Speaking test (essay) - Con người và môi trường | Đại học Mở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

lOMoARcPSD|46342985 lOMoARcPSD|46342985 1. Tourist destination
Talk about a famous place in Vietnam that you have visited You should say: where and what it is; how you travelled there; what can you do there.
And explain whether or not you will visit this place again
As someone from VN, I would certainly say that my country has so many wonderful tourist
destinations. Today I would like to talk about one of the most famous tourist destinations that you
should visit once when you come to VN – it’s DL city. It is located in the southern parts of the Central
Highlands region in Vietnam. It’s also known as the city of flowers or the city of dreamers.
It’s not very difficult to travel to Da Lat. From Saigon, you can drive there yourself or by bus, it will
take approximately 8 hours to get there or you can fly to Bao Loc then catch a 1-hour-drive bus to get to Da Lat.
Coming to Dalat, you will be able to visit many places and take a lot of "virtual live" photos to post on
social networks as well as save memories of your trip. If you are a flower lover, you will see many
beautiful flowers in the world when coming to Dalat flower garden. If you like sightseeing and enjoy
the chilly air of Dalat, you can visit the valley of love, Mong Mo hill, Tuyen Lam lake, Mount
Langbiang, Datala waterfall,… These are very famous places for people coming to Dalat. Many
couples even come to these places to take wedding photos. If you look for tranquility, there are roads
and corners and beautiful pavement cafés for you to get around and enjoy the quietness. You can also
ride a bike around Xuan Huong Lake to enjoy the fresh air and see the beautiful scenery around the
lake. You will experience the feeling of slow life and observe the life of the scenery and people here. If
you are into shopping, there are lots of shops and merchants in the central market of the city or night
market. You not only buy souvenirs for your family, but also enjoy many famous dishes of Dalat such
as Banh Trang nuong, soy milk, grilled sweet potatoes,…
I like mountains so I am in love with this city mostly because of its weather and the landscape. There is
nothing more satisfying than waking up in the morning and seeing the view of the mountain range and
the birds chirping. Its slow pace of life is also the reason for me to love the city so much.
What souvenirs people buy from tourist attractions?
People buy things which are available only in that place or specialties there like strawberry, artichoke, woolen clothes, keychains,...
Why do people like to take photos while travelling?
Photos are wonderful and easy ways of capturing special moments. They serve as a testimony to the
places that you have visited. And it is a joy to look at our photos of when we were young
Is it good that the locals sell things to tourists? lOMoARcPSD|46342985
It is partially good. Local people get business from the tourists, which helps them make a livelihood.
But locals take advantage of the tourists, especially foreigners, and sell things at a higher price, which is not good.
How people choose their destination?
There are a lot of ways. For instance, you can surf the internet for all the necessary information… Or
you can visit different travel agencies for more advice.
What kind of transport do you prefer on holidays? Why?
I usually reach my holiday destination by plane because it is the fastest and the least dangerous way to
travel. However, flying can be a bit uncomfortable... So I also travel by coach from time to time… But
I never drive car on a vacation, because I don’t know how to drive.
Do you prefer travelling alone or in tour groups? Why?
I definitely prefer travelling alone because I like to plan the trip by myself. That way I get to see and do
exactly what I want and spend as much time as I want at various stops. 2. Clubs at University
Describe a club or association you joined in your school or college. You should say:
what type of club or association it was when you joined it
what was the main task of the club or the association
and explain what you did and learned from there.
In the past, I have become a member of different clubs and now I'm a member of logistics talent club at
OU University. I was a member of this club for nearly three months.
Although it has not been established for a long time, the club has attracted many students in different
fields who want to learn about logistics as well as import and export.
It aimed at enhancing the personal skills and talents of the students thereby boosting their self-
confidence, teamwork and time management skills.
The club was important to me because it allowed me to connect with many students at my university
and have more relationships. It also taught me communication skills and team-building skills which
later proved out to be very helpful to build a stronger CV for a better career opportunity. lOMoARcPSD|46342985
3. Choosing a place to live
In my opinion, there are 3 factors that affect the choice of living place: climate, distance from the center and cost.
One of the reasons, as to why I feel this way is because the climate really affects people's behavior.
