Tổng hợp

1) "Children are facing more pressures nowadays from academic, social and commercial
perspectives. What are the causes of these pressures and what measures should be taken
to reduce these pressures?
It is commonly said that today’s children are pressurized as were yesterday’s adults.
That’s true in the sense that children are facing harder and harder academic, social and
commercial challenges. It is happening simply because of the ever increasing demands
of life, from the same perspectives, on humans in general. While it is important that
children excel in their age to become successful as adults, they must be shielded from
the mounting pressure by maintaining a balance between material and psychological
growth.
As the global village becomes more and more competitive everyday, it becomes
important for us to prepare for the fight, so to speak, earlier and earlier. This is realized
by all, which triggers societies to push their juveniles during their learning stage.
The other thing that is contributing to this ever rising pressure on children is the lack
institutional opportunities, especially in developing countries. Now, more than ever,
children are having to race each other for reaching the privilege of higher education.
While healthy competition is helpful for the psycho-social development of young ones,
it is rather unhealthy when the race becomes more prominent than the objective. Of
course the objective of children competing against each other ideally is brining the best
out of themselves. But, very frequently, a child is compelled to compete for becoming
better than the other. In other words, the competition becomes a brawl rather than being
a sprint.
To stop such spiteful struggle among our young, we must first establish a sense of
camaraderie within all our developmental institutions, such as schools and colleges.
Students must contest for academic betterment, not social supremacy. Also, parents
should get proactively involved in promoting sportsmanship among learners. They must
not allow vile aggressiveness and their own vengefulness in the lives of their children.
To sustain such social reformation, the government must establish ample alternatives to
the traditional route to success.
The conclusion here is simple. The children today are being put into a ‘survival-of-the-
fittest’ situation much earlier than they must be when they should really be trying to do
their best. Such untimely loss of innocence is only going to make civilization more
antagonistic. Therefore, we must ensure that personal development may be ushered in
harmony and not in vile rivalry.
2) Online communication is becoming more popular than face-to-face communication in
many companies. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? (Technology)
With the rise of multiple communication methods based on online platforms, our world today
sees a downfall of direct conversation taking place. Despite several arguments against these
modern ways to exchange information, I strongly believe that the benefits online communication
offers are far more than its weaknesses.
On the one hand, it is hard to deny that online communication has its drawbacks. First, abusing
online communication methods might adversely affect the communicative and interpersonal
skills of the users. This is because the users would tend to be heavily reliant on electrical tools
to express feelings and exchange ideas. Consequently, there would be a decline in the ability to
manage the behaviors and tactics people use to interact with others effectively. Secondly, other
skills relating to writing and speaking can also be influenced if the users are too familiarized
themselves with abbreviated words and emotional symbols.
On the other hand, online platforms used for communication such as social networking sites and
blogs can bring many values. One of the most outstanding is the way people keep in touch has
never been easier. Regardless of distance and time, humans now can share every moment of their
lives with an unlimited scale of subjects. It is impossible to estimate how meaningful it is for students
or workers living far from home to have Skype and Facebook to contact their families every day.
Besides the emotional aspect, communicative methods using online platforms also make
a tremendous advancement to the business of many industries. Companies and clients can sign
contracts, make payments, and have any adjustments in a second. International trade is also
boosted to its highest effectiveness. It is not wrong to say that online communication platforms have
made a revolution in the way people exchange information.
All in all, although a few drawbacks can still be detected when it comes to online communication,
with a little adjustment in the way users utilize these tools, the advantages it brings are not to be
overlooked.
3) In some countries, only few young people go to classical music concerts or play classical
music. Why? Should young people be encouraged to attend and learn more?

It is widely acknowledged that many nations have failed to foster younger audiences into the classical
music concert halls and convince them to learn this kind of music. There are many reasons for this
phenomenon, and I opine that engaging in classical music-related activities could be advantageous for
youths.

Some primary driving forces are leading to the unpopularity of classical music engagements among
young people. Firstly, concerts in their traditional format are too long to suit the listening
preferences of younger generations. The younger audience finds it difficult to relate to this sort of music
since their music usually is about three or four minutes long. Secondly, the ticket prices of classical
concerts are not affordable for young beholders. They are mainly students or fresh graduates who are
generally struggling to make ends meet, so paying a large sum of money for classical music live
performances seem to be financially wasteful.
Although classical music is not reachable or interested by younger audiences, I still argue that it can bring
many merits. In the first place, this kind of music has its power in enriching young individuals’ mental
life. Listening to this music can stimulate their creativeness and help them to escape from stress. For
many, going to classical orchestras can bring them a sense of relaxation after hours of stressful work.
Besides, being able to play a piece of classical music gives young people a sense of accomplishment and
can boost their overall confidence. Also, it has been proven that classical
music rhythms can stimulate people’s emotional and cognitive abilities, which is then beneficial to their
brain’ development.

