IELTS
WRITING
RECENT
ACTUAL
TESTS
JAN - NOV 2021
#PHUNGDINHY
09-01-2021
Task 1: The diagram shows how chocolate is produced. Summarize the information by
selecting and reporting the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample
The diagram provides a breakdown of how chocolate is produced. Overall, the production
of chocolate involves ripe red cacao seeds undergoing various physical, chemical and biological
processes under different temperature conditions to become liquid chocolate.
The process commences when ripe cocoa beans, which are recognisable by its red pods,
are harvested on cacao trees indigenous to South America, Africa and Indonesia. Upon being
harvested, the oval-shaped pods have their skins removed, and are broken into halves so
that the white cocoa beans can be collected. The beans are thereafter sent to a rectangular
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receptacle where they are fermented. After the fermentation process, the fermented beans
are dehydrated by being spread under a prolonged exposure to the sun and then packaged in
large sacks.
The process continues when these sacks are transported by train or lorry to a factory. In
the factory, the beans undergo a roasting phase at 350 degree centigrade, after which they are are
sent to a relatively flat, cylindrical grinder to be crushed, with outer shells being taken away. The
inner part goes through a press with two rollers where it is pressed and liquid chocolate is made
as a result of this pressing phase.
Vocabulary highlights
recognisable: có thể nhận dạng được
indigenous to: thuộc về bản địa
upon being harvested: sau khi được thu hoạch
oval-shaped: hình oval
rectangular: hình chữ nhật
receptacle: vật chứa
prolonged: kéo dài
exposure: sự phơi bày
cylindrical: hình trụ
Task 2
Some people think that hosting an international sports event is good for the country, while
some people think it is bad. Discuss both views and state your opinion.
Sample
International sporting events have been traditionally deemed beneficial to the host
country. However, some others are opposed to the idea, claiming that it does more harm than
good. Whilst the former view can be justified for some reasons, I am more inclined towards the
latter.
I can understand why it might be beneficial for any nation to host an international sporting
event. For countries wishing to promote their profiles, the Olympics and other similar sportrelated events can be an ideal choice. A lot more people know about a once-lesser-known South
Africa after World Cup 2010, and China has gained increasing global reputation for its successful
Olympic Beijing 2008. In addition, preparation for such international events may create jobs for
locals, temporarily revitalizing depressed areas.
However, those aforementioned benefits are short-lived, and hosting such a big event is
more likely to bring about long-term negative consequences to the environment and the
economic wellbeing of the host country. Every aspect of construction, from producing bricks to
delivery, has measurable impacts on the environment, let alone the establishment of
facilities catering for the needs of a big sporting event like the Olympics, which often brings in
its wake the obliteration of hundred acres of woodland. In addition, those amenities are often
disused and abandoned after a short period of time, and the costs for maintenance can become a
huge economic burden.
In conclusion, my firm conviction is that while hosting an international sporting event can be
advantageous to a certain extent, it has profound negative effects on the environmental and
economic aspects of a country. There are always better alternatives that benefit a country than
organising a very big event without anticipating its long-term impacts.
2
Vocabulary highlights
deem: xem như là
inclined towards: nghiêng về
promote ones’ profiles: xây dựng hình tượng
reputation: danh tiếng
revitalize: mang sức sống đến…
depressed: (tính từ) dùng để miêu tả tình trạng kém về mặt kinh tế, nghề nghiệp etc. (phân biệt
với trầm cảm)
short-lived: không tồn tại lâu
wellbeing: sự phát triển
measurable impact: ảnh hưởng đo lường được
cater for: phục vụ cho
bring in its wake: mang theo bên nó
obliteration: sự hủy diệt
3
16-01-2021
Task 1: The bar charts illustrate the average house expenses in England and its capital
city – London, and to present the comparison regarding the average house prices
between distinct areas of England within the year 2013.
Sample:
Of the two graphs, one compares the changes in medium house values of England to its biggest
city, London, between 1995 and 2013. The other displays differences in figures between specific
areas of the country to that of London itself, also in the year 2013.
A general glance reveals that London's house prices overwhelmingly exceeded the national
average and every area included in the survey. Regarding value differences between the years, growth
appeared at the national level as well as that of London.
In 1995, while the nation's medium house price was first recorded at around 130 thousand
pounds, London's showed a stark dominance, with figures being reported at 200 thousand
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pounds. The following rise nationally and locally only widened the gap, with prices in the capital
rocketing to a pinnacle 400 thousand pounds, which was doubled the state average in 2013.
Compared to 2013's London, the South East area attracted much less appeal, illustrating a
price tag of one hundred thousand pounds lower approximately. Being moderately above the
average, housing prices in the general Western side of the country were around 270 thousand and
200 thousand respectively for the South West and North West direction. Finally, Midlands and
North East regions accounted for the below-average housing expenses, registering at around 120
thousand and 100 thousand pounds in that order.
Vocabulary highlights
Exceed (v):
vượt qua
Be recorded (v) = Register (v) at:
được ghi lại ở mức
Stark (a) dominance:
sự hơn (thống trị) rõ ràng
Widen (v) the gap:
mở rộng khoảng cách
Moderately above (a) the average: trên trung bình một chút
Task 2: Some people think students should study the science of food and how to
prepare it. Others think that school time should be used in learning important
subjects. Discuss both views and give your opinion?
Sample:
People have different views concerning the importance of studying food science and cooking
at educational institutions. While some argue that students should focus on key subjects that
can boost their career prospects, I believe culinary courses are of paramount significance in
leading a healthy and independent lifestyle.
On the one hand, the core disciplines standard at most schools are imperative for one’s future
career. Academic subjects such as math and literature can provide an individual with
the foundational knowledge to smoothly transit into a professional working
environment. For example, logical thinking acquired during math lessons and critical thinking
fostered by literature are prerequisites to nuanced problem-solving skills. Recent research has
indicated that the average income of those with the abovementioned competencies is higher than
that of unskilled laborers and the general workforce. Therefore, a successful career is a realistic
possibility when one focuses diligently on the important subjects at school.
On the other hand, possessing a solid understanding of food and cooking can ensure not
only general well-being but also serve as a basic survival skill. First and foremost, schoolers often fail
to attend to nutrition in their daily meals, which likely leads to unhealthy eating habits. Conditions
caused by those occupations such as malnutrition and obesity are detrimental to the healthy
growth of the younger generation. Secondly, food preparation is useful for living independently.
Students who are proficient with culinary skills will be more capable of adjusting to living on
their own. Indeed, food science and cooking could enable them to modify their dietary patterns to
live healthier without either readily available dishes at homes or processed foods at convenience
stores.
In conclusion, while some advocate prioritizing traditional school curriculums based on
academic subjects, I believe imparting a knowledge of nutrition and food preparation generates
a great sense of independence and develops healthy eating habits for graduates. Thus, courses about
food should be added to the school curriculum.
Vocabulary highlights
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Prioritize traditional school
curriculum
Ưu tiên chương trình giảng dạy truyền thống
Boost career prospects
Tăng triển vọng sự nghiệp
Culinary courses
Các khóa học nấu ăn
Foundational knowledge
Kiến thức nền, kiến thức căn bản
Prerequisite (n)
Điều kiện tiên quyết
Focus diligently on sth
Tập trung chuyên sâu vào cái gì
A solid understanding of food and
cooking
Một sự hiểu biết nhất định về đồ ăn và nấu
ăn
Dietary patterns
Chế độ ăn uống
Impart a knowledge of sth
Truyền đạt kiến thức về cái gì
Be detrimental to the healthy
growth
Có hại cho sự phát triển khỏe mạnh
Readily available dishes
Các món ăn được chuẩn bị sẵn
Be proficient with culinary skills
Thành thạo các kỹ năng nấu nướng
Competence
Năng lực cạnh tranh
Smoothly transit into a professional
environment
Suôn sẻ vào làm trong môi trường làm việc
chuyên nghiệp
6
21-01-2021
Task 1: The graphs below show the cinema attendance in Australia and the average cinema visits
by different age groups from 1996 to 2000. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting
the main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The table illustrates the percentage of the population visiting cinemas and the average annual
visits to the cinema, whereas the line graph compares the cinema visits according to different age
groups from 1996 to 2000, in Australia.
Overall, the percentage of people attending the cinema increased, whereas the average annual
visits decreased over the given time. In general, all age groups followed a similar trend and the yearly
visits to cinemas fluctuated from 1996 to 2000. The 14-24 year olds were the most fond, but those
over 50 were the least fond of cinema.
In 1996, 62% people went to cinema. This percentage rose sharply to 72% by 1997, but after
that remained fairly stable till 2000. The average yearly visits stood at 10.3 in 1996. This figure went
up minimally to 11.1 by 1997. In the next year, there was a fall in the cinema visits and then the
number stabilised at nearly 8.3 till 2000.
In 1996, the number of visits to the cinema were between 10 and 15 /year for all the age
groups, with the older age group visiting cinema slightly less than the younger age groups. All the
age groups followed the same trend with the number of visits fluctuating from 10 to 25/year over
the rest of the given period.
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Task 2: Some countries allow old people to work to any age that they want. Do the
advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Sample:
Since many countries, such as Japan and the United States, are facing an ageing population,
issues surrounding the elderly community are increasingly debated. In some parts of the world,
senior residents may retire whenever they prefer. Although there are both advantages and
disadvantages to this policy, I think the risks entailed completely outweigh the benefits.
The main benefit of the absence of retirement age is an improvement in the overall well-being
of the elderly. They will be mentally healthier working compared to staying at home. Being employed
prevents the self-esteem of old people from deteriorating by allowing them to continue contributing
to society. Furthermore, interaction with like-minded colleagues at the workplace keeps the seniors
from feeling lonely, especially when their children do not often spend time with them. Having an
occupation also helps sustains physical health. Physical movements are inherent to some lines of job,
such as coaching or performing; and even if the job requires workers to sit in one place,
transportation to and from work provides some extra workout for the elderly. By increasing the
amount of physical activity carried out by the senior on a daily basis, having a job certainly will help
keep them fit and free of ailments.
Nonetheless, there are substantial risks to both old people and society at large in the absence
of a limit on the working age. It has been shown by scientists across disciplines that certain functions
of the mind and body naturally degenerate as humans become older. For instance, psychological
research proved that the abilities to encode new memory and to pay attention are lesser in older
subjects, and it only takes observation to realize that somatic reflexes are slower in older people.
This implies that senior civilians are unfit for most occupations: with low-risk jobs like teaching and
coaching, the consequences may be limited to slipping up during lectures or making mistakes when
scoring; but for high-risk jobs such as ship navigating or policing, being unable to remember, focus
and react quickly can easily cost the lives of the elderly themselves as well as their colleagues' and
other civilians. That is to say, regardless of benefits on the individual level for senior citizens, the
duration of time a worker is allowed to work should be restricted to prevent regrettable workplace
accidents.
In conclusion, when the policy of having residents decide the time of their retirement is
concerned, the advantages concentrate at the individual level while the disadvantages can potentially
affect a whole community. Bearing that contrast in mind, although the seniors in some countries can
work to any age that they desire, this is not a model to learn from. In my opinion, the drawbacks
certainly prevail, hence the aforementioned nations should reconsider their relevant laws as soon
as possible.
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23-01-2021
Task 1: The plans below show the changes at a small theater in 2010 and 2012.
Sample:
The given map delineates the modification of a theater between 2010 and 2012.
Looking at the map, it is clearly evident that there were two main sections, one for
performance and another for customer services. The theatre underwent an overall expansion with
new facilities to accommodate an increasing number of customer needs.
In 2010, the small central stage was surrounded by a front auditorium, a back media room
and a left-winged storage. While the auditorium stayed unchanged after two years, the media with
a room for showers and the storage, in turn, were repositioned to the left and right side of the
stage. The main stage was enlarged with the addition of a hall at the back.
Near the main entrance lay some restaurants on the left, replacing the previous admin
office and ticket office. The admin office, instead, was relocated to the furthest left corner of the
customer zone, while the ticket box was placed on the right of the main entrance.
Vocabulary highlights
delineate
minh hoạ chi tiết
modification = change
sự thay đổi
customer needs
nhu cầu khách hàng
surround
bao quanh
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left-wing
cánh (gà) trái (từ này còn có nghĩa trong chính trị là cánh tả
trong chính trị tả hữu).
reposition = relocate
thay đổi vị trí
near the main entrance lies..
(cấu trúc đảo ngữ) gần cửa chính có …
Task 2: In some countries, more and more adults are living with their parents after
graduating from college, university, or even after finding a job. Do the advantages of
this outweigh the disadvantages?
Sample:
In recent years, the number of adults still living with their parents has been on the rise due
to recent economic upheaval. While some argue that this trend helps cement relationships
between members of a family, I believe it is largely disadvantageous due to the growing dependence
of children on their guardians.
On the one hand, staying under the same roof can help forge stronger bonds between
family members. One of the primary reasons for this is there are abundant opportunities for
regular face-to-face interactions and intimate conversations. For example, a newly graduated
student can get advice, discuss problems at work, and confide possible setbacks to his parents.
This kind of conversation will likely help build confidence which is widely regarded as a key to
success in an increasingly competitive business world. This ideal scenario seems less likely if,
however, the son is settling down in a new home, with a different timetable from members of his
family and only speaking with his parents on occasion over the phone.
On the other hand, I am firmly of the opinion that those who refuse to live on their own are
more likely to experience a prolonged period of immaturity. Firstly, those who remain at
home are usually exempt from mundane tasks such as preparing meals, doing laundry and
tidying their rooms. Consequently, they are likely to be dependent on their parents and have trouble
developing the capacity for self-reliance that is essential for personal and career success. It will
be more difficult for them to make their own well-informed, responsible decisions. Indeed,
many helicopter parents, such as those in Vietnam, closely monitor their children, failing to guide
them properly in how to gather relevant information, and evaluate possible options for a final sound
decision. Both of these failures are likely to have detrimental effects, preventing many from leading
a self-sufficient life.
In conclusion, although young adults might be better supported emotionally in staying
home, over-reliance on one’s parents is not a wise path towards becoming a well-adjusted,
high-functioning member of society. In my opinion, teenagers should start taking full responsibility
for their lives at the age of 18.
Vocabulary highlights
Forge a strong bond between family
members
Tạo sự gắn kết giữa các thành viên trong gia
đình
Intimate conversations
Những cuộc trò chuyện thân mật
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Be exempt from mundane tasks
Được miễn làm các công việc nhà nhàm
chán
Helicopter parents
Bố mẹ bảo bọc con quá mức
Lead a self-sufficient life
Sống một cuộc sống tự túc
Over-reliance
Sự phụ thuộc quá mức
Take full responsibility for one’s lives
Tự chịu hoàn toàn trách nhiệm về cuộc đời
Economic upheaval
Biến động kinh tế
Confide something to someone
Kể cho ai nghe những điều mình không
muốn người khác biết
Possible setbacks
Những trở ngại có thể xảy ra
Speak with someone on occasion
Thỉnh thoảng nói chuyện với ai
Experience a prolonged period of
immaturity
Trải qua một thời gian dài thiếu trưởng
thành
The capacity for self-reliance
Khả năng tự lập
A wise path towards becoming sth
Một con đường khôn ngoan để trở thành
cái gì
11
06-02-2021
Task 1: The bar chart shows the percentage of small, medium, large companies which
used social media for business purposes between 2012 to 2016.
Sample:
The bar graph illustrates the proportion of small, medium and large companies that
maintained a presence on social media in a four year period starting from 2012.
Overall, the proportion of companies using social media increased over the given period,
regardless of their size. Additionally, large companies are the most active and most consistent users
of social media throughout the period.
Among small and medium businesses, the period stretching from 2012 to 2014 saw an increase
in social media usage. The figures for smaller companies began at just under 30 percent in 2012,
then steadily increased to reach 35 percent two years later. The change is even
more pronounced in medium-sized businesses, which began 2012 with around 35%, and ended
next two years with a 20% increase in social media use. After both types of businesses suffered a
significant drop in 2015 to around 30%, this rising trend would then resume in the very final year,
resulting in the recovery to around 50% in 2016 for both.
In contrast, large companies make extensive use of social media, with figures almost always
standing at just under 80% from 2012 to 2016. The sole exception to this was 2015, where the
media participation rate fell by nearly a third to a record low of just over 50 percent.
Vocabulary highlights
a presence on social media: sự xuất hiện trong các phương tiện truyền thông đại chúng
pronounced (adj): rõ rệt, nổi bật
make extensive use of: dùng cái gì đó rất nhiều
12
Task 2: Many people believe that it is easier to have a healthy lifestyle in the
countryside. Other believe that there are health benefits of living in cities. Discuss both
views and give your opinions.
Sample:
It is said that living in the countryside is more conducive to a healthy way of living, while others
argue that the same could be said for urban life. In my opinion, maintaining a balanced mixture of
both might be the best lifestyle for the average person.
There is hardly any doubt that living a country life can provide many different health-related
benefits. Most evident is the almost complete absence of pollutants in regions outside urban areas
– a crucial condition for a healthy life. This is perhaps the main selling point of rural inhabitants, as
they do not have to constantly battle with the adverse effects caused by air, water, noise and even
light pollution in urban regions. Similarly, a person’s mental health could seriously deteriorate if they
do not have access to the green spaces and wildlife often found in the countryside, as is the case in
some urban areas. This would, naturally, result in a drastic decrease in a person’s quality of life in
both physical and mental terms, which runs counter to the very notion of a healthy life.
