BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP

1. VOCABULARY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJDap8Skeh4

No. VOCABULARY Phiên âm TYPE MEANING

1 To cater to ˈkeɪ.tər Phrasal verb Thỏa mãn, đáp ứng (nhu

something/somebody cầu) của ai hoặc cái gì

2 To be pushed to verge of pʊʃt tuː vɜːdʒ Collocation, Bị đẩy đến bờ vực (nào đó,
something verb: push vd như “tuyệt chủng”)

3 Bankruptcy ˈbæŋ.krəpt.si Noun Sự phá sản

4 To go for ɡəʊ fɔːr Phrasal verb Thích, ái mộ, chọn lựa, đứng
something/someone về phía…

5 Walks of life (usually: from wɔːk əv laɪf Collocation Thuộc các tầng lớp khác
all walks of life) nhau của xã hội

6 To come across kʌm əˈkrɒs Phrasal verb Vô tình nhìn thấy, gặp phải
7 To arouse something əˈraʊzˈsʌm.θɪŋ Verb Khơi gợi cảm xúc nào đó

8 To have a glimpse of ɡlɪmps Collocation, Nhìn sơ qua, thoáng qua

something Verb: have

9 Employ ɪmˈplɔɪ Verb Cung cấp chỗ làm cho ai đó

10 To cast doubt upon someone kɑːst daʊt əˈpɒn Collocation, Khiến ai đó nghi ngờ
Verb: cast

11 Breakthrough ˈbreɪk.θruː Noun Sự đột phá

12 Heated debates ˈhiː.tɪd dɪˈbeɪt Collocation Những cuộc tranh cãi nảy
lửa

13 In the blink of an eye blɪŋk əv æn aɪ Idiom Trong 1 cái chớp mắt, ý

muốn nói là rất nhanh

14 Eco-friendly (full form: ˈiː.kəʊˌfrend.li Adjective Thân thiện với môi trường (=
ecologically friendly) environmentally friendly)

15 To talk someone into tɔːk Phrasal verb Thuyết phục ai về điều

something/doing something gì/làm gì

16 Prospective prəˈspek.tɪv Adjective Có tiềm năng (khách hàng),

có khả năng diễn ra

17 Fad fæd Noun Xu hướng/trào lưu nhất thời

18 Start-up ˈstɑːt.ʌp Noun, Adjective Khởi nghiệp

19 To implement ˈɪm.plɪ.ment Verb Tiến hành, thực hiện

20 Scheme skiːm Noun Kế hoạch (plan)

21 Inevitable ɪˈnev.ɪ.tə.bəl Adjective Không thể tránh khỏi ( =

unavoidable)

