do not care about the favours once

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they receive those in their emergencies. As a result, they ignore to acknowledge the favours and
do not refund them and even if they return, the break several deadlines. It mostly happens for
money. If you loan someone an amount of money, you will never get that back in time. It
happens everywhere. The beneficiaries start showing different excuses against the return. You are
to run after them to collect the money and they, in fact, do not care about the importance of your
favour. These are the common problems for lending money and getting that back.
Q. Why sometimes it is difficult to ask somebody to return the money they borrowed?
A. Sometimes people cannot ask the money that was borrowed to someone mostly for the inter-
personal relationship. Sometimes the relationships are so warmer that the borrower does not
return the money in time and the person who offered cannot also ask for that. It becomes difficult
for him/ her to ask the money. It may also happen that the borrower is still in distress and thus the
loan provider cannot ask to return the money. Besides, it may also happen that the loan provider
has become irritated by running after the borrower, and in that case, it becomes difficult as well
to ask for the money return.

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#78: An item of clothing you purchased that you didn’t like
Describe an item of clothing you purchased that you didn’t like.
You should say:

what the clothing is
where and why you bought it
what color and style it is
and explain why you didn’t like it.
Model Answer:
Travelling to overseas is always fun for me and I do not miss the chance of shopping during the
trips. Last summer I went to Singapore for an official visit and had bought a faded jeans pant that
I did not like.
I went to Singapore from my office to train up the local employees. The training issues were
diversified and I was stressed after the day-long training. Thereby, I went at Bugis Street to get
some knickknacks and clothing for my family. A Singapore office staff accompanied me. This
was a street market and pretty nice. So, I got some essentials for my family according to their list
and also bought a faded light white-coloured jeans pant for me. The pants looked gorgeous and
the style was different too. Moreover, the price was reasonable too. The seller wanted to sell
another piece of the same colour pants but my wallet vetoed there.
When I arrived at Singapore, my colleagues were saying that the street markets are the place to
get the good things at a reasonable price. Since it was my first visit to the country, I did not have
any clear idea of shopping here and accordingly went to the Bugis Street, one of the largest local
street markets selling a good number of things. A local of the city and our office Singapore
branch employee guided me through the market and helped me cordially to get the desired things.
I bought the pants from the clothing section and I also bought some other attire too for my family
members after their demands on the list. The jeans pant was light white and in colour with a fade
shade and importantly it was the right fit for me.
Usually, I wear tailor made attires but regarding jeans, I have a specific choice. I prefer the slim
fitting pants and if the pants do not get fit with my body shape, I do not get them. The jeans pant
was of the classic style and fitted me perfectly. But there were some designs on the hip pockets
and few fabrics were twisted on the front side which attracted me. There were some other colours
available at the shop like light blue, medium blue, dark blue, faded jeans and more. The light
white faded jeans received my attention.
The jeans pant was fine for me until it was taken to have a wash. It was the first time I gave the

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pant with other clothes to be washed at the hotel I was staying in Singapore. When they delivered
the clothing, it was a sad event for me. The faded jeans pant turned more fade. Besides, the
designs in front and back lost their beauty for the cleaning and some of the fabrics were torn too.
When asked about the worst condition, the cleaners replied that the fabric turned weak after it
was washed with soap water. They also pointed that the fabric quality was not up to the mark and
thereby it was sold in an extremely cheaper rate. In fact, I should have been careful in buying the
jeans pant.
Part 3: Two-way-discussion
Let's talk about clothes...

Q. What kind of clothes do people in your country usually wear?
A: Fashion primarily depends on dresses and attires in Australia and there is no national costume
for the country. But the fashion style is quite different from the other nations like Europeans or
Western. Australian dresses are mostly causal. People usually prefer clothes based on their
climatic conditions, identity and lifestyle and the dresses are designed so. Women prefer short
sleeve dresses, jumpers, maxis, wrap dresses, collarless shirts, tops, skirts etc. with different
styles and they vary on occasions while the males put on polo shirts, jeans, formal shirts and
pants, suits, tie, jackets, trousers etc.
Q. How important is it to wear fashionable clothes in your country?

A: People here prefer comfort than fashion. The climatic conditions are one the best determiner
for your dress. For instance, if you are in winter, you cannot wear a half sleeve dress and get out
for any event, rather you are to take full sleeve dresses with proper cold preventing attires. When
it is hot in the summer, you are to wear light coloured dresses for your comfort. But the dresses
are fashionable and let you express yourself amid others.
Q. Do older people and younger people wear different coloured clothes?

A: Commonly the older people start preferring the light coloured dresses while the younger
people prefer the dark. It is a popular culture when people turn older, they start using light
coloured dresses to mark their superiority, and like the other youths of the world, and they use
dark and deep coloured attires.
Now let's talk about spending money on clothes...

Q. Are clothes expensive in your country?
A: The reasonable price has made the fashion in Australia a common fact for all to participate.
Almost all the people use clothes with different styles and designs and it is supported by the
lower price of attires comparing the other countries. You can get a fine quality pant and a shirt for
men spending around 200 dollars while it is less for the females.
Q. Do people wear more expensive clothes to work in your country?

A: Australian people are at work use casual dresses for comfortable working hours. Women in
Australia mostly wear skirts and tops with heeled sandals during their work unless there are any
special instructions issued by their respective offices. Males, in Australia, also follow the similar

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fashion with comfortable full sleeve shirts, tucked in with formal pants and shoes. Some
professionals wear expensive dresses in work places but a majority of Australian professionals
wear casual dressed that are not too much expensive.
Q. Do you think people spend too much money on clothes nowadays?

A: Currently people spending money for their clothes but it is not in an excessive amount. The
expenses in Australia are moderate comparing the income level of the citizens. There are many
other things to do for a standard living and the earnings are distributed to meet the daily needs of
the citizens. During the shopping, most of the people try to have the required things first and then
invest on their luxury. Similarly, if they need to have new garment, they seek the options to have
the best one within their estimated budget. So, there are fewer chances to spend more for clothes
as it is thought.

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#79: Describe an old person you admire
Describe an old person you admire.
You should say:

Who this person is
Where did you meet with him/her
What characteristics you most like on him/her
and explain why you admire this person.
Model Answer 1:
I have a senior friend. He is much older than I am and even he is senior to my parents. He is
almost in his 60s and passing the retirement days. He is Mr Rodrick – a neighbour living our next
door apartment. He is a former police official and now living his retired life with his family.
I first met with Mr Rodrick at the elevator when we newly bought the apartment many years ago.
I was in a rush to attend a social programme and thus was running to catch the elevator but
unfortunately, the elevator was going to be closed. Suddenly I noticed an older man smiling
inside the elevator while he was pressing the waiting button, for me. We got down together and
talked a little. He did not forget to invite me to his apartment.
Mr Rodrcik is the man of natural intelligence. He has very good observation quality. He has
developed the observation power when he was in the police force and that has helped him greatly
to succeed in the profession. His sharp intelligence is still helping him to enjoy his retirement
days.
I mostly admire him for his friendly behaviour which is currently unavailable among the senior
citizens like him. He has the ability to make friends within a few minutes. I have learnt many
important aspects from him and he shared his knowledge with me whenever I wanted to know
from him. He never turned irritated and the most important thing for my admiration on him is his
pleasant behaviour to all.
Cue Card Answer 2:
My grandmother is about 65 and I admire her a lot for the amiable and benevolent nature she
possesses. Her name is Samantha and she is a well educated and wise woman. I have a daughter
of 6 years old and I wish her to become a great person as my grandmother is.
I know my grandmother from the day I came to this world. In fact, she was there when I was
born. I grew up and passed my adolescent and young age with the love and affection of my

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grandmother. In fact, after my grandfather died, she started living in our house.
My grandmother is a highly talented person and a great mentor. Her affable characteristics and
helpful mentality are most attractive. Even a stranger can feel her great heart in few minutes. I
can recall several occasions when she took great risks to help others. She was a school teacher
until she retired and there are still so many students who write to her to show their respects and
affections.
Personally, I like her firm belief in humanity and an unquenchable thrust for learning and
reading. My father became a voracious reader only because of her. She is caring and emotionally
open. Above all, she is an ideal and successful mother. The other qualities she possesses are also
exemplary. These other qualities include truthfulness, confidence and fairness. I was quite
amazed in my early teenage when I found her taking the side of a neighbour against his own son
in a dispute. I have not met so many incorruptible, straight and morally upright humans.
I admire her from the deep down of my heart. I love to spend time with her because she is
intelligent and can give proper guidance. She is a reliable critic who often inspired me to work
harder. Her affection and caring is probably the main reason I admire and love her so much.
Tips for Idea generating for this cue card / candidate task card:
You can describe any old person you know about and respect. This can be your grandfather, a
neighbour or a teacher who is old. Some of the ideas are given below to help you generate your
own ideas to talk about this cue card topic:
Your grandfather.
Your grandmother.
A senior citizen who lives nearby.
An aged relative.
A senior teacher in your college or university.
A famous politician or writer in your country who is over 50 years old.
A relative of your friend who is a senior citizen.
A family member of a joint family who is old.
Useful Vocabulary to use while talking about this Cue Card Topic:
'Old person' Synonyms: Elderly person, senior citizen, old folk, senior person.
'Admire' Synonyms: Adore, respect, esteem, commend, revere, idolise, honour, hail.

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'Characteristics' Synonyms: Quality, personality trait, aspect, feature,

Some good characteristics of a human: Integrity in character, Sense of Humor,
Intelligence, Wisdom, Compassion, Empathy, Courageousness, Kindness, Generosity,
Emotionally openness, Benevolence, Discipline, Humanity, Amiable, Good behaviour,
Cooperative, Patience, Caring, Truthfulness, Commitment, Open minded, Affable, Courteous,
Forgiving, Impartial, Loving, Logical, Polite, Realistic, Strong-willed, Wisdom, Prudence,
Conscientious, Fairness, Charming, Encouraging & Nobility.
Part 3 : Details Discussion
Q. What average age is normal for retirement in your opinion?

A. I think the normal retirement age should be 65 years because the average life cycle in my
country is over 70 years and the people who got retired by their 60s may be able to contribute for
five years more if the age is increased. When they got retired, they have nothing much to instead
of remembering the past. But their hard earned expertise and experience might be used for the
further development of the society.
Q. What are the good things about being retired?

A. When someone is retired, there are few good things. Firstly they have enough time to think
over any issue to bring a positive change as most of the employed people are routine-bound and
rarely have time to ponder. Secondly, they are the pool of experience and they could use them to
meet their individual needs. Thirdly, the retired people have plenty of time and thus they could
use them in different productive activities.
Q. How does the government in your country treat the retired people?
A. The government of my state provides the retired people with different incentives. They have
health and medical allowance and special facilities in hospitals, they are awarded with different
other incentives like senior citizens allowance, priority and assistance in every task; for instance,
they get assistance even if they are in a queue of tickets for a bus ride and more other similar
issues.
Q. Can young specialist substitute the old ones who are in retirement in the workplace?
A. I do not think that the young specialist can substitute the skilled retired workforce. The young
are still in a learning process and lacks the maturity and expertise to execute a task smoothly. On
the other side, the retired people have performed that tasks probably hundred thousand times and
thus they have achieved excellence at their respective workplaces. So, it needs more time for the
young specialists to substitute the retired hands and in fact, it is not possible for the young to beat
the old in terms of executing respective tasks.
Q. What do you think is it necessary to give retirement to people? Why/ Why not?
A. In my individual opinion, it appears that the senior people need retirement after a certain age.
As human being, we have many limitations and thus we need to take rest. It is applicable for the

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retired people too. They may make accidental mistakes in their workplace if they are not retired
after a specific period. With the advancement of age, people start losing their working ability and
when they reach the limit, there are mistakes and accidents. So they need to go for retirement but
that should be done after a certain age.
Q. What are the pros and cons of being retired?

A. The most important benefit of retirement is that you will have plenty of time and no tension to
pass the remaining life, but people who are habituated to work cannot sit idle. There are some
people who do not work for earning their living only rather they need to work to remain alive.
They need to work for their mental stability and when they get retired, they suffer from mental
stress.

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#80: A Project At Work Or Homework Assignment
Describe a project that you were once involved in (for example, a project at work or a
homework assignment at school or university).
Model Answer 1:
During my student life, I had to participate in numerous team work projects, and having
disagreements with other team members was unavoidable. I would like to talk about a team
project that I was involved in during the junior year at university/to share with you my experience
when I disagreed with my friend.
There were two of us on the team, and our task was to invest in the simulation stock market. We
had to make decisions on choosing which stocks were profitable and worth our investment. Each
group‟s performance would be compared weekly and at the end of the semester, we would have
to present our project in front of the whole class.
The project was vital as it contributed 50% to our final results of that semester. Besides, being an
investor is really a challenging task, especially when the Vietnam stock market is volatile and
unpredictable. Two of us fought for days to decide which companies had showed the best
performance and promised a bright future on the stock market. My friend wanted to invest in a
real estate company while I thought that an investment in real estate at that time was an unwise
choice.
Despite our arguments, we completed the task on time and had an excellent group presentation.
From this experience, I learned that it is very hard to be a good team member. You would have to
know how to present yourself while fitting in the group and each person has to compromise to
achieve a common goal.
Prepared by Nhung (8.5 speaking IELTS)
Sample Answer 2:
Let me talk about the project I did in a team in the second year of my graduate school. Our tutor
gave us an assignment to review the server log of an international trade website and give a brief

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analytics using the data warehouse and data mining technology. We had three people in the team,
and I was the team leader. I allocated different tasks to different classmates, one was responsible
to extract the data from the database to the data warehouse, and the other one was to set up the
data model for analyzing. I was to analyze the final data set with a data mining software and
prepare the presentation.
The job was quite tough as this was our first time to do such assignment and we needed to
overcome various technique problems. For example, we had to use the Microsoft database
software to restore the data and write codes to manipulate the data transferring. Besides, the data
mining software was also new to us; we had to get ourselves familiar with it.
Our team spent three weeks to finish the work which we reckoned it as an authentic project in
corporation. Therefore we tried to learn the entire process of doing project, the demand analysis,
project design and implementation, and the documents. As well as that, we learned some useful
software and gained some coding experiences.

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#81: A Subject At School
“Describe a subject that you did not like in the past, but now you like it.”
You should say:
- What it was
- When you studied the subject
- Why you didn‟t like it before
- And explain why you have interest in it now.
Model Answer 1:
As a high school student, I learned a number of subjects. Among them, I was not really into
history at the first time. The reason was really simple: I disliked the teaching method of my
teacher. It was boring, and I will tell you why.
He was a lazy teacher, I thought. He just copied words, facts and figures from the book to the
board and made us to write down what he wrote. Then he told us to memorize all information if
we did not want to receive a low score for this subject. This made me and my classmates sick.
Later when I grew older, I had a chance to watch a movie about Vietnamese history. The movie
is about King Ly Cong Uan relocating the capital city from Ninh Binh to Hanoi more than a
thousand years ago. I really liked the film and realized that history is not as boring as I thought.
After that I managed to read more historical articles and watched more historical movies, and
now I am really interested in history.
I think the Ministry of Education should adjust the school curriculum or train teachers how to
deliver history lessons more successfully and attractively. Without any action, many Vietnamese
pupils still hold a negative attitude towards history.
Model Answer 2:
Well, I‟m afraid that the subject that I didn‟t like in my high school was physics. But I had to
learn it because of the exams, you know, it was one of the compulsory courses during the entire
middle school for six years.

