Table of Contents

HƯỚNG DẪN SỬ DỤNG TÀI LIỆU...................................................................................................4

TOPIC 1: DESCRIBE AN OBJECT.....................................................................................................1
1. Describe an object that you think is beautiful...............................................................................1
2. Describe a photo you took that you are proud of..........................................................................1
3. Describe a program you like to watch...........................................................................................2
4. Describe a traditional product in your country..............................................................................3
5. Describe something you had to share with others.........................................................................4
6. Describe an invention that has changed the world in a positive way............................................5
TOPIC 2: DESCRIBE A PERSON.......................................................................................................7
1. Describe a popular/well-known person in your country...............................................................7
2. Describe a family member you want to work with in the future...................................................7
3. Describe an interesting neighbor..................................................................................................9
4. Describe a friend you like to talk with........................................................................................10
5. Describe a person who likes to dress fashionably/well...............................................................11
6. Describe a person you know who is from a different culture......................................................12
7. Describe a friend from your childhood.......................................................................................13
8. Describe a person who inspired you to do something interesting...............................................14
9. Describe a person you know who loves to grow plants..............................................................15
TOPIC 3: DESCRIBE AN EVENT/TIME..........................................................................................16
1. Describe a time you were very busy...........................................................................................16
2. Describe a time when you had to spend a long time in a traffic jam...........................................17
3. Describe a time when you helped a child....................................................................................17
4. Describe a special day out that cost you little money I didn't cost you much..............................18
5. Describe an occasion when you lost something..........................................................................19
6. Describe a time when you needed to search for information......................................................20
7. Describe an occasion when someone said something positive about some work that you did....20
8. Describe a time you used your cellphone/smartphone to do something important......................21
9. Describe a time when you forgot/missed an appointment...........................................................22
10. Describe a time you made a decision to wait for something.....................................................23
11. Describe a time when you saw a lot of plastic waste (e.g in a park, on the beach etc.).............24
12. Describe a time when someone asked you for your opinion.....................................................24
13. Describe a time when you received money as a gift (birthday, wedding).................................25
14. Describe a time when you succeeded in doing something that was difficult.............................26
15. Describe an important event you celebrated.............................................................................27
TOPIC 4: DESCRIBE AN ACTIVITY...............................................................................................29
1. Describe an outdoor activity you did in a new place recently.....................................................29
 2. Describe a contest/competition you would like to participate in.................................................29
TOPIC 5: DESCRIBE A PLACE........................................................................................................31
1. Describe a quiet place you like to go to......................................................................................31
2. Describe a popular place for sports (e.g. a stadium) that you have been to.................................31
3. Describe the home of someone you know well that you often visit............................................32
4. Describe a place you have visited that you would recommend as a good place to  live..............33
5. Describe a place in your country that you would like to recommend to visitors/travelers..........34
TOPIC 6: OTHER TOPICS.................................................................................................................36
1. Describe a positive change that you made in your life................................................................36
2. Describe something you do that can help you concentrate on work/study..................................37
3. Describe something you do to keep fit and stay healthy.............................................................37
4. Describe something that surprised you.......................................................................................38
5. Describe an important river/lake in your country........................................................................39
6. Describe a change you made in your daily life that saved you a lot of time...............................40
7. Describe a difficult decision that you made and had a good result.............................................41
8. Describe a problem you had while shopping online or in a store................................................42
9. Describe a disagreement you had with someone.........................................................................43
10. Describe an impressive English lesson you had and enjoyed....................................................44
11. Describe a movie you watched recently and would like to watch again...................................44
12. Describe a story or novel you have read that you found interesting..........................................46
13. Describe an important thing you learned (not at school or college)..........................................47
 HƯỚNG DẪN SỬ DỤNG TÀI LIỆU

Tài liệu này sẽ đưa ra các câu trả lời mẫu kèm từ vựng/cách diễn đạt hay cho 46 chủ
đề Speaking Part 2 trong bộ đề dự đoán quý 3 2022. Đây cũng là bản đầy đủ các câu
trả lời mẫu mà chỉ có học viên khóa học Speaking cá nhân hóa của IELTS Xuân Phi
được sở hữu.

Trong mỗi chủ đề sẽ có các mục như sau: 

Câu hỏi của chủ đề- Câu trả lời mẫu.

Cách sử dụng tài liệu:

 Bước 1: Tự brainstorm ý tưởng cho câu trả lời của mình.

 Bước 2: Đọc câu trả lời mẫu.
 Bước 3: Tham khảo ý tưởng và ghi chép từ vựng ở bài mẫu phù hợp với ý
tưởng của bản thân vào 1 cuốn sổ rồi học thuộc từ vựng.

 Bước 4: Tự brainstorm lại ý tưởng dựa trên những ý tưởng tham khảo và từ
vựng mới đã học được. (Chú ý: chỉ ghi từ 5-6 từ khóa, không ghi cả câu)
 TOPIC 1: DESCRIBE AN OBJECT

1. Describe an object that you think is beautiful 

You should say 

 What it is 
 Where you saw it 
 What it looks like 
And explain why you think it is beautiful

One time while I was traveling in the UK in the coastal town of Brighton, I came
across an old warship which to me was beautifully constructed. It was specifically the
HMS Speedy which was captained by Sir Thomas Wilson during the colonial era.
Captain Wilson was celebrated for his daring exploits such as capturing ships
belonging to other European powers as well as his countless victories against pirates
in the Atlantic Ocean, all the while using the HMS Speedy as his main ship. 

Like I said before, I saw the ship in the town of Brighton, which is a famous resort
town in the UK. Many tourists from the UK and abroad visit there because it is very
picturesque with a nice beach and interesting sites such as the Royal Pavilion and the
Palace Pier. The ship itself looked rather grand and imposing. It was built using oak
which was both a strong and light type of wood and so it could easily float while also
resisting cannonballs being fired at it. It was painted in a combination of brown and
black, with the hull being black and the decks being brown all over. The sails were
weaved from cloth and they were white all over. They were also rather large as they
had to be so that they could catch enough wind to push the ship forward.

When I first saw the HMS Speedy, I thought it was such a beautiful ship because for
one, it was pleasing on the eye. The color scheme brought out the majesty of the ship
and the use of oak added a sense of ruggedness to the ship which I quite admire. I also
thought it was a shining example of humanity’s capacity to build something big. The
ship has demonstrated that we can build big things that are practical despite their size.

2. Describe a photo you took that you are proud of 

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You should say: 

 When you took it 

 Where you took it 
 What is in this photo 
And explain why you are proud of it

I remember taking a photo of a vast landscape that I was proud of. It was taken around
3 years ago while I was on holiday. I was hiking in the Sierra Nevada mountains in
southern Spain for about 3 hours straight and I wanted to take a break. The mountain
range is a popular tourist spot in southern Spain as people can go skiing there and it
contains the tallest mountain in the country which stands at 3.5 km high. I was there
with two of my friends and my sister as we all enjoy a good hike, especially one that
challenges our endurance. 

As for the photo itself, it was a wide angle shot of the mountains and valleys below
them. The mountain tops were covered in snow whilst the valleys below were green
and lush with vegetation. Also, the sky was overwhelmingly blue and the sun was
shining bright on the land, making it glow with pristine beauty. I took the photo with a
wide-angle lens so that my camera could capture all of the landscape in a single frame.
As for the camera itself, it was my trusty Canon EOS 50D, which has many functions
that can be used depending on the situation. The image quality is very sharp, meaning
that the pictures themselves are very clean to look at.

I was proud of that photo because for one, it was just a beautifully composed photo.
The mountains, land, sky and sun were all clear to see and it manages to highlight the
splendor that nature has to offer. For another, it was taken during rather difficult
circumstances. It was during a 3-hour hike in the mountain tops where oxygen is
rather scarce and the slopes are so steep. Nevertheless, I managed to overcome these
obstacles and take the photo.

3. Describe a program you like to watch 

You should say: 

 What it is 

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  What it is about 
 Who you watch it with 
And explain why you like to watch it

A program I like to watch on TV is Succession on HBO. It airs every Sunday at 9pm

and it recently won many awards for its acting and writing. It is about a patriarch of a
billionaire family who plans to step down from his position as CEO of his company
and his four children plot against each other to take over that company. The oldest
child wants no involvement in the company, the second oldest has the most experience
despite being a screw-up, the second youngest behaves rather petulantly and delights
in mocking his siblings, and the youngest is the most cunning and ambitious of the
four. In the meantime, the family has to navigate numerous deals to ensure that their
company can survive. What ensues is hilarity, darkness, betrayal and redemption for
each of the main characters.

I watch the show alone most of the time because not many of my friends or family
know about it. Also, whenever I tell them about the plot of the show they react with
disinterest and they would prefer to watch something more action-packed or funny
like a superhero show or sitcom. However, I don’t mind watching it alone because I
find it more peaceful. It’s better to soak in the show when there’s no one to comment
on it every ten seconds.

I love the show because for one, the dialogue is highly entertaining to listen to.
Everyone has the opportunity to either make a snarky comment or put somebody
down with an insult and it is written in a way that is so clever that you can’t help but
want to use that dialogue in your everyday life. For another, I like the setting of the
show. It is set within the media and political landscape of America, which has always
fascinated me because of how influential it is on American and global society.