This is not to say that city life is devoid of benefits, however. In contrast to rural areas, cities
are often home to a wide variety of health-related services, many of which could greatly aid city
dwellers looking to lead a more healthy life. They could, for example, readily access advanced
medical services to help them recover from serious illnesses. Others could maintain a healthy life
by taking part in a wide variety of different sports, following highly specialized diets that best suit
their physique, and other similar accommodations conducive to a healthy lifestyle that might be
difficult to come by in rural regions.
In conclusion, while both regions could provide conditions suitable for a healthy lifestyle, I
think that alternating between living in the two regions could combine the best of both, all
while offsetting their respective flaws.
Vocabulary highlights
conducive (adj): làm cái gì đó diễn ra dễ hơn
deteriorate (v): hỏng, tồi tệ hơn rất nhiều
well-being: sự khỏe khoắn, sức khỏe
devoid: thiếu vắng
city dwellers: người dân thành thị
offset: bù trừ
13
20-02-2021
Task 1: The chart below shows changes in the number of international students in
Australia in 2019 and 2020. Summarize the information by selecting and reporting the
main features and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The bar chart illustrates the number of students in Australia that came from overseas in 2019
and 2020.
Overall, most of the international enrollments came from China while those from Vietnam,
Brazil and Malaysia constituted only a minority. Additionally, there was a substantial increase in the
numbers of students applying from India and Nepal, as contrasted with the noticeable decline in
China’s 2020 student count.
In 2019, enrollment from China topped that from all other listed countries, with 182,325
students registered. Next came India and Nepal, at 92,024 and 46,382 students respectively. In the
following year, however, the numbers of students who applied from China shrank to only 167,568,
whereas India and Nepal saw a respectable rise to 108,049 and 50,252 students respectively.
On the contrary, there were only small numbers of enrollments from Vietnam, Brazil and
Malaysia, with figures starting at around 22,000 students in 2019. In 2020, Vietnam’s student count
increased moderately to 23,268 while figures for Brazil and Malaysia decreased to 21.086 and 19,584
respectively.
Task 2: Children should do organized activities in their free time while others believe
children should be free to do what they want. Discuss both views and give your opinion?
Sample:
It is proposed that leisure activities for children should be designed by parents, while many
insist that children have the freedom of choice when it comes to leisurely pursuits. In my opinion,
the combination of both approaches can do more good for the child.
Children need to have a certain degree of freedom when choosing their leisure activities.
Independently choosing a hobby gives children a sense of autonomy as they have the chance to
explore the world through the choices they make. Also, since each child has their own unique
characteristics, they should thus be able to choose corresponding fields of interest. For example,
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while those who are sociable and energetic may opt for team sports like football, the more curious
and introverted ones may prefer reading or drawing. By choosing activities that match their qualities
as such, the child can feel that they have a say in their course of development, which can greatly
boost their confidence and self-esteem.
However, this is not to say that parents should allow their children unrestricted freedom to
do whatever they like. To a certain extent, parents need to organize and regulate children’s activities
to ensure that their children do not become spoiled. Young children tend to derive fun and
excitement chiefly from their leisurely pursuits; thus, if there is no parental intervention, they are
likely to overindulge and neglect their study. Furthermore, parents know what is best for their
children in terms of growing up so they should convince their children to pursue certain beneficial
hobbies, like playing a musical instrument. Nevertheless, parental intervention needs to be
exercised in moderation so as not to become too coercive, lest children’s free time become
strained.
In conclusion, although children should have a choice in terms of what leisurely activities to
take up, parents should still have some control over these activities.
Vocabulary highlights
leisurely pursuits:
sở thích
sense of autonomy:
cảm giác tự chủ
corresponding (adj):
tương ứng
fields of interest:
mảng quan tâm, hứng thú
have a say:
có quyền ảnh hưởng, tác động
self-esteem (n):
lòng tự trọng
unrestricted freedom:
sự tự do không kiềm chế
regulate (v):
điều chế
spoiled (adj):
hư hỏng
parental intervention:
sự can thiệp của bố mẹ
overindulge (v):
sa đoạ
in moderation:
có tiết chế, điều độ
coercive:
ép buộc, áp đặt
15
25-02-2021
Task 1: The table shows the export values of various products in 2009 and 2010.
Sample:
The given table details export values of various products in two consecutive years (2009 and
2010) and units are measured in HK dollars.
Overall, it is worth highlighting that export earnings from metals, telecommunity and
equipment underwent upswings with metals seeing the fastest growth while the opposite was true
for clothing and manufacturing. It was also evident that by 2010, telecommunity export value
has overtaken that of equipment to become the largest value.
In 2009, turnover from exporting equipment accounted for nearly a third of total export
earnings (32 billion), which ranked first among four products, followed by telecommunity (7.9
billion). Over the next year, it increased to 11.6 billion while the figure for telecommunity
experienced a soar, amounting to 12.7 billion. Metal export values, despite lagging behind in 1997
at only 2.3 billion, saw a twofold rise, hitting an all-time high of 5.1 billion in 2010.
Regarding clothing and manufacturing, their figures were quite similar, standing at 6 billion and
5.5 billion in 2009 respectively before dropping to 5 billion and 4 billion in turn at the end of the
period.
1. Detail (v):
mô tả chi tiết
2. Measure (v):
đo lường
3. Upswing (n):
sự gia tăng
4. Overtake (v):
vượt qua
5. Rank first:
đứng hạng nhất
6. Amount to (v):
đạt được
Task 2: Some people believe that the best way to encourage children that have a
healthy diet at school and some people believe that parents should teach them to
have a healthy diet. Discuss both views and give your opinion?
Sample:
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17
27-02-2021
Task 1: The diagrams show changes in a student common room.
Sample:
The maps depict modifications made to the layout of an unspecified student common room.
Overall, the room has been renovated extensively, seeing great re-arrangements of the
tables in the centre and small changes to some of the amenities to the left-hand side of the
entrance.
Five years ago, most of the room area was occupied by four sets of 7-piece round
tables. However, in the present day, two of them were replaced by a 9-piece rectangular table
set, with the other two remaining unchanged. The cabinet to the bottom right corner of the map
was replaced by a television, with three additional armchairs placed around it. A new bench for
laptops was arranged between one round table set and the television area, and that bench was
placed against the wall.
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Other major changes include the addition of another microwave which was placed right next
to the old one, and a drinks machine adjacent to the refrigerator. The sink, the cupboard and the
bench, however, remained at the same location.
Task 2:
Social traditions are a part of who we are, and play an integral role in our lives as a result.
While it has been argued by some that young people should live by to these traditions, there is a
contrasting point of view that the young should have the freedom to live the way they want. This
essay will attempt to examine both perspectives before delivering my opinion.
There are a number of reasons to support the idea that young people should continue to
uphold social norms. Firstly, the young have the responsibility to maintain their cultural values. If
young people follow social traditions in activities that are different between cultures, such as
marriage and funeral, for example, they will be preserving the uniqueness of their heritage. Secondly,
by adhering to the accepted practices in their society, the young generation will have a secure
foundation for their own future. To specify, since previous generations were able to flourish in the
past, it can be assumed that young people will live just as soundly when they follow established
customs instead of having to think about creating their own norms.
On the other hand, the reasons to support the young’s decisions in having their own ways of
life are also significant. It is suggested that the youth should freely express themselves in many
aspects of life, and social traditions should be no exception. Since every generation has had a way
to make their mark in history, the young people of this day and age also deserve the chance
to make use of their energy and youth, instead of being held back by established beliefs.
Furthermore, social practices are not set in stone, and certain ones are even backward such as the
tendency to belittle women in society. The young generation with their forward-thinking ways
would be the perfect people to explore new cultural norms; by being free and not having to follow
outdated customs, they too can establish practices that are more appropriate for their time.
In conclusion, while there are merits in both views of the matter, I think the young should
be selective in choosing the social traditions that they want to live by; otherwise, their freedom to
live and behave the way they want should be supported.
- integral (adj):
thiết yếu
- social norms (n):
các chuẩn mực xã hội
- adhere (v):
tuân theo
- flourish (v):
phát triển mạnh mẽ, trở nên hưng thịnh
- deserve (v):
xứng đáng có
- make use of (v):
tận dụng
- hold back (v):
giữ lại, kìm hãm
- set in stone (adj):
bất di bất dịch, không thể đổi thay
- forward-thinking (adj):
có tư duy tiến bộ
- selective (adj):
kén chọn
19
04-03-2021
Task 1: The diagrams give information about changes in a student accommodation.
Sample:
The maps depict modifications to a student accommodation building from 2010 to the
present day.
Overall, the building has been renovated extensively, seeing fundamental changes to
the student-bedrooms and the gardens. In addition, more entrances are added as a result of
the remodelling.
In 2010, the building was a relatively green area with three gardens to the northwest, the
north and the south of the map. However, in the present day, only the northern one remains; the
other two were replaced by a new student bedroom and a car park. The number of student
bedrooms was greatly expanded from the original three to five, replacing the former living room.
The current building is also more accessible with more doors added, connecting the rooms
to each other and to the exterior. Other major changes include the introduction of an en-suite
room and the addition of a new social area in the kitchen. The big bathroom sited at the heart of
the map, however, remained unchanged over the given period.
Vocab highlights
•
Modification: sự điều chỉnh
•
Renovate: đổi mới
•
Extensively: một cách toàn diện
•
Fundamental changes: những thay đổi cơ bản
•
Remodelling: thay đổi, thiết kế lại (dùng cho nhà cửa)
•
Expand: mơ rộng
•
Accessible: dễ ra vào hơn
20
•
Exterior: bên ngoài
•
En-suite room: phòng ngủ có nhà tắm ở trong
•
Site: nằm ở
Task 3: Today many countries import food from different parts of the world. Is this a
positive or negative development?
Sample:
The consumption of imported food has gained popularity in recent years. In my opinion, this
has both positive and negative consequences in equal measure.
One distinct benefit of imported food is the fact that it offers consumers more choices. Thanks
to the act of importing food, people from different countries are able to enjoy different kinds
of produce that are non-existent in their home countries. Many of the delicacies we like, several
of which would appear in our tonight’s dinner tables, are a mixture of ingredients indigenous to
different parts of the world. Therefore, it would be a huge loss if we relied solely on local ingredients.
Furthermore, foreign food encourages healthy competition among food processing companies, and
this will eventually lead to increased food quality.
However, the drawbacks of imported food should not be overlooked. The act of
transporting food from a country to another requires frequent use of airplanes, the most fuel-hungry
means of transport in the world. A typical Boeing 747 burns thousands of gallons of fuel per flight,
and such a huge amount of gasoline burnt is highly detrimental to the atmosphere.
Moreover, preservatives are often added to perishable food so that it does not spoil during the
transporting stage, and some people fear that such chemicals would be harmful for daily use.
In conclusion, I believe that the rise in the consumption of imported food can open up a
better array of choices and add some spices to our meals, yet its effects on the environment and
on our health should also be taken into great consideration.
Vocabulary highlights
•
In equal measure (prepositional phrase): Có mức độ ngang nhau, tương đương nhau
•
Produce (n/U): Nông sản
•
Non-existent (n): Không tồn tại
•
Indigenous (adj) to: Thuộc về bản địa của
•
Overlook (v): Bỏ qua, xem thường
•
Preservatives (n): Chất bảo quản
•
Perishable food (n): Thức ăn dễ bị hư hỏng
•
Array (n): Một nhóm đa dạng
•
Take into consideration: Xem xét
21
13-03-2021
Task 1: The chart below gives information about the amount of time children spend
with their parents.
Sample:
The stacked bar charts delineate how much time children of various age groups spend
with their parents. The initial impression from the charts is that whilst children spend more time
with both parents at weekends, mothers allocate more time for child-rearing during weekdays. It
can also be seen across the two charts that fathers (excluding the ‘with both’ classification) generally
spent the least time with their children.
During weekdays, babies aged from 0 to 1 years spent the least amount of time (2 hours) with
the fathers, the most time with the mothers (roughly 5.8 hours), and around 1.2 hours with
both. Similar pictures are evident in the remaining age groups; around 1.5-2 hours are spent
with the fathers, approximately 6 hours with the mothers, and 1-2 hours with both.
A relatively different pattern could be observed regarding the child-rearing time at
weekends. Across the age brackets, the fathers still set aside the least time with their kids (only
a negligible 0.25-0.5 hours), mom’s time allocation is around 3-4 hours, and both parents
together put from 5 to 6 hours into caring for child kids.
Vocabulary highlights
•
Stacked bar chart: biểu đồ cột chồng
•
Delineate: mô tả chi tiết
•
Allocate: dành thời gian
•
Roughly: khoảng
•
Similar pictures are evident in: điều tương tự có thể thấy ở…
•
A relatively different pattern could be observed: một xu hướng hơi khác có thể
quan sát được
22
•
Child-rearing: sự chăm sóc trẻ em
•
Age bracket: nhóm tuổi
•
Set aside: dành ra
•
Negligible: không đáng kể
•
Allocation: sự dành ra
•
Put into: dành bao nhiêu (thời gian, công sức) vào việc gì đó
Task 2: Some people store personal and private information online,
including banking, contacts and addresses. Is it a positive or negative trend?
Sample:
Today, many of the internet services require their clients to disclose their personal
information such as locations, phone numbers and bank account numbers. Potentially, the practice
in question poses mostly drawbacks.
A lack of cyber protection has begotten a new class of international cybercriminals who
rampantly prey on the stored information of the customers. A progressively increasing number
of incidents of identity thefts has been reported in the recent years. Some examples of these criminal
activities are stealing money from oversea bank accounts, posing as someone else to make
illegal transactions and scamming. The men and women behind these cases often work from
remote places, hacking into systems of foreign companies to extract their customers’ data, which
makes the effort to apprehend, extradite and prosecute these perpetrators a daunting and
seemingly impossible task. Therefore, it is usually the clients who face the consequences.
Perhaps more worryingly, there have been reports of companies that sold the data of their
clients to third parties. Customers’ information, including contacts and spending habits, has become
valuable commodities inside the telemarketing and online-marketing circles. In this era, the ability
to get hold of precise information of the potential client’s contacts and what they are looking into
buying can make or break a business. The practice of purchasing people’s data is widely used in
the real-estate, insurance and tourism sales industry; and their providers often obtain the permission
to commercialize the consumer data through deceitful tactics, for instance, obscure pre-ticked
box in registration forms. Over the past few years, fierce debates have taken place over the
ownership of consumer data and the ethics of data mining. However, the current answer to this
conundrum seems to be only a little more than a band-aid solution.
In conclusion, giving away information to online services is largely negative, for societies
have yet to establish effective protection for people’s data when put online. Currently, putting one’s
sensitive information on the internet may expose them to unfathomable risks.
Vocabulary highlights
•
disclose (v): cho phép được biết
•
cyber (adj): ảo, trên mạng
•
prey on (expression): nhắm vào ai đó/cái gì đó (để lừa đảo, trộm cắp)
•
progressively (adv): dần. Đồng nghĩa: gradually
•
transaction (n): cuộc giao dịch
•
apprehend (v): bắt giữ. Đồng nghĩa: arrest, detain
•
extradite (v): dẫn độ
•
prosecute (v): truy tố
23
•
perpetrator (n): thủ phạm
•
to face the consequences (expression): hứng chịu hậu quả
•
commodity (n): mặt hàng
•
make or break (expression): làm cái gì đó trở nên thành công hay thất bại thảm hại. Ý
nói cái gì đó là yếu tố then chốt. Dùng như động từ (verb)
•
commercialize (v): thương mại hóa
•
deceitful (adj): lừa dối, gây nhầm lẫn. Deceitful tactic: thủ thuật gây nhầm lẫn
•
ethics (n): đạo đức (khi làm việc gì đó)
•
a band-aid solution (n): cách giải quyết tạm bợ
•
unfathomable (adj): không lường trước được
24
20-03-2021
Task 1: The graph below gives information about the percentage of people living in
Australia who were born in Asia, the UK, and other regions.
Sample:
The line graph delineates demographic figures of Australian people who were born in
different parts of the world.
The initial impression from the graph is that the figures for people born in Asia and Other
generally enjoyed upswings, with the former seeing the fastest growth, whilst that of the UK
experienced a decline. It is also clear that the total population saw a steady drop in the first 25 years,
but later rose sharply during the final 10 years of the given period.
In 1976, around 14% of the Australian people were born in the UK. This was followed by
Other (roughly 12%), and Asia (3%). Over the next 25 years, while fewer Australians came from the
UK, with its figure dropping to approximately 6%, the figures for Other and Asia rose steadily to
11% and 9% respectively. The total population of Australia, in the meantime, experienced a
gradual decline from 22.5% in 1976 to its all-time low of 21% in 2001.
Over the last 10 years, the proportion of Australian people born in the UK went down to 5%,
whereas opposite patterns are evident in the figures for Australian people of Asian and
European descent, with the former rising to 12% and the latter to its high of 15%. The
total demographics at this particular time frame saw a steep growth to its peak of 25%.