Many studies have shown that the weather has a strong effect on people's mood. In fact, the sun makes
people happy and, on the other hand, foggy and rainy weather makes people sad. I prefer to live in a
place where the atmosphere is very beautiful and convenient. A friendly neighborhood, where people
are nice and easygoing, where neighbors care about each other, where I can rely on my neighbors in
emergencies, is definitely important in selecting a place to live. When I feel tired or bored, I would like
to walk to a nearby park, where I can relax myself, enjoy the beautiful scenery. A park near my house seems great.
In addition, I believe that distance from the center of a town is another factor that has much importance
when choosing a place to live. Firstly, the center offers facilities such as restaurants, markets.
Secondly, it is usually well connected with the rest of the city and it's easy to reach other points. For
instance, I live near the central station and for me it's very easy to catch buses and trains to arrive at my
final destination in a few minutes.
Finally, the price of a house is the most important factor to consider. It's necessary that the house isn't
too expensive because choosing an expensive house can save money and people must provide for other
expenses such as water, garbage, light, telephone. Those ones are increased by the size of the house
because a big house brings more cost.
How do people in your country generally choose a place to live?
Different people in my country have different reasons for choosing a place to live. For example, some
would choose to live in a large city because of better employment, medical treatment, education, and
better recreational facilities. Some would want to live in the countryside or village because it would
offer them a cleaner and healthier environment for living which has very limited pollution of all kinds,
and where they can enjoy healthier food and breathe fresh air. Then there is, of course, another group
of people who like to live in the “suburb” areas, away from the cities but not too close to the
countryside either, because they want to enjoy both the amenities and facilities of city life while also
enjoying a bit of countryside lifestyle.
How do people choose their place to live?
Well, if you mean the area where people choose to live, then I would say that it depends on where they
were born, where they inherited property and where they move for work, education and business.
If that was a question related to choosing a living place between an apartment and a house, I would say
this also depends on the type of property people inherit from their ancestors, the amount of money they
earn and availability of space in the area they live in. So people also decide where to live based on their
income. Finally, people need to move to different places for education, business and work and they
usually rent apartments there. So I would say personal preference, income range and needs are the three
factors which are usually considered by people while choosing a place to live in.
Why do more and more people live in the city? lOMoARcPSD|46342985
I think more and more people live in the city because of the comforts offered by city life. There are
good education, health, and entertainment facilities available in cities. More city jobs offer better pay.
What are the differences between the young and old when choosing where to live?
I think the young mostly care about the availability of jobs and entertainment facilities. They prefer
places where they can get well paid jobs to secure their future and where there are bars, restaurants, and
shopping malls so that they can enjoy life. On the other hand, old people care about the presence of
family members so that they don’t feel lonely. Also, for the old, it is about good health care facilities so
that they can get timely help in case of emergencies and health issues.
What are the differences between the lifestyle of people living in the city and people living in the countryside?
There are some remarkable differences between the lifestyle of people living in the city and the people
living in the countryside. The main one, of course, the lifestyle of city dwellers is rather fast-paced
while the people, living in the countryside, have a rather “laid-back” lifestyle for the most part.
Besides, most of the city dwellers rely on different kinds of jobs and businesses for their livelihoods,
but the countryside people are mostly dependent on different kinds of farming and agricultural
activities to earn their living. Finally, while city life offers better educational, recreational and
glamorous lifestyles, countryside people enjoy living in an “open-space” and pollution-free
environment, offering better access to healthier food.
Do you think it’s better to live in a house or an apartment? Why?
I would say living in a house has far more advantages than living in an apartment. Big houses are
spacious, have a garden and other places while an apartment has comparatively smaller rooms and no
additional place. The houses give us an opportunity to live freely and there are very few privacy issues.
On the contrary, an apartment has some rooms with no place for gardening and playing. The whole
building is shared with many other families and that creates privacy issues. You can reconstruct or
build new facilities in a house which is quite impossible in an apartment. However, maintaining a big
house requires more effort than it is required for an apartment. Finally, I would say I always prefer
living in a house than living in an apartment.
4. Asking for directions
- Could you tell me how to get to..? - How do I get to…? - How do I find…? - What’s the best way to..?
- Pardon me, I’m lost, how do I get to…? - Where is…? - Which is the best way to…?