4. Describe a traditional product in your country

You should say: 

 What it is
 When you tried this product for the first time

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  What it is made of
And explain how you feel about it

In Vietnam, we are known for many of our traditional art and craft products.
However, the one product that is most emblematic of our country is the conical hat,
also known as nón lá in Vietnamese. It is worn by almost every farmer in the country
as it is very affordable and it provides complete protection from the sun. As such it
became a symbol of industriousness and agriculture in Vietnam. 

I first tried on a conical hat when I was seven years old. I was out on a trip to some
paddy fields in my grandfather’s home province and it was extremely sunny as it was
in the middle of summer. Needing something to cool my head after sweating so much,
I asked my mom if I could borrow her conical hat and when she said yes, I
immediately wore it. While it did provide more than adequate protection for my head,
it was too big since I couldn’t really see anything in front of me. Nevertheless, I
managed to cool down and sweat a little bit less.

A conical hat is traditionally made out of multiple bundles of straw and they are
bound together with thread that is sewn in by the craftsman. To prevent the straw from
breaking apart and thus destroying the hat, it is submerged in water for many hours so
that it can be durable. Once the cone has been fully formed, a thin silk strap is then
glued to the hat from one side to the other. That way, people can easily wear the hat
and then the strap will keep it from falling off their heads. 

In regards to how I feel about the conical hat, I don’t really have a strong opinion
about it. I don’t have much to say about it other than I am proud of how it represents
the hard-working and resilient nature of Vietnamese people. In addition, it’s not the
most appealing kind of hat although that is the point. It’s meant to be more functional
than fashionable.

5. Describe something you had to share with others 

You should say 

 What it was 
 Who you shared it with 

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  Why you had to share it with others 
And explain how you felt about it

When I was in high school, everyday I would bring minty chewing gum as it helps me
to release stress after a difficult class or assignment. Also, it just tastes really good and
it lets me enjoy the fresh air a bit more. However, I couldn’t have it all to myself as
my friends and classmates also had a hankering for chewing gum for the same reasons
as mine. Thus I had to share my gum with them because they didn’t have their own.

Like I said before, I shared my chewing gum with my friends and classmates.
Whenever we would meet for lunch or for studying after school, they would always be
ready to ask me for some gum and I would happily oblige to give them some. As such,
I sort of became a gum ATM to my friends. While most of the time they didn’t have
their own gum, some of them did but wanted to taste mine instead because it tasted
better than theirs and once again, I would give them some of my gum.

I wouldn’t say I had to share my gum as that implies I was forced to. I did it out of my
own volition because I’m a person who likes to share my things to others if they ask
nicely. If they didn’t, then I would be right in not sharing my things and I don’t want
to be forced to share. I don’t really have strong feelings about sharing my gum with
other people; it’s just something that I did because I think it’s a nice thing to do. I
think it’s nice to share things but only voluntarily; if someone is forced to share then
they would be less inclined to do so.

6. Describe an invention that has changed the world in a positive way

You should say:

• What it is
• What benefits it has brought
• How it influences people of different ages
And explain how it changed people's lives
I guess I’d have to say one invention that has without a doubt changed the world for
the better would have to be the car. It was first invented and patented by Carl Benz in
the late 1800s and has completely transformed so many aspects of life since then - not

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just how we get around on a daily basis. Firstly, obviously travel times have been
greatly reduced. Before cars, people got around on foot, on bicycles, using a horse and
buggy, and long distances were just ships and maybe trains back then. Cars are by far
the fastest option among those - at least until the motorbike was invented and people
could start using that in cities. I think most people would also argue that cars aren’t
just about getting from point A to B faster - they’re also about comfort and style. Cars
have sturdy suspension systems that can absorb bumps on the road better than a bike,
and they naturally protect you from inclement weather - rain, snow, scorching hot
days, etc. Maybe not a tornado - there are limits….
I like to think that the car affects all age groups more or less equally - from children to
the elderly. Everyone can take advantage of the conveniences of cars - in the past,
travel was uncomfortable at best and hazardous or even fatal at worst. Most of the
recorded history of migrations involves generations of people traveling for months or
years and often dying on their journeys due to illness, weather conditions, etc. This
applies to everyone - not just the adults who tend to be the drivers. When the car came
along, everyone could just sit back and chill out and let their worries drift away. The
main way I think it has changed lives is by allowing individuals to traverse greater
distances without frequent stops. For example, countries like the United States are
covered in a vast network of highways that allows the average motorist to make single
day trips nearby or drive across thousands of miles in a matter of days if need be

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 TOPIC 2: DESCRIBE A PERSON

1. Describe a popular/well-known person in your country 

You should say: 

 Who this person is 

 What he/she has done 
 Why he/she is popular 
And explain how you feel about this person

One of our most celebrated national icons is footballer Nguyen Cong Phuong. He
plays for the Vietnam national football team as well as Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club as a
striker, meaning that he is responsible for putting the ball back to the net. However,
Vietnamese people mostly know him for his performances for the national team since
Vietnamese club football is not particularly popular. During his tenure in the national
team, he has helped them win the 2018 AFF Championship as well as make it to the
quarter-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup, which were pretty impressive considering how
they are not typically one of the best national teams in Asia. Cong Phuong is often
compared to the legendary Lionel Messi due to their similar physique and style of
play, as they both swiftly cut through the defense and score goals.
Nguyen Cong Phuong is considered a popular figure in Vietnam because not only his
footballing skills are superlative but also because of how instrumental he was in
elevating the prestige of the national team. His performances alone have brought the
team to a whole new level on the international stage, so much so that native non-
football fans are now paying attention to how the team is performing in Asian and
global competitions. As for myself, I quite like seeing Cong Phuong running on the
pitch and clinically scoring goals to boost our national pride. I also like how he is a
nice guy off the field, as shown by how he takes the time to greet the fans as well as
give money to various local charities to help those who are financially disadvantaged.

2. Describe a family member you want to work with in the future 

You should say: 

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  Who he/she is 
 Whether you worked together before 
 What kind of work you would like to do with him/her 
 And explain how you feel about this family member

In the future I would like to work with my uncle in his restaurant. I’m talking about
my uncle on my mother’s side who is currently 47 years old. He has a son and a
daughter who I often hang out with on the weekend and he owns an Indian restaurant
in the center of town that is very popular among the locals and tourists. Prior to that,
he worked in the IT business but he got bored of it so he decided to open a restaurant
since he is so passionate about food, more specifically Indian food. However, he
doesn’t cook it himself but rather hires an actual Indian chef to do it.

While me and my uncle are always close, we have never worked together before on
anything. My relationship to him is based purely on him being a caring presence in my
life. However, I have seen him manage his restaurant a couple of times before and
honestly speaking, he is a good manager. He leads his kitchen and serving staff by
example and he is very attentive towards his customers, ensuring that they are
enjoying the food and the atmosphere. That was enough to convince me to want to
work for him. 

As for how I would want to work for my uncle, I think I can help him with the
marketing and customer outreach. I have a wealth of experience in marketing for
various establishments, such as tech firms, food & beverage companies, cafés and
restaurants so I know how to make his restaurant appealing and draw in more
customers. I have no experience at all in cooking or cleaning so I would fail miserably
as a chef or a cleaner.

I would like to work with my uncle because for one, he has shown to manage his
restaurant rather well. He directs his staff to do their work in an efficient manner, but
not in a way that is condescending or dictatorial. He knows how to get the best out of
his staff. Also, he’s just a nice guy in general. He looks out for his staff and family
and he will always go out of his way to make sure that they are cared for in any way
possible. Because of that, I’m sure that I will be in good hands with my uncle.

8
9
3. Describe an interesting neighbor 

You should say: 

 Who he/she is 

 How you knew him/her 
 What you do together 
 And explain why he/she is interesting

I have a neighbor who is a celebrated actress in the movie industry. Her name is
Danielle and she has been in many big blockbuster movies as well as small-budget
dramas that are seen by many people throughout the world. However, despite her
massive fame, she still comes across as a down-to-earth person with normal hobbies
such as reading books, taking photographs and cooking. She only considers acting as a
job that she has to do like everyone else.

I first knew Danielle through a block party that another neighbor of mine had
organized. Whilst all of the other neighbors were eating their barbecue and guzzling
countless beers and wine bottles, I was milling around the crowd until I bumped into
Danielle by coincidence. We both exchanged introductions and talked about our lives
and when she told me that she was a famous actress I was surprised; I had a
preconceived notion of movie stars not wanting to hang around with normal folk and
that was shattered by Danielle attending the block party. Still, she came across as a
nice and outgoing person who loved to talk with other people.

Despite me and Danielle being neighbors, we don’t do much together. I leave her
alone to live her life and she leaves me alone to live mine. All we really do together is
say hi and have a small talk; other than that, we don’t do anything. Once in a while
we’ll meet each other whenever another neighbor is organizing a dinner or a large
party where the whole neighborhood is involved. We’ll talk and exchange jokes
during those occasions, but that’s the most we’ll ever do with each other.

Danielle is an interesting neighbor because she is a person of many contradictions.

Despite being a bona fide movie star, she has the air of a normal woman who likes to
do things that normal people do. Despite owning a lavish house with a large garden,

10
she loves to go out walking in the park with her dog. Hence I’ll always find Danielle
to be fascinating as a person and I’ll enjoy what little time we spend with each other.

