UNIT 2: REMARKABLE

Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

- Remember new words and collocations
- Use new phrases and idioms for fame in the answers
- Interact with the teacher and their partners by asking and answering the
questions related to famous people, fame and ambition
- Cooperate with their partners to present the topic ‘Describe a famous
person’
- Understand Part 1 in VSTEP speaking and know how to answer the
questions in this part effectively by using the given tips and strategies

2A. EXCEPTIONAL PEOPLE

PART A. Vocabulary
No Words
1 Fair-minded
2 Versatile/ Talented
3 Exceptional
4 Utterly brainy
5 Life and soul of the class
6 Thirst for knowledge
7 To set a good example
Meanings Examples
Đối xử công bằng She is one of the most fair-
với mọi người minded people I know.
Tài năng He had been one of the game's
most versatile athletes.
Howard is a talented pianist.
She has a huge army of young
fans, and is extremely talented.
Xuất chúng His translation is exceptional
in its poetic quality.
He's an exceptionally talented
dancer.
Cực kỳ thông Sarah was beautiful utterly
minh brainy.
Linh hồn của lớp Behold him once more the life
học and soul of the class.
Sự khát khao về He spent much of the day in
kiến thức the city’s library, where his
thirst for knowledge first
developed.
Là tấm gương tốt He was a man who set a good
example of extraordinary
diligence.

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8 To develop a sense of Có tinh thần Four crucial ways to develop
responsibility trách nhiệm sense of responsibility in
children. 

9 Straight-A student Sinh viên toàn đạt Susan is a Straight "A"

điểm A Student at Harvard
10 To leave a major Có sự ảnh hưởng Mrs. Ngoc, my former
influence on Sb lớn đến ai Literature teacher has left a
major influence on me in
terms of her dedication towards
teaching
11 To get the hang of the Hiểu bài nhanh My best friend, Huong, could
lesson get the hang of the Math
lesson in a very short time

PART B. High-Scoring Idioms for Fame

One-hit wonder– person/band that had only one hit song (or movie)
The band Felly was a one-hit wonder in the 90’s, with the song Pump Up the Jam.
Wear many different hats– able to play many different characters
Johnny Depp can wear many different hats, from British pirate to Cuban poet.
Household name– person who everyone knows
Unfortunately, the Kardashians are a household name in the States.
A has-been/ all washed up– person who was famous but is not doing any good work
anymore
The New Kids on the Block are all has-beens, except for Donnie Wahlberg, who has a
reality TV show and has been in a couple movies.
Limelight– fame
The actress Elisabeth Moss is in the limelight now, after starring in The Handmaid’s
Tale on Hulu.

PART C. PRACTICE
TASK 1: Work with your partner. Ask and answer the following questions.
1. How can people become famous?

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I think in the era of technology, being famous has never been easier. People
who have extraordinary skills or abilities /talents in any field would be able to
become famous with the assistance of the media.
2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a celebrity?
The plus points of being well-known are making a lot of money and having
luxury lifestyle. Clearly, celebrities can earn a fortune through releasing new
music videos, organizing music concerts, etc. However, the minus points of
being famous are mostly related to privacy. Fans, stalkers, and paparazzis will
follow them all the time and even intrude their privacy to get the most private
information of their personal life.
3. What influences can famous people have on the society?
Nowadays, celebrities have tremendous influence on our world’s society. People
in today’s society look up to famous people and their success so much, so
normally the fans would follow anything that celebrity said or did. Naturally,
the influences of celebrities can be either positive or negative. 
4. Should celebrities be a role model for children to look up to?
Yes, of course. Whether we like it or not, whether it is for better or worse,
celebrities in the world are absolutely role models. They influence children,
teens, and even adults in countless ways. Therefore, it's important for these
individuals to set a good example for children and teens to avoid creating
problems.

2B. FAMOUS PEOPLE

Organization: Describe a person you admire
=>  Introducing a person
 I would like to tell you about…..who is…...
 The person I would like to talk about is …
=>  Brief description:
 He/ she is, in fact, ...
 He/ she (is) currently…
=>  Achievements
 He/She received the Fields Medal/...
 He/She was granted the title of professor...
 He/She is recognized as the father of...
=>  When/Where/How you knew this person:

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  I’ve known her/him since...
 I first heard about...
=>  Appearance:
 He/ she has...
 His/ her ... is...
=>  Characteristics:
 The best thing about him/her is that he is...
 Regarding personality, he/she is such a...
 Another amazing trait of him/ her is...
 Besides, he/ she is...
 Another characteristic I like regarding this professor is...
⇒ What I mean is that...
⇒ He/ she really....
⇒ I still remember one time he/ she…
⇒ For example
TASK 2: Work in groups of three to talk about a famous person.
Topic 1: Describe a famous person in your country
You should say:
Who this person is
How you know this person
What this person is famous for
And explain why you like this person
ANSWER:
Today I am going to talk about a famous person in my country who I have admired
since I was young. He is Professor Ngo Bao Chau.
I first heard about Ngo Bao Chau on the news 6 years ago when he received the Fields
Medal, which is often described as the mathematician’s Nobel Prize. However, earlier
in 2005, he was granted the title of professor in Vietnam, becoming the country’s
youngest professor ever.
Professor Ngo Bao Chau has been awarded the highest academic honor due to his
great mathematical research. He is best known for proving the Fundamental Lemma.
His work has achieved such a distinction that it has been listed as one of the top ten
scientific discoveries of 2009 by Time magazine.
The story of Ngo Bao Chau has inspired me considerably. I remember in an interview
after receiving the Medal, Ngo Bao Chau said that he had been studying maths out of

