Day 5

Part 3: Concentration – Technology – Education (Subtopic)

Part 2: Revision – Describe an activity/ experience and Describe an object

Problems:
Underlength: Affect Coherence + Lexical Resource
→ underuse cohesive devices + Topic-Related + Lack of Describing
Features
Example: Food - Chilly food - mouth-watering (Thiếu từ vựng)
Pad-Thai - Cay và ngon
– Spiciest - it’s like something’s burning in my mouth, the hot burn still lingers
even when I downed three cups of water.
Delectable: The taste melts my heart / It was pure heaven tasting even just a
spoonful of it.
Sprout beans, carrots, peas → vegetables (green + red) → earthy/ refreshing taste
Fried egg/ meat (yellow + red) → rich in flavor
→ colorful
Story-telling techniques
At first, I smelled the spiciness even from afar, so I was hesitant of the food.
Coming closer, the dish was red, with a lot of chillies, so my inner alarms instantly
sounded, something dangerous ahead.
However, my father spotted my hesitation and he patted my back “give it
a try”. I mustered all my courage and had a spoonful of the padthai. In stark
contrast to what I expected, the spiciness was milder (nhẹ hơn) than I had
thought. And, the flavour was rich and lingering. I started to feel the combination
between ingredients was pure heaven: the richness of meat and shrimps, the
earthiness of carrot and pea, and the spice from chilly, making the dish a symphony
of tastes.
Solution for Underlength:
- Story-telling - dividing into smaller stages
- Describe in detail.

Overlength
- Lil bit off-topic
- Unselected features →
Describe a place you often go to with your family and friends
- Describing a place (exterior/ interior)
- Describing an experience with family/ friends
- Opinion/ emotion - over the moon / have a blast / have a whale of a
time
→ cafe/ mall/ park
Pick up groceries on weekends (all kinds of stores) / have dinner (fav
resto) / a family dinner (not interested in) - reflection (an effort to bridge
the generational gap and address the lack of quality time within family
settings)

Fried cricket/ insect:

In the market, we saw… The ambience was vibrant/ bustling/ dynamic… and
the smell of fried food could be noticed from afar.
Upon coming closer, the tour guide navigated our group to the most packed
vendor…

At first, It felt weird. Firstly, they often live underground, with dirt and worms, so
instantly I felt they were not safe to eat. Appearance-wise, they remind me of
cockroaches, so that seemed to be a big let-down from just the look.
However, at that moment, my father came up with a challenge. Who finishes the
dish first will get 10 USD. So the craving of 10 USD outweighed my fear, and my
hand.

PRONUNCIATION
Sound articulation: Phát âm và khẩu hình
Rg
S Sh
Ed
/t/ /d/: /iz/
/unvoiced soud/ → /t/ hoped/t/
/voiced sound/ → /d/ grabbed /d/
→ IPA chart
Intonation: Nói có sức sống lên
Stress (nhấn âm):
- Trong chữ (syllable): ‘beautiful
- Trong câu: She’s themost beautiful girl Ihaveeverseen, the kindof
otherworldly beauty!.

Part 1:
27. Learning about Science
1. Do/did you enjoy science lessons at school? (Why/Why not?)
2. Would you like to know more about science? (Why/Why not?)
3. Do you watch science programmes on TV? (Why/Why not?)
4. Are science museums popular in…../your country? (Why/Why not?)
Part 2&3
41. Describe something that helps you to concentrate on work/study
You should say:
• What it is you do
• Where and when you do this
• Whether you always do the same thing
• And explain how much this helps you to concentrate on work/study.
--
1. Is it important for children to learn how to concentrate? (Sample
included) → Compare / Alternative (giả định ngược)
→ concentration - necessary - for a few reasons - in the future - get access to jobs
with high concentration - scientists/ doctors/ lawyers/ - a way to open career
opportunities
→ Personally - Another person talking - essential for daily interactions - isolation in
the future.
→ It’s more than a perk; it is a foundational survival skill