- Excuse me, How can I go to…? - Could you direct me to…?
- Can you tell me the way to..?
- Which way do I go to get to..? 5. lOMoARcPSD|46342985 Shopping
Describe your favourite shop. You should say: where it is what it sells how often you go there
And explain why you think it is a good shop.
As a girl, my passion is shopping. Today, I would like to tell you about my favorite shop. It is a clothes
shop near my house called Liam store. I often go there to buy clothes for my mom and me.
It not only sells clothes, but also sneakers and hats.
I come there almost every month. But usually, I don’t plan ahead. I’m a very spontaneous person and
my shopping habit reflects that perfectly. There are so many times when I just walked I have an eye for
an item, I bought it without a second thought.
Describe a website you have bought something from You should say: What the website is
What you bought from this website
How satisfied you were with what you bought
And explain what you liked and disliked about using this website
I love wearing t-shirts with interesting, unique prints. So my shopping site is a company called
ONTOP, I have bought a large portion of my t-shirts from them for the last 2 years. Behind ONTOP's
products, there is a message that represents "eternal immortality". Only about 200 thousand we have a quality t-shirt
There are also many promotions here such as buy a jacket, get a free t-shirt, buy a t-shirt, get a wallet,...
I also love the quality of their products, not only the excellent quality of the materials,the printing is
flawless and long-lasting. I have t-shirts that still look great after constant use and wash.
Finally the website is pretty user-friendly and intuitive. They have a homepage which promotes limited
designs sales, special discount codes. You can browse through the designs in a gallery like format and
once you have selected your design, you can even see a mockup photograph using different color shirts
or styles available for what you have chosen.
I like the shop because the staff are friendly and the prices are cheap. The quality of the clothes is good.
As a girl, my passion is shopping. I will go shopping when I’m sad, when I’m happy, or if I simply like
it, I’ll go shopping. Shopping has a special power. It makes me feel extremely comfortable. Sometimes,
I think, someday I won’t be able to shop anymore, I’ll die from feeling bored. I often go shopping with
my friends. We will browse the shops to choose the right items. I love the feeling of wandering around
in the malls and seeing beautiful clothes.The items I usually buy are clothes, shoes and makeup.
However, sometimes I go shopping to buy back everyday items such as personal items or food. I will
try to make the future earn more money to satisfy my passion for shopping. lOMoARcPSD|46342985 6. Favourite dish Describe your Favorite food You should say: What the food is How it is made
And explain why it is your favourite food
Well, I’m a food lover so this question is extremely difficult, I cannot pick just one! But if I have to, I’d
say Banh mi is my favorite food that I would like to talk about today. Banh mi is a traditional
Vietnamse bread and also one of the best street foods in the world, which is of course one of my
favourite foods too. Actually, I love all kinds of bread, but if I had to choose one to talk about, banh mi
was definitely at the top of my list.
The highlight of the bread lies in its crunchiness, richness in flavor, and great taste. Bread includes
pate, butter, cucumber, chili, … In addition, inside the bread, there are different types of filling such as:
fried eggs, silk rolls, char siu, grilled meat, sausages, … All create a unique flavor for the dish.
I and many other Vietnamese people always have it for breakfast because I don’t have much time to
prepare a big meal in the morning and if they are in a hurry, they can buy it easily on the street. Banh
mi stands appear in nearly every street; in fact, they are like 100 meters away from each other. The
bread costs very reasonably too; it’s just about 20.000 VND, which is equivalent to just less than a
dollar. Sometimes, I even eat it for lunch or dinner if I am short of time. I have also heard that foreign
travelers are so in love with our Vietnamese bread that they add it in their must-try food list.
7. Ordering and taking order in a restaurant
Why do you think people go to restaurants when they want to celebrate something?
In my opinion, I think that dressing up to go somewhere with your friends and family is a great way to
celebrate a special event. Booking a table in a favoured restaurant is a one way to have a night out and
socialise for a birthday or other occasion. This takes the party out of your own hands so that everyone
can enjoy the food and not have to do any of the work themselves. Restaurants have a good atmosphere
and you can pre-order cakes or other desserts which may be popular if you are celebrating a birthday. lOMoARcPSD|46342985 8. How to keep fit
Describe something you do to keep healthy. You should say: what this activity is when you do it how often you do it
and explain why you think it’s a good way to look after your health.