4. Describe a friend you like to talk with 

You should say: 

 Who he/she is 

 What you like to talk about 
 Why you like to talk with him/her 
And explain how you feel about him/her

The one person I like to talk with is my best friend Doug. I first met him in 2nd grade
when I was a new student and he was already in school for a year. I was paired up
with him by my teacher for a class activity and both of us took a liking for each other.
We bonded over the same love we share for action figures, martial arts movies and
video games. Since then, we’ve never let go of each other and we always enjoy each
other’s company.
Whenever we meet up, we would go out for coffee or a drink at a bar and then talk
about the things that are happening in our lives. We talk for hours on end and then
complain about the problems we could be facing at work or at home. For example, I
once complained that I’m not getting paid enough at work while Doug told me how he
often missed his kids’ big milestones at school. Sometimes we also meet up for dinner
with some of our other friends, be it from our old school or from our jobs. Over
dinner, we do the same thing; we just talk about new developments in our lives and
grumble about whatever issues we would be saddled with.
The main reason why I like to talk with Doug is because he is very understanding
towards my many plights in life. Whenever I have problems regarding work or
socializing, he is always there to comfort and advise me on what I should do, which is
something that all friends should do. Thus I will continue to meet up with Doug as
much as I can since he is such a supportive presence in my life. 

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5. Describe a person who likes to dress fashionably/well 

You should say: 

 Who he/she is 

 What job he/she does 
 What kind of clothes he/she wears 
 And explain why he/she likes fashion

One person I know who likes to be fashionable wherever he goes is my co-worker

Jeffrey. Jeffrey and I work at the same insurance company as accountants and he is
three years my senior. While we don’t really hang out with each other outside of
work, we like having each other around as he is an easy-going and friendly guy. Both
of us share the same love of movies and we talk with each other a lot about them. 

Like I said before, he is an accountant at Wilson Inc., a multinational insurance firm

with its headquarters in New York. He got the job from a recommendation he got
from a former executive at the firm and he majored in mathematics in UCLA as a
valedictorian. Needless to say, Jeffrey is a smart guy. He has performed so well for the
firm that he has been groomed to take executive position, specifically managing
director of the London branch. Personally, I think he should take the job because he
has shown to be capable of handling such heavy assignments. 

Whenever he is working, Jeffrey likes to wear a suit from Giorgio Armani. He has 10
of them in his collection and they are in different color schemes ranging from blue to
gray. I like to think that he imagines himself as Barney, the womanizing character
from How I Met Your Mother who likes to wear a suit on every occasion. While the
suits do fit him well and they are smart, I always wondered how he could afford such
expensive clothing. I make the same amount as him and I don’t own stupidly
expensive suits like he does. Outside of work, he likes to wear polo shirts from
Tommy Hilfiger and jeans from Levi’s as they are more casual yet still stylish.

Jeffrey likes to be fashionable because he likes to show off that he is a good-looking

guy. While I do admit that he is rather handsome, it comes across as rather vapid and
shallow to me. There’s more to life than looking good, you know. He also likes to be

12
fashionable to attract women. They tend to be enticed by those who wear nice clothing
and Jeffrey is no exception. Many of our female coworkers flirt with him because of
his Armani suits.

6. Describe a person you know who is from a different culture 

You should say: 

 Who he/she is 

 Where he/she is from 
 How you knew him/her 
And explain how you feel about him/her

As I studied in an international school throughout my childhood and adolescence, I

have made many friends from different cultures. However, as I can only talk about
one person, I’ll instead talk about my best friend Antonio. Antonio hails from Italy,
more specifically Rome. He moved to my hometown eight years ago since his father
was the Italian ambassador and the school I went to is popular among children of
diplomats. Antonio is very much a typical Italian guy; he is vocal, he’s not afraid to
speak his mind and he is passionate in his personality, which is a huge contrast to
myself since I am rather reserved and quiet. No surprise, he likes all of the popular
Italian dishes such as pizza and pasta and he is also a football fan, supporting his local
team Roma.

I first met Antonio when he arrived at my school as a new student in my class. He

introduced himself to the whole class and I was then paired with him for a group
activity. We started talking to each other about where we came from and what we
liked and disliked; once we found out that we share a common love of football, we
quickly became friends and every now and then we would hang out at each other’s
houses to watch a football match. Needless to say, I like hanging out with Antonio. He
is charming, outgoing and protective of his friends and he loves to tell jokes as well.
Though we may come from different backgrounds, we never let that fact separate us,
as there is more to friendship than our cultural identity. 

13
7. Describe a friend from your childhood 

You should say 

 Who he/she is 

 Where and how you met each other 
 What you often did together 
And explain what made you like him/her

I have made many friends from my childhood but my closest one was a guy named
Bruno. Bruno lived in the same neighborhood as me and our families were rather
close as they often visited each other on weekends for dinner. Bruno was a tall and
thin kid as he exercised a lot and ate very healthily. I, on the other hand, was rather
short and slightly pudgy. Bruno was from a Portuguese background whereas I was
from Vietnam. Nevertheless, these differences didn’t get in the way of our friendship
and we were able to get along with each other just fine.

Besides having dinner together on weekends, we would go out in the street to play an
assortment of sports such as football, badminton and basketball. Bruno was more
athletic than I was but I still had fun playing with him as he was very much a team
player. We would also play board games at each other’s houses. My favorite was
Battleship, while his was Connect Four. Still, we were willing to play each other’s
favourite games. Finally, we love to watch movies either at home or at the cinema.
Our favorite movie genre was action so we would go out of our way to either watch a
new action movie or an old classic like something from Jackie Chan or Arnold
Schwarzenegger.

One thing that made me like Bruno was his sense of creating camaraderie. He knows
how to start a conversation and tells a good joke to lift everybody’s spirits up. Heck,
even one of his stupid fart jokes will be enough to get me and the neighborhood kids
laughing like mad. Another thing I liked about Bruno was how protective he was of
his friends. Whenever I or any of the other neighborhood kids got into trouble, Bruno
would always be there to save us and we would be grateful towards him. He knows

14
how to come up with ingenious solutions to various problems, basically a real-life
MacGyver.

8. Describe a person who inspired you to do something interesting 

You should say: 

 Who he/she is 

 How you knew him/her 
 What interesting thing you did 
And explain how he/she inspired you to do it

There is this friend of mine who likes to practice archery at the local target range
named Jerry. By trade he is an engineer at the company I work for, whereas I am a
junior marketing assistant. Oftentimes after work we hang out with each other at a bar
over some beers and dinner. We talked about how our boss was treating us like
garbage and Jerry would often mention to me how he does archery to relieve stress.
Next thing you know he invited me to practice shooting a bow and arrow with him on
the weekend and I accepted because I thought it would be a fun thing to do.

On one sunny Saturday morning, I drove down to the target range where local archers
would practice their craft including Jerry. Once I got there I ran down to meet Jerry
and he lent me his bow to teach me how to fire an arrow. He told me to stand with my
two legs apart and point the arrow at the intended target. Once I aimed at the target,
Jerry told me to pull back the bow as far as I could so that the arrow could fly very far.
When the time came to fire, I let go of the bow and watched the arrow fly very fast
towards the target. While I didn’t hit a bullseye, I was impressed with myself for
being able to fire an arrow and not have it fall off the target. I practiced shooting
arrows for a few minutes before I got tired of it due to having to pull back the bow so
many times. Nevertheless, I enjoyed shooting these arrows since it gave me such an
adrenaline rush.

Jerry inspired me to practice shooting a bow and arrow since he told me it was his
way of releasing stress. He told me that he goes to the range every weekend to perfect
his archery skills as a way to calm himself down after an arduous work week. After

15
trying it myself I can say that he is very much right. Whenever I had the bow and
arrow in my hands, I felt as if time had suddenly stood still and the weight on my
shoulders had immediately been lifted off of me. So yeah, I will try to practice archery
from now on thanks to Jerry’s insistence.

9. Describe a person you know who loves to grow plants 

(e.g. vegetables/fruits/flowers etc.) 

You should say:  

 Who this person is  

 What he/she grows  
 Where he/she grows them  
And explain why he/she enjoys growing plants 

I have a next-door neighbor who loves to do gardening in his spare time named Eddie.
He works as a repairman of electronic devices and TV yet his schedule is very
flexible, so he has enough time to tend to his garden. Having seen it myself, I can
definitely say he is quite the horticulturalist. His garden has a vast array of flowers,
trees, fruits and vegetables so much to the point of me wondering to myself where
does he have the time to grow all these plants and how can he afford them all.

First off, Eddie’s garden is at the back of his house by the veranda. On the left of it he
grows many flowers which include orchids, geraniums, chrysanthemums, roses, lilies
and tulips. All of them are colorful and beautiful to look at, that’s for sure. The center
section of the garden is where he grows his own produce. Eddie grows almost every
kind of fruit and vegetable you can think of. He grows tomatoes, spinach, potatoes,
apples, pears, onions, strawberries and blackcurrants, and that’s just the tip of the
iceberg. Needless to say he won’t have to worry about running out of food for a while.
On the right side, Eddie grows pine trees that are small enough to fit in his house. That
way, he won’t have to worry about ordering a Christmas tree and paying so much
money for it. He can easily cut down a tree from his garden and bring it inside his
house.

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Eddie told me that he likes gardening and growing plants because it helps him relax.
He has said that it takes his mind off of his work responsibilities and he considers it as
a real passion of his. Eddie also told me that it is practical to have your own garden
especially when it comes to growing food. Instead of having to go to the supermarket
every time to buy fruits and vegetables, it is more convenient to have a garden where
you can grow your own produce and save a lot of money.