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My physics teacher always tended to be demanding with us, he seemed like making the abstract
theory more obscure, and sometimes I didn‟t understand what my teacher had said, and he also
left endless homework to us, which really made me frustrated. I felt that physics was the most
challenging subject in the world.
Another reason was that there were too many abstract formulas I had to remember. You know, I
was not good at memorising things, so I often used the incorrect formula in the exams, and made
lots of mistakes and got low marks as a result. But after I grew up, I found that physics was a
really indispensable curriculum in the school education because it could help me develop the
logical and rigorous thinking pattern so that I sometimes found myself a critical thinker. Besides,
with the knowledge of physics, I‟m aware of many physical phenomenon round me, such as
optics, mechanism, which helps me understand the intrinsic principle of many devices.

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#82: A Person You Admire/Love
“Describe a person you love/like/admire”
You should say:
- What relation this person is to you

- What are your first memories of this person
- How often you see this person
- And explain why you really admire this person.
Band 9.0 Model Answer :
Generally, people may have admiration for a celebrity like a singer or an actor… but for me,
there is a person who is considered my role model… and now I would like to talk about my
manager.
About our relationship, as a student with little experience in tourism industry, it is lucky for me to
have a talented mentor at work… who keeps an eye on my professional training as well as daily
life matters.
I still remember the first time we got to know each other in the interview, when the conversation
was started in a formal manner, but ended up being just like an intimate chat between old friends,
because we shared so many common things in our interests and background. She struck me with
her politeness and a bright smile, by which my stress was slowly released.
Regarding the frequency that we keep in touch, due to my internship schedule that requires daily
presence at the office, I‟ve got plenty of chances to work with my mentor. She motivates me to
strengthen my skills, and never beats about the bush when it comes to criticism, so that my
performance can be enhanced. Specifically, she advises me never to let my English out of
practice, so that I can maintain my English at advanced level.
Lastly, I should also mention the reason why I admire my manager, well… she has many years of
experience in the industry…and deep understanding of my country‟s history, culture, and
geography… that may take aback anyone in the first meeting. With her passion in promoting
Vietnam‟s tourism, she is the perfect example of a diligent and passionate employee.
VOCABULARY AND COLLOCATIONS :

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Role model: a person looked to by others as an example to be imitated.

Intimate: familiar, close
Diligent: hardworking
Passionate: showing or caused by strong feelings or a strong belief.
Formal manner: when sth is done seriously
To keep an eye on: to keep under careful observation.
To keep in touch: to communicate
To strike sb with sth: to cause someone to feel a strong emotion suddenly
IDIOMS AND PHRASAL VERBS :
To beat about the bush: to discuss a matter without coming to the point.
Out of practice: not currently proficient in a skill due to not having exercised or performed it
for some time.
The sky is the limit: no limit
End up: finally
Take aback: make sb surprised

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#83: Describe a teacher from your past that you remember
Describe a teacher from your past that you remember.
You should say:

who the teacher was
what class the teacher taught you and how old you were
what the teacher‟s special qualities and characteristics were
and explain why you remember this teacher.
Model Answer 1:
When I was in my teenage, I had met one of the best personalities and the very best teachers in
my entire life. I was in the tenth grade of my secondary education at the high school. I was fifteen
when I met him first at my class. One day he entered into the class and we greeted the man with
the warmth of our heart as we heard many good stories about him earlier. He was our geography
teacher and gradually all of the students started being more attentive in the class.
I consider him as the best teacher in my life because of some specific reasons. Firstly, he was
highly punctual. I have not seen him making late for the classes. Secondly, he is like a friend to
the students. Each of the students considers him as their friends. Thirdly and finally the teaching
method he followed was outstanding. He rarely used books to teach us any topic. Frequently he
used graphical images to make the students‟ concepts clear over the geography.
Still in my middle age, I remember the teacher with great respect. He has shown me the way to be
successful in life. He advised me about some important facts of life and still I follow the advice. I
never make late for my office, I am sincere enough to execute the responsibilities assigned to me,
and the most important fact is that I do not lie to others. I was advised to follow the instruction by
my teacher and accordingly I have turned successful in my career and life.
Cue Card Answer 2:
I must have been very lucky to have some exemplary and influential teachers in my school and
college levels. Deciding whom I should describe was a tough choice for me as I recall many of
them who helped me a lot throughout my academic years. I would like to talk about Mr Stephen
who was one of the greatest teachers I have ever met and had been taught by.
Mr Stephen was our history teacher when we were in our 9th grade. I was around 14 years old
when I first met this teacher. He taught us our history subject in our school and he was quite a
brilliant teacher who inspired me a lot.

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He was tall - around 6 feet 2 inches and was quite amiable. The most important characteristics he
had was his exceptionally brilliant way of grabbing students‟ attention in his classes. I would not
be ashamed to say that there were some teachers who had higher degrees from very prestigious
universities but had been less successful to grab our attention or to make the lesson interesting.
While Mr Stephen was one of the teachers who made the time flies. He was quite affable to us
but he never allowed stubbornness of students. He was a living example of discipline and good
behaviours.
I particularly remember him because of his way of teaching and attention-grabbing quality. He
taught us history as if he was telling us some interesting stories. I was not that much interested in
history subject until I met this teacher. He taught us the important lessons we should learn from
the history and how this lessons should be utilised in our life. He made me curious to read history
books outside the academic syllabus and doing online research to learn more about the significant
historical events and figures. The knowledge I have about our history and our past is due to Mr
Stephen and that is why I will always be grateful to him. Though teaching is not a profession that
attracts me, but if I ever pick this profession, I would like to be a teacher like him.
Rounding off questions:
Q. Do you want to be a teacher someday?

A. Umm! not really. I have not given it that much thought. But among my many career plans,
entering in the teaching profession is not the one that ever attracted me.
Q. Why do we remember some people differently than others?

A. Well, in our life we come in contact with many people who affect us in many ways. I guess we
remember people whom we either like or dislike more than others. For instance, an unexpected
help from an unknown people might make us think about that person or event and as a result, we
remember him. The amount of time we spend with certain people, the things we do with them
and how they behave are in my opinion the determining facts for our memory either to remember
or forget them.
Idea Generation for this Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card Topic:
For this cue card topic, you can talk about any teacher that you can remember from your school,
college or university. You can also describe a home tutor who used to teach you.
Useful Vocabulary for describing this Cue Card:
Synonyms of 'Teacher': Instructor, master, tutor, mentor, educator, mistress (female), lecturer,
professor, coach, faculty member.

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Synonyms of 'Remember': Recall, recollect, think of, recognise, commemorate, remind.
Some special qualities and characteristics of a good teacher:

Punctuality, commitment, friendly, understanding each and every students in the class, an
engaging personality, supportive and encouraging, a great mentor, loud and clear while lecturing,
promote positive behaviors among students, sense of respect for others, open communication
with parents and students, helpful, attention grabber, encourage students, motivating, sense of
humor, sound knowledge of the school‟s curriculum, subject matter knowledge, invites questions
and feedback from students, establishes trusting relationships with students, adaptability,
creative, patient and empathetic.
Part 3 – Two-way discussion:
Q. What kind of person makes a good teacher?

A. Teaching is considered as the best profession in the world. The teachers help the students to
grow. So, to be a good teacher, one needs to be sincere and punctual. Moreover, vast subject
knowledge is also required or you cannot share knowledge with your students. Behaving gently
with the students is also a standard to be a good teacher.
Q. Why people choose to become teachers?

A. People mostly choose to be teachers because this is the profession which is praised across the
world. People always pay proper respect to a teacher regardless of geographical location.
Moreover, when the knowledge is spread among the students, the teachers receive an
unimaginable pleasure.
Q. Do you think education will change in the future? How?

A. We are in an advanced world and everything is changing. By the course of time education
may get gradual changes. The course curriculum and the text have already been changed
comparing to the texts of a decade back. Newer texts are included on the list and the range and
the numbers of textbooks are on the rise. So, I think that in near future education will experience
a notable change.
Q. How does technology affect education?

A. Education is affected by the use of technology, in some positive terms. Earlier, people had to
read books written on different sorts of paper. For some of the student, it was troublesome. But
the technological advancement, they now can read e-books and the teachers can use multimedia
tools for their classrooms where they teach the text using numerous graphical images or examples
and this method is easier for the students to learn.

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#84: Describe a person who has done a lot of work to help people
Describe a person who has done a lot of work to help people.
You should say:

who this person is/was
where this person lives/lived
what he/she has done to help people
and explain how you know about this person.
Model Answer 1:
Humanity is a highly admired virtue across the globe. Unfortunately, most of the people are not
possessed by the virtue rather most of them prefer to be busy with their own. But there were
some people who sacrificed their lives for the betterment of humankind selflessly.
Mother Teresa is one of the holy souls that have spent the entire life for the improvement of the
impoverished section of the society. Born in Macedonia, Mother Teresa was a missionary in
India. She was a Roman Catholic religious sister. She passed her early days in Yugoslavia and
consequently turned into a nun to serve the destitute.
Mother Teresa, the youngest child of Nikollë and Dranafile Bojaxhiu was born with the name -
Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, meaning little flower, in Skopje and she lived with her family in the
locality before all of them moved to Tirana in 1934. Her father was involved in local politics but
he died when she was of eight years old.
Mother Teresa, from her early life, was kind to the destitute people. It is also known that she
loved reading stories of missionaries and was amazed particularly for the service in Bengal.
Gradually she developed a determination to be a missionary and she was only 12 then. She
decided to lead a life for the others and follow the religious views to walk on the chosen path.
When she turned 18, she left her home to be a sister and join with the Sister of Loreto which
served as a missionary. She left her home forever and never met with her mother and sister again
in her life.
She learnt the English language to be applied in the continent she is travelling for helping the
people with the missionaries. Initially, she arrived in India as a teacher and she had to learn
Bengali too. She started teaching the Bengali speaking people. Observing the famine, misery and
religious violence among the people in Calcutta, she determined to change the situation.
She founded Missionaries of Charity, a religious institution to serve the destitute plying on the
streets of Calcutta. „Missionaries of Charity‟ has different initiatives for the poor, homeless,

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disease-affected people and the most important information is the services it offers are free of
costs.
Mother Teresa is a globally admired figure and even after her death, she is remembered with deep
respect. Numerous news and events have been created for her remembrance and I live adjacent to
her organisation – Missionaries of Charity. I have seen the good initiatives undertaken by the
organisation. So, Mother Teresa and her institution are more familiar to me than any other thing
in the town.
Model Answer 2:
China is one of the largest and most populated countries of the world but health services are not
accessible equally for everyone in the country. On the contrary, some people are relentless to
provide medical facilities to the impoverished people, and Mr. Gui Junjie is one of those great
personalities.
Mr. Juinjie is a doctor by profession and loves to serve the people of all classes. But the majority
of his patients are poor and they cannot even pay his fees as well. He loves to serve them and
when asked about this habit, he has a simple reply that it was his moral duty to serve the people
who are in need of health care. Sometimes he arranges for necessary medications of his patients
who are unable to buy them.
Mr. Juinjie lives in a corner of the main street in the city of Hangzhou in Zhejiang Province
located in east China. I am quite familiar with his simple living and lifestyle for long. He is
solvent enough to lead a luxurious life but his day to day life is so simple that he even does not
have a car and instead uses a bicycle to move in the city. On the other sides, all of his mates have
started leading fascinating lifestyle as they charge their patients more and more. But Mr. Juinjie is
completely different and the only man I have seen ever that did not run after money.
Basically, Mr. Juinjie is an M.B.B.S doctor and has some special training in surgery and dentistry
together. So, he is able to deal with almost all types of diseases and if he fails to treat the patients,
he refers them to some other places where they could have the treatment at a reasonable cost. He
has a two-storied building that he inherited from his father and has launched a small nursing
centre at the ground floor of the building where he performs the minor surgeries and usually
meets with the patients at his chamber which is located just aside the surgery room on the same
floor. He has done a varied number of things for the local people and the most important issue is
that he is available for everyone and at any time of the day which has made him unique. His
prescriptions contain comparatively fewer medicines and are filled with more advice.
When I was a kid of seven or eight, I had fallen ill and my parents took me to Mr. Juinjie for
treatment. I recovered the illness shortly and came to know that he prescribed me some simple
medicines. Since his chamber is just in the opposite direction of my residence, I have the chance

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to meet him twice or thrice in a day while returning home from my colleges and listen to different
stories – how he helped saving lives, served lots of people in different parts of the city and much
more of his past experiences. I believe he is one of the greatest persons I have ever met in my
life.
Part 3: Detail Discussion:
Helping other people in the community
Q. What are some of the ways people can help others in the community? Which is most
important?
A. There are many other ways to help people living in a community or society. The notable
helping ways are showing kindness to others, assist in doing something regardless of the task
shape or size, behaving in a courteous manner, provide support in mental distress, be with them
during their sorrowful events, sharing the joys, offering voluntary services to the social
organizations or during social events, arranging employment for the unemployed (if possible),
lending money in soft-terms during distress or supporting with foods, help to get justice etc. But
the most important thing, I believe, is to arrange for an employment. There is a proverb – Give a
man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Q. Why do you think some people like to help other people?

A. People who are kind and soft-hearted usually love to help others. They find a sort of good
feelings inside their mind when they could help someone in danger or misery. They are on the
view that they are performing some good deeds and in return, they will get that back. There are
theories that everything is round. If you do well of others it will come to you unexpectedly, and if
you do bad things that will hurt you too, unexpectedly. But most of the people who do well to
others are not the theory-believers. They do it selflessly and enjoy the satisfaction of sacrifice.
Q. Some people say that people help others in the community more now than they did in the
past. Do you agree or disagree? Why?
A. The range of good deeds has increased in the society comparing the past. Earlier, people had
not the necessity to mix with people as they are socialising now with the demand of time. So, as
they are socialising more, they are experiencing the necessity of others and accordingly providing
support to the distressed. But, a few decades back, people lived in a constricted loop and their life
was limited to specific people or community consisted of very few members. So, they did not
have the chance to help others in the community as they have today.
Community Services
Q. What types of services, such as libraries or health centres, are available to the people
who live in your area? Do you think there are enough of them?
A. In my area, we do have health centres but we need libraries more. We have a single library
and the books are insufficient for the increasing readers. At times it appears that the number of

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patients is on the rise and people are forgetting to meet their thirst for knowledge in the fast-
paced age. Thereby, the health centres are on the rise while the libraries are on a decline. Mostly
the young people, in the evening, pass their time on the library by reading books. So, the number
of libraries needed to be increased and the existing one should b enriched with books and other
reading materials.
Q. Which groups of people generally need the most support in a community? Why?
A. Women, children and the old people are the most vulnerable section of a society or
community. They need more support in a community than other for their vulnerable nature. For
instance, if there is an earthquake, the aforesaid section should be prioritised regarding escape or
taking shelter to a safer place as they cannot move like men. Besides, disease resistance power is
lower among them comparing the male members of a society. So, they should be allowed to get
advantages in hospitals or other health-related services. The feeble nature has made them
dependent on others and the issue should always be kept in mind regarding behave with them.
Q. Who do you think should pay for the services that are available to the people in a
community? Should it be the government or individual people?
A. Only the government or any individual cannot run a community service alone. The expenses
are increasing rapidly and thus the maintenance cost is turning higher day by day. So, the people
who are taking the services should also contribute on the sectors so that everyone could get
smooth services. For instance, the health centers provide different vaccines and it may happen
that a certain vaccine price has gone up which is beyond the budget. So, if the other service
receivers contribute a portion of the annual of monthly budget of the health center, the vaccine
will be affordable to all. So, I think the government, the individuals and the beneficiaries should
pay for the services.