2. What can employers do to help employees concentrate? (Sample included)

2* What can parents do to help children concentrate?
→ During the first year - play a toy unbothered - pick up new skills - let children
do what they prefer - soak up (học rất nhanh) - internal motivation (động lực từ
bên trong) - Rewarding (tốt)
3. What kinds of jobs require higher concentration at work? (Sample included)
→ all the jobs - different levels (good coherence) - pilot - the lives of people are in
their hands - surgeon - surgery - a matter of life and death with just a minor mistake
- huge loss
(contrasting images: in paper, that might just be another failed case, but to that
family, that failed case is a whole mother/ father/ child/ (that’s) lost

4. Have you ever felt it difficult to concentrate? (Sample included)

5. What kinds of distractions are bothering you in your life? (Sample included)
→ phone - 4.0 era of technology - live a fast-paced life - distractor - zoning out from
my homework - phone bombards me with messages, notifications popping up from
time to time.

37. Describe an invention which you think has changed the world in a good
way
You should say:
• What this invention is
• What it does
• How popular it is with people of different ages
• And explain how you think this invention has changed the world in a good way.
Feature - based approach: tập trung một main idea + tả nhiều:
- Ai là người tạo ra/ Hoàn cảnh tạo ra
- Tả
- Nếu công dụng
-

Story-telling: Chia đoạn + tả nhiều

- Before the invention
- After the invention
- Meaningful aspect behind it.
Phone: connection across the globe
Internet: access to information previously blocked behind a high wall, exclusively
reserved for the royals (hoàng gia), religious (người theo đạo), and the wealthy.
Havard: Justice lecture

--
6. What is the most helpful innovation at home?
7. What household appliances make us lazy? (Sample included)
8. What kind of invention can be used at school?
9. Do you think AI will replace human teachers? Why?

IELTS Speaking Part 3 – Core Question Types

Today we will just focus on type 2, 3, 6, and 8.
1. Opinion

● Function: Forces stance

● Markers: Do you think…?, Should…?, What is your opinion…?

 ● Required response structure: Position → Justification → Conditional
nuance

2. Cause/Reason Analysis

● Function: Probes causal logic

● Markers: Why do people…?, What causes…?

● Required structure: Root cause → Social/contextual amplification →

Personal insight
Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase
Root cause The primary driver behind this is… The main reason for this is…
Amplification This is largely fueled by… This mostly comes from…
Personal
From my perspective, it boils down to… I think it’s basically because…
insight
Root cause One key contributing factor is… One big factor is…
Societal norms tend to reinforce this Society usually supports this
Amplification
because… because…
Personal
I reckon this stems from… I guess it comes down to…
insight
Root cause It can be traced back to… You can trace it back to…
There’s a complex interplay between…
Amplification It’s a mix of… and…
and…

3. Contrast/Comparison

● Function: Tests ability to hold dual perspectives

● Markers: How is A different from B?, Is it the same for young and old people?

● Required structure: Differentiation 🡪 A 🡪 B → Reason behind divergence

Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase

While both share similarities, Although they have some things in
Differentiation they diverge significantly when common, they’re quite different when it
it comes to… comes to…
A description On the one hand, A tends to… For starters, young people usually…
B description Conversely, B often exhibits… On the flip side, older folks tend to…
Reason behind This disparity largely arises This difference mostly comes down
divergence because… to…
 Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase
The fundamental difference lies
Differentiation The biggest difference is…
in…
Younger individuals generally
Young people mostly go for… while
A vs B prefer… whereas older ones lean
older people prefer…
towards…
This contrast is largely shaped
Reason This contrast is mostly because of…
by…
Although both groups value…
Nuanced Both groups care about… but they
their approaches diverge due
comparison handle it differently because…
to…

4. Trend Evaluation / Change Over Time

● Function: Measures temporal reasoning

● Markers: Has this changed over time?, Is it more common now?

● Required structure: Past norm → Present condition → Speculated

reason

5. Hypothetical / Conditional Reasoning

● Function: Tests abstract thinking

● Markers: What would happen if…?, If X changed, how would Y respond?

