SPEAKING PRACTICE

HEADPHONES
 1. Do you use headphones?
Well, I used to own a pair of headphones before
earphones and earbuds dominate the market. The shift
to the latter two started a few years ago, mostly owing to
the portability, compactness and price that they offer. I
can get a decent pair of earphones for a fraction of the
price of headphones, and I can pretty much carry it
everywhere I go. But to be fair, headphones deliver
better sound quality, so I may be tempted to switch back
to them at some point. Who knows?
 2. What type of headphones do
you use?
When I was small, I used my headphones mostly for
entertainment. And since my favourite pastime activity is
listening to music, my headphones were the bass-enhancing
and noise-cancelling type, which was just perfect for
enjoying music. Over the years, my love for music has stayed
the same, but as I listen to music on-the-go more often, I've
got myself a pair of upmarket earphones. It is the equivalent
of the headphones I got before, with the same noise
cancelling and bass-enhancing features.
 3. When would you use headphones?

As I said, a good pair of headphones or earphones are kind of an

indispensable item to enjoy good music. But apart from that, I would
put them on when I need to concentrate on my study or a workout
session. To reach my peak productivity, I really need to concentrate on
what I'm studying, and for that I could use some chill beats and the
noise-cancelling feature from my earphones. The latter does a great
job at blocking all the surrounding noises in my university's cafe, the
place where I often study. The same goes for when I work out. Hitting
my playlist on my earphones gives me an energy boost, which
contributes to a productive workout session.
 1 .Do you like robots to work
at your home?
It is no longer a far-fetched idea to have a robotic assistant in
the home these days. They do an amazing job at helping us
with laborious household chores like cooking meals, mowing
lawns, or cleaning houses. Personally, I found the last one the
most daunting task, and the trouble seems almost gone when I
got myself a robot vacuum at home. It is shaped like a flying
saucer, which looks harmless to me. I’d be spooked by a
humanoid robot, and the thought of having one at home just
freaks me out.
 2. Do you want to take a car in which
robots are the drivers?

It certainly sounds futuristic and enticing, but let’s

just say I'm not really keen on putting my life on

the line. I simply don’t trust a programmed driver

with navigating a traffic system as chaotic as the

one here in Vietnam. It would lack the flexibility

 3. Do you enjoy using technology?
Absolutely. What's not to like? Technology has proven its
worth in making almost every part of my life easier. For my
professional life, emails and video-conferencing platforms
allow for effective communication among colleagues, so I
could get more things done, even in this period of social
distancing. When I need to wind down, a wide range of
entertainment options are readily available on the Internet.
And lastly, I now don't even have to worry about sweeping the
floor or washing dishes thanks to smart household appliances
like robot vacuum cleaners for dishwashers.