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#85: Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood
Describe a friend of your family you remember from your childhood.
You should say:

who the person was
how your family knew this person
how often this person visited your family
and explain why you remember this person.
Model Answer 1:
I had to grow up in a large family with my parents and their intimate relatives living an entire
apartment block in New York. My father had a friend who was like a family friend in my family
and I was the dearest one for him in my childhood. He used to visit our house frequently.
John Richardson, the man with long black hair and a tall figure is the family friend of my family.
He had long hairs and he loved to keep the hairs long, and sometimes made a ponytail with a
rubber band, and lived near of our apartment located in a corner of Manhattan in New York City.
He was highly welcomed when he arrived at our home and even my grandpa also admired him in
his absence if he needed to provide any example of intelligence. Mr John Richardson was the
man whom every one of my family sought for support during their distress, sometimes I also had
to take his support for my academic purposes, and he was truly an intelligent, smart and attractive
person I have ever seen with an adventure seeker look. His smartness was a divine gift, I guess.
I do not have the exact idea how he was related to our family as after my birth I have seen him
meeting the people in our house regularly. Therefore, I tried to discover the fact and finally came
to know this that uncle John‟s father was my grandpa‟s intimate friend and their friendship
started when the two were at school in their childhood in Minnesota. Uncle John‟s father lived
the next house to my grandpa‟s house there. Thus, two of the kids of the two families (my father
and Uncle John) started close interactions together. Gradually they grew matured, shifted in New
York, got married, started their family, and have their own kids. Interestingly they formed a deep
sense of friendship from their childhood and they are maintaining the relation very well. As a
result, the older boy John Richardson of Roland Nathan becomes the most intimate friend of Jack
Rozario (my father), the older son of Abel Rozario. It is the brief history of his being intimate
with my family.
Uncle John uncle was a businessman and has engaged himself in the same activities for long
years. The most interesting thing about Uncle John is that he does not have a schedule to visit our
home. He has become like a family member of our family who lives the next door from us.

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Moreover, whenever someone of my family needs his help or suggestion, s/ he informs him about
the issue over the telephone and then he comes at the same day or night with an attractive
solution. If he needs a secret meeting with my father over any of his internal issues, he comes at
midnight, sits at the living room talks as long as they need and goes away silently without
disturbing anyone. I have counted that he visits our house over 15 times in a week in an average.
Now time has changed and I have been matured while my parents are turning older gradually. All
of their hairs have turned grey with the advancement of age and it is similar to Uncle John. In my
30s, I still remember Uncle John most for his extraordinary intelligence, kindness and simple
ways of living. He used to come at our house mostly to resolve the issues we could not mitigate
by ourselves. But I was the dearest thing for him in the entire house and he never forgot to bring
something for me, especially chocolates and cookies each of the time he arrived at the house. As
he had no kids, I was like his own kid to him. However, the solutions he provided were simple
and everyone was happy with the solutions. Even I also had to contact him for one of my
personal issues in my school life (I had a bad figure in math during my 9th grade) and he directed
me a way that saved me from being lectured badly from my parents.

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Sample Answer 2:
Alia Nur is my mother‟s best friend and I am familiar with her since my birth. She is one of the
most familiar individuals whom I have been observing since my childhood at the family. She has
turned like a family member as well.
Aunt Alia Nur is the woman of around 40 and she has three kids. She loves to meet people and
share her feelings and emotions with them. But she is also a woman of great heart and comes
forward in the distress of her surroundings. During my birth, she was the leading individual who
did everything for my mum. She is a teacher in her profession and teaches history in a local
school.
As far I came to know about aunt Alia that she was my mother‟s school friend. The friendship
between by mother and her grew up long ago and they have been maintaining it even today.
Whenever it is any occasion or festival in Malaysia, my mum sends gifts for her and at the same
time, she also sends gifts and other necessary stuff for my family. In fact, she has become one of
the most prominent members of my family that my parents took her recommendations even
before taking any minor decisions. On the other side, she also invites us at her residence
frequently to attend in her family functions. Her husband is also an amicable person and is nice
with us like her.
My mother keeps regular contact with aunt Alia. In fact, she (aunt Alia) visits our residence at
least twice in a day. When she sets out for her school, she does not miss the chance to have a cup
of tea with my mum and in the evening, after her return from the school, she comes to share the
events of the day with mum. My mum, being a traditional housewife, is not connected with the
outer world and aunt Alia is probably the only source for her to get to know the world. Both of
the friends share a large number of things and they enjoy a lot. I have seen that both of them
share a very strong bond between them and the relation is unbreakable.
I remember her even today as she is still keeping contacts with us. Now she is in the USA with
her family but the bond with her is still the same. When she left the country, it was really a
pathetic event for us all. It appeared that we are losing the dearest one of our family. But the
geographical distance has not separated her from us rather the bond is strengthening gradually.
Now my mum and aunt Alia communicates using the social networking sites and exchange their
views and opinions. I, with my sisters also take part in the communication and make lots of fun.
Now, all of my family members are eagerly waiting for their annual visit in the country.
Friendship:
Q. What do you think makes someone a good friend to a whole family?

A. Friendship is the bonding between people who are not related with blood. But friendship is an
eternal bondage and been being practised from time immemorial. To be a good friend, one need

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to possess some specific and special qualities and if someone tries to be a family friend, they
need to demonstrate the qualities like honesty, sincerity, generosity, respecting others‟ feelings
etc. The most important thing is that the person should be well behaved and mannered and have
to adjust with the people of all classes in the society. To be the friend of a whole family, one has
to observe the attitudes and behaviours of the family members and has to reflect the behaviours
and attitudes accordingly.
Q. Do you think we meet different kinds of friends at different stages of our lives? In what
ways are these types of friend different?
A. Life has different stages and we have to meet different people in the stages we experience. But
all the people we meet are not the same always. It is quite natural to be different. All the people
do not belong to the same class or category and their backgrounds are different. So, it is wise not
to expect the same behaviour from all the people. For instance, when we are at school in a
particular locality, we meet with kids having almost the similar background of us. When we are
at college or university goers, we meet different sorts of people who came from a diversified
background. Moreover, when we are at work, the scenario is different. The people are different in
terms of nature, behaviour and attitudes. The senses for common use are not the same for all of
them.
Q. How easy is it to make friends with people from a different age group?
A. Usually, friendship is built on the early days of life and the range of making friends is almost
closed when the academic learning is finished. But friendship could also be built in workplaces
too if there are suitable minds. But most of the times friendship could not be made after the
teenage but it may happen that you have a nice and friendly relation with the other people but
friendly relations never refers that they are your friends. It is very easy for the young people to
make friendship in their early days but it is difficult for the adults to make friendship with the
people of their similar age.
Influence of friends:
Q. Do you think it is possible to be friends with someone if you never meet them in person?
A. This is advanced age and many of our real life tasks are done virtually and using few mouse
clicks. To be a friend, one does not need to be physically present with the other part to make a
friendship. Using different social communication platforms, we could easily make friendship
with the other people living in different parts of the world. They do not need to meet every day in
person to share their feelings and emotions. Rather they are communicating easily using the
social communication platform features like chatting or messaging, sharing their pictures etc. As
a result, the necessity of meeting physically every day or after a specific period appears to be less
important.
Q. Is this real friendship?

A. Real friendship is the thing that is not available everywhere. A real friend is a friend who is
always with friends regardless the situations being good or bad. Now a day the number of real
friends has been limited. The friend who will be with you in your sufferings is your real friend. It

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may happen that a friend of your social networking site has appeared during your stressful
moments to support you then the friend should be considered as a real one. It also happens that
the people with whom you have grown up leaves you in your danger, they are not real. So, the
issue of real friendship is similar to the theory of relativity.
Q. What kind of influence can friends have on our lives?

A. Friends are the part and parcel of our lives. We cannot actually do without them in different
situations of our life. We need their support and sometimes we support them in their needs.
Sometimes people are highly influenced by the friends. They adopt different attitudes and
behaviours regardless of the quality of their friends and exercise in their everyday life. Moreover,
a friend owns the ability to show the way to prosperity to the other friends. Both the positive and
negative impacts could be imposed by the friends and it is the duty of us to pick the right one to
march ahead in our life.
Q. How important would you say it is to have friends from different cultures?
A. Friends from different cultures are invaluable wealth for us. It is impossible for an outsider to
learn about any specific ethnic group or about their culture unless the group or community allows
(in fact achieving such permission is one of the daunting and toughest tasks). So, if someone has
a friend from different cultures, it becomes easier to know about the rules and regulations of the
culture. People usually trust their friends much. If you ask your friend about the norms and trends
of their societies based on your usual curiosity, s/ he will describe the issues without any
hesitation as you are a friend of him or her. But it is almost impossible for a stranger to collect
the information so easily.

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#86: Describe a restaurant that you enjoyed going to
Describe a restaurant that you enjoyed going to.
You should say:

where the restaurant was
why you chose this restaurant
what type of food you ate in this restaurant
and explain why you enjoyed eating in this restaurant.
Model Answer 1:
Food is the key element for every human being for the survival on the earth but not every food is
that much tasty or applicable for all ages of people. Besides, preparation of the foods is also
another issue for consideration. In my city, Mumbai, I have a favourite restaurant that offers
different types of prepared food.
As I am a food-lover, I like to taste foods from different parts of the city and every weekend I
start peeping at different restaurants. I taste all types of foods and finally I turn into a regular
client for the best one. The restaurant named Zodiac Grill is located at the lobby level of the Taj
Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai. It is located almost at the centre are of the city and thus easily
accessible for all.
I liked the restaurant most for different reasons. The first and important cause is its decoration.
The entire restaurant is decorated with zodiac signs (the sign also belongs to me) and the sitting
arrangement was superb. Moreover, I was in love when I had the delicious smoked salmon before
me. In other restaurants, I did not have the fish in a smoked form and the taste was excellent.
Besides, the service was also fantastic. I had experienced delays and other sorts of problems in
other places where I went to have my meals, but here I had no such troubles. Everything was in
order and I was served with the necessary services even before asking for help. The best thing
about the restaurant is its multi-national cuisine. The foods are truly superb!
When I first went to the restaurant, I ordered a tasting menu. It was a smoked salmon and caviar.
The preparation of the foods took short moments than the regular hours and the serving method
was praiseworthy too. I also ordered for tiger prawn and also took some vegetables too. When I
ordered a chicken menu, I found that nothing could be compared to the item and it was prepared
as the way that the meats were melting immediately I took them into my mouth.
Foods are the keys to our life. For a healthy life, we need to have foods and it should be tasty too.
I have taken foods almost all of the restaurants in Mumbai but none of those could be compared
to the foods I have had at the Zodiac Grill. When I entered the restaurant, I was welcomed and

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treated like a King of the state. When I ordered the items, they arrived within 15 minutes of the
order placement which amazed me most. The surrounding decoration of the restaurant is adorable
and the foods belong to the finest quality and the prices are reasonable. Thereby, I enjoyed eating
at the restaurant.
Cue Card Answer 2:
I am a food-lover and most of the time spend my evening leisure hours in different restaurants in
the city with my buddies. As a result, I have visited almost all the restaurants but I find the
Diners‟ Café as the best one.
The restaurant was located in the centre of the city and half an hour journey from my residence.
Generally, people visited the restaurant as this was located at a prime location of the city and
there was a bus stand adjacent to it as well. As a result, it always remained crowded. The key
attractive matter for the restaurant was that it offered some of the most delicious foods of the city
like tasty kebabs, parathas, biriyani, tikka, zarda, jelabi, mutton paya, chicken tandoori, dosa, daal
chana, soft beverages, tea and coffee, and much more.
Foodie people have a sharp sense of smell and they could figure out event the ingredients used in
the preparation of the meals. I am blessed with that extraordinary smelling power and most of the
times I have found that the foods I took in other restaurants were prepared by wasted materials.
Sometimes I had found that the foods were rotten as well. So, I made a list of restaurants to be
avoided and added those on the list. But when I came here to participate at a party, I found the
foods are up to the mark and the service was outstanding. Besides, there were a wide variety of
foods here and within a reasonable price. Sitting arrangement inside the restaurant is also smart.
The restaurant provides almost all the common foods of the region and some of them are the
most popular ones. The restaurant is opened from morning till late night and caters the needs of
the customers all the time of the day. I went in the evening and had some foods like chicken tikka
kebab with ruti and also enjoyed their breakfast. They sell tandoor rutis with nehari, beef, mutton
paya and daal during breakfast while they also have some other types of dishes for breakfast like
hotchpotch, chicken soups etc. I have not taken any lunch at the restaurant as I prefer to take
lunch at home but they have some mouthwatering dishes for lunch. The fish fries are charming
and they provide fresh fishes and other meats to the customers. I think the crowd increases in the
evening and the rooftop of the restaurant gets filled with food aromas.
Saying goes that foods are the fuels for our body. If there are no or less fuel, the body will shut
down, shortly. So, to provide the fuel, we need the best foods so that the body gets the right
nutrients. By the same time, the foods should also be prepared in cleaner and healthy
environment. the majority of the restaurants in the country have disgusting kitchen scenarios. But
the kitchen of this particular restaurant is cleaner and the chefs are well equipped with tools and
cooking materials. They know how to cook and thus the tastes turn absolutely exceptional. So, I

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enjoyed eating here and often come back to test the juicy kebabs!
Part 3 - Detail Discussion / Two-way discussion:
Restaurants:
Q. Why do you think people go to restaurants when they want to celebrate something?
A. A celebration of something requires lots of preparations and the people who are to celebrate
remains busy all the time of the celebration only for the preparation purposes. So, it is a very
common issue that they cannot have the moments to enjoy the events. The most important thing
of any celebration is its foods and those need to be prepared in huge amount which is almost
impossible to make at home. Thereby, the idea to hold the events at restaurants has emerged.
Restaurants are the places where foods are prepared for a large number of people and
accommodate a notable number of guests at the same time which is, in fact, impossible at home.
So, people are tending to go to restaurants during their celebration.
Q. Which are more popular in your country: fast food restaurants or traditional
restaurants?
A. Currently, the countrymen are preferring foods out of home mostly because of their business
and most of the time they are to remain out of the home. But they are health conscious and do not
prefer taking foods at the fast food restaurants. Thereby, they take foods from the traditional
restaurants. Moreover, the adult people are habituated with the traditional foods and they go for
the traditional restaurants but a part of the young generations take foods from the fast food
restaurants.
Q. Why do you think that is?

A. It happens mostly due to the business of the people and sometimes people want to change their
tastes. Besides, people are at times influenced to take foods at any specific restaurants by the
advertisements or recommendations of other people.
Q. Some people say that food in an expensive restaurant is always better than food in a
cheap restaurant – would you agree?
A. It is an important fact that foods at restaurants are sometimes expensive but there are some
cheap restaurants are available too. But there is a basic difference between the foods. The foods
of the expensive restaurants are of the finest quality and the culinary is neat and clean. Moreover,
the serving is also praiseworthy at those restaurants. But none of the facilities is available in the
cheap restaurants and the foods are prepared in an unhealthy environment. So, it is imperative to
take foods at a standard restaurant considering the food quality and environment even if you are
charged more.
Producing Food:
Q. Do you think there will be a greater choice of food available in shops in the future, or

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will there be less choice?

A. Foods are available everywhere but all of the elements are not edible for all ages of people.
However, to meet the needs of the growing population and diversified demand, nowadays
different foods are invented and processed. The newly invented foods are yummy too. So, in near
future, the range of foods will be increased and the shops will start selling different types of foods
for the customers.
Q. What effects has modern technology had on the way food is produced?
A. Earlier, foods were produced at home using hands. But in the current days, there are different
devices available to produce foods without the touch of hands. Moreover, the restaurants also use
the tools to improve the food quality. People use to bake cakes using different cooking pots and
placed them on cooking ovens, but now the electric oven has solved the complexities. Besides,
much other technological advancement has been made in cooking and as a result, the foods are
produced in a short time.
Q. How important is it for a country to be able to grow all the food it needs, without
importing any from other countries?
A. Usually, a country cannot grow all the necessary food elements to meet the needs of its
citizens for different reasons and the geographical feature is the prominent one. As a result, the
state needs to import from the world market or from any specific country. It requires lots of time
and investment and sometimes the imported foods do not belong to the desired quality and may
also get damaged during transportation. So, if the country could grow all the food stuff, it would
be able to save money and labour, and the foods and grains will remain fresh and edible.

