SPEAKING UNIT 2

PART 1 – WHERE YOU LIVE

PART 2 – A PERSON
 Part 1 Review
- Length: Aim for 2-3 sentences at the minimum.
- Answer = [information] then [discussion]
- Vocabulary
- Paraphrasing
- Less Common Vocab
- Idiomatic Expressions
- Grammar
- a mix of tenses (past simple, present simple, present perfect
(continuous)
- relative clauses
- cleft clauses
=> Speak the truth!
PART 1 – WHERE
YOU LIVE
 Essential Vocabulary
reside = live, settle down
I’ve been residing in Dong Da for the better
part of last 20-odd years.
Þ for the better part of = for most of
Þ 20-odd = 20 something
locations
downtown = center of town (also: the heart of the city)
the inner-city = dangerous neighborhoods near downtown
suburbs = outskirts = the edge of town
slums = very poor/ dangerous area (also: ghetto)
CBD = Central Business District (where lots of major corporations
& financial institutions are based)
the middle of nowhere = where monkeys cough and cranes crow
the equivalent of … = similar to …
central vs suburban
description
bustling = lots of people, cars & activity
densely populated (>< sparsely populated) = lots of people
rowdy = lots of noise
touristy = lots of tourists

sleepy = lots of nothing

historic = lots of history + historically important buildings
up-and-coming = lots of cool stuff

happening = lots of cool stuff

hip = lots of cool stuff
artsy = lots of people and things pretending to be artistic
posh = lots of expensive shops and rich people
affluent = lots of rich people

sketchy = dangerous
The bottom line is: it depends on where you live!
 'Where you live’ questions
1. Where do you live?

2. What do you like about your neighborhood?

3. What do you dislike about your neighborhood?

4. Which do you prefer: a house or an apartment?

5. Would you like to move to a different part of town?

TOM FORD’S
RUMINATIONS
ABOUT STYLE
I’m Tom Ford. And these are my 1. personal thoughts on style.

First, relax. Style and fashion should enhance your life and not
cause you more stress.
 
Breathe. 2. Meditate.
 
Find something that works for you and helps to clear your head
and everything will seem easier.
 
A good white 3. poplin (material/ weave) shirt is something that
every man should have a few of in his closet.
 
I like the 4. crispness of a white shirt worn with a dark suit (crisp
= sober/ formal). It always looks good and somehow the 5. pop of
white makes me feel sharper. (a pop of color)
 
I personally always wear a collar bar with a suit and a tie. It’s a bit
of a style 6. affectation (a stylistic detail -> look affected >< look
unaffected) and makes me feel less 7. conservative in a suit.

I think that all men should own a 8. beautifully cut black suit.
Quite a few suits today are slim fit with skinny lapel and the worst
thing of all is the short jacket that cuts your 9. butt in half from the
back.
 
I don’t like an 10. unconstructed suit. I prefer to be gently held
in. I like a strong shoulder and a generous 11. lapel.
 
I think a suit should make you feel younger and 12. trimmer. It
should make your shoulders look broad and your waist and hips
look smaller. There’s nothing sexier and more attractive than 13.
confidence, and a good suit should give you that.
 
PART 2 –
DESCRIBE A
PERSON
Describe a person who dresses well
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you got to know this person

- what this person wears

- why you think this person dresses well

 Sample Flow
Context
Do you care about clothes?
Do you have style inspirations?
Who this person is & How you got to know them
Is it a celebrity or someone you know personally?
How did they impress you with their style?
What this person wears & Why you think they dress well
Does this person have just one style or multiple styles?
What kind of items/ outfits do they usually wear?
What do you like about the way they look?
PART 2 –
DESCRIBE A
PERSON
Describe a person who dresses well
You should say:
- who this person is
- how you got to know this person