● Required structure: Conditional framing → Projected impact → Counter-

scenario

6. Solution / Policy Evaluation

● Function: Assesses evaluative and pragmatic thinking

● Markers: What can be done about…?, Should the government…?

● Required structure: Problem restatement → Feasible solution →

Limitations or trade-offs

Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase

Problem
The crux of the issue lies in… The main problem here is…
restatement
 Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase
One good way to deal with this might
Solution One viable approach would be to…
be…
Solution Implementing such a policy could Putting this policy into practice could
impact potentially… probably…
However, it’s important to consider
Limitation But we also have to keep in mind that…
that…
Another challenge to keep in mind
Trade-off Another thing to consider is…
is…
While this solution sounds Even though this sounds like a good
Limitation
promising, it might… idea, it could…
Ultimately, any policy needs to In the end, the policy has to find a
Trade-off
balance… balance between…
To tackle this issue To really fix this, we need a strategy
Holistic
comprehensively, a multi-pronged that covers different areas like
solution
strategy involving… is necessary education, rules, and incentives.

7. Generalization / Cultural Norms

● Function: Explores social awareness

● Markers: Do people in your country usually…?, Is it common for…?

● Required structure: Observation → Sociological rationale → Exception or

shift

8. Personal Inference / Abstract Definitions

● Function: Requires conceptual framing

● Markers: What does success mean to you?, How would you define happiness?

● Required structure: Concept anchor → Personal interpretation →

Broader lens
Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase
At its core, success can be
Concept anchor Basically, success means…
understood as…
Personal
For me personally, it means… To me, it’s all about…
interpretation
Broader lens Broadly speaking, it reflects… Generally speaking, it shows…
Concept anchor + Happiness, in my view, boils I think happiness really comes
 Function Formal Phrase Conversational Phrase
interpretation down to… down to…
Personal I tend to see it as a dynamic I see it as something that changes
interpretation state influenced by… depending on…
More generally, it
Broader lens More often than not, it includes…
encompasses…
It’s a subjective concept that It really depends on the person and
Concept anchor
varies according to… their background…
On a deeper level, it challenges When you think about it, it makes
Broader lens
us to reconsider… you question…

THE 3 CORE COGNITIVE MOVES

(*This section IS IMPORTANT*)

(This is what all 8 question types reduce to)

1. Take a Stand
→ "This is what I believe / what I think would happen, and here’s why."
Use when the question asks for your opinion, prediction, or evaluation.
2. Explain a Pattern
→ "Here’s what usually happens, and here’s the logic behind it."
Use when you're asked about trends, habits, social behavior, or causes.
3. Compare & Define
→ "Here’s how A differs from B" / "This is how I understand this idea."
Use when the question wants you to analyze a difference or interpret a
concept.
The Optional Final Move: Conclude
→ “So overall…”, “That’s why I think…”, “In short…”

7. What household appliances make us lazy? (Cause/Reason Analysis)

Stance: Hard to say, because I see laziness means different things to different
people.
Explain: My guess would be auto vacuum cleaners and dishwashers. Don’t get
me wrong. I genuinely think these devices exist to free us up and let us focus on
more meaningful activities. But when the volume of housework isn’t overwhelming,
relying on these tools can reinforce laziness. It helps to move our body a bit,
wiping plates, walking across the room, or just staying mentally anchored in the
task.
Conclude: In short, household appliances can make us lazy situationally, as it turns
out how we use them matters more than the devices themselves.