22 To penetrate the market ˈpen.ɪ.treɪt Collocation Thâm nhập thị trường

23 State-of-the-art ˌsteɪt.əv.ðiːˈɑːt Adjective Hiện đại

24 Customer insight ˈkʌs.tə.mər Collocation Hành vi, xu hướng của

ˈɪn.saɪt khách hàng

25 Expansion ɪkˈspænd Noun Sự mở rộng

Vary : to change or be different according to the situation

Eg: They vary based on their density
Influencer : a person or thing that influences
Eg: My father is an influencer.
Visionary : original and showing the ability to think about or plan the future with great imagination
and intelligence
Eg: He is a great visionary
Pretentious : trying to appear important, intelligent, etc. in order to impress other people; trying to be
something that you are not, in order to impress
Eg: Tom is very pretentious.
Ahead of one’s time: having ideas or attitudes that are too advanced to be acceptable in the present
Eg: Jack’s ideas were much ahead of his time.
Innovation : a new idea, way of doing something, etc. that has been introduced or discovered
Eg: This company encourages innovation.
Acquire: to gain something by your own efforts, ability or behavior
Eg: He has acquired much of the wealth from his wife as a dowry.
Admirable: having qualities that you admire and respect
Eg: His work is admirable.
2. PART 1
1. Do you want to be a leader?
No, I don’t as I lack all important leadership skills. I’m very weak at communication skills,
so I can’t effectively convey ideas to other members. Also, I don’t wanna put myself under
such great pressure.
● effectively convey something to somebody /kənˈveɪ/ (verb phr.): truyền đạt
một cách hiệu quả cái gì đến ai
 ● put somebody under great pressure /ˈpreʃ.ər/ (verb phr.): đặt ai dưới áp lực
lớn
→ Khoa: no I don't think so - I lack all important leadership skills - communication skills -
Although I have led many schemes before - I am still not confident enough to be a leader.
→ Duong: well - in my opinion - requires many skills - management - communication - in addition -
they have to pay attention to everything to ensure the plan goes on the right way - - find it exhausting
- so I prefer to be a member.
→ Thuong: honestly - yes - as a student who is experienced in becoming a leader at school - I am
really confident in my leadership skills, especially communication and management abilities - With
all of my experiences, I can easily lead a team to go the right way/ to have the best results.
→ Bao: honestly no - because I don’t push myself under pressure. Additionally, the greater power
you have, the more responsibility you have to undertake. However, I think I don’t have enough
confidence to fulfill such kinds of tasks.
→ Hang: honestly - i am an introvert - i don’t think i can be a good leader - As being a leader requires
so many characteristics - 1st - it is the communication skill which I am not good at - So when
conflicts happen - i don’t know what to deal with - secondly - working as a leader means I will be
under a lot pressure, especially in allocating tasks for each members and creating a peaceful co-
working environment. And honestly, I am not a person who is good at working under pressure.
→ Tien: I don't have a knack for leadership skills - I usually feel scared/nervous when I am forced
to speak before the public - Besides, I don't have the talent to make people follow my instructions.
I have never thought about this
Huy: Definitely yes, a lot of skills, such as: …. - I am the person who can possess all of these skills - I
am confident - experience - helpful for my work - make more friends with new experiences.
● ambitious person: 1 ng tham vọng
● conquer the difficulties when being a leader
● widen my circle of friends (mở rộng vòng tròn bạn bè) as well as learn new experiences.
Huy Vũ: I don’t think so. because a leader need to have a lot of personality that I dont have such as:
decisive, rational and laid-back- I don't think I have a knack/talent for doing such things like that
well-rounded: toàn diện
affectional
2. What is your ideal job?
I don’t think I’d enjoy working for a big company … I think I’d like to go it alone and be
self-employed (tự làm chủ) … I’m not sure what area of business (lĩnh vực kinh doanh) it
would be but I think I’d enjoy the process of drawing up a business plan and seeing if I could
be successful …
→ Duong: knee-high to grasshoppers - dreamed of becoming a baker - to pursue my dream - I have
registered an online baking course on Facebook to broaden my horizons about many kinds of desserts
and sharpen my baking skills - I believe that with all of my effort, I can have my own bakery in the
future.
→ Thuong: as a student who is good at biology and chemistry - dream to become a dentist - at
present - try my best in learning and broadening my horizons about things related to this profession so
that I can win a place at my beloved university.
→ Au: for now - I am dreaming of becoming a fashion designer - as a person who is a huge fan of the
arts, I would love to follow a career that relates to fashion - Moreover, working as a fashion designer
gives me a chance to feel free in designing clothes.
→ Quynh: Well to be honest, when I was knee high to the grasshopper, I used to dream of being a
doctor - however, when I grew up, I have changed my mind and have a passion for becoming a CFO
of a bank majoring in analyzing data. The reason for this change is that this profession suits me down
to the ground and I can easily climb up the career ladder.
→ Thành: I think my ideal - great potential in society - It has 2 sides - government and eco-friendly
I am a high school student at the moment, so it may be too soon to think about it, but probably there
will be 2 directions:
white collar worker in the government
work in an environmental industry
→ Canh: I am not sure - I intend to work as self-employed person (freelancer: người lao động tự do) -
I want to challenge myself with many difficulties and then gain a lot of valuable experiences.
3. What are the qualities or characteristics that every leader should have?
I believe honesty is the most important thing that is required out of a leader. It is very
important for a leader to be able to put down the real situation in front of the team mates so
that the situation can be dealt with as a team. Also, communication, commitment and
confidence are the three C’s required out of a leader. And in the end, the patience and the will
power to be able to look ahead with great positivity, to endure failures is what is required of a
leader.
→ Hang: there are a lot of qualities or characteristics that require to be a qualified leader -
