TOPIC 1: YOUR STUDY

PART 2: You are about to study at university. There are three things to
consider: cost of the course, reputation of the university, and distance from
home. Which of these is the most important?
ANSWER:
There are several reasons to consider when studying at university. To me, cost
of the course is my choice for following reasons.
Firstly, the cost of attending university is too expensive to poor yet talented
students. Not anyone can afford the school fee, especially students of deprived
backgrounds or from families with average income. Secondly, most of
universities locate in big cities like HCMC; therefore, high living cost is another
factor needed to consider. In comparison with life on the outskirts, inhabitants
in center areas will have to pay a higher price for accommodation, transport,
and food. By contrast, some universities around the world have such a good
reputation that by merely mentioning their name. People are aware of how good
they are, not their fame. Besides, I cannot take the public transport because it is
not reliable.
In conclusion, cost of the course is important to students like me to follow four
years of learning.

PART 3: Online courses provide us with a lot of benefits. (topic- introduction-

paraphrase)

Follow-up questions:
- What are disadvantages of online courses?
 - Are online courses beneficial to children?

-Online courses provide us with a lot of benefits= there are several benefits /
advantages of online learning/ -an online education course as opposed to taking
courses in a traditional classroom setting
-experience new learning world
-Flexibility is given priority (to deal with the time constraints)
-Online classes allow me to work on my own and move at my own pace (you
are able to learn well by doing the required work on your own, without
depending solely on interaction with other students as a means of learning).
Your own ideas
- Online courses teach you how to become a more disciplined scholar. Since
you won't be physically going to class each week, you can take part in class
from the comfort of your own home (made life at work easier).
SAMPLE ANSWER
Introduction- Online learning has gained popularity in today’s world because it
has brought numerous benefits and advantages to humans.
There are several benefits of online courses. Firstly, you can feel a new and
fresh learning atmosphere and it is completely different from traditional classes
(= new learning experience). Secondly, (be more convenient to study) it is
flexible and convenient to help learners deal with time constraints. Thirdly, (be
independent in learning) learners feel not dependent because they can practice
or do assignments in their own time. Finally, (your own idea) I can enrich my
knowledge from learning online as well as have more materials to practice and
improve my learning skills.
In conclusion, online courses bring many benefits to both learners and teachers.
TOPIC 2: YOUR HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
PART 2: You have free time this weekend, and you plan to spend time with your family.
There are 3 options for you to choose: going to the cinema, having meal in a restaurant, and
going to the beach. Which plan will be your best choice?

Going to the beach is an ideal choice because of two main reasons.

-Let my hair down and recharge my battery after a nerve-racking period at
school or work
-Boost the bond among family members and simultaneously broaden my
horizon/ enrich life experience/ such a blast doing outings together/ have a
close-knit family
By contrast, …
ANSWER:
Going to the beach is an ideal choice because of two main reasons. Firstly, it
helps let my hair down and recharge my battery after a hard learning year.
Secondly, it is a good time to boost the bond among family members, and
broaden my horizon as well. By contrast, going to the cinema or having a meal
in a restaurants are not my choices because I don’t like going to crowded or
noisy places. They are expensive and do not bring me a good mood. I can watch
movies on you tube or enjoy my mom cooking instead.
PART 3: There are many reasons for people to take up a new hobby.

Follow-up questions:
- What hobbies are common in your country?
- Can hobbies have any negative effects?
- Has modern life limited the time we spend on hobbies?
* paraphrase
-Set my mind at ease/ destress
-boost/maintain social circle
- boost confidence/ more confident in life
Own ideas
-have a great sense of achievement/
-have positive effects on the wellbeing/ challenging your brain, staying
physically active, and being socially engaged may help keep our thinking skills
sharp
ANSWER
There are several ways to enjoy life so taking up a new hobby or activity is my
favorite choice for the following reasons. Firstly, it boosts my confidence
(=build confidence) because I can enrich new knowledge through this activity.
Secondly, it is a good way to distress or relax (fight stress), especially when you
have tons of assignments to do at school. Thirdly, it maintains your social
relationships. You can make more friends (=build relationship) and learn
something new from them. Fantastic! Finally, I can get the sense of
achievement and fulfill my pursuits. In conclusion, having a new activity or
hobby is a good way to broaden your horizon and satisfy your personal needs.