- what this person wears

- why you think this person dresses well

 Sample Flow
Context
Do you care about clothes?
Do you have style inspirations?
Who this person is & How you got to know them
Is it a celebrity or someone you know personally?
How did they impress you with their style?
What this person wears & Why you think they dress well
Does this person have just one style or multiple styles?
What kind of items/ outfits do they usually wear?
What do you like about the way they look?
[Context: Your interest in clothes and your style inspiration]
I’d say that I am fairly ______________. I mean, I’m not a
fashionista or anything, but I do put a lot of ______________ into
how I look and what I wear.
So, it goes without ______________ that I am always on social
media, looking for inspirations on how to put an outfit together.
Today, I’ll talk to you about one of my all-time style heroes, Mr.
David Beckham.
Obviously, David Beckham is someone that really needs no
introduction. He was a ______________ football player, but in
addition to his football skills, he is also known as one of the
______________ in the fashion world.
[Your first impression of Beckham’s style]
I can’t recall my first impression of David Beckham’s style. But I
______________ remember seeing a photo of him in a leather
jacket once. He was riding a motorcycle and his hair was slicked
back, and he just looked like a total ______________.
[Beckham’s style]
And that’s really the kind of ______________ look that people
have come to associate him with – you know, ripped jeans, t-shirt
and a biker jacket.
But Beckham is a really ______________ dresser.
I mean, he pulls off the suit-and-tie look like nobody’s
______________.
[why he’s well-dressed]

And I think there are many reasons why Beckham always looks so good
in clothes.
- First and foremost, he has an amazing ______________, especially if
you consider the fact that he’s in his ______________ now. So no
matter what he wears, he always looks fantastic.
- Also, I think Beckham has ______________ taste in clothes. He
sticks to the tried and true combinations, but the way he carries
himself imparts an air of ______________ that just feels really easy,
natural and not at all contrived, unlike many of the celebrities in
Hollywood today who always look like they’re trying too hard.
And I think at the end of ______________, that’s what good style
is all about. You can buy the most expensive ______________
garbs in the whole world, but you’ll never look good if you’re not
comfortable in your own ______________.
[Context: Your interest in clothes and your style inspiration]
style-conscious I mean, I’m not a
I’d say that I am fairly ______________.
thought
fashionista or anything, but I do put a lot of ______________ into
how I look and what I wear.
saying
saying
So, it goes without ______________ that I am always on social
media, looking for inspirations on how to put an outfit together.
Today, I’ll talk to you about one of my all-time style heroes, Mr.
David Beckham.
Obviously, David Beckham is someone that really needs no
world-class
introduction. He was a ______________ football player, but in
addition to his football skills, he is also known as one of the
luminaries
______________ in the fashion world.
[Your first impression of Beckham’s style]
I can’t recall my first impression of David Beckham’s style. But I
do
do
______________ remember seeing a photo of him in a leather
jacket once. He was riding a motorcycle and his hair was slicked
badass
back, and he just looked like a total ______________.
[Beckham’s style]
rugged
And that’s really the kind of ______________ look that people
have come to associate him with – you know, ripped jeans, t-shirt
and a biker jacket.
versatile
But Beckham is a really ______________ dresser.
I mean, he pulls off the suit-and-tie look like nobody’s
business
______________.
[why he’s well-dressed]

And I think there are many reasons why Beckham always looks so good
in clothes.
- physique
First and foremost, he has an amazing ______________, especially if
forties
you consider the fact that he’s in his ______________ now. So no
matter what he wears, he always looks fantastic.
- impeccable taste in clothes. He
Also, I think Beckham has ______________
sticks to the tried and true combinations, but the way he carries
nonchalance that just feels really easy,
himself imparts an air of ______________
natural and not at all contrived, unlike many of the celebrities in
Hollywood today who always look like they’re trying too hard to look
good.
 day
And I think at the end of ______________, that’s what good style
designer
is all about. You can buy the most expensive ______________