1st - to be a leader - people need to have communication skills - which is also considered to
be the most important skill for all leaders - With this skill, they are able to listen to ideas of
all members and summarize them without provoking conflicts - Next - must have patience -
As a matter of fact - impatient leaders can;t have respects from other teammates - Therefore,
If people are easy to get angry, they need to take them time to calm down before acting or
saying.
→ Vu: well - in my opinion - a competent leader - have the ability to communicate
effectively - as to create a common ground between team members to make the final decision
and avoid conflicts - they are also capable of understanding strengths and weaknesses -
allocate tasks that are suitable for each person’s abilities - maximize the productivity.
→ Au: for me - the most important quality that every leader should have - honesty -
necessary for a leader to be able to put down the real situations in front of the teammates so
that the leader and their teammates can deal with the situation well - the other necessary skills
are communication skills which help them to effectively convey the plan to the team - Last
but not least, the patience is an indispensable factor, as it helps to be a good listener.
→ Khoa: from my point of view - a good leader is a person who has all leadership skills -
communication - connect every member together so as to arouse their working interests. A
good leader is also a good listener - who will listen to all ideas from teammates and make the
best final decision.
→ Bảo: I believe that a leader should be a good listener so they can listen to the ideas from
team members → come to the most rational (lý tính, lý trí) conclusion - and furthermore,
the ability for connecting members together so as to avoid misunderstandings/ bad
arguments.
→ Huy: many qualities - I do believe the way they go through the problems - in many cases
the leader can not keep their temper well - bad-tempered → negative action, which is really
harmful for them - positive → look at the bright side of the problems no matter how bad the
situation is
● as cool as cucumber: very calm
→ Thanh: not have experience - responsibilities - unending perseverance - determined and
know what goals they are aiming at in a certain period of time - productively and effectively -
secondly, patient to listen others - leaders sometimes should not work alone but listen to
others’ perspective so as not to miss many helpful/useful/interesting/amusing opinions
● accomplish: đạt được
4. Do you like to run your own business? (Bạn có thích tự kinh doanh không?)
Well, it is hard to tell since operating a company requires tons of knowledge and
experience. Without them, anyone would be pushed to the verge of bankruptcy in no time.
→ Cảnh: Of course yes - opened a milk tea store when I was in uni - but it wasn’t successful
- however, I have many experiences and other life lessons. I strongly recommend you to run
your own company.
→ Tiên: I have never thought abt this before - seen a lot of movies - company go bankrupt
because of the financial burden or the poor human resource management - as I mention - I
dont have - run my own corporation is a crazy idea to me
→ Hang: actually - running a business is not suitable for me - Business is the field that
requires a lot of knowledge and experience. Moreover, we even need to build up business
relationships in order to operate the company without difficulties. And sometimes we may
face some difficulties like bankruptcy or debt - Therefore, as an introvert, I don’t think that I
have enough confidence to do this.
→ Duong: of course - yes - if i run my own business - i can work whenever i can - instead of
working in the fixed time - allocate my time for other hobbies - i just want to run a small one
as the bigger my firm is - the more difficulties i have to face with.
→ Thuong: well - honestly - when I was a little girl - used to have a dream - that I could
have my own studio for professional shooting - fortunately - I have 2 close friends - who
have the same dream as me and we, together, are trying our best to pursue our dream and
make it come true in the near future.
→ Au: as a person who is still a high-school student - i find it hard i can’t imagine myself
operating a company - as we know - running a company requires tons of knowledge and
experience - And the thing that i am afraid most is being pushed to the verge of bankruptcy
when I don’t have a wise business plan.
→ Quỳnh: I really like to run my own company - however - at the moment - I am having a
nine to five job as a banker - so I have no more time to establish/start up the company myself.
or which make it impossible for me to start up my own business.
from dusk till dawn: từ đêm đến sáng
a nine-to-five job: công việc trong giờ hành chính
Huy Vũ: Well, If I have a chance, I think I will do so. Because I personally think that
opening up a company can help me earn a lucrative income with a profitable job. I also work
independently with no need to rely on others.
profitable
earn a lucrative income
5. If you were a leader, and your teammates didn’t respect you, what would you
do?
→ Vu: I would take a look at myself first to consider whether or not I have done anything
wrong or something that makes them feel frustrated - Besides - I would try my best to find
out a way by which I can communicate with that member more effectively.
→ Duy: difficult circumstance - I would discuss further with my teammate to find out my
weakness - improve myself first - confidence on my direction - instruct them to show that it is
good and effective and make others believe that I am a good leader → set up a meeting so
that everyone could show their thinkings or idea → listening to others is also a good way to
find out the mistakes and improve the solution better
→ Hang: I think first when my teammates don’t respect me - I control my temper - and
then I will find out the reason and solve it - Although I am not good at communicating, I
think it is still very important for a leader to talk seriously when a problem comes.
6. Do you prefer to work for a multinational company or a domestic one? (Bạn
thích làm việc cho một công ty đa quốc gia hay một công ty trong nước?)
As far as I’m concerned, both options have their pros and cons, so it takes much time for me
to ponder and conclude. However, if I have to pick one, I would definitely go for the former
since a multinational company offers me a chance to interact with people from all walks of
life, and immerse myself in a multicultural environment.

