BA RIA – VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY

FOREIGN LANGUAGE CENTER

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QUESTIONS FOR ENGLISH 6 SPEAKING TEST- VSTEP FORMAT

PART 1: SOCIAL INTERACTION (2 – 3 minutes)

The examiner asks 2-4 questions on 2 different topics of common interest and popularity,
the test-taker answers the questions. The questions should be in the form of “wh-”
questions. Each rhetorical question should be followed by a “wh-” question.
PART 2: SOLUTION DISCUSSION (2 – 3 minutes)
The examiner and test-taker discuss three given options of a case and select the best
alternative. The task is designed in a form of a short paragraph which consists of one or two
sentences describing the background information of the case/ situation and one issue, one
sentence and/or question is used to suggest the three options to solve the issue raised and to
elicit the test-taker’s ideas.
PART 3: TOPIC DEVELOPMENT (3 - 4 minutes)
The test-taker develops a topic using a given outline. The topic is designed in the form of a
statement. The supporting details and the topic are displayed in a mind-map. Each
supporting detail and the topic should be given in the form of a noun, or noun phrase, a verb
or a verb phrase.

PRACTICE TEST 1:
Part 1: Social Interaction (3’)
Let’s talk about your working life.
- Do you have a part – time job?
Yes, I have a part time job. I’m a receptionist at small restaurant near my home.
I like my part-time job so much because I can
+ have more working experience. ( có nhiều kinh nghiệm làm việc )
+ have socializing skills.( kỹ năng xã hội hóa )
+ have more confidence. ( có thêm sự tự tin )
+ learn from other people.
 - What job do you want to do in the future?
I want to become an electrical engineer in the future. Because it’s my major that I
study at the university and I like this job.
+ because I would like to learn more about my major when I go to work.
+ because I love machines and I want to learn how to control it
+ because it’s my major that I study at the university and it helps me earn a lot
of money.
- What do we need to have a good job?
To have a good job, we need:
+ good qualification.( trình đô chuyên môn ) / special knowledge ( kiến thức
đặc biệt) .
+ good certificates ( chứng chỉ ).
It’s very useful for my job. I can apply what I studied at the university to solve the
problem at work.
+ some soft skills. For example, you can work in a team. It makes you have
more points in the interview (phỏng vấn ).
+ more confidence. Because it helps us communicate with foreigners
confidently or attend in some international events or workshops.
Let’s talk about your dream job.
- What would you like to do? Why?
I would like to become an electrical engineer Because it helps me:
+ apply what I studied at the university at work.
+ earn a lot of money that support for myself and my family.
+ have my dream job since I was a student in BRVT university.
- How many hours a week would you like to work?
I would like to work 40.hours a week. Because I think I need a happy weekend.
In my opinion, weekends are for relaxation. This is the time for me
+ to cook a meal for family
+ to take care of my family
+ to drink coffee with my friend.
- How much money would you like to earn?
I think I would like to ear 14 billion vnd per month. Becauces it helps me support for
myself and my family. I would like to earn a lot of money and save money to buy a
new house , new car , … and anything I like.
Part 2: Solution Discussion (4’)
You are going looking for a job. What factors do you concern about the job: the salary, the
working environment, or the future development?
There are many factors that I concern about the job: the salary, the working environment, or
the future development. I think that/ According to me/ In my opinion, when I’m looking for
a job, I’m really interested in the salary
Firstly, it is the salary. I think that everyone wants to earn a lot of money when they go to
work. Because its helps us to pay the house rent, to buy food, clothes, and anything we need
for our life. If we have more money, our life will be better. For example, if we are rich, we
can eat at some famous restaurants and travel in the most beautiful, best places when we
have free time. And when we are sick, we will be in a modern hospital and have the best
treatment .
Secondly , it is the working environment. Because if you work in a good working
environment with a sympathetic ( cảm thông ) boss and friendly, helpful colleagues( đồng
nghiệp ), you will feel relaxed to work better at work. Moreover, when you feel happy, you
will contribute more to the compay to develop your company.
Finally, it is the future development. Because after working hard for a long time, I think that
we need a good position in the workplace. It helps you improve ( tiến bộ ) yourself and
earn lots of money for your family. For example, after leaving from university, you will
have a good job as a worker. However, 2 or 3 years later, you try your best to improve
yourself by learning some short-term courses of your major in foreign countries or
communication courses that your company organizes ( tổ chức ), and you will have a
chance to get a good position that you wish.
In brief, when I am looking for a job, I’m really interested in the salary because if I have
more money , I can do more, I can buy anything I need, I can help my family, help other
peoples poorer than me.