I would like to share with you something that I am keen on doing in my leisure time to stay healthy, which is swimming.
I took up this habit about 1 year ago. At that time, I was up to my ears with study to prepare for my
graduation examination so I was a little bit stressed out. Gradually, my health has been degraded
because of sleep deprivation and my eating habits. Therefore, I decided to take up swimming as my
new hobby in order to get healthier.
Unlike going to the gym or running, this activity benefits both physical and mental health. Swimming
allows me to work on all the parts of my body. It can burn a lot of calories in just one hour of training.
Also, it provides an all-over body workout, as nearly all of your muscles are used during swimming.
Swimming is considered as an all-round activity because it builds endurance, muscle strength and
cardiovascular fitness. But what I enjoy the most about swimming is alleviating stress. It is all about
regulating your breathing and a smooth combination between foot and hand movements, which helps
me take things off my mind easily while under cool water. Another thing is that it is supposed to be
good for improving balance, posture and flexibility.
By maintaining a schedule of taking part in swimming twice a day associated with a balanced diet, not
only do I feel extremely relaxed and full of energy after hectic working hours but I also lose some
weight and get more in shape. So of course, I don’t see myself stopping practising this activity any time soon.
Describe a change you have made to benefit your own healthy lifestyle You should say: What it is Why you decided to do it
How you have benefitted from it
and explain why you would recommend it to others
I have always been interested in Health, Diet and Nutrition as I am aware that this is extremely
important to function successfully, sleep well and to prevent illness. However, recently I adopted a vegan diet.
There’s been a lot of stuff in the media about how unhealthy it is to eat too much meat, especially red
meat and processed meat. I was already fairly healthy and ate a balanced diet, but when I started to
read about veganism and the potential benefits of eating meat, I was hooked and determined to make some changes myself.
At first, the cooking was both time consuming and challenging, involving a vast range of new
ingredients, techniques and recipe books, but it was fun at the same time.
After a few months, I decided to make this change and, whilst I do occasionally miss not enjoying a
large steak, I feel healthier, have lost weight, feel energised and much more alert at work. I know too
that I have cut down my risk of serious disease such as a stroke or heart attack and this is reassuring.
I would definitely recommend cutting down on red meat and processed food to all my friends, even
those who are rather sceptical about vegans and argue that this diet is too complicated and limited. We
all know that the over production of meat is damaging to the environment and as an added bonus, lOMoARcPSD|46342985
being partly vegan has definitely saved me money as the price of meat has risen steadily in price over the past few years.
In what ways do you try to stay healthy?
I try to have a balanced diet as often as I can which means including plenty of fresh fruit and
vegetables and I also try exercise regularly – either running or going for a bike ride, but I admit that
with all my studies at the moment, I am not always as conscientious about my health as I should be.
Is it important to you to eat healthy food?
Yes, eating nourishing food plays a vital role in my life as it helps me lead a healthy life and keep fit.
That’s why I enjoy eating home-cooked food rather than fast food or pre-prepared meals.
How can people improve their health?
Exercise regularly/be more active, have a healthy eating habit, quit smoking → decrease the risk of
heart disease, stroke, reduced lung function, get enough sleep at night: lack of sleep → premature
aging, high blood pressure, fatigue.
There are many ways to keep fit. Firstly, you should have a balanced diet. For example, you should
drink a lot of water. You should not eat fatty food, meat, or junk food. Especially, you shouldn't smoke,
drink beer, wine and whiskey because that will make you live with disease. Secondly, we should do
exercises. For instance, you can do morning exercises: walking, jogging, running or you can play
sports: swimming, playing soccer, playing volleyball,... Because they make you stronger, taller and
healthier. Last but not least, you should sleep enough. You should sleep over eight hours a day and go
to bed early because it is good for skin, more optimistic, and always keeps a smile on your slips.
Instead of surfing the net, you should read the book before going to bed. if you do that, you will have
more beautiful dreams. In conclusion, there are many ways to keep fit but mainly you should take care of yourself. lOMoARcPSD|46342985
9. Comments on your last vacation
Describe a holiday or vacation you have been on. You should say: when you had it where you went what you did
and explain how you felt about it
Last summer vacation, I had an amazing journey to Dalat with my family. It took us 8 hours to get
there by coach. At first, we were exhausted, but little did we know we would have one of the best moments here.