Vocab highlights
•
Delineate:
mô tả chi tiết
•
Demographic figures:
số liệu về dân số
•
Initial impression:
ấn tượng ban đầu
•
Upswing:
sự tăng
•
In the meantime:
trong khi đó
25
•
All-time low:
điểm thấp nhất tại mọi thời điểm
•
Opposite pattern:
xu hướng ngược lại
•
Evident in:
thấy rõ ở
•
Demographics:
số liệu dân số
•
Of…descent:
có nguồn gốc từ
•
Steep growth:
sự tăng trưởng nhanh
Task 2: Many people are working longer hours. Why is this happening? What problems
can this cause to people?
Sample:
Working longer hours is a growing tendency in society nowadays. The primary cause of this
change is excessive workloads and the effects on one’s health and quality of life are decidedly
detrimental.
The need to work additional hours often stems from increasing demand in the
workplace. To keep up with competition in an increasingly globalised marketplace,
employees are expected to assume a high volume of work, often with inadequate staff levels
and support. This has resulted in employees having to work extra hours to compensate, which is
exemplified clearly in IT-related sectors. A program developer in Vietnam generally spends an
average of 10 hours at work per day integrating complicated software systems, which would
not be necessary if he was accompanied by a colleague.
Extra office hours can adversely affect workers’ health, as well as their personal lives. First of
all, working overtime can lead to a lack of sufficient rest, decrease in energy and eventually health
conditions in extreme cases. This is illustrated in research conducted in Japanese white-collars
workers, who have to sit in their offices for up to 14 hours, resulting in spinal
injuries, arthritis and increased risk of strokes. In addition, as more time is spent at work,
workers necessarily have less time for their loved ones, which can weaken bonds between
family members and friends. As a result, this can generate a feeling of general dissatisfaction
in individuals, potentially becoming a catalyst for stress and depression in the long run.
In conclusion, extended working hours are associated with increasing demands in the
workplace, preventing employees from leading a healthy and balanced life. Therefore, I believe
governments should enact laws that impose weekly overtime standards for corporations.
Vocab highlights
Become a catalyst for stress and
depression
Trở thành chất xúc tác cho căng thẳng và
trầm cảm
Excessive workloads
Khối lượng công việc quá lớn
Stem from increasing demand in the
workplace
Xuất phát từ nhu cầu ngày càng tăng tại nơi
làm việc
Assume a high volume of work
Đảm nhận khối lượng công việc lớn
Integrate complicated software
system
Tích hợp hệ thống phần mềm phức tạp
26
An increasingly globalised
marketplace
Thị trường ngày càng toàn cầu hóa
Lack of sufficient rest
Thiếu sự nghỉ ngơi đầy đủ
Spinal injuries
Chấn thương cột sống
Arthritis
Viêm khớp
Increased risk of strokes
Tăng nguy cơ đột quỵ
Weaken bonds between family
members
Làm suy yếu mối quan hệ giữa các thành viên
trong gia đình
A feeling of general dissatisfaction in
individuals
Cảm giác không hài lòng chung ở các cá nhân
Lead a healthy and balanced life
Sống một cuộc sống lành mạnh và cân bằng
Weekly overtime standards for
corporations
Tiêu chuẩn làm thêm giờ hàng tuần cho các
công ty
27
27-03-2021
Task 1: The maps below show a beachfront area in Australia in 1950 and today.
Sample:
The diagrams depict modifications to an unspecified beachfront area in Australia. Overall, the
area was renovated extensively, seeing fundamental changes to the road leading to the city,
its swimming pool, and other recreational facilities.
In 1950, to the uppermost part of the map, there was a road running eastward from the city
directly to the car park. In the present day, the road was expanded southward, leading to the
lighthouse and circling the entire beachfront. A new car park was added, taking up the space where
there once was a playground.
Another major change includes the addition of a big restaurant and a surf club, which was
located to the western area of the beach. The pool adjacent to the two said facilities is now
expanded to become a 50-meter one, and while the other pool to the east was unchanged, there
was a new surf club added next to it.
The dining tables and the pavilion along the road, however, remained at the same position
over the given period.
Vocab highlights
•
Renovated extensively:
được đổi mới toàn diện
•
Fundamental changes:
những thay đổi căn bản
•
Uppermost:
phần trên cùng
•
Adjacent to:
kế bên
Task 2: People believe that individuals who make a lot of money are the most
successful. Others say that those who contribute to society like scientists, teacher are
the most successful. Discuss both and give your opinion?
Sample:
Many people believe that success can only be measured either by individuals’ sum of wealth
or their contribution to science and education. This is not entirely true because many great business
people have made significant advances in science and education. In this essay, I argue that while the
28
former view, which may signify the result of one’s genius and vision, is a premise for measuring
success; the latter, which is traditionally valued, proves to be the superior measurement.
Many admirers of wealthy business people have reasons to think that being rich is a proof of
success. Business magnates like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk have changed the course of
human history through their brainchildren. Their products such as the Window Operating System,
Amazon and Paypal have helped make the booming virtual economy we know today despite early
ridicules and sabotage from technology skeptics. These moguls also possess spectacular
business acumen and their subsequent investments, in real estate or crypto-currency such as
Bitcoin, have yielded in even more wealth for them.
While I agree that being wealthy can signify success, it is only the byproduct and that lasting
academic contribution to society is a far better criterion to define success. Educators and scientists
have historically been heralded as heroes due to the belief that intellectuals, through their
academic contributions, are shapers of minds and thus their influence can last for
generations. However, it should be clarified that a rich person can indeed contribute to science and
education. For instance, inventing Google has made Larry Page a billionaire and Google has
undoubtedly provided means and platforms to usher modern education into a new era. Elon Musk,
for his Tesla vehicles, should be regarded as the father of future transportation rather than as a man
who temporarily became the richest human being.
In conclusion, pursuing wealth does not automatically disqualify a person from contributing
intellectually. However, I assert that lasting academic contributions to society should be the priority
when considering a person’s success.
Vocab highlights
•
Genius (n):
sự thiên tài
•
Premise (n):
cơ sở, tiền đề
•
Superior (adj):
tối ưu hơn
•
Magnate (n):
trùm kinh doanh. Đồng nghĩa: mogul
•
Brainchild (n, pl. Brainchildren): đứa con sáng tạo, con tinh thần
•
Sabotage (n):
phá hoại
•
Mogul (n):
như magnate
•
Acumen (n):
sự nhạy bén
•
Crypto-currency (n):
tiền ảo, ví dụ: bitcoin, etherium, dogecoin
•
Yield in (expression):
cho kết quả
•
Herald (v):
xưng tụng, tung hô
•
Intellectual (n):
người trí thức
•
Byproduct (n):
phụ phẩm
•
Criterion (n):
tiêu chuẩn
•
Temporarily (adj):
một cách tạm thời
•
Disqualify (v):
truất quyền, bỏ tư cách
•
Assert (v):
khẳng định
29
10-04-2021
Task 1: The line graph illustrates the proportion of total expenditure in a certain
European country between 1960 and 2000.
Sample:
The line graph delineates expenditure on different life aspects in an unspecified European
country from 1960 to 2000. The initial impression from the chart is that spending on food, leisure,
transport and fuel/energy generally decreased, with food undergoing the most
dramatic downturn while expenses on transport showed an upward trend.
In 1960, roughly 35% was spent on food, ranking first among the five classifications surveyed.
This was followed by leisure (20%), clothing (10%), and transport (9%). Allocations for fuel/energy
were insignificant, accounting for only 5%.
Over the next 40 years, spending on food underwent a steady decrease, and by 2000, it had
seen a more than twofold drop to its low of only 15%. Similar patterns are evident in leisure,
clothing and fuel/energy, with all three categories seeing decreases to 11%, 6% and 4% respectively.
In contrast, transport was the only one to see an increase in spending, with its figure amounting
to 15% in 2000.
Vocab highlights
•
Delineate:
mô tả chi tiết
•
Expenditure:
chi tiêu
•
Initial impression:
ấn tượng ban đầu
•
Downturn:
sự suy giảm
•
Expenses:
chi tiêu
•
Allocation:
phần dành ra
•
Account for:
chiếm
30
•
Twofold:
gấp đôi
•
Similar patterns:
những xu hướng tương tự
•
Evident:
hiển hiện rõ
•
Amount to:
đạt được
Task 2: Many students find it difficult to concentrate or pay attention in school. What
are the reasons? What could be done to solve this problem?
Sample:
Recently, there has been an alarming trend of students struggling to focus at school. This can
be explained by the popularity of social media applications and rigid adherence to a traditional
teaching approach, and I believe the resolute actions proposed in this essay offer potential
improvements.
To begin with, the aforementioned problem has roots in two main factors. The first one
is distractions from social networking applications. Facebook and Instagram, for instance,
purposefully strive for consistent engagement through positive reinforcement by pushing realtime updates on friends and viral videos that young users often find difficult to ignore during
lessons. Another sound explanation is the monotony of classrooms. Many lectures lack relevance
to real life, endorsing a repetitive course of tedious theoretical assignments and
lectures while failing to motivate the students with varied content.
To address the underlying causes, I would propose two solutions. Firstly, schools
should impose a complete ban of portable devices in classrooms. All personal handsets
could be stored in a secure room, labelled properly to be returned to their owners after class ends.
This would effectively block the stream of potential distractions from online networking
sites. Secondly, educators should redesign lecture content to be more practical. For example,
business schools could work in collaboration with enterprises to incorporate factual case studies
and engaging biographical material about entrepreneurs. Once engaged, these students will be more
likely to focus more fully on their studies, ensuring higher chances of success after
graduation.
In conclusion, a great number of students nowadays pay little attention at school due to the
advent of social media platforms and lessons largely irrelevant to their needs. However, if
schools adopt handset-free classroom policies and modernise the curriculum, students will
become more attentive.
Vocab highlights:
Endorse a repetitive course of
tedious theoretical lectures
Chứng thực một khóa học lặp đi lặp lại các bài
giảng lý thuyết tẻ nhạt
Rigid adherence to a traditional
teaching approach
Tuân thủ nghiêm ngặt cách tiếp cận giảng dạy
truyền thống
Adopt a handset-free classroom
policy
Áp dụng chính sách lớp học không có thiết bị cầm
tay
Distraction from social networking
applications
Mất tập trung do các ứng dụng mạng xã hội
31
Push real-time updates on friends
and viral videos
Cập nhật trong thời gian thực về bạn bè và các
video nổi bật
Impose a complete ban of portable
devices in classrooms
Áp dụng lệnh cấm hoàn toàn các thiết bị di động
trong lớp học
Block the stream of potential
distractions from all online
networking sites
Chặn luồng có khả năng gây xao nhãng từ tất cả
các trang mạng trực tuyến
Incorporate factual case studies
into the curriculum
Kết hợp các nghiên cứu điển hình thực tế vào
chương trình giảng dạy
Ensure a higher chance of success
after graduation
Có cơ hội thành công cao hơn sau khi tốt nghiệp
Purposefully strive for consistent
engagement
Cố gắng có chủ đích nhằm lôi kéo sự tham gia
thường xuyên
32
17-04-2021
Task 1: The bar chart shows type of media to get daily news, by age group 2011
Sample:
The bar chart compares the usage rate of 3 news media by citizens across different age groups
in an unnamed country in 2011.
In general, social networking platforms were the major source of daily news
for adolescents whereas people from older age groups primarily used radio to stay updated on
the news. Interestingly, microblogging was the least popular means of getting news for citizens of all
ages.
As regards adolescents (10-17) and young adults (18-29), social networks were used by 80%
of the populace in these two age brackets. In the former bracket, social networks were the
dominant source, registering a markedly higher figure than that for radio and microblogging by two
and three times respectively. However, for the latter bracket, social networks’ dominance was
challenged by radio with a usage rate of over 90%. It was also in the 18-29 group that microblogging
was chosen by as many as a quarter of the populace.
Moving on to the remaining age groups, while radio still retained its prevalence at around
90%, the usage rates of the two other media became lower as the number of years of the age bracket
got higher. Specifically, in the oldest age group, social networks were only used by 10% of the senior
citizens while only a fraction of this group’s populace chose microblogging.
Vocab highlights:
Populace (n):
dân chúng
Fraction (n):
một phần nhỏ
Prevalence (n):
sự thịnh hành
33
Task 2: It is now possible for scientists and tourists to travel to remote natural
environments, such as the South pole. Do the advantages of this development outweigh
the disadvantages?
Sample:
Expeditions to distant isolated destinations have been on the rise recently. While this can
potentially benefit wildlife conservation programmes, I firmly contend that the development is
disadvantageous overall considering the risks to the environment.
On the one hand, both scientific and touristic expeditions can help develop conservation
programmes. Indeed, on-site scientific research conducted at Antarctica has
successfully illuminated the mating habits of many nearly-extinct animal species such as the
emperor penguins thanks to close observation of these species, driving initiatives to boost their
fertility rate two fold. Meanwhile, tourists who visit remote destinations might learn about the
damages of climate change, thus becoming intrinsically motivated to protect Earth’s fragile
ecosystems from further degradation. For example, a campaign to preserve Himalayan bald
eagles was initiated by two Swedish explorers on an expedition after they eye-witnessed eagle
chicks dying of starvation on a far-flung mountain peak.
On the other hand, I believe the threat of pollution these activities pose must be highlighted.
One obvious danger is oil spills from the cruise ships and other forms of transportation traveling to
the remote observation sites. In 2007, a cruise boat heading to the South Pole struck an iceberg and
sank to the ocean floor, causing a diesel fuel spill that covered 25 square kilometers. Despite
enormous efforts from the international community, the disaster claimed the lives of
thousands of sea creatures including many rare marine birds in less than two weeks. It also
resulted in permanent damage to the Antarctic fauna, algae and plankton, which are the
foundation of the local food chain, disturbing the ecological balance across the entire continent
and nearby waters.
In summary, although scientific research and intrepid tourism in remote areas might partly
contribute to conservation breeding efforts, I am of the opinion that they pose more pressing
existential threats to the environment and natural habitats. Therefore, a complete travel ban
should be imposed by the United Nations to preserve the ecological and biodiversity of these
unique environments.
Vocab highlights:
Far-flung
Xa xôi hẻo lánh
Intrepid traveller
Du khách gan dạ
Injurious impacts
Tác động có hại
Distant isolated destinations
Các vùng đất xa xôi hẻo lánh
Illuminated on the mating habits
Làm sáng tỏ thói quen giao phối
Boost fertility rate
Tăng tỉ lệ sinh sản
Protect Earth’s fragile ecosystems
from further degradation
Bảo vệ hệ sinh thái mong manh của Trái đất khỏi
các tác nhân suy thoái
34
Dying of starvation
Chết đói
The disaster claimed the lives of
thousands of sea creatures
Thảm họa đã cướp đi sinh mạng của hàng ngàn sinh
vật biển
Damage to the Antarctic fauna,
algae and plankton
Gây thiệt hại cho hệ động vật Nam Cực, tảo và các
sinh vật phù du
Mitigate the inherent dangers
Giảm thiểu những nguy hiểm vốn có
Disturbing the ecological balance
Làm xáo trộn sự cân bằng sinh thái
Pressing existential threats
Những mối đe dọa hiện hữu cấp bách
Preserve the ecological and
biodiversity
Bảo tồn hệ sinh thái và đa dạng sinh học
35
24-04-2021
Task 1: The maps give information about a university sports court.
Sample:
The provided maps depict the modifications made to the layout of an unspecific university
sport center within 30 years.
From the bird’s eye-view, from the period 1990 onward, apart from the addition
and renovation of sports facilities, the entire area has been divided into the west, where most new
facilities were installed, and the east.
A closer look at this sports court reveals that along the west, a large green zone was
demolished to make place for a new basketball court. Going down from the same precinct, not only
the two existing tennis courts originally from the East but also two recently-built ones were moved
to the southwest, which replaced an old parking area.
36
Another noticeable point is that a wall was erected to separate the sports zone in the east.
Inside this area, the former outdoor pool in the north was converted into an indoor one. Next to
the pool, the café and the reception desk remained in the same position, situated along the East and
West border. In the southeast, a newly-constructed fitness center made a debut at the location
of the old tennis courts. The changing room adjacent to the reception has been doubled in size
and moved slightly to the east, just behind the fitness center.
Vocab highlights:
depict (v):
miêu tả
modification (n):
thay đổi
the bird’s eye-view:
Nhìn từ trên cao
renovation (n) -> renovate (v): tân trang
adjacent to (adj):
kế bên
recently-built, newly-constructed (adj): xây dựng mới
make a debut (n):
xây dựng mới
Task 2: Nowadays more tasks at home and work are being performed by robots. Is this
a negative or positive development?
Sample:
The prevalence of robots both at home and in the workplace has drawn much debate recently.
While some maintain that robots can serve as companions for those in need, I believe the
development is negative on the whole considering the concomitant rising unemployment rate.
On the one hand, artificial companions can promote emotional and physical wellbeing for the elderly in particular. Clear evidence of this can be seen in the example of the Japanese
caretaker robot “Hirokan”. This robot is equipped with the latest advances in artificial
intelligence and is capable of conducting a thoughtful conversation with an elderly individual based
on its in-depth analysis of his personality, interests and past events. These heartwarming conversations have proven effective in reducing loneliness, stress levels and the potential
risk of depression among senior Japanese citizens. In addition, the robot also functions as a caregiver
that can physically assist seniors in performing personal hygiene activities and provides additional
stability for them when walking.