Vocabulary – Learning About Science

Meaning CE
Word/Phrase IPA Example Sentence
(Vietnamese) FR
We used to do fun
experiment thí nghiệm B2 /ɪkˈsper.ɪ.mənt/ experiments in chemistry
class.
Scientific thinking is crucial for
scientific thuộc khoa học B2 /ˌsaɪənˈtɪf.ɪk/
solving real-world problems.
I find astronomy fascinating,
fascinating hấp dẫn, lôi cuốn B2 /ˈfæs.ɪ.neɪ.tɪŋ/ especially black holes.
Curiosity is what drives most
curiosity sự tò mò C1 /ˌkjʊə.riˈɒs.ə.ti/
scientific breakthroughs.
Students were asked to form
hypothesis giả thuyết C1 /haɪˈpɒθ.ə.sɪs/ a hypothesis before testing.
Science is most useful when
apply
áp dụng kiến thức C1 /əˈplaɪ/ we can apply what we’ve
(knowledge)
learned.
The lab made a
/ˈɡraʊnd
groundbreaking mang tính đột phá C2 groundbreaking discovery in
ˌbreɪ.kɪŋ/ genetics.
/ˈkrɪt.ɪ.kəl Science lessons help students
critical thinking tư duy phản biện C2
ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/ develop critical thinking.

out of this tuyệt vời, như đến /aʊt əv ðɪs That science museum was out
-
world từ hành tinh khác wɜːld/ of this world!
The documentary really
phân tích, giải
break it down - /breɪk ɪt daʊn/ breaks down complex
thích dễ hiểu theories.
Science shows are designed
/spɑːk kjʊə.ri
spark curiosity khơi gợi sự tò mò - to spark curiosity in young
ˈɒs.ə.ti/ viewers.
Great scientists always push
push the /pʊʃ ðə
vượt qua giới hạn - the boundaries of what we
boundaries ˈbaʊn.də[Link]/ know.

1. Do/did you enjoy science lessons at school? (Why/Why not?)

The only science subject I was ever into was Math. To me, it’s the backbone of
many other sciences and a language that articulates logic behind every question,
something I deem essential for life skills. But as for its other peers, like physics or
chemistry? I never really clicked with them. I’ve never wanted to become a
physicist or a chemist, nor did university majors or careers in those fields ever
appeal to me. Perhaps the sheer load of the school curriculum was one of the
culprits behind my indifference. These subjects were made overly complicated
and, frankly, dreadful for many students, me included. For what? I don’t really know.
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2. Would you like to know more about science? (Why/Why not?)

This should be a yes. I’m a person who is deeply inquisitive at core, and that
trait has essentially helped me dive deep into my specialties in life. About
science? I’d love to know more about the universe, time, and biology – things like
longevity, space travel, you name it. Those segments simply spark curiosity,
giving me food for thought about humans, about our role in this universe. That
might be too far-fetched, but truth be told, that’s what I think of when I think
about science, (not subjects at schools, which are quite out of touch with reality
and kind of unfortunately dilute students’ interest in them.)
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3. Do you watch science programmes on TV? (Why/Why not?)
I used to, back when I was a child. I was mesmerized by TV programs about the
universe, often uplifted by a charismatic, warm, and deep British voice from the
narrator. To a child exploring the world, those programs were simply out of this
world, and were really what I looked forward to. That said, as time went on, I
grew up and got caught in the grind of studies, and my childhood curiosity
about science was rarely ignited again. I don’t watch science programs now,
not because I don’t like them, but because I don’t even own a television, and those
programs simply don’t hold that much weight in my life anymore to nudge me
to search for them. Yet, whenever I bump into a captivating science video on
YouTube, nostalgia definitely floods back. There’s just something beautiful
about those old programs. Just that I have more things to mind nowadays.
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4. Are science museums popular in…../your country? (Why/Why not?)

I’m honestly not sure if there are any science museums in my country, at least none
that I’ve personally visited or heard much about. But assuming they exist, I’d
imagine they would be quite popular, probably packed with curious visitors,
especially youngsters. I’ve always believed that Vietnamese people are naturally
studious and have a real hunger to learn more about the world. The curiosity is
there. Perhaps what is missing is the right place for it to grow. Or it’s just me being
lowkey and not knowing about science museums around me, I guess.
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Vocabulary – Concentration & Focus

Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
My attention span has
attention khả năng tập /əˈten.ʃən
B2 dropped a lot in recent
span trung spæn/
years.
I need complete silence to
concentrate tập trung B2 /ˈkɒn.sə[Link]ɪt/
concentrate on my studies.
You won’t improve unless
commit cam kết B2 /kəˈmɪt/
you commit to one goal.
Sometimes I immerse
immerse đắm chìm C1 /ɪˈmɜːs/ myself in deep work for
hours.
giải độc / thanh I usually go on a phone
detox C1 /ˈdiː.tɒks/
lọc detox to regain focus.
mental sự minh mẫn /ˈmen.təl Meditation helps improve
C1
clarity tinh thần ˈklær.ə.ti/ mental clarity and focus.
cognitive sức bền nhận /ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv Jobs like surgery require
C2
stamina thức ˈstæm.ɪ.nə/ extreme cognitive stamina.
executive chức năng điều /ɪɡˈzek.jə.tɪv Distraction damages our
C2
function hành não bộ ˈfʌŋk.ʃən/ brain's executive function.
Sometimes you just have to
bite the chịu đựng điều
- /baɪt ðə ˈbʊl.ɪt/ bite the bullet and finish
bullet khó khăn
the task.
I tend to zone out during
zone out mất tập trung - /zəʊn aʊt/
long meetings.
tune out bỏ ngoài tai / - /tjuːn aʊt/ I tuned out the noise and
 Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
ngó lơ focused on my work.

4. Have you ever felt difficult to concentrate? (Personal Inference / Applied

Experience)
Stance: I noticed there’s been a drastic drop in my attention span nowadays
compared to, like, ten years ago.
Explain: I recall that back then, I could bury myself in books more naturally, for
hours. I even felt deeply the joy of studying. Then, it just felt like I was in a
constant battle to take back my focus, let’s say, from messages, notifications
popping up, even the temptation for a dose of dopamine from social media. I
guess it’s like a norm nowadays.
Comparison: It’s just that much harder to sustain what used to come naturally
back then. And the worst part? I’m not the only person who shares that opinion.
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[Link] kinds of distractions are bothering you in your life? (Personal Inference /
Applied Experience)
Stance: It’s a bit uncomfortable to admit, but I’d say my main distractions are
social media and this constant fear of missing out.
Explain: I know how empty it is, celebrity drama, hollow TikTok trends, even
random movie reviews on Facebook; none of it moves me any closer to what I
want. But still, I get pulled in more often than I’d like.
Explain: The second kind of distraction comes from within. I’ve got ideas I want to
build, but when I look at how I spend my time, it's scattered. The real problem isn’t
time, though. It’s that I rarely commit to just one thing. If I had stuck to a single
task instead of switching between them, I think things would’ve moved a lot
further by now.
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Vocabulary – Technology & Innovation (e.g. Internet, AI)

Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
Remote areas now have
access (to
sự tiếp cận B2 /ˈæ[Link]/ access to high-quality
sth)
online resources.
/
Social media algorithms
algorithm thuật toán B2 ˈæl.ɡə.rɪ.ðəm
shape what we see daily.
/
The Internet has become a
equity sự công bằng C1 /ˈek.wɪ.ti/ tool for promoting equity in
education.
Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
thứ thiết yếu (ẩn For many people, the
oxygen
dụ: “như không C1 /ˈɒk.sɪ.dʒən/ Internet is like oxygen —
(metaphor)
khí”) they can't live without it.
The Internet has reshaped
reshape định hình lại C2 /ˌriːˈʃeɪp/ the way we communicate
and work.
The rise of AI raises
surveillance giám sát C2 /səˈveɪ.ləns/ concerns about digital
surveillance.
The Internet feels like a
archive kho lưu trữ C2 /ˈɑː.kaɪv/ living, breathing archive of
human knowledge.
Schools are focusing on
digital hiểu biết công /ˈdɪdʒ.ɪ.təl
C2 improving students’ digital
literacy nghệ ˈlɪt.ər.ə.si/
literacy.
It’s like having the whole
/ɒn
on standby sẵn sàng sử dụng - world on standby, just a
ˈstæ[Link]ɪ/
click away.
I scrolled through countless
scroll lướt qua (dữ liệu,
- /skrəʊl θruː/ websites to find that
through nội dung)
article.
With the Internet, you’re
plug into kết nối vào (thế
- /plʌɡ ˈɪ[Link]ː/ plugged into the global
(the world) giới số, thông tin)
conversation.