To me, the weather there was so perfect, it was very clean and fresh, which made me feel very
comfortable. Which made me surprised most is that the hotel we stayed has no air-conditional, but we still felt cold
We stayed there for about 4 days and we went to many spectacular places. We went to Love valley-
one of the greatest tourist attractions in Da Lat, Mong Mo hills, Lang Biang, Dambri waterfall.
I also had a chance to try out various foods, drinks, and fresh fruit. I really liked the mulberry and
strawberry there, avocado ice cream, fruit jam which was made totally from real fresh fruit,….They were all very tasty.
DaLat had a number of beautiful scenery, a very lovely coffee shop, and attractive spots that made me
want to take a lot of pictures to keep the memory. There was also a night market, always crowded with
customers, where people could buy food, flowers, or any stuff they wanted. I went there and bought many gifts for my friends.
It was an unforgettable trip. I was quite upset that I could not stay there for a long time, but I hoped I
still could visit Da Lat whenever I have time, and I really recommend you go to Da Lat for holiday, it is very wonderful!
10. Telling a story with pictures given 11. Part-time jobs
Describe a paid job you ever did or someone you know ever did You should say: What the job was
How long did you or this person keep this job
How did you/ this person find this job
And how you feel about this job
During my freshman year, except for my course work I still have abundant time. So, I decided to do
some part-time jobs to earn my tuition fee.
Honestly, it was really hard for me to find something to do at first because there were not many things
for freshmen to do. Luckily, I got a job in a café. I worked as a waitress. During this period, I did well
and I got a precious chance to learn how to communicate with people as well as how to behave
properly in different situations. I have to admit that thanks to the experience of this job, I obtained a lot
of valuable knowledge which I could not learn from university. Of course, I made so many friends who
gave me so much professional help and courage.
Although the salary of this job was not very high, the skills I learned were priceless. With the help of
this working experience, I hope to gain a precious offer from other famous companies when I graduate.
12. Earning/saving money lOMoARcPSD|46342985
Describe a method to save money. You should say: what the method is? when you started to use it?
how you knew it and explain why it is helpful.
Well, I’m not good at saving money and I tend to buy things without careful consideration. It’s hard to
save if you don’t know exactly what you are saving for so what I do is to set savings goals to motivate
myself in every financial decision that I make. Going to Korea has always been my biggest dream but
I’ve postponed it so many times due to lack of money. I tried to keep money myself but I still
overspent and was out of money at the end of month. I asked my mom to keep money for me as she is
better at controlling expenses. She is like my accountant and helps me to balance the expenses. She
also gives me advice whenever I go shopping to make sure it doesn’t set me back. We have an
agreement that whenever I take away a sum of money, I have to save double that amount. This works
wonders with me as my savings goes up every month. Now I always ask myself whether it’s necessary
to buy things or if I can save for a rainy day. After a while, I realize I’ve set aside more money
everyday. I buy things within my budget and don’t waste money on unnecessary things. This method of
saving money makes me feel good about myself and I feel financially secure.
Describe a time that you saved money for something. You should say: When it was? Why you saved money? How did you save? How you felt about it?
I had to save a large sum of money when I bought my first motorbike for more convenient travelling to school. It’s 2 years ago.
Unfortunately, I couldn't afford the car at the time - I was still in school and haven't graduated yet. But
I had a part-time job at a café and earned a good salary. But it may take years to get enough money to
buy my motorbike if I just kept living in the fast lane. So, to save money, I decided to cut down on
luxuries and avoid spending on unnecessary things. And after almost a year of saving money, I had
enough money to buy a motorbike. And luckily there was a promotion, I didn’t miss this opportunity to
get a good deal as the motorbike price was going cheap and finally, I can drive to school everyday.
I was very comfortable with my car and satisfied with my savings. But I think the point is I learn
saving lessons and make my saving habit for a bigger money like buying a house in the future. lOMoARcPSD|46342985 13. Jobs in the future
Describe an interesting job that you want to have in the future You should say: What it is
How you can find this job
What qualities it requires
And explain why it is a well-paid job and why you think you will be good at it
Since I was a kid, my friends often asked me about my dream job in the future, I thought and always
wanted to be in business. Salesperson or open a store selling a certain product. The reason I like doing
business so much is because my dad is an extremely good businessman. I’ve always admired him.