Part 3: Topic Development (5’)

Topic: There are many factors to make a potential candidate.
There are many factors to make a potential ( tiềm năng ) candidate (ứng viên ): good
knowledge, smart appearance and strong soft-skills.
Firstly, to make a potential candidate, we need good knowledge. If you have good special
knowledge, you can apply it to solve ( giải quyết ) the problem at work. For example, I will
be an electrical engineer in the future, if I have good knowledge, …..
+ I can fix some machines easily.
+ It helps me a lot in my work because I can know how to work safely with
electricity.
Secondly, to make a potential candidate, we need smart appearance. For example, if it’s the
first time I meet an employer, I will easily apply for a job that appears smarter than
competitors.
Finally, to make a potential candidate, we need strong soft-skills. Strong soft-skills are
socializing skills, teamwork , presentation skills….. If you have one of soft-skills, it will be
your strong point in the interview.
In my opinion, to make a potential candidate, we need:
good knowledge, smart appearance, strong soft-skills and good health (good degrees/good
certificates in English, inborn talents such as singing or playing the guitar or the piano, good
health, working experience…)
Because
+ Without health, you will not be able to solve the pressure of the job.
+ good health, you will be more appreciated than those who are inferior, for
example, people with nearsightedness will not be more appreciated than those who
are not nearsighted.

good knowledge

smart
potential [your own ideas]
appearance
candidate

strong soft-skills

 How important do you think it is to make a good first impression for interviewers?
I think it is very important to make a good first impression for interviewers
because……..
+ Making an impression in the interview, you will get a lot of attention from
employers.
+ It proves that you are skilled and have good expertise to be able to impress in the
interview.
 Is it better to change different jobs or do the same job?
I think that it is better to change different jobs because….
+ I can learn more from my new job.
+ I can choose a new job with a more difficult level, with a higher, safer salary, ...
I think that it is better to do the same job because….
+ I had a long time working, I could develop a position in the company.
+ I don't need to waste time trying to solve problems from a new job, I can use that
time to learn more about what I want.
 PRACTICE TEST 2:
Part 1: Social Interaction (3’)
Let’s talk about your favorite gadget.
- What’s your favorite gadget? How often do you use it?
My favourite gadget is a laptop.
I usually use it 4 hour every day .
- What are its benefits?
It’s very useful. It brings me a lot of benefits/advantages( lợi thế ). For example, I
use it to make phone calls or text messages , to check mails,to read books,to watch
films, to listen to music, to find out anything on google whenever I don’t know. Of
course there must be wifi
- How important is it in your life?
It is very important in my life. Because
+ It helps me learn.
+ It helps me entertain after studying or working
+ It helps me to contact my family, friends, ...
Let’s talk about the Internet.
- How much time do you spend surfing the Internet?
I spend 4 hour a day surfing the Internet. I use the internet for entertainment, for
studying English .
- Do you use the Internet for your studies?
I usually use the Internet for my studies. For example, I use I use the internet to look
up vocabulary , search for documents .
- Are there any disadvantages ( bất lợi ) of using the Internet?
Yes, there are some disadvantages of using the Internet. For example,
+ I spend too much time using the internet.
+ It badly affects my eyes.
Part 2: Solution Discussion (4’)
You are going to buy a technological object to serve your study. What will you buy among
the three: a laptop, a tablet, or a computer? .
There are 3 technological objects to serve the study: a laptop, a tablet, or a computer. In my
opinion, when I’m going to buy a gadget for my study, I will buy a laptop.
Firstly, it is a laptop. For example , laptops are easier to carry than desktop computers.
Secondly, it is a tablet. For example, it same a laptop but it can use It can use the hand to
control the screen.
Finally, it is a computer. For example, it’s strong than laptop , it can do many things faster
than a laptop or tablet.
In brief, when I’m going to buy a gadget for my study, I will buy a laptop because…
+ it cheaper than a tablet but it still very convenient.
+ My learning needs a laptop to present, to control arduino chips.
Part 3: Topic Development (5’)
Topic: Using smartphones a lot has some drawbacks.
There are many drawbacks of smartphone : time sonsuming, lack of physical activities and
health problems.
Firstly, it is the time consuming. You can use smartphone to relax : watching films , listen
to music, play game ,… It helps you reduce stress . But It takes a lot of your time . For
example, I can I can watch films, listen to music, play games ... several hours continuously
on my smartphone.
Secondly, it is the lack of physical activities. Of course, if you spend too much time on your
smarrtphone, you won't have time to exercise, play sports.
Finally, it is the health problems. Firstly, the eyes are affected, It may hurt, then myopia. It
affects your sleep, you will have trouble sleeping if you use your smartphone too much at
night. For example, I can not sleep if I use smartphone too much.
There are many drawbacks of smartphone : time sonsuming, lack of physical activities,
health problems and Addiction smartphone .
+ Many cases, many people are addicted to smartphones and must go to rehab.
+ In China, there are many schools created for addiction to treae those cases of smartphone
addiction.