TOPIC 3: DESCRIBE AN EVENT/TIME

1. Describe a time you were very busy 

You should say 

 When it happened 
 Where you were 
 What you did 
And explain why you were busy

I remember a day where I was busy doing multiple tasks in succession at work. This
happened 3 years ago when I was an intern for an engineering company. This was
during the summer holidays after I had finished my first year of college and I was
given the opportunity to intern for a local engineering company by my college. On
that day, I was given three tasks to do; one was to edit the resumes of all the
employees of the company, another was to write a report to submit to a client and the
final task was to carry multiple boxes of old documents into the storage room.
The first task where I had to edit the CVs of the company’s employees took me two
hours to complete as there were 30 employees in the firm and I had to comb over old
documents to update their most recent projects. Nevertheless, I pressed on and
finished it as fast as I could. The second task where I had to write a report took me an
hour to finish since all I had to write was what project the company will do for the
client and how long it will take to finish. The final task however took me nearly four
hours to do since I had to carry nearly 70 boxes of documents to the storage room
which were three floors below my office. Bear in mind that each box weighs nearly 7

17
kilograms. Still, I managed to carry all of the boxes down to the storage room and I
was tired by the end of it. Needless to say, it was a busy day that day.

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2. Describe a time when you had to spend a long time in a traffic jam 

You should say: 

 When it happened 
 Where you were stuck 
 What you did while waiting 
And explain how you felt in the traffic jam

I would like to tell you about a time when I got stuck in a traffic jam for what felt like
an eternity.

As my memory serves me right, it was a normal day and I caught a grab bike from my
office to get home but unfortunately, at that time, it started pouring outside. The sky
was gloomy and overcast with dark clouds and there were strong winds like storms.
Right after I got on the bike, the rain poured more heavily and roads were flooded. As
if things weren’t bad enough, the bike mired in gridlock at one of the roundabouts
along the way. I was extremely exhausted having to wait for half an hour on a
crowded road, which was chock-a-block with people, vehicles and toxic fumes.
Though having been accustomed to this situation after living in Hanoi for 4 years, I
can’t  stand the feeling of frustration and boredom whenever there is
congestion.Therefore,  I took my phone out of my pocket and surfed the internet to
kill time while people were all upset and annoyed because the road was bumper to
bumper with cars honking. 

Finally, the rain began to stop, so I ended up coming home late at about 7 p.m. It was
such an irritating experience that I will never forget it.

3. Describe a time when you helped a child 

You should say: 

 When it was 
 How you helped him/her 
 Why you helped him/her 
And how you felt about it

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Helping others is a gesture of kindness and I’m willing to give a hand to those in need,
especially children. So let me share with you an experience when I helped a kid with
his English skills. 

It was summer vacation and my neighbor told me to tutor his 6-year-old son so that he
could learn English well. Honestly, I’m not a teacher but I’m quite good at English
skills, so I decided to help him in my spare time. The optimal way is to set a routine
and follow it strictly so I intended to spend only 30 minutes a day teaching him as
most young children have a short attention span.

I sometimes had English conversations with him and read stories for him, as these
activities facilitated not only speaking skills but also the ability to listen and
comprehend English speeches and texts. More importantly, I always tried to be
enthusiastic and gave him lots of compliments and incentive. As a result of this, he
gradually picked up on my passion for the language. 

He was also fascinated by my teaching method that I incorporated which made

learning playful in order to make lessons become fun and thrilling experiences.
Therefore, games like crossword and puzzles were always the best way to teach him
as well as children in general practice English without getting bored. 

All in all, I felt so elated and proud that I can arouse a kid’s interest in learning
English. I also understand that dealing with children needs a lot of creativity and
patience.

4. Describe a special day out that cost you little money I didn't cost you much 

You should say: 

 When the day was 

 Where you went 
 How much you spent 
And explain how you feel about the day

One time I was walking all across the center of town with a couple of my friends. It
was in the early afternoon and the sun was out hovering in the blue sky. My friends
and I thought to meet up for a chat by the park and we all got there after lunch. After a
20
short chat we started to walk around the park and saw what other people were doing as
well as the variety of trees that had grown there. 30 minutes passed and we then
decided to saunter around the town center for a bit to see what’s happening there. 
When we got to the town center, there was a bazaar going on where everyone had
something to sell whether it would be food, jewelry, art or clothing. There were many
people passing by each stall looking for something to buy but in our case, none of us
wanted to buy anything because a lot of the items on sale either didn’t look appealing
or they were too expensive. Therefore, neither I nor my friends spent any money on
that day. Still, we had a fun day going out across town. It kind of goes to show that
you don’t need to spend money to have fun while you’re out and about.

5. Describe an occasion when you lost something 

 What you lost 

 When and where you lost it 
 What you did to find it 
And explain how you felt about it

I once lost a booklet containing valuable stamps from the past century issued by the
Royal Mail in the UK. Actually, this only happened a couple of months ago. It was a
Christmas gift from my uncle who is an avid collector of stamps and wanted to pass
on that hobby to me since he liked me so much. I kept that booklet on the bookshelf in
my room and have not touched it since. However, when the time came to clean my
bookshelf because it was gathering dust, the booklet of stamps somehow vanished. 
Naturally, I just had to find it and in doing so I scoured far and wide in my apartment.
I went to every room, dug through every shelf and looked in every nook and cranny
where it would be possible for my booklet of stamps to hide; yet, that elusive booklet
was nowhere to be found. I asked my parents if they had seen the booklet anywhere
and they said no with the last place they saw it being on my bookshelf. When I told
them I lost my stamp collection, they immediately started to help me find it by looking
everywhere like I did. However, after 15 minutes of searching, we decided to give up
and deem the booklet as lost forever. I felt sad at that time to lose that collection
because not only was it a really interesting gift from my uncle but also the stamps

21
themselves were really cool. Some of them were dated as far back as the 1900s, which
goes to show how cool they were. When I meet my uncle, I’ll actually feel afraid to
tell him that I lost those stamps because they really meant a lot to him.

6. Describe a time when you needed to search for information 

You should say: 

 What information you needed to search for 

 When you searched for it 
 Where you searched for it 
And explain why you needed to search for it

Well, my specialization requires loads of research work and findings on the Internet,
not to mention the numerous deadlines I have to meet so I must say that browsing the
web has gradually become my habit now. Today, I would like to share with you a time
when I found information for my midterm essay of English and American literature.

As far as I remember, the essay was about “materialism in The Great Gatsby”. It’s
such a tough time for me as literature is not my thing and the deadline was coming
near so I had to burn the candle at both ends to finish it on time. At first, I believed
with such topics, books at my school library were the best choice; however, it turned
out to be limited to some extent. Therefore, I decided to look up related sharings on
the internet.

I spent 3 days on my laptop and surfing a lot of websites with relevant content.
Fortunately, after various failures in searching out appropriate information, I
discovered a website named “Brittanica.com”, which provided reliable theories and
prior successful thesis of the same topic in a very convenient way, facilitating my
essay completion. 

If it had not been for that website, I wouldn’t have gotten a flying-color score in the
subject. I also realized that being patient and working smartly with the internet can
enable us to take advantage of it.

7. Describe an occasion when someone said something positive about some work
that you did 

22
You should say: 

 Who the person is 

 What he/she said 
 How it affected you 
And explain how you felt about it

“Give and take” has been a precious social norm in our society. Therefore, I think I
should share with you a memorable occasion when I helped others and achieved
appreciation for it.

It was last summer vacation and a neighbor asked me to help his 6-year-old son with
English skills as the son was very shy when speaking English and he couldn’t listen
and understand English well. Although I’m not a teacher, I’m pretty good at English
so I accepted to teach the kid without any hesitation. At first, I set a timetable and
followed it strictly to make daily English learning become his habit. I only taught him
for 30 minutes everyday as I know most children have a short attention span. I also
applied blended teaching methods, which incorporated learning with playing.
Cheerfully,  he appeared to be so excited about my lessons without feeling bored or
frustrated. Another way of teaching I did is storytelling and casual conversations in
English because these activities facilitate not only the ability of comprehension but
also speaking skills. 

As a result, within 3 months, the kid could speak fluently and understand most basic
English conversations on Youtube. His father thanked me a lot and gave me praise
and recognition for my teaching and academic knowledge. 

I felt an immense sense of satisfaction that day as I was able to help someone achieve
their goals. That day I also realized that giving help gives more satisfaction than
receiving help. 

8. Describe a time you used your cellphone/smartphone to do something

important 

You should say: 

 What happened 

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  When it happened 
 How important the cellphone/smartphone was

Last year, Vietnam was in a state of lockdown due to the spread of COVID-19
pandemic. I remember vividly that people were tremendously stressed because they
couldn’t go to markets for necessities like vegetables, groceries and other things. So
do I. It was frustrating because I wanted to buy skincare products. I desperately need
them to soothe my skin irritation, which was due to the extremely hot weather in
summer. Fortunately, my friend introduced me to the app Shopee on his phone and
showed me how to use it for online shopping.

In case you don’t know, Shopee is a leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia.
This site allows consumers to purchase a wide range of products from retailers in
other parts of the country without geographical constraints with very affordable
shipping fees. In addition, comparing and researching products as well as their prices
are also much more convenient online. It is attributed to the fact that Shopee tags each
item with a tracking number and segments them into various categories - “to pay”, “to
receive”, “delivered”, and “to rate” for easy identification, so there was no need to
fuss over-inflated shipping cost or wait for months, wondering where my parcel is. 