On the other hand, the delegation of various mechanical tasks to robots is likely to give rise
to greater unemployment figures. Currently, large numbers of manual workers are being
replaced by cutting-edge robotics systems in numerous factories around the world. For
instance, thousands of Chinese assembly workers at FoxConn, a major manufacturer of Apple
products, have recently been made redundant after the company adopted a fully automated
process that minimizes the need for a skilled and unskilled human labor supply. This, in turn, has
resulted in a rise in reported crimes including robbery, burglary and gambling as the jobless workers
struggle to earn a living. As more companies worldwide have adopted similar approaches,
automation has become an inevitability that has to be addressed with proactive corporate and
governmental reform.
In conclusion, despite the positives of man-made companions for older segments of the
population, I am firmly of the opinion that the increasing popularity of robots poses a serious
threat to our workforce and society at large. Therefore, governments should enact laws to curb
the rate of automisation, allowing workers to prepare for increased competition with robots.
Vocab highlights:
37
Fear of retrenchment
Sự lo sợ cắt giảm lao động để tiết kiệm chi
phí
Cash-strapped companies
Các công ty thiếu hụt tiền mặt
Self-propelled robot
Robot tự hành
Concomitant rising unemployment
rate
Đi đôi với việc tăng tỉ lệ thất nghiệp
Cutting-edge robotics systems
Hệ thống robot hiện đại, tiên tiến
Promote emotional and physical
well-being
Tăng cường sức khỏe tinh thần lẫn thể chất
Latest advances in artificial
intelligence
Những tiến bộ mới nhất trong trí tuệ nhân
tạo
Give rise to greater unemployment
figures
Tăng số liệu thống kê về thất nghiệp
Adopted a fully automated process
Áp dụng quy trình hoàn toàn tự động
Strike up conversations
Bắt chuyện
Work without fatigue
Làm việc không mệt mỏi
Curb the rate of automisation
Hạn chế tỉ lệ tự động hóa
Proactive corporate and
governmental reform
Tích cực cải cách doanh nghiệp và chính
phủ
Older segments of the population
Phân khúc dân số già
Humanoid
Robot hình người
38
29-04-2021
Task 1: The bar chart below shows the passenger kilometres traveled by different
means of transport in the UK in 1990 and 2000. Summarise the information by selecting
and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The given chart illustrates the distance traveled by the UK habitants using five different types
of vehicles from 1990 to 2000. The unit is measured in billion kilometers.
Overall, with the exception of bicycle and motorbike, travelling in total increased. It is also
noted that bus and rail were the two most popular types of transport in the 10-year period.
In 1990, the total passenger kilometers started at 100 billion kilometers and climbed to over 110
billion kilometers in 2000. Specifically, bus and rail travel accounted for the largest distance
achieved, at 45 and 40 billion kilometers respectively in 1990. Both experienced a moderate rise
to approximately 50 billion kilometers in the next 10 years.
By contrast, distance covered by each of the remaining means of transport, namely bicycle,
motorbike and air, were comparatively modest with just under 8 billion kilometers in 1990. While
that by bicycle and motorbike dropped slightly by 2 billion kilometers, air travel grew and finished
the period at 10 billion kilometers.
Vocab highlights:
specifically (adv):
cụ thể là
moderate (adj):
tương đối, vừa phải
modest (adj):
(con số) nhỏ, khiêm tốn
Task 2: Some people think that childcare centers provide the best services for children
of preschool age. Other working parents think that family members such as
grandparents will be better carers for their kids. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.
39
In the modern world, families with both working parents are becoming a norm, so the
responsibility of child-rearing often falls on the shoulders of grandparents or day care services.
Many people think the facilities and the professionally trained personnel that childcare centers
offer are the best option, while others prefer the nurturing nature of grandparents. I assert that
the latter is the better choice.
Childcare services are professional in taking care of children and can provide them with a
suitable environment for their development. These centers are usually equipped with facilities
such as playgrounds, labs and gardens that allow their young clients to learn about the natural world
as well as engage in a range of physical and intellectual activities. The exposure to principle
knowledge and activities could help the children to develop their characters and physical well-being
thereby helping them prepare for the world. While they partake in said activities, their essential
needs are taken care of by professional caregivers who are experts in child psychology and various
pedagogical methods. By and large, the facilities and services provided by such centers are often
thought to be better compared to amenities at home.
On the other hand, I would argue that it is better to let a child be taken care of by their
grandparents. The key objective of child-rearing is to assure the children of a place of total safety
to grow and learn. Grandparents could usually provide undivided attention for their
grandchildren. Besides accommodating the essential needs, grandparents could also watch out for
potentially dangerous situations in which the children may injure themselves. In contrast,
the sheer numbers of children at a childcare center makes it difficult for the caregivers to
monitor every child at any given time. Staying at home also shells the children away from being
bullied by their aggressive peers. Therefore, while lacking certain facilities and services, staying with
one’s grandparents is the better option.
In conclusion, childcare centers are best at providing facilities and services that, in theory,
would allow the children to develop to their full potentials whereas they cannot match the safety
at home or the individual care grandparents could accommodate. For these reasons, I think that
grandparents are better caretakers for preschool-children.
Vocab highlights:
•
child-rearing (n):
quá trình chăm sóc trẻ em
•
facility (n):
cơ sở vật chất
•
personnel (n):
nhân viên
•
nurturing (gerund của to nurture): nuôi dưỡng
•
be equipped with (expression):
được trang bị với
•
engage in:
tham gia vào hoạt động nào đó
•
exposure (n):
sự tiếp xúc
•
By and large (expression):
nhìn chung
•
amenity (n):
tiện nghi
•
objective (n):
mục đích
•
to assure (v):
đảm bảo
•
undivided attention:
sự quan tâm cao độ (không phân tán)
•
sheer (adj):
chỉ là
•
to monitor (v):
giám sát
•
shells someone away from something (expression): bảo bọc ai đó.
40
08-05-2021
Task 1: The bar chart shows the number of people who visited different museums in
London. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and
make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The bar chart illustrates the number of visitors of four museums in London in five months of
an unspecified year.
Overall, with the exception of the Science Museum, the number of visitors to each
museum witnessed an upward trend during the first half, and then decreased in the second
half of the period. It is also clear that whilst the British Museum was the most frequently visited in
most of the months, the National Museum was consistently in the last place.
In June, the History Museum, the British Museum, and the Science Museum each had over
400,000 guests, with the Science Museum having a narrow lead, at 430,000. The National Museum
was roughly two times lower, at only around 210,000 visitors. In July, while the figures for the
History Museum and the British Museum generally plateaued, the National Museum and the
Science Museum experienced mild drops of around 20,000.
However, in August, the number of visitors to the British Museum and the History Museum
enjoyed remarkable upswings, with the former nearly doubling to 720,000 and the latter rising to
600,000. Meanwhile, the Science Museum’s figure fell down to the third place as it dropped down
slightly to about 410,000 before peaking at 500,000 in September. All three figures experienced
downward trends in October, at around 250,000 for the History Museum, 450,000 for the British
Museum, and 300,000 for the Science Museum. During the same time frame from July to October,
41
visitors to the National Museum, despite experiencing a substantial rise to around 310,000 in
August, stayed between 180,000 and 210,000.
Vocab
•
with the exception of:
ngoại trừ
•
to witness an upward trend:
có xu hướng tăng
•
first/second half:
nửa đầu/nửa sau
•
to plateau (v):
duy trì ở một mức
•
mild (adj):
nhẹ
•
drop (n):
sự sụt giảm
•
upswing (n):
(sự) tăng
•
to double (v):
tăng gấp đôi
•
to peak (v):
đạt đỉnh
•
to experience a downward trend: có xu hướng giảm
•
substantial (adj):
mạnh (khi tả việc tăng/giảm)
Task 2: It is more important to spend public money on promoting a healthy lifestyle in
order to prevent illness than to spend it on treatment of people who are already ill. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is said that taxpayers’ money should be allocated to promote a healthy lifestyle rather than
to focus on treating patients. I completely agree with the statement, for disease prevention is
cheaper, and being healthy is always better than being hospitalised.
Knowing how to lead a healthy life is more cost-effective than paying money to cure a
particular disease. For instance, the cost of a balanced diet containing fundamental nutrients in the
form of fresh ingredients such as meat, fish and vegetables is within financial capacity of even
the underprivileged. In contrast, the expenditure on medical treatments of serious diseases such
as cancer or diabetes may be as high as thousands or even millions of dollars, which is
a fortune for the majority of people. Therefore, rather than spending a huge sum of money on
treatment, allocation of the government’s budget for promoting a healthy lifestyle, which is much
less expensive, is deemed a wiser investment.
Additionally, it is more comfortable to be fit and healthy than to stay in a
hospital ward surrounded by drugs and medical devices. In fact, maintaining positive habits of eating
well and doing physical exercises, despite taking a decent amount of time and effort
at incipient stages, yields more desirable results than spending parts of one’s life on a
wheelchair, with a zimmer or heavily dependent on medical treatments. For example, no one
would have to suffer from costly hours of painful chemotherapy if they are able to minimise the
cause by leading a healthy lifestyle.
In conclusion, it is my firm conviction that prevention is always better than cure, and therefore
promoting a healthy way of living is the better budget spending. Tackling the upstream causes of ill
health is the core principle of any person’s overall well-being.
Vocab:
•
allocate (v):
dành ra
•
hospitalise (v):
nhập viện
•
cost-effective (adj):
tốt về mặt chi phí
42
•
underprivileged (adj):
khó khăn về mặt kinh tế
•
diabetes (n):
bệnh tiểu đường
•
fortune (n):
một món tiền lớn
•
deem (v):
cho là
•
ward (n):
khu trong bệnh viện
•
incipient (adj):
ban đầu
•
yield (v):
cho ra
•
desirable (n):
mong muốn
•
zimmer (n):
khung tập đi (cho người già, người khuyết tật)
•
chemotherapy (n):
hóa trị
•
upstream (adj):
ban đầu
•
ill health (n):
sức khỏe xấu
•
core principle (n):
nguyên tắc cốt lõi
•
wellbeing (n):
sự khỏe mạnh
43
15-05-2021
Task 1: The maps below show the changes in the art gallery ground floor in 2015 and
present day.
Sample:
The floor plans illustrate the differences in the layout of an art gallery ground floor between
2015 and the current layout. Overall, it can be seen that there have been a lot of changes to
the interior design of the ground floor with the replacement of Exhibition room 4 being the most
significant change.
On the left-hand side of the ground floor, there used to be Exhibition Room 4, but it has been
removed to make room for the construction of a new temporary exhibition room and children’s
play area in the bottom-left corner. A gallery, whose original space is now used for a vending
machine, has been relocated to occupy the space of the cafe on the top-left side.
A set of stairs in the middle at the top and three exhibition rooms on the right-hand side of
the plan still remain the same, with a new lift being added next to Exhibition Room 3 on the left.
There was an entrance hall in the center of the floor and a receptionist in front of the set of stairs.
While there has been no change ro the entrance hall, the receptionist has been moved beside the
temporary exhibition room on the right.
Vocab:
interior (n) design (n):
thiết kế nội thất
relocate (v):
được di chuyển qua vị trí khác
make (v) room for:
đề chừa chỗ cho
Task 2: Some people believe that a country will benefit greatly if its students study
abroad. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
44
Studying overseas is believed by some people to be beneficial to the student’s home country.
From my perspective, although there is a potential risk of a brain drain, students who study
overseas make great financial and intellectual contributions to their countries and therefore I
completely agree with the idea.
The main concern over studying abroad is the fact that some international students might not
consider returning to their countries upon finishing their courses. Opponents of the idea argue
that the loss of human capital as a result of students leaving permanently might negatively affect a
country’s overall development. However, the argument fails to take into account the fact that
positive intellectual exchange might give rise to brain circulation, the situation in which
the flow of skilled labour circulates among nations, and thus students are able to make positive
impacts on all of the nations they are involved in.
Furthermore, students upon return have brought with them the much-needed capital,
innovative ideas and economic contributions to their countries. This is particularly the case for
developing ones. For example, every year ‘Haigui’, the term coined to refer to successful Chinese
students returning to Mainland China, have sent home a huge sum of remittances to support their
families. In addition, labourers graduating from overseas have profoundly changed the
economic facets of the country by becoming the assets of big corporations. Many of them also
establish their own successful startups in the technology sector using the advanced training in this
field, which is more common in developed countries.
In conclusion, it is my firm conviction that studying abroad is a welcomed force for
good, especially for developing countries. It is not an overstatement to say that overseas students,
with the profound contributions they have brought home, are instrumental in the wellrounded development of a country.
Vocab
brain drain (n):
chảy máu chất xám
opponent (n):
người phản đối
human capital (n):
nguồn vốn nhân lực (kiến thức, tay nghề)
take into account (verb phrase): tính đến
give rise to (verb phrase):
dẫn đến
brain circulation (n):
sự lưu thông chất xám
flow (n):
dòng chảy
circulate (v):
lưu thông
much-needed (adj):
rất cần thiết
remittance (n):
tiền (thường dùng để chỉ tiền gửi về từ nước ngoài)
facet (n):
khía cạnh
asset (n):
thành phần quan trọng
force for good (n)
sự thay đổi tích cực
instrumental (adj) in:
đóng vai trò thiết yếu
well-rounded (adj):
toàn diện
45
22-05-2021
Task 1: The first graph shows the number of train passengers from 2000 to 2009; the
second compares the percentage of trains running on time and target in the period.
Sample:
The upper graph illustrates the changes in the number of passengers travelling by train in an
unspecified geographical location, and the lower graph shows the proportion of trains running on
time in a 10-year period from 2000 to 2009 compared to the fixed target of 95%.
Overall, the number of travellers using trains showed an unsteady upward trend. The
rate of trains running on time was also erratic, meeting or exceeding the target from 2002 to
2005, and again from 2008 to 2009.
In the first four years, the number of train travellers rose from around 37 million to its
first peak of about 37 million in 2002, before dropping to just below its starting number in 2003.
Also in that period, the rate of on-time trains went from an inadequate 92% to a sufficient 95.5%.
During the next three years, train passengers rose sharply and hit the most significant peak of around
46
47 million in 2005; thereafter the figure started declining by approximately four million. In terms
of running time efficiency,the rate was 96% in 2004,but later fell drastically to 92% in 2006.
In the last three years, the number of passengers stabilized at around 43 million while the
proportion of on-time trains improved gradually and eventually plateaued at 97%.
Vocab
•
show an upward trend:
cho thấy xu hướng tăng
•
unsteady (adj):
không đều đặn
•
erratic (adj):
không đều, khó đoán
•
to meet the target (expression):
đạt chỉ tiêu
•
to exceed (v):
vượt
•
peak (n):
đỉnh
•
inadequate (adj):
không đủ, không đạt yêu cầu
•
sufficient (adj):
đủ
•
thereafter (adv):
sau đó
•
approximately (adv):
khoản
•
to plateau (v):
giữ nguyên mức.
Task 2: Restoration of old buildings in main cities involves enormous government
expenditure. It would be more beneficial to spend this money to build new houses and
roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give reasons for your answer and
include examples from your own experience.
Sample:
Restoring and maintaining dated buildings in major cities often takes
considerable governmental funding. Some people oppose this and favour using tax money to
construct more houses and road infrastructure. I generally agree with this idea because a society
ought to provide its citizens with the basic need of housing, yet in cases of historic and iconic
buildings, exceptions should be granted.
In big cities, tax money should be allocated to provide adequate housing and construct more
roads to accommodate the increasing population. More and more people from economically
deprived regions have been migrating to metropolitan areas in search of work. This has caused the
population density in certain cities to rise remarkably, bringing in its wake negative outcomes
such as traffic congestion and crowded living quarters. Using tax money to build more houses,
therefore, provides people with affordable shelters that low-income people could purchase. In
addition, constructing more roads means smoother traffic which enables the economy to grow
effectively.
On the other hand, there are buildings that are worth restoring because of their historical
or symbolic significance. These buildings are the source of inspiration for arts and sometimes
income for the local people, and they are of great interest to historians, archaeologists and
architects for their academic values. Structures within the Imperial City of Hue are the prime
example of such buildings. The Imperial City of Hue has been the subject of countless works of arts
and literature, and as a tourist attraction, it has also been beneficial to the local business.
Academically, it offers a glimpse into how life was in ancient Vietnam.
47
In conclusion, I agree that constructing more houses and roads is important and should
generally be prioritized over maintaining old buildings with the exception of historically significant
constructions. I believe this should be the approach for most cities.
Vocab
•
governmental funding (noun phrase): tài trợ từ chính phủ
•
infrastructure (n):
cơ sở hạ tầng
•
housing (n):
nơi ở (nhà và chung cư)
•
adequate (adj):
đầy đủ
•
economically deprived (adj phrase):
thiếu thốn kinh tế
•
bringing in its wake:
mang theo bên nó
•
living quarter (noun phrase):
phòng ở
•
affordable (adj):
hợp lý, phải chăng (về giá cả)
•
symbolic (adj):
có tính biểu tượng
•
significance (n):
sự quan trọng
•
be of interest (expression):
đáng chú ý/quan tâm
•
the Imperial City of Hue:
Kinh thành Huế
•
glimpse (n):
một cái nhìn
•
be prioritized over (expression):
được ưu tiên hơn.