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his passion but not because of a desire to achieve. This statement impressed me a lot.
Besides, another characteristic I like regarding this professor is his persistence. During
the time studying the Fundamental Lemma, became stuck and almost failed to solve
this complex problem. Despite the difficulties, he did not choose to give up so finally
he got through them. His personality has been an inspiration for me working harder
towards my dream.
VOCABULARY:
1. Describe as (miêu tả là) [verb] to portrait a person or a thing as something in a more
particular state.
2. Mathematician (nhà toán học) [noun] an expert in Maths.
3. Best known for (nổi tiếng về) [adjective] famous for.
4. Get over (vượt qua) [phrasal verb] to find a way to solve or deal with a difficult
problem.
5. Despite (dù cho) [preposition] has a similar meaning to although or even though
and expresses a contrast between two things. It is always followed by a noun or a noun
phrase.
6. Persistence (sự kiên trì) [noun] firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action
in spite of difficulty or opposition.
Topic 2:

Describe a famous person that you are interested in

You should say:
 who this person is
 how you know about this person
 how this person became famous
And explain why you like this person
Band 8 Sample
I am going to tell you about a well-known physicist whose biography recently
really caught my attention. He is a house-hold name around the world, Albert
Einstein.
He is recognized as the father of modern physics and he was the founder of the
Theory of Relativity, which became an essential, if not the most important,
contribution to modern science. He was also awarded the Nobel Physics prize thanks
to this discovery.
Besides knowing him due to his many achievements, I did come across and read
a biography of him on the internet which really intrigued me and contained a lot of

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information that made me admire him a lot. His childhood was not as carefree as I
initially thought and I was totally impressed by his perseverance and dedication to
science despite having communication problems at a very young age.
I love how Albert Einstein lived and worked with passion and enthusiasm all his life,
which, I feel is a shining example and a great inspiration for me to follow. Albert
was hunted by the Nazi’s for most of his adult life, yet he never abandoned his love
for science and kept working even when he was running to protect himself.
So, in other words, he really inspired me to pursue my goals and dreams with all I that
I have, despite any difficulties that I may come across along the way.
Vocabulary highlights:
1. caught my attention – attracted my attention or made me look or take notice of
something
2. a house-hold name – a commonly known famous person
3. founder – someone who creates or starts something
4. come across – to find or discover something
5. biography – the story about the life of a person written by someone else
6. intrigued – to be very interested by something unusual or unexpected
7. carefree – to have no worries
8. perseverance – to continue trying to achieve something
9. dedication – a large amount of time and effort spent doing something important
10. enthusiasm – a feeling of energetic interest
11. a shining example – a very good or perfect example of something
12. hunted – to chase something to kill or catch it
13. abandoned – to leave someone or something behind
14. pursue – to chase or follow someone or something

TASK 3: Work in groups of three or four to discuss the following questions.

1. What kind of people becomes famous in your country these days?
In my country, it’s people who work in the film, sports and music industries that
become more famous than others. It is mainly because their jobs are in the public.
Their career is all about performing to the satisfaction of others. They would not have
a job if nobody watched their work. So if they are talented, they will become famous
automatically. Many politicians in my country are also famous especially those who
appear in the media often mainly television.

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2. How do you think people will become famous in the future?
I think probably the same way people become famous today, through the mass
media. As long as people depend on the mass media, those who work in the
entertainment industries will be famous. Politicians too will continue to be famous
because what they do has the potential to affect people’s lives. What I find strange is
that the ones who are most gifted or talented always remain unsung and it will always
be like that.
3. What kinds of things give status to people in your country?
Well, education, wealth, money, large house, car, fame, career are some of the
things that give status in our country. There are some other aspects of status in my
country like luxury gadgets, political power, expensive dresses and publicity. However,
the things I mentioned before are most prominent aspects of status in my country.
For instance, people with higher education and knowledge naturally get a status that
others can’t have. Similarly, wealth, cars, houses, branded dresses, and many other
things are often considered as part of people’s status in many cases.
4. What are the important qualities to achieve our ambitions?
Determination and hard work, in my opinion, are two most important qualities to
fulfil our ambitions and goals. Luck often plays its tricks but I believe fortune always
favours the hard working and strong-minded people to succeed. Apart from that,
proper planning, timely execution, expertise and experience are some other qualities we
need to achieve our goals in life.
5. Are all ambitions good in life?
I guess every positive ambition that brings happiness, success, prosperity and well-
being of others is a good one. However, we are often driven by our selfishness, greed
and materialistic achievements and any ambition which is aimed to fulfil our personal
greed is a bad one. In general, ambitions in our life help us to work harder and give
meaning in life and that’s why we should have ambitions, positive ambitions I mean.
6. What type of ambition young generation in your country has?
That’s a good question. The young generation in our country usually aims for a
prosperous career and economic freedom. Their ambitions in life also include being
someone famous so that people will know them, being a successful and happy person
in later life and having a beautiful and nice life partners. They also want to explore the
world and want to see a flourishing country in the future where violence and crime
would be a thing of past.
7. Would you focus more on achieving your ambition or doing things you love
to do?

