EDUCATION
Double-major: Học song bằng
Flying colors: Điểm cao
Senior: Sinh viên năm cuối
Sophomore: Sinh viên năm 2
Elective subject: Môn tự chọn
Have deeper insight into: Hiểu thêm về
Presentation: Bài thuyết trình
Do research into: Nghiên cứu về cái gì
Keen learner: Người học tích cực
Dedicated teachers: Giảng viên tận tâm
Broaden one’s common knowledge: Mở rộng kiến thức thông thường
Vocational training: Đào tạo nghề
Higher education: Các cấp học sau bậc THPT
Move up the career ladder: Thăng tiến trong công việc
Study environment: Môi trường học tập
Studious: Chăm chỉ
Attitude towards studying: Thái độ học tập
Compulsory subject: Môn học bắt buộc
Learning materials: Tài liệu học tập
Education background: Nền tảng giáo dục
Academic transcript: Bảng điểm đại học
High distinction degree: Bằng tốt nghiệp loại xuất sắc
Exceptional: Kiệt xuất, xuất sắc, xuất chúng
Reach new heights of knowledge: Đạt đến những đỉnh cao tri thức mới
Characteristic: Tính cách
Stimulate: Kích thích, thôi thúc
Mutual understanding: Sự thấu hiểu lẫn nhau
Sense of responsibility: Tinh thần trách nhiệm
Bachelor’s degree: bằng cử nhân
Master’s degree: bằng thạc sĩ
Bookworm: mọt sách
Eager beaver: người nhiệt tình và chăm chỉ
04
Internship: thực tập sinh
Not the sharpest tool in the shed: chỉ một ai đó không thông minh cho lắm
Public schools: trường công
Schoolboy error: một lỗi sai cơ bản và ngớ ngẩn
to fall behind with studies: học kém hơn các bạn khác
to goof around: dành thời gian làm những việc vô bổ
to learn something by heart: học thuộc lòng
to meet a deadline: hoàn thành một việc gì đó trước thời gian quy định
to pass with flying colours: vượt qua bài thi với kết quả xuất sắc
to play truant: trốn học
to sit an exam: làm bài thi
tuition fees: học phí
IELTS Speaking Sample – Topic: Education
PART 1:
Do you work or are you a student?
At the moment I’m studying. I’m doing a graduate degree in molecular biology in the Vanderbilt University.
Why did you choose that subject?
I’ve always loved life sciences, particularly biology… And when I received my bachelor’s degree I took a research internship in a laboratory where I studied interactions between proteins… And then I understood that I want to pursue my career in biochemistry or molecular biology.
Can you describe yourself as a good student?
Well, overall I think I am a good student. I am not an eager beaver, nor the teacher’s pet… but I’m good at scientific subjects and, most importantly, I like studying.
Did you enjoy/Do you enjoy studying at school?
I’ve never really liked school. I’m not a bookworm and a lot of humanities subjects seemed boring to me. However, the workload was not too big. The other good thing about school is seeing your friends. And fortunately, I had awesome classmates.
PART 2:
Describe a period of time from your studies that was the most difficult for you so far. You should say:
• When it was
• Why was it hard
• What you were doing at that time
I would like to talk about my last school year. It was really diffucult due to enormous amounts of homework I had to do and all the exams I had to prepare for… Em, so I studied hard, having no time to goof around. Moreover, I forgot a lot of things from the school curriculum, that’s why I had to do a lot of revision… But despite the tough preparation, I managed to set aside some time to rest and interact with my friends and family… After all, my efforts were not in vain… I passed all the exams well and was admitted to the university of my dream.
PART 3:
What are some essential qualities every teacher should have?
As for me, every teacher should be able to catch student’s attention. It is very important to make your subject interesting to the others… Also, teacher should be a subject specialist and a kind, helpful person..
What are some pros of studying on a distance learning course?