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#87: Describe an open-air or street market
Describe an open-air or street market which you enjoyed visiting.
You should say:

Where the market is
What the market sells
How big the market is
and explain why you enjoyed visiting this market.
Model Answer 1:
Vietnam has numerous tourists‟ spots to visit by the global people and thus the number of
markets has also increased to meet the increasing demands. But the open markets (commonly
known as outdoor markets) are the traditional marketplaces in the country for shopping. It is like
a culture to shop under the open air.
There are few open air markets available in Saigon (officially known as Ho Chi Minh City) and
those are different from the other contemporary markets. Both the natives and the global tourists
come here to buy their essentials at a reasonable cost. The markets of Saigon are well organised
and the products are flawless.
This open-air market sells a large variety of stuff including goods produced in local factories and
imported goods. The available products of this market are clothing, belts, bags including large
and small such as handbags, electronic products, shoes, cell phones, food stores, hairdressing,
branded attires, suits, dresses made by the finest silk and other valuable materials and more other
stuff. But most of the time the prices are more than the actual price even in the shopping malls, so
the buyers need to bargain with the sellers to get the products at a lower price.
The markets are considerably bigger in size and houses numerous shops and stalls. In Saigon
city, there are several districts and each of the districts has one openair market. The markets are
stretched in lines and one cannot see the end of the line due to the crowd and goods-laden shops.
But there are some categories among the shops and you have to go to a specific lane to get your
essentials.
Usually, I buy my daily essentials and important knick-knacks from the open air markets. I like
the markets as they have many varieties to provide with and the most important feature of the
markets is the bargaining option with the sellers. At times, I bargain with them and purchase the
finest quality product for me at a very lower and unimaginable cost which would cost me over
thousands of bucks at the shopping malls.

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Besides, the goods sold in the market belong to top-class in terms of quality and producing
materials. Moreover, the sellers are friendly with me as I have turned into a regular client for
some of the specific shops like electronic gadgets, covers for my iPhone etc.
'Nakamise Shopping Street' is an excellent street market in Tokyo, Japan that I visited 3-4 years
back and I enjoyed my shopping and the traditional shops located there. I went there with my
husband and 8 years old daughter and my daughter loved this place so much that she took many
photos of this market and still tell her friends about her experience there.
This beautiful and lively pedestrian street has numerous gorgeous looking shops which sell
various items including wooden sandals, wooden dolls, Japanese clogs, colored papers, postcards,
all sorts of Japanese souvenirs, traditional snacks such as kaminari-okoshi, kind of foods that are
associated with festivals, various classic Japanese food and many more items that mainly targets
the tourists. When I was there, I noticed a huge crowd of foreign tourists who were shopping or
dining there.
As I heard from a local shop owner, this market is about 250 meters long and the front approach
to Senso-ji Temple and this is one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan with attracts a great
number of tourists each year.
My whole experience of my visit to this street market was stirring and full of surprises.
Especially my daughter‟s excitement made this place worth visiting. We bought some traditional
goods from this market, took lots of photos and ate our dinner there. The traditional meal that we
ate was totally exotic to us and indeed very tasty. The Senso-ji Temple that we visited was also
very exciting and it revealed a past Japanese history in front of us. As a tourist, I had lots to see
and do there and that‟s the main reason the experience was so happy and exciting. The prices of
items we bought were reasonable and we had a whole picture of Japanese history and tradition
from this market. Though it‟s been over 3-4 years, many items that we bought from this market
are still kept in our house.
Part 3: Discussion topics:
Shopping at markets
Q. Do people in your country enjoy going to open-air markets that sell things like food or
clothes or old objects? Which type of market is more popular? Why?
A. The people of my country usually shop their necessaries from the open-air markets. It is like a
culture for them to visit the markets once a day. So, it seems they enjoy much in shopping in
those markets more than shopping at the concrete-build shopping malls. The shopping malls are
popular among the top class people but most of the ordinary people like to visit the open markets

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for some specific reasons. The first cause is that a large variety of a single product is available
there which is not found at the attractive shopping malls. Besides, the sellers in the shopping
malls have no bargaining policy which is practised and the common feature at the open markets.
Q. Do you think markets are more suitable places for selling certain types of things? Which
ones? Why do you think this is?
A. The markets are visited by most of the commoners and they are on their way to home. So,
those places are suitable to sell certain types of things like small electronic gadgets, hair cut
facilities, clothes for common use etc. The things are sold in the open markets as the products and
things are frequently used and thus get damaged soon, but the people do not care about using
those with care as they are less expensive comparing to the shopping malls and available in the
open markets.
Q. Do you think young people feel the same about shopping at markets as older people?
Why is that?
A. In fact, the feelings of shopping differ from generation to generation in the country. The
feelings of the old and adults are not the same for several reasons over using any product. When
they are at the market, the adults may start recalling their past over any specific product – how it
was, how they used the product etc. But it is entirely different for the younger people because
they have no memories to recall any product as they are the fresh users of the products.
Moreover, the choices may also differ from the older people for the age-group distance and gap.
Shopping in general
Q. What do you think are the advantages of buying things from shops rather than markets?
A. If you buy something from a shop, it could be easier for you to check the thing rightly before
you finally purchase that. But in markets, you might not have that chance to check the thing
properly and the sellers at the markets may turn reluctant to change the product or service.
Moreover, if you want hassle-free shopping and without bargaining, shops are the best places for
you rather than markets. Another difference between these two places is the prices of the
products.
Q. How does advertising influence what people choose to buy? Is this true for everyone?
A. Advertisements have great influences on the people. If someone is looking for any specific
product at a shop or a market, s/he will look for the thing that they had seen on advertisements in
different media. The advertisements subconsciously influence people to buy specific products.
There is none who could avoid the influence.
Q. Do you think that any recent changes in the way people live have affected general
shopping trends?
A. Yes, definitely the lifestyle, socioeconomic conditions and advertising have greatly changed
people's habit of shopping. Currently, the people have started for branded products and thus the
markets are also providing them with the desired items. The changes are notable and it is done by
advertisements. While people in the past mostly purchased products and goods they needed,

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people nowadays purchase more than they actually need. The range of necessity has also
enhanced to a great extent.
#88: Describe a place you went to which was full of colours
Describe a place you went to which was full of colours.
You should say:

Where it was
Why you went there
What you did there
and explain why you think that place was made so colourful.
Model Answer:
I live near the Skagit Valley and the place remains colourful almost round the year, and the
colours change with the seasonal changes. But the colours are more flamboyant and attractive
during the Tulip Festival in fall.
The Skagit Valley is a highly charming attraction and located in a prominent place between
Seattle and Washington in the USA. Skagit River is the life of the valley and has crossed the
locality in a snake-like shape. It is in the north-west corner of Washington, a few kilometres away
from my residence. The valley takes different colours in different seasons. To observe the valley
perfectly, you are to visit during the winter. Hiking or riding a ferry is the best way to enjoy the
colourful valley. Migrant birds of different types and colours visit the valley during the season.
During the spring season, the tulips bloom across a long-filed which is another colourful
attraction for the tourists. April is the best month to observe the tulips in their brightest colour
and I hope to visit the valley in the next fall to observe the tulips only.
Skagit Valley is an eye-catching place and many of the global tourists visit the place only to
enjoy its natural beauty. I also went there to enjoy the natural scenes and beauties of the valley.
The valley is a unique one and filled with different colours. The environment is highly colourful
that attracts the mind and the activities undertaken at the valley are incredible and remarkable as
well. Many of my friends have paid their visits at the valley but I could not manage time with
them to be there. So, I planned my visit the Skagit Valley with my family members and the trip
also aimed to make the other junior members of the family aware of this natural beauty spot in
the state.

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There are many things to do for the tourists and we made lots of fun. We participated in both the
indoor and outdoor activities and particularly the kids were the key participants in all the events.
We started hiking in the valley. Then we watched the wildlife of the valley and the kids were
truly contented with the animals and birds under the open sky. Moreover, some of my family
members rode on beach bikes and the other rode on canoe. I preferred fishing most but could not
catch a single fish within the fishing time. One of the kids wanted to have skiing but I did not
allow him to do that as he is too young to go with the ski board. We also visited the museum
during our return from the valley and truly it was an awesome experience for us all.
The place was too colourful. The environment was charming and the natural colours were eye
soothing. The birds were of different colour, the tulips were attractive for their extraordinary
shades and the people visiting the valley also worn dresses of different attractive and unusual
colours. Everything formed a sense of exceptional and sensual colour around. The trees in the
National Park were breathtaking green, the deep blue water on the beach, the flowers, birds and
small animals, lighting of different colors at the shopping centers, ripe and green crops at the
fields everything is merged with the nature and thus the nature has created a colorful environment
at the valley.
Idea Generation for this IELTS Cue card topic:

For this cue card topic, you can talk about a place you know/ visited which is naturally colourful/
colourfully decorated. Sometimes a colourful appearance is given to a place for a festival and
you can also talk about it.
Some ideas are given below and you should be able to pick one of it and develop your own
answer:
Colourful places:
India:
Valley of Flowers National Park, India.
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai, India.
The Tulip Garden, Srinagar, India.
China:
Five Flower Lake, China.
Yuanyang County, China.
Red Sea Beach, China.
Luoping, China.
Canola Flower Fields - Yunnan, China.
Guilan Rice Fields - Longji, China.
Zhangye Danxia, China.
Panjin Red Beach, China.

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Japan:
Hitsujiyama Park, Japan.
Kawachi Fuji Gardens, Japan.
Hokkaido, Japan.
Hitachi Seaside Park - Japan.
Mount Fuji Base - Japan.
Australia:
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia.
Shark Bay, Australia.
Lake Hillier in Australia.
Canada:
Alberta, Canada.
Montreal Botanical Garden - Canada.
Netherlands:
Tulip fields in the Netherlands.
Keukenhof Park - Netherlands.
De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands
England:
Cornwall, England.
Switzerland:
Braunwald, Switzerland.
Russia:
Saint Basil's Cathedral, Moscow, Russia.
Norway:
Longyearbyen, Norway.
Bergen, Norway.
France:
Lavender fields in France.
Provence, France.
Colombia:
Caño Cristales River, Colombia.
Namibia:
Namaqualand, Namibia.
Scotland:
Glen Brittle - Scotland.
Greece:
Santorini, Greece.
Italy:
Cinque Terre, Italy.

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Burano, Italy.
Vietnam:
Cao Dai Cathedral, Vietnam.
Argentina:
Hornocal Mountains, Argentina.
La Boca, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
South Africa:
Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, South Africa
Colourful Festivals:
Holi festival, India and worldwide.
Yi Peng Festival, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Carnival, Venice, Italy.

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#89: Describe a trip which was not up to your expectations
Describe a trip which was not up to your expectations.
You should say:

where you went
what you did
what happened
and explain why it was not up to your expectations.
Model Answer 1:
A study tour is one of the best ways to make students learn about the real life scenarios and
issues. It is the best way to earn knowledge practically. During my college tenure, I went for a
study tour in Agra in India to visit the Taj Mahal, one of the World Heritage sites of the world.
Agra, located in Uttar Pradesh, is a great tourist spot in India and mostly famous across the globe
for the legendary Taj Mahal.
We went to the spot for the purpose of learning about the structure and histories behind the
beautiful marble made building and Mughal Empire in India. It is in fact, a tomb and made in the
remembrance of the memory of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.
Located at the western bank of Yamuna River, the structure is the considered as the mausoleum
of love.
We entered the compound following a queue and gazed amazingly towards the finest structure of
the world. But some of the issues were unpleasant to me. First of all the colour of the building
was faded and seemed a bit of yellowish too for the pollutions in the surrounding areas.
I thought that the surrounding locations will be clean and free from hawkers but the view was just
opposite to my thought and it seemed that the ideas of a calm environment mocked me in the
crowd. Most of the people were engaged into clicking their images instead of enjoying the beauty
of the Taj. Moreover, the number of guides to help visit the area properly was inappropriate. The
authority is taking a higher price for entrance tickets but not paying attention to make the
compound clean and clear. I also expected that I might find Taj Mahal in its best state as the
Indian government is taking care of the structure, but the care was limited by some sign posts
ignored by the visitors. People spat here and there, threw waste materials on the walking paths
and some other similar activities made me frustrated.

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Cue Card Answer 2:
Last year I went to visit Tower of London and it was a long and monotonous tour for me. I had to
wait a couple of hours to barely catch a glimpse of the famous Crown Jewels. It was a study tour
and our college authority decided to take us to the Tower of London as part of the yearly
excursion. Tower of London is actually a Royal Palace and Fortress which is a historic castle
situated on the north bank of the River Thames in central London.
The tour went wrong from the very beginning. One of our teachers got sick and he could not join
us and my best buddy did not show up and I could not reach him on his cell phone. Some of the
students complained about the proper planning of the tour as the number of students were far
more than the available reserved seats on the train. The train arrived late and we had to wait in
the station. Our lunch was delayed - not sure what was the reason and when we reached our
destination, I was quite exhausted. Probably delayed lunch and unexpected rain caused this.
I waited in the long queue before I could see the main attraction – Crown Jewel and then I had to
move very quickly as I was feeling the pressure from the back of the queue. TWorst part of this
tour was that the tour guide did not show up at all. We had to Google for some information
regarding this place and got bored in less than an hour. At a time I was expecting to return home
as soon as possible.
If I compare it with the other fascinating tour experiences I had, I must confess that it was far
worse than my previous tours. That must have been a bad hair day – as many things went wrong
and I had to return home with an overall bad experience though I had a very high expectation
from this tour.
Idea Generation for this Cue Card /Candidate Task Card:

This cue card asks you to describe any tour you had that you did not like. Maybe that was
because of a bad journey experience you had or because you did not like the place you went to. It
could also be for other reasons like your sudden sickness, hassle in the airport, bad weather,
unprofessional service from the tour service provider, hostile behaviour of the local people, an
accident on the road, unattractive destination and many more. Usually, you find a tour worse than
your assumption when you cannot visit the place because it is not open that day, do not like the
place or have any negative experience from that place. You should be able to remember such a
journey or tour that went wrong and you wish that did not happen. Sometimes famous tourists
destinations are overrated and you possess a very high expectation from your visit. In such cases,
the reality strikes you hard and you feel that your experience of the tour does not meet your
expectation at all.

Synonyms of 'Trip': Travel, Tour, Journey, Expedition, Excursion, Outing, Visit.

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Synonyms of 'Expectation': Assumption, Supposition, Forecast, Prediction, Hope,

Prospect.
Words to express your dissatisfaction: Frustrating, unhappy, disappointing, mediocre,
unpleasant, unfriendly, unsatisfying, tiresome, bitter.
Q. What are some famous tourist spots in your country?

A. In my country, we have plenty of famous destinations. But the most famous tourist spots are:
Cox's Bazar sea beach – the largest sea beach in the world in association with Saint Martin
Island, Rangamati, Bandar ban, Sylhet and Dhaka city. Most of the tourists gather on the spots
for the attractive locations and modern communication system.
Q. What are the impacts of tourism in your country?

A. Although the Bangladeshi economy is not tourism based, it has a notable impact on the
economic growth of the country. The national economy increases and the local economy also
receive a boost for the arrival of the tourists.
Q. What are the positive impacts of tourism in your country?

A. There are few positive impacts of tourism in the country. The most important issue is that the
tourism board takes steps to make the locations attractive and thus the spots turn more beautiful.
As the tourists regularly visit the places, it also creates employments for different people which
help contribute to the national income. It is also beneficial in terms of cultural exchange and
exposure to international level.
Q. What are the negative impacts of tourism in your country?