→ Huy: good question - how I will - MNC is a great choice - communicate with foreigners -
improve communication skills - (2) expand my knowledge about other cultures and how I can
adapt with the completely different environment.

→ Thanh: after graduate - in short term, multinational - sounds tough bc of the inadequate
experience - great envi to cultivate the language skills - international working standard - but
in the long run, I would gravitate for domestic one bc I hope to show/express my patriotism -
beneficial for my country → economy development.

● cultivate the language skills: trau dồi khả năng ngôn ngữ
● professional: chuyên nghiệp
● patriotism: lòng yêu nước
→ Khoa: I am currently a freshman - I don't know the first thing about these things - I would
prefer to work for a multinational company - because I think in this environment - I can make
a lucrative income and have a high job prospective. Moreover, fringe benefits (phúc lợi) like
vacations, insurances in this type of firm are always better than those in national companies.
→ Vu: I think both sides have their own pros and cons - I would like to work on a global
scale - In this working environment, I can have a chance to connect and make friends with
people from every corner in the world so as to broaden their horizons about their cultures.
→ Duy: Although it is easy for us to apply for a job vacancy in a domestic firm - if i have a
choice - i will go for a multinational one - as you may know - many foreign countries - have
penetrated the market - If i work for a international company - will have a chance to immerse
myself in a professional and modern working environment. Moreover, fringe benefits (phúc
lợi) like vacations, insurances in this type of firm are always better than those in national
companies.

3. PART 2
1. Describe a female leader you would like to meet
You should say:
1. who she is
2. what she does
3. what she is like
4. And explain why you would like to meet her
As leadership only used to be a male domain (area), I am excited seeing women in positions of power
nowadays. Although my country hasn’t yet had a female president, I would like to talk about our
former first lady (wife of the president), Michelle Obama. Along with this, she is also the first
African- American first lady, which is something I am really thrilled to see, as well. She has always
been a woman I look up to (honor)!

In the USA, being the first lady is a very important position. Michelle’s duties included being the
hostess of the first lady, as well as organizing and attending official ceremonies and functions of state
either along with, or in place of, the president. Along with this, she was formerly a lawyer, as well as
a university administrator and writer. With all this said, she is a very bright and respectable woman.
As an educator myself, I have a profound (deep) respect for those in the education field.

Although I don’t know her, she seemed very bubbly (social) and vivacious (energetic). Along with
this, she and her family are known to be very elegant and well-spoken (speaks well with others).
Because of all of this that I’ve mentioned, it would be a great honor to meet her. I would love to have
a coffee and ask for life advice with her. Of course I would have to take a picture with her for social
media!
→ Vu: well in the past, higher job positions had been predominant by male - but it has changed
completely nowadays and we can see their female counterparts are also leading many business sectors
- the president of Taiwan - a few years back - i came across - impressed by her personality -
charismatic and bold - females at her age - down to earth - her appearance is very elegant - to answer -
like her because - had a chance to talk to her.

Tien: Melinda Gates - used to a microsoft former - donated to the children and the handicapped -
haven't met - impressed by her beauty - It is her confidence that attracted me at the first time -
excellent leader - support her husband and improve the foundation - Secondly, what makes me
admire her - kind hearted person - all the children are able to go to school - a large amount of money
to who organization during covid 19 - in the nutshell - I have a dream of meeting her in the near
future - impossible but hope to make it true in my life (2p06s)
Thanh: weird to see female - elizabeth - fluent many languages - great knowledge at music - England
- strong personality - achieve - opened minded - take into account of many pp - many reason why I
like - bc of her opened mindset - law and donations - england see the striving - most influential -
growth of economy - ask her for some advice and how she could do such an enormous things like that
(2p19s)

2. Describe a friend who you think is a good leader

You should say:
1. Who is he/ she
2. How you met him/her
3. Do people behave differently when he/she is around?
4. And explain why you think he/she can be a good leader.

Let me tell you about one of my close friends who worked with me in the same company several
years ago. Actually it was he who had an interview with me when I applied for a position in that
company after I graduated from university. We had a nice talk and he was obviously satisfied with my
related experience.