To be honest, I think it’s very advantageous to study in such way… It gives you more time flexibility, especially if you have a job… Not to mention that it is fairly cheap, compared to face-to-face classes…
Does everybody get equal opportunities to study?
Definitely not. I think it really depends on a country you live in… Moreover, it depends on your financial capabilities… Some schools and universities are just too expensive… Only a small fraction of people can afford to study there.
TOPIC 2
CELEBRITIES
07
Take an avid interest in: Cực kỳ yêu thích cái gì
Buzz: Ồn ào
Unending perseverance: Sự nỗ lực không ngừng nghỉ
Profressional competing: Thi đấu chuyên nghiệp
Gain a reputation for oneself: Nổi tiếng
Take the country by storm: Gây bão cả nước
Make headlines: Tràn ngập trên các mặt báo
Well-known: Nổi tiếng
True philanthropist: Nhà nhân đạo đích thực
High-end clothes: Quần áo hàng hiệu
Show off one’s status: Phô trương thanh thế
Cost a fortune: Rất đắt đỏ
Trend-setter: Người dẫn đầu xu hướng
Have a head for: Có khả năng làm gì
Standing ovation: Khán giả đứng lên vỗ tay
Monument of courage: Tượng đài về lòng dũng cảm
Prejudice: Thành kiến
Sense of humor: Khiếu hài hước
Cannot keep one’s eyes off: Không thể rời mắt khỏi cái gì
Motivation: Động lực
Role model: Hình mẫu lý tưởng
Endorse: Xuất hiện trong quảng cáo của một nhãn hàng
Decrease in popularity: Giảm uy tín
General public: Công chúng
Representative: người đại diện
Professionalism: sự chuyên nghiệp
Outstanding: xuất sắc, nổi bật
Bias: thành kiến
To be on top of the list: đứng đầu danh sách, được ưu tiên nhất
What’s going on when the curtains close: những bí mật của giới showbiz
To rise to stardom: trở nên nổi tiếng
With the assistance of: với sự trợ giúp của…
Prominent: đáng chú ý
08
Notorious: tai tiếng
Aptitudes: Năng khiếu thiên bẩm
At one fell swoop: cùng một lúc
Phenomenon: hiện tượng
IELTS Speaking Sample – Topic: Celebrities
PART 1:
Who is your favorite celebrity in your country?
I guess not only me, a number of young people have been highly impressed by her for the past months – H’Hen Nie. She is oure Miss Vietnam. After the beauty contests, she became well-known for her outstanding beauty, her amazing characteristics and also her kindness.
Do you like any foreign celebrities?
Absolutely. The person I’m gonna talk about is my idol ever since I was a teenager – Miley Cyrus. I guess most people at the same age as me grew up with Disney Channel and among its successful series, Hannah Montanah would always be on top of my list. Although now she’s grown up, I’m still a big fan of her amazing voice and highly inspiring songs.
Would you like to be a celebrity? Why?
Well though I’ve never thought about it, I’m pretty sure that rising to stardom would never be one of my life goals. I appreciate all the efforts that the celebrities, no matter which field they’re working on, are making every single day. However, I find myself not belong to that world, I mean, you never know what’s going on when the curtains close, right? So yeah, I don’t think I want to become a public figure, to be honest.
Do you think we should protect famous people’s privacy?
Indeed. As you probably can tell, these days fans, anti-fans and even non-fans are so curious about what their bias are doing. Some are aggressive that they mentally attack their bias by leaving bad comments online. Some even approach them in person on the street, especially the so-called paparazzi. Thus I strongly agree that there should be some regulations to protect the celebrities’ privacy.
How do celebrities influence their fans in your country?
I think the influence of celebrities on fans is extensive. It’s somehow natural to follow our bias and try to be like them. At the first place it could probably be just physical changes like clothing, hairstyle or makeup. However thanks to social network, fans and idols are much closer now, sometimes it’s just a status away. However this mental connection is a two-edged sword, meaning the idols actually need to be more careful about their lifestyle or their manners.