time
consuming

lack of
physical Using [your own ideas]
activities smartphones

health problems
 Are you addicted to smartphones?
Yes, I’m addicted to smartphones. I always use my smartphone to play games when I
have free time. I also use it to chat on zalo or facebook……It’s very useful for me to
listen to music or sometimes I use it to watch a film that I like best.
 What should we do to avoid addicting smartphones?
To avoid addicting smartphones, we need…….
+ Use no more than 4 hours a day.
+ Play motion games instead of phone games.
PRACTICE TEST 3:
Part 1: Social Interaction (3’)
Let’s talk about languages.
- What languages can you speak?
» I can speak Vietnamese well , can speak English but very badly.
- Do you think learning languages is important?
» yes, I thịnk learning languages is important . Because English is national
languages, you can use English to communicate everywhere in the world.
- Can you learn more than one language at a time?
» I think it can . Although learn more than one language at a time very hard, but if
you don't try it, it won't work forever.
Let’s talk about English learning.
- Do you think English is difficult to learn?
» yes , I think English is difficult to learn. It is not a native language , I can not hear
well, much vocabulary and easy to confuse.
- What methods do you use to remember vocabulary better?
» I read it over and over again.
» I write them on paper many times.
- Which English skill is the most difficult? How do you improve it?
Part 2: Solution Discussion (4’)
There are many ways to learn a language. What way would you choose among the three:
attending a class at a foreign language center, taking an online course, or studying abroad?
There are many ways to learn a language : attending a class at a foreign language center,
taking an online course, or studying abroad . In my opinion, when I learn a language , I
really interested in studying abroad.
Firstly, it is the attending a class at a foreign language center. I think that when you learn a
language, your first choice will be the foreign language center. Because there the teacher
will teach you the best way to learn that language. Fox example, if you want to learn
Japanese, you must go to the Japanese language center to learn the basics, before you can
study at home.
Secondly, it is the talking an online course. I think that you can learn a language anywhere
there is wifi or mobile network, currently there are many language courses on the internet,
you can choose a reliable website to learn. For example , edumal, Lingulia,Papora. ...are
reliable websites.
Finally, it is the studying abroad. For example, you want to learn Japanese , you come to
Japan , Where people communicate in Japanese, you will hear more, talk more and try
harder to understand what they say.
In brief, when you learn a language. I really interested in studying abroad. Because I think
that when you are overseas, you will hear the natives speak more, you have to say more.
Your foreign language will be better quickly.
Part 3: Topic Development (5’)
Topic: There are many advantages of learning a language.

get better jobs

learn new
Learning a [your own ideas]
cultures
language

make more friends

There are many advantages of learning a language: get better jobs, learn new cultures and
make more friends.
Firstly, it is the get better jobs. Surely you will have an advantage over those who do not
have a foreign language certificate. Or simply, you can be an interpreter, which is very high
income.
Secondly, it is the learn new cultures. There are many good things about culture that you
can learn while you learn the language. For example, If I study Japanese, I can learn more
about the country and the people of Japan.
Finally, it is the make more friends. Of course, if you know many languages, you can
communicate more. That makes you more friends.
In my opinion, There are many advantages of learning a language: get better jobs, learn new
cultures, make more friends and learning support.
Because:

 A lot of learning materials written in English.

 Academic is written in English.
 learning is easier.

 How can technology help you in learning English?

+ Technology help me find the meaning of vocabulary
+ Provide English videos to support listening skills
 Is it a good idea to learn a language from a non-native speaker of that language?
+ yes , If the person teaches good skills, he or she is trained from prestigious centers.