48
29-05-2021
Task 1: The graphs below show the percentage of men and women aged 60-64 who
were employed in four countries in 1970 and 2000. Summarise the information by
selecting and reporting the main features make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The bar charts illustrate the proportion of men and women of four countries between the age
of 60 and 64 who participated in the workforce in 1970 and 2000.
Overall, there were fewer working people aged 60 to 64 in 2000 compared to 1970. It is
also clear that the rates of men were always higher than those of women across the four given
countries.
In 1970, it is evident that the percentages of working males and females aged between 60 and
64 in the USA was the highest, at 86% and 76% respectively. This was closely followed
by Indonesia (84% for men and 65% for women), and Belgium (79% for men and 63% for women).
49
Japanese working people who fell into the 60-to-64 bracket ranked last, at 76% men and 56%
women.
In 2000, Belgium experienced drastic drops in the figures for both genders and became the
countries with the lowest proportion for men (52%) and women (8%), with the
widest discrepancy of 44%. Men in the USA, Japan and Indonesia all reduced to 78%, 63% and
74%, respectively; for women, the percentages varied between 45% and 50%.
Vocab
•
to participate in the workforce:
tham gia vào lực lượng lao động
•
compared to:
so với
•
be followed by:
được theo sau bởi
•
closely (adv):
một cách sát sao
•
fell into (expression):
rơi vào
•
bracket (n):
trị lớn và bé.
một nhóm/khoảng được định nghĩa dựa vào giá
•
figure (n):
con số (khi nói về thống kê)
•
discrepancy (n):
sự chênh lệch
•
respectively (adv):
một cách lần lượt
Task 2: The use of mobile phones should be banned in public places like libraries and
shops. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
Some people applaud the prohibition of mobile phones in public spaces considering the
possible disturbances resulting from notifications and bright screens. However, I believe mobile
phones should be allowed in order to enable convenience for individuals at public facilities.
On the one hand, other members of the public at places such as libraries, shops and public
transport might find sounds and the light from phones annoying. For instance, readers at a library
can be distracted by disrespectful phone users who switch on the ringtone of incoming calls or
through notification noises, preventing them from devoting their full time to research and reading.
A related and common instance would be that a traveler’s short nap on a bus or night train might
be interrupted by the bright lights emanating from smartphone screens.
On the other hand, I believe that handheld devices can greatly improve user experience. For
example, a bus journey is less tiring when the rider can enjoy some relaxing music to relieve stress
on his phone by using his earphones, avoiding the noise of traffic and immersing himself in the healing
sounds of nature. Another great example is the use of shopping applications such as VinID, an
application recently developed by the Vietnamese retail giant Vinmart+. Thise app enables shoppers
to not only precisely locate their desired items in vast supermalls but also to use self-service
checkout without needing to wait in seemingly endless queues during peak shopping hours.
In conclusion, although the use of phones might be a distraction in public spaces, I am of the
opinion that the total experience of users in public places is more important. Therefore, service
operators should invest more in researching user behavior to develop more useful apps.
Vocab
sự cấm sử dụng thiết bị điện thoại
prohibition of mobile phones
50
to be disruptive and irritating at times
đôi khi gây phiền phức hoặc khó chịu
emanate
phát ra
seemingly endless queues
đoàn người xếp hàng dường như vô tận
sweeping reform
sự cải cách mạnh mẽ, nhanh chóng
curb social anxiety
làm giảm ám ảnh xã hội
indispensable gadgets
các thiết bị không thể thay thế
an array of features
một loạt các tính năng
a purely theoretical idea
một ý tưởng hoàn toàn mang tính lý thuyết
non-scholarly purposes
các mục đích không liên quan tới giáo dục
communal confined areas
các khu vực công cộng chật hẹp
51
05-06-2021
Task 1: Pie chart
Task 2: Some people think that governments should ban dangerous sports, while others
think people should have the freedom to do any sports or activity. Discuss both views
and give your own opinion.
Extreme sports such as rock climbing or cave diving have gained an increasing popularity in
recent years. Despite legitimate potential benefits they might offer, I am completely for a ban
of these sports considering historic damages to both players and state budget.
The main disadvantage for participants is that it puts their health at risk. Although protective
equipment and training courses have improved in recent years to support extreme athletes, a high
number of cases of severe injuries and deaths are reported every year relative to other sports.
According to a report by the Joint Hamalyan Committee, there have been about a hundred climbers
and eight thousand others who have lost their lives on Mount Everest and at base camps respectively
over the last 10 years, and thousands of other risk-takers have lost extremities such as fingers and
toes due to extreme cold and shortage of food supplies during snowstorms.
At a social level, national governments must bear the financial burden of large-scale rescues.
Clear evidence of this comes from the costly operation to save twelve members of a junior Thai
football team who were trapped in an underground cave in 2016 while participating in a cave diving
competition. During the operation, the Thai government had to seek the assistance of not only Thai
professional scuba divers but also deep sea diving experts from France and Australia who were
equipped with cutting-edge rescue technology. Though the team was successfully rescued, it cost
the Thai government up to three million dollars to cover the expenses of such renowned
personnel and expensive equipment. This cost could have been saved and spent on building schools
or hospitals if dangerous cave diving had been previously banned in the country.
In conclusion, due to the detrimental effects on the athletes and governments that extreme
sports can cause, a complete ban of these games should be introduced. In my opinion, governments
should immediately close all such sites and prohibit all adventure game organisers from
operations.
Vocab
extreme sports/action sports
thể thao mạo hiểm
legitimate potential benefits
lợi ích tiềm năng và hợp pháp
extremities
tay chân/tứ chi
shortage of supply
sự thiếu hụt nguồn thức ăn
large-scale rescue
cuộc giải cứu quy mô lớn
renowned personnel
nhân sự/nhân lực có danh tiếng
prohibition
cấm (theo luật pháp)
adventure games
trò chơi mạo hiểm
52
high fatality rate
tỷ lệ tử vong cao
exhilarating experience
trải nghiệm phấn khởi, hồi hộp
have the right/liberty/freedom to do sth
có quyền/quyền tự do làm điều gì đó
53
12-06-2021
Task 1: The pictures below show the process of making clothes from recycled plastic
bottles. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features and
make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The given picture illustrates the process of manufacturing clothes using recycled plastic bottles.
Overall, the production of clothes from recycled materials involves plastic
bottles undergoing various stages in which they are collected, sanitized, and physically altered.
The process begins with plastic bottles being collected and transported by trucks to factories
where they are sorted and then cut into small plastic pieces in a specialized funnelshaped shredding machine. Next, these particles are passed through an apparatus to be washed,
after which they are placed in a container and sun-dried for 10 hours. In the next step, they are
transferred to a cylindrical boiler to be melted down.
54
Subsequently, the melted substance is strained and made into yarn. In
the penultimate stage, the yarn is weaved into the desired fabric that is suitable for making clothes
and rolled up into separated units. The process ends when the recycled fabric is manufactured into
clothes.
Vocab
•
undergo (v)
trải qua quá trình nào đó
•
sanitize (v):
tiệt trùng, làm sạch
•
alter (v):
biến đổi, thay đổi
•
funnel-shaped (adj):
hình phễu
•
shredding machine hoặc shredder (n): máy cắt, máy hủy
•
sun-dry (v):
phơi nắng
•
cylindrical (adj):
hình trụ
•
subsequently (adv): tiếp theo, sau đó
•
penultimate (adj):
áp cuối
Task 2: Some people think the newly built houses should be the same as the old
houses in local areas. Others argue that local authorities should allow people to build
houses in their own styles. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Sample:
It is sometimes argued that there should be a policy regulating housing styles in certain
neighborhoods to promote traditional culture. However, I am strongly against that policy proposal
as it is a direct violation of an individual’s right to autonomy over private property.
On the one hand, in some areas, uniformity in architecture might better represent and
preserve local culture. For example, all houses in the ancient Vietnamese city of Hoi An, regardless
of personal preference, are required to follow an architectural style that adheres to its history as a
major commercial port in Vietnam. Every so-called “tube house” in the town is constructed with a
Chinese tiled roof, Japanese support joists, French louvered shutters and lampposts which
are blended harmoniously with indeginous Vietnamese features such as four-square windows.
These architectural characteristics cement Hoi An’s cultural identity, which has greatly contributed
to its fame as a destination for both international and domestic tourists in recent years.
On the other hand, I believe any law that governs individual housing styles would be injurious
against the rights of ownership. For instance, the Vietnamese constitution allows property
owners to possess exclusive rights and control over their property, guaranteeing that one is
entitled to decide on both the interior and exterior designs of his house, in accordance with their
personal preferences. Consequently, attempting to overrule this legislation would justly provoke
public’s objections and protest. That is why hundreds of citizens residing in the Hanoi Old
Quarter protested in 2009 to repeal a decree that prohibited all modern housing styles in the area,
despite the fact that the locals desperately needed greater space to accommodate larger family sizes
and a personal desire for more modern housing.
In conclusion, although administrative regulations on housing style might help preserve
local architectural culture, I would opine that it violates one of the most fundamental
proprietary rights of individuals. In my opinion, governments should instead encourage
creativity and innovation in housing design to embrace new trends that better reflect contemporary
society.
Vocab:
55
a direct violation of sth
một sự xâm phạm/vi phạm trực tiếp tới
điều gì đó
an individual’s right to autonomy over
private property
quyền tự trị tài sản cá nhân
uniformity in architecture
sự đồng nhất trong kiến trúc
blend harmoniously
pha trộn một cách hài hòa
the Vietnamese Constitution
hiến pháp của nhà nước Việt Nam
exclusive right and control
độc quyền kiểm soát
is entitled to do sth
được phép/được quyền làm gì đó
provoke public objection
kích động sự phản đối của công chúng
administrative regulations
quy định điều hành/quản lý
fundamental proprietary right
quyền sở hữu cơ bản
enhance a sense of community
cải thiện tính cộng đồng
reflects the wealth and social status of its
owner
thể hiện sự giàu có và địa vị xã hội của
người sở hữu
56
17-06-2021
Task 1: Line
Task 2: While people in developing countries are happier than in the past, people in
developed countries are less happy. Why? What can be learned from this?
Sample:
Despite current progress in economic and social development, citizens in developed nations
are reportedly less happy than in the past. In contrast, their counterparts in less developed ones
seem to enjoy a rise in happiness. There are various reasons for this phenomenon, from which
numerous lessons can be drawn.
The reasons why happiness is surging in impoverished nations can be put down to
multiple factors among which the development in the economy should be at the forefront.
Admittedly,
in
recent
years,
many
developing
countries
have boosted their
national economy considerably by dint of the industrial revolution and many technological
advances. This has resulted in residents affording better accommodation, enjoying better
healthcare, accumulating extra money for recreational purposes such as overseas vacations, and
at the same time, their children receiving a higher quality education. These once considered elements
of a high living standard are now commonplace, hence an overall rise in the sense of
fulfillment with delight. In contrast, due to rapid industrialization, many well-off
countries nowadays have to face various environmental problems such as climate change, air,
water, soil, and noise pollution, and social issues like increasing crime rates. This explains why
residents in wealthy countries are no longer satisfied although they are materially affluent.
Drawing from the contentment of people in emerging nations, we can deduce two valuable
lessons regarding happiness. Firstly, financial sufficiency is crucial when it comes to happiness.
Without money, many people will have to live in poverty and work excessively hard to earn a
living, not to mention taking care of their families. As a consequence, people are generally put under
constant pressure, thus cannot live as happily as those who are financially stable. Therefore,
governments should support their citizens by providing more job opportunities and granting larger
subsidies in hard times such as global pandemics or economic crises to maintain their lives at a basic
level. Nonetheless, along with economic development, other aspects of life should also be given
close attention to ensure sustainability, such as the environment and societal well-being. Falling
that, in the future, developing countries will face the problems which developed nations are dealing
with.
All things considered, I believe economic growth is improving life in developing countries,
while at the same time affecting developed nations. Therefore, a lesson to be drawn from this issue
is that the development of the economy should be emphasized while not ignoring environmental
protection and societal improvement.
Vocab
•
surge (v)(= increase):
tăng
•
impoverished (adj)(= poor):
kém phát triển, nghèo khó
•
boost the economy:
phát triển nền kinh tế
•
by dint of:
nhờ vào
•
industrial revolution:
cách mạng công nghiệp
•
technological advances:
sự phát triển về công nghệ
•
accommodation:
nhà ở, nơi cư trú
57
•
recreational purposes:
những mục đích mang tính giải trí
•
commonplace:
điều bình thường
•
sense of fulfillment:
cảm nhận về sự đủ đầy, hoàn thành
•
well-off (= wealthy):
giàu có
•
materially affluent:
giàu có về vật chất
•
emerging nations:
những quốc gia đang nổi lên (= developing countries)
•
poverty:
sự nghèo khó
•
financially stable:
ổn định về tài chính
•
Falling that,…:
đó, thì…
Nếu không thành công,… / Nếu không đạt được điều
•
All things considered:
Tựu chung lại
58
19-06-2021
Task 1: The table below shows daily oil production in 4 countries from 2000 to 2004.
Sample:
The table compares the number of barrels of oil produced in a single day in four African
countries, namely Nigeria, Chad, Congo, and Somalia between 2000 and 2004.
As can be seen, all countries witnessed an upward trend in their daily oil output, except for
Congo. Noticeably, despite seeing the most rapid growth rate over 5 years, Chad remained one of
the two smallest producers.
To begin with, there was a switch in ranks between Nigeria and Congo whose daily oil
volume far outnumbered the other countries’. In 2000, Congo led in production, at 275,000
barrels whereas Nigeria only made 205,000 barrels per day. However, in 2004,
Nigeria overtook Congo to rank first with 213,000 barrels being produced in a single day, 10,000
barrels more than the figure for Congo.
However, the daily oil production in the other two countries was insignificant. Specifically,
5000 barrels was the figure for Somalia in 2000, which then saw a steady rise until 2004 when it
grew more than two-fold to reach 50,000 barrels per day. As for Chad, not until 2003 did this
country record its very first 8000 barrels of crude oil produced on a daily basis and this
amount surged to finish at an equal level of production to Somalia’s in the last year.
Vocab:
•
oil output (noun):
sản lượng dầu
•
a switch in ranks (noun):
sự thay đổi về vị thế
•
oil volume (noun):
sản lượng dầu
•
outnumber (verb):
cao hơn về mặt giá trị, lượng, số lượng.
•
to lead in production (verb): dẫn đầu về sản xuất
•
overtake (verb):
vượt qua về mặt giá trị và chiếm lấy vị trí của ai/ cái gì.
•
record (verb):
ghi nhận
•
surge (verb):
tăng vọt
•
level of production (noun):
mức độ sản xuất/ sản lượng.
Task 2: Some people believe that sport has an important role in society. Others,
however, think that it is nothing more than a leisure activity for some people. Discuss
both views and give your opinion.
Sample:
With athletes attaining celebrity status in recent years, the sport industry is almost
always in the spotlight, attracting attention to its merit. While some attach social importance
59
to sport, others think it only serves leisure purposes. The various opinions surrounding the values
of sport shall be closely examined within the scope of this essay.
It is understandable why some view sport as nothing but a pastime. As for casual players,
while they are probably fond of sports, some may lack certain physical characteristics or gifts to
play professionally. In fact, most people do not possess advantageous attributes such as towering
height or long limbs, or display innate talents in terms of speed or flexibility. Thus, they are unlikely
to pursue an athletic career, hence the emphasis on the recreational aspect of sport. It is also
important to acknowledge the increasing focus on entertainment in sport. A notable example is
professional wrestling where most matches are scripted in order to amuse spectators.
Beyond entertainment, sport can play a pivotal role in society with regard to health and other
important values. Obviously, doing sports has a positive impact on both people’s physical and mental
well-being. Regular sports participation is widely known to strengthen bones, improve mobility,
prevent cardiovascular disease and so on. Taking up sports also helps reduce stress and anxiety,
leading to an improved state of mind. Furthermore, sport promotes psychological and
humanitarian values conducive to the development of society. Thanks to sport, the dedication and
resilience of sportsmen, especially those who are differently abled, can inspire countless people.
Additionally, the Olympic Games, the FIFA World Cup and many regional competitions provide
opportunities to establish peace and cross-border cooperation. For example, in 2008, the
President of Armenia invited his Turkish counterpart to watch the World Cup qualifying match
between the two countries, which in turn aided reconciliation efforts.
In conclusion, I believe that sport has much more to offer than just relaxation. The
aforementioned health benefits and potential contribution to the betterment of society support this
claim.