09
PART 2:
Describe a famous person that you admire. You should say:
• Who is this person
• What is their specialty
• Why do you admire him/her
In my to-meet list, there are so many well – respected celebrities whom I am desired to meet and spend time with. However, I would like to share about Pele, who is nicknamed as the greatest soccer player in the Globe. Initially, I really need to kick off with the point that Pele was just 17 when he first played in World Cup in Sweden of 1958 for Brazil. Despite his very young age, he was selected as to the national team participating in one of the biggest sports competition on the planet. Back then, he was not the star player but when his teammate was hurt, Pele went into the game. He immediately scored goal and Brazil won the World Cup. With his amazing aptitudes and skills, Pele was feared by other teams. The Brazilian government even named him as a national treasure. It is not doubtful to say that Pele is one of the biggest factors making Brazil’s soccer so well – known. His last World Cup was in Mexico in 1970. Brazil scored 4 goals against Italy to win the World Cup for the third time. Another point that I would like to share is that Pele owns an admirable career that every soccer players crave for. Pele holds many soccer records such as having over 1000 goals in his career. He was nominated athlete of the Century in 1980 and became a member of a Soccer Hall of Fame in 1993. Although he’s now retired from professional competition, Pele is still considered as a great inspiration for soccer players and lovers.
PART 3:
In general, how do people become famous?
In the era of technology, being famous has never been easier. People who have extraordinary skills or abilities /talents in any field would be able to become famous with the assistance of the media.
What kinds of people become famous?
In my opinion, there are two kinds of fame that are consistent with two types of people. The first type is well-reputed people with admirable skills or dedication to the civilization. They are usually scientists, researchers, athletes, or soldiers spending their lifetime working toward success without the desire to become well-known. The other type is attention/publicity-seeking people, who often are celebrities in the entertainment industry, politicians or those becoming famous overnight.
Do you think to be famous, a person needs to have some special talent (or ability)?
No, I don’t think so. Besides incredible aptitudes, people can also be famous for other qualities such as beauty or charity work.
What are some general qualities of famous people? Do they have any qualities that are different from ordinary people?
The basic benchmark of famous people is special talent or ability, which not so many people can possess. However, there are other qualities which are common that anyone can have such as beauty or kindness because these are not difficult to achieve, for example, undergoing cosmetic surgery or doing charity work.
Compare how people become celebrities today with how people became celebrities years ago, for example, 30 or 50 years ago.
Nowadays, thanks to the modernization of technology, it takes only a few seconds to change a person’s life. The invention of smart devices, as well as social networking, has made a person famous at one fell swoop whereas, in the past, the only way to be celebrities was appearing on the television or the radio.
TOPIC 3
MEDIA
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Brief: Ngắn gọn
Eye-catching: Bắt mắt
Be really into: Rất thích
Celebrity endorsement: quảng cáo có sự tham gia của người nổi tiếng
Rising star: Ngôi sao đang lên
Commercial: Quảng cáo
View: Lượt xem
Theme song: Bài hát chủ đề
Catchy: Bắt tai
Obsessed with: Bị ám ảnh
Brand image: Hình ảnh thương hiệu
Interrupting: Gây bực mình
Inappropriate content: Nội dung không phù hợp
Adult-related issue: Vấn đề liên quan đến người lớn
Cup of tea: Sở thích
Scroll down: Lướt
Keep oneself updated: Cập nhật
Ultimate choice: Sự lựa chọn cuối cùng
Unique feature: Điểm đặc biệt
Filter: Bộ lọc
Edit: Chỉnh sửa
Stylish: Thời thượng/Phong cách
Up-to-date: Cập nhật
Influencer: Người có sức ảnh hưởng
Youngsters: Giới trẻ