garbs in the whole world, but you’ll never look good if you’re not
skin
comfortable in your own ______________.
PART 3 – FASHION
1. What factors do you think affect what we choose to wear?
2. Is it possible to look good without spending a lot of money on
clothes?
3. Do fashion shows affect what we wear?
4. Why do some people go with other people (e.g. wife, friends)
when shopping for clothes?
5. What are the advantages and disadvantages of online
shopping? 
6. Do people care about recycling their clothing?
1. What factors affect what we choose to wear?
-> [quick reflex + paraphrasing] a number of factors that influence
what we choose to wear every day
-> a number of factors that inform our decisions of what we
wear every day
-> a number of factors that inform our outfits of the day
(outfit -> ensemble)
-> weather -> ex: hot – lightweight, thin layers, fewer layers,
breathable/ porous fabrics, wick away moisture/ cold –
heavyweight, heavier layers, more layers, tightly woven,
insulated/ rain – avoid bright colors, wear something that is water-
resistant/ water-repellent
-> occasion -> ex: interview/ wedding -> be smartly/ formally
dressed >< hang out with our friends/ potter around a
supermarket -> comfy, casual (neither want to be overdressed nor
underdressed / dress for the occasion)
-> mood / trend
2. Is it possible to look good without spending a lot of money
on clothes?
-> Absolutely, it is entirely possible to be well-dressed without
breaking the bank.
-> a sense of style -> you just need to hone your taste in
clothes, colors, proportions, etc.
-> buy less but buy better/ buy the best that you can afford
-> instead of hoarding clothes on sales, I think it is much better to
save up for something that is high quality and something that you
truly need.
-> wait for sales -> nowadays companies run constant
discounts and you can get some pretty good deals if you know
how to exercise some self-restraint (although most of the time I
fail spectacularly at this)
-> focus on versatility/ buy versatile pieces -> build your
wardrobe from staples that are easy to mix and match (t-shirts in
plain colors, a good pair of denim, a quality pair of sneakers, etc.)
3. Do fashion shows affect what we choose to wear?
Yes and no.
For most people, we tend to shy away from designs that are
featured on the runway
- because they tend to be ridiculous/ weird/ outlandish
- because we can’t pull it off

However, I do think fashion shows, as removed/ divorced from

ordinary life as they seem, do influence our clothes indirectly
because these designs inform many of the designs popularized
by fast fashion brands, which is what civilians wear.
4. Why do some people go with others when they are out shopping
for clothes?

[add personal touch] Well, I personally don’t do this too often/ I personally
almost never do this, but I can definitely see why some people would
prefer to have some company when they go shopping.

-> first of all, … consult (~ask for advice) the person who accompanies
them, especially if he or she is a style guru.

-> second of all, ... the other person might be much better at bargaining
than we are, which is something that you have to do quite often in
Vietnam.

-> the companion can be quite helpful: they can carry our bags, they can
lend us some cash, etc.
5. Advantages and disadvantages of online shopping?
[personal touch] obviously, e-commerce is all the rage nowadays,
and like with most things, it has both pros and cons.
-> on the plus side, it’s convenient, it’s cheap, it’s fast [listing]
-> it’s convenient -> you can place an order at the click of a
button and have something delivered to your doorstep.
-> plus, you can comparison shop (v)
-> it’s quite painless (easy, smooth)
-> but at the same time, online shopping definitely has its
downside.
-> risky -> it is easy to get scammed/ be sold fake goods
-> pictures provided online can be misleading -> you may end
up with a major disappointment
6. Do people care about recycling their clothing?
[add personal touch] Well, I don’t know much about recycling
clothing in general, but from my personal observation, I think
people are caring a lot more about recycling and people are
consuming fashion more responsibly.
-> obviously, sustainability is the buzzword these days
-> forward-thinking consumers are trying to reduce waste
-> VN: donate old clothes to charity or pass it down to a
sibling, which is something I think a lot of people do in the West
as well.
-> repurpose old clothes -> ex: they use the shirts that
they have retired as rags/ cleaning cloths … / those who are
craftier can turn old clothes into beautiful things (quilts/
patchworks…)
-> that’s the consumers’ side. On the producers’ side, a lot of
fashion companies are being more environmentally minded… line
of products made from recycled / reclaimed materials … these
efforts are being applauded by the public …