Vocabulary – Work & Productivity

Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
If you want results, you
commit cam kết B2 /kəˈmɪt/ have to commit to the
process.
Constant notifications are
distraction sự xao nhãng B2 /dɪˈstræk.ʃən/ a major distraction at
work.
/ˌprɒd.ʌk Good time management
productivity năng suất B2
ˈtɪv.ə.ti/ increases productivity.
Productivity often comes
discipline kỷ luật C1 /ˈdɪs.ə.plɪn/
down to self-discipline.
Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
Intrinsic motivation helps
intrinsic /ɪnˈtrɪn.zɪk
động lực nội tại C1 people stay productive
motivation ˌməʊ.tɪˈveɪ.ʃən/
even under stress.
The team's creative
sản lượng, kết
output C1 /ˈaʊt.pʊt/ output doubled last
quả đầu ra
quarter.
High-level projects
sustained /səˈsteɪnd
nỗ lực bền bỉ C2 require sustained effort
effort ˈef.ət/
over time.
Multitasking increases
cognitive /ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv
tải nhận thức C2 cognitive load and
load ləʊd/
reduces efficiency.
làm việc sâu
I block out time each
deep work (trạng thái tập - /diːp wɜːk/
morning for deep work.
trung)
hit the On your first day, we
bắt đầu với /hɪt ðə ɡraʊnd
ground - expect you to hit the
năng suất cao ˈrʌn.ɪŋ/
running ground running.
When I’m laser-focused, I
laser- tập trung tuyệt /ˈleɪ.zə
- can finish a three-hour
focused đối ˈfəʊ.kəst/
task in one.
kiệt sức do làm He burned out after
burn out - /bɜːn aʊt/
việc quá mức months of overtime.
After lunch, I switch gears
đổi trạng thái
switch gears - /swɪtʃ ɡɪəz/ from creative to admin
công việc
tasks.

2. What can employers do to help employees concentrate? (Solution / Policy

Evaluation)
Stance: I think this is a tough question. From what I know, they can use two
approaches at the same time: enforcing discipline and encouraging intrinsic
motivation.
Explain: Discipline can be handy with the majority of employees because expecting
all to work with an inner drive is not realistic. Rules and fines, therefore are tools
employers can use to somehow manage employees’ attitude toward work. The
glaring drawback is the subtle rebellion should employees deem these rules unfair.
Explain: That’s why promoting intrinsic values is often used in tandem. Illustrating
a vivid vision of the company’s future, in which employees share in the benefits, is a
strategy many leaders use. The downside is that not all people are impressionable.
So, a mix of both measures tends to be the case in most corporations.
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Vocabulary – Children & Education

Meaning
Word/ CE
(Vietnames IPA Example Sentence
Phrase FR
e)
Kids today seem to have a
attention
khoảng chú ý B2 /əˈten.ʃən spæn/ shorter attention span
span
than ever.
Without strong skills,
bị thay thế,
redundant B2 /rɪˈdʌn.dənt/ students risk becoming
dư thừa
redundant in the future.
Focus is an essential skill
essential thiết yếu B2 /ɪˈsen.ʃəl/
in both school and life.
Students have to bite the
cắn răng
bite the bullet - /baɪt ðə ˈbʊl.ɪt/ bullet when facing difficult
chịu đựng
exams.
Many kids' interests are
ngắn hạn,
short-lived C1 /ˌʃɔːtˈlɪvd/ short-lived without proper
chóng tàn
guidance.
impressionabl dễ bị ảnh C1 /ɪm Children are highly
e hưởng ˈpreʃ.ən.ə.bəl/ impressionable, especially
 Meaning
Word/ CE
(Vietnames IPA Example Sentence
Phrase FR
e)
in their early years.
Teaching kids to multitask
làm nhiều
multitasking C1 /ˌmʌ[Link]ˈtɑːs.kɪŋ/ may harm their deep
việc cùng lúc
learning.
Reading plays a huge role
cognitive phát triển /ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv dɪ
C2 in children’s cognitive
development nhận thức ˈvel.əp.mənt/
development.
Education should go
rote learning học vẹt C2 /rəʊt ˈlɜː.nɪŋ/
beyond rote learning.
giữ yên, Many kids today find it
stay still không di - /steɪ stɪl/ hard to stay still even for a
chuyển short time.
mất tập Children often zone out
zone out - /zəʊn aʊt/
trung during long classes.
Some students fall through
fall through bị bỏ rơi, bị /fɔːl θruː ðə
- the cracks in big education
the cracks bỏ sót kræks/
systems.
Young children can soak
tiếp thu
soak up - /səʊk ʌp/ up information like
nhanh
sponges.