Shopping is indeed at my fingertips on Shopee. Thanks to this app, I could eventually

find appropriate skincare products for myself but still ensure social-distancing during
the complicated development of the pandemic. It is undeniable that with the advent of
technology, smartphones have been part and parcel of each individual’s life in a
modern society.

9. Describe a time when you forgot/missed an appointment 

You should say: 

 What the appointment was for 

 Who you made it with 
 Why you forgot/missed it 
And explain how you felt about the experience

24
It has been 2 months since I missed an appointment to take photos for my university
class graduation. I was supposed to meet my classmates on Saturday of our last
semester like we had discussed and planned before. However, I was totally snowed
under because I had just got a new job at that time.  There were numerous things to
learn so I had to roll up my sleeves to perform well at work. Plus, a lot of upcoming
projects and deadlines were assigned to me so I worked diligently and completely
forgot the appointment with my friends. I felt extremely disappointed with myself for
forgetting such a special occasion with my university classmates. They had stood by
my side for almost 4 years, supporting and encouraging me through thick and thin.
They weren’t mad at me but I knew they were so sad. After this occasion, I promised
myself that I need to maintain a work-life balance to avoid unwanted situations.

10. Describe a time you made a decision to wait for something 

You should say: 

 When it happened 
 What you waited for 
 Why you made the decision to wait 
And explain how you felt about the decision

Waiting for someone or something to happen is a common situation in our daily lives.
Today I would like to share with you an occasion when I had to make a decision to
wait for my parcel on Shopee.

In case you don’t know, Shopee is acclaimed as the leading e-commerce platform in
Southeast Asia, which provides consumers with a variety of products and very
reasonable shipping fees. I needed to purchase skincare products to soothe my
irritation but unfortunately, the shipping time was longer than expected due to
COVID-19 pandemic. As a consequence, although wondering whether I should cancel
my order or keep it, I had to make up my mind to wait for it because I desperately
needed those products. It was a frustrating experience but I think the long wait was
worth it. After 2 weeks, I finally received my order and my skin condition has
improved. 

25
After all, I’ve learned a valuable lesson in patience because as long as we are
persistent enough to wait for something, there will always be a ripe time, when we
could grasp favorable opportunities and achieve success in life.

11. Describe a time when you saw a lot of plastic waste (e.g in a park, on the
beach etc.) 

You should say: 

 Where are when you saw the plastic waste 

 Why there were a lot of plastic waste 
 What you did after you saw them 
And explain what your thoughts were about this

Plastic waste has posed a serious threat to the environment. However, it’s common to
see plastic waste everywhere because some people throw them here and there
unconsciously. Today, I want to talk about a time when I visited a tourist attraction
and saw a lot of litter around.

Last year, I visited Bai Chay beach, which is a famous beach in Ha Long city,
Vietnam. My friends and I were all drained due to our hectic schedule during our
semester so we decided to spend our vacation taking a short day-off there, where both
domestic and international tourists can have a whale time walking under the sunlight,
enjoying the refreshing atmosphere from the ocean and sunbathing. However, as we
approached the beach, we felt extremely awful that it was covered by loads of plastic
products. The fact that people dump their bottles and containers carelessly did not
only destroy the scenic beauty but also deteriorate the marine environment. 

Being responsible citizens, we approached the tourist department and requested him to
keep this place clean by advising the visitors and notifying them. All in all, after that
experience, I realized that environmental protection isn’t the sole responsibility of the
authority and individuals should join hands to tackle this long-term problem.

12. Describe a time when someone asked you for your opinion 

26
You should say:  

 When she/he asked you  

 How she/he felt while listening to your opinion 
And explain why she/he needed your opinion

Some time ago, I was shopping at a DVD store in my hometown looking for an old
Jackie Chan movie. I was in need of something different to watch after viewing many
blockbuster movies over the last couple of months. A couple of minutes later, a patron
of the store came up to me and asked for my opinion on the DVD he had in his hands.
It was a copy of Raging Bull, a classic American movie starring Robert De Niro.
Apparently the guy had never seen it before and he told me he was interested in
watching it since he heard it was one of the best movies ever made. I, having watched
it before, told him that it was a masterpiece and that he should watch it to pay
attention to how it is shot and acted. Having taken my advice, the guy went ahead and
bought the DVD of Raging Bull and I presumed that he went home and enjoyed it. In
the end, I learned that I don’t mind being asked for my opinion on something because
it can be helpful to a person who has a problem to solve.  

13. Describe a time when you received money as a gift (birthday, wedding)  

You should say:  

 When it happened  
 Who gave you money  
 Why he/she gave you money  
And explain how you felt about it

I’m going to talk about the time that I received cash as a gift. 

If I’m not mistaken, it was my 18th birthday that my parents gave me money as a
present. Since the first time the airpods 2 were released, I always wanted to have
them. However, this product is prohibitively expensive so I can’t afford to buy a pair.
On the occasion of my birthday as well as my high school graduation, my parents
secretly accumulated money for purchasing the airpods. It was the first time in my life
that I received such a huge amount of money as a present. My parents made my

27
birthday a special day as the money was carried in a beautiful envelope with my name
on it. I was on cloud nine and so touched, that tears started rolling down my cheeks.
Next day, my brother and I immediately went to a mobile phone store and bought the
airpods. Out of excitement, I snapped a picture of the airpods and posted it on
facebook to share my happiness to my relatives and friends.

I was really grateful for my parents for their affection and care they had shown me. I
also loved them because of their unconditional love and support. They understand my
needs even though I don’t tell them. That gift is indeed special to me but even more so
is the person who gave it to me.  

14. Describe a time when you succeeded in doing something that was difficult

You should say:

 What you succeeded in  
 When you succeeded  
 Who helped you do it  
And how you felt when you succeeded

I’m going to talk about a time I managed to finish a very challenging task at work.

A few days ago, I was assigned a task, which required me to accomplish it in one
week. The task was to compose band 8.0 answers for several IELTS speaking
questions. At first, I thought it would be a piece of cake as I had done it before;
however, when I started writing some samples, I realized that it was the deadline that
mattered the most. It was too tight, which made my task even more daunting. As if it
wasn’t bad enough, another problem was that I had to correct innumerable essays a
day so I was totally in panic. The scarcity of time drove me crazy and stressed me out.
Consequently, I had to burn the midnight oil to ensure the deadline and turned to help
from other people in my academic team. 

Finally, my teammates and I successfully raced against the clock. We completed the
task on time and promptly shared the material for learners on social media like
facebook, tiktok, etc,... Although I felt so exhausted after the task, it will definitely be
one of the most unforgettable memories in my life.

28
29
15. Describe an important event you celebrated

You should say:

• What the event was

• When it happened
• Who attended the event

And explain how you feel about the event

Six years ago or so I graduated from high school - and there was a big ceremony to
mark the event. It was in the middle of May - only a couple of weeks after my friends
and I’d mercifully finished our final exams. The ceremony was held in our auditorium
and over 300 people attended it, including our families, teachers and younger students.
From my family, my parents and sister came along - though none of my extended
family could make it.

The ceremony commenced with a speech by the head of our class - that’s a person
elected in Vietnamese schools to represent an entire grade - pontificating on the theme
of how crucial it is to forge your own unique path in life. Pretty clichéd stuff. This was
followed by a speech from our principal, which touched on the same general theme
and preceded a speech from the valedictorian, a close friend of mine named Andrew.
After that, diplomas were handed out one by one while our principal simultaneously
announced where each of us would be going for university. The ceremony then ended
with a short performance by a band - my friend’s their frontman and one of my
cousins plays the bass for them. They sang ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ - originally
by Simple Minds, which was fitting considering how we were all going to go our
separate ways from that point on.

Looking back, I was a little jaded and cynical at the time but now I appreciate that we
marked the occasion with a special event. It was a way to show the value of our hard
work and perseverance through not just high school but all those difficult years of
school we went through - in Vietnam, there is tons of pressure on students beginning

30
from a young age and this event was like a release valve for a lot of that pressure
(though naturally university brings its own pressures). Also, the ceremony itself was
one of the nicer I’ve been to. The speeches were life-affirming and encouraging for
students starting a new chapter in life. And the band was a highlight for sure - a good
reminder to stay in touch with old school friends even as we spin off in different
directions and get swept up in a world of new responsibilities and commitments.

31
 TOPIC 4: DESCRIBE AN ACTIVITY

1. Describe an outdoor activity you did in a new place recently 

You should say: 

 What the activity is 
 Who invited you to participate in it 
 Whether you asked for help in the activity 
And explain what change you had in the activity

Being a lethargic person after work, I usually end up procrastinating and not partaking
in outdoor pursuits. It was recently that I went for a walk with my friends that they
persuaded me to accompany them. 

I walked in a park, which has just been constructed near my house to cater the needs
for exercise for the residents there. If it hadn’t been for my friends’ invitation, I
wouldn’t recognize that jogging has numerous benefits. While walking, I could
breathe fresh air and chat with my friends, thus relieving stress after a hectic daily
routine. Also, thanks to walking, I can boost my endurance and muscle strength to
improve my health, which I have inadvertently neglected for a long time.  

Eventually, after one-month walking, I shed some pounds and my body became more
vigorous. I promised that I would spend more time on physical activity like walking
because investing time for that pursuit also shows my concern with both my mental
and physical health.