TOPIC 3: TV PROGRAMS
PART 2: Your group of friends decide to go see a movie tonight. There are 3
options: a comedy, a horror movie, and a romantic movie. Which one is your
best choice for the group?
Comedy is an ideal choice because of two main reasons.
-Always makes me bust a gut (The script is witty and I’m binged-watched it
several times).
-Let my hair down/ blow off steam/ recharge my battery/ be entertained and
laugh/ distress… (be up to ears with work and study)
By contrast, …
ANSWER
A comedy is my choice because of two main reasons. Firstly, it makes me bust
a gut as the script is witty and I’m binged-watched it several times. It helps let
my hair down and reduce stress. Secondly, there are many good programs about
comedy online and I can watch it in my own time. Each episode is short so I
don’t feel bored. By contrast, I can’t stand (don’t like) horror movie because it
makes me scared and can’t not sleep well at night, and I don’t choose a
romantic movie because it is boring to me and not my thing ( = my cup of tea).
PART 3: There are a lot of benefits of watching TV.

Follow-up questions:
- How popular is watching television in your country?
- What effects can watching television have on children?
- How the TV programs differ now than that of 10 years ago?
ANSWER
Many people watch TV and it has become a rich source of entertainment for the
following reasons. Firstly, watching TV can enrich and enhance your
knowledge (=widen your knowledge) because there are several interesting
channels for you from education to technology. Secondly, it is entertaining
(=entertain) as you can watch your favorite program to let your hair down after
a hard working day. Thirdly, watching TV can strengthen the family bond when
people watch and discuss the programs together (=family time). Finally, (your
own idea) it is convenient and cheap in compared to the other means such as
going to the cinema or traveling.
In conclusion, watching TV brings you numerous benefits in life.

*paraphrase (similar to topic 2)

TOPIC 4: TRAVEL
PART 2: Your family is going to travel abroad. There are 3 options: Thailand, Singapore and
the US. Which would be the most interesting travel destination for your family?
-go /tour there without a second thought
-Irresistible landscapes/breath-taking places
-prosperous country
-tourism industry fits into my career plan
ANSWER
Singapore is my choice because of the following reasons. (topic) Firstly,
Singapore is not so far from my country, and it takes me about 90 minutes by
plane; therefore, I can save a lot of money for transportation. Secondly, it is a
modern, developed, and clean city, especially has nice buildings to take photos,
which is my favorite activity to let my hair down. By contrast, Thailand is not
secure as it often has social unrest, and the USA is far, expensive to apply for a
visa to visit there, so I don’t choose them.
TOPIC 5: TECHNOLOGY

PART 2: Your younger brother is about to graduate from high school. You are thinking of
buying him a present. Three options have come to your mind: a laptop, a smartphone, a smart
watch. Which option will be the best?
SAMPLE
A smartphone is my choice because of the following reasons. Firstly, it is a miniature world
with multi-functions. With a smartphone, you can learn while entertain at the same time such
as listening to music or reading news. Secondly, it is also a good tool/ device/ gadget to learn
online such as MS teams and zoom, which are very convenient for me during the Covid 19.
By contrast, a smart watch and a laptop are also important, but I can watch time, do my
assignments, and have entertainment on my smart phone.
PART 3: The Internet plays an important role in modern society.

Suggestive ideas:
Connect people= bridge the gap among people far and near= communicate with people
through social media such as Facebook, Messengers, Zalo, …
- Access to knowledge= gain free access online from google to seek materials and
information for learning or doing research
- Facilitate business= make business transactions such as online banking or shopping
and services more effective and flexible
- Your own ideas: Internet is a rich source of entertainment, which helps me let my hair
down and recharges my battery. For example, I can watch favorite movies on you
tube and listen to music. There are tons of things to relax.
 SAMPLE
Internet has played a vital role in modern life as well as brought numerous benefits to
humans for the following reasons. Firstly, internet access helps to bridge the gap
among people far and near easily and effectively through some apps such as Zalo,
Facebook, and Messengers, which help people save a lot of money. Secondly, we can
gain free access online from google to seek materials and information for learning or
doing research. Thirdly, it is a useful tool to make business transactions such as online
banking, shopping and services more effective and flexible. Finally, internet is a rich
source of entertainment, which helps me let my hair down and recharges my battery.
For example, I can watch my favorite movies on you tube and listen to music. There
are tons of things to relax.

In conclusion, internet has brought more advantages to humans and helped life better
than before.

Follow-up questions:
- Which websites are popular among your generation?
- Do you think all information on the internet is true?
- How can people find reliable information on the internet?