A. Unfortunately, some of the locals in the spots get engaged into misdeeds which defame the
country and entirely unwanted. Such issues should be taken care of properly by the authority
strictly. The tourism negatively affects the environment in some cases and the waste production
on such areas are comparatively high. The foreign cultures also threaten some of our old and
traditional ways of life.
Q. What do you think are the reasons people visit new places?
A. People mostly visit new places to get fascinated and learn something newerTravellingng
increases the knowledge and also makes familiar with the culture and customs of different places.
So, people who are willing to learn about newer customs and manners, they go for travel. The
busy life we have often becomes monotonous and people often seek for relaxation and relief from
their stress. That‟s another reason people travel to new places to refresh themselves.
Q. What can you tell about the future of tourism industry in your country?
A. Tourism future in Bangladesh is prospective. The business could flourish if the minor

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problems are solved. Security is an important issue and if the safety and security of the tourists is
ensured rightly, I think tourism will be a great source of income for the country.
#90: Describe a party that you enjoyed
Describe a party that you enjoyed.
You should say:

whose party it was and what it was celebrating
where the party was held and who went to it
what people did during the party
and explain what you enjoyed about this party.
Model Answer 1:
A party usually refers to a social gathering where some selected or invited people make fun, take
foods and talk over issues of varied range. At times the parties are held marking any special
occasion to remember or celebrate.
There are different types of parties are available and bachelor party is one of them. Usually, the
bachelor with hid friends attends the party to celebrate the last day as a bachelor. Few of his
intimate friends are invited to attend the program and the parties are held outside the home as the
activities performed in the party are not allowed inside the home. In last year, a friend of mine
invited me to a bachelor party in Las Vegas. It was the night before he gets married. So, he
wanted to have a blast among his closest friends with the acts of what we did in our academic
life.
My friend booked a suite at the Bellagio in Las Vegas right before inviting us for the party.
Johnny Fernandez, the young and energetic man to be married, was one of my closest friends
since childhood and we are a bunch of people who have grown up together. It was a surprise for
me that I found everyone at the party and Fernandez never disclosed the identities of the invited
guests. Thereby, it was a pleasant event for us all the suite. We were eight in number in the
childhood and surprisingly all of us were present although we lived in different parts of the USA.
We could not manage time to meet each other in person, but all of us were there to wish luck for
our friend, Fernandez.
In our college and university days, we used to buck classes, watch movies in theatre halls, played
poker and many other interesting things. Sometimes we also used to drink beer and soda but
some of us started consuming alcohol too to prove themselves adult and smart. So, we planned to
recall the days amid the activities we did in those days. Fernandez arranged champagne for us

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with some delicious foods and we started the party by uncorking the champagne bottle. Most of
the food items were made of meat like pork, beef, salads, and ended with desserts. Then we
started for our night out at different casinos to play poker and participate in other suitable
gambles.
The party was special for me as I have never attended such a bachelor party although I have
heard about it. Moreover, the presence of the childhood friends, whom I meet on social
networking websites only, was a blessing for me. All of us went back at the early days of our life,
recalled the memories, drank alcoholic beverages, and remembered the old fiancés and their
memories, sang songs in harsh voices, walked on the streets of the Las Vegas resort town in
Nevada, and did many other things. One of our friends got hooked with another woman in a
casino and left to pass the remaining night with the newly introduced woman being possessed by
her beauty and alcohol. I mostly enjoyed the walking and remembrance of the olden days. In fact,
those were the best days of my life, of our live and all of us still lament for the days and want to
go back to our childhood.
Cue Card Answer 2:
I have recently completed my graduation in Economics from Government College University

Faisalabad in Pakistan. My college life is over but to remember the events, I organised a
graduation party at my home.
In fact, this was not my party alone rather for all the close mates of mine with whom I have
passed the college days. This was a party where only the group members were invited who had
an intimate relation with me during the college days. All of us gathered to celebrate the
graduation and plan for the future days. Some of the mates were planning to leave the country for
pursuing higher education while some others planned, like me, to have the post-graduation from
the country. My family members also took part in the event.
The party was held at my residence. All of us planned to make the party and accordingly
contributed for the arrangement. We equally contributed for the foods, beverages and other
arrangements so that all of us could enjoy it properly. I planned to have the party around a week
before the party day and made a meeting with nine of my mates. We had some other friends as
well but they were unable to meet on the planned date. So, we made the plan and materialised it.
The party began in the evening and ended with a superb dinner. Everyone, who participated at the
party, contributed to make it a successful. Food preparation was done my mum and sister while
the food ingredients were brought by two of my friends and I gathered all the money required for
the shopping from the participants.
It was not a formal party rather we all felt some sort of lamentation inside as we are never going
to get the days back again. So, everyone was remembering the old days that we passed in the
college. We remembered how we bunked the classes when we were unable to complete the
lessons or forget to bring the assignments. Besides, we also discussed the evil things we did

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hiding from our teachers during the lectures in the classrooms. Most of us were remembering the
past days as we all knew it was our last meeting together. When we will enter into our careers,
we would not be able to meet together and have chats and fun. Some of them were looking sad.
But I inspired them and proposed to remain together in the upcoming days. I also suggested
meeting at least once in a week at anywhere in the city.
I enjoyed the party and especially the foods were delicious. My mother and sister prepared some
of the traditional Pakistani food items like kebabs, chicken tandoori and biriyani. The party began
with the serving of light soft drinks and gradually the other items were served. Besides, the
moment when we all took pictures together was another important issue. Finally, the moment of
departure appeared and it was really difficult for me to say goodbye to my friends. Fortunately,
still, we meet once in a week as per the decision made on that last meeting at my home.
Family Parties:
Q. What are the main reasons why people organise family parties in your country?
A. Family parties are the events where the members of a family living in distant places come to
meet together and have fun. In my country family parties are arranged for different reasons and
the party range varies based on the familial status. If the families are rich and wealthy, the parties
last longer than usual. The family parties are mostly organised marking the marriage of any
family members and on some other petty issues like observing birthday or marriage anniversary
etc. The family members are invited to attend the party with the other members of their family
and the moments are pleasant for them during the party. But sometimes the parties do not remain
the happier one as it is at the beginning owing to many unwanted and serious incidents that even
leads to quarrelling among the members forming two or three groups.
Q. In some places people spend a lot of money on parties that celebrate special family
events. Is this ever true in your country? Do you think this is a good trend or a bad trend?
A. Like the other countries, the rich and wealthy families in my country organise family parties
and they spend a huge sum of money for the parties. Mostly they prefer arranging party during
the marriage ceremony or marriage anniversary, but the parties marking marriage ceremony last
longer than the marriage anniversary party. When the parties are arranged, special decorative
materials are used to decorate the house and almost all the rooms are newly decorated. Besides,
catering services are engaged to supply quality foods for the invited guests. The amount of
money spend in marriage is less than it is spent to arrange the family party only. Sometimes I
think it is the wastage of money and wealth. They could have saved the money for the future use
of the newly-wed.
Q. Are there many differences between family parties and parties given by friends? Why do
you think this is?
A. The parties arranged by family members and those arranged by the friends are quite different
for different reasons. The first and important issue about a family party is that you are to abide

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some rules and regulations in a family party. You cannot do whatever you want to drink alcoholic
beverages without the permission from the organiser. But the scenario is the opposite in the
parties arranged by friends. One can drink as much as s/ he wants or smoke cigarettes in plenty.
There is none to forbid over any issue. You can listen to songs at a louder volume, dance together
with the friends and could use slangs to your friends and many other things which are considered
as indecent in the family parties. The differences happen for the generation gap. Family parties
invite guests of all ages while the friends never invite any adult or seniors in their parties.
National Celebrations:
Q. What kinds of national celebrations do you have in your country?
A. We have different national celebration days and it begins from the beginning of the year with
the celebration of the New Year‟s Day. Besides, the USA citizens observe some other days like
Washington's Birthday, the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day etc. All the days remain holiday across the USA and the
citizens observe the days according to their will. But it is important to offer gifts or small presents
to the other people on the Thanks Giving Day and on Christmas Day. Some of the people also
observe the last day of the year - December 31 in every year and exchange greetings to each other
marking the beginning of a new year.
Q. Who tends to enjoy national celebrations more: young people or old people? Why?
A. The days are celebrated nationally and people of all strata participate in the observance. But
the majority of the days are observed by young people and the seniors are fond of the days like
Independence Day or the Birth Days of national heroes or presidents. It is done by this way due
to the nature of the celebration. Christmas Day, New Year‟s Day or Thanksgiving Day has a
special charm, and thus the young people make a huge fun on the days. So, they prefer the days
more than the older people. On the other side, the older people cannot make such fun due to their
age and mental advancements with the age.
Q. Why do you think some people think that national celebrations are a waste of
government money? Would you agree or disagree with this view? Why?
A. Observing the national days is a must for every country. It helps to let people, particularly the
young people about the history of the country and people who made the history. The days tell
them about the contributions of the national heroes to make the country into a free and
progressive one. But the observance requires lots of preparations and investment. Some people
are on the view that this is wastage of money but is it actually wastage? I do not think so. By
spending the money, the knowledge is being shared among the people and the government is
paying the required charge for the knowledge. It is a simple issue. There is nothing to be worried
about the sense that the money is being wasted.

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#91: Describe a meeting you remember going to
Describe a meeting you remember going to at work, college or school.
You should say:

when and where the meeting was held
who was at the meeting
what the people at the meeting talked about
and explain why you remember going to this meeting.
Model Answer 1:
People meet with the other people over different issues and mostly it is done for socialising or
serving some other important purposes. I also meet with people for various reasons and before
holding the meeting, I usually set a schedule with them so that we do not have any scheduling
troubles during the meet.
But there is nothing amazing than a sudden meeting with the person you are looking for in our
mind. I also had such a meeting with a friend of mine while I was my way to work and finally the
meeting was highly fruitful for me and my office. He has just returned the city from his month-
long travel in several countries assigned by his office. I was entering my office and saw he was
leaving the building. Although it was the beginning of a hefty day for me and I was too late for
the office, I asked him if he could manage few times to spend with me at the coffee shop at the
rooftop. He agreed and also took permission from his companions to sit for an informal meeting.
Andrew was accompanied with two of his office colleagues who also went for the travel with
him. My friend introduced me to his colleagues and they welcomed me cordially after hearing
about me. I also showed the right courtesy to them in return. All of us went to the coffee shop
located on the rooftop of our office building and gradually I came to know that they were seniors
of our schools whom we did not meet in our school days. After a few moments, the relationship
with them turned intimate and we started discussing different contemporary issues among us.
But the most important issue of the meeting was revealed later during the conversation. They
were at my office with a proposal to invest in the sectors we are currently working. In a word
they wanted to start a new business with us and came to discuss the entire issue with the CEO of
my firm.
Unfortunately, the CEO had to attend an emergency and left the office right before the moment
my friend arrives with his colleagues and meets me at the entrance. So, I made a phone call to the
CEO and took permission to discussion the business proposal with them as I was assigned to

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amend the proposal they submitted to the office previously. Thus, the initial formalities were
done.
The meeting was held about two years back and still is vivid on my mind for some certain
reasons. We have started a joint venture with my friend‟s office. We are producing different raw
materials for producing attires like buttons, clothes, packaging papers etc. They supply us with
the finest quality raw materials and our office produces the product at our own industry. The
profits are plenty and it is heard that the two companies will merge themselves into a single unit
to form a large conglomerate. I was one of the persons who established the linkage between the
two corporations.
Sample Answer 2:
I am a student of Daulat Ram College (DRC) in Delhi and love playing football. Accordingly, I
do not miss any chances to participate in any of the matches and thus I had to meet with my
football mates to discuss on an upcoming football tournament.
The meeting was held at the café of the DRC. Each of the team members was present at the
meeting as this is was the final day to set everything. In fact, we wanted to win the prize for us
like the former year. But we were in a trouble. The key striker of the team got injured in a
practice match and that made us worried. Without him, it is almost impossible for us to defeat the
rival teams.
The meeting was led by the coach and all the other members were present there except the striker
– Ranjeet Kumer. Initially, the coach described us the real situations and asked us to suggest the
immediate steps to win the match. But none of us could provide any suitable solution for the
problem. The possible solution that appeared on the meeting was to hire any external professional
player for the team. I suggested to alloting the position to someone else from the team. But none
of the solutions was feasible. My college team is unable to hire a professional football player for
the match while none of us was capable enough to strike like Ranjeet. So, there were no lights.
Finally, a solution came from the discussion that the team will play without the striker. Though
the supporting striker is unable to take the lead role, we all inspired him to play as like him and
we, the other members, will provide the best supports from us. He, Rampaal Yadaav, partially
agreed with us but he lacked confidence for that role. Now it was our turn to inspire him and
everyone including the coach started inspiring him. At last, he agreed to play the role with one
condition that if he fails, no one could blame him for the failure. He also opined that he would try
his best in the match but cannot guarantee the success.
I can remember going to the meeting as this was an important issue for us. My college turned
winner in this inter-college for past three years and the college authority wants us to win this time
as well. Thereby, a well-preparation was taken for the upcoming match but the sudden injury of
the key striker made us change the plan. In fact, the striker has been playing for last two years

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and supported greatly winning the matches. So, the match without him was unimaginable. At last,
we made a draw in the match and had shared the victory with the opponent. But if we did not
have that meeting on the day, we could have lost the match.
Going to Meetings:
Q. What are the different types of meeting that people often go to?
A. Meetings have different categories and applicable for different types of people. Mostly the
word – „meeting‟ refers to any formal situations where some people talk together and make
decisions on any specific issue. They might be business meetings, institutional meetings,
governmental meeting with officials, global meetings etc. But not all the meetings are considered
formal; there are informal meetings to decide over any petty matters. But the aim is the same – to
decide something important. When people meet together, they are able to discuss many issues,
meeting agendas help to raise the issues and analyse the obstacles to march ahead. Then decisions
are adopted after the agreement of the members participating in the meeting.
Q. Some people say that no one likes to go to meetings – what do you think?
A. There are views that a meeting is boring and only the selected issues are discussed. So, some
of the people may dislike attending meetings. But it could not be denied that the typical meetings
are truly boring if held over any urgent or important issues. But sometimes the organisers of the
meetings try to make the situations as normal as possible. They speak in a manner that people do
not feel bored or allow them to break the monotony by entertaining themselves. Usually, people
get bored over the long speeches of the members or dislike to sit idly. Participatory, the process is
one of the best ways to make the meeting lively. Thus, it appears to me that all the meetings are
not boring, they could be enjoyed too.
Q. Why can it sometimes be important to go meetings?

A. Meeting sometimes is important and requires the presence of all the members of the
organisation or the invited guests. So, attending a meeting is important from different sides. The
first thing is your presence. If you are present at the meeting, you will be asked to opine and the
opinion will be granted as your contribution at the meeting. If you are holding any important
position at any organisation, you need to be present at the meeting as it is necessary for you to be
there to decide issues under your domination. If you are absent, the issues may not be discussed
or you may not prefer the decisions made in your absence. Thereby, sometimes it is very
important to be present at the meetings if invited.
International Meetings:
Q. Why do you think leaders often have meetings together?