1. Is it important for children to learn how to concentrate? (Cause/Reason

Analysis)
Stance: It’s indisputable, at least to me.
Explain: I’ve seen far too many children nowadays struggle to keep their focus
for, let’s say, three minutes. And you know what? The average attention span of
American high school students, according to a survey I read, is a mere nine
minutes. What meaningful knowledge can possibly be packed into those
fleeting periods?
Explain: I mean, in the healthcare sector, surgeries can last 30 hours. So how can
students ever reach that threshold without practicing focus from a young age? In
tech industries, AI and automation are evolving rapidly. Without the ability to
stay still, bite the bullet, and get through what’s essential, children might grow up
to be redundant, easily replaced by AI and machines.
Compare: Because let’s be real: what’s the difference between AI and a person
with no lived experience? Perhaps the only difference is that AI might actually
outperform them.
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Vocabulary – Jobs Requiring High Focus

Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
Surgery requires an
precision độ chính xác B2 /prɪˈsɪʒ.ən/ extraordinary level of
precision.
A stock analyst has to
analyst nhà phân tích B2 /ˈæn.ə.lɪst/ make accurate decisions
under pressure.
Air traffic control is a
high-stakes rủi ro cao C1 /ˌhaɪˈsteɪks/
high-stakes profession.
One mistake in surgery
không thể đảo /ˌɪr.ɪ
irreversible C1 can lead to irreversible
ngược ˈvɜː.sə.bəl/
damage.
These roles demand
sustained kéo dài, bền bỉ C1 /səˈsteɪnd/
sustained mental effort.
sự biến động Traders must stay sharp
volatility (đặc biệt thị C2 /ˌvɒl.əˈtɪl.ə.ti/ during times of extreme
trường) volatility.
Analysts work with real-
real-time thời gian thực C2 /ˌrɪəl ˈtaɪm/ time data in high-
pressure settings.
Word/ Meaning CE
IPA Example Sentence
Phrase (Vietnamese) FR
Surgeons need cognitive
cognitive sức bền nhận /ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv
C2 stamina for operations
stamina thức ˈstæm.ɪ.nə/
that last hours.
Air traffic controllers
under the
chịu áp lực lớn - /ˈʌn.də ðə ɡʌn/ constantly work under the
gun
gun.
vào trạng thái When she’s in the zone,
in the zone "tập trung cao - /ɪn ðə zəʊn/ she can work for hours
độ" nonstop.
A surgeon can’t afford to
not miss a
không được lơ là - /nɒt mɪs ə biːt/ miss a beat during critical
beat
procedures.
Pilots have to block out
block out chặn, gạt bỏ thứ
- /blɒk aʊt/ distractions during
(distractions) gây xao nhãng
landing.

