UNIT 2: URBAN & RURAL LIFE

WRITING
Topic 1: City life

More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life, but city life can
be extremely difficult.
Explain some of the difficulties of living in a city. How can governments make urban life better
for everyone?

Cities are often seen as places of opportunity, but there are also some major drawbacks
of living in ……………………………….. (một thành phố lớn). In my opinion, governments
could do much more to improve city life for the average inhabitant.

The main problem for anyone who hopes to migrate to a large city is that ………………….
(chi phí sinh hoạt) is likely to be much higher than it is in a small town or village. Inhabitants
of cities have to pay higher prices for housing, transport, and even food. Another issue is that
urban areas ……………………………………………………………………….. (có
xu hướng gặp phải các vấn đề xã hội) such as ………………………………………………
(tỉ lệ tội phạm và nghèo đói cao) in comparison with RURAL areas (khu vực nông
thôn). Furthermore, the air quality in cities is often poor, due to …………………………….. (ô
nhiễm từ phương tiện giao thông), and the streets and public transport systems ARE
……………………………………. (thường quá tải). As a result, city life can be unhealthy and
stressful.

However, there are various steps that governments could …………………………..THESE

PROBLEMS (giải quyết các vấn đề này). Firstly, they could ………………………
…………… …… ………………………………………………………………………….…….. (đầu
tư vào nhà ở giá rẻ hoặc nhà ở xã hội) to reduce the cost of living. Secondly, politicans
have the power to ………………………………………………… (cấm các phương tiện giao
thông trong khu vực trung tâm) and ……………………………………………. PUBLIC
TRANSPORT (thúc đẩy việc sử dụng các phương tiện công cộng sạch với môi trường
hơn), which would help to reduce both air pollution and TRAFFIC CONGESTION (tắc nghẽn
giao thông). In London, for example, …………………………….
……………………………………………….. (áp dụng phí tắc nghẽn cho người lái xe) has
helped to ……………………………………………….. (kiểm soát vấn đề tắc đường). A third
option would be to DEVELOP PROVINCIAL TOWNS (phát triển các thị trấn tại các tỉnh
thành) and rural areas, by moving industry and jobs to those regions, in order to reduce the
pressure on major cities.

In conclusion, governments could certainly ……………………………………………………..

(thực hiện một loạt các biện pháp) to enhance the quality of life for all city residents.

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Topic 2: In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very important
for people.
Why might this be the case? Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?
(C15, T1)

1. Phân tích câu hỏi

Loại câu hỏi
 Two part question
 BD1 = reasons ; BD2 = positive or negative
Cách diễn đạt các từ chìa khoá trong câu hỏi
 own a house ~ have/ possess/ buy a house/ a flat/ accommodation ~ house ownership/ possession
 rent a house ~ lease a house
 important ~ be of importance ~ vital/ crucial/ principal … ~ play an important role
Gợi ý ý tưởng:
Reasons:
 materialistic. a house or an apartment is a possession to evaluate their economic status.
 also, settle down, a sense of security. Renting, landlord can stop renting contracts, financial difficulties
and cannot afford the renting fee
 a wise and lucrative investment. real estate is a business. scarcity of land make money / profitable/
lucrative
Negative trend:
 Main idea: put/ shoulder financial stress.
 For instance, In Vn the minimum price of a small flat in the inner city is 1 billion, most need a loan
 Act as a deterrent to achieve work-life balance
 Explain: work hard to pay the debt and many fees: property taxes and insurance, …. If not buy a house,
can use this money for investment

2. Fill in the blank

In several nations, people c………….. to have their own house instead of living in rented
accommodation. There are some explanations for the increasing desire for house
possession, but I opine this trend exerts many detriments.
It can be understandable why people in some countries want to buy a house rather than
renting one. Many are more m……………………. and house possession is
a c………………. to measure their e…………….. s…………... They assume that only those
who cannot a…………… to buy their accommodation have to resort to hiring a place to live,
and having a home lends an air of r……………………... Additionally, house
ownership brings a sense of s…………………... If leasing a house, the landlord can stop
the renting contract without any notice, or renters may s……………. to pay renting fee during
some periods of financial difficulties. Finally, I think this can be a wise
and l…………….. investment because real estate is a profitable business.
However, I contend that the development brings about adverse impacts. Young people in
those countries have to s……………… more financial stress to buy a house. An example is
that the minimum price of a tiny flat in Hanoi, Vietnam is 1 billion VND, and the fact is most
young people need a loan to own a house. This can become a d……………… against
the work-life balance because they have to work industriously to pay the debt plus
property taxes and insurance which are directly p……………………. to the area of a home
and the electricity and maintenance costs added to their everyday expenses. If they choose
to rent, they can have more money to invest in other forms of capital to increase their savings
day by day.