A. Global leaders often meet together not only for socialising rather they have important issues to
discuss with each other. They have numerous issues related to their own countries and those need

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to be supported from the other countries for implementation. Moreover, they meet frequently to
share the latest updates of their socio and economic conditions of their countries to the other
leaders. Regular meetings also increase the bonding between the nations. When the other country
leaders arrive into a neighbouring country, the locals entertain them with their hearts‟ content. As
a result, the international bond turns stronger. Taking decisions over any national issues become
easier for the leaders as they could follow the examples of the other countries they have recently
visited.
Q. What possible difficulties might be involved in organising meetings between world
leaders?
A. Organising an international meeting is not as easy as it is heard. Most of the global leaders
remain highly occupied with their national issues and thus they hardly could manage leisure
hours. So, inviting the world leaders into a global meeting requires much time. The most
common complexity is having the schedule and travel calendar of the global leaders. All the
leaders do not follow the same routine to execute their respective duties and it happens for
geographical distances. All of them could not manage time together to meet unless the situation is
an emergency. When the schedule matches, the right accommodation and ensuring security is
another concern for the organisers. Therefore, the preparations are to be taken exactly and prior
plans should be made to make the meeting happen.
Q. Do you think that meetings between international leaders will become more frequent in
the future? Or will there be less need for world leaders to meet?
A. The physical presence always bears a great significance. As a result, the international leaders
try to be physically present at the meetings. But we are marching towards a virtual world and life
where physical presence will be not that much important as it is considered now. The global
leaders could meet each other virtually and could have the participation at any international
conference by sitting at their own desk. As a result, the need for frequent meetings will be
reduced. But the physical meeting may be held infrequently to exchange highly confidential
information or mitigate any such issues which are shocking and threatening for all the nations.

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#92: An exciting competition or sporting event
Describe an exciting competition or sporting event you have witnessed.
You should say:

what the competition or sporting event was
when and where it took place
who won
and explain why it was exciting.
Model Answer 1:
Participating in sports is one of the best ways to keep fit both physically and mentally. The
necessity of sports is immense in human life. It energises people who participate in the events
and the pleasures are inexpressible. It also helps to achieve a specific skill and that is also usable
in everyday life. There are different types of sporting events are also organised and the key
purpose of the events are to create a friendly atmosphere among the players, increasing their
intentions to participate more and inspire them to gain skills, expertise and perfectness on their
respective sports. Usually, the corporate bodies are responsible for sponsoring the events in
exchange of their advertisements.
Basketball is one of the exciting sports and I love participating in the matches arranged in our
college. A few months back, I was the witness of an exciting indoor basketball competition. The
event was organised among the colleges of our city. Unfortunately, I could not participate in the
match for my injury that I got right before the competition day while I was in practice.
The inter-college basketball competition was held in the indoor sports court of our college
premise. The final competition held on the evening of the pre-scheduled day. Almost all the
students of the city attended to enjoy the competition. The earlier matches were too exciting that
they could not resist in joining on the final competition. Our indoor sporting gallery was filled
with the audience on the competition day and they started gathering from the morning so that
they could have their seats before someone else grab those.
The battle was highly attractive. Our team has scored 25 while the opponent had only 17 in their
bag. Our college team won the match with a huge difference, and it happened mostly for the
outstanding practice of the players, their mutual understanding and overall the united efforts to
bag the prize.
The competition was too much exciting for me as I was one of the members of the team, and I
forgot all my sorrows of my absence on the ground for my injury on the right leg which I got

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during attempting a jump to throw the ball on the net. It was the victory for us all who were
involved with the playing team.
A very exciting competition that I can remember is a cricket match I watched a few years back. It
was a one-day cricket match between two mighty cricket teams – India and Australia. The match
took place at Melbourne Cricket Ground and I watched the whole game and enjoyed the
competition a lot.
It was around 9:30 am local time when the match began and there were lots of fans and
supporters of both teams who came there to enjoy the match and to support their favourite
team. It was my first time in the Melbourne Cricket stadium where I went with one of my friends
and his wife.
The cricket match between India and Australia has a different dimension and contest as these two
teams have been competitors from the very early days of cricket history. Their matches ignite
some flair and it is quite a spectacular and enjoyable rivalry to watch. The 50 over cricket match
was very competitive and fans were shouting and cheering with great enthusiasms. The Indian
team did the batting and scored around 280 plus. That was a reasonable score for winning but
their bowler had to perform their best to restrict the Australian batsmen. I was supporting my
country - India and it was the last 3-5 overs of the game that was breathtaking and stirring. Both
teams were performing their best to win the game and the expressions of the viewers were
something unheard of. The fate of the game was decided when an Australian batsman got out
from a superb spin bowl of an Indian blower and the host team needed 7 runs from last 2 balls. It
was the next ball that made the Indian fans to burst out in joys; it was a dot ball with no run. The
final ball of the match was still to be delivered and we were hoping that it goes without any
unexpected outcome like „no ball‟ or „wide ball‟ which might still change the game‟s result. The
host team took 2 runs from the last ball and it was a 4 run victory for the Indian Cricket team.
The tight competition, my support for my team and wish to win the game, the supporters‟
boundless shouting, enthusiasm, the lively stadium and cheering made the game a very
memorable one for me and this game was one of the most competitive cricket matches till the last
moment.
More Ideas to speak about this Cue Card topic/ Candidate Task Card:
This Idea Generation section intends to give you more ways of talking about this cue card topic.
It is always better to read the sample answer of a Cue card topic and then to brainstorm and
collect your own thoughts before preparing an answer for a Cue Card topic. This cue card topic
asks you to describe either a competition (any competition and not necessarily a sporting event)
or a sporting event which was very amusing and exciting. Again you can talk about either a

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competition or sporting event in which you took part or witnessed. Following are some other
alternative hints to describe the answer for this cue card topic:
Q. What do you do to keep fit?

A. To keep myself feet, I regularly perform exercises, mostly the free hand exercises, swimming,
walking for an hour in a day etc. If I could manage more time, then I swim for an hour and the
regular time allotted for swimming is 30 minutes for me. Moreover, I have a private gym where I
exercise with instruments but I use the gym for once or twice in a week.
Q. Are you good at sport?

A. I am very good at sport and like it very much. I usually participate in sports in the weekends
or whenever I get time.
Q. What sports do you play?

A. I mostly prefer to play basketball and table tennis is another one that I admire most. During
the basketball time, I like to be at the attacking position in the front line and also support those
who are with me during the attack on the opponent court.
Q. What is the most popular sport in your country?

A. In my country, cricket is the most popular sport and the team has occupied a strong position
on the world ranking. The national team has been performing very well in cricket.
Q. What are the best ways to keep fit?

A. Exercising for at least one hour a day is one of the best ways to keep fit. Moreover, one can
also participate in sports too. Sports increase the stamina level and thus they players remain fir
for always. Apart from exercise, a healthy diet and positive lifestyles are also two important
aspects for remaining fit.
Q. What is the most popular form of exercise in your country?

A. Walking is the most popular exercise in my country. Many of the people get out for a walk in
the morning and the rest who cannot manage time in the morning; they complete the walk at
evening or at night. Apart from that jogging and running in the open space is also popular in my
country as a form of exercise.
Q. Do you think people in your country are less healthy than they used to be?
A. I do not think that people are less healthy these days; rather they are healthy enough and it has
happened as they are taking the right and nutritious foods and having their exercises in regular
interval.
Q. How can we encourage young people to stay healthy?

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A. Health is considered as the most precious wealth. People should be informed about the
detrimental effects of poor health and what types of diseases accompany with the deteriorated
health conditions. Massive campaigns may be conducted on mass media over the importance of a
good health. More sporting and gym should be established from government's fund as well.
Q. Should governments intervene to force people to be healthier?

A. I believe that if a man is made understood about anything in the right manner, force is
unnecessary to be applied on the case. Similarly, the government does not need to form any
interventions forcing people to be healthier. When the people will be aware of the negative
impact of an ill health, they will try to be healthy by themselves.

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#93: Give your opinion in a questionnaire or survey
Describe a time when you were asked to give your opinion in a questionnaire or survey.
You should say:

what the questionnaire/survey was about
why you were asked to give your opinions
what opinions you gave
and explain how you felt about giving your opinions in this questionnaire/ survey.
Model Answer 1:
Questionnaire is one of the best ways to collect data over any specific issue to conduct a research
work or improving the current situations. It helps to collect the real information by asking few
similar questions and most of the time the information provided are proved accurate and correct.
Once I was interviewed by two people (a male and a female) from a local cell phone operator
over the use of cell phone and the facilities I received from my subscribing company. One of the
information collectors asked me different questions while the other one wrote down the answers.
The survey was also about improving the network facilities, adjusting tariffs, providing free data
or Wi-Fi service at any specific zone, allowing the subscribers to change their digits after their
will or having any special number for use and more other issues related to the telecommunication
sector.
I have been using Vodafone for about 15 consecutive years and thus I have turned into an
important client for the company in my city. At first, I received a phone call from my cell phone
operator that it wants to hear from me and accordingly after my approval, it will send a team for a
semi-formal interview of mine. I agreed and set a calendar for the interview. But I had no idea
that they are going to use a structured questionnaire to take my answers.
I provided positive feedback in favour of Vodafone which I have been using to communicate
with everyone. They asked me about my basic information in the beginning and also promised to
keep the information confidential. Then I said that Vodafone needs to set a few network towers in
my area to provide a better signal as sometimes we are to experience sudden call drops. Besides, I
also supported their initiative to reduce the tariffs and creating Wi-Fi zones in specific spots.
Moreover, I supported their initiative to allow the users to get a special number after their
demands and it will be helpful for the young generation users.
To be frank over the interview, when I was interviewed, I felt that I am special. Someone cares
for my comment and works accordingly. It was a special experience for me although I had to

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think for a while before answering the questions. The most important issue of the survey was to
gather opinion about the popularity of Vodafone in Patras in Western Greece region. Vodafone
networks suddenly started unusual behaviours in the entire region and when the problem was
solved, the cell phone operator wanted to justify its popularity and selected me as a respondent
for the survey.
I was amazed at the questions that they have provided were simple and did not require much time
to answer. Some of the questions were open-ended. However, it was truly an honour for me that a
cell operator has asked me earlier for the interview and has sent people to meet me on the day I
proposed. I take humble pride that my opinions will be reflected in policies of the cell operator in
the coming days.
Model Answer 2:
Recently I participated in a survey conducted by a local train agency in Kuala Lumpur. Since I
am a regular passenger of their services, I was selected to express my opinions on their service
and how that could be improved.
The selection process of the survey was interesting. The people engaged with the survey selected
people randomly. They selected every 10th ticket holder from Kuala Lumpur station who bought
their tickets in early hours of the day. I also came to know that the survey will run around the day
and the gathered information will be analysed and used to improve the train services. I gave my
opinions and also recommended. The interviewers also informed me that the statements I will
deliver will be kept secret and only will be used for research purposes.
I was asked to provide my opinions about the overall conditions of the train service. As a large
number of people use the train service here in Kuala Lumpur, it is impossible to take opinions
from every one of them. So, the surveyors are following some methods and techniques in
selecting the respondents. As per their selection method, I was selected to opine on the issue. In
fact, they were conducting research on how the service quality could be improved and make the
entire system more modernised and in such circumstances, it was important to get information
from the commuters to know the real scenario. Such surveys help revealing the real information
which could not be accessed or gathered without a survey.
I pointed out some of the specific issues about their train service. The top most important issue,
that I figured, was the ticket price. In line with the modern world, the ticket price needs a
decrease. The other countries are selling train tickets at a lower rate while Kuala Lumpur, the
local train tickets are a bit more. Another important issue was comfortability. Presently, the issue
of comfortability in train ride is under threat. A large number of people are riding on trains to
reach their destinations but the majority of them appear uncivilised. They ride on a train, spit here
and there which pollutes the internal environment. So, such issues should be brought under the
scanner and people with such cases should be punished. Besides, the trains make late which
causes schedule damage for the passengers. This is happening frequently in the present days. I
suggested taking steps to eliminate such delays or at least make people aware of the delays

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through the public announcement in the stations. It will save their times and labour.
It was the very first experience of my life to get interviewed. There were two of them who took
my interview. One of them asked me questions from a questionnaire while the second one
recorded my speech. Both of them agreed with me in some points and said that they will inform
the authority about the matters. In fact, they were not linked with the train company rather hired
professionals for such large-scale surveys. However, I recommended some other steps like
increasing the routes and issuing lower-priced tickets for students like me etc. It was a nice
experience for me indeed.
Part 3 - Detail Discussion / Two-way discussion:
Asking Questions:
Q. What kinds of organisations want to find out about people’s opinions?

A. Surveys are mostly done to bring out the opinions of the commoners to reach any specific
goal. The surveys generally are undertaken by research organisations, government bodies and
agencies and other similar organisations engaged in different development activities. But a survey
may be undertaken at any time by any sort of organisation based on the needs. So, it does not
always point that the research agencies are liable for conducting surveys. It may happen that
educational institutions are undertaking studies to compare the quality and standard of education
in any certain geographical location, or any television channel is undergoing a research to know
about its popularity in the state.
Q. Do you think that questionnaires or surveys are good ways of finding out people’s
opinions?
A. To get a clear idea about any specific issue, the survey is one of the most effective tools. It
helps to bring out the peoples‟ opinions over any specific situation or matters. The survey
questionnaires are designed in such an effective manner that all the necessary information is
gathered within the shortest possible time. Moreover, the questions are not repeated in the paper
so that the respondents do not feel bored by the repeated questions. Sometimes the questions are
asked in a disguise of chatting and the answers are kept in notes to be filled up later if the
respondent is seen busy. At the end of the survey, a clear image is discovered and thus, it is
helpful to reflect people‟s opinion over any specific issue.
Q. What reasons might people have for not wanting to give their opinions?
A. Actually, people answer almost all the questions unless the questions appear to be harmful or
too personal for them. When they find the questions illogical or unusual, they may not provide
any specific or correct reply against the question. Sometimes the questionnaires may contain few
confidential issues which may not be preferred by the people. So, when there are such secret or
unusual questions, people try to keep away from the questions. Further, if the questionnaire asks
to inform about something illegal, people may be reluctant in answering them lest they turn
sufferer.

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Questionnaires in schools:
Q. Do you think it would be a good idea for schools to ask students their opinions about
lessons?
A. Asking student about their lessons is a good idea for the educational institutions for the
betterment of the students. When the students will be asked to provide their opinion on any
specific issue or lesson, they will describe their problems with the lesson. It may happen that they
are suggesting ways to make the lesson easier. It may seem weird to ask questions about any
specific lesson to the students but it is the easiest way to help the students overcoming their
lagging. If they discuss a tough lesson at the class with the teacher and set the way to learn the
topic, I think it will be nicer for them.
Q. What would the advantages for schools be if they asked students their opinions?
A. When the teachers will allow their students to ask questions about any specific topic or lesson
of any book or course, they will share the most difficult topic. Then the teachers in opinion with
the students will set a standard way to teach the topic. As a result, the students will have a good
score in the tests which will make the school or the institution more popular among the
contemporary institutions or schools in the locality. Besides, it will help to raise the standard of
education in the school which is considered as the best criteria by parents regarding admitting
their kids into any school.
Q. Would there be any disadvantages in asking students’ opinions?

A. There are few disadvantages too. It should be taken care that the students are not exploiting
the chance of taking their opinion. They should be made aware of the issue that the opinions are
accepted only for overcoming any specific issues. It may also happen that the students turn
reluctant to study at home as they are getting the answers in the class which has potential
negative impacts on them in future. If such attempts are found, those should be taken care of in
the very beginning.

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#94: Topic: Describe an important letter that you received.
Describe an important letter that you received.
You should say:

- Who wrote it to you
- What the letter was about
- How you felt about the letter
And explain why it was important to you.
Follow-up Questions:
What are the differences between emails and hand written letters?
Will the hand-written letters become obsolete in the future? Why?
Why should we write letters to friends and relatives?
What are the important qualities of a good letter?
Possible Answer:
Though People mostly send emails nowadays for official and personal communication, the
handwritten letter has its own importance as well. Today I would like to talk about a hand written
letter that I received when I was 14 years old. This particular letter was written by my father and I
was so excited to receive it that I read it several times. The letter was about the scholarship result
and my father wrote me to inform me that I got the scholarship. In his letter, he congratulated me
and wrote that he was proud of me.
I was staying at a relative‟s house after my final and scholarship exam with my mother and sister
and one day I found that a post office peon delivered a letter to my uncle. My uncle handed over
me the letter as it was addressed to me. I found that it was written by my father. I read the letter
quickly and was very excited to learn the news. I read it again and then informed my mother and
relatives about it. My mother read it and congratulated me as well.
As a kid, the scholarship was very desiring for me and when I found that my father was very
happy, that made me happier.