He was really an optimistic and infectious man with his work, therefore when he started to be
responsible for the new business, some colleagues were very interested in his plan and tasks, and were
always likely to offer their help. Besides, his superior was quite confident of his success, and gave
some necessary financial and human support.

I had been working with him for over two years. I believe he was really good at encouraging his staff
into doing something that seemed to be tough to realize and inspiring them to greatness. As our
business was quite new in the market, he made us feel like pioneers in this field, which definitely
inspired my enthusiasm tremendously. It was really a cool thing, because to be honest, I learned the
most things in my work during that time.

https://zim.vn/bai-mau-ielts-speaking-band-8-describe-a-leader-or-politician-who-you-admire

Phát: best friend - grade 10 - It was not until one year later that I found many things in common with
him - hooked on many aspects - all rounder - chosen to become the leader bc of his discipline and
responsibility - Besides - is also known as an english master - best one → smartest in class - confident
- convey ideas fluently and persuasively that everyone is immediately convinced by his interesting
ways of public speaking - I think his personality will help him to become an talented CIO in the near
future - admire and look up to him - He is also my motivation that I would like to follow and move
forward (1p42)

good mirror → imitate

exotic idea: ý tưởng mới lạ

Canh: the name appear in my mind first is Huy - I met him when we were sophomores in the
university - teacher gave us the assignment and we had to choose the group leader – he volunteered
to become the leader - Thanks to his good time management skill - He could divide work equally
among the members and have a suitable deadline for each person - Besides, he is also a good
presenter who can convey (truyền đạt) many interesting ideas to the class - It was his confidence
and vision that made our team got grade 10 - To sum up, I think everyone including me should
have those characteristics/qualities like him if we want to become a good leader (1p22s)

freshman: sv năm 1; sophomore: sinh viên năm 2; junior: sv năm 3; senior: sv năm 4

visionary: có tầm nhìn

Duong (2p30): when it comes to this topic - class monitor - hooked by her outstanding appearance -
when i entered class at the first day - many reasons why she is qualified enough to be a leader - my
class monitor - enthusiastic person who always friendly reminds other classmates to meet their
deadlines on time - Once a problem occurred - responsible - instead of blaming - Moreover, she is so
charisma that whenever she pronounces any news, everyone in class would pay attention to her
instead of talking or surfing the phone - Personally, with all of these personalities, I have a strong
feeling that she will undertake the head manager position in a big enterprise in the future.

Huy (2p05): this topic somehow triggers my interest - I have so many buddies - who are energetic
leaders - winning a place in my heart - same inspiration - had a wonderful time - a short
conversation - enhances the productivity of the tasks he works on - optimistic - always give others a
hand - confident and positive who always encourage other teammates and cheer them up when they
are under a lot of pressure - idolized by many people - wide range of knowledge, especially good at
Math, Chemistry and Biology - and being a doctor is his all time dream - i can state that - he is willing
to help others - he made our team gain confidence and ambition to our own field - If you meet him in
real life - you will admire him at first glance.

Au: Tram - close friends - grade 10 - I remembered one time that our teacher gave us the -
required/requested to work in groups - at first - dilemma not able to choose the leader but BT
volunteered as a leader - To be honest, she is not an all-rounder in my class but she is really
enthusiastic and sociable/trustworthy - I couldn’t imagine she properly assigned task to all of us
based on our performances - thanks to her support, we manage to get good marks that english task -
in my opinion - not only a great leader but also a friendly and hardworking friend - she always 100%
concentrate on her work at school - make me appreciate (2p10)

Khoa: Khoi - a friend of mine - as you may know - Vietnamese education system not pay much
attention to develop soft skill like public speaking - shy - different from - humourous and sociable -
first time knew him - cpl years ago - first stepped into high school - seemed strange to me - however
he was only one came and made acquaintance with me - Regarding the reasons why he is a good
leader, there are numerous things - well-rounded monitor in class - bring a lot of exotic ideas to solve
problems - so he is trusted by most of my friends and teachers in class - sociable - communicate with
other and connect everyone easily - make pp follow his direction , including me (2p32)

Duy: met so many leaders - deepest impression - Minh - in high school - closest friends - 2 years
older than me - school club - keep in touch until now, around 3 years - admit that - responsible and
professional leader - passionate with all his work - scared of his seriousity - but after that I realized
that he was really optimistic and always look at the bright side of the problem - make insightful
(sâu sắc)/decisive (quyết đoán) direction/conclusion - strong belief in him - secondly - he also has
ability to connect everyone - make everyone comfortable to share ideas and thought together - 1 year -
short but pay him a lot of respect - understand why everyone consider him a good model ( 2p20)