2. Describe a contest/competition you would like to participate in 

You should say: 

 What the contest/competition is about 

 Where it will take place 
 When it will be held 
And explain why you would like to participate in it

At least one time in my life, I’d love to take part in the Global Chicken Wing Eating
Contest - if possible this year! It’s pretty self-explanatory but each competitor must

32
stuff as many chicken wings as they can in one hour into their mouth - and chew and
eat them naturally. As the name implies, it’s a global competition and the venue
moves between cities around the world every year. This year it’ll take place in
Bangkok so it’s doable for me - just a couple hours flight - and I could stay there for a
week during the competition to take in the sights around town too. The contest usually
takes place in the summer, typically in the middle of June as that’s when summer
holidays start and well I don’t know their reasoning but maybe that’s when there are
enough students out of school then who might be interested in attending it - I can’t see
many older people bothering to show up or tune in to the broadcast. 

As for why I want to participate in it… it seems like a somewhat hilarious competition
- something that no one takes seriously but it could also be a mark of pride and make
for a great story later on - so I thought it’d be fun to munch on buckets upon buckets
of chicken wings till I’m sick of them. They’re one of my go-to foods when I go out
but that might ruin them for me. I first heard about the contest from a friend of mine
who competed in it last year in Houston. He said that it was a lot of fun because he got
free food and the vibe was energetic and fun - not like other competitions where they
take themselves too seriously and everyone is overly competitive. That’s enough to
convince me to give it a shot and see if there is potential for me to become the Lionel
Messi of chicken wing eating competitions. Who knows if it might turn into a
lucrative career path…I’ve definitely got a passion for it!

33
 TOPIC 5: DESCRIBE A PLACE

1. Describe a quiet place you like to go to

You should say:

• Where it is and how you knew about it

• How often you go there
• What you do there
• And explain how you feel about the place

The quiet place I like to go to every now and then is a local cafe in the center of town
called Morning Brew. I go there at least twice a week but once in a while I may make
it out there around four times if I’m feeling a little listless about my work and study. I
first heard about it when I was riding my bike around the city and I just happened to
pass by - I stopped for a traffic light and it caught my attention. On the outside the
building looks rather modern and interior is inviting and cozy with wooden floors and
neutral colors on the walls and for the materials inside. From what I’ve seen, young
people flock there probably because there are a couple of nearby universities and the
coffee is reasonably cheap and it’s one of those spots where people like to post up and
work for hours while the ice in their coffee melts.

When I’m there, I usually order a cold lemon tea and a snack - some cranberry
cookies or a chocolate muffin- and settle in to try and get some work done. I try to
work through at least one assignment - finishing off an essay or shooting out a couple
of emails - and then reward myself with the tea and snack - this can get me through
most of the morning and well into the afternoon. Sometimes I’ll invite a friend over so
we can catch up though I know I’ll never get any work done those times. As for how I
feel about the place, I quite like it in general because the interior clean and
comfortable, the drinks and snacks aren’t out of this world or anything but they’re
decent, and the atmosphere is really chilled out - feels more like a library that serves
coffee than a cafe most of the time.

2. Describe a popular place for sports (e.g. a stadium) that you have been to

34
You should say 

 Where it is 
 When you went there 
 What you did there 
And explain how you felt about this place

The most popular stadium in Vietnam that I want to talk about is My Dinh Stadium. It
is the most spacious stadium in Vietnam. The stadium is conveniently located in a
bustling street named Le Duc Tho. It occupies a large area, measuring about 4000
hecta. It is not only a stadium, it is a multifunctional sport center, with a football field,
swimming pools, tennis courts and so on. The stadium was intended for only sport
purposes at first, but then other competitions and special events were also organized
there. 
The first time I went there was ten years ago, when I was given a ticket to a concert to
see Westlife - an internationally acclaimed boy band. That was also the last time I saw
them on the stage together, until 2018 when they reunited but I haven’t yet got a
chance to enjoy their concerts once more. If my memory serves me right, it was on
Saturday night, when thousands of fans, including many foreigners, packed the
stadium. When the boy band showed up, they warmed the atmosphere up with two
famous songs “When you’re looking like that” and “World of our own”. The concert
lasted about 2 hours before it ended with a standing ovation from the entire audience. 
Whenever I come to visit My Dinh Stadium, I relive the moments of the concert. As a
die-hard fan of Westlife since secondary school, I was strongly impressed by their
passionate vocals and professionalism. My Dinh Stadium was also an ideal place for
the concert. Even though it was a decade ago, the lighting and sound system was
considered state-of-the-art. The stadium was so enormous, but we still saw big LED
screens. Being immersed in music vibes, it was a great experience to remember. 

3. Describe the home of someone you know well that you often visit 

You should say: 

 Whose home it is 

35
  How often you go there 
 What it is like 
And explain how you feel about the home

Today I want to talk about my grandparent’s house,which is located in Duong Lam

Ancient Village. My grandparents are currently living there but other family members
have relocated to Hanoi and other areas for personal development. We often pay a
visit to the house on special occasions in the year, such as Tet Holiday and
Independence Day. My grandparents are quite old now so everyone tries to frequent
their old house to visit them as often as possible. 

It’s an ancient house in Duong Lam Ancient Village, which was the first to be
recognized as a national-level artistic site of architecture. Some houses, including my
grandparents’, are preserved with many ancient features. The house has three rooms,
whose motifs and patterns of the structure were meticulously designed by my
ancestors. The main materials of the house are wood, bamboo, and rocks, which were
collected carefully to make it durable. The combination of natural materials make the
house unique, which allows warmth in winter and cooling in summer. I don’t
remember exactly when, but the house was built in the 18th century. High-quality
materials and constant maintenance are contributing factors to the old house being
well retained after such a long time. 

The tranquility and ancient structure of the house always makes me feel nostalgic. In
the past, I was taken care of by my grandparents for around three years, and I often
played in the yard with neighbor children. For now, I have moved on to other areas
and even studied abroad, but memories are still imprinted on my mind whenever I
come back home. 

4. Describe a place you have visited that you would recommend as a good place
to  live 

You should say:  

 Where it was  
 How you felt when you were there 
And explain why you would love to live there
36
I’m an ocean lover, so I always want to live near the sea. Having one of the most
immaculate beaches in Vietnam, Danang has become a city worth considering to live
in for its beauty and harmony. I have visited Danang several times as my brother and
sister are residing there. Danang is well-known for its beautiful beaches with gorgeous
stretches of white smooth sand, and other charming tourist destinations. Truong Son
Strip, and Son Tra Peninsula provide tourists with both mountainous areas and
coastlines. Danang is a perfect combination of natural beauties and modern
architecture. Being a dynamic city with state-of-the-art buildings and hotels, Danang
still holds ancient features such as Linh Ung Pagoda and My Son Holy Land. 

The last time I visited Danang was in 2020 before the COVID-19 outbreak in
Vietnam. For two years, the pandemic prevented tourists from visiting this wonderful
city, so I haven’t got a chance to come back there. However, I felt at ease when
coming to Danang, as if it was my hometown. Danang is worth-living for thousands of
reasons, as I may say. Firstly, for nature lovers, Danang is full of majestic landscapes
with a fresh and tranquil atmosphere. Secondly, Danang often is high ranking in terms
of economic growth in Vietnam; thus, there are thousands of promising job
opportunities. However, unlike the bustle and hustle of major cities like Hanoi and
HCMC, Danang still has its own sleepiness and maintains good traffic without
congestion and accidents. Last but not least, living expenses in Danang are not as high
as Hanoi or HCMC, while the cuisine is out of this world. People in Danang are
hospitable and friendly, which is a plus point for tourists, explaining the number of
tourists coming back to this lovely city. If I have the means in the future, I will
definitely buy a house overlooking the ocean and live there for the rest of my life. 

5. Describe a place in your country that you would like to recommend

to visitors/travelers 

You should say:  

 What it is 
 Where it is 
 What people can do there 
And explain why you would like to recommend it to visitors/travelers

37
I don’t want to brag about my own country, but Vietnam has many magnificent
landscapes that are must-sees for tourists. Today I want to share with you one of my
favorites, which is Nha Trang, a coastal city. Nha Trang is located in the heart of
Khanh Hoa Province, and it is also the political, economic, cultural, sci-tech and
tourism center of the region. With its long sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, and
stunning bays, Nha Trang has been listed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the
world by National Geographic and honored as one of the most attractive destinations
in Asia. The city is full of destinations and entertainment facilities to serve the needs
of tourists. 

Visiting Nha Trang is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many reasons. Along Tran
Phu Street, the most crowded street in Nha Trang, lies hundreds of beautiful cafes and
seafood restaurants. People can firstly enjoy fresh seafood with reasonable prices at
some famous eateries in town. The menu is quite diverse and plentiful with different
kinds of shrimps, crabs, and fishes. After seafood, tourists can satiate their food
cravings with grilled Ninh Hoa spring rolls (nem) with rice paper wraps and
vegetables. Secondly, tourists can pay a visit to famous destinations such as Po Nagar
Cham Towers to admire ancient people’s unique skills in sculpture and architecture.
Tourists can also have fun at Vinpearl amusement park on Hon Tre island, where they
can spend their days at a five-star hotel and dine at luxury restaurants, or enjoy
thrilling games such as slides, roller coasters, or even a pirate ship. Last but not least,
people can find peace in mind when visiting the Budda statue in Long Son Pagoda.
This place enables tourists to learn more about religions in the nation. If the time
permits, I would suggest that travelers move from Nha Trang coastal city to the south
to enter Ninh Thuan province with Vinh Hy Bay, which is a charming and peaceful
bay embraced by both mountains and blue seas. Being under-the-radar of mass
tourism, this bay is pristine and mesmerizing. 