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The most important letter that I have received ever is the one that was posted to me from the
Falcon University confirming that I have been accepted in their B.B.A program. I can't exactly
remember the name of the person who wrote it to me but it was from the Falcon University
admin department.
I was simply overwhelmed about the letter as I have been dreaming for a long to do my
graduation in B.B.A specifically in the Falcon University. The letter was the confirmation that
my dream has come true and my hard work and determination have been paid off. I felt like
flying in the sky. I let my parents and close friends know about the acceptance and they were
happy too.
The letter was written in the official pad of the Falcon University and signed by the head of the
B.B.A admission department. There were only 4-5 paragraphs on the papers and they were
printed either they were very exciting for me. I read the letter twice and kept it in a nice place as
if I was hiding a treasure.
The letter was utterly important to me as it expressed and confirmed that my dream about
studying in the Falcon University has come into reality.
Sample Answer 3:
Today I am going to tell you about a letter that was very special to me. I will tell you who wrote
it to me, what it was about and why it made such an impression on me that I can still remember it
over forty years later.
It is quite interesting to have to think of an important letter that I‟ve received. Nowadays it is
really rare to get a letter in the post. Most business and personal communications seem to happen
by email or even text message on a mobile phone. However, believe it or not, there was a time
when that was the only real way to communicate! Even so, as a small child in the days before the
internet, for me to receive an actual physical letter, carefully folded in an envelope and being
delivered to me with my name on it unopened was a really special event and very rare indeed.
When I was seven years old I had to go into hospital to have my tonsils taken out! I was very
sad, and very frightened to be in the hospital, and I didn‟t really understand what was happening

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to me or why. To make things worse I was going to be in a hospital for my eighth birthday. At
that age, I hadn‟t ever really received any letters especially for me before and I certainly didn‟t
expect to receive any post whilst I was ill. Therefore, it was a wonderful surprise one morning to
be given an envelope with my name and address beautifully hand-written on it and bearing a
stamp from overseas in the top right-hand corner. I was so excited!
The letter was from my Uncle Peter. He was living in America at the time, and I was in
England. He had sent me a special letter for my birthday. That was exciting enough, but what he
had done amazed and impressed me. He said he‟s wanted to send me a birthday cake, but that
wasn‟t practical over such a distance, so instead he drew me a picture of an amazing birthday
cake and a whole party with balloons and presents. So his letter was to wish me a happy
birthday, and to cheer me up because it is horrible for anyone to have an operation at any time, let
alone on their own birthday when they are just eight years old!
I was in awe! He was actually quite a good artist, so his illustration was really good, and the
letter cheered me up and made me feel so special. I kept the letter for a long long time, but sadly
one day I couldn‟t find it anymore, and I think it must have been thrown out at some point. Even
so, I think this letter was a start of a great correspondence between me and my, to me, „exotic‟
uncle who lived overseas. He and I continued to exchange letters over the next forty years, right
up until the time he died. His were always hand-written, though mine moved over to being
typed, but we never resorted to email, so the ritual of a letter thudding through a letterbox and
onto the welcoming doormat of home continued between us long after many others had
abandoned such an old-fashioned form of communication.
So the letter was very important to me because it cheered me up when I felt low and made me
feel special. It also began a correspondence that continued over four decades. Even today, I still
think nothing beats a „proper‟ letter, and I will always try and send a personal note to friends or
family when something important has happened. I love the excitement of seeing a postmark and
an unknown stamp on a newly arrived envelope and the anticipation of wondering who a letter
might be from and what they have to say. For me, nothing beats the physicality of a letter in your
hands and when I post a letter or card myself I always like to imagine the recipient similarly
examining my unopened missive and hopefully looking forward to making a cup of coffee and
settling down to enjoy the contents!

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Tips for answering this cue card topic:
An important letter can be one of the following types:

A letter from your teacher which was written to you to confirm that you have been eligible for a
course or activity you applied for.
A letter from a school/ college/ university that confirms your acceptance and admission there.
A letter from an office that affirms that you have been hired for the position you applied for.
A confirmation letter from an organisation or government office that confirms that your request
to solve a problem at your locality would be taken care of.
A letter from your parents when you stayed in a different city from theirs.
A letter from a relative that gives the news of a newborn baby.
A letter from one of your childhood friends who you heard for a long time.
A letter from your parents about one of your achievements.
A letter that gives the news of your outstanding performances or achievements.
A letter that gives the news of your winning a lottery or raffle draw.
An apology letter from one of your friends or relatives that ease your relationship with him/her.
Describe who wrote you the letter, when you received it, what was it about, what news it bore,
how you felt after reading the letter, why the news was important to you and why the letter was
important.

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#95: Topic: A Good Leader
“Describe a friend who you think is a good leader”

You should say:
– Who this friend is
– How you first met
– How other people behave towards him or her;
– And explain why you think he or she is a good leader.
Sample Answer:
I‟m going to talk about a friend of mine. His name is Peter. Although he‟s very young – only a
year ahead of me, Peter is a co-founder of our school‟s English Club.
Actually, English is not my major at university but all of the students are required to take IELTS
test as part of the graduation requirements. So I decided to join the English Club and that‟s how I
met him. My first impression of this friend was that he had a good command of English and, also,
he demonstrated a great passion for this language. He helped me practice making conversations
in English for a while before we became close friends.
The thing that most people, including myself, find attractive about Peter is that he has such a
great sense of humor. I mean, he can make anyone laugh even when they don‟t feel like to. He
has a way of making people feel cheerful and comfortable when they are around him.
I definitely think Peter is a competent leader because he knows exactly how to connect with
people in his network and motivate them to achieve common goals. He‟s incredibly creative as
well. Taking part in his English Club is many students‟ favorite activity. He has such a positive
influence on people, which I think is what it takes to become a pioneer.

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#96: An interesting conversation you had
An interesting conversation you and one of your friends recently had.
You should say:

What the conversation was about
Who you had it with
Where and how long you had this conversation
And explain why you think it was an interesting conversation.
Model Answer:
I am Silvia Costa and in my school, I have many friends and classmates. All of them are dear to
me but my best friend is named Emmy and she lives beside my apartment. I had a conversation
with her a few days ago about the day out we had in the last month.
I had a chat with Emmy for about one hour and I described her about the things we did in the
outing. I with some of my school friends and mates went on a day out and travelled different
parts of the Paris city. Emmy could not accompany us as she went with her parents. In the
conversation, I told her that we went to see the Eiffel Tower and the Musee du Louvre on the day.
I talked over the tower and the museum and the things we had seen there. Since she could not go
with us, I tried to refill the gap with the descriptions about our visit so that she could also know
about what we did in her absence.
The conversation (chat suits more than conversation) was held with Emmy Bartholdi. She is also
studying with me in the high school and lives just beside our apartment. I like her most and she is
my best friend as we have similarities in different issues. First of all, she loves to read books, and
I too. Sometimes we exchange books particularly the thrillers. When we plan to go for a day out,
she agreed in the beginning but could not be present at the event as she had to go for a visit to her
paternal aunt on an emergency basis with her father. When she returned from her relative‟s place,
she asked me to describe the entire event.

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On an evening and after attending the class, she returned home with me. After around an hour she
came to our apartment and started the chat. We talked for an hour over the day out and I also
showed her the photos that I captured and shared on my social networking site account. We
discussed different issues as well and she told that her paternal aunt suddenly fell ill and was
hospitalised and thus she had to rush with her father to meet her immediately. I also described
what we did on the day, where we stopped, from where we took our foods, which sort of fun we
had and more other issues.
Actually, both of us remain busy with our home assignments, studies and other small domestic
chores like helping mom in different ways or decorating the apartment and such other tasks. So,
we cannot manage time to sit and talk together. In school, we also do not have extra time for the
pressure of academic activities. Sometimes she comes at my home or I go to her to exchange
books. But we do not talk usually at those moments. So, it was an interesting talking event with
my best friend and it was more like a small event of the two. I entertained her with cookies and
coffee while she brought a large chocolate for me. In fact, the conversation was great.
Part 3 – Details Discussion:
Q. What are the differences between topics that women and men usually discuss?
A. The conversations of males and females are entirely different. They discuss different topics.
When the males meet, they talk ab topics like the current political situations, sports, major
national and international events etc. But when the females gather together, they usually discuss
the issues of cosmetics, clothing, and food recipes, planning for any upcoming events, and more
other similar issues. But men mostly talk over issues related to them or their surrounding
environment that may affect them while the women seem careless over the issues as their male
counterparts are there to take care of them.
Q. Why are some people afraid of public speaking?

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A. Sometimes people are afraid to speak publicly because they lack confidence and sometimes
they are shy. It also occurs that some of them have had bitter experience for talking in public. But
the lack of confidence is the most important factor in this case and people lose their confidence
level when they start to talk before a gathering regardless of formal or informal. A great deal of
practice is able to improve the situation. Confidence level, thus, will be increased automatically if
someone keeps practising the public speaking.

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#97: Describe something that is produced in your country
Describe something that is produced in your country (e.g., a food, a handicraft, or a car)
You should say:

what the product is
what it is used for
how it is made
and explain why your country produces this thing.
Model Answer 1:
This is the age of communication and technology. Vehicles are the most important and necessary
mode of communication. There are different sorts of vehicles are available around the world and
used for travelling from one place to another for various specific or unspecific reasons.
Germany is globally famous for producing cars and the automotive industry is considered as one
of the best and largest industry in the world. The automotive industry is producing different types
of cars and has created employment for nearly a million of people across the country. German
automobile produces modern, stylish, and well-designed cars, and the features are competitive
too in the European countries. The production of automobiles in Germany boomed after the
1960s and the expansion is still in progress. The most notable cars are Audi, BMW, Ford,
Porsche, Volkswagen, Opel, Mercedes-Benz etc.
Mostly the cars are used for personal transportation. According to the demand by the buyers,
sometimes the cars are customised and special features are added in the vehicles. At times, some
special types of sports cars are made to be used in car races across the world. Then the cars are
made with special care and prices also go up for the extraordinary characteristics. But the
manufacturers also produce cars for massive transportation like highway bus that carries
passengers from one place to another inside or outside of the country. Interestingly, some of the
people place orders for sports cars for their personal use by spending a huge sum of money.
Whatever the prices are, the vehicles support the users for longer periods.

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In the early days, the cars were made on hand and using few employees but with the change of
time the demands of the cars have increased greatly and thus the making process has also been
mechanised. Technologically advanced machines are used to make almost all the parts of a car
and some of the workers are used to assemble the parts together. Commonly, some employees are
engaged in the assembling of specific parts using a conveyer belt. The car body stops at different
stations on a conveyer belt and then the expert hands join the parts with machines and tools.
When the assembly in done for any specific part, the body moves forward to the next station.
The workers are split into several units under a division to assemble the body parts and thus the
assembly is done. However, the assembly requires a substantial amount of time as a car is made
of numerous specialised metal parts, tools and instruments including electronic circuits, plastics
materials, rubber tires, glass and many other things. When all the elements are assembled
together, the car turns into a full functioning vehicle.
Germany has been producing automobile since the 18th century and is considered as the
birthplace of this industry. Earlier, the number of produced cars was limited but with the
increasing global demand, it has started massive automobile production and the most famous
brands are produced in Germany. The most important cause of the German automobile demand is
its sustainability and comfort. The cars made by Germany are economic in terms of fuel
consumption and could be used for years.
In terms of quality, the German cars belong to the top class and provide continuous service to the
users and require some routine checks only. The German automobiles are made for luxury and
engineered for travelling long distance with a higher speed.
Model Answer 2:
Rice is one of the main agricultural products in India and considered as the staple food for the
majority of the population living in Southeast Asia. This is the only food crop that is found in
almost all parts of the world and is preferred as the main food item on the table.

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India is one of the largest rice growers in the world and the contribution is around 20%
comparing the global rice production in different other countries. The rice production level has
increased in the present days than the past to meet the hunger of the increased population of the
country. India mainly produces the brown and white rice and the demands for both the rice are
skyrocketing.
Rice is used as the main food for the majority of the Indians though some of them prefer to have
bread instead of rice on their meal. But rice is still on the top of the list and been serving the
people since time immemorial. Rice is grown from paddy and it needs to be cooked before
serving. Usually, the production level remains upwards but due to some natural disasters like
droughts or excessive rains help to decline the rice production. Gradually, the lands producing
paddies are expanding and in fact, rice covers the largest crop producing lands of the country.
There are different sorts of rice is available and they have various purposes. Some of them are
used for preparing regular meals while the special ones are used to cook distinctive foods
marking occasions.
Rice is basically a food grain grown on a tree known as paddy. It requires fertile lands, plenty of
water, and the climate should be humid and moderately hot. Besides, a moderate rainfall is also
required for the cultivation of rice. Rice is grown in plenty in India since the climatic features are
favourable for rice growth. The hot and comfortable climate helps flourishing the paddies on the
land. Traditionally, the fields are ploughed before sowing rice seeds and fertilizers and cow
dungs are used to enhance the fertility of the land. When there are scarcities of rain, irrigation is
required and that is done by ground water using tube wells or deep tube wells. These are the
traditional methods for growing rice but some other non-traditional methods are followed as well
some of the Indian regions to produce rice.
India grows rice not only to meet the increasing food demands, rice is tastier than the other types
of food grains as well and could be taken with several types of curries and vegetables. This is the
only food grain that delivers special aroma after cooking. Moreover, the preparation process for

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rice is also simpler and requires no spices at all. Only a cooking pot and a couple mugs of water
are enough to cook the rice. India produces rice as the cultivation needs fewer efforts than other
food crops, and the produced rice is exported which brings a good profit for the country.
Part 3: Detail Discussion:

Food Production
Q. What are some of the main food products ("foods") that your country produces?
A. Foods, particularly the agricultural products in Germany are different from region to region
despite being the country an agricultural land. Cereals are mostly grown across the country and
sugar beets are another important agricultural product. Besides, various types of vegetables are
also found and sold in marketplaces. Vineyards are located in the river valleys. The foods are
produced in such a manner that the prices are lower but the farmers have their profit to a pleasant
level. Organic farming is followed across the country to ensure the highest level of production.
Q. What are some food products that come from different parts of your country?
A. Being an agricultural country, it produces different sorts of food items both seasonal and
round the year. Vegetable like carrots, potatoes, cabbage, spinach, beans, cauliflowers, tomatoes,
zucchini, lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli etc. are produced in different parts of Germany. Moreover,
there are some fruits like apples, lemons, kiwis, oranges, avocados, peaches, pears, nectarines,
strawberries, plums, cherries etc. are also grown across Germany and mangoes, bananas,
coconuts and pineapples are also found in German localities.
Q. What widely consumed food products are mainly imported into your country?
A. The most consumed food of Germany is meat like beef, pork etc. But pork is the most popular
meat across Germany. However, chicken, duck, lamb, rabbit, boar etc. are also consumed in
different occasions and available round the year. Fish is another most wanted item in Germany
and the most common fishes consumed are trout, carp, pike etc. Vegetables are the part and
parcel of German cuisine and it is a must on the food menu. Mostly the vegetables are used to
make soups or stews and sometimes are served as side dish. Take away foods are also popular in
Germany. Dried foods also have a big demand among the Germans, particularly in some specific

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locations.
Besides, various types of foods are imported to Germany including live animals, beverages, oils –
vegetable and animal, oil seeds, citrus, avocados, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, potatoes, apples,
broccoli, garlic, pears, bananas, mangoes, mushrooms cauliflowers etc.
Q. Do you think it's important that a country is self-sufficient in food?