Vocab
•
attain celebrity status:
trở thành người nổi tiếng
•
be in the spotlight:
là tâm điểm của sự chú ý
•
attach importance to something:
chú trọng điều gì đó
•
serve a purpose:
phục vụ mục đích
•
nothing but = only:
chỉ là, chỉ có
•
pastime (n):
hoạt động giải trí lúc rảnh
•
characteristic (n):
đặc điểm
•
attribute (n):
phẩm chất, đặc điểm
•
gift (n) = talent (n):
tài năng
•
innate (adj):
bẩm sinh, thiên phú
•
mobility (n):
tính di động
•
a state of mind:
trạng thái tâm trí
•
promote (v):
thúc đẩy
•
be conducive to something:
có lợi cho điều gì đó
•
differently abled (adj):
khuyết tật
•
cross-border cooperation:
hợp tác xuyên biên giới
•
reconciliation (n):
sự hòa giải
60
01-07-2021
Task 1: The table shows information about department stores and online stores in
Australia in 2011. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main
features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The table compares the statistics of Australian department stores and online stores in 2011.
Six indicators were mentioned in the table, namely the number of businesses, profit, sales revenue
and growth rates.
The initial impression from the table is that the number of online stores dominated their
department counterparts and had a slight edge in profit, sales revenue and growth.
The number of online stores was almost sixfold higher than that of department stores. In
terms of revenue, 67 physical stores generated 12 700 million AUD compared to 13 400 million
AUD of 368 online stores.
A similar pattern is evident in terms of sales revenue. Online retailing claimed 863 million
AUD in profit, which was 46 million more than traditional retailing. It is also shown that online
business growth rate was at 0.6%, which was higher than that for department stores by a 0.2%
margin.
Vocab
•
to dominate (v):
vượt trội, chiếm ưu thế
•
to have a slight edge (expression, verb): có chút lợi thế
•
sixfold (adj):
gấp sáu.
Công thức: n-fold (n = two, three, four,…)
•
to generate (v):
làm ra, tạo ra
•
A similar pattern is evident in (expression): Xu thế tương tự có thể thấy ở …
Task 2: It is a natural process for animal species to become extinct (e.g. dinosaur,
dodo…) There is no reason why people should try to prevent this from happening. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
61
Some people opine that extinction is a part of nature and preventing it from happening is futile.
I partly disagree with this notion because there is a distinction between natural and humaninduced extinction, and the latter may prove to be catastrophic to both humans and animals.
On the one hand, it is neither useful nor financially possible to try to save every species on
planet Earth. The natural environments and habitats have been changing for billions of years.
Throughout this timeframe, animal species have adapted to the changes or evolved into new
species in order to survive. While one day it may be technologically feasible to preserve all animals
in artificial environments, it will surely cost a prohibitive amount of tax money for research
and implementation. Furthermore, the objective of such projects is questionable as they only
provide insights that only the elite scientists have the ability to grasp, and it does not address what
I believe is the main cause of mass extinction: human activities.
On the other hand, I argue that we must be conscious that a wave of humaninfluenced mass extinction can also negatively affect our survival and that we have to make efforts
to save the important animals. Human activities have led to global climate change, deforestation,
severe pollution, and overhunting that consequently put a plethora of animals on the brink of
extinction, including the keystone species. This could inflict irreparable damage to our
societies in its wake. Take sharks that prey on seals for example, their population has been on the
decline, owing to overfishing. With the limited presence of their predators, the seal population has
multiplied and they have started to consume other fish that humans use as food at
an unprecedented rate. If rules and regulation or education are not established to stop fishermen
from driving sharks out of existence, we could expect a shortage of fish as a protein source in the
near future.
In conclusion, I think that it is prudent for our society to ensure the survival of particular
species. However, this must be done strategically as not to waste further resources.
Vocab:
•
human-induced:
có sự ảnh hưởng của người
•
habitat (n):
sinh cảnh, môi trường sống
•
to adapt (v):
thích nghi
•
feasible (adj):
khả thi
•
prohibitive amount of (expression) + noun: một số lượng lớn đến nổi không thực
hiện được mục đích.
•
implementation (n):
việc thi hành
•
to grasp (v):
(nghĩa bóng) hiểu. Đồng nghĩa: to understand.
•
human-influence (adj):
có sự ảnh hưởng của con người
•
on the brink of extinction (expression): bên bờ tuyệt chủng
•
keystone species (expression, noun): loài chủ chốt
•
irreparable (adj):
không chữa lành được, không bù đắp được
•
unprecedented (adj):
chưa có tiền lệ
62
10-07-2021
Task 1: The graph below shows the percentage of people going to cinemas in one
European country on different days. Summarize the information by selecting and
reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Sample:
The chart illustrates the proportion of people who visited a cinema on different days of the
week, in a European country, in three separate years (2003, 2005 and 2007).
It can be seen that there were not considerable changes in people’s preference on which day
to go to the cinema over the period. People in this country tended to go to the cinema on weekends
rather than on working days.
In 2003, 40% of people from this country went to the movies on a Saturday, compared to the
30% who chose Friday or Sunday. On the other days, the proportion of movie-goers was higher on
Tuesday, at 20%, while the lowest figure can be seen on Mondays, at only 10%.
Over the next four years, the percentage of people going to the cinema on weekends
increased slightly, by about 5%, to 45% for Saturday and 35% for Sunday. Similarly, Thursday and
Monday became more popular among cinema-goers, with about 2% more people choosing these
days. However, fewer people went to see movies on Tuesday and Wednesday, with the figures
falling to 19% and 9% respectively. Finally, there was stability, at 30%, in the proportion of moviegoers choosing to go to the cinema on a Friday.
Task 2: In the past, people stored knowledge in books. Nowadays, people store
knowledge on the Internet. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the
disadvantages?
Sample:
These days, books have been superseded by the Internet when it comes to knowledge
storage. In my opinion, the drawbacks of this trend are greater than its benefits.
63
On the one hand, storing knowledge on the Internet is greatly beneficial. To begin with, the
Internet allows people to access knowledge from an immense number of sources. With the help
of search engines like Google or Firefox, internet users can explore content on various topics
with a couple of mouse clicks. Therefore, they can get access to information immediately
anywhere, which is cheaper, much more convenient and time-saving compared to looking for the
same amount of knowledge from printed books. In addition, knowledge on the Internet is stored
in different formats, which helps learners absorb the information more effectively. Unlike
books, which present information in the form of texts or images only, the Internet provides learners
with knowledge in both texts and digital forms like audio or videos. Auditory learners, for
example, would find learning via podcasts, which are common on many websites, more useful than
reading books.
On the other hand, I believe that storing knowledge on the Internet brings about more
significant disadvantages. First, the reliability of information on the web is not guaranteed. Since
anything can be posted on the Internet without verification, there are many unreliable sources
which deliver inaccurate knowledge, making it hard for an average user to differentiate
between true and false information. Moreover, digital piracy is another problem when it
comes to online knowledge storage. The Internet has paved the way for the boom
in copyright infringements in the last decade. Tons of websites are distributing pirated, free
electronic books to increase their web traffic, which can help them earn money from running
online advertisements. Such illegal distribution is difficult to control and causes the publishing
industry to lose millions of dollars every year.
In conclusion, I believe that the advantages of storing knowledge online are outweighed by
its drawbacks.
Vocab:
Supersede (v):
thay thế
Access knowledge:
truy cập kiến thức
Search engine (np):
bộ máy/công cụ tìm kiếm
A couple of mouse clicks:
vài cú nhấp chuột
Stored in different formats:
được lưu trữ ở nhiều dạng khác nhau
Absorb the information:
hấp thụ thông tin
Digital form (np):
hình thức điện tử, kĩ thuật số
Reliability (n):
độ tin cậy
Verification (n):
sự kiểm duyệt
Deliver inaccurate knowledge:
truyền tải kiến thức không chính xác
Differentiate between A and B:
phân biệt giữa A và B
Piracy (n):
nạn ăn cắp sản phẩm, phát hành sản phẩm lậu
Online knowledge storage:
việc lưu trữ kiến thức trực tuyến
Pave the way for something:
mở đường cho cái gì đó
Copyright infringement (np):
việc vi phạm bản quyền
Distribute pirated, free electronic books:
Web traffic:
phát hành sách lậu điện tử miễn phí
lượng truy cập trang web
64
17-07-2021
Task 1: The graph shows information about the number of people in Australia who use
Chinese, Arabic, Italian and Greek as their first language.
Sample:
The line graph illustrates information about four groups of speakers who use languages other
than English as their mother tongue from 1986 to 2011.
Overall, the number of native speakers of Chinese and Arabic experienced steady rises,
with the figure for the former seeing the fastest growth. In addition, the number of Italian and Greek
speakers saw slight but steady declines.
Both Chinese and Arabic speakers increased in numbers. Specifically, the former rose from
just over 100,000 in 1986 to about 350,000 in 2011, whilst the latter also saw an
increase, albeit less pronounced, from 50,000 in 1986 to 150,000 in 2011.
Speakers of the two European languages, in the meantime, underwent opposite patterns. The
figure for people who spoke Greek as their mother tongue fell gradually from around 225,000 in
1986 to approximately 175,000 in 2011. Similarly, Italian speakers also underwent a decrease of
about 40,000 from 150,000, making Italian the least spoken language of the four after 2001.
Vocab:
•
experience steady rises:
có sự tăng trưởng ổn định.
•
Steady:
ổn định
•
see an increase:
có xu hướng tăng
•
undergo a decrease:
trải qua một đợt suy giảm
65
•
albeit (adv):
mặc dù
•
pronounced (adj):
rõ ràng, đáng chú ý.
Task 2: Large companies use sport events to promote their products. Some people
think this has a negative impact on sports. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
The discourse regarding the impact of product advertising in sporting events has
generated controversy in recent years. Some argue that corporations exert a positive influence on
sports since they promote products that can encourage participation in sports. In my estimation, I
do not agree with this sentiment since corporations promote products that enable a sedentary
lifestyle.
Admittedly, corporations can use these events to promote products that will encourage active
lifestyles. To cite an example, during the 2014 World Cup, Adidas released the official tournament
ball named ‘Brazuca’ and heavily promoted it on their social media accounts including Twitter and
Instagram. The company made a concerted marketing effort to advertise the ball’s
design, aerodynamics and production process. The marketing push behind ‘Brazuca’ during the
2014 World Cup actively encouraged viewers to buy the ball and it sold out in Adidas stores
worldwide. This encouraged and continues to exert an influence on the exercise habits of millions
around the world. This instance clearly illustrates the positive influence corporations can exert when
promoting their products during sports events.
However, corporations have more often been known to promote products during sports that
precipitate passive lifestyles. For instance, McDonald’s was the official restaurant of the 2012
Olympics in London. During the event, they released an exclusively branded menu that included
burgers, fries and milkshakes. According to a spokesman for the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges,
the menu was recklessly unhealthy as the average calorie count for each item was over 900. When
combined together to make a meal, the calorie count reached upwards to 3600, which is nearly
twice the recommended intake for the average adult. Essentially, McDonald’s was promoting obesity
in countries such as England where such a lifestyle is becoming more prevalent and represents a
present danger to public health.
In conclusion, while there have been instances of corporations having a positive influence on
sports through the promotion of their products, the evidence to the contrary is more substantial.
In the future, sporting event organizers should be more discriminatory in choosing sponsors,
preferring preferably those with products that spread a meaningful message.
Vocab:
Discourse
Cuộc thảo luận mang tính
Controversy
Cuộc tranh cãi (một vấn đề nào đó)
Sentiment
Quan điểm
Sedentary lifestyle
Lối sống ít vận động
Concerted effort
Sự nỗ lực chung
Aerodynamics
Khí động học
66
Passive lifestyle
Lối sống không vững vàng dễ bị kiểm soát
Substantial
Đáng kể
Spectator
Khán giả
Accumulate
Tích lũy
Obtrusive
Gây khó chịu
City billboard
Bảng quảng cáo của thành phố
Amateur circuit
Giải đấu cho các tuyển thủ nghiệp dư
Football jersey
Áo của đội tuyển bóng đá
67
24-07-2021
Task 1: Table
Task 2: In many countries, the number of animals and plants is declining. Why do you
think is it happening? How to solve this issue?
Sample:
There is widespread concern over recent declines in global biodiversity. In my opinion, the
clearest causes relate to human overpopulation and the solutions are for governments to prioritize
conservation reforms.
The primary catalyst for these declining numbers is the growth of human population figures. The
global population increases yearly and this has a number of ramifications for the natural environment.
Most directly, residents require homes and that necessitates intrusions, as evidenced by the
uncontrollable urban sprawl around major metropolitan areas. This means plants and animals lose
their natural habitats. A more significant consequence concerns industry. In order to provide food
and various products and services for a large human population, corporations have razed entire forests,
drilled for oil in pristine natural environments, and greatly exploited the natural world at the expense
of wildlife.
This problem can only be effectively tackled by governments. Governments must establish clear
regulations concerning the habitats of various plant and animal life. A good example of this would be the
numerous national parks established in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century. At that
time, industry was threatening to corrupt the majority of usable land and so the government and
visionary reformists acted decisively out of a spirit of conservation. Other countries that take similar
steps will also be able to curb the relentless, and often thoughtless, progress of humanity.
In conclusion, plant and animal life is at risk due to growing human populations and governments can best
mitigate this threat. Individuals should also play a small role by reducing their consumption.
Vocab:
widespread concern
lots of worry
recent declines
happened in the last few years decreases
global biodiversity
around the world different types of animals, plants
clearest causes
most direct source
relate to
concern
overpopulation
too many people
prioritize conservation reforms
focus on protecting the environment
primary catalyst
main cause
declining numbers
decreasing figures
growth
rise
population figures
number of people
yearly
each year, annually
a number of ramifications
many results
most directly
clearest source
residents require homes
people need places to live
68
necessitates intrusions
requires cuts into
evidenced by
shown by
uncontrollable urban sprawl
cities growing into the nearby land
major metropolitan areas
big cities
lose their natural habitats
forests, land being taken over where animals live
razed entire forests
burnt down trees
drilled
going keep into the ground
pristine natural environments
untouched nature
greatly exploited
taken advantage of a lot
at the expense of wildlife
taking away from animals, plants
effectively tackled
good solution
establish clear regulations
enact good laws
corrupt
hurt
majority
most of
visionary reformists
forward-looking individuals
acted decisively
took steps confidently
spirit of conservation
wanting to safeguard
take similar steps
do the same
curb
slow
relentless
unstoppable
thoughtless
without a thought
mitigate
lessen the impact
play a small role
help out a little
reducing
cutting down on
consumption
using stuff
69
31-07-2021
Task 1:
Task 2: Many young people change their jobs and careers. What are the reasons for
this? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
Sample:
In recent years, those just entering the workforce have been alternating between
occupations more frequently. Whether this practice has been beneficial to workers or not has
been a subject of fierce debate. While some believe that changing jobs equips young people with a
more expansive skill set, I contend that it is more likely to impair one’s career due to a
hesitation on the part of companies to hire employees who change jobs constantly.
One major reason behind the rise of this phenomenon is that young people are still seeking
their passions. As many are unclear about their career path, they try out jobs to discover what
they would enjoy pursuing professionally. If they are dissatisfied with a given position, young people
will find another job that better suits them. The other key reason is young people want to be
equipped with a diverse skill set. As different jobs utilize different knowledge bases, young
people often find it advantageous to acquire a wide-ranging variety of professional skills. Therefore,
in the future when a new job is offered to them, youths will be better prepared for the
work entailed in this position.
However, this phenomenon has negative effects on workers as companies are reluctant to
hire for uncertainty. Employers often hold a prejudice against those who frequently alternate
between occupations as they think a person who does so will not be able to contribute to their
company long-term. To cite an example, according to a survey conducted by Forbes in 2011, 70%
of American employers would reject hiring so-called “job hoppers” on the basis that they
want prospective employees to devote themselves to a company in the long run. These
employers have also expressed that if someone cannot promise to remain loyal to their company,
then it would be counterproductive to hire and commit resources to them. Based on this study, it
is justifiable to claim that constantly changing jobs can hinder a person’s career.
In conclusion, young people change jobs to acquire multiple skills and find out what they desire
to do in their careers. However, I contend that the drawbacks are much more substantial since this
might impede one’s career opportunities. Nonetheless, it can be predicted that young people’s
careers will continue to change in their search for true passions.
Vocab:
Alternating between occupations
Nhảy việc
Expansive skill set
Bộ kĩ năng rộng/lớn
Impair sth
Suy yếu một cái gì đó
Career path
Con đường sự nghiệp
Diverse skill set
Bộ kĩ năng đa dạng
Knowledge base
Kiến thức cơ bản
70
Entail
Kéo theo
Prejudice
Định kiến
Job hopper
Người nhảy việc
Prospective employee
Nhân viên tiềm năng
Devote
Cống hiến
Corporate ladder
Bậc/nấc thang nghề nghiệp
Take the plunge
Làm điều gì đó mạo hiểm, liều lĩnh
Welfare
Phúc lợi
71
07-08-2021
Task 1: Maps
Task 2: Some people think children have the freedom to make mistakes, while other
people believe that adults should prevent children from making mistakes. Discuss both
sides and give your opinion.
Sample:
When it comes to parenting, there has been long-standing discourse over whether children
should be allowed to make mistakes. While some would argue that parents should not let their
children make mistakes, I contend that mistakes are vital to fostering in children a greater sense of
responsibility.
Adults should take a preventive approach to their children making mistakes if it is aimed
at expediting the learning process. An adult can comprehensively instruct a child on how to do
a particular task properly, eliminating the need for correction and re-learning. To give an example,
children in China are diligently guided by their teachers in solving math problems
using standardised methods developed by math professors working for the Ministry of
Education. These methods have been proven effective in increasing rates of correct answers,
allowing school teachers to move on to the next lesson more speedily. That at least partly explains
why Chinese schoolchildren can solve some complex math problems by the end of primary school.
