VSTEP SPEAKING TEST
PART 2 SOLUTION
DISCUSSION
- lasts for 4 minutes
- 1 situation with 3 choices
- 1 minute to prepare
You will be given a SITUATION
with three (3) or sometimes two (2)
options. You have to say your best
choice and explain and you have
one (1) minute to prepare.
EXAMPLE SITUATION:
A group of people is planning a trip
from Danang to Hanoi. There are
three means of transport:
By coach
By train or
By plane
Which option do you think is the
best choice? Explain.
TIPS:
Before you speak brainstorm your
ideas or prepare in one minute
BRAINSTORM IDEAS
THINK about
- 2 or 3 advantages of your option
- Some disadvantages / weaknesses
of the other two options
While you speak you should divide
your speech into three parts:
INTRODUCTION
BODY
CONCLUSION
In the INTRODUCTION part, you
should introduce your topic and
your choice. You can open
naturally or paraphrase the
problem. 
In the second part - BODY, you
should explain your choice by
stating two or three reasons,
explain and give examples. 
Then CONTRAST by giving
reasons and examples why you
don’t choose the other two options.
Finally, in CONCLUSION part,
you can repeat or restate your
choice
Example:
(One minute preparation) 
I choose to go by plane
Advantages of your choice:
 - safest and fastest; saves time
 - comfortable
- more convenient
- cleaner
- high quality air service
- quiet
Disadvantages of the other choices
 - longer time or time consuming,
carsick, train sick
 - more accidents
- Noisy, uncomfortable, tiring /
exhausting
=========================
SITUATION 1
A group of people is planning a trip
from Danang to Hanoi. There are
three means of transport:
By coach, by train or by plane
Which option do you think is the
best choice? Explain.
Sample Answer:
INTRODUCTION
Sample 1 Introduction (open
naturally)
When traveling from Danang to
Hanoi, people can choose to go by
train, plane or by coach. In my
opinion, going by plane is the best
option because of the following
reasons:
Sample 2 Introduction
(paraphrase the situation)
Supposed that a group of people is
planning a trip from Danang to
Hanoi and I were to choose the best
transport for traveling, I would
suggest (by plane) as the most
reasonable one as opposed to (a
coach or a
train) fundamentally because of the
following reasons:
BODY
First of all, it is the fastest and safest
way to travel. What’s more, it’s
quiet and according to some
statistics, going on a flight is less
likely to have an accident than by
coach or by train. In the same
manner, I find it clean, more
convenient and very comfortable to
travel by plane. Similarly, you know
planes are often well-equipped and
you are provided with comfortable
seats. Another thing, you are served
with drinks during your flight.
(Contrast)
On the flip side, there are several
reasons why I don’t choose the other
options.
OR YOU CAN SAY
On the contrary, there are
some drawbacks why I don’t
consider the other options.
In the first place, I often feel carsick
or train sick. On top of that, it takes
me much longer time to travel by
those. Finally, taking a coach isn’t
my choice because driving in
Vietnam is quite dangerous not
only as some drivers might over
speed but also some coaches chase
each other to get passengers.
CONCLUSION
So in short, I am under the
impression that plane is my best
alternative due to speed, safety and
comfort.
SITUATION 2
Which will you choose? Remember
that you are the only child and your
parents are quite old now. Explain
your choice.
Option 1 - a very good job with high
salary in a positive work
environment but you have to work
very far from your house
Option 2 - a low salary in your
hometown in a positive work
environment near your house
Option 3 - a quite high salary job in
your hometown but non-competitive
work environment
SAMPLE ANSWER:
INTRODUCTION
On the condition that I will have to
choose the most beneficial job for
me, I would select a quite high
salary job in my hometown but non-
competitive work instead of the other
two options basically because of the
following reasons.
BODY
First of all, I prefer to work in my
hometown for the reason that I want
to live with my old parents and look
after them. In the same manner, I
don’t have to rent a house so I can
value my money. 
On top of that, with quite high salary
I have a good living standard. I can
buy a lot of things for me and my
family like: modern TV, air
conditioner, clothes and
food. Additionally, non-competitive
work environment will help me have
a stable job and I don’t have stress at
work. 
CONTRAST
On the flip side, I wouldn’t aim
for a very high salary far from home
because as you know my parents are
quite old now so I guess it’s best that
I always see and take care of
them. Another thing, a low salary
near my house isn’t practical for the
reason that I won’t be able to
support my parents with all their
needs and I cannot give them a good
life.
So overall a quite high salary in my
hometown is my best alternative.