In short, the length of classical works and costs are the main grounds why not many young people have
paid attention to classical music. Though many believe classical music is a dying art form, I deem that
this music type is a necessary part of youngsters’ lives for the aforementioned benefits.

4) Nowadays animal experiments are widely used to develop new medicines and to
test the safety of other products. Some people argue that these experiments
should be banned because it is morally wrong to cause animals to suffer, while
others are in favour of them because of their benefits to humanity.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Answer:
It is true that medicines and other products are routinely tested on animals before
they are cleared for human use. While I tend towards the viewpoint that animal
testing is morally wrong, I would have to support a limited amount of animal
experimentation for the development of medicines.
On the one hand, there are clear ethical arguments against animal experimentation.
To use a common example of this practice, laboratory mice may be given an illness
so that the effectiveness of a new drug can be measured. Opponents of such
research argue that humans have no right to subject animals to this kind of trauma,
and that the lives of all creatures should be respected. They believe that the
benefits to humans do not justify the suffering caused, and that scientists should
use alternative methods of research.
On the other hand, reliable alternatives to animal experimentation may not always
be available. Supporters of the use of animals in medical research believe that a
certain amount of suffering on the part of mice or rats can be justified if human
lives are saved. They argue that opponents of such research might feel differently
if a member of their own families needed a medical treatment that had been
developed through the use of animal experimentation. Personally, I agree with the
banning of animal testing for non-medical products, but I feel that it may be a
necessary evil where new drugs and medical procedures are concerned.
In conclusion, it seems to me that it would be wrong to ban testing on animals for
vital medical research until equally effective alternatives have been developed.
5) Many offenders commit more crimes after serving their first punishment. Why is
this happening, and what measures can be taken to tackle this problem?

A large number of criminals who have served their first prison sentence, leave prison
only to reoffend. This is mainly because of the lack of rehabilitation and difficulty finding
regular employment once released. There are a number of solutions which should be
implemented to deal with criminals who reoffend.
Firstly, the reason for most first–time offenders committing crimes again, once they are
released from prison, is due to the lack of rehabilitation whilst in prison. In other words,
offenders are not given a chance to retrain and learn new skills for their future or develop
a deeper understanding of correct moral behavior and instead mix with other criminals,
which only strengthens their criminal intentions. Secondly, repeat offending is also owing
to the difficulty in finding employment after being released. As a result, many of them
struggle financially which leads them back to crime, regardless of the consequences.
There are two effective solutions to the problem of repeat offenders. One way to tackle
this is to ensure that all criminals entering prison are given the chance to retrain with
useful skills which will hopefully ensure them a job after they have served their sentence.
By doing this, it will help them reintegrate back into society and give them some means
of supporting themselves financially. Another method of dealing with criminals who
reoffend is to have more supervision and checks in place where they are back in society.
This solution would hopefully prevent them from taking any chances and deter them from
reoffending because they are being so closely watched.
In conclusion, having training in prison and also close observation when first time
offenders are released are effective in dealing with the issue. If governments
implemented these solutions, crime figure would soon drop.
6) Each year, the crime rate increases. What are the causes of crime and what
could be done to prevent this rise in criminal activity?
Crime is an issue of increasing concern around the world, and more money than ever
before is being spent on the detection and punishment of criminal activity. The reasons
why people commit crime are countless, but drugs and alcohol, social problems and
poverty play a major role. To solve these problems, governments can either focus on
draconian punishments, or improve employment opportunities, invest in good housing
projects and tackle drug and alcohol abuse.

One of the main causes of criminality is the use, sale and trafficking of narcotics. For
example, the sale of drugs is organized by armed criminal gangs who illegally traffick
drugs and control their business with extreme violence. Drug-related crime does not end
there; drug users often steal to fund their habit, resulting in further acts of petty crime.
The social problems connected with crime are said to be the result of single-parent
families, absent role models and bad living conditions. The children from these broken
families often become criminals because they feel alienated from society. Poverty is also
a reason behind crime. When unskilled jobs pay so little and prices are high, it is easy to
see why some people turn to crime for an income.