5. PART 3
1. What are the main qualities of being a good leader?
I think that to be a great leader, a person needs to have expertise in his field. When a problem arises,
he can come up with a new approach to it. Besides, he also needs good communication skills so that
he can effectively convey the common goal of a team and lead his team members. He also has to be a
man of his word, and have a sense of responsibility in order for his team members to rely on.
● have expertise in something /ˌek.spɜːˈtiːz/ (verb phr.): có chuyên môn về lĩnh vực gì
● arise /əˈraɪz/ (verb): (cái gì) nảy sinh ra
● come up with something (phrasal verb): nghĩ ra (ý tưởng, cách giải quyết…)
● a man of one’s word (idiom): giữ lời hứa
Tôi nghĩ rằng để trở thành một nhà lãnh đạo tài ba, một người cần phải có chuyên môn trong lĩnh
vực của mình. Khi một vấn đề nảy sinh, anh ta có thể nghĩ ra một cách giải quyết mới cho nó. Bên
cạnh đó, anh ấy cũng cần có kỹ năng giao tiếp tốt để có thể truyền đạt hiệu quả mục tiêu chung của
nhóm mình và dẫn dắt các thành viên trong nhóm của mình bám sát mục tiêu đó. Anh ấy cũng phải là
một người biết giữ lời, và có tinh thần trách nhiệm để các thành viên trong nhóm dựa vào.

Canh:
A good leader needs to be confident and have a good vision - When he has a confidence, he will be
good at communicating so as to convey the plan to members easily - Besides - he has to have a good
vision who can identify weaknesses and strengths of each member. Therefore, he can allocate tasks to
the suitable ones so as to improve productivity.
Duy: I think 2 elements that make a good leader - firstly, they should have an expertise in their field.
outstanding for members - besides, good communication skills and being a man of word. be
responsible for every word he made
● public speaking skill → persuade others to follow his instruction/strategies
● decisive → come to best solution in the fastest way
● a good listener → gather the best ideas together so that he can make the most rational
decision
2. Why do societies need leaders?
Each organization or team needs a leader who sets the future plan and vision for all members to
follow. They can be seen as the backbone of a team, who gives a clear direction for the team and
allocates tasks for members so that they can achieve the common goal.
● set the future plan and vision /ˈvɪʒ.ən/ (verb phr.): đặt ra kế hoạch và tầm nhìn tương
lai
● backbone /ˈbæk.bəʊn/ (noun): trụ cột
● allocate something for somebody /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/ (verb): phân bổ cái gì cho ai
● achieve the common goal /əˈtʃiːv/ (verb phr.): đạt được mục đích chung
Mỗi tổ chức hoặc một nhóm cần một người lãnh đạo, người mà sẽ đặt ra kế hoạch và tầm nhìn tương
lai cho tất cả các thành viên tuân theo. Họ có thể được xem là trụ cột của một đội, là người đưa ra
định hướng rõ ràng cho đội và phân bổ nhiệm vụ cho các thành viên để họ cùng đạt được mục tiêu
đó.
→ Vu: a good question - there are few factors - play a crucial role in the society - 1st - a leader - who
sets a vision for others to follow - the one who is responsible for setting the future plan and vision so
that others can finish their tasks without facing any problems - 2nd - not all people are born with a
ability to think ahead so that they need someone to lead them to gon on the right way. Without a good
leader, a business can turn into a big mess. Those are reasons why I think leaders are necessary in this
society.
Khoa: In my opinion, every society should have leaders - many reasons, one of which is leaders are
assumed to be like the backbone of that country or each organization → set the future plan/strategies
- how they improve and what need to achieve - Without leaders, the society would absolutely be
chaotic and break down rapidly.
in leaps and bounds: rất nhanh chóng
3. Do you think a leader should be perfect in all fields?
Vu: In my opinion - doesn’t need to be an all-rounder - someone can bring idea all together as to
create the most suitable solution for the team - execute the strategies - most efficient way - observe
and get to know which are the strengths and weaknesses of every member so that the leader can
allocate the tasks properly and maximize productivity
Tiên: Actually no, I think no one is perfect and neither is the leader - set the future strategies and
plans to implement the target so that everything goes smoothly - in many situations → mistakes
→ make the threats into the opportunities. Thus, no matter how perfect you are, I think the leader just
needs to be hardworking and patient.
Canh:
I think a leader just needs to have expertise in his field. Moreover, he just has to have a good vision
and good plan to lead the team efficiently and achieve common goals. As long as he has employed
qualified people who will be responsible for other aspects for him.
Tu Ngoc:
In my point of view, it is not necessary for a leader to be an all-rounder. As you may know, each
person can only be good at one area → only have expertise in one aspect – So I suppose that everyone
should focus on their strengths → more effective - you are more likely to become trustworthy in an
organization to guide team members.
For example, a leader who is a master in managing human resources, he can observe all the team
members carefully to know each personality, and make sure that every task is appointed properly to
everyone, and maximize/optimize productivity.