Social platform: Nền tảng mạng xã hội
Biggest beneficiary: Người hưởng lợi lớn nhất
User-friendly: Thân thiện với người dùng
Multi-functional: Đa chức năng
Emergence: Sự nổi lên
Anchorperson: phát thanh viên (người dẫn bản tin)
To shift and mold public opinion: dẫn dắt và định hướng dư luận
13
Credible news: tin tức đáng tin cậy
Unbiased: trung lập
Local news: tin địa phương
International news: tin thế giới
World events: sự kiện quốc tế
Current affairs: vấn đề hiện thời
Business news: tin tức doanh nghiệp
Gossip: tin tầm phào
Sensational news: tin giật gân
The scandal received wide coverage in the press: vụ bê bối xuất hiện trên trang nhất của nhiều báo
libel: tin bôi xấu, phỉ báng
breaking news: tin nóng
make the headlines: bỗng nhiên xuất hiện trên bản tin hoặc nhận được nhiều sự chú ý từ báo giới
Objective reporting: đưa tin một cách khách quan
News coverage: tin trang nhất, tin trang bìa
Analysis: bài phân tích
The story went viral: câu chuyện được lan truyền rộng rãi
The gutter press: loại hình báo chuyên tập trung vào các tin giật gân về đời sống của người nổi tiếng
Yellow journalism: loại báo chuyên đưa những thông tin ít hoặc không chính thống, không được tìm hiểu kỹ càng mà sử dụng những tiêu đề bắt mắt để câu khách. Nội dung thường bao gồm việc phóng đại các tin tức sự kiện, bán các tin bê bối, biêu xấu hoặc tin kích động, nhạy cảm
Information overload: bội thực thông tin
A slow news day: một ngày không có nhiều tin tức
Attention-grabbing: thu hút sự chú ý
Front page: trang nhất của tờ báo
Hot off the press: tin tức vừa mới phát hành và đang rất sốt dẻo
Readership: đội ngũ độc giả của một tờ báo
IELTS Speaking Sample – Topic: Media
PART 1:
Where do you usually get the news from?
I commonly get news from TV and Facebook because these two forms of media are very much accessible for me and gives me the freshest updates about fashion trends, politics and the society in general.
Do you read magazines? Which ones?
Definitely. I love reading The Cosmopolitan which is a women’s magazine. It includes articles about relationships, health, careers and fashion which are very fascinating for me.
Do you often read a newspaper?
I am not really into newspapers because I think it’s monotonous. I prefer magazines instead because the cover itself is already eye-catching.
In which kinds of circumstances do you usually listen to the radio?
Well, I used to listen to it every weekend when I was a high school student. Back in the day, it was my duty to clean the house on weekends and before I start, I would turn on the radio and choose a loud music to get me in the mood to tidy up our place.
PART 2:
Describe a program on TV or radio you often listen to. You should say:
• What is it?
• What is that about?
• Why you listen to it?
And say what you think could be improved about its output.
For this topic, I’d like to talk about “It’s Showtime” which is a UK noontime variety show. This TV program premiered in 2009, airs from Mondays to Saturdays and broadcasts worldwide through “The UK Channel”. Most of the host in this show are very entertaining and witty because they can crack a joke with perfect timing which keeps the audience laughing the whole time.
The show is divided into a number of segments such as “Mini Me and Copy-cut”. “Mini Me” is a talent competition for kids aged twelve and below and each contestant is featured as a mini version of his or her idol celebrity. This segment usually begin in introducing the participant to the audience while they pose on stage, next is the talent show and finally, the question and answer portion.
On the other hand, the “Copy-cut” is a game played by two teams, Team Boys and Team Girls. This segment is called Copy-cut because the two groups will be copying pictures that are shown on the screen. The judges and audience will be the ones to choose which of the teams copied the picture more accurately and the group who accumulated more points will be the winner.
I think the main reason why the producers of “It’s Showtime” came up with having these segments is to provide entertainment and opportunities to those who participates in the program. So far, I’m quite satisfied with this TV program and I can’t think of other improvements they should work on.