Crime can, of course, be dealt with by toughening criminal laws and introducing longer
custodial sentences for persistent criminals, but some of the best ways to deal with crime
may be to deal with the social causes. Increasing employment opportunities in poorer
areas would improve living standards, which would mean access to affordable housing
and education. Government funding for drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes
would help reduce dependency on stimulants and the need for criminal activity that
surrounds them.

In conclusion, crime is a major issue, bur cracking down on offenders with harsh penal
system is not the only way. These problems can be solved through the government
providing jobs and funding which should raise living standards and dramatically reduce
 crime levels.
7) To succeed in a business, one needs to know math. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?

It is generally the case that mathematical skills have contributed to the success of entrepreneurs. While
this notion may be reasonable for some businessmen, I opine that for many successful companies
nowadays, employers do not need to do the calculations themselves.

It is common knowledge that maths plays an integral role in operating a business. Firstly, an enormous

number of calculations have to be conducted to determine the prices of products that are both appealing to
buyers and sufficient to make the business financially healthy. Without the financial counting of all
expenditures, the businessman can easily overcharge or undercharge customers for his services or
goods. Secondly, to maximize profits, the owner needs to make the system as cost-efficient as possible.
To do this, she or he needs math statistics to make decisions of where and how capital should
be allocated.

However, it is my opinion that if numerical skills are not one’s forte, it does not mean he or she cannot
run a successful business. The first reason for my argument is that employers can hire trusted employees
to take charge of the accounting job. In the corporate world, it is not uncommon that the business
owner is not the one who works with figures in his company. Another compelling reason is
that delegating the bookkeeping work to subordinates might be an advisable practice. By doing this, the
entrepreneurs can save their time and cognitive space for other important decisions, such as launching
new products or adapting to the dynamic economic climate.

In conclusion, while it is true that mathematics could be of pivotal importance for a business to prosper,
I do not think its owner needs to be adept at mathematic capacities. It would be a wiser investment to
employ a bookkeeper to do the job so that the entrepreneurs have time for strategic work.

8) Some people say that modern technology has made shopping today easier, while others
disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

It is sometimes argued that technical advancements such as e-commerce sites have enhanced shopping
experiences. Although I overwhelmingly agree with this, I also hold the belief that it has brought about
both confusion and annoyance to shoppers.

On the one hand, up-to-date technology has improved the customer experience in both online and offline
shops. Firstly, with the advent of e-commerce websites, products are made globally available
without geographical constraints. That means a Nike fan in Vietnam is able to order the much
anticipated “Fly 4%” running shoes as soon as they are added to sites such as Amazon US or
Sportswear.com. Secondly, physical store visitors seem to welcome the convenience of computer
operated payment methods and customer service. A buyer can instantly pay for his purchases by
scanning a QR code at a checkout counter, while a customer assistant could promptly award him a
loyalty card with personalised offers as suggested by customer relationship management software.

Nevertheless, I believe modern technology has caused shoppers to be overwhelmed by choices and
annoyed by disrupted buying processes. To illustrate, a quick Google search for a simple item such as
baby diaper results in about three hundred providers, each of which boast about being the most trusted
brand in baby care. Therefore, it seems harder for the diaper buyer to pick one among an enormous
number of possibilities compared to just a few options in a nearby traditional shop. In addition, cutting
edge technology could still contain flaws or bugs that annoy shoppers. For example, the MOMO e-wallet
has failed to connect to the database of its retailing partners for week-long periods, which left thousands
of dissatisfied users queueing to sort out their bills with cashiers.

In summary, although shoppers now have greater choices and convenience, their buying experience
has deteriorated to some extent because of technical interference. Therefore, merchants should carry out
extensive customer research before deciding on adopting these the technologies to satisfy the expectations
of today’s consumers.

ENGLISH TIẾNG VIỆT

E-commerce sites Các nền tảng thương mại điện tử

Sự ra đời/xuất hiện
The advent of sth của một phát minh nào đó

Geographical constraint Hạn chế về mặt địa lý

A much anticipated item Một mặt hàng rất được trông chờ

Computer operated Phương pháp thanh toán

payment method bằng công nghệ

Customer Relationship Management Bộ phận Quan hệ Khách hàng

Disrupted buying process Quá trình mua sắm bị gián đoạn

Deteriorate (v) Trở nên tệ hơn

Cutting-edge (adj) Hiện đại, tân tiến nhất

Boast about V-ing Tự hào về việc gì

Sort out Giải quyết vấn đề

Promptly Ngay lập tức

An enormous number of + N Một số lượng lớn

Retailing partner Đối tác bán lẻ