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In conclusion, I can a……………….the desire to possess a home rather than renting one to

youngsters’ materialism, a wish for a stable living condition and also a long-term investment.
However, I suppose that this trend puts more financial burdens on the young.
Từ vựng

 crave to do something (verb): khao khát

 materialistic (adj): thực dụng, vật chất
 criterion (singular noun): tiêu chí
 economic status (noun): điều kiện kinh tế
 afford to do something (verb): có đủ tài chính/ tiền để làm gì
 resort to doing someting (verb): không có cách nào khác ngoài …
 lend an air of respectability (noun): ai đó nhận được sự tôn trọng
 a sense of security (noun): cảm giác đảm bảo
 landlord (noun): chủ nhà
 struggle to do something (verb): gặp khó khăn trong việc làm gì
 shoulder financial stress (verb): chịu/ gánh những gánh nặng/ áp lực tài chính
 need a loan (verb): cần vay nợ
 deterrent (noun): sự ngăn cản
 work-life balance (noun): cân bằng giữa công việc và cuộc sống
 be proportional to … (adj): tương ứng với
 attribute ST to ST/ST (verb): nghĩ rằng … là do … gây ra

3. Reorder the sentences in each part of the

a) The underlying reasons for this tendency are mainly the perception of wealth and pride
associated with buying a home as well as the financial benefits it brings about.
b) In many nations, owning their own home plays a significant role in people’s lives.
c) However, I believe that this trend has a negative impact on society.

d) In many cases, the amount of money used to rent a house in many consecutive years is
equal to or even more than the money to purchase one when added up.
e) There are a number of factors explaining why it is significant for many citizens to purchase
their own house.
f) Furthermore, homeownership also brings various long-term financial benefits.
g) Firstly, having a property is considered to be a sign of wealth and pride in many cultures.
h) For example, many parents in Asian countries, such as China and Vietnam, teach their
children to be diligent and save money so that they can buy a house in the future.
i) Therefore, some individuals even apply for a mortgage to be able to afford a house.

j) As a result, they might live under enormous pressure or even go bankrupt because of weak
budget management.
k) Consequently, it may increase the difficulty in buying one and create a variety of housing
problems for the government.
l) On the macro level, the larger the number of people who desire to purchase a home is, the
more expensive these properties become.
m) On the whole, I believe that this tendency influences our society negatively in some aspects.
n) On the individual level, while some may think that this motivates many individuals to work
harder, I would argue that it creates a considerable burden on them, both financially and
mentally.

o) In conclusion, not only is the desire of homeownership in some countries associated with the
cultural factor, but it also results from many perceived financial advantages (lợi ích cảm

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nhận được) in the long run. As a consequence, it possibly leads to putting financial and
mental pressure on the buyer and results in higher prices of property in general.

Many countries around the world have seen a trend towards owning your own home instead of
renting. This essay will consider why this is the case, and whether or not this is beneficial.
The first reason why people wish to buy their own home is because it provides them with a
sense of stability. Rental contracts are temporary agreements, often just between 6 and 12
months in duration, at the end of which you may have to leave and find alternative
accommodation. Owning a home means you get to live there permanently.
The second reason, and one which has grown in importance in recent years, is that owning
your own home is seen as an investment. Property prices generally rise, so real estate can be a
safe place to invest your surplus income. House prices in the UK, for example, rise by around
4%per annum whereas interest on bank deposits is close to zero.
But overall, I feel there are considerable downsides, both for individuals and for society as a
whole. For most people, buying property requires taking out a mortgage, typically for a length
of 25 years, and if at any time during this period borrowers are unable to maintain mortgage
payments, they risk losing their property. For society as a whole there are also negatives. The
demand for buying property leads to house price inflation, which can mean people on low
incomes, such as young people, can find it impossible to buy their own home, forcing them to
rent.
In conclusion, a desire for stability and seeing a return on your investments are key reasons
behind the trend towards buying property, but despite these benefits, there are serious
problems.
(281 words)