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 TOPIC 6: OTHER TOPICS

1. Describe a positive change that you made in your life

You should say:

• What it is
• Why you did it
• Who you did it with

And explain how you feel about the change

Recently, the biggest lifestyle change that I’ve embraced is eating way less junk food
than I used to before. As good as it tastes, I’ve slowly moved away from the
immediate gratification of junk foods because I’m looking to look and feel better. I
looked at myself in the mirror one time a while back and I noticed that I was starting
to put on some extra weight - not a ton, not really all that noticeable but I didn’t want
it getting out of hand. I also wasn’t sure if it was the junk food and putting on weight
or just getting older but I started to get tired out more easily and have more trouble
exercising. I thought giving up or at least really cutting down on junk food would be a
good place to start and also - hopefully - the kind of habit that I could keep up.

I settled on this change without really consulting anyone or asking any friends to do
the same. However, I will say that people around me have been mostly encouraging -
sometimes teasing - maybe that’s a sign that they noticed I was letting myself go a bit
though they were too polite to point it out explicitly. I’ve got a couple of my friends in
on it now because we hang out all the time and they’ve noticed the difference it has
made for me - I don’t take it too seriously - I’ll still have a bag of chips every now and
then - but I try for the most part to stick to healthy fruits and veggies rather than empty
calories. It’s been a couple of months since I started eating less junk food and now I
feel a lot sprier, my energy levels are up, I can exercise for longer, my mood has
improved and I’ve dropped a couple of kilos too. I don’t think there is any going back
on this one because the benefits have been so immediate and positive and irrefutable. I
feel that I made the choice at the right time - while I’m still young but after having
enjoyed enough junk food earlier in life that I don’t feel I missed out on it!

39
2. Describe something you do that can help you concentrate on work/study 

You should say: 

 What it is 
 How it helps you concentrate 
 When you do it 
And explain how you feel about it

One strategy I would usually employ to concentrate on my work is to give myself a

deadline to finish it within a certain timeframe. For example, if I had an assignment
where I had to write a report with 5 paragraphs within 7 days, I would dedicate one
day to each paragraph and then resolve to finish that paragraph before the last day is
over. This strategy helps me a lot to concentrate on my work because it forces me to
not get distracted by other things and compels me to finish my work on time, which is
a valuable skill when it comes to time management. Once I finish my work within the
timeframe that I have given myself, I can be afforded enough time to do other things
such as engaging in my hobbies or going outside for exercise to name a few.

I use this strategy all the time whenever I have work to do. It can be applied to any
kind of assignment whether it would be something small like sending an email to a
colleague, or something more substantial like writing a long report that has to be
submitted by the following week. As for how I feel about it, like I said before it is an
effective strategy for me to concentrate on my work since it urges me to manage my
time efficiently as the deadline looms closer.

3. Describe something you do to keep fit and stay healthy 

You should say: 

 What it is 
 When you do it 
 Who you do it with 
 And explain why you think this method is important

40
Well in order to stay in shape, I usually go jogging in the park in the vicinity of my
house.

I took up this habit 4 years ago. At that time, I kept my nose to the grindstone to adapt
to the first semester in university, so my head felt like it was about to explode. Then I
decided that I needed to do something to refresh my mind. After trying several fitness
activities, I eventually opted for jogging as it was more cost-efficient compared to
taking part in some courses like yoga or Muay Thai.

At first, I usually spent about 30 minutes after class going jogging alone, but it was
quite challenging for me as I didn't have enough stamina. Therefore, I persuaded my
soul mate to go with me. And since then, we’ve been jogging for more than 4 years.
Although we now have different schedules, we try to walk at least 3 times a week in
the late afternoon.

I would have to say that jogging has improved my physical and mental health a lot. To
be honest, I lost 5 kilograms after 2 months of jogging every day and now I look much
slimmer than ever before and rarely suffer from minor illnesses such as fevers and a
cough. Moreover, I think that it also helps me to let my hair down and recharge my
battery to work more productively as I can enjoy nature and a green atmosphere in the
park. So all things considered, I will keep doing this to keep fit and live healthier. If I
have spare time, I may try other sports like playing badminton and swimming.

4. Describe something that surprised you 

You should say: 

 What it is 
 How you found out about it 
 What you did when you found out about it 
And explain whether it made you happy

Wel, I would like to shed some light on a surprise which made me glad and it was
given to me by my elder sister.

Actually, last year, I was an aspirant of 12th class. So it was mandatory for me to 

41
revise for the examination to achieve the best grades to prepare for my plan to study
abroad to pursue tertiary education. At the time, my sister promised to give me a
special gift if I cleared the exam with flying colors.

As I love surprises, I burnt the midnight oil and got into the first division in the second
semester with God’s Grace. As it happened, I stood first in the class. After declaring
my result, my sister was quite elated. She gave me a box and when I opened it, I saw a
scooter key. Initially, I couldn't understand what that was and then at the drop of the
hat, I ran towards the backyard of my abode.

Honestly, I was so shocked after seeing a new brand of scooter in front of me. I was
on cloud nine as I had dreamt of owning one for a long time, moreover, I didn't expect
to receive such a great surprise. However, I couldn’t get familiar with it immediately
as I had to have a crack on the national exam. 

After I finished high school, my sister spent a couple of months instructing me to use
it and after that I was able to travel everywhere with my favorite scooter. Indeed, I
was extremely grateful for that special present from my sister. Although this was quite
old and obsolete now, I still keep it in my house as that was a prodigious memory in
my teenage years.

5. Describe an important river/lake in your country 

You should say: 

 Where it is located 
 How big/long it is 
 What it looks like 
And explain why it is important

I am going to talk about Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the most iconic landscapes in the
northern part of Vietnam. Its name means "Lake of the Returned Sword”. The origin
of the name is from a mythical story that when the emperor Le Loi returned the holy
sword to the turtle god after using it to defeat Chinese invaders. Regarding the
location, the lake specifically lies in the heart of HaNoi - The capital city of Vietnam.
Near the northern shore of the lake lies Jade Islet, on which the Temple of the Jade

42
Mountain (Ngoc Son Temple) stands. Jade Island is connected to the shore by the
wooden Thê Húc Bridge, painted vermillion red. The bridge's name is poetically
translated as "Perch of the Morning Sunlight. Hoan Kiem Lake seems to be
picturesque at all moments of the day, with gorgeous lighting onto the surface, along
with the peaceful and windy ambience. The lake is of great importance because of two
reasons. The first one is that the lake is the “history observer” of Vietnamese people
with numerous memories such as war time or historical events to pass down for the
next generation. Second, it is a wonderful place for both locals and tourists to gather,
relax and experience a cultural life of HaNoi and Vietnam in general, with a variety of
traditional pastimes. regional souvenirs and religious activities.

6. Describe a change you made in your daily life that saved you a lot of time 

You should say: 

 What it is 
 How you implement it 
 How difficult it is 
And explain how you feel about the change

One of the most important breakthroughs in my daily life that helps me budget my
time is a time planner. The story behind this action is nothing complicated: I
encountered the FOMO phenomenon. Seeing all my university friends having
organized daily activities in advance, I feared to be missed out of the trend. In the
beginning, I opted for a primary daily-planner application, which had no other
functions besides planning. It was effective at first with a well-designed interface and
comprehensible functions. However, I had difficulty in focusing on the app before
bedtime and instead I found myself doom scrolling on other social media platforms. I
also tried with Notion, a multi-function, database-like application that my friend used
as their planner, but the result turned out to be undesirable. However, I still succeeded
in changing my habit thanks to the help of a written daily planner. It was not as
distracting as mobile phone apps, and I could note down more various affairs to
remember. To me, this has been one of the most worthwhile changes ever. I can now
set aside several minutes for other activities such as self-reflection, talking with
43
families and entertainment. I also consider this change as unique, since all my friends
have gone for digital daily planners.

7. Describe a difficult decision that you made and had a good result 

You should say: 

 What the decision was 

 When you made that decision 
 Why it was difficult to make 
And explain how you felt about the good result

Today I want to share with you one of the most momentous decisions in my life,
which related to my results in the National Entrance Exam in 2015. At that time, I was
a fresh high-school graduate without any life experience and interest in any specific
subject. I got quite a high mark in the exam; therefore, many opportunities were
opened up for me. My family advised me to take a course in Economics at Foreign
Trade University, which is one of the leading institutions in Vietnam. But figures and
formulas were not my forte back then, so I was reluctant to follow their advice. My
parents and sister said that I could get a job with a lucrative income after university,
but I decided to attend Hanoi University to study English instead. I was of two minds
at that time, being afraid of making a wrong decision and my whole life could be
turned upside down. I even imagined myself not being able to find a job and being
unemployed someday without any specific set of skills. My family tried to convince
me to follow their advice, but I was determined and said I would be responsible for
my life decisions. I was wondering about it for the first two years of university, but the
results turned out to be good. Thanks to enthusiastic lecturers, my interest for research
and pedagogy were stimulated and I have honed my skills to become a capable teacher
of English. 

I now have a good income and a high level of job satisfaction. I am thankful that my
family always supports me, and I am also elated at my current job status and living
standards. 