However, allowing children to make mistakes is developmentally better as it instills greater
personal responsibility. For instance, when a child fails a test in school since he has not revised his
lessons thoroughly, that child should face the consequences of his failure which might include low
grades and detention. Hence the child learns that he should be better prepared for the next test.
Without their parents interfering to prevent failures from happening, children cannot accept
ownership of the situation and take corrective measures to address it. As a result, they are
likely to become upstanding adults who are accountable for their own behaviours, striving to be
their best to solve their own problems.
In conclusion, although preventing children from making mistakes can be a valid parenting
approach to an extent, I hold firm to my belief that children should be allowed to experience failures
to learn meaningful lessons. Thus, parents should be more relaxed with their children whenever
they make an error to allow them to better learn and grow.
Vocab
Foster
Nuôi dưỡng
Preventive approach
Phương pháp ngăn chặn/phòng tránh
Expedite sth
Đẩy nhanh tiến độ của một việc gì đó
Standardised methods
Phương pháp tiêu chuẩn hóa
Detention
Đình chỉ
Interfere
Can thiệp
72
Accept ownership for sth
Nhận trách nhiệm cho một việc gì đó
Corrective measures
Biện pháp sửa sai/trừng phạt
Upstanding person
Người đáng kính trọng
Cognitive benefit
Lợi ích trong nhận thức
Off-limits
Quá giới hạn
73
14-08-2021
Task 1: Process
Task 2: Nowadays, people spend more and more time away from their family. Why?
What effect will it have on themselves and their family?
Sample:
In the modern life, there are more and more people spending less time with their family. This
essay will examine the major causes and possible influences of this phenomenon.
To begin with, there are several explanations that are worth mentioning about this issue. The
first reason is that due to the fast pace of modern life, people are now living a busier one and
devoting an increasing amount of time to work. It is increasingly common that people tend
to lose the balance between family and clerical work since they usually spend more time at
work and do not come home until late at night. For example, due to the heavy workload many
workers have to work more than 10 hours a day, and sometimes they are required to work during
weekend or overnight to meet the deadline. The rapid development of social media is the second
reason for this trend. That parents and children stay together but hold their own mobile phones or
laptops to communicate with online friends on Facebook instead of talking with each other is easily
seen these days.
This rising issue is having considerable impacts on both individuals themselves and family. First,
it is believed that family is where people can share their feelings and problems, which help them to
release their stress. However, an individual may experience emotional distress if they do not
receive proper support from his/ her immediate family. Second, the bonds between parents and
children may be weakened. For instance, when parents do not spend much time with their children,
their children will lack of appropriate parental care and attention and are likely to follow a
path towards criminal behaviors.
In conclusion, there are two main factors leading to the fact that people hardly make time
for their family and not only individuals but also the family may suffer from this trend in both
physical and emotional ways.
Vocab:
- balance between family and clerical work: Cân bằng giữa gia đình và công việc văn phòng
- Parental care and attention:
sự chăm lo từ bố mẹ
- Immediate family:
gia đình ruột thịt
- Emotional distress:
rối loạn tâm lý
- To follow a path towards criminal behaviors: sa vào con đường của những hành vi tội lỗi
- Hardly make time for one’s family:
hầu như không dành thời gian cho gia đình
- Devote an increasing/a huge amount of time to work: dành phần lớn thời gian cho công
việc
74
21-08-2021
Task 1: Maps
Task 2: Scientific research should be carried out and controlled by government rather
than private companies. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
There has been significant discourse surrounding the proposal for scientific research to be
conducted by governments rather than private entities. While some would argue the opposite on
the grounds that it engenders greater innovation, I contend that governments can conduct better
research as they are less susceptible to corporate influence.
Admittedly, there have been cases where privately funded scientific research has stimulated
innovation. Individuals who conduct research on the behalf of commercial interests are
typically encouraged to think creatively in developing new solutions to pervasive problems. For
instance, SpaceX is a for-profit corporation that is leading its competitors in terms of innovating
space travel. Founded and managed by tech magnate Elon Musk, it has introduced new solutions
to existing problems in space transportation such as reducing production costs on their rockets by
using 3D printing technology and mass production methods. Furthermore, SpaceX
has pioneered the utilization of reusable rockets as half of them have flown more than once with
little to no refurbishment. From this case, it can be understood why some argue commercial entities
should be in charge of conducting scientific research.
However, the case for governments conducting scientific research is stronger. With private
companies conducting such research, they are more predisposed to financial incentives since
they are primarily driven to boost profits. In contrast, governments conduct scientific research often
with the altruistic aim of finding solutions to various societal problems in their respective nations.
To cite an example, a private medical firm in Ghana was tasked with conducting research and
producing 600,000 doses of their own COVID-19 vaccine. However, these doses did not meet
WHO standards after testing as a result of the research process being rushed to maximize profits.
It was only when the Ghanian government intervened to replace the previously made doses with
their own newly certified products that the public finally felt at ease.
In conclusion, although privately sponsored scientific research has an important place thanks
to the competition that drives innovation, I believe that government sponsored research exerts a
more positive impact on society and the public good. In the near future, it can be predicted that the
scientific community will be able to welcome more scientific breakthroughs thanks to the funding of
the state.
Vocab:
Initiative
Đề nghị/sáng kiến
Private entities
Công ty tư nhân
Susceptible
Dễ bị ảnh hưởng (bởi một điều gì đó)
Commercial interests
Lợi ích thương mại
On behalf of
Thay mặt cho (ai đó)
75
Magnate
Tài phiệt, ông trùm
Pioneer
Tiên phong (làm một việc gì đó)
Predisposed to sth
Có khuynh hướng làm một việc gì đó
Skew
Thay đổi/làm méo mó kết quả (dùng khi nói về các nghiên cứu)
Intervene
Can thiệp
Revolutionary leap
Bước nhảy vọt mang tính cách mạng
Hypothesis
Giả thuyết
76
28-08-2021
Task 1: Line chart
Task 2: It is common practice for some students to take a gap year after graduating
high school to work and/or travel. What do you think are the advantages and
disadvantages of this?
Sample:
It is true these days that many high school leavers choose to start their work or take a trip
before going to university. While a gap year can bring some immediate drawbacks, I am convinced
that it is more likely to have long-term benefits for their lives.
On the one hand, young students are very likely to encounter several difficulties when delaying
their university study. One of these problems is the delay in academic progress caused by spending
one year off school. It is understandably almost impossible for young people to enjoy their
experiences in doing a job or travelling to a new place but still arrange a certain amount of time for
revision. As a result, gap-year takers may have to face the challenge of becoming familiar with the
knowledge at school again, receiving more pressure of catching up with their peers. Besides, the life
outside the university campus may prove to be mentally and physically overwhelming for
inexperienced school leavers. They, for instance, may be at risk of being exploited in an exhausting
job or face potential dangers on their trips to a new country. If not well prepared for such possible
obstacles, young high school graduates can suffer from unintended consequences.
On the other hand, I would argue that these disadvantages are outweighed by the positive
effects. A gap year is an ideal opportunity for students to learn about what is not taught at university.
Working with other people who are experts in a particular field can give these newcomers not only
an understanding of the job but also valuable practical lessons to help them become more mature.
When it comes to applying for a position in a company, employers tend to favourably consider
applicants who possess extensive experience in life and the occupation. Furthermore, in terms of
recreation, having a year to relax can be advantageous as students can have a chance to relieve
stress in study. With a comfortable and willing attitude, undergraduates can acquire knowledge more
effectively in comparison with those who go to university right away.
In conclusion, despite some negative aspects, it seems to me that the benefits of a gap year
are more significant for the reasons mentioned.
77
04-09-2021
Task 1: Process
Task 2: Anybody can use a mobile phone to answer the work and personal calls at any
time or 7 days a week. Does this development have more positive or negative effects
on both individuals and society?
Technology has come such a long way nowadays that people can make use of their mobile
phone to answer work or personal calls at any time. Although there are some negative consequences
of this development on individuals and society, I believe that they are outweighed by the positive
effects.
On the individual aspect, the fact that no work calls are missed could greatly enhance one’s
work efficiency. As we are living in the era of globalisation, the international cooperation
between companies is common and necessary. Being able to make calls and discuss with business
partners regardless of time zones is a great advantage. On a larger scale, this can also contribute to
the development of the economy, thus an increase in the living standard. Furthermore, people can
benefit from the fact that their beloved ones are available for a call at any time. One could seek help
from their friends and family whenever they need, which is especially beneficial in case of
emergency. And as the flow of information between people is constant, society will be connected
and move forward.
However, the drawbacks of this development should not be overlooked. Being able to answer
calls all the time means people have less privacy, even in their own home. It also means that workers
have to handle a larger amount of workload and have less quality time for their family. However,
the work-life balance could still be maintained by just a simple act of switching off one’s mobile
phone whenever they leave the office or do not want to be bothered.
In conclusion, despite a few drawbacks, the use of mobile phones for work and personal calls
brings about more benefits to individuals and society.
Vocab
Enhance work efficiency:
gia tăng năng suất lao động
Era of globalization:
thời đại hội nhập hoá
Case of emergency:
trường hợp khẩn cấp
Work-life balance:
sự cân bằng giữa công việc – cuộc sống
78
18-09-2021
Task 1: Maps
Task 2: Some experts believe that when a country is already rich, any additional
increase in economic wealth does not make its citizens any more satisfied. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
79
25-09-2021
Task 1: Table
Task 2: Some people believe that the world should have only one government rather
than a national government. Do you think the benefits of this system outweigh its
disadvantages?
Sample:
With globalization accelerating at a rapid pace, there have been growing calls to have only one
global government on the basis that it would motivate countries to pool resources
together to resolve shared issues. However, I disagree with this notion since such advantages will
be dwarfed by the disadvantages, the biggest of which is the potential abuse of power that could
be exercised by influential nations.
The biggest advantage of forming such a government would be that it could encourage member
countries to contribute collectively to solve common problems. A global government would be able
to act faster in solving issues efficiently since they would have more resources at their disposal.
For example, members of the European Union were asked to cooperate in tackling the
Syrian refugee crisis of the last decade. Using their collective political and material
resources, the European Union was able to house and integrate millions of refugees into its
constituent members’ societies, providing much needed safety for a vulnerable population from
their war-torn homelands.
However, a global government presents the risk of member nations abusing their power
to serve their own interests rather than those of the entire world. For instance, in the United
Nations, the closest approximation of a global government, nations can exercise their right to block
or enact measures that can empower or enrich them or their closest allies, much to the
detriment of the world as a whole. For example, two of the UN Security Council’s chief members
Russia and China have been accused of exercising their veto power to block new security
policies that will challenge their regional power, despite them being genuinely beneficial to the
wider world.
In conclusion, the disadvantages of a global government, chief of which is possible rampant
abuse of power, are far more substantial than its advantages. Moving forward, countries should
retain their national governments, but continue to reach out globally to encourage mutual
cooperation.
Vocab:
Cosmocracy
Chính phủ toàn cầu
Unitary government/authorities
Nhà nước/Chính quyền đơn nhất
Centralized government
Chính quyền tập trung
Motivate countries to pool resources
together
Khuyến khích các nước cùng quyên góp
nguồn lực
Compromise
Thỏa hiệp
Abuse of power
Lạm dụng quyền lực
80
All-powerful entity
Cơ quan toàn quyền
At their disposal
Tùy ý sử dụng
Refugee crisis
Cuộc khủng hoảng tị nạn
Collective political and material
resources
Các nguồn lực chính trị và tài nguyên
chung
War-torn homelands
Quê nhà bị chiến tranh tàn phá
Serve their own interests
Phục vụ cho lợi ích riêng của họ
Much to the detriment of sth
Gây tổn hại nặng nề cho cái gì đó
Exercising their veto power
Thực hiện quyền phủ quyết
Challenge their regional power
Thách thức quyền lực trong khu vực của
họ
81
30-09-2021
Task 1: Pie chart
Task 2: Some people think that newspapers are the best way to learn news. However,
others believe that they can learn news better through other media. Discuss both views
and give your opinion.
Sample:
Opinions diverge widely on the importance of different news sources. While some people
consider reading newspapers to be the most effective way to receive news, I would argue that it is
no longer the best way to get the news thanks to the proliferation of online news sources.
On the one hand, there are good grounds for arguing that newspapers still hold the most
popular position among newsreaders even though we are living in a digital world. Firstly, since
newspapers have existed long before the introduction of the internet, most senior
citizens have developed a habit of reading a newspaper every day, and they do not want to change
this habit. Secondly, newspapers are considered a more reliable source of
information compared to other sources nowadays. This is because newspapers are usually written
by professional journalists, and are thoroughly checked, edited and censored prior to
their publication.
On the other hand, the Internet has become an increasingly dominant news source these
days due to the benefits it offers. The first thing that attracts people to reading news online is its
easy access. With the widespread presence of the Internet, people with portable devices, such as
a smartphone, can access a huge storage of news in just a few clicks. Furthermore, online
news channels have brought a greater reading experience to readers, thanks to the constant
advancement in technology, which has made it possible to upload videos and audio recordings
online. For instance, soccer fans these days can re-watch their favourite matches whenever they
want with only a laptop connected to the Internet, which a mere newspaper cannot do.
In conclusion, although I do agree that printed newspapers are very popular amongst certain
groups of people, I disagree that it is the best way to receive the news as more and more people
are drawn to using the Internet.
The proliferation of online news sources:
sự bùng nổ của nguồn thông tin mạng
A digital world:
thế giới điện tử
Senior citizens:
người già
A more reliable source of information: một nguồn thông tin đáng tin cậy hơn
Professional journalists:
nhà báo chuyên nghiệp
To be thoroughly checked, edited and censored prior to their publication: được kiểm
tra, chỉnh sửa và kiểm duỵêt kỹ lưỡng trước khi xuất bản
An increasingly dominant news source: nguồn đọc tin tức càng ngày càng phát triển
Portable devices:
các loại thiết bị có thể cầm tay, mang đi được
To access a huge storage of news in just a few clicks: truy cập vào lượng lớn thông tin với
chỉ một vài cú clicks
The constant advancement in technology:
sự phát triển liên tục của công nghệ
82
02-10-2021
Task 1: Bar chart
Task 2: Some people say that men are naturally more competitive than women. What
extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
Our current society has seen women make meaningful advancements in both professional
and personal aspects. However, the stereotypical belief that women are naturally less competitive
than men is still held by many people. In my estimation, I disagree with this sentiment since women
are as equally driven as men to succeed and they have biological duties that are merely different to
men.
Firstly, contemporary society has witnessed modern women rapidly progressing in
professional and personal spheres. Females work in almost every business sector as they can excel
equally as well at any job as their male counterparts. Women have risen to the same executive-level
positions as men within the private sector as they are motivated now to do so out of a desire to
be treated and considered as equals. A clear example of this is VietJet CEO Nguyen Thi Phuong
Thao, who thanks to her unflinching will to compete in the male-dominated air travel
industry in Vietnam, now has a net worth of 2.8 billion US dollars, making her the second richest
person in Vietnam and the richest woman in the country.
Secondly, this stereotype only persists because women have inherent biological duties that
are unique to them such as birthing and rearing children that are more subtly competitive. Because
of those household and maternal duties, many women leave their jobs to dedicate enough time
to raising a family. If women are to establish themselves professionally, they have to expend more
effort to have time for their careers. Unlike with men, it is not always possible for women to do
this because their biological responsibilities as wives and mothers are an obstacle for their career
aspirations. However, this obscures the competitive nature of women since they often leave
their jobs to raise families. These inherent biological duties merely put women in a different place
from men and the byproduct is that it conceals their competitive nature.
In conclusion, I do not concur with the assertion that men are naturally more competitive
than women since they have shown to be equally driven as men in being proficient at their
work and their biological traits are the reason for this prejudice. With the way society is currently
progressing, this conservative way of thinking is becoming rapidly outmoded.
Vocab:
Meaningful advancements
Những tiến bộ mang nhiều ý nghĩa
Self-intimidation
Sự thiếu tự tin do tự đánh giá thấp bản thân
Vast gender differences
competitiveness
related
to
Sự khác biệt lớn về khả năng cạnh tranh giữa
các giới tính
Underestimate their chances
Đánh giá thấp khả năng của họ
To excel in sth
Giỏi một lĩnh vực gì đó
Consigned to domestic roles
Được giao phó công việc nội trợ
83
Physical and administrative labour
Công việc chân tay, công việc điều hành
Chief breadwinner
Trụ cột chính trong gia đình
To keep pace with someone/sth
Theo kịp ai đó/cái gì đó
Innate confidence
Tính cách tự tin bẩm sinh
Gender wage gap
Chênh lệch lương giữa các giới tính
Sexism in the workplace
Phân biệt giới tính ở nơi làm việc
Sexual harassment/assault
Tấn công/quấy rối tình dục
Gender stereotypes
Định kiến về giới tính
Objectification of women
Vật hóa phụ nữ
Inherent biological duties
Trách nhiệm sinh học vốn có
Unflinching will to compete
Tinh thần cạnh tranh không nao núng
Household and maternal duties
Tránh nhiệm gia đình và trách nhiệm làm mẹ
Career aspirations
Khát vọng sự nghiệp
Competitive nature
Bản chất cạnh tranh
To be proficient in sth
Trở nên thành thạo một việc gì đó
Conservative way of thinking
Lối suy nghĩ bảo thủ
Treated and considered as equals
Đối xử một cách bình đẳn
Male-dominated industry
Một ngành công nghiệp mà nam giới chiếm
đa số
Byproduct
Sản phẩm phụ
84
02-10-2021
Task 1: Bar chart
Task 2: Schools should not force children to learn a foreign language. To what extent
do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
Most schools globally include learning a foreign language as a compulsory component of
their curriculum. However, I do not believe that students should be forced to learn a foreign
language since it will unnecessarily add to the already enormous pressure students are currently
facing with their schoolwork.