4. What are the responsibilities of a leader?

https://ieltsmaterial.com/ielts-speaking-part-3-questions-answers-topic-leadership/

5 What is gender inequality in the workplace?

It means that people aren’t treated equally based on gender. Traditionally, the man earns more money
than a woman and isn't able to move up in position, also known as the 6 glass ceiling. In my country,
the woman earns about .80 cents to the man’s dollar for doing the exact same workload. Apart from
just the pay, women are often perceived as unable to control their emotions, which prevents them
from being in a leadership position. I’m so happy to see this changing!
5. What are the causes of gender inequality in the workplace?
Vu: a couple of reasons - boil down to two main reasons - 1st - I think that physical health is the
cause of this controversy topic - As a matter of fact, men are capable of doing more physically
demanding jobs - firefighter - the more dangerous the job is - the higher salary is - 2nd - women - give
birth won’t be able to work during their maternity leave - have less incentive - are not able to work
long hours - because they need to take care of their babies - these are two main reasons why there is
gender inequality in the workplace.
Tiên: Life is changing but people are treated unequally - in the past - conventional misunderstanding -
the main cause is bc the - dangerous career like doctors, … - women - make money is the men’s duty.
That is also the reason why many corporations don’t want to hire/employ female workers.
6. Are some people natural leaders and other people natural followers? Why?
I think it is more of what happens with people as children, what circumstances they face and what
things they learn. There is nothing in life but yes there are things that some learn early in life and then
are able to enhance and improve on them for life, making them natural leaders.

→ Vu: in my humble opinion - don’t think anyone is born to be natural leaders or followers - it totally
depends on their personalities which are nurtured/ influenced by the living environment - On the one
hand, if a child - from the young age - engaged in many activities - they will grow up to be more in
the extroverted sides - and these types of people are more likely to become a good leader - On the
other hand - kids who are introverted and shy in sharing their ideas may become a follower. In a
nutshell, I think this matter relates more to their characteristics than human instincts.
→ Thanh: i think this is a really interesting question - some biology genetics that makes people be
more followers or leaders - influenced by the situation or the childhood, how they were educated -
many children - side - taught to be active, confident - patiently get enough skills to become a leader -
even though they have no characteristic when they were young - in contrast - followers - educated to
be silent and obey to others’ rule - believe what they heard without critical thinking or debating.

7. Why do some people think it’s a bad thing to always follow other people?
I think it must be mostly because leaders come along with the image that says that these are the most
powerful people, that they can bring out change, and it is often so larger than life that people think
that anyone who is not a leader is not a great person to be. However, people often forget that it is not
the power that makes a leader great, but the person himself that makes use of power great.
8. What characteristics does a bad leader have?
I believe manipulation is one thing that a bad leader possesses. Anyone who tries to manipulate the
people or try telling lies, just to hide, is surely a bad leader because he or she cannot or does not have
the strength to face the consequences of a bad decision.
→ Vu: although i haven’t had a chance to interact with any bad leader - i believe that the one who
possesses the characteristic of manipulation will be the unqualified leader - i mean that people with
this personality always try to force their members overworked but underpaid them - 2nd -
irresponsible person who always blame their problems on others with the purpose of getting away
from bad reputation - last but not least - an incompetence leader doesn’t have any leadership skill to
make a common ground btw members - can’t make the best decision for the team or the firm.
9. If you were the leader of your school, what changes would you make?
If I was the leader of the school, I think there are only a few things that I would like to change. One of
them is punishment. I know that punishment is a great way to teach people, but then I also believe
that a little reward is never a bad thing. So, if one sees a person getting punishment daily, it might be
possible that he or she needs counseling and not just another punishment.
Also, there should be more parent teachers to meet. So, that parents and teachers can remain
connected throughout, not just when the results come out.
→ Thanh: If I was a leader of my school, I might want to change a lot of things - The first chance I
want to make is the teaching system - many classes and many stories about teachers being violent -
give them bad scores - attend in their outside classes - effective management system - teachers not do
thing like that - attitudes - hesitate to share their ideas - teachers may hate them - try to make an
mailbox - regularly - encourage students to put their idea - about their desires like what they want to
improve or what they wonder abt.