44
45
8. Describe a problem you had while shopping online or in a store 

You should say: 

 When it happened 
 What you bought 
 What problem you had 
And explain how you felt about the experience

I have to admit that I am a shopaholic by nature. I usually shop for fashionable items
and try to grab as many items on sale as possible to fill my wardrobe. Today, I would
like to narrate an embarrassing experience that I had in a clothing store of a big local
brand in Vietnam. 

It happened two months ago when I was excited to go shopping in Lotte Shopping
Center in Hanoi. This shopping mall is the largest in the city, which is conveniently
located in Dao Tan Street. There are hundreds of major brands inside the shopping
mall, and on their 8th birthday, there was a supersale for all items. Every shopaholic
flocked there to grab their favorite clothes, bags, or footwear. This was an ideal time
for me to hunt designer items with affordable prices. 

I went to the BOO store first, and grabbed some popular items with a 50% discount.
As everyone was after different articles and the changing rooms were always
occupied, it took me nearly one hour to pay for my clothes. I decided to purchase two
dresses and three skirts, and headed for the cashier. Unfortunately, my bank card did
not work as the staff tried several times with the wrong pin code. I tried to remember
the last time I changed it, but my mind went blank. I stood motionless because I
realized that I didn’t carry enough cash. There were many customers waiting in line
for the cashier, so I convinced them to allow me to pay a deposit and come back later,
but they could not help me because of the store policy. I could not do anything but
leave the store and shopping mall without any items. 

After that incident, I made another bank card with an online payment system. I think it
won’t not happen again as I’m well-prepared for upcoming sale seasons. 

46
9. Describe a disagreement you had with someone 

You should say 

 Who you had the disagreement with 

 What the disagreement was 
 What happened during the disagreement 
And explain how you felt about it

Personally, I would have to say that I am a calm and sociable person, so I rarely have
arguments or disagreements with anyone. But sometimes, I need to propose my
opinion against my colleagues or friends, and I would tell you one time. 

It was when I worked with my team on my Master’s degree program. As a

postgraduate student, I had to work with other classmates on research projects and
disagreements were bound to happen. The workload of a research project was really
overwhelming, so it needed to be equally divided between three members. All things
considered, I was assigned as the team leader and other two members would be in
charge of writing the proposal, then certain parts of the paper were distributed to me
and them. At first, everyone agreed on the division of labor and deadlines, so I hoped
everything would go smoothly. The first stage was normal as our proposal was
accepted and we started to write different parts. 

To meet deadlines, I had to pull an all-nighter to research and read articles. However,
one of my friends did not complete her work as assigned. The part was one of the
most important pieces to make the research worthwhile, but she did not say anything
until the last minute. I and the other team member were furious and asked her for an
explanation. She told us she was tired of my leadership but I begged to differ. I was
very supportive back then, so I could not agree with her. We started having an
argument and she blocked both of us from social media and email. We could not get
into contact with her, and we had to complete her tasks in order to not fail the final
assessment. Luckily, we had successfully handed in our assignment. I reported my
friend’s behavior to the supervisor, and let her decide my friend’s grade. After all, we
were all given good marks as I treasured her contribution in the first place. I thought

47
she had her reasons, and I was ready to listen. I admitted my weaknesses as a leader,
and luckily we could become friends again. 

10. Describe an impressive English lesson you had and enjoyed 

You should say: 

 What it was about 

 When you had it 
 What the teacher did 
And why you enjoyed the lesson

I have enrolled in many English courses over the years, only a few of which were
actually high-quality and helpful. One of the lessons I remember the most, was one
during my senior year in high school which was delivered by Mrs. Hanh - The most
inspirational teacher in my educational life. As far as I knew, she was one of the most
renowned professors in Vietnam. Since we were preparing for the national English
examination, she was asked to handle us with extra classes for more advanced
knowledge. Although she looked no longer young, there seemed to be no generational
gap between us. I remembered she came into the class with the brightest smile from an
educator that I had ever seen. To sincerely confess, her introduction speech did not
attract us right from the beginning. However, when we started the lesson, the content
was really overwhelming and appealing to me, which was also the reason why I
enjoyed the lesson. She assigned us with no model test or exercise, but instead she led
us to the adventure of the history of the English language. Every moment in time, she
integrated the lesson with cultural values and stories around English. She enlightened
in me that linguistic absorption was not only about vocabulary or grammar, it was
about many other affairs. What she did was reignite the passionate flame for English
inside me.

11. Describe a movie you watched recently and would like to watch again 

You should say: 

 What type of movie it was 

48
  What it was about 
 Where you watched it s
And explain why you would like to watch it again

I love watching movies as a way to relax after a day of hard work. I am curious about
space exploration and science fiction movies, so today I will tell you one of my all-
time favorites, which is entitled Ad Astra. The words come from Latin for “To the
Stars”. It’s a 2019 American science fiction film produced by James Gray. He’s one of
the world’s most famous film directors, who has won lots of prestigious awards. I saw
the film when I went out with a like-minded friend who is studying astronomy at
university. At first, I was reluctant to see this film as I did not have time, but I had a
change of heart after watching its trailer. The effects were ground-breaking, and the
plot was touching.

Starring Brad Pitt, who is a world-famous actor, the story follows an astronaut – Roy -
who ventures into space in search of his lost father. The father was actually a former
astronaut who had an obsessive quest to discover intelligent alien life at all costs. His
obsession once threatened the Solar System and all life on Earth, and he has become
lost ever since. In the late 21 st century, the Solar System was struck by a mysterious
asteroid, threatening all human life on earth. Suddenly, the US Space Command is
informed of the information by Roy’s father, who is believed to be dead 16 years ago.
Roy agrees to travel to Mars where he can attempt to find his father, or at least
communicate with him. Roy found out that his father was the station's sole survivor.
His father explains that the spaceship was damaged in the galaxy. There is no
extraterrestrial (alien) life out there, and human-beings are alone in this universe.
Clifford admits to Roy that he never really cared about his family and does not
consider Earth his home. Roy left the space afterwards, seeing his father drifting away
into space.

Like many movies about space, it was quite difficult to understand with only one time
of watching. To me, it poses a possibility that there may be no life outside of Earth, so
humans should try to protect their surroundings as much as they can. I want to re-

49
watch the movie another time to see whether there are other hidden messages (Easter
eggs) that the director wants viewers to know. 

50
12. Describe a story or novel you have read that you found interesting 

You should say 

 When you read it 

 What the story or novel was about 
 Who wrote it 
 And explain why you think it was interesting

A recent book that I read which I found interesting is The Bourne Identity by Robert
Ludlum, who is best known for writing spy thrillers. It is considered to be one of the
best books in the spy genre and it has been adapted into a blockbuster movie released
in 2002 with Matt Damon as the titular character. I first got it when I was traveling
back home from the UK to Hanoi a couple of years ago. While I was walking around
Heathrow Airport waiting to board my flight, I was in need of some new reading
material and I then came across a bookstore. They had a sale going on for older books
being sold at a 50% discount and then I saw that The Bourne Identity was on sale. I
had wanted to read the original book since I loved the movie so much so I took the
plunge in buying the book and then started to read it on the flight back home.

The book is about a man named Jason Bourne who is found floating unconscious in
the sea and is then resuscitated by a fisherman. However, Bourne has no memory of
who he is as he suffered a brain injury. As he reaches shore, he gradually discovers
that he has excellent martial arts skills and a number of false identities, all of which
were the result of his participation in a secret CIA program that trains agents to be
deadly assassins for the US government. Since the CIA doesn’t want anyone to know
about this program, they are hellbent on killing Bourne as he is living evidence of it
and thus Bourne has to go on the run.

I love The Bourne Identity because of its fast pace. There is never a dull moment
where the story slows down to a grinding halt and it gets boring. There is always
something going on that either pushes the story along or develops the characters. I
also love the book for its tension. There are numerous moments where you can never

51
be really sure whether Jason Bourne will make it out alive or not and that can serve to
heighten the drama and excitement of the book.

13. Describe an important thing you learned (not at school or college) 

You should say:  

 What it is  
 When you learned its  
 How you learned it  
And explain why it was important 

Indeed, learning is a lifelong process, and as an innovative person, I love to pick up

knowledge regarding any concept. Here, I would like to talk about an important thing
I have learnt, not in school or college. That crucial thing is cooking. Actually, I have
been interested in cooking since my childhood. However, being in the kitchen was not
my cup of tea. So, I generally watched cooking videos on youtube and helped my
mother with kitchen chores to improve my cooking skills. However, it was nearly
impossible to follow the instructions from internet-based materials as professional
chefs and content creators have many unfamiliar and nowhere-to-be-found utensils
and ingredients. Moreover, thinking that a male should not be in the kitchen, my mom
taught me simply nothing about cooking. But things changed on a summer vacation
that I spent in my hometown. The vacation lasted one month and I stayed with my
grandmother. Once, when my grandma was preparing our meal, I tried to sneak into
the kitchen, meticulously looking at her way of cooking and even raising my voice to
ask about her techniques. Unlike my mother, she welcomingly responded to all of my
requests. She then promised to pass down all her abilities written in what she called
“The cooking bible.” And in the next one month, I learnt a library of cooking tips
from her, even in the cuisine of other nations. This cooking ability now seems
indispensable to me as I am about to become an exchange student for the next
semester, which requires me to do a lot of cooking myself to survive in such an
unfamiliar place.

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