3. What kinds of jobs require higher concentration at work? (Comparison /

Categorization)
Stance: I think jobs that involve either high risk or complex systems tend to
demand significantly higher levels of concentration.
Explain: For instance, surgeons and air traffic controllers operate in high-stakes
environments where even a split-second lapse can lead to irreversible
consequences. Their focus has to be both sustained and precise.
Explain: Another group would be analytical roles, such as Wall Street market
analysts. They need to process vast volumes of financial data in real time, often
under intense pressure. A single misjudgment can result in major losses, not
just for themselves but for the institutions they represent. The cognitive demand
is enormous, especially during volatile market swings.
Conclude: To sum up, jobs tied to either safety or high-stakes decision-
making tend to place the greatest load on concentration, whether to protect lives
or massive sums of capital.
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Part 2:
41. Describe something that helps you to concentrate on work/study
You should say:
• What it is you do
• Where and when you do this
• Whether you always do the same thing
• And explain how much this helps you to concentrate on work/study.
You know, in this age where focus feels like a luxury, even though I know how
important it is, I still catch myself falling into distraction traps. What I’m about
to talk about is something I’m aware of, but honestly, I haven’t quite mastered it
yet.

I’ve always struggled with staying focused. Sometimes, during quiet moments, I
look back at unfinished projects and feel a profound sense of regret, like, they
could’ve turned out beautifully if only I’d been more committed. Time flies,
and once it’s gone, it’s gone. So after those little moments of reflection, I usually go
into what I call a “phone detox.”

To be fair, smartphones, especially with constant internet access, are amazing

tools. They let you tap into a world of information anytime. But at the same
time, they’re great at pulling you away from what actually matters, giving you
these cheap hits of dopamine that keep you doomscrolling.

So, whenever I have a task or project that demands my full attention, I try to
leave my phone somewhere far away or avoid checking it altogether until I’m
done. That simple act turns out to make a huge difference. I notice the quality of my
work goes up, and I actually feel proud of my creations.
Of course, detoxing from your phone is easier said than done. It’s like there are
two wolves in my head, fighting each other for their priorities. Sometimes the white
one wins and I immerse in deep work, while other times, the black one emerges
victorious and I indulge in empty content.

But I do think learning to control that habit is essential. Without it, even if you have
all the time in the world, doomscrolling makes meaningful work nearly impossible.
Reflection & Personal Outline
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37. Describe an invention which you think has changed the world in a good
way
You should say:
• What this invention is
• What it does
• How popular it is with people of different ages
• And explain how you think this invention has changed the world in a good way.
The one innovation that quietly reshaped how we live, think, and connect, often
without us even noticing is none other than the Internet, though I don't know when
Artificial Intelligence will just claim that spot. But let's focus on the Internet for now.
I mean, at its core, it’s just a network. But in reality, it feels like a living, breathing
archive of everything - knowledge, emotions, progress, even nonsense. Somehow
the Internet lets us learn anything, talk to anyone, reach anywhere, instantly. It’s
like the whole world’s in your pocket.
In terms of popularity, it’s everywhere. Kids learn the alphabet on YouTube.
Teenagers basically live online. And adults? They work, study, shop, even fall in love
through it, like, you know… Tinder. Even grandparents are joining Facebook groups
and Zalo, calling their grandkids. So, the Internet today isn’t just common, it’s like
oxygen.
But what really gets me is how it’s made things fairer. Back then, knowledge was
locked behind walls, things like prestigious schools, big cities, exclusive libraries.
Today, a curious kid with a stable connection in some remote villages can access
the same lectures as someone in New York. Wouldn’t that have been the wildest
dream of people before the Internet?
Just don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it’s perfect. It reflects the human psyche,
with all its flaws and strengths. So yeah, it can be distracting, even toxic in places.
But when you just zoom out, it has done more good than harm. It has given a voice
to the unheard, brought people together, opened up doors that used to be sealed
tight, and most importantly, the Internet has been an advocate for equity, at least
from what I see. Sure, it’s flawed. But, it's hard to name just one perfect creation on
this planet, right?
Reflection & Personal Outline

In-class Practice: Describe an invention that you think has changed the
world in a good way:
Mobile phone - smartphone / iPhone
Previously - send a letter (time-consuming, incidence of mail loss) -
Heavily impacted - technological person -
- Hardly feel alone - bridge geographical barriers - have a video call with
parents in your hometown to have a check- up