10. Do you think it’s important for parents to encourage the development of leadership abilities
in their children? (Why? /Why not?)
I think it is unnecessary to stimulate a sense of leadership in the children. The reason I feel this way is
that some kids end up becoming aggressive people and just impose their way of thinking on others
without trying to be a good listener. Instead, what parents can help is to educate their children to be a
morally correct individual first. Otherwise, they can accidentally turn their children into a bad guy in
the future.
Vu: it is certainly advantageous skill but I think there is no need to nurture the children leadership
abilities at the very early age like that - As I notice, some kids have a tendency to become introverted
→ bad ball of the team - behind work - extrovert having ability to communicate with other - should be
looked at first before encourage them to become the
- at the early age
- teach/ nurture: nuôi dưỡng
Au: In my opinion, it is necessary to stimulate leadership for the children at the early ages - as almost
all kids need this skill in life - For ex, when they are the high school students, there must be teamwork
in the school. the students might be a leader in the future, sooner or later - I think it is advisable that
the students are taught these skills in advance by their parents - it is not only for their school life but
for their whole rest of their lifetime.
Why do some people think it’s a bad thing to always follow other people?
I think it must be mostly because leaders come along with the image that says that these are the most
powerful people, that they can bring out change, and it is often so larger than life that people think
that anyone who is not a leader is not a great person to be. However, people often forget that it is not
the power that makes a leader great, but the person himself that makes use of power great.
In what ways can parents encourage their children to develop leadership abilities?
As I have just mentioned, the task of stimulating a sense of leadership is not really necessary. At this
age, they should be educated to be morally sound and correct individuals as well as building their
knowledge base. As long as this step is done, teaching them leadership qualities can be taken into
consideration
BUSINESS PART 3
1 What challenges and difficulties do people face when they try to open a small business?
One of the main challenges for small businesses is just staying open. Most small businesses close
within a year after they’re open, so if they get past that hurdle the next most important thing that
they’ll have to tackle is getting long-term customers. Depending on what kind of business they’re
starting, they’ll also have to advertise their products and services. A good advertisement is really what
makes the difference between the success and failure of their business.
2 What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of small businesses compared to large
companies?
One advantage of having a small business is that you don’t have to be lied down by company rules,
regulations, and protocols. You are free to operate as you please and don’t have to worry about getting
the approval of the CEO or some other person higher up on the ladder than you. There are some
disadvantages, though, to having a small business. The main one is that if you’re not careful, the big
businesses will put you out of business by slashing their prices or advertising heavily. You see, they
can afford to make their prices lower than yours simply because they have more money.
3 How can small businesses benefit the people in their community?
Small businesses can cater to the whims and wishes of the people that they are near. They get to know
their customers and can specialize in taking care of them. Small businesses can even watch out for
community members: if they are used to seeing them and they notice a change in their routine, the
business could report this to someone who would lie concerned about them. Having a small business,
like a restaurant, for instance, creates a family-like feeling in the neighborhood, as opposed to going
to McDonald’s for instance, where they don’t know you from Adam.
4 Compare small shops with big international department stores and supermarkets.
I really don’t think there is any comparison. Small shops retain a personal touch and give you the
feeling that the owners are more than people who just want to make money. Small businesses make
you feel that you are contributing to keeping the community going by shopping there. Of course, the
big stores have a lot more variety and are able to have sales and cut their prices when they need to.
5 What kinds of small businesses are the most popular in China?
Well you see them everywhere and new ones pop up almost daily, what are they? Well, you guessed
it, beauty salons and hairdressers and haircutters. If you walk down any given street you will see one
or two on each corner. People are much more interested in style and being in fashion, so that is why
these businesses are so popular. If you look around you will see so many new hairdos.
Vocabulary for Speaking Part 3

Hurdle: Difficulties
Eg: You must overcome the hurdles to succeed
Tackle: make determined efforts to deal with (a problem or difficult task).
Eg: She is tackling difficult issues
Long-term: very long time
Eg: It’s a long-term project
Protocols: Rules
Eg: Follow the protocols