A. A country should be self-sufficient in food production for different reasons. The first thing is
that import is a complex process and at times the food items get damaged for the transportation
process and the pricing goes beyond the budget. As a result, the final consumers are to get the
items at a higher rate than usual. Besides, the import process may also get delayed or obstructed
for global political disability. If the country is in need of the products, those become unavailable
inside of the country and the unscrupulous merchants create a syndicate to extend their illegal
profit by storing the available goods.
Other Products /International Trade

Q. Besides food and the product you mentioned earlier, what else is made in your country?
A. Germany is the country that makes a large number of necessary things. The produced elements
are globally delivered for the daily use of global people. The most important products include
ships, electronic gadgets and gears, beverages like beer of different types and Fanta, filing
cabinets, printers, envelops, papers, cosmetics products like Nivea, medicines like aspirin,
branded sportswear products Puma, Faber Castell pencils, electronic cigarettes, grooming
brushes, medical products, car tires, sailboats, handicrafts, clothing, perfumes and more other
elements.
Q. Do you think the globalisation of industry and commerce is a good thing?

A. Globalisation has made a massive change in the world. The world has turned into a global
village for the entire process and as a result, people have the chances to enjoy products or
services of foreign countries. The globalisation of industry and commerce has made consumption

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comfortable to the global consumers. Any specific goods, service or product produced in a
certain part of any geographical location is now available in the remotest part of the world and
this has happened for globalisation process.
Q. Do you think every country should make everything it needs or should it import some
things?
A. It is my individual concept that every country may not make or produce everything it needs
due to various causes and most importantly the lack of available resource. The resources required
to make or produce any specific product is unavailable everywhere. For instance, the Middle East
countries are selling oil across the world as they have plenty but if they did not have, then they
had to import oil from the producing countries. So, I think in some cases a country should import
the necessary items.
Q. What are the disadvantages of a country producing everything it needs?

A. When a country will produce everything it needs, the economic situation may turn worse.
When the necessary items will be available for all the people the currency value will go down.
Moreover, there is a common trend of wasting materials when they are found in abundance. So,
the chance of production material wastage like mineral or artificial resources wastage will
emerge. People will be unaware of using or applying the produced, and if the products were
imported, the people would have used them with care.

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#98: A present which you were given and that you broken accidentally
Describe a present which you were given and that you broken accidentally.
You should say:

what is it
for what occasion it was presented to you
how you broken it
how you felt when you broke it.
Model Answer 1:
When I was a grade-schooler, my father bought me a toy robot made with plastic and steel. It was
nice looking and I liked it most for the movements and noise it created. The toy robot created
some noises resembling of handguns and also said some words like – stop or I will shoot. It
appears that the toy robot was made based on any police character. The robot turned into the most
intimate companion of mine for next few months.
My father presented me the toy robot on my birthday. On my 9th birthday, my father presented
me the best gift of my entire life. They earlier had decided to observe the birthday amid joy and
accordingly they planned to surprise me. I did not have any idea that they planned to surprise me
by inviting the relations and my school friends. I was mostly surprised by the present of my
father. I was fond of the toy robot that even I took it in my school.
But unfortunately, one day the robot got damaged. It required batteries to run and I made it fell
on the ground during the battery-changing process. The robot was kept on a higher place and I
board on a chair to get the robot. When I had the robot in my hand, I started changing the
batteries and opened the back side of the robot. It was my bad luck that I did not grab the robot
strongly while opening its back. As a result, it fell down and severely one of its hands was
damaged.

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I was feeling down with the accident. I was deeply fond of the robot that I took to sleep with me
at night. It was the constant companion for me. But I was amazed at the attitude of parents when
the consoled me with different pleasing words.
Cue Card Answer 2:

My mother gave me a coffee mug on my 19th birthday and within few weeks that mug was
broken unintentionally. The coffee mug was beautifully designed and my mother had my name
and her birthday wish written on that mug from a designer‟s shop. This white mug was a very
special gift for me as my mother took the time to pick a gift for me and then took it to a
designer‟s shop to make it even special. I was living in my university dormitory at that time and
my mother sent that present through a parcel service and to my amazement this gift arrived
exactly on my birthday.
After I received the gift I called my mother and thanked her for the magnificent gift and wishes. I
could not be home on my birthday due to my exams. However, I received many wishes and some
gifts from my friends and relatives.
Interestingly I was drinking more coffee than usual after I got that coffee mug from my mother.
First few days I took great care of this mug and cleaned it meticulously. After my exam was over,
I needed very few cups of coffee except in the morning and that‟s why I placed the mug just on
the right side of my desk where I could easily find it in the morning. On one sad morning, I was
talking to one of my friends over the cell phone and I tried to grab the coffee mug from my bed.
That must have been a stupid decision as I could not hold the mug firmly from bed and to my
surprise the mug dropped on the floor and it was broken in several prices.
I was so sad that I became very angry and rebuked myself for being so careless. That was an
exceptional gift for me and I was speechless for few moments. I cleaned the floor and collected
the broken pieces from there and started feeling more miserable when I looked at the broken
pieces of the beautiful mug. My roommate tried to soothe me but I was feeling very low at that

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time. It is beyond my ability to describe how sad I really felt. I could easily purchase a new mug
or even my mother would love to do that, but nothing would replace the special care and wished
this particular mug had. I felt like as if I have lost something very important which is
irreplaceable.
Idea Generation for this Cue Card / Candidate Task Card topic:
You can talk about any gift item which is fragile. First, say who gave you this gift and on what
occasion. Then tell how much this gift meant to you. Finally, talk about the incident when it was
broken. For this cue card you can talk about the following gift items and then generate your own
idea to effectively describe the accompanying questions of this cue card topic:
A showpiece made of glass.
A toy.
A household appliance.
Tea set.
A mobile phone.
A wall clock.
A wrist watch.
An alarm clock.
A cricket bat.
A pot plant.
An aquarium.
A coffee mug.
An electronic device.
A blender machine.
A trophy.
Useful Vocabulary you can use while talking about this Cue Card topic:
Synonyms of 'Present': Gift, souvenir.
Synonyms of 'Accidentally': Unintentionally, by mistake, unwittingly, fortuitously.
Some sad feelings: Unhappy, sombre, sad, distress, gloomy, bleak, sorrowful, wistful,
sorry, feeling blue.

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Part 3 – Two-way discussion:

Famous stores in your country:
Q. Tell me about any famous stores that sales presents.
A. "Gift Box" is one of the famous present selling stores in the 5th Avenue of New York. The
store is mostly famous for the knick-knacks and souvenirs. Besides, the refund policy of the store
is also praiseworthy. The store sells almost all types of products with a reasonable price and even
the customers can also place orders for products which are currently unavailable.
Q. Tell me about any famous markets or stores which attract tourists.

A. Walmart is global chain store and running its operation in over 20 countries of the world. The
store is famous among the tourists in the USA. Usually, the Walmart shops sell a large number of
products of varied interest under a reasonable cost. People visiting the USA never miss the
chance to peep at the store to have their necessaries.
Q. Why are they popular with tourists?

A. The multinational shop is mostly famous among the tourists because of reasonable price.
Moreover, it sells all types of products and they never compromise with quality. The staffs of all
the branches are truly helpful to the customers and particularly for the tourists. They take the
right care of them with the right manners. So, the tourists never miss the chance to do shopping in
the Walmart.
Advantages and disadvantages of giving present

Q. Would you agree that presents are always advantageous for people?
A. Nothing in the world has merits only, and similarly giving presents always does not mean it is
advantageous. At times it may happen that the presents may not be received cordially or may be
misused in different ways. Sometimes the presents may disappoint the receivers too.
Q. What kinds of presents are suitable for people in any situations?

A. Not all presents are suitable for every situation but there are some frequently used presents

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like – coffee mug, photo holder or photo albums, paintings, gift cards, attractive showpieces etc.
may suit all the occasions. However, the best process to give a present is to learn about the
occasion before and get a present after the event type.
Q. How do you think the way of giving presents will change in the future?
A. Time changes everything and the way of giving present will also experience change. In
future, people may become more dependent on electronic gifts or may also use gift delivery
services to deliver the presents from one place to another. There would be more occasions than
today for exchanging gifts and wishes.

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#99: Describe a gift you have received that was important to you
Describe a gift you have received that was important to you.
You should say:

who gave it to you and for what occasion
what it looks like and how you use it
when you received it
and explain why this gift was important to you.
Model Answer 1:
When I was a child, I was given a block set on the eve of Christmas as a gift. One of my maternal
uncles gave that block set to me because I liked to play with the blocks more in my childhood. I
was truly surprised when my maternal uncle came to our home to give me the wonderful gift,
although, in the beginning, I did not realise that he was at our home for presenting me the
wonderful block set.
A medium plastic container wrapped in papers was given to me on the Christmas day and when I
opened the container, I found the blocks. I was highly surprised and happy too for the excellent
gift from my uncle. The blocks were made of top class plastic and there were no sharp edges.
They were of different sizes and some of the block pieces were attached with wheels. The block
shapes were not same. I used to make different structures with the block set. I preferred robots,
aeroplanes, cars, houses and more other stuff using the block set.
The block set was important to me for several reasons. Firstly the blocks looked nice and were
handy to use. Secondly, I have learnt many facts of my real life using the blocks. They have
taught me patience and perseverance – when I used to fail in making any desired or imagined
structure, I waited, took a pause from the making, used to think deeply over the structure and
finally made that.
Cue Card Answer 2:
My grandfather was one of my most favourite personalities and he was a great teacher and
mentor. He inspired me to read and I have read a lot of books only because of his inspiration and
guidance for me. He died in 2010 (may God bless his soul and rest him in peace) and that was an
immense loss for me. He once gave me a book titled „The Giving Tree‟ written by „Shel
Silverstein‟ and I still consider it as the best gift I have ever received.
I was about 10 or 11 years old and a 4th-grade school-going children when I received this gift

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from my grandfather. I can‟t recall what the exact occasion was when he gave me the book. All I
can remember is that he went to the town for a week for his business and when he returned he
gave me a book with an excellent cover picture. The book was a hard covered average size book
and there was a small boy who was looking upward towards a tree and a fruit was falling towards
the boy. My grandfather gave me this gift with some chocolates and a toy car. I kept the book on
my desk for a while and one day he asked me whether I liked the story of the book he gave me. I
was a bit ashamed to hear that as I have not touched the book at all and I told him that I have not
read it yet. He smiled and told me that he loves this story. The next day morning I started reading
this book and to my amazement, I was so engrossed in the story that I forgot to go outside to play
with other boys. It took me the whole day to finish the book and after reading this book I felt an
appetite to read more storybooks like this one for the first time in my life. That was just the
beginning and after that, I become a regular reader.
This book has an excellent story that taught me the importance of loving others. I realised how
my parents and other family members are sacrificing for me. Honestly, I become more attached
to my mother than my playmates after realising her true sacrifice for me. This book opened a new
horizon for me and this was the beginning of a wonderful journey in my life. I read whenever I
get time these days and I believe that a reader leads many lives and can think from many different
perspectives. All this have been possible only because the gift and blessing my grandfather
bestowed me.
Rounding off questions:
Q. Why do we like receiving gifts?

A. Well, gifts are always special to us. A gift reminds us a happy event or someone special and
thus as a human we have a natural tendency to receive gifts and presents. Apart from that, it is
always good to get something that might be useful for us. Possessing something we like and then
getting it from someone on a special occasion is desirable to all human.
Q. Can we sometimes hate a gift?

A. Yes, I think so. Especially when it is given by someone we do not like at allMaybebe the
hatred is for that person which makes us not to receive his gifts very warmly as well. Sometimes
we hate gifts that we personally do not like at all. For instance, if someone does not like
chocolate at all and gets a box of chocolates as a gift on his birthday, would most likely hate the
gift. Often we may hate a gift if our expectation of the gift was totally different from that
person.
Idea Generation for this Cue Card / Candidate Task Card Topic:
For this cue card, you can talk about any gift, prize or present you received in your life. That
could be a simple chocolate that someone dear to you gave or could be a luxurious item like a
car. Following are some of the ideas that you can use to prepare your own answer:

Đà Nẵng
A birthday gift you got from one of your family members.

A computer/ laptop/ mobile phone that you got as a gift from your parents.
A gift that a teacher gave you.
A gift you received on your graduation day.
Any electronic device that you got as a gift.
Any toy you were given in your childhood.
A book, notebook, pen that you were given by a friend.
A household appliance that you were given and you used.
A gift you received from a cousin.
A present that you could not purchase but was given by someone.
A bat, ball, gloves or costume that you received from someone you care.
A furniture or an ornament.
A car, house, prize bond etc.
Gift Synonyms: Present, offering, bequest, endowment, reward, tip.

Important Synonyms: Significant, essential, prime, key, vital, crucial, paramount
meaningful, considerable.
Occasion Synonyms: Event, celebration, party, moment, time, instance, affair, function,
Looks like Synonyms: Appearance, resembles.
- End -

99 Cue Card For IELTS Speaking by IELTS Fighter-Chuan

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Cơ sở 1: 254 Hoàng Văn Thái – Thanh Xuân Cơ sở 4: 350 Đƣờng 3/2 – Quận 10 – TP HCM

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 1

Link tải file nghe: bit.ly/99cue-card-ielts-fighter

Biên soạn bởi: Trung tâm luyện thi IELTS Fighter

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 2

CHƢƠNG 2: BÍ KÍP TRẢ LỜI IELTS SPEAKING PART 2, PART 3 ................................. 12

CHƢƠNG 3: 99 TOPIC IELTS SPEAKING PART 2,3 .......................................................... 27

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 3

#23: A Country You Have Not Been To Yet .............................................................................. 78

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 4

#54: Something You Make By Yourself ................................................................................... 143

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 5

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 6

Lời nói đầu:

Bộ tài liệu đƣợc biên soạn gồm các nội dung:

1. Lời khuyên học tiếng Anh hiệu quả

Yêu tất cả các em!

Cô Trà My và tập thể các giáo viên IELTS Fighter!

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 7

CHƢƠNG 1: LỜI KHUYÊN HỌC TIẾNG ANH HIỆU QUẢ

Làm thế nào để khắc phục đƣợc điều đó?

Kĩ năng vào: Nghe và Đọc vs Kĩ năng ra: Nói và Viết

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 8

Làm sao để khắc phục đƣợc điều đó?

Đầu tiên, sẽ NGHE:

Nghe chủ động:

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 9

Chỉ đơn giản thế thôi!

Nghe thụ động:

Thay đổi thói quen đọc:

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 10

Điều cuối cùng mà cô muốn nói đó chính là:

Thay đổi thói quen – thay đổi thành công!

P/s: Nghe nhƣ đa cấp nhỉ ^^

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 11

CHƢƠNG 2: BÍ KÍP TRẢ LỜI IELTS SPEAKING PART 2, PART 3

I. IELTS SPEAKING PART 2: BÀI NÓI CÁ NHÂN và Cue card

Làm thế nào để tận dụng 1 phút CHUẨN BỊ hiệu quả

Sau đây là một vài tips các em có thể áp dụng:

Dƣới đây là một ví dụ, Cô và các em cùng tìm hiểu nhé:

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 12

Part 2 Main Topics

1. Mô tả 1 đồ vật (object) E.g. món quà (a gift), đồ vật đang sử dụng, …

Những ý tƣởng cần chuẩn bị

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 13

Làm cách nào để “nói” trong vòng 2 phút

Dùng đúng thì (tense)

Hai câu hỏi đƣợc đặt ra

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 14

3 tips quan trọng

Không cần chú trọng nhiều vào eye-contact

Lấy ý tƣởng từ các chủ đề khác

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 15

And explain what you did with the money

Không sử dụng các cụm công thức

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 16

Các chiến lƣợc hiệu quả

Không nên quá lo lắng về thái độ của Giám khảo

IELTS Fighter – The Leading IELTS Training Center in VN Page 17