Admittedly, one important benefit a student can gain in learning new languages is that they
can be exposed to new and diverse cultures. As language is a defining characteristic of a nation’s
culture, students can acquire a deeper understanding of how the citizens of that nation typically
communicate with each other and by extension how their society operates culturally. For example,
by learning French, students can form an impression of the way the French conduct a typical
conversation in their language. Once they are fluent in French, they can begin to understand
the social fabric of the country and how the language helps to hold it together.
However, the argument that students should not be compelled to learn foreign
languages is decidedly stronger. The biggest reason for this is it greatly contributes to the already
significant volume of schoolwork. Since students are often subjected to a hectic teaching curriculum
with mounting homework and in-class assignments, the addition of a foreign language as a core
subject may make it even more difficult for students to study effectively. Recently, the Vietnamese
Ministry of Education attempted to incorporate English into the national curriculum for elementary
students. However, it was met with backlash from parents as they complained that their children
are already burdened with a heavy workload from other subjects.
In conclusion, I would assert that students should not be compelled to learn a foreign language
since it will add unnecessary pressure to the growing levels of schoolwork they are currently facing.
Instead, it is advisable that schools should make it optional to learn foreign languages and students
should be encouraged to do so, not made to do it against their will.
Vocab:
Compulsory component
Thành phần bắt buộc
Mandatory subject in a curriculum
Môn học bắt buộc trong chương trình
giảng dạy
Be exposed to new and diverse cultures
Được tiếp xúc với văn hóa mới và đa
dạng
Conduct a typical conversation
Cách trò chuyện thông thường
Social fabric
Kết cấu xã hội
Be compelled to do sth
bị ép làm điều gì đó
Oblige sb to do sth
Ép ai đó làm điều gì đó
85
Backlash from parents
Phản ứng dữ dội từ phụ huynh
Put an emphasis on sth
Đặt trọng tâm lên một cái gì đó
Lingua franca
Ngôn ngữ cầu nối giữa hai người không
nói cùng tiếng mẹ đẻ
Linguistic similarities between their
mother tongue and foreign languages
Sự tương đồng về ngôn ngữ giữa tiếng
mẹ đẻ và ngoại ngữ
Bilingual people
Những người nói được hai ngôn ngữ
Special aptitude in other subjects
Năng khiếu đặc biệt cho các môn học
khác
Counterproductive
Phản tác dụng
Learning reluctantly
Học một cách miễn cưỡng
Better career prospect
Triển vọng nghề nghiệp tốt hơn
86
14-10-2021
Task 1: Line chart
Task 2: Companies use different ways to increase sales. What different ways do
companies use to increase sales. What is the most effective?
Sample:
There are a variety of methods employed by businesses to grow their sales revenue. In my
opinion, these typically relate to marketing and innovation, with the latter being the most
effective.
Most companies choose to target increased sales through advertising campaigns and new
products. Marketing and advertising are self-evidently important. Nearly every major company
reserves a substantial portion of the budget for television advertisements, online marketing,
billboards, and so on. Companies that excel with viral marketing, such as Starbucks, are able
to dominate the competition through brand awareness and grow sales consistently.
Furthermore, the introduction of new products is also a key catalyst. This can include new menu
items, such as the recent popularity of Popeye's new chicken sandwich or technological advances
like the electric vehicles produced by Tesla.
Though advertising can be extremely persuasive, there is no substitute for a truly
revolutionary and unique product. The best example of this would be the most successful
consumer electronics product in history, the iPhone. When it launched there was no
comparable product, with Blackberry phones being the closest analogue. The iPhone allowed
users to make phone calls, send message, take photos, check email, and use the internet. These are
routine features now but at the time these innovations drove rapid revenue growth and
countless other companies raced to replicate their success. This model applies to a range of
industries as a novel product can drive demand while a company need only focus on
maintaining their supply chain.
In conclusion, sales figures rise as a result of marketing strategies and successful innovation,
with the latter the single greatest method for generating more revenue. Companies must balance
both techniques yet prioritize new ideas whenever possible.
Vocab
sales revenue
money made from selling stuff
typically relate to
usually have to do with
latter
mentioned second
target
focus on
advertising campaigns
marketing plans
self-evidently important
obviously crucial
reserves
sets aside
substantial portion
a lot of
budget
money that can be spent
billboards
big signs up outside
excel
do well
viral marketing
popular posts
87
dominate the competition through brand awareness be stronger than other businesses
because people know about your company
grow sales consistently
increase revenue a lot
key catalyst
crucial grower
substitute
replacement
truly revolutionary
totally new
most successful consumer electronics product in history biggest selling product ever
launched
premiered
closest analogue
nearest comparison
routine features
normal abilities
drove rapid revenue growth
increased sales quickly
countless
lots of
raced to
tried to beat each other to
replicate their success
copy their ideas
novel
new
drive demand
push up the need for
maintaining their supply chain
keeping production up
88
16-10-2021
Task 1: Pie chart
Task 2: Nowadays, international tourism is the biggest industry in the world.
Unfortunately, international tourism creates tension rather than understanding
between people from different cultures. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
Some assert that international tourism does not unite but rather divides people of different
cultures. I disagree with this stance since international tourism is effective in encouraging cultural
exchange.
Critics argue that international tourism can cause friction between cultures since some
foreign tourists may engage in impolite behaviour. A certain segment of foreign tourists often
travel abroad to participate in behavior that is not acceptable in their own countries, which
can leave locals with a bad impression of the countries those tourists are from. For instance,
Thailand has long been popular for sex tourism, where foreign men travel there to engage
in prostitution with women of varying ages, some of them underage. This has caused the locals in
Thailand to regard these foreign nations unfavourably and to treat people from these
nations with suspicion.
However, in the majority of cases international tourism can forge mutual understandings
between cultures as it fosters meaningful exchanges. By travelling abroad, each nation’s
population will likely appreciate more about the culture of the country in question. For example,
many Americans had a negative perception of Cuba due to the historically fraught
relationship between the two countries in the 1960s. However, once travel restrictions were
lifted, many came away surprised with the rich cultural traditions that populate the country, from
its well-preserved urban architecture to its varied musical influences and styles. Hence
many Americans started to perceive Cuba more positively owing to their greater firsthand
appreciation of its culture.
In conclusion, though international tourism can divide cultures due to the unethical
actions of a certain segment of foreign tourists, it can also unite those cultures by fostering valuable
exchanges between them. Once governments start to enforce laws against such unethical behaviour
more strictly, international tourism will further flourish in terms of profits and the encouragement
of inter-cultural exchange.
Vocab:
Divide people
Chia rẽ mọi người
Encourage cultural exchange
Khuyến khích trao đổi văn hóa
Cause friction between sth
Gây ra xích mích giữa ai với ai
To engage in impolite behaviour
Thực hiện hành vi bất lịch sự
Leave a bad impression
Để lại ấn tượng xấu
Sex tourism
Du lịch tình dục
89
Prostitution
Mại dâm
Regard these foreign nations
unfavorably
Nhìn nhận các quốc gia này không tốt
Treat sb/sth with suspicion
Đối xử với ai đó với sự nghi ngờ
Forge mutual understandings between
cultures
Củng cố sự hiểu biết lẫn nhau giữa các nền
văn hóa
Foster meaningful exchanges
Thúc đẩy các cuộc trao đổi nhiều ý nghĩa
To have a negative perception of sb/sth
Có định kiến tiêu cực về ai/cái gì
Historically fraught relationship
Mối quan hệ lịch sử căng thẳng
Well-preserved urban architecture
Kiến trúc đô thị được bảo tồn tốt
Varied musical influences and styles
Những phong cách và ảnh hưởng đến âm nhạc
khác nhau
Firsthand appreciation
Sự đánh giá cao (thông qua trải nghiệm) trực
tiếp
Unethical actions
Việc làm phi đạo đức
Inter-cultural exchanges
Giao lưu giữa các nền văn hóa
90
23-10-2021
Task 1: Bar chart
Task 2: Some people believe that it is a good idea that older people continue to work
if it is possible for them to do. Do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
As longevity increases, there has been recent debate about the best age for retirement.
While some maintain that raising this requirement may be beneficial for older individuals, I am of
the opinion that they should not remain employed given the risk of a higher youth
unemployment rate.
On the one hand, proponents of incorporating senior citizens into the
workforce argue that doing so can encourage greater financial independence. Older
workers can continue to earn salaries to financially support themselves and not solely depend on
their pensions or family. To give an example, the U.S. Bureau of Labor has found that 19% of
Americans aged 65 and over are part of the workforce, with the majority of them choosing to
participate out of their need to earn personal savings in order to live comfortably for the remainder
of their lives.
However, allowing older people to remain in employment can exacerbate unemployment rates
among younger workers. Raising the retirement age means older workers remain in their jobs
for extended tenures, leaving younger people with fewer vacancies to fill. For example, the
proportion of manufacturing workers over the age of 55 in South Korea has risen nearly two-fold
from 16 to 30 percent in the last ten years. This has been mainly attributed to older workers refusing
to retire and government policy related to the retirement age, leading to millions of younger people
failing to find work in the manufacturing industry.
In conclusion, while permitting older people to enter the workforce can afford them greater
financial independence, it can also put younger laborers in a difficult position in terms of finding
work. That is why I believe that the government must strictly regulate the maximum working
age of citizens.
Increased longevity
Tuổi thọ tăng
Longer life expectancy
Tuổi thọ cao hơn
Promote individual prosperity
Thúc đẩy sự thịnh vượng/giàu có của cá
nhân
The risk of a higher youth unemployment
rate
Nguy cơ tỷ lệ thất nghiệp cao cho thanh
niên
Make a fortune
Gây dựng nên một khối tài sản lớn/trở nên
giàu có
Proponents of incorporating senior
citizens into the workforce
Những người ủng hộ việc đưa người cao
tuổi vào lực lượng lao động
91
Encourage greater financial independence
Khuyến khích sự độc lập tài chính cao hơn
Financially sustainable
Bền vững tài chính
Dependent on their pensions
Phụ thuộc vào lương hưu
Extended tenures
Nhiệm kỳ kéo dài
Put sb/sth in a difficult position
Đặt ai đó vào tình huống khó
Maximum working age
Độ tuổi làm việc tối đa
92
28-10-2021
Task 1: Mixed (Table + Bar chart)
Task 2: Some people think it is a good thing for senior managers to have much higher
salaries than the other workers in a company. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Sample:
Receiving decent wage is a motivating factor for many working people in management
positions. In fact, I agree with those who argue that high-level executives should be paid more
than other regular employees for two reasons.
The first reason why top managers should receive higher salaries is that they often work
under an enormous amount of pressure. Although some might argue that most employees
spend the same amount of time working for the company and, therefore, should be equally
salaried, I believe that the fundamental difference lies in the far greater responsibilities that
these senior executives have. In fact, these managers, not the regular staff, are those who make the
most important decisions in the company and are responsible for any failure resulting from their
decisions. Due to the significant role senior managers play in a company, and the stress they suffer
as a result of this, being paid better salaries is more than justifiable.
Another significant reason is that this policy can create a strong incentive for employees to
work and contribute to their company. A gap in salaries may increase positive competition
among employees because along with recognition and promotions, a lucrative salary is one of
the essential rewards that motivates an employee to work. If there is no difference in the amount
of money being paid between senior officers and other workers, very few people will likely do their
best at work to get promoted to positions with such significant responsibilities and intense pressure.
In conclusion, not only do people in senior positions usually have a vast amount of pressure,
but this also motivates employees to improve their skills and contribute to the development of the
company. Therefore, I firmly believe that paying senior managers higher salaries is a sensible
approach.
93
30-10-2021
Task 1: Table
Task 2: Scientists believe that computers will become more intelligent than human
beings. Some people find it is positive while others think it is a negative development.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Human civilization has developed at a staggering pace in the last century. We went from not
having sliced bread to being on the path to having supercomputers more powerful than we
can comprehend. There is indeed a common presumptuous notion out there; that one-day
computers might become ‘more intelligent than human beings.
The amount of ignorance this specific thought conveys leaves me quite inarticulate. Firstly,
computers are digital, brains are analogue. There is no conceivable way to compare these two.
Computers are highly logical machines designed to perform tasks; humans are essentially a tangled
mass of neurons behaving in an unpredictable manner, which births thoughts, emotions and ideas.
Their core functions are polar opposites.
The issue that must be addressed is the highly misdirecting role of movies and entertainment
media in presenting Artificial Intelligence as ‘self-sufficient’ and ‘intelligent’ in the manner of
independent thought processing. One cannot press this enough; but machines will never aim for
world domination. They have been created for one purpose and one purpose only, to aid humanity.
The world’s fastest computer averages out at 200 petaflops, the human brain has been
estimated to run at one exaflop. The difference between them is akin to the earth and sky.
Nonetheless, I do not doubt the gap will be closed within the next decade. However, this will just
mean that supercomputers will be more efficient at the analysis tasks they perform, this will not
mean that they will spontaneously decide to sprout a conscience and destroy the world in the blink
of an eye. This idea is so ridiculous it has passed the point of comedic hilarity into
plain oblivion and beyond even idiosyncrasy.
I refuse to even acknowledge such a possibility. Computers becoming more efficient than
human processing power would be a leap in the fields of data analysis, weather prediction, space
calculation, molecular modeling, natural resource exploration, etc. There is absolutely no cause for
worry, fear or panic. Only further awareness on the true nature of computers and
the fictionality of popular media tropes.
In conclusion, it is inevitable that computers will become more efficient. There are very little
drawbacks to this save for initial job losses, the positives outweigh the negatives in all formulateable aspects.
Vocab:
Staggering
Comprehend
Presumptuous
Notion
very shocking and surprising
to understand something completely
Showing little respect for others by doing things they have no
right to do
a belief or idea
94
Inarticulate
Conceivable
Misdirecting
unable to express feelings or ideas clearly, or expressed in a way
that is difficult to understand
possible to imagine or to believe
to use something in a way that is not right or legal
Petaflops
a unit of computing speed equal to one thousand million million
(1015) floating-point operations per second.
Exaflop
a billion billion calculations per second (1018)
Comedic
Hilarity
Oblivion
Idiosyncrasy
Media tropes
Fictionality
Inevitable
relating to or involving comedy
a situation in which people laugh very loudly and think something
is very funny
the state of being completely forgotten
a strange or unusual habit, way of behaving, or feature that
someone or something has
something such as an idea, phrase, or image that is often used by
the media
the quality of being fictional (= imaginary)
Certain to happen
95
06-11-2021
Task 1: Pie chart
Task 2: The best way to solve world's environmental problem is to increase the cost
of fuel for cars and other vehicles. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
It is believed that traffic and pollution issues would be best tackled by higher prices of gas. In
my opinion, this idea is completely flawed and there are several reasonable alternatives.
Clearly the price of fuel has little to do with pressing problems of traffic and pollution. The
inevitable demand for time-saving and safe travelling in the modern world makes the change in price
of gas become rather insignificant, which proves the ineffectiveness of the given policy. In other
words, even if the price were increased, people would still travel on a daily basis and the problems
of traffic and pollution would stay unsolved. Additionally, this solution could easily trigger social
disagreement and resentment. This, coupled with the reluctance of using expensive fuel to travel
every day, could be counter-productive and this proposed idea would become irrelevant.
On the other hand, alternatives to increased price of petrol show greater effectiveness. First,
the government could implement certain regulations restricting the use of private vehicles such as
cars and turn people to using public transportation. This would relieve many roads from heavy
traffic by reducing the number of vehicles, which in return alleviates the problem of pollution caused
by exhaust. Second, cycling which proves environmentally friendly should be more encouraged in
major cities. At the same time, separate zones for cyclists should be created to avoid the overload
of traffic in the rush hour when the number of vehicles might exceed the road’s capacity.
In conclusion, I believe that heightening the price of fuel used for travelling to address traffic
and pollution problems is somewhat absurd; and that some other methods should be adopted
instead.
Vocab:
For time-saving and safe travelling: Để di chuyển một cách an toàn và tiết kiệm thời gian
The ineffectiveness of the given policy: Sự không hiệu quả của chính sách trên
The problems of traffic and pollution would stay unsolved: Những vấn đề về giao thông và
ô nhiễm sẽ không thể được giải quyết
Relieve many roads from heavy traffic: Giảm nhẹ lưu thông
To alleviate the problem of pollution caused by exhaust: Giảm nhẹ vấn đề ô nhiễm gây
nên bởi khí thải
96