These traders are often very sensitive and intelligent. To do this job, you must be willing to
communicate with people. You also need to have foreign language skills and proper behavior in many different situations.
To be able to be an event manager, I need two things: a qualification in Business administration and
working experience. Now, in addition to studying, I also research more materials and read books to
understand more about different ways of selling. I like the time I spend sitting with my dad talking
about customer needs, the market or how to handle arising problems.
This is a job I’ve always dreamed of. I will strive to become a good businessman in the future. 14. Going to the Cinema
Describe your favourite movie You should say: What it is When you watched it What it is about Why you like it
I admit to being somewhat of a film junkie, I love spending my free time watching films at home or the
cinema. There is one film, however, that I can rewatch endless times without getting bored. It is none
other than the classic animated film The Lion King produced by Walt Disney pictures.
It is a film surrounded with beautiful artwork from the beginning to the ending, with incredibly
talented and memorable voice actors and music that still is sung almost 30 years later.
The film follows the life story of Simba, a lion cub who is destined to become king of Pride rock.
Unfortunately for him, his uncle Scar has other plans as Simba’s birth pushes his claim to the throne
down the line. After an attempt on his life that takes his father’s own, Simba is left to die as an exile in
the savanna where he is discovered and taken in by a warthog named Pumbaa and meerkat by the name
of Timon. They raise him up in care-free environment and taught to let go of the past since you can’t
do anything about it anyways. But of course, you can’t run forever and he is eventually discovered and
brought back to his home where he challenges and overpowers his uncle for the claim of the throne and
finally restores order to the land.
To this day I love this film because of all the lessons scattered throughout it, but I particularly
appreciate the idea of family, responsibility and honor that underlies it all. 15. Technology
Describe your favourite gadget. You should say: What is it lOMoARcPSD|46342985 When did you get it How often do you use it
and say why is it so important to you
I don’t own many gadgets. I have a PC, laptop and a smartphone and I can’t imagine my life without
either of those. However, my laptop is the most important piece of technology for me. This is a laptop
computer which is manufactured by HP. This laptop has a good configuration and it supports most of
the latest software. I got it as a birthday present from my parents a few years ago and I absolutely loved it.
At that time, I had just been accepted to college and I needed an electronic gadget which wass
convenient. So my mom bought a laptop for me. And I use it nearly every day now. Although at first
using it was like rocket science for me, after a few weeks I was able to do everything I needed. From
watching my favourite TV shows and movies to playing games. What's more, without my laptop I
wouldn’t be able to do my homework for the university. Also, I use it for surfing the Internet and
finding whatever I want, whether it is an answer for my lesson or a useful tip on how to cook a dish. In
fact, I use this laptop more frequently than any other electronic device I have except the cell phone.
Generally, my laptop became an essential device for me. 16. Learning English
Describe your experience in learning english. You should say:
How long you have learned English
What methods you have used in learning English
What aspect of English you find the most difficult
Explain whether English is important in your work or study.
Well, today I would like to share with you some of my experience in learning English. My mother
tongue is Vietnamese so it is really a tough challenge for me to speak and to write English as a native.
Sometimes I cannot speak the language properly while attending my university classes and make grave
mistakes in pronunciation of specific words. This is an embarrassing situation for me.
I have a problem communicating in English as I cannot remember all the vocabulary. So, I can just use
some simple and easy understanding vocabulary to express my ideas or thoughts to other people. In
addition, English has a different grammar system and writing style from Vietnamese so I have to learn
the tense of the grammar in English writing.
A professional English language course will help me get rid of the local tones. Besides, I have to
practice a lot too to bring the natural tone as the English people use. And if possible, I want to
communicate with native English speakers so I can improve my English more quickly.
English is an international language and it is a must to communicate in the fast-paced world. The
English language is needed to learn new things or issues, gather knowledge for everyday use, enjoy
movies and television serials, communicate with foreign people, travelling in foreign countries and
many other purposes. So I hope I will be able to learn the language for my betterment.