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 Personally, my ambition in life is quite realistic and not something we hear in
fairy tales only. Being able to do something I love and have passion is not different
than my ambition. I want to lead a life that would be surrounded by my family
members, relatives, friends and people I care about. Being able to set up my own
business or doing a job that I would feel interested in is both my ambition and dream.

2C. EXAMPLE PRACTICE

PART A: OVERVIEW OF VSTEP SPEAKING PART 1
Speaking Part 1: Social Interactions
Most questions in this part focus on aspects such as your interests, study or/and
working life. Talking about yourself is quite easy, but still you need certain tips and
strategies to make a good impression, and on top of that, to succeed.
 Time limit: 3 minutes
 Students answer 3-6 questions of 2 different topics
 Objective: This task is designed to test your ability to:
- Spontaneously interact with other people
- Clearly express your thoughts
- Correctly utilize vocabularies and expressions in particular contexts and
conversations.
 Marking criteria
- Grammatical range and accuracy
- Lexical resources
- Pronunciation
- Fluency & discourse management
 Types of questions in Part 1:
- Basic description (Tell me about..., describe...)
- Liking/Preference (Do you like...?, What is your favorite...?, What don’t you
like about...?)
- Listing/ “Types of” (What are the types of...in your city/school?,...)
- Detail questions (Why, How often, Where, When, Who,...)
- “Would” questions (Would you like to do...?, What would you like to
change...?)
- Cultural norms (How do Vietnamese people...?)
- Change/ Speculation (How could...be improved in your country?)
TIPS AND STRATEGIES:
Tip 1: Make first good impression on the examiner with:
 Tidy and simple clothes

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  Confidence (illustrated by facial expression, volumn, speed of speech, eye
contact,...)
Tip 2: Your answer should be: concise – to the point – yet still need to be
expanded by supporting examples/ideas
Template:
Lead-in - Yes, absolutely/ This is an absolute yes.
- No, not really/ I wish I could say yes but.../ Well actually I
am not a [sports] enthusiast.
- That’s an intriguing question./ I am not quite sure, let me
think about it.
Liking & - First, when it comes to... I must say that...as..., which leads
supporting ideas to/ which allows me to/ which seems to be...
- Plus/ Furthermore, only by/when... can I...thanks to that
Conclusion - So that’s why...
(Optional) - So I guess it would be more exact to say that

Tip 3: Just improvise! Try to divert unfamiliar topics to the fields that you have
adequate background knowledge in.
Now, identify each part of the template in the following samples.
1. What do you often do in your free time?
Well, when it comes to my leisure time I would say that watching videos on
Youtube, especially beauty and fashion videos, is right up my street, actually, as I’m
always keen on learning more about these topics. Plus, only when subscribing to the
foreign Youtubers can I practice my English listening and speaking skills in a very
relaxing way. So I guess it would be more exact to say that Youtube plays a crucial
role in my life, not just my spare time.
- right up my street – right up my alley – hobby: đúng tủ của tôi
2. Is there any other hobby or sport you would like to try? Why?
Um...I am not really a sports enthusiast. So I’d have to say no to any type of
sports. But recently I’ve developed an interest in gardening, actually. When it comes
to growing plants and flowers, I must admit that I’ve not had much experience, but
watching my mom, who is a true green thumb by the way, tending a garden of herbs
and vegetables has inspired me to consider taking up gardening, which seems
physically tiring yet still very therapeutic at the same time.
- therapeutic /ˌθerəˈpjuːtɪk/: beneficial, relaxing, helpful: phép chữa bệnh

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PARTB. PRACTICE
Part 1: Social Interaction
Let’s talk about holiday.
1. What did you do on your last holiday?
2. Who do you prefer spending your holiday with?
3. Do you prefer going on holiday abroad?
Let’s talk about TV programs?
1. How many hours a day do you watch television?
2. Which programs do you like?
3. Do you prefer watching television alone or with other people? Why?

FURTHER PRACTICE: Links on YouTube

1. https://youtu.be/qxgaw6vwUN8
2. https://youtu.be/gjm-eWYIgQg
3. https://youtu.be/gjm-eWYIgQg
4. https://youtu.be/SU5G7uDNYFk
5. https://youtu.be